Stockwinners Market Radar for December 19, 2019 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:21 EST U.S. Steel down 3% at $12.95 after below-consensus Q4 guidance, dividend cut

19:17 EST U.S. Steel cuts quarterly dividend to 1c from 5c per share - U.S. Steel board has approved an adjustment of the quarterly dividend to 1c/share, from 5c/share, to support successful execution of the company's world-competitive, "best of both" strategy. This change in the dividend becomes effective as dividends are declared in 2020 and is expected to deliver approximately $25M of annual cash savings beginning in 2020.

19:09 EST U.S. Steel to idle Great Lakes Works in 'significant' operations adjustment - U.S. Steel announced additional actions to position the company for the future. These actions advance the company's "best of both" strategy and better align the company around three core assets within its North American Flat-Rolled operating segment. U. S. Steel intends to indefinitely idle a significant portion of its Great Lakes Works operation near Detroit, Mich. The company expects to begin idling the iron and steelmaking facilities on or around April 1, 2020, and the Hot Strip Mill rolling facility before the end of 2020. The company's strategy is focused on three core assets within its North American Flat-Rolled segment designed to deliver cost or capability differentiation. The best of both strategy is highlighted by the following investments announced earlier this year: the more than $1B endless casting and rolling and cogeneration projects at Mon Valley Works in Pennsylvania, the $750M in the hot strip mill and other projects at Gary Works in Indiana, and Big River Steel in Arkansas, which is the nation's first LEED certified steel mill. U. S. Steel ultimately intends to fully acquire Big River Steel by exercising its call option for the remaining equity within the next four years. The company currently expects to continue operating the following areas at Great Lakes Works in line with customer demand: the Pickle Line, Cold Mill, Sheet Temper Mill, Continuous Galvanizing Line, Annealing, and Warehouses. The company will be issuing Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notices to approximately 1,545 employees at Great Lakes Works, but anticipates the final number of employees who will be impacted by the idling will be lower.

18:58 EST C&F Financial receives approvals to acquire Peoples Bankshares - C&F Financial announced that it has received the approvals needed to proceed with its previously announced acquisition of Peoples Bankshares. As a result, Peoples will merge with and into the Coproration, and Peoples Community Bank will merge with and into C&F Bank, on January 1, 2020. The merger was approved by the shareholders of Peoples at their meeting on December 11 in Montross, Virginia. The Corporation has also received the approvals of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the State Corporation Commission Bureau of Financial Institutions of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Upon completion of the transaction, the combined company will have approximately $1.8B in assets and 30 offices across central and eastern Virginia.

18:01 EST Celanese to raise acetic acid prices by RMB2.8K/MT in China, $450/MT in Asia - The below prices are for bulk shipment orders and will be effective as of January 1, 2020.

17:46 EST Nike down 2.2% at $98.91 after Q3 and FY20 revenue guidance

17:43 EST Axovant provides clinical update for AXO-AAV-GM1 - Axovant Gene Therapies Ltd. announced preliminary findings from an expanded access treatment in which a single patient with GM1 gangliosidosis was administered investigational AXO-AAV-GM1 gene therapy. "GM1 gangliosidosis is a devastating pediatric disease for which there are no currently approved treatment options," said Dr. Cynthia Tifft, Deputy Clinical Director at the National Human Genome Research Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. "These preliminary findings suggest safety, tolerability, and clinical improvement in the first child dosed with gene therapy for GM1 gangliosidosis. I am particularly encouraged that this child has regained her ability to swallow more effectively and has demonstrated meaningful weight gain during the 6 months following gene therapy. We are hoping to complete enrollment in Part A of the ongoing registrational study in early 2020."

17:37 EST Mitek Systems authorizes $10M share repurchase program - Mitek authorized a share repurchase program for up to $10M of its outstanding common stock. The share repurchase program is effective immediately and will expire December 16, 2020. The company intends to fund the share repurchases from cash on hand.

17:21 EST Boeing awarded $1.46B Army contract for AH-64D/E Apache support services - Boeing was awarded a $1.46B hybrid Foreign Military Sales contract for support services for AH-64D/E Apache helicopters. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of December 31, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command is the contracting activity.

17:18 EST Nielsen names Lovett Chief Human Resources Officer, Taft accounting head - Nielsen named Laurie Lovett as Chief Human Resources Officer effective January 13. In addition, the company announced that effective immediately, Christopher Taft will become Controller and Chief Accounting Officer. Lovett will run the Human Resources function for the Nielsen Global Media business and will remain with that business after the completion of the separation of the two businesses. Previously she spent over 20 years with Accenture holding various leadership roles. She then moved on to Verisk Analytics as the Global Chief Human Resources Officer where she led the full scope of talent, diversity, human resources, and organizational development activities.

17:16 EST WesBanco approves new stock repurchase program - WesBanco has authorized the adoption of a new stock repurchase plan for the purchase of up to an additional 1.7 million shares of WesBanco common stock representing approximately 2.5% of outstanding shares from time to time on the open market. This new stock repurchase authorization is in addition to the existing stock repurchase program approved by WesBanco's Board of Directors on October 22, 2015 which has approximately 885,000 shares remaining for repurchase and will continue to be utilized until such authorization is completed.

17:05 EST Mountain Province Diamonds sees 6.75M-6.95M carats recovered in 2020 - Mountain Province Diamonds provided guidance for 2020 for the Gahcho Kue Mine. For 2020, the company sees 42M-43M total tonnes mined, 3.3M-3.4M ore tonnes mined, 3.M-3.4M ore tonnes treated, 6.75M-6.95M carats recovered, production costs of $105-$115 per tonne treated, production costs of $50-$55 per carat recovered, and sustaining capital expenditures of $26.5M. All amounts expressed in Canadian dollars.

17:03 EST Avon Products acquisition by Natura &Co receives all regulatory approvals - Natura &Co Holding and Avon Products have received all regulatory approvals required to complete Natura &Co's acquisition of Avon Products, paving the way for the closing of the transaction expected on January 3, 2020. This follows the approval without restrictions by the Mexican Federal Economic Competition Commission, the last remaining regulatory approval that is a condition precedent needed to conclude the deal. The combination will result in the creation of the world's fourth-largest pure-play beauty company, grouping together Avon, Natura, The Body Shop and Aesop. On January 6, 2020, Natura &Co is expected to begin trading on the NYSE through American Depositary Receipts under the NTCO ticker symbol, in addition to continuing trading shares on the B3 stock exchange in Sao Paulo.

16:51 EST Vonage transferring listing to Nasdaq - Vonage intends to transfer the listing of its common stock from the NYSE to the Nasdaq Global Select Market, effective December 31. Vonage shares will continue to trade under the ticker symbol "VG".

16:46 EST Owens-Illinois announces progress on tactical divestiture program - Owens-Illinois announced the sale of its 25% partnership interest in Tata Chemicals Partners Holdings to Valley Holdings, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Chemicals Limited. This sale generated $195M of cash proceeds which will be used to repay outstanding debt prior to year-end 2019. For the twelve month period ended September 30, 2019, O-I's equity earnings included $19M attributable to its minority interest in Tata Chemicals Partners Holdings. This asset sale is one component of the company's on-going tactical divestiture program targeting total proceeds of between $400M-$500M. O-I continues to advance both its tactical divestiture and strategic portfolio review initiatives with additional asset sales expected in 2020.

16:42 EST Booking.com, Google Nest announce partnership - Booking.com (BKNG) announced a year-long partnership with Google Nest (GOOG, GOOGL) aimed at helping to build a more connected and seamless trip experience for travelers and hosts. The partnership will encompass offers and incentives for Booking.com customers as well as enhancements for partners that will help make it easier to deliver a premium experience to guests. The first element of the partnership will kick off with an exclusive offer for U.S. based travelers, to give a head start on experiencing the world in 2020. Guests who book a stay on Booking.com between December 26, 2019 through January 5, 2020 with a minimum spend of $150 will receive a free Google Nest Mini by using the promo code GOOGLENEST. Bookers will be able to use the Google Nest Mini as a helpful tool for travel with specifics, such as: flight times, weather, and translation. More information on the promotion, along with terms and conditions, can be found at www.booking.com/googlenest.html.

16:37 EST Live Nation, evenko announce partnership - evenko, a promoter and producer in Canada, and Live Nation Entertainment (LYV), a live entertainment company, have announced that they have entered into a partnership agreement, strengthening the existing business relationship between the two companies. evenko and Live Nation Entertainment have formed a strategic partnership that will drive and grow entertainment opportunities in Quebec and Atlantic Canada. The companies said they "plan to combine evenko's expertise in the market producing and promoting live entertainment and developing emerging local talent and their world class festival portfolio with Live Nation Entertainment's extensive reach and resources to bring the global stage to Quebec and Atlantic Canada."

16:34 EST Gladstone announces industrial portfolio acquisition - Gladstone Commercial Corporation announced that it completed the acquisition of a 509,211 square foot, six building industrial portfolio with locations in San Antonio, TX; Albuquerque, NM; New Orleans, LA; Baton Rouge, LA; Tucson, AZ on December 17. The portfolio, acquired in a sale/leaseback transaction, is 100% leased to a global leader in the records storage industry with a 10 year lease term.

16:32 EST Insteel CFO, Treasurer Michael Gazmarian to depart company - Insteel Industries announced that Michael C. Gazmarian, Insteel's Vice President, CFO and Treasurer, will be leaving the company to pursue other opportunities. The company will immediately initiate a comprehensive search for his successor. Mr. Gazmarian will participate in this process and will continue in his current capacity during the leadership transition.

16:30 EST Biogen announces $5B share repurchase program - On December 19, the Board of Directors of Biogen authorized a program to repurchase up to $5B of the company's common stock. The December 2019 Share Repurchase Program does not have an expiration date. All share repurchases under the December 2019 Share Repurchase Program will be retired. The December 2019 Share Repurchase Program is in addition to the share repurchase program authorized by the Board of Directors of the company in March 2019.

16:26 EST AAR Corp. up 6% to $48.48 after Q2 results beat estimates, FY20 guidance raised

16:23 EST IFF names Rustom Jilla as CFO, effective January 20, 2020 - IFF (IFF) announced that Rustom Jilla has been named CFO, effective January 20, 2020. Jilla will succeed current CFO Richard O'Leary, who has been appointed as IFF's EVP Integration Officer of the Joint Integration Office in connection with IFF's previously announced merger with DuPont's (DD) Nutrition & Biosciences business. O'Leary will work closely with Jilla to ensure a smooth and successful transition into the CFO role and the two will further collaborate to execute the companies' merger integration roadmap.

16:21 EST Gulfport Energy selling SCOOP water infrastructure to Oklahome-based Bison - Gulfport Energy has entered into definitive agreements to sell Oklahoma' water infrastructure, logistics and solutions provider Bison the company's water infrastructure in the SCOOP for an upfront payment and other contingent consideration based on the timing, pace and magnitude of Gulfport's future development program and water production levels. Simultaneously, the parties entered into 15-year agreements whereby Bison will exclusively manage all of Gulfport's water gathering, recycling, storage, reuse, disposal, transportation, logistics and sourcing within a dedicated area across Grady, Garvin and Stephens counties. The acquired assets include the 15-year agreements, a multi-line water gathering and delivery system, 2.3 million barrels of storage capacity, 40,000 barrels per day of recycling capacity, 55,000 barrels per day of freshwater supply capacity, associated real property and a pending saltwater disposal permit.

16:17 EST BJ's Wholesale names Christopher Baldwin as Chairman, Lee Delaney as CEO - BJ's Wholesale Club named Christopher Baldwin as Executive Chairman. The company also named Lee Delaney to succeed Baldwin as CEO. In addition, Thomas Kingsbury, the former CEO of Burlington Stores, Inc., has been appointed to the Board. Delaney, currently president of the company, was also appointed to the company's board. Delaney joined BJ's in 2016 as EVP, Chief Growth Officer.

16:16 EST Churchill Downs launches BetAmerica Sportsbook online in Pennsylvania - Churchill Downs announced the launch of its BetAmerica Sportsbook online in Pennsylvania. The online debut builds upon the sports wagering and iGaming brand's retail presence in Pennsylvania following the opening of the retail BetAmerica Sportsbook in August at Presque Isle Downs & Casino in Erie.

16:14 EST Perceptron gets first order for multi-robot AccuSite - Perceptron announced receiving their first order for a two-robot AccuSite optical tracking solution for in-line metrology. "The AccuSite architecture supports multiple Trackers allowing us to accurately track up to eight robots in a cell. All Trackers and robots are connected to each other, providing maximum flexibility in system design and layout. Measuring in-line is the most cost-effective solution for quality control. No manpower is needed to load parts or put them back into the process once measurement is complete. There is no need for dedicated CMM fixtures or CMM correlation since AccuSite provides traceable measurement directly in the manufacturing process," commented Rick Van Valkenburg, Vice President Global Sales and Marketing for Perceptron.

16:13 EST DiamondRock settles Frenchman's Reef insurance claim from Hurricane Irma - DiamondRock has reached a definitive settlement of its outstanding insurance claim related to Hurricane Irma, which significantly impacted the Havana Cabana Key West and the Frenchman's Reef resort in St. Thomas in September 2017. The resorts - Frenchman's Reef Marriott Resort & Spa and Noni Beach Resort - remain on track to be reopened to guests in late 2020. Under the settlement agreement, the company agreed to resolve its claim for total insurance payments of $246.75M, including $140.12M paid to the company to date. The outstanding settlement payment to the company of $106.63M by the insurers is required to be paid within 30 days. As a result of the settlement, the company will not recognize any additional business interruption proceeds related to this claim. Earlier in 2019, the company had settled a separate claim for incremental damage caused by Hurricane Maria in the amount of $1.44M. The cost to rebuild the Frenchman's Reef resort complex is estimated to be approximately $300M. The expected sources of capital to fund reconstruction include: $202.2M of insurance proceeds, net of $37.7M of business interruption proceeds; a binding agreement to receive over $20M of brand key money upon opening; a pending application to receive $30M from the local government to reconstruct one wing of the hotel as a hurricane shelter; and approximately $48M of funding from the company.

16:10 EST Retail Value closes sale of The Marketplace in Mesquite, TX for $19.2M - On December 19, 2019, Retail Value Inc closed on the sale of The Marketplace at Towne Centre for $19.2M. Net proceeds were used to repay mortgage debt associated with RVI.

16:09 EST Knight-Swift falls over 6% to $33.50 per share after cutting Q4 guidance

16:08 EST Western Asset Mortgage extends share repurchase program - Western Asset Mortgage announced that its Board of Directors has reauthorized its share repurchase program, permitting the repurchase of up to 2.7M shares of its common stock through December 31, 2021. The previous authorization was set to expire on December 31, 2019.

16:06 EST Concert Pharmaceuticals completes open label trial of CTP-543 - Concert Pharmaceuticals announced that it has completed its open label trial evaluating 8 mg twice-daily compared to 16 mg once-daily dosing of CTP-543 in patients with moderate-to-severe alopecia areata. Results in the 8 mg twice-daily arm were consistent with the previously-reported 8 mg twice-daily results from the Company's Phase 2 trial of CTP-543. Treatment was generally well tolerated in both arms of the study. All but one of the patients who completed this trial have elected to continue in an open-label long-term extension study. The company expects to report findings from the study at a future medical meeting.

15:04 EST Precision BioSciences treatment of multiple myeloma granted orphan status - Precision BioSciences' treatment of multiple myeloma was granted orphan status by the FDA, according to a post to the agency's website. Reference Link

14:56 EST T. Rowe Price 'applauds' Congress on SECURE Act - T. Rowe Price issued the following statement on the SECURE Act: "We applaud Congress for including the SECURE Act in its appropriations package and for recognizing the importance of retirement savings. The legislation includes meaningful changes that will allow more people to participate in workplace savings plans and should have positive impact on retirement for millions of Americans."

14:54 EST DLH Holdings director Alderman sells almost 52K shares of company stock - DLH Holdings director William Alderman disclosed in a filing that he had sold 51,897 shares of company stock at an average price of $4.00 per share on December 19. The total transaction value of the sale was $207,588.

14:48 EST Google buys game developer Typhoon Studios to expand Stadia library - On its Keyword blog, Google made the announcement: "Working with some of the best game creators in the world, we've learned that a successful studio comes down to great people who have a vision to execute on the best ideas. We're always looking for people who share our passion and vision for the future of gaming, which is why I'm so excited that Typhoon Studios, the independent developers behind the upcoming Journey to the Savage Planet, is joining Stadia Games and Entertainment. Under the leadership of its co-founders, Reid Schneider & Alex Hutchinson, Typhoon Studios has built an incredible team of industry veterans who are committed to the player experience. The Typhoon team will be joining our first Stadia Games and Entertainment studio that is based in Montreal and led by Sebastien Puel. Typhoon Studios will continue to work on the launch of Journey to the Savage Planet for multiple platforms on January 28, 2020. Meanwhile, our priority will be on integrating the team from Typhoon Studios into Stadia Games and Entertainment. We're thrilled to welcome this incredibly talented team to the Google family!" Reference Link

14:36 EST Live Nation announces agreement in principle with DOJ on settlement - Live Nation issued the following statement on its settlement with the Department Of Justice: "We have reached an agreement in principle with the Department of Justice to extend and clarify the consent decree. We believe this is the best outcome for our business, clients and shareholders as we turn our focus to 2020 initiatives."

14:33 EST Correction: FTC challenging Post Holdings deal for TreeHouse unit

14:02 EST Toyota launches new intellectual property licensing program - Toyota revealed a new program to license its Intellectual Property to interested parties. The program is called Toyota IP Solutions and it is intended to help promote and serve as an access point for the licensing of patents to US and global companies. "As one of the world's leading patent providers, our intellectual property spans a wide range of technologies. We're excited that the various technologies now being offered via the Toyota IP Solutions program are not limited to the automotive industry and many can be applied to other products," said Chris Reynolds, chief administration officer, Manufacturing and Corporate Resources for Toyota Motor North America, TMNA.

13:47 EST Guardant Health announces expanded Medicare coverage for Guardant360 - Guardant Health announced that Palmetto GBA, a Medicare Administrative Contractor for the Molecular Diagnostics, or MolDX, program, has expanded local coverage determination of the Guardant360 assay, "making it the first and only liquid biopsy to be broadly covered for use across the vast majority of advanced solid tumors." This decision makes complete genomic profiling more widely available for patients with most advanced cancers, the company stated. The policy covers Guardant360 for all fee-for-service Medicare patients with advanced cancers who meet its clinical criteria for complete genomic profiling with next-generation sequencing of tumor tissue to optimize treatment selection decisions but have insufficient or unavailable tissue for molecular profiling.

13:28 EST Medifast jumps after Bloomberg says Engaged Capital weighing bid - Shares of Medifast jumped after Bloomberg's Scott Deveau reported that activist hedge fund Engaged Capital is weighing a bid to take the company private. Engaged, which owns a roughly 15% stake in Medifast, has been talking to banks and private equity firms to help finance a bid for Medifast, people familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. Shares of the nutritional supplement company are up 9%, or $8.40, to $103.04 following the report.

13:24 EST Suzano to invest R$933.4M in Espirito Santo - Suzano announced investments of R$933.4M in three projects in Espirito Santo state. The company's plans include the construction of a tissue paper conversion unit, retrofit work in the unit located in Aracruz, as well as expansion of Suzano's forest base in the state. The three projects should create nearly 900 jobs during the construction phase, which will be possible through the use of ICMS tax credits accrued by Suzano due to its essentially exporting activities in the state. With these investments, Suzano aims to strengthen its relationship with Espirito Santo and maximize its contribution to the region's development. The paper conversion unit will require investments of R$130M. This specific project will create around 300 direct and indirect jobs during the construction phase and 200 direct and indirect jobs when the unit is operational, besides stimulating chain of raw material suppliers in the region. Production should start in the fourth quarter of 2020. With investments estimated at R$272.4M, the retrofit work at the Aracruz Unit will increase the plant's energy efficiency. The project will be executed in 24 months and approximately 300 jobs will be created during this period. With this investment, the plant will be more efficient, modern and competitive and with lower environmental impact. Suzano also announced the expansion of its forest base in the state, which is strategic for the company. The purpose is to reduce the average supply radius between the forest plantations and the plant, which will bring environmental benefits caused by fewer vehicles carrying wood over long distances. The company plans to invest R$531M in this project via acquisition or lease of rural areas, plantations, trellis systems and crop treatment. The initiative should create 300 direct and indirect jobs in the first two years after the licenses are obtained and will also stimulate the supplier chain in the region and tax collections.

12:33 EST CN says performance indicators have normalized to pre-strike ranges - CN announced that less than a month after the end of the 8-day labour action, performance indicators have normalized to pre-strike ranges indicating that train movements have recovered. The 8-day work disruption caused CN's network to run at approximately 10% capacity. Every strike day can cause several days of backlog, requiring time for the network to be fully current once it has returned to normal operational ranges.

12:19 EST Marriott Vacations closes sale of more than $60M in excess parcels - Marriott Vacations Worldwide announced that it has closed the sale of excess parcels in Cancun, Mexico and Avon, Colorado for more than $60M as part of its strategic decision to reduce holdings in markets where it has excess supply. The company expects to report a gain from the sales, which will be excluded from its 2019 Adjusted EBITDA, and cash proceeds will be excluded from its adjusted free cash flow. "This is the first step in our strategy to dispose of $160M to $220M of non-strategic assets, which we announced during our recent investor day," said CFO John Geller.

12:09 EST Redfin improves accuracy of Redfin Estimate, expands coverage - Earlier in Thursday's session, Redfin announced it has improved the accuracy of the Redfin Estimate and expanded coverage to five new metro areas and several additional property types, including land and multi-family properties. The Redfin Estimate is a calculation of a home's worth, built on Redfin's propriety machine learning algorithm that uses billions of data points about properties across the country. Redfin improved the accuracy of its estimate for off-market homes by 70 basis points, as the median error improved from 6.3% to 5.6%. An error rate of 5.6% means that half of all Redfin Estimates fall within 5.6% of the home's eventual sale price. For a typical $300,000 home, the updated Redfin Estimate is now $2,100 closer to the market value and will be within $16,800 of the final sale price half of the time.

12:04 EST Forty Seven granted orphan status for myelodysplastic syndrome treatment - The FDA granted Forty Seven orphan status for its treatment of myelodysplastic syndrome magrolimab. Reference Link

12:02 EST MacroGenics submits BLA for margetuximab to FDA - MacroGenics announced that the company has submitted a Biologics License Application, or BLA, for margetuximab, an investigational, Fc-engineered, monoclonal antibody that targets HER2. The margetuximab BLA is for the treatment of patients with metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer in combination with chemotherapy. The submission is based on the safety and efficacy results of the pivotal phase 3 SOPHIA study, which were first presented at the 2019 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting, with updated data recently presented at the 2019 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium.

12:00 EST Bloom Energy falls -7.5% - Bloom Energy is down -7.5%, or -54c to $6.69.

12:00 EST Green Dot falls -13.5% - Green Dot is down -13.5%, or -$3.50 to $22.36.

12:00 EST Conagra Brands rises 18.4% - Conagra Brands is up 18.4%, or $5.35 to $34.40.

11:54 EST BBVA sees $1.5B charge due to U.S. interest rates, slowing economy - Banco Bilbao estimates a potential negative adjustment in the goodwill value at its U.S. business unit. "This adjustment is caused mainly by the negative evolution of U.S. interest rates, in particular during the second half of the year, which together with a slowdown of the economy, result in a lower than expected evolution in future profits, compared to previous estimates," BBVA said in a statement. The accounting adjustment has no impact on tangible net equity, capital, or liquidity of BBVA Group, nor on its ability to distribute dividends or the amount of the dividend payment, which will be proposed to the board for its approval, the company added. The estimated negative impact on the financial statements due to the goodwill adjustment for this business unit is approximately $1.5B. This impact will be recorded in the P&L account of the financial statements for BBVA Group as of December 31, 2019.

11:39 EST Facebook bans ads that limit U.S. census participation - The company said, "Next year, all US households will be able to complete the US census online for the first time. As the format of the census evolves, so do the ways that people share information about the census. This means we have to be more vigilant about protecting against census interference across posts and ads on Facebook and Instagram and help promote an accurate count of every person in the country. Today, we are announcing a new census interference policy that bans misleading information about when and how to participate in the census and the consequences of participating. We are also introducing a new advertising policy that prohibits ads that portray census participation as useless or meaningless or advise people not to participate in the census. These policies are due in large part to the work being done with the civil rights community through our civil rights audit and represent the culmination of a months-long process between Facebook, the US Census Bureau and experts with diverse backgrounds to develop thoughtful rules around prohibiting census interference on our platforms and making sure people can use their voice to be counted...We will begin enforcement next month and use a combination of technology and people to proactively identify content that may violate this policy...While all ads must adhere to our Community Standards and therefore cannot include things like harassment or threats of violence, we are also introducing a new advertising policy that prohibits ads that portray census participation as useless or meaningless or advise people not to participate in the census. In addition, ads about the census will be subject to the increased transparency requirements for issue ads...We must do our part to ensure an accurate census count, which is critical for the distribution of federal funds, the apportioning of electoral representatives and the functioning of a democracy. We believe that the partnerships, policies and products we've developed this year have put us on strong footing heading into next year's census." Reference Link

11:22 EST NHTSA says General Motors recalling Sliverado and Sierra trucks - General Motors is recalling certain 2019-2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500 trucks as the battery positive cable rings may have been manufactured with excessive glue, potentially causing an intermittent electrical connection between the B+ cable and alternator, according to the NHTSA. General Motors is also recalling certain 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Cadillac CT6, and GMC Sierra 1500 vehicles due to an Electronic Brake Control Module software error, the NHTSA stated in a post to its website. Reference Link

11:04 EST Bayer announces FDA clearance for expanded use of MEDRAD Stellant FLEX CT system - Bayer announced the company received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to expand the indication of its MEDRAD Stellant FLEX Computed Tomography Injection System with Certegra Workstation for use in Contrast Enhanced Mammography. Through the use of iodine-based x-ray contrast agents, CEM can allow for better visualization of abnormalities in breast tissue that may not be visible with standard mammography, the company said.

10:40 EST Community Financial shareholders approve proposed merger with First Citizens - First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company and Community Financial Holding Company announced that Community Financial's shareholders have approved First Citizens' pending acquisition of Community Financial and its wholly owned subsidiary, Gwinnett Community Bank. At a meeting held for the purpose of considering the transaction, the shareholders of Duluth, Ga.-based Community Financial voted to approve the merger agreement with Raleigh, N.C.-headquartered First Citizens Bank. Subject to receipt of required regulatory approvals and the satisfaction or waiver of customary closing conditions, the merger is expected to become effective in the first quarter of 2020 or as soon thereafter as practicable. After the merger, Gwinnett Community Bank branch offices will initially operate as Gwinnett Community Bank, a division of First Citizens Bank. Customers should bank as they normally do at their existing branches. Gwinnett Community's customer accounts will be converted to First Citizens Bank's systems and operations at a later date.

10:00 EST Mosaic Acquisition rises 8.8% - Mosaic Acquisition is up 8.8%, or 83c to $10.29.

10:00 EST Rite Aid rises 37.4% - Rite Aid is up 37.4%, or $3.11 to $11.43.

09:47 EST Plug Power down 2% as Spruce Point says sell, sees '100% downside' potential - Plug Power "represents the worst kind of investment story: a company that has over-promised and under-delivered for 20 years, forever failing to achieve profitability," said Spruce Point Capital in a new short report published on its website. The company "so desperately needed capital, it diluted investors at $2.75/share, a whopping 27% discount to the trading price," said the short-selling firm, which contends Plug Power "shares are practically uninvestible with 100% downside risk in a worst case scenario." In early trading following the publication of the short report, Plug Power shares are down 6c, or 2%, to $2.84. Reference Link

09:47 EST Pearson falls -6.7% - Pearson is down -6.7%, or -57c to $7.99.

09:47 EST Apergy rises 9.5% - Apergy is up 9.5%, or $2.92 to $33.59.

09:47 EST Rite Aid rises 36.9% - Rite Aid is up 36.9%, or $3.07 to $11.39.

09:38 EST Imax reports grossing more than $1.035B worldwide in 2019 year-to-date - IMAX announced it has its "highest-grossing year ever at the global box office in 2019" with more than $1.035B earned to date worldwide with two weeks left to go. "The record-breaking performance surpassed the company's previous best of $1.032B set in 2018 and marks the second consecutive year it has crossed $1B in total receipts. With two weeks remaining in the year and this week's release of 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,' IMAX will continue to build on its box office grosses for 2019," the company stated.

09:34 EST Capitala Group announces investment in Chief Fire, terms not disclosed - Capitala Group announced that it has closed on its investment in Chief Fire Prevention & Mechanical Corp, the service provider for commercial kitchen exhaust and pre-engineered fire suppression systems in the New York metro. Headquartered in Mount Vernon, NY, Chief Fire's maintenance services include grease and air duct cleaning, grease trap cleaning, and fire suppression system inspection and maintenance. Construction services include exhaust system design and installation. All the services performed by Chief Fire are highly specialized and regulated by the FDNY, local jurisdictions, and Insurance Carriers. Chief Fire is led by its CEO, Frank Mitarotonda Sr., and its COO, Alan Brundage, and has more than 1,200 customers and 90 employees. Capitala Group partnered with Trinity Private Equity Group on the investment. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

09:32 EST PAVmed's Lucid Diagnostics announces commercial launch of EsoGuard test - PAVmed announced that its majority owned subsidiary, Lucid Diagnostics has launched its EsoGuard Esophageal DNA Test as a Laboratory Developed Test, after completing CLIA/CAP certification of the test at Lucid's commercial diagnostic laboratory partner ResearchDx Inc. dba Pacific Dx, headquartered in Irvine, CA. EsoGuard is the first such DNA test designed to facilitate the diagnosis of Barrett's Esophagus and related precursors to highly lethal esophageal adenocarcinoma .

09:18 EST Cinedigm agrees to purchase 29% stake in Starrise Media - Cinedigm announced the Company has signed a non-binding letter of intent to buy approximately 29% of the outstanding current common shares in Chinese entertainment company Starrise Media Holdings Limited from existing holders. Cinedigm and Starrise have previously agreed to distribute Chinese entertainment content in North America and to release non-Chinese entertainment content in China theatrically and on digital platforms. Cinedigm will purchase approximately 29% of Starrise's current common shares from two major Starrise shareholders in exchange for shares of Cinedigm's Class A common stock. This all-stock purchase will be based on the trailing volume weighted average prices of Cinedigm and Starrise common stock over a time period to be determined by the parties to the transaction. This proposed transaction follows the significant investment in Cinedigm by Bison Capital, a China-based investment company with a focus on the media and entertainment, healthcare and financial service industries. Founded by Mr. Peixin Xu in 2014, Bison Capital has made multiple investments in film and TV production, film distribution and entertainment-related mobile Internet services. As a result of this proposed transaction, Bison Capital and related entities will increase their investment and ownership levels in Cinedigm. Through this proposed transaction, Cinedigm will increase its presence and leverage in both the Chinese and North American entertainment markets. The all-stock purchase is expected to close in the first quarter of calendar 2020, subject to the completion of a definitive purchase agreement and the receipt of the approval of Cinedigm's stockholders and other applicable regulatory approvals.

09:18 EST Vuzix receives follow-on $550K order for M400 smart glasses - Vuzix has received its largest single M400 Smart Glasses order to date. Ubimax, a provider of enterprise wearable computing solutions, has just placed an order in excess of $550K for immediate delivery.

09:09 EST Interxion to acquire controlling interest in Icolo, enter partnership with PRIF - Interxion announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire a controlling interest in Icolo, a Kenyan data centre operator, and that it has also entered into a strategic partnership with the Pembani Remgro Infrastructure Fund, or PRIF. As part of these transactions, PRIF will invest in Icolo and will collaborate and co-invest with Interxion on expansion initiatives across the African continent. The transaction is expected to close in Q1 of 2020. Since Interxion's initial investment in March 2016, Icolo has delivered growth and has established itself as a African carrier and cloud-neutral data centre operator. With two data centres in Kenya currently in operation, Icolo is experiencing demand from cloud and content platforms and across the enterprise segment. Acquisitions of 25,000 square meters of land for further expansion of Icolo's data centre footprint are in progress in both Mombasa and Nairobi, with the associated total capacity for Icolo in Kenya expected to grow to approximately 20MW. In Mombasa, Icolo is positioned to benefit from the growing number of submarine cable consortia that have expressed their intention to land in Kenya. Upon the closing of the transaction and taking into consideration the PRIF investment, Interxion will own approximately 70% of Icolo's common shares with the remaining shares held by PRIF and Icolo management.

09:04 EST Adamis Pharmaceuticals receives CRL from FDA on ZIMHI NDA - Adamis Pharmaceuticals Corporation provided an update on the ZIMHI New Drug Application resubmission process. On November 22, 2019, the company received a Complete Response Letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regarding its NDA for Adamis' ZIMHI high-dose naloxone injection product for the treatment of opioid overdose. The company has provided responses to the comments included in the CRL and submitted these answers to the FDA this week. With the responses, the company requested a Type A meeting with the agency and is currently waiting for the FDA to respond to this request. The next update from the company on the ZIMHI NDA resubmission process will be sometime after the FDA meeting occurs. At that time, the company would expect to have more information regarding the timeline for the full resubmission of the NDA back to the FDA.

09:03 EST Fly Intel: Pre-market Movers - HIGHER: Match Group (MTCH), up 3% after IAC (IAC) and the company announced entry into a definitive agreement providing for the full separation of Match from the remaining businesses of IAC... Rubicon Project (RUBI), up 7% after the company and Telaria (TLRA) announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to combine in a stock-for-stock merger. The stock-for-stock merger is at an exchange ratio of 1.082 shares of Rubicon Project common stock for each share of Telaria common stock, with Telaria stockholders expected to own approximately 47.1% and Rubicon Project stockholders expected to own approximately 52.9% of the fully diluted shares of the combined company. Telaria shares are up 6% after the merger announcement. UP AFTER EARNINGS: Rite Aid (RAD), up 29%... Conagra Brands (CAG), up 5%... Micron (MU), up 4%. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Darden (DRI), down 3%... ABM (ABM), down 3%... Apogee Enterprises (APOG), down 16% ALSO LOWER: Exicure (XCUR), down 4% after filing to sell common stock with no amount given.

09:01 EST Synopsys initiates $100M accelerated share repurchase agreement - Synopsys has entered into an accelerated share repurchase agreement with HSBC Bank USA, National Association to repurchase an aggregate of $100M of Synopsys stock. Synopsys will receive an aggregate initial share delivery of approximately 579K shares, with the remainder, if any, to be settled on or before February 27, 2020, upon completion of the repurchases.

08:53 EST TOP Ships announces acquisition of two scrubber fitted ECO MR tankers - TOP Ships has acquired 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of Santa Catalina Inc. and Santa Monica Inc., which are Marshall Islands companies that have entered into new building contracts for two ultra-high specification scrubber-fitted 50,000 dwt Medium Rang product/chemical tankers under construction at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co., Ltd. in South Korea and scheduled for delivery during February 2020. The Company has acquired the shares of both companies from an entity affiliated with the Company's CEO, for an aggregate purchase price of $14.35M. Following their delivery, the vessels will enter into time charters with Trafigura Maritime Logistics for a firm duration of three years, with charterer's option to extend for two additional years at. The Company is in the process of concluding financing agreements for both vessels.

08:51 EST Green Thumb Industries to open first Rise store in New Jersey - Green Thumb Industries will open Rise Paterson, its first store in New Jersey, on Saturday, December 21. This is GTI's 37th store in the nation and the fourth store GTI has opened within the last month. GTI also operates a cultivation and processing facility in Paterson, which this month received its permit to begin growing cannabis, and is the first cannabis company to become operational in the state among the 2018 license award winners.

08:48 EST Envision Solar announces purchase order from Maricopa County, Arizona - Envision Solar International announced that Maricopa County, Arizona has issued a purchase order for the company's patented EV ARC product. The purchase order was issued pursuant to a request for proposals issued by the County to which Envision Solar was the only qualified respondent, as there was no competing product that met the required specifications. This is the Company's first sale of an EV ARC in Arizona.

08:47 EST Atossa Genetics announces Phase 2 study contract for oral Edoxifen - Atossa Genetics announced that it has contracted with Stockholm South General Hospital in Sweden to conduct a Phase 2 study of Atossa's proprietary oral Endoxifen to reduce mammographic breast density in women. The study is being led by principal investigator Per Hall, M.D., Ph.D., Head of the Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Karolinska Institutet. MBD is an emerging public health issue, as studies conducted by others have shown that MBD increases the risk of developing breast cancer and that reducing MBD can reduce the incidence of breast cancer. The primary endpoint of the new Phase 2 study is to determine whether oral Endoxifen administration results in an individual change in MBD, which will be measured after three and six months of treatment. The secondary endpoints are safety and tolerability. Assuming the institutional review board approves the study, enrollment is expected to open in the first quarter of 2020.

08:45 EST China Recycling Energy appoints Jackie Shi as CFO - China Recycling Energy Corporation announced that Jackie Shi has been appointed to the position of CFO. He recently served as advisor to the Board of Directors of the Company since September 28, 2016 and served as the CFO of the CREG from May 16, 2015 to September 27, 2016.

08:43 EST EXL, Direct Line Group extend relationship for another five years - EXL announced that it has extended its 10-year relationship with UK insurer Direct Line Group plc for another five years. EXL will partner with DLG on its ambitious journey to deliver better customer and business outcomes using a team of insurance experts, automation, and analytics solutions.

08:41 EST Eyenovia expands scientific advisory board with two appointments - Eyenovia announced that Professor Mark Bullimore, PhD and April Jasper, OD have joined Eyenovia's Scientific Advisory Board. Professor Mark Bullimore is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Houston College of Optometry and is also the Associate Editor of Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics. April Jasper is a Benedict Professor in practice management at Houston College of Optometry and a community leader.

08:39 EST EDAP TMS announces publication of Focal One endometriosis study - EDAP TMS announced that Focal One data has been accepted for publication in the journal of Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology. Data from the Phase 1 study confirm the feasibility of using EDAP's Focal One high intensity focused ultrasound technology for the treatment of deep invasive endometriosis. Endometriosis affects nearly 10% of women of childbearing age, which is approximately 176 million women worldwide. Digestive endometriosis affects 20% of these women. It is one of the most symptomatic forms of the disease, mostly when the rectum is involved, and is responsible for a significant decline in quality of life. The symptoms of endometriosis include pain during menstrual cycles and ovulation, defecation during or after sexual intercourse, infertility, and can impact general physical, mental, and social wellbeing. When medical treatments are ineffective, surgical resection remains the standard despite significant adverse events. Focal One HIFU, as a minimally invasive ablative procedure, may prove to be a real benefit for these women who have no effective therapeutic options today.

08:39 EST Endra Life Sciences submits Technical File for CE Mark review - Endra Life Sciences announced that it has submitted its Technical File for CE Mark review to its notified body. The CE Mark represents a company's claim that a product meets the essential requirements of relevant European directives, and it is a legal prerequisite in order to place a device on the market in the European Union.

08:36 EST FTE Networks receives delisting notice from NYSE American - FTE Network announced that on December 17, 2019 it received a letter from the NYSE American notifying the Company that the Exchange had determined to commence proceedings to delist the Company's common stock from the Exchange, pursuant to Section 1003 of the NYSE American Company Guide because the Company or its management have engaged in operations that, in the opinion of the Exchange, are contrary to the public interest. The common stock was suspended at market close on NYSE American on the same date. The Exchange stated that it will apply to the Securities and Exchange Commission to delist the Company's common stock upon completion of all applicable procedures, including any appeal by the Company of the Exchange's delisting determination. The Company has a right to request a review of this determination by a Committee of the Board of Directors of NYSE Regulation. FTE is considering this and other alternatives open to the Company to act in the best interests of its shareholders and will announce promptly any measures that its board of directors determines are appropriate.

08:35 EST PDL BioPharma announces upcoming changes to board - PDL BioPharma (PDLI) announced upcoming changes to the company's Board of Directors. Elizabeth O'Farrell, a current independent director and the former Chief Procurement Officer at Eli Lilly and Company (LLY), has been named Chairperson of the Board, effective January 1, 2020. This follows the decision by Dr. Harold Selick to retire from the company's Board at the end of the year due to his obligations as Vice Chancellor at the University of California, San Francisco. Additionally, Paul Sandman will not stand for reelection and will retire from the Board at PDL's 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. The company intends to reduce the size of its Board following each retirement. After PDL's 2020 Annual Meeting, the Board will be comprised of six directors.

08:33 EST CryoLife licenses NeoPatch U.S. distribution to Misonix - CryoLife (CRY) has entered into an agreement whereby Misonix (MSON) will have exclusive U.S. commercialization rights for CryoLife's NeoPatch product to treat a broad range of indications outside of cardiac and vascular surgery. NeoPatch can be used in advanced wound care applications as a "skin substitute" for chronic wounds. CryoLife expects to commence supplying NeoPatch to Misonix on a pilot basis beginning in 1Q20, with a full commercial launch in Q2. Pursuant to the agreement, which has a three-year term with automatic renewal provisions, Misonix is obligated to make minimum purchases over the life of the agreement.

08:32 EST CytomX plans to further clinical development of PROCLAIM-CX-072 program - CytomX Therapeutics provided an update on its lead programs and 2020 clinical portfolio outlook. PROCLAIM-CX-072 is a Phase 1/2 clinical program studying CX-072, an anti-PD-L1 Probody therapeutic in patients with solid tumors. In November 2019, the Company announced the initiation of a Simon 2 Stage Phase 2 clinical trial studying CX-072 in combination with YERVOY in relapsed or refractory melanoma. Stage 1 of this study aims to enroll up to 40 patients. The Phase 1 expansion arm of PROCLAIM-CX-072 studying CX-072 as monotherapy in selected tumor types, has completed enrollment. Data presented at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology confirmed evidence of clinical activity in several cancer types including triple negative breast cancer, squamous cell carcinoma and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma with an encouraging safety profile. At this time, CytomX plans to focus further clinical development within this program on combinations with CX-072, including the ongoing Phase 2 study with ipilimumab. PROCLAIM-CX-2009 is a Phase 1/2 clinical program studying CX-2009, an anti-CD166 Probody drug conjugate, as monotherapy for the treatment of solid tumors. The Phase 1 dose escalation and refinement stages of this trial are complete. Data reported at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research from the Phase 1 dose escalation trial showed encouraging anti-cancer activity and tolerability in several tumor types, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer and head and neck cancer. Based on these results, CytomX is initiating a Phase 2 expansion study of CX-2009 monotherapy at 7 mg/kg administered every three weeks in up to 40 patients with hormone receptor positive, HER2 negative breast cancer. "We continue to see forward

08:29 EST Kratos Defense awarded $3M contract for aviation trainer enhancements - Kratos Defense & Security Solutions announced that it was awarded a AU$4,840,720.04 contract by the Australia Department of Defence to deliver hardware, software and technical data package upgrades to their Kratos Maintenance Blended Reconfigurable Aviation Trainers and CH-47F Chinook Avionics Trainer.

08:27 EST Winnebago increases board to nine with appointment of Sara Armbruster - Winnebago Industries (WGO) announced the appointment of Sara Armbruster to its Board of Directors, effective December 18, 2019. Armbruster will sit on the Finance and Human Resources Committees. Winnebago Industries further announced it has increased the size of its Board of Directors from eight to nine. Armbruster is Vice President, Strategy, Research and Digital Transformation for Steelcase (SCS).

08:24 EST Immutep: IKF commences patient recruitment in second cohort in INSIGHT-004 trial - Immutep provides an update on the INSIGHT-004 Phase I clinical trial to evaluate the combination of eftilagimod alpha with avelumab, a human anti-PD-L1 antibody, in patients with advanced solid malignancies. Following full recruitment of the first cohort of 6 patients receiving avelumab and efti, Immutep's partner IKF has now commenced the recruitment of patients into the second cohort which will involve also 6 participants. No new safety signals or dose limiting toxicities have been reported from the first cohort of patients. The observed safety profile also aligns with the known safety profile of the monotherapies. Participants enrolled in this trial are patients with late-stage cancer who have been heavily pre-treated for advanced, metastatic solid tumors. Typically, they have no other therapy options available. Out of 6 patients, 1 patient experienced a partial response according to RECIST 1.1 More data from the study is expected to be reported in H1 CY2020.

08:20 EST Presidio announces completion of acquisition - Presidio announced the completion of its acquisition by affiliates of funds advised by BC Partners in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $2.2B, including Presidio's net debt. The transaction, which was announced on August 14, 2019, was approved by Presidio's stockholders on November 6, 2019. In connection with the closing of the transaction, the Company will be wholly owned by affiliates of funds advised by BC Partners and will continue to operate as Presidio, Inc. Presidio's common stock will be delisted from the Nasdaq Global Select Market.

08:16 EST Outlook CEO 'says 'on track' for commercial launch for ONS-5010 in 2020 - "We continue to execute against our Phase 3 clinical program for ONS-5010, and remain on track with our goal of a commercial launch in 2022, pending the successful outcome of our trials and approval by FDA," said Lawrence Kenyon, President, CEO and CFO. "We saw great progress in 2019. As we continue to make progress, 2020 will also be an important year for Outlook Therapeutics and the ONS-5010 program as we continue our efforts to provide patients and their physicians with an FDA-approved, responsibly priced, ophthalmic formulation of bevacizumab."

08:15 EST Allstate announces estimated November catastrophe losses $33M, pre-tax - Allstate announced estimated catastrophe losses for the month of November of $33M, pre-tax ($26M, after-tax). Catastrophe losses occurring in November comprised four events at an estimated cost of $19M, pre-tax ($15M, after-tax), plus unfavorable prior period reserve re-estimates primarily from 2019 events. Allstate previously announced $237M, pre-tax ($187M, after-tax), in estimated catastrophe losses for the month of October, bringing estimated catastrophe losses for the months of October and November to $270M, pre-tax ($213M, after-tax).

08:13 EST Outlook Therapeutics expects topline results from NORSE 1 study in 3Q20 - Completed patient enrollment in the NORSE 1 study for ONS-5010, an investigational ophthalmic formulation of bevacizumab, in wet age-related macular degeneration; topline results expected to be announced in the third quarter of calendar 2020.

08:11 EST Synaptics announces divestiture of Mobile LCD TDDI business for $120M - Synaptics announced it has signed a definitive agreement to divest its Asia-based, mobile LCD TDDI business to Hua Capital, through a special purpose entity backed by Hua-Capital Cayman, L.P., for $120M in cash. The company said, "The transaction has been approved by Synaptics' board of directors and by Hua Capital, is subject to customary closing conditions, and is expected to close in calendar Q2, 2020. We do not anticipate the transaction will have any significant impact on the current quarter's financial results, and questions will be answered during Synaptics' next planned earnings call."

08:10 EST BeyondSpring announces publication on mechanism of plinabulin - BeyondSpring announced that the peer reviewed journal Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology published a report on the unique mechanism of action (MoA) of the Company's lead asset, Plinabulin. The report demonstrates that Plinabulin can successfully treat chemotherapy-induced neutropenia caused by multiple chemotherapies. In addition, Plinabulin has positive effects on bone marrow cells, with a mechanism distinct from G-CSF-based therapies, the current standard of care for CIN. The paper, titled, "Plinabulin ameliorates neutropenia induced by multiple chemotherapies through a mechanism distinct from G-CSF therapies," reports on Plinabulin's ability to reduce neutropenia induced by docetaxel, cyclophosphamide or doxorubicin chemotherapy, without affecting bone marrow or blood G-CSF levels. The results support Plinabulin's clinical testing as a non-G-CSF-based treatment for CIN associated with chemotherapies of different mechanisms.

08:08 EST Internap adopts plan designed to protect NOLs - Internap Corporation announced that its Board of Directors has adopted a stockholder rights agreement in order to protect the availability of INAP's net operating losses in future tax years under the Internal Revenue Code. At December 31, 2018, INAP had $366.6M of NOLs available for use to offset INAP's future federal taxable income. INAP's ability to use its NOLs would be substantially limited if INAP experienced an "ownership change" as defined in Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code. A company generally experiences such an ownership change if the percentage of its stock owned by its "5-percent shareholders," as defined in Section 382, increases by more than 50 percentage points over a rolling three-year period. The NOL Rights Plan is intended to reduce the likelihood of such an ownership change at INAP by deterring any person or group from acquiring beneficial ownership of 4.9% or more of INAP's outstanding common stock, thereby protecting stockholder value. The NOL Rights Plan has not been adopted as an anti-takeover measure. Under the NOL Rights Plan, one right will be distributed for each share of INAP's common stock outstanding as of the close of business on December 30, 2019 and will trade with the common stock until the rights expire or detach as noted below. The distribution of the rights is not taxable to stockholders, and stockholders are not required to take any action to receive the rights. The NOL Rights Plan will have a limited term and the rights will expire prior to the earliest of December 18, 2022, the time at which the rights are redeemed or exchanged by INAP as described in the NOL Rights Plan, the day after INAP's 2020 annual meeting of shareholders if shareholders do not vote to ratify the NOL Rights Plan at the meeting, the date that Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code is repealed if the Board determines that the NOL Rights Plan is no longer needed for the preservation of tax benefits, and the first day of a taxable year if the Board determines that no tax benefits are available to be carried forward. The NOL Rights Plan may be extended by the Board prior to the expiration of the rights, as long as the extension is submitted to INAP's stockholders for ratification at the annual meeting following such extension. If at any time after the Board's adoption of the NOL Rights Plan a person or group obtains beneficial ownership of 4.9% or more of INAP's common stock outstanding at the time of such acquisition, or an existing holder with greater than 4.9% ownership acquires additional shares representing at least an additional 0.50% of INAP's common stock outstanding at the time of such acquisition, there would be triggering event causing significant dilution in the economic and voting interests of that person or group. INAP's independent directors have the discretion to exempt any person or group for purposes of the NOL Rights Plan if they determine the acquisition by that person or group will not jeopardize tax benefits or is otherwise in the company's best interests.

08:07 EST Chipotle says testing new restaurant design - Chipotle announced that it's testing a new restaurant design to better support its billion-dollar digital business. The evolved design will be trialed in four new restaurants of the following types: an urban store front, a standalone restaurant with a Chipotlane and an endcap unit with a Chipotlane, in Chicago, Cincinnati, and two locations in Phoenix. Additionally, the new restaurant design will be trialed in two retrofits in Newport Beach and San Diego. As part of its stage gate process, Chipotle will assess the performance of each restaurant for transactions, guest feedback, and ability to incorporate future menu innovations, among other metrics, before determining which design will roll out nationally. With Chipotle's digital business increasing in size to $1B dollars, new in-restaurant features are being installed to help reduce friction and increase convenience for customers and delivery drivers alike. Walk-up windows and premium placement for digital built in pick-up portals will allow customers to receive their food more efficiently than ever. The new restaurant design will emulate Chipotle's commitment to transparency. Open views and front row seating provide direct lines of sight into the kitchen, where crew members hand prepare fresh food with real ingredients every day. The openness of this design will aim to increase communication and foster a sense of community with the restaurants. Additionally, bottled beverages will be more accessible with a customer-facing reach in cooler built into the serving line.

08:05 EST Tetra Bio Pharma expects FDA review to be complete before end of January - Tetra Bio-Pharma provided an update on its ongoing regulatory activities with both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Health Canada. In November 2019, Tetra provided additional data on CAUMZ to the FDA as part of its Type B Meeting. The data demonstrate that a surrogate endpoint could be used to support drug approval under the Accelerated Approval pathway, potentially expediting patients' access to important treatments for serious conditions. The FDA determined that this additional data was substantial and that the FDA needed additional time to complete its review, which now includes consulting its Surrogate Endpoint Committee. FDA can allow the use of a surrogate endpoint that can predict clinical benefit, but is not itself a measure of clinical benefit. "We are extremely happy by the FDA's response. We believe it signals FDA consideration of an Accelerated Approval and the additional review time is to carefully and adequately review this request," said Dr. Guy Chamberland, CEO and Chief Regulatory Officer of Tetra. "We anticipate FDA to complete its review before the end of January 2020." Additionally, on the company's two OTC DIN applications submitted to Health Canada in November, as highlighted in its press release on November 26, 2019, Tetra confirms that both applications have made it through the screening phase of the review process. Both applications are continuing through the review process and the company continues to anticipate commercial launch in Canada in pharmacy retail outlets in early 2020.

08:04 EST National CineMedia CFO Katie Scherping to retire - National CineMedia announced that CFO Katie Scherping is retiring as CFO as of March 12, 2020. The board has retained a national executive search firm to identify a new CFO to succeed her. Scherping will stay on as a consultant after March to support the transition to the new CFO.

08:03 EST Catalyst Biosciences, Biogen announce collaboration agreement for CB 2782 - Catalyst Biosciences (CBIO) announced it has entered into a global license and collaboration agreement with Biogen (BIIB) for the development and commercialization of pegylated CB 2782 for the potential treatment of geographic atrophy associated dry age-related macular degeneration. Under the terms of the agreement, Biogen will receive an exclusive worldwide license to develop and commercialize CB 2782-PEG and Catalyst's other anti-C3 proteases for the potential treatment of dry AMD. Catalyst will perform pre-clinical and manufacturing activities and Biogen will be solely responsible for funding the pre-clinical and manufacturing activities and performing Investigational New Drug-enabling activities, worldwide clinical development, and commercialization. Catalyst will receive a $15M upfront payment and is eligible to receive up to $340M in clinical, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments plus future tiered royalties based on net sales. Catalyst presented preclinical data on CB 2782-PEG at the 2019 Annual Meeting of the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology in Vancouver, British Columbia. The comprehensive study demonstrated CB 2782-PEG's potential for efficacy and improved convenience. Key highlights included an increase in CB 2782's ocular half-life following PEGylation without compromising activity. Importantly, a single intravitreal injection of 125 mug CB 2782-PEG in non-human primates eliminated greater than 99% of the C3 from the vitreous humor for at least 28 days.

08:01 EST FPT Industrial to acquire Dolphin N2, terms not disclosed - FPT Industrial, the global powertrain brand of CNH Industrial, announced its agreement to acquire 100% of Dolphin N2, a startup specialized in innovative internal combustion engine technology, and a spin-out company from Ricardo - a global and strategic, technical and environmental consultancy company specialized in the transport, energy and scarce resources sectors. With this acquisition, FPT Industrial aims to advance this expertise, substantially increasing fuel efficiency while reducing operating costs and CO2 emissions, initially for long-haul trucks and other heavy-duty applications. This technology could also be extended to other industrial segments across the complete power range, and will be suitable for all fuels, with ad hoc configuration for a range of liquid fuel and gas applications.

07:39 EST Asanko Gold receives final $10M JV payment from Gold Fields - Asanko Gold (GFI) has received the final $10M payment from Gold Fields pursuant to the Joint Venture Agreement which was concluded on July 31, 2018 whereby Asanko and Gold Fields became 50:50 joint venture partners of the Asanko Gold Mine, located in Ghana, West Africa, which is operated by Asanko. This $10M payment completes the receipt by Asanko of the gross proceeds of $185M associated with the 50:50 Joint Venture Agreement. In addition, with the significant capital expenditure program completed at the AGM and the operations continuing to generate positive free cashflow, the AGM has commenced returning invested capital to the joint venture partners. The distribution in Q4 amounted to a total of $20M with $10M paid to Asanko and $10M paid to Gold Fields. It is expected that loan repayments going forward may be made quarterly subject to certain liquidity tests.

07:37 EST Moleculin Biotech's Annamycin shows breast tumor reversal in animals - Moleculin Biotech presented a poster at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium for Annamycin in breast cancer. CEO Walter Klemp said, amont other things "Our ongoing sponsored research at MD Anderson has now resulted in new patented discoveries that clearly demonstrate unusually high activity of Annamycin against lung metastatic cancers in animal models. (...) Our research suggests that the surprisingly high activity of Annamycin in animal models of lung metastases may be, in part, due to the high level of accumulation of Annamycin in the lungs. We believe the tumor growth inhibition and even tumor regression observed with Annamycin might offer a new treatment option for patients with lung localized cancers (...) the published poster (...) shows substantially increased survival in both triple negative breast cancer and colon cancer lung metastases animal models (...) We're not just seeing a reduction in tumor growth, but often a reversal of tumor activity resulting in an almost complete reduction of tumor burden. We believe our research continues to support the view that Annamycin has market potential far beyond the treatment of acute leukemia as indicated by our ongoing US and European clinical trials. (...) we believe Annamycin may be able to fill the existing void of effective chemotherapeutics for lung metastases and bring hope to a large population of patients in the USA and around the world, as the lungs are among the most common sites of cancer metastases."

07:36 EST Agenus says first patient dosed with AGEN1181 - Agenus announced the first patient dosed with AGEN1181, an anti-CTLA-4 antibody, in combination with balstilimab, Agenus' PD-1 inhibitor. Agenus began this study as a monotherapy in patients with advanced solid tumors within a Phase 1 dose escalation study in April, 2019.

07:35 EST Conagra Brands: Updated FY20 guidance reflects sale of DSD snacks business - The company updated its fiscal 2020 guidance primarily to reflect the divestiture of the DSD snacks business and the exit of its private label peanut butter business, the process of which began subsequent to the quarter close. The updated guidance includes the expected results from the Lender's business for the full fiscal year.

07:32 EST Conagra Brands sees 'strong second-half performance' in 2020 - Sean Connolly, president and CEO of Conagra Brands, commented, "Our second quarter results reflect solid execution in applying the Conagra Way playbook across our portfolio. We maintained our strong momentum in frozen and snacks. We also made good progress on our large grocery brands, Hunt's and Chef Boyardee, both of which made sequential improvements. We also continued to make very good progress on the Pinnacle integration, and we remain squarely on-track with our plans to improve key Pinnacle brands." He continued, "Our expectation for fiscal 2020 remains that first-half investments will result in strong second-half performance. The second-half is when we expect to see the greatest impact from new frozen and snacks innovation, continued smart promotional support in key grocery brands, the ongoing implementation of our Pinnacle action plan, and synergy capture."

07:32 EST Ascena Retail announces 1-for-20 reverse stock split - ascena retail group announced that the Company's board of directors has approved a reverse stock split of the Company's common stock, at a ratio of 1-for-20, and a corresponding reduction in the number of the Company's authorized shares of common stock, following the approval of the reverse stock split by the Company's stockholders at the Company's annual meeting of stockholders held on December 10, 2019. The reverse stock split became effective at 5:30 p.m. on December 18, 2019. Beginning with the opening of trading on December 19, 2019, the Company's common stock will trade on the The Nasdaq Global Select Market on a split-adjusted basis under a new CUSIP number, 04351G 200. The Company's trading symbol will continue to be "ASNA." The objective of the reverse stock split is to enable the Company to regain compliance with the Nasdaq minimum share price continued listing rule as required by Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1) and maintain its listing on Nasdaq. The Company can regain compliance with the Nasdaq minimum share price requirement by maintaining a closing bid price of $1.00 per share for a minimum of ten consecutive business days prior to January 27, 2020. The reverse stock split reduced the number of shares of common stock issued and outstanding from approximately 199,444,436 to approximately 9,972,221. The authorized number of shares of common stock has been reduced by a corresponding ratio to 18 million. The reverse stock split affects all issued and outstanding shares of the Company's common stock and shares held in treasury, as well as the number of shares of common stock available for issuance under the Company's stock incentive plans and outstanding awards subject to those plans.

07:30 EST Xperi Corp trading resumes

07:25 EST Apergy, Ecolab transaction to be effected through 'Reverse Morris Trust' - The Combined Company will benefit from the strengths and capabilities of Apergy and ChampionX. Sivasankaran Somasundaram, current Apergy President and Chief Executive Officer, will serve as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Combined Company. Jay Nutt, current Chief Financial Officer of Apergy, will serve as Chief Financial Officer of the Combined Company, and Deric Bryant, current Executive Vice President & President of Ecolab's Upstream Energy business, will serve as Chief Operating Officer of the Combined Company. Deric will have responsibility for ChampionX, as well as responsibility for the integration of the two companies and synergy capture. Additional senior leadership positions for the new company will be named at a later date. The size of the Apergy Board will be increased and two new directors designated by Ecolab will be appointed to the Board. Daniel Rabun, current Chairman of Apergy, will serve as Chairman of the Combined Company. The Combined Company will be headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas, and will have operations in over 55 countries. The transaction will be effected through a "Reverse Morris Trust" transaction pursuant to which ChampionX is expected to be spun-off to Ecolab's shareholders and simultaneously merged with and surviving as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Apergy. The transaction is expected to be tax-free to Ecolab and its shareholders and Apergy's shareholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes. At the completion of the transaction, Apergy will issue approximately 127 million shares on a fully diluted basis to existing Ecolab shareholders and assume estimated net debt of approximately $492 million. Based on Apergy's closing price of $30.67 on December 18, 2019, the transaction values Ecolab's ChampionX business at $4.4 billion, which represents approximately 12.5x 2019 estimated EBITDA, and approximately 10.3x 2019 estimated EBITDA including full-run rate cost synergies; as well as less than 9.5x 2020 estimated EBITDA including full run-rate cost synergies. Existing Ecolab shareholders will own approximately 62% of the Combined Company on a fully diluted basis, with existing shareholders of Apergy owning approximately 38% of the Combined Company on a fully diluted basis. Both sets of shareholders will jointly participate in the expected synergies and other benefits of the combination. ChampionX and Bank of America executed a term loan facility commitment letter pursuant to which Bank of America has committed to provide a term loan financing, subject to customary conditions, to ChampionX for approximately $537 million to fund a net cash payment of approximately $492 million to Ecolab. At closing, ChampionX is expected to have approximately $45 million of cash. Apergy has also obtained fully underwritten commitments to amend its existing debt facilities and guarantee the ChampionX debt to permit the transaction. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including effectiveness of Apergy Form S-4 and Ecolab Form 10; Apergy shareholder approval; consummation of the ChampionX separation from Ecolab; for Ecolab, receipt of tax opinions; and regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2020.

07:21 EST Apergy to combine with Ecolab's upstream business - Apergy (APY) and Ecolab (ECL) announced that their boards have approved a definitive agreement pursuant to which Ecolab will separate the Upstream Energy business of Nalco and simultaneously combine it with Apergy in a tax-free transaction, creating a scaled, global leader in production-optimization solutions. The merger combines Apergy with Ecolab's ChampionX business, which is expected to generate approximately $2.4B in revenue in 2019, and consists of the drilling, completion, and energy production, chemistry sciences, and solutions operations currently included within Ecolab's Energy segment. The downstream chemistry solutions business from Ecolab's former Energy segment will be retained by Ecolab. Following the completion of the transaction, the Combined Company will have approximately $3.5B in pro forma 2019 sales, with a strong balance sheet and robust free cash flow generation. The Combined Company will provide greater scale, a larger geographic footprint, enhanced customer touch points, and low leverage supported by strong cash flow generation through the oil and gas cycle. The transaction will be effected through a "Reverse Morris Trust" transaction pursuant to which ChampionX is expected to be spun-off to Ecolab's shareholders and simultaneously merged with and surviving as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Apergy. The transaction is expected to be tax-free to Ecolab and its shareholders and Apergy's shareholders for U.S. federal income tax purposes. At the completion of the transaction, Apergy will issue approximately 127M shares on a fully diluted basis to existing Ecolab shareholders and assume estimated net debt of approximately $492M. Based on Apergy's closing price of $30.67 on December 18, the transaction values Ecolab's ChampionX business at $4.4B, which represents approximately 12.5x 2019 estimated EBITDA, and approximately 10.3x 2019 estimated EBITDA including full-run rate cost synergies; as well as less than 9.5x 2020 estimated EBITDA including full run-rate cost synergies. Existing Ecolab shareholders will own approximately 62% of the Combined Company on a fully diluted basis, with existing shareholders of Apergy owning approximately 38% of the Combined Company on a fully diluted basis. Both sets of shareholders will jointly participate in the expected synergies and other benefits of the combination. ChampionX and Bank of America executed a term loan facility commitment letter pursuant to which Bank of America has committed to provide a term loan financing, subject to customary conditions, to ChampionX for approximately $537M to fund a net cash payment of approximately $492M to Ecolab. At closing, ChampionX is expected to have approximately $45M of cash. Apergy has also obtained fully underwritten commitments to amend its existing debt facilities and guarantee the ChampionX debt to permit the transaction. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including effectiveness of Apergy Form S-4 and Ecolab Form 10; Apergy shareholder approval; consummation of the ChampionX separation from Ecolab; for Ecolab, receipt of tax opinions; and regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2020.

07:20 EST Prudential authorizes repurchase of up to $2.0B of outstanding shares - Prudential is announcing that its board of directors has authorized the repurchase of up to $2.0B of its outstanding Common Stock during the period from January 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. The timing and amount of any share repurchases under the company's share repurchase authorization will be determined by management based on market conditions and other considerations, the company stated.

07:15 EST Revive Therapeutics provides update on Cannabis-based pharmaceutical initiatives - Revive Therapeutics provided an update on its cannabis-based pharmaceuticals initiatives in its objective in offering novel therapies for unmet medical needs in large and rare disease markets. "Revive has a robust cannabis pharma focused patent portfolio, targeting multi-billion dollar disease markets, which includes exclusive rights to issued U.S. patents based on a unique drug delivery technology and the use of Cannabidiol for the potential treatment of a rare liver disease," said Michael Frank, Chief Executive of Revive. "We are pursuing drug development strategies that we believe will result in lower development costs and market exclusivity for our cannabis-based pharmaceutical products while expediting the clinical development and regulatory pathway of our products and paving the way for partnering with global pharmaceutical and medical focused cannabis companies." Revive intends to build a unique cannabis-based pharmaceutical product portfolio leveraging its novel drug delivery technology that aims to deliver both synthetic cannabinoids and natural extracts of cannabis in a potential number of ways such as topical gels, creams or ointments, oral or transdermal patches, and oral dosages. The delivery technology is a natural, non-toxic, biodegradable and biocompatible composite that combines a tannin material, which is derived from a plant group having antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant and wound healing properties, and a chitosan material, which is derived from the crustacean group having blood-clotting and antimicrobial properties. The delivery technology has rapid onset of action and controlled or sustained release potential capabilities and may allow to combine multiple cannabinoids or cannabis extracts in one formulation. The Company seeks to develop novel drug products leveraging its drug delivery technology and targeting multi-billion dollar market opportunities in pain, inflammatory skin disorders, wound healing applications, and liver diseases. The Company will announce a number of pharmaceutical-based initiatives from its drug delivery technology and orphan drug product pipeline as they progress in the near-term.

07:13 EST Kezar Life Sciences appoints Elizabeth Garner to board of directors - Kezar Life Sciences (KZR) announced the appointment of Elizabeth Garner, MD, MPH to its Board of Directors. Dr. Garner is currently the CMO of ObsEva (OBSV).

07:10 EST Xperi, TiVo to merge in all-stock deal representing about $3B of combined value - Xperi (XPER) and TiVo (TIVO) announced they entered into a definitive agreement to combine in an all-stock transaction, representing approximately $3B of combined enterprise value. The transaction creates a leading consumer and entertainment technology business and one of the industry's largest intellectual property, or IP, licensing platforms with a diverse portfolio of entertainment and semiconductor intellectual property. The merger agreement provides for a 0.455 fixed exchange ratio, which implies a 15% premium to TiVo's shareholders based on each of Xperi's and TiVo's 90-day volume-weighted average share prices. At close, Xperi shareholders will own approximately 46.5% of the combined business, and TiVo shareholders will own approximately 53.5%. Under the terms of the merger agreement, the shares of TiVo and Xperi stockholders will be converted into the shares of the new parent company based on a fixed exchange ratio of 0.455 Xperi share per existing TiVo share. Upon completion of the merger, Xperi stockholders will own approximately 46.5% and TiVo stockholders will own approximately 53.5% of the new parent company on a fully diluted basis. In connection with the transaction each company's debt will be refinanced on a combined basis. To meet this objective, the companies have secured $1.1B of committed financing from Bank of America and Royal Bank of Canada. Following the completion of the transaction, Xperi's CCEO, Jon Kirchner, will serve as CEO of the new parent company and Xperi's CFO, Robert Andersen, will serve as CFO. TiVo's CEO, David Shull, will continue as a strategic advisor to ensure a successful integration. The board of the new parent company will consist of seven directors, including Xperi CEO Jon Kirchner, in addition to three directors appointed by Xperi and three directors appointed by TiVo. The Chair of the Board will be selected by the independent directors of the board. The new parent company will assume the Xperi name but will continue to provide entertainment services under the TiVo brand, alongside Xperi's premium DTS, HD Radio, and IMAX Enhanced brands. The company will be headquartered in San Jose, California. This transaction has been approved by the boards of both companies and is expected to close during Q2 of 2020, subject to regulatory approvals, the approval by the shareholders of each company, and other customary closing conditions.

07:08 EST Rite Aid reports Q3 adjusted EBITDA $158.1M vs. $142.8M last year - Q3 Retail Pharmacy Segment same store sales from continuing operations decreased 0.1% over the prior year period, consisting of a 0.1% increase in pharmacy sales and a 0.5% decrease in front-end sales. Front-end same store sales, excluding cigarettes and tobacco products, increased 1.0%. Pharmacy sales were negatively impacted by approximately 331 basis points as a result of new generic introductions. The number of prescriptions filled in same stores, adjusted to 30-day equivalents, increased 2.8% over the prior year period resulting primarily from the company's continued emphasis on driving clinical services, including immunizations.

07:07 EST Exelixis, Roche announce agreement to evaluate cabozantinib with atezolizumab - Exelixis (EXEL) announced a collaboration agreement with Roche (RHHBY) to evaluate cabozantinib, Exelixis' small molecule inhibitor of receptor tyrosine kinases, in combination with atezolizumab, Roche's PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor, in patients with locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors. The clinical program, which will be co-funded by the companies, is expected to include three phase 3 pivotal trials in advanced non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC, castration-resistant prostate cancer, or CRPC, and renal cell carcinoma, or RCC. The clinical development collaboration builds on activity observed in the phase 1b COSMIC-021 trial. The trial is currently enrolling 24 expansion cohorts in 12 tumor types including RCC, NSCLC and CRPC.

07:06 EST Darden CEO says 'we had a good quarter' - "We had a good quarter with continued same-restaurant sales growth outpacing the casual dining industry benchmarks, especially at LongHorn," said CEO Gene Lee. "We continue to see that consumers are willing to visit brands with compelling value and strong guest experiences."

07:05 EST Xperi, TiVo enter all-stock combination agreement

07:03 EST Ericsson, Microsoft to combine connected vehicle cloud and platform - Ericsson (ERIC) and Microsoft (MSFT) are bringing their connected vehicle expertise together. Ericsson is building its connected vehicle cloud on top of the Microsoft connected vehicle platform that is running on the Microsoft Azure cloud platform. The solution allows automakers to deploy and scale global vehicle services such as fleet management, over-the-air software updates and connected safety services. Ericsson's connected vehicle cloud connects more than 4M vehicles across 180 countries worldwide, approximately 10% of the connected vehicle market. The platform is tailored to fit vehicle manufacturers' demand for scalability with the capability of supporting any connected vehicle service. Ericsson's connected vehicle cloud offloads vehicle manufacturers' global 24/7 operations and lifecycle management related to connected vehicles with a guaranteed service-level agreement. The Microsoft connected vehicle platform, or MCVP, empowers automotive companies to accelerate the delivery of connected driving experiences. It combines cloud infrastructure, edge technology as well as AI and IoT services with a diverse partner ecosystem. With MCVP, Microsoft offers a cloud-connected platform across all digital scenarios on top of which customer-facing solutions can be built, including in-vehicle infotainment, advanced navigation, autonomous driving, telematics and prediction services, and over-the-air updates.

07:03 EST Hoth Therapeutics collaborating with Weill Cornell Medicine for acne gene block - Hoth Therapeutics entered into a research collaboration agreement with Weill Cornell Medicine to examine the ability of retinoic acid metabolism blocking agents, or RAMBA, to block acne pathogenic gene expression in human keratinocytes, mouse skin, and carcinogenesis in mice. The research collaboration will be conducted in three phases for a period of one year.

07:01 EST Darden reports Q2 blended same-restaurant sales up 2%

06:58 EST TiVo trading halted, news pending

06:50 EST Accenture CEO says 'very pleased with strong first-quarter financial results' - Julie Sweet, Accenture's CEO, said, "We are very pleased with our strong first-quarter financial results and the continued momentum across our business. With 9 percent revenue growth in local currency, we again gained significant market share. We also delivered strong profitability and cash flow, and returned $1.2 billion in cash to shareholders while continuing to invest significantly in our business. Our strong, broad-based results across industries and geographic markets reflect the diversity and scale of Accenture's business around the world. With our unparalleled technology capabilities, deep industry and function expertise, focus on continuous innovation, and incredibly talented people, we are uniquely positioned to continue driving value for our clients and all our stakeholders."

06:48 EST Accenture raises quarterly dividend 10% to 80c per share - Accenture has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 80c per share for shareholders of record at the close of business on Jan. 16, 2020. This dividend is payable on Feb. 14, 2020.

06:36 EST Chevron to acquire Puma Energy Holdings for AU$425M - Chevron Australia Downstream, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Chevron Corporation, announced that it has signed a conditional Share Sale Agreement with Puma Energy Asia Pacific B.V. to acquire all shares and equity interests of Puma Energy Holdings for the amount of AU$425M. Puma Energy Holdings and its subsidiaries hold assets including a network of company-owned and retailer-owned service stations in Australia, a commercial and industrial fuels business, owned or leased seaboard import terminals and fuel distribution depots. The acquisition of Puma Energy Holdings is expected to close in mid-2020, subject to regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

06:31 EST IAC, Match Group announce agreement to separate Match Group from IAC - IAC (IAC) and Match Group (MTCH) announced the entry into a definitive agreement providing for the full separation of Match Group from the remaining businesses of IAC. The agreement has been approved by the board of each of IAC and Match Group, and was recommended to the Board of Directors of Match Group by a special committee made up of disinterested directors. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2020 and result in IAC and Match Group becoming two independent thriving public companies. The transaction, which is expected to be tax free, will give IAC shareholders direct ownership of Match Group while capitalizing IAC to pursue new opportunities and enabling management to focus on undervalued assets within IAC. As a fully independent company, Match Group will benefit from increased strategic flexibility, enhanced trading liquidity, and the eligibility for index inclusion.

06:31 EST IAC, Match Group announce agreement to separate Match Group from IAC -

06:16 EST Rubicon Project, Telaria to combine in a stock-for-stock merger

06:07 EST KBR awarded Project Management Consultancy Services contract by NNPC - KBR announced it has been awarded the Project Management Consultancy Services contract by Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, or NNPC, for front-end engineering design, or FEED, definition at the NNPC headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria. Under the terms of the contract, KBR, as co-consultant with the National Engineering and Technical Company, or NETCO, will provide technical consultancy services for four greenfield refineries in the ANOH and Western Forcados area. This work is expected to be performed over a six-month period with KBR providing strategic advisory consulting on elimination of condensate from oil export streams which will reduce dependency and expense of imported refined products. The main objective of the project is upgrading gas condensate to valuable refined fuel products. This reduces the country's dependence on costly imported fuels and is well aligned with KBR's gas monetization and asset optimization strategies. Together, these strategies provide a valuable, sustainable solution to Nigeria in matters of fuel security, economic development and regional capacity building.

06:03 EST Legacy Acquisition Corp extends deadline to complete business combination - Legacy Acquisition Corp. announced that it has elected to extend the date by which it has to consummate a business combination from December 21, 2019 to January 21, 2020. As previously reported, at a special meeting held on October 22, Legacy's stockholders approved and adopted an amendment to the amended and restated certificate of incorporation of Legacy to extend the date by which Legacy has to consummate a business combination from November 21 to December 21, with an option for Legacy to further extend such date up to five times, initially to January 21, 2020 and thereafter by up to four additional 30-day periods ending on May 20, 2020. Legacy now has until January 21, 2020 to consummate its proposed business combination and may further extend such deadline by up to four additional 30-day periods ending on May 20, 2020.

05:33 EST InterDigital awarded U.S. DOD contract for mmW project - InterDigital announced that its partner, Shared Spectrum Company, or SSC, has been awarded a U.S. Army Small Business Innovation Research contract aimed at understanding the role of millimeter wave, or mmW, technology for army tactical communications. InterDigital will work alongside SSC to research and develop cost effective communication systems for use in Anti-Access and Area Denial, or A2AD, environments. The mmW for Army Tactical Communications project will be carried out in three phases and is expected to conclude in 2022.

05:19 EST Cellcom Israel announces CEO resignation, enhanced role for chairman Ami Erel - Cellcom Israel announced that Nir Sztern, the company's CEO, informed the board of his intention to resign as CEO in the near term at a date yet to be determined, and the board nominated a committee to oversee the process for locating and selecting a new CEO. The board reiterated its continued commitment to the company's previously announced restructuring plan and announced that the company's chairman of the board, Ami Erel, will actively manage the CEO transition, as well as provide executive oversight of the execution of the company's operations and its restructuring plan during the transition period.