Stockwinners Market Radar for March 25, 2019 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:36 EDT Raytheon kill vehicle hits ICBM target in first dual-salvo test - For the first time, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, in partnership with the Boeing(BA)-led industry team, tested two Raytheon (RTN) Exoatmospheric Kill Vehicles, which destroyed a threat representative intercontinental ballistic missile during a test of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense System, or GMD. One EKV intercepted the target and the other gathered test data in what is known as a "two-shot salvo" engagement. The EKV system protects the U.S. against long-range ballistic missile attacks by destroying incoming threats safely outside the Earth's atmosphere. The historic test mirrored a real-life scenario where launching more than one interceptor ensured destruction of the threat far away from population centers.

19:51 EDT U.S. MDA and Boeing Complete Historic Missile Defense Test - The U.S. Missile Defense Agency and Boeing for the first time launched two Ground-based Midcourse Defense system interceptors to destroy a threat-representative target, validating the fielded system protects the United States from intercontinental ballistic missiles. In the test, one interceptor struck the target in space. The second interceptor observed that intercept before destroying additional debris to ensure missile destruction. The test is known as a "two-shot salvo" engagement. The target launched from Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean while the interceptors launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.

19:10 EDT Methanex confirms receipt of director nominees notice from M&G - Methanex Corporation confirmed that it has received advance notice from M&G Investment Management Limited that it intends to nominate four candidates to stand for election to the Methanex board of directors at the company's upcoming annual general meeting of shareholders on April 25, 2019. Methanex said it is committed to acting in the best interest of all shareholders and gives due consideration to constructive recommendations for strategies or actions that have the potential to create value. However, through an ongoing private dialogue with M&G over the last two years, it is clear M&G has developed a short-term focus on share buybacks, the company said.

18:45 EDT Pegasystems CEO: We are massively changing our marketing strategy - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, Pegasystems CEO Alan Trefler said: We are number one in real time interaction management and business process management... We are massively changing our marketing strategy... To be trusted by Google speaks to the power of our software... We compliment Salesforce.com in many settings.

18:24 EDT Thermo Fisher CEO: We have a very disciplined M&A process - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, Thermo Fisher CEO Marc Casper said: The Brammer Bio deal will help us build out our capabilities... A key element of our growth strategy is emerging markets... We are particularly strong in emerging markets... We have a very disciplined M&A process and we have a track record of creating value... Breakthrough science is coming from the U.S.

17:58 EDT Acadia says President Brett Turner leaving by mutual agreement - Brent Turner, President of the company, is leaving the company by mutual agreement effective as of March 19. Acadia Management company and the company have entered into a separation agreement with Turner providing for a separation payment equal to $1,000,000, a reduction in Turner's non-compete restricted period to one year and a mutual general release of claims. Mr. Turner's departure was not a result of any disagreement with the company relating to the operations, financial reporting, accounting practices or policies of the company.

17:36 EDT Northrop Grumman awarded $245.05M Navy contract modification - Northrop Grumman has been awarded a $245.05M firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract to exercise options for the joint counter-radio-controlled improvised explosive device electronic warfare, or JCREW, increment 1 block 1, or I1B1, systems full-rate production in support of the Expeditionary Warfare Program Office. CREW systems are designed to provide protection for foot soldiers, vehicles and permanent structures. The JCREW I1B1 system is the first-generation system that develops a common open architecture across all three capabilities and provides protection for worldwide military operations. This integrated design maximizes commonality across all capabilities, reduces life cycle costs and provides increased protection against worldwide threats. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by January 2021. Foreign military sales funding from the government of Australia in the amount of $2.16M will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command is the contracting activity.

17:21 EDT Google creates Realtime Content Insights to aid newsrooms make content decisions - According to Google's Ben Monnie ,Director of global partnerships solutions, news & publishing: "A year ago, we launched News Consumer Insights: a report built on top of Google Analytics that helps news organizations of all sizes understand and segment their audiences with a subscriptions strategy in mind. Thousands of news organizations around the world, including BuzzFeed News, Business Insider, Conde Nast and Village Media, have used this tool to measure, understand and grow their businesses.Today, we're launching a new, free insights tool called Realtime Content Insights, RCI, built to help newsrooms make quick, data-driven decisions on content creation and distribution. Journalists will be able to identify which articles are the most popular across their audience and what broader topics are trending in their regions. RCI also helps newsrooms visualize their data with a full screen display mode. It's now available for publishers using all versions of Google Analytics." Reference Link

17:10 EDT Verizon receives EIS Authority to Operate - Verizon said it has received the Authority to Operate under the General Service Administration's Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions contract. EIS is a government-wide contract that provides a unique opportunity for federal agencies to leverage the government's buying power to procure next-generation communications services. Agencies are in the process of moving to EIS for purchasing information technology and telecommunications infrastructure. "We're excited to receive our ATO and will utilize best practices and lessons learned to support agencies' unique requirements and transition them to EIS quickly and efficiently," said Mike Maiorana, senior vice president, public sector, Verizon. "We look forward to building upon our decades-long relationship with federal government and delivering next generation, mission-enabling services to address government and citizen needs."

17:07 EDT Noble Midstream gets pipeline investment from Global Infrastructure Partners - Noble Midstream Partners announced it has secured a $200M equity commitment from Global Infrastructure Partners Capital Solutions Fund to fund capital contributions to Dos Rios Crude Intermediate LLC, a newly-formed subsidiary holding Noble Midstream's 30% equity interest in the EPIC Crude Pipeline. Of the $200M total commitment, $100M will be funded during the first quarter of 2019, with the remaining $100M available for a one-year period, subject to certain conditions precedent. The Preferred Equity is perpetual and has a 6.5% annual dividend rate, payable quarterly in cash, with the ability to defer payment during the first two years following the closing. In addition, Noble Midstream can redeem the Preferred Equity in whole or in part at any time for cash at a predetermined redemption price. GIP can request redemption of the Preferred Equity following the later of the sixth anniversary of the Preferred Equity closing or the fifth anniversary of the EPIC Crude Pipeline completion date at a pre-determined base return. Proceeds from the Preferred Equity will be used to repay a portion of outstanding borrowings under the Partnership's revolving credit facility, which were drawn to fund the Partnership's exercise of its option to invest in the EPIC Crude Pipeline.

17:03 EDT Neptune Wellness to appeal court ruling in favor of former CEO - Neptune Wellness Solutions announced that it has received a judgment from the Superior Court of Quebec regarding certain previously disclosed claims made by the corporation's former CEO against the corporation in respect of certain royalty payments alleged to be owed and owing to the former CEO pursuant to the terms of an agreement entered into on February 23, 2001 between Neptune and a corporation controlled by the Former CEO. The corporation had also filed a counterclaim against the former CEO disputing the validity and interpretation of certain clauses contained in the agreement and claiming the repayment of certain amounts previously paid to the former CEO pursuant to the terms of the agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, it was alleged by the former CEO that annual royalties be payable to the former CEO, with no limit to its duration, of 1% of the sales and other revenues made by Neptune; the interpretation of which was challenged by the corporation. Pursuant to the judgment rendered, which Neptune intends to appeal, the court ruled in favour of the former CEO and rejected the counterclaim filed by the corporation. As a result, the court awarded the former CEO payments determined by the court to be owed under the agreement of 1% of all sales and revenues of the corporation incurred since March 1, 2014, which payments remain to be finally determined taking into account interest, judicial cost and other expenses. The court also declared that, pursuant to the terms of the agreement, the royalty payments of 1% of the sales and other revenue made by the corporation on a consolidated basis are to be payable by the corporation to the former CEO biannually, but only to the extent that the disbursement of the royalty would not cause the corporation to have a negative earnings before interest, taxes and amortization.

16:56 EDT Regency Centers exec Thompson sells 14,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Regency Centers executive VP of operations James D. Thompson disclosed the sale of 14,000 common shares of the company at a price of $66.26 per share.

16:36 EDT Lexington Realty announces Patrick Carroll as CRO, Beth Boulerice as CFO - Lexington Realty (LXP) announced that executive VP Patrick Carroll has been appointed as Lexington's CRO. Carroll previously served as Lexington's CFO since 1998 and treasurer since 1999. Lexington also announced that executive VP Beth Boulerice has been appointed as Lexington's CFO and treasurer. Boulerice previously served as Lexington's CAO. Prior to joining Lexington in 2007, Boulerice was the CAO at Newkirk Realty and held various accounting roles at First Winthrop. Additionally, Lexington welcomed Mark Cherone, who has been appointed Lexington's CAO. Prior to joining Lexington in March, Cherone had been corporate controller for Brandywine Realty (BDN) since 2012.

16:31 EDT Intel board extends Andy Bryant's term as Intel Chairman until 2020 - Intel announced that its board of directors had unanimously decided to extend Andy Bryant's term as Intel chairman for one additional year, to help support Intel's leadership transition. If Bryant is re-elected at Intel's 2019 annual stockholders' meeting, his term as chairman would continue through the conclusion of Intel's 2020 annual stockholders' meeting. Bryant has informed the board that he does not expect to stand for re-election again in 2020.

16:25 EDT Allergan claims Appaloosa looking to undermine CEO and pushing for firesale - In a regulatory filing, Allergan states: "Allergan's highly engaged, refreshed and independent Board of Directors is focused on doing what is in the best interests of all shareholders. We believe Appaloosa, who owns less than 1% stake, is attempting to undermine our CEO and pushing for a firesale of the company for a short-term bump in stock price. We believe that it will be transparent to investors that Appaloosa's short-term interests are not the same as those of long-term shareholders."

16:18 EDT La-Z-Boy names Tj Linz as president of the Retail division - La-Z-Boy announced the appointment of Tj Linz as President of the company's Retail Division, effective April 28, 2019. He will succeed Daniel E. King, who will retire at the end of the company's fiscal 2019 year. Linz will report to Kurt Darrow, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, and will be responsible for driving the strategy, growth and profitability of the company's Retail segment, which today includes 155 La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries(R) stores with approximately 1,400 employees. Linz joined La-Z-Boy in 2015 as Director of Strategy & Analytics and became Director of Retail Operations & Strategy, reporting to King, in 2017.

16:16 EDT Mercury Systems receives $2.2M order for GPS SAASM subsystems - Mercury Systems announced it received a $2.2M order from a leading defense prime contractor for high-performance subsystems incorporating GPS Selective Availability Anti-Spoofing Modules for an advanced weapons application. The order was booked in the company's fiscal 2019 second quarter and is expected to be shipped over the next several quarters.

16:12 EDT Arcus Biosciences appoints Rekha Hemrajani as COO, CFO - Arcus Biosciences announced the appointment of Rekha Hemrajani as COO and CFO. Hemrajani will be responsible for several areas, including finance, investor relations, corporate communications, business and corporate development, strategic planning and human resources. Hemrajani joins Arcus from FLX Bio where she was COO.

16:06 EDT CytomX Therapeutics CFO leaving the company - CytomX Therapeutics announced that CFO Debanjan Ray will be stepping down from the company, effective May 15, to become the CEO of a newly-formed private biotechnology company. CytomX is initiating the search for Ray's successor. Ray will continue to be available as an advisor to the company after his departure.

16:05 EDT AMC Theatres says Stubs program totals over 19M member households in U.S. - AMC Theatres announced that AMC Stubs, the company's loyalty program, has continued its growth now totaling more than 19M member households in the United States. At the U.S. average of 2.6 people per household, that means nearly 50M Americans are enjoying the AMC experience through an engaged movie-going relationship via AMC Stubs, the company said.

15:44 EDT DOT forms special committee to review FAA's aircraft certification process - The U.S. Department of Transportation announced the establishment of an expert Special Committee to review the procedures of the Federal Aviation Administration for the certification of new aircraft, including the Boeing 737 MAX. Air Force General Darren McDew, former head of the U.S. Transportation Command, and Captain Lee Moak, former President of the Air Line Pilots Association, have agreed to serve as the interim co-chairs of the Special Committee pending the appointment of other members. "Safety is the number one priority of the Department, and this review by leading outside experts will help determine if improvements can be made to the FAA aircraft certification process," said Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao. The Special Committee to Review FAA's Aircraft Certification Process is an independent body whose findings and recommendations will be presented directly to the Secretary and the FAA Administrator. The Special Committee is being formed within the structure of the Safety Oversight and Certification Advisory Committee, created by Section 202 of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. The SOCAC will provide advice and recommendations on issues facing the aviation community related to the FAA's safety oversight and certification programs and activities. Reference Link

15:23 EDT Orion CEO says company has 'a lot of momentum' - In an exclusive interview with The Fly, Orion Energy (OESX) CEO Mike Altschaefl talked about competition and why he believes the company has several "competitive advantages": "It's a competitive industry and the competition comes in a couple of different paths, depending on how we go to market. We go to market in three different ways. First, we have our large national accounts where we sell directly to end users who are working directly with the company that needs to put light fixtures into their facilities in those situations. We tend to be competing with some of the larger players in the industry - names like Acuity (AYI), Eaton lighting (ETN), Hubbell (HUBB) and Cree (CREE). And where we differentiate from theirs is that we believe to be best suited and staffed, and with experience to actually handle the installation of the product versus simply selling the product. The second path to market is through resellers. These would be energy service companies and electrical contractors that we sell to directly and they then sell to their customers. In that area, the competition is more varied. It can be some of the very large competitors, can also be other regional or smaller lighting companies and also fixtures that are being sourced from overseas. Then finally, another path to market is our agent driven distribution market where we are represented by lighting agencies across the U.S. We have approximately 50 manufacturer sales reps that represent our product to distributors, for selling to electrical contractors. And in that market, we again are competing against the larger players - maybe some of the medium sized players - but also a little more significantly against some of the foreign sourced product, primarily coming from Asia. In all of those, we kind of view our product quality and our timeliness of delivery, our U.S. based manufacturing capabilities as the competitive advantages that we can bring to the potential customers. We've not given public estimates of our future revenues for fiscal 2020, but we feel we've got a lot of momentum, and we're pretty optimistic with a larger customer account so we can continue a nice growth path as we go forward in this industry." "Meet the Company" is The Fly's recurring series of exclusive short interviews with Executive Officers to offer a deeper look inside the company.

14:43 EDT Apple announces Apple TV+ service with exclusive original content - Apple announced original video subscription service Apple TV+. Apple TV+ is "the new home for the world's most creative storytellers featuring exclusive original shows, movies and documentaries, coming this fall. Apple TV+, Apple's original video subscription service, will feature a brand new slate of programming from the world's most celebrated creative artists, including Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Octavia Spencer, J.J. Abrams, Jason Momoa, M. Night Shyamalan, Jon M. Chu and more. On the Apple TV app, subscribers will enjoy inspiring and authentic stories with emotional depth and compelling characters from all walks of life, ad-free and on demand." Pricing and availability for the Apple TV+ video subscription service will be announced this fall.

14:38 EDT Apple says TV+ will ad-free subscription service

14:25 EDT Orion's Altschaefl says new products coming in April, May - In an exclusive interview with The Fly, Orion Energy (OESX) CEO Mike Altschaefl talked about the company's upcoming products: "It is pretty natural in our industry, and for our company, that when you get to about this time frame, you start to introduce some additional fixtures. For us, we expect to be announcing in April and May several new products that we are coming to the market with, and we think they're going to be a good addition to our existing platform of products. We think they're going to be competitive and they both leverage off of some of our existing relationships and also producing product that can fit some of the different channels that we are selling into. We would expect to roll out several new products over the next couple of months leading up to and at LightFair." "Meet the Company" is The Fly's recurring series of exclusive short interviews with Executive Officers to offer a deeper look inside the company. The remainder of this interview to follow.

14:07 EDT Ascendis Pharma announces results of study of hypoparathyroidism at ENDO 2019 - Ascendis Pharma announced a study evaluating impact of hypoparathyroidism on patients in a poster at the Endocrine Society's annual meeting, ENDO 2019, in New Orleans. A paucity of data exists on the short-term symptoms and burden of illness experienced by patients with this condition. The study found that, despite treatment with current therapies, 100 percent of patients experienced physical impact, psychological impact, and interference with daily life, reflecting a substantial illness burden from HP. "I have lived with HP for over 25 years and have personally experienced how this debilitating disease affects all areas of life - physical, emotional and social," said Deb Murphy, President of the HypoPARAthyroidism Association. "This study highlights that currently available therapies are still not enough. It is critical to not only increase awareness of HP, but to develop new treatment options that address all aspects of the disease and improve patients' quality-of-life." These results clearly show the need for a treatment option that can address all aspects of HP to help alleviate the significant quality-of-life issues these patients face every day," said Jonathan Leff, M.D., Ascendis Pharma's Chief Medical Officer. "Our endocrinology rare disease pipeline includes a potential new therapy for hypoparathyroidism, TransCon PTH, which is designed to restore PTH to physiologic levels continuously for 24 hours a day. By providing sustained levels of PTH, we hope to control and maintain serum and urinary calcium levels. In doing so, we hope to prevent many of the debilitating quality-of-life challenges highlighted in this study." TransCon PTH is a long-acting prodrug of parathyroid hormone, in development as a potential once-daily replacement therapy for HP. PaTH Forward is a global phase 2 trial designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of TransCon PTH in adult subjects with hypoparathyroidism. The trial is also evaluating a titration regimen for the complete withdrawal of standard of care. The company anticipates top-line results from the

14:05 EDT Apple CEO Tim Cook announces Apple TV+

14:03 EDT Apple bringing Apple TV app to Samsung, LG, Sony, Vizio smart televisions

13:54 EDT Apple announces Apple TV Channels service

13:51 EDT Apple Arcade pricing details not announced

13:48 EDT Apple Arcade will be available offline, has no ads or in app purchases

13:46 EDT Apple Arcade will include augmented reality, multi-player games

13:43 EDT Apple aanounces Apple Arcade game subscription service

13:39 EDT Apple says Apple Card coming to the Wallet app this summer

13:37 EDT Apple says Apple Card will have titanium physical card

13:36 EDT Orion CEO says focused on Enterprise grade LED lighting - In an exclusive interview with The Fly, CEO Mike Altschaefl discussed Orion (OESX) and its products: "Orion Energy is a company that delivers Enterprise grade LED lighting in IoT Solutions. We are a company that both designs and manufacturers energy efficient LED light fixtures. We primarily service the commercial and industrial marketplace with our Solutions. We are also a company that provides TurnKey capabilities. We have the ability to both review a situation for a customer, custom design fixtures for them and actually manage the installation of those fixtures in their facilities on a nationwide basis. We've been in business since 1996. We became public in 2007 and we are primarily and most heavily in the LED Lighting Market Place along with industrial controls." "Meet the Company" is The Fly's recurring series of exclusive short interviews with Executive Officers to offer a deeper look inside the company. The remainder of this interview to follow.

13:35 EDT Apple partnered with Goldman Sachs for Apple Card

13:33 EDT Apple says Daily Cash rewards are unlimited

13:31 EDT Apple Card has Daily Cash, a daily cash back reward

13:29 EDT Apple Card in Wallet app, accepted where Apple Pay is accepted

13:27 EDT Apple CEO Tim Cook announces Apple Card credit card

13:25 EDT Apple CEO Tim Cook says Apple Pay to be available in over 40 countries this year

13:24 EDT Apple CEO Tim Cook says Apple Pay on target to surpass 10B transactions in 2019

13:22 EDT Apple says Apple News+ available today, with first month free

13:21 EDT Apple says Apple News doesn't allow advertisers to track users

13:12 EDT Orion CEO believes company has 'lot of momentum'

13:12 EDT Toyota, Ford among Orion's largest automotive clients, CEO says

13:11 EDT Orion Energy CEO says $11M Letter of Intent 'a nice win'

13:09 EDT Nike pares losses after Avenatti gets charged with extorting company - Shares of Nike pared their losses after Bloomberg reported that celebrity lawyer Michael Avenatti was charged by federal prosecutors in New York with attempting to extort millions of dollars out of the company. The lawyer threatened to release damaging information about Nike, which did not meet his demands, according to Bloomberg. Shares of Nike moved lower in midday trading after Avenatti tweeted, "Tmrw at 11 am ET, we will be holding a press conference to disclose a major high school/college basketball scandal perpetrated by @Nike that we have uncovered. This criminal conduct reaches the highest levels of Nike and involves some of the biggest names in college basketball." Nike is now down 22c to $81.94.

13:08 EDT Apple says Apple News is #1 news app - This comment was taken from Apple's Special Event.

12:38 EDT Michael Avenatti claims Nike perpetrated 'major' college basketball scandal - Lawyer Michael Avenatti tweeted, "Tmrw at 11 am ET, we will be holding a press conference to disclose a major high school/college basketball scandal perpetrated by @Nike that we have uncovered. This criminal conduct reaches the highest levels of Nike and involves some of the biggest names in college basketball. Shares of Nike are down 13c to $82.07 in midday trading. Reference Link

12:03 EDT Electronic Arts announces new publishing agreement with Velan Studios - Electronic Arts and Velan Studios announced that EA Partners will publish Velan's first original IP for consoles, PC and mobile. The company said, "In addition to introducing a unique game world, the title will pioneer an entirely new and entertaining way to experience team-based action." Velan Studios also announced that it will add 40 jobs, doubling its current development team by the end of the year.

12:00 EDT PG&E falls -9.0% - PG&E is down -9.0%, or -$1.74 to $17.68.

12:00 EDT Key Energy falls -9.8% - Key Energy is down -9.8%, or -47c to $4.32.

12:00 EDT Tier REIT rises 8.1% - Tier REIT is up 8.1%, or $2.06 to $27.54.

11:47 EDT Enviva trading resumes

11:16 EDT Viacom, AT&T confirm continued carriage agreement - Viacom (VIAB) and AT&T (T) released the following statement: "We are pleased to announce a renewed Viacom-AT&T contract that includes continued carriage of Viacom services across multiple AT&T platforms and products. The deal also brings AT&T customers more choice and improved value for Viacom content. We expect to announce additional details in the near future."

10:38 EDT Bayer, J&J's Janssen settle 'virtually all' Xarelto claims in U.S. for $775M - Bayer (BAYRY) announced that more than five years after the Xarelto litigation began, and with the company and Johnson & Johnson's (JNJ) Janssen Pharmaceuticals prevailing in all six cases that went to trial, the companies have reached an agreement in principle to settle in the amount of $775M. The settlement amount will be shared equally between the two companies. It is expected that Bayer's share will be partially offset by product liability insurance. The settlement will resolve "virtually all" of the approximately 25,000 Xarelto claims in the U.S., Bayer said. The companies have reserved the right to withdraw from the settlement if certain participation rates of those who are eligible to participate are not satisfied. "Bayer continues to believe these claims are without merit and there is no admission of liability under the agreement. However, this favorable settlement allows the company to avoid the distraction and significant cost of continued litigation," the company said in a statement. It adds, "The safety profile of Xarelto remains positive and unchanged as confirmed time and again by regulatory agencies worldwide. We remain committed to the more than 45 million patients who have been prescribed Xarelto worldwide and focused on developing new therapies that improve the lives and well-being of patients."

10:23 EDT Nokia announces 5G contract with A1 in Austria - A1 and Nokia announced they have signed a contract to expand 5G mobile communications in Austria. "The contract reinforces the long-standing partnership between A1 and Nokia which has included the successful expansion of 3G and 4G / LTE mobile networks and the roll-out of Austria's largest fiber-optic network. The contract includes both Nokia's 5G radio access and cloud-native 5G core technology. With this innovative network technology, A1 ensures seamless high-performance service and excellent user experience over wireless, fixed or converged networks, meeting the diverse and demanding network requirements for connecting people and things," the companies stated.

10:06 EDT Liquid Media executes agreement to acquire Open Nuage for $858,750 - Liquid Media Group announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the cloud gaming platform Open Nuage. The company said, "Created by Throwback Entertainment, the platform makes playing and developing games in the cloud faster and easier. Open Nuage builds on Liquid's leadership in cloud technologies for the film and entertainment space and further diversifies the company's portfolio." The acquisition is expected to close within 60 days subject to satisfactory completion of due diligence by Liquid and other customary closing conditions. As consideration for the acquisition of Open Nuage, Liquid will pay total consideration of $858,750, payable in the form of common shares or cash at Liquid's discretion. If Throwback is able to meet certain performance milestones for downloads, it will also be eligible for an additional issuance of common shares of Liquid.

10:02 EDT AMSC mentioned cautiously in a Seeking Alpha article - Reference Link

10:00 EDT Nu Skin falls -7.0% - Nu Skin is down -7.0%, or -$3.45 to $45.83.

10:00 EDT Yirendai rises 5.1% - Yirendai is up 5.1%, or 58c to $12.04.

10:00 EDT Avaya rises 33.2% - Avaya is up 33.2%, or $4.39 to $17.60.

09:47 EDT Cellcom Israel falls -5.1% - Cellcom Israel is down -5.1%, or -19c to $3.56.

09:47 EDT Transcontinental Realty Inc rises 5.0% - Transcontinental Realty Inc is up 5.0%, or $1.51 to $31.86.

09:47 EDT Avaya rises 34.1% - Avaya is up 34.1%, or $4.50 to $17.71.

09:36 EDT Robert Half mentioned cautiously at Off Wall Street

09:33 EDT Lantheus promotes John Bolla to COO - Lantheus announced that John Bolla, the company's Senior Vice President, Technical Operations, has been promoted to the newly created position of COO, effective immediately. As COO, Bolla will lead the company's Technical Operations, Engineering & Facilities, Environment, Health & Safety, Human Resources, and Information Technology organizations in addition to his oversight of the Puerto Rico business unit.

09:28 EDT Neonode says Convergence Promotions to act as sales and marketing partner - Neonode announced that Convergence Promotions will act as Neonode's North American sales and marketing partner to the industrial, medical, aerospace, military, robotics and consumer markets. This partnership will help Neonode deliver on its strategy of providing Neonode sensor modules to a wide range of customers, by providing a nationwide consortium of sales reps and FAE support throughout North America. Neonode's product lineup is qualified for use in the most rugged and demanding environments and addresses both touch and mid-air gesture applications.

09:24 EDT Orgenesis to establish new facility for cell, gene therapy manufacturing - Orgenesis announced plans to establish a new production site for its Masthercell Global subsidiary, designed to manufacture late-stage and commercially-approved cell and gene therapy products. The company signed a lease agreement for a 5,700 square meter building located within the Gosselies Biopark in Belgium. The new commercial facility is expected to be operational early in 2021 and is expected to triple Masthercell Global's current capacity. The facility will include industry 4.0 precepts such as software integration, intelligent equipment and integrated processes with the objective to provide cell and gene therapy customers an efficient and cost-effective manufacturing solution. Once the new commercial facility is operational, the current facility, also located within the Gosselies Biopark, will instead focus on industrial manufacturing process development and early to mid-stage, clinically-focused cell and gene therapy products.

09:11 EDT Comtech receives $2.6M contract award from U.S. military - Comtech announced that during its third quarter of fiscal 2019, its New York-based subsidiary, Comtech PST Corp., which is part of Comtech's Government Solutions segment, received a $2.6M contract award for high power amplifier systems from the U.S. Military. These amplifier systems, which include the latest broadband solid-state transistor technology, provide for very broad frequency coverage and will be utilized as part of electronic warfare communication jamming systems.

09:10 EDT Central European Media trading resumes

09:01 EDT Arthur J. Gallagher acquires McLean Insurance Agency, terms not disclosed - Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. announced the acquisition of Potomac Falls, Virginia-based McLean Insurance Agency. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Established in 1971, McLean Insurance Agency offers retail property/casualty, life and employee benefit brokerage and consulting services to businesses and individuals throughout the Eastern United States.

08:51 EDT Xeris Pharmaceuticals presents new data on developmental RTU glucagon - Xeris Pharmaceuticals announced it is presenting data on its developmental ready-to-use room-temperature stable liquid glucagon at two medical conferences. Xeris will present the first data from its Phase 2 study of RTU, room-temperature stable liquid glucagon for congenital hyperinsulinemia during ENDO 2019. As part of this randomized, placebo-controlled study, five patients with CHI under 1 year of age were enrolled to receive Xeris' RTU glucagon delivered continuously through an Omnipod infusion pump to prevent hypoglycemia and to lower supplemental glucose requirements, via reductions in intravenous glucose infusion rates. The company said, "Treated patients had a positive clinical response compared to those receiving placebo, and follow-up open-label treatment resulted in a clinically meaningful response in all evaluable patients." Results of a Xeris budget impact model on the estimated potential reduction in costs associated with use of its RTU room-temperature stable liquid glucagon will be presented in a poster during the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy's AMCP Managed Care & Specialty Pharmacy Annual Meeting. The model was developed to estimate the economic impact of open coverage of Gvoke HypoPen for the treatment of severe hypoglycemia events as an alternative to currently marketed glucagon emergency kits . The company said, "With its positive functional efficacy profile, the results of the model illustrate the potential financial benefits for open coverage of glucagon rescue pen. The health utilization data also supports physicians to increase patient access to completed and filled glucagon prescriptions, in order to optimize patient outcomes. Results of the analysis indicate that significant overall cost savings may be achieved with use of the Xeris GRP." A New Drug Application for Xeris' lead product candidate, Gvoke HypoPen for the treatment of severe hypoglycemia, is currently under review with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, with a decision expected during Q2.

08:43 EDT Odyssey Marine provides update on Mexican phosphate project - Odyssey Marine provided an update on subsidiary Exploraciones Oceanicas, or ExO's, phosphate project in Mexico. Notably, Odyssey here advises of an additional legal step it has taken to defend shareholder interests and realize the full economic value in the development of the project. As of 2012 the Mexican government granted ExO concessions for the development of a seabed phosphate deposit, more than 22 kilometers off the coast of Baja California Sur. Odyssey believes that phosphate sands extracted from the deposit could supply most of North America's fertilizer needs for the next 100 years. ExO has placed responsible environmental development of the phosphate resource at the heart of its plans. ExO spent six years working to the scientific standards to demonstrate that the concession can be developed in an environmentally responsible manner causing no long- or even short-term negative effects on the local marine environment. ExO worked closely with scientists from Mexico's Ministry of the Environment. Despite this, the Secretary of the Environment, Rafael Pacchiano, led an initial denial of approval in April 2016. ExO appealed that negative decision to Mexico's Superior Tribunal of Administrative Justice. In March 2018 a unanimous full bench of the Tribunal confirmed that the initial decision failed to comport with Mexican law, in that it failed to consider the actual circumstances of the project and the extensive environmental mitigation measures ExO had proposed. The Tribunal sent the issue back to SEMARNAT for a proper decision in compliance with the agency's statutory obligations. In October 2018 SEMARNAT issued a second refusal. Odyssey has full confidence in the environmental and economic merits of its venture in Mexico. It also intends to take all necessary steps to protect this valuable shareholder asset. In these circumstances, to protect its rights and to defend shareholder value, on January 4, Odyssey formally filed notice of its intention, or NOI, to file a claim against Mexico under Chapter Eleven of the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA. Filing a NOI initiates a consultation period during which Odyssey and the Mexican Government will seek amicably to resolve this dispute.

08:35 EDT Kandi Technologies announces equity restructuring of JV company - Kandi Technologies announced today that Kandi's wholly-owned subsidiary, Zhejiang Kandi Vehicles on March 21 with Geely Technologies Group to transfer certain equity interests in the Kandi Electric Vehicles Group to Geely. Pursuant to the Transfer Agreement, the parties have agreed to some of the key terms below:The JV Company agrees to convert a loan of $46.7M from Geely Group last year to equity in order to increase its cash flow. As a result, the registered capital of the JV Company shall become $363.2M Kandi Vehicles shall own 43.47% and Geely shall own 56.53%, of the equity interests in the JV Company, respectively, upon the conversion of the loan into equity in the JV Company; Kandi Vehicles agrees to sell 21.47% of its equity interests in the JV Company to Geely for a total amount of $76.9M. Kandi Vehicles shall own 22% of the equity interests of the JV Company after the transfer; Both parties further agreed that within next two years, Kandi may purchase a portion of the assets of the JV Company in the form of its shares, resulting in Geely becoming a significant shareholder of the company.

08:34 EDT Menlo Therapeutics announces publication of Phase 2 serlopitant trial data - Menlo Therapeutics announced the publication of the company's Phase 2 trial of serlopitant for the treatment of pruritus associated with prurigo nodularis, or PN, in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, or JAAD. The previously presented trial results demonstrate that serlopitant reduced pruritus in patients with treatment-refractory PN and was well-tolerated. The study met its primary and multiple secondary efficacy endpoints of pruritus reduction in patients in the serlopitant treatment group compared with placebo. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 128 patients with chronic, treatment-refractory PN for more than 6 weeks received serlopitant, 5 mg, or placebo orally once daily for 8 weeks. For the primary endpoint assessment, pruritus scores were measured using the average itch visual analog scale. Pruritus scores improved significantly more in patients treated with serlopitant than in patients treated with placebo.

08:32 EDT iStar sells Preferred Freezer net lease assets for gain of about $215M - iStar announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its portfolio of seven cold storage properties leased to Preferred Freezer Services to a third party for a price of $442.5M, including the assumption of $228M of debt by the purchaser. The company currently expects to record a gain of approximately $215M in its financial statements in the quarter in which the sale closes. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions and lender consent. There can be no assurance that the closing of the transaction will happen in the expected timeframe or at all. iStar intends to use the net sale proceeds for new investments and working capital.

08:19 EDT BioXcel Therapeutics files BXCL701 CTA with U.K. health authorities - BioXcel Therapeutics, or BTI, announced that it has filed a clinical trial application, or CTA, with the U.K. health authorities for its immuno-oncology asset, BXCL701, an orally-available small molecule immune-modulator with dual mechanisms of action, in combination with pembrolizumab, a checkpoint inhibitor, in tNEPC. BTI is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical development company utilizing novel artificial intelligence approaches to identify the next wave of medicines across neuroscience and immuno-oncology. Following approval of the CTA, BTI plans to expand the Phase 1b/2 US study of BXCL701 and pembrolizumab in tNEPC to the U.K. Data from the open-label trial will support the ongoing global clinical development of BXCL701. Additionally, BioXcel Therapeutics is preparing to file an investigational new drug, or IND, application with the FDA for a clinical trial evaluating the triple combination of BXCL701, NKTR-214 and avelumab in the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer.

08:13 EDT Vale: Brucutu mine will not resume operation within estimated timeframe

08:13 EDT Rubius Therapeutics appoints Greg Whitehead CQO - Rubius Therapeutics (RUBY) announced the appointment of Greg Whitehead as senior VP and CQO. Whitehead brings more than 25 years of quality related experience to Rubius. He joins the company from Bluebird Bio (BLUE) where he most recently served as VP, quality.

08:11 EDT Norweigian Air to delay potential sales of six Boeing 737-800 aircraft - Following recommendations by European aviation authorities, Norwegian Air said it has temporarily suspended flights operated by the Boeing 737 MAX. Following this decision, the company is combining flights and reallocating aircraft within its own network, keeping the number of cancellations at a minimum and minimizing the impact on customers. Norwegian has more than 110 Boeing 737-800 aircraft in its fleet, which is not affected by the temporary suspension. It also has some available capacity in the 787 Dreamliner fleet that has been utilized on several high-volume routes. The schedule changes have been concentrated to high frequency routes, minimizing both the economic impact and the disruption for passengers. Affected passengers have been transferred to other flights, but are not eligible for standard EU compensation. The company remains in close dialogue with European aviation authorities and follow their instructions and recommendations. The company is also taking precautionary measures to make sure the passengers reach their destination going forward. In addition to continuing combining flights and reallocating aircraft, the company has decided to delay potential sales of six Boeing 737-800 aircraft and use available 787 Dreamliner capacity on high-volume routes, which will add flexibility. The company is further preparing to wetlease aircraft to fill the remaining capacity gap. The company has a good dialogue with Boeing and is confident to reach a constructive agreement.

08:08 EDT Braskem announces new U.S. distribution partnership with PolyQuest - Braskem announced a new U.S. distribution partnership for Braskem's growing U.S. polypropylene business with PolyQuest, a leading North American polymer resin distributor and recycler. As a distributor of polypropylene, and the largest distributor of PET in the U.S., PolyQuest has long-standing relationships with customers in the sheet, film, textiles, strapping and BCF markets.

08:07 EDT Avon confirms preliminary discussions with Natura on potential transaction - Avon Products on Friday confirmed there have been preliminary discussions with Natura & Co. regarding a potential transaction. Avon said, "The company does not intend to comment further at this time. Avon's management team remains focused on the turnaround strategy that we have articulated to investors to drive long-term value for our shareholders."

08:07 EDT ISS recommends Goldcorp shareholders vote in favor of Newmont Mining deal - Goldcorp (GG) is pleased to announce that Institutional Shareholder Services has recommended that shareholders of Goldcorp vote FOR the proposed plan of arrangement with Newmont Mining (NEM). In its report, ISS notes the strategic sense of the Arrangement, the robust process that led to the deal, and the significant synergies that are expected to arise from combining the two companies.

08:05 EDT Masimo announces FDA clearance of Rad-67 Pulse CO-Oximeter - Masimo announced FDA clearance of the Rad-67 Pulse CO-Oximeter with Spot-check Next Generation SpHb monitoring technology and the rainbow DCI-mini Reusable Sensor. Rad-67 offers rainbow noninvasive hemoglobin measurement and Measure-through Motion and Low Perfusion SET pulse oximetry in a compact, portable spot-check monitoring device. When used with the rainbow DCI-mini sensor, Rad-67 provides spot-check monitoring with Next Generation SpHb.

08:03 EDT FTC withdraws Tronox-Cristal transaction from adjudication - Tronox confirmed that the Federal Trade Commission has withdrawn the company's proposed acquisition of the titanium dioxide business of The National Titanium Dioxide Company from adjudication for the purpose of considering the related proposed Consent Agreement. Should the proposed Consent Agreement receive final approval by the Commission, the transaction would then be able to be consummated. The transaction, modified to include the proposed divestiture of Cristal's North American TiO2 business to INEOS Enterprises, a division of INEOS, has garnered widespread support from Cristal and Tronox's North American pigment customers.

07:58 EDT Cheetah Mobile reports Q4 global mobile MAUs 470M - The average number of global mobile monthly active users was 470M in the fourth quarter of 2018. The number of Mobile MAUs from markets outside of China, or overseas markets, accounted for 72% of the total number of Mobile MAUs in the fourth quarter of 2018.

07:36 EDT BeyondSpring to present predictive biomarker data for Plinabulin at AACR - BeyondSpring announced that the company will present data relevant to predictive biomarkers for patient selection for its lead asset, Plinabulin, at the American Association for Cancer Research, or AACR. The results from this non-clinical study will be highlighted in a poster presentation. In this study, BeyondSpring generated neural and logistic regression algorithms that utilized Affymetrix array-based mRNA measurements to predict the ability of Plinabulin to reduce the number of live breast, lung, prostate, ovarian and CNS cancer cells in vitro. Predictive genes include CTNNB1, CALD1, ERI1, LGR5, SECISBP2L and TRAK1. The methods and predictive gene mRNAs discovered will be utilized to introduce a similar exploratory approach into Plinabulin clinical trials.

07:25 EDT Allergan says future Chairman will be independent board member - In a regulatory filing Friday night, Allergan announced that it has adopted a policy to provide that the Chairman of the board shall be an independent member of the board to be phased in with the next leadership transition. The board of directors also formed a Mergers and Acquisitions Committee to provide focused oversight on mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and other transactions. The Mergers and Acquisitions Committee is comprised of Robert Hugin as Chair, Christopher Coughlin, Thomas Freyman and Michael Greenberg. Additionally, the board of directors adopted "enhancements to its already-robust Lead Independent Director role, responding to shareholder input and further strengthening the position," the company said. Allergan announced that Catherine Klema will not be standing for re-election to the board at the 2019 Annual General Meeting of Shareholders and also announced that Thomas Freyman will become the Chair of the Compensation Committee of the Board, effective as of Ms. Klema's retirement from the board.

07:17 EDT Biogen announces $5B share repurchase program - On March 24, the Board of Directors of Biogen authorized a program to repurchase up to $5B of the company's common stock. The 2019 Share Repurchase Program does not have an expiration date. All share repurchases under the 2019 Share Repurchase Program will be retired. The 2019 Share Repurchase Program is in addition to the approximately $1.7B remaining under the share repurchase program authorized by the Board of Directors of the company in August 2018.

07:13 EDT CytoSorbents announces Israel approves CytoSorb registration - CytoSorbents announces that the Medical Device Division of the State of Israel Ministry of Health medical device regulation unit, has granted registration of CytoSorb in Israel, clearing the way to begin selling the device in the country. CytoSorbents also announced its new Israeli distributor, Gad Medical, who will have exclusive rights to sell CytoSorb for all applications in Israel.

07:12 EDT Arvinas initiates patient dosing in Phase 1 ARV-110 trial - Arvinas announced the initiation of patient dosing in its Phase 1 clinical trial of ARV-110, the company's oral androgen receptor, or AR-targeted Protac protein degrader. The study will evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of ARV-110 in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, or mCRPC, who have progressed on standard of care therapies. Arvinas believes ARV-110 is the first in a new class of targeted protein degraders to enter human clinical trials and anticipates preliminary data from the study in the second half of the year. The Phase 1 open-label, dose-escalation clinical trial will assess the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of ARV-110 and is expected to enroll approximately 28-36 patients with progressive mCRPC. In addition, the study will evaluate the biochemical and clinical activity of ARV-110, by assessing prostate specific antigen levels, AR degradation, radiographic measurements of evaluable lesions and other exploratory markers of disease burden.

07:11 EDT Avrobio to start using plato in FAB-201, GAU-201 clinical trials in 2019 - Plato consists of a four-plasmid vector system, automation of a closed cell manufacturing process and a conditioning regimen that utilizes therapeutic drug monitoring. Plato was designed to enhance the potency, safety, efficacy, and long-term durability of AVROBIO's gene therapies, and may additionally provide the capability to address CNS manifestations that accompany many lysosomal storage diseases. The company expects to have manufacturing capabilities at 200-liter bioreactor scale in the second half of 2019, with vector production capable of treating a substantial number of patients per year. The automated, closed cell manufacturing system is intended to improve quality and consistency between batches. In addition, its portability may allow for global production using lower-level clean rooms that are cost-effective and in ample supply around the world. The gene therapy product is cryopreserved to simplify logistics and allow convenient scheduling for patients. The company intends to start using plato in its FAB-201 and GAU-201 clinical trials in 2019.

07:08 EDT Avrobio 'on track' for two additional gene therapy programs in 2019 - In October 2018, AVROBIO received a no objection letter from Health Canada to the clinical trial application for GAU-201, its Phase 1/2 clinical trial of AVR-RD-02 in Gaucher disease. The company subsequently received two additional NOLs from Health Canada to CTA amendments that incorporate elements of the plato platform into the trial. Dosing is expected to begin in the second half of 2019. In December 2018, the FDA accepted the Investigational New Drug application for an investigator-sponsored Phase 1/2 clinical trial of AVR-RD-04 in cystinosis. This trial will be led by Stephanie Cherqui, PhD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of California, San Diego, and is expected to begin in the second half of 2019.

07:07 EDT Cousins Properties, Tier REIT announce stock-for-stock merger deal - Cousins Properties (CUZ) and Tier REIT (TIER) announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement to combine in a 100% stock-for-stock transaction. The transaction will create a Class A office REIT with a combined portfolio of over 21 million square feet located across the Sun Belt. The combined company will have an equity market capitalization of approximately $5.9B and a total market capitalization of approximately $7.8B. Under the terms of the agreement, Cousins will issue 2.98 shares of newly issued common stock in exchange for each share of TIER stock. The all-stock merger is intended to qualify as a tax-free "reorganization" for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Upon closing, Cousins and TIER stockholders will own approximately 72% and 28% of the combined company's stock, respectively. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of the approval of both Cousins and TIER stockholders. The transaction is expected to close during the third quarter of 2019. Each of the boards of Cousins and Tier have unanimously approved the merger. Cousins' board will be increased to eleven members upon closing, with two additions from Tier's board, one of which will be Scott Fordham. Larry Gellerstedt, Cousins' Executive Chairman of the board, will serve as Executive Chairman of the board of the combined company. Colin Connolly, Cousins' President and CEO, and Cousins' existing senior management team will continue to lead the combined company. Upon completion of the merger, the company will retain the Cousins name and will trade under the ticker symbol "CUZ." The combined company's headquarters will be located in Atlanta, GA. Annual net G&A savings are anticipated to be approximately $18.5M, to be realized immediately upon closing. These savings will be derived primarily through the elimination of duplicative costs associated with supporting a public company platform as well as the elimination of duplicative costs in the markets where both companies have an existing presence. In addition, the combined company also anticipates realizing operational and leasing synergies through increased market scale.

07:05 EDT Canopy Growth receives new Health Canada licence for New Brunswick facility - Canopy Growth is pleased to announce that it has received a cultivation licence from Health Canada for its facility in Fredericton, New Brunswick. With this licensing, Canopy Growth predicts the facility will initially produce more than 5,000kg of cannabis annually, with first harvests expected to become available to the market within six months. Developed in collaboration with Canopy Rivers and operating under Canopy Growth's flagship Tweed brand, the facility will support the company's global and local operations with high quality, large-scale cannabis production capabilities that will serve the needs of recreational and medical customers. To meet that demand, Canopy Growth expects to create more than 130 jobs at the Fredericton plant

07:01 EDT Bristiol-Myers highlights strategic rationale of Celgene deal in letter - Bristol-Myers Squibb Company's (BMY) Board of Directors sent an open letter to the company's shareholders regarding the previously announced definitive merger agreement with Celgene (CELG). In addition to its March 19 investor presentation, the company also made available on Bristol-Myers Squibb's website and will file with the SEC an investor presentation providing an overview of Bristol-Myers Squibb's ability to derive value from Celgene's pipeline and a Fact Sheet providing additional detail on key benefits of the transaction. The company says, "Having reviewed a full range of opportunities, from small collaborations to transformational combinations, we identified Celgene as by far the most compelling opportunity for Bristol-Myers Squibb and its shareholders, given its strategic fit in therapeutic areas we know well, attractive value, and its unique late-stage candidates and diversified but complementary Phase 1 and 2 pipeline. The timing of the transaction was also favorable both in the near-term, as we were able to secure a very favorable price, and for the long-term, as Bristol-Myers Squibb will be strengthened and diversified (focused within our chosen therapeutic areas of oncology and immunology) in an increasingly competitive environment... Before embarking on this important transaction, the Board of Directors thoroughly evaluated the acquisition against other alternatives for value creation. The nature of patent cycles in our industry means that companies like ours need to constantly rejuvenate themselves to stay ahead. Bristol-Myers Squibb has done this successfully over the past decade, and now we are focused on executing a program to supplement and eventually replace Opdivo and Eliquis - and sustaining our leadership for the future. We don't agree with recent suggestions to aggressively cut R&D and pursue leveraged share repurchases. Given that we operate in an industry that thrives on innovation, this approach is inconsistent with the creation of both sustainable revenue growth and long-term shareholder value. Similarly, in today's competitive and often overpriced environment for business development, we determined that pursuing a 'string-of-pearls' approach to pipeline development would not deliver value or pipeline opportunities that are as compelling as acquiring Celgene."

06:58 EDT EU fines Nike EUR12.5M for restricting cross-border sales of merchandise - The European Commission has fined Nike EUR$12.5M for banning traders from selling licensed merchandise to other countries within the EEA. This restriction concerned merchandising products of some of Europe's best-known football clubs and federations, for which Nike held the license. Nike cooperated with the Commission beyond its legal obligation to do so, in particular by providing the Commission with information that allowed it to extend the scope of the case. As a result, the investigation included ancillary sport merchandise of a number of additional clubs. The company also provided evidence with significant added value and expressly acknowledged the facts and the infringements of EU competition rules. Therefore, the Commission granted Nike a 40% fine reduction in return for this cooperation.

06:52 EDT Descartes Systems selects Microsoft Azure to deliver cloud solutions - Descartes Systems (DSGX) announced that it has selected Microsoft Azure (MSFT) to power its software solutions that help manufacturers, retailers, distributors and logistics services providers to create more responsive, productive and compliant supply chain operations. Descartes plans on expanding the use of Azure services across its solutions by incorporating Azure AI, Azure Databricks, Azure SQL Server Managed Instance Database, and Microsoft Power BI to support machine learning, data processing and analysis, and data visualization. These additional Azure services can help customers in diverse industries better identify and visualize more meaningful, timely and accurate business insights, and make more informed, data-driven decisions across the billions of logistics transactions Descartes customers process every year.

06:45 EDT Fanhua provides update on share buyback program - Fanhua announced that it has repurchased 183,440 of its American Depository Shares at an average price of approximately $25.8 per ADS for a total amount of approximately $4.7M in the period from March 18 to March 22. 2019. As of March 22, it has purchased an aggregate of 325,058 ADSs, at an average price of approximately $25.6 per ADS for a total amount of approximately $8.3M, as part of its previously announced share buyback program to repurchase up to $200M ADS by December 31. The repurchased ADSs will be cancelled subsequently.

06:27 EDT Yirendai announces business realignment with CreditEase - Yirendai announced that it has entered into definitive agreements relating to a business realignment with CreditEase Holdings, or CreditEase, the controlling shareholder of the company, to better serve its investors and borrowers. Pursuant to the definitive agreements, Yirendai will assume certain business operations, including online wealth management targeting the mass affluent, unsecured and secured consumer lending, financial leasing, SME lending, and other related services or businesses from CreditEase and its affiliates, for a total consideration of 106,917,947 newly issued ordinary shares of Yirendai and RMB889M cash, as may be adjusted in accordance with the pre-agreed mechanism, at the transaction closing. Ning Tang, the executive chairman of Yirendai, who is also the founder, chairman and CEO of CreditEase, will assume the CEO role of Yirendai upon the closing of the transactions. CreditEase has also agreed not to compete with the company and to provide business consulting and other support and license certain intellectual properties to the company. The transactions contemplated under the definitive agreements are subject to certain closing conditions. It is expected that the Target Businesses will be consolidated into Yirendai's consolidated financial statements prior to the closing of the transactions once controls are transferred to Yirendai. The company's Board of Directors, acting upon the unanimous recommendation of its Audit Committee consisting of independent and disinterested directors, approved the definitive agreements and the transactions contemplated thereunder. The Audit Committee reviewed and considered the terms of the definitive agreements and the transactions with the assistance of its financial and legal advisors.

06:11 EDT Mesoblast licensee files for marketing approval of TEMCELL - Mesoblast announced its licensee in Japan, JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., has filed to extend marketing approval of TEMCELL for use in patients with Epidermolysis Bullosa. TEMCELL is already approved for the treatment of acute graft versus host disease, and was the first allogeneic cellular medicine to receive full regulatory approval in Japan. The parties have amended their License Agreement in order for JCR to access Mesoblast's mesenchymal stem cell wound healing patents to enable it to develop and commercialize TEMCELL for EB. Mesoblast will receive royalties on TEMCELL product sales for EB. JCR has received Orphan Designation for TEMCELL in the treatment of EB based on promising results from an investigator-initiated trial at Osaka University Hospital where TEMCELL was subcutaneously administered. JCR also intends to seek a label extension for TEMCELL in Japan for intravenous delivery of TEMCELL. Mesoblast will have access to clinical data generated by JCR in Japan to support development and commercialization of its MSC product candidate remestemcel-L in markets outside Japan for EB and other wound healing applications. Mesoblast plans to file for United States FDA regulatory approval of remestemcel-L shortly for the treatment of aGVHD.

06:06 EDT Bluegreen Vacations receives notice from Bass Pro regarding marketing agreement - Bluegreen Vacations (BXG) announced that on March 22, Bluegreen Vacations Unlimited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bluegreen, and Bluegreen/Big Cedar Vacations, a 51%-owned subsidiary of BVU, received a formal notice delivered pursuant to the Amended and Restated Marketing and Promotions Agreement dated December 31, 2007 from Bass Pro and Big Cedar notifying the company that Bass Pro intends to cancel the company's access to the Bass Pro marketing channels and advertising materials as of 30 days from the notice unless the company cures certain alleged breaches to Bass Pro's satisfaction. The alleged breaches cited in the notice include those previously disclosed by the company, and specifically Bass Pro's belief that the amounts paid to it as VOI sales commissions should not have been adjusted for certain purchaser defaults, breaches regarding the calculation of commissions and other amounts payable under the Agreement and other related agreements including reimbursements paid to the company, as well as matters regarding the operations at Bluegreen/Big Cedar. In addition, the notice references a breach Bass Pro alleged in 2014 regarding customer service, notwithstanding that this alleged breach has not been the subject of any correspondence since that time and that the customer service issues arising from Bass Pro have, to the company's knowledge, been minimal and been appropriately addressed. As indicated in Bass Pro's notice, the parties have recently held several in person meetings and as publicly disclosed, the company has been optimistic that a resolution of the outstanding issues would be achieved. These recent discussions with Bass Pro were not about alleged breaches but, at Bass Pro's suggestion, were focused on how best to move forward. These discussions included a possible restructuring of the amount and timing of compensation paid to Bass Pro, an extension of the term of the Agreement, the timing of entry into the Cabela's (CAB) stores and a mutual waiver of any prior alleged claims between the parties. The company believed based on its telephone discussions and subsequent meetings with Bass Pro management that Bass Pro and the Company were in basic agreement regarding the waiver of past issues and the terms of compensation going forward but these were subject to reaching an agreement on the terms of an extension and the timing of entry into Cabela's. Prior issues between the parties primarily related to a claim by the company that Bass Pro owed it additional amounts and a claim by Bass Pro regarding reimbursements and additional annual revenue going forward as well as matters regarding the operation of the Bluegreen/Big Cedar joint venture. The company has suggested on numerous occasions that the parties agree to binding arbitration to resolve these issues, but Bass Pro has refused to do so. While these discussions with Bass Pro were ongoing, the company, with Bass Pro's cooperation, has continued to execute the vacation package marketing strategy contemplated by the Agreement including the recent opening of a new marketing kiosk in Las Vegas, Nevada as well as plans to open an additional kiosk in a former Cabela's store in Rogers, Arkansas in the near term. Given the frequency and positive tone of the discussions with Bass Pro and no indication by Bass Pro of the position taken in its notice regarding customer service, the company was both surprised and disappointed by Bass Pro's current position. The company will seek to continue its discussions with Bass Pro with the hope of reaching a mutually satisfactory resolution and to obtain information regarding what Bass Pro believes would constitute the cure of the breaches that it has alleged. However, if the issues with Bass Pro are not resolved or any identified cures achieved, the company's results will be adversely impacted and the company will, in that case, pursue all remedies available to it, including pursuing recovery of all damages caused by Bass Pro's actions. BBX Capital(BBX) has advised the company that in light of these events, it is re-evaluating the previously announced short form merger that would have taken the company private and BBX Capital may choose not to proceed with the merger.

05:40 EDT Vital Therapies announce proxy firm recommendation of vote 'FOR' Immunic deal - Vital Therapies announced that Institutional Shareholder Services, or ISS, and Glass Lewis have both recommended that Vital Therapies stockholders vote "FOR" the proposed business combination with Immunic AG and the related proposals in the Company's proxy statement/prospectus for the special meeting of its stockholders. In its report, ISS stated, among other things, that "the proposed merger appears to be the best available alternative for shareholders. It appears unlikely that a liquidation would return materially greater value to shareholders given the company's cash burn, the costs of terminating the transaction, and the costs associated with a liquidation. Moreover, the market reaction at announcement was not overly negative relative to the index, and the board conducted what appears to have been a thorough strategic review process." ISS further noted that "the reverse merger provides a vehicle for Immunic to become a public company on a major exchange, which the companies believe will facilitate the combined company obtaining additional capital in the future to support development and commercialization activities. Following the transaction, the combined company will focus on Immunic's three development programs." Additionally, Glass Lewis concluded that "Given the depth of the board's review, Vital's small scale and the Company's lack of viable product candidates, we do not see significant cause for investors to object to the proposed outcome." Glass Lewis further noted "we believe there is sufficient cause for investor support here."

05:27 EDT PVH Corp. reacquires Tommy Hilfiger brand license in central, Southeast Asia - PVH Corp. announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to reacquire from Dickson Concepts the license for the Tommy Hilfiger brand in Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore and Malaysia, along with certain related leases and retail assets. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close in Q2 and is aligned with PVH's stated strategy of gaining more direct control over its brands, including through the acquisition of licensed businesses. The transaction is intended to allow the company to capitalize on the significant growth opportunity in the region.

05:12 EDT Thermo Fisher to acquire Brammer Bio for $1.7B in cash - Thermo Fisher and Brammer Bio announced they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Thermo Fisher will acquire Brammer Bio for approximately $1.7B in cash. Brammer Bio is a viral vector contract development and manufacturing organization. The business has nearly 600 employees at primary locations in Massachusetts and Florida. Brammer Bio is on track to deliver $250M of revenue in 2019 and expects to continue to exceed the projected market growth rate of 25% over the mid-term. Thermo Fisher expects the business to be accretive to adjusted EPS by 10c in the first full year of ownership. The transaction, which is expected to be completed by the end of Q2, is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Upon completion, Brammer Bio will become part of Thermo Fisher's pharma services business within its Laboratory Products and Services Segment.