Stockwinners Market Radar for January 22, 2019 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:50 EDT Alpine Immune Sciences CEO buys 191K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Alpine Immune Sciences CEO Mitchell Gold disclosed the purchase of 190,875 shares of common stock at an average price of $5.37 per share. The total size of the transaction was $1.02M.

19:35 EDT Piedmont Lithium initiates 25K meter drill program - Piedmont Lithium Limited is pleased to advise that following completion of its recent capital raising the company has initiated a 25,000-meter Phase 4 drill program at the Piedmont Lithium Project located within the world-class Carolina Tin-Spodumene Belt which will aim to significantly expand on the 13-year project life reported in the Scoping Study released on September 13, 2018.

19:01 EDT Fly Intel: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: eHealth (EHTH) up 8.4% preliminary Q4 and FY19 guidance... after Accuray (ARAY) up 8.1%... Navient (NAVI) up 7.4%... IBM (IBM) up 6.1%... Conmed (CNMD) up 4.9%... ProPetro (PUMP) up 3.7%... TD Ameritrade (AMTD) up 1.7%... Territorial Bancorp (TBNK) up 1.1%. ALSO HIGHER: Aphria (APHA) up 4.4% after buyout offer from Green Growth. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Trinseo (TSE) down 10.7% after cutting Q4 guidance... Capital One (COF) down 4.1%... Quotient Technology (QUOT) down 2.6% after cutting Q4 guidance... Interactive Brokers (IBKR) down 1.3%. ALSO LOWER: PTC Therapeutics (PTCT) down 7.0% after equity offering. Movers as of 18:45ET.

18:42 EDT Logitech CEO says 'we had a very strong quarter' - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, Logitech CEO Bracken Darrell said: "We had a very strong quarter... Our biggest three categories were up double digits... More people are watching esports online... Esports is going to grow like wildfire... There will be other games like Fortnite... We look at 100+ acquisitions per year, but not all of them come to be... Relocating factories is very common for us... We can manage the volatility in any one of our categories."

18:25 EDT Viacom to acquire Pluto TV for $340M in cash - Viacom Inc. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Pluto TV, the leading free streaming television service in U.S., for $340M in cash. Founded in 2013, Pluto TV streams more than 100 channels and thousands of hours of on-demand content spanning television and movies, sports, news, lifestyle, comedy, cartoons, gaming and trending digital series. The ad-supported, internet-based TV service features world-class programming sourced from over 130 partnerships with media networks, major film and television studios and a wide range of digital content producers. The acquisition of Pluto TV will advance Viacom's key strategic priorities, including expanding its presence across next-generation distribution platforms and growing its advanced advertising business, Viacom said. Additionally, access to Viacom's global reach, leading brands and vast, unencumbered library will help solidify Pluto TV as the leader in the free streaming video market in the U.S., and accelerate Pluto TV's global growth. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2019 and is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approval.

18:01 EDT IBM says Red Hat acquisition will help accelerate leadership in hybrid cloud - Says tax was a headwind in Q4 and FY18. Says executed well in software in Q4, led by analytics and AI. Says $13.90 FY19 EPS guidance benefits from lower tax rate. Says Red Hat is not included in expectations and expects its closing in the second half of FY19. Says on back end of most successful mainframe cycle seen in along time. Says continued momentum in global business services. Says had strong finish in software. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

17:50 EDT Battle Born Munitions reports progress to recoup $5.5M from Dick's Sporting - Battle Born Munitions announced significant progress in its efforts to recoup approximately $5.5M in damages stemming from Dick's Sporting Goods' breach of contract in a lawsuit that was filed in October 2018. Dick's Sporting Goods subsequently filed a motion to dismiss and that motion has now been denied by the judge. "We are pleased with the judge's ruling on this most recent attempt by Dick's Sporting Goods to shirk their financial and contractual obligations and look forward to a jury trial" said Battle Born Munitions. "Dick's not only damaged our ability to operate, but its failure to comply with the agreement harmed our reputation. We are known worldwide for our ability to deliver exactly what was requested on time and to the letter of the terms of every agreement. That reputation drives our business, Dick's actions materially damaged our operations and we believe they should be held responsible for those actions. We would like to ask how many other vendors are being treated like this?"

17:45 EDT Opaleye Management takes 5.16% passive stake in Avenue Therapeutics - Opaleye Management disclosed a 5.16% passive stake in Avenue Therapeutics. The stake represents 550K shares. The filing with the SEC does not allow for activism.

17:32 EDT Applied Optoelectronics jumps almost 4% after announcing sample availability - Applied Optoelectronics announced customer sample availability of 400G optical modules based on silicon-photonics technology. The modules are designed to demonstrate the feasibility of applying AOI's silicon photonics platform to the requirements of on-board optics, as outlined in specifications such as the recently-released version 1.1 of the onboard optical module specification published by the Consortium for Onboard Optics, of which AOI is an active member. In contrast to traditional pluggable optical modules, OBO modules are designed to be used in higher-speed data switches, with interface speeds ranging from 400 Gbps to 1.6 Tbps. By designing the optical modules to be mated directly to a circuit board within such a switch, the OBO modules enable an increase in the density of optical interfaces to the switch, which in turn enables greater data throughput through the switch fabric, while also simplifying cooling and electrical interfaces, two areas where traditional pluggable modules have increasing difficulty as interface speeds increase. "We gathered very positive feedback while demonstrating early 16-channel OBO prototypes at the European Conference on Optical Communications in Rome last year," commented David Chen, AOI's AVP of Transceiver Technology. "We are very excited to take the next step in offering samples to our customers. This OBO module incorporates several new technologies, including an advanced silicon-photonics based optical sub-assembly, which are the culmination of years of R&D effort by AOI and our technology partners. We believe that this platform will enable solutions well beyond 400 Gbps, and eventually, 1.6 Tbps.""AOI has made significant progress on the development of OBO modules since the publication of revision 1.0 of COBO's specification," stated Brad Booth, President of the Consortium for On-Board Optics. "AOI's ability to sample OBO modules after their ECOC demonstration of an OBO prototype shows their commitment to bringing alternative solutions for the next generation of networking equipment. Having a single module footprint that supports bandwidth scaling from 400 Gbps to 1.6 Tbps provides flexibility to equipment vendors."

17:27 EDT Navient jumps 9% after Q4 EPS come in ahead of estimates - Shares of Navient are up over 9% or approximately $1 per share to $12 per share in after-hours trading.

17:23 EDT BAE Systems awarded $474.08M Army contract for M109 family of vehicles - BAE Systems has been awarded a $474.08M cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for system technical support, sustainment system technical support, depot maintenance support, field service representatives, systems engineering, program management, engineering management, quality management, configuration management, logistics support and software management and maintenance for the M109 family of vehicles. One bid was solicited via the internet with one bid received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of January 21, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command is the contracting activity.

17:20 EDT mPhase Technologies appoints Anshu Bhatnagar CEO - mPhase Technologies announced that Anshu Bhatnagar has joined the company, effective January 11, as its CEO. Ronald Durando has stepped down from his role as CEO, but will work with the incoming team to ensure a smooth transition. This transition will mark a significant change in strategy away from an R&D-centric focus. Bhatnagar is currently the CEO of Verus International, and will continue in that role while also heading the company-building stage at mPhase.

17:12 EDT InspireMD announces results from CGuard embolic prevention system - InspireMD announced details of a new investigator-initiated trial entitled, "Initial Clinical Study of the New CGuard EPS, embolic prevention system MicroNet Covered Carotid Stent: 'One Size Fits All,'" at the Leipzig Interventional Course, which is being held January 22-25, 2019 in Leipzig Germany.Prof. Christian Wissgott, from the Institute for Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology/Neuroradiology, Westkuestenklinikum Heide - Academic Teaching Hospital of the Universities of Kiel, Luebeck and Hamburg, presented his findings using a 10mm diameter CGuard EPS with SmartFit technology across a broad range of carotid artery diameters, under a differentiated concept of "One Size Fits All." "One of the keys to successfully treating patients with carotid artery disease is to employ a device that is optimally sized," commented Prof. Wissgott. "With variations of diameters between the common carotid artery and the internal carotid artery, as well as x-ray images giving significant diameter errors due to projection angles, the correct size choice of a carotid stent is frequently challenging. I believe CGuard EPS with SmartFit technology overcomes this significant challenge." Dr. James Barry, President and CEO of InspireMD, Inc., commented, "Prof. Wissgott's in vitro and initial clinical evaluations show the potential of the CGuard EPS with SmartFit technology to simplify treating patients with carotid artery disease by using a "One Size Fits All" concept for a majority of carotid artery diameters within patients, and between patients, with excellent clinical results. Additionally, the CGuardEPS with SmartFit does not forshorten when implanted as do many conventional closed-cell stents and next generation double-layer stents. This allows us to offer what we believe is the easiest-to-use carotid device and procedure available on the market today, while most importantly continuing to provide maximum protection against stroke."

17:04 EDT FB Financial reports Q4 net interest margin 4.5% vs. 4.63% a year ago

17:01 EDT Bellatrix announces voluntary NYSE delisting - Bellatrix Exploration announced that its board of directors has determined to commence procedures for the voluntary delisting of the company's common shares from the New York Stock Exchange. Bellatrix has notified the NYSE of its intent to file a Form 25 with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or about February 1, 2019 to affect the voluntary delisting of Bellatrix's common shares from the NYSE. After careful consideration and a review of several options, the board of directors concluded that the delisting of Bellatrix's common shares from the NYSE is in the company's best interests and provided several benefits to the company including, but not limited to, reduced listing fees and internal administration costs, and in the future, the potential for cost reductions associated with U.S. reporting requirements. The cost savings are expected to be realized annually starting in 2019, with incremental costs savings expected following de-registration of Bellatrix's common shares with the SEC.

16:35 EDT Millicom International Cellular S A trading resumes

16:31 EDT Flexion appoints Christina Willwerth Chief Strategy Officer - Flexion Therapeutics announced that Christina Willwerth has been named Chief Strategy Officer. Willwerth joined Flexion in June 2009, and she most recently served as the company's senior VP of Program Management and Strategy.

16:23 EDT Capital One down over 4% to $79.80 after Q4 results miss estimates

16:21 EDT Redwood Trust exercises option to acquire remaining 80% of 5 Arches - Redwood Trus announced that it has exercised the company's option to acquire the remaining 80% interest in 5 Arches, an originator and asset manager of business-purpose real estate loans. In May 2018, Redwood acquired a 20% minority interest in 5 Arches for $10M in cash, with a one-year option to purchase all remaining equity in the company. The incremental consideration for the transaction is $40M, payable in a mix of cash and Redwood stock. A portion of the remaining consideration is contingent upon 5 Arches achieving certain origination volumes over the next two years.

16:18 EDT Millicom confirms Liberty Latin America ended buyout talks without offer - Millicom International Cellular (TIGO) confirmed in a statement that the preliminary discussions regarding a possible offer for all the shares of the company have been terminated by Liberty Latin America (LILA, LILAK) "without an offer being made."

16:16 EDT Armstrong World to acquire Architectural Components Group - Armstrong World Industries announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the business and assets of Architectural Components Group, an industry leader in custom wood ceilings and walls with annual revenues of approximately $35M. The transaction is expected to close in Q1 and remains subject to customary closing conditions. Armstrong World will fund the acquisition with available cash. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

16:15 EDT IBM rises 5% after Q4 earnings and FY19 guidance - Shares of IBM are up $6.11 or 5.0% after its Q4 earnings beat at $128.62.

16:11 EDT IBM reports Q4 gross margin up 10bps at 49.1%

16:09 EDT JBTto acquire Lektro for $48M - JBT Corporation announced it has signed an agreement to acquire LEKTRO, a privately-held manufacturer of electric aviation ground support equipment based in Warrenton, Oregon, with the transaction expected to close during the Q1. The purchase price will be $48M before customary post-closing adjustments. LEKTRO is expected to add annual revenue of approximately $35M. JBT anticipates earnings to be slightly dilutive in 2019 and accretive by 3c-5c per share in 2020.

16:09 EDT ChromaDex prepared to proceed with patent infringement action against Elysium - ChromaDex Corp. reported the rejection of Elysium Health's challenge to Claim 2 of U.S. Patent No. 8,383,086 by the Patent Trial and Appeal Board of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. ChromaDex reported on January 22, 2018 that the PTAB denied Elysium's request to invalidate U.S. Patent No. 8,197,807. The 086 and 807 patents, which ChromaDex licenses from the Trustees of Dartmouth College, cover compositions comprising nicotinamide riboside. Elysium Health filed its petitions requesting inter partes review of the 086 and 807 patents on July 17, 2017.

16:07 EDT Unity Biotechnology expands ongoing UBX0101 Phase 1 study - Unity Biotechnology announced further expansion of the Phase 1 study of UBX0101 in patients with moderate to severe osteoarthritis of the knee with a cohort of an additional 24 patients at the highest evaluated dose, or Part B. Part B is intended to supplement the initial Phase 1 trial, or Part A, by further evaluating the impact of UBX0101 on specific pro-inflammatory and extracellular matrix modifying factors within the Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype.

16:07 EDT Capital One reports Q4 net interest margin 6.96%, down 5 bps

16:05 EDT TD Ameritrade CEO says 'had a very strong start to fiscal 2019' - "We had a very strong start to fiscal 2019 with record asset gathering in both our retail and institutional channels. After a year of transition, we achieved double-digit net new asset growth rates. Trading was also strong in the quarter with 14 days eclipsing 1 million trades, and mobile trading reaching new highs, averaging 240,000 mobile trades per day - up more than 50 percent from last year. Investor sentiment shifted in the quarter as anxiety and macroeconomic uncertainty started moving the markets, underscoring the importance of our client-centric value proposition. Times like these are when our clients need us most, and when they're most likely to turn to our award-winning investor education. It's little surprise then that the number of clients accessing our education increased by more than 60 percent from last year. We're focused on building a best-in-class client experience and driving a concentrated effort to further increase our operational agility and efficiency while delivering against our financial targets," said Tim Hockey, TD Ameritrade president and CEO.

16:03 EDT Endologix says CE Mark for Nellix System suspended by GMED - Endologix announced that the EC Certificate of Conformity for the Nellix EndoVascular Aneurysm Sealing System has been suspended by its Notified Body, GMED, following a voluntary recall and Field Safety Notification issued by Endologix on January 4, 2019. "The notification from GMED is a regulatory action and is not in response to any new information beyond our recent FSN," said Dr. Matt Thompson, Chief Medical Officer of Endologix. "This action is consistent with our previously articulated plans for the Nellix System and does not affect other Endologix products. We remain steadfast in our commitment to patient safety and believe in the transformational potential of Nellix."

15:53 EDT Sinclair, Apollo appear front runners in bid for Fox RSN, Fox's Gasparino says - In a tweet, Fox Business' Charles Gasparino said that, "SCOOP: Auction of Fox [FOXA] Regional Sports Networks by @Disney [DIS] drags past original timetable; @WeAreSinclair [[SBGI] and Apollo Mgt [APO] appear front runners in bidding; 21 RSNs will likely to sell below original asking price of $20 billion -- sources more now @FoxBusiness @LizClaman $DIS" Reference Link

15:20 EDT Phillips 66 Partners raises distribution 5.4% to 83.5c per common unit - Phillips 66 Partners announces that the board of directors of its general partner declared a fourth-quarter 2018 cash distribution of 83.5c per common unit. This quarter's distribution represents an increase of 5.4% over the previous quarterly distribution of 79.2c per unit and a 23.2% increase over fourth-quarter 2017. The fourth-quarter distribution is payable February 13, 2019, to unitholders of record as of February 1.

15:03 EDT Keysight gets GCF approval for 5G NR NSA mobile device certification - Keysight Technologies announced that the company has gained Global Certification Forum, GCF, approval for 5G New Radio, NR, Non-Standalone, NSA, test cases, enabling the mobile ecosystem to accelerate protocol and radio frequency, RF, device certification. Keysight's 5G Conformance Toolset, which supports both Protocol and RF/RRM, achieved GCF approval on January 16, 2019 at the recent Conformance and Interoperability Agreement Group meeting. The toolset, part of Keysight's 5G network emulation solution portfolio, has obtained approval for both GCF and PTCRB device certification and supports the industry's widest range of GCF RF and protocol 5G NR NSA test cases and frequency band combinations. Protocol and RF conformance tests are a key enabler for chipset, device manufacturers and test labs to validate the performance of new 5G designs. "Keysight is committed to continuing our close collaborations with key industry stakeholders and dominant contributions to the 3GPP standard for 5G NR device validation. This has driven our industry-leading positions with both GCF and PTCRB test validations," said Kailash Narayanan, vice president and general manager of Keysight's wireless test group. "Keysight's 5G solutions for full radio frequency and protocol conformance testing enable the mobile ecosystem to confidently evolve with the latest 5G NR standards, as defined by 3GPP and adopted in the GCF and PTCRB certification schemes."

14:54 EDT ESPN names Brian Lockhart executive producer ESPN+ original content - ESPN announced that Brian Lockhart has joined the company as executive producer, ESPN+ Original Content, effective immediately. Lockhart joins to oversee strategy and development for all ESPN+ Original Content initiatives including new projects and existing shows such as Detail, More Than An Athlete, The Board Room, Earn Everything, Quest for the Stanley Cup, Draft Academy and more.

14:52 EDT Twitter says 'new twitter.com is coming' - The official @Twitter account tweeted: "A new https://twitter.com is coming. Some of you got an opt-in to try it now. Check out the emoji button, quick keyboard shortcuts, upgraded trends, advanced search, and more. Let us know your thoughts!" Reference Link

14:06 EDT Network-1 gets new patent from USPTO expanding its M2M/IoT patent portfolio - Network-1 Technologies announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued U.S. Patent No. 10,187,206, "Key Derivation for a Module Using An Embedded Universal Integrated Circuit Card." The claims in the newly issued patent are generally directed towards methods of updating profiles on embedded universal integrated circuit cards. The newly issued '206 patent arises from a patent application contained in the M2M/IoT patent portfolio acquired by Network-1 in December 2017. The M2M/IoT Patent Portfolio relates to, among other things, the enabling technology for authenticating and using embedded SIM cards in next generation IoT, Machine-to-Machine, and other mobile devices, including smartphones, tablets and computers as well as automobiles and drones. With this latest issuance, the M2M/IoT Patent Portfolio now includes twenty issued U.S. patents and seven pending U.S. patent applications, plus seven additional pending non-U.S. patent applications. Network-1 anticipates further issuances of additional claims for the M2M/IoT Patent Portfolio.

14:01 EDT BlueMountain Capital sends second open letter to PG&E board - BlueMountain Capital Management sent an open letter to the Board of Directors of PG&E Corporation and the Board of Directors of Pacific Gas and Electric company urging them to delay plans to file for Chapter 11 until at least after the annual shareholder meeting slated for May 21. "You have publicly stated that bankruptcy is in the best interests of all stakeholders. But you have failed to articulate a single cogent reason for why it is beneficial to any stakeholder," reads the letter. "A careful analysis will show that all stakeholders will be harmed by bankruptcy," it continues, including wildfire victims, customers, employees, suppliers, and the environment, as well as creditors.

13:29 EDT AltraVue Capital reports 5.02% passive stake in Yatra Online - In a regulatory filing, AltraVue Capital disclosed a 5.02% stake in Yatra Online, which represents nearly 2M shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

13:04 EDT NeuroMetrix reports publication of randomized controlled trial of Quell - NeuroMetrix reported publication of results from a randomized controlled trial of Quell in subjects with chronic low back pain in the journal Pain Practice. The paper is titled "Outcome of a High Frequency Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulator Device for Low Back Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial." The study was a three-month single site, controlled, randomized clinical trial. A total of 68 adult patients with a primary complaint of chronic low back pain were enrolled and randomized with equal probability to treatment with the Quell device or "treatment-as usual". Study subjects averaged 46.2 +/- 12.7 years of age and 60% were female. All subjects reported chronic low back pain as their primary complaint. Over half of the subjects reported multi-site pain. All subjects used a smartphone app developed by the Pain Management Center that helps patients document and manage their pain. Outcome measures included the Brief Pain Inventory, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, the Pain Disability Index and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. All subjects were given Quantitative Sensory Testing at baseline. Several key findings from the trial include: Subjects in the experimental group reported significantly less pain compared to control subjects following 90 days of therapy. On average, subjects in the experimental group experienced a 1.2-point decrease in pain compared to no change in the control group. Subjects in the experimental group reported less overall pain-related interference in function compared to the control group. Subjects in the experimental group reported reduced pain catastrophizing scores compared to the control group. Subjects in the experimental group used their device 381 +/- 353 hours during the study.

12:55 EDT Tesla: Reuters report of Tianjin Lishen agreement 'untrue' - Tesla CEO Elon Musk said via Twitter that a Reuters report saying the company has signed a preliminary agreement with Tianjin Lishen to supply batteries for its new Shanghai facility is "untrue." Reference Link

12:00 EDT PG&E rises 10.4% - PG&E is up 10.4%, or 75c to $7.98.

12:00 EDT VelocityShares 3x Inv Natural Gas ETN rises 13.4% - VelocityShares 3x Inv Natural Gas ETN is up 13.4%, or $9.33 to $79.19.

11:47 EDT Raytheon awarded $72M contract for Aegis Weapon System fire control system - Raytheon Company was awarded the following contract as announced by the Department of Defense on December 26, 2018. Raytheon, Integrated Defense Systems, Marlborough, Massachusetts, was awarded a $72,463,134 firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-only undefinitized contract action for the production of Aegis Weapon System fire control system MK 99 equipment, Aegis Modernization production requirements, and associated engineering services. Fiscal 2018 shipbuilding and conversion; fiscal 2018 other procurement; and fiscal 2018 defense wide procurement funding in the amount of $22,975,534 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.

11:06 EDT Wuhan General acquires MJ MedTech - Wuhan General Group announced that the company has successfully completed the acquisition of MJ MedTech, a nutraceutical biotechnology company that owns, develops and commercializes a range of CBD-based products under the International trademarked brand Dr. AnnaRx. With the closing of the acquisition, Jeff Robinson will continue in his role as CEO and President of MJ MedTech, and will be joining the Board of Directors of Wuhan. Also, Dr. Anna Leralta will be appointed Secretary and Treasurer of Wuhan, and will be joining the Board of Directors of Wuhan as well. The reorganization will take place in the coming days as we go through the transition.

11:02 EDT Marsh & McLennan Agency to acquire Bouchard Insurance, terms not disclosed - Marsh & McLennan Agency announced that it has reached agreement to acquire Clearwater, Florida-based Bouchard Insurance, a leading full-service agency in Florida. Terms of the transaction, which is expected to close later this month, were not disclosed. Founded in 1948, Bouchard has 260 colleagues based in its Clearwater, Fort Myers, Kissimmee, Maitland, Sarasota, and Tampa, Florida office locations. It provides property/casualty, employee health & benefits, and personal lines insurance solutions and expertise to midsize businesses. The firm has dedicated expertise in the agribusiness, community associations, construction, education, healthcare, hospitality, staffing, and social services industries. As part of MMA, Bouchard will maintain its existing office locations and operate as Bouchard Insurance, a Marsh & McLennan Agency company. On closing, Doug Bishop, who has served as CEO of Bouchard since 2009, will continue to lead the operation.

10:23 EDT MasterCard contactless cards to be accepted at Target - Mastercard (MA) announced its contactless cards soon will be accepted at Target (TGT) stores, giving shoppers the ability to simply tap to pay. Cardholders using a contactless Mastercard will tap their card on the reader screen to pay and head on their way.

10:09 EDT J&J says government shutdown shouldn't delay PDUFA date for esketamine

10:02 EDT Tiger Fund to join Longhan to invest in Origin Agritech - Origin Agritech announced that the company entered into a Financing Support Agreement with Tiger Capital Fund SPC and Longhan Investment Management. This agreement allows Tiger Fund to join Longhan to invest in Origin under the Share Subscription Agreement dated as of October 16, 2018 by and between Longhan and the Company. Under the Share Subscription Agreement and the Financing Support Agreement, Longhan and Tiger Fund will purchase 1,397,680 Shares of the company's common stock for an aggregate purchase price of $7,743,147.20. Joint investment of Tiger Fund with Longhan will significantly increase the strength of financial support for the previously announced strategic cooperation project in which Origin and Longhan will work together to start the commercialization of Integrated Saline-Alkaline Land Reclamation technology in 2019. Origin and Longhan will integrate seed treatment, soil treatment technologies and seed breeding & biotechnology, as well as Origin's agricultural business platform.

10:00 EDT VelocityShares 3x Long Natural Gas ETN falls -14.7% - VelocityShares 3x Long Natural Gas ETN is down -14.7%, or -$8.19 to $47.37.

10:00 EDT Arconic falls -19.0% - Arconic is down -19.0%, or -$3.87 to $16.47.

10:00 EDT New Oriental Education rises 9.1% - New Oriental Education is up 9.1%, or $5.97 to $71.87.

09:54 EDT Phunware Inc trading resumes

09:51 EDT Overseas Shipholding reports exercising option for second barge at Gunderson - Overseas Shipholding announced that it has exercised an option to construct a second 204,000 barrel Oil and Chemical ATB Barge at Gunderson Marine's Portland, Oregon facility. The barge, scheduled for delivery in the second half of 2020, will be designed and built to be paired with one of the company's existing modern tugs, replacing a rebuilt barge unit which is expected to be phased out of service prior to delivery of the new barge. The company intends to finance the construction of the two barges at GM with a combination of existing cash and future debt financing.

09:47 EDT VelocityShares 3x Long Natural Gas ETN falls -13.9% - VelocityShares 3x Long Natural Gas ETN is down -13.9%, or -$7.70 to $47.86.

09:47 EDT Fanhua to submit proposal to increase dividend per ADS for FY19

09:47 EDT Aphria rises 7.1% - Aphria is up 7.1%, or 47c to $7.15.

09:47 EDT VelocityShares 3x Inv Natural Gas ETN rises 12.7% - VelocityShares 3x Inv Natural Gas ETN is up 12.7%, or $8.85 to $78.71.

09:42 EDT Johnson & Johnson says will continue to pursue M&A

09:39 EDT J&J says plans for continued price decreases on net basis in near-future

09:32 EDT Fifth Third says continues to expect migration towards 9%-9.5% CET1 ratio - Says authorized to execute additional $900M in repurchases and raise dividend to 24c by 2Q19 following non-objection to re-submitted CCAR 2018 capital plan. Says near-term and long-term capital targets remain unchanged.

09:28 EDT Capstone Turbine secures four orders for C200 systems in Mexico - Capstone Turbine announced that it has secured orders for four C200 systems to be installed in Mexico for two industrial combined heat and power, or CHP, applications. Secured by DTC Soluciones Inmobiliarias SA de CV, Capstone's exclusive distributor in Mexico, the combined orders are for four C200 CHP systems. Each of the systems will use clean-burning natural gas to provide power and thermal energy for the manufacturing process. Two of the systems will be installed at a large pet food manufacturer where the thermal energy will be used as a replacement for a food oven. The two additional C200s will be installed at a latex glove manufacturer where the exhaust energy will be used during the drying process to reduce cost, improve efficiency and reduce on-site emissions.

09:22 EDT Fifth Third expects FY19 total loans, leases up 3%-3.5% from FY18

09:20 EDT Attis Industries to acquire corn ethanol plant, operation from Sunoco for $20M - Attis (ATIS) announced that it has entered into a definitive asset purchase agreement with Sunoco (SUN) to acquire and operate its corn ethanol plant and grain malting operation in Fulton, NY. The plant will become the essential element of Attis' expanding technology portfolio as it develops the site. Total consideration for the divestiture is $20M in cash. The transaction is subject to regulatory clearances and customary closing conditions and is expected to close in Q1. Attis expects to finance the transaction with non-dilutive financing. Attis' management team has a long-standing relationship with Sunoco and the operational team in place at the Fulton, NY ethanol facility. For Attis, the key to this transaction is the 10-year offtake agreement for the ethanol produced which creates valuable stability for Attis as it plans its capital improvement strategy for the facility. The improvements made at the facility over the next 24 months will create the first of its kind, major renewable energy campus.

09:14 EDT Johnson & Johnson: Quality, safety of products 'a top priority'

09:12 EDT Gevo working with SFO, airlines to advance sustainable aviation fuel - Gevo announced that it has joined with the San Francisco International Airport, or SFO, certain airlines and other industry participants for the use and advancement of sustainable aviation fuels, or SAF, a low-carbon and sustainably produced alternative to conventional, petroleum jet fuel. Gevo has signed on to a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, with a group of eight airlines and certain fuel producers to work cooperatively on expanding the use of sustainable aviation fuels at SFO. The consortium, initially formed in September 2018, is the first of its kind to include fuel suppliers, airlines, and airport agencies in a collaborative effort to accelerate the global transition to SAF.

09:12 EDT USG announces Knauf CEO Christopher Griffin to lead USG after merger - Gebr. Knauf KG announced the U.S.-based leadership team that will be responsible for the continued success of USG Corporation after Knauf's acquisition of USG is complete. The closing is subject to pending regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The new leadership team will be led by Christopher Griffin, currently CEO of Knauf Insulation North America. Mr. Griffin has over 35 years of experience in the building materials industry, including 18 years with USG Corporation where he served in several senior roles, including Chief Operating Officer. The USG leadership team will be comprised of the following USG leaders, who will report to Mr. Griffin: Joseph W. Holmes, Senior Vice President, USG Corporation and President, Gypsum Division; Christopher D. Macey, Senior Vice President, USG Corporation and President, Ceilings Division; Steven P. Bjorklund, Senior Vice President, USG Corporation and President, Performance Materials Division; John M. Reale, Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer, USG Corporation; Diane Earll, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, USG Corporation; Mary A. Martin, Senior Vice President and General Counsel, USG Corporation; Dr. Srinivas Veeramasuneni, Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, USG Corporation; Alexander G. Dadakis, Vice President, Strategy and Transition, USG Corporation. Stephanie Holdt, currently Vice President of Controlling for Gebr. Knauf KG, will join USG as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, USG Corporation

09:10 EDT Johnson & Johnson: Will continue to defend the safety of baby powder products

09:09 EDT ePlus subsidiary acquires SLAIT Consulting - ePlus announced that its subsidiary, ePlus Technology has acquired SLAIT Consulting. SLAIT is an IT consulting and solutions provider with a focus on security advisory and managed services, managed help desk, specialized IT, staffing and data center solutions. The acquisition solidifies ePlus' footprint in the Mid-Atlantic, adding SLAIT's headquarters in Virginia Beach, VA and locations in Richmond, VA, and Charlotte, NC and extends ePlus' security consulting and managed services capabilities. Specifically, SLAIT brings ePlus additional consultative services in the area of governance, risk management, and compliance.

09:09 EDT J&J engaging in dialogue, developing proposals to contain health care cost

09:08 EDT Albireo Pharma announces orphan drug designation for A4250 - Albireo Pharma announced the FDA has granted orphan drug designation to lead product candidate A4250, an ileal bile acid transporter, or IBAT, inhibitor, for the treatment of biliary atresia, a rare and life-threatening liver disease with no approved pharmacologic treatment option. A4250 now holds orphan drug designations from both the FDA and EMA for the treatment of progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis, or PFIC, Alagille syndrome, biliary atresia and primary biliary cholangitis. The FDA grants orphan drug designation to novel drugs that seek to treat a rare disease or condition, and provides 7 years of market exclusivity for the product upon regulatory approval.

09:07 EDT Fly Intel: Pre-market Movers - HIGHER: eBay (EBAY), up 12% after Elliott Management announced an over 4% stake and urged the company to make changes, including undertaking a portfolio review... TG Therapeutics (TGTX), up 11% after announcing breakthrough therapy designation for umbralisib... MediWound (MDWD), up 18% after the Phase 3 DETECT study with NexoBrid met its endpoints... Under Armour (UAA), up 4% after Goldman Sachs analyst Alexandra Walvis upgraded the stock to Buy and raised her price target for the shares to $28 from $24. The analyst also added the shares to her firm's Americas Conviction List. UP AFTER EARNINGS: New Oriental Education (EDU), up 4%. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), down 2%... PetMed Express (PETS), down 16%... Halliburton (HAL), down 2%. LOWER: Crispr Therapeutics (CRSP), down 8% after Citi analyst Yigal Nochomovitz downgraded shares to Sell from Neutral and cut his price target for the shares to $21 from $28. Crispr's near-term valuation driver and lead program in related blood disorders "substantially lags" more advanced competitors, Nochomovitz tells investors... Gap (GPS), down 4% after Goldman Sachs analyst Alexandra Walvis downgraded the stock to Sell from Neutral and lowered her price target for the shares to $23 from $27. Fundamentals for Gap's specialty brands have been weak for some time and a more aggressive portfolio rationalization at the Gap brand "will prove to be insufficient to reinvigorate the business," Walvis tells investors... Arconic (ARNC), down 22% after stating that it is no longer pursuing a potential sale of company.

09:05 EDT Magellan Midstream raises quarterly distribution to 99.75c per unit - The new distribution, which equates to $3.99 per unit on an annualized basis, will be paid Feb. 14 to unitholders of record at the close of business on Feb. 7.

09:05 EDT H&R Block says remains exclusive Walmart tax software provider - H&R Block (HRB) it remains the exclusive Walmart (WMT) tax software provider. In addition to purchasing their tax software at more than 4,300 Walmart stores nationwide and Walmart.com, consumers buying the Deluxe/Deluxe + State products will receive the Extended Download Service at no additional cost. This service allows clients to reinstall their software for up to two years from the date of purchase and is a free bonus exclusively for Walmart shoppers.

09:04 EDT Amgen: EC approves expanded indication for BLINCYTO monotherapy - Amgen announced that the European Commission has approved an expanded indication for BLINCYTO monotherapy to include adult patients with Philadelphia chromosome negative CD19 positive B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia in first or second complete remission with minimal residual disease greater than or equal to 0.1% The approval was based on data from the Phase 2 BLAST study in frontline and relapsed/refractory ALL, the largest prospective trial for MRD-positive ALL ever conducted. BLINCYTO, a bispecific CD19-directed CD3 T cell engager, is the first BiTE immunotherapy to receive regulatory approval globally.

09:03 EDT Northwest Bancshares raises dividend 5.9% to 18c - Northwest Bancshares also announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of 18c per share payable on February 14 to shareholders of record as of February 1. This is a 5.9% increase over the prior quarter and represents the 97th consecutive quarter in which the Company has paid a cash dividend.

09:00 EDT Thunder Bridge Acquisition Ltd (Class A Stock) trading resumes

08:56 EDT Johnson & Johnson: 'We know we have work to do'

08:51 EDT Youngevity subsidiary announces agreement with Nicaraguan partners - Youngevity International announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, CLR Roasters, has executed agreements with its Nicaraguan Based Partners, H and H Export and Marisol Siles, whereby the company anticipates expanding its capabilities in Nicaragua through the planned construction of one of the largest processing mills in Central America. In addition to the agreement to construct new processing facilities, the agreement increases CLR Roasters' profit participation in the green coffee distribution business with its Nicaraguan Based Partners from 50% to 75% of profits. As part of the agreement CLR is also acquiring the coffee brand Cafe Cachita.The construction for the new processing facility is expected to be complete by September of this year in time for the 2020 harvest which will be the second year of the CLR Roasters' recently signed, 5-year, $250M green coffee contract. T

08:47 EDT IntercontinentalExchange enhances ICE Permian WTI crude oil futures contract - Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) announced several new enhancements to the ICE Permian WTI crude oil futures contract. New Delivery Terminals: To provide customers with options to take delivery of Permian WTI quality crude on the water, Magellan Midstream Partners (MMP) Galena Park terminal and the Seabrook Logistics terminal will be added as new delivery locations in the Houston area for the contract, effective later this quarter, subject to relevant regulatory processes. Other marine terminals are also being considered as delivery points for the contract, subject to certain quality requirements. Crude Storage Futures: Pending regulatory approval, ICE plans to launch ICE Permian WTI Crude Oil Storage Futures, deliverable at Magellan's terminal in East Houston, Texas. ICE Permian WTI Crude Oil Storage Futures are expected to be listed on ICE Futures Europe and represent the right to store 1,000 barrels of Permian WTI crude oil at MEH. New Metals Data: Beginning later this month, new data showing the levels of metals, such as Nickel, Vanadium and Iron in Permian WTI, will be added to this report, which is published on ICE's website. Magellan's shipping and storage facilities are recognized throughout the industry for their consistent high quality, and this expanded reporting will provide additional assurance to customers around the world about the reliability of quality of WTI delivered against ICE's Permian WTI Futures contract.

08:46 EDT Citizens Community Bancorp to acquire Farmers & Merchants in $21.6M transaction - Citizens Community Bancorp (CZWI) and F. & M. Bancorp. of Tomah, the parent company of Farmers & Merchants Bank (FMAO) jointly announced the execution of an agreement and plan of merger whereby Citizens will acquire F&M and F&M Bank in a cash and stock transaction valued at approximately $21.6M. Located in Tomah, Wisconsin, F&M Bank is a full-service community bank with two branches in Tomah, total assets of $194.6M and total equity of $22.6M as of September 30, 2018. The combined franchise is expected to strengthen the presence and capacity of Citizens in an adjacent market to the Chippewa Valley region. F&M Bank was founded in 1911, and F&M is the second largest financial institution in Tomah with an approximate 20% market share of deposits in Monroe County. The board of directors of both companies unanimously approved the transaction, which is subject to customary conditions, including the approvals of bank regulatory agencies and F&M's shareholders. CCFBank will add approximately $148.7M in deposits to support continued organic growth opportunities. The weighted average deposit cost was 0.67% for the quarter ended September 30, 2018. The merger is also expected to add approximately $138.2M in loans, 81% of which are commercial loans. F&M maintains a strong market share in Monroe County which has approximately $750 million in deposits. Peter Reichardt, CEO, will continue in his role leading CCFBank's business activities in the Tomah market. The transaction is valued at approximately $21.6M, of which 85% will be paid in cash and 15% through the issuance of a number of CZWI shares to be determined at closing. The transaction is expected to generate earnings accretion immediately, resulting in a tangible book value dilution earn-back of approximately three years. Cost savings are estimated at approximately $600,000 in FY19 and $1.25M in FY20.

08:44 EDT Yield10 Bioscience initiates early development program in corn - Yield10 Bioscience announced that it has initiated an early development program in corn to evaluate novel seed yield and drought tolerance traits. Corn is the highest value commercial row crop grown in the United States. Under this program, novel traits discovered by Yield10 will be deployed in corn by a third-party agriculture company with proven expertise introducing new traits into corn. This aspect of the development activity is expected to be completed in early 2020. Yield10 plans to engage an additional third-party to conduct field testing of the novel traits in corn to evaluate the impact on seed yield. The yield traits included in the corn development program are C3003, C3004, and C3011, as well as the transcription factors C4001, C4002, and C4003. C3003, a gene found in algae, has produced encouraging improvements in seed yield in oilseed crops. The trait C3004 will also be evaluated in corn, based on encouraging seed yield results obtained in Camelina. C3011 is a new trait developed in Yield10's GRAIN gene discovery platform. The company previously reported that the C4000 series of traits, which include global regulatory genes, or global transcription factors, can significantly increase photosynthesis and biomass yield in studies utilizing switchgrass as a model crop. Biotech traits based on microbial genes, as well as plant gene traits, which have the potential to be non-regulated by deploying them using cis-genic or CRISPR-Cas9 genome-editing approaches, will be tested in Yield10's corn program.

08:42 EDT Kandi signs framework agreement with Zhejiang Ruibo - Kandi Technologies Group announced that Kandi Electric Vehicles Co., Ltd., an equally held joint venture by Kandi Vehicles and Geely Group, Ltd., led the efforts in organizing a five-year online ride-sharing service alliance in Hangzhou on January 13, 2019. The Online Ride-sharing Alliance was initiated by Zhejiang Ruibo New Energy Vehicle Service Company Ltd. Its goal is to provide 300,000 government-accredited vehicles within five years. Participating companies from more than ten cities including Beijing, Tianjin, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Suzhou, Guangzhou, and Xiamen jointly signed the alliance agreement. On January 18, 2019, the JV Company signed a Framework Agreement with Zhejiang Ruibo to provide 300,000 government-accredited vehicles for the ride-sharing service within five years as the primary vehicle supplier.

08:41 EDT Ultragenyx: Patient deaths in UX007 trial deemed related to disease progression

08:39 EDT Veru initiates Phase 1b/2 clinical trial for VERU-1111 - Veru announced that it has initiated and enrolled the first patient in a clinical trial of its proprietary, next generation prostate cancer drug, VERU-111. The open-label Phase 1b/2 clinical trial for VERU-111, a novel oral drug, will be evaluated in men with metastatic refractory prostate cancer that would be given prior to intravenous chemotherapy. "Upon successful completion of this important clinical trial, we will move forward with additional clinical studies including a pivotal Phase 3 trial," commented Mitchell Steiner, M.D., Chairman, President and CEO of Veru. "Based on earlier preclinical studies, VERU-111 should be effective against refractory prostate cancer and have a more favorable safety profile compared to intravenous taxanes. Drugs for advanced prostate cancer currently have over $3 billion in U.S. annual sales. Our preclinical studies also suggest that VERU-111 may be effective as a treatment for breast, ovarian, pancreatic and other prevalent cancers." "The study will be conducted in approximately five centers in the United States, with results expected by the year-end of calendar 2019. In Phase 1b, the dose escalation portion of the study, patients will receive VERU-111 to determine the optimal dose for testing in Phase 2. In Phase 2, VERU-111 will be assessed for the drug's effectiveness in lowering prostate-specific antigen blood levels, the primary endpoint."

08:38 EDT Astec CEO Benjamin Brock resigns, Richard Dorris named interim - Astec announced that Benjamin Brock has resigned as president and CEO and as a member of the board, effective as of the close of business on January 21. The board has appointed Richard Dorris, who has served as executive VP and COO since 2014, to serve as interim CEO until a permanent successor is named. In addition, the board has appointed William Gehl, a current member of Astec's board, as chairman of the board, effective immediately. The Astec Board has initiated a search process to identify a permanent CEO and will be working with an executive search firm to assist in its efforts.

08:36 EDT On Track Innovations awarded order for 4,000 UNO-8 readers - On Track Innovations announced that it has received a purchase order to deliver more than 4,000 UNO-8 advanced contactless NFC readers to service the global Smart ATM market, which will be delivered in the Q1. Smart ATMs integrate a contactless NFC reader, such as OTI's UNO-8, to provide secure, fast, simple and convenient banking, while providing the ATM operator with the ability to identify the account owner and communicate with their smartphone.

08:33 EDT Repay Holdings to merge with Thunder Bridge Acquisition - Repay Holdings, together with its parent, Hawk Parent Holdings, and Thunder Bridge Acquisition, announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, Thunder Bridge will acquire REPAY and the combined company will continue as a publicly-listed company with an implied enterprise value at closing of approximately $653M, based on current assumptions. Upon the close of the transaction, the company intends to change its name to Repay Holdings Corporation and is expected to continue to trade on The Nasdaq Stock Market under a new ticker symbol. REPAY's management team, led by John Morris, Co-Founder and CEO, Shaler Alias, Co-Founder and President, and Tim Murphy, CFO, will continue to lead the company. REPAY's existing majority equity holder, Corsair Capital, a leading private equity investor in the financial services industry, is expected to remain the company's largest stockholder.

08:21 EDT Arconic down 26% to $15.06 after no longer pursuing potential sale of company

08:20 EDT Staffing 360 Solutions business re-signs British American Tobacco - Staffing 360 Solutions (STAF) announced that one of its UK businesses, Clement May, has re-signed British American Tobacco (BTI) to provide resource process outsourcing and staffing services.

08:17 EDT Elliott announces over 4% stake in eBay, sees path to $55-$63 per share - Elliott Management, which manages funds that beneficially own more than 4% of eBay, released a letter outlining what it views as "a significant value-creation opportunity at eBay." The letter, addressed to the company's board, noted that the opportunity could lead to eBay being valued at $55-$63 per share, representing upside of more than 75% to 100% from today's price. Elliott said: "Despite its remarkable history as one of the world's largest e-commerce platforms, eBay as a public-company investment has underperformed both its peers and the market for a prolonged period of time. While eBay's core Marketplace continues to enjoy sustained growth and the two other franchises that eBay owns, StubHub and eBay Classifieds Group, are thriving, eBay suffers from a deeply depressed valuation due to its history of misexecution. Elliott believes that eBay is worth far more - but change is urgently needed to address both public perceptions and real business issues." Elliott urged eBay's board to adopt a five-step plan, consisting of undertaking a comprehensive portfolio review, "revitalizing" Marketplace, making operational improvements and margin expansion, returning substantial capital to shareholders and needing "effective leadership and oversight." The letter, which goes into each of the five steps in detail, concludes that the Enhancing eBay Plan will "not only maximize shareholder value, but also best position the platform that supports the entire eBay community to enjoy long-term success," Elliott stated in a press release.

08:15 EDT LiveXLive Media names David Schulhof as Chief Development Officer - LiveXLive Media announced that music industry veteran David Schulhof has joined the company as Chief Development Officer. In this role, Schulhof will identify and develop M&A and strategic partnership opportunities, and augment the company's profile in the banking, investment, advisory and capital communities.

08:12 EDT Huntington Bancshares' Chief Credit Officer Dan Neumeyer to retire - Huntington Chief Credit Officer, Dan Neumeyer, has announced his decision to retire at the end of June 2019. Neumeyer joined Huntington in 2009 and has been instrumental in leading its credit organization, including credit policy and portfolio risk management as well as credit approval. Huntington's Chief Risk Officer, Helga Houston, will assume expanded responsibility for the credit organization following Neumeyer's retirement. Rich Pohle, currently the bank's senior credit approval officer, will be promoted to chief credit officer and become a member of the executive leadership team, reporting to Houston.

08:10 EDT eBay jumps 10% to $34 after Elliott goes public with stake, calls for change

08:08 EDT Itron announces CEO Philip Mezey to retire - Itron announced that Philip Mezey, the company's president and CEO and a member of the Board of Directors, has informed the Board of his intention to retire from his positions. By mutual agreement with the Board, Mezey will continue to lead the Company as president and CEO and serve as a member of its Board until August 31, 2019, or until a successor is appointed. Upon the appointment of a successor, Mezey will remain with the Company as an advisor through December 31, 2019, to help facilitate a seamless transition. The Board has commenced a search process to identify the Company's next CEO and will evaluate both internal and external candidates. The process is being led by a newly formed CEO Search Committee of the Board, which will engage a nationally-recognized executive search firm to assist in the process.

08:06 EDT Elliott sees 'significant value-creation opportunity' at eBay

08:06 EDT Conduent appoints Brian Clayton as Chief Compliance Officer - Conduent announced the appointment of Brian Clayton as Chief Compliance Officer, or CCO. Clayton will be responsible for the global planning, implementing and monitoring of a corporate compliance program for Conduent relating to its information and data security and contractual obligations. Clayton joined Conduent in 2003. He has served as both the Chief Privacy Officer and the Associate General Counsel of Conduent.

08:06 EDT Elliott sees path to $55-$63 per share for eBay

08:05 EDT Arconic to no longer pursue potential sale of company

08:04 EDT RealNetworks doubles stake in Rhapsody International, owns 84% of Napster - RealNetworks announced that it has acquired debt and equity interests in Rhapsody International, which does business as "Napster," from Rhapsody Applebee, LLC, an entity managed by Columbus Nova Technology Partners. The purchase took place after RealNetworks sought and received special approval from the U.S. Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control to purchase the sanctioned stake in Napster. Following the transaction, RealNetworks has become the majority owner of Napster, with approximately 84% of outstanding stock, up from RealNetworks' previous stake of approximately 42%. In exchange for all of the CNTP-managed equity, debt, and other interests in Napster, RealNetworks has committed to pay $1M cash up front and an additional $14M over time subject to certain conditions, with additional consideration depending on subsequent events, for a total of up to $40M. The entity managed by CNTP would receive the full $40M in the case of a sale or similar liquidity event within the next five years where total equity value of the 42% equity interest acquired would exceed $60M. Napster will continue to run as an independent subsidiary of RealNetworks with its own board of directors, strategy, and management team. Bill Patrizio will continue to be Napster's CEO, and Rob Glaser will continue as Napster's Chairman.

07:50 EDT DiaMedica Therapeutics announces publication of paper on KLK1, AIS - DiaMedica Therapeutics announced the publication of a paper in the peer reviewed journal, Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders, or TAND. The paper summarizes the mechanistic rationale for using KLK1 to treat patients with acute ischemic stroke, or AIS, and summarizes human preclinical and clinical data supporting the hypothesis that KLK1 treatments may improve outcomes after AIS. KLK1, is a serine protease that plays a critical role in the regulation of microcirculation, blood pressure and blood flow. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that KLK1 is important for a healthy cardiovascular system and that deficits in KLK1 are associated with cardiovascular and end-organ pathology. Importantly, KLK1 replenishment therapy is widely used in Asia where multiple forms are used to treat diseases ranging from AIS to complications of diabetes. These diseases involve poor microcirculation or tissue ischemia, which leads to a hypothesis that directly boosting KLK1 levels will improve blood flow and protect tissue under ischemic conditions. The TAND paper reviews the scientific literature covering the biochemical role of KLK1 and presents the mechanistic rationale for using KLK1 as an additional pharmacological treatment for AIS. In addition to the biochemical mechanism of KLK1, the review highlights supporting results from human genetics and preclinical animal models of brain ischemia. It also reviews published clinical results for treatment of AIS by a form of KLK1 that is isolated from human urine. This form has been approved for post-infarct treatment of AIS in the People's Republic of China and data has been published on clinical trials involving over 4,000 patients. The paper offers a series of testable therapeutic hypotheses for demonstrating the long-term beneficial effect of KLK1 treatment in AIS patients and the reasons for this action.

07:47 EDT Jacobs Engineering awarded $93M contract for California WaterFix program - Jacobs has been selected by the Delta Conveyance Design and Construction Authority, or DCA, for engineering design management, or EDM, services related to the California WaterFix program. Estimated at $17B in 2017, WaterFix is California's largest water conveyance project, designed to bolster the reliability of the state's water supplies, while protecting and enhancing the San Francisco Bay-Delta estuary, a vital environmental asset.The California WaterFix program, slated to begin in early 2019, will upgrade outdated and unreliable water infrastructure that is more than 50 years old and dependent on levees that put clean water supply at risk from earthquakes and sea-level rise.Jacobs' initial $93M contract with DCA will support the preliminary and final engineering design phase of the 15-year program

07:43 EDT Cytokinetics announces FDA feedback for potential reldesemtiv program - Cytokinetics announced that it has received feedback from the FDA that the six minute walk test, or 6MWT, is an acceptable primary efficacy endpoint for a potential registration program for reldesemtiv in patients with spinal muscular atroph, or SMA, who have maintained ambulatory function. The FDA also recommended adding a global function scale as a secondary endpoint, such as the Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale, or HFMSE. In collaboration with Astellas, Cytokinetics is developing reldesemtiv as a potential treatment for people with SMA and certain other debilitating diseases and conditions associated with skeletal muscle weakness and/or fatigue. The companies are discussing potential next steps regarding the ongoing development program for reldesemtiv in this patient population. Results from a Phase 2 clinical study of reldesemtiv in patients with SMA showed a statistically significant exposure-response relationship in changes from baseline in six minute walk distance, or 6MWD, a sub-maximal exercise test of aerobic capacity and endurance. The study also showed statistically significant increases for maximal expiratory pressure, or MEP, a measure of strength of respiratory muscles. Other assessments, including the HFMSE, did not demonstrate differences between reldesemtiv versus placebo. Adverse events in the Phase 2 study in patients with SMA were similar between treatment groups receiving reldesemtiv and placebo. Cytokinetics is preparing to conduct an additional Phase 1 study of reldesemtiv in healthy volunteers designed to assess whether higher doses than were evaluated in the Phase 2 study of patients with SMA may result in higher plasma concentrations. This study is expected to begin in Q1.

07:34 EDT Amber Road confirms receipt of director nominations from Altai Capital - Amber Road confirmed that it has received notice that Altai Capital Management, L.P. intends to nominate two candidates for election to Amber Road's Board of Directors at the 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Amber Road issued the following statement: "Amber Road is committed to acting in the best interests of the Company and creating value for all of its stockholders. Accordingly, the Company appreciates transparent dialogue with its stockholders on many topics and welcomes their constructive recommendations. Consistent with this approach, the Board will review the nomination notice, evaluate the candidates and continue to engage appropriately. The Board continuously evaluates board candidates, including those recommended by stockholders, and will make a recommendation that it believes is in the best interests of all of its stockholders in connection with the Company's 2019 Annual Meeting. Stockholders are not required to take any action concerning Altai's nomination notice or candidates at this time."

07:31 EDT Neovasc announces dismissal of claim brought by Edwards Lifesciences - Neovasc (NVCN) announced that, pursuant to a settlement reached with Edwards Lifesciences (EW) and Edwards Lifesciences (Canada), the patent infringement action that Edwards had previously commenced in the Federal Court of Canada against Neovasc, Boston Scientific and Livanova, will be dismissed on a no-costs basis.

07:21 EDT iRadimed suspends sales of 3880 patient vital signs monitoring system - iRadimed announced that it temporarily suspended sales of its 3880 MRI compatible patient vital signs monitoring systems in European Commission, or EC, markets due to the expiration of its CE Mark on January 17. Products are regulated in Europe by the U.K. Notified Body, UL International, who provides certification allowing use of the CE Mark and permitting shipments of products into EC markets. Maintaining certification and use of the CE Mark requires manufacturers to routinely undergo periodic re-certification, which typically involves the re-review of a product technical file. The company's 3880 MRI compatible patient vital signs monitoring system, originally cleared by UL and added to the EC Certificate in June 2017, was recently subjected to such re-review. On January 16, the company was notified by UL that their recent technical file review of our 3880 MRI compatible patient vital signs monitoring system could not be completed as aspects of clinical evaluation reporting, as required by newly issued guidance from the European Union, was not acceptable, resulting in a technical non-conformity. Accordingly, UL is issuing a temporary EC Certificate that excludes the company's 3880 patient vital signs monitoring system. This temporary EC Certificate will extend for six months, during which time the company expects to cure the non-conformity and be permitted to again use the CE Mark on its 3880 patient vital signs monitoring system. In full compliance with this notification, iRadimed immediately suspended shipments of its 3880 patient vital signs monitor to all markets requiring a CE Mark. This action is not the result of safety, effectiveness or performance issues with the 3880 patient vital signs monitoring system. This action does not impact sales of 3880 patient vital signs monitoring system in the U.S. or in other markets that do not require a CE Mark for importation purposes. This action does not impact shipments of MRI compatible IV infusion pump and related accessories, disposables or services. "Despite the retrospective application of new guidance to our previously cleared 3380 MRI compatible patient vital signs monitoring system, we are fully cooperating and in direct discussions with UL to agree upon the necessary and proper application of the new guidance. We believe that data collection, documentation and UL's review of the required information will take between three to four months, after which time we believe UL will renew the EC Certificate, once again permitting use of the CE Mark on our MRI compatible patient vital signs monitoring system. We expect to fully resolve this matter prior to the end of our second quarter," said Roger Susi, president and CEO. "We expect this action may reduce full-year 2019 revenue by approximately two percent. After considering this impact, we still expect mid 20 percent revenue growth in 2019. We will provide our full-year 2019 revenue, GAAP and non-GAAP earnings guidance in our fourth quarter earnings release," said Susi.

07:14 EDT Crispr Therapeutics signs collaboration agreement with ProBioGen - Crispr Therapeutics and ProBioGen, a German service and technology provider, announced a multi-year research collaboration focused on the development of novel in vivo delivery modalities for Crispr/Cas9 leveraging ProBioGen's existing technology and expertise. Technical and financial details of the collaboration were not disclosed. The collaboration includes a license option for Crispr Therapeutics upon successful completion of the research goals.

07:10 EDT AxoGen appoints Eric Sandberg CCO - AxoGen (AXGN) announced the appointment of Eric Sandberg as CCO. He is an executive with a 25+ year career leading the commercialization of medical technologies. Sandberg has expertise in developing new markets, bringing new products to market and leading successful sales and marketing organizations. Sandberg has leadership experience in commercializing medical technologies. He held leadership positions across sales, marketing, corporate accounts, and business development during a 12 plus year career at medical device manufacturers Guidant and Boston Scientific (BSX).

07:07 EDT Travelers reports Q4 return on equity 10.9% - Reports Q4 core return on equity of 10.0%.

07:07 EDT Capricor Therapeutics announces outcome of FDA meeting for CAP-1002 - Capricor Therapeutics announced that it had "positive" outcomes in its comprehensive multidisciplinary meeting with the FDA regarding development of the company's novel cell therapy candidate, CAP-1002, to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Capricor met with the FDA in December 2018, as part of the expedited review afforded under the regenerative medicine advanced therapy, or RMAT, designation which the FDA granted to CAP-1002 in February 2018. During the meeting discussion and in subsequent meeting minutes, Capricor asked whether the FDA would agree to its current clinical trial, HOPE-2, serving as the registration study, if HOPE-2 provides evidence that CAP-1002 is safe and effective in treating Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The FDA advised Capricor to request an end of phase meeting after completion of the trial to determine whether HOPE-2 could serve as the registration study. The FDA also reiterated support for the use of the performance of the upper limb, or PUL, 2.0 mid-level test, which measures the ability to use arm and hand muscles, as the primary efficacy endpoint for HOPE-2. In addition, the agency stated that the trial would need to provide evidence of clinically meaningful changes in the PUL, as well as other evidence supportive of CAP-1002 efficacy for patients with advanced Duchenne muscular dystrophy, in order to serve as a registration trial.

07:07 EDT Rexford Industrial acquires two industrial properties for $27.6M - Rexford Industrial Realty announced the acquisition of two industrial properties totaling $27.6M. The acquisitions were funded using cash on hand. The Company acquired 12821 Knott St., located in Garden Grove within the Orange County - West submarket, for $19.8M, or $164 per square foot, from an affiliate of Brixton Capital. The high-visibility, freeway frontage property consists of a vacant, 24' clearance, 120,800 square foot single-tenant industrial building on 6.97 acres of land. The Company intends to modernize and reposition the existing building and add 40,000 square feet of new 30' clear warehouse space. According to CBRE, the vacancy rate in the 41.6M square foot Orange County - West submarket was 1.4% at the end of the Q3 of FY18. The Company also acquired 28510 Industry Drive, located in Valencia within the LA - San Fernando Valley submarket, for $7.8M, or $166 per square foot, in a sale-leaseback transaction. The property consists of a newly built 46,778 square foot single-tenant industrial building on 2.15 acres of land, and features 28' clearance, ESFR fire sprinklers and high-image office space. According to CBRE, the vacancy rate in the 174M square foot LA - San Fernando Valley submarket was 1.4% at the end of the Q3 of FY18.

07:06 EDT Bunge says Lupo, Bachrach, Boilini won't stand for re-election to board - As part of Bunge's ongoing Board refreshment process, the company announced that L. Patrick Lupo, Ernest Bachrach and Enrique Boilini, three of its longest-serving Board members, will not stand for re-election at the company's 2019 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders. Each will remain on the Board until his current term expires, in May 2019.

07:04 EDT Bunge sees FY18 total segment adjusted EBIT below previously disclosed range - The company provided an update on its full-year 2018 financial results. On a preliminary basis, Bunge now expects full-year 2018 total segment adjusted EBIT to be below the previously disclosed $1.045B low end of the outlook range. Net debt at year end 2018 was approximately $5B, reduced from approximately $7B at the end of the third quarter 2018. For the full year 2018, Bunge estimates an adjusted EBIT shortfall of approximately $90M-$100M in the Agribusiness segment and a shortfall of approximately $60M-$70M in the Sugar and Bioenergy segment, compared to the low end of the previously disclosed ranges. The Agribusiness shortfall was largely due to the reduction in value of the company's Brazilian soybean ownership as factors related to China trade and demand caused Brazilian prices to converge with U.S. prices. The Sugar and Bioenergy shortfall was primarily due to lower Brazilian ethanol prices, and a weather-related reduction in yields as a poor crop year came to a close.

07:04 EDT Centene subsidiary selected by Arizona's Department of Corrections - Centene announced that Arizona's Department of Corrections has notified Centurion of Arizona of the state's intent to award a contract to provide comprehensive healthcare services to inmates housed in Arizona's state prison system. The contract is expected to commence July 1 with a base term of two years and three one-year renewal options, which are subject to customary contract negotiation. Under the agreement, Centurion will place over 1,000 full-time equivalent employees at state-run prison facilities throughout Arizona to provide a wide array of medical, dental, and mental health services to an average daily population of approximately 33,700.

07:04 EDT Concert completes enrollment of 12 mg cohort in CTP-543 Phase 2a trial - Concert Pharmaceuticals announced that it has completed patient enrollment of the final cohort evaluating 12 mg twice daily of CTP-543 in its Phase 2a trial for the treatment of moderate-to-severe alopecia areata. The trial previously enrolled patients to receive 4 mg and 8 mg twice daily compared to placebo. Data from the Phase 2a trial including the 12 mg cohort is expected in the third quarter of 2019.

07:03 EDT Pluristem to collaborate with IDF in treatment of burn injuries - Pluristem Therapeutics reported the receipt of a joint grant awarded by the Israeli Ministry of Defense and the Israel Innovation Authority for the development of the company's PLX cells for the treatment of burn injuries. This project entails collaboration between the company, the Israeli Defense Forces, or IDF, medical corps and professionals who specialize in burn injuries from Israeli hospitals. The provision of the grant is based on Pluristem's previously published clinical trial data, which demonstrated successful regeneration of muscle tissue and blood vessels as a result of PLX administration, as well as the anti-inflammatory ability of the cells. Proceeds from the grant will support studies of the effects of PLX cells in expediting burn wound healing.

07:02 EDT Bunge names Gregory Heckman as acting CEO - Bunge (BG) announced that Board member Gregory Heckman, a seasoned agribusiness executive, has been appointed acting CEO, effective immediately. He replaces Soren Schroder, who previously announced his intention to step down. . Heckman joined the Bunge Board in 2018. He has over 30 years of experience in the agriculture, energy and food processing industries, having served as CEO of The Gavilon Group and in senior executive roles at ConAgra Foods (CAG).

06:58 EDT Travelers reports Q4 consolidated combined ratio of 97.5% - Fourth quarter consolidated combined ratio of 97.5%; underlying combined ratio of 91.1%.

06:57 EDT Amneal Pharmaceuticals appoints Todd Branning as CFO - Amneal Pharmaceuticals (AMRX) announced that it has appointed Todd Branning as Senior Vice President and CFO, effective immediately. Branning will be responsible for leading Amneal's global finance strategies, including oversight for Finance and Accounting, Internal Audit, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications, and Information Technology. Branning succeeds Bryan Reasons, who will remain with the company through the end of February 2019 to ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities. Most recently, Branning served as Senior Vice President, CFO, for Teva Pharmaceuticals' (TEVA) Global Generic Medicines division.

06:55 EDT Lannett enters U.S. distribution agreement for Trientine Hydrochloride Capsules - Lannett announced that it has entered into an agreement with a strategic alliance partner to be the exclusive U.S. distributor of Trientine Hydrochloride Capsules, which is the AB-rated generic equivalent to Syprine of Valeant Pharmaceuticals. Under the agreement, Lannett will primarily provide sales, marketing and distribution support for the product, for which it will receive a percentage of net profits. Other financial terms were not disclosed.

06:50 EDT Arcos Dorados expects to employ 55,000 in Latin America, Caribbean in 2019 - Arcos Dorados (ARCO), the world's largest independent McDonald's (MCD) franchisee, announced that it expects to employ more than 55,000 individuals in Latin America and the Caribbean during 2019, an increase of 8% over the number employed in 2018. The company is positioned as a catalyst for change through its commitment to labor inclusion and reduction of inequality for young people. Arcos Dorados is one of the region's largest formal employers of youth between the ages of 17 to 25, providing training and development opportunities.

06:48 EDT Express CEO David Kornberg departs, Matthew Moellering named interim CEO - Express announced the departure of CEO David Kornberg. Effective January 22. Kornberg will no longer serve as CEO, President or as a member of the Board of Directors. Kornberg will remain employed by the company through February 21. The Board of Directors has appointed Matthew Moellering as Interim CEO and Interim President until a permanent CEO and President is appointed. Moellering has served as the company's Executive Vice President and COO since September 2011 and will continue to serve as such during his tenure as Interim CEO and Interim President.

06:40 EDT Gold Standard Ventures continues step-out and drilling at Dark Star deposit - Gold Standard Ventures announced the continuation of step-out and infill drilling at the Dark Star oxide gold deposit on its 100%-owned/controlled Railroad-Pinion Project in Nevada's Carlin Trend. The current program consists of approximately 9,150m of drilling in 67 reverse-circulation, or RC, holes, and is a continuation of the expanded development program announced on September 20, 2018. Three RC rigs are on site assessing targets in the northern portion of the deposit where mineralization is open to the north, west and at depth; and shallow oxide targets in the southern portion of the deposit that remain open to the southeast. The Company also released results from three Dark Star core holes drilled in 2018. DC18-24 intersected 35.7m of 0.60 g Au/t and is 100m northwest of DC18-18. With this press release, ten drill holes remain to be reported from the 2018 Dark Star drill program. Seven of the ten holes are stepout and infill holes in the northern portion of Dark Star.

06:38 EDT EQT Corporation sees FY18 CapEx $1.9B-$2.0B - EQT Corporation announced the Company's 2019 capital expenditure, or CAPEX, forecast of $1.9B-$2.0B, which includes approximately $1.6B for reserve development. Based on pricing as of January 14, EQT forecasts approximately $350M of Adjusted Free Cash Flow in 2019. EQT forecasts 2019 production sales volume of 1,470Bcfe-1,510 Bcfe. The 2019 drilling program anticipates a 5% increase in production sales volume in 2020. "Over the last 18 months, we have transformed EQT into a focused upstream industry leader with a strong balance sheet and simplified corporate structure," said the company. "Today, EQT is a new company with a new management team executing a new plan. With the support of our Board, we expect to build on our momentum from the fourth quarter, significantly enhancing operational efficiency and accelerating adjusted free cash flow to a cumulative $2.7B more over the next five years, with potential upside from additional ongoing initiatives. We are confident in our ability to deliver superior shareholder value and excited for the future as a more focused, efficient EQT."

06:34 EDT Cerecor: FDA accepts IND application for CERC-801 - Cerecor announced that the FDA has accepted its Investigational New Drug application for CERC-801, an ultra-pure, oral formulation of D-galactose currently in development for the treatment of Phosphoglucomutase 1 deficiency, also known as PGM1-CDG. The clinical development program for CERC-801 will commence with a Phase 1 study in healthy volunteers. The goals of the study will be to assess the single dose tolerability and pharmacokinetics of CERC-801. Cerecor seeks to leverage existing clinical and nonclinical data in conjunction with sponsor-initiated studies, such as this Phase 1 study, to accelerate development and approval of CERC-801 via the 505(b)(2) pathway.

06:33 EDT MediWound: Phase 3 DETECT study with NexoBrid meets endpoints - MediWound announced that it has met its primary and all secondary endpoints in its pivotal U.S. Phase 3 clinical study (DETECT) with NexoBrid to treat patients with deep partial thickness and full thickness thermal burns intended for submission for Biological License Application from U.S. FDA. "We are thrilled to announce these robust positive results across all endpoints, which corroborate our previous positive EU Phase 3 clinical study results and clearly demonstrate the significant beneficial impact NexoBrid has on patients' lives," said Gal Cohen, President and CEO of MediWound. "Our innovative product, NexoBrid, represents a new paradigm in burn care management. These significant results clearly confirm its ability to remove the eschar earlier while significantly reducing patients' surgical burden, two outcomes that are both clinically and pharmacoeconomically important."

06:13 EDT MasterCard fined EUR570M by EU over cross-border barriers - The European Commission has fined the card scheme Mastercard EURO$570 566 000 for limiting the possibility for merchants to benefit from better conditions offered by banks established elsewhere in the Single Market, in breach of EU antitrust rules. Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: "European consumers use payment cards every day, when they buy food or clothes or make purchases online. By preventing merchants from shopping around for better conditions offered by banks in other Member States, Mastercard's rules artificially raised the costs of card payments, harming consumers and retailers in the EU." The Commission investigation found that because of Mastercard's cross-border acquiring rules retailers paid more in bank services to receive card payments than if they had been free to shop around for lower-priced services. This led to higher prices for retailers and consumers, to limited cross-border competition and to an artificial segmentation of the Single Market. The Commission concluded that Mastercard's rules prevented retailers from benefitting from lower fees and restricted competition between banks cross border, in breach of EU antitrust rules. The infringement ended when Mastercard amended its rules in view of the entry into force of the Interchange Fee Regulation.

06:02 EDT Civeo awarded contracts in Canada, Australia totaling approximately $90M - Civeo announced that it has secured two contracts expected to total approximately $90M in revenues spanning 2019-2023. This includes: In Australia: Civeo was awarded a room commitment from Whitehaven Coal Mining Limited to provide rooms and hospitality services from the company's existing Boggabri and Narrabri accommodations facilities in Australia. The contract is for an initial three year time period, with a minimum room commitment and an option to extend for an additional two years. It is anticipated the initial commitment will generate approximately A$22M in total revenues over 2019-2021. In Canada: The company was awarded a hospitality services contract to operate a 1,540-room facility for an oil sands operator in Canada with expected revenues totaling approximately C$100M over the initial term. The contract is for an initial term of five years with an option to extend for an additional five years.

05:51 EDT JinkoSolar supplies 5 MW for Mesokomo Project in Northern Greece - JinkoSolar Holding announced that its affiliate has supplied 5 MW of PV solar modules to Juwi Hellas S.A. for use in the Mesokomo Project in Northern Greece. The Project was successfully connected to the grid in December 2018 and is owned by ETVA VIPE S.A.

05:41 EDT GDS Holdings appoints Jamie Khoo as COO - GDS Holdings announced that it has appointed Ms. Jamie Khoo as the company's COO, effective immediately. Khoo joined the GDS senior management team in 2014, serving as Deputy CFO.

05:35 EDT UBS says "overall outlook for economic growth remains positive" - UBS provided the following outlook, "While global economic activity continues to moderate, the overall outlook for economic growth remains positive, and asset prices have improved from the fourth quarter of 2018. Lack of progress in resolving geopolitical tensions, rising protectionism and trade disputes along with increased volatility, which affected investor sentiment and confidence in the second half of the year and particularly in the fourth quarter of 2018, would affect client activity in the first quarter of 2019. Lower invested assets as a result of market declines in the fourth quarter of 2018 are expected to affect recurring revenues in Global Wealth Management and Asset Management. Further improvements in market levels, as well as improvements in investor sentiment and client activity would contribute to mitigating revenue and profit growth headwinds. We remain well positioned to capitalize on global wealth creation, which we expect will continue to sustain our strategy and financial performance. We will continue to execute our strategy with discipline, while focusing even more on balancing efficiency and investments for growth, to deliver on our capital return objectives and to create sustainable long-term value for our shareholders."

05:16 EDT Recon Technology receives Nasdaq letter of non-compliance - Recon Technology announced that it has received a letter from the Listings Qualifications Department of The Nasdaq Capital Market notifying the company that the minimum bid price per share for its ordinary shares was below $1.00 for a period of 30 consecutive business days and that the company did not meet the minimum bid price requirement set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2). This press release is filed pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(b). The Nasdaq notification letter does not result in the immediate delisting of the company's ordinary shares, and the shares will continue to trade uninterrupted under the symbol "RCON."