Stockwinners Market Radar for April 14, 2021 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:33 EDT Cathie Wood's ARK Investment discloses 752.2K shares of Coinbase bought today

19:24 EDT SPDR Gold Shares holdings fall from 1,026.07MT to 1,022.86MT - This is the lowest level of holdings since April 17, 2020.

19:02 EDT Corporacion America Airport reports March passenger traffic down 44% y/y - Corporacion America Airport reported a 44.0% YoY passenger traffic decline in March 2021, and 71.3% when compared to the same period of 2019. Total passenger traffic in March 2021 dropped 44.0% YoY, reflecting the continued impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on air travel across all countries of operations. Certain travel restrictions and requirements are in place in most countries, while overall demand remains weak. International traffic declined by 65.7% YoY, while domestic traffic dropped 35.2% YoY. When compared to 2019, overall passenger traffic declined 71.3%, while international and domestic passenger traffic dropped 84.1% and 66.2%, respectively.

18:52 EDT Scorpio Holdings acquires 26,129 common shares of Eneti - Eneti announced that Scorpio Holdings Limited, a related party, has purchased 26,129 common shares of the Company at an average price of $19.95 per share in the open market. The company currently has 11,233,604 common shares outstanding, of which SHL and its affiliates own 3,325,819 or 29.61%.

18:31 EDT Volaris announces further liquidity preservation measures - The company states: "Volaris announces additional liquidity preservation measures. Since the COVID-19 pandemic started, the company has implemented multiple actions under a "liquidity preservation plan", with significant results achieved during 2020. In the first quarter of 2021, the focus has been to combine further payment deferrals with an optimization of the fleet plan for the post COVID-19 traffic requirements. During the first quarter, the company targeted an additional working capital relief of $100M. As of today, Volaris has achieved agreements for $87M. The company is also working on other fleet related initiatives aimed to improve its competitive position by yielding additional liquidity preservation as well as further reducing the total cost of the fleet."

18:27 EDT Guardant Health CEO sells 239.6K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Guardant Health disclosed that its CEO Helmy Eltoukhy sold 239.6K shares of common stock on April 12th in a total transaction size of $39.4M, reducing his stake by about 9%.

18:20 EDT Ian Walsh replaces retiring Kaman board Chairman Neal Keating - Kaman announced that Neal Keating, Chairman of the Board of Directors, retired from the Board of Directors at the company's 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders on April 14, 2021, in accordance with the previously announced transition plan. Upon Mr. Keating's retirement, the Board appointed Kaman President and Chief Executive Officer, Ian K. Walsh, as Chairman. With Mr. Keating's retirement, Ian Walsh will jointly serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors, President and CEO. Mr. Walsh has served as Kaman's President and CEO since joining the company on September 8, 2020.

18:08 EDT AvePoint to buy up to $20M in Apex Technology Acquisition - AvePoint also reports preliminary Q1 revenue $38.4M-$38.8M and total ARR of $128.0M-$129.2M. AvePoint CEO Dr. Tianyi "TJ" Jiang stated: "Although the Company's first quarter is historically our slowest quarter, the Company has achieved significant growth. We reported strong first quarter results with subscription revenue growth of 49% year over year at the mid-point of the range. Over the past two quarters we have made meaningful investments in scaling our go-to-market organization to accelerate growth and capture the significant market opportunity ahead. Our first quarter results continue the growth momentum we experienced in 2020 and combined with the ongoing ramp of our salesforce, gives us confidence in our outlook for 2021."

17:23 EDT GlaxoSmithKline to stop enrolling patients in phase 2 feladilimab trial - GlaxoSmithKline plc "announced following a recommendation by the Independent Data Monitoring Committee that it has taken the decision to stop enrolling patients in the phase II INDUCE-3 trial, including discontinuing treatment with feladilimab. The INDUCE-3 study is investigating feladilimab in combination with pembrolizumab versus placebo in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with PD-L1 positive recurrent locally advanced or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. GSK has also made the decision to stop the INDUCE-4 phase II trial, a study investigating feladilimab versus placebo in combination with pembrolizumab and chemotherapy. The totality of the data will be evaluated to assess the impact on the overall clinical development programme for feladilimab."

17:11 EDT Maxeon Solar drops 6% to $21.51 after $125M offering of ordinary shares

17:07 EDT Almaden Minerals announces Mexico appeals court refers case to SCNJ - Almaden Minerals announced that the Collegiate Court of Mexico has issued a decision that it does not have the necessary authority to rule on the appeals filed by the Mexican Congress, Senate, Secretary of Economy and mining authorities, as well as Almaden as an interested party, and has instead referred the case directly to the Supreme Court of Justice of Mexico, or SCJN. The Company anticipates a decision from the SCJN on this matter within the next four to eight months. The company notes that in January, the SCJN issued a decision concerning a mining property in north Puebla state owned by a company unrelated to Almaden, where the constitutionality of Mexico's mining laws had been challenged. The SCJN, in a unanimous decision, confirmed that Mexico's mining law is constitutional. The company's Mexican constitutional law attorney has advised that the January decision will have to be taken into account by the court when considering this case.By way of background, in April 2019, a lower court in Puebla State issued a decision that Mexico's mineral title system is unconstitutional because consultation of indigenous communities is not required before the granting of mineral title. The lawsuit was brought against the Mexican government and could have consequences for mineral titles throughout Mexico, but it used the Company's mineral claims to make the argument. The company said it is pleased that this matter will finally be resolved and will continue with its current permitting and exploration plans.

17:01 EDT Perspecta awarded $71M contract to support SWAFS program - Perspecta announced that it was selected to support the Space Weather Analysis and Forecast System program. Awarded by the U.S. Space Force's Space and Missile Systems Center and the General Services Administration's Federal Systems Integration and Management Center, the contract falls under Phase III of the Small Business Innovation Research program. The award represents new work for the company, has a five-year period of performance and a ceiling value of $71M. On the program, Perspecta will provide SWAFS personnel with an improved capability to analyze sensor data related to solar flares, solar winds and other space environmental conditions that may affect high-altitude aircraft, and space- and ground-based systems. Perspecta will migrate the SWAFS software applications to a cloud environment and deploy a data-as-a-service interface so that users get more direct access to near-real-time data. Use of this data collection model will allow the U.S. Department of Defense and other government organizations to increase the number of data sources available to the SWAFS program and upgrade its capacity to collate and correlate data.

16:31 EDT Ridgeback Capital reports 5.5% passive stake in Affimed - Ridgeback Capital disclosed a 5.5% stake in Affimed, which represents 6.45M shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

16:23 EDT Cimpress to raise $1.15B in term loan to repay existing secured debt - Cimpress plc announced plans to raise a senior secured Term Loan B of approximately $1.15 billion to repay existing secured debt and bring liquidity onto the balance sheet. The secured Term Loan B is expected to consist of a $795 million USD tranche and a EUR 300 million EUR tranche, both due 2028. Cimpress plans to use the new debt to redeem all of its 12% second lien notes due 2025, repay amounts drawn under its revolving credit facility and repay all borrowings in respect of the Term Loan A under its secured credit facility. The transaction will be approximately net leverage neutral on a pro-forma basis. The second lien notes will be redeemed at the first call date in mid-May 2021. The Term Loan A will terminate and Cimpress will retain a $250 million revolving credit facility maturing in 2026. CFO Sean Quinn says: "It's a good time to proactively implement this flexible capital structure. This transaction facilitates our refinancing of the second lien debt we secured at the height of pandemic uncertainty, and allows us to lower our weighted average cost of debt, diversify and expand our lender base by accessing the institutional loan market in Europe and the U.S., and extend the maturity profile of our secured debt. Our capital allocation priorities and financial leverage policy remain unchanged since our last public comments on February 24, 2021: our near-term priority remains organic investment. We see opportunities for M&A of smaller-scale businesses that would integrate into existing Cimpress businesses. We do not expect to pursue share repurchases or any large-scale M&A for the near-term future."

16:20 EDT RenaissanceRe estimates impact of Winter Storm Uri of about $180M - RenaissanceRe Holdings "announced it estimates that losses from Winter Storm Uri will have a net negative impact of approximately $180M on the company's first quarter 2021 results of operations. Winter Storm Uri was a major wind and ice storm that impacted the U.S. in February 2021, causing widespread damage in many areas, including Texas. For the first quarter of 2021, the company expects to report a net loss attributable to common shareholders and nominal operating income available to common shareholders."

16:18 EDT Tegna raises quarterly divend by 36% to 9.5c per share - Dividend is payable on July 1, 2021.

16:17 EDT Bristol-Myers receives EC approval for opdivo-cabometyx combination - Bristol Myers Squibb announced that the European Commission has approved Opdivo in combination with Cabometyx for the first-line treatment of adults with advanced renal cell carcinoma. The EC's decision is based on results from the Phase 3 CheckMate -9ER trial, which demonstrated superior efficacy with Opdivo in combination with Cabometyx versus sunitinib across three key endpoints: progression-free survival, the primary endpoint, and objective response rate and overall survival. The combination of Opdivo and Cabometyx was well tolerated, with safety reflective of the known profiles of both medicines and a low rate of treatment-related adverse events leading to discontinuation. "With this approval, we can now offer patients two different Opdivo-based combinations that have demonstrated significant survival benefits versus sunitinib," said Dana Walker, M.D., M.S.C.E., vice president, development program lead, genitourinary cancers, Bristol Myers Squibb. "Today's milestone builds on our heritage of developing and delivering novel treatments for patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, first with the only dual immunotherapy option, Opdivo plus Yervoy, and now with a new immunotherapy and tyrosine kinase inhibitor regimen. We look forward to working with a broad range of European stakeholders to bring Opdivo in combination with Cabometyx to patients who may benefit from this treatment."

16:16 EDT Axis Capital sees Q1 pre-tax net loss estimates for catastrophes of $105M-$115M - Axis Capital announced a preliminary first quarter net loss estimate for catastrophes and other weather-related events in the range of $105M-$115M, pre-tax. The pre-tax net loss estimate includes an amount of $80M-$90M for Winter Storms Uri and Viola, principally related to the state of Texas, and is consistent with industry insured losses of approximately $13B-$14B. The company also reaffirmed no change to its net loss estimate established for the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Separately, AXIS Capital noted continuing improvements in its current accident year loss ratios excluding catastrophe and weather-related losses for its insurance and reinsurance segments consistent with the progress observed in 2020.

16:14 EDT Rise Education reports new and total enrollment at end of Q1 - Rise Education announced its new enrollments for Q1 and students in class as of March 31. New students enrolled for Rise regular courses in Q1 were 5,846 vs. 8,023 for the preceding quarter and 1,507 for 1Q20. New students enrolled for other Rise courses were 42,962 in Q1 vs. 3,231 for the preceding quarter and 32,551 for 1Q20. The quarter-over-quarter decrease in the number of new students enrolled for Rise regular courses was mainly due to strong seasonality in the ELT market, while the year-over-year increase was mainly attributable to the development of RISE's OMO capabilities over the past year. Students in class for Rise regular courses were 46,441 as of March 31, 2021, a decrease of 1,283 from 47,724 as of December 31, 2020 and a decrease of 6,144 from 52,585 as of March 31, 2020. The decrease in the number of students in class was primarily due to the resurgence of COVID-19 pandemic in certain regions in January 2021. The company expects the number of students in class to be back on track by the end of Q2.

16:10 EDT InspireMD announces 1-for-15 reverse stock split - InspireMD announced a 1-for-15 reverse split of its common stock, effective as of April 26. Beginning on April 27,the Company's common stock will trade on the NYSE American on a split adjusted basis.

16:07 EDT 8x8 names Walt Weisner chief customer officer - 8x8 announced the appointment of Walt Weisner as Chief Customer Officer, effective today, reporting to CEO Dave Sipes. Weisner will be responsible for the end-to-end experience for 8x8 customers globally, overseeing professional services, implementation, and customer support and enablement. "We are committed to being a Customer First, Product First, Team First company that helps organizations unify employee and customer communications as they shift to a hybrid work model," said Dave Sipes, CEO of 8x8, Inc. "Walt brings to 8x8 an unparalleled track record developing and scaling best-in-class service and support teams. He will play a pivotal role in ensuring our customers successfully achieve their communications, collaboration and engagement goals using the 8x8 integrated cloud contact center and employee cloud communications product."

16:06 EDT Medavail says North Texas health system expands technology agreement - MedAvail Holdings announced that a health system in North Texas has expanded its technology agreement with MedAvail, and has deployed MedAvail's MedCenter technology at 16 emergency and urgent care sites in Texas. Patients visiting these urgent and emergency care sites are able to consult virtually with a system pharmacist and fill their prescriptions at the point of care through the MedCenter, eliminating the need to make a separate trip to a pharmacy. Through MedAvail's Pharmacy Technology segment, the company is able to enhance pharmacy services offered by healthcare providers and retail chains. Enterprise customers can purchase MedAvail's technology in order to provide these solutions under their own brands. "We are proud to offer our software and MedCenter technology to large healthcare systems focused on medication adherence and patient satisfaction," said Dave Rawlins, Chief Commercial Officer at MedAvail. "Quick and convenient access to care is even more critical now than ever. MedAvail's innovative pharmacy technology is adaptable to a number of different environments, enabling our partners to improve ease of medication access without compromising safety."

16:05 EDT CoStar Group to acquire Homes.com for $156M - CoStar Group announced that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Homes.com, a division of Dominion Enterprises, for $156M in cash. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2021, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory review. CoStar anticipates the acquisition of Homes.com will contribute approximately $5M-10M in incremental revenue to CoStar Group in the second half of 2021, subject to transaction timing.

16:04 EDT Becton Dickinson's Pristine hemodialysis catheter granted 510(k) clearance - Becton Dickinson has received 510(k) clearance from the FDA for the Pristine Long-Term Hemodialysis Catheter, a new hemodialysis catheter with a unique side-hole free symmetric Y-Tip distal lumen design. The Pristine Catheter will be available in the U.S. in May. The device was developed by Pristine Access Technologies, a privately-owned company based in Israel, which was acquired by BD in July 2020.

16:00 EDT PPD trading resumes

15:37 EDT Thor Industries, Winnebago rise after LCI Industries pre-announces sales beat - Shares of RV makers Thor Industries (THO) and Winnebago (WGO) are up about 1% apiece after LCI Industries (LCII) guided to preliminary net sales to be approximately $1.0B in the first quarter, which was well above the consensus near $880M. "Following a pivotal year in the RV industry during 2020, we had another strong quarter, with sales anticipated to have increased more than 50% over the first quarter of 2020, as we continued to meet exceptional demand across the outdoor recreation space," said Jason Lippert, LCI Industries' President and CEO. In afternoon trading following the pre-announcement, LCI shares are up $4.98, or about 4%, to $141.62.

15:01 EDT Capcom officially closes investigation into November 2020 ransomware attack - Capcom said that the investigation into a cyberattack previously disclosed in November 2020 has been completed and Capcom has received their findings. As such, Capcom can now make an announcement regarding the findings of that investigation as well as the measures it will take to prevent future incidents. At this point in time, the Capcom Group's internal systems are near to completely restored, and while coordinating with the newly established Information Technology Security Oversight Committee, the company will work toward continuously strengthening both security and the protection of personal information going forward. Capcom worked with multiple companies including major security vendors and IT specialist companies to carry out an investigation into the devices and transmission logs affected in the attack. As a result of carrying out this investigation, Capcom has found that the incident occurred as described in the following summary. Further, as stated in previous announcements, the Company has been coordinating both domestically and overseas with law enforcement and related organizations, while also continually reporting and corresponding on a timely basis with the authorities that oversee the protection of personal information in each country. According to the IT specialists, unauthorized access to the Company's internal network was acquired in October 2020 through a cyberattack carried out on an older backup VPN device that had been maintained at its North American subsidiary. At that time, the Capcom Group, including the North American subsidiary, had already introduced a different, new model of VPN devices; however, due to the growing burden on the Company's network stemming from the spread of COVID-19 in the State of California, where this North American subsidiary is located, one of the aforementioned older VPN devices remained solely at this North American subsidiary as an emergency backup in case of communication issues, and it became the target of the attack. The device in question has already been removed from the network at this time. The IT specialists determined that following this, some devices were compromised at both the Company's U.S. and Japanese offices through the affected old VPN device at the Company's North American subsidiary, leading to the theft of information. While the Company had existing perimeter security measures in place and, as explained below, was in the processes of adopting defensive measures such as a SOC service and EDR, the Company had been forced to prioritize infrastructure improvements necessitated by the spread of COVID-19. As a result, the use of these measures was still in the process of being verified (not yet implemented) at the time this matter took place.

14:32 EDT K Health, Blackstone Growth, Anthem to partner on technology joint venture - K Health and funds managed by Blackstone Growth (BX) announced the formation of Hydrogen Health, LLC to "help create innovative, digital-first healthcare solutions." This joint venture is also backed by an investment from Anthem (ANTM) and is "an important step in seeking to help increase access to healthcare services and make healthcare more affordable for millions of people in the U.S.," Blackstone said. Blackstone added: "Hydrogen Health will seek to lower healthcare costs by leveraging K Heath's cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence technology to bring digital-first healthcare to the employer and consumer markets. Hydrogen Health will seek to develop new tech-driven solutions for direct-to-consumer, direct-to-employer, and direct-to-insurers markets; and give users access to the spectrum of care - digital, virtual, and in-person. These solutions could be integrated across different types of health coverage to achieve more affordable, high-quality care."

14:20 EDT Herman Miller launches eCommerce marketplace for small businesses - Herman Miller announced the launch of Herman Miller Professional, a new eCommerce experience built for small to mid-size businesses looking to purchase online to outfit or update their offices. "As a company with a foot in both the retail and contract worlds, we need to continue to evolve our experiences to fit the needs of these two diverse groups, especially in contract, where the size of our customers range from a dozen employees to thousands," says Ben Groom, Chief Digital Officer at Herman Miller. "Each sector has certain expectations of how they would like their purchasing journey to work. From the moment a customer accesses one of our sites to the moment their product arrives, our goal is to exceed their expectations, customize experiences, and ensure every customer feels they're getting the support and resources they need to make decisions every step of the way."

14:02 EDT Kroger launches Customer Fulfillment Center - Kroger said it is launching the country's first Customer Fulfillment Center, "combining vertical integration, machine learning, and robotics with affordable, friendly, and fast delivery service for fresh food." The center will be located in Monroe, Ohio, and powered by grocery e-commerce company Ocado Group. "2020 was a pivotal year for grocery e-commerce, with Kroger's digital business scaling to over $10 billion-and achieving a record digital sales increase of 116%," said Rodney McMullen, Kroger's chairman and CEO. "We're incredibly proud to achieve this milestone that advances our position as one of America's leading e-commerce companies. The momentum we're experiencing is well-timed with the evolution of Kroger Delivery, underpinning the permanent shift in grocery consumer behavior and need for enterprising and modern e-commerce and last-mile solutions-today's true competitive horsepower."

13:42 EDT Affiliate of Dakota Territory Resource Richard Bachman sells $497K in shares - Affiliate of Dakota Territory Resource Richard Bachman disclosed in a filing that he had sold 994,199 shares of company stock at 50c per share on April 13 for a total transaction amount of $497,100.

13:11 EDT ISS recommends Boston Private shareholders vote for SVB Financial transaction - Boston Private Financial Holdings (BPFH) announced that independent proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services has recommended that Boston Private shareholders vote "FOR" the proposed transaction with SVB Financial Group (SIVB) at Boston Private's upcoming special meeting scheduled for April 27, 2021. The Boston Private Board unanimously recommends that shareholders vote on the WHITE proxy card "FOR" the proposed transaction with SVB Financial and "FOR" the other matters to be considered at the April 27, 2021 special meeting.

13:05 EDT WISeKey International Holdings SA (ADR) trading resumes

12:43 EDT Amazon unveils next-generation Echo Buds - Amazon introduced the next-generation of Echo Buds, featuring "an all-new design, premium audio architecture for crisp, balanced sound, custom-designed Active Noise Cancellation technology, wireless charging capabilities, improved microphones for better call quality, and hands-free access to Alexa," the company said. The all-new Echo Buds are available in Black or Glacier White starting at $119.99, and will be available for a limited time starting at $99.99. Customers who qualify will also receive six months of Amazon Music Unlimited and Audible Plus for free. "The all-new Echo Buds are better in so many ways-a smaller design, a more comfortable fit, Active Noise Cancellation technology, a new color and wireless charging option, and high-performance drivers for dynamic audio," said Tom Taylor, Senior Vice President, Amazon Alexa. "It's never been easier for customers to bring Alexa with them throughout their day-whether at home, walking the neighborhood, or commuting to work, all they have to do is ask to play music or podcasts, call to check in on a loved one, add an item to their to-do list, and so much more."

12:02 EDT Allegiant, International Brotherhood of Teamsters reach agreement in principle - Allegiant announces that the company and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, representing Allegiant's workforce of maintenance technician and related employees, have reached an agreement in principle on all remaining open issues for the first collective bargaining agreement between the parties. The agreement in principle is subject to finalization between the parties and ratification by the employee group, which includes line and heavy maintenance technicians as well as stores employees and some administrative maintenance staff. A ratification vote is expected to occur by the end of July, 2021. Allegiant currently employs 415 maintenance technician and related employees.

12:00 EDT Scor ADR falls -6.9% - Scor ADR is down -6.9%, or -46c to $6.22.

12:00 EDT Daily S&P Biotech Bear 3x Shares falls -11.9% - Daily S&P Biotech Bear 3x Shares is down -11.9%, or -$2.97 to $21.98.

12:00 EDT GameStop rises 17.5% - GameStop is up 17.5%, or $24.72 to $165.71.

11:30 EDT Winmark raises quarterly dividend to 45c per share from 25c - Winmark Corporation announced that its Board of Directors has approved an increase in its regular quarterly cash dividend to shareholders. The quarterly dividend of 45c per share represents an increase of 20c from its previous dividend rate. The cash dividend will be paid June 1, 2021 to shareholders of record on the close of business on May 12, 2021. Future dividends will be subject to Board approval.

11:22 EDT Redfin announces RedfinNow launch in Tucson, reopening in Las Vegas - RedfinNow, the iBuying service from Redfin, has expanded to the Tucson metro area and reopened in Las Vegas after temporarily pausing operations there due to the pandemic, Redfin announced. Jason Aleem, vice president of RedfinNow, said, "We're seeing record-high competition and price growth for homes right now, but the red-hot housing market is a double-edged sword for sellers who are also trying to buy. RedfinNow makes it easy for people to get the money from their current home to buy their next and line up the closings so they only have to move once." RedfinNow is available today to consumers in 22 markets in eight states and the District of Columbia and expanding RedfinNow is "part of Redfin's strategy to give homeowners a complete real estate solution with multiple ways to sell their home and technology to make the process simple," the company said.

10:52 EDT Kimberly-Clark appoints Russ Torres as group president, North America - Kimberly-Clark Corporation announced executive leadership changes in support of its global business strategy. Russ Torres, president of Kimberly-Clark Professional, has been named Group President of Kimberly-Clark North America. In his new role, Torres will lead Kimberly-Clark's North American consumer business. Torres will succeed Kim Underhill who is departing after 33 years with the company. A successor to Torres at Kimberly-Clark Professional will be named in the near future. Torres will continue to report to Mike Hsu, Kimberly-Clark Chairman and CEO.

10:40 EDT Goldman Sachs CEO: 'We have a plan at the moment to build a digital bank' - Comments taken from Q1 earnings conference call.

10:34 EDT Ulta Beauty: Recognizes recent sales strength may be transitory - Ulta said it is "encouraged" by sales trends so far in Q1, but recognizes that the recent strength may be transitory. The company said it believes stimulus payments are driving a portion of the strength.

10:32 EDT Caterpillar maintains dividend of $1.03 per share - The board of directors of Caterpillar voted to maintain the quarterly cash dividend of $1.03 per share of common stock, payable on May 20 to shareholders of record at the close of business on April 26, the company announced.

10:26 EDT Wells Fargo sees remainder of pending branch closures this year

10:19 EDT ArcelorMittal completes investment agreement with Invitalia - ArcelorMittal announces that it has completed an investment agreement with Invitalia, an Italian state-owned company, forming a public-private partnership between the parties. Invitalia has injected EUR400M new equity into AM InvestCo Italy, ArcelorMittal's subsidiary which signed the lease and purchase agreement for the Ilva business, providing Invitalia with a 38% shareholding and equal voting rights with joint control over the company. Going forward the joint company AM InvestCo Italy is being re-named Acciaierie d'Italia Holding, and its main operating subsidiary ArcelorMittal Italia will be renamed Acciaierie d'Italia. The Investment Agreement stipulates a second equity injection by Invitalia, of up to EUR680M to fund the completion of the purchase of Ilva's business by Acciaierie d'Italia, which is expected by May 2022 subject to certain conditions precedent*. At this point, Invitalia's shareholding in Acciaierie d'Italia would increase to 60%, with ArcelorMittal to invest up to EUR70M to retain a 40% shareholding and joint control over the company. Going forward, Acciaierie d'Italia Holding will operate independently, and as such will have its own funding plans without reliance on ArcelorMittal. As a result, ArcelorMittal will deconsolidate the assets and liabilities from its consolidated statement of financial position and will account its interest in the company under the equity method.

10:10 EDT Wells Fargo 'making good progress' on initiatives to improve business, CEO says - Comments taken from Q1 earnings conference call.

10:00 EDT Infosys falls -4.8% - Infosys is down -4.8%, or -88c to $17.53.

10:00 EDT Daily S&P Biotech Bear 3x Shares falls -6.3% - Daily S&P Biotech Bear 3x Shares is down -6.3%, or -$1.57 to $23.38.

10:00 EDT Flex LNG rises 8.6% - Flex LNG is up 8.6%, or 78c to $9.83.

09:59 EDT Goldman Sachs says investment banking backlog ended at record levels in Q1 - Says does not expect pace of Q1 client activity to continue throughout the year, but does expect it to "remain elevated."

09:53 EDT Senator Cornyn urges probe into Avantor for opioid epidemic role - In a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Allison Herren Lee, the acting chair of the SEC, Senator John Cornyn of Texas called Avantor's connection to the U.S. opioid crisis "deeply troubling." He said, "I am writing to urge you to conduct an investigation of a publicly- traded American company for its apparent longstanding contribution to the opioid epidemic that killed 50,000 of our fellow citizens in 2019. Avantor's Mexican sales of an essential heroin-making chemical, called acetic anhydride, were easily diverted by narcotics traffickers, a Bloomberg Businessweek investigation found. "It is simply not credible to believe or argue" that Avantor "was not aware of the use of its product in Mexico for the production of heroin," Cornyn wrote. Shares of Avantor are down 14c to $32.83 in morning trading.

09:43 EDT Goldman Sachs says focused on scaling consumer digital platform - Says U.S. poised for a "strong recovery" this year. Says global economic recovery dependent on progress made with COVID-19. Says "pleased" with how the company handled Archegos. Says client activity "extraordinarily high." Comments taken from Q1 earnings conference call.

09:38 EDT Discovery Communications trading resumes

09:33 EDT EMA says 'expediting' evaluation of Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine - The European Medicines Agency said that, as announced last week, EMA's safety committee, or PRAC, is reviewing very rare cases of unusual blood clots that occurred in the United States following the use of Janssen's COVID-19 vaccine. The type of blood clot reported, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, occurred in most cases in combination with low levels of blood platelets, the EMA noted. "EMA is investigating all the cases reported and will decide whether regulatory action is necessary. The Agency is working closely with the US FDA and other international regulators. EMA is expediting this evaluation and currently expects to issue a recommendation next week. While its review is ongoing, EMA remains of the view that the benefits of the vaccine in preventing COVID-19 outweigh the risks of side effects. The Agency's scientific opinions provide EU Member States with the information they need to take decisions on the use of vaccines in their national vaccination campaigns," the EMA announced. Reference Link

09:29 EDT BioSig Technologies releases PURE EP Software Version 4 - BioSig Technologies announced the release of the PURE EP Software Version 4. The latest release builds on the main system capabilities of the PURE EP while improving the overall user experience. The software upgrade will be rolled out to all new and existing customers.

09:27 EDT Everest: FDA grants granted accelerated approval of Trodelvy to Gilead - Everest Medicines announced that the U.S. FDA has granted accelerated approval of Trodelvy to Gilead Sciences, a licensing partner of Everest Medicines, for use in adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer who have previously received a platinum-containing chemotherapy and either a programmed death receptor-1 or a programmed death-ligand 1 inhibitor.

09:26 EDT Kohl's enters into settlement agreement with investor group - Kohl's announced that it has entered into a settlement agreement with Macellum Advisors , Ancora Holdings Legion Partners Asset Management and 4010 Capital, which collectively own 9.3% of Kohl's outstanding common stock, including options. As part of the agreement, two new independent directors nominated by the Investor Group, Margaret Jenkins and Thomas Kingsbury, will join the Kohl's Board of Directors (the "Board"), as of the close of the 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. An additional independent director identified by Kohl's, and agreed to by the Investor Group, Christine Day, will join the Board at the same time. "We are pleased to further strengthen our Board with the addition of Christine, Margaret and Tom as part of our continued refreshment process" said Kohl's Chairman Frank Sica. "Today's agreement reflects our Board's ongoing dialogue with our shareholders and our commitment to maximizing long-term value for all stakeholders. We welcome the new directors and look forward to their perspectives as we continue to execute Kohl's growth strategy." Kohl's CEO Michelle Gass said, "I look forward to working with our newly expanded Board to further advance our transformative strategy and deliver results for shareholders. Amidst ongoing industry disruption and evolving consumer trends, we are uniquely positioned to build on our momentum and accelerate growth and profitability." Additionally, the Company announced that it received notice from Steve Burd that he will retire from the Board at the end of August, and from Frank Sica that he will retire from the Board next year in connection with the Company's 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.

09:21 EDT Terreno Realty acquires property in Kent, WA for $10M - Terreno Realty acquired an industrial property located in Kent, Washington on April 13 for a purchase price of approximately $10M. The property consists of one industrial distribution building containing approximately 40,000 square feet and one flex building containing approximately 27,000 square feet on 4.4 acres. The property is at 21414 68th Avenue South in the northern Kent Valley, provides 8 dock-high and five grade-level loading positions and parking for 105 cars. The property is 100% leased to 3 tenants and the estimated stabilized cap rate is 5.5%. Estimated stabilized cap rates are calculated as annualized cash basis net operating income stabilized to market occupancy divided by total acquisition cost. Total acquisition cost includes the initial purchase price, the effects of marking assumed debt to market, buyer's due diligence and closing costs, estimated near-term capital expenditures and leasing costs necessary to achieve stabilization. Terreno Realty Corporation acquires, owns and operates industrial real estate in six major coastal U.S. markets: Los Angeles, Northern New Jersey/New York City, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Miami, and Washington, D.C.

09:19 EDT JPMorgan CEO 'completely open-minded' on acquisitions

09:18 EDT AT&T to invest $2B over next three years to help address digital divide - AT&T announced it will invest $2B over the next three years to help address the digital divide. "This renewed commitment to the communities we serve combines AT&T's low-cost broadband service offerings with community investment. And it builds on the company's contribution of $1 billion over the last 3 years toward helping the nation's most vulnerable communities. We're dedicated to doing our part to bring affordability, educational resources, and economic opportunity to the millions of Americans who don't have broadband connectivity today." "We believe that broadband connectivity is essential for all Americans," said John Stankey, CEO, AT&T. "Our broadband networks rose to the challenge of the pandemic in part due to policies that promoted private sector investment in multiple technologies and networks. AT&T is investing in and expanding the reach of our broadband networks while also advocating for effective and sustainable public policies that help close this country's digital divide."

09:16 EDT Brainsway announces 100,000 patients treated with Deep TMS - BrainsWay announced that 100,000 patients have been treated globally with Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation.

09:15 EDT Castor Maritime announces deliveries of M/V Magic Twilight, M/V Magic Thunder - Castor Maritime announces that on April 9, 2021, it took delivery of the M/V Magic Twilight, a 2010 Korean-built Kamsarmax dry bulk carrier, and on April 13, 2021, it took delivery of the M/V Magic Thunder, a 2011 Japanese-built Kamsarmax dry bulk carrier, pursuant to the transactions previously announced on February 18 and March 12, 2021, respectively. Both acquisitions were financed in their entirety with cash on hand. The M/V Magic Twilight commenced employment under a time charter contract on April 13, 2021, at a daily gross charter rate of $19,000 with an expected term of about 20 days. The M/V Magic Thunder is expected to commence employment under a time charter contract on or around April 17, 2021, at a daily gross charter rate of $18,900 with an expected term of about 60 days.

09:14 EDT CorMedix meets with FDA on DefenCath catheter lock solution NDA - CorMedix announced that it has met with the US Food and Drug Administration to discuss proposed resolutions for the deficiencies identified in the Complete Response Letter to CorMedix and the Post-Application Action Letter received by the third-party manufacturer from FDA for the New Drug Application for DefenCath. Representatives from both CorMedix and the CMO participated in the meeting with FDA to ensure that there is alignment on addressing the Agency's concerns. There is now an agreed upon protocol for the manual extraction study identified in the CRL that FDA is requiring as confirmation of in-process controls to demonstrate that the labeled volume can be consistently withdrawn from the vials. As anticipated previously, CorMedix expects to be able to complete this requirement in the next several weeks. Addressing FDA's concerns regarding the qualification of the filling operation may necessitate adjustments in the process and generation of additional data on operating parameters for manufacture of DefenCath. CorMedix and the CMO are currently evaluating available data to determine if additional process qualification will be needed with subsequent validation to address these issues. The FDA stated that the review timeline would be determined when the NDA resubmission is received and that it expected all corrections to facility deficiencies to be complete at the time of resubmission so that all corrective actions may be verified during an on-site evaluation in the next review cycle, if the FDA determines it will do an onsite evaluation. CorMedix and the CMO continue to work closely to ensure that the identified deficiencies are resolved prior to resubmission of the DefenCath NDA. CorMedix will provide updates on the timeline as resolution of the deficiencies proceeds.

09:11 EDT L3Harris American and Rheinmetall team on US Army's new fighting vehicle - L3Harris Technologies and American Rheinmetall Vehicles have signed a teaming agreement to jointly develop the U.S. Army's new Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle, OMFV, which will replace the Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle.he agreement combines L3Harris' open system design and equipment manufacturing leadership with the maturity and modularity of American Rheinmetall Vehicles' Lynx next-generation fighting vehicle for an OMFV offering that is low-risk and easily upgradable. American Rheinmetall Vehicles, the prime contractor, selected L3Harris to provide vehicle mission systems, cybersecurity and its modular open systems approach MOSA, for the Lynx. L3Harris' MOSA can enable cross-platform and cross-domain commonality of parts and subsystems to allow for easy and afford

09:09 EDT Norwegian Cruise Line donates $100,000 in gift cards to support Longshoremen - Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings donates $100,000 in Visa gift cards to help support the cruise members of the International Longshoremen's Association Local 1416 who have been significantly impacted by the ongoing halt in cruising in the United States for over a year. The Company also announced its 'Safe to Sail' campaign, a grassroots initiative to urge lawmakers to allow cruising to resume in the United States this July and restore the hundreds of thousands of jobs, including the cruise longshoremen, impacted during the cruise suspension. The Company recently submitted a plan to recommence cruising with mandatory vaccinations and its SailSAFE health and safety protocols and is awaiting further discussion with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The plan is consistent with the CDC's updated guidance that international travel is safe for fully vaccinated individuals and that COVID-19 vaccination efforts will be critical in the safe resumption of cruise ship travel.

09:07 EDT Bridgeline selected to power digital strategy for military apparel provider - Bridgeline Digital announced it has been selected to power the digital strategy for a military apparel provider.

09:05 EDT Omnicom Health Group acquires Archbow Consulting, terms not disclosed - Omnicom Health Group, part of Omnicom Group, announced that it has acquired Archbow Consulting. Established in 2017 by industry veterans Douglas Bock, Kevin Cast, and DeWayne Manning, Archbow helps pharmaceutical and biotech companies design, build, and optimize market access operations, product distribution, and patient access hubs. Bock, Cast, and Manning will continue to lead the company as part of the Entree Health network, Omnicom Health Group's dedicated value and access center of excellence.

09:05 EDT Praxis Precision Medicines receives orphan drug designation for PRAX-562 - Praxis Precision Medicines announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted orphan drug designation for PRAX-562 for the treatment of SCN8A development and epileptic encephalopathy. PRAX-562 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1 clinical trial in adult healthy volunteers.

09:04 EDT Eos Energy Enterprises acquires remaining 51% stake in HI-POWER - Eos Energy Enterprises announced the acquisition of the remaining 51% ownership stake in HI-POWER. Eos expects the acquisition to enhance its operational and financial flexibility through the vertical integration of its supply chain. Formed in August 2019, HI-POWER is a manufacturing facility joint venture with Holtec International located near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and in close proximity to more than 80% of Eos's suppliers. HI-POWER, which has exclusive manufacturing rights in North America, was established to expand production of Eos's proprietary aqueous Znyth batteries. The acquisition gave Eos the remaining and controlling interest in HI-POWER, including all assets and intellectual property. Eos will pay back Holtec's initial $10M capital contribution in HI-POWER in addition to five annual installments of $5M. Following the closing of the acquisition, Eos assumed full control over the supply chain, back-office functions, HI-POWER personnel, and day-to-day management. Eos will continue to manufacture its non-toxic, non-flammable energy storage systems at the facility, where it employs more than 100 technicians. Additionally, Holtec will continue to serve as a preferred sales partner given its relationships with utility companies around the world. Kris Singh, CEO of Holtec, will step down from Eos's Board of Directors effective immediately. Eos will seek to strategically add a new Board member over the coming months.

09:02 EDT Carahsoft agreement for Splunk solutions designated CETA by DoD - Carahsoft Technology announced that its Blanket Purchase Agreement for Splunk Inc. solutions has been designated a Core Enterprise Technology Agreement by the Department of Defense. The CETA designation, valued at $833M in potential spend over 10 years, is part of the DoD's Enterprise Software Initiative to ensure technical dominance across defense agencies, intelligence communities and Coast Guard. To fulfill this initiative and accelerate technology innovation and adoption, Splunk will provide asset management and cybersecurity software, software maintenance support, professional services, training and more.

08:58 EDT JPMorgan sees pickup in consumer loan demand in 2H

08:48 EDT JPMorgan sees FY21 adjusted expense of $17B

08:48 EDT Lizhi partners with Tiger Brokers to develop branded podcast channel - Lizhi announced its official partnership with Tiger Brokers, an online brokerage firm focusing on global investors, to create a branded podcast channel through Lizhi Podcast, the company's vertical podcast platform. Founded in 2014, Tiger Brokers is an online brokerage firm focusing on global Chinese investors.

08:47 EDT Codorus Valley Bancorp board declares special dividend of 2c per share - On April 13, 2021, the Board of Directors of Codorus Valley Bancorp declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of 11c per common share, payable on May 11, 2021, to shareholders of record at the close of business on April 27, 2021, which is the same as the prior quarter's regular cash dividend. In addition, the Board declared a special cash dividend of 2c per common share, payable on May 11, 2021, to shareholders of record at the close of business on April 27, 2021, which is the same as the prior quarter's special cash dividend.

08:42 EDT JPMorgan: M&A momentum likely to continue, pipeline higher than it's ever been

08:40 EDT Tivity Health appoints new Information and Experience and Innovation officers - Tivity Health appointed Sarah Richardson as Chief Information Officer and Stacey Santo as Chief Experience and Innovation Officer. Richardson will lead the delivery of the digital engagement platform as well as the expansion of the company's customer relationship management tools and data strategy. She joins Tivity Health from Optum where she served as CIO for the California and Nevada markets and was most recently the Vice President of IT Change Leadership for Optum Care. Santo will lead innovation initiatives. Most recently, Santo served as a digital consultant for the Independence Blue Cross Medicare business. Prior to that she was the Executive Vice President/General Manager of Digital Strategy and Consumer Engagement for ASICS Digital.

08:39 EDT Everbridge, U.S. Army sign new three-year contract for software solutions - Everbridge announced that the U.S. Army signed a new three-year contract for its software solutions to power JARVISS, the U.S. DoD's enterprise system for threat visibility. The new contract also includes two U.S. Air Force major and subordinate commands, Air Force Materiel Command and Air Force North, which committed to adopting JARVISS to advance their respective threat information sharing and analytics capabilities.

08:39 EDT STRONG Technical Services launches STRONG Restart initiative - STRONG Technical Services announced the launch of its STRONG Restart initiative deploying 10 BrightNight Drive In packages across the U.S. Each package is equipped with the Company's Preview and Northview products, which consist of a mobile projection trailer and large 40' x 20' inflatable screen solution. STS will offer the package to select exhibitors for one weekend at no expense, to help cinemas safely bring customers back for the Summer 2021 blockbuster season.

08:37 EDT At Home Group selects Manhattan Active Omni to improve sales and services - Manhattan Associates (MANH) announced that At Home Group (HOME) has chosen to implement Manhattan Active Omni's market-leading order management system to improve its sales, service and fulfillment operations. At Home's implementation of Manhattan's technology will "help establish the foundation for the retailer's future ecommerce enhancements, such as optimizing inventory availability across its store network," the company said.

08:36 EDT WisdomTree lists Bitcoin ETP on Borse Xetra - WisdomTree announced its physically-backed Bitcoin ETP has listed on Germany's Borse Xetra. The WisdomTree Bitcoin ETP has a total expense ratio of 0.95% and is already listed on SIX, the Swiss Stock Exchange. The listing of the WisdomTree Bitcoin ETP on Borse Xetra follows approval from the Swedish regulator to distribute this ETP across the European Union.

08:35 EDT JPMorgan had record net long-term inflows in AWM in Q1 - Comments taken from Q1 earnings conference call.

08:34 EDT CACI awarded seven-year $376M U.S. Department of Agriculture task order - CACI announced that it was awarded a seven-year task order, with a ceiling value of $376M, to provide mission technology to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to sustain and modernize the department's web based supply chain management, or WBSCM, system, which supports domestic and international food and nutrition programs administered by the USDA and USAID. Under the task order, awarded under the GSA Alliant II contract vehicle, CACI will provide continued sustainment and business process improvements to USDA's WBSCM system, including a cloud migration, modernization to SAP S/4HANA, and deployment of additional Salesforce capabilities. These improvements will help increase the productivity and lower the sustainment costs of USDA's food and nutrition assistance programs by modernizing and automating software functions.

08:33 EDT OncoSec's GenPulse device receives CE mark certification - OncoSec has received authorization to CE mark its proprietary go-to-market gene delivery device, GenPulse, a part of the OncoSec Medical System electroporation device platform for use in solid tumors. The CE mark certification augments the Notified Body certification to the International Organization for Standardization's 13485 standard for the design, development, manufacture and distribution of electroporation devices. The GenPulse is the gene electrotransfer device which OncoSec plans to deploy commercially, both in the U.S. and the EU. This OMS electroporation device applies short electric impulses to a tumor, causing pores to open in the membrane of cancer cells.

08:33 EDT Aegion, New Mountain affiliates amend merger agreement to $30 per share in cash - Aegion Corporationnnounced that it has entered into a second amendment to the definitive merger agreement with affiliates of New Mountain Capital to increase the consideration payable to holders of outstanding shares of Aegion common stock to $30.00 per share in cash from $27.00 per share in cash. The revised transaction price represents a total enterprise value of $1.1B, including net debt. The revised per-share price represents a premium of 40% and 48% to Aegion's closing share price and 30-day VWAP, respectively, as of February 12, 2021, the last trading day prior to announcing the definitive merger agreement with New Mountain. Pursuant to the amendment, as consideration for the increased purchase price, the break-up fee payable by Aegion in certain circumstances has increased from $40 million to $50M. The termination fee payable by Buyer to Aegion in certain circumstances has also increased from $70M to $90M. In evaluating this amendment, in consultation with its outside legal and financial advisors, Aegion's Board of Directors gave due consideration to a revised proposal received from an unsolicited third party to acquire 100% of the shares of Aegion for $30.00 per share in cash. The Third-Party Proposal followed discussions and negotiations between the Third Party and management in the last few weeks following the disclosure on March 22, 2021 of the Board's determination that an unsolicited proposal from the Third Party for $28.50 per share in cash could reasonably be expected to result in a "Superior Proposal." In making its decision, the Board carefully assessed the relative benefits and risks of the revised proposals from both New Mountain and the Third Party. The Board determined that, based on the consideration payable to stockholders and the superior certainty and anticipated timing to close the transaction with New Mountain, Aegion's entry into the amendment with New Mountain is in the best interests of Aegion's stockholders. Aegion's Board of Directors recommends that Aegion stockholders vote to approve the amended New Mountain Merger Agreement and related proposals at the special meeting of Aegion stockholders scheduled for May 14, 2021. Stockholders of record as of March 31, 2021, are entitled to vote at that meeting.

08:32 EDT Orbital Energy completes acquisition Gibson Technical Services for $48M - Orbital Energy announced the completion of its previously announced acquisition of 100% of the capital stock of Gibson Technical Services, an Atlanta-based telecommunications company, effective April 13. Upon completion of the acquisition, GTS became a wholly-owned subsidiary of OEG. The senior management team, including CEO, Mike McCracken, COO, Jon Martin, and CFO, Robert Moore will remain with the company. OEG expects no organizational changes to GTS's successful, long-term operations. The acquisition will immediately add significant revenues and earnings to OEG. For the calendar year 2020, GTS's audited results include gross revenues of approximately $40M, gross profit of $6.8M and unaudited adjusted EBITDA of $5.5M. For 2021, GTS expects to generate revenues of approximately $50M and EBITDA of $8M. The gross purchase price for the outstanding shares in GTS was $48M or approximately 6x GTS's forecasted 2021 EBITDA. The purchase was funded by OEG's available cash resources and 2-year restricted shares of OEG common stock.

08:17 EDT Qad Inc. signs partnership agreement with Ceramtech Consultaria - Qad Inc. announced that it has signed a partnership agreement with Ceramtech Consultaria, designating Ceramtech as a channel partner in Brazil. The partnership agreement allows Ceramtech to market and sell Qad Adaptive ERP in Brazil to manufacturing companies in the automotive, industrial, consumer packaged goods and life sciences industries.

08:13 EDT Phunware releases Loyalty Software Development Kit for PhunToken issuances - Phunware announced that it has released its Loyalty Software Development Kit for Apple iOS and Google Android on GitHub to support the issuance of PhunToken by third-party mobile applications.

08:12 EDT Ocugen appoints John Paul Gabriel as SVP, manufacturing and supply chain - Ocugen (OCGN) announced that John Paul Gabriel will be joining as Senior Vice President, Manufacturing and Supply Chain. Gabriel was most recently with Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical (RARE), where he was Vice President of Biologics and mRNA Manufacturing.

08:09 EDT Biocept has received over 350,000 samples for SARS-CoV-2 testing services - Biocept announced that since the company began offering SARS-CoV-2 testing services in June 2020, it has now received more than 350,000 samples for testing. These samples are processed using Biocept's RT-PCR technology at its CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited high-complexity molecular laboratory in San Diego. "We are exceptionally proud to continue supporting our community with SARS-CoV-2 testing and providing healthcare providers with rapid turnaround of valuable information to help contain viral spread," said Michael Nall, President and CEO of Biocept. "RT-PCR testing for COVID-19 currently remains an important component of our business while we focus on our core business, including the opportunity to serve patients diagnosed with advanced cancer through commercializing our differentiated CNSide(TM) neuro-oncology offerings."

08:09 EDT Axcelis makes multiple follow on shipments of Purion M SiC implanters in Europe - Axcelis announced multiple follow on shipments of the company's Purion M SiC medium current implanter to several power device chipmakers located in Europe. The Purion M features Axcelis' solution for high temperature silicon carbide processing. The systems, which shipped in Q1, will be used in high volume production of power devices supporting automotive, mobile and the IoT market spaces.

08:08 EDT NV5 Global awarded $10M in infrastructure contracts in Florida and New York - NV5 Global announced that it has been awarded approximately $10M in infrastructure projects in Florida and New York. NV5 will provide engineering design, construction inspection, geotechnical engineering, and materials testing to support transportation, sewer, and water delivery improvements. The Florida Department of Transportation awarded NV5 a five-year contract to provide geotechnical engineering and materials testing services. The scope of the contract covers sections throughout the 260-mile span of the Florida Turnpike. Services will be provided by multiple NV5 offices throughout the state. In New York, NV5 was selected for a three-year contract to provide engineering design services to improve interstate access to the Hunts Point Peninsula in the Bronx, home to the largest food distribution facility in the United States. NV5's responsibilities include utility design for all sewer, water main, and private utilities, design of the multi-use path, and development of the required environmental permitting plans. NV5 was also awarded a one-year contract by the New York City Department of Design and Construction to provide resident engineering inspection services for sewer and water main work in Park Place between Underhill Avenue and Flatbush Avenue and other locations in Brooklyn.

08:06 EDT Inari Medical announce global partnership with Aidoc - Inari Medical announced a new global partnership with Aidoc to "accelerate the adoption and the clinical impact of AI to advance the timely detection and treatment of pulmonary embolism," the company said. "We are committed to helping hospitals develop best-in-class clinical pathways to identify, triage, and treat patients with venous thromboembolism. Recent data has shown that in even the most sophisticated academic programs with established PE Response Teams, PERT, as many as three quarters of intermediate-high risk PE patients are still slipping through the cracks and not benefiting from a PERT activation," said Bill Hoffman, Inari's CEO. "We believe that artificial intelligence offers a promising new tool to prevent this from happening, and to ensure that all intermediate-high risk PE patients are identified and assessed for optimal treatment as quickly as possible."

08:06 EDT Comscore signs new deal with Atlas Obscura for syndicated digital measurement - Comscore announced an agreement to provide Atlas Obscura with Comscore's digital audience measurement. Under the agreement, Atlas Obscura will have access to Comscore's signature Media Ratings solutions with Plan Metrix Multi-Platform in the US.

08:04 EDT Verizon Media launces Next-Gen Solutions suite - Verizon Media announced the launch of its Next-Gen Solutions suite, a first-to-market offering for advertisers and publishers independent of cookies or mobile app IDs for audience creation, buying or measurement. The company said, "Built for the identity-less era, this suite of solutions delivers relevant ad experiences while strengthening consumer trust. As the ad ecosystem moves away from browser cookies and app advertising IDs, and legislation and privacy preferences shift, advertisers and publishers need solutions that help reach consumers in relevant and meaningful ways in the absence of IDs. Verizon Media's Next-Gen Solutions use content and other real-time data signals like weather, and location and device types to power machine-learning algorithms that allow advertisers to connect with their most relevant audiences without the need for cookies, mobile app IDs, browser storage or creating user-level profiles."

08:03 EDT Alaska Air, SkyNRG sign partnership to advance sustainable aviation fuel - Alaska Airlines and SkyNRG Americas announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding committing to increased investment in sustainable aviation fuel. The MOU builds on a long history of Alaska leadership advancing SAF and partners the airline with the global SAF pioneers at SkyNRG Americas. Under the MOU, SkyNRG Americas will initially focus on the development of dedicated SAF production facilities to supply Western U.S. airports. These facilities will use commercially available technologies that enable the use of municipal solid waste and other waste-based inputs as feedstocks, as well as incorporating green hydrogen and renewable energy for minimizing carbon intensity. Beyond the focus of building out SAF production capacity, SkyNRG Americas and Alaska Airlines will continue to build awareness and understanding of SAF technologies, and advocate for public policies to accelerate the development of the SAF industry and infrastructure.

08:02 EDT Amyris to acquire Beauty Labs, terms not disclosed - Amyris announced that it has agreed to acquire Beauty Labs, an AI technology company that provides connected consumer experiences to the beauty and wellness community. The parties expect to sign a definitive agreement and close over the next 30 days subject to the successful completion of due diligence and customary closing conditions.

07:59 EDT Mendocino College selects BIO-key's PortalGuard IDaaS solution - BIO-key International announced the company's footprint in providing security solutions for higher education continues to grow within the California Community College System with more than fifty-five colleges now under support. Most recently, Mendocino College has selected BIO-key's PortalGuard IDaaS solution to enhance its online user experience, secure critical enterprise application access, and reduce IT resource-related expenses.

07:58 EDT Lowell Farms, Ascend Wellness Holdings enter strategic licensing agreement - Lowell Farms and Ascend Wellness Holdings are bringing Lowell Farms' Lowell Smokes brand to AWH retail locations in Massachusetts and Illinois via a strategic licensing agreement. The collaboration will allow AWH, a distinguished pre-roll to produce Lowell Smokes for sale at AWH's retail locations. Lowell Smokes will be made available in five-pack and single gram pre-rolls at AWH retail locations beginning Summer 2021.

07:52 EDT Lexagene Holdings to present MiQLab data from veterinary samples - LexaGene Holdings is pleased to host a private event for a select group of veterinarians that will feature keynote speaker Dr. Shelley Rankin, Professor of Microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Veterinary Medicine, who will present data on her experience using LexaGene's MiQLab to detect Staphylococcus in specimens collected from canine skin infections. In addition, Dr. Jack Regan, LexaGene's CEO and Founder, will provide some introductory remarks on the use of molecular diagnostics in veterinary medicine and present some analytical and clinical data generated using LexaGene's MiQLab system. To demonstrate the performance of LexaGene's MiQLab to detect common bacterial pathogens encountered in veterinary medicine, Dr. Rankin and LexaGene teamed up to perform a series of analytical and clinical studies. For the analytical studies and clinical urine study, MiQLabs were equipped with LexaGene's MiQLab Bacterial and AMR Test, which screens samples for 7 of the most common bacterial pathogens found in companion animals, as well as 13 different antimicrobial resistance factors. Dr. Rankin's evaluation focused on skin and soft tissue infections in dogs, which are commonly caused by Staphylococcus pseudintermedius and Staphylococcus schleiferi. Treating these infections using empiric therapy is a challenge because it has been shown that up to 59% of SP isolates from canine pyoderma can harbor the mecA gene, which confers resistance to all beta-lactam drugs.1 Rapid in-clinic molecular diagnostics that can detect Staphylococcus and the presence of the mecA gene will, in most cases, allow veterinarians to prescribe an appropriate antibiotic. It is well known that antibiotic use can contribute to the problem of drug resistance in bacteria and inappropriate use of antibiotics is highly discouraged in veterinary medicine. For that reason, it is very important to know quickly if the mecA gene is present in the Staphylococcus species causing the infection. For this study, 23 skin specimens, that were confirmed by culture to contain SP or SS, were tested with the MiQLab. Staphylococcus was detected in 21 of these specimens. Similarly, antimicrobial susceptibility testing showed the MiQLab detected the mecA gene in 8 of 9 of the Staphylococcus isolates that were cultured and found to be resistant to methicillin. These data signify that veterinarians using MiQLab in their clinic can prescribe therapy with confidence based on genetic analysis. This will improve clinical outcomes and minimize the development of drug resistant bacteria. LexaGene's staff completed a second clinical study that focused on detecting the pathogens responsible for urinary tract infections in cats and dogs. For this study, 51 frozen canine urine samples that were previously tested by culture were processed on MiQLab. Six different pathogens were detected from the processed samples, including 14 E. coli, 7 Staphylococcus, 5 Enterococcus, 3 Streptococcus, and 1 Enterobacter. Three of the samples contained antimicrobial resistance factors. The MiQLab test results had a positive percent agreement of 100%, negative percent agreement of 98.5% and overall percent agreement of 98.6%, with culture. LexaGene's staff also completed two analytical studies. The first was performed to determine the MiQLab's limit of detection for the most common pathogen responsible for urinary tract infections in cats and dogs, namely Escherichia coli. In this study, a total of 28 samples were processed on four different MiQLabs and the LoD was determined to be 1x104 colony forming units per milliliter for E. coli. This LoD is low enough to detect the vast majority of infections considered to be clinically relevant.2 Furthermore, these data can be quickly generated inside the clinic, avoiding the 24 hr+ time it takes to get results back when samples are shipped to a reference laboratory for testing. The second analytical study looked to provide insight into how the semi-quantitative nature of the MiQLab correlates to the cfu measurements reported when samples are cultured. For this study, E. coli and Proteus mirabilis samples were tested in 5-point log-scale dilution series from 5x103 to 7x108 cfu/mL. MiQLab generated Cycle of Quantification values were correlated to culture cfu/mL counts and fit to a linear curve, and the calculated regression coefficients were found to be 0.96 and 0.94, respectively for E. coli and P. mirabilis. These data signify that the Cq values reported by the MiQLab correlate extremely well with the cfu/mL counts provided from traditional culture methods, which can be useful for tracking whether an administered antibiotic is having the desired effect.

07:47 EDT Jacobs Engineering awarded Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority contract - Jacobs was selected by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority to provide Facilities Condition Assessment and Enterprise Asset Management Services. This work will help the Airports Authority plan for airport enhancements to improve the overall airline and passenger experience at both Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport. The five-year contract includes a base year with multiple one-year options and includes work to assess how buildings and infrastructure are managed, analyze capital investment needs, discover areas for improvement and prioritize critical maintenance and repair projects.

07:41 EDT Bed Bath & Beyond reports Q4 digital comp growth of +86% - Reports Q4: +6% Comp Sales growth on Bed Bath & Beyond banner, including digital comp growth of +99%; +12% Comp Sales growth in Bed Bath & Beyond's Top 5 destination categories combined. 31.5% Gross Margin; Adjusted Gross Margin increases 20bps to 32.8%; 13% increase in Adjusted EBITDA to $168M; 160bps expansion in Adjusted EBITDA Margin to 6.4%.

07:38 EDT Moleculin Biotech's WP1066 awarded Rare Pediatric Disease Designation by FDA - Moleculin Biotech announced that the FDA has granted Rare Pediatric Disease Designation to its p-STAT3 inhibitor, WP1066, for the treatment of ependymoma. Ependymoma is a rare type of tumor that can form in the brain or spinal cord. Ependymoma begins in the ependymal cells in the brain and spinal cord that line the passageways where the cerebrospinal fluid that nourishes your brain flows. Ependymoma can occur at any age, but most often occurs in young children. The Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher program is intended to incentivize the development of new therapies for rare pediatric diseases. Subject to FDA approval of WP1066 for the treatment of ependymoma, Moleculin would be eligible to receive a voucher that may be redeemed to receive priority review for a subsequent marketing application for a different product candidate or which could be sold or transferred. WP1066 is an immune/transcription modulator capable of directly inhibiting certain key oncogenic transcription factors.

07:36 EDT 1847 Goedeker and Appliances Connection report March orders up 106% and 110% - 1847 Goedeker and Appliances Connection, a leading appliance retailer under a definitive agreement to be acquired by the Company, are pleased to report continued strong order growth in March. Goedekers' orders rose 106% year-over-year to $9.5M in March, up from $4.6M in March 2020 Appliances Connection's orders rose 110% to $58.7 million in March, up from $27.9M in March 2020 "We are excited to report strong triple-digit order growth for both Goedekers and Appliances Connection in March," stated Doug Moore, CEO of Goedekers. "We remain on track to completing the Appliances Connection acquisition in the second quarter, and together with infrastructure improvements, including the tripling of our fulfillment capacity, which comes online this month, we believe we are in a great position to drive meaningful top and bottom-line performance." "We are working to meet the continually rising consumer demand for purchasing appliances online," added Albert Fouerti, President of Appliances Connection. "Our teams have done an amazing job adjusting to the rapid growth experienced by both companies over the past year."

07:35 EDT Minim announces deployment at ANY LAB TEST NOW sites - Zoom Telephonics, doing business as Minim, announces that its solution is being rolled out at ANY LAB TEST NOW sites to ensure patient health data is protected over the locations' WiFi networks. Serving patients across the U.S., the ANY LAB TEST NOW has also approved Minim as a technology vendor for its over 190 locations.

07:30 EDT Tanzanian Gold CEO says company positioned for "continued success" - Tanzanian Gold Corporation announced results for the second quarter of 2021.Highlights Overview: Raised USD $24.4 million significantly improving net working capital, liquidity and corporate position in Tanzania; Strong additions to senior management team and alignment of operating management at Buckreef; Working with Stamico to advance the Buckreef Project and modernizing the joint venture agreement; Positive operating results on oxide test plant to build larger oxide operation targeting production of 15,000 - 20,000 ounces of gold per year; Positive metallurgical test results, now moving to variability metallurgical testing of the first 5- 7 years of production; Positive exploration results that enables the Company to advance drilling activity across mineral resource Stephen Mullowney, Chief Executive Officer of TanGold stated: "The first 120 days of my tenure have been exhilarating. I am extremely excited with all the improvements we have made across the entire business. Please enjoy reading about some of our accomplishments below. We believe that the work done to date and the work ahead of us positions the Company for continued success over the short, medium and long term. This is an exciting time! I would like to congratulate everyone involved on a job well done and look forward to working closely with the TanGold team, the Buckreef team and our joint venture partner, Stamico, to continue to advance the development of the Buckreef Project to become a major new mine in Tanzania."

07:28 EDT Goldman Sachs reports Q1 Investment Banking revenue $3.77B - Investment Banking generated record quarterly net revenues of $3.77 billion, including record Equity underwriting net revenues and strong net revenues in Financial advisory and Debt underwriting, the bank said in a statement. The backlog ended the quarter at a record level, Goldman said. Global Markets generated quarterly net revenues of $7.58 billion, 47% higher than the first quarter of 2020, and its highest quarterly net revenues since 2010. Asset Management generated record quarterly net revenues of $4.61 billion, reflecting record net revenues from Equity investments. Consumer & Wealth Management generated record quarterly net revenues of $1.74 billion, reflecting continued growth in both Wealth management and Consumer banking net revenues.

07:26 EDT Goldman Sachs reports Q1 annualized ROE 31%, ROTE 32.9% - Reports Q1 book value per share $250.81.

07:24 EDT Synthetic Biologics doses first patient in Phase 1b/2a trial of aGVHD candidate - Synthetic Biologics has commenced enrollment and the first patient has been dosed in its Phase 1b/2a clinical trial of SYN-004 in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant recipients for the prevention of acute graft-versus-host-disease, or aGVHD. Allogenic HCT recipients are at very high risk for infection and frequently receive antibiotics. The trial will evaluate the safety, tolerability and potential absorption into the systemic circulation of 150 mg oral SYN-004 administered four times per day to allogeneic HCT recipients who receive an intravenous beta-lactam antibiotic to treat fever. A data readout for the first cohort is anticipated towards the end of 2021. The study will also evaluate potential protective effects of SYN-004 on the gut microbiome as well as generate preliminary information on potential therapeutic benefits and patient outcomes of SYN-004 in allogeneic HCT recipients. Synthetic Biologics will serve as the sponsor of the clinical trial and supply SYN-004 to Washington University. A previously completed placebo-controlled Phase 2b clinical trial of 412 patients demonstrated SYN-004 protected the gut microbiome from antibiotic-mediated dysbiosis. Patients who received SYN-004 also demonstrated significantly better maintenance and recovery of the gut microbiome as well as lower incidences of new colonization by opportunistic and potentially pathogenic microorganisms such as VRE.

07:23 EDT Group 11 Technologies signs option agreement with GFG for Rattlesnake Hills - Group 11 Technologies is pleased to announce it has signed an option and earn-in agreement with GFG Resources to advance GFG's Rattlesnake Hills Gold Project in Wyoming, United States. Under the terms of the Agreement, Group 11 has the right to acquire, in multiple stages, up to 70% of the Project by completing a series of exploration and development expenditures as summarized below and making staged cash and equity payments to GFG. Group 11 Technologies Inc. is led by a group of technical pioneers and experts in the development and application of in-situ recovery with significant experience operating in Wyoming. Group 11's goal is to combine ISR, a non-invasive extraction technology, with an environmentally friendly water-based chemistry to recover gold and other metals, providing an alternative development path to conventional open pit and underground mineral extraction. Under the terms of the Agreement, Group 11 has a right to earn 70% interest in the Project over a six-year period by: Incurring a minimum of US$9.5 million in Expenditures. Paying 100% of holding and maintenance costs related to the Project. Covering all Expenditures to advance the Project into commercial production. Making staged equity payments to GFG of Group 11 common stock of up to 9.9% of Group 11's common shares issued and outstanding on a fully-diluted basis. Making a cash payment of US$7.5 million. Additional terms: Closing of the Agreement is conditional upon Group 11 raising a minimum of US$1.5 million within 45 days after the execution of the Agreement. The Agreement contains pre-emptive rights provisions should either party elect to sell its interest in the Project. Group 11 has the option to extend any stage for 12 additional months by making a US$500,000 cash payment to GFG. Group 11 will act as manager on the Project. Group 11 was founded by Enviroleach Technologies, Encore Energy Corp. and Golden Predator Mining Corp.

07:20 EDT Kubient appoints Leon Zemel as Chief Product Officer - Kubient has appointed Leon Zemel as the new Chief Product Officer. Zemel was most recently Senior VP of Programmatic and Platform Product at DoubleVerify. He has also driven product innovation for large scale ad:tech companies such as MediaMath in addition to leading all programmatic product at DoubleVerify. In addition to Zemel, Kubient also recently added two senior level team members: Larry Mlawksi joins the company as Director of Client Success, and Alexis Bryers, a former Sales Director at GeoEdge, joins the company as Vice President of KAI Partnerships.

07:18 EDT Change Healthcare shareholders vote to approve OptumInsight combination - Change Healthcare (CHNG) announced that during a special meeting, Change Healthcare stockholders voted to approve the previously announced combination with OptumInsight, part of UnitedHealth (UNH). Of the approximately 222M shares voted at yesterday's special meeting of stockholders, 99.9% voted in favor of the adoption of the merger agreement.

07:15 EDT Bio-Techne licenses proprietary antibody to Xencor for therapeutic development - Bio-Techne announced a license agreement for use of a proprietary Bio-Techne antibody by Xencor, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing engineered monoclonal antibodies and cytokines for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases, for its therapeutic development pipeline. This is Bio-Techne's third licensing agreement with Xencor, a leader in protein engineering in the immuno-oncology field. Under the terms of this agreement, Bio-Techne grants Xencor access to a proprietary Bio-Techne antibody for use with their proprietary XmAb protein engineering technology.

07:14 EDT Rocket reports data from RP-L201 trial to treat LAD-I - Rocket Pharmaceuticals announces positive interim data from the Company's Phase 1/2 clinical trial studying RP-L201, its lentiviral-based gene therapy for the treatment of severe Leukocyte Adhesion Deficiency-I (LAD-I). Severe LAD-I is a rare pediatric disease that prevents patients from adequately combating infections. LAD-I leads to recurrent life-threatening bacterial and fungal infections that respond poorly to antibiotics, require frequent hospitalizations and are ultimately fatal. These results were presented in a virtual poster session at the Clinical Immunology Society 2021 Annual Meeting. "Today's positive updates on our LAD-I program add to the growing body of encouraging evidence that RP-L201 may provide durable clinical benefit for patients with severe LAD-I who face recurrent, life-threatening infections from birth," said Jonathan Schwartz, M.D., Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Rocket. "We are very pleased to report that a second patient is nearing survival at one-year post-treatment, the primary outcome measure for the Phase 2 portion of the study. In all patients treated, CD18 expression has substantially exceeded the 4-10% threshold associated with survival into adulthood, with consistent peripheral blood vector copy number levels. Improved disease-related skin lesions, absence of new infections post-treatment, and no further requirements for prophylactic anti-infectives were also observed in both Phase 1 patients with prolonged follow-up. Initial evidence of engraftment and phenotypic correction was observed in two additional patients with shorter follow-up. These updates move us one step closer towards BLA/MAA filings in the US and Europe and eventual commercialization of a potentially curative option for the children facing this truly devastating disease. We look forward to providing more comprehensive Phase 2 results in the second half of 2021."

07:11 EDT Oasis Petroleum appoints Daniel Brown as CEO and board member - Oasis Petroleum has appointed Daniel Brown as CEO effective April 13. At the same time, Brown was also appointed to the Oasis Board of Directors. Brown has 23 years of experience in the oil and natural gas industry having spent his career with Anadarko Petroleum until Anadarko was acquired by Occidental Petroleum in August 2019. as Anadarko's Executive VP, U.S. Onshore Operations and Executive VP, International and Deepwater Operations, and other positions since joining Anadarko in August 2006. Brown was also a director of Western Gas Equity Partners and Western Gas Partners from November 2017 to February 2019. Since January 2020, Brown has served on the board of Beacon Offshore Energy, a private-equity sponsored exploration and production company that is focused on the deepwater Gulf of Mexico.

07:09 EDT Garmin unit announces EASA approval of ADS-B solution for ATR 42, ATR 72 - Garmin International., a unit of Garmin, announced European Union Aviation Safety Agency, or EASA, approval of an automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast, or ADS-B, solution for the ATR 42 and ATR 72 turboprop aircraft. To achieve this certification, Garmin worked closely with Scandinavian Avionics, who developed and certified a supplemental type certificate, or STC, that provides operators an economical solution with efficient installation and low downtime. Operators now have an option to equip their aircraft and achieve compliance, which is required prior to June 7, 2023.

07:08 EDT KKR to acquire Ensono from Charlesbank Capital, M/C Partners, no terms disclosed - Ensono and KKR announced that KKR has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Ensono from Charlesbank Capital Partners and M/C Partners. The new investment follows multiple years of strong performance by Ensono, including robust growth in 2020 and its recently completed acquisition of Amido, a UK-based cloud native consultancy. KKR is making the investment primarily from its Americas XII Fund. The transaction is expected to close within the next 60 days, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. Financial terms were not disclosed.

07:07 EDT Future FinTech signs equity agreement to acquire cryptocurrency mining farm - Future FinTech has signed an equity acquisition framework agreement to acquire a 51% equity interest in Mingtang Network Technology from its shareholders. Mingtang Network is located in the Changji Zhundong Economic and Development Zone in the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. The framework agreement is non-binding. Mingtang Network operates a cryptocurrency mining farm that integrates big data collection, cloud storage and computer software and hardware operations into an industrial system of data analysis and information storage. Phase I of Mingtang Network's data center has a 50,000 capacity load for cryptocurrency mining machines. The company will acquire 51% of the equity of Mingtang Network at a purchase price of $7.0M. The sellers promise that 2021 audited earnings before interest and taxes of Mingtang Network will be at least RMB40, or approximately $ 6.1M, and if this does not occur, the sellers agree to bear any shortfall with a cash payment. In addition, the company and the sellers agree to invest in the construction of a Phase II data center of a 500,000 capacity load for cryptocurrency mining machines within a time frame to be agreed to by both parties. The total investment in the Phase II project is expected to be about RMB 600M, approximately $ 91.7M funded according to ownership percentage.

07:06 EDT Renalytix AI, Joslin Diabetes Center enter option agreement for patent filings - Renalytix AI announced that it has entered into an exclusive option agreement with Joslin Diabetes Center for patent filings on certain additional novel biomarkers in kidney disease for development and deployment in the KidneyIntelX in vitro prognostic platform. These novel biomarkers have the potential to provide additional clinical utility for understanding early disease progression and risk of kidney failure, therapeutic response, and the mechanistic pathways of kidney disease beyond the inflammatory and tubular injury markers that are currently captured by KidneyIntelX. RenalytixAI plans to begin evaluating these novel biomarkers in expanded clinical validation studies beginning in the second half of 2021.

07:04 EDT Auscrete announces development of green technology for efficient housing - Auscrete Corporation announced the company has developed a green technology regarding construction of affordable, efficient and enduring modern housing. Auscrete Corporation uses an advanced proprietary technology in lightweight concrete hybrid insulated building products to build "GREEN" energy efficient homes. "Our proprietary technology for constructing green energy efficient homes gives us the ability to build an affordable home at approximately two thirds the price of a wooden house at $100 - $110 a square foot," said John Sprovieri, President and CEO of Auscrete Corporation. "We believe we not only offer housing at a highly competitive price for today's building costs in the U.S. but we also provide a high quality, green energy oriented home for the price."

07:01 EDT KKR to acquire Ensono from Charlesbank Capital, M/C Partners

06:56 EDT Aecom awarded contract with U.S. Postal Service worth up to $600M - Aecom announced that it has been awarded an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity program management services contract with the U.S. Postal Service. Aecom will provide program and project management, architectural and engineering design, construction management, and environmental services to improve and maintain the USPS' vast facilities portfolio. The multiple-award contract, with a combined $600M program ceiling, includes three base years and up to four additional option years.

06:54 EDT JPMorgan reports book value per share of $82.31, up 8% - Reports tangible book value per share of $66.56, up 10%.

06:53 EDT Moderna updates on clinical development of HIV vaccine candidates - Moderna is hosting its second annual Vaccines Day, with presentations "highlighting the advantages of mRNA vaccines," the company said. mRNA-1644 is a novel approach to HIV vaccine strategy in humans designed to elicit broadly neutralizing HIV-1 antibodies and is being developed in collaboration with the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. A Phase 1 study for mRNA-1644 will use iterative human testing to validate the approach and antigens and multiple novel antigens will be used for germline-targeting and immuno-focusing. A second approach, mRNA-1574, is being evaluated in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health and includes multiple native-like trimer antigens. The company expects to begin phase 1 clinical trials for both mRNA-1644 and mRNA-1574 in 2021. "Moderna's mRNA technology may have promise in HIV vaccine development. Three Phase 1 trials studying HIV vaccine concepts delivered by Moderna mRNA are expected to launch in 2021. The speed and cost advantages of Moderna's mRNA vaccine technology have enabled Moderna's collaborators to develop these trials rapidly," the company said.

06:52 EDT Brown & Brown subsidiary acquires all assets of Leon Silver Associates - Brown & Brown subsidiary Bridge Specialty Group has acquired substantially all of the assets of Leon Silver Associates. Based in Metuchen, New Jersey, Leon Silver is a wholesale broker offering commercial and personal lines property and casualty insurance products through its network of retail agents in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida, Connecticut, and Delaware. The firm has roots dating back to 1971. Following the transaction, the Leon Silver operations will become part of Bridge Specialty Group's "Morstan General Agency" office. The combined operations will do business from Morstan's Woodbridge, New Jersey location. Bridge Specialty Group was launched in February by Brown & Brown to encompass its portfolio of wholesale insurance businesses and is focused on bringing the power of its collective size and specialty to the wholesale brokerage marketplace.

06:50 EDT Moderna says mRNA-1345 increases RSV neutralizing antibodies in younger adults - Moderna is hosting its second annual Vaccines Day, with presentations "highlighting the advantages of mRNA vaccines," the company said. The company is also announcing new "positive" interim Phase 1 data from its Respiratory Syncytial Virus, or RSV, vaccine candidate, mRNA-1345, and new 7-month interim Phase 2 data from its cytomegalovirus, or CMV, vaccine candidate. Today, the company is sharing the first interim analysis of the Phase 1 study of mRNA-1345, through 1-month post-vaccination, of the younger adult cohorts. A single mRNA-1345 vaccination of 50 undefined or 100 undefined was generally well-tolerated in younger adults ages 18-49 years. Ten participants received placebo. The most common local solicited adverse reaction was injection site pain, and the most common systemic solicited adverse reactions were headache, fatigue and myalgia. The majority of solicited adverse reactions occurred within 1-3 days after vaccination and resolved after 1-4 days. There were no deaths, no severe adverse events, no study discontinuations due to adverse events, and no adverse events that led to a study pause. mRNA-1345 was shown to increase RSV neutralizing antibodies in seropositive younger adults. Neutralizing antibodies were confirmed to be present at baseline in all participants, as expected. A single vaccination of mRNA-1345 at the 50 or 100 undefined dose level boosted neutralizing antibody titers against both serotypes of RSV-A and RSV-B with no apparent dose response. At month 1, the geometric mean fold rise in neutralizing antibody relative to baseline was at least 20.5 for RSV-A and at least 11.7 for RSV-B. At the 100 undefined dose level, the geometric mean fold rise in RSV-A neutralizing antibody titer at month 1 relative to baseline was 2.7 (2.1, 3.4) with mRNA-1777, the company's previous RSV vaccine candidate, compared to 21.0 with mRNA-1345. Both mRNA-1777 and mRNA-1345 encode for the prefusion RSV-F. The company also intends to evaluate the potential of combinations of mRNA-1345 with its vaccines against other respiratory pathogens in children and separately in older adults. There is no approved vaccine for RSV. Moderna owns worldwide commercial rights to mRNA-1345. "I am encouraged by these interim Phase 1 data showing the ability of mRNA-1345 to elicit a strong neutralizing antibody response. We will continue to pursue RSV vaccines to protect the most vulnerable populations - young children and older adults - where reducing RSV infection is also a significant unmet need. We will also be evaluating possible combinations of mRNA-1345 with other respiratory virus vaccines," said Jacqueline Miller, M.D., Senior Vice President, Infectious Diseases, Moderna.

06:34 EDT Centogene extends partnership with Takeda Pharmaceutical - Centogene announced that it has extended its partnership with Takeda Pharmaceutical (TAK) to diagnose patients with certain genetic disorders. As part of the agreement, which has been extended until March 2022, Centogene will continue providing access to genetic testing to patients around the world. In January 2015, Centogene originally entered into an agreement with Shire Pharmaceuticals, which is now a subsidiary of Takeda, to provide diagnostic testing capability to enhance early diagnosis of patients suffering from genetic rare diseases.

06:31 EDT Wex to acquire benefitexpress for $275M - WEX announced the signing of an agreement to acquire benefitexpress, a provider of highly configurable, cloud-based benefits administration technologies and services. benefitexpress significantly expands WEX's offerings in benefits administration by adding a complementary suite of solutions to WEX's Health offerings, including employee enrollment and decision support tools for employees, benefits administration, and important value-added services, such as Affordable Care Act compliance, dependent verification services, and other benefit administration services. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, WEX will acquire benefitexpress for total consideration of approximately $275M, subject to certain working capital and other adjustments. WEX expects the acquisition to be neutral to adjusted net income for 2021. The transaction is expected to be completed in the second quarter, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

06:20 EDT Toshiba CEO Nobuaki Kurumatani steps down amid shareholder pressure - Toshiba's CEO resigned Wednesday under pressure from shareholders, a week after the company said it had received an acquisition offer from private-equity firm CVC Capital Partners. CEO Nobuaki Kurumatani will be replaced by Satoshi Tsunakawa, who had preceded Kurumatani in the role, the company said in a statement. Reference Link

06:04 EDT Nikola, IVECO and OGE to establish business structure for transporting hydrogen - Nikola (NKLA), IVECO and OGE announced they have entered into a letter of intent for a collaboration to establish a business structure for transporting hydrogen via pipeline network from production sources to hydrogen fueling stations in support of fuel-cell electric vehicles, or FCEVs. The collaboration is being launched with the intent to further define and formalize the roles and responsibilities of the parties and the required collaboration governance to enable execution of objectives to be stated in definitive agreements. IVECO, a brand of CNH Industrial (CNHI), and OGE, an owner and operator of a 12,000 km natural gas pipeline infrastructure network in Germany, will join Nikola in advancing hydrogen infrastructure to enable progress and growth of FCEVs in alignment with European policy and industry needs. The primary focus of this collaboration is to further develop hydrogen fueling solutions in Germany in support of the European commercial transportation system and to work with industry partners. The parties are committed to the development of a hydrogen economy and are focused on implementing the necessary refueling and distribution infrastructure.