Stockwinners Market Radar for June 02, 2020 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:55 EDT SPDR Gold Shares holdings rise to 1,129.28MT from 1,128.40MT - This is the fifth consecutive increase and the highest level of holdings since April of 2013.

19:42 EDT National Energy Services finalizes agreement to close SAPESCO acquisition - National Energy Services announced a final agreement pursuant to which NESR will acquire Sahara Petroleum Services Company S.A.E., the largest indigenous oilfield services company in Egypt with operations across the MENA region. This transaction will also add Industrial and Chemical Services, which service the midstream and downstream sectors, to its portfolio. Furthermore, SAPESCO's existing upstream services contracts in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Libya and Kuwait will be accretive to NESR's contract portfolio.

18:44 EDT Zoom Video CFO says education was highest vertical in Q1, saw most demand - Says demand to remain strong as many schools and universities announced remote education will continue in the fall. Comments taken from Q1 earnings conference call Q/A.

18:42 EDT Libbey receives court approval of all 'First Day' motions - Libbey announced that all "first day" motions related to the company's voluntary Chapter 11 petitions for reorganization filed on June 1, 2020, have been approved on an interim basis by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. At the hearing, among other things, the Court granted Libbey interim approval for continued access to its $100M revolving credit facility and an initial $30M portion of its proposed debtor-in-possession financing. The DIP financing is to be provided by certain of the company's existing lenders and consists of a $100M revolving credit facility and a $60M term loan, and is expected to close this week. The company expects this financing, together with cash flow from operations, to support operations and its continued service of customers and end users globally during the court-supervised process. In addition, Libbey received authorization to: Continue paying employee wages and providing healthcare and other benefits; Continue to pay vendors in the ordinary course for goods and services provided on or after June 1, 2020; and honor customer commitments in the ordinary course of business and continue customer programs. Mike Bauer, chief executive officer of Libbey, said, "We are pleased to have received approval of these motions, which will allow us to continue operating globally and provide high-quality glassware and other tabletop products to our customers without interruption, while maintaining our long-standing relationships with our vendors and business partners. We look forward to continuing our constructive discussions with our lenders and other stakeholders regarding the terms of a consensual financial restructuring plan that will enable us to address our liquidity, strengthen our balance sheet and better position Libbey for the future. We thank our lenders for their continued support, our customers for their loyalty and our employees for their hard work as we manage through the current environment. We expect to emerge from this process later this year." Libbey's international subsidiaries in Canada, China, Mexico, the Netherlands and Portugal are not included in the Chapter 11 proceedings and are operating in the normal course of business. In connection with the announcement of the Chapter 11 proceedings, the NYSE Regulation today notified Libbey that it will commence delisting proceedings of Libbey's common stock from the NYSE American pursuant to Section 1003(c)(iii) of the NYSE American Company Guide.

18:13 EDT Crowdstrike modifying expectation that Q1 will be low point for net new ARR - In a Q1 earnings conference call, the company states: "Given the unseasonal strength of Q1 and uncertain economic environment, we are modifying our prior expectation that Q1 would be the low point for net new ARR for the year. Second, while we have not seen a significant increase in contraction in churn as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, given the macroeconomic environment, we have prudently increased our assumed contraction in churn for the year. We currently intend to continue to hire aggressively. And in some key areas such as R&D, we have increased our hiring plan for the year. This, along with the expectation that select essential travel will be allowed in the third quarter, we expect to see a step-up in operating expenses in Q3 from Q2. We continue to expect to be non-GAAP operating income breakeven in the fourth quarter."

17:54 EDT Align Technology CFO sells 4,154 shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Align Technology disclosed that its CFO John Morici sold 4,154 shares of common stock on May 29th in a total transaction size of $1.04M.

17:36 EDT HP Inc.'s Bennett acquires 50,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, HP Inc. director Robert R. Bennett disclosed the acquisition of 50,000 common shares of the company on May 29 at a price of $14.9544 per share.

17:32 EDT Bluerock Residential reports preliminary Q2 rent collections of 97% - Bluerock Residential provided a quarter-to-date update on rent collections and occupancy. On a preliminary basis, quarter-to-date for Q2, the company reported rent collections from its multifamily properties of 97%, including payment plans of 1.5%. The company's operating portfolio occupancy at May 31 remained unchanged month-over-month at approximately 94%.

17:02 EDT Medallia reports Q1 subscription revenue $89.0M vs. $71.7M last year - Reports Q1 customer count 762, up 38% from last year. Comments taken from investor presentation slides.

17:01 EDT Medallia sees Q2 subscription revenue $89.5M-$90.5M vs $74.5M in prior year - Comments taken from investor presentation slides.

16:49 EDT Crowdstrike jumps 9% to $100.69 after Q1 results, Q2, FY guidance top estimates

16:39 EDT Werner executive chairman steps down, recommends CEO Derek Leathers as successor - Werner announced that Clarence Werner stepped down as its executive chairman effective May 31. Werner will continue to serve as chairman of the board of directors through the end of his current term, which is expected to end in May 2021, and at that time it is expected that he will become chairman emeritus. In connection with this transition, the board of directors appointed Derek Leathers, the current CEO and president of the company, as a member and vice chairman of the board of directors effective May 31. Werner has recommended to the board of directors that Leathers be named chairman of the board of directors, in addition to CEO and president, when Werner's term ends.

16:32 EDT Franklin Street says all properties reopened for business - Franklin Street provided an update on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and announced the impact of the ongoing nationwide protests on its directly-owned properties. The company states: "All of our properties have remained open for business and are located in jurisdictions that continue to lift their respective COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. We collected approximately 95% of rental receipts due in May 2020. Due to the high level of uncertainty related to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are unable to predict the level of rental receipts in future months. During the past approximately ten weeks, we have received rent relief requests from some of our tenants. The majority of these requests for relief have been in the form of potential rent deferrals for varying lengths of time. To date, we have been in discussions with tenants regarding potential rent deferrals representing approximately 1% to 2% of annualized rents. We will continue to review each request for rent relief on a case by case basis. Where prudent, we may grant deferrals and, in some instances, seek extended lease terms. We are unable to predict the outcomes of these ongoing negotiations, the amount of the rent relief packages, if any, and ultimate recovery of any deferred amounts." The company further reported that, to date, none of its directly-owned properties have sustained significant property damage as a result of the ongoing nationwide protests.

16:32 EDT Ampco-Pittsburgh explores potential rights offering - Ampco-Pittsburgh Corporation announced that it is contemplating a rights offering that would, when initiated, involve the issuance to its shareholders of a dividend of rights and potential over-subscription rights to purchase shares of its capital stock and potentially other securities. The Corporation is considering offering any or all of the following securities: common stock, dividend yielding preferred stock, warrants and/or dividend yielding convertible preferred stock. The offering of the securities would be made pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In a rights offering shareholders as of the record date would receive a right, but not the obligation, to purchase Shares and potentially other securities during a to-be-determined exercise period. Shareholders as of the record date would also receive over-subscription rights to purchase additional securities beyond their pro rata percentage ownership. "We are exploring a potential rights offering to raise additional capital to accelerate our restructuring efforts, improve overall liquidity, and reduce indebtedness. If we proceed with this offering, our shareholders will have the first opportunity to purchase additional securities to maintain or increase their current percentage ownership in our company," said Brett McBrayer, Ampco-Pittsburgh's Chief Executive Officer.

16:24 EDT Anika Therapeutics says CFO Sylvia Cheung to step away from role - Anika Therapeutics announced that Sylvia Cheung, Chief Financial Officer, has informed the Board of Directors of her decision, following a period of transition, to step away from her role at Anika effective August 21. Anika has initiated a search to identify Ms. Cheung's successor. If a successor has not been identified prior to Ms. Cheung's planned departure, the Company may request that she continue as a special advisor for a period of time to help ensure a smooth transition. "Sylvia is an exemplary leader who has made many meaningful contributions to Anika over the years," said Cheryl R. Blanchard, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Anika. "On behalf of the Board and the entire company, I want to thank Sylvia for her steady leadership. Among other things, she has helped develop and begin execution of our transformation strategy, and has built strong and high performing finance and accounting, investor relations and information technologies functions that will support our ongoing success. We appreciate Sylvia's input in the search process and are confident she will succeed in whatever she chooses to do next."

16:20 EDT Ingevity announces cost cuts, temporary furlough of some production staff - Ingevityannounced a cost-reduction initiative to realign its cost structure in response to reduced demand for some of its products as a result of the coronavirus. The company will: Streamline manufacturing processes, including the temporary furlough of certain production employees; Decrease outside spending on consultants and services; Reduce certain benefits for salaried employees, including the suspension of matches to employee 401(k) retirement and deferred compensation programs; and Reduce and restructure headcount through an early retirement initiative and other employment reductions. The company stated that the cost reductions should enable it to remain within the revised guidance range it set forth in its Q1 earnings release. Ingevity stated on April 29, 2020, that it expects fiscal year 2020 sales of between $1.10B and $1.20B and adjusted EBITDA of between $310M-$350M. The company will record a pre-tax charge in the company's Q2 financial results as part of the restructuring.

16:16 EDT Cheesecake Factory sees reopening 65% of closed dining rooms by mid-June - The Cheesecake Factory Incorporated provided a business update given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The company began to reopen dining rooms across its concepts the second week of May. As of today, approximately 25% of the company's restaurants across its concepts, including 34 Cheesecake Factory restaurants, have reopened dining rooms with limited capacity in accordance with local mandates. The reopened Cheesecake Factory restaurants have recaptured, on average, approximately 75% of prior year sales levels, reflecting continued strength in off-premise sales and building dine-in business. For The Cheesecake Factory restaurants that are continuing to operate an off-premise only model at present, current weekly off-premise sales would equate to nearly $4 million per unit on an annualized basis, on average. Fiscal second quarter to-date through May 31, 2020 comparable sales at The Cheesecake Factory restaurants are down approximately 63%, including the impact of 87 full or partial closures due to demonstrations across the United States this past weekend. The company expects to have approximately 65% of dining rooms across its concepts that closed due to COVID-19 reopened with limited capacity by mid-June, including an anticipated 124 Cheesecake Factory restaurants, subject to any closures due to further demonstrations and other factors related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

16:04 EDT Montage Resources sees Q2 production 535-555 MMcfe per day - Due to continued operational outperformance and the return of its previously curtailed production to sales sooner than anticipated, the company is also increasing its FY20 production guidance to 565 - 585 MMcfe per day, an increase of approximately 2% over the midpoint of its previous guidance of 555 - 575 MMcfe per day. The company states: "In connection with improving crude oil and NGL commodity prices, the company began increasing its previously curtailed production during the month of May. As of June 1, 2020, the company has returned substantially all its previously curtailed production to sales due to the significant improvement in cash margins."

15:49 EDT Tiffany sinks 11% after WWD report on doubt regarding LVMH takeover - Shares of Tiffany (TIF) are down $14.44, or 11.2%, to $114.06 after Miles Socha of Women's Wear Daily reported, citing sources, that LVMH's (LVMUY) takeover bid is "suddenly looking a lot less certain" after members of the board of the luxury giant met specifically to discuss the proposed deal given the deteriorating situation in the U.S.

15:27 EDT Tiffany trading resumes

15:22 EDT Tiffany trading halted, volatility trading pause

14:34 EDT Embraer up 12.6% after report says company open to new partnerships - Embraer (ERJ) is up 12.6%, or 74c per share, to $6.25 in afternoon trading following a Reuters report stating the plane maker is open to new business partners after Boeing (BA) abandoned a $4.2B deal that was "years in the making."

14:10 EDT Amazon to offer new family care benefit to 650,000 workers in the U.S. - Amazon (AMZN) said in a blog post that it will offer a new family care benefit through Care.com (CRCM) to 650,000 full and part-time Amazon and Whole Foods Market employees in the U.S. This benefit will provide each employee up to 10 days of subsidized emergency backup child or adult care between now and October 2. Amazon employees will only have to pay a co-pay of $25 per day for in-center childcare or $5 per hour for in-home child or adult care. Amazon will cover more than 90 percent of the cost of the service, and will invest several million dollars to offer this new benefit over the next few months, the company said. "We've heard from our employees that access to affordable family care, for both children and adults, is particularly challenging during the COVID crisis and we are committed to support them in this unprecedented time," said Beth Galetti, Amazon senior vice president of Human Resources. "This new child and adult care option will add to the comprehensive benefits we provide to all regular, full-time Amazon employees, including comprehensive health insurance, a 401(k) plan, and 20 weeks of paid maternity leave, among others." Reference Link

13:22 EDT Chipotle plans to speed up store growth

13:08 EDT Chipotle: 10%-12% of dining rooms open now; sees 50%-60% at end of June

13:01 EDT Freddie Mac names Christian M. Lown CFO - Freddie Mac announced the appointment of Christian M. Lown as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective June 15, 2020. Lown was previously EVP and CFO at Navient Corporation. He succeeds Donald F. Kish, who has served as Interim CFO since December 2019. Kish will continue serving as Senior Vice President, Corporate Controller and Principal Accounting Officer. "We welcome Chris Lown to Freddie Mac. His demonstrated success as a chief financial officer and strong background in the debt and equity capital markets and in mergers and acquisitions will be invaluable as we prepare our company to exit conservatorship," said Freddie Mac Chief Executive Officer David Brickman. "I want to thank Donnie Kish for his steady and selfless leadership of our finance function during this transition."

12:41 EDT Evolus falls after ITC extends determination target date by one month - Evolus disclosed earlier today that the administrate law judge assigned to the International Trade Commission action issued a decision extending the target date for an initial determination from June 5 to July 6. The decision also extended the target date for the final determination by the ITC from October 6 to November 6. The administrative law judge's decision regarding the extension of the target dates will become the decision of the ITC unless a party to the ITC action files a petition for review of the administrative law judge's decision, the company added. Evolus is a party to an ITC case which is entitled "In the Matter of Certain Botulinum Toxin Products." Shares of Evolus are down 4% to $4.92 in midday trading.

12:32 EDT Salarius Pharmaceuticals halted for volatility after jumping 32% to $1.40

12:16 EDT Activision delays new Call of Duty content launches, says 'now is not the time' - Activision's Call of Duty Twitter account released the following statement: "While we all look forward to playing the new seasons of Modern Warfare, Warzone and Call of Duty: Mobile, now is not the time. We are moving the launches of Modern Warfare Season 4 and Call of Duty: Mobile Season 7 to later dates. Right now it's time for those speaking up for equality, justice and change to be seen and heard. We stand alongside you." Reference Link

12:00 EDT PIMCO High Income Fund falls -7.4% - PIMCO High Income Fund is down -7.4%, or -41c to $5.19.

12:00 EDT Virgin Galactic falls -7.9% - Virgin Galactic is down -7.9%, or -$1.39 to $16.13.

12:00 EDT Oil States rises 14.6% - Oil States is up 14.6%, or 63c to $4.94.

11:50 EDT James E Wagner Cultivation announces court approval of sale of assets - James E. Wagner Cultivation announced that, in connection with its creditor protection proceedings under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act and previously announced Sales and Investor Solicitation Process that concluded on May 19, 2020 with Trichome Financia emerging as the "Successful Bidder", the Corporation and its subsidiaries received authorization from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice to complete the sale of substantially all of the JWC Group's assets, as contemplated by the SISP, to an affiliate of Trichome Financial. The closing of the Transaction is currently set to occur on or before June 30, 2020, provided that all remaining conditions are satisfied. Further details of the SISP and the asset purchase agreement are available under the Corporation's profile on the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval and are also available, along with additional information respecting the CCAA proceedings, on the website of KSV Kofman Inc., the Court-appointed CCAA monitor. Readers are urged to consult the full text of all documents available on SEDAR and the Monitor's website for further, more detailed, information. Readers are cautioned that there are a number of factors outside of the control of the JWC Group that may delay or impact the closing of the Transaction and, as a result and notwithstanding the approval of the Court, the Transaction may not close on the timeline or in the manner expected by the JWC Group or at all. Based on the consideration to be received by the JWC Group under the Transaction, holders of the Corporation's common shares will not receive any payments for, or distributions on, their common shares in connection with the transaction or the CCAA proceedings.

11:40 EDT ISS recommends GameStop investors vote for investor group's nominees - Hestia Capital Partners, Permit Capital Enterprise Fund, and their affiliates, who beneficially own approximately 7.2% of the outstanding shares of GameStop Corp., announced that Institutional Shareholder Services, an independent proxy advisory firm, has recommended that stockholders vote the Investor's Group WHITE proxy card FOR the election of Paul J. Evans and Kurtis J. Wolf at the Company upcoming Annual Meeting of Stockholders on June 12, 2020. John Broderick, a Partner with Permit, stated, "We are gratified that ISS recognizes the need for more change to GameStop's Board. ISS' recommendation provides significant validation that our nominees have the expertise required to oversee a much-needed turnaround." In reaching its conclusion, ISS performed a detailed analysis of both sides' positions and considered, among other items, the Company's operating and stock price underperformance, and need for a turnaround plan. In recommending that stockholders vote on the WHITE proxy card FOR the election of Paul J. Evans and Kurtis J. Wolf, ISS stated: "Early indicators, such as mixed operational performance, strategy concerns, and continued share price decline, suggest that the potential benefits of adding both dissident nominees - including a direct representative of a significant shareholder - outweigh any additional continuity benefits offered by retaining the targeted legacy directors. As such, support for Paul Evans and Kurtis Wolf is warranted on the dissident card."

11:23 EDT Nikola Motor CEO says merger approved by stockholders - Trevor Milton, CEO of Nikola Motor Company, tweeted: "All proposals passed. Dually approved by stockholders. Merger approved.! NKLA on Thursday raining of the bell on Nasdaq. Approved!" On March 3, Nikola Corporation and VectoIQ, a publicly-traded special purpose acquisition company, announced that the two companies entered into a definitive agreement to create a company focused on the development of next generation smart transportation. Reference Link

10:57 EDT Arena jumps 13% after Bristol-Myers reports positive ulcerative colitis data

10:45 EDT CPI announces $14M in purchase orders from Boeing under previous contract - CPI Aerostructures (CVU) announced the receipt of purchase orders totaling approximately $14M from Boeing (BA) for structural assemblies for the A-10 Thunderbolt II under a previously announced Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity contract with a maximum ceiling value of $48M. Under the terms of the IDIQ, CPI Aero will manufacture structural subassemblies of the A-10 aircraft's wing. Including these new orders, CPI Aero has now received approximately $20M in funding from Boeing for the production of A-10 re-wing structural assemblies and associated program start-up costs. First delivery is expected to be in late 2020 and the period of performance under current funding is expected to extend into 2022.

10:38 EDT La Jolla says no FDA final approval for LJPC-0118 until Amivas' exclusivity ends - In a regulatory filing earlier, La Jolla Pharmaceutical stated: "On May 26, 2020, La Jolla learned by way of a press release issued by the FDA that Amivas, LLC, an entity not affiliated with La Jolla, was granted FDA approval of its IV artesunate product. Artesunate is the active ingredient used in LJPC-0118. Amivas had previously been granted Orphan Drug designation for its IV artesunate product. According to FDA regulations, the FDA will not approve another sponsor's marketing application for the same drug for the same use or indication within 7 years of the initial approval. On May 29, 2020, La Jolla received notice from the FDA that its marketing application for LJPC-0118 was tentatively approved. La Jolla will not receive final approval until Amivas' 7-year market exclusivity has expired."

10:33 EDT Facebook launches feature to help archive or delete old posts - Facebook launched Manage Activity to help users archive or trash old posts. "The archive feature is for content you no longer want others to see on Facebook, but that you still want to keep for yourself. For example, you could archive a post you made when you were in high school that you still find amusing but that you'd rather not be seen by anyone else on Facebook. Manage Activity also allows you to move posts you no longer want to the trash. Posts sent to the trash will stay there for 30 days before being deleted unless you choose to manually delete or restore them before then. This gives you some wiggle room in case you change your mind about deleting old posts," the company said in a statement. Reference Link

10:31 EDT Tyson to conduct COVID-19 testing at Northwest Arkansas plants - Tyson Foods announced it will conduct facility-wide testing for COVID-19 at its processing facilities and other operations in Benton and Washington Counties, where it notes positive cases of the coronavirus have risen. "The company is taking this precautionary measure to protect its team members and as part of its efforts to help affected communities where it operates better understand the coronavirus and measures that can be taken to help prevent its spread. To date, Tyson has identified a limited number of COVID-19 cases at its facilities in Arkansas. As of June 1, Tyson is aware of 77 active COVID-19 cases among its nearly 24,500 team members who work in the state. They are still absent from work under the guidelines by the CDC and Tyson to stay home," the company said in a statement. Reference Link

10:06 EDT Mazda Motor reports May North American sales down 1% to 24,933 vehicles - Mazda North American Operations reported total May sales of 24,933 vehicles, a decrease of 1.0% compared to May 2019. With 26 selling days in May, compared to 26 the year prior, the company posted a decrease of 1.0% on a Daily Selling Rate, or DSR, basis.

10:02 EDT Sanofi reports EC approves Sarclisa for relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma - The European Commission has approved Sarclisa in combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior therapies including lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor and have demonstrated disease progression on the last therapy, Sanofi announced earlier. "The EC approval of Sarclisa represents an important additional therapeutic option and may set a new standard of care for myeloma patients in Europe who are in need of new effective treatments because their disease has returned or they have become refractory to their previous treatment," said John Reed, Global Head of Research and Development at Sanofi.

10:01 EDT BAE Systems to provide autonomy capabilities for DARPA's Squad X program - Squad X prime contractor Lockheed Martin (LMT) has awarded BAE Systems (BAESY) a contract to provide key autonomy and artificial intelligence capabilities that aim to advance the effectiveness of tactical robotic air and ground vehicles and create partnerships between ground warfighters - Soldiers and Marines - and machines at the small-unit level. BAE Systems' FAST Labs research and development organization will provide Mission Intelligence for Tactical Systems advanced sensor fusion, artificial intelligence, and autonomy. The $3.5M Squad X award builds on BAE Systems' autonomy portfolio and 20-year history pioneering autonomy technology. Work on the Squad X program is being performed at the company's facilities in Burlington, Massachusetts, and Arlington, Virginia.

10:00 EDT PIMCO High Income Fund falls -6.8% - PIMCO High Income Fund is down -6.8%, or -38c to $5.22.

10:00 EDT RH rises 9.4% - RH is up 9.4%, or $20.03 to $232.60.

10:00 EDT Western Union rises 12.8% - Western Union is up 12.8%, or $2.65 to $23.36.

09:47 EDT Navios Acquisition falls -6.6% - Navios Acquisition is down -6.6%, or -38c to $5.35.

09:47 EDT Ardmore Shipping falls -8.2% - Ardmore Shipping is down -8.2%, or -47c to $5.27.

09:47 EDT RH rises 11.4% - RH is up 11.4%, or $24.31 to $236.88.

09:38 EDT Northwest Bio reports update on projected timing for data lock for Phase 3 trial - Northwest Biotherapeutics reported progress toward data lock for the Phase 3 trial of DCVax-L for Glioblastoma brain cancer. The company reported that the final data collection process has been progressing steadily despite ongoing difficulties due to coronavirus-related limitations on operations and restrictions at trial sites. The coronavirus-related difficulties have impacted most aspects of the process, including review processes at sites and even logistical matters such as the shipping of tissue slides. The company said the "completion process includes final data collection, identification and resolution of queries, data checking and confirmation, and site sign-offs. All of these functions are performed by independent service firms [not by the Company], with oversight by the Company. The service firms have completed the final monitoring visits to the trial sites, including a number of them virtually. The service firms are in the process of resolving the queries from those final monitoring visits [each monitoring visit can generate new queries], and the firms have completed most of the data confirmations. After the query resolution and data confirmation are finished for a trial site, the site's investigator needs to sign off on the data before it can be locked. In light of the current status of the completion process, and the experience over recent months, the Company currently anticipates that the process may be completed by about mid-June or shortly thereafter - i.e., within a couple of weeks after the Company's anticipated schedule at the time of the Annual Meeting in April. If some of the information that currently remains outstanding cannot be obtained by mid-June, the Company may consider proceeding with a 'soft lock' of the data at that time, if arrangements can be made for the rest of the data to be included when it is obtained later. The Company plans to obtain advice from its regulatory counsel, its Scientific Advisory Board and the Steering Committee of the trial in regard to such possibilities. It is too early to determine what effect this update of the anticipated timing of data lock may have on the anticipated timing of the public announcement of data. There may be a similar update to the timing of the announcement of the data as to the timing of the data lock."

09:25 EDT Culper Research short VBI Vaccines, says shares 'worthless' - In a recently published report, Culper Research says it is short VBI Vaccines as it believes the company "is effectively an 'empty box' stock promotion and shares are worthless." "We believe the Company's claim to a revolutionary hepatitis B vaccine (Sci-B-Vac) has fallen flat on its face. VBI's Sci-B-Vac acquisition traces to a paltry $2 million transaction in 2012, orchestrated by long-time stock promoter Phillip Frost. Investors now cheer on prospects for US and European approvals, but the Company's feeble clinical data package and consequent inability to secure a 2-dose label renders the drug practically worthless, in our view.... In what we believe is most damning both to Sci-B-Vac's commercial prospects and to management's credibility, on March 23, 2020, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) revealed it had refused Sci-B-Vac's pediatric investigation plan (PIP), stating that Sci-B-Vac 'does not represent a significant therapeutic benefit over existing treatments.'... In what we believe is most damning both to Sci-B-Vac's commercial prospects and to management's credibility, on March 23, 2020, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) revealed it had refused Sci-B-Vac's pediatric investigation plan (PIP), stating that Sci-B-Vac "does not represent a significant therapeutic benefit over existing treatments'," the report reads. Reference Link

09:16 EDT SmileDirectClub expands SmileShops in Asia through Watsons partnership - SmileDirectClub announced a partnership with Watsons to increase access to premium clear aligner therapy through the expansion of SmileShops in Watsons stores with the first locations in Mong Kok and Kwun Tong in Hong Kong. With over 7,800 stores in 13 Asian and European markets, Watsons is Asia's leading health and beauty retailer and the first retail partner of SmileDirectClub to launch in-store SmileShops in Asia. The SmileShops at Watsons offer the same patented retail concept and treatment process available at SmileDirectClub's U.S. shops and retail partners.

09:12 EDT Comtech receives initial contract award for production terminals from ADS, Inc. - Comtech announced that it has introduced the Comtech COMET, the world's smallest over-the-horizon microwave troposcatter terminal. In connection with the introduction, Comtech received an initial contract award for production terminals from ADS, Inc. to be used by a U.S. Military end-customer.

09:10 EDT Cinedigm partners with SpringServe for ad serving platform - Cinedigm announced a strategic partnership with SpringServe, an ad serving platform for over-the-top and connected TV. With the agreement, SpringServe will become the primary ad framework for Cinedigm's growing portfolio of free ad-supported streaming television channels. This partnership with SpringServe will allow Cinedigm to better manage and more effectively monetize their high-value video advertising inventory as the company continues to expands its ad-supported video-on-demand and linear channel services.

09:09 EDT Gulfport Energy holder Firefly withdraws nomination of board candidates - Firefly Value Partners, which manages funds that, together with affiliates, collectively beneficially own 13.1% of the outstanding common stock of Gulfport Energy, announced that it is withdrawing its nomination of director candidates for election at the Company's 2020 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Firefly issued the following statement: "We believe that our public and private engagement with Gulfport over the past 18 months has been the catalyst for significant and positive changes at the Company. Based on the announcement yesterday that Gulfport would be including two additional new nominees on its slate of directors, effective following the 2020 Annual Meeting Gulfport will have added five new directors since the beginning of our engagement. For now, we are satisfied that the Company has heard our concerns and has modified its Board composition - including the retirement of four directors since the 2019 annual meeting - in response. On that basis, we are withdrawing our director nominations. We note, importantly, that this is the beginning of the hard work for the Gulfport Board, not the end. The past Board at Gulfport was a dilution machine. This refreshed Board has a chance to turn the page and create shareholder value from the exceptional assets and opportunities that Gulfport possesses. The Board must work to restore shareholder confidence by allocating capital well, holding management accountable and ensuring that accounting controls and governance are robust. As a result of low hydrocarbon prices, North American rigs and natural gas production have fallen and will continue to decline until prices rise substantially. At the same time, demand will recover from current coronavirus-driven shocks. The result of this supply-demand dynamic is an extraordinarily positive outlook for natural gas in 2021 and 2022, especially for low-cost producers such as Gulfport. The Company updated its production guidance this morning; we are cautiously optimistic that the Company finally appreciates these favorable tailwinds and is taking steps to maximize its advantage and cash flow. With significant free cash flow potential in a normalized natural gas price environment, no debt maturity until December 2021 and no maturity of an indenture until 2023, time is on the Company's side. There is certainly no reason for Gulfport to issue equity while the market fails to recognize the Company's value. The Gulfport Board has been recast and now must prove itself. Shareholders will not tolerate value-destructive mistakes, like the ones that put the Company's stock into a tailspin over the last four years, and will continue to demand accountability for Gulfport's performance. All eyes are on Gulfport and its Board."

09:08 EDT AMERI Holdings partner Jay Pharma granted IRB approval for brain cancer drug - AMERI Holdings' proposed amalgamation partner Jay Pharma received institutional review board - or IRB - approval by Rabin Medical Center in Petah Tikva, Israel for a Phase I/II clinical trial investigating Jay Pharma's proprietary cannabidiol formulation for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme, or GBM, a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer. This open-label, two-arm, randomized, prospective study is scheduled to commence following final approval from the Israel Ministry of Health, which is expected this summer. One study published in 2018 demonstrated that 92% of patients with solid tumors responded positively to CBD treatment, showing reductions in circulating tumor cells and reduction in tumor size. Additional studies indicated that CBD may reduce the growth and survival of GBM cell lines, causing cell cycle arrest and inducing cell death.

09:06 EDT SunLink Health Systems announces termination of share repurchase program - SunLink Health Systems announced that its share repurchase program terminated pursuant to its terms on June 1. The company said in a release, "The program was previously suspended on March 24, due to uncertainty relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 87,534 shares were purchased under the Program for an aggregate purchase price of $100,706. As of June 1, the company had 292 shareholders of record. If the number of holders of record remains under 300, the company is entitled to deregister. Currently, the company does not expect to take any action to deregister absent a material reduction below 300 holders of record."

09:04 EDT Y-mAbs Therapeutics announces FDA acceptance of BLA for Danyelza - Y-mAbs Therapeutics announced that the Biologics License Application for Danyelza for the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory high-risk neuroblastoma has been accepted for priority review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA set an action date of November 30, 2020, under the Prescription Drug User Fee Act. The Agency also indicated in the BLA filing communication letter that it is not currently planning to hold an advisory committee meeting to discuss the application. Researchers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center developed naxitamab, which is exclusively licensed by MSK to Y-mAbs. As a result of this licensing arrangement, MSK has institutional financial interests in the product.

09:02 EDT Cedar Realty Trust reports rent collection in April and May of 73% and 72% - Cedar Realty Trust has collected 73% and 72% of base rents and monthly charges for the months of April and May 2020, respectively.

09:01 EDT Raytheon Technologies 'will always look' at M&A, 'not necessarily a priority' - Raytheon says it does not need large-scale M&A.

08:42 EDT Raytheon Technologies sees Q2 adjusted EPS slightly positive

08:42 EDT Raytheon Technologies: Defense business strong, resilient - Comments taken from the UBS Global Industrials and Transportation Virtual Conference.

08:40 EDT Emmaus says patient enrollment resumes in Phase 1 study of L-glutamine powder - The company said, "Emmaus' Pilot/Phase 1 study of the safety and efficacy of prescription grade L-glutamine oral powder in treating diverticulosis commenced in April 2019 is ongoing. The COVID-19 pandemic has slowed the progress of clinical trials in the pharmaceutical industry, in general, and patient enrollment at one of the three Emmaus trial sites was temporarily suspended. However, patient enrollment has now resumed, and Emmaus is confident that the study will ultimately evaluate the change in the number and size of colonic diverticula and assess safety in a total of up to 15 patients. Emmaus is also exploring the possible investigational use of its prescription grade L-glutamine for those patients with COVID-19. It is looking into the possibility of providing its prescription grade L-glutamine as part of the therapy that some coronavirus patients might need to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus and assist them in their recovery."

08:39 EDT Boxlight announces new distribution partnership in Mexico - Boxlight and Edubytes, a Boxlight channel partner in Mexico, announced a distribution agreement withCT Internacional del Noroeste. The company said in a release, "CT International is one of the largest and preferred IT distributors in Mexico, with 27 years in the market, 52 branches, and more than 33,000 value-added resellers. Its mission is to raise the competitiveness and productivity of individuals and organizations to reach their full potential using technology. This partnership will allow Boxlight to further expand in the Mexican market by facilitating access to integrated, easy-to-use technology solutions for educational institutions, and by providing new business opportunities to CT International's channels by selling comprehensive, differentiated, profitable and value-added solutions."

08:37 EDT Stratasys to reduce global workforce by 10% as part of cost realignment program - Stratasys announced that it is reducing its global workforce as part of a strategic plan to accelerate growth with a leaner operating model. This resizing, advanced sooner due to the impact of COVID-19, will affect approximately 10% of employees, and is designed to reduce operating expenses as part of a cost realignment program to focus on profitable growth. The company expects the vast majority of the reduction to take place in Q2 and to complete the reduction during Q3. Stratasys expects the resizing effort, in conjunction with other cost-mitigation measures, to reduce annualized operating expenses by approximately $30M. The company will incur a charge of approximately $6M in severance costs, primarily in Q2.

08:35 EDT SurveyMonkey unites CX Solutions under GetFeedback Suite banner - SurveyMonkey announced it is uniting its CX Solutions under the banner of the GetFeedback Suite to accelerate its CX strategy. SurveyMonkey provides easy-to-deploy, cost-efficient CX solutions that help organizations using Salesforce CRM to set up CX programs within days, not months, and accelerate speed to insight. SurveyMonkey will continue to deliver newer customer experience offerings under the GetFeedback Suite brand in 2020 and beyond. The suite will combine all of SurveyMonkey's current CX solutions under one umbrella, including the GetFeedback CX platform built for the Salesforce customer, and Usabilla, which offers digital experience capabilities that bring real-time feedback from websites and apps. Both platforms were acquired by SurveyMonkey in 2019, and together they will be known as the GetFeedback Suite. SurveyMonkey will continue to offer both GetFeedback and Usabilla to organizations globally while working to integrate the two product lines into a multi-channel CX offering. The GetFeedback Suite will help organizations seamlessly leverage their customer and operational data, and power automated actions that improve the overall customer experience.

08:33 EDT Predictive Oncology completes acquisition of Soluble Therapeutics, BioDtech - Predictive Oncology announced that it has completed the acquisition of the assets of Soluble Therapeutics, Inc. and BioDtech, Inc., each of which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of InventaBioTech, Inc. The Company acquired the assets of Soluble and BioDtech, including, certain intellectual property relating to contract research organization services and technology, certain equipment useful in such services and technology and all other assets of Soluble Therapeutics and BioDtech for 125,000 shares of common stock, in addition to waiving all remaining amounts due and payable to the Company under a secured promissory note of InventaBioTech in the principal amount of $1,070,000 relating to advances made by the Company in 2017.

08:33 EDT Teradyne begins volume shipping of Magnum EPIC memory tester - Teradyne has ramped high volume production of its new Magnum EPIC memory tester which provides flexibility to fully cover LPDDR5, DDR5, GDDR6, and future DRAM devices. These next-generation memories deliver nearly twice the bandwidth of the previous generation to improve the performance of 5G smart phones, data centers, and high definition graphics applications. Magnum EPIC delivers best-in-class signal integrity enabled by its revolutionary Near-DUT-Test technology. This technology also enables the highest parallelism available in the industry today.

08:32 EDT Navient CFO Christian Lown resigns - Navient announced that its CFO Christian Lown, has resigned to accept a new career opportunity. Ted Morris will serve as acting CFO, effective immediately. Mr. Morris joined the company in 2003 and has served as Navient's controller since 2014.

08:30 EDT Idera Pharmaceuticals announces preliminary data from ILLUMINATE-206 trial - Idera Pharmaceuticals announced preliminary data from the first 10 patients in the safety cohort of ILLUMINATE-206, a Phase 2, open-label, multi-center study to evaluate tilsotolimod in combination with Opdivo and Yervoy in immunotherapy-naive micro-satellite stable colorectal cancer patients. Based on data to date, the Company plans to expand the study to further evaluate this triplet combination in MSS-CRC. To investigate the safety profile of this triplet combination, ILLUMINATE-206 was designed with a stepwise approach to Yervoy dosage. Patients in this initial safety cohort of the study, many of whom were heavily pre-treated and rapidly progressing, received 8 mg of intratumoral tilsotolimod and 3 mg/kg of intravenous Opdivo every 2 weeks, along with 1 mg/kg of IV Yervoy every 8 weeks. This regimen was generally well tolerated; no patients discontinued treatment due to adverse events and none experienced Grade 4 or 5 AEs. One patient experienced stable disease per RECIST v1.1 criteria, and 9 patients progressed as defined by RECIST v1.1. Investigators reported that 6 of the progressing patients had stability or reduction in size of injected lesions and 6 had stability or reduction in overall size of uninjected lesions. Based on these results, the Company plans to enroll additional patients in this MSS-CRC cohort of ILLUMINATE-206. Planned changes in the study design intended to improve potential outcomes in this patient population include increasing the frequency of Yervoy dosing and limiting the number of allowed prior lines of treatment to two or fewer. Enrollment of the next 10 patients is targeted to begin in the fourth quarter of 2020, with data anticipated in the second quarter of 2021. Pending data from those patients, the trial may be expanded further.

08:26 EDT Enservco CEO Ian Dickinson departs - Enservco Corporation announced that President and CEO Ian Dickinson has resigned from the Company effective May 29, 2020. Richard Murphy has been appointed as Executive Chairman of the Company and will serve as a principal executive officer of the Company for the foreseeable future. Mr. Murphy was appointed to the Board of Directors in January of 2016.

08:24 EDT Cowen Group appoints Eric Rose as head of derivatives trading - Cowen announced that Eric Rose has been named Managing Director and Head of Derivatives Trading. In this expanded role he will oversee the ongoing growth of Cowen's derivatives trading capabilities and platform. Mr. Rose continues to be based in New York and reports to Kyle Solomon, Managing Director and Head of Alternative Equity Strategies and Drew Forman, Managing Director and Head of Derivatives.Mr. Rose joined Cowen in 2017 as Managing Director and Senior Derivatives Trader, focusing on single-stock trading as well as risk arbitrage and event-driven situations.

08:22 EDT Pure Capital demands replacement of Therapix Biosciences' board - Pure Capital announces that it has sent a letter to the CEO, chairman of the board and the directors of Therapix Biosciences, calling for an immediate general meeting of the shareholders of Therapix Biosciences and the dismissal of all members of the board. The company said, "In the letter, Pure Capital detailed previous actions which it believes have been harmful to shareholders. These actions, taken by Therapix Biosciences, have not been in the best interest of the company nor its shareholders, including, among others, capital raises under unfavorable terms. Furthermore, Pure Capital demanded that until the special general meeting is convened, the company will not take any action not in the ordinary course of business, including, without limitation, any dispositions of its assets or securities offerings, whether public or private. In addition, Pure Capital demanded that the board of directors of the Company shall not appoint any additional directors to the Company's board of directors prior to the special general meeting. According to the Israeli Companies Law, the meeting must be called no later than 21 business days from the date of the demand letter."

08:19 EDT Aspen Group CEO says COVID-19 did not have 'material impact' on Q4 results - CEO Michael Mathews stated: "The fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 was an unparalleled challenge and experience for Aspen Group given the majority of our students are RNs. We had to respond quickly to an unprecedented pandemic to keep our employees, instructors, and students safe - our priority, while adapting and maintaining our ongoing business operations. I am incredibly proud of the entire Aspen Group team's performance and happy to report that we are safe and healthy. I want to thank our employees and instructors who rallied so rapidly to move the curriculum for our two hybrid/clinical programs fully online. The feedback has been excellent, and students have remained satisfied with their academic experience. Our teams are doing an outstanding job of managing our business as the overall environment continues to evolve. I'm pleased to report that the COVID-19 crisis did not have a material impact on the Company's financial results for Q4 fiscal 2020, as evidenced by our record revenues of $14.5 million. Course starts and persistence amongst our active student body remained at pre-COVID-19 levels throughout the quarter and during the month of May. Enrollments in our highest LTV programs remained at pre-COVID-19 levels throughout the quarter, however the Company did experience a moderate slowdown in Aspen University post-licensure online nursing degree enrollments for approximately a six week period between mid-March and end-April. We are pleased to report that enrollments across all units in the Company came back to pre-COVID-19 levels throughout the month of May. OVID-19 has focused a spotlight on the shortage of nurses in the U.S. and, in particular, the need for nurses with four-year and advanced degrees such as USU's MSN-FNP and Aspen's DNP programs. Our country will continue to face a severe nursing shortage, compounded by a lack of sufficient pre-licensure nursing school capacity. We believe we will be operating in a tailwind environment for many years relative to the planned expansion of our Pre-Licensure BSN hybrid campus business. Aspen Group's mission to make education affordable is helping in the battle to put more nurses on the frontlines. We support the nurses who want to advance their careers with advanced degrees, and the individuals who wish to join this honorable career, by providing affordable access to high-quality education. Our unique approach to the higher education sector, based on our proprietary EdTech platform, allows us to offer competitive tuition rates, and for 100% online programs, a monthly payment plan that gives students tremendous financial flexibility. Aspen Group will continue to work with all our stakeholders as we adapt to meet new challenges and we'll remain focused on our strategy of driving growth of the nursing profession," stated Mathews.

08:14 EDT BeyondSpring e-poster presented at 2020 ASCO program - BeyondSpring announced that two Company abstracts were accepted at this year's American Society of Clinical Oncology Virtual Scientific Program. Both abstracts evaluate BeyondSpring's lead late-stage asset, Plinabulin, alongside Neulasta, a long-lasting G-CSF, which is a predominant therapy to treat chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. Dr. Douglas Blayney, Professor of Medicine at Stanford Medical School and global Principal Investigator of Plinabulin's CIN studies, e-presented the data. BeyondSpring's e-poster presentation, titled, "Head-to-head comparison of the non-G-CSF small molecule single agent plinabulin with SA pegfilgrastim for the prevention of docetaxel chemotherapy-induced neutropenia in the protective-1 trial," compares Plinabulin versus Neulasta as a monotherapy for CIN prevention. Additionally, BeyondSpring's e-publication, titled, "Comparison of CD34+ mobilization effects of standard dose pegfilgrastim versus low-dose peg combined with plinabulin," demonstrates the efficacy of BeyondSpring's Plinabulin-Neulasta combination in increasing CD34+ counts for patients. E-Poster: Plinabulin's strength further solidified in head-to-head PROTECTIVE-1 trial with Plinabulin versus Neulasta. In BeyondSpring's PROTECTIVE-1 Phase 3 trial, non-small cell lung, hormone-refractory prostate and breast cancer patients were randomized to receive either 40mg of Plinabulin or 6mg of Neulasta, with Duration of Severe Neutropenia as the primary endpoint. The trial aims to demonstrate non-inferiority of Plinabulin versus Neulasta. E-Publication: When combined with Plinabulin, low-dose Neulasta increased CD34+ counts and resulted in fewer adverse events for patients. In clinical practice for CD34+ progenitor stem cell mobilization, the standard-dose of Neulasta at 6mg is often reduced to a low-dose at 3mg due to intolerable and unwanted side effects1. The low-dose of Neulasta is, however, less effective than the standard dose for CD34+ cell mobilization. In BeyondSpring's PROTECTIVE-2 Phase 2 trial for CIN prevention for breast cancer patients receiving TAC chemotherapy, BeyondSpring analyzed whether adding Plinabulin to low-dose Neulasta at 3mg or 1.5mg would maintain CD34+ cell mobilization efficacy at the level of the standard dose of Neulasta, while still avoiding unwanted side effects from this standard dose. Patients had received the low dose of Neulasta, combined with Plinabulin. Patients received a standard dose of Neulasta at 6mg. The data shows that the low dose of Neulasta + Plinabulin had comparable efficacy in terms of blood CD34+ counts but reported fewer cases of bone pain, myalgia and leukocytosis side effects, compared with the standard dose of Neulasta alone at 6mg.

08:12 EDT VMware appoints Carol Carpenter as Chief Marketing Officer - VMware (VMW) announced that Carol Carpenter has joined the leadership team as Chief Marketing Officer. The company said in a release, "As Chief Marketing Officer, Carpenter is responsible for leading all aspects of the Global Marketing organization, which includes Corporate Marketing, Partner, Segment and Field Marketing. Most recently, Carpenter was vice president, Product Marketing at Google Cloud (GOOG, GOOGL)."

08:11 EDT AgeX Therapeutics, ImStem Biotechnology sign non-binding letter of intent - AgeX Therapeutics and ImStem Biotechnology announced their signing of a non-binding letter of intent for ImStem to obtain from AgeX a non-exclusive license to use AgeX's embryonic stem cell line ESI 053 to derive ImStem's investigational MSC product IMS001 for development in COVID-19 as well as acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS, due to other causes. AgeX and ImStem are co-operating to finalize financial terms and other provisions of a license agreement. The companies said in a release, "ImStem has previously used AgeX ESI 053 to derive the ImStem IMS001 product which is being investigated for multiple sclerosis under an IND. Earlier this year, the FDA cleared IMS001 to begin a Phase 1 clinical study in patients with multiple sclerosis, after a clinical hold on its Investigational New Drug, or IND, application was removed. This is believed to be the first MSC product derived from human embryonic stem cells to be accepted for a clinical trial by the FDA. AgeX and ImStem already have a commercial license in place, which grants ImStem rights to use AgeX's ESI 053 to derive IMS001 as a product candidate for development in autoimmune disease, including multiple sclerosis. To date, in patients with pneumonia and ARDS due to COVID-19, preliminary literature suggests MSCs, such as ImStem's hES-MSC candidate IMS001, may warrant further development consideration. An early clinical study conducted in China by an unrelated group with a different MSC product, 'Transplantation of ACE2- Mesenchymal Stem Cells Improves the Outcome of Patients with COVID-19 Pneumonia,' and published in Aging and Disease (2020, Vol. 11, No. 2, pp. 216-228) showed that an intravenous infusion of a different MSC product appeared safe and improved functional outcomes in seven treated patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. MSCs are well recognized to be immunomodulatory in nature, possessing immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory properties. Even before their application to COVID-19, MSCs were being investigated as a potential therapeutic option in ARDS, and emerging data in preclinical models has been encouraging. ARDS remains an area of considerable unmet medical need, affecting around 200,000 patients annually in the U.S., accounting for 10% of all intensive care unit patients, and having a mortality of approximately 40%. At the present time, no specific direct therapies exist for ARDS and only supportive treatment is available."

08:10 EDT HTG Molecular says HTG EdgeSeq technology highlighted in posters - HTG Molecular Diagnostics announced its HTG EdgeSeq technology was highlighted in several posters presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology 2020 Virtual program. Posters presented at the 2020 Virtual ASCO conference using HTG EdgeSeq technology include: Platform comparison of HTG EdgeSeq and RNA-Seq for gene expression profiling of tumor tissue specimens; Association between immune and tumor gene signatures with response or resistance to tislelizumab monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy in gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma; Immune- and tumor-intrinsic gene expression profiles of response or resistance to tislelizumab as monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer; Integrated-omics of MRI-visible and -invisible prostate cancer identifies molecular correlations with clinical outcome; Immune-checkpoint genes as predictive biomarkers of trabectedin in advanced soft-tissue sarcoma: A Spanish Group for Research on Sarcomas translational study.

08:08 EDT CV Sciences announces publication of research studies on PlusCBD products - CV Sciences announced the publication of two research studies demonstrating the safety and health benefits of PlusCBD products. Both studies were published in the Journal of Dietary Supplements. Published on May 25, 2020, "Post Marketing Safety of Plus CBD Products, a Full Spectrum Hemp Extract: A 2-Year Experience," this study adds to the growing body of literature that supports the safe use of hemp derived CBD as a dietary supplement. The data confirm a low rate of adverse effects in millions of consumers taking PlusCBD products over a two-year period. A noteworthy finding was the absence of any reports of liver toxicity, which has been described in studies using high doses of CBD as a prescription drug. Published on May 27, 2020, "Effects of Hemp Extract on Markers of Wellness, Stress Resilience, Recovery and Clinical Biomarkers of Safety in Overweight, But Otherwise Healthy Subjects," this study used PlusCBD products to determine their benefits on stress resilience, perceived recovery, mood, affect, body composition, and clinical safety markers in healthy human subjects.

08:07 EDT Cracker Barrel reports Q3 comparable store restaurant sales down 41.7% - Cracker Barrel comparable store restaurant sales decreased 41.7% in the third quarter over the prior year quarter, as a 43.6% decrease in comparable store restaurant traffic was marginally offset by a 1.9% increase in average check. Comparable store retail sales decreased 45.5% from the prior year quarter.

08:07 EDT National Instruments to acquire OptimalPlus for $365M - National Instruments announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire OptimalPlus. The acquisition will expand NI's enterprise software capabilities to provide customers with insights through product analytics across their product development flow and supply chain. NI test systems are used in semiconductor manufacturing with OptimalPlus serving as a supplier of semiconductor manufacturing data analytics. Similarly, the NI automotive and electronics production test offerings are "complementary" to OptimalPlus' automotive and electronics analytics business. Combining NI's software-centric approach with OptimalPlus' enterprise-level analytics software is expected to increase the value of test and manufacturing data. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval. The transaction is valued at $365M and expected to close in early Q3. OptimalPlus had 2019 revenue of $51M and employs approximately 240 employees. There will be minimal cost synergies from this transaction. NI plans to fund the transaction through a combination of cash on hand and debt.

08:05 EDT Edgewell Personal Care reports executive leadership structure changes - Edgewell Personal Care announced an evolution of its executive leadership structure and the team reporting to Rod Little, President and CEO. "Over the last several months, we have focused on improving our underlying performance by strengthening the value-proposition of our core brands, investing in innovation and technology, and reshaping our management team," said Little. "We are confident the leadership changes we are making will help further accelerate our push to build a next generation CPG company and drive enhanced consumer-centric growth." New appointments include: Anne-Sophie Gaget, currently Vice President, Global Strategy & Innovation, has been named Chief Growth and Innovation Officer. In this role, she will focus on innovation strategy, global brand building and new product development and growing our direct-to-consumer capabilities. Paul Hibbert, currently Vice President, Global Operations and Supply Chain, has been named Chief Supply Chain Officer. In this role, he will focus on global operations and supply chain strategy, operational efficiency and serving customers with excellence. As previously announced, Eric O'Toole has assumed the role of President, North America. Nick Powell, currently Vice President, Europe & Latin America, has been named President, International. As part of the evolution, current COO Colin Hutchison will be leaving the Company following a transition period, and the COO role will be eliminated effective November 15.

08:05 EDT Aduro Biotech trading resumes

08:04 EDT Philips receives FDA EUA for acute care patient monitoring solutions - Royal Philips announced that the US FDA has issued an Emergency Use Authorization for Philips' IntelliVue Patient Monitors MX750/MX850 and its IntelliVue Active Displays AD75/AD85, for use in the US during the COVID-19 health emergency. These patient monitoring solutions support infection-control protocols and remotely provide critical patient information for caregivers, capabilities that are much needed when caring for hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Philips' IntelliVue Patient Monitors MX750/MX850 and IntelliVue Active Displays AD75/AD85 received CE mark in 2019 and are already being used in hospitals across Europe. The EUA allows Philips to start delivering the new remote patient monitoring solution to hospitals in the US, and the company is committed to submitting a 510(k) to FDA for this acute care solution in the course of 2020. As countries across the globe continue to combat COVID-19, while gradually resuming elective care, Philips is significantly increasing its patient monitor production to address the demand for increased Intensive Care Unit capacity. Hospitals and health systems are increasingly relying on health technology to better manage the influx of COVID-19 patients they are seeing in Emergency Rooms and ICUs. To minimize staff exposure to the virus that causes COVID-19 while still delivering quality care, there is a critical need for patient monitors that enable clinicians to remotely monitor a patient's condition. The IntelliVue Patient Monitors MX750/MX850 and IntelliVue Active Displays AD75/AD85 offer advanced functionality and clinical decision support capabilities such as Philips' IntelliVue Horizon Trends information view, which shows deviations in vital signs to contextualize a patient's condition, while also supporting infection-control protocols and access to key information both remotely and at the bedside. Features such as Philips' Alarm Advisor and Alarm Reporting help to reduce alarm fatigue for caregivers, while the smooth glass surfaces, rounded edges and special surface material of the monitors and displays facilitates cleaning and disinfection. The MX750 and MX850 monitors are the latest additions to Philips' portfolio of integrated patient monitoring solutions to support improved clinical and operational workflows. The MX750 and MX850 also include updated features, including enhancements to monitor and assess clinical and network device performance, and additional functionalities to strengthen cybersecurity.

08:01 EDT Cracker Barrel reports Q3 comparable store restaurant sales down 41.7%

07:47 EDT 360 Finance receives App Security, Information Security certifications - 360 Finance announced that its fintech services application, 360 Jietiao, has received both the App Security Certification and the App Information Security Certification from China's National Computer Virus Emergency Response Center. Specifically, 360 Jietiao received a level 3 rating for both app privacy and data security, the highest level granted by the agency. CVERC is the official agency for anti-virus internet security and designated testing body for the "Special Crackdown on the Illegal Collection and Misuse of Personal Information by Apps" initiative by China's Ministry of Public Security.

07:46 EDT Realty Income reports 82.0% of contractual rent due for May - Realty Income provided an update on contractual rent collections for the month of May. Through June 1: the company collected 82.0% of contractual rent due for the month of May across the total portfolio; collected 82.1% of contractual rent due for the month of May from our top 20 tenants; and collected 98.2% of contractual rent due for the month of May from investment grade tenants. The company added, "Additionally, in the company's Q1 earnings press release, we provided an update on contractual rent collections for the month of April through May 1, which included 82.9% of contractual rent collected as of that date across our total portfolio. Subsequent to May 1 we have collected additional amounts attributable to April rent, which now totals the collection of 84.2% of contractual rent due for the month of April across our total portfolio."

07:41 EDT Moderna announces new research to be highlighted at Science Day - Moderna announced new research to be highlighted at the company's third annual Science Day, held virtually this year. The program is designed to provide insight into the continued diverse efforts underway at Moderna and with collaborators to better understand how to use mRNA as a medicine, and underscores the company's commitment to basic science and innovation. Presentations will include data on the addition of an inverted deoxythymidine, or idT, to the 3'-end of mRNA, which is designed to stabilize mRNA by blocking its degradation through deadenylation. Preclinical data show that 3'-idT-stabilized mRNA encoding phenylalanine hydroxylase, or PAH, the enzyme missing or dysfunctional in the metabolic disorder phenylketonuria, or PKU, supports sustained reduction of serum phenylalanine levels in a PKU mouse model. Data will also be presented on removal of ubiquitination sites from PAH, designed to prevent ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation. Results show that combining mRNA stabilization along with PAH stabilization maintained low serum phenylalanine levels even further, suggesting an additive effect. The company will present new research in delivery science to optimize its lipid nanoparticles. The presentations will highlight a novel squaramide-based ionizable lipid designed to enhance the interactions between the lipid and mRNA. Preclinical data from new LNPs incorporating this novel ionizable lipid show improved protein expression after IV administration, including repeat dosing, and efficient delivery to the liver, as compared to current state-of-the-art Moderna proprietary LNPs.

07:40 EDT VIVUS announces updated agreement with Icahn Enterprises - VIVUS (VVUS) announced that it has updated its agreement regarding its corporate debt with Icahn Enterprises Holdings (IEP), which holds a principal amount of approximately $170.2M of the Company's Convertible Senior Notes. Under the terms of the agreement, the Company will continue to work with IEH Biopharma on an exclusive basis in respect of any restructuring, financing or other material transaction concerning the Company or its assets, with the exception that the Company is granted a 30-day period to refinance and pay in full in cash all amounts due and owing under the Convertible Senior Notes to IEH Biopharma. If the Company is unable to refinance on or before June 30, 2020, the Company and IEH Biopharma shall exclusively pursue an in court plan of reorganization. In the event certain conditions are satisfied under the plan of reorganization, stockholders of VIVUS shall receive a pro rata share of $5M and a non-transferable contractual contingent value right to earn another $2 per share if certain financial milestones are met in 2021 and 2022. Additionally, IEH Biopharma will take 100% ownership of VIVUS. The agreement is subject to, among other things, IEH Biopharma's due diligence and the Company's preservation of its tax attributes.

07:38 EDT Uniti Group completes sale of U.S. tower business for $220M - Uniti Group announced that it has completed the sale of 90% of its U.S. tower business to Melody Investment Advisors for total cash consideration of approximately $220M. Uniti retains a 10% investment interest in the tower business through an affiliate of Melody.

07:37 EDT Aduro Biotech presents nonclinical, Phase 1 healthy volunteer data for BION-1301 - Aduro Biotech announced the presentation of healthy volunteer data from the ongoing Phase 1 study of BION-1301 for the treatment of IgA nephropathy as well as data from long-term nonclinical studies. The findings are being presented as posters at the 57th European Renal Association - European Dialysis and Transplant Association Fully Virtual Congress. The data is being presented in a poster titled, "Results of a Phase 1 Trial to Investigate the Safety, Tolerability, Pharmacokinetics, and Pharmacodynamics of BION-1301 in Healthy Volunteers." The phase 1 multi-center trial evaluated the safety and tolerability of BION-1301 in 63 healthy volunteers in double-blinded, placebo-controlled single-ascending dose and multiple-ascending dose settings. Healthy volunteers in the SAD portion of the study received placebo or a single IV dose of BION-1301 ranging from 10 mg to 1350 mg on day 1. Healthy volunteers in the MAD portion of the study received placebo or IV doses of BION-1301 ranging from 50 mg to 450 mg on days 1, 15 and 29. Key highlights from the poster presentation include: BION-1301 was well-tolerated, with no SAEs, treatment discontinuations or events meeting stopping criteria, across a wide range of doses. Non-neutralizing ADAs occurred in less than 10% of subjects with no correlation to dose. The PK profile of BION-1301 was well-behaved, generally dose proportional, and had a half-life of approximately 33 days, suggesting the potential for monthly dosing. BION-1301 demonstrated a dose-dependent increase in target engagement as measured by free APRIL levels in serum; over 90% target engagement was achieved with a single 450 mg dose. BION-1301 dose-dependently and durably reduced IgA and IgM levels, and to a lesser extent, IgG levels. At all doses tested, IgG levels remained in the normal lab range, thereby providing a PD window to potentially exploit reductions in IgA, while tempering reductions in IgG. Work is ongoing to further characterize changes in exploratory biomarkers, including Gd-IgA1 and immunophenotyping of B-cell subsets. Part 3 of this ongoing Phase 1 study is currently open and enrolling adult patients with IgA nephropathy in an open-label setting. The data is being presented in a poster titled, "BION-1301, a Fully Blocking Antibody Targeting APRIL for the Treatment of IgA Nephropathy: Assessment of Safety, Toxicokinetics and Pharmacodynamics in Long-Term Nonclinical Studies." The objectives of the nonclinical studies were to evaluate the toxicity and determine the toxicokinetics of BION-1301 upon repeat dosing via IV and SC routes of administration in cynomolgus monkeys. Key highlights from the poster presentation include: BION-1301 was well-tolerated in sexually mature cynomolgus monkeys with biweekly IV dosing up to 100 mg/kg per dose for 26 weeks, and with weekly SC dosing up to 180 mg/kg per dose for up to 4 weeks. BION-1301 led to decreased free APRIL levels in serum after repeat dosing via IV and SC routes of administration. BION-1301 demonstrated marked and durable reduction in levels of IgA and IgM, and to a lesser extent, IgG. A strong dose-dependent PK-PD relationship was recorded for BION-1301 with free APRIL, IgA and IgM in serum. Both poster presentations demonstrate PD data consistent with modulation of APRIL levels in the blood and are supportive of the clinical development of BION-1301 in patients with IgA Nephropathy.

07:36 EDT SAIC wins $60M contract for torpedo testing services for U.S. Navy - The U.S. Navy awarded Science Applications International a prime contract worth approximately $60M to continue to provide mission engineering support by testing heavyweight and lightweight torpedoes for the Naval Sea Systems Command. SAIC said in a release, "In support of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, or NUWC, Division Newport, SAIC will handle testing and data collection for MK 48 Heavyweight Torpedoes, and MK 54 and MK 46 Lightweight torpedoes. As part of the single-award contract, SAIC will prepare the test facility and test torpedoes, interface the test torpedo, execute the test, and collect and process test data. Additionally, SAIC will support preparing torpedoes for testing at off-site test ranges and locations. SAIC will also provide maintenance, upgrades, and operational support for test torpedo assembly and turnaround, system and subsystem testing, data reduction, test equipment operation, and data and configuration management. The cost-plus-fixed-fee and firm-fixed-price contract has a one-year base period of performance with four option years."

07:35 EDT Aduro Biotech to acquire all oustanding capital stock of Chinook Therapeutics - Aduro Biotech and Chinook Therapeutics announced that the companies have entered into a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which Aduro will acquire all of the outstanding capital stock of Chinook in exchange for shares of Aduro common stock representing approximately 50 percent of Aduro's outstanding common stock immediately following completion of the transaction. The combined company is expected to have approximately $200M in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities at closing, including $25M in additional financing committed by Chinook's existing investors. Following closing, which is expected to occur in the second half of 2020, Aduro will be renamed Chinook Therapeutics, Inc., and is expected to trade on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol "KDNY". The combined company's pipeline will include: Atrasentan, an investigational selective endothelin receptor antagonist, in clinical development for the treatment of IgA nephropathy and other primary glomerular diseases; BION-1301, an investigational humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody that blocks APRIL binding to both the BCMA and TACI receptors, in clinical development for the treatment of IgA nephropathy; CHK-336, an investigational small molecule, in preclinical development for treatment of an ultra-rare orphan kidney disease; and Additional research and discovery programs focused on the treatment of rare, severe chronic kidney diseases.The combined company plans to advance its pipeline through multiple clinical trials, including the following milestones anticipated over the next 12-18 months: Report results from the ongoing Phase 1 trial of BION-1301 in patients with IgA nephropathy; Initiation of a randomized Phase 3 trial of atrasentan for IgA nephropathy; Initiation of a Phase 2 basket trial of atrasentan in primary glomerular diseases; and Initiation of a Phase 1 trial of CHK-336 in an ultra-rare orphan kidney disease. Aduro is currently exploring strategic alternatives for its legacy programs outside of kidney disease, including the STING agonist program in collaboration with Novartis, cGAS-STING inhibitor program in collaboration with Lilly, and anti-CD27 program out-licensed to Merck, as well as deprioritized programs such as the anti-SIRPalpha and anti-CTLA-4 antibodies. Immediately prior to the closing of the proposed merger, Aduro stockholders will be issued contingent value rights representing the right to receive certain cash payments from proceeds received by Aduro, if any, related to its non-renal assets for a period of ten years following closing. Pursuant to the merger agreement, Aduro will acquire all of the outstanding capital stock of Chinook in exchange for the issuance of newly issued shares of Aduro common stock upon closing, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of customary closing conditions, including the receipt of the required approval of the Aduro stockholders and Chinook stockholders. Upon completion of the merger, Aduro's then-current equity holders and the former Chinook equity holders will each own approximately 50% off Aduro's common stock, calculated on a fully diluted basis, based upon an expected Aduro net cash balance of $145M and expected Chinook cash and cash equivalents of $10M at closing, but subject to adjustment for each company's actual balances at closing. Chinook's existing investors have also committed to invest an additional $25M in convertible notes prior to closing, which will convert into Aduro common stock following the merger. Each of Versant Ventures, Apple Tree Partners, Samsara BioCapital, Abbvie, Inc., Morningside Venture (VI) Investments Limited, Morningside Foundation and Ultimate Keen Limited, as well as the directors and certain officers of both companies, representing a total of approximately 85% of the outstanding stock of Chinook and approximately 22% of the outstanding stock of Aduro, have signed support agreements committing to vote in favor of the transaction and lock-up agreements restricting transfers of the combined company's stock for 180 days post-closing. The transaction has been unanimously approved by the board of directors of both companies. The combined company will be headquartered out of Chinook's existing facilities in Vancouver, BC and Seattle, Washington. Effective as of the closing of the transaction, Eric Dobmeier will be the president and CEO of the combined company. Senior leadership of the combined company will also include Tom Frohlich as chief business officer, Alan Glicklich, M.D., as chief medical officer, Andrew King, D.V.M., Ph.D., as head of renal discovery and translational medicine and Renata Oballa, Ph.D., as vice president of chemistry. In connection with the merger, Stephen T. Isaacs, chairman, president and CEO of Aduro, will be stepping down. Additionally, effective as of the closing of the merger, the board of directors of the combined company will be comprised of seven directors: Eric Dobmeier, president and chief executive officer of Chinook Therapeutics; Jerel Davis, Ph.D., managing director at Versant Ventures; Srini Akkaraju, M.D., Ph.D., managing general partner at Samsara BioCapital; William M. Greenman, president and chief executive officer of Cerus Corporation; and Ross Haghighat, founder, chairman and managing partner of Triton Systems, Inc.; and two additional independent directors.

07:34 EDT Dick's Sporting reports total inventory down 2.1% at end of Q1

07:32 EDT Aduro Biotech, Chinook Therapeutics announce definitive merger agreement

07:25 EDT Aduro Biotech trading halted, news pending

07:16 EDT Lexington Realty says approx. 98.9% of May Cash Base Rents paid as of June 1 - Lexington Realty provided an update on its May 2020 rent collections. As of June 1, 2020, approximately 98.9% of May Cash Base Rents due in advance have been paid. Lexington expects to collect 99% of all May Cash Base Rents once the rent on one of its office properties, which is paid in arrears to a lender lockbox, is confirmed.

07:11 EDT Trevena collaborates with Imperial College London to evaluate TRV027 - Trevena announced it has entered into a collaboration with Imperial College London to evaluate the potential of TRV027, a novel AT1 receptor selective agonist, to treat acute lung injury contributing to acute respiratory distress syndrome in COVID-19 patients. ARDS is a major complication leading to mortality associated with COVID-19. Imperial College London will be sponsoring and funding this study, with additional support through the British Heart Foundation Centre for Research Excellence Award. In a COVID-19 infection, the SARS-coronavirus-2 binds to and removes the ACE2 protein in the lungs, causing elevated levels of angiotensin II. This drives overactivation of the AT1 receptor, which results in downstream acute lung injury. This often develops into ARDS, which can ultimately lead to mortality. TRV027 potentially counteracts the disproportionate levels of angiotensin II, by competitively binding to and rebalancing AT1 receptor activation. Additionally, its unique mechanism of action preferentially engages the signaling pathway to promote reparative effects on lung tissue. TRV027 is an investigational new drug that has previously been studied in 691 individuals. It has demonstrated efficacy, potency, and selectivity at the AT1 receptor in nonclinical studies and has a well-characterized pharmacokinetic profile. In previous clinical trials, there was a low dropout rate associated with TRV027, and no significant safety issues were reported. In April 2020, the Company filed a provisional patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office covering the use of TRV027 to treat ARDS in COVID-19 patients.

07:09 EDT Donaldson expects May sales to be down about 24% - May sales are expected to be down about 24%, reflecting relative outperformance in replacement parts versus new equipment, and, on a regional basis, Asia Pacific sales are expected to be the strongest while sales in the Americas are expected to be the weakest.

07:07 EDT Protech Home Medical starts trading on OTCQX Best Market - Protech Home Medical announced that it has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. The common shares of Protech will commence trading at the open today on OTCQX under the symbol "PTQQF." U.S. investoran find current financial disclosure and Real-Time Level 2 quotes for the company on www.otcmarkets.com.

07:05 EDT Gulfport Energy expects 2020 total capex at midpoint of $285M-$310M

07:04 EDT Gulfport Energy sees 2020 net production to average 1,000 MMCfe-1,075 MMcfe/day - As a result of the current commodity price environment, Gulfport recently made the strategic decision to defer near-term production to later periods in 2020 and early 2021, when natural gas prices are expected to be materially higher when compared to mid-year strip pricing. In addition, Gulfport plans to complete an additional 3 gross wells in the Utica Shale during in the second half of 2020, providing incremental production late this year and into early 2021 in the anticipation of higher prices during the winter months. Lastly, Gulfport's updated production guidance reflects the recent production impacts due to shut ins from both the Company and its non-operated partners due to low prices. Considering all these factors, Gulfport now expects 2020 full year net production to average 1,000 MMcfe to 1,075 MMcfe per day. In addition, Gulfport forecasts its second quarter of 2020 production to average approximately 1,000 MMcfe to 1,050 MMcfe per day. With the addition of this activity in late 2020, Gulfport is currently projecting 2020 total capital expenditures to be at the midpoint of the previously provided range of $285M million to $310M.

07:02 EDT Bristol-Myers Zeposia met primary endpoints in Ph.3 ulcerative colitis study - Bristol Myers announced results from True North, a pivotal Phase 3 trial evaluating oral Zeposia, or ozanimod, as an induction and maintenance therapy for adult patients with moderate to severe ulcerative colitis. True North met both primary endpoints, demonstrating highly statistically significant results for induction of clinical remission at Week 10 and in maintenance at Week 52. The study also met key secondary endpoints of clinical response and endoscopic improvement in induction at Week 10 and in maintenance at Week 52. The safety profile of Zeposia in the True North trial was consistent with that observed in previously reported trials. The company will complete a full evaluation of the True North data and work with investigators to present detailed results at a future medical meeting, as well as discuss these results with health authorities. Bristol Myers Squibb is also investigating Zeposia for the treatment of moderately to severely active Crohn's disease in the ongoing Phase 3 YELLOWSTONE clinical trial program.

07:00 EDT Endeavour Silver announces high-grade gold-silver mineralizaton in Santa Cruz - Endeavour Silver announces that exploration drilling through Q1, intersected new high-grade gold-silver mineralization in the Santa Cruz vein on the El Curso property at the Guanacevi mine in Durango, Mexico. A total of 18 holes were drilled, 12 of which hit high grades over minable widths. Drilling highlights of 12 core holes include the following intersections: 1,085 gpt silver and 3.25 grams per tonne, or gpt, gold over 10.0 meters true width in hole UCM-27; 762 gpt silver and 1.87 gpt gold over 5.1 m true width in hole UCM-26; 986 gpt silver and 1.43 gpt gold over a 4.8 m true width in hole UCM-25; Drill holes UCM-11 to 15 continue to delineate the northwest extension of the original P4 orebody onto the El Curso property. This P4 extension now measures 200 m long by 300 m deep, still open at depth. Endeavour is currently mining this P4 extension as well as the Milache and SCS orebodies. Drill holes UCM-19 to 28 have discovered a new mineralized zone to the west of P4 extension, half-way towards the Milache orebody. This new mineralized zone now measures 250 m long by 150 m deep, still open along strike and at depth. Drilling stopped at the end of March due to the COVID-19 pandemic and is expected to recommence in June.

06:57 EDT Vista Gold announces results from evaluation at Mt Todd Gold Project - Vista Gold announced positive results of ongoing geological evaluations at its Mt Todd Gold Project in the Northern Territory, Australia. This initial phase of the Company's evaluations focused on the Batman deposit and the area north to the Quigleys deposit. Results demonstrate greater potential for continuity of gold mineralization along a 5.4 Km strike length. These results are preliminary in nature. The company stated, "We believe Mt Todd hosts a district and not just a deposit. The recent work by our geologic team on understanding the connectivity of the Batman deposit to the Golf-Tollis and Quigleys deposits indicates potential for district continuity. As we evaluate this potential combined with continued improved gold prices, it is possible to envision a 20-plus year mine."

06:54 EDT Avanos to present at two virtual investor conferences - Avanos Medical announced that it would present at the following two virtual investor conferences in June. First one is the Jefferies Virtual Healthcare Conference on Thursday June 4 with Michael Greiner, Senior Vice President and CFO as speaker. The second one is the Raymond James Healthcare Conference on Thursday June 18 with Michael Greiner, Senior Vice President and CFO as speaker. A webcast of each conference presentation will be available on the Investors section of the Avanos Medical website and will be archived on that site.

06:51 EDT Western Union reports rate of transactions began to improve in mid-April - The Western Union Company provided an update on the Company's transaction trends for its Consumer-to-Consumer, or C2C, business for the month of May in response to the evolving business environment amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As previously disclosed, in the latter part of the Q1 the Company began to see substantial declines in transactions for its C2C business arising from the COVID-19 pandemic, with declines of approximately 30% in late March and early April. In mid-April, the rate of decline in transactions began to improve led by the retail channel and bolstered by a significant acceleration in digital growth. Improvement in both retail and digital transaction trends continued through the month of May, with digital transaction growth for the month of May the highest in a decade.

06:32 EDT Teleflex enrolls first patient for Teleflex's clinical study - Teleflex announced the first patient enrollment in a clinical study that will evaluate the performance of Teleflex coronary guidewires and specialty catheters in Chronic Total Occlusion, or CTO, percutaneous coronary intervention, or PCI, procedures, which is currently an investigational indication for these products. Enrolling up to 150 patients across approximately 15 investigational sites in the US, the CTO-PCI Study is a prospective, single-arm IDE study employing the primary angiographic endpoint of successful guidewire placement beyond the CTO.

06:06 EDT BlackBerry appoints Thomas Eacobacci as president - BlackBerry (BB) announced the appointment of Thomas Eacobacci as president. Eacobacci will be responsible for driving BlackBerry's sales, field marketing, engineering and customer support for BlackBerry Spark and BlackBerry IoT Solutions. BlackBerry Advanced Technology Labs, licensing, and corporate functions will continue to report to John Chen, executive chairman and CEO. Eacobacci brings to BlackBerry 20 years of customer-facing and go-to-market experience from his career with Citrix (CTXS), where most recently he served as senior VP and GM for the Americas. Throughout his tenure with Citrix, Eacobacci has held global leadership roles across sales, services, customer success and sales operations. Eacobacci will join BlackBerry on June 15.

06:05 EDT Overseas Shipholding, Greenbrier announce major new vessel build - Overseas Shipholding Group (OSG) announced that it has received delivery of the OSG 204, a 204,000 barrel capacity oil and chemical tank barge for dual mode ITB service pursuant to U.S. Coast Guard NVIC 2-81, Change 1. The barge has been built in compliance MARPOL Annex VI Regulation 13 Tier III standards regarding nitrogen oxide emissions within emission control areas. The state-of-the-art 581' tank barge is among the largest in the history of Greenbrier Marine, a division of The Greenbrier Companies (GBX), with origins on the Willamette River in Portland dating to 1919. The OSG 204 has been paired with an existing tug within the OSG fleet, the OSG Endurance, and will travel to the Gulf of Mexico, where it will contribute to OSG's growing presence in the Jones Act trade. The ATB unit has been fixed to a long-term charter commitment, with delivery to the charterer occurring late in the second quarter. Greenbrier Marine is also constructing a second sister barge which has a scheduled delivery date during the 4th quarter.

06:03 EDT Pfizer establishes 'Pfizer Breakthrough Growth Initiative' - Pfizer announced the establishment of the Pfizer Breakthrough Growth Initiative, through which Pfizer will invest up to $500M in biotechnology companies to help provide funding and access to Pfizer's scientific expertise to ensure continuity of the biotechnology companies' most promising clinical development programs. The Pfizer Breakthrough Growth Initiative will focus on making non-controlling equity investments in clinical-stage public companies, with a primary focus on companies with small- to medium-sized market capitalizations across a range of therapeutic categories that are consistent with Pfizer's core areas of focus: Internal Medicine, Inflammation & Immunology, Oncology, Rare Disease, Vaccines and Hospital. Partner companies may also have the opportunity to access Pfizer's significant expertise and resources in research, clinical development and manufacturing.