Stockwinners Market Radar for August 09, 2021 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

18:34 EDT Stitch Fix CEO: We've added more clients in FY21 than any year on record - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, Elizabeth Spaulding said Covid ushered in tremendous change for the business. The future of Stitch Fix is personalized styling and shopping, she noted. "We're styled around what the consumer wants in the moment." The company's shopping model is strong due to low return rates, she added.

17:54 EDT SPDR Gold Shares holdings fall from 1,025.28MT to 1,023.54MT - This is the lowest level of holdings since May 6th.

17:46 EDT California Water approved to acquire Preserve at Millerton wastewater systems - California Water Service, the largest subsidiary of California Water Service Group, received approval late last week from the California Public Utilities Commission to acquire the water and wastewater systems serving the Preserve at Millerton and provide regulated water and wastewater service to its future customers. The Preserve at Millerton is a new 1,400-unit master-planned, mixed-use community in Madera County that will include residences, commercial and office space, parks, community facilities, and associated infrastructure. The transaction, expected to close when residences are ready to be occupied in 2022, is subject to the completion of conditions in the purchase agreement. "We appreciate the diligence by the CPUC in reviewing this transaction and look forward to serving the residents and businesses at the Preserve at Millerton," said Group President and Chief Executive Officer Martin A. Kropelnicki. "We also look forward to watching this region grow and thrive, and providing the same quality, service, and value that we are committed to delivering to all of our customers in California."

17:22 EDT Semrush reports Q2 ARR of $188M, up 57% from last year - Reports Q2 customers at 76K, up 29% compared to a year ago.

17:15 EDT CrossAmerica appoints Maura Topper as CFO - The board appointed Maura Topper as CFO of the partnership effective August 11. Topper was most recently the CFO and VP of investments for Dunne Manning, the diversified investment organization of the Topper Group. In that role, she led the financing process for the Topper Group's acquisition of the CrossAmerica general partner in 2019 and the structuring of the recently completed JKM Credit Facility and the amendment to the CAPL Credit Facility to support CrossAmerica's acquisition of sites from 7-Eleven.

17:03 EDT Turquoise Hill comments on reports about increase in cost, schedule extension - Turquoise Hill commented on recent media reports in relation to a consulting report addressing the previously announced increase in cost and schedule extension. The company said, "As announced on December 1, 2020, the board of directors of Oyu Tolgoi LLC ("OT Board") established a special board committee (the "OT Special Committee") comprised of two representatives of Erdenes Oyu Tolgoi (a state-owned entity that owns a 34% interest in Oyu Tolgoi LLC) and two representatives of the Company to investigate the causes of the increase in cost and schedule extension to the underground development of the Oyu Tolgoi project during the period between the 2016 Feasibility Study and the December 2020 Definitive Estimate. A group of consultants called "The Independent Consulting Group" ("ICG") was hired to conduct the review on behalf of the OT Special Committee. ICG submitted its report to the OT Special Committee on August 3, 2021 (the "ICG Report"). The ICG Report raises certain questions in relation to the project management process surrounding the increase in cost and schedule extension and suggests that changes in geotechnical parameters did not contribute significantly thereto. The OT Board and the Company are conducting a detailed review of the ICG Report and will seek a number of clarifications and supporting detailed explanations for certain of the broad conclusions it contains. The Company will update the market as appropriate."

17:00 EDT CNA Financial CFO Miralles resigns - CNA announced that Al Miralles, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, has resigned from CNA. Miralles notified CNA that he will be leaving the insurance industry and transitioning to a career in the technology sector. CNA tapped Larry Haefner, CNA's former Chief Actuary, to serve as interim CFO as the organization executes its search for a new CFO. Throughout his 13 year career at CNA, Haefner was closely aligned with the Finance team. Haefner's cross functional understanding of CNA paired with his proven expertise in the P&C insurance business will ensure a smooth transition for the company. Miralles will leave the company in September and will use this time with Haefner to transition responsibilities. CNA has commenced searching for an experienced executive to take on the role of CFO immediately.

16:51 EDT Indus Realty Trust to acquire 10.6 acres of land in Lehigh Valley for $2.25M - INDUS Realty Trust announced that it recently entered into an agreement to acquire, for a purchase price of $2.25M, approximately 10.6 acres of undeveloped land in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania. Under the terms of the purchase agreement, Indus expects to close on the Lehigh Valley Land upon receipt of the requisite entitlements, estimated to be during the first half of fiscal 2022. Subsequent to closing on the Lehigh Valley Land, Indus expects to begin construction, on speculation, of an approximately 90,000 square foot industrial/logistics building.

16:49 EDT Bonanza Creek revising Q3 production guidance to 41-44 MBoe/d - Previous guidance was 40-44MBoe/d. Lowering LOE guidance from $3.00 to $3.25 per Boe to $2.85 to $3.00 per Boe for the third quarter. Previously provided guidance for oil mix, annual capital expenditures, RMI opex, and severance and valorem taxes are all reaffirmed, but guidance has been limited to the third quarter 2021 as a result of expected merger closings in early fourth quarter 2021.

16:44 EDT Comscore sees FY21 revenue at lower end of previous guidance - The company said, "Based on current trends and expectations, we believe FY21 revenue and adjusted EBITDA margin will be at the lower end of the previously announced ranges. Those ranges estimated a revenue increase between 3% and 5% over 2020 and adjusted EBITDA margin of 6% to 8%. While the company has signed and announced many new customers and expects these partnerships and agreements to generate higher revenue over the long-term, the contracts were executed later in the year than anticipated, which will result in a less significant revenue impact to 2021 than previously contemplated. We do not provide GAAP net income (loss) on a forward-looking basis because we are unable to predict with reasonable certainty our future stock-based compensation expense, fair value adjustments for financing derivatives and warrants, variable interest expense, litigation and restructuring expense, and any unusual gains or losses without unreasonable effort. These items are uncertain, depend on various factors, and could be material to results computed in accordance with GAAP. For this reason, we are unable without unreasonable effort to provide a reconciliation of adjusted EBITDA or adjusted EBITDA margin to the most directly comparable GAAP measure, GAAP net income (loss), on a forward-looking basis."

16:41 EDT Regenxbio reports it has enough cash to fund operations into second half of 2023 - The company said, "Based on its current operating plan, REGENXBIO expects its balance in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities of $593.0M as of June 30 to fund its operations, including the completion of its internal manufacturing capabilities and clinical advancement of its product candidates, into the second half of 2023."

16:37 EDT TherapeuticsMD names Hugh O'Dowd president - TherapeuticsMD announced the appointment of Hugh O'Dowd as President. Mr. O'Dowd succeeds John C.K. Milligan, IV, who the Company recently appointed as Chief Executive Officer of its vitaCare Prescription Services business. "I am delighted to welcome Hugh as President of TherapeuticsMD. Hugh has a significant operating and strategic history with both large and small pharmaceutical companies including over 20 years at Novartis, where he navigated some of the most challenging payor and commercial environments, and consistently delivered superior performance. I believe Hugh will be instrumental in helping TherapeuticsMD build value for our stockholders," stated Robert G. Finizio, Chief Executive Officer of TherapeuticsMD. O'Dowd previously served as President, Chief Executive Officer, and a member of the Board of Directors of Neon Therapeutics

16:36 EDT BancorpSouth shareholders approve merger with Cadence Bancorp - BancorpSouth Bank (BXS) shareholders voted to approve its merger with Cadence Bancorporation (CADE) during a special meeting of its shareholders. This is a critical step toward completing the previously announced merger, pursuant to which the companies will combine in an all-stock merger to create a company with a total market value of more than $6B and create a premier regional banking franchise across Texas and the Southeast. Both companies' boards of directors have previously approved the merger. The merger remains subject to the receipt of certain regulatory approvals and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. BancorpSouth Bank expects the transaction to close in the fourth quarter of 2021 and anticipates full integration will take place in the second half of 2022. Following completion of the merger, the newly combined company will operate under the name "Cadence Bank" and will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "CADE".

16:34 EDT Synchronoss appoints Lou Ferraro acting CFO - Lou Ferraro, executive VP of Financial Operations and Chief Human Resources Officer was named acting CFO.

16:33 EDT Cohen & Steers reports preliminary AUM $99.5B as of July 31 - An increase of $3.3B from assets under management at June 30. The increase was due to net inflows of $782M and market appreciation of $2.7B, partially offset by distributions of $208M.

16:31 EDT TimkenSteel to increase prices on special bar quality products by $60 per ton - TimkenSteel announced it will increase base pricing on all special bar quality products by $60 per ton. This increase is effective for shipments beginning September 6. The company also announced it will increase prices on all carbon and alloy seamless mechanical tubing products by $60 per ton. SMT increases are effective for shipments beginning January 3, 2022. All increases are applicable to orders not already covered by pricing agreements and surcharge mechanisms remain in effect.

16:27 EDT Masonite expands share buyback authorization to $250M - Masonite International Corporation announced that its Board of Directors approved a new share repurchase program allowing the Company to repurchase up to $250 million of its outstanding common shares, inclusive of approximately $40 million which currently remains available under the existing share repurchase authorization approved in May 2018.

16:24 EDT 3D Systems sees FY21 gross profit margins 40%-44% - Consistent with prior guidance, on a non-GAAP basis the company expects 2021 gross profit margins to be between 40% and 44%.

16:23 EDT Esco Technologies board adopts new $200M share repurchase program - On August 5, 2021, the company's Board of Directors adopted a new stock repurchase program, replacing the previous program which was adopted in 2012 and was scheduled to expire September 30, 2021. Under the new program, which is similar to the previous one, Management may repurchase shares of its outstanding stock in the open market and otherwise throughout the period ending September 30, 2024. The total value authorized is $200M.

16:20 EDT Vuzix to focus in smart glasses for remainder of FY21 - "We have the most competitive smart glasses offerings in the market today and an outstanding customer base that understands the value proposition of smart glasses. Our focus over the remainder of 2021 will consist of developing and delivering against growing enterprise smart glasses opportunities while extending our market participation and expanding our business model. To foster these growing market segments, we will focus on strategic initiatives that we believe will both accelerate the adoption of smart glasses in the enterprise market and unlock significant value for Vuzix shareholders. We will also continue to develop our core technologies and next generation products that we believe will be vital to enabling broader market adoption in support of enterprise, defense, aerospace and OEM smart glasses manufacturers. Finally, we will further expand our sales channels and deliver hand-to-glove service to our cornerstone customers to support large-scale adoption of Vuzix smart glasses while continuing to pave-the-way for enabling additional new market adoption globally," Paul Travers, President and CEO of Vuzix. "Our business outlook for the second half of 2021 remains positive. We currently anticipate sequential top-line revenue growth in our second half of 2021, driven by strong smart glasses demand and the expected return of OEM-related engineering services revenue and initial sales of OEM production units to a Tier-1 defense customer," concluded Travers.

16:16 EDT Syndax sees Q3 esearch and development expenses $25M-$30M - Sees Q3 total operating expenses $30M-$35M.

16:14 EDT Aecom boosts FY21 adjusted EBITDA view to $810M-$830M - Still sees FY21 free cash flow $425M-$625M.

16:11 EDT Ouster names Susan Heystee as chair of board of directors - Ouster announced the appointment of Susan Heystee as Chair of its Board of Directors. Heystee has served as a member of the Ouster Board of Directors since September 2018 and as the Company's Interim Chief Revenue Officer from January to July of this year. "I am excited to continue working closely with Susan in her new role as Chair of Ouster's Board of Directors. Susan has been pivotal to Ouster over the last three years. With extensive experience in the technology sector and deep knowledge of market-driven strategies, she is well-positioned to lead our Board and advise the Company as we continue to scale to bring digital lidar to diverse end-markets across the world," said Ouster CEO Angus Pacala.

16:07 EDT Myomo sees delivering y/y revenue growth in Q3, consensus $2.69M - "We expect to deliver another solid quarter of year-over-year revenue growth in the third quarter," the company said in a statement. "Our plan is to build upon the successful strategies we implemented during the first half of the year, in particular increased direct-to-patient marketing. In addition, we will continue to focus on the direct billing channel as we look forward to a strong finish to 2021."

16:06 EDT Rocket Pharmaceuticals expects cash to fund operations until second half of FY23 - Rocket expects its balance in cash, cash equivalents and investments of $426.8 million as of June 30, 2021 to fund its operations into the second half of 2023, including the continued buildout and initiation of AAV cGMP manufacturing capabilities at our Cranbury, New Jersey R&D and manufacturing facility and continued development of our five clinical programs.

16:02 EDT SkyWest announces flying agreement with Delta on new E175s - SkyWest (SKYW) announced an agreement with Delta Air Lines (DAL) to purchase and operate 16 new E175 aircraft under a multi-year capacity purchase agreement. These aircraft are scheduled to be placed into service beginning in the first half of 2022, and will be placed into service ratably through year-end 2022. The aircraft will be purchased by SkyWest from Embraer and delivered new from the factory. SkyWest continues to be the largest owner/operator of the Embraer E175 aircraft in the world. SkyWest expects the 16 new E175 aircraft will replace 16 SkyWest-owned or financed CRJ900s currently under its Delta contract, with expirations ranging from the second half of 2022 to early 2023. SkyWest is evaluating the impact of the anticipated displacement of the CRJ900s, including a potential non-cash impairment charge.

15:38 EDT Seneca Foods trading halted, volatility trading pause

14:42 EDT Dish says Sinclair 'trying to use its market power' to 'demand unreasonable fee' - Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBGI), the country's third largest local channel owner, is threatening to black out Dish (DISH) customers' access to 144 local channels across 86 markets nationwide, announced Dish. "The media conglomerate is trying to use its market power to demand an unreasonable fee increase, using millions of Americans as pawns in its negotiations," according to Dish, which added that "there is still time to reach an agreement with Sinclair that is fair for all parties involved, especially our customers."

13:15 EDT NRx Pharmaceuticals initiates Phase 2b trial of BriLife vaccine - NRx Pharmaceuticals announced it is initiating a phase 2b dose-confirmatory trial of the BriLife vaccine against COVID-19 in the Nation of Georgia. The vaccine is developed by the Israel Institute for Biological Research. The trial is being conducted with oversight from the Senator Richard Lugar Center for Public Health Research. The purpose of the study is to confirm the vaccine's ability to generate an immune response against the COVID-19 Delta variant, prior to entering phase 3 trials in multiple nations. The phase 2b program will also incorporate a potential intradermal vaccination option where a small quantity of vaccine is placed into the skin instead of a traditional needle injection into a muscle. The clinical trials in Georgia will take place at the same time as the completion of the second phase of clinical trials in Israel. NRx is recruiting volunteers, and expanding the second phase of clinical trials abroad, in order to increase the statistical sample and prepare the regulatory file necessary for further trials.

12:23 EDT Roku says new slate of 23 Roku Originals to premiere August 13 - Roku announced that a new slate of Roku Originals will be available to stream beginning August 13. The lineup features 23 new titles for The Roku Channel, including four all-new premieres, available exclusively on The Roku Channel in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. Reference Link

12:11 EDT Eldorado Gold to divest Tocantinzinho Project in Brazil to G Mining Ventures - Eldorado Gold Corporation announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with G Mining Ventures Corp. to divest its Tocantinzinho Project located in Brazil. Under the terms of the Agreement, Eldorado will receive: Minimum upfront consideration of $50M, comprised of a minimum $20M in cash and 19.9% of GMIN shares upon closing of the Transaction. Deferred consideration of $60M in cash to be paid subject to TZ commencing commercial production, payable on the first anniversary of commercial production. GMIN has the option to defer 50% of the Deferred Consideration at a cost of $5M, in which case $30M is payable upon the first anniversary of the commencement of commercial production and $35M is payable upon the second anniversary of the commencement of commercial production. Upon closing of the Transaction, Eldorado and GMIN will enter into an investor rights agreement, which will grant Eldorado certain rights for so long as it maintains 10% ownership of GMIN common shares on an undiluted basis. The Investor Rights Agreement will include a customary lockup period until the earlier of (i) two years, and (ii) GMIN making a positive construction decision on TZ, the right for Eldorado to participate in future equity offerings by GMIN in order to maintain the greater of 19.9% of GMIN's share capital and Eldorado's pro rata ownership interest prior to the offering, and additional customary rights and restrictions for a transaction of this nature. The Transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including required regulatory approvals. The Transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2021. Trinity Advisors Corporation acted as financial advisors to Eldorado, and Fasken acted as Eldorado's legal counsel.

12:05 EDT Trade Desk: Walmart to launch new DSP in 2H21 - Trade Desk (TTD) says that in the second half of the year, Walmart (WMT) will launch a new DSP, which integrates Walmart shopper data and is built on Trade Desk's platform. Comments taken from Q2 earnings conference call.

12:03 EDT Vodafone to introduce roaming charges in Europe Zone - Vodafone said it is changing the number of Vodafone Pay monthly plans that include roaming in its Europe Zone, for personal and business customers. "If you're on a Pay monthly plan that started before 11 August 2021, there will be no change to your plan, or to the way you roam, while you stay on that plan," the company said. Roaming charges start on 6 January 2022, from GBP1 per day. Reference Link

12:00 EDT Audacy falls -9.9% - Audacy is down -9.9%, or -34c to $3.06.

12:00 EDT Butterfly Network rises 14.3% - Butterfly Network is up 14.3%, or $1.49 to $11.93.

12:00 EDT BIT Mining Limited rises 19.6% - BIT Mining Limited is up 19.6%, or $1.25 to $7.62.

11:56 EDT Horizon receives regulatory approvals to acquire 14 Huntington National branches - Horizon Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of Horizon Bancorp (HBNC) announced that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation has approved the purchase and assumption agreement to acquire 14 of The Huntington National Bank (HBAN) branches in 11 Michigan counties with, as previously announced on May 25, 2021, approximately $976M in deposits and $278M in associated loans. The branches, which were previously operated by TCF National Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary of TCF Financial Corporation, are being divested in connection with TCF Financial Corporation's merger with Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. The transaction close and conversion will take place simultaneously and is expected to occur the weekend of September 18, 2021. Horizon expects to add over 50,000 primarily retail and small business customer accounts and the entire workforce of the acquired branches.

10:47 EDT JetBlue names Ciprian Acatrinei senior technology head, JetBlue Travel Products - Ciprian Acatrinei has been promoted to senior head of technology at JetBlue Travel Products, the company's wholly owned travel subsidiary. Ciprian has been part of the JetBlue Travel Products leadership team from the start in 2018, and has played a critical role in developing its overall strategy. In his new position, he'll continue leading the development of JetBlue Travel Products' technology that is critical to delivering business growth. This includes JetBlue Vacations as well as the newly launched travel website, Paisly by JetBlue, which makes individually tailored suggestions for travel components such as hotel stays and car rentals.

10:45 EDT JetBlue appoints Alex Battaglia as head of airports, system operations - Alex Battaglia has been named JetBlue's head of airports and system operations. Alex previously held the role of head of system operations and will be taking on the responsibility for operations at airports in his new role. Alex has been overseeing the execution of JetBlue's day-to-day operations for the past nine years and was previously vice president, airports and vice president, JFK operations and Customer service. This new role will streamline JetBlue's operation as the airline grows.

10:27 EDT Boeing: 7 out of 13 Starliner valves now operating as designed

10:24 EDT Box urges stockholders to vote for all three directors standing for election - The Box Board of Directors issued the following statement in response to the investor presentation and press release issued by Starboard Value: The company said, "The Box of today is not the Box of 2019. Over the last year and a half, the Box Board and management team have taken meaningful actions to accelerate the company's growth strategy, improve its operational and financial results, and enhance its governance. Box's reconstituted, world-class Board - seven directors of whom have joined in the last three years - is overseeing the execution of the right strategy, placing Box in the strongest financial position in its history, and leading to total stockholder returns that have outperformed Box's SaaS peer set1 in the past year. The Box Board acknowledged that change was needed when Box previously settled with Starboard in March 2020. That change has happened and more efforts are underway. Since March 2020, the Board and management have taken concrete action to enhance stockholder value, including by: Reshaping the Board: Box added four new directors, including two who were approved by Starboard. One of the Starboard approved directors, Bethany Mayer, serves as the independent Chair of the Board and Chair of the Compensation Committee, while the second Starboard-approved director, Jack Lazar, serves as Chair of the Audit Committee. In addition, the Box Board today includes executives with deep technology industry expertise, diverse skillsets, and proven track records driving disciplined growth, profitability, and stockholder value. Importantly, each director brings significant public company experience serving as directors and C-suite executives of multi-billion dollar publicly traded SaaS and enterprise software companies. Forming the Operating Committee: The Operating Committee, which also includes two Starboard-approved directors, has been focused specifically on driving improved operating margin and reaccelerating revenue growth...Improving Operating and Financial Performance: Box is in the strongest financial position in its history, and the company's progress has continued to be reflected in Box's performance through the end of fiscal 2021 and into fiscal 2022...Executing Go-Forward Strategy Alongside a World Class Partner: The Board formed a Strategy Committee, which included two Starboard-approved directors, to lead a multi-month comprehensive review of strategic options that had been expressly desired by certain stockholders. Following this strategic review, the Board unanimously determined that the KKR-led investment and subsequent self-tender was the best path forward for Box stockholders. This outcome is a validation of Box's strategy and the potential to create future value for all stockholders. KKR would not have made a significant investment in the company if it didn't believe the stock price could appreciate well beyond the conversion price of $27 per share - an important endorsement for the sell-side and all Box investors... Enhancing Corporate Governance and Compensation Practices: In addition to appointing Starboard-approved directors as Board Chair and Chairs of the Audit and Compensation Committees, the Board has implemented additional governance enhancements and continues to evolve executive compensation practices...The Box Board is focused on executing and delivering value to stockholders. It is unanimous in its belief that the further changes to the Board now proposed by Starboard, replacing three highly qualified directors with its own nominees, are neither warranted nor in the best interests of all stockholders. The Board is committed to acting in the best interests of all stockholders and to maximizing stockholder value. The Box Board of Directors unanimously recommends that stockholders vote the BLUE proxy card "FOR" ALL of Box's three highly qualified directors standing for election - Dana Evan, Peter Leav and Aaron Levie - at the Annual Meeting, which will be held on September 9, 2021. Box stockholders of record at the close of business on July 12, 2021 are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting."

10:07 EDT Moderna announces Australia's TGA grants provisional registration for vaccine - Moderna announced that the Therapeutic Goods Administration has granted provisional registration to the COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna in Australia for active immunization to prevent COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus in individuals 18 years of age and older. Delivery of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine to Australia is expected to commence in the second half of September. "I want to thank the government of Australia for their collaboration and for the confidence they have demonstrated in COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna with this decision," said Stephane Bancel, CEO of Moderna. "As we seek to protect people around the world with our COVID-19 vaccine, we look forward to continuing discussions with the Australian Government about potentially establishing local mRNA manufacturing capabilities." The Australian government has previously secured 10 million doses of COVID-19 Vaccine Moderna for delivery in 2021, through a supply agreement announced on May 12, 2021, as well as an option to procure 15 million doses in 2022. Moderna has also received emergency authorization for use of its COVID-19 vaccine from health agencies in more than 50 countries and an Emergency Use Listing from the World Health Organization. The TGA continues to evaluate an application for provisional registration of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine for use in adolescents aged 12 to 18 years.

10:01 EDT Tyson Foods says 'carefully managing' inflation environment - Says working to mitigate COGS increase. Says methodically and responsibly raising prices. Says conversations with customers on inflationary pressures have been productive. Expects inflationary pressures to create a "meaningful headwind" for Prepared Foods segment in Q4. Says has "substantially de-levered" the business over the past year. Says fundamentals of business "look good" going forward.

10:00 EDT CNFinance falls -6.4% - CNFinance is down -6.4%, or -27c to $3.97.

10:00 EDT Elanco falls -16.6% - Elanco is down -16.6%, or -$5.86 to $29.50.

10:00 EDT Maui Land & Pineapple rises 11.0% - Maui Land & Pineapple is up 11.0%, or $1.15 to $11.58.

09:51 EDT Abiomed dips as traders circulate FDA 'Medsun' report - Shares of Abiomed are down about 1% to $343.49 in early trading as traders circulate a FDA "Medsun" report dated August 5. The report states in part: "In examining the pump catheter, there was notable thrombic material around the discharge ports of the pump, but it is unknown if this was present at the time of explant or formed later while sitting in a bag for over a day. The catheter will be given to the manufacturer for their evaluation. All pieces were removed, and an x-ray was taken. Results were negative." Reference Link

09:47 EDT New York City REIT falls -6.9% - New York City REIT is down -6.9%, or -87c to $11.77.

09:47 EDT Rush Street Interactive rises 14.4% - Rush Street Interactive is up 14.4%, or $1.59 to $12.67.

09:47 EDT BIT Mining Limited rises 21.0% - BIT Mining Limited is up 21.0%, or $1.34 to $7.71.

09:32 EDT BetMGM enters partnerships with Gila River Hotels & Casinos, Arizona Cardinals - BetMGM announced partnerships with Gila River Hotels & Casinos and the Arizona Cardinals for retail and online sports betting, establishing its first relationships in the state of Arizona. BetMGM plans to bring its platform online once legalized sports betting launches in Arizona. The company also plans to open retail sportsbooks at the three Arizona Gila River properties and at State Farm Stadium, home of the Cardinals. Gila River Hotels & Casinos operates three Arizona locations, all owned by the Gila River Indian Community: Wild Horse Pass, Lone Butte, and Vee Quiva. All three will feature custom built BetMGM Sportsbooks, set to open near football season, reflective of its sports-centric brand. BetMGM plans to open a BetMGM Sportsbook at State Farm Stadium, with a targeted opening in time for the 2022 NFL season.

09:29 EDT Simplicity Esports enters into joint venture with ESTV - Simplicity Esports and Gaming Company announced that it entered into a joint venture agreement with ESTV to host multiple Ultimate Gaming League and Fortnite Box Fighting Championship live in-person events inside its esports gaming centers. ESTV will provide streaming, broadcasting, and production of the events.

09:28 EDT Hop-on, Inc. retains professional services of NTCONSULT - Hop-on has retained the professional services of NTCONSULT to develop business process workflow solutions for the new Digitalage decentralized social media, content protection, and digital rights management platform. NTCONSULT was chosen for their top-tier experience in implementing process automation and workflow solutions for some of the world's largest names in finance and banking. While the primary work will be focused on design, development, and delivery of advanced tools to automate and facilitate digital rights management, royalty collection and distribution, financial services, and dispute resolution, NTCONSULT will also be tapped to assist Hop-on's in-house and contracted engineering teams on bleeding edge solutions.

09:26 EDT Green Plains completes offering of common stock - Green Plains announced the completion of its underwritten public offering of 5,462,500 shares of common stock at a price to the public of $32.00 per share. This includes the purchase of 712,500 shares of common stock by the underwriters pursuant to the full exercise of their overallotment option. The shares of common stock were offered and sold in a public offering under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The company's estimated net proceeds from the common stock offering were approximately $164.9 million after deducting the initial purchasers' discounts and commissions and its estimated offering expenses. The company intends to use the net proceeds from the common stock offering for growth investments to further accelerate its downstream development opportunities.

09:20 EDT Sinclair says unlikely carriage deal with DISH happening before August 16 - Sinclair Broadcast (SBGI) announced that it is unlikely that a carriage agreement with DISH Network (DISH) will be reached before the August 16, 2021 expiration of their current agreement for DISH's carriage of Sinclair's broadcast stations and Tennis Channel. As a result, all Sinclair broadcast TV stations and Tennis Channel would no longer be carried by DISH Network. In total, 112 broadcast TV stations are expected to be dropped, including 102 ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC affiliates. DISH Network has a demonstrated track record of dropping local and national programming that viewers value. DISH has recently had carriage disruptions, some of which continue to this day, with the NFL Network, HBO, the Bally Sports Regional Sports Networks, Mid Atlantic Sports Network, Altitude Sports Network, the NBC RSNs, Nexstar Media Group, E.W. Scripps Co., Mission Broadcasting, Cox Media Group, Sunbeam Broadcasting, and Capital Broadcasting. In the past few years, DISH Network has dropped over 230 channels due to carriage disputes. "We have tried unsuccessfully to reach fair and customary terms with DISH Network for the renegotiation of our retransmission consent," stated David Gibber, Sinclair's General Counsel. "Given the status of these negotiations, we feel it is important to alert DISH Network subscribers to the real risk that some of their favorite stations will no longer be available through DISH Network including their access to live, local news, popular syndicated programming, sports programming including college and NFL football, and the network programming of our ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and CW affiliates in those markets. DISH subscribers are also at risk of losing Tennis Channel. With this loss, tennis fans will not be able to see wall-to-wall coverage of the Western & Southern Open from Cincinnati, OH in the run-up to the last Grand Slam of the year, the US Open."

09:17 EDT Honeywell selected by Copa to provide ASM kits for its fleet - Honeywell (HON) has been selected by Copa (CPA) Airlines to provide its Air Separation Module, or ASM, kit for Copa's fleet of Boeing (BA) 737 aircraft. This new technology offering is a drop-in replacement for Copa's existing ASMs, which are installed on larger aircraft to help reduce the risk of fuel tank fires. Copa is the first airline to operate Honeywell's version of the safety system, which has one of the longest lifespans and warranties in the industry.

09:13 EDT Tyson Foods says exceptionally strong balance sheet, high levels of liquidity - Says labor is "number one challenge." Says has raised wages in several markets. Says actively working to recover volumes from pandemic lows. Says health and safety continues to be top priority. Says taking "aggressive actions" to meet increased demand. Says has increased prices to offset cost inflation. Comments taken from Q3 earnings conference call.

09:11 EDT Huntington Ingalls announces proposed offering of senior notes - Huntington Ingalls Industries announced an offering by the Company of senior notes. The Notes Offering is part of the financing for the previously announced acquisition of Alion Science and Technology, pursuant to a Stock Purchase Agreement dated as of July 4, 2021, by and among Alion Holding Corp., Alion Holdings and the Company. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Notes Offering, together with borrowings under its term loan credit facility, to fund the purchase price for the Alion Acquisition.

09:11 EDT Acuity Brands announces UL Certification of Care222 filtered far-UVC module - Acuity Brands announced that its Care222 filtered far-UVC module with patent-pending dosing electronics is the first germicidal UV source in the wavelength range 200-230 nm to be UL LLC Certified to meet U.S. and Canadian standards for germicidal equipment for use in occupied spaces. When properly installed and administered, the module is in the Exempt risk group for photobiological hazards, as described in the IEC 62471:2006, Photobiological safety of lamps and lamp systems. The UL Recognized Component certification paves the way for incorporating the module into a variety of Acuity Brands LED lighting products to deliver a measured 222nm far-UVC dosage in occupied spaces. These lighting products provide a 222nm far-UVC dosage that can effectively target pathogens1 throughout the day in indoor applications such as schools, hospitals, manufacturing, hospitality and retail, while maintaining a natural-looking light emittance.

09:09 EDT Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives prices $300M offering of senior notes - Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, IEA Energy Services, priced the previously announced offering of $300.0 million aggregate principal amount of its 6.625% senior notes due 2029 on August 6, 2021. The Notes were priced at $98.485 per $100 principal amount and will be guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by IEA and certain of its domestic wholly-owned subsidiaries. The Company expects that the closing of the Notes Offering will occur on August 17, 2021, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. We intend to use the net proceeds from the Notes Offering to repay the balance outstanding under our term loan under our Third Amended and Restated Credit agreement and to pay for the redemption of a portion of our outstanding Series B Preferred Stock.

09:08 EDT Gevo to sell renewable natural gas to bp - Gevo (GEVO) announces that its wholly-owned dairy manure-based renewable natural gas project company located in northwest Iowa, Gevo NW Iowa RNG, has signed binding, definitive agreements with BP (BP) Canada Energy Marketing and BP Products North America for the sale of NW Iowa RNG's production. The NW Iowa RNG project is currently being constructed and is expected to commence production in early 2022. Upon project completion, NW Iowa RNG is estimated to produce approximately 355,000 MMBtu of RNG per year. The RNG is expected to be sold into the California market under dispensing agreements bp has in place with Clean Energy Fuels (CLNE).

09:06 EDT Financial Institutions names Laurie Collins as Chief Human Resources Officer - Five Star Bank, subsidiary of Financial Institutions (FISI), and affiliate of SDN Insurance Agency, Courier Capital, and HNP Capital, collectively, the "Company," announced today that Laurie Collins has joined the Bank as Chief Human Resources Officer. Reporting directly to President and Chief Executive Officer Martin Birmingham, she will work collaboratively with leaders across the company, providing leadership and guidance in organizational design, talent acquisition, performance management, employee engagement, professional development and change management. She will also be a key driver in advancing diversity and inclusion goals and objectives. Collins is a strategic human resources professional with more than 15 years of public company experience. She most recently served as Global Director - Total Rewards, Culture and HR Technology at global manufacturer Columbus McKinnon Corporation (CMCO).

09:04 EDT Vital Farms appoints Stephanie Coon as Senior VP of Strategy - Vital Farms announced the appointment of Stephanie Coon as Senior Vice President, or VP, of Strategy. In this newly created role, Stephanie will oversee strategic planning, including identifying and executing long-term growth initiatives that progress Vital Farms' aspiration to build the most trusted food brand. Stephanie Coon will report to President and CEO Russell Diez-Canseco as a member of the Vital Farms Senior Leadership Team. Stephanie Coon joins Vital Farms from KIND Healthy Snacks, a national consumer food brand, where she served as Senior Vice President of Strategy & Execution.

08:55 EDT Covenant Logistics to commence modified dutch auction tender offer - Covenant Logistics Group announced that it commenced a modified Dutch Auction tender offer to purchase up to $40.0 million of its Class A common stock, or such lesser number of shares of its Class A common stock as are properly tendered and not properly withdrawn, at a price not less than $21.00 nor greater than $23.00 per share of Class A common stock, to the seller in cash, less any applicable withholding taxes and without interest. The offer is made upon the terms and subject to the conditions described in the offer to purchase and in the related letter of transmittal. The closing price of Covenant's Class A common stock on the Nasdaq on August 6, 2021, the last full trading day before the commencement of the tender offer, was $20.27 per share. The tender offer is scheduled to expire at one minute after 11:59 P.M., New York City time, on September 3, 2021, unless the offer is extended. Covenant's decision to commence the tender offer is based on its confidence in the long-term outlook for the business, enhanced by its continued execution of its strategic plan, and is consistent with Covenant's balanced approach to capital allocation. Covenant believes that the tender offer represents an efficient mechanism to provide the Company's stockholders with the opportunity to tender all or a portion of their stock and thereby receive a return of some or all of their investment in the Company if they so elect. The tender offer provides stockholders with an opportunity to obtain liquidity with respect to all or a portion of their stock without the potential disruption to the stock price of the Company.

08:49 EDT Worlds files appeal with Federal Circuit on court's ruling on gaming patents - On Monday, August 2, 2021, Worlds (WDDD) filed its opening appellate brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, asking the Federal Circuit to reverse an adverse District Court ruling from April 30, 2021 in favor of defendants Activision Blizzard (ATVI), Blizzard Entertainment, and Activision Publishing. Worlds has been in litigation with the Activision defendants since 2012, with Worlds asserting infringement of its patent rights directed to three-dimensional virtual world technology and network architecture. That litigation ended when the District Court ruled that Worlds' patents were invalid under 35 U.S.C. Section 101 as directed to patent-ineligible subject matter. Among other points raised in its 53-page brief, Worlds argued that the District Court's Order incorrectly viewed Worlds' patent claims as implementing the abstract idea of filtering using conventional computer technology. Worlds also disagreed with the District Court's comparison of Worlds' technology as a capacity limit for virtual worlds, since Worlds' technology was directed to increasing, rather than limiting, the number of users who could simultaneously access the virtual world. Worlds CEO Thom Kidrin stated, "While we believed that both the law and evidence were in Worlds' favor while before the District Court, the District Court did not agree. However, we strongly believe our opening appellate brief demonstrates that Worlds' patents fully comply with section 101, and we hope the Federal Circuit agrees."

08:46 EDT AbbVie says SKYRIZI now available in U.S. as a single-dose 150 mg injection - AbbVie announced that SKYRIZI is now available in the U.S. as a single-dose 150 mg injection for the treatment of adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Previously two 75 mg injections per dose, SKYRIZI 150 mg is now administered with one injection per dose, via either a prefilled pen or syringe, every 12 weeks following two starter doses. The new SKYRIZI 150 mg pen incorporates wide grip handles, audible cues to help guide the administration process and an indicator to signal when administration is complete.

08:45 EDT Merida Merger Corp trading resumes

08:43 EDT Cellectar Biosciences sees cash runway into 2023 - As of June 30, 2021, the company had cash and cash equivalents of $46.8 million compared to $57.2 million at December 31, 2020. Cash used in operating activities was approximately $11.6 million during the six months ended June 30, 2021 as compared to $6.6 million during the six months ended June 30, 2020.

08:41 EDT Hill International to continue capital program administration services at PHL - Hill International announced it was selected by the City of Philadelphia, Division of Aviation, to provide Capital Program Administration support services for the City's ongoing Capital Program at Philadelphia International Airport, or PHL. Hill's services under the new contract will encompass end-to-end Capital Program services by assisting and managing the implementation of Capital projects. This includes capital budget development and implementation; financial governance and oversight; grants management services; program management system development and maintenance; capital development support; purchasing and maintenance support. Through these and other as-needed services, the Hill team will help PHL efficiently manage the Capital Program and realize cost savings wherever possible. The Hill team currently assigned to the PHL Capital Program will remain largely in-place, offering continuity and proven expertise.

08:40 EDT Tyson Foods sees FY21 Covid-19 costs $325M vs. prior view of $365M - The company said, "We continue to proactively manage the company and its operations through this global pandemic. Given the nature of our business, demand for food and protein may continue to shift amongst sales channels and experience disruptions, but over time we expect worldwide demand to continue to increase. We are experiencing multiple challenges related to the pandemic. These challenges are anticipated to continue to increase our operating costs in fiscal 2021. We cannot currently predict the ultimate impact that COVID-19 will have on our short- and long-term demand, as it will depend on, among other things, the severity and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. Our liquidity is expected to be adequate to continue to run our operations and meet our obligations as they become due. For fiscal 2021, we estimate that we will incur approximately $325M of direct incremental expenses associated with the impact of COVID-19; however, some of these incremental expenses may become permanent over time."

08:39 EDT EXFO Inc. trading halted, news pending

08:38 EDT Verizon to launch new free education portal - Verizon is launching a new education portal, Verizon Innovative Learning HQ, that will scale the resources of Verizon Innovative Learning - the company's education initiative addressing barriers to digital inclusion - and its proven approach to integrating technology into the classroom. Launching August 23, Verizon Innovative Learning HQ will provide next-gen learning for students, covering a range of subjects from history to biology, through access to the latest augmented reality and virtual reality education tools. The free education portal includes content, curated by Columbia University, New York University, Arizona State University, and other academic institutions, that provides immersive AR and VR experiences paired with lesson plans. With the need for in-classroom tech resources greater than ever, Verizon is continuing to expand the Verizon Innovative Learning Schools program, which equips students and teachers at select Title I schools across the country with technology, access, innovative learning programs and professional development. The program, through Digital Promise, will welcome 246 new schools from 50 districts across the country this fall, nearly doubling the program's reach to 511 schools nationwide and providing nearly 183,000 new students with technology resources. Verizon is launching 40 new Verizon Innovative Learning Labs to Title I schools across the country. Verizon's continued efforts to foster digital inclusion includes the launch of a new initiative: Verizon Community Forward. This new program will serve to reinvigorate community spaces, providing under-resourced populations with the skills they need to be prepared for the digital workforce and 5G economy.

08:35 EDT ASGN announces acquisition of Enterprise Resource Performance, no terms - ASGN announced the acquisition of Enterprise Resource Performance, Inc. ERPi a premier healthcare consulting and data analytics firm that delivers federal healthcare transformation services. ERPi's team of 250 consultants will become part of the Enterprise Solutions business unit within ECS, ASGN's Federal Government Segment. "Following one of the most difficult years for the global healthcare market, ASGN is proud to add enhanced solution capabilities in the healthcare industry with the addition of ERPi," said Ted Hanson, ASGN President and Chief Executive Officer. "ERPi offers superior IT services

08:33 EDT uCloudlink announces partnership with Indonesian technology company - uCloudlink has launched a local partnership with a technology company headquartered in Indonesia that provides mobile internet solutions for the community to bring better connectivity to users throughout the region. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the demand for connectivity has surged in South-East Asia. With vaccines being administered globally and countries reopening their borders, this trend is only set to continue as tourism begins its gradual rebound. Under the agreement, the local partner will market, distribute and sell uCloudlink's mobile broadband related devices and connectivity services in Indonesia. Leveraging uCloudlink's patented CloudSIM technology, the two companies will be able to provide users with reliable, secure and stable mobile connectivity.

08:31 EDT Impel NeuroPharma announces publication of Phase 3 study of INP104 - Impel NeuroPharma announced that its pivotal Phase 3, open-label study, STOP 301, was published in the August 7, 2021 edition of Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain, the official journal of the American Headache Society. TRUDHESA is dihydroergotamine mesylate delivered directly into the vascular-rich upper nasal space using Impel's proprietary Precision Olfactory Delivery technology for the treatment of acute migraine. The publication addresses the STOP 301 trial, which is an open-label study with the primary objective of assessing the long-term safety and tolerability of TRUDHESA in the acute treatment of migraine, with a specific focus on nasal mucosa and olfactory function. Exploratory objectives included efficacy assessments of migraine measures and a patient acceptability questionnaire. The New Drug Application for INP104 was accepted for review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in January 2021 and has a Prescription Drug User Fee Act target action date of September 6, 2021. The FDA has conditionally accepted a trade name of TRUDHESA.

08:29 EDT ARCA Biopharma announces submission of PCT patent application for rNAPc2 - ARCA biopharma announced that it has submitted a Patent Cooperation Treaty, or PCT, patent application, following on previously submitted provisional patent applications, for the use of the Company's developmental drug rNAPc2 to treat patients hospitalized with COVID-19. The patent is based on novel research discoveries from the laboratory of Univ.-Prof. Dr. Wolfram Ruf, at the Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis of the University Medical Center Mainz, Germany. The Company believes that this patent, if issued, could potentially provide effective market exclusivity for rNAPc2 in certain countries for the treatment of patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection and associated coagulopathy into approximately 2040, if rNAPc2 is further developed and approved for this indication. The Company plans to pursue related patent protection in foreign jurisdictions as appropriate.

08:28 EDT Atlas Air releases environmental, social, governance report - Atlas Air Worldwide announced the release of its second environmental, social and governance report. The report highlights progress on key initiatives and programs that support the Company's four overarching ESG priorities: Responsible Business Growth; Environmental Stewardship; Career, Culture & Equity for Our People; and Social Impact & Community Engagement. "We are dedicated to advancing our environmental, social and governance commitments and helping to lead our industry forward," said John Dietrich, President and Chief Executive Officer of Atlas Air Worldwide. "Our long-standing commitment to be a responsible corporate citizen is ingrained in our company culture. This commitment has served as the foundation for how we have navigated the pandemic in 2020 and continue to do so today. We appreciate the efforts of our extraordinary team around the world as we continue to make progress on our ESG priorities." Key highlights include: Enhancing global prosperity and supporting local communities; Prioritizing the Company's ESG efforts; Serving as responsible environmental stewards; and Strengthening the employee experience.

08:27 EDT Nautilus appoints Karl Voss as VP, Life Sciences Research and Development - Nautilus Biotechnology (NAUT) announced the appointment of Karl Voss, Ph.D., as Vice President of Life Sciences Research and Development. He and his team will work out of Nautilus' research headquarters in San Carlos, California. He was previously Vice President of Consumables Research and Development at Pacific Biosciences (PACB), where he led scientific efforts to productize the company's long-read, single-molecule DNA sequencing instruments.

08:25 EDT HC2 Holdings' DBM Global to pay cash dividendd of $1.297 per share - HC2 Holdings announced that its infrastructure business DBM Global, a family of companies providing fully integrated steel construction services, will pay a cash dividend of approximately $5 million, or $1.297 per share, on August 31, 2021 to DBM stockholders of record at the close of business on August 16, 2021. As the largest stockholder of DBM Global Inc., HC2 expects to receive approximately $4.5 million of the total $5 million dividend payout. HC2 individual stockholders are not eligible to receive the cash dividend.

08:23 EDT Marathon Digital appoints James, Oussial to board of directors - Marathon Digital has appointed Sarita James and Said Ouissal to its board of directors, effective immediately. As a result, Marathon's board of directors now consists of seven directors, including five independent directors and two inside directors. Sarita James is the CEO of Embark. Said Ouissalis currently the CEO and founder of ZEDEDA.

08:22 EDT Enlivex Therapeutics expects cash to fund requirements through 2023 - As of June 30, 2021, Enlivex had cash and marketable securities of $90.6 million. The Company believes that its existing cash and marketable securities will be sufficient to fund its operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements through 2023.

08:19 EDT aTyr Pharma announces two abstracts for ATYR1923 accepted for presentation - aTyr Pharm announced that two abstracts for the company's lead therapeutic candidate, ATYR1923, have been accepted for presentation at the 2021 European Respiratory Society International Congress to be held virtually September 5 - 8. The presentations are: "Treatment with ATYR1923 reduces biomarkers in COVID-19 pneumonia" and "Immunomodulatory protein ATYR1923 disrupts an in vitro model of sarcoid granuloma formation."

08:18 EDT Tempest Therapeutics appoints Ronit Simantov to board of directors - Tempest Therapeutics (TPST) announced the appointment of Ronit Simantov to the company's board of directors. Dr. Simantov currently serves as chief medical officer at Gamida Cell (GMDA).

08:17 EDT FuelCell close tax equity financing with East West for US Navy fuel cell project - FuelCell Energy (FCEL) announced that the company closed on a tax equity financing transaction with East West Bank (EWBC) for the 7.4 megawatts fuel cell project located on the U.S. Navy Submarine Base in Groton, CT, also known as the Submarine Force. East West Bank's tax equity commitment totals $15M. The Company continues to advance the project through mechanical completion and expects commercial operation to commence prior to the end of September 2021. Following commercial operation, the Company expects to add back-leverage debt financing to complete the project's capital structure. "The U.S. Navy Submarine Base project is a milestone project for FuelCell Energy, demonstrating our high quality and reliable clean energy solution that enables electrical resiliency with the country's most critical infrastructure, while supporting the Navy's decarbonization goals" said Jason Few, President and Chief Executive Officer, FuelCell Energy. "The United States Defense Critical Electrical Infrastructure initiative is important to national security, and we are honored to have an opportunity to deploy our platform in a microgrid configuration towards this mission," Few added. "We are optimistic that the current policy focus on infrastructure should present additional opportunities to deploy our SureSource(TM) platform in support of the Defense Critical Electrical Infrastructure initiative."

08:15 EDT Panbela Therapeutics announces issuance of US patent for production of SBP-101 - Panbela Therapeutics announced an Issue Notification for patent US 11,098,005 titled "METHODS FOR PRODUCING (6S,15S)-3,8,13,18- TETRAAZAICOSANE-6,15-DIOL". This patent, developed in collaboration with Syngene International claims a novel process for the production of our lead investigational product SBP-101, reduces the number of synthetic steps for its production from seventeen to six, and provides patent coverage to 2039. Jennifer K. Simpson, PhD, MSN, CRNP President & Chief Executive Officer of Panbela Therapeutics, commented, "We're excited to receive this U.S. patent issuance, a landmark event for the company. This patent, covering a shorter synthesis of SBP-101, provides many benefits including: 1. the ability to manufacture product with a reduced lead time 2. quicker access to drug supply facilitating expansion into additional indications and 3. enables a scalable, efficient and cost-effective manufacturing process for future commercialization. We applaud the dedicated efforts of our valued long-term partner Syngene International in helping us achieve this important goal."

08:13 EDT Day & Ross selects PowerFleet telematics for total US trailer visibility - PowerFleet will be expanding the deployment of its LV-500 solar-powered trailer tracking solution to transportation company, Day & Ross' U.S fleet operations. With a focus on performance and reliability, Day & Ross will be implementing the solution across a fleet of 3,000 trailers to achieve better asset visibility and increased utilization. After the successful rollout of PowerFleet's trailer tracking solution to Day & Ross' Canadian fleet, the company has decided to expand the solution to its U.S. operations. "We are honored that Day & Ross has expanded its use of our state-of-the-art telemetry platform to their U.S. fleet based on the value and performance of our products and the best-in-class support provided by our team," explains PowerFleet's GM of Supply Chain Solutions, Mark Stanton. "Our integrated logistics solutions enable Day & Ross to better analyze trailer dormancy and lower costs associated with underutilized assets. The solution also improves on-time and efficient deliveries so Day & Ross can continue delivering exceptional customer service."

08:11 EDT Orbital Energy subsidiary awarded EPC contract for solar farm - Orbital Energy Group announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Orbital Solar Services, or OSS, a leader in utility-scale solar power generation facilities, has been awarded an Engineering, Procurement, and Construction, or EPC, contract to construct a 132.2MWdc/100MWac solar farm in the Southeastern U.S. The Contract calls for OSS to design, engineer, and produce a utility-scale solar array to be delivered in early 2022. Under the Contract terms, OSS will provide full utility-scale EPC services, including substation construction. The project will consist of 350,000 solar panels installed across 800 acres of land and will provide power for 20,000 homes per year.

08:11 EDT Merida Merger Corp trading halted, news pending

08:10 EDT CCC Intelligent Solutions CTO Pete Morowski to retire, John Goodson to succeed - CCC Intelligent Solutions named John Goodson senior VP and chief technology officer. Goodson joined CCC in 2020. Goodson succeeds Pete Morowski who is retiring after eight years with the company. As CTO, Goodson will lead research and development, product development, architecture, security, IT operations and infrastructure, business applications and data science.

08:09 EDT Inovio receives regulatory allowance for INO-4800 clinical trials - INOVIO announced that it has received regulatory allowance for two clinical trials investigating heterologous boosting with INO-4800, its DNA vaccine candidate for COVID-19, through partner and trial-sponsor Advaccine Biopharmaceuticals Suzhou together with Sinovac Biotechnology. The studies will evaluate the safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of heterologous prime-boost sequential immunizations using INO-4800 and CoronaVac, an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine developed by Sinovac and validated by the World Health Organization for emergency use. China's Center for Drug Evaluation of the National Medical Products Administration has allowed the initiation of two Advaccine-sponsored open-label, positive-control trials to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of mixed boosted regimens. Both studies, which will be conducted in China, are anticipated to begin this fall and will involve healthy adult subjects 18 years of age or older.

08:08 EDT Starboard issues detailed investor presentation on Box - Starboard Value, one of the largest stockholders of Box, with an ownership stake of approximately 8.6% of the company's outstanding shares, today announced that it has issued a detailed presentation titled "Unlocking Value at Box," outlining Starboard's views on Box, its history of engagement with the company, the challenges that plagued the company historically and continue to exist today, opportunities to drive improved performance through the implementation of numerous value-enhancing initiatives, and details surrounding Starboard's slate of highly-qualified and experienced director nominees for election to Box's Board of Directors at the company's upcoming 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Reference Link

08:03 EDT BioLife Solutions to acquire remaining Sexton Biotechnologies shares for $24M - BioLife Solutions announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all remaining outstanding shares of privately held Sexton Biotechnologies that it does not currently own, for $24M in consideration for 506,382 newly issued shares of BioLife common stock. Taking into consideration liquidation preferences, BioLife will retain 19.9% of the consideration due to Sexton shareholders. The transaction is expected to close on or before September 1. BioLife plans to retain all Sexton team members and the current facility in the 16 Tech Innovation District in downtown Indianapolis.

07:57 EDT Sanderson Farms jumps 8% to $197.50 after buyout offer from Cargill, Continental

07:56 EDT Heat Biologics announces groundbreaking of new San Antonio facility - Heat Biologics announced it will be hosting a groundbreaking ceremony for the launch of its new planned San Antonio biomanufacturing/bioanalytic facility. The company also announced it has received approval for an estimated $1M in tax abatements from the City of San Antonio and Bexar County. The Company's wholly owned subsidiary, Scorpion Biological Services, plans to build a large molecule bioanalytical research and manufacturing facility in San Antonio. Anticipated activities include the development of in-house immuno-assays and biomarkers, a Good Laboratory Practice and Good Clinical Practice laboratory, and cGMP manufacturing capabilities. Jeff Wolf, Chief Executive Officer of Heat Biologics, commented, "We appreciate the tremendous support from the San Antonio community as we expand our biomanufacturing and bioanalytic capabilities. We expect this facility to shorten our development and manufacturing timelines and reduce costs for these services which we would have otherwise outsourced to third-party contractors. In addition to supporting our own internal operations, we plan to leverage these capabilities to support other biopharma companies."

07:52 EDT Ayr Wellness partner Land of Lincoln wins dispensary license in Illinois - Ayr Wellness announced that Land of Lincoln Dispensary was awarded a conditional retail dispensary license in Illinois via the state's lottery process. Ayr is an operational and 49% equity partner in Land of Lincoln. The dispensary location is designated for Bloomington, Illinois, part of the Bloomington-Normal metropolitan area in Central Illinois. The combined metropolitan area has a population of ~190,000 people but only two existing dispensary locations to serve the market.

07:50 EDT Hertz reports corporate liquidity of $3B as of June 30 - Reports corporate liquidity of $3B at June 30, including $1.8B of unrestricted cash, compared to $1.1B at first quarter-end.

07:49 EDT Cerence announces record SOPs for coversational AI products - Cerence announced a new quarterly record: the start-of-production of its industry-leading automotive technologies in 61 new car models from 16 global automakers in its Q3 2021. This milestone signals ongoing adoption of Cerence's conversational AI solutions for mobility and a new wave of integrated in-car assistant experiences that will soon be available to consumers. The achievement spans 32 brands from many of the most recognizable names in the global automotive industry, including BMW, Ford, GM, Jaguar Land Rover, Daimler, Honda, Renault, Stellantis, Toyota, and Volkswagen Group as well as leading Chinese OEMs BJEV, Chery, Geely, Great Wall Motors, Human Horizons, and SAIC.

07:45 EDT DraftKings to acquire Golden Nugget Online in $1.56B all-stock transaction - DraftKings (DKNG) and Golden Nugget Online Gaming, Inc. (GNOG) announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement for DraftKings to acquire Golden Nugget Online Gaming in an all-stock transaction that has an implied equity value of approximately $1.56B. The acquisition will enable DraftKings to leverage Golden Nugget's well-known brand, iGaming product experience and existing combined database of more than 5 million customers. In connection with the acquisition, DraftKings has entered into a commercial agreement with Fertitta Entertainment, Inc., the parent company of the Houston Rockets, Golden Nugget, LLC and Landry's LLC, and a leader in the gaming, restaurant, hospitality, and sports entertainment industry. The acquisition of Golden Nugget Online Gaming will deliver significant strategic benefits to DraftKings as well as expected synergies of $300mm at maturity. DraftKings will deploy a multi-brand strategy which will enhance cross-sell opportunities and drive increased market share and revenue growth. In addition, there will be multiple channels for cost savings by, among other things, eliminating platform costs as a result of migrating Golden Nugget's current technology to DraftKings' in-house proprietary platform, recognizing enhanced returns on advertising spend through marketing efficiencies, and reducing G&A costs such as duplicative corporate overhead. The commercial deal will also reduce DraftKings' market access rates through preferred pricing with Golden Nugget-owned properties and an exclusive commercial deal across daily fantasy sports, sportsbook and iGaming with the Houston Rockets which further solidifies the deep partnership between DraftKings and Fertitta Entertainment. Additionally, the all-stock deal preserves DraftKings' balance sheet and aligns the long-term interests of both brands and shareholders. In connection with the acquisition, DraftKings has also reached an agreement regarding a separate commercial deal with Fertitta Entertainment, Inc. across its asset portfolio, including the Houston Rockets, Golden Nugget, LLC and Landry's LLC. The commercial agreement will include marketing integrations, sponsorship assets with the Houston Rockets, an expanded retail sportsbook presence, and the optionality to obtain market access on favorable terms through certain Golden Nugget casinos. DraftKings will also become the exclusive daily fantasy sports, sports betting, and iGaming partner of the Houston Rockets and intends to open a sportsbook at the Toyota Center, pending state legalization and regulatory approvals. As part of the transaction, DraftKings will undergo a holding company reorganization and form a new holding company New DraftKings, which will become the going-forward public company for both DraftKings and GNOG. New DraftKings will be renamed DraftKings Inc. at closing. Under the terms of the merger agreement entered into on August 9, 2021, Golden Nugget Online Gaming stockholders would receive a fixed ratio of 0.365 shares of New DraftKings' Class A Common Stock for each Common Share of Golden Nugget Online Gaming they hold on the record date. Tilman Fertitta, who owns beneficially approximately 46% of the equity in GNOG, has agreed to continue to hold the DraftKings shares to be issued to him in the merger for a minimum of one year from the closing of the transaction. The Board of Directors of Golden Nugget Online Gaming, acting upon the unanimous recommendation of a committee of independent and disinterested directors established by the GNOG Board, approved the Merger Agreement and the transaction, and resolved to recommend Golden Nugget Online Gaming's stockholders vote to approve the Merger Agreement and the transaction. The Board of Directors of DraftKings has also approved the transaction. The transaction is subject to approval by Golden Nugget Online Gaming stockholders, the receipt of required regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2022. The approval of the transaction by Golden Nugget Online Gaming stockholders is expected to be obtained through a written consent to be provided by Tilman Fertitta.

07:41 EDT Golden Nugget Online Gaming trading halted, news dissemination

07:40 EDT ShockWave Medical raises FY21 revenue view $218M-$223M from $195M-$205M - FY21 revenue consensus $200.6M. Shockwave Medical projected revenue growth represents 222%-229% growth over the company's prior year revenue.

07:38 EDT Microvast up another 11% amid continued focus on Reddit's WallStreetBets - Microvast (MVST) shares are up another 11.2% in pre-market trading following Friday's 11.3% advance as a post on Reddit's WallStreetBets forum touted the company's "solid partnerships" and "competitive advantages". Reference Link

07:35 EDT Axon's TASER Self-Defense partners with Kryptek - TASER Self-Defense, the consumer division of Axon, announced the release of its new self-defense product, the TASER Pulse: Kryptek Edition, featuring a unique camouflage pattern from Kryptek's Altitude line. "We are excited to partner with Kryptek to feature its Altitude camouflage pattern on this limited edition of the TASER Pulse," says Matt Angorn, VP of Axon Consumer Sales. "Axon was founded with the mission to protect life and we are committed to offering effective, easy-to-use personal self-defense products. With this partnership, we will be able to further that mission." The TASER Pulse: Kryptek edition, costing $429.99, is available for limited pre-order starting August 9.

07:34 EDT Cleveland BioLabs provides update regarding its portfolio of clinical programs - Cytocom provided an update regarding its portfolio of clinical programs. "We are excited and believe that we are well positioned to further the development of our clinical-stage pipeline and showcase the power of our expanded post-merger drug development capabilities," stated Michael K. Handley, President and CEO of Cytocom. "We are strategically focused on immune-modulating treatments designed to address anemia and neutropenia, emergent viruses, cancer, and autoimmune diseases." Handley continued, "The coming months will be busy. We are completing the necessary steps to begin enrolling patients by year-end 2021 in a Phase 3 clinical trial for our lead drug candidate, CYTO-201, for the treatment of Crohn's disease. Building on our legacy Cytocom pipeline are the Cleveland BioLabs assets, specifically entolimod, an immune-stimulatory agent. We are eager to explore new indications for entolimod and remain excited about the potential for toll-like receptor 5 agonists in treating neutropenia and anemia in cancer patients. Our team is working to put together development plans in hematology and we are in talks with a renowned medical facility to begin a clinical study using entolimod in the coming months." Handley concluded, "In addition, we plan to follow in the first half of 2022 with a clinical trial exploring CYTO-401 as an adjunct to standard of care therapy to extend the duration of disease remission in patients with pancreatic cancer. We are also completing the necessary steps to activate clinical trial sites and begin enrolling patients in clinical trials exploring CYTO-205 in patients with acute and post-acute COVID-19."

07:33 EDT Tyson Foods sees Pork results likely lower in 2021 vs. 2020 - The company said, "For fiscal 2021, the United States Department of Agriculture indicates domestic protein production to increase less than 1% compared to fiscal 2020 levels. The following is a summary of the outlook for each of our segments, as well as an outlook for revenues, capital expenditures, net interest expense, liquidity and tax rate for the remainder of fiscal 2021. On an adjusted basis, we anticipate Prepared Foods results in fiscal 2021 to be similar to fiscal 2020, and Pork results will likely be lower in fiscal 2021 as compared to fiscal 2020. At current grain prices, we believe Chicken results will likely be lower in fiscal 2021 as compared to fiscal 2020, and because of stronger than expected performance in beef and current market conditions, we expect Beef to deliver improved fiscal 2021 results as compared to fiscal 2020."

07:31 EDT Sierra provides update to momelotinib development gets $34M more in funding - Sierra Oncology updated guidance on the development timeline for its lead product candidate, momelotinib. The company now expects topline data from the Phase 3 registration-enabling MOMENTUM study by February 2022, and assuming positive results, the company plans to file a New Drug Application with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration in Q2. Sierra also announced it has raised $34M in gross proceeds thus far in Q3 2021 through the use of its at-the-market offering. These funds are in addition to the $90.7M in cash and cash equivalents on hand at the close of the second quarter of 2021, further bolstering the company's cash balance as it prepares for momelotinib commercialization. The company also has the potential to obtain up to $33.3M in cash from Series B warrants that must be exercised within 75 days of the announcement of MOMENTUM topline data. Stephen Dilly, MBBS, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sierra Oncology noted, "The continued excellent execution of the MOMENTUM study and further acceleration of the timeline, combined with the additional funding secured over the last few weeks, puts us in a very strong position as we approach topline data."

07:30 EDT Alnylam announces HELIOS-B study achieves full patient enrollment - Alnylam announced that it has achieved full patient enrollment in its HELIOS-B Phase 3 study of vutrisiran, an investigational RNAi therapeutic in development for the treatment of cardiomyopathy in patients with transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis. Enrollment was completed, significantly ahead of schedule, with more than 600 ATTR amyloidosis patients across 123 activated sites in 32 countries. Topline full results from HELIOS-B are expected in early 2024.

07:28 EDT Piedmont Lithium says county board approves 60-day development moratorium - Piedmont Lithium is providing the following update as to the county rezoning process for its Carolina Lithium Project. On August 6 , during a special meeting of the Gaston County Board of Commissioners, the commissioners voted to approve a 60-day temporary development moratorium in new approvals for mining and quarrying activities in order to review the county's current industry regulations and their potential impact on future operations. The Company looks forward to constructive engagement with the county commissioners and staff on the many important matters subject to their review. "We would like to thank the Gaston County Board of Commissioners for their leadership in creating this framework and review structure where the County and Company can move forward together. We wholeheartedly agree that it's important for the commissioners to have the time to review existing state and county regulations and how they may apply to plans for the Carolina Lithium Project," said Piedmont Lithium CEO Keith Phillips. "We note that counsel representing the county made clear in a statement during the special meeting that Gaston County supports economic growth and development, and that the resolution is not intended to stop mining but rather to give the county time to perform their due diligence. We look forward to engaging with the commissioners and the broader community regarding our commitment to environmental stewardship and economic prosperity for the county as we work to advance the United States supply chain for a low-carbon economy." Piedmont also confirmed that the Company is on track to publish its upcoming Definitive Feasibility Study in 2H 2021 and the Company will continue to work on the state and county level permits that are required for the Project.

07:28 EDT Viper Energy to acquire mineral, royalty interests in stock, cash transaction - Viper Energy Partners LP (VNOM), a subsidiary of Diamondback Energy, Inc. (FANG), announced it has entered into a definitive purchase and sale agreement to acquire certain mineral and royalty interests from Swallowtail Royalties LLC and Swallowtail Royalties II LLC in exchange for 15.25M units of Viper common stock and $225 million of cash, subject to customary adjustments. The cash portion of this transaction is expected to be funded through a combination of cash on hand and borrowings under the Company's credit facility. ACQUISITION OVERVIEW: 2,302 net royalty acres primarily in the Northern Midland Basin; roughly 65% of acreage is operated by Diamondback; Expected to be accretive to near-term cash available for distribution per common unit and anticipated to grow significantly over time as a result of accelerated development by Diamondback; Increases Viper's Diamondback-operated acreage by over 10% to 14,191 net royalty acres; Viper will issue 15.25 million common units to the Seller at closing, subject to certain closing adjustments; Viper intends to finance the cash portion of the purchase price through a combination of cash on hand and existing borrowing capacity under its revolving credit facility; Effective date of August 1, 2021, with closing anticipated by early Q4 2021, subject to continued diligence and closing conditions; Pro forma leverage expected to be around 2.0x by the end of 2021 at current strip prices and decreasing thereafter. DIAMONDBACK OPERATED ACREAGE HIGHLIGHTS: 1,450 net royalty acres located entirely in Martin County, with almost 75% of the acreage located in the Sale and Robertson ranches in Southeast Martin County; Acreage has a ~3.6% average net revenue interest that will provide concentrated exposure to contiguous acreage where Diamondback plans to run multiple rigs for the next several years; Diamondback currently plans to complete over 70 gross wells on the acreage in 2022 with an additional 325-375 gross wells planned for the four years thereafter; represents over 17 net wells expected to be completed over the next five years; Anticipated 2022 average net oil production of approximately 1,000 bo/d; Expect production to exceed 5,000 bo/d by 2024 based on Diamondback's current development plan. THIRD PARTY OPERATED ACREAGE HIGHLIGHTS: 852 net royalty acres in the Midland Basin with almost 80% of the acreage operated by Pioneer and Endeavor, who collectively are running over 30 rigs in the Midland Basin; Average ~0.6% NRI across 198 units; largely undeveloped acreage provides broad exposure to future activity in the heart of the Midland Basin;Q2 2021 average net oil production of 677 bo/d; Estimated August 2021 production of over 1,000 bo/d following the recent completion of an eight well pad with an average 5.2% NRI

07:25 EDT Opthea expands global Phase 3 ShORe, COAST Wet AMD trials of OPT-302 to Canada - Opthea announced that recruitment is open to patients in Canada for the Phase 3 pivotal clinical program of OPT-302 for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration. Following formal authorization from the regulatory agency Health Canada, patient enrollment in the two concurrent Phase 3 registrational clinical trials, ShORe and COAST can now begin in Canada. The goal of the two studies is to evaluate the benefits of the Company's VEGF-C/D 'trap' inhibitor, OPT-302, for wet AMD in treatment-naive patients. To date, the Phase 3 pivotal clinical program has begun in the United States, and the latest expansion into Canada represents a new and important geographical region. The Company is also advancing towards approval from national regulatory agencies and ethics committees from other countries, including those in the European, South American, and Asia Pacific regions, to finalize the implementation of the Phase 3 studies in those geographic areas. "Expanding our global reach for the Phase 3 pivotal program is an important milestone for Opthea, and this is the first time clinical trials have been conducted in Canada to investigate OPT-302 in patients with retinal disease," commented Dr Megan Baldwin, CEO and Managing Director of Opthea. "We believe that OPT-302, if successful in Phase 3 and approved, has the potential to improve the trajectory of wet AMD disease progression. Therefore, we are working with regulatory authorities worldwide to initiate the Phase 3 registrational clinical trials as quickly as possible in other countries." The top-line 52-week data from the ShORe and COAST Phase 3 studies is anticipated in 2H CY 2023 and if positive, the Company plans to file for global marketing authorizations for OPT-302 as a treatment for wet AMD following receipt of that data.

07:23 EDT Else Nutrition to launch on Kroger-owned online platforms - ELSE NUTRITION HOLDINGS (BABYF) announces that it will be expanding into owned online marketplaces by Q4, 2021 with its Plant-Based Complete Nutrition products for Toddlers. The expansion also will place else at Kroger (KR)-owned Vitacost.com, an E-commerce leader in the healthy/organic foods space. Else Nutrition is currently onboarding with Kroger Ship, with plans to ship to Kroger customers through the Kroger.com and Vitacost.com grocery websites. Kroger Ship enables U.S. consumers the benefits of big box shopping from the comfort of your own home. Consumers can buy in bulk, browse a wide selection of products, and get access to exclusive savings.

07:20 EDT Electric Last Mile Solutions sets production schedule for 2021 - Electric Last Mile Solutions announced that based on customer demand and the overall launch program status of the all-electric Urban Delivery van, the company was able to set its production schedule for 2021. "We are pleased to confirm our intention to begin production at the end of the third quarter and that we have set our production schedule through 2021," said ELMS Co-founder and CEO James Taylor. "Despite the delay in the closing of our merger, impacts from COVID-19 and a number of industry-wide supply chain and logistics challenges, we believe we are on track to produce an estimated 1,000 of our all-electric Urban Delivery vans this year. We are continuing to work hand-in-hand with our supplier and partner community and believe we can seize a first-mover opportunity at scale in the Class 1 commercial EV segment." As part of setting its production schedule, ELMS has aligned with suppliers for launch to understand each of their readiness and production capabilities. ELMS has further been working with customers to convert pre-orders to order commitments with allotted allocation schedules. The intended end-customers for the first order commitments include some of the nation's leading fleet management companies, as well as an on-demand cargo van rental company, FedEx independent contractors and Amazon Delivery Service Partners. In addition, ELMS management believes it is on track for FY 2022 production targets laid out in their business plan.

07:18 EDT Ecoark Holdings announces commencement of cryptocurrency mining site development - Ecoark (ZEST) has announced that it intends to allocate approximately $3M of the net proceeds from its recently completed $20M registered direct offering, towards the development of a proposed digital asset mining business, with a focus on Bitcoin (BTC;$BTC;BITCOIN). The company intends to deploy the capital for a Beta Site development of a 6 MW cryptocurrency mining operation in Texas, with a targeted near-term expansion capacity of 50 MW on the first project. The project will represent the first major capital investment in cryptocurrency mining to be operated by our newly formed, indirect wholly-owned subsidiary Bitstream Mining, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Trend Discovery Holdings, another wholly-owned subsidiary of Ecoark. On August 6, 2021, Bitstream signed an engagement agreement with an industry leading strategic partner in Electric Reliability Council of Texas with comprehensive full life-cycle energy service experience of over 20 years, which we view as critical to energy-related infrastructure deployment. Bitstream is expected to secure a power contract in the next 30 days and commence commercialization within 90 days, subject to market conditions and availability of mining equipment. "By reducing our power consumption when load resources are inadequate, we can help alleviate grid pressure, benefiting local communities and helping to ensure they have access to power when they need it most," said M. Britt Swann, President of Bitstream. "We look forward to assisting green infrastructure development in Texas by alleviating grid imbalances when solar and wind are unable to satiate demand. Today's exciting announcement of our first mining project serves as a platform for value creation in this rapidly growing sector. We expect that this Beta project will help Ecoark diversify its business into the cryptocurrency market, and upon success, expand Bitstream's future capacity beyond 50 MW."

07:16 EDT Axsome Therapeutics expects cash to fund operations into at least 2024 - Axsome believes that its cash at June 30, 2021, along with the remaining committed capital from the $225 million term loan facility, is sufficient to fund anticipated operations, based on the current operating plan, which includes costs for the potential commercial launch of AXS-05 in MDD and AXS-07 in migraine, into at least 2024. Axsome expects that its operating expenses will increase year over year as we continue to build out the commercial function and further advance our pipeline.

07:16 EDT Aravive announces first patient dosed in Phase 1b/2 clinical trial of AVB-500 - Aravive announced the company has dosed the first patient in the Phase 1b portion of its Phase 1b/2 trial of AVB-500 in combination with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel as a first-line treatment in patients with advanced or metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The Phase 1b portion of the clinical trial will evaluate safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and clinical activity of AVB-500 in combination with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel. "We are pleased with the quick advancement of AVB-500 with the first patient dosed in our Phase 1b/2 pancreatic adenocarcinoma trial. This clinical trial addresses a very high unmet medical need in one of the most difficult-to-treat cancers with a high mortality rate," said Gail McIntyre, Ph.D., DABT, Chief Executive Officer of Aravive. "We continue to expand the development of AVB-500, as the Company now has three ongoing clinical trials of AVB-500. In addition to the pancreatic adenocarcinoma clinical trial, AVB-500 is currently being investigated in a Phase 3 clinical trial for platinum resistant ovarian cancer and a Phase 1b/2 clinical trial for clear cell renal cell carcinoma." The Phase 1b/2 clinical trial is designed to evaluate AVB-500 as a first-line therapy in combination with gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel in patients with advanced or metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma eligible to receive gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel combination therapy. The primary endpoint of the Phase 2 portion of the trial is progression-free survival. The secondary endpoints are objective response rate, duration of response, clinical benefit rate, safety and overall survival, and the exploratory endpoints are pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

07:14 EDT Zynerba sees cash, cash equivalents funding operations into H1 of 2024 - As of June 30, 2021, cash and cash equivalents were $85.8M, compared to $59.2M as of December 31, 2020. Management believes that the Company's cash and cash equivalents as of June 30, 2021 are sufficient to fund operations and capital requirements well into the first half of 2024.

07:12 EDT Aterian withdraws FY21 revenue, adjusted EBITDA guidance - "The global supply chain crisis has impacted the Company's ability to forecast shipping costs and its ability to procure inventory, and the COVID-19 pandemic continues to make near term consumer behavior patterns difficult to predict; therefore, the Company has decided to withdraw its 2021 net revenue and adjusted EBITDA guidance until such time that it has improved visibility and forecasting confidence," the company said.

07:05 EDT BioNTech sees 2021 COVID-19 vaccine revenues EUR 15.9B - Estimated COVID-19 vaccine revenues to BioNTech for the 2021 financial year upon delivery of currently signed supply contracts of ~2.2 billion doses as of July 21, 2021 is EUR 15.9B. This revenue estimate reflects: Expected revenues from direct COVID-19 vaccine sales to customers in BioNTech's territory; Expected revenues from sales to collaboration partners of products manufactured by BioNTech; Expected sales milestone payments from collaboration partners; Expected revenues related to share of gross profit from COVID-19 vaccine sales in the collaboration partners' territories. Additional revenues related to further supply contracts for deliveries in 2021 expected with first contracts already in place for 2022 and beyond.

07:01 EDT Cargill, Continental Grain to acquire Sanderson Farms for $203 per share in cash

06:59 EDT Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance to buy American National for $190/share - American National Group (ANAT), and Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners (BAMR) announced they have entered into a definitive merger agreement whereby Brookfield Reinsurance will acquire American National in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $5.1B. As part of the agreement, each issued and outstanding share of American National common stock will be converted into the right to receive $190.00 in cash at closing of the merger. The merger consideration of $190.00 per share of American National common stock represents a 55% premium to the unaffected share price of $122.56 on May 11, 2021, as well as a 24.7% premium over American National's 30-day volume-weighted average price as of August 6, 2021. The merger has received unanimous approval of American National's Board of Directors. Following closing, Brookfield Reinsurance intends to maintain American National's headquarters in Galveston, Texas and its presence in League City, Texas, as well as its operational hubs in Springfield, Missouri and Albany, New York. Brookfield Reinsurance also looks forward to continuing American National's longstanding involvement with its local communities. The merger is expected to close in the first half of 2022. It is subject to certain customary closing conditions, including antitrust clearance and receipt of insurance regulatory approvals, for a transaction of this type. Following the execution of the merger agreement, stockholders representing more than a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of American National common stock delivered stockholder written consents adopting and approving the merger agreement. The merger consideration will be funded by Brookfield Reinsurance through a combination of committed debt and equity financing, including committed debt financing of $1.5 billion and an equity commitment of up to the aggregate merger consideration from Brookfield Asset Management Inc. (BAM), which equity commitment will be reduced by the amount of debt funded at closing. BAM's equity commitment will be funded by existing liquidity at the corporate level.

06:53 EDT Eagle Pharma sees FY21 non-GAAP EPS R&D $34M-$38M compared to $27.8M in FY20 - Sees FY21 SG&A spend, on a non-GAAP basis, $52M-$56M, as compared to $50.9M in 2020.

06:52 EDT US Foods reports Q2 total case volume up 53.5% - Q2 independent restaurant case volume increased 79.1%. Total organic case volume increased 50.3%; organic independent restaurant case volume increased 74.4%. "The commitment to excellence demonstrated by our associates has fueled our very strong second quarter results," said Chairman and CEO Pietro Satriano. "As markets around the United States reopen without restrictions, we have seen strong demand for our products, services and consultative expertise. While supply chain labor is expected to remain challenging for the next few quarters, we remain focused on delivering profitable growth as our industry continues to recover."

06:48 EDT Eagle Pharmaceuticals enters licensing pact with AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals - Eagle Pharmaceuticals announced that it has entered into a licensing agreement with AOP Orphan Pharmaceuticals, a privately owned Austrian company devoted to the treatment of rare and special diseases, for the commercial rights to its product, Landiolol in the United States. Landiolol, a leading hospital emergency use product, is currently approved in Europe for the treatment of non-compensatory sinus tachycardia and tachycardic supraventricular arrhythmias. The company will support the submission of a new drug application to the U.S. FDA seeking approval for Landiolol for the short-term reduction of ventricular rate in patients with supraventricular tachycardia, including atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. Under the terms of the agreement, Eagle will facilitate the U.S. regulatory pathway for the approval of Landiolol. In addition, Eagle will be responsible for the U.S. commercialization of the product upon approval. Landiolol, which has not previously been marketed in the U.S., is covered by several patents, and the company anticipates five years of new chemical entity exclusivity. The agreement is subject to regulatory clearance. Under the terms of the agreement, Eagle will make an upfront payment of $5M, followed by additional payments upon regulatory approvals and based upon commercial sales. The agreement is subject to regulatory clearance.

06:42 EDT Elanco says received subpoena from SEC on July 1 regarding sales practices - On July 1, the company received a subpoena from the U.S. SEC relating to its channel inventory and sales practices prior to mid-2020. The company has cooperated in providing documents and information to the SEC and will continue to do so. Management believes its actions were appropriate.

06:37 EDT Coinstar to join Lottery.com's affiliate program - AutoLotto announced that Coinstar is joining Lottery.com's affiliate program. Through its agreement with Lottery.com, Coinstar will market and promote Lottery.com products in California, Texas, Pennsylvania, Michigan and other U.S. jurisdictions where Lottery.com currently offers its services by utilizing its network of 4,450 interactive kiosks in these areas, including ones equipped with adPlanet lead generation technology. The addition of Coinstar will expand Lottery.com's existing affiliate program, which includes leading media and technology companies.

06:36 EDT Cathie Wood's ARK Investment bought 481.8K shares of TuSimple on Friday - Shares of TuSimple are up 3.2% at $34.99 in early pre-market trading.

06:27 EDT AstraZeneca's Enhertu shows superiority over trastuzumab deruxtecan - The company states: "Positive high-level results from the head-to-head DESTINY-Breast03 Phase III trial showed that Enhertu, or trastuzumab deruxtecan, the AstraZeneca and Daiichi Sankyo (DSNKY) HER2-directed antibody drug conjugate, demonstrated superiority over trastuzumab emtansine, or T-DM1. At a planned interim analysis, the Independent Data Monitoring Committee concluded that DESTINY-Breast03 met the primary endpoint of progression-free survival showing a highly statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement for patients with HER2-positive, unresectable and/or metastatic breast cancer previously treated with trastuzumab and a taxane. In DESTINY-Breast03, Enhertu also showed a strong trend toward improved overall survival compared to T-DM1 in a key secondary endpoint, although the OS data are still immature. The safety profile of Enhertu was consistent with previous clinical trials, with no new safety concerns identified and no Grade 4 or 5 treatment-related interstitial lung disease events." Reference Link

06:19 EDT KBR awarded technology contract from Hyundai Engineering, Tecnicas Reunidas - KBR announced that it has been awarded a technology licensing contract by Hyundai Engineering and Tecnicas Reunidas for PKN Orlen's Petrochemical Development Program in Plock, Poland. Under the terms of the contract, KBR will provide technology license, basic engineering design, and proprietary equipment for PKN Orlen's Olefins Complex III Project. This is Europe's largest petrochemical project in 20 years.

06:15 EDT WynnBET announces Shaquille O'Neal to become app brand ambassador - WynnBET announced on Monday that 15-time professional basketball all-star, media personality and entrepreneur Shaquille O'Neal will become the app's new brand ambassador. As part of the category exclusive partnership, O'Neal will provide his expertise to WynnBET as a strategic consultant. Through the long-term partnership, O'Neal will be featured in WynnBET's advertising campaigns across TV, digital and print. Additionally, O'Neal will attend in-person fan-facing events, create original content with WynnBET and interact as a guest with company media partners. O'Neal will also be launching 'ShaqPot,' a free to play game housed inside the WynnBET app. To comply with NBA rules, Shaquille will be selling his ownership stake in the Sacramento Kings.

06:11 EDT cbdMD signs exclusive agreement with IM Cannabis to enter Israeli market - cbdMD (YCBD) announced the signing of a binding letter of intent with IM Cannabis (IMCC). Terms of the agreement will grant IMC an exclusive right to import, sell, distribute and market cbdMD's products in Israel, subject to the execution of a definitive agreement, legalization of CBD for non-medical purposes in Israel, cbdMD's products meeting all regulatory requirements for the import, sale, distribution and marketing of CBD products in Israel and meeting the minimum quantity sales targets.

06:06 EDT Philip Morris acquires OtiTopic, terms not disclosed - Philip Morris announced its acquisition of OtiTopic, a U.S. respiratory drug development company with a late-stage inhalable acetylsalicylic acid treatment for acute myocardial infarction. If approved, the treatment can address the significant unmet medical need of the over 83 million people, in the U.S. alone, at intermediate to high risk for myocardial infarction. OtiTopic will complete its assessment program and filing with the FDA using FDA's 505 (b) pathway, a pathway designed for drugs already available on the market but requesting approval either for a new indication, dosage form or regimen, strength, combination with other products, or other unique traits. This pathway will allow PMI to build on existing data available for ASA reference products and focus on delivering the evidence that the inhalable form, ASPRIHALE, outperforms the current standard of care-oral delivery-of ASA. PMI expects the impact of the acquisition of OtiTopic on its full-year 2021 adjusted diluted EPS to be immaterial.

05:53 EDT National Australia Bank agrees to buy Citi's local credit card business - National Australia Bank Limited (NAU) announced it has entered into a Sale and Purchase Agreement with Citigroup Pty Limited (C) to purchase Citigroup's Australian consumer business. The Proposed Acquisition, which remains subject to regulatory approvals, is structured primarily as an asset and liability transfer, with NAB to pay Citigroup cash for the net assets of the Citigroup Consumer Business plus a premium of A$250 million. NAB CEO, Ross McEwan, said the proposed acquisition supported NAB's strategic growth ambition for its Personal Banking business. "The proposed acquisition of the Citigroup Consumer Business brings scale and deep expertise in unsecured lending, particularly credit cards, which continue to be an important way for customers to make payments and manage their cashflows," he said. The Proposed Acquisition includes a home lending portfolio, unsecured lending business, retail deposits business, and private wealth management business. As part of the Proposed Acquisition, senior management and approximately 800 Citigroup employees in total are expected to join NAB. Citigroup's institutional business in Australia is not included in the Proposed Acquisition. Based on the anticipated increase in risk-weighted assets of A$8.9B plus the premium to net assets to be paid on completion, the required equity is approximately A$1.2B. Completion of the Proposed Acquisition is subject to certain conditions, including approvals from the Commonwealth Treasurer, APRA and the ACCC.

05:34 EDT Ritchie Bros. to acquire Euro Auctions for $1.08B in cash - Ritchie Bros and Euro Auctions, have jointly announced that they have entered into an agreement under which Ritchie Bros. will acquire Euro Auctions group for an enterprise value of $1.08B. Founded in 1998, Euro Auctions conducts unreserved heavy equipment auctions with onsite and online bidding under the brands Euro Auctions and Yoder & Frey, with 200+ employees in 14 countries. In 2020 the company conducted 60 auctions, selling close to 90,000 items for GBP 484M+ across its nine locations in the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, Germany, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, and the United States. Similar to Ritchie Bros., Euro Auctions also sells items through a timed auction format and a daily marketplace with buy now and make offer options. Under the terms of the transaction, Ritchie Bros. will acquire 100% of the equity of the companies comprised within the Euro Auctions group for an enterprise value of $1.08B in cash. This represents an implied multiple of 15.3x 2021E EBITDA, including run rate synergies. Ritchie Bros. intends to finance the transaction through a combination of cash on hand and new debt; and has bridge financing commitments from Goldman Sachs Bank, subject to customary terms and conditions to facilitate the transaction close. Following the close of the transaction and the required financing, Ritchie Bros. is expected to have an adjusted net debt to adjusted EBITDA ratio of approximately 3.9x. Ritchie Bros. has secured employment arrangements with management of the Euro Auctions business, including Derek Keys, who will continue to be involved for a minimum of three years post-closing. It is intended that Jonnie Keys will assume a senior leadership position, and Lynden and Trevor Keys will be retained as sourcing leads. The transaction was approved by the board of directors of Ritchie Bros. and is expected to close in late 2021 or early 2022, subject to regulatory clearances and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.

05:30 EDT Seadrill reaches settlement with Northern Ocean on West Mira, West Bolista rigs - Seadrill announced that the company has reached a settlement agreement with Northern Ocean predominantly with respect to balances outstanding from Seadrill's preparation of the West Mira and West Bollsta rigs. The settlement agreement closes all outstanding balances, claims and counter-claims between the companies and their respective subsidiaries by way of set-off as full and final settlement. Further, the settlement agreement sets out that Seadrill will provide certain transition services to any prospective new managers in respect of NOL's rigs and requires Seadrill to restart bareboat lease payments for the West Bollsta rig from August 10, alongside Seadrill's continued operation of the rig on the Lundin contract. The settlement agreement is subject to certain conditions, including, but not limited to, obtaining approval by the U.S. bankruptcy court under Seadrill's Chapter 11 protection.

05:24 EDT Molecular Partners to regain global rights to abicipar pegol - Molecular Partners (MOLN), a clinical-stage biotech company developing a new class of custom-built protein drugs known as DARPin therapeutics, announced the receipt of notification from its partner, AbbVie (ABBV) regarding its termination of the license and collaboration agreement for the investigational drug abicipar pegol for the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration, or nAMD, and Diabetic Macular Edema, or DME. As such, Molecular Partners will regain the development and commercial rights of abicipar on a worldwide basis. Molecular Partners will form a special committee to evaluate the program and determine appropriate next steps. In addition, Molecular Partners and AbbVie will continue their ongoing discovery alliance, in which AbbVie will continue to evaluate additional DARPin candidates for ophthalmic indications. The return of the abicipar program is not expected to impact Molecular Partners' financial outlook for 2021 or previously issued guidance.

05:14 EDT MaxCyte, Sana Biotechnology sign clinical and commercial license agreement - MaxCyte (MXCT) announced the signing of a clinical and commercial license with Sana Biotechnology (SANA). Under the terms of the agreement, Sana Biotechnology obtains non-exclusive clinical and commercial rights to use MaxCyte's Flow Electroporation technology and ExPERT platform. In return, MaxCyte is entitled to receive platform licensing fees and program-related milestone payments.