Stockwinners Market Radar for January 08, 2019 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:33 EDT DPW Holdings receives notice of noncompliance with NYSE - DPW Holdings announced that on January 4, 2019 it had received a deficiency letter from NYSE American, LLC indicating that the Company is not in compliance with the continued listing standards. Specifically, the Letter informed the Company that the Exchange has determined that the shares of the Company's common stock have been selling for a low price per share for a substantial period of time and the Company's continued listing is predicated on the Company effecting a reverse stock split of the Shares no later than July 4, 2019.

19:23 EDT Aphria completes first shipment of medical cannabis to Shoppers Drug Mart - Aphria announced that it has completed its first shipment of medical cannabis to Shoppers Drug Mart. The Company had previously announced a supply agreement with Shoppers Drug Mart.

18:56 EDT Ellington Financial reports estimated book value per share $18.95 on December 31 - Estimated book value per share takes into account a 32c per share reduction caused by the redemption of convertible securities that the company had previously issued under its equity incentive plans, in exchange for the distribution of equivalent securities issued by the company's operating partnership. As a result of this redemption and distribution of convertible securities, which were made in connection with the company's expectation to convert to a REIT, the company's book value per share and diluted book value per share are now equal.

18:33 EDT Apple CEO says putting 'a ton of investment' into Siri

18:22 EDT Apple CEO says idea the iPhone XR is a flop is 'baloney' - Apple CEO Tim Cook said on Jim Cramer's "Mad Money" that it's "baloney" that the iPhone XR is a flop, noting that the phone has been "the most popular iPhone" each day since it started shipping until now. Cook said that the XR is an "incredibly innovative" product in terms of the technology itself.

18:02 EDT MediciNova initiates enrollment in clinical trial of MN-166 in glioblastoma - MediciNova announced that the first glioblastoma patient has enrolled in the clinical trial of MN-166 in combination with temozolomide for the treatment of recurrent glioblastoma. The principal investigators are Patrick Y. Wen, M.D., Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School and Director, Neuro-Oncology Division at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, and Kerrie McDonald, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Head of Biomarkers and Translational Research at the Lowy Cancer Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Australia. The scientific rationale for this clinical trial is based on positive results from preclinical studies conducted by Dr. McDonald and her team. MN-166 and temozolomide (TMZ) combination treatment significantly increased GBM cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in an in-vitro study. Combination treatment of MN-166 with TMZ resulted in significantly extended survival times compared to TMZ monotherapy in a GBM animal model study with complete tumor regression observed in two out of 16 mice. This is the first clinical trial to evaluate the safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy of MN-166 in combination with temozolomide for the treatment of recurrent GBM.

17:51 EDT Frontdoor names Piras Thiyagarajan as Chief Technology Officer - Frontdoor announced that Piras Thiyagarajan has been named senior vice president and chief technology officer. He brings to the role more than 20 years of experience with some of the world's most-recognized technology companies, and holds six U.S. patents for data security, transaction and technology systems. Thiyagarajan most recently served as vice president of engineering and technology for Ridecell.

17:38 EDT SPDR Gold Shares holdings fall to 796.53MT from 796.78MT - This is the second consecutive decline in Gold Shares holdings.

17:31 EDT Herbalife Nutrition affirms FY19 outlook, sees Q4 volume up 11.6% - As part of its management transition announcement, Herbalife Nutrition also stated its "Q4 preliminary volume point results were up 11.6% worldwide from the same period in 2017 and reaffirmed its initial full year 2019 guidance as announced on October 30, 2018, thereby demonstrating the company's consistent and continued confidence in the business moving forward."

17:27 EDT Nabors Industries says targeting 83% reduction in dividend beginning 2Q19 - The company announced the following steps: Targeting 2019 capital spending at the $400M level. Optimizing 2019 G&A and R&E expenses through a reduction of approximately 10% compared to 2018. Planning an 83% reduction in the quarterly cash dividend to common shareholders, to 1c per share, beginning in the second quarter of 2019. Anthony Petrello, Nabors Chairman, CEO and President, commented, "We believe our combination of top quality personnel, superior assets, market position and technology serves us well in any environment. We will continue our focus on reducing our leverage over the next two to three years. We can accomplish this through stringent capital allocation and still continue the progress we have made in modernizing our fleet, introducing new automation technologies and enhancing our performance drilling capabilities. We continue to expect 2019 to be an improvement over 2018 and another good step forward for the company."

17:21 EDT Verizon and Microsoft expand partnership with global native advertising deal - Verizon Media (VZ) and Microsoft (MSFT) announced a new multi-year global native advertising deal. Through this deal which launches this month, marketers will gain additional access to 20 percent more native inventory through Oath Ad Platforms with high-performing ad formats on Microsoft News/MSN, including exclusive placements. Additionally, the companies have extended their existing relationship, which delivers unrivaled access to brand safe video, display and content marketing solutions across Microsoft properties globally including MSN, Outlook and XBox. Marketers can continue to partner directly with the Verizon Media sales team to access these ad opportunities across devices."We help advertisers easily solve their business challenges with our unified ad platforms, and we're continuing to build on this strong foundation by introducing even more high quality, global inventory through this deal," said Guru Gowrappan, CEO of Verizon Media. "Partnering with Microsoft enables us to bring together this premium inventory with our ad tech, quality content and the most diverse, verified data in the industry to connect marketers with their key audiences at scale." Reference Link

17:17 EDT Washington Federal expands into Idaho with acquisition - Washington Federal announced that it has consummated the acquisition of the Bodybuilding.com property in Boise, Idaho from Hopkins Real Estate Investments. The $15.25M transaction, which includes a 98,574 square foot building on 11 acres within the Boise Research Park, closed December 21, 2018.

17:07 EDT JBG Smith sells Warner Building to CBRE Global Investors for $376.5M - JBG Smith announced the sale of The Warner Building to CBRE Global Investors for $376.5M. The Warner Building is a 583,453 square foot office building, located at 1299 Pennsylvania Ave, NW in the East End submarket of Washington, DC. JBG Smith had a 55% ownership interest in the building, which was 98.3% leased as of September 30, 2018.

17:06 EDT Sprint says will support customers affected by government shutdown - Sprint will support customers impacted by the current federal government shutdown, the company announced. "As with any Sprint customer who hits a rough patch, we want to help and will take a look at your account to see what we can do," said Michel Combes, Sprint CEO. "Our Care reps will coordinate with qualified customers and our financial team to find a payment option that works and keep your service uninterrupted during the government shutdown." Sprint Customer Care is prepared to work with federal government employees seeking short-term payment solutions, the company said.

17:05 EDT Aaron's to adopt new lease accounting standard - Aaron's expects to adopt the new lease accounting standard, ASU 2016-02, Leases beginning in the first quarter of 2019.

17:03 EDT Mosaic enters MOU with Sinochem to purchase phosphate rock, fertilizers - Mosaic announced that it has entered into a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, with Sinochem, an agricultural inputs company. As part of the MOU, Sinochem intends to purchase phosphate rock and phosphate fertilizers, including premium products, from Mosaic. The MOU establishes a relationship through which Mosaic could contribute to Sinochem by providing both expertise and products. Terms and conditions of the purchases are to be outlined in a separate contract between the two parties.

16:58 EDT Skyworks higher by 2.8% in after hours despite cutting Q1 EPS, revenue guidance

16:53 EDT Smart Global down over 12% after Q1 earnings, Q2 guidance

16:48 EDT Chaparral Energy raises year end 2018 proved reserves 35% compared to last year - Chaparral Energy announced 2018 year-end SEC reserves and preliminary operational results, as well as additions to its hedge portfolio. Highlights include: Increased year-end 2018 proved reserves to 94.8M barrels of oil equivalent, or MMBoe, up 35% compared to year-end 2017 proved reserves adjusted for 2018 divestitures; Increased STACK proved reserves to 73.7 MMBoe, an increase of approximately 49% compared to year-end 2017 proved reserves; Replaced 519% of estimated 2018 STACK production Produced an estimated 21.7 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day, or MBoe/d, for the Q4 of FY18; Grew STACK production to an estimated 16.6 MBoe/d during the Q4 of FY18, up 60% compared to the Q4 of FY17; And drilled and completed the five-well, Kingfisher County King Koopa partial section spacing test in the fourth quarter of 2018 and encouraged by early results.

16:40 EDT Electronics for Imaging enters into $150M credit facility - On January 2 Electronics For Imaging entered into a Credit Agreement with Citibank, as administrative agent, sole lead arranger and sole bookrunner of up to $150M

16:36 EDT SunPower names Jeff Waters CEO of Technologies business unit - SunPower announced that it has named proven global executive Jeff Waters as CEO of the SunPower Technologies business unit. This group includes the company's global manufacturing, research and development and SunPower Solutions. Waters begins his new role immediately. Waters joins SunPower from Isola, where he worked from Silicon Valley as the company's president and CEO. Isola is a leading material sciences company that designs, develops, manufactures and markets copper-clad laminates and dielectric prepregs used to fabricate advanced multilayer printed circuit boards. Like SunPower, Isola has a significant global footprint with manufacturing, R&D and offices in Asia, Europe and the U.S.

16:33 EDT Sanchez Energy receives non-compliance notice from NYSE - Sanchez Energy announced that it has received notice from the NYSE that the company does not presently meet the additional NYSE continued listing standard which requires that a company maintain an average market capitalization of at least $50M over a period of 30 consecutive trading days, unless at the same time the company's total stockholders' equity is equal to or greater than $50M. In accordance with applicable NYSE procedures, the company plans to timely notify the NYSE that it intends to present a plan to meet the minimum market capitalization requirement. The NYSE provides for a period of 45 days from receipt of the notice to submit a plan advising the NYSE of definitive actions the company has taken, or is taking, that would bring it into conformity with the market capitalization listing standard within 18 months of receipt of the notice. The notice has no immediate impact on the listing of the company's common stock, which will continue to trade on the NYSE subject to the company's compliance with the other continued listing requirements. The company is currently evaluating its available options and developing a plan to return to conformity with the minimum market capitalization requirement.

16:31 EDT Trustmark appoints David Kennedy as CIO - Trustmark announced that David C. Kennedy has been named Executive Vice President and CIO of Trustmark National Bank. Kennedy has more than 20 years of experience, with his most recent leadership role as Chief Technology Officer of Stone Energy Corporation in Lafayette, Louisiana. In this position, Kennedy was responsible for corporate technology and innovation initiatives and directed the management and operations of information systems across 100+ locations worldwide. He has also served as cybersecurity advisor to regional financial institutions.

16:28 EDT Genuine Parts completes automotive acquisition in Germany - Genuine Parts Company announced that Alliance Automotive Group, the company's wholly-owned automotive distribution company based in London, U.K., has completed the acquisition of German Hennig Fahrzeugteile Group, effective today. The company expects the acquired business to generate annual revenues of approximately $190M.

16:26 EDT Talend names Laurent Bride COO - Talend announced that it has promoted Laurent Bride to Chief Technical Officer and Chief Operating Officer. Bride has served as the company's Chief Technical Officer since 2014. The company also announced Brad Stratton, executive VP of Worldwide Sales, is departing the company. CEO Mike Tuchen will lead sales while the company conducts a search for a new head of sales to scale the company's business through its next phase of growth.

16:22 EDT Antero plans to grow production 10%-15% from 2020 through 2023 - Depending on the commodity price environment, Antero Resources plans to grow production at a 10% to 15% compound annual growth rate from 2020 through 2023. Antero has a clear path to this production growth profile due to its Appalachian Basin-leading firm transportation portfolio for natural gas. The Company's activity level and production growth will vary on an annual basis depending on natural gas, oil and NGL price expectations with the objective of maintaining Stand-alone drilling and completion capital spending within Stand-alone Adjusted Operating Cash Flow levels, keeping leverage low while also maximizing the return of capital to shareholders. Assuming flat $50 per barrel WTI oil prices and $2.85 per MMBtu NYMEX natural gas prices from 2020 through 2023, Antero Resources expects to grow production at the lower end of the production growth range, invest at levels that result in approximate Free Cash Flow neutrality and maintain leverage in the low 2x area declining below 2x leverage in the final two years of the outlook period. Assuming Wall Street analyst consensus commodity pricing of flat $65 per barrel WTI oil and $3.15 per MMBtu NYMEX natural gas prices from 2020 through 2023, Antero Resources expects to grow production at the high end of its production CAGR range, generate $2.5B-$3.0B of Free Cash Flow through 2023 and be in a position to both substantially reduce leverage and return significant capital to shareholders.

16:20 EDT Talend down 2.8% after cutting Q4 revenue guidance

16:20 EDT Antero Resources announces 2019 capital budget - Guidance Highlights: In response to recent oil and NGL price declines, the company has reduced its 2019 drilling and completion capital budget relative to 2018 to a range of $1.1B-$1.25B on a consolidated basis and a range of $1.3B-$1.45B on a stand-alone basis; Full year 2019 production is expected to average 3,150 MMcfe/d to 3,250 MMcfe/d, a 17% to 20% increase over 2018 production guidance; Liquids volumes, including NGLs and oil are expected to average 154,000 to 164,000 Bbl/d, 18% to 26% over 2018 liquids guidance, including 9,000 Bbl/d of oil, 100,000 Bbl/d of C3+ NGLs and 50,000 Bbl/d of recovered ethane, at the midpoint; Plan to operate an average of 5 drilling rigs and 4 completion crews, down 1 to 2 crews from 2018; Includes 115 to 125 well completions in 2019 with an average lateral length of 10,200 feet and 120 to 130 wells drilled with an average lateral length of 11,900 feet; Forecasting Antero natural gas price realizations before hedges at a $0.15-$0.20/Mcf premium to Henry Hub and C3+ NGL realizations at 60%-65% of WTI oil prices; Mariner East 2 recently placed in-service enabling the first exports of C3+ NGLs on Antero's 50,000 Bbl/d firm commitment; Natural gas production guidance is 100% hedged in 2019.

16:18 EDT Symantec names Sue Barsamian and Richard Hill to board of directors - Symantec Corp. (SYMC) announced that its board of directors appointed Sue Barsamian and Richard S. "Rick" Hill as members of the Board, effective January 7, 2019. Under a Board Refreshment Plan announced on September 17, 2018, it was announced that Rick Hill would join the Symantec Board following its 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which was held on December 3, 2018. As part of the ongoing refreshment process, the Board has appointed an additional independent Board member, Sue Barsamian. With the addition of these independent directors, and the previously announced retirement of Mr. Robert S. Miller and Ms. Geraldine Laybourne, the Symantec Board has 13 members. Rick Hill will serve as a member of Symantec's Audit Committee of the Board. Barsamian previously served as the Executive Vice President, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of Hewlett Packard Enterprise Software (HPE). Hill has served as Chairman of the board of directors of Marvell Technology Group (MRVL) since May 2016 and as a member of the boards of directors of Arrow Electronics (ARW) since 2006, Cabot Microelectronics Corporation, a chemical mechanical planarization supplier, since June 2012, and Xperi (XPER) since August 2012 and as its Chairman since March 2013.

16:17 EDT Tronox provides update regarding pending Cristal acquisition - Tronox commented on the status of its ongoing discussions with the Federal Trade Commission seeking approval of a proposed remedy related to the acquisition of the titanium dioxide, or TiO2, business of The National Titanium Dioxide Company, or Cristal. Throughout the duration of the partial shutdown of the U.S. government, agency personnel are not allowed to work on the Tronox matter, including any further consideration of the proposed remedy, since the pending acquisition is not considered an essential matter under the agency's shutdown guidelines. In addition, existing deadlines for filing motions in the matter are extended to five business days after the shutdown ends. "We continue to work diligently with our partners at Cristal, Tasnee and the prospective purchaser of the Ashtabula complex, INEOS Enterprises A.G., to reach a resolution with the FTC, and we remain optimistic one will be reached once discussions resume," said the company.

16:14 EDT KAR Auction names Peter Kelly as President - KAR Auction Services announced the promotion of Peter Kelly to the newly created role of president. Kelly joined KAR in 2011 through the acquisition of OPENLANE where he served as co-founder, president and CEO.

16:12 EDT Asure Software appoints Rhonda Parouty COO - Asure Software announced the appointment of Rhonda Parouty to the role of Chief Operating Officer, effective January 7. Prior to joining Asure Software, Rhonda was an advisor working with SaaS technology companies focused on disrupting industries with artificial intelligence.

16:11 EDT Dotdash acquires Byrdie, terms not disclosed - Dotdash announced that it has acquired Byrdie, a leading digital beauty brand from Clique Brands. Dotdash has also acquired MyDomaine, a women's lifestyle property from Clique. Byrdie and MyDomaine will join Dotdash's award-winning family of brands. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Dotdash is an operating business of IAC.

16:02 EDT Amgen: EVENITY approved in Japan for treatment of osteoporosis - Amgen (AMGN) announced that the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has granted a marketing authorization for EVENITY for the treatment of osteoporosis in patients at high risk of fracture. Amgen and UCB are co-developing EVENITY worldwide, with development in Japan being led by Amgen Astellas BioPharma K.K., a joint venture between Amgen and Astellas Pharma (ALPMY), headquartered in Tokyo. The U.S. FDA and the European Medicines Agency are currently reviewing marketing applications for EVENITY and interactions with the agencies are ongoing.

16:01 EDT Lattice Semiconductor names Mark Nelson VP of global sales - Lattice Semiconductor (LSCC) announced the appointment of Mark Nelson as the company's Corporate Vice President of Worldwide Sales, effective immediately. Prior to Lattice, Mr. Nelson was Vice President and General Manager of Worldwide Sales for Intel Corporation's (INTC) Programmable Solutions Group.

15:00 EDT Medtronic recalls malfunctioning cranial software - Medtronic is recalling the Synergy Cranial Software and StealthStation S7 Cranial Software used with the StealthStation Surgical Navigation System due to reports of incorrect information displaying during biopsy procedures that could result in serious or life-threatening patient harm. The FDA has identified this as a Class I recall, the most serious type of recall. Use of these devices may cause serious injuries or death. The recall was originally initiated on September 26. 2018. Reference Link

14:30 EDT Knauf acquisition of USG receives Chinese approval - Knauf's acquisition of USG has received Chinese approval, according to China's State Administration for Market Regulation. Shares of USG are up 30c to $43.26 in afternoon trading. Reference Link

14:02 EDT Toyota, Kenworth announce zero emission trucks collaboration - Kenworth Truck Company and Toyota Motor North America are collaborating to develop 10 zero-emission Kenworth T680s powered by Toyota hydrogen fuel cell electric powertrains, the companies announced. This collaboration is part of a $41M Zero and Near-Zero Emissions Freight Facilities grant preliminarily awarded by the California Air Resources Board, with the Port of Los Angeles as the prime applicant. The grant monies are part of a larger $82M program that will put fuel cell electric tractors, hydrogen fueling infrastructure, and zero emissions cargo handling equipment into operation in the ports and Los Angeles basin in 2020.

13:40 EDT Walmart begins new pilot study with autonomous vehicle company Udelv - Tom Ward, SVP, Digital Operations, Walmart U.S said in a statement. "Over the last few years we've been working hard to bring Grocery Pickup and Delivery to more and more customers across the country for one reason: Customers love it! It makes shopping easy and saves loads of time. But, we're not stopping with simply rolling out the service to more stores. We continue to explore new ways that can make what's easy today even easier tomorrow. That includes testing a number of things, including autonomous vehicle technology - and today, we're announcing a new pilot with autonomous vehicle company, Udelv. The pilot program with Udelv will take place in Surprise, Arizona. What's really cool is that Udelv will utilize a cargo van custom-made to deliver fresh groceries - hand-picked by our personal shoppers - to customers." Reference Link

13:34 EDT Nektar jumps nearly 10% after laying out anticipated milestones for 2019 - Shares of Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR) are up nearly 10% following the company's presentation at JPMorgan's Healthcare Conference. In addition to saying it ended 2018 with cash and equivalents of $1.92B, Nektar laid out its anticipated milestones in 2019. These include: Initiation of new Bristol-Myers (BMY), Nektar registrational trials in renal cell carcinoma, bladder cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, small cell lung cancer and sarcoma; Presentation of data from PIVOT study of NKTR-214+nivo in patients with bladder cancer at ASCO-GU; Presentation of data from Phase 1 dose-escalation phase of REVEAL study of NKTR-214 + NKTR-262 at ASCO-SITC; Potential approval and launch of NKTR-181; Initiate first Phase 1 clinical trial of NKTR-255 in multiple myeloma; Data from first-in-human Phase 1 single-ascending dose clinical trial of NKTR-358 at EULAR 2019; PIVOT data presentations in lung cancer and Eli Lilly (LLY) initiating two new Phase 1b studies of NKTR-358 in two new auto-immune conditions. Shares of are up over 9%, or $3.45, to $40.07 in afternoon trading.

13:31 EDT IBM, Weather Company unveil 'powerful' new global weather forecasting system - IBM and its subsidiary The Weather Company unveiled at CES a "powerful" new global weather forecasting system that will provide the "most accurate local weather forecasts ever seen worldwide." The new IBM Global High-Resolution Atmospheric Forecasting System will be the first hourly-updating commercial weather system that is able to predict something as small as thunderstorms globally. Compared to existing models, it will provide a nearly 200% improvement in forecasting resolution for much of the globe. It will be available later this year, the company said. "Today, weather forecasts around the world are not created equal, so we are changing that," said Cameron Clayton, general manager of Watson Media and Weather for IBM. "Weather influences what people do day-to-day and is arguably the most important external swing factor in business performance. As extreme weather becomes more common, our new weather system will ensure every person and organization around the world has access to more accurate, more finely-tuned weather forecasts."

13:23 EDT Nektar up 12% to $41.18 amid JPMorgan conference presentation - As part of the presentation, Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR) provided an overview of its research collaboration with Gilead Sciences (GILD). In addition, Nektar said earlier in a regulatory filing that it intends to announce that, based upon the company's preliminary estimates, as of December 31, 2018, it had cash and equivalents of $1.92B.

13:18 EDT Apple CEO says product pipeline has 'never been better' - Tim Cook is speaking on CNBC.

13:05 EDT Abeona appoints Christine Silverstein as CFO, Edward Carr as CAO - Abeona Therapeutics announced that it has appointed Christine Silverstein to the position of CFO and named Edward Carr as Chief Accounting Officer. Silverstein was previously Senior Vice President, Finance and Investor Relations for Abeona. Carr most recently served as Vice President and Assistant Controller at Coty (COTY).

12:56 EDT Hemispherx gets IRB approval for breast cancer study with Roswell Park - Hemispherx Biopharma ( HEB) announced Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Institutional Review Board approval and shipment of Ampligen to start an oncology clinical study combining its dsRNA TLR3 agonist Ampligen with Merck's (MRK) Keytruda, pembrolizumab, in Metastatic Triple Negative Breast Cancer. The study will enroll at least six participants and be conducted by Drs. Mateusz Opyrchal and Pawel Kalinski at Roswell Park, a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Buffalo, New York.

12:12 EDT Sony sold over 5.6M PS4 units during 2018 holiday season worldwide - Sony Interactive Entertainment announced new sales milestone for PlayStation4. PS4 has now cumulatively sold through more than 91.6M units globally as of December 31, 2018, with more than 5.6M unit sold globally during the 2018 holiday season. More than 50.7M PS4 games were sold through globally during the 2018 holiday season, which sums up to 876M PS4 games cumulatively sold through worldwide as of December 31, 2018. Marvel's Spider-Man, launched in September 2018, has cumulatively sold through more than 9M copies worldwide as of November 25, 2018.

12:04 EDT AT&T's Turner, Xandr partner on new, enhanced ad opportunities - WarnerMedia's Turner and AT&T's advertising business, Xandr, are working together to improve the relevancy of advertising, fueled by data and content connections, the company announced. The Turner and Xandr ad sales teams have been working on the following four initiatives: More relevant advertising across Turner's TV brands, with AT&T first-party set-top-box data; Using Xandr's data capabilities to fuel more relevant advertising on Turner's digital properties; Expanding the reach of branded storytelling to addressable TV; Proving the impact of advertising through attribution. Several enhanced products are available from Turner today, AT&T noted.

12:00 EDT Charah Solutions falls -8.7% - Charah Solutions is down -8.7%, or -71c to $7.46.

12:00 EDT Maxar Technologies falls -34.1% - Maxar Technologies is down -34.1%, or -$2.74 to $5.29.

12:00 EDT AZZ Inc. rises 8.6% - AZZ Inc. is up 8.6%, or $3.58 to $45.03.

11:22 EDT Hulu added 8M subscribers in 2018, closes year with more than 25M subscribers - Hulu announced that it added 8 million subscribers in 2018 and closed its fiscal year with more than 25 million total subscribers across its subscription on demand, SVOD, and live TV plans in the U.S. Today's news marks a 48% subscriber increase year over year and catapults Hulu's customer reach beyond that of the country's largest cable and satellite pay TV providers. "Consumers have spoken loudly about their desire for more choice and control in their TV experience. They are seeing the enormous benefits of streaming, they're deciding which content and brands are most important to them, and they're choosing Hulu," said Hulu CEO Randy Freer. "In 2018, Hulu led the industry in attracting and engaging subscribers, building a powerful technology stack and cultivating a brand that both consumers and advertisers love. Looking ahead, Hulu is in the best position to be the #1 choice for TV - live and on-demand, with and without commercials, both in and out of the home." Hulu is owned by Hulu LLC, a joint venture with The Walt Disney (DIS), 21st Century Fox (FOX), Comcast (CMCSA), and AT&T (T). Other companies in the space include Roku (ROKU) and Netflix (NFLX). Reference Link

11:15 EDT Verizon reports 1.2M retail postpaid net additions in Q4

11:08 EDT Skyworks enables Sonos' high-fidelity amp for smart audio applications - Skyworks Solutions announced that its wireless engines are delivering connectivity in Sonos' new versatile digital amplifier, the Amp. Specifically, Sonos is leveraging several of Skyworks' front-end solutions to facilitate robust Wi-Fi communications allowing users to effortlessly transmit high-quality sound throughout the home with their mobile phones. With the surge in connected devices across the Internet of Things, IoT, wireless capability has become the critical link for many applications. "High-fidelity audio systems are elevating today's smart home beyond mere conveniences to premium entertainment experiences," said John O'Neill, vice president of marketing for Skyworks. "Skyworks' solutions facilitate seamless connectivity in multimedia platforms, ensuring optimal speed, reliability and sound quality. Further, with our recent addition of intelligent audio technologies, we are expanding our IoT footprint in everything from home audio to kitchen appliances, thermostats, digital assistants, speakers and more."

11:04 EDT Boeing says delivered 238 commercial airplanes in Q4 - Boeing says delivered 238 commercial airplanes in Q4 and 806 in 2018.

11:00 EDT Energous advances after saying it will demonstrate WattUp-enabled products - Shares of Energous (WATT) are moving higher, after the developer of wireless charging technology WattUp. disclosed it would be demonstrating a variety of WattUp-enabled, pre-production products from partners, including IDT International Limited, Delight, The Gokhale Method and others. Energous added that is also in partnership with smart glasses maker Vuzix (VUZI). Energous will be demonstrating a WattUp-enabled concept version of the award-winning Vuzix Blade smart glasses. Vuzix has won CES awards for its products in the innovation category for 15 consecutive years and the Vuzix Blade is the most anticipated product to-date. "We are excited to announce the launch of Wireless Charging 2.0 at CES 2019. For the first time ever, we are showing FCC-certified and pre-production products from a variety of partners that are implementing our WattUp wireless charging technology," said Stephen R. Rizzone, president and CEO of Energous Corporation. "These products, as well as a number of others from top-tier companies that are restricted under NDAs, are production-ready and we expect to see them entering the market in the coming months." Shares of Energous are up 31c or 4.4% to $7.41 in early trading.

10:32 EDT General Dynamics awarded $714M delivery order from U.S. Army to upgrade tanks - The U.S. Army has signed a $714M delivery order for General Dynamics Land Systems to upgrade an additional 174 M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks to the state-of-the-art M1A2 System Enhancement Package Version 3 configuration. This brings the total of M1A2 SEPv3 tanks ordered by the Army in 2018 to 274. The M1A2 SEPv3 configuration features technological advancements in communications, reliability, sustainment and fuel efficiency, plus upgraded armor. The delivery order is part of an Army Requirements Contract signed in December 2017 through which the Army can upgrade up to 435 M1A1 Abrams tanks to the M1A2 SEPv3 configuration. Work on this delivery order will be performed at Land Systems locations in Scranton, Pa., and Tallahassee, Fla., and at the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center in Lima, Ohio, the only operational tank plant in the country.

10:05 EDT Kronos announces global agreement for SAP to resell Workforce Dimensions - Kronos Incorporated (KRON) announced a global agreement with SAP (SAP) that allows SAP to resell Workforce Dimensions, the next-generation workforce management solution by Kronos, across its worldwide customer base under the name "SAP Time Management by Kronos." SAP has selected Workforce Dimensions as its workforce management solution for customers with complex scheduling, time and attendance, absence management, labor activities, and workforce analytics requirements. The integrated solution provides SAP customers with best-in-class workforce management capabilities that extend and complement the SAP Success Factors HCM Suite. SAP Time Management by Kronos is a multi-tenant cloud solution with a responsive user experience that enables managers and employees to leverage modern innovations, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, and embedded analytics, to make predictive recommendations, reduce the time-consuming burden of routine tasks, and offer an empowering employee experience. Kronos will support SAP Time Management deployments, leveraging its proven Kronos Paragon implementation methodology, which accelerates implementations by as much as 30 percent. SAP customers will also benefit from the award-winning global support and professional services provided by Kronos. As the global leader in workforce management, Kronos provides a proven track record of successfully supporting workforce management cloud deployments of all complexities - including large, multinational projects - to help increase labor productivity, control labor costs, minimize compliance risk, and enhance employee engagement. SAP and Kronos plan to further expand their longtime strategic collaboration to support joint research in analytics, data science, and artificial intelligence in efforts to help identify future opportunities to improve workforce efficiency and the overall employee experience.

10:01 EDT DSP Group extends collaboration with Technicolor for voice enabled solutions - DSP Group (DSPG) announces its collaboration with Technicolor (TCLRY) to bring to market DECT-enabled gateways that will support innovative Internet of Things use cases including both voice control applications and telephony services.

10:00 EDT PG&E falls -12.8% - PG&E is down -12.8%, or -$2.43 to $16.52.

10:00 EDT Veoneer rises 9.2% - Veoneer is up 9.2%, or $2.43 to $28.93.

10:00 EDT Kenon rises 11.8% - Kenon is up 11.8%, or $1.86 to $17.67.

09:50 EDT vTv Therapeutics awarded U.S. patent for Bach1 Inhibitors and Nrf2 Activators - The patent granted to vTv Therapeutics relates to use of Bach1 Inhibitors and Nrf2 Activators for "methods of treating diseases such as psoriasis, multiple sclerosis, and COPD," according to a post to the USPTO website. Reference Link

09:47 EDT Union Pacific rises 9.0% - Union Pacific is up 9.0%, or $12.54 to $151.19.

09:47 EDT VelocityShares 3x Long Natural Gas ETN rises 10.5% - VelocityShares 3x Long Natural Gas ETN is up 10.5%, or $4.05 to $42.53.

09:32 EDT AT&T, Rush System for Health sign agreement for 5G use in hospital setting - AT&T and Chicago-based Rush University Medical Center and the Rush System for Health are working to bring the first standards-based 5G enabled hospital to the U.S. 5G technology will be used in parts of the hospital in various use cases. Rush System for Health, a clinically integrated network of health care providers and hospitals in Chicago, is poised to take full advantage of AT&T's 5G network, Multi-Access Edge Computing - a cloud-based IT service environment at the edge of the network - and other advanced network related technologies as they become available. AT&T MEC services will enable Rush to manage its cellular traffic over both its local network and its wide area network. This will allow Rush to better satisfy network communications and application processing needs for its data, enhance the various use cases across its system, and help improve the patient experience. The 5G technology will help connect various applications, people, devices, robotics and more. The Rush collaboration with AT&T doesn't stop with network services. Together, they will create opportunity to explore the use of mobile technology in technology-driven therapies, improving hospital operations and enhancing the patient experience. The project will kick off this month and create learnings throughout most of 2019.

09:24 EDT Prescience Point says MiMedx worth 'at least $8.09,' announces long position - Prescience Point announced that it is long MiMedx, which it called "one of the most undervalued companies we have ever identified." Prescience Point estimates the stock is "worth at least $8.09, almost 4x the current price." The firm stated in its newly published report: "As frequent publishers of short-biased research, we believe short-selling is vital to the markets and agree with critics that MiMedx has engaged in wrongdoing. But we disagree on the extent of that wrongdoing, and believe that the company will overcome its current challenges and eventually thrive again." Reference Link

09:18 EDT Norwegian Cruise Line announces order of two Oceania ships for EUR575M each - Norwegian Cruise Line announced an order for the next generation of ships for Oceania Cruises. The two Allura-Class ships mark the next phase of the line's OceaniaNEXT initiative and will be designed and built by Fincantieri for delivery in 2022 and 2025. The two 67,000 gross ton Allura-Class ships will each accommodate approximately 1,200 guests. This new class of mid-size cruise vessels will retain design elements and amenities of the line's Marina and Riviera with the addition of new luxury offerings. The contract price for each of the two vessels is approximately EUR575M per ship. The company has obtained export credit financing to fund 80% of the contract price of each ship, subject to certain Italian government approvals.

09:17 EDT Mattel and Warne announce partnership for Barbie franchise - Mattel and Warner Bros. Pictures Group announced a partnership to bring the world-renowned Barbie franchise to theaters in its first ever live-action feature film, starring Academy Award-nominated actress Margot Robbie as Barbie. Robbie will also co-produce the film under her LuckyChap Entertainment Banner, alongside Tom Ackerley and Josey McNamara from LuckyChap Entertainment.

09:12 EDT Dynavax introduces Heplisav-B into Sam's Club retail pharmacies - Dynavax and Sam's Club have teamed up to introduce Heplisav-B into Sam's Club retail pharmacies nation-wide where pharmacists can immunize patients. Heplisav-B is indicated for prevention of infection caused by all known subtypes of hepatitis B virus in adults age 18 years and older. This is the first new hepatitis B vaccine in the United States in more than 25 years, and the only two-dose, one-month hepatitis B vaccine for adults.

09:10 EDT Fly Intel: Pre-market Movers - HIGHER: Veoneer (VNE), up 10% after reporting record order intake in FY18... Union Pacific (UNP), up 8.5% after naming Jim Vena as COO... Oasis Petroleum (OAS), up 5% after Stifel analyst Michael Scialla upgraded the stock to Buy and raised his price target for the shares to $14 from $10.50. Following the oil price selloff in Q4, the stock is valued at a 9% discount to the smid-cap Bakken peer group, Scialla tells investors... Angi Homeservices (ANGI), up 3% after Needham analyst Brad Erickson initiated shares with a Buy rating and a price target of $23, saying that based on his Service Provider checks, the market underappreciates the company's multiple longer-term tailwinds. UP AFTER EARNINGS: Meet Group (MEET), up 9%. LOWER: Weibo (WB), down 4% after Morgan Stanley analysts led by Grace Chen downgraded the stock to Equal Weight from Overweight because they believe rising competition will cap its margin expansion potential... Frontier Communications (FTR), down 7% after Wells Fargo analyst Jennifer Fritzsche downgraded the stock to Underperform and lowered her price target for the shares to $1.75 from $5.00. Frontier has reportedly been working with an advisor on how it might handle upcoming debt maturities, Fritzsche tells investors in a research note... Maxar Technologies (MAXR), down 9% after being downgraded to Sector Perform at National Bank... Unilever (UN), down 1% after being downgraded to Neutral from Buy at UBS... Annaly Capital (NLY), down 3% after its 75M share spot secondary priced at $9.74 per share.

09:09 EDT Denali Therapeutics, Sanofi initiate dosing in DNL747 trial - Denali Therapeutics (DNLI) announced initiation of dosing in a Phase 1b clinical study of DNL747 in patients with ALS, in collaboration with its partner Sanofi (SNY). RIPK1, receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1, is a signaling protein in the TNF receptor pathway, which regulates inflammation and cell death in tissues throughout the body. Denali, together with its partner Sanofi, is investigating several molecules targeting RIPK1 for multiple indications, including DNL747 for ALS.

09:08 EDT R.R. Donnelley awarded $114M contract by U.S. Government Publishing Office - R.R. Donnelley announced that the U.S. Government Publishing Office awarded RRD a $114M contract to coordinate and produce 2020 Census printing materials and mailing services. RRD will utilize its leading data, logistics, print and operational platforms to manage one of the largest and most complex communication programs in the world. The program will include more than 600 million documents mailed to more than 130 million households across the United States.

09:06 EDT FuelCell enters into option agreement for California landfill redevelopment - FuelCell announced the signing of an exclusive option agreement with the County of Orange regarding the utilization of landfill gas at the Coyote Canyon landfill in Newport Beach, California for a fuel cell project. The option agreement, won via a competitive solicitation, provides FuelCell Energy an exclusive right to develop the landfill gas as a source of renewable biofuel, expected to culminate in the negotiation and execution of a Landfill Gas Delivery and Site License Agreement. FuelCell Energy expects to install operating fuel cell systems that will produce both renewable electricity and renewable hydrogen. With targeted output of between 1,200-2,400 kilograms per day of hydrogen, this plant will supply renewable hydrogen to the largest fuel cell vehicle market, Los Angeles, in late 2020.

09:05 EDT U.S. Silica awarded service agreement with Chesapeake Energy - U.S. Silica Holdings announced that SandBox Logistics, its industry leading last-mile containerized solution, has been awarded a full-service agreement for multiple crews with Chesapeake Energy, starting this month. SandBox will provide equipment, trucking, wellsite labor and 5000+ ton mobile transload capabilities for Chesapeake's operations in South Texas. Specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

09:05 EDT SenesTech announces largest ever shipment of ContraPest to Washington D.C. - SenesTech announced the largest order of ContraPest in the company's history was shipped to Washington D.C. On November 27, the city issued a solicitation for up to a four-year supply of ContraPest for all eight wards of the city, beginning with Ward 1, and then expanding to other wards, specifying at least 469 bait stations for initial deployment in four wards. The solicitation period ended on December 17, and multiple bids from ContraPest distributors were submitted.

09:03 EDT Citius Pharmaceuticals announces license agreement with MD Anderson Center - Citius Pharmaceuticals reported that a definitive license agreement has been reached with MD Anderson Cancer Center, or MDACC, to develop and commercialize a novel approach to reducing post-operative infections associated with surgical implants. The initial product called "Mino-Wrap", or CITI 101, is a liquefying gel-based wrap containing minocycline and rifampin for reducing tissue expander infections following breast reconstructive surgeries.

09:03 EDT Yatra Online acquires PL Worldways, terms not dislcosed - Yatra Online announced the acquisition of the corporate travel business of PL Worldways Limited, a Chennai-based corporate travel services provider. This acquisition will help strengthen Yatra's foothold in the southern India region along with adding over 100 corporate clients to its existing client base of over 700.

09:02 EDT Tech Data announces partnership with StratoZen - Tech Data announced a strategic partnership with StratoZen to offer cloud delivery of managed security services to partners in the U.S. These Fortinet-based services include network device management and security information and event management. The combination of the Tech Data/Fortinet Hardware-as-a-Service, or HWaaS, program and StratoZen's security portfolio enables partners to offer all the Fortinet appliances and services necessary to give their customers leading networking security solutions. The partnership enables end users to work with a single partner for managing their full networking security needs.

08:49 EDT Discovery takes 71% controlling stake in Play Sports Group - Discovery announced the purchase of a 71% controlling stake in Play Sports Group - the digital sports media company behind market-leading cycling brands Global Cycling Network, Global Mountain Bike Network and Global Triathlon Network. Discovery originally took a 20% stake in Play Sports Group in February 2017. This additional investment increases Discovery's ownership of Play Sports Group, which will become a subsidiary of Discovery. Play Sports Group Founder and CEO, Simon Wear, and his team of 140 world class cycling experts across content, creative, digital, marketing and sales services, will join Discovery, forming a new global cycling-focused division in the company.

08:43 EDT OneMain Holdings announces financial literacy campaign - OneMain Financial announced a financial literacy campaign sponsoring nationally recognized financial experts Stacey Tisdale and Catherine Alford. OneMain is committed to helping its customers manage their financial well-being and sponsored this program to provide resources to help anyone looking to improve their financial health. This initiative will consist of a series of videos and blogs that share financial wellness improvement tips and strategies - from managing money and getting good deals - to making long-term financial decisions.

08:43 EDT Great Panther Silver to suspend operations in Guanajuato - The company commented its Q4 production report, "We achieved the higher end of our guidance for the year, while also advancing our previously announced realignment of Mexican operations to reduce mining from higher cost areas of our Guanajuato Mine which, along with the San Ignacio Mine, forms our Guanajuato Mine Complex. This strategy was taken in response to lower metal prices to reduce our cost profile.In order to maximize profitability and cash-flow at our Mexican operations, we recently made the decision to suspend operations at the higher cost Guanajuato Mine for 2019, which accounted for approximately 18% of consolidated production in Q4. This will be partly offset by increased output and production from the San Ignacio Mine."

08:40 EDT Great Panther Silver reports Q4 ore processed in Mexico operations decreased 9% - Great Panther Silver announced its Q4 and 2018 production results from its two wholly-owned Mexican mining operations: the Guanajuato Mine Complex, or GMC, which includes the San Ignacio Mine, and the Topia Mine in Durango. Highlights include: Ore tonnes processed in Q4 89,270 compared to 98,396 last year, a decrease of 9%; metal production in silver equivalent ounces 951,784 in Q4 compared to 1,065,773 last year, a decrease of 11%; and silver production of 438,152 ounces compared to 514,218 last year, a 15% decrease. Consolidated Operations Summary Q4 2018 Q4 2017 Change FY 2018 FY 2017 Change Ore processed (tonnes) 89,270 98,396 -9% 374,229 373,709 0% Metal production (silver equivalent ounces) (1)951,784 (2)1,065,773 -11% (1)4,170,959 (2)3,978,731 5% Silver production (ounces) 438,152 514,218 -15% 1,857,864 1,982,685 -6% Gold production (ounces) 4,101 5,931 -31% 20,161 22,501 -10% Lead production (tonnes) 474 441 8% 1,958 1,291 52% Zinc production (tonnes) 661 551 20% 2,361 1,758 34%

08:39 EDT Moderna submits IND application for mRNA-3704 - Methylmalonic Acidemia: An IND application has been submitted to the FDA for mRNA-3704, Moderna's development candidate for MMA. If approved, this will be Moderna's first rare disease program to advance into clinical trials. The Company plans to conduct an open-label, multi-center, dose escalation Phase 1/2 study of multiple ascending doses of mRNA-3704 in pediatric patients with isolated MMA due to MUT enzyme deficiency. The objectives of the study are to evaluate safety and tolerability. mRNA-3704 has received Rare Pediatric Disease Designation by the FDA and Orphan Drug Designation by both the FDA and the European Medicines Agency. Propionic Acidemia: mRNA-3927 was granted Orphan Drug Designation by the FDA in December 2018 and Rare Pediatric Disease Designation by the FDA in January 2019. PA is a rare, life-threatening, inherited metabolic disorder due to a defect in the mitochondrial enzyme propionyl-CoA carboxylase, or PCC. It primarily affects the pediatric population and there is no approved therapy. Moderna is continuing to advance mRNA-3927 in pre-clinical studies. Moderna also continues to enroll patients in a global natural history study of MMA and PA designed to identify and correlate clinical and biomarker endpoints for these disorders. This is a global, multi-center, non-interventional study for patients with confirmed diagnosis of MMA due to methylmalonyl-CoA mutase deficiency or PA.

08:38 EDT Moderna, Merck planning randomized Phase 2 study of personalized cancer vaccine - Personalized Cancer Vaccine: Moderna (MRNA) and Merck (MRK) are planning a randomized Phase 2 study comparing PCV and KEYTRUDA against KEYTRUDA alone. To date, interim Phase 1 PCV study data from 24 patients showed no dose limiting toxicities up to 0.39 mg. Interim Phase 1 immunogenicity data have also been collected in certain patients dosed with mRNA-4157 as a monotherapy, and potential antigen-specific T cell responses have been detected. The Phase 1 study continues in the dose-escalation phase of the protocol. KRAS vaccine: Merck will lead an open-label, multi-center, dose-escalation and dose-expansion Phase 1 study to evaluate the safety and tolerability of mRNA-5671 administered as an intramuscular injection both as a monotherapy and in combination with KEYTRUDA. KRAS is a frequently mutated oncogene in epithelial cancers, primarily in non-small cell lung, colorectal and pancreatic cancers. The IND for a KRAS vaccine was originally submitted by Moderna and included an mRNA for the membrane protein STimulator of INterferon Gene to help promote antitumor activity. That IND was transferred to Merck which now will move the program forward under the same IND with KRAS as the sole mRNA. Merck may choose to include STING mRNA in later clinical development of the KRAS vaccine.

08:36 EDT Moderna says IND amendment submitted for Phase 2 cohort of OX40L - Moderna announced recent updates to several of its immuno-oncology and rare disease programs and outlined its 2019-2020 corporate objectives. Moderna has 21 mRNA development candidates in its pipeline, with 11 programs now in clinical development. Detailed program updates: OX40L: Based on previously reported clinical observations in two patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma in its Phase 1 study, Moderna has submitted an Investigational New Drug amendment to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and to the study's clinical research sites to commence a Phase 2 cohort of mRNA-2416 as a monotherapy in advanced ovarian carcinoma within its current Phase 1 study. Thus far, 28 patients have been dosed in the ongoing Phase 1 trial for mRNA-2416, an open-label, multicenter study of repeated intratumoral injections of mRNA-2416 in patients with advanced relapsed/refractory solid tumor malignancies and lymphomas. OX40L + IL23 + IL36gamma: Moderna has dosed the first patient in the Phase 1 study of mRNA-2752, an intratumoral injection comprising three mRNAs encoding for OX40L + IL23 + IL36gamma for the treatment of advanced or metastatic solid tumor malignancies or lymphoma. The open label, multi-center study is evaluating the safety and tolerability of mRNA-2752 as a single agent and in combination either with AstraZeneca's durvalumab or tremelimumab, and will assess anti-tumor activity, protein expression in tumors and pharmacokinetics, and exploratory endpoints that include assessment of immunological response.

08:35 EDT WEC acquires 80% ownership in Coyote Ridge Wind Farm for $145M - WEC Energy Group (WEC) announced that the company has acquired an 80% ownership interest in Coyote Ridge Wind Farm, under construction in Brookings County, South Dakota. The Coyote Ridge project is being developed and will be operated by Avangrid Renewables, a subsidiary of Avangrid (AGR). The wind farm is expected to be in service by the end of 2019. The project has a long-term offtake agreement with Google Energy for 100% of the energy produced. The Coyote Ridge site consists of 39 GE wind turbines with a combined capacity of 97 megawatts. WEC Energy Group's investment will total $145M for the 80% ownership interest and substantially all of the tax benefits. Under the new tax rules, the WEC Energy Group investment is expected to be eligible for 100 percent bonus depreciation. The transaction has received all necessary regulatory approvals.

08:34 EDT Dolby, Panasonic announce Dolby Vision, Atmos on GZ2000 TV - Dolby Laboratories (SLB) and Panasonic (PCRFY) hosted a media event at the Consumer Electronics Show on Tuesday announcing support of Dolby's latest audio and video innovations, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, on Panasonic's flagship TV, the GZ2000.

08:33 EDT Apollo Commercial says completes $3B of transactions in 2018 - Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance announced ARI committed to $3.0 billion of new investments in 2018, nearly a 50% increase over 2017 loan commitments. "ARI committed to $3.0 billion of commercial real estate loans secured by institutional quality properties throughout the United States and the United Kingdom in 2018, a record year for the Company," said Stuart Rothstein, CEO and President of ARI. "As a result, ARI ended the year with a predominately floating-rate loan portfolio, totaling approximately $4.9 billion. As we near our 10-year anniversary as a public company, we believe ARI has cemented its reputation as a creative, reliable capital source. During 2018, we diversified into new markets in the U.S., including San Francisco and Seattle, and expanded our presence in London. In addition, through active capital management throughout the year, we strengthened ARI's balance sheet and diversified its sources of capital. As we enter 2019, we believe ARI is well positioned for continued execution of the Company's business plan."

08:32 EDT Genpact acquires riskCanvas from Booz Allen, terms not disclosed - Genpact (G) has completed a transaction with a subsidiary of Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) to acquire riskCanvas Holdings. The acquired entity includes a financial crime compliance practice, which offers both consulting services and, riskCanvas, an, end-to-end comprehensive software suite of anti-money laundering solutions. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

08:20 EDT Altair adds Amy Messano as CMO - Altair (ALTR) has added Amy Messano as CMO. Messano will lead Altair's corporate, regional and solutions marketing. She was most recently VP, integrated marketing & communications at Aptiv (APTV).

08:18 EDT Atlas Air expands strategic agreement with NCA for three 747 freighters - Atlas Air announced that it has expanded its strategic agreement with Nippon Cargo Airlines, or NCA, to add three NCA-owned Boeing 747-400 Freighters to the existing operation, bringing the total number of 747-400Fs operated on behalf of NCA to five. The incremental aircraft will be operated on key routes across the transpacific market and are scheduled to enter service in April, July and September.

08:16 EDT UroGen Pharma announces 'positive' results of UGN-101 in Phase 3 OLYMPUS trial - UroGen Pharma announced topline results from the ongoing pivotal Phase 3 OLYMPUS clinical trial of UGN-101 for instillation, an investigational mitomycin formulation for the non-surgical treatment of low-grade upper tract urothelial cancer. This analysis showed that on an intent-to-treat basis, 57% of patients achieved a complete response rate at their primary disease evaluation, which was conducted four to six weeks after completion of UGN-101 treatment. Importantly, all evaluated patients in CR remain disease free at six months. This international, multi-center trial completed enrollment with 71 patients in December 2018. Of the 71 patients enrolled in the trial, 61 patients have been evaluated for the primary endpoint which was a CR as defined as a negative ureteroscopic evaluation and a negative wash cytology. The remaining 10 patients are awaiting PDE evaluation. Approximately 45% of tumors treated were categorized as unresectable by surgery at baseline. Of the patients who achieved CR, UroGen now has six-month durability on half of these patients. Durability is a key secondary endpoint for the trial. The safety profile of UGN-101 continues to be acceptable with most treatment-emergent adverse events characterized as mild or moderate and transient and in line with ureteral procedures. These included ureteral narrowing and hydronephrosis, urinary tract infection, flank pain and creatinine elevation. UroGen intends to seek regulatory approval of UGN-101 in LG UTUC based on data from all 71 patients and initiated its rolling submission of the New Drug Application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in December 2018. The FDA previously granted Orphan Drug, Fast Track, and Breakthrough Therapy Designations to UGN-101 for the treatment of UTUC. If approved, UGN-101 would be the first drug approved for the non-surgical treatment of LG UTUC.

08:14 EDT Motorcar Parts revises financial statements for 3 months ended June 30 - The company has revised its financial statements for each of the three years in the period ended March 31, 2018 and for the three months ended June 30, 2018. As of June 30, 2018, the cumulative error for all periods previously reported was an understatement of net income of $2,938,000. As of June 30, 2018, the cumulative impact to non-GAAP adjusted net income for all periods previously reported was an understatement of $1,220,000.

08:12 EDT Motorcar Parts sees closing another strategic tuck-in acquisition this week

08:11 EDT TiVo releases churn analysis from Personalized Content Discovery Platform - TiVo Corporation released the findings from a recent churn reduction analysis pulled from its Personalized Content Discovery Platform. Among some of the key findings uncovered were that churn is directly related to long-term audience retention. Video service providers that implemented technology solutions that helped them personalize their search and recommendations saw a 140% increase in audience retention over six months, respectively. Additionally, presenting certain content recommendations to consumers supported a notable reduction in churn. For example, if users are presented with personalized video-on-demand titles that align with their most engaged consumption patterns, they are less likely to churn over time. Among some additional key findings were: Providers that use personalization technology like the Personalized Content Discovery platform, churn up to three times less than providers who manually merchandize their content. Based on an analysis of ROI, churn reduction also has a direct impact on the bottom line of content merchandising spend. Users who spend an above-average fraction of time watching on a weekday tend to be more likely to churn, as compared to those who spend an above-average fraction of time watching during the weekend. The reduction of churn leads to increased new user retention and increased viewership, which can be attributed to a commitment to personalize the user experience. This implies great opportunity for increased monetization for the provider, and a better consumer experience, due to reduced content search time. While great content is crucial, great content alone is insufficient. TiVo's churn analysis has revealed that engagement and viewership are the two most important elements to examine when determining how and why a user is or isn't churning.

08:08 EDT H&E Equipment to acquire We-Rent-It for approx. $100M in cash - H&E Equipment Services announced its entry into a definitive agreement to acquire We-Rent-It, a non-residential construction-focused equipment rental company with six branches serving the growing central Texas market. Under the terms of the agreement, H&E is expected to pay approximately $100M in cash for WRI, subject to customary adjustments. The transaction is expected to close in 1Q19 and is subject to customary closing conditions including Hart-Scott-Rodino Act clearance. Brad Barber, H&E's CEO and President, said, "We are executing on our stated growth strategy by announcing a definitive agreement to acquire WRI, which we believe is similar in terms of solid operational and financial performance to our two previous acquisitions in 2018. The addition of WRI's six branches will significantly expand our presence in the vibrant central Texas markets of Austin, Bryan/College Station, and San Antonio metro areas. As of November 30, 2018, WRI generated revenues of approximately $35.6M for the last twelve months and its fleet size was $75.9M, based on original equipment cost. WRI is a well-run and respected rental operator with longstanding customer relationships and we look forward to their employees joining the H&E family."

08:06 EDT Chanticleer Holdings names Patrick Harkleroad CFO - Chanticleer Holdings announced it has named Patrick Harkleroad as CFO, in addition to naming Troy Shadoin as Chief Accounting Officer. The appointments complement the recent appointment of seasoned restaurant operator Fred Glick to the role of President.

08:06 EDT Taseko Mines begins wellfield operations Florence Copper Project - Taseko Mines announced that following receipt of all necessary state and federal operating permits, wellfield operations were commenced and injection and recovery systems have now been fully ramped up at its Florence Copper Project in central Arizona. Following an initial leaching period, leach solutions are flowing at expected levels and copper has been detected in solutions recovered from process sample wells. The company commented, "Our preliminary tracer tests of the wellfield in the Q3 of FY18 exhibited robust percolation rates through the ore body. These results were as good as, and in some cases better than, modeled in the 2017 technical study. The rate at which the dissolved copper is increasing in the leach solution further confirms historical test work and technical data. With operating costs of $1.10 per pound of copper, an extremely low capital cost intensity of US$5,200 per tonne of copper capacity and a pre-tax net present value of U920 million, Florence Copper will bolster the long-term financial returns of the Company, and we are excited about the next step in this process."

08:04 EDT Tahoe Forest Health System selects Aruba Mobile-First network - Aruba, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company (HPE), announced that Tahoe Forest Health System is replacing its existing Cisco (CSCO) network with an Aruba Mobile-First network to enable a new and improved generation of patient care. By standardizing on Aruba for its two critical access hospitals and six specialty clinics, Tahoe Forest expects to save between $750,000 and $1M in operational costs over the next five years, while also improving network performance and simplifying IT management.

08:03 EDT Sabre announces distribution agreement with Cambodia Airways - Sabre announced a new, long-term distribution agreement with Cambodia Airways. While considered a relatively new entrant to the market, operating since July 2018, the airline has ambitious plans and aims to quickly transform into a major regional carrier. With concrete plans to bolster its fleet with up to 30 aircrafts within the next five years, the airline also expects to expand its intercontinental routes beyond Asia. The long-term partnership agreement with Sabre will be instrumental as the carrier focuses on enhancing their presence in key destinations, including Australia and Europe.

08:02 EDT Arthur J. Gallagher acquires Jones Brown, terms not disclosed - Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. announced the acquisition of Canadian insurance broker Jones Brown and its subsidiaries. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1997, Jones Brown is a retail property/casualty insurance broker offering a full range of commercial and personal insurance services throughout Canada.

07:48 EDT Precipio files patent for HemeScreen panel - Precipio announced the filing of a patent for its proprietary HemeScreen panel. The panel incorporates a novel method for analyzing four key genes typically evaluated for mutations in patients with hematologic malignancies. In 2016, The World Health Organization published guidelines recommending the testing of the JAK2, JAK2 Exon 12, MPL and CALR genes as part of the evaluation for patients suspected to have Myelodysplastic Syndrome and Myeloproliferative Disorders, two of the most common hematologic cancers. It is estimated that the market potential for HemeScreen will be approximately $100M per year in the U.S.

07:42 EDT Kenon to sell half of its remaining interest in Qoros for $227M - Kenon announces it has entered into an agreement to sell half of its remaining interest in Qoros, i.e. 12%, to the Majority Shareholder for a purchase price of RMB 1,560M, or approximately $227M, which is based on the same post-investment valuation as the initial investment by the Majority Shareholder. The sale is not being made pursuant to the put option described in Kenon's report on Form 6-K dated January 8, 2018.The sale is subject to obtaining relevant third party consents and other closing conditions, including approvals by relevant government authorities. Following completion of the sale Kenon will hold a 12% interest in Qoros, the Majority Shareholder will hold 63% and Chery will own 25%.As previously disclosed in the January 6-K, the Majority Shareholder is required to assume its pro rata share of guarantees and equity pledges of Kenon and Chery based on its equity ownership in Qoros, including changes in its ownership.

07:34 EDT Kelly Services announces two acquisitions to position itself in the 5G space - Kelly Services announced two acquisitions: Global Technology Associates and NextGen Global Resources. Both companies provide services to carriers and OEMs in the telecommunication industry, and the acquisitions position Kelly in the 5G technology space. Terms of the acquisitions, which were effective at the start of the new year, were not disclosed. GTA and NextGen will continue to operate under their own brands. Telecommunication industry analysts say $500B will be spent between now and 2025 preparing for the onset of 5G technology.

07:20 EDT Sears says 'We may be down but not out' - As Sears and its bankruptcy advisers prepare for a possible liquidation, the retailer has taken to social media to reassure the public that it is still around. The company tweeted: "We may be down but not out. We are all working around the clock to be here for you! All 68,000 of us! We have not closed our doors for 125+ years, and not about to start now! Thank you to all of those who have supported us." After a Twitter user commented that Sears "had a good run I would say," the company replied "We would say that as well, but we are Marathon Runners, and we are still running. We may be slowing down, but we are not out of the race just yet. Don't count us completely out." Reference Link

07:08 EDT Main Street announces new portfolio investment in Centre Technologies - Main Street Capital announced that it recently led a new portfolio investment to facilitate the minority recapitalization of Centre Technologies, a premier provider of IT hardware, software and service solutions. Main Street, along with its co-investors, partnered with Centre's founder and CEO and management team to facilitate the transaction, with Main Street funding $18.1M in a combination of first-lien, senior secured term debt and a direct equity investment. In addition, Main Street and one of its co-investors are providing Centre an undrawn credit facility to support its future organic growth initiatives and working capital needs.

07:05 EDT EXFO awarded $4.9M contract by US Tier 1 service provider - EXFO announced that a US Tier 1 service provider has selected EXFO's real-time network topology software to facilitate groundbreaking network transformation. The contract win is valued at $4.9M.

07:03 EDT Oracle's Larry Ellison reveals $1B stake in Tesla - Oracle (ORCL) founder Larry Ellison said in a regulatory filing that he has a holding worth $1B in Tesla. Ellison indirectly owns 3M Tesla shares through the Lawrence J. Ellison Revocable Trust, according to the filing.

06:59 EDT Hill-Rom announces collaboration with Microsoft for digital health capabilities - Hill-Rom (HRC) announced a collaboration with Microsoft (MSFT) to bring point-of-care data and solutions to caregivers and healthcare provider organizations. The combined offerings, using Microsoft Azure, are intended to analyze real-time sensing data from medical devices and historical medical record information, and communicate potential patient risk and hospital protocol actions directly to caregivers at the point of care. The solutions combine Hill-Rom's clinical knowledge and streaming operational data from medical devices, and Microsoft's cloud, including Azure IoT and Azure Machine Learning, to help drive enhanced patient outcomes. The Hill-Rom digital solution offerings will be available to hospitals beginning later in 2019. Hill-Rom's connected solutions will integrate data from the company's medical devices and hospitals' electronic medical records through a common gateway infrastructure. The combination of medical device data and Azure Machine Learning will help assess and analyze critical and secure information at the bedside, delivering insights to clinicians that can help reduce costly complications and enhance efficiency and patient outcomes.

06:54 EDT Durect discontinues PSC study of DUR-928, to focus resources on NASH, psoriasis - Durect Corporation announced yesterday that it has refined and focused its clinical development strategy for DUR-928, the lead product candidate in its Epigenetic Regulator Program, to prioritize indications with unmet medical needs where we expect to be able to generate near-term data with the potential to create significant commercial and partnering value. The new DUR-928 clinical development strategy is to accelerate DUR-928 clinical trial in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH, patients and discontinue the primary sclerosing cholangitis, or PSC, trial. Given that the company's efforts have not resulted in an increase in the inherently slow enrollment rates commonly seen for this indication, the company has decided to discontinue its PSC study in order to focus more of its resources on NASH and psoriasis. DURECT previously announced that it would be initiating a new clinical trial of orally-administered DUR-928 in NASH patients in the first half of 2019, and is now updating that guidance to indicate that the company expects to begin enrolling patients in Q1 2019. This will be an open-label, Phase 1b study conducted in the U.S. to evaluate safety, pharmacokinetics and signals of biological activity of DUR-928 in patients with NASH. Patients will be administered DUR-928 orally for 28 consecutive days. Further details on the trial design will be provided later in Q1 2019. DURECT expects to announce initial data in the second half of 2019. The company plans to complete the Phase 2a proof-of-concept trial with topical DUR-928 in patients with mild to moderate plaque psoriasis as planned. The company reiterates its prior guidance that the psoriasis trial is on track to begin dosing this quarter with top line data expected in the second half of 2019. The company plans to continue and then transition the ongoing DUR-928 alcoholic hepatitis Phase 2a trial to Dr. Craig McClain at the University of Louisville. Since the company's announcement of the initiation of dosing in Part B in November 2018, two severe AH patients have been treated at the 30 mg I.V. dose of DUR-928. Upon completing the 30 mg dose group in Part B, we plan to transition the study to Dr. McClain, who was recently awarded an NIH grant to study DUR-928 in AH patients. After the transition, the trial will be funded via grants and conducted by Dr. McClain. "Our revised development strategy for DUR-928 will allow our team to focus on the indications that could provide value-creating, near-term clinical data and help us formulate a plan to advance DUR-928 into late stage clinical development. Showing positive signals of biological activity after 28 days in NASH patients could be particularly valuable in demonstrating the potential of DUR-928 in this important disease, while obtaining positive proof-of-concept data in psoriasis could lead to a partnership for DUR-928 in the dermatology space," stated James E. Brown, D.V.M., President and CEO of Durect.

06:50 EDT Helen of Troy sees Project Refuel completed in Q1 of 2020 - The company has initiated Project Refuel, which continues to target annualized profit improvement of approximately $8M-$10M over the duration of the plan. The plan is estimated to be completed by the first quarter of fiscal 2020, and the company expects to incur total cumulative restructuring charges in the range of $5M-$5.5M over the period of the plan. The company now expects a reported GAAP effective tax rate range of 7.3%-8.4%, and an adjusted effective tax rate range of 6.9%-7.7% for the full fiscal year 2019.

06:48 EDT Lindsay sees signs of improved conditions in Brazil - The company said "Passage of the 2018 farm bill provides a source of modest optimism that North America irrigation market conditions will see improvement. In the international markets, we are seeing signs of improved conditions in Brazil as well as increased interest in developing markets. We continue to build a solid pipeline of Road Zipper System projects to support growth in the infrastructure business; however, the long lead times required to complete these projects can impact the timing of when we will realize the value from the increased focus on this business."

06:43 EDT Canopy Growth provides hemp operations update - Canopy Growth applauded the passage of the U.S. 2018 Farm Bill. Canopy Growth updated the market on its hemp operations as it prepares for U.S. market entry thanks to this piece of federal legislation, one that enables expanded pathways to the American market for hemp-based products, including cannabidiol, or CBD products. Canopy Growth began adding strategic hemp assets to its portfolio in 2016 focused on consumer-packaged goods. The market potential for hemp and future CBD products was soon realized and the company began investing in field-scale operations in late 2017 in order to vertically integrate its hemp business to mirror its existing cannabis business. The company's hemp team worked throughout the year to develop proprietary and patent-pending technological solutions to optimize the speed and efficiency of harvest, post-harvest and storage processes required to run field-scale hemp operations. Based on a "successful" first season, Canopy Growth's hemp division has harvested over 190M sq. ft., or 4500 acres, of CBD-rich hemp genetics in Saskatchewan. Once extracted, the company expects a yield of approximately 7000 kilograms of hemp-derived CBD, repeatable annually. Extracted product can be stored as inventory over the long term as regulatory paths to the Canadian market are defined. At this time, there is no path to the U.S. market for CBD derived from Canadian-grown hemp. The company is positioned to assist and enable American farmers to move their hemp to market and positions the company as an expert partner in the United States. Canopy Growth acquired a portfolio of hemp-specific IP when it acquired Colorado-based ebbu in November 2018. With more than 40 cannabis-related patent applications filed representing over 1500 inventions, the ebbu science team has become a data-driven, lab-tested cannabinoid research company. The company is prepared to invest in the infrastructure required to bring multiple CBD products to market at scale.

06:35 EDT Southwest reports December traffic - Southwest reported its December 2018 preliminary traffic statistics. The company flew 11.1B revenue passenger miles, or RPMs, in December 2018, an increase of 3.3% from the 10.7B RPMs flown in December 2017. Available seat miles, or ASMs, increased 5.4% to 13.6B in December 2018, compared with December 2017 ASMs of 12.9B. The December 2018 load factor was 81.6%, compared with 83.3% in December 2017.

06:31 EDT Graham established new wholly owned subsidiary in India - Graham announced that it has established Graham India Private Limited, or GIPL, as a wholly owned subsidiary. GIPL, based in the northwest region of India, in Ahmedabad, has been initiated as a sales and market development office with an Indian national as sales director and business development leader. Graham's establishment of this new entity was driven by several strategic and macroeconomic factors. Asia is a key region for investment in new crude oil refining and petrochemical capacity, with India being an important market for such investments.

06:28 EDT Haverty Furniture says Q4 sales were disappointing - The company said, "Our Q4 sales were disappointing. The pace of business was soft early in the quarter going into the Thanksgiving holiday. Our promotional cadence for this important shopping period was similar to last year but sales were beneath the 2017 record-setting level. The reduced transactional activity was partially mitigated by the continued growth in our average ticket. Our written sales post-Christmas to date are up mid-single digits as are our written comparable store sales. We re-entered the Chattanooga, TN market in December, after serving that area from 1928 to 1982, with a beautiful store in a great location. Our plans for the second half of 2019 include opening two stores in new markets and a store in Newnan, GA to better serve our customers in the growing southside metro-Atlanta area."

06:18 EDT Alibaba deepens partnership with German big data startup Data Artisans - Alibaba is deepening its partnership with Berlin-based data Artisans, collaborating to build up Apache Flink, software created by dA to process large amounts of data, the companies said Monday. Alibaba has been working with data Artisans, and supporting the open-source community built around the software, since 2016. In that time, both companies have helped the Flink community improve the architecture and performance of the software to meet the stream-processing demands of enterprises worldwide. The deepening of the partnership was a natural next step for the companies as they continued their work around Apache Flink, they said. The two companies plan to work together to "continue and accelerate their contributions to Apache Flink and open source big data in general." As a sign of that commitment, Alibaba will contribute its in-house modifications of Flink (called Blink) to the open-source community.

06:16 EDT Amazon launches in-garage delivery with Key - Amazon yesterday announced new products, features and services supporting Key by Amazon, "which puts security, convenience, and control in the hands of customers to offer one common benefit that everyone can enjoy-the magic of being key-free. New offerings include the all-new Schlage Encode Smart Wi-Fi Deadbolt, the first WiFi-enabled smart lock for Key; Key for Garage with Chamberlin Group; compatibility with the Ring app for access control; and Key for Business, a smart fob for drivers delivering Amazon packages to commercial and residential properties." The Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt is the first WiFi-enabled smart lock for Key. Key for Garage will allow any customer to monitor and control their garage door via the Key app. Ring customers will be able to lock and unlock their Key-compatible smart locks directly from the live feed of their camera in the Ring app. Key for Business is a smart fob for drivers delivering Amazon packages to commercial and residential properties. The technology allows building owners and managers to give controlled access to delivery drivers to drop off Amazon packages to their residents, and eliminate the need for building staff to manually give access each time deliveries are made. Key for Garage will allow any customer to monitor and control their garage door via the Key app. Also, in addition to receiving deliveries at home and in your car, eligible Amazon Prime members will soon be able to get deliveries in their garage.

06:07 EDT Kirkland Lake Gold announces record Q4 production of 230,993 ounces - Kirkland Lake Gold announced record levels of quarterly and annual gold production for the fourth quarter and full-year of 2018, respectively. Production in Q4 2018 totaled 230,993 ounces, 28% higher than the previous record of 180,155 ounces achieved in the third quarter of 2018. Q4 2018 production was significantly above target levels for the quarter and was driven by record quarterly production at both Fosterville (124,307 ounces) and Macassa (69,936 ounces). Production in 2018 totaled 723,477 ounces, a 21% increase from 596,405 ounces for full-year 2017. Three of the company's mines achieved record annual production in 2018, including 356,230 ounces at Fosterville, 240,126 ounces at Macassa and 58,633 ounces at the Taylor Mine, with the Holt Mine producing 67,770 ounces for the year.

06:04 EDT Exelixis says partner Daiichi Sankyo receives regulatory approval for MINNEBRO - Exelixis announced that its partner Daiichi Sankyo Company, received approval from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for esaxerenone tablets, MINNEBRO 1.25 mg, 2.5 mg, and 5 mg, as a treatment for patients with hypertension. This approval allows for the marketing of MINNEBRO for this indication within Japan. MINNEBRO is a compound identified during the prior research collaboration between Exelixis and Daiichi Sankyo, which the companies entered into in March 2006, and has been subsequently developed by Daiichi Sankyo. Per the collaboration agreement between Exelixis and Daiichi Sankyo, Exelixis will receive a $20M milestone payment upon the first commercial sale of MINNEBRO in Japan. Exelixis previously received a $20M milestone payment in the first quarter of 2018 triggered by the filing of Daiichi Sankyo's associated regulatory application. Exelixis is eligible for substantial commercialization milestones, as well as low double-digit royalties on sales of MINNEBRO. Since the conclusion of Exelixis and Daiichi Sankyo's joint research period in November 2007, Daiichi Sankyo has been responsible for all subsequent preclinical and clinical development, and also oversees regulatory, manufacturing and commercialization activities for MINNEBRO.

06:01 EDT Baker Hughes announces December international rig count of 1,025, up 34 - Baker Hughes announced that the Baker Hughes international rig count for December 2018 was 1,025, up 34 from the 991 counted in November 2018, and up 71 from the 954 counted in December 2017. The international offshore rig count for December 2018 was 234, up 28 from the 206 counted in November 2018, and up 43 from the 191 counted in December 2017. The average U.S. rig count for December 2018 was 1,078, up 1 from the 1,077 counted in November 2018, and up 148 from the 930 counted in December 2017. The average Canadian rig count for December 2018 was 141, down 57 from the 198 counted in November 2018, and down 64 from the 205 counted in December 2017. The worldwide rig count for December 2018 was 2,244, down 22 from the 2,266 counted in November 2018, and up 155 from the 2,089 counted in December 2017.

05:54 EDT GDS Holdings announces new project in Kunshan - GDS Holdings announced that it has commenced construction of a major new project in Kunshan, approximately 45 km from Shanghai city center. The project consists of two data centers, Kunshan 2 and Kunshan 3, with total capacity of approximately 11,400 sqm of IT area, which has already been 100% pre-committed by strategic hyper-scale customers for their cloud expansion requirements. The new data centers will be developed on existing land owned by the company adjacent to its Kunshan 1 data center, a facility which has been in operation for over eight years. The expected delivery date is 2020.

05:45 EDT Manchester United to open club-themed entertainment, experience centers in China - Manchester United, in partnership with leading Chinese property developer, Harves, has announced that it will open a series of club themed entertainment and experience centers throughout China. The Beijing center will be located within the Beijing FUN development, in the historic Qianmen Dashilan area right next to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Each venue will feature interactive and immersive experiences, using state-of-the-art technology to bring Manchester United to life. Fans who visit will be able to experience the thrill of a matchday at Old Trafford as well as learn the history and heritage of English football's most successful and storied club. Each Manchester United Entertainment and Experience Center will offer visitors a different experience and will include restaurants, along with a club retail store.

05:36 EDT Novartis therapy crizanlizumab receives FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation - Novartis announced that the FDA has granted crizanlizumab Breakthrough Therapy designation for the prevention of vaso-occlusive crises, or VOCs, in patients of all genotypes with sickle cell disease, or SCD. Also known as sickle cell pain crises, VOCs are unpredictable and extremely painful events that can lead to serious acute and chronic complications. VOCs happen when multiple blood cells stick to each other and to blood vessels, causing blockages. Treatments that make blood cells and blood vessels less sticky may help reduce the number of days patients experience VOCs.

05:25 EDT SK Telecom signs JV agreement with Sinclair Broadcast - SK Telecom (SKM) and Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBGI) announced in Las Vegas that the companies signed a joint venture agreement to lead the next-generation broadcasting solutions market in the U.S. and globally. The two companies will jointly fund and manage a joint venture company within the first quarter of this year.The commercialization of broadcasting solutions based on ATSC 3.0 - which enables data communications in broadcasting bands - will give rise to new services such as personalized advertisement and in-vehicle terrestrial TV broadcasting and map updates. It will also support two-way communication between broadcasting companies and user's smartphone/vehicle/TV by recognizing user's personal IP address. SK Telecom and Sinclair anticipate all television broadcasting stations throughout the U.S. will adopt broadcasting solutions based on ATSC 3.0 within the next decade. Through the joint venture company, the two companies plan to actively provide ATSC 3.0 standards-based solutions to all U.S. broadcasting companies and seek other opportunities globally. The joint venture agreement follows last year's memorandum of understanding signed between SK Telecom and Sinclair at CES 2018 to jointly develop leading technology for ATSC 3.0 broadcasting.

05:19 EDT Exxon Mobil signs partnership agreement with IBM - ExxonMobil (XOM) said that it has signed a partnership agreement with IBM (IBM) to advance the potential use of quantum computing in developing next-generation energy and manufacturing technologies. The new partnership was formally announced during the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. As part of the agreement, ExxonMobil becomes the first energy company to join the IBM Q Network, a worldwide community of Fortune 500 companies, startups, academic institutions and national research labs working to advance quantum computing and explore practical applications for science and business. Advances in quantum computing could provide ExxonMobil with an ability to address computationally challenging problems across a variety of applications, including the potential to optimize a country's power grid, and perform more predictive environmental modeling and highly accurate quantum chemistry calculations to enable discovery of new materials for more efficient carbon capture. ExxonMobil's partnership with IBM expands the company's collaborative efforts with other companies and academic institutions that are focused on developing an array of new energy technologies, improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The company currently works with about 80 universities in the United States, Europe and Asia to explore next-generation energy technologies.