Stockwinners Market Radar for December 03, 2021 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

18:12 EST Pure Storage director Tomb sells 29,311 class A shares - In a regulatory filing, Pure Storage director Gregory Tomb disclosed the sale of 29,311 class A common shares of the company on December 2 at a price of $31.4456 per share.

17:49 EST BOK Financial CFO Nell sells 8,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, BOK Financial CFO Steven Nell disclosed the sale of 8,000 common shares of the company on December 2 at a price of $106.1252 per share.

17:43 EST Asana CEO buys $25M in common stock - In a regulatory filing, Asana disclosed that its CEO Dustin Moskovitz bought 250K shares of common stock on December 1st in a total transaction size of $25.0M, boosting his stake by about 3%.

17:37 EST Power Integrations to replace Nektar in S&P MidCap 400 on 12/20

17:34 EST Telephone & Data Systems to replace Vicor in S&P SmallCap 600 on 12/20

17:33 EST Vicor to replace Telephone and Data Systems on S&P400 on 12/20

17:32 EST Macy's to replace Tootsie Roll Industries in S&P400 on 12/20

17:29 EST SolarEdge to replace Hanesbrands in S&P500 on 12/20

17:03 EST AES Corp. increases quarterly dividend 5% to 15.8c per share - The board of directors of AES Corp. approved an increase of 5% in the company's quarterly common stock dividend, from 15.05c per share to 15.8c per share, beginning in Q1 of 2022.The company's first quarter common stock dividend of 15.8c per share is payable on February 15, 2022 to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 1, 2022.

16:42 EST Four Corners Property Trust acquires RadNet Imaging property for $2.2M - Four Corners Property Trust announced the acquisition of a RadNet Imaging property for $2.2M. The property is located in a strong retail corridor in Florida and is corporate-operated under a net lease with approximately six years of term remaining. The transaction was priced at a 7% going-in cash capitalization rate, exclusive of transaction costs.

16:30 EST Semtech, Spark Connected announce settlement of litigation - Semtech Corporation and Spark Connected, LLC announced that they have resolved their dispute pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Case No. 4:18-cv-00748. Semtech's Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Chief ESG Officer, Charles Ammann stated: "We are pleased with the outcome of this settlement. As it did in this lawsuit, Semtech is committed to taking steps to vigorously protect its intellectual property rights and confidential information and to enforce its confidentiality agreements and other contractual commitments."

16:16 EST GigCapital4, BigBear.ai announces shareholder approval of business combination - GigCapital4, a special purpose acquisition company, and BigBear.ai, a provider of artificial intelligence machine learning, cloud-based big data analytics, and cyber engineering solutions, announced that at the Special Meeting of GigCapital4's stockholders held today, GigCapital4's shareholders voted to approve the previously announced proposed business combination between GigCapital4 and BigBear.ai, as well as all other proposals related to the Business Combination. GigCapital4 plans to file the results of the Special Meeting, as tabulated by an independent inspector of elections, on Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission today.

16:11 EST PotlatchDeltic raises quarterly distribution 7.3% to 44c per share - The board of directors of PotlatchDeltic Corporation declared a Special Dividend on the company's common stock. The distribution of $4.00 per share is payable December 31, 2021 to stockholders of record on December 22, 2021. The board of directors of PotlatchDeltic Corporation also declared a quarterly distribution on the company's common stock. The distribution of 44c per share is payable December 31, 2021 to stockholders of record on December 15, 2021. This is a 7.3% increase compared to the prior quarterly dividend of 41c per share.

16:04 EST Morningstar raises quarterly dividend 14.3% to 36c per share - The board of directors of Morningstar declared a quarterly dividend of 36c per share. The dividend is payable Jan. 31, 2022 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 7, 2022. The 14.3% increase from the prior quarterly rate of 31.5c per share results in an annualized dividend of $1.44 per share compared with the prior annualized rate of $1.26 per share.

14:57 EST Harte Hanks to uplist to Nasdaq Global Market - Harte Hanks announced that the company has met the financial, liquidity and corporate governance listing requirements of the Nasdaq Global Market and the company has been approved for listing on the Nasdaq. Trading on Nasdaq is expected to commence at the market open on December 1, and the shares will trade under the ticker symbol "HHS". The company's shares will continue to trade on the OTCQX under the symbol "HRTH" until trading on the Nasdaq commences. Shareholders are not required to take any action as a result of the uplisting and symbol change, the company stated. "Uplisting to the Nasdaq marks another major milestone for Harte Hanks. With the expanded audience of investors, increased access to liquidity, and the significant improvement in our financial performance, we are well positioned for future profitable growth. Harte Hanks traded under the ticker 'HHS' for nearly 50 years, from its IPO in 1972 through 2020, and returning to a national exchange and this longstanding ticker symbol is an important indication of the progress we have made," said Harte Hanks' Chairman of the Board of Directors Jack Griffin.

14:48 EST Cadiz says 'immediate opportunity is manifest by the Cadiz Northern Pipeline' - Cadiz CEO Scott Slater released a statement in response to the California Department of Water Resources' announcement that it will allocate zero water to its 29 contract water districts next year, stating in part: ""The State water outlook turned gloomier this week; if that's possible. Following the already significant curtailments of 2021, the California Department of Water Resources confirmed Wednesday that the State will not be honoring contracts for the delivery of water to 25 million people and 750,000 acres of California farmland and is forecasting a zero allocation of water for the first time in history. Instead of meeting contractual allocations, DWR will apportion water among contract holders based upon its assessment of essential needs and will place DWR in the unenviable position of picking winners and losers. This historic drought in California and throughout the Southwest continues to take a devastating toll on the State's existing system, and on the tens of millions of families who continue to see mandatory cutbacks with no indication that conditions will improve. Conservation efforts are critical to addressing this crisis, but more action is needed. As the State of California continues to address supply inequalities and infrastructure challenges that most significantly impact its disadvantaged communities, Cadiz is deeply committed to enhancing California's water transportation network to improve water access for all. An immediate opportunity is manifest by the Cadiz Northern Pipeline, which spans 220 miles and crosses important state infrastructure... The company also continues to offer potential beneficial water supply for 200,000 people through conservation of groundwater lost to salinity and evaporation, which is CEQA approved, regulated by local authorities, and continues to wind its way through the regulatory process. Our message is simple: Californians need water access. Cadiz can help. Let's work together to get water to the millions of people who desperately need it."

14:30 EST FDA expands authorization of Eli Lilly COVID-19 antibodies to younger patients - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration revised the emergency use authorization of bamlanivimab and etesevimab, previously authorized for pediatric patients 12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kilograms, or about 88 pounds, to additionally authorize bamlanivimab and etesivimab administered together for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in all younger pediatric patients, including newborns, who have a positive COVID-19 test and are at high risk for progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death. This revision also authorizes bamlanivimab and etesevimab, to be administered together, for post-exposure prophylaxis for prevention of COVID-19 in all pediatric patients, including newborns, at high risk of progression to severe COVID-19, including hospitalization or death. The EUA was issued to Eli Lilly and Co. Reference Link

13:54 EST Chegg director Schlein acquires 35,470 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Chegg director Ted Schlein disclosed the purchase of 35,470 common shares of the company on December 2 at a price of $28.54 per share.

13:21 EST Quotient up 8% after Defense Logistics Agency award posting - Shares of Quotient Limited are up 18c, or 8%, to $2.54 as traders circulate a SAM.gov posting that shows Quotient Biodiagnostics was awarded a contract from the Defense Logistics Agency on Nov 22. The total contract value for the base and all options is $77,326,120, according to the posting to the government site. Reference Link

12:44 EST 15 organization officials voice support for PNM-Avangrid deal - PNM Resources (PNM) and AVANGRID, Inc. (AGR) answered open questions at a news conference about their proposed merger and addressed some concerns heard at the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission open meeting on Wednesday, December 1, 2021. Joining PNM Resources and AVANGRID were elected officials and organizations representing customers and business representing tens of thousands of New Mexicans. Organizations that spoke in favor of the merger included the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General, the All-Pueblo Council of Governors, the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, and Western Resource Advocates. Other supporting organizations represented were Ralph Arellanes with the Hispano Roundtable, Joseph Hernandez with the Native American Voters Alliance, Noah Long with the Natural Resources Defense Council, Cara Lynch with the Coalition for Clean and Affordable Energy, Kyle Tisdale with the Western Environmental Law Center, The Office of Representative Javier Martinez, Lawrence Rael with the City of Albuquerque, Keith Kirk with the Santa Fe Lodgers Association, and Shannon Fitzgerald with International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Not only are existing supporters holding steadfast, the merger continues to gather support. Chairman Wilfred Herrera on the All-Pueblo Council of Governors representing 20 Pueblo Governors of New Mexico announced that the APCG has formally endorsed the merger. This coming week additional supporters are expected to be announced.

12:27 EST Fortive to acquire Provation for $1.425B

12:00 EST Didi falls -17.3% - Didi is down -17.3%, or -$1.35 to $6.45.

12:00 EST Asana falls -25.1% - Asana is down -25.1%, or -$22.86 to $68.14.

12:00 EST Tilly's rises 12.1% - Tilly's is up 12.1%, or $1.74 to $16.17.

11:52 EST Valneva thinks time between second shot, booster may hurt VLA2001 trial results - Valneva SE (VALN) responded to data published from the COV-Boost COVID-19 vaccine trial, which investigated the reactogenicity and immunogenicity of seven different COVID-19 vaccines at different dose levels when administered as a third dose, or booster, to people primed with either Pfizer's (PFE) Comirnaty or AstraZeneca's (AZN) Vaxzevria. "The COV-Boost trial, which launched in May 2021 and was led by University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, included Valneva's inactivated, adjuvanted, whole virus COVID-19 vaccine candidate VLA2001. The aim of the COV-Boost trial was to quickly generate data to inform advice from the UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunization on the autumn booster campaign. Participants were given a booster dose relatively early, only two to three months after completion of the second dose of the primary vaccination series, when they did not need a booster from either an immunological standpoint or under the currently recommended interval for licensed COVID-19 vaccines. Valneva believes it is likely that the short interval between the second shot and booster shot could have adversely impacted the results for VLA2001, given that a longer interval is generally required for inactivated vaccines," the company said. Juan Carlos Jaramillo, MD, Chief Medical Officer of Valneva, added, "The setting in the study leads us to believe that COV-Boost does not allow any conclusions to be reached regarding the use of VLA2001 as a booster in a real-life setting. The protective antibody threshold has not yet been established therefore relative increases in antibody levels should not be seen as indicative of efficacy. I concur with Professor Faust's statements that the data describe the immune response at 28 days, not vaccine effectiveness, and that the relationship between that response and long-term protection is still poorly understood, especially since several studies have shown that longer periods between doses improve immune response. Our submissions for authorization of VLA2001 in a primary vaccination context remain on track, with the EMA announcing yesterday that it has started its rolling review of VLA2001, and our teams are working diligently so that we can quickly deploy our vaccine and ensure it reaches the people who need it."

11:44 EST Graco raises quarterly dividend 12% to 21c per share - The Board of Directors of Graco has declared a regular quarterly dividend of 21c per common share, an increase of 12%, payable on Feb. 2, 2022, to shareholders of record at the close of business on Jan. 18, 2022. The Company has approximately 170.2M shares outstanding.

10:16 EST FDA approves Roche's Rituxan with chemo for child cancers - The Food and Drug Administration announced the approval of Rituxan in combination with chemotherapy for pediatric patients with previously untreated, advanced stage, CD20-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma, Burkitt-like lymphoma or mature B-cell acute leukemia. Reference Link

10:06 EST Chindata CEO Jing Ju to step down, Fei Xu to serve as interim CEO - Chindata Group Holdings announced its CEO Jing Ju, effective immediately, would no longer serve in the CEO position, or member of the Company's Compensation Committee and the Corporate Governance and Nominating Committee. After this change, each of the Compensation Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee will now have two members. Fei Xu will serve as the interim CEO, while the search for a permanent CEO will commence immediately. Xu is currently an Executive Vice President and a member of the Portfolio Group for Bain Capital Private Equity.

10:05 EST Stoke Therapeutics presents data from Phase 1/2a MONARCH study of STK-001 - Stoke Therapeutics announced highlights from five presentations related to the ongoing clinical development of STK-001 being made at the American Epilepsy Society 2021 Annual Meeting, December 3 - 7. STK-001 has the potential to be the first disease-modifying therapy to target the underlying cause of Dravet syndrome, which is a severe and progressive genetic epilepsy characterized by frequent, prolonged and refractory seizures beginning within the first year of life. The disease is classified as a developmental and epileptic encephalopathy due to the developmental delays and cognitive impairment associated with the disease. Interim Safety, PK, and CSF Exposure Data from the Phase 1/2a MONARCH Study of STK-001, an Antisense Oligonucleotide, in Children and Adolescents with Dravet Syndrome: Highlights include: Single doses of STK-001 up to 30mg, and three 20mg doses of STK-001 given every four weeks, were found to be well tolerated with no safety concerns related to the study drug. The most common treatment-emergent adverse events were headache, vomiting, seizure, irritability, and back pain. 18.2% of patients experienced a TEAE that was related to study drug, none of which were severe. 22.7% of patients had a serious treatment-emergent adverse event, none of which were related to study drug. 70.6% of patients treated with single doses or multiple doses of STK-001 experienced a reduction from baseline in convulsive seizure frequency measured from Day 29 to Day 84 after receiving their first dose of STK-001. All patients ages 2-12 experienced a reduction from baseline in convulsive seizure frequency measured from Day 29 to Day 84. Reductions in seizure frequency were also observed among patients ages 13-18. Across all cohorts median reductions of 17% to 37% from baseline in convulsive seizure frequency from Day 29 to Day 84 were observed. Additional posters include: SWALLOWTAIL: An Open-Label Extension Study for Patients with Dravet Syndrome who Previously Participated in Studies of STK-001: Clinical data from the continued administration of STK-001 to patients previously treated in the Phase 1/2a MONARCH study demonstrated that multiple doses up to 30mg of STK-001 were well tolerated with no safety concerns related to the study drug. Additionally, dosing of STK-001 intrathecally every four months appears to be well tolerated. No patients have discontinued treatment in SWALLOWTAIL. A Pharmacokinetic Model for STK-001, an Antisense Oligonucleotide, Based on Data from Non-human Primates Enables Dose Selection in Patients with Dravet Syndrome: A population pharmacokinetic model for intrathecal STK-001 was developed using non-human primate data and was scaled and adjusted using clinical data to predict STK-001 concentrations in plasma, CSF and brain in pediatric patients with Dravet syndrome. STK-001 levels in plasma and CSF in patients treated with STK-001 correlated very well with model predictions, indicating that plasma and CSF levels observed in patients are good predictors of STK-001 brain levels in patients. Modeling of clinical data also suggest that more than 95% of patients are predicted to have pharmacologically active STK-001 brain levels following three doses of 30mg administered one month apart and half of all patients are anticipated to maintain greater than minimum pharmacologically active levels of STK-001 for approximately three months after their last dose. ADMIRAL: A UK Open-Label Study to Investigate the Safety and Pharmacokinetics of Multiple Ascending Doses of Antisense Oligonucleotide STK-001 in Children and Adolescents with Dravet Syndrome: Provides the trial design of the Company's ongoing Phase 1/2a study in the United Kingdom. This study is evaluating multiple doses of up to 70mg of STK-001. The primary endpoints are safety and tolerability of STK-001 as well as to determine the PK in plasma and exposure in CSF. The impact of STK-001 on frequency of convulsive seizures and quality of life are secondary endpoints of this study. Enrollment and dosing in ADMIRAL is ongoing. BUTTERFLY, An Observational Study to Investigate Cognition and Other Non-seizure Comorbidities in Children and Adolescents with Dravet Syndrome: Three-month data suggest that commonly used cognition assessments including the VABS-III, BSID-III, and WPPSI-IV may be useful for clinical studies assessing neurodevelopment and adaptive behavior in patients with Dravet syndrome. All three assessments showed relatively low intra-patient variability and no significant change from baseline three months after baseline assessments for all 36 patients enrolled.

10:00 EST Lufax falls -10.5% - Lufax is down -10.5%, or -66c to $5.63.

10:00 EST Asana falls -25.4% - Asana is down -25.4%, or -$23.14 to $67.86.

10:00 EST Smartsheet rises 11.3% - Smartsheet is up 11.3%, or $6.89 to $68.05.

09:50 EST 890 5th Avenue stockholders approve business combination with Buzzfeed - 890 5th Avenue Partners (ENFA) announced last night that its stockholders approved the proposals that were conditions to the closing of the previously announced business combination with BuzzFeed (BZFD) at a special meeting of stockholders held yesterday. The closing of the Business Combination is expected to occur on or about December 3, 2021, subject to the satisfaction or waiver of all closing conditions. Following the closing of the Business Combination, the combined company will be known as BuzzFeed and its shares of Class A common stock are expected to commence trading on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC under the symbol "BZFD" on Monday, December 6, 2021. The closing of BuzzFeed's previously announced acquisition of Complex Networks is expected to occur on the same day as the closing of the Business Combination. The transaction is expected to raise at least $166.2M from a combination of 890 trust proceeds and fully committed convertible notes. 890 shares closed at $9.91 per share on December 2, 2021, and stockholders who elected to redeem will receive approximately $10.00 per share.

09:47 EST RLX Technology falls -7.9% - RLX Technology is down -7.9%, or -35c to $4.08.

09:47 EST Yext rises 10.8% - Yext is up 10.8%, or $1.02 to $10.45.

09:47 EST Smartsheet rises 13.3% - Smartsheet is up 13.3%, or $8.11 to $69.27.

09:38 EST Ford reports nearly 200K reservations for F-150 Lightning - In presentation slides for Ford COO of North America Lisa Drake's presentation at Goldman Sachs' Global Auto Conference, the automaker reports that it has nearly 200,000 reservations for the F-150 Lightning, which will be available in Spring 2022, and 22,000 units sales year to date in the U.S. for the Mustang Mach E, which launched in December 2020. The company is also seeing "high demand" for the E-Transit, with pilots underway with Penske and National Grid. Ford sees having 240 GWh of battery cell capacity globally by the end of the decade, with 140 GWh in North America and the remaining GWh split between Europe and China, the slides added. Reference Link

09:33 EST Cinedigm, LiveLike partner for community, gamification elements - Cinedigm and LiveLike are partnering to deliver new community and gamification elements to Cinedigm's portfolio of premium streaming direct-to-consumer subscription services. LiveLike is an audience engagement platform that empowers its partners to make their content more interactive and social through a suite of tools that enhance the fan experience. Working with a wide range of clients from ecommerce, education, and news to live sports, music, and movie premieres, LiveLike integrates features such as influencer-driven chats, watch parties, loyalty rewards, user rankings, and more-any of which can be integrated with sponsors. Planned features to be directly integrated into the underlying Matchpoint Blueprint platform utilizing the LiveLike SDK will include chat, profiles, rewards, leaderboards, and badges.

09:31 EST cbdMD announces human clinical study with University of South Carolina - cbdMD announced that it has commenced a preclinical human study with researchers at the University of South Carolina. The study will explore the effects of cbdMD's proprietary broad spectrum cannabinoid blend on sleep, mood, and pain in healthy subjects to further support the efficacy of the Company's products. The studies will also be measuring key safety markers in healthy humans to augment the Company's safety dossiers for regulatory submissions. The Company anticipates that these favorable outcomes will be the basis for future drug research and applications by its therapeutics division.

09:28 EST Diana Shipping announces acquisition of new-building Capesize dry bulk vessel - Diana Shipping announced that on December 3, 2021, it signed through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, a Memorandum of Agreement to acquire from an unaffiliated third party, a Japanese new-building Capesize dry bulk vessel of approximately 181,500 dwt, for a purchase gross price of $60,164,000. The vessel is expected to be delivered to the buyer by the end of the first quarter of 2022.

09:20 EST Appian CFO Mark Lynch to retire - Appian announced that Mark Lynch intends to retire from his role as Chief Financial Officer effective March 31, 2022. Mr. Lynch will remain in his current position through March 31, 2022, to assist with the filing and certification of the Company's annual report on Form 10-K, and to support with the transition of his responsibilities to his successor, once named. The Company has initiated an executive search to fill the Chief Financial Officer position. In addition, Appian announced that it has promoted and designated Mark Matheos, Senior Vice President, Global Controller to Chief Accounting Officer effective December 31, 2021.

09:10 EST OceanPal announces short term contract for m/v Calipso - OceanPal announced that, it has entered into a time charter trip contract for its Panamax dry bulk vessel, the m/v Calipso, at a gross charter rate of $18,750 per day, for about fifteen to twenty days. The m/v Calipso is currently chartered at a gross charter rate of $10,400 per day. The "Calipso" is a 73,691 dwt Panamax dry bulk vessel built in 2005.

09:06 EST Rennova Health-owned hospital receives critical access hospital certification - Rennova Health announced that the application by its hospital, Scott County Community Hospital in Oneida, TN, for designation as a Critical Access Hospital has been approved by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The effective date of approval is retrospective to June 30, 2021.

09:05 EST Shineco to acquire controlling interest in Xiang Peng You Kang Technology - Shineco announced that on November 18, 2021, it entered into non-binding framework agreements with certain shareholders of Xiang Peng You Kang Technology, a comprehensive medical and healthcare company, to acquire at least 51% equity interest of XPYK, intending to develop an integrated medical and health services system of the Company. The final purchase price will be separately determined based on the evaluation report issued by a third party. The Company expects to develop comprehensive medical and healthcare services through upgrading XPYK's Yikang International Medical and Health Service platform and accelerating its digital transformation. XPYK is a comprehensive medical and healthcare group that develops biotechnology and integrates medical services and health management. As the core of XPYK's business, the Platform has industry-leading medical and healthcare resources and an integrated service system, providing patients with online and offline medical and healthcare service solutions including convenient medical services and health management services. For convenient medical services, the major services are pre-diagnosis consultation and triage advice, assistance in medical consultation, in-diagnosis guidance, post-diagnosis rehabilitation, health tracking, and domestic and international medical consultations. For health management services, the major services are private family doctors, 24/7 telephone doctor service, physical examination management, on-site care, and healthcare report interpretation. Completion of the transaction is subject to due diligence investigations by the relevant parties, the negotiation and execution of a definitive share purchase agreement, satisfaction of the conditions negotiated therein including the approval of the Company's Board of Directors, and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. There can be no assurance that a definitive agreement will be entered into or that the proposed transaction will be consummated. Further, readers are cautioned that the terms of the Framework Agreements contained herein describing the proposed transaction are non-binding.

09:03 EST Surgalign reports inducement grants under Nasdaq listing rule - Surgalign Holdings announced that it has granted restricted stock unit awards to three employees, none of whom are executive officers, as an inducement for them to accept employment with Surgalign, and representing the right to receive, in the aggregate, up to 24,000 shares of Surgalign common stock. The awards were granted on December 1, 2021 under the Surgalign Holdings, Inc. 2021 Inducement Plan. One-third of the restricted stock units vest on the first anniversary of the date of grant, and one-eighth of the remaining restricted stock units vest on each subsequent quarterly anniversary of the date of grant, such that the award will be fully vested on the third anniversary of the date of grant, subject to continued employment through the applicable vesting date. The awards were approved by the independent Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of Surgalign Holdings and were granted to the new employees as an inducement material to their acceptance of employment with Surgalign pursuant to Nasdaq rules.

08:49 EST Shoe Carnival acquires Shoe Station, sees accretion - Shoe Carnival announced that it has acquired substantially all of the assets of privately-held, family-owned Shoe Station, which operates stores in five Southeastern states. The Shoe Station assets were acquired for $67M, subject to customary adjustments, funded through cash on hand. The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to diluted net income per share in FY22, contributing approximately $100M in incremental net sales, with operating income exceeding 10% on a normalized basis. After the close of this acquisition, the company will have more than $100M in cash on hand, consistent with cash reserves from the same period in FY20. With the addition of Shoe Station to the Shoe Carnival portfolio, the company expects to surpass 400 stores by the end of 2022, on a path to double-digit new store growth in the years ahead.

08:43 EST Zillow Group announces up to $750M share repurchase plan - Zillow Group announced it has made significant progress in winding down Zillow Offers inventory and has sold, is under contract to sell or has reached agreement on disposition terms for more than 50% of the homes it expected to resell during the entire wind-down process. Zillow Group's board of directors has also authorized the repurchase of up to $750M of its Class A common stock, Class C capital stock or a combination of both.

08:34 EST Byrna Technologies: Spokane PD approves weapons purchases - Byrna Technologies announced that on Tuesday, November 30th, the Spokane County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve the purchase of several types of Byrna Less-Lethal launchers, including 200 of the newest addition to the Byrna line, the Tactical Compact Rifle, along with 39,000 rounds of Byrna non-lethal ammunition and accessories. These launchers will be provided to the Spokane County Sheriff's Office patrol division, SWAT Team, and their TAC Unit which is charged with managing instances of civil disorder. It is the intent of the Sheriff's office to place one of the 200 TCR's in every patrol car, giving ALL the Spokane Deputies the ability to deploy a Byrna launcher at a moment's notice.

08:33 EST Harbor Custom Development to acquire 997-unit planned community for $14M - Harbor Custom Development announced that it has entered into a contract to acquire Grandis Pond, a 438-acre master-planned community in Blaine, Washington on the Washington/Canadian border for $14,000,000. "Grandis Pond is the largest project Harbor has contracted for purchase to date and will nearly double the Company's current inventory by adding a mix of residential housing with up to 997 single and multi-family housing units and approximately 48,000 square feet of neighborhood commercial space," the company said. Harbor Custom Development's President and CEO, Sterling Griffin said, "We are pleased to announce the Company has entered into a contract to complete the Grandis Pond master plan. This project will help alleviate the residential inventory shortage in Blaine and Whatcom County, Washington, and Vancouver, British Columbia, and will significantly increase our position in these growing markets. The multiyear project is a major step forward for the Company as it allows us to meet our short and long term revenue objectives, offers multiple product types and provides for the opportunity to monetize sections of the masterplan early in the development cycle."

08:31 EST Mullen Automotive begins validation process for Class 2 EV cargo vans - Mullen Automotive announces that initial validation testing of the Class 2 EV cargo van has begun at Mullen's Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering Center, AMEC, in Tunica, Mississippi. Mullen's Class 2 EV cargo van is based on a 144-inch wheelbase, 78.8-kWh battery pack, rear-wheel drive and modular 460-cubic-foot cargo area. Vehicle range is estimated at over 200 miles, with a max payload of 3,296 pounds. The Class 2 EV vans are equipped with modular cargo areas that can be easily adapted to different client configurations. Mullen is currently on track to deliver initial vans to existing fleet order customers starting in Q2 2022. "Our Class 2 EV cargo van initial validation testing has begun at our AMEC facility in Tunica," said David Michery, CEO and chairman of Mullen Automotive. "The Mullen One is our first major manufacturing program out of our Tunica facility, and the entire team in California and Mississippi is excited to be working on the EV Cargo Van program."

08:26 EST Capstone Green Energy distributor signs new 10-year FPP, CHP - Capstone Green Energy announced that its Distributor in Austria and Germany, Wels Strom has been contracted by IFG Asota to provide a combined heat and power, or CHP, system plus a 10-year Factory Protection Plan for their fiber manufacturing plant in Linz, Austria.

08:10 EST Rent-A-Center announces $500M share repurchase authorization - Rent-A-Center announced that its board of directors has approved a new share repurchase authorization of up to $500M of the company's common stock, following the recent completion of the $250M share repurchase authorization the company announced in August. Share repurchases may be made in the open market, through 10b5-1 programs, through privately negotiated transactions or otherwise. The company is not obligated to acquire any shares, and the board of directors may modify, extend or terminate share repurchases any time. The board of directors also approved an increase of approximately 10% in the quarterly cash dividend to 34c for the first quarter of 2022. The dividend will be paid on January 13, 2022 to the company's common stockholders of record as of the close of business on December 16.

08:07 EST Five Star Senior Living announces collaboration with Compass Community Living - Five Star Senior Living announced a collaboration with Compass Community Living, a division of Compass Group, a leader in food and support services, whereby Compass will assume management of dining services operations at all of Five Star's senior living communities. The collaboration advances Five Star's commitment to delivering differentiated, customer-focused experiences. The transition of Five Star's dining services operations will begin on February 1, 2022 and is expected to be completed by year end 2022. As part of the transition, it is expected that Five Star employees currently working in dining services will become employees of Compass Community Living.

08:06 EST Amerisafe announces planned retirement of CFO Neal Fuller - Amerisafe announced Neal Fuller, its CFO, plans to retire. Fuller informed the company that he currently expects to retire in 2022 and that he will remain with the company to assist in the transition of his responsibilities to his successor. Fuller joined Amerisafe in September 2015 as executive VP and CFO, and has over 30 years of experience in leadership within the insurance industry.

08:03 EST Oxford Lane estimates November NAV $6.84-$6.94 - Oxford Lane Capital announced the following net asset value estimate as of November 30, 2021. Management's unaudited estimate of the range of the NAV per share of our common stock as of November 30, 2021 is between $6.84 and $6.94. This estimate is not a comprehensive statement of our financial condition or results for the month ended November 30, 2021. This estimate did not undergo the Company's typical quarter-end financial closing procedures and was not approved by the Company's board of directors. We advise you that our NAV per share for the quarter ending December 31, 2021 may differ materially from this estimate, which is given only as of November 30, 2021. As of November 30, 2021, the Company had approximately 122.8 million shares of common stock issued and outstanding.

08:01 EST GTCR announces strategic investment in Resonetics by Carlyle - GTCR, a private equity firm, announced that its portfolio company, Resonetics, has sold a minority equity stake to funds affiliated with global investment firm Carlyle, valuing the company at approximately $2.25B. Carlyle will join GTCR as a meaningful shareholder in Resonetics as a result of the transaction.

07:51 EST Lexagene Holdings closes multiple MiQLab sales - LexaGene Holdings is pleased to announce two purchase orders from Kuma Veterinary Clinic and the Emergency Veterinary Services of Roanoke.

07:33 EST BHP Group extends tender expiry, outside date under Noront support agreement - BHP Lonsdale Investments that it is progressing discussions with Wyloo Metals regarding Wyloo Metals' potential support of BHP's C$0.75 per share offer to acquire Noront Resources. To allow more time for those discussions to progress, BHP is extending the expiry of its offer from 7:00 p.m. on December 14, 2021 to 7:00 p.m. on January 14, 2022. The earliest time BHP will acquire Noront shares under its Offer will be at the new expiry time. In conjunction with the extension of the expiry time, BHP Lonsdale and Noront also announced that they have amended the Support Agreement, dated July 26, 2021 and previously amended on October 19, 2021, between BHP Lonsdale, its subsidiary BHP Western Mining Resources International and Noront relating to Noront's support of the Offer in order to extend the outside date in that agreement from December 14, 2021 to January 21, 2022. The Outside Date is relevant because, among other things, if the Offeror has not acquired shares under the Offer by the Outside Date, both Noront and the Offeror become permitted to terminate the Support Agreement. While BHP and Wyloo Metals are considering a mutually beneficial arrangement regarding the acquisition of Noront by BHP, there is no assurance that any agreement will be reached between BHP and Wyloo Metals.

07:32 EST International Paper says GHG reduction target approved by SBTi - The company stated, "International Paper announced our 35% Greenhouse Gas reduction target has been approved by Science Based Targets initiative as consistent with levels required to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. The targets covering greenhouse gas emissions from International Paper's operations are consistent with reductions required to keep warming to well-below 2 degrees C. Additionally, International Paper's target for the emissions from its value chain meet the SBTi's criteria for ambitious value chain goals, meaning they are in line with current best practice."

07:17 EST Hagerty to begin trading on NYSE on December 3 - Hagerty (HGTY) announced that shares of its common stock and warrants will begin trading December 3 on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbols "HGTY" and "HGTY.WS," respectively. This follows the completion of the company's previously announced business combination with Aldel Financial (ADF). Aldel shareholders approved the business combination at a special meeting held on December 1. Hagerty executives will ring the bell to open the trading day at the New York Stock Exchange on Monday, December 6.

07:06 EST Aclaris Therapeutics publishes preclinical research on zunsemetinib - Aclaris Therapeutics announced the publication of preclinical research of zunsemetinib in pancreatic cancer in the peer-reviewed journal Science Translational Medicine, on December 1, 2021. The article, entitled "The MK2/Hsp27 axis is a major survival mechanism for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma under genotoxic stress," presents the results from a preclinical study using patient-derived cell lines and an autochthonous pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma mouse model that evaluated the role of MK2, as well as the impact of zunsemetinib, Aclaris' investigational oral MK2 inhibitor, in pancreatic cancer. This study was a multi-year collaboration between Aclaris and Washington University School of Medicine, led by the laboratory of Dr. Kian-Huat Lim, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in Oncology and Dr. Patrick Grierson, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Oncology. In the study, Dr. Lim and his team identified the MK2/HSP27 axis as an important resistance mechanism resulting in pancreatic tumor cell survival following exposure to components of FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy - the current standard-of-care treatment for pancreatic cancer. His team also demonstrated that DNA damage induced by FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy components upregulated tumor necrosis factor alpha in pancreatic cancer cells, which had the dual effect of impacting cell death and cell survival, and that the selective inhibition of MK2 downstream of TNFa signaling abrogated survival through blocking HSP27 activation and beclin1 mediated autophagy, which allowed TNFa to execute its pro-death mechanism. With this understanding, his team then showed that mouse survival in an autochthonous KPPC model of pancreatic cancer was statistically significantly extended when dosed with zunsemetinib in combination with FIRINOX. Based on these results and clinical data generated from Aclaris' clinical development program with zunsemetinib, Aclaris is considering a future clinical program for the treatment of patients with pancreatic cancer using one of Aclaris' other MK2 inhibitor drug candidates.

07:04 EST Amicus announces EMA validated MAA for AT-GAA - Amicus Therapeutics announced that the European Medicines Agency, EMA, validated the Marketing Authorization Applications, MAA, for AT-GAA, the Company's investigational two-component therapy for the treatment of Pompe disease. Validation of the application confirms the submission is accepted, and the EMA's centralized procedure with Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use's, CHMP, assessment begins. The MAAs were submitted to the EMA based on the evaluation of the effects of AT-GAA in adults living with Pompe disease and its safety profile, which include data from the Phase 1/2 and Phase 3 PROPEL studies, as well as data from the long-term open-label extension study. John Crowley, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Amicus Therapeutics, stated, "The acceptance of these filings is an important step forward for people living with Pompe disease and their families in Europe. Patients need new medicines as soon as possible. We will work with great urgency with the EMA as they review the applications over the course of the coming months. With today's announcement, we remain confident in the potential of this medicine to become the next standard of care in Pompe disease."

07:03 EST Compass Pathways appoints Michael Falvey as Chief Financial Officer - COMPASS Pathways (CMPS) announced that it has appointed Michael Falvey as Chief Financial Officer, replacing Piers Morgan when he leaves the company, as previously announced, at the end of the year. Michael Falvey joins COMPASS most recently from Karyopharm Therapeutics (KPTI), where he led the financial strategy and prepared the financial infrastructure to support commercial operations. Falvey will assume the title of Chief Financial Officer on 1 January 2022.

07:00 EST Bristol-Myers: FDA accepts for priority review sBLA for Reblozyl - Bristol Myers Squibb (BMY) announced that the U.S. FDA has accepted for priority review the supplemental Biologics License Application for Reblozyl, a first-in-class erythroid maturation agent, for the treatment of anemia in adults with non-transfusion dependent beta thalassemia. The FDA has set a Prescription Drug User Fee Act goal date of March 27, 2022. In addition, the European Medicines Agency has validated the Type II variation for Reblozyl in NTD beta thalassemia. Reblozyl is being co-developed and co-commercialized with Merck & Co. (MRK) following Merck's recent acquisition of Acceleron Pharma. These applications were based on safety and efficacy results from the pivotal Phase 2 BEYOND study evaluating Reblozyl plus best supportive care in patients with NTD beta thalassemia.

06:46 EST Trane intends to increase dividend 14% in 1Q22 - Trane Technologies announced it intends to increase its dividend by 14%, from 59c to 67c per share quarterly and from $2.36 to $2.68 per share annualized, in the first quarter of 2022, subject to Board approval at such time. "Our sustainability-focused strategy and strong execution enables us to maximize business reinvestment, while at the same time return substantial cash to shareholders," said Dave Regnery, CEO. "When combined with our dividend increase of 11% in the first quarter of 2021, the annual dividend is expected to be up 26% since the separation of our industrial businesses and the launch of Trane Technologies in March of 2020. This announcement reinforces our commitment to paying a competitive dividend that grows at or above the rate of earnings growth over time, and reflects continued confidence in our ability to generate strong cash flow."

06:42 EST Trane names Dave Regnery as chair of the Board, effective January 1, 2022 - The Board of Directors of Trane Technologies has appointed CEO Dave Regnery as chair of the Board, effective January 1, 2022. Regnery succeeds Mike Lamach, who has served as executive chair through the CEO transition and plans to formally retire from the company on December 31, 2021 following a smooth and successful transition of leadership. As previously announced, Gary Forsee, retired chair and CEO of Sprint Nextel and former president of the University of Missouri System, will continue to serve as lead independent director.

06:32 EST California regulator fines PG&E $125M for 2019 Kincade wildfire - The California Public Utilities Commission approved penalties and permanent disallowances against Pacific Gas and Electric Company yesterday for violations related to the ignition of the 2019 Kincade wildfire. Under a settlement with the CPUC's Safety and Enforcement Division, PG&E shareholders will pay a $40M penalty to California's General Fund and incur an $85M permanent disallowance for cost recovery for the removal of abandoned transmission facilities within its service territory, for a total of $125M. The Kincade wildfire ignited in October 2019 within PG&E's service territory and burned more than 77,000 acres and destroyed nearly 374 structures. SED's investigation into the Kincade wildfire and the involvement of PG&E's infrastructure found multiple violations of General Order 95, a CPUC regulation that sets safety factors and strength requirements in the design, construction, and maintenance of overhead electrical lines and communications facilities. The settlement addresses the violations through shareholder-funded permanent removal of multiple abandoned transmission facilities within PG&E's service territory. The settlement is formally referred to as an Administrative Consent Order. This new enforcement tool was created in November 2020, when the CPUC adopted an Enforcement Policy to better serve Californians through streamlined enforcement actions that can be taken by CPUC enforcement staff in lieu of issuing a Citation or seeking a formal Order Instituting Investigation. The addition of these tools to the CPUC's enforcement options in 2020 moved the CPUC's practices more in line with the enforcement practices of many other state and local enforcement agencies.

06:11 EST Bank of Montreal to repurchase up to 22.5M shares - "Looking ahead to 2022, we will continue to position BMO for growth with the ensuing economic recovery. We are making targeted investments in technology and talent to drive enhanced customer experiences and deliver market-leading advice to help them make real financial progress. Today we announced a 25% dividend increase and our intention to repurchase up to 22.5 million shares, reflecting the strength of our capital position and confidence in delivering sustained, long-term performance for our shareholders," concluded Mr. White.

05:37 EST BeiGene announces China NMPA approval for Sylvant - BeiGene announced that the China National Medical Products Administration, or NMPA, has approved Sylvant for the treatment of adult patients with multicentric Castleman disease, or MCD, who are human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, negative and human herpes virus-8, or HHV-8, negative, also known as idiopathic MCD, or iMCD,. This disease is a rare, life-threatening, and debilitating condition of the lymph nodes and related tissues. Siltuximab is a monoclonal antibody approved in the United States, European Union, and other countries and regions around the world.

05:34 EST Hutchmed announces China NRDL to include Elunate, Sulanda - Hutchmed announced that, following the 2021 negotiations with the China National Healthcare Security Administration, or NHSA, on January 1, 2022 the updated National Reimbursement Drug List, or NRDL, will continue to include Elunate and will now include Sulanda.

05:29 EST Himax chairman Biing-Seng Wu to purchase up to $10M of ADSs - Himax announced that its chairman Biing-Seng Wu intends to use his personal funds to purchase up to approximately $10M of the company's American depositary shares, or ADSs, in the open market, subject to market conditions and other factors. As of September 30, Biing-Seng Wu beneficially owns approximately 21.4% of the total outstanding shares of the company.