Stockwinners Market Radar for October 15, 2019 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:01 EDT Ingredion discloses malware affecting certain data centers - Ingredion issued the following statement: "Over the past weekend, Ingredion detected suspicious activity affecting several servers within certain data centers. As part of our comprehensive response plan, we immediately took steps to identify and contain the situation. At this time, we are not aware of evidence that any customer, supplier or employee data has been improperly accessed, misused or transferred by any third party. We are working to get the affected servers back online and have engaged a third-party consultant to assist. Restoration of some of our systems will take time, and in the interim, certain transactions with customers or suppliers may be delayed."

18:58 EDT Fly Intel: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Sleep Number (SNBR) up 6.6%... United Airlines (UAL) up 1.5%. ALSO HIGHER: McKesson (MCK) up 7.8%, AmerisourceBergen (ABC) up 7.5%, Cardinal Health (CAH) up 4.9% after WSJ speculation of potential $18B opioid litigation settlement... Fulton Financial (FULT) up 1.5% after announcing $100M buyback... Eaton (ETN) up 1.1% after selling its Lighting business for $1.4B... Stitch Fix (SFIX) up 1.1% after $3.1M insider buy... MGM Resorts (MGM) up 1.0% after selling Bellagio to Blackstone for $4.25B. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: JB Hunt (JBHT) down 1.9%... Interactive Brokers (IBKR) down 1.4%. ALSO LOWER: Rhythm Pharmaceuticals (RYTM) down 11.4% after equity offering... ProQR Therapeutics (PRQR) down 10.0% after sepofarsen RPD designation from FDA... Natera (NTRA) down 5.9% after equity offering... Principia Biopharma (PRNB) down 3.0% after equity offering... U.S. Steel (X) down 1.9% after convertible note offering... Arco Platform (ARCE) down 1.3% after filing $1.B mixed shelf... Tradeweb Markets (TW) down 1.0% after Q3 guidance, equity offering. Movers as of 18:30ET.

18:15 EDT Editas Medicine, AskBio enter research collaboration over in vivo delivery - Editas Medicine and Asklepios BioPharmaceutical announced the companies have entered a strategic research collaboration to explore in vivo delivery of genome editing medicines to treat neurological diseases. This collaboration brings together AskBio's leading capsid development, clinical stage AAV vector delivery system, and manufacturing expertise with Editas Medicine's leading genome editing technologies to potentially develop novel medicines for patients with high unmet need. "We are excited to collaborate with AskBio, a team with unparalleled experience in AAV technology and clinical-stage manufacturing. We believe that together we can deliver innovative genome editing medicines to the nervous system and rapidly advance medicines to treat neurological diseases and help patients in great need," said Charles Albright, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, Editas Medicine.

17:39 EDT SPDR Gold Shares holdings fall to 919.66MT from 921.71MT - This is the lowest level of holdings since September 24th.

17:35 EDT Sleep Number sees Q4 effective tax rate of 25%

17:22 EDT Sleep Number says added 42 new stores in the past 12 months - Says multi-year initiatives have resulted in double digit EPS growth since 2015. Says average revenue per share was up 8% for the trailing 12 months. Says prioritizing investments in research and development. Says expects annual average store growth of 20%-25% through 2025. Comments taken from Q3 earnings conference call.

17:16 EDT United Airlines sees year end 2019 total mainline aircraft of 810 - Sees year end 2019 total regional aircraft of 580. Sees 2020 scheduled new aircraft deliveries of 65. Comments taken from presentation slides for investor update.

17:12 EDT Honeywell appoints Mike Madsen to head Aerospace group, Jeff Kimbell as CCO - Honeywell announced that Mike Madsen has been named president and CEO of Honeywell Aerospace, effective immediately. Madsen succeeds Tim Mahoney, who held the role for the past ten years and has been named senior VP, Enterprise Transformation. In his new position, Mahoney will have broad responsibilities for Honeywell Digital, the company's global, cross-functional digitization initiative that is driving improvements in customer service and efficiency. Honeywell also announced the appointment of Jeff Kimbell as senior VP and Chief Commercial Officer, with broad responsibilities for digitizing and aligning the company's sales and marketing organizations in support of profitable organic growth. Most recently, he served as Partner in the Transformation Practice at McKinsey & Company in Houston.

17:10 EDT United Airlines sees Q4 consolidated capacity up ~ 3% y/y - Sees Q4: Consolidated PRASM growth 0%-2%; CASM-Ex up ~ 3.5%; Adjusted pre-tax margin 7%-9%; Effective income tax rate 22%-24%. Comments taken from presentation slides in investor update.

17:01 EDT Dunkin' Brands U.S. Chief Marketing Officer Tony Weisman stepping down - Dunkin' Brands, the parent company of Dunkin' and Baskin-Robbins, announced that Tony Weisman, Chief Marketing Officer Dunkin' U.S., is stepping down from his position effective December 1. The company will immediately begin a search for his replacement, and Weisman has agreed to assist in the search. Until the appointment of a new CMO, the marketing department will report to Dave Hoffmann, Dunkin' Brands CEO and Dunkin' U.S. President.

16:47 EDT Akebia sues CMS over action rescinding Medicare part D coverage of Auryxia - Akebia Therapeutics, Inc. filed a complaint in federal district court against the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The lawsuit challenges a September 2018 decision by CMS that rescinded Medicare Part D coverage of Auryxia, Akebia's FDA-approved drug, when used for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia in adult patients with chronic kidney disease not on dialysis. The legal action also seeks to reverse a related decision by CMS that imposed a prior authorization requirement for Auryxia when used for the control of serum phosphorus levels in adult patients with CKD on dialysis. In the complaint, Akebia asks the court to restore coverage of Auryxia for the IDA Indication and to remove the prior authorization requirement for the Hyperphosphatemia Indication.

16:33 EDT Rudolph Technologies to combine with Nanometrics to create Onto Innovation - In a deal announced this June, Nanometrics (NANO) and Rudolph Technologie ( RTEC) announced that their combined company will be named Onto Innovation Inc., following the close of their previously announced merger of equals. The combined company will provide an expanded portfolio of leading-edge technologies that include: 3D metrology spanning everything on the chip from nanometer-scale transistors to micron-level die-interconnects; macro defect inspection of wafers and packages; metal interconnect composition; factory analytics; and lithography for advanced semiconductor packaging.

16:31 EDT Ameren names Michael Moehn CFO - Ameren Corporation announced organizational changes that will broaden the work experiences for two senior executives, further strengthen the organization's senior leadership expertise and better position the company to execute its long-term strategic plan. Marty Lyons, currently executive vice president and chief financial officer, and president of Ameren Services, will become president of Ameren Missouri. Michael Moehn, currently president of Ameren Missouri, will become executive vice president and chief financial officer, and president of Ameren Services. The organizational changes will be effective Dec. 1.

16:24 EDT Fulton Financial approves $100M shares repurchase program - Fulton Financial announced that its Board of Directors has approved the repurchase of up to $100M of shares of Fulton's common stock, or approximately 3.9% of Fulton's outstanding shares, based on the closing price of Fulton's common stock and the number of shares outstanding on October 11. This approval expires on December 31, 2020. Fulton also announced that it repurchased approximately $48.0M of its outstanding shares during the Q3, which completed the repurchase of shares authorized under the $100M stock repurchase program announced in March.

16:19 EDT AssetMark Financial reports platform assets up 20.9% YoY at the end of September - AssetMark Financial Holdings,released its "AssetMark Monthly Knowledge" Report.Company highlights for the month of September 2019 include: Platform assets of $57.9B at the end of September, up 20.9% year-over-year;Net flows were $312 million in the month of September, down 24.3% year-over-year;AssetMark Trust Company client cash increased 48.3% year-over-year; Number of households increased 23.0% year-over-year to 159,496 at the end of September.

16:18 EDT United Airlines reports Q3 PRASM up 1.7% y/y - Reports Q3 CASM down 0.9%; CASM-Ex up 2.1% y/y.

16:17 EDT Exelon names Calvin Butler as interim CEO of Exelon Uitilities - Exelon Corporation announced that it has appointed Calvin G. Butler Jr., CEO of Baltimore Gas and Electric Company, as Interim CEO of Exelon Utilities, effective immediately. This appointment follows the retirement of Anne Pramaggiore, Senior Executive Vice President and CEO of Exelon Utilities, which is also effective immediately. Mr. Butler will continue to serve as CEO of BGE.

16:16 EDT Lamb Weston launches Argentina joint venture with Sociedad Comercial del Plata - Lamb Weston announced that it has formed a joint venture with Sociedad Comercial del Plata in Argentina to serve the nearly 2-billion-pound South American market. Each partner will own 50% of the new joint venture, Lamb Weston Alimentos Modernos S.A. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Lamb Weston Alimentos Modernos S.A. will sell frozen potato products under the Rapipap and Morixe brands and will operate a manufacturing facility in Munro, Buenos Aires, Argentina, with annual capacity of approximately 130 million pounds of finished goods.

16:12 EDT ProQR Therapeutics gets RPD from FDA for sepofarsen to treat LCA 10 - ProQR Therapeutics announced that it received Rare Pediatric Disease, RPD,designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for sepofarsen for the treatment of Leber's congenital amaurosis 10, LCA10, the most common cause of blindness due to genetic disease in children. Sepofarsen, QR-110, is a first-in-class investigational RNA-based oligonucleotide designed to address the underlying cause of LCA10 due to the p.Cys998X mutation in the CEP290 gene. The RPD designation provides priority review by the FDA to encourage treatments for rare pediatric diseases. Under the RPD program, a sponsor who receives an approval for a drug or biologic for a "rare pediatric disease" may qualify for a voucher that can be redeemed to receive a priority review by the FDA of a subsequent marketing application for a different product

16:09 EDT First Majestic announces Q3 total production of 6.6M silver equivalent ounces - First Majestic announced total production in Q3 reached 6.6M silver equivalent ounces, representing a 4% increase compared to the prior quarter. Total production consisted of 3.4M ounces of silver, 35,791 ounces of gold, 1.9M pounds of lead and 1M pounds of zinc. By the end of Q3, total production has reached 19.3M silver equivalent ounces, or approximately 77% of the company's guidance midpoint of producing 24.4M-26M ounces. "Total production increased 4% quarter over quarter due to higher grades and recoveries at both our Santa Elena and La Encantada operations," said Keith Neumeyer, president and CEO. "At La Encantada, silver recoveries averaged 82%, making it the highest recovery rate since owning this operation, following successful plant modifications to optimize ore handling and processing. In addition to higher recoveries, silver grades at La Encantada increased 59% pushing silver production to the highest level since 2014. Production at Santa Elena also reached a new record as higher gold grades were produced from the Main Vein and overall higher metallurgical recoveries were achieved following the start-up of the new HIG mill. This new mill is proving to be a major asset for this operation and I would like to recognize our projects and innovations team for a job well done."

16:08 EDT iRobot files motion for preliminary injunction against SharkNinja Operating - iRobot filed a motion for a preliminary injunction ordering SharkNinja Operating and its related entities to halt its sales and distribution of its Shark IQ Robot. iRobot filed its motion based on infringement of certain iRobot patents related to the Roomba i7+ robot vacuum with Clean Base Automatic Dirt Disposal. The motion was filed today in the District of Massachusetts, with a hearing date to be scheduled. iRobot's preliminary injunction identifies Shark's IQ Robot, released well over a year after the Roomba i7+, for infringement of three iRobot patents: U.S. Patent No. 9,921,586; U.S. Patent No. 9,550,294; and U.S. Patent No. 9,492,048. iRobot also filed a complaint for patent infringement involving three other iRobot patents, spanning core iRobot features such as the Roomba i7+ robot's roller technology and modularity. Today's lawsuit against SharkNinja follows iRobot's win of an exclusion order against multiple respondents at the International Trade Commission.

16:06 EDT Interactive Brokers reports Q3 customer equity up 10% at $156.6B

16:03 EDT Interactive Brokers reports Q3 total DARTs up 13% at 859K

13:02 EDT Canopy Rivers portfolio company receives Health Canada license amendment - Canopy Rivers announced that its portfolio company James E. Wagner Cultivation Corporation received a Health Canada license amendment allowing for cannabis production in four new flowering rooms at its flagship facility in Kitchener, Ontario. "We believe that this license amendment demonstrates Health Canada's recognition of JWC, the quality of its operations, and its disciplined approach to expansion," said Olivier Dufourmantelle, COO, Canopy Rivers. "Through its supply agreement with TerrAscend, JWC has an active role in the Canopy Rivers ecosystem. We've seen that companies that work together, thrive together, and we think this Health Canada approval will enable JWC to increase production and further collaborate within the Canopy Rivers ecosystem."

12:44 EDT Google Stadia launches on November 19th - In a tweet, the Google Stadia team said: "Mark your calendars! Stadia will start arriving November 19. Need a quick guide on what exactly Stadia is? We got you covered. Become an expert in all things Stadia just in time for launch." Reference Link

12:38 EDT Google introduces Google Pixel Buds - Alphabet's Google announced the Google Pixel Buds, a set of wireless headphones that connect to Google devices, including the recently announced Pixel 4 phone. "Pixel Buds have a unique hybrid design that keeps you aware of the world around you, while still delivering powerful sound," the company said. "The eartips gently seal the ear to isolate the loud outside noises, and to give high quality audio. The spatial vent underneath reduces that plugged-ear feeling, and lets through just the right amount of environmental sound so you can stay aware of the things around you. Pixel Buds also have Adaptive Sound, which dynamically adjusts the volume as you move from a quiet environment to a noisy one, so you don't have to constantly raise or lower the volume."

12:36 EDT Google announces next-generation Nest Mini - Alphabet's Google (GOOG) announced the second-generation Nest Mini, which is "completely re-engineered to make everything you love about the original even better." Nest Mini provides bass that's twice as strong as the original Google Home Mini, and those listening to music or podcasts on the Nest Mini will see LED lights lighting up as their hand gets close to the device, indicating where they can tap to adjusted the volume. And Nest Mini will dynamically adjust the volume of the Assistant, news and podcasts based on any background noise that may be happening at the time. Users can connect Nest Mini to other Nest speakers to build a sound system for the whole home, Google said, adding that with stream transfer, users can fill their home with sound by moving music, audiobooks, and podcasts from one speaker to another with a voice command. "Nest Mini is smarter and faster than the original Mini," the company said. "We embedded a dedicated machine learning chip with up to one TeraOPS of processing power, which lets us move some Google Assistant experiences from our data centers directly onto the device. In the U.S., Nest Mini can now learn your most common commands and process them locally for a much faster response time." Customers can buy Mini for $49, and starting today, anyone can pre-order from the Google Store. Nest Mini will be on shelves on October 22 at Best Buy (BBY), Target (TGT), Walmart (WMT) and other retailers.

12:32 EDT Google officially announces Pixel 4, Pixel 4 XL - Google officially introduced the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL, which include the latest version of Android. The Pixel 4 brings the phone line's largest camera upgrade yet, with two cameras on the back of the phone, including a new telephoto lens. Pixel 4 also has Live HDR+ in the viewfinder so users know exactly what their photo will look like, even when they're using the new controls in tricky lighting. The phone will come with a new Google Assistant, a Motion Sense feature, new built-in apps such as the Recorder transcription app, and a 6GB RAM, a 90hz display, and Pixel Neural Core. "We're expanding our carrier partner lineup and will be selling Pixel through all the major U.S. carriers for the first time, including AT&T, C Spire, Cellcom, Google Fi, Spectrum Mobile (Charter), Sprint, T-Mobile, U.S. Cellular, Verizon, Visible and Xfinity Mobile (Comcast)," the company said. "Beginning today, you can pre-order a Pixel 4 for $799 and Pixel 4 XL for $899, and phones will ship on October 24, globally. Pixel 4 comes in three colors, including Clearly White, Just Black, and a limited edition, Oh So Orange."Reference Link

12:05 EDT American Express reports September write-off rate 2.0% vs. 2.3% last month - Reports September 30 days past due loans 1.3% vs. 1.2% last month.

12:00 EDT Drive Shack rises 9.2% - Drive Shack is up 9.2%, or 34c to $4.08.

11:51 EDT Akamai announces 'enhancements,' new features for Edge Platform - Akamai Technologies announced enhancements focused on maximizing security, quality, and reliability from the cloud to the digital touchpoint. With these new features, the Akamai Intelligent Edge Platform enables organizations to optimize and secure the critical point where they monetize and differentiate their services and push the boundaries of digital experiences. "The edge is both where a business and its customers meet and a place where valuable insights can be gained and shared globally at lightning speed," said Rick McConnell, President and GM of Akamai's Web Division. "As enterprises respond to the ongoing expansion of mobile usage and heightened customer expectations, enhancements to the Akamai Intelligent Edge Platform are designed to accelerate their digital transformations and improve customer experiences while maximizing security and digital trust."

11:47 EDT General Dynamics' Gulfstream G500 earnings European certification - General Dynamics announced that the Gulfstream G500 has received certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency, clearing the way for European Union registrations and customer deliveries. "The G500 has been very well received in Europe," said Gulfstream president Mark Burns. "Customers in the region have been drawn to the unprecedented level of technology and innovation in the flight deck and the impact that has on safety and efficiency."

11:45 EDT Brunswick boosts quarterly dividend 14% - The board of Brunswick Corporation raised the quarterly dividend on its common stock by approximately 14% to 24c per share. The dividend will be payable on December 13 to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 19.

11:32 EDT Blizzard cancels 'Overwatch' event at Nintendo store in NYC - A previously announced launch event for the Switch port of Activision Blizzard's (ATVI) "Overwatch" scheduled for October 16 at the Nintendo World Store (NTDOY) in New York City has been cancelled by Blizzard. "We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause," Nintendo NY tweeted. The Fly notes that the move comes amid controversy around Blizzard's handling of a professional "Hearthstone" player who voiced support for protesters in Hong Kong during an official stream. Reference Link

11:13 EDT Goldman CEO says Apple Card the most successful card launch ever

11:08 EDT Bausch jumps 4% to $21.71 after Citron puts $40 target on shares - Andrew Left's Citron Research believes Bausch Health's quarterly results on November 4 "will force Wall St. to finally take notice" of the company's "pivot to offense." Once "this is considered along with the acknowledgment of the recent M&A spree in pharma, even David Maris will have to admit that BHC is on its way to $40," Citron said in a report posted on its website. The firm, best known for its short selling ideas, adds, "The new Bausch Health is not Valeant and investors have an opportunity to buy a well diversified pharmaceutical company with durable products and a healthy pipeline under a world-class management team that has proven their honesty and dedication." Shares of Bausch Health are up 4%, or 75c, to $21.66 in late morning trading. Citron put a $40 price target on the stock. Reference Link

11:03 EDT ON Semiconductor, Almotive collaborate on prototype sensor fusion platforms - ON Semiconductor and AImotive have jointly announced that they will work together to develop prototype sensor fusion platforms for automotive applications. The collaboration will help customers explore highly integrated solutions for future generations of sensor data conditioning hardware platforms. The companies plan to develop a series of hardware platform demonstrators, combining ON Semiconductor's latest HD camera and radar sensor and pre-processor chipsets and expertise with AImotive's advanced AI-based perception algorithms, hardware acceleration and simulation capabilities. The platforms will showcase the superior accuracy, robustness and low latency of AI-based real-time sensor fusion and will utilize AImotive's aiWare hardware NN acceleration IP in FPGA-based prototypes, as well as modules from its aiDrive software portfolio and its aiSim simulation environment.

11:02 EDT NeuroMetrix shifting to exclusively direct-to-consumer model for Quell 2.0 - NeuroMetrix announced updates to its Quell 2.0 commercial strategy. The company is shifting to an exclusively direct-to-consumer model delivered via the QuellRelief.com website, which is said "will allow it to offer the innovative Quell 2.0 system at accessible price points. This streamlined distribution model will allow more people with chronic pain to benefit from the advanced Quell pain relief technology. The new approach will also open the door for more people to take advantage of electrode savings through a subscription service." Shai Gozani, President, and CEO of NeuroMetrix, said, "We believe that everyone living with chronic pain should have the opportunity to experience Quell and determine if it is beneficial to their particular form of chronic pain. Therefore, we have worked over the past several quarters to refine our business model and distribution system to position us to deliver Quell 2.0 at widely attainable price points."

10:48 EDT Royal Gold appoints Mark Isto as COO, Paul Libner as CFO - Royal Gold announced several senior management appointments: Mark Isto, VP Operations, has been named EVP and COO, Royal Gold Corporation; Paul Libner, Controller and Treasurer, has been named CFO and Treasurer; and, Randy Shefman, Associate General Counsel, has been named VP and General Counsel. All appointments will be effective on January 2, 2020. Libner's promotion will be effective upon the appointment of William Heissenbuttel, CFO and VP Strategy, to the position of President and CEO. Shefman's promotion will be effective upon the retirement of Bruce Kirchhoff, VP, General Counsel and Secretary.

10:38 EDT Bank of America reports September charge-off rate 2.62% vs. 2.67% last month - Reports September 30-plus day delinquencies 1.59% vs. 1.56% last month.

10:22 EDT Citi now sees net interest revenue up 2%-3% in 2019

10:20 EDT Citi sttill sees 'modest' revenue growth for 2019

10:11 EDT Zoom Video, Pinterest slip as lock-ups for IPOs expire - Shares of both Zoom Video (ZM) and Pinterest (PINS) are sliding in early trading, which may be related to the expiration of lock-up periods related to the companies' respective IPOs. Zoom Video had priced 20.9M shares at $36 per share and opened for its first trade on April 18 at $65 per share. Pinterest, which also came public on April 18, had priced 75M shares at $19 and opened for trading at $23.75. Both companies' IPO offerings included 180-day lock-up periods that expired today. Lock-up agreements, a typical feature of company stock offerings, prevent certain shareholders from selling for a set amount of time after the offering. In morning trading, Zoom Video shares are down $1.06, or 1.5%, to $69.75, while Pinterest shares have fallen $1.42, or 5.5%, to $24.50.

10:07 EDT Citi says environment is 'highly unpredictable,' waters 'choppy' - CEO Mike Corbat says the current environment is "highly unpredictable given how much of it is at the mercy of political machinations," including trade negotiations or the resolution of Brexit. Says will help clients navigate "choppy waters." Comments taken from Q3 earnings conference call.

10:00 EDT Drive Shack rises 7.0% - Drive Shack is up 7.0%, or 26c to $4.00.

09:54 EDT D. E. Shaw sees 50% upside in Emerson shares, calls for cost cuts and split - D. E. Shaw Group, which has been an investor in Emerson Electric (EMR) for over four years and currently hold a more than 1.0% interest in the common stock and equivalents of the company, today sent a letter to the company's board. The letter states in part, "Emerson is an iconic company with world-class assets. However, persistent undermanagement of those assets and a long track record of poor capital allocation, excessive costs, suboptimal business configuration, deficient corporate governance, and misalignment of interests have led to significant underperformance of Emerson stock relative to its peers and to the broader market over every relevant measurement period. Simply put, we believe that Emerson has the assets and businesses to be a great company with a premium valuation, but the management team and Board have let shareholders down. To create maximum and enduring value for its shareholders, Emerson needs to change. We believe the right set of actions could result in over 50% upside to Emerson's share price, or over $20 billion of equity value creation for Emerson shareholders, while at the same time preserving Emerson's market leading position in its various businesses." Shaw calls on Emerson to reduce costs, split into a pure play industrial automation company and a climate technology-focused company, and improve corporate governance and align executive compensation. Shares of Emerson are down 16c to $67.05 in morning trading. Reference Link

09:51 EDT D.E. Shaw calls for change at Emerson, sees 50% upside in shares

09:47 EDT Manitowoc falls -5.9% - Manitowoc is down -5.9%, or -67c to $10.71.

09:47 EDT UnitedHealth rises 5.7% - UnitedHealth is up 5.7%, or $12.46 to $233.06.

09:47 EDT Aphria rises 21.8% - Aphria is up 21.8%, or 95c to $5.31.

09:28 EDT Johnson & Johnson says will continue to consider 'opportunistic acquisitions' - Says: Q3 was a good quarter for progression of the drug pipeline... Well positioned in segments that are growing... China continues to perform "extremely well"... Has not seen any impacts from tariffs.

09:23 EDT Genius Brands CEO says 'more bullish than ever' on future of the company - Genius Brands International (GNUS) released a letter to shareholders from Chairman & CEO Andy Heyward. The letter read in part, "Yesterday, I had the privilege of announcing a transformational partnership between Genius Brands and the Alibaba Company (BABA), the largest market cap company of China. We held an investor conference call, and the news has since been reported widely and I would like to share and amplify upon that with you today, as well as other important events now occurring at Genius Brands. Alibaba and Genius Brands announced a partnership in which Alibaba will co-produce our upcoming tentpole series, Stan Lee's Superhero Kindergarten, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Alibaba will not only co-produce, but also distribute, promote, and do all the licensing of consumer products and merchandising in China...Coinciding with the launch of Stan Lee's Superhero Kindergarten, Arnold Schwarzenegger, will not only star and co-produce with Genius Brands and Alibaba Group, but also becomes a significant shareholder in Genius Brands through his equity participation in lieu of other compensation...We have always said that it takes 4-5 years to take a kids property from creation through development, production, broadcast, distribution, licensing, and then to the retail shelf. We are finally now arriving to that spot with our two tentpole properties, Rainbow Rangers and Llama Llama. Now, with the launch of Stan Lee's Superhero Kindergarten, and our transformational partnership announced today with Alibaba, we will soon have our third and largest global tentpole...Mindful of the above, in the last month, I made two additional investments personally in Genius one of $500,000 in Genius debt, and a subsequent one of $750,000 in common stock. These are in addition to the $2 million investment I made several months ago of a block of common stock above market at $3 per share. With the announcement of Alibaba today, and the recent rollout and news surrounding Rainbow Rangers and Llama Llama, I am more bullish than ever on the future of our company. I would like to thank our investors and shareholders who have been patient with the company during the ups and downs of our recent stock price. I have always said that the asset class of animation is a timeless value, which for those with patience, we believe will be richly rewarded."

09:20 EDT Apple TV app, Apple TV+ coming to Roku platform - Roku (ROKU) announced the Apple TV app (AAPL) is available on the Roku platform. "For the first time ever, Roku users can add the Apple TV app via the Roku Channel Store to discover and watch movies, TV shows and more, including accessing their iTunes video library and subscribing to Apple TV channels directly on Roku devices. Starting November 1, Apple TV+, Apple's home for all-original shows and movies from the world's greatest storytellers, will be available on the Apple TV app on the Roku platform."

09:18 EDT Tetra Tech awarded $85M DFID contract for LINKS program in Nigeria - Tetra Tech announced that the U.K. Department for International Development, or DFID, awarded the company an $85M, single-award contract for the Powering Economic Growth in Northern Nigeria, or LINKS, program. Under the seven-year LINKS program, Tetra Tech will assist DFID in identifying and supporting potential high-value markets in Nigeria. These markets may include renewable and off-grid energy solutions, waste management, and information and communications technology applications in the agricultural sector. With a rapidly growing population and high levels of poverty, northern Nigeria faces limited economic opportunity for its citizens and ongoing instability. The LINKS program aims to sustainably increase incomes and create jobs for Nigerians throughout the country. Increased investment is expected to raise the incomes of 3M people and support the creation of 100,000 full-time equivalent jobs. Tetra Tech will collect data, perform advanced analytics and conduct geospatial mapping throughout the life of the project. Tetra Tech researchers will evaluate new business models, technology, and other best practices to help improve economic performance and reduce overall transaction costs.

09:16 EDT Comtech awarded maximum $98.6M Army contract for SATCOM terminals - Comtech announced, that during Q1, its Mission-Critical Technologies group, was awarded a contract with a $98.6M ceiling to provide global field support services for military satellite communication, or SATCOM, terminals around the world. The contract has been initially funded at $22.2M with additional funding expected to occur across the performance period which is expected from award through twelve months, with a potential six month option period, if exercised by the government.

09:12 EDT BAE Systems awarded $437M Army task order to provide open source support - The U.S. Army has awarded BAE Systems a new $437M task order to provide open source support for the Army and Army Intelligence & Security Command, or INSCOM, approved partners. The task order was awarded under the U.S. General Services Administration's, or GSA, One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services, or OASIS, multiple-award IDIQ contract and the acquisition was managed by GSA's Federal Systems Integration and Management Center on behalf of the Army. Under this task order, BAE Systems will deliver open source capabilities derived from publicly available data to the Army. To support this activity, the company will provide INSCOM with training, policy and governance recommendations, assessments and implementation of emerging capabilities. BAE Systems will also establish and manage a secure cloud hosting environment for these activities.

09:10 EDT Alaska Communications appoints William Bishop as CEO - TeAlaska Communications board of directors has named William Bishop president and CEO. Bishop has served as Alaska Communications' interim CEO since June. He joined the company in 2004 and has served in several leadership roles, including senior vice president of customer and revenue management and chief operations officer. Bishop will also serve on the company's board.

09:06 EDT Seelos Therapeutics names Scott Applebaum lead strategic regulatory consultant - Seelos Therapeutics announced the addition of Scott Applebaum to its team as lead strategic regulatory consultant. Applebaum most recently served as President of privately-owned Context Therapeutics.

09:05 EDT Johnson & Johnson says 2,000 sites now certified to treat patients with Spravato - Says: Continues to invest in R&D at competitive levels... Expects higher levels of investment in Q4... Sees FY19 effective tax rate 18%-18.5%... Sees Pharmaceutical division delivering FY20 sales above market... Sees FY20 tax rate similar to FY19 level... Sees FX a headwind in FY20, but less than FY19.

09:04 EDT JPMorgan says U.S. deals driving 'healthy' investment banking pipeline for Q4

09:04 EDT Children's Place announces Gymboree brand relaunch planned for early 2020 - The Children's Place announced that Gymboree will relaunch in early 2020 on an enhanced website, Gymboree.com, and in shop-in-shop locations in over 200 select The Children's Place stores in the U.S. and Canada. The online experience will also feature Gymboree's easy-to-use app, giving customers a convenient option to shop on their mobile devices by connecting them to the collections they love most. Additionally, all online purchases will now include a "Free Shipping, Free Returns, Everyday" policy, with no minimum purchase, further reinforcing Gymboree's commitment to its loyal customers. The Gymboree in-store shopping experience will launch in tandem with Gymboree.com with product offered in more than 200 The Children's Place stores in the U.S. and Canada. Gymboree will launch with collections that return the brand to its classic roots of playful, bow-to-toe offerings that celebrate childhood and help families look their best for any occasion. Collection themes will span across apparel and accessories, and will reinforce Gymboree's hallmark of letting kids be kids a little longer. New and classic themes will capture the spirit of imagination and come to life in vibrant color palettes, prints, textures, graphics and high-quality, durable fabrics. Gymboree will launch a new, enhanced loyalty program which will reward customers for every purchase. The new program will also provide members with special offers on their childrens' birthdays, exclusive access to bonus events and opportunities to earn extra points.

09:02 EDT Lydall appoints Sara Greenstein as president, CEO - Lydall (LDL) announced that Sara Greenstein has been appointed president and CEO of Lydall, Inc., effective November 18, 2019. Greenstein will succeed Dale Barnhart, who will be retiring after more than 12 years of service with Lydall. Greenstein has been a senior executive of United States Steel Corporation (X).

08:57 EDT ElectraMeccanica CEO says company stands 'at an inflection point' - ElectraMeccanica Vehicles Corporation has provided a corporate update through a video interview with company CEO, Paul Rivera, which was conducted last week and released yesterday by Proactive Investors. "We've continued our steadfast operational execution to bring the SOLO EV to market, a purpose built, trend-setting, single-seat EV that we believe will revolutionize commuting, delivery and shared mobility," said Paul Rivera, Chief Executive Officer of ElectraMeccanica. "Our company maintains a healthy financial position as evidenced by our $21.3 million in cash and cash equivalents in the second quarter as we continue to work closely with our strategic manufacturing partner and early investor, Zongshen Industrial Group, to bring the SOLO to market. Today, beyond the initial prototypes and Gen-1 SOLOs built in Canada, we've now produced the first pilot-production vehicles from our assembly operation in China. These have been undergoing extensive on-road validation testing throughout the US, Canada, and China. We're continuing to fine-tune various systems to ensure that we deliver our flagship vehicle to the market with the highest standards of safety, reliability and comfort. I've frequently said that the last 5% of this final stage of delivering a production vehicle is often the hardest; however, our entire team is moving rapidly to accomplish this goal. We will begin delivering our production SOLO's to early adopter customers in early 2020, strategically launching in the Los Angeles area first, followed by broader expansion into other West Coast markets. We stand at an inflection point as a company, moving from a great idea into commercial production. To support these initiatives, we've taken many strategic steps to enhance relationships with partners, bolster our team and ensure the vehicles we are delivering meet our high standards, which ultimately, will help support a much larger, more mature organization. We're also working to ensure a seamless and convenient customer experience. I look forward to providing future investor updates as we launch this category-defining vehicle and create sustainable, long-term value for our shareholders."

08:56 EDT JPMorgan says more optimistic on NII outlook now than in September

08:54 EDT FTE Networks consents to foreclosure, mulls business combination - FTE Networks announced that senior lender Lateral Investment Management took possession and ownership of FTE's principal subsidiary Benchmark Builders by means of a strict foreclosure citing certain events of default caused by certain judgements entered into by convertible note holders. As more fully described in the Company's Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 11, 2019, the Company consented to this foreclosure proposal which provided for total debt relief equal to in aggregate more than $80M. This debt relief was an instrumental part of the Company's decision to agree to the proposed foreclosure terms as the Company was determined to be over leveraged.The Company has also received a term sheet concerning a proposed business combination transaction contemplating the contribution of a multi-billion dollar real estate asset portfolio in exchange for a combination of securities issued by the Company to be agreed upon by the asset contribution party. The Company has also been in discussions as to additional real estate assets to be contributed prior to the close of the business combination transaction or after. As part of the proposed transaction, the Company would also acquire a public non-traded REIT with a portfolio of commercial development assets, further to its strategy to both incorporate a REIT structure into the Company and to enter into the independent broker dealer channel alternative asset sector. In addition to the contribution of assets, the proposing company intends to bring an experienced management team to the Company. The total debt relief under the foreclosure proposal would increase to more than $108M if the proposed business combination is not consummated prior to December 31, 2019. The Company is in discussions with board candidates to replace three board members who resigned following the foreclosure proposal. As discussed in the Company's shareholder letter dated September 12, 2019, the Company has been expending significant efforts on many fronts to explore various strategic alternatives that would improve the Company's long-term financial health and operational effectiveness.

08:51 EDT Charles Schwab reports Q3 daily average revenue trades 395K, up 3% yoy - Reports Q3 core net new assets $56.6B, up 7% from last year. CFO Peter Crawford says: "Our preliminary Tier 1 Leverage Ratio ended the quarter at 7.3%, slightly above our operating objective of 6.75%-7.00%."

08:49 EDT Capitala Finance appoints Kevin Koonts as CCO - Capitala Group announced the appointment of Kevin Koonts as the Chief Compliance Officer and Secretary of Capitala Finance Corp., effective October 8, 2019. Koonts, who currently serves as the Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer of the Company, will remain in these roles in addition to his new duties as Chief Compliance Officer and Secretary. Koonts has served as the Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer of the Company since February 2019.

08:48 EDT JPMorgan CFO says bank's exposure to WeWork 'not material in grand scheme' - JPMorgan (JPM) CFO Jennifer Piepzak says impact of WeWork (WE) in Q3 "was not material."

08:44 EDT Highpower International announces ISS recommends stockholders to vote FOR - Highpower International announced that independent proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services, or ISS, has recommended that Highpower's stockholders vote FOR the proposal to adopt the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of June 28 by and among HPJ Parent, HPJ Merger Sub, a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent, and the Company, which provides for the Company's acquisition by Parent through a merger of the Company with Merger Sub. Parent is an exempted company with limited liability incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands and formed for the benefit of a consortium consisting of Mr. Dang Yu Pan, the Company's Chairman and CEO and a stockholder of the Company, Wen Liang Li, a director and stockholder of the Company, Wen Wei Ma, a stockholder of the Company, and Essence International Capital Limited, a company incorporated in Hong Kong. The Highpower Special Meeting of Stockholders is scheduled to take place on October 29. Highpower urges stockholders to follow the recommendation of ISS by returning the previously mailed proxy/voting instruction card to vote FOR the adoption of the Merger Agreement.

08:44 EDT JPMorgan CFO says bank is 'well positioned' to outperform in any environment

08:42 EDT OncoSec reports publication in Clinical Cancer Research describing TAVO as safe - OncoSec Medical announced the publication of new data in Clinical Cancer Research which highlighted TAVO, or intratumoral plasmid IL-12 with electroporation, as a safe, feasibility and clinically meaningful therapy in patients with Merkel cell carcinoma, or MCC, an aggressive form of skin cancer. "These data demonstrate that intratumoral delivery of plasmid interleukin-12 with electroporation as a monotherapy has the potential to have a durable impact on skin cancers such as Merkel cell carcinoma. I'm encouraged by these initial findings and believe that TAVO is a treatment approach that merits further exploration in MCC," commented Shailender Bhatia and lead investigator and author of the study.

08:40 EDT Laredo Petroleum raises FY19 total production guidance to 79 MBOE per day - Laredo Petroleum is announcing third-quarter oil and total production results that are above prior guidance. Additionally, Laredo is providing an update to the Company's 2019 operating plan and full-year 2019 production and free cash flow guidance, reflecting improving capital efficiency, which is primarily driven by reduced cycle times, well cost reductions and productivity improvements from wider-spaced development. Third-Quarter 2019 Highlights: Exceeded both oil and total production guidance for the quarter, producing 27.8 thousand barrels of oil per day and 81.9 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day . Continued to reduce well costs through efficiencies and service cost reductions, lowering costs at the end of the quarter to $660 per lateral foot for Laredo's standard completion design. Reduced the outstanding balance on the Company's senior secured credit facility by $50M with internally generated cash flow, lowering the balance to $185M at September 30, 2019 Since the announcement of Laredo's operating plan in May 2019, the Company's execution of the plan has exceeded expectations and accelerated early 2020 activity into 2019. The 52 gross completions that were planned for full-year 2019 are now expected to be finished by the end of October as the Company has further reduced cycle times. Return expectations for 2019 continue to improve as well costs have decreased, improving well-level returns by approximately 5%, and well results confirm the Company's type curve for wider spaced development. Driven by these improving fundamentals, production guidance for full-year 2019 has been raised to 28.1 MBOPD for oil and to 79.0 MBOE per day for total production, and anticipated cash flow in 2019 has increased by $65 million from expectations in May. Reflecting the improving capital efficiency and cash flows, Laredo now believes it will deliver $40M of free cash flow in 2019 while maintaining its dedicated completions crew for the remainder of 2019. Operating the Company's dedicated completions crew for the remainder of 2019 increases anticipated completions to 58 gross wells in 2019. Laredo now expects to invest $490M in 2019, comprised of $425M for drilling and completion activities and $65 million for production facilities, land and other capitalized costs. The additional activity in 2019 is anticipated to positively impact oil production and cash flows in 2020 and 2021. By maintaining operational momentum through 2019, the Company now expects to be cash flow positive in both 2020 and 2021 and grow oil production each year from the estimated higher updated full-year 2019 oil production base. Laredo believes that its robust 2020 oil hedge position, covering approximately 75% of forecasted oil production at a weighted-average floor price of $58.79 per barrel, significantly reduces the impact of oil price declines and helps to ensure the Company's cash flow projections.

08:38 EDT Gilead appoints Andrew Dickinson as CFO - Gilead Sciences announced that Andrew Dickinson has been appointed CFO, effective November 1. Dickinson currently serves as the company's Executive Vice President, Corporate Development and Strategy, and in his new role he will continue to be a member of the senior leadership team, reporting to Daniel O'Day, Chairman and CEO.

08:37 EDT Johnson & Johnson says fundamentals of business remain strong - Says: Particularly pleased with regulatory approvals and submissions... Medical Device business continues to accelerate growth. Comments taken from Q3 earnings conference call.

08:34 EDT JPMorgan CFO says doesn't see signs of broad-based deterioration in portfolio - CFO Jennifer Piepszak says does not see any signs of broad-based deterioration across portfolios, both Consumer and Wholesale. Comments taken from Q3 earnings conference call.

08:31 EDT Therapix Biosciences announces results in its pre-clinical study of THX-210 - Therapix Biosciences announced positive results in its pre-clinical study evaluating THX-210, a proprietary novel pharmaceutical preparation containing non-psychoactive cannabinoid cannabidiol (CBD) and palmitoylethanolamide, or PEA. This study is consistent with Therapix's pipeline to develop cannabinoid based therapies. THX-210 is intended for the treatment of epilepsy, as well as inflammatory conditions. The study consisted of in vitro tests which examined potential synergy between CBD and PEA. The study was performed in hepatocytes model of fat accumulation, where each compound was tested in a range of concentrations. In these tests, PEA had shown no effect of its own, while the effect of CBD was enhanced by the addition of PEA, lowering the required effective concentration of CBD. Thus, THX-210 has demonstrated superior efficacy as compared to the effect of CBD alone.

08:28 EDT Exagen announces publication of two studies of AVISE Lupus - Exagen announced the publication of two key studies. Collectively, the studies further validate that the information contained in the AVISE Lupus test positively impacts physician clinical decision-making and demonstrated the patented test and algorithm helped predict those patients with early signs of systemic lupus erythematous that are likely to transition to classifiable SLE according to American College of Rheumatology criteria. The CARE for Lupus Clinical Utility study, a randomized, prospective, multi-site trial to assess the clinical utility of multianalyte assay panel with complement activation products for the diagnosis of SLE, was published in Lupus Science & Medicine. The prospective study shows results of 145 patients with a positive anti-nuclear antibody test referred to a Rheumatologist for the suspicion of a connective tissue disease. Patients were randomized to investigators from 32 academic and community sites which compared the use of the AVISE Lupus test to standard diagnosis laboratory testing The results showed a statistically significant difference in the physician reported likelihood of SLE in the AVISE Lupus arm compared to the SDLT alone. In addition, for those patients who had a positive AVISE Lupus test result, the physicians were more likely to initiate therapy for SLE, specifically prednisone. The CLASS Clinical Validation study, Complement activation occurs in patients with probable systemic lupus erythematosus and may predict progression to ACR classified SLE, was published in Arthritis & Rheumatology. This second clinical validation study included a total of 246 subjects including 92 probable SLE patients and showed that more pSLE were positive for CB-CAPs or AVISE Lupus than for low complement at the enrollment visit. In pSLE, an AVISE Lupus index value of greater than 0.8 at enrollment predicted fulfillment of a fourth ACR criterion within 18 months.

08:24 EDT Ziopharm appoints Chris Bowden to board of directors - Ziopharm Oncology (ZIOP) announced that Chris Bowden, M.D., has been appointed to the company's Board of Directors. Bowden is the CMO of Agios Pharmaceuticals (AGIO).

08:16 EDT HTG Molecular announces launch of autoimmune profiling assay - HTG Molecular Diagnostics announced it will begin taking orders for its new 2,002-gene HTG EdgeSeq Autoimmune Panel, which is expected to be commercially available for purchase in kit form or as a service in HTG's VERI/O laboratory at the end of October 2019. The HTG EdgeSeq Autoimmune Panel provides a comprehensive look into immune system dysfunction, discovery of new biomarkers and the discovery of predictive signatures of drug response in the autoimmune space. The panel is designed to address many questions around autoimmune disorders, which are chronic and often difficult to accurately diagnose.

08:11 EDT Sanofi opens new digital manufacturing facility in Framingham, MA - Sanofi celebrates the inauguration of its new digital manufacturing facility in Framingham, Massachusetts, marking one of the world's first digital facilities using intensified, continuous biologics production technology. The new facility features leading-edge technology that connects the production process with research and development, paving the way for improved commercialization of important new medicines for patients. This facility accelerates the recent transformation of Sanofi's Industrial Affairs organization to focus on biologics-based therapies, in line with the transformation of the company's R&D pipeline. The ramping up of bio-pharmaceutical production capacities is a key pillar to achieving Sanofi's ambition to establish the gold standard in the bio-pharmaceutical industry.

08:10 EDT Cellectar Biosciences presents data on PLE molecules in tumors - Cellectar Biosciences announced Jarrod Longcor, chief business officer of Cellectar, presented a poster at the Cancer Research UK-AACR Joint Conference on Engineering and Physical Sciences in Oncology, being held from October 15 - 17, 2019 in London, United Kingdom. The poster, entitled: "Phospholipid ether delivery vehicle shows specificity for a broad range of tumor cells and provides a novel and improved approach for targeted therapy," featured data demonstrating that phospholipid ether drug conjugates were capable of delivering small molecule cytotoxins selectively to tumor cells and were well tolerated in animal models. In the data presented, all animals exposed to a single infusion of the payload alone died, while all animals receiving multiple doses with the PDCs survived with no adverse effects observed at all dose levels tested. Additionally, PDCs showed rapid uptake and release of 20% to 40% of the conjugate and payload in a wide range of tumor cells. The PDCs also demonstrated potent activity against the tumor cells with inhibitory concentrations in the low nanomolar range.

08:08 EDT Wells Fargo interim CEO says 'continued to make progress on top priorities' - Interim CEO Allen Parker said, "We continued to make progress on our top priorities during Q3, and we're all looking forward to Charlie Scharf's joining Wells Fargo on October 21 as the company's CEO and President. It's been an honor for me to serve as the interim CEO over the past six months, and I want to thank both our management team and all our team members for their hard work during this period of transition. Our continued efforts to transform Wells Fargo and our unwavering commitment to serve our customers resulted during the third quarter in higher branch customer experience survey scores, growth in primary consumer checking customers, and increased loan and deposit balances. We have more work ahead, but I'm confident that our focused efforts and the fundamental strengths of Wells Fargo will continue to enable us to achieve success."

08:08 EDT ABM awarded integrated facilities contract with Cassia County school district - ABM was recently awarded a contract to provide integrated facilities services for Cassia County Joint School District 151 in Idaho.

08:07 EDT Immutep reports efficacy data for TACTI-mel Phase 1 clinical study - Immutep Limited announced mature positive efficacy data from its TACTI-mel Phase I clinical study combining its lead product candidate, eftilagimod alpha with KEYTRUDA in metastatic melanoma. TACTI-mel evaluated the combination of efti with anti-PD-1 therapy KEYTRUDA in 24 patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma. Patients participating in the trial had a very late stage of disease: 75% classified as M1c, 67% had lung metastasis, 50% had liver metastasis, 50% had elevated LDH and many had either a suboptimal response or disease progression with pembrolizumab treatment as a monotherapy. All patients received subcutaneous injections of efti every two weeks, with a treatment duration of up to either six or 12 months. TACTI-mel is a multi-centre, open label clinical trial involving four cohorts of six patients per cohort: Part A includes the first three cohorts testing different dosages of efti in combination with pembrolizumab, with efti treatment given for six months only and commencing at cycle five of pembrolizumab treatment. Part B includes the remaining cohort testing a 30mg dosage of efti given for 12 months in combination with pembrolizumab, starting at cycle 1, day 1 of pembrolizumab treatment. The primary endpoint of the trial is safety and tolerability, with the outcome to determine the recommended dose for a Phase II trial. The trial also evaluated efficacy through Overall Response Rate, tumour shrinkage and Disease Control Rate. Efti has a favourable safety profile in combination with pembrolizumab with no dose-limiting toxicities. The recommended dosage level for a Phase II trial is 30mg of efti, which is the dosage level currently used in the ongoing TACTI-002 Phase II trial. Deep and durable responses have been observed.

08:06 EDT Citi reports Q3 CET1 capital ratio 11.6%, RoTCE 12.2%

08:05 EDT Citi reports Q3 global consumer banking revenue $8.66B - Reports Q3 institutional clients group revenue $9.51B.

08:04 EDT Citi CEO says 'on track' to return over $60B of capital over 3-year period - "Consistent with the commitment we made in 2017, we remain on track to return more than $60 billion of capital to our shareholders over a three-year period which ends next year. Buybacks have lowered our common shares outstanding by 259 million shares, or 11%, in the last year alone. When combined with 6% growth in net income, they have also helped drive our Tangible Book Value per share up 12% over the same amount of time," CEO Mike Corbat concluded.

08:03 EDT Citi CEO says delivering on strategy of improving shareholder returns - Citi CEO Michael Corbat said, "Despite an unpredictable environment throughout the quarter, we continue to deliver on our strategy of improving shareholder returns through consistent, client-led growth while also executing against our capital plan. Our Global Consumer Banking franchise performed well in the quarter, showing solid underlying revenue growth of 4% and an EBT increase of 17%. In the US, Branded Cards increased revenues by 11% and we saw continued deposit momentum through both digital and traditional channels. Our Institutional Clients Group also had balanced performance, with solid results in both the market-sensitive and accrual-type businesses. The backbone of our leading global network, Treasury and Trade Solutions, had strong revenue growth of 7% in constant dollars."

08:03 EDT Citi CEO notes 'unpredictable environment' throughout Q3

07:55 EDT Relmada Therapeutics Inc trading halted, news pending

07:40 EDT AzurRx BioPharma announces first patients dosed in MS1819-SD clinical trial - AzurRx BioPharma announced that it has dosed the first patients in its Phase 2 clinical trial to investigate MS1819-SD in combination with standard porcine enzyme replacement therapy for patients with cystic fibrosis who suffer from severe exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. This subset of CF patients experiences clinical symptoms of fat malabsorption, despite taking the maximum daily dose of PERTs. The Phase 2 multi-center study is designed to investigate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of escalating doses of MS1819-SD, which is a yeast-derived lipase, in conjunction with a stable dose of porcine PERTs, in order to increase the coefficient of fat absorption and relieve abdominal symptoms. A combination therapy of PERT and MS1819-SD has the potential to: correct macronutrient and micronutrient maldigestion; eliminate abdominal symptoms attributable to maldigestion; and sustain optimal nutritional status on a normal diet in CF patients with severe EPI. Planned enrollment is expected to include approximately 24 CF patients with severe EPI, with study completion anticipated in 2020.

07:36 EDT Pure Sunfarms advised it would receive dispute notice from Emerald Health - Village Farms International announced that its 50%-owned joint venture for large-scale, low-cost, high-quality cannabis production, Pure Sunfarms, was advised by Emerald that it would be receiving a dispute notice from Emerald Health Therapeutics in respect of certain amounts for which Pure Sunfarms has invoiced Emerald under the Supply Agreement. The wholesale market price for cannabis in the markets where the Joint Venture sells its production has declined during the three months ended September 30 resulting in lower margins realized by the Joint Venture for its production as compared to the three months ended June 30. Where Emerald has not exercised its right, either in whole or in part, under a supply agreement between Emerald and the Joint Venture to purchase 40% of the Joint Venture's cannabis production, the Joint Venture has sold some of that excess production in the spot market at prices lower than the predetermined selling price to Emerald under the Supply Agreement. As at the date hereof, the Joint Venture has advised the Company that Emerald currently owes the Joint Venture approximately $7M of Price Deficiency Obligations, and Emerald has advised the Joint Venture that it does not agree with the Joint Venture's position and that it believes it is not responsible for any Price Deficiency Obligations under the Supply Agreement. For greater certainty, the Company is not a party to the Supply Agreement and any amounts owing thereunder are payable to the Joint Venture.

07:33 EDT Reed's, Full Sail Brewing partner to launch Craft Ginger Mules - Reed's and Full Sail Brewing announced entry into agreements for the development, marketing and distribution of ready-to-drink Reed's Craft Ginger Mules, which come in two flavors: Classic and Zero Sugar. These new products will deliver to consumers authentic Craft Ginger Mules made with real, quality ingredients in convenient, take-anywhere cans.

07:31 EDT Canopy Growth sells 42M shares in Australian Cannabis for $6.3M - Canopy Growth has sold its 42,087,639 shares in Australian cannabis company AusCann Group Holdings, or AusCann, via an off market block trade at 15c per share for gross proceeds of $6.3M. The trade was facilitated by Canaccord Australia. The sale represents Canopy Growth's total 13.2% interest in AusCann. Marcel Bonn-Miller, Canopy Growth's Global Senior Director of Clinical Science, will continue to sit on the AusCann Board of Directors to facilitate future collaboration.

07:29 EDT Goldman Sachs CEO Solomon notes 'mixed' operating environment

07:28 EDT Goldman Sachs reports Q3 annualized ROE 9% - Annualized return on average common shareholders' equity was 9.0% for the third quarter of 2019 and 10.4% for the first nine months of 2019. Annualized return on average tangible common shareholders' equity was 9.5% for the third quarter of 2019 and 11.0% for the first nine months of 2019. Book value per common share was $218.82, 2.2% higher compared with the end of the second quarter of 2019 and 10.9% higher compared with the end of the third quarter of 2018.

07:27 EDT Goldman Sachs reports Q3 equities trading revenue $1.88B - Reports Q3 FICC sales and trading revenue $1.41B. Reports Q3 trading revenue $3.29B. Reports Q3 investment banking revenue $1.69B.

07:25 EDT Oncolytics presents clinical data highlighting pelareorep data at IOVC - Oncolytics Biotech announced that the results of a metanalysis of 13 clinical studies of the company's systemically delivered oncolytic reovirus, pelareorep, were presented during a podium presentation at the annual International Oncolytic Virus Conference, hosted at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN on October 9-12, 2019. The analyses examined the effectiveness of viral replication within the tumors of patients treated systemically with pelareorep. The data demonstrated that, unlike other oncolytic viruses that require intra-tumoral delivery, intravenous systemic delivery of pelareorep resulted in 81% of patient tumor samples across multiple types of cancer testing positive for virus replication, with no infection in normal tissue. These results are from studies across a broad range of solid and liquid tumors, including metastatic disease. Key Findings from the Metanalysis: After IV delivery, 81% of patient tumor samples are positive for replicating reovirus. The average increases to 96% when melanoma and skin biopsies are excluded. Tumor types that showed a high proportion of active viral replication: breast cancer, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, multiple myeloma, colorectal cancer patients with liver metastases and high-grade glioma.

07:22 EDT Emerald Health's Metro Vancouver operation gets cultivation expansion license - Emerald Health Therapeutics has received from Health Canada its cultivation license amendment and has full municipal permitting for its first of two 78,000 square foot greenhouses at its organic Metro Vancouver site in British Columbia. With an additional 50,000 square feet and seven grow areas licensed for cultivation-related activities, Emerald can now begin commercial greenhouse production at this site. Planting will begin immediately and is expected to be completed by the end of Q4, with the first harvests planned for January 2020. This second license amendment builds on the initial site license, received in June of this year, used to propagate premium organic plant stock for this site, as well as the first amendment, received in July of this year, which added 12 acres of outdoor cultivation area. Emerald capitalized on the outdoor growing season with one growing cycle for research and development purposes and to enhance planning for the full 2020 outdoor growing season. All indoor and outdoor operations to-date have been focused on facilitating organic certification, which, pursuant to an initial inspection that took place in September, is expected imminently. The Metro Vancouver organic site encompasses 156,000 square feet in two greenhouses as well as 12 acres of licensed outdoor cultivation area. The first outdoor cannabis crop was harvested recently and Emerald also secured the harvest from an adjacent 12 acres of outdoor grow area. In this outdoor initiative, the company assessed the viability of select genetics for BC greenhouse and outdoor climates. This genetic development program has produced several new phenotypes, which will lead to greater differentiation in Emerald's product offerings. Emerald will commission the second greenhouse at its Metro Vancouver site as it more fully analyzes market preferences for the diverse products from its licensed and operational grow infrastructure at its Pure Sunfarms joint venture, Metro Vancouver, and Verdelite. Together these three operations position the Company to play a significant role in the growing Canadian medical and adult use markets. Emerald has substantially completed its capital outlays for the Metro Vancouver site, as well as for its Quebec Verdelite operation.

07:17 EDT Tonix Pharmaceuticals joins Alliance for Biosecurity - Tonix Pharmaceuticals Holding announced that it has joined the Alliance for Biosecurity. The Alliance is a coalition of biopharmaceutical companies and laboratory/academic partners that promotes a strong public-private partnership to ensure medical countermeasures are available to protect public health and enhance national health security. The Alliance advocates for public policies and funding to support the rapid development, production, stockpiling, and distribution of critically needed medical countermeasures.

07:14 EDT Pilgrim's Pride completes acquisition of Tulip Limited - Pilgrim's Pride Corporation announced the completion of the previously announced acquisition of Tulip Ltd from Danish Crown. Tulip Ltd will operate as a business unit within Pilgrim's. The transaction was unanimously approved by the Pilgrim's Board of Directors and was funded with cash on hand, valuing Tulip Ltd at approximately $354M.

07:11 EDT Nabriva Therapeutics to present data from Phase 3 trials of XENLETA - Nabriva Therapeutics announced that it will present data on the pooled results from completed Phase 3 trials of XENLETA at the CHEST Annual Meeting 2019. XENLETA is a pleuromutilin antibiotic for the intravenous and oral treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia in adults and is now commercially available in the United States. Results from the pivotal Lefamulin Evaluation Against Pneumonia 1 and LEAP 2 Phase 3 clinical trials will be featured in three e-poster presentations during a moderated grand-rounds session at the CHEST meeting. These studies demonstrated that XENLETA is a well-tolerated, new IV and/or oral antimicrobial monotherapy for the empiric treatment of adults with CABP and a clinical alternative to moxifloxacin, a current standard of care fluoroquinolone. The data also showed that early clinical response rates of XENLETA, as well as health-related quality of life improvements, were high and similar to that of moxifloxacin in at-risk groups, including patients age 65 years or greater, who are at the highest risk of morbidity and mortality. Details for the upcoming presentations are as follows: Title: Efficacy of Lefamulin Versus Moxifloxacin in Adults with Community-Acquired Bacterial Pneumonia: Results of the Lefamulin Evaluation Against Pneumonia 1 And LEAP 2 Double-Blind Noninferiority Phase 3 Clinical Trials. This pooled efficacy assessment of the LEAP 1 and 2 studies reported the early clinical response at 96 +/- 24 hours after first dose of study drug among 1289 randomized patients, and the investigator assessment of clinical response at test-of-cure: five to 10 days after last dose of study drug in the modified intent-to-treat population - those receiving greater than or equal to1 dose of study drug and in the clinically evaluable populations. In addition to efficacy overall, analyses stratified by Pneumonia Outcomes Research Team Risk Class, from both pooled and individual trials, were presented. CABP patients treated with lefamulin demonstrated high response rates for ECR and IACR and was noninferior to moxifloxacin. Response rates with lefamulin IV and/or oral therapy remained high across the indices of severity. Title: Safety and Tolerability of Lefamulin Versus Moxifloxacin in Adults with Community-Acquired Bacterial Pneumonia: Results of the Lefamulin Evaluation Against Pneumonia 1 and LEAP 2 Double-Blind Noninferiority Phase 3 Clinical Trials. The objective of this pooled safety assessment of the LEAP 1 and 2 studies was to identify treatment-emergent adverse events among patient groups treated with lefamulin versus moxifloxacin. Pooled data from the LEAP 1 and LEAP showed similar safety and tolerability profiles for lefamulin and moxifloxacin. Title: Efficacy and Safety of Lefamulin Versus Moxifloxacin for Atypical Respiratory Pathogens in Adults with Community-Acquired Bacterial Pneumonia: Pooled Results from the Lefamulin Evaluation Against Pneumonia 1 and LEAP 2 Double Blind Noninferiority Phase 3 Clinical Trials. This analysis was to determine the safety and efficacy of lefamulin versus moxifloxacin in patients with atypical respiratory pathogens including Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Legionella pneumophila, and Chlamydophila pneumoniae. In the pooled patient population, short-course therapy with lefamulin for atypical pathogens resulted in high ECR responder and IACR success rates and was generally well tolerated in comparison to moxifloxacin.

07:08 EDT Crispr Therapeutics, KSQ Therapeutics announce license agreement - CRISPR Therapeutics and KSQ Therapeutics announced a license agreement whereby CRISPR Therapeutics will gain access to KSQ intellectual property for editing certain novel gene targets in its allogeneic oncology cell therapy programs, and KSQ will gain access to CRISPR Therapeutics' IP for editing novel gene targets identified by KSQ as part of its current and future eTIL cell programs. The financial terms of the agreement are not being disclosed. The gene targets within the scope of the license agreement were identified using KSQ's proprietary CRISPRomics drug discovery engine, which allows genome-scale, in vivo validated, unbiased drug discovery. These specific targets were uncovered in screens to identify genetic edits that could enhance the functionality and quality of adoptive cell therapies in oncology.

07:06 EDT Whirlpool appoints Patti Poppe to Board of Directors - The Whirlpool (WHR) board of directors has appointed Patti Poppe, president and CEO of CMS Energy (CMS), to the board, effective December 16.

07:05 EDT Restaurant Brands announces Burger King partnership with Uber Eats - Burger King (QSR) can now be delivered "right to your doorstep" through Uber Eats (UBER). "BK guests nationwide can now place a food order with the tap of a button on the Uber Eats app."

07:05 EDT KVH Industries receives $4M fiber optic gyro order from KDA - KVH Industries announced that it has received a $4M order for its precision DSP-3100 fiber optic gyros from Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace AS for use in the U.S. Army's Common Remotely Operated Weapon Stations. Shipments to KDA are expected to be completed by year end 2020.

07:03 EDT Replimune Group announces patient enrollment in Phase 2 trial of RP1 - Replimune Group (REPL) announced that the first patient has been enrolled in its registration-directed, randomized, controlled Phase 2 clinical trial of RP1 in combination with Regeneron (REGN) and Sanofi's (SNY) Libtayocompared to Libtayo alone in patients with cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. The Company also announced plans to initiate a new clinical trial of RP1 as monotherapy in organ transplant recipients with CSCC in early 2020. The registration-directed Phase 2 clinical trial in CSCC is a multi-center, randomized, controlled clinical trial intended to enroll approximately 240 patients. The study's primary objective is to compare the response rate following treatment with RP1 in combination with Libtayo to the response rate achieved with Libtayo alone. Libtayo is an anti-PD-1 therapy developed by Regeneron and Sanofi, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last year for the treatment of patients with metastatic CSCC or locally-advanced CSCC who are not candidates for curative surgery or curative radiation. This clinical trial is being conducted under the Company's collaboration agreement with Regeneron. The first patient in the trial has now been enrolled, and multiple clinical trial sites in the U.S. and Australia are open for enrollment. Additional clinical trial sites in these and other countries will be added, with recruitment expected to take approximately 18 to 24 months. Replimune intends to initiate a new Phase 1b clinical trial of single agent RP1 in organ transplant recipients with CSCC, for which the clinical trial protocol has been accepted by the FDA under the Company's Investigational New Drug application. This clinical trial is intended to enroll approximately 30 patients and assess the safety and efficacy of RP1 in liver and kidney transplant recipients with recurrent CSCC, and is expected to initiate in the first quarter of 2020. The Phase 1 part of Replimune's Phase 1/2 clinical trial of RP1 enrolled 36 patients with advanced heavily pre-treated cancers who have failed available therapy, evaluating treatment with RP1 alone given up to five times, and RP1 given up to eight times in combination with Opdivo from the second RP1 dose. Following completion of the Phase 1 part of the clinical trial, the Company opened enrollment for Phase 2 cohorts of 30 patients each in patients with melanoma, non-melanoma skin cancers, bladder cancer, and MSI-H tumors. Five patients with CSCC have been enrolled and treated with RP1 combined with Opdivo in this clinical trial, including one from the Phase 1 expansion in combination with Opdivo, and four from the Phase 2 non-melanoma skin cancer cohort. Initial results in these CSCC patients showed:The first patient achieved a biopsy-confirmed complete response of extensive disease of the scalp. Clear tumor flattening was observed after the first dose of RP1 and prior to the first dose of Opdivo, prior to the patient ultimately achieving a CR. PD-L1 and CD8 T cell levels were also substantially increased post-treatment as compared to baseline. The second patient achieved a partial response of bulky bi-lateral disease in the neck, with substantial reduction observed after the first dose of RP1 and prior to the first dose of Opdivo, including of the uninjected tumor contralateral to the injection site. The third patient had extensive and rapidly progressing metastatic disease and died from disease progression within 6 weeks of starting therapy. The fourth patient, also with bulky disease in the neck, had a substantial reduction after the first RP1 dose, which continued to reduce following the introduction of Opdivo. The fifth patient, with recurrent bone invasive CSCC of the cheek, had substantial flattening after the first RP1 dose and has recently initiated the combination therapy phase with RP1 and Opdivo. All patients other than the third patient continue on treatment.

06:58 EDT MVC Capital increases dividend 13% to 17c - MVC Capital announced that its board of directors declared a regular dividend of 17c per share, a 13% increase over the prior quarter, primarily as a result of increased net operating income from its investment portfolio.

06:55 EDT JPMorgan reports Q3 CIB revenue $9.4B, commercial banking revenue $2.2B - Reports Q3 CCB revenue $14.26B, asset & wealth management revenue $3.6B.

06:54 EDT JPMorgan reports Q3 Basel III CET1 capital ratio 12.3% - JPMorgan reports Book value per share of $75.24, up 8%; tangible book value per share2 of $60.48, up 9%. Reports Basel III common equity Tier 1 capital of $188 billion and ratio of 12.3%. Reports firm supplementary leverage ratio of 6.3%. Reports Q3 net interest income $14.4B, noninterest expense $16.4B.

06:52 EDT JPMorgan CEO says U.S. GDP growth has slowed 'slightly'

06:48 EDT Genmab reports Q3 worldwide net sales of DARZALEX $765M - Genmab (GMAB) announced that worldwide net sales of DARZALEX as reported by Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) were $765M in the third quarter. Net sales were $402M in the U.S. and $363M in the rest of the world. Genmab will receive royalties on the worldwide net sales of DARZALEX under the exclusive worldwide license to Janssen Biotech to develop, manufacture and commercialize DARZALEX.

06:45 EDT JPMorgan reports September net credit loss 2.32% vs. 2.45% last month - Reports September 30-plus day delinquencies 1.17% vs. 1.14% last month.

06:33 EDT Can-Fite BioPharma completes enrollment in Phase II NASH study of Namodenoson - Can-Fite BioPharma announced it has completed patient enrollment in its Phase II study of Namodenoson in the treatment of NAFLD/NASH. The multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, dose-finding efficacy and safety study has enrolled 60 patients with NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) with or without NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis). Patients who suffer from NAFLD/NASH with evidence of active inflammation are treated twice daily with 12.5 mg or 25 mg of oral Namodenoson, or placebo for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint of the Phase II study is the anti-inflammatory effect of the drug, as determined by mean percent change from baseline in ALT blood levels and safety. Secondary endpoints include percentage change from baseline of liver fat, as measured by MRI-PDFF. Topline results are expected in Q1 of 2020. Namodenoson has been out-licensed for the indication of NASH in South Korea and China. There is currently no U.S. FDA approved drug for the treatment of NASH, which is an addressable pharmaceutical market estimated to reach $35B-$40B by 2025.

06:11 EDT BlackRock CEO says technology services revenue increased 30% y/y - BlackRock CEO Larry Fink said, "Technology services revenue increased 30% year-over-year, driven by growth in Aladdin and our eFront acquisition. Aladdin's comprehensive investment operating system powers BlackRock's digital offerings and enables asset and wealth managers to scale and grow their businesses.Clients worldwide are demanding transparency, convenience and a focus on their outcomes. BlackRock's broadly diversified asset management and technology platform is well positioned to meet this client demand and deliver growth for shareholders."

06:05 EDT American Homes 4 Rent appoints Bryan Smith as COO - American Homes 4 Rent announced that Bryan Smith has been appointed COO, effective October 14. Smith succeeds Jack Corrigan as COO. Corrigan will continue to serve as a trustee and as the company's Chief Investment Officer to focus on the company's expanding development and growth initiatives. Smith served most recently as Executive Vice President and President of Property Management operations at the company and, from 2011 to 2012, as Senior Vice President of Acquisitions.

05:26 EDT New Relic appoints Gregory Ouillon as Chief Technology Officer, EMEA - New Relic announced the appointment of Gregory Ouillon as field Chief Technology Officer, Europe, Middle East, and Africa, or EMEA. He joins New Relic from SITAONAIR where he was Chief Technology Officer.

05:08 EDT TechnipFMC awarded 'significant' subsea contract in Vietnam - TechnipFMC has been awarded a significant contract by PetroVietnam Gas for the Engineering, Procurement and Construction of the Nam Con Son 2 Phase 2 pipeline across Nam Con Son basin and Cuu Long basin in Vietnam. The scope of the contract covers engineering and installation of 118 kilometers of rigid pipeline as well as the fabrication of subsea structures to tie back the existing Nam Con Son 2 Phase 1 gas pipeline to the Long Hai Landfall Station. For TechnipFMC, a "significant" contract is between $75M-$250M.