Stockwinners Market Radar for November 26, 2019 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:16 EST Jacobs Engineering to hire roughly 2,400 staff in the U.K. - Jacobs announced plans to hire approximately 2,400 staff in the U.K. over the next two years. The jobs will be a broad range of highly skilled professional and technical roles across diverse sectors. Joining Jacobs' existing U.K. talent force of more than 9,000 employees, these new roles will be based across the company's more than 30 U.K. offices, delivering digital and other advanced technical solutions to support more connected communities, cleaner air and water, cyber defenses, strategic deterrent, clean energy and environmental clean-up.

18:52 EST Vale to record non-cash impairment charge of about $1.6B in Q4 - Vale said that, in connection with its annual strategic planning process and the comprehensive review of its business prospects, it has identified that the carrying value of certain long-lived assets exceeds their recoverable amount, implying the recognition of a non-cash impairment charge affecting the company earnings in the fourth quarter of 2019. These impairment charges will not have any cash flow impact and will be treated as exceptional items. The Base Metals business has experienced challenging issues throughout 2019 regarding the reliability of production and processing of the ore originated from its New Caledonian operations. As a result, the company has reduced the expected production levels for the remaining life of the mine and will record a non-cash impairment charge of approximately $1.6B in the fourth quarter of 2019 from a total of approximately $3B long-lived assets the company had recorded for that operations. The company's annual asset review of its New Caledonian operations will be completed by February 2020 and additional adjustments that need to be implemented are still under evaluation, therefore further impairments charges that would also impact fiscal year 2019 cannot be overruled at this time. Furthermore, during the completion of the strategic planning for the Coal business, Vale identified that the expected yield of metallurgical coal and thermal coal has changed since the inception of the project, mostly due to technical issues on the project and operations of those assets. It also conducted a detailed review of the mining plan that reduced the level of proven reserves and revised its metallurgical and thermal coal prices scenarios. As a result, the company will record a non-cash impairment charge of approximately $1.6 in the fourth quarter of 2019. The new mining plan for the Coal business will enable the prioritization of better-quality ore bodies, therefore maximizing the metallurgical coal share on the product mix and with a lower stripping ratio. In 2020, the Moatize operations will enter a 3-month maintenance period and will implement a new operational flowsheet, increasing the plant's productivity and yield. With those measures, Vale expects to reach 15Mtpy run-rate in 2H20 in Moatize.

18:40 EST ResMed director McHale sells 3K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, ResMed disclosed that the President of its RC Business, Richard McHale, sold 3K shares of common stock on November 25th. The total transaction size was $438K.

18:24 EST Agnico Eagle CEO: We love to pay a dividend - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, Agnico Eagle CEO Sean Boyd said: We made some major investments in the pipeline when gold prices were lower, and now are seeing the benefits... The demand from central banks for gold is strong... We don't expect to see an expansion of mine supply because the lead times are long and capital requirements are huge to establish a mine.

18:07 EST Diodes CEO sells 12K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Diodes disclosed that its CEO Keh-Shew Lu sold 12K shares of common stock on November 25th. The total transaction size was $555K.

17:53 EST Dell Technologies says expects to outperform market, take share - Says: Expects some softness in China, strength in small business... Intel (INTC) shortages currently affecting PC shipments. Comments taken from Q3 earnings conference call.

17:30 EST Guess down 4.6% or 88c at $18.20 per share after Q3 results, FY20 outlook

17:25 EST Lockheed Martin awarded $831.01M Navy contract modification - Lockheed Martin was awarded a $831.01M modification to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-firm-target, firm-fixed-price contract. This modification provides for the production and delivery of 15 lot 14 F-35A aircraft and associated red gear in support of the Government of Australia. Work is expected to be completed in March 2023. Non-U.S. Department of Defense participant funds in the amount of $831.01M will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command is the contracting activity.

17:07 EST HP Inc. says personal systems had another strong performance in Q4 - HP Inc. (HPQ) says focus remains on creating value for all shareholders. Says helped Volkswagen make 10,000 precision metal parts for launch of electric vehicle. Says continues to outperform the PC market. Says share gain continues to be an outcome not an objective. Says will not be expanding on or commenting about Xerox's (XRX) proposal. Sees 16% tax rate in FY20. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

17:01 EST Asia Pacific Wire receives continued listing standards letter from Nasdaq - Asia Pacific Wire & Cable Corporation announced the company's receipt of a letter from Nasdaq's Listing Qualifications department indicating that the company is not in compliance with one of The Nasdaq Global Market's continued listings standards. Specifically, The Nasdaq Global Market requires listed securities to maintain a minimum Market Value of Publicly Held Shares of $5,000,000. The company has been informed by Nasdaq that, based upon a review of APWC's MVPHS for the last 30 consecutive business days, the company no longer meets this requirement. Nasdaq rules provide the company with a 180 calendar day period in which to regain compliance with this listing standard; otherwise, the company will receive written notification that its securities are subject to delisting. Alternatively, APWC may consider transferring its listing to The Nasdaq Capital Market, where the company would have to meet the Capital Market's continued listing requirements. While the company has not made a final decision yet on its course of action, APWC wishes to assure its investors and other constituencies that it plans to take all necessary and reasonable steps to maintain a listing on the Nasdaq stock exchange.

16:51 EST Professional Diversity Network trading halted, news pending

16:47 EST Air T board member Andrew Stumpf resigns - On November 23, 2019, Andrew Stumpf, Air T Board Member, informed the company that he is resigning effective immediately for personal reasons. With Mr. Stumpf's resignation, the board has voted unanimously to reduce the number of Directors from eight individuals to seven.

16:26 EST Dell Technologies reports Q3 cash flow from operations of $1.8B - Reports Q3: Storage revenue up 7%; Client Solutions Group revenue up 5%; VMware revenue up 11%.

16:23 EST VMware CEO says pleased with financial performance, execution in Q3 - "Q3 was another solid quarter for VMware, and we're pleased with our results. We continue to see traction and customer momentum in support of VMware's vision to deliver a software architecture that enables any app, on any cloud, delivered to any device," commented Pat Gelsinger, CEO, VMware. "We are thrilled to welcome Carbon Black to the VMware family, and we remain on track to close the acquisition of Pivotal by the end of the fiscal year. Customers globally have resoundingly affirmed that both acquisitions will offer tremendous value as we help them with their digital transformations. We're pleased with our financial performance and execution this quarter, which reflected broad-based strength across our product and solutions portfolio," said Zane Rowe, executive vice president and CFO, VMware. Hybrid Cloud Subscription and SaaS revenue grew to over 13 percent of total revenue in Q3, and we expect this category will continue to grow significantly next year, including the contributions of Carbon Black and Pivotal."

16:20 EST Tonix receives FDA notice for Tonmya as potential PTSD treatment - Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding announced that it received the official minutes from the Breakthrough Therapy Type B Clinical Guidance meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Tonmya or TNX-102 SL, cyclobenzaprine sublingual tablets, for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder, PTSD. The minutes are consistent with the the guidance received at the meeting. As previously announced, the primary endpoint of the RECOVERY Phase 3 trial will be at Week 12, and the Company plans to add an unblinded interim analysis that allows for a potential sample size adjustment. The ongoing RECOVERY trial is enrolling patients with PTSD from civilian or military traumas that occurred within nine years of screening. Seth Lederman, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Tonix commented, "The minutes from our Breakthrough Therapy Clinical Guidance meeting are consistent with the agreement that we previously announced. With more than 50 percent of the current target number of participants enrolled, we look forward to reporting the results of the interim analysis in the first quarter of 2020, followed by topline data in the second quarter of 2020." As previously communicated, the Phase 3 study design changes are being implemented after the FDA indicated the importance of showing persistence of treatment effect at Week 12 in a pivotal study. The primary endpoint will be mean change from baseline in the severity of PTSD symptoms as measured by the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5,CAPS-5, assessed at Week 12. Week 12 was the same timepoint analyzed for the CAPS-5 primary endpoint in the previous Phase 3 HONOR and Phase 2 AtEase studies of Tonmya for PTSD.

16:17 EST Guess CEO sees strength of business in Europe, Americas Wholesale and Licensing - CEO Carlos Alberini says: "I am very pleased to report that we delivered operating earnings and earnings per share above the high-end of our expectations for the period. Overall, the strength of our businesses in Europe, Americas Wholesale and Licensing, combined with a disciplined and effective approach to manage our costs, enabled us to more than offset softness in our Americas Retail and Asia businesses in the quarter. For the full year, we are maintaining the high-end of our guidance and raising the low-end. This speaks to the strength of our global brand and the power of our diversified business model which provides us with multiple levers to continue to increase revenues and improve profitability."

16:16 EST Curtiss-Wright to acquire 901D Holdings for $132M in cash - Curtiss-Wright announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the stock of 901D Holdings, LLC for $132M in cash. 901D, a private company, is a leading designer and manufacturer of mission-critical integrated electronic systems, subsystems and ruggedized shipboard enclosure solutions supporting every major U.S. Navy shipbuilding program. The acquired business will operate within Curtiss-Wright's Defense segment. 901D is expected to be accretive to Curtiss-Wright's 2020 adjusted diluted earnings per share, excluding first year purchase accounting costs, and produce a free cash flow conversion rate in excess of 100%. 901D employs approximately 85 people and is expected to generate sales of approximately $48M in fiscal 2019, principally to the naval defense market. The acquisition is expected to close in December 2019, subject to the receipt of regulatory approval and other closing conditions.

16:15 EST SAIC wins $582M in intelligence, space contracts - Science Applications International Corp. has secured $582M in fiscal year 2020 third quarter contract awards by space and intelligence community customers, including two sizeable contracts worth a combined $302M and a $68M contract from the previously-announced Zeus award. Zeus is the follow-on contract for the Innovative GEOINT Application Provider Program. Most of the contracts serve customers in the intelligence community and classified space domain that rely on SAIC for highly-specialized expertise in technology integration, engineering, IT modernization, and mission operations.

16:10 EST Qad Inc. reports Q3 subscription gross margin 65% vs. 64% last year - Reports Q3 subscription revenue of $27.3 million, up from $23.9 million.

16:07 EST Sotherly Hotels CEO Drew Sims to step down, Dave Folsom to succeed - Sotherly Hotels announced that its board has unanimously approved the promotion of three key members of the management team for an evolution of the company's senior leadership structure. Under the new structure, company veteran Dave Folsom, president and COO, will continue as president and will succeed Drew Sims as CEO of the company, effective January 1, 2020. Sims will continue as chairman of the board as an employee of the company and be responsible for advising the company on strategic matters and major transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, franchising and branding decisions, as well as capital market transactions. In addition, Scott Kucinski, VP of operations and investor relations, is being promoted to executive VP and COO of the company and Bert Kirkland, compliance officer, is being promoted to general counsel, both effective January 1, 2020. Folsom joined the company in 2006 after serving as VP of Paragon Real Estate. Kucinski joined the company in 2004 and as VP of operations and investor relations has helped oversee the company's corporate operations activities including capital markets transactions, acquisitions and dispositions, asset management, and investor relations and compliance matters. Kirkland joined the company in 2013. As compliance officer, he has helped manage the company's public company compliance program, provided legal support for various corporate transactions and managed the shareholder service function of the company, while acting as a conduit to outside counsel. Drew Sims will step down as CEO after having served fifteen years in that role.

15:40 EST Shutterfly names Hilary Schneider CEO - Shutterfly announced the appointment of Hilary Schneider as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective January 15, 2020, succeeding Ryan O'Hara. Affiliates of certain investment funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management, Inc. completed its acquisition of Shutterfly in late September 2019.

13:48 EST Genfit up 8% after DSMB issues positive recommendation for NASH trial - Genfit this morning announced that the Data Safety Monitoring Board issued a positive recommendation for the continuation, without any modifications, of the Resole-It Phase 3 trial evaluating elafibranor in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. The company added, "The 42-month DSMB safety review supports GENFIT's continuation of the RESOLVE-IT study. This DSMB recommendation marks the seventh review with no safety signals that would justify modification or discontinuation of the study, including review of safety data from patients in the study who have received elafibranor for as long as three years." Top-line interim results from the Phase 3, Resole-It trial, based on the primary endpoint of NASH resolution without worsening of fibrosis, are expected to be announced in Q1 of 2020. If positive, Genfit aims to file a new drug application with the Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency by the end of 2020. Elafibranor has received fast track designation from the FDA for the treatment of NASH. Shares of Genfit are up 8%, or $1.13, to $14.68 in afternoon trading.

13:09 EST Hoth Therapeutics, NC State enter license agreement for gene therapy - Hoth Therapeutics announced it has entered into a licensing agreement with North Carolina State University to study NC State's Exon Skipping Approach for Treating Allergic Diseases. This Exon Skipping Approach was developed by Dr. Glenn Cruse, Principal Investigator and Assistant Professor in the Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences at the NC State College of Veterinary Medicine. During Dr. Cruse's research, a new approach for the technique of antisense oligonucleotide-mediated exon skipping to specifically target and down-regulate IgE receptor expression in mast cells was identified. These findings set a breakthrough for allergic diseases as they are driven by the activation of mast cells and the release of mediators in response to IgE-directed antigens. The high-affinity IgE receptor plays a central role in the initiation of allergic responses. The research project looks to target novel genes, which are critical for surface IgE receptor expression. The project will utilize splice-switching oligonucleotides to force expression of a truncated isoform of the target genes to reduce expression of FcRI in mouse asthma models. Through this collaborative project, NCSU looks to establish the most effective approach for targeting genes that regulate surface expression of FcRI in mast cells that mediate allergic airway inflammation. The study will be administering SSOs for the target genes, to optimize delivery and examine the best therapeutic approach.

12:52 EST MiMedx announces $1.5M settlement with SEC - MiMedx Group announced that it has finalized a settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission, resolving a previously disclosed investigation into the company's financial accounting practices. The company has agreed to settle with the SEC, without admitting or denying the SEC's allegations, by consenting to the entry of a final judgment, subject to court approval, that permanently restrains and enjoins the company from violating certain provisions of the federal securities laws. As part of the resolution, the company also agreed to pay a civil penalty in the amount of $1.5M. The settlement, if approved by the court, will conclude, as to the company, the matters alleged by the SEC in its complaint. The resolution announced today relates only to the previously disclosed investigation by the SEC, the company said. As previously disclosed, there is a parallel criminal investigation by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York involving matters similar to those investigated by the SEC. "The company is cooperating fully with that ongoing criminal investigation," MiMedx stated. CEO Timothy Wright added, "We are focused on our future as a mission-centered healthcare company and are committed to continued implementation of strong financial systems and independent oversight controls, which reflect both sound business practices and an ethical culture. We appreciate the SEC's recognition of our cooperation and remediation efforts as part of this settlement."

12:02 EST GrowLife announces 1-for-150 reverse stock split - GrowLife announced a 1-for-150 reverse split of its issued and outstanding common stock effective November 27, 2019. The common stock will begin trading on a split-adjusted basis on November 27, 2019 on OTC Markets under the ticker symbol "PHOTD". The "D" is appended at the end of the ticker symbol for twenty trading days at which time the symbol will revert back to "PHOT." The Reverse Stock Split was previously approved by the Company's shareholders at the Company's December 6, 2018 annual meeting of stockholders. The approvals provided discretion to the Board to implement the Reverse Stock Split by the end of 2019. As a result of the Reverse Stock Split, every one hundred and fifty shares of the issued and outstanding common stock of the Company will be converted into one share of common stock. All fractional shares created by the Reverse Stock Split will be rounded up to the nearest whole share. Each shareholder will receive at least one share. By implementing the reverse stock split, the Company also hopes to gain broader access to the institutional investment community and improve the marketability and liquidity of the common stock for its shareholders and investors. "Now is the right time for a reverse split and this is a great move for GrowLife. Our expected impact from our 2020 CBD clone starter business will need a company structured for such growth and benefits. With the reverse we see greater access to capital, expect to shortly up-list to OTC QB thereby making it easier for shareholders to trade with more brokerage houses, and ultimately positions GrowLife to better serve our shareholder base at a more manageable level." Additionally, on October 9, 2019, the Board approved the reduction of authorized capital stock, whereby the total number of authorized common stock of the Company decreased from 6,000,000,000 by a ratio of 1 for 50, to 120,000,000 shares. As a result of the reduction, the Company has an aggregate 130,000,000 authorized shares consisting of : 120,000,000 shares of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, and 10,000,000 shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share.

12:00 EST Palo Alto Networks falls -11.7% - Palo Alto Networks is down -11.7%, or -$29.40 to $220.88.

12:00 EST Chico's rises 11.7% - Chico's is up 11.7%, or 49c to $4.67.

12:00 EST Dick's Sporting rises 20.2% - Dick's Sporting is up 20.2%, or $7.96 to $47.39.

10:54 EST Goldman Sachs pays $1M to settle CFTC recordkeeping charges - The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission issued an order filing and simultaneously settling charges against Goldman Sachs for "failing to make and keep certain audio recordings as required under CFTC regulations for swap dealers." The order requires Goldman to pay a $1M civil monetary penalty and to cease and desist from further violations of Commission regulations, as charged. The order also finds that Goldman's failure impeded an unrelated investigation conducted by the Division of Enforcement.

10:22 EST Simplicity Esports announces sale of Garland, TX franchise territory - Simplicity Esports and Gaming announced that it has sold a new franchise covering the territory of Garland, TX. With an anticipated grand opening in 2020, the Garland location, as well as all future franchises, will be exclusively branded as Simplicity Esports gaming centers, the company said. Jed Kaplan, CEO of Simplicity Esports, commented, "Our goals are to operate 85 esports gaming centers, 20 of which are corporate owned, to own a spot in a franchised game league, and to sell 30 new franchise territories by the end of 2020. The sale of the franchise in the important Garland market is meaningful to the achievement of those goals."

10:11 EST WPP to invest in new Detroit Campus - WPP announced that it will create a Campus in the historic Marquette Building in downtown Detroit. The new co-location will allow WPP's agencies to benefit from and contribute to the transformation underway in the city. The Detroit Campus will accommodate up to 1,000 of WPP's people, bringing together its agencies in the city. WPP will also retain a presence in Dearborn, MI, when the Detroit Campus opens in late 2020. WPP is leasing 150,000 square feet, encompassing nine floors, in the refurbished Marquette Building. The building, located at 243 West Congress Street, was built in 1905 and named after Jacques Marquette, the French explorer who led an expedition to map the Mississippi River in 1673. The listed building, which was saved from demolition in 1979 and restored in 1982, is directly across from the TCF Center, in the heart of thriving downtown Detroit. When operational, the Detroit Campus will be WPP's tenth in North America and the fifth to be unveiled in the last two years, reflecting WPP's commitment to invest in its largest market.

10:05 EST Canadian National announces tenative agreement with conductors - CN announcing that a tentative agreement has been reached with our 3,200 CN conductors and yard crews working on CN's mainline and yards in Canada for a new collective agreement. This agreement will allow for CN employees to return to work at 2:00 p.m. local times today, and yard assignments will start at 06:00 a.m. local times tomorrow morning and there will be no job action during the ratification period. The results of the ratification votes are expected within 8 weeks.

10:01 EST Neenah Paper raises dividend 4%, announces 2020 share repurchase plan of $25M - Neenah announced that on November 21, its Board of Directors approved a 4% increase in the cash dividend on the company's common stock. The quarterly dividend will increase from 45c per share to 47c with the first payment at the new rate in March 2020. In addition, the company announced authorization of a 2020 share repurchase plan for up to $25M of its outstanding common stock. The current share repurchase plan will remain in effect through December 31, 2019.

10:00 EST Dick's Sporting rises 13.7% - Dick's Sporting is up 13.7%, or $5.42 to $44.85.

09:47 EST Credit Suisse FI Large Cap Growth Enhanced ETN falls -10.6% - Credit Suisse FI Large Cap Growth Enhanced ETN is down -10.6%, or -$33.19 to $280.13.

09:47 EST Movado falls -23.5% - Movado is down -23.5%, or -$5.93 to $19.27.

09:47 EST Dick's Sporting rises 11.3% - Dick's Sporting is up 11.3%, or $4.46 to $43.90.

09:36 EST Canadian National, Teamsters reach tentative agreement to end strike - After a weeklong strike, the Teamsters and Canadian National Canadian National Railway have reached a tentative agreement to renew the collective agreement for over 3,000 conductors, trainpersons and yard workers, the union said in a statement. Normal operations at CN will resume tomorrow morning across Canada, Teamsters added. The tentative agreement must now be ratified by Teamster members via secret-ballot electronic voting. Before the voting period opens, union meetings will be held across the country to explain the terms of the agreement to members. The process usually takes several months. Details of the tentative agreement will not be released until the members have had a chance to review the document first. Reference Link

09:12 EST Xerox sends letter to HP Inc., confirms intention to engage shareholders - Xerox (XRX) sent a letter to the board of HP Inc. (HPQ) in response to HP's November 24 letter to Xerox. The letter sent to HP is as follows: "Your refusal to engage in mutual due diligence with Xerox defies logic. We have put forth a compelling proposal - one that would allow HP shareholders to both realize immediate cash value and enjoy equal participation in the substantial upside expected to result from a combination. Our offer is neither "highly conditional" nor "uncertain" as you claim. It does not contain a financing contingency, and the combined company is expected to have an investment grade credit rating. The potential benefits of a combination between HP and Xerox are self-evident. Together, we could create an industry leader - with enhanced scale and best-in-class offerings across a complete product portfolio - that will be positioned to invest more in innovation and generate greater returns for shareholders. The market clearly understands the industrial logic of this transaction. HP and Xerox shares are up 9.5% and 6.6%, respectively, since the date our proposal was first made public. We have already received inquiries from several HP shareholders and are encouraged by their interest in our offer. Nevertheless, rather than engage with us in three weeks of customary mutual due diligence, HP continues to obfuscate and make misleading statements. It is important that we correct, for your benefit and that of HP's shareholders, a few of the mischaracterizations from your last letter. On February 5, 2019, Xerox announced a three-year strategic plan that was built on four initiatives: (i) optimizing operations, (ii) driving revenue, (iii) reenergizing innovation and (iv) focusing on cash flow and capital returns. We are already outperforming this plan. Through the first nine months of 2019, we have increased our guidance for adjusted earnings per share and free cash flow while also increasing investments in innovation and our core business, which is why our stock is up 96% year-to-date. Your comment regarding total contract value is little more than a diversion. Your own public disclosure states that backlog information is "not a meaningful indicator of future business prospects" or "material to an understanding of our overall business." It is possible that the modest, expensive and time-consuming cost savings included in the restructuring plan you announced on October 3, 2019 (only $1 billion over three years at a cost of $1 billion in restructuring charges), has resulted in a lack of confidence in HP's ability to realize the $2+ billion of synergies your team previously agreed could be achieved in a combination. We monetized our illiquid interest in Fuji Xerox at over 20 times 2019 expected aggregate cash flow while favorably restructuring the terms of our sourcing relationship with Fuji Xerox to ensure continuity of supply, protect our high-value intellectual property and provide strategic flexibility. There is no "hole in Xerox's portfolio" as a result of those transactions - just significantly more cash to support growth and greater flexibility in our sourcing terms. While you may not appreciate our "aggressive" tactics, we will not apologize for them. The most efficient way to prove out the scope of this opportunity with certainty is through mutual due diligence, which you continue to refuse, and we are obligated to require. We plan to engage directly with HP shareholders to solicit their support in urging the HP Board to do the right thing and pursue this compelling opportunity."

09:09 EST Black Knight: New American Funding renews long-term contract for MSP system - Black Knight announced that New American Funding, an independent mortgage lender headquartered in Orange County, Calif., has signed a seven-year renewal agreement for MSP, Black Knight's comprehensive servicing system. This end-to-end solution encompasses all aspects of servicing, including extensive functionality to support regulatory requirements. MSP is used to service more than 34M active loans and helps servicers increase operational efficiency, reduce operating costs and improve risk mitigation.

09:07 EST Eaton Vance reports consolidated AUM $497.4B on October 31 - Consolidated assets under management were $497.4B on October 31, up 13% from $439.3B of consolidated managed assets on October 31, 2018 and up 3% from $482.8B of consolidated managed assets on July 31, 2019. "Eaton Vance closed fiscal 2019 with record annual and quarterly earnings and new highs in assets under management," said Thomas Faust Jr., Chairman and CEO. "While not immune from our industry's continuing challenges, we remain confident of our future growth prospects."

09:07 EST Xerox send letter to HP, confirms intention to engaged directly with HP holders

09:06 EST Fly Intel: Pre-market Movers - HIGHER: ChemoCentryx (CCXI), up 328% after announcing data from the phase 3 ADVOCATE trial of avacopan for the treatment of patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis. This study met both of its primary endpoints, disease remission at 26 weeks and sustained remission at 52 weeks, as assessed by the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score... Purple Innovation (PRPL), up 1% after Raymond James analyst Bobby Griffin initiated coverage of the stock with an Outperform rating and $11 price target as he believes Purple's technology and manufacturing capabilities, combined with its omni-channel distribution, give it an opportunity to gain market share in the "highly competitive" mattress industry. UP AFTER EARNINGS: Best Buy (BBY), up 3%... Burlington Stores (BURL), up 3%... Dick's Sporting (DKS), up 10%. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Dollar Tree (DLTR), down 12%... Analog Devices (ADI), down 2%... Movado (MOV), down 19%... Bitauto (BITA), down 3%... Palo Alto Networks (PANW), down 8%. ALSO LOWER: Airgain (AIRG), down 11% after announcing that CFO Anil Doradla will be leaving the company to pursue other opportunities.

09:04 EST Easterly Government Properties acquires VA outpatient facility - Easterly Government Properties announced that it has acquired a to-be-completed 56,330-square foot Department of Veterans Affairs, or VA, outpatient facility located in the Northeast United States. This facility, once delivered, will be an expansion and relocation of an existing VA facility in the region. Further, the facility will also benefit from its close proximity to the existing VA Hospital Campus. This build-to-suit outpatient facility, which is subject to an initial, non-cancelable lease term of 15 years, has been designed to achieve Green Globes Certification for New Construction. The facility is expected to serve as the new home for a multitude of services and programs, including: primary care, mental health care and intensive case management services, team vocational services, psychosocial recovery rehabilitation center, or PRRC, treatment programs, health wellness programs, health psychology and dietetics, outpatient addiction recovery services, a substance abuse day program and peer support services. The facility will also house various national VA programs including the National Center for PTSD Clinical Neurosciences Administration Division and the Pain, Research, Informatics, Medical Comorbidities and Education Center.

09:03 EST ShotSpotter announces three-year $4.27M contract with Puerto Rico - ShotSpotter announced that it has officially signed a three-year, $4.27M contract with the Puerto Rico Public Housing Authority to deploy its gunshot detection technology in the largest metropolitan area on the island, including portions of the capital San Juan and neighboring municipalities Bayamon and Trujillo Alto. The company expects to complete the deployment and go live in all of the coverage areas by the end of the first calendar quarter of 2020.

09:02 EST China Ceramics enters into non-binding LOI with a Malaysian contractor - China Ceramics announced that the Company has entered into a non-binding letter of intent with a Malaysian contractor for the Company's ceramic tiles including its new 'cooling' ceramic tiles that it introduced in August of 2019. The Malaysian contractor intends to use the Company's ceramic tile products for use in high rise apartment buildings in the Q3 of 2020. The Company's anticipated entry into Malaysia is the first step of an expansion effort into Southeast Asia that is intended to capitalize upon the increased level of the region's new building construction which is due in part to China's Belt and Road Initiative. The new cooling ceramic tile series is designed as a stone pattern with a look of natural decor and luxury with richer patterns than organic stone materials. The Company is in the final stages of testing the new product and receiving its certification.

08:51 EST RenovaCare appoints Emanual Maverakis to board of directors - RenovaCare announced the appointment of Dr. Emanual Maverakis to its Board of Advisors. Dr. Maverakis is a renowned professor at the University of California Davis School of Medicine, holding appointments in the Department of Dermatology and in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology.

08:48 EST Envision Solar's EV ARC products selected by Port Authority of NY/NJ - Envision Solar International announced that the New York/New Jersey Port Authority has issued a purchase order for two of the company's new and patented EV ARC 2020 units. The order is part of its Clean Vehicle Program, which includes an interim target of 35% reduction in greenhouse gasses by 2025, and a long-term goal of 80% reduction by 2050.

08:47 EST South Jersey Industries raises quarterly dividend 2.61%to 29.5c per share - SJI announced that its board of directors voted to increase the company's regular quarterly dividend from 28.75c per share to 29.5c per share. The new annualized dividend of $1.18 represents an increase of 2.61 percent per share over the previous level. The dividend is payable December 27, 2019 to shareholders of record at the close of business December 10, 2019. This is SJI's 68th consecutive year of paying dividends, reflecting the company's commitment to a consistent, sustainable dividend.

08:41 EST Luokung Technology: EMG successfully bids for Beidou project - Luokung Technology has announced eMapgo Technologies Co. successfully bid for the Beidou high-precision digital map integration construction and application project, which was initiated by the Chinese Aero Natural Resources Survey and Remote Sensing Center. Luokung has engaged in a share purchase agreement to acquire 100% of EMG and announced that the two parties are currently in the process of closing the transaction. As the only contractor of the project, EMG dedicates its professional technologies and leading advantages in digital map navigation to assisting the Chinese Aero Natural Resources Survey and Remote Sensing Center to build the high-precision digital map database in sub-meter level, lane-level navigation application platform and to develop thousands of lane-level navigation application terminals. This project will provide high-precision digital map demonstration services in internet of vehicles, internet travel, logistics and transportation, automatic driving, and urban transportation. The project is a national-level demonstration project for Beidou in high-precision positioning and intelligent travel application. It has great meaning for future intelligent transportation, high-precision positioning and navigation, automatic driving technical specifications and application promotion.

08:36 EST iMedia Brands announces acquisitions of Float Left Interactive, J.W. Hulme - iMedia Brands announced two important accretive acquisitions, Float Left Interactive and J.W. Hulme. Both accelerate the company's interactive media growth strategy and position it for growth in 2020. Float Left Interactive is a technology provider delivering OTT and TV-Everywhere solutions to media companies seeking to reach audiences through Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, mobile devices and smart TVs. iMedia plans to utilize Float Left's talented team and proprietary technology platform to further grow its content delivery capabilities in OTT platforms while providing new revenue opportunities for Float Left's SaaS customers. This acquisition is important to iMedia's strategy to engage today's millennial, "cord-cutting" viewers within their own preferred interactive video platforms. J.W. Hulme is an e-commerce brand offering artisan-crafted accessories and apparel for both women and men. The brand began making durable tents for the U.S. army in World War I, and today offers a wide range of handbags, accessories and apparel through e-commerce, catalogs and its flagship retail store in St. Paul, Minnesota. iMedia's investment thesis centers on accelerating Hulme's revenue growth by creating its own programming on ShopHQ, iMedia's national television platform. In addition, Hulme's talented team will drive iMedia's revenue growth by crafting private-label accessories for ShopHQ's existing owned and operated fashion brands. Both acquisitions were largely financed in iMedia stock.

08:33 EST EDAP TMS announces first Focal One treatment at Farrer Park Hospital - EDAP TMS announced that the first Focal One treatment was performed at Farrer Park Hospital in Singapore. Focal One is a robotic-assisted HIFU device that was cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration in June 2018 and subsequently by the Health Sciences Authority in Singapore. Focal One HIFU makes it possible for doctors to deliver a non-invasive precision treatment to diseased portion of the prostate, leaving the rest of the organ intact, thereby reducing the likelihood of negative side effects like urinary incontinence and impotence commonly related to more aggressive surgical or radiation-based treatments. More than 50,000 prostate cancer procedures have been performed worldwide using EDAP's HIFU technology.

08:32 EST Ideanomics announces exclusive agreement with Yunnan Energy - Ideanomics has announced an exclusive agreement with Yunnan Energy to establish a joint venture to promote Electric Vehicle, or EV, enablement within the Province, and into South East Asia through the province's designation as China's 'belt and road' partner. The agreement provides for the establishment of a joint venture between Ideanomics and Yunnan Energy Investment Group, a state-owned entity currently ranked as 219 in China's top 500 enterprises of 2019. The joint venture will exclusively promote the adoption of EV heavy trucks in the mining-centric province, as well as for Buses, Logistic Vehicles, and Taxis, as part of Ideanomics' MEG division's S2F2C program. Ideanomics will begin cooperation with Yunnan Energy immediately and expects to have its joint venture operational in early 2020. Yunnan Energy and MEG will provide the management resources for the JV, leveraging existing personnel in both organizations.

08:19 EST Lightbridge announces notice of allowance for metallic fuel manufacturing patent - Lightbridge Corporation announced the further strengthening of its intellectual property, as it has received a Notice of Allowance from the Canadian Intellectual Property Office for its divisional patent application covering the Company's manufacturing method for its metallic fuel rods using a powder metallurgy route.

08:16 EST Hostess Brands CFO Tom Peterson switches to new role, Brian Purcell named CFO - Hostess Brands announced Tom Peterson, executive VP and CFO, is transitioning to the newly created role of executive VP, strategy and M&A. In connection with Peterson's transition, consumer packaged goods industry veteran Brian Purcell will join the company as executive VP, CFO, both roles effective January 6, 2020. Purcell joins Hostess Brands with over 20 years of finance, accounting and consumer packaged goods experience. Most recently Purcell served as CFO of Rawlings Sporting Goods, where he was responsible for all finance, accounting and IT functions.

08:14 EST CNS enters into sublicense agreement with WPD for Berubicin - CNS Pharmaceuticals entered into a sublicense agreement with WPD Pharmaceuticals, a Polish corporation partially owned and controlled by Dr. Waldemar Priebe, the founder of the Company. The agreement grants WPD patent rights to research and develop, and manufacture or sell Berubicin in a limited territory comprised mainly of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The Company is entitled to a 1% royalty on all commercial sales of Berubicin in these licensed territories. As part of the agreement, WPD committed to a $2.0M minimum expenditure on the development, testing, regulatory approval, and commercialization of Berubicin during the three year term of the agreement, which ends in August 2021. WPD plans to implement a multicenter pediatric Phase I clinical trial to determine maximum tolerated dose, and to determine the efficacy of Berubicin in Phase IB and II clinical trials in adults. WPD also plans to conduct preclinical tests to determine the prospective use of Berubicin with temozolomide and with other compounds as anticancer drugs.

08:12 EST Blackwells renews call for Colony Capital CEO Tom Barrack to be replaced

08:11 EST Cracker Barrel reports Q1 comparable store restaurant sales increased 2.1% - Cracker Barrel comparable store restaurant sales increased 2.1%, as a 3.6% increase in average check offset a 1.5% decrease in comparable store restaurant traffic. The average menu price increase for the quarter was approximately 2.3%. Comparable store retail sales decreased 0.9% from the prior year quarter.

08:06 EST Sunworks to commence construction of $5M public works project - Sunworks announced it has received approval to commence construction of a public works project for a state-sponsored institution in Northern California. This project was secured through an established Sunworks development partner. As part of this multi-megawatt project Sunworks will construct multiple carports and parking canopy systems that will directly reduce energy costs and advance sustainability goals for our customer.

08:05 EST InspireMD reports updated CGuard EPS data at VEITH 2019 - InspireMD reported on updated registry study data presented at the 2019 VEITH Symposium, which was held November 19-23 in New York City. Summary of the presentations are as follows: Title: Preliminary Results from a Prospective Real World Multicenter Clinical Practice of Carotid Artery Stenting Using the CGuard Embolic Prevention System: The IRONGUARD 2 Study. Highlights: Procedural success was achieved in 100% of patients; At 24 hours post-procedure, the complication rate was 0.73%; Data from 529 patients at one-month follow-up showed a stroke complication rate of 0.54%. The accumulated neurologic event rate at 30 days was 1.63%; Data from 253 patients at one-year follow-up showed no further neurologic events. Conclusion: Data from this study suggests that the use of CGuard EPS in routine clinical practice is associated with no major periprocedural, 30-day or one-year neurological complications. Title: Update on the C-Guard MicroNet Mesh Covered Stent for CAS: Longer Term Results: Advantages and Are There Late Downsides Like ISR or Late Thrombosis. Highlights: The PARADIGM-Extend study enrolled 402 patients, all of whom were treated using CGuard EPS; Peri-procedural outcome included one minor stroke and one type 2 myocardial infarction, yielding a neurological event rate of 0.5%; There were no deaths or major strokes; At 30 days follow-up, the neurological event rate was 0.5%, including one hemorrhagic transformation of prior ischemic cerebral infarct leading to death and one bleeding-related death; The 30-day accumulated neurological event rate was 1.0%; There were no reported post procedural ischemic strokes; Patient follow-up data at 12, 24, 36 and 48 months suggest that CGuard EPS continues to maintain a favorable safety profile. CONCLUSION: Long-term patient follow-up out to 48 months show that CGuard EPS maintains a long-term clinical benefit.

07:56 EST Acasti Pharma reports last patient visit in TRILOGY 1 Phase 3 trial of CaPre - Acasti Pharma announced that the last patient completed their final visit in the Company's TRILOGY 1 pivotal Phase 3 trial of CaPre last week. Topline results for TRILOGY 1 are expected to be reported as planned in December 2019. The Company also expects the last patient to complete their final visit in TRILOGY 2 in early January 2020, with topline results expected towards the end of January 2020. Topline results will include a readout of the primary endpoint, which is intended to show CaPre's overall impact on lowering triglycerides after 12 weeks compared to placebo. Safety and tolerability will also be reported. The Company currently expects that topline results will not include any secondary or exploratory endpoints. The important secondary and exploratory endpoint results are expected to be completed before the end of March 2020, and will include: additional TG secondary endpoints, including TG reduction at Week 26, which is intended to show CaPre's persistence of effect, TG reduction in various subgroups to show consistency of effect, and a comparison of TG reduction in patients using and not using statins at baseline; Non-HDL-C; VLDL-C; HDL-C; LDL-C and HbA1c.

07:45 EST Dollar Tree down 7.5% after reporting Q3 results, cutting FY19 EPS view

07:40 EST Dick's Sporting up 11% after Q3 results beat estimates, FY19 profit view raised - In pre-market trading, shares are up approximately 11% to $43.70.

07:38 EST Evofem resubmits NDA to FDA for Amphora - Evofem Biosciences announced that it has resubmitted its New Drug Application, or NDA, to the FDA for Amphora, a Multipurpose Vaginal pH Regulator, or MVP-R, for the prevention of pregnancy. The company said, "We have submitted a comprehensive and compelling package that we believe addresses the Agency's outstanding questions, and we look forward to the potential opportunity to provide millions of women with an innovative new hormone-free, on-demand, prescription contraceptive option that gives them control over their sexual and reproductive health." The Amphora NDA resubmission includes full results from the Phase 3 AMPOWER study, a confirmatory single-arm, open-label Phase 3 trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of Amphora in approximately 1,400 healthy women aged 18-35 years. The trial was designed with guidance and input from the FDA to address questions raised in the Complete Response Letter received by Evofem in April 2016.

07:37 EST Dick's Sporting reports total inventory up 17.1% at end of Q3 - Total inventory increased 17.1% at the end of the third quarter as compared to the end of the third quarter of 2018. This planned increase was due primarily to strategic investments to support key growth categories.

07:36 EST Chico's anticipates a mid single-digit decline in total net sales in FY19 - In FY19 the company anticipates a mid single-digit decline in total net sales and consolidated comparable sales; expects gross margin as a percent of net sales to be down 150 to 200 basis points consistent with previous guidance, which now includes our consideration of incremental costs in the second half of fiscal 2019 associated with tariffs; anticipates SG&A expenses to be down approximately $10M, reflecting ongoing cost management, consistent with previous guidance; expects capital expenditures to be approximately $40M-$45M, primarily driven by store reinvestments and technology enhancements. The Company sees FY19 income tax provision of approximately $2M-$3M, which excludes accelerated depreciation related to our fleet optimization plan and Severance Charges in connection with our revised organizational structure.

07:35 EST Chico's anticipates a low single-digit decline in total net sales in Q4 - In Q4 the Company anticipates a low single-digit decline in total net sales and consolidated comparable sales; expects gross margin as a percent of net sales to be down approximately 100 to 150 basis points, due primarily to incremental costs from tariffs. SG&A expenses are expected to be down approximately $5M-$7M, reflecting ongoing cost management.

07:33 EST Abercrombie & Fitch reports Q3 comparable sales approx. flat - Both Hollister and Abercrombie delivered positive U.S. comps, resulting in a total company U.S. comp of positive 3% against positive 6% last year. This was offset by international comps of negative 8% against negative 3% last year.

07:11 EST Canadian Utilities expands energy storage business in Alberta - Canadian Utilities Limited that the partnership between ATCO Energy Solutions Ltd. and Petrogas Energy Corp. has secured long-term contracts for the construction and operation of a fifth salt cavern storage facility at the ATCO Heartland Energy Centre near Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta. The Company has also secured long-term contracts for the construction and operation of a regional pipeline connecting the new salt cavern facility to existing pipelines in the area for receipt and delivery of hydrocarbon products. CU currently operates four salt caverns under long-term contract, which have a combined hydrocarbon storage capacity of 400,000 cubic metres. The development of this facility will increase aggregate hydrocarbon storage capacity at the ATCO Heartland Energy Centre by approximately 20 per cent, while creating a regional hub for feedstock storage and management in Alberta's Industrial Heartland region. Construction is set to begin immediately with full operation targeted for late 2021.

07:07 EST Emerald Health Therapeutics completes planting in growing facilities - Emerald Health Therapeutics has completed planting at its indoor Quebec facility, Verdelite, and expects to complete planting in the next days in the first of its two greenhouses in Metro Vancouver, allowing for transition into the commercial phase of these operations and a significant increase in quality cannabis production with approximately 7,500kg of product output targeted for these facilities in 2020. The 88,000 square foot indoor Verdelite facility consists of 21 grow rooms with precision-controlled environments and 16 processing rooms, which became fully licensed in October. The growing area is equipped to produce 4,800 kg of high-quality craft cannabis annually, and Verdelite's established packaging and processing lines are built to process the targeted production volume and a wide diversity of value-added products. Verdelite's marketing strategy is focused on building differentiated brands with a unique Quebec identity and targeting consumers seeking premium dried flower and other value-added cannabis products for both adult-use and health and wellness benefits. Emerald's Metro Vancouver operation encompasses 156,000 square feet in two greenhouses, and 12 acres of outdoor cultivation area that became licensed in the summer. The first of its two 78,000 square foot greenhouses received its full cultivation license in October and organic certification in November. This facility will organically grow multiple strains of unique high-THC and high-CBD cannabis to expand Emerald's product line and will be particularly focused on serving medical customers and adult-use consumers seeking health and wellness benefits.

07:04 EST Neovasc announces FOCUS Magazine supplement featuring Neovasc Reducer - Neovasc announced that the Neovasc Reducer was featured in a supplement in the FOCUS Magazine. Professor Tommaso Gori, who leads the cardiac catheterization lab at the prestigious University Hospital Mainz, explained to FOCUS readers in the supplement called "Medizinischer Fortschritt" how Reducer therapy helps patients with Chronic Angina Pectoris. Professor Gori commented on the available robust clinical evidence on the safety and efficacy of the Reducer therapy and highlighted that 75% of patients treated with Reducer feel better and experience less chest pain. Fred Colen, President and CEO of Neovasc, stated, "The entire team at Neovasc is extremely proud to have Professor Gori present the Reducer therapy in such a well known and highly informative magazine. With the Reducer added to the European Society of Cardiology Practice Guidelines at the highest recommendation class for therapies addressing refractory angina, we thank Professor Gori for educating a very broad audience on the benefits of the Reducer and its ability to provide a treatment option for patients with an unmet medical need in Germany."

07:01 EST Movado down 11% to $22.50 after Q3 results miss estimates, FY20 guidance cut

06:54 EST Burlington Stores reports Q3 merchandise inventories $1.004B - Merchandise inventories were $1.004B vs. $1.057B last year. The decrease was due primarily to a 4% decrease in comparable store inventory at the end of the third quarter of Fiscal 2019, as well as a decrease in pack and hold inventory, which was 15% of total inventory at the end of the third quarter of Fiscal 2019 compared to 18% at the end of the third quarter of Fiscal 2018.

06:52 EST Mallinckrodt announces findings from retrospective Acthar Gel study - Mallinckrodt announced findings from a large retrospective study of Acthar Gel in the treatment of the respiratory disease symptomatic sarcoidosis that assessed patient characteristics, treatment patterns, concomitant medication use and physicians' assessments of treatment response. The study examined medical records from 302 patients with advanced symptomatic sarcoidosis, the majority of whom had comorbidities and had previously been treated with corticosteroids. The analysis showed that the use of Acthar Gel was associated with improved overall health status in 95% of patients as reported by physicians' assessments, with more than half of patients seeing improvements in two or more symptoms. In addition, there was an association observed between the use of Acthar Gel therapy and reduced overall use of other medications. Results of the study were recently published online in Therapeutic Advances in Respiratory Disease, an online, open-access peer-reviewed journal. The study evaluated patient records from 302 adult patients who were treated with Acthar Gel in the previous 36 months at the time of data collection from September 2017 to November 2017. Patients were required to have completed an individualized course of Acthar Gel therapy or received Acthar Gel for six months at the time of data collection. Records were analyzed from 98 physicians in a range of specialties, including pulmonology, rheumatology, primary care, dermatology, cardiology, ophthalmology, gastroenterology and neurology. Sixty-four percent of patients had chest imaging and biopsy-confirmed stage 3 or 4 sarcoidosis and 30% had been hospitalized for sarcoidosis during the previous year. All patients had evidence of pulmonary involvement; 42% had involvement of one extrapulmonary organ and 34% had involvement in multiple extrapulmonary organs, most commonly the skin, joints, heart and eyes. Patients' symptoms included mild-to-moderate shortness of breath, fatigue, bone and joint pain, wheezing/coughing and abnormal heartbeat prior to treatment with Acthar Gel. Overall, 76% of patients reported one or more comorbidities; 24% had no comorbid conditions. The study examined concurrent medication use before, during and after Acthar Gel therapy. Eighty-six percent of patients had received other treatments in the three months prior to receiving Acthar Gel and concurrent medications used included oral corticosteroids, biologics, immunosuppressants and antimalarial agents. The analysis found that patients had varied and individualized dosing regimens. The mean duration of Acthar Gel treatment was 32.5 weeks, with 61.6% of patients continuing treatment for six months. Use of Acthar Gel was associated with a reduction in the use of other medications. Acthar Gel was also associated with an overall decrease in use of corticosteroids from 61.3% during the three months before Acthar Gel initiation to 12.9% three months after the start of Acthar Gel therapy. The analysis also showed an association between Acthar Gel treatment and a decrease in the mean daily dose of corticosteroids from 18.2 mg to 9.9 mg. According to physicians' assessments of change in patient health status following Acthar Gel therapy, improvements were reported in: overall health status as measured by the question "What is the patient's status as of the end of RCI therapy or the six months point in therapy for ongoing treatment patients?" In addition, physicians reported overall reduced symptoms, improved lung function, reduced inflammation, reduction or discontinuation of corticosteroids and increased quality of life.

06:51 EST Burlington Stores CEO says 'we are pleased with our third quarter results' - Michael O'Sullivan, CEO, stated, "We are pleased with our third quarter results, driven by a solid 2.7% comparable store sales increase, which was up against our most challenging comparison of the year, a 4.4% quarterly comparable store sales increase in Fiscal 2018. Overall we generated an 8.6% sales increase, which resulted in a 90 basis point increase in Adjusted EBIT margin, and a 28% increase in Adjusted EPS, well ahead of our guidance. In addition, our disciplined inventory management continued through the third quarter, as our comparable store inventory decreased 4%, enabling us to continue to take advantage of the abundant values available in the marketplace."

06:49 EST Burlington Stores expects to open 51 net new stores in FY19 - Expects to invest approximately $310M in capital expenditures, net of landlord allowances.

06:07 EST Tech Data says not providing guidance due to pending acquisition by Apollo Global - Due to the pending acquisition by affiliates of the Apollo Funds (APO), Tech Data (TECD) does not plan to host an earnings conference call nor provide forward-looking guidance.

06:04 EST Cemex affiliate to sell certain assets to Eagle Materials for $665M - CEMEX announced that its U.S. affiliate, Kosmos Cement Company, a partnership with a subsidiary of BUZZI UNICEM, in which CEMEX holds a 75% interest, has signed a definitive agreement for the sale of certain assets to Eagle Materials (EXP) for approximately $665M. The proceeds to CEMEX from this transaction will be approximately $499M. The assets being divested consist of Kosmos' cement plant in Louisville, Kentucky, as well as related assets which include seven distribution terminals and raw material reserves. EBITDA for the last 12 months as of September 2019 for the divested assets is estimated to be $55M. The proceeds obtained from this transaction will be used mainly for debt reduction and for general corporate purposes. The closing of this transaction is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions, including approval from regulators. The divestiture is expected to close during the Q1 of FY20 or soon thereafter. BofA Securities, Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. are acting as financial advisors in this transaction.

05:27 EST Tarena announces receipt of notice from Nasdaq - Tarena announced that it received written notification from the Staff of the Listing Qualifications Department of the Nasdaq Stock Market dated November 25, indicating that because the closing bid price of the company's American Depositary Shares for the last 30 consecutive business days was below $1.00 per share, the company no longer meets the minimum bid price requirement for the Nasdaq Global Select Market, set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1). Pursuant to the Nasdaq Listing Rules, the applicable grace period to regain compliance is 180 days, or until May 25, 2020. The company intends to monitor the closing bid price of its ADS between now and May 25, 2020 and is considering its options, including an adjustment of its ADS-to-Class A ordinary share ratio, in order to regain compliance with the Nasdaq Global Select Market minimum bid price requirement. The company can cure this deficiency if the closing bid price of its ADS is $1.00 per share or higher for at least ten consecutive business days during the grace period. The company intends to cure the deficiency within the prescribed grace period.

05:12 EST Autoliv appoints Fredrik Westin as CFO - Autoliv announced that its board has appointed Fredrik Westin as CFO and Executive Vice President, Finance of the company, to be effective no later than March 1, 2020. Fredrik Westin will succeed Christian Hanke, Interim CFO, who will be leaving the company to pursue another opportunity. As previously noted, Hanke will remain with the company through the filing of the company's 2019 annual report to ensure a smooth transition. Westin was most recently CFO at Sandvik Mining and Rock Technology, The Netherlands.

05:06 EST ChemoCentryx, VFMCRP say pivotal phase-III ADVOCATE trial met primary endpoints - Vifor Fresenius Medical Care Renal Pharma, or VFMCRP, and ChemoCentryx announced positive topline data from the pivotal phase-III ADVOCATE trial of avacopan, an orally administered selective complement 5a receptor inhibitor, for the treatment of patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (ANCA-associated vasculitis or ANCA vasculitis). This global study, in which a total of 331 patients with ANCA vasculitis were enrolled, met both of its primary endpoints, disease remission at 26 weeks and sustained remission at 52 weeks, as assessed by the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score, or BVAS. Remission was defined as a BVAS score of zero and being off glucocorticoid treatment for ANCA vasculitis for at least the preceding four weeks. BVAS remission at week 26 was achieved in 72.3% of the avacopan treated subjects vs. 70.1% of subjects in the glucocorticoid standard of care control group. Sustained remission at 52 weeks was observed in 65.7% of the avacopan treated patients vs. 54.9% in the glucocorticoid standard of care control group, achieving both non-inferiority and superiority to glucocorticoid standard of care. Importantly, subjects who received avacopan experienced additional benefits compared to those in the glucocorticoid standard of care control group. These benefits, assessed as pre-specified secondary endpoints, include: Significant reduction in glucocorticoid-related toxicity; Significant improvement in kidney function in patients with renal disease at baseline; Improvements in health-related quality of life metrics. The topline safety results revealed an acceptable safety profile in this serious and life threatening disease with fewer subjects having serious adverse events in the avacopan group than in the glucocorticoid standard of care control group. A full analysis of the data is underway and expanded results are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. "These results exceed our expectations," said Thomas J. Schall, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of ChemoCentryx. "Today we mark the dawn of a new and historic period in the lives of ANCA vasculitis patients. This day we have for the first time demonstrated that a highly targeted therapy aimed at the very center of the ANCA disease process is superior to the traditional approach of broad immune suppression therapy; a therapy which the present findings may make obsolete. Until now ANCA vasculitis patients have had to endure regimens that contain chronic high doses of steroids and all their noxious effects, but with today's data it is clear that the time of making patients sick with steroid therapy in an attempt to make their acute vasculitis better may at last be over. Working with our partner VFMCRP, we plan to make regulatory submissions for full marketing approval to both the European Medicines Agency and the FDA in 2020."