Stockwinners Market Radar for February 23, 2021 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:38 EST B2Gold backs FY21 gold production view of 970K to 1.03M oz - The company states: "For 2021, B2Gold remains well positioned for continued strong operational and financial performance with total production guidance of between 970,000 - 1,030,000 ounces of gold with total consolidated forecast cash operating costs of between $500 - $540 per ounce and total consolidated AISC of between $870 - $910 per ounce; consolidated cash operating costs and AISC per ounce are forecast to be higher than 2020, mainly due to the planned lower production and higher planned stripping activities at Fekola, higher forecast fuel and labour costs in Mali, and the drawdown of ore stockpiles at Otjikoto."

18:24 EST Brink's CEO: Cash is clearly not going away - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, Doug Pertz said the use of cash is just as strong now as it was prior to the pandemic. The use of cash has not changed materially during the pandemic, Pertz added. He expects cash to continue to be used in the economy. "Two thirds of all transactions are in cash. It's not going away," he noted.

18:11 EST SPDR Gold Shares holdings fall to 1,110.44MT from 1,115.40MT - This is the 3rd consecutive decrease and the lowest level of holdings since May 14th, 2020.

18:03 EST Eastman Chemical VP Boldea sells 35,495 shares of company stock - Eastman Chemical VP Lucian Boldea disclosed in a filing that he had sold 35,495 shares of company stock at $111.67 per share on February 19, for a total transaction amount of $3,963,727.

17:57 EST Yext COO sells 80K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Yext disclosed that its COO Brian Distelburger sold 80K shares of common stock on February 19th in a total transaction size of $1.58M, reducing his stake by about 2%.

17:30 EST CME Group Kometer sells almost $1.6M in shares

17:21 EST Cleveland-Cliffs to replace Eaton Vance in S&P 400 at open on 3/1 - Morgan Stanley (MS) is acquiring Eaton Vance (EV) in a deal expected to be completed on or about that date pending final conditions.

17:15 EST Kite Realty Group board authorizes new $150M share buyback - Kite Realty Group Trust announced that the company's Board of Trustees has authorized a new $150M share repurchase program, which runs through February 28, 2022 unless otherwise extended by the Board of Trustees. "Today we announced simultaneously putting in place a share buyback and ATM program. Considering current market volatility, these actions will provide KRG with maximum capital markets flexibility to maintain our strong balance sheet as we pursue our long-term business plan," said Heath Fear, Executive Vice President and CFO.

16:52 EST Philip Morris CEO Calantzopoulos sells $3.5M in shares - Philip Morris CEO Andre Calantzopoulos disclosed that he had sold 40,000 shares of company stock at $86.37 per share on February 19, for a total transaction amount of $3,454,816.

16:47 EST Nabors Industries sees growing opportunities in the future - William Restrepo, Nabors CFO, stated, "As we look to the future, the opportunities to deploy advanced technology are growing. Our well-established portfolio of advanced digital solutions has been battle-tested, and has proved to deliver the promised improvements in efficiency and performance. We plan to expand this portfolio, with a focus on analytics and further automation. The prominence of ESG, and the emergence of the energy transition, present an emerging opportunity set for innovators such as Nabors. We recently committed to develop science-based targets for our greenhouse gas emissions, aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative. To our knowledge, Nabors is the first land drilling contractor to do so. his commitment to reduce our own carbon footprint facilitates the pursuit of a spectrum of initiatives. We are currently evaluating technologies aimed at carbon capture and sequestration, power management, and emissions reduction. These solutions are readily integrated on our own fleet, and ultimately could reach into the global rig market. As we enter 2021, the improving fundamentals in our existing markets and our progress on innovative technology deployment are increasing our confidence in reaching our financial goals."

16:44 EST Point72 Asset Management reports 5.0% passive stake in Chimerix - Point72 Asset Management disclosed a 5.0% stake in Chimerix, which represents over 3.83M shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

16:42 EST Gladstone provides rent, vacancy update for February - Gladstone provided the following business update regarding its portfolio performance during this time of market volatility related to, among other factors, the global COVID-19 pandemic: "Approximately 98% of February cash base rents and January cash base rents have been paid and collected. The remaining 2% of cash base rents are associated with the previously agreed upon deferral agreements. All deferred amounts are to be paid back by the respective tenants during their lease term. Portfolio occupancy is in excess of 95% as of February 23, 2021. The incremental increase in vacancy from January to February is a result of our tenant at our 61,358 square foot single-story office property in Rancho Cordova, CA exercising its early termination option, effective at the end of January. The tenant represented 0.9% of our annual base rents. We are currently under contract to sell the property, with a closing anticipated to occur in March 2021."

16:38 EST Centennial Resource sees FY21 net average daily production 56K-63K - Sees FY21 net average daily oil production 29.7K-32.7K. Sees FY21 capital budget $260M-$310M.

16:34 EST GameStop slips nearly 4% to below $44 after CFO resigns

16:32 EST GameStop announces resignation of CFO Jim Bell - GameStop (GME) announced that Jim Bell, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, will be resigning from his roles on March 26, 2021. The Company has initiated a search for a permanent Chief Financial Officer with the capabilities and qualifications to help accelerate GameStop's transformation. A leading executive search firm has been retained to support the process. Internal and external candidates will be evaluated. If a permanent replacement is not in place at the time of Bell's departure, GameStop intends to appoint Diana Jajeh, who is currently Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer, to the role of interim Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Jajeh has more than two decades of experience operating as an auditor, comptroller and corporate finance executive. After beginning her career at PricewaterhouseCoopers, she subsequently held senior roles at companies such as Visa (V) and e.l.f. Cosmetics (ELF).

16:31 EST Pfizer's application for TicoVac accepted by FDA for priority review - Pfizer announced that the U.S. FDA accepted for Priority Review the company's Biologics License Application for TicoVac, its tick-borne encephalitis vaccine for active immunization to prevent TBE in individuals 1 year of age and older. If approved, TicoVac would be the first vaccine in the U.S. to help protect adults and children who are visiting or living in TBE endemic areas, Pfizer said in a statement. In line with Priority Review designation, the FDA will target an action within six months of the application submission date, with the anticipated Prescription Drug User Fee Act action date expected for August 2021. The BLA is based on results from more than 40 years of experience and evidence outside the U.S. In clinical trials, the safety and immunogenicity of TicoVac was assessed across two age groups. In these studies, pooled seropositivity rates were 99-100% in 1-15 year olds and 94-99% in adults greater than15 years following three doses. Clinical studies demonstrated that TicoVac was well-tolerated with no unexpected adverse events or vaccine-related serious adverse events observed. Subsequent real-world studies have shown that the vaccine is 96-99% effective in people who have received at least two doses of the vaccine, and two to three doses of the vaccine were shown to be sufficient to provide a long-lasting immune memory.

16:31 EST Wendy's raises quarterly dividend 29% to 9c per share - Wendy's announced that its board of directors has authorized a 29% increase in the quarterly cash dividend rate from 7c to 9c per share. The increase will be effective with the next quarterly dividend payment, which is payable on March 15, 2021, to shareholders of record as of March 5, 2021. The approximate number of common shares outstanding as of February 19, 2021 was 223.9M.

16:23 EST Pioneer Natural sees Q1 oil production 259-274 MBOPD - First quarter 2021 oil production is forecasted to average between 259 to 274 MBOPD and total production is expected to average between 444 to 470 MBOEPD, which excludes Parsley production prior to the Parsley acquisition close date of January 12, 2021, and includes the expected production impact attributable to the recent winter storm of approximately 30 MBOPD and 55 MBOEPD. Production costs are expected to average $6.50 per BOE to $8.00 per BOE. DD&A expense is expected to average $11.25 per BOE to $13.25 per BOE. Total exploration and abandonment expense is forecasted to be $10 million to $20 million. G&A expense is expected to be $65 million to $75 million. Interest expense is expected to be $38 million to $43 million. Other expense is forecasted to be $10 million to $20 million. Accretion of discount on asset retirement obligations is expected to be $2 million to $5 million. The cash flow impact related to purchases and sales of oil and gas, including firm transportation, is expected to be a loss of $30 million to $60 million, based on forward oil price estimates for the first quarter. The Company's effective income tax rate is expected to be between 21% to 25%. Cash income taxes are expected to be nominal.

16:23 EST Equitable Holdings authorizes additional buyback for up to $1B in common stock

16:21 EST Apple Hospitality REIT sees FY21 CapEx approximately $25M-$30M - General and administrative expenses are projected to be approximately $28M-$32M. Interest expense is projected to be approximately $75M-$80M.

16:19 EST SAIC awarded roughly $120M prime contract from U.S. Navy - The U.S. Navy awarded Science Applications International Corp. a prime contract worth approximately $120M to provide mission engineering and integration support to produce, test and deliver MK48 heavyweight torpedo fuel tanks for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Keyport. The firm-fixed-price contract was awarded and began in October 2020 and has an 18-month base period of performance with four option years. In support of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center Keyport, Washington, SAIC will provide all necessary facilities, resources, and management necessary to meet the production, test, and delivery requirements of both MK48 heavyweight all-up-round exercise and war shot fuel tank configurations for Navy and foreign military sales customers.

16:16 EST Matador announces quarterly cash dividend of 2.5c per share - The company said: "Given Matador's strong finish to 2020 and our positive outlook for 2021 and beyond, Matador was very pleased to announce yesterday that the Board of Directors has adopted a dividend policy pursuant to which the Company intends to pay quarterly cash dividends on its common stock of $0.025 per share. Pursuant to this policy, the Board declared Matador's first quarterly cash dividend of $0.025 per share of common stock payable on March 31, 2021 to shareholders of record as of March 24, 2021. The announcement of Matador's first cash dividend marks another significant step for Matador in returning value to our shareholders and reflects our confidence in Matador's financial strength and ability to generate sustained free cash flow going forward."

16:14 EST Aphria, Tilray announce launch of new website - Aphria (APHA) and Tilray (TLRY) are pleased to announce the launch of the website: www.aphriatilraytogether.com. This new, dedicated resource seeks to provide shareholders of both companies with pertinent information, news and updates leading up to the special meetings of shareholders at which Aphria's and Tilray's respective shareholders will vote on the resolutions necessary to implement the proposed business combination of the two companies. The website will also allow shareholders and other interested parties to register for Transaction updates that are made publicly available, so they receive information directly to their e-mail addresses.

16:12 EST Square sees Q1 non-GAAP product development expenses up approx. $110M - "For the first quarter of 2021, we expect non-GAAP product development, sales and marketing, and general and administrative expenses, in aggregate, to increase by approximately $110 million compared to the fourth quarter of 2020, on a dollar basis. For the full year of 2021, we expect non-GAAP product development, sales and marketing, and general and administrative expenses, in aggregate, to increase by $800 million to $900 million compared to the full year of 2020, representing growth of 41% year over year at the midpoint. In the first quarter of 2021, we expect transaction and loan loss expense to increase by $20 million to $30 million compared to the fourth quarter of 2020. Given the variability of potential outcomes related to the macro environment, actual realized losses may differ materially from our estimates for provisions, depending on the length and severity of the impact from COVID-19."

16:11 EST Gibraltar Industries divests Industrial business - The company states: "Gibraltar Industries announced the completion of the sale of its Industrial business to Pacific Avenue Capital Partners, a private investment firm focused on corporate divestitures and other special situations. Gibraltar will classify the Industrial business as a discontinued operation in its fourth quarter 2020 results and will provide additional information regarding the divesture during its fourth quarter earnings call scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on Thursday February 25, 2021. Gibraltar expects to use the cash received to reduce outstanding debt."

16:10 EST Theravance Biopharma sees FY21 R&D expense $195M-$225M - Sees FY21 SG&A expense of $80M-$90M.

16:06 EST Square buys about 3,318 bitcoins for $170M - Square announced that it has purchased approximately 3,318 bitcoins at an aggregate purchase price of $170M. Combined with Square's previous purchase of $50M in bitcoin, this represents approximately five percent of Square's total cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of December 31, 2020. Aligned with the company's purpose, Square believes that cryptocurrency is an instrument of economic empowerment, providing a way for individuals to participate in a global monetary system and secure their own financial future. The investment is part of Square's ongoing commitment to bitcoin, and the company plans to assess its aggregate investment in bitcoin relative to its other investments on an ongoing basis.

16:02 EST Square buys about 3,318 bitcoins for $170M - Square announced a $170M purchase in bitcoin as part of its ongoing commitment to the cryptocurrency.

15:41 EST Oshkosh confirms selection to produce USPS Next Generation Delivery Vehicle - The U.S. Postal Service, or USPS, announced that it has awarded Oshkosh Defense, a wholly owned subsidiary of Oshkosh Corporation, an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract to produce the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle, or NGDV, "the USPS's first large-scale fleet procurement in three decades," the company confirmed in a press release. "The competitively awarded contract allows for the delivery of between 50,000 and 165,000 vehicles over a period of 10 years," Oshkosh said. Oshkosh Defense will manufacture both zero emission battery electric vehicles and fuel-efficient low-emission internal combustion engine vehicles, "upgrading the USPS fleet to be increasingly sustainable." Under the contract announced today, the USPS has committed to pay Oshkosh Defense $482M to initiate engineering efforts to finalize the production vehicle design, and for tooling and factory build-out activities that are necessary prior to vehicle production. Production of the next generation delivery vehicle is expected to begin in 2023.

15:24 EST Workhorse Group extends decline, down 43% in afternoon trading - Workhorse Group (WKHS) shares are down 43%, or $13.34, to $18.00 in afternoon trading after the U.S. Postal Service announced it awarded a 10-year contract to Oshkosh Defense (OSK) to manufacture a new generation of U.S.-built postal delivery vehicles.

15:12 EST Workhorse Group shares plunge after rival Oshkosh wins USPS deal - Shares of Workhorse Group (WKHS) have plunged 30%, or $9.23, to $22.11 and been halted for volatility in afternoon trading after the U.S. Postal Service announced it awarded a 10-year contract to Oshkosh Defense (OSK) to manufacture a new generation of U.S.-built postal delivery vehicles that "will drive the most dramatic modernization of the USPS fleet in three decades." Under the contract's initial $482M investment, Oshkosh Defense will finalize the production design of the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle, or NGDV, said the USPS in an afternoon press release. Previously, Roth Capital analyst Craig Irwin said that he believed that the longer the contract was delayed, the greater opportunity competitors to Workhorse Group would have to show the USPS other electric vehicles. Workhorse had been the front runner for the $8.1B contract for 165,000 delivery vehicles, but Oshkosh and Ford (F) had also shown the USPS an alternative vehicle solution, Irwin had stated in notes to investors previously.

15:06 EST USPS awards 10-year modernization contract to Oshkosh - The U.S. Postal Service announced it awarded a 10-year contract to Oshkosh, WI, based Oshkosh Defense to manufacture a new generation of U.S.-built postal delivery vehicles that "will drive the most dramatic modernization of the USPS fleet in three decades." The USPS said: "The historic investment is part of a soon-to-be-released plan the Postal Service has developed to transform its financial performance and customer service over the next 10 years through significant investments in people, technology and infrastructure as it seeks to become the preferred delivery service provider for the American public." Under the contract's initial $482M investment, Oshkosh Defense will finalize the production design of the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle, or NGDV, which is "a purpose-built, right-hand-drive vehicle for mail and package delivery," and will assemble 50,000 to 165,000 of them over 10 years. The vehicles will be equipped with either fuel-efficient internal combustion engines or battery electric powertrains and can be retrofitted to keep pace with advances in electric vehicle technologies. The initial investment includes plant tooling and build-out for the U.S. manufacturing facility where final vehicle assembly will occur, the USPS said.

15:05 EST Workhorse Group trading halted, volatility trading pause

14:41 EST TIM SA trading halted, news pending

14:33 EST Altice USA, Discovery reach distribution agreement - Altice USA (ATUS) and Discovery (DISCA) announced that the two companies have agreed on a mutually favorable distribution agreement that allows Altice USA's Optimum and Suddenlink subscribers to "enjoy continued access to Discovery's unparalleled portfolio of networks," they said in a statement. The agreement encompasses Discovery's full portfolio of networks including Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Investigation Discovery, Science, OWN, American Heroes Channel, MotorTrend, Destination America, Discovery Family Channel, Discovery Life Channel, Discovery en Espanol, Discovery Familia.

14:29 EST Snap sees gross margins continuing to expand in 2021 - Sees gross margins expanding in 2021 with clear path to 60%+ over the medium term. Sees gross margins expanding at slower pace than in 2020. Says will be investing heavily in future of business. Sees adjusted operating expense growth in the mid-30% range in 2021, up from 25% in 2020. Says committed to "sustained" adjusted EBITDA profitability. Says revenue growth accelerated in 2H20.

14:23 EST Snap rises over 5% to $67 during first investor day

14:11 EST Snap says reduced messaging unit costs by at least 25% - Says 90% of advertisers who consider Snapchat go on to spend on the platform in the U.S. and France. Says has reduced messaging unit costs by at least 25%.

14:03 EST Activision says 'Tony Hawk' remake coming to PS5, Xbox Series, Switch - Activision Blizzard (ATVI) said that "Tony Hawks Pro Skater 1+2" will be coming to PlayStation 5 (SNE) and Xbox Series X/S (MSFT) on March 26, and to the Nintendo Switch (NTDOY) for the first time later in 2021. "A true next-gen experience is coming to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X S featuring improved resolution, spatial audio, high-fidelity atmospherics, and more," the company said. "Skate in super crisp 120 FPS at 1080P, or 60 FPS in native 4K. Watch the levels come to life like never before with sharper dynamic shadows, reflections, and lens flare, plus enhanced skater textures and more. And for on-the-go play, the Nintendo Switch version can't be beat, giving fans the chance to skate with their favorite pros wherever they are." Digital players can upgrade to the Cross-Gen Deluxe Bundle with all the added next-gen features for a suggested retail price of $10, including access to the secret skater The Ripper, retro gear for Create-A-Skater, and retro skins for Tony Hawk, Steve Caballero, and Rodney Mullen. Players who already own the Digital Deluxe Edition on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One can download the next-gen upgrade at no cost (except in Japan) on March 26. Reference Link

13:44 EST Bombardier reports suffering 'limited cybersecurity breach' - Bombardier announced that it recently suffered "a limited cybersecurity breach." An initial investigation revealed that an unauthorized party accessed and extracted data by exploiting a vulnerability affecting a third-party file-transfer application, which was running on purpose-built servers isolated from the main Bombardier IT network, the company reported. Bombardier said: "In accordance with established cybersecurity procedures and policies, Bombardier promptly initiated its response protocol upon detection of the data security incident. As part of its investigation, Bombardier sought the services of cybersecurity and forensic professionals who provided external confirmation that the company's security controls were effective in limiting the scope and extent of the incident. Bombardier also notified appropriate authorities, including law enforcement, where required and will continue to work with the authorities as the investigation continues. Forensic analysis revealed that personal and other confidential information relating to employees, customers and suppliers was compromised. Approximately 130 employees located in Costa Rica were impacted. Bombardier has been proactively contacting customers and other external stakeholders whose data was potentially compromised. The ongoing investigation indicates that the unauthorized access was limited solely to data stored on the specific servers. Manufacturing and customer support operations have not been impacted or interrupted. Bombardier can also confirm the company was not specifically targeted-the vulnerability impacted multiple organizations using the application. Bombardier will continue to assess the situation and stay in close contact with its clients, suppliers and employees, as well as other stakeholders. With the ever-increasing number and sophistication of cybersecurity attacks on corporate groups, Bombardier remains committed to maintaining the integrity of its IT infrastructure and safeguarding employee, client and supplier information."

13:23 EST Snap says virtual AR experiences becoming features on brand profiles - Says virtual try-on experience for certain brands, including Dior, becoming features on brand profiles.

13:17 EST Texas proposes constitutional amendment to legalize sports wagering - The Texas legislature is proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to legalize sports wagering, according to a post on Texas Legislature Online. Publicly traded companies in the gambling space include Boyd Gaming (BYD), Caesars (CZR), Churchill Downs (CHDN), DraftKings (DKNG), Flutter Entertainment (PDYPY), Gan Limited (GAN), Las Vegas Sands (LVS), MGM Resorts (MGM), Penn National (PENN), William Hill (WIMHY) and Wynn Resorts (WYNN).

13:04 EST Adial Pharmaceuticals to file 'Fast Track' with FDA for AD04 in AUD - Adial Pharmaceuticals announced that it will be filing an application for "Fast Track" with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, for its lead drug candidate, AD04, which is a therapeutic agent for the treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder, AUD, in persons with certain target genotypes. Adial previously announced on September 25, 2020, that the Company had submitted a formal request to the FDA in support of Adial's position that AD04 should be considered eligible for an FDA expedited review program. Adial and its regulatory advisors had previously concluded that AD04, which is being developed for a serious condition that is an unmet medical need, is a candidate for this FDA program. "Adial's correspondence and consultation with the FDA following its expedited review filing in September 2020, leads us to believe that AD04 qualifies for Fast Track consideration," said Adial's Head of Regulatory, Dr. Jack Reich. "I am confident Alcohol Use Disorder qualifies as a serious condition and that there is an unmet medical need, based on our communication with the FDA and as set forth in the FDA's Guidance for Industry Expedited Programs for Serious Conditions - Drugs and Biologics." "We are working with our regulatory counsel to prepare our Fast Track submission after consultation with the FDA," commented Adial's CEO, William S

12:56 EST Snap says advertisers can achieve 'most ambitious goals' through Snapchat - Says efforts in India, other markets focused on enhancing value of current platforms rather than creating new platforms for those markets. Says such success shows values approach is scalable and repeatable. Says advertisers can achieve "most ambitious goals" through Snapchat.

12:43 EST RE/MAX expands strategic alliances program to include NAREB - RE/MAX, LLC, a subsidiary of RE/MAX Holdings, announced an inaugural alliance with the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, or NAREB, which it calls "an influential advocate of sustainable homeownership for African Americans and other minority groups." NAREB is the latest addition to the RE/MAX Strategic Alliances program, "which works with organizations that share in the RE/MAX vision of expanding homeownership to all," said the company, which added that the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, or NAHREP, and the Asian Real Estate Association of America, or AREAA, are also part of the RE/MAX Strategic Alliances program.

12:15 EST Perrigo increases quarterly dividend 7% - Perrigo Company announced that its board approved a 7% increase in the company's quarterly dividend to 24c per share from 22.5c per share. The cash dividend is payable on March 30 to shareholders of record on March 12.

12:01 EST SOS Limited falls -19.0% - SOS Limited is down -19.0%, or -$1.87 to $7.96.

12:00 EST Churchill Capital Corp IV falls -31.9% - Churchill Capital Corp IV is down -31.9%, or -$18.30 to $39.07.

12:00 EST TimkenSteel rises 20.8% - TimkenSteel is up 20.8%, or $1.31 to $7.61.

11:43 EST Waste Management boosts quarterly dividend to 57.5c from 54.5c - Waste Management announced the declaration of a quarterly cash dividend of 57.5c per share payable March 26, to stockholders of record on March 12. The company's prior dividend was 54.5c per share.

11:25 EST Paysafe's Skrill launches new fiat-to-crypto withdrawal service - Skrill, part of the integrated payments platform Paysafe (PSFE), has announced a new feature for its digital wallet that enables users to withdraw funds directly to a cryptocurrency address of their choice. "For the first time, Skrill customers are able to instantly convert and withdraw their fiat balance to an external cryptocurrency wallet by entering an address," the company stated. Previously, on December 7, 2020, Foley Trasimene Acquisition Corp. II (BFT) and Paysafe announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement and plan of merger. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2021, the companies stated at that time. Reference Link

11:07 EST Genmab announces initiation of 200,000 share buyback program - Genmab A/S announced that it is initiating a share buy-back program to mitigate dilution from warrant exercises and honor commitments under the Restricted Stock Unit program. The share buy-back program will start on February 24, 2021 and will be completed no later than June 30, 2021. Genmab has appointed Danske Bank as lead manager for the share buy-back program. Danske Bank will make its own trading decisions and act independently of and without influence or involvement from Genmab. Under this share buy-back program Genmab may repurchase up to 200,000 shares.

10:56 EST JetBlue reaffirms investment in crewmembers with focus on diversity - JetBlue announced plans to launch new internal career development programs that reaffirm its commitment to crewmembers and support its diversity, equity and inclusion strategy. These new pathways focus on creating greater access to select career paths, fostering equity by removing barriers to entry and increasing representation in senior leadership. JetBlue is launching two new development programs focused on three career trajectories: 1) a new pathway from frontline operational jobs to corporate services roles, and 2) opportunities for crewmembers to pursue careers as pilots or aircraft maintenance technicians. "We created these initiatives because at JetBlue our crewmembers and culture are key to our success," said Mike Elliott, chief people officer, JetBlue. "Our new initiatives will help remove some of the barriers candidates may face so we can better help talent continue to grow. Realizing we don't all start from the same place, equity and accessibility are at the center of our new crewmember development efforts. These new programs will help us build a more diverse internal pipeline."

10:16 EST Izea awarded multiple Managed Services contract expansions - IZEA Worldwide announced that it has been awarded a series of Managed Services contract expansions from repeat customers. The customers include two Fortune 200 clients, as well as other leading brands. The announcement adds to the recent expansion of a contract with a branch of the U.S. military. IZEA Managed Services bookings for Q1 2021 to date are now more than 20% greater than Managed Services bookings for all of Q1 2020, with five weeks of business development activity still remaining in the quarter, the company said in a statement.

10:00 EST SOS Limited falls -33.4% - SOS Limited is down -33.4%, or -$3.28 to $6.55.

10:00 EST China Southern Airlines rises 12.9% - China Southern Airlines is up 12.9%, or $4.25 to $37.19.

10:00 EST Daily S&P Biotech Bear 3x Shares rises 17.1% - Daily S&P Biotech Bear 3x Shares is up 17.1%, or $2.98 to $20.44.

09:57 EST Kopin trading resumes

09:57 EST ZK International Group Co Ltd trading resumes

09:52 EST Kopin trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:47 EST CooTek falls -17.0% - CooTek is down -17.0%, or -97c to $4.75.

09:47 EST Churchill Capital Corp IV falls -44.0% - Churchill Capital Corp IV is down -44.0%, or -$25.22 to $32.15.

09:47 EST AMC Entertainment rises 10.7% - AMC Entertainment is up 10.7%, or 70c to $7.25.

09:47 EST China Southern Airlines rises 12.1% - China Southern Airlines is up 12.1%, or $3.98 to $36.92.

09:35 EST Co-Diagnostics names Brian Brown as CFO, Dr. Jesse Montgomery as CSO - Co-Diagnostics announced that it is pleased to welcome Brian Brown, CPA to the position of Co-Diagnostics CFO. Dr. Jesse Montgomery, PhD has also been elevated to the role of Chief Scientific Officer. Reed Benson, former CFO, will remain with the company as general counsel, and Dr. Brent Satterfield, founder and former CSO, will continue his involvement with Co-Diagnostics as Head of the Scientific Advisory Board.

09:31 EST Coastal Community Bank to sell Freeland branch to SaviBank - Coastal Community Bank announced that it plans to sell its Freeland branch to SaviBank. The deal with the Mount Vernon-based SaviBank should close in early second quarter 2021 and includes Coastal's 2900-square-foot office on Main Street in Freeland and about $24M in deposits. SaviBank will move an existing Freeland branch from 5575 Harbor Avenue into the Main Street location after the sale closes.

09:25 EST Churchill Capital sinks 37% after reaching anticipated merger Lucid Motor - Shares of special purpose acquisition company Churchill Capital Corp IV are sinking after it announced last night a deal to merge with high-end electric vehicle maker Lucid Motors. Bloomberg, Reuters and Wall Street Journal have all previously reported on the potential deal. Churchill Capital Corp IV and Lucid are combining at a transaction equity value of $11.75B. The transaction values Lucid at an initial pro-forma equity value of approximately $24B at the PIPE offer price of $15.00 per share and will provide Lucid with approximately $4.4B in cash. Peter Rawlinson will continue to lead Lucid. The company currently employs nearly 2,000 people in the U.S. and expects to grow to 3,000 employees by the end of 2022. Shares of Churchill Capital Corp IV are down 37%, or $21.49, to $35.88 in premarket trading.

09:19 EST Akers Biosciences and MyMD Pharmaceuticals announce data on MYMD-1 - Akers Biosciences, with its proposed merger partner MyMD Pharmaceuticals announced new data from a study conducted by Eurofins Discovery Phenotypic Center of Excellence. MYMD-1 is being developed to treat autoimmune and age-related diseases, including extending the human lifespan, and has been shown to be effective in regulating the immune system in preclinical studies. The findings of the Eurofins Discovery study indicate the potential of MYMD-1 to limit the fibrotic biology associated with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Hallmark activities of MYMD-1 included inhibition of transforming growth factor-beta, TGF-beta, a driver for fibrosis, and of tumor necrosis factor, TNF, associated with inflammation. This dual pattern of anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory activities are consistent with the potential for MYMD-1 to be developed as a therapeutic candidate for fibrosis-related diseases. Fibrotic disorders are implicated in nearly 45% of all deaths in the developed world, and may involve multiple physiological systems including the skin, liver, kidney, heart and lungs. In particular, IPF has an insidious, relentless and chronic course, with a median survival of two to five years. Thus there is a great need to develop new and effective therapeutics for treating patients.

09:17 EST Ampio adds two study sites to expand clinical trial with Ampion for COVID-19 - Ampio Pharmaceuticals announced the addition of two new study sites to further the expansion of its ongoing U.S. Phase I clinical trial for inhalation treatment of COVID-19 with Ampion, or AP-014. Principal Investigator Luciano Lemos-Filho, in Pulmonary and Critical Care and Medical Center Intensive Care Unit Director at Swedish Hospital in Denver, CO, and Principal Investigator David King, M.D., Medical Director at Bozeman Health Clinical Research in Bozeman, MT, bring additional experience to the study and will accelerate the enrollment of patients in the trial.

09:16 EST Affirm and Vacasa partner to offer flexible vacation rental payments - Vacasa and Affirm, a transparent alternative to credit cards, announced the companies have partnered to provide flexible payment options to those planning their next vacation. Through the partnership, Affirm will expand its travel category and increase payment flexibility to more vacation rental guests. "Founded in 2009, Vacasa offers travelers thousands of professionally managed vacation rentals throughout North America, Belize and Costa Rica. Each home Vacasa manages is expertly cared for by local teams that adhere to the company's enhanced Premium Clean standards for the increased safety of its guests. From cozy cabins to sweeping estates to beachfront condos, Vacasa has a perfect home for every type of traveler. Now, when booking on vacasa.com, eligible travelers can select Affirm at checkout, and split the cost of U.S. vacation rentals into simple monthly payments over three, six, or 12 months with an APR as low as 0%. For example, an $1,800 booking on vacasa.com may be split into $300/month over six months at 0% APR. Customers are shown the total cost of their purchase upfront, which will not increase as Affirm never charges late or hidden fees," said the company.

09:12 EST Home Depot says continues to make progress on strategic initiatives - Says has re-started many in-store programs that were halted during the pandemic. Says Q4 results driven by broad based strength across geographies. Says both ticket and transactions up double digits in Q4. Says continues to invest in digital assets. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

09:06 EST GlycoMimetics CMO Helen Thackray to leave, Eric Feldman to succeed - GlycoMimetics announced the promotion of Eric Feldman to senior VP and chief medical officer, or CMO. Feldman joined the company in 2019 and was previously VP, global clinical development. Before joining GlycoMimetics, Feldman served as CMO at Amphivena Therapeutics, focusing on breakthrough blood cancer treatments and T-cell engagement technologies. Separately, Helen Thackray has decided to leave the company to pursue another opportunity. She joined the company 15 years ago, and most recently served as senior VP, clinical development and CMO.

09:06 EST OncoSec announces approval of $2.5M in tax credit certificates - OncoSec Medical announced the approval of $2.5M in tax credit certificates from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, or NJEDA. The tax credit certificates are offered to qualified companies through the NJEDA's Technology Business Tax Certificate Transfer Program, which enables eligible technology and biotechnology companies based in New Jersey to sell unused net operating losses and research and development tax credits for cash proceeds.

09:04 EST Macy's starting the year with 'really healthy' inventory

09:03 EST eXp World Holdings expands real estate operations into Brazil - eXp World Holdings has expanded into Brazil, under the eXp Brazil banner. In addition to its U.S. presence, eXp Realty also operates in nine other countries, including Australia, Canada, France, India, Mexico, Portugal, Puerto Rico, South Africa and the United Kingdom, with more than 46,000 agents across the globe.

09:02 EST Code Chain New Continent acquires $6.2M in Bitcoin mining machines - Code Chain New Continent announced that the Company has entered into a purchase agreement with Chengdu RiZhanYunJisuan pursuant to which the Company will purchase 10,000 Innosilicon T2T Bitcoin mining machines for approximately RMB40M, or approximately $6.2M. The closing of the transaction is subject to the completion of final valuation and due diligence by the Company. Under the term of the Agreement, a total consideration of RMB40M to acquire 10,000 Innosilicon T2T mining machines will be paid on the closing date. Upon the completion, the purchased machines will be stored and managed by the Seller. The daily net profit earned by miners will be deposited into the Company's digital account. Addition performance bonus in the form of Company's shares shall be granted to the Seller based on achievement of aggregate average daily net profit of RMB200,000 during the one year period following the closing date.

08:58 EST Macy's sees 1H21 'very similar' to 4Q20

08:52 EST Macy's testing off-mall concepts in Dallas, Atlanta, Washington DC - Macy's will share results from off-mall tests early next year.

08:51 EST Macy's does not plan to reinstate dividend in near-term

08:46 EST Simulations Plus and UPDDI received a Phase I NIH-funded SBIR grant - Simulations Plus announced that its DILIsym Services division and the University of Pittsburgh Drug Discovery Institute have jointly received a Phase I NIH-funded SBIR grant to combine the highly successful DSS software and UPDDI's vLAMPS experimental liver model and the microphysiology systems database (MPS-Db) to predict the safety of large molecules such as proteins that are increasingly used to treat diseases. The first phase of development funded by the grant will include beta version software construction and vLAMPS testing of several large molecules captured in the MPS-Db. Successful completion of the objectives will lead to an application for a larger Phase II grant, which would fully fund the development of the joint commercial offering. DSS coordinates the DILI-sim Initiative, which is a public-private partnership that has guided development of the DILIsym software package. This software uses properties of drugs to predict their risk of causing liver injury in patients, and is now widely used to support key drug development decisions. To date, this approach has been successfully applied to traditional small molecule drugs. Similarly, the UPDDI has developed the vLAMPS and MPS-Db technologies for other

08:43 EST MaxLinear, NI in pact to simplify validation of wideband power amplifiers for 5G - MaxLinear (MXL) and NI (NATI) announced the integration of MaxLinear's dual-band RF power amplifier linearization algorithms into NI's RFIC test software. This integration empowers extensive validation of new wideband, cellular infrastructure PA designs leading to increased power efficiency and lower non-linear effects. NI's integrated and highly synchronized RF testbench coupled with MaxLinear's new best-in-class linearization IP gives design validation engineers a streamlined test and measurement approach, providing substantial ACLR reduction, EVM improvements, and power efficiency advantages. The rollout of 5G networks has triggered a rapid increase in deployed multi-band radios requiring support for contiguous and non-contiguous wideband carrier aggregation configurations. These new RF front-end designs share a single, high-bandwidth PA and signal path, resulting in significant cost and size savings. However, to achieve maximum energy efficiency, engineers need to drive these wideband PAs into non-linear operation and understand how to minimize the undesired effects of RF energy leaking into adjacent channels.

08:39 EST GRAIL and Quest Diagnostics in pact to provide phlebotomy services for test - GRAIL announced an agreement with Quest Diagnostics to provide phlebotomy services to support Galleri, GRAIL's multi-cancer early detection blood test. Quest Diagnostics maintains approximately 2,200 patient service centers and, through its ExamOne business, 5,000 mobile phlebotomists with expertise in at-home visits. Quest's phlebotomy network will help provide blood specimen collection for Galleri in the United States once the test becomes available this year. "Today, the majority of cancers go undetected until too late when outcomes are often deadly, and we believe Galleri could offer a unique and potentially life-saving solution by finding multiple types of cancers earlier," said Dr. Joshua Ofman, chief medical officer and head of external affairs at GRAIL. "We are pleased to work with Quest and are very encouraged by the interest in Galleri. Our agreement with Quest will help us support convenient access to blood collection for patients and healthcare providers."

08:37 EST 3M and Pegatron join to develop Virtual Reality headset - 3M and Pegatron have teamed up to develop a new Virtual Reality reference design headset with a folded optics lens. This new curved lens includes 3M's proprietary reflective polarizer for high resolution, high transmission and a wide field of view enabling a thinner, lighter-weight design. Pegatron and 3M have teamed up to develop a new Virtual Reality reference design headset with a folded optics lens. A new curved lens includes 3M's proprietary reflective polarizer for high resolution, high transmission and a wide field of view enabling a thinner, lighter-weight design. Mass production readiness for the VX6 headset with 3M curved lenses is slated for late 2021, while flat 3M lenses may be available earlier. Interested VR supply chain companies should contact 3M soon to lock in orders.

08:35 EST Enseo secures deal with WarnerMedia for HBO - Enseo has reached an agreement with WarnerMedia to make the HBO app available for subscription in hotel rooms powered by the Catapult Tech in-room entertainment platform. This offering allows participating hotels who subscribe to Enseo and the HBO service to provide the complete HBO library free to their guests during their stay, regardless of whether guests have personal subscriptions to HBO. Vanessa Ogle, Chairman of Enseo Holdings and Group President, said of the deal, "I am proud to be one of the first companies to partner with HBO to enhance as well as simplify access to HBO in the hospitality industry. Both companies have a joint interest in meeting the desire of hoteliers to continuously evolve to enhance quality and choice of content to guests during a hotel stay - a purpose that complements Enseo's suite of touchless tech products that assist hotel operations during a pandemic and reflect the reality that the most-used amenities are now inside the guestroom." This partnership extends the reach of HBO's award-winning, critically acclaimed content to hotel guests for all Enseo-served properties. Guests will be able to enjoy HBO streaming to the guestroom TV with access to the premium network's incredible lineup of series and films, including content from HBO Family, HBO Latino and more.

08:34 EST Sino-Global signs MOU with CyberMiles Foundation to study NFT - Sino Global Shipping America has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to cooperate with the e-commerce blockchain company CyberMiles Foundation to jointly explore opportunities using CyberMiles' blockchain non-fungible token, or NFT, CRC-721 protocol and trading platform, which allows enterprises, institutions, and individuals to issue and trade NFTs on CyberMiles' public blockchain. Each NFT is unique and not interchangeable with another. This feature makes NFTs ideal where the provenance of underlying assets is important. The total value of the NFT market is now estimated at $250M.

08:33 EST Emcore's SDI500/SDI505 IMUs receive non-ITAR status determination - EMCORE Corporation announced that its dual-use SDI500/SDI505 Revision F Inertial Measurement Units have received a determination that they are not subject to International Traffic in Arms Regulations administered by the U.S. Department of State and that EMCORE has determined that its SDN500 Inertial Navigation System is likewise not subject to ITAR. This determination of Non-ITAR status is expected to dramatically increase the size of the market that EMCORE can address with its Quartz Micro-Electromechanical Systems IMU and INS offerings. As a result of this Commodity Jurisdiction determination concluded by the U.S. Department of State, EMCORE's SDI500/SDI505 Revision F Commercial Off-The-Shelf offerings were confirmed to be subject to the Export Administration Regulations administered by the Department of Commerce. EAR classification typically results in fewer export-related restrictions and requirements. For this reason, this CJ determination for the SDI500/SDI505 will greatly increase the marketability of these IMUs to international customers.

08:32 EST Veru submits NDA for proprietary TADFIN for BPH - Veru Inc. (VERU) announced that it has submitted a 505(b)(2) New Drug Application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for TADFIN capsules, a novel oral daily dosing combination formulation, for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. "The submission of TADFIN, the company's first NDA submission, is a significant milestone and a major step toward expanding the revenues for our sexual health commercial business-revenues we have used to substantially invest in the clinical development of our prostate and breast cancer drug candidates," said Mitchell Steiner, M.D., Chairman, President and CEO. "We believe FDA approval of TADFIN is possible toward the end of the current calendar year, with a launch shortly thereafter via telemedicine or out-license of product to specialty pharmaceutical companies." TADFIN combines both tadalafil 5mg and finasteride 5mg into one capsule formulation. CIALIS (LLY) tablets, for oral use is currently approved for treatment of BPH and erectile dysfunction and PROSCAR (MRK) tablets is currently approved for treatment of BPH and PROPECIA tablets for oral use for male pattern hair loss in men only. As previously announced, Veru received a waiver of the FDA NDA PDUFA filing fees, worth approximately $2.4 million in cost savings, as a first-time filer. If approved, the Company currently plans to launch TADFIN through third-party telemedicine sales channels, and outlicensing opportunities thus eliminating the need for and cost of a direct sales force.

08:25 EST Medtronic says new products driving share gains - Says expects year-over-year headwinds in the ventilator business starting next year. Says gaining momentum with sequential growth. Says there are some businesses where the company still has some work to do. Says making considerable progress in Diabetes turnaround effort. Says average daily sales in Q3 were tracking higher than Q2. Says COVID-19 effect remains hard to predict. Sees lag in average daily sales in first couple weeks of February, but expects that to change. Says expects March to be stronger than February and April to be stronger than March. Says comfortable with Street estimates for Q4. Comments taken from Q3 earnings conference call.

08:19 EST CRH Medical signs agreement with United Digestive - CRH Medical announces that it has signed a five-year exclusive Management Services Agreement with United Digestive, or UD. The agreement is newly structured as a management services agreement, whereby CRH will earn a fee for managing UD's anesthesia service, that can naturally grow as the UD platform realizes its expansion plans. Additional upside may also be realized as CRH further employs its payor contracting strategy in addition to any other opportunities for collaboration. The new agreement will be effective as of November 1 and is expected to allow the company to retain a material portion of the EBITDA earned by the Company under the present arrangement which will continue to be in full force and effect until November 1.

08:17 EST Inovio doses first patient in Phase 1B clinical trial for INO-4500 - INOVIO announced the first participant was dosed in a Phase 1B clinical trial for INO-4500, its DNA vaccine candidate for Lassa fever, in Ghana. The Phase 1B clinical trial, or LSV-002, ongoing at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research in Accra, Ghana, is the first vaccine clinical trial for Lassa fever to be conducted in West Africa, where the infection is endemic. INO-4500 is also the first vaccine candidate for Lassa fever to enter human trials. INOVIO is advancing INO-4500 with full funding from the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, or CEPI, a global partnership that leverages funding from public, private, philanthropic, and civil society organizations to support research projects to develop vaccines against emerging infectious diseases.

08:15 EST GrowGeneration acquires San Diego Hydroponics & Organics - GrowGeneration announced its acquisition of San Diego Hydroponics & Organics, a four-store chain of organic, hydroponic and aquaponics garden centers in San Diego, California. San Diego Hydroponics & Organics is San Diego County's premier hydroponic equipment supplier, with annual revenues approaching $10M. This acquisition brings the total number of GrowGen hydroponic garden centers to 50 stores. In California, the country's largest legal cannabis market, GrowGen now has 17 stores, with eight of those stores located in Southern California.

08:14 EST Soleno Therapeutics announces collaboration with Vanderbilt University - Soleno Therapeutics announced that it has signed a collaboration agreement with Vanderbilt University. This collaboration aims to discover and develop novel KATP channel activators with the potential to treat rare diseases. The collaboration will be led by Drs. Craig Lindsley and Jerod Denton. Dr. Lindsley is currently the William K. Warren, Jr. Chair in Medicine, Professor of Pharmacology, Chemistry and Biochemistry, the Director of the Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. Dr. Denton is a Professor in the Departments of Anesthesiology and Pharmacology and the Director of Ion Channel Pharmacology at the Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery. Terms of the collaboration were not disclosed. "The insight we already have serves as an effective foundation to identify, characterize and develop novel KATP channel activators that may be more potent, specific and/or safer than currently approved therapeutics," said Dr. Lindsley. "Based on the role KATP channels play in controlling and regulating cellular functions, we believe therapeutics targeting this channel could have potential in treating multiple rare diseases. We look forward to working closely with Soleno, whose ongoing development of DCCR for PWS has yielded encouraging clinical results to date, to further our research in this important and widely applicable area."

08:13 EST Hoth Therapeutics completes pre-IND meeting with the FDA for HT-001 product - Hoth Therapeutics announced the successful completion of a pre-IND meeting with the FDA regarding the Company's development plan for their HT-001 product. The Pre-IND meeting was completed through written responses provided by the FDA Division of Dermatology and Dentistry on February 22. HT-001 is a topical formulation under development for the treatment of rash and skin disorders associated with initial and repeat courses of tyrosine kinase inhibitor/epidermal growth factor receptor, or EGFR, inhibitor therapy. HT-001 is being developed for New Drug Application, or NDA, submission via the 505 regulatory pathway. Based on the FDA's feedback, Hoth intends to advance its IND-enabling activities for HT-001 as planned.

08:12 EST Nikola provides update on North American hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle program - Nikola announced details about its North American hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicle commercial truck program. Following the launch of North American production of the Tre battery-electric vehicle, Nikola plans to introduce a FCEV variant of the Nikola Tre Cabover, and the long-range Nikola Two FCEV Sleeper targeting best-in-class efficiency for ranges between 300-900 miles in the North American market. The Nikola portfolio includes trucks for the entire spectrum of commercial freight: Metro/Regional-Nikola Tre BEV Cabover for trips up to 300 miles; Regional-Nikola Tre FCEV for longer-range needs of up to 500 miles and for fast fueling/quick turnaround needs; Long-Haul-Nikola Two FCEV Sleeper for longest-range missions up to 900 miles. The Nikola Tre and Nikola Two FCEVs are expected to utilize multiple common fuel-cell power modules and scalable hydrogen storage systems. Both systems are currently in development and testing with industry leaders in collaboration with Nikola Engineering. The first Tre prototypes utilizing these systems are expected to begin road testing in 2022. "Our plan is to enter the market in steps," said Nikola's Global Head of FCEV, Jason Roycht. "We are building on the current Tre platform with the planned launch of our fuel-cell and hydrogen storage systems in 2023. These systems are designed to be scalable in order to handle the greater power and longer-range requirements for long-haul, which allows for concurrent integration into the chassis design of the Nikola Two FCEV Sleeper. Utilizing common components and systems for hydrogen propulsion will support greater economies of scale and also allow Nikola to continuously expand and adapt our FCEV truck portfolio to address the diverse requirements of commercial trucking."

08:11 EST Soliton announces pre-clinical study in animals on liver fibrosis - Soliton announced that a pre-clinical study in animals demonstrated positive results for the potential treatment of liver fibrosis. Validated laboratory and histological assessments in a mouse model demonstrated that Rapid Acoustic Pulse, or RAP, therapy reduced the effects of induced liver fibrosis 7-days following completion of carbon tetrachloride, or CCL4, induction by 42%. In addition, post treatment histology slides stained with picrosirius red, or PSR, showed a lower percentage of fibrosis from a single 2-minute RAP treatment compared to the Control group. "We believe these results represent a significant discovery in our understanding of RAP's potential," commented Chris Capelli, Vice Chairman and CSO of Soliton.

08:10 EST RMR Group executed 89 new, renewal leases in the quarter - RMR Group announced the execution of 89 new and renewal leases totaling approximately 2.3M square feet during the three months ending December 31, 2020 for its managed clients. This includes 26 new leases for a total of approximately 380,000 square feet, and 63 renewal leases for a total of approximately 1.9M square feet.

08:09 EST Eiger BioPharma announces results from Phase 2 PREVENT study of Avexitide - Eiger BioPharmaceuticals announced that positive results from the Phase 2 PREVENT study of Avexitide in patients with severe Post-Bariatric Hypoglycemia (PBH) were published in Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. PREVENT is the first randomized placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy of a pharmacologic agent for patients with PBH in the outpatient setting. PREVENT investigated the safety and efficacy of Avexitide administered as 30 mg twice daily (BID) or 60 mg once daily, or QD, subcutaneous, SC, injections in post-bariatric surgical patients who experience chronic, dangerously low, postprandial blood glucose levels, known as post-bariatric hypoglycemia or PBH.

08:08 EST scPharmaceuticals reports results of Type-A end-of-review meeting with FDA - scPharmaceuticals announced that on February 19, 2021, the company received the official Type A meeting minutes from the U.S. FDA regarding the requirements for resubmission of the FUROSCIX 505(b)(2) New Drug Application following the Complete Response Letter received on December 3, 2020. The outstanding questions are primarily focused on Pre-Approval Inspections and bench testing. The Company will run additional modified bench tests on aged commercial units of the West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.'s SmartDose Gen II on-body infusor. The FDA is not requiring modifications to the device nor is it requiring the company to perform additional clinical studies to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of FUROSCIX. The Company still anticipates the need for Pre-Approval Inspections of the West Pharmaceutical Services' facility in Scottsdale, Arizona, the Sharp Packaging Services' facility in Allentown, Pennsylvania and the third-party manufacturer of the off-the-shelf alcohol swabs. John Tucker, Chief Executive Officer of scPharmaceuticals, stated: "We are pleased to have had a very productive meeting with the FDA to discuss key elements of the CRL. We have developed a plan that we believe will address the FDA's outstanding questions and will conduct the modified bench testing which we anticipate will allow us to resubmit our FUROSCIX NDA in the third quarter of this year.

08:07 EST Vinco Ventures to acquire Lomotif, terms not stated - Vinco Ventures has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority controlling interest in Lomotif Private Limited, the Singapore-based video-sharing social networking platform and "budding rival" to TikTok, and Kuaishou. The closing of the Lomotif acquisition by ZASH is scheduled to occur concurrently with the closing of ZASH's merger and business combination with Vinco Ventures, which was previously announced in a joint press release in January 2021. The closing of the Lomotif acquisition is subject to certain customary conditions to closing as described in the definitive acquisition agreement. Upon completion of the merger between ZASH and Vinco, ZASH will become a public company and controlling shareholder of Vinco, making Lomotif one of the top global, pure play video-sharing social networking platforms to be owned by a US publicly traded company, competing with TikTok and Kuaishou in the space.

08:06 EST Meridian withdraws Revogene SARS-CoV-2 test EUA application, plans to re-submit - Meridian Bioscience provided a further update on its application for Emergency Use Authorization, or EUA, with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the SARS-CoV-2 molecular diagnostic test on its Revogene platform. Following the submission of Meridian's written response to the FDA's request for additional information on its Revogene SARS-CoV-2 test on February 16, 2021 and further discussions with the FDA, on February 22, 2021, Meridian Bioscience elected to withdraw its EUA application. "Between now and the end of March 2021 and based on guidance from the FDA, Meridian intends to conduct a new clinical validation study and a Limit-of-Detection bridging study, with the intention of re-submitting an EUA application for its SARS-CoV-2 test on the Revogene platform as soon as possible thereafter. Upon notification to the FDA of its intent to re-submit an EUA application, during its third fiscal quarter, Meridian expects to resume shipping of this test to customers. Any change to our financial guidance will be discussed during our 2021 second fiscal quarter earnings call, scheduled for May 7, 2021, when we have more complete information," the company stated.

08:05 EST Kiniksa sees cash, equivalents funding current operating plan into 2023

08:02 EST electroCore announces 2-year extention of gammaCore listing in NHS catalogue - electroCore announced that gammaCore will continue to be listed in the NHS Supply Chain catalogue for an additional two years through June 3, 2023. The original listing, which commenced on June 4, 2019, was scheduled to terminate on June 3, 2021. "We are pleased that this extension will allow NHS trusts and healthcare organizations the option to continuously procure gammaCore Sapphire through the NHS Supply Chain online catalogue for an additional two years," stated Iain Strickland, Vice President of European Operations at electroCore. "Importantly, inclusion in this catalogue helps ensure gammaCore therapy is broadly accessible to patients across the UK who may benefit from non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation."

08:00 EST Macy's sees FY21 earnings weighted more towards back half of the year - Macy's says ~75% of adjusted EBITDA, excluding asset sales gains, will be generated in the second half, with the majority of that coming in the fourth quarter. Says asset sale gains are modeled entirely in the fourth quarter.

07:58 EST SmileDirectClub launches new Pro Whitening System - SmileDirectClub announced the expansion of its whitening line with its new Pro Whitening System, "designed to whiten teeth in just one week, up to twice as bright."

07:40 EST Shyft Group unit to produce new options in Isuzu's commercial truck lineup - Builtmore Contract Manufacturing, owned and operated by The Shyft Group (SHYF) announced it will produce additional options in the F- and N-series lineups for Isuzu Commercial Truck, including the 2022 F-Series cab-over chassis, featuring the new Cummins (CMI) B6.7 diesel engine, as well as the new-in-class N-Series GVWR Class 5 gasoline-powered chassis. Assembly of the Class 5 N-Series gasoline-powered chassis will begin immediately, with production on the 2022 F-Series featuring the Cummins B6.7 engine and a new Class 7 offering to commence later this year at Shyft's Charlotte facility.

07:38 EST Stealth Biotherapeutics completed enrollment for ReCLAIM-2 - Stealth BioTherapeutics announced that the company completed enrollment for ReCLAIM-2, or SPIAM-202, and expects top-line data in the first half of 2022. ReCLAIM-2 is a phase 2 randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled study to evaluate the efficacy and pharmacokinetics of elamipretide in patients with dry age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, with geographic atrophy, or GA. The ReCLAIM-2 study completed enrollment with 176 patients. The primary endpoint of the 48-week study will measure the low-luminance best-corrected visual acuity, which assesses visual function under low light conditions meant to represent dusk or indoor lighting. Secondary functional endpoints are change in low-luminance reading acuity, best-corrected visual acuity. Secondary imaging endpoints assessing the rate of progression of the disease include GA area as measured by fundus autofluorescence and optical coherence tomography.

07:37 EST Spirit AeroSystems announces backlog of approximately $34B at end of Q4 - Spirit's (SPR) backlog at the end of the fourth quarter of 2020 was approximately $34B, with work packages on all commercial platforms in the Boeing (BA) and Airbus (EADSY) backlog.

07:36 EST Ocugen granted orphan medicinal product designation for OCU400 by EMA - Ocugen announced that on the recommendation of the European Medicines Agency, the European Commission has granted orphan medicinal product designation for OCU400, for the treatment of both retinitis pigmentosa and Leber Congenital amaurosis. "We believe the granting of this designation by the European Commission validates the potential of our modifier gene therapy platform to treat many inherited retinal diseases. IRDs associated with RP and LCA diseases are caused by mutations in over 175 genes, and it is impractical to develop therapies that are specific to each gene. OCU400 has the remarkable potential to address a significant number of patients globally who are in desperate need of rescue from these blindness diseases and we are working diligently to move this program to clinic," said Dr. Shankar Musunuri, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and Co-founder of Ocugen.

07:35 EST Stanley Black & Decker names Don Allan President and CFO - Stanley Black & Decker announced that it has named Donald Allan, Jr., President and CFO. In this new role, Allan will continue his focus on driving strategic, long-term profitable growth for the company and take on additional responsibilities, such as the execution and advancement of the company's operating model and certain growth initiatives. He will continue to report to Stanley Black & Decker's CEO James Loree. Allan joined the company in 1999 as director of financial planning before being appointed Senior Vice President and CFO in 2008, and later Executive Vice President and CFO. Before joining The Stanley Works, Allan held global financial management positions with Loctite Corporation, and spent nine years with Ernst & Young, predominately as part of the audit team.

07:34 EST Vision Marine Technologies acquires IP assets from MAC Engineering - Vision Marine Technologies announced that it has acquired MAC Engineering's intellectual property relating to marine outboard electronic systems. MAC Engineering, the European distributor of the UQM brand, is the designer of propulsion and battery management systems and components for electric vehicles. Under the terms of the transaction, Vision Marine has acquired all of MAC's electric technological components, know-how and software relating to the manufacture, production, use, sale, rental and distribution of marine outboard electronic systems.

07:27 EST Dana appoints Byron Foster as CCMC Officer - Dana (DAN) announced that Byron Foster has joined the company as senior vice president and Chief Commercial, Marketing, and Communications Officer, or CCMCO, for Dana. Foster has responsibility for leading and supporting all of Dana's commercial opportunities globally, along with oversight responsibilities for marketing and communications. Foster is a veteran of the mobility industry, serving for more than two decades in senior executive roles at Johnson Controls (JCI) and Adient (ADNT). Foster earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Michigan and a Master of Business Management degree from Northwestern University.

07:13 EST Bausch + Lomb launches Alaway Preservative Free antihistamine eye drops - Bausch + Lomb, a global eye health business of Bausch Health, announced the U.S. launch of Alaway Preservative Free antihistamine eye drops, the first and only over-the-counter preservative-free antihistamine eye itch relief drop approved by the U.S. FDA.

07:09 EST Universal Stainless & Alloy announces base price increase of 3%-10% - Universal Stainless & Alloy Products announced a base price increase of 3% to 10% on all products. The increase will be effective March 1, 2021 for all new orders. Current material and energy surcharges will remain in effect. Chris Zimmer, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, commented, "We are committed to providing our customers high quality steel with industry leading delivery performance and lead times. Given the current inflationary environment, this price adjustment is necessary to support our operations and ongoing reinvestments into our facilities to better serve our customers."

07:09 EST Mesa Air signs LOI to lease additional 737-400F cargo aircraft - Mesa Air Group (MESA) announced it signed a letter of intent to lease an additional Boeing (BA 737-400F cargo aircraft currently planned to be available in May 2021. The company currently operates two 737-400F aircraft for DHL. "This 737-400F will be a great addition to the cargo fleet. The investment in a third 737 aircraft demonstrates our focus on cargo operations and our commitment to DHL," said Brad Rich, Chief Operating Officer. "This aircraft will provide Mesa pilots with additional career advancement opportunities and provide flexibility to better meet the demands of the current cargo environment."

07:08 EST Bio-Techne, Luminary Therapeutics sign license agreement for us of TcBuster - Bio-Techne announced the signing of a license agreement with Luminary Therapeutics for the use of TcBuster for the manufacturing of gene-modified cell therapies. TcBuster is Bio-Techne's proprietary non-viral transposon-based gene delivery system used to advance cell therapy manufacturing. Under the terms of this agreement, Bio-Techne grants Luminary Therapeutics a non-exclusive license for TcBuster. Luminary Therapeutics will use TcBuster in their LMY-920 program, a BAFF-CAR-T product. Luminary Therapeutics plans to file an IND with the FDA later this calendar year.

07:06 EST Nabriva Therapeutics: Study shows macrolide resistance in S. pneumoniae at 39.5% - Nabriva Therapeutics announced the publication of a study documenting the high rates of macrolide-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae throughout the United States. The study entitled, A Multicenter Evaluation of the Prevalence and Regional Variation in Macrolide Resistant S. pneumoniae in Ambulatory and Hospitalized Adult Patients in the U.S. was published this month in Open Forum Infectious Diseases, and demonstrated that macrolide resistance in S. pneumoniae is greater than 25 percent in most regions of the country and 39.5 percent overall. An accompanying editorial, authored by Daniel Musher, M.D., was also published in same issue of OFID. The retrospective cohort study assessed 3,626 patients with a positive S. pneumoniae blood or respiratory culture evaluated between October 2018 and September 2019 at 329 hospitals in the BD Insights Research Database across nine U.S. Census geographic regions. Macrolide resistance was observed in 47.3 percent of S. pneumoniae obtained from respiratory cultures, and 29.6 percent from blood cultures. While the overall rate of macrolide resistance was 39.5 percent, macrolide resistance in respiratory isolates was greater than or equal to25% in all regions of the U.S. In addition, higher rates of macrolide resistance were seen among ambulatory patients (45.3 percent) as compared with inpatients (37.8 percent). "The findings from this study demonstrate the importance of contemporary, local epidemiology data to optimize the selection of empiric therapy for patients with CABP in accordance with 2019 guidelines issued by the IDSA/ATS," said Jennifer Schranz, MD, Chief Medical Officer at Nabriva. "Based on current treatment guidelines, clinicians should consider alternatives to macrolide monotherapy for community-acquired pneumonia in the U.S. The study results also underscore the urgent need for innovative antibacterial agents with a novel mechanism of action against drug-resistant S. pneumoniae that offer a short-course, monotherapy treatment option."

07:04 EST LGI Homes sees FY21 home closings 9,200-9,800 - Active selling communities at the end of 2021 will be between 112 and 120. Average sales price per home closed will be between $260,000 and $270,000. Gross margin as a percentage of home sales revenues will be between 24.0% and 26.0%.

07:01 EST Macy's sees FY21 asset sales gains $60M-$90M

06:59 EST Protalix, Chiesi announces results from BRIGHT clinical trial of PRX-102 - Protalix and Chiesi Global Rare Diseases announced topline results from the BRIGHT Phase III clinical trial evaluating pegunigalsidase alfa, or PRX-102, 2 mg/kg, administered every four weeks, for the potential treatment of Fabry disease. PRX-102 is the company's plant cell-expressed recombinant, PEGylated, cross-linked a-galactosidase-A product candidate. The BRIGHT study is a Phase III 12-month, open-label, switch-over study designed to evaluate the safety, efficacy and pharmacokinetics of PRX-102 treatment, 2 mg/kg every four weeks, in up to 30 patients with Fabry disease previously treated with a commercially available enzyme replacement therapy, or ERT, for at least three years and on a stable dose administered every two weeks. Topline results indicate that 2 mg/kg of PRX-102 administered by intravenous infusion every four weeks was found to be well tolerated among treated patients, and stable clinical presentation was maintained in adult Fabry patients. No new patients developed treatment-induced anti-drug antibodies, or ADA, following the switch to PRX-102 treatment. The BRIGHT study enrolled 30 adult patients. The most common Fabry disease symptoms were acroparesthesia, heat intolerance, angiokeratomas and hypohydrosis. All 30 patients received at least one dose of PRX-102, and 29 patients completed the 12-month study. Of these 29 patients, 28 received the intended regimen of 2 mg/kg every four weeks throughout the study, while one patient was switched to PRX-102 1 mg/kg every two weeks per protocol. One patient withdrew from the study after the first infusion due to a traffic accident. Following screening, patients were enrolled and switched from their then current ERT to intravenous, or IV, infusions of 2 mg/kg of PRX-102 every four weeks for 52 weeks. First infusions of PRX-102 were administered under controlled conditions at the investigation site. Based on the protocol-specified criteria, patients were able to receive their PRX-102 infusions at a home care setup once the Investigator and Sponsor Medical Monitor agreed that it was safe to do so. Safety and efficacy exploratory endpoints were assessed throughout the 52-week study. Study outcome measures showed plasma lyso-Gb3 concentrations remained stable during the study with a mean change of 3.01 nM from baseline to Week 52. Mean absolute change of eGFR values were stable during the 52-week treatment period, with a mean change from baseline of -1.27 mL/min/1.73 m2. Following a survey of participants using the Quality of Life EQ-5D-5L questionnaire, responses indicate that patient perception of their own health remained high and stable throughout the 52-week study duration, with overall health mean scores of 78.3 and 82.1 at baseline and Week 52, respectively, in a 0 to 100 scale. Using the short-form Brief Pain Inventory, or BPI, questionnaire, approximately 75% of study participants had an improvement or no change in average pain severity at Week 52. The short-form BPI interference items also remained stable during the study. Pain-related results indicate that there was no increase and/or relapse in pain. No Fabry clinical events were reported during the study. The company intends to report final data on the BRIGHT study in the second half of 2021, and to present these findings at an appropriate medical conference.

06:59 EST Macy's CEO: Q4 results 'exceeded expectations across all three of our brands' - "Macy's, Inc.'s fourth quarter results exceeded our expectations across all three of our brands, as we showed continued quarter-to-quarter sales performance improvements and returned to profitability," said Jeff Gennette, chairman and CEO. "Performance was driven by the home, beauty, jewelry and watch categories, growth in digital sales and by acquiring new customers. Our investments in digital innovation continued to pay off in the quarter, with digital sales up 21% from 2019. We anticipate annual digital sales to reach $10 billion within the next three years, and that digital will become an even more profitable contributor to our business. Additionally, we exited the quarter with a lower cost base and a strong liquidity position, supported by a $3 billion asset-based lending facility that we have not drawn upon." "We have made progress on the Polaris transformation strategy we introduced a year ago. We are accelerating several elements, including our focus on digital and omnichannel sales, improving customer value and building the infrastructure to support the growth of our business. We believe these actions will propel us to stronger performance in 2021 and beyond," continued Gennette. "2020 was a year of unprecedented disruption. We are incredibly proud of our team for their hard work to make our customers feel safe and comfortable when shopping with us. And we are grateful to our brand partners for navigating through the pandemic with us."

06:53 EST Stantec and Hensel Phelps selected by WMATA for $225M project - The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, or WMATA, has selected the design-build team of Hensel Phelps and Stantec to design and deliver the WMATA Rail Heavy Repair and Overhaul, or HRO, Facility, located in Prince George's County, Maryland. The approximately $225M project will support WMATA's goals for greater efficiency and a new process for railcar maintenance, repairs, and overall operations. With the second busiest rapid transit system in the United States, averaging over 625,000 daily rail users in 2019, the upgraded facility will advance WMATA's goals for an improved transit experience as transportation authorities across the nation prepare for an ensuing rebound in ridership following the COVID-19 pandemic.

06:51 EST Comscore receives patent from USPTO for ad effectiveness - Comscore announced that the US Patent and Trademark Office, or USPTO, has granted it a patent on its "System and Method for Analyzing the Effectiveness of Content Advertisements". This patent covers Comscore's process of determining the effectiveness of Connected TV, or CTV, over-the-top, or OTT, and other video advertisements by correlating exposure to presented advertisements with the subsequent viewing of the content that was promoted in the advertisements. By allowing for a more accurate picture of the effectiveness of video advertisements, this process enables marketers to more efficiently manage their advertising spend and drive revenue and business growth. Those seeking further information can reference US Pat. No. 10,929,871.

06:46 EST Thomson Reuters announces two-year change program - The company announced a new two-year change program to transition from a holding company to an operating company and from a content provider to a content-driven technology company. The program is expected to take 24 months to largely complete and is projected to require an investment of between $500M and $600M during the course of that time. In 2023, the program is forecast to: achieve organic revenue growth of 5% - 6% including additional annual revenues of $100M; achieve an Adjusted EBITDA margin of 38% - 40%; achieve free cash flow of $1.8B- $2B; achieve annual operating expense savings of $600M, of which $200M is expected to be reinvested in growth initiatives and reduce capital expenditures as a percentage of revenue to between 6% and 6.5%. The company's outlook for 2021, 2022 and 2023 incorporates the forecasted impacts associated with the change program; assumes constant currency rates; and excludes the impact of any future acquisitions or dispositions that may occur during those periods. Thomson Reuters believes that this type of guidance provides useful insight into the performance of its businesses.

06:43 EST Epizyme sees FY21 non-GAAP adjusted operating expenses $235M-$255M - Based on its current operating plans, Epizyme expects its current cash runway to extend into 2023.

06:30 EST Occidental Petroleum sees Q1 oil & gas production 1,085-1,115 Mboed - Sees FY21 production ~1,140 Mboed. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call presentation slides.

06:28 EST Helix Energy sees 2021 EBITDA results lower than the $155M EBITDA in 2020 - The company said in presentation slides ahead of its quarterly earnings call: "It is currently difficult to project how much lower as our customers are still working through their budgeting processes to prioritize their spending and determine which projects will be sanctioned and which ones will not." It added that "Over the next two months, we expect to gain a better view of 2021 and we hope to be in a better position to quantify EBITDA guidance with our first quarter 2021 earnings release."

06:21 EST Quotient names Manuel Mendez as CEO, succeeding Franz Walt - Quotient Limited (QTNT) announced that Manuel Mendez has been appointed as CEO of the company and will begin serving in that role on April 1st. Franz Walt, who has served as the company's CEO since 2018 is retiring. Manuel joins Quotient from Quest Diagnostics (DGX) where he served as the Senior Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer. He played a key role in accelerating growth and supporting the COVID-19 efforts.

06:18 EST Wells Fargo confirms sale of WFAM to GTCR, Reverence Capital for $2.1B - Wells Fargo & Company announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Wells Fargo Asset Management to GTCR LLC and Reverence Capital Partners, L.P. WFAM is the trade name used by the asset management businesses of Wells Fargo and includes Wells Fargo Funds Management, LLC, the investment advisor to the funds, Wells Capital Management Incorporated and Wells Fargo Asset Management Limited, both registered investment advisors providing subadvisory services to certain funds. Under the terms of the agreement, the purchase price is $2.1B. As part of the transaction, Wells Fargo will own a 9.9% equity interest and will continue to serve as an important client and distribution partner. Consummation of the transaction will result in the automatic termination of each fund's investment advisory agreement and sub-advisory agreement(s). The funds' Boards of Trustees will be asked to approve new investment advisory arrangements with the new company. If approved by the Boards, and to the extent required by applicable law, the new investment advisory arrangements with the new company will be presented to the shareholders of each fund for approval, and, if approved by shareholders, would take effect upon the closing of the transaction. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2021, subject to customary closing conditions.

06:09 EST Facebook to restore news access on its platform in Australia - Facebook will restore news access on its platform in Australia following negotiations, saying in an update to changes made last week: "We're pleased that we've been able to reach an agreement with the Australian government and appreciate the constructive discussions we've had with Treasurer Frydenberg and Minister Fletcher over the past week. We have consistently supported a framework that would encourage innovation and collaboration between online platforms and publishers. After further discussions, we are satisfied that the Australian government has agreed to a number of changes and guarantees that address our core concerns about allowing commercial deals that recognize the value our platform provides to publishers relative to the value we receive from them. As a result of these changes, we can now work to further our investment in public interest journalism and restore news on Facebook for Australians in the coming days." Reference Link

06:06 EST Ardagh Group to combine with Gores Holdings V and list on NYSE - Ardagh Group (ARD) and Gores Holdings V (GRSV) announced that they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement under which Gores Holdings V will combine with Ardagh's metal packaging business that will be held by Ardagh Metal Packaging S.A. to create an independent public company. The company intends to apply to list its shares on the New York Stock Exchange under the new ticker symbol "AMBP". Ardagh will retain an approximately 80% stake in AMP and receive up to $3.4B in cash in the transactions. Oliver Graham, CEO of Ardagh Metal Beverage, will be CEO of AMP. Paul Coulson, Chairman and CEO of Ardagh, will serve as Chairman and Shaun Murphy, COO of Ardagh, will serve as Vice Chairman of the Company following the closing of the transaction. The combined company is expected to have an enterprise value of approximately $8.5 billion at closing, representing 10.5x AMP's projected 2022 Adjusted EBITDA. Together with the cash held in Gores Holdings V's trust account, additional investors have committed to participate in the proposed business combination by purchasing 60 million shares of AMP for an aggregate purchase price of $600 million in a private placement at $10.00 per share. As a first step in the transaction, AMP will raise new debt of approximately $2.65 billion, representing a multiple of 3.3x of 2021E pro forma Adjusted EBITDA. Assuming no share redemptions by the public stockholders of Gores Holdings V, approximately $525 million in cash held in Gores Holdings V's trust account, together with the $600 million in private placement proceeds and approximately $2.3 billion of the new debt raised by AMP, will be used to pay up to $3.4 billion in cash to Ardagh, as well as to pay transaction expenses. Upon closing of the transactions, assuming no redemptions by Gores Holdings V's public stockholders, Ardagh will retain an equity interest in the Company of approximately 80%, the PIPE investors in the private placement will hold approximately 10% and Gores Holdings V's stockholders and its sponsor will hold approximately 10%. The proposed business combination, which has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both Ardagh and Gores Holdings V, is expected to close in the second quarter of 2021, subject to receipt of Gores Holdings V stockholder approval, the satisfaction of the condition to Ardagh's obligations that it receives at least $3 billion in cash from the transactions and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. Following closing of the business combination, Ardagh currently intends to offer holders of its Class A common shares the opportunity to exchange their Class A common shares for consideration which may include a portion of Ardagh's holding in AMP. Following any such transaction involving such consideration, Ardagh's ownership in AMP would decrease to below 80%, with a corresponding increase in the public float of AMP. The timing and terms of any such transaction, if effected at all, has not been determined. On closing of these transactions, in addition to its holding in AMP, Ardagh will retain 100% ownership of its glass packaging business as well as its 42% stake in Trivium Packaging BV. The cash proceeds from the transactions will be used to reduce net debt at Ardagh.

06:04 EST Ardagh Group to combine with Gores Holdings V and list on NYSE

06:01 EST Wells Fargo enters pact with GTCR, Reverence Capital to sell WFAM for $2.1B - Wells Fargo & Company announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Wells Fargo Asset Management to GTCR LLC and Reverence Capital Partners, L.P. This sale includes Wells Fargo Bank N.A.'s business of acting as trustee to its collective investment trusts and all related WFAM legal entities. Under the terms of the agreement, the purchase price is $2.1B. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2021, subject to customary closing conditions. As part of the transaction, Wells Fargo will own a 9.9% equity interest and will continue to serve as an important client and distribution partner.

05:20 EST Volvo, DHL Freight partner on heavy duty electric truck project - DHL Freight and Volvo Trucks have partnered in an effort to speed up the introduction of heavy duty electric trucks to be used for regional transport in Europe. The combined effort marks another step towards climate neutral transport solutions. So far, the main use of electric trucks has been for shorter distances within cities and urban areas. Now DHL Freight and Volvo Trucks have initiated a project focusing on longer distance heavy transports. The cooperation includes exclusive, worldwide first pilot tests of a fully electric Volvo FH truck with gross combination weights up to 60 tons. Starting in March, the truck will operate between two DHL Freight logistics terminals in Sweden, a distance of approximately 150 km. During the trial, Volvo and DHL will gain experience and information regarding the setup and operation of an adequate charging infrastructure. The collected insights will help to optimize the right balance between operated distance, load weight and charging points in daily road freight operations. The DHL-Volvo project will start in Q1, and is part of REEL, an initiative run by Sweden's innovation agency Vinnova to promote the transition to an electrified freight transport system.

05:07 EST Walgreens launches rollout of same-day delivery with Instacart - Walgreens announced it is expanding on-demand delivery solutions with Instacart to residents across Illinois, with plans to roll out the service nationwide to nearly 8,000 stores over the coming weeks. Customers can now find tens of thousands of Walgreens items, including over-the-counter medications, health and wellness, beauty and personal care, household items, and convenience products, for delivery via Instacart in as fast as an hour. Following the launch in Illinois, the service will expand over the coming weeks to markets including Southeast Florida, Dallas, Atlanta, Washington D.C., New York City and more. Walgreens and Instacart plan to scale the same-day on-demand delivery collaboration nationwide across all 50 states and Washington D.C. throughout the spring and will also increase the products offered over time.