Stockwinners Market Radar for March 10, 2020 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:26 EDT Solar Capital CEO buys 47K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Solar Capital disclosed that its CEO Michael Gross bought 47K shares of common stock on March 6-10th. The total transaction size was over $820K.

18:44 EDT DexCom CEO: Things continue to go very well at the company - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, DexCom CEO Kevin Sayer said, "The features of our product are much different than our competitors. We are at the start of a revolution in diabetes management."

18:27 EDT Kosmos CEO buys 300K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Kosmos disclosed that its CEO Andrew Inglis bought 300K shares of common stock on March 10th. The total transaction size was $318K.

18:00 EDT Switch CEO sells 94K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Switch disclosed that its CEO Rob Roy sold 94K shares of common stock on March 6th. The total transaction size was $1.33M.

17:45 EDT L3Harris Technologies awarded $383.25M Navy contract - L3 Harris Technologies was awarded a $383.25M firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the purchase of radio systems with National Security Agency certified Type 1 encryption, radio ancillaries, provisioning kits and required documentation for the procured high frequency radio systems. Work will be performed in Rochester, New York. The proposed contract will provide for the procurement of L3 Harris portable HF receiver transmitters; vehicle-based HF systems; transit case HF systems; their ancillary components and instructor training for the program manager of communications systems. Work is expected to be complete by March 2025. FY20 procurement funds in the amount of $89.26M will be obligated on the first delivery order immediately following contract award. Funds will not expire at the end of current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured and was prepared in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1 and 10 U.S. Code 2304. The Marine Corps Systems Command is the contracting activity.

17:22 EDT BlueLinx CFO Susan O'Farrell to retire, Kelly Janzen to succeed - BlueLinx announced that Susan O'Farrell, its Senior Vice President, CFO, and Treasurer, will be retiring after 35 years of work, including almost six years in her role with the company. O'Farrell will remain with the company until April 12, and will help prepare for and assist with transitioning her role. The company also announced that Kelly Janzen will join the company as its Senior Vice President, CFO, and Treasurer, effective April 13. Janzen will be based out of the company's headquarters in Marietta, Georgia. Janzen brings over 25 years of experience in various financial roles, most recently as the Chief Accounting Officer of WestRock Company.

17:21 EDT KAR Auction CEO buys 59.2K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, KAR Auction disclosed that its CEO James Hallett bought 59,255 shares of common stock on March 9th. The total transaction size was $1.0M.

17:16 EDT WideOpenWest announces departure of CFO Rich Fish - WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone announced Rich Fish, CFO, will leave the company effective April 1. A search for a new CFO is currently underway and his duties will be assumed on an interim basis by senior officers of the company's finance department.

17:08 EDT VeriSign announces Q4 increase of 2.4M domain name registrations - VeriSign announced that the fourth quarter of 2019 closed with 362.3 million domain name registrations across all top-level domains (TLDs), an increase of 2.4 million domain name registrations, or 0.7 percent, compared to the third quarter of 2019. Domain name registrations have grown by 13.5 million, or 3.9 percent, year over year.The .com and .net TLDs had a combined total of 158.8 million domain name registrations in the domain name base at the end of the fourth quarter of 2019, an increase of 1.5 million domain name registrations, or 0.9 percent, compared to the third quarter of 2019. The .com and .net TLDs had a combined increase of 5.9 million domain name registrations, or 3.9 percent, year over year. As of Dec. 31, 2019, the .com domain name base totaled 145.4 million domain name registrations, and the .net domain name base totaled 13.4 million domain name registrations. New .com and .net domain name registrations totaled 10.3 million at the end of the fourth quarter of 2019, compared to 9.5 million domain name registrations at the end of the fourth quarter of 2018.

17:07 EDT Phio Pharmaceuticals reaches new agreement with Medigene - Phio Pharmaceuticals announced that it has reached a new agreement with Medigene AG in relation to Phio Pharmaceuticals' previously announced research collaboration in August 2019 with the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen to design and develop novel candidates for the use of INTASYL compounds in adoptive cell therapy to enhance immune cell function. Under the terms of the new agreement, Medigene will contribute expertise regarding clinical development as well as proprietary research material and has an option to an exclusive license for the clinical and/or commercial exploitation of the potential immune cell enhancers against certain fee payments. "We are pleased that Medigene will be contributing to our research alliance with the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen," said Dr. Gerrit Dispersyn, President and CEO of Phio. "The breadth of the INTASYL platform and the compound's capability to augment the anti-tumor effectiveness of various cell-based approaches are key differentiators of the platform, and Medigene's clinical development experience with personalized T cell therapies will be helpful in our efforts to identify potential new targets and therapies that INTASYL can enhance. The capabilities that Medigene will bring to the collaboration will be additive to the ongoing research efforts we have undertaken with Prof. Dr. Elfriede Nossner and her team at the Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen as we remain committed to exploring and identifying novel targets to strengthen our immuno-oncology product candidate portfolio."

17:04 EDT Frontdoor appoints Jason Marshall as CMO - Frontdoor announced Jason Marshall, formerly the CMO of Porch.com, was named Frontdoor's new CMO. He will report to Frontdoor president and CEO Rex Tibbens.

17:01 EDT Investar Holding announces additional 300,000 share repurchase program - Investar Holding announced that the Board of Directors has approved another 300,000 shares of the company's common stock for repurchase under a stock repurchase program, in addition to 1,229 shares remaining under the current repurchase program. The additional shares authorized for repurchase represent approximately 3% of the company's outstanding common stock. Recent stock buyback activity includes 325,105 shares that were repurchased by the company during the first quarter of 2020 at an average price of $20.35. The repurchase program, which has no expiration date, may be suspended or terminated at any time.

16:49 EDT Scorpio Bulkers to sell three vessels in combined $53.5M deal - Scorpio Bulkers announced that the company has entered into agreements with unaffiliated third parties to sell the SBI Jaguar and SBI Taurus, 2014 and 2015 built Ultramax vessels, respectively, and the SBI Bolero, a 2015 built Kamsarmax vessel, for approximately $53.5M in aggregate. None of the three vessels have been fitted with scrubbers. Delivery of the vessels is expected to take place between March and May of 2020. It is estimated that the company's liquidity will increase by approximately $18.3M after the repayment of outstanding debt.

16:44 EDT Vivint Solar falls 9% to $8.75 after Q4 results miss estimates

16:34 EDT KKR Real Estate Finance names Matt Salem as new CEO - KKR Real Estate Finance announced that Matt Salem was named sole CEO of KREF. Chris Lee will continue to be actively involved with the company and has been nominated for election to the Board of Directors of KREF as Vice Chairman at its upcoming shareholders meeting scheduled for April 27, 2020. In addition, KREF announced that Patrick Mattson, Chief Operating Officer of KREF, will be promoted and take on the additional role of President, and Vincent Napolitano will assume the role of Secretary. Mostafa Nagaty will continue to serve as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of KREF. The leadership transitions will be effective immediately with the exception of Chris Lee's role as Vice Chairman of the KREF board, which is subject to shareholder approval at the annual shareholders meeting.

16:32 EDT Gladstone announces $30.3M industrial acquisition in Crandall, GA - Gladstone Commercial announced that it acquired a 504,400 square foot industrial distribution center in Crandall, GA for $30.3 million on March 9, 2020. The initial capitalization rate for the acquisition was 6.3%, with an average capitalization rate of 6.9%. The property is 100% leased to Haier US Appliance Solutions, a wholly-owned subsidiary of worldwide appliance leader Haier Smart Home. Constructed in 2020 as a build-to-suit with ten and one-half (10.5) years of remaining lease term, the tenant utilizes the property to import and distribute appliance components through the Appalachian Regional Port via rail from the Port of Savannah. The acquisition is consistent with Gladstone Commercial's growth strategy of acquiring high-quality, mission-critical assets with credit-worthy tenants. "The acquisition of the Haier facility continues our strategic expansion into our targeted growth locations. The facility serves as the Tenant's core import and distribution facility for its nearby manufacturing facilities across the south. The investment is a great addition to our portfolio, improving the weighted average lease term and increasing the allocation of high-quality industrial properties" said Buzz Cooper, Senior Managing Director for Gladstone Commercial. "Further, it kicks off Gladstone Commercial's inland port initiative." Bob Cutlip, President of Gladstone Commercial, agreed, "This transaction promotes our strategy of increasing our allocation to industrial buildings in strong growth corridors over the next few years and we are excited to add to the portfolio with high quality real estate occupied by a credit-worthy tenant."

16:31 EDT Panhandle Oil & Gas CFO Winfield resigns - Panhandle Oil & Gas announced that Robb P. Winfield, Vice President, CFO, Controller and Corporate Secretary, resigned from his positions on March 9, 2020, effective immediately. Winfield has served as Panhandle's Controller since February 2008 and, from March 2009 through December 2016, also held the position of Chief Accounting Officer. He was named Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Controller on Jan. 1, 2017. In connection with Winfield's departure, the company's board of directors appointed Ralph D'Amico as the company's Chief Financial Officer, effective March 9, 2020. Mr. D'Amico currently serves as the company's Vice President, Corporate Development and Investor Relations, a position he has held since joining the company on Jan. 2, 2019. In addition to assuming the position of Chief Financial Officer of the company, D'Amico will continue to serve the company as Vice President, Corporate Development and Investor Relations.

16:28 EDT Invitae to acquire YouScript for approximately $79.3M and Genelex - Invitae Announced it has entered into definitive agreements to acquire YouScript, a privately held clinical decision support and analytics platform, and Genelex, a privately held pharmacogenetic testing company, to bring best-in-class pharmacogenetic testing, and robust, integrated clinical decision support to Invitae. Pharmacogenetic testing evaluates genetic variations that can impact how an individual responds to prescription medication. "Adding pharmacogenetics to Invitae's services enables us to offer greater value to our existing customers and helps us expand into new customer types and clinical areas," said Sean George, co-founder and chief executive officer of Invitae. "Despite its broad utility, the incorporation of pharmacogenetic information into routine medical care has been slow. We believe that Invitae's business model and technological capabilities, combined with an offering designed for ease of use in supporting clinical care, can accelerate the use of pharmacogenetic information. This is an exciting next step in our mission to bring comprehensive genetic information into mainstream medical care." Under the definitive agreements, Invitae will acquire YouScript for approximately $79.3M, subject to certain adjustments, consisting of $25M in cash and the remaining in Invitae common stock, based upon a trailing average trading price as of the agreement date, and Invitae will acquire Genelex for approximately $20.7M in upfront shares of Invitae common stock plus additional shares of Invitae common stock in the event that certain milestones are achieved. The acquisitions are expected to close in the coming weeks, pending customary closing conditions. The acquisitions are not expected to materially change previously shared guidance on revenue and volume for 2020.

16:24 EDT DXC Technology to sell State & Local HHS business to Veritas for $5B - DXC Technology announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its U.S. State and Local Health and Human Services business to Veritas Capital, the leading investor in government and healthcare technology businesses, for $5B in cash. The sale is the initial outcome of a process announced by DXC in November 2019 to explore strategic alternatives for three of its non-core assets. The transaction is expected to close no later than December 2020, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including the receipt of certain third-party consents and regulatory approvals. The sale is not subject to any financing condition or shareholder approval. The sale represents a transaction value of approximately 3.5 times trailing twelve-month sales of $1.4B, reflecting the strength of DXC's market-leading state health business. The after-tax proceeds from this transaction are expected to be used to pay down debt, consistent with DXC's policy of maintaining a strong balance sheet and an investment grade credit profile. DXC Technology's U.S. State and Local Health and Human Services business is an end-to-end provider of technology enabled, mission critical solutions that are fundamental to the administration and operations of health programs throughout the United States. Known for its reliable delivery of highly complex systems for public sector clients, the business facilitates performance efficiencies and improved outcomes for a wide range of stakeholders in the healthcare ecosystem. Following the transaction close, DXC will retain its remaining healthcare practice, servicing customers across the healthcare continuum, including payers, providers and life sciences firms.

16:20 EDT Artisan Partners reports AUM $111.7B as of February 29 - Artisan Partners Asset Management reported that its assets under management as of February 29 totaled $111.7B. Separate accounts accounted for $58.8B of total firm AUM.

16:18 EDT Cloudera up 15% to $9.04 after Q4 results top estimates - The company also gave strong guidance for Q1, FY21.

16:15 EDT Equity Commonwealth announces $150M share repurchase authorization - Equity Commonwealth announced that its Board of Trustees authorized the repurchase of an additional $150M of its outstanding common shares over the next 12 months under the company's existing share repurchase program. The prior $150M authorization will expire on March 13, 2020.

16:12 EDT Cloudera announces $100M share repurchase program - No time limit was set for the completion of the repurchase program, and the program may be suspended or discontinued at any time. Cloudera currently expects to fund the repurchase program using Cloudera's cash balance.

16:11 EDT Alaska Communications announces one-time dividend of 9c per share

16:09 EDT Sophiris Bio announces Nasdaq delisting - Sophiris Bio announced that on March 10, the Nasdaq Office of General Counsel notified the company that the Nasdaq Hearing Panel had determined to delist the company's shares from The Nasdaq Stock Market, and that trading in the company's common shares will be suspended effective at the open of business on March 12. Nasdaq will thereafter file a Form 25 with the SEC to effect the formal delisting of the company's common stock following the expiration of all applicable Nasdaq procedures. Sophiris expects its common stock to be eligible for trading on the OTCQB also effective with the open of business on March 12, and to continue to trade under the symbol "SPHS".

16:08 EDT Vivint Solar sees Q1 cost per Watt $3.68-$3.75 - Sees Q1 MW Installed 57MWs-60MWs.

16:08 EDT Reliant Bancorp announces $15M share repurchase plan - Reliant Bancorp announced that its board of directors has authorized a stock repurchase plan pursuant to which Reliant may repurchase up to $15 million of Reliant's outstanding common stock. Shares of Reliant common stock may be repurchased from time to time at prevailing market prices, through open market or privately negotiated transactions, or otherwise, depending upon market conditions. The Reliant board of directors authorized the repurchase plan to run through December 31, 2020, unless the entire amount of shares authorized to be repurchased has been acquired before that date.

16:06 EDT Korn/Ferry says ' too difficult to accurately assess' impact of coronavirus - The company said, "The uncertainty caused by the coronavirus, primarily due to the largescale efforts being taken to contain its continued spread and the number of conflicting and rapidly changing datapoints regarding the impact of the virus on society, has clouded the near-term predictability of our business. In recent weeks and days, out of an abundance of caution, select governments and companies have implemented social distancing - limiting either travel or in person individual or group face-to-face interaction. The extent to which further, incremental measures are put in place or additional authoritative bodies adopt such measures is a major unknown. The measures taken to date will most certainly impact our business for the fiscal fourth quarter and potentially beyond and due to the rapidly changing nature of this crisis, combined with the lack of visibility with respect to further measures to be taken, it is too difficult for us to accurately assess and quantify the impact at this point. Consequently, we will not be issuing any specific revenue and earnings guidance for the fourth quarter. We will reassess the suspension of our guidance once we are comfortable that the coronavirus uncertainties have passed."

16:06 EDT NuCana reports preliminary data from study of NUC-1031 in ovarian cancer - NuCana announced preliminary results from part one of the Phase II study of single-agent Acelarin in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, PRO-105. This part of the study compared a 500mg/m2 dose of Acelarin versus a 750mg/m2 dose of Acelarin in patients who were heavily pre-treated, at least 3 prior lines of chemotherapy. This study is now closed to recruitment and data analysis from part one of the study is ongoing. Forty-five patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer were evaluable for response and all responses had confirmatory scans. Based on an assessment by blinded independent central review, one patient achieved a complete response and two patients achieved partial responses. In addition, 16 patients achieved stable disease. Patients who entered PRO-105 were heavily pre-treated, having received a median of five prior lines of treatment, and 72% had at least one comorbidity at study entry. Highlighting the fragility of this difficult-to-treat patient population, 45% of patients did not complete the first cycle of treatment with Acelarin despite not having any disease progression or any serious Grade 3 or 4 adverse events. However, for 23 patients in the study who received two or more cycles of Acelarin, the confirmed response rate was 13% and the disease control rate was 83%. These data are still being analyzed and the findings remain preliminary and subject to change. NuCana's CEO, Hugh S. Griffith, remarked: "We are pleased with this favorable disease control rate and Acelarin's ability to achieve confirmed complete and partial responses in this very heavily pre-treated patient population. We are further encouraged by these results in light of the recent CLIO study in less heavily pre-treated patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, where no patients in the chemotherapy group achieved a complete response and only one patient achieved a confirmed partial response which resulted in a confirmed overall response rate of 3%." The CLIO study reported on the efficacy of the current chemotherapy standards of care, namely paclitaxel, pegylated liposomal doxorubicin, topotecan and gemcitabine. Thirty-three patients received chemotherapy in the CLIO trial and were significantly less heavily pre-treated than those in the PRO-105 trial, with a median of 3 prior lines of treatment. However, given differences in trial design and statistical analyses, comparisons across studies should be interpreted with caution.Part two of the PRO-105 study was designed to then investigate the optimal dose identified in part one in an expansion cohort. I

16:02 EDT PPD, Inc. announces cancellation of fireside chat at Barclays health conference - PPD announced the cancellation of its fireside chat and related webcast at the Barclays Global Healthcare Conference, previously scheduled for Wednesday, March 11, at 11:45 a.m. ET as a result of the conference switching to a virtual format.

15:44 EDT Sen. Klobuchar introduces measure to deter anticompetitive abuses - U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights, introduced new legislation today to deter anticompetitive abuses that distort the competitive process and harm consumers, innovation, and new business formation. The Anticompetitive Exclusionary Conduct Prevention Act prohibits anticompetitive exclusionary conduct that risks harm to the competitive process. It also makes reforms to improve antitrust enforcement across the board. The bill was cosponsored by Senators Richard Blumenthal and Cory Booker. "We have a major monopoly problem in this country, which harms consumers and threatens free and fair competition across our economy. Companies need to be put on notice that exclusionary behavior that threatens competition cannot continue," Klobuchar said. "Our legislation will deter anticompetitive abuses, helping to protect the competitive markets that are critical to ensuring fair prices for products and services, spurring innovation, and preserving opportunity for American entrepreneurs." Companies that may be affected include Google (GOOG), Apple (AAPL), and Amazon (AMZN). Reference Link

15:33 EDT Delta suspends service from New York-JFK to Rome and Tel Aviv - Delta said: "In response to government-issued travel restrictions due to COVID-19, Delta is suspending its New York-JFK service to Rome starting March 11 through April 30, and Tel Aviv starting March 14 through March 24. Delta has previously announced service suspensions and postponements to Italy, which can be found here. The airline will not operate flights to Italy during the government-mandated emergency measures and travel restrictions period. On Tuesday, Delta announced a planned 15% systemwide capacity reduction to align with expected air travel demand. Details of these expanded schedule changes will be shared later this week." Reference Link

14:43 EDT CapStar Financial board authorizes $9M share buyback - CapStar Financial announced that its board of directors has authorized the company to repurchase up to $9M of shares of the company's common stock pursuant to a written plan that was entered into with Piper Sandler & Co. and that is intended to comply with applicable federal securities laws. The prior repurchase program with Piper Sandler announced in September 2019 terminated in January 2020, and the Plan represents a new repurchase program. Shares of common stock may be purchased from time to time under the Plan in the open market, through privately negotiated transactions or otherwise. The Plan will terminate on the earlier of the date on which the maximum authorized dollar amount of shares of common stock has been repurchased or December 31, 2020. The Plan does not, however, require that the company repurchase any shares of its common stock.

14:27 EDT AcelRx says DSUVIA procurement expected following DOD 'Milestone C' meeting - AcelRx Pharmaceuticals announced confirmation that the Department of Defense "Milestone C" meeting will be held next month. The Milestone C meeting marks the end of the project development phase and leads to the recommendation for the procurement phase of the project. "We are excited to have a confirmed date for the Milestone C meeting and expect DSUVIA will soon be made available more broadly for military use. The Department of Defense has been a great partner supporting the development of DSUVIA since 2011, and this is the final stage in the process that enables us to provide DSUVIA to fulfill an unmet need for our injured soldiers," said Vince Angotti, CEO of AcelRx Pharmaceuticals.

14:09 EDT Pattern Energy stockholders approve merger agreement - Pattern Energy announced that its stockholders voted to approve the company's pending merger transaction with Canada Pension Plan Investment Board at a special meeting of stockholders. Pattern Energy has received all approvals required to complete the transaction and expects to close shortly, the company said.

14:02 EDT Spherix gives update on treatment for Coronavirus optioned by company - Spherix provided an update on the recently announced treatment for Coronavirus technology optioned by the company. As noted in patent number 10,434,116 "Methods of Treating Coronavirus Infection," the technology provides methods for treating a coronavirus infection. The technology was developed by researchers by first using computers to screen 290 drugs for antiviral activity against SARS-CoV and/or MERS-CoV. Pharmacological classes of compounds were identified as showing antiviral activity against either or both MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV, with no or low toxicity. These pharmacological classes include neurotransmitter inhibitors, kinase signaling inhibitors, estrogen receptor inhibitors, DNA metabolism inhibitors, and anti-parasitic agents. The work showed that certain compounds, alone or in combination with the antiviral drugs, can have a therapeutic effect against SARS and MERS as measured by in vitro antiviral activity assays and in in vivo rodent and non-human primate models of Coronavirus infection. This invention was made with government support under Grant Number AI095569 awarded by the National Institutes of Health. As a result, the NIH has certain rights in the invention. Under the Option, Spherix has until the end of May of 2020 to complete its due diligence and execute a license agreement for commercial development.

13:59 EDT Disney goes positive after reopening shops and restaurants in Shanghai - Disney (DIS) shares are showing some strength on Tuesday after reopening certain features of its mega-resort in Shanghai more than a month after it was forced to close because of the coronavirus outbreak. SHANGHAI DISNEY: In late January, Disney's Shanghai resort closed during the ordinarily very busy seven-day Lunar New Year holiday, as officials tried to stop the spread of the coronavirus. In early February, as Disney reported its quarterly earnings, the entertainment giant said it was already seeing a decrease in attendance at Hong Kong Disneyland parks. Chief Financial Officer Christine McCarthy said at the time that with the Hong Kong protests and the COVID-19 virus, the Hong Kong park could lose roughly $145M in operating income over the quarter. DISNEY SHARES INTERESTING? According to Bernstein analyst Todd Juenger, one of the most pressing questions of late for media investors is "At what price do Disney shares become interesting? Our answer is 'we're getting pretty close.'" Although Juenger believes the price is getting close, he added that "there is still more bad news to get out of the way." The analyst said he expects the domestic parks "to shut down. Perhaps that will be the day to start buying Disney shares." PRICE ACTION: Shares of Disney are off earlier highs, up 1%, or $1.05, to $105.56 in afternoon trading. OTHER STOCKS TO WATCH: Other companies engaged in entertainment include Cedar Fair (FUN), SeaWorld Entertainment (SEAS), Six Flags Entertainment (SIX), Madison Square Garden (MSG), AMC Entertainment Holdings (AMC) and Live Nation Entertainment (LYV).

13:22 EDT Studio City International Holdings Limited (Class A ADS) trading resumes

13:04 EDT Mylan wins in district court dispute against Sanofi's Lantus patent - Mylan (MYL) announced that the U.S. District Court of New Jersey found the device patent claims asserted by Sanofi (SNY) against Mylan's insulin glargine product not infringed and invalid for lack of written description. Separately, as previously announced, Sanofi's formulation patents were previously affirmed to be invalid by the Federal Circuit. The '844 and '652 patents were the only patents being asserted by Sanofi against Mylan's insulin glargine product. Mylan CEO Heather Bresch commented, "Today's decision by the District Court represents a significant milestone for patient access and Mylan's effort to bring a more affordable insulin glargine to those living with diabetes in the U.S. As the cost of diabetes medications continues to rise, we now are one step closer to being able to meet unmet patient needs through the launch of our Semglee(R) insulin glargine, pending final approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration." Mylan President Rajiv Malik added, "We are encouraged by today's legal win on Mylan's insulin glargine and remain very confident in the strong science behind the product itself. We believe that this scientific excellence will also be central to our work to bring an interchangeable product option. We look forward to serving patients in the U.S. with the same Semglee(R) that so many others have come to rely on around the world and adding to our existing offering of oral solid dose medications for those living with diabetes." Lantus is a long-acting insulin used to treat adults with type 2 diabetes and adults and pediatric patients with type 1 diabetes for the control of high blood sugar. Mylan's 505(b)(2) New Drug Application (NDA) is under active review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The product, co-developed with Biocon, has received regulatory approval in more than 45 countries around the world. Biocon continues to be confident in its ability to achieve facility clearance.

12:24 EDT Health insurers higher after VP Pence says planning meetings this week - In a transcript of comments made by President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence last night that was released by the White House, Pence was quoted as having said: "Pharmaceutical companies are already working, literally around the clock, on the development of therapeutics; that will be medicines that can bring relief to people that contract the coronavirus. And I know how pleased the President was to learn that the commercial labs in this country, led by companies like LabCorp and Quest, have already brought a test forward and are taking that to market effective today. This week, at the President's direction, we'll be meeting with hospital CEOs, health insurance CEOs, and all - building on top of what the President will be announcing tomorrow with regard to economic relief for working Americans." Publicly traded healthcare insurance companies include Anthem (ANTM), CVS Health (CVS), Centene (CNC), Cigna (CI), Health Net (HNT), Humana (HUM), Molina Healthcare (MOH), UnitedHealth (UNH) and WellCare (WCG). Publicly traded hospital companies include Community Health (CYH), HCA Healthcare (HCA), LifePoint (LPNT), Tenet (THC) and Universal Health (UHS). Reference Link

12:15 EDT Occidental Petroleum trading resumes

12:00 EDT California Resources falls -23.2% - California Resources is down -23.2%, or -93c to $3.07.

12:00 EDT Hovnanian falls -24.8% - Hovnanian is down -24.8%, or -$4.58 to $13.91.

12:00 EDT China Online Education rises 17.9% - China Online Education is up 17.9%, or $5.20 to $34.20.

11:58 EDT Cleveland-Cliffs, AK Steel holders approve merger agreement - Cleveland-Cliffs (CLF) and AK Steel Holding (AKS) jointly announced that, at their respective special meetings held earlier today, the shareholders of Cliffs and the stockholders of AK Steel voted to approve all of the proposals necessary to complete the previously announced acquisition of AK Steel by Cliffs. Under the pending transaction, Cliffs would acquire AK Steel, providing for the merger of a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cliffs with and into AK Steel, with AK Steel surviving the merger and becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cliffs. Lourenco Goncalves, Chief Executive Officer of Cliffs said: "The shareholders of Cliffs and the stockholders of AK Steel have spoken, and delivered an outstanding victory in support of our transaction. I thank you all for your unequivocal demonstration of support." Goncalves added: "The new Cleveland-Cliffs is a lot stronger than either Cliffs or AK Steel individually. We are ready to transform your confidence into shareholder value, and that's what we are going to do." The transaction is currently scheduled to close on March 13.

11:54 EDT Carnival trading resumes

11:53 EDT Royal Caribbean trading resumes

11:49 EDT Sony's Guerrilla Games confirms 'Horizon Zero Dawn' coming to PC this summer - Sony's Guerrilla Games announced via Twitter that its 2017 video game "Horizon Zero Dawn," which was a PlayStation 4 exclusive, will be coming to PC via Steam this summer. Reference Link

11:48 EDT Carnival trading halted, volatility trading pause

11:37 EDT Occidental Petroleum trading halted, news pending

11:32 EDT Huntington Ingalls appoints Chad Boudreaux as EVP, CLO - Huntington Ingalls Industries announced that Chad Boudreaux has been appointed executive vice president and chief legal officer, effective April 1, 2020. Current EVP and CLO Kellye Walker recently announced her decision to pursue another opportunity, and she will depart HII on March 31. Boudreaux is currently the corporate vice president for litigation and chief compliance and privacy officer for HII. As executive vice president and chief legal officer, Boudreaux will report to HII President and CEO Mike Petters. He will have overall leadership responsibility for HII's Law Department and outside counsel, which provide a broad range of legal advice and support for the company's business activities, including compliance.

11:32 EDT Canon U.S.A. announces retirement of CEO Yoroku Adachi - Canon U.S.A. announced that Yoroku Adachi, the company's chairman and CEO, is retiring. His last day of work will be March 31. Adachi is also retiring as executive vice president of Canon Inc. in Japan and Chairman and CEO of Canon Solutions America. Canon U.S.A. has also announced that Kazuto Ogawa, the company's president and COO, is being promoted to president and CEO and will succeed Adachi. Canon (CAJ) is the parent of Canon U.S.A.

11:24 EDT Spirit says FY20 guidance not to be relied upon given COVID-19 uncertainty - Spirit Airlines said in a filing that January and February outperformed on TRASM, while CASM ex-fuel for Q1 is estimated to be up about 3%. The company also noted steep declines in yields since late February but said it has been to maintain reasonable load factors, with declining fuel prices helping offset yield pressures. However, Spirit added that given the uncertainty surrounding the impact of COVID-19, previous FY20 guidance "should not be relied upon." Based on the forward curve as of March 9, fuel price for the full year would be about $1.45, the company noted. Additionally, Spirit announced that it has trimmed April capacity by approximately 5% versus the original schedule and that it is still assessing capacity reductions for May.

11:11 EDT Biofrontera AG (ADS) trading resumes

11:07 EDT Molina Healthcare of Washington transitions employees to remote work - Molina Healthcare of Washington announced that it is temporarily transitioning its health plan staff statewide to remote status until further notice. "This step is being taken to prevent potential exposure of its employees to COVID-19, and is in alignment with public health recommendations to help slow its spread. Last week, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee declared a preemptive state of emergency. Molina is fully aligned and integrated with public health officials, state and local authorities, regulators, and other health systems, and will continue to be as the situation develops," the Molina unit announced.

11:05 EDT Curetis shareholders approve planned business combination with OpGen - OpGen announced that shareholders of Curetis N.V. have voted to approve the business combination of Curetis GmbH and OpGen. The successful completion of the Curetis vote at their Extraordinary General Meeting is an essential milestone for the planned business combination. OpGen also held a Special Meeting of shareholders to approve the business combination transaction on March 10, 2020. Because a quorum was not represented at the Special Meeting, shareholders voted to adjourn the meeting in order to allow additional time for shareholders to vote on the proposal. Accordingly, the Special Meeting was adjourned to 10:00 a.m., local time, on Monday, March 30, 2020, at the offices of Ballard Spahr LLP, 1909 K Street, NW, 12th Floor, Washington DC. OpGen's shareholders as of the record date of January 24, 2020 will continue to be entitled to vote at the Special Meeting on March 30, 2020. As of March 9, 2020, the quorum was at 36% or 2.0 million shares voted. Approximately 2.8 million shares are required to achieve the 50% quorum threshold. Of those OpGen shareholders who have voted on the business combination proposal, more than 98% have voted in support of the transaction. OpGen and Curetis entered into a definitive agreement to combine businesses on September 4, 2019. The closing of the transaction under such definitive agreement has not yet occurred and is subject to a number of significant closing conditions, including receipt of approval from the stockholders of OpGen. To this end, OpGen filed and furnished to its stockholders a proxy statement/prospectus and a notice of Special Meeting of OpGen shareholders at which the shareholders will vote to approve the business combination with Curetis. Until the closing occurs, each of OpGen and Curetis are operating as stand-alone businesses.

10:34 EDT BioHiTech Global reports $1.5M in initial orders for Revolution series digesters - BioHiTech Global announced that the company has received initial purchase orders for its Revolution Series Digesters totaling over $1.5M as part of its previously announced purchase contract with Carnival (CCL) and its individual operating companies with an estimated value of up to $14M. The company expects to begin delivery of these units in the second quarter and to continue filling orders on a rolling basis through 2021. As previously announced, the purchase contract calls for BioHiTech to provide each ship, designated by Carnival, with multiple Revolution Series Digesters as well as ongoing cloud-based data analytics and supplies.

10:27 EDT S&P places all Royal Caribbean debt ratings on Watch Negative - S&P Global Ratings placed the all ratings on Royal Caribbean and its majority-owned subsidiary Silversea Cruise Holding, including its "BBB-" issuer credit rating on Royal, on CreditWatch with negative implications. Reduced demand for cruises stemming from the coronavirus outbreak and increasing travel fears will drive Royal's adjusted leverage to around or modestly above the downgrade threshold this year, S&P said in a statement. However, the rating agency believes it is too early to determine the magnitude and duration of the negative impact of the virus on Royal's credit measures.

10:24 EDT Dick's Sporting: Outlook does not include any impact from spreading coronavirus - Says the low end of its outlook includes some conservatism around supply chain disruption potentially impacting its sales and earnings starting in Q2. The company's outlook doesn't include an impact from slowing consumer demand should the coronavirus spread considerably in the U.S. Says not forecasting any significant impact to sales or earnings in Q1.

10:12 EDT CME Group reports record daily volume of 6.8M energy contracts - CME Group announced an all-time daily volume record for energy futures and options of 6.8M contracts on March 9, surpassing the previous record of 6.2M set on September 16, 2019. In addition, CME Group WTI Light Sweet Crude Oil futures and options also reached a record 4.8M contracts, surpassing the previous record of 4.3M contracts traded on September 16, 2019, the company announced.

09:53 EDT Apache trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:47 EDT ProShares Trust Ultra VIX Short Term Futures ETF falls -15.2% - ProShares Trust Ultra VIX Short Term Futures ETF is down -15.2%, or -$6.95 to $38.82.

09:47 EDT Britannia Bulk falls -25.4% - Britannia Bulk is down -25.4%, or -$4.37 to $12.83.

09:47 EDT Ovintiv rises 62.6% - Ovintiv is up 62.6%, or $1.39 to $3.61.

09:46 EDT Occidental Petroleum trading resumes

09:43 EDT Halliburton trading resumes

09:42 EDT Continental Resources trading resumes

09:41 EDT Diamondback Energy trading resumes

09:40 EDT American Airlines CEO says saw some softening last week

09:38 EDT Halliburton trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:36 EDT Diamondback Energy trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:33 EDT Inovio trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:22 EDT United Airlines CEO, president forgoing 100% of respective base salaries

09:22 EDT United Airlines postpones projects deemed non-critical

09:21 EDT United Airlines says suspended share buybacks under existing repurchase program

09:21 EDT United Airlines says raised incremental $2B in new liquidity on March 9

09:20 EDT Vuzix announces increasing interest in remote support solutions - Vuzix announced that due to the current environment of travel restrictions due to global public health events and concerns, the Company has experienced a spike in inbound interest regarding remote support solutions coming from Japan and elsewhere around the world. To support companies that are responding to and operating in this crisis, Vuzix is pleased to offer a free one year smart glasses connector application for Zoom and Skype for Business to any customer that purchases a Vuzix smart glasses during the month of March 2020. Many major corporations have enacted internal travel restriction policies. This is coming from the executive offices at some of the biggest corporations in America including Amazon, Google, Ford Motor Company and many others.

09:19 EDT United Airlines withdraws Q1 guidance, says expects to incur a loss

09:17 EDT Sutter Rock Capital board authorized $5M expansion of Share Repurchase Program - On March 9, 2020, the Board of Directors authorized a $5.0 million expansion of the Share Repurchase Program to $30.0 million. The dollar value of shares that may yet be purchased by the Company under the Share Repurchase Program is approximately $8.5 million.

09:16 EDT Sutter Rock Capital reports net asset value of $11.38 as of Dec. 31 - "We are pleased to report a strong fourth quarter for Sutter Rock, which was driven by positive developments across our investment portfolio," said Mark Klein, President and CEO of Sutter Rock. "We believe that Parchment Inc.'s successful merger with Credentials Solutions is a strong positive signal for other top names in the Sutter Rock portfolio, and we are encouraged by the fundamentals of the portfolio. Sutter Rock is committed to initiatives that enhance shareholder value and we believe the market is undervaluing our portfolio. Accordingly, our Board of Directors has authorized an additional $5.0 million for share repurchases, bringing our Share Repurchase Program total to $30.0 million, not including the $10.0 million Tender Offer effectuated in the fourth quarter. Given the significant discount at which our stock is trading compared to net asset value, we determined that this authorization is an efficient deployment of capital. Looking forward, a key area of continued focus is selectively adding new investments to our portfolio to drive long-term value for shareholders. The recent appointment of Keri Findley to Senior Managing Director and Senior Member of the Investment Committee will enhance this investment process by providing Sutter Rock with strategic guidance throughout our investment diligence and by introducing a credit-based investment strategy that will be complementary to our current equity approach. We believe that Keri's appointment, in combination with our healthy cash balance during ongoing dislocation in global equity markets, leaves us well positioned to opportunistically execute new investments at attractive pricing levels."

09:13 EDT Greenlight Capital Re CEO says has identified 'variety' of potential options - Says has engaged in talks with several parties, but hasn't selected a particular course of action and hasn't formalized a timetable.

09:09 EDT Xerox files proxy statement for meeting to approve HP Inc. share issuance - Xerox (XRX) announced that it is filing a preliminary proxy statement with the SEC to seek approvals from its shareholders related to the issuance of Xerox shares in connection with its offer to acquire HP Inc. (HPQ). Xerox expects to call a special meeting at which Xerox shareholders will consider proposals to amend the Xerox charter to increase the number of authorized shares of Xerox common stock and to approve, for purposes of NYSE rules, the issuance of Xerox shares in connection with a combination with HP. Xerox will announce both the record and meeting dates for the special meeting prior to sending the definitive proxy statement. Xerox also reaffirmed its tender offer to acquire all outstanding shares of HP for $24.00 per share, comprising $18.40 in cash and 0.149 Xerox shares for each HP share. As a result of market-wide circuit breakers procedures implemented by the NYSE on March 9, the trading of HP shares was temporarily suspended. For the avoidance of doubt, Xerox does not consider this temporary trading halt to constitute a failure of any condition to its offer to acquire HP.

09:08 EDT Greenlight Capital Re CEO says has identified 'variety' of potential options - Says has engaged in talks with several parties, but hasn't selected a partner and hasn't formalized a timetable.

09:06 EDT Greenlight Capital: 2019 results 'not reflective' of improved business profile - Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

09:04 EDT LPL Financial announces SilverRock Wealth Partners joins broker-dealer - LPL Financial announced that SilverRock Wealth Partners has joined LPL Financial's broker-dealer, aligning with Independent Advisor Alliance, an enterprise registered investment advisor firm offering support and services to advisors leveraging LPL Financial's platform. The advisors reported having served approximately $150M in brokerage and advisory assets. They join from Spire Securities and used TD Ameritrade as their custodian. Founded by President and CEO Derek Copeland, the Charlotte-based team serves many NFL clients and other professional athletes. Copeland's fellow financial professionals both have sports backgrounds: Chris Carpenter pitched for the Boston Red Sox and Brenton Bersin is a former Carolina Panthers wide receiver. They are joined by operations manager Lisa Oviatt and Lori Copeland, director of marketing.

09:01 EDT Qualcomm raises quarterly dividend 5% to 65c from 62c per share - Effective for quarterly dividends payable after March 26.

08:55 EDT Nano Dimension reports customer 'vote of confidence' in Dragonfly LDM machines - Nano Dimension announced detailed information about customers' upgrades of older Pro machines into the 24/7 DragonFly LDM machines. Yoav Stern, President and CEO of Nano Dimension stated: "The previous Pro machines had certain reliability and MTBF issues, and it is highly encouraging that out of the 46 older DragonFly Pro machines, sold during 2018-2019, customers are choosing to upgrade them to the DragonFly LDM. Those are the first 'commercial 24/7 AME machines' which were released only in the summer of 2019. 41% of our previous customers have chosen to pay-for-upgrade, and additional 45% are in process. No doubt, this is a tremendously important validation for the evolution of Nano Dimension's concept for High Performance Electronic Devices fabrication by digital AME machines".

08:52 EDT Safe-T offers free three month remote access service amid coronavirus - Safe-T Group t is joining the battle against the world crisis caused by the COVID-19 coronavirus, by offering a three month free-of-charge remote access service for affected organizations around the globe. Starting today, Safe-T will be offering its Secure Application Access solution free-of-charge to affected organization for a period of six months. To start using the solution, organizations simply need to deploy a lightweight server on their premises and connect it to their relevant services and to Safe-T's secure access cloud. Safe-T also invites registered Safe-T solutions resellers to inform their customers who may benefit from this offer.

08:50 EDT Fluidigm introduces AccuLift Laser Capture Microdissection System - Fluidigm Corporation announced the introduction of the AccuLift Laser Capture Microdissection System. Ideal for translational and clinical pathology research, the new AccuLift product portfolio enables precise and efficient capture of individual cells or larger tissue regions for DNA, RNA and protein biomarker analysis.

08:46 EDT Innovation Pharmaceuticals says U.S. RBL to begin testing brilacidin - Innovation Pharmaceuticals informed shareholders that management has been advised testing of Brilacidin, the Company's flagship defensin mimetic drug candidate, as a novel experimental treatment against the latest coronavirus is scheduled to commence at one of the 12 U.S. Regional Biocontainment Labs during the week of March 16, 2020. Scientists at the RBL will be evaluating Brilacidin against SARS-CoV-2, the specific coronavirus responsible for COVID-19, the name given to the respiratory disease that has spread to 111 countries after being discovered in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China in December 2019. More than 114,000 cases of COVID-19 have since been diagnosed, with over 4,000 deaths attributed to the virus. There are currently no countermeasures approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for treating COVID-19. On Friday, March 6, President Donald Trump signed an emergency bill allocating $8.3 billion in funds to combat COVID-19. Brilacidin is a compelling investigational drug for COVID-19 due to its unique qualities to mimic the human innate immune system and Mechanism of Action that includes disruption of the membrane of pathogens, leading to cell death. Throughout laboratory and clinical studies, Brilacidin has demonstrated potent activity against Gram-positive bacteria, including Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and coverage against Gram-negative bacteria. Research supports the ability of Brilacidin to swiftly penetrate a peptidoglycan layer in these difficult bacteria, which is key to rapid pathogen destruction and decreases the likelihood of drug resistance emerging. The Company hopes to disclose the RBL's research agenda for Brilacidin in the coming days. The upcoming research is being funded by third parties independent of Innovation Pharmaceuticals. The Company's responsibility was only providing the Brilacidin and any requested data. The RBL now has the Brilacidin on site, as disclosed on Monday, March 9, 2020.

08:43 EDT Calavo Growers begins CFO search following resignation of John Lindeman - The company has begun a search for a new CFO to succeed John Lindeman, who resigned effective March 11, 2020, to accept a position at a private-equity-funded hydroponics company.

08:40 EDT Myovant announces cancellation of presentation, webcast at Barclays conference - Myovant Sciences announced the cancellation of its presentation and webcast at the Barclays Global Healthcare Conference, previously scheduled to take place on Wednesday, March 11 at 10:15 a.m. Eastern time. This follows the announcement by the organizer to cancel the in-person aspects of the conference due to circumstances pertaining to COVID-19. Myovant will hold scheduled investor meetings via teleconference.

08:39 EDT Fifth Third Bancorp rejects charges in CFPB's civil lawsuit - Fifth Third Bancorp last night announced that it rejected the allegations made by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or CFPB, in a civil lawsuit. "Fifth Third Bank respects and values the important role that the CFPB plays in protecting consumers but believes that the civil suit filed today is unnecessary and unwarranted. The Bank will defend itself vigorously and is confident in the outcome...After an investigation spanning more than three years and involving nearly half a billion pieces of data produced by the Bank, the CFPB has not informed us of any unauthorized accounts beyond the fewer than 1,100 accounts that the Bank itself identified out of 10 million - or approximately 0.01 percent of accounts opened between 2010 and 2016. These accounts involved less than $30,000 in improper customer charges that were ultimately waived or reimbursed to customers years ago. While even a single unauthorized account is one too many, we took appropriate and decisive action to address each situation. The Bank is confident that it has treated its customers fairly. When a federal court examines the evidence, we believe it will agree with Fifth Third that this is a limited and historical event. The Bank will press for an early trial," said Susan Zaunbrecher, Chief Legal Officer of Fifth Third Bank.

08:38 EDT Crestron certifies Netgear M4300 series switches - NETGEAR announced the versatile M4300 series switches are now officially Crestron certified. A dominant player in the growing transition to AV over IP, Crestron provides a rigid certification program to ensure customers encounter a high level of interoperability and reliability. NETGEAR is proud to be a part of the Crestron DM NVX AV over IP solution. NETGEAR has purposely configured the M4300 and new M4500 series switches to work out of the box for most AV over IP installations - and this is the case for Crestron DM NVX endpoints as well. Most other network switches on the Crestron Certified list require a configuration file to function properly. The certified M4300 switches are preconfigured and require no other setup to work with the Crestron DM NVX encoders and decoders. The result is less time spent configuring the switch and more time to focus on the other parts of the installation.

08:36 EDT Sanmina expands facility in Thailand - Sanmina announced that it has expanded its facility in Thailand. Augmenting its existing mission critical products, the site now has advanced custom packaging and assembly capabilities to manufacture advanced optical, high speed and radio frequency, or RF, microelectronic assemblies and products. This expansion supports rapid growth for new technology products across the networking, 5G, data center, automotive/LIDAR and aerospace and defense markets.

08:34 EDT Eldorado Resorts to sell Montbleu Resort Casino & Spa to Maverick Gaming - Eldorado Resorts announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell the Montbleu Resort Casino & Spa in Lake Tahoe, Nevada to Maverick Gaming. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, and is expected to close in the second half of 2020. Tom Reeg, CEO of Eldorado, commented, "The agreement to divest Montbleu is consistent with our continued focus on the expected closing for the Caesars transaction in the first half of 2020."

08:33 EDT Daseke on pace to complete Phase I of Operational Improvement Plan - On pace to complete Phase I of Operational Improvement Plan to deliver $30 million in annual operating income improvement on a run-rate basis as exit the first quarter of 2020.

08:32 EDT ClearSign Combustion announces contract with leading aerospace company - ClearSign Technologies announces it has entered into a technology development contract with a leading global aerospace company. The contract activities include the testing and demonstration of ClearSign's sensing technology in the unique environmental conditions experienced by aerospace technologies. The contract is a zero cost arrangement established to enable the mutual assessment of the performance of ClearSign sensor technology for this application which will enable increased efficiency and reduced maintenance of an aerospace fleet. The ultimate goal of the project is to develop a series of commercial sensing products to benefit a wide range of aerospace fleet and military applications.

08:29 EDT Hanesbrands announces multiyear agreement with Amazon - HanesBrands (HBI) has introduced its popular C9 Champion performance athleticwear exclusively with Amazon Fashion (AMZN) worldwide as part of a multiyear agreement. The C9 Champion product line will complement the existing mainline Champion authentic sport-inspired apparel available in the Amazon Fashion store with both Champion and C9 Champion having branded storefronts.

08:25 EDT Enphase Energy powers commercial solar for Del Sol Energy - Enphase Energy announced that Del Sol Energy is leveraging the reliability of Enphase microinverters to build a growing base of commercial solar customers. Del Sol Energy deployed a 97 kW Enphase microinverter-based ballasted rooftop solar system for Delta Bowl, the newly remodeled experiential bowling and games center in Antioch, Calif. The solar system, which received its permission to operate in February 2020, provides clean, reliable solar energy for Delta Bowl's 35,000 square-foot entertainment facility. Enphase microinverter-based systems fully meet rapid shutdown requirements set forth in the 2014 National Electrical Code, with no additional electrical equipment needed. With Enphase microinverter-based systems, Delta Bowl customers and staff are not at risk from high-voltage DC cable runs on the roof or down the sides of the building, and they pose a significantly lower fire risk from arc faults as compared to other inverter technologies.

08:22 EDT Bionano Genomics announces studies to identify gene variants of coronavirus - Bionano Genomics announced the launch of a global network of studies aiming to identify genomic variants that influence COVID-19 disease resistance, sensitivity, disease progression and drug response. The first study will focus on the Wuhan, China outbreak, and will be performed at the site of Wuhan-based Bionano service provider GrandOmics in collaboration with Bionano Genomics. At least one hundred patients who tested positive for COVID-19 infection will undergo whole genome analysis using the Bionano Saphyr system, and genomic variants will be compared between those patients who show no or mild symptoms and those who show severe illness. The study will control for viral strain differences, and for the known risk factors of age and chronic illness such as heart disease, diabetes, or other immune-compromising disease. The Bionano Saphyr system images label patterns on extremely long molecules of genomic DNA to identify structural variants. While Bionano's technology is not suited for viral detection itself, which is typically performed with PCR assays, Saphyr is uniquely capable of detecting structural variants in the human genome. Such variants can predispose an individual to having a mild or severe disease progression, or to be resistant altogether. Additionally, certain variants may determine the individual's response to drug treatments. Genomic variants that predispose an individual to resistance and progression have been identified for a variety of infectious diseases. Deletions in the alpha-globin gene lead to sickle cell anemia but protect against malaria infection. A structural variant in the CCR5 gene provides protection against HIV-infection, and this knowledge led to the cure of several individuals who received a bone marrow transplant from a donor carrying that mutation. Genetic variation at the IL28B locus gives carriers a 3-fold greater chance of eradicating the Hepatitis-C virus after drug treatment compared to those without this genetic variation. Structural variation at the Major Histocompatibility Complex locus, a gene cluster of about 150 genes, has been associated with resistance to a variety of infectious diseases. Saphyr can uniquely analyze and phase the alleles of the human MHC locus. Recent studies show that COVID-19 and SARS-CoV, the Coronavirus that caused the SARS outbreak, both bind to the Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 gene to enter a cell. The Bionano study will survey the region surrounding ACE2 for structural and copy number variants that could influence binding of the virus, analyze the MHC regions in patients, and use Saphyr's unbiased, genome-wide detection capabilities in an attempt to find yet-to-be identified disease susceptibility genes. Experts agree that investigations of the scope of host response are essential in determining how best to combat the disease and to protect against future outbreaks of a similar nature.

08:19 EDT Alkaline Water announces marketing initiative, brand refresh for Alkaline88 - The Alkaline Water Company announced a brand refresh for its flagship product, Alkaline88. The Company's new label design preserves the original look and colors consumers know and trust while highlighting the brand's benefits. The new look will support its launch into traditional marketing channels over the next fiscal year. The Alkaline Water Company has established a truly national footprint for its flagship brand, Alkaline88, without spending any traditional marketing dollars. With major retailers such as Walmart, Kroger, Albertsons/Safeway, and CVS selling millions of bottles of Alkaline88 per year, the Company believes now is the time to launch its national and regional marketing campaigns. These campaigns have a measurable ROI and will accelerate the growth of the flagship brand. The Company expects its recent announcement of 22,000 new retail locations nationwide to be a meaningful contributor in calendar 2020. And it believes a national marketing campaign will further fuel excitement for its products and be even more impactful to its growth. The new branding keeps the original colors and the feel but allows the Company to focus on a number of the benefits associated with its number one selling bulk value-added water in the country. The new white panel for its single-serve bottles will separate Alkaline88 from its competitors' look and feel.

08:18 EDT Cerence announces Cerence UX Services - Cerence announced Cerence UX Services, encompassing a new suite of evaluation and validation services that provide deep analysis and understanding of the in-car user experience and driver satisfaction to automakers. As end users become increasingly accustomed to the high-quality, consistently improving user interfaces of their smartphones and smart homes, their expectations of the UX and user interface within the car have grown. Cerence UX Services will support automakers as they look to meet these changing expectations by evaluating all aspects of the in-car UX, going beyond pure accuracy measurements to study end-user interactions and satisfaction with the Human-Machine Interface and connected experience, as well as a system's ability to effectively handle tasks and queries. Cerence UX Services are available to both existing and new Cerence customers and can be leveraged to validate touch-screen interactions, voice assistants, and other various user interfaces, enabling automakers to bring the next generation of sleek, intuitive automotive experiences to the road.

08:16 EDT GCP Applied Technologies signs Verifi deal with Pan-United Concrete - GCP Applied Technologies announced that it has reached an agreement with Pan-United Concrete Pte. Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore-listed Pan-United Corporation. The agreement implements GCP's VERIFI in-transit concrete management system for use in more than 300 of Pan-United's fleet of concrete mixer trucks in the Singapore market.

08:16 EDT Aytu BioScience signs distribution agreement for COVID-19 rapid test - Aytu BioScience announced that it signed an exclusive distribution agreement for the right to commercialize a clinically validated and commercially used coronavirus 2019, or COVID-19, IgG/IgM rapid test. The test has been licensed from L.B. Resources, which licensed North American rights from product developer Zhejiang Orient Gene Biotech. The test is intended for professional use and delivers clinical results between two and 10 minutes at the point-of-care. This exclusive agreement grants Aytu the exclusive right to distribute the product in the United States for a period of three years, with additional three-year autorenewals thereafter. The COVID-19 IgG/IgM rapid test is a solid phase immunochromatographic assay used in the rapid, qualitative and differential detection of IgG and IgM antibodies to the 2019 novel coronavirus in human whole blood, serum or plasma. This point-of-care test has been validated in a 113 patient clinical trial and has received CE marking. It is currently one of only a few tests used for coronavirus screening in China. Small specimens, only 5 microL of serum/plasma or 10 microL of whole blood specimens required. All necessary reagents are provided and no equipment is needed. The COVID-19 IgG/IgM rapid test was evaluated with 113 blood samples obtained from patients exhibiting pneumonia or respiratory symptoms. All samples were tested using the Orient Gene diagnostic device, and the results were compared to RT-PCR or clinical diagnosis of novel coronavirus pneumonia. The sensitivity of the lgM test is 87.9% and specificity is 100% when compared to RT-PCR. The sensitivity of the lgG test is 97.2% during patients' convalescence period and specificity is 100%.The company expects to pursue U.S. regulatory clearance and expects to consult with the FDA about qualifying the test under FDA's Emergency Use Authorization. The company expects to receive an initial product shipment in three to four weeks, pending the timing of required regulatory, customs, and importation activities.

08:15 EDT InspireMD expects cash to meet requirements until end of May 2020 - As of December 31, 2019, cash and cash equivalents were $5,514,000, compared to $9,384,000 at December 31, 2018. Based on the Company's current business plan, the Company believes its cash and cash equivalents as of December 31, 2019, will be sufficient to meet its operating requirements until the end of May 2020. As disclosed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, which was filed on March 9, 2020, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the audited financial statements contained a going concern qualification paragraph in the audit opinion from its independent registered public accounting firm.

08:14 EDT Delta Air Lines withdrawing March quarter, FY financial guidance - Says currently expects March quarter unit revenue to be down mid- to high-single digits.

08:13 EDT Xperi raises Q1 billings outlook to $108M-$110M from $100M-$104M - "In addition to raising our first quarter billings outlook today, we have improved visibility in our 2020 billings outlook for the IP licensing business as we have eliminated any uncontracted IP billings risk for the remainder of the year," said Robert Andersen, CFO of Xperi.

08:10 EDT XPO Logistics to buy majority of Kuehne + Nagel's UK contract logistics ops - XPO Logistics announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the majority of Kuehne + Nagel's contract logistics operations in the U.K. The operations provide a range of logistics services, including inbound and outbound distribution, reverse logistics management and inventory management. In 2019, the operations generated total revenue of approximately GBP 500 million from the beverage, technology and e-commerce, and food service verticals. The acquisition will expand XPO's contract logistics offering in the UK with complementary expertise, 75 facilities and a blue-chip customer base. XPO will integrate the acquired operations on its technology platform to optimize synergies within its pan-European network, the company said in a statement. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2020, subject to customary conditions and regulatory approvals. All parties have agreed not to disclose financial details. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC is serving as financial advisor to XPO.

08:09 EDT Dare Bioscience receives Fast Track designation for DARE-BV1 - Dare Bioscience announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Fast Track designation for DARE-BV1 for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis in women. DARE-BV1 was previously granted Qualified Infectious Disease Product designation for the treatment of BV in August 2019. DARE-BV1 is a novel thermosetting bioadhesive hydrogel containing clindamycin phosphate 2% being developed for one-time vaginal administration for the treatment of BV. BV is the most common cause of vaginitis worldwide. While there are a number of FDA-approved treatment options for women diagnosed with BV, most have relatively low clinical cure rates, which may be one of the key drivers of recurrence rates. It is estimated that as many as 50% of women treated for BV will experience a recurrence within twelve months of their treatment. DARE-BV1 demonstrated an 86% clinical cure rate in evaluable subjects at the test-of-cure visit that occurred 7 to 14 days after a single administration in an investigator-initiated proof of concept study. Dare plans to initiate a Phase 3 clinical study of DARE-BV1 in approximately 220 women with an anticipated topline data readout by the end of 2020 to support the New Drug Application submission. Based on discussions with the FDA, the Phase 3 study will include a placebo control and assess the primary endpoint of clinical cure of BV at the test-of-cure visit to occur 21 to 30 days after enrollment in the study. If this single Phase 3 study and the nonclinical studies to be conducted in parallel with the Phase 3 study are successful, Dare intends to file the NDA following the completion of the Phase 3 study.

08:07 EDT Fulgent Genetics promotes Brandon Perthius to CCO - Fulgent Genetics announced the promotion of Brandon Perthuis to chief commercial officer. Perthuis previously held the role of VP of Commercial Operations with Fulgent since joining the company in May of 2017. In his new role, Perthuis will continue to lead the company's global sales organization and commercialization effort as the company focuses on both US and international expansion.

08:06 EDT Krystal Biotech expects to start pivotal trial of B-VEC in 1H20

08:05 EDT Krystal Biotech expects interim results from Phase 1/2 trial of KB105 in 1H20

08:03 EDT IT Tech Packaging says has resumed 70% of full capacity of production - IT Tech Packaging announced that the company has resumed 70% of its full capacity of production as of March 5, following the strict measures put in place for the control and prevention of the Covid-19 spread. The company expects to resume the rest of the production in the next couple days. To meet the increasing public demand for household tissue paper, the company immediately made its sufficient inventories available to increase its paper products supply after the outbreak of Covid-19. In addition, the company donated tissue paper products and epidemic prevention products to support quarantine officers and healthcare personnel battling against Covid-19 in the region where the company is situated.

07:53 EDT Acreage Holdings announces opening of The Botanist in Florida - Acreage Holdings announced the opening of The Botanist in Spring Hill, Florida, a suburb of Tampa. The medical cannabis dispensary is Acreage's first retail location in the state. With the opening of the dispensary, located at 10520 Spring Hill Road, Acreage now owns or has management services, consulting or other agreements for 32 operational dispensaries in 13 states, including 14 The Botanist branded dispensaries.

07:49 EDT Brookfield Infrastructure announces record date for unit split, BIPC creation - Brookfield Infrastructure Partners announced that it has set March 20, 2020 as the record date for the previously announced creation of Brookfield Infrastructure Corporation. From an economic and accounting perspective, the transaction will be analogous to a unit split as the transaction does not result in any underlying change to aggregate cash flows or net asset value except for the adjustment for the number of units/shares outstanding. On March 31, 2020, the holders of BIP's limited partnership units of record as of March 20, 2020 will receive one class A exchangeable subordinate voting share of BIPC for every nine BIP units held, or approximately 0.11 Shares for each BIP unit. The Shares will be structured with the intention of being economically equivalent to BIP units, including identical distributions, and each Share will be exchangeable at the option of the holder for one BIP unit at any time. The Shares will allow investors the ability to own the equivalent economic exposure to BIP but through a traditional corporate structure. BIPC has received conditional approval to list the Shares on the New York Stock Exchange and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol BIPC. Listing of the Shares on the NYSE and the TSX is subject to BIPC fulfilling all of the requirements of the NYSE and the TSX, respectively. BIP and BIPC have not yet filed a final prospectus for the Shares, and the registration statement relating to the special distribution has not yet been declared effective. The final prospectus may not be filed, and the registration statement may not be declared effective, prior to the record date. BIP unitholders will receive a cash payment in lieu of any fractional interests in a Share. Brookfield Infrastructure will use the five-day volume-weighted average trading price of the Shares immediately following the special distribution to determine the value of any fractional interests in a Share. Holders of the Shares will be entitled to dividends as and when they are declared by the Board of Directors of BIPC. It is anticipated that BIPC's dividend policy will be to declare and pay dividends on the Shares at the same time and in the same amount per Share as distributions are declared and paid on a BIP unit. This dividend policy has been set to provide holders of the Shares with an economic return equivalent to holders of BIP units.

07:46 EDT Jacobs awarded $37M Department of Defense HSD contract - Jacobs was selected by the Maryland Procurement Office to provide microelectronics engineering support to the Department of Defense Hardware Solutions Division for unconventional packaging, printed circuit board prototyping, technology development, custom device engineering and product validation and reliability solutions. According to the DoD HSD, the contract has a negotiated award value of $37M, made up of a $7M base award and $30M in options over a five-year period of performance, including a 12-month base period and four 12-month option periods.

07:43 EDT Xoma expects current cash position to fund operations for multiple years - On December 31, 2019, XOMA had cash of $56.7 million compared with $45.8 million on December 31, 2018. The Company's current cash position is expected to be sufficient to fund its operations for multiple years.

07:40 EDT Dick's Sporting to remove Hunt dept. from 440 additional stores in 2020

07:37 EDT Dick's Sporting reports Q4 ecommerce sales up 15% - eCommerce sales for the fourth quarter of 2019 increased 15%. eCommerce penetration for the fourth quarter of 2019 was approximately 25% of total net sales, compared to approximately 23% during the fourth quarter of 2018.

07:35 EDT American Airlines to reduce international capacity for summer peak by 10%

07:34 EDT American Airlines announces schedule changes related to COVID-19 - American Airlines Group announced additional adjustments to its schedule in response to decreased travel demand due to coronavirus. The company plans to: Reduce international capacity for the summer peak by 10% versus the previous selling schedule, including a 55% reduction in trans-Pacific capacity. Reduce domestic capacity in April by 7.5% versus the current schedule. New schedule changes include: Asia: Suspending service to mainland China and Hong Kong from Los Angeles through the summer. Suspending service to mainland China from Dallas-Fort Worth through the summer. Suspending service to HKG from DFW through June. DFW-HKG will resume with a reduced schedule in July. Extending the suspension of service to Seoul, South Korea from DFW into early May. Flights to Tokyo's Narita International Airport and Haneda International Airport from LAX and DFW will be operated with smaller widebody aircraft beginning in May. Europe: Suspending service to Rome from Philadelphia effective immediately through the end of April. Extending the suspension of service to Milan, and suspending flights to FCO from Chicago and Charlotte through early summer. Delaying the seasonal resumption of flights to Barcelona from CLT and to Venice from ORD to early June. Also delaying the seasonal resumption of flights to FCO from New York and DFW through the end of April and suspending operation of its second daily flight from DFW to FCO for the summer. Reducing service to Paris and Madrid for parts of May and June. South America: Flights to Montevideo, Uruguay from Miami will become seasonal, with service ending in May and resuming in December. Flights to Santiago, Chile from DFW will be suspended through April. Widebody aircraft will be redeployed on key domestic routes in American's network. American will also introduce new seasonal service between ORD and Honolulu this summer on a Boeing 787-9. These capacity reductions assume no slot waivers are in place. At airports where demand exceeds airfield and/or terminal capacity, access is governed by slots that grant airlines permission to take off and land at specific times. Given the drop in demand related to COVID-19, American has requested temporary relief from this usage requirement - otherwise known as requesting a slot waiver - to better align capacity with demand without the risk of losing valuable takeoff and landing slots for the future. American will continue to review its network and make adjustments as needed if waivers are granted. For April, American will reduce domestic capacity by 7.5% to match demand. The airline will decrease frequencies on markets with robust schedule patterns and will cancel routes where customers can be easily reaccommodated

07:33 EDT Correvio subsidiary and Teson enter into exclusive agreement for Aggrastat - Correvio Pharma and Hong Kong Teson Pharma announced that Correvio International Sarl, a wholly owned subsidiary of Correvio, and Teson have entered into an exclusive agreement for the commercialization of Aggrastat. The agreement covers the territories of mainland China and Macau. Aggrastat is Correvio's marketed asset for the reduction of thrombotic cardiovascular events in patients with acute coronary syndrome. Under the terms of the agreement, Correvio will receive a one-time upfront payment of $3.0M from Teson. Correvio is then eligible to receive up to an additional $500.000 upon Teson's first receipt of product, which is anticipated to occur in the Q3. In exchange, Teson will receive exclusive rights to commercialize Aggrastat in the agreed to territories, at its own cost and expense. Additional terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

07:27 EDT Precision BioSciences says MCAT has potential to be commercial launch facility - The company said, "In July 2019, Precision announced the opening of its in-house Current Good Manufacturing Practice compliant manufacturing facility, located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. The Manufacturing Center for Advanced Therapeutics is designed to manufacture clinical trial material for Precision's planned Phase 1/2 clinical trials starting in 2020, beginning with its BCMA CAR T program. In the longer term, Precision believes MCAT has the potential to be a commercial launch facility. MCAT is expected to provide various operational and strategic advantages to the company as its CAR T and gene correction portfolios continue to progress."

07:25 EDT Precision BioSciences says Elo canola oil development ongoing - The company said, "Elo's partnered program with Cargill focuses on developing canola oil with ultra-low saturated fatty acids. In 2019, the partnership was able to demonstrate progress towards the goal of achieving a product with less than2.5% saturate levels. The program remains ongoing to further reduce saturate levels."

07:23 EDT Precision expects to select clinical candidate for in vivo gene program in 2020 - The company said, "In January 2020, Precision announced that it expects to advance its first wholly-owned in vivo gene correction program for the treatment of primary hyperoxaluria type 1, a rare genetic disease. In collaboration with Dr. Jim Wilson's group at the University of Pennsylvania, Precision has generated encouraging preclinical data demonstrating that one-time administration of an ARCUS nuclease can efficiently knock out the validated target gene HAO1 in hepatocytes of non-human primates, and can reduce urine oxalate, a known PH1 biomarker, by up to 70% in a mouse model. In 2020, Precision expects to select a clinical candidate for this program to advance into human trials."

07:21 EDT Precision BioSciences expects PBCAR20A to enter clinic in 1Q20 - The company said, "In September 2019, the FDA cleared the Investigational New Drug application for PBCAR20A, Precision's second and wholly-owned CAR T therapy candidate, which is expected to enter the clinic in Q1 2020. Based on the safety profile so far observed for PBCAR0191, the FDA has permitted Precision to begin dosing with PBCAR20A at Dose Level 2, which is expected to accelerate the trial. PBCAR20A is an allogeneic anti-CD20 CAR T therapy candidate in development for the treatment of NHL and chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma. PBCAR20A has received Orphan Drug Designation from the FDA for the treatment of mantle cell lymphoma."

07:18 EDT Precision BioSciences says cash, cash equivalents to fund operations into 2H21 - As of December 31, 2019, Precision had approximately $180.9 million in cash and cash equivalents. The Company expects that existing cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to fund operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements into the second half of 2021.

07:14 EDT Trillium expects to complete TTI-621, TTI-622 dose escalation studies in 2020 - Over the next three years, the company plans to accomplish the following goals: Complete TTI-621 and TTI-622 dose escalation studies, expected in 2020, potentially in 2021, depending on the dose selected; Conduct 3-4 new hematologic malignancy studies in AML/MDS, PTCL, DLBCL and/or multiple myeloma; and Initiate and complete a solid tumor exploratory effort with TTI-621 in several key indications.

07:12 EDT Trillium Therapeutics says further dose optimization in progress for TTI-621 - The company said, "On January 7, 2020, the company announced a data update that confirmed TTI-621 monotherapy activity at initial low dose escalation levels across several hematologic malignancies. As such, TTI-621 is the only CD47 blocker that has shown meaningful single agent activity. Further dose optimization is in progress, and TTI-621 is now enrolling patients at a 1.4 mg/kg dose level, or 7 times the initially selected dose at which monotherapy activity was observed."

07:06 EDT Galera expects cash, cash equivalents to fund requirements into 2022 - As of December 31, 2019, Galera had cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments of $112.3 million. Galera expects that its existing cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments, including the $20.0 million payment received from Clarus in February 2020 for the achievement of the third clinical milestone in the Phase 3 ROMAN clinical trial, together with the $20.0 million payment from Clarus expected to be received upon the achievement of the remaining specified clinical milestone in the ROMAN trial, will enable Galera to fund its operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements into 2022.

07:05 EDT Nemaura Medical enters into multiple verbal non-binding agreements for sugarBEAT - Nemaura Medical announced it has entered in to multiple verbal non-binding agreements for sugarBEAT with the aim of securing regional and global partnerships. The verbal non-binding agreements are expected to lead to discussions for licensing and collaboration on a regional or global scale, following the appropriate mutual due diligence processes. However, there can be no assurance that the foregoing will occur as planned, or at all. The company is currently planning a user study comparing sugarBEAT directly against a highly successful major incumbent CGM sensor with the goal of positioning sugarBEAT as a non-invasive, daily/flexible, cost-effective alternative to traditional, expensive and invasive CGM.

07:02 EDT Becton Dickinson, CerTest Biotec announce CE mark for COVID-19 diagnostic test - CerTest Biotec, along with Becton Dickinson announced that the VIASURE SARS-CoV-2 Real Time PCR Detection Kit adapted for the BD MAX System has been CE marked to the IVD Directive. The molecular test for detection of COVID-19 is available to clinical laboratories in countries recognizing the CE mark.

07:01 EDT Marathon Oil announces immediate $500M spending reduction to 2020 budget - Marathon Oil has announced an immediate capital spending reduction of at least $500M relative to its previously communicated 2020 capital spending budget of $2.4B. The revised capital spending budget of $1.9B or less represents an approximate 30% reduction in comparison to actual 2019 capital spending. Specifically, the company will take the following steps to reduce its 2020 budget: Suspend further Resource Play Exploration drilling and leasing activity, driving a material reduction to the original $200M budget for 2020; Immediately suspend all operated drilling and completion activity in Oklahoma, where the company is currently running three rigs and one frac crew; Meaningfully reduce operated drilling and completion activity in the Northern Delaware, where the company is currently running four rigs and one frac crew; Optimize development programs in the Eagle Ford and Bakken, where the Company is currently running eight rigs and three frac crews. "In response to the recent commodity price volatility from simultaneous supply and demand shocks, we're taking swift and decisive action to defend our cash flow generation, protect our balance sheet, and fund our dividend," said Marathon Oil chairman, president, and CEO Lee Tillman. "We believe our foundational work is already in place with a high quality multi-basin portfolio that affords us the flexibility that we're exercising today. Our balance sheet reflects a conservative leverage profile and significant liquidity. And, at every level of the Company we continue to strive to relentlessly drive down our cash flow breakeven, while operating safely and responsibly. This framework has served us well, and it positions us to navigate a challenging oil price environment ahead."

06:53 EDT Zynerba's cash enough to fund the company beyond approval of Zygel - The Company's cash and cash equivalents as of December 31, 2019 was $70.1M. Management believes that the cash runway is sufficient to fund operations and capital requirements beyond the expected NDA submission and potential approval of Zygel in FXS and into the second half of 2021

06:36 EDT Accenture to acquire ESR Labs, terms not disclosed - Accenture has agreed to acquire ESR Labs, a Munich-based company that develops embedded software for leading German car brands and suppliers. The acquisition will expand Accenture's capabilities to help its automotive clients drive greater value from software. Completion of the acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions. Financial terms were not disclosed.

06:08 EDT ChinaNet Online announces relief measures for COVID-19 outbreak in China - ChinaNet Online Holdings provided an update on the relief measures that it is currently implementing in support of those companies impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak in China. These relief measures are expected to help those companies to combat the negative impacts of the COVID-19 outbreak on their businesses and support small and medium enterprises, or SMEs, throughout the country to stabilize their workforce. The Company's relief measures include the following special service discounts; Online streaming tools; Blockchain technology solutions; AI-powered matching system solutions; Exploration of cooperative financing for SMEs with verification system on the blockchain; and donation of medical supplies to Xiaogan, Hubei province.

06:06 EDT Covia sees Q1 adjusted EBITDA $22M-$27M - Based on preliminary results through February, the Company sees Q1 industrial volumes 3.3M-3.4M tons and Energy volumes up 10%-15% sequentially. The unknown impact of the Covid-19 virus and fluctuating oil and gas prices on market conditions makes forecasting 2020 challenging. The Company expects 2020 selling, general and administrative expenses to be between $135M-$145M, which includes approximately $10M in non-cash stock compensation. The Company expects 2020 capital expenditures to be in the range of $60M-$70M, of which $20M-$25M is related to the modernization and expansion of the nepheline syenite operations in Canada.

06:04 EDT Mesoblast to evaluate remestemcel-L for treatment of COVID-19 lung disease - Mesoblast announced that it plans to evaluate its allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell product candidate remestemcel-L in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome caused by coronavirus in the United States, Australia, China and Europe. The company is in active discussions with various government and regulatory authorities, medical institutions and pharmaceutical companies to implement these activities.

05:56 EDT TSMC reports January revenue NT$93.39B, up 53.4% y/y - TSMC announced its net revenues for February 2020: On a consolidated basis, revenues for February 2020 were approximately NT$93.39B, a decrease of 9.9% from January 2020 and an increase of 53.4% from February 2019. Revenues for January through February 2020 totaled NT$197.08B, an increase of 41.8% compared to the same period in 2019.

05:46 EDT Emergent BioSolutions enters agreement with Novavax - Emergent BioSolutions (EBS) announced that it has entered into an agreement with Novavax (NVAX) whereby Emergent will collaborate with Novavax, utilizing its molecule-to-market contract development and manufacturing, or CDMO, services to support bringing into the clinic Novavax's novel experimental vaccine candidate to protect against coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Under the terms of the agreement, Emergent will produce the COVID-19 experimental vaccine candidate, which is based on the proprietary recombinant protein nanoparticle technology platform of Novavax and utilizing their proprietary Matrix-M adjuvant to enhance immune responses. Emergent has initiated work for this program anticipating that the COVID-19 experimental vaccine candidate will be used in a Phase 1 clinical study within the next four months.

05:27 EDT NIO Inc. reports 707 vehicles delivered in February - NIO Inc. provided its February 2020 delivery results. NIO delivered 707 vehicles in February 2020, consisted of 671 ES6s, the company's 5-seater high-performance premium electric SUV, and 36 ES8s, the company's 7-seater high-performance premium electric SUV and its 6-seater variant. The company plans to commence deliveries of the new ES8 in April 2020. As of February 29, cumulative deliveries of the ES8 and the ES6 reached 34,218 vehicles, of which 2,305 vehicles were delivered in 2020.

05:11 EDT Cenovus Energy reducing FY20 capital spending by 32% - Cenovus Energy is reducing its 2020 capital spending by approximately 32% in order to maintain the strength of its balance sheet. Cenovus is also temporarily suspending its crude-by-rail program and deferring final investment decisions on major growth projects. These measures are being taken in response to the recent significant decline in world benchmark crude oil prices. The company continues to work toward funding its revised capital program and current dividend within cash flow in this challenging commodity price environment. As a result of Cenovus's decision to temporarily suspend its crude-by-rail program, the company will no longer be making use of credits under Alberta's Special Production Allowance, or SPA, program. Therefore, oil sands production in 2020 is now expected to average between 350,000 barrels per day and 400,000 bbls/d, approximately 6% lower than the company's December 9, 2019 guidance for the year. Capital originally budgeted to progress potential phase H expansions at both Christina Lake and Foster Creek to sanction-ready status this year has been put on hold, and the majority of the remaining planned capital spend at the company's Deep Basin and Marten Hills operations has been suspended. Modest spending on engineering and permitting for a potential diluent recovery unit, or DRU, will be completed, however, in the current environment, Cenovus does not intend to sanction any new projects. Cenovus currently has liquidity of approximately $4.4 billion, including undrawn credit facility capacity and cash on hand. Under the terms of Cenovus's committed credit facility, the company is required to maintain a debt to capitalization ratio, as defined in the agreement, not to exceed 65%. The company was well below this limit at the end of 2019, and has no near-term debt maturities. Cenovus will continue to monitor the macro-economic and oil price environment and will look for additional opportunities to reduce operating and capital spending if necessary. The company expects to provide an updated corporate guidance document in due course.