Stockwinners Market Radar for January 28, 2019 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:28 EDT First Bancshares raises quarterly dividend to 7c from 5c per share - The dividend is payable on February 26, 2019 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on February 11, 2019.

18:21 EDT Veritex announces initiation of regular quarterly cash dividend of 12.5c - Payable on February 21 to stockholders of record as of February 7.

18:05 EDT Thermo Fisher to sell Anatomical Pathology business to PHC Holdings for $1.14B - PHC Holdings Corporation announced that it has signed a definitive agreement with Thermo Fisher Scientific to acquire Thermo Fisher's Anatomical Pathology business for approximately $1.14B. Thermo Fisher's Anatomical Pathology business is one of the leading providers of microscope slides, instruments and consumables in the industry and is part of Thermo Fisher's Specialty Diagnostics Segment, operating in the US, Europe and China with approximately 1,200 employees. PHCHD currently expects to close the transaction in the second quarter of 2019, subject to customary closing conditions and the receipt of applicable regulatory approvals. Thermo Fisher expects the net dilution to 2019 adjusted earnings per share to be approximately 10c, which will be incorporated into its 2019 financial guidance that will be provided on the January 30 earnings conference call.

18:02 EDT BHP, Vale in talks to restructure $3.8B in debt - BHP (BHP) and Vale (VALE), each of which hold a 50% interest in Samarco, are in talks to restructure $3.8B in debt. The parties have not reached an agreement on restructuring the Samarco financial obligations.

17:50 EDT SPDR Gold Shares holdings rise to 815.64MT from 809.76MT - This is the highest level of holdings since June 29, 2018.

17:37 EDT Highbridge Capital takes 5.07% passive stake in AgroFresh Solutions - Highbridge Capital disclosed a 5.07% passive stake in AgroFresh Solutions. The stake represents over 2.7M shares. The filing with the SEC does not allow for activism.

17:32 EDT Triumph Group announces sale of fabrications business - Triumph Group announced a definitive agreement to sell Triumph Fabrications to Arlington Capital Partners. The operations included in the agreement are in Fort Worth, Texas; Hot Springs, Arkansas; Phoenix, Arizona; San Diego, California; and Shelbyville, Indiana. Combined, the businesses generated revenues of approximately $150M during Triumph Group's fiscal year ended March 31, 2018. Since 2016, Triumph has divested ten non-core businesses, including this announcement, as part of its transformation efforts to de-lever the company, enhance margins and position the company for long-term success. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the next few months. Following the close of the transaction, the business will retain its management, technical and supporting staff, and will continue operations at the current facilities.

17:27 EDT DOJ announces financial fraud charges against Huawei and CFO Wanzhou Meng - A 13-count indictment was unsealed earlier in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, charging four defendants, including Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., the world's largest telecommunications equipment manufacturer, with headquarters in the People's Republic of China and operations around the world. The indicted defendants include Huawei and two Huawei affiliates - Huawei Device USA Inc. and Skycom Tech Co. Ltd. - as well as Huawei's Chief Financial Officer Wanzhou Meng. The defendants Huawei and Skycom are charged with bank fraud and conspiracy to commit bank fraud, wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, violations of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and conspiracy to violate IEEPA, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Huawei and Huawei USA are charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice related to the grand jury investigation in the Eastern District of New York. Meng is charged with bank fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracies to commit bank and wire fraud. Acting U.S. Attorney General Matthew G. Whitaker, Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Wilbur Ross of the U.S. Department of Commerce, U.S. Attorney Richard P. Donoghue for the Eastern District of New York, FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department's Criminal Division and Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers of the National Security Division, announced the charges. In December 2018, Canadian authorities apprehended Meng in Vancouver pursuant to a provisional arrest warrant issued under Canadian law. The U.S. government is seeking Meng's extradition to the United States. Makers of optical components, including Oclaro (OCLR), Acacia Communications (ACIA), NeoPhotonics (NPTN), Lumentum (LITE), and Finisar (FNSR), have previously reacted negatively to headlines regarding U.S. enforcement actions and allegations against China's Huawei.

17:03 EDT Armistice Capital reports 4.99% passive stake in Bio-Path Holdings - In a regulatory filing, Armistice Capital disclosed a 4.99% stake in Bio-Path Holdings, which represents about 92,000 shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

17:01 EDT Crane increases quarterly dividend 11% - Crane Co. announced its board declared an 11% increase in its quarterly dividend, to 39c per share from 35c per share. The dividend is payable on March 11 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on February 28. The indicated annual dividend rate will now be $1.56 per share.

16:56 EDT Snap appoints Lara Sweet interim CFO - Snap Inc. announced the appointment of Lara Sweet, Snap's current Chief Accounting Officer, as interim CFO and principal financial officer. Sweet's appointment follows the previously announced departure of CFO Tim Stone, which is planned for February 5. Sweet will report to CEO Evan Spiegel. Stone will continue to assist Snap in the effective transition of his duties, including through Snap's scheduled FY18 financial results announcement. Snap has initiated a search for a permanent CFO.

16:49 EDT Biotechnology Value Fund reports 6.5% passive stake in Alpine Immune Sciences - In a regulatory filing, Biotechnology Value Fund disclosed a 6.5% stake in Alpine Immune, which represents about 1.2M shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

16:35 EDT D.E. Shaw takes 5.1% passive stake in Lannett - D.E. Shaw disclosed a 5.1% passive stake in Lannett. The stake represents just under 2.0M shares. The filing with the SEC does not allow for activism.

16:23 EDT Sanmina up 21% to $33.02 after Q1 results, Q2 guidance top estimates

16:19 EDT Graco reports Q4 gross margin down 2pts - The effective income tax rate decreased 32 percentage points for the quarter and 10 percentage points for the year.

16:17 EDT Yum! Brands names David Gibbs as COO, to search for new CFO - Yum! Brands announced the promotion of David Gibbs, 55, to President and Chief Operating Officer, reporting to Chief Executive Officer Greg Creed. Gibbs, a 29-year veteran of the Company, has served as President and Chief Financial Officer for the last two years. In his expanded role as President and COO, Gibbs will assume operating leadership of global KFC Division as well as the U.S. and international businesses of Pizza Hut and Taco Bell, with the respective brand leaders reporting to him. Gibbs will retain his current Yum! Brands CFO role, title and responsibilities overseeing corporate strategy, finance, supply chain and information technology, while the company conducts a search to identify a successor CFO.

16:15 EDT Whirlpool down 5.6% to $117.46 after FY19 profit view misses estimates

16:13 EDT Whirlpool sees FY19 cash from operating activities $1.4B-$1.5B - For the full-year 2019, the company expects to generate cash provided by operating activities of $1.4B-$1.5B and free cash flow of $800M-$900M. Included in this guidance are restructuring cash outlays of approximately $100M and, with respect to free cash flow, capital spending of approximately $625M.

16:11 EDT Sanmina announces CFO David Anderson retirement plans - Sanmina announced that CFO, David Anderson, plans to retire from his role to spend more time with his family. Anderson's career with the company spans 17 years. David joined Sanmina in 2002 and has held various financial positions becoming CFO in 2017. To ensure a smooth transition, Anderson will continue in his role as CFO until a successor is named, and then will move to an advisory role until March 27, 2020. Sanmina has started a search for his successor.

16:09 EDT Sempra Energy to sell equity interests in its South American businesses - Sempra Energy announced that the company is initiating the process to sell its equity interests in its South American businesses, including Luz del Sur S.A.A. in Peru and Chilquinta Energia in Chile. The planned sale includes Sempra Energy's 100% stake in Chilquinta Energia and 83.6% stake in Luz del Sur, as well as Sempra Energy's interests in two energy-services companies, Tecnored and Tecsur, which provide electric construction and infrastructure services to Chilquinta Energia and Luz del Sur, respectively. Sempra Energy originally acquired approximately 50% ownership in Chilquinta Energia and an approximate 42% ownership interest in Luz del Sur in 1999. Sempra Energy expects the planned sales process to be completed by the end of 2019.

16:08 EDT Abraxas cuts FY19 capital budget to $95M from $108M - In light of the current commodity price environment and the company's focus on capital efficiency, Abraxas has revised its 2019 capital budget to $95 million, down from the previously announced $108 million. This budget is designed to produce free cash flow in the current commodity price environment, with limited impact on future production growth. The free cash flow will be used to pay down debt. This revised budget will entail the drilling and completion of 6 gross wells and the completion of 4 gross net wells in the Bakken, and the drilling and completion of 5 gross wells and the completion of 2 gross wells in the Delaware Basin of West Texas. The budget includes $10 million for additional leasing and infrastructure in the Delaware. Using preliminary numbers, 2018 daily sales averaged 9,811 barrels of oil equivalent per day, with the 4th quarter sales averaging 10,498 BOEPD and December sales averaging 11,427 BOEPD. The yearly average, which was up 33% over 2017, was slightly below the low end of our guidance of 10,000 BOEPD. As previously announced, production was negatively impacted by shut ins for offset frac protection, continuing issues of gas flaring, and the purposeful restriction of Bakken production during December due to a temporary increase in basis differential to over $20 per barrel and a more favorable differential of approximately $9 per barrel in January 2019. Capital expenditures for 2018 were approximately $171 million, which is above our original guidance of $140 million, due to several reasons. We were successful in acquiring more net acres in the Delaware than originally anticipated, which subsequently led to higher working interests and costs, in several wells drilled and/or completed. In addition, the planned sale of our Eagleford assets did not close in 2018, the anticipated proceeds from which were included as a credit in our original net $140 million budget.

16:07 EDT Corvus appoints Mehrdad Mobasher as Chief Medical Officer - Corvus Pharmaceuticals announced the appointment of Linda Grais, M.D., J.D., to the company's board and Mehrdad Mobasher, M.D., M.P.H., as VP and Chief Medical Officer, effective immediately. Mobasher joined Genentech in 2010 and has held several positions of increasing responsibility. Most recently, he was a Group Medical Director and Venetoclax Development Lead, where he oversaw and led the strategy for the global development of venetoclax with several phase 1, 2, and 3 clinical trials in numerous hematologic cancers, as well as solid tumors.

16:03 EDT NY DFS says MetLife to pay $19.75M fine over insurance law violations - Financial Services Superintendent Maria T. Vullo announced that the New York State Department of Financial Services has entered into a consent order with MetLife Insurance Company, under which the insurer will pay a penalty of $19,750,000 for violations of New York Insurance Law stemming from a DFS examination which found that the insurer failed to properly locate and pay benefits to thousands of New York insureds and beneficiaries. As part of the consent order, MetLife will also pay retroactive benefits to policyholders in New York State and elsewhere totaling more than $206M. The insurer has already paid $123M of the approximately $206M to consumers whose group annuity benefits had been lost or delayed, and will pay the remainder going forward. In today's consent order, MetLife was cited for violations dating back to 1992 and extending to 2017. Reference Link

15:49 EDT Franklin Resources reports 6% passive stake in Ring Energy - In a regulatory filing, Franklin Resources disclosed a 6% stake in Ring Energy, which represents roughly 3.6M shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

15:03 EDT Hyatt expects to open 40 new hotels throughout U.S. West Coast by 2021 - Hyatt Hotels announced that Hyatt expects 40 new hotels to open in California, Oregon and Washington by the end of 2021, fueling Hyatt's regional brand growth by nearly 45 percent. The new executed properties - under management and franchise agreements - will join 89 Hyatt-branded hotels that are currently open and operating in California, Oregon and Washington. The West Coast is a priority for developers due to business demand from several strong markets in cities like San Diego, San Francisco, Portland, Ore., and Seattle. Further reasons to support Hyatt's strategy to focus on West Coast growth includes corporate and leisure travelers from Asia, where Hyatt has strong brand name recognition.

14:48 EDT Franklin Resources reports 5.3% passive stake in Monolithic Power - In a regulatory filing, Franklin Resources disclosed a 5.3% stake in Monolithic Power, which represents 2.25M shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

12:59 EDT Wynn says 'fully cooperated' with NGCB investigation - Wynn Resorts issued the following statement in response to the filing of a disciplinary complaint by the Nevada Gaming Control Board and the accompanying settlement of that complaint: "The completion of the NGCB's investigation of the response of certain employees to allegations against our founder and previous CEO Steve Wynn is an important remedial step. We have fully cooperated and been transparent with the Board in this in-depth investigation. We look forward to appearing before the Nevada Gaming Commission to review the settlement and establish the final resolution of the investigation. Upon learning of the extent of the allegations, the new leadership of Wynn Resorts took immediate actions to ensure an open and safe work environment for all employees and made dramatic changes at every level of key decision-making in the Company. As an example, any employee mentioned in the NGCB report who was aware of allegations of sexual assault against the company's former chairman and did not investigate or report it is no longer with the company. We have undergone an extensive self-examination over the last 12 months, intended to reinvigorate and implement meaningful change across all levels of the organization, cultivate a safe, healthy and supportive workplace culture, and build on our core values of respecting our employees, corporate responsibility and citizenship, and service to the community." Philip G. Satre, Chairman of the Board of Wynn Resorts, issued the following statement: "In my extensive experience working in the highly-regulated gaming industry I have never seen a company take action that was as swift and comprehensive as the executive team at Wynn Resorts. Much of that occurred before I joined the Board in August 2018, however I believe our board's follow-up and reaction to the regulatory investigations has been just as thorough and decisive."

12:21 EDT Carlyle acquires majority stake in SERgroup, terms not disclosed - Carlyle Group announced it has acquired a majority stake in SERgroup GmbH, a European Enterprise Content Management solutions software company based in Bonn, Germany. Underlining their commitment to continuity, the selling shareholders will retain a significant minority stake in SER. Further details were not disclosed. The transaction has been approved by the relevant antitrust authorities.

12:01 EDT Caterpillar sees further growth and profit in 2019 - Management says the January 1 price increase is to help construction margins. Sees strong FY19 margins in construction industries. Management sees dealer inventories to be flat in FY19. Management says they don't give quarterly earnings guidance. Guiding to a modest sales increase in FY19, not guiding downward. Management expects a market downturn eventually, though not in 2019, but they have enough cash on hand to handle any eventual market downturn. Management notes Turkey is the only demand concern in Europe. Management says the company is "very well" positioned to "compete and win in China." Comments provided in Q4 earnings conference call.

11:49 EDT Boeing announces award of $2.4B P-8A Poseidon contract from U.S. Navy - The U.S. Navy has awarded Boeing a $2.4B production contract for the next 19 P-8A Poseidon aircraft, the company confirmed in an announcement. The contract includes 10 aircraft to add to the current inventory of P-8As in the U.S. Navy fleet, all five jets currently under contract for Norway and the four aircraft remaining for the existing United Kingdom contract, bringing the total United Kingdom acquisition to nine aircraft. The United Kingdom and Norway are acquiring the Boeing aircraft through the Foreign Military Sales process and will receive a variant designed and produced for the U.S. Navy called the P-8A Poseidon. The United Kingdom will receive their first aircraft in 2019 and Norway will begin receiving aircraft in 2021, Boeing said. The Fly notes that it was previously reported by the military on January 25 that Boeing had been awarded a $2.46B modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract.

11:07 EDT PG&E trading halted, volatility trading pause

11:03 EDT Zipcar, Honda expand strategic partnership for mobility solutions - Zipcar (CAR) and Honda (HMC) announced an expansion of their strategic mobility partnership. The agreement will add hundreds of new Honda vehicles to Zipcar's diverse fleet, while focusing on supporting Zipcar's university program in California and the expansion of Zipcar's successful service in Columbus, Ohio. In Columbus, a first-of-its-kind exclusive Honda car-sharing fleet is launching today, expanding Zipcar's already successful program in the city. Zipcar first launched in Columbus in June 2018. Under the latest expansion, 30 vehicles will be in operation at 17 locations across the city, including a new campus car-sharing program at The Ohio State University. In California, Honda is Zipcar's preferred automotive partner at schools within the University of California system and select campuses within the California State University network. Honda will offer special rates on Zipcar memberships to students on campus and special driving rates to Zipcar members who use the 145 Honda vehicles located at dozens of campus locations. Through the expanded partnership, nearly 200 new Honda vehicles will now be available to Zipcar members, including the Honda Civic, Honda CR-V, Honda Fit, Honda HR-V and Honda Odyssey.

10:27 EDT Energizer announces closing of Spectrum Brands' auto care business acquisition - Energizer Holdings (ENR) announced the closing of its acquisition of Spectrum Brands' (SPB) Global Auto Care Business for $938.7M in cash and 5.3M shares of common stock, subject to usual and customary purchase price adjustments.

10:03 EDT MiX Telematics says oilfield services company expanding adoption of solutions - MiX Telematics announced that one of the world's largest oilfield services companies is expanding its adoption of MiX solutions. The company is adding MiX's premium fleet management solution to an additional 1,000 vehicles in its USA fleet, to further improve the safety, efficiency and compliance metrics across its expanded operations.

09:47 EDT Vale falls -16.0% - Vale is down -16.0%, or -$2.19 to $11.47.

09:47 EDT Azure Power rises 8.0% - Azure Power is up 8.0%, or 75c to $10.17.

09:47 EDT VelocityShares 3x Inv Natural Gas ETN rises 16.6% - VelocityShares 3x Inv Natural Gas ETN is up 16.6%, or $12.34 to $86.87.

09:32 EDT Atossa Genetics announces 2019 goals in letter to shareholders - Atossa Genetics issued a letter to Atossa shareholders. The letter says, "...The 2019 goal for our oral Endoxifen program is to continue clinical studies to help us understand the full "metes and bounds" of the clinical potential of this therapeutic. Specifically, we plan to determine if Endoxifen has an improved safety and tolerability profile compared to other hormone treatments. If so, we will determine whether Endoxifen, because of clinical data suggesting superiority to other hormone therapies, might augment or even replace other hormone therapies in important, clinical settings. We hope to end the year with a pharmacological profile for oral Endoxifen that can inform both further clinical trials as well as partnering discussions. The 2019 goal for our topical Endoxifen program is to determine whether an important, clinically-validated imaging biomarker -- mammographic breast density -- can be reduced by Endoxifen formulated for transdermal (through the skin) administration. We anticipate that dosing in the Phase 2 MBD study will conclude in the second quarter 2019 with initial results to follow. The results of this study will drive the further development of our proprietary topical Endoxifen, not only for MBD but also for preventing and/or reducing gynecomastia in men being treated for prostate cancer. We will continue to advance our intraductal microcatheter technology program: continuing the Phase 2 clinical study using our proprietary intraductal microcatheter technology to administer fulvestrant in the Window of Opportunity for women with ER+ breast cancer, and continuing our R&D program to develop TRAP to administer immunotherapies for women with triple negative breast cancer and/or BRCA+ breast cancer. We developed and validated preclinical methods to administer immunotherapy to the site of tumor initiation. These studies are the first of several steps to develop our intraductal microcatheter technology to treat breast cancer with cell-based immunotherapy, and will form the basis for supporting human studies, with the ultimate goal of treating breast cancer by administering an immunotherapy with our proprietary microcatheter technology."

09:28 EDT Portola Pharmaceuticals names Sheldon Koenig CCO - Portola Pharmaceuticals (PTLA) announced the appointment of Sheldon Koenig as executive VP and CCO, effective immediately. Koenig brings to his new role more than three decades of global commercial leadership and operations experience. He will report to Scott Garland, president and CEO, and will serve as a member of the Portola executive committee. Prior to joining Portola, Koenig was senior VP and head of the cardiovascular franchise for Sanofi (SNY) where he led U.S. business operations and product launches in more than 20 countries.

09:24 EDT Diana Shipping announces two new time charter contracts - Diana Shipping announced that, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, it has entered into a time charter contract with Uniper Global Commodities for one of its post-Panamax dry bulk vessels, the m/v Amphitrite, for a period of minimum fourteen months to maximum seventeen months. The gross charter rate is $5,000 per day for the first five days of the charter period and $12,750 per day for the balance period of the time charter, in each case minus a 5% commission paid to third parties. The m/v Amphitrite was chartered, as previously announced, to Cargill International at a gross charter rate of $11,150 per day, minus a 4.75% commission paid to third parties, for the agreed period of the time charter. The company also announced that, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, it has entered into a time charter contract with Phaethon International, for one of its Panamax dry bulk vessels, the m/v Naias. The gross charter rate is $10,000 per day, minus a 5% commission paid to third parties, for a period of minimum twenty-three months to about twenty-six months. The charter commenced on January 26. The m/v Naias was chartered, as previously announced, at a gross charter rate of $10,000 per day, minus a 5% commission paid to third parties, until January 26.

09:20 EDT FormFactor opens second European service center - FormFactor announced the opening of a new service center in the semiconductor manufacturing region of Grenoble, France. The facility will be run with a staff of applications engineers, service engineers, repair technicians, and account managers, and expands the capabilities of FormFactor's existing European service center in Dresden, Germany. With more than 25 service and repair centers globally, FormFactor's range in customer support continues to outpace all competitors. Additional service centers are under development for Pyeongtaek, South Korea; Clark, Philippines; and Dalian, China.

09:18 EDT Payment Data Systems announces Q4 dollars processed over $891M - Payment Data Systems announced the transaction processing results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2018. Total dollars processed for 2018 were a record $3.4B, reflecting an increase of 19% as compared to 2017. Total dollars processed for Q4 exceeded $891M. Credit card dollars processed during Q4 were up 6% over the same time period in 2017. Credit card transactions processed during Q4 were down 2% over the same time period in 2017. Electronic check transaction volumes during Q4 were up 26% over the same time period in 2017. Returned check transactions processed during Q4 were up 37% over the same time period in 2017.

09:12 EDT Milestone Scientific announces results of CompuFlo effectiveness trial - Milestone Scientific announced the results of a 400 patient clinical trial by researchers from the University of Miami, University of Texas and Northwestern University and two California-based pain clinics. Published-ahead-of-print in Anesthesia & Analgesia, the randomized, controlled study compared the effectiveness of the CompuFlo Epidural System in labor and delivery and chronic pain management, where loss of resistance and fluoroscopy are the current standards of care. CompuFlo was found to be 99% successful in objectively identifying the epidural space, even in challenging patients with a higher body mass index. Performance of epidural anesthesia depends on successful identification of the epidural space. While fluoroscopy is associated with high success, it exposes patients to radiation and requires appropriate radiological equipment. Loss of resistance is subjective and consequently associated with higher failure rates and accidental dural punctures that require further treatment and interventions such as epidural blood patches. CompuFlo features a dynamic pressure sensing technology that differentiates tissue types by pressure signatures at the tip of the needle that are imperceptible by touch. This allows the instrument to accurately identify location and discriminate between true and false loss of resistance objectively and in real-time. The data from this pivotal study confirms that CompuFlo is a safe and effective alternative to current standards of care. The instrument avoids patient radiation exposure when compared to fluoroscopy and demonstrated greater accuracy when compared to loss of resistance. The clinical trial also found CompuFlo's procedure time was the same as the current standard of care and epidurals performed with CompuFlo resulted in no accidental dural punctures, compared to four dural punctures with loss of resistance.

09:09 EDT Allogene Therapeutics announces FDA clearance of ALLO-501 IND - Allogene Therapeutics in collaboration with its development partner Servier announced that the FDA has cleared Allogene's investigational new drug, or IND, application for ALLO-501 in patients with relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or NHL. Allogene is the sponsor of the ALLO-501 program. The Phase 1 portion of the study is designed to assess the safety and tolerability at increasing dose levels of ALLO-501 in the most common NHL subtypes of relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma or follicular lymphoma. ALLO-501 will be administered following lymphodepletion with fludarabine/cyclophosphamide and ALLO-647, Allogene's proprietary anti-CD52 monoclonal antibody. The ALPHA Phase 1 trial will treat up to 24 patients and is on track for initiation in the first half of 2019.

09:07 EDT Correction: Caesars to open Caesars Republic Scottsdale non-gaming hotel - Caesars Entertainment announced plans to open Caesars Republic Scottsdale, its first non-gaming hotel in the U.S. as part of its plan to expand its brands and loyalty network through its licensing strategy. Caesars Republic Scottsdale will be located adjacent to the region's premier luxury retail destination, Scottsdale Fashion Square, and will be a four-star hotel developed by HCW Development and operated by Aimbridge Hospitality.

09:07 EDT Guess CEO Victor Herrero to depart - Guess? announced that Victor Herrero, CEO and a director, is leaving the company effective February 2, 2019. Carlos Alberini, formerly the president and COO of the company from 2000 to 2010, has been appointed as the new CEO and a Ddrector of the company, effective upon his separation from his current employer. From 2014 until the present, Alberini has been the chairman and CEO of Lucky Brand. The company also announced that, at the request of the Board of Directors, Paul Marciano has agreed to remain as chief creative officer. His employment will be "at will". During the transition, chairman Maurice Marciano will be acting as interim CEO.

09:06 EDT Roku premium subscriptions now available - Roku announced it will begin rolling out Premium Subscriptions on The Roku Channel. All supported devices are expected to receive the update in the coming weeks, beginning with Roku players and concluding with Roku TV models. Premium Subscriptions enables users to browse, trial and subscribe to popular premium entertainment services within The Roku Channel. Users who sign-up for EPIX, SHOWTIME and STARZ before March 31, 2019, can enjoy a 30-day free trial of those services on The Roku Channel. Additionally, viewing of The Roku Channel directly from within the Roku mobile app is available for iOS devices starting today. The update for Android devices is expected to begin to roll out in mid-February.

09:04 EDT Nvidia: Q4 was "extraordinary, unusually turbulent, disappointing' quarter - "Q4 was an extraordinary, unusually turbulent, and disappointing quarter," said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. "Looking forward, we are confident in our strategies and growth drivers. "The foundation of our business is strong and more evident than ever - the accelerated computing model NVIDIA pioneered is the best path forward to serve the world's insatiable computing needs. The markets we are creating - gaming, design, HPC, AI and autonomous vehicles - are important, growing and will be very large. We have excellent strategic positions in all of them," he said. NVIDIA expects its GAAP and non-GAAP gross margin to be impacted by approximately $120M in charges for excess DRAM and other components associated with the updated revenue guidance and current market conditions.

09:03 EDT Nvidia: Gaming, Datacenter revenue below expectations - NVIDIA updated its financial guidance for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2019, reflecting weaker than forecasted sales of its Gaming and Datacenter platforms. In Gaming, NVIDIA's previous fourth-quarter guidance had embedded a sequential decline due to excess mid-range channel inventory following the crypto-currency boom. The reduction in that inventory and its impact on the business have proceeded largely inline with management's expectations. However, deteriorating macroeconomic conditions, particularly in China, impacted consumer demand for NVIDIA gaming GPUs. In addition, sales of certain high-end GPUs using NVIDIA's new Turing(TM) architecture were lower than expected. These products deliver a revolutionary leap in performance and innovation with real-time ray tracing and AI, but some customers may have delayed their purchase while waiting for lower price points and further demonstrations of RTX technology in actual games. In Datacenter, revenue also came in short of expectations. A number of deals in the company's forecast did not close in the last month of the quarter as customers shifted to a more cautious approach. Despite these near-term headwinds, NVIDIA has a large and expanding addressable market opportunity in AI and high performance computing, and the company believes its competitive position is intact.

09:02 EDT Arthur J. Gallagher acquires Partners Advantage, AMZ Financial Insurance - Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. announced the acquisition of Urbandale, Iowa-based Partners Advantage Insurance Services and AMZ Financial Insurance Services, wholly owned subsidiaries of Inversion Holding Company. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Together, Partners Advantage and AMZ Financial rank among the largest independent life insurance wholesale brokerage operations in the country.

08:56 EDT Genmab says patents asserted against Darzalex in U.S. declared invalid - Genmab A/S (GMXAY) announced Saturday that the U.S. District Court of Delaware declared the three U.S. patents, asserted by MorphoSys AG (MOR) against Genmab and Genmab's collaboration partner Johnson & Johnson's (JNJ) Janssen Biotech are invalid by summary judgment. The patent infringement lawsuit was initiated by MorphoSys against Genmab and Janssen in April 2016 asserting that activities with Darzalex in the United States infringe its U.S. patents, and the case has been pending before the U.S. District Court of Delaware, the company pointed out. The summary judgment order declared all three patents invalid due to lack of enablement. As a result of this decision, the jury trial scheduled for February 2019 will not take place. MorphoSys has the opportunity to appeal the district court decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, it added. In addition, during the case a further claim by Janssen and Genmab was included in the case that the three MorphoSys patents were unenforceable due to inequitable conduct by MorphoSys. That issue remains to be decided.

08:47 EDT MorphoSys announces asserted claims of three patents ruled invalid - MorphoSys (MOR) announces that it was informed today that in its lawsuit against Janssen Biotech (JNJ) and Genmab A/S (GMXAY), the United States District Court of Delaware, based on a hearing held November 27, 2018, has ruled in a Court Order on January 25, 2019, that the asserted claims of three MorphoSys patents with U.S. Patent Numbers 8,263,746; 9,200,061 and 9,758,590 are invalid. The Court thus granted a motion for summary judgement of invalidity filed by Janssen Biotech and Genmab against the three patents held by MorphoSys. As a result of this decision, the jury trial scheduled for February 2019 to consider defendants' alleged infringement and the validity of the MorphoSys patents will now not take place. "MorphoSys's management is disappointed with the decision and is considering all of its options. The company has the right to appeal this judgement to the Federal Circuit," the company stated.

08:34 EDT Avalon GloboCare announces discovery, development of miR-185 - Avalon GloboCare and its subsidiary Genexosome Technologies announced the discovery and development of the world's first saliva-based exosomal microRNA biomarker, miR-185, as a dual diagnostic and therapeutic target for oral cancer. Oral leukoplakia, with a prevalence of 2% affecting the worldwide population, is a pre-cancerous lesion that confers increased risk for the development of oral cancer. Previously, there had been no reliable methodology to predict the progression from oral leukoplakia to malignant oral cancer. In collaboration with Beijing Stomatological Hospital affiliated with the Capital Medical University in China, Avalon and Genexosome Technologies have completed a clinical study and revealed miR185 as a novel saliva-based exosomal biomarker with strong correlation and predictive value for malignant transformation from oral leukoplakia to oral cancer. In a subsequent study, the companies further demonstrated that topical application of exosomes released from genetically modified human stem cells with increased expression levels of miR-185 can remarkably deter the progression of pre-malignant oral leukoplakia to form oral cancer. This study has been accepted as poster presentation at the upcoming annual meeting of International Society of Extracellular Vesicles, or ISEV. The company also announced the publication of a PCT patent application covering a method for preventing and treating oral cancer with extracellular vesicles carrying miR-185. This PCT application allows Avalon and Genexosome Technologies to file patent applications and seek protection in most major national and regional markets throughout the world.

08:32 EDT Theravance Biopharma: First patient dosed in Phase 3 trial of ampreloxetine - Theravance Biopharma announced dosing of the first patient in a registrational Phase 3 clinical trial of ampreloxetine in patients with symptomatic neurogenic orthostatic hypotension. Ampreloxetine is an investigational, once-daily norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor in development for the treatment of patients with symptomatic nOH. The study will evaluate additional efficacy assessments, as well as safety and tolerability measures.

08:25 EDT Xenon Pharmaceuticals provides regulatory updates on XEN007, XEN1101 - Xenon Pharmaceuticals provided regulatory updates on XEN007 and XEN1101, two therapeutic candidates from its CNS pipeline. The FDA has granted rare pediatric disease, or RPD, designation for the treatment of Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood, or AHC, with XEN007. XEN007 is a CNS-acting calcium channel inhibitor, which is available in certain countries outside of the United States, and has been reported to have clinical benefit in migraine and other neurological disorders, including hemiplegic migraine, or HM, AHC, and other childhood neurological disorders. Although the efficacy and safety of flunarizine has not been well studied in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial as a treatment for AHC, it has been evaluated in numerous AHC patients. The published literature suggests that flunarizine may be an effective treatment for AHC and appears to be safe and well tolerated by AHC patients. In addition to the RPD for AHC, Xenon previously received orphan drug designations, or ODD, from the FDA for XEN007 for the treatment of both AHC and HM. In addition, Xenon entered into key exclusive licensing agreements in order to access regulatory files and to manufacture the final product, both of which may enable advanced clinical development of XEN007. Xenon is currently evaluating various development strategies for XEN007, including the support of at least one Phase 2 clinical trial in an orphan neurological indication, with initiation anticipated in 2019. The XEN1101 Phase 2b clinical trial is designed as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter study to evaluate the clinical efficacy, safety and tolerability of XEN1101 administered as adjunctive treatment in adult patients with focal epilepsy. Approximately 300 patients will be randomized in a blinded manner to one of three active treatment groups or placebo. The primary endpoint is the median percent change in monthly focal seizure frequency from baseline compared to treatment period of active versus placebo. Depending upon the rate of enrollment, top-line results from the XEN1101 Phase 2b clinical trial are anticipated in the second half of 2020.

08:22 EDT Facebook to strengthen ad transparency rules ahead of 2019 elections - The company said, "Over the past two years, we have made massive investments to help protect the integrity of elections - not only addressing threats we've seen on our platform in the past, but also anticipating new challenges and responding to new risks...Here are some of the additional ways we are working to strengthen our platform ahead of elections in 2019. Earlier this month in Nigeria, we began temporarily disallowing electoral ads purchased from outside the country ahead of the election and will implement the same policy in Ukraine ahead of their election. In advance of the European Parliament election, in late March we will launch additional tools in the EU to help prevent foreign interference and make political and issue advertising on Facebook more transparent. Advertisers will need to be authorized to purchase political ads; we'll give people more information about ads related to politics and issues; and we'll create a publicly searchable library of these ads for up to seven years. The library will include information on the range of the ads' budget, number of people they reached and demographics of who saw the ad, including age, gender and location. These transparency tools for electoral ads will also launch in India in February and in Ukraine and Israel before their elections, with a global expansion before the end of June...To expand on work we did to fight misinformation in advance of the Brazil presidential election and the US midterms, we are planning to set up two new regional operations centers, focused on election integrity, located in our Dublin and Singapore offices. This will allow our global teams to better work across regions in the run-up to elections, and will further strengthen our coordination and response time between staff in Menlo Park and in-country. These teams will add a layer of defense against fake news, hate speech and voter suppression, and will work cross-functionally with our threat intelligence, data science, engineering, research, community operations, legal and other teams...Our work to fight fake news continues to improve. Across News Feed, we follow a three-part framework to improve the quality and authenticity of stories. First, we remove content that violates our Community Standards, which help enforce the safety and security of the platform. Then, for content that does not directly violate our Community Standards, but still undermines the authenticity of the platform - like clickbait or sensational material - we reduce its distribution in News Feed, so less people see it. Finally, we inform people by giving them more context on the information they see in News Feed...We also continue to expand our third-party fact-checking program. Today, this program covers content in 16 languages, and we've rolled out the ability for fact-checkers to review photos and videos in addition to article links, because we know multimedia-based misinformation is making up a greater share of false news. When a fact-checker rates a post as false, we show it lower in News Feed to significantly reduce the number of people who see it and the likelihood it will spread further. Pages and domains that repeatedly share false news will be penalized with reduced distribution and they will not be able to monetize or advertise on Facebook. This helps curb the spread of financially-motivated false news." Reference Link

08:19 EDT U.S. steel Industry 'totally revived' by anti-dumping tariffs, Trump says - President Donald Trump tweeted: "Tariffs on the 'dumping' of Steel in the United States have totally revived our Steel Industry. New and expanded plants are happening all over the U.S. We have not only saved this important industry, but created many jobs. Also, billions paid to our treasury. A BIG WIN FOR U.S." Publicly traded companies in the steel space include AK Steel (AKS), ArcelorMittal (MT), Nucor (NUE), Steel Dynamics (STLD), TimkenSteel (TMST) and U.S. Steel (X). Reference Link

08:17 EDT Versum, Entegris to implement $10M-$15M of CapEx synergies - Says to implement $10M-$15M of CapEx synergies within first year post-close.

08:15 EDT Masimo announces FDA clearnace of RRp on MightySat Rx oximeter - Masimo announced FDA clearance of the measurement of respiration rate from the pleth on the MightySat Rx spot-check fingertip pulse oximeter, as well as its indication for use in the home environment. The addition of RRp to MightySat Rx, which also measures functional oxygen saturation, pulse rate, perfusion index , and Pleth Variability Index, makes it a more thorough and versatile spot-check solution. Respiration rate, or the number of breaths taken per minute, typically requires manually counting breaths with a timer and then converting to a rate per minute, or being fitted with chest leads or straps that can be inconvenient. With RRp, respiration rate can conveniently be measured using the same optical sensor that measures SpO2, PR, Pi, and PVi. RRp is provided only when the respiratory movement-induced signal is present in the pulsatile waveform and may not be available during certain conditions, such as very irregular breathing and excessive movement.

08:12 EDT Versum, Entegris: Transaction unanimously approved by both boards - Says combined board to consist of five existing Entegris (ENTG) directors and four existing Versum (VSM) directors.

08:10 EDT Drive Shack announces departure of COO Sara Yakin - Drive Shack announced that Sara Yakin is stepping down as COO. Yakin, who joined the company as COO in 2016, will be transitioning from Drive Shack to take a position within a Fortress company co-founded by Wesley Edens, Chairman of the board of Drive Shack. CEO Ken May will assume leadership of all operations until the company identifies a new COO.

08:09 EDT ASGN reports preliminary Q4 revenue $929.7M, consensus $911.2M - ASGN announced preliminary results for revenues and Adjusted EBITDA for 4Q18. Revenues for 4Q18 are expected to be approximately $929.7M, or $14.7M above the high end of its previously-announced estimates. Revenues for the quarter included approximately $7.1M in "pass through" product sales under one of ECS' government contracts, which had not been expected to occur until 2019. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter is expected to be approximately $109M, which is within the previously-announced estimates of $107M to $112M.

08:06 EDT ASGN completes acquisition of DHA Group for $46M in cash - ASGN has completed the acquisition of DHA Group for $46M in cash sourced from ASGN's internally generated cash flows. DHA is a provider of mobility, cybersecurity, cloud and IT services to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other federal customers. DHA will become part of ASGN's ECS Segment. Founded in 1994, DHA has over 200 highly-cleared, technically-specialized employees committed to a range of national security missions. DHA's services are delivered primarily through prime, full and open contracts. Its performance reputation in delivering technical support will strengthen ECS' rapidly growing presence across cybersecurity and other operational domains in the national security and intelligence community. For 2018, DHA generated approximately $50M in revenues and is expected to grow approximately 20% year-over-year in 2019 and generate an EBITDA margin of 8% to 9%.

08:04 EDT Hancock Jaffe Laboratories reports objectives for upcoming CoreoGraft study - Hancock Jaffe Laboratories announced its objectives for its upcoming CoreoGraft study at the Texas Heart Institute. The study will begin the week of January 28. The CoreoGraft animal study will focus on short term graft patency and graft viability. Five CoreoGrafts will be surgically implanted over a three-week period and continuously monitored for thirty days for flow rates and patency using transonic probes. The implantable probe will verify flows and patency of the grafts. Following the monitoring part of the trial, the CoreoGrafts will undergo pathology examinations to look for evidence of cellular abnormalities that might lead to failure or impact graft performance. HJLI expects to provide an update after the first implantation. The performance results of the study and the pathology are expected to be released in April of 2019. Provided that the study is successful, Hancock Jaffe would then seek a Pre-FDA meeting to discuss the additional pre-clinical testing that will be necessary for in-human trials. In addition to the CoreoGraft study, HJLI will begin first-in-human testing of its VenoValve(R), a potential cure for severe cases of chronic venous insufficiency, a debilitating condition caused by venous reflux in the lower extremities and which afflicts 4.5 million people in the U.S.

08:00 EDT Caterpillar sees restructuring costs declining in 2019 - Management said, "On September 24, 2015, we announced a significant restructuring program through 2018 that is now substantially complete. Although we expect restructuring to continue as part of ongoing business activities, restructuring costs should decline in 2019, and we do not plan to exclude restructuring costs from adjusted profit per share in 2019."

07:52 EDT Caterpillar extends losses, now down 6% after Q4 results, FY19 guidance - In pre-market trading, shares are down about 6% to $128.71.

07:36 EDT Caterpillar down 3.7% to $131.77 after Q4 results miss estimates

07:35 EDT GreenTree Hospitality to acquire majority stake in Argyle Hotel Management Group - GreenTree Hospitality Group announced that it has entered into a share purchase agreement to become a major shareholder of Argyle Hotel Management Group, an owner and operator of hotels in China and South East Asia. Kevin Zhang, its founder and CEO and his management team will remain one of the largest shareholders of Argyle, and become an integral part of GreenTree's management team. This transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed on or around March 31. Argyle's management team under the leadership of its founder and CEO, Kevin Zhang will continue to lead Argyle to fulfil its mission to become an outstanding premier hotel company in China and Asia.

07:33 EDT Opko's BioReference Laboratories supporting fedreal employees amid shutdown - BioReference Laboratories Inc., an OPKO Health Company, announced that they will offer flexible payment arrangements for federal employees affected by the government shutdown. "We recognize the challenging financial position that federal government employees have faced throughout the shutdown," said Jon R. Cohen, M.D., Executive Chairman of BioReference Laboratories. "While the government is expected to temporarily reopen until February 15th, we're providing laboratory bill relief to impacted employees, continuing our long standing commitment to patients, caregivers and communities." BioReference and its divisions, GenPath Diagnostics and GeneDx, developed a program to defer laboratory payments for 30 days to furloughed federal government employees. In addition, BioReference offers programs for eligible patients who need financial assistance as well as those who do not have or elect not to use their insurance.

07:32 EDT Dicerna doses first volunteer in Phase 1 clinical trial of DCR-HBVS - Dicerna Pharmaceuticals announced the dosing of the first human volunteer in its Phase 1 clinical trial of DCR-HBVS, the Company's investigational GalXC-based therapy for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus infection in adults. The Company anticipates human proof-of-concept data from the Phase 1 trial, which is known as DCR-HBVS-101, in the second half of 2019. DCR-HBVS is comprised of a single GalXC molecule that targets HBV messenger RNAs within the hepatitis B surface antigen gene sequence region. Preclinical studies with a standard mouse model of HBV infection showed DCR-HBVS led to greater than 99% reduction in circulating HBsAg, suggesting superior HBsAg suppression, compared to targeting within the X gene sequence region.

07:14 EDT Platform Specialty Products to change name to Element Solutions

07:10 EDT Fuwei Films enters into securities purchase agreement with Gold Glory Blockchain - Fuwei Films announced that the company has entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement with Gold Glory Blockchain, a California-headquartered company focused on blockchain technology applications and digital asset services. The Agreement will result in the issuance by the company of 9.5M new ordinary shares in exchange for all outstanding shares of Gold Glory. Fuwei Films concurrently entered into a Share Transfer Agreement with Hong Kong Ruishang International Trade, the current majority owner of FFHL's equity shares. Pursuant to this Agreement, FFHL agrees to sell, assign and deliver all shares of Fuwei Films, a subsidiary directly owned by Fuwei Films plus cash consideration of $3M to Ruishang, in exchange for all 1,728,126 ordinary shares of Fuwei Films owned by Ruishang, representing 52.9% of the total Fuwei Films outstanding shares. This transaction will effectively transfer the existing business of Fuwei Films to Ruishang, after which Fuwei Films will only own the shares of Gold Glory.

07:08 EDT Alliance Resource Partners raises quarterly distribution by 3.9% to 53c per unit - ARLP announced that the board its general partner increased the cash distribution to unitholders for the 2018 Quarter to 53c per unit, payable on February 14, 2019 to all unitholders of record as of the close of trading on February 7, 2019. The announced distribution represents a 3.9% increase over the cash distribution of 51c per unit for the 2017 Quarter and a 1.0% increase over the cash distribution of 52.5c per unit for the Sequential Quarter.

07:08 EDT Cellect Biotechnology concludes development of clinical grade FasL - Cellect Biotechnology announced it has concluded the scale-up development and manufacturing of clinical grade FasL in collaboration with its outsourced supplier. Based on its process and the results of the ongoing clinical trial, the Company has scaled up manufacturing of FasL for hundreds of personal batches fully scalable to hundreds of thousands of batches for clinical and collaborative purposes. The Company expects to form an alliance of clinical and commercial cell therapy centers using the ApoGraft technology.The FasL protein is central to Cellect's technology of cell separation and functional selection of stem cells and is the key active ingredient in Cellect's ApoGraft and Apotainer product lines.

07:06 EDT Ionis Pharmaceuticals announces enrollment of first patient in RG6042 study - Ionis Pharmaceuticals(IONS) announced that its partner Roche (RHHBY), also known as Genentech in the U.S., has enrolled the first patient in a pivotal study of RG6042, or IONIS-HTTRx, for people living with symptoms of Huntington's disease, or HD, a hereditary neurodegenerative disorder for which there is currently no approved disease-modifying treatment. RG6042 is the first therapy in pivotal trials designed to target the underlying cause of HD by reducing production of the toxic mutant huntingtin protein, mHTT. Ionis has earned a $35M milestone payment for the initiation of the study.

07:04 EDT BlackBerry names Bryan Palma as President and COO - BlackBerry (BB) deepened its executive bench with the appointment of Bryan Palma as President and COO. Most recently, he was Cisco's (CSCO) Senior Vice President and General Manager of customer experience for the Americas.

07:03 EDT EyePoint names Ophthotech Executive Chairman David Guyer to board - EyePoint Pharmaceuticals (EYPT) announced the appointment of David Guyer, M.D., to the Company's Board of Directors. He will also serve on the Company's Science Committee. Guyer currently serves as Executive Chairman of Ophthotech Corporation (OPHT), a publicly-traded biopharmaceutical company specializing in gene therapy treatments for ocular diseases, which he co-founded.

06:53 EDT Marathon Petroleum increases quarterly dividend 15% to 53c per share - The board of directors of Marathon Petroleum declared a dividend of 53c per share on common stock. The dividend is payable March 11 to shareholders of record as of the close of business February 20. The 53c dividend represents a 15% increase to the previous quarterly dividend.

06:48 EDT Comstock Mining to sell Lucerne properties to Tonogold - Comstock Mining announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement, and received a $1M non-refundable payment toward the sale of its Lucerne properties to Tonogold Resources for $15M in cash, relief of $8M in future lease and reclamation obligations, a permanent reduction of annual operating expenses by $1M, and a retained 1.5% net smelter return royalty on the Lucerne properties. The company will transfer the ownership or control of the Lucerne properties and related permits, including the Storey County Special Use Permit for mining and processing that was recently extended to 2034. The Company expects the transaction to close between March and May of this year. The Company and Tonogold also agreed that, upon the closing of the sale of the Lucerne mine properties, it will enter into a new Option Agreement to lease its permitted American Flat property, plant and equipment to Tonogold for crushing, leaching and processing material from the Lucerne mine. If the option is exercised, Tonogold will pay the Company a rental fee of $1M per year plus $1 per processed ton, in addition to all the costs of operating and maintaining the facility, up to and until the first $15M in rental fees are paid, and then stepping down to $1M per year and $0.50 per processed ton for the next $10M paid to Comstock, with more favorable rates after the first $25 million of revenue is received. Tonogold will reimburse American Flat expenses during the option life.

06:35 EDT Air Lease announces delivery of new Airbus A321-200neo to Vietnam Airlines - Air Lease announced the delivery of one new Airbus A321-200neo aircraft featuring PW1130G engines on long-term lease to Vietnam Airlines. This aircraft is the first of 12 new A321-200neos scheduled to deliver to Vietnam Airlines through 2019 from ALC's order book with Airbus. In addition to the 12 new Airbus A321-200neo aircraft, Vietnam Airlines is also confirmed to take delivery of eight Boeing 787-10s from ALC starting in the Q3 of FY19 through FY21. Vietnam Airlines currently has two A330-200s on lease from ALC, for a total of 22 aircraft on lease to the airline.

06:31 EDT Cerecor moves U.S. Corporate Offices to Rockville in Maryland - Cerecor announced that it has moved its U.S. Corporate Offices to 540 Gaither Road Suite 400 located in Rockville, Maryland. The company had previously been based in Baltimore, Maryland.

06:17 EDT Evelo announces dosing of first patient in Phase 2a clinical trial of EDP1503 - Evelo Biosciences (EVLO) announced that the University of Chicago has dosed the first patient in an investigator-sponsored Phase 2a clinical trial evaluating EDP1503 in combination with KEYTRUDA, or pembrolizumab, Merck's (MRK) anti-PD-1 therapy. EDP1503 is an orally delivered monoclonal microbial product candidate being developed for the treatment of cancer. This open-label clinical trial will evaluate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of EDP1503 in combination with KEYTRUDA in up to 70 patients with metastatic melanoma who are previously untreated or who have relapsed following treatment with an anti-PD-1 inhibitor. Evelo will provide and retain all rights to EDP1503.

06:15 EDT Descartes Systems increases senior secured credit facility - Descartes has amended and increased its existing $150M senior secured revolving credit facility. The new amended increased facility, with BMO as sole lead and arranger, consists of a $350M revolving operating credit facility to be available for general corporate purposes, including the financing of ongoing working capital needs and acquisitions, including the Visual Compliance transaction. With the approval of the lenders, the credit facility can be further expanded to a total of $500M. The credit facility has a five-year maturity with no fixed repayment dates prior to the end of the five-year term ending in January 2024. Borrowings under the credit facility are secured by a first charge over substantially all of Descartes' assets.

06:12 EDT USA Technologies appoints Glen Goold as interim CFO, effective January 24 - USA Technologies (USAT) announced that Glen Goold has been appointed interim CFO, effective January 24. Goold has served as a consultant to USA Technologies since October 2018. Goold has more than two decades of experience in finance and accounting, including serving as CFO at Sutron (STRN) from 2014 to 2018, where he led accounting, financial reporting, investor relations, and regulatory compliance responsibilities of the company.

06:08 EDT Entegris sees Q4 adjusted EBITDA $11.1M-$12.1M - Sees Q4 net loss $8.2M-$8.9M. Net loss includes approximately $6.4M of restructuring charges primarily related to severance and the rebrand of B. Riley Wealth Management. Strong operating results were offset by mark-to-market losses of approximately $16M in the Company's investment account during the quarter.

06:03 EDT Chemical Financial, TCF Financial announce all-stock merger of equals - Chemical Financial Corporation (CHFC) and TCF Financial Corporation (TCF) announced the signing of a definitive agreement under which the companies will combine in an all-stock merger of equals transaction. Under the terms of the agreement, which was unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, TCF will merge into Chemical, and the combined holding company and bank will operate under the TCF name and brand following the closing of the transaction. The combined company will have approximately $45 billion in assets, $34 billion in total deposits and more than 500 branches across nine states, including four of the top 10 Midwest markets. The transaction is projected to deliver 17% EPS accretion to Chemical and 31% EPS accretion to TCF by 2020, with a tangible book value earn-back period of 2.7 years. Pro forma merged company financial metrics are based on each company's stand-alone consensus median analyst estimates, estimated combined company cost synergies, anticipated purchase accounting adjustments, and the expected merger closing time-frame. Under the terms of the agreement, TCF shareholders will receive 0.5081 shares of Chemical common stock for each share of TCF common stock based on a fixed exchange ratio, equivalent to $21.58 per TCF share based on the closing price as of January 25, 2019. Each outstanding share of 5.70% Series C Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock of TCF will be converted into the right to receive one share of a newly created series of preferred stock of Chemical. Upon completion of the deal, TCF and Chemical shareholders will own 54% and 46% of the combined company, respectively, on a fully diluted basis. The combined company will be led by: Gary Torgow, who will serve as executive chairman of the board of directors; Vance Opperman, who is the current lead independent director of TCF Financial Corporation's board of directors, will serve as lead independent director; Craig Dahl, who will serve as CEO and president; Dennis Klaeser, who will serve as CFO; Brian Maass, who will serve as deputy CFO and treasurer; and David Provost will become chairman of the combined bank and Tom Shafer will become president and COO of the combined bank. The merger is expected to close in the late third or early fourth quarter of 2019, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including receipt of customary regulatory approvals and approval by the shareholders of each company.

06:01 EDT Chemical Financial, TCF Financial announce all-stock merger of equals

05:59 EDT Former Starbucks CEO 'seriously considering' running for president - Howard Schultz, the former CEO of Starbucks, said via Twitter on Sunday: "I love our country, and I am seriously considering running for president as a centrist independent. This moment is like no other. Our two parties are more divided than ever. Let's discuss how we can come together to create opportunities for more people." Reference Link

05:36 EDT Applied DNA Sciences signs MOU with Tex-Ray Industrial - Applied DNA Sciences announced the signing of a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU, with Taiwan-based Tex-Ray Industrial. The MOU is expected to be followed by a definitive agreement. Under the terms of the MOU, Tex-Ray and Applied DNA will create a Center of Excellence in Taiwan, the industry-acknowledged hub for textiles innovation to: integrate Applied DNA's CertainT tag, test and track authentication platform into new product development of yarns, finishes and fabrics; for designing streamlined supply chain processes to reduce time-to-market for Applied DNA products and services; and, to grow capabilities in marketing, sales and support for servicing global customers. Applied DNA's CertainT molecular authentication platform for forensic authenticity and traceability delivers brand differentiation and protection of goods whose value chains span large commercial ecosystems and geographies. Unique in its ability to provide identity and traceability embedded in goods themselves, CertainT is a natural fit with the technology innovations that comprise Tex-Ray's product portfolio.

04:59 EDT Vale board weighs non-payment of dividends after dam breach - Vale S.A. said that in consequence of the breach of Dam I of the Corrego do Feijao mine in Brazil, its board established two Extraordinary Independent Consulting Committees. The first independent committee will be dedicated to follow-up on the measures taken to support the victims and the recovery of the areas affected by the breach of the dam. The second independent committee will be dedicated to investigating the causes and responsibilities for the dam breach. Additionally, it deliberated the following changes on the remuneration and incentives schemes: The suspension of the Shareholder Remuneration Policy, and therefore the non-payment of dividends and interest on capital, as well as any other deliberation on shares buyback, The suspension of the variable remuneration payment for executives. Value added that its board "remains in readiness and following the developments of the events related to the dam breach and it will take necessary additional measures." Shares of Vale closed Friday down 8% to $13.66 and are down an additional 13% in premarket trading to $11.86.

04:53 EDT Vale provides update on Corrego de Feijao mine dam breach - Vale S.A. provides an update yesterday on the breach of the Dam I of the Corrego de Feijao mine that occurred in the early afternoon of January 25. The company said, "On Sunday, around 5:30 PM, the siren warning was activated in the region of Corrego do Feijao mine in Brumadinho (MG, Brazil), after detecting an increase of the water levels by the measurement tools that are monitoring the Dam VI. The authorities were alerted and, as a preventive measure, the community in the region was gathered in the meeting places previously determined by the Emergency Plan. The company is draining the Dam VI with the use of pumps, to reduce the amount of water in the reservoir and the water levels already receded to safe levels, reducing the critical alert level from 2 to 1. With that, people that had left their homes have already been allowed to return and the Civil Defense Corps have also been able to recommence their search for the missing people in the region. The Dams VII and Menezes I and II did not suffer any impact. On the mine operation The plant facilities, the loading terminal, the maintenance workshops and the administrative buildings of the Corrego de Feijao mine were damaged, and there were blockages to the road access from the mine to the Corrego do Feijao village as well as the access from the entry passageway to the Alberto Flores cloverleaf interchange. On Friday night (1/25/19), the State Secretariat for the Environment and Sustainable Development (SEMAD) issued the first inspection report ordering the immediate suspension of all activities of the mining company at the site, except for emergency activities. Moreover, SEMAD determined the immediate opening of a channel where there was accumulation of sediments interrupting the natural flow of the watercourse." Reference Link