Stockwinners Market Radar for October 20, 2021 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:11 EDT Merck announces CDC AdCom voted in favor of updates to pneumococcal vaccine - Merck "announced the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, unanimously voted in favor of updates to pneumococcal vaccination recommendations for adults 65 years and older, and for adults ages 19 to 64 with certain underlying medical conditions or other disease risk factors. In both groups, the ACIP voted to provisionally recommend vaccination either with a sequential regimen of VAXNEUVANCE followed by PNEUMOVAX 23, or with a single dose of 20-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. These updates would apply to adults who have not previously received a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine or whose previous pneumococcal vaccination history is unknown."

18:47 EDT Johnson & Johnson confirms FDA approval of booster dose for COVID-19 vaccine - Johnson & Johnson announced the U.S. FDA has issued Emergency Use Authorization for a booster dose of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine for adults aged 18 and older at least two months following primary vaccination with single-shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine; and for eligible individuals who received a different authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine. The Johnson & Johnson booster shot will be the same formulation and dosage as the primary shot.

18:05 EDT Regeneron says FDA expands approval of Dupixent to include children age 6-11 - Regeneron (REGN) and Sanofi (SNY) announced that the FDA has approved Dupixent, or dupilumab, as an add-on maintenance treatment of patients aged 6 to 11 years with moderate-to-severe asthma characterized by an eosinophilic phenotype or with oral corticosteroid-dependent asthma. The FDA approval is based on data from a Phase 3 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that evaluated the efficacy and safety of Dupixent combined with standard-of-care asthma therapy in children with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe asthma. More than 90% of children in the trial had at least one concurrent type 2 inflammatory condition. The safety results from the trial were generally consistent with the known safety profile of Dupixent in patients aged 12 years and older with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe asthma, with the addition of helminth infections which were reported in 2.2% of Dupixent patients and 0.7% of placebo patients. The overall rates of adverse events were 83% for Dupixent and 80% for placebo. The most common adverse events that were more commonly observed with Dupixent compared to placebo were injection site reactions (18% Dupixent, 13% placebo), viral upper respiratory tract infections (12% Dupixent, 10% placebo) and eosinophilia (6% Dupixent, 1% placebo). Dupixent is currently under regulatory review for children aged 6 to 11 years with moderate-to-severe asthma in the European Union and other health authorities worldwide."

17:47 EDT Amazon debuts Product Opportunity Explorer for 3rd party sellers to tap demand - "Today at the Accelerate 2021 conference for third-party sellers, Amazon announced Product Opportunity Explorer, a new tool that helps sellers identify opportunities to launch new, high-potential products to serve unmet customer demand. Identifying and launching new products is key to retail success, but it can be costly and time consuming. Amazon's new Product Opportunity Explorer tool helps take the guesswork out of identifying which products to launch by providing sellers with rich insights into what customers are searching for, clicking on, and buying, as well as not buying. The tool helps sellers identify niches of emerging product opportunities by providing detailed data on search volume and growth, sales history, and pricing trends, so they can identify and act on customer demand," said the company in an earlier statement. Reference Linkvg[p]22500699[t]w[r]finurls.com[d]D]

17:39 EDT Moderna confirms FDA approval of booster dose of COVID-19 vaccine - Moderna announced that the U.S. FDA has authorized for emergency use a booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at the 50 microgram dose level for people aged 65 and older; people aged 18 to 64 who are at high risk of severe COVID-19; and people aged 18 to 64 with frequent institutional or occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2. The booster dose is to be administered at least six months after completion of the primary series. The FDA also authorized a single booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine for individuals who have completed a primary vaccination with other authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccines.

17:34 EDT IBM sees Q4 effective tax rate in high-teens - Says Q3 tax rate was lower thank expected due to discreet tax benefits earlier than expected. Says has strong recurring revenue base in Software. Says Red Hat, Security and Automation fueled revenue growth this quarter. Says ARR across software growth vectors grew 7%. Says had $8B in software cloud revenue over the last year. Says making conscious decisions to invest ahead of revenue. Says adjusted free cash flow over the last 12 months has been $11.1B. Says separation of Kyndryl expected to close November 3. Sees Q4 IBM consulting up double digits. Says still expects FY21 tax rate in low teens range. Says implies Q4 tax rate in high-teens. Says Kyndryl separation will result in loss of $3B of revenue in November and December or 20c-25c per share. Comments taken from Q3 earnings conference call.

17:31 EDT Regeneron expands approval of Dupixent to include children age 6 to 11 - Regeneron (REGN) and Sanofi (SNY) "announced that the FDA has approved Dupixent, or dupilumab, as an add-on maintenance treatment of patients aged 6 to 11 years with moderate-to-severe asthma characterized by an eosinophilic phenotype or with oral corticosteroid-dependent asthma. The FDA approval is based on data from a Phase 3 randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that evaluated the efficacy and safety of Dupixent combined with standard-of-care asthma therapy in children with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe asthma. More than 90% of children in the trial had at least one concurrent type 2 inflammatory condition. The safety results from the trial were generally consistent with the known safety profile of Dupixent in patients aged 12 years and older with uncontrolled moderate-to-severe asthma, with the addition of helminth infections which were reported in 2.2% of Dupixent patients and 0.7% of placebo patients. The overall rates of adverse events were 83% for Dupixent and 80% for placebo. The most common adverse events that were more commonly observed with Dupixent compared to placebo were injection site reactions (18% Dupixent, 13% placebo), viral upper respiratory tract infections (12% Dupixent, 10% placebo) and eosinophilia (6% Dupixent, 1% placebo). Dupixent is currently under regulatory review for children aged 6 to 11 years with moderate-to-severe asthma in the European Union and other health authorities worldwide."

17:23 EDT Comstock Holdings joint venture acquires The Upton - Comstock Holdings announced the acquisition of The Upton, in a joint venture between CHCI and Comstock Partners, an affiliated, privately-held company. The 15-story, high-rise apartment building is located at 44 Maryland Avenue in Rockville, one block from the Rockville Metro Station in the I-270 Technology and Life Science Corridor in Montgomery County. Built in 2015, the 263-unit mixed-use property includes approximately 16,000 square feet of retail and a commercial parking garage. CHCI received a $500,000 acquisition fee in connection with the transaction and will also receive investment related income and incentive fees in connection with its equity interest in the asset. In addition, its wholly owned residential, retail, and parking property management subsidiaries will provide management services for the property in exchange for market rate fees. CHCI will rebrand The Upton, as BLVD Forty Four, with newly renovated amenity areas and signage. The property offers a mix of unit types and floor plans ranging from studio, one bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments with two floors of indoor/outdoor amenity spaces, in addition to an expansive rooftop deck that provides unparalleled views of the skylines of Tysons and Reston, as well as the Blue Ridge Mountains.

17:18 EDT Kaiser Aluminum sees Q4 adjusted EBITDA margin similar to Q3 - "Although we had noted some inflationary costs pressures from rising freight, labor and material costs in the second quarter, during the third quarter conditions became increasingly challenging. In particular, continued constraints on labor availability, rapidly rising material and inflationary costs and supply chain challenges reduced the efficiency in our facilities and shipments resulting in an approximately $13M impact to adjusted EBITDA. These costs partially offset by approximately $5M of lower corporate overhead, incentive, and other costs led to further compression on adjusted EBITDA margin of approximately 200 basis points compared to the second quarter 2021. "Our operations and commercial teams have been working on mitigating the impact of these factors, and we are aggressively passing through additional costs in our transactional business through price increases and to our contract customers through provisions included in our supply agreements. Where our agreements provide a pathway to address certain higher costs through price increases, there is often a lag affect that can impact the timing of when these price increases become effective. With respect to labor, we have significantly improved our headcount, enabling an increase in output and efficiencies in our operations by late in the third quarter. We continue to work with our vendors and customers to minimize disruptions in our supply channels to stabilize costs and ensure supply," stated Mr. Harvey. "Value added revenue for the fourth quarter 2021 is anticipated to be up low single digits from the third quarter with adjusted EBITDA margin to remain similar to the third quarter. While our end market demand remains positive, we anticipate cost issues and supply chain disruptions will continue during the quarter. In addition, the most recent industry wide disruptions in the magnesium and silicon markets and resulting supply demand imbalances are continuing to evolve and remain uncertain at this time. Although our outlook contemplates the anticipated impact to our costs and operations, the situation is fluid and could further impact our fourth quarter results," said Mr. Harvey.

17:07 EDT HP Inc. reiterates fiscal 2021 financial outlook provided at Q3 earnings

17:01 EDT GoHealth CFO Travis Matthiesen to transition to Chief Transformation Officer - GoHealth announced that it has started a search for a new CFO as Travis Matthiesen, the company's current CFO, will transition to the role of Chief Transformation Officer. Matthiesen will continue to serve as CFO until his replacement is hired and will work closely with that replacement to ensure a smooth transition. CEO Clint Jones says: "Travis has been an integral part of our growth and success for the past 10 years and we thank him for everything he has done. As we continue to drive shareholder value as a publicly traded company, the time is right for us to add a more broadly experienced public company CFO to our leadership team."

16:53 EDT Johnson & Johnson, Moderna COVID-19 vaccine boosters get FDA authorization - The U.S. FDA took action to expand the use of a booster dose for COVID-19 vaccines in eligible populations. The agency is amending the emergency use authorizations for COVID-19 vaccines to allow for the use of a single booster dose. Reference Link

16:43 EDT Qualtrics jumps over 6% to $46.90 after Q3 earnings beat

16:40 EDT Crown Castle raises quarterly dividend 11% to $1.47 from $1.33 per share - The quarterly dividend will be payable on December 31 to common stockholders of record at the close of business on December 15.

16:33 EDT Sallie Mae boosts share buyback program by $250M - Sallie Mae said its board of directors approved a $250M increase to the 2021 Share Repurchase Program.

16:31 EDT Leo Holdings III Corp. , Local Bounti announce November meeting to approve deal - Local Bounti Corporation and Leo Holdings III Corp announced that the extraordinary general meeting of shareholders to approve the pending business combination between Local Bounti and Leo is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time. Additionally, the meeting of the holders of public warrants of Leo to approve certain changes to Leo's warrants is also scheduled to be held on Tuesday, November 16, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. Eastern time. The Extraordinary General Meeting and the Warrant Holder Meeting will be held in person at the offices of Kirkland & Ellis LLP located at 601 Lexington Avenue, 50th Floor, New York, New York 10022 and virtually via live webcast. Holders of Leo's Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares at the close of business on the record date of October 15, 2021 are entitled to notice of the Extraordinary General Meeting and to vote at the Extraordinary General Meeting. Holders of Leo's public warrants at the close of business on the record date of October 15, 2021 are entitled to notice of the Warrant Holder Meeting and to vote at the Warrant Holder Meeting.

16:25 EDT Penske Automotive raises quarterly dividend by 2.2% to 46c per share - The dividend is payable December 1, 2021, to shareholders of record on November 10, 2021.

16:24 EDT Magellan Midstream approves $750M increase to share repurchase program - The partnership's board of directors has approved a $750M increase in Magellan's authorized equity repurchase program, to a total of $1.5B, and extended the program through 2024.

16:24 EDT Magellan Midstream raises quarterly cash distribution to $1.0375 - The third-quarter 2021 distribution is 1% higher than the $1.0275 paid for both second quarter 2021 and third quarter 2020. The new distribution, which equates to $4.15 per unit on an annualized basis, will be paid Nov. 12 to unitholders of record at the close of business on Nov. 5.

16:22 EDT Armstrong World increases quarterly dividend 10% to 23.1c per share - Armstrong World announced that its board of directors has approved a 10% increase in the company's quarterly cash dividend to 23.1c per share of common stock. The dividend will be payable on November 18 to shareholders of record as of November 4.

16:17 EDT Pebblebrook Hotel acquires Avalon Bed & Breakfast, Duval Gardens for $20M - Pebblebrook Hotel announced that it acquired the 19-room Avalon Bed & Breakfast and 12-room Duval Gardens, both in Key West, Florida, for $20.0M. Based on the Company's initial investment in Avalon and Duval, it expects to generate a forward 12-month incremental annualized hotel net operating income, after a 4% capital reserve, of $1.6M to $2.4M.

16:12 EDT Vicarious Surgical enters long-term lease - Vicarious Surgical "announced execution on a long term lease agreement providing an additional 30,000 square feet in Waltham, MA. The new facility will expand manufacturing facilities and include four operating rooms for demonstration and testing. The facility's location is directly adjacent to Vicarious Surgical headquarters, representing the second building within the company's budding campus."

16:10 EDT IBM reports Q3 Cloud & Cognitive Software revenue $5.7B, up 2.5% - Reports Q3 Global Business Services revenue $4.4B, up 11.6%. Reports Q3 Global Technology Services revenue $6.2B, down 4.8%. Reports Q3 Systems revenue $1.1B, down 11.9%. Reports Q3 Global Financing revenue $220M, down 19.2%.

16:08 EDT Las Vegas Sands says 'heightened pandemic-related restrictions' impacted Q3 - "While heightened pandemic-related restrictions impacted our financial results this quarter, we were able to generate positive EBITDA in each of our markets. We remain enthusiastic about the opportunity to welcome more guests back to our properties as greater volumes of visitors are eventually able to travel to Macao and Singapore," said Robert Goldstein, chairman and CEO. "We also remain deeply committed to supporting our team members and to helping those in need in each of our local communities as they recover from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic." "We remain confident in the eventual recovery in travel and tourism spending across our markets. Demand for our offerings from customers who have been able to visit remains strong, but pandemic-related travel restrictions in both Macao and Singapore continue to limit visitation and hinder our current financial performance."

16:06 EDT AAR Corp. appoints Lori Knudson Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer - AAR Corp. announced that Lori Knudson has joined the company as Vice President, Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer. Knudson will report to Jessica Garascia, AAR Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary, and will be responsible for oversight of AAR's compliance function.

16:03 EDT SEI Investments reports Q3 EPS 97c, consensus 95c - Reports Q3 revenue $485.32M, consensus $482.33M. Average AUM increased $116.9B, or 16%, to $855.7B vs. $738.8B during 3Q20 "Our results reflect positive markets entering the third-quarter, continued sales momentum and delivery across our business segments. As the financial services industry continues to experience unrelenting change, we continue to make strategic investments in our business, our solutions and workforce to drive growth," said CEO Alfred West, Jr. "Our talented workforce is the key to our ability to serve our clients globally and create opportunities for our future. As we look forward, we will continue to capitalize on market opportunities to deliver long-term value to our shareholders, employees, clients and communities."

15:40 EDT Eutelsat CEO Rodolphe Belmer to step down - Eutelsat Communications announced that Chief Executive Officer Rodolphe Belmer has notified the board of directors of his intention to step down at the beginning of 2022. "Rodolphe Belmer has been CEO of Eutelsat since March 2016, during which time he has successfully implemented a strategy of strict operating and financial discipline and set the company firmly on its strategic path to address the opportunities of the connectivity sector. The process of recruiting a successor will begin immediately. In the meantime, Rodolphe will remain fully at the helm and focused on the development and performance of Eutelsat," the company stated.

15:14 EDT MicroVision CFO Stephen Holt to retire, Anubhav Verma to succeed - MicroVision (MVIS) announced that Stephen Holt, CFO, will be retiring from the company effective November 15. Holt, who joined MicroVision in 2013, will remain with the company as an advisor through the first half of fiscal 2022 to facilitate a smooth transition. On November 15, Anubhav Verma will join the company as Vice President, CFO and Treasurer, overseeing all financial operations at MicroVision. Verma will report to CEO Sumit Sharma. Verma is a seasoned finance professional having most recently served as Senior Vice President, Finance at Exela Technologies (XELA).

14:49 EDT Google introduces Focus time entry type to Google Calendar - Google said in a blog post that it is introducing a new Google Calendar entry type, Focus time, so users can block out and protect their time for heads-down individual work. Similar to the Out of office event type, focus time has a different appearance on a user's calendar and includes the option to automatically decline conflicting events. "With the changes to our working environments in the past year, having more chats and meetings make it more difficult for people to carve out time for their core individual work," the company said. "With the new focus time feature, we hope to make it easier to create dedicated time for thinking and core work." Reference Link

14:29 EDT NextPlay announces plans for blockchain securitized closed-end fund - NextPlay Technologies announced plans to form the MedTrek Fund, "which is expected to be a blockchain securitized closed-end fund." The fund once formed, is anticipated to seek to list on multiple regulated exchanges, subject to regulatory approval, the company said in a statement. NextPlay "has designed a new class of medical facilities that integrates unique geometries and technologies it believes will reduce the spread of infection," it added.

13:55 EDT North American rail traffic dropped 5.1% in week ended October 16 - The Association of American Railroads or AAR, reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending October 16. Total carloads for the week ending October 16 were 229,730 carloads, up 1.2% compared with the same week in 2020, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 267,253 containers and trailers, down 8.5% compared to 2020. North American rail volume for the week ending October 16, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 328,884 carloads, up zero percent compared with the same week last year, and 350,015 intermodal units, down 9.4% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 678,899 carloads and intermodal units, down 5.1%. North American rail volume for the first 41 weeks of 2021 was 28,384,736 carloads and intermodal units, up 7.2% compared with 2020. Publicly traded companies in the space include CSX (CSX), Canadian National (CNI), Canadian Pacific (CP), Kansas City Southern (KSU), Norfolk Southern (NSC) ,Union Pacific (UNP), FreightCar America (RAIL), Trinity Industries (TRN) and Greenbrier (GBX). Reference Link

13:04 EDT Twilio says new Engage platform to 'disrupt marketing and customer engagement' - Twilio, at SIGNAL 2021, announced the launch of Twilio Engage, which it calls "a first-of-its-kind growth automation platform that helps marketers deliver exceptional omnichannel campaigns fit for the digital era." Peter Reinhardt, CEO of Twilio Segment, said: "We believe Twilio Engage is going to disrupt marketing and customer engagement. Until today, no single platform has made it possible to power personalized interactions across the entire customer journey. For years, marketers have been locked into one-size-fits-all marketing suites built for an entirely different era. Twilio Engage delivers true end-to-end customer engagement by giving businesses the best customer data, powerful messaging capabilities, and unlimited API extensibility. This is what it takes to deliver truly satisfying customer experiences and improve acquisition, conversion, and retention." Twilio Engage is now in pilot with general availability expected in Q1 2022.

12:49 EDT Peltz says Coca-Cola investors will be 'pleasantly surprised' over time - Nelson Peltz of Trian Fund Management is speaking on CNBC.

12:36 EDT PLBY Group launches NFT project Rabbitars - PLBY Group unveiled its newest collection of NFTs: Playboy Rabbitars. The company said, "Paying homage to its founding year 1953, Playboy will release 11,953 unique Rabbitars, 3D rabbit characters, in NFT form. Inspired by Playboy's iconography, heritage, and lore, each Rabbitar will possess unique traits - some more rare than others - and will serve as keys to a reimagined Playboy Club, giving owners access to benefits like special members-only events, merchandise, artwork, and exclusive artist collaborations." The Rabbitars were created by Playboy's dedicated Web3 Innovation team, in partnership with Possible Studios and WENEW, the art studio and blockchain technology company co-founded by Michael Winklemann and Michael Figge. In the context of the metaverse, the Rabbitars are NFTs that live on the Ethereum Blockchain as ERC-721 tokens hosted on IPFS. Playboy Rabbitars will be available for purchase for 0.1953 Ethereum on the official Playboy Rabbitar site using crypto or U.S. dollars via three different sales: A pre-sale for whitelisted Eth-paying collectors will take place Sunday, October 24th-Tuesday, October 26th,

12:14 EDT Einhorn declines comment when asked if still short Tesla - David Einhorn of Greenlight Capital is speaking on CNBC.

12:11 EDT Einhorn says potential Sonos patent royalties not factored into estimates - David Einhorn of Greenlight Capital is speaking on CNBC.

12:09 EDT Green Brick jumps 9% to $23.60 as Chairman Einhorn discusses on CNBC

12:08 EDT Einhorn says Green Brick Partners has 'huge' backlog level - David Einhorn of Greenlight Capital is speaking on CNBC.

12:07 EDT Evoqua Water invests in new sustainability, innovation hub - Evoqua Water hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the grand opening of its new Sustainability and Innovation Hub located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The commemoration brought together regional academic, government, and industry leaders.The Sustainability and Innovation Hub is located in the Lawrenceville Tech Forge, part of Pittsburgh's urban technology park, and a hotbed for innovation in the region. The new facility will enable further advancement and development of cutting-edge and sustainable water treatment technologies critical to addressing emerging water trends, including water and climate risks, connectivity, and health and safety. The 18,000 square-foot facility houses a hands-on demonstration and training area, pilot testing environment, and a state-of-the-art laboratory to grow Evoqua's analytical and feasibility study capacity. The collaborative workspace is designed to provide strategic and timely technical capabilities, illustrating the company's commitment to delivering excellence to its customers.

12:06 EDT Waters, University of Delaware announce bioprocessing innovation partnership - Waters Corporation and the University of Delaware announced a five-year research partnership to develop new analytical solutions for bioprocessing and biomanufacturing. Key to this partnership is Immerse Delaware, an Innovation and Research Lab, set to open in early 2022 located at the University of Delaware Science, Technology and Advanced Research campus. At Immerse Delaware, Waters will partner with students and faculty to identify and address the most significant challenges facing the biopharmaceutical industry. The success of biotherapeutics such as monoclonal antibodies, cell and gene therapies and vaccines has transformed the life sciences industry. However, the optimization of the manufacturing process of these complex medicines has been limited by the lack of robust analytical methods that clearly decouple the critical quality attributes of the product from the process parameters. Waters is partnering with University of Delaware because of its leadership in chemical and biological manufacturing research as well its active support and close proximity to the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceutical, a collaborative effort amongst industry, academia, and regulators.

12:01 EDT ESS Inc. falls -7.9% - ESS Inc. is down -7.9%, or -$1.35 to $15.81.

12:01 EDT Peabody Energy falls -10.1% - Peabody Energy is down -10.1%, or -$1.60 to $14.29.

12:00 EDT Clearwater Paper rises 12.6% - Clearwater Paper is up 12.6%, or $4.56 to $40.83.

11:57 EDT Sony says 'God of War' coming to PC in January - Sony (SONY) announced that 2018's "God of War," which was a PlayStation 4 exclusive, will be coming to PC on Steam and the Epic Games Store on January 14, 2022. Investors in Epic include Tencent (TCEHY), KKR (KKR), Disney (DIS), and Sony. Reference Link

11:52 EDT Bank of America sets dividend for Q4, renews $25B repurchase plan - Bank of America announced the board of directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend on Bank of America common stock of 21c per share, payable on December 31 to shareholders of record as of December 3. The board also renewed the company's previously announced $25B common stock repurchase program. "In April, Bank of America announced plans to repurchase up to $25B in common stock over time. Through the end of the third quarter of 2021, approximately $14B in stock had been repurchased under that program. Today's authorization replaces the previous program and will provide additional flexibility going forward, in line with the company's commitment to return to shareholders excess capital that is not needed to support economic growth, deliver for customers and communities, invest in the future and sustain strength and stability through the cycle. As with the April authorization, the board also authorized repurchases to offset shares awarded under the company's equity-based compensation plans," the bank stated.

11:37 EDT Pinterest halted again for volatility after report of PayPal buyout talks

11:30 EDT Pinterest trading resumes

11:09 EDT United Airlines sees higher fares as jet fuel prices increase

11:02 EDT Audacy acqyures WideOrbit digital audio streaming technology, operations - Audacy announced the acquisition of an exclusive, perpetual license to WideOrbit's digital audio streaming technology and the related assets and operations of WO Streaming. This acquisition gives Audacy control of its product roadmap to deliver enhanced consumer-facing streaming features for its 170 million monthly listeners. Audacy will operate WO Streaming under the name AmperWave. The entire WO Streaming team, led by John Morris, SVP Streaming, has joined Audacy.

10:51 EDT United Airlines to return 57 single-aisle jets to flying by June 2022

10:48 EDT United Airlines sees inflection point in business demand in January

10:47 EDT GS Acquisition Holdings Corp II to close Mirion combination today - GS Acquisition Holdings Corp II, a special purpose acquisition company, announced that holders of approximately 5 million shares reversed their redemption status, increasing the GSAH trust proceeds expected to be available for the business combination by approximately $50M since October 15, 2021. The transaction is expected to raise approximately $604M from GSAH trust proceeds, $900M from a fully committed common stock private placement and $830M from a senior secured term loan financing. A portion of the proceeds will be used to pay $1.3B to existing Mirion stockholders, to refinance approximately $909M of existing Mirion third-party debt and to pay certain transaction expenses. Upon completion of the business combination, GSAH will change its name to "Mirion Technologies, Inc." Following the consummation of the business combination, Mirion's Class A common stock and public warrants are expected to begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "MIR."

10:42 EDT United Airlines: 99.7% of U.S. employees are vaccinated

10:39 EDT United Airlines CEO says long-term recovery remains on track - Says Covid playing out "remarkably close" to what the company predicted in May 2020.

10:35 EDT United Airlines on track for CASM-ex to be down in 2022, down 4% in 2023 - United is "on track" for CASM-ex to be down in 2022, down 4% in 2023, and down 8% in 2026. Comments taken from Q3 earnings conference call.

10:16 EDT Walgreens to deploy Wing drone deliveries in Dallas-Fort Worth area - In a blog post by Alphabet's (GOOG, GOOGL) Wing, the company said, " Today we're unveiling a new model for drone delivery that will allow us to expand into densely-populated metropolitan areas in the United States. Wing will stage delivery drones at retail locations; ready to fly directly to customers. The aircraft will arrive in small containers that serve as tiny hangars, allowing each store to quickly and easily deploy a small, dedicated fleet from its parking lot, on its roof, or in small spaces adjacent to the building. When this model launches, Walgreens (WBA) will be the first U.S. retailer to use this new approach. Walgreens team members will process orders and load packages onto the delivery drones, and Wing will oversee operation of the delivery service. Our first lightweight, co-located operation will be set up at a Dallas-Fort Worth area Walgreens store in its parking lot, serving parts of the city of Frisco and town of Little Elm. In addition to the Walgreens store, Wing has teamed up with Hillwood to prepare a separate drone delivery facility within Frisco Station, an urban, mixed-used development located in Frisco. Hillwood has a long track record supporting forward-thinking, innovative transportation initiatives across the region, most notably at its AllianceTexas development and its designated Mobility Innovation Zone. We look forward to working with Hillwood as we deploy a facility at Frisco Station that has all the usual delivery capabilities, but will be dedicated to exploring new use cases, community demonstrations, school field trips and public tours...In preparation for this launch, we've been conducting test flights since June at Hillwood's AllianceTexas Flight Test Center, a drone testing facility in Fort Worth. We'll begin a small number of practice flights next week in Frisco and Little Elm, and hope to set up delivery demonstrations to get feedback from the community in the coming weeks. In the coming months, we expect to launch a commercial service there that would be the first of its kind in a major U.S. metro." Reference Link

10:02 EDT Xiaobia Maimai Inc (ADR) trading resumes

10:00 EDT Warrior Met Coal falls -6.3% - Warrior Met Coal is down -6.3%, or -$1.67 to $24.97.

10:00 EDT Brinker falls -10.1% - Brinker is down -10.1%, or -$4.94 to $44.02.

10:00 EDT X Financial rises 9.9% - X Financial is up 9.9%, or 49c to $5.47.

09:58 EDT Abbott says base business 'doing very well' - Expects momentum to continue into 2022. Says seeing some inflation, but it's manageable. Says making "great progress" in penetrating the Type 2 diabetes segment. Says will consider M&A, but current valuations "frothy."

09:48 EDT Shopify, Spotify in pact to add virtual merchandise tables for music artists - With Shopify's (SHOP) new Spotify (SPOT) channel, artists can engage listeners where they are and showcase products that expand beyond traditional merch, Shopify said in a statement. "Today, the creator economy is estimated* to be approximately 50 million strong, and reportedly worth over $100B. Through our new strategic partnership with Spotify, we're giving artists the creative freedom to expand beyond music and traditional merch to build fully realized businesses, backed by the best in audio streaming and commerce. Using Spotify, artists can introduce products to the place where listeners and fans are already engaging with their music most. By connecting their Spotify for Artists accounts with their Shopify online stores, artists can sync their product catalogues and seamlessly showcase products of their choice directly on their Spotify artist profiles, making it easy for fans to browse and purchase... Today, the channel is available to artists in all markets where Spotify is available, and available to listeners in Canada, the U.S., the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand." Reference Link

09:47 EDT Brinker falls -8.1% - Brinker is down -8.1%, or -$3.97 to $44.98.

09:47 EDT Stride rises 6.8% - Stride is up 6.8%, or $2.31 to $36.50.

09:47 EDT Buenaventura rises 9.1% - Buenaventura is up 9.1%, or 75c to $8.98.

09:36 EDT Navitas Semiconductor Corporation trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:28 EDT Yum China inaugurates digital R&D center at three sites - Yum China opened its Digital R&D Center with three sites in Shanghai, Nanjing, and Xi'an. The Digital R&D Center will consolidate and expand dedicated resources to develop new solutions and services using technologies in big data, artificial intelligence, middle office and digital SaaS to drive end-to-end digitalization. With the establishment of the Digital R&D Center, the company aims to have more dedicated resources in its restaurant operations for building topnotch digital infrastructure. Yum China has earmarked $1B-1.5B of investment over the next five years in digital and technology. The company plans to invest $100M-$200M and to employ up to 500 staff in the Digital R&D Center to support the company's growth over the next five years.

09:19 EDT Qumu announces distribution partnership with solutions aggregator TD SYNNEX - Qumu announced that technology distributor and solutions aggregator TD SYNNEX is now offering the Qumu Video Engagement Platform to its network of more than 150,000 resellers. "For the first time, resellers within the TD SYNNEX distribution ecosystem have access to enterprise-grade video, filling a critical market need as more organizations look to adopt scalable, secure and reliable video technology to collaborate with employees, customers and partners in more engaging ways. TD SYNNEX is a leading global distributor and solutions aggregator for IT ecosystems and offers the scale and purchasing efficiencies to attract original equipment manufacturers, and accelerate technology adoption among enterprise and government customers. As the latest addition to Qumu's fast-growing channel program, TD SYNNEX will offer resellers and suppliers a SaaS-based enterprise video platform that helps globally distributed enterprises create, control, deliver, experience and analyze live and asynchronous video at scale," noted Qumu.

09:16 EDT Workday appoints Pete Schlampp as CSO - Workday announce the appointments of Pete Schlampp to chief strategy officer and Sayan Chakraborty to executive vice president of Product and Technology. Pete and Sayan, both of whom have served in leadership roles at Workday for more than five years, each bring over 20 years of experience across strategy, product development, technology innovation, and marketing, and will help execute on the company's strategic vision and growth strategy on its path to $10 billion in revenue. As chief strategy officer, Pete will oversee Corporate Development and Strategy, Corporate and Solution Marketing, Experience Design and Development, Mergers and Acquisitions Integration, and Workday Ventures. Together, this collective team will further the company's awareness and strategy efforts as it looks to build on its global momentum and invest in transformational initiatives to grow its customer community of more than 9,000 organizations, including more than 50% of the Fortune 500. Previously, Pete was EVP of Product Development for Workday and joined Workday through the Platfora acquisition as vice president of Workday Prism Analytics. With this transition, Sayan, who currently oversees the Technology organization at Workday, will expand his responsibilities to now include the Product Development organization, which encompasses the teams that innovate and develop core Workday applications including Workday Financial Management and Workday Human Capital Management. With Sayan as EVP of Product and Technology, Workday will look to accelerate the delivery of new innovations - including investments in new products, technology partnerships, and infrastructure - helping customers keep pace in the changing world of work. Sayan joined Workday through the GridCraft acquisition as vice president of software development and later became SVP of Technology, prior to taking on the EVP of Technology role. Both Pete and Sayan will continue to report to Workday Co-Founder, Co-CEO, and Chairman Aneel Bhusri.

09:16 EDT Qualcomm introduces ultraBAW RF filter technology for bands up to 7 GHz - Qualcomm Technologies (QCOM) has announced the Qualcomm ultraBAW RF filter technology for bands up to 7 GHz, which it calls "another innovation that builds on the company's modem-to-antenna solution that is driving high-performance 5G and connectivity systems across wireless product segments." Qualcomm stated: "The new Qualcomm ultraBAW RF filter technology will enable both 5G and Wi-Fi solutions to access spectrum up to 7 GHz, delivering high performance at higher frequencies. Access to sub-7 GHz spectrum will enable next-generation mobile devices, laptops, as well as numerous solutions for Automotive, IoT, and industrial applications to benefit from 5G and Wi-Fi co-existence, leading to enhanced performance and power efficiency indoors and outdoors." Akoustis Technologies (AKTS) previously announced on August 30 that it had shipped the first 5G mobile filters to its "tier-1 RF component customer." At that time, Akoustis said: "The company plans to further expand its capabilities in WLP as it delivers new filters that can leverage the technology for mobile handsets and other devices where size considerations are at a premium. Both filters are being developed to offer 5G/WiFi coexistence in the mid and ultra-high bands and will be considered for use in filter modules for 5G smartphones, tablets, and other mobile devices." Reference Link

09:13 EDT Synopsys collaborating with TSMC for 3D-system solutions - Synopsys has expanded its strategic technology collaboration with TSMC in system integration to address the performance, power and area targets for high-performance computing applications by leveraging Synopsys' 3DIC Compiler platform. The 3DIC Compiler platform is an end-to-end solution for 2.5/3D multi-die design and full system integration built on the Synopsys Fusion Design Platform common, single-data-model infrastructure. This solution comprises 2D and 3D visualization, cross-hierarchy exploration and planning, design and implementation, design for test and full-system validation and signoff analysis.

09:10 EDT Fat Brands announces addition of Forrestal as new board member - FAT Brands announces the addition of its newest board member, Amy Forrestal. "Forrestal is a seasoned executive and investment banker with a demonstrated history of successful merger and acquisition advisory and private capital raising for companies in the restaurant and franchise industries," the company said. FAT Brands is the first public board position for Forrestal has worked with franchisors and franchisees on numerous transactions.

09:09 EDT Editas Medicine announces clinical data from ongoing Phase 1/2 BRILLIANCE trial - Editas Medicine announced that an abstract featuring initial clinical data from the BRILLIANCE clinical trial of EDIT-101 has been selected for an oral presentation at the 2021 European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy Annual Congress being held virtually October 19 - 22, 2021. "We are pleased to be working at the forefront of this research with Editas Medicine, evaluating genome editing for the treatment of CEP290-associated retinal disease in the BRILLIANCE trial," said Eric A. Pierce, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Ocular Genomics Institute and William F. Chatlos Professor of Ophthalmology at Massachusetts Eye and Ear and Harvard Medical School, and the senior BRILLIANCE principal investigator. "I am highly encouraged by the early efficacy signals in the mid-dose cohort, which suggest positive biological activity and potential early clinical benefits. I am also very pleased that the initial data from the BRILLIANCE trial demonstrate a favorable safety profile. I believe that the trial data support continued EDIT-101 development as well as the evaluation of gene editing approaches for other inherited retinal disorders."

09:08 EDT Kornit Digital introduces Presto MAX - Kornit Digital announced the release of its Kornit Presto MAX system for sustainable on-demand production of apparel and other textile goods. The new system will make its live debut at Kornit Fashion Week Los Angeles + Industry 4.0 Event, which the company is hosting November 2-5 to showcase technology innovations, partnerships, and proven strategies driving the business case for sustainable, on-demand production of fashion and textile goods worldwide.

09:07 EDT TRX Systems, NextNav partner to improve situational awareness for responders - NextNav announced the integration of their solutions to more reliably track the vertical location of first responders operating indoors. TRX Systems is leveraging NextNav's Pinnacle service to complement and enhance the calculated elevation of its NEON Personnel Tracking solution. "Location intelligence is a key component in understanding a situation, evaluating risks, and establishing a plan of action for first responders," said Dan Hight, VP of Business Development and Partnerships at NextNav. "Z-axis has a vital role to play in delivering greater situational awareness and improving incident response times and outcomes. Working closely with TRX Systems, we'll provide the public safety community with the precise location intelligence needed to protect and save lives." NextNav's Pinnacle vertical location service delivers Z-axis position data that exceeds the FCC mandate for three-meter accuracy. Today, NextNav Pinnacle is available in over 4,400 U.S. cities and towns, covering 90% of buildings over three stories.

09:06 EDT Mawson Infrastructure buys 4,000 'latest generation' ASIC bitcoin miners - Mawson Infrastructure Group is pleased to announce it has added to its mining fleet, purchasing 4,000 of the latest generation ASIC bitcoin miners. Mawson has purchased 2,000 MicroBT M30S and 2,000 Canaan Avalon A1166/1246 bitcoin miners which will be delivered and operational in Q4 2021. As a result of these deliveries, Mawson is expected to have 3.35EH online by Q2 2022, up from 3EH, representing an anticipated 11.7% increase in operational capacity.

09:06 EDT NeuroMetrix appoints Susan Bell as SVP, population health, value based care - NeuroMetrix announced that it has appointed Susan M. Bell as Senior Vice President, Population Health & Value Based Care. Ms. Bell will be responsible for growing the Company's DPNCheck business with a primary focus on the Medicare Advantage population, and more broadly, expanding the Company's footprint in the value-based healthcare market. Ms. Bell was most recently at eHealth, Inc., where she was Senior Director, Value Based Provider Partnerships.

09:04 EDT Nuvei secures approval for processing sports betting in Connecticut - Nuvei has announced that its wholly owned subsidiary has been granted an online gaming service provider vendor registration in Connecticut. The registration was approved by the Connecticut Board of Consumer Protection and allows Nuvei to support sports betting and iGaming operators within the state. Online sports betting was legalized in Connecticut in May 2021. Since the law's passage, operators in the state have been preparing to debut their sports betting and iGaming capabilities, with the first legal online sportsbooks going live as of October 19.

09:02 EDT vTv Therapeutics appoints Deepa Prasad as new President and CEO - vTv Therapeutics appointed Deepa Prasad as President and CEO, effective immediately. Stephen Holcombe who previously served as vTv's President and CEO will be retiring. Prasad most recently served as Managing Director at WestRiver Group, where she led the firm's investments in Design Therapeutics, Ginger and Curai. She currently sits on the Board of Design Therapeutics and is an Independent Advisor to Equilibre Biopharmaceuticals.

08:59 EDT Verizon discussing buybacks with board, CEO Hans Vestberg says - Vestberg says the top priority for cash is investing in the business.

08:54 EDT Gulf Resources in the process of introducing rebuilt website - The company said, "As some investors may have noticed, our website has been down for the past week. Our company is committed to improving investor relations. As a result, we are in the process of introducing a rebuilt website. The transition from the old website to the new website will require approximately one more week. We look forward to sharing our new website with investors."

08:47 EDT AFC Gamma funds $50M of $120M tranche of Verano credit facility - AFC Gamma (AFCG) announced it has funded $50M of a $120M credit facility tranche to Verano Holdings (VRNOF). The credit facility has been increased by a $120M tranche and is designed to provide Verano with additional capital to execute on its growth plan. With its commitment of an additional $50M under the new credit facility tranche, AFC Gamma now holds a total of $60M of Verano's credit facility.

08:42 EDT CorMedix announces abstracts at upcoming conferences - CorMedix announced the acceptance for presentation of three abstracts at industry conferences. The abstracts being presented highlight retrospective analyses that were conducted integrating multiple clinical and claims databases that track end-stage renal disease, ESRD, patients. The conclusions from these retrospective studies underscore the significant incidence of and mortality related to catheter-related bloodstream infections and economic costs related to these infections. These findings are especially important since approximately 80% of patients undergoing hemodialysis start with a central venous catheter as their first vascular access. Key findings include: Approximately 29% of the ~56k hemodialysis patients studied had an occurrence of CRBSI post CVC-insertion; Over 54% of first CRBSIs occurred within 3 months following CVC insertion; CRBSIs lead to more hospital admissions, longer stays, and a more complicated clinical course; Hemodialysis related CRBSIs are associated with significant mortality; and analysis estimates $2.3B in direct costs from CVC-CRBSIs annually. Dr. Matt David, interim Chief Executive Officer of CorMedix commented, "The abstracts being presented represent important work by the CorMedix team to expand our understanding of the magnitude of CRBSIs as a problem in the hemodialysis patient community. We have demonstrated in clinical study that DefenCath can reduce CRBSIs in CVC patients undergoing hemodialysis by approximately 71%. As we continue to work to secure marketing authorization for DefenCath, we are motivated by these data that reinforce the unmet medical need that we plan to address by reducing life-threatening CRBSIs."

08:41 EDT Medigus says Eventer signs MOU with Safee to enable NFT creation - Medigus announced that its affiliate Eventer Technologies signed a memorandum of understanding with Safee Cyber Technologies. By joining forces, Eventer will provide its customers, including original content creators and artists, with the ability to create and sell NFTs related to digital events, content and digital assets across Safee's platform. Per the MOU, Eventer's customers will have the opportunity to distribute their digital assets on a recurring revenue basis. Eventer and Safee will work in a revenue share model, based on Safee's commission from NFT sales. Moreover, as part of the MOU, each partner will share a stake in the other's success. Upon the signing of a definitive agreement, Eventer will allocate to Safee ordinary shares of Eventer, and Safee will allocate to Eventer ordinary shares of Safee. The respective amounts will reflect Safee's valuation of approximately. $35 million and Eventer's valuation of approximately. $30 million.

08:40 EDT APA Corp. releases 2021 sustainability report - APA released its 2021 Sustainability Report, which covers the company's environmental, social and governance, ESG, performance based on 2020 data and provides updates on 2021 progress. "We have made significant progress on ESG issues, which I'm pleased to share in our latest sustainability report. The world needs the abundant, reliable energy provided by oil and natural gas, and it's our commitment to produce this energy in a responsible way," said John Christmann IV, APA's CEO and president. "We have focused our ESG efforts on the issues most pertinent to and controllable by our company: air, water, communities and people, and we are driving performance by including ESG goals as 20% of incentive compensation for all employees." Report highlights include: Protecting air quality - Since 2016, the company has decreased global greenhouse gas emissions by 27% and global methane emissions intensity by 41%. Aligning with the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures - The company expanded its alignment with TCFD standards and introduced a fully aligned scenario analysis. Minimizing freshwater consumption - In 2020, the majority of the water used, greater than 94%, was recycled produced and nonfresh water. Fostering a more diverse and inclusive workforce - APA has expanded its diversity and inclusion program by deploying trainings for all employees. Benefiting communities - APA organized its long-standing commitment to address the needs of local communities into three pillars: Community, Environmental Stewardship and Access to Energy.

08:38 EDT Longeveron announces activation of two new clinical sties in ELPIS II trials - Longeveron announced the activation of two new clinical sites for the currently enrolling ELPIS II Trial, evaluating Lomecel-B injection into the myocardium of infants with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, a rare and life-threatening congenital heart defect. Lomecel-B is an investigational allogeneic, bone marrow-derived medicinal signaling cell product manufactured in Longeveron's cell processing facility in Miami, Florida. "We are pleased with the progress that Dr. Kaushal and the University of Texas Health Sciences Center are making in activating new clinical sites for enrollment," stated Longeveron CEO Geoff Green. "The addition of these exceptional institutions, as well as future sites to be activated, is important for both timely execution of the ELPIS II trial, as well as for providing more options for families with children with HLHS to participate in the research."

08:37 EDT Evoke Pharma, EVERSANA announce findings from GIMOTI marketing study - Evoke Pharma announced positive findings from a recent market research study conducted for GIMOTI nasal spray. The study aimed to gather additional market insights on the perception of GIMOTI in the Gastroenterology and other health care provider communities during September 2021 and follows prior market research studies conducted since product launch. Evoke will share the findings in discussions at the upcoming American College of Gastroenterology Conference. Last month, Evoke's commercialization partner, EVERSANA, conducted the GIMOTI Awareness, Trial, and Usage Study with healthcare practitioners. Key Findings: Continued increase in intent to prescribe GIMOTI, 92% of all respondents intend to prescribe GIMOTI in the future; Targeted GEs now report "Nasal" as the preferred route of medication administration for gastroparesis patients over "Oral"; Targeted GEs report greater GIMOTI usage across first, second and third lines of treatment from the December 2020 study, with the similar use as a third-line treatment option at around 22%; Similar to the previous study, GEs indicated a moderate-to-high level of concern about a diabetic gastroparesis patient's ability to absorb oral medications with more than half of respondents indicating that 21%-60% of their patients have trouble ingesting and/or digesting oral medications; and The percentage of targeted GEs reporting high awareness of GIMOTI has increased from 21% in December 2020 to 54% in September 2021. "These latest ATU study findings are supportive of both our call point strategy and the messaging to targeted physicians as they confirm increasing awareness and rationale for usage of GIMOTI. Our sales force continues to gain improved access to targeted physician offices to conduct face to face discussions and uncover the needs of diabetic gastroparesis patients who continue to suffer from this disease. These results provide meaningful insights for our commercial team's understanding of how and when our marketing efforts are being captured by targeted health care providers," commented David Gonyer, R.Ph., Evoke Pharma President and CEO. "We remain convinced that GIMOTI can help answer a critical unmet medical need and look forward to sharing our findings with other prominent GEs at the upcoming ACG Conference later this month."

08:37 EDT OSI Systems unit Spacelabs gets $4M patient monitoring solutions order - OSI Systems announced that its Healthcare division, Spacelabs Healthcare, received an order valued at approximately $4M to provide patient monitoring solutions to a Southern U.S. based hospital. The Company is expected to provide Xhibit Central Stations, Xprezzon patient monitors, Qube patient monitors and related accessories. "We look forward to continue providing this customer with our advanced patient monitoring products for installation in intensive care units and other patient care areas of the hospital," commented Deepak Chopra, OSI Systems' Chairman and CEO.

08:36 EDT Verizon CEO: More than 25% of wireless customers have 5G-capable devices - Comments taken from Q3 earnings conference call.

08:35 EDT H&R Block announces addition of more inclusive employee benefits - H&R Block announced an expansion of its values-based culture of belonging with the addition of more inclusive benefits. The new approach provides holistic support to associates, across all lifestages and through an expanded range of life circumstances. Expanded mental health benefits: An enhanced mental health support program for regular associates, including greater access to therapists, coaching and holistic mental health services through Lyra, a comprehensive mental health hub. At-work and at-home resources to support neurodiverse individuals: Manager training to support neurodiversity in the workplace, support for neurodiverse associates, as well as social and emotional learning resources for parents and caregivers of neurodiverse individuals via Rethink. Expanded paid leave for all types of parenting and caregiving: Eight weeks of paid parental leave for any parent, including those adopting, and four weeks of paid caregiver leave to care for a spouse, child or parent with a serious health condition for regular associates. Infertility, surrogacy and adoption support: A $30,000 benefit for eligible associates that can be used for fertility treatments, adoption or surrogacy support for any associate and family situation. Pregnancy support: An app to support regular associates from conception through baby's entire first year, delivered by Cleo.

08:33 EDT ZK International Group to seek potential distribution - ZK International Group's management has proposed to the company's Board of Directors regarding a potential distribution upon receiving returns from its prior investments of up to 25%. Any such distribution will be subject to the review and approval of the Board of Directors. The company plans to review this strategy on an ongoing basis. No assurances can be made that any future distribution will be made.

08:32 EDT Helbiz partners with Fantasmo for e-scooter app - Helbiz announced a partnership with Fantasmo, a next-generation mapping company, to integrate its parking technology into Helbiz's e-scooter app. The integration will first roll out across the company's fleet in Miami, Florida with plans to expand to other markets as the partnership advances. Fantasmo's Camera Positioning Standard technology can detect the exact location of e-scooters and validate parking within 8 inches or less with a phone camera alone.

08:32 EDT Metromile expands reach through independent agents - Metromile announced a significant expansion of its Independent Agents program, along with the appointment of Scot Rankin as Independent Agency Relationship Manager. Metromile can now offer Independent Agents access to Metromile's high quality, customizable pay-per-mile auto insurance, which features savings, customer experience, and bundling of home and auto insurance. Rankin, who joins Metromile from Travelers, will build additional integrations and infrastructure to support Independent Agents and significantly scale the channel.

08:24 EDT Save Foods completes pre-harvest application trials on citrus fruits - Save Foods announced the completion of a series of trials in conjunction with a leading California academic institution. As part of the Company's efforts to validate the efficacy of its products, Save Foods is collaborating with several plant pathologists and researcher labs. Recently, the efficacy and impact of Save Foods' treatments as a pre-harvest application was validated by a world renowned academic institution in California. The study's results demonstrate pre-harvest applications of Save Foods' treatments are effective in mitigating the presence of decay-causing pathogens on the surface of citrus fruits.

08:23 EDT Xometry launches Autodesk Fusion 360 app version 2.0 - Xometryannounced the launch of version 2.0 of its app for Autodesk Fusion 360. The app is free and can be downloaded directly from the Autodesk Fusion 360 App Store. The company said, "Updated with new features in addition to the instant price and lead time capabilities launched earlier in 2021, Version 2.0 now offers manufacturability feedback and multiple part upload features, improving processes for engineers and designers working in Autodesk. With manufacturability feedback, engineers and designers receive information on part manufacturability while they are designing in the Fusion 360 interface, allowing them to improve their designs. And with the ability to upload multiple parts, engineers can price and receive feedback on multiple parts at the same time, streamlining their work. Version 2.0 is a critical enabler for engineers looking to fast-track product iterations and incorporate real-time feedback."

08:21 EDT Titan Machinery announces acquisition of Jaycox Implement - Titan Machinery announced that it has entered into a definitive purchase agreement to acquire the assets of Jaycox Implement, which consists of three full-line Case IH agriculture dealerships located in Worthington, MN, Luverne, MN, and Lake Park, IA. The acquisition is expected to close in December, 2021 and be immediately accretive to earnings per diluted share. David Meyer, Titan Machinery's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, stated, "The acquisition of the Jaycox dealership network in southwestern Minnesota and northwestern Iowa is a perfect complement to our existing footprint in the heart of this highly productive region. Jaycox has been a fixture in this market since 1956, has a talented and experienced team of employees, excellent population of Case IH equipment and is well-known for their focus on customer service. We aim to build upon that legacy with our added resources and look forward to integrating their team and customers into the Titan family."

08:20 EDT Sight Sciences announces TearCare clinical data published - Sight Sciences announced publication in the journal Cornea of positive results from OLYMPIA, a multicenter, investigator-masked, randomized controlled trial. The TearCare System is presently indicated for the application of localized heat when the current medical community recommends the application of a warm compress to the eyelids. Sight Sciences is currently seeking an expanded indication from the FDA for the application of localized heat therapy in adult patients with evaporative dry eye disease due to meibomian gland dysfunction, when used in conjunction with manual expression of the meibomian glands. The OLYMPIA study enrolled a total of 135 adult subjects assigned to either a TearCare or LipiFlow treatment arm, each consisting of a single treatment. The study was designed to show the non-inferiority of TearCare to LipiFlow, measured by the mean change from baseline to one month in primary effectiveness endpoints, including Tear Break-Up Time and Total Meibomian Gland Secretion Score. Secondary effectiveness endpoints included the mean change from baseline to one month in Ocular Surface Disease Index score, corneal and conjunctival staining scores, Symptom Assessment in Dry Eye score, and Eye Dryness Score. The primary safety endpoint was the incidence of ocular adverse events. The secondary safety endpoints included discomfort/pain during and after the procedures, change in Best Corrected Visual Acuity, and change in intraocular pressure. The non-inferiority primary endpoints for TearCare were met in the study. Use of both TearCare and LipiFlow was associated with improvements in all assessed signs and symptoms of DED measured in the study. No subject in either group experienced any serious adverse events or device-related adverse events. "We are extremely proud that a peer-reviewed journal in eyecare with a high impact factor like Cornea determined that the data from our OLYMPIA RCT were technically, scientifically and clinically compelling," said Paul Badawi, Co-Founder and CEO of Sight Sciences. "Our mission at Sight Sciences is to transform eyecare by developing and delivering clinically differentiated solutions that allow eyecare providers to comprehensively and consistently address the root underlying causes of eye disease. It is extremely gratifying to our entire team, as well as our OLYMPIA clinical partners, both ophthalmologists and optometrists, that such an important step in our missionary work to develop products and product candidates for use in procedures that can transform the treatment paradigm in dry eye from eyedrops to procedural interventions was recognized by the leading journal in ocular surface disease."

08:18 EDT Bottomline Technologies appoints three new directors to board of directors - Bottomline Technologies announced that it has agreed with shareholders Clearfield Capital Management LP and Sachem Head Capital Management LP to appoint to its Board of Directors Philip Hilal, Larry Klane, and Michael Curran. With these appointments, which are effective November 8, 2021, the Bottomline Board will be expanded to eleven directors. Bottomline also announced that the Board has formed a new Strategy Committee responsible for evaluating and making recommendations with respect to the Company's market position and strategy, acceleration of subscription revenue growth and opportunities to create additional shareholder value.

08:17 EDT Capstone Green Energy ditributor Supernova Energy gets microturbine order - Capstone Green Energy announced that Supernova Energy Services , Capstone's distributor for Colombia and Venezuela, secured an order for a three-bay C400 Signature Series microturbine to be installed in a cogeneration application and supply electricity and cooling for Llanogas, a natural gas utility company in Colombia.

08:16 EDT Grove closes acquisition of Interactive Offers - Grove has completed its previously announced acquisition of Florida based advertising company Interactive Offers. Interactive Offers "provides Grove with a solid entry into the Programmatic Ad space and adds a unique in-house advertising platform to leverage and scale its current and future brands," the company said. Allan Marshall, Chief Executive Officer of Grove, stated, "The technology is set up and designed for ease of use and efficiencies in deliverability and reporting across email, native ads, and display. It not only fills a void for our brands but gives all of our clients a unique ad platform that they can take advantage of immediately. With the new revenue stream from our Adtech Technology division, we will look to grow our Programmatic revenues while growing our current brands and additional brands we acquire in the future. The platform is another service available to our clients helping them grow their business and growing the advertising vertical itself." Synergies and Strategic Highlights of the Acquisition: SAAS Technology in the Adtech vertical will allow Grove to boost the scale and growth of any brand launched or purchased in the future; Interactive Offers SaaS Platform expansion into the Hemp and Cannabis space and fills the needed advertising void for Grove to grow product sales for in-house brands and partner brands; Interactive Offers' business grows through access to Grove's clients who need advertising partners and a full-service SaaS platform; Interactive Offers' technology development team will handle all planned development of the CBD.IO platform to become an industry leader of CBD sales for brands.

08:15 EDT Document Security provides update on its liquid value asset management subsidary - DSS announced an update on the launch and funding of Liquid Value Asset Management, LVAM, a Hong Kong-based investment management company engaging in proprietary algorithmic trading and majority owned by the Company's wholly owned DSS Financial Management, DFMI, subsidiary. Under the terms of a shareholders' agreement between DFMI and HR1 Holdings, DFMI owns 60% of the shares of LVAM and has appointed three of the five directors of LVAM. The remaining two directors have been appointed by HR1, which owns the other 40% of LVAM. DFMI has provided a $1M working capital loan facility to accelerate the launch of LVAM, which will begin proprietary trading with $9M before the establishment of an investment fund. The $9M in capital is being provided through loans of $3M each from DFMI, BMI Capital Partners International Limited, and Wilson Lee, principal of HR1. In addition, DFMI has agreed to provide $3M in seed capital upon establishment of the fund to begin trading operations. HR1, through its principal, Wilson Lee, will also contribute $3M in capital upon the establishment of the fund and will seek to attract third-party investments of $2M, which DFMI has agreed to match dollar-for-dollar. Wilson Lee, former co-head of Societe Generale's equity derivatives in Asia, has been named CEO of LVAM. Lee is joined by Jackson Kwan as well as a team of eight staff members.

08:13 EDT TransUnion, e2Value partner for up-to-date replacement cost estimations - The companies said, "To better support the insurance industry, TransUnion and e2Value are partnering to deliver the most up-to-date information, enabling both a seamless quoting experience along with an enhanced ability to identify possible changes in risk to a property post-bind. TransUnion's personal property insurance product suite can now be delivered alongside e2Value's Pronto solution, giving clients instant access to the most current information about a property's replacement cost, including fluctuating labor and materials pricing that can occur in the wake of natural disasters and other disruptive trends."

08:12 EDT electroCore announces publication of paper on gammaCore - electroCore announced the publication of a peer-reviewed paper entitled "Non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation for treatment of cluster headache: a retrospective review of prescribing in England," in the British Journal of Healthcare Management. The paper reviews the prescribing trends of gammaCore in England from April 2019 through the end of 2020. gammaCore was listed on NHS England and Improvement's 'Innovation Technology Payment' program beginning 1st April 2019, which provided for the reimbursement of gammaCore for cluster headache patients in England. This program followed the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommendation for the use of gammaCore in cluster headache. The study is one of the largest clinical audits of patients with cluster headache and highlights that of the 655 patients who started on gammaCore, 46.3% of patients were prescribed at least one refill and 30.9% were prescribed two or more refills. These real-world results suggest a durable benefit for patients utilizing gammaCore's non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation for cluster headache in England.

08:11 EDT Charles River Ppans to increase CRADL capacity in Cambridge MA - Charles River Laboratories announced the expansion of its Charles River Accelerator and Development Lab, CRADL on Binney Street in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the addition of a second Cambridge location on Bent Street. CRADL provides flexible, turnkey vivarium rental space supported by Charles River's technical and veterinary support expertise in key biohubs. CRADL is the leading space for clients to launch or expand their drug research programs, with the added benefit of access to Charles River's complete portfolio of integrated drug discovery and non-clinical development resources. CRADL's flagship location on Binney Street opened in 2018 with 15,000 square feet. The latest addition has increased square footage to 45,000 square feet. Additionally, Charles River has begun the process of opening a second CRADL location on Bent Street in Cambridge, adding an additional 18,000 square feet of capacity for clients, with the first phase planned to open in late 2021. Both locations offer rental vivarium space for both emerging and established biopharmaceutical companies and research institutions, allowing scientists to focus on research, while leaving the animal husbandry and daily vivarium management to a trusted partner. By offering turnkey, on-demand facilities, clients are able to quickly start new projects, accelerating the early stage of research.

08:10 EDT Microchip releases ISO 26262 functional safety packages for DSCs - Microchip Technology is offering newly certified functional safety packages to enable engineers to develop their products as per the ISO 26262 functional safety standard. Microchip is announcing the release of ISO 26262 functional safety packages for dsPIC33C digital signal controllers, PIC18 and AVR microcontrollers that accelerate the development of safety-critical designs targeting ASIL B and ASIL C safety level and certification efforts.

08:09 EDT Cushman & Wakefield to invest $500M for stake in Greystone's agency platform - Cushman & Wakefield announce they will enter into a strategic joint venture to deliver best-in-class advisory services and capital solutions to existing, joint and new clients of both firms nationwide. Under the terms of the agreement, Cushman & Wakefield will make a strategic investment of $500M to acquire a 40% stake in Greystone's Agency, FHA and Servicing businesses. Greystone intends to use the capital to create innovative product offerings which will position the company for future expansion. The transaction is anticipated to close in Q4 2021, subject to customary closing conditions. Greystone is a top multifamily lender, including bridge, Fannie Mae DUS, Freddie Mac Optigo, and HUD, giving Cushman & Wakefield's client base more direct access to a broad range of debt products for property acquisition, refinancing or substantial rehab / new construction. In turn, Cushman & Wakefield brings a well-established network of advisory professionals in core markets across the U.S., enabling both firms, together, to offer commercial property investors a holistic, one-stop approach.

08:08 EDT Boqii and Huazhu Group partner for pet-friendly hotel stays - Boqii (BQ) announced a strategic partnership with Yongle Huazhu, a joint company by hotel group Huazhu Group (HTHT) and Sunac Cultural Tourism, to provide pet-friendly stays in Yongle Huazhu's Blossom House hotels. Boqii and Yongle Huazhu will develop unique services and solutions to offer hotel stays for pet owners and their pets. Founded in Lijiang in 2009, Blossom House operates in the upscale boutique hotels field and intends to operate 100 hotels in three years, with pet-friendly stay as one of its most services.

08:07 EDT BIO-key showcases PortalGuard IAM Platform - BIO-key International announced the company will exhibit at the 2021 EDUCAUSE Annual Conference, to be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, in Philadelphia from October 26-29. "BIO-key welcomes the opportunity to meet with higher education IT professionals about navigating the complex educational cybersecurity environment while working within the boundaries of their potentially limited resources," the company said. BIO-key's demonstration of the PortalGuard will include: Eliminating passwords; Securing remote learning; Protecting student data; and Reducing password reset calls. The PortalGuard platform is a complete identity and access management solution that offers over 16 authentication options for multi-factor authentication, single sign-on, and self-service password reset, and BIO-key's Identity-Bound Biometric solutions, available on-premises or in the cloud. "With over 20 years in higher education, now more than ever we need to come together to transform the education sector and ensure that the right cybersecurity safety measures are put into place," said Mark Cochran, President of PortalGuard, BIO-key. "We look forward to connecting with higher education IT professionals to discuss how we can help evolve their cybersecurity strategies together, giving them IAM solutions that are built for them, delivered with the resources they have today."

08:06 EDT Northern Technologies raises quarterly dividend 7.7% to 7c per share - Northern Technologies International announced that the Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.07 per share, a 7.7% increase from its previous quarterly dividend rate of $0.065 per share. The cash dividend will be payable on November 17, 2021, to stockholders of record at the close of business on November 3, 2021.

08:04 EDT UniFirst board authorizes $100M share repurchase program - UniFirst also announced that its Board of Directors authorized a new share repurchase program allowing the Company to repurchase up to $100.0 million of its outstanding common shares, inclusive of the amount which remained available under the existing share repurchase program approved in January 2019. Repurchases made under the new program, if any, will continue to be made in either the open market or in privately negotiated transactions, subject to market conditions, applicable legal requirements, and other relevant factors. The timing, manner, price and amount of any repurchases will depend on a variety of factors and may be suspended or discontinued at any time.

08:03 EDT UniFirst raises quarterly dividend 20% to 30c per share - UniFirst announced that its Board of Directors approved a quarterly dividend of $0.30 per share on the Company's Common Stock and $0.24 per share on the Company's Class B Common Stock. This represents a 20.0% increase over the Company's previous quarterly dividend. Both dividends are payable on January 4, 2022, to shareholders of record on December 7, 2021.

07:51 EDT Carnival selects Motion Acquisition's DocGo for onboard health teams - Carnival (CCL) and Ambulnz, Inc., d/b/a DocGo, a provider of last-mile mobile health services and integrated medical mobility solutions that has entered into an agreement to merge with Motion Acquisition (MOTN), are partnering to include stationing DocGo response teams on board Carnival cruise ships. DocGo is now working with Carnival on some cruise homeports in the US. Since its first launch with Carnival, DocGo has created a footprint that reaches across Galveston, Texas, Cape Canaveral, Florida, Seattle, WA, and major ports in California and Maryland. Additionally, DocGo has deployed medical teams to provide on-ship services for the duration of the cruise.

07:48 EDT Option Care Health announces offering of $500M of senior notes - Option Care Health announced that it intends to offer $500M in aggregate principal amount of senior notes due 2029, subject to market and other conditions. Concurrently with the Offering, the Company intends to amend or amend and restate its existing first lien term loan B facility to provide for $600M of refinancing borrowings, to extend its maturity to 2028 and to make certain other changes. The Notes will be general senior unsecured obligations of the Company and will be guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by each of the Company's wholly owned existing and future domestic restricted subsidiaries that incurs or guarantees debt under the Company's New First Lien Term Loan Facility. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the Offering, together with the New First Lien Term Loan Facility and cash on hand, to refinance borrowings outstanding under the Existing First Lien Term Loan Facility, and to pay fees and expenses in connection therewith and with the Offering.

07:42 EDT NFI's New Flyer receives order for up to 150 electric buses from NFTA-Metro - NFI Group announced that the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority of Buffalo, New York, or NFTA-Metro, has issued a five-year contract to NFI subsidiary New Flyer of America, which includes a firm order for 10 Xcelsior CHARGE heavy-duty transit buses and options to purchase up to 140 additional buses. Phase 1, 2020-2021 of NFTA-Metro's Electric Bus Implementation plan aims to introduce battery-electric buses to its existing fleet of 323 buses, powered with diesel, hybrid, and compressed natural gas. "We are excited to provide these 10 NFI buses to NFTA-Metro as the transit agency takes its first step towards electrifying its fleet," said Paul Soubry, President and Chief Executive Officer, NFI. "NFI is leading the evolution to zero-emission mobility by providing the widest range of zero-emission battery and fuel cell-electric buses and coaches, alongside innovative technology and infrastructure, and is helping transit agencies like NFTA-Metro make the switch to zero-emission."

07:41 EDT FTI Consulting appoints Al Park as senior managing director, technology segment - FTI Consulting announced that the firm's Technology segment has appointed Al Park as a Senior Managing Director. Mr. Park, along with new Managing Directors Angela Eavy, Collin Miller, Lane Spears and Lily Wen, will bolster the segment's core capabilities across data risk, compliance, privacy, information governance and legal operations. He will support continued growth and solutions development within FTI Technology, building new capabilities that help multinational clients mitigate risk and strengthen their compliance position. Mr. Park rejoins the firm following 11 years in senior global roles at Control Risks and Navigant.

07:40 EDT Pembina Pipeline targets 30% GHG emission reduction by 2030 - Pembina Pipeline is pleased to announce its commitment to reduce the company's greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 30% by 2030, relative to baseline 2019 emissions. The GHG reduction target will help guide business decisions and improve overall emissions intensity performance while increasing Pembina's long-term value and ensuring Canadian energy is developed and delivered responsibly. To meet the 2030 GHG emissions intensity target, Pembina will focus initially on operational opportunities, greater use of renewable and lower emission energy sources, and investments in a lower carbon economy.

07:38 EDT Wendy's, LyondellBasell collaborate to improve cup recyclability - To help advance the goal of sustainably sourcing 100% of its customer-facing packaging by 2026, Wendy's (WEN) is announcing a new collaboration with packaging and plastics industry leaders Berry Global and LyondellBasell (LYB). The collaboration will support Wendy's move from a selection of plastic-lined paper cups with limited recyclability to single-substrate, clear plastic drink cups that more consumers will be able to recycle - an important pathway toward circularity. Based on a mass balance approach, the cups will also use 20% ISCC-certified, recycled plastic across all North America restaurants - a quick-service restaurant industry first - with the potential to increase the amount of recycled plastic used in the future.

07:38 EDT ZW Data Action announces blockchain payment cooperation with Guangzhou - ZW Data Action Technologies announced the cooperation with Guangzhou Gongxiang Technology. Under the cooperation arrangements, ZW Data will provide one-stop blockchain network and application services through the Blockchain Integrated Framework automation platform recently launched by the Company to Gongxiang Technology and integrated with its existing payment service for the future of central bank digital currency or crypto payment need in accordance to forthcoming rules and regulations. The cooperation allows Weilay Life, a cash-back and shopping rewards platform owned by Gongxiang Technology, to apply the digital transformations and adopt solutions of Non-Fungible Token and Decentralized Finance with service solutions provided by BIF Platform. "We are excited to announce our cooperation with Gongxiang Technology as this cooperation is another remarkable progress we have made since the launch of our BIF Platform. We are confident that the potential expansion to many other cooperative merchants of Gongxiang Technology will accelerate the market presence of BIF Platform providing more case scenarios. Going forward, we expect to continue to actively seek business opportunities for our BIF Platform with more and more small and medium enterprises," commented Handong Cheng, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of ZW Data.

07:36 EDT Stealth Biotherapeutics gets Refusal to File letter from FDA on elamipretide NDA - Stealth BioTherapeutics announced that it received a Refusal to File letter from the United States FDA regarding Stealth's New Drug Application for elamipretide, a mitochondria-targeted therapy for the treatment of Barth syndrome. The FDA determined, upon its preliminary review, that the NDA was not sufficiently complete to permit a substantive review. In the letter, the FDA stated that the NDA does not contain an adequate and well-controlled trial that provides evidence of effectiveness, noting that the SPIBA-201 Phase 2 clinical trial of elamipretide for the treatment of Barth syndrome was negative during the randomized, double-blind portion of the study and that the FDA does not consider the open label extension of the SPIBA-201 trial to be adequate and well-controlled. The FDA reiterated its commitment to work with Stealth on a pathway by which a beneficial effect of elamipretide might be demonstrated within the small patient population. The letter did not explain why SPIBA-001, the company's positive Phase 3 trial comparing SPIBA-201 results to a retrospective natural history control and the primary basis for the NDA submission, would not be considered an adequate and well-controlled trial. Stealth is evaluating the appropriate next steps and anticipates providing an update in early November. Stealth and the FDA have previously discussed the challenges of conducting additional clinical trials in Barth syndrome, which is an ultra-rare genetic disease affecting fewer than 130 individuals in the United States. "We submitted our NDA at the request of the Barth syndrome patient community, which petitioned us and the FDA to gain access to elamipretide and shared with the FDA its tolerance of risk of uncertainty of benefit based on the data from the small clinical trials we were able to conduct in this ultra-rare disease," said CEO Reenie McCarthy. "We deeply value our relationship with the Barth syndrome patient community, and hope to find a way to progress elamipretide as a treatment for Barth syndrome."

07:36 EDT Verizon reports Q3 Consumer retail postpaid net additions of 423K - Total Verizon Consumer revenues were $23.3 billion, an increase of 7.3 percent year over year. This increase was primarily driven by strong demand for connectivity and products. Consumer wireless service revenues were $14.0 billion in third-quarter 2021, a 4.0 percent increase year over year. Consumer grew phone net additions and continued to execute on its unlimited and premium unlimited migration strategy. Consumer wireless retail postpaid churn was 0.84 percent in third-quarter 2021, and wireless retail postpaid phone churn was 0.67 percent. In third-quarter 2021, Consumer reported 423,000 wireless retail postpaid net additions. This consisted of 267,000 phone net additions and 223,000 other connected device net additions, offset by 67,000 tablet net losses. Consumer's phone net additions in third-quarter 2021 were more than Consumer's phone net additions in both third-quarter 2020 and third-quarter 2019. The quality and reliability of the company's Fios service continued to drive strong demand as Consumer reported 98,000 Fios Internet net additions in third-quarter 2021. Consumer Fios revenues were $2.9 billion in third-quarter 2021, an increase of 4.3 percent year over year. Consumer reported 68,000 Fios Video net losses in third-quarter 2021.

07:32 EDT Tilray Canada signs national brokerage agreement with Great North Distributors - Tilray and Great North Distributors announced a signed national brokerage agreement with Tilray Canada. Under the agreement, Great North will be the exclusive representative for Tilray's complete portfolio of adult-use cannabis products across the Canadian marketplace, with the exception of Quebec.

07:17 EDT BeyondSpring announces PDX cancer model data for plinabulin monotherapy - BeyondSpring Pharmaceuticals announced the presentation of preclinical data in patient-derived, PDX, cancer models supporting the use of plinabulin in small cell lung cancer, SCLC, at the 2021 AACR-NCI-EORTC Virtual International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, held October 7-10, 2021. Plinabulin is a selective immunomodulating microtubule-binding agent, which induces dendritic cell maturation for durable anti-cancer benefit, and selectively induces certain types of cancer cell apoptosis, both through immune defense protein GEF-H1 release and activation. This study demonstrates plinabulin's direct single agent anti-cancer tumor effects in PDX models of SCLC and additional cancer types, including glioblastoma multiforme, bladder cancer, gastric cancer, sarcoma and triple-negative breast cancer. The study was intended to screen cancer cells for susceptibility to plinabulin. For this purpose, PDX models of cancer established from patient tumor biopsies were used in a manner that results in minimal chance for changes in cancer cell genetics, and hence, these models are considered more predictive of clinical response than common cancer models. Eighty PDX three-dimensional culture models were tested. Data showed that the cancer types most sensitive to plinabulin were: SCLC; Bladder cancer; and Soft tissue sarcoma. Dr. Lan Huang, BeyondSpring's co-founder, CEO and chairwoman concluded, "We have been developing plinabulin in multiple cancer indications based on its effects on dendritic cells and macrophages. Plinabulin's anti-cancer effect is supported by the positive Phase 3 DUBLIN-3 non-small cell lung cancer study with evidence of the extension of overall survival. Plinabulin has also shown efficacy in preventing chemotherapy-induced neutropenia, which has received Breakthrough Designation and Priority Review from the U.S. FDA. Plinabulin's single agent anti-cancer activity in PDX SCLC models and the relevant positive immuno-oncology combo preliminary clinical data in SCLC could potentially expand its cancer indications. We look forward to continuing to expand these anti-cancer indications in the clinic and to validate plinabulin as a 'pipeline in a drug.'"

07:14 EDT Duolingo announces Simensky joins as Head of Animation, Scripted Content - Duolingo announced that Linda Simensky has joined the company as Head of Animation and Scripted Content. In the newly created position, Simensky will lead the company's efforts to create scripted and character-driven stories featuring Duolingo's original cast of characters, from original animation to the writing efforts for Duolingo's hit Stories product and its childhood literacy app, Duolingo ABC. At Duolingo, Simensky will report to VP of Studios + Content, Timothy Shey. Simensky joins Duolingo from PBS Kids, where she oversaw the development of a diverse lineup of shows.

07:11 EDT XPO Logistics expands relationship with Cainiao Network - XPO Logistics (XPO) announced the expansion of its relationship with Cainiao Network, the logistics arm of Alibaba Group (BABA). XPO has provided Cainiao with full truckload transport services in Spain for the last two years, supporting the delivery of e-commerce parcels of AliExpress, the global marketplace of Alibaba Group. Under the new agreement, XPO will use its extensive experience with omnichannel supply chains to help Cainiao optimize operations, utilizing the XPO Connect digital transport platform to enhance visibility, efficiency and sustainability.

07:10 EDT CleanSpark purchases additional 2,250 units of Antminer S19j miners - CleanSpark announced the purchase of an additional 2,250 units of the Antminer S19j pro bitcoin mining machine. Delivery of the machines are scheduled to start next month and be completed by July 2022. CleanSpark estimates that its sustainable bitcoin mining capacity will increase by an additional 225 PH/s. The Company expects to have the data center space for the machines ready to plug and play in time for each consecutive delivery. The Company currently operates more than 10,000 miners. The total number of miners slated for delivery over the next 12 months is now 26,830. CleanSpark announced earlier this month that it used some of the Company's BTC holdings towards the purchase of 4,500 units and intends to execute a similar strategy for future payments of these units.

07:09 EDT Biogen lowers FY21 CapEx view to $250M-$300M from $375M-$425M

07:08 EDT Biogen continues to believe in long-term potential of Aduhelm, says CEO - "The potential uptake of ADUHELM in the U.S. is delayed, but we continue to believe in its long-term potential. At the same time, Biogen has continued to execute well across its leading MS, SMA and biosimilars businesses, and we are particularly encouraged by the ongoing launch of VUMERITY," said Michel Vounatsos, Biogen's CEO. "2021 continues to be a transformative year for Biogen with the launch of ADUHELM and the initiation of the rolling submission for lecanemab in Alzheimer's disease. In addition, along with Sage Therapeutics we are pursuing a filing for zuranolone in depression."

07:07 EDT iRobot and Bona partner in robotic mopping - iRobot and Bona, a global supplier of floor cleaning solutions, announced an exclusive partnership to provide Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner and Bona Hard-Surface Cleaner solutions, and the Bona PowerPlus Microfiber Deep Cleaning Pad that are custom designed and certified for the iRobot Braava jet m6 robot mop. The co-branded cleaning solutions and microfiber pads will be sold at select retailers in the U.S. and Canada, as well as at iRobot.com. The Braava jet m6 is the first robot mop from iRobot. Using vSLAM navigation and Imprint Smart Mapping, the Braava jet m6 cleans in a pattern while navigating around furniture, rugs, and other obstacles. Keep Out Zones help it avoid sensitive areas like pet bowls or play areas. With Clean While I'm Away, the robot can automatically begin cleaning when you've left home and stop when you return. The cleaning products recently received EPA Safer Choice Certification for the sustainable formulations that are crafted with plant-derived ingredients, use water-based and biodegradable solutions, and are free of parabens, formaldehyde, ammonia, phthalates, and phosphates. iRobot will begin including Bona floor cleaner solutions and microfiber pads as part of new Braava jet m6 orders beginning in Q4, with all orders expected to include the co-branded cleaning solutions and pads by Q1 2022.

07:06 EDT Hexo announces Scott Cooper as President, CEO - HEXO (HEXO) announces Scott Cooper as HEXO's new President & CEO, effective immediately. Scott joins HEXO from Truss Beverage, a joint venture between Molson-Coors Canada (TAP) and HEXO, where he served as President & CEO. For an interim period not to exceed 6 months, Scott Cooper will continue simultaneously in his current role as CEO of Truss Beverages to ensure a smooth transition for the business.

07:05 EDT BeiGene, Nanolek receive Russia Ministry of Health approval for Brukinsa - BeiGene and Nanolek announced that Brukinsa has received approval from the Russia Ministry of Health for the treatment of adult patients with mantle cell lymphoma, or MCL, who have received at least one prior therapy. BeiGene and Nanolek entered into an exclusive distribution agreement for Nanolek to commercialize Brukinsa in the Russian Federation.

07:04 EDT Nasdaq narrows 2021 operating expense guidance $1.6B-$1.62B - The company is narrowing the range of its 2021 non-GAAP operating expense guidance to a range of $1.605B to $1.62B. Nasdaq continues to expect its 2021 non-GAAP tax rate to be in the range of 25.0% to 27.0%.

07:03 EDT Stepan Company invests $220M to build new alkoxylation plant in Texas - Stepan Company announced that it plans to build and operate a new alkoxylation plant at its existing Pasadena, Texas facility. Alkoxylates are a core surfactant technology critical to the agricultural, oilfield, construction and household end use markets. Stepan's $220M investment is expected to provide a flexible capacity of 75,000 metric tons per year, capable of both ethoxylation and propoxylation. The new alkoxylation capacity in Pasadena, Texas is expected to come online in late 2023. When operational it will bring Stepan's alkoxylation network to three plants and position the company with a footprint in the globally strategic U.S. Gulf Coast.

07:01 EDT Stepan Company increases quarterly dividend, authorizes $150M share repurchase - The board of directors of Stepan approved an increase of 9.8%, on its quarterly cash dividend on its common stock. The dividend of 33.5c per share is payable on December 15 to common stockholders of record on November 30. The increase marks the 54th consecutive year in which the quarterly dividend rate on the company's common stock has increased. In addition, the board of directors of the company authorized the company to repurchase up to $150M of its common stock.

06:48 EDT SpringsWorks Therapeutics to collaborate with Ab Magnitude - SpringWorks Therapeutics announced that it has entered into a collaboration agreement with Ab Magnitude Ventures Group and Ab Magnitude Fund for the development of next-generation targeted oncology therapeutics. Ab Magnitude is led by Yibing Shan, Ph.D., a leading structural computational biologist who was a founding member of D.E. Shaw Research, a pioneering computational biochemistry research company. Dr. Shan's simulations of protein structural dynamics have previously yielded important insights on the activity of key oncogenic proteins and the identification of novel binding sites suitable for small molecule therapies. SpringWorks and Ab Magnitude will collaborate on target discovery and initial hit finding to advance next generation oncology therapeutics. In addition, the parties will also collaborate on a portfolio of novel EGFR inhibitors recently in-licensed by SpringWorks from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute with Ab Magnitude supporting optimization and characterization of the portfolio using its computational platform. Under the terms of this agreement, Ab Magnitude is eligible for low single-digit percentage royalties on future net sales of products or other realizations of value arising from the collaboration.

06:38 EDT Fulton Financial raises FY21 NII outlook to $655M-$665M from $640M-$660M - Sees a negative provision for credit losses for 2021 vs. previous outlook of $10M-$20M. Now sees FY21 non-interest income $230M-$235M vs. previous outlook of $220M-$230M and sees FY non-interest expense of $570M-$575M vs. previous outlook of $560M-$570M. Comments taken from Q3 earnings conference call presentation slides.

06:35 EDT Roche now sees FY21 sales up in mid-single digit range - Sales are now expected to grow in the mid-single digit range, at constant exchange rates vs. prior guidance of low to mid-single digit range. Core earnings per share are targeted to grow broadly in line with sales, at constant exchange rates. Roche expects to increase its dividend in Swiss francs further, it said.

06:35 EDT CGI Inc. acquires Cognicase Management Consulting, terms undisclosed - CGI announced that it is acquiring Cognicase Management Consulting, or CMC, a provider of technology and management consulting services and solutions for over 25 years, primarily in the Spanish market. Founded in 1993, CMC delivers high-value digital services to a majority of the IBEX 35's companies and serves large clients across all industries. With approximately 1,500 highly skilled professionals, CMC operates through a strong metro market footprint supported by delivery centers serving clients in Spain, Italy, Portugal, Colombia and Mexico. Over the years, CMC has served as a digital partner of choice through its end-to-end services portfolio and its solid ecosystem of technology partners. Foreign investment approval by the Spanish authorities has been received for the acquisition and the transaction is on track to formally close by the end of the month.

06:33 EDT Matrix Service awarded storage tank contract by Calumet Specialty Products - Matrix Service (MTRX) subsidiary Matrix Service has been awarded the engineering, fabrication and construction of seven storage tanks at Calumet Specialty Products (CLMT) facility in Great Falls, Montana. The award was made in 1Q22. The tanks are being constructed to support the production of up to 12,000 barrels per day of renewable fuels. The facility is expected to become operational and produce renewable diesel in 2Q22.

06:32 EDT MarketAxess cuts FY21 expense view to $360M-$365M from $370M-$386M - The updated expense guidance range reflects, among other items, lower incentive compensation and variable clearing costs.

06:18 EDT Largo Resources lowers 2021 production and sales guidance - Lowers 2021 V2O5 equivalent production guidance from 12,000-12,500 tons to 11,400-11,800 tons and sales guidance to 11,200-11,800 tons of V2O5 equivalent from 12,250-12,750 tons.

06:15 EDT Largo Resources reports 3Q V205 production up 5% y-o-y to 3,260 tons - Largo Resources reported Q3 production of 3,260 tons of vanadium pentoxide - V2O5 - and sales of 2,685 tons of V2O5 equivalent from its Maracas Menchen Mine, a 16% increase over Q3 2020 and 11% below Q2 2021 due to logistical challenges CEO Paulo Misk stated: "The company remains well positioned to continue making headway on the suite of value-add projects in our pipeline. This quarter we received a Notice To Proceed on our first battery sales contract with Enel and are progressing on schedule with the build out of LCE's product development and stack manufacturing facility in Massachusetts with an expected annual capacity of 1.4 GWh. On the operational front, our performance improved in Q3 2021 as highlighted by a 5% increase in production over Q3 2020 and a 6% increase over Q2 2021. The strong production performance during the quarter was largely driven by increased throughput and improved recoveries following the completion of the company's expansion project in Q2 2021. Despite improved production results and steady vanadium demand in all regions, the company experienced logistical challenges which resulted in lower sales for the quarter."

06:12 EDT High Tide to transition cannabis retail stores to cannabis discount club concept - High Tide announced that it is transitioning all of its cannabis retail stores to an innovative cannabis discount club concept, with exclusive benefits and everyday low prices for members of its Cabana Club loyalty plan. Modelled after a proven and leading membership-based grocery discount club retailer, High Tide will leverage its existing in-house brands and product lines to provide an exclusive customer experience for its 245,000+ Cabana Club members, which will drive customer loyalty and meaningfully expand the company's market share. Starting immediately, all of High Tide's retail cannabis stores will begin to offer steep club discounts on cannabis products in addition to existing member-only discounts on consumption accessories, as well as other exclusive benefits for members of the Cabana Club, which will remain free to join over the short-term. Members will also be given the exclusive ability to purchase items from High Tide's catalogue of proprietary consumption accessories, which will only be available in Canada through High Tide's retail brands, with wholesale sales of proprietary consumption accessories being discontinued in Canada in order to focus on providing value and exclusive high-quality products to Cabana Club members. Based on two successful pilot projects that were conducted beginning in mid-April, 2021, which yielded a 184% increase in consumption accessories sales, a 76%-100% increase on THC product sales, and a 272% increase in new signups for the Cabana Club, the company expects cannabis and consumption accessories sales volumes to continue to rise. This increase in sales will also accelerate High Tide's white-label product strategy to offer unique products to Cabana Club members. The company plans to initially roll out this retail concept across Canadian provinces where it currently operates retail cannabis stores, as well as in British Columbia, where it anticipates launching its first store in the near future. A driving focus of this rollout will be to convert consumers who currently buy products from the illicit market, a potential customer base worth at least $3B in annual sales. Over the longer-term, depending on the timelines of legalization and regulatory change in jurisdictions outside of Canada, High Tide's vision is to make the Cabana Club into a global cannabis community.

06:11 EDT Matador provides operational update - Matador provided an operational update. In August, Matador began operating a fifth operated drilling rig on behalf of its midstream affiliate, San Mateo Midstream, for drilling an additional salt water disposal well in the company's Greater Stebbins Area in Eddy County, New Mexico. Matador expects to turn to sales nine wells in this area during Q4. Drilling operations on this salt water disposal well were completed in late September 2021, and this well is currently undergoing completion operations. Matador's portion of San Mateo's capital expenditures was approximately $15M for Q3, below the company's estimate of $16M for Q3. In early October, Matador moved this rig to its Rodney Robinson leasehold in Lea County, New Mexico. Matador expects to drill nine new wells there during Q4. These nine Rodney Robinson wells are anticipated to be completed in January and February 2022 and turned to sales before the end of 1Q22. Matador incurred capital expenditures for drilling, completing and equipping wells of approximately $121M, 14% below estimates of $140M for Q3. Matador does not anticipate any change to the midpoint of its full-year 2021 guidance for D/C/E capital expenditures.

06:09 EDT Credit Suisse resolves fraudulent Mozambique loan case in global resolution - Credit Suisse, a global financial institution headquartered in Switzerland, and Credit Suisse Securities (Europe) Limited, its subsidiary in the United Kingdom, have admitted to defrauding U.S. and international investors in the financing of an $850M loan for a tuna fishing project in Mozambique, and have been assessed more than $547M in penalties, fines, and disgorgement as part of coordinated resolutions with criminal and civil authorities in the United States and the United Kingdom. After taking account of crediting by the department of the other resolutions, Credit Suisse will pay approximately $475M to authorities in the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as restitution to victims in an amount to be determined by the court. "Credit Suisse Group AG, through its U.K. subsidiary CSSEL, defrauded U.S. and international investors in connection with a lending project in Mozambique," said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department's Criminal Division. "Among other things, Credit Suisse Group AG, CSSEL, and their co-conspirators deceived investors by hiding information about the risk that loan proceeds were used for illegal purposes in connection with the restructuring of the loan." Reference Link

06:06 EDT Micron announces over $150B in manufacturing and R&D investments - Micron Technology announced that it intends to invest more than $150B globally over the next decade in leading-edge memory manufacturing and research and development, including potential U.S. fab expansion. Micron's investment will address increasing demand for memory that is essential to all computing. Memory and storage are a growing portion of the global semiconductor industry, and today represent approximately 30% of the semiconductor market. Secular growth drivers like 5G and AI will expand usage of memory and storage across the data center and the intelligent edge, and in areas like automotive and a diversity of user devices.

06:02 EDT NuZee announces craft brewery partnership with Stone Brewing - NuZee announced its first craft brewery partnership with Stone Brewing, one of the largest craft brewers in the United States. NuZee recently partnered with Stone Brewing and provided roasted coffee for the brewing company's new ground coffee blend, Xocoveza Tres Leches, that is now available at all Stone Brewing Tap Rooms and Bistros nationwide.

05:27 EDT FinVolution Group sees FY21 transaction volume RMB 130B-RMB 135B - The company said, "The Company has raised its total transaction volume guidance for full year 2021 to a range of RMB130 billion to RMB135 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 102.8% to 110.6%. The guidance range announced earlier on March 11, 2021 was between RMB100 billion and RMB120 billion. The raised guidance factored in recent changes in macro environment, coupled with the robust strategy execution in the first half of 2021, reflecting greater confidence in business trends and ability to gain further momentum as the Company continues to accelerate its initiatives in international expansion, facilitation for small business owners and continued investment into technology. Along with the successful execution of acquiring better quality borrowers, the percentage of loans facilitated at or below 24% per annum has further increased to 77% in September, 2021."

05:15 EDT Alibaba kicks off 11.11 Global Shopping Festival - Alibaba officially kicked off its 13th annual 11.11 Global Shopping Festival. This year marks the largest festival to date, with a record 290,000 brands participating. Tmall is offering more than 14M deals to over 900M consumers in China. The Festival will once again have two sales windows - the first will be from November 1 to 3, and the second will be on November 11, on the day of the main event.

05:11 EDT Novavax sinks 15% following Politico report of vaccine production issues