Stockwinners Market Radar for May 21, 2021 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

18:30 EDT Tribune Publishing shareholders approve merger with Alden Global Capital - Tribune Publishing Company announced that its stockholders voted to approve the definitive merger agreement with affiliates of Alden Global Capital at a special meeting of the company's stockholders. Holders of approximately 81.28% of the shares held by non-Alden stockholders have voted to approve the merger agreement, in excess of the two-thirds minimum required. As previously announced, under the terms of the definitive merger agreement, affiliates of Alden will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Tribune common stock not currently owned by Alden for $17.25 per share in cash. The transaction is expected to close by May 25. Upon completion of the transaction, Tribune will become a privately held company, and its common stock will no longer be listed on any public market.

18:11 EDT Cemtrex receives Nasdaq listing delinquency letter - Cemtrex announced that it received a letter from Listing Qualification Department of Nasdaq on May 19th, 2021 notifying the company that because the company has not yet filed its Form 10-Q for the period ended March 31, 2021, and because the company remains delinquent in filing its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended December 31, 2020, the company no longer complies with Nasdaq's Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) "Obligation to File Periodic Financial Reports" for continued listing. In accordance with the letter from Nasdaq dated February 24, 2021, filed on Form 8-K, on February 26, 2021, the Company submitted a plan on April 26, 2021 to regain compliance with respect to the Initial Delinquent Filing. Subsequently, on May 6, 2021, Nasdaq requested further information by June 1, 2021 in connection with the company's pending investigation into its financials from the period of 2017-2020, so it could review this in connection with the company's Submission.

17:02 EDT Castor Maritime to effect 1-for-10 reverse stock split - Castor Maritime announced that its board of directors has determined to effect a 1-for-10 reverse stock split of the company's common shares. The company's shareholders approved the reverse stock split by a ratio of not less than 1-for-2 and not more than 1-for-75 and granted the board the authority to determine the exact split ratio and when to proceed with the reverse stock split at the company's annual meeting of shareholders held on November 25, 2020. The reverse stock split will take effect, and the company's common shares will begin trading on a split-adjusted basis on Nasdaq as of the opening of trading on May 28. When the reverse stock split becomes effective, every 10 of the company's issued and outstanding common shares will be combined into one issued and outstanding common share, without any change to the par value of $0.001 per share or any shareholder's ownership percentage of the company's common shares. This will reduce the number of outstanding common shares from approximately 899.6M shares to approximately 90M shares. No fractional shares will be issued in connection with the reverse stock split. Shareholders who would otherwise receive a fraction of a common share of the company will receive a cash payment in lieu thereof. The reverse stock split is undertaken with the objective of meeting the minimum $1.00 per share requirement for maintaining the listing of the company's common shares on Nasdaq.

16:50 EDT State Street exec Phelan sells 50,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, State Street executive VP David Phelan disclosed the sale of 50,000 common shares of the company on May 20 at a price of $84.30 per share.

16:33 EDT American Equity says Ted Johnson no longer serving as CFO - American Equity announced that CEO Anant Bhalla is taking on additional responsibilities as interim CFO. Ted Johnson will no longer serve as CFO effective May 21, and will work on an orderly transition until later in 2021, when he will exit the company. The company has launched a formal executive search for a new CFO by retaining executive search firm Egon Zehnder.

16:22 EDT Americold Realty Trust director Heistand sells 30,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Americold Realty Trust director James Heistand disclosed the sale of 30,000 common shares of the company on May 21 at a price of $37.80 per share.

16:20 EDT Bristol-Myers receives positive CHMP opinion recommending Opdivo plus Yervoy - Bristol Myers Squibb announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, CHMP, of the European Medicines Agency, EMA, recommended approval of Opdivo in combination with Yervoy for the treatment of adult patients with mismatch repair deficient, dMMR, or microsatellite instability-high, MSI-H, metastatic colorectal cancer, mCRC, after prior fluoropyrimidine-based combination chemotherapy. The opinion was based on data from the Phase 2 CheckMate -142 trial. The European Commission, EC, which is authorized to approve medicines for the European Union, EU, will now review the CHMP recommendation.

15:57 EDT Ortho Clinical Diagnostics launches quantitative COVID IgG spike antibody test - Ortho Clinical Diagnostics announced the launch of the first quantitative COVID-19 IgG antibody test in addition to a total COVID-19 nucleocapsid antibody test. Ortho is the only company that offers laboratories in the U.S. a quantitative test in combination with a nucleocapsid test. Both tests help health care teams differentiate the cause of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and are processed on Ortho's trusted VITROS Systems. "In the United States, all vaccines administered are designed to create an antibody response against the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus," Ivan Salgo, M.D., head of medical, clinical and scientific affairs, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics. "Ortho's new quantitative IgG antibody test, together with its new nucleocapsid antibody test, can provide additional data to help determine whether an antibody response came from natural infection or a spike-protein targeting vaccine."

15:17 EDT Guardant Health: FDA approves Guardant360 CDx as companion for RYBREVANT - Guardant Health (GH) announces that the U.S. FDA has approved the Guardant360 CDx liquid biopsy test as the first and only companion diagnostic for Janssen Biotech's (JNJ) RYBREVANT. The Guardant360 CDx test will be used for tumor mutation profiling, or comprehensive genomic profiling, to identify patients with locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer who harbor the EGFR exon 20 insertion mutation and may benefit from targeted treatment with RYBREVANT after progressing on or after platinum-based chemotherapy.

15:01 EDT Correction: FDA posts recall for Boston Scientific's VICI venous stent - This corrects a prior report that incorrectly attributed the recall to Becton Dickinson (BDX).

13:02 EDT Baker Hughes reports U.S. rig count up 2 to 455 rigs - Baker Hughes reports that the U.S. rig count is up 2 from last week to 455 with oil rigs up 4 to 356, gas rigs down 1 to 99, and miscellaneous rigs down 1 to 0. The U.S. Rig Count is up 137 rigs from last year's count of 318, with oil rigs up 119 gas rigs up 20 and miscellaneous rigs down 2. The U.S. Offshore Rig Count is down 1 to 14, up 2 year-over-year. The Canada Rig Count is down 1 from last week to 58, with oil rigs unchanged at 25, gas rigs down 1 to 33. Canada Rig Count is up 37 rigs from last year's count of 21, with oil rigs up 17, gas rigs up 20.

13:01 EDT Baker Hughes reports U.S. rig count up 2 to 455 rigs

12:37 EDT FDA approves J&J's Rybrevant, Guardant's companion diagnostic - The Food and Drug Administration said it approved Rybrevant as the first treatment for adult patients with non-small cell lung cancer whose tumors have specific types of genetic mutations: epidermal growth factor receptor exon 20 insertion mutations. The FDA also approved the Guardant360 CDx from Guardant Health (GH) as a companion diagnostic for Rybrevant today. The FDA granted approval of Rybrevant to Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson (JNJ).

12:00 EDT TAL Education falls -8.2% - TAL Education is down -8.2%, or -$3.95 to $43.99.

12:00 EDT BIT Mining Limited falls -15.2% - BIT Mining Limited is down -15.2%, or -$1.92 to $10.75.

12:00 EDT Global Cord Blood rises 13.9% - Global Cord Blood is up 13.9%, or 73c to $5.98.

11:56 EDT Ford CEO reports over 44,500 reservations for F-150 lightning in under 48 hours - Ford CEO Jim Farley tweeted that the company has taken more than 44,500 reservations for its electric F-150 Lightning pickup in less than 48 hours. CNBC reported yesterday that Ford had taken 20,000 reservations for the vehicle in less than 12 hours, The Fly notes. Reference Link

11:36 EDT Walmart commits to spending 2% of total budget with Black-owned media businesses - William White, Chief Marketing Officer, Walmart U.S., said in a statement: "As we continue our journey to build a better Walmart for our associates and the communities we serve, we are working to advance racial equity in and outside of our company... We're committing to deeper and longer-term relationships with minority-owned media partners. In particular, we will spend at minimum 2% of our total budget with Black-owned media businesses this year and 4% next year, and that figure will continue to grow." Additionally, White said: "To ensure we're telling more inclusive stories, we're focused on fostering diversity behind the camera. We've committed that 40% of all production directors and photographers will be women or under-represented minorities. And 40% of the crew will also be women or under-represented minorities." Reference Link

11:18 EDT CN, KCS merger to be funded with cash on hand, $19B of new debt

11:17 EDT Canadian National, Kansas City Southern enter definitive merger agreement - CN (CNI) and Kansas City Southern (KSU) announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, which was unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of each company, KCS shareholders will receive $3252 per common share based on CN's May 13, 2021 offer, which implies a total enterprise value of $33.6B, including the assumption of approximately $3.8B of KCS debt. KCS shareholders will receive $200 in cash and 1.129 shares of CN common stock for each KCS common share, with KCS shareholders expected to own 12.6% of the combined company. This represents an implied premium of 45% when compared to KCS' unaffected closing stock price on March 19, 2021. KCS' preferred shareholders will receive $37.50 in cash for each preferred share. The cash portion of the consideration will be funded through a combination of cash-on-hand and approximately $19B of new debt. "Upon closing of the transaction and including the assumption of approximately $3.8B of KCS debt, we expect to have outstanding debt of approximately $33B, representing a leverage ratio of 4.5x pro forma 2021 EBITDA, and we expect to maintain an investment grade credit rating. Based on the proposed exchange ratio and CN's current quarterly dividend of C$0.615 per CN share, KCS shareholders are expected to receive the equivalent of $2.30 in annual dividends per KCS share." CN and KCS are confident in their ability to obtain all necessary regulatory approvals, including from the Surface Transportation Board and the Federal Economic Competition Commission and Federal Telecommunications Institute in Mexico. CN has proposed a "plain vanilla" voting trust. Upon KCS shareholder approval of the transaction, and satisfaction of customary closing conditions, CN will acquire KCS shares and place them into the voting trust. KCS shareholders will receive the merger consideration immediately upon the closing of CN's voting trust, which is expected to be in the second half of 2021. Following this step, the STB and other regulatory authorities must approve CN's control of KCS. The completion of the transaction is expected to take place in the second half of 2022. Upon completion, CN and KCS will begin the integration process to realize the significant benefits of the combination for their stakeholders.

11:03 EDT Modine Manufacturing promotes Michael Lucareli to EVP, CFO - Modine Manufacturing announced the promotion of Michael Lucareli to Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer. Lucareli has served as Vice President, Finance and CFO since July, 2010, the company noted. "I am honored to be asked to take on this expanded role. I have been part of this Company for over two decades, and have never been more excited about the company's potential," said Lucareli.

11:00 EDT Tesla Superchargers to be available at Oxford electric vehicle hub - Oxford City Council and Pivot Power, part of EDF Renewables (ECIFY), have joined up with Fastned, Tesla (TSLA) Superchargers and Wenea to deliver Europe's "most powerful" EV charging hub in Oxford, the council said. The Oxford Superhub, which will be located at Redbridge Park & Ride will see the installation of 38 fast and ultra-rapid chargers - making it the UK's largest electric vehicle charging hub. It is the first of up to 40 similar sites planned by Pivot Power across the UK to help deliver charging infrastructure for the estimated 36M EVs by 2040. The Oxford Superhub at Redbridge Park & Ride, which is expected to open to the public later in 2021, will see up to 10MW of power on site - enough to meet the growing need for EV charging in the area for the next 30 years. The Oxford Superhub will see the installation of: 10 Fastned chargers with up to 300kW of power, capable of adding 300 miles of range in just 20 minutes for up to hundreds of EVs per day; 16 Gamma Energy chargers with between 7-22kW of power; 12 250kW Tesla Superchargers will be available for Tesla owners; The station will be powered by 100% renewable energy, partly generated by Fastned's trademark solar roof, and all makes and models of EVs will be able to charge at the highest rates possible simultaneously. Chargers will be open 24/7, offering charging for a wide range of electric vehicle types. Reference Link

10:54 EDT Kansas City Southern board determinates CN proposal 'superior' to CP deal - Kansas City Southern (KSU) announced that the Company's Board of Directors, in consultation with its financial and legal advisors, has unanimously determined that the acquisition proposal KCS received from Canadian National Railway Company (CNI) on May 13, 2021 continues to constitute a "Company Superior Proposal" under KCS's pending merger agreement with Canadian Pacific Railway Limited (CP). Following this determination, KCS terminated the CP merger agreement and entered into a merger agreement with CN. Under the terms of the CN merger agreement, upon closing, each share of KCS common stock will be exchanged for $200 in cash and 1.129 shares of CN common stock. Closing will be subject to customary conditions, including KCS stockholder approval and approval by the Surface Transportation Board of CN's proposed voting trust. In connection with the termination of the CP merger agreement, KCS paid CP a breakup fee of $700M, which will be reimbursed by CN. KCS will be obligated to refund this amount under certain limited circumstances, including if KCS terminates the CN merger agreement to accept a superior proposal.

10:46 EDT Spotify launches offline music downloads on Apple Watch - Spotify (SPOT) is rolling out the ability for users to download playlists, albums, and podcasts on Apple Watch (AAPL). All users are already able to play tracks, albums, playlists, and podcasts, and now Premium users will also be able to download everything they're listening to for a true offline and phone-free experience. This is on top of all the other Spotify features on Apple Watch-from Connect & Control to streaming to Siri, Spotify said. Reference Link

10:42 EDT Bitcoin tumbles as China reiterates call for 'crackdown' on mining and trading - China's State Council said in a statement issued on Friday after a meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Committee chaired by Vice Premier Liu He that the nation is calling for a crackdown on bitcoin mining and trading and vowing to "resolutely" prevent and control financial risks, according to a translation of a Chinese-language notice posted by the China Government Network. Among the committee's goals are to "further serve the real economy," to "resolutely prevent and control financial risks," which includes a "crack down on Bitcoin mining and trading behavior," and to "continue to deepen reform and opening up," according to a translation of the statement. In morning trading following China's statement, Bitcoin's price is down 10% on a 24-hour basis to $37,607. Reference Link

10:28 EDT E Home Household Service Holdings Ltd trading resumes

10:21 EDT Deere managing through significant inflation for raw materials, logistics

10:20 EDT Urban One trading resumes

10:05 EDT Halozyme reports two positive CHMP opinions received by J&J's Janssen - Halozyme Therapeutics (HALO) announced that Johnson & Johnson's (JNJ) Janssen has received two positive opinions from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, or CHMP, of the European Medicines Agency recommending to broaden the existing marketing authorization for the DARZALEX subcutaneous formulation, which uses ENHANZE technology, in two new indications. One recommendation is for the use in combination with cyclophosphamide, bortezomib and dexamethasone for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed systemic light chain amyloidosis. The second recommendation is for the use of daratumumab SC in combination with pomalidomide and dexamethasone for the treatment of adult patients with multiple myeloma who have received one prior therapy containing a proteasome inhibitor and lenalidomide and were lenalidomide-refractory, or who have received at least two prior therapies that included lenalidomide and a proteasome inhibitor and have demonstrated disease progression on or after the last therapy. These two positive opinions will next be reviewed by the European Commission, which has the authority to grant final approval of the indications, Halozyme noted.

10:00 EDT Youdao falls -6.4% - Youdao is down -6.4%, or -$1.65 to $24.07.

10:00 EDT TAL Education falls -8.2% - TAL Education is down -8.2%, or -$3.91 to $44.03.

10:00 EDT Deckers Brands rises 7.9% - Deckers Brands is up 7.9%, or $24.62 to $335.84.

10:00 EDT Yalla rises 12.3% - Yalla is up 12.3%, or $1.96 to $17.92.

09:47 EDT New Oriental Education falls -7.2% - New Oriental Education is down -7.2%, or -85c to $10.90.

09:47 EDT TAL Education falls -10.3% - TAL Education is down -10.3%, or -$4.92 to $43.02.

09:47 EDT Yalla rises 8.1% - Yalla is up 8.1%, or $1.29 to $17.25.

09:39 EDT FedEx raising peak surcharges on some services, effective June 21 - FedEx stated in a shipping rate change notice posted to its corporate site: "FedEx has kept commerce moving and delivered critical shipments throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of the virus continues to generate elevated volumes, high demand for capacity and increased operating costs across our network. To provide our customers with the best possible service during this challenging time, we are implementing an increase to the peak surcharges on some services effective June 21, 2021 until further notice." Reference Link

09:27 EDT Annovis jumps after Alzheimer's drug shows 30% cognitive improvement in study - Annovis Bio announced new results from a double-blind, placebo-controlled study of ANVS401, its lead drug candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Patients treated with ANVS401 for 25 days showed "statistically significant" cognitive improvement as measured by the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale 11, the company said in a statement. From baseline to 25 days in the ANVS401-treated group, ADAS-Cog11 improved by 4.4 points, a statistically significant improvement of 30%, Annovis noted. Additionally, the ANVS401-treated group compared to placebo group at 25 days showed an improvement of 3.3 points, or 22%. The safety profile of ANVS401 in the interim analysis was consistent with prior safety data that shows it to be safe at 80 mg once a day in humans, it added. Following completion of the Phase 2a trial, Annovis will request a meeting with the FDA to present the results of the trial and its chronic toxicology study in animals. "The results from the first cohort of 14 AD and 14 PD patients, show that the drug is effective in both diseases," stated Maria Maccecchini, CEO of Annovis. The company's shares are up 38%, or $10.12, to $36.50 in premarket trading.

09:20 EDT Annovis Bio announces positive results from NIH funded toxicology study - The company states: "Annovis Bio announced it successfully completed the rat cohort of a chronic toxicology study of its lead therapeutic compound ANVS401, reporting no negative side effects. The six-month rat study was part of a series of animal toxicology studies, funded by a $1.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, that began in the fourth quarter of 2019. The safety seen in the rats corroborates the positive results from the Company's prior one-month safety studies in mice, rats, dogs, and humans. A nine-month dog safety study remains ongoing under the NIH funded program, with results expected in the third quarter of 2020." Shares of Annovis Bio are up 37% in pre-market trading above $36.

09:12 EDT Diana Shipping announces results of 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders - Diana Shipping announced that the Company's Annual Meeting of Shareholders was duly held on May 20, 2021, in a virtual format only via the Internet, pursuant to a Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders dated April 9, 2021. Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. acted as inspector of the Meeting. At the Meeting, each of the following proposals, which are set forth in more detail in the Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders and the Company's Proxy Statement sent to shareholders on or around April 9, 2021, was approved and adopted: The election of Simeon Palios, Anastasios Margaronis and Ioannis Zafirakis as Class I Directors of the Company, to serve until the Company's 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders; The appointment of Ernst & Young Certified Auditors Accountants S.A. as the Company's independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2021; and The amendment to the Company's Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation to effect a reverse stock split of the Company's issued Common Shares, at a ratio of not less than one-for-two and not more than one-for-ten, and to authorize the Board of Directors to implement the reverse stock split by filing an amendment to the Company's Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation with the Registrar of Corporations of the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

09:05 EDT Eagle Bancorp commences modified dutch auction tender offer - Eagle Bancorp Montana announced that it has commenced a modified "Dutch auction" tender offer to purchase for cash up to $6,000,000 of shares of its common stock at a price per share not less than $24.00 and not greater than $26.25, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest. The maximum purchase price of $26.25 represents an 13.20% premium over the 5-trading day Volume Weighted Average Price. On May 20, 2021, the closing price of the Common Stock was $23.79 per share. The Tender Offer will expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on June 22, 2021, unless extended or terminated. If the Tender Offer is fully subscribed, the Company will purchase between 228,571 shares and 250,000 shares, or between 3.37% and 3.69%, respectively, of the Company's outstanding Common Stock. Any shares tendered may be withdrawn prior to expiration of the Tender Offer. Stockholders that do not wish to participate in the Tender Offer do not need to take any action. None of our directors or executive officers will tender any of their shares in the Tender Offer. The Company proposes to sell to the Opportunity Bank of Montana Employee Stock Ownership Plan shares of common stock having a market value of approximately $6,000,000 shortly after the expiration of the Tender Offer. The purchase of shares pursuant to the Tender Offer is intended to offset the earnings per share dilution which would otherwise result from the sale of shares by the Company to the ESOP. A modified "Dutch auction" tender offer allows stockholders to indicate how many shares of Common Stock and at what price within the range described above they wish to tender their shares. Based on the number of shares tendered and the prices specified by the tendering stockholders, the Company will determine the lowest per-share price that will enable it to acquire up to $6,000,000 of Common Stock. All shares accepted in the Tender Offer will be purchased at the same price even if tendered at a lower price.

09:01 EDT Nvidia announces four-for-one stock split - NVIDIA announced that its board of directors declared a four-for-one split of NVIDIA's common stock in the form of a stock dividend to make stock ownership more accessible to investors and employees. The stock dividend is conditioned on obtaining stockholder approval at the company's 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held virtually on Thursday, June 3, at 11 a.m. PT to increase the number of authorized shares of common stock to 4 billion shares. If approval is obtained, each NVIDIA stockholder of record at the close of business on June 21, 2021, will receive a dividend of three additional shares of common stock for every share held on the record date, to be distributed after the close of trading on July 19, 2021. Trading is expected to begin on a stock split-adjusted basis on July 20.

08:57 EDT Canadian Pacific says prepared to re-engage with Kansas City Southern - Canadian Pacific (CP) sent the following letter to the Surface Transportation Board in response to the Kansas City Southern (KSU) Board of Directors' decision to terminate the Merger Agreement with CP: "I am writing on behalf of the Canadian Pacific Applicants in this proceeding to advise the Board and Interested Parties of the CP Applicants' intentions in light of Kansas City Southern's decision to terminate the merger agreement between CP and Kansas City Southern and to enter a merger agreement with Canadian National Railway. For the reasons explained below, CP intends to proceed to prepare and file its Application in this docket seeking Board authority to control KCS and its U.S. rail carrier subsidiaries. The decision of KCS's board of directors to designate CN's offer a "superior proposal" reflects the extreme price CN has offered KCS in order to extinguish CP's proposed transaction,2 coupled with CN's undertaking to attempt to absolve KCS and its shareholders of the regulatory risks associated with CN's proposed acquisition through the use of a voting trust. In order to neutralize the regulatory risks posed by CN's proposed transaction from the perspective of KCS's shareholders, CN's agreement to acquire KCS is conditioned on CN's ability to acquire KCS shares in advance of receiving Board approval to control KCS via the use of a voting trust. On May 17, the Board ruled in Finance Docket No. 36514 that CN's proposed acquisition of KCS is subject to the 2001 Major Merger rules, and, accordingly, that CN's proposed use of a voting trust requires formal STB approval under 49 U.S.C. Section1180.4(b)(4)(iv). The Board explained that it would "take a more cautious approach to a voting trust" in the CN proceeding and that its "consideration of whether the proposed use of a voting trust in a potential CN-KCS transaction is 'consistent with the public interest' would be informed by argument on both the potential benefits and costs of such use." CP believes that CN cannot demonstrate that its proposed use of a voting trust would be "consistent with the public interest" for reasons CP has already summarized and will address further in its comments on CN's proposal in Finance Docket No. 36514, once CN refiles its motion seeking Board approval and the Board establishes a comment period. Because STB Voting Trust Approval is a condition to closing, were CN unable to use a voting trust, CN's proposed acquisition of KCS could not be consummated. KCS would then face the choice of whether to renegotiate the CN-KCS merger agreement in order to proceed with CN without the use of a voting trust. Were KCS presented with the question of how to proceed following a decision by the Board not to approve CN's proposed use of a voting trust, CP anticipates being available to engage with KCS to enter into another agreement to acquire KCS. CP expects that such an agreement would be in substantially the form of the merger agreement previously entered into by CP and KCS, which was previously noticed in this docket and reviewed by the Board in connection with its approval of CP's proposed voting trust agreement. Accordingly, CP intends to proceed forward with the preparation of its Application in this docket seeking Board authority to acquire control of KCS. CP believes that pursuing its Application is in the best interests of both KCS and the public so that the pro-competitive CP/KCS transaction can proceed to be reviewed by the Board and - in the event KCS's agreement with CN is terminated or CN is otherwise unable to acquire control of KCS - a potential acquisition of KCS by CP could be implemented without undue delay, all in accord with the rulings and processes already established by the Board in this docket. CP looks forward to establishing that its acquisition of control of KCS would be consistent with the public interest."

08:48 EDT Deere sees Production and Precision Ag net sales up 25%-30% - Sees FY21 Production and Precision Ag operating margin 20%-21%. Sees Small Ag and Turf net sales up 20%-25%, with operating margin 16.5%-17.5%. Comments taken from Q2 earnings conference call presentation slides.

08:42 EDT Joann declares quarterly dividend of 10c per share - The Board of Directors of JOANN has declared a quarterly dividend of 10 cents per common share. The dividend is payable June 25, 2021 to shareholders of record at the close of business June 11, 2021. The 1st Quarter dividend will be the company's first since it listed on NASDAQ on March 12 of this year.

08:40 EDT Verus International secures multiple orders for Waffles line - Verus International is providing a corporate update to inform investors of business trends.The company said, "Verus is currently in the midst of an ongoing transition and turnaround program under the direction of Andy Dhruv, who assumed the role of CEO in February 2021. In terms of sales efforts, the Company just attended the TPE International Expo in Las Vegas, NV, which is one of the largest B2B trade shows of its kind. The Pachyderm Labs division secured multiple orders for the new Waffles line, which has quickly become the division's fastest selling product line to date in the CBD/hemp category. The Company currently has more demand than it can produce for this new product line and is working to increase its supply. A high priority remains around expense rationalization, as management is concentrating on reducing recurring and future expense items that fall under the General and Administrative category. The goal is to identify and eliminate as many non-essential expenses as possible in order to achieve profitability. Recent expense rationalizations within the G&A category include rent, promotional, and other services deemed non-essential during this turnaround period. As previously reported, the Company has continued moving away from lower-margin product lines with large future cash commitments required by royalties or supply agreements."

08:38 EDT Genesco names three new independent board directors - Genesco (GCO) announced the appointments of three new independent directors, former Chairman and CEO of Deckers Brands (DECK), Angel Martinez; CFO of Valvoline (VVV) and former CFO of DSW (DSW), Mary Meixelsperger; and former CEO of Tractor Supply Company (TSCO), Greg Sandfort, to the Genesco Board of Directors, effective immediately. Current directors Kathleen Mason and Marty Dickens will retire from the Board at the start of Genesco's 2021 Annual Meeting of Shareholders, at which time the Board will be comprised of nine directors. These updates and changes are part of Genesco's ongoing Board refreshment program and align with its commitment to diversity and new perspectives. Following the Annual Meeting, a majority of Genesco's directors will have been appointed since 2019, four of Genesco's dedicated and longer-serving directors will have retired over the same period, and the average tenure on the Board will be five years. These changes strengthen the skillset, enhance the diversity, and substantially reduce the average tenure of Genesco's Board.

08:35 EDT InspireMD comments trading on Nasdaq Capital Market - InspireMD announced that the Company's shares will commence trading on The Nasdaq Capital Market, May 21, 2021, under the symbol NSPR.

08:33 EDT Civista Bancshares announces three tactical transactions - Civista Bancshares (CIVB) announced three tactical transactions. On May 17, Civista entered into an agreement to sell 7,361 shares of Visa (V) Class B common stock at a pre-tax gain of approximately $1.8M. The carrying value of the Visa Class B shares on the company's balance sheet was $100 as the Bank had no other historical cost basis in the shares. On May 19, Civista also completed a $50M prepayment of long-term Federal Home Loan Bank advances with a rate of 2.05% and a remaining maturity of approximately 8 years. This transaction was accounted for as an early debt extinguishment resulting in a loss, reported within noninterest expense, of $3.7M in the second quarter. The debt prepayment, funded with excess cash, will save approximately $1M in annual interest expense. In addition, Civista redeployed $100M of excess cash into a mix of investments, yielding 1.50% with an average duration of 5.2 years. The net effect of these three transactions is a pre-tax net loss of $1.9M and has an estimated earn-back of 0.8 years. The transactions will create 12c of accretion to earnings per share on an annualized basis and improve net interest margin by 17 basis points on an annualized basis.

08:32 EDT Myovant Sciences receives positive CHMP opinion for RYEQO - Myovant Sciences announced the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency has adopted a positive opinion recommending the approval of RYEQO for the treatment of moderate to severe symptoms of uterine fibroids in adult women of reproductive age. The European Commission will review the CHMP recommendation, and a final decision on the Marketing Authorization Application is expected to be available in approximately two months. The decision will be applicable to all 27 European Union member states plus Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein. The positive opinion recommending approval is based on safety and efficacy data from the Phase 3 LIBERTY program, which consisted of two replicate, 24-week, multinational clinical studies, a one-year extension study, and a randomized withdrawal study assessing the safety and efficacy for up to two years of relugolix combination therapy. Results from the LIBERTY 1 and LIBERTY 2 studies were published in the New England Journal of Medicine in February 2021.

08:17 EDT Conduent announces intent to refinance term loans, revolving facilty - Conduent Incorporated announced its intention to replace its existing term loans, due in 2022 and 2023, with a new term loan due in 2028 and Senior Secured Notes due in 2029, that together are expected to have a principal amount of $1.5B. In addition, the company will replace its existing revolving facility with a new $550M revolving facility. The principal amounts of the above financings are subject to change.

08:14 EDT PPG receives Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia approval for Tikkurila deal - PPG announced that it has received regulatory approval from the Federal Antimonopoly Service of Russia for the completion of its tender offer for all of the shares of Tikkurila. With this approval, PPG has received all required regulatory approvals for completion of the tender offer and has announced that the tender offer will expire on June 4. PPG expects to complete the tender offer and close the transaction on or about June 10.

08:12 EDT Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown launches NFT - Heisman Trophy winner and Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Tim Brown has launched his first nonfungible tokens this week: H2H Legends of Football: Tim Brown. An NFT along with an accompanying limited-edition collectible called Playbooks kicks off a series produced by the new partnership between the Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company (HOFV), Dolphin Entertainment (DLPN) and H2H, the brand that represents the only 10 men in football history to win a Heisman Trophy and be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Tim Brown's NFTs, created by award-winning artists, are now live on OpenSea, the world's first and largest digital marketplace for crypto collectibles and NFTs, and will be available through May 24. Following this, NFTs for fellow H2H Legends Earl Campbell, Doak Walker and others will be unveiled.

08:11 EDT Stratus Properties shareholder urges shareholders to vote for director nominees - Oasis Management is a manager to a fund that is a long-term shareholder of Stratus Properties, that beneficially owns over 13.5% of Stratus' ordinary shares. Oasis urges Stratus shareholders to vote on the gold proxy card for the independent Oasis director nominees. While Institutional Shareholder Services, or ISS, recommends shareholders "oppose the reelection of long-tenured incumbent James Leslie", Oasis disagrees with ISS that the election of only one of Oasis' nominees is sufficient change to the composition to the board. In addition to Laurie Dotter, who ISS recognized should be elected to the board, Oasis encourages shareholders to elect Ella Benson and Jamie De la Garza.

08:09 EDT Onconova announces initial dosing of first patient in Phase 1 trial of ON 123300 - Onconova Therapeutics announced that the first patient has been dosed in the U.S. Phase 1 clinical trial of ON 123300, the Company's proprietary, novel multi-kinase inhibitor. The trial is expected to include three U.S. sites that will enroll patients with advanced cancer including, but not limited to, HR+ HER 2- metastatic breast cancer patients who are refractory to, or progressing on, currently approved CDK 4/6 inhibitors. The Phase 1 trial is designed to assess the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of ON 123300 administered orally as monotherapy at increasing doses starting at 40 mg daily for consecutive 28-day cycles. Following completion of the dose-escalation phase of the trial and once the recommended Phase 2 dose is established, additional patients with HR+ HER 2- metastatic breast cancer with at least one prior line of therapy, which are expected to include approved CDK 4/6 inhibitors, will be enrolled into the trial with the intent to identify signals of efficacy. Additional cancer indications are also under consideration for study, and will be chosen based on preclinical and developing data.

08:05 EDT Dorman Products announces initiative to ramp up heavy duty parts support - Dorman Products announced that its HD Solutions group has ramped up manufacturing and delivery of certain replacement parts to help keep customers' heavy and medium duty trucks rolling as COVID-19 continues to disrupt supply chains. As the global pandemic grinds on, a number of the heavy and medium duty trucks that move freight in North America continue to be impacted by declining inventories of certain original equipment repair parts. Critical replacement components, particularly those that trucks need to properly maintain diesel engine exhaust emissions systems, are in short supply in many locations. Major truck manufacturers have boosted production of those parts but much of that incremental factory output is being absorbed by a surge in new truck orders. As a result, a number of trucks and the freight they transport are sidelined waiting for back-ordered parts once readily available at original equipment dealers.

08:05 EDT Bluebird Bio receives CHMP recommendation for Skysona marketing authorization - Bluebird Bio announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, or CHMP, of the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, adopted an opinion recommending marketing authorization for Skysona, a one-time gene therapy for the treatment of early cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy, or CALD, in patients less than 18 years of age with an ABCD1 genetic mutation, and for whom a human leukocyte antigen, or HLA-matched sibling hematopoietic stem cell, or HSC, donor is not available. If approved by the European Commission, or EC, Skysona will be the first one-time gene therapy approved to treat CALD, a rare neurodegenerative disease that occurs in childhood and can lead to progressive, irreversible loss of neurological function and death. The CHMP's opinion will now be reviewed by the EC, which has the authority to grant marketing authorization for Skysona in the European Union, or EU. A CHMP opinion is one of the final steps before the EC decides whether to authorize a new medicine. A final decision by the EC for Skysona is anticipated in mid-2021. Skysona is not approved for any indication in any geography.

08:03 EDT Data Storage appoints Chris Panagiotakos as CFO - Data Storage Corporation (DTST) announced that Chris Panagiotakos has joined Data Storage Corporation as CFO. Panagiotakos previously served as the Vice President and Corporate Controller of Cinedigm (CIDM) from April 2017 until March 2021, where he was responsible for the company's accounting function, oversight of the company's external audit, compliance and controls in addition to staff training and development.

08:02 EDT Kroger reaches agreement with local unions - Kroger announced that certain associates within the Fred Meyer and QFC divisions have ratified an agreement with four local unions for the transfer of liabilities from the Sound Retirement Trust to the UFCW Consolidated Pension Plan. This new arrangement will help secure the pension benefits of more than 10,600 Kroger Family of Companies' associates and is expected to minimize the organization's exposure to market risk going forward while also reducing administrative costs. This agreement has been approved by the UFCW Consolidated Pension Plan, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, Sound Retirement Trust, and the local unions. As a result, Kroger will transfer approximately $400M in net accrued pension liabilities, on a pre-tax basis, to fulfill obligations for past service for associates and retirees from the Sound Retirement Trust to the UFCW Consolidated Pension Plan. On an after-tax basis, approximately $310M would be needed to execute this transaction. This agreement will be satisfied by installment payments to the UFCW Consolidated Pension Plan and is expected to be paid evenly over the next six years. Benefits for future service for these associates are expected to accrue in a newly created variable annuity pension plan administered by the Sound Retirement Trust. As a result of this agreement, the organization will incur a charge to net earnings during the first quarter of 2021. The charge to net earnings is estimated to be approximately 40c per diluted share on a GAAP basis. This does not affect adjusted earnings per diluted share results for 2021, which are provided on a basis that excludes adjustment items such as this contribution.

07:54 EDT Cathie Wood's ARK Investment discloses 2545K shares of Coinbase bought yesterday

07:52 EDT Cathie Wood's ARK Investment discloses 1M shares of Iovance bought yesterday

07:34 EDT InflaRx appoints Tony Gibney to board of directors - InflaRx announced Tony Gibney has been appointed as a Non-Executive Director to the Board of Directors at InflaRx. Gibney's appointment was approved by InflaRx's shareholders at the 2021 annual shareholder meeting. Mark Kubler and Lina Ma were re-appointed as Non-Executive Directors to the Board of Directors. Gibney is currently the CFO and CBO at FogPharma, overseeing and driving the business development, strategy and finance functions of the company

07:33 EDT Humacyte presents findings from models in whole-lung engineering - Humacyte shared new findings from laboratory and pre-clinical models supporting the potential to engineer functional airsacs in the lung, which are the key elements for engineering a whole functional lung organ. The findings demonstrate that single-cell gene expression data point to cell-cell communication in the lung alveolus, a key finding that may help to engineer functional lung tissues in the future. Future pre-clinical studies will aim to identify the interactions that are most important for critical alveolar cell functions, and to determine the degree of functionality of these engineered lung segments. On February 17, 2021, Alpha Healthcare Acquisition, a special purpose acquisition company, and Humacyte announced the execution of a definitive business combination agreement along with a fully committed $175M PIPE financing agreement.

07:25 EDT Village Farms announces normal course issuer bid - Village Farms announced that the Toronto Stock Exchange has accepted a notice filed by the company of its intention to make a normal course issuer bid. The NCIB notice provides that Village Farms may, during the 12-month period commencing May 26, 2021 and terminating May 25, 2022, purchase up to 4,062,309 of its common shares, representing approximately 5% of the company's issued and outstanding Common Shares, by way of a NCIB over the facilities of the TSX, The NASDAQ Stock Market and/or through alternative trading systems in Canada and the United States.

07:09 EDT The Buckle jumps 9% to $43.49 after Q1 results beat estimates

07:06 EDT Trident Acquisitions files proxy supplement regarding stockholder proposal - Trident Acquisitions Corp. announced that it has filed today with the Securities and Exchange Commission a supplement to its proxy statement seeking approval of its stockholders to extend the time to complete its business combination for an additional three months to September 1, 2021, subject to an additional three month extension to December 1, 2021 upon approval of the Company's board of directors. The proxy supplement reflects that pursuant to an amendment to the Company's Trust Agreement, the Company changed the vote required to amend the Trust Agreement for purposes of extending the date by which the Company has to consummate a business combination from a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock sold in the Company's IPO to a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock. In addition, for each month of the extension, if the daily volume weighted average price of the Company's common stock for any 10 consecutive trading days in the prior month is below $11.40 per share, as determined two trading days prior to the last day of such month, the Company must deposit, or cause to be deposited by its insiders, $0.05 for each public share of common stock that was not redeemed in connection with the special meeting into the Company's trust account. The purpose of the Extension is to permit sufficient time for Trident to consummate its previously announced proposed business combination with Lottery.com, including filing a registration statement on Form S-4 that will include a proxy statement. For a summary of the material terms of the proposed transaction, please see Trident's Current Report on Form 8-K filed on February 23, 2021 with the SEC in connection with the announcement of the proposed business combination.

07:04 EDT VF Corp. reports Q4 adjusted gross margin 52.7% - In Q4: Gross margin decreased 100 basis points to 52.1%, primarily driven by elevated promotional activity to clear excess inventory and the timing of net foreign currency transaction activity. On an adjusted basis, gross margin decreased 120 basis points, including a 60 basis point positive impact from acquisitions, to 52.7%.

07:04 EDT BeiGene announces RATIONALE 309 trial meets primary endpoint - BeiGene announced that the Phase 3 RATIONALE 309 trial of its anti-PD-1 antibody tislelizumab combined with chemotherapy versus placebo combined with chemotherapy as a first-line treatment for patients with recurrent or metastatic nasopharyngeal cancer, or NPC, met its primary endpoint of progression-free survival, or PFS, at the interim analysis, as recommended by an independent data monitoring committee. In the trial results, tislelizumab in combination with chemotherapy demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in PFS in the intention-to-treat, or ITT, population when compared to chemotherapy alone, as assessed by an independent review committee, or IRC. The safety profile of tislelizumab was consistent with its known risks, with no new safety signals identified with the addition of chemotherapy. BeiGene plans to discuss these data with health authorities and present data at an upcoming medical conference. RATIONALE 309 is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 clinical trial designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tislelizumab combined with gemcitabine and cisplatin versus placebo combined with gemcitabine and cisplatin as a first-line treatment for patients with recurrent or metastatic NPC. The trial's primary endpoint is PFS as assessed by IRC in the ITT population. Key secondary endpoints include overall survival, or OS, IRC-assessed objective response rate (ORR) and duration of response, or DoR, and investigator-assessed PFS. A total of 263 Asian patients were enrolled and randomized 1:1 to either the tislelizumab plus chemotherapy arm or the placebo plus chemotherapy arm.

07:03 EDT Red White & Bloom Brands shareholders approve deferring conversion date - Red White & Bloom Brands reported the results of the special meeting of the holders of common shares and the Series 2 convertible preferred shares and a class meeting of the holders of the Series 2 convertible preferred shares held. At the Special Meeting, shareholders representing 99.62% of the votes cast attached to the common shares and the Series 2 preferred convertible shares and 98.44% percent of the votes cast attached to the series 2 convertible preferred shares, voted to approve a special resolution authorizing the Company to alter the articles of the Company that will in effect change the conversion date of the Series 2 convertible preferred shares such that each Series 2 shareholder shall be entitled to convert any whole number of Series 2 convertible preferred shares into validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable common shares on any business day after the eighteenth month anniversary, being October 24th, 2021, of the date upon which the Series 2 convertible preferred shares were issued by the Company. In order for the resolution to pass, the Company required approval from two-thirds of the votes cast by the common shareholders and the Series 2 shareholders present in person or represented by proxy at the Special Meeting. The company said, "After careful consideration from the advice of its professional advisors, among other things, the board of directors believes that the holders of common shares, the holders of Series 2 convertible preferred shares and the Company as a whole will each benefit from the Alteration as it will allow the Company more time to build investor awareness in the Company, which in turn should allow for a more orderly market for the common shares when the Series 2 convertible preferred shares are convertible."

07:01 EDT Talos Energy provides update regarding unitization process for Zama discovery - Talos Energy provided an interim update regarding the unitization process for the company's Zama discovery in offshore Mexico. Talos's interim update clarifies information recently disclosed by Petroleos Mexicanos in its annual report. Talos, Block 7 partners and Pemex, with involvement from the Mexican Ministry of Energy, or SENER, are working to finalize terms of a Unitization and Unit Operating Agreement, or UUOA based on international best practices and considering inputs from the parties. The UUOA will address initial tract participating interest splits, the mechanism to re-determine those splits in the future and operatorship, among other key topics. A third-party reservoir engineering firm engaged by the Block 7 partners and Pemex to evaluate Initial Tract Participation, or ITP, within the Zama reservoir recently concluded that the Block 7 consortium led by Talos holds 49.6% of the gross interest in Zama and Pemex holds 50.4%. The UUOA will separately provide for specific milestones upon which participating interest splits among the Zama parties will be re-determined and adjusted based on evolving data collected over the asset lifecycle. Redetermination provisions are standard in unitizations and ensure equitable participation over time. Under the redetermination provisions in the Zama UUOA, Block 7 partners and Pemex will reevaluate the ITP and subsequently determined splits in line with international best practices.

06:58 EDT VF Corp. expects FY22 adjusted gross margin to exceed 56% - Which represents an estimated increase of more than 270 basis points. FY22 adjusted operating margin is expected to approximate 12.8%, which represents an estimated increase of approximately 480 basis points. Adjusted cash flow from operations is expected to exceed $1B. Other full year assumptions include an effective tax rate of approximately 15% and capital expenditures of approximately $350M.

06:52 EDT Booz Allen sees FY22 net cash from operating activities $800M-$850M

06:14 EDT AstraZeneca's COVID vaccine Vaxzevria authorized for emergency use in Japan - AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, Vaxzevria, formerly AZD1222, "has been granted a special approval for emergency use in Japan for active immunization of individuals aged 18 years and older, to prevent COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2. The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare granted the approval based on positive Phase III efficacy and safety data from the Oxford University-led clinical trial program in the UK, Brazil and South Africa, and a Phase I/II trial in Japan. Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency recommends that the use of Vaxzevria should be limited to adults and administered intramuscularly as two 0.5 mL doses given four to 12 weeks apart, with an interval greater than eight weeks being preferable to maximize its efficacy. This dosing regimen was shown in clinical trials to be well-tolerated and effective in preventing symptomatic COVID-19, with no severe cases and no hospitalizations more than 14 days after the second dose."

06:02 EDT Yalla announces up to $150M share repurchase program, comments on short sellers - Yalla announced that its board of directors has authorized a share repurchase program under which the company may repurchase up to $150M worth of its outstanding American depositary shares, or ADSs, each representing one Class A ordinary share, and/or Class A ordinary shares over the next 12 months starting from May 21. The company said, "Certain recent allegations by short sellers against Yalla contain distorted, misleading, and unsubstantiated claims regarding the Company. These allegations illustrated these short sellers' lack of understanding of the Company's business model and the feelings and sentiments within the Company's user community. The Company affirms that it has not placed any robots into any of its chatrooms or otherwise manipulated its MAU or other operating or financial data. Yalla has a solid business model and monetization model which have been delivering strong revenue and profit, leading to solid cash balance. After considering the Company's strong cash position, and in order to protect shareholders' value and demonstrate the Company's confidence in its continued growth and long-term prospects, Yalla's board of directors has authorized a share repurchase plan under which the Company may repurchase up to US$150 million of its shares over the next 12 months."

05:22 EDT Takeda Pharmaceutical announces MHLW approval for Moderna COVID-19 vaccine - Takeda Pharmaceutical (TAK) announced that the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, or MHLW, granted special approval under article 14-3 of the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Act for emergency use of Moderna's (MRNA) mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, TAK-919, now known as COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna Intramuscular Injection, in Japan. The approval is based on positive clinical data from Takeda's Phase 1/2 immunogenicity and safety clinical trial of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine in Japan, which showed an immune response consistent with results from Moderna's pivotal Phase 3 COVE trial conducted in the United States. Takeda plans to begin distribution in Japan immediately. The approval is the result of a three-way agreement announced in October 2020 with Moderna and Government of Japan's Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare, or MHLW, to distribute 50M doses of TAK-919 in Japan in the first half of 2021. Takeda also entered into a collaboration with Novavax (NVAX) to develop, manufacture and commercialize Novavax' COVID-19 vaccine candidate in Japan.

05:15 EDT Liberty Global, Digital Colony announce creation of AtlasEdge Data Centers JV - Liberty Global and Digital Colony announced the creation of AtlasEdge Data Centers, a European edge data center business. The creation of the proposed JV is subject to receipt of customary regulatory and merger control approvals. Liberty Global and Digital Colony expect the transaction to close in Q3. AtlasEdge will deliver services via a network of facilities located close to consumer and enterprise end users, the "edge" of the network. The company aims to serve the growing demand from cloud providers, streaming services and enterprises for high-performance, scalable and secure facilities through which they can distribute low-latency applications and services such as 5G, gaming, IOT and edge compute. Liberty Global will contribute digital infrastructure assets, including its technical real estate portfolios, at levels consistent with European digital infrastructure valuations. Liberty Global will also provide strategic and operational support to the business. Digital Colony will provide operating expertise, strategic direction and capital to support the growth and consolidation opportunity in edge co-location services across Europe. Upon closing of the JV, Josh Joshi will join and lead AtlasEdge's board of directors as executive chairman. Joshi has over 20 years of experience in the digital infrastructure sector, holding senior positions at several companies. AtlasEdge will be supported by anchor tenancies from Liberty Global operating companies in four European countries: Virgin Media in the UK and in Ireland, Sunrise-UPC in Switzerland and UPC in Poland. AtlasEdge will provide infrastructure services to third parties at the edge.

05:04 EDT Inspire Medical says Anthem to cover Inspire therapy, effective May 20 - Inspire Medical Systems (INSP) announced last night hat Anthem (ANTM) will provide coverage for the company's Inspire therapy, effective May 20. "We are pleased to receive this positive coverage decision from Anthem, bringing the total to 64 commercial insurance plans, representing approximately 262 million members, that cover Inspire therapy," said Tim Herbert, CEO of Inspire Medical Systems. "Anthem was providing approval through the prior authorization process and conducted a mid-cycle review of the Inspire technology, resulting in this positive coverage policy. This positive coverage decision provides additional OSA patients who are unable to benefit from CPAP the opportunity to gain access to Inspire therapy." In addition to these commercial coverage policies, Inspire therapy also has Medicare coverage across the entire United States, the company added.