Stockwinners Market Radar for March 21, 2022 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:16 EDT Alibaba increases stock buyback program to $25B from $15B - Alibaba Group "announced that the company's board has authorized to upsize its share repurchase program to $25B from $15B in a sign of confidence about the Company's continued growth in the future. The Company also announced that Weijian Shan, executive chairman of investment group PAG, was appointed as an independent director to the Company's board. The Share Repurchase Program will be effective for a two-year period through March 2024. As of March 18, 2022, the Company had purchased a total of 56.2 million American depositary shares under the previously announced share repurchase program, for a total consideration of approximately $9.2B."

20:05 EDT Cathie Wood's ARK Investment bought 97K shares of Twilio today

19:46 EDT Four Corners Property Trust acquires property in Michigan for $2.7M - Four Corners Property Trus announces the acquisition of a Fresenius property for $2.7M. The property is located in the medical corridor in Michigan and is corporate operated under a net lease with approximately six years of term remaining. The transaction was priced at a capitalization rate of 7.4% on rent today and a run rate capitalization rate of 6.9% based on forward rent, exclusive of transaction costs.

19:16 EDT IXHL Stock trading halted, news pending

18:48 EDT Stifel Financial CEO: Rising interest rates are good for us - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, Ron Kruszewski said Stifel is growing across all businesses and gaining market share. The company is filling the void that occurred after the 2008 financial crisis, he added. Kruszewski noted that Stifel's research is "second to none," and he expects the company to continue to gain market share.

18:26 EDT Huttig Building Products to be bought by Woodgrain at $10.70 per share - In a regulatory 8-K filing, the company announced that "on March 20, 2022, Huttig Building Products, Woodgrain Inc., and HBP Merger Sub, Inc. entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger pursuant to which Merger Sub will commence a tender offer to purchase all of the outstanding shares of the Company's common stock, par value $0.01 per share, and, as soon as practicable following consummation of the Offer, Merger Sub will be merged with and into the Company, with the Company continuing as the surviving corporation in the Merger and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Woodgrain. Pursuant to the terms and subject to the conditions of the Merger Agreement, upon the consummation of the Offer, tendering holders of shares of Common Stock will be entitled to receive $10.70 per share, net to each holder in cash, without interest, less any amount required to be withheld therefrom in accordance with applicable law as provided in the Merger Agreement."

17:54 EDT FTC requests information from Activision, Microsoft as part of deal review - According to a regulatory filing, on March 3, 2022, Activision Blizzard (ATVI) and Microsoft (MSFT) each received a request for additional information and documentary material from the FTC in connection with the FTC's review of the transaction. The effect of the Second Request is to extend the waiting period imposed under the HSR Act until the 30th day after substantial compliance by Activision Blizzard and Microsoft with the Second Request, unless the waiting period is terminated earlier by the FTC or as otherwise agreed between the parties and the FTC. Completion of the transaction remains subject to the termination or expiration of the waiting period under the HSR Act and the satisfaction or waiver of the closing conditions specified in the merger agreement. The parties expect to complete the transaction in Microsoft's fiscal year ending June 30, 2023.

17:20 EDT S&P Global Ratings to withdraw ratings on Russian entities - On March 9, S&P Global Ratings announced the suspension of its commercial operations in Russia. Following that, on March 15, the European Union announced a ban on providing credit ratings to legal persons, entities, or bodies established in Russia. In light of this, S&P Global Ratings will withdraw all of its outstanding ratings on relevant issuers before April 15, the deadline imposed by the EU. S&P Global Ratings is a division of S&P Global.

17:14 EDT Lockheed Martin awarded $313.93M Air Force contract modification - Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $318.93M firm-fixed-price contract modification to a previously awarded contract for the exercise of an option to add 308 Lot 20 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile - Extended Range missiles with containers. Work will be performed in Orlando, Florida and Troy, Alabama, and is expected to be completed by January 31, 2026. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. FY22 missile procurement funds in the amount of $318.93M are being obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $988.55M. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center is the contracting activity.

17:07 EDT Third Point lowers stake in SentinelOne to 16.6% from 16.8%

17:01 EDT Precipio CFO Carl Iberger resigns, Matt Gage appointed interim CFO - Precipio announced that Carl Iberger, Precipio's CFO for the past five years, is resigning as the CFO effective as of today, March 21. Iberger wishes to spend more time with his family and therefore has made the decision to step down from his role as CFO. Matt Gage, who currently serves as Director of Financial Reporting and Analysis has been promoted to interim CFO of the company effective immediately. Gage joined Precipio following its acquisition of Transgenomic in July of 2017.

16:45 EDT H&E Equipment director Bagley sells 12,500 common shares - In a regulatory filing, H&E Equipment Services director Gary Bagley disclosed the sale of 12,500 common shares of the company on March 21 at a price of $43.53 per share.

16:40 EDT Pfizer voluntaraily recalls Accuretic tablets due to nitrosamine presence - Pfizer is voluntarily recalling Accuretic tablets distributed by Pfizer as well as two authorized generics distributed by Greenstone to the patient level due to the presence of a nitrosamine, N-nitroso-quinapril, above the Acceptable Daily Intake level. Pfizer will recall six lots of Accuretic tablets, one lot of quinapril and hydrochlorothiazide tablets and four lots of quinapril HCl/ hydrochlorothiazide tablets. Nitrosamines are common in water and foods, including cured and grilled meats, dairy products and vegetables. Everyone is exposed to some level of nitrosamines. These impurities may increase the risk of cancer if people are exposed to them above acceptable levels over long periods of time. Reference Link

16:35 EDT Carpenter Technology to increase base prices by 12%-15% on new orders - Carpenter Technology "announced that it will increase base prices by an average of 12% to 15% on new, non-contract orders across the majority of its specialty alloy products. The increases will be effective with new orders placed after March 22, 2022. All applicable surcharges will remain in effect."

16:31 EDT Columbus McKinnon raises quarterly dividend 17% to 7c from 6c per share - The dividend will be payable on or about May 16 to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 6.

16:21 EDT Viveon Health Acquisition gains board approval to extend deal deadline - Viveon Health Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, announced the approval of its board of directors to extend the date by which Viveon Health has to complete a business combination for an additional three months, to June 28, 2022, and, after June 28, 2022, on a monthly basis for up to six additional months, to December 28, 2022, without further stockholder approval. The purpose of the Extension is to permit sufficient time for Viveon Health to consummate its previously announced proposed business combination with Suneva Medical, including filing a registration statement on Form S-4 that will include a proxy statement. The Extension was approved by Viveon Health's stockholders at its Annual Meeting of Stockholders held on March 18, 2022. An initial deposit of $720,000 shall be made into the trust account established in connection with Viveon Health's initial public offering prior to filing the amendment to Viveon Health's amended and restated certificate of incorporation to reflect the Extension. Any additional monthly extensions after June 28, 2022, will be preceded by an additional deposit into the trust account.

16:20 EDT Viridian Therapeutics doses first patient in VRDN-002 trial - Viridian Therapeutics announced that it has dosed the first subject in a Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating VRDN-002 for the treatment of thyroid eye disease, or TED.

16:20 EDT Univar expands global distribution partnership with Dow Inc. - Univar Solutions (UNVR) announced an agreement to distribute Dow (DOW) Organics' portfolio in Brazil. The new agreement covers brands such as CELLOSIZE, FOAMYSENSE, ECOSENSE, ACULYN, VERSENE and more, which are used in the beauty and personal care market.

16:18 EDT Ackrell SPAC Partners confirms funding to extend time to complete combination - Ackrell SPAC Partners announced that an aggregate of $1,380,000 has been deposited into the Company's trust account for its public stockholders, representing $0.10 per public unit, which enables the Company to further extend the period of time it has to consummate its initial business combination by three months from March 23 to June 23. The Extension is the second of up to two three-month extensions permitted under the Company's governing documentsThe Extension was funded by the proceeds from a promissory note issued by the Company to North Atlantic Imports, LLC, a Utah limited liability company d/b/a Blackstone Products, which entered into a business combination agreement with the Company, among others, on December 22.

16:18 EDT Mynaric receives $36M order from Northrop Grumman - Mynaric (MYNA) has entered into a definitive agreement with Northrop Grumman (NOC) for delivery of optical communication terminals in the framework of a U.S. government space program led by the Space Development Agency. The contract with an initial value of $36M foresees payment milestones throughout 2022, 2023 and 2024 and product deliveries mostly in 2023 and 2024.

16:17 EDT Yext announces $100M share repurchase program - Yext announced that its board has approved a share repurchase program authorizing the company to repurchase up to an aggregate of $100M of its outstanding common stock.

16:16 EDT Atlas Technical Consultants acquires 1 Alliance Geomatics, terms not stated - Atlas Technical Consultants announced that it has acquired 1 Alliance Geomatics, LLC, a provider of geospatial services to transportation and water resources markets in the Pacific Northwest. The acquisition is immediately accretive and is deleveraging to Atlas' balance sheet. Terms were not disclosed.

16:14 EDT Huttig Building Products trading halted, news pending

16:08 EDT Tencent Music reports Q4 online music paying users reached 76.2M, up 36.1% y/y - Q4 mobile MAU's - online music were 615M vs. 622M a year ago. "In 2021, we registered 7% year-over-year growth in total revenues and sustained profitability, boosted by robust growth of online music paying users reaching a record high of 76.2 million, reflecting the vitality and resilience of our business through resolute execution of the dual engine content-and-platform strategy. While fourth quarter social entertainment revenues moderated amid increasing competition and changing macro environment, our subscription revenues sustained strong growth. We added 5.0 million net paying users by continuing to provide high-quality music content, an exceptional streaming experience, and diverse, industry-leading platform features. In the future, we will focus on optimizing our cost structure and improving operating efficiency across our businesses while continuing to drive innovation, better user experiences and healthy industry development," said Cussion Pang, Executive Chairman of TME. "Leveraging our proprietary tools and technologies, we are pleased to see our investment in original music production starting to pay off, as well as an increasing number of indie musicians finding a home on our Tencent Musician Platform. With broad capabilities across the content value chain, we will continuously expand content production, licensing, operation, promotion, and monetization efforts to augment the scale and fortify the quality and competitiveness of our music catalog. Based on the confidence we have in the future of our dual engine content-and-platform strategy, we have completed over 50% of the $1 billion share repurchase program announced last year, and plan to complete the rest of the program throughout this year. In addition, to provide our shareholders with greater liquidity and protection amid an evolving regulatory environment, we are pursuing a secondary listing on the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange through a listing by way of introduction, subject to regulatory approvals" Pang concluded.

16:06 EDT Shareholders of SLR Investment, SLR Senior Investment approve merger - SLR Investment (SLRC) and SLR Senior Investment (SUNS) announced that each company obtained stockholder approval of the proposals related to the previously announced merger of SLRC and SUNS at their respective special meetings of stockholders held on March 21. Stockholders voted in favor of the proposals relating to the merger, as approximately 95% of voting SUNS stockholders and approximately 98% of voting SLRC stockholders supported the merger. The transaction is currently expected to close on or about April 1, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

16:03 EDT Piedmont Lithium trading halted, news pending

16:00 EDT Opthea Ltd (ADR) trading resumes

15:46 EDT Apple says service outages resolved - Apple stated regarding several of its services on its system status page: "Resolved Outage - Some users were affected. Users may have experienced intermittent issues with this service." Reference Link

14:56 EDT Teva announces agreement with Rhode Island to settle opioid-related claims - Teva Pharmaceuticals, a U.S. affiliate of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (TEVA) and its affiliates, has reached an agreement with the Attorney General of Rhode Island that settles the state's and its subdivisions opioid-related claims. Under the terms of the settlement, Teva will pay Rhode Island $21M over 13-years and will provide its recently launched generic Narcan and a significant amount of buprenorphine naloxone known by the brand name Suboxone, valued at a combined $78.5M wholesale acquisition cost over 10 years. "The settlement structure is consistent with previously announced settlements and includes a significant component of life-saving medicines - ample supply to meet or exceed the current need in the state of Rhode Island for the next 10 years - while including additional expenses from the trial that was set to start on March 16, 2022. The Company continues to actively negotiate a national settlement. Teva believes that today's settlement with the state of Rhode Island is in the best interest of those impacted by the opioid crisis and a critical step forward in getting life-saving treatments to the people who need them. This settlement agreement is not an admission of any liability or wrongdoing and the company will continue to defend itself in court, in states where we have not reached terms of a settlement agreement," the company stated.

13:53 EDT Triller to acquire Pillow Fighting Championship, terms not disclosed - Triller, which entered into a merger agreement with SeaChange in December 2021, announced that it had entered into an agreement to acquire Pillow Fight Championship for an undisclosed amount. The Triller and FightPFC deal joined the recently announced acquisition of BKFC and the creation of Triller's Triad and the Triller's acquisition of FITE last year, a global streaming platform that has carried FightPFC and BKFC since their inception. "Combat sports, like music, have widely diverse styles and audiences, FightPFC is indeed another wildly popular genre, and Triller is pumped to take it to the next level globally," said Fight Club's Ryan Kavanaugh. "We admire the risk-takers and those that see around corners to create and deliver entertainment and action for everyone. As Triller continues to invest in the innovators and events that redefine the social experience in the diverse combat sports sector, Triller's and FightPFC's agreement signals another step forward towards our vision to bring everyone the content they want, when they want it," added Kavanaugh.

13:41 EDT Camden Property announces acquisition of fund partnership interests - On Friday after the close, Camden Property Trust announced the planned acquisition of all outstanding partnership interests in its two discretionary investment funds from Teacher Retirement System of Texas. The purchase price is based upon a gross asset valuation of the Funds of approximately $2.1B. Camden currently owns 31.3% of the Funds' interests and will acquire the remaining 68.7% interests through this transaction. Total consideration for the acquisition of TRS' interests, after adjusting for approximately $520M of existing secured mortgage debt of the Funds, which will remain outstanding after closing, is approximately $1.1B and will be initially funded through cash on hand and borrowings under the company's $900M unsecured line of credit. This transaction is anticipated to close early in the second quarter of 2022. The assets involved in this transaction include 22 multifamily communities with 7,247 apartment homes with an average age of 12 years, primarily located in Sunbelt markets across Camden's portfolio. The company expects this acquisition will provide an initial FFO yield of approximately 4.25% and, assuming an April 1, 2022 close, would result in approximately 8c per share of accretion to Camden's prior 2022 funds from operations, or "FFO," guidance. As a result of this transaction, the expected net operating income, or "NOI," contribution from markets including Houston, Austin, Dallas, and Tampa would increase slightly, while the remainder of Camden's markets would reflect slightly lower concentrations. "We are pleased to announce this transaction, which allows us to fully acquire a very attractive portfolio of assets with no execution or integration risks. We have operated these Camden communities for many years and are excited for the opportunity to add them to our wholly-owned portfolio," said Richard J. Campo, Camden's Chairman and CEO.

12:18 EDT AKAN Stock trading resumes

12:02 EDT Verizon, Live Nation launch 5G technology, ticket presale partnership - Verizon (VZ) and Live Nation (LYV) announced a multi-year technology and artist innovation partnership that will leverage Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband technology and presale ticket access to its' 100M consumer base. Verizon will utilize the power of its 5G to work hand-in-hand with Live Nation and its artists to create immersive in-person and virtual experiences that put fans at the center of every concert. In addition, the company has launched a new "First Access" ticket presale program, exclusively for Verizon Up members, for the most sought-after live tours, including The Weeknd, Imagine Dragons, Dierks Bentley, Rosalia and more. Additional artist tours to be announced at a later date. Verizon will continue the deployment of 5G Ultra Wideband in Live Nation clubs, theaters, and amphitheaters across the country, outfitting venues across the U.S. with connectivity built for large scale events, enabling concert-goers to stream, share photos and videos, and download content at speeds up to 10x faster than 4G. Verizon and Live Nation are also working together to provide exclusive access to select artists' live streaming concerts through Veeps streaming platform as part of +play, a new platform exclusive to Verizon customers, launching later this year.

12:00 EDT Studio City falls -12.8% - Studio City is down -12.8%, or -81c to $5.53.

12:00 EDT BP Prudhoe Bay rises 15.8% - BP Prudhoe Bay is up 15.8%, or $1.78 to $13.03.

12:00 EDT Anaplan rises 27.7% - Anaplan is up 27.7%, or $14.01 to $64.60.

11:45 EDT Musk signals plan to scale Tesla to 'extreme size' - Elon Musk signaled plans to scale Tesla to the "extreme" while teasing the release of Tesla's "Master Plan Part 3" on Twitter. "Main Tesla subjects will be scaling to extreme size, which is needed to shift humanity away from fossil fuels, and AI," Musk tweeted. "But I will also include sections about SpaceX, Tesla and The Boring Company." Reference Link

11:42 EDT Match Group launches Stir dating app for single parents - Match announces the official launch of Stir, its newest dating app designed to celebrate and connect single parents. Stir aims to provide community and connection to the 20M single parents in the U.S. that are oftentimes underserved on mainstream dating apps. The company said, "Finding a date night between two single-parent schedules can be challenging between kids' activities and co-parenting arrangements. In fact, one in four single parents say coordinating schedules typically prevents them from going on dates. Exclusive to Stir, Stir Time is a scheduling feature where members can display their me time with matches to make it easier for them to coordinate calendars."

11:33 EDT Huron says Roth to retire as CEO, become vice chairman of board - Huron announced that James Roth will retire from his role as chief executive officer of the company on December 31, 2022, and will become vice chairman on Huron's board of directors and continue in a non-executive capacity. Effective January 1, 2023, C. Mark Hussey, Huron's current president and chief operating officer, will succeed Roth. Hussey will become CEO and president at that time. He will also join the company's board of directors. "Succession planning is one of the most important responsibilities of the board, and today's announcement is the culmination of a well-established, thoughtful transition process," said John McCartney, chair of Huron's board of directors.

11:04 EDT Freddie Mac appoints Wendell Chambliss as CDIO - Freddie Mac announced that Wendell Chambliss has been appointed senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer. In this newly created role, Chambliss will be responsible for programs and initiatives to bring greater diversity, equity and inclusion to the company and to the housing industry. He will serve as a member of the company's senior operating committee and will report directly to Freddie Mac CEO Michael DeVito. Chambliss currently serves as Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Mission, Strategic Business Advisory and Government Affairs within Freddie Mac's Legal Division. He will start his new position on April 11.

10:49 EDT DOJ says UPS to pay $5.3M to settle False Claims Act allegations - The Justice Department announced that United Parcel Service has agreed to pay approximately $5.3M to resolve its potential liability under the False Claims Act for falsely reporting information about the transfer of U.S. mail to foreign posts or other intended recipients under contracts with the U.S. Postal Service, or USPS. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton, head of the Justice Department's Civil Division, said, "The Department of Justice will pursue those who knowingly fail to live up to their bargain and falsely bill the government for goods or services that they did not provide." Reference Link

10:01 EDT Outbrain expands partnership with Japan's Sankei Digital - Outbrain announced its expanded partnership with Sankei Digital, one of the largest digital publishers in Japan. Sankei will replace its existing vendor and implement Outbrain's technology into its major news site, Sankei News, and sports site, Sanspo. The partnership between Outbrain and the Sankei Shimbun Group began in 2015, and this deal represents an expansion of scope and a commitment to the long-term growth of Sankei Digital in Japan.

10:00 EDT KE Holdings falls -10.5% - KE Holdings is down -10.5%, or -$1.48 to $12.67.

10:00 EDT BP Prudhoe Bay rises 11.5% - BP Prudhoe Bay is up 11.5%, or $1.29 to $12.54.

10:00 EDT Anaplan rises 27.9% - Anaplan is up 27.9%, or $14.10 to $64.69.

09:47 EDT Blend Labs falls -9.1% - Blend Labs is down -9.1%, or -64c to $6.42.

09:47 EDT Nielsen falls -13.5% - Nielsen is down -13.5%, or -$3.31 to $21.13.

09:47 EDT Alleghany rises 25.0% - Alleghany is up 25.0%, or $169.12 to $845.87.

09:42 EDT Charlotte's Web signs exclusive UK distribution agreement with Savage Cabbage - Charlotte's Web Holdings has signed an exclusive product distribution agreement in the United Kingdom with Savage Cabbage. Savage Cabbage is a Member of EIHA and has been the official UK distributor of Charlotte's Web CBD since 2016. Under the new agreement, Savage Cabbage will continue to sell a large portfolio of Charlotte's Web whole-plant, full spectrum products that contain all the beneficial compounds that exist in the hemp plant as well as CBD. Savage Cabbage will be utilizing its extensive network in the UK to expand the presence of Charlotte's Web as the Novel Foods regulatory framework continues to progress. Currently operating in the ecommerce space, the partnership will focus on expanding the presence of Charlotte's Web in retail distribution channels and on the high street, with a growing number of notable retailers starting to include CBD products on their shelves.

09:32 EDT Scholastic appoints Cristina Juvier as CPO - Scholastic (SCHL) announced Cristina Juvier has been named Chief People Officer. Based in New York, this new role for the company is designed to bring broad, strategic human resources leadership across Scholastic to best support employees. Juvier will lead Scholastic's human resources organization in the US as well as serve as a global resource to bring best practices to offices throughout the world with a focus on professional development and diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging initiatives. Effective April 25, 2022, she will report to Scholastic President and CEO Peter Warwick. SCP of Human Resources, Lindsey Cotter, will newly report to Ms. Juvier. Most recently, Ms. Juvier served as Head of Human Resources at Reuters since 2019 and Head of Diversity & Inclusion for Thomson Reuters (TRI) as a whole since 2021.

09:14 EDT Gevo announce oneworld Alliance members plan to purchase up to 200M gallons SAF - oneworld Alliance and Gevo (GEVO) announced that certain oneworld members plan to purchase up to 200M gallons per year of sustainable aviation fuel, SAF, from Gevo. The delivery of the SAF is expected to commence in 2027, for a five-year term. oneworld members Alaska Airlines, American Airlines (AAL), British Airways, Finnair (FNNNF), Japan Airlines (JAPSY) and Qatar Airways expect to utilize Gevo's SAF for their operations in California including San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose and Los Angeles International Airports. One member has already executed a binding fuel sales agreement whereby Gevo expects to produce and sell 30M gallons per year of SAF in support of the oneworld Alliance SAF Purchase Goal. Gevo's SAF is expected to be produced using field corn products that will then be processed to create ethanol that will then be converted into SAF. Gevo expects to produce the SAF at one or more facilities under development in the Midwest of the United States. "When oneworld member airlines show they understand the importance of reducing fossil-carbon greenhouse gas emissions, they start making real change in the industry", said Dr. Patrick Gruber, Gevo's Chief Executive Officer. "Eliminating fossil-based emissions from the life-cycle of jet fuel is our mission. Net-Zero SAF is what we all want. I'm pleased that oneworld is on board."

09:11 EDT Save Foods announces pilot results, adds Rafkor as commercial customer - Save Foods announced pilot results that show Save Foods' treatment reduces pear loss by 60%. This announcement follows a recently completed two-season trial with Israeli packer, Rafkor, who has now become a commercial customer of Save Foods. Dan Sztybel, CEO of Save Foods' Israeli Subsidiary, noted: "We have shown time and again that our treatment is effective and has a positive impact on waste reduction and on the bottom line for growers, packers and retailers. So far all our commercial trials have converted to commercial customers, which is a testament to the effectiveness and significance of our eco-friendly products." Mr. Sztybel went on to say: "We believe that reducing food loss and waste is now more important than ever. According to the UN's World Food Programme, the number of people on the edge of famine now stands at 44 million, up from 27 million in 2019. Experts believe the conflict between Russia and Ukraine will further exascerbate the global food system, which was already strained under supply chain issues and changing weather patterns".

09:07 EDT Vail Resorts launches 2022/23 Epic Pass products - Vail Resorts launched its 2022/23 Epic Pass products as the company makes bold investments in its employees, its mountain resorts and its Pass Holders. Vail Resorts recently announced an incremental $175M investment in its employees, which includes increasing its minimum wage to $20 per hour across each of its 37 North American resorts, and raising hourly wages an average of 30%. This is in addition to over $300M the company is investing in the mountain experience next season, with 21 new lifts across 14 resorts to reduce lift line wait times.

09:06 EDT Euroseas sign new building agreements for three 1,800 teu feeder containerships - Euroseas announced that it has signed a contract for the construction of three 1,800 teu eco-design fuel efficient feeder containerships. The vessels will be built at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard Co. in Korea and are scheduled to be delivered during the first half of 2024, one in the first and two in the second quarter of the year. The total consideration for the construction of the three vessels is approximately $102M which the Company intends to finance with a combination of debt and equity. Aristides Pittas, Chairman and CEO of Euroseas commented: "We are pleased to announce the ordering of three modern LNG-ready eco-design containerships of 1,800 teu capacity each in one of the best quality shipbuilders in the world, the same yard where our previous orders for four 2,800 teu vessels were placed. This order continues our strategy to further grow Euroseas in a manner that exploits the relative attractiveness of the newbuilding prices as compared to the price of secondhand vessels; furthermore, it builds on our commitment of having an environmentally friendly fleet and contributing to the de-carbonization effort of our industry. In a quite turbulent and uncertain economic and geopolitical environment, we remain very optimistic about the prospects of the container market. We look forward to welcoming all our seven newbuildings into our fleet over the next two and half years creating a fleet line-up focused on the most commercial sizes of the feeder sector."

09:06 EDT Progress Software releases 35+ DataDirect Connectors - Progress announced the availability of 35+ new Progress DataDirect connectors to help organizations overcome the challenge of accessing data and business intelligence from disparate applications. Adding to a portfolio of pre-built connectors, the new series provides fast and direct access to a variety of popular data sources, including Foursquare, Google Calendar, Twitter, WordPress, YouTube, Zoom and more.

09:04 EDT Teladoc announces Virtual Care Transformation Model - Teladoc Health announced a Virtual Care Transformation Model. This strategic framework helps employers and health plans to assess and advance their healthcare programs by proactively integrating virtual care as a way of improving access, lowering costs and providing better health outcomes to individuals. A national study conducted by Teladoc Health revealed that employers are seeking solutions that provide a full spectrum of health and well-being supports, with 70% planning to fully implement or be close to implementing a whole-person virtual care strategy in the next 3 years. The study also showed that today, only 20% of organizations have fully implemented a whole person virtual care strategy indicating that even the most innovative employers have only begun to realize the potential of virtual care strategies and the benefits whole-person virtual care offers for every stage of a person's health journey, from wellness to complex healthcare needs. The Virtual Care Transformation Model is scalable to address organizations of different sizes and industries and is based on five core dimensions of a virtual care strategy including: plan design; program offerings; member experience; performance measurement.

09:03 EDT AMD announces 3rd Gen AMD EPYC processors with AMD 3D V-Cache tech - AMD announced the general availability of a data center CPU using 3D die stacking, the 3rd Gen AMD EPYC processors with AMD 3D V-Cache technology, formerly codenamed "Milan-X." Built on the "Zen 3" core architecture, these processors expand the 3rd Gen EPYC CPU family and can deliver up to 66 percent performance uplift across a variety of targeted technical computing workloads versus comparable, non-stacked 3rd Gen AMD EPYC processors. These new processors feature the industry's largest L3 cache,3 delivering the same socket, software compatibility and modern security features as 3rd Gen AMD EPYC CPUs while providing outstanding performance for technical computing workloads such as computational fluid dynamics, finite element analysis, electronic design automation and structural analysis. These workloads are critical design tools for companies that must model the complexities of the physical world to create simulations that test and validate engineering designs for some of the world's most innovate products.

08:52 EDT Knightscope signs contract with an existing hospital client, no terms - Knightscope announced that it signed another contract with an existing hospital client. Cross-selling is the practice of selling an additional product or service to an existing client. It is one of the primary methods of generating new revenue and is, perhaps, one of the easiest ways to grow a business since there is already an established a relationship with the client and familiarity with their needs and objectives. This new contract will utilize a K5 Autonomous Security Robot to patrol the parking lots of a 206-bed medical center that serves as a care facility for nearly 3 million healthcare members throughout Northern California. If Knightscope continues to perform well, the client has identified six additional cross-selling opportunities.

08:46 EDT Origin Agritech files for approval for gene edited corn traits - Origin Agritech announced that the company, together with its partner China Agricultural University, has submitted applications for biosafety certificates for six newly developed gene edited traits that significantly increase the yield of corn crops. The new traits include change of the leaf angle and improvement in drought tolerance of corn. Changing the leaf angle and plant types will improve the photosynthesis efficiency and increase the planting population, which in turn increases yields. The new traits will also improve the water use efficiency and drought tolerance for corn plants. Origin is currently integrating these traits into its commercial hybrid corns, including the company's nutritionally enhanced corn. In late January, China announced that the country would allow gene edited crops and that the approval process would be very streamlined as compared to the process for getting a new GMO trait approved. The policy reflects the fact that gene editing mimics naturally occurring mutations and that no foreign species' genes are inserted into the plant, in contrast to GMO. The resulting timeline for approval could be as fast as a year as compared to an 8-year approval timeline for GMO traits. Origin's new corn is one of the first gene edited corn in the approval process in China. Origin began creating gene edited corn traits in 2017 and already has developed many other desirable traits. Additionally, Origin's insect resistant and herbicide tolerant GMO corn is also in the approval process. All of these traits could be integrated into these corn crops as well, further increasing yields.

08:43 EDT OneConnect announces share purchase by Ping An Group - OneConnect Financial Technology announced that China Ping An Insurance Overseas Limited a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ping An Insurance Company of China, , has purchased 5,344,635 American depositary shares of the Company in the open market. The Company was also informed by Bo Yu Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ping An Group that it and its affiliates intend to purchase additional ADSs from time to time, subject to market conditions. "The purchase announced today reiterates our major shareholders' belief that our current share price does not reflect the underlying value of our business. We will remain focused on the execution of our business plan to deliver long-term value to our shareholders," said Mr. Wangchun Ye, OneConnect's chairman of the Board.

08:41 EDT Kohl's sends shareholder letter saying holder Macellum's efforts unjustified - Kohl's mailed definitive proxy materials previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with the Company's Annual Meeting of Shareholders , which is scheduled to be held on May 11 . Kohl's shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 7 will be entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. In conjunction with the definitive proxy mailing, Kohl's is providing the following letter from the Company's Board of Directors to shareholders: "Your Board and management team are creating significant value. Since the announcement of our new strategy in October 2020, we have made substantial progress in transforming our business and positioning the Company for long-term success. Total shareholder returns over this timeframe have been 146% through January 21, 2022, significantly outperforming the SPDR S&P Retail ETF and the S&P 500.1Our growth strategy, which we have outlined in this letter, will allow us to drive sustainable and profitable growth and continue to return substantial capital to shareholders. We are already delivering results, as demonstrated by our 2021 performance that included a strong operating margin and record earnings per share. To ensure we are maximizing shareholder value, your Board is reviewing alternatives through an intentional and ongoing dialog with potential bidders. This process is robust and will be measured against the value creation potential of our compelling standalone plan. Regardless of the outcome of this process, we are excited about the many opportunities ahead for Kohl's. The Kohl's Board is well equipped to protect and grow the value of your investment. Your Board is recently refreshed and has industry-leading experience in areas critical to our business, including e-commerce, retail, apparel, technology, as well as M&A expertise, ensuring that our approach with potential bidders yields optimal results. Importantly, your Board is committed to challenging and supporting the Kohl's management team as we pursue our strategy, with the goal of delivering value for shareholders. Unfortunately, one of our shareholders, Macellum Advisor , is seeking to take control of your Board with a slate of less qualified nominees. Kohl's is committed to engaging constructively with all our shareholders. However, we believe Macellum's efforts to take control of Kohl's are unjustified and unwarranted and highly concerning given Macellum's intentions to engineer short-term financial actions that could damage the long-term future of the company. We urge you to discard any White proxy card you may receive from Macellum. "

08:39 EDT Kohl's acknowledges receipt of 'multiple preliminary indications of interest'

08:36 EDT Toll Brothers announces Tremont Station model grand opening - Toll Brothers announced the grand opening of its model home at Tremont Station, a new community of luxury townhomes in the South End area of Uptown Charlotte. The Tremont Station sales center and new model home are now open at 547 West Tremont Avenue in Charlotte. "Tremont Station offers luxury, low-maintenance living in a prime location," said Jaime Pou, Division President of Toll Brothers in Charlotte. "The newly-opened Dunavant model home serves as an inspiration for our home buyers who are looking for spacious townhomes with modern interiors in the heart of Charlotte's vibrant and lively South End. This community also offers open space, ample guest parking, and a resident dog park - amenities that are rarely available in infill locations."

08:36 EDT Manhattan Associates chosen by Scotch & Soda for supply chain transformation - Manhattan Associates announced that Scotch & Soda has chosen Manhattan Active Allocation and Manhattan Active Warehouse Management as part of a strategic move to drive its global omnichannel transformation. Manhattan Active Allocation opens up inventory allocation across all stores and distribution centers, enabling omnichannel fulfilment fully aligned with how Scotch & Soda expects its inventory to be consumed. This real-time approach to allocation makes for fewer redirects and end-of-season markdowns, less stranded inventory and less financial risk. Pieter Van den Broecke, managing director, Central Europe at Manhattan Associates added, "Scotch & Soda is the personification of the progressive Amsterdam spirit and we are delighted to be working with such a well-loved Dutch fashion icon as it continues to transform its global supply chain to be more future-ready. Manhattan Active Allocation and Active Warehouse Management will usher in a new level of speed, adaptability and ease of use within distribution management and inventory allocation. And, the continuous innovation, scalability and agility provided by our cloud native solutions will enable Scotch & Soda to continue to keep up with the fast pace of shifting consumer trends and expectations, well into the future," ended Van den Broecke.

08:35 EDT Kohl's provides update on ongoing review of expressions of interest - Kohl's provided the following update regarding the Board of Directors' ongoing review of expressions of interest in acquiring the Company. The Board acknowledged receipt of multiple preliminary indications of interest. The proposals received are non-binding and without committed financing. The Board has authorized Goldman Sachs to coordinate with select bidders who have submitted indications of interest to assist with further due diligence so that they have the opportunity to refine and improve their proposals and include committed financing and binding documentation. As announced on February 4, 2022, the Finance Committee of the Board is leading the ongoing review of any expressions of interest. The Finance Committee, which was formed pursuant to the 2021 settlement agreement with Macellum Advisors GP, LLC and other shareholders, is comprised exclusively of independent directors.

08:33 EDT Genasys awarded supplier contract from Sourcewell - Genasys announced a cooperative purchasing contract in the public safety category from Sourcewell. "Through this contract, government, educational and non-profit organizations can order our industry-leading critical communications systems without going through the lengthy and expensive bidding process," said Richard Danforth, Chief Executive Officer of Genasys Inc. "Currently, Genasys is the only provider of unified emergency mass notification and smart evacuation management solutions on a Sourcewell contract. We look forward to partnering with Sourcewell members on helping to keep their staff and constituents safe throughout emergencies and crisis situations."

08:33 EDT Cellectar Biosciences expects cash to fund operations for at least 12 months - Cash and Cash Equivalents: As of December 31, 2021, the company had cash and cash equivalents of $35.7M, compared to $57.2M at December 31, 2020. The company believes its cash on hand is adequate to fund basic budgeted operations for at least 12 months from the filing of the 2021 financial statements.

08:31 EDT NeuroSense receives FDA clearance of IND for PrimeC - NeuroSense Therapeutics announced that it has received clearance from the U.S. FDA to initiate a pharmacokinetic study of PrimeC in healthy adult subjects. PrimeC is a novel extended-release oral formulation composed of a unique fixed-dose combination of two FDA-approved drugs: ciprofloxacin and celecoxib. PrimeC is designed to synergistically target several key mechanisms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis that contribute to motor neuron degeneration, inflammation, iron accumulation and impaired RNA regulation to potentially inhibit the progression of ALS.

08:24 EDT Microchip unveils 3.3 kV Silicon Carbide Power Devices - Microchip Technology announced the expansion of its SiC portfolio with the release of the industry's lowest on-resistance 3.3 kV SiC MOSFETs and highest current-rated SiC SBDs available in the market, enabling designers to take advantage of ruggedness, reliability and performance. With the expansion of Microchip's SiC portfolio, designers are equipped with the tools to develop smaller, lighter and more efficient solutions for electrified transportation, renewable energy, aerospace and industrial applications.

08:22 EDT Wellbeing Digital's KGK engaged by Lophos for novel peyote study - Wellbeing Digital Sciences is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, KGK Science has been engaged by Lophos Pharmaceuticals to evaluate a path to market for sustainably grown, peyote-derived natural health products. Lophos is a Canadian psychedelic research company focused on cultivation and drug development. Peyote has legal status in Canada, but mescaline - the drug derived from the plant - remains a Schedule 3 controlled substance. With a focus on NHPs, potential paths to market will be evaluated based on the safety and sanitary requirements, quality specifications for peyote-derived inputs, and permissible label claims for packaging and sales.

08:20 EDT Portman Ridge Finance resumes share repurchase program - Portman Ridge Finance announced that it has entered into a new Rule 10b5-1 stock trading plan to facilitate the repurchase of its common stock in accordance with its recently re-authorized $10M share repurchase program. Repurchases may be made in the open market at prevailing market prices from time to time as market conditions warrant. All repurchases will be implemented in accordance with the applicable requirements of Rules 10b5-1 and 10b-18 under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Of note, on March 8, 2022, the Company's Board of Directors re-authorized its share repurchase program, whereby the Company may repurchase up to an aggregate of $10 million of its shares in the open market until March 31, 2023, including pursuant to the above-described new Rule 10b5-1 stock trading plan.

08:18 EDT Safeguard Scientifics announces $3M share repurchase plan - Safeguard Scientifics announced a new $3M share repurchase program, in accordance with the requirements of Rule 10b5-1 and Rule 10b-18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These repurchases, which will use existing funds, will be made in open market or privately negotiated transactions and are expected to be completed within the 2022 calendar year. This new plan replaces the $6M share repurchase plan announced in May 2021, which resulted in the repurchase of 236,159 shares at an average cost of $6.94 per share for a total of $1.6M. The May 2021 plan was suspended in October 2021 as part of the Company's modified Dutch auction self-tender, which resulted in the repurchase of 4.3M common shares at $9.06 per share, including transaction costs, for a total of $39M. Since the release of Safeguard's Q4 2021 earnings and the filing of its 2021 Form 10-K, there have been no material developments to Safeguard's ownership interests and no substantive developments in its recently announced process to evaluate strategic alternatives. The engagement of Houlihan Lokey to assist in the Company's evaluation of strategic alternatives may or may not result in a transaction and, if a transaction were to occur, it may occur at a value per share that is higher or lower than the current share price. As the engagement has only recently begun, there can be no assurance regarding any potential outcome. Furthermore, Safeguard has agreed to fund approximately $1.4M to Clutch Holdings, Inc. along with other existing investors. Inclusive of this funding, Safeguard's year-to-date deployments total $3.4M, as compared to the full year 2022 deployments estimate of $5M to $9M announced in our fourth quarter 2021 earnings release.

08:17 EDT Figs announces Jami Pinto as new Chief Global Product and Sustainability Officer - Figs is excited to announce that Jami Pinto has joined the company as its Chief Global Product and Sustainability Officer. With over 25 years of experience in the apparel and footwear industry, Jami is a highly accomplished innovator in performance and functional apparel products with a key focus on technical design, product development, raw materials, production and sustainability. In her role at FIGS, Jami will lead the continued build out of a product portfolio that is both inclusive and innovative, drive the company's global supply chain strategy to ensure that it has a diversified network of best-in-class manufacturing partners, digitize production and operational processes, and lead the company's sustainability efforts. Jami comes to FIGS after serving for 9 years at Under Armour in a number of executive roles, including most recently as Senior Vice President, Global Product Supply, where she led global functions from style creation to product delivery across all categories, and also helped build the framework for sustainability. She previously led Under Armour's Apparel Development efforts, including for Lighthouse, its advanced manufacturing innovation hub. Prior to Under Armour, Jami spent 14 years helping to scale Abercrombie & Fitch brands, where she served as Vice President of Technical Design.

08:16 EDT WillScot Mobile Mini acquires blast resistant module lease portfolio - WillScot Mobile Mini announced that it acquired a portfolio of blast resistant modules and related assets from Satellite Structures. The transaction was funded with cash on hand and borrowings under the Company's revolving credit agreement. Brad Soultz, Chief Executive Officer, commented, "As the leader in modular space and storage solutions, I am excited to build upon our industry leading safety culture and technical expertise to expand our offering of blast resistant modules, making WillScot Mobile Mini a provider of choice in this segment of the modular market. This transaction creates new opportunities to grow our offering with existing customers in the industrial, petrochemical, manufacturing, defense and other verticals that demand the highest standards for safety, service, reliability, and turnkey solutions, all of which WillScot Mobile Mini is uniquely positioned to deliver. Across all of our verticals, we bring the most sophisticated capabilities to the most demanding customers. We will continue to extend those capabilities through our acquisition strategy and the development of our 'Ready to Work' value proposition, as well as the application of technology and other commercial and organizational best practices."

08:14 EDT Enphase Energy expands solar energy deployments in Spain - Enphase Energy announced that installers in Spain have seen an increase in deployments of residential solar energy systems, powered by IQ 7+ and IQ 7A Microinverters. "Residential solar deployments in Spain are growing exponentially as favorable regulatory developments and high electricity prices are motivating homeowners to make the switch to a more sustainable clean energy generation," the company said. The Enphase microinverter systems will be outfitted with IQ Gateway, which connects an Enphase-based solar system to the Enphase App monitoring platform and helps make per-panel energy monitoring and insights for operations and maintenance easy. "Solar energy gives people more control over their energy future, while supporting a path forward for clean and affordable energy for everyone," said Dave Ranhoff, chief commercial officer at Enphase Energy. "We are proud that our network of professional installers in Spain is hard at work bringing Enphase's comprehensive home energy solution to their rapidly growing customer base."

08:13 EDT SomaLogic to provide 210M protein measurements to EPIC researchers - SomaLogic announced that the company will begin assaying samples from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition, EPIC, study beginning in the first quarter of 2022. SomaLogic will use its SomaScan Assay to analyze 210M protein measurements from 30,000 samples spanning 15 years of clinical interactions to help researchers understand and predict cancer development. The collaboration between SomaLogic and EPIC aims to develop potentially predictive protein markers in cancer and other diseases. This may lead to fundamental discoveries enhancing clinical understanding of cancer and its treatment, or to the development of screening and diagnostic tools to improve outcomes. Through its collaboration with EPIC, SomaLogic and Imperial College London will create a Centre for Excellence in Proteomics of Cancer, which will sit within the School of Public Health and continue research into areas of chronic disease supported by proteomic analysis.

08:12 EDT Cerence appoints Jennifer Salinas as general counsel - Cerence (CRNC) announced that it has named Jennifer Salinas as its new Senior Vice President and General Counsel, effective April 4, 2022. She will be based in the Cerence Burlington, Massachusetts headquarters and will report to Stefan Ortmanns, Cerence CEO. Salinas, who most recently served as General Counsel of the Infrastructure Solutions Group and Global Head of Litigation at Lenovo (LVNGY), is an experienced and progressive public company legal leader with an ideal combination of top-tier law firm training and senior in-house roles.

08:10 EDT Cerberus Cyber appoints Ashley Devoto as CISO - Cerberus Cyber Sentinel (CISO) announces that Ashley Devoto has been appointed chief information security officer, CISO, for the company. She will be responsible for guiding Cerberus Sentinel's global cybersecurity strategy as well as leading all cybersecurity operations and supporting the delivery of cybersecurity solutions to customers. Prior to joining Cerberus, Devoto most recently served as CISO for Booz Allen Hamilton (BAH) where she was "responsible for cybersecurity strategy and led the transformation of cybersecurity organization to defend against today's threats," the company said.

08:09 EDT Pulmatrix announces 'positive' data from Phase 1b clinical study of PUR1800 - Pulmatrix announced positive top-line results of its recently completed Phase 1b clinical study of PUR1800, a narrow-spectrum kinase inhibitor administered as a dry powder for inhalation with iSPERSE for evaluation in patients with stable Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. PUR1800 is being developed to treat Acute Exacerbations in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Initial safety and pharmacokinetics were evaluated in patients with stable COPD. The Phase 1b trial, performed at the Medicines Evaluation Unit in Manchester, UK, was designed as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 3-way crossover study to assess the safety, tolerability, and PK of repeated once-daily doses of PUR1800 or placebo for 14 days, in adult patients with stable COPD. A total of 18 subjects were enrolled. Safety and tolerability as well as systemic PK were evaluated. PUR1800 was well-tolerated and there were no observed safety signals. The preliminary PK data indicate that PUR1800 results in low and consistent systemic exposure when administered via oral inhalation. Margaret Wasilewski, M.D., Chief Medical Officer Pulmatrix, commented, "We are very encouraged by the safety and preliminary pharmacokinetic results in this study. We will continue to evaluate the complete datasets and expect to submit study results at a relevant medical conference later this year."

08:08 EDT Verisk plans to be global insurance-focused data analytics solutions provider - Verisk provided an update on its ongoing activities to advance corporate governance and drive enhanced shareholder value. The Verisk Board of Directors, in consultation with management and informed by input received from D.E. Shaw & Co., and other shareholders, has determined to take the following actions: Intention to Move Towards Being a Global Insurance-Focused Data Analytics Solutions Provider: As it continues its ongoing and comprehensive bottom-up review of Verisk's non-insurance businesses and overall portfolio composition, the company has determined that moving towards being a global insurance-focused data analytics solutions provider represents the optimal path towards enhancing shareholder value. The company continues to actively evaluate all available strategic alternatives for separating the Energy business, with relevant workstreams underway. Subject to market conditions and shareholder value considerations, Verisk expects to conclude this strategic review and provide details on which transaction structure it intends to pursue for the Energy business no later than the end of the fiscal third quarter of 2022, with an expectation that any such transaction would be executed by the fiscal first quarter of 2023. Commitment to Achieving Margin Expansion: In connection with its comprehensive portfolio review, and under the active supervision of the board, Verisk's management has been undertaking a proactive study of the company's cost structure to better align costs with the scale and requirements of the ongoing Verisk insurance-focused businesses. As this work continues, and as the company continues moving towards being a global insurance-focused data analytics solutions provider, Verisk expects to deliver sustainable cost efficiencies that produce a target of 300-500 basis points of EBITDA margin expansion in the consolidated remaining insurance-focused business by 2024, while maintaining industry-leading rates of organic revenue growth. The company expects to be able to provide additional detail on the timing and pathway to achieving this target and opportunities for further margin expansion on subsequent quarterly earnings calls as operational improvements continue to be implemented.

08:07 EDT TuSimple to explore certain transactions for Asia-Pacific-focused businesses - TuSimple announced that its Board of Directors, with full support from its management team, intends to explore certain transactions at a subsidiary level for its Asia-Pacific-focused businesses. The Board believes that such a transaction can highlight value in the company's Asia-Pacific-focused businesses and enhance overall value for shareholders. This exploratory process does not currently include any plans for a divestiture or a similar transaction for any of its businesses or subsidiaries. "TuSimple has a leading autonomous trucking technology and go-to-market position in China with opportunities to expand to other Asia-Pacific markets," said Xiaodi Hou, Co-Founder and CEO, TuSimple. "We believe this is the right time to explore opportunities to add high quality partners at a subsidiary level and highlight the value of our Asia-Pacific-focused businesses." This process is at a preliminary stage and no assurances can be made regarding the nature of a potential transaction, if any.

08:06 EDT Fluidigm tells stockholders to vote 'FOR ALL' proposals on capital infusion - Fluidigm urged Fluidigm stockholders to vote "FOR" ALL proposals related to the previously announced strategic capital infusion from leading life sciences investors Casdin Capital and Viking Global Investors at the Company's upcoming Special Meeting of Stockholders. The Special Meeting is scheduled for March 25, 2022. "This transaction is the culmination of the Fluidigm Board's comprehensive review of a wide range of options to maximize stockholder value. The investment by two leading life sciences and biotechnology-focused investors is expected to significantly advance the Company's mission through new organic and inorganic growth initiatives while optimizing its cost structure. The $250 million capital infusion is expected to accelerate growth and innovation across the life science ecosystem as the Company pursues and consolidates complementary technologies with an improved balance sheet to create value for all stakeholders," the company said.

08:04 EDT UroGen Pharma sees FY22 Jelmyto revenue $70M-$80M - The company said, "The Company anticipates full year 2022 net product revenues from Jelmyto to be in the range of $70 to $80 million. The Company anticipates full year 2022 operating expenses in the range of $140 to $160 million, including non-cash share-based compensation expense of $10 to $16 million, subject to market conditions. The Company anticipates full year 2022 financing expense related to the prepaid obligation to RTW Investments in the range of $22 to $26 million, of which approximately $9.1 to $10.4 million will be in cash."

08:03 EDT Deere to expand availability of diagnostic tools - John Deere announced it will enhance the capabilities of existing diagnostic tools and expand their availability. In 2023, the company will roll out an enhanced customer solution that includes a mobile device interface, and the ability to download secure software updates directly to embedded controllers on select John Deere equipment with 4G connections. In addition, John Deere announced today that coming this May it will expand its offerings by giving customers and independent repair shops in the U.S. the ability to purchase Customer Service ADVISOR directly through JohnDeereStore.com.

08:02 EDT Becton Dickinson provides update on planned spinoff of Embecta Corp. - Becton, Dickinson and Company provided additional details related to the planned spinoff of Embecta Corp. BD has set a record date of March 22, 2022 for the distribution of shares of embecta common stock. Accordingly, upon completion of the spin-off, each BD shareholder will receive one share of embecta common stock for every five shares of BD common stock held as of the close of business on March 22, 2022. embecta will not issue fractional shares of its common stock in the distribution. Instead, the fractional shares of embecta common stock will be aggregated and sold in the open market, with the net proceeds distributed pro rata in cash payments to the BD shareholders who otherwise would have received fractional shares of embecta common stock. There is no current market for embecta common stock. embecta expects trading in its common stock to begin on a "when issued" basis on or around March 21, 2022, under the symbol "EMBCV" on the Nasdaq Global Select Market. "When issued" trading of embecta common stock will continue until BD distributes embecta's common stock at 12:01 a.m., Eastern time, on April 1, 2022, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of conditions to the distribution described in embecta's information statement, dated February 11, 2022. Upon completion of the distribution, embecta expects its stock will begin trading on a "regular way" basis under the ticker "EMBC" on April 1, 2022. embecta "when issued" trades are expected to settle after the completion of the distribution. BD expects that, beginning on or around March 22, 2022, and continuing through March 31, 2022, BD common shares will trade in two markets on the NYSE: a "regular-way" market under the symbol "BDX" and an "ex-distribution" market under the symbol "BDX WI." BD common shares that trade in the "regular-way" market will trade with an entitlement to embecta common stock distributed pursuant to the distribution. Shares that trade in the "ex-distribution" market will trade without an entitlement to embecta common stock distributed pursuant to the distribution. BD shareholders who sell their shares in the "regular-way" market on or before April 1, 2022, will also be selling their entitlement to receive the embecta common stock distributed pursuant to the distribution. BD shareholders are encouraged to consult with their financial advisors regarding the specific consequences of selling BD common shares on or before April 1, 2022. Only holders of BD common shares as of the close of business on the record date will be entitled to the distribution of embecta common stock in the spin-off. Holders of BD's Series B mandatory convertible preferred stock will not receive shares of embecta common stock in the distribution. Instead, under the terms of such preferred stock, the conversion rate of such preferred stock will be increased as a result of the spin-off. Such increase to the conversion ratio will be based on the volume weighted average price of BD common shares and embecta common stock over the 10 consecutive trading day period following the completion of the spin-off and is described in more detail in the prospectus supplement for the Series B preferred stock, dated May 20, 2020, filed by BD with SEC.

07:53 EDT SAP CFO Luka Mucic to depart in 2023 - SAP announced that the supervisory board has agreed with Luka Mucic, CFO and executive board member, that he will depart the company on March 31, 2023. The supervisory board has initiated the search for a successor. Mucic will continue in his full capacity as CFO until March 31, 2023.

07:41 EDT Enerflex provides update on acquisition of Exterran - Enerflex (ENRFF) announced that S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings have each provided an initial credit rating for the pro forma combination of Enerflex and Exterran Corporation (EXTN). S&P's initial corporate credit rating is BB- with a stable outlook and Fitch's initial long-term issuer rating is BB- with a stable outlook. On January 24, 2022, Enerflex and Exterran announced an intention to combine in an all-share transaction, creating a premier integrated global provider of energy infrastructure. Upon closing, Enerflex will acquire all of the outstanding common stock of Exterran on the basis of 1.021 Enerflex common shares for each outstanding share of common stock of Exterran, resulting in approximately 124 million Enerflex common shares outstanding, representing an implied combined enterprise value of approximately $1.5 billion. The transaction value for Exterran is approximately $735 million, which represents an 18% premium to Exterran's enterprise value as of January 21, 2022, the last trading day before the Transaction was announced. The combined company will operate as Enerflex and will remain headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Enerflex will continue to trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "EFX" and intends to apply to either the New York Stock Exchange or the NASDAQ exchange for the listing of Enerflex common shares to be effective upon Transaction close. The Company continues to progress all matters that need to be addressed to close the Transaction, including the filing of necessary regulatory approvals. Enerflex expects to file, during the second quarter of 2022, an information circular with respect to the shareholder approvals that are required for the Transaction. The Circular will contain a detailed description of the Transaction and will be available under our electronic profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com as well as Enerflex's website. All Enerflex shareholders are urged to read the Circular once available as it will contain important information concerning the Transaction. Enerflex recently completed the syndication of a new senior secured revolving credit facility for a 3-year term subject to annual extension. RBC Capital Markets, TD Securities, and The Bank of Nova Scotia served as Joint Bookrunners and Co-Lead Arrangers for the facility which was significantly oversubscribed. With the support of the lenders, Enerflex elected to upsize the facility size from US$600 million to US$700 million to provide enhanced liquidity. The new credit facility is in addition to the fully committed US$925 million 5-year bridge loan facility entered into between Enerflex and Royal Bank of Canada as previously announced. The bridge loan will provide financing to backstop an anticipated issuance of new high yield debt securities prior to closing of the Transaction. The committed financing is sufficient to fully repay the existing Enerflex and Exterran notes as well as amounts outstanding under the existing revolving credit facilities and supports putting in place a new capital structure, provides for capital expenditures and other ordinary course capital needs, and provides significant liquidity for the pro forma business.

07:39 EDT Vera Therapeutics to host BK Virus webinar - Vera Therapeutics (VERA) announced that it will host a key opinion leader webinar discussing BK Virus featuring transplant nephrologist and pioneering kidney transplant researcher, Stanley Jordan, M.D., FASN, FAST. As part of the webinar, management will provide an overview of Vera's lead asset in the treatment of BKV, MAU868, a first-in-class monoclonal antibody to treat BKV infections. The event will be held on Tuesday, March 29, 2022 at 11:00 AM ET. A live question and answer session will follow. BK Virus is a polyoma virus that can be reactivated in settings of immunosuppression, such as in kidney transplant. It is a leading cause of kidney transplant loss and transplant-associated morbidity; there are currently no approved treatments for BKV in the U.S. MAU868 has the potential to neutralize infection by blocking BKV virions from binding to host cells. MAU868 is currently undergoing a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 clinical trial to assess the safety, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy for the treatment of BKV in kidney transplant patients. MAU868 has been shown in an interim analysis of week 12 data from Cohorts 1 and 2 of a Phase 2 study to be well tolerated and showed a greater proportion of subjects with decrease in BK plasma viral load versus placebo. Phase 2 interim analysis results will be shared in mid-2022. Vera holds an exclusive worldwide license for the development and commercialization of MAU868 in all indications from Amplyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Pfizer (PFE).

07:38 EDT GT Biopharma to present TriKE nanobody pipeline data at EBMT meeting - GT Biopharma announced preclinical data to be presented at the hybrid 48th European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation Annual Meeting. The poster presentation titled, "Tri-specific Killer Engager against B7-H3 enhances NK cell mediated killing of multiple myeloma," is presented by Aimee Merino, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation at the University of Minnesota. Results - NK cell mediated killing increased statistically significantly across all multiple myeloma cell lines tested. Combination therapy with GTB-5550 and anti-cancer agent showed enhanced killing as compared to NK cells or TriKE alone. Statistically significant increase in NK cell mediated killing across all lines when 3nM B7-H3-TriKE was added. Against U266 and MM1S, B7-H3-TriKE significantly enhanced killing at effector:target ratios of 2:1 and 4:1. RPMI-8226 showed relatively high resistance to NK cell cytotoxicity but B7-H3-TriKE enhanced killing at E:T of 4:1. H929 cells were more potently killed in the presence of B7-H3-TriKE at E:T of 2:1 but there was no difference in killing at E:T 4:1 likely due to high natural cytotoxicity in both groups. Combination therapy with GTB-5550, NK cells, and lenalidomide showed synergistic killing of H929 cells after 48 hours of live cell imaging but combination with bortezomib did not further enhance killing as compared to NK cells and TriKE alone. Both lenalidomide and bortezomib showed a trend toward improved killing against MM1S when given with NK cells and B7-H3 TriKE but it did not reach statistical significance. Combination therapy with B7-H3-TriKE, NK cells, and lenalidomide or bortezomib showed synergistic killing of RPMI-8226 cells after 48 hours of live cell imaging. Bortezomib combined with GTB-5550 and NK cells enhanced killing in U266 cells. Conclusion - B7-H3-TriKE significantly enhances NK cell mediated killing of myeloma cells, even in the relatively low B7-H3-expressing H929 line. The data also shows it can reverse MDSC-induced myeloma growth.

07:35 EDT Natera to present new Signatera data from CIRCULATE-Japan trial - Natera announced new Signatera data from the prospective, multi-center CIRCULATE-Japan trial, presented by Dr. Eiji Oki of Kyushu University in an oral presentation at the Society of Surgical Oncology 2022 International Conference on Surgical Cancer Care. CIRCULATE-Japan is the largest molecular residual disease-guided clinical trial with more than 3,300 stage I-IV colorectal cancer patients enrolled to date. This interim analysis at SSO, similar to the one previously presented at the 2022 ASCO GI symposium, analyzed 6-month and 12-month outcomes from 1,040 patients and showed that Signatera MRD-positive patients benefited significantly from adjuvant chemotherapy, while Signatera MRD-negative patients did not benefit from ACT. Latest findings exclusive to SSO 2022 demonstrate 75% detection of recurrence in stage II-III patients with a single blood draw at 4 weeks post surgery. The previous analysis from ASCO GI, which showed a single time point sensitivity of 68%, did not exclude non-cancer or treatment-related deaths. Prior studies have shown that serial monitoring further increases the detection rate of recurrence up to 88-93%.

07:34 EDT Cronos Group founder Mike Gorenstein returns as CEO - Cronos announced that the Board of Directors has appointed Mike Gorenstein as Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, effective March 21, 2022, in connection with Kurt Schmidt's retirement. "Mike Gorenstein's immediate areas of focus include: Delivering margin accretive growth focusing on adult-use product formats; Continuing to drive rare cannabinoid development and commercialization strategy; Cutting costs and focusing investments to the highest ROI opportunities, specifically "borderless" investments that can create incremental revenue as new markets come online; Leading a successful transition from Peace Naturals Campus to a more agile supply chain; and Positioning Cronos to win in the U.S. cannabis market," the company said.

07:33 EDT MediWound announces last patient in EscharEx U.S. Phase 2 trial completes visits - MediWound announced that the last patient in its U.S. Phase 2 clinical study of EscharEx for the debridement of venous leg ulcers has completed the study treatment visits as well as the required follow up. As previously announced on January 24, 2022, the study met its primary endpoint with high degree of statistical significance. Patients treated with EscharEx demonstrated a higher incidence of complete debridement during the 14-day measurement period within up to 8 applications compared to patients treated with gel vehicle. Final data set readout, including secondary and exploratory endpoints as well as additional safety measurements, which will allow further evaluation of clinical benefits, is expected in the second quarter of 2022.

07:32 EDT Vistra names Jim Burke as next CEO, effective August 1 - Vistra announced that its board of directors has named longtime company executive Jim Burke as its next CEO, effective Aug. 1. Burke, who currently serves as president and CFO, will also join the company's board upon assuming his new role. Vistra's current CEO and board member, Curt Morgan, has been at the helm since late 2016 and will stay on as CEO through the summer for a transition period. The transition from Morgan to Burke is a product of the company's formal succession planning process.

07:28 EDT Diffusion Pharmaceuticals expects to complete dosing for Altitude trial in 2Q22 - In November 2021, Diffusion announced the dosing of the first participants in the Altitude Trial which was designed to evaluate the effects of TSC in normal healthy volunteers subjected to incremental levels of physical exertion while exposed to hypoxic and hypobaric conditions, or "simulated altitude." Due to enrollment delays experienced during early 2022 related to the omicron variant wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company now anticipates completing dosing in the second quarter of 2022 and topline results are expected to be reported within one to two months of study completion.

07:24 EDT Pinduoduo deepens agricultural digital inclusion efforts in 3031 - The company said, "Pinduoduo deepened its agricultural digital inclusion efforts in 2021, spreading the benefits of the digital economy by connecting communities and facilitating the adoption of technology. The company posted its fourth-quarter financial results on March 21, 2022. As of the end of 2021, Pinduoduo has connected over 16 million farmers to its 868.7 million buyers nationwide. A total of 61 billion orders were placed on the platform in 2021, representing a 59% increase from a year ago, driven by surging agricultural orders. In 2021, Pinduoduo stepped up its efforts to support agricultural modernization through initiatives to help farmers expand market access, motivate more young people to take up agriculture, and advance the use of technology in agriculture...Throughout last year, Pinduoduo initiated agriculture-focused shopping festivals with different regions to promote thousands of local specialties. Pinduoduo also worked with key partners such as China Central Television to launch livestreaming events, introducing agricultural treasures in different areas to nationwide audiences. These events help to raise the profile of agricultural regions and channel more resources to local communities to upgrade their agricultural production and invest in brand-building. To support the efforts in upgrading agriculture, Pinduoduo has waived its sales commission and provided more exposure to agricultural products. The Company also pledged to continue its "zero commission policy" on agricultural products...Further upstream, Pinduoduo invests in agricultural technology to help growers improve their productivity. The Company organizes an annual Smart Agriculture Competition to encourage young agricultural researchers and technologists from around the world to develop cost-effective technology suitable for smallholder farmers. The co-organizers include China Agricultural University and Zhejiang University, with the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and Wageningen University & Research providing technical guidance and support. Technologies developed during the first Smart Agriculture Competition is currently in use in several major strawberry-growing regions in China, including Liaoning, Anhui, and Yunnan, to manage growing conditions in greenhouses. Traditional growers can more than double their management capacity using the technologies, which determine the optimal climate conditions for strawberries and automate processes like irrigation. Early indications from the current Smart Agriculture Competition, which began last summer, also show much higher yields for tomatoes than traditional growing methods, demonstrating the potential economic and environmental benefits of technology in agriculture...Younger talent is required to improve the way food is sold and distributed post-harvest. Pinduoduo offers dedicated courses to equip interested youths with the necessary knowhow to set up their own e-commerce businesses, so that they can help their local communities to plug into the digital economy. As of the end of October 2021, more than 126,000 young farming professionals born after 1995 have joined the Pinduoduo platform, up from 85,700 in 2020 and 29,700 in 2019. These "New Farmers" have a key role to play in agricultural modernization and rural vitalization. Pinduoduo will devote more resources to expand its agricultural training programs and support more young agricultural entrepreneurs...To deepen its commitment to agricultural and rural vitalization, Pinduoduo announced in August a dedicated 10 Billion Agriculture Initiative overseen by Chen to address critical needs in the agricultural sector and rural areas."

07:18 EDT Guardforce signs non-binding LOI with Shenzhen Kewei, Shenzhen Yeantec - Guardforce AI announced the signing of a non-binding Letter of Intent with Shenzhen Kewei Robot Technology Co., Limited and Shenzhen Yeantec to purchase up to 36 of the Kewei Group's subsidiaries located in China. Under the LOI, in the first of two phases, Guardforce AI will acquire eight of the Kewei Group companies. The second phase provides Guardforce AI the right of first refusal to purchase the remaining 28 companies within a period of 24 months from the date of the signing of the LOI. The purchase of the additional 28 companies will be dependent on the Company's operational plans. The Company expects to sign the definitive agreement for the phase one acquisitions before the end of May. The purchase price for the eight phase one companies will be based upon a valuation that is equal to one-time projected average revenues for the eight companies estimated to be U.S. $30 million and will be paid in a mix of cash and Company restricted shares at a price of U.S. $2.00 per share. The Company will be required to pay Kewei the 10% cash component of the purchase price as a deposit and Kewei will deliver to the Company 100% of the outstanding share capital of the eight phase one companies as a pledge, within 10 days of the signing of the LOI. The acquisition is subject to, among other things, the satisfactory completion of due diligence by the Company, the entry into definitive agreements and any required third-party consents. Seven of the eight companies are well-established with experienced salesforce and management teams that provide robotics sales and rental services, serving clients in a variety of industries such as hospitality, healthcare, government facilities, and property management. The proposed acquisition includes the following companies: Beijing Keweian Robot Technology Ltd, based in Beijing; Shanghai Nanxiao Kewei Intelligent Technology Ltd, based in Shanghai; Tianjin Kewei Robot Technology Ltd, based in Tianjin; Chongqing Kewei Robot Technology Ltd, based in Chongqing; Guangxi Kewei Robot Technology Ltd, based in Nanning, Guangxi Province; Fuzhou Kewei Robot Technology Ltd, based in Fuzhou, Fujian Province; Hainan Kewei Robot Technology Ltd, based in Haikou, Hainan Province; Beijing Wanjia Security System Ltd, based in Beijing, China.

07:17 EDT Aura Biosciences: AU-011gets EU orphan drug designation for uveal melanoma - Aura Biosciences announced that the European Commission has granted Orphan Drug Designation to AU-011, its first VDC product candidate, for the treatment of uveal melanoma. The designation of uveal melanoma includes choroidal melanoma as well as melanomas of the iris and the ciliary body. Choroidal melanoma represents approximately 90% of uveal melanomas. "There are currently no approved drug therapies for the treatment of early-stage choroidal melanoma, and receiving Orphan Drug Designation from EMA underscores the unmet need that AU-011 could fill for patients with this life-threatening disease," said Mark De Rosch, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer and Head of Regulatory Affairs. "We have alignment with U.S. and European agencies on our pivotal program and are on track to initiate this program before the end of 2022." The European Commission grants Orphan Drug Designa ion for medicinal products intended to treat life-threatening or chronically debilitating conditions that affect fewer than five in 10,000 people in the European Union and when no satisfactory method of diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of the condition can be authorized. The designation provides certain benefits and incentives in the EU, including protocol assistance, fee reductions, and ten years of market exclusivity once the medicine is on the market.

07:15 EDT GCM Mining announces subscription to Aris Gold convertible debenture - GCM Mining announced that it has subscribed to a $35M convertible senior unsecured debenture to be issued by a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aris Gold Corporation. The proceeds of the Debenture will be used to pay a portion of the purchase price for the acquisition, through a joint venture company, of a 20% ownership interest in the Soto Norte gold project in Colombia, one of the world's largest feasibility-stage gold projects with high-grade mineral reserves, low capital intensity, low operating costs and district-scale potential. Aris Gold will become the operator of the Soto Norte gold project and will have an option to increase its ownership to 50%. Aris Gold expects to close the Transaction in April 2022. The Debenture will be due, in cash, 18 months from closing of the Transaction. At any time after 12 months from closing of the Transaction, the Debenture may be converted, in whole or in part, at GCM Mining's sole discretion into common shares of Aris Gold at a price to be determined in the context of the market and in accordance with the rules of the Toronto Stock Exchange following the issuance of this news release. The Debenture will pay interest monthly with an annualized coupon of 7.5%. The issuance of the Debenture is conditional upon closing of the Transaction by Aris Gold and is subject to the approval of the Toronto Stock Exchange. The ability of GCM Mining to fully execute its conversion rights under the Debenture is subject to disinterested Aris Gold shareholder approval at its next annual meeting of shareholders. GCM Mining also announced today that as a result of the Good Friday bank holiday, payment of the next monthly dividend of CA$0.015 per common share will be made on Monday, April 18, 2022 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 31, 2022.

07:14 EDT AstraZeneca says EVUSHELD reduced viral burden and inflammation from Omicron - New preclinical authentic 'live' virus data from Washington University School of Medicine demonstrated that EVUSHELD , tixagevimab co-packaged with cilgavimab, retains potent neutralizing activity against the emerging and highly transmissible Omicron SARS-CoV-2 BA.2 subvariant.1 The data also showed that EVUSHELD retains activity against Omicron BA.1 and BA.1.1.1 In addition, in vivo data generated using mice infected with Omicron BA.1, BA.1.1 and BA.2 demonstrated that EVUSHELD significantly reduced the viral burden and limited inflammation in the lungs for all three subvariants.1 SARS-CoV-2 viral load is associated with increased disease severity and mortality as well as post-COVID conditions long COVID.2,3 The study used a transgenic mouse model to evaluate EVUSHELD in pre-exposure prophylaxisprevention of COVID-19, similar to how EVUSHELD is used in the clinic. These are the first in vivo data evaluating EVUSHELD's efficacy against the Omicron variants versus previous in vitro neutralizing activity assays in cultured cells.

07:12 EDT Alexco Resource sees Q1 silver production 75,000-100,000 ounces - The company stated, "Activities at Keno Hill in early 2022 were meaningfully impacted by the occurrence of numerous COVID-19 cases on site following routine testing, which necessitated mandatory self-isolation periods for affected employees and contractors. In addition, supply chain interruptions had a negative impact on maintenance activities at site, which reduced the availability of key underground equipment. Taken together, these challenges reduced development rates, ore extraction, and ultimately silver production in the early parts of 2022, with Bermingham and Flame & Moth producing a combined 4,454 tonnes through February 2022. Alexco now estimates that Q1 2022 silver production will be approximately 75,000 to 100,000 ounces with the vast majority of that production occurring in March 2022. With the mill now demonstrating that it is more than capable of operating at, and even above, its design capacity of 400 tpd, the delivery of ore from underground is the key driver for increasing production levels. To that end, longhole ore extraction is continuing at the Bermingham 1150 level, and in March 2022 the Corporation reached the ore at both the 815 and 835 levels at Flame & Moth. With multiple ore faces in two mines operating it is anticipated that ore deliveries in the second quarter of 2022 will improve significantly, which should result in a significant increase to Q2 2022 silver production levels. While risks to our outlook remain elevated, the Corporation estimates that Q2 2022 silver production will range between 450,000 and 550,000 ounces; before targeting an increase to effective "run-rate" levels in the second half of the year. Management intends to provide 2022 silver production guidance on May 12, 2022 when it announces its results for the quarter ended March 31, 2022."

07:11 EDT Quotient announces expansion of MosaiQ's Innovator's Circle - Quotient announced New York Blood Center, USA, and Centro de Transfusiones de la Comunidad de Madrid, Spain have joined MosaiQ's Innovator's Circle. To date, three European and three US transfusion medicine laboratories, including Blood Assurance, USA, have joined the Innovator's Circle, with more under evaluation. MosaiQ Innovator's Circle is a community of experts, representing laboratories from multiple nations focused on transfusion medicine and soon other areas of clinical diagnostics. "The ability to partner with outstanding laboratories and investigators allows access to real world testing, critical patient samples, and invaluable input from both laboratorians and health care practitioners. Together, we can drive novel solutions within transfusion medicine aimed to improve clinical practices. Evidence generation through our IIR program is essential for adoption, recognition, and reimbursement" said Dr. Christine Ginocchio, Chief Scientific and Medical Officer of Quotient.

07:10 EDT Recro Pharma announces name change to Societal CDMO - Recro Pharma (REPH)announced that it is changing its name to Societal CDMO, Inc. to reflect the corporate transformation that has taken place primarily as a result of its acquisition and integration of IriSys, Inc. into the organization. The company said, " Since the August 2021 acquisition of IriSys, Societal CDMO has worked to strategically and thoughtfully integrate that business into its legacy operations to establish a stronger and more versatile CDMO capable of attracting and efficiently servicing a broader range of customers domestically and abroad. The result of these efforts has been the successful expansion of Societal CDMO's physical footprint to include facilities on both coasts of the U.S., significant diversification of its customer base, expansion of its suite of service offerings, and enhancement of its industry expertise through augmentation of its leadership and employee base. The new identity is intended to capture the company's vision for establishing itself as a premier, trusted growth-focused CDMO that is expertly and actively facilitating its customers' objectives of delivering impactful medicines to society." Societal CDMO is in the process of developing a new corporate website. While the full site is not yet live, a preview of the new website can now be seen at www.recrocdmo.com. Once the new website is live, it will be available www.societalcdmo.com. Effective at market open on Tuesday, March 22, 2022, trading for Societal CDMO will begin under the symbol "SCTL". The company's common stock will continue to trade under the ticker symbol "REPH" until market close today, March 21, 2022. The corporate name change to Societal CDMO does not affect the rights of the company's stockholders and no action is required by stockholders with respect to the name change. Outstanding stock certificates are not affected by the name change and will not need to be exchanged.

07:09 EDT Spok reduces board to six members - Spok announced that it has reduced the size of its board of directors to six members to better align the board's size and composition with the company's recently announced business strategy. As a result of the reduction in board size, four incumbent directors will not stand for re-election at the company's 2022 annual meeting of stockholders: Blair Butterfield, Stacia Hylton, Matthew Oristano and Chair Royce Yudkoff. Consistent with applicable law, all current directors will continue to serve their full terms, which expire at the annual meeting. Additionally, the board intends to select Christine Cournoyer as its new independent chair after the annual meeting.

07:08 EDT Vaxxinity appoints Powchik to board of directors - Vaxxinity announced that Peter Powchik, M.D. is joining its Board of Directors and will be retiring as Vaxxinity's Executive Vice President, Research & Development. This transition will be effective March 31, 2022 and will increase the size of the Board to seven.

07:05 EDT Preferred Apartment announces expiration of go-shop period for BREIT deal - Preferred Apartment announced the expiration of the 30-day "go-shop" period set forth in the previously announced definitive merger agreement with Blackstone Real Estate Income Trust, or BREIT, dated as of February 16. Under the terms of the merger agreement, BREIT has agreed to acquire all the outstanding shares of the company's common stock for $25.00 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $5.8B. The "go-shop" period expired at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on March 18. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2022, subject to approval by PAC's stockholders and other customary closing conditions.

07:05 EDT Travere Therapeutics submits NDA for sparsentan to FDA - Travere Therapeutics announced that it has submitted a New Drug Application, NDA, to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, under Subpart H for accelerated approval of sparsentan for the treatment of IgA nephropathy. "There is a clear need for novel treatment options that can reduce proteinuria and slow the devastating progression towards end-stage kidney disease for people living with IgA nephropathy," said Eric Dube, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Travere Therapeutics. "The submission of this NDA marks an important milestone on our path to potentially making sparsentan, if approved, a new treatment standard for the rare kidney disease community, and we look forward to working with the FDA during the upcoming review process." The NDA submission is supported by positive interim results from the ongoing pivotal Phase 3 PROTECT Study. The Company expects to receive notice regarding the acceptance of the NDA, as well as the timeline for NDA review, from the FDA in May 2022.

07:02 EDT Guess announces $175M accelerated share repurchase program - Guess announced that it has entered into an accelerated share repurchase agreement, or ASR, to repurchase $175M of its common stock. Under the ASR, the company will make a payment of $175M and will receive an initial delivery of shares of its common stock on March 21. The final number of shares to be repurchased will be based on the volume-weighted average price of the company's common stock during the term of the ASR, less a discount. The final settlement of the ASR is expected to occur by the end of the third quarter of 2022.

06:47 EDT SQZ Biotechnologies awarded $2M grant from National Institutes of Health - SQZ Biotechnologies announced that it has been awarded a $2M SBIR Phase II grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, a division of the National Institutes of Health. Awarded through a competitive process, the two-year grant will support the development of cell engineering methods that are designed to reprogram a patient's own immune cells directly into dopamine-producing neurons, a potential novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

06:38 EDT Moody's upgrades Assured Guaranty's ratings - Assured Guaranty announced that Moody's Investors Service upgraded to A1 from A2 the insurance financial strength ratings of Assured Guaranty Municipal Corp. and its subsidiary Assured Guaranty UK Limited. The outlooks are stable.

06:01 EDT KBR awarded $640M NASA GSMO-3 contract - KBR announced it has been awarded a $640M Ground Systems and Mission Operations-3, or GSMO-3, contract to support more than 10 NASA exploration missions, including continued efforts on the James Webb Space Telescope, Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and Earth Observing System.

05:39 EDT Christian Gellerstad to succeed Severin Schwan as Credit Suisse vice-chair

05:37 EDT Berkshire Hathaway to acquire Alleghany for $848.02 per share - Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) and Alleghany (Y) jointly announced they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Berkshire Hathaway will acquire all outstanding Alleghany shares for $848.02 per share in cash. The transaction, which was unanimously approved by both boards of directors, represents a total equity value of approximately $11.6B. The acquisition price represents a multiple of 1.26 times Alleghany's book value at December 31, 2021, a 29% premium to Alleghany's average stock price over the last 30 days and a 16% premium to Alleghany's 52-week high closing price. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2022, subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by Alleghany stockholders and receipt of regulatory approvals. Alleghany will continue to operate as an independent subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway after closing. Chairman Jefferson Kirby, who controls 2.5% of Alleghany common shares, intends to vote his shares for the transaction. Under the terms of the definitive merger agreement, Alleghany may actively solicit and consider alternative acquisition proposals during a 25-day "go-shop" period. Alleghany has the right to terminate the merger agreement to accept a superior proposal during the go-shop period, subject to the terms and conditions of the merger agreement. There can be no assurances that the "go-shop" process will result in a superior proposal, and Alleghany does not intend to communicate developments regarding the process unless and until Alleghany's board of directors makes a determination requiring further disclosure.

05:27 EDT Anaplan to be taken private in $10.7B Thoma Bravo acquisition - Anaplan announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Thoma Bravo, a software investment firm, for $66.00 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $10.7B. The offer represents a premium of approximately 46% to the volume weighted average price of Anaplan stock for the five days ending March 18. Upon completion of the transaction, Anaplan will become a privately held company. The transaction, which was unanimously approved by the Anaplan board of directors, is expected to close in the first half of 2022 subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by Anaplan stockholders and regulatory approval. Upon completion of the transaction, Anaplan's common stock will no longer be listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

05:19 EDT SES announces agreement with Verizon to expand C-band ahead of FCC deadline - SES (SES) announced an agreement with Verizon (VZ) to expand the US-based mobile carrier's access to a portion of the C-band in important regions across the U.S. earlier than the relocation deadlines set out in the U.S. Federal Communication Commission's, or FCC, C-Band Report and Order. SES has already completed its Phase I accelerated C-band clearing ahead the first FCC deadline of December 5, 2021, a step in meeting the Commission's objectives to rapidly roll out 5G services across the U.S., and as a result earned almost $1B in accelerated relocation payments. To meet the Phase II deadline of December 5, 2023, SES is working to relocate its existing services from the 3700-4000 MHz band and complete equipment changes for Incumbent Earth Stations across the entire contiguous United States, earning an additional $3B in accelerated relocation payments in the process. This new agreement will see SES expand Verizon's access to the 3700-3800 MHz block in certain markets beyond the 46 Partial Economic Areas cleared in Phase I and earlier than the Phase II accelerated relocation deadline. SES will install filters and other ancillary equipment at about 500 sites in 2022, comparable to the activities executed during Phase I, and will earn up to an additional $170M from Verizon, subject to delivering the clearing on a timeline agreed to by the parties.

05:12 EDT Ambarella announces passing of CFO Casey Eichler - Ambarella announced that Casey Eichler, CFO, passed away on Saturday, March 19, following his battle with a long term illness.