Stockwinners Market Radar for May 01, 2021 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

18:38 EDT Clorox CEO: We expect inflation to persist in the mid-term - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, Linda Rendle said Clorox is seeing rising costs across many inputs. "We're looking at price increases, but we'll be very measured," she noted. She is seeing lasting behaviors in cleaning and disinfecting. Rendle expects the temporary costs of COVID will be removed over the next few months. Rendle said she has "incredible conviction" in the long-term health of the business.

18:21 EDT FDA approves AstraZeneca's FARXIGA in U.S. for treatment of CKD - AstraZeneca's FARXIGA, a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, has been approved in the US to reduce the risk of sustained estimated glomerular filtration rate decline, end-stage kidney disease, cardiovascular death and hospitalization for heart failure in adults with chronic kidney disease at risk of progression. The approval by the Food and Drug Administration was based on positive results from the DAPA-CKD Phase III trial. The decision follows the Priority Review designation granted by the FDA earlier this year.

17:57 EDT Moderna announces WHO issues Emergency Use Listing for COVID-19 vaccine - Moderna announced that the World Health Organization has issued Emergency Use Listing for its COVID-19 vaccine to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 18 years of age and older. "We thank the WHO for their data review and for their issuance of an Emergency Use Listing for our COVID-19 vaccine. We are actively participating in discussions with multilateral organizations, such as COVAX, to help protect populations around the world," said Stephane Bancel, CEO of Moderna. "This EUL is an incredible step forward as we continue our quest to ensure that people on every continent have access to our mRNA vaccine so that we can defeat the devastating COVID-19 pandemic."

17:18 EDT Northrop Grumman awarded $959.1M Army contract - Northrop Grumman was awarded a $959.1M firm-fixed-price contract for production of common infrared countermeasures. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of April 29, 2026. U.S. Army Contracting Command is the contracting activity.

17:15 EDT Raytheon Technologies awarded $234.01M Air Force contract - Raytheon has been awarded a $234.01M cost-plus-incentive-fee/award-fee contract for next generation Operational Control System Block III follow-on. This contract will provide updates to the next generation Operational Control System Block 1 and 2 ground system to incorporate Global Positioning System Block III Follow-on satellite capabilities. Work will be performed in Aurora, Colorado, and is expected to be completed by August 30, 2025. FY21 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $20M are being obligated at the time of award. Space and Missile Systems Center is the contracting activity.

16:27 EDT SVB Financial reiterates it won't increase purchase price for Boston Private Financial - SVB Financial Group (SIVB) remains fully committed to the merger with Boston Private Financial Holdings, (BPFH) and looks forward to completing the transaction. However, in response to HoldCo Asset Management's letter, SVB is reiterating that under no circumstance will it increase the purchase price, including if the deal is not approved by Boston Private's shareholders.

16:19 EDT PotlatchDeltic CFO sells 20,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, PotlatchDeltic CFO Jerald Richards disclosed the sale of 20,000 common shares of the company on April 29 at a price of $60.7132 per share.

16:09 EDT Mack-Cali Realty director Katz acquires 200,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Mack-Cali Realty director Akiva Katz disclosed the purchase of 200,000 common shares of the company on April 28 at a price of $16.459 per share.

16:02 EDT Medirom Healthcare acquires 100% ownership of Sawan Co. - Medirom Healthcare announced today that it has acquired 100% ownership of Sawan Co., a relaxation salon operator of "Ruam Ruam" from Box Group Co., Ltd., a Japanese holding company specializing in beauty and spa products and services. Ruam Ruam is a luxury relaxation salon brand, which is characterized with Oriental relaxation techniques to fit the needs and preferences of the Japanese consumer. Sawan directly operates eight salons across the Tokyo metropolitan area. In addition, Sawan entered into an agreement with Nine Roots Co., the sole franchisee of Ruam Ruam, to acquire its five franchised salons across the Tokyo metropolitan area. After the acquisition of the franchised salons and related salon consolidation, Sawan will directly operate ten salons under Medirom's ownership.

14:01 EDT Hess completes previously announced sale of non-strategic Bakken interests - Hess Corporation announced that it has completed the previously announced sale of its Little Knife and Murphy Creek acreage interests in the Bakken in North Dakota to Enerplus Corporation for a total consideration of $312M, effective March 1, 2021. "The Bakken is a core asset in our company's portfolio. Sale of the Little Knife and Murphy Creek acreage - the majority of which we were not planning to drill before 2026 - brings material value forward and further strengthens our cash and liquidity position," CEO John Hess said.

13:08 EDT Epic's Mediatonic delays 'Fall Guys' ports for Switch, Xbox - Mediatonic, which is owned by Epic Games, announced in a blog post that Summer 2021 is "unfortunately too soon" for the Switch (NTDOY) and Xbox (MSFT) ports of its popular battle royale game "Fall Guys." "While we want to launch on these platforms as quickly as possible, we believe the Switch and Xbox releases are really going to be worth waiting for and we're super grateful for your patience," the company said. "This delay gives our team some time to add features like crossplay, so when we add new platforms, players will be able to stumble in harmony with their pals, regardless of their platform of choice." Investors in Epic include Tencent (TCEHY), KKR (KKR), Disney (DIS), and Sony (SONY). Reference Link

13:01 EDT Baker Hughes reports U.S. rig count up 2 to 440 rigs

12:26 EDT Zions Bancorp announces up to $100M share repurchase for Q2 - Zions Bancorporation announced today that its board authorized a common share repurchase for Q2 of up to $100M. The board also declared a regular quarterly dividend of 34c per common share, payable May 20, to shareholders of record on May 13.

12:05 EDT IntercontinentalExchange sells Coinbase stake for $1.2B - On the company's Q1 earnings call yesterday, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) CFO Scott Hill said, "During April, we elected to sell our 1.4% stake in Coinbase (COIN), which generated over $1.2B in gross proceeds and approximately $900M net of taxes. Assuming those proceeds have been used to reduce debt at the end of the first quarter, our pro forma leverage would have been closer to 3.6x compared to 4.2x when we acquired Ellie Mae just over 6 months ago."

12:00 EDT Pitney Bowes falls -14.8% - Pitney Bowes is down -14.8%, or -$1.29 to $7.45.

12:00 EDT U.S. Silica falls -17.5% - U.S. Silica is down -17.5%, or -$2.41 to $11.35.

12:00 EDT Safe Bulkers rises 9.6% - Safe Bulkers is up 9.6%, or 32c to $3.64.

11:57 EDT Ocugen posts India.com article about spread of COVID-19 variant - Ocugen posted a link to its website to a story published by India.com on the spread of the B.1.617 variant of COVID-19, which it said is "effectively neutralized by COVAXIN." Ocugen previously announced on April 21 that its co-development partner, Bharat Biotech, shared results of the second interim analysis of its Phase 3 study of COVAXIN, a whole virion inactivated COVID-19 vaccine candidate. Reference Link

11:51 EDT ASML divests Berliner Glas Group's technical glass division - ASML announced the divestment of its subsidiary Berliner Glas Group's technical glass division to Glas Trosch Group. The transaction includes companies in Schwabisch Hall and Syrgenstein that are specialized in the production of display glass and touch assemblies. Both companies will operate under the brand name EuropTec in the future. The Glas Trosch Group bundles the entire technical glass division under this brand. The acquisition will not result in any changes for the business partners in terms of personnel and ongoing activities. The two acquired companies will continue to concentrate on their core activities in the display glass and touch assembly businesses. ASML did not provide terms of the deal.

11:10 EDT 22nd Century 'welcomes' FDA's proposed ban on menthol cigarettes - 22nd Century Group said that it "applauds" the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its decision to begin the rulemaking process to ban the use of menthol in highly addictive cigarettes. "The ban clearly demonstrates the Agency's willingness to use its regulatory authority to aggressively address cigarette addiction and youth smoking initiation with a menthol product standard that will save lives and pave the way for a reduced nicotine product standard... 22nd Century remains highly confident that it is in the final stages of obtaining a Modified Risk Tobacco Product authorization for its VLN King and VLN Menthol King reduced nicotine content, or RNC, cigarettes, the only combustible tobacco products able to meet the nicotine level in the FDA's proposed mandate. It is imperative that VLN Menthol King cigarettes remain on the market after a menthol rule is implemented to help menthol smokers reduce their consumption and quit highly addictive menthol cigarettes while mitigating risks of illicit markets and product adulteration. 22nd Century is willing to license its RNC cigarette technology to enable the entire industry to comply with a menthol ban that allows the continued sale of reduced nicotine menthol cigarettes," 22nd Century stated.

11:04 EDT Chevron will do buybacks when confident that program can be sustained for years

11:03 EDT Agile Therapeutics presents Twirla data at ACOG Annual Meeting - Agile Therapeutics announced that a post hoc analysis of the Phase 3 SECURE Trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of Twirla transdermal system in women with BMI less than 25 kg/m2 and women with BMI 25-30 kg/m2 will be presented at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Annual Clinical and Scientific Meeting from April 30 - May 2. Twirla was approved based on the Phase 3 SECURE Trial, a United States, multicenter, single-arm, open-label, 13-cycle trial that evaluated the efficacy, safety and tolerability of Twirla in 2,032 healthy women. Twirla is a combination of levonorgestrel and ethinyl estradiol indicated as a method of contraception for use in women of reproductive potential with a BMI less than 30 kg/m2 for whom a combined hormonal contraceptive is appropriate. The U.S. package insert also includes a Limitation of Use statement guiding prescribers to consider Twirla's reduced effectiveness in women with a BMI greater than or equal to 25 to less than 30 kg/m2 before prescribing. Twirla is contraindicated in women with a BMI greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2. This post hoc analysis of SECURE assessed the efficacy, safety and tolerability of Twirla in women with BMI less than 25 kg/m2 and BMI 25-30 kg/m2. When compared to women with BMI less than 25 kg/m2, Twirla demonstrated lower but acceptable efficacy while maintaining similar safety and tolerability in women with BMI 25-30 kg/m2. "The results of this post hoc analysis help to inform providers counseling women that fall within BMI 25-30 kg/m2 who may be considering a non-oral, noninvasive contraception option," said Anita Nelson, MD, Lead Author and Primary Investigator in the SECURE study. "These data support the safety and tolerability of Twirla in women within BMI 25-30 kg/m2 as well as those with BMI less than 25 kg/m2."

10:53 EDT Cooper Tire stockholders approve proposed Goodyear Tire merger - Cooper Tire & Rubber (CTB) announced that its stockholders "overwhelmingly" voted to approve the agreement and plan of merger with Goodyear Tire & Rubber (GT), which was announced Feb. 22. Goodyear is not required to hold a vote of its stockholders to approve the merger agreement, Cooper noted. John Holland, Cooper Chairman, said, "This step is an important one in the process of bringing together our two companies to continue to meet the needs of customers, consumers and other stakeholders around the world while driving value for shareholders." Cooper and Goodyear continue to work toward closing the transaction, which remains subject to the receipt of required regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

10:05 EDT Horizon Therapeutics selects AGC Biologics to further supply of KRYSTEXXA - AGC Biologics announced the expansion of their partnership with Horizon Therapeutics, to include the manufacturing of KRYSTEXXA. KRYSTEXXA is a recombinant uricase enzyme that is administered intravenously and approved by the FDA for the treatment of uncontrolled gout in adult patients.

10:00 EDT Twitter falls -12.9% - Twitter is down -12.9%, or -$8.38 to $56.72.

10:00 EDT CTS Corporation rises 7.7% - CTS Corporation is up 7.7%, or $2.31 to $32.20.

10:00 EDT CryoLife rises 10.4% - CryoLife is up 10.4%, or $2.44 to $25.93.

09:47 EDT NeoPhotonics falls -10.6% - NeoPhotonics is down -10.6%, or -$1.19 to $10.01.

09:47 EDT ICL rises 4.8% - ICL is up 4.8%, or 31c to $6.83.

09:47 EDT Carter's rises 13.1% - Carter's is up 13.1%, or $13.48 to $116.67.

09:26 EDT AbbVie says continues to make 'significant progress' with pipeline

09:24 EDT BioCryst receives European Commission approval of ORLADEYO - BioCryst Pharmaceuticals announced that the European Commission has approved oral, once-daily ORLADEYO for the prevention of recurrent hereditary angioedema attacks in HAE patients 12 years and older. The EC approval of ORLADEYO is applicable to all European Union member states plus Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein. BioCryst has its European commercial team in place and expects to launch ORLADEYO this quarter in Germany, with launches in other European markets to follow. HAE patients in France currently have access to ORLADEYO through an Autorisation Temporaire d'Utilisation de cohorte. In the United Kingdom, HAE patients also currently have access to ORLADEYO through an approved early access to medicines scheme. A marketing authorization application has been submitted to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. Under the new European Commission Decision Reliance Procedure, the MHRA will aim to complete the review of the UK MAA as soon as possible following the EC approval decision.

09:16 EDT Blink Charging signs agreement with General Motors for public charging - Blink Charging Co. (BLNK) has signed an agreement with General Motors to make public charging more convenient for GM (GM) vehicle owners. As part of GM's Ultium Charge 360, EV customers will soon be able to easily see real-time charging information, find stations along a route, and initiate and pay for charging across EV charging networks directly through GM vehicle mobile apps.

09:11 EDT AbbVie says Skyrizi, Rinvoq 'demonstrating robust prescription growth' - Says half a dozen additional indications for Skyrizi, Rinvoq set to be approved in 2021, 2022.

09:07 EDT HomeStreet expands share repurchase program up to $25M - HomeStreet announced that the board has approved an expansion of our its repurchase program. The approved expansion of our share repurchase program allows for the repurchase for up to $25M in aggregate amount of shares of the company's common stock

09:05 EDT Information Services CFO David Berger to retire, Humberto Alfonso to succeed - Information Services announced that David Berger, executive vice president and CFO, will retire after nearly 12 years of service with the firm and that Humberto Alfonso has been named to succeed him, effective June 7. Berger will remain with the firm for several months in an advisory role to assist in ongoing M&A projects and to support the transition. He joined ISG in 2009 as executive vice president and CFO.

09:04 EDT Gevo breaks ground on RNG project in Northwest Iowa - Gevo announced that it has officially broken ground on the Renewable Natural Gas Project, located in Northwest Iowa, which will generate RNG captured from dairy cow manure.

09:03 EDT Johnson Controls says had strong growth in global products - Says excited to welcome in Silent-Aire team. Says decarbonization will help the industry for years to come. Says had strong growth in global products. Says underlying free cash flow up significantly. Says has backlog of $9.6B. Says digitizing manufacturing practices. Comments taken from Q2 earnings conference call.

09:02 EDT Praxis Precision Medicines receives orphan drug designation for PRAX-562 - Praxis Precision Medicines announced that the Food and Drug Administration has granted orphan drug designation to PRAX-562 for the treatment of SCN2A development and epileptic encephalopathy. PRAX-562 is a small molecule and is the first selective persistent sodium current blocker in development for the treatment of a wide range of rare CNS disorders. Praxis plans to initiate a Phase 2 clinical trial in the first half of 2022 to explore the potential for PRAX-562 to treat a range of rare pediatric DEEs, including SCN2A-DEE and SCN8A-DEE. PRAX-562 is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1 clinical trial in adult healthy volunteers.

09:02 EDT Honeywell announces transfer of stock exchange listing to Nasdaq from NYSE - Honeywell announced that it will transfer the listing of its common stock and listed bonds from the New York Stock Exchange to the Nasdaq Stock Market. Honeywell expects to commence trading as a Nasdaq-listed company upon market open on May 11. Honeywell's common stock will continue trading under the ticker symbol "HON" after the transfer. Honeywell's listed bonds will also continue to trade under their current symbols. Upon transfer of the listing, Honeywell will join the Nasdaq Composite index and will also meet the requirements to join the Nasdaq-100 index.

08:34 EDT Lantheus announces strategic collaboration with Allegheny Health Network - Lantheus announced a strategic collaboration with Allegheny Health Network, or AHN, a western Pennsylvania healthcare delivery system headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Under the agreement, Lantheus' microbubbles will be used in combination with AHN's ultrasound-assisted non-viral gene transfer, or UAGT, technology for the development of a proposed treatment for xerostomia.

08:33 EDT Pinduoduo works to 'deepen' transformation of agriculture - Pinduoduo "is deepening its efforts to transform the way food is grown, transported, and sold by connecting millions of farmers directly to consumers," the company said. "Pinduoduo has been able to aggregate demand and generate large volumes of orders for farmers by making recommendations to consumers based on the company's understanding of their shopping preferences. By facilitating direct sales by small-scale farmers to consumers, Pinduoduo helps the growers to reduce their dependence on distributors and increase their earnings, which can be reinvested in the farms and technology to improve productivity. Consumers benefit from fresher and safer produce at lower prices," the company added. In August 2020, Pinduoduo introduced Duo Duo Grocery, its next-day pickup service, to help local farmers sell directly to local consumers. "To support its goal of becoming the world's biggest grocer, Pinduoduo is investing to build an agriculture-focused logistics infrastructure that can ensure quality, reduce food waste, and cut down delivery time. Reducing food spoilage is also in line with its commitment to combat climate change, as global food loss accounts for about 8% of total greenhouse gas emissions," the company stated. In its 20-F filing, Pinduoduo also described its efforts to develop human capital in agriculture. To promote the adoption of technology in the agriculture and food system, the company is actively evaluating global investment opportunities in areas including alternative proteins, food safety and precision farming.

08:27 EDT Kinnate Biopharma announces departure of Stephen Kaldor from board of directors - Kinnate Biopharma announced that Dr. Stephen Kaldor, one of the company's co-founders, is not being nominated for re-election to the company's board of directors when his term expires at the company's 2021 annual meeting of stockholders to be held June 11, 2021. Dr. Kaldor plans to focus on his duties as chairman and co-founder of a new biopharmaceutical start-up.

08:26 EDT Verizon releases its first-ever Human Capital report - Verizon released its first-ever Human Capital Report, "outlining the company's commitment to attract the best talent, develop its employees to their full potential and inspire employees to build their careers at Verizon. The report provides a blueprint for how Verizon keeps its more than 133,000 employees around the world engaged. It also focuses on how it is building on past successes to upskill its V Team to continue to lead in the age of 5G technology and beyond," the company said. As of the latest term ending on December 31, 2020: 50% of Verizon board members were women or racially/ethnically diverse; 50% of Verizon's executive leadership team were women or racially/ethnically diverse. Verizon also invested $203.6M in curated learning and development opportunities in 2020. The company offers extensive training across sales and customer service, as well as critical data and technical skills, including data science, 5G technology and artificial intelligence.

08:25 EDT MJardin Group to transition to retail-only sales from wholesale model - The company said, "Management remains focused on the Company's core competencies to bring high THC, as well as unique cultivars, to the Canadian market. As retail sales are ramped up, the Company plans to transition from a wholesale model to retail-only sales."

08:19 EDT Laureate Education says DOJ declines intervention in civil qui tam action - In a regulatory filing last night, Laureate Education reported that on April 28, the company was notified that the Civil Division of the United States Department of Justice, on behalf of the United States, had filed a Notice of Election to Decline Intervention with respect to a civil qui tam action filed by third-party relators against Walden University and the company. "It was this action that had prompted the DOJ's examination of Walden University's Masters of Science in Nursing program. The DOJ's investigation into this matter has now concluded. Further, as previously disclosed by the company, the Higher Learning Commission had informed Walden University that a public 'Governmental Investigation' designation would be assigned to Walden University due to the DOJ inquiry; such designation became effective on November 9, 2020. Walden University currently is pursuing with the HLC the removal of this designation," the filing stated.

08:19 EDT Scynexis presents data at 2021 ACOG on oral ibrexafungerp - Scynexis presented posters on two data sets from the company's Phase 3 VANISH Program demonstrating the therapeutic potential of ibrexafungerp as a treatment for vulvovaginal candidiasis, also known as vaginal yeast infection, at the 2021 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Annual Meeting, taking place virtually from April 30 - May 2. The first presentation was titled "Phase 3 Oral Ibrexafungerp Study in Vulvovaginal Candidiasis: Outcomes in Non-albicans Candida spp." This presentation was a sub-analysis of the VANISH-303 study identified 19 patients in the ibrexafungerp arm with non-albicans Candida VVC. The current treatment recommendation is 7-14 days of topical azoles; fluconazole is not recommended. Treatment with ibrexafungerp resulted in a 42.1% clinical cure rate, defined as complete resolution of all Vaginal Signs and Symptoms at the Day-10 test-of-cure visit, and 52.6% symptom resolution at the Day-25 follow-up visit. This analysis shows that clinical outcomes for NAC VVC patients on ibrexafungerp are comparable to all patients in the study. Furthermore, the trend of more patients having positive clinical outcomes and sustained response with ibrexafungerp by Day 25 was observed in all patients and the NAC sub-population. The second presentation was titled "Efficacy and Safety of Oral Ibrexafungerp in the treatment of Vulvovaginal Candidiasis: A Phase 3 Study." The VANISH-306 study evaluated the safety and efficacy of oral ibrexafungerp as a treatment for patients with VVC. Severe VVC patients, categorized as complicated patients, accounted for 91.9%% of the patients in the in the study. Current guidelines recommend that patients with severe symptoms receive a longer course of azole therapy. A one-day dose of oral ibrexafungerp demonstrated superiority to placebo, with clinical cure rate, defined as complete resolution of all Vaginal Signs and Symptoms at the Day-10 test-of-cure visit, reported as 63.3% in the treatment arm vs. 44.0% in the placebo arm. Additionally, mycological eradication and clinical improvement, defined as VSS equal to 1 or 0, was seen in 58.5% and 72.3% of patients in the treatment arm, respectively, at the Day-10 test-of-cure visit. A one-day oral dose of ibrexafungerp may provide a treatment alternative for patients with VVC in the future, including severe cases where currently available treatments may not be satisfactory. Brexafemme, the expected trade name for ibrexafungerp, an oral antifungal product candidate for the treatment of vaginal yeast infections, is under regulatory review by the Food and Drug Administration with a PDUFA target action date set for June 1, 2021. The New Drug Application submission to the FDA was supported by positive data from two Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center studies in which oral ibrexafungerp demonstrated statistical superiority with a favorable tolerability profile.

08:13 EDT Affiliated Managers announces investment in OCP Asia - Affiliated Managers has acquired a minority equity interest in OCP Asia. The partners of OCP Asia continue to hold a significant majority of the equity of the firm and direct its day-to-day operations. "OCP Asia operates in the attractive segment of private credit in markets across Asia, and is a highly regarded credit provider in the region," said Jay Horgen, president and CEO of AMG. "With the team's 20-year investment track record and extensive set of established local corporate relationships, OCP Asia has distinguished itself as a leader in private credit and secured lending. We are pleased to welcome OCP Asia - our second Affiliate partnership in the region - which further enhances AMG's broad participation in private markets and our exposure to growth markets across Asia, where client allocations are increasing. OCP Asia is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the compelling investment opportunities in private credit given the team's highly distinctive credit expertise and excellent long-term track record."

08:08 EDT Grainger CEO: Seeing sequential revenue improvement in nearly all end markets - "The Grainger team served customers exceptionally well and delivered strong results in the first quarter as the economy continued to recover. In our High Touch Solutions segment, we are seeing sequential revenue improvement in nearly all end markets, recovery in non-pandemic product volume, and stabilizing gross profit margins after adjusting for non-core pandemic inventory. Our Endless Assortment segment continues to deliver over 20% top line growth and improved earnings as expected. Our strong performance in the first quarter gives us the confidence to now provide guidance for the full year," said DG Macpherson, Chairman and CEO.

08:05 EDT Imperial Oil raises dividend to 27c per share, amends share repurchase program - Imperial amended its current share purchase program and plans to purchase up to 4% of outstanding common shares by June 28. Additionally, Imperial declared a Q2 dividend of 27c per share, an increase of almost 23%. "These actions reflect the company's strong financial performance and confidence in its future, and demonstrate our ongoing commitment to return cash to shareholders," Corson added.

08:04 EDT Grainger sees FY21 operating cash flow $1B-$1.2B - Sees FY21 CapEx $225M-$275M; Share buyback $600M-$700M; Tax rate 25%-26%.

08:00 EDT Tarena trading halted, news dissemination

07:50 EDT AbbVie reports Q1 adjusted gross margin 83.9% - On a GAAP basis, the gross margin ratio in the first quarter was 67.6%.

07:47 EDT AbbVie CEO says 'we are off to an excellent start to 2021' - "We are off to an excellent start to 2021, with strong performance across our core therapeutic areas and first quarter revenue and earnings results ahead of our expectations," said Richard Gonzalez, chairman and CEO officer, AbbVie. "Our new products are delivering impressive performance and we are on the cusp of potential commercial approvals for more than a dozen new products or indications over the next two years - including five expected approvals in 2021."

07:34 EDT United Fire Group updates loss estimates for Q1 caused by winter storm Uri - United Fire Group announced that the first quarter 2021 results include estimated pre-tax catastrophe losses of $29M. The higher than average catastrophe losses in the first quarter of 2021 were primarily from winter storm Uri. As previously released as an estimate on March 1, 2021, this catastrophic event was a full retention loss, with losses in excess of our stated reinsurance retention of $20M.

07:34 EDT Pipestone Energy renews $225M reserve based loan - Pipestone Energy Corp. is pleased to announce that is has renewed and extended its Reserve Based Loan with its syndicate of banks, re-affirming its borrowing base at $225M. Pipestone Energy has closed on its RBL renewal with its corporate banking syndicate, consisting of National Bank Financial Inc., Bank of Montreal, ATB Financial, and Canadian Western Bank. The Credit Facility's borrowing base and available capacity has been maintained at $225M on a fully conforming basis. The revolving period for the RBL has been extended to May 31, 2022 with a maturity of May 31, 2023. The next borrowing base redetermination is scheduled for November 2021. The RBL renewal and extension ensures Pipestone Energy is fully funded to execute its previously released growth plans.

07:29 EDT LCI Industries acquires Schaudt, terms undisclosed - LCI Industries through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Lippert Components, announced that its new wholly-owned German subsidiary, LCI Industries GmbH, acquired 100% of the shares of Schaudt, a supplier of electronic controls and energy management systems for the European Caravan Industry. Located in Markdorf, Germany, Schaudt has been one of the leading suppliers to the recreational vehicle market in Germany and throughout Europe for over 40 years. The company said the formation of LCI Industries GmbH and the subsequent acquisition of Schaudt is part of Lippert's larger European strategy to be closer to its key German customers and to have local contacts within the country. Schaudt's facilities in Markdorf are expected to become the hub for Lippert's German operations and are planned to eventually offer services for all Lippert brands and products for the German market. Schaudt will also partner with Lippert Technologies, Lippert's North American electronics and technology manufacturer based out of Detroit, Michigan, to offer globally-aligned technology solutions that will help to set new global standards for these products.

07:23 EDT Willis Lease announces offering of $336.7M in fixed rate notes - Willis Lease Finance Corporation announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Willis Engine Structured Trust VI, proposes to offer $336.7 million in aggregate principal amount of fixed rate notes. It is expected that the Notes will be issued in three series, with the Series A Notes to be issued in an aggregate principal amount of approximately $278.6 million, the Series B Notes in an aggregate principal amount of approximately $38.7 million and the Series C Notes in an aggregate principal amount of approximately $19.4 million. The Notes will be secured by, among other things, WEST's direct and indirect interests in a portfolio of 29 aircraft engines and one airframe, which WEST will acquire from Willis pursuant to an asset purchase agreement. The net proceeds of the Notes will be primarily applied to pay fees and expenses related to the issuance of the Notes and pay Willis periodically over a 270-day delivery period as consideration for the aircraft engines and the airframe acquired by WEST from Willis in connection with the financing. Willis will apply any net proceeds it receives for general corporate purposes.

07:20 EDT View smart glass selected for use by Walmart, $26M purchase - View (VIEW) announced one of the largest installations of dynamic smart glass on a corporate campus project. Walmart (WMT) has reached an agreement with View to purchase $26M of smart glass for use in their new Home Office campus in Bentonville, AR. "View is experiencing tremendous growth as we reinvent the way buildings are built by putting the wellbeing of people first," said Dr. Rao Mulpuri, chairman and CEO of View. "We are excited to be working with leading companies to improve people's wellbeing and productivity, while also benefiting the environment. There's no longer a trade-off between people, planet, and profit."

07:18 EDT Synairgen announces data from Home Cohort of SG016 Phase II trial - Synairgen announces results from the Home Cohort of its SG016 Phase II trial of SNG001 in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients and data from the combined analysis of the Hospital and Home Cohorts. SNG001 is a formulation containing IFN-beta for nebulisation, allowing it to be delivered directly into patients' lungs. A number of studies have reported that the SARS-CoV-2 virus suppresses natural production of IFN-beta and prevents induction of anti-viral responses by infected cells. Furthermore, some people have deficiencies in antiviral IFN signalling that make them more vulnerable to spread of the virus from the nose into the lungs where it can cause severe breathing difficulties. These findings provide a rationale to deliver IFN-beta directly to the surface epithelial cells of the lungs, the primary site of virus infection in the lungs, to prevent severe lower respiratory tract illness caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Synairgen's placebo-controlled Phase II trial evaluated SNG001 for the prevention of severe lower respiratory tract illness caused by SARS-CoV-2, determined by evaluating change in condition measured using the WHO Ordinal Scale for Clinical Improvement during the dosing period. The SG016 trial involved 221 patients in two cohorts: Hospital Cohort: 101 patients in the hospital setting, where patients on SNG001, compared to placebo were twice as likely to recover from severe LRT illness to the point where they had 'no limitation of activities' without rebound, and had reduced breathlessness. Home Cohort: 120 'at risk' patients in the home setting to investigate if SNG001 could prevent development of severe LRT illness. In total, only two patients were admitted to hospital during the treatment period, both from the placebo group. The hospitalisation rate in this 'at risk' COVID-19 patient population was lower than had been originally anticipated, but is in line with other recent large peer-reviewed therapeutic studies. Consequently, the prevention of severe LRT illness could not be determined. The majority of patients exhibited only mild disease which we believe compromised the possibility of showing treatment effects in the Home Cohort. We therefore decided to analyse the subset of patients with most severe symptoms. A post hoc analysis was conducted focusing on the 12% of patients who had significant breathlessness at the time they began treatment. In these patients, the recovery to level 1 on the OSCI followed a similar pattern to that observed previously in the hospital population where SNG001 accelerated recovery. This led to an analysis of the impact of SNG001 across the Home and Hospital Cohorts in breathless patients. A further finding from the Home Cohort was that patients can successfully initiate treatment "remotely", self-administering SNG001 at home without the need for a face-to-face meeting with a health care professional, reducing the burden on hospital facilities and minimising the risk of onward infection. Overall analysis of SG016 trial, combining Hospital and Home Cohorts data: A combined analysis of the Hospital and Home Cohorts data was conducted to explore the impact of the different levels of breathlessness, which is one of the most prominent symptoms of COVID-19, on time to recovery. An assessment of placebo patients only indicated that those with marked or severe breathlessness at time of treatment initiation had slower recovery to no limitation of activities than those patients who were not as breathless. In the Hospital Cohort patients were 2.19 times more likely to recover to level 1 on the Ordinal Scale compared to placebo, HR 2.19, p=0.043. The addition of the 12 markedly and severely breathless Home Cohort patients changes the Hazard Ratio to 2.49, p=0.009. Interestingly, not all hospitalised patients were markedly or severely breathless at time of treatment initiation. An analysis including only patients who were markedly or severely breathless at the time of treatment initiation, irrespective of whether they were in hospital or at home, showed that those treated with SNG001 were 3.41 times more likely to recover than those on placebo.

07:14 EDT Hudson Capital's FreightHub customer base increased by 155% in past six months - Hudson Capital announced that FreightHub reported its expanded customer base has resulted in Fr8Hub delivering more than 15,000 loads since its inception in 2015. Fr8Hub customers grew 155% from 130 in October 2020 to more than 330 in April 2021, including one of the world's largest snack and food manufacturers and one of North America's largest retailers. More than 15,000 loads have been delivered for Fr8Hub's customers since the company's inception in 2015, with approximately half of those occurring in the past six months. The loads are being delivered by a more efficiently organized carrier base that has grown to 1,963 from 1,700 in October 2020.

07:11 EDT Greenlane, KushCo announce future leadership team for proposed combined company - Greenlane Holdings (GNLN) and KushCo Holdings (KSHB) announced the enterprise leadership team that will helm the proposed combined Greenlane and KushCo businesses following the consummation of the proposed merger. As previously announced, Nick Kovacevich will lead the combined company as CEO. Greenlane's Bill Mote will serve as CFO, with Greenlane Co-founder Aaron LoCascio serving as President and Greenlane Co-founder Adam Schoenfeld serving as Chief Strategy Officer. Additionally, the following executives will join the combined company's enterprise leadership team, reporting to Nick Kovacevich: William Bine, Chief Operating Officer; Rhiana Barr, Chief People Officer; Douglas Fischer, General Counsel; Richard Finlow, Managing Director, Europe; Michael Cellucci, President CPG Sales; and Andrew Goodman, SVP Packaging. The companies anticipate that the Transaction will close by late second quarter or early third quarter 2021, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of all closing conditions, including the receipt of all necessary regulatory and stockholder approvals.

07:06 EDT Charter says Q1 total residential, SMB customers up by 302,000 - First quarter total residential and small and medium business customer relationships increased by 302,000. As of March 31, Charter served a total of 31.4M residential and SMB customers, with 1.7M net new customer relationships added over the last twelve months. First quarter total residential and SMB Internet customers increased by 355,000. As of March 31, Charter served a total of 29.2M residential and SMB Internet customers, with 2M total Internet customers added over the last twelve months. First quarter total residential and SMB mobile lines increased by 300,000. As of March 31, Charter served a total of 2.7M mobile lines, with 1.3M mobile lines added over the last twelve months.

07:06 EDT CSI Compressco sees FY21 CapEx $30.0M-$40.0M - The company said, "We expect capital expenditures for 2021 to be between $30.0M-$40.0M. The forecast includes between $8.0M-$12.0M for new fleet additions. Maintenance capital expenditures are expected to be between $20.0M-$24.0M. Investments in the Helix digitally enhanced compression system and other technologies are expected to be between $2.0M-$4.0M.

07:04 EDT BeyondSpring announces upcoming clinical milestones - Upcoming Clinical Milestones: June 2021: Phase 1 IO combo data of plinabulin + PD-1 + CTLA-4 inhibitors for recurrent Small Cell Lung Cancer in checkpoint inhibitor naive and failed patients. Mid-2021: topline overall survival data expected in pivotal Phase 3 NSCLC study. 2H 2022: Phase 1 Data expected in plinabulin + PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors + radiation in PD-1/PD-L1-failed patients in seven cancers, including Bladder Cancer, Melanoma, Merkel Cell Cancer, MSI-H Cancers, Non-small Cell Lung Cancer, Renal Cell Cancer, and Small Cell Lung Cancer.

07:04 EDT Alkermes announces agreement with Sarissa Capital for board seat - Alkermes announced that it has reached an agreement with Sarissa Capital Management, a beneficial owner of approximately 5% of the company's outstanding ordinary shares, pursuant to which Sarissa Capital has the right to designate a director to the company's Board of Directors. This agreement follows constructive dialogue between the parties related to the company's strategic priorities and ongoing Board refreshment efforts. Alkermes initiated a robust board refreshment program two years ago and has since added four new independent directors to the Board. This agreement with Sarissa Capital is a continuation of those efforts.

06:58 EDT Europe sends 'Statement of Objections' to Apple over App Store rules - The European Commission said it has informed Apple (AAPL) of its preliminary view that it "distorted competition in the music streaming market as it abused its dominant position for the distribution of music streaming apps through its App Store." The Commission "takes issue with the mandatory use of Apple's own in-app purchase mechanism imposed on music streaming app developers to distribute their apps via Apple's App Store." The Commission is also concerned that Apple "applies certain restrictions on app developers preventing them from informing iPhone and iPad users of alternative, cheaper purchasing possibilities." The Statement of Objections concerns the application of these rules to all music streaming apps, which compete with Apple's music streaming app "Apple Music" in the European Economic Area. It follows-up on a complaint by Spotify (SPOT). Reference Link

06:54 EDT Eagle announces approval of Treakisym RTD and rituximab combination in Japan - Eagle Pharmaceuticals announced that TREAKISYM ready-to-dilute, or RTD, liquid formulation has been approved for a new indication in combination with rituximab as treatment for relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma by the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency in Japan. "This latest approval is another meaningful extension of our bendamustine franchise. We believe this expanded label will significantly increase the market opportunity for TREAKISYM in Japan. Based on this additional indication, as well as the anticipated approval of the ten-minute RI liquid formulation, we are reiterating our belief that the combined royalty and milestones revenue from these products will generate $25M at peak," stated Scott Tarriff, CEO.

06:40 EDT Legend Biotech submits MAA to the EMA for cita-cel - Legend Biotech announced the submission of a Marketing Authorisation Application, or MAA, to the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, seeking approval of ciltacabtagene autoleucel, or cilta-cel, for the treatment of patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma. Cilta-cel is an investigational B-cell maturation antigen, or BCMA,-directed chimeric antigen receptor T cell, or CAR-T, therapy being investigated as a treatment for multiple myeloma. The MAA is based on positive results from a Phase 1b/2 CARTITUDE-1 study, which were presented at the American Society of Hematology, or ASH, 2020 Annual Meeting. The submission was filed to the EMA by Janssen-Cilag International N.V., an affiliate of Janssen Biotech, Legend's collaboration partner for cilta-cel.

06:38 EDT Barclays sees 'meaningful' y/y RoTe improvement in 2021 - Headwinds to income in Barclays UK are expected to persist in 2021. Within Barclays International, the company sees CIB franchise well positioned for the future; CC&P income outlook remains uncertain. See FY21 impairment charge materially below that of 2020. Expects FY21 costs to be above 2020. Covid-19 related expenses expected to remain in 2020. Says remains in strong capital position/

06:35 EDT Chevron reports Q1 worldwide net oil-equivalent production up 4% year-over-year - Chevron reports worldwide net oil-equivalent production was 3.12M barrels per day in first quarter 2021, a decrease of 4% from a year ago. U.S. upstream operations earned $941M in first quarter 2021, compared with earnings of $241M a year earlier. The improvement primarily reflected higher crude oil and natural gas realizations. The company's average sales price per barrel of crude oil and natural gas liquids was $48 in first quarter 2021, up from $37 a year earlier. The average sales price of natural gas was $2.15 per thousand cubic feet in first quarter 2021, up from $0.60 in last year's first quarter.

06:09 EDT Emergent BioSolutions CEO shakes up executives, but defends company - Emergent BioSolutions CEO Robert Kramer, speaking on the company's Q1 earnings conference call, announced that Mary Oates, the SVP of Global Quality, will now report directly to him and become a member of the executive management team. Sean Kirk, EVP of Manufacturing of Technical Operations, is taking a personal leave of absence, Kramer said. Syed Husain, the head of the CDMO business unit, is leaving Emergent to pursue another business opportunity, he added. Emergent BioSolutions was previously forced to discard up to 15 million doses Covid vaccine doses because of possible contamination. Kramer said he takes "full responsibility" for the manufacturing problems, acknowledging that the "loss of a batch for a viral contamination is extremely serious, and we treated it as such," but he also said that Emergent had taken on a "herculean task" in a crisis.

06:04 EDT Dime Community reports Q1 book value per common share $25.43 - Book value per common share was $25.43 and tangible common book value per share was $21.43 at March 31.

06:03 EDT Huntsman reports Q1 adjusted EPS 66c, consensus 59c - Reports Q1 revenue $1.84B, consensus $1.75B. Peter Huntsman, chairman, president and CEO, commented: "First quarter 2021 results in each of our business segments exceeded our expectations as the economic recovery accelerated through the quarter. Specifically, the strength of our businesses during March more than offset the headwinds experienced from Winter Storm Uri in February. Furthermore, the seasonal expected use of cash in the first quarter was less than anticipated due to the better than expected operating results and lower net working capital levels. Our balance sheet leverage and liquidity remain strong and gives us ample flexibility to continue to develop and expand our core businesses through both internal investments and acquisitions in line with our strategy. Because of our strong balance sheet and confidence in the consistent generation of solid free cash flow, I am pleased we can increase our quarterly dividend by 15%. The year has started off well and if current trends hold, we expect 2021 to be a very good year for the Company."

05:23 EDT KKR to sell The Bountiful Company to Nestle for $5.75B - KKR (KKR) announced that Nestle (NSRGY) has agreed to acquire The Bountiful Company, a global nutrition company, for $5.75B. Under the terms of the agreement, Nestle will acquire The Bountiful Company's vitamin and supplement brands, Nature's Bounty, Puritan's Pride, Solgar and Osteo Bi-Flex which will be integrated into Nestle Health Science. KKR, primarily through its Americas XII Fund, acquired a majority interest in The Bountiful Company from The Carlyle Group (CG) in 2017. Carlyle Partners V and Carlyle Europe Partners III funds retained a minority stake in the company and are participating in the sale alongside KKR. The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2021, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.

05:11 EDT Weyerhaeuser to sell 145,000 acres of timberlands to Hampton Resources for $266M - Weyerhaeuser announced an agreement to sell 145,000 acres of timberlands in the North Cascades region of Washington to Hampton Resources for $266M. The company expects to recognize a gain on the sale and anticipates no tax liability in conjunction with this transaction. The Washington disposition is largely comprised of high-elevation terrain in the North Cascades range, with approximately 25% of the acres located in Chelan County on the east side of the mountains. Weyerhaeuser acquired the property through the acquisition of Longview Timber in 2013. It primarily supplies Hampton's nearby lumber mill in Darrington, Washington, and does not supply Weyerhaeuser's internal mills or strategic export customers. The property also has the highest operating costs and lowest site productivity and Douglas-fir mix in the company's western portfolio, and it is not expected to materially contribute to near-term or future adjusted EBITDA. Weyerhaeuser owns or manages nearly 1.3M acres and also operates two mills, two nurseries and several other sites in Washington, including its company headquarters in Seattle. The Washington disposition is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in Q3.