Stockwinners Market Radar for August 02, 2021 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:16 EDT Sealed Air announces conclusion of SEC investigation - Sealed Air Corporation announced that it has received notification from the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission that the previously disclosed investigation has concluded as it relates to the company. The SEC staff notified Sealed Air that it does not intend to recommend any enforcement action against the company. Sealed Air is pleased to put this matter behind it. Separately, the SEC filed two settled orders arising out of the same investigation for conduct related to the process by which Ernst & Young LLP was selected as Sealed Air's auditor and related to EY's independence in connection with its audit of the company's financial statements for fiscal year 2015. The SEC issued one order against the company's former CFO, William Stiehl, and one order against EY and one current and two former partners of EY. Sealed Air terminated its former CFO in June 2019 and terminated EY's engagement as auditor in August 2019.

18:36 EDT Procter & Gamble exec Tastad sells 7,772 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Procter & Gamble's healthcare unit CEO Carolyn Tastad disclosed the sale of 7,772 common shares of the company on August 2 at a price of $141.77 per share.

18:08 EDT General Dynamics awarded $225.18M Navy contract modification - General Dynamics was awarded a $225.18M modification to a previously awarded contract for engineering, technical, design agent, and planning yard support for operational strategic and attack submarines. The contract provides for drawings and related technical data; design change documentation; logistics technical data; configuration management; hull, mechanical and electrical engineering; submarine safety design review; non-propulsion plant electrical system engineering; propulsion plant engineering; maintenance engineering; refit/availability technical support; on-site support; configuration change program design and installation support; configuration change program material support; submarine technical trade support; training and facility support; research development test and evaluation program support; research and development submarine/submersibles support; miscellaneous special studies; temporary alteration support; modernization of submarine/submersible systems/subsystems; and affordability/cost reduction technical support. Work is expected to be completed by September 2023. FY21 other procurement, Navy funding in the amount of $3.1M will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command is the contracting activity.

18:04 EDT Pfizer awarded $3.5B Army contract for 500M COVID-19 vaccine doses - Pfizer was awarded a $3.5B firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of 500M doses of COVID-19 vaccine for the purpose of international donation. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in New York, New York, with an estimated completion date of December 31, 2022. FY21 research, development, test and evaluation, Army funds in the amount of $3.5B were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command is the contracting activity.

18:03 EDT Iridium granted trio of regulatory approvals in Japan - Iridium Communications announced that Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has approved regulatory amendments necessary to allow for Japanese adoption of Iridium Certus broadband, Iridium Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications and other aeronautical services for aviation and Iridium's Global Maritime Distress and Safety System service. Over the past several years, Iridium has been working on regulatory amendments with the MIC to incorporate these services into the Japanese regulatory framework, while many other Iridium services have long been approved. Following all required processes of the regulatory amendments, Japanese flagged aircraft, ships and other customers can begin use of these Iridium services. The Iridium Certus service for maritime and land mobile industries began in January 2019, however it was previously unavailable in Japan due to ongoing regulatory amendments. The MIC published the amendments in the government Gazette in late 2020, and Iridium partners may now obtain equipment certifications for their Iridium Connected products.

17:09 EDT Mosaic sees strong agricultural trends, India shipments constrained - Mosaic expects "strong agricultural trends driving demand for fertilizers are expected to continue through the second half of 2021 and beyond. Grower economics in most global growing regions remain attractive as a result of strong crop demand, higher priced but still affordable inputs, and favorable weather. In three of the four major fertilizer markets, North America, Brazil and China, domestic crop prices continue to incent nutrient application to drive higher yields. In the fourth country, India, a normal monsoon and good crop prices are incenting growers to maximize yields. However, supply may be limited by importer economics, where margins are negative given the market prices, current subsidy, and the government set retail price. India shipments are likely to remain constrained until the situation changes. However, even with recent lower shipments to India, global markets are expected to remain tight."

17:00 EDT Hollysys evaluating acquisition offers from two consortiums - HollySys' Board of Directors is in the process of evaluating a non-binding offer from Superior Emerald, a company controlled by Ascendent Capital Partners, and Changli Wang, the founder of the company who retired from the company in 2013, received on July 20 to acquire all of the outstanding ordinary shares of the company for $23.00 per share in cash. This follows an offer from CPE Funds Management, Shao Baiqing and Ace Lead Profits - collectively, the CPE Consortium - to acquire all of the outstanding ordinary shares of the company for $17.10 per share in cash, which was publicly disclosed by the CPE Consortium and to which the company responded earlier. The company's Board will continue to evaluate and consider both the Emerald Offer and the CPE Offer. The company has entered into a limited period of exclusivity with the Emerald Consortium to better assess whether it is in the best interests of the company and its shareholders to further pursue the Emerald Offer.

16:53 EDT RPM acquires Pure Air Control Services, terms not disclosed - RPM International announced that its Tremco Construction Products Group has acquired Pure Air Control Services, Inc., a provider of indoor air quality solutions. Headquartered in Clearwater, Florida, Pure Air has annual net sales of approximately $10M. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

16:50 EDT Tiger Global Management reports 15.2% passive stake in VTEX - Tiger Global Management disclosed a 15.2% stake in VTEX, which represents over 11.3M shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

16:46 EDT DZS appoints Misty Kawecki as CFO, succeeding Tom Cancro - DZS announced the appointment of Misty Kawecki as Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Ms. Kawecki brings over 24 years of progressive finance and accounting experience at Big 4 accounting firms and public, private and private equity-owned companies to the role and will serve as a strategic advisor to CEO Charlie Vogt and the Board of Directors. She succeeds Tom Cancro, who served as CFO since 2019.

16:43 EDT KnowBe4 gives notice of lock-up agreement - KnowBe4 "announced that pursuant to the terms of the lock-up agreements entered into by its equity holders, including current executive officers and directors, with the underwriters of KnowBe4's initial public offering, the lock-up restrictions with respect to KnowBe4's Class A common stock, par value $0.00001 per share will end for 15% of the shares subject to each lockup agreement if KnowBe4's Class A Common Stock exceeds 133%, or $21.28, of its initial public offering price for at least 10 days in the 15 consecutive trading day period immediately following the 90th day, or July 20, 2021, after the IPO. The earliest possible date that the shares pursuant to the early lock-up release will be available to trade is August 5, 2021."

16:40 EDT Univar building new facility in British Columbia - Univar has begun construction on a new custom-designed facility in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. The SAP-ready facility is expected to open during the first half of 2023. The facility will also include a whole-site tank telemetry system for real-time product inventory, with larger chemical and ingredient storage as well as rail capacity and specially-designed blending rooms for solvents, corrosives and oxidizers.

16:35 EDT Continental Resources accelerates net debt reduction - The company is accelerating its net debt reduction and is targeting $4.7B of projected total debt by year end 2021 and $3.7B of projected net debt by year end 2021, with a net debt to EBITDAX ratio of below 1.0x. The company has reduced its total debt to $4.74B, with a cash balance of $150M, equating to net debt of $4.59B as of June 30. Additionally, the company is projecting approximately 18% ROCE vs. its previous estimate of 12% for 2021.

16:30 EDT Continental Resources resumes $1B share repurchase program - $317M previously executed.

16:25 EDT Primo Water unit acquires assets of Health Waters - Primo Water announced that Primo Water North America, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Primo, has acquired substantially all of the assets related to the Home and Office Delivery business of Health Waters of Pennsylvania. The acquisition will increase Primo's route density and expand Mountain Valley product offerings in the Northeast. The customer base overlaps Primo's existing infrastructure in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, and includes a population of approximately 6.5M residents.

16:23 EDT Ramaco Resources sees 2021 production 2,175-2,400 tons vs. 1548 in 2020 - Sees 2021 CapEx $23M-$26M.

16:22 EDT Personalis publishes new data on predicting response to cancer immunotherapy - The company states: "The study details the development of the Personalis Neoantigen Presentation Score, a novel composite biomarker for predicting response to cancer immunotherapy. Enabled by comprehensive tumor immunogenomic profiling from the Personalis NeXT Platform, NEOPS simultaneously models both neoantigen burden and immune-related resistance mechanisms to better predict immunotherapy response in a cohort of late-stage melanoma patients. In this study, NEOPS was more strongly predictive of therapy response than other standard single analyte and investigational biomarkers tested, including tumor mutational burden. Performance of this composite biomarker was initially tested on a cohort of late-stage melanoma patients receiving immune checkpoint blockade therapies and later validated on an independent dataset of similarly treated late-stage melanoma patients. NEOPS utilizes technology that Personalis has been developing since 2015 to better predict neoantigens and identify associated escape mechanisms such as HLA LOH. Our ImmunoID NeXT, and clinical NeXT Dx tests make this advanced capability, including NEOPS, available to pharmaceutical researchers and clinicians for clinical trials and investigational use, and additional clinical studies with other tumor types are planned."

16:20 EDT Pioneer Natural sees Q3 oil production 380-395 MBOPD - Third quarter 2021 oil production is forecasted to average between 380 to 395 MBOPD and total production is expected to average between 660 to 685 MBOEPD. Production costs are expected to average $7.25 per BOE to $8.75 per BOE, with the increase primarily reflecting the impact of higher forecasted commodity prices on production taxes and gas and NGL processing fees. DD&A expense is expected to average $10.75 per BOE to $12.75 per BOE. Total exploration and abandonment expense is forecasted to be $10 million to $20 million. G&A expense is expected to be $67 million to $77 million. Interest expense is expected to be $39 million to $44 million. Other expense is forecasted to be $15 million to $30 million. Accretion of discount on asset retirement obligations is expected to be $2 million to $5 million. The cash flow impact related to purchases and sales of oil and gas, including firm transportation, is expected to be a loss of $35 million to $65 million, based on forward oil price estimates for the quarter. The Company's effective income tax rate is expected to be between 22% to 27%. Cash income taxes are expected to be $5 million to $15 million, principally related to forecasted state income taxes.

16:17 EDT Diamondback Energy sees FY21 total net production 363 - 370 MBOE/d

16:13 EDT Aspen Technology names Jill Smith board chair - Aspen Technology announced that Jill D. Smith has been elected board chair. Ms. Smith joined the AspenTech Board of Directors in April 2021. She brings more than 20 years of significant international business leadership experience, having most recently served as president, chief operating officer and director of Allied Minds plc, and prior to that as chairman, CEO and president of DigitalGlobe Inc. Ms. Smith, who also will be joining the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, replaces Robert M. Whelan, Jr. who has served as chair since 2013. Mr. Whelan will remain a member of the AspenTech Board.

16:12 EDT Sumo Logic reconfirms past guidance for Q2 and FY22 - Sumo Logic is reconfirming its guidance that it issued in its last earnings release for the second quarter of fiscal 2022 as well as for the full 2022 fiscal year. The company plans to report results for the second quarter of fiscal 2022, ending July 31 on September 9.

16:11 EDT Sumo Logic reconfirms past guidance for Q2 and FY22 - Sumo Logic is reconfirming its guidance that it issued in its last earnings release for the second quarter of fiscal 2022 as well as for the full 2022 fiscal year. The company plans to report results for the second quarter of fiscal 2022, ending July 31 on September 9.

16:10 EDT Sumo Logic announces CFO Sydney Carey leaving company - Sumo Logic announced that Chief Financial Officer Sydney Carey is leaving the company to pursue other opportunities. While she is stepping down today, she will continue as an advisor with the company until December 31 to ensure a smooth transition. The company is initiating a comprehensive search for Carey's successor. Effective today, Ramin Sayar, president and CEO of Sumo Logic, will assume oversight of a newly established Office of the Chief Financial Officer, comprised of Jennifer McCord, VP of Finance and Chief Accounting Officer, Raymond Yue, VP of FP&A and Paul Thomas, VP of Investor Relations and Strategic Finance, until the new CFO is appointed. Carey's departure did not result from any disagreement with the company over its accounting principles or practices or financial statement disclosures.

16:09 EDT Fluor selected for Phase 2 of Interstate 35E expansion in Dallas - Fluor Corporation announced that its joint venture with Austin Bridge & Road was selected by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to design, construct and maintain Phase 2 of the Interstate 35E (I-35E) project from I-635 in Dallas to the Denton County line in Carrollton, Texas. Fluor will book its share of the approximately $640 million contract value in the third quarter of 2021. "This is a great example of Fluor's continued strategic focus on infrastructure projects in Texas," said Terry Towle, group president of Fluor's Urban Solutions business. "We've continuously worked with TxDOT for the past 20 years. Fluor is pleased to have the opportunity to continue building on its long history in Texas." Construction is scheduled to begin in late 2021 with substantial completion anticipated in late 2025.

16:04 EDT Sanmina CEO says 'demand remained robust across all of our end-markets' - "The relentless focus and execution from our team enabled us to achieve third quarter non-GAAP operating margin at the high-end and non-GAAP earnings per share exceeded our outlook. Demand remained robust across all of our end-markets; however, the continuing prevalence of the global supply chain constraints impacted our third quarter revenue," stated Jure Sola, Chairman and CEO of Sanmina Corporation. "Our fourth quarter outlook reflects strong demand across our customer base while taking into account our current estimate of the impact of the ongoing supply constraints. I am confident that our culture of operational agility will enable us to effectively navigate in this dynamic market environment."

16:02 EDT Globe Life acquires Beazley Benefits - Globe Life has acquired Beazley Benefits. Prior to the acquisition, Beazley Benefits was a part of Beazley Insurance Company in the US, which is a subsidiary of London-based specialty insurer Beazley plc. Beazley Benefits specializes in customized supplemental health solutions for the employee benefits market. Beazley Benefits generated approximately $40M of premium in 2020. Beazley Benefits will be rebranded as Globe Life Benefits.

15:02 EDT FBI reports 2.88M NICS firearm background checks in July - The FBI reported that there were 2,882,676 firearm background checks initiated through the NICS system in July 2021. This compares to 3,639,224 checks in July 2020, and 3,054,726 checks in June 2021. Publicly traded companies in the space include Smith & Wesson Brands (SWBI), Sturm Ruger (RGR) and Vista Outdoor (VSTO). Reference Link

14:33 EDT Allianz discloses DOJ investigation over Structured Alpha Funds - Subsequent to the litigation pending in U.S. courts in relation to the Structured Alpha Funds against Allianz Global Investors U.S. LLC and other Allianz Group companies and the investigation launched by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice has begun an investigation concerning the Structured Alpha Funds, and Allianz Global Investors U.S. LLC has received a voluntary request for documents and information from the DOJ. Allianz is fully cooperating with the SEC and the DOJ in the investigations and has immediately started its own review of this matter, the company said. In light of the DOJ investigation and based on information available to Allianz as of today, the Board of Management of Allianz SE has reassessed the matter and has come to the conclusion that there is a relevant risk that the matters relating to the Structured Alpha Funds could materially impact future financial results of Allianz Group. However, it is currently neither feasible to predict how the SEC and DOJ investigations and the pending court proceedings may be resolved nor the timing of any such resolution. It is in particular not feasible to reliably estimate the amount of any possible resolution including potential fines. Therefore, no provision has been recognized at the current stage.

14:07 EDT Okta names Sagnik Nandy as president of Technology and CTO - Okta (OKTA) said it is welcoming Sagnik Nandy as President of Technology and CTO. Nandy will join Okta's executive management team and report directly to Todd McKinnon, CEO and co-founder. As President and CTO, Nandy will lead Okta's engineering and business technology functions and be responsible for the strategic planning of product development activities. He joins Okta after more than 15 successful years at Google (GOOGL), most recently as Vice President of Engineering overseeing several components of Google's core advertising business.

13:34 EDT PQ Group completes sale of Performance Chemicals business, becomes Ecovyst - PQ Group (PQG), an integrated global provider of specialty catalysts and services, announced that effective August 1, 2021, it has completed the sale of its Performance Chemicals business to a partnership established by Cerberus Capital Management and Koch Minerals & Trading LLC for a purchase price of $1.1B. The company plans to use the net cash proceeds from the sale to reduce its debt by approximately $525M and return cash to shareholders through a special dividend of $3.20 per share, subject to final board approval and declaration. As of today, August 2, 2021, PQ Group Holdings Inc. became Ecovyst Inc., a pure-play catalysts and services company with a sustainability focus and industry leading growth outlook. The new company will comprise two high-growth, high-margin businesses, Ecoservices and Catalyst Technologies, formerly Refining Services and Catalysts, respectively. Ecovyst common shares will continue trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the new ticker symbol, ECVT, with a new CUSIP number of 27923Q109, effective August 3, 2021. "I am extremely proud of the team achieving a timely and efficient close of this transaction. Further, we are pleased to provide another meaningful return of capital to shareholders through a special dividend," said Belgacem Chariag, PQ's Chairman, President and CEO. "While our name is changing to Ecovyst, our culture and focus on innovation and customer collaboration will remain one of our greatest strengths. We are excited to move forward with Ecovyst's strategic growth plans, prioritizing and accelerating our Growing and Greening initiatives, and putting sustainability for a safer, cleaner, healthier world at the forefront of our strategy." On Thursday, August 5, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time, Ecovyst management will hold its second quarter 2021 earnings call to review financial results.

13:05 EDT Poshmark announces India expansion - Poshmark announced plans to bring its shopping experience to India. By the end of this quarter, consumers in India will be able to join Poshmark's community of millions of users in the U.S., Canada and Australia. "Having roots deeply embedded in India, I am delighted to be bringing Poshmark to my home country," said Manish Chandra, founder and CEO of Poshmark. "India is an ideal fit for our unique social commerce model, both from a cultural and business perspective - India thrives in togetherness, and the country's dynamic, youthful and inherently social culture aligns with the core value proposition of our company and community. At the same time, the market opportunity is massive and growing, as people increasingly turn to ecommerce while seeking a more socially connected and sustainable experience. We look forward to empowering Indians of all ages and backgrounds to join us in an entirely new way to shop."

12:49 EDT iPower to double warehouse capacity with new facility in California - iPower announced that it has entered into an agreement to lease a new warehouse and logistics facility in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. "With the ongoing strong demand for hydroponics products and accessories, our need for world class distribution and logistics facilities has been increasing rapidly," stated Chenlong Tan, CEO of iPower. "This newly built state of the art facility will have approximately 100,000 sq ft of useable space and is strategically located near an international airport in Ontario, CA. Our new facility will more than double our current warehouse capacity and will help support our robust growth plans."

12:28 EDT Google unveils Tensor, a custom-built System on a Chip for Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro - Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google announced Tensor, the company's first custom-built System on a Chip specifically for Pixel phones, and it will power the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 Pro later this fall. "Tensor was built for how people use their phones today and how people will use them in the future," the company said in a blog post. "As more and more features are powered by AI and ML it's not simply about adding more computing resources, it's about using that ML to unlock specific experiences for our Pixel users. The team that designed our silicon wanted to make Pixel even more capable. For example, with Tensor we thought about every piece of the chip and customized it to run Google's computational photography models. For users, this means entirely new features, plus improvements to existing ones. Tensor enables us to make the Google phones we've always envisioned - phones that keep getting better, while tapping the most powerful parts of Google, all in a highly personalized experience. And with Tensor's new security core and Titan M2, Pixel 6 will have the most layers of hardware security in any phone." CNBC's Todd Haselton noted that Google will be moving on from Qualcomm's (QCOM) chips with the Tensor announcement. Reference Link

12:14 EDT GlaxoSmithKline files for licensure of MMR vaccine in U.S. - GSK announced it has submitted a Biologics License Application, or BLA, to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for PRIORIX and is seeking approval for use in active immunization against infection by measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR. "The MMR vaccine developed by GlaxoSmithKline was first registered in Germany in 1997 and is currently licensed in more than 100 countries worldwide, including all European countries, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, with more than 400 million doses distributed to date," the company stated. "If approved, PRIORIX will increase the number of vaccine offerings from GSK against childhood diseases in the US market and strengthen GSK's long-term commitment to prioritizing public health in the US," said Judy Stewart, Senior Vice President and Head of US Vaccines at GSK.

12:07 EDT EU opens in-depth probe into proposed Facebook-Kustomer deal - The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation to assess the proposed acquisition of Kustomer by Facebook under the EU Merger Regulation. The Commission is concerned that the proposed transaction would reduce competition in the market for the supply of Customer Relationship Management software. The Commission is also concerned that the proposed transaction would further strengthen Facebook's market position in the online display advertising market by increasing the already significant amount of data available to Facebook for personalisation of the ads it displays. Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, responsible for competition policy, said: "It is important to closely review potentially problematic acquisitions by companies that are already dominant in certain markets. This applies in particular to the digital sector, where Facebook enjoys a leading position in both online display advertising and in over-the-top messaging channels, such as WhatsApp, Messenger or Instagram. Our investigation aims to ensure that the transaction will not harm businesses or consumers, and that any data that Facebook gets access to does not distort competition." Reference Link

12:00 EDT MRC Global falls -9.7% - MRC Global is down -9.7%, or -89c to $8.28.

12:00 EDT Cano Health rises 11.9% - Cano Health is up 11.9%, or $1.27 to $12.03.

12:00 EDT Full Truck Alliance rises 21.3% - Full Truck Alliance is up 21.3%, or $2.02 to $11.49.

11:02 EDT Air Products reports pact with SCD JV S.c.a.r.l for Nigeria LNG Train 7 project - Air Products announced it has signed an agreement with SCD JV S.c.a.r.l, a joint venture of Saipem, Chiyoda and Daewoo, for the Nigeria LNG Train 7 project. The project includes one complete LNG train and one combined liquefaction unit. Air Products will provide the main cryogenic heat exchangers and the process technology for both liquefaction units. Air Products will supply this technology and proprietary processes to the JV for the production of eight million tons per annum of LNG in Nigeria for a major LNG production expansion at NLNG's existing NLNG Bonny Island facility, the company stated.

10:52 EDT Target to require face coverings for team members - Target issued the following statement on face coverings for guests and team members following the CDC's July 27 guidance: "The health and safety of our guests and team members have been Target's top priority throughout the pandemic. Target will continue to recommend face coverings for unvaccinated team members and guests at all stores across the country. Effective Tuesday, based on the CDC's updated guidance, we'll require face coverings for our team members and strongly recommend face coverings for all guests in areas with substantial or high risk of transmission, as defined by the CDC. We'll follow all local mandates, as we have throughout the pandemic, and continue to monitor guidance from the CDC closely. We will also maintain all of our health and safety protocols that include increased cleaning measures and social distancing. We encourage our team members and guests to get the COVID-19 vaccine by offering vaccine appointments at nearly all CVS at Target locations and providing paid time and free Lyft rides to team members when they get their vaccines." Reference Link

10:20 EDT DigitalOcean up 4% after Citron compares to Shopify, sets $200 price target - Shares of DigitalOcean (DOCN) are up $1.90, or 4%, to $53.40 in early trading after Citron Research issued a long report on the stock in which it sets a $200 price target on the shares. In its report, Andrew Left's firm stated in part: "One of the greatest blunders we have made over the past 20 years of publishing Citron Research, is not realizing the power of Shopify when the stock was $100... Congratulations to everyone who owned Shopify through the years. Citron has been waiting patiently for another company to come along with the same profile, hoping with fingers crossed that valuation would be investible... and it has finally come to market... DigitalOcean (DOCN) is a cloud computing platform purpose-built for SMBs (i.e., the Shopify of cloud computing or AWS for SMBs) at a fraction of the cost of large cloud providers... We've seen this movie before and just like how Shopify and Square saw that SMBs were not far behind large enterprises in adopting ecommerce and digital payments, DigitalOcean is in the leading position to capitalize on this mega trend." Reference Link

10:08 EDT E Home Household Service Holdings Ltd trading halted, volatility trading pause

10:00 EDT Blue Apron falls -6.1% - Blue Apron is down -6.1%, or -27c to $4.13.

10:00 EDT XPO Logistics falls -39.0% - XPO Logistics is down -39.0%, or -$54.04 to $84.65.

10:00 EDT AMREP rises 8.6% - AMREP is up 8.6%, or $1.16 to $14.58.

09:50 EDT Yellowstone Acquisition Company (Class A Stock) trading resumes

09:47 EDT TAL Education falls -6.8% - TAL Education is down -6.8%, or -41c to $5.66.

09:47 EDT Dorian LPG rises 6.6% - Dorian LPG is up 6.6%, or 80c to $12.90.

09:47 EDT Ambrx Biopharma rises 7.7% - Ambrx Biopharma is up 7.7%, or $1.50 to $21.05.

09:33 EDT Sky Harbour to become public through Yellowstone Acquisition combination - Sky Harbour announced it has entered into a business combination agreement with Yellowstone Acquisition (YSAC), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company sponsored by Boston Omaha Corporation (BOMN). Upon closing of the business combination, SHG will become a publicly traded company, and it is expected that its common stock will be listed on the Nasdaq exchange. Tal Keinan, chairman and CEO of SHG, will continue to lead the business post-transaction. The combined company will have an implied pro forma equity market value of approximately $777M at closing. Sky Harbour addresses the general and pervasive deficit in business aviation hangar infrastructure across much of the United States. Boston Omaha, through one of its subsidiaries, has agreed to provide $55M of financing in support of the transaction, which will be funded prior to the closing of the business combination, assuming SHG successfully raises at least $80M in a private activity bond offering. This additional equity investment will initially be directly into SHG, and upon the successful consummation of the business combination will convert into 5.5Mshares of the post-combination public company's Class A common stock, at a price of $10 per share. In the event the business combination is not consummated, Boston Omaha's investment will remain as Series B Preferred units of SHG. In addition, the parties will seek to raise additional funding to support the business combination through a private placement investment to be consummated at the closing of the transaction of $100M. In addition to the $138M raised in Yellowstone's initial public offering and held in trust and the $55M financing, Boston Omaha has agreed to provide to SHG a backstop valued at up to an additional $45M through the purchase of additional shares of Yellowstone Class A common stock at a price of $10 per share if needed to meet the minimum investment condition of $150M in cash and securities to SHG at the closing. Pursuant to the transaction, Yellowstone, which currently holds approximately $138M in cash in trust, will combine with SHG at an estimated $777M pro forma equity market value. Assuming no redemptions by Yellowstone's existing public stockholders, SHG's existing shareholders will hold approximately 58% percent of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock immediately following the closing of the business combination. The combined company expects to receive up to $238M in gross proceeds, assuming no redemptions of Yellowstone's existing public stockholders. This figure excludes additional funds which may be raised in the PIPE. All SHG equityholders are retaining 100% of their equity in the combined company. The cash proceeds are expected to be used to fund the completion of four initial airport hangar campuses in addition to expansion at SHG's location currently in operations. The transaction has been unanimously approved by the Yellowstone board of directors, as well as the board of managers and all equityholders of SHG, and is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including the approval of the shareholders of Yellowstone and the receipt by SHG of at least $80M in a private activity bond financing currently expected to close in September. The combined $100M investment and commitment to backstop by Boston Omaha was approved unanimously by the board of directors of Boston Omaha.

09:31 EDT Huntington Ingalls awarded $346M task order - Huntington Ingalls Industries' Technical Solutions division was awarded a contract to provide personnel recovery and casualty evacuation services for U.S. Africa Command and partner nations. The One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services task order, issued by the Federal Systems Integration and Management Center under the General Services Administration, has a one-year base period with four one-year options and a total potential value of $346M.

09:27 EDT Sky Harbour coming public via Yellowstone Acquisition, Boston Omaha to invest - Sky Harbour, or "SHG,", a developer of private aviation infrastructure focused on building, leasing and managing business aviation hangars, announced it has entered into a business combination agreement with Yellowstone Acquisition Company (YSAC), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company sponsored by Boston Omaha Corporation (BOMN). Upon closing of the business combination, SHG will become a publicly traded company, and it is expected that its common stock will be listed on the NASDAQ exchange. Tal Keinan, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SHG, will continue to lead the business post-transaction. The combined company will have an implied pro forma equity market value of approximately $777M at closing. Boston Omaha, through one of its subsidiaries, has agreed to provide $55 million of financing in support of the transaction, which will be funded prior to the closing of the business combination, assuming SHG successfully raises at least $80M in a private activity bond offering. This additional equity investment will initially be directly into SHG, and upon the successful consummation of the business combination will convert into 5,500,000 shares of the post-combination public company's Class A common stock, at a price of $10 per share. In the event the business combination is not consummated, Boston Omaha's investment will remain as Series B Preferred units of SHG. In addition, the parties will seek to raise additional funding to support the business combination through a private placement investment, or "PIPE," to be consummated at the closing of the transaction of $100M. In addition to the $138M raised in Yellowstone's initial public offering and held in trust and the $55M financing, Boston Omaha has agreed to provide to SHG a backstop valued at up to an additional $45M through the purchase of additional shares of Yellowstone Class A common stock at a price of $10 per share if needed to meet the minimum investment condition of $150M in cash and securities to SHG at the closing. The combined company expects to receive up to $238M in gross proceeds, assuming no redemptions of Yellowstone's existing public stockholders. This figure excludes additional funds which may be raised in the PIPE. All SHG equityholders are retaining 100% of their equity in the combined company. The cash proceeds are expected to be used to fund the completion of four initial airport hangar campuses in addition to expansion at SHG's location currently in operations. The transaction has been unanimously approved by the Yellowstone Board of Directors, as well as the Board of Managers and all equityholders of SHG, and is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including the approval of the shareholders of Yellowstone and the receipt by SHG of at least $80M in a private activity bond financing currently expected to close in September. The combined $100M investment and commitment to backstop by Boston Omaha was approved unanimously by the Board of Directors of Boston Omaha. "Sky Harbour addresses the general and pervasive deficit in business aviation hangar infrastructure across much of the United States. The company develops campuses of business aviation hangars, leases them to corporate, private and government flight departments on a long-term basis, and manages the campuses, providing essential services to its tenants," the companies stated.

09:25 EDT Comtech gets $23M initial funding from Iowa for NG911 services - Comtech Telecommunications announced that during its fourth quarter of fiscal 2021, it was awarded a statewide contract to provide Next Generation 911, NG911 services for the State of Iowa. This multi-year contract includes contract extension options and is valued up to $48.5M. Initial funding for the contract is $23M.

09:22 EDT Terreno Realty acquires property in Orange, CA for $9.3M - Terreno Realty acquired an industrial property located in Orange, California on July 30 for a purchase price of approximately $9.3M. The property consists of two industrial distribution buildings containing approximately 34,000 square feet on 2.5 acres. The property is at 1150 and 1250 West Trenton Avenue, adjacent to the Orange Freeway and Platinum Triangle, provides one dock-high and nine grade-level loading positions and parking for 77 cars. The property is 100% leased to one tenant. The estimated stabilized cap rate of the property is 3.6%. Estimated stabilized cap rates are calculated as annualized cash basis net operating income stabilized to market occupancy divided by total acquisition cost. Total acquisition cost includes the initial purchase price, the effects of marking assumed debt to market, buyer's due diligence and closing costs, estimated near-term capital expenditures and leasing costs necessary to achieve stabilization.

09:21 EDT Liberty Latin America, Telefonica receive sale approval from Costa Rica - Liberty Latin America (LILA) and Telefonica (TEF), announced that the companies have received authorization from the Costa Rican President, Carlos Alvarado Quesada, for the sale of Telefonica's operations in Costa Rica to Liberty Latin America's 80% subsidiary, Cabletica. The Superintendent of Telecommunications also determined there was no evidence the transaction would produce any anti-competitive effects and approved the transaction without conditions.

09:18 EDT Kingstone sub KICO sees Q2 t pre-tax catastrophe losses less than $100K - Kingstone Companies announced that Kingstone Insurance Company,KICO, its wholly-owned subsidiary, estimates net pre-tax catastrophe losses for the second quarter of 2021 of less than $100,000 from one event. The estimated, unaudited net pre-tax catastrophe losses indicated above are based on information available as of August 2, 2021 and management's initial review of operations for the second quarter. They remain subject to change based on management's ongoing review of the Company's second quarter results and are forward-looking statements . Kingstone assumes no obligation to update these statements. The actual losses may be materially different and are affected by the risk factors and uncertainties identified in this press release and in Kingstone's annual and quarterly filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Kingstone also announced today that its Board of Directors has declared a common stock dividend of 4c per share. The dividend is payable on September 15 to holders of record as of August 31.

09:12 EDT Anghami, Addmind partner to launch entertainment venue Anghami Lab - Ahead of its listing on NASDAQ New York via proposed merger with Vistas Media Acquisition, Anghami announced the launch of an entertainment venue named "Anghami Lab" in the heart of Dubai. Anghami has partnered with Addmind to launch the new concept. Anghami Lab will be the first to combine both online and offline worlds. The venue will feature a Lounge, Stage and Studio where creators can experiment by co-creating music inspired by both Arabic and international cultures to be performed in the venue. The resulting music will be made available exclusively on Anghami. The app itself will provide unique features complementing both experiences. The first venue will open in Dubai in early 2022. Following the Dubai location, Anghami Lab will launch in Riyadh, Jeddah, Cairo, Beirut and other global cities such as London, New York and Los Angeles.

09:09 EDT Keros Therapeutics appoints Simon Cooper as CMO - Keros Therapeutics (KROS) announced the appointment of Simon Cooper, M.B.B.S, as Keros' Chief Medical Officer, or CMO, effective as of August 2, 2021. Cooper joins Keros Therapeutics after most recently serving as the Senior Vice President, Chief Medical Officer of Kadmon (KDMN). Dr. Cooper is succeeding Claudia Ordonez, M.D., who will be pursuing other opportunities. Dr. Ordonez will provide consulting services to Keros until September 15, 2021.

09:09 EDT Arcturus partner receives CTA from Vietnam Ministry of Health for ARCT-154 - Arcturus Therapeutics announced that the company's partner Vinbiocare has received approval for a Clinical Trial Application, or CTA, from the Vietnam Ministry of Health to advance ARCT-154, a next generation Arcturus vaccine targeting SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, including the Delta variant.

09:07 EDT Cornerstone Building Brands to acquire Cascade Windows for $245M, sees accretion - Cornerstone Building Brands has reached an agreement to acquire Cascade Windows for a cash purchase price of $245M. Cascade is an independent manufacturer of energy-efficient vinyl windows and doors serving the residential new construction and repair and remodel markets. Headquartered in Spokane Valley, Washington, Cascade has approximately 800 employees at six manufacturing and three distribution locations across the West and Pacific Northwest. Cornerstone Building Brands expects the transaction to be accretive through purchasing and manufacturing optimization synergies, margin expansion and revenue growth opportunities. Cascade generated approximately $160M in sales during the trailing twelve months ended May. The transaction, subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions, is expected to be funded with cash on hand and close in Q3 of 2021.

09:06 EDT Skillz in strategic partnership with Exit Games, invests $50M for minority stake - Skillz announced it has formed a strategic partnership with Exit Games, global developer of Photon. Headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, Exit Games allows developers to create and host real-time, synchronous multiplayer games. Its nearly 600,000 trusted partners include some of the most well-respected game publishers and developers in the world, such as EA, Square Enix, and Ubisoft, among others, powering gameplay in over 700,000 applications. Skillz's investment in Exit Games will give the Company permanent access to Exit's technology to power its esports tournaments and platform exclusively. The partnership will dramatically accelerate Skillz's timeline to support multiplayer synchronous content on the platform, while also enabling Skillz to build unrivaled features in tandem with Exit's gaming technology. Publishers and developers worldwide will now have the ability to build games on the Skillz platform in entirely new genres, such as battle royale, while continuing to provide gamers with the confidence that their contests will always live up to the Skillz promise of fairness. Under the terms of the deal, Skillz has invested $50M for a minority stake in Exit Games. In addition, Paradise will join the Board of Exit Games as a board observer.

09:05 EDT Meridian Bioscience closes acquisition of BreathTek Business - Meridian Bioscience announced today that it closed the previously announced acquisition of the North American BreathTek business from Otsuka America Pharmaceutical effective July 31, 2021.

09:03 EDT Chevron launches Delo Syn ATF 668 fully synthetic transmission fluid - Chevron announced the launch of Delo Syn ATF 668, a fully synthetic transmission fluid specifically engineered for Allison heavy duty automatic truck and bus transmissions. Engineered for longer service life, improved transmission performance, optimal fluid performance and improved clutch operation, Delo Syn ATF 668 is approved and licensed by Allison for transmissions requiring TES 668 and is backwards compatible with TES 389 and TES 295. Manufactured with synthetic base oils and state-of-the-art additives, it is a next-generation fluid for modern Allison transmissions, building and improving on the proven performance of TES 389 and TES 295 fluids.

09:03 EDT Abbott's FreeStyle Libre 2 iOS app cleared in U.S. - Abbott's FreeStyle Libre 2 iOS application has been cleared the FDA for use with compatible iPhones1, providing a comprehensive digital offering for its FreeStyle Libre 2 integrated continuous glucose monitoring system. Now cleared in the U.S., Abbott's FreeStyle Libre 2 app helps people manage diabetes from their iPhone. Approved for adults and children 4 and older with diabetes, the new FreeStyle Libre 2 app creates a seamless experience for users and healthcare professionals. The app enables users to get glucose readings directly on their iPhones without the use of a reader.

09:02 EDT Telos acquires assets of Diamond Fortress Technologies - Telos announced that it has acquired the assets of Diamond Fortress Technologies, including all patents, and will integrate the ONYX touchless fingerprinting software with Telos' IDTrust360 platform. The acquisition adds several new patents to Telos' library of biometric and digital identity intellectual property. The addition of contactless biometrics technology will enable Telos to better serve the needs of organizations in existing and new markets, including transportation, healthcare and financial services. "Enhancing IDTrust360 with ONYX will provide a game-changing licensed technology stack for organizations that are interested in mobile-enabled biometric capture and authentication services," said John Wood, CEO and chairman, Telos. "We believe the acquisition of this patented touchless fingerprinting technology will allow us to eliminate much of the friction involved in biometrics data gathering for identity and access management and to better serve our growing customer base at both the enterprise and consumer levels." Terms of the transaction were not disclosed, and there is no change to Telos' 2021 financial guidance as a result of the acquisition.

08:45 EDT Eastman Chemical partners with Procter & Gamble for packaging recycling solution - Eastman (EMN) has entered an agreement with Procter & Gamble (PG) to accelerate the transformation of plastic packaging and collaborate on recycling solutions to enable a circular economy. P&G will use Eastman Renew materials in select products and packaging. Additionally, the companies will collaborate on advocacy initiatives aimed at reducing reliance on virgin plastic. Eastman Renew materials are made via Eastman's molecular recycling technologies using waste plastic that, without this technology, would end up in landfills. In addition to packaging innovation, P&G and Eastman will collaborate on initiatives addressing the infrastructure needed to increase plastic recycling rates. The two companies will work to expand the collection of hard-to-recycle plastics. These expanded recycling streams will be used to create new materials via Eastman's molecular recycling technologies. P&G is working to integrate Eastman Renew materials into select product packaging later this year.

08:44 EDT DSP Group well-positioned for 'solid' revenue growth ahead, says CEO - Comments taken from Q2 earnings conference call.

08:39 EDT Evoke Pharma, EVERSANA support IFFGD's August Gastroparesis Awarness Month - Evoke Pharma and EVERSANA announced support of the International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders August Gastroparesis Awareness Month and sponsorship for the upcoming Digestive Health Virtual Walk in honor of the organization's 30th anniversary. Alongside IFFGD, Evoke and EVERSANA aim to increase community awareness about gastroparesis during this month-long campaign. This disease, oftentimes linked to diabetes and its continued growth, is often poorly understood, while the number of people suffering from the condition continue to rise. IFFGD works to focus attention on important health messages about gastroparesis diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life issues. The goals include improving understanding of gastroparesis to help patients and families manage the condition and encouraging preventive strategies.

08:38 EDT Roche, Carrick Therapeutics collaborate to evaluate samuraciclib combination - Carrick Therapeutics announced a clinical collaboration with Roche to evaluate a novel combination of Carrick's samuraciclib and Roche's giredestrant in CDK4/6i resistant HR+, HER2- metastatic breast cancer. The collaboration will utilize Roche's MORPHEUS Phase 1b/2 platform for rapid and efficient combination development, with upfront randomization versus a control group. This new study expands Carrick's portfolio of clinical trials with samuraciclib, which is also being evaluated in a Phase 2a study in combination with fulvestrant for CDK4/6i resistant HR+, HER2- metastatic breast cancer. Other ongoing studies include samuraciclib for the treatment of triple negative breast cancer and prostate cancer - all settings in which CDK7 has been shown to act as a regulator of transcription, the cell cycle and endocrine receptor signalling. Under the agreement, each company is supplying its respective anti-cancer agent to support the trial.

08:37 EDT DCP Midstream releases second annual sustainability report - DCP Midstream announces the publication of its second annual Sustainability Report. The report, titled "Resiliency and Evolution" highlights DCP's environmental, social, and governance outcomes from the 2020 calendar year, announces forward-looking goals on greenhouse gas emissions reductions and inclusion and diversity outcomes, and outlines strategies within a variety of DCP's ESG-related efforts. Additionally, disclosures within the report are aligned with the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board Midstream Reporting Standards and the Energy Infrastructure Council and GPA Midstream Association ESG Reporting Template. Additionally, DCP Midstream has committed to forward-looking goals: By 2030, reduce total greenhouse gas emissions by 30% from a 2018 baseline; By 2050, achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions. Inclusion & Diversity Goals: By 2028, ensure our workforce and leadership fully represents the gender and racial demographics of the communities in which we operate; By 2031, ensure that our internal leadership succession pipeline reflects the gender and racial demographics of the communities in which we operate; On an annual basis, ensure representation of our veteran communities aligns with national demographics; Over the next five years, maintain Employee Satisfaction and Belonging scores above industry benchmark. DCP is also announcing an amendment to its $350M accounts receivable securitization facility with PNC Bank to include ESG-linked KPIs that increase or decrease certain fees based on DCP's safety performance relative to peers, and year-over-year change in greenhouse gas emissions intensity rate. This is the energy industry's first ESG-linked A/R securitization facility. Additionally, the facility was extended to August 12, 2024.

08:36 EDT Entera Bio to present Phase 2 EB613 three-month findings - Entera Bio announced its poster presentation titled "A Six-month Phase 2 Study of Oral PTH in Postmenopausal Women with Low Bone Mass - An Interim Three-Month Analysis" has been selected by the Program Committee of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research for its Annual Meeting scheduled to take place on October 1-4, 2021 in San Diego, California. Dr. Arthur Santora, Entera's Chief Medical Officer, will present the poster at both the plenary session on October 1 and the general session on October 2, as well as a special session on the Biology of the Aging Skeleton Symposium on September 30. The Phase 2 clinical trial of EB613, an oral formulation of human parathyroid hormone, for the treatment of osteoporosis met its primary and key secondary endpoints, positioning it to be the first oral bone building product to treat osteoporosis patients. The full 3-month biomarker data will be presented at the ASBMR annual meeting. Osteoporosis, characterized by low bone mass and deterioration of bone tissue, can lead to decreased bone strength and increased risk of fracture. An injectable form of PTH currently on the market, Forteo has been shown to reduce vertebral fractures by 65-80%. However, because injections deter many patients from receiving treatments, oral EB613 may address this unmet clinical need by reducing fractures at a similar rate.

08:34 EDT iFresh announces 'strong' 2021 harvest, sales of exotic fruit products - iFresh announced that its sales of dragon fruit, lychee, and longan this year have been strong. The increase in sales is due to a bountiful harvest from Dragon Seeds, a 15-acre farm based in Vero Beach, FL, that specializes in organically-grown Mibao dragon fruit and exclusively supplies its dragon fruits to iFresh. Mr. Long Deng, Chairman of iFresh, owns the majority of Dragon Seeds. Dragon fruit has become a profitable and sustainable product, growing from a niche product into an increasingly popular exotic fruit in the United States. It is highly in demand from Asian communities, as well as local supermarkets across the country. Similarly, longan and lychee are growing in demand, though they are mainly targeted to ethnic markets, with a focus on Asian communities. The demand for dragon fruit, longan, and lychee continues to grow as other communities gradually learn about and develop a taste for them. Long Deng, Chairman of iFresh, commented, "I am excited, but not surprised, to see our fruit product sales grow this year. Our partnering farms have had one of the strongest harvests despite the challenging weather, thanks to their sustainable organic farming technology. In fact, not only has the quantity of fruit improved but also the quality, leading to the huge spike in exotic fruit sales we have seen this year. As a result, iFresh's 2021 sales of dragon fruit, longan, and lychee are expected to reach $1.2 million, $350,000, and $350,000, respectively. We are building a robust supply chain to avoid impact under unpredictable events, such as the continuation of the pandemic. In the meantime, our team will continue to work diligently to keep the momentum and further build business throughout the rest of 2021 and beyond."

08:32 EDT Ideanomics acquires 30% stake in Prettl Electronics Automotive - Ideanomics has made a strategic investment in Prettl Electronics Automotive or PEA, a business unit within the Prettl Group, a German industrial company that manufactures and distributes components and systems for the automotive, energy, and electronics industries. The deal terms include a strategic investment of EUR7.5M or approximately $9M for a 30% ownership stake. Ideanomics will receive exclusive sales and distribution rights for PEA charging infrastructure products and solutions in North America and CEO Alf Poor will join PEA's Board of Directors. Headquartered in Radeberg, Germany, PEA was formed to develop the hardware and software for a modular, scalable high performance public charging park solution for electric vehicles. PEA's charging systems are expected to be available beginning in 2023, following ongoing field testing and achievement of certification requirements.

08:32 EDT FuelCell appoints Andrea Jones as Chief People Officer - FuelCell Energy announced that Andrea Jones joined its team as Chief People Officer. Andrea brings extensive experience to FuelCell Energy having built a career leading HR functions for several global organizations. Andrea is an experienced HR leader who most recently led the HR function at Bigelow Tea.

08:24 EDT DZS, Broadcom expand collaboration on broadband access technologies - DZS (DZSI) announced its expanded collaboration with Broadcom (AVGO) to advance open standards and bring to market next-generation high-speed optical broadband and Passive Optical Network technology.

08:23 EDT Strata Skin Sciences appoints Brent Cowgill as VP, marketing - STRATA Skin Sciences announced the appointment of Brent Cowgill as Vice President of Marketing. Prior to joining STRATA he managed Vantage Marketing, a healthcare consulting firm which he founded 9 years ago, that focused on commercializing prescription treatments in the U.S. market.

08:22 EDT Nasdaq acquires minority stake in LeveL ATS, terms not disclosed - Nasdaq and LeveL ATS announced Nasdaq has acquired a significant minority stake in LeveL ATS, an independently operated US Equity Dark Pool trading venue. Through this investment, Nasdaq joins owners including Bank of America, Citi, and Fidelity. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Launched in 2006, LeveL ATS provides a continuous crossing platform, giving customers the opportunity for seamless trading in a highly stable dark pool environment while minimizing information leakage and market impact. Most recently, LeveL launched three proprietary volume weighted average price order types, VWAP Block, VWAP Slice and VWAP Full Day.

08:20 EDT Document Security announce DSS Biomedical's $1M investment in Vivacitas Oncology - Document Security Systems announced that its subsidiary, DSS Biomedical International, completed a $1M equity investment in Vivacitas Oncology, a clinical-stage company focused on difficult-to-treat cancers. "We continue to demonstrate our commitment to addressing unmet needs in human healthcare and wellness through key strategic investments," stated Frank D. Heuszel, CEO of DSS. "With a rich pipeline of promising assets, Vivacitas provides significant upside potential." Vivacitas Oncology focuses on developing new treatment options to treat cancers resistant to currently available therapies. Vivacitas' lead development candidate is a novel lipophilic next-generation camptothecin compound with the potential to deliver improved efficacy and tolerability, employing a proprietary synthesis method. AR-67 has in vitro, Phase I, and Phase II data in multiple solid tumor types.

08:19 EDT Prometheus initiates APOLLO-CD Phase 2a trial of PRA023 - Prometheus Biosciences announced the initiation of the APOLLO-CD Phase 2a clinical trial evaluating PRA023 for moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease, with first patient enrollment. The APOLLO-CD Phase 2a trial is an open-label study designed to evaluate the proof-of-concept efficacy and safety of PRA023 in moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease with centrally read endoscopy as the primary endpoint. Dosing regimen of the 50 subjects in the study will consist of 1,000 mg on day 1, followed by 500 mg on weeks 2, 6, and 10 for a total of 12 weeks on therapy. The primary endpoint at week 12 will evaluate the proportion of patients achieving endoscopic improvement as defined by 50% decrease in Simple Endoscopic Score for Crohn's Disease, which assesses the size of mucosal ulcers, the ulcerated surface, the endoscopic extension and the presence of stenosis. Each subject will also be assessed for the status of companion diagnostic assay we are developing and subgroup analyses for all endpoints will be conducted based on CDx results. Prometheus has recently completed the dosing phase of the Phase 1a clinical trial of PRA023, a single center, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to determine the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of PRA023 in normal healthy volunteers. Safety and tolerability observed to date supports the initiation of this Phase 2a trial. Final Phase 1a results of PRA023 are expected in the fourth quarter of 2021. Separately, Prometheus recently initiated and dosed the first patient in the ARTEMIS-UC Phase 2 trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PRA023 in moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis patients.

08:18 EDT Codexis, Kalsec announce expanded collaboration for novel enzyme - Codexis and Kalsec announced that the companies have expanded their research collaboration and entered into an exclusive supply agreement for a novel enzyme to produce Kalsec's newest natural hop acid. Codexis' latest novel performance enzyme product, developed in close collaboration with Kalsec's innovation team, will enable natural, biocatalytic production of new, advanced hop products. Using Codexis' CodeEvolver technology platform, the new enzyme was engineered for improved functionality, stability and efficiency, delivering consistent hop characteristics and taste that offer unique advantages for final beverage products. The enzyme is expected to enable commercial-scale production of Kalsec's newest natural hop acid by early 2022.

08:16 EDT Sesen Bio hires Amy Ponpipom assistant general counsel - Sesen Bio announced the expansion of its leadership team in support of the Company's transformation into a commercial-stage company with the hiring of Amy Ponpipom as Vice President, Assistant General Counsel. The Company's Biologics License Application,BLA, for Vicineum for the treatment of BCG-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, NMIBC, the Company's lead program, is currently under Priority Review with the US Food and Drug Administration FDA with a target Prescription Drug User Fee Act date of August 18. "I am delighted to have Amy join the team here at Sesen Bio," said Dr. Thomas Cannell, president and chief executive officer of Sesen Bio. "Her strong industry experience and deep expertise in commercialization activities will be invaluable as we continue to work toward our PDUFA date and the potential launch of Vicineum in the US. I am confident that Amy's knowledge and skills will enable us to execute a world-class launch in order to fulfill our mission to save and improve the lives of patients."

08:15 EDT VYNE Therapeutics announces approval of AMZEEQ, ZILIXI in Chinese pilot zone - VYNE Therapeutics announced that its products AMZEEQ topical foam, 4%, and ZILXI topical foam, 1.5%, have been approved for commercial sale in a pilot program in Hainan Boao Lecheng, China. The drug will be sold in the region by Cutia Therapeutics, which licensed the exclusive rights to market AMZEEQ and ZILXI in Greater China. The Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone was established with the approval of the Chinese State Council as an area in China where certain drugs and medical devices not otherwise registered with the National Medical Products Administration can be made available to patients. Drugs and devices that have already been approved for marketing in the U.S., European Union, Japan and other countries or regions can be imported into Boao Lecheng and used in designated medical institutions. The zone was established to provide innovative products available in certain territories outside of China to Chinese citizens who might otherwise travel abroad for medical care. "AMZEEQ and ZILXI were approved for the pilot zone among other innovative dermatology products," said Lele Zhang, CEO of Cutia Therapeutics. "We are looking forward to introducing Chinese patients to AMZEEQ and ZILXI in the Pilot Zone, which may serve as an opportunity to collect real-world data to support an NMPA registration for each product," she said. VYNE entered into a licensing agreement in 2020 with an affiliate of Cutia Therapeutics. Under the terms of the agreement, Cutia has an exclusive license to obtain regulatory approval of, and commercialize, AMZEEQ and ZILXI and VYNE's product candidate FCD105, once approved, in Greater China. In addition to supplying AMZEEQ and ZILXI in the Boao Lecheng International Medical Tourism Pilot Zone, Cutia intends to seek full regulatory approval of both products in China and has recently begun recruiting patients in a Phase 3 trial for AMZEEQ.

08:13 EDT Climb Channel Solutions announces launch of cloud marketplace - Climb Channel Solutions, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Wayside Technology Group (NASDAQ: WSTG), announces the launch of its own cloud marketplace - Expedition. The Expedition Cloud Marketplace is a platform designed for MSPs to explore a vendor ecosystem of emerging technologies. "Our service provider community has been growing at a tremendous rate," stated Stephani Sutton, Director of Marketing at Climb. "These partners needed a centralized, web-based, self-service platform to efficiently interact with Climb's technology solutions. We executed our commitment to deliver on those needs today. Expedition not only provides our MSP and MSSP partners with the self-service functionality that they require, but it also allows for our emerging and business critical vendors to further extend their reach into the MSP community." With its flexible self-service model and unique vendor stack on the platform, Expedition enables established service providers and resellers starting their managed service practice to enhance their solutions portfolio, save time, and grow their business.

08:12 EDT Diversified Healthcare enters management agreement with Stellar Senior Living - Diversified Healthcare Trust (DHC) announced that it has entered into a new management agreement with Stellar Senior Living for nine skilled nursing communities and one continuing care retirement community totaling 1,152 units in Colorado, Texas, and Wyoming within its Senior Housing Operating Portfolio, or SHOP. DHC has now entered into new management agreements representing approximately 70% of its SHOP communities to be transitioned from Five Star Senior Living (FVE), or Five Star, to other third-party operators as previously announced. DHC continues to expect to complete all of the management transitions at the 108 transitioning communities by year end. As previously announced, DHC is closing 1,500 skilled nursing units in its Five Star managed communities with the plan to repurpose them to enhance the resident experience at the communities. As part of this strategy, DHC also announced the sale of 10 skilled nursing bed licenses retired from use, the first of its plan to sell 542 licenses to operate skilled nursing beds in states where the sale and transfer of bed licenses are permitted.

08:11 EDT Ibex opens new Campus location in Jamaica - ibex announced the opening of its new Campus location in the Sunshine City area of Portmore, Jamaica. The new facility will create 1,300 digitally-enabled jobs, bringing the company's total employment on the island to more than 6,500 people. Since opening its first site in 2016, ibex has invested more than $50M in Jamaica, increased employment from 200 jobs to more than 6,500, and enhanced the overall health and quality of life for its employees by investing more than $40M in annual salaries. With the opening of Campus, ibex now has a total of more than 5,000 seats in Jamaica across its five facilities in Ocho Rios, Portmore, and Kingston. More than 500 of these positions will be utilized to support ibex's rapid growth in the company's insurance sector. ibex is currently hiring both on-site and work-at-home positions with plans for additional growth by the end of 2021, this includes new job creation to address the company's staff augmentation efforts for IT outsourcing services.

08:08 EDT Marathon purchases 30,000 S19j Pro bitcoin miners for $120.7M from Bitman - Marathon Digital has entered into a contract with Bitmain to purchase an additional 30,000 Antminer S19j Pro miners for $120.7M. Based on current delivery schedules, Marathon anticipates all 30,000 newly purchased miners to ship from Bitmain between January 2022 and June 2022. As a result, the company's mining operations are expected to consist of more than 133,000 Bitcoin miners, producing approximately 13.3 EH/s once all miners are fully deployed and operational. If all of Marathon's miners were deployed today, the company's hash rate would represent approximately 12% of the Bitcoin network's total hash rate, which was approximately 109 EH/s as of August 1, 2021. "Increasing our percentage of the total network's hash rate increases our probability of earning bitcoin, and given the uniquely favorable conditions in the current mining environment, we believe it is an opportune time to add new miners to our operations," said Fred Thiel, Marathon's CEO. "With this new order, we are growing our operations by 30% to approximately 133,000 miners, producing 13.3 EH/s. As a result, once all miners are fully deployed, our mining operations will be among the largest, not just in North America, but globally."

08:08 EDT Farmers & Merchants completes subordinated notes offering - Farmers & Merchants Bancorp announced the completion of a private placement of $35 million aggregate principal amount of its 3.25% fixed-to-floating rate subordinated notes due July 30, 2031 to various accredited investors. The price for the Notes was 100% of the principal amount of the Notes. The Notes are intended to qualify as Tier 2 capital for regulatory purposes. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering for general corporate purposes, including financing acquisitions and organic growth. Interest on the Notes will accrue at a rate equal to 3.25% per annum from the original issue date to, but excluding, the five-year anniversary, payable semi-annually in arrears, and a floating rate per annum equal to a benchmark rate, which is expected to be the Three-Month Term SOFR, plus a spread of 263 basis points from and including the five-year anniversary until maturity, payable quarterly in arrears. Beginning on or after the fifth anniversary of the issue date through maturity, the Notes may be redeemed, at the Company's option, on any scheduled interest payment date. Any redemption will be at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of Notes being redeemed, plus accrued and unpaid interest.

08:07 EDT Pacira announces FDA approval of EXPAREL manufacturing process - Pacira BioSciences (PCRX) announced the Food and Drug Administration has approved the company's enhanced manufacturing process for EXPAREL which is housed at a custom facility in Swindon, England under a partnership with Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO) Pharma Services. The company expects to start selling commercial product manufactured in this 200-liter suite later this year. "This FDA approval underscores the quality assurance of our enhanced manufacturing process, which is essential as we scale the production of EXPAREL," said Dave Stack, chairman and chief executive officer of Pacira BioSciences. "Launching this new manufacturing site marks an important milestone for Pacira that will allow us to double our capacity to meet the growing demand for EXPAREL, while simultaneously improving our gross margins and extending our market exclusivity into 2041." In June 2021, the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued U.S. Patent No. 11,033,495 related to EXPAREL. The patent, "Manufacturing of Bupivacaine Multivesicular Liposomes," claims composition of EXPAREL prepared by the improved manufacturing process and has an expiration date of January 22, 2041. Pacira submitted this patent for listing in the FDA's "Approved Drug Products with Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations" in July 2021.

08:06 EDT Orbital Energy's Gibson Technical Services to acquire 100% of IMMCO - Orbital Energy Group announced its telecommunications subsidiary, Gibson Technical Services, has entered into a definitive Stock Purchase Agreement to acquire 100% of IMMCO, an Atlanta-based, privately-owned full-service telecom engineering and network design company providing diversified engineering services and customized software solutions to a global customer base since 1992. The acquisition will immediately add revenues and earnings to GTS and to OEG. IMMCO will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of GTS, significantly expanding GTS's product portfolio and services it can provide to its customers. IMMCO's senior management team, including CEO and 40-year industry veteran, Keith Hayes, will remain with the company. Neither OEG nor GTS expects organizational changes to IMMCO's successful, long-term operations.

08:05 EDT CymaBay announces $100M non-dilutive financing with Abingworth - CymaBay Therapeutics announced a $100M non-dilutive financing transaction with Abingworth to fund the Phase 3 development program for seladelpar in primary biliary cholangitis, including the Phase 3 RESPONSE clinical trial. Under the terms of the transaction, CymaBay will receive up to $100M of seladelpar development costs, of which $75M will be received in three installments over approximately six months. CymaBay has an option to receive a further $25M within approximately two months of the completion of enrollment of CymaBay's Phase 3 RESPONSE clinical trial. In exchange, CymaBay will make fixed payments spread over a six-year period based on regulatory approval in the U.S. or the E.U. after the first such regulatory approval is obtained, as well as pay fixed and capped sales milestones based on U.S. product sales. CymaBay has the ability to accelerate payment at a reduced amount upon regulatory approval and in the event of a change of control of CymaBay. CymaBay retains upside potential for seladelpar in the U.S. along with full worldwide commercial rights. CymaBay is currently dosing patients in its Phase 3 RESPONSE clinical trial as well as its ASSURE open- label extension trial and other Phase 1 NDA-enabling clinical studies.

08:04 EDT PetMed Express appoints Jodi Watson, Peter Cobb to board of directors - PetMed Express reports that Jodi Watson and Peter Cobb have been elected to the PetMed Express, Inc. Board of Directors as new independent directors. Watson has held global leadership roles with companies such as Petco, Wolverine Worldwide, Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma and Eddie Bauer. She currently works as a CMO, board member and consultant with private equity, venture capital, start-ups and publicly traded companies. Ms. Watson will serve on the PetMed Express, Inc. Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, and Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee. Cobb co-founded eBags.com which launched in 1999 and was acquired by Samsonite in 2017. Cobb will also serve on the PetMed Express, Inc. Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, and Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee.

08:03 EDT Bed Bath & Beyond, Safely announce exclusive retail partnership - Bed Bath & Beyond announced an exclusive retail partnership with Safely, a line of luxuriously scented and high-quality home care & cleaning products. Safely makes its retail debut exclusively at more than 750 Bed Bath & Beyond stores nationwide, as well as at buybuy BABY and Harmon stores. Accelerating Safely's mission to bring the next generation of home care to America, consumers can now purchase the brand in-store and online at each of the three retailers. Launched in March, the Safely collection has six essential products featuring premium ingredients and luxurious fragrances that range from just $5.99 to $13.99. The product line at Bed Bath & Beyond, buybuy BABY and Harmon includes their Hand Soap, Hand Sanitizer, Hand Cream, Universal Cleaner, Glass Cleaner and Everyday Laundry Detergent.

07:58 EDT General Electric effects one-for-eight reverse stock split - In a regulatory filing on Friday night, General Electric filed a certificate of amendment to its certificate of Incorporation in order to effect a one-for-eight reverse stock split of the company's common stock, together with a corresponding proportionate reduction in the shares of the company's common stock authorized under the certificate of incorporation, as amended, from 13.2B shares to 1.65B shares, and a reduction of the par value per share of common stock from 6c to 1c. The certificate of amendment became effective upon acceptance for filing on July 30. The foregoing summary of the certificate of amendment is qualified in its entirety by reference to the full text of the certificate of amendment. On August 2, GE common stock will begin trading, on a split-adjusted basis on the New York Stock Exchange with a new CUSIP number.

07:49 EDT America's Car-Mart celevrates 40th year in business - America's Car-Mart is commemorating its 40th year in business. For 40 years, the Company has provided transportation solutions and service to customers and local communities. In August 1981, founder Bill Fleeman opened the first Car-Mart in a converted Dog n' Suds fast food operation in Rogers, Arkansas. That store featured quality, used vehicles and flexible financing. Mr. Fleeman's purpose was to provide a good value for the customers' money. The company said, "Now with over 2,000 associates, 151 dealerships in 12 states and over 88,000 customers, Car-Mart's vision has never wavered from its mission of earning the repeat business of its customers by providing quality vehicles, affordable payment terms and excellent service."

07:47 EDT ReWalk Robotics appoints Lynch as Vice President of Strategy, Market Access - ReWalk Robotics announced Jeannine Lynch will join the Company on August 31, 2021, as Vice President of Strategy and Market Access. Lynch will focus on completing the building and implementation of ReWalk's market access and reimbursement programs. Lynch will report to ReWalk CEO, Larry Jasinski. She will also be part of the management team responsible for overseeing planning and implementation of all company business strategy and policies. Prior to ReWalk, Ms. Lynch served as Senior Director of Patient Access Services at BioMarin Pharmaceuticals.

07:45 EDT NuStar sells certain storage terminals to Sunoco for $250M - NuStar Energy (NS) announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell its storage terminals in the Northeast and one terminal in Florida to Sunoco (SUN) for $250M. There are eight terminal locations included in the sale: Andrews AFB in Washington, D.C.; Baltimore, MD; Blue Island, IL; Jacksonville, FL; Linden, NJ; Paulsboro, NJ; Piney Point, MD; and Virginia Beach, VA. The sale is expected to close by the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2021, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. "While these terminals are solid assets with great operations and employees, these facilities are no longer synergistic with NuStar's core assets, which, in the current competitive climate is critical to their long-term success," said Brad Barron, president and CEO of NuStar. "Sunoco LP has assets in NY Harbor and in the Southeast U.S. that should provide such synergistic opportunities to ensure the continued success of these facilities and employees. "This divestiture will allow us to deploy the proceeds to further improve our debt metrics, and we continue to expect to self-fund our spending from our internally generated cash flows, in 2021 and beyond," Barron added.

07:43 EDT Kingsoft Cloud enters agreement to acquire controlling interests of Camelot - Kingsoft Cloud announced that the company made a major strategic move in its Enterprise Cloud Services, or ECS, business by entering into a definitive agreement to acquire controlling interests in Camelot Employee Scheme. The proposed transaction is expected to bring significant synergies to the company, in particular: By integrating Camelot's nationwide project execution capacities and resources across major cities in China, including Beijing, Wuhan, Nanjing, Shanghai, among others, the company expects to further accelerate and enhance the implementation of ECS projects with lower costs and improved efficiency; The senior management of Camelot, including its co-founders, president, and other core senior management personnel, will join the company; and the revenue backlog of Camelot amounted to approximately RMB3.8 billion as of July 31, 2021. The proposed transaction is expected to close by the end of 2021, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Upon the completion of such transaction, the financial results of Camelot will be consolidated by the company. The company will further acquire the remaining stake from other existing shareholders in Camelot by issuing up to RMB 782.5M worth of additional ordinary shares in June 2023, subject to certain conditions.

07:41 EDT News Corp acquires S&P Global's OPIS for $1.15B - News Corp announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the Oil Price Information Service, OPIS, and related assets from S&P Global and IHS Markit. The scaled, highly profitable and consistently growing digital data, analytics and insights provider will become part of Dow Jones' burgeoning Professional Information Business PIB, which includes Dow Jones Risk & Compliance, Dow Jones Newswires and Factiva. OPIS has a revenue base that is nearly 100% digital, 95% recurring and operates at approximately 50+% Adjusted EBITDA margins, with modest Capex requirements. News Corp is acquiring OPIS for $1.150B in a cash transaction, subject to customary adjustments, and also expects to receive an estimated tax benefit of $180M as part of the transaction. S&P Global and IHS Markit announced in May their exploration of the divestiture of the businesses to ensure a timely merger of both companies. News Corp's acquisition of OPIS is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals and the consummation of the S&P Global and IHS Markit merger, which is expected in the fourth quarter of this calendar year. News Corp is acquiring OPIS for $1.15B in a cash transaction, subject to customary adjustments, and also expects to receive an estimated tax benefit of $180 million as part of the transaction. S&P Global and IHS Markit announced in May their exploration of the divestiture of the businesses to ensure a timely merger of both companies. News Corp's acquisition of OPIS is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals and the consummation of the S&P Global and IHS Markit merger, which is expected in the fourth quarter of this calendar year. With this acquisition, Dow Jones will also be providing pricing and news and analytics for the Coal, Mining and Metals end markets through McCloskey, among other brands. In addition, Dow Jones will be well poised to leverage the global transition to renewables and the growth opportunities resulting from emerging energy categories like hydrogen, carbon credits, biofuels, LNG, solar, water and electric vehicles.

07:38 EDT Immunovant receives $200M investment from Roivant Sciences - Immunovant announced that it has received a $200M strategic investment from Roivant Sciences. Immunovant intends to use the proceeds from this investment to advance the development of IMVT-1401 in multiple indications. Roivant has purchased 17,021,276 shares of Immunovant's common stock at a price of $11.75 per share, which purchase has been approved by a special committee of Immunovant directors not affiliated with Roivant. This represents approximately a 15% premium to Immunovant's 20 trading day volume weighted average price. After giving effect to the investment, Immunovant has a pro forma cash balance of approximately $600 million and Roivant has increased its ownership stake in Immunovant from 57.5% to 63.8%, based on Immunovant's cash balance and share count as of March 31, 2021. "We are excited to announce this significant investment by Roivant, which will expedite our development of IMVT-1401 for a wide range of autoimmune disorders," said Dr. Pete Salzmann, Chief Executive Officer of Immunovant. "Over the next 12 months, we plan to initiate a pivotal trial for myasthenia gravis, resume our trials in WAIHA and TED and initiate at least two additional clinical studies, including another pivotal trial in 2022."

07:34 EDT Galmed: FDA agrees with plan to use Aramchol meglumine in Phase 3 ARMOR study - Galmed Pharmaceuticals announced that the FDA agreed with its plan to use Aramchol meglumine, in lieu of Aramchol free acid, in its Phase 3 ARMOR study without the need to conduct additional nonclinical and clinical studies other than planned limited pharmacology studies relating to Aramchol meglumine.

07:33 EDT Minerva continues to work toward submission of roluperidone NDA in 1H22 - Following the completion of the open-label portion of the Phase 3 trial with roluperidone in schizophrenia and the Type C meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Company continues to work towards the submission of a New Drug Application in the first half of 2022. On June 29, 2021, the Company completed the enrollment of 48 subjects in a pivotal bioequivalence study with roluperidone in healthy volunteers. The objective of this study is to compare the formulations employed in the Phase 2b and Phase 3 trials with roluperidone, as well as at least one new formulation designed in conjunction with the Company's commercial supplier to facilitate large scale manufacturing. Top line results from this study are expected in the third quarter of 2021.

07:32 EDT News Corp. to buy OPIS, associated businesses from S&P, IHS Markit for $1.15B

07:32 EDT Armata Pharmaceuticals CEO Todd Patrick to retire, Brian Varnum, Ph.D to succeed - Armata Pharmaceuticals announced that its current CEO, Todd Patrick, is retiring from day-to-day active management of the company, effective August 2. The company's current President and Chief Development Officer, Brian Varnum, Ph.D., has been appointed CEO. Patrick will continue to serve on Armata's Board of Directors and has agreed to act as a special advisor to the company through at least 2022.

07:24 EDT Global Payments enters new collaboration with Amazon Web Services - "Our business accelerated meaningfully in the second quarter of 2021, demonstrating significant ongoing momentum," said Jeff Sloan, CEO of Global Payments. "We also continue to expand our competitive moat through leading strategic partnerships. First, we are excited to have agreed with our partners at CaixaBank to acquire Bankia's payments businesses in Spain, enhancing our position in one of the most attractive markets in Europe. Second, we are delighted to announce that we have entered into a new collaboration with Amazon Web Services for unique distribution and cutting edge technologies at Netspend to accelerate our strategy across the three pillars of digitization, internationalization and B2B expansion."

07:22 EDT Syneos Health, Aetion partner to offer RWE solutions - Syneos Health and Aetion announced a partnership to provide regulatory-grade data and analytics-driven solutions to advance drug development and improve patient outcomes. The partnership brings together Syneos Health's proprietary data collection and research solutions with Aetion Evidence Platform to generate evidence through patient data curation and real-world data. "Syneos Health's offerings, including its Biopharmaceutical Acceleration Model, Dynamic Assembly, and RWE Solutions, enable biopharmaceutical companies to accelerate product development and patient access to new therapies; reduce risk through evidence-based decision-making; and demonstrate value to a broad healthcare ecosystem, including patients, regulators, payers, and health care providers. Aetion's AEP analyzes data from the real world-including claims, electronic health records, registries, and clinical trial data-to produce transparent, rapid, and scientifically validated real-world evidence on the safety, effectiveness, and value of medical interventions," the company said.

07:21 EDT Scienjoy to build livestreaming studio and NFT art gallery in New York - Scienjoy Holding announced plans to establish a livestreaming studio and non-fungible token art gallery in New York to assist young artists in entering the virtual art market and livestreaming as part of its partnership with the Global Friendship Exchange Foundation. This is the first initiative for Scienjoy and GFE Foundation, a U.S-based non-profit organization dedicated to supporting young artists around the world, under the strategic partnership between the two parties that was announced July 7. The new video livestreaming studio will allow artists to tap into Scienjoy's livestreaming entertainment ecosystem of approximately 250M registered users and livestream about the creative process, engage with fans and collectors, and sell or exhibit NFT artwork. Scienjoy and the GFE Foundation will work to educate and support young artists in launching livestreaming channels and building an online presence.

07:19 EDT Innovation Pharmaceuticals provides update on Brilacidin - Innovation Pharmaceuticals provided an update on ongoing antiviral research of Brilacidin, the company's defensin-mimetic drug candidate being developed for treatment of COVID-19 under FDA Fast Track designation, by different groups of scientists. Brilacidin antiviral research updates are provided below: Brilacidin SARS-CoV-2 Manuscript: Scientists conducting laboratory testing of Brilacidin, in particular its ability to block entry of SARS-CoV-2 into human cells, have submitted their research findings for peer-review publication. These data include insights into Brilacidin's antiviral mechanisms of action and Brilacidin activity against the Alpha and Gamma SARS-CoV-2 variants. Brilacidin Human Coronavirus (H-CoV) Research: Scientists conducting laboratory testing of Brilacidin in endemic H-CoV strains have informed the company that they are reviewing potential venues to disseminate their findings, including conferences, via publication or through public release by the Company. These data show Brilacidin inhibits different H-CoV strains, supporting Brilacidin as a pan-coronavirus agent. "Taken together, the results from ongoing lab research into Brilacidin's antiviral properties by different groups of scientists only strengthens our belief in Brilacidin," said Leo Ehrlich, Chief Executive Officer at Innovation Pharmaceuticals. "With a highly contagious virus circulating throughout the world and continuing to mutate in dangerous ways, reducing the effectiveness of available COVID-19 treatments and vaccines, there is a global public health need to develop broad-spectrum antivirals. Our hope is that Brilacidin, which is showing an inherent ability to be resistant to viral mutations, can play a vital role in helping contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2, as the virus is likely to be an infectious disease challenge for years to come."

07:17 EDT EyePoint announces formation of Executive Scientific Advisory Board - EyePoint Pharmaceuticals announced the formation of its Executive Scientific Advisory Board chaired by Dr. Carl Regillo M.D., FACS, Chief of the Retina Service at Wills Eye Hospital. Other members of the SAB include Drs. Sophie Bakri, M.D., Mayo Clinic, Caroline Baumal, M.D., Tufts Medical Center, David Boyer, M.D., University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Glenn Jaffe, M.D., Duke University, Rishi Singh, M.D., Cleveland Clinic, and Charles Wykoff, M.D., Ph.D., Retina Consultants of Texas. These prominent retinal surgeons and leaders in the field of vision will work with EyePoint management to advance a pipeline of ocular products that advance the treatment paradigm for better patient outcomes.

07:17 EDT Myriad Genetics expands genetic testing, launches breast cancer risk assessment - Myriad Genetics launched a new version of its market-leading MyRisk Hereditary Cancer Test. Women of all ancestries can now receive a personalized polygenic breast cancer risk assessment together with the market's most accurate hereditary cancer test. MyRisk with RiskScore offers a breast cancer risk assessment designed to improve patient outcomes and help minimize healthcare disparities. RiskScore results are informed by a combination of genetic markers, clinical and biological variables, personal and family history, and ancestry-specific data. RiskScore is available at no additional cost to women who take the MyRisk test. The RiskScore component of MyRisk helps women and their physicians assess those added risk factors. An estimated 56% of patients who undergo MyRisk testing and receive a RiskScore result, qualify for medical management changes such as increased cancer surveillance or intervention.

07:16 EDT Chimera appoints Subramaniam Viswanathan as CFO - Chimera announced that Subramaniam Viswanathan has joined the company as the CFO effective July 31. Prior to joining the company, Viswanathan served as the managing director, COO - global mortgages and securitized products since 2012.

07:14 EDT Castle Biosciences collaborates with the Melanoma Research Foundation - Castle Biosciences, announced its continued collaboration with the Melanoma Research Foundation, MRF. The MRF Miles for Melanoma 5K run/walks are community events held across the United States, both virtually and in-person, to raise funds that support critical research for viable melanoma treatments. Participants include melanoma patients, survivors, caregivers and supporters. Castle Biosciences is a sponsor of the upcoming events taking place in Cleveland, St. Paul, Minn., Philadelphia, Boston and San Francisco. Additionally, Castle Biosciences is a sponsor of the 2021 MRF galas, taking place in Chicago, Denver and New York, in celebration of courageous melanoma survivors and those in the medical community who are making a difference in the fight against melanoma through exemplary patient care, cutting-edge research or scientific leadership. "The important work of the MRF to accelerate medical research while advocating for the melanoma community would not be possible without the generous support of corporate sponsors like Castle Biosciences," said Kyleigh LiPira, M.B.A., chief executive officer of the MRF. "We are grateful for their partnership and applaud their commitment to keeping patients at the forefront of their business."

07:13 EDT Tonix announces groundbreaking ceremony for Massachusetts R&D facility - Tonix Pharmaceuticals announced it will hold a groundbreaking ceremony at the company's planned 45,000 square foot clinical scale manufacturing facility in the New Bedford Business Park in Massachusetts on August 3, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. ET. The new facility is expected to house Tonix's Advanced Development Center for accelerated research, development and analytical capabilities, as well as the production of clinical trial quality vaccines for infectious diseases, including COVID-19. The ceremony marks the formal start of site construction. Tonix expects the facility to be operational in the first half of 2022. Plans for the ADC include single-use bioreactors and purification suites with equipment for Good Manufacturing Practice production of vaccines for clinical trials, including when fully operational, the capability of producing sterile vaccines in glass bottles. The ADC is intended to be Biosafety Level 2. At full capacity, the facility can employ up to 70 researchers, scientists, manufacturing and technical support staff. The facility is located in the New Bedford Business Park in a section of the park that is located in the Town of Dartmouth, Massachusetts. The two municipalities work together to accommodate businesses located in the Dartmouth portion of the park as the roads are inaccessible through Dartmouth and municipal services are provided by the City of New Bedford.

07:12 EDT Orthofix announces implant in M6-C artificial cervical disc IDE study - Orthofix Medical announced the first patient implant in a U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, clinical study that will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the M6-C artificial cervical disc compared to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion ACDF for the treatment of contiguous two-level symptomatic cervical radiculopathy. Image of the Orthofix M6-C artificial cervical disc "Artificial cervical disc replacement is rapidly becoming the standard of care for patients suffering from degenerative cervical disc disease because it preserves motion, unlike ACDF procedures," said Dr. Todd Lanman, a spinal neurosurgeon with Beverly Hills-based Lanman Spinal Neurosurgery and founder of the national ADR Advanced Disc Replacement Spinal Restoration Center who performed the first patient implant in the study. "The M6-C artificial cervical disc two-level study will provide additional data to validate the effectiveness of disc replacement over fusion in patients suffering from degeneration in two contiguous levels."

07:11 EDT XPO Logistics announces board of directors for GXO Logistics - XPO Logistics (XPO) announced that its new slate of directors has become effective with the closing of its spin-off transaction. XPO completed the spin-off of its global logistics segment as GXO Logistics (GXO) at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on August 2, 2021. As previously announced, Brad Jacobs, XPO's chief executive officer, will continue as chairman. AnnaMaria DeSalva and Michael Jesselson will remain in the roles of vice chairman and lead independent director, respectively, and Adrian Kingshott will continue to serve as director. XPO has appointed four new board members, replacing directors who resigned from the XPO board to join the GXO board. The new XPO directors are: Jason Aiken, chief financial officer of General Dynamics (GD). Mary Kissel, executive vice president and senior policy advisor with Stephens. Allison Landry covering the trucking, railroad, airfreight and logistics industries. Johnny Taylor, Jr., chief executive officer of the Society of Human Resources Management.

07:10 EDT TG Therapeutics expects cash to fund planned operations into 2023 - Cash, cash equivalents and investment securities were $456.2 million as of June 30, 2021, which the Company believes will be sufficient to fund the Company's planned operations into 2023.

07:09 EDT Syneos Health and Aetion partner for drug development solutions - Syneos Health and Aetion announced a partnership to provide regulatory-grade data and analytics-driven solutions to advance drug development and improve patient outcomes. The partnership brings together Syneos Health's proprietary data collection and research solutions with Aetion Evidence Platform to generate evidence through patient data curation and real-world data. Syneos Health's offerings, including its Biopharmaceutical Acceleration Model, Dynamic Assembly, and RWE Solutions, enable biopharmaceutical companies to accelerate product development and patient access to new therapies; reduce risk through evidence-based decision-making; and demonstrate value to a broad health care ecosystem, including patients, regulators, payers, and health care providers. Aetion will be an integral partner in the Syneos Health Dynamic Assembly network, an open ecosystem of data and technology collaborators committed to delivering fit-for-purpose solutions to strategically address the nuances of each customer engagement.

07:07 EDT AstraZeneca receives FDA approval for Saphnelo - AstraZeneca's Saphnelo has been approved in the U.S. for the treatment of adult patients with moderate to severe systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE, who are receiving standard therapy.

07:07 EDT Silicon Labs to commence modified Dutch auction to purchase up to $1B of shares - Silicon Labs announced that it intends to commence a "modified Dutch auction" tender offer to purchase in cash up to $1B in value of shares of its issued and outstanding common stock, or such lesser number of shares of its common stock as are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn, at an anticipated price of not less than $140.00 per share nor greater than $160.00 per share, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest. The tender offer, if any, will be made in accordance with the terms and subject to the conditions described in an offer to purchase and a related letter of transmittal. Silicon Labs intends to commence the tender offer as early as August 3, 2021, which would expire as early as 12:00 midnight, New York City time, at the end of the day on August 30, 2021, unless the offer is extended or terminated.

07:05 EDT Myers Industries acquires Trilogy Plastics, sees slight accretion in 2021 - Myers Industries announced that it has acquired the assets of Trilogy Plastics and financed the transaction with its revolving credit facility. This acquisition accelerates Horizon 1 of the long-term strategy focused on value-added bolt-on acquisitions. "The addition of Trilogy to Myers' rotational molding platform represents an important milestone in the continued execution of our 'One Myers' strategy that we believe will unlock additional growth and expansion opportunities for the Company. Trilogy has an outstanding record of providing its customers high quality, high tolerance products and superior service making it an excellent addition to the high-performance culture we are continually building at Myers," said Mike McGaugh, President and CEO of Myers Industries. "This marks our second acquisition in the last nine months, and I am proud of our team for executing exceptionally well on the initial stage of our strategic vision. We look forward to integrating the Trilogy business into the Myers family, and continuing to grow organically and through additional acquisitions." Trilogy Plastics will operate as a part of the rotational molding platform within Myers' Material Handling Segment. Headquartered in Alliance, Ohio, Trilogy has two U.S. manufacturing facilities and employs approximately 265 people. Trilogy's annual revenues are approximately $35M, and the acquisition is expected to be slightly accretive to earnings in 2021. Myers expects the transaction to generate cost synergies of approximately three percent of sales. These cost synergies will stem primarily from supply chain optimization. In addition, the Company expects to realize growth synergies due to the broader geographic footprint created by the combined rotational molding businesses.

07:04 EDT Canaan appoints James Jin Cheng as CFO - Canaan appointed James Jin Cheng to the position of CFO, effective immediately. Prior to joining Canaan, Cheng served as a VP for Zhaopin.com, a career platform in China formerly listed on the NYSE, from September 2015 to July 2021. Between September 2013 to September 2015, Cheng worked as the Director of Finance for Lenovo's China and Asia Pacific Division.

07:04 EDT Creatd signs MOU to acquire majority stake in Dune - Creatd announced the launch of Dune Glow Remedy, a direct-to-consumer brand focused on promoting wellness through its range of health-oriented beverages. The company has additionally announced that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to acquire a majority equity stake in Dune. Pursuant to the MOU, Creatd intends to acquire a 50.4% equity stake in Dune in exchange for a combination of cash and stock. The company expects to execute definitive agreements early in the fourth quarter 2021 and to close shortly thereafter, subject to the completion of due diligence and other closing conditions. After closing, Creatd will begin recognizing Dune's revenues in its consolidated financial statements. Dune is expected to generate between $500,000 to $1M in net revenues over the next 12 months.

07:02 EDT Autolus Therapeutics, Moderna sign option, license agreement - Autolus Therapeutics (AUTL) announced an agreement with Moderna (MRNA) granting Moderna an exclusive license to develop and commercialize mRNA therapeutics incorporating Autolus' proprietary binders for up to four immuno-oncology targets. Autolus would be eligible to receive an upfront payment for each target licensed by Moderna and development and commercial milestone payments for each product successfully commercialized. In addition, Autolus would be entitled to receive royalties on net sales of all products commercialized under the agreement.

07:01 EDT MSCI acquires Real Capital Analytics for $950M in cash - MSCI announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Real Capital Analytics for $950M in cash. Founded in 2000, Real Capital Analytics is a private company and the go-to data and analytics provider of the properties, transactions and participants that drive the commercial real estate capital markets globally. The transaction is expected to be funded with existing cash on hand and close at the end of the third quarter, or early in the fourth quarter, of 2021, subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions. Real Capital Analytics' financial results will be presented as part of MSCI's All Other - Private Assets reportable segment.

06:56 EDT Fluor selected for Navy's SeaPort Next Generation multiple-award contract - Fluor has been selected by the U.S. Navy's Naval Sea Systems Command for a 71/2-year position on the SeaPort Next Generation indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity multiple-award contract. SeaPort NxG provides for engineering and program management services that span the entire spectrum of mission areas and technical capabilities supported by the Department of the Navy. As a company selected for a position on SeaPort NxG, Fluor is now eligible to compete for task orders across 23 functional areas including engineering, financial management and program management. The government estimates services procured through the task orders will total approximately $5B annually.

06:53 EDT Protalix submits Type A Meeting request to FDA to discuss pegunigalsidase BLA - Protalix announced that a Type A Meeting request has been submitted to the FDA to discuss the complete response letter, or CRL, dated April 27 regarding the biologics license application, or BLA, for pegunigalsidase alfa, or PRX-102, for the proposed treatment of adult patients with Fabry disease. The Type A Meeting is expected to occur within 30 days of the FDA's receipt of the meeting request.

06:52 EDT G1 Therapeutics names Andrew Perry as Chief Commercial Officer - G1 Therapeutics (GTHX) announced the appointment of Andrew Perry as its Chief Commercial Officer. Perry replaces Soma Gupta who has left the company for personal and professional reasons. He most recently served as Vice President, U.S. Marketing at ViiV Healthcare NA, a joint venture majority-owned by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

06:47 EDT Brookfield Business Partners plans to create Canadian corporation - Brookfield Business Partners announced the intention to create a Canadian corporation to provide investors with greater flexibility to invest in BBU's globally diversified services and industrial operations and the targeted returns associated with BBU's growth strategy. Brookfield Business Partners intends to distribute to existing unitholders, class A shares of the new corporation, Brookfield Business Corporation. From an economic and accounting perspective, the transaction will be analogous to a unit split as it will not result in any underlying change to BBU's aggregate cash flows or net asset value except for the adjustment for the number of units/shares outstanding. The class A shares will be structured with the intention of being economically equivalent to units of BBU. The class A shares are intended to allow investors the ability to own the equivalent economic exposure to BBU through a corporate structure. Each BBUC share will have the same distribution as a BBU unit and will be exchangeable, at the shareholder's option, for one BBU unit. Unitholders are expected to receive one BBUC class A share for every two BBU units held in the form of a special distribution. Following completion of the special distribution there will be no change to the 25c per unit annual distribution made on BBU units, and the company intends to pay an annual dividend of 25c per exchangeable share of BBUC. As a result, the aggregate distributions received by holders of the units and exchangeable shares will be 50% higher.

06:39 EDT Ecopetrol obtains approval for contingent credit line up to $1.2B - Ecopetrol announced the Ministry of Finance and Public Credit authorized the execution of a contingent credit line up to an amount of $1.2B. The proceeds from this facility may be used for general corporate purposes in the ordinary course of business, including the strengthening of Ecopetrol's liquidity position in case of eventual organic growth opportunities, risk mitigation in connection with unexpected fluctuations in oil prices, as well as to reduce specific refinancing needs in the coming years with flexibility and competitive borrowing costs. Under the Committed Credit Line, the banks commit to disburse funds when Ecopetrol requires it, under the terms and conditions previously agreed between the parties. This facility would only increase the company's indebtedness levels at the time disbursements are made. The committed credit line will have a two-year availability period for disbursements, starting on the signing date.

06:33 EDT Kraton announces 20c per pound price increase for HSBC products - Kraton announced a general price increase of 20c per pound for all HSBC products. This action is driven by the recent raw material cost increases and increases in energy prices and logistics costs. This increase will be effective September 1 and/or subject to the terms of any applicable contracts and obligations.

06:31 EDT Workiva acquires iPaaS technology provider OneCloud - Workiva has acquired iPaaS provider OneCloud. OneCloud is a pioneer in iPaaS technology that offers code-free integration, automation and data preparation for a range of technologies. Workiva has worked with OneCloud as an original equipment manufacturer partner since July 2019. OneCloud's technology expands the Workiva platform, providing customers the capability to connect data from sources such as ERP, GRC, HCM and CRM systems, as well as other third-party cloud and on-premise applications. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

06:20 EDT HSBC sees MSD percentage growth in consumer lending during 2021 - HSBC said: "Despite continued revenue headwinds, notably in fixed income markets relative to strong comparative periods, as well as low interest rates and Covid-19 impacts, there are emerging signs of unsecured personal lending and commercial lending growth. We expect mid-single-digit lending growth for the full year, which is expected to translate into low-single-digit RWA growth as we progress with our RWA reduction actions. Given current consensus economics and default experience, ECL charges for 2021 are expected to be materially lower than our medium-term range of 30bps to 40bps of average loans and possibly a net release for the year."

06:19 EDT HSBC expects to move within target dividend payout ratio range in 2021 - HSBC said: "Reflecting the current improved economic outlook and operating environment in many of our markets, we now expect to move to within our target dividend payout ratio range of 40% to 55% of reported earnings per ordinary share in 2021."

06:14 EDT AstraZeneca's Saphnelo approved in U.S. for treatment of SLE - The company states: "AstraZeneca's Saphnelo has been approved in the U.S. for the treatment of adult patients with moderate to severe systemic lupus erythematosus, or SLE, who are receiving standard therapy. The approval by the FDA was based on efficacy and safety data from the Saphnelo clinical development programme, including two TULIP Phase III trials and the MUSE Phase II trial. In these trials, more patients treated with Saphnelo experienced a reduction in overall disease activity across organ systems, including skin and joints, and achieved sustained reduction in oral corticosteroid use compared to placebo, with both groups receiving standard therapy. This marks the first regulatory approval for a type I interferon receptor antagonist and the only new treatment approved for SLE in more than 10 years.5,6 Type I IFN plays a central role in the pathophysiology of lupus and increased type I IFN signalling is associated with increased disease activity and severity." Reference Link

06:10 EDT Jeld-Wen announces up to $400M increase to share repurchase program - The board of directors authorized an increase to the company's existing share repurchase program to purchase up to a total of $400M of the company's common stock. This authorization does not have an expiration date and does not commit the company to repurchase shares of its common stock. The company intends to fund the program with a combination of cash on hand and cash generated from operations.

06:02 EDT Parker-Hannifin reaches terms on recommended all cash acquisition of Meggitt - Parker Hannifin announced that it has reached an agreement on the terms of a recommended cash acquisition of the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of Meggitt. The acquisition remains subject to satisfaction of the conditions set out in the announcement, including regulatory clearances and approval by Meggitt's shareholders. Meggitt, headquartered in Coventry, the UK, had annual revenue of approximately $2.3B in 2020 and employs more than 9,000 team members serving customers around the world. Meggitt has diverse aerospace and defense exposure with technology and products on almost every major aircraft platform. Meggitt is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 index.

05:49 EDT Ever-Glory announces up tp $5M stock repurchase program - Ever-Glory announced that its board of directors has authorized a stock repurchase program pursuant to which the company may repurchase up to $5M of the company's outstanding common stock on or before December 31. Under the stock repurchase program, the company may purchase shares of its common stock from time to time through various means, including open market transactions and privately negotiated transactions. Open market repurchases will be made in accordance with applicable securities laws and regulations, including Rule 10b-18 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and may be effected pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 under the Exchange Act. The manner, timing and amount of any stock repurchases will be determined by the company's management in its discretion based on its evaluation of various factors, including the trading price of the company's common stock, market and economic conditions, regulatory requirements and other corporate considerations. The repurchase program may be suspended or discontinued at any time.

05:42 EDT Cnooc commences production at Liuhua 21-2 oilfield ahead of schedule - Cnooc announced that Liuhua 21-2 oilfield has commenced production ahead of schedule. Liuhua 21-2 oilfield is located in the eastern South China Sea, with water depth of about 437 meters. In addition to fully utilizing the existing processing facilities, the project has also built a set of underwater production system, with eight development wells planned in total. The project is expected to reach its peak production of approximately 15,070 barrels of crude oil per day in 2023. Meanwhile, the oilfield recovers associated gas through the light hydrocarbon recovery system to effectively reduce methane emissions. Cnooc holds 100% interest in Liuhua 21-2 oilfield and acts as the operator. As of now, the Liuhua 16-2 oilfield group, which is China's first independent deepwater oilfield group, including Liuhua 16-2, Liuhua 20-2 and Liuhua 21-2, was fully established.

05:35 EDT Lilium to enter $1B commercial deal, strategic alliance with Azul - Lilium announced that it intends to enter into a $1B commercial deal and strategic alliance with Azul (AZUL). It also announced the appointment of Gabrielle Toledano and Henri Courpron to the board upon completion of Lilium's business combination with Qell Acquisition (QELL). Lilium plans to work with Azul to transform high-speed regional transportation in a country which sees close to 100M domestic air passengers a year and is currently one of the world's civilian helicopter and business aviation markets. Combining Azul's knowledge of the Brazilian market with Lilium's eVTOL aircraft platform, the companies plan to negotiate the terms for the establishment of a co-branded network in Brazil. As part of the commercial arrangement, Lilium would intend to sell 220 aircraft for Azul to operate across the network expected to start in 2025 for an aggregate value of up to $1B. The strategic alliance and aircraft order with Azul remain subject to the parties finalizing commercial terms and definitive documentation relating thereto. Azul would expect to operate and maintain the Lilium Jet fleet, while Lilium would provide an aircraft health monitoring platform, replacement batteries and other custom spare parts. Azul also expects to support Lilium with the necessary regulatory approval processes in Brazil for certification of the Lilium Jet and any other required regulatory approvals. Lilium plans to be in operation in multiple regions in 2025. Lilium's Brazil launch plans would be expected to provide incremental revenue alongside previously announced network launch plans in Europe and the U.S.

05:24 EDT Biophytis announces top line results of SARA-INT study with Sarconeos - Biophytis announced the top line results of the SARA-INT phase 2 clinical study with Sarconeos, or BIO101, in Sarcopenia: The effect of two doses of Sarconeos, 175 mg bid and 350 mg bid, have been compared to placebo on gait speed as measured by the 400-Meter Walk Test, or 400 MWT, the primary end-point of the study, in the full analysis dataset and in the per-protocol population. Sarconeos at the highest dose of 350 mg bid showed a clinically meaningful improvement compared to placebo in gait speed, as measured in the 400MWT after six months of treatment, of 0.09 m/s in the FAS population and 0.10 m/s in the PP population. The effect of Sarconeos, or BIO101, at 350 mg bid is close to the Minimal Clinically Important Difference, or MCID, in sarcopenia, associated with a reduction in mobility disability and mortality in elderly. Sarconeos at the lowest dose of 175 mg bid did not show a clinically meaningful difference compared to placebo in gait speed after six months of treatment neither in the FAS population, nor in the PP population. No treatment effect was detected on the handgrip strength test and on PF10 sub-score of the SF-36 PRO on mobility disability, key secondary endpoints of the study. A full report of the results, including analysis of other secondary end-points and biomarkers and analysis in sub-populations, will be presented during a dedicated seminar at the International Congress on Frailty and Sarcopenia Research to be held virtually from September 29 to October 02. Sarconeos showed a very good safety profile after up to nine months of dosing, with no significant difference between treatments arms and placebo for adverse events, serious adverse events, safety laboratory parameters and vital signs. Adverse events percentages - were 36%, 37% and 27% of the total adverse events for the placebo, 175 mg bid, 350 mg bid treatments respectively. Serious adverse events percentages - were 45%, 42% and 12% for placebo, 175 mg bid, 350 mg bid respectively. None of the serious adverse events were related to the product according to investigators.

05:17 EDT Parker-Hannifin acquires Meggitt for GBP 6.3B or 800 pence per share - The boards of directors of Parker-Hannifin (PH) and Meggitt (MEGGF) announced that they have reached agreement on the terms of a recommended cash acquisition of the entire issued and to be issued ordinary share capital of Meggitt by Parker. Under the terms of the acquisition, each shareholder will receive for each Meggitt share, 800 pence in cash, valuing Meggitt's existing issued and to be issued ordinary share capital at approximately GBP 6.3B on a fully diluted basis. The price of 800 pence per Meggitt share represents a premium of approximately 70.5% to the closing price of 469.1 pence per Meggitt share on July 30. Parker believes "Meggitt is very well aligned with Parker and the goals of The Win Strategy, Parker's global business system, representing a unified strategic vision for its team members worldwide. Parker believes that the Acquisition would be strategically and culturally compelling, and enhance the future prospects of the Combined Group within global aerospace and defence industries." Parker expects the combination to be earnings accretive in the first full 12 months after closing. The acquisition is expected to drive incremental sales growth and cash flow accretion, and to deliver a high single-digit ROIC in year five which should grow thereafter. Reference Link

05:09 EDT Accenture acquires Lexta, terms undisclosed - Accenture has acquired Lexta, a consulting firm specialized in IT benchmarking and IT sourcing advisory. Headquartered in Berlin with additional offices in Dusseldorf, London, and Zurich, Lexta's team of more than 60 professionals joins Accenture's Technology Strategy & Advisory group. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded in 2003, Lexta supports clients with insights on the IT provider market, offering analysis and market comparisons of the quality, scope, processes and efficiency of both vendors and IT departments. Lexta's benchmarking and advisory services, especially for cloud, platform and application technologies, enable clients to make better, more informed decisions.

05:04 EDT Nio delivers 7,931 vehicles in July, up 124.5% - Nio announced its July delivery results. Nio delivered 7,931 vehicles in July, representing a 124.5% year-over-year growth. The deliveries consisted of 1,702 ES8s, the company's six-seater or seven-seater smart electric SUV, 3,669 ES6s, the company's five-seater smart electric SUV and 2,560 EC6s, the company's five-seater smart electric coupe SUV. As of July 31, cumulative deliveries of the ES8, ES6 and EC6 reached 125,528 vehicles.