Stockwinners Market Radar for March 11, 2019 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:41 EDT Care.com announces changes to approving, managing caregiver profiles - Care.com announced "certain changes to its processes for approving and managing individual caregiver profiles in its consumer marketplace." It said in a regulatory filing, "While the Company will continue to allow newly-enrolling caregivers to prepare applications to jobs and complete their profiles, the Company is updating its practices to no longer release any applications or permit those caregivers to send messages on the platform until the completion of its preliminary screening processes. The Company also disclosed that it closes approximately 10% of caregiver accounts based on results from its preliminary screening processes." Care.com also announced it is exploring solutions to help verify the identity of care seekers and individual caregivers in its consumer marketplace, as well as potential revisions to its closure notification policies for when it removes an individual's account. In addition, the company announced changes to its practices related to small and medium-sized business listings on its consumer marketplace. It explains, "Like other digital platforms, the Company had used publicly available data to create directory listings for small and medium-sized businesses that provide childcare services. To enhance the quality and accuracy of the directory, the Company allowed such businesses to claim ownership over the listings the Company had created. Recently, the Company removed all listings that had not been claimed. In addition, the Company has made more prominent its notice to users that it does not verify the credentials or licensing information of businesses listed on its consumer marketplace. In the Company's 2018 fiscal year, marketing services revenue from small and medium-sized businesses that provide childcare services represented less than 0.5% of the Company's total revenue." Finally, Care.com announced the creation of a new board committee whose purpose is to oversee the company's safety and cybersecurity programs. Shares of Care.com dropped 12.5% Monday to $20.48 after a Wall Street Journal investigation found the company does not verify the credentials of recommended caregivers.

18:45 EDT FAA to issue CANIC for Boeing 737 MAX operators - In an updated statement on Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, the FAA said: "An FAA team is on-site with the NTSB in its investigation of Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302. We are collecting data and keeping in contact with international civil aviation authorities as information becomes available. Today, the FAA will issue a Continued Airworthiness Notification to the International Community (CANIC) for Boeing 737 MAX operators. The FAA continuously assesses and oversees the safety performance of U.S. commercial aircraft. If we identify an issue that affects safety, the FAA will take immediate and appropriate action." Reference Link

18:42 EDT Veeva CEO: We're targeting 20% growth in subscriptions in FY20 - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, Veeva CEO Peter Gassner said: We make systems more efficient... We will reach over $1B in sales in FY20, ahead of our goal... We're very optimistic about our future... We're targeting 20% year over year subscription growth in FY20... Medicine is undergoing a revolution towards precision medicine... We have a great partnership with Salesforce.com.

17:36 EDT IDACORP CFO Steven Keen sells over $430K in company shares - IDACORP CFO Steven Keen disclosed in a filing that he had sold 4,346 shares of company stock at an average price of $99.32 per share on March 7, for a total transaction value of $431,627.

17:30 EDT Ellington Financial declares inaugural monthly dividend of 14c per share - Ellington Financial announced that its Board of Directors has declared an inaugural monthly dividend of 14c per share, payable on April 25 to shareholders of record as of March 29. This 14c monthly dividend represents an annualized dividend of $1.68 per share, which is a 2.4% increase over the previous annualized dividend of $1.64. Beginning with this dividend, the company expects to pay common stock dividends on a monthly basis, rather than quarterly as it had previously paid dividends.

17:26 EDT BP, Royal Dutch Shell, Valero and Phillips 66 awarded fuel contracts - BP (BP): $336.76M, Shell (RDS.A): $259.8M, Valero (VLO): $141.13M and Phillips 66 (PSX): $884.36M have each been awarded a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for various types of fuel. These were competitive acquisitions with 32 offers received. These are one-year contracts with a 30-day carryover. Work has a March 31, performance completion date. The type of appropriation is FY19 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy.

17:17 EDT Fanhua raises annual dividend 20% to $1.20 from $1.00 per ADS - The dividend will be paid on a quarterly basis, with 30c per ADS, or 1.5c per ordinary share, payable in each of the next four quarters.

17:08 EDT Forterra sees FY19 adjusted EBITDA $170M-$200M - Sees FY19 income from operations in the range of $60M-$90M, net loss of ($38M)-($16M).

17:00 EDT Highbridge Capital reports 5.7% passive stake in Altus Midstream - In a regulatory filing, Highbridge Capital disclosed a 5.7% stake in Altus Midstream, which represents about 4.5M shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

16:49 EDT Dean Foods says board member Robert Tennant Wiseman to retire from board - On March 6, Robert Tennant Wiseman, a director of Dean Foods, informed the Board of his decision not to stand for re-election at the company's 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Wiseman will retire from the Board, effective upon the expiration of his term at the Company's 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Wiseman currently serves on the company's Nominating/Corporate Governance Committee.The Board has determined not to fill the vacancy created by Wiseman's retirement, and will, in accordance with the company's bylaws, reduce the number of directors to seven members effective immediately following the 2019 Annual Meeting.

16:45 EDT Stitch Fix now up 21%, or $5.63, to $32.60 after Q2 beat and outlook

16:43 EDT Washington REIT signs 51,000 square foot tenant at Watergate 600 - WashREIT has executed a 51,000 square foot lease for the top two floors of Watergate 600 in Washington, DC. The tenant, a leading global energy and infrastructure capital provider, expects to occupy one-sixth of the 12-story iconic office building at 600 New Hampshire Avenue Northwest in January 2020, for a term of 17 years and 8 months. WashREIT acquired the asset in 2017 for approximately $437 per square foot and recently completed an extensive renovation of the building's entryway, lobby, elevators and common areas. "We are pleased to have created value at Watergate 600 by effectively repositioning this iconic asset and re-leasing the majority of its availability ahead of schedule and at rents that are better than our underwriting," said Paul McDermott, President and Chief Executive Officer of WashREIT. "By executing this lease, we expect to significantly strengthen our same-store NOI in 2020 and beyond and to stabilize the asset, which has a negligible amount of annual lease expirations until 2026."

16:37 EDT AGM Group Holdings subsidiary enters LOI to acquire Yushu Kingo City - AGM Group Holdings announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Shenzhen AnGaoMeng Financial, has entered into a letter of intent, or LOI, agreement to acquire 100% equity interest in Yushu Kingo City. Established in December 2013 with registered capital of RMB30M, Kingo City is a licensed real estate development and property management company based in Yushu City, Jilin Province, China. Kingo City is currently developing a commercial complex located at the intersection of Xinmin and Xiangyang Streets in Yushu City with a property market value of approximately RMB1.2B upon completion. The proposed transaction is subject to a definitive share purchase agreement to be negotiated between the two parties, following further financial and legal reviews and approval of the company's board, as well as other customary closing conditions. The company plans to facilitate the proposed transaction by issuing new shares and using cash on hand.

16:35 EDT Scientific Games reaches pact with Second State for new truck stop route - Scientific Games Corporation announced an agreement with Second State Gaming, LLC to install Bally MultiConnect software at 20 truck stop locations throughout Pennsylvania. The new system will begin going live in Spring 2019, and will continue to be installed on 100 games at 20 locations based on gaming license approvals. Pennsylvania recently signed legislation allowing a major expansion of gambling throughout the state, to include truck stops and airports. This agreement with Second State Gaming, LLC is the first systems contract awarded and the first deployment of BMC in this new truck stop route market.

16:34 EDT Owens-Illinois announces 'significant' investment in Europe - Owens-Illinois announced a "significant" investment in its European glass operation supported by long-term customer agreements. This investment will enable O-I to grow in premium segments, increase capability and flexibility, as well as improve the company's environmental footprint. O-I will invest more than $60M to expand its plant in Gironcourt, France. Plans include building a new furnace for a total of three furnaces at the plant when the expansion project is completed in early 2020. The expansion at Gironcourt will focus on the growing premium beer segment which is highly differentiated and uses unique bottle shapes to build strong, premium brand equity.

16:33 EDT RF Industries to acquire C Enterprises - RF Industries announced it has agreed to acquire the business and assets of C Enterprises, a privately owned manufacturer of connectivity solutions to telecommunications and data communications distributors. Based in Vista, California, C Enterprises had unaudited revenues of approximately $8.7M for the twelve-month period ended December 31, 2018. The closing of the acquisition is scheduled to occur on or about March 15. Robert Dawson, president and CEO of RF Industries, said, "We are excited to announce the pending acquisition of the operations of C Enterprises. This purchase is in line with our previously announced strategy for growth both organically and through acquisition. We welcome the talented group of C Enterprises employees to our team, and look forward to working with the company's amazing set of loyal customers. C Enterprises has a similar go-to-market strategy to ours and will provide us with solid manufacturing capabilities that will strengthen our overall offer in the market. Their strong fiber optic and copper product offering is scalable and complementary to our business and their West Coast manufacturing capabilities will give us a larger footprint for fiber optic production to more easily service our existing customers. In addition, we expect to leverage their capabilities to enhance our small cell product offering to the wireless carrier market which will provide opportunities for revenue growth. The total cash outlay related to the purchase of C Enterprises' business and assets is currently not expected to have a material impact on our liquidity and capital resources and we expect the acquisition to be accretive to our earnings in fiscal 2019."

16:31 EDT Cytokinetics says additional results from Cosmic-H to be presented at ACC 19 - Cytokinetics announced that additional results from COSMIC-H, a Phase 2 trial evaluating omecamtiv mecarbil in patients with chronic heart failure, will be presented in a Moderated Poster Session at the American College of Cardiology's 68th Annual Scientific Session in New Orleans on March, 18.

16:26 EDT Artisan Partners reports AUM $108.2B as of February 28 - Artisan Partners Asset Management reported that its assets under management as of February 28 totaled $108.2B. Separate accounts accounted for $56.1B of total firm AUM, while Artisan Funds and Artisan Global Funds accounted for $52.1B.

16:25 EDT BMC Stock Holdings COO Mike McGaugh departs - BMC Stock Holdings announced the departure of Mike McGaugh, COO, effective immediately. The company has eliminated the position of COO to flatten the organizational structure and bring its executive team closer to its field operations.

16:24 EDT J. Alexander's CEO Lonnie Stout to leave position, Mark Parkey to succeed - J. Alexander's announced that Mark Parkey has been appointed president and CEO of the company effective May 1. He will succeed Lonnie Stout, who has been named to a newly created position, executive chairman of the board of the company. At the same time, the company announced the appointment of Jessica Hagler to VP and CFO, also effective May 1. In his new role as executive chairman of the board, Stout will chair the company's board while also working closely with Parkey on longer-term business and strategic initiatives for the company. Frank Martire will become lead independent director for the company's board upon the transition. Stout has been a director, president and CEO of the company since its formation. Parkey has served as executive VP, CFO and treasurer of the company since its formation. Hagler has served as VP, controller and CAO of the company since October 2015, and as the secretary of the company since February 2018. She previously served as assistant VP and controller of the company since its formation in August 2014 and held the same positions with J. Alexander's Holdings, LLC and its subsidiaries since May 2013.

16:22 EDT Sarissa Capital reports 7.9% passive stake in Mersana Therapeutics - In a regulatory filing, Sarissa Capital disclosed a 7.9% stake in Mersana Therapeutics, representing 3.75M shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

16:20 EDT ADT Inc. down over 3% after reporting Q4 earnings, giving FY19 guidance

16:16 EDT Zafgen announces resignation of Chief Medical Officer - Zafgen noted that last week it appointed Priya Singhal, M.D., M.P.H., as Head of Research and Development. Dr. Singhal is responsible for leading and overseeing research, clinical and manufacturing strategy and implementation across the company's portfolio of investigational MetAP2 inhibitors. Zafgen is also announcing that Dennis Kim, M.D. has resigned from his position as the company's Chief Medical Officer to serve as a senior consultant in a CMO capacity for multiple biotechnology companies. Kim will support a transition process over the next several weeks, the company said.

16:16 EDT PetIQ down over 3% after reporting Q4 earnings, giving FY19 guidance

16:15 EDT Casey's General Stores lowers FY19 fuel SSS view to (2%)-(0.5%) from (1%)-0.5%

16:10 EDT Bridger Management reports 5.67% passive stake in TG Therapeutics - In a regulatory filing, Bridger Management disclosed a 5.67% stake in TG Therapeutics, which represents nearly 5M shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

16:08 EDT Wright Medical announces termination of Contingent Value Rights Agreement - Wright Medical Group announced the expiration in accordance with its terms of the Contingent Value Rights Agreement dated as of March 1, 2013 between Wright Medical Group and American Stock Transfer & Trust Company. Accordingly, the CVR Agreement, which was entered into in connection with Wright's acquisition of BioMimetic Therapeuticd, is terminated effective March 1, 2019. The Contingent Value Rights traded on the NASDAQ under the symbol WMGIZ.

16:05 EDT Oxford Immunotec reports resignation of Chief Medical Officer - In a regulatory filing, Oxford Immunotec reported that Dr. Richard Wenstrup, Chief Medical Officer, resigned from the company effective March 8. In connection with his resignation, on March 8, the company entered into a separation agreement with Dr. Wenstrup. "Pursuant to the terms and conditions of the separation agreement, the company agreed to pay Dr. Wenstrup 10.5 months of severance, payable as salary continuation in accordance with the company's normal payroll practices. The separation agreement contains customary broad form releases and confidentiality provisions," the filing stated.

16:03 EDT Badger Meter to provide smart water technologies, services to Columbia - Badger Meter announced that it will provide a full suite of smart water technologies and services to the city of Columbia, South Carolina to assist the city's vision for high quality municipal services. The fully integrated solution will improve the city's efficiency and reduce water loss by providing real-time access to water usage data, enhancing customer service and empowering their nearly 150,000 customers to better manage their water usage. The city selected Badger Meter's beacon advanced metering analytics, or AMA, software-as-a-service offering that collects and analyzes data within the water distribution network to improve operational efficiency and awareness. The first installations are expected to begin in Columbia this spring, with a three-year anticipated project timeline for full roll-out.

16:00 EDT Zafgen trading halted, news pending

15:39 EDT Brink's CFO Ronald Domanico purchases over $217K in company stock - Brink's CFO Ronald Domanico disclosed in a filing that he had purchased 3,000 shares of company stock at an average price of $72.39 per share on March 8 for a total transaction value of $217,170.

15:29 EDT Yatra says will review proposal made by Ebix - Yatra Online (YTRA) confirmed that it received a proposal from Ebix (EBIX) to acquire all of the outstanding shares of the company. "Consistent with its fiduciary duties, and in consultation with its independent legal and financial advisors, the company's Board of Directors will review and consider the proposal to determine the course of action that it believes is in the best interest of the company and all of its shareholders. Company shareholders do not need to take any action at this time," Yatra stated.

15:26 EDT Apple to host event on March 25 - Apple announced that it will be hosting a "special event" live from the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California on March 25, 2019 at 10:00 am PT.

14:43 EDT Wells Fargo, Deutsche Bank among investment advisors settling claims with SEC - The Securities and Exchange Commission announced settled charges against 79 investment advisers, including Wells Fargo (WFC), BB&T (BBT), Comerica (CMA), Deutsche Bank (DB) Raymond James (RJF) amongst others, who will return more than $125M to clients, with a substantial majority of the funds going to retail investors. The actions stem from the SEC's Share Class Selection Disclosure Initiative, which the SEC's Division of Enforcement announced in February 2018 in an effort to identify and promptly correct ongoing harm in the sale of mutual fund shares by investment advisers. The initiative incentivized investment advisers to self-report violations of the Advisers Act resulting from undisclosed conflicts of interest, promptly compensate investors, and review and correct fee disclosures. The orders issued today address advisers who directly or indirectly received 12b-1 fees for investments selected for their clients without adequate disclosure, including disclosures that were inconsistent with the advisers' actual practices. The SEC's orders found that the investment advisers failed to adequately disclose conflicts of interest related to the sale of higher-cost mutual fund share classes when a lower-cost share class was available. Specifically, the SEC's orders found that the settling investment advisers placed their clients in mutual fund share classes that charged 12b-1 fees - which are recurring fees deducted from the fund's assets - when lower-cost share classes of the same fund were available to their clients without adequately disclosing that the higher cost share class would be selected. According to the SEC's orders, the 12b-1 fees were routinely paid to the investment advisers in their capacity as brokers, to their broker-dealer affiliates, or to their personnel who were also registered representatives, creating a conflict of interest with their clients, as the investment advisers stood to benefit from the clients' paying higher fees. Reference Link

14:17 EDT Stryker launches visualization tools to enhance orthopaedic surgical efficiency - Stryker announced the launch of transformative visualization tools designed to enhance the surgical experience for arthroscopy-HipCheck, HipMap, the 1688 Advanced Imaging Modalities 4K Visualization Platform, and the Connected OR Hub. "We're committed to helping lead the advancement of innovation in sports medicine," said Brent Ladd, President of Stryker's Endoscopy division. "We understand surgeons need to not only visualize anatomy intraoperatively with the highest level of color reproduction and clarity, but also to plan preoperatively for each individual patient. We are extremely excited about the potential this combined platform provides our customers for optimal and customized surgical care."

14:05 EDT S&P says Boeing ratings unaffected by second 737-8 crash - S&P Global Ratings said that the crash of a Boeing 737-8 operated by Ethiopian Airlines, the second accident involving the new model in the past five months, does not affect its rating or outlook on the Boeing "at this time." If the accident causes a prolonged grounding of the model by the U.S. or other regulatory authorities or causes airlines to question the safety of the model and cancel a significant number of orders, earnings and cash flow would likely be affected, S&P noted in a statement. However, it adds that Boeing has "ample liquidity to deal with any impact," with $8.5B of cash and short-term investments and $5.1B of revolving credit facilities.

13:42 EDT Nutanix announces departure of Chief Revenue Officer - In a regulatory filing earlier, Nutanix disclosed that on March 6, Louis Attanasio, Chief Revenue Officer of the company, notified the company that he will be leaving the company, effective March 8, to pursue other opportunities.

13:16 EDT GOP Senator Hawley urges FTC to investigate tech companies over privacy abuses - Republican Senator Josh Hawley sent a letter to FTC chairman Joseph Simons calling on the agency to "get tougher" with tech giants, specifically Google (GOOG) and Facebook (FB). Critical of the FTC's lack of enforcement, Senator Hawley's letter urges the FTC to investigate the companies' rampant privacy abuses or call on Congress for support. The letter to Chairman Simons comes one day ahead of a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing about online privacy and regulation. "I appreciate well the limits of the FTC, and Congress bears primary responsibility for this and other matters," Hawley wrote in the letter. "But I am concerned that the FTC has not investigated these companies and enforced the law as vigorously as it should. I am cautiously optimistic about the creation of an FTC task force to address these issues, and I hope that this task force will have more substance than show." Reference Link

12:48 EDT BBVA Banco Frances trading resumes

12:20 EDT Nike announces three-year partnership with UEFA Women's Football - Nike gathered with more than 40 of the world's top female athletes in Paris to unveil 14 National Team Collections for this summer's football tournament in France and highlight new partnerships to champion women in sport. In Paris, Nike announced a new three-year partnership with UEFA Women's Football. . As an official partner, Nike will become the match ball supplier for UEFA Women's competitions and support the Together #weplaystrong initiative, UEFA's five-year plan to cement football as the leading female team sport in Europe. Additionally, Nike continues to support elite football programs from North America to China, and standout female athletes worldwide. In basketball, Nike is partnering with the WNBA, FIBA and the Chinese Basketball Association to grow the women's game. Meanwhile, at the collegiate level, Nike is partnering with more than 200 universities across the U.S. to support more than 25,000 top female athletes across multiple sports. In addition, ike is partnering with Sport dans la Ville to train female coaches and engage girls through sports ranging from football to boxing. Globally, Nike is collaborating with Women Win and Gurls Talk to support rising female coaches who are inspiring the next generation of girls to be active. Nike is also piloting a program to provide products such as the Nike Pro Hijab and Nike Classic Sports Bra to girls in need through schools and community partners worldwide. Reference Link

12:00 EDT American Renal Associates falls -9.4% - American Renal Associates is down -9.4%, or -98c to $9.48.

12:00 EDT Care.com falls -15.2% - Care.com is down -15.2%, or -$3.57 to $19.84.

12:00 EDT GTT Communications rises 10.0% - GTT Communications is up 10.0%, or $2.94 to $32.48.

11:48 EDT Spring Bank says on track to submit IND for SB 11285 in Q2 - Earlier, along with the company's presentation of financial results for the fourth quarter, president and CEO of Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals Martin Driscoll said: "We are also advancing SB 11285, our novel, second-generation STING agonist compound with the plan to initiate a Phase 1/2 trial in certain cancers in mid-2019. We are currently on track to submit an IND application for SB 11285 in the second quarter of 2019, which if approved, could result in SB 11285 being the first intravenously-administered STING agonist product candidate to enter clinical development. As we first disclosed at our Spring Bank R&D Day in December, we continue to make good progress in the advancement of our three new early research programs utilizing our small molecule nucleic acid chemistry platform, including a novel platform of STING antagonists, chiral antisense compounds against the HBx gene and next-generation RIG-I agonists for potential immuno-oncology uses. In August 2018, we raised approximately $41M in gross proceeds from a public offering of our common stock, and now have the resources to fund our current inarigivir Phase 2b HBV program and the Phase 1b development of SB 11285."

11:46 EDT Spring Bank says late-breaker inarigivir abstract accepted for EASL presentation - Earlier, along with the company's presentation of financial results for the fourth quarter, president and CEO of Spring Bank Pharmaceuticals Martin Driscoll said: "Spring Bank made significant progress in 2018 on multiple fronts, particularly the continued advancement of inarigivir for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. We expanded our HBV clinical collaboration with Gilead Sciences, Inc., and we progressed the IND-enabling program for SB 11285 in immuno-oncology. We have completed our inarigivir Phase 2 dose escalation study named ACHIEVE and are now launching our CATALYST trials, our Phase 2b clinical program, in naive and virally-suppressed HBV patients. With the launch of the CATALYST inarigivir 400mg monotherapy and co-administration trials and the Phase 2 studies concurrently being conducted by Gilead under our HBV clinical trial collaboration, our inarigivir clinical program will be one of the largest for an HBV compound currently in clinical development."

11:01 EDT BBVA Banco Frances trading halted, news pending

10:49 EDT Helen of Troy announces exploration of personal care business divestiture

10:37 EDT Axovant jumps following update on Tay-Sachs Disease gene therapy program - Shares of Axovant have surged higher this morning following the company's report of three-month data from an investigator-initiated study administering investigational AXO-AAV-GM2 gene therapy in a patient with advanced infantile Tay-Sachs disease, a rare and fatal pediatric eurodegenerative genetic disorder. The study is evaluating a total dose of 1.0x 1014 vg of AXO-AAV-GM2 in a 30-month-old child with advanced infantile Tay-Sachs disease. AXO-AAV-GM2 was administered into the cisterna magna and lumbar spinal canal only. Due to the patient's advanced disease, a co-delivered intrathalamic injection of AXO-AAV-GM2 was not administered. Future patients in the program, who are expected to be treated earlier in their disease course, will receive AXO-AAV-GM2 co-delivered into the thalamus bilaterally as well as into the cisterna magna and spinal canal. "AXO-AAV-GM2 was generally well-tolerated and no serious adverse events have been reported as of the 3-month visit. At 3 months, no clinically relevant laboratory abnormalities were observed following AXO-AAV-GM2 administration. The patient's clinical condition was stable from baseline to month 3 without clinical deterioration observed on neurological exam. Furthermore, there was no significant deterioration in the condition from the pre-treatment magnetic resonance imaging of the brain at baseline to the post-treatment MRI at month 3," the company announced in press release earlier this morning. Additionally, Chardan has upgraded Axovant to Buy from Neutral following the data report. In morning trading, Axovant shares are up 62c, or 42%, to $2.10.

10:09 EDT Qurate Retail to cease operations of QVC France - Qurate Retail Group, which includes the QVC brand, announced that it will cease operations of its television network and digital platforms in France, effective March 13, 2019. "The decision to halt our QVC France operation was carefully considered, as QVC France had underperformed against financial and operational expectations, in large part due to unique in-market structural challenges and market dynamics that evolved in the years following the launch of the operation. We determined that these challenges were impacting our ability to develop our business in the manner we expected," said President Aidan O'Meara. "We want to thank our QVC France team members for their dedication, commitment, and professionalism throughout this period." As a result of this decision, QVC will be able to better allocate its annual investment in France into other markets to drive sustainable organic growth. Further, many corporate functions within QVC are shared across the European markets, and the company believes that this action will allow the teams to better focus on other existing markets. In the fourth quarter of 2018, Qurate Retail, which includes QVC, recognized charges of approximately $13M, of which $9M was for severance and was excluded from Adjusted OIBDA, and $4M was for inventory obsolescence and affected Adjusted OIBDA. The company expects to incur additional costs in 2019. One hundred and fifty-four team members at QVC France will be impacted by the closure. Consistent with business practices and social policy in France, QVC France has completed the applicable consultation and regulatory approval processes, and appropriate steps are being taken to provide assistance and resources for the team members' transition. QVC customers in France will still be able to shop with QVC through its QVC UK and QVC Germany commerce platforms.

10:02 EDT Dunkin' Brands names David Mann as SVP, Chief Legal Officer - Dunkin' Brands Group (DNKN) announced the appointment of David Mann as Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer. He will serve on the company's leadership team and will report directly to Dave Hoffmann, Dunkin' Brands CEO and Dunkin' U.S. President. Mann replaces Rich Emmett, who is retiring as Chief Legal and Human Resources Officer from the company. Before joining Dunkin' Brands, Mann was Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Marriott International (MAR).

10:00 EDT Spirit AeroSystems falls -8.3% - Spirit AeroSystems is down -8.3%, or -$7.97 to $88.49.

10:00 EDT VelocityShares 3x Inv Natural Gas ETN rises 7.7% - VelocityShares 3x Inv Natural Gas ETN is up 7.7%, or $6.81 to $95.20.

10:00 EDT Banco Macro rises 8.3% - Banco Macro is up 8.3%, or $3.70 to $48.25.

09:47 EDT Carl Icahn raises stake in Caesars to 17.75% - In a regulatory filing, Icahn Capital, High River Limited Partnership and other parties affiliated with Carl Icahn disclosed an increase in their stake in Caesars Entertainment to 17.75% via the entry into forward contracts providing for the purchase of an aggregate of 15M shares at a forward price of $8.45 per share. On March 1, Caesars Entertainment announced that it had entered into an agreement with Carl C. Icahn and affiliated entities regarding, among other things, the membership and composition of the company's board of directors. In early trading, Caesars shares are down 0.5% to $8.41.

09:47 EDT Azul rises 8.8% - Azul is up 8.8%, or $2.52 to $31.17.

09:40 EDT Snap-On mentioned cautiously at Off Wall Street

09:31 EDT Seres Therapeutics announces three-year research collaboration with AstraZeneca - Seres Therapeutics (MCRB) announced a three-year research collaboration with AstraZeneca (AZN). The collaboration will focus on advancing mechanistic understanding of the microbiome in augmenting the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy, including potential synergy with AstraZeneca compounds. Under the collaboration, research will evaluate microbiome-based approaches as a predictor for which patients may respond best to certain cancer immunotherapies. Additionally, SER-401, an investigational microbiome therapeutic, may be studied in combination with AstraZeneca compounds targeting various cancers. The collaboration will apply Seres' microbiome drug discovery and manufacturing expertise with AstraZeneca's extensive oncology experience to evaluate the potential for microbiome therapy to improve clinical response when used in conjunction with adjunctive pharmaceutical approaches. Under the terms of the exclusive collaboration, AstraZeneca will provide Seres with $20M in three equal installments over two years, with the first payment due at the start of the agreement. In addition, AstraZeneca will also reimburse Seres for research activity related to the collaboration. Seres will maintain rights to oncology targeted microbiome therapeutic candidates, and AstraZeneca will obtain the option to negotiate for rights to those programs and other inventions arising out of the collaboration.

09:20 EDT Terreno Realty acquires New Jersey property for $25M - Terreno Realty Corporation acquired an industrial property in Kearny, New Jersey on March 8, 2019 for a purchase price of approximately $25M. The 16.8-acre improved land parcel at 81 North Hackensack Avenue is adjacent to Exit 15E of the New Jersey Turnpike, U.S Routes 1 and 9 and the Pulaski Skyway. The property is 100% leased to one tenant and the estimated stabilized cap rate is 5.3%. The property was acquired as partial repayment of the $55M senior secured loan that Terreno Realty Corporation made in 2018, reducing the outstanding loan balance to approximately $30M.

09:15 EDT Scorpio Bulkers to sell two Kamsarmax vessels for $48M - Scorpio Bulkers announced that the company has entered into agreements to sell two Kamsarmax vessels for $48M. The company has entered into agreements with unaffiliated third parties to sell the SBI Electra and SBI Flamenco, two 2015 Chinese built Kamsarmax vessels, for approximately $48M in aggregate. Delivery of the vessels is estimated to take place in Q2. It is estimated that the company's liquidity will increase by approximately $18.6M after the repayment of the vessels' outstanding debt.

09:09 EDT IndianOil selects Emerson for multiple contracts totaling $12M - Emerson announced it has signed multiple contracts totaling $12M with India's largest commercial oil company, Indian Oil Corporation Limited, to modernize operations and emissions programs at the company's refineries. Under the contracts, Emerson will serve as automation contractor, combining its deep refining expertise and advanced technologies to help IndianOil meet the country's new Bharat Stage VI low-sulfur emissions standards, which take effect in April 2020. The BS-VI emission standards mandate a maximum sulfur content of 10 parts-per-million, which matches best practices set by Europe, the United States and other countries, and include limits on carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. The project will upgrade 14 different process units, including diesel hydro-treating units designed to reduce sulfur content and octane-boosting units either being installed or augmented with desulfurization technologies.

09:04 EDT SenesTech says ContraPest has completed initial trials in hosted poultry farms - SenesTech announced that ContraPest has completed initial trials in hosted poultry farms and will begin first commercial application in egg production facilities in California's central valley.

09:01 EDT Arthur J. Gallagher acquires Merit Insurance, terms not disclosed - Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. announced the acquisition of Shelton, Connecticut-based Merit Insurance. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1950, Merit Insurance is a retail property/casualty broker and employee benefits consultant offering a broad range of coverages and services to clients across the Northeast from offices in Shelton and Bridgeport, Connecticut.

08:45 EDT Kewaunee Scientific CEO David Rausch retires, Thomas Hull III to succeed - Kewaunee Scientific announced the resignation of David Rausch as President, CEO, and a Director of the company, effective immediately. Thomas Hull III, who has served as CFO of the company since 2015, has been elected President and CEO and appointed as a member of the Board of Directors to fulfill the term for the seat vacated by Rausch. Hull will continue to serve as chief financial executive of the company until his successor is identified.

08:45 EDT Kandi Technologies Pure EV models EX3, K22 qualify for $7,500 federal tax credit - Kandi Technologies, through its 100% owned subsidiary SC Autosports, announced that Kandi Pure EV models EX3 and K22 reached another significant milestone in the American market. After both models received approval of eligibility in October 2018 for up to a $7,500 new qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicle credit from the Internal Revenue Service for U.S. customers who purchased models EX3 and K22 in 2019, new U.S. buyers who purchase models EX3 and K22 in 2020 also qualify for the credit according to Internal Revenue Code Section 30D.

08:40 EDT Inpixon receives notice of allowance for patent for techniques to join databases - Inpixon announced it has received a notice of allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office allowing its patent application covering techniques to expedite joins of large database tables. This latest patent allowance comes on the heels of Inpixon's recently awarded patent for its dynamic policy system for indoor positioning and security of mobile devices.

08:38 EDT Novan completes end-of-Phase 2 meeting with FDA on SB206 - Novan concluded an end-of-Phase 2 meeting with the FDA regarding SB206 for the treatment of molluscum. The company has also received the written minutes from that meeting. Based on guidance from both the meeting and minutes received, the company believes that pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials for molluscum are positioned to be initiated in Q2, subject to securing additional financing or partnering. Novan has engaged a contract research organization, or CRO, for the execution of the pivotal trials and, if the trial is initiated on this timetable, top-line results would be expected in late 2019 or during Q1 of 2020. To support European regulatory and business development expansion activities, Novan is in the final stages of establishing an Ireland-based business entity. Once organization of the entity is complete, Novan, through its Irish entity, intends to establish itself as a small- and medium-sized enterprise and then apply for Priority Medicines, or PRIME, status. PRIME is a scheme launched by the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, to enhance support for the development of medicines that target an unmet medical need, with the goal of bringing therapies to patients earlier. With the support of a CRO, the company intends to focus initial EU regulatory efforts on SB206 for molluscum and utilize the PRIME process to work with the EMA for this unmet medical need. The company previously reported that it was subject to putative stockholder class action lawsuits that were filed in November 2017, in connection with statements related to its Phase 3 clinical trials of SB204. In January, the district court adopted the magistrate judge's recommendation to grant the company's motion to dismiss, and as such, the case was dismissed with prejudice and judgment entered in favor of the company and against the plaintiff. The plaintiff did not appeal this dismissal and judgment, and therefore, the company has concluded that this matter is closed. In addition, Novan has signed a letter of intent with a full-scale active pharmaceutical ingredient manufacturer, for the production of Novan's proprietary berdazimer sodium drug substance. Upon entering a master service agreement, this would enable the production of Novan's drug substance by the partner for clinical trials and, upon approval of any of the company's drug product candidates, for commercial purposes. This evolving relationship reinforces continued adjustments to the business model intended to allow the company to transition away from a fixed internal infrastructure to a flexible external network of partners and follows on from the previously announced relationship with Orion Corporation for drug product manufacturing.

08:36 EDT Edwards Lifesciences announces two strategic transactions - Edwards Lifesciences announced two strategic transactions involving companies with structural heart disease technologies. Edwards has invested $35M in an exclusive right to acquire Corvia Medical, the developer of the world's first transcatheter device designed to treat heart failure with preserved or mid-range ejection fraction. The company's InterAtrial Shunt Device is designed to provide continuous and dynamic decompression of the left atrium, which may reduce symptoms and slow the progression of heart failure. The therapy has received CE Mark in Europe, and is being studied as part of a FDA pivotal clinical trial. Separately, Edwards has also acquired certain assets of Mitralign, including intellectual property and associated clinical and regulatory experience. Mitralign is a developer of an investigational transcatheter annuloplasty system designed to treat functional mitral and tricuspid regurgitation. Additional terms of these transactions remain confidential. This announcement is not expected to impact Edwards' 2019 financial guidance.

08:33 EDT Barnes & Noble appoints Carlo Pochintesta as chief information officer - Barnes & Noble announced the appointment of Carlo Pochintesta as chief information officer. Pochintesta joins the company today from Rag & Bone Holdings, where he also served as chief information officer. He will report to Allen Lindstrom, Barnes & Noble's CFO. He will be responsible for information technology, telecommunication networks and computer systems, as well as evaluating the Company's overall technology resources and strategies.

08:22 EDT Barrick Gold, Newmont Mining announce Nevada joint venture agreement - Barrick Gold (GOLD) and Newmont Mining (NEM) announced that the two companies have signed an implementation agreement to create a joint venture combining their respective mining operations, assets, reserves and talent in Nevada.The joint venture is an accord between the two gold mining companies, which have operated independently in Nevada for decades, but have previously been unable to agree terms for cooperation. The joint venture will allow them to capture an estimated $500M in average annual pre-tax synergies in the first five full years of the combination, which is projected to total $5B pre-tax net present value over a 20-year period. Following the completion of the joint venture, the Nevada complex will be the world's single-largest gold producer, with a pro forma output of more than 4M ounces in 2018, three tier one assets, potentially another one in the making and 48M ounces of reserves. The establishment of the joint venture is subject to the usual conditions, including regulatory approvals and is expected to be completed in the coming months. The joint venture will exclude Barrick's Fourmile project and Newmont's Fiberline and Mike deposits, pending the determination of their commercial feasibility. As a result of this agreement, Barrick has withdrawn its Newmont acquisition proposal announced on February 25, and its proposals for the Newmont annual general meeting submitted on February 22.

08:16 EDT Voyager Therapeutics enters collaboration with MRI Interventions for V-TAG - MRI Interventions announced a collaboration with Voyager Therapeutics to design, manufacture and supply the variable trajectory array guide, or V-TAG, neurosurgical device for Voyager. Under the collaboration, Voyager transferred its existing 510 clearance for the V-TAG device to MRI Interventions who will manufacture and supply the device as a choice for neurosurgeons, along with MRI's Clearpoint system, for use in Voyager's RESTORE-1 Phase 2 trial of its VY-AADC gene therapy program for Parkinson's disease.

08:14 EDT Lear invests in Maniv Mobility venture capital fund - Lear announced it has invested in an Israel-based venture capital fund managed by Maniv Mobility that is focused on advancing mobility technology. The investment, which is being made through Lear Innovation Ventures, enables future collaboration and deepens Lear's involvement in the mobility technology ecosystem. Maniv Mobility's portfolio and investing activities are largely focused on Israeli start-up companies in the connected, autonomous, ridesharing and mobility sectors, as well as on investments in the U.S. and other markets.

08:13 EDT Tailwater Capital sells Petro Waste To Waste Management Energy Services - Tailwater Capital announced the sale of Petro Waste Environmental to WM Energy Services Holdings,, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Waste Management. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

08:10 EDT ProQR Therapeutics announces first patient dosed in STELLAR trial - ProQR Therapeutics announced the first patient dosed in the Phase 1/2 STELLAR clinical trial for QR-421a in patients with Usher syndrome type 2 or non-syndromic retinitis pigmentosa. Interim data from the study are expected to be announced mid-2019.

08:09 EDT Dare Bioscience receives second award of $982,851 from NICHD - Dare Bioscience announced that it received a second notice of award of $982,851, part of a grant providing up to $1.9M in the aggregate for Ovaprene research from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, or NICHD, a division of the National Institutes of Health. The first award under the grant was $224,665. This second award, an additional $982,851, followed the NIH's review of an interim data analysis and other results of the first phase of work. The award will be applied to important clinical development efforts supporting Ovaprene, a potential first-in-class hormone-free contraceptive solution. The remaining portion of the award under the grant, $730,722, is contingent upon, among other matters, assessment that the results of the ongoing Ovaprene study satisfy specified requirements set out in the award notice and the availability of funds.

08:07 EDT IBM, CULedger announce collaboration - CULedger announced a collaboration with IBM to pioneer new blockchain-based services to help credit unions provide a better experience for members. CULedger will work with IBM to use permissioned blockchain technologies to create an immutable audit trail that can be used to create new business models and transform existing business processes for credit unions. The companies also intend to help drive greater financial inclusion by extending reach to a broader range of new members. The credit union industry serves more than 260 million members worldwide with over $1.7 trillion of circulating assets and is historically known for superior customer service. The adoption of blockchain technology will help build continued momentum among all demographics, as well as small and medium enterprises that currently lack access to financial services. By creating a permissioned blockchain network where services can be shared among all credit unions, CULedger will improve services such as identification authentication, regulatory compliance around know-your-customer, lending and payments, while making it easier and more efficient for consumers to conduct any interactions that require authentication.

08:05 EDT Ituran declares cash dividend of 23c per share - The dividend will be paid to shareholders of record as of March 26. The company will pay the dividend out on April 10, net of taxes at the rate of 25%.

08:05 EDT Barrick, Newmont sign Nevada joint venture agreement - Barrick Gold Corporation (GOLD) and Newmont Mining Corporation (NEM) said that the two companies have signed an implementation agreement to create a joint venture combining their respective mining operations, assets, reserves, and talent in Nevada. The joint venture is an historic accord between the two gold mining companies, which have operated independently in Nevada for decades, but have previously been unable to agree terms for cooperation. The joint venture will allow them to capture an estimated $500M in average annual pre-tax synergies in the first five full years of the combination, which is projected to total $5B pre-tax net present value over a 20-year period. Following the completion of the joint venture, the Nevada complex will be the world's single-largest gold producer, with a pro forma output of more than four million ounces in 2018, three Tier One2 assets, potentially another one in the making, and 48 million ounces of reserves. The establishment of the joint venture is subject to the usual conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected to be completed in the coming months. The joint venture will exclude Barrick's Fourmile project and Newmont's Fiberline and Mike deposits, pending the determination of their commercial feasibility. As a result of this agreement, Barrick has withdrawn its Newmont acquisition proposal announced on February 25, and its proposals for the Newmont annual general meeting submitted on February 22.

08:05 EDT Trimble: Fortune Transportation to deploy Trimble's Video Intelligence solution - Trimble announced that Fortune Transportation, a Minnesota-based refrigerated carrier, is deploying the Trimble Video Intelligence solution in its 135 trucks. The Video Intelligence solution is designed specifically for the commercial transportation industry, with forward, side and rear-facing cameras to provide fleets with a 360-degree view of their vehicles.

07:59 EDT Precipio issues letter to shareholders - Precipio issued the following letter from CEO Ilan Danieli: "... I would like to address shareholder concern regarding the company's capital raise needs, and subsequent dilution which occurs when any company raises equity. We are a growth company and are not yet profitable, and therefore require external sources of cash to finance our operations. We believe that the equity line that we have been utilizing provides us with capital at the lowest cost available to us in the market. We have been managing our expenses in a cost effective manner and continue to pursue meaningful expense reductions. To this end, we have been maintaining cash levels at a manageable level in order to minimize the use of the equity line. What are the company's alternatives for financing? Going to the market to raise significant capital at our current market cap would be extremely dilutive and would not be perceived as the most favorable form of action to protect shareholder value. We have decided that until the company recovers its market cap, we will do our best to avoid such a raise, so as to preserve shareholder value, and minimize dilution. I realize that some of the shareholders are concerned that the reverse split will be followed by a capital raise, causing "double-impact" dilution. At our current market cap of circa ~$8M, whether we conduct a reverse split or not (or at any ratio), the market cap is the same. Our philosophy and focus is to retain shareholder value and to the extent possible, minimize dilution while continuing to fully operate the company so that it demonstrates results that we believe will help regain a good part of its lost market cap.Management believes that the near-term business opportunities may substantially reduce the company's cash needs through a strong impact on both revenue, and gross margin contributing to bottom line results. When the company's financial performance is stronger and our market cap has recovered, we will, if and as needed, consider a more substantial raise."

07:37 EDT La Jolla appoints Darryl Wellinghoff as CCO - La Jolla (LJPC) announced the appointment of Darryl Wellinghoff as CCO. Prior to joining La Jolla, Wellinghoff spent 19 years in roles of increasing responsibility in the pharmaceutical industry including 15 years at The Medicines Co. (MDCO) where he was the senior VP- Americas, leading the commercial organization through multiple hospital-based product launches in cardiovascular, surgical and infectious disease.

07:35 EDT Azul signs non-binding agreement to acquire certain Avianca Brasil assets - Azul (AZUL) announces that it has signed a non-binding agreement with Avianca Brasil to acquire certain assets of Avianca Brasil for the indicative purchase price of up to $105M. As provided by the Brazilian Bankruptcy and Judicial Reorganization Law, the assets will be transferred to a new entity free and clear of all debts and liabilities. The proposed NewCo solely includes certain assets selected by Azul including Avianca Brasil's operating certificate, 70 pair of slots and approximately 30 Airbus (EADSY) A320 aircraft. The offer is non-binding and remains subject to a number of conditions precedent, including due diligence, regulatory and creditors approvals, and the conclusion of Avianca Brazil's judicial reorganization. Azul estimates that the process could take up to three months to be concluded.

07:33 EDT Celgene submits application to EMA for ozanimod for treament of RRMS - Celgene Corporation announced that the company has submitted a Marketing Authorization Application to the European Medicines Agency for ozanimod for the treatment of adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Ozanimod is an oral, sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor modulator, which binds with high affinity selectively to S1P subtypes 1 and 5. The pivotal efficacy and safety data provided in the application result from the SUNBEAM and RADIANCE Part B phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, active-controlled trials. The company remains on track to submit a New Drug Application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for relapsing forms of MS by the end of March. Ozanimod is an investigational compound that is not approved for any use in any country.

07:31 EDT Arrowhead begins dosing in Phase 1 study of ARO-APOC3 - Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals announced that it has dosed the first subjects in a Phase 1 clinical study of ARO-APOC3, an RNAi-based investigational medicine targeting Apolipoprotein C-III being developed for the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia.

07:27 EDT ConnectOne Bancorp announces 1.2M share repurchase program - ConnectOne Bancorp announced that its board of directors has approved a stock repurchase program for up to 1.2M shares, or approximately 3.5% of its currently outstanding common stock.

07:21 EDT Rosehill Resources announces David French as CEO - Rosehill Resources (ROSE) announced David French will join Rosehill as director, president and CEO on or before April 30, subject to his completion of continuing obligations in his current role. At such time, French will succeed Gary Hanna, who has served as interim president and CEO since September 2018. Hanna will remain chairman of the company's board. French has over 29 years of experience in the energy industry, serving in executive and operational leadership roles within the energy sector. French most recently served as director, president and CEO of Obsidian Energy (OBE) since 2016.

07:15 EDT Trevena announces publication of APOLLO-1 Phase 3 results - Trevena announced publication of APOLLO-1 Phase 3 results in The Journal of Pain Research on the effects of oliceridine for management of moderate-to-severe acute pain following bunionectomy. In APOLLO-1, a Phase 3 clinical study, 389 patients were administered either oliceridine, morphine or placebo intravenously for 48 hours following bunionectomy. There were 3 dosing regimens for oliceridine and one for morphine, each self-administered by the patient as needed to control their pain. Findings showed that the onset of analgesia for oliceridine was rapid and the proportion of treatment responders in the two higher oliceridine dosing regimens was similar to patients receiving morphine. The most commonly reported adverse effects were nausea, vomiting, headache and dizziness. Fewer patients receiving oliceridine discontinued treatment due to an AE than patients receiving morphine. Efficacy, safety, and tolerability data provide important context for evaluating the benefit/risk profile of IV oliceridine compared to morphine, and suggest that oliceridine may provide an important treatment option for the management of patients experiencing moderate-to-severe acute pain.

07:10 EDT CollPlant announces results from study of VergenixFG wound care product - CollPlant announced results from a clinical study conducted with its VergenixFG wound care product. The results were published in Wounds, a peer-reviewed journal focusing on wound care and wound research. The paper titled, "A Novel Recombinant Human Collagen-based Flowable Matrix for Chronic Lower Limb Wound Management: First Results of a Clinical Trial," presents data from a previously reported independent study conducted by physicians at several wound care medical clinics and hospitals in Israel. In the published study, twenty patients with chronic lower limb ulcers were enrolled in a single-arm, open-label, multicenter trial through five treatment centers. Patients underwent a single treatment with CollPlant's VergenixFG. Four weeks following treatment, nine wounds closed completely, fifteen wounds exhibited a greater than 70% closure, and the median wound area reduction was 94%. Only one patient failed to respond to treatment. All patients in the study reported a 50% reduction in pain.

07:07 EDT Village Farms: All growing area at Pure Sunfarms now licensed for production - Village Farms announced that its 50%-owned joint venture for large-scale, low-cost, high-quality cannabis production, Pure Sunfarms, received from Health Canada the seventh amendment to the cultivation license for its 1.1M square foot greenhouse in Delta, BC. This amendment permits Pure Sunfarms to expand its cannabis production area by approximately 206,000 square feet to a total of approximately 1.03M square feet. With this amendment, the entire growing area at Pure Sunfarms' greenhouse is now licensed for cultivation. The newly licensed area is expected to be planted by the end of March. Village Farms also announced that Pure Sunfarms has, as planned, commenced re-planting of Quadrant 1 of its greenhouse following the planned suspension of production last autumn to install the infrastructure for supplemental lighting to maximize yields in the winter months. The company expects Quadrant 1 to be fully planted by the end of April, at which time Pure Sunfarms will be in production on the entire 1.03M square feet of growing area at its facility, making it one of the largest fully operational cannabis production facilities in the world. Pure Sunfarms continues to expect to achieve full run rate annual production for its 1.1M square foot greenhouse facility of 75,000 kilograms by mid-2019.

07:05 EDT Aurora Cannabis begins cannabis oil sales to German pharmacies - Aurora Cannabis announced that it has commenced sales of cannabis oils to German pharmacies following receipt of all necessary approvals from the Canadian and German regulatory authorities. Pedanios 5/1 drops have become the first extract derived oil product compliant with the German monograph for in-pharmacy preparation. Aurora is the medical cannabis market leader in Germany. The company has supplied the German market with dried cannabis flower via Aurora Deutschland since December 2015, and with Canadian-grown Aurora products since September 2017. Aurora has established a strong brand as a trusted supplier among prescribing physicians, dispensing pharmacies, and German patients. As one of few companies able to sell oils in this rapidly growing market, Aurora is well positioned to establish brand leadership in the European derivatives market.

07:03 EDT Cellect says third-party study further validates Apograft technology - Cellect Biotechnology announced preliminary results from its collaboration with Cell2in, a privately-held South Korean company focused on improving the quality of stem cells. Results of this third-party study further validate that Cellect's Apograft technology significantly improves both proliferation and functional capabilities of hematopoietic and mesenchymal stem cells originating from bone marrow, peripheral blood, umbilical cord, and adipose tissue, the company said. "The data, which has now been validated through a third-party corporate collaboration, demonstrates that Cellect's ApoGraft technology enables improved quality stem cell production at a lower cost by providing a platform technology aimed at benefiting multiple stem cell therapy products. Together with our clinical data of allogeneic bone HSC transplantation, this new program further supports the significance of the ApoGraft technology to all allogenic cell therapy. This is particularly relevant for MSCs, where the industry is moving towards off-the-shelf therapies requiring much larger expansions and represents a sizeable market opportunity for Cellect," commented Shai Yarkoni, Cellect's CEO.

07:03 EDT BP awards contracts to McDermott, Baker Hughes - McDermott (MDR) and Baker Hughes (BHGE) have announced that they have been awarded subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines and subsea production system equipment contracts by BP (BP) for the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim natural gas project, located offshore Mauritania and Senegal. BP, BHGE and McDermott are working together to realize efficiencies, synergies and enhanced delivery times.

06:58 EDT Antero Midstream Partners, Antero Midstream GP announce proration results - Antero Midstream Partners (AM) and Antero Midstream GP (AMGP) announced that at special meetings of Antero Midstream common unitholders and AMGP shareholders, Antero Midstream's unitholders and AMGP's shareholders voted to approve the previously announced simplification transaction between Antero Midstream and AMGP. In addition, Antero Midstream and AMGP have received the merger consideration proration results from American Stock Transfer & Trust. The previously announced simplification transaction was subject to, among other things, the approval of holders of a majority of the shares held by AMGP Shareholders and the approval of holders of a majority of the AMGP shares held by AMGP's shareholders excluding the original private equity sponsors, Series B holders, and affiliates of AMGP's general partner. The transaction was also subject to the approval of holders of a majority of the AM units held by AM unitholders and the approval of holders of a majority of the AM units held by AM unitholders other than Antero Resources, the original private equity sponsors, the Series B holders and affiliates of AM's general partner. The simplification transaction is expected to close on March 12. In connection with closing, AMGP will change its name to Antero Midstream Corporation and its common stock is expected to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the (AM) ticker symbol on March 13. Antero Midstream common units and AMGP common shares will no longer be publicly traded after the completion of the simplification transaction. AM public unitholders who elected to receive public mixed consideration will receive $3.415 in cash and 1.635 shares of New AM common stock in exchange for each AM common unit. AM public unitholders who elected to receive public stock consideration will receive 1.8926 shares of New AM common stock in exchange for each AM common unit. AM public unitholders who elected to receive the public cash consideration will receive $10.1364 in cash and 1.1279 shares of New AM common stock. AM public unitholders who failed to make an election by the election deadline will receive the consideration received the public mixed consideration.

06:57 EDT Taylor Morrison extends, increases stock repurchase program by up to $100M - Taylor Morrison announced that its board has increased the amount available for repurchases under its stock repurchase program by up to $100M of the company's Class A Common Stock. Repurchases of the company's Class A Common Stock under the program will occur from time to time in open market purchases, privately negotiated transactions or other transactions through Dec. 31, 2019.

06:54 EDT International Game signs 10-year contract with TIPOS in Slovakia - International Game Technology announced that its subsidiary IGT Global Services Limited has signed an agreement with TIPOS a.s., the government-owned lottery in Slovakia, to deliver a variety of new lottery technology, as well as ongoing lottery-related services. The agreement, which is the result of a competitive procurement process in which IGT was the incumbent, is for an initial term of 10 years with a provision for one or more extensions totaling up to five years thereafter. TIPOS has been a valued IGT customer for over 25 years. Under the terms of the agreement, IGT will provide TIPOS with a new lottery central system, retailer terminals, associated software and peripherals, as well non-lottery software and services such as prepaid mobile phone top-ups and event ticketing for sports and cultural events.

06:51 EDT Eli Lilly announces preliminary results of Elanco exchange offer - Eli Lilly (LLY) announced that, based on preliminary results, its previously-announced offer for shareholders to exchange their shares of Lilly common stock for shares of Elanco (ELAN) owned by Lilly was oversubscribed. The exchange offer expired at the end of the day on March 8. Under the terms of the exchange offer, 4.5121 shares of Elanco common stock will be exchanged for each share of Lilly common stock accepted in the exchange offer. According to the exchange agent, 492,109,007 shares of Lilly common stock were validly tendered and not validly withdrawn, including 179,675,890 shares that were tendered by notice of guaranteed delivery. Lilly intends to accept 65,000,775 of the tendered shares in exchange for the 293.29M shares of Elanco common stock owned by Lilly. Because the exchange offer was oversubscribed, Lilly is accepting only a portion of the shares of its common stock that were validly tendered and not validly withdrawn, on a pro rata basis in proportion to the number of shares tendered. Shareholders who owned fewer than 100 shares of Lilly common stock, or an "odd-lot," who have validly tendered all of their shares, will not be subject to proration, in accordance with the terms of the exchange offer. Based on the total number of shares of Lilly common stock reported to be tendered prior to the expiration of the exchange offer, it is estimated that approximately 13.2% of the tendered shares of Lilly common stock will be exchanged, assuming all shares tendered by guaranteed delivery procedures are delivered under the terms of the exchange offer. This preliminary proration factor is subject to change based on the number of tendered shares that satisfy the guaranteed delivery procedures, as well as the number of "odd-lot" shares that were validly tendered and are not subject to proration. Lilly expects to announce the final proration factor on March 13, promptly following the expiration of the guaranteed delivery period. Shares of Lilly common stock tendered but not accepted for exchange will be returned to the tendering shareholders in book-entry form promptly. In addition, the exchange agent will promptly credit shares of Elanco common stock for distribution in the exchange offer in book-entry form to accounts maintained by the Elanco transfer agent for tendering shareholders who have validly tendered and not validly withdrawn their shares of Lilly common stock. Checks in lieu of fractional shares of Elanco common stock will be delivered after the exchange agent has aggregated all fractional shares and sold them in the open market. Reflecting the exchange of 65M shares of Lilly's outstanding common stock, the company currently estimates FY19 weighted-average diluted shares outstanding to be approximately 938M for GAAP earnings per share and 924M for non-GAAP earnings per share. Because the exchange offer was effective on March 11, Lilly will recognize only a partial-year benefit for the reduction in its common stock for GAAP weighted-average diluted shares outstanding. For non-GAAP weighted-average diluted shares outstanding, however, the company will assume that the exchange offer occurred as of January 1. Management believes that reducing FY19 non-GAAP weighted-average diluted shares outstanding by the 65M shares exchanged can be useful as investors compare results across periods.

06:42 EDT Walker & Dunlop arranges $65.2M in financing for Florida apartment community - Walker & Dunlop announced that it structured $65.2M in financing for The Hermitage Apartment Homes. The property is a newly-developed, 348-unit, Class A apartment community in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida. Prior to the debt transaction, the property was marketed and sold for $107.63M.

06:13 EDT Southwest remains 'confident' in safety and airworthiness of fleet - Southwest Airlines (LUV) said last night via Twitter, "We have been in contact with Boeing and will continue to stay close to the investigation as it progresses. As Southwest operates a fleet of 31 Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft (as of Dec. 31, 2018), we remain confident in the safety and airworthiness of our fleet...Our fleet of Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft are operating as planned today and we plan to operate those aircraft going forward."

06:05 EDT Natera, BGI Genomics announce $50M partnership - Natera and BGI Genomics announced a $50M partnership to commercialize Natera's Signatera MRD test in China, and to develop reproductive health tests in select markets on BGI's sequencing instruments using the DNBseq NGS technology platform. The Natera Signatera MRD and molecular monitoring test will be offered in China, first through specialty hospital networks and then more broadly, once Natera and BGI Genomics gain China's regulatory approval for use of the Signatera test on the DNBseq technology platform. DNBseq is the market name of BGI's proprietary sequencing technology, which supports its portfolio of next-generation sequencing platforms. BGI Genomics' genetic testing leadership position in China, where it performs over 1 million cell-free DNA tests annually, will accelerate Natera's entry into this large and growing oncology market.

06:02 EDT Plantronics names Charles Boynton as CFO, effective March 8 - Plantronics (PLT) announced the appointment of Charles Boynton as executive vice president and CFP, effective March 8. Boynton will report to Plantronics CEO Joe Burton and will serve on the company's senior leadership team. Most recently, Boynton held the position of executive vice president and CFO for Sunpower (SPWR).

05:21 EDT Varian Medical, Tata Trust signs framework agreement - Tata Trusts and Varian announced the signing of a framework agreement intended to increase patient access to advanced radiation therapy treatments in the country. The three-year agreement is focused on world-class cancer care delivery through the installation of radiation therapy treatment systems across India where Varian has been selected as the preferred supplier by Tata Trusts. The agreement is part of a program undertaken by Tata Trusts with the goal of creating patient-centric cancer institutions to deliver standardized and affordable care closer to patients' homes in different regions in India, including rural areas where many patients do not have the financial means to access existing care options. Included in the scope of the agreement, is the creation of a significant number of new cancer centers, as well as the installation of advanced radiotherapy equipment in already existing centers in these areas. At its culmination, the program is targeted to bring world-class cancer care to an estimated quarter million patients per year that previously did not have easy or affordable access to treatment options. In addition to the installation of the radiation therapy treatment systems, the Varian ARIA oncology information system and Eclipse treatment planning system will be implemented in a secure network hosted on a private cloud, to assist in elevating the level of care across India. The first systems are estimated to begin installation later in 2019.

05:15 EDT Roche announces FDA approval of VENTANA PD-L1 Assay - Roche announced FDA approval of the VENTANA PD-L1 Assay as the first companion diagnostic to aid in identifying triple-negative breast cancer, or TNBC, patients eligible for treatment with the Roche cancer immunotherapy Tecentriq plus chemotherapy. Assessment of PD-L1 biomarker status on tumor-infiltrating immune cells with the assay is essential for identifying those patients most likely to benefit from the treatment. A diagnosis of triple-negative breast cancer means that the three most common proteins associated with breast cancer growth - estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor and HER2/neu - are not expressed on the tumor.