Stockwinners Market Radar for May 21, 2020 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:50 EDT Wynn Resorts CFO sells 6K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Wynn Resorts disclosed that its CFO Craig Billings sold 6.0K shares of common stock on May 19th in a total transaction of $508K.

19:42 EDT Starbucks reopens over 85% of U.S. stores, launches summer menu - The company states: "With over 85 percent of our company-operated stores across the U.S now responsibly reopened, Starbucks introduced a new summer-inspired food and drink menu, featuring the Iced Guava Passionfruit Drink, Grilled Chicken and Hummus Protein Box, Unicorn Cake Pop and the returning S'mores Frappuccino(R) Blended Beverage. We are expecting more than 90 percent of our stores to be open by early June, under modified operations and hours. We have adapted these protocols for the U.S. and our goal is to exceed the standards outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for a safe experience, including heightened emphasis on cleaning and sanitizing protocols in our stores. Customers will be able to find a store, check store hours, order ahead and use contactless payment with the Starbucks(R) App. Plus, customers can get their favorite Starbucks food and drinks without leaving home with Starbucks(R) Delivers, offering a convenient way to place an order through Uber Eats. Starbucks Delivers is now available nationwide." Reference Link

19:12 EDT GSK, Samsung Biologics partner to secure capacity for biopharma therapies - GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) and Samsung Biologics (SSNLF) have entered into a partnership to provide GSK with additional capacity to manufacture and supply GSK's innovative biopharmaceutical therapies. Under the terms of the agreement, Samsung Biologics will provide GSK with additional capacity for large-scale biopharmaceutical product manufacturing. This capacity will be flexible depending on GSK's future needs and will supplement GSK's existing manufacturing network. The agreement is worth more than $231M over the next eight years. It will initially cover commercial production of Benlysta, with technology transfer starting in 2020 and first commercial supply expected in 2022. The intention is to expand to additional specialty-care products in the future.

18:34 EDT Target CEO: We have millions of new shoppers - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, Brian Cornell said the digital business grew significantly in Q1. Same day services grew 278% y/y. Cornell expects the investment in safety will pay dividends for years. "We built trust with consumers during the pandemic," he said. According to Cornell, the company's economic model centers around the store. Stores are the center of the fulfillment strategy. Stores are "more productive than ever" and will fuel profitability going forward, he noted.

18:20 EDT Align Technology CFO sells 5.8K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Align Technology disclosed that its CFO John Morici sold 5.8K shares of common stock on May 19th in a total transaction of $1.33M.

18:05 EDT Redfin homebuying demand moves from recovery to growth mode - The company states: "This past week, Redfin's homebuying demand moved out of recovery mode and into growth mode, reaching a new peak. For the seven days ended May 17, demand was 16.5% higher than it was before the pandemic, on a seasonally-adjusted basis, according to Redfin's latest weekly report. To handle the rapid rise in home-buying demand, Redfin has been bringing staff back from the furlough that was initiated in early April. Of the roughly 1,000 people who went on furlough, Redfin has already welcomed approximately 350 employees back to work. New cases of coronavirus have certainly tapered from their peaks back in April, but over 20,000 new cases are still being reported daily in the U.S. and last week another 2.4 million workers filed for unemployment benefits. Homebuying demand seems to have been largely unaffected in the face of those headwinds."

18:02 EDT Noble Corp executes Board Chairman transition - Noble Corp announced that it has executed the leadership transition plan announced in February 2020. Effective today, Julie Robertson has assumed the newly created role of executive Chairman of the Company's Board of Directors. Robert Eifler has been named President and CEO and has been elected as a member of the Board of Directors. Additionally, Kevin Corbett has been elected to the Board of Directors to replace a board member who did not stand for re-election.

17:50 EDT Bristol-Myers VP Louis Schmukler sells almost $1.6M in company shares - Bristol-Myers VP Louis Schmukler disclosed in a filing that he had sold 25,000 shares of company stock at an average price of $62.68 per share on May 19. The total transaction value of the sale was $1,567,000.

17:30 EDT US Foods jumps after KKR reveals active stake, may seek talks - Shares are off their highs in after-market trading on Thursday, currently up 2.5% to $19.00 per share.

17:10 EDT Syndax plunges 19.5% after E2112 Phase 3 trial fails to meet primary endpoint - Shares of Syndax Pharmaceuticals (SNDX) dropped nearly 20% following the resumption of trade after the company said it received the final results of E2112, the Phase 3 clinical trial conducted by ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group and sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, that evaluated the investigational compound entinostat, Syndax's class I HDAC inhibitor, plus exemestane in patients with advanced hormone receptor positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative breast cancer who have progressed on a non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor. The company said the trial did not achieve the primary endpoint of demonstrating a statistically significant overall survival benefit over hormone therapy alone. The E2112 trial was designed and conducted independently by ECOG-ACRIN under the sponsorship of the NCI, which is part of the National Institutes of Health, Syndax noted. The double-blind, placebo-controlled trial randomized a total of 608 patients with HR+, HER2- advanced breast cancer to receive exemestane in combination with entinostat or placebo. The news comes two weeks after Syndax reported lower-than-expected Q1 results, with CEO Briggs Morrison saying at the time that the company expected a potential regulatory filing for entinostat in HR+ breast cancer by year end.

17:05 EDT Scientific Games names Michael Eklund CFO - Scientific Games announced that Michael Eklund will become its Chief Financial Officer on June 1, 2020. Mike Eklund spent more than 20 years at Dell Technologies in both financial and operational roles, including leading the value creation and integration function for the $67 billion Dell-EMC combination and serving as chief financial officer of Dell's $40 billion-plus Client Solutions Business Unit and Global Operations organization. Most recently, he has served as CFO of IRI, a global leader in innovative data and analytic solutions and services for consumer, retail and media companies. Michael Quartieri will remain full time with the Company until June 30, 2020 and will serve in a consulting role through December 31, 2020.

17:01 EDT Exela Technologies names Shrikant Sortur as new CFO - Exela Technologies announced that Shrikant Sortur, who has served as Exela's Executive Vice President, Global Finance since 2017, has been promoted to CFO as part of the company's succession planning process. Jim Reynolds, who has served as CFO since 2017, will remain a non-employee member of the company's Board of Directors.

16:57 EDT New trailer for Warner Bros.' 'Tenet' to air in 'Fortnite' - According to the official Twitter account of Epic Games' "Fortnite," the trailer for the latest Christopher Nolan film "Tenet" will be shown at the top of every hour on the big screen in the battle royale game, starting at 8:00 pm ET tonight. The film is being distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures (T). Investors in Epic include Tencent (TCEHY), KKR (KKR), and Disney (DIS). Reference Link

16:52 EDT Century Communities co-CEO sells 100K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Century Communities disclosed that its co-CEO Robert Francescon sold 100K shares of common stock on May 19th in a total transaction size of $2.77M.

16:51 EDT Abercrombie & Fitch announces temporary suspension of quarterly dividend - On May 20, the Board of Directors of the company authorized the temporary suspension of the company's quarterly cash dividend of 20c per share in respect of the company's common stock. The Board will review the dividend suspension throughout the year to determine, in light of facts and circumstances at that time, whether and when to reinstate the quarterly cash dividend.

16:47 EDT Murphy Oil general counsel Walter Compton to retire, Ted Botner to succeed - Murphy Oil announced that Walter Compton, executive VP and general counsel, will retire from the company effective June 1. The current VP, law and corporate secretary, Ted Botner, will be assuming Compton's responsibilities in addition to maintaining his current duties under the new title senior VP, general counsel and corporate secretary. Botner will now be reporting to Roger Jenkins, president and CEO.

16:47 EDT Agilent up 5% to $84.70 after Q2 results beat estimates

16:41 EDT Callaway Golf says operations ramping up more quickly than expected - In a regulatory 8-K filing, the company stated: "On May 19, 2020, the Company reopened its primary manufacturing plant for golf balls located in Chicopee, Massachusetts. With the reopening of the Chicopee golf ball plant, all of the company's distribution centers and manufacturing plants worldwide have resumed operations while taking steps designed to protect its employees, including protective gear, social distancing guidelines and other preventive and safety measures. These operations are ramping up more quickly than expected."

16:36 EDT Syndax says E2112 Phase 3 trial did not achieve primary endpoint - Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced receipt of the final results of E2112, the Phase 3 clinical trial conducted by ECOG-ACRIN Cancer Research Group and sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, that evaluated the investigational compound entinostat, Syndax's class I HDAC inhibitor, plus exemestane in patients with advanced hormone receptor positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 negative breast cancer who have progressed on a non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor. The trial did not achieve the primary endpoint of demonstrating a statistically significant overall survival benefit over hormone therapy alone. "We're disappointed that the combination of entinostat and exemestane did not demonstrate a survival benefit in this historically difficult-to-treat patient population," said Briggs W. Morrison, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Syndax. "On behalf of the entire Syndax team, we extend our sincerest gratitude to all the patients, their families and the investigators who participated in this important trial, as well as our colleagues at ECOG-ACRIN and the NCI. Based on these results, we will not be filing a New Drug Application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for metastatic breast cancer."

16:34 EDT Pacific Mercantile Bancorp names Denis Kalscheur as board chairman - Pacific Mercantile Bancorp announced the appointment of Denis Kalscheur as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pacific Mercantile Bancorp and the Bank. Mr. Kalscheur succeeds Edward Carpenter, who retired from the company's Board of Directors after having served as Chairman since 2012.

16:32 EDT Leidos awarded Army contract with $53M ceiling - Leidos has been awarded a new prime contract by the General Services Administration. The contract directs Leidos to develop and refresh software as well as upgrade capabilities for the Army's Unmanned Aircraft System Ground Control Station. The single award, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract has a one-year base period of performance and three one-year option years. If all options are exercised, the contract holds a total value of approximately $53M. Work will primarily be performed in Huntsville, Ala.

16:31 EDT Navidea reports 'positive' preliminary results from ongoing Phase 2B RA study - Navidea Biopharmaceuticals announced "positive" preliminary results from the Company's second interim analysis of its ongoing NAV3-31 Phase 2B study. Analysis demonstrates that these interim data further corroborate Navidea's hypotheses that Tc99m tilmanocept imaging can provide robust, quantitative imaging in healthy controls and in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis, and that this imaging can provide an early indicator of treatment efficacy in patients with active RA. A total of 15 subjects with active moderate-to-severe RA were included in this interim analysis, each of which was set to begin a new or first-time treatment regimen with an anti-TNF alpha therapy. Whole body and hand/wrist planar gamma camera images were obtained at baseline prior to initiation of new treatment, again at 5 weeks post therapy initiation, and then again at 12 weeks on 8 of the 15 subjects. The remaining 7 subjects had received baseline and 5-week scans only at the time of this analysis. A panel of established clinical assessments was performed at each time point as well, in order to compare imaging results with clinical standards over the 12-week time course. Results of the preliminary analysis demonstrate: Tc99m tilmanocept imaging from baseline to week 5 was predictive of clinical outcome at 12 weeks in 7 out of 8 subjects with 12-week clinical assessment available at the time of the interim analysis. The one subject who did not demonstrate concordance of signal quantification and clinical assessment had undergone a change in treatment regime while enrolled in the trial that may have impacted the trajectory of the clinical response. Combined data from all 15 subjects in Arm 3 suggest a wide dynamic range of more than one order of magnitude (greater than10-fold) for calculated global Tc99m tilmanocept uptake values in joints with RA-involved inflammation. In the subjects with 12-week follow up data available, global Tc99m tilmanocept signals declined by an average of 58% from baseline to week 5 in those who responded significantly to anti-TNF alpha treatment by week 12. In those subjects who did not have a significant clinical response to anti-TNF alpha treatment by week 12, Tc99m tilmanocept signals increased by an average of 79% from baseline to 5 weeks. These preliminary results indicate that marked changes in Tc99m tilmanocept global uptake values by week 5 are in agreement with clinical efficacy evaluations made at week 12 of treatment. The wide dynamic range of global Tc99m tilmanocept signal readout combined with the low variability of imaging signal quantification established in Arms 1 and 2 of this trial are supportive of the idea that clinically meaningful changes in signal localization can be detected. These interim data are supportive of Navidea's hypotheses that Tc99m tilmanocept imaging can provide quantifiable imaging assessment of RA-involved joints that enables early prediction of clinical response as well as longitudinal monitoring of clinical status.

16:28 EDT Workiva director Michael Crow sells almost $406K in company shares - Workiva director Michael Crow disclosed in a filing that he had sold 10,000 shares of company stock at an average price of $40.56 per share on May 19. The total transaction value of the sale was $405,600.

16:24 EDT Nvidia sees Q2 gross margin 65.5%-66.5%

16:23 EDT Palo Alto Networks up 7% to $245.50 after Q3 results beat estimates

16:22 EDT Creative Realities regains compliance with Nasdaq - Creative Realities announced that based on a notification letter recently received from the listing qualifications department of Nasdaq, the company has regained compliance with the minimum bid price requirement set forth in Rule 5550 of the Nasdaq Listing Rules.

16:20 EDT Palo Alto Networks reports Q3 billings up 24% y/y to $1B

16:18 EDT Palo Alto Networks sees FY20 total billings $4.102B-$4.122B - Representing year-over-year growth of 18%. Sees FY20 adjusted free cash flow margin of approximately 27%-28%, which excludes cash flow associated with the additional investment in our headquarters in Santa Clara and a cash payment associated with a litigation-related settlement.

16:16 EDT MagnaChip names Young Soo Woo CFO - MagnaChip announced that it has appointed Young Soo Woo as Chief Financial Officer of the company, effective as of May 25, 2020. Woo joins MagnaChip from CoreeGroup, where he was the Chief Executive Officer. "Young Soo's demonstrated skills in driving operational excellence and broad experience in strategic planning and financial analysis will be a significant asset for MagnaChip as we continue to execute our plan for sustainable and profitable growth," said YJ Kim. "I'm very pleased to welcome him to our leadership team as we transition to a streamlined company focused exclusively on products in the Display and Power semiconductor segments."

16:15 EDT ePlus says well positioned in the marketplace - The company states: "Fiscal 2020 was a year of strong growth for ePlus, and we are well positioned in the marketplace to provide the digital infrastructure, cloud, and security solutions required by our customers. We continue to execute on our strategy of expanding services, including our managed and helpdesk services, and our cloud hosted offerings to strengthen our annuity-type revenues. Our industry-leading gross margin demonstrates the value of our service offerings in today's dynamic marketplace. ePlus entered this challenging period with a strong balance sheet and a resilient business model. We continue to innovate and develop our offerings which support remote workforces while securing and optimizing customer's network, data, cloud, and collaboration infrastructure, and we remain well-positioned to support the next phase of IT evolution."

16:13 EDT Abbott reports interim data on ID NOW COVID-19 rapid test - Abbott announced an interim analysis of an ongoing multi-site clinical study in urgent care clinics that indicates its ID NOW COVID-19 rapid test is showing strong agreement to lab-based molecular polymerase chain reaction instruments. The interim results are demonstrating ID NOW COVID-19 test performance is greater than or equal to94.7% in positive agreement and greater than or equal to98.6% negative agreement when compared to two different lab-based PCR reference methods. Data from this, as well as two other Abbott-sponsored studies - The Everett Clinic in Washington and an ongoing study of hospitalized and nursing home patients - suggest ID NOW performs best in patients tested earlier post symptom onset, when they are most likely to go for care. In these studies, ID NOW was used as intended with variations in patient populations based on the number of days a patient was tested after first experiencing symptoms.

16:13 EDT Chuy's suspends further share repurchases for remainder of year - During the first quarter of 2020, and prior to the impact of COVID-19 on business operations, the Company repurchased approximately 90,000 shares of its common stock for a total of $1.4 million. As of the end of the first quarter, the Company had $28.6 million remaining under its $30.0 million repurchase program that expires on December 31, 2022. As a result of COVID-19, the Company has suspended further share repurchase activity for the remainder of the year.

16:10 EDT e.l.f. Beauty suspends FY21 guidance - Looking forward, the company expects sales trends and the economy overall to remain volatile for the next several months. Given the uncertainty around the timing, speed and duration of the recovery from the adverse impacts of COVID-19, the company is suspending guidance for fiscal year 2021.

16:09 EDT e.l.f. Beauty says China based suppliers fully operational - The company states: "Although the Company's supply chain is largely based in China, during the COVID-19 outbreak, the Company's operations were minimally disrupted. As of today, the Company's Chinese-based suppliers and employees are fully operational, and the Company's supply chain is back to normal run rates. The Company's U.S. distribution centers are also fully operational, fulfilling national retailer and e-commerce orders. Moving forward, the Company will continue to work with its suppliers to closely manage inventory levels as it monitors the impact of COVID-19 on demand."

16:07 EDT Geron announces plans for Phase 3 imetelstat trial in MF patients - Geron announced plans for a Phase 3 clinical trial in MF patients who are refractory to treatment with a janus kinase, or JAK, inhibitor, including trial design and expected timelines for trial start and future data readouts. The planned Phase 3 clinical trial in refractory MF is designed to be an open label 2:1 randomized, controlled trial to evaluate imetelstat in approximately 320 patients with Intermediate-2 or High-risk MF. Patients eligible for the trial will be required to be refractory to a JAK inhibitor, an inclusion criterion that is planned to be defined as having an inadequate spleen response or symptom response after treatment with a JAK inhibitor for at least six months, including an optimal dose of a JAK inhibitor for at least two months. The control arm is planned to be best available therapy, or BAT, excluding JAK inhibitors. The primary efficacy endpoint for the trial is planned to be overall survival, or OS. Planned key secondary endpoints include symptom response, spleen response, progression free survival, complete response, partial response, clinical improvement, duration of response, safety, pharmacokinetics, and patient reported outcomes. Currently, the planned Phase 3 clinical trial in refractory MF has been designed with more than 85% power to detect a 40% reduction in the risk of death for the imetelstat treated patients, for example, 14 months for the BAT arm and 23 months for the imetelstat arm. The final analysis for OS is planned to be conducted after more than 50% of the total enrolled patients have died. An interim analysis of OS, in which the alpha spend is expected to be approximately 0.01, is planned to be conducted after approximately 70% of the total projected number of events, or deaths, for the final analysis have occurred. At the interim analysis, if the pre-specified statistical OS criterion is met, then Geron expects such data may support registration of imetelstat in refractory MF. If the prespecified OS criterion is not met at interim analysis, the trial will continue to the final analysis. Both the planned interim and final analyses are event driven and could occur on different timelines than currently expected. The trial design for the planned Phase 3 clinical trial in refractory MF was discussed with the FDA at a Type C meeting in Q2. The FDA accepted the proposed trial design, including the definition of the refractory MF patient population, the primary efficacy endpoint of OS, secondary endpoints, the use of BAT for the control arm that excludes JAK inhibitors, and the statistical design and methods to be used to analyze data from the trial for the interim and final analyses. Although the FDA urged Geron to consider a third dosing arm to assess a lower dose and/or a more frequent dosing schedule that might identify a less toxic regimen and/or improve spleen response, one of the trial's secondary endpoints, the FDA did not object to Geron's proposed imetelstat dose and schedule of 9.4 mg/kg every three weeks. Geron believes the current design of the planned Phase 3 clinical trial will support, if the trial is successful, the registration of imetelstat in refractory MF. Currently, Geron expects to engage over 150 sites to participate in the global Phase 3 clinical trial in refractory MF across North America, South America, Europe and Asia. Geron plans to open the trial for screening and enrollment in Q1 of 2021. Under current assumptions, Geron expects to complete patient enrollment in the planned Phase 3 clinical trial in refractory MF in the second half of 2022, to conduct an interim analysis in the first half of 2023 and to conduct a final analysis in the first half of 2024. The timing and achievement of enrollment completion and either or both of the planned analyses depend on numerous factors, including obtaining regulatory clearance of the trial protocol, Geron's ability to raise additional capital, and delays or interruptions related to the evolving effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

16:06 EDT Lululemon reopened over 150 locations, to open another 200 in next 2 weeks - lululemon provided details on the company's phased reopening plan for its global store operations. After closing the majority of lululemon stores globally outside of Greater China in mid-March, the company is gradually welcoming guests back to select locations where it is permitted to do so. lululemon's phased reopening approach incorporates key learnings from its successful reopening in Greater China and is being carried out week-by-week, market-by-market in accordance with local government and public health authority guidelines. As of today, lululemon has reopened over 150 store locations across North America, Europe, Asia, New Zealand and Australia, with approximately 200 additional locations set to reopen over the next two weeks.

16:04 EDT Correvio obtains final order from Supreme Court for acquisition by Advanz Pharma - Correvio has obtained a final order from the Supreme Court of British Columbia approving the previously announced plan of arrangement with Advanz Pharma pursuant to which Advanz Pharma , through its wholly-owned subsidiary Mercury Pharma, has agreed to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Correvio for a total purchase price of approximately $76M, which includes the repayment of certain Correvio indebtedness. The arrangement was previously approved by Correvio securityholders at the annual general and special meeting of securityholders held on May 15. It is anticipated that the transaction will close on May 27, subject to the satisfaction and/or waiver of all conditions. It is expected that the Correvio common shares will be delisted from trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market and Toronto Stock Exchange shortly after the closing date of the arrangement.

16:03 EDT Intuit CEO says IRS filing season delay, shelter-in-place impacted quarter - "During the first half of the fiscal year we grew total company revenue 14 percent, and we saw this momentum continue into the beginning of the third quarter. However, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the IRS extending the tax filing deadline to July 15. This caused the timing of millions of tax filings to shift later in the season, resulting in total revenue declining 8 percent in the quarter," said Sasan Goodarzi, Intuit's CEO. "Additionally, the shelter-in-place directives negatively impacted small businesses who are facing loss of income and cash flow to pay employees and weather the storm."

15:02 EDT Xerox declares quarterly cash dividend of 25c per share - Xeroxannounced that its board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of 25c per share on Xerox common stock. The dividend is payable on July 31 to shareholders of record on June 30. The board also declared a quarterly cash dividend of $20 per share on the outstanding Xerox Series A Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock. The dividend is payable on July 1 to shareholders of record on June 15.

14:29 EDT Castlight Health partners with NYS DOH to launch COVID-19 test site directory - Castlight Health, Inc. announced a partnership with the New York State Department of Health to launch a statewide directory of COVID-19 test sites. The directory currently includes over 700 test sites across New York State, and will enable New Yorkers to identify the closest testing site, its contact information, and the requirements to get a test there. "As we continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic on a national scale, our team has been tapping into our wealth of healthcare data to build resources that can help everyday Americans protect themselves from the virus. Access to this testing site finder will help New Yorkers self-assess without leaving their homes and find the nearest testing site if their symptoms become severe," said Castlight CEO, Maeve O'Meara.

14:12 EDT Bill Ackman pitches Howard Hughes to Tesla's Musk for HQ - Bill Ackman, a stakeholder in Howard Hughes (HHC), tweeted to Elon Musk, Tesla's (TSLA) CEO: Inspired by our namesake Howard Hughes, another visionary American, we propose a few alternatives for your Nevada or Texas move. @HowardHughesCo owns master planned cities where we can create @Tesla new HQ." Ackman attached a video pitch to his tweet. Reference Link

13:32 EDT Facebook shifting to remote work, introduces new Workplace video features - In a blog post titled "Building the Tools to Power the Future of Work," Facebook said it is "shifting to remote work," and introduced new Workplace features. "The shift to remote work just accelerated. Today new technology is helping us all stay connected and productive whether we're executives or the frontline workers, like retail workers and airport staff, who make up 80% of the world's working population. Platforms and devices like Workplace, Portal and Oculus were built for a time when economic opportunity might no longer depend on geography, a time when what you do could matter more than where you are. That time starts now. At Facebook we're shifting to remote work ourselves - many people can now choose where they do their best work - while we continue to lay the technical foundation for a more flexible, and fair, future of work for all. Workplace, which enables flexible work while connecting everyone at an organization, already has 5 million paid users - up 2 million since October. And Work Groups, a type of Facebook Group that helps people connect with their coworkers, has over 20 million monthly active users after just six months. Today we're introducing new video features in Workplace to make communication even easier. We're also adding features to Workplace on Portal, and widely releasing Oculus for Business to meet early demand for VR-powered training and collaboration," the post reads. Reference Link

13:19 EDT Shopify says company's future 'digital by default' - In a posting to its Careers page, the company said: "Shopify has always been a massive experiment: A place where you can unleash your curiosity, your passion for craft, and your drive to solve hard problems surrounded by friends. We're hiring in all corners of Canada and around the world, to design the future together - a future that is Digital by default...Digital by default represents a digital-first way of thinking, working, and making decisions. It means the freedom to work from anywhere and the opportunity to build solutions that help Shopify's merchants and partners innovate through chaos and emerge, stronger and more adaptable than ever before. Like everything at Shopify, we build with intention and high care and we're always looking for talented humans who crave big challenges, are curious, resourceful, and know how to have an impact. As our merchants reinvent themselves, we're reimagining Shopify and how we work. We're a company built on relationships, context and trust. Our culture is rooted in an ability to adapt, thrive on change, and build for the long term, and our collective purpose is to help more business owners of every size adapt and make it through this pandemic, with more knowledge, more insight, and more customers." Reference Link

13:14 EDT Identiv says contact tracing now available on Hirsch Velocity platform - Identiv announced the availability of Hirsch Velocity Software with Contact Tracing. "Available via download for Hirsch customers, the free feature has been launched to support worldwide office re-openings with improved health and safety management tools...Hirsch Velocity Software with Contact Tracing is a means of proactively and reactively protecting visitors. If a person enters a building and is later found to be symptomatic of an illness, Velocity can pull a report of everyone who entered the same door who can then be notified to either get tested or self-quarantine," the company said. In afternoon trading, Identiv shares are up 65c, or 15%, to $4.95.

12:31 EDT comScore, Minute Media report renewal for expanded digital audience measurement - Comscore and Minute Media, a global technology and digital publishing platform, announced a broadened renewal for Minute Media's use of Comscore's granular digital audience measurement solutions. The agreement, which includes Comscore Media Metrix Multi-Platform and Video Metrix Multi-Platform for U.S. and Hispanic audiences, significantly expands Minute Media's audience measurement and ad planning utilization as Minute Media continues to focus on audience development across its seven digital content brands in addition to strategic partnerships with like-minded publishers. "Comscore is excited to deepen its relationship with Minute Media as they pursue an aggressive growth strategy to support their audience and advertising measurement at scale," said Steve Walsh, Executive Vice President, Commercial. "We look forward to serving as the digital currency that enables the Minute Media team to maximize their monetization."

11:44 EDT TJX sees 'incremental markdowns in Q2, but not at Q1-levels'

11:32 EDT Full House Resorts announces reopening of Silver Slipper Casino - Full House Resorts announced that it has reopened its Silver Slipper Casino & Hotel in Hancock County, Mississippi. "The Silver Slipper is the company's largest property, contributing approximately 44% of the company's consolidated net revenues in 2019. The company continues to work closely with its various regulators and government leaders on the reopening of its other properties. It continues to expect that all of its properties will have reopened by mid-June," Full House stated.

11:19 EDT TJX does not anticipate buying back any more stock for remainder of FY21

11:09 EDT TJX partially or fully opened in 25 states in U.S. - TJX management said, "We plan to continue to open stores in a phased reopening... Could be fully open in June." Comments taken from Q1 earnings conference call.

11:08 EDT Netflix says inactive accounts less than half of one percent of members

11:05 EDT Driver says First United Corp lawsuit 'entirely without merit' - Driver Management Company, one of the largest shareholders of First United Corporation issued an open letter to shareholders. The company said, "Driver has always been transparent and honest with First United shareholders and has detailed the full extent of its interactions with Maryland regulators on our website: www.RenovateMyBank.com. We are dismayed, yet unsurprised, that the Company's latest communication continues its campaign of misinformation regarding its scheme with state regulators to punish shareholders who are exercising their right to advocate for change. It should be crystal clear now that First United has the most anti-shareholder Board of Directors in all of Corporate America. Driver has shared documents obtained from the Maryland Commissioner that demonstrate-in Driver's opinion-beyond any reasonable doubt that First United instigated the Maryland Commissioner's investigation. Moreover, these documents show that First United doggedly and relentlessly tried to direct and control the Maryland Commissioner's investigation for one reason only: to prevent Driver from voting their shares at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders on June 11, 2020. These important documents demonstrate the extraordinary lengths that First United will go to in order to suppress corporate democracy and shareholder engagement, and should be examined by all shareholders and anyone who believes that public company investors are entitled to their fundamental rights. We believe the lawsuit filed by First United on May 20, 2020-and paid for by shareholders-is entirely without merit and a clear sign of a desperate Board pathetically seeking to avoid accountability. It is discouraging that a public company would prefer to avoid a fair and level election contest by seeking to disenfranchise its shareholders through litigation.This lawsuit and First United's entire course of conduct during this election contest has demonstrated that the Board simply-at a very fundamental level-lacks the understanding of what it means to be a public company and be accountable to its shareholders. Furthermore, the totality of the circumstances of this situation suggests that the Board prefers to reject facts it does not like and doggedly cling to narratives that comport with the directors' preferred view of the world regardless of reality. This situation should concern all shareholders and raise serious doubts as to whether any member of the Board is fit to be a public company director. As a reminder, Driver has nominated three highly-qualified and completely unaffiliated director nominees to improve First United's eleven-member Board. If elected, our nominees look forward to working constructively and collaboratively with the remaining legacy directors to improve our bank and its corporate governance for the benefit of all stakeholders. We believe that falling prey to First United's lies and failing to support our nominees will equate to an endorsement of the incumbent Board's willingness to use any pretext to strip shareholders of their rights. All shareholders should be wary of a Board whose first reaction to any shareholder discontent is to attempt to strip investors of their rights and voting powers."

10:24 EDT Fannie, Freddie jump after FHFA proposes new capital framework - Shares of Fannie Mae (FNMA) and Freddie Mac (FMCC) are moving higher after the Federal Housing Finance Agency announced that it is seeking comments on a notice of proposed rulemaking that establishes a new regulatory capital framework for the entities. "The 2018 proposal remains the foundation of the re-proposal. The enhancements in the new proposal preserve the mortgage risk-sensitive framework of the 2018 proposal, while increasing the quantity and quality of the Enterprises' regulatory capital and reducing the pro-cyclicality of the aggregate capital requirements. Together, the enhancements in the re-proposal ensure each Enterprise's safety and soundness and its ability to fulfill its statutory mission across the economic cycle, in particular during periods of financial stress. The re-proposal is also a critical step toward responsibly ending the conservatorships," the agency said in a statement. It added, "First, FHFA has begun the process to responsibly end the conservatorships of the Enterprises...Second, FHFA is proposing to increase the quantity and quality of the regulatory capital at the Enterprises to ensure the safety and soundness of each Enterprise and that each Enterprise can fulfill its statutory mission to provide stability and ongoing assistance to the secondary mortgage market across the economic cycle, in particular during periods of financial stress. Third, to facilitate regulatory capital planning, and in furtherance of the safety and soundness of the Enterprises and their countercyclical mission, FHFA is proposing changes to mitigate the pro-cyclicality of the aggregate risk-based capital requirements of the 2018 proposal." Shares of Fannie Mae are up 9% to $2.13 in early trading while Freddie Mac are up 10% to $2.07. Reference Link

10:00 EDT Flowers Foods raises quarterly dividend 5.3% to 20c per share - Payable on June 19 to shareholders of record on June 5.

10:00 EDT GAMCO Investors falls -11.1% - GAMCO Investors is down -11.1%, or -$1.53 to $12.21.

10:00 EDT Havertys rises 14.6% - Havertys is up 14.6%, or $2.25 to $17.61.

10:00 EDT Old Republic rises 9015.2% - Old Republic is up 9015.2%, or $14.88 to $15.04.

09:47 EDT CorePoint Lodging falls -9.0% - CorePoint Lodging is down -9.0%, or -38c to $3.81.

09:47 EDT Tutor Perini rises 12.7% - Tutor Perini is up 12.7%, or $1.09 to $9.69.

09:47 EDT Old Republic rises 8869.7% - Old Republic is up 8869.7%, or $14.63 to $14.80.

09:35 EDT Glass Lewis recommends GCP shareholders vote for GCP director nominees - GCP Applied Technologies announced that Glass Lewis & Co. recommends that shareholders vote "FOR" the Company's highly-qualified director nominees - Randall Dearth, Clay Kiefaber, James Kirsch, Philip Mason, Danny Shepherd and Armand Lauzon - on the BLUE proxy card in connection with the Company's 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders scheduled to be held on May 28, 2020. In addition, Glass Lewis recommended shareholders vote "FOR" the ratification of the amended shareholder rights agreement. In its report dated May 21, 2020, Glass Lewis noted the potential unintended consequences that could occur unless shareholders vote using the BLUE proxy card: "...given the extent of the change sought by Starboard, effectively targeting every other incumbent director besides the two it placed last year through the settlement, we are not convinced that support of Starboard's entire slate is either justified or advisable...The two-card system that remains in place for this fight, together with the fact that approximately 33% of the shares outstanding will be voted using Starboard's proxy card, which could possibly equate to a much greater percentage of the votes cast, depending on voter turnout, make this a unique and special case. In our opinion, these factors present even more voting considerations for shareholders to grapple with than the ordinary proxy contest. In our opinion, given the likely and potential ramifications of these factors, in this rare instance, we do not believe it is advisable for shareholders to vote for board change using the Dissident's proxy card... we see evidence in the Company's recent quarterly results and improved performance in 2019 which suggests that current management is addressing certain issues and achieving results, even if not as quickly as some shareholders might demand. In our view, current management does not appear to be a problem at this point, but more likely an integral part of the solution going forward."

09:14 EDT Seagate grants free access to patented technologies for fight against COVID-19 - Seagate announced that it has signed the Open COVID Pledge. The pledge grants free access to all of Seagate's patented technologies to help enable diagnosing, preventing, containing and treating of COVID-19. The mission of the Open COVID Pledge is to provide access to every tool at the disposal of businesses and society toward the goal of rapid development and deployment of technologies in a massive scale without impediment, in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

09:10 EDT Datametrex enters strategic agreement to provide processing of COVID-19 tests - Datametrex AI announced that is has signed a Strategic Partnership and Development Agreement with Transpharm Canada. Under the term of the Agreement TCI will work with Datametrex on scoping out services and providing access to its 25,000 sq. ft state-of-the-art testing facility located in Toronto, ON, to provide support and testing services for COVID-19 testing kits that Datametrex has in its portfolio. Datametrex will be providing the COVID-19 test kits. TCI will be providing all other services including but not limited to the collection of specimens, transport of specimens, and processing test results. TCI will design, engineer, and develop a fully integrated suite of testing systems that will include in the field and lab testing protocols using TCI's fully compliant Health Canada licensed Good Manufacturing Practice manufacturing and testing facility. TCI lab has a current capacity to process 2,304 nucleic acid COVID-19 real-time detection kits every 24 hrs using CFX96 real-time PCR detection system machines and is scalable to over 10,000 test kits every 24 hrs. Transpharm will develop a Point of Care Diagnostic Kit System with clear protocols of specimen collection, specimen handling, and specimen container labeling including the patient's full name, date of collection, and one other unique identifier such as date of birth or government issued health card number. Transpharm will also develop a procedure focused around delivery related to specimen transport media tube protocols including to ensure cap on tube is tightly sealed, shipped at 2-8 degrees C, 26-46 degrees F to the TCI laboratory testing facility.

09:08 EDT Starbucks says store transformation plans being accelerated - In a regulatory filing, Starbucks furnished a letter from Kevin Johnson, Starbucks president and CEO, to the company's partners, which states in part: "We are already well under way with the first action: reopening stores and recovering our business - a phase I have described in recent weeks as 'monitor and adapt.'...Second, we will accelerate the transformation of the 'third place' that was already underway before COVID-19 by adapting the Starbucks experience in ways that better serve customers, both in our stores and on-the-go. The pandemic has forced consumers to change behaviors by socially distancing, accommodating self-quarantine restrictions and preserving personal safety and well-being. Working from home has become the new normal for many of our customers, as has purchasing food and beverage online for either pickup or delivery. Since approximately 80% of our store transactions before the crisis were 'on the go,' driven in many ways by the use of the Starbucks mobile app, we were already adapting to new consumer trends that balance the need for convenience on-the-go with the desire for connection in our stores. Our digital leadership and ability to transform lower performing locations and formats to successful new store formats - i.e. relocate Starbucks stores from low-traffic malls to new, thriving Starbucks locations that combine the third place with drive-thrus - are unique strengths that we will lean into in the coming months. The plans we had for this broader store transformation over a three to five-year period will now occur over the next 12 to 18 months."

09:06 EDT Southern Company acquires Beech Ridge II Wind Facility - Southern Company subsidiary Southern Power acquired its 13th wind project - the 56 MW Beech Ridge II Wind Facility - from Invenergy, a developer, owner and operator of sustainable energy solutions. Located in Greenbrier County, West Virginia, Beech Ridge II was developed by Invenergy and utilizes 20 wind turbines manufactured by GE Renewable Energy. The project achieved commercial operation May 1. The electricity and associated renewable energy credits generated by the facility are being sold under a 12-year power purchase agreement. Southern Power will be the majority owner. Invenergy will retain a minority ownership position, and Invenergy Services, a subsidiary of Invenergy that provides end-to-end energy solutions for asset owners, will operate and maintain the facility.

09:06 EDT Starbucks says U.S. comp sales back to 60%-65% of last year, China back to 80% - In a regulatory filing, Starbucks furnished a letter from Kevin Johnson, Starbucks president and CEO, to the company's partners, which states in part: "We know that after several weeks of lockdown and sheltering-in-place, consumers will seek experiences that are safe, familiar and convenient. The reopening of our stores in China, the U.S. and elsewhere have confirmed that to be true. Over the last week, we have now regained about 60-65% of prior year comparable U.S. store sales while reopening under modified operations and with reduced hours. In China, we have seen progress as well and our comparable store sales have reached about 80% of prior year levels, reflecting gradual improvements over the past several weeks. We learned in China that when we re-open stores, we begin a recovery process that starts with those safe, familiar and convenient experiences and grows from there. Our recovery progresses each week, and we know that it will take time to fully recover and post positive comparable store sales growth. For example, we began reopening a large number of stores in the U.S. in the second week of May and we are tracking slightly above our forecasted recovery curve. With the launch of our new summer menu today, we are hoping to begin welcoming back more customers to Starbucks. We are pleased with our progress, but we are by no means immune to this global pandemic. Therefore, I want to be straightforward in describing our plan that both adapts to the new COVID-19 economy while building a bridge to the future."

09:03 EDT Lenovo extends financial services program with CIT Group - CIT Group (CIT) and Lenovo (LNVGY) announced a three-year program extension to their Lenovo Financial Services program, continuing the decade-long relationship. Under the extension, CIT will continue to provide a broad range of vendor financing solutions for U.S. clients and customers who utilize Lenovo's extensive range of technology products and services. Through the Lenovo Financial Services program, CIT offers solutions for commercial customers seeking to lease or finance Lenovo's technology products and services.

09:02 EDT Clarivate Analytics, Anaqua announce strateguc partnership - Anaqua and Clarivate announced a strategic partnership that will see CompuMark working with Anaqua to help IP professionals work more efficiently. The alliance will provide seamless integration between the ANAQUA IP Management platform and the CompuMark trademark research and protection platform, delivering significant workflow efficiencies for IP professionals. Anaqua and Clarivate share a number of customers who perform different activities on the two platforms across the full trademark lifecycle-from screening to clearance to management. Available in summer 2020, the integration offers easy access between the systems, enabling automatic data sharing and negating the need for time-consuming manual export. This will help streamline work processes and reduce administrative burden.

09:00 EDT Minerals Technologies signs agreement with Satia for satellite PCC plant - Minerals Technologies announced that it has signed an agreement with Satia Industries Limited to build a 42,000 metric ton per year satellite precipitated calcium carbonate plant at its paper mill in Sri Muktsar Sahib, Punjab District, India. The facility is scheduled to begin operation in the second quarter of 2021.

08:58 EDT NanoViricides falls 13% to $7.94 after 1.4M share offering prices at $7.30

08:50 EDT Manhattan Associates unveils cloud-native warehouse management system - In a press release yesterday afternoon, Manhattan Associates announced the new Manhattan Active Warehouse Management solution, the world's "first cloud-native enterprise-class warehouse management system that unifies every aspect of distribution and never needs upgrading." The company state: "Manhattan Active WM includes completely redesigned user experiences. Following a mobile-first paradigm and brought to life with consumer-grade design, Manhattan Active WM's Unified Control screens allow management team members to quickly visualize, diagnose and take action anywhere in their supply chain. For DC associates, the new WM MobileTM application provides a state-of-the-art, app-based experience for all transactional work. Composed of microservices, Manhattan Active WM is truly cloud-native. In addition to delivering a step change in accelerating the speed of innovation, this new application architecture provides an almost limitless ability to automatically scale up to meet fluctuations in demand."

08:47 EDT Medtronic seeing early signs of recovery, sees Q1 as 'trough'

08:43 EDT Best Buy says has retained 95% of sales in first two weeks in May

08:39 EDT Eldorado Resorts to reopen three MIssissippi casinos - Eldorado Resorts announced that it will resume operations at Isle of Capri Casino Hotel Lula, Lady Luck Casino Vicksburg and Tropicana Casino Greenville. Eldorado is implementing the Mississippi Gaming Commission's regulations that limit the number of guests to no greater than 50% of the property's maximum occupancy. Eldorado has developed a comprehensive list of health and safety protocols which are being implemented in Louisiana, Mississippi and other gaming markets where it has operations as they reopen.

08:38 EDT Best Buy says China comps at 80% of last year's levels - Says has retained about 60%-65% of prior year U.S. comp sales.

08:37 EDT AdaptHealth appoints Jason Clemens, CFA, as CFO - AdaptHealth announced the appointment of Jason Clemens, CFA, as CFO, effective August 3. Clemens joins AdaptHealth from MEDNAX (MD), where he currently serves as Senior Vice President and Operations Chief Financial Officer.

08:34 EDT Overstock.com reminds investors of trading requirements of Series A-1 shares - On May 19, 2020, Overstock.com paid a dividend to stockholders of record as of April 27, 2020 in the form of shares of Digital Voting Series A-1 Preferred Stock, OSTKO, which is registered with the Securities Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933. "It has come to the company's attention that shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock are being sold on platforms other than the alternative trading system, operated by tZERO ATS, LLC," said Overstock CEO Jonathan Johnson. "These transfers are in violation of the transfer restrictions imposed on the Series A-1 Preferred Stock by the Certificate of Designation. Overstock is considering all options, including legal action, to stop sales of shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock in violation of the transfer restrictions." Section 12(a) of the Certificate of Designation, which was approved by Overstock stockholders in February 2020, states, "Shares of Series A-1 Preferred cannot be sold except through an alternative trading system operated by tZERO ATS, LLC, a broker-dealer registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and a member of FINRA and SIPC." Subject to limited exceptions, shares of Series A-1 Preferred Stock can only be sold through the ATS operated by tZERO ATS, LLC, a broker-dealer registered with the SEC. In order to trade the Series A-1 shares in compliance with the Certificate of Designation, investors must open or have a brokerage account with an ATS-subscribing broker-dealer, or with a broker-dealer that maintains an account with an ATS-subscribing broker-dealer.

08:32 EDT Allstate announces estimated April catastrophe losses of $632M - Allstate announced estimated catastrophe losses for the month of April of $632M, pre-tax. Catastrophe losses occurring in April comprised six events at an estimated cost of $627M, pre-tax, plus unfavorable prior period reserve reestimates. Approximately 55% of estimated catastrophe losses were due to two severe wind and hail events impacting roughly half of the states.

08:31 EDT Best Buy sees FY21 CapEx $650M-$750M

08:26 EDT Medtronic sees gross margin remaining under pressure

08:26 EDT Medtronic thinks it has seen worst of procedure declines

08:25 EDT Medtronic sees Q2 better than Q1, sequential improvement through rest of year

08:24 EDT Medtronic sees any potential second COVID wave 'adequately contained'

08:22 EDT Medtronic: Uncertainty of pandemic makes it difficult to provide guidance

08:22 EDT Alico announces execution of four-year citrus fruit supply agreements - Alico announces it has entered into two new agreements with its largest customer to supply citrus fruit. These agreements are effective October 1, 2020 and conclude on July 31, 2024 and succeed an existing agreement that is set to expire at the end of September 2020.

08:16 EDT Medtronic sees a 'number' of approvals this quarter, despite pandemic - Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

08:16 EDT NetEase partnering with China's Planet O in entertainment center - NetEase and Planet O announced an official partnership. Founded in Shanghai in 2016, Planet O is an entertainment center and leisure destination. The venues feature a variety of VR and Mixed Reality games powered by proprietary Smart Facility Technology. The Location Based Entertainment Center will feature 360 degrees Immersive Media Projections, Fast-Casual Dining, Bars, Private Party Rooms and Rest Areas. The strategic partnership will be fulfilled through a joint venture between Planet O and NetVios, a subsidiary division of NetEase Games that focuses exclusively on the Location Based Entertainment and VR gaming pipeline.

08:15 EDT Aqua Metals says key personnel return to AquaRefinery - Aqua Metals announced that key personnel have returned to the AquaRefinery in compliance with COVID-19 re-opening protocols and Nevada law. The Company is continuing infrastructure work, advancing the V1.25 electrolyzer build, installation and commissioning as well as continuing the demolition and recovery activities for the area of the plant that suffered damage from the November 2019 fire. This continued work, that was interrupted in March because of COVID-19 restrictions, is finalizing and validating the productization of its AquaRefining electrolyzers with key incremental improvements. The improvements currently under development are anticipated to build on the previous success that was demonstrated by predecessor electrolyzer models. These advancements are expected to further reduce costs and increase operating efficiency.

08:12 EDT Envision Solar announces first Canadian order for EV ARC product - Envision Solar International announced the first Canadian order for the Company's EV ARC solar-powered charging infrastructure product, expanding global reach. EV ARC units are already deployed in the U.S., Brazil, Spain and The Caribbean.

08:11 EDT STRONG Technical Services completes drive-in test concept for Marcus Theatres - STRONG Technical Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ballantyne Strong (BTN), assisted Marcus Theatres (MCS) with the addition of a drive-in movie theatre test concept at the Twin Creek Cinema in Bellevue, NE, with additional locations under consideration.

08:10 EDT Best Buy saw 'surge of demand' in March - Says most stores operating on curbside-only model. Comments taken from Q1 earnings conference call.

08:07 EDT Oxford Lane adopts preferred stock repurchase program up to $40M - Oxford Lane Capital announced that the Company's board of directors has authorized a program for the purpose of repurchasing up to $40M worth of the outstanding shares of the Company's 7.50% Series 2023 Term Preferred Stock, 6.75% Series 2024 Term Preferred Stock and 6.25% Series 2027 Term Preferred Stock. Under this repurchase program, the Company may, but is not obligated to, repurchase its outstanding Preferred Stock in the open market from time to time through September 30, 2020. The timing and number of preferred shares to be repurchased will depend on a number of factors, including market conditions and alternative investment opportunities. In addition, any repurchases will also be conducted in accordance with the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended. There are no assurances that the Company will engage in any repurchases.

08:05 EDT Abercrombie & Fitch appoints Susie Coulter, James Goldman to board - Abercrombie & Fitch announced the election of two new independent board members, Susie Coulter and James Goldman, effective May 20, 2020. Additionally, James Bachmann's term on the Board of Directors ended immediately prior to the Company's Annual Meeting after serving on the Board for nearly 17 years. With these changes, the Company's Board will expand to 12 directors, five of whom are female. Independent directors now comprise 92% of the Board. Susie Coulter is currently the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bronty Beauty. James Goldman is currently a Senior Advisor at Eurazeo.

08:03 EDT Nokia launches WaveFabric Elements optical portfolio - Nokia announced its WaveFabric Elements portfolio of photonic chips, devices and subsystems, including its fifth generation coherent digital signal processor family, the Photonic Service Engine V. The explosion in video and mobile bandwidth demand over the past decade has been met through the continual advancement of optical and silicon technology. But as fundamental limits of transmission capacity and processing power are approached, network operators will need new ways to continue to scale their networks to meet the surging demands of 5G and cloud networking, while containing cost. Key to this transition is 400 Gigabit Ethernet technology. Set to become the pervasive network interface across IP, optical and data center networks, 400G marks the first common data rate since the introduction of 100G approximately 10 years ago. As the foundational technology for high bandwidth transport, the critical task of electro-optics in the coming years will be to transport 400G services at the lowest cost across a wide range of networking applications, each with distinct size, power, and performance requirements. Nokia's WaveFabric Elements portfolio combines digital signal processing and optics technologies focused on emerging end-to-end 400G applications, allowing Nokia to optimize the entire electro-optic engine that powers today's networks and the transformational upgrades to come. This high degree of vertical integration ensures that Nokia's optical solutions will meet the unique economic and technical requirements of data center, metro, long haul, and subsea networks.

07:43 EDT Legacy Acquisition Corp announces continuing negotiations of PIPE financing - Legacy Acquisition announced that, following approval of its stockholders of the extension of the deadline for Legacy to complete a business combination, it is continuing to negotiate the terms of a potential PIPE Financing pursuant to Rule 506(c) of Regulation D of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and amendments to the Share Exchange Agreement related to Legacy's proposed business combination transaction with the Blue Impact business, a digital-first, intelligent and integrated, global advertising & marketing services group. The terms of the proposed business combination transaction as contemplated by the Share Exchange Agreement have not yet been amended and are pending the conclusion of such negotiations. Legacy previously announced the Amended and Restated Share Exchange Agreement, dated as of December 2, 2019, as amended by that First Amendment to the Amended and Restated Share Exchange Agreement dated as of March 13, 2020, by and between Legacy and Blue Valor Limited, a company incorporated in Hong Kong and an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlueFocus Intelligent Communications Group Co. Ltd., pursuant to which Legacy will purchase all of the issued and outstanding shares of a wholly-owned subsidiary of Seller, which subsidiary is a holding company organized in the Cayman Islands, that will hold the Blue Impact business as of closing.

07:41 EDT Auxly Cannabis closes $2M second tranche of financing - Auxly Cannabis Group has issued an additional $2M worth of unsecured convertible debentures under its $25M unsecured convertible debenture standby facility with an institutional investor as previously announced on April 28, 2020. Under the Second Tranche, the convertible debentures issued to the Investor have a conversion price of $0.425 per common share of the Company, and the Investor received warrants to purchase 2,588,235 Common Shares until May 21, 2022 at an exercise price of $0.51 per Common Share. Each convertible debenture will mature on May 21, 2022 and will bear guaranteed interest from the date of issue at 7.5% per annum, payable semi-annually on June 30 and December 31 of each year and has the same terms and conditions as described in the Original Offering and the transaction documents filed on the Company's SEDAR profile. In connection with the completion of the Second Tranche, the Company has agreed to indemnify certain of its directors and officers for any and all losses not otherwise recoverable from the collateral provided by the Investor for the Common Shares provided by such directors and officers to the Investor pursuant to the terms of the investment agreement. The Indemnity may constitute a related party transaction under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions, but is otherwise exempt from the formal valuation and minority approval requirements of MI 61-101. The Indemnity has been approved by the independent directors of the Company. No special committee was established in connection with the Original Offering, the completion of the Second Tranche or the granting of the Indemnity, and no materially contrary view or abstention was expressed or made by any director of the Company in relation thereto. Further details will be included in a material change report that will be filed by the Company in connection with the completion of the Second Tranche. The Company did not file the material change report more than 21 days before the expected closing date of the Second Tranche as the details of the Second Tranche and the terms of the Indemnity were not settled until shortly prior to the closing of the Second Tranche, and the Company wished to complete the Second Tranche on an expedited basis for sound business reasons. All securities issued by the Company under the Second Tranche are subject to a statutory four-month hold period in accordance with applicable securities legislation and final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.

07:36 EDT InflaRx initiates Phase II clinical development program with IFX-1 in COVID-19 - IFX-1 in COVID-19 pneumonia: The Company initiated a Phase II clinical development program with IFX-1 in COVID-19 patients with severely progressed pneumonia. After all patients have been treated in the first part of the trial, an interim analysis will be performed to evaluate the clinical benefit of the treatment using the assessed clinical parameters in order to potentially initiate and adapt the confirmatory second part of the study. Part 1 was fully enrolled with 30 patients as of April 24, 2020.

07:35 EDT InflaRx decides to stop U.S. Phase II IXPLORE study with IFX-1 in AAV - IFX-1 in ANCA-associated vasculitis: Part 1 of the European Phase II IXCHANGE study has been fully enrolled. After analyzing the impact of COVID-19 on the study, a blinded interim analysis of Part 1 has been completed. Based on the analysis, the Company intends to continue with Part 2 of the study but decrease the number of enrolled patients. Following a blinded interim analysis of the US Phase II IXPLORE study with IFX-1 in patients with AAV and an assessment of the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company has decided to stop the study and read out the existing results earlier than initially planned as part of a strategy to align and streamline the US and EU AAV development programs.

07:33 EDT InflaRx says End of Phase II meeting scheduled for IFX-1 for mid-year 2020 - IFX-1 in Hidradenitis Suppurativa: In Q1 2020, the Company requested an End of Phase II meeting with the FDA to discuss the path forward for a pivotal program with IFX-1 in HS. The meeting has been scheduled for mid-year 2020.

07:31 EDT Kadmon announces topline results from ROCKstar trial primary analysis - Kadmon announced topline results from the primary analysis of ROCKstar, the pivotal trial evaluating belumosudil in patients with chronic graft-versus-host disease, or cGVHD, who have received at least two prior lines of systemic therapy. Belumosudil achieved clinically meaningful and statistically significant overall response rates, or ORRs, of 73% with 200 mg once daily and 74% with 200 mg twice daily. Responses were achieved across key patient subgroups and complete responses were observed in all organ systems. The study had previously met the primary endpoint of ORR at the interim analysis, which was conducted as scheduled as two months after completion of enrollment and was previously reported. Today's results from the primary analysis, which was conducted six months after completion of enrollment, show even greater efficacy of belumosudil in cGVHD patients. While data continue to mature, 49% of responders have maintained their response for at least 20 weeks at the time of the primary analysis. With a median treatment duration of 29 weeks, the median duration of response has not yet been reached in this ongoing study. Belumosudil has been well tolerated and adverse events have been consistent with those expected in the patient population. No cytomegalovirus infection or reactivation has been observed and no significant drug-related cytopenias have been reported. Kadmon is submitting its new drug application, or NDA, to the FDA under the Real-Time Oncology Review pilot program, an initiative of the FDA's Oncology Center of Excellence. Kadmon is on track to complete its NDA submission for belumosudil in Q4.

07:25 EDT Prudential joins PlanSource Boost to modernize benefits - PlanSource announced that Prudential will join PlanSource Boost, a program created to modernize the benefits experience through optimized benefits shopping, simplified billing, preferred pricing and real-time API integrations. . Through Boost, PlanSource is optimizing the employee shopping and enrollment experience for the products offered by Boost carriers, incorporating best practices and relevant content to help consumers select the benefits that are right for them. In addition to the optimized employee shopping experience, the Boost program was designed to drive game-changing ease, convenience and familiarity for employees and HR teams using PlanSource.

07:22 EDT Imara plans to report top-line data from IMR-687 Phase 2a trial in Q4

07:20 EDT BeiGene, Medison Pharma announce distribution agreement for BRUKINSA - BeiGene and Medison Pharma announced an exclusive distribution agreement for Medison to commercialize BeiGene's BTK inhibitor BRUKINSA in Israel and the acceptance of a new drug application in Israel for BRUKINSA for the treatment of patients with mantle cell lymphoma who have received at least one prior therapy.

07:16 EDT Astellas Pharma receives EMA acceptance for roxadustat MAA - Astellas Pharma (ALPMY) and FibroGen (FGEN) announced the marketing authorization application for roxadustat for the treatment of anemia in adult patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been accepted by the European Medicines Agency for regulatory review. The MAA is supported by positive results from a pivotal Phase 3 program, which involved more than 9,000 patients worldwide. The MAA dossier includes the DOLOMITES study, the results of which will be disclosed later this year.8,9 Results from these studies support roxadustat as efficacious in increasing and maintaining target hemoglobin levels with reduced use of intravenous iron in adult patients with CKD anemia, both those who are dialysis dependent and those non-dialysis dependent. These data also support a favorable risk:benefit profile with cardiovascular and general safety of roxadustat reflective of the underlying conditions of the CKD population. EMA's acceptance of the roxadustat MAA for treatment of anemia in adult patients with CKD on dialysis and not on dialysis triggers a milestone payment of $130 million by Astellas to FibroGen.

07:13 EDT Best Buy down 2.9% after reporting Q1 results

07:12 EDT Sorrento Therapeutics to acquire exclusive rights to abivertinib - Sorrento Therapeutics and ACEA Therapeutics have entered into a binding term sheet for an exclusive license to ACEA's Abivertinib across all indications for all territories outside of China. The final terms of the license will be set forth in a definitive agreement to be entered into between the parties. Abivertinib is a novel small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor that selectively targets both mutant forms of the epidermal growth factor receptor and Bruton's tyrosine kinase. More than 600 patients have been treated with Abivertinib at different oral doses up to 300 mg bid in multiple trials through registration trial in patients with non-small cell lung cancer and B cell malignancies conducted in China. Favorable safety, tolerability and efficacy in patients with NSCLC or relapsed/refractory B-cell malignancies were demonstrated in separate studies. At the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in 2019, the results of an interim analysis of 209 response-evaluable patients with NSCLC was presented. Of the 209 patients, the investigators determined that 90% had tumor size reduction, with 52% of the patients demonstrating a confirmed partial response, 5% of the patients demonstrating an unconfirmed partial response, 30% of the patients demonstrating stable disease and 12% of the patients demonstrating progressive disease. The progression free survival was 7.5 months at the time. An estimate of the median overall survival was 25 months at the time of the presentation with the study still ongoing. All patients experienced at least one adverse event. Grade 3/4 AEs were reported in 46% of the patients, of which treatment related grade 3/4 AEs were reported in 30% of the patients. None of the grade 5 AEs were deemed treatment-related. Most treatment-related AEs were grade 1 or 2, the most common of which were transaminase elevations and diarrhea, which are generally considered common for TKIs. Other common treatment-related AEs included anemia, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia, and all generally considered typical AEs with long-term use of TKIs. No unexpected AEs were reported. Promptly following the execution of the definitive license agreement, Sorrento expects to meet with the FDA to discuss the data and the path forward to seek approval for oncologic indications.

07:07 EDT Superior Energy says Forbes Energy Services intends to terminate merger deal - CEO David Dunlap said, ""In December 2019, the Company entered into an agreement with Forbes Energy Services ("Forbes") to combine its North America services business lines with Forbes into a separate company. To date, significant progress has been made in finalizing the combination; however, the COVID-19 pandemic and decline in oil and gas prices have created significant disruption to the capital markets and both companies' operations. This disruption has rendered the combination of our North America business lines with Forbes and our related note exchange offer impractical to complete on the terms originally contemplated, and we and Forbes intend to terminate the merger agreement. While this specific transaction will not come to pass, the strategic rationale for the separation of the Company's business lines remains clear, and we will continue to actively pursue strategies to effectuate it."

07:03 EDT Brookfield renews normal course issuer bid - Brookfield Asset Management has received approval from the Toronto Stock Exchange for the renewal of its normal course issuer bid to purchase up to 132,829,848 Class A Limited Voting Shares, representing 10% of the public float of Brookfield's outstanding Class A Shares. The period of the normal course issuer bid will extend from May 25, 2020 to May 24, 2021. Of the 123,795,660 Class A Shares approved for purchase under Brookfield's prior normal course issuer bid that will expire on May 23, Brookfield purchased 3,784,504 Class A Shares through open market purchases on the TSX and 8,053,677 Class A Shares through open market purchases on the NYSE as of May 19. The weighted average price that Brookfield paid per Class A Share acquired under this bid was US$35.99. Brookfield will enter into an automatic purchase plan on or about the week of June 22 in relation to the normal course issuer bid.

07:03 EDT Can-Fite BioPharma receives notice of allowance from PTO for Namodenoson - Can-Fite BioPharma announced the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, or PTO, has issued a notice of allowance for the company's patent titled, "Method for treating NASH accompanied by fibrosis using CI-IB-MECA". The allowance follows Can-Fite's recent announcement of data from its Phase II study of its drug candidate Namodenoson, generically known as CI-IB-MECA, in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD, with or without non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, or NASH. The allowed patent covers the use of the A3 adenosine receptor in reducing ectopic fat accumulation, particularly in fatty liver. The patent specifically addresses preparation of a pharmaceutical composition for reducing fat accumulation and a method of treating conditions associated with fat accumulation such as fatty liver diseases including NASH and NAFLD.

06:58 EDT Macy's expects another 80 Macy's stores to open for Memorial Day weekend - "This is a challenging time for the country, for retail and for Macy's, Inc. COVID-19 has impacted the lives of many of our colleagues and customers, and health and safety remain our top priority. We closed all of our stores - Macy's, Bloomingdale's and Bluemercury - on March 18, which had a significant impact on our first quarter results," said Jeff Gennette, chairman and CEO. "Looking back, our performance in February was solid and in line with our expectations, but we saw a precipitous decline in sales with the stores closure in March. As a developed omnichannel retailer, we experienced a steady uptick in our digital business in April, which was encouraging, but only partially offset the loss of sales from the stores. The digital performance was driven by strong execution and enhanced fulfillment options, including curbside pickup where allowed." "We began reopening our stores on May 4 and, as of this week, have approximately 190 Macy's and Bloomingdale's stores open in their full formats. We expect another 80 Macy's stores to open for Memorial Day weekend. We have enhanced health and safety standards across all of our stores and facilities. We are also offering curbside pickup in many of our locations, including some stores that remain closed to the public. With two weeks of results from reopened stores, customer demand is moderately higher than we anticipated. Customers also responded positively to our Mother's Day gifting strategy. Even in times of social distancing, our customers want to celebrate the special occasions in their lives, and we help them do that safely. We are closely watching consumer behavior as we reopen more stores, and we remain flexible as we navigate this crisis. We expect business to recover gradually. I want to thank our teams who are re-setting plans daily, innovating quickly and executing well," Gennette continued. "We notified our banking partners early on of our plans to access additional financing, and this process is on track. We are confident we will obtain this financing before it is needed, allowing us to improve our financial flexibility. We are taking the right steps to ensure that Macy's, Inc. will emerge on the other side of this crisis a strong, resilient company and ready to serve our customers," Gennette continued.

06:47 EDT Medtronic raises quarterly dividend to 58c per share - The company announced that on May 20, the Medtronic board of directors approved an increase in Medtronic's cash dividend for the first quarter of fiscal year 2021, raising the quarterly amount to 58c per ordinary share. The dividend is payable on July 17 to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 26.

06:42 EDT Advanced Drainage sees FY21 CapEx $60M-$65M

06:36 EDT Entera Bio's osteoporosis candidate shows "significant" Phase 2 results - Entera Bio announced interim limited biomarker data from the ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial of EB613 in osteoporosis patients. The study demonstrated "statistically significant effects" on the P1NP biomarker after one month of treatment vs. placebo, and meaningful increases at months two and three vs. placebo with the highest EB613 dose. There was also a dose response at one month, with those trends continuing at two months. The two lower doses likely do not warrant further clinical advancement. The company believes that the maximum efficacious dose has not yet been achieved. Based on the favorable safety profile for patients on EB613 in the ongoing Phase 2 study, the company intends to evaluate additional doses greater than 1.5mg to advance into a potential Phase 3 study, if appropriate. P1NP is an important biomarker of bone formation and increases and maintenance of BMD are widely accepted as indicators of an overall improvement of the underlying disease. There were no serious product-related adverse events, and the overall safety profile of EB613 was favorable. "We saw a meaningful increase in the bone marker data for the patients enrolled in our Phase 2 clinical trial of EB613 after just one month of treatment with the 1.5mg dose, the highest dose we tested, with no CTX increases relative to placebo. We believe that these dose responses, and these early positive trends with the highest dose warrant investigating at least one additional higher dose to select for potential Phase 3 development," stated CEO Adam Gridley. "We (...) are targeting completion of enrollment in Q3, subject to any COVID impacts."

06:07 EDT Macy's names Felicia Williams as interim CFO, effective June 1 - In a regulatory filing on Wednesday, Macy's said that on May 15, its board of directors named Felicia Williams as interim CFO, effective June 1. Williams has been Senior Vice President, Controller and Enterprise Risk Officer of the company since June 2016, Senior Vice President, Finance and Risk Management from February 2011 to June 2016 and has held a number of other positions within the company since 2004. Williams will succeed Paula A. Price who, as previously announced, will depart the company on May 31, Macy's said. The Board of Directors also appointed Paul Griscom as interim Principal Accounting Officer, effective June 1. Griscom has been Vice President, Financial Reporting and Accounting Services since May 2019, Vice President, Financial Reporting from June 2017 to April 2019 and Director of Financial Reporting from July 2016 to May 2017.

06:02 EDT TransUnion sees non-mortgage delinquency in Canada peaking at 6.9% at Q3-end - TransUnion released a new multi-scenario credit forecast. TransUnion's current scenario projects that overall non-mortgage delinquency in Canada will peak at 6.9% at the end of Q3 2020 before gradually dropping back down to 6% at the end of Q1 2021. For context, the non-mortgage delinquency rate in Q1, which straddled pre- and post-COVID worlds, was 5.75%, and concluded Q4 2019 at 5.61%. The updated forecast indicates that the economic effects will likely not be evenly distributed by region. Certain provinces, such as those more dependent on industries heavily impacted by the lockdown, like tourism and travel, are likely to be more adversely affected. Additionally, the energy provinces including Alberta and Newfoundland could potentially be even harder hit with the combination of COVID restrictions and the economic impact of plummeting oil prices. The revised forecast, for example, estimates the non-mortgage serious delinquency rate in Alberta to reach 8.3% at the end of Q3 2020. Lenders are already preparing for these and other scenarios, building and executing against their downturn crisis playbooks with a goal of mitigating risk while still supporting consumers who may be suffering through the crisis - especially those that are only struggling due to the crisis and would otherwise be reliable customers.

05:34 EDT Amazon announces 5 new renewable energy projects in U.S., China, Australia - Amazon announced five new renewable energy projects in China, Australia and the U.S. "that further support Amazon's commitment to reach 80% renewable energy by 2024 and 100% renewable energy by 2030 (and potentially as early as 2025), as well as to reach net zero carbon by 2040. Amazon's first renewable energy project in China is a 100 megawatt, or MW, solar project in Shandong. Once complete, the project is expected to generate 128,000 megawatt hours, or MWh, of clean energy annually. Amazon's second renewable energy project in Australia is a 105 MW solar project in New South Wales. This project will have the capacity to generate 250,000 MWh of clean energy each year, which is enough to power the equivalent of 40,000 average Australian homes. Amazon's newest renewable energy projects in the U.S. include two new projects in Ohio, a 200 MW solar project and an 80 MW solar project. Additionally, a new 130 MW solar project in Virginia brings the total number of renewable energy projects in the Commonwealth to 12. Once enabled, these three U.S.-based projects have the capacity to power the equivalent of 69,000 average U.S. homes each year. When complete, the five new Amazon renewable energy projects totaling 615 MW of installed capacity will supply approximately 1.2 million MWh of additional renewable energy to the company's fulfillment network and Amazon Web Services data centers."

05:26 EDT Akorn files for voluntary protection under Chapter 11 - Akorn announced that the Company and its U.S. subsidiaries filed for voluntary protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware "to execute an in-court sale of its business while addressing litigation-related overhangs and best positioning the business for long-term success under new ownership. In connection with the filing, the Company has executed a Restructuring Support Agreement with lenders representing more than 80% of its secured debt, who will collectively serve as a "stalking horse" bidder in the Company's sale process and provide additional liquidity to fund the Company's business operations during this process. In accordance with the Company's previously announced sale process, Akorn will use the legal protections of the Chapter 11 process to execute a sale of its business in accordance with the milestones set forth in the Restructuring Support Agreement. As a result of negotiations, Akorn and certain of its existing lenders have agreed to a Stalking Horse Asset Purchase Agreement whereby the existing lenders will serve as the "stalking horse" bidder in the court-supervised sale of the business, which will be subject to further marketing during the Chapter 11 process in accordance with the Company's proposed bid procedures. Other buyers will continue to have the opportunity to improve on this bid for the Company. To help fund and protect its operations during the Chapter 11 process, Akorn obtained consent to use cash collateral from all of its existing lenders and received commitments from certain of its lenders for $30 million in debtor-in-possession, or DIP, financing. Upon approval of the Bankruptcy Court, the DIP financing will provide the Company and its U.S. subsidiaries with ample liquidity to fund their business operations and administrative expenses during the Chapter 11 cases. Akorn is confident in the underlying strength of its business and plans to continue to operate as usual throughout the duration of the Chapter 11 and sale process, including meeting its contractual obligations and making payments to vendors. The Company has filed customary motions with the Bankruptcy Court intended to allow Akorn to maintain normal operations and fulfill its go-forward commitments to customers, suppliers, associates and other stakeholders. These motions are typical in the Chapter 11 process and Akorn anticipates they will be heard and approved in the first few days of the case."