Stockwinners Market Radar for June 19, 2020 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

17:38 EDT Cannae Holdings announces $75M investment in Trebia - Cannae Holdings announced the company has strategically entered into a forward purchase agreement with Trebia Acquisition Corp. in which Cannae, as an anchor investor and a founding member of the Sponsor Group, will purchase an aggregate of 7.5M Class A ordinary shares of Trebia, plus an aggregate of 2.5M redeemable warrants to purchase one Class A ordinary share at $11.50 per share. The total purchase price for the shares and warrants is $75.0 million. Cannae has a 15% economic interest in the founding Sponsor Group led by Bill Foley and Frank Martire.

17:18 EDT Novartis discontinues hydroxychloroquine clinical trial based on slow enrollment - Novartis has made the decision to stop and discontinue its sponsored HCQ clinical trial for COVID-19 due to acute enrollment challenges that have made trial completion infeasible. The recruitment challenge facing our HCQ trial has made it unlikely that the clinical team will be able to collect meaningful data in a reasonable timeframe to determine the effectiveness of HCQ in treating patients with COVID-19. No safety issues have been reported, and there are no conclusions on efficacy from the study. Novartis will continue to provide supply of HCQ for ongoing investigator-initiated trials and upon government requests, as appropriate, where certain conditions are met and the medicine is used in accordance with a nationally endorsed treatment protocol. Researchers at Novartis continue to monitor ongoing guidance from health authorities on the further study of HCQ for COVID-19, as well as the decision by the US Food and Drug Administration to stop the emergency use authorization of HCQ for COVID-19 treatment. In addition, ongoing studies involving other Novartis treatments continue, as well as the newly announced support of a potential vaccine. Novartis also continues to collaborate to find answers for COVID-19 through various partnerships with multi-stakeholder external consortia.

16:28 EDT Hackett Group declares 9.5c per share dividend - The dividend payment frequency is changed to quarterly from semi-annual going forward and implies an annual dividend of 38c vs. 36c prior. The dividend payment date is July 10th and a record date is June 30th. The company states: "In response to the economic disruption related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the company previously announced that its board deferred its regular semi-annual dividend declaration decision until closer to the end of the second quarter. The board has determined to transition to a quarterly dividend payment cycle, beginning with this quarterly dividend, instead of paying the semi-annual dividend."

16:27 EDT Four Corners Property Trust acquires Big O Tires property for $2.7M - Four Corners Property Trust announced the acquisition of a corporate-operated Big O Tires property for $2.7M. The lease is guaranteed by TBC Corporation, or TBC. The property is located in a strong retail corridor in Minnesota and is occupied under a triple-net lease with approximately five years of term remaining. The transaction was priced at a 6.6% going-in cash capitalization rate or a 7.3% cash capitalization rate including a 12% contractual rent increase in October of this year.

16:17 EDT Host Hotels temporarily suspends regular dividend - Host Hotels announced that its board has temporarily suspended the company's regular quarterly dividend, commencing with the second quarter dividend that would have been paid in July 2020. The company previously paid a quarterly cash dividend of $0.20 per share on its common stock on April 15, 2020 to stockholders of record as of March 31, 2020. The company estimates that the suspension of the dividend will preserve approximately $140M in cash during Q2.

16:03 EDT Hooker Furniture board elects Jeremy Hoff as new CEO - Hooker Furniture announced that the board has elected Jeremy Hoff as the next CEO of the Company, effective January 31, 2021 when Paul Toms plans to retire. Toms will remain as Chairman of the board. Hoff joined Hooker Furniture in 2017 and currently serves as President of Hooker Legacy Brands.

15:47 EDT Insurance Acquisition Corporation (Class A Stock) trading halted, volatility trading pause

15:36 EDT Evoke Pharma announces FDA approval of Gimoti nasal spray - Evoke Pharma announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the New Drug Application for Gimoti nasal spray, the first and only nasally-administered product indicated for the relief of symptoms in adults with acute and recurrent diabetic gastroparesis. The FDA approval of Gimoti allows Evoke to access its existing $5M line of credit from Eversana to support manufacturing and other aspects of Gimoti's commercialization. As of May 31, the company's cash and cash equivalents were approximately $4.7M. Evoke believes, based on its current operating plan, that its cash and cash equivalents, together with the Eversana line of credit, will support the company's operations into 2021, without consideration of potential Gimoti revenue. "This approval represents the first novel pharmaceutical treatment for gastroparesis in several decades. Many times, patients do not experience adequate relief of their gastroparesis symptoms from current treatments, representing a significant need for a new approach to therapy. We are excited to be able to offer health care providers and their patients a unique non-oral treatment option to relieve symptoms and help improve their quality of life," said David Gonyer, R.Ph., President and CEO of Evoke.

14:55 EDT Intelsat files C-band spectrum transition plan with FCC - Intelsat announced that it has filed its C-band spectrum transition plan with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. "Intelsat is filing its comprehensive transition plan after having spent more than two years proactively working with the FCC, our customers, industry stakeholders, vendors and other satellite operators to create a clear path for meeting the FCC's accelerated clearing deadlines and ensuring the U.S. maintains its leadership in 5G. With our detailed plan finalized and our supply chain engaged, Intelsat looks forward to supporting the FCC in successfully transitioning the C-band spectrum and accelerating America's path to 5G - all while safeguarding the high-quality media broadcast services on which more than 100 million American households rely," said Intelsat Chief Services Officer Mike DeMarco.

13:55 EDT CLIA members to extend suspension of cruise ops from U.S. ports until Sep 15 - Cruise Lines International Association issued the following statement to announce that the association's ocean-going cruise line members will voluntarily extend the suspension of cruise operations from U.S. ports until 15 September 2020. "Due to the ongoing situation within the U.S. related to COVID-19, CLIA member cruise lines have decided to voluntarily extend the period of suspended passenger operations. The current No Sail Order issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will expire on 24 July, and although we had hoped that cruise activity could resume as soon as possible after that date, it is increasingly clear that more time will be needed to resolve barriers to resumption in the United States. Although we are confident that future cruises will be healthy and safe, and will fully reflect the latest protective measures, we also feel that it is appropriate to err on the side of caution to help ensure the best interests of our passengers and crewmembers. We have therefore decided to further extend our suspension of operations from U.S. ports until 15 September. The additional time will also allow us to consult with the CDC on measures that will be appropriate for the eventual resumption of cruise operations. This voluntary suspension applies to all CLIA members to which the No Sail Order applied (vessels with capacity to carry 250 persons or more). CLIA member cruise lines will continually evaluate the evolving situation and make a determination as to whether a further extension is necessary." Publicly traded companies in the space include Canrival (CCL), Norwegian (NCLH), and Royal Caribbean (RCL). Reference Link

13:50 EDT CLIA members to voluntarily extend cruise ops from U.S. ports until September 15 - Cruise Lines International Association issued the following statement to announce that the association's ocean-going cruise line members will voluntarily extend the suspension of cruise operations from U.S. ports until 15 September 2020. "Due to the ongoing situation within the U.S. related to COVID-19, CLIA member cruise lines have decided to voluntarily extend the period of suspended passenger operations. The current No Sail Order issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will expire on 24 July, and although we had hoped that cruise activity could resume as soon as possible after that date, it is increasingly clear that more time will be needed to resolve barriers to resumption in the United States. Although we are confident that future cruises will be healthy and safe, and will fully reflect the latest protective measures, we also feel that it is appropriate to err on the side of caution to help ensure the best interests of our passengers and crewmembers. We have therefore decided to further extend our suspension of operations from U.S. ports until 15 September. The additional time will also allow us to consult with the CDC on measures that will be appropriate for the eventual resumption of cruise operations. This voluntary suspension applies to all CLIA members to which the No Sail Order applied (vessels with capacity to carry 250 persons or more). CLIA member cruise lines will continually evaluate the evolving situation and make a determination as to whether a further extension is necessary." Publicly traded companies in the space include Canrival (CCL), Norwegian (NCLH), and Royal Caribbean (RCL). Reference Link

13:43 EDT Glencore reports investigation by Office of Attorney General of Switzerland - Glencore disclosed that it has today been informed by the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland that it has opened a criminal investigation into Glencore International AG for failure to have the organizational measures in place to prevent alleged corruption in the Democratic Republic of Congo currently under investigation by the OAG. "Glencore will cooperate with the investigation by the OAG," the company stated.

13:13 EDT Tesla CEO says Juneteenth considered U.S. holiday going forward - Tesla CEO Elon Musk just tweeted, "Juneteenth is henceforth considered a US holiday at Tesla & SpaceX." The tweet comes after CNBC reported that Tesla told employees on Friday that they were allowed to take the day off to observe Juneteenth unpaid.

13:04 EDT AMC reverses course, requires guests to wear masks at theatres - AMC Theatres CEO and President Adam Aron issued the following statement: "At AMC, we have been consulting with top scientists and health experts to create a broad, sweeping, far-reaching health and safety effort to make AMC Theatres safe for our guests and associates when our theatres reopen in July. Among many elements of that comprehensive plan was a requirement for our associates all to wear masks nationwide, as well as a requirement for our guests all to wear masks in the many parts of the country that will require it. In those areas of the country where masks will not be required, we nonetheless planned to strongly encourage mask usage by guests, and fully expected that the vast majority would do so. That policy on guest mask usage, which is directly comparable with our major competitors and many other highly regarded retailers, was announced yesterday afternoon. This announcement prompted an intense and immediate outcry from our customers, and it is clear from this response that we did not go far enough on the usage of masks. At AMC Theatres, we think it is absolutely crucial that we listen to our guests. Accordingly, and with the full support of our scientific advisors, we are reversing course and are changing our guest mask policy. As we reopen theatres, we now will require that all AMC guests nationwide wear masks as they enter and enjoy movies at our theatres. The speed with which AMC moved to revise our mask policies is a reflection of our commitment to the safety and health of our guests. We will constantly monitor the scientific community's latest thinking as to the efficacy of mask usage. We also will be looking at the varying health conditions in specific localities around our theatres all across the country. This will help us to determine what our mask policy will be as we go forward, as well as to make any other needed changes to this policy. Guests coming to our theatres may bring their own masks of course, but for those who do not have one, masks will be available at our theatre box offices at a nominal $1.00 price. Those who are unwilling to wear a mask will not be admitted or allowed to stay."

12:56 EDT BMW, Mercedes-Benz put automated driving alliance temporarily on hold - The BMW Group (BMWYY) and Mercedes-Benz (DDAIF) are putting their cooperation on development of next-generation technology for automated driving temporarily on hold. Following extensive review, the two companies have arrived at a "mutual and amicable" agreement to concentrate on their existing development paths - which may also include working with current or new partners. Both explicitly wished to emphasise that cooperation may be resumed at a later date and that the two organisations' underlying approach to matters such as safety and customer benefits in the field of automated driving remains highly compatible. The BMW Group and Mercedes-Benz AG are both working separately on current generations for highly-automated driving and have achieved major progress in this field in the past. However, the BMW Group and Mercedes-Benz AG were unable to hold detailed expert discussions and talk to suppliers about technology roadmaps until the contract was signed last year. In these talks - and after extensive review - both sides concluded that, in view of the expense involved in creating a shared technology platform, as well as current business and economic conditions, the timing is not right for successful implementation of the cooperation. Both companies also underlined that they would continue working in close cooperation in the remaining fields as planned. Reference Link

12:19 EDT North Face to drop Facebook ads in support of #StopHateForProfit - The North Face, a subsidiary of VF Corporation (VFC), said via Twitter that it is "out" on Facebook (FB) ads, expressing support #StopHateForProfit, which is an effort to ask businesses "to stand in solidarity with our most deeply held American values of freedom, equality and justice and not advertise on Facebook's services in July." "We're in. We're Out @Facebook #StopHateForProfit," the company said while quote tweeting the NAACP. Reference Link

12:09 EDT Fed to adjust bank stress tests, look at various COVID scenarios - Federal Reserve Vice Chair for Supervision Randal Quarles, in a speech, said: "I will discuss how the COVID event is affecting a cornerstone of the Federal Reserve's oversight of large banks-our periodic stress tests, which verify that banks are prepared to deal with severe economic and financial conditions. Although our stress tests were not designed to test specifically against the effects of the COVID event on the economy and on our banks, they were designed to be flexible. I will describe modifications we've made to the stress test process this year, including expansions in stress testing appropriate to the unique circumstances we face, and preview our approach to the results the Fed will release next week...We didn't have the time or the comprehensive data to run a complete and updated COVID event stress test. Normally, we publish our scenarios, which serve as the hypothetical basis for the test, two months before the start of the process, and we take two months to run the test. We use data that banks submit around six weeks after the end of each quarter, so the test we run beginning in April normally uses data submitted in February and March reflecting bank balance sheets as of December...In light of that uncertainty, our sensitivity analysis considers three distinct downside risk paths for the economy: first, a rapid V-shaped recovery that regains much of the output and employment lost by the end of this year; second, a slower, more U-shaped recovery in which only a small share of lost output and employment is regained in 2020; and third, a W-shaped double dip recession with a short-lived recovery followed by a severe drop in activity later this year due to a second wave of containment measures. Let me emphasize that these are not forecasts by the Fed or me, only plausible scenarios that span the range of where many private forecasters think the economy could be headed." Publicly traded big banks subject to stress testing include Bank of America (BAC), Citi (C), Goldman Sachs (GS), JPMorgan (JPM), Morgan Stanley (MS), U.S. Bancorp (USB) and Wells Fargo (WFC). Reference Link

12:00 EDT Graf Industrial falls -7.0% - Graf Industrial is down -7.0%, or -$1.03 to $13.72.

12:00 EDT Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bear 3x Shares falls -9.4% - Direxion Daily Junior Gold Miners Index Bear 3x Shares is down -9.4%, or -$2.14 to $20.67.

12:00 EDT GTT Communications rises 10.6% - GTT Communications is up 10.6%, or 81c to $8.47.

11:46 EDT Catalyst Biosciences presents preclinical FIX gene therapy data - Catalyst Biosciences presented data from preclinical studies of its hemophilia B gene therapy CB 2679d-GT at the World Federation of Hemophilia Virtual Summit, taking place from June 14 -19, 2020. The oral presentation, entitled: "Combination of a Novel Chimeric AAV Capsid and Potency Enhanced FIX Variant for Hemophilia B Gene Therapy," given by Dr. Grant Blouse, senior vice president of translational research, provided preclinical results of CB 2679d-GT, the company's novel FIX gene therapy. CB 2679d-GT was designed to achieve clinically relevant FIX levels at a reduced viral load by combining engineered AAV capsids with Catalyst's novel high potency FIX transgene. Studies of CB 2679d-GT in hemophilia B mice have demonstrated a 4-fold reduction in blood loss and an 8-fold reduction in bleeding time when compared with the same dose of the Padua variant of FIX. Furthermore, when packaged in a proprietary chimeric AAV capsid, CB 2679d-GT demonstrated a clear dose response of high stable FIX levels across the three dose levels in hemophilia B mice. A pilot non-human primate study compared the expression and tolerability of CB 2679d-GT in the novel chimeric capsid KP1 with the LK03 capsid. The study demonstrated that CB 2679d-GT was well tolerated with high FIX expression that stabilized to approximately 25% to 50% FIX above baseline levels at the 6-week interim data cutoff. The novel chimeric capsid had differentiated and superior response to anti-capsid neutralizing antibodies than that observed for the LK03 comparator during the screening of non-human primates for the study.

10:41 EDT FMR LLC reports 5.44% passive stake in Avidity Biosciences

10:32 EDT GSK announces FDA Advisory Committee meeting to review belantamab mafodotin - GlaxoSmithKline announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration will convene a meeting of the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee to review data supporting the company's Biologics License Application for belantamab mafodotin for the potential treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma who have received at least four prior therapies including an immunomodulatory agent, a proteasome inhibitor and an anti-CD38 antibody. The ODAC will meet virtually on 14 July 2020. Belantamab mafodotin received Breakthrough Therapy Designation in 2017, and the BLA was granted Priority Review status by the FDA in January 2020 based on data from the pivotal DREAMM-2 study. Six-month primary results from the study were published in The Lancet Oncology and follow-up data were presented at the 2020 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting. Belantamab mafodotin is a potential humanised, anti-BCMA being investigated in a robust clinical trial programme for the treatment of multiple myeloma. BCMA is a cell-surface protein that plays an important role in the survival of plasma cells and is universally expressed in patients with multiple myeloma.

10:16 EDT Lear rises after Halverson appointment to board spurs activist speculation - Last night, Lear Corporation (LEA) announced that Bradley Halverson has been appointed to the company's board of directors. Halverson currently serves on the boards of Sysco Corporation (SYY), where he is the Lead Independent Director and Audit Committee Chairman, and Custom Truck One Source, a privately held Blackstone portfolio company. He also previously served as a director for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This morning, Dealreporter said in a note to its subscribers that the board addition has it "wondering if the auto parts maker is seeing some shareholder pressure behind the scenes - particularly given the appointee's connection to Trian Partners." According to Fly contacts, Dealreporter noted that Halverson was added to the Sysco as part of a board refresh in 2016 that came "roughly a year after Trian representatives [Nelson] Peltz and Josh Frank joined the SYY board." While Trian's Peltz and Frank "are certainly familiar with Halverson...whether they were involved in this latest appointment remains to be seen," added the publication, according to contacts. In morning trading, Lear has risen nearly 6%, or $6.26, to $113.98 per shares.

10:01 EDT Carnival appoints Josh Weinstein as COO - Carnival Corporation announced that Josh Weinstein has been named chief operations officer, effective immediately. Reporting to Carnival Corporation President and CEO Arnold Donald, Weinstein's responsibilities will include oversight of major operational functions, including global maritime, global ports and destinations, global sourcing, global IT and global auditing. In addition, Weinstein will retain oversight of Carnival UK, the operating company for P&O Cruises and Cunard, which he managed directly for the past three years. Simon Palethorpe, currently president of Cunard, will assume added responsibilities in the role of president of Carnival UK. The structural leadership moves are part of the company's broader efforts to enhance operations and mobilize the global organization prior to its return to cruising. Weinstein's tenure with Carnival Corporation has included 10 years as the company's treasurer, as well as five years as an attorney in the corporate legal department.

10:00 EDT Cementos Pacasmayo falls -6.0% - Cementos Pacasmayo is down -6.0%, or -48c to $7.52.

10:00 EDT Two Harbors rises 8.0% - Two Harbors is up 8.0%, or 39c to $5.31.

10:00 EDT Tortoise Acquisition rises 53.6% - Tortoise Acquisition is up 53.6%, or $5.48 to $15.70.

09:47 EDT Flex LNG falls -4.9% - Flex LNG is down -4.9%, or -24c to $4.58.

09:47 EDT Itau Corpbanca rises 9.5% - Itau Corpbanca is up 9.5%, or 38c to $4.38.

09:47 EDT Tortoise Acquisition rises 56.6% - Tortoise Acquisition is up 56.6%, or $5.78 to $16.00.

09:33 EDT Nymox expects to file submissions for Fexapotide by end of Q3, early Q4 - Nymox Pharmaceutical reports that key steps in its regulatory submission preparations for its Fexapotide treatment for prostate enlargement have been completed and the project is firmly on-track. The company said in a statement that the majority of its regulatory documentation has proceeded very well, despite the inherent limitations of the business environment in 2020. Certain tasks have been hampered by the Covid pandemic restrictions, similar to other companies in the sector. These remaining tasks are expected to be completed reasonably soon as the company regains the ability to retrieve required documentation from external sites and to complete other required tasks and on-site activities that were hindered due to the global restrictions in place. Dr. Paul Averback, CEO commented "We are extremely pleased with the progress we have been able to achieve despite these obvious limitations due to the pandemic restrictions as we reported in our 6K filing on April 24. I want to thank the whole team for putting in an extraordinary effort towards meeting our regulatory timeline goals. Extremely complex tasks have been coordinated and executed successfully. Given the ongoing reopening of the economy we now expect to attend to the remaining matters near-term. Taking into account the above factors, we are well within our projected timelines as corrected for by the addition of the previously announced Covid-related delay of several months. We are now expecting to file our applications with the authorities approximately by the end of Q3 or early Q4. We will continue to regularly update our shareholders as we complete the entire packages."

09:15 EDT EnWave announces equity incentive grants - The Company has granted an aggregate of 500,000 incentive stock options pursuant to the Company's Stock Option Plan to certain directors and officers of the Company. The Incentive Options are exercisable at a price of $1.25 per share and are exercisable for a term of five years expiring on June 17, 2025. The Incentive Options have been structured with performance-based vesting conditions in accordance with the Plan, and will vest upon the later of eighteen months from the date of grant; or when the Company's share price on the TSX Venture Exchange achieves a volume weighted average price for twenty consecutive trading days of $1.50 or greater. The Incentive Options are subject to approval by the TSXV. The Company has granted an aggregate of 260,000 restricted share rights pursuant to the Company's Restricted Share Rights Plan to certain directors and officers of the Company. The RSRs will vest three years from the date of award for each independent director, and will vest three years from the date of award and subject to the Company's share price on the TSXV achieving a VWAP for twenty consecutive trading days of $1.50 or greater for the senior management of the Company. If the VWAP vesting performance condition is not met within the three-year life of the instrument, then no common shares of the Company will be issued in respect of the RSRs. The RSRs are subject to approval by the TSXV. The Company's Board of Directors consulted with a third-party executive compensation specialist to conduct a benchmarking study as part of the evaluation and approval process for the equity incentive instruments. The resulting performance-based vesting conditions implemented were designed to create proper alignment between management incentives and creating shareholder value.

09:12 EDT EnWave secures three technology evaluation agreements - The company said, "The Company has continued to advance its sales and business development plan despite many of the headwinds presented by the global economic downturn propagated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges caused by COVID-19, the Company secured three new technology evaluation agreements with machine rentals through the last three months. There are several existing EnWave royalty partners that have 10kW machines installed under license that are evaluating the scale-up to larger REV machines, and the Company anticipates securing new purchase contracts for repeat and large-scale REV machines as the global economy begins to recover and international travel restrictions are lightened."

09:09 EDT VivoPower regains compliace with Nasdaq listing rule - On June 17, 2020, VivoPower International received a letter from the Listing Qualifications Department of The Nasdaq Stock Market confirming that the Company has regained compliance with Listing Rule 5550(a)(2), requiring that companies listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market maintain a closing bid price of at least $1.00 per share, for a minimum number of business days. The Company's share price has risen by 68% since June 1, 2020 to close at $1.60 on 17 June 2020. Over this period, the closing bid price maintained a level above $1.00, with an average daily turnover exceeding 1 million shares, which is 3x higher than the norm. This is a positive development for the Company and has been achieved ahead of the re-instatement of the NASDAQ's Price-based Requirements on July 1, 2020.

09:08 EDT Cinedigm reports 13.2M monthly active ad-supported viewers in May - Cinedigm announced continued record growth in audience and viewership for its rapidly expanding portfolio of advertising-based streaming entertainment networks. In May 2020, Cinedigm's Monthly Active Viewers reached approximately 13.2 million monthly active ad-supported viewers across Cinedigm's digital networks distributed via linear Free Ad-supported TV and Advertising Video on Demand, up over 38% from the 9.7 million viewers reported in March 2020, and up nearly 193% from the 4.5 million viewers reported in October, 2019. Key Milestones and Facts: FAST linear channel delivery reached approx. 10.4 million monthly active viewers across nine live channels across the company's partner base including Xumo, Stirr, Samsung TV Plus, The Roku Channel, Vizio Watch Free, DistroTV, Amazon's IMDB TV, and many more. AVOD channel delivery reached approx. 2.8 million monthly unique viewers across six streaming channels on partners including Tubi, Stirr, Xumo, and others. Total viewing hours were up 43% from March 2020, driven by an increase in user viewing sessions that were up by more than 77%. The company Increased highly valuable connected TV ad requests to 92% of the company's overall inventory mix. CTV Ad inventory remains in high demand by advertisers seeking to reach audiences in a "living room" environment who are increasingly reducing their time watching traditional linear television. The company added 12 new advertising demand partners since March, bringing the total demand partners filling Cinedigm Networks inventory to 30, and up from eight partners at the beginning of the year.

09:06 EDT JinkoSolar responds to German court ruling on patent infringement - JinkoSolar responded to the Regional Court of Dusseldorf's recent determination concluding that third-party cell technology contained in certain JinkoSolar modules, no longer in production, infringes a patent held by Hanwha Q Cells. JinkoSolar believes the Dusseldorf court came to an erroneous conclusion and will appeal the decision. JinkoSolar is also challenging the Hanwha patent's validity at the European Patent Office. The company said, "Importantly, the scope and impact of the Dusseldorf court's decision is limited to Germany. Additionally, the decision relates to third-party cells included in older versions of JinkoSolar-branded modules which are no longer in production. As such, the decision has no impact on current JinkoSolar customers, and JinkoSolar may continue to import and sell modules that use its own cell technology to customers in Germany."

09:04 EDT Sanofi announces long-term efficacy, safety data for fitusiran - New data exploring the efficacy and safety of fitusiran, an investigational once-monthly, subcutaneously administered RNA interference therapy for the treatment of hemophilia A and B, with or without inhibitors, were shared in a late-breaking presentation at the World Federation of Hemophilia Virtual Summit. Long-term interim results from the Phase 2 open-label extension study reinforce fitusiran's potential to restore hemostatic balance and to lower annualized bleed rates over a period up to 57 months. The Phase 2 OLE study evaluates the long-term efficacy and safety of fitusiran in patients with moderate or severe hemophilia A and B, with or without inhibitors, who had participated in a previous study of fitusiran. This data evaluated 34 enrolled patients who received monthly fixed 50 mg or 80 mg doses of fitusiran and were followed for a period up to 4.7 years, with a median exposure of 2.6 years. At the data cutoff, interim results showed: Monthly subcutaneous dosing with fitusiran, in patients with hemophilia A and B, with or without inhibitors, demonstrated sustained antithrombin lowering, resulting in median peak thrombin values at the lower end of the range observed in healthy volunteer participants. Low overall median ABR of 0.84. The median ABR in the non-inhibitor subgroup was 1.01 compared to pre-study median ABRs of 2.0 for patients previously on prophylactic treatment and 12.0 for patients previously on demand. In the inhibitor subgroup, median ABRs were 0.44 compared to pre-study median ABRs of 42.0. Low overall spontaneous bleeds. Median spontaneous ABRs by subgroup were 0.33 and 0.39. No anti-drug antibody formation was detected. As of the data cut on March 10, 2020, fitusiran was generally well tolerated. Reported serious adverse events with fitusiran included an event of atrial thrombosis and an event of increased liver transaminases. One death occurred in the study in 2017; this was due to cerebral venous sinus thrombosis initially diagnosed as subarachnoid hemorrhage after which the bleed management guidelines were updated in December 2017. The most commonly reported adverse events included an increase in alanine aminotransferase, headache, injection site erythema, nasopharyngitis, upper respiratory tract infection, diarrhea, arthralgia, back pain, and an increase in transaminases.

08:52 EDT Twitter adds 'manipulated media' warning to Trump tweet - Last night, President Donald Trump shared a video on Twitter that appears to display a CNN screen heading that reads "terrified todler runs from racist baby" along with a video of two children. After the president posted the tweet, Twitter added a "manipulated media" warning that states that "multiple journalists confirmed that the video, which was shared by President Trump, is edited and features a fake CNN chyron. The original CNN story, which is from 2019, reported on a friendship between two toddlers." Reference Link

08:43 EDT Janus Henderson Group intends to reopen Class D shares of mutual funds - Janus Henderson announced it has plans to reopen Class D shares of its U.S. mutual funds through the firm's direct business channel. In July 2009, Class D Shares were closed to new investors, with certain limited exceptions. Since that change more than a decade ago, there have been several shifts in the marketplace and with distribution models, which have led to the firm's decision to reopen the channel. The firm is also announcing the launch of the Janus Henderson direct business channel referral program, which will provide existing investors the ability to offer a referral to friends and family. Through the program, Janus Services, a subsidiary of Janus Henderson, will fund the $100 initial investment for new investors that receive a referral from an existing investor. To receive this program benefit, the new investor must establish and maintain an automatic investment of at least $50 per month for two years.

08:31 EDT Veru enrolls first patient in Phase 2 trial of VERU-111 for COVID-19 - Veru announced that it has enrolled the first patient in its Phase 2 clinical trial of VERU-111, a microtubule depolymerization drug to combat COVID-19, the global pandemic disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The Phase 2 clinical trial is a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial evaluating daily oral doses of 18 mg VERU-111 or placebo over 21 days in 40 hospitalized patients who tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus and who are at high risk for Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. The primary efficacy endpoint will be proportion of subjects that are alive without respiratory distress at Day 29. Secondary endpoints will include measures of improvements on the WHO Disease Severity Scale, which captures COVID-19 disease symptoms and signs, including hospitalization to progression of pulmonary symptoms to mechanical ventilation, as well as death. This study is designed to evaluate VERU-111's ability to improve pulmonary symptoms and recovery and to avoid the need for mechanical ventilation.

08:12 EDT Perrigo divests Rosemont Pharmaceuticals business for $195M in cash - Perrigo announced that it has reached a definitive agreement to sell its U.K.-based Rosemont Pharmaceuticals business, a generic prescription pharmaceuticals manufacturer focused on liquid medicines, to a U.K.-headquartered private equity firm for approximately $195M in cash. This transaction was signed and closed on the same day. In FY19, Perrigo realized $53M in net sales and 12c of adjusted diluted EPS from the Rosemont business, which was previously included in the Consumer Self-Care International segment.

08:10 EDT Askeladden Capital Management reports 5.52% passive stake in AstroNova

08:09 EDT Delta Apparel expands digital print business with Phoenix, Arizona facility - Delta Apparel announces the expansion of its digital print business, with the opening of a new integrated digital print and distribution facility in Phoenix, Arizona, combining DTG2Go's digital print business with Delta Apparel's own supply of garments. This new facility, expected to open in August, provides the expanded capacity needed for DTG2Go to meet the rapidly growing demands for its digital print model. The Phoenix facility will increase DTG2Go's footprint to eight digital printing locations across the U.S., further expanding its one-day shipping reach to multiple markets, including Phoenix, Tucson, San Diego and greater Los Angeles. Following an April year-over-year sales increase of over 25%, DTG2Go's May sales accelerated to a 32% year-over-year growth. Importantly, approximately 40% of the increase in orders received in the quarter to date is attributable to onboarding new customers to the DTG2Go platform. Continuing the trend from April, over 30% of DTG2Go's May production was printed on a Delta-branded garment, which is more than twice that of a year ago. As a part of the expansion, the Company plans to increase its fleet of digital printers by 10%, including adding eight new Kornit Atlas printers to Phoenix. Overall, the Phoenix facility gives DTG2Go the space to ultimately operate sixteen digital print machines, giving DTG2Go future expansion opportunities.

08:06 EDT Capstone Turbine announces long-term FPP service contract in Mexico - Capstone Turbine announced that DTC Ecoenergia, Capstone's exclusive distributor in Mexico, signed a new 10-year Factory Protection Plan, or FPP, long-term service contract for a 1 MW Capstone microturbine installed in Mexico at a latex-based product manufacturing plant. Capstone said in a release, "Commissioned on June 1, 2019, the Capstone C1000 microturbine is owned and operated by one of the world's largest latex-based product manufacturers and is being used for 24x7 electrical & thermal generation. The hot exhaust from the microturbine is fed to a very large oven used to dry the latex as part of their manufacturing process. Installation of the Capstone microturbine has resulted in energy consumption savings of approximately 62% and is estimated to have an impressive return on investment of approximately two years for the entire project. The FPP will provide complete service coverage, including scheduled and unscheduled maintenance for the next 10 years, beginning in December 2020 after the expiration of the current Capstone product warranty."

08:05 EDT CymaBay presents data from Phase 2 study of seladelpar in PBC - CymaBay Therapeutics announced new data from a previously completed open-label Phase 2 study of seladelpar in patients with primary biliary cholangitis. These data were made available as an electronic presentation through the Digestive Disease Week 2020 Online Education program. Seladelpar is a potent and selective peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta that has demonstrated anti-cholestatic and anti-inflammatory effects in clinical studies for PBC. The electronic presentation titled "Effects on Pruritus and Sleep Disturbance in Patients with Primary Biliary Cholangitis after 1 year of Treatment with Seladelpar, a Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Delta Agonist: Results of an Open-Label Phase 2 Study," highlights the effect of seladelpar treatment over one year on key patient reported measures of pruritus and quality of life. PBC patients with an incomplete response or intolerance to ursodeoxycholic acid were randomized in this study to either seladelpar 2 mg, 5/10 mg or 10 mg groups and treated for 1yr. Pruritus and QoL measures were evaluated at baseline through 1yr for patients in the 5/10 mg and 10 mg groups using visual analogue scale, 5D-itch scale and PBC-40 questionnaires. Substantial improvement in pruritus at 1yr in patients with moderate to severe pruritus was seen in 58% and 93% of patients in the 5/10 mg and 10 mg groups, respectively. About half of the patients experienced BL sleep disturbance due to itch as measured by the 5-D itch score. Of these patients, improvement in sleep disturbance at 1yr was observed in 81% and 78% of patients. A consistent pattern of improvements in PBC-40 itch, sleep and fatigue were noted.

08:02 EDT Ovid Therapeutics receives Rare Pediatric Disease Designation for OV101 - Ovid Therapeutics announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Rare Pediatric Disease Designation to OV101 for the treatment of Angelman syndrome. OV101 is believed to be the only delta-selective GABAA receptor agonist in development and is currently being evaluated in the Company's pivotal Phase 3 NEPTUNE trial in Angelman syndrome, with topline results expected in the fourth quarter of 2020. The FDA has previously granted Orphan Drug and Fast Track designations for OV101 for the treatment of Angelman syndrome.Under the Creating Hope Act passed into federal law in 2012, the FDA grants Rare Pediatric Disease Designation for serious and life-threatening diseases that primarily affect children ages 18 years or younger and fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S. If a new drug application for OV101 in Angelman syndrome is approved, Ovid may be eligible to receive a priority review voucher from the FDA, which can be redeemed to obtain priority review for any subsequent marketing application or may be transferred and/or sold to other companies for their programs, such as has recently been done by other voucher recipients.

07:59 EDT Primo Water to join Russell 3000 Index - Primo Water announced that it is set to join the broad-market Russell 3000 Index at the conclusion of the Russell U.S. Indexes annual reconstitution, effective after the U.S. equity markets open on June 29, according to preliminary lists of additions posted by FTSE Russell.

07:34 EDT Nasdaq pledges continued commitment to diversity, inclusion - Nasdaq announced additional steps in its continued commitment to diversity and inclusion. Actions from the company will include cash donations to organizations fighting racial injustice and increased investment in the company's internal programs, including professional advancement and talent acquisition, to foster a diverse and inclusive corporate culture. In addition to previous philanthropic donations, Nasdaq will commit $3M for cash donations to organizations providing critical assistance to communities disproportionally impacted by the global health, economic, and social justice crises, including: the Equal Justice Initiative, the NAACP's COVID-19 project, and World Central Kitchen's Restaurants for the People program. The company will amplify its philanthropic contributions by triple-matching employee donations to related community engagement and social justice organizations through the Nasdaq GoodWorks program. This monetary support builds upon the company's previously announced COVID-19 philanthropic relief efforts. Nasdaq will enhance investments in diversity and inclusion efforts across the global workforce, focusing initially on enhancing the company's communication, training, development, professional advancement, and talent acquisition programs. These efforts aim to build upon the company's current programs to foster a diverse and inclusive corporate culture, which allows us to attract, retain, and motivate top talent. The company's GLOBE employee network - one of ten diversity and inclusion internal employee networks within Nasdaq - is engaged with our senior leaders and our People Organization in identifying and prioritizing our efforts. Nasdaq will also pledge to disclose diversity metrics, specifically regarding gender and ethnicity, this year. In honor of Juneteenth, Nasdaq will debut Amplifying Black Voices, a multimedia retrospective featuring works of art and photography documenting Black life across America. Later this summer, Nasdaq will launch a series of Opening and Closing Bell ceremonies to acknowledge frontline and essential workers from across our communities. These heroes - who are predominantly women, people of color, or immigrants - have put themselves at risk to ensure food, supplies, critical care, and other necessities are provided to all of society during this pandemic. Participating organizations include: CDC Foundation, the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, The Migrant Kitchen, and the NAACP.

07:31 EDT Sanofi granted approval for Dupixent in China - The National Medical Products Administration in China has approved Dupixent for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis in adults whose disease is not adequately controlled with topical prescription therapies or when those therapies are not advisable. The NMPA identified Dupixent as an overseas medicine considered urgently needed in clinical practice, leading to an expedited review and approval process. Dupixent is a fully-human monoclonal antibody that inhibits the signaling of the interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 proteins, and is not an immunosuppressant. Data from Dupixent clinical trials have shown that IL-4 and IL-13 are key drivers of the type 2 inflammation that plays a major role in atopic dermatitis, asthma and chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis. The approval was based on positive data from the global LIBERTY AD clinical trial program that included nearly 3,000 patients with inadequately controlled moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. The trials evaluated Dupixent on safety and efficacy measures, including skin clearance, overall disease severity and itch. Data from an ongoing Phase 3 trial in China of adults with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis will be shared with NMPA in the second half of 2020 when the trial has completed.

07:13 EDT Emerald Health working toward closing Avalite transaction in Q3 - In March 2020, Emerald announced that it had signed a letter of intent under which Sigma Analytical Services, a full-service GMP-compliant testing laboratory for cannabis, hemp, and derived products, may acquire Emerald's Avalite analytical testing operation. The companies also intend to establish a preferred partner relationship. The due diligence process has been delayed due to COVID-19 but the parties continue to work toward closing the transaction in Q3 2020.

07:06 EDT Medipharm Labs Australia enters supply agreement with Vivo Cannabis - MediPharm Labs (MEDIF) announced that its subsidiary, MediPharm Labs Australia has entered into an agreement to supply pharmaceutical-quality, formulated cannabis oil products to Beacon Medical Australia, a subsidiary of VIVO Cannabis (VVCIF). Under the agreement with Beacon Medical Australia, which has an initial one-year term subject to renewal, MediPharm Labs Australia will supply a full range of GMP-certified, formulated CBD and THC cannabis oil products to Beacon Medical Australia for further distribution under its own branding. MediPharm Labs also announced that MediPharm Labs Australia has received a large shipment of 35,000 GMP-units of formulated finished products and a large volume of bulk oil for further manufacturing into finished products, from its Barrie, Ontario facility to meet its burgeoning customer needs within the Australian domestic and export cannabis markets.

07:02 EDT Hookipa Pharma non-executive director Sander van Deveter resigns - HOOKIPA Pharma announced that Dr. Sander van Deventer has resigned as a Non-Executive Director of the Company's Board of Directors and Audit Committee. Sander van Deventer, who joined the Board of Directors in 2011, will continue to serve as a member of HOOKIPA's Scientific Advisory & Review Committee. HOOKIPA's Board of Directors will now consist of 8 members.

07:00 EDT CarMax CEO says encouraged by recent trends in May, June - "We accomplished a lot this quarter, despite the challenges the pandemic posed," said Bill Nash, president and CEO. "We continued our omni-channel rollout and launched new initiatives, such as contactless curbside pickup, a temporary extension of our 90-day warranty and CAF payment assistance to meet the near-term needs of our customers; we introduced social distancing and enhanced sanitation procedures; and we shifted our entire wholesale business from in-person to online auctions. In addition, we continued to keep our appraisal lanes open where possible for customers who wanted or needed to sell their cars." The company said, "Nash noted that he is encouraged by recent trends experienced in late May and June. Used unit sales have continued to gain strength, web traffic is up year-over-year and reaching new highs, and leads to our Customer Experience Centers have returned to pre-Coronavirus levels."

06:51 EDT Valero CFO Donna Titzman to retire, Jason Fraser to succeed - Valero announced that Jason Fraser, who has served as Valero's executive VP and general counsel since January 2019, has been appointed by Valero's board to serve as the company's executive VP and CFO, effective July 15. Fraser will succeed Donna Titzman, who will remain as executive VP and CFO until her retirement from the position on the same date, and will continue with the company for a transitional period thereafter. Richard Walsh, Valero's current VP and deputy general counsel, will be promoted to senior VP and will succeed Fraser as general counsel, effective July 15.

06:34 EDT KBR signs MoU with L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering - KBR has signed a memorandum of understanding with L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering, or LTHE, for refinery and petrochemical projects. KBR said in a release, "Under the terms of the agreement, KBR and LTHE will collaborate to develop business opportunities for which KBR will license proprietary technology and engineering services and LTHE will be the EPC provider. LTHE will exclusively bid for projects globally, with specific focus in India, South East Asia, the Middle East and Africa involving KBR's solid acid alkylation technology, or K-SAATTM, solvent de-asphalting technology, or ROSE, and catalytic olefins technology, or K-COTTM. K-SAAT is KBR's next generation solid acid alkylation technology that provides high alkylate yield and high feed flexibility. KBR's solvent de-asphalting technology, ROSE, has more than 90% market share among solvent de-asphalting technologies. KBR's K-COT is a catalytic olefins technology that convert low-value olefinic, paraffinic or mixed streams into high-value propylene, ethylene and aromatics."

06:09 EDT Dynavax announces first patient dosed in Clover COVID-19 vaccine trial - Dynavax announced that the first participants have been dosed in the Phase 1 clinical trial to evaluate Clover Biopharmaceuticals' vaccine candidate to prevent COVID-19 that contains the company's CpG 1018 adjuvant. In this previously announced collaboration, Clover is advancing its COVID-19 S-Trimer vaccine, which is based on Clover's proprietary Trimer-Tag vaccine technology platform, while Dynavax is providing the company's proprietary toll-like receptor 9 agonist adjuvant, CpG 1018. The study is a Phase 1 randomized, double blind, placebo controlled, first-in-human, or FIH, study to assess safety, reactogenicity, and immunogenicity of SCB-2019 at multiple dose levels, administered as 2 intramuscular, or IM, injections in approximately 90 adult healthy subjects 18 to 54 years of age and approximately 60 elderly healthy subjects 55 to 75 years of age. The trial and Clover's COVID-19 vaccine program are being supported by funding and collaboration with the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations.

05:49 EDT Dr. Reddy's announces launch of Abiraterone Acetate Tablets USP, 250 mg in U.S. - Dr. Reddy's Laboratories announced the launch of Abiraterone Acetate Tablets USP, 250 mg, a therapeutic equivalent generic version of Zytiga approved by the FDA. Dr. Reddy's Abiraterone Acetate is available in 250 mg tablets in bottle count sizes of 120.

05:23 EDT Genentech says Phase III IPATential150 study met co-primary endpoint - Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, announced that the Phase III IPATential150 study met its co-primary endpoint of radiographic progression-free survival, or rPFS, in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, ot mCRPC, and whose tumors had PTEN loss. The company said in a release, "In this patient group, ipatasertib in combination with abiraterone and prednisone/prednisolone provided a statistically significant reduction in the risk of disease worsening or death, compared to current standard of care plus placebo. The other co-primary endpoint of rPFS in the overall study population was not met. The safety profile for the combination of ipatasertib and abiraterone was consistent with previous analyses and known risks. The results of the IPATential150 study will be presented at an upcoming medical meeting. While initial data are encouraging, overall survival benefit and additional secondary endpoints are not yet mature. The trial will continue until the next planned analysis and data will be shared with health authorities."

05:18 EDT Four Corners Property Trust issues COVID-19 update - Four Corners Property Trust announced an update to its previously disclosed activities and response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. FCPT said in a release, "Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, FCPT has endeavored to be as transparent as possible by providing interim updates on its business operations and its discussions with tenants. Given many of our tenants' retail locations are reopening and the pandemic's impact to retail sales is becoming less negative, we expect this press release will mark our final interim update prior to our second quarter earnings. As of June 18, 2020, FCPT has received April, May and June rent payments measuring approximately 91%, 87% and 87%, respectively, of our portfolio's contractual base rent for those months. In addition, we have agreed in principle to rent deferral requests with tenants representing approximately 10% of our portfolio, as measured by contractual base rent as of June 18, 2020, and the portion of deferred rent itself represents less than 1.2% of contractual annual base rent as of June 18, 2020. As of June 18, 2020, FCPT has collected rent or permitted deferrals equal to approximately 94% of contractual base rent for the second quarter. The majority of rent deferrals granted to tenants require the full rent amount to be paid back to FCPT in the near-term. FCPT has conditioned granting any rent deferral requests on requiring the tenant to provide FCPT with favorable revisions to lease terms such as, but not limited to, providing additional financial information, agreeing to extend the current term of the lease, enhancing the lease guarantee, or consenting to more favorable rent escalations in the future. As previously disclosed, the situation surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic remains fluid, and although we are actively managing our response in collaboration with tenants, government officials and business partners and assessing potential impacts to our financial position and operating results, as well as potential adverse developments in our business, the ultimate consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, including our rent collections, remains unknown. As previously announced on March 31, 2020, FCPT recently entered into agreements to issue $125 million of senior unsecured notes. The Notes consist of $75 million of notes with a ten-year term, which funded on April 8, 2020, mature on April 8, 2030, and are priced at a fixed interest rate of 3.20%, and $50 million of notes with a nine-year term, which funded on June 9, 2020, mature on June 9, 2029, and are priced at a fixed interest rate of 3.15%. These notes were issued at par value. On June 9, 2020, FCPT repaid the entire $98 million outstanding amount on its credit facility. After giving effect to this repayment, FCPT had approximately $27 million in cash and cash equivalents on hand and $250 million of remaining availability under its revolving credit facility as of June 18, 2020. FCPT also has no near-term debt maturities. As previously disclosed on May 29, 2020, FCPT will maintain its second quarter dividend at 30.5c per share. FCPT continues to re-evaluate transactions in its pipeline and has not acquired any properties during the second quarter of 2020 as of June 18, 2020. However, FCPT expects to engage in attractive acquisitions if opportunities arise in the near-term and will announce any potential acquisitions as they occur consistent with FCPT's past practice. As of June 18, 2020, FCPT did not have any material non-refundable deposits outstanding with respect to the acquisitions in its pipeline. FCPT previously disclosed the performance of its Kerrow operating business, which includes six franchised LongHorn Steakhouses in San Antonio that FCPT has operated since its inception. As of June 16, 2020, Kerrow's year-over-year revenue is recovering quickly, nearly reaching the same levels of revenue from 2019 on a day-by-day basis, which marks a dramatic improvement from the bottom of the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March when revenue at Kerrow was down over 90% from 2019."