Stockwinners Market Radar for March 05, 2020 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

18:48 EST Generac CEO: Decentralized power generation is the wave of the future - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, Generac CEO Aaron Jagdfeld said, "Decentralized power generation will become more popular over the next decade. The grid reliability problem is real."

18:41 EST Fly Intel: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Cytosorbents (CTSO) up 12.0%... Ooma (OOMA) up 9.0%... Arcus Biosciences (RCUS) up 8.7%... El Pollo Loco (LOCO) up 7.1%... Luna Innovations (LUNA) up 6.8%... Eton Pharma (ETON) up 6.1%... Smith Micro (SMSI) up 5.1%... Okta (OKTA) up 5.0%... Energy Recovery (ERII) up 4.7%... Kadmon (KDMN) up 3.7%... Quanex (NX) up 2.9%. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: American Outdoor Brands (AOBC) down 25.2%... H&R Block (HRB) down 6.4%... Dasan Zhone Solutions (DZSI) down 6.0%... Funko (FNKO) down 5.0%... CAI International (CAI) down 4.4%... ADT (ADT) down 4.3%... Costco (COST) down 0.8%. Movers as of 18:30ET.

18:20 EST Cheniere Energy CEO buys 21K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Cheniere Energy disclosed that its CEO Jack Fusco bought 21K shares of common stock on March 5th. The total transaction size was over $990K.

18:00 EST Axon's Carmona sells nearly 30,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Axon Enterprise director Richard H. Carmona disclosed the sale of 29,487 common shares of the company at a price of $79.2105 per share on March 4.

17:46 EST AMN Healthcare's Henderson sells 9,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, AMN Healthcare Services president of professional services and staffing Ralph Henderson disclosed the sale of 9,000 common shares of the company on March 4 at a price of $75.2244 per share.

17:39 EST Rexford Industrial acquires industrial portfolio for $203.2M - Rexford Industrial announced the acquisition of a ten-building industrial property portfolio for $203.2M, including assumed debt. The properties are located in four of the Company's core infill Southern California markets, including LA - South Bay, LA - Mid Counties, Inland Empire - West and Orange County.

17:18 EST Bruker receives noncompliance letter from Nasdaq - Bruker announced that it received a letter from the listing qualifications department of Nasdaq indicating that, as a result of Bruker's delay in filing its annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, Bruker is not in compliance with the timely filing requirement for continued listing under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250. The notification letter has no immediate effect on the listing or trading of Bruker's common stock on Nasdaq. Bruker filed a notification of late filing on Form 12b-25 on March 3, indicating that the filing of the Form 10-K would be delayed pending completion of an internal investigation into an allegation recently received in connection with Bruker's year-end close, primarily relating to income tax matters including the effective income tax rate for 2019 and the related income tax balance sheet accounts. Nasdaq has informed Bruker that it must submit a plan of compliance within 60 calendar days of receipt of the letter, or no later than May 4, addressing how it intends to regain compliance with Nasdaq's listing rules and, if Nasdaq accepts the Plan, it may grant an extension of up to 180 calendar days from the Form 10-K original filing due date, or until August 31 to regain compliance.

17:14 EST Gannett Chairman Michael Reed buys 100K shares, other executives also buy - Gannett Chairman Michael Reed disclosed in a filing that he had purchased 100,000 shares of company stock at an average price of $3.82 per share on March 5, for a total transaction amount of $382,000. Director Laurence Tarica also disclosed that he had purchased 40,000 shares of company stock at an average price of $3.85 per share on the same day for a total amount of $154,000. Directors Barbara Wall and Mayur Gupta bought 26,000 and 10,000 shares receptively, also on March 5.

17:03 EST Gentherm consolidating North American electronics manufacturing to Mexico - Gentherm announced changes aimed to optimize and drive operational efficiencies across its North American manufacturing base as part of the company's global manufacturing restructuring plan announced in September 2019. As part of the current phase of the restructuring plan, Gentherm will consolidate all North American electronics manufacturing to Celaya, Mexico. This will result in the closure of the Burlington, Canada facility, and the transfer of electronics manufacturing from Acuna, Mexico. The restructuring of Gentherm's North American electronics manufacturing will be completed by mid-2021. The decision will affect approximately 350 Canadian and Mexican salaried and hourly employees.

17:01 EST iHeartMedia director Sean Mahoney buys 30K shares of company stock - iHeartMedia director Sean Mahoney disclosed in a filing that he had purchased 30,000 shares of company stock at an average price of $14.74 per share on March 3. The total transaction value of the purchase was $442,188.

16:50 EST Extra Space Storage chairman Woolley sells 80,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Extra Space Storage chairman Kenneth M. Woolley disclosed the sale of 80,000 common shares of the company at a price $107.6343 per share on March 4.

16:38 EST Barrett Business announces retirement of CEO Elich, CFO Kramer to succeed - Barrett Business Services announced the retirement of Michael Elich as Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Elich is also retiring from the company's Board of Directors. Elich's retirement is aligned with the Board's management succession and transition process that has been under discussion for several months. As part of this process, Gary Kramer, BBSI's current Chief Financial Officer, has been appointed CEO and Anthony Harris, BBSI's current Executive Director of Accounting and Finance and Controller, has been appointed CFO. Elich joined BBSI in 2001 and was appointed as CEO in 2011. "Mike transformed many facets of the company during his tenure as CEO, as the company grew from $1.5 billion in gross billings to almost $6 billion at the end of 2019," said Anthony Meeker, Chairman of the Board. "Mike leaves behind a strong company with a strong culture, and I am thankful for his efforts and wish him well in retirement. I am also pleased to announce that Gary Kramer will assume the role of CEO. He joined BBSI in 2016 and has proven to be a great leader with a focus on developing and executing successful strategies. I am certain that Gary will build on this success as CEO."

16:36 EST Starbucks says China February comps down 78% y/y - "As the impact of COVID-19 on our business in China is expected to be temporary in nature, stores that were in China's comparable store sales base but were temporarily closed as a result of the outbreak remain in the base and are included in the market's comparable store sales metrics, including those discussed below," Starbucks said in a regulatory filing. "During the month of February, Starbucks China's comparable store sales were down 78% versus the prior year, primarily due to temporary store closures, reduced operating hours and severely reduced customer traffic. The sharpest decline in weekly comparable store sales occurred in the second week of February; however, as disclosed on February 27th, we are seeing early signs of a recovery with sequential improvements in weekly sales. In the last fiscal week of February, relative to the prior week, average daily transactions per store improved 6% and total weekly gross sales in China grew 80%, reflecting the reopening of stores. In that last week, Starbucks China's mobile orders accounted for approximately 80% of sales mix, with 30% Mobile Order & Delivery and 50% Mobile Order & Pay."

16:35 EST Starbucks says 90% of stores in China open, under 'elevated' safety protocols - According to a regulatory filing, Starbucks said in a letter to stakehodlers that it has been recently navigating the dynamic situation related to the COVID-19 outbreak that was first reported in China. "In short, we see encouraging signs of recovery in China, our U.S. business momentum continues, and we are prepared to respond to implications of COVID-19 in every market around the world. Let us now focus on China," Starbucks said. The company said that currently over 90% of its stores in China are open but operating under "elevated" safety protocols, including limited lobby service, minimal cafe seating and use of the "Contactless Starbucks Experience" leveraging Starbucks mobile ordering capabilities for contactless service through pickup and delivery. Additionally, as a result of varying levels of travel and public health restrictions in many parts of China, as well as low foot and vehicle traffic overall, the majority of Starbucks stores in China that are currently open are operating at reduced hours. A small number of stores are offering delivery services only. Stores that remain temporarily closed are heavily concentrated in Hubei province, where the outbreak was first reported, as well as locations that we deem as high risk, such as hospitals, universities, cinemas and tourist attractions. At present, barring an unforeseen resurgence of the outbreak, the company expects that at the end of Q2 FY20, approximately 95% of its stores in China will be open but will continue to operate with elevated safety protocols and modified schedules. The company said it has also reopened its China headquarters, regional support centers (excluding the Wuhan support center in Hubei province), Farmer Support Center in Yunnan and Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Shanghai, all of which experienced temporary closures in recent weeks.

16:31 EST Wyndham Destinations raises quarterly dividend 11% to 50c per share - The dividend is payable March 31 to shareholders of record as of March 16.

16:21 EST Simmons First National increases stock repurchase program - Simmons First National Corporation announced that its board has approved an amendment to the company's stock repurchase program that increases the amount of the company's common stock that may be repurchased under the program from a maximum of $60M to $180M. The program was originally approved on October 17, 2019, and to date, the company has repurchased approximately $31.6M of its common stock under the program.

16:19 EST La-Z-Boy to acquire La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores in Seattle market - La-Z-Boy announced it intends to acquire the business that operates six independently owned La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores, with approximately $30M in annual retail volume, and one warehouse in the Seattle, Washington market. The transaction is a result of the planned retirement of independent dealers, Chris and Lisa Washko, who took over the stores in 2011, and the mutually agreed-upon decision that selling the stores to La-Z-Boy Incorporated would be in the best interest of their employees while providing for the greatest stability and continuity of the business. The transaction is expected to close in June and is subject to customary closing conditions. The stores will become part of La-Z-Boy's Retail segment, which today is composed of 155 stores. As La-Z-Boy is already recording a portion of the Seattle-based store volume in its wholesale segments, the acquisition of the six stores will contribute approximately $15M of additional sales annually to the company on a consolidated basis.

16:17 EST Progyny up 4.8% after reporting Q4 earnings, giving Q1, FY20 guidance

16:16 EST Gap names Sonia Syngal CEO - Gap announced that its Board of Directors has named Sonia Syngal, an accomplished retail leader and CEO of the portfolio's Old Navy business since 2016, as the company's next chief executive officer, effective March 23. She will also join the Gap Inc. Board of Directors. As Gap Inc.'s new CEO, Syngal's top priority will be strengthening the performance of the portfolio. The company also announced that Board member Bobby Martin will take the role of Executive Chairman, effective March 23. Martin has extensive experience in the retail world, having served as president and CEO of Wal-Mart International, as a former director at Dillard's Inc., and as a member of the Gap Inc. Board of Directors since 2002. His experiences will serve as a strong complement to Sonia's, as they position the company to deliver value to our customers, employees and shareholders.

16:15 EST Rogers Corporation files complaint against ElastaPro Silicone Sheeting - Rogers Corporation and wholly-owned subsidiary Diversified Silicone Products Corporation announced that they have filed a Complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California against ElastaPro Silicone Sheeting LLC of Santa Fe Springs, California. The Complaint asserts that ElastaPro has unlawfully obtained and leveraged Rogers' trade secrets-including technical formulations and manufacturing knowhow-to fast-track its market entry and compete unfairly with Rogers. Rogers has asked the Court to hold ElastaPro liable for Violation of Defend Trade Secrets Act, Violation of California Uniform Trade Secrets Act, Intentional Interference with Prospective Economic Advantage, Conversion, Unfair Competition, and Unjust Enrichment. Rogers seeks monetary damages and an injunction to stop ElastaPro's misappropriation of its trade secrets. Out of concern for downstream customers, however, Rogers has not asked the Court to immediately enjoin ElastaPro from performing any existing contractual obligations.

16:10 EST Eton Pharmaceuticals provides update on Biorphen - During Q4, Eton launched Biorphen, the first and only FDA-approved ready-to-use formulation of phenylephrine injection. The product was approved in October and launched in December. Initial customer demand for the product has resulted in more than 100 different institutions purchasing the product. Customers have specifically cited Biorphen's lack of dilution, three-year shelf-life, and FDA-approved status as significant benefits that led to their institutions' conversion to the product. Eton recently announced that it entered into a co-promotion arrangement with Xellia Pharmaceuticals for the promotion of Biorphen. Under the arrangement, Xellia's existing U.S hospital-based sales force is actively promoting Biorphen to certain customer segments. Eton expects the arrangement to significantly reduce Eton's Biorphen-related sales expenses in 2020, while also driving faster customer adoption of Biorphen due to Xellia's existing relationships with hospitals that have adopted ready-to-use products. Xellia's sales force was previously focused on the promotion of Vanco Ready, a ready-to-use formulation of vancomycin injection, which has the same call points and a similar value proposition to Biorphen. Ongoing phenylephrine supply disruptions from 503B compounding facilities, including the announced shutdown of compounding industry leader PharMedium in January, have highlighted the critical need for Biorphen. During the quarter, Eton sent 503B facilities notices referencing that FDA-approved Biorphen is now commercially available and as a result, there is no longer a clinical need for compounded phenylephrine injection. Eton believes that selling compounded phenylephrine after the introduction of Biorphen is a violation of FDA regulations, and Eton is actively engaged in communications with the FDA to discuss the enforcement of the existing compounding regulations.The overall market opportunity for ready-to-use phenylephrine is estimated to be more than 20M units of Biorphen annually, and Eton's long-term goal is to capture at least four million units per year. Eton has also initiated the development of line extensions to convert Biorphen into vial and pre-filled syringe container systems to address the needs and preferences of certain customer segments. The line extension products are expected to launch as early as next year.

16:08 EST El Pollo Loco reports Q4 comparable restaurant sales increase of 3.9% - System-wide comparable restaurant sales increased 3.9%, including a 4.3% increase for company-operated restaurants, and a 3.6% increase for franchised restaurants.

16:05 EST NXP Semiconductors nominates Kurt Sievers as CEO - NXP Semiconductors announced that its board has unanimously nominated Kurt Sievers to be appointed as president and CEO. Sievers will succeed Richard Clemmer, who has successfully led NXP since 2009. The board will propose the appointment of Sievers as executive director and CEO at the company's annual general meeting of shareholders scheduled for May 27. To ensure a smooth and seamless transition, Clemmer will remain a strategic advisor to NXP. Since September 2018 Sievers has been the President of NXP, with direct oversight and management of all NXP's business lines. Sievers joined NXP in 1995.

15:49 EST LabCorp trading resumes

15:21 EST Lufthansa reduces capacity by up to 25% amid coronavirus concerns - Due to the exceptional circumstances caused by the spread of the coronavirus and the decline in demand, the Lufthansa Group has also decided by reducing capacity by up to 25 per cent. The route cancellations and frequency adjustments correspond to a calculated capacity of 150 aircraft, of which 125 are short- and medium-haul and are 25 long haul. The Lufthansa Group fleet currently comprises around 770 aircraft, including some 180 long-haul aircraft. Starting today, 5 March, the route cancellations and frequency adjustments will be implemented successively and the passengers affected will be informed about the changes and rebooking options. Until the end of March, Lufthansa is cancelling a total of about 7,100 flights, including 3,750 flights from Frankfurt to 75 airports, and 3,350 flights from Munich to 65 airports.

15:18 EST LabCorp trading halted, news pending

14:54 EST Cubic names Min Wei chief customer officer - Cubic Corporation announced the appointment of Min Wei as senior vice president and chief customer officer. Wei will be responsible for leading a new customer experience function that combines Cubic's global quality, configuration management, logistics support and customer experience. He will also be a catalyst to further drive organizational alignment related to Cubic's first strategic priority, Winning the Customer, which is critical to Cubic's purpose of making a positive difference in people's lives. The customer experience function will advocate for Cubic's customers, enable quality engineering as well as manage all releases and deployments of products and services, while serving as the backstop for any issues. Wei will report to Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Bradley H. Feldmann.

14:27 EST Carnival's Grand Princess confirms cancellation of Hawaii cruise - Carnival's Grand Princess said via Twitter, "Out of an abundance of caution, all guests who have been identified for testing have been asked to remain in their staterooms. We will continue to proceed under the guidance of the U.S CDC and local authorities. We can also confirm the cancellation of the upcoming Grand Princess Hawaii cruise departing on March 7. All guests will receive a full refund of their cruise fare, Princess Air, Princess Cruise Plus pre- and post-cruise hotel packages, prepaid shore excursions and... ...other prepaid items purchased through Princess. Guests will also receive a Future Cruise Credit equal to 100% of the cruise fare paid on this voyage."

14:18 EST Ionis off lows, recruitment suspension unrelated to study drug

14:13 EST Ionis falls 8% after ClinicalTrials.gov shows suspension of trial

14:05 EST Cypress drops 14% to $20.04 after MLex says deal facing CFIUS pressure

13:53 EST Cypress Semiconductor trading halted, volatility trading pause

13:23 EST Newmont sells stake in Continental Gold for $260M in cash - Newmont Corporation (NEM) completed the sale of its 19.9% equity stake and convertible bond in Continental Gold (CGOOF) for $260M in cash. The sale was part of a contractual arrangement to support Zijin Mining Group's acquisition of Continental. .

13:13 EST Cruise line sector gets capsized after Princess cruise passenger dies - The cruise line sector is getting swamped again on Thursday after reports that thousands of people on Princess Cruises' Grand Princess may have been exposed to coronavirus after sailing with 62 passengers who company officials say had previously been on a voyage with a man who eventually died from the virus. GRAND PRINCESS HEALTH ADVISORY: On Wednesday evening, Carnival's (CCL) Princess Cruises said in part: "There are fewer than 100 guests and crew identified for testing, including all in-transit guests, those guests and crew who have experienced influenza-like illness symptoms on this voyage, and guests currently under care for respiratory illness. To facilitate this testing, the U.S. Coast Guard will deliver sampling kits to the ship on the morning of March 5 via helicopter...Public health officials have advised that no guests will be permitted to disembark until all results have been received...Princess Cruises can also confirm the cancellation of the upcoming Grand Princess Hawaii cruise departing on March 7." STATE OF EMERGENCY IN CALIFORNIA: California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency over the novel coronavirus following the death of a California man after developing symptoms for the coronavirus the virus while on a Princess cruise ship. ROYAL CARIBBEAN DOWNGRADE: Earlier today, William Blair analyst Sharon Zackfia downgraded Royal Caribbean to Market Perform from Outperform as continued coronavirus-related industry incidents raise the specter of both ramping passenger cancellations as well as a long recovery period. While the analyst says she sees value over the longer term from roughly 9 times her 2020 estimate, she expects continued near-term volatility in bookings, significant cancellations and material discounting to create downward pressure on earnings, with a cloudy line-of-sight on the bottoming of trends. PRICE ACTION: Shares of companies operating in the cruise line sector including Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH) are all down approximately 13% or more in afternoon trading.

12:56 EST Neuronetics president, CEO Thatcher to step down - Neuronetics announced that the company and Christopher A. Thatcher, President and CEO of Neuronetics, have mutually agreed that Thatcher will cease serving as the company's President and Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. In connection with his departure, Thatcher also resigned as a director of the company's Board of Directors. Thatcher's employment is expected to continue through May 1, 2020, during which time he will provide transition services and advice to the company. This mutual agreement was not the result of any inappropriate action by Thatcher, any violation of company policy, any accounting irregularity or any material deterioration in the business of the company. The company reaffirms the guidance that it provided on March 3, 2020. The Board has established an interim Office of the President to provide ongoing leadership and oversight of the day-to-day operations of the company while the Board of Directors conducts a search for a new CEO. The Office of the President is to be filled by Steve Furlong, Chief Financial Officer, and Andrew Macan, General Counsel, both of whom will remain in their current positions while carrying out their new responsibilities. Neuronetics' Board appointed Brian Farley, Chairman, as the liaison to the Office of the President and he will meet regularly with and oversee the activities of Office of the President. Neuronetics has asked Thatcher to serve as an advisor to the Company through May 1, 2020.

12:40 EST Gundlach recommends owning alternative assets like gold - Jeffrey Gundlach of DoubleLine Capital is speaking on CNBC.

12:39 EST Gundlach says recent 50 basis point rate cut by Fed 'justified' - Jeffrey Gundlach of DoubleLine Capital is speaking on CNBC.

12:17 EST YES Network says was dropped by YouTube TV - The YES Network, which broadcasts New York Yankees baseball games, released the following statement via Twitter: "YouTube TV (GOOG), for its own selfish reasons and with total disregard for its YES customers, has refused to pay the market rate and accept market terms and conditions that other YES distributors have agreed to. In fact, YouTube TV sought a rate that was well below what other YES distributors are paying, and because YES keeps its word to all of its distributors, it could not make the deal. When YouTube TV realized it could not get a sweetheart, below-market deal, it dropped the YES Network. Sinclair (SBGI), for its own reasons, elected to make a deal for some but not all of its programming services which excluded large-market RSNs featuring iconic franchises and star players. The New York Yankees have made it clear to Major League Baseball and YouTube TV that the Yankees will not appear on any national games televised by YouTube TV through its national telecast agreement with Major League Baseball. We urge all of our fans to go to YESNetwork.com to see the list of other streaming services and other distributors that carry the YES Network. With YouTUbe TV no longer carrying YES, it appears as though YouTube TV customers will pay the same while getting less." The YES Network is partially owned by Sinclair Broadcast, Amazon (AMZN), and Blackstone (BX). Reference Link

12:13 EST BioHiTech Global appoints Tony Fuller as chief administrative officer - BioHiTech Global (BHTG) announced the appointment of Tony Fuller to the newly created position of chief administrative officer. This new leadership role will be in addition to his service as a member of the company's Board of Directors. Fuller had a thirty-year career at Walmart (WMT) where he last held the position of SVP.

12:00 EST GenMark's Kagnoff acquires 10,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, GenMark Diagnostics director Michael Kagnoff disclosed the acquisition of 10,000 common shares of the company on March 4 at a price of $4.61 per share.

12:00 EST WideOpenWest falls -18.8% - WideOpenWest is down -18.8%, or -$1.18 to $5.08.

12:00 EST ProShares Trust Ultra VIX Short Term Futures ETF rises 13.8% - ProShares Trust Ultra VIX Short Term Futures ETF is up 13.8%, or $3.22 to $26.47.

12:00 EST REV Group rises 16.2% - REV Group is up 16.2%, or $1.26 to $9.06.

11:50 EST Sabre signs long-term agreement with STARLUX Airlines - Sabre Corporation announced a new partnership with Taiwan carrier, STARLUX Airlines. The long-term agreement to connect to Sabre's GDS platform, will provide the airline access to Sabre's global travel marketplace, comprising over 425,000 travel agents worldwide. In addition to providing the carrier with the ability to market and feature its content, the agreement will also give STARLUX the capacity to leverage a wide range of services under the Sabre GDS to promote, personalize and sell its products to travel management companies.

11:24 EST ViacomCBS names Kelly Day COO for ViacomCBS Networks International - ViacomCBS' international networks division announced that Kelly Day has been appointed COO of ViacomCBS Networks International, reporting to David Lynn, President & CEO of VCNI. Day was formerly President of Viacom Digital Studios.

11:02 EST TG Therapeutics gets orphan drug designation for umbralisib for new indication - TG Therapeutics announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted orphan drug designation to umbralisib, the company's investigational dual inhibitor of PI3K-delta and CK1-epsilon, for the treatment of patients with follicular lymphoma. Umbralisib is being evaluated across several types of lymphoma in the UNITY-NHL Phase 2b registration directed clinical trial. The FL cohort of the UNITY-NHL trial is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of umbralisib in patients with FL who have received at least two prior lines of therapy including an anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody and an alkylating agent. The FDA has previously granted orphan drug designation to umbralisib, for the treatment of patients with all three types of MZL: nodal, extranodal, and splenic MZL.

10:48 EST Plug Power CEO says not interested in buying StreetScooter - CEO Andrew Marsh says "that's not our approach at the moment," and that he believes the real value is in the company's technology. Plug Power isn't looking to become a system integrator, Marsh adds. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

10:00 EST Guidewire falls -13.3% - Guidewire is down -13.3%, or -$14.90 to $97.58.

10:00 EST Cantel Medical falls -16.4% - Cantel Medical is down -16.4%, or -$10.36 to $52.90.

10:00 EST ProShares Trust Ultra VIX Short Term Futures ETF rises 13.8% - ProShares Trust Ultra VIX Short Term Futures ETF is up 13.8%, or $3.20 to $26.45.

09:49 EST Allergan announces FDA approval of Durysta for intracameral administration - Allergan plc announced that the Food and Drug Administration has approved the company's New Drug Application for Durysta 10 mg for intracameral administration. With this approval, Durysta becomes the first intracameral, biodegradable sustained-release implant indicated to reduce intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma or ocular hypertension, the company said in a statement. Allergan has five ongoing Phase 3 studies with Durysta to support further potential FDA label enhancement and rest of the world approvals.

09:47 EST Cantel Medical falls -10.6% - Cantel Medical is down -10.6%, or -$6.70 to $56.56.

09:47 EST ProShares Trust Ultra VIX Short Term Futures ETF rises 13.1% - ProShares Trust Ultra VIX Short Term Futures ETF is up 13.1%, or $3.05 to $26.30.

09:47 EST Ryerson rises 18.1% - Ryerson is up 18.1%, or $1.50 to $9.80.

09:40 EST Cantel Medical trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:30 EST Ansys to acquire Lumerical, terms not disclosed - Ansys announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Lumerical, "a leading developer of photonic design and simulation tools." The acquisition will add best-in-class photonics products to the Ansys multiphysics portfolio, providing customers with a full set of solutions to solve their next-generation product challenges. The transaction is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the second quarter of 2020. It is not expected to have a material impact on Ansys' consolidated financial statements in 2020.

09:12 EST Nucor's hot-dip galvanized sheet steel facility in Mexico begins production - Nucor reported that Nucor-JFE Steel Mexico in Silao, Guanajuato in central Mexico, has begun operating its continuous galvanizing line, which will produce hot-dip galvanized sheet steel for the automotive market. The hot-dip galvanized sheet steel production facility has a production capacity of 400,000 tons annually. It can produce sheet thickness from 0.4 mm to 2.6 mm and widths of 800 mm to 1,850 mm. Nucor-JFE has begun trial production and will move towards full-scale sales and production once customer approvals have been obtained. Automotive production in Mexico is expected to continue to grow and the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement increases the amount of North American content required in cars and trucks to avoid tariffs imposed by the United States.

09:09 EST Calumet Specialty Products CEO Tim Go to resign, Steve Mawer to succeed - Calumet Specialty Products announced that Tim Go notified the Board of Directors of Calumet that he plans to resign as CEO effective June 1 to pursue other interests closer to his family in Texas. Steve Mawer, a current board member, has been appointed to take over as CEO upon successful completion of an orderly transition process. Steve Mawer brings significant industry experience. He currently serves as Chairman of ClimeCo Corporation, an environmental commodities development and management company and on the Board of Directors of Zenith Energy Management, LLC, a midstream company. He also serves as a member of the advisory board of Heritage Environmental Services. He retired as president of Koch Supply & Trading and as a senior member of the Koch Industries management team in 2014 following a 27-year career in commodities trading, risk management and refining operations. In addition to global commodities trading, Steve brings manufacturing expertise as former head of Koch's European refining operations.

09:07 EST Quest Diagnostics to launch COVID-19 test - Quest Diagnostics announced it will launch a coronavirus (COVID-19) test service. The new test service aids the presumptive detection of nucleic acid in respiratory specimens of patients meeting CDC's clinical criteria for COVID-19 testing. Quest will be in position to receive specimens for testing, and begin to provide testing on Monday, March 9. With the new service, Quest Diagnostics will provide access to a COVID-19 test service for patients in the United States. The new test service will be provided as a laboratory developed test, pending review by the FDA under emergency use authorization which the company will submit per FDA guidance within 15 days of clinical testing. The test is a molecular based assay which detects viral RNA in respiratory specimens.

09:04 EST Tetra Tech awarded $125M multi-year USPS contract - Tetra Tech announced that the United States Postal Services, or USPS, selected the company for a $125M multi-year contract to provide nationwide emergency preparedness response and recovery services. Under this contract, Tetra Tech will use technologies and advanced analytics to support operational and emergency environmental services for the USPS. Planning support services include risk assessment and hazard mitigation, toxin assessment and abatement, air pollution studies, environmental permitting and compliance, water quality analysis, and engineering design. Tetra Tech also will provide technical support services to respond to the immediate impact of emergencies and disasters across the United States.

09:03 EST Google Cloud, AT&T announce collaboration - Google Cloud (GOOG, GOOGL) and AT&T (T) announced a collaboration to help enterprises take advantage of Google Cloud's technologies and capabilities using AT&T network connectivity at the edge, including 5G. Additionally, AT&T and Google Cloud intend to deliver a portfolio of 5G edge computing solutions that bring together AT&T's network, Google Cloud's leading technologies, and edge computing to help enterprises address real business challenges.

09:01 EST Abbott receives CE Mark for new FlexNav delivery system - Abbott announced it has received CE Mark for the new FlexNav delivery system for the company's Portico transcatheter aortic valve implantation system, enabling marketing authorization in Europe. With the approval, physicians implanting Portico can benefit from improved delivery, flexibility and navigation during implant, even in complex cardiac anatomies.

08:55 EST Ciena says has no significant exposure to Italy

08:49 EST Ciena says 'confident' in long-term financial targets

08:48 EST Orbit International announces special annual cash dividend of 4c per share - Orbit International announced that its Board of Directors, based on the Company's 2019 financial performance and current financial condition, has declared a special annual cash dividend of 4c per share. In addition, the Company's Board of Directors also declared a quarterly cash dividend of 1c per share. Both declared dividends are payable to shareholders of record as of March 31, 2020 with a payment date of April 7, 2020.

08:48 EST Ciena: Fundamentals of business are 'sound'

08:47 EST Jacobs wins $52M US Navy contract - Jacobs was selected by U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic for base operating support services at naval installations located in Jefferson and Kitsap counties in Washington, referred to as West Sound. The NAVFAC WSBOS contract is effective April 1 and has a negotiated award value of $52.3M with a maximum potential award of $418.9M over an eight-year period of performance, including a 12-month base period and seven, 12-month option periods.

08:46 EST Riot Blockchain says produced 91 newly mined bitcoins in February - During February, the company produced 91 newly mined bitcoins. At the beginning of the month, Riot's mining facility consisted of 2,940 Bitmain S17s and 1,751 S9s. By the end of the month, the company had successfully completed its previously announced upgrades to its mining network, and, as a result, was running 4,000 S17s and no longer operating S9s. These enhancements have resulted in a 147% increase in average daily run rate of bitcoins mined, as compared to the average daily production run rate for the month of December 2019. Future changes in network-wide difficulty rate or hashrate will impact Riot's production of BTC.

08:44 EST Ciena: Better positioned than most to navigate through current challenges - Says "better positioned than most" to navigate through current supply chain challenges caused by the coronavirus.

08:43 EST Shaw Communications announces retirement of president Jay Mehr - Shaw Communications confirmed the substantial completion of its multi-year and enterprise-wide Total Business Transformation announced in February 2018, which was focused on reinventing our operating model to better meet the changing needs and expectations of consumers and businesses. "We are also announcing today the retirement of Jay Mehr, President of Shaw Communications, effective April 9, 2020. On behalf of our Board and our employees, I want to thank Jay for his nearly 25 years of distinguished service at Shaw including playing a pivotal role in the launch of a broad range of successful consumer and business initiatives," CEO Brad Shaw said. "Jay's contributions over the years are too many to fully list and include his leadership in introducing Shaw to Vancouver and the Lower Mainland, building deep strategic relationships with industry-leading partners to gain scale and operational efficiencies, and most recently achieving stability in our Consumer division. Having risen through the ranks, he ensured that the contributions and input from our field, branch and operations staff were recognized and acted upon-a practice that we will carry on." As part of the evolution to deliver integrated connectivity experiences to customers, the company announced the appointment of Paul McAleese to President, Shaw Communications Inc. In his new role, Paul will be responsible for overseeing all sales, marketing, base management and customer facing areas of the business, including both the Wireless and Wireline divisions. Since joining Shaw three years ago, Paul has demonstrated a strong track record of delivering profitable Wireless growth, instilling operational discipline and building high performing teams. The company also confirmed that it remains on track to deliver annualized combined operating and capital savings of approximately $200M. Over 2,900 employees have departed over the last two years as part of this program and the last remaining approximately 200 VDP employee exits will take place over the next two months.

08:37 EST Kroger CEO says 'we are pleased with our 2019 results' - Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen said, "We are pleased with our 2019 results and improving trends in our supermarket business. We delivered on our commitments for ID sales without fuel, adjusted FIFO operating profit, and cost savings in addition to generating over $100 million of incremental operating profit through alternative profit streams in 2019. We also delivered strong adjusted free cash flow during the year, consistent with the total shareholder return model outlined at our Investor Day. More importantly, the way that we delivered the year is consistent with our long-term financial model and sets us up to connect with customers in a deeper way. Restock Kroger is the right strategic framework to position the company for sustainable growth in the future, continue to improve the core business, and deliver strong total shareholder return. This transformational foundation supports our competitive moats today - Fresh, Our Brands and Personalization - as well as building a seamless ecosystem of the future."

08:36 EST Envision Solar announces Rice University deploys EV ARC EV charger - Envision Solar International announced that Rice University in Houston, TX, has become the first location in Texas to deploy the Company's EV ARC EV charging infrastructure product. The EV ARC is being supplied for students, faculty, staff and visitors to advance Rice University's Climate Action Plan.

08:34 EST Portola Pharmaceuticals' Andexxa shows hospitalization cost reduction - New Data Demonstrates Andexxa(R) Can Provide a Net Cost Reduction for the Treatment of Intracranial Hemorrhage Associated with Oral Factor Xa Inhibitors - Analysis Projects Hospital Use of Andexxa with NTAP Reimbursement Can Reduce Cost Per Hospitalization by $5,400 Compared to 4F-PCC - - Data Presented This Week at Emergencies in Medicine Meeting - Portola Pharmaceuticals presented new data demonstrating that using Andexxa to treat patients with intracranial hemorrhage associated with the oral Factor Xa inhibitors apixaban or rivaroxaban is projected to provide a net reduction in costs to an acute care hospital. The data was presented at the Emergencies in Medicine Meeting, which is taking place March 1-6 in Park City, Utah. The analysis compared a clinical scenario with Andexxa to one without it. Key findings from this analysis related to the net cost reduction Andexxa can provide for the treatment of ICH associated with oral Factor Xa inhibitors include: total cost per hospitalization demonstrated a cost reduction of $5,408 with the use of Andexxa. Three additional Portola-sponsored posters were presented at the Emergencies in Medicine Meeting. These retrospective studies demonstrated that the use of 4F-PCC in gastrointestinal bleeding associated with oral Factor Xa inhibitors led to similar lengths of stay and readmission costs, along with a doubling of costs of the index hospital treatment and stay compared to patients not managed with 4F-PCC; the use of 4F-PCC in trauma cases associated with oral Factor Xa inhibitors is associated with a high length of stay and burden for hospitals; and the healthcare economic burden associated with the treatment of major bleeding events associated with oral factor Xa inhibitors is substantial.

08:33 EST Kroger backs FY20 CapEx view $3.2B-$3.4B - Backs FY20: Adjusted free cash flow $1.6B-$1.8B; Share repurchases $500M-$1B; Tax rate 23%.

08:31 EST Kroger reports Q4 identical sales without fuel grew 2.0%, digital sales grew 22%

08:13 EST CTS says coronavirus having 'material unfavorable impact' on Q1 results - CTS Corporation announced today that as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak the Company is assessing the impact on its full year 2020 sales and adjusted diluted EPS guidance provided on February 4, 2020. The company said, "The outbreak is having a material unfavorable impact on our first quarter results. The situation continues to evolve, and we are currently unable to quantify the full year financial impact. Our teams at our China facilities are diligently working to get back to normal operations. However, the potential impact of further outbreaks, logistics, and customer schedules make it difficult to forecast demand."

08:12 EST Outlook Therapeutics announces LYTENAVA as anticipated brand name for ONS-5010 - Outlook Therapeutics announced that it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration tentative approval of the Tradename for ONS-5010 as LYTENAVA. The Tradename is conditionally approved by FDA and will be subject to further review at the time of the Company's planned filing of a new biologics license application with the FDA for LYTENAVA in 2021.

08:11 EST Scynexis announces preclinical data on ibrexafungerp, azoles against aspergillus - SCYNEXIS announced that data from a preclinical study of oral ibrexafungerp in combination with azoles against Aspergillus species isolated from lung transplant recipients were presented at the 9th Advances Against Aspergillosis and Mucormycosis conference on February 27-29, 2020. These in vitro data showed synergistic activity of ibrexafungerp in combination with azoles against Aspergillus isolates. Ibrexafungerp is a broad-spectrum, IV/oral antifungal agent representing a novel therapeutic class, in late stage development for multiple indications, ranging from vaginal yeast infections to life-threatening fungal infections, including invasive aspergillosis. The preclinical study evaluated the in vitro activity of ibrexafungerp, alone or in combination with current azole treatments, against 51 Aspergillus isolates recovered from lung transplant recipients. It demonstrated synergistic activity against the majority of isolates tested, with no antagonistic activity seen when ibrexafungerp was used in combination with current azole-based treatments. The effect of ibrexafungerp on improving azole susceptibility for azole-resistant strains of Aspergillus calidoustus and Aspergillus terreus was particularly noteworthy. These results further confirm ibrexafungerp's potential use in combination with current treatment options for patients suffering from invasive aspergillosis.

08:09 EST Innovation Pharmaceuticals plans for Phase 2 trial of UC treatment - Innovation Pharmaceuticals provided perspectives on its planned Phase 2 clinical trial of Brilacidin in pill form, its defensin mimetic drug candidate with multi-indication potential, as a novel oral medication for the treatment of Ulcerative Colitis. The Company is presently interviewing Contract Research Organizations for site selection with the understanding that the goal is to initiate the trial this summer. Following the completion of a Phase 1 study that showed targeted colonic delivery of Brilacidin via the use of delayed-release formulated tablets, incorporated in the planned Phase 2 study design are elements highlighted below: To assess efficacy and safety of oral Brilacidin in active UC across 6 weeks: Part 1: Multiple Ascending Dose design; low, mid, high doses and placebo; Primary Purpose: to determine multiple dose safety/toleration and exposure in UC patients; Enriched PK collection will determine appropriate dose escalation to next cohort. Part 2: Parallel Design; low, mid, high doses and placebo; Primary purpose to evaluate efficacy signal in UC patients; Efficacy Endpoints include: Clinical remission; Endoscopic remission; Biomarkers; Patient Reported Outcomes. Brilacidin is being developed in pill form as a novel, non-corticosteroid, non-biologic drug capable of treating a continuum of GI diseases, with UC the initial target indication.

08:07 EST ViaSat expands leadership team with three executive hires - Viasat expanded its global leadership team with the addition of Jim Dodd, as president, Global Mobile Solutions; Peter Langkilde, as vice president and Head of Broadband Services for Europe, Middle East and Africa; and Dr. Krishna Nathan, as chief information officer. Jim Dodd joins Viasat as president, Global Mobile Solutions. Prior to Viasat, he held a number of senior-level aviation management and engineering roles at The Boeing Company. Peter Langkilde joins Viasat as vice president and Head of Broadband Services, EMEA. Prior to Viasat, he co-founded Virgin Mobile Middle-East & Africa, Virgin Mobile Latin America as well as Virgin Mobile Central & Eastern Europe. Krishna Nathan joins Viasat as CIO. Prior to Viasat, Krishna was the CIO of S&P Global. Prior to this role, he held various senior leadership and engineering positions at IBM.

08:06 EST Sallie Mae CEO Raymond Quinlan to step down, Jonathan Witter to succeed - Sallie Mae (SLM) announced that effective April 20, Raymond Quinlan will step down from his role as CEO. Jonathan Witter, currently chief customer officer of Hilton (HLT), will succeed Quinlan as CEO and join the company's board. To support with the transition, Quinlan will continue to work with Witter and the company as chairman of the board until Sallie Mae's annual meeting of shareholders, scheduled to take place on June 18. Sallie Mae's board will appoint a new chairman in conjunction with Quinlan's departure from the board on June 18. Witter is an industry veteran who brings nearly three decades of executive leadership, banking expertise and operational management to Sallie Mae. At Hilton, Witter has overseen the company's global brands, marketing, loyalty and partnerships, IT and strategy teams.

08:03 EST Philips launches HealthSuite System of Engagement with AI capabilities - Royal Philips announced the HealthSuite System of Engagement, an integrated, modular set of standards-based capabilities that support the development of digital health propositions, including new capabilities for cloud-based managed AI workflow and DICOM interoperability. In contrast to many 'systems of record', which are typically based on static, siloed files of patient information, the HealthSuite System of Engagement enables patients and all the staff they interact with to better manage the care experience and pathways. By taking a federated approach to data integration, HealthSuite System of Engagement supports healthcare providers in capturing the value of data from across their existing IT infrastructure, reducing complexity for healthcare professionals and opening new opportunities for care innovation. HealthSuite System of Engagement provides capabilities for IoT, Identity and Access Management and HIPAA-compliant Data Management. Deployment models include hosting and operating health applications in the cloud, edge and on-premise. HealthSuite enables clinical and operational data to be federated and shared across systems and solutions from Philips and third parties within the healthcare enterprise. HealthSuite leverages this longitudinally federated data in its intelligence, dynamic workflow and user experience capabilities to allow healthcare providers to unlock the power of data in their Electronic Medical Records and other systems of record in care pathways, connecting users seamlessly with data to provide actionable insights.

08:00 EST Ehang 216 obtains operational permit from Civil Aviation Authority of Norway - EHang Holdings announced that the company obtained operational permit for its two-seater passenger-grade AAV, the EHang 216, from the Civil Aviation Authority of Norway. This is the first operational permit for long term testing flight of EHang 216 in Europe, laying a solid foundation for future urban air mobility operations in other EU countries. After the assessment of test flight plans and contingency plans, the CAA Norway issued an operational permit for EHang 216 to conduct flights together with a local customer for the purpose of testing and certification. According to CAA Norway, it believes the country's geographic conditions suit the testing of unmanned aircraft well. Covered with a long strip of land with abundance of sparsely populated areas and free airspace, the country has started to build a network of small airports since 1960's, connecting most territories throughout the country. For the test flight of EHang 216, CAA Norway looks forward to witnessing it at Elvenes airport. Surrounded by sea on three sides and rich in oil and gas resources, Norway is a big exporter of O&G. According to Norway's 2020 National Budget, its oil industry contributes to 14% of its GDP and one fifth of the national income. In addition, an economic survey by Statistics Norway projected the country's total oil investment to reach $18.3 billion in 2020, accounting for 19% of the nation's total investment. At present, Norwegian offshore drilling platforms are still using helicopters for various transportation tasks such as personnel, spare parts, supplies, and O&G samples, which cost high in fuel and man powers. EHang's networked and intelligent AAV provides a safe, autonomous, and eco-friendly solution, it enables simultaneous control and real-time data exchange of multiple AAV through a command-and-control platform, which not only significantly saves cost in labor, but improves the operational efficiency by providing uninterrupted services 24-hours per day. EHang became a publicly listed company on the Nasdaq Global Market on December 12th, 2019 under the ticker symbol "EH". On January 8, 2020, EHang received the first special flight authorization from the Federal Aviation Administration and conducted its first-ever trial flight of EHang 216 in America.

07:57 EST Arbutus Biopharma expects to complete IND-enabling studies of AB-836 by year-end - AB-836 is an oral HBV capsid inhibitor. HBV core protein assembles into a capsid structure, which is required for viral replication. The current standard-of-care therapy for HBV, primarily nucleoside analogues that work by inhibiting the viral polymerase, significantly reduce virus replication, but not completely. Capsid inhibitors inhibit replication by preventing the assembly of functional viral capsids. They also have been shown to inhibit the uncoating step of the viral life cycle thus reducing the formation of new covalently closed circular DNA , the viral reservoir which resides in the cell nucleus. In January 2020, Arbutus selected AB-836 as its next-generation oral capsid inhibitor. AB-836 is a novel chemical series differentiated from Arbutus' previously discontinued capsid inhibitor candidate, AB-506, and other competitor compounds in the capsid inhibitor space. AB-836 has the potential for increased potency and an enhanced resistance profile compared to AB-506, our previous generation capsid inhibitor that was discontinued in October 2019. Arbutus anticipates completing IND-enabling studies by the end of 2020.

07:55 EST Arbutus Biopharma expects cash to fund operations into mid-2021 - Arbutus ended the year with $90.8 million in cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments which the Company believes is sufficient to fund operations into mid-2021. Arbutus expects to utilize between $54 to $58 million of cash and investments to fund operations in 2020.

07:47 EST Jacobs wins major high-speed rail contract in Sweden - Jacobs was awarded a framework contract by the Swedish Transport Administration to provide strategic consultancy services for the new high-speed railway lines planned between Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmo in Sweden. Jacobs will provide technical advice and services across planning, system, design and delivery of the three ongoing projects. The Swedish Transport Administration is planning to develop new main lines between Stockholm-Malmo and Stockholm-Gothenburg. These initial projects can potentially form part of a 660-kilometer high-speed rail network with a cost estimated at $23.8B by Swedish Transport Administration.

07:45 EST Coherus Biosciences says UDENYCA 'well positioned' to meet market demand - Coherus BioSciences announced its United States manufacturing and distribution is well positioned to ensure uninterrupted availability of UDENYCA for patients. Coherus does not source active pharmaceutical ingredients for UDENYCA from China, or India, and its manufacturing site in Boulder, Colorado has not been impacted by coronavirus. "UDENYCA's current inventory of over 300,000 syringes and ongoing manufacturing efforts will ensure supply continuity for the foreseeable future, even in increased demand scenarios," commented Vince Anicetti, Chief Operations Officer of Coherus. "Reliable, high-quality supply is a key enabler to our mission of increasing patient access and delivering savings to the healthcare system. Our made-in-America supply chain will continue to meet the needs of patients at this critical time when availability of important medicines may be at risk due to the coronavirus outbreak."

07:42 EST Amplify Energy sees Q1 total production of 27.2-30.1 MBoe/d

07:41 EST Amplify Energy sees 2020 capital program between $40M-$52M

07:38 EST Exxon Mobil provides update on long-term strategy - ExxonMobil continues to make progress on the company's long-term growth plans by investing through the commodity price cycle to capture high-value opportunities and grow earnings and cash flow potential. "We are effectively executing our growth strategy that will lead to sustained improvement in shareholder value," Darren Woods, ExxonMobil chairman and CEO, said at the company's annual investor day at the New York Stock Exchange. "Using the strength of our balance sheet to invest through the cycle is a key element of our strategy. We are taking advantage of a favorable cost environment and investing in advantaged projects - underpinned by the long-term fundamentals of growing demand. The strength of our portfolio and our financial capacity enable us to continuously evaluate our priorities and the pace of investments while preserving value, which is critical in current market conditions and near decade-low commodity prices and margins." Woods told investors that ExxonMobil is planning capital expenditures of between $30B-$35B annually through 2025, consistent with previous guidance. For 2020, the company anticipates an investment level of up to $33B, depending on the progress of individual projects. In Guyana, the estimated gross recoverable resource from the Stabroek Block increased to more than 8B oil-equivalent barrels, in part as a result of six additional discoveries made in 2019 and 2020. ExxonMobil and its partners started production of oil at the Liza field in December 2019, less than five years after the first discovery of hydrocarbons and years ahead of industry average. Production in Guyana is expected to reach more than 750,000 gross barrels of oil per day by 2025. In the Permian Basin, production volumes increased and remain on track to exceed 1 million oil-equivalent barrels per day by 2024. A capital-efficient development approach is being applied at scale, differentiating ExxonMobil from its competition. The process, known as cube development, accesses multiple shale layers simultaneously, saving money, maximizing value of resources and reducing surface footprint. The company emphasized it is evaluating the pace of near-term development activities in response to market conditions, and can do so while preserving value. Permian well cost and performance continues to improve and future growth will be supported by integrated infrastructure capacity expansions at the company's Gulf Coast refineries and petrochemical operations.

07:35 EST CareDx announces launch of KIRA immuno-optimization study - CareDx announces its presence at the Cutting Edge of Transplantation Meeting March 5-7, 2020 in Phoenix, Arizona. CareDx is prominently featured in a lunch symposium on Friday, March 6, 2020 at CEOT. Matt Weir, MD, University of Maryland and Tarek Alhamed, MD, Barnes Jewish, will be presenting the recent AJT publication showing AlloSure is the only dd-cfDNA test that is proven to differentiate ambiguous rejections. Robert Montgomery, MD, NYU Langone, will be announcing the KidneyCare Immuno-optimization for Renal Allografts study. Arjang Djamali, MD, University of Wisconsin, Gaurav Gupta, MD, VCU, and Mark Lerman, MD, Medical City Dallas will be sharing case studies from their clinical experiences with AlloSure.

07:34 EST Evelo Biosciences announces issuance of patent covering bifidobacterium strain - Evelo Biosciences announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued U.S. Patent No. 10,576,111, entitled "Method of treating cancer using Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis strain PTA-125097." The Evelo-owned patent covers the use of a proprietary Bifidobacterium strain for the treatment of cancer, including use in combination with anti-PD-1 antibodies and other checkpoint inhibitors, and is relevant to the Company's ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial in oncology.

07:30 EST Hill International selected by Casa dos Ventos for wind farm projects - Hill International announced that it has been selected by Casa dos Ventos to provide owner's engineering and construction management services for the construction of two wind farms: Rio do Vento Phase 2 and Babilonia Sul. Rio do Vento Phase 2 will be located in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, where Hill already supports Casa dos Ventos with another wind farm that is currently under construction. The total investment for Rio do Vento Phase 2 will be approximately $600M and it will have an installed capacity of about 500 MW. Casa dos Ventos will also build a collector substation of 34.5 kV/500 kV and 24 km of transmission lines. Operations at this wind farm are expected to begin in December 2022. Babilonia Sul will be located in the municipalities of Morro do Chapeu and Varzea Nova in Bahia. This $420M wind farm will have an installed capacity of about 400 MW. Babilonia Sul will include a collector substation of 34.5 kV/230 kV and 31 km of transmission lines. Operations are expected to begin in June 2023.

07:28 EST Trevena expects cash, cash equivalents to fund requirements into 1Q21 - The Company announced that it is updating and extending its cash runway guidance. Cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities were approximately $35.8 million as of December 31, 2019, which the Company believes will be sufficient to fund the Company's operating expenses, debt service, and capital expenditure requirements into the first quarter of 2021.

07:26 EST Axsome Therapeutics promotes Mark Jacobson to COO - Axsome Therapeutics announced the appointment of Mark Jacobson as COO. In this new role, Mr. Jacobson will oversee the day-to-day operations of the company, including aspects of research and development, manufacturing, program management, and corporate development. Jacobson has been a member of the Axsome team since April 2014, and has served as SVP, Operations since September 2017.

07:25 EST BioCryst begins PoC trial in PNH patients with BCX9930 - BioCryst Pharmaceuticals announced the first patients have been dosed with BCX9930 in a proof of concept trial in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. These patients were naive to eculizumab and ravulizumab. BCX9930 is an oral Factor D inhibitor discovered and developed by BioCryst for the treatment of complement-mediated diseases. The company expects to report data from the proof of concept study in PNH patients in the second quarter of 2020. Because Factor D is essential for alternative pathway overactivity in PNH, and all other complement diseases of the alternative pathway, successful proof of concept data with BCX9930 would enable BioCryst to advance the program across other target indications.

07:23 EST Fastenal reports February sales up 4.7% to $431.23M - Fastenal reports February net sales of $431.23M, up 4.7% compared to the same month of 2019. Reports February daily sales of $21.56M, up 4.7% year-over-year. Reference Link

07:22 EST BioCryst sees FY20 net operating cash use $125M-$150M - BioCryst expects full year 2020 net operating cash use to be in the range of $125 to $150 million, and its operating expenses to be in the range of $135 to $160 million. The company's operating expense range excludes equity-based compensation expense due to the difficulty in reliably projecting this expense, as it is impacted by the volatility and price of the company's stock, as well as by the vesting of the company's outstanding performance-based stock options.

07:20 EST BioCryst in talks on whether galidesivir could be useful for coronavirus - Galidesivir is a broad-spectrum antiviral currently being developed in a Phase 2 clinical trial under contracts with the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Galidesivir has been shown to be active against more than 20 RNA viruses in nine different families, including coronaviruses. In Phase 1 trials in healthy volunteers, galidesivir was generally safe and well tolerated. The company is in active dialogue with relevant U.S. public health authorities as they assess potential approaches to treat and prevent COVID-19, and whether galidesivir could be useful.

07:14 EST Southwest has experienced 'significant decline' in demand in recent days

07:13 EST DPW Holdings reports $46M in backlog, provides business update - DPW Holdings presented at the LD Micro Third Annual Virtual Conference an overview of DPW and its subsidiaries, discussed the company's goals for 2020 and disclosed the company's total backlog as of February 29, 2020 was $65M, including $46M in related party backlog. The orders are expected to be shipped over the next six months. The recent orders include an order from a new defense customer for a full custom designed product for a military lightweight and compact uninterruptable power supply to power mission-critical and tactical communication systems for combat field deployment. Another recent order is for a power system designed to power optical transport systems used in broadband networks in addition to some other custom solution orders Coolisys has recently received. The company's global defense business, Gresham Worldwide, received a $1.4M order from a defense and aerospace customer of its wholly owned subsidiary, Enertec Systems. DPW's CEO and Chairman, Milton Ault, III said, "Our recently announced $7.7M exchange agreement provides a path to an improved capital structure and enables management to focus on the many opportunities we have to grow our business. We are committed to providing additional financial resources to enable Coolisys, Enertec and our other subsidiaries to expand."

07:13 EST Ra Medical Systems announces NYSE acceptance of compliance plan - Ra Medical Systems announces that the New York Stock Exchange has accepted the company's business plan to regain compliance with the NYSE continued listing standards.

07:10 EST Luokung Technology's future acquisition EMG enters partnership with Continental - Luokung Technology announced that eMapgo Technologies, or EMG, has entered into strategic partnership with Continental Holding China, the subsidiary of automotive technology company Continental AG. Luokung is in the process of the closing of the 100% acquisition of EMG. EMG will provide Continental with legally compliant map data in China, a variety of general and customized functional services, including a fleet visualized management solution for its connected vehicle platform. The two parties have determined to cooperate in various forms in smart logistics (commercial vehicle), smart city scene application, and connected vehicle platform in the future.

07:07 EST Fulcrum Therapeutics expects cash to fund requirements into 3Q21 - As of December 31, 2019, cash and cash equivalents were $96.7 million, as compared to $72.8 million as of December 31, 2018. Based on its current plans, the Company expects that its existing cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to enable it to fund its operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements into the third quarter of 2021.

07:04 EST Calumet Specialty Products sees FY20 CapEx $80M-$90M - Included in the forecast is maintenance capital, expected turnaround activity and smaller growth capital projects. The Partnership recently provided an update for Phase II of its self-help program that was originally launched in early 2019. Phase II remains on track to deliver the $100M of incremental Adjusted EBITDA by year-end 2021. Management expects to deliver approximately $40M of incremental Adjusted EBITDA in 2020. Half, or approximately $20M, will come from Specialty Products growth initiatives, including two debottlenecking projects, further rationalization and replacement of low margin tolling agreements, and additional finished lubricant expansion projects. The other half, or roughly $20M, will come from an expense reduction plan designed to right-size General and Administrative spending. The Partnership is expected to incur approximately $10M in one-time costs in 2020 to implement this expense reduction plan.

07:02 EST Cato Corp. reports February SSS down 3% y-o-y - Cato Corporation reported sales for the four weeks ended February 29, 2020 of $57.3M, a 3% decrease compared to sales of $59.1M for the four week period ended March 2, 2019. Same-store sales for the month decreased 3% from the prior year. During the month of February, the company opened fifteen stores, relocated one store and closed two. As of February 29, 2020, the Company operated 1,294 stores in 31 states, compared to 1,308 stores in 31 states as of March 2, 2019.

06:56 EST Encompass Health plans to build 40-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital - Encompass Health announced its plans to build a freestanding, 40-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital on Millicent Way in Shreveport, Louisiana. Complementing local acute care services, the hospital, which is expected to open in the summer of 2021, will care for patients recovering from a variety of debilitating illnesses and injuries including strokes and other neurological disorders, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations and complex orthopedic conditions. It offers physical, occupational and speech therapies as well as 24-hour nursing care that aim to restore functional ability and quality of life.

06:55 EST Mallinckrodt announces publication of Acthar Gel with IgAN data - Mallinckrodt announced publication of findings from a prospective, open-label pilot study to assess the efficacy and safety of Acthar Gel in patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy, or IgAN, at high risk of chronic kidney disease progression. The study was published in Kidney International Reports, the journal of the International Society of Nephrology. IgAN, also known as Berger's disease, is a kidney disease that occurs when IgA deposits build up in the kidneys, causing inflammation that damages kidney tissues. Acthar Gel is indicated to induce a diuresis or a remission of proteinuria in nephrotic syndrome without uremia of the idiopathic type or that due to lupus erythematosus. The study demonstrated a significant reduction in 24-hour urinary protein from mean 2.6 to 1.3 g at 12-month follow-up after being treated with Acthar Gel. Following treatment with Acthar Gel, patients had stable eGFR, a measure for kidney function. Eight patients achieved partial remission, or PR. There were no complete remissions. Of the eight patients who achieved PR, seven had proteinuria less than 1 g at 12 months, with a median 24-hour urinary protein of 625 mg. Fifty-three adverse events, or AEs, were reported, including six infections that were treated effectively with anti-infectives. No serious AEs were reported and no patients developed hyperglycemia.

06:54 EST Kontoor Brands sees FY20 gross margin 41%-41.5% - FY20 cash flow from operations is expected to be greater than $325M, with significant financial flexibility in support of continued aggressive debt paydown, superior dividend payments and the funding of capital expenditures and implementation costs related to a new global ERP system and information technology infrastructure.

06:50 EST Cincinnati Bell amends Brookfield Infrastructure definitive merger agreement - Cincinnati Bell (CBB) announced that it has amended its definitive merger agreement with Brookfield Infrastructure (BIP) and its institutional partners to increase the consideration payable to holders of outstanding shares of Cincinnati Bell common stock to $14.50 per share in cash from $13.50 per share in cash, which values the transaction at approximately $2.849B, including debt. The revised transaction price represents an 88% premium to the closing per share price of $7.72 on December 20, 2019, the last trading day prior to the date when the merger agreement was entered into. This increased price, coupled with Brookfield's 100% equity-backed transaction, represents the best value currently available to Cincinnati Bell shareholders. Cincinnati Bell and Brookfield negotiated the amendment following the receipt by Cincinnati Bell on March 4 of a binding proposal from Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets to acquire all outstanding shares of Cincinnati Bell common stock for $14.50 per share. Cincinnati Bell's board, in consultation with its legal and financial advisors, carefully reviewed the terms of the proposal and the amended Brookfield transaction and determined that entering into the amendment to the Brookfield merger agreement was in the best interests of Cincinnati Bell and its shareholders. Cincinnati Bell's board approved the amended merger agreement and recommends that Cincinnati Bell's shareholders vote in favor of adopting the amended Brookfield merger agreement. In the amendment, in consideration for the increased purchase price, the break-up fee payable by Cincinnati Bell in certain circumstances has increased from $23.1M to $24.8M. All other terms of the Brookfield merger agreement remain the same, including Cincinnati Bell's right to specific performance to force Brookfield to close the transaction if all closing conditions are met irrespective of the availability of any debt financing. The transaction is subject to certain customary closing conditions, including the approval by Cincinnati Bell's shareholders, expiration or termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 and certain regulatory approvals, and is expected to close by the end of 2020.

06:48 EST BJ's Wholesale sees FY20 adjusted EBITDA $595M-$625M - Sees FY20 CapEx $200M-$220M; Tax rate 26%-28%.

06:38 EST Crescent Point Energy sees FY20 average production of 140,000-144,000 boe/d

06:35 EST Diamond S Shipping authorizes $50M share repurchase program - Diamond S Shipping approved a share repurchase program, providing the company with authorization to repurchase up to $50M of shares of the company's common stock, effective for a period of one year. As of the date hereof, the company has not purchased any shares under the share repurchase program.

06:34 EST Optinose expects FY20 XHANCE net revenues 'to more than double' over FY19 - The company expects XHANCE net revenues for the full year of 2020 to more than double compared to the full year 2019. This includes the company's expectation that first quarter 2020 XHANCE net revenue will decrease compared to fourth quarter 2019. The primary driver of the sequential decrease to revenue is the company's expectation that XHANCE average net revenue per prescription for the first quarter of 2020 will be between $120 and $140, due to typical early-year effects on price and volume related to patient insurance that the company believes are common for chronic treatments that derive a significant proportion of total prescriptions from refills. The company expects XHANCE average net revenue per prescription to improve substantially for the remainder of 2020. FY20 revenue consensus $77.05M.

06:27 EST Crescent Point Energy to implement NCIB for up to 7% of public float - Crescent Point Energy announced the Toronto Stock Exchange has accepted its notice to implement a normal course issuer bid, or NCIB, to purchase, for cancellation, up to 36,884,438 common shares, or 7% of the company's public float, as at February 28. The NCIB is scheduled to commence on March 9 and is due to expire on March 8, 2021.Purchases of Crescent Point's common shares under the NCIB may be made through the facilities of the TSX, the New York Stock Exchange and alternative trading systems by means of open market transactions or by such other means as may be permitted by the Canadian Securities Administrators and under applicable securities laws, including by private agreement pursuant to issuer bid exemption orders issued by applicable securities regulatory authorities.

06:21 EST HP Inc. rejects unsolicited exchange offer from Xerox

06:18 EST Colony Capital shareholder Blackwells calls for CEO removal in open letter - Colony Capital shareholder Blackwells Capital, an alternative investment management firm with ownership representing an approximately 2% interest in Colony Capital, issued an open letter to the company's Board of Directors. Blackwells called on the Board to "urgently intervene to stop the ruinous leadership, lack of accountability, poor governance and haphazard corporate strategy that has destroyed more than $7B in shareholder's equity value under Executive Chairman Thomas J. Barrack and the current Board". Blackwells will nominate five candidates for election to Colony's board at the upcoming 2020 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. Blackwells considers the company's share price decline "an urgent concern for the current Board". Jason Aintabi, Chief Investment Officer of Blackwells, responded, "Colony shareholders have endured 'short-term pain,' as Mr. Barrack calls it, continuously for five years as Colony has destroyed nearly $7B in shareholder equity. Colony's performance during this time ranks it among the worst performing REITs globally". For over 18 months, Blackwells has been an investor in Colony. After the company refused to make any meaningful changes necessary to close the value gap, in November 2019 Blackwells announced the step of nominating five independent professional to the Colony Board. In this letter to the Colony Board, Blackwells renewed its demand that the incumbent Board "take decisive action to realize the full value of Colony Capital for its shareholders, including appointing shareholder-selected directors".

06:14 EST JinkoSolar Chairman to purchase 200,000 ADSs - JinkoSolar announced that Xiande Li, Chairman of JinkoSolar's Board of Directors, has informed the company of his intention to use personal funds to purchase 200,000 American depositary shares of JinkoSolar by March 31.

06:09 EST STMicroelectronics to acquire majority stake in Exagan, terms not disclosed - STMicroelectronics announced it has signed an agreement to acquire a majority stake in French Gallium Nitride innovator Exagan. Exagan will continue to execute its product roadmap and will be supported by ST in the deployment of its products. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed and closing of the acquisition remains subject to customary regulatory approvals from French authorities. The signed agreement also provides for the acquisition by ST of the remaining minority stake in Exagan 24 months after the closing of the acquisition of the majority stake. The transaction is funded with available cash.

05:58 EST Vipshop CEO says seeing 'some short-term impact' from coronavirus - Eric Shen, Chairman and CEO of Vipshop, stated, "We are delighted to have finished the year of 2019 with strong financial results and operating performance. Specifically, our total active customers for the fourth quarter of 2019 maintained a robust year-over-year growth rate of 19%, and our annual active customers for the year of 2019 reached 69.0 million. During the fourth quarter of 2019, we discontinued our delivery unit operated by Pinjun, which has and will continue to save significant delivery cost for the Company. In addition, now our customers are able to enjoy the superior delivery services offered by SF Holding. Although our business is experiencing some short-term impact from the novel coronavirus outbreak, we are fully confident in the long-term potential of the Chinese economy and the growth opportunities in China's discount retail segment. Looking ahead, we remain committed to the execution of our merchandising strategy, providing diversified solutions for our suppliers to monetize their inventory while offering deep value to our customers." Donghao Yang, CFO of Vipshop, further commented, "In the fourth quarter of 2019, we delivered healthy topline growth and extraordinary profitability, even including one-time expenses related to the discontinuation of our delivery unit Pinjun. Our core business is highly profitable, driven by the high margin apparel category. During the fourth quarter of 2019, apparel-related categories contributed to over 70% of our total GMV. Going forward, we will continue to balance our top- and bottom-line, investing to grow our business while maintaining healthy margins."

05:49 EST Meet Group to be acquired by NuCom Group for $6.30 per share in cash - The Meet Group announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by ProSiebenSat.1's and General Atlantic's joint company NuCom Group in an all cash transaction for $6.30 per fully diluted share representing an enterprise value of approximately $500M. Together with NuCom Group's portfolio company Parship Group, a matchmaking platform with its brands Parship, Elite Partner and eharmony, The Meet Group will become an integral part of a global leader in the online dating and social entertainment sector. After careful and thorough review, and following consultation with The Meet Group's financial and legal advisors, the transaction was unanimously approved by The Meet Group's board of directors. The purchase price represents a 30% and 43% premium to the unaffected 30 and 60 trading day volume weighted average price, respectively, to The Meet Group's common stock through December 13, 2019, the last trading day prior to published market speculation regarding a potential transaction involving the company. The transaction, which is expected to close in the 2nd half of 2020, is subject to approval by The Meet Group's stockholders, along with the satisfaction of customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, including the expiration or early termination of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, antitrust approvals in Germany and Austria as well as approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. The Meet Group expects to hold a special meeting of its stockholders to consider and vote on the transaction as soon as feasible after the mailing of the proxy statement to shareholders.