Stockwinners Market Radar for February 03, 2020 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

18:48 EST Zoom Video CEO: The market for video conferencing is huge - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, Zoom Video (ZM) CEO Eric Yuan said, "More people are willing to work from home and Zoom is a reliable service for them." Yuan noted that the market for video conferencing "is huge" and expected to be $43B by 2023. He said, "We are just getting started." Yuan added that "Logitech (LOGI) is a great partner for us" and was confident that Zoom's platform is better than other services.

18:46 EST Green Dot confirms Starboard Value filed 13D with SEC - Green Dot confirmed that Starboard Value has filed a Schedule 13D with the SEC. The company said, "Green Dot's Board of Directors welcomes transparent, constructive feedback regarding the common goal of enhancing long-term shareholder value. The company appreciates all shareholder relationships, and will remain focused on executing its business strategy and maximizing value for all shareholders."

18:32 EST Polaris Industries' Clayton sells over 38,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Polaris director Annette K. Clayton disclosed the sale of 38,590.29 common shares of the company at a price of $94.50 per share on January 30.

17:38 EST Superior Industries stockholder D.C. Capital sends open letter to company - D.C. Capital Partners, a significant stockholder of Superior Industries International, beneficially owning approximately 4.8% of the company's outstanding common stock, issued an open letter to its fellow stockholders expressing its serious concerns with the company's persistently low stock price and operational underperformance. D.C. Capital also announced that it has nominated Raynard Benvenuti for election to the company's board at the upcoming 2020 annual meeting of stockholders. Despite repeated efforts to engage with the company on a private basis, D.C. Capital has grown frustrated by the board's apparent complacency with the status quo. D.C. Capital believes the board, led by chairman Timothy McQuay, lacks the requisite leadership to adopt the necessary changes to drive value for all stockholders. D.C. Capital believes Benvenuti possesses the requisite experience as a senior executive and advisor to various aerospace, automotive and manufacturing companies, including in turnaround situations, and stockholder mindset to change the boardroom dynamics that have impeded Superior's performance.

17:27 EST EyePoint signs license agreement with Equinox Science to develop vorolanib - EyePoint announced that it has signed an exclusive license agreement with Equinox Science to develop vorolanib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and retinal vein occlusion. Vorolanib is being developed as EYP-1901 utilizing Eyepoint's bioerodible Durasert technology, a miniaturized, injectable, sustained-release intravitreal drug delivery system with a 6-month duration. The company recently completed a positive Type B pre-Investigational New Drug meeting with the U.S. FDA clarifying the pathway for a phase 1 clinical trial. The company expects this phase 1 trial to provide data in the second half of 2021. Under the terms of the agreement, EyePoint is responsible for the development and worldwide (excluding China, Macau, Hong Kong and Taiwan) commercialization of EYP-1901. The company will make an upfront payment of $1M to Equinox Science and pay developmental and regulatory milestones and post-commercialization royalties.

17:26 EST EyePoint signs license agreement with Equinox Science to develop vorolanib - EyePoint announced that it has signed an exclusive license agreement with Equinox Science to develop vorolanib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and retinal vein occlusion. Vorolanib is being developed as EYP-1901 utilizing Eyepoint's bioerodible Durasert technology, a miniaturized, injectable, sustained-release intravitreal drug delivery system with a 6-month duration. The company recently completed a positive Type B pre-Investigational New Drug meeting with the U.S. FDA clarifying the pathway for a phase 1 clinical trial. The company expects this phase 1 trial to provide data in the second half of 2021.

17:12 EST Alphabet CEO says many Other Bets close to stage where partnerships make sense - Says user growth in Google Maps is strong and the range of uses is expanding. Says YouTube home feed and search results are allowing consumers to make direct purchases. Says pleased with YouTube advertising and subscriptions. Says "really pleased" with momentum seen in Cloud. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

17:02 EST NXP Semiconductors reports Q4 gross margin 54.2% vs. 53.1% last year

16:53 EST BRP Group acquires VibrantUSA - The company announced that BRP Medicare has acquired substantially all assets of VibrantUSA, a Vancouver, Washington-based independent insurance firm affiliated with AgencyRM representing more than 30 regional and national insurance companies to serve clients enrolled in Medicare. VibrantUSA has annual revenue of approximately $3.5M.

16:49 EST HP Enterprise buys cloud native security startup Scytale - Dave Husak of HP Enterprise said earlier in a blog post: "I am delighted to share the news today that Hewlett Packard Enterprise has acquired Scytale, an innovative company founded in 2017 by a group of seasoned engineers from cloud-native enterprises like Amazon Web Services, Duo Security, Google, Okta, PagerDuty, and Splunk. This team helps enterprise security engineering teams standardize and accelerate service authentication across cloud, container, and on-premises infrastructures...We are thrilled to bring onboard to HPE the talented and proven team from Scytale, and co-founders Sunil James, Emiliano Berenbaum, and Andrew Jessup, leading figures in the open source movement. This acquisition also represents HPE's ongoing transformation, part of which is to embrace and contribute to open source projects in the Cloud Native Computing Foundation and elsewhere." Reference Link

16:32 EST SPI Energy announces resignation of CFO Anthony Chan - SPI Energy announced that, on January 30, the company received a letter of resignation from Anthony S. Chan, CPA, pursuant to which Chan resigned from his position as CFO of the company, effective January 31. The company will shortly begin a search for a new CFO.

16:31 EST Anika Therapeutics completes acquisition of Arthrosurface - Anika Therapeutics announced it has completed its acquisition of Arthrosurface, a leading, privately-held provider of joint surface and preservation solutions for active patients. Under the previously disclosed terms of the agreement, Anika acquired all outstanding shares of Arthrosurface in exchange for an upfront payment of approximately $60M in cash from the company's existing balance sheet, subject to customary closing adjustments. Arthrosurface shareholders will be eligible to receive an additional $40M contingent upon the achievement of certain regulatory and commercial milestones.

16:30 EST CorMedix approved to sell $5.5M of NOL tax benefits through the NJEDA - CorMedix announced that it has been approved by the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, NJEDA, to transfer approximately $5.5M of the total $6M of its available tax benefits to an unrelated, profitable New Jersey corporation pursuant to the Company's application to participate in the New Jersey Technology Business Tax Certificate Transfer, NOL, program for State Fiscal Year 2019. The Company anticipates receiving approximately $5.2 million in cash proceeds from the sale of its NOLs during the first quarter of 2020. Closing is subject to NJEDA's typical closing conditions, which are in process. "We are pleased to receive a significant allocation from this program for the second consecutive year," said Khoso Baluch, CorMedix President & CEO. "The funding will help us make preparations for an anticipated commercial launch of Neutrolin(R) in the U.S. market. The Company is planning for a potential approval of a new drug application for Neutrolin during the second half of 2020."

16:28 EST MDU Resources acquires stock of PerLectric for undisclosed amount - MDU Resources Group announced that it has acquired the stock of PerLectric, a leading electrical construction company in Fairfax, Virginia. Founded in 1992, PerLectric provides electrical construction to government, mission critical, commercial and health care customers. PerLectric will operate as a subsidiary of MDU Construction Services Group. Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed.

16:27 EST iBio up 47% after announcing collaboration to develop, test coronavirus vaccine

16:23 EST Cerecor appoints Michael Cola CEO, Garry Neil CMO - Michael Cola has been appointed as the CEO and Dr. Garry Neil has been appointed as the Chief Medical Officer of Cerecor. Prior to joining Cerecor, Cola served as president and CEO of Aevi Genomic Medicine since September 2013. Prior to becoming the Chief Medical Officer at Cerecor, Neil served as Chief Scientific Officer of Aevi Genomic Medicine since September 2013.

16:20 EST Cerecor completes acquisition of Aevi Genomic Medicine - Cerecor (CERC) announced it has completed the previously announced acquisition of Aevi Genomic Medicine (GNMX) in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $15.6M at close, plus contingent value rights for up to an additional $6.5M in subsequent payments based on clinical and/or regulatory milestones. Cerecor's pipeline now includes six clinical-stage assets, accelerating the company's transformation into a research and development organization focused on developing new medicines for unmet needs in rare diseases, particularly for pediatric patients.

16:19 EST Fabrinet names Csaba Sverha CFO - Fabrinet has named Csaba Sverha to succeed Toh-Seng Ng as Chief Financial Officer, effective February 17, 2020, as part of a CFO search that was announced in August 2018. Mr. Sverha currently holds the position of Vice President of Operations Finance at Fabrinet, having joined the company in March 2018, after 13 years at Sanmina in roles of increasing responsibility, most recently as Vice President of Finance & Controller for Sanmina Mechanical Systems Division.

16:18 EST Barings BDC names Elizabeth Murray as Principal Accounting Officer - Barings BDC announced that the Board of Directors has appointed Elizabeth Murray as the company's Principal Accounting Officer, effective immediately. Murray is currently serving as the Director of External Reporting for the company.

16:17 EST Houlihan Lokey CEO says entering new decade w/ good momentum in all products - CEO Scott Beiser says: "Houlihan Lokey had a strong fiscal third quarter and we enter the new decade with good momentum across all three of our product lines. 2019 was not without its macro-economic challenges, but our firm performed well in light of those challenges as a result of our balanced revenue model, strong diversification across clients, industries and products, and most importantly, an exceptional group of employees. Now that calendar 2019 is behind us, I am proud to report that we have maintained our leadership rankings. Houlihan Lokey is the No. 1 M&A advisor for the last five consecutive years in the U.S., the No. 1 global restructuring advisor for the last six consecutive years, and the No. 1 global M&A fairness opinion advisor over the past 20 years, all based on number of transactions, according to Refinitiv."

16:12 EST MTS Systems backs FY20 adjusted EBITDA $138M-$158M

16:11 EST Parke Bancorp announces 10% stock dividend - The stock dividend is payable on March 3 to stockholders of record as of February 18.

16:09 EST Alphabet Class A shares down 2% in after-hours trading following Q4 report - Alphabet Class A shares are down $30.60, or 2.06%, to $1,452.00 in after-hours trading following the company's fourth quarter report.

16:08 EST Alphabet disclosing revenue 'on a more granular basis,' CFO says - "In 2019 we again delivered strong revenue growth, with revenues of $162 billion, up 18% year over year and up 20% on a constant currency basis," said Ruth Porat, Chief Financial Officer of Alphabet and Google. "To provide further insight into our business and the opportunities ahead, we're now disclosing our revenue on a more granular basis, including for Search, YouTube ads and Cloud."

16:06 EST Qiagen launches FFPE and liquid biopsy PIK3CA diagnostics in Europe - QIAGEN N.V. announced the CE-marking and launch of its therascreen(R) PIK3CA RGQ PCR Kit in Europe as an aid in identifying breast cancer patients with a PIK3CA mutation. Last year the therascreen PIK3CA test was approved by the FDA and launched as a companion diagnostic test for Piqray in the US. The therascreen PIK3CA test is a new diagnostic assay for detection of activating mutations in the phosphatidyl 3-kinase catalytic subunit alpha gene, and the first to enable testing of both DNA from FFPE tissue or plasma specimens. All QIAGEN therascreen PIK3CA tests leverage QIAGEN's worldwide co-exclusive license from Johns Hopkins University for PCR-based companion diagnostics based on detection of mutations in the PIK3CA gene.

16:05 EST Myomo approved for reimbursement by German Statutory Health Insurance - Myomo announced that Statutory Health Insurance in Germany has approved MyoPro for patients on a case by case basis. A major German health insurer, BARMER, with 9 million covered lives, is covering the cost of the MyoPro provided through certified orthotics and prosthetics clinics in Germany. The first patient covered by BARMER has a paralyzed arm caused by a brachial plexus injury sustained in a skiing accident. Unable to use her hand and arm for almost 20 years, she will now have access to a MyoPro to restore movement and function in her arm and hand. Myomo Managing Director for Europe, John Frijters, stated, "This policy by the SHI is expected to enable medically qualified candidates to significantly increase their capabilities with our myoelectric orthotics. We are pleased to be able to provide these life-changing devices to patients in Germany."

16:03 EST Ezcorp reports Q1 adj. EBITDA $15.2M vs. $7.6M last year

15:32 EST Emerald Expositions Events changing name to Emerald Holding - Emerald Expositions Events unveiled the launch of its new brand identity, vision, and corporate website. As part of this brand evolution, the company intends to formally change its corporate name to Emerald Holding, Inc. The company said, "These changes reflect the company's evolution and core commitment to building dynamic market platforms that integrate live events, community-relevant content, and data-focused solutions into uniquely rich experiences."

15:10 EST Lancet contributor suggests Incyte drug as potential coronavirus treatment - In correspondence to The Lancet, which was published online by the medical journal, Justin Stebbing stated: "Results of rapid sequencing of 2019-nCoV, coupled with molecular modelling based on the genomes of related virus proteins, have suggested a few compounds that are likely to be effective, including the anti-HIV lopinavir plus ritonavir combination. BenevolentAI's knowledge graph is a large repository of structured medical information, including numerous connections extracted from scientific literature by machine learning. Together with customisations bespoke to 2019-nCoV, we used BenevolentAI to search for approved drugs that could help, focusing on those that might block the viral infection process. We identified baricitinib, which is predicted to reduce the ability of the virus to infect lung cells." Eli Lilly (LLY) and Incyte (INCY) are partners on baricitinib, which is approved for the treatment of adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis in more than 60 countries. Reference Link

14:00 EST TCL Communication to no longer sell BlackBerry-branded mobile devices - BlackBerry posted a statement posted on its BlackBerry Mobile Twitter account from TCL Commuication: "When TCL Communication announced in December 2016 that we had entered into a brand licensing and technology support agreement with BlackBerry Limited to continue making new, modern BlackBerry smartphones available globally we were very excited and humbled to take on this challenge. Ineed our KEY Series smartphones, starting with KEYone, were highly-anticipated by the BlackBerry community. What made these devices great wasn't just the hardware developed and manufactured by TCL Communication, but also the critical security and software features provided by BlackBerry Limited to ensure these were genuine BlackBerry devices. The support of BlackBerry Limited was an essential element to bringing devices like BlackBerry KEYone Motion, KEY2 and KEY2 LE to life and we're proud to have partnered with them these past few years on those projects. We do regret to share however that as of August 31, 2020, TCL Communication will no longer be selling BlackBerry-branded mobile devices. TCL Communication has no further rights to design, manufacture or sell any new BlackBerry mobile devices, however TCL Communication will continue to provide support for the existing portfolio of mobile devices including customer service and warranty service until August 31, 2022 - or for as long as required by local laws where the mobile device was purchased."

13:20 EST Zoom Video rallies after Microsoft Teams suffers outage - Shares of Zoom Video (ZM) are up nearly 13% in afternoon trading after a high-profile competing service from Microsoft (MSFT) suffered a temporary outage. Microsoft confirmed that its Teams service was down earlier today, stating in a tweet later in the morning that it had determined that an authentication certificate had expired, causing users to have issues using the service. "We're developing a fix to apply a new certificate to the service which will remediate impact," the company said. Microsoft started rolling a fix out at 11:20 am ET, and by 12 pm ET the service was restored for most affected users, according to The Verge. The Microsoft outage may be behind today's jump in Zoom Video, which also may be getting a boost from investors' belief that increased travel restrictions inside and outside China due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak could drive increased demand for online video conference calls. In early afternoon trading, Zoom Video shares have rallied $9.70, or 12.7%, to $86.00. Shares of Slack Technologies (WORK), whose main offering is often cited as the key competitor to Microsoft's Teams service, is flat near $20.71 in afternoon trading.

13:03 EST Allete appoints Bethany Owen as CEO, Alan Hodnik to retire in May 2021 - ALLETE Board of Directors announced that Bethany Owen, current President of ALLETE, has been elected CEO of ALLETE. Owen succeeds Al Hodnik. To support an orderly transition, Hodnik will serve as Executive Chairman of the ALLETE Board of Directors and will be involved actively with Owen, the Board and executive leadership until his retirement from the company and the Board in May 2021. As part of the Board of Directors' succession plan, Owen was named President of ALLETE and a Board Director in January 2019 and has been overseeing the development and execution of ALLETE's growth strategy and the operations of its four operating divisions: ALLETE Clean Energy; Minnesota Power; Superior Water, Light and Power; and BNI Energy.

12:36 EST Interactive Brokers reports January DARTs up 20% y/y - Interactive Brokers Group reported its Electronic Brokerage monthly performance metrics for January. Brokerage highlights for the month included: 1,019 thousand Daily Average Revenue Trades, 20% higher than prior year and 32% higher than prior month. Ending client equity of $176.1B, 27% higher than prior year and 1% higher than prior month. Ending client margin loan balances of $27.3B, 15% higher than prior year and 12% lower than prior month. Ending client credit balances of $58.9B, including $2.4B in insured bank deposit sweeps, 15% higher than prior year and 2% higher than prior month. 705 thousand client accounts, 16% higher than prior year and 2% higher than prior month. 329 annualized average cleared DARTs per client account. Average commission per cleared Commissionable Order of $3.67 including exchange, clearing and regulatory fees.

12:01 EST Xerox appoints Nicole Torraco as SVP, chief strategy and M&A officer - Xerox Holdings announced the appointment of Nicole Torraco as SVP and chief strategy and M&A officer. In this newly created role, she reports to John Visentin, vice chairman and CEO of Xerox, and serves as a corporate officer. Torraco joined Xerox in May 2018, and under her leadership, Xerox has closed several acquisitions including Vader Systems, Heritage Business Systems, Rabbit Office Automation and Arena Group.

12:01 EST Art's Way names Michael Woods CFO - Art's Way Manufacturing announcedthat Michael Woods has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer effective February 1, 2020. Prior to this position, Woods served as the Vice President of Finance for Art's Way. Chairman of the Art's Way Board of Directors, Marc McConnell, commented, "We are very pleased to announce Michael's promotion to Chief Financial Officer. Michael's dedication and growth have earned him this promotion. We believe his expertise will enable us to continue to move our business forward."

11:45 EST Carnival falls after Princess line confirms positive coronavirus test - Shares of Carnival (CCL) fell after its Princess Cruises unit confirmed to Bloomberg that a former passenger tested positive for the coronavirus. Princess said its ship in Japan is undergoing a public health inspection. Shares of Carnival, after rallying in morning trading, are now down 1.5% to $42.74. Royal Caribbean (RCL) shares are down 1% to $115.81 while Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH) is down 84c to $53.40.

10:54 EST Tesla jumps after Ark rolls out 2024 expected value of $7,000 per share - Ark Invest in August of 2018 published an open letter communicating why it believed taking Tesla private at $420 per share "would deprive shareholders of significant returns." On Friday, the investment firm published new research on Tesla, which takes into account its expectations for electric vehicle cost declines and demand, as well as the potential profitability of robotaxis. Ark's new 2024 expected value per share for Tesla is $7,000. The stock in morning trading is up 11%, or $70.40, to $720.97. Ark's research and modeling suggests that three key independent variables are critical to understanding Tesla's potential: gross margins, capital efficiency and autonomous capability. The firm's bull case for Tesla does not assume the most aggressive inputs for these three variables. In all cases, except those in which it either is denied access to the capital markets or is bankrupt, Ark assumes that Tesla issues $10B in equity capital to scale production "at an accelerated rate and capitalize on its competitive advantages." Ark's bear case implies that Tesla will sell 3.2M vehicles in 2024. Ark's bull case implies that Tesla will maintain its roughly 18% market share, and that a substantial percentage of its fleet will generate high-margin robotaxi platform fees. Meanwhile, Argus analyst William Selesky this morning rasied his price target for Tesla shares to $808 from $556. Reference Link

10:47 EST Canada Goose announces Kate Upton as newest 'Goose Person' brand ambassador - Canada Goose announced supermodel, actress and Polar Bears International Ambassador, Kate Upton, as a "Goose Person," stating that "Goose People are a diverse group of brand ambassadors who embody the company's values, stand for something bigger than themselves, and inspire others through their pursuit of greatness." Upton is the face of the brand's Spring 2020 Campaign, which includes a seasonal expansion of the Polar Bears International collection, Canada Goose noted.

10:24 EST Sysco will be 'very pragmatic and disciplined in pricing strategies' - Management said leading with price has "never been a strategy of ours."

10:02 EST BAE Systems wins prime position on $212M U.S. Navy contract - The U.S. Navy's Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division has awarded BAE Systems, Inc. a prime position on a $212M contract to integrate and sustain its critical communication systems. The company will design, acquire, integrate, and test radio systems for newly constructed Guided Missile Destroyers and other U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard ships. Additionally, the company was awarded a separate $104.7M contract by NAWCAD to provide engineering and technical services to support production, lifetime-support, and in-service engineering for the radio communications C5ISR systems aboard U.S. Navy surface combatants and at associated shore sites. The work will be focused primarily on the CG 47 Class and DDG 51 Class AEGIS ships. "Maintaining reliable lines of communication and situational awareness for those at the forefront of national security is a mission-critical priority for BAE Systems and our customers," said Mark Keeler, vice president and general manager of BAE Systems' Integrated Defense Solutions business. "We're proud to continue supporting the integration of combat systems and solutions for the U.S. Navy as they defend against advanced air, surface, and subsurface threats."

10:02 EST Centric Brands names Laura Ritchey as COO - Centric Brands (CTRC) announces the appointment of Laura Ritchey as COO, reporting to Jason Rabin, CEO. Ritchey has more than 20 years of experience leading retail, manufacturing, distribution, and business operations. While at L Brands (LB), she served in senior leadership and executive operations roles.

10:00 EST China Online Education falls -8.8% - China Online Education is down -8.8%, or -$1.20 to $12.45.

10:00 EST TAL Education rises 7.1% - TAL Education is up 7.1%, or $3.54 to $53.44.

10:00 EST Maxar Technologies rises 10.6% - Maxar Technologies is up 10.6%, or $1.69 to $17.65.

09:53 EST Alpha Holdings urges OncoSec stockholders to vote against China Grand takeover - Alpha Holdings, the largest stockholder of OncoSec Medical, with an approximate 15.1% ownership stake, issued the following letter to OncoSec stockholders regarding OncoSec's rejection of Alpha's renewed binding term sheet, which the company said, "detailed a superior financing proposal that would have delivered $39.3M of value compared with the $30M China Grand Takeover Proposal, including the opportunity for stockholders to receive a cash premium for 35% of OncoSec shares through a tender offer of $2.50 per share." The company said, "With OncoSec's Special Meeting fast approaching, it's time to get serious about the options before you. OncoSec's rationale for rejecting our proposal is absurd and shows just how far this Board is willing to go to protect an inferior transaction that we believe is not in your interest. Alpha is offering MORE total value and IMMEDIATE CASH to stockholders. And what does OncoSec's leadership do? They rejected Alpha's binding term sheet and let our renewed proposal expire without even discussing it with Alpha...It Is Not Too Late for Stockholders Who Oppose the China Grand Takeover to Influence the Outcome of the Stockholder Vote at the Special Meeting of Stockholders on February 7, 2020 . In order to have a valid vote at the Special Meeting, a majority of OncoSec's shares must be voted - otherwise OncoSec does not have a quorum. Without a quorum, OncoSec cannot proceed with the China Grand Takeover. Your vote on the white card - even if it is "AGAINST" the transaction - counts towards the quorum and therefore helps the China Grand Takeover. The most important thing you can do right now is to VOTE ON THE BLUE PROXY CARD "AGAINST" the China Grand Takeover Proposal."

09:47 EST Cadiz's first commercial hemp crop set for March planting at Mojave Desert farm - Cadiz announced that its joint venture subsidiary with Glass House Group to farm, harvest, process and market hemp and hemp-derived products will plant its first commercial hemp crop in March 2020. Land preparations for the spring commercial planting are nearly complete and So Cal Hemp JV will begin cultivation of organic hemp in 2020 on up to 1,280 acres at the Cadiz Ranch. New labor force housing, three new irrigation wells and piping have been installed over the last several months to support commercial production. Soil enhancement via organic green compost fertilizer application have prepped the soils to support natural, pesticide-free hemp growth. The commercial planting will follow the recent completion of two successful trial crops, the first of which was planted during the height of the summer in 2019 and the second during the winter. The completed trials confirmed the appropriate planting cycle, weather conditions and varietals for successful organic hemp growth in the unique Mojave Desert environment at Cadiz and further demonstrated hemp's commercial viability for the Company's agricultural operations.

09:47 EST Levi Strauss falls -5.9% - Levi Strauss is down -5.9%, or -$1.16 to $18.48.

09:47 EST Green Dot rises 7.0% - Green Dot is up 7.0%, or $2.10 to $32.18.

09:47 EST Maxar Technologies rises 13.3% - Maxar Technologies is up 13.3%, or $2.13 to $18.09.

09:38 EST Eaton to acquire Power Distribution, terms not disclosed - Eaton announced it has agreed to acquire Power Distribution, or PDI, a supplier of mission critical power distribution, static switching, and power monitoring equipment and services for data centers and industrial and commercial customers. The company is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, and had 2019 sales of $125M. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the first quarter of this year. Terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.

09:35 EST FTC files suit to block Edgewell Personal Care from buying Harry's - The Federal Trade Commission announced that it has authorized staff of the Bureau of Competition to file suit to enjoin Edgewell Personal Care Company's (EPC) proposed $1.37B acquisition of its key competitor, Harry's, Inc. "The Commission's complaint alleges that the proposed combination would eliminate one of the most important competitive forces in the shaving industry. The loss of Harry's as an independent competitor would remove a critical disruptive rival that has driven down prices and spurred innovation in an industry that was previously dominated by two main suppliers, one of whom is the acquirer. The FTC has issued an administrative complaint, and has also authorized staff to file a complaint requesting a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to maintain the status quo pending an administrative trial on the merits," the Commission stated. Edgewell, Harry's, and market leader Procter & Gamble (PG) are among the few significant competitors in the U.S. market for the manufacture and sale of men's and women's wet shave razors, the FTC noted.

09:33 EST FTC files suit to block Edgewell Personal Care from buying Harry's

09:22 EST Walgreens Boots Alliance, TCS expand strategic IT partnership - Walgreens Boots Alliance and Tata Consultancy Services, or TCS, a global information technology, or IT, services, consulting and business solutions organization, announced that the companies have expanded their strategic partnership to advance WBA's transformation of its global IT function by launching a new operating model for IT run and operational services, enabling WBA to accelerate its digitalization program. The expansion of the WBA and TCS strategic partnership is based on WBA's review of its IT operating model and vendor landscape. As a result, the WBA global IT team will focus on supporting strategic technology projects that create customer value through the development of new digital products and services on its business platforms. Following a period of transition, TCS will provide run and operational managed services, including application maintenance and support, infrastructure and security operations. The TCS approach will blend artificial intelligence, machine learning and advanced software engineering to enhance operational resilience and boost productivity.

09:18 EST Tribune Publishing names Terry Jimenez as CEO, succeeding Timothy Knight - Tribune Publishing (TPCO) announced a leadership transition plan that will continue a strategic effort to streamline the company's operations and position it for the future. The changes became effective January 31. Terry Jimenez, the company's Executive Vice President and CFO, has assumed the role of President and CEO and joined the Board, succeeding Timothy Knight, who has stepped down from the Board and will leave the company at the end of February. Philip Franklin, Chairman of the Tribune Board's Audit Committee, has been appointed Non-Executive Chairman of the Board, succeeding David Dreier, who stepped down as Non-Executive Chairman but will remain on the Board. Mike Lavey, current Controller and Chief Accounting Officer, has been named interim CFO. Terry Jimenez has been Executive Vice President/CFO of Tribune Publishing Company since 2016. Prior to joining the company, Jimenez was a Partner for IBM's (IBM) Global Business Services since 2012.

09:14 EST Comtech named awardee on $5.1B multiple award IDIQ GTACS II contract vehicle - Comtech Telecommunications announced, that during its second quarter, its Mission-Critical Technologies group, which is part of Comtech's Government Solutions segment, was named as one of the awardees to compete under the Global Tactical Advanced Communication Systems, or GTACS II, and Services contract vehicle. The multiple award, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity, or IDIQ, GTACS II contract vehicle enables multiple companies to compete for up to $5.1 billion, with a five year base period with one five year option period. This GTACS II contract is in support of the Program Executive Office Command, Control and Communications-Tactical, or PEO C3T, and Project Manager Tactical Network. GTACS II provides the rapid acquisition of a wide range of C3T hardware, software, engineering services and logistics support services with an emphasis on tactical satellite communications, or SATCOM.

09:12 EST Accenture to acquire Mudano, terms undisclosed - Accenture has agreed to acquire Mudano, a strategic data consultancy to U.K. financial services firms, further enhancing its analytics, data and artificial intelligence transformation capabilities. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Mudano's team of industry-focused data professionals will join Accenture Applied Intelligence, which employs more than 20,000 professionals worldwide who help clients scale AI, including 6,000 data scientists, data engineers and AI professionals. Mudano's data advisory expertise and technology solutions will complement Accenture's existing capabilities and strengthen its commitment to helping clients generate measurable value and return on investment from large-scale transformation projects. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in London, with a presence in Edinburgh, Scotland, Mudano uses advanced analytics, applied data science and modern data technologies to help the U.K.'s largest banks, insurers and wealth management firms transform key areas, such as customer behavior analytics, financial crime-prevention and intelligent data management.

09:10 EST First Citizens completes merger with Community Financial, Gwinnett Community - First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company announced that the merger of Community Financial Holding Company and its subsidiary, Gwinnett Community Bank, into First Citizens Bank was effective on Feb. 1, 2020. Following the merger, the three Gwinnett Community branch offices are initially operating as Gwinnett Community Bank, a division of First Citizens Bank. Customers should bank as they normally do at their existing branches. At a later date, Gwinnett Community customer accounts will be converted to First Citizens Bank's systems and operations. On Dec. 19, 2019, the shareholders of Duluth, Ga.-based Community Financial voted to approve the merger agreement with Raleigh, N.C.-headquartered First Citizens Bank. The merger previously was approved by bank regulatory authorities.

09:06 EST Poet Technologies completes optical interposer development project - POET Technologies announced updates related to multiple recent developments across the Company. In January, POET completed its proof of concept project with its existing North American-based networking customer. As previously announced, POET received orders in 2018 from this customer to provide initial device prototypes of its Optical Interposer platform to systematically address specific integration requirements under a paid development program. At its Annual General Meeting in September, the Company disclosed that it had successfully completed all but one of an eight-step project and that it expected to complete the final milestone by the end of 2019. POET recently completed this final deliverable and is now engaged in follow-on discussions aimed at products to be designed, qualified and incorporated into the customer's product portfolio. Additionally, the Company provided an update regarding the remaining payments related to the sale of its Singapore-based subsidiary, DenseLight. POET negotiated a delay in the payment schedule from the Buyer, due in part to an unrelated third-party expressing interest in acquiring DenseLight in late December. The payment of Tranche 1, which occurred in November, transferred a 30% interest in DenseLight to the Buyer, with the remaining 70% going into escrow. Over the past several weeks, POET negotiated with the Buyer to split Tranche 2 into two parts, with 2a due at the end of January and 2b due at the end of February. The Tranche 2a payment of $4.75 million will initiate the transfer of an additional 19% of DenseLight shares from escrow to the Buyer, while the 2b payment of $8.25 million will transfer an additional 32%. The final Tranche 3 payment of $5 million for the remaining 19% is due at the end of May. The unrelated third party continues to be in confidential discussions with all parties to participate in the current transaction. Responding to the coronavirus outbreak, the PRC government has extended the Lunar New Year holiday to February 2 resulting in the closure of all government offices. Once reopened and final approval is received for the Overseas Direct Investment applications previously underway, POET expects immediate disbursement of the 2a payment. Receipt of the 2b payment is anticipated to be delayed beyond February due to the extended holiday's disruption of the ODI application process. Furthermore, the Company announced the appointments of James Lee as Vice President & General Manager of POET Technologies, Pte. Ltd., the Company's recently opened Singapore-based subsidiary, and Edward Cornejo, Vice President of Technical Marketing. Lee came to POET from IMEC in Belgium, where he was Vice President of Logic Technology. Previously, he held increasingly responsible positions over a 19-year career with GLOBALFOUNDRIES.

09:05 EST 3D Systems announces expanded relationship with Sanmina - 3D Systems (DDD) announced an expanded relationship with Sanmina (SANM). This latest agreement builds on an existing multi-year relationship that originally included the manufacturing of 3D Systems' Figure 4 platform, and will now expand to include all plastics hardware at its Marine Drive manufacturing facility in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Relying on Sanmina's global scale and industry-leading manufacturing capabilities enables 3D Systems to focus more capital investments in R&D, plastics material manufacturing, software, application development, and services to accelerate innovation and maintain competitive advantage.

09:03 EST Trupanion says over half a million cats, dogs covered by insurance product - Trupanion is now helping the owners of over half a million pets budget and care for their pet's unexpected accidents and illnesses. Trupanion's branded product, available at Trupanion.com, is the only pet health insurance product in the industry that is designed to pay veterinarians directly at the time of check-out, often in seconds, eliminating the cumbersome reimbursement model.

09:01 EST Northwest Pipe announces acquisition of Geneva Pipe Company - Northwest Pipe Company has acquired Geneva Pipe Company, a concrete pipe and precast concrete products manufacturer based in Utah. The transaction closed on January 31, 2020, and was funded with cash on hand and debt. This acquisition expands Northwest Pipe Company's water infrastructure product capabilities by adding additional reinforced concrete pipe capacity and a full line of precast concrete products including storm drains and manholes, catch basins, vaults, and curb inlets as well as innovative products that extend the life of concrete pipe and manholes for sewer applications. Geneva, previously a privately held company, has around 140 employees and had revenues of approximately $43M in 2019. Jefferies LLC advised Northwest Pipe Company. Operations will continue with their current management and workforce at Geneva's three Utah manufacturing facilities located in Salt Lake City, Orem, and St. George. Founded in Orem in 1956, the company has been an integral part of infrastructure development in Utah and the Intermountain West.

08:57 EST DSP Group says ADT Inc. selects ULE technology for wireless security system - Ofer Elyakim, CEO of DSP Group (DSPG), stated, "Looking ahead to the first quarter, we project revenues to grow on a year over year basis. We see a bright future for DSP Group and are well positioned in several bourgeoning markets as demonstrated by the solid momentum across all growth initiatives, including a record number of new products launches by Tier 1 brands incorporating our SmartVoice technology, including Facebook, Leviton and Lenovo. In addition, we are excited that ADT (ADT) selected our ULE technology for its new wireless security system, which is a milestone event for our SmartHome franchise and paves the path for a successful entry into the U.S. market. Finally, we are pleased with the commencement of mass volume shipments of a flagship product in our Unified Communications segment. We are confident that our growth initiatives will continue their upward trajectory and become the key driver of our business going forward."

08:50 EST OncoSec's Visceral Lesion Applicator featured in presentation at SIO meeting - OncoSec announced data from a feasibility study of its visceral lesion applicator electroporation device that were presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Interventional Oncology in New Orleans. The study showed investigators were able to successfully and safely reach target organs located deep inside the body and deploy the device's applicator tip in a large animal model. In the study, healthy animal subjects were placed under general anesthesia while investigators accessed and deployed the VLA in the lungs. Electroporation was performed in the liver using the APOLLO generator with no adverse effects recorded during or after electroporation. Additionally, initial data from the APOLLO generator detected and recorded trends in impedance values between different tissue types, as well as between the presence and absence of DNA. The APOLLO generator was also able to indicate when the applicator tip was not effectively placed within the tissue.

08:49 EST RegeneRx: GtreeBNT says Phase 3 trial of RGN-259 'progressing well' - RegeneRx announced that GtreeBNT, its Korean partner in the U.S. for development of RGN-259 for the treatment of dry eye disease, issued an update on the U.S. phase 3 clinical trial. The following is a summary of a press release issued by GtreeBNT: "GtreeBNT announced today that the third phase 3 clinical study of RGN-259, a new drug candidate for the treatment of dry eye syndrome under development by ReGenTree, a U.S. joint venture company between GtreeBNT and RegeneRx Biopharmaceuticals, is progressing well and without delay. To date, over 350 dry eye patients have been entered into the study."

08:47 EST Neogen acquires Abtek Biologicals, terms not disclosed - Neogen announced that it has acquired the United Kingdom-based Abtek Biologicals, a developer and supplier of culture media supplements and microbiology technologies that increases Neogen's current solutions portfolio. With the acquisition, Abtek's Liverpool operations will become Neogen's third global microbiology manufacturing facility, joining locations in Lansing, Michigan, and Heywood, England. The acquisition is intended to accelerate the growth of Neogen's global microbiology business. Abtek's operations will be managed through Neogen's European headquarters in Ayr, Scotland. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

08:45 EST Artelo Biosciences announces NCI grant of $4.2M to Stony Brook University - Artelo Biosciences announced that the National Cancer Institute has awarded Stony Brook University a $4.2M grant to advance the development of its fatty acid binding protein 5 inhibitor platform. This platform is under exclusive license to Artelo as a potential breakthrough cancer treatment. The five-year grant is intended to support research at Stony Brook University's Institute of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, in collaboration with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and Artelo Biosciences. FABP5 is an intracellular protein that serves as a carrier for lipids including endocannabinoids and fatty acids. Inhibition of FABP5 is believed to suppress the growth and migration of cancers, including breast and prostate cancers. The original work of Dr. Iwao Ojima and Dr. Martin Kaczocha at ICB&DD and collaboration with Dr. Lloyd Trotman at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, led to a paper in The Prostate that showed novel FABP5 inhibitors developed by the ICB&DD team exhibited significant cytotoxicity against highly drug-resistant metastatic prostate cancer cells. FABP5 also enhanced the antitumor effects of taxane drugs in animal models. Taxanes, such as docetaxel or cabazitaxel are commonly used to treat metastatic prostate cancer. However, tumors often build up resistance to such drugs, and patients frequently experience adverse events that result in their inability to complete treatment. FABP5 inhibitors combined with docetaxel or cabazitaxel produce synergistic cytotoxicity in numerous prostate cancer cell lines in vitro. The ability of these drugs to synergize could lead to new combination therapies with enhanced tumor-suppressive efficacy, thereby treating advanced diseases more effectively and minimizing adverse effects. Under the grant, the research team will develop and identify the preferred FABP5 inhibitors for potency and selectivity and assess the efficacy of the selected drug candidates in preclinical models, both as single agents and in combination with FDA-approved drugs.

08:43 EST Check Point sees FY20 tax rate around 12% - Guidance provided during Q4 earnings conference call.

08:38 EST Lantheus announces results from BENEFIT 1 trial - Lantheus announced topline results for the BENEFIT 1 left ventricular ejection fraction, or LVEF, clinical trial. The BENEFIT 1 LVEF clinical trial is one of two Phase 3, open-label, multicenter studies to evaluate LVEF measurement accuracy and reproducibility of Definity contrast-enhanced and unenhanced echocardiography as compared to non-contrast cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, or CMRI, used as the truth standard. BENEFIT 1 enrolled 145 subjects. The primary objective of this study was to demonstrate improvement in accuracy in measuring LVEF using Definity contrast-enhanced over unenhanced echocardiography as compared to LVEF measured using CMRI. In BENEFIT 1, there was no statistically significant improvement in the accuracy of LVEF values for contrast-enhanced echocardiography versus unenhanced echocardiography as compared to CMRI. Analyses of the secondary endpoints revealed no improvement in inter-reader variability between the contrast-enhanced and unenhanced echocardiograms for LVEF assessments. A post-hoc analysis, however, did show statistically significant improvements in left ventricular diastolic, systolic and stroke volume measurements with contrast-enhanced versus unenhanced echocardiography when compared to CMRI.

08:36 EST Portola Pharmaceuticals appoints Rajiv Patni as Chief Medical Officer - Portola Pharmaceuticals appointed Rajiv Patni as Executive VP and Chief Medical Officer, effective immediately. Before joining Portola, Patni was CMO at Adamas Pharmaceuticals. Prior to Adamas, Patni was Chief Development Officer at Ocera Therapeutics. Jeff Myers, who has served as Portola's interim chief medical officer since May 2019, will continue in his role as the company's senior vice president of medical affairs.

08:33 EST VOXX acquires Vehicle Safety Holding Corp. for $16.5M - VOXX announced the acquisition of Vehicle Safety Holding Corp. via an asset purchase agreement valued at $16.5M. VSHC, through its Vehicle Safety Manufacturing and Rostra Brands subsidiaries, is "a leading developer, manufacturer and distributor of safety electronics." VSHC will immediately become part of VOXX Automotive Corp. and financial results will be incorporated into the company's Automotive Electronics segment. On an annualized basis, VSHC is expected to add approximately $28M in net revenue and approximately $3M in Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization, with further improvements as synergies are realized.

08:32 EST Chefs' Warehouse acquires Cambridge Packing Company, terms not disclosed - The Chefs' Warehouse announced that it has acquired substantially all of the assets of Cambridge Packing Company, based in Boston, Massachusetts. For nearly 100 years, and three generations, Cambridge Packing Company has been a staple for providing New England with the highest quality beef, poultry, pork, and seafood products. The acquisition of Cambridge Packing Company is expected to generate approximately $50M in annual net sales.

08:31 EST Kitov Pharmaceuticals receives issue notification for U.S. patent covering CM-24 - Kitov Pharma announced receipt from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office of a Notification of Issuance for a patent application entitled, "Humanized antibodies against CEACAM1." The patent, which expires in 2035, covers protein and DNA sequences pertaining to humanized antibodies capable of specific binding to human CEACAM1 molecules, including Kitov's first-in-class monoclonal antibody, CM-24, pharmaceutical compositions comprising these antibodies, as well as methods for their use in treating and diagnosing cancer and other conditions.

08:19 EST Orion Energy secures $4.8M in initial contracts for custom LED lighting fixtures - Orion Energy Systems announced that it has been selected to provide $4.8M in custom-designed LED luminaires and lighting controls to upgrade two facilities for a global online retailer. Teaming with a long-term electrical contractor partner, Orion will provide custom LED lighting fixtures, as well as integrated lighting controls, initially for two facilities. Product deliveries are expected to start late in Orion's fiscal 2020 fourth quarter ending March 31, 2020, with completion expected in its fiscal 2021 second quarter ending September 30, 2020. Orion has initiated project design with this electrical contractor partner for an additional five facilities and anticipates more purchase orders to be forthcoming. Including these prospective locations for this customer, we anticipate a total a revenue potential of approximately $8M-9M.

08:16 EST Capstone Turbine secures 200kW order from rum distillery in Jamaica - Capstone Turbine announced that it continues to expand the microturbine market in the Caribbean as it secured an order from a rum distillery in Jamaica. The new C200S order includes a Capstone supplied integrated roof-mounted heat recovery module, or HRM, and a 10-year factory protection plan, or FPP. Innovative Energy, Capstone's exclusive regional distributor for Jamaica, secured the 200 kW project, which is scheduled to be commissioned by March 2020. The C200S order increases Capstone's microturbine fleet in the Caribbean to 6.65 MWs.

08:14 EST PTC Therapeutics' Translarna in Duchenne muscular dystrophy shows benefits - PTC Therapeutics announced real-world data showing that boys with nonsense mutation Duchenne muscular dystrophy treated with Translarna and standard of care preserved the ability to walk for years longer than those on SoC alone. Pulmonary function was also preserved in those treated with Translarna. In addition, no new safety signals were observed in the patients treated with Translarna, consistent with what has been shown in previous clinical trials. The interim data have been published in the Journal for Comparative Effectiveness Research. Final data from the STRIDE registry is expected in 2025. Children treated with Translarna in a real-world setting as part of the STRIDE registry were able to walk independently for an additional 3.5 years compared with a propensity-score matched cohort in the CINRG natural history study, with a median age at loss of ambulation of 14.5 years and 11 years, respectively. Additional analyses from the registry demonstrated that Translarna sustained the ability of boys with Duchenne to complete everyday tasks by years compared with the natural history cohort. In addition, the analysis showed a trend toward delayed worsening of pulmonary function in routine clinical practice for patients treated with Translarna, compared to the matched patients in CINRG. However, the authors state that it is premature to draw firm conclusions from these results.

08:13 EST Linx acquires Neemo for BRL17.6M in cash - Linx announced the acquisition of Neemo. Owner of the Delivery App, the company specializes in customized delivery solutions, through the integration of the establishment's delivery application and its e-commerce platform, offering consumers an omnichannel experience. The omnichannel experience provided by Neemo also enables restaurants and their consumers to pick-up orders at the store, place orders at the table using QR Code and messaging services. For the acquisition, Linx will pay a total of BRL17.6M in cash and, additionally, subject to the achievement of financial and operational goals, for the years between 2021 to 2023, it will pay the amount of up to BRL4.8M. Founded in 2010, Neemo is headquartered in Garca and currently has around 47 employees.

08:12 EST Luckin Coffee calls allegations in short-seller report 'false', 'misleading' - Luckin Coffee issued the following responses to "misleading and false allegations" contained in an anonymous report, which was made public on January 31, 2020 by a "short seller who may benefit from this meritless Report." The company said, "Luckin Coffee categorically denies all allegations in the Report. The methodology of the Report is flawed, the evidence is unsubstantiated, and the allegations are unsupported speculations and malicious interpretations of events. The Report also attacks members of Luckin Coffee's management team, shareholders, and business partners and its claims are either false, misleading or entirely irrelevant. Furthermore, Luckin Coffee believes that the Report demonstrates a fundamental misunderstanding of the Company's business model and operating environment. Luckin Coffee intends to take appropriate actions to defend itself against these malicious allegations and to protect the interests of its shareholders. In particular, Luckin Coffee responded to the following misleading and false allegations raised in the Report in the following: The Report alleged the number of items per store per day was inflated in 2019 3Q and 4Q. There are material inconsistencies between the unsubstantiated data presented in the Report and the actual data from the Company's own system. Every single order that customers placed with Luckin Coffee is online and automatically recorded in its system, and payments for orders went through third-party payment service providers. Therefore, all the Company's key operating data, including the number of items per store per day, items per order and effective selling price, are tracked in real time and can be verified. Luckin Coffee has a robust internal control system over data management to ensure the data integrity and consistency within its system as well as that of its third party partners. The Report alleged items per order had declined from 2019 2Q to 2019 4Q and the effective selling price was inflated in 2019 3Q. The sources and authenticity of the alleged customer order receipts in the Report are unsubstantiated and the underlying methodology in the Report is ungrounded. Luckin Coffee's items per order during the period is substantially higher than the data alleged in the Report. In addition, Luckin Coffee stands by its reported effective selling price, which is true, accurate, and can be verified by Luckin Coffee's internal system. The Report alleged Luckin Coffee overstated advertising expenses and may recycle overstated advertising expenses to inflate revenue in 2019 3Q. The allegation is based on flawed assumptions, and inaccurate and misleading analysis of the Company's advertising expenses. Luckin Coffee performs a detailed review and cross check of its sales and marketing expenses with underlying evidence and confirms the Company's reported advertising expenses are true and accurate.The Report alleged net revenues from other products were inflated in 2019 3Q. The Report's reference to value-added-tax in calculating net revenues from other products represents a clear misunderstanding of the applicable VAT rates for the Company's non-freshly brewed products and the Report reached an ungrounded allegation based on such flawed and unsupported assumption. All the Company's orders are tracked in real time and the Company has rigorous internal controls over revenue recognition and reconciliation. Luckin Coffee is in strict compliance with these rigorous controls and is committed to ensure the integrity of its financial reporting. As a data-driven company, Luckin Coffee is committed to providing full and accurate disclosure to investors and to rebutting any false claims that attempt to undermine confidence in Luckin Coffee's business, management and results of operations. Luckin Coffee firmly stands by its business model and is confident in benefiting from the strong growth of China's coffee market in the future. Luckin Coffee's pioneering business model has enabled the Company to become the leading and fastest growing player driving coffee consumption in China. Supported by its disruptive new retail model, diversified product portfolio and strong financial position, Luckin Coffee will continue to grow its business, provide a superior customer proposition and deliver sustainable value for its shareholders over the long-term."

08:11 EST Verizon, ENGIE Impact extend relationship - ENGIE Impact announced that it has extended its relationship with Verizon to optimize resource data and provide strategic, analytics-based insights to help the company meet its sustainability targets. For more than 13 years, ENGIE Impact has collaborated with Verizon, a global leader in delivering innovative communications and technology solutions, to build a holistic view of the company's energy and water performance across all business units, helping to improve resource productivity to support Verizon's sustainability goals.

08:10 EST Citius Pharmaceuticals regains compliance with Nasdaq - Citius Pharmaceuticals announced that it received notice from The Nasdaq Stock Market on January 31 indicating that the company has regained compliance with the minimum bid price requirement under NASDAQ Listing Rule 5550(a) for continued listing on The NASDAQ Capital Market. Accordingly, the company has regained compliance with the Bid Price Rule and NASDAQ considers the matter closed.

08:09 EST Innovo Group announces publication of pilot study on HPV6 candidate - Inovio Pharmaceuticals announced publication of data from its pilot clinical study of INO-3106, a novel DNA therapy targeting human papilloma virus type 6 or HPV 6 for the treatment of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis, a rare and orphan disease, in the open access scientific journal Vaccines. The article details the clinical efficacy seen in a pilot clinical study of two patients with RRP and is authored by Inovio and its collaborators. RRP is a rare, orphan, HPV-associated disease that can cause noncancerous tumor growths leading to life-threatening airway obstructions, and occasionally progresses to cancer. Study results demonstrated that INO-3106 generated immunogenicity and engagement and expansion of an HPV 6-specific cellular response. The paper also showed that Inovio's immunotherapy allowed two patients who previously required approximately two surgeries per year to manage this disease to delay the need for surgery to a robust degree; with one patient requiring no surgeries for over a year and a half and a second that remained surgery free for over two and a half years. Inovio is developing a new product candidate which targets both HPV 6 and 11 named INO-3107. Inovio plans to advance INO-3107 into Phase 2 clinical trials in the first half of 2020 as a novel first-in-class immunotherapy for the treatment of RRP in both adult and pediatric populations.

08:08 EST CytomX Therapeutics appoints Alison Hannah as CMO - CytomX Therapeutics announced the appointment of Alison Hannah, M.D., as SVP and chief medical officer. Dr. Hannah brings 30 years of experience in the development of investigational cancer therapies having most recently served as a consultant to nearly 30 pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.

08:06 EST Quantum announces commencement of trading on Nasdaq - Quantum announced that the company's common stock will begin trading on The Nasdaq Global Market beginning at 9:30 a.m. ET, Monday, February 3, under its existing symbol, "QMCO."

08:04 EST Quantum to acquire Western Digital's ActiveScale business, terms not disclosed - Quantum (QMCO) announced it has entered into an agreement with Western Digital Technologies, a subsidiary of Western Digital (WDC), to acquire its ActiveScale object storage business. The addition of the ActiveScale product line and talent brings object storage software and erasure coding technology to Quantum's portfolio, and enables the company to expand in the object storage market. Quantum and Western Digital are committed to executing a smooth transition for customers and key stakeholders, with Quantum providing post-closing continued support for ActiveScale products and a strong commitment to invest in - and enhance - the ActiveScale product line. The transaction is expected to close by March 31, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Quantum expects the initial financial impact of the transaction to be neutral to slightly accretive to current business operations and additional guidance will be provided with the release of the fiscal Q4 2020 financial results.

08:00 EST Insmed trading resumes

07:50 EST Immuron highlights potential of Travelan amid coronavirus outbreak - Immuron announced that its commercially available and over-the-counter gastrointestinal and digestive health supplement Travelan has potential to address the ongoing risks of travel to sites endemic for travelers' diarrhea, as the focus turns to the ensuing health crises brought on by the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak and its rapid spread.

07:43 EST Catalent to acquire MaSTherCell Global for $315M - Catalent (CTLT) and MaSTherCell Global, "a technology-focused cell and gene therapy contract development and manufacturing organization to cell therapy innovators," announced that Catalent has agreed to acquire MaSTherCell Global, a company backed by Great Point Partners, SFPI-FPIM, and Orgenesis (ORGS), for an aggregate of $315M in cash, subject to a customary adjustments. Upon completion of the transaction, which is expected in the current, third quarter of Catalent's 2020 fiscal year and is subject to customary closing conditions, MaSTherCell's 240 talented employees, including its outstanding leadership team, will become part of the Catalent Biologics business. The acquisition is an all-cash transaction, which Catalent expects to finance with either a partial drawn down of its revolving credit facility or the proceeds from future capital-raising activity. As part these activities, Catalent has obtained $200M of committed financing, subject to customary conditions, from JPMorgan Chase Bank N.A. It should be noted, however, that the agreement governing the acquisition is not contingent on any financing activity.

07:41 EST Akoustis announces commercial volume order for 5G infrastructure RF filters - Akoustis Technologies announced it has received its first volume commercial order for 5G small cell network infrastructure filter solutions. The order is from a tier-1 network infrastructure customer for high frequency BAW filters targeting a key 5G band in the sub-6 GHz, ultra-high frequency spectrum for the Asia market. Akoustis has completed early shipments for this filter and expects to begin ramping shipments against this order in the June quarter of CY2020. In addition to this key 5G network filter, Akoustis has developed a second filter for 5G networks in Asia for this same customer and expects to receive a second volume order by the end of the June quarter.

07:39 EST Alithya Group announces acquisition of Askida group of companies for $16M - Alithya Group is proud to announce the acquisition of the Askida group of companies. Askida is a firm specializing in software quality assurance and application development and modernization. The purchase consideration for the transaction amounts to $16M, payable in Class A subordinate voting shares and cash, with a portion paid at closing and the balance at future dates. Askida's revenue for the 2019 fiscal year is approximately $13M. The transaction will immediately contribute to Alithya's profitability.

07:36 EST Moleculin Biotech says U.S. Phase 1 AML Trial of Annamycin met primary endpoint - Moleculin Biotech announced that its open label, single arm U.S. Phase 1 trial met its primary objective of demonstrating the safety of Liposomal Annamycin in treating relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia. The company also announced an update on interim enrollment, safety and efficacy data in its parallel Phase 1 trial in Europe, which continues with dose escalation, thus far without safety concerns. The U.S. Phase 1 trial met its primary endpoint, demonstrating the safety of Annamycin in treating AML when delivered to patients at or below the lifetime maximum anthracycline dose established by the FDA. The primary safety signal was the absence of cardiotoxicity, a serious and often treatment-limiting issue prevalent with currently approved anthracyclines. This was determined by echocardiograms, as well as cardiac health biomarkers, principally blood troponin levels, which are considered an indicator of potential long-term heart damage. The data showed no cardiotoxicity in any of the 6 patients evaluated in the U.S. Phase 1 trial. Additionally, there were no unexpected serious adverse events and no dose limiting toxicities at any dose tested. Although the primary objective of the Phase 1 trial was to evaluate safety, the study also gathered data to support a preliminary assessment of the product's potential efficacy. Among other things, the study recorded complete response, partial response, event-free survival, overall survival, and time to and duration of remission/response. Based on these criteria, efficacy was seen in 2 of the U.S. patients, even though the drug was dosed at what was expected to be sub-therapeutic levels. The evidence of efficacy consisted of 1 patient who achieved a "morphologically leukemia-free state," which the protocol defined as a CR with incomplete recovery of platelets or neutrophils, and another patient who had a substantial remission of leukemia cutis, from diffuse to 3 small lesions.

07:34 EST Enochian Biosciences acquires exclusive license for HBV potential treatment - Enochian Biosciences announces that it has finalized the acquisition of a novel Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) potential treatment or cure from Seraph Research Institute. The preliminary, promising scientific data were presented at the biannual HEP DART meeting last December, where it was recognized as one of the best new therapies/novel strategies at the conference. Jon Cohen of Science magazine tweeted "Intriguing novel mechanism for attacking Hepatitis B virus." On November 25, Enochian announced it was expanding its infectious diseases pipeline by entering into an agreement in principle to acquire the exclusive license from SRI.

07:32 EST Insmed says Phase 2 WILLOW study of INS1007 met primary endpoint - Insmed announced positive top-line results from its global, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled Phase 2 WILLOW study evaluating the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of INS1007 administered once daily in adults with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis. INS1007 is a novel, oral, selective, reversible inhibitor of dipeptidyl peptidase. The WILLOW study met its primary endpoint of time to first pulmonary exacerbation over the 24-week treatment period for both the 10 mg and 25 mg dosage groups of INS1007 compared to placebo. In addition, treatment with INS1007 resulted in a reduction in the frequency of pulmonary exacerbations, a key secondary endpoint, versus placebo. Specifically, patients treated with INS1007 experienced a 36% reduction in the 10 mg arm and a 25% reduction in the 25 mg arm versus placebo. Change in concentration of active neutrophil elastase in sputum versus placebo from baseline to the end of the treatment period was also statistically significant. "These results are incredibly encouraging and highlight the potentially important role INS1007 may play in the management of bronchiectasis," said lead study investigator James Chalmers, MBChB, Ph.D., Professor and Consultant Respiratory Physician at the School of Medicine, University of Dundee, UK.

07:29 EST Americas Silver reports blockade at Cosala Operations in Mexico - Americas Gold and Silver announced that "a group of individuals has illegally blockaded access to facilities at the Cosala Operations". The faction includes a group of the company's unionized workers. The company has already filed the legal motions with the Government of Mexico at the state and federal levels but remains receptive to having discussions with the proper representatives of the certified union. As a result of the blockade at the site, the company has temporarily halted mining and processing operations.

07:20 EST Green Thumb Industries closes sale of Ohio facility to Innovative Industrial Properties - Green Thumb Industries (GTBIF) announced it has closed on a transaction to sell its Toledo, Ohio processing facility to Innovative Industrial Properties (IIPR). GTI will lease back the facility via a long-term agreement and continue to operate and manage it. The purchase price for the property was $2.9M, excluding transaction costs. GTI is also expected to make certain improvements to the property that will significantly enhance production capacity, for which IIP has agreed to provide reimbursement of up to $4.3M. Assuming full reimbursement for such improvements, IIP's total investment in the property will be $7.2M. This marks IIP's second transaction with GTI, following a sale-leaseback for GTI's cannabis cultivation and processing facility in Danville, Pennsylvania completed in November 2019. In addition to the manufacturing facility in Toledo, GTI owns and operates four Rise stores in Ohio in Toledo, Cleveland, Lorain and Lakewood, with another store in Lakewood expected to open during the first quarter of 2020. Medical cannabis sales began in Ohio in 2019, and as of the end of December, nearly 80,000 patients and over 8,000 caregivers had been registered for the state's medical cannabis program, generating approximately $60 million during the first year of sales, with 50 percent of those revenues coming in the last quarter of 2019.

07:16 EST Orchard Therapeutics appoints Steven Altschuler to board of directors - Orchard Therapeutics announced the appointment of Steven Altschuler, M.D., to its board of directors. He currently serves as managing director of Healthcare Ventures at Ziff Capital Partners and was previously chair of the board of directors at Spark Therapeutics for six years, from its founding until it was acquired in 2019.

07:13 EST GW Pharmaceuticals, Greenwich Biosciences submit sNDA for EPIDIOLEX - GW Pharmaceuticals along with its U.S. subsidiary Greenwich Biosciences announced that it has submitted a supplemental New Drug Application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Epidiolex oral solution, CV. The sNDA seeks to expand the Epidiolex label to include the treatment of seizures associated with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, a rare genetic condition. Epidiolex is currently approved in the U.S. to treat seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome or Dravet syndrome and has been granted Orphan Drug Designation from the FDA for the treatment of TSC. The sNDA is supported by data from a Phase 3 safety and efficacy study, results of which were recently presented at the American Epilepsy Society 2019 annual meeting. The study met its primary endpoint with patients treated with Epidiolex 25 mg/kg/day experiencing a significantly greater reduction from baseline in TSC-associated seizures compared to placebo. Results for the 50 mg/kg/day dose group were similar, with seizure reductions of 48% from baseline vs 26.5% for placebo. All key secondary endpoints were supportive of the effects on the primary endpoint. The safety profile observed was consistent with findings from previous studies, with no new safety risks identified.

07:12 EST BioCryst submits Japanese NDA for berotralstat - BioCryst Pharmaceuticals announced that it has submitted a new drug application to the Japanese Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency for approval of oral, once daily berotralstat for the prophylactic treatment of hereditary angioedema. BioCryst received Orphan Drug and Sakigake designations for berotralstat. Under the Sakigake timeline, the company expects potential approval in the second half of 2020. Torii Pharmaceutical, Co. is BioCryst's commercial partner in Japan for berotralstat. Under the terms of its commercial agreement with Torii, BioCryst received a $22M upfront payment and is eligible to receive an additional milestone payment of up to $20M based on the timing of PMDA approval and upon receipt of a reimbursement price approval from Japan's National Health Insurance system in excess of the threshold specified in the agreement. In addition, BioCryst will receive tiered royalties of up to 40 percent of Japanese net sales of berotralstat. The JNDA contains data from both the APeX-J and APeX-2 clinical trials. The company recently announced that the APeX-J trial in Japan met its primary endpoint of a reduction in HAE attacks from baseline for berotralstat 150 mg compared to placebo, and berotralstat was safe and generally well-tolerated in the trial. In APeX-2, berotralstat also met its primary endpoint for berotralstat 150 mg compared to placebo, and was safe and generally well-tolerated.

07:09 EST Aecom says plans to use proceeds of MS sale to reduce debt in Q2 - The company expects to utilize the proceeds from the MS sale to reduce debt in the second quarter, including the immediate repayment of substantially all of its pre-payable debt, and to repurchase stock while maintaining its long-term net leverage target of 2.0-2.5x.

07:05 EST Aurora Cannabis' Aurora River facility receives EU GMP certification - Aurora Cannabis' Aurora River production facility, located in Bradford, Ontario, has received European Union Good Manufacturing Practice certification. EU GMP certification is a requirement for the export of medical cannabis products into most European markets. In addition, Aurora has received all necessary approvals from local regulators in Germany for sales of its medical cannabis products, following a temporary sales suspension on certain products in December 2019. Aurora will fulfill existing sales orders from inventory currently held in Germany. Designed for large scale, high quality production, Aurora River has a cultivation capacity of 28,000 kg per year across its 17 fully-planted, independently climate-controlled grow rooms. To date, Aurora has received EU GMP certification for 3 of its 10 Canadian production facilities.

07:05 EST CTI BioPharma establishes accelerated approval pathway for pacritinib - CTI BioPharma announced that following a meeting with the U.S. FDA, CTI has reached agreement on an accelerated approval pathway for pacritinib for the treatment of myelofibrosis patients with severe thrombocytopenia. CTI will be amending the PACIFICA pivotal Phase 3 trial protocol to allow for the primary analysis of SVR rates on the first 168 patients, with an end-of-study analysis of TSS and OS following the full enrollment of 348 patients. If the primary endpoint of SVR is met following the planned review of data from the first 168 patients, CTI intends to submit a New Drug Application under the FDA's subpart H regulations, subject to review of all available efficacy and safety data. Conversion to a regular approval of pacritinib would be anticipated following the successful end-of-study assessment of the secondary efficacy endpoints, and the completion of post-marketing requirements. Based on the new trial design, CTI expects to report primary SVR data by the end of 2021, with a potential NDA filing in early 2022 if the SVR data is positive. Final study efficacy data is expected in 2023.

07:03 EST Soligenix granted patent in Japan for dusquetida in oral mucositis - Soligenix has been granted a patent titled "Novel Peptides and Analogs for Use in the Treatment of Oral Mucositis" by the Japanese Patent Office. This allowance builds on similar intellectual property in the US, New Zealand, Australia and Singapore and patent applications pending in other jurisdictions worldwide. The new claims cover therapeutic use of dusquetide - active ingredient in SGX942 - and related innate defense regulator analogs, and add to composition of matter claims for dusquetide and related analogs that have been granted in the US and worldwide. Dusquetide previously demonstrated positive results in a Phase 2 oral mucositis clinical trial and a pivotal Phase 3 study is ongoing, with a positive interim analysis completed in August 2019 and final topline results expected in Q2 2020. The pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial is expected to achieve enrollment completion in Q1 and final topline primary endpoint results are anticipated in Q2.

06:58 EST Aecom sees FY20 restructuring expenses $160M-$190M - Aecom continues to make strong progress on its previously-announced restructuring actions that are expected to deliver substantial margin improvement, and the company expects to incur the following in fiscal 2020: Restructuring expenses of between $160M-$190M, which now include costs associated with recent executive transitions. Total cash restructuring costs of between $185M-$205M, including capital expenditures associated with real estate restructuring of approximately $40M.

06:51 EST CoreSite Realty's application for new data center in Chicago accepted - CoreSite Realty's application with the Illinois Data Centers Investment Program has been accepted by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the company is pursuing a final incentive agreement related to its new ground-up data center development in downtown Chicago. In June 2019, the State of Illinois established a new Data Center Investment Act. CoreSite is building its new data center facility, known as "CH2", in the heart of downtown Chicago. The company's CH2 data center is a purpose-built, ground-up development expected to be a 169,000 square foot facility at full completion. CH2 Phase 1, a 56,000 square foot project, is targeted for completion in Q2. CH2 is part of a connected campus, leveraging CoreSite's existing CH1 data center. The Investment Program requires CoreSite to achieve the following at its CH2 location - create 20 new full-time equivalent jobs and make a capital investment, together with its customers qualifying investments, of at least $250M in a 60-month period, and obtain and maintain the requisite building certification, including, but not limited to, a qualifying environmental-friendly program approved by the Investment Program.

06:46 EST Merck announces FDA accepts for review sNDA for RECARBRIO - Merck announced that the U.S. FDA has accepted for review a supplemental New Drug Application for RECARBRIO to treat adult patients with hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia and ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia caused by certain susceptible Gram-negative microorganisms. The application has received Priority Review by the FDA, and the Prescription Drug User Fee Act date for the sNDA is June 4.

06:39 EST Walker & Dunlop expands debt brokerage team to Columbus with MSF acquisition - Walker & Dunlop announced that it has expanded its debt brokerage team to Columbus, Ohio with the acquisition of MSF Real Estate Capital, or MSF, an independent commercial real estate finance firm. MSF services approximately $925M of life insurance company loans, substantially all of which will be added to Walker & Dunlop's servicing portfolio prior to the end of the first quarter. The addition represents Walker & Dunlop's first office in the Columbus market. The team has historically originated between $700M and $1B of annual financing transaction volume through a broad range of capital providers. Founded in 1984, MSF Real Estate Capital has tripled the size of its full-service commercial real estate mortgage banking firm over the past decade. Collectively, the team has closed more than $10B in transaction volume throughout their careers. The Columbus office will comprise a ten-person team, including six staff members who are critical in supporting the group's efforts, with plans for continued expansion.

06:36 EST Ares Management to add $2.4B AUM through managing interest in Crestline Denali - Ares Management's subsidiary has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a managing interest in a restructured Crestline Denali Capital that will result in the addition of seven collateralized loan obligation funds totaling $2.6B of assets under management to the Ares portfolio. Crestline Denali, a Chicago area-based firm specializing in the management of non-investment grade bank loans, will retain its equity interest in its CLOs. Ares' CLOs are managed by its Credit Group, which had $106B in assets under management as of September 30, 2019. Ares believes that the all-cash transaction will increase its CLO assets under management by $2.6B without the assumption of any debt or headcount. The purchase price was not disclosed. The transaction is expected to close in Q1 and is subject to customary closing conditions.

06:34 EST Humana's Partners in Primary Care, WCAS form joint venture - Humana's Partners in Primary Care and Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe have entered into an innovative joint venture that will expand access to value-based primary care for Medicare patients. The joint venture will develop and operate senior-focused, payor-agnostic, primary care centers, which will be managed by Humana's wholly-owned, primary care subsidiary, Partners in Primary Care, and operated under the Partners in Primary Care brand. WCAS, "a leading private equity firm specializing in healthcare and technology," together with Humana, is making an initial commitment of approximately $600M to the joint venture. WCAS will have majority ownership in the new company; Humana will own a small minority stake.

06:32 EST Alpha Pro Tech to increase N-95 mask production - Alpha Pro Tech announced that the company is exponentially ramping up production of its N-95 Particulate Respirator face mask in response to a significant increase in customer demand and level of orders resulting from the outbreak of the novel Wuhan coronavirus and the declaration by the World Health Organization of the outbreak as a "public health emergency of international concern." CEO Hoffman said, "In addition to N-95 face masks, demand for face shields and other personal protective equipment products is increasing. The company is monitoring inventory levels across our full line of PPE products and will take appropriate steps to increase production to respond to consumer demand."

06:12 EST Biofrontera anticipates EC approval for Ameluz after CHMP opinion - Biofrontera announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, or CHMP, of the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, has issued an opinion with respect to Biofrontera's submission for label extension for its topical prescription drug Ameluz. The extended approval will include photodynamic therapy, or PDT, of mild and moderate actinic keratoses on the extremities and trunk/neck. In addition, the results of the follow-up phase of the clinical comparative study for daylight PDT with Ameluz and Metvix will be included in the product information. The recurrence rate 12 months after a single daylight PDT with Ameluz was significantly lower than with Metvix. Based on the positive opinion, Biofrontera anticipates that the European Commission, or EC, will issue formal approval within the coming weeks, again significantly expanding the European market opportunity for Ameluz. For the respective U.S.-label extension, the FDA has requested a further study a few days ago, aiming to increase the number of patients treated on different parts of the body. Biofrontera has already started planning the requested study in the USA, which is expected to start as soon as possible.

06:10 EST Maxar Technologies to build Intelsat geostationary satellite with NASA payload - Intelsat (I) has selected Maxar Technologies (MAXR) to manufacture Intelsat 40e, a next-generation geostationary communications satellite scheduled to launch in 2022. Maxar will integrate NASA's Tropospheric Emissions: Monitoring of Pollution payload with the Intelsat 40e satellite. Maxar will build the Intelsat 40e geostationary communications satellite and integrate NASA's TEMPO payload with it. In 2019, NASA selected Maxar to host its TEMPO payload utilizing the Space and Missile Systems Center Hosted Payload Solutions contract vehicle. Now that Maxar has identified Intelsat 40e as the satellite, the company will begin the integration process. The combined Intelsat 40e and TEMPO programs are expected to be accretive to Maxar's earnings and cash flow on an annual basis throughout the production process.

06:07 EST KBR awarded PMC services contract by ADNOC - KBR announced it has been awarded a project management consultancy, or PMC, services contract by Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, or ADNOC, for the Ghasha Concession portfolio of projects. Under the terms of the contract, KBR will act as the main PMC contractor responsible for managing the engineering, procurement and construction contractors for packages A and B of the Dalma Gas Development Project, packages 1-5 of the Hail & Ghasha Development Project, Hail & Ghasha Islands Project as well as the Deep Gas Project. This work is expected to be performed over four years with an optional extension for two more years.The Ghasha mega-project has the potential to meet about 20% of the UAE's gas demand by around the second half of the decade. In addition, more than 120,000 barrels per day of oil and high-value condensates are expected to be produced when the project is on stream.

06:06 EST Regis announces transaction and agreement with Empire Education Group - Regis announced a transaction with Empire Education Group, an operator of accredited cosmetology schools. Regis currently has an approximate 55% ownership interest in EEG. Regis and EEG entered into an agreement pursuant to which Regis will sell its interest in EEG in exchange for de minimis cash compensation, an exclusive private label supply agreement, and an employer of choice arrangement. Coincident with this transaction, Regis and EEG are announcing a strategic "Employer of Choice" agreement. This agreement designates Regis franchised and company-owned salons as the favored employers for students graduating from Empire cosmetology schools. The agreement includes EEG's promotion of Regis franchised and company-owned locations as a "preferred" employer to students, allows Regis to host exclusive national hiring events at EEG locations, gives Regis greater access to Empire students through multiple channels, and continues combined efforts to maximize the placement of students within Regis' franchised and company-owned salons. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed in Regis' Q4.

06:04 EST Pacific Premier to acquire Opus Bank in all-stock transaction valued at $1B - Pacific Premier Bancorp (PPBI) and Opus Bank (OPB) announced they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Pacific Premier will acquire Opus in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $1B, or $26.82 per share, based on a closing price for Pacific Premier's common stock of $29.80 as of January 31. Pacific Premier expects the transaction to be 14% accretive to EPS in 2021 with a 1.8 year earnback period to tangible book value per share based on anticipated cost savings of approximately 25%. Opus is headquartered in Irvine, California with $8B in total assets, $5.9B in gross loans and $6.5B in total deposits as of December 31, 2019. Opus operates 46 banking offices located throughout California, Washington, Oregon and Arizona. The transaction will increase Pacific Premier's total assets to approximately $20B on a pro forma basis as of December 31, 2019. Under the terms of the definitive agreement, which was approved by the Board of Directors of both companies, holders of Opus common stock will have the right to receive 0.90 shares of Pacific Premier common stock for each share of Opus common stock they own. Existing Pacific Premier shareholders will own approximately 63% of the outstanding shares of the combined company, and Opus shareholders are expected to own approximately 37%. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2020, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals and shareholder approval from Pacific Premier and Opus shareholders. Opus directors who own shares of Opus common stock, executive officers and certain shareholders have entered into agreements with Pacific Premier pursuant to which they have committed to vote their shares of Opus common stock in favor of the acquisition.

06:01 EST Pacific Premier to acquire Opus Bank in all-stock transaction valued at $1B

05:37 EST Teva says AJOVY Phase 2/3 trials met primary, secondary endpoints - Teva announced positive results from two Phase 2/3 trials evaluating AJOVY in patients in Japan. AJOVY is under development in Japan by Otsuka Pharmaceutical as part of a May 2017 exclusive license agreement for development and sales of AJOVY in Japan. "This study adds to the wealth of positive AJOVY data we have in patients globally," said Joshua Cohen, MD, MPH, FAHS, Global Medical Lead for Migraine & Headache at Teva. "The annual prevalence of migraine in Japan is 8.4% of adults, so we are pleased to be one step closer to bringing AJOVY to patients in Japan who could benefit from a preventive treatment." Preliminary trial results indicated that primary endpoints were achieved with both clinical and statistical significance versus placebo for subjects with chronic migraine and episodic migraine, respectively. Statistically significant improvements versus placebo were also demonstrated for all secondary endpoints. AJOVY was well tolerated with a similar adverse events profile compared to placebo. Following additional analysis, more detailed results will be presented at upcoming medical congresses and publications. These are pivotal studies that will enable filing for Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency, or PMDA, approval for marketing authorization. AJOVY is the first and only anti-CGRP drug approved in the U.S. and EU that is designed for the preventive treatment of migraine that offers both quarterly and monthly dosing options.