Stockwinners Market Radar for April 21, 2023 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

18:08 EDT Paramount directors agree to $167.5M settlement over merger litigation - Paramount Global said in a regulatory filing that, as previously disclosed, beginning in February 2020, three purported stockholders of CBS Corporation filed separate derivative and/or putative class action lawsuits in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware in connection with the Agreement and Plan of Merger between Viacom Inc. and CBS dated as of August 13, 2019, as amended on October 16, 2019. In March 2020, the Court consolidated the three lawsuits and appointed Bucks County Employees Retirement Fund and International Union of Operating Engineers of Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware as co-lead plaintiffs for the consolidated action captioned In re CBS Corporation Stockholder Class Action and Derivative Litigation. In April 2020, the lead plaintiffs filed a Verified Consolidated Class Action and Derivative Complaint against Shari E. Redstone, National Amusements, Inc., Sumner M. Redstone National Amusements Trust, additional members of the CBS Board of Directors, former CBS President and Acting Chief Executive Officer Joseph Ianniello and the Company as nominal defendant. The Complaint alleges breaches of fiduciary duties in connection with the negotiation and approval of the Merger Agreement. The Complaint also alleges waste and unjust enrichment in connection with certain aspects of Mr. Ianniello's compensation awards. The Complaint seeks unspecified damages, costs and expenses, as well as other relief. In June 2020, the defendants filed motions to dismiss the Complaint. In January 2021, the Court dismissed one disclosure claim, while allowing all other claims against the defendants to proceed. On January 7, 2022, the Court granted Bucks County Employees Retirement Fund's motion to withdraw as Co-Lead Plaintiff in the Litigation. In December 2022, the Court dismissed the fiduciary duty claim against Mr. Klieger. On April 18, 2023, the parties to the Litigation agreed to settle the Litigation on the terms and conditions set forth in a binding term sheet, which will be incorporated into a long-form settlement agreement that will be subject to the final approval of the Court. The Term Sheet provides for, among other things, the final dismissal of the Litigation in exchange for a settlement payment to the Company in the amount of $167.5M, less administrative costs and plaintiffs' counsels' fees and expenses.

18:00 EDT Silver Lake launches public takeover offer for Software AG - Blitz 22-449 SE, a holding company controlled by funds managed or advised by Silver Lake, announced its decision to make a voluntary public takeover offer for all no-par value registered shares ISIN: DE000A2GS401 of Software Aktiengesellschaft. The Company's Management Board and the Supervisory Board support the expansion of the strategic partnership and, subject to their fiduciary duties, intend to recommend that shareholders accept the takeover offer. Silver Lake has today also entered into a share purchase agreement with Software AG - Stiftung to acquire a stake of 25.1% of all outstanding Software AG shares from the Foundation. The Foundation is in full support of the Takeover Offer. The Takeover Offer will be made at a price of EUR 30.00 per Software AG share in cash. Software AG's shareholders will receive a significant and highly attractive premium of 53 percent to the closing price of EUR 19.59 per share on 20 April 2023, being the last business day prior to this announcement. The Offer Price also represents a significant and highly attractive premium of 48 percent to the three-months volume-weighted average share price of EUR 20.32 and a significant and highly attractive premium of 36 percent to the median broker target price of EUR 22.00 according to targets published in the last three months on Bloomberg, each as of 20 April 2023. The Takeover Offer will be subject to a minimum acceptance threshold of 50% of all outstanding Software AG shares plus one share, including the ca. 25.1% of Software AG shares that Silver Lake will acquire from the Foundation under the share purchase agreement. The Takeover Offer will be subject to further customary conditions, including the receipt of applicable regulatory approvals. The Foundation will continue to own 5% of shares. The retained 5% of shares are subject to a lock-up. Silver Lake had initially invested EUR 344 million in Software AG in February 2022 via convertible bonds - the first German PIPE investment (private investment in public equity) by any US technology investment firm - which upon conversion would represent approximately 9% of issued Software AG shares.

17:46 EDT US Antimony receives NYSE notice over delayed 10-K filing - United States Antimony Corporation announced that it received notice from the New York Stock Exchange indicating that because the company did not file its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022, it is not in compliance with Section 1007 of the NYSE America Company Manual as a result of its failure to timely file its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2022 with the Security and Exchange Commission. The notice has no immediate effect on the listing of the Company's stock on the NYSE American. In accordance with the NYSE rules, the Company has contacted the NYSE to discuss the status of the late filing and is issuing this required press release. The NYSE informed the Company that, under NYSE rules, the company will have until October 17, 2023, to file the 2022 Form 10-K. The NYSE may grant at its sole discretion, an extension of up to six additional months to the Company to regain compliance, depending on specific circumstances.

17:21 EDT Lockheed Martin awarded $100.67M Navy contract modification - Lockheed Martin was awarded a $100.67M cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost-only modification to previously-awarded contract to exercise options for sustainment of the Littoral Combat Ship Component Based Total Ship System - 21st Century, or COMBATSS-21, and associated Combat System elements. Work is expected to be completed by April 2024. The Naval Sea Systems Command is the contracting activity.

17:18 EDT Alpine 4 Holdings receives Nasdaq notice of additional staff determination - Alpine 4 Holdings said that, on April 18, it received a notice from The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC indicating that, as a result of not having filed in a timely manner the company's 2022 Annual Report on Form 10-K with the SEC, the company is not in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1), which requires timely filing of all required periodic financial reports with the SEC. The April Notice stated that previously, the Nasdaq Staff had granted the company an exception until May 22, 2023, to file its delinquent Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2022. As a result, any additional Staff exception to allow the company to regain compliance with all delinquent filings, will be limited to a maximum of 180 calendar days from the due date of the Initial Delinquent Filing, or May 22, 2023.

17:15 EDT Lockheed Martin awarded $2.45B Army contract modification - Lockheed Martin was awarded a $2.45B modification to a contract for Phased Array Tracking Radar Intercept on Target, or PATRIOT, Advanced Capability-3 missile production. Work will be performed in Grand Prairie, Texas, with an estimated completion date of December 31, 2029. FY23 missile procurement, Army funds; and 2023 Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $2.45B were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command is the contracting activity.

17:11 EDT Envirotech Vehicles receives Nasdaq notice over delayed 10-K filing - Envirotech Vehicles announced that it received a notification letter from the Nasdaq Stock Market, LLC stating that the Company was not in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) due to its failure to timely file its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the period ended December 31, 2022. Nasdaq's notification letter states that the Company has 60 calendar days to submit to Nasdaq a plan to regain compliance with the Nasdaq Listing Rules. If Nasdaq accepts the Company's plan, then Nasdaq may grant the Company up to 180 days from the prescribed due date for filing the Form 10-K to regain compliance.

17:01 EDT B. Riley Principal 250 Merger to redeem public shares - B. Riley Principal 250 Merger announced that its board of directors has determined to redeem all of its outstanding shares of Class A common stock, effective as of May 4, because the company will not consummate an initial business combination within the time period required by its amended and restated certificate of incorporation. As of the close of business on May 4, the Public Shares will be deemed cancelled and will represent only the rights to receive the per-share redemption price of approximately $10.15.

16:57 EDT Four Corners Property Trust acquires VillageMD property for $2.6M - Four Corners Property Trust announced the acquisition of a VillageMD property for $2.6M. The property is located in a highly trafficked corridor in Illinois and is corporate-operated under a net lease with approximately five years of term remaining. The transaction was priced at a 6.8% cap rate on rent as of the closing date, exclusive of transaction costs.

16:31 EDT BayCom announces stock repurchase program - BayCom announced that its Board of Directors approved its seventh stock repurchase program for the repurchase of up to 619,000 shares of its common stock, or approximately 5% of its outstanding shares, over a one year period through open market purchases, privately-negotiated transactions, or otherwise in compliance with Rule 10b-18 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The new stock repurchase program will commence upon completion of the sixth stock repurchase program which will expire on October 24, or earlier if the shares have been repurchased. As of the date hereof, the company has 17,633 shares available for future purchase under the company's sixth stock repurchase program.

16:12 EDT Performance Shipping announces receipt of Nasdaq notice - Performance Shipping announced that it has received written notification from The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC dated April 18, 2023, indicating that because the closing bid price of the Company's common stock for 30 consecutive business days, from March 6, 2023 to April 17, 2023, was below the minimum $1.00 per share bid price requirement for continued listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market, the Company is not in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2). Pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810(c)(3)(A), the applicable grace period to regain compliance is 180 days, or until October 16, 2023. The Company can cure this deficiency if the closing bid price of its common stock is $1.00 per share or higher for at least ten consecutive business days during the grace period. In the event that the Company does not regain compliance with the minimum bid price requirement within the 180 day grace period, the Company may be eligible for an additional 180 day grace period to regain compliance. To qualify, the Company will be required to meet the continued listing requirement for market value of publicly held shares and all other initial listing standards for The Nasdaq Capital Market, with the exception of the bid price requirement, and will need to provide written notice of its intention to cure the deficiency during the second compliance period, including by effecting a reverse stock split, if necessary.

16:05 EDT Andersons says ELEMENT, LLC has been placed into receivership - The Andersons announced on April 18, 2023, ELEMENT, LLC, a joint venture with ICM, Inc. in which The Andersons, Inc. is a 51% owner, was placed into receivership pursuant to the Agreed Order Granting Application for Appointment of Receiver. The ELEMENT ethanol plant, located in Colwich, Kansas, is currently in an extended maintenance shutdown and future operating decisions will be made by the court-appointed receiver. The plant, which opened in 2019, has faced operational and market-based challenges. These have been exacerbated by a shift in the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard credit markets and high western corn basis. As previously disclosed, these challenging conditions led to the failure by ELEMENT to make a required debt payment and receipt of a default notice in February 2023. This debt of ELEMENT is non-recourse to the company. The company expects to record a non-cash pretax impairment charge on long-lived assets related to ELEMENT of approximately $85 - $95 million, 51% of which will be attributable to the company. This range is preliminary and will be finalized as part of the company's ongoing normal quarterly close process. These events are not expected to impact the company's previously communicated long-term EBITDA target.

16:03 EDT CPS Technologies announces resignation of CEO Michael McCormack - CPS Technologies announced that Michael McCormack has resigned as president and CEO of the company. Michael McCormack's resignation is effective April 21. The Board of Directors has appointed Charles Griffith, the current CFO, as the acting president to serve until a new president and CEO is appointed. Chuck joined CPS as CFO in 2019 and has been a key member of the management team through this period of growing revenue and profitability.

16:00 EDT QuantaSing Group Ltd- ADR trading resumes

15:32 EDT Tandem Diabetes down 5% after FDA approves Medtronic's MiniMed 780G - Piper Sandler analyst Matt O'Brien previously had questioned whether more inspection notices related to Medtronic's (MDT) Northridge diabetes facility would mean that the 780G would be delayed further, stating that if that were to be the case it "could be some well-received news" for Tandem Diabetes (TNDM) and Insulet (PODD). Shares of Tandem are down over 5% to $36.88 in afternoon trading after the FDA announced it has approved the MiniMed 780G System for modifications to the SmartGuard Technology and for expanding the indications for use to include the Guardian 4 Sensor, while shares of Insulet are down 1% to $316.65.

15:25 EDT FDA approves Medtronic MiniMed 780G System for modifications - The FDA announced it has approved the MiniMed 780G System for modifications to the SmartGuard Technology and for expanding the indications for use to include the Guardian 4 Sensor. "The MiniMed 780G system is intended for continuous delivery of basal insulin (background insulin) at selectable rates, and the administration of insulin boluses (a single large dose of medicine) at a selectable amount for the management of type 1 diabetes mellitus in persons seven years of age and older requiring insulin. The system is also intended to continuously monitor glucose values in the fluid under the skin. The MiniMed 780G system includes SG technology, which can be programmed to automatically adjust insulin delivery based on continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensor glucose values and can suspend delivery of insulin when the SG value falls below or is predicted to fall below predefined threshold values. Compared to previously approved Medtronic automated insulin dosing systems, the MiniMed 780G System includes the new Advanced Hybrid Closed Loop algorithm as a part of its SG technology, which can issue automatic correction insulin boluses without user input. Additionally, the MiniMed 780G System offers multiple glucose targets as compared to a single glucose target in the MiniMed 670G/770G Systems," the FDA notice stated. Reference Link

14:25 EDT Network received possible cash offer of 400 GBp per share from Brookfield - The board of Network International (NWITY) overnight confirm that it has received a "highly preliminary, non-binding proposal" regarding a possible cash offer of 400 pence from Brookfield Asset Management (BAM). The Brookfield proposal is subject to the satisfaction or waiver by Brookfield of a number of pre-conditions, including the completion of satisfactory due diligence, Network said in a statement. The Brookfield proposal follows the announcement on April 17 regarding a possible offer from CVC Advisers and Francisco Partners Management of 387 pence in cash. The board of Network is "currently evaluating the Brookfield Proposal with its financial advisers and a further statement will be made in due course."

13:32 EDT Value Line raises quarterly cash dividend to 28c per share - Value Line announced that its Board of Directors declared on April 21, 2023 a quarterly cash dividend of 28c per common share, payable on May 11, 2023, to stockholders of record on May 1, 2023.

13:01 EDT Baker Hughes reports U.S. rig count up 5 to 753 rigs -

12:47 EDT Smart for Life announces 1-for-50 reverse stock split - Smart for Life announced that it will effect a 1-for-50 reverse stock split of its common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, that will become effective on April 24, 2023. Smart for Life's common stock will continue to trade on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol "SMFL" and will begin trading on a split-adjusted basis when the market opens on April 24, 2023. Among other considerations, the reverse split is intended to bring the company into compliance with the minimum bid price requirement for maintaining the listing of its common stock on the NASDAQ Capital Market and to make the bid price more attractive to investors.

12:23 EDT Lyft says cost savings to be invested in 'competitive pricing' - Lyft (LYFT) CEO David Risher said in a letter to employees: "We need to be a faster, flatter company where everyone is closer to our riders and drivers so we can deliver on this purpose. And we need to bring our costs down to deliver affordable rides, compelling earnings for drivers, and profitable growth. We intend to use these savings to invest in competitive pricing, faster pick-up times, and better driver earnings. All of these require us to reduce our size and restructure how we're organized." Shares of Lyft competitor Uber (UBER) are down 1.5% to $31.03 in midday trading.

12:00 EDT Lyft up 3% following WSJ report on layoff plans

12:00 EDT Livent falls -10.5% - Livent is down -10.5%, or -$2.30 to $19.55.

12:00 EDT MBIA rises 7.5% - MBIA is up 7.5%, or 74c to $10.74.

12:00 EDT Community Health rises 15.0% - Community Health is up 15.0%, or 76c to $5.86.

11:58 EDT Vallon Pharmaceuticals completes merger with GRI Bio - GRI Bio, Inc. announced the completion of the previously announced merger between Vallon Pharmaceuticals and GRI Bio, Inc., a privately held biotechnology company. The combined company will operate under the name "GRI Bio, Inc." and will focus on advancing GRI Bio's pipeline of NKT cell modulators for the treatment of inflammatory, fibrotic and autoimmune diseases. Under the terms of the merger agreement, the company acquired 100% of the outstanding equity interests of Private GRI, by means of reverse triangular merger of a wholly owned subsidiary of the company with and into Private GRI, with Private GRI surviving as a wholly owned subsidiary of the company. In connection with the closing of the merger, the company changed its name to "GRI Bio, Inc." As of the closing of the merger, the equity holders of Private GRI immediately before the merger own approximately 85% of the outstanding equity of the company, and the equity holders of the company immediately before the merger own approximately 15% of the outstanding equity of the combined company. The shares of the company's common stock, previously trading on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol "VLON," will commence trading on The Nasdaq Capital Market, on a post-reverse split adjusted basis, under the ticker symbol "GRI", effective April 24. As previously announced, in connection with the execution of the merger agreement, Altium Capital agreed to invest approximately $15M, of which $2.5M was previously invested and an additional $12.25M was invested immediately prior to the closing of the merger. The combined company is expected to use the proceeds from the financings to fund the advancement of GRI Bio's NKT development pipeline targeting multiple inflammatory, fibrotic and autoimmune indications into mid-2024 with an initial focus on IPF. "This marks a transformational moment for the company and an important step into what we believe is a bright future for the company. With the completion of the merger and concurrent investment, we are well positioned to realize multiple upcoming catalytic clinical and regulatory milestones that we believe will drive value in the near and long term," said Marc Hertz, PhD, the new CEO of the company.

11:49 EDT Treasury proposes tighter oversight of nonbanks that pose systemic risk - Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen presented remarks at the start of the latest Financial Stability Oversight Council Meeting, stating in part: "Our first agenda item is a discussion and votes on two proposals. The first is the Council's proposed framework for financial stability risk identification, assessment, and response. The second is the proposed interpretive guidance on nonbank financial company designations... We are proposing revisions to certain elements of the Council's existing guidance that have made it difficult to use its nonbank designation authority. The existing guidance - issued in 2019 - created inappropriate hurdles as part of the designation process. These additional steps are not legally required by the Dodd-Frank Act. Nor are they useful or feasible. Some are based on a flawed view of how financial crises begin and the costs that they impose. It has been estimated that a designation process with these steps could take six years to complete. That is an unrealistic timeline that could prevent the Council from acting to address an emerging risk to financial stability before it's too late. The designation tool serves as an important part of our post-Global Financial Crisis defense. It is an important preventative tool to address systemic risks that may arise from a nonbank financial firm whose activities or distress could threaten the financial system. We are acting today to restore the effectiveness of this authority. As we do, we are also taking significant steps to ensure that the Council's nonbank designation process is rigorous and transparent. The proposed guidance provides for strong procedural protections. This includes significant engagement and communication with companies under review - minimizing administrative burdens on these companies while providing ample opportunities to be heard. The Council will also engage with the company's primary regulator during any designation review. And through the separate proposed analytic framework, we are providing the public with more information about how nonbank designation fits into the Council's broader approach to financial stability risk monitoring and mitigation. In all, I believe that our votes today are a major step toward strengthening our safeguards for the U.S. financial system. We look forward to public comments on these proposals." Some non-bank financial companies that may see their shares react to the proposals include BlackRock (BLK), MetLife (MET), Prudential (PRU), AIG (AIG) and Rocket Companies (RKT). Reference Link

11:35 EDT Sunrun teases 'exciting announcement' coming Saturday - In a tweet, Sunrun teased an "exciting announcement coming tomorrow." Reference Link

11:19 EDT Sagaliam Acquisition receives delinquency notification letter from Nasdaq - Sagaliam Acquisition received a delinquency notification letter from the Listing Qualifications staff of the Nasdaq Stock Market on April 19, 2023 due to the Company's non-compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) as a result of the Company's failure to timely file its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022. Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) requires listed companies to timely file all required periodic financial reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Notice states that the Company has 60 calendar days to submit to Nasdaq a plan to regain compliance with the Nasdaq Listing Rules. If Nasdaq accepts the Company's plan, then Nasdaq may grant the Company up to 180 calendar days from the prescribed due date for filing the Form 10-K or until October 16, 2023, to regain compliance. If Nasdaq does not accept the Company's plan, then the Company will have the opportunity to appeal that decision to a Nasdaq Hearings Panel. As previously disclosed, the Company requires additional time to prepare, review and finalize its financial statements, and its auditors have not completed their audit of the financial statements. The Company is continuing in its efforts to file the Form 10-K as soon as reasonably practicable.

11:16 EDT Charles Schwab CEO 'very, very optimistic on the future of the business' - Charles Schwab CEO Walt Bettinger made the comment while being interviewed on CNBC.

11:02 EDT CrossFirst Bancshares to acquire Canyon Bancorporation - CrossFirst Bankshares and Canyon Bancorporation announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which CrossFirst and Canyon will consummate a business combination transaction resulting in the mergers of Canyon with and into CrossFirst and Canyon's bank subsidiary, Canyon Community Bank, N.A., merging with and into CrossFirst's bank subsidiary, CrossFirst Bank, in a stock and cash transaction. Canyon Bank had total loans of $122M and total deposits of $169M as of March 31 and currently operates one banking location in Tucson, Arizona. Canyon shareholders are expected to receive a combination of cash and CrossFirst common stock as consideration for their shares of Canyon common stock, with an aggregate transaction value estimated at $15.1M based on the current CrossFirst stock price. The business combination was approved by the Board of Directors of each company and bank. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2023, subject to approval by bank regulatory authorities, as well as the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. "The combination will bring together complementary banking platforms focused on serving small businesses and the surrounding communities they serve. The transaction continues CrossFirst's commitment to expansion in the Southwest with the addition of a branch in Arizona's second largest metropolitan area. CrossFirst believes that providing Canyon Bank's clients with access to CFB Bank's broader array of banking products and capabilities will provide enhanced benefits for Canyon Bank clients, as well as provide synergies with CrossFirst's existing presence in the Phoenix market," the company stated.

10:36 EDT Rentokil Terminix trading resumes

10:24 EDT EyePoint Pharmaceuticals trading resumes

10:19 EDT EyePoint Pharmaceuticals trading halted, volatility trading pause

10:06 EDT Freeport-McMoRan says committed to maintaining strong balance sheet - Says pleased with global teams' responses to challenges faced in Q1. Says team in Indonesia proved resilient in major flood event. Says systems was designed to handle significant rainfall. Says has a great start in Q2 in Indonesia. Says team at Cerro Verde negotiated volatile political environment. Says U.S. team is stepping up to handle challenges with labor shortages. Comments taken from Q1 earnings conference call.

10:00 EDT Big Lots falls -11.2% - Big Lots is down -11.2%, or -$1.08 to $8.64.

10:00 EDT Stratosphere Communications falls -17.1% - Stratosphere Communications is down -17.1%, or -$5.59 to $27.01.

10:00 EDT Westwood Holdings Group rises 8.3% - Westwood Holdings Group is up 8.3%, or 86c to $11.26.

09:55 EDT Petros Pharmaceuticals trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:47 EDT W. R. Berkley falls -7.2% - W. R. Berkley is down -7.2%, or -$4.59 to $58.77.

09:47 EDT Stratosphere Communications falls -18.7% - Stratosphere Communications is down -18.7%, or -$6.10 to $26.50.

09:47 EDT Tenet Healthcare rises 6.6% - Tenet Healthcare is up 6.6%, or $4.33 to $70.39.

09:44 EDT EverCommerce trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:41 EDT U Power Ltd trading resumes

09:38 EDT Procter & Gamble sees runway on productivity growth over next few years - Expects "steady return" of productivity to pre-Covid levels. Says there are still many headwinds the company is working against through next fiscal year. Says wage, benefit costs continue to increase. Says elasticities of demand "remain favorable." Says Europe "continues to be a high pressure environment." Says not seeing Chinese shoppers return to travel retail. Expects FY freight costs to be approximately in-line with prior year. Says raised prices in U.S., Europe, in February and March. Expects volume declines to continue in Q4. Expects volume improvement "slowly over time, but not overnight."

09:32 EDT Greencity Acquisition signs LOI with Chinese 3D printing company - Greencity Acquisition Corporation announced that the company signed a non-binding letter of intent, or "LOI," with Bopai Construction Technology, a company headquartered in China. "Bopai has retained its own U.S. legal counsel and PCAOB qualified independent public accounting firm to conduct the preparation for the potential business combination transaction with the company. The company plans to enter into the definitive business combination agreement with Bopai upon the completion of due diligence on Bopai to company's satisfactory and Bopai's delivery of its audited financial statements as required for the potential initial proxy statement/registration statement filing," Greencity stated.

09:19 EDT Stronghold Digital Mining purchases 5,000 MicroBT Whatsminer M50 miners - On April 20, 2023, Stronghold entered into a Master Sales and Purchase Agreement to acquire 5,000 new, latest-generation MicroBT Whatsminer M50 miners for $15.50 per terahash per second, including shipping. The M50 Miners have an average hash rate of 118 terahash per second and energy efficiency of 28.5 joules per terahash. This addition of approximately 600 petahash per second of hash rate capacity is expected to grow Stronghold's total delivered hash rate capacity by over 20% to over 3.2 exahash per second and to approximately 3.5 EH/s with all remaining contracted miners delivered. The Company expects to receive and install the M50 Miners in May 2023. The Company continues to believe that it is on track to meet its previously disclosed 4 EH/s guidance for 2023, which represents the approximate capacity of its existing data centers at its wholly owned Panther Creek and Scrubgrass plants.

09:12 EDT Know Labs to present results from Bio-RFID sensor study - Know Labs announced the results of a proof-of-principle study titled, "Detecting Unique Analyte-Specific Radio Frequency Spectral Responses in Liquid Solutions - Implications for Non-Invasive Physiologic Monitoring," conducted in collaboration with Mayo Clinic. Know Labs will present the results of the study at the American Physiological Society, or APS, Summit, which is being held on April 20-23 in Long Beach, California. The study demonstrates the accuracy of Know Labs' proprietary Bio-RFID sensor in quantifying different analytes in vitro, proving a 100% accuracy rate in these tests. The full study is currently undergoing the peer-review publishing process. Know Labs' technology platform, Bio-RFID, uses electromagnetic energy in the form of radio waves to non-invasively capture molecular signatures, which can be converted into physiologically meaningful information and insights. While the technology is proven to accurately measure several analytes inside and outside the body, the first application of this technology is aimed at non-invasive glucose monitoring. Conducted at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota in March of 2021, the study included five experiments designed to demonstrate the ability of the Bio-RFID sensor to non-invasively quantify concentrations of solutions using a randomized double-blind trial design, as proxies for biochemical solutions. Solutions including water in isopropyl alcohol, sodium chloride in water, and commercial bleach in water were tested. Data were collected using the Bio-RFID sensor, which generates radio frequency signals and measures received power through an antenna array. The sensor sweeps across the 1500 Megahertz, or MHz, - 3000 MHz range at 0.2 MHz intervals, collecting values at 7501 frequencies. For each of the five experiments, 100% of solutions in the test data were correctly identified. The Bio-RFID technology was able to detect concentrations as low as 2000 parts per million, or ppm, - which is equivalent to accurately measuring the difference of 0.7ml of water dropped into a 12oz can of soda - with evidence suggesting the ability to detect much smaller concentration differences. These in vitro findings provide proof-of-principle, strongly supporting the application of the technology for further non-invasive, physiologic and medical monitoring. This proof-of-principle study is part of a series of studies that Know Labs is conducting as the company prioritizes external validation of its Bio-RFID technology in detecting and measuring glucose and other analytes in the body non-invasively at high levels of accuracy.

09:07 EDT Virtu Financial announces Viola to succeed Greifeld as Chairman - Virtu Financial announced that Michael Viola has been appointed to succeed Robert Greifeld, Chairman, who has resigned from Virtu's Board of Directors in order to focus on other endeavors, including the launch of Cornerstone FTM, a financial technology focused investment fund, as well as board and leadership roles with other financial and philanthropic organizations. Michael Viola has served on Virtu's Board of Directors since 2016 and as chair of its Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee since 2019.

09:05 EDT Louisiana-Pacific to acquire Forex's Wawa OSB Facility - Louisiana-Pacific and Forex have entered into a definitive agreement under which LP will acquire the assets owned by Wawa OSB, a subsidiary of Forex . The transaction will add to LP's assets a manufacturing facility in Wawa, Ontario that will be converted into an LP SmartSide Trim & Siding mill. The transaction, which is subject to court approval and customary closing conditions, is expected to be completed in early May. Once converted, the mill will add approximately 400 million square feet of capacity, making it LP's largest single-line siding mill. This will bring LP's total siding capacity to 2.7 billion square feet annually. The mill's conversion will bring more than 150 jobs to the region. LP is evaluating project schedules to determine when construction at the facility will begin.

09:02 EDT AMC Networks updates Q1 results conference call - AMC Networks has updated the date of its conference call to discuss first quarter 2023 results to take place Tuesday, May 9, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time instead of the previously announced date of Friday, May 5, 2023. AMC Networks will issue a press release reporting its results before the market opening.

08:44 EDT Procter & Gamble says organic sales grew across all categories in Q3 - Says growth broad-based across all geographies. Expects mid single digit growth for China long-term. Expects sustained pressure in costs, FX going forward. Says freight costs have moderated throughout the year. Says experiencing higher costs due to wage inflation. Expects to pay $9B in dividends and repurchase $7.4B-$8B in common stock in FY23. Comments taken from Q3 earnings conference call.

08:41 EDT Freeport-McMoRan sees Q2 copper sales 1.065B lbs - Sees Q3 sales 1.045B lbs, Q4 sales 1.115B lbs. Sees Q2 sales 500,000 ozs, sees Q3 sales 450,000 ozs, sees Q4 sales 535,000 oz. Sees Q2 sales 20M lbs, sees Q3 sales 20M lbs, sees Q4 sales 20M lbs. Comments taken from Q1 earnings presentation slides.

08:37 EDT Emcore announces restructuring including reduction of 100 employees - EMCORE announced a restructuring program that includes the shutdown of the Broadband business segment and the discontinuance of its defense optoelectronics product line. "This restructuring represents the final phase of EMCORE's transition to Aerospace and Defense. After months of discussions with several interested parties to divest non-strategic product lines, we will now shut down the Broadband business segment and discontinue our defense optoelectronics product lines. We will continue to build QMEMS and Lithium Niobate chips, but will close down our Indium Phosphide wafer fabrication facility in Alhambra," said Jeff Rittichier, President and CEO of EMCORE. "These actions will eliminate product lines that are no longer part of our future and enable EMCORE to focus entirely on scaling our inertial navigation business." The restructuring program is designed to reduce annual costs and expenses by approximately $12M. It includes a reduction in the workforce of approximately 100 employees primarily in Alhambra and China, as well as consolidating facility space by downsizing the space being occupied at the Alhambra campus from five to two buildings, relocating Concord personnel to the operations area from the adjacent office building, and closing the manufacturing support and engineering center in China. The Company expects restructuring actions to be substantially completed by September 30, 2023. A restructuring charge covering severance, facility consolidation, and other related items is expected to be finalized and recorded in the quarter ended June 30, 2023.

08:35 EDT 3D Systems verifies performance of NASA's GRX-810 - 3D Systems announced the verification of properties for NASA's groundbreaking new laser powder bed fusion super alloy, GRX-810. This revolutionary oxide dispersion-strengthened alloy, developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, demonstrates exceptional mechanical properties and resistance to extreme temperatures, making it ideal for aerospace applications. GRX-810 is a potential game-changer for the aerospace industry. Through its oxide dispersion strengthening mechanism it can offer an unparalleled combination of strength, ductility, creep life, and heat resistance. These properties make the alloy an ideal candidate for future use in critical components such as rocket engines, turbine blades, and exhaust nozzle components.

08:33 EDT Clearmind Medicine expanding IP portfolio with new U.S. patent application - Clearmind Medicine (CMND) announces the filing of a patent application seeking to protect its unique combination of MEAI and SciSparc's Palmitoylethanolamide, PEA, for the treatment of depression. The company filed a provisional patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, USPTO, as part of its ongoing collaboration with SciSparc (SPRC), This patent is an addition to Clearmind's robust intellectual property portfolio that includes patents for MEAI as a binge behavior regulator, as an alcoholic beverage substitute and others. The patent application refers to novel proprietary combinations of MEAI and SciSparc's Palmitoylethanolamide, the active ingredient of its proprietary CannAmide. It demonstrates Clearmind's corporate mission to broaden the therapeutic psychedelic toolbox for patients with mental health disorders who await treatments with increased efficacy and safety while reducing cost.

08:32 EDT SciSparc, Clearmind file additional provision patent application with USPTO - SciSparc (SPRC) announced that as part of its ongoing collaboration with Clearmind Medicine Inc. (CMND), an additional provisional patent application was filed by Clearmind with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, USPTO. The latest patent application refers to the protection of the unique combination of MEAI and SciSparc's Palmitoylethanolamide, PEA, for the treatment of depression. Under this collaboration, three other patent applications have been filed by Clearmind with the USPTO for the combination of SciSparc's PEA with Clearmind's MEAI compound for the treatment of alcohol use disorder, treatment of cocaine addiction and treatment of obesity and its related metabolic disorders. An additional six patent applications have been filed for the combination of SciSparc's PEA and lysergic acid diethylamide, psilocybin, and N,N-dimethyltryptamine, 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine, ibogaine and ketamine.

08:26 EDT FCM nominates four director for election to Mind Medicine's board - FCM MM announces that it has filed a preliminary proxy statement in connection with its nomination of four director candidates for election to the board of directors of Mind Medicine at its 2023 Annual General Meeting, AGM. FCM nominated four director-candidates for the AGM, including three independent candidates: Dr. Scott Freeman, Dr. Farzin Farzaneh, Vivek Jain, and Alexander Wodka. Fereman is MindMed's co-founder and former Chief Medical Officer.

08:16 EDT LianBio promotes Qian to Chief Commercial officer - LianBio announced the promotion of Pascal Qian to the position of Chief Commercial Officer. He will continue to also serve as the company's China General Manager. Pascal Qian has more than 25 years of experience in the China biopharmaceutical industry and a robust track record of driving revenue growth and building successful commercial teams. Qian has served as LianBio's China General Manager since July 2021.

08:13 EDT CymaBay announces publication results from ENHANCE Phase 3 study - CymaBay Therapeutics announced that results from the ENHANCE phase 3 global study evaluating seladelpar for primary biliary cholangitis have been published in Hepatology: This double-blind, placebo-controlled, global phase 3 study evaluated the efficacy and safety of seladelpar, a potent, selective, orally active PPARdelta agonist, or delpar, after 3 months of treatment in patients with PBC. Patients with elevated alkaline phosphtase received treatment as an add-on to first line ursodeoxycholic acid, or as monotherapy, if patients were intolerant to UDCA. All pre-specified endpoints were assessed after 3 months in patients receiving oral daily seladelpar 5 mg, 10 mg or placebo. The primary endpoint was a composite of alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin2 previously accepted by FDA for pivotal studies in PBC. The composite endpoint was achieved in 78.2% of patients on seladelpar 10 mg and 57.1% on seladelpar 5 mg versus 12.5% on placebo. A key secondary endpoint of having normal levels of alkaline phosphatase was met in 27.3% and 5.4% in seladelpar 10 mg and 5 mg groups, respectively, versus none in the placebo group. The final key secondary endpoint assessed the patient-reported symptom of pruritus using a daily pruritus numerical rating scale. Statistically significant improvement in pruritus for patients with moderate-to severe itch was demonstrated for seladelpar 10 mg versus placebo. Patients taking seladelpar also had significant improvements in markers of liver injury. There were no treatment related adverse endpoints in the study.

08:09 EDT Monterey Capital Acquisition receives Nasdaq notice of noncompliance - Monterey Capital Acquisition announced that on April 19, 2023, it received a letter from the Listing Qualifications Department of the Nasdaq Stock Market stating that it was not in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) as a result of it not having timely filed its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Nasdaq notification letter provides MCAC with 60 calendar days, or until June 20, 2023, to submit to Nasdaq a plan to regain compliance in accordance with Nasdaq's listing requirements. If MCAC's plan is accepted, Nasdaq may grant MCAC up to 180 calendar days, or until October 16, 2023, for MCAC to regain compliance. If Nasdaq does not accept MCAC's plan, MCAC will have the opportunity to appeal that decision to a Nasdaq Hearings Panel under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5815(a). The Nasdaq notification letter has no immediate effect on the listing of MCAC's securities on the Nasdaq Global Market. The Company filed the 2022 10-K on April 20, 2023. As previously announced on January 3, 2023, MCAC signed a definitive business combination agreement with ConnectM Technology Solutions to be publicly listed if such transaction is consummated.

08:07 EDT Nisun International signs partnership for expansion into alcohol products market - Nisun International's controlled affiliate, Fintech Henan Supply Chain, has entered into an agricultural trade management services agreement with Mengzhou Houyuan Biotechnology, a company in Henan Province that produces and sells alcohol products, such as food grade alcohol, anhydrous ethanol, and feed. The agreement represents an important initiative of the company's supply chain business strategy to strengthen its presence and pursue growth opportunities in the alcohol products market. China is the largest alcoholic drinks market in the world with an estimated total revenue of $336.4B in 2023. Fintech Henan will purchase products from designated suppliers based on orders from Mengzhou Houyuan, with full payment for the products, while Mengzhou Houyuan provides a 20% deposit to Fintech Henan. The products will be delivered to Fintech Henan's designated warehouse, and upon order completion and payment, Fintech Henan will arrange for the products to be picked up by Mengzhou Houyuan.

08:05 EDT Bannix announces binding LOI to complete BCA with EVIE Autonomous Automotive - Bannix Acquisition announced that on April 17, 2023, it entered into a Binding Letter of Intent that provides for Bannix to execute a definitive agreement with respect to a business combination, BCA, with EVIE Autonomous Automotive, a U.K.-based autonomous vehicle technology company acquired from Aim Technologies Group by the well-known British automotive entrepreneur Steven Lake. The entire business combination transaction consideration will be paid with securities of Bannix. No cash consideration will be paid. Evie Autonomous makes driverless platforms with the goal of transforming logistics, public service and mass transit. Steven Lake commented, "the applications of our platform are endless and the needs of society to improve productivity, profitability and safety in farming, construction and logistics are acute. We believe our complete proven platform is ideally placed to solve these challenges. Our goal is to deliver the most affordable and reliable electric autonomous platform available. We are delighted to begin this journey to be listed on NASDAQ."

08:03 EDT Vail Resorts reports ski season-to-date visits up 6.1% y-o-y - Vail Resorts reported certain ski season metrics for the comparative periods from the beginning of the ski season through April 16, 2023, and for the prior year period through April 17, 2022, for the company's North American destination mountain resorts and regional ski areas and excluding the results of the Australian ski areas and Andermatt-Sedrun in both periods. Season-to-date vs. the prior year season-to-date period, total skier visits were up 6.1%, total lift ticket revenue was up 4.0%, ski school revenue was up 26.4% and dining revenue was up 35.3%, retail/rental revenue for North American resort and ski area store locations was up 21.8%

08:02 EDT GreenPower Motor says New Jersey Zero-Emission Incentive Program now open - GreenPower Motor Company announced that the New Jersey Zero-Emission Incentive Program is open and available statewide. These financial incentives will further the adoption of all-electric vehicles in New Jersey by helping fleets to transition to battery-electric vehicles. NJ ZIP is a $90M voucher program launched by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority for medium and heavy-duty zero-emission vehicles. GreenPower is an approved NJ ZIP manufacturer which allows GreenPower's New Jersey customers to order vehicles under the voucher program. The vouchers range from a base of $65,000 for GreenPower's EV Star vehicles up to $218,750 for the Type D all-electric BEAST school bus. NJ ZIP offers additional vouchers of 25% of the base voucher amount for small businesses, 10% for overburdened communities and 4% for other eligible businesses.

07:11 EDT Dril-Quip announces installation of HorizontalBore Subsea Trees - Dril-Quip announced the installation and completion of two 15,000 psi HorizontalBore Subsea Trees at the Woodside Shenzi North oil and gas field in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico in collaboration with global controls technology company Proserv.

07:07 EDT Cronos Group releases cannabinoid life cycle study on sustainable fermentation - Cronos Group released a Sustainability Study, which outlines the benefits of using fermentation manufacturing methods for cannabinoid production over the impact of traditional methods of cannabis extraction, which leverage indoor cultivation methods. "While our industry is young, it's never too early to lead and invest in technology that helps contribute to a greener future," said Mike Gorenstein, President, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer, Cronos. "By pioneering new technologies that produce rare cannabinoids using fermentation, we are not only creating a viable path to harnessing the full power of cannabinoids, but also, we are creating a sustainable process. We're thrilled to be using this technology to create innovative products under our Spinach FEELZ(TM) brand, which brings exciting, differentiated, and sustainable cannabinoid products to consumers."

07:05 EDT Freeline announces proposed ADS ratio change - Freeline Therapeutics announced that it plans to change the ratio of its American Depositary Shares to its ordinary shares, nominal value GBP 0.00001 per share, from the current ADS Ratio of one ADS to one ordinary share to a new ADS Ratio of one ADS to fifteen ordinary shares. The company anticipates that the ADS Ratio Change will be effective on or about May 12, 2023. For the company's ADS holders, the change in the ADS Ratio will have the same effect as a one-for-fifteen reverse ADS split and is intended to enable the company to regain compliance with the Nasdaq minimum bid price requirement. On the Effective Date, registered holders of company ADSs held in certificated form will be required on a mandatory basis to surrender their certificated ADSs to the depositary bank for cancellation and will receive one new ADS in exchange for every fifteen existing ADSs then-held. Holders of uncertificated ADSs in the Direct Registration System and in The Depository Trust Company will have their ADSs automatically exchanged and need not take any action. The exchange of every fifteen then-held ADSs for one new ADS will occur automatically, at the Effective Date, with the then-held ADSs being cancelled and new ADSs being issued by the depositary bank. Freeline's ADSs will continue to be traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol "FRLN."

07:04 EDT Xortx Therapeutics announces receipt of FDA ODD for oxypurinol - XORTX Therapeutics announces the grant of Orphan Drug Designation, ODD, for oxypurinol - "orphan-drug designation request of oxypurinol is granted for treatment of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease". The FDA ODD office review of the application package provided by XORTX determined that the evidence that aberrant purine metabolism and high uric acid levels suggest a mechanism of injury in ADPKD and importantly, that the XORLOTM therapy may slow progression of this form of injury. While this is not approval of XORLOTM for use in patients at the present time, it is a key milestone regarding the new and existing discoveries made by XORTX and regarding a novel approach to slowing progression of kidney disease in ADPDK. Dr. Allen Davidoff stated, "Orphan drug designation represents a major milestone for the Company in pursuit of marketing approval for XORLOTM, our proprietary formulation of oxypurinol, and the XRx-008 program for ADPKD. This designation was a significant and critical milestone for all of the staff and management at the Company. Further our potential partners indicated that it was a critical requirement underpinning their consideration of the XORLOTM program. We look forward to our upcoming meeting with the FDA on May 1, 2023 to discuss our planned phase 3 clinical program for XORLOTM."

06:59 EDT Procter & Gamble reports Q3 gross margin up 150 bps y/y - Gross margin for the quarter increased 150 basis points versus year ago, 220 basis points on a currency-neutral basis. The increase was driven by benefits of 470 basis points from increased pricing and 210 basis points from gross productivity savings. These were partially offset by 270 basis points of increased commodity and input material costs, 140 basis points of negative product mix and 50 basis points of product reinvestments and other impacts.

06:58 EDT Procter & Gamble CEO says 'very difficult cost and operating environment' - "We delivered strong results in the third quarter of fiscal year 2023 in what continues to be a very difficult cost and operating environment," said Jon Moeller, Chairman of the Board, President and CEO. "Our team's strong execution of our strategies and our progress through three quarters enable us to raise our fiscal year outlook for sales growth and cash return to shareowners and maintain our guidance range for EPS growth despite continued cost and foreign exchange headwinds. We remain committed to our integrated strategies of a focused product portfolio of daily use categories where performance drives brand choice, superiority, productivity, constructive disruption and an agile and accountable organization structure. These strategies have enabled us to build and sustain strong momentum, and we're confident they remain the right strategies to deliver balanced growth and value creation going forward."

06:53 EDT SLB CEO 'very pleased' with start to 2023 - SLB CEO Olivier Le Peuch commented, "I am very pleased with our start to 2023. We delivered strong year-over-year revenue growth and margin expansion at a scale that instills further confidence in our full-year financial ambition. The quarter was defined by strong activity dynamics offshore and in the broader international basins, most notably in Well Construction and Production Systems. Compared to the same period last year, revenue grew 30%; adjusted EBITDA increased 43%; EPS-excluding charges and credits-increased 85%; and pretax segment operating margin expanded 298 basis points. All Divisions grew, both in North America and in the international markets, reflecting the strength of our portfolio across geographies and business lines. Revenue growth surpassed rig count growth both in North America and internationally-representing the highest year-on-year quarterly growth in more than a decade. Sequentially, revenue grew 4% in North America, our eighth consecutive quarter of growth, benefiting from our exposure to the most resilient basins and market segments. Internationally, the sequential revenue decline was less pronounced than historical trends as seasonal effects were partially offset by robust activity gains. We continue to see positive pricing as our performance differentiates, technology adoption increases, contract terms are adjusted to offset inflation, and service capacity continues to tighten in key international markets. In this environment, our customers are more actively collaborating with us to improve their operational performance, attain decarbonization objectives, and lower overall costs through the increased use of our differentiated technologies. First-quarter cash flow from operations was $330 million, reflecting the seasonal first-quarter buildup of working capital that will support our anticipated growth for the year and the payment of our annual incentives. Free cash flow generation is expected to accelerate throughout the year, consistent with historical trends."

06:37 EDT ITT committing $25M to green energy projects for Earth Day 2023 - ITT announced a commitment of nearly $25M for green energy projects to commemorate Earth Day. The projects include solar panel investments and energy efficiency initiatives. A major portion of the investment consists of installing roughly 20,000 solar energy panels at eight manufacturing facilities globally, which are expected to reduce ITT's emissions by more than six thousand tons of Co2 per year once completed. ITT is targeting to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 10% by the end of 2026, compared to a 2021 baseline. The installations, which have already started to generate green electricity at some sites, will be deployed across ITT's production facilities in Europe, North America and Asia, and are expected to be completed over the next 18 months. ITT will continue to examine the feasibility of additional solar investments. Energy efficiency projects include LED lighting installations, improved heating and cooling systems and water requalification. In 2022, ITT's total capital expenditures for capacity, productivity, product redesign and green projects exceeded $100M, an 18% increase vs. 2021.

06:31 EDT Insight Acquisition announces planned transfer of listing to Nasdaq - Insight Acquisition announced that it plans to transfer the listing of its Class A common stock and units from the New York Stock Exchange to the Nasdaq Stock Market and its warrants from the Over the Counter Market to the Nasdaq Stock Market. Insight Acquisition Corp. expects to commence trading as a Nasdaq-listed company upon the market open on Wednesday, April 26. After the transfer, Insight Acquisition Corp.'s Class A common stock will continue trading under the ticker symbol "INAQ" on the Nasdaq Global Market and Insight Acquisition Corp.'s units and warrants will continue trading under the ticker symbols "INAQU" and "INAQW," respectively, on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

06:14 EDT Regions Financial reports Q1 net interest margin up 23 bps to 4.22% - Near an all-time high.

06:02 EDT Cango announces $50M share repurchase plan - Cango announced that its board of directors has authorized a new share repurchase program under which the company may repurchase up to $50M worth of its outstanding American depositary shares, each representing two Class A ordinary shares, and/or Class A ordinary shares over the next 12 months starting from April 25.

05:22 EDT CapStar Financial increases quarterly dividend 10% to 11c per share - The board of directors of the company approved a 10% quarterly dividend increase to 11c per common share payable on May 24 to shareholders of record of CapStar's common stock as of the close of business on May 10.