Stockwinners Market Radar for March 13, 2019 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:46 EDT Facebook down over 1.5% afterhours on NYT report of criminal data sharing probe

18:36 EDT Dell Technologies CEO: We've combined the leading IT infrastructure companies - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell said: We're gaining share and growing faster than all of our competitors... Our cloud data center business is nearly $40B... More than half the growth in the storage industry in 2018 was Dell/EMC... We continue to grow... We have a fabulous business... We have invested well over $20B in R&D over the last five years... Almost 90% of our engineers are software-based... We are a very different company than ten years ago... We grew every one of our businesses at a double digit rate last year... I'm optimistic that technology will do far more good than bad.

18:01 EDT Kearny Financial authorizes stock repurchase plan - Kearny Financial Corp. announced that the board has authorized a fourth stock repurchase plan to acquire up to 9.22M shares or 10% of the company's currently outstanding common stock. In conjunction with the commencement of a fourth stock repurchase plan, the company also announced the completion of its third 10% stock repurchase plan.

17:57 EDT Commonwealth Bank of Australia suspends preparation of Wealth Mgmt. unit sale - Commonwealth Bank of Australia has provided an update on its remediation and demerger plans for its wealth management and mortgage broking businesses.The update follows the release last week of CBA's full response to implementing the recommendations from the Royal Commission. CBA is prioritising the implementation of these recommendations, refunding customers and remediating past issues. Accordingly, CBA has suspended preparations forthe demerger in order to support the focus on these priorities. CBA remains committed to its strategy to become a simpler, better bank, including ultimately the exit of its wealth management and mortgage broking businesses.

17:42 EDT CBRE holder ValueAct sells 6.7M shares, reduces stake to 3.9% - As of the date hereof, ValueAct beneficially own 13,221,376 shares of common stock, representing approximately 3.9% of CBRE's outstanding common stock. All percentages set forth in this cchedule 13D are based upon CBRE's reported 335,834,731 outstanding shares of common stock as of February 14 2019, as reported in CBRE's Form 10-K for the annual period ended December 31, 2018. ValueAct sold 6.7M shares at an average price of $49.51 on March 11. The transaction amount was $331,717,000.

17:34 EDT B&G Foods extends stock repurchase program, resets repurchase authority to $50M - B&G Foods announced that its board has authorized an extension of the company's stock repurchase program from March 15 to March 15, 2020. In extending the repurchase program, the board also reset the repurchase authority to up to $50M.

17:29 EDT Cypress Semiconductor sees IOT annualized revenue growth of 12%-14% in FY19-FY23 - As part of its Analyst Day presentation earlier today, Cypress Semiconductor also forecast annualized revenue growth in Auto at 8%-12% and Legacy business down 2% to down 4%. Raises long-term operating margin forecast to over 25% from over 20%. Reference Link

17:15 EDT Legacy Reserves trading resumes

17:02 EDT Rowan Companies' EXL II rig contracted by Repsol in Guyana - Rowan Companies announced today that Repsol Exploracion Guyana has signed a contract for the EXL II, a high-specification Super 116E Jack-up rig, for work in Guyana. The contract is for one well beginning in Q3 with a duration of approximately 45 days. The EXL II is currently under contract with BP in Trinidad.

16:57 EDT Legacy Reserves to resume trading at 17:15ET

16:50 EDT Semtech trading resumes

16:46 EDT Legacy Reserves announces review of strategic alternatives - Legacy Reserves announced that it is evaluating and exploring potential strategic alternatives. These alternatives include, among others, a sale or other business combination transaction, sales of assets, financing transactions, or some combination of these. Legacy is encouraging proposals from existing stakeholders and interested third parties. Legacy continues to work with the administrative agent and the other lenders under its Revolving Credit Facility to extend the maturity of the Facility.

16:38 EDT Etsy director Jonathan Klein sells 30K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Etsy disclosed that its director Jonathan Klein has sold 30K shares of common stock on March 11th and March 13th. The total transaction size was $2.12M.

16:35 EDT Pointer Telocation trading resumes

16:33 EDT Roadrunner approves 1-for-25 reverse stock split - Roadrunner Transportation Systems announced that its board and the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of the company's common stock approved a 1-for-25 reverse split of the company's issued and outstanding shares of common stock. The 1-for-25 reverse stock split will be effective upon the filing and effectiveness of a certificate of amendment to Roadrunner's amended and restated certificate of incorporation after the market closes on April 4, 2019, and Roadrunner's common stock will begin trading on a split-adjusted basis when the market opens on April 5, 2019.

16:27 EDT MongoDB up 13% to $118.45 after Q4 results, FY20 guidance

16:24 EDT Smart & Final Stores reports Q4 gross margin 15.3% vs. 15.4% a year ago - Gross margin was $169.2M, a 2.9% increase as compared to $164.4M in the fourth quarter of 2017. Gross margin rate was 15.3% as compared to 15.4% for the same period of 2017.

16:21 EDT Smart & Final Stores sees FY19 adjusted EBITDA $185M-$195M - Sees FY19 CapEx $65M-$75M.

16:19 EDT International Flavors acquires 70% stake in Leagel - International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. announced that its Frutarom division has completed the acquisition of a 70% stake in Leagel S.r.l., a producer of ice cream and gelato ingredients in Europe. "The purchase of the stake in Leagel aligns well with our strategic acquisition in 2017 of SDFLC Brasil Industria E Comercio Ltda., a top Brazilian producer of taste solutions for ice creams and desserts," said Amos Anatot, President of IFF's Frutarom Division. "We see great opportunities to combine these companies and create a global platform for our ice cream ingredients business, expand our geographic reach and leverage cross-selling opportunities."

16:18 EDT Smart & Final Stores reports Q4 SSS up 1.9% - Net sales growth was driven by a 1.9% increase in comparable store sales and from the net sales contribution of new stores. Comparable store sales growth was comprised of a 1.7% increase in comparable average transaction size and a 0.2% increase in comparable transaction count.

16:12 EDT Equity Commonwealth announces $150M stock buyback - Equity Commonwealth announced that its board authorized the repurchase of $150M of its outstanding common shares over the next 12 months under the company's existing share repurchase program. The prior authorization will expire on March 14, 2019.

16:10 EDT Independent Bank raises quarterly dividend 16% to 44c per share - The dividend will be payable on April 5, 2019, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 25, 2019.

16:08 EDT Blue Bird delivers 5,000th gasoline-powered school bus - Blue Bird Corporation said it has delivered its 5,000th gasoline-powered school bus, following it's "first-to-market" introduction just over two years ago. The Type C gasoline bus has grown in popularity due to low upfront costs, reliable cold-weather startup and heating capabilities, ease of fueling accessibility, and maintenance cost savings, the company said. WE Transport in Plainview, New York, received delivery of the milestone bus in December, along with 59 other Blue Bird Vision Gasoline buses.

16:01 EDT I.D. Systems trading halted, news pending

16:00 EDT pdvWireless announce adoption of notice of proposed rulemaking by FCC - pdvWireless, Inc. announced that the Federal Communications Commission has voted early to adopt its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in the 900 MHz proceeding in advance of the FCC's March Open Meeting. The NPRM, which had been scheduled for consideration at the Open Meeting, is related to the Company's Petition for Rulemaking filed jointly with the Enterprise Wireless Alliance and the Notice of Inquiry previously released by the FCC, addressing the evolution of the 900 MHz band to support broadband as well as narrowband operations. "We thank Chairman Pai and the Commissioners for adopting the 900 MHz NPRM, taking us one step closer to unlocking the full potential that this spectrum band has to offer. Designating this valuable spectrum for broadband will allow innovation and investment to flow, bringing the benefits of broadband to a new range of private enterprise customers, including utilities and other critical enterprise entities. We at PDV believe that private, secure wireless networks, which are essential to securing our nation's grid and providing broadband to private enterprise, are a perfect fit for this block of spectrum," said Robert Schwartz, President & COO of pdvWireless.

15:58 EDT Ventura County FD says Edison power line caused 2017 Thomas Fire - The Ventura County Fire Department announced that it has determined the Thomas Fire, which occurred in December 2017, was started by power lines coming into contact during high winds. The Thomas Fire started on the evening of December 4, 2017 and burned a total of 281,893 acres; destroying 1,063 structures and resulting in one civilian and one firefighter fatality. A high wind event caused the power lines to come into contact with each other, creating an electrical arc. The electrical arc deposited hot, burning or molten material onto the ground, in a receptive fuel bed, causing the fire. The common term for this situation is called "line slap," and the power line in question is owned by Southern California Edison, the VCFD stated. Reference Link

15:27 EDT FAA issues order temporarily grounding Boeing 737 MAX in U.S. - The FAA is ordering the temporary grounding of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft operated by U.S. airlines or in U.S. territory. The agency made this decision as a result of the data gathering process and new evidence collected at the site and analyzed today. This evidence, together with newly refined satellite data available to FAA this morning, led to this decision. The grounding will remain in effect pending further investigation, including examination of information from the aircraft's flight data recorders and cockpit voice recorders. An FAA team is in Ethiopia assisting the NTSB as parties to the investigation of the Flight 302 accident. The agency will continue to investigate. Reference Link

15:04 EDT Southwest says will respond in interest of safety to 737 MAX grounding in U.S. - Southwest (LUV) stated that it is aware of media reports stating that the Boeing (BA) 737 MAX 8 fleet will be grounded in the United States. "We are currently seeking confirmation and additional guidance from the FAA and will respond accordingly in the interest of aviation safety," Southwest stated.

14:51 EDT Boeing 'supports action' to temporarily ground 737 MAX operations in U.S. - Boeing stated that it "continues to have full confidence in the safety of the 737 MAX." However, after consultation with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board, and aviation authorities and its customers around the world, Boeing "has determined -- out of an abundance of caution and in order to reassure the flying public of the aircraft's safety -- to recommend to the FAA the temporary suspension of operations of the entire global fleet of 371 737 MAX aircraft." Dennis Muilenburg, president, CEO, Chairman of The Boeing Company, said: "On behalf of the entire Boeing team, we extend our deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of those who have lost their lives in these two tragic accidents We are supporting this proactive step out of an abundance of caution. Safety is a core value at Boeing for as long as we have been building airplanes; and it always will be. There is no greater priority for our company and our industry. We are doing everything we can to understand the cause of the accidents in partnership with the investigators, deploy safety enhancements and help ensure this does not happen again."

14:37 EDT Southwest down 1% after President says Boeing 787 MAX will be grounded - Southwest (LUV), American Airlines (AAL) and United Continental (UAL) are U.S. airlines that operate the Boeing (BA) 787 MAX.

14:35 EDT President Trump says issuing order to ground Boeing 737 MAX planes - President Donald Trump said "We're going to be issuing an emergency order of prohibition regarding all flights of the 737 MAX 8 and 737 MAX 9...Planes that are in the air will be grounded if they are the 737 max. Will be grounded upon landing at their destination." President Trump said that airlines and pilots have been notified and that we "will be hearing from the FAA shortly" about the decision.

14:15 EDT Health Insurance, eHealth fall after report of short-term health insurance probe - Shares of Health Insurance Innovations (HIIQ) and eHealth (EHTH) droped after Politico's Alice Miranda Ollstein reported Via Twitter, "SCOOP: House Dems led by @FrankPallone are launching an investigation into some of the biggest companies that sell short-term health insurance plans (which they say are misleading consumers and drawing them away from the more comprehensive but more expensive ACA market)." Reference Link

14:08 EDT eHealth shares drop 5%, or $3.18, to $56.00

13:04 EDT WEC Energy unit expands AMI deployment and extends pact with Landis+Gyr - Landis+Gyr announced an agreement with We Energies, a subsidiary of the WEC Energy Group. We Energies plans to extend its advanced metering deployment to approximately 508,000 electricity customers, while adding Gridstream Connect network components to support the expansion. This agreement was one of two new contracts referenced by Landis+Gyr at its Capital Markets Day in January. "We Energies has demonstrated the value advanced metering brings to their operations staff and customer base. The extension of the existing smart grid program will help the utility enhance services, improve power quality and reliability," said Eric Seiter, Vice President and Regional General Manager at Landis+Gyr.

12:23 EDT Canada restricts airspace to Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 9 aircraft - Marc Garneau, Canada's Minister of Transport, issued the following statement: "My thoughts continue to go out to all those affected by the tragic aircraft accident involving an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Following advice from Transport Canada Civil Aviation experts, as a precautionary measure, I am issuing a safety notice to address this issue. This safety notice restricts commercial passenger flights from any air operator, both domestic and foreign, of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 9 aircraft - from arriving, departing, or overflying Canadian airspace. This safety notice is effective immediately, and will remain in place until further notice. The advice the experts have provided is based on the information they have been receiving; the requirements for new procedures and training for Boeing 737 MAX 8 and 9 flight crews they have already put in place; and the latest information available from the incidents. It is too soon to speculate about the cause of the accident in Addis Ababa, and to make direct links to the Lion Air accident in Indonesia in October 2018; however, my department has been closely monitoring the investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority...My departmental officials continue to monitor the situation and I will not hesitate to take swift action, should we discover any additional safety issues."

12:01 EDT Pzena Investment reports 8.09% passive stake in Jeld-Wen - In a regulatory filing, Pzena Investment disclosed an 8.09% stake in Jeld-Wen, which represents about 8.35M shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

12:00 EDT Clearwater Paper falls -14.5% - Clearwater Paper is down -14.5%, or -$3.85 to $22.77.

12:00 EDT Aurora Cannabis rises 11.1% - Aurora Cannabis is up 11.1%, or 88c to $8.84.

12:00 EDT Oaktree Capital rises 11.7% - Oaktree Capital is up 11.7%, or $5.14 to $48.97.

11:50 EDT Canada grounds Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, Bloomberg reports - Bloomberg cites an announcement made by Canada's Transport Minister Marc Garneua.

11:22 EDT Volkswagen won't continue with plans for IPO of TRATON 'for time being' - Volkswagen announced: "In the current market environment, Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft today decided not to continue with the preparation of an IPO of TRATON SE for the time being. The Board of Management is still aiming for an IPO of the TRATON SE once market conditions improve."

10:58 EDT Borqs Technologies Inc trading resumes

10:48 EDT Borqs Technologies Inc trading halted, volatility trading pause

10:41 EDT Vuzix announces reseller agreement with Verizon for smart glasses products - In a regulatory filing, Vuzix Corporation (VUZI) said on March 7, it entered into a master reseller agreement with Verizon Sourcing (VZ). "The agreement sets forth the general terms and conditions, including with respect to product quality, product changes, deliveries, and pricing, pursuant to which the Company will sell to Verizon, Verizon affiliates and sub-resellers the company's smart glasses products including Vuzix M300XL Smart Glasses and M-Series related accessories, Vuzix Blade Smart Glasses and Vuzix Basics Video. Any such sales will be made pursuant to purchase orders which Verizon may submit at its discretion. The master reseller agreement has an initial term of three years, subject to Verizon's right to terminate at any time in its discretion and the right of either party to terminate under certain conditions.The company expects to start receiving purchase orders under the master reseller agreement in the second quarter of 2019."

10:35 EDT Verizon discloses pricing for first 5G mobile service - Verizon earlier said it will launch its 5G Ultra Wideband Network in Chicago and Minneapolis on April 11. To coincide with this launch, Verizon is offering the new 5G moto mod, which is exclusive to Verizon. Beginning March 14, customers anywhere in the U.S. can pre-order the 5G moto mod. Verizon said: "Select areas of Chicago and Minneapolis will be the first to experience Verizon's 5G Ultra Wideband mobile service, and the company has plans to rapidly expand the coverage area. Last month, Verizon announced that it intends to launch its 5G Ultra Wideband network in more than 30 U.S. cities in 2019." It added, "For a limited time, preorder the 5G moto mod for just $50 ($349.99 retail). Verizon postpaid customers with any Verizon unlimited plan, including Go Unlimited, Beyond Unlimited or Above Unlimited, get unlimited 5G data for $10 per month (with the first three months free). To buy a 5G moto mod, customers must either have an active moto z3 on their account or purchase a moto z3 at the same time as the 5G moto mod."

09:58 EDT MYnd Analytics joins Magellan Healthcare provider network - MYnd Analytics (MYND) announced earlier that its wholly owned subsidiary, Arcadian Telepsychiatry Services LLC, has joined the Magellan Healthcare (MGLN) behavioral health provider network to offer telepsychiatry, teletherapy and teleEAP services to its members through Arcadian's provider network.

09:56 EDT Insys Therapeutics trading resumes

09:54 EDT U.K. publishes temporary tariff regime for 'no deal' Brexit - The U.K. Government has published details of the U.K.'s temporary tariff regime for no deal, which it says is "designed to minimize costs to business and consumers while protecting vulnerable industries." The government is "publishing this approach ahead of the vote in Parliament on No Deal to ensure MPs are fully informed," it noted. Under the temporary tariff, 87% of total imports to the U.K. by value would be eligible for tariff free access. Tariffs would still apply to 13% of goods imported into the U.K., which includes a mixture of tariffs and quotas on beef, lamb, pork, poultry and some dairy to support farmers and producers who have historically been protected through high EU tariffs; retaining a number of tariffs on finished vehicles in order to support the automotive sector and in light of broader challenging market conditions'. However, car makers relying on EU supply chains would not face additional tariffs on car parts imported from the EU to prevent disruption to supply chains; in addition, there are a number of sectors where tariffs help provide support for U.K. producers against unfair global trading practices, such as dumping and state subsidies. Tariffs would be retained for these products, including certain ceramics, fertilizer and fuel. Publicly traded companies in the automaking space include Daimler AG (DDAIF), Fiat Chrysler (FCAU), Ford (F), General Motors (GM), Honda (HMC), Nissan (NSANY), Toyota (TM) and Volkswagen (VLKAY). Reference Link

09:51 EDT Insys Therapeutics trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:47 EDT Noah Holdings falls -9.4% - Noah Holdings is down -9.4%, or -$5.05 to $48.62.

09:47 EDT Whiting Petroleum rises 5.1% - Whiting Petroleum is up 5.1%, or $1.20 to $24.91.

09:47 EDT Everi Holdings rises 15.2% - Everi Holdings is up 15.2%, or $1.21 to $9.18.

09:40 EDT Oaktree Capital trading resumes

09:37 EDT iRhythm falls after Kerrisdale predicts 65% downside in shares - Kerrisdale Capital said via Twitter regarding its newly disclosed short position in iRhythm Technologies, "Overall, based on realistic reimbursement rates & TAM, we see stock worth ~$30, down 65%." Shares of iRhythm are down 5%, or $4.40, to $82.86 in early trading.

09:30 EDT Brookfield to acquire 62% of Oaktree Capital for $49.00 per unit or 1.077 shares - Brookfield (BAM) and Oaktree Capital (OAK) announced an agreement whereby Brookfield will acquire approximately 62% of the Oaktree business. As part of the transaction, Brookfield will acquire all outstanding Oaktree Class A units for, at the election of Oaktree Class A unitholders, either $49.00 in cash or 1.0770 Class A shares of Brookfield per unit. This represents a premium of 12.4% per Oaktree Class A unit, based on the closing price of Oaktree Class A units and Brookfield Class A Shares on March 12 and a 15.9% premium based on the 30-day volume-weighted average price of Oaktree Class A units. The Oaktree board, acting on the recommendation of a special committee, composed of non-executive, independent directors, has unanimously recommended that Oaktree unitholders approve the transaction. Both Brookfield and Oaktree will continue to operate their respective businesses independently, partnering to leverage their strengths with each remaining under its current brand and led by its existing management and investment teams. Howard Marks will continue as co-chairman of Oaktree, Bruce Karsh as co-chairman and CIO and Jay Wintrob as CEO. Howard Marks and Bruce Karsh will continue to have operating control of Oaktree as an independent entity for the foreseeable future. In addition, Howard Marks will join Brookfield's board of directors. The two companies together will have approximately $475B of assets under management and $2.5B of annual fee-related revenues. The transaction is expected to be accretive to Brookfield on a per share basis before any benefits from the combination. Elections will be made on a per unit basis and will be subject to pro-ration such that the total consideration paid by Brookfield consists of 50% in cash and 50% in Brookfield shares. In addition, the founders, senior management and current employee-unitholders of Oaktree Capital Group Holdings, or OCGH, the holder of all outstanding Class B units of Oaktree as well as a direct interest in certain of Oaktree's operating entities, will sell to Brookfield 20% of their units for the same consideration as the Oaktree Class A unitholders. Pursuant to the agreement, Oaktree may declare and pay a distribution in respect of the quarter ending March 31 in an amount up to $1.05 per Oaktree Class A unit. No further distributions on the Oaktree Class A units may be paid unless the transaction has not closed by September 30, in which case distributions in respect of Q3 and any other quarter thereafter until closing may be paid in the ordinary course on Oaktree Class A units, subject to certain limitations set forth in the agreement. The cash portion of the aggregate consideration will be funded by Brookfield from available liquidity. Upon consummation of the transaction, Brookfield will own approximately 62% of the Oaktree business, and the OCGH unitholders, consisting primarily of Oaktree's founders and certain other members of management and employees, will own the remaining approximately 38%. Commencing in 2022, former employee-unitholders will be able to sell their remaining Oaktree units to Brookfield over time pursuant to an agreed upon liquidity schedule and approach to valuing such units at the time of liquidation, and Oaktree's founders, senior management and current employee-unitholders will have the option to do so as well. Pursuant to this liquidity schedule, the earliest year in which Brookfield could own 100% of the Oaktree business is 2029. The agreement includes customary provisions relating to non-solicitation, the ability of Oaktree's board of directors to respond to any unsolicited superior alternative proposals, and Brookfield's right to match such proposals. The agreement also provides for the payment by Oaktree of a $225M termination fee if the agreement is terminated under certain specified circumstances. The transaction is subject to the approval of Oaktree unitholders representing at least a majority of the voting interests of Oaktree and other customary closing conditions, including certain regulatory approvals. OCGH has agreed to vote all of its units in favor of the transaction. The transaction is expected to close in Q3.

09:26 EDT Terreno Realty sells building in Corona, California for $12.4M - Terreno Realty Corporation sold an industrial property located in Corona, California on March 12, 2019 for a sale price of approximately $12.4M. The property consists of one industrial distribution building containing approximately 90,000 square feet on 5.0 acres at 2095 California Avenue which is 100% leased to one tenant. The property was purchased by Terreno Realty Corporation June 5, 2014 for approximately $7.8M. The estimated unleveraged internal rate of return generated by the investment was approximately 12.4%.

09:18 EDT Hemispherx announces update on Ampligen pancreatic cancer program - Hemispherx announced the first of a series of planned quarterly press release updates highlighting the progress and achievement of milestones in the company's ongoing clinical trials evaluating Ampligen's ability to reprogram tumor microenvironments and increase the effectiveness of existing cancer immunotherapy, such as checkpoint blockade therapies. The company has recently refocused its efforts to concentrate on the use of Ampligen as an immuno-therapy based on preclinical and early clinical evidence supporting the drug candidate's potential in the fight against cancer. An Early Access Program, or EAP, approved by the Inspectorate of Healthcare in the Netherlands for pancreatic cancer at Erasmus Medical Center has been ongoing for two years. As disclosed recently, the Dutch government has approved and extended the therapeutic program for an additional year. Early progress was reported in a published abstract from Erasmus. The company is pleased to report that four out of 24 patients with either locally advanced or metastatic disease have survived for more than one year on the Ampligen protocol without additional therapy. Another 4 patients have survived for more than one year since the start of the Ampligen protocol with palliative chemotherapy. However, in this group of patients 15 died within seven months since start of Ampligen. Of the five resected patients, two died on Ampligen, 24 and 27 months after resection. The other 3 patients are still alive with a mean survival of 26 months after resection and adjuvant Ampligen treatment. All patients reported improvement in quality of life during treatment. We expect within 60 days a more comprehensive update from the Erasmus team on the immunological response in relation to survival. "We believe steady progress in these combination therapy clinical trials will be an important driver for Hemispherx's long-term success. It is our intention to update our progress in immuno-oncology on a quarterly basis mid-month every three months so the market, potential co-development candidates in big pharma, research analysts and the media have easy access to updated information, which will be a precursor to and mirror to the greatest extent possible our subsequent quarterly filings," states Thomas Equels, Hemispherx's CEO. "To date, multiple clinical programs have been initiated, with patients being screened and enrolled at both Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, testing both safety and proof of concept in humans. Two additional combination therapy clinical trials with pembrolizumab have been approved and patient enrollment screening has been initiated at both centers. These studies will test Ampligen in conjunction with pembrolizumab. Finally, five additional studies that will evaluate Ampligen in combination with various checkpoint blockade therapies are in various stages of pre-enrollment at the above medical centers as well as the Buffet Cancer Center, for a total of nine U.S.-based trials in various stages of advancement. In Europe, we are in the clinic in a recently extended Early Access Program and making meaningful progress in advanced pancreatic cancer at Erasmus MC in Rotterdam, the Netherlands."

09:13 EDT Brookfield trading halted, news pending

09:08 EDT Gogo to move entire infrastructure to Amazon Web Services - Amazon Web Services (AMZN) announced that Gogo (GOGO) is moving its entire infrastructure to AWS. Gogo has already migrated the vast majority of its commercial and business aviation divisions to AWS and is leveraging a range of AWS services, including analytics, serverless, database, and storage to improve inflight internet and entertainment experiences for millions of passengers around the world.

09:06 EDT Chase to open up 90 branches in nine U.S. markets - Chase announced that it plans to expand its retail branches into nine top U.S. markets1 in 2019, while continuing to open dozens of new branch locations in Greater Washington, D.C, Philadelphia and Boston. Chase expects to open up to 90 new branches in new markets and hire up to 700 employees by the end of the year, giving more customers access to its retail and business banking services while offering local jobs to residents. The bank announced last year that it planned to open 400 new branches and hire as many as 3,000 employees in new markets over the next five years. Approximately 30 percent of branches will be in low-to-moderate income communities. Beginning this summer, the bank plans to open the first of its new retail branches in nine of the top U.S. markets including: Charlotte, North Carolina; Raleigh, North Carolina; Greenville, South Carolina; Kansas City, Kansas; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Nashville, Tennessee; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Providence, Rhode Island; St. Louis, Missouri. The bank also plans to add branches in new locations close to large universities, including Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama and the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, Nebraska, with plans to expand into these states more broadly in 2020. The firm will actively hire staff to support its new branches across the country. Entry-level employees in new markets announced today will be paid no less than $15 - $16.50/hour, and will receive the firm's full benefits package, which is valued at an average of $12,000 annually per employee in this pay range. It includes health care coverage and retirement savings, as well. To help ease the burden of out-of-pocket medical expenses, the firm also recently reduced medical plan deductibles by $750 per year for employees making less than $60,000.

09:02 EDT Yext launches four integrations with Adobe cloud solutions - Yext (YEXT) announced a new collaboration with Adobe (ADBE). Yext has launched four integrations with the Adobe Experience Cloud to connect Yext knowledge to properties and assets created and managed with Adobe. These integrations will enable businesses to use their brand data stored in Yext across websites, mobile apps, email systems, and the Internet of Things. Yext has launched integrations with the following four Adobe products: Adobe Experience Manager, Adobe Campaign, Adobe Analytics and Adobe Target.

09:01 EDT Arthur J. Gallagher acquires First Iowa Insurance Agency, terms not disclosed - Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. announced the acquisition of Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based Hammerberg Insurance Services, dba First Iowa Insurance Agency. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 1912, First Iowa Insurance Agency offers commercial and personal property/casualty insurance, group and individual health, and individual life coverage and services to clients throughout Iowa and the Central United States.

08:39 EDT Akari Therapeutics announces results from Type B FDA meeting on HSCT-TMA - Akari Therapeutics announced that it had a Type B, pre-IND meeting with the FDA regarding Akari's proposed pivotal clinical trial program for pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant-related thrombotic microangiopathy, or HSCT-TMA. HSCT-TMA is an orphan condition with an estimated fatality rate of more than 80% in children with the severe disease. A framework for the trial design was agreed to with the FDA in which the response to Coversin of selected, clinically meaningful treatment variables would be the primary endpoint in the proposed pivotal trial.

08:35 EDT Signet Jewelers brings Kay, Zales, Peoples leadership under one combined team - Signet Jewelers announced the appointment of Joan Hilson as CFO. The company also announced organizational changes to strengthen its leadership structure in support of its Path to Brilliance transformation plan. Based on learnings from year one of the Path to Brilliance transformation plan, Signet is bringing the leadership of its Kay, Zales and Peoples banners under one combined Mall Leadership Team. Jamie Singleton, currently EVP Zales and Peoples, is promoted to president Kay, Zales, and Peoples, with full P&L and operational responsibilities, including merchandising, marketing, and eCommerce for these core mall-based store banners. Singleton has been with Signet for seven years, including general manager roles for Zales and Piercing Pagoda. Bill Luth, previously EVP Kay, has been named EVP, Global Store Operations, with global responsibility for store operations. Luth is a 30-year Signet veteran with extensive experience in store operations. Kecia Caffie is promoted to SCP, Piercing Pagoda. Singleton, Luth and Caffie will continue to report to Seb Hobbs, president and chief customer officer. The above changes will have no impact on Signet's external financial reporting structure. The company will continue to report segments as North America and International.

08:33 EDT Agenus milestone triggers $7.5M payment from Gilead - Agenus' (AGEN) IND filing for AGEN1423 - a milestone in its partnership with Gilead Sciences (GILD) - has been accepted by the FDA. This milestone triggered a cash payment of $7.5M. Agenus is eligible to receive additional milestone payments in 2019 and beyond. Agenus received $150M in upfront cash payment and equity investment and is also eligible for approximately $1.7B in potential future fees and milestones. Gilead received worldwide exclusive rights to AGEN1423, and exclusive option to license two additional programs: AGEN1223 and AGEN2373. Agenus is responsible for developing the option programs up to the option decision points, at which time Gilead may acquire exclusive rights to the programs on option exercise. Gilead also received right of first negotiation for two additional, undisclosed preclinical programs. AGEN1423, AGEN1223 and AGEN2373 are investigational agents that have not been approved for any uses. Efficacy and safety have not been established.

08:32 EDT Signet Jewelers names Joan Hilson CFO - Signet Jewelers announced the appointment of Joan Hilson as CFO. The company also announced organizational changes to strengthen its leadership structure in support of its Path to Brilliance transformation plan. Hilson will be appointed CFO effective April 4, 2019, succeeding current CFO Michele Santana, who will continue to serve in the role through that date. As previously disclosed, Santana will remain with the company through the end of April 2019 to ensure a smooth transition. Hilson will be responsible for leading the company's finance, accounting, investor relations, tax and treasury teams and will be based in Akron, Ohio. She was most recently CFO of David's Bridal from 2014 to March 2019.

08:29 EDT CareDx, Cedars-Sinai Comprehensive Transplant Center enter AlloSure partnership - CareDx announced a partnership with the Cedars-Sinai Comprehensive Transplant Center to study the use of AlloSure to characterize response to therapy in kidney transplant recipients that are being treated for chronic antibody-mediated rejection, or ABMR. ABMR is recognized as the leading cause of late kidney transplant failure. Long-term graft survival has not improved, primarily due to late diagnosis and lack of effective therapeutic options. Cedars-Sinai is testing an Interleukin-6 blockade, tocilizumab, as a treatment for patients with ABMR. They will use AlloSure to optimize the therapy regime.

08:11 EDT Lufthansa Group announces order for 20 Boeing 787-9s, 20 Airbus A350-900s - Lufthansa Group announced that, based on the recommendation of the Executive Board, the Supervisory Board approved the purchase of a total of 40 "state-of-the-art" aircraft for the group's airlines. The 20 Boeing 787-9 and 20 additional Airbus A350-900 planes will primarily be replacing older four-engine aircraft. The new planes will be delivered between late 2022 and 2027. The order has a list-price investment volume of $12B. "As is usual with such orders, Lufthansa Group has negotiated a significant price reduction. The parties have agreed not to disclose the actual purchase price," the company said.

08:07 EDT Graphic Packaging International approved to join APASS - Graphic Packaging International (GPK) has been approved to join Amazon's (AMZN) Packaging Support and Supplier Network focused on delivering packaging solutions that comply with Amazon's rigorous requirements to meet the demands of today's e-commerce packaging. Graphic Packaging International is a subsidiary of Graphic Packaging Holding Company.

08:06 EDT Equinix announces three executive appointments in new roles - Equinix announced that three executives will move into new roles. Effective early Q2, Karl Strohmeyer, currently President, Americas, will begin serving as Chief Customer and Revenue Officer, overseeing the company's overall go-to-market strategy. Sara Baack, who currently serves as Chief Marketing Officer, will take on the role of Chief Product Officer, leading Product Marketing, Management, Development and Engineering across core colocation and interconnection offerings, as well as overseeing the company's edge services portfolio. Eric Schwartz, currently President, EMEA, will begin serving as Chief Strategy and Development Officer, overseeing Corporate Strategy, Corporate Development, Business Development, Real Estate, Capital Planning and the company's hyperscale initiatives.

08:05 EDT Sabre announces multi-year agreement with TWA Hotel at JFK Airport - Sabre announced a multi-year agreement with the TWA Hotel, the only on-airport hotel at JFK Airport, opening on May 15. Since the 512-room TWA Hotel began accepting guestroom reservations in February, the hotel has been utilizing Sabre Hospitality Solutions' SynXis Platform, including SynXis Central Reservations, to power its distribution strategy. When the TWA Hotel welcomes its first guests on May 15, the TWA Hotel will benefit from the SynXis Platform's advanced technology as it establishes itself in the marketplace, while also securing an effective, future-ready channel strategy that is designed to maximize revenue of both direct and indirect channels.

08:04 EDT TOP Ships reports delivery, charter employment of M/T Eco Marina Del Ray - TOP Ships announced that it took delivery of the 50,000 dwt newbuilding product/chemical tanker M/T Eco Marina Del Ray, constructed at the Hyundai Mipo shipyard in South Korea and that the vessel is scheduled to commence its five-year charter employment with Cargill on March 18, 2019.

08:03 EDT INTL FCStone acquires CoinInvest GmbH, European Precious Metal Trading GmbH - INTL FCStone announced that its subsidiary INTL Netherlands B.V.has executed a sale and purchase agreement to acquire CoinInvest GmbH and European Precious Metal Trading GmbH. This transaction is effective on closing, which is scheduled for the beginning of April.

07:52 EDT NN, Inc. reports non-cash intangible asset impairment charge in 4Q18 - NN, Inc., expects to record a non-cash intangible asset impairment charge in its Mobile Solutions and Power Solutions groups in 4Q18. The company does not expect the impairment charge to have any impact on future operations, nor affect its liquidity, cash flows from operating activities, or compliance with financial covenants. During 4Q18, NN's market capitalization declined to a level that was less than the net book value of stockholders' equity. NN performed its annual goodwill impairment analysis as of October 1. The company expects to record an impairment loss on goodwill of $73.4M and $109.1M for Mobile Solutions and Power Solutions, respectively. NN does not expect to record any such charges for its Life Sciences group. In addition, as a result of changing market conditions in China, NN determined that the carrying amount of the company's investment in the Mobile Solutions' China joint venture exceeded its estimated fair market value. As a result, the company expects to record an impairment charge of $16.6M against its investment in the China joint venture.

07:37 EDT KemPharm announces update on Apadaz formulary adoption - KemPharm provided an update on formulary adoption of its FDA-approved prodrug product, Apadaz, which has been licensed to KVK-Tech for commercialization. According to Managed Markets Insights and Technology, or MMIT, estimates, the authorized generic of Apadaz currently has unrestricted formulary access for 91% of commercial lives and unrestricted access for 90% of state Medicaid lives. In addition, MMIT estimates indicate that branded Apadaz currently has unrestricted formulary access for 15% of Commercial lives, generally at a Tier 3 or equivalent reimbursement status. Based on 2018 utilization data for hydrocodone/APAP, the total market was nearly 4B tablets, of which 41% was commercial, 39% was Medicare, and 12% was Medicaid, with the majority of commercial volumes flowing through the top 6 pharmacy benefit managers. Taken together and based on 2018 utilization data, potential volume of approximately 1.2B tablets would be addressable by AG-Apadaz among those PBMs alone. Currently, Apadaz and AG-Apadaz are not yet covered by Medicare, although formulary review is in progress and expected to be completed within 90 days.

07:32 EDT SCWorx awarded $1.6M contract with healthcare institution - SCWorx announced the signing of a $1,625,000 software service contract with an Integrated Delivery Network servicing hospitals on the West Coast. Under this 3-year fixed-term agreement, one of the largest U.S. based IDN's is accessing SCWorx's business normalization, repair, enrichment and automation solutions that connect materials, financial and clinical attributes, which will provide the foundation of a business architecture that will enable all departments to collaborate using data that has been customized to their specific requirements. The repairs provided by the SCWorx software platform will allow a consistent flow of information, enabling the hospital to further develop clinical modeling, populate health analytics, and other critical requirements. The company does not expect to incur any significant additional overhead resulting from this contract and anticipates procuring new contracts for its software by numerous other healthcare providers in the foreseeable future.

07:29 EDT Athenex joint venture launches Busulfan injection - SunGen Pharma announced the launch of Busulfan injection, the second product launch through their joint venture Peterson Athenex with Athenex (ATNX). The ownership of the approved U.S. ANDA was transferred from Sandoz, a Novartis (NVS) division, to SunGen and Athenex. The Busulfan injection is distributed as a prefilled liquid vial with a strength of 6mg/ml in packs of 8. U.S. Market Sales of Busulfan injection were $33.6M for the year ending December 2018 according to IQVIA data. Busulfan injection is indicated for use in combination with cyclophosphamide as a conditioning regimen prior to allogeneic hematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation for chronic myelogenous leukemia.

07:10 EDT Aurora Cannabis up 7% to $8.54 after appointing Nelson Peltz as advisor

07:06 EDT United Airlines says headquarters to remain at Willis Tower in Chicago - United Airlines (UAL) announced it will keep its headquarters at the iconic Willis Tower in the airline's hometown of Chicago, while partnering with the building's owner, Blackstone (BX), in making major investments to completely transform the current workspace and experience. The new agreement extends United's existing lease to March 31, 2033. Additionally, Blackstone is already investing more than $500M into Willis Tower for all tenants, which will transform the building from the inside out.

07:03 EDT Papa John's announces national partnership with DoorDash - Papa John's announced a national partnership with DoorDash, the fastest-growing on-demand destination for door-to-door delivery, offering delivery from more than 1,400 restaurants. To celebrate the launch, lucky pizza lovers can get $0 delivery during St. Patrick's Day weekend from March 15-17 on all orders over $10 delivered through the platform at participating locations. By working with partners like DoorDash, Papa John's continues to find ways to reach new customer segments and expand its off-premise offerings through delivery and takeout. To receive $0 delivery fees, customers must order within the DoorDash platform at www.DoorDash.com or download the app for Android or iOS.

07:01 EDT Aurora Cannabis appoints Nelson Peltz as strategic advisor - Aurora Cannabis announced that it has appointed Nelson Peltz as a Strategic Advisor. Peltz and Aurora will work collaboratively and strategically to explore potential partnerships that would be the optimal strategic fit for successful entry into each of Aurora's contemplated market segments. Peltz will also advise on the company's global expansion strategy.

06:53 EDT Express down 7% to $4.68 after mixed Q4 results, weak Q1 guidance

06:51 EDT Express reports Q4 e-commerce comparable sales increased 5%

06:49 EDT Express Chairwoman says 'making good progress on the CEO search' - Mylle Mangum, the company's Chairwoman of the Board, stated, "The Board is making good progress on the CEO search. We are pleased with the quality of the candidates that have shown interest and we are actively interviewing multiple individuals. This is a very attractive role that provides the new CEO ample strategic flexibility given the company's strong brand and solid financial position. The Board's top priority is finding the right candidate to return Express to growth and we are confident that we will appoint a strong leader in the near future."

06:47 EDT Express sees FY19 CapEx $40M-$45M - The company is not issuing full year guidance given the ongoing CEO leadership transition and the current variability in comparable sales trends.

06:37 EDT Copa Holdings reports February traffic up 0.7% - Copa Holdings released preliminary passenger traffic statistics for February. For the month of February, Copa Holdings' system-wide passenger traffic, or RPMs, increased 0.7% year over year, while capacity, or ASMs, remained flat. As a result, system load factor for the month was 83.6%, 0.6 percentage points higher than February 2018.

06:33 EDT HEXO Corp to acquire Newstrike Brands in all-share transaction valued at $263M - HEXO Corp and Newstrike Brands are pleased to announce that they have entered into a definitive arrangement agreement under which HEXO will acquire, by way of a plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act, all of Newstrike's issued and outstanding common shares in an all-share transaction valued at approximately $263M. Under the terms of the Arrangement Agreement, Newstrike shareholders will receive 0.06332 of a HEXO common share in exchange for each Newstrike common share held. The Transaction has been unanimously approved by the board of directors of each of HEXO and Newstrike, and Newstrike's board of directors recommends that its shareholders vote in favour of the transaction. The Transaction will require approval by (i) at least 66 2/3% of the votes cast by the shareholders of Newstrike; and (ii) a simple majority of the votes cast by disinterested shareholders of Newstrike, present at a special meeting of Newstrike shareholders. HEXO has entered into irrevocable hard voting support agreements with each of Newstrike's directors and officers, along with certain other shareholders of Newstrike, representing in aggregate approximately 25% of Newstrike's issued and outstanding common shares. The Arrangement Agreement includes customary provisions including non-solicitation provisions, subject to the right of Newstrike to accept a superior proposal in certain circumstances, with HEXO having a five business day right to match any such superior proposal for Newstrike. The Arrangement Agreement also provides for a termination fee of $7.5M payable by Newstrike to HEXO if the Transaction is terminated in certain specified circumstances, as well as a reciprocal $1M expense reimbursement fee to either party if the Transaction is terminated in certain other specified circumstances. In addition to Newstrike shareholder approvals, the Transaction is subject to the receipt of certain regulatory court and stock exchange approvals and the satisfaction of other conditions customary in transactions of this nature. Upon completion of the Transaction, existing HEXO and Newstrike shareholders would own approximately 86% and 14% of the pro forma company, respectively, on a fully diluted basis.

06:10 EDT VW brand sees FY19 operating margin of 4%-5% - The brand is targeting an operating margin in the range of 4%-5% for the current fiscal year. It said, "Despite the subdued economic outlook in key markets, further growth in sales revenue of up to five percent is expected. Deliveries by the brand are expected to be on a similar level to last year, with momentum becoming increasingly positive as the year progresses."

06:05 EDT GeoPark acquires Espejo and Perico blocks - GeoPark announced its entry into Ecuador through the acquisition of the Espejo and Perico blocks. The Espejo and Perico blocks are attractive, low-risk exploration blocks located in Sucumbios Province in the north-eastern part of Ecuador, in the Oriente basin. The Espejo block covers an area of 15,650 acres and the Perico block covers an area of 17,700 acres. Both blocks are covered with 3D seismic and are adjacent to multiple discoveries, producing fields and existing infrastructure. From existing 3D seismic and other relevant data, more than five multilayer, ready-to-drill light oil prospects and leads have been identified. Ongoing geoscience evaluation and field operations are expected to start in late 2019 or early 2020. The blocks were awarded to the GeoPark and Frontera consortium in the form of production sharing contracts in the Intracampos Bid Round carried out on March 12 in Quito, Ecuador. The winning bid consisted of committing a minimum investment program of carrying out 55 sq km of 3D seismic in the Espejo block and drilling four exploration wells in each block, with a total estimated investment commitment of $60M over the next four years. GeoPark and Frontera will have a 70%-78% contractor share at approximately $60-$70 Brent. The final award is contingent upon regulatory approvals and the execution of the contracts, expected for the second quarter.

06:02 EDT FAA says extensive review shows no basis to ground of 737 MAX - The Federal Aviation Administration said last night in a statement, "The FAA continues to review extensively all available data and aggregate safety performance from operators and pilots of the Boeing 737 MAX. Thus far, our review shows no systemic performance issues and provides no basis to order grounding the aircraft. Nor have other civil aviation authorities provided data to us that would warrant action. In the course of our urgent review of data on the Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 crash, if any issues affecting the continued airworthiness of the aircraft are identified, the FAA will take immediate and appropriate action." Shares of Boeing are down 1%, or $4.61, to $370.80 in premarket trading.

05:35 EDT Aspen Aerogels wins patent lawsuit against Chinese manufacturers - Aspen Aerogels announced that it has won its patent infringement lawsuits against Guangdong Alison Hi-Tech and Nano Tech, in the Mannheim Regional Court in Germany. The Mannheim Court determined on March 8 that Alison and Nano infringe one of Aspen's European patents, as extended to Germany, by selling infringing aerogel insulation products. As part of the judgments, the Mannheim Court issued injunctions prohibiting the offer, distribution, use or import of infringing products in Germany and held Nano and Alison liable to Aspen for damages, court costs and certain of Aspen's legal fees and expenses. The Mannheim Court's decision is subject to an appeal to the Higher Regional Court of Karlsruhe. In a related lawsuit, the Mannheim Court had previously issued a series of judgments against Hiltex Techniche Weefsels b.v., a Dutch reseller of the infringing Chinese aerogels. In addition, the German Federal Patent Court in Munich found the Aspen Patent to be valid as granted in a patent nullity action initiated by Nano. The Munich Court's decision follows other unsuccessful challenges to the validity of Aspen's patents by Nano and Alison in the United States and China.