Stockwinners Market Radar for December 20, 2019 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

18:23 EST Huntington Ingalls awarded $110.38M government contract - Huntington Ingalls Inc., Pascagoula Mississippi, is awarded a $110,376,375 cost-plus award fee (CPAF) contract for CG-47 class integrated planning yard services. Contract N00024-20-C-4203 is for planning yard services for CG 47 class ships. Huntington Ingalls Inc. will provide expert design, planning and material support services for both maintenance and modernization. Work will be performed in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and is expected to be complete by December 2024. This contract includes options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value of this contract to $453,360,453 and be complete by December 2024. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $4,226,046 was obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulations 6.302-1 (a) (2ii), only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy the agency requirements. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-20-C-4203).

18:22 EST Raytheon awarded $249.9M government contract modification - Raytheon Co., Marlborough, Massachusetts, is awarded a $249,938,973 fixed-price-incentive (firm target) modification to previously awarded contract N00024-14-C-5315 to exercise options for Air and Missile Defense Radar Program low rate initial production. This option exercise is for the production of two Air and Missile Defense Radar Program Low Rate Initial Production units (AMDR LRIP). The AMDR LRIP units will be deployed on DDG Flight III class ships. Work will be performed in Marlborough, Massachusetts, and is expected to be complete by June 2023. Fiscal 2020 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funding in the amount of $249,938,973 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.

18:21 EST United Technologies awarded $455.5M government contract - United Technologies Corp., Pratt & Whitney Military Engines, East Hartford, Connecticut, is awarded a $455,524,124 modification (P00016) to a previously awarded fixed-price-incentive-fee, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-18-C-1021). This modification provides for non-recurring engineering and tooling in support of the lot 14 production and delivery of 32 F135-PW-100 propulsion systems and one F135-PW-600 propulsion system for F-35 Joint Program Office non-Department of Defense (DoD) participants. Work will be performed in East Hartford, Connecticut (97%); Indianapolis, Indiana (2%); and Bristol, United Kingdom (1%), and is expected to be completed in April 2022. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Marine Corps, and Navy); fiscal 2019 aircraft procurement (Air Force); and non-DoD participant funds in the amount of $413,030,550 are being obligated at time of award, $13,932,222 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for non-DoD participants ($385,166,106; 93%); Air Force ($13,932,222; 3%); Navy ($6,966,111; 2%); and the Marine Corps ($6,966,111; 2%). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

18:20 EST Lockheed Martin awarded $1.96B government contract - Lockheed Martin is awarded a $1,955,776,266 fixed-price-incentive firm target modification to a previously awarded contract N00024-18-C-2301 for the detail design and construction of four Multi Mission Surface Combatant ships (MMSC). The awarded contract includes associated cost-plus-fixed-fee class design and related material and firm-fixed-price integrated data environment. The MMSC is based on the freedom variant of the Navy Littoral Combat Ship class, and is being procured by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) under the auspices of the Navy's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. The detail design and construction of four Multi Mission Surface Combatant ships is part of the Foreign Military Sales agreement between the U.S. and the KSA. This sale contributes to the foreign policy and national security of the U.S. by helping to improve the security of a strategic regional partner. Only foreign military sales funds from the KSA will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Work will be performed in Marinette, Wisconsin (50%); Washington, District of Columbia (17%); Baltimore, Maryland (9%); Moorestown, New Jersey (7%); Clearwater, Florida (2%); Beloit, Wisconsin (1%); Salt Lake City, Utah (1%); Pascagoula, Mississippi (1%); Fitchburg, Massachusetts (1%); Hampton, Virginia (1%); areas outside the U.S. (8%); and other areas in the U.S. (2%), and is expected to be complete by June 2026. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.

18:08 EST Aleafia Health says shipment vehicle reportedly stolen from carrier's facility - Aleafia Health has received an update from a third-party transportation company regarding a shipment of Aleafia Health's packaged, finished cannabis products intended for the adult-use market. The authorized carrier was in possession of the company's cannabis products and was contracted to deliver the shipment to provincial wholesale facilities in the next week. On December 20, 2019 the carrier notified Aleafia Health that the transportation vehicle containing the shipment had been reported stolen from the carrier's facility. The third-party carrier has filed a police report, and is cooperating with the ongoing investigation. In accordance with the company's standard operating procedures, Health Canada has been notified. The value of the shipment is not material. The company's insurance provider has been notified and is working with the carrier and police. Aleafia Health is also making best efforts to complete the outstanding purchase orders, including with existing inventory.

18:06 EST AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo say FDA approves ENHERTU - AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo Company announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved ENHERTU for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer who have received two or more prior anti-HER2-based regimens in the metastatic setting. This indication is approved under Accelerated Approval based on tumor response rate and duration of response. Continued approval for this indication may be contingent upon verification and description of clinical benefit in a confirmatory trial.

17:29 EST Ferrellgas Partners to delist from NYSE, trade on OTCQB - Ferrellgas Partners announced its intention to voluntarily delist its common units from the New York Stock Exchange. This announcement follows the company's receipt of notice from the NYSE that the company is not in compliance with the continued listing standards and, as a result, has been subject to the procedures outlined in Sections 801 and 802 of the NYSE Listed Company Manual. The company intends to apply to have its common units quoted on the OTCQB tier of the OTC Markets.

17:09 EST Hill Path Capital discloses 7.0% activist stake in Dave & Buster's - Hill Path Capital disclosed a 7.0% stake in Dave & Buster's, which represents over 2.14M shares. The filing does allow for activism.

17:00 EST Performance Food Group receives FTC approval for Reinhart deal - Performance Food Group Company announced that it has received approval from the Federal Trade Commission to acquire Reinhart Foodservice, L.L.C. PFG now expects to close the transaction on or about December 30, 2019, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the remaining closing conditions. "We are pleased to receive FTC approval to move forward with our acquisition of Reinhart Foodservice," said George Holm, PFG Chairman, President & CEO. "This transaction builds upon our strong distribution platform and will provide us with greater overall scale and a diverse customer base, including independent customers. We expect this transaction to enhance our ability to help our customers thrive and believe the attractive financial characteristics will create long-term shareholder value."

16:41 EST Invacare to incur $8.6M charge related to closing of European facility - In a regulatory filing, Invacare stated that the company "concluded the applicable works council and consultative processes associated with the company's closure of the facility. The company expects to incur pre-tax cash restructuring charges of approximately $8.6M in the Europe segment, of which $8.5M is expected to be incurred for severance and transition assistance associated with 246 associates and $0.1 million recognized for other closure-related costs. The charges will be expensed between December 2019 through January 2021 with approximately $4.2M recognized in the fourth quarter of 2019 and the remainder during 2020. The company expects to make total cash payments of approximately $8.6M, of which the substantial majority are expected to be made in January 2021 after initial lesser payments occurring throughout 2020. Once the facility closure is completed in December 2020, the company expects to generate approximately $5.3M in annualized pre-tax savings, which savings are assumed in the company's previously disclosed long-term guidance target to achieve an Adjusted EBITDA run-rate in the range of $85M-$105Mby year-end 2020. The company expects this restructuring to have no adverse impact on meeting the previously disclosed annual guidance for 2019."

16:36 EST Eidos Therapeutics chief scientific officer sells 12.5K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Eidos Therapeutics disclosed that its chief scientific officer Uma Sinha sold 12.5K shares of common stock on December 18th. The total transaction size was over $770K.

16:31 EST Mannatech announces $1M share repurchase program - Mannatech announced that its board has approved a share repurchase program to acquire up to $1M of its outstanding common stock. This repurchase program is valid through the earlier of March 1, 2020. The company intends to finance the repurchases with available cash.

16:20 EST Armistice Capital reports 5.7% passive stake in Scynexis - Armistice Capital disclosed a 5.7% stake in Scynexis, which represents over 6.22M shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

16:10 EST MGM Resorts closes sale of Circus Circus - MGM Resorts International announced that it has closed on its sale of Circus Circus Las Vegas and the 37 adjacent acres for $825M, subject to final purchase price adjustments, to an affiliate of Treasure Island owner Phil Ruffin. The sale is part of the company's commitment to its asset-light strategy designed to focus on MGM Resorts' core business and maximize value for its shareholders. The purchase price is comprised of $662.5M in cash and a $162.5M note due 2024. MGM Resorts plans to utilize the proceeds from this transaction to further its capital allocation strategy and enhance its strategic and operational flexibility.

16:08 EST CARBO Ceramics trading halted, news pending

16:06 EST Host Hotels chairman Marriott sells over 160,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Host Hotels & Resorts chairman of the board Richard E. Marriott disclosed the sale of 160,195 common shares of the company for a price of $18.51 per share on December 19.

16:01 EST New Concept Energy discloses NYSE continued listing notice - New Concept Energy announced that, on December 17, 2019, the company received notice from NYSE Regulation, indicating that the company is currently below compliance with the NYSE American Exchange's continued listing standards of reported stockholders' equity at December 31, 2018 and losses from continuing operations in three of its four most recent fiscal years ended December 31, 2018, as required by Section 1003 of the NYSE American company guide. The company has been afforded the opportunity to submit a Plan by January 16, 2020, advising of actions it has taken or will take to regain compliance with the continued listing standards by December 17, 2020. The company's plan is to include specific milestones, quarterly financial projections and details related to any strategic initiatives it plans to complete. Once the plan is submitted, NYSE Regulation will review the plan and provide guidance to the company of its acceptance or lack thereof. The company is in the process of preparing the plan for timely submission by January 16, 2020 to become in full compliance with all continued listing standards of the NYSE American Exchange.

15:31 EST Twitter suspends over 88,000 accounts over info ops originating in Saudi Arabia - In a blog post, Twitter shared comprehensive data about 5,929 accounts which it has removed for violating it platform manipulation policies. Rigorous investigations by the company's Site Integrity team have allowed us to attribute these accounts to a significant state-backed information operation on Twitter originating in Saudi Arabia, Twitter said. These accounts represent the core portion of a larger network of more than 88,000 accounts engaged in spammy behaviour across a wide range of topics. "We have permanently suspended all of these accounts from the service," Twitter said. "In order to protect the privacy of potentially compromised accounts repurposed to engage in platform manipulation, and in response to researcher feedback requesting that we pre-filter unrelated spam, we have not disclosed data for all 88,000 accounts. In the interest of offering meaningful transparency, the dataset we are disclosing includes a representative, random sample of the fake and spammy accounts associated with this broader network. We have also shared information about this activity with our peer companies to enable investigations of related activity on their services, and the relevant law enforcement entities." Reference Link

15:19 EST OncoSec says Alpha has made no formal proposal - OncoSec Medical issued the following response to the latest press release from Alpha Holdings: "Throughout its campaign to stop OncoSec's proposed strategic transaction with Grand Decade Developments Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of China Grand Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Holdings Limited and its U.S. affiliate, Sirtex Medical US Holdings, Alpha has repeatedly sought to mislead shareholders by omitting or distorting the facts, and its latest so-called 'proposal' is simply another example of this troubling trend. The 'Alpha Consortium' has never contacted the Company regarding this financing proposal - OncoSec only learned of it via Alpha's press release. In our view, this is simply an attempt to distract shareholders from the clear merits of the CGP/Sirtex Transaction. Although Alpha's public statement lacks specific details, even the scant information provided makes it evident that the so-called 'proposal' is inferior to the CGP/Sirtex Transaction...Alpha's press release is again filled with misleading claims, including the implication that there is a 'golden parachute' to be paid here to management. There are no such payments to be made under the CGP/Sirtex Transaction because it is not a change of control under any management contract or plan-as Alpha itself has acknowledged."

14:09 EST United Airlines pays $321,000 to resolve EEOC sexual harassment suit - United Airlines has agreed to pay $321,000, plus attorney's fees, to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the federal agency announced today. The EEOC's lawsuit alleged that, over the course of many years, a United captain frequently posted explicit images of a flight attendant to multiple websites, without her consent. The EEOC maintained that United failed to prevent and correct the pilot's behavior, even after the flight attendant made numerous complaints and provided evidence to the airline of the pilot's conduct. Reference Link

14:05 EST Hartford Financial announces policy on insuring, investing in coal, tar sands - The Hartford announced its policy on insuring and investing in coal and tar sands. The company will no longer insure or invest in companies that generate more than 25% of their revenues from thermal coal mining or more than 25% of their energy production from coal. In addition, the company will also stop insuring and investing in companies that generate more than 25% of their revenues directly from the extraction of oil from tar sands. "The world needs affordable, accessible energy to support global economic progress and, at the same time, action is needed to mitigate the impact such activity has on our climate," said The Hartford's Chairman and CEO Christopher Swift. "Extreme weather affects people's lives and businesses - and the risks are getting worse. As an insurer and asset manager we recognize the growing cost of this crisis, and we're determined to use our resources and influence to address the challenge. That's why we have taken a position on coal and tar sands."

13:41 EST City Holding lowers dividend to 53c from 57c per share - On December 18, the board of directors of City Holding declared a dividend of 53c per common share for shareholders of record as of January 15, 2020 payable on January 31, 2020. On September 25 of this year, City Holding had declared a quarterly dividend of 57c, payable on October 31 for shareholders of record as of October 15.

13:03 EST Baker Hughes reports U.S. rig count up 14 to 813 rigs - Baker Hughes reports that the U.S. rig count is up 14 rigs from last week to 813, with oil rigs up 18 to 685, gas rigs down 4 to 125, and miscellaneous rigs unchanged at 3. U.S. Rig Count is down 267 rigs from last year's count of 1,080, with oil rigs down 198, gas rigs down 72, and miscellaneous rigs up 3 to 3. The U.S. Offshore Rig Count is up 1 to 24 and unchanged year-over-year. The Canada Rig Count is down 4 rigs from last week to 149, with oil rigs down 8 to 88 and gas rigs up 4 to 61. The Canada Rig Count is up 18 rigs from last year's count of 131, with oil rigs up 30 and gas rigs down 12.

12:43 EST Scholastic completes acquisition of Mrs. Nelson's Book Fairs - Scholastic Corporation announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Scholastic Book Fairs has completed the acquisition of the assets of Pomona, California-based Mrs. Nelson's Book Fairs. Financial terms of the transaction are undisclosed.

12:25 EST American Water acquires Jerseyville's water and wastewater systems for $43.25M - Illinois American Water, a subsidiary of American Water, signed an agreement to acquire the City of Jerseyville's water and wastewater systems. The agreement for the sale of the systems, which each serve about 4,100 customer connections for a total of 8,200 customers, is for $43.25M. Illinois American Water will seek approval of the acquisition from the Illinois Commerce Commission. The transaction is expected to close in late 2020, pending regulatory approval.

12:13 EST Dean Foods reports final approval for $850M in Debtor-In-Possession financing - Dean Foods announced that the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas has entered a final order granting the Company authority to access the full amount of its $850M in debtor-in-possession, or "DIP," financing. The company had previously received interim approval from the court to access up to $475 million of the DIP financing. The court also granted all other relief sought, including providing final approvals for certain other of the company's "First Day Motions" intended to support the business.

12:06 EST Takeda unit granted FDA orphan designation for multiple myeloma treatment - The FDA granted Millennium Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Takeda Pharmaceutical, orphan designation for its treatment of multiple myeloma. Reference Link

12:03 EST Dova treatment of chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia granted orphan status - Dova Pharmaceuticals' treatment of chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia was granted FDA orphan designation, according to a post to the agency's website. Reference Link

12:00 EST Laix rises 19.6% - Laix is up 19.6%, or 81c to $4.95.

11:57 EST Impactive Capital reports 6.7% activist stake in Care.com - Impactive Capital disclosed a 6.7% stake in Care.com (CRCM), which represents over 2.2M shares. The filing with the SEC allows for activism. Care.com this morning reached an agreement to be acquired by IAC (IAC) for $15 per share. Impactive said it has engaged in, and intends to continue to engage in, discussions with members of Care.com's management and board as well as third parties "regarding a variety of matters" relating to the company which may include business, operations and expenses, strategic alternatives and direction, management, board composition, and capital structure and allocation.

10:47 EST FTC claims FleetCor charges hundreds of millions in hidden fees - The Federal Trade Commission filed suit against FleetCor, which sells fuel card services to businesses, alleging that it has charged customers at least hundreds of millions of dollars in hidden fees after making false promises about helping customers save on fuel costs. FleetCor is a publicly traded company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia and reported $2.4B in annual revenues in 2018. FleetCor markets its fuel card services under its own "Fuelman" brand name, as well as through co-branded cards, to businesses around the country. Its business customers give FleetCor's fuel cards to their employees to use in refueling company vehicles. According to the FTC's complaint against FleetCor and its CEO, Ronald Clarke, the defendants falsely have told potential customers that they would save money, be protected from unauthorized charges, and have no set-up, transaction, or membership fees. The complaint outlines a broad array of fees that the defendants have charged customers in ways that customers did not detect. The fees have totaled at least hundreds of millions of dollars, harming tens of thousands of customers. The fees, despite the defendants' promises, often have been charged on a per-transaction basis or have been required for membership in FleetCor's programs. According to the complaint, the defendants often have waited to begin charging many fees until a few billing cycles have passed, making the fees harder to detect among a customer's monthly bill fluctuations. The complaint also alleges that FleetCor's invoices often have failed to disclose that any fees were being charged, requiring customers to proactively view other account management reports. Even on those documents, many fees have been obscured among other information. The FTC alleges that the defendants also have not posted customer payments when they were received. That has led to even more fees, including late fees for on-time payments and "high credit risk" fees, because the customers ostensibly had paid late. The defendants have charged some customers "high risk" fees for being in the trucking and transportation industry, even though FleetCor's primary customer base operates in those very industries. In addition, the defendants' promises about stopping unauthorized charges also have proved untrue, according to the complaint. While the defendants have advertised FleetCor's cards as "fuel only" cards, cardholders have been able to purchase any item sold at fueling locations, including beer and snacks. Reference Link

10:17 EST NewLink jumps 15% to $1.85 after FDA approves partnered Ebola vaccine

10:14 EST NewLink says Ervebo approval triggers Merck's priority review voucher - NewLink Genetics (NLNK) announced that, after priority review, the FDA has granted approval of Ervebo, or Zaire Ebola virus vaccine V920, as confirmed by the company's partner, Merck (MRK). This represents the first vaccine approved by the FDA for the Ebola virus and follows the November 11 grant by the European Commission of a marketing authorization for Ervebo across 31 European countries, the company added. As NewLink has previously stated, the FDA's approval of the Ebola vaccine will trigger the issuance of a priority review voucher owned by Merck and in which NewLink Genetics "has a substantial economic interest."

10:00 EST Flex LNG falls -5.6% - Flex LNG is down -5.6%, or -62c to $10.37.

10:00 EST Rite Aid rises 11.4% - Rite Aid is up 11.4%, or $1.35 to $13.19.

10:00 EST AAR Corp. rises 14.6% - AAR Corp. is up 14.6%, or $6.67 to $52.34.

09:55 EST Henry Schein says Pacific Dental Services selected competitor as distributor - Henry Schein (HSIC) disclosed this morning that following a decision by Pacific Dental Services to select a competitor as its distributor effective January 2020 The company added that the revenue associated with the loss of the supplies, equipment and services business with PDS represents less than one-half of one percent of projected total 2019 worldwide Henry Schein sales and is "immaterial to our results of operations." In a subsequent research note, Baird analyst Jeff Johnson confirmed that Patterson Companies (PDCO) won the Pacific Dental Services contract.

09:39 EST ENGlobal unit awarded two fuel systems upgrade projects worth $6M+ - ENGlobal announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, ENGlobal Government Services, has won two task orders from the Defense Logistics Agency. These assignments, which are expected to produce more than $6M in revenue, arise from ENGlobal's position as one of three prime contractors under the DLA's $124M, five-year Automated Fuel Handling Equipment multiple-award contract. EGS' work on these task orders, which will be carried out over the next year, will include technology upgrades and refreshes of existing AFHE systems at two U.S. military bases. This announcement follows one made by ENGlobal on November 25, detailing the company's receipt of an $11.5M contract from the DLA for the maintenance of the military's Automated Fuel Handling Equipment worldwide. Including this award, ENGlobal's total backlog, which represents an estimate of booked projects that the company has not completed, is approximately double the $29.2M backlog the company started calendar 2019 with.

09:22 EST Terreno Realty acquires property in Puyallup, WA for $6.7M - Terreno Realty acquired an industrial property located in Puyallup, Washington on December 19 for a purchase price of approximately $6.7M. The property consists of one industrial distribution building containing approximately 41,000 square feet on approximately 2.3 acres less than four miles from the Port of Tacoma. The property, at 917 Valley Avenue NW, provides ten dock-high and four grade-level loading positions, parking for 50 cars and is 100% leased to two tenants. The estimated stabilized cap rate of the property is 5.4%.

09:21 EST Nemaura Medical CEO says 2019 was 'transformative year' for company - Nemaura Medical provided a 2019 year-end corporate update. Faz Chowdhury, CEO of Nemaura, stated, "2019 was a transformative year for our Company as we achieved a number of major milestones. During the year, we received CE Mark approval and laid the foundation for the commercial launch of sugarBEAT in Europe and several other key territories around the world where CE approval can be used as the basis of product registration. We also launched a subscription based package, BEAT diabetes to complement sugarBEAT CGM and provide users with additional digital and non-digital services for the management, reversal or prevention of diabetes. The company started the first phase of our commercial launch of sugarBEAT in the United Kingdom with the first shipments of sugarBEAT CGM devices to diabetic and pre-diabetic patients from whom positive user feedback has been received. The company is poised to move aggressively into the commercial phase of the go to market strategy in Europe with its current scale of manufacturing that is entirely carried out in the United Kingdom. Nemaura also continues to establish strategic partnerships and is diligently working with its partners to develop the launch plan and various subscription options. Recently the company announced that it has expanded the sugarBEAT CGM capabilities by launching a new digital health offering, BEAT diabetes, which focuses on the prevention and reversal of Type II diabetes through a range of holistic app and coaching services encouraging behavioral change. Both BEAT(R)diabetes and sugarBEAT target the underserved $69B market for Type 2 diabetics and $50B market for pre-diabetics. Nemaura is committed to adding additional services aimed at improving the management of diabetes and reversing or preventing Type 2 diabetes. Towards that end, management were pleased to announce a partnership with the award-winning UK-based Changing Health to bring digital behavior programs to improve the management, reversal and prevention of Type 2 diabetes in multiple territories commencing with the United Kingdom and Ireland. Changing Health is a provider of digital coaching services to the National Health Service England aimed at the prevention or reversal of Type 2 diabetes. Nemaura is embarking on a number of additional initiatives to improve how people with diabetes and prediabetes can manage, reverse and prevent Type 2 diabetes through the BEAT diabetes health subscription service coupled with the non-invasive sugarBEAT CGM across the digital health, wearable health-tech and diabetes sectors. The company has adequate cash on hand and secured a $8M debt facility which was provided by an existing, long-term investor. The company is believes it is in its strongest position to date, given its cash position, credit line, expected revenues, and the significant potential value of the business offering. In the beginning of December, management decided to effect a 1-for-10 reverse split, which allowed the company to comfortably regain compliance with NASDAQ and affords Nemaura a share price that management believe will enable the company to attract a broader universe of institutional investors. Given the significant progress this year, the company believes the outlook for the business is stronger than ever and it is uniquely positioned to become a leading provider of technology and services within the underserved market for Type 2 diabetics and pre-diabetics. Management wishes everyone happy and healthy holidays and look forward to providing additional updates as Nemaura continues to execute on its commercial strategy."

09:19 EST Carnival says entering FY20 with 'record booked occupancy position' - Carnival said, "The company is entering fiscal year 2020 with a record booked occupancy position. At this time, cumulative advanced bookings for the full year 2020 are slightly ahead of the prior year at prices that are slightly lower compared to 2019 on a comparable basis, which does not include the net revenue yields brand mix headwind of approximately 0.5 percent for the full year 2020. Booking volumes at the beginning of the fourth quarter were impacted by Hurricane Dorian. During the last eight weeks, booking volumes have been running higher with prices that are in line for the full year 2020 compared to 2019 on a comparable basis. Based on current booking trends, the company expects full year 2020 constant currency net cruise revenues to be up approximately 5.0 percent, with capacity growth of 6.6 percent, and net revenue yields in constant currency expected to be down approximately 1.5 percent compared to the prior year. Net revenue yields for the full year 2020 include a brand mix headwind of approximately 0.5 percent and an additional headwind of approximately 0.5 percent, primarily due to ship delivery delays, including today's Mardi Gras announcement. The company expects full year net cruise costs excluding fuel per ALBD in constant currency to be in line compared to the prior year, which also includes an impact of over 0.5 percent caused by ship delivery delays and an accounting difference. As previously indicated, in 2020 the company will increase its usage of Marine Gasoil as a percent of total fuel consumption as a result of the International Maritime Organization sulfur emission regulations. MGO is currently anticipated to represent 40 percent to 45 percent of fuel consumption for full year 2020 compared to 21 percent for full year 2019. The company's usage of Heavy Fuel Oil is expected to be 55 percent to 50 percent of fuel consumption for full year 2020 and all other fuel types is expected to be approximately 5.0 percent."

09:16 EST Teradyne, Enflame collaborate for testing of AI devices - Teradyne and Enflame Technology announced that Enflame's Deep Thinking Unit, designed to accelerate deep learning deployment for data center training, is supported by Teradyne's UltraFLEX test system. Enflame's DTU is based on a reconfigurable architecture that is optimized for the high performance computing and power efficiency required for deployment in major machine learning frameworks. In order to test this new architecture, Enflame needed a test system that can handle very high current - greater than 300A at low voltage device power. UltraFLEX provides the required current with high accuracy and stability that Enflame needs, along with the current profiling software and measurement resolution needed for engineers to dynamically observe current during device testing.

09:13 EST Focus Financial Partners announces Allen Berg to join partner firm Kovitz - Focus Financial Partners announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement under which Allen Berg, a multi-family office and investment management services professional, will join Focus partner firm Kovitz Investment Group Partners, based in Chicago, Illinois. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2020, subject to customary closing conditions. Berg currently works with ultra-high net worth clients and provides comprehensive family office, investment management and holistic financial planning services, with specific expertise in tax and estate planning services. Through this transaction, Kovitz will expand its services in each of these areas and increase its presence in Chicago. Berg will gain access to Kovitz' significant investment management and operational infrastructure and extensive planning resources, further enhancing the services Berg is able to offer his clients.

09:10 EST CleanSpark announces $359,000 in new equipment orders - CleanSpark announced that it has received $359,000 in new orders, since last week, for its intelligent switchgear. The Company's Intelligent switchgear is used to automatically transfer power supply from its primary source to a backup source when it senses a failure or outage in the primary source, thus assuring uninterrupted power. It also allows the end user the opportunity to participate in regional energy markets when it makes financial sense to sell surplus power back to the grid. CleanSpark's new orders were composed of a total of seven units ordered by two customers. Three are for a new customer and the remaining four relate to a current customer. This latest order from the existing Customer represents a follow-on order to the $2.5M order announced in May of 2019. The Company anticipates receiving several additional follow-on orders from this same customer in early 2020.

09:08 EST ViacomCBS to make strategic investment, acquire 49% of MIRAMAX - ViacomCBS announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with beIN MEDIA GROUP to acquire a 49% stake in MIRAMAX. beIN will retain a 51% stake in MIRAMAX and MIRAMAX's current leadership team will continue to lead the company. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2020. Under the terms of the transaction, ViacomCBS will acquire 49% of MIRAMAX from beIN for a total investment of $375 million, which includes an upfront cash payment of approximately $150 million, along with a commitment to invest $45 million annually over the next five years, or $225 million, to be used for new film and television productions and working capital. In addition, Paramount Pictures has entered into an exclusive, long-term distribution agreement for MIRAMAX's film library; and an exclusive, long-term first-look agreement allowing Paramount Pictures to develop, produce, finance and distribute new film and television projects based on MIRAMAX's IP. Further, beIN and ViacomCBS will explore other strategic partnership opportunities across content production and distribution, live events and recreation globally.

09:06 EST MannKind says study 171 shows hypoglycemia reduced with Afrezza use - MannKind Corporation announced that Hypoglycemia is reduced with use of inhaled Technosphere Insulin relative to insulin aspart in type 1 diabetes mellitus has been published online in DIABETICMedicine. This post-hoc analysis was designed to further evaluate the risk of hypoglycemia observed in adults with type 1 diabetes who were treated with inhaled Technosphere Insulin or subcutaneous insulin aspart. Specifically, the research controlled for the level of any HbA1c achieved on the incidence rates of hypoglycemia in 375 adults with type 1 diabetes. The data demonstrated the following: Participants treated with Afrezza experienced statistically significantly lower rates of level 1 and level 2 hypoglycemic events. There was also a trend towards lower rates of level 3 hypoglycemia than participants treated with insulin aspart. The lower rate of hypoglycemia with Afrezza was observed across the range of end-of-treatment A1c levels. Due to its unique pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic profile, Afrezza was associated with higher rates of hypoglycemia 30-60 minutes after meals but significantly lower rates 2-6 hours after meals. These data indicate that participants using Afrezza experienced clinically non-inferior glycemic control and lower hypoglycemia rates across a range of A1c levels compared with participants receiving insulin aspart. Hypoglycemia and fear of hypoglycemia are barriers to effective insulin therapy and may prevent people with diabetes from achieving glycemic targets. Potential risks associated with hypoglycemia include, but are not limited to, treatment costs, limiting the individual patient's capacity to intensify diabetes control, individual patient rates of productivity, as well as many other debilitating effects.

09:05 EST DropCar to merge with AYRO in all-stock deal - DropCar and privately-held AYRO jointly announced that they have signed a definitive merger agreement under which, if approved by DropCar shareholders, will result in DropCar merging with AYRO in an all-stock transaction. "The merged company would focus on creating a leading electric car company for Campus Management, Last Mile Delivery, Urban Commuting and Closed Campus Transport. The combined company is expected to operate under the name AYRO, Inc. and trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market." On a pro forma basis and based upon the number of shares of DropCar common stock to be issued in the merger, current DropCar shareholders will own approximately 20% of the combined company and current AYRO's shareholders will own approximately 80% of the combined company. The Boards of Directors of both DropCar and AYRO have approved the transaction. The merger is expected to close in the first half of 2020, subject to the approval of DropCar shareholders at a special shareholder meeting, as well as other customary closing conditions. In connection with the definitive merger agreement, DropCar has also entered into an asset purchase agreement, or APA, with Spencer Richardson and David Newman, who currently serve as CEO of DropCar and Chief Business Development Officer of DropCar, respectively, whereby DropCar will sell substantially all of the assets of the existing DropCar business to Mr. Richardson and Mr. Newman along with the assumption of certain liabilities. The existing DropCar business is expected to continue to operate independently of the merged company after the consummation of the merger. Completion of the APA is subject to certain customary closing conditions, as well as the consummation of a change in control that would be deemed to occur upon the closing of the contemplated merger with AYRO. The combined company will be led by Rod Keller, Chief Executive Officer of AYRO, and will be headquartered in Austin, Texas. The board of directors is expected to be composed of seven members, three of whom will be designated by DropCar (including Joshua Silverman, who will serve as Chairman of the board of the combined company), three of whom will be designated by AYRO, and one of whom will be designated by the lead investor in a pre-closing financing to be conducted by AYRO.

09:02 EST Dish says Hopper, Wally receivers now support Google Nest Hello Video doorbell - Dish (DISH) announced that its Hopper and Wally receivers now support the Google (GOOG, GOOGL) Nest Hello Video doorbell. When the doorbell rings, Nest Hello sends on-screen notifications directly to the television. Dish is the first pay-TV provider to integrate a Google Nest device into its ecosystem with the Device Access program. This Nest Hello announcement is the first in a series of Google Nest integrations coming to the Hopper platform.

09:01 EST DropCar to merge with AYRO in all-stock deal

08:51 EST Valeritas says MedTrust exercises right to terminate V-Go distribution agreement - Unrelated to the manufacturing process issue, the Company's partner MedTrust has exercised its right to terminate the V-Go distribution agreement covering four countries due to significant pricing pressures resulting in lower than expected reimbursement rates in Germany and Austria. In addition, the Company has exercised its rights to terminate the V-Go distribution agreement with Julphar due to competitive market conditions in the Middle East.

08:50 EST Valeritas expects year-end cash, equivalents to fund operations into Feb. 2020 - The Company expects to end the year with approximately $11M in cash and cash equivalents on hand at December 31, 2019, which it believes would fund operations into February 2020, excluding any additional expenses incurred related to lower yields in January and in pursuing strategic alternatives.

08:38 EST TCG BDC declares special dividend of 18c per share - TCG BDC announced that its Board of Directors declared a special dividend of $0.18 per share, which is payable on January 17, 2020 to stockholders of record as of December 31, 2019.

08:37 EST Avalon GloboCare partners with China Cell Valley for cellular medicines - Avalon GloboCare announced it has established a strategic partnership with China Cell Valley. CNCV is currently one of the largest biotech zone initiatives in China with the goal of cultivating translational research and the technological advancement in the CellTech industry both in China and globally. This partnership creates a platform to combine Avalon's clinical expertise in cellular therapy, particularly in the Chimeric Receptor Antigen-T area, with the infrastructural resources available within the CNCV. Avalon will provide their expertise in multi-center clinical studies for cellular therapy while leveraging the immense network of affiliated hospitals and laboratories of the CNCV. Additionally, Avalon will collaborate with CNCV to facilitate technical training, bio-production process standardization and harmonization.

08:35 EST Evoke Pharma resubmits Gimoti NDA to FDA - Evoke Pharma announced that it has resubmitted its 505(b)(2) New Drug Application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Gimoti, the company's nasal spray product candidate for the relief of symptoms in adult women with acute and recurrent diabetic gastroparesis. The NDA for Gimoti was resubmitted based on feedback received during the Type A meeting with FDA in July 2019. The meeting was held to obtain feedback and agreement on the items cited as deficiencies in the Complete Response Letter issued by FDA in April 2019. In the CRL, FDA stated the NDA was not approvable as originally submitted and provided recommendations to address approvability issues related to clinical pharmacology and product quality/device quality. Based on specific FDA feedback, in the resubmission Evoke has provided the requested additional information intended to address the deficiencies cited in the CRL. To address the clinical pharmacology issues, the resubmission includes an in-depth root cause analysis, and patient use and experience data from our clinical trials. To address product quality/device quality issues cited in the CRL, the resubmission includes 3-month stability data from commercial scale registration batches that met all product specifications and support the proposed acceptance criteria for performance characteristics and device quality control. Additionally, as requested by FDA, the resubmission includes data from an analysis of pump performance characteristics for the product used in the comparative bioavailability study and the product from commercial scale registration batches. The results of this testing showed all products performed within specifications.

08:34 EST IAC to acquire Care.com for $15.00 per share in an all-cash transaction

08:33 EST Alector added to Nasdaq Biotechnology Index - Alector (ALEC) announced that it has been selected for inclusion in the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (NBI), which will become effective prior to market open on Monday, December 23, 2019.

08:30 EST Stealth BioTherapeutics Corporation (ADS) trading resumes

08:27 EST Bausch Health licenses Novaliq's NOV03 treatment for dry eye disease - Bausch Health, Bausch + Lomb, and Novaliq, announced that Bausch Health has acquired an exclusive license for the commercialization and development in the United States and Canada of the investigational treatment NOV03, a first-in-class investigational drug with a novel mechanism of action to treat Dry Eye Disease associated with Meibomian gland dysfunction. Under the terms of the licensing agreement, Novaliq is eligible to receive upfront and milestone payments based on regulatory and commercialization milestones, and sales royalties based on annual net sales of NOV03 in the United States and Canada. Bausch Health has the right to pursue development and commercialization of NOV03 for DED and combination products based on NOV03 in additional ophthalmic indications in the United States and Canada. Novaliq will be eligible to receive additional undisclosed milestone payments plus royalties for any resulting combination products.

08:13 EST Arcadia Biosciences announces limited release of GoodWheat Flour - Arcadia Biosciences announced a limited release of its GoodWheat Reduced Gluten Wheat Flour. Developed for those with sensitive stomachs, the flour contains 65% less allergenic gluten than traditional flour and is higher in fiber. It marks the first retail offering within the company's GoodWheat portfolio of non-genetically modified specialty wheat ingredients. Two-pound bags of Arcadia's GoodWheat Reduced Gluten Wheat Flour will be available for purchase through the company's new website, EatGoodWheat.com, for $12.99 until they sell out, with orders expected to ship in early January. Only 500 bags were produced as part of the limited release, with a full-scale release planned for spring 2020.

08:08 EST Ekso Bionics expands distribution of EksoVest to Northern Europe - Ekso Bionics Holdings announced it signed a distribution agreement with Danish-owned distributor of building materials, BYGMA GRUPPEN A/S, to make the EksoVest available in Northern Europe. eksoEksoVest is a wearable upper body exoskeleton technology that is designed to support a worker's arms while performing overhead tasks. By providing lift assistance from five to 15 pounds / 2,2 -6,8 kg per arm, the EksoVest reduces the strain and fatigue on workers, lowering their overall risk of injury. In addition, workers are able to complete tasks in a shorter amount of time while maintaining or improving the level of quality. BYGMA has over 100 locations throughout the Nordic countries and will offer EksoVest through its business to business sales channel.

08:05 EST Trinity Place announces $5M stock repurchase program - Trinity Place announced that its board has approved a stock repurchase program under which it is authorized to acquire up to $5M of its common stock.

08:04 EST Trinity Place announces $70M strategic investment - Trinity Place announced a strategic investment by a global institutional investment management firm through a $70M multiple draw secured term loan facility, subject to increase to $95M in certain circumstances with the consent of the lender. The company expects to use the net proceeds from the loan to invest in multi-family apartment buildings in the greater New York area and other properties that meet specified criteria, as well as in connection with certain property recapitalizations and for working capital and other general corporate purposes. connection with the loan, the Company issued the lender ten-year detachable warrants to purchase 7,179,000 shares of common stock with an exercise price of $6.50 per share.

08:03 EST Fairfax Financial, OMERS announces OMERS investment in RiverStone UK - Fairfax Financial Holdings and OMERS announced that they have entered into an agreement pursuant to which OMERS will acquire a 40% interest in Fairfax's UK run-off group, RiverStone UK. The transaction gives RiverStone UK the joint operational expertise of Fairfax and OMERS and the flexibility to raise inexpensive capital, while enabling Fairfax to focus on significant premium growth in the ongoing insurance and reinsurance businesses. The investment provides RiverStone UK with additional flexibility to raise capital at historically low rates in Europe in order to opportunistically pursue UK run-off transactions. Luke Tanzer will remain CEO of RiverStone UK post-closing. The cash purchase price for the RiverStone UK investment of at least $560M, subject to certain book value adjustments at closing, will result in Fairfax recording a gain of approximately $280M before tax Upon completion of the transaction, Fairfax will deconsolidate the UK run-off group and apply the equity method of accounting for its remaining interest. Fairfax may further monetize its remaining interest in UK run-off in the future although the company also retains the flexibility to repurchase its interest over time. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approval and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2020.

08:00 EST TC Energy reaches long-term toll settlement with customers on Canadian Mainline - TC Energy Corporation announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, TransCanada PipeLines Limited, has filed an application with the Canada Energy Regulator for approval of a six-year negotiated and unanimously supported settlement with its customers and other interested parties on Canadian Mainline tolls. TransCanada PipeLines Limited has requested timely approval of the unanimous settlement to ensure certainty before terms come into effect in January 2021. The Canadian Mainline is comprised of approximately 14,100 kilometres of pipeline and associated facilities and primarily transports Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin natural gas for delivery across the Prairie provinces and to markets in Eastern Canada and the United States. The settlement is designed to facilitate cost-effective transportation of natural gas from the WCSB. The agreement: encompasses a six-year term from January 2021 through December 2026; sets an equity return of 10.1 per cent on 40 per cent deemed common equity, subject to variance depending on actual operating costs and natural gas throughput; sets tolls for the term for separate segments of the Canadian Mainline, including a 20 per cent reduction from existing tolls on the western portion of the system that includes the path from Empress to Emerson; includes a sharing mechanism incenting TC Energy to achieve cost efficiencies and increased revenues; and affirms TC Energy's pricing flexibility and allows new market-driven services to enhance flexibility to respond to changing market conditions.

07:54 EST Barnes Group agrees to sell Seeger-Orbis business, terms not disclosed - Barnes Group announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Seeger-Orbis business to the Kajo Neukirchen Group. The transaction is subject to customary conditions and approvals and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2020. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

07:32 EST Spirit AeroSystems to suspend Boeing MAX production in January, 2020 - Spirit AeroSystems (SPR) announced that Boeing (BA) directed the company yesterday to stop all 737 MAX deliveries to Boeing effective January 1, 2020, due to Boeing's announced temporary suspension of 737 MAX production. Accordingly, Spirit will suspend 737 MAX production beginning on Jan. 1. Spirit will continue to communicate with Boeing regarding the timetable for resuming production. Because revenue from 737 aircraft components represents more than 50% of Spirit's annual revenue, this suspension will have an adverse impact on Spirit's business, financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows. Additional financial information related to the suspension will be provided in Spirit's fourth quarter/full year 2019 earnings release. Spirit is evaluating all potential actions to align its cost base with lower production levels expected in 2020. Decisions will be guided by a focus on what is best for the long-term interests of Spirit's stockholders and other stakeholders, including employees.

07:27 EST BlackBerry up 8% to $6.27 after Q3 results beat estimates

07:19 EST Merck announces FDA approval for ERVEBO - Merck announced that the FDA has approved ERVEBO (Ebola Zaire Vaccine, Live) for the prevention of disease caused by Zaire ebolavirus in individuals 18 years of age and older. The duration of protection conferred by ERVEBO is unknown. ERVEBO does not protect against other species of Ebolavirus or Marburgvirus. Effectiveness of the vaccine when administered concurrently with antiviral medication, immune globulin, or IG, and/or blood or plasma transfusions is unknown. Do not administer ERVEBO to individuals with a history of a severe allergic reaction to any component of the vaccine, including rice protein.

07:14 EST New Age Beverages launches 'Nhanced hemp topicals in Australia and New Zealand - New Age Beverages announced the launch of its hemp portfolio in Australia and New Zealand. NewAge launches its 'NHANCED Hemp Topical Products in Australia and New Zealand .Plans to launch in Korea, Taiwan and 32 markets in Europe as part of its drive to lead in CBD and hemp industry worldwide Under the umbrella of its Health Sciences Division, NewAge received approval and has begun selling its premium portfolio of hemp oils, creams and lotions in Australia and New Zealand. The launch initially features three distinct products: The products will be sold immediately through more than 2,000 direct-to-consumer distribution partners across Australia and New Zealand.

07:09 EST Green Thumb Industries to open Bluepoint Wellness in Connecticut - Green Thumb Industries announced it will open BluePoint Wellness - Westport, Connecticut's first cannabis store - on December 23. This is GTI's second store in Connecticut and 38th in the nation.

07:08 EST Yunji appoints Suqin Xi as independent director - Yunji announced the appointment of Suqin Xi as an independent director on the board of directors of the Company and a member of the audit committee, compensation committee and nominating and corporate governance committee of the Board. Huan Hao will step down as a member of the audit committee, compensation committee and nominating and corporate governance committee of the Board, while continuing to serve as a director and CTO of the Company. These changes will be effective on January 1, 2020. Xi has served as a consultant of Puhua Capital since October 2019.

07:06 EST Hill International awarded contract to support developments in Abu Dhabi - Hill International announced that it has been awarded a contract to provide advisory and supervisory services on the Al Reeman Phase 1 and 2 projects for Aldar Properties. By providing technical advice and supervising construction, Hill will help the client achieve established project parameters in terms of time, cost, and quality. The client envisions Al Reeman Phase 1 as a mixed-use, master-planned community featuring residential areas, commercial districts, and community amenities spanning a total land area of 2,660,474 SM. The site for this project is located east of Abu Dhabi and in close proximity to Abu Dhabi International Airport, Al Falah Mall, Yas Mall, and Yas Leisure Centers. Al Reeman Phase 2 will cover a 1,027,605 SM site, adjacent to the E11 Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway, and will comprise of low-rise residential developments. The master plan for the project includes 1,709 villa plots, a clinic, a community school, an early learning center, a community police point, and three community retail plots. Together with Al Reeman Phase 1, Al Reeman Phase 2 aims to enhance the livability of Abu Dhabi.

07:02 EST BlackBerry reports Q3 adj. Software and Services revenue $275M, up 26% y/y - Reports Q3 GAAP Software and Services revenue $262M, or 21% growth year-over-year; both are record quarterly highs.

07:00 EST Bristol-Myers receives EC approval for Revlimid/rituximab combination - Bristol-Myers announced that the European Commission has approved a new indication for Revlimid, in combination with rituximab, for the treatment of adult patients with previously treated follicular lymphoma. This combination of Revlimid and rituximab is the first chemotherapy-free combination regimen approved for patients with FL by the EC.

06:53 EST Golden Minerals sells two non-strategic Mexican properties to Industrias Penoles - Golden Minerals announced that it has received $3M for the sale of two non-strategic Mexican exploration properties to a subsidiary of Industrias Penoles. The Mogotes and Pistachon properties are located near the company's Velardena Properties in Durango State, Mexico and adjacent to mineral concessions controlled by subsidiaries of Industrias Penoles. None of the claims contain any identified mineral resources.

06:51 EST CarMax reports Q3 used unit sales in comparable stores increased 7.5% - In Q3: Total used unit sales rose 11.0%. Total wholesale unit sales increased 3.3%.

06:47 EST Merck: KEYTRUDA receives new approvals from Japan PMDA - Merck announced that KEYTRUDA, Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, received new approvals from the Japan Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency in advanced renal cell carcinoma and head and neck cancer for the following additional indications in Japan: KEYTRUDA in combination with Inlyta for the first-line treatment of patients with radically unresectable or metastatic RCC; KEYTRUDA in combination with chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of patients with recurrent or distant metastatic head and neck cancer; and KEYTRUDA monotherapy for the first-line treatment of patients with recurrent or distant metastatic head and neck cancer.

06:45 EST Shell sees up to $2.3B charges in Q4, cuts oil production sales estimate - The company said, "This is an update to the fourth quarter 2019 outlook provided in the third quarter results announcement on October 31, 2019. Integrated Gas: Production is expected to be between 920 and 970 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day; LNG liquefaction volumes are expected to be between 8.8 and 9.4 million tonnes; Trading and optimisation performance is expected to be average and approximately in line with the second quarter 2019; As per previous disclosures, more than 80% of our term contracts for LNG sales in 2018 were oil price linked with a price-lag of typically 3-6 months; Note that, as in previous quarters, CFFO in Integrated Gas can be impacted by margining resulting from movements in the forward commodity curves. Upstream; Production is expected to be between 2,775 and 2,825 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day; Additional well write-offs in the range of $100-200 million are expected compared to the fourth quarter 2018. No cash impact is expected; Provision updates for decommissioning and restoration obligations are expected to have a negative impact on earnings in the range of $100-200 million. No cash impact is expected; Deferred tax charges, which include the annual reassessment of deferred tax assets performed in the fourth quarter, are expected to have a negative impact on earnings in the range of $500-600 million compared to the fourth quarter 2018. No cash impact is expected. Downstream: Refinery availability is expected to be between 91% and 93%. Similar to the third quarter 2019, refining margins are impacted by the continued weak macro environment; Oil Products sales volumes are expected to be between 6,500 and 7,000 thousand barrels per day; Marketing margins are expected to be lower due to seasonal trends, and weaker compared to the fourth quarter 2018 due to crude price movements impacting Retail margins; Chemicals manufacturing plant availability is expected to be between 83% and 85%; Chemicals sales volumes are expected to be between 3,400 and 3,600 thousand tonnes; Chemicals cracker and intermediate margins are expected to be materially lower than the third quarter 2019 due to the continued weak macro environment. Total margins are expected to be impacted by outages and substantially lower asset utilisation. Corporate; Corporate segment earnings excluding identified items are expected to be a net expense of $1,000-1,100 million for the fourth quarter. This includes deferred tax reassessments but excludes the impact of currency exchange rate effects. Other: Based on the macro outlook, post-tax impairment charges in the range of $1.7-2.3 billion are expected for the quarter. Impairment charges are reported as identified items; Full year 2019 cash capital expenditure is expected to be around the lower end of the $24-29 billion range; As per previous disclosures, CFFO price sensitivity at Shell group level is $6 billion per annum for each $10 per barrel Brent price movement; Note that this price sensitivity is appropriate for smaller price changes, and is best used for full-year numbers; As per previous disclosures, total cash tax payments in the second and fourth quarters are generally expected to be higher than in the first and third quarters.

06:31 EST Merck receives FDA approval for Ebola vaccine - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday the approval of Ervebo, the first FDA-approved vaccine for the prevention of Ebola virus disease, caused by Zaire ebolavirus in individuals 18 years of age and older. Cases of EVD are very rare in the U.S., and those that have occurred have been the result of infections acquired by individuals in other countries who then traveled to the U.S., or health care workers who became ill after treating patients with EVD. The approval of Ervebo is supported by a study conducted in Guinea during the 2014-2016 outbreak in individuals 18 years of age and older. The study was a randomized cluster vaccination study in which 3,537 contacts, and contacts of contacts, of individuals with laboratory-confirmed EVD received either "immediate" or 21-day "delayed" vaccination with Ervebo. This noteworthy design was intended to capture a social network of individuals and locations that might include dwellings or workplaces where a patient spent time while symptomatic, or the households of individuals who had contact with the patient during that person's illness or death. In a comparison of cases of EVD among 2,108 individuals in the "immediate" vaccination arm and 1,429 individuals in the "delayed" vaccination arm, Ervebo was determined to be 100% effective in preventing Ebola cases with symptom onset greater than 10 days after vaccination. No cases of EVD with symptom onset greater than 10 days after vaccination were observed in the "immediate" cluster group, compared with 10 cases of EVD in the 21-day "delayed" cluster group. In additional studies, antibody responses to Ervebo were assessed in 477 individuals in Liberia, approximately 500 individuals in Sierra Leone and approximately 900 individuals in Canada, Spain and the U.S. The antibody responses among those in the study conducted in Canada, Spain and the U.S. were similar to those among individuals in the studies conducted in Liberia and Sierra Leone. The safety of Ervebo was assessed in approximately 15,000 individuals in Africa, Europe and North America. The most commonly reported side effects were pain, swelling and redness at the injection site, as well as headache, fever, joint and muscle aches and fatigue. The approval was granted to Merck & Co., Inc. Reference Link

06:08 EST Park Hotels & Resorts announces sale of Ace Hotel, downtown Los Angeles - Park Hotels & Resorts announced that it has closed on the sale of the 182-room Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles located in Los Angeles, CA, for gross proceeds of $117M, or $643,000 per key before customary closing costs. When adjusted for Park's anticipated capital expenditures, the sale price represents a 5.4% capitalization rate on the Hotel's projected 2019 net operating income, or 16.0x the Hotel's projected 2019 EBITDA. Proceeds from the sale of the Hotel will be used to repay a portion of Park's unsecured indebtedness in order to delever Park's balance sheet.

06:07 EST Kennedy Wilson acquires five multifamily properties for $342M - Kennedy Wilson announced the acquisition of five multifamily properties in an off-market transaction for $342M. The assets were acquired by various investment vehicles managed by Kennedy Wilson. The communities, located in Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico, expand Kennedy Wilson's multifamily portfolio focused on institutional-quality, garden-style apartments in rapidly growing markets in the western United States. Kennedy Wilson has an average ownership of 38% in the assets. Kennedy Wilson and its equity partners invested $122M of equity in the portfolio, including closing costs. Kennedy Wilson's asset management plan includes adding and enhancing amenities and updating unit interiors across the portfolio.

06:05 EST Great Elm Capital declares special distribution of 5c per share - Payable on January 27, 2020 to stockholders of record as of December 27, 2019.

06:02 EST Ennis CEO says 'we will continue to explore strategic opportunities' - Keith Walters, Chairman, CEO and President, commented by stating, "Overall we are pleased with our performance for the quarter. While our gross profit margin showed a slight decline from the sequential quarter, decreasing from 29.8% to 29.5%, our EBITDA margin increased slightly from 16.2% to 16.6%. Our gross profit margin percentage continues to be impacted by the consolidation of our past four acquisitions, which all had gross profit and operating margins considerably lower than our historical margins. While we are seeing improvements, we don't expect to see meaningful impact until these acquisitions are fully integrated into our systems, which we expect to be sometime the first half of fiscal year 2021. With that being said, these same acquisitions accounted for over $73 million in sales and over $0.18 in diluted earnings per share for the nine month period. We continue to strategically repurchase our shares and acquired 42,279 shares in the open market during the third quarter. We have repurchased an aggregate of 336,175 shares in the open market since the acquisition of Wright Business Graphics, which represents over 40% of the shares we issued as consideration for that acquisition, and we have purchased almost 1.82 million shares since the inception of our stock repurchase program. Given our strong financial position, we will continue to explore strategic opportunities as a way to profitably utilize our cash and leverage our balance sheet, and when advantageous, repurchase our shares."

05:29 EST Chi-Med NDA for surufatinib granted Priority Review status in China - Hutchison China MediTech announces that the Center for Drug Evaluation, or CDE, of China's National Medical Products Administration, or NMPA, has granted Priority Review status to the New Drug Application, or NDA, for surufatinib for the treatment of patients with advanced non-pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, or NET. Chi-Med currently retains all rights to surufatinib worldwide.

05:19 EST Fiat Chrysler agrees to sell Teksid cast iron components business to Tupy - Fiat Chrysler announced that it has entered into an agreement with Tupy S.A. for the sale of FCA's global cast iron automotive components business, which is operated through FCA's subsidiary Teksid. The proposed sale includes Teksid's cast iron production facilities in Brazil, Mexico, Poland and Portugal, in addition to Teksid's interest in a joint venture in China. Teksid's aluminum business is not included in the transaction and will remain a strategic asset in FCA's portfolio. The agreement values the business at EUR 210M enterprise value. Consideration, subject to customary purchase price adjustments will be paid at closing expected in the second half of 2020.