Stockwinners Market Radar for May 17, 2019 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

17:59 EDT Walmart EVP Furner sells 10K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Walmart disclosed that its Executive Vice President John Furner sold 10K shares of common stock on May 17th. The total transaction size was $1.01M.

17:24 EDT Boeing awarded $163.91M Navy contract modification - Boeing has been awarded a $163.91M cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously awarded, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the service life modification, or SLM, of up to 10 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet aircraft. The SLM will extend the operational service life of the aircraft from 6,000 flight hours to an extended service life of 10,000 flight hours. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri and San Antonio, Texas. Work is expected to be completed in May 2021. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command is the contracting activity.

17:14 EDT Coty exec Pieraccioni acquires 93,100 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Coty consumer beauty chief operating officer Giovanni Pieraccioni disclosed the acquisition of 93,100 class A common shares of the company at a price of $12.913 per share.

17:06 EDT New Jersey Resources' Trice sells 12,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, New Jersey Resources director David A. Trice disclosed the sale of 12,000 common shares of the company at a price of $49.7411 per share.

17:01 EDT Telaria director Rossman sells 173K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Telaria disclosed that its director James Rossman sold 173K shares of common stock on May 15th at $8.12. The total transaction size was $1.4M.

16:44 EDT Hudson Pacific CFO sells ~57K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Hudson Pacific disclosed that its CFO Mark Lammas sold about 56.8K shares of common stock on May 15th in a total transaction size of over $1.9M.

16:32 EDT Strata Skin Sciences receives filing delinquency notice from Nasdaq - STRATA Skin Sciences received written notification from Nasdaq on May 17, 2019, that, because the company has not yet filed either of its quarterly report on form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 or its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 with the SEC, the company does not comply with the continued listing requirements under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1). This notice from Nasdaq has no immediate effect on the listing of the company's common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market. The company has until June 3, 2019 to either cure the deficiency or to submit a plan to Nasdaq showing how it intends to regain compliance.

16:21 EDT Entravision chief strategy officer Esteban Lopez Blanco to step down - Entravision Communications Corporation announced that Esteban Lopez Blanco has decided to step down as Chief Strategy Officer. Lopez Blanco joined Entravision in 2009 as the company's Executive Director of Interactive, reporting to and helping the Chief Executive Officer lead digital initiatives at the company. Lopez Blanco was later appointed as the company's Chief Strategy Officer in 2013 to lead corporate strategy, new business development, innovation, investments and M&A.

16:05 EDT Toyota calls White House tariff proclamation 'major setback' for U.S. consumers - Toyota released the following statement on the White House's proclamation on potential auto tariffs: "Today's Executive Proclamation is a major set-back for American consumers, workers and the auto industry. Toyota has been deeply engrained in the U.S. for over 60 years. Between our R&D centers, 10 manufacturing plants, 1,500-strong dealer network, extensive supply chain and other operations, we directly and indirectly employ over 475,000 in the U.S., and have invested over $60 billion in this country, including over $1 billion in philanthropic and community-outreach efforts. Today's proclamation sends a message to Toyota that our investments are not welcomed, and the contributions from each of our employees across America are not valued. We have been a leader in R&D through open-sourcing of patents in critical technologies such as fuel cells, hybrid electrification and continue to be transparent and collaborative with our innovations. Our goal is to develop technologies that help society and contribute to sustaining the economy and jobs in the U.S. We continue to innovate in areas of AI, autonomous and robotics technologies that will further contribute and improve our American society. Most every American has a Toyota story and we are very proud of the fact that over 36 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles are still on U.S. roads today. Our operations and employees contribute significantly to the American way of life, the U.S. economy and are not a national security threat. History has shown that limiting import vehicles and parts is counterproductive in creating jobs, stimulating the economy and influencing consumer buying habits. These artificial limitations would reduce consumer choice and impact all automakers since vehicle parts used in U.S. manufacturing are sourced from around the globe. If import quotas are imposed, the biggest losers will be consumers who will pay more and have fewer vehicle choices. We remain hopeful that the upcoming negotiations on trade can be resolved quickly and yield what is best for the American consumer, workers and the auto industry."

16:02 EDT Asta Funding approves $10.5M share repurchase - Asta Funding announced that its board has approved the repurchase of up to $10.5M of the company's common stock. Repurchases will be made from time to time at the company's discretion, based on ongoing assessments of the capital needs of the business, general market conditions and the market price of its common stock.

15:38 EDT First Midwest increases quarterly dividend 17% - First Midwest Bancorp, the parent company of First Midwest Bank, announced that its board approved a 2c, or 17%, increase in First Midwest's quarterly cash dividend on common stock to 14c per share. This quarterly cash dividend will be payable on July 9 to common stockholders of record on June 28.

14:59 EDT A.O. Smith says J Capital allegations 'inaccurate, unfounded and misleading' - A. O. Smith issued a statement in response to a report issued on May 16 by short seller J Capital Research, stating in part: "A. O. Smith, founded 145 years ago, has a long track record of operating with integrity across the world. A recent report by short seller J Capital Research makes inaccurate, unfounded and misleading allegations designed to negatively impact A. O. Smith's share price for J Capital's own benefit. Much of the misinformation contained in the report centers around the company's longstanding operations in China. We have done business in China for more than 20 years, serving millions of consumers across the country. As is common for many companies who do similar business in China, we utilize a distribution channel where third-party supply-chain partners, such as Jiangsu UTP Supply Chain and other supply chain partners, purchase product from us which they subsequently distribute to distributers and ultimate end-users. We understand our supply chain partners do similar services for other global companies with whom they work. All revenue associated with UTP and others was appropriately recognized in accordance with U. S. GAAP in our financial statements. Our financial statements and internal controls over financial reporting are annually audited by Ernst & Young LLP. While we value all of our distribution relationships, we do not have debt or equity interests in UTP and maintain appropriate independent commercial agreements. Given we have significant longstanding operations in China, a significant portion of our $633M of cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of March 31, 2019 was held by our foreign subsidiaries, including $457M of cash denominated in local currency in China, in A. O. Smith-owned, unencumbered bank accounts. We executed a $150M dividend from China in 2018, and we expect to dividend approximately $150M in the first half of 2019. We continue to review our capital allocation strategy, which includes repatriation of foreign cash as appropriate, while complying with local regulatory policies."

14:17 EDT Curtiss-Wright CFO Tynan sells 5,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Curtiss-Wright vice president and CFO Glenn E. Tynan disclosed the sale of 5,000 common shares of the company at a price of $115 per share.

14:05 EDT Moderna says data upports initiation of Phase 1 program for mRNA-1944 - Moderna announced the publication of preclinical data in Science Immunology, showing that "mRNA encoding a human monoclonal antibody against the chikungunya virus delivered in a proprietary lipid nanoparticle can protect from infection by the virus in vivo." These data supported the initiation of a Phase 1 program of mRNA-1944 against chikungunya virus in January 2019 to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of escalating doses of mRNA-1944 via intravenous infusion in healthy adults.

13:56 EDT Lionsgate up 6% to $14.44 after Information says CBS made offer to buy Starz

13:32 EDT Argan reports 'significant operational, contractual challenges' with UK project - In a regulatory filing earlier this morning, Argan disclosed that in its Form 10-K Annual Report that was filed on April 10, the company reported that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Atlantic Projects Company, is completing a certain power-plant construction project in the United Kingdom that has encountered "significant operational and contractual challenges," and that the consolidated operating results for the year ended January 31, 2019 reflected unfavorable gross profit adjustments related to this project. "The disclosure explained that the project progress was behind the schedule originally established for the job and warned that the project may continue to impact the company's consolidated operating results negatively until it reaches completion. During the three months ended April 30, 2019, APC's estimates of the unfavorable financial impacts of the difficulties on this project, the TeesREP Biomass Power Station, have escalated substantially. APC conducted a comprehensive review of the remaining contract work, prepared a new timeline for the completion of the project and assessed other factors. Management has not completed its analysis of the new information, but it now realizes that the costs for APC to complete the work that remains for the project will exceed projected revenues and that the resulting loss for this project will most likely be substantial. The company expects that the amount of the loss to be recorded will adversely affect the company's consolidated operating results for the quarterly period ended April 30, 2019 in a material manner," the filing stated.

13:05 EDT Baker Hughes reports U.S. rig count down 1 to 987 rigs - Baker Hughes reports that the U.S. rig count is down 1 rig from last week to 987, with oil rigs down 3 to 802, gas rigs up 2 to 185, and miscellaneous rigs unchanged at 0. The U.S. Rig Count is down 59 rigs from last year's count of 1,046, with oil rigs down 42, gas rigs down 15, and miscellaneous rigs down 2. The U.S. Offshore Rig Count is up 2 rigs to 22 and up 3 rigs year-over-year. The Canada Rig Count is unchanged from last week at 63, with oil rigs unchanged at 22 and gas rigs unchanged at 41. The Canada Rig Count is down 20 rigs from last year's count of 83, with oil rigs down 16 and gas rigs down 4.

12:00 EDT Chaparral Energy falls -14.6% - Chaparral Energy is down -14.6%, or -75c to $4.38.

12:00 EDT CAE rises 8.7% - CAE is up 8.7%, or $2.06 to $25.83.

12:00 EDT Armstrong Flooring rises 9.6% - Armstrong Flooring is up 9.6%, or $1.01 to $11.53.

11:06 EDT Lodestar Investment Counsel to join Focus partner firm Bartlett & Co. Wealth - Focus Financial Partners announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement under which Lodestar Investment Counsel, a registered investment adviser based in Chicago, Illinois, will join Focus partner firm Bartlett & Co. Wealth Management. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2019, subject to customary closing conditions.

10:54 EDT Investor group says Texas Pacific Land Trust shareholders 'entitled' to response - SoftVest, L.P., Horizon Kinetics LLC and ART-FGT Family Partners, which collectively beneficially own over 25% of the outstanding shares of Texas Pacific Land Trust, issued the following statement: "Last evening, less than one week before the special meeting of shareholders, you issued a letter that demands answers to questions premised on innuendos that have been the centerpiece of your dreadful campaign to try to ruin the reputation of Eric Oliver in order to protect your lifetime appointments as trustees of TPL. At this time, and given the tone of your letter, we are left to believe that our failure to respond will be used by you as yet another excuse to attempt to either delay the vote at the special meeting or, possibly, bring litigation against us in an effort to further delay bringing this matter to a shareholder vote. With that in mind, we will review your letter, and have noted your deadline of 5:00pm Central time, on May 20, 2019 for a response. Given your and General Cook's professed commitment to giving shareholders all the information they need to make an informed decision, we believe shareholders are similarly entitled to a response to the [our] questions by the same deadline, most of which we have repeatedly raised with you during this campaign. How much money have you actually spent so far in this proxy contest? What mechanisms do shareholders have to enforce General Cook's resignation in three years if he is elected? Why did you threaten us with blocking every proposal Mr. Oliver might bring as trustee if we didn't settle with you? Why have you almost quit retiring shares? This has been a key component and tax efficient way to create shareholder value for over 130 years. We and other shareholders look forward to your responses."

10:27 EDT Deere says second-half shipments could be down in 20% range - Comments provided during Q2 earnings conference call.

10:08 EDT Exxon says development of Permian Basin resources in NM positive for economy - Exxon Mobil said a new study estimates the company's development of Permian Basin resources in New Mexico will generate approximately $64B in net economic benefits for the state and local communities over the next 40 years, creating thousands of new jobs and providing increased funding for education, health and human services and infrastructure improvements. "The Permian Basin is the engine of America's energy renaissance and New Mexico residents will see direct economic benefits and opportunities from our planned investments," said Darren W. Woods, chairman and chief executive officer of Exxon Mobil Corporation. "We will be a significant, long-term economic contributor to the state of New Mexico and will work hard to be a trusted member of the community." The state government will receive an estimated $62B in net fiscal benefits, $44B of which will come from new leases and royalties, according to the research. About $8.5 billion will come from state oil-and-gas severance taxes, said the study which was conducted for ExxonMobil by Impact Data Source. The research findings assume an oil price of $40 per barrel.

10:02 EDT JPMorgan Chase to acquire InstaMed to expand healthcare payments capabilities - JPMorgan Chase announced its plan to acquire InstaMed, a U.S. healthcare technology company that specializes in healthcare payments. "The acquisition will expand the bank's suite of payment services designed specifically for healthcare consumers, providers, and payers. InstaMed's secure, centralized platform alleviates a number of challenges in the healthcare payments industry, with particular focus on eliminating paper, improving the consumer financial experience, and reducing costs to collect payments," the company stated. Bill Marvin, co-founder and CEO of InstaMed, said "Together, we will be able to invest in and expand the InstaMed Network, accelerate our consumer reach, and deepen our commitment to innovation."

10:00 EDT Telaria rises 5.9% - Telaria is up 5.9%, or 49c to $8.84.

10:00 EDT Armstrong Flooring rises 8.6% - Armstrong Flooring is up 8.6%, or 90c to $11.42.

09:52 EDT IAMGold comments on trading, says 'not aware of any material change' - IAMGold provided a comment on its recent trading activity. It said, "As a general policy, the Company does not comment on speculation and rumours. The Company is not aware of any material change that would account for recent trading activity in its stock. The Company regularly reviews strategic alternatives available to it and may engage in discussions regarding potential transactions. The Company will inform the market as required and does not have any further comment at this time."

09:47 EDT Rogers Corporation falls -5.3% - Rogers Corporation is down -5.3%, or -$9.21 to $163.65.

09:47 EDT Park Electrochemical rises 3.8% - Park Electrochemical is up 3.8%, or 61c to $16.34.

09:47 EDT Armstrong Flooring rises 6.9% - Armstrong Flooring is up 6.9%, or 73c to $11.25.

09:18 EDT MySize announces first commercial contracts for MySizeID - My Size announced it has secured its first commercial contracts for MySizeID, the company's smart measurement application for fashion and online retail, following successful pilot programs. The first retailers that are either in the process of integrating or have completed integration of MySizeID into their online stores include: a sustainable fashion brand out of Europe; a manufacturer of music performance group apparel; a European ready-to-wear and accessories brand; a wedding dress manufacturer; and a retailer specializing in beachwear and intimate wear. My Size is also in the integration phase with a U.S.-based lifestyle brand.

09:06 EDT Omega Healthcare ACQUIRES MedEquities Realty Trust in deal valued at $600M - Omega Healthcare (OHI) and MedEquities Realty Trust (MRT) announced the completion of Omega's acquisition of all of the outstanding shares of MedEquities. The transaction represents an enterprise value of approximately $600M for MedEquities and further diversifies Omega's assets and operators. Under the terms of the merger agreement, each outstanding share of MedEquities common stock automatically was converted into the right to receive 0.235 of a share of Omega common stock plus $2.00 in cash, which represents a value of $10.85 per MedEquities share based on the $37.67 closing price for Omega common stock on May 16. Separately, pursuant to the terms of the merger agreement, MedEquities declared a special cash dividend of 21c per share payable to the holders of record of MedEquities common stock as of the closing of the transaction, which will be paid together with the cash consideration from the transaction.

09:04 EDT Precision Therapeutics granted extension to regain compliance with Nasdaq - Precision Therapeutics announced that Nasdaq has determined that the company is eligible for a 180-day grace period, or until November 11 to regain compliance with its bid price rule. Nasdaq's determination was based on the company having met the continued listing requirement for market value of publicly held shares and all other applicable requirements for initial listing on Nasdaq, with the exception of the bid price rule and on the company's written notice to Nasdaq of its intention to cure the deficiency during the second compliance period by effecting a reverse stock split, if necessary. On November 16, the company received an initial letter from Nasdaq stating that the bid price of the company's common stock for the previous 30 consecutive trading days had closed below the minimum $1.00 per share required for continued listing under Listing Rule 5550. The letter stated that the company had 180 days, or until May 15 to demonstrate compliance by maintaining a minimum closing bid price of at least $1.00 for a minimum of 10 consecutive trading days. If the company does not regain compliance with the bid price rule by November 11, Nasdaq will provide written notification to the company that its common stock will be delisted. At that time, the company may appeal Nasdaq's delisting determination to a Nasdaq Hearings Panel. The company's common stock would remain listed pending the panel's decision. There can be no assurance that if the company does appeal such a delisting determination by Nasdaq to the Panel, that such appeal would be successful.

08:52 EDT AbbVie halts enrollment in all ongoing Depatux-M studies - AbbVie announced the Phase 3 INTELLANCE-1 study of depatuxizumab mafodotin in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma, whose tumors have EGFR amplification, demonstrated no survival benefit for patients receiving Depatux-M at an interim analysis. An Independent Data Monitoring Committee recommended the study be stopped due to lack of survival benefit for patients receiving Depatux-M compared with placebo when added to the standard regimen of radiation and temozolomide. No new safety findings were observed. Enrollment in all ongoing Depatux-M studies has been halted. "Glioblastoma patients and their caregivers face a devastating disease for which there are few therapeutic options. While we are disappointed that Depatux-M did not demonstrate a survival benefit in the INTELLANCE-1 study, we remain committed to discovering and developing therapies to address some of the most debilitating cancers," said President Michael Severino. The INTELLANCE-1 trial was conducted in collaboration with the RTOG Foundation, an independent, non-profit cancer research organization. Results from INTELLANCE-1 will be submitted for presentation at a medical conference and for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

08:42 EDT Overstock.com CEO Patrick Byrne's statement on sale of 900,000 shares - The statement by Byrne said in part: "An unanticipated stir has been created this week among shareholders by my sale of approximately 900,000 shares of "founder's shares" of Overstock.com, referenced in Form 4 filings on May 15 and today on May 17....A year ago, I told shareholders that I would be making significant sales to fund a variety of projects. Since then I have invested $12.5M in blockchain projects, approximately 2/3 of that directly alongside your company's investments . I have donated and pledged to donate approximately $50M to charity, much of it involving education and education reform, including helping realize Milton Friedman's vision of school choice through vouchers...As to the timing: since I informed the public of my plans a year ago, there has barely been a day where my selling of stock would have been appropriate and legal. On nearly every one of those days I have been in possession of information that would have made such a sale inappropriate (or at least, arguably inappropriate). Nor could I sign a 10b5 plan, when such signature can only be made when one is not in a position of having asymmetric information with the marketplace. Only briefly, last fall, for about a week, did I feel I was not in possession of material non-public information... do not intend to ever give such an explanation again. I owe shareholders staying within the law and not making decisions based on inside information, not explanations of my life and projects outside Overstock.

08:38 EDT General Mills meets DOE 'Better Plants Challenge' goal ahead of schedule - In 2012, General Mills set a 10-year goal to improve energy efficiency in the company's 26 largest U.S.-based plants by 20%. The U.S. Department of Energy announced that General Mills achieved its goal four years ahead of plan, with a total efficiency improvement of 20.4% since fiscal year 2012. The company's 20% improvement represents a total of over 2 Million MMBTU's of energy over the six years. In fiscal 2018, more than 60 energy efficiency and reduction projects were completed across the company. These improvement projects saved over 12 million kWh, delivered $4.8M in cost savings and avoided nearly 6.000 metric tons of CO2e of GHG emissions. As part of the company's greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal, each General Mills production facility has a target to reduce energy use by 2% annually, normalized to production. During fiscal 2018, this rate decreased by 2% compared to the prior year; absolute energy use decreased by 7%.

08:35 EDT Hain Celestial announces approval of inducement award - Hain Celestial Group announced that the independent Compensation Committee of the company's Board of Directors approved an inducement award for a new employee, Kevin McGahren, EVP, and president North America, who will be responsible for leading Hain Celestial's teams in North America including marketing and research and development. The Inducement Award was granted on May 15, 2019 under The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. 2019 Equity Inducement Award Program, which was approved by the Company's Board of Directors on February 15, 2019 and provides for the granting of equity awards to new employees of the Company. The Inducement Award was granted as an inducement material to Mr. McGahren's acceptance of employment with the Company, in accordance with NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). McGahren will receive an inducement award of 213,390 Performance Share Units intended to represent long-term incentive opportunities for fiscal years 2019 to 2021. The total shares earned pursuant to the Inducement Award shall range from 0 to 213,390 based upon the Company's achievement of certain pre-established performance goals with respect to compound annual total shareholder return over the three-year period beginning on November 6, 2018, aligned with the inducement award granted to CEO Mark Schiller, in connection with his hire.

08:34 EDT Digital Ally receives follow-on FleetVu.com/DVM-250 orders from zTrip - Digital Ally announced that it has received several significant follow-on orders during 2019 from Kansas City-based zTrip. Orders received to date in 2019 cover a total of approximately 270 new DVM-250 Video Event Recorders integrated with our FleetVu cloud-based driver monitoring and management platform. With these recent orders, zTrip will be deploying in excess of 1,000 units since zTrip's designation of the DVM-250 as the preferred Video Event Recorder for its nationwide fleet of more than 5,000 vehicles. This order further demonstrates zTrip's commitment to new technology that will set it apart from other ride-share and taxi services by providing audio/video recordings of passenger/driver interactions and events. zTrip is featuring the DVM-250 Video Event Recorders integrated with our FleetVu connectivity platform as a central part of its overall passenger/driver safety strategy which addresses safety concerns of both passengers and drivers.

08:29 EDT LiveXLive Media launches redesigned app - LiveXLive Media announced the launch of a redesigned app that brings livestreams from more than 35 global music festivals together with millions of recorded songs and hundreds of curated radio stations. Combining Slacker's personalization and LiveXLive's livestreaming expertise, the new app offers one-touch access to live events, audio streams, original episodic content, podcasts, video on demand, real-time livestreams, and social sharing of content.

08:23 EDT Soliton to explore legal, regulatory options against SeekingAlpha contributor - Soliton provided an update on its application for FDA clearance and addressed a recent anonymous article published on SeekingAlpha.com. "We know there is a lot of focus on whether or not, and when, Soliton can achieve FDA clearance to market its new Rapid Acoustic Pulse technology," commented CEO Chris Capelli."So, we would like to provide some insight regarding where we stand in this process. We submitted our request for marketing clearance, referred to as a "510(k)," in March of this year. The targeted time period for review of a 510(k) application is 90 days. This means we should be receiving feedback from the FDA before the end of this month. Importantly, we have not been notified that our application must be converted to a "De Novo" process, the approval of which can take considerably longer to secure. While we cannot be certain that our application will continue as a 510(k) or that our application will eventually be cleared, we are now cautiously optimistic that our RAP device could be cleared sooner than we have been estimating.While we normally don't comment on matters relating to our stock price, we are aware that the posting of an article by an anonymous author on SeekingAlpha.com has coincided with a precipitous drop in our stock price. Given that this article contains numerous misstatements of fact, we feel compelled to comment on the most egregious of those misstatements to ensure that investors are not further misled." The company said, "The following recites a few of the misleading claims made in this article, followed by the factual reality: CLAIMED: Remeditex has dumped every position that it has filed that it held on sec.gov. And they were smart decisions, as they all turned out to be dogs and are trading at a fraction today of what they traded at when Remeditex had its position. Will Remeditex follow this pattern and dump its entire position of SOLY? We believe it will. FACTUAL: Mr. Brett Ringle, President of Remeditex, responded, "This statement is patently false. We continue to hold our positions in a number of publicly traded portfolio companies. We believe strongly in the underlying science and ultimate potential of Soliton. Our commitment to Soliton is evidenced by our investing over $27 million and having stuck by the Company throughout its existence. In fact, we even participated in the IPO. We always carefully analyze our portfolio companies and we are convinced that Soliton has a bright future and we will continue to be a part of that future." CLAIMED: The company is years from having an FDA approved product. FACTUAL: We have said in our filings and press releases that we expect clearance of our device by end of this year. However, as described above, it appears that we may receive notice back from the FDA regarding our 510(k) application this month. While we cannot be sure, we are cautiously optimistic that our device may be cleared sooner than the Company previously indicated...We would encourage investors to consider the source. Capelli said, "These misleading claims, which appear to have led to significant financial loss to some of our shareholders come from an anonymous source identified only as a short-seller, someone who stands to benefit by instilling fear in those who may not know better. This is so egregious that we feel compelled to explore all potential options against the perpetrators, including legal and regulatory. Regardless, long after this short-seller, who believes they face no consequences for their tortious misstatements, profits from those who are misled, we will continue to stand in the full light of day by our claims, cautions and actions. For those who have not been misled, we thank you for you continued support and encouragement. We believe firmly that Soliton has tremendous potential and we remain committed to realizing that potential on your behalf.

08:15 EDT Cray trading resumes

08:14 EDT China Rapid Finance says annual report delay due to finance personnel changes - The company said, "On April 30, 2019, the Company filed a Form 12b-25 to extend the deadline for the timely filing of the Annual Report. The Company has been unable to file the Annual Report by the extended deadline of May 15, 2019, and is therefore not in compliance with the continued listing requirements under the timely filing criteria established in Section 802.01E of the NYSE Listed Company Manual. On May 16, 2019, the Company received a notice from the NYSE noting such non-compliance. This delay is the result of the recent change in the Company's finance department personnel, including the CFP, as well as the need to resolve issues relating to, among others, consolidation of a VIE entity's financial statements and other prior period adjustments that will likely result in the need to restate prior period financial statements. In particular, the Company expects that it will need to restate its quarterly results for the three months ended March 31, 2018, June 30, 2018 and September 30, 2018 that had previously been announced, and such results should not be relied upon by investors. The prior period adjustments are expected to relate to accounting treatment on transition from the previous Safeguard Program to the loyalty incentive program for lifestyle loan in February 2018, recognition of lenders' virtual accounts' funds held in custodian banks as restricted cash on balance sheet, which were previously treated as off-balance sheet items, accounting for coupon expenses paid to investors as a deduction of revenue instead of sales and marketing expenses, and consolidation of a VIE entity since the second half of 2018. In accordance with NYSE rules, the Company will have six months from the required filing due date to comply with the NYSE listing standards. The Company can regain compliance at any time during this six-month period by filing the Annual Report. In the interim, the Company's American Depositary Shares will continue to trade on the NYSE, subject to compliance with other continued listing requirements, and to ongoing oversight by the NYSE."

08:10 EDT China Rapid Finance announces changes in business operations - China Rapid Finance announced changes in its business operations and to its board of directors, acknowledged its inability to file its annual report on Form 20-F in a timely manner and noted the receipt of notices from the New York Stock Exchange that the Company is not in compliance with the NYSE's continued listing standard with respect to both the minimum average share price and its failure to timely file the annual report. The company said, " The regulatory environment for the Company's business continues to be challenging. Chinese regulators have instructed P2P platforms nationwide to implement "triple reduction," which includes reducing outstanding loan balances, reducing the number of lenders, and reducing the number of borrowers. The Company recently received a notice requesting changes to the Company's business practices in order to be in full compliance with regulatory requirements set forth in Circular 175. These events may have a negative impact on the company's financial performance. As a result of these developments, fewer new lenders are joining the Company's marketplace platform than are exiting. In addition, the Company has informed the lenders on its platform that it is transitioning from a "full redemption when due" repayment structure to a monthly payment plan due to insufficient demand for loan products as a result of the uncertain regulatory environment and other factors. This means that these lenders must rely on borrowers' monthly payment against their investments in accordance with the contractual arrangement the Company has with its lenders. An exchange has also been established by the Company for those investors that prefer to sell their loans; however, the Company provides no guarantees that investors will be able to sell their loans and at what price they will be able to sell them. The Company will continue to operate its marketplace lending platform and will concentrate on institutions as the primary funding source. The Company has also significantly downsized all parts of its operations relating to retail marketplace lending, other than collections. Going forward, the Company plans to focus on facilitating loans through its micro credit company and continue to market its decision science software to banks and other credit intermediaries. The Company is also evaluating certain strategic opportunities and fund-raising options for the future of its business, in light of the current regulatory environment. Russell Krauss, Vice-Chairman and Co-CEO of the Company has transitioned his day-to-day responsibilities to focus on strategic alternatives for the Company."

08:04 EDT Immutep announces more mature data from TACTI-mel phase 1 study - Immutep announced more mature data relating to Part B of its ongoing phase 1 TACTI-mel clinical study of the company's eftilagimod alpha in patients with melanoma. The data was presented at the World Advanced Therapies & Regenerative Medicine Congress & Expo. The ongoing TACTI-mel trial evaluates the combination of efti with anti-PD-1 therapy Keytruda in 24 patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma. It is a multi-center, open label clinical trial that involves four cohorts of six patients, each cohort testing different dosages of efti, including 1 milligram, or mg, 6 mg and 30 mg, in combination with pembrolizumab. Part B of the study includes a cohort of 6 patients at 30 mg of efti in combination with pembrolizumab, starting at cycle 1, day 1 and with a treatment duration of 12 months. Consistent with previous data reported at 6 months of combination treatment, patients in Part B continue to report positive results in terms of tumour reductions after 9 months of treatment. Four patients are continuing to receive treatment. No new safety data or data from Part A of the study have been reported.

08:03 EDT Blue Lion files proxy statement seeking to replace two HomeStreet directors - Blue Lion Capital, which beneficially owns approximately 6.5% of the outstanding shares of common stock of HomeStreet, announced that it has filed its definitive proxy materials with the Securities and Exchange Commission and has delivered an open letter to HomeStreet's shareholders. Charles Griege, Managing Partner of Blue Lion, said, "We have always believed that HomeStreet can be a high-performing bank and a great investment. Unfortunately, numerous strategic missteps, inadequate corporate stewardship, and poor financial performance have eroded shareholder confidence and destroyed shareholder value." The firm said, "Blue Lion believes that HomeStreet requires a refreshed Board with the right balance of operating skills, capital markets expertise, relevant industry experience and a commitment to sound corporate governance practices.Blue Lion also believes that HomeStreet's corporate governance structure has reduced management's accountability to the Board and the Board's accountability to shareholders. Accordingly, Blue Lion is recommending that shareholders support its proposal to have the Board select an independent member of the Board as Chair as promptly as possible. Today, HomeStreet's CEO, Mark Mason, serves in both capacities. Blue Lion believes that one person with the combined role of Chairman and CEO diminishes the CEO's accountability to the Board and the ability of the Board to independently oversee management."

07:50 EDT HP Enterprise backs FY20 free cash flow guidance of $1.9B-$2.1B

07:48 EDT HP Enterprise to acquire Cray for $35 per share in cash in deal valued at $1.3B - Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) and Cray (CRAY) announced that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement under which HPE will acquire Cray for $35.00 per share in cash, in a transaction valued at approximately $1.3B, net of cash. "Bringing together HPE and Cray enables an enhanced financial profile for the combined company that includes several revenue growth opportunities and cost synergies. The companies expect the combination to drive significant revenue growth opportunities by: Capitalizing on the growing HPC segment of the market and Exascale opportunities; Enhancing HPE's customer base with a complementary footprint in federal business and academia and the company's ability to accelerate commercial supercomputing adoption; Introducing new offerings in AI / ML and HPC-as-a-service with HPE GreenLake; We also expect to deliver significant cost synergies through efficiencies and by leveraging proprietary Cray technology, like the Slingshot interconnect, to lower costs and improve product performance." As a result of the enhanced financial profiles of the combined companies, the deal is expected to be accretive to HPE non-GAAP operating profit and earnings in the first full year following the close. As part of the transaction, HPE expects to incur one-time integration costs that will be absorbed within HPE's FY20 free cash flow outlook of $1.9B-$2.1B that remains unchanged. The transaction is expected to close by the first quarter of HPE's fiscal year 2020, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

07:35 EDT Agile Therapeutics resubmits Twirla NDA to FDA - Agile Therapeutics announced it has resubmitted to the FDA the new drug application, or NDA, for Twirla, an investigational low-dose combined hormonal contraceptive patch. Agile resubmitted the NDA in response to a December 2017 complete response letter, or CRL, from the FDA, which identified deficiencies relating to quality control adhesion test methods for the Twirla manufacturing process, observations identified during an inspection of a facility of our third-party manufacturer for the Twirla NDA that must be resolved and questions on the in vivo adhesion properties of Twirla and their potential relationship to the SECURE clinical trial results. The resubmitted NDA includes the results from a comparative wear study that was conducted at the request of the FDA to address the FDA's questions on in vivo adhesion, additional information on the company's manufacturing process and other analyses responding to the 2017 CRL.

07:32 EDT Allergan expands PLEDGE program with fifth study evaluating relamorelin - Allergan announced the expansion of the PLEDGE program with a fifth study now evaluating relamorelin, an investigational, ghrelin agonist being studied for the treatment of diabetic gastroparesis. Recruitment remains underway for the pivotal Phase 3 studies RLM-MD-01 and RLM-MD-02. Patients who complete 52 weeks of the Phase 3 program will now be eligible for the RLM 3071-305-020 open-label study to evaluate the long-term safety of the investigational drug. This new study will follow participants for up to five years to provide additional information on the long-term safety profile of relamorelin. It also enables eligible patients to potentially have access to relamorelin until it is commercially available. The clinical goal of this study is to collect additional information on the long-term safety of relamorelin in this highly challenging patient population. PLEDGE is a multi-study, patient-centric program designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of relamorelin in people with DG. Allergan initiated the PLEDGE program following the results of a Phase 2b study that showed improvements in many of the core symptoms of DG compared to placebo.

07:09 EDT Valeritas announces 1-for-20 reverse stock split - Valeritas announced that its board has declared a 1-for-20 reverse stock split of the company's common stock, which will be effective for trading purposes upon the commencement of trading on May 20. At that time, each 20 shares of issued and outstanding common stock and equivalents will be converted into one share of common stock. Any fractional shares that would result from the reverse stock split will be settled in cash. Shareholders holding share certificates will receive information from West Coast Stock Transfer, the company's transfer agent, regarding the process for exchanging their shares of common stock. The reverse stock split was approved by Valeritas' stockholders at the company's annual meeting of stockholders held on May 16. The company's common stock will continue to trade under the same symbol, but will have a new CUSIP number.

07:07 EDT PDC Energy sends letter to shareholders urging them to vote for company nominees - PDC Energy mailed a letter to shareholders in connection with its 2019 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, scheduled for May 29, 2019. PDC shareholders of record as of the close of business on April 1 will be entitled to vote at the 2019 Annual Meeting. Highlights of the letter include:PDC has a proven track record of operational excellence that Kimmeridge has consistently ignored or mischaracterized; Kimmeridge has purposefully downplayed that PDC is the best-in-class operator in the Core Wattenberg, which accounts for more than 75% of the Company's production and proved reserves; PDC's G&A level is consistent with its peer group, notwithstanding Kimmeridge's assertions to the contrary; Kimmeridge has failed to present actionable ideas to create long-term, sustainable value for shareholders; Leading independent proxy advisory firm Glass Lewis agrees that PDC shareholders should support the PDC slate of directors and reject Kimmeridge's nominees; and PDC is successfully executing a winning strategy to capitalize on the Company's high-quality assets to deliver superior returns for investors.

07:01 EDT Cray trading halted, news pending

06:36 EDT Obsidian Energy to sell 55% working interest in PROP for C$97M - Obsidian Energy announced it has signed a purchase and sale agreement to sell its 55% working interest in the Peace River Oil Partnership, or PROP, for total consideration of approximately C$97M, before normal closing adjustments. Total consideration includes C$85.8M in cash and cash equivalents, with the remainder comprised of purchasers' shares and the present value of additional liabilities. The agreement is subject to financing and the terms of the partnership agreement which provides for a 30-day right of first refusal with an additional 15-day tag-along right to our partner. The effective date of the transaction is February 1 with an anticipated closing date on or about July 31. The company said, "Consistent with our previously announced strategy, this transaction divests a significant non-core, lower netback asset, reduces our overall corporate operating costs and allows the Company to focus on our Cardium assets. Along with the sale of PROP, the Company will be divesting other non-producing assets in the area, which reduces our total decommissioning liabilities. Proceeds will be used to strengthen our balance sheet by paying down debt, with additional consideration going towards growing our fast-cycle primary oil development program."

06:07 EDT Egan-Jones endorses Snow Park's nominees for Front Yard Residential board - Snow Park Capital announced that Egan-Jones Proxy Services has endorsed its case for change at Front Yard Residential. Egan-Jones recommends that stockholders vote the blue proxy card for the election of all three of Snow Park's independent nominees at the company's upcoming annual meeting on May 23. This comes on the heels of both Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass Lewis endorsing Snow Park's nominees and recommending that stockholders vote the blue proxy card.

06:01 EDT Amazon leads $575M financing round in Deliveroo - Deliveroo announced that Amazon (AMZN) is leading a new $575M Series G preferred shared funding round, alongside existing investors T. Rowe Price (TROW), Fidelity Management and Research Company, and Greenoaks. This takes the total Deliveroo has raised to date to $1.53B. The new investment will contribute to: Growing Deliveroo's engineering team based in its London headquarters, creating more high-skilled jobs and building on London's growing reputation as a tech hub. Expanding Deliveroo's delivery reach in order to continue offering its service to new customers. New innovations in the food sector, for example through delivery-only super kitchens "Editions", as well as new formats that will help restaurants expand to new areas at a lower cost and lower risk, bringing more choice to local neighborhoods. Development of new products for customers to offer a more personalized experience, increased support for restaurant partners, and new tools to offer riders flexible work. Reference Link

05:26 EDT Blackstone makes minority investment in Marlin Equity Partners - Marlin Equity Partners announced that Blackstone's Strategic Capital Group has made a passive, minority investment in the firm. Blackstone's Strategic Capital Group is part of Blackstone Alternative Asset Management and specializes in minority partnerships with leading alternative asset managers. This investment will allow Marlin to continue to invest in and further expand its global investment platform, strengthen the commitment to and alignment with its diversified investor base, and leverage the global resources and capabilities of Blackstone. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.