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

19:10 EDT Progressive's Sieger sells 7,500 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Progressive claims president Michael D. Sieger disclosed the sale of 7,500 common shares of the company at a price of $79.155 per share.

18:57 EDT RingCentral CEO: We have an all in one solution for business communications - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, RingCentral CEO Vlad Shmunis said: We love Zoom and have been an early partner... We just extended our partnership with Zoom... We replace legacy communications equipment with a cloud based solution... We are an official communication partner with the Golden State Warriors.

18:53 EDT Honda to recall about 19,000 vehicles in the U.S. over faulty inflator kits - Honda (HMC) will voluntarily recall approximately 19,000 Acura and Honda vehicles in the United States to inspect and, if needed, replace the passenger front airbag module assembly, for free. This recall follows a September 2017 recall and subsequent recall expansions in 2017 and 2018 as Honda's investigation into potential dealer technician errors continued. While performing recall replacements of Takata (TKTDY) passenger airbag inflators before May 2018, dealer technicians at several U.S. dealers may have installed replacement inflators incorrectly in these vehicles. If an airbag with an incorrectly-installed inflator deploys in a crash, the airbag may not inflate properly, increasing the risk of injury to passengers. No improper deployments or injuries have been reported related to this issue, the car maker said. In response to these installation errors, starting in September 2017, Honda has taken steps to reinforce the correct repair procedure, as listed in existing Service Bulletins, with all dealer technicians. Reference Link

18:15 EDT Omnicom CEO sells 60.5K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Omnicom disclosed that its CEO John Wren sold 60.5K shares of common stock on May 22nd. The total transaction size was $4.83M.

18:03 EDT Ctrip reports Q1 gross margin 79% vs. 82% a year ago - Remained consistent with that for the previous quarter.

17:57 EDT Dentsply Sirona CFO Alexos to leave company in connection with relocation - In a regulatory filing, Dentsply Sirona announced that Nicholas W. Alexos, its Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will be leaving the company in connection with the relocation of the company's headquarters to Charlotte, North Carolina. The company is conducting a formal search for his replacement, and Alexos has agreed to continue to serve in his present position until his successor is appointed.

17:41 EDT Obalon Therapeutics discloses resignation of CEO - In a regulatory 8-K filing, Obalon Therapeutics announced that Kelly Huang has notified the board of his resignation from his position as President and CEO, effective May 20, 2019. In connection with Mr. Huang's termination of his employment with the company, Mr. Huang is expected to continue to serve as a consultant. Also effective as of May 20, 2019, William Plovanic has been promoted to President and will retain his title as CFO.

17:36 EDT Neovasc discloses International Journal of Cardiology review of Neovasc Reducer - Neovasc announced that the International Journal of Cardiology has published a peer reviewed article regarding long term sustained efficacy and safety of the Reducer therapy in 50 patients suffering from refractory disabling angina. "This study shows us that the Reducer has a sustained therapeutic effect at two years across a large patient population. In addition, we believe this study provides valuable long-term safety data that further supports cardiologists use of the Reducer as a therapeutic option for patients suffering from refractory angina," commented Prof. Shmuel Banai, Medical Director of Neovasc. The company further states that the "50-patient study found that the Reducer remains safe in the long-term with no device-related adverse events at the two year follow up. In addition, the reduction of angina symptoms and the improvement of quality of life observed after Reducer therapy were maintained at 2-year follow-up."

17:35 EDT Raytheon awarded $151.47M Navy contract for AIM-9X missile sustainment - Raytheon has been awarded a $151.47M firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for integrated logistics support and repairs for the sustainment of the AIM-9X Block II and Block II+ missiles. These services are in support of the Navy, Air Force, and the governments of Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Israel, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Oman, Malaysia, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Turkey under the foreign military sales program. Work is expected to be completed in May 2022. No funds will be obligated at time of award; funds will be obligated on individual task orders as issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to 10 U.S. Code 2304. The Naval Air Systems Command is the contracting activity.

17:24 EDT BBX Capital says will not proceed with merger with Bluegreen Vacations - BBX Capital (BBX) announced that it has made a determination not to proceed with its previously announced merger which would have taken Bluegreen Vacations (BXG) private. BBX Capital will continue to hold its approximately 90% interest in Bluegreen Vacations.

17:21 EDT Raytheon awarded $234.64M Navy contract - Raytheon has been awarded a $234.64M fixed-price-incentive, firm-target contract for the low-rate initial production of 23 joint precision approach and landing systems. In addition, this contract procures three production and installation engineering development model unit upgrade kits, engineering change proposals and associated data. Work is expected to be completed in August 2023. FY19 other procurement and FY19 shipbuilding and conversion funds in the amount of $49,13M will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command is the contracting activity.

17:18 EDT ServiceMaster director sells 8.5K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, ServiceMaster disclosed that the President of its Terminix Residential unit, Matthew Stevenson, sold 8.5K shares of common stock on May 21st. The total transaction size was over $460K.

17:09 EDT Avon Products jumps another 16% after Natura confirms deal - Shares of Avon are up 56c or 16% to $4.05 per share in after-market trading. Shares closed the regular session up over 9% to $3.49 per share.

17:02 EDT SiteOne Landscape acquires Stone and Soil Depot in San Antonio - SiteOne Landscape acquired Stone and Soil Depot, a distributor of hardscapes and landscape supplies with three locations in the Greater San Antonio, Texas market.

16:45 EDT NetApp down 6% after Q4 earnings miss at $63.09 per share

16:39 EDT Liquidia Technologies appoints Richard Katz CFO - Liquidia Technologies announced the appointment of Richard Katz as CFO. Katz joins Liquidia with more than 20 years of experience in healthcare finance and corporate development. Most recently, he served as CFO at Argos Therapeutics.

16:36 EDT Chesapeake Utilities and TECO Peoples Gas partner on Callahan Pipeline, Florida - Chesapeake Utilities' Florida subsidiary, Peninsula Pipeline Company, has entered into an agreement with SeaCoast Gas Transmission, an affiliate of Tampa-based TECO Peoples Gas to jointly develop the Callahan Intrastate Pipeline, bringing additional natural gas capacity to Nassau and Duval Counties. The new supply source will enable both Florida Public Utilities Company, another Chesapeake Utilities subsidiary, and PGS to expand natural gas distribution service in this growing area of Florida. FPU and PGS previously worked together in 2012 to introduce natural gas service to Nassau County. The estimated cost of the pipeline is $65M, to be split between both companies. Construction is set to begin next month with a target in-service date of September 2020.

16:34 EDT L Brands reports Q1 total SSS flat

16:32 EDT Unum Group announces retirement of CFO Jack McGarry in October - Unum Group announced that John F. "Jack" McGarry, executive vice president and chief financial officer since 2015, will retire from the company effective October 31, 2019. Steven A. Zabel, president of Unum's closed block of business, will assume the role of executive vice president and chief financial officer effective July 1, at which time McGarry will move into a role supporting a smooth transition until his retirement. Zabel joined Unum in 2013 as senior vice president and chief risk officer.

16:31 EDT PGT Innovations authorizes $30M stock repurchase program - PGT Innovations has authorized the repurchase of up to $30M of PGTI's common stock. PGTI expects that any stock repurchases will be funded through available cash.

16:27 EDT RumbleON appoints Peter Levy as COO, effective immediately - RumbleOn announced the appointment of Peter Levy as COO, effective immediately. Levy will be responsible for leading day-to-day operations and overarching strategy for the sales, inventory management, dealer relations, and marketing departments. Levy previously served as the Senior Vice President of Operations at RumbleOn since November 2017, where he helped spearhead the acquisition of Wholesale Inc. and guide the company through its expansion into the pre-owned automotive market.

16:16 EDT Vitamin Shoppe names Charles Knight as CFO, effective May 20 - Vitamin Shoppe announced that Charles Knight has been appointed Executive Vice President - CFO effective May 20, where he will be responsible for all financial functions of the company. Knight was most recently Interim CFO for The Vitamin Shoppe, a role he assumed on April 8. He joined The Vitamin Shoppe in July 2018 as Senior Vice President - Chief Accounting Officer and Corporate Controller. Knight brings to The Vitamin Shoppe almost three decades of finance and accounting experience.

16:15 EDT Community Health to sell Davenport, Lake Wales hospitals - Community Health Systems announced that affiliates of the company have signed definitive agreements to sell two Florida hospitals to affiliates of Adventist Health System Sunbelt Healthcare Corporation. The two hospitals are Heart of Florida Regional Medical Center, a 193-bed hospital in Davenport, Fla., and Lake Wales Medical Center, a 160-bed hospital in Lake Wales, Fla., along with their respective assets, physician clinic operations and outpatient services. Each of the transactions, which are subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions, is expected to close in the late third quarter of 2019. The hospitals included in these transactions are among the additional planned divestitures discussed on the company's first quarter 2019 earnings call.

16:08 EDT Vipshop reports number of active customers up 14% y/y, total orders up 29% - The number of active customers for the first quarter increased by 14% year over year to 29.7M from 26M in the prior year period. Total orders for the first quarter increased by 29% year over year to 116.5M from 90.2M in the prior year period.

16:07 EDT Diversicare in pact with Omega Healthcare to transfer ops of 10 Kentucky centers - Diversicare Healthcare Services (DVCR) announced a pending transaction as part of its portfolio management strategy. The Company has reached an agreement in principal with Omega Healthcare Investors (OHI) to amend its master lease to terminate operations of ten nursing facilities located in Kentucky, totaling approximately 885 skilled nursing beds, and to concurrently transfer operations to an operator selected by Omega. The transaction is subject to closing conditions, including but not limited to, state licensure, regulatory approval, due diligence and successful sale of the real estate by Omega. Upon the completion of the transaction, Diversicare will no longer operate any skilled nursing centers in the State of Kentucky. The transaction is expected to become effective in the third quarter of 2019. Jay McKnight, the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "Diversicare has operated in Kentucky for 25 years; we have a great team of caregivers and good relationships with our patients, residents and their families. As a result, this is not a decision we made lightly, but we have concluded that it is in the best interest of Diversicare and its shareholders to focus on our operations in other regions and other opportunities within our existing portfolio."

15:17 EDT Accelerate Diagnostics director Jack Schuler purchases almost $952M in shares - Accelerate Diagnostics director Jack Schuler disclosed in a filing that he had purchased 50,000 shares of company stock at an average price of $19.03 per share on May 20. The total transaction value of the purchases was $951,500.

14:48 EDT McDermott reaffirms schedule for Cameron LNG project - McDermott International, Inc. reaffirmed its previously disclosed schedule for the Cameron LNG project in Hackberry, Louisiana. As disclosed on April 29, 2019, McDermott expects initial LNG production from the third and final train to occur in the second quarter of 2020.

14:26 EDT FTC Competition Director calls decision in Qualcomm case 'important win' - Federal Trade Commission Competition Director Bruce Hoffman issued the following statement regarding the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California's ruling yesterday that Qualcomm's licensing practices relating to its modem chips violate Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act and constitute an unfair method of competition under the FTC Act: "Yesterday's decision that Qualcomm's practices violate the antitrust laws is an important win for competition in a key segment of the economy. FTC staff will remain vigilant in pursuing unilateral conduct by technology firms that harms the competitive process." Reference Link

13:56 EDT Epic Games' Fortnite announces limited time event featuring Nike's Jumpman - In a post to the Fortnite blog yesterday titled "Game Recognize Game", Epic Games announced the "Downtown Drop LTM by Jordan," a collaboration with Nike's Jumpman brand. Investors in Epic include Tencent (TCEHY), Disney (DIS), and KKR (KKR). Reference Link

13:19 EDT Infrastructure stocks fall after Trump says NAFTA replacement first priority - Infrastructure stocks are falling after President Donald Trump told Democratic leaders that passing his replacement for the North American Free Trade Agreement should come before talks on infrastructure. NAFTA FIRST: Pesident Trump wrote in a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday that "Before we get to infrastructure, it is my strong view that Congress should first pass the important and popular USMCA trade deal," Bloomberg reported. "It will replace the job-killing Nafta, one of the worst trade deals ever entered into by our nation," Trump added. U.S. LIFTS STEEL AND ALUMINUM TARIFFS ON CANADA AND MEXICO: Late last week, the U.S. and Canada announced that a 25% tariff on steel imports, and a 10% tariff on aluminum, will end in 48 hours. It is widely expected the U.S. and Mexico will make a similar announcement soon. The U.S. implemented the tariffs last year due to worries over national security. Under the new pact, there will be no quotas on how much steel or aluminum the three countries buy from overseas. PRICE ACTION: Shares of U.S. infrastructure names are all lower including Vulcan Materials (VMC), Fluor Corporation (FLR) Aecom (ACM), as well as steel stocks including U.S. Steel (X), AK Steel (AKS) and Nucor (NUE).

12:58 EDT GE CEO says doesn't see power market recovery in near term

12:38 EDT GE CEO says seeing early signs of improvement in Power's operations

12:31 EDT Apple says WWDC19 keynote event takes place June 3 in San Jose - Apple confirmed that its WWDC19 keynote event will take place on June 3 at 10:00 am PDT at the San Jose Convention Center. Reference Link

12:25 EDT GE says still plans to sell Baker Hughes stake, no details provided

12:09 EDT USA Truck Chairman Robert Peiser resigns, Alexander Greene assumes role - On May 21, Robert Peiser resigned from his position as a director of USA Truck effective immediately. "Peiser's decision to retire from the Board of Directors does not relate to any disagreement with the company on any matter relating to the company's operations, policies or practices. "Bob has served as our chair since early 2012 and provided a lasting contribution to our company. His dedication to creating value and protecting our stockholders' interests helped bring USA Truck through some very difficult times and leaves us well positioned to prosper. We are grateful for Bob's efforts on behalf of all USA Truck stakeholders. We are excited that Alexander Greene has assumed the role as Chairman of the Board. Alex has been a thoughtful and trusted member of our Board for many years and has the experience and perspective to guide and counsel the company as we continue our path forward," added the company in a regulatory filing.

11:58 EDT FirstEnergy appoints Christine Walker as Chief Human Resources Officer - FirstEnergy Corp. announced promotions in its Human Resources and Finance organizations. Christine Walker, VP, Human Resources, has been named senior VP and Chief Human Resources Officer, effective July 1. She succeeds Charles Lasky, who is retiring from FirstEnergy. Tracy Ashton, director of business planning and performance, has been named assistant controller, Corporate, effective May 26.

11:32 EDT TowneBank raises quarterly cash dividend 12.5% to 18c per share - TowneBank announced that its Board of Directors on May 21, 2019 declared its second-quarter shareholder cash dividend of 18c per common share payable on July 10, 2019 to shareholders of record on June 28, 2019. The quarterly common stock cash dividend of 18c per common share, or 72c per common share on an annualized basis, is a 12.5% increase from the previous dividend rate.

11:09 EDT Siemens, Chronicle partner to provide monitoring, detection for energy industry - Siemens (SIEGY) and Chronicle, an Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL) company, announced a new partnership to protect the energy industry's infrastructure from increasingly sophisticated and malicious industrial cyber threats. Through a unified approach that will leverage Chronicle's Backstory platform and Siemens' strength in industrial cyber security, the combined offering gives energy customers unparalleled visibility across information technology and operational technology to provide operational insights and confidentially act on threats. The partnership between Siemens and Chronicle will help energy companies securely and cost-effectively leverage the cloud to store and categorize data, while applying analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning to OT systems that can identify patterns, anomalies, and cyber threats. Chronicle's Backstory, a global security telemetry platform for investigation and threat hunting, will be the backbone of Siemens managed service for industrial cyber monitoring, including in both hybrid and cloud environments.

10:49 EDT Portola Pharmaceuticals announces new analysis from ANNEXA-4 study - Portola Pharmaceuticals announced the presentation of a new analysis of data from an important subgroup of ANNEXA-4, the Company's Phase 3b/4 trial of its Factor Xa inhibitor antidote Andexxa in patients with acute major bleeding while taking a Factor Xa inhibitor. Data on a key subset of patients with spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage are being featured in an oral presentation today at the 5th European Stroke Organisation Conference. Spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage is a bleeding event in the brain not caused by trauma, and it is associated with high rates of mortality and morbidity. Among the 352 patients in the ANNEXA-4 study, 227 experienced an intracranial hemorrhage. Of these,128 were treated for a spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage, 98 of which were evaluable for hemostatic efficacy. Among this subset, 79% achieved excellent or good hemostasis over the 12-hour period following treatment with Andexxa, as determined by an independent adjudication committee. This is consistent with the 82% reported in the full ANNEXA-4 study across patients with all types of bleeds. Among the 98 efficacy evaluable patients in this subset, the median increase in hematoma volume from baseline to 12 hours was 0.06 milliliters, a volume increase of 1% over baseline. Further, 71 patients in this subset experienced a spontaneous, single-compartment, intracerebral hemorrhage, a bleed type that allows for the most precise measurement of hematoma volume. Of the patients that achieved excellent or good hemostatic efficacy within one hour post Andexxa, 98% maintained excellent or good hemostatic control 12 hours following Andexxa administration. Within 30 days of enrollment, thrombotic events occurred in 14 patients with spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage and death occurred in 24 patients consistent with the full ANNEXA-4 study results and the high background thrombotic risk of the enrolled patient population. Among the 18 patients who re-started oral anticoagulation therapy within 30 days, no thrombotic events were observed. The majority of thrombotic events occurred in patients who delayed or did not re-start anticoagulation therapy with a Factor Xa inhibitor during the follow-up period.Andexxa received both U.S. Orphan Drug and U.S. Food and Drug Administration Breakthrough Therapy designations and was approved on May 3, 2018 under the FDA's Accelerated Approval pathway. It received conditional marketing authorization from the European Commission on April 26, 2019, and will be marketed in Europe as Ondexxya.

10:13 EDT MDC Partners appoints Seth Gardner to newly created COO role - MDC Partners (MDCA) announced the appointment of Seth Gardner to the newly created role of Chief Operating Officer, effective June 17. In this role, Gardner will oversee the network's operations, real estate portfolio, IT, human resources and benefits, as well as centralized resources. Gardner joins MDC Partners from The Carlyle Group (CG), where he served as Managing Director, Chief Operating Officer & Chief Legal Officer of the firm's credit division.

10:00 EDT Sasol falls -12.0% - Sasol is down -12.0%, or -$3.61 to $26.53.

10:00 EDT Target rises 8.1% - Target is up 8.1%, or $5.79 to $77.75.

10:00 EDT Sea Limited rises 14.9% - Sea Limited is up 14.9%, or $3.78 to $29.17.

09:56 EDT Eros Now announces partnership with Paytm First - Eros Now announced a partnership with Paytm First, a subscription-based rewards and loyalty program from Paytm. The collaboration allows Paytm First subscribers access to Eros Now Plus services, which includes 12,000+ movies, TV shows, music, music videos, short-format content - Eros Now Quickie - and more. Eros Now's collaboration with Paytm First will strengthen co-development and integration of both platforms and provide online video content to consumers.

09:49 EDT J&J's Janssen announces FDA priority review for Invokana - Johnson & Johnson's Janssen Pharmaceutical announced that the FDA has granted priority review for the supplemental new drug application for Invokana to reduce the risk of end-stage kidney disease, the doubling of serum creatinine, and renal or cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. If approved for the new indication, Invokana will be the first and only diabetes medicine to treat chronic kidney disease in patients with type 2 diabetes, Janssen said.

09:47 EDT Sasol falls -11.4% - Sasol is down -11.4%, or -$3.44 to $26.70.

09:47 EDT Target rises 8.7% - Target is up 8.7%, or $6.28 to $78.24.

09:47 EDT Sea Limited rises 17.3% - Sea Limited is up 17.3%, or $4.39 to $29.78.

09:35 EDT Bridgford Foods trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:21 EDT Overstock.com subsidiary MLG signs MOU with Lusaka City Council - Overstock.com announced that Medici Land Governance, or MLG, its blockchain subsidiary focused on land administration, has signed a memorandum of understanding, or MOU, with the Lusaka City Council, or LCC that will lead to the issuance of no fewer than 250,000 certificates of title related to real property under the jurisdiction of LCC in and around the capital city of Zambia. In addition to establishing a titling process that builds on the 50,000 homes upon which MLG collected governance information in the fall of 2018, the MOU calls for developing and deploying a land information management system to handle title transfers, title searches and other transactions. The MOU stipulates a revenue sharing arrangement between the Lusaka City Council and MLG. Under the terms of the MOU, the parties will work together to execute a definitive agreement within 90 days. The agreement is open ended, subject to review every two and a half years. Data related to issuance of occupancy licenses, deed titles, payments and other revenue-generating transactions will be posted on a blockchain. The data will be accessible on an open source mobile platform to land owners, government agencies, local authorities, and private sector interests.

09:14 EDT Willis Towers Watson announces quantum computing collaboration with Microsoft - Willis Towers Watson (WLTW) announced an exclusive deal with Microsoft (MSFT) to develop the potential of quantum computing for its risk management and insurance clients within the financial services, insurance and investment space. Willis Towers Watson has a long-standing partnership with Microsoft, focused on the development of technology and bringing advanced modelling tools to insurers. This latest announcement is an extension of that partnership and offers the potential to transform risk quantification and make the insurance value chain more efficient.

09:11 EDT VF Corp. says growth in Vans was explosive - Says geopolitical environment has become more uncertain over the past few weeks. Says Vans is tracking well ahead of $5B target laid out previously. Says intends to pay off short term debts with net proceeds from Kontoor Brands. Says mergers and acquisitions remains number one capital allocation priority. Says the company sees strong order books. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

09:09 EDT Tocagen says Toca 5 Phase 3 clinical trial continues without modification - Tocagen last night announced that the Toca 5 Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating Toca 511 and Toca FC in patients with recurrent high grade glioma continues without modification following a planned interim analysis of data conducted by an Independent Data Monitoring Committee. The IDMC completed its analysis and recommended the trial continue without modification, the company said in a statement. The global trial enrolled patients across two periods of time and completed full enrollment of 403 patients in November 2018. "We are encouraged by the recommendation from the IDMC to continue the Toca 5 trial without modification and are looking forward to reporting the final analysis of the Toca 5 trial by the end of the year," said Marty Duvall, CEO of Tocagen. "We believe the longer-term follow-up of patients in the final analysis, particularly for those randomized in the second enrollment period, will be important in assessing both primary and secondary endpoints." Shares of Tocagen are down 27%, or $2.37, to $6.45 in premarket trading.

09:09 EDT Comtech announces $3.5M satellite service order - Comtech announced that during its Q3, its Command & Control Technologies group, which is part of Comtech's Government Solutions segment, received a $3.5M follow-on, satellite service order from a "major national security solutions provider."

09:04 EDT International Speedway to be acquired by NASCAR Holdings for approximately $2B

08:55 EDT International Speedway trading halted, news pending

08:44 EDT CollPlant launches new HQ and R&D center in Israel - CollPlant (CLGN) has launched a new HQ and R&D center in Israel. CollPlant is developing, manufacturing and commercializing products for tissue repair and organ manufacturing from its proprietary rhCollagen, recombinant human collagen. The new R&D facilities will serve CollPlant for development of its product pipeline, including BioInks for 3D bioprinting of tissues and organs, and dermal fillers for medical aesthetics. In 4Q18, CollPlant signed a worldwide license and commercialization agreement with United Therapeutics (UTHR) for the use of CollPlant's rhCollagen-based BioInk for the 3D bioprinting of lung scaffolds with the longer term goal of manufacturing an unlimited supply of transplantable lungs for patients with serious medical conditions, subject to FDA approval. Based on this agreement, United Therapeutics will use the BioInk in its manufacturing process and establish a facility to manufacture CollPlant's rhCollagen and BioInk in the US.

08:37 EDT UPS to purchase 170M gallon equivalents of RNG from Clean Energy through 2026 - UPS (UPS) announced an agreement with Clean Energy (CLNE) to purchase 170M gallon equivalents of renewable natural gas, or RNG, through 2026. This is the largest commitment for use of RNG to date by any company in the United States, with a range of 22.5M-25M gallon equivalents per year. RNG is a key part of UPS's strategy to increase alternative fuel consumption to be 40% of total ground fuel purchases by 2025, supporting efforts to reduce the absolute greenhouse gas, or GHG, emissions of its ground fleet 12% by 2025. UPS has used more than 28M gallons of RNG in its ground fleet since 2014. This means the company will now be using nearly as much RNG in one year as it has used over the past five years combined. By switching from diesel fuel to RNG, UPS vehicles fueling at 18 company-owned and operated natural gas stations across 12 states will realize a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, as much as 1,074,000 metric tons of GHG over the life of the agreement. UPS drives more than 6,100 CNG and LNG vehicles which can be powered by RNG in Argentina, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States. More than 22% of the conventional diesel and gasoline fuel previously used by UPS's ground fleet is now being replaced by alternative fuels including renewable natural gas and renewable diesel.

08:34 EDT Apple pledges clearer information on iPhone performance, CMA says - Apple has committed to be clearer and more upfront with iPhone users about battery health and performance, following action by the CMA. The Competition and Markets Authority raised consumer law concerns with the tech firm last year after finding people were not being warned clearly that their phone's performance could slow down following a 2017 software update designed to manage demands on the battery. The CMA said in a statement: "Since the CMA raised its concerns, Apple had already started to be more up front with iPhone users, but today's announcement locks the firm into formal commitments always to notify people when issuing a planned software update if it is expected to materially change the impact of performance management on their phones. Apple will also provide easily accessible information about battery health and unexpected shutdowns, along with guidance on how iPhone users can maximise the health of their phone's battery. This could help people improve the performance of their own handset after a planned software update by, for example, changing settings, adopting the low power mode or replacing the battery - rather than resorting to having their phone repaired or replaced. The firm has agreed to do this both for current and future iPhones. By signing up to undertakings with the CMA, Apple has agreed that it will be bound by them. If it goes on to breach any of the commitments made, the CMA may take action through the courts."

08:33 EDT Qualcomm 'strongly disagrees' with ruling in FTC case, will seek immediate stay - Qualcomm announced that U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh issued a ruling in favor of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in the FTC's litigation against the company. Qualcomm will immediately seek a stay of the district court's judgment and an expedited appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. "We strongly disagree with the judge's conclusions, her interpretation of the facts and her application of the law," said Don Rosenberg, executive vice president and general counsel of Qualcomm.

08:31 EDT Target sees Q2 comp growth 'somewhat slower' than Q1 comp growth -

08:25 EDT Target says Vineyard Vines launch 'one of the most successful in our history'

08:20 EDT ViaSat selected by Space Enterprise Consortium to deliver first LEO spacecraft - Viasat has been awarded a contract by the Administrator of the Space Enterprise Consortium, under the Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles XVI program, to deliver and test the first-ever Link 16-capable Low Earth Orbit, or LEO, spacecraft. The Viasat-designed spacecraft is intended to enhance warfighters' situational awareness by extending the range of Link 16 networks - using a constellation of satellites to provide greater access to Link 16 capabilities in contested or congested environments. Under the XVI program, Viasat will become the first company to prototype and test space-based Link 16 capabilities compatible with fielded U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Special Operations Link 16-enabled platforms.

08:14 EDT IHS Markit, Informa to exchange business units - IHS Markit and Informa announced the exchange of the majority of the IHS Markit Technology, Media and Telecoms intelligence business for Informa's Agribusiness Intelligence group. The agreement values the two exchanged businesses at equivalent EBITDA multiples, with Informa contributing an additional $30M cash to IHS Markit to reflect the larger EBITDA contribution from the TMT business. IHS Markit will retain RootMetrics, its benchmarking business and a portion of its market intelligence business. Both transactions are expected to close in July 2019 and are subject to customary closing conditions, including US regulatory approval. IHS Markit confirmed that the transaction will not affect its capital allocation strategy to delever its debt ratio below 3.0x and complete $500M in share repurchases in 2019.

08:13 EDT BioPharmX reports last patient visit in Phase 2b papulopustular rosacea trial - BioPharmX announced that the last patient in the company's Phase 2b clinical trial of BPX-041, a novel topical gel formulation of fully solubilized minocycline for the treatment of papulopustular rosacea, has completed their last clinical visit. The company looks forward to reporting topline results from the study in early July, subject to successful database lock and results validation. The study enrolled 206 subjects with moderate-to-severe papulopustular rosacea. The multicenter study is evaluating the safety and efficacy of once daily application of BPX-04, a 1% minocycline gel, versus a vehicle control over a 12-week treatment period. The study's primary endpoint is the mean change in the number of facial inflammatory lesions of rosacea from baseline to week 12.

08:09 EDT Target CEO says has plans in place to mitigate additional tariffs - CEO Brian Cornell says Target is seeing "positive response" to same day digital fulfillment services. He said the company saw some choppiness in daily sales results early in the quarter, mostly due to the weather. Commenting on tariffs, Cornell said the trade situation has been "fluid" for some time. He said Target is "concerned" about tariffs, as they lead to higher prices on everyday products, and that the company will continue to monitor trade negotiations. Cornell added that Target has plans in place to mitigate additional tranche of tariffs going into effect next month. Comments from Q1 earnings conference call.

08:06 EDT Mack-Cali Realty files stockholder presentation against Bow Street - Mack-Cali Realty filed an investor presentation with the SEC in connection with the company's June 12 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Highlights of the presentation include: "Mack-Cali's Board (...) evaluated Bow Street's proposal and concluded it was grossly inadequate, illusory, unworkable and not in the best interest of the company's stockholders. Bow Street's unfinanced proposal grossly undervalues the company's core office portfolio and significantly overstates the value that would be received by Mack-Cali stockholders in the proposed transaction. The company believes that Bow Street has launched its proxy contest for the sole purpose of facilitating its self-interested proposal or forcing a premature sale of the company or its assets in order to make a quick profit on its recent investment, and that Bow Street's director candidates have been nominated to advance Bow Street's self-interested agenda and lack critical qualifications, experience and independence to maximize value for all Mack-Cali stockholders (...) Mack-Cali has made significant progress in pursuing its strategic objectives, including its Waterfront Strategy and the ongoing transformation of its asset portfolio, and is confident that the continued execution of its business plan is the best way to maximize stockholder value at this time. (...)" The Mack-Cali Board recommends that stockholders vote on the White proxy card "for" all of Mack-Cali's 11 nominees.

08:03 EDT AngioDynamics receives FDA approval to initiate pilot study for NanoKnife - AngioDynamics announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration approved the company's investigational device exemption application for its NanoKnife Irreversible Electroporation pilot study for the ablation of prostate cancer tissue in low-risk patients. The prospective, non-randomized pilot study includes six subjects at up to three clinical sites. The pilot study is intended to inform the design of a pivotal clinical study in the United States to support the approval of a future Premarket Approval Application.

07:38 EDT Affimed N.V. to terminate Phase 1 AFM11 clinical program - Affimed N.V. announced a plan to focus its research and development investments on advancing on-going and previously announced clinical trials for its innate cell engager candidates, AFM13 and AFM24. As part of the strategic plan, Affimed will terminate the Phase 1 clinical program of AFM11, a CD19/CD3-targeting bispecific T cell engager.

07:11 EDT Ameresco, WCPSS partner for Guaranteed Energy Savings Performance Contract - Ameresco announced a partnership with Wake County Public School System for a Guaranteed Energy Savings Performance Contract. The $6.7M project will include ten individual energy conservation measures in twelve different school facilities. Funded through energy and operational cost savings, the project is expected to save WCPSS more than $690,000 annually over the 15-year contract term. Project ECMs include LED lighting system improvements, domestic water conversion, Building Automation System (pgrades, Variable Air Volume air handling unit upgrades, boiler system replacement, pumping system upgrades, cooling tower Variable Frequency Drives, demand control ventilation upgrades and air handling unit replacements. At completion the project is expected to reduce WCPSS energy usage by 7,209,000 kWh annually.

07:08 EDT Synlogic, Roche announce collaboration to explore SYNB1891 with atezolizumab - Synlogic (SYBX) announced a new clinical collaboration with Roche (RHHBY) to explore Synlogic's Synthetic Biotic medicine, SYNB1891, a dual innate immune activator engineered to express a STING agonist, in combination with Roche's PD-L1-blocking checkpoint inhibitor atezolizumab in patients with advanced solid tumors. Synlogic expects to file an Investigational New Drug application with the U.S. Federal Drug Administration in the second half of 2019 for SYNB1891 to enable the company to begin an open-label Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate the candidate as a monotherapy and a combination treatment with atezolizumab. SYNB1891 is a non-pathogenic strain of E.coli that has been engineered to express a STING agonist and stimulate the innate immune system. When the bacteria are engulfed by antigen presenting cells within the tumor, the STING pathway is activated within the cell resulting in a type I interferon response and the initiation and propagation of tumor-specific T-cell responses. In addition, the bacterial chassis used in Synlogic's Synthetic Biotic approach is believed to stimulate the innate immune system by several other mechanisms, including via Toll-like receptors, potentially adding to the magnitude of the overall immune response. In combination with atezolizumab, SYNB1891 has the potential to elicit both innate and adaptive arms of the immune system to drive tumor reduction. With an active IND, Synlogic plans to initiate an open-label, multicenter Phase 1 clinical trial of SYNB1891 administered by intra-tumoral injection to patients with advanced/metastatic solid tumors. The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of escalating doses of SYNB1891 to determine the single-agent maximum tolerated dose as monotherapy and the recommended Phase 2 dose in combination with atezolizumab. In addition, the study will explore immune biomarkers, objective response rates, and time to progression for evaluated tumors. Synlogic will be the sponsor of the study and Roche will provide clinical supply of atezolizumab.

07:06 EDT S.Y. Bancorp raises quarterly dividend by 1c to 26c per share - Stock Yards Bancorp, parent company of Stock Yards Bank & Trust, announced that its board has increased the company's quarterly cash dividend 1c or 4% to 26c per common share. The new dividend rate will be paid on July 1, to stockholders of record as of June 17.

07:05 EDT VF Corp. sees FY20 CapEx 'just under' $400M - Sees FY20 effective tax rate in the range of 15%-15.5%.

07:03 EDT uniQure announces two new patents covering AMT-130 - uniQure announced the issuance of two new patents covering AMT-130, the company's gene therapy candidate for the treatment of Huntington's disease. AMT-130 comprises a recombinant AAV5 vector carrying a DNA cassette, encoding a microRNA that non-selectively lowers or knocks-down human huntingtin protein in Huntington's disease patients. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued U.S. Patent 10,174,321 on January 8 and the European Patent Office issued EP 3237618. The claims as granted cover the RNA constructs specifically designed to target exon1 and the embedding of these Huntington's disease RNA sequences into the miR451 scaffold, which is exclusively licensed to uniQure from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, or CSHL. The claims also cover certain expression cassettes comprising the RNA constructs and the use of gene therapy vectors including AAV vectors encompassing the described expression cassettes.

07:02 EDT Canopy Growth acquires This Works for C$73.8M in cash - Canopy Growth has finalized an all-cash transaction to acquire This Works for a purchase price of C$73.8M. Founded in 2004, This Works has cemented itself as a global leader in natural skincare and sleep solutions with a devout customer base spanning 35 countries. This Works CEO, Dr. Anna Persaud, will remain at the helm of business operations post-acquisition to continue moving the company forward.

06:54 EDT Endeavour Silver reports high grade silver-gold drill results in Bolanitos Mine - Endeavour Silver reports multiple high-grade silver-gold intersections in the Plateros and San Miguel veins from the 2019 drill program at the Bolanitos mine in Guanajuato, Mexico. A total of 19 holes were drilled to mid-April. Drilling highlights in the San Miguel vein just north of the Bolanitos plant include 58 grams per ton - gpt - silver and 22.1 gpt gold for 1827 gpt Ag Eq calculated at an 80:1 Au:Ag ratio over a 3.5 m true width. New high-grade vein mineralization has now been delineated over a 250 m length by 130 m depth below and northwest of the old San Miguel mine workings, still open to the northwest. Drilling highlights in the Plateros vein just west of the Bolanitos plant include 108 gpt silver and 4.25 gpt gold for 448 gpt Ag Eq over a 2.3 m true width. New high-grade vein mineralization has now been delineated over a 250 m length by 120 m depth below the Plateros mine workings where Endeavour is currently mining, still open at depth and to the southeast. Bradford Cooke, Endeavour Director and CEO, commented, "Our operations group are nearing resolutions to the elevated arsenic in certain ores and reduced equipment availabilities, both of which put mine development and production behind schedule in Q1 2019. We plan to provide a full operational review for shareholders late this month."

06:48 EDT MiX Telematics awarded tender to supply water services provider in Uganda - MiX Telematics announced that its channel partner in Uganda, A&S Electronics has been awarded a tender to supply a water services provider in Uganda with a fleet management solution. This customer operates an extensive fleet to fulfil its mandate of providing water for use in agriculture, rural industries and tourism, among others. It also coordinates the national development of water resources and provides planning and management for the water and sanitation sectors.

06:37 EDT Co-Diagnostics reports U.S. sales of mosquito control laboratory packages, tests - Co-Diagnostics has entered into two sales agreements for mosquito abatement laboratory equipment and mosquito tests, and expects additional sales agreements before the end of the quarter.

06:35 EDT Advance Auto Parts backs FY19 CapEx view $250M-$300M - Sees FY19 income tax rate 24%-26%.

06:34 EDT Target reports Q1 comparable digital channel sales up 42% - Q1 comparable digital channel sales grew 42%, on top of 28% last year. Comparable digital sales contributed 2.1 percentage points to Target's overall comparable sales growth. Same-day fulfillment services--Order Pick Up, Drive Up and Shipt--drove well over half of the company's digital sales growth. Reports Q1 operating income up 9% to $1.14B. "Target had an outstanding Q1, as our team delivered a great experience for our guests and drove strong growth in traffic, comparable sales, operating income and earnings per share," said Brian Cornell, Chairman and CEO of Target. "Over the last two years we have made important investments to build a durable operating and financial model that drives consumer relevance and sustainable growth. Target's Q1 performance and market-share gains demonstrate that the model is working. Throughout this year, we will continue to extend the reach of our same-day fulfillment options, strengthen our portfolio of owned and exclusive brands, remodel and open more stores and invest in our team. We're confident that we're well-positioned to deliver strong financial performance in 2019 and beyond."

06:33 EDT Eli Lilly Insulin Lispro Injection now available for order in pharmacies - Eli Lilly's Insulin Lispro Injection is now available for order in pharmacies for people who use Lilly's insulin and need a lower-cost option. Lilly's Insulin Lispro Injection has a 50% lower list price than its identical medicine, Humalog U-100 and is available in both a vial and KwikPen. Because they are the same insulin, pharmacists will be able to substitute Insulin Lispro Injection for Humalog. In March, Lilly announced plans to introduce Insulin Lispro Injection, which fills another gap in the healthcare system. The people who are most likely to benefit from Insulin Lispro Injection are Medicare Part D beneficiaries, people with high-deductible health plans and the uninsured who use Humalog. Insulin Lispro Injection has a list price of $137.35 per vial and $265.20 for a package of five KwikPens. In addition to wholesaler contracts that have been secured, Lilly is working with payers to gain broad insurance coverage for Insulin Lispro Injection.

06:27 EDT Emerald Expositions Events names Brian Field as COO - Emerald Expositions Events appointed Brian Field as COO, effective June 1. Field's career has spanned more than twenty years, most recently including eight years at UBM, now part of Informa plc, a UK-based multinational events, academic publishing and business intelligence business. For the last five years, Field was COO of UBM Americas.

06:06 EDT National Health Investors acquires Michigan assisted living facility for $13.5M - National Health Investors has acquired a 73-unit assisted living/memory care facility for a total commitment of $13.5M and will lease the facility to an affiliate of Comfort Care Senior Living. The recently opened facility, Brighton Manor, is located in the town of Brighton, Michigan. The 10-year lease will have a lease rate of 7.75% plus annual escalators starting in year 3. The acquisition was funded by NHI's revolving credit facility.

06:05 EDT Lowe's reports Q1 U.S. SSS up 4.2% - "Our Q1 comparable sales performance is a clear indication that the consumer is healthy and our focus on retail fundamentals is gaining traction. Our commitment to improving in-stocks and customer service coupled with our focus on winning with the pro customer were integral to driving improved sales," commented Marvin Ellison, Lowe's president and CEO. "However, the unanticipated impact of the convergence of cost pressure, significant transition in our merchandising organization, and ineffective legacy pricing tools and processes led to gross margin contraction in the quarter which impacted earnings. We are taking the necessary actions to more systematically analyze and implement retail price changes to mitigate cost pressure. Our recent acquisition of the Retail Analytics platform from Boomerang Commerce will also assist in modernizing and digitizing our approach to pricing. We are still in the early stages of our transformation, and with the changes we are putting in place, we expect to deliver improved gross margin performance over the balance of the year.

06:03 EDT Hi-Crush Partners names Alan Oehlert as COO, effective May 21 - Hi-Crush Partners announced that it has appointed Michael Alan Oehlert as COO, effective May 21. Oehlert joined Hi-Crush in July 2017 as Vice President, PropStream, and was promoted to Senior Vice President, PropStream in January 2019. Oehlert provided consulting services to various private equity firms prior to joining Hi-Crush and following his service as President and CEO of Patriot Artificial Lift from August 2013 to November 2015.

06:00 EDT Qualcomm drops 12% to $68.40 after judge sides with FTC in antitrust case

05:41 EDT Amgen announces recommended public cash offer to the shareholders of Nuevolution - Amgen announces a recommended public cash offer to the shareholders of Nuevolution AB to tender all their shares in Nuevolution to Amgen. Nuevolution's shares are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm, Small Cap. Amgen offers SEK 32.50 in cash for each share in Nuevolution. The total value of the Offer amounts to approximately SEK 1.61B, which corresponds to approximately $167M. The Offer does not include warrants issued by Nuevolution to participants under the incentive programs implemented by Nuevolution. Amgen will offer the participants a fair treatment in connection with the Offer. Amgen may acquire, or enter into arrangements to acquire, shares in Nuevolution outside the Offer. Any purchases made or arranged will be in accordance with Swedish law and Nasdaq Stockholm's Takeover Rules and will be disclosed in accordance with applicable rules. Nuevolution's board unanimously recommends that the shareholders of Nuevolution accept the offer. The acceptance period for the Offer is expected to commence on or around June 13 and expire on or around July 4. Settlement is expected to take place on or around July 15.

05:25 EDT Halozyme says argenx selected 2nd target under collaboration, license agreement - Halozyme Therapeutics announced that argenx has selected a second target under the collaboration and license agreement the companies announced in February. The second target selected for development by argenx is human complement factor C2 associated with the product candidate ARGX-117, which is being developed to treat severe autoimmune diseases. Halozyme will receive a $10 million milestone payment during the current quarter from argenx for this target nomination and potential future payments of up to $160 million subject to achievement of specified development, regulatory and sales-based milestones. Halozyme will also receive mid-single digit royalties on future commercial sales products. argenx has now selected two targets for development and can select one additional target in the future according to the terms of the collaboration and license agreement.

05:08 EDT FDA says benefits of Impella RP system continue to outweigh risks - The FDA told doctors in a letter dated May 21, "The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is issuing this update to our February 4, 2019 letter to health care providers to inform the health care community of the most recent, interim post-approval study results for Abiomed's Impella RP System. These latest interim results, which are available on the FDA Post-Approval Studies webpage, indicate a lower survival rate for the subgroup of PAS patients who would not have qualified for the premarket clinical studies compared to the premarket clinical study survival rate. Based on our current analysis, the FDA believes that when the device is used for the currently approved indication in appropriately selected patients the benefits of the Impella RP system continue to outweigh the risks." Shares of Abiomed, owner of the Impella RP system, closed yesterday up $7.76 to $260.34. Reference Link