Stockwinners Market Radar for December 12, 2019 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

18:57 EST Allied Motion CEO sells 10K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Allied Motion disclosed that its CEO Richard Warzala sold 10K shares of common stock on December 10th. The total transaction size was $445K.

18:43 EST Hoya to offer JPY12,900 per share in tender offer for Toshiba unit NuFlare - Hoya Corporation (HOCPY) announced that it resolved at its board of directors' meeting held on December 13, 2019 to acquire the shares of common stock of Toshiba (TOSBF) unit NuFlare Technology, Inc. through a tender offer under the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act of Japan and related laws and regulations. The company will commence the Tender Offer under the conditions that certain procedures and measures that are required under domestic and overseas antitrust and other applicable laws and other similar regulations are completed, certain procedures and measures that are required under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act are completed, there is no occurrence of events that give rise to a material adverse effect on the financial condition of the target, the tender offer for the Target Shares by Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation announced on November 13, 2019 is not successfully completed. Hoya will offer JPY12,900 per share of NuFlare common stock. The company has not discussed the Tender Offer with the Target prior to the date of the public announcement of the planned Tender Offer. Therefore, the company has yet to confirm whether the Target would support the Tender Offer. Hoya added that it has set a minimum planned purchase quantity with respect to the Tender Offer of 7,634,000 shares. As of November 13, 2019, Toshiba D&S owns 6,000,100 shares. As such, Toshiba D&S's tender of its shares in the Tender Offer is a prerequisite for the completion of the Tender Offer. However, considering that the company is an ideal partner for the Target, that the Tender Offer may become an opportunity for an increase in the corporate and shareholder value of both Toshiba Corporation and that the offer price per Target Share in the Tender Offer is set at a higher level than the offer price per Target Share in the Toshiba D&S Tender Offer, the company believes that the Tender Offer will be attractive to the Toshiba Group as well and that Toshiba D&S will tender its shares in the Tender Offer. Reference Link

18:40 EST Sarepta up 28.5% after resumption of trade

18:25 EST Adobe CEO: We are not overly concerned with the trade war with China - Comment from interview with Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen on CNBC's Mad Money.

18:11 EST Amazon orders fourth season of 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel' - Amazon Studios announced that it has ordered a fourth season of the Emmy and Golden Globe-Award winning comedy The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The third season premiered Friday, Dec. 6 on Amazon Prime Video in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel received two Golden Globe nominations this week, for Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy, and for star Rachel Brosnahan for Best Performance by an Actress in a Series, Musical or Comedy. "We were thrilled to hear that for the fourth time, we do not have to pack up and vacate the premises," said Creator and Executive Producer Amy Sherman-Palladino and Executive Producer Daniel Palladino. "We'd like to thank Amazon for all their faith and support, their partnership and enthusiasm, and for letting us hang with our favorite people, the cast and crew of Maisel, for a little while longer."

18:05 EST Oncternal presents interim data from Phase 1b clinical study of cirmtuzumab - Oncternal Therapeutics announced the presentation of interim data from the ongoing, investigator-sponsored Phase 1b clinical study of cirmtuzumab, its investigational anti-ROR1 monoclonal antibody, in combination with paclitaxel in patients with HER2-negative, metastatic or locally-advanced unresectable breast cancer. The results were presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium in San Antonio, TX. As of the data cut-off date of November 27, 2019, a total of eight patients with HER2-negative, metastatic or locally-advanced unresectable breast cancer were enrolled in the study. Seven of the eight patients were evaluable for safety and efficacy. Four of the patients had triple negative breast cancer at study enrollment. Four of the seven evaluable patients achieved a partial response, for an objective response rate of 57%, including one partial response that continued on cirmtuzumab alone for 30 weeks after discontinuing paclitaxel. The combination of cirmtuzumab and paclitaxel has been well tolerated in this trial, with no study discontinuations for toxicity and no dose-limiting toxicities observed to date. Adverse events have been consistent with the known safety profile of paclitaxel alone. Pharmacokinetic analysis of serial plasma samples for free unbound antibody from two patients provided results similar to those observed in previous studies of chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients, consistent with a projected half-life of 30 days. No decline in antibody concentration over time was observed, consistent with the absence of neutralizing antibodies. "It is encouraging to see that cirmtuzumab in combination with paclitaxel has been well tolerated and is active. Future studies will determine whether cirmtuzumab is contributing to the known activity of paclitaxel. Advanced breast cancer patients are in need of improved treatment options with acceptable side effects. We look forward to completing enrollment and treating additional patients in this study," said Rebecca Shatsky, M.D., Assistant Clinical Professor, Medicine at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, lead investigator.

18:03 EST Oracle CEO Catz says expects momentum in 2H20 to carry into FY21 - Says feels "very good" about Q3 license number.

17:52 EST Oracle's Ellison says 'we have no plans for having a second CEO' - Says there won't be another CEO until he, and Safra Catz retire.

17:36 EST Evercel announces rejected offer to acquire NewLink Genetics - Evercel (EVRC) has made an offer to acquire NewLink Genetics (NLNK). Daniel Allen, Chief Executive Officer of Evercel, announced on November 25 Evercel has made alternative offers to acquire NewLink, including one for $1.75 in cash per share. "We tried to engage in a good faith discussion with NewLink's Board of Directors in order to deliver a superior offer to shareholders. However, NewLink's Board turned down our offer without even engaging in any discussion with us. "NewLink shareholders are being asked to approve a merger with privately held Lumos Pharma that we believe is not in their best interests and will likely destroy shareholder value at NewLink. Lumos is a money losing clinical stage biotech company with a single early stage pipeline asset that it acquired in July 2018 for $3.5 million upfront. The clinical path of Lumos' previous drug candidate was deemed not viable due to safety concerns. We believe our cash offer is superior to the current all stock Lumos deal as it offers NLNK shareholders a strong premium to the $1.45 volume weighted average share price since the Lumos deal was announced, certainty of value and an expedient path to closure. In contrast, we believe the Lumos deal will likely result in continued dilution to NewLink shareholders, accelerated cash burn and the pursuit of unlikely success of a previously failed drug candidate." "NewLink shareholders will have an important decision to make in the coming weeks on whether to approve the merger with Lumos, and we believe shareholders deserve the full picture of NewLink's options starting with an explanation for why the Board has refused to engage with Evercel about reaching a deal that may promise shareholders much greater value with significantly less risk than the Lumos merger."

17:33 EST Granite Construction subsidiary awarded $16M contract to rehabilitate I-94 - Granite Construction announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Kenny Construction, has been awarded a $16M contract by the Illinois Department of Transportation to rehabilitate sections of Interstate 94 at Montrose Avenue in Cook County, Illinois. The project will replace the superstructure and rehabilitate the substructure of I-94 at Montrose Avenue including improvements to drainage and safety with new roadway and underdeck lighting. Construction is expected to begin in early 2020 and be complete in the fall of 2020.

17:22 EST EnPro company acquired by Arcline for $450M - Arcline Investment Management announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Fairbanks Morse, an EnPro Industries company (NPO), for $450M.

17:19 EST NXP Semiconductors director sells 13.5K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, NXP Semiconductors disclosed that its EVP of Sales and Marketing, Stephen Owen, sold 13.5K shares of common stock on December 10th-11th. The total transaction size was $1.6M.

17:12 EST Equity Lifestyle COO sells 18K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Equity Lifestyle disclosed that its COO Patrick Waite sold 18K shares of common stock on December 10th-11th. The total transaction size was $1.28M.

16:59 EST Adobe CEO says FY19 was a 'phenomenal' year for the company - Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen said, "Global interest and subscription adoption were strong throughout the quarter and accelerated after Adobe MAX. Demand for mobile offerings and overall web traffic continued to grow. We are attracting new customers, with over 50% of our cumulative subscribers being new to our Creative Cloud franchise. With 23 million students having access to Adobe Spark, we're spearheading the development of critical creative skills for the next generation. Document Cloud growth is being driven by new customer acquisition, migration from Acrobat perpetual licenses to subscriptions, and the monetization of an ever-increasing universe of Document Cloud mobile app users.Digital Media enterprise adoption continues to expand with outstanding seasonal Q4 performance. Finally, we drove record demand for subscriptions during the last week of the quarter, culminating in our biggest ever Black Friday on Adobe.com."

16:48 EST TTEC Holdings CEO Tuchman sells 3M common shares - In a regulatory filing, TTEC Holdings chairman and CEO Kenneth D. Tuchman disclosed the sale of 3M common shares of the company at a price of $36.50 per share on December 10.

16:35 EST Air Lease announces delivery of new Airbus aircraft to Air Macau - Air Lease (AL) announced the delivery of one new Airbus (EADSY) A321-200neo aircraft on long-term lease to Air Macau. This aircraft is the first of two A321-200neo aircraft confirmed to deliver to the airline from ALC's order book with Airbus and the first A321-200neo to deliver to the airline.

16:32 EST Oasis Midstream Partners switching listing to Nasdaq on December 24th - Oasis Midstream Partners is transferring the listing of its units from the NYSE to the NASDAQ Stock Market. OMP expects its units to begin trading on Nasdaq at market open on December 24. The units will continue to be listed under the ticker symbol "OMP."

16:31 EST NorthWestern to issue RFP for new capacity resources in Montana - NorthWestern Corporation d/b/a NorthWestern Energy plans to issue a request for proposals in January 2020 for about 280 megawatts of dispatchable capacity resources to begin delivering services to Montana customers in 2023. NorthWestern Energy will structure the RFP as an all-source capacity solicitation considering proposals for generation, storage, and demand-side products delivered under a variety of procurement structures. NorthWestern Energy submitted its 2019 Electricity Supply Resource Procurement Plan to the Montana Public Service Commission in August, summarizing its current capacity position. The 2019 Plan identifies the need to add additional capacity to the Montana system that can serve customer peak demand and reliably serve load over sustained durations.

16:30 EST Oasis Petroleum to switch listing to Nasdaq from NYSE - Oasis Petroleum announced that it is transferring the listing of its shares from the New York Stock Exchange to The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC. Oasis expects its common stock to begin trading on Nasdaq at market open on December 24, 2019. The stock will continue to be listed under the ticker symbol "OAS."

16:20 EST Salesforce names Bret Taylor President & COO - Salesforce President and Chief Product Officer Bret Taylor has been appointed President and COO. In this role, Taylor will lead Salesforce's global product vision, engineering, security, marketing and communications. Taylor will continue to report to Chairman and co-CEO Marc Benioff. Taylor is the co-founder and former CEO of Quip, which was acquired by Salesforce in 2016. Prior to founding Quip, Taylor served as the Chief Technology Officer of Facebook, which he joined in 2009 after it acquired his social networking company, FriendFeed.

16:18 EST Intrepid Potash appoints Brian Stone as COO - Intrepid Potash announced the appointment of Brian Stone as COO, effective December 16. Stone will assume responsibility for Intrepid's oilfield solutions segment and its water business and has been tasked with continuing the organic expansion of Intrepid's mid-stream footprint. It is expected that he will gradually take on additional responsibilities for Intrepid's other mineral operations. Stone has spent 34 years in all phases of the oil and gas industry, most recently as COO for Hupecol Operating, an international oil and gas company focused on South America and Europe. In that capacity, Stone managed international oil and gas operations, with an emphasis on developing mid-stream facilities, as well as heading the finance and business development roles for those companies.

16:18 EST Edison International raises annual dividend 4.08% to $2.55 per share - Edison International declared a quarterly common stock dividend of 63.75c per share, payable on Jan. 31, 2020, to shareholders of record on Dec. 31, 2019. This action increases the annual dividend by 10c per share. The 2020 annual dividend rate will be $2.55 per share, an increase of 4.08% from the current annual dividend rate of $2.45 per share.

16:17 EST Translate Bio appoints Frank DeRosa Chief Technology Officer - Translate Bio announced two executive appointments supporting the company's continued growth and leadership in the development of mRNA therapeutics. Frank DeRosa has been appointed Chief Technology Officer. The company's scientific founder and current Chief Technology Officer, Michael Heartlein will transition to the newly created role of executive VP and founder. In addition, Paul Burgess will assume the new role of COO, overseeing both operations and legal functions for the company. Burgess will continue to serve as the company's Chief Legal Officer.

16:12 EST Dunkin' Brands appoints Scott Murphy as President, Dunkin' Americas - Dunkin' Brands has promoted Scott Murphy, formerly Dunkin' U.S. COO, to President, Dunkin' Americas. He assumes the role from Dave Hoffmann, who continues to serve as Dunkin' Brands CEO. Additionally, Dana Reid has been promoted to VP, Field Marketing, Dunkin' U.S. Murphy will have responsibility in his new role for all aspects of operations, restaurant development, franchising, field marketing, supply chain, and consumer packaged goods for the approximately 10,000 Dunkin' restaurants in North and South America. Murphy joined Dunkin' Brands in 2004 as Director, International Supply Chain and became the Vice President of Strategic Supply later that same year.

16:11 EST Kroger names Karen Hoguet to Board of Directors - The Kroger Co. (KR) announced that Karen Hoguet has been elected to the company's board of directors. Hoguet served as the CFO of Macy's (M) from October 1997 until July 2018.

16:06 EST CubeSmart announces 3.1% increase in quarterly dividend - CubeSmart announced that its board declared a quarterly dividend of 33c per common share for the period ending December 31, 2019. The dividend is payable on January 15, 2020 to common shareholders of record on January 2, 2020. The quarterly distribution represents an annualized dividend rate of $1.32 per share, an increase of 4c per share from the previous annual rate of $1.28 per share.

16:05 EST Frequency Electronics announces $4.2M contract award for precision oscillators - Frequency Electronics announces a contract award for precision oscillators for a next-generation satellite application. Under this contract, FEI will develop, manufacture, test and deliver state of the art oscillators which provide the primary frequency reference for the spacecraft and enhance its mission effectiveness. These high-performance, space qualified oscillators are an evolution of FEIs technology which has been proven on numerous US Government and commercial satellite programs over the last 58 years. The contract is valued at approximately $4.2m, if all options are exercised.Commenting on the award, FEI CEO, Stanton Sloane said, "We are extremely pleased to have been selected for this critical sub-system and proud to play a part in providing key capabilities for this state of the art satellite."

16:03 EST American pushes out view of return to service of Boeing 737 MAX fleet to April 7 - American Airlines (AAL) said it "remains in continuous contact with the Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Transportation and Boeing." American added in an update posted to its website: "Based on the latest guidance, American anticipates that the resumption of scheduled commercial service on American's fleet of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft will occur April 7, 2020. Once the aircraft is certified, American will run flights for American team members and invited guests only prior to April 7." Reference Link

16:03 EST Oracle CEO says had 'strong quarter' in Fusion and NetSuite cloud applications - "We had another strong quarter in our Fusion and NetSuite cloud applications businesses with Fusion ERP revenues growing 37% and NetSuite ERP revenues growing 29%," said Oracle CEO, Safra Catz. "This consistent rapid growth in the now multibillion dollar ERP segment of our cloud applications business has enabled Oracle to deliver a double-digit EPS growth rate year-after-year. I fully expect we will do that again this year." "It's still early days, but the Oracle Autonomous Database already has thousands of customers running in our Gen2 Public Cloud," said Oracle CTO, Larry Ellison. "Currently, our Autonomous Database running in our Public Cloud business is growing at a rate of over 100%. We expect that growth rate to increase dramatically as we release our Autonomous Database running on our Gen2 Cloud@Customer into our huge on-premise installed base over the next several months."

16:01 EST Oracle reports Q2 Cloud Services and License Support revenues $6.8B - Cloud License and On-Premise License revenues were $1.1B.

15:53 EST GE Aviation announces U.S. Army contract award for 1,700 T700 engines - The U.S. Army awarded GE Aviation an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract this month for the continued production of T700 turboshaft engines in support of Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, Foreign Military Sales and other government agency program requirements through 2024, the company announced. The production contract is valued at more than $1B for as many as 1,700 T700 engines if completely exercised. These engines are manufactured and shipped from GE Aviation's facility in Lynn, Mass.

15:30 EST Hertz, Avis Budget both down over 2% after Lyft announces car rental service - Shares of car rental companies Hertz (HTZ) and Avis Budget Group (CAR) were both trading lower following an announcement by ride-hailing company Lyft (LYFT) that it has launched car rentals in select cities. In late afternoon trading, shares of Hertz were lower by 3.1% to $15.71, while shares of Avis Budget were lower by 2.1% to $31.83.

15:20 EST Lyft announces car rental service Lyft Rentals - Lyft (LYFT) announced that it has launched Lyft Rentals in select cities. "With Lyft Rentals, we're giving riders the flexibility to rent a car for weekend getaways, business trips, or even to run errands," the company said. "Best of all? You can set everything up in the Lyft app. Just tap the key icon on the home screen to start your reservation. No rental counter required." Those who use Lyft Rentals won't pay extra for gas, and the company will cover the ride to and from the rental lot, up to $20 each way. In addition, renters can drive as far as they want, as they get "unlimited miles." Publicly traded car rental companies Avis Budget (CAR) and Hertz (HTZ) are both trading lower following the news. Reference Link

14:06 EST Apollo, Athene close the acquisition of GE Capital's PK AirFinance debt business - Apollo Global Management (APO); Athene (ATH); and GE Capital, the financial services arm of GE (GE), announced they have closed their previously announced transaction for Apollo and Athene to purchase PK AirFinance, an aviation lending business, from GECAS, GE Capital's Aviation Services unit. In connection with this transaction, Apollo has acquired the PK AirFinance aircraft lending platform and Athene has acquired PK AirFinance's existing portfolio of loans.PK AirFinance is a leading aircraft lending business that serves airlines, aircraft traders, lessors, investors and financial institutions globally with loans to borrowers in more than 40 countries. Substantially all of the $3.6 billion of PK AirFinance financing receivables that were held for sale in the second quarter of 2019 are being sold in the transaction, at a premium to book value. Financial details of the transaction are not being disclosed, although today's close represents receipt by GE of more than 90% of agreed proceeds. The transfer of the remaining portion of the business is deferred pending certain regulatory and other conditions and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2020.

13:44 EST Kennedy Wilson raises quarterly dividend 5% to 22c per share - Kennedy Wilson announced a 5% increase in the common dividend per share to 22c per quarter, or 88c on an annualized basis. The Company will pay a quarterly dividend to common shareholders of record as of December 27, 2019 with a payment date of January 2, 2020.

12:31 EST Google updates Messages with Verified SMS, spam protection - Google announced in a blog post that it had two new updates to share related to providing users with a safer messaging experience. Verified SMS for Messages, rolling out today in a number of countries, will help you confirm the true identity of the business that's texting you, Google said. The feature works by verifying, on a per-message basis, that content is sent by a specific business. When a message is verified-which is done without sending your messages to Google-you'll see the business name and logo as well as a verification badge in the message thread. In addition to verifying the businesses sending you messages, the company said it is working on protecting users from spam in Messages. "With Spam protection for Messages, we warn you of suspected spam and unsafe websites we've detected," Google said. "If you see a suspected spam warning in Messages you can help us improve our spam models by letting us know if it's spam or not. You can also report spam texts in Messages at anytime, and block the conversation so you won't receive future messages." Reference Link

12:11 EST Leidos awarded DISA contract with ceiling value of $6.5B - Leidos was awarded a prime contract by the Defense Information Systems Agency, or DISA, to provide network services under the Global Solutions Management - Operations II contract. The single award, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity, hybrid contract has a five-year base period of performance followed by two two-year option periods and a final one-year option period, at a ceiling value of $6.5B. Under the agreement, Leidos will operate, defend, and sustain the Department of Defense Information Network / Defense Information System Network.

12:00 EST Ciena rises 15.4% - Ciena is up 15.4%, or $5.47 to $40.88.

12:00 EST Amneal Pharmaceuticals rises 49.1% - Amneal Pharmaceuticals is up 49.1%, or $1.71 to $5.19.

11:33 EST ICE announces first block trade of Bakkt Bitcoin Monthly Options - Intercontinental Exchange announced the first block trade of Bakkt Bitcoin Monthly Options submitted to ICE Futures U.S. Bakkt Bitcoin Options settle into the underlying Bakkt Bitcoin Monthly Futures contract two days prior to expiry. Price discovery for the contract occurs completely within a federally regulated market and has no exposure to unregulated bitcoin spot markets. The first trade was executed between Galaxy Digital Trading and XBTO.

10:55 EST Genworth completes Genworth MI Canada stake sale to Brookfield Business Partners - Genworth Financial (GNW) announced the closing of the sale of its majority stake in Genworth MI Canada Inc. to Brookfield Business Partners (BBU). As previously disclosed, the purchase price was C$48.86 per share, reflecting a total transaction value of approximately C$2.4B. The purchase price was subject to certain adjustments, including Genworth Canada's payment of a special dividend in October 2019 to Genworth. The net cash proceeds, including the aggregate amount of the special dividend paid in October 2019 and adjustments for foreign exchange, fees and expenses, were approximately $1.8B. In connection with but prior to the closing, Genworth completed an internal reorganization whereby Genworth contributed 100% of its ownership interest in Genworth Mortgage Holdings, Inc. to Genworth Holdings, Inc. As a result of this contribution, Genworth Holdings now owns 100% of GMHI, which owns 100% of the issued and outstanding voting securities of Genworth's U.S. mortgage insurance companies, including Genworth Mortgage Insurance Corporation.

10:31 EST Protective Insurance Corporation (Class A Stock) trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:52 EST Caterpillar reports retail machines sales flat in three months end November - Earlier, Caterpillar reported in a regulatory filing that its total retail machines sales were unchanged on a three month rolling basis in November. For reference, retail sales of machines were up 3% in the period ending in October and up 6% in the period ending in September. The company reported world Resources Industries sales were down 6% in the November-end period, compared to an October-end period increase of 7% and a September-end period increase of 14%. Construction Industries world sales were up 2% in the November-end period, versus up 2% in the prior three-month period ending in October. Total Energy & Transportation Retail Sales were down 5% in the November-end period, and were down 4% in the October-end period.

09:34 EST Capitala Group announces sale of Nth Degree to MSouth Equity Partners - Capitala Group announced the sale of its portfolio company, Nth Degree to MSouth Equity Partners. On December 3, 2019, Capitala Group and affiliates received $9.1M for full repayment of senior secured debt and received total consideration of $36.7M for its equity investment, resulting in a realized gain of $32M. Over the course of the investment period, Capitala Group and affiliates received total consideration of $39.3M for its equity investment of which $30.8M has been realized. This represents a total equity multiple on invested capital of 13.1x. As part of the December 3, 2019 sale, Capitala Group's BDC, Capitala Finance Corp. received $7.3M for full repayment of its senior secured debt and received total consideration of $29.4M for its equity investment, resulting in a realized gain of $25.9 million. As part of the total consideration, Capitala Finance Corp. received $6.1M in rollover equity in the successor entity to Nth Degree.

09:19 EST Livongo earns Preferred Status on Express Scripts Digital Health Formulary - Livongo announced it will be included on Express Scripts new, industry-first Digital Health Formulary, beginning in early 2020. The new formulary will provide participating employers and health plans that work with Express Scripts the ability to simply integrate digital health solutions, like Livongo, into their pharmacy benefit, with care and support from Express Scripts specialist pharmacists who use Livongo's vital health data and insights in real-time interventions.

09:14 EST Shineco awarded certificate to jointly establish industry hemp utilization park - Shineco announced that the Company, through its subsidiary Shineco China Hemp Technology, has award an certificate from Trade & Association on November 29, 2019 to jointly establish industry hemp comprehensive utilization park in China. The Certificate is effective for 3 years. TIAS establishes an industry hemp development committee in China. The board of the Committee appointed Mr. Baolin Li, the Company's Vice Chairman, as the Chairman of the board of the Committee and appointed Mr. Guocong Zhou, Vice Chairman of the Board of SCHT, as Secretary and Vice Chairman of the board of the Committee. TIAS authorizes the Committee to work with SCHT to take in charge of overall planning, investment, park management, capital raising, and business development of international trade cooperation to accelerate the construction of the Park.

09:08 EST Kindred Biosciences' Mirataz approved in EU for weight gain in cats - Kindred Biosciences announced that the European Commission has granted marketing authorization of Mirataz for bodyweight gain in cats experiencing poor appetite and weight loss resulting from chronic medical conditions. Mirataz is the first and only medication approved in the EU to induce bodyweight gain in cats experiencing poor appetite and weight loss resulting from chronic medical conditions. The authorization is valid in all 28-member states of the European Union, together with Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway. Aniserve GmbH is the marketing authorization holder acting on behalf of Kindred Biosciences in Europe. Mirataz was approved for use in cats by the FDA in May 2018.

09:06 EST State Street expands servicing arrangement with VanEck to provide ETF services - State Street announced it has expanded its servicing arrangement with leading global investment firm, VanEck, to provide exchange traded fund, or ETF, services for nearly $40B of its clients' assets. As part of this arrangement State Street will provide a variety of back office services, including accounting and certain administration functions, for more than 60 VanEck funds. State Street also announced that it now services close to 70% of U.S. ETF and exchange trade products assets under management.

09:05 EST Fortinet acquires SOAR provider CyberSponse, terms not disclosed - Fortinet announced that it has completed the acquisition of CyberSponse, a Security Orchestration, Automation and Response platform provider based in Arlington, Virginia. CyberSponse, already a Fortinet Security Fabric partner, will further extend the automation and incident response capabilities of FortiAnalyzer, FortiSIEM and FortiGate, for example, and further simplify security operations. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

09:04 EST Taronis Technologies details 2020 development goals for agricultural waste tech - Taronis Technologies announced its key business development goals for its agricultural waste sterilization business in 2020. In addition, the Company provided management's view on recent capital market activities in relation to these objectives. The company said, "First, the Company will look to complete a joint venture for the sterilization of animal waste early in 2020. Specifically, the Company is focused on a joint venture in North Carolina to address the issues related to animal waste produced by the hog industry. North Carolina is the third largest hog producing state in the US today, and this herd generates over 15 million tons of animal waste every year. In fact, under the Smithfield Agreement in 2000, animal waste is the primary limiting factor for the growth and size of the hog industry in North Carolina. Taronis recently completed an 18 month USDA grant funded project that produced clear and compelling validation of its ability to solve several of the critical dangers associated with untreated animal waste. A comprehensive white paper has been submitted to the USDA for technical review. The report documents a number of critical benefits from our technology on animal waste. First, Taronis has clearly demonstrated the ability to eradicate pathogens, including E coli and fecal coliform. Second, the Company has demonstrated that once sterilized, there is no recurrence in pathogen growth within the sterilized materials. Third, Taronis breaks down complex compounds, including pharmaceuticals commonly dissolved in animal urine. Lastly, the Company documented our ability to measurably reduce harmful metals commonly found in animal waste. The Company is actively engaged in dialogue with one of the largest hog producers in the US. The Company has proposed a multi-faceted project that would validate the commercialization at scale of its animal waste sterilization technology. This would be accomplished through the deployment of plasma arc sterilization units at scale across North Carolina. At least two leading universities within North Carolina have been prioritized and have been invited to participate in the project to further validate the health benefits of Taronis' sterilization process. Lastly, these same universities would independently validate the ability to safely utilize the animal waste streams post-treatment for multiple end agricultural applications, including hydroponic agriculture and fertilizer feedstocks." "Our team has placed a top priority on launching the highest possible quality joint venture in North Carolina," commented Scott Mahoney, CEO of Taronis. "We have already had positive and meaningful discussions with one of the leaders in the global hog industry. With the recent epidemic of African swine fever killing almost 6 million hogs worldwide, there is a real need for US hog production to safely fill the demand gap. Our technology can solve the critical gating issue to production growth in North Carolina. We can help the entire state reduce the health and environmental issues related to the disposal of animal waste. In addition, we can help the industry grow safely, providing lasting economic benefits in North Carolina, and eventually everywhere hogs are produced. We recently announced a $25M convertible preferred offering. We have received many inquiries from shareholders as to why we would contemplate this transaction. First, we believe we can capitalize on a very large economic opportunity solving this waste issue across the global hog industry. We believe this technology is very close to commercial viability, and we want to ensure the Company is financially prepared to support a full scale launch if our prospective industry partner wants to rapidly expand the project. Lastly, we want to take this opportunity to remind all investors that the recently announced offering is deliberately structured so that the Company can service all amortization with cash payments. In addition, the Company has recently provided a series of updates on a $165M contract under a previously owned subsidiary, Taronis Fuels, which has been successfully spun off and is expected to begin trading in the near term. Management has concluded that the royalties due back to Taronis from the $165M contract should be able to adequately service the periodic payments for the proposed convertible preferred, thus minimizing any potential dilution. We intend to provide additional updates on all of the other commercial activities of Taronis in the coming days. The completion of the proposed financing is subject to shareholder approval. We expect that our comprehensive updates, combined with material updates related to the $165M contract under Taronis Fuels will give our shareholders the confidence to approve the proposed financing in due time."

08:57 EST Fly Intel: Pre-market Movers - HIGHER: Delta Air Lines (DAL), up 2% after announcing FY20 guidance at its annual investor day... General Electric (GE), up 2% after UBS analyst Markus Mittermaier assumed coverage of GE from prior analyst Damian Karas and upgraded the shares to Buy from Neutral with a price target of $14, up from $11.50. The shares are at a "positive inflection point" into 2020 given GE's successful de-levering, "strong" estimated earnings growth in 2020 and 2021, and a tripling of free cash flow to $2.3B next year led by Aviation and Healthcare, Mittermaier tells investors... Lumber Liquidators (LL), up 6% after raising FY19 adjusted operating margin expectations. UP AFTER EARNINGS: FormFactor (FORM), up 5%. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Ciena (CIEN), down 2%... Veru (VERU), down 12%... Lovesac (LOVE), down 11%... Lululemon (LULU), down 3%. ALSO LOWER: Akoustis (AKTS), down 13% after its 4.8M share spot secondary priced at $6.25.

08:48 EST Coastal Powersports installs Blink Charging's EV charging stations - Blink Charging announced the installation of their fast Level 2 electric vehicle charging stations at Coastal Powersports, a reseller of Zero Electric Motorcycles and a motorcycle dealership in Fort Walton Beach, FL. Coastal Powersports is using the Blink Charging technology to meet the growing demand for electrified motorcycles. The Blink IQ 200 are the fastest Level 2 AC charging stations available, producing 80 amps of output, ensuring they are suitable for the advances in battery technology found in new electric motorcycles and vehicles. The charging stations are capable of charging any battery-electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles, including motorcycles, with a J1772 plug.

08:41 EST TIDAL, Dolby introduce Dolby Atmos Music to Tidal's HiFi members - TIDAL and Dolby Laboratories are introducing a more emotional and authentic way to enjoy the songs you love with Dolby Atmos Music now available on TIDAL HiFi. Members subscribing to the TIDAL HiFi tier with compatible Android smartphones or tablets will have access to a growing library of music available in Dolby Atmos from Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group.

08:39 EST Everi Holdings announces completion of term loan repricing - Everi Holdings announced that it successfully completed the repricing of the Senior Secured Term Loan under its Credit Agreement dated as of May 9, 2017. Amendments to the Credit Agreement have reduced the applicable interest rate on the Term Loan to a rate of LIBOR plus 275 basis points with a LIBOR floor of 100 basis points. The maturity of the Term Loan remains May 9, 2024.

08:38 EST Chevron sanctions Anchor project in deepwater U.S. Gulf of Mexico - Chevron announced it has sanctioned the Anchor project in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. This marks the industry's first deepwater high-pressure development to achieve a final investment decision. Delivery of the new technology, which is capable of handling pressures of 20,000 psi, also enables access to other high-pressure resource opportunities across the Gulf of Mexico for Chevron and the industry. The Anchor Field is located in the Green Canyon area, approximately 140 miles (225 km) off the coast of Louisiana, in water depths of approximately 5,000 feet. The initial development of the project will require an investment of approximately $5.7 billion. Stage 1 of the Anchor development consists of a seven-well subsea development and semi-submersible floating production unit. First oil is anticipated in 2024.

08:35 EST Aprea Therapeutics announces presentations of data from APR-246 trials - Lead investigators from US and French Phase Ib/II clinical trials of APR-246 and Azacitidine in patients with TP53 mutant MDS and AML, presented positive data on Monday at the 2019 ASH Annual Meeting. Both trials are evaluating the safety and efficacy of Aprea Therapeutics lead product candidate, APR-246, in combination with azacitidine for the treatment of TP53 mutant MDS and AML. Dr. David Sallman of the Moffitt Cancer Center, the lead investigator on the US Trial, presented on 33 evaluable MDS patients as of the data cutoff, with an overall response rate of 88%, and a 61% complete remission rate, by International Working Group criteria. With a median duration of follow-up of 10.8 months, the median duration of response was 8.4 months and the median duration of CR was 7.3 months. Seventeen evaluable MDS patients discontinued therapy to pursue stem cell transplant. Median overall survival for all enrolled patients was 10.8 months. Median OS in responding patients versus non-responders was 13.7 vs. 3.9 months. Adverse events, regardless of causality, were mostly grade 1/2. Grade 3+ adverse events occurring in greater than or equal to20% of patients were limited to cytopenias and infection, consistent with underlying hematopoietic malignancies, and no exacerbation of the expected AZA-related safety profile has been observed. Prof. Thomas Cluzeau reported preliminary data for 24 evaluable MDS patients enrolled before June 2019 in the French trial being conducted by the Groupe Francophone des Myelodysplasies, which is led by Prof. Pierre Fenaux and who is also the lead investigator of the French trial. Following the oral presentation, the GFM informed Aprea that the analysis presented and previously reported included three MDS patients who achieved a complete remission but were enrolled after May 2019 and therefore should not have been included among the 24 evaluable patients under the specified enrollment cutoff. In addition, there were two additional MDS patients enrolled before June 2019 who had responded. The updated data for 24 evaluable MDS patients enrolled before June 2019 are overall response rate of 71% and complete remission rate of 54% by IWG criteria. Inclusive of the CRs in 3 MDS patients enrolled after May 2019, the updated data for 27 evaluable MDS patients are ORR of 74% and CR rate of 59%. With a median duration of follow-up of 6.4 months, the median overall survival for all enrolled patients had not been reached. In addition, all responding patients were alive at data cutoff. Relative to baseline, mutant TP53 variant allele frequency was significantly decreased in responding patients and undetectable in all patients who achieved a CR.

08:33 EST Gulf Resources to temporarily close bromine facilities in Shouguang City - Gulf Resources announced that it has received a notification from the government of Shouguang City, pursuant to which all bromine facilities in Shouguang City will be closed until February 10,2020. On November 25, 2019, the government of Shuoguang City issued a notice ordering all bromine facilities in Shouguang City to temporarily stop production from December 16, 2019 to February 10, 2020, while the Company received such notice recently. The company said, "We believe this seasonal closure ordered by the government is part of governmental action plan to curb air pollution. Our company had intended to commence production in factories #1 and #7, but we will delay the opening of the production until February 10, 2020 in light of the governmental order. We don't anticipate the closure of about two months in winter will significantly impact the Company's business. As we stated in the third quarter earnings conference call, "Winter is a slow seasonal period for bromine production, because of Chinese New Year and given the fact that some crude salt products cannot be processed during the coldest months." Chinese New Year of 2020 falls on January 25, 2020 and the festival will last approximately up to two weeks. Under normal circumstances, facilities are closed during the holidays. Once this temporary closure is over, we intend to open factories #1 and #7 and gear up production steadily."

08:14 EST Agraflora Organics completes UK Home Office license inspection - AgraFlora Organics International announced that the Company's United Kingdom subsidiary, Farmako Limited has completed its UK Home Office inspection for the purpose of obtaining a Controlled Drug License. Farmako Limited had already been granted certification for its compliance with Good Distribution Practice and received an authorization for the wholesale distribution of medicinal products, including medical cannabis, in summer 2019 after completing a successful inspection by the UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency earlier this year. Upon receipt of a Controlled Drug License from the UK Home Office, after last week's inspection, Farmako Limited will be fully licensed to pursue pharmaceutical/medical cannabis trading within the UK operating theatre. Initially, Farmako Limited will pursue the import of Bedrocan products from the Netherlands to the UK for end patient distribution. Additionally, Farmako Limited reports it is in advanced contract discussions with an external UK domiciled pharmaceutical logistics firm which will function as the Company's secured UK warehousing and shipping hub.

08:09 EST Kaleido Biosciences announces top-line results from PoC study of KB174 - Kaleido Biosciences announced top-line results from a proof-of-concept clinical study of KB174 using a 15N-labeled tracer in patients with well-compensated cirrhosis. Compared to baseline, treatment with KB174 was associated with a 26 percent reduction in urinary 15N excretion, a biomarker of microbiome ammonia production, and was well tolerated. KB174, a novel Microbiome Metabolic Therapy designed to modulate the metabolic output and profile of the microbiome, was identified as Kaleido's lead candidate in HE for its ability to lower both ammonia and multi-drug resistant pathogens ex vivo. The gut microbiome plays a significant role in the production of ammonia. Ammonia is central to the pathogenesis of several diseases, including HE, which encompasses a spectrum of potentially reversible neurologic and psychiatric abnormalities generally seen in patients with liver disease. HE is a common complication of all forms of cirrhosis, leading to significant morbidity and mortality in this patient population. Patients with cirrhosis also have an increased risk of developing bacterial infections, and infection can cause an episode of HE. Forty adult patients with liver disease were enrolled in this double-blind, controlled clinical study. Patients were randomized to receive KB174 or maltodextrin, orally for 28 days. A lactose-15N-ureide tracer was administered after an amino acid challenge both before and after treatment to evaluate changes in nitrogen metabolism in the gut. A reduction of this 15N tracer in the urine is considered a marker of a reduction in net ammonia production by the gut microbiome. Patients were also followed for measures of safety and tolerability. Twenty-nine evaluable patients meeting the threshold for cirrhosis were included in the per protocol 15N tracer analyses. Patients treated with KB174 had a 26 percent median reduction in urinary 15N excretion compared to baseline versus a 3 percent median reduction for those receiving maltodextrin. KB174 was well tolerated and no clinically significant or serious treatment-related adverse events were observed. Treatment-related adverse events were mild to moderate in severity in both groups and generally GI-related. Patients on KB174 reported only small changes in the Gastrointestinal Tolerability Questionnaire and the Bristol Stool Scale with no notable differences compared to maltodextrin. The Company plans to present additional data from this clinical study at a future medical meeting. The Company also announced completion of a dosing study of KB174 in 48 healthy subjects. Results were consistent with the study in patients with cirrhosis, and KB174 was well tolerated with no clinically significant or serious treatment-related adverse events. Due to operational issues at the clinical site, urinary volumes required to calculate 15N excretion were recorded for only 15 of the 48 subjects, but a trend in dose response was observed for these subjects, with greater reductions in urinary 15N excretion observed at higher doses. Further analysis of study data utilizing imputed values for the remaining 33 subjects was conducted, and results were consistent with those of the smaller group. Kaleido continues to leverage its rapid and cost efficient human-centric discovery and development model, with recent feedback from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that the Company may advance directly into a Phase 3 pivotal trial upon filing an Investigational New Drug application if the Company elects to do so. As a result, Kaleido expects to initiate its next study of KB174 evaluating clinical endpoints in patients with HE during the second half of 2020, ahead of a potential IND filing.

08:07 EST aTyr Pharma announces interim safety results from Phase 1b/2a trial of ATYR1923 - aTyr Pharma announced the results of a pre-planned, blinded interim analysis of safety and tolerability, the primary endpoint of its ongoing Phase 1b/2a clinical trial of its lead therapeutic candidate, ATYR1923, in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis. Study drug was observed to be generally safe and well tolerated with no drug-related serious adverse events, consistent with the earlier Phase 1 study results in healthy volunteers. Adverse events were mostly mild or moderate in severity and assessed by the study investigators as unrelated to study drug. This Phase 1b/2a study is a multiple-ascending dose, placebo-controlled, first-in-patient study of ATYR1923 that has been designed to evaluate safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of multiple doses of ATYR1923, as well as to evaluate established clinical endpoints and potential biomarkers to assess preliminary efficacy. The study is being conducted in partnership with the Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research. Interim safety data results announced today are from 15 pulmonary sarcoidosis patients who have received a minimum of one dose of blinded study drug. The average age of patients evaluated was approximately 51 years. The patient population consisted of 53% males and 47% females, of which 73% were Caucasian and 27% were African American. No induction of anti-drug antibodies was observed with repeat dosing of study drug. There were no notable trends for clinical laboratory values or vital signs.

08:06 EST eBay launches new eBay Motors app - eBay's eBay Motors is launching a new, automotive-focused app for Apple iPhone and Android. The app is a tool for buying and selling vehicles directly from consumers' mobile devices. Customers in the U.S. can use the app to list, search and shop for vehicles with new innovations that include a personalized homepage, streamlined listing capabilities and improved search filters. When selling a vehicle, the user will be prompted by the app to take a photo of the license plate, which the app will use to automatically populate key details such as make and model, year and VIN.

08:05 EST NextGen Healthcare to acquire OTTO Health - NextGen Healthcare announced an agreement to acquire OTTO Health. The proposed acquisition is expected to close this month, subject to the satisfaction of closing conditions. Demand for virtual visits is on the rise. The use of telehealth is important for people with chronic conditions and 20% of the U.S. population that lives in rural areas where access to health care, particularly specialty care, is often lacking. The solution is device agnostic, doesn't require the download or install of a separate app and patients have multiple options for scheduling an appointment, including directly through the patient portal.

08:01 EST BancorpSouth authorizes 2020 share repurchase program - BancorpSouth has authorized a new share repurchase program to purchase up to an aggregate of 8 million shares of BancorpSouth's common stock. This new share repurchase program will become effective January 2, 2020 and will expire on December 31, 2020. Under the current share repurchase program, BancorpSouth has purchased 2,173,081 shares of the 3 million total shares authorized for repurchase. As a result of the successful completion of its previously announced public offering of $300M of its 4.125% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Subordinated Notes and $172.5M of its 5.5% Series A Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Stock, BancorpSouth was able to increase the authorization under its new share repurchase program.

07:51 EST Assertio Therapeutics to sell Gralise to Alvogen for $127.5M - Assertio Therapeutics announced it has entered into an agreement with Alvogen under which Alvogen will acquire and assume all responsibilities associated with the product Gralise. The agreement is expected to close in early January 2020, subject to regulatory approval. Under the terms of the agreement, Alvogen will pay Assertio a total value of $127.5M. This includes $75M in cash upon closing and the balance payable in the form of a royalty on the first $70M in Gralise net sales. Both companies expect the majority of the royalties to be paid in the first calendar year. The Company will provide an update on the financial impact of the sale of Gralise following the close of the transaction.

07:38 EST FTI Consulting launches LIBOR Transition Task Force - FTI Consulting announced the formal launch of its LIBOR Transition Task Force, a multidisciplinary group that leverages expertise from across the firm to help clients successfully navigate the transition from LIBOR to alternative reference rates before the 2021 deadline. FTI Consulting works with clients, industry groups, law firms, and policy makers to map out obstacles and the expertise required to navigate them. It also continues to monitor developments from industry working groups including ISDA, SFIG/SFA, LSFT, SIFMA, and ARRC. FTI Consulting's LIBOR Transition Task Force is chaired by Executive Committee member John Klick and comprises senior experts from the firm's core disciplines, including Franck Risler, William Nolan, Marc Walby, Colleen Hsia and Ryan Drimalla. The task force advises affected stakeholders on the most challenging issues related to the shift in reference rates.

07:35 EST Intra-Cellular highlights lumateperone data at ACNP annual meeting - Intra-Cellular Therapies announced data featured during the 58th Annual Meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology held in Orlando, FL, December 8-11, 2019 included: "Lumateperone in the Treatment of Bipolar Depression: Results from a Randomized Clinical Trial". This poster presented data from the positive Phase 3 clinical trial of lumateperone for the treatment of patients with bipolar depression. Study 404 was conducted globally, including in the U.S., and included 381 patients randomized to receive lumateperone 42 mg or placebo once daily for six weeks. Lumateperone met its primary endpoint of change from baseline at Week 6 on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale total score versus placebo. In the intent-to-treat study population, the LS mean improvement from baseline for lumateperone 42 mg was 16.7 points, versus 12.1 points for placebo, for a 4.6-point difference between the two groups. Lumateperone also met the study's key secondary endpoint, Clinical Global Impression Scale for Bipolar for Severity of Illness Total Score. In addition, the CGI component that specifically assesses depression showed improvement with lumateperone versus placebo. This improvement was statistically significant as early as week 1, the first time point measured, and was maintained at every time point throughout the study. In subgroup analyses of both Bipolar I patients and Bipolar II patients, statistically significant improvements were seen versus placebo on the MADRS total score. These results were supported by statistically significant improvements on responder rates and remission rates, demonstrating the clinical meaningfulness of the primary outcome, with 51.1% of patients on lumateperone meeting MADRS response criteria versus 36.7% for placebo at Day 43. Additionally, 39.9% of patients on lumateperone were considered remitters versus 33.5% for placebo. The safety profile in this study was consistent with previously reported placebo-controlled and open-label studies in patients with schizophrenia. Lumateperone showed similar effects as placebo on assessments of body weight, metabolic parameters, extrapyramidal symptoms, and prolactin. Rates of akathisia, restlessness and extrapyramidal symptoms combined were less than 1% and similar to placebo. The most commonly reported adverse events that were observed at a rate greater than 5% and higher than placebo were somnolence and nausea. The rates of discontinuation due to treatment emergent adverse events for lumateperone were less than 5 percent. "Efficacy and Safety of Lumateperone 42 mg in the Treatment of Schizophrenia: A Pooled Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials". This poster highlighted the clinical results of lumateperone 42 mg, including its safety and tolerability profile from the short-term controlled studies of lumateperone in the treatment of patients with acute exacerbations of schizophrenia. The poster included additional post-hoc pooled analyses that found lower rates of MetSy in patients treated with lumateperone than in patients treated with risperidone. In these double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of 4 to 6 weeks duration, patients were randomized to either lumateperone 42mg, risperidone 4mg or placebo. The percentage of patients meeting criteria for MetSy at baseline was similar across groups. At study endpoint, fewer patients on lumateperone met the MetSy criteria compared with the percentage on risperidone. Among those patients with MetSy at baseline, the percentage who no longer met criteria for MetSy after study treatment was nearly twice as high among patients treated with lumateperone as among patients treated with risperidone. Among patients without MetSy at baseline, the percentage that developed MetSy during study treatment with lumateperone was half that in risperidone-treated patients. "Additional Results from a 12-Month Open-Label Safety Study of Lumateperone in Patients with Stable Symptoms of Schizophrenia". Additional results from the lumateperone long-term safety study were presented. The data presented showed the safety of long-term lumateperone treatment was consistent with previously reported studies and associated with a low risk of metabolic, EPS, and prolactin side effects. Patients with stable schizophrenia symptoms continued to show improvement in PANSS scores with lumateperone treatment throughout the 1-year open-label study. Furthermore, in patients with schizophrenia and comorbid depression symptoms at baseline lumateperone 42 mg improved depressive symptoms.

07:14 EST Roche signs joint marketing agreement in U.S. with Fortelinea Software Systems - Roche announced that it has signed a joint marketing agreement in the United States with Fortelinea Software Systems that allows for the linking of Roche's VENTANA Connect middleware with Fortelinea's Prima lab tracking and management system to improve workflow for automated immunohistochemistry and in-situ hybridization testing in U.S. research laboratories. The agreement enables U.S. labs with Prima software and Roche's DISCOVERY ULTRA automated IHC/ISH staining system with VENTANA Connect middleware to utilize one barcode across both platforms, allowing standardized slide labeling and streamlining data transfer and integration with the laboratory information system. The resulting automated IHC and ISH workflows help reduce turnaround time, redundant work and manual errors, improving the overall efficiency of lab processes.

07:11 EST Delta Air Lines sees FY20 free cash flow of $4B - "Delta's transformation over the past decade has resulted in consistent delivery of industry-leading financial results," said Paul Jacobson, CFO. "In 2020, we expect to maintain our margins while delivering another year of $4 billion in free cash flow. We will continue to deploy capital to reinvest in the business and remain committed to returning 70 percent of free cash flow to our owners."

07:10 EST Veeco says CFO and COO Maheshwari to resign - In a regulatory filing last night, Veeco disclosed that on December 11, Shubham Maheshwari, Veeco's Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer, notified Veeco of his intention to resign from the company, in conjunction with Veeco's general efforts to reduce cost and de-layer the organization, and to move back to the west coast with his family. "Mr. Maheshwari's resignation is not a result of any disagreement with the company. To facilitate a smooth transition, Mr. Maheshwari will remain with the Company until a successor is named and will remain available to assist with the completion of Veeco's year-end audit and the filing of its 2019 annual report on Form 10-K. In exchange for agreeing to stay for the transition period, Mr. Maheshwari will be eligible to receive the non-change-in-control separation benefits described in the letter agreement between him and Veeco dated April 8, 2014, as amended August 29, 2018 and March 22, 2019," the company stated.

07:07 EST Trevena presents Phase 1 data on TRV250 for acute migraine - Trevena announced a poster presentation at the 58th Annual Meeting of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, in Orlando, FL. The poster presentation featured results from a Phase 1 first-in-human study that evaluated the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of TRV250, the Company's novel G protein-selective delta-receptor agonist being developed for the acute treatment of migraine. TRV250 was well-tolerated up to 30 mg, with a PK profile appropriate for an acute migraine therapy. There were no serious adverse events and no clinically significant changes in EEG, ECG, or other safety parameters.

07:05 EST Asbury Automotive to acquire assets of Park Place Dealerships for $1B in cash - Asbury Automotive entered into a definitive agreement to acquire certain assets of Park Place Dealerships, one of the country's largest and most prominent luxury dealer groups, for $1B in an all-cash transaction, excluding vehicle inventory. The purchase price includes $785M of goodwill, approximately $215M for real estate and leasehold improvements, and approximately $30M for parts and fixed assets. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2020, and is subject to customary closing conditions.

07:03 EST Canopy Growth announces launch of 'First & Free' product line - Canopy Growth announced the launch of First & Free - a hemp-derived CBD product line offered in a variety of formats, including softgels, oil drops and creams. The products will be available for purchase on the company's first e-commerce site: www.firstandfree.com.

07:02 EST Nordson announces planned retirement of CFO Gregory Thaxton - Nordson announced that Gregory Thaxton, Executive Vice President and CFO, plans to retire in 2020 after thirty successful years with the company, with the last 12 years as CFO. The company has initiated a search of internal and external candidates for his successor. Thaxton will remain in his current role throughout this transition period.

07:01 EST Amneal Pharmaceuticals' EluRyng Abbreviated New Drug Application approved - Amneal Pharmaceuticals has received Abbreviated New Drug Application approval from the FDA for EluRyng, the first generic version of NuvaRing. Amneal has initiated commercialization activities for EluRyng, which is being manufactured internally and launching immediately. According to IQVIA, a healthcare data and analytics provider, NuvaRing U.S. annual sales for the 12 months ended October 31, 2019 were approximately $976M.

06:58 EST Quanta Services increases quarterly dividend to 5c per share - Quanta Services announced that its board has declared a quarterly cash dividend to stockholders of 5c per share, or a rate of 20c per share on an annualized basis, which represents a 25% increase from Quanta's last quarterly cash dividend paid in October. The dividend is payable January 16, 2020, to stockholders of record on January 2, 2020.

06:53 EST Southwest to share proceeds from Boeing agreement with employees - Southwest Airlines (LUV) recently reached a confidential agreement with Boeing (BA) to compensate Southwest for a portion of projected financial damages related to the grounding of the airline's Boeing 737 MAX aircraft. In light of this agreement, the Southwest board has authorized a discretionary, incremental profitsharing accrual for employees, which is tied to the projected reduction in operating income for annual 2019 due to the MAX groundings. The company currently estimates this incremental profitsharing accrual to be approximately $125M. This incremental profitsharing award will be funded as part of the company's annual 2019 profitsharing distribution in 2020, in accordance with normal ProfitSharing Plan policies and board approval. The company plans to provide 2019 profitsharing details early next year, including the percentage each eligible Southwest employee will receive. The company continues to engage in ongoing discussions with Boeing regarding compensation for damages related to the MAX groundings. The details of these discussions and the settlement with Boeing are confidential. While still evaluating the applicable accounting principles, the company currently expects to account for substantially all of the compensation as a reduction in cost basis of both existing and future firm aircraft orders, which will reduce depreciation expense in future years. The Boeing 737 MAX fleet has been grounded since the FAA's order was issued on March 13. Southwest Airlines continues to monitor information from Boeing and the FAA on the impending 737 MAX software enhancements and training requirements. The airline remains confident that, once certified by the FAA, the enhancements will support a safe return of the 737 MAX aircraft.

06:47 EST Merck: KEYTRUDA showed improvements in OS in Phase 3 KEYNOTE-042 trial - Merck announced that KEYTRUDA, Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, showed improvements in overall survival, progression-free survival and objective response rate as monotherapy for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer whose tumors expressed PD-L1, regardless of KRAS mutational status. These findings, which are based on an exploratory analysis of the pivotal Phase 3 KEYNOTE-042 trial, were presented in a proffered paper presentation at the European Society for Medical Oncology Immuno-Oncology Congress 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland. "KRAS mutations occur in approximately 20% of people with non-small cell lung cancer, and some previous studies have suggested that these mutations are associated with a poorer response to treatment," said Dr. Jonathan Cheng, vice president, oncology clinical research, Merck Research Laboratories. "It was therefore encouraging to see in this exploratory analysis that KEYTRUDA monotherapy was associated with a survival benefit in certain patients with metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer, regardless of KRAS mutational status."

06:12 EST CEO of GM's Cruise unit hints at offering low-cost shared rides - Dan Ammann, the former president of GM and now the CEO of autonomous vehicle company Cruise, has hinted that the GM subsidiary intends to offer shared rides "at a radically lower cost" as part of a move to move eventually "beyond the car." Ammann says in a blog post titled "We Need to Move Beyond the Car" that in order to "make order-of-magnitude -- rather than incremental -- improvements in transportation, we need to build alternatives that are superior to the status quo in every way. That's why at Cruise it is our mission to improve safety by removing the human driver, reduce emissions by being all-electric, and reduce congestion through making shared rides more compelling by providing an awesome experience at a radically lower cost. Only then will we truly move beyond the car to the transportation system that we deserve - one that is safer, more affordable, and better for us, for our cities, and for our planet." Reference Link

05:30 EST Genentech says Phase III FeDeriCa study met primary endpoint - Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (RHHBY), announced new data from the Phase III FeDeriCa study which showed the investigational fixed-dose combination, or FDC, of Perjeta and Herceptin with hyaluronidase, administered by subcutaneous, or SC, injection in combination with intravenous chemotherapy, demonstrated non-inferior levels of Perjeta in the blood and comparable efficacy and safety to standard IV infusions of Perjeta plus Herceptin and chemotherapy in eligible people with HER2-positive early breast cancer, or EBC. The FeDeriCa study met its primary endpoint, with SC administration of the FDC showing non-inferior levels of Perjeta in the blood during a given dosing interval when compared to IV administration of Perjeta. The FDC of Perjeta and Herceptin is a new SC formulation that combines Perjeta and Herceptin with Halozyme Therapeutics' (HALO) Enhanze drug delivery technology.