Stockwinners Market Radar for March 03, 2020 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:49 EST East West Bancorp announces $500M share buyback - East West Bancorp announced that its board authorized the repurchase of up to $500 million of East West's common stock, par value $0.001 per share. This $500M repurchase authorization is inclusive of the company's $100M stock repurchase authorization currently outstanding.

19:36 EST Triumph Group say no coronavirus impact on revenue thus far - The company states: "Triumph Group Iis closely monitoring the continuing developments related to the Coronavirus and is following the guidance of the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control, and other health agencies. To date, there has been no material impact to Triumph's backlog or revenue as a result of coronavirus and the company currently anticipates no material impact to results for FY20 which ends March 31, 2020."

19:08 EST Fly Intel: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Covetrus (CVET) up 13.2%... Durect Corp (DRRX) up 12.2%... Yext (YEXT) up 10.0%... Benefitfocus (BNFT) up 9.9%... Vivus (VVUS) up 9.0%... Voyager Therapeutics (VYGR) up 7.9%... Ambarella (AMBA) up 7.6%... OneSpan (OSPN) up 5.1%...Veeva Systems (VEEV) up 2.5%. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Cardlytics (CDLX) down 29.4%... AeroVironment (AVAV) down 10.4%... Urban Outfitters (URBN) down 7.5%... Nordstrom (JWN) down 7.3%... Health Insurance Innovations (HIIQ) down 6.5%... HP Enterprise (HPE) down 5.5%... Ross Stores (ROST) down 4.1%... Cytokinetics (CYTK) down 3.9%... Vectrus (VEC) down 3.5%... Synacor (SYNC) down 2.6%. Movers as of 18:45ET.

18:58 EST Webster Financial cuts prime lending rate to 4.25% from 4.75% - Webster Financial Corporation, the holding company for Webster Bank, N.A. and its HSA Bank division, announced that it has lowered its prime lending rate to 4.25% from 4.75%effective tomorrow, March 4, 2020.

18:54 EST Invitation Homes COO sells 20.2K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Invitation Homes disclosed that its COO Charles Young sold 20.2K shares of common stock on March 3rd. The total transaction size was $602K.

18:32 EST OMA reports February passenger traffic up 12.7% - Mexican airport operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte, S.A.B. de C.V., known as OMA, reports that terminal passenger traffic at its 13 airports increased 12.7% in February 2020, as compared to February 2019. Domestic traffic increased 12.6%, and international traffic increased 13.5%.

18:22 EST Google rolls out Hangouts Meet video capabilities for free amid COVID-19 spread - Alphabet's Google said that, in response to the spread of COVID-19, it will start rolling out this week free access to its advanced Hangouts Meet video-conferencing capabilities to all G Suite and G Suite for Education customers globally including: Larger meetings, for up to 250 participants per call; Live streaming for up to 100,000 viewers within a domain; The ability to record meetings and save them to Google Drive. These features are typically available in the Enterprise edition of G Suite and in G Suite Enterprise for Education, and will be available at no additional cost to all customers until July 1, 2020, the company said. Reference Link

18:07 EST Chevron director buy 6.6K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Chevron disclosed that its director Charles Moorman bought 6,551 shares of common stock on February 28th. The total transaction size was $599K.

17:53 EST Acadia announces FDA granted rare pediatric disease designation to trofinetide - Acadia and Neuren Pharmaceuticals announced that the FDA granted rare pediatric disease, or RPD, designation to trofinetide for the treatment of Rett syndrome, a serious and rare neurological disorder. Upon FDA approval of a product with RPD designation, the sponsor may be eligible to receive a priority review voucher, which can be used to obtain FDA review of a new drug application for another product in an expedited period of six months.

17:37 EST Dow Inc. director Jeff Fettig buys 15,000 shares of company stock - Dow Inc. director Jeff Fettig disclosed in a filing that he had purchased 15,000 shares of company stock at an average price of $38.13 per share on February 28. The total transaction value of the purchase was $571,950.

17:32 EST Nvidia CFO Colette Kress sells over $540K in company shares - Nvidia CFO Colette Kress disclosed in a filing that she had sold 2,000 shares of company stock at an average price of $270.50 per share on March 2. The total transaction value of the sale was $540,991.

17:31 EST Airbus awarded $122.66M Army contract modification - Airbus was awarded a $122.66M modification to a contract for procurement of 15 UH-72 Aircraft. Work will be performed in Columbus, Mississippi, with an estimated completion date of August 31, 2022. FY18 aircraft procurement, Army funds in the amount of $122.66M were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command is the contracting activity.

17:19 EST Highwoods Properties reports no damage from Nashville tornado - Highwoods Properties reported, after having conducted a thorough assessment, that none of its assets have sustained any damage due to last night's tornado in Nashville. This assessment is inclusive of the company's underway development projects.

17:16 EST U.S. Bancorp cuts prime lending rate by 50bps to 4.25% - U.S. Bancorp announced it has decreased its prime lending rate to 4.25% from 4.75%, effective tomorrow, March 4, 2020, at all U.S. Bank locations.

17:10 EST Alteryx director Jeff Horing sells almost $5M in company shares - Alteryx director Jeff Horing disclosed in a filing that he had sold 35,000 shares of company stock at an average price of $138.86 per share on February 28. The total transaction value of the sale was $4,860,205.

17:03 EST Volaris reports February traffic up 17.4% and capacity up 15.6% - Volaris reported February 2020 preliminary traffic results. In February 2020, capacity measured by Available Seat Miles increased by 15.6% vs the same period of last year, while demand measured by Revenue Passenger Miles increased 21.0% year over year. Volaris transported a total of 1.8M passengers during the month of February, an increase of 17.4% year over year. Network load factor for February 2020 was 85.1%, an increase of 3.7 pp versus last year.

16:52 EST Wright Medical director sells 43K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Wright Medical disclosed that its director Richard Wallman sold 43K shares of common stock on March 2nd. The total transaction size is $1.30M.

16:45 EST Wells Fargo cuts prime rate by 50bps to 4.25% - Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., said today it is decreasing its prime rate to 4.25% from 4.75%, effective tomorrow, March 4, 2020.

16:36 EST MorphoSys, Incyte announce tafasitamab collaboration gets antitrust clearance - MorphoSys (MOR) and Incyte (INCY) announced that their joint collaboration and license agreement for the further development and global commercialization of MorphoSys' investigational compound tafasitamab has received antitrust clearance and becomes effective immediately. The agreement becoming effective triggers the $750M upfront payment by Incyte to MorphoSys, as well as Incyte's equity investment into MorphoSys of $150M in new American depositary shares within the defined timelines.

16:34 EST OneMain Holdings announces $100M share repurchase program - OneMain Holdings announced that its board has approved a share repurchase program for up to $100M of the company's outstanding common stock, with no stated expiration.

16:31 EST Rand Capital announces special dividend of $1.62 - Rand Capital has declared a special dividend of $23.7M, or approximately $1.62 per share, in connection with its plans to elect to become a regulated investment company for U.S. federal tax purposes beginning with tax year 2020. The special dividend will be paid in a combination of cash and shares of the company's common stock to shareholders of record at the close of business on April 2, 2020.

16:29 EST Centene sees FY20 health benefits ratio of approximately 85.9%-86.3% - Sees FY20: Selling, general and administrative expense ratio of approximately 9.3%-9.7%; Adjusted SG&A expense ratio of approximately 8.9%-9.3%, which excludes approximately $385M of acquisition related expenses; Effective tax rate of approximately 38.0%-40.0%, including the effect of the Health Insurer fee.

16:26 EST Cornerstone Building Brands sees FY20 CapEx 2%-2.5% of net sales - Sees FY20: Cash interest of approximately $200M; Effective tax rate of approximately 30%; cash taxes of approximately $60M; Benefits from primary working capital improvement to generate approximately $50M of cash; To incur approximately $25M of restructuring costs to achieve $60M of savings.

16:26 EST KeyCorp lowers prime lending rate to 4.25% from 4.75% - KeyCorp and its banking affiliates have lowered their prime lending rate to 4.25% from 4.75%, effective tomorrow, March 4.

16:24 EST Horizon Technology declares special cash distribution of 5c - Horizon Technology Finance announced that its board of directors has declared monthly cash distributions of 10c per share payable in each of April, May and June 2020 and a special distribution of 5c per share payable in April. These monthly and special distributions, payable as set forth in the table below, total 35c per share. Including the monthly and special distributions declared in the first quarter of 2020, Horizon has declared $12.97 per share in cumulative distributions since its 2010 initial public offering.

16:23 EST Kadant increases quarterly dividend - Kadant announced that its board increased its quarterly cash dividend to stockholders to 24c per share to be paid on May 5 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on April 7.

16:21 EST Capital City Bank forms Capital City Home Loans - Capital City Bank completed its acquisition of 51% ownership of BrandMortgage on March 1, and mortgage lending services of both companies are now offered under the name of Capital City Home Loans. This strategic alliance was first announced in December 2019.

16:19 EST Urban Outfitters slips 2.7% after reporting Q4 earnings results

16:14 EST BGC Partners takes safety measures to prevent spread of coronavirus - BGC Partners announced that it is taking certain proactive and preventative safety measures due to the spread of the novel coronavirus. BGC has been carefully monitoring the evolving situation following the outbreak of COVID-19, which was declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization on January 30. After a close review of guidance by global health authorities and out of an abundance of caution, BGC has implemented temporary travel restrictions on its employees globally, effective immediately. Due to these restrictions, and because a significant percentage of BGC's executives and senior managers are based outside of the U.S., the Company made the difficult decision to withdraw from exhibiting in or participating in various industry conferences. This included the 45th International Futures Industry Conference, which was previously scheduled to be held in Boca Raton, Florida from March 10-12. In addition, BGC is postponing its Fenics1 half-day event for sell-side analysts and professional investors, which was previously scheduled to be held in New York City on Wednesday, April 8, 2020. BGC currently expects to hold an investor event in the second half of 2020. The Company also anticipates disclosing additional financial information with respect to Fenics when it releases its financial results for the first quarter of 2020 in May of this year and in subsequent quarters.

16:13 EST Syndax expects operating expenses for first two quarters to increase - Financial guidance for the second half of 2020 will be issued after we get the result of the E2112 study. We expect our operating expenses for the first two quarters of 2020 to increase over the quarterly operating expenses we reported for the second half of 2019. R&D expenses will increase, primarily due to increased development activities for SNDX-5613, our menin inhibitor, and for axatilamab. G&A expenses will increase, primarily due to increased entinostat pre-commercial activities. For Q1 and Q2, research and development expenses are expected to be $12M-$14M, and total operating expenses are expected to be $17M-$19M. Given our cash operating expense guidance, we expect to end the Q2 with more than $80M of cash, which gives us the financial flexibility to take advantage of key development milestones well into 2021.

16:12 EST Black Knight acquires Collateral Analytics, terms not disclosed - Black Knight announced that it has acquired Collateral Analytics, a provider of real estate analytic products and tools to support appraisers, appraisal management companies, lenders, investors and government agencies. The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

16:11 EST OrthoPediatrics announces direct sales agency expansion in Italy - OrthoPediatrics Corp. announced an updated agreement with Medical 2011 to act as OrthoPediatrics' exclusive sales agency in Italy. Medical 2011 has served as OrthoPediatrics' stocking distributor since 2013 and under the terms of the agreement, OrthoPediatrics will sell direct to hospitals in Italy with Medical 2011 as the company's exclusive sales agency.

16:10 EST Fox Corp. not participating in Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conf. - Fox Corporation announced that FOX will no longer be participating in the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference on March 4. The decision was made out of an abundance of caution due to evolving public health concerns regarding COVID-19.

16:09 EST Durect says 'on track to announce top-line NASH data mid-year' - "The highlight of the year for DURECT in 2019 was achieving positive results from our DUR-928 Phase 2a alcoholic hepatitis study, which were featured in multiple presentations at the Liver Meeting 2019, including a late-breaking oral presentation by Dr. Tarek Hassanein," stated James E. Brown, D.V.M., President and CEO of DURECT. "In addition, we have already exceeded our 60 patient enrollment target in the ongoing NASH trial, and the last patient is scheduled to begin the 28-day dosing period next week. We are on track to announce top-line NASH data mid-year. We are also making steady progress toward starting a Phase 2b AH clinical trial by mid-year. In January 2020, the FDA held an Advisory Committee meeting to discuss our POSIMIR NDA resubmission. Subsequently, we have continued to interact with FDA as they continue their review."

16:06 EST Voyager Therapeutics sees cash, marketable debt securities $150M-$170M - Based on the company's current operating plan, Voyager anticipates cash, cash equivalents and marketable debt securities will be between $150 million and $170 million at the end of 2020. Voyager expects that its cash, cash equivalents and marketable debt securities, as well as amounts expected to be received for reimbursement of development costs from Neurocrine Biosciences, will be sufficient to meet Voyager's projected operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements into mid-2022.

16:04 EST Ross Stores raises quarterly dividend to 28.5c from 25.5c per share - This dividend is payable on March 31, 2020 to stockholders of record as of March 17, 2020.

16:01 EST Moderna completes enrollment of CMV vaccine Phase 2 study - Moderna announced that enrollment is complete for all three dose cohorts of the Phase 2 dose-confirmation study of its investigational cytomegalovirus vaccine. mRNA-1647, the first mRNA vaccine for an infectious disease to enter a Phase 2 study, is a wholly owned program in Moderna's prophylactic vaccines portfolio. On January 9, the company announced positive seven-month interim safety and immunogenicity data after the third and final vaccination of the 30, 90, and 180 mug dose level cohorts of the Phase 1 study, which built on the previously reported three-month interim analysis, after two vaccinations. The first interim analysis of the Phase 2 study is expected in the third quarter of 2020. "I would like to thank the dedicated Moderna CMV team and our partners at clinical trial sites for their support in completing enrollment of the Phase 2 study ahead of plan," said Stephane Bancel, Moderna's Chief Executive Officer. "We recognize the urgent need for a preventative vaccine against CMV in women of childbearing age, which we believe positions our wholly owned mRNA-1647 program as a potential blockbuster commercial and clinical opportunity. We believe our CMV vaccine will build Moderna's future and embodies our mission of creating a new generation of transformative medicines for patients. The Moderna team is working diligently to start the Phase 3 study in 2021."

15:21 EST Northern Trust lowers prime lending rate to 4.25% from 4.75% - Effective Wednesday, March 4.

15:03 EST Fifth Third lowers prime lending rate to 4.25% from 4.75% - Fifth Third Bank announced it will decrease its prime lending rate to 4.25%, effective immediately. The rate was last changed on Oct. 30, 2019, when Fifth Third decreased its prime lending rate to 4.75% from 5%.

14:08 EST Wells Fargo to introduce no fee bank account, limited overdraft fee account - Wells Fargo announced plans to introduce two new bank accounts, which will offer convenient, secure banking services and customer support while eliminating or limiting overdraft fees. The first new account will be a checkless account, which will limit spending to the amount available in the account and customers will not incur overdrafts or insufficient funds fees. In addition, Wells Fargo will introduce an account that includes checks and will cap overdraft or insufficient funds fees at one per month. This account is designed for those who want controls to limit certain fees, as well as the protection an occasional overdraft provides. Both accounts are expected to be available by early 2021. "Wells Fargo is listening to our customers to make sure we are delivering the financial products and services they want, and we are meeting their needs for fast, secure and convenient banking," said Mary Mack, CEO of Consumer and Small Business Banking. "We know many consumers are seeking low-cost bank accounts that help them avoid overspending and keep to a budget, as well as access to all our mobile, online, ATM, branch and phone banking services. These new offerings will help us satisfy the financial needs of more customers and further expand access to mainstream banking services."

13:26 EST Fin-tech, online broker stocks pressured after Robinhood outage - Shares of Financial technology firms and online brokers are feeling the fallout of stock trading app Robinhood's outage on Tuesday. Shares of fin-tech leaders like Square (SQ), which rolled out zero-fee stock trading on its cash app this past October, and online brokers are falling amid a loss of confidence after Robinhood's commission-free stock-trading app was offline for nearly all of Monday, leaving users outraged after being essentially shut out of one of the largest one-day rallies in Wall Street's history. LAWSUIT THREATS: Robinhood users were protesting loudly on Twitter on Tuesday, as the account Robinhood Class Action had over 4,800 followers, many of whom were sending in pictures showing their ostensible losses, according to reports on Tuesday. The Robinhood staff tweeted, "Our systems are currently experiencing downtime. We're determined to restore full functionality as soon as possible. We'll be sharing updates here and on http://status.robinhood.com." PRICE ACTION: Shares of TD Ameritrade (AMTD), E TRADE Financial (ETFC), Charles Schwab (SCHW), Interactive Brokers (IBKR), Square (SQ), Fiserv (FISV), and LendingClub (LC) are all lower in afternoon trading.

13:03 EST Regions Bank reduces prime lending rate to 4.25% from 4.75% - Regions Bank announced it is reducing the Regions prime lending rate to 4.25% from 4.75%, effective Wednesday, March 4.

12:55 EST Superior Uniform CFO Michael Attinella resigns - Superior Group of Companies announced that, effective March 2, Michael Attinella has resigned as VP, CFO and Treasurer to pursue other opportunities. Attinella has agreed to assist in the orderly transition of his CFO responsibilities through March 13. Andrew Demott, Jr., the company's COO, will reassume the CFO and Treasurer responsibilities while maintaining his current COO responsibilities. Andy served as the company's CFO and Treasurer from 1998 until August of 2018, when Attinella assumed the roles.

12:35 EST AT&T COO says sees some potential phone shortages due to coronavirus - Comments taken from the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference.

12:11 EST Mauna Kea receives FDA clearance, CE marking for Cellvizio platform - Mauna Kea Technologies announced that it has obtained 510(k) clearance from the FDA and CE marking of the next-generation Cellvizio endomicroscopy platform, built with the company's new proprietary system architecture. This marks the 18th U.S. FDA 510(k) clearance of the Cellvizio pCLE/nCLE platform.

12:02 EST Microsoft expands 'digital transformation' partnership with NFL - Microsoft and the National Football League announced an expansion of their technology partnership. The multiyear expansion aims to help the entire NFL, including its coaches and players, "be more efficient through enhanced communication and collaboration via Microsoft Surface devices and Microsoft Teams, the hub for teamwork in Office 365," the company and league announced. Renie Anderson, chief revenue officer and executive vice president of NFL Partnerships, added, "Microsoft Surface has quickly become an authentic tool to the game of football and is vital during all NFL games for coaches, players and NFL Officials. And now by working together to integrate Microsoft Teams across the League, together we aim to improve on communications and collaboration in a modern way."

12:00 EST Mallinckrodt falls -12.2% - Mallinckrodt is down -12.2%, or -52c to $3.71.

12:00 EST Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bear 3x Shares falls -21.2% - Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bear 3x Shares is down -21.2%, or -$2.39 to $8.86.

12:00 EST Qiagen rises 14.7% - Qiagen is up 14.7%, or $5.30 to $41.42.

11:12 EST American Airlines suspends operations to and from Seoul, South Korea - Due to the reduction in demand, American Airlines is suspending operations to and from Seoul, South Korea, and Dallas-Fort Worth, effective March 4, 2020. Flights to Seoul are scheduled to resume April 25. The company said, "Our teams are contacting affected customers directly to accommodate their needs. American continues to review the airline's flight schedule to ensure that customers' needs are accommodated and will make additional refinements as necessary."

10:54 EST Honda reports February U.S. sales up 4.2% to 120,006 vehicles - American Honda sales were up 4.2%, with trucks gaining 6% and passenger cars up 2% for the month. "These are challenging times for our industry and the world, so it's gratifying to see our sales grow in February, led by strong demand for Honda light trucks, and Civic sales gains demonstrating once again that cars still matter," said Steven Center, Vice President, Auto Sales Division, American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "We will continue to maintain a disciplined approach to the market, focusing on the strength of our products rather than steep discounts, with the introduction this month of the CR-V Hybrid signaling the continued growth of our electrified vehicle lineup."

10:24 EST Boingo Wireless cancels out of bank conference after confirming approaches - The page for Deutsche Bank's Media, Internet and Telecom conference shows that Boingo Wireless cancelled on March 3. The Fly notes that on its Q4 earnings call on Monday, Boingo Wireless management confirmed the rumors circulating last week that the company had been approached by multiple parties regarding potential strategic transactions and that the board has hired strategic advisors to help assess potential opportunities. The company also said it is suspending forward-looking financial guidance until further notice. Reference Link

10:10 EST Stealth Biotherapeutics jumps after drug granted RPD designation from FDA - Stealth BioTherapeutics (MITO), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of novel therapies for diseases involving mitochondrial dysfunction, announced that the FDA has granted Rare Pediatric Disease, or RPD, designation for elamipretide for the treatment of Barth syndrome, an ultra-rare genetic condition. Under the FDA's RPD designation program, the FDA may grant a priority review voucher to a sponsor who receives approval for a "rare pediatric disease," a serious and life-threatening disease that primarily affects individuals aged from birth to 18 years and fewer than 200,000 people in the United States. "This designation for elamipretide underscores our alignment with the FDA around the significant and urgent unmet medical need for Barth patients," said Reenie McCarthy, CEO of Stealth. "We hope to improve the healthspan of Barth patients, for whom cardiomyopathy, exercise intolerance and debilitating fatigue limit life expectancy and impair quality of life. We are also expanding our development efforts to consider trials in patients suffering from overlapping metabolic cardiomyopathies in diseases such as Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies, and Friedreich's ataxia." In morning trading, shares of Stealth Biotherapeutics were higher by 101% to $3.82.

10:00 EST Universal Insurance falls -6.9% - Universal Insurance is down -6.9%, or -$1.48 to $20.01.

10:00 EST Genworth rises 12.0% - Genworth is up 12.0%, or 50c to $4.68.

10:00 EST Qiagen rises 13.8% - Qiagen is up 13.8%, or $5.00 to $41.12.

09:47 EST Target says sees 150-200 store remodels ever year starting in 2021

09:46 EST Target says sees 150-200 store remodels ever year starting in 2021 - Says

09:35 EST Heat Biologics launches program to develop vaccine to treat, prevent COVID-19 - Heat Biologics announced that the company has formally launched a program within its wholly-owned subsidiary, Zolovax, to develop a vaccine using its immune activating gp96 vaccine platform for treating or preventing infection from the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The company also announced that it has filed a provisional patent for use of its technology platform for treating or preventing infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes coronavirus disease. Heat shock protein gp96 is a versatile and ubiquitous protein found in all human cells. It has been called the immune system's swiss army knife* due to its function as a potent immune adjuvant that has the role of "molecular warning system" to induce immunity against necrotic cells. gp96 is naturally tethered to the cell and is normally released only during necrosis or cell death. Heat's proprietary gp96 vaccine platform reprograms live cells to continually secrete antigens of interest bound to the gp96, thus activating a robust T-cell response against those antigens. Heat's gp96 platform has undergone rigorous testing in numerous National Institutes of Health and U.S. Department of Defense-funded mice and primate trials as a vaccine against SIV/HIV, malaria, zika and other infectious diseases, and has been tested in over 250 patients in multiple NIH and Heat-funded oncology trials.

09:30 EST NeoPhotonics withdraws from Optical Fiber Communications Conference - NeoPhotonics announced that it was withdrawing from participation in the Optical Fiber Communications Conference, or OFC, scheduled to be held March 8-12 in San Diego, California, due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.

09:24 EST BAE Systems announces Army to buy additional Bonus munitions - The U.S. Army is buying additional advanced Bonus munitions manufactured by BAE Systems and Nexter of France. Bonus is a 155-millimeter munition designed for destroying armored targets and will be employed by the Army's fleet of M109 self-propelled howitzers and M777 ultra-lightweight towed howitzers. The Army is purchasing Bonus through the NATO Support and Procurement Agency, or NSPA, which provides multinational solutions to the Alliance, its nations and partners. The Bonus round contains two sensor-fuzed warheads with advanced target-seeking sensors. Once deployed they independently seek, track and strike targets within an area of 32,000 square meters.

09:21 EST Exxon Mobil releases model framework for industry-wide methane regulations - Exxon Mobil released a model framework for industry-wide methane regulations and urged stakeholders, policymakers and governments to develop comprehensive, enhanced rules to reduce emissions in all phases of production. The Exxon Mobil model framework is based on its voluntary methane reduction program, which involves prioritized replacement of components with a high-leak potential at production sites, technology enhancements to infrastructure and substantial data gathering and research. More "comprehensive" than current federal rules, the proposed regulations would apply to new and existing sources. The company has reduced methane emissions from its U.S. unconventional operations by 20% since 2016 and remains on track to reach its target of 15% reductions across the company. To achieve meaningful reductions in methane emissions, the company said regulations should address and include leak detection, repair programs across oil and gas infrastructure, minimization of venting, operational equipment controls, record keeping and reporting to support agency enforcement. ExxonMobil supports the Methane Guiding Principles for reducing methane emissions across the natural gas value chain, which were signed in 2017.

09:13 EST Kratos Defense awarded $4.9M sole-source contract options for drone mission kits - Kratos Defense & Security Solutions announced that Kratos has recently received sole-source option awards for electronic system mission kits to support U.S. drone operations and follow-on production orders for RF subsystems for a major missile program. Kratos won the original competitive drone contract in 2018 for design and development with future production option years as the sole-source provider. The system is now in its second production year. For the missile program, several thousand of these subsystem units have been produced by Kratos for this major missile platform for over 15 years. In recent years the quantities have been increasing with potential for this trend to continue for the foreseeable future. Due to competitive, customer-related, and other considerations, no additional information will be provided related to this new contract award.

09:12 EST Kinross Gold upgraded to investment grade by Moody's - On March 2, 2020, Moody's Investor Service announced that it upgraded Kinross Gold Corporation's credit rating to investment grade. Kinross' senior unsecured notes rating was upgraded to Baa3 from Ba1, with a stable outlook. Kinross now has investment grade credit ratings from Moody's, S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings, all three rating agencies that rate the Company's debt. Moody's noted that the upgrade was due to Kinross' cash cost being in line with investment grade peers, steady production and conservative financial policies.

09:10 EST Fiserv acquires MerchantPro Express - Fiserv announced that it has acquired MerchantPro Express as part of a broader strategy to expand the Fiserv merchant services business and grow the company's partner-based distribution. The combination will bring together payment solutions from Fiserv with the onboarding and service of MerchantPro Express. Headquartered in Melville, New York, MerchantPro Express is an independent sales organization that provides processing services, advanced point-of-sale equipment and merchant cash advances to businesses across the United States.

09:07 EST Zoom announces international expansion for Zoom Phone in 11 additional countries - Zoom Video Communications announced general availability of its Zoom Phone cloud phone service in 11 additional countries and Beta Service in 25 new countries. Zoom Phone now supports local phone numbers and PSTN access with new Metered and Unlimited Calling Plans in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. This expanded geographic coverage allows Zoom customers all over the world to migrate away from their in-country legacy phone systems to consolidate business communications into Zoom's all-in-one, video-first unified communications platform. Zoom Phone Beta Service will also be available to existing qualified Zoom customers upon request beginning March 9th. The 25 countries to be included are: Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Turkey. Zoom Phone launched in the United States and Canada in January 2019, and Zoom quickly expanded service to Australia, United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, and Puerto Rico. This latest expansion further demonstrates Zoom's commitment to delivering an easy, reliable, and innovative unified communications platform to its global customers. Zoom customers will now also have access to multilingual prompts in German, Danish, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Chinese Mandarin simplified and Chinese Mandarin traditional in addition to existing support for American English, British English, Canadian, French, and Spanish.

09:05 EST Consolidated Communications announces new Partner ONE program - Consolidated Communications is transforming its channel partner program by modernizing how it works with its partners and by increasing the incentives and benefits it offers. Renamed Partner ONE, Consolidated's channel partner program officially debuts March 9 at the Channel Partners Conference in Las Vegas. Key features of Consolidated's new Partner ONE program include: Partner ONE Portal - A full-service, online portal that serves as a relationship management system designed to enhance the partner experience. The new portal makes it easier to onboard new partners, enter opportunities and access training resources and collateral. The ONE Club - A performance-based recognition program where top-performing partners are rewarded for their performance with marketing development funds and other incentives. Partner ONE Advisors - A steering committee comprised of channel partners nominated annually by the Company to assist in improving the partner and customer experience. On the ONE - An e-newsletter designed to keep partners 'on beat' by putting the latest announcements and resources at their fingertips on a monthly and quarterly basis. Dedicated Social Media Presence - A new Twitter account, @CCIPartnerOne, and a new Consolidated Communications LinkedIn Group dedicated to providing timely updates tailored to the channel partner community.

09:03 EST Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives secures $47M construction project - Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives announced a $47M construction award from the Utah Department of Transportation. The contract was secured by American Civil Contractors, a subsidiary of IEA that provides heavy- and light-civil infrastructure services for government and commercial clients across the country. This heavy civil contract consists of constructing roughly nine miles of new road along State Routes 7 and 9 to create a bypass around the town of St. George, Utah. ACC will self-perform the entirety of the project, including 1.6 million cubic yards of earthwork, construction of four new bridges, along with gutters, curbs and sidewalks, installation of two large drainage boxes, signage and over 15,000 lineal feet of pipe and the placement of seeding, erosion control and related electrical items. Work on the project began this past February and is expected to be completed in July 2021.

09:01 EST MGP Ingredients acquires New Columbia Distillers for undisclosed amount - MGP Ingredients announced the acquisition of New Columbia Distillers, based in Washington, D.C. New Columbia Distillers produces and markets Green Hat Gin and operates a distillery with retail tasting room, bar and gin garden in Northeast Washington, D.C. The distillery and its retail operations will continue to operate with the current management team, and its popular range of Green Hat Gin styles will be phased into expanded distribution as a new addition to MGP's portfolio of award-winning brands. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

09:00 EST Boingo Wireless confirms sale exploration after receiving takeover interest - On its Q4 earnings call on Monday, Boingo Wireless management confirmed the rumors circulating last week that the company had been approached by multiple parties regarding potential strategic transactions and that the board has hired strategic advisors to help assess potential opportunities. The company also said it is suspending forward-looking financial guidance until further notice.

08:55 EST Uber acknowledges risk to business from coronavirus in filing - In a regulatory filing, Uber said the coronavirus could cause its number of platform users to drop, or could disrupt the company's "new mobility" supply chain, encompassing e-bikes and scooters. Uber cautioned that its number of platform users could decline or fluctuate materially due to many factors including: "a pandemic or an outbreak of disease or similar public health concern, such as the recent coronavirus outbreak, or fear of such an event." Uber specifically mentioned the coronavirus five times in the filing.

08:47 EST MySize receives patent in Russia for smart measurement solution - My Size announced that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the Russian Patent & Trademark Office for its patent application, titled: "A system for and a method of measuring a path length using a handheld electronic device." With this latest Notice of Allowance, the Company now has seven issued/allowed patents and 15 patent applications pending worldwide. The allowed patent application covers the methods and systems for measuring a body part of a user using a handheld electronic device and addresses the foundational technology that is the basis for the MySizeID measurement app.

08:45 EST Muscle Maker to open location at Fort Bragg Army base - Muscle Maker announced that it has signed a lease and has begun the construction process at Fort Bragg Army base in North Carolina. The location will be corporately owned and is the brand's sixth military base location with more locations set to open later this year. Existing military locations include Fort Bliss Army Base, two restaurants on Fort Benning Army Base, Fort Sill Army Base and Fort Meade Army Base. Muscle Maker has partnered with the Army & Air Force Exchange Services to secure these sites as part of their non-traditional growth strategy.

08:43 EST USA Technologies largest shareholder issues statement following CEO appointment - Hudson Executive, a New York-based investment firm and the largest shareholder of USA Technologies, with ownership of approximately 16.2% of USAT's common stock, issued the following statement in response to USAT's appointment of Donald Layden as CEO and president of the company and slate of nominees for the annual shareholders meeting to be held on April 30. Douglas Braunstein, founder and managing partner of Hudson Executive, said, "Our conviction is that leadership change at USAT is not only necessary, but needed now more than ever. The Company's ill-conceived decision to appoint a permanent Chief Executive Officer, who has overseen continued lapses in financial controls and repeated operational failures, and has failed to meet his most important stated priorities during his brief tenure, has further damaged USAT's reputation and impaired shareholder value. We believe that the Board conducted a woefully inadequate search process given the number of highly-qualified candidates Hudson Executive has already identified for the CEO position. Further, the Board approved significant payments for Mr. Layden and a permanent CFO less than two months before the annual meeting. As of today, the new seven-person Board is made up of five individuals who have never been elected. We believe these unilateral actions demonstrate a lack of judgment and a disregard for shareholders. We have previously reached out numerous times to try to negotiate with this Board. Its actions demonstrate what we perceive to be a consistent lack of good faith engagement and continued attempt to enrich and entrench management. We believe the decision by the USAT Board to unilaterally name three of Hudson Executive's director nominees to USAT's proxy ballot is a desperate attempt to manipulate the board election in advance of a shareholder vote. After two years of disenfranchisement, we look forward to a shareholder vote on April 30th."

08:40 EST Williams recommends shareholders reject TRC Capital mini tender offer - Williams announced that it was notified of an unsolicited "mini-tender" offer by TRC Capital to purchase up to 5M shares, or approximately 0.41% of outstanding shares, of Williams' common stock at a price of $18.25 per share, which was 6.7% below the $19.60 per share closing price of Williams' common stock March 2. This offer represents a 4.2% discount to the closing price of Williams' common stock on the last trading day before the date of the tender offer and is approximately 17% below the three-month weighted average of the closing price of Williams' common stock as of March 2. TRC Capital's offer of $18.25 per share is equal to the 52 week low of Williams' common stock price. Williams does not endorse TRC Capital's offer and recommends that Williams' stockholders reject the offer and not tender their shares. This mini-tender offer is at a discount below the market price for Williams' shares and is subject to numerous conditions, including TRC Capital's ability to obtain financing. Williams is not associated in any way with TRC Capital, its mini-tender offer or the offer documentation. Williams believes that TRC Capital's offer is an opportunistic attempt by TRC Capital to purchase shares at a discount to the market price at a time when markets face disruption and volatility due to, among other things, the coronavirus.

08:38 EST Impossible Foods cuts prices for distributors by average of 15% - Impossible Foods announced this morning that "thanks to month-over-month production records and new economies of scale," it is expanding its product lineup and dropping prices. The price cut applies to distributors and averages 15% on Impossible Foods' current U.S. foodservice products, the company said in a statement. "The move comes amid increasing demand for the flagship Impossible Burger, now served at thousands of restaurants including Burger King, Red Robin, Qdoba, Cheesecake Factory and Hard Rock Cafe," it added. The product expansion and price reduction "reflect the company's vision to compete against ground beef from cows in every way that matters to the consumer: taste, nutrition, sustainability, convenience and affordability." Shares of Beyond Meat (BYND), a competitor to Impossible Foods in the plant-based meat market, are up $5.40 to $101.50 in premarket trading.

08:38 EST Barnes & Noble Education to implement cost reduction program - The company announced that it is implementing a cost reduction program designed to streamline operations, maximize productivity and drive profitability. Certain elements of this plan have recently been implemented, while other actions are planned for FY21, which begins in May. BNED anticipates annualized cost savings from this program, the majority of which are expected to be realized beginning in FY21. As a result of the personnel and related elements of this program, BNED expects to recognize a restructuring charge of $10M-$15M during Q4.

08:35 EST Chembio Diagnostics says initiated reproducibility study required by FDA - Chembio Diagnostics isproviding an update on the FDA Premarket Approval application for Chembio's DPP HIV-Syphilis Assay System. The FDA has confirmed that, of the items that had been open for the PMA review, the Syphilis arm of the study was acceptable, as were the results as they relate to the inclusion of pregnant women. As indicated by the FDA on February 21, 2020, the only remaining item requested of the company is to repeat the reproducibility study, as one of the sites in the trial reported greater variability compared to the other sites. Chembio has both addressed and discussed with the FDA what it deems to be the underlying cause of the variance, and it has already initiated the reproducibility study required by the FDA. In parallel, the company has accelerated the studies for a CLIA waiver, which can be submitted upon FDA approval of the PMA application. These efforts reflect the company's continuing focus on both the achievement of the PMA milestone and the timing of ultimate approval with the CLIA waiver. Chembio's DPP HIV-Syphilis System is a single-use, 15-minute screening test for the simultaneous detection of antibodies to HIV types 1 and 2 and Treponema pallidum, the bacteria that causes syphilis. It uses a 10-microliter sample of fingerstick of whole blood, venous whole blood or plasma. The test is highly sensitive and specific, has a built-in procedural control, can be stored at room temperature, and has a shelf life of up to 24-months.

08:33 EST AnPac Bio engages with Dragon Gate Partners as financial advisor - AnPac Bio-Medical Science announced that it has engaged Dragon Gate Investment Partners as its financial advisor. "As a fast-growing biotech company, we strive to build trust with investors," said the company. "AnPac Bio's CDA technology has been shown in retrospective validation studies to be able to detect the risk of over 20 different cancer types with high sensitivity and specificity. Our mission is to catch cancer early and save lives. By cooperating with Dragon Gate Investment Partners, we believe that it is a good start for us to better inform the market about our strengths, promising patents and technology, and our growth potential."

08:29 EST Berkshire Hathaway increases Delta stake with purchase of 976,507 shares - In a regulatory filing earlier, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) disclosed that it increased its stake in Delta Air Lines (DAL) with its purchase of 976,507 shares of the airline's stock at an average price of $46.40 on February 27.

08:17 EST Alkaline Water adds 366 locations to Northwest convenience store footprint - The Alkaline Water Company announced that its flagship brand, Alkaline88 will be available in all 258 Jacksons Food Stores across six western states and in all 108 Plaid Pantry locations mostly situated in the metro area around Portland, Oregon.

08:15 EST IAA announces integrated partnership with Snapsheet - IAA and Snapsheet announced an integrated partnership. Combining IAA's total loss claims and salvage solutions with Snapsheet's configurable claims management platform will create one solution, from first notice of loss to sale at auction. The combined offering will reduce the time it takes insurance carriers to process claims for total loss vehicles. By automating the exchange of information and the control of activities across all parties - including customers, repairers, tow yards and salvage companies.

08:11 EST VBI Vaccines provides update on part A of VBI-1901 study - VBI Vaccines provided an update on Part A of the ongoing Phase 1/2a study of VBI-1901, the company's cancer vaccine immunotherapeutic candidate, for the treatment of patients with recurrent glioblastoma, or GBM. For patients who had an immunologic response to the vaccine, considered to be vaccine responders, the 12-month overall survival, or OS, rate was 83%, compared to 33% for vaccine non-responders. Similarly, among patients evaluable for response and survival in Part A, vaccine responders saw a 6.25-month improvement in median OS compared to vaccine non-responders. VBI-1901 continues to be safe and well-tolerated at all doses tested, with no safety signals observed. Expanded immunologic, tumor imaging, and clinical data from the Phase 2a part of the study are expected in Q2 and Q4. Additionally, efforts are underway to define biomarkers that may help identify patients more likely to respond to VBI-1901.

08:10 EST BlackBerry names Marjorie Dickman Chief Gov't Affairs and Public Policy Officer - BlackBerry Limited announced the appointment of Marjorie Dickman as the company's first Chief Government Affairs and Public Policy Officer. Effective March 3, Marjorie will be responsible for strategic oversight of the company's global government relations, regulatory affairs, and public policy operations. In this role, she will lead BlackBerry's new Corporate Government Relations and Public Policy organization. Marjorie will report directly to Executive Chairman and CEO John Chen and serve as a member of BlackBerry's executive team.

08:09 EST Fluidigm, Next Gen Diagnostics enter agreement for pathogen sample preparation - Fluidigm and Next Gen Diagnostics announced an exclusive agreement that enables NGD to utilize the Fluidigm Juno system for pathogen whole genome sequencing sample preparation. Under the terms of the agreement, Fluidigm will receive milestone payments starting in 2020 and additional revenue over five years. Although whole genome sequencing provides unique power to accurately detect pathogen transmission, its widespread use in hospitals has been inherently limited by the overall cost per sample, as well as lack of automation and bioinformatic solutions to support the processing of high sample volumes. Providing extensive expertise in the analysis of pathogen DNA, NGD has selected industry-leading platforms to bring high-volume, low-cost pathogen sequencing to address the growing global hospital surveillance solutions market, estimated to be more than $400M per annum today. With the goal of expanding this market using whole genome sequencing, NGD has significantly reduced both the costs downstream of pathogen sequencing and time to results by automating bioinformatic analysis performed post-sequencing, from quality control to result generation and assessment. Using Fluidigm microfluidics technology, NGD plans to update its sample preparation workflow upstream of microbial sequencing in the third quarter of 2020 to further reduce running costs and accelerate market penetration. The Fluidigm benchtop Juno microfluidic system enables up to 48 bacterial samples to be prepared for short-read sequencing with significantly lower sample and reagent volumes. Delivering significant savings in cost per sample, the Juno NGS library preparation workflow is being used by an increasing number of global service providers, significantly shortening hands-on time and conserving precious reagents for DNA and RNA sequencing applications.

08:06 EST National MI, VirPack expand partnership to support delegated underwriting - National Mortgage Insurance Corporation and VirPack have expanded their integration to allow loan file content within VirPack to be electronically delivered directly to National MI for the private mortgage insurer's Delegated Assurance Review program, in addition to its non-delegated programs. The two companies initially joined forces in 2014 with an interface that enables lenders using VirPack to efficiently transmit loan documents for mortgage insurance underwriting directly to National MI. The new, enhanced integration allows for a smooth and easy delivery process for National MI's DAR lender customers.

08:06 EST Inovio accelerates timeline for COVID-19 DNA vaccine INO-4800 - Inovio announced an accelerated timeline for developing its DNA vaccine INO-4800 to address COVID-19, the respiratory infection the World Health Organization has designated a Public Health Emergency of International Concern of the highest level. According to WHO, approximately 89,000 cases have been reported globally with more than 3,000 deaths. Dr. J. Joseph Kim, Inovio's President & CEO, shared this accelerated timeline at the U.S. Coronavirus Task Force meeting at the White House on March 2. Dr. Kim said, "Inovio is the leader in coronavirus vaccine development and the only company with a Phase 2 vaccine for a related coronavirus that causes Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. Using our modern DNA medicines platform, we designed our DNA vaccine INO-4800 in three hours after the publication of the genetic sequence of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19." Dr. Kim continued, "We immediately began preclinical testing and small-scale manufacture and have already shared robust preclinical data with our public and private partners. We plan to begin human clinical trials in the U.S. in April and soon thereafter in China and South Korea, where the outbreak is impacting the most people. We plan on delivering one million doses by year end with existing resources and capacity. However, we will need additional resources to scale up to make enough doses to help protect Americans from COVID-19 as well as to lead global efforts to curtail this virus."

08:04 EST AbbVie, Allergan receive final European approval for merger - AbbVie (ABBV) and Allergan (AGN) announced that the European Commission has approved the divestiture of brazikumab to AstraZeneca (AZN). The European Commission's approval of AbbVie's pending acquisition of Allergan in January was conditional upon the divestiture of brazikumab to a suitable purchaser. The transaction remains subject to additional customary closing conditions, but the European Commission's final approval clears the pathway in Europe to close the pending transaction. The United States Federal Trade Commission continues to review the pending transaction, which is not subject to a specific timeline. However, the companies have entered into a timing agreement with FTC staff that would likely result in a decision by the FTC early in the second quarter of 2020. The companies continue to fully cooperate with the FTC during its review and intend to close the transaction at the earliest possible date. Closing the transaction is also subject to Irish High Court approval.

07:56 EST Immuron says Shigella-specific products are undergoing further evaluation - In a June 2019 announcement, we reported the completion of the manufacture of three new Shigella-specific therapeutic products using proprietary vaccines developed by WRAIR. The immune reactivity of the three hyper-immune Shigella-specific bovine colostrum products have been assessed by WRAIR using ELISA and Western Blot analysis. The antibodies in these products were shown to react with the specific antigens present in the vaccines and were also reactive to four different clinical isolates of Shigella.. These three Immuron Shigella-specific therapeutic products are now undergoing further evaluation in WRAIR's preclinical models of shigellosis, with results expected to be reported throughout this year.

07:54 EST Immuron plans to file Type B meeting request with FDA on IMM-529 development - In March 2019, Immuron provided an update regarding the status of the IMM-529 clinical trial in patients with CDI, along with a refocusing of its efforts to develop IMM-529. The Phase I/IIa clinical trial of IMM-529 in patients with CDI initiated at the end of 2017 at two clinics in Israel exhibited poor patient enrollment, with only nine patients being randomized into a study planned to enroll 60 patients. Immuron decided to close these sites and to focus further development of IMM-529 to treat CDI patients through a formal filing of an IND with FDA, and to develop a new plan for development of the drug candidate to treat patients subject to recurrent disease, a major unmet medical need in the treatment of patients suffering with C. difficile infections. The company plans to file a Type B meeting request with FDA to explore further development of IMM-529.

07:50 EST Venus Concept appoints Chad Zaring as CCO - Venus Concept (VERO) announced that it has expanded its Executive Team with the appointment of Chad Zaring to the newly-created role of Chief Commercial Officer, effective February 10, 2020. Prior to joining the Venus Concept, Mr. Zaring served as the Chief Commercial Officer at Titan Medical (TMDI).

07:44 EST Valley National announces extension of annual 2019 10-K filing - Valley National Bancorp announced that its Annual Report on Form10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 will be delayed due to circumstances out of the Company's control and for reasons unrelated to matters concerning Valley. On Sunday, March 1, 2020, Valley was notified by KPMG LLP, the Company's independent public accounting firm, that the engagement partner leading the audit of the Company's financial statements, for personal reasons, would be unable to finalize the audit for the year ended December 31, 2019. The Company had earlier been informed by KPMG that the audit was on schedule for timely completion by March 2, 2020. KPMG has informed the Company that it expects to be able to complete its necessary procedures to provide its opinions and consents to the filing of Company's Form 10-K within the 15 calendar day period following the due date of the Form 10-K. Consequently, the Company is unable to timely file its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, but expects to be able to file its Form 10-K before the end of the 15 calendar day period following the due date of the Form10-K. As a result of these events, Valley anticipates its annual meeting and record date for the annual meeting could be delayed and will take all appropriate actions to update the public accordingly when additional details become available.

07:42 EST RTI Surgical announces expiration of HSR waiting period in OEM business sale - RTI Surgical Holdings announced today that the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvement Act of 1976, as amended, with respect to the proposed sale of RTI's OEM business to Ardi Bidco Ltd., a Delaware corporation and an entity affiliated with Montagu Private Equity, expired at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on February 28, 2020. The expiration of the waiting period under the HSR Act satisfies one of the conditions to the closing of the Sale, which remains subject to other customary closing conditions set forth in the Equity Purchase Agreement, dated January 13, 2020, with the Buyer, including the approval of RTI's stockholders and the receipt of certain other required regulatory approvals.

07:41 EST Telus expands Health for Good program with mobile health clinic in Halifax - TELUS announced its commitment to expand the company's innovative Health for Good program in partnership with the North End Community Health Centre and their Mobile Outreach Street Health program. The new mobile health clinic, made possible by the contribution of the TELUS Health for Good program, will expand upon the important work MOSH has been doing since 2009, bringing primary healthcare directly to people in need throughout Halifax. The NECHC Mobile Health Clinic powered by TELUS Health, a specially-equipped clinic on wheels, will provide essential primary medical and mental health care, including electronic medical records directly to underserved citizens in Halifax. Already active in Montreal, Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa and Waterloo Region, these state-of-the-art mobile health clinics operate in communities where frontline care is urgently needed and act as a vital link between the community and local health authority. The program helps to remove many of the barriers that Canadians living on the streets face in receiving medical care, and will support over 20,000 patient interventions per year nationwide.

07:37 EST Applied Optoelectronics announces withdrawal from OFC 2020 amid coronavirus - Applied Optoelectronics announced that out of an abundance of caution for protecting its employees and partners from the coronavirus, it has decided not to participate as previously planned in the Optical Fiber Communications Conference in San Diego. Despite the withdrawal, AOI will still host its previously scheduled OFC investor session via webcast on Tuesday, March 10th at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time / 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.

07:36 EST Ocugen announces publication on preclinical data of OCU400 genetic modifier - Ocugen announced the publication in Nature Gene Therapy of preclinical data of nuclear hormone receptor gene NR2E3 as a genetic modifier and therapeutic agent to treat multiple retinal degenerative diseases. OCU400 has received two orphan drug designations targeting two distinct inherited retinal diseases: NR2E3 mutation-associated retinal diseases and CEP290 mutation-associated retinal diseases. The publication details efficacy results in five unique mouse models of retinitis pigmentosa that underwent administration of NR2E3-AAV by subretinal injection. The five RP models tested were rd1, Rho-/- and RhoP23H, rd16 and rd7. The study demonstrates the potency of a novel modifier gene therapy to elicit broad-spectrum therapeutic benefits in early and intermediate stages of RP.

07:34 EST Cytokinetics announces preclinical data for AMG 594 at Keystone Symposium - Cytokinetics announced that preclinical data related to AMG 594 were presented at the Keystone Symposium "Charting a New Course for Heart Failure: From Discovery to Data," in Keystone, Colo., characterizing its mechanism of action and effect to increase cardiac contractility. AMG 594 is a novel mechanism cardiac troponin activator, discovered under a joint research program conducted between Amgen and Cytokinetics. Several in vitro studies demonstrated that AMG 594 selectively increased the calcium sensitivity of the troponin complex in cardiac muscle. In bovine cardiac myofibrils, AMG 594 increased activation by calcium in a concentration-dependent manner. This activation was selective when compared to myofibrils from fast and slow skeletal muscle. Additionally, in experiments using a reconstituted hybrid sarcomere, AMG 594 selectively targeted the cardiac troponin complex over the fast or slow skeletal muscle troponin complex. In intact cardiac muscle fibers, AMG 594 increased calcium sensitivity and maximal isometric tension in a concentration-dependent manner. Additionally, in cardiac myocytes, AMG 594 increased fractional shortening, a measure of cardiac contractility, without any effect on the calcium transient. In vivo studies demonstrated a pharmacodynamic window of AMG 594 that was associated with substantial increases in cardiac contractility. Echocardiographic assessments in healthy rats, myocardial infarcted rats, and healthy dogs showed that an intravenous infusion of an escalating dose of AMG 594 was associated with exposure-dependent increases in measures of FS and ejection fraction that were driven primarily by a reduction in left ventricular end systolic dimensions. These data demonstrate that AMG 594 selectively increased cardiac contractility in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that cardiac troponin activation is a viable approach to augment cardiac contractility in diseases characterized by reduced cardiac function.

07:32 EST Kura Oncology receives Fast Track designation for tipifarnib in T-cell lymphomas - Kura Oncology announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Fast Track designation to the Company's lead drug candidate, tipifarnib, for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, follicular T-cell lymphoma and nodal peripheral T-cell lymphoma with T follicular helper phenotype. In December 2019, Kura reported updated clinical data at the American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting showing robust and durable activity from tipifarnib as a monotherapy in relapsed or refractory AITL. The data demonstrated an objective response rate of approximately 50% in a heavily pre-treated patient population, with a median of three prior regimens. Additionally, enhanced anti-tumor activity was observed in patients who carried mutations in the killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor, or KIR, a CXCL pathway-associated biomarker. These patients had an ORR of 70% and a complete response rate of 40%.

07:30 EST ADMA receives notice of allowance for patent related to immune globulins - ADMA Biologics announced that it has received another Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a patent application related to its intellectual property portfolio encompassing immunoglobulin plasma pool compositions used in the manufacturing of ASCENIV. ADMA is the exclusive owner of intellectual property encompassing certain immunotherapeutic, immunoglobulin compositions for the prevention and treatment of a wide variety of respiratory infections, including certain strains of coronavirus. ADMA's commercially available immune globulin products, intellectual property, and the Company's deep understanding of specialty antibody-rich immune globulins focused on respiratory pathogens provide ADMA a unique position to collaborate with government agencies, vaccine manufacturers and other parties in the fight to combat emerging infectious disease including the global coronavirus epidemic. ADMA's issued patents include proprietary immunotherapeutic compositions comprised of plasma derived immune globulin which has higher than normal titers for respiratory pathogens including respiratory syncytial virus, multiple strains of coronavirus, parainfluenza virus 1, parainfluenza virus 2, influenza A virus, influenza B virus, and metapneumovirus. These patents also include methods of using an immune globulin composition to treat or prevent any type of respiratory viral infection including upper respiratory tract infections and lower respiratory tract infections.

07:27 EST TG Therapeutics announces key objectives for 2020 - Report topline PFS results from the Phase 3 UNITY-CLL trial evaluating U2 in patients with frontline and previously treated CLL, and if successful, target a potential New Drug Application/Biologics Licensing Application submission by year-end. Complete rolling NDA submission for umbralisib in patients with previously treated MZL and FL, in the first half of 2020. Report topline results from the Phase 3 ULTIMATE I & II trials in RMS, in the second half of 2020. Continue to advance our early pipeline candidates including TG-1501, TG-1701 and TG-1801.

07:24 EST Emerald Health, Pure Sunfarms, Village Farms settle all disputes - Emerald Health Therapeutics (EMHTF) has entered into a settlement agreement with Village Farms International, Inc. (VFF) and Pure Sunfarms regarding disputes between the Parties. On completion of the Settlement the arbitration process involving the Parties will be discontinued. Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, the supply agreements entered into between Emerald and PSF dated December 21, 2018, which was for the 40% supply provision by PSF to Emerald in 2019, at a guaranteed price for 2019, and March 29, 2019, which was for the 25% supply provision by PSF, at a guaranteed price adjusted on a semi-annual basis to Emerald from 2020 to the end of 2022, respectively, will both be terminated effective as of December 31, 2019, and Emerald will be released from all previous, current, and future obligations, liabilities and payments thereunder. The termination of the Supply Agreements removes the uncertainty regarding the potential obligation of Emerald to make any payments to PSF under the terms of those Agreements and provides Emerald with full flexibility regarding future access to, and supply of, wholesale cannabis. In exchange, Emerald will forfeit all amounts due from PSF pursuant to a shareholder's loan of $13 million plus accrued interest of $1.1 million that Emerald previously advanced to PSF, and it will issue a promissory note to PSF in the amount of $952,237. Emerald will cancel 5,940,000 of its common shares of PSF fully resolving all issues in the arbitration process related to Emerald's decision to offset a $5.94 million payment against its shareholder loan in November 2019 regarding Delta 2. Emerald has also agreed to transfer 2.5% of its PSF equity to Village Farms. The Parties have agreed that $8,000,000 provided by Village Farms to PSF in 2020 will be converted into additional common shares of PSF. Upon completion of the Settlement and the other transactions referred to above, Emerald will hold a 42.6% equity interest in PSF and retain three of six seats on the PSF board of directors. The Parties have agreed to use their reasonable commercial efforts to complete the Settlement by March 6, 2020. Completion of the Settlement is subject to the delivery of certain documents by all Parties. Although Emerald expects the settlement transactions to close, as described herein, no assurance can be given that such transactions will ultimately close.

07:21 EST Alnylam announces marketing authorization granted to Givlaari by EC - Alnylam announced that the European Commission, or EC, has granted marketing authorization for Givlaari, an injection for subcutaneous use targeting aminolevulinic acid synthase 1, or ALAS1, for the treatment of acute hepatic porphyria, or AHP, in adults and adolescents aged 12 years and older. AHP is an ultra-rare condition in which patients can experience debilitating attacks of severe abdominal pain, vomiting and seizures, which can be life-threatening due to the possibility of paralysis and respiratory arrest during attacks. Many patients also experience chronic symptoms, including pain, which continue to be present between attacks.

07:19 EST Armstrong Flooring announces multi-year strategic roadmap - Following a comprehensive review of the business and with the full support of its board, the company has established a multi-year strategic roadmap for operations to become leaner and faster growing. The roadmap encompasses three objectives, including the expansion of sales through closer alignment with end customers, the simplification of operations and product offerings to compete more effectively and the strengthening of its marketing capabilities, merchandising,and branding. The company has implemented a new operating model to more effectively accomplish its three objectives under its multi-year roadmap. The operating model is centered on strengthening the company's connection with end customers and repositioning its culture. The company is confident that these actions will allow it to better navigate the addressable resilient flooring market, while reversing many years of operational underperformance due to regression in multiple channels, a slow-turning product portfolio, underutilized assets and complex infrastructure. The company anticipates the benefits of its initiatives to be realized over a multi-year period. The company anticipates 2020 to be a transitional year, with improvement in sales attributable to better volume and price/mix, helping to produce a higher gross profit margin. These improvements in 2020 will be offset by planned SG&A investments that are being made to help drive long-term growth. In addition, certain SG&A benefits in 2019 will not repeat in 2020, therefore adjusted EBITDA dollars and margin are expected to decrease significantly on a percentage basis in 2020 compared to 2019. Moving beyond 2020, the company expects adjusted EBITDA to increase each year as accretive initiatives and investments drive benefits to results.

07:17 EST Alamos Gold declares quarterly dividend of 1.5c per share - As announced in December 2019, the Company has increased its quarterly dividend by 50% to an annual rate of US$0.06 per common share. The increase is a reflection of the Company's strong free cash flow outlook with the lower mine expansion at Young-Davidson on track to be completed in June 2020. This represents the Company's 11th consecutive year of paying a dividend during which time the Company has returned $161 million to shareholders through dividends and share buybacks. The dividend is payable on March 31, 2020 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 17, 2020. This dividend qualifies as an "eligible dividend" for Canadian income tax purposes. For shareholders that elect to participate in the DRIP as outlined below, common shares granted as part of the March 31, 2020 dividend will be issued from treasury at a 2% discount to the prevailing market price.

07:15 EST Autolus Therapeutics expects allogeneic program to enter clinic in 4Q20 - Expansion of the Company's suite of cell programming technologies to include programming modules designed for allogeneic applications, with the first novel allogeneic program expected to enter the clinic in the fourth quarter of 2020.

07:14 EST Autolus expects interim Phase 1 data in T cell lymphoma with AUTO4 in 2H20

07:09 EST Honeywell announces breakthrough in quantum computing - Honeywell (HON) announced it has achieved a breakthrough in quantum computing that accelerates the capability of quantum computers and will enable the company to release the world's most powerful quantum computer within the next three months. The company also announced it has made strategic investments in two leading quantum computing software providers and will work together to develop quantum computing algorithms with JPMorgan Chase (JPM). Together, these announcements demonstrate significant technological and commercial progress for quantum computing and change the dynamics in the quantum computing industry. Within the next three months, Honeywell will bring to market the world's most powerful quantum computer in terms of quantum volume, a measure of quantum capability that goes beyond the number of qubits. Quantum volume measures computational ability, indicating the relative complexity of a problem that can be solved by a quantum computer. When released, Honeywell's quantum computer will have a quantum volume of at least 64, twice that of the next alternative in the industry. In a scientific paper that will be posted to the online repository arXiv later today and is available now on Honeywell's website, Honeywell has demonstrated its quantum charge coupled device architecture, a major technical breakthrough in accelerating quantum capability. The company also announced it is on a trajectory to increase its computer's quantum volume by an order of magnitude each year for the next five years.

07:08 EST Prevail 'on track' to report interim data from PR001 PROPEL trial in 2H20 - Prevail Therapeutics provided an update on the clinical advancement of its gene therapy program PR001 for patients with Parkinson's disease with GBA1 mutations. Enrollment in the PR001 Phase 1/2 PROPEL clinical trial is progressing, patient dosing continues, and the Company is on track to report interim data on a subset of patients in the second half of 2020. The Company will present on its clinical progress at the Cowen & Co. Annual Healthcare Conference in Boston. he PROPEL trial is a randomized, double-blind Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating the safety and tolerability of two escalating dose levels of PR001 in up to 16 patients with moderate-to-severe PD-GBA. The trial also evaluates the effect of PR001 on biomarkers of disease activity and on Parkinson's disease clinical efficacy measures. PR001 utilizes an AAV9 viral vector to deliver the GBA1 gene to a patient's cells, correcting the lysosomal enzyme deficiency caused by PD-GBA patients' GBA1 mutations. GBA1 encodes the lysosomal enzyme, beta-glucocerebrosidase, or GCase, which is required for the disposal and recycling of glycolipids. PD-GBA patients have a mutation in at least one chromosomal copy of GBA1. In addition to the PROPEL clinical trial for patients with PD-GBA, PR001 is also being developed for neuronopathic Gaucher disease, a devastating disorder that shares the same underlying genetic mechanism. In December 2019, the Company announced that its IND for PR001 for the treatment of neuronopathic Gaucher disease is active.

07:06 EST Applied Therapeutics appoints Adam Hansard as CCO - Applied Therapeutics (APLT) announced the appointment of Adam Hansard as Chief Commercial Officer. Prior to joining Applied Therapeutics, Hansard was Senior Director of New Product Strategy at Alexion Pharmaceuticals (ALXN).

07:03 EST Eli Lilly says 'does not anticipate shortages for any of our products' - Eli Lilly and Company issued the following statement today regarding the novel coronavirus: "Among the concerns raised due to the impact of the novel coronavirus is whether patients can count on a reliable supply of medicine. Lilly does not anticipate shortages for any of our products, including all forms of insulin. Since the initial outbreak, Lilly has been closely monitoring our supply chain for potential impact to the supply of our medicines around the world. Lilly does not source active pharmaceutical ingredients for any of our approved medicines from China, and our insulin manufacturing sites in the United States and Europe have not been impacted by coronavirus. Lilly insulin and other medicines are available, as normal, in U.S. pharmacies. Pharmacies that don't have certain medicines in stock can order them from wholesalers, with delivery in 1-2 days. Globally, our manufacturing network is fully operational and taking steps to prevent impact. We're also in close communication with key suppliers to ensure appropriate supplies of raw materials. As the global situation evolves, we will continue to take the steps necessary to safeguard the reliable supply of our medicines."

07:00 EST Sempra Energy subsidiary signs EPC contract for LNG liquefaction project - Sempra Energy and Bechtel announced that their respective subsidiaries, Port Arthur LNG and Bechtel Oil, Gas and Chemicals, have signed a fixed-price engineering, procurement and construction, or EPC, contract for the Port Arthur LNG liquefaction project under development in Port Arthur, Texas. As part of the EPC contract, Bechtel Oil, Gas and Chemicals will perform the detailed engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, startup, performance testing and operator training activities for the project. The scope of the agreement also includes continuing pre-final investment decision engineering to better assure project cost and schedule certainty. The Port Arthur LNG development project is expected to initially include two liquefaction trains, two liquefied natural gas, or LNG, storage tanks, a marine berth and associated loading facilities and related infrastructure necessary to provide liquefaction services, with a nameplate capacity of approximately 13.5M tonnes per annum, or Mtpa, of LNG. The project site sits on nearly 3,000 acres of land along three miles of the Sabine-Neches waterway and has the potential to become one of the largest LNG export projects in North America, with expansion capabilities of up to eight liquefaction trains and approximately 45 Mtpa of capacity. In January, Sempra LNG signed an interim project participation agreement, or IPPA, with Aramco Services for the proposed Port Arthur LNG project. The IPPA represents another milestone for both companies after signing a heads of agreement in May 2019 for the potential purchase of 5 Mtpa of LNG and a 25% equity investment in the project. In December 2018, Port Arthur LNG entered into an agreement with Polish Oil and Gas for the sale and purchase of 2 Mtpa of LNG per year. The Port Arthur LNG development project received authorization from the U.S. Department of Energy to export domestically produced LNG to countries that do not have a free trade agreement with the U.S. in May 2019. Additionally, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued the approval to site, construct and operate the liquefaction-export facility in April 2019. It is estimated that the proposed project will create a craft workforce on site that peaks at about 5,000 construction jobs, as well as several hundred additional Texas jobs in support of the project, including material fabrication. Nearly 200 long-term jobs will be created to operate and maintain the Port Arthur LNG facility. Development of the Port Arthur LNG project is contingent upon obtaining additional customer commitments, completing the required commercial agreements, securing all necessary permits, obtaining financing, incentives and other factors, and reaching a final investment decision.

06:57 EST AutoZone reports inventory up 7.0% y/y - The company's inventory increased 7.0% over the same period last year, driven by new stores and increased product placement. Inventory per store was $713,000 versus $690,000 last year and $694,000 last quarter. Net inventory, defined as merchandise inventories less accounts payable, on a per store basis, was a negative $41,000 versus negative $58,000 last year and negative $71,000 last quarter.

06:49 EST Chevron sees potential to distribute $75B-$80B to shareholders over five years - At its annual Security Analyst Meeting, Chevron Corporation announced expectations to deliver leading shareholder returns through disciplined capital spending, improved cost efficiency, and continued cash flow growth over the next five years. "Chevron has a winning investment proposition," said Michael Wirth, Chevron's chairman and CEO. "We believe our advantaged portfolio and capital efficiency enable us to grow cash flows and increase returns without relying on rising oil prices. Through continued execution of our strategy, Chevron has the potential to distribute $75B- $80B in cash to shareholders over the next five years." Higher returns are primarily driven by the company's new $2B target for cost and margin improvements as well as short cycle, capital efficient investments. The company also expects 9% compound annual growth in adjusted operating cash flow per share through 2024 while holding annual capital spending in a narrow range of $19B to $22B. The combination is expected to result in the doubling of adjusted free cash flow per share by 2024. Chevron remains committed to delivering on its financial priorities and returning more cash to its shareholders, as demonstrated by an 8 percent dividend increase in 2020 and $5B of expected annual share repurchases. Combined, the company has a total shareholder yield greater than 7%. Chevron continues to execute its lower-risk and disciplined capital program, highlighted by its world-class Permian Basin position, the major expansion in Kazakhstan, and an attractive queue of deepwater opportunities in the Gulf of Mexico. The company expects compound annual production growth greater than 3 percent from 2019 to 2024, excluding any future unannounced asset sales. The company continues to invest in the future of energy to meet the world's need for affordable, reliable and ever-cleaner energy. This includes lowering its carbon intensity cost efficiently, increasing renewables in support of its business, and investing in potential breakthrough technologies such as alternative fueling infrastructure and carbon capture.

06:36 EST Vivint Smart Home announces management changes - Vivint Smart Home announced the following management changes. Alex J. Dunn is stepping down as president of Vivint Smart Home after 14 years at the company. He will remain an advisor to the company through March 2021. Scott R. Hardy, Vivint's COO, will assume many of his day-to-day responsibilities. Vivint also announced the promotion of Dale R. Gerard to CFO. Gerard had been serving as the company's interim chief financial officer since October 2019 and has served previously as the company's senior vice president of finance, investor relations and treasurer since 2010. Vivint also appointed Todd M. Santiago as Chief Revenue Officer, overseeing marketing and all revenue-generating channels. Santiago had been serving as executive vice president and general manager of retail. Before joining Vivint in 2012, he was CEO of 2GIG Technologies which launched the first touchscreen panel for the home in 2009. Vivint also appointed JT Hwang as Chief Technology Officer, responsible for leading the Vivint Innovation Center, which encompasses all of the company's technology and product operations. Hwang joined Vivint in 2008 and previously served as the company's chief engineering officer and was the key architect of Vivint's cloud infrastructure. Matthew J. Eyring, executive vice president and general manager of inside sales, and Jeremy Warren, Chief Technology Officer, are leaving to pursue other opportunities.

06:32 EST Sea Limited sees FY20 adjusted revenue for digital entertainment $1.9B-$2B - Sees FY20 adjusted revenue for e-commerce to be between $1.7B-$1.8B.

06:22 EST VectoIQ, Nikola to form new Nasdaq-listed transportation solutions company - Nikola Corporation, a company involved in the design and development of BEV and FCEV class 8 semi-trucks, along with VectoIQ, a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company, announces that the two companies have entered into a definitive agreement to create a company focused on the development of next generation smart transportation. Upon the closing of the transaction, the combined company will be named Nikola Corporation and is expected to remain Nasdaq-listed under the new ticker symbol (NKLA). Nikola specializes in zero-emissions heavy duty trucks and hydrogen infrastructure. More than $10B in pre-order leases to date and the joint venture with European industrial vehicle manufacturer Iveco make Nikola a competitor to other original equipment manufacturers. Nikola's business model supplies both the truck and hydrogen fueling infrastructure, solving the fleets' concerns of where to refuel with green hydrogen at competitive pricing to diesel. The transaction proceeds will accelerate production, allow Nikola to break ground on its manufacturing facility in Coolidge, Arizona, and begin its hydrogen station infrastructure roll-out. The company expects to generate revenue by 2021 with the roll-out of its BEV truck, followed by FCEV truck sales starting in 2023 and the initial build out of hydrogen fueling stations to serve Nikola customers' fleet. Trevor Milton will serve as executive chairman of the combined company, continuing to lead the vision and forward-looking strategy. Prior to launching Nikola in 2015, Milton served as CEO of dHybrid Systems, a natural gas storage technology company. Mark Russell, who has more than 20 years of experience building and managing companies in the manufacturing industry, will serve as the CEO of Nikola. He joined Nikola as president in 2019 and previously served as president and COO of Worthington Industries, a metals manufacturing company. Kim Brady, currently the CFO at Nikola, will continue in that role post-close. Brady has more than 20 years of experience in private equity and investment banking. Prior to joining Nikola, Brady served as senior managing director at Solic Capital. The transaction reflects an implied enterprise value at closing of $3.3B. Cash proceeds raised in connection with the transaction, which will primarily be used to fund operations, support growth and for other general corporate purposes, will be funded through a combination of VectoIQ's cash in trust and a $525M private placement of common stock at $10.00 per share led by institutional investors. Current Nikola stockholders will remain majority owners of the combined company at closing. The boards of directors of both VectoIQ and Nikola have unanimously approved the proposed transaction. Completion of the proposed transaction is subject to approval of VectoIQ and Nikola stockholders and other customary closing conditions, including a registration statement being declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission, and is expected to be completed in Q2.

06:11 EST Biofrontera enters into binding term sheet with Maruho for Ameluz - Biofrontera announces that it has entered into a Binding Term Sheet with Maruho, Osaka, Japan, which sets out the main terms of a future license agreement. The agreement covers the commercialization of Ameluz by Maruho in East Asia and Oceania. Biofrontera AG grants Maruho an exclusive license to develop and market Ameluz for all indications in East Asia and Oceania. Any use of the provided technology by Maruho outside these regions is expressly prohibited. Maruho is entitled, with the consent of Biofrontera, to carry out research and development within the scope of the license. Maruho will grant to Biofrontera a free and unlimited license for the results of such research and development activities by Maruho for commercialization outside East Asia and Oceania. For this purpose, Maruho is to make an upfront payment to Biofrontera in the amount of EUR6M upon signing of the agreement, plus additional future payments subject to achievement of certain regulatory and sales milestones. Maruho will also make royalty payments at an initial rate of 6%, which will increase depending on sales volume and will be reduced should generic products become available in the respective countries. Ameluz will be supplied by Biofrontera to Maruho at cost plus 25%. The agreement has a term of 15 years from the start of distribution in the respective country.

06:08 EST Ensign Group acquires two skilled nursing facilities in Colorado - The Ensign Group announced that it acquired the operations of two skilled nursing facilities located in Commerce City, Colorado. The acquisitions were effective March 1 and will be subject to long-term, triple net leases. The acquisitions include Ridgeview Post Acute, a skilled nursing facility with 105 skilled nursing beds and Irondale Post Acute, a skilled nursing facility with 83 skilled nursing beds.

05:59 EST Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweets support for Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey - Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk said via Twitter: "Just want say that I support as Twitter CEO." According to reports, Paul Singer's Elliott Management has taken a sizable stake in Twitter and plans to push for changes, including replacing Dorsey as CEO. Reference Link

05:50 EST FDA grants Breakthrough Therapy Designation to Genentech's Esbriet - Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, announced that the U.S. FDA has granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation to Esbriet for adults with unclassifiable interstitial lung disease. The designation was granted based on data from a Phase II trial, which studied the efficacy and safety of Esbriet in uILD. The study represented the first randomized controlled trial to exclusively enroll patients with progressive fibrosing uILD.

04:56 EST Cronos unable to complete annual report, brings in forensic accountants - Cronos Group has filed its annual report for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which is not complete. The company is unable to file the complete annual report "at this time without unreasonable effort or expense because of delays in finalizing its audited financial statements." Cronos has been unable to complete its financial statements for fiscal 2019 due to a continuing review by the Audit Committee of the company's board, with the assistance of "outside counsel and forensic accountants, of several bulk resin purchases and sales of products through the wholesale channel and the appropriateness of the recognition of revenue from those transactions." Cronos intends to file a complete version of its annual report with the SEC "as soon as practicable and currently expects to do so within the fifteen-day extension period."