Stockwinners Market Radar for October 03, 2019 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:44 EDT Physicians Realty Trust announces 'positive' court resolution to LifeCare assets - Physicians Realty Trust is providing this update related to its three Long-Term Acute Care Hospital assets previously operated by LifeCare Holdings, LLC. As discussed in the Company's May 30, 2019 press release, LifeCare, along with several related entities, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on May 6, 2019 in order to facilitate a sale process under bankruptcy protection. On September 30, 2019, LifeCare 2.0, LLC, a newly formed affiliate of LeBlanc Healthcare founded by David LeBlanc, closed its purchase of certain assets from LifeCare used in connection with LifeCare's operation of certain long-term acute care and behavioral health facilities in Pennsylvania and Texas, including the three facilities owned by the company in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Fort Worth, Texas; and Plano, Texas. The bankruptcy court approved the sale of the LifeCare assets to LC 2.0 on October 2, 2019. As part of its purchase, LC 2.0 assumed the company's single master lease for all three facilities without change and has made the current October rent payment. Additionally, LC 2.0 has agreed to pay, in monthly installments over the next 12 months, approximately $1.0M representing all past due rent, real estate taxes, late charges, and interest under the lease, as well as $125,000 for attorneys' fees incurred by the company related to LifeCare's bankruptcy.

19:10 EDT HP Inc. down 2.5% after announcing job cuts, FY20 guidance - At its Securities Analyst Meeting, HP Inc. details on its strategy and opportunities for long-term growth, along with its financial outlook for fiscal 2020. For fiscal 2020, the company estimates GAAP diluted net EPS to be in the range of $1.98 to $2.10 and estimates non-GAAP diluted net EPS to be in the range of $2.22 to $2.32. Fiscal 2020 non-GAAP diluted net EPS estimates exclude $0.22 to $0.24 per diluted share, primarily related to restructuring and other charges, acquisition-related charges, defined benefit plan settlement charges, amortization of intangible assets, non-operating retirement-related (credits)/charges, tax adjustments and the related tax impact on these items. Based on the current environment, HP anticipates generating free cash flow of at least $3.0 billion for fiscal 2020. In fiscal 2020, the company indicated that it expects to return at least 75% of free cash flow, with a 10% increase in the planned quarterly dividend amount, and the balance returned to shareholders through share repurchases. Today, HP Inc. announced a fiscal year 2020 restructuring plan to simplify its operating model and become a more digitally enabled company. The company expects to reduce gross global headcount by approximately 7,000-9,000 employees through a combination of employee exits and voluntary early retirement. The company estimates that it will incur total labor and non-labor costs of approximately $1.0 billion in connection with the restructuring and other charges, with approximately $100 million in fiscal Q4 of 2019, $500 million in fiscal 2020 and the rest split between fiscal 2021 and 2022. These actions are expected to be completed in fiscal 2022. The company estimates that these actions will result in annualized gross run rate savings of about $1.0 billion by the end of fiscal 2022. On September 30th, 2019, the Board of Directors of HP authorized an additional $5.0 billion for future repurchases of its outstanding shares of common stock. HP intends to use the additional authorization to repurchase its shares from time to time to offset the dilution created by shares issued under employee stock plans and to repurchase shares opportunistically. As of September 30, 2019, HP had approximately $1.7 billion of share repurchase authorization remaining, prior to the Board's approval of the increase.

18:57 EDT Alliant Energy's Iowa unit files partial settlement pact in electric rate review - Alliant Energy's Iowa energy company has filed a partial settlement agreement in its current electric rate review. Customers would see lower than expected increases in electric bills in 2020. This non-unanimous settlement is subject to approval from the Iowa Utilities Board. The proposed settlement addresses investments Alliant Energy has made to reduce long-term operating costs. These include new wind generation in Iowa, distribution system enhancements, and advanced customer meters. On March 1, 2019, Alliant Energy filed a request with the Iowa Utilities Board to increase annual retail electric revenues, with final rates starting January 1, 2020. An interim base rate increase went into effect April 1, 2019. The settlement will result in a modest base rate increase from interim rates in 2020 - which would be smaller than the final rates originally requested. The company would also use one-time credits to lessen the overall impact to customers in that year. The final bill impact for each customer class will be decided through the rate review process.

18:33 EDT Lennar splits tri-state division into two divisions - Lennar Corporation announced the split of its tri-state division into two separate divisions - Lennar's Pennsylvania/Delaware division and Lennar's New Jersey/New York division. Twenty-year homebuilding industry veteran, Tench Tilghman, has been named division president of the Pennsylvania/Delaware markets. Anthony Mignone will remain division president of the New Jersey/New York markets. Tilghman will be responsible for managing all aspects related to Lennar's newest division in the Greater Philadelphia Metro area, which encompasses the Pennsylvania and Delaware markets.

18:21 EDT Gol Linhas reports preliminary September traffic up 15.5%, capacity up 11.0% - GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes announces preliminary air traffic figures for the month of September 2019. GOL's total supply, or ASK, was 11.0% higher due to a 10.7% increase in seats and a 10.1% increase in departures. GOL's total demand, or RPK, increased by 15.5% in comparison to September 2018 and consolidated load factor was 81.2% vs. 78.1% last year.

17:50 EDT Gran Tierra appoints Tony Berthelet as COO - Gran Tierra appointed Tony Berthelet as COO. Prior to joining Gran Tierra, Berthelet was the President and CEO of Strategic Oil and Gas. Prior to joining Strategic, he led the revitalization of the Cardium waterflood development for Obsidian Energy.

17:34 EDT Hyster-Yale says Colin Wilson will retire as the operating company's CEO - The Boards of Directors of Hyster-Yale Materials Handling and Hyster-Yale Group the company's wholly owned operating subsidiary, announced that Colin Wilson will retire as the operating company's President and Chief Executive Officer, and as President and Chief Executive Officer, HYG of Hyster-Yale Materials Handling effective December 31. Mr. Wilson joined HYG in 1988 and has served as HYG's President and Chief Executive Officer since September 2014 Effective January 1, 2020, Rajiv K. Prasad will become President and CEO of HYG and President and CEO, HYG of Hyster-Yale Materials Handling. Mr. Prasad has over 12 years of experience with HYG, most recently as Chief Product and Operations Officer where he oversees all product development, supply chain, manufacturing strategy, digital solutions and IT activities. Mr. Prasad also provides executive leadership for the Nuvera business and, from July 1, all of the lift truck operations.

17:17 EDT Air Lease places one new Boeing 787-9 aircraft with MIAT Mongolian Airlines - Air Lease (AL) announced a long-term lease agreement with MIAT Mongolian Airlines for one new Boeing (BA) 787-9 aircraft. This aircraft, scheduled to deliver to the airline in Spring 2021 from ALC's order book with Boeing, will be the first 787-9 to operate in Mongolia as well as the first Dreamliner in MIAT Mongolian Airlines' fleet. MIAT Mongolian Airlines currently operates two Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft and one 737-800 aircraft on lease from ALC.

17:12 EDT TerraForm Power files automatic mixed securities shelf

17:01 EDT Hudbay Minerals names Stephen Lang as board chair - Hudbay Minerals announced the appointment of Stephen A. Lang as chair of the company's board. Mr. Lang has over 40 years of experience in the mining industry, including engineering, development and production at gold, copper, coal and platinum group metals operations. He was CEO of Centerra Gold Inc. from 2008 to 2012 and served as Centerra's board Chair from 2012 to 2019.

16:48 EDT Murata Manufacturing reports 8.5% passive stake in Resonant - In a regulatory filing, Murata Manufacturing disclosed an 8.5% stake in Resonant, which represents about 2.77M shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

16:46 EDT MSA Safety chief legal officer Douglas McClaine to retire in 2020 - MSA Safety Incorporated president and CEO Nish Vartanian announced that, in a planned management succession, Stephanie L. Sciullo will be promoted to Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of the company. Sciullo will succeed Douglas K. McClaine who, after 35 years of service to the company, has decided to retire in early to mid-2020. The new assignment for Sciullo will be effective January 1, and she will report directly to Vartanian.

16:35 EDT Arbutus Biopharma trading resumes

16:30 EDT RCI Hospitality in compliance with Nasdaq periodic filing requirement - RCI Hospitality Holdings, Inc. has been notified by the Listing Qualifications Department of The Nasdaq Stock Market that the company is in compliance with Listing Rule 5250c1, based on the September 24, 2019 filing of RCI's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the second and third quarters of Fiscal 2019. Accordingly, this matter with Nasdaq is now closed.

16:26 EDT Purple names Craig Phillips as CFO, effective October 1 - Purple Innovation announced that Craig Phillips has been appointed as CFO, with responsibility for both the accounting and finance teams, effective October 1. Phillips has accumulated over three decades of experience with a number of organizations, including over 15 years in "Big 4" public accounting firms serving large public and privately held high-growth companies in a broad spectrum of industries. Phillips has been serving since March of 2019 as Purple's Interim CFO and has developed a deep understanding of the business.

16:22 EDT Smart Global drops 17% to $21.12 after results, guidance miss estimates

16:21 EDT Costco Q4 e-commerce same-store sales rose 19.8%

16:16 EDT Myers Industries CEO Dave Banyard resigns to accept another opportunity - Myers Industrie announced that Dave Banyard has resigned as President and CEO, effective October 25, 2019, to accept another professional opportunity. Andrean Horton, the company's Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary, has been named Interim President and CEO. The board will engage a global executive search firm to assist in identifying a new President and CEO.

16:10 EDT Avaya up 4.4% after announcing strategic deal with RingCentral, $500M buyback - Shares of Avaya are up 4.4% or 44c at $10.55 afterhours.

16:09 EDT Avaya authorizes $500M stock buyback - As part of its RingCentral partnership announcement, Avaya's board has authorized a share repurchase program under which it may purchase up to $500M of Avaya's common stock. Avaya also announced plans to pay down $250 million of the principal debt under its Term Loan B.

16:08 EDT Extraction Oil & Gas subsidiary begins moving substances through facility - Extraction Oil & Gas announced that Elevation Midstream, its wholly-owned subsidiary, has begun moving crude oil, natural gas and water through its Badger central gathering facility. Extraction also provided 2020 capital budget guidance for Elevation. Elevation's planned 2020 capital budget is expected to be $30M-$40M, including its investment in unconsolidated affiliates, that will be used to expand the pipeline gathering system to reach additional pads and associated volumes into Badger.

16:07 EDT IDT Corp reschedules report of Q4/FY19 results to October 10 - IDT Corporation has rescheduled the report of its financial and operational results for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2019 for Thursday, October 10, to provide the company additional time to finalize its financial statements. The report was initially scheduled for October 3 after market close.

16:06 EDT Stewardship Financial shareholders approve merger with Columbia Financial - Stewardship Financial Corporation, parent company of Atlantic Stewardship Bank, announced that the shareholders of Stewardship approved the previously-disclosed, contemplated merger with Columbia Financial. Over 98% of the votes cast voted in favor of the merger. While other conditions to consummation of the merger remain, Stewardship continues to anticipate that the closing will occur this quarter.

16:01 EDT J & J Snack Foods acquires ICEE distributor in Louisiana - J & J Snack Foods Corp. announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, The ICEE Company, has acquired the assets of ICEE Distributors, based in Bossier City, Louisiana. ICEE Distributors does business in Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas with annual sales of approximately $13M. The sale was effective on October 1. Dan Fachner, President of The ICEE Company, commented "We are excited to be able to sell the ICEE branded frozen beverage across the state of Louisiana. ICEE is our flagship brand and we look forward to adding this part of the country to our portfolio."

15:03 EDT Finjan, Mimecast in confidential pact to achieve global patent 'peace' - Finjan Holdings (FNJN), a cybersecurity company, announced that on September 30, its subsidiaries Finjan, Finjan Mobile, , and Finjan Blue each entered into a patent license agreement with Mimecast (MIME). In addition, to achieve global patent peace between the companies, Finjan Holdings, Inc. and Mimecast Limited and Mimecast North Americ, have entered into mutual covenants not to sue for a certain number of years, among other terms which are confidential. "We continue to believe that resolving our patent disputes outside of litigation is the least disruptive, most efficient and cost-effective way in which to earnestly respect each other's patents and cyber technologies. Importantly, our focus has steadfastly been on making sure that Finjan's patented technologies are recognized as valuable both to its shareholders, as well as to providers in the cybersecurity space in fighting the ever-growing hacker community," stated Julie Mar-Spinola, Chief IP Officer and VP, Legal Operations for Finjan.

14:50 EDT Gilead reports FDA approves Descovy for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis - Gilead Sciences announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, indication for Descovy. Descovy for PrEP is indicated to reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV-1 infection in adults and adolescents weighing at least 35 kg who are HIV-negative and at-risk for sexually acquired HIV, excluding individuals at-risk from receptive vaginal sex. The FDA approved the supplemental New Drug Application for Descovy under a priority review designation. Descovy has a Boxed Warning in its U.S. product label regarding the risk of post treatment acute exacerbation of hepatitis B. The Descovy label also includes a Boxed Warning regarding the risk of drug resistance with PrEP use in undiagnosed early HIV-1 infection.

14:31 EDT RPM raises dividend to 36c from 35c per share - RPM International announced at its annual meeting of stockholders that its board of directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of 36c per share, payable on October 31 to stockholders of record as of October 15. This payment represents a 2.9% increase over the 35c quarterly cash dividend paid at this time last year.

14:07 EDT Class 8 truck order Intake improved in September, ACT Research says - Preliminary North America Class 8 net order data show the industry booked 12,600 units in September, up 13% from August, while Classes 5-7 orders fell 9.4% m/m, to 17,300 units. Note that these numbers are preliminary. Complete industry data for September, including final order numbers, will be published by ACT Research in mid-October, says ACT Research."Little has changed since August with respect to the freight market and freight rates, while uncertainties surrounding trade and tariffs continue to weigh on truck buyers' psyches," said Steve Tam, ACT's Vice-President. He continued, "Fleet overcapacitization has led to reduced utilization, with all the foregoing considerations conspiring to undermine demand," added ACT Research. Companies in the truck manufacturing space include Paccar (PCAR),Navistar (NAV),Oshkosh (OSK),Cummins (CMI),Wabash(WNC) and Meritor (MTOR). Reference Link

13:03 EDT Verisk Analytics launches legal analytics solution CourtSide - Verisk announced the launch of CourtSide, a legal analytics solution that aggregates and scores thousands of insurance-related court decisions by topic to help insurers respond quickly and cost-effectively to case law trends. Case law changes can have a profound impact across the insurance value chain. They can affect everything from the types of exposures carriers are willing to insure to their reserve allocation strategies. In some cases, court decisions can influence whether an insurer chooses to write a particular class of business in a specific jurisdiction.

12:36 EDT Abraxas Petroleum says drilling operations in Delaware Basin suspended - In an operational update, Abraxas Petroleum announced that in Ward County, Texas, the two well Woodberry Pad, in which the company owns a 100% working interest, has produced approximately 72,000 barrels of oil and 85 million cubic feet of gas over the first 66 days of production. Both wells are producing from approximate 4800 foot laterals and were fracked with 30 and 32 stages, respectively, the company said. Also, in Ward County, Texas, frac jobs on the two well Greasewood NE pad should be completed in the next several days with flowback to begin shortly thereafter, it added. Abraxas owns a 100% interest in this two-well pad. Further, drilling operations in the Delaware Basin have been suspended with three commitment wells to be drilled in 2020, Abraxas said. Two of these wells will be owned 100% by Abraxas, while the third will be approximately 50% owned. In McKenzie County, North Dakota, drilling operations on the six well Jore Federal Extension pad have been successfully completed, all with two mile laterals, three in the Middle Bakken, two in the Three Forks Upper Bench and one in the Three Forks Second Bench, it said. "As winter weather has already arrived in North Dakota, completion of these wells in which Abraxas owns an approximate 90 percent interest, will commence upon the arrival of warm weather next spring," Abraxas said.

12:31 EDT Box and Adobe collaborate on 'seamless' secure collaboration in the cloud - Box (BOX) announced plans with Adobe (ADBE) to deeply integrate a full-featured Acrobat web experience," including powerful capabilities to modify, organize, sign, and collaborate on PDFs directly in Box. The new integration will seamlessly connect collaborative workflows for enterprises who rely on Box and Adobe, making it easier and more secure to work with digital documents in the cloud." "Businesses today need to securely collaborate across their extended enterprise of employees, customers, and partners in every part of their organization," said Jeetu Patel, Chief Product Officer at Box. "With our new integrations with Adobe Acrobat tools, enterprises will be able to work fully in the cloud. Mission-critical processes like reviewing, approving and electronically signing contracts, or collaborating on confidential product designs, will be simple and secure. No more version control issues, no more downloading files to the desktop. Just simple, secure, and powerful collaboration." "Adobe and Box share a vision to simplify and modernize how work gets done, whether in the office or on the road," said Ashley Still, VP and GM of Digital Media, Adobe. "By integrating the power of Adobe PDF and e-signature tools within Box, our joint customers can seamlessly work with the billions of PDFs stored there, without the need to open or switch apps." Since 2016, Box and Adobe have enabled users to quickly and seamlessly access, edit, and complete PDF-centric tasks and workflows, right within Box. The new Box and Adobe Acrobat integration will enable users to seamlessly open PDF files from Box directly in the Acrobat web viewer and access essential PDF and e-signature tools so they can complete their workflows from anywhere, on any device.

12:10 EDT Top EU court says Facebook can be ordered to remove content internationally - According to the Court of Justice of the European Union, EU law does not preclude a host provider such as Facebook from being ordered to remove identical and, in some cases, equivalent comments previously declared to be illegal. In addition, EU law does not preclude such an injunction from producing effects worldwide, within the framework of the relevant international law which it is for Member States to take into account, the court said. The court came to a decision after Eva Glawischnig-Piesczek, who was a member of the Nationalrat, chair of the parliamentary party 'die Grunen' and federal spokesperson for that party, sued Facebook Ireland in the Austrian courts. She is seeking an order that Facebook Ireland remove a comment published by a user on that social network harmful to her reputation, and allegations which were identical and/or of an equivalent content. The Facebook user in question had shared on that user's personal page an article from the Austrian online news magazine oe24.at entitled 'Greens: Minimum income for refugees should stay'. That had the effect of generating on that page a 'thumbnail' of the original site, containing the title and a brief summary of the article, and a photograph of Ms Glawischnig-Piesczek. That user also published, in connection with that article, a comment which the Austrian courts found to be harmful to the reputation of Ms Glawischnig-Piesczek, and which insulted and defamed her. This post could be accessed by any Facebook user. Against that background, the Oberster Gerichtshof is asking the Court of Justice to interpret the Directive on electronic commerce. Reference Link

12:06 EDT Facebook launches Threads for Instagram - Facebook (FB) said in a blog post that it is launching Threads from Instagram, a new camera-first messaging app that helps users stay connected to their close friends. "Over the last few years, we've introduced several new ways to share visually on Instagram and connect with people you care about - from sharing everyday moments on Stories to visual messages on Direct," Facebook said. "But for your smaller circle of friends, we saw the need to stay more connected throughout the day, so you can communicate what you're doing and how you're feeling through photos and videos. That's why we built Threads, a new way to message with close friends in a dedicated, private space. Threads is a standalone app designed with privacy, speed and your close connections in mind. You can share photos, videos, messages, Stories and more with your Instagram close friends list. You are in control of who can reach you on Threads, and you can customize the experience around the people who matter most." Threads will begin rolling out globally today, the company said. Snap (SNAP) is another publicly traded social media company known for image sharing.

12:00 EDT Tenneco falls -7.7% - Tenneco is down -7.7%, or -92c to $11.02.

12:00 EDT Enzo Biochem falls -8.8% - Enzo Biochem is down -8.8%, or -31c to $3.21.

12:00 EDT Line Corp. rises 7.3% - Line Corp. is up 7.3%, or $2.53 to $37.30.

11:59 EDT Samsung Pay, Finablr announce cross-border payments partnership - Finablr PLC, a global platform for payments, and Samsung Electronics America introduced the Money Transfer feature in Samsung Pay. The companies said in a statement: "This new in-app international money transfer service, a first of its kind in the U.S., offers users seamless and secure cross-border payments to 47 countries through a variety of payout methods, all within Samsung's native mobile wallet. The service combines Samsung Pay's convenience, scale and security with Finablr's international reach and 40 years of cross-border payment expertise to put mobile payments into the hands of millions of consumers."

11:58 EDT FTC opens inquiry into e-cigarette industry's marketing practices - The Federal Trade Commission has issued orders to six e-cigarette manufacturers seeking information to study the companies' sales, advertising, and promotional methods. The orders were sent to: JUUL Labs, Inc.; R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company (BTI); Fontem US, Inc.; Logic Technology Development LLC; Nu Mark LLC; and NJOY, LLC. The FTC study will complement similar FTC studies on cigarettes and smokeless tobacco products. The orders will collect information about e-cigarette sales, advertising, and promotional practices in the U.S. for the calendar years 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018. The goal is to assist the Commission, policy makers, and the public to better understand the rapidly growing e-cigarette market. Among other things, the Commission orders seek: annual data on the sales and give-aways of e-cigarette products; information about the characteristics of the companies' e-cigarette products, such as product flavors; annual amounts the companies spent on advertising and promoting e-cigarette products; and information about e-cigarette product placement, the websites and social media accounts used to advertise or sell e-cigarettes, affiliate programs, influencer marketing, and college campus programs. The Fly notes that Altria (MO) has a 35% stake in Juul. Other publicly traded companies in the tobacco products space include Imperial Brands (IMBBY) and Philip Morris (PM). Reference Link

11:07 EDT Constellation Brands sees Q3 wine and spirits net sales, EBIT down 15%-20%

11:04 EDT FBI reports 2.21M NICS firearm background checks in September - The FBI reported that there were 2,207,312 firearm background checks initiated through the NICS system in September 2019. This compares to 1,956,681 checks in August of 2018 and 2,366,824 in August 2019. Companies in the gun space include Sturm, Ruger (RGR), American Outdoor Brands (AOBC), and Vista Outdoor (VSTO). Reference Link

10:50 EDT Constellation Brands says 'pleased' with progress of team at Canopy Growth

10:35 EDT Constellation Brands says company, Gallo in full cooperation with FTC - Says "confident" deal will close by fiscal year-end 2020. Comments taken from the Q2 earnings conference call.

10:00 EDT Constellation Brands falls -5.1% - Constellation Brands is down -5.1%, or -$10.59 to $196.20.

10:00 EDT Yirendai falls -8.5% - Yirendai is down -8.5%, or -58c to $6.24.

10:00 EDT Tata Motors rises 6.8% - Tata Motors is up 6.8%, or 55c to $8.63.

09:47 EDT IAMGold falls -3.4% - IAMGold is down -3.4%, or -12c to $3.45.

09:47 EDT Yirendai falls -4.4% - Yirendai is down -4.4%, or -30c to $6.52.

09:47 EDT Tata Motors rises 7.6% - Tata Motors is up 7.6%, or 61c to $8.69.

09:40 EDT Cboe Global Markets reports September options ADV up 13.9% y/y - Reports U.S. Equities ADV up 5.2% over September 2018. The company currently expects RPC for total options for the third quarter of 2019 to be 1.0 to 2.0 percent lower for the two months ended August 31, 2019. The RPC for multi-listed options for the third quarter is expected to be 3.0 to 4.0 percent lower than the two-month average, reflecting a mix shift and higher volume-related rebates. The RPC for index options for the third quarter is expected to be 0.5 to 1.0 percent above the two-month average noted below, reflecting a higher mix of SPX options contracts in September relative to the volume mix for the two months ended August 31, 2019. The RPC for futures for the third quarter is expected to be 0.5 to 1.0 percent above the two-month average noted below, reflecting lower volume-related rebates in September.

09:26 EDT Eli Lilly announces voluntary delisting from Euronext Paris - Eli Lilly and Company announced that it has requested the delisting of its shares from Euronext Paris due to the very low trading volume, costs and administrative requirements related to its secondary listing on Euronext Paris. The Board of Directors of Euronext Paris S.A. has approved this request. Following the delisting from Euronext Paris, Lilly Shares will remain listed on the New York Stock Exchange, Lilly's primary listing exchange.

09:21 EDT Polar Power receives $1.3M purchase order for backup power systems - Polar Power announced the receipt of a $1.3M purchase order for backup generators from a rural telecom provider engaged in building high-speed rural wireless broadband networks in 14 states to enhance public safety. Telecom companies and the Federal government are jointly building the rural networks throughout the nation to provide enhanced high-speed communications across the United States. This rural initiative is intended to provide more reliable communications during emergencies and faster and more complete broadband services for all public sector needs.

09:20 EDT I.D. Systems closes acquisition of Pointer Telocation, rebrands as PowerFleet - PowerFleet, Inc. has closed its previously announced acquisition of Pointer Telocation Ltd. and rebranded the company formerly known as I.D. Systems to PowerFleet. PowerFleet's common stock commenced trading on the Nasdaq Global Market this morning. The acquisition and corporate branding positions PowerFleet as a global leader in providing enterprise-class wireless Internet of Things and Machine to Machine technology that powers wireless solutions for the multi-trillion-dollar logistics, industrial vehicle and fleet management markets. To date, PowerFleet's solutions have been selected by more than 1,500 customers and operate on more than 500,000 mobile subscriber units globally. Due to the company's full suite of purpose-built telematics platforms, sensors, Software-as-a-Service and analytics offerings, PowerFleet maintains a reputation as a leading supply chain and fleet management efficiency solutions provider. The company expects that its rebranding, enhanced suite of solutions, and global scale will enable it to strategically leverage technologies and solutions from one market to the next with the goal of increasing profitability and cash flow generation. The company's new corporate umbrella includes three global brands: PowerFleet, Pointer Telocation and Cellocator. PowerFleet will be both the corporate entity name, as well as the primary brand for North America.

09:13 EDT Norwegian Cruise Line CEO Andy Stuart to depart - Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings announced organizational changes at the Norwegian Cruise Line brand. These changes include the planned departure of Andy Stuart, president and CEO of Norwegian Cruise Line, following the launch of Norwegian Encore and the appointment of Harry Sommer, current President, International for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, as Stuart's successor. Stuart will step down from his role on December 31, 2019 and remain with the Company as Senior Advisor through March 31, 2020 to ensure a smooth transition.

09:10 EDT Macy's to hire approximately 80,000 seasonal employees for holiday season - Macy's announced plans to hire approximately 80,000 seasonal colleagues for positions at its Macy's and Bloomingdale's stores, call centers and distribution and fulfillment centers for the holiday season. Macy's is offering full-time, part-time and flexible positions in anticipation of a busy holiday shopping season. The company also announced its national hiring event on Thursday, October 24. Events will be held at all stores, call centers and distribution and fulfillment centers. In addition to hiring events and on-site interviews, Macy's offers quick and convenient phone interviews for online applicants. The phone interview process provides applicants the option to interview from wherever it's convenient and applicants often receive an offer the same day they apply. Approximately 30,000 of the 80,000 seasonal positions will be based in fulfillment facilities. This is an increase of 6,500 positions compared to 2018. Approximately 1,000 colleagues will be hired to assist customers via telephone, email and online chat at customer service centers. Also, 1,000 people will be hired across the country to support the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Santalands and other holiday events.

09:07 EDT Fly Intel: Pre-market Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: PepsiCo (PEP), up 2%. ALSO HIGHER: CrowdStrike (CRWD), up 4%, and Okta (OKTA), up 2% after SunTrust analyst Joel Fishbein upgraded both stocks to Buy from Hold after taking over coverage... Puma Biotechnology (PBYI), up 11% after the FDA approved a labeling supplement for Nerlynx, or neratinib, for the extended adjuvant treatment of HER2-positive early stage breast cancer... Cleveland-Cliffs (CLF) and Essential Properties Realty Trust (EPRT), up 4% and 5%, respectively, after being selected to enter the S&P SmallCap 600 index. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY), down 5%. LOWER: GoPro (GPRO), down 18% after announcing shipment delays for the HERO 8 and cutting guidance... Tesla (TSLA), down 4% after reporting Q3 deliveries of 97,000 vehicles... City Office REIT (CIO), down 3% after its 6M share spot secondary priced at $13.85 per share.

09:06 EDT Brightcove expands partnership with Adobe - Brightcove (BCOV) announced that the company has joined LaunchPoint, by Marketo, an Adobe (ADBE) company, as an Accelerate partner for Marketo Engage customers looking to incorporate video assets into their marketing strategies. "Together, Brightcove and Marketo Engage further empower global marketers to provide immersive video experiences that deliver more views, deeper engagements, and higher conversions than ever before."

09:05 EDT Trimble acquiring Cityworks asset management software provider - Trimble has signed a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held Azteca Systems, doing business as Cityworks, a provider of enterprise asset management software for utilities and local government. The transaction is expected to close in Q4. Financial terms were not disclosed. Cityworks, based in Sandy, Utah, was launched in 1996 and provides an office, cloud and mobile EAM software solution that is used by more than 700 utilities and local governments.

09:03 EDT Beyond Meat choses SPINS to be multi-year primary data partner - SPINS, the leading provider of wellness-focused data and technology, announced that Beyond Meat has chosen SPINS to be its multi-year primary data partner. As part of the agreement, SPINS will deliver comprehensive market, retailer and consumer insights to Beyond Meat, including market visibility into Conventional, Natural and Alternative markets. SPINS also expects to work with Beyond Meat to uncover innovation opportunities through SPINS unmatched attribution capabilities. Combined, these assets are expected to provide unique insight into market performance and future innovation.

08:47 EDT Weyland Tech to acquire 31% ownership of AtozPay, AtozGo - Weyland Tech has exercised its option to acquire 31% beneficial ownership of PT Weyland Indonesia Perkasa, owner and operator of the fast-growing AtozPay and AtozGo platforms. The AtozPay mobile payments platform serves the burgeoning m-Commerce and e-Payment markets in Indonesia, the world's fourth most populous country. AtozPay has attracted several major partnerships that enable mobile payment for goods and services. AtozPay recently announced it joined forces with Grab, the leading online-to-offline mobile platform in Southeast Asia, to promote its new AtozGo short-distance food delivery service in Jakarta, Indonesia. Grab is supporting a new AtozGo co-marketing campaign targeting food establishments and mobile users in certain areas of Jakarta. Following the rollout with Grab, AtozGo expects to expand to other areas of the city, along with the possibility of a strategic investment by Grab. Weyland will continue cross-selling of its CreateApp solution to businesses that have adopted the AtozPay e-wallet solution, but now adding food service businesses that can benefiting from AtozGo. Weyland is also expanding its marketing efforts to address specific affinity groups and everyday product merchants who are currently underserved in Indonesia. The company expects to complete the transaction before the end of October.

08:42 EDT Genius Brands CEO Andy Heyward purchases 1M common shares - Genius Brands International announced that it completed a $760,000 private placement through the issuance of 1M common shares at a price per share of 76c to Andy Heyward, Chairman and CEO of Genius Brands. In addition, in September 2019, the Company received approximately $719,000 in gross proceeds from the cash exercise of 945,894 warrants held by an existing investor. Pursuant to an Agreement entered into between Genius and the investor, the investor agreed to immediately exercise all of the warrants for cash at an exercise price of 76c. Heyward also purchased $500,000 of the Company's August 2018 10% Secured Convertible Notes from a Noteholder. The Company is currently in good standing with all the Note holders and has successfully reduced debt over the past few months, while in active discussions with the remaining Note holders to restructure the balance of the Notes.

08:38 EDT Alimera Sciences obtains marketing authorization for ILUVIEN in Portugal - Alimera Sciences announces that INFARMED, the governmental agency that oversees the availability of medical products in Portugal, granted marketing authorization on October 1, 2019 for ILUVIEN for the prevention of relapse in recurrent non-infectious uveitis affecting the posterior segment. Alimera will market the product directly to physicians in Portugal through its European sales organization. Alimera currently sells ILUVIEN in Portugal for the treatment of diabetic macular edema. Once reimbursement for the new indication is granted, Alimera will begin marketing ILUVIEN in Portugal for NIPU as well.

08:36 EDT Tetra Bio Pharma announces FDA determination on evaluation of CAUMZ Kit - Tetra Bio-Pharma (TBPMF) announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has determined that the company's CAUMZ Kit can be evaluated as a combination drug/device product. The CAUMZ Kit is comprised of two constituents: Tetra's lead drug CAUMZ and the Mighty Medic device of Storz & Bickel, a wholly owned subsidiary of Canopy Growth (CGC). Based on the FDA's determination, the CAUMZ Kit has been assigned to the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) for premarket review and further assessment. Tetra has a co-development agreement with Canopy Growth Corporation, which originally was Storz & Bickel prior to its acquisition by Canopy. The Mighty Medic is not available in the U.S. as a medical device. This medical device will be used in the Serenity clinical trial under authorizations granted by the FDA.

08:34 EDT PDS Biotechnology announces clinical collaboration with Merck - PDS Biotechnology (PDSB) announced a modification of the clinical trial collaboration agreement with a subsidiary of Merck (MRK) to evaluate the combination of PDS's lead Versamune-based immunotherapy, PDS0101, with Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA, in a Phase II clinical trial. The planned clinical trial will now evaluate the efficacy and safety of the combination as a first-line treatment in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer and high-risk human papillomavirus-16 infection and is expected to be initiated in the first quarter of 2020. The modification to the clinical trial design now allowing evaluation of PDS0101 in combination with KEYTRUDA as first-line treatment comes as a result of Merck's recent approval by the FDA on June 10, 2019 for KEYTRUDA as monotherapy in patients whose tumors express PD-L1 or in combination with platinum and fluorouracil for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic or with unresectable, recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Details of the collaboration were not disclosed.

08:33 EDT ANI Pharmaceuticals reports clinical results from Cotrophin gel response study - ANI Pharmaceuticals has received of clinical data on Cortrophin Gel from a study that evaluated the blood-level cortisol response in a 20-person healthy volunteer population. Cortrophin Gel is purified corticotropin that stimulates the functioning adrenal cortex to produce and secrete adrenocortical hormones. Results indicate that ANI's Cortrophin Gel is effective for its intended use. In addition, the clinical data demonstrate that ANI's Cortrophin Gel drug product has a cortisol response profile consistent with that observed in historical scientific literature that evaluated Cortrophin Gel drug product manufactured in the 1960s. No adverse safety events to be reported and minor events were as expected. The final data set from this study will be locked on October 25. The company intends to submit the Cortrophin Gel comprehensive supplemental NDA filing in March 2020.

08:32 EDT Calix announces 3 Rivers engages Deployment Enablement Services - Calix announced that 3 Rivers Communications has engaged Deployment Enablement Services, accelerating their network build outs and improving resource efficiencies by 50 percent. Previously, the Montana-based communications service provider estimated it had lost several hundred technician hours. By leveraging the automation tools, best practices, and quality reviews of the services, 3 Rivers has started to dramatically reduce the inefficiencies tied to access systems deployments. These improvements in deployment productivity have accelerated their aggressive fiber-to-the-home build out projects.

08:29 EDT Theratechnologies says 48-week data show Trogarzo remains safe, effective - Theratechnologies announced that new 48-week data from the TMB-311 extension study confirm that Trogarzo provides durable viral suppression and a safety profile consistent with the 24-week pivotal Phase III study. Study results were presented today at IDWeek in Washington, D.C. Results come from the expanded access protocol of TMB-311. A total of 38 patients were enrolled in Cohort 2. Patients had a viral load greater than1,000 copies/mL, resistance to at least 1 antiretroviral from three different classes and full viral sensitivity to at least 1 antiretroviral. In Cohort 2 patients, viral load reduction at week 24 and week 48 was comparable. Respectively, 46 percent and 47 percent of patients taking Trogarzo and an optimized background regimen consisting of at least one fully active agent reached a viral load reduction below 50 copies/mL. Furthermore, at both timepoints, the median viral load reduction was -2.6 log10 copies/mL. This far exceeds the initial targeted endpoint of greater than or equal to 0.5 log10 viral load reduction in the phase III trial. Importantly, a viral load below 50 copies/mL is considered undetectable and patients cannot transmit HIV.

08:26 EDT Kaleido Biosciences presents ex vivo data of KB109 at IDWeek 2019 - Kaleido Biosciences announced that ex vivo and in vivo data evaluating its Microbiome Metabolic Therapies are being presented at IDWeek 2019 and the Keystone Symposia on the Microbiome: Therapeutic Implications. Kaleido is advancing MMT candidate, KB109, in clinical development to decrease colonization with multi-drug resistant pathogens by selectively enhancing the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut and reducing the risk of infection. Ex vivo data of KB109 are featured today in a poster presentation during IDWeek, which is being held in Washington, D.C., through October 6, 2019. Critically ill and immunocompromised patients are more vulnerable to MDR pathogens such as carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, leading to a higher risk of serious infections. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has estimated that in the United States alone, at least two million people are infected with bacteria resistant to antibiotics each year and at least 23,000 people die from these infections. The CDC has categorized CRE as an urgent threat and VRE as a serious threat. In ex vivo data presented at IDWeek, KB109 reduced the relative abundance of pathogens in microbiome samples from two different populations at high risk for infection, patients in the intensive care unit who had received broad-spectrum antibiotics and patients with end-stage liver disease. KB109 reduced the relative abundance of pathogens, including CRE, in all samples from intensive care unit patients that had commensal bacteria. KB109 also reduced the abundance of VRE and CRE in all samples from patients with end-stage liver disease. In both ex vivo experiments, KB109 did not favor the growth of Clostridium difficile and other pathogens frequently found in critically ill and immunocompromised patients. The VITORA clinical study will assess the safety and tolerability of KB109 compared to control in patients colonized with MDR pathogens, and evaluate the change in colonization of VRE, extended-spectrum beta lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae, and CRE.

08:23 EDT Tonix announces completion of studies evaluating TNX-102 SL 5.6 mg - Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding announced Tonix has completed collecting the required long-term safety exposure data of TNX-102 SL 5.6 mg in participants with posttraumatic stress disorder to support the TNX-102 SL New Drug Application for the treatment of PTSD. The data provide Tonix with exposure data of daily dosing of TNX-102 SL 5.6 mg for at least 12 months in more than 50 individuals, and daily dosing of TNX-102 SL 5.6 mg for at least 6 months in more than 100 individuals. The data was collected in open label extension studies of the PTSD program. "We are pleased to have reached this important milestone," said CEO Seth Lederman."PTSD is a serious chronic psychiatric condition, and, based on our agreement with the FDA regarding the requirements for the long-term safety exposure data needed to support an NDA submission, we believe that Tonix now has sufficient long-term exposure data to meet the requirement and support the NDA. Importantly, TNX-102 SL 5.6 mg is the same drug candidate in Phase 3 development for the treatment of fibromyalgia and we believe the long- term exposure data from the PTSD program may also support the fibromyalgia NDA."

08:20 EDT PrairieSky Royalty appoints Robert Robotti as independent director - James Estey, Chair of the Board of Directors of PrairieSky Royalty, announced the appointment of Robert Robotti to the company's Board of Directors. Mr. Robotti's appointment is effective October 3, 2019. Robotti is the founder and CIO of Robotti & Company Advisors.

08:17 EDT PepsiCo says U.K. consumers 'defensive' amid Brexit talks

08:13 EDT Kratos Defense receives prime contract awarded for 33 Oriole Rocket motors - Kratos Defense & Security Solutions announced that it has recently received a single award prime contract, for up to 33 Oriole Rocket motors, including Options. Kratos has exclusive rights to sell Oriole Solid Propellant Rocket Motors for specific market areas, including Missile Defense Threat Representative Targets, Suborbital Research and Sounding Rockets. Kratos leverages its exclusive rights agreement to deliver Rocket Motors, Systems, Products and Solutions for Missile Defense, Hypersonics, Weapon System Research and other mission critical National Security areas.

08:10 EDT SunPower selected by Contra Costa County for solar-and-storage system - SunPower has been selected by Contra Costa County in California to deploy a mix of Helix Roof and Carport solar systems at 10 locations totaling 3.7 MW, which is expected to offset approximately 68% grid electricity and save $16.5M in energy costs over 25 years. Three of those sites will also feature Helix Storage systems that reach a combined 1.5 MW. Solar-and-storage system design and implementation will take place over the next year. The County will buy energy produced by the project under a 25-year power purchase agreement and will own the renewable energy credits associated with the solar production which may have a monetary value in the future.

08:09 EDT NV5 Global awarded $12M in airport expansion contracts - NV5 Global announced that it has been awarded approximately $12M in contracts for airport renovation and expansion projects in California, Florida, Missouri and Utah. NV5 will provide a variety of services for these international airports, including engineering design, environmental, commissioning, and construction quality assurance services.NV5 signed $6M in new contracts with one of California's largest airports, including a three-year environmental consulting assignment to provide air and water quality, site assessments, noise mitigation, resource management, and permitting. In Florida, NV5 signed a $2.7M contract to perform quality assurance infrastructure testing and inspection services for Phase I of Orlando International Airport's $2.2B South Terminal "C" Complex Phase 1 Expansion. NV5 also signed $3.2M in commissioning contracts, including whole building commissioning services for the new $1.5B terminal and parking garage in Kansas City, Missouri.

08:07 EDT Spero Therapeutics announces recommendation to continue Phase 3 trial of SPR994 - Spero Therapeutics announced that an independent review committee evaluated pharmacokinetic data following enrollment of the first 70 patients in Spero's ongoing ADAPT-PO pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial of SPR994, Spero's oral carbapenem product candidate, and recommended that Spero continue the trial using the protocol-defined dose without modification. The independent review committee reviewed interim plasma concentration data from 33 patients who were randomized to SPR994 in the ongoing ADAPT-PO pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infections and acute pyelonephritis. ADAPT-PO is designed as a double-blind, double-dummy clinical trial to compare oral SPR994 dosed as 600 mg TID with a standard-of-care intravenous antibiotic, ertapenem, in approximately 1,200 patients with cUTI or AP, randomized 1:1 in each arm. The Phase 3 trial will continue as planned and Spero expects to report top-line data in the third quarter of 2020.

08:06 EDT Biocept awarded South Korean patent - Biocept announces that it has been awarded South Korean Patent No. 2010601, entitled "METHODS FOR DETECTING NUCLEIC ACID SEQUENCE VARIANTS." The patent provides intellectual property protection for the company's Switch-Blocker technology, which is core to Biocept's Target Selector assays for molecular analysis using real-time PCR, Sanger sequencing and next-generation sequencing.

08:05 EDT Catalyst says two subjects exceed efficacy endpoint in DalcA Phase 2b study - Catalyst Biosciences provided an update on enrollment in its Phase 2b study of dalcinonacog alfa, a next-generation subcutaneously administered Factor IX therapy being developed for the treatment of hemophilia B. Two subjects have completed dosing and washout, Factor IX levels in these two subjects exceeded the trial efficacy endpoint of greater than12% activity and no anti-drug antibodies were detected. Enrollment is ongoing and the Company anticipates reporting final data in the first half of 2020. "We believe that DalcA may offer a conveniently-dosed subcutaneous prophylactic treatment option that could significantly improve the quality of life for those suffering from severe hemophilia B," said Nassim Usman, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Catalyst. "We are very pleased with the FIX activity and lack of ADAs obtained and look forward to providing final data in the first half of 2020." The open-label Phase 2b study is evaluating the ability of DalcA to maintain steady state FIX levels above 12% in individuals with severe hemophilia B. The trial is expected to enroll up to six completing subjects who will receive a single intravenous dose, followed by daily subcutaneous doses of DalcA for 28 days. Pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, safety and tolerability of daily SQ dosing and anti-drug antibody formation are being monitored. The trial is actively enrolling and study participants have been identified.

08:04 EDT PriceSmart announces plans to build two new warehouses in Jamaica, Colombia - PriceSmart announced that in September, it secured approximately 218,000 square feet of land in Jamaica upon which the company plans to construct its second warehouse club in that country. This club will be located within the city of Portmore, Jamaica. Portmore is a suburb west of the capital city of Kingston, Jamaica. The Portmore club is expected to open, approximately, in the fall of 2020. In October, the company acquired nearly 210,000 square feet of land in Colombia upon which the company plans to construct its ninth warehouse club in that country. This club will be located in the Floridablanca Municipality, south of Bucaramanga, Colombia. The Bucaramanga club is also expected to open, approximately, in the fall of 2020.

08:02 EDT Perrigo relaunches AB rated generic version of Transderm Scop - Perrigo has relaunched the AB rated generic equivalent of Transderm Scop. Annual market sales of Transderm Scop and therapeutic equivalents for the 12 months ending August 2019 were approximately $147M.

08:02 EDT Taronis sees moving forward with $165M contract in early Q4 - Taronis Technologies provided a comprehensive update on recent meetings in Ankara, Turkey between executives from Taronis Fuels, a subsidiary of the company, and senior state officials and business leaders. "Based on our most recent dialogue, we anticipate an expedited approval of permitting and regulatory approval for the sale of MagneGas in Turkey. With that completed, we are increasingly confident that we will move forward with the $165M contract in early fourth quarter 2019," the company said in a statement.

08:01 EDT PepsiCo says higher investments in business to be reflected in Q4

07:58 EDT VIVUS announces departure of president Ken Suh, COO Scott Oehrlein - VIVUS announced that it has paid down $48.6M of its Senior Secured Notes due 2024. This debt reduction will result in savings of $10.5M due to a reduction in interest payments over the remaining term of the loan. The Company also announced the departure of Ken Suh, president, and Scott Oehrlein, COO, effective October 31, 2019. As of this time, the Company does not intend on hiring replacements for the positions of President and COO.

07:57 EDT PepsiCo CEO says on track to achieve FY productivity savings of $1B - Comments taken from the Q3 earnings conference call.

07:53 EDT Siga Technologies completes clinical studies for IV formulation of TPOXX - SIGA Technologies announced that it has reached concurrence with the US Food and Drug Administration that no further clinical studies will be required for the IV formulation of TPOXX, and SIGA anticipates filing the New Drug Application for this formulation in 2020. Given that the efficacy of TPOXX was previously established in animal models used to support the development and approval of the oral formulation, the FDA will not require additional efficacy data to support the NDA for the IV formulation. The IV formulation of TPOXX is an important option for the treatment of smallpox in those who may be too sick or unable to swallow the oral capsule formulation. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority emphasized the importance of this option in the 2018 contract award to SIGA, which specifies the delivery of 20,000 courses of the IV formulation of TPOXX and contains options for the purchase of up to an additional 192,000 courses of the formulation. On July 13, 2018, the FDA approved the oral formulation of TPOXX for the treatment of smallpox to mitigate the impact of a potential outbreak or bioterror attack. TPOXX, a small-molecule antiviral treatment for smallpox, is the first therapy specifically approved for this indication, and was developed through funding and collaboration with BARDA at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as early stage development supported by the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Department of Defense.

07:50 EDT Constellation expects Wine and Spirits FY20 net sales to decline 15%-20% - The wine and spirits business now expects fiscal 2020 net sales and operating income to decline 15 - 20% and approximately 25%, respectively largely due to updated assumptions for transaction timing. .

07:48 EDT Constellation's beer business continues target 7%-9% net sales growth for 2020 - The beer business continues to target 7 - 9% net sales and operating income growth for fiscal 2020.

07:43 EDT Boeing, Embraer strategic partnership progressing, seen closing in early 2020 - Boeing (BA) and Embraer (ERJ) continue to work closely together to establish their strategic partnership, positioning both companies to deliver greater value to airline customers and the flying public, and to accelerate growth in global aerospace markets. Since receiving approval for the partnership from Embraer shareholders in February this year, the companies have undertaken diligent planning for the creation of a joint venture made up of the commercial aircraft and services operations of Embraer. Boeing will own 80% of the new company, to be named Boeing Brasil - Commercial. Embraer will hold the remaining 20%. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approval; the two companies are actively engaged with authorities in relevant jurisdictions and have obtained a number of regulatory approvals. Following a detailed assessment by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the parties' strategic partnership has received clearance to close in the United States. The European Commission recently indicated it will open a Phase II assessment in its review of the transaction, and Boeing and Embraer look forward to assisting with that review. Based on this development, however, the companies now expect the transaction to close in early 2020. Boeing and Embraer are also preparing to launch a joint venture to promote and develop markets for the multi-mission medium airlift KC-390. Under the terms of the proposed partnership, Embraer will own a 51% stake in the joint venture and Boeing will own the remaining 49%. Two KC-390 milestones were recently achieved by Embraer: the first KC-390 was delivered to the Brazilian Air Force, and the first international purchase was announced by Portugal. The comprehensive Boeing-Embraer strategic partnership, embodied through these two joint ventures, will position the companies to compete in the global marketplace, to deliver greater value to customers, and to boost the Brazilian aerospace industry as a whole.

07:39 EDT Constellation Brands raises FY20 operating cash flow target approx. $2.2B - Previous view $2.1B. Raises free cash flow projection to $1.3B-$1.4B from $1.2B-$1.3B.

07:34 EDT Axon technology selected by York Regional Police in Canada - Axon announced that York Regional Police has joined the Axon network with the purchase of 270 Axon Fleet in-car video systems and 1,800 licenses to the digital evidence management solution, Axon Evidence. This order was received in the third quarter of 2019 and will begin shipping in phased deployments in Q4. YRP is also deploying Axon Citizen for Communities, a public evidence submission portal that allows agencies to collect evidence from the public, and Redaction Assistant, Axon's artificial intelligence powered productivity tool built to increase efficiency for agencies.

07:31 EDT Aramark expands relationship with Dickies - Aramark announced it is expanding its strategic relationship with Dickies "to provide customers with a wider assortment of premium Dickies apparel options for the industrial rental market." Through the expanded relationship, Aramark will offer customers new uniform options and a larger assortment of colors in twill, poplin, knit, duck and denim fabrics. The offering includes a modern fit for men and women in a variety of industries from a widely recognized and respected workwear brand.

07:18 EDT RioCan REIT acquires 50% interest in Toronto mixed-use asset for $27.1M - RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust announced the acquisition of a 50% co-ownership interest in 2323 Yonge Street for $27.1M in the block immediately north of the Yonge Eglinton intersection in Toronto, Ontario. The property is co-owned through a 50/50 joint venture with Streamliner Properties. The property is comprised of one eight-storey Class B office building, with street front retail occupied by strong national tenants. The building contains 67,400 square feet of commercial space, which is currently 100% leased.

07:11 EDT Summit Therapeutics presents results from Phase 2 trial of ridinilazole - Summit Therapeutics announced that it presented results from the Phase 2 clinical trial of ridinilazole in C. difficile infection detailing improvements in patient quality of life following antibiotic treatment for CDI. These results were presented in a poster session at ID Week 2019 being held in Washington, DC between 2-6 October. The Phase 2 clinical trial called CoDIFy evaluated ridinilazole compared to vancomycin in 100 patients with CDI. As part of the trial, patients completed the EuroQol 5-Dimension questionnaire three level version at baseline, day 5, 10, 12 and 40. The EQ-5D-3L is a standard measure of health status which evaluates five dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression. Overall, fewer patients treated with ridinilazole than patients treated with vancomycin reported any problems over the time points in four of the five domains: mobility, self-care, usual activities and pain/discomfort. Patients in both arms reported problems with anxiety and depression at baseline, however, the number of patients treated with ridinilazole reporting problems in this measure decreased throughout the timepoints. In contrast, the number of patients treated with vancomycin reporting problems with anxiety and depression increased at Day ten and remained high through the end of the study. By Day 40, patients treated with ridinilazole had improved significantly more than vancomycin in anxiety and depression. As early as Day five, patients treated with ridinilazole reported significant improvements in index scores, a measure which combines scores from the five domains, and visual analogue scale scores, which is a self-reported score of overall health. While both treatment arms showed significant improvements in pain and discomfort with treatment, by Day ten, numerically fewer patients treated with ridinilazole reported issues than those treated with vancomycin. These results, along with the statistical superiority achieved in the primary clinical endpoint of sustained clinical response, support the continued development of ridinilazole.

07:09 EDT BioCryst reports inducement grants under Nasdaq listing rule - BioCryst Pharmaceuticals announced that the compensation committee of BioCryst's board of directors granted three newly-hired employees options to purchase an aggregate of 103,000 shares of BioCryst common stock on September 30, 2019 as inducements material to each employee entering into employment with BioCryst. The options were granted in accordance with NASDAQ Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The options have an exercise price of $2.87 per share, which is equal to the closing price of BioCryst common stock on the last business day prior to the grant date. The options vest in four equal annual installments beginning on the one-year anniversary of the grant date, in each case subject to the new employee's continued service with the company. Each stock option has a 10 year term and is subject to the terms and conditions of BioCryst's Inducement Equity Incentive Plan and a stock option agreement covering the grant.

07:07 EDT Evoqua Water to divest Memcor membrane product line - Evoqua Water announced an agreement to divest its Memcor membrane product line to DuPont Safety & Construction. The transaction, which includes the product line's global workforce, its manufacturing site in Windsor, Australia, associated operations and intellectual property, is expected to close by the end of the year, subject to customary terms and closing conditions. The sale of Memcor allows Evoqua to focus on core products and solutions in line with its strategy toward digitally enabled, recurring revenue-based businesses. Evoqua will continue to design, source and assemble membrane-based systems for customers, incorporating best in class component technologies from partners like DuPont whose core competence resides in membrane development and manufacturing.

07:06 EDT Alliance Data selected by Land's End for branded credit card loyalty services - Alliance Data's (ADS) card services business, a provider of branded private label, co-brand and commercial card programs, has signed a new multi-year agreement to provide both co-brand and private label credit card services for Lands' End (LE). The new Lands' End Visa co-brand and private label credit cards will allow cardmembers to earn rewards. The program will leverage Alliance Data's online acquisition capabilities.

07:04 EDT Uber confirms official Uber Works launch in Chicago - Uber said in a blog post: "Workers face rigid scheduling and opaque information about where they can pick up shifts and how much they can expect to earn. Businesses struggle to staff up to meet peak demand, and have to grapple with missed shifts and high turnover. We believe a new, technology-first approach can provide faster and easier means for people to get work, while offering greater insight into the many opportunities for work that are out there-improving the experience for workers and businesses alike. That's why over the past year, we've studied and built tech solutions that can help positively impact a workers' shift experience and eliminate bottlenecks to finding work. Starting in Chicago, we are now officially launching Uber Works platform that connects workers with businesses that need to fill available shifts. We believe that finding work shouldn't have to be a job in itself. For positions as diverse as being a prep cook, warehouse worker, a commercial cleaner or event staff, Uber Works aims to make it easier to find and claim a shift. Uber Works app users can get detailed information about shifts they're interested in, including information about gross pay, work location and skills, or required attire. Uber Works also serves as a one-stop shop for all time-tracking needs, allowing users to clock in and out and log breaks. We believe Uber Works presents a real opportunity to help improve the quality and access of work through technology. For us, it's clear we are just at the beginning of the journey. The Uber Works team is committed to the task ahead as we learn and explore how we can be a part of the solution." Reference Link

07:03 EDT Dana, Valeo collaborate to supply 48-volt electric-vehicle systems - Dana and Valeo announced a global collaboration to develop and supply 48-volt electric-vehicle systems for new-mobility applications, including low-speed electric and hybrid e-AWD vehicles. The first system is scheduled to launch in early 2020 with a major European automaker on series-produced cars. The joint development will provide customers with complete electromechanical systems for three- and four-wheeled low-speed electric vehicles, as well as hybrid e-AWD applications for passenger cars and crossovers. The systems will be equipped with a Dana-designed Spicer Electrified e-Gearbox, and a Valeo-developed electric motor and inverter.

07:01 EDT LabCorp appoints Judi Seltz as Chief Human Resources Officer - LabCorp selected Judi Seltz as its Chief Human Resources Officer effective Oct. 15, replacing Lisa Uthgenannt following her planned retirement. Seltz comes to LabCorp from Diversey, a global provider of sustainable hygiene technologies and services with approximately 9,000 employees around the world, where she was chief human resources officer. Prior to Diversey, Seltz was senior vice president of human resources for the Global Human Health division of Merck John Ratliff, currently CEO of Covance, will become CEO of LabCorp Diagnostics, and Paul Kirchgraber, currently senior vice president and head of Covance's clinical trial testing solutions, will succeed Ratliff as CEO of Covance. Both business segment CEO roles are effective Nov. 1 when Adam H. Schechter becomes president and CEO of LabCorp, and David P. King retires from those roles to become executive chairman of the board of directors. Ratliff joined LabCorp as CEO of Covance in October 2016. Kirchgraber currently leads Covance's clinical trial testing solutions.

06:50 EDT Eli Lilly presents Taltz head-to-head trial data, primary endpoint met - Eli Lilly presented data at the Maui Derm NP+PA fall meeting from the Phase 4 IXORA-R study, the first head-to-head study between an IL-17A inhibitor and an IL-23/p19 inhibitor using the Psoriasis Area Severity Index, or PASI 100 score as the primary endpoint. Taltz met the primary endpoint of superiority vs. Tremfya in the proportion of patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis achieving complete skin clearance as measured by PASI 100 at Week 12, as well as key secondary endpoints. The study is ongoing through Week 24. The primary endpoint of the study was superiority for Taltz compared to Tremfya in the proportion of patients achieving complete skin clearance as measured by PASI 100 at Week 12. Key secondary endpoints included superiority over Tremfya in the proportion of patients achieving PASI 75 at Week 2, PASI 90 at Weeks 4 and 8, PASI 100 at Weeks 4, 8 and 24, static Physician's Global Assessment, or sPGA, 0 at Week 12 and PASI 50 at Week 1. Patients treated with Taltz demonstrated statistically significantly higher improvements than those treated with Tremfya as measured by PASI 100 at Week 12. Additionally, all major secondary endpoints up to Week 12 were achieved. A total of 1,027 patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis were enrolled in the study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Taltz compared to Tremfya. Participants were randomized to receive Taltz or Tremfya at the approved dose for a total of 24 weeks, with the primary analysis conducted at 12 weeks. In IXORA-R, the safety profiles of Taltz and Tremfya were consistent with those previously reported for both treatments. As the IXORA-R study is ongoing, not all data will be presented at this meeting to prevent unblinding for investigators and participants. Lilly plans to share results on the remaining key secondary endpoint of proportion of patients achieving PASI 100 at 24 weeks in 2020.

06:32 EDT Ares Management, Fidante Partners establish joint venture in Australia - Ares Management and Fidante Partners, part of Challenger, have established a strategic joint venture to coordinate the marketing and investment management of retail and institutional investor capital from Australia and New Zealand for Ares' various Credit, Private Equity and Real Estate strategies. To support the joint venture, the two companies have formed Ares Australia Management, which will act as the investment manager for new investment vehicles specifically structured for investors in Australia and New Zealand. AAM combines Ares' suite of investment strategies with Fidante's retail and institutional investor distribution, local fund reporting and back office administration. AAM will be governed by a Board of Directors consisting of representatives from Ares and Fidante and will be headquartered in Sydney, Australia.

06:23 EDT Walmart to test programs for U.S. workers to cut healthcare costs - Elizabeth Walker, Walmart Corporate Affairs, said in a statement: "For the company's 2020 medical plan, team is trying some new concepts in select markets, and she is optimistic that these new options can change the health care landscape for associates and their families the same way Centers of Excellence did. In Northwest Arkansas, Orlando/Tampa and Dallas/Fort Worth, Walmart will be testing Featured Providers, a program that helps connect patients with local doctors who have a demonstrated history of providing the most appropriate patient care. Rather than relying on word of mouth or social media to find a provider, patients can get information based on actual data and proven results. Featured Providers is powered by Embold Health, which synthesizes a large amount of data from public and private insurance programs to create reports on individual physicians. In Colorado, Minnesota and Wisconsin, Walmart is expanding its telehealth offering to include preventive health, chronic care management, urgent care, and behavioral health for associates. Through this voluntary program, patients can video chat with a doctor from the comfort of their homes, and, if they choose, access a personal online doctor (think virtual primary care physician) and an entire team to coordinate specialty care, provide nutritional and diabetic counseling and coordinate behavioral health referrals and visits. All video visits are $4." Reference Link

06:10 EDT PepsiCo continues to see FY19 core effective tax rate of approx. 21% - Consistent with its previous guidance for 2019, the company continues to expect: A decline in core constant currency EPS of approximately 1 percent, which incorporates lapping a number of 2018 strategic asset-sale and refranchising gains, the expected increased core effective tax rate, and expected 2019 incremental investments to strengthen the business. Approximately $9B in cash from operating activities and free cash flow of approximately $5B, which assumes net capital spending of approximately $4.5B. Total cash returns to shareholders of approximately $8B, comprised of dividends of approximately $5B and share repurchases of approximately $3B. Applying current market consensus rates implies a 2-percentage-point foreign exchange translation headwind to both reported net revenue and EPS performance.

06:09 EDT AngioDynamics acquires Eximo Medical for $46M upfront consideration - AngioDynamics announced that it has acquired Eximo Medical, an early commercial stage, medical device company, and its proprietary 355nm wavelength laser-technology platform for $46M in up-front consideration with up to $20M of contingent consideration related to certain technical and revenue milestones. The transaction is being funded exclusively through the use of cash on hand.

06:02 EDT Tutor Perini subsidiary awarded $50M performance park project in San Diego - Tutor Perini's subsidiary Rudolph and Sletten has been awarded a contract valued at approximately $50M by the San Diego Symphony for construction of Bayside Performance Park, a new permanent outdoor concert venue and active park in the Port of San Diego's Embarcadero Marina Park South on the San Diego Bay. The project scope of work includes a 13,000-square-foot acoustically engineered concert stage and shell, public patio with bay views, terraced seating for up to 10,000, new restroom facilities, sustainable landscaping and an expanded promenade around the venue. Work on the project commenced in September and substantial completion is anticipated in the summer of 2020. The contract value will be included in the company's Q3 backlog.

05:13 EDT Applied DNA Sciences receives extension from Nasdaq - Applied DNA Sciences announced that the Nasdaq Hearings Panel, has granted Applied DNA's request for an extension through December 31, to comply with all applicable criteria for continued listing of the company's securities on the Nasdaq Capital Market, including the minimum $1.00 bid price and $2.5M stockholders' equity requirements. During the extension, Applied DNA's securities will remain listed on Nasdaq.