Stockwinners Market Radar for December 18, 2021 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:00 EST Bluebird Bio application for eli-cel granted priority review by FDA - Bluebird Bio announced that the Food and Drug Administration has accepted for priority review the Biologics License Application for elivaldogene autotemcel, the company's gene therapy for cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy in patients less than 18 years of age. Eli-cel is an investigational one-time gene therapy, custom-designed to treat the underlying cause of this irreversible neurodegenerative disease and to stabilize neurologic function, the company said in a statement. The FDA set a Prescription Drug User Fee Act goal date of June 17, 2022. The FDA's Priority Review designation targets a review timeline of six months after the 60-day BLA filing decision, compared to a standard review timeline of 10 months after the 60-day FDA filing decision.

17:40 EST Argenx trading resumes

17:20 EST DaVita boosts share buyback program by $2B - According to a regulatory filing, on December 17, the board of directors of DaVita increased the authorization under the company's existing share repurchase program by $2B in additional repurchasing authority. The amount of shares of common stock authorized to be repurchased under the New Authorization does not include the amount remaining under the company's existing share repurchase program authorized on December 10, 2020. The Existing Authorization and the New Authorization do not have an expiration date and do not obligate the Company to purchase any shares.

17:15 EST Northrop Grumman awarded $189.76M Air Force contract modification - Northrop Grumman has been awarded a $189.76M firm-fixed-price modification to a contract for Active Electronically Scanned Array radars of Air Force F-16 aircraft. This modification exercises options to include 83 production radars, as well as associated spares. Work will be performed in Linthicum Heights and is expected to be completed by December 31, 2024. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $1.03B. FY21 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $67.96M and FY22 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $121.8M are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center is the contracting activity.

16:34 EST Amgen announces FDA approval of Tezspire for severe asthma - Amgen (AMGN) announced that the FDA has approved Amgen and AstraZeneca's (AZN) Tezspire for the add-on maintenance treatment of adult and pediatric patients aged 12 years and older with severe asthma. Tezspire was approved following a Priority Review by the FDA and based on results from the PATHFINDER clinical trial program. The application included results from the pivotal NAVIGATOR Phase 3 trial in which Tezspire demonstrated superiority across every primary and key secondary endpoint in patients with severe asthma, compared to placebo, when added to standard therapy. Tezspire is under regulatory review in the EU, Japan and several other countries around the world.

16:22 EST Lamb Weston increases dividend, adds to share repurchase program - The board of Lamb Weston Holdings approved an increase to the quarterly dividend and an additional $250M for the company's existing share repurchase program. The board declared a quarterly dividend of 24.5c per share of Lamb Weston common stock, a 4c annualized increase. The dividend is payable on March 4, 2022, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on Feb. 4, 2022. The board also authorized the company to repurchase up to an additional $250M of its common stock. This is an increase to the initial repurchase program, first approved in December 2018. The program has no expiration date.

16:20 EST Carrier Global board director John Faraci retires - Carrier Global Corporation announced that director John V. Faraci will not stand for re-election at the company's upcoming Annual Meeting of Shareowners on April 14, 2022. Mr. Faraci will continue to serve on the Board until the Annual Meeting. "On behalf of the Board of Directors and everyone at Carrier, I would like to express our sincere gratitude and thanks to John who, as Executive Chairman, shepherded us through our first year as an independent public company," said Dave Gitlin, Carrier Chairman & Chief Executive Officer. "On a personal level, I deeply appreciate John's mentorship. Carrier has greatly benefited from his judgment, leadership and extensive experience as a public company director and former CEO." Faraci has been a member of the Carrier Board since the company separated from United Technologies in April 2020, and served as Executive Chairman until April 2021

16:06 EST Seacoast Banking renews share repurchase program - Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida announced that its board has renewed the company's share repurchase program. Under the repurchase program, which will expire on December 31, 2022, the company may repurchase, from time to time, up to $100M of its shares of common stock, representing approximately 5.0% of the company's outstanding common stock as of December 16, 2021.

16:01 EST Iris Energy Ltd trading resumes

16:01 EST Flowers Foods recalls certain Nature's Own Honey Wheat bread sold in six states - Flowers Foods is voluntarily recalling 3,000 loaves of Nature's Own Honey Wheat bread sold in six states due to the presence of undeclared milk. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product. The products being recalled were potentially distributed to retail customers in Arizona; Colorado; New Mexico, Wyoming; the cities of Blythe, Brawley, Calexico, Calipatra, El Centro, Needles, and Westmoreland, California; the city of Laughlin, Nevada; and to one wholesale distributor in California serving Mexico. The packages have either a blue or yellow tie closure and a "Best If Used By" date of 12-26-2021 and product codes 128 346 03:00 through 128 346 05:00 printed on the package. The recall was initiated after discovering that loaves of Nature's Own Butterbread containing milk were inadvertently packaged in Nature's Own Honey Wheat bread packaging, which does not include milk in the ingredient statement. No related illnesses or incidents have been reported to date.

15:56 EST Cryo Cell International Inc trading halted, volatility trading pause

15:35 EST ISO Stock trading resumes

15:28 EST Argenx trading halted, news pending

14:56 EST Treasury announces Broadway Financial as ECIP investment recipient - Broadway Financial announced that the United States Department of the Treasury has informed Broadway that the company is eligible to receive an equity investment of $142.5M from the U.S. Treasury pursuant to the Emergency Capital Investment Program, or ECIP. The investment in Broadway is expected to take the form of Senior Perpetual Noncumulative Preferred Stock with a dividend rate between 0.5% and 2% per annum that is dependent on Broadway's investment of the proceeds within target communities in certain types of loans that are consistent with the types of loans that the company has historically originated. Chief Executive Officer, Brian Argrett, commented, "We are excited to report that our application to participate in the ECIP has been approved by the U.S. Treasury. This investment will significantly improve our ability to advance our mission and multiply the impact and lending that we can make in the low-to-moderate income communities that we serve, as well as significantly enhance the scale of our operations and improve the economics of our business."

14:31 EST Petrobras reports result of second bidding round held by ANP - Petrobras informs that it has acquired the exploration and production rights of the volumes exceeding those of the Transfer of Rights in the Atapu and Sepia offshore fields in the second bidding round for the Transfer of Rights surplus under the Production Sharing Regime, held today, by the National Agency of Petroleum, Natural Gas and Biofuels, or ANP. "Petrobras exercised its the pre-emption right in the acquisition of the surplus volumes of the Sepia field, adhering to the winning consortium's proposal. The consortium will have Petrobras as operator, with 30% participation, in partnership with TotalEnergies EP (28%), Petronas (21%) and QP Brasil (21%). Petrobras acquired the rights to the surplus volumes of the Atapu field in partnership with Shell Brasil and Total Energies EP. The consortium will have Petrobras as the operator, with 52.50% participation, in partnership with Shell Brasil (25%) and TotalEnergies (22.50%). With today's bidding round results, Petrobras assures the maintenance of the operation in these fields, located in ultra-deep waters of the Santos Basin, for which it had already expressed the pre-emption right, as disclosed to the market on 04/28/2021, and confirms its leadership position in the Brazilian pre-salt, consistent with its strategy of focusing on the exploration and production of assets in deep and ultra-deep waters. Atapu and Sepia are proven high-productivity assets, with good oil characteristics and significant potential to incorporate reserves. They have low lifting costs and are resilient to a low-price scenarios, which reflects Petrobras' efficient and competitive performance in deep and ultradeep water assets... The offer of the percentage of the oil surplus to be made available to the Union was the only criterion adopted by the ANP to define the winning proposal, with the fixed value of the signature bonus already included in the tender protocol. The total amount of the signing bonus to be paid by Petrobras is R$ 4.2 billion," the company stated.

14:07 EST Global Blood Therapeutics confirms FDA approval of sNDA, NDA for Oxbryta - Global Blood Therapeutics announced the FDA has granted accelerated approval of a supplemental New Drug Application, sNDA, for Oxbryta tablets for the treatment of sickle cell disease, SCD, in children ages 4 to less than 12 years. This approval expands the previously approved use of Oxbryta to treat SCD in patients ages 12 years and older in the United States. The FDA also approved GBT's separate New Drug Application, NDA, for Oxbryta tablets for oral suspension, a new dispersible, once-daily tablet dosage form suitable for patients ages 4 to less than 12 years as well as for older patients who have difficulty swallowing whole tablets. Oxbryta is the first and only approved medicine that directly targets sickle hemoglobin polymerization, the root cause of the sickling and destruction of red blood cells in SCD.

14:01 EST Petrobras trading halted, news pending

13:47 EST FDA grants accelerated approval for Global Blood's Oxbryta for younger patients - The FDA announced it has granted accelerated approval forOxbryta tablets to treat sickle cell disease in pediatric patients aged four up to 11 years. The FDA had previously granted accelerated approval for Oxbryta for patients aged 12 years and older with sickle cell disease. "Oxbryta was grantedaccelerated approval, which enables FDA to approve drugs for serious conditions to fill an unmet medical need based on a result that is reasonably likely to predict a clinical benefit to patients. Further clinical trials are required to verify and describe Oxbryta's clinical benefit," the FDA stated. Reference Link

13:31 EST Studio City International Holdings Limited (Class A ADS) trading halted, volatility trading pause

13:03 EST Nikola announces delivery of first Tre battery-electric pilot trucks to TTSI - Nikola Corporation announced it has delivered the first Nikola Tre battery-electric vehicle pilot trucks to Total Transportation Services Inc., or TTSI, which it identifies as "one of Southern California's prominent port trucking companies." "Nikola committed to make its first Tre BEV deliveries in Q4 2021 and it is a big honor to celebrate this milestone with our partner, TTSI, and dignitaries who are committed to advancing zero-emission transportation solutions to reduce truck emissions in port operations. TTSI has significant sustainability goals, and we are pleased to help them achieve their vision with our zero-emission trucks," said Nikola CEO Mark Russell.

12:59 EST Innoviz selected by Obayashi for LiDAR in automatic tower crane system - Innoviz Technologies and Obayashi Corporation announced Obayashi's development of an automated tower crane system that utilizes Innoviz's LiDAR sensors. "Obayashi began using Innoviz's LiDAR on their sites in 2018 and is currently in the process of developing a full-scale system for building sites throughout Japan. Obayashi's recognition software extracts the data generated by Innoviz's LiDAR to measure the exact distance from objects and identify people and equipment in construction areas... Using Innoviz's LiDAR together with Obayashi's proprietary software has resulted in substantial savings related to the manual operation of the crane," the company said. Omer Keilaf, Co-founder and CEO of Innoviz Technologies, added: "We were thrilled to see the result of Obayashi's use of our LiDAR. This is a cutting-edge solution and a true testimony that our LiDAR can be used in a significant number of use cases. We believe we will see more partnerships like this come to fruition. Additionally, we're grateful to our distributor and partner, Macnica, for connecting us with Obayashi's innovative team."

12:49 EST EQRx, Inc. debuts as public company following business combination completion - CM Life Sciences III (CMLT), a life science-focused SPAC, sponsored by affiliates of Casdin Capital, LLC and Corvex Management LP, and EQRx, Inc., announced the completion of their business combination. The business combination was approved by CM Life Sciences III's stockholders at its special meeting held on December 16, 2021. EQRx, Inc., the resulting combined company, and its common stock will commence trading on the Nasdaq Global Market on Monday, December 20, 2021, under ticker symbol "EQRX." As a result of the business combination and the previously announced private placement, EQRx received approximately $1.3B in cash proceeds after deducting certain transaction fees and expenses. "We are excited to begin a new chapter as a publicly traded company to make sustainable and affordable drug pricing a reality," said Melanie Nallicheri, CEO of EQRx. "EQRx is well-positioned to develop a broad portfolio of innovative, lower-cost medicines while building unique long-term partnerships with payers and health systems to benefit people around the world."

12:24 EST Novo Nordisk says won't meet U.S. Wegovy demand in first half of 2022 - Novo Nordisk announced that a contract manufacturer filling syringes for Wegovy pens for the U.S. market has temporarily stopped deliveries and manufacturing following issues with "Good Manufacturing Practices." As a consequence, Novo Nordisk does not expect to be able to meet demand in the U.S. in the first half of 2022 and few new patients are expected to be able to initiate treatment. "The priority for Novo Nordisk is patients who have already initiated treatment with Wegovy," the company said in a statement. Novo Nordisk currently expects to be able to meet demand in the U.S. in the second half of 2022. It said the supply challenges will not impact the previously communicated financial outlook for 2021.

12:03 EST Goodyear announces launch of 'first' EV-tuned replacement tire for North America - Goodyear Tire & Rubber announced the launch of the new ElectricDrive GT, which it said marks "Goodyear's first replacement tire in North America tuned for electric vehicles." The Goodyear ElectricDrive GT is "an ultra-high performance, all-season tire that delivers long-lasting tread wear and a quiet ride for EV drivers and passengers," the company stated. Goodyear added: "While Goodyear plans to expand the ElectricDrive product portfolio in 2022, the initial release of the Goodyear ElectricDrive GT is available in size 255/45R19 104W XL. This tire will be available through goodyear.com and is an ideal fit for some of the most popular EV high-performance models."

12:00 EST General Re Corporation falls -14.2% - General Re Corporation is down -14.2%, or -$4.75 to $28.76.

12:00 EST Teladoc rises 10.6% - Teladoc is up 10.6%, or $9.30 to $96.73.

12:00 EST AMC Entertainment rises 15.9% - AMC Entertainment is up 15.9%, or $3.88 to $28.33.

11:18 EST MSG Entertainment says four Christmas Spectacular shows canceled today - The Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes made the following statement about today's shows: "We regret to announce that the four shows scheduled for today, Friday, December 17 have been canceled due to breakthrough COVID-19 cases in the production. We apologize for the inconvenience, and will make announcements about future shows as soon as possible." Tickets will be refunded at the original point of purchase, the company stated.

11:11 EST Takeda receives 'positive' CHMP opinion for vedolizumab IV - Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited announced today that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency has recommended the approval of intravenous vedolizumab for the treatment of adult patients with moderately to severely active chronic pouchitis, who have undergone proctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis for ulcerative colitis, and have had an inadequate response with or lost response to antibiotic therapy. The CHMP opinion will now be reviewed by the European Commission. If approved, vedolizumab will become the first treatment indicated for active chronic pouchitis across the European Union. Pouchitis is a major complication after proctocolectomy with IPAA in UC patients. Although acute pouchitis may respond to antibiotic therapy, antibiotic-refractory pouchitis, where the condition does not adequately respond to antibiotic therapy, can result in frequent relapses. Antibiotic-refractory pouchitis affects 10-15% of patients with pouchitis globally, and can have a considerable impact on their quality of life. "Takeda has made significant strides in advancing the treatment and care of patients with gastrointestinal diseases and we welcome today's positive opinion for vedolizumab in pouchitis" said Chinwe Ukomadu, head, GI Therapeutic Area Unit, Takeda. "Pouchitis can be a long-term, debilitating disease that has a large impact on the quality of life of patients. We are pleased to bring a new non-surgical treatment option to patients in Europe for whom there is currently no specific approved therapy and we will continue to investigate the use of vedolizumab for this and other such indications where there is an unmet need."

11:02 EST Arrow Electronics announces additional $600M share repurchase authorization - Arrow Electronics announced the approval by the company's Board of Directors of the repurchase of up to an additional $600M of common stock through a share repurchase program. In the five years from the fourth quarter of 2016 to the third quarter of 2021, the company repurchased approximately $2B worth of shares. "Our growth, profitability, and the effective management of our working capital and balance sheet, afford us the ability to return significant cash to shareholders through share repurchases," said Michael J. Long, chairman, president, and CEO. "We have reduced shares outstanding by approximately 21% over the last five years."

10:57 EST VEON acquires cloud service provider IBS DataFort, terms not disclosed - VEON has acquired IBS DataFort, a cloud IT infrastructure provider. The acquisition was made by VEON's VimpelCom Russian subsidiary that runs the Beeline mobile operator brand and IBS DataFort will be integrated into Beeline's BeeCLOUD business unit. The company said, "IBS DataFort is a provider of IT and security services and is one of the largest and fastest growing cloud computing companies in Russia. The company has been in the information technology market since 2001 and offers managed private, public and hybrid cloud services to address a full range of business needs. The acquisition will enable VEON's Beeline mobile operator in Russia to expand its portfolio of cloud services for business customers while also becoming one of the leading players in the market. Beeline also plans to jointly develop new products and integrated solutions at the intersection of cloud, cybersecurity, Big Data analytics and IoT."

10:46 EST Global Blood Therapeutics' Oxbryta receives posititve CHMP opinion - Global Blood Therapeutics announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency adopted a positive opinion recommending marketing authorization for Oxbryta tablets for the treatment of hemolytic anemia due to sickle cell disease in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older as monotherapy or in combination with hydroxycarbamide. Oxbryta, an oral treatment taken once daily, would be the first medicine available in Europe that directly inhibits sickle hemoglobin polymerization, the molecular cause of sickling and destruction of red blood cells in SCD. Based on this CHMP opinion, a decision by the European Commission, which authorizes marketing approval in the European Union, is expected in the first quarter of 2022. If approved by the EC, Oxbryta will receive marketing authorization in all EU member states and Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

10:31 EST General Mills names Doug Martin chief brand and disruptive growth officer - General Mills announced Doug Martin as chief brand and disruptive growth officer, effective Jan. 3, 2022. In addition to his current role as chief disruptive growth officer, Martin has overseen brand experience since July 2021. Martin will continue to report to Dana McNabb, chief strategy and growth officer, and oversee the company's global brand building capability, as well as its emergent business innovation, the company said in a statement.

10:02 EST Zepp Health reports growth in global adult watch shipments in Q3 - Zepp Health continued its robust growth in global adult watch shipments in the third quarter of 2021, according to the Q3 2021 Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker by the International Data Corporation . The global shipments of Zepp Health's two independent brands, Amazfit and Zepp, outperformed the year-on-year growth rate of the adult watch market overall, boasting the sharpest increase among the top five market leaders in global sales. Zepp Health also saw outstanding performance in a number of countries and regions in Q3 2021, being ranked first in Brazil, the Czech Republic, Russia and Indonesia, with the market shares in Brazil and the Czech Republic exceeding 30%. While in Italy, Thailand and Spain, Zepp Health ranked second in shipments with a market share of around 20% each. The company ranked third in Mexico, fourth in Germany, South Korea and Japan, and fifth in India and the Saudi Arabia, where potential for growth remains high.

10:01 EST Lantern Pharma treatment of atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor gets orphan status - On December 14, the FDA designated Lantern Pharma's treatment of atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor for orphan status, according to a post to the agency's website.Reference Link

10:00 EST ATRenew falls -9.6% - ATRenew is down -9.6%, or -57c to $5.43.

10:00 EST BlackSky falls -14.6% - BlackSky is down -14.6%, or -$1.03 to $6.01.

10:00 EST FedEx rises 7.6% - FedEx is up 7.6%, or $18.15 to $256.67.

09:59 EST Catalyst Pharmaceuticals' marzeptacog alfa granted orphan status - On December 15, the FDA designated Catalyst Pharmaceuticals' marzeptacog alfa for orphan status as a treatment of bleeding episodes in patients with Hemophilia A or B, including those with inhibitors, according to a post to the agency's website. Reference Link

09:58 EST Vor Biopharma granted orphan status for leukemia treatment - The FDA granted Vor Biopharma orphan status for its treatment of acute myeloid leukemia. Reference Link

09:47 EST Turkcell falls -9.8% - Turkcell is down -9.8%, or -35c to $3.22.

09:47 EST Winnebago rises 6.8% - Winnebago is up 6.8%, or $4.63 to $72.50.

09:47 EST Quanex rises 8.7% - Quanex is up 8.7%, or $1.96 to $24.46.

09:46 EST Tecnoglass disputes allegations in short seller report, reaffirms FY21 outlook

09:36 EST Cerner jumps 11% to $90.25 following reports of Oracle takeover talks

09:30 EST Pfizer sees capacity for 4B Comirnaty doses to be produced in 2022 - Pfizer (PFE) says in slides it has 1.9B expected Comirnaty doses to be delivered in 2022 based on contracts signed as of mid-November 2021 and sees capacity for 4B doses to be produced in 2022. Pfizer sees about $31B in direct sales and alliance revenues anticipated in 2022 based on contracts signed as of mid-November 2021 and adds that it continues to engage with governments regarding potential additional orders for 2022. Reference Link

09:19 EST FirstCash completes acquisition of American First Finance - FirstCash Holdings announced that it has closed its previously announced acquisition of American First Finance. The completion of the acquisition establishes FirstCash's entry into the large and growing lease to own and point-of-sale payment space. In connection with the completion of the transaction, effective December 16, 2021, the Company completed its previously announced holding company reorganization creating a newly-formed public company named FirstCash Holdings, Inc, which replaced FirstCash, Inc. as the public company trading on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol "FCFS". Each outstanding share of FirstCash, Inc. has been converted into an equivalent corresponding share of common stock in FirstCash Holdings, Inc. having the same designations, rights, powers and preferences and the qualifications, limitations and restrictions as the corresponding FirstCash, Inc. shares that were converted. FirstCash, Inc. now operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of FirstCash Holdings, Inc. This holding company reorganization is intended to be a tax-free transaction for federal income tax purposes for the Company's shareholders. As previously announced, Doug Rippel, former Chairman and Founder of American First Finance, has joined the FirstCash Board of Directors following the closing of the transaction.

09:16 EST Nauticus Robotics to become public via merger with CleanTech Acquisition - Nauticus Robotics and CleanTech Acquisition Corp. (CLAQ) announced that they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement that will result in Nauticus becoming a publicly listed company. Upon closing of the transaction, CLAQ will be renamed Nauticus Robotics, Inc. and is expected to remain listed on NASDAQ under the new ticker symbol "KITT". Nauticus' software, robots, and services provide customers the necessary data collection, analytics, and subsea manipulation capabilities to support and maintain assets, while significantly reducing their operational and carbon footprints to improve offshore health, safety, and environmental exposure, the companies said in a statement. The company's estimated revenues in 2021 are approximately $8.2M, with strong visibility to achieve robust growth in subsequent years, including currently contracted orders that would more than double revenue in 2022. Nauticus' robotic systems and services will be delivered to commercial and government-facing customers primarily through a Robotics as a Service business model but could also include strategic partnerships for unit sales. The strong unit economics of the RaaS model target long-term corporate EBITDA margins of approximately 60%. Nauticus Founder, Chairman & CEO, Nicolaus Radford and the current management team will continue to lead the Combined Company. The pro forma equity valuation of the Combined Company is expected to be approximately $561M. Estimated cash proceeds to the Combined Company from the transaction are expected to consist of CLAQ's approximately $174.2M of cash in trust and approximately $73M from a fully committed Private Investment in Public Equity in equity and convertible notes anchored by existing investors. Proceeds from the fully committed PIPE Investment fully cover the minimum cash requirement for the transaction, reducing potential transaction uncertainty. Upon the closing of the transaction, and assuming none of CLAQ's public stockholders elect to redeem their shares of common stock and no additional shares of common stock are issued upon the closing of the transaction, it is anticipated that CLAQ's public stockholders would retain an ownership interest of approximately 33% in the Combined Company, the PIPE Investment investors will own approximately 6% of the Combined Company, the co-sponsors, officers, directors and other holders of CLAQ founder shares will retain an ownership interest of approximately 8% of the Combined Company, and the Nauticus stockholders will own approximately 53% of the Combined Company. These values exclude $75M of earn-out shares that would be paid in common stock if applicable requirements are met. Fully committed PIPE of approximately $73M in equity and convertible notes anchored by Schlumberger (SLB), Transocean (RIG), AeroVironment (AVAV), Material Impact and a large private university endowment, representing sufficient capital to meet the minimum cash required to close the transaction and to fully fund Nauticus' business plan. The board of directors of each of CLAQ and Nauticus approved the transaction, which is expected to close in the first half of 2022. The transaction will require the approval of the stockholders of CLAQ and is subject to other customary closing conditions including the receipt of certain regulatory approvals. The transaction will also require the approval of the stockholders of Nauticus. Stockholders holding the requisite vote of Nauticus have executed a support agreement and have agreed to vote in favor of the merger and related transactions by unanimous written consent or at a meeting of stockholders when called by Nauticus.

09:11 EST Origin Agritech's drought resistant GMO trait completes production trials - Origin Agritech announced that its drought resistant GMO trait has completed production trials and an application has been filed for biosafety certificate approval. Through its collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Origin has already successfully converted its elite corn hybrids into drought resistant traits. The trait has expressed excellent performance under water stress conditions through the whole growing period. Multiyear experiments have shown the yield of drought tolerance corn is 9.2-16.2% higher than non-GMO corn under similar conditions. Under irrigated conditions, the GMO enhanced corn increases water use efficiency by 33%-47%.

09:07 EST First Wave BioPharma announces adjournment of annual meeting - First Wave BioPharma announced that it has adjourned its 2021 Annual Meeting of Stockholders in order to provide stockholders additional time within which to vote on all proposals, including Proposal 2 to approve an amendment to the Company's certificate of incorporation to increase the Company's authorized shares of common stock from 25,000,000 to 50,000,000. The Company believes there is significant support for Proposal 2. At the time of the Annual Meeting, approximately 83% of the votes cast on Proposal 2 were voted in favor of its approval; however, because Proposal 2 must be approved by a majority of the outstanding shares of common stock, it has not yet received a sufficient number of votes in its favor. The Company's Board of Directors continues to believe that Proposal 2 is advisable and that it is in the best interests of the Company's stockholders to consider and act upon Proposal 2. Therefore, the Company adjourned the Annual Meeting. The adjourned meeting will be held at 9:00 a.m. EST on January 7, 2022.

09:04 EST EnWave announces grant of restricted share rights, stock options - EnWave Corporation announced that pursuant to the Company's Restricted Share Rights Plan, an aggregate total of 245,000 Restricted Share Rights were awarded to the independent directors and certain officers of the Company. The RSRs granted will vest three years from the date of award on December 16, 2024. Equity incentive awards form part of the Company's annual independent director compensation program. Additionally, the Company has granted an aggregate total of 800,000 incentive stock options pursuant to the Company's Stock Option Plan to officers of the Company. The incentive stock options are exercisable at a price of $0.90 per share, the last closing price per share on the Company's common shares on the TSX Venture Exchange on the date of the grant. The incentive stock options are exercisable for a term of five years expiring on December 16, 2026 and will vest in accordance to provisions set out in the Plan, or as otherwise required by the TSXV. These equity incentive awards are subject to regulatory approval.

09:03 EST Blue Hat Interactive granted extension to meet continuing listing requirements - Blue Hat Interactive announced that on December 16, the company received a 180 calendar day extension from Nasdaq's Listing Qualifications Department to meet Nasdaq's continuing listing requirements by maintaining a minimum bid price per share of $1.00 for a minimum of 10 consecutive trading days. The company now has until June 13, 2022 to regain compliance. If at any time before June 13, 2022, the bid price of the company's ordinary shares closes at or above $1.00 per share for a minimum of 10 consecutive trading days, the company will regain compliance with the Nasdaq Listing Rules, and the matter will be closed.

09:03 EST Alzamend Neuro announces topline data from AL001 trial - Alzamend Neuro announced that it has received topline data from its Phase 1 clinical trial for AL001. The purpose of the Phase 1 first-in-human study was to determine the pharmacokinetics, safety and tolerability of AL001 so as to target doses for a planned Phase 2 multiple ascending dose study in Alzheimer's patients. AL001 is a lithium-delivery system; it is a lithium-salicylate-L-proline engineered ionic co-crystal under development as an oral treatment for patients with dementia related to mild, moderate, and severe cognitive impairment associated with Alzheimer's disease. During this Phase 1 first-in-human trial, participants received a single dose of AL001 containing lithium in an amount equivalent to 150 mg lithium carbonate; this is the dose proposed by the inventors as likely appropriate for Alzheimer's treatment when given three times daily. Currently, marketed immediate-release lithium carbonate 300 mg are given three times daily; for example, lithium carbonate 300 mg three times daily is a dose commonly used for bipolar affective disorders. It can be difficult to set the appropriate dose of lithium carbonate and other lithium products due to the small margin between effective and toxic blood levels and to avoid side effects or inadequate treatment outcomes. Dose-adjusted relative bioavailability analyses of the rate and extent of lithium absorption indicate that AL001 is bioequivalent to the marketed 300 mg lithium carbonate product and the shapes of the lithium plasma concentration versus time curves are similar. AL001 salicylate plasma concentrations were observed to be well tolerated and consistently within safe limits and the safety profiles of both AL001 and the marketed lithium carbonate capsule were benign. Such findings may allow the Company to reduce or eliminate the need for Phase 2 and Phase 3 studies of efficacy and/or safety of AL001 in such indications as bipolar/affective disorders in which lithium efficacy has been established. Bioequivalence may have utility for AL001 when seeking approval for the indications of currently marketed lithium products, and for new indications as a benchmark for safety. Given the systemic pharmacokinetic similarity to marketed immediate-release lithium carbonate products, AL001 may be dosed three times daily in the planned Phase 2 study, a multiple ascending dose safety study in Alzheimer's patients.

09:01 EST Abeona Therapeutics prices public offering of 44.7M shares of common stock - Abeona Therapeutics announced the pricing of its underwritten public offering of 44,700,000 shares of its common stock and warrants to purchase 44,700,000 shares of its common stock at a combined offering price to the public of $0.39 per one share of common stock and one warrant to purchase one share of common stock. The warrants have an exercise price of $0.39 per share of common stock, are exercisable immediately, and will expire five years from the date of issuance. The aggregate gross proceeds from the offering are expected to be approximately $17.5 million, before deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and other offering expenses payable by Abeona. The offering is expected to close on December 21, 2021, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. is acting as sole book-running manager for the offering, and A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners is acting as lead manager for the offering. Abeona intends to use the net proceeds of the offering to fund continued clinical development of pipeline products, as well as for working capital and corporate purposes.

08:53 EST Obayashi selects Innoviz's LiDAR for new tower crane system - Innoviz Technologies and Obayashi announced Obayashi's development of an automated tower crane system that utilizes Innoviz's LiDAR sensors. Obayashi's automated tower crane system is part of its recently announced autonomous solutions for excavation equipment, construction of concrete dams and backhoe loaders. Obayashi began using Innoviz's LiDAR on their sites in 2018 and is currently in the process of developing a full-scale system for building sites throughout Japan. Obayashi's recognition software extracts the data generated by Innoviz's LiDAR to measure the exact distance from objects and identify people and equipment in construction areas. Obayashi's system uses the data to send a series of step-by-step warnings to the crane operator, which enhances safety and enables a more streamlined and efficient process. Using Innoviz's LiDAR together with Obayashi's proprietary software has resulted in substantial savings related to the manual operation of the crane.

08:43 EST Freshpet down 12% at $83.75 after cutting FY21 guidance on supply chain issues

08:35 EST H&R Block appoints two new vice presidents - H&R Block (HRB) announced that Tom Gannon has joined the company as Vice President and Chief Government Relations Officer, and Nicki Cole has been promoted to Vice President, Technology, Small Business and Financial Services. In these new roles, Gannon will lead H&R Block's government relations strategy, and Cole will lead technology growth across the small business and financial services lines of business. Tom Gannon joins the company as Vice President and Chief Government Relations Officer. Prior to joining the company, Gannon was the Vice President, U.S. Government Affairs at Mastercard (MA). Nicki Cole has been promoted to Vice President, Technology, Small Business and Financial Services, where she will report to Chief Information Officer Alan Lowden and support the company's Small Business and Financial Services teams. Cole has been with H&R Block for 10 years

08:34 EST Harbor Custom to accept bitcoin, twelve other cryptocurrencies for real estate - Harbor Custom Development announced it anticipates accepting Bitcoin and twelve other digital currencies as payment for its listed land, developed lots, residential homes, condominiums, and apartments in the Company's operating markets in Washington, California, Texas, and Florida beginning January 24, 2022. In addition to Bitcoin, the Company will also accept: Ethereum, USD Coin, XRP, Dogecoin, SHIBA INU, Binance USD, Wrapped Bitcoin, Litecoin, Dai, Bitcoin Cash, Pax Dollar & Gemini Dollar. Prior to the January 24, 2022 launch date Harbor may add or subtract certain digital currencies from the aforementioned approved list based on market conditions. All real estate transactions will be settled in U.S. dollars.

08:33 EST Goodyear Tire targets net-zero value chain GHG emissions by 2050 - The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company announced its goal to reach net-zero value chain greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, aligned with the Science Based Targets initiative and its new Net-Zero Standard. The company also announced its commitment to achieve near-term science-based targets by 2030. In 2022, Goodyear will submit its 2030 and 2050 targets to SBTi for independent validation. Using 2019 as a base year, Goodyear is committed to reducing its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 46% by 2030 and relevant Scope 3 emissions by 28% over the same time frame. The strategy to achieve these targets will expand on Goodyear's other sustainability-focused efforts, which will contribute to the company's goals, such as: The multiple-phase plan to procure 100% renewable energy in its facilities across Europe, Middle East and Africa by the end of 2022. The company's state-of-the-art technology in rubber compounding, tire construction and manufacturing, which contributes to reduced emissions through lower rolling resistance and reduced tire weight. Goodyear's increasing use of alternative raw materials, which has the potential to reduce its consumption of petroleum-based feedstocks and reduce its carbon footprint. This supports Goodyear's goal to create a 100% sustainable-material and maintenance-free tire by 2030.

08:32 EST Helbiz awarded permit extensions in D.C. metropolitan area - Helbiz announced it has been awarded permit extensions in Washington D.C. and the surrounding Virginia cities of Alexandria, Arlington and Richmond into 2022 and 2023.

08:31 EST AeroCentury announces 5-for-1 forward stock split - AeroCentury announced that it plans to file a Certificate of Amendment to the Certificate of Incorporation of the Company to implement a 5-for-1 forward stock split of its issued and outstanding shares of common stock. Each shareholder of record as of December 30, 2021, the record date, will receive four additional shares of common stock for each share held as of the record date. No fractional shares of common stock will be issued in connection with the Stock Split. Instead, all shares will be rounded up to the next whole share. The payment date for the Stock Split will be January 7, 2022 and the company's common stock is expected to begin trading on a split-adjusted basis when the market opens on January 10, 2022.

08:20 EST GlaxoSmithKline, Vir granted EC marketing authorization for Xevudy - GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) and Vir Biotechnology (VIR) announced that the European Commission has granted marketing authorization to Xevudy for the early treatment of COVID-19. Sotrovimab is now approved in the European Union for the treatment of adults and adolescents with COVID-19 who do not require supplemental oxygen and who are at increased risk of progressing to severe COVID-19. The grant of the marketing authorization in the EU is a result of the positive opinion issued on December 16 by the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use. In July 2021, GSK and Vir announced a Joint Procurement Agreement with the EC to supply up to 220,000 doses of sotrovimab. Following the grant of the marketing authorization in the EU, Member States participating in the JPA can now order sotrovimab to support their pandemic responses.

08:18 EST Power Solutions announces executive VP, co-founder Winemaster's retirement - Power Solutions International announced that after 36 years at PSI, Executive Vice President, VP, and Company co-founder, Ken Winemaster is retiring from the company effective December 31, 2021. His operational duties will be assumed internally.

08:16 EST Scopus issues letter to stockholders asking to vote "FOR ALL" Scopus nominees - Scopus BioPharma issued a second letter to its stockholders in connection with the Company's Annual Meeting of Stockholders that will be reconvened on Monday, December 20, 2021 at 11:30 a.m., Eastern time. The record date for the Annual Meeting remains August 16, 2021. Joshua Lamstein, Chairman of Scopus, wrote the following: "Time is running short to cast your vote "FOR ALL" Scopus' highly qualified and experienced director nominees... Laster would have you believe that Scopus and its board are preventing this campaign from being resolved. This is false. The truth is your board has made numerous settlement proposals and Laster has refused every effort at a reasonable compromise. Here are the facts: To mitigate rising expenses and the continued disruption caused by Laster's legal and proxy campaign, record ownership of the contested shares was ceded to Laster and the Company proposed paying reasonable legal fees. Scopus notes that HCFP, Scopus' co-founder and principal financial sponsor, and Laster originally agreed that the contested 3.5 million shares would be designated for charity. If Laster's stockholder group, comprised solely of himself and his daughters, truly had the best interests of stockholders at heart, it is reasonable to assume they would have declared victory and walked away with a total of 6 million shares, or a windfall of nearly $12 million even at the Company's current depressed stock price... If Laster is allowed to prevail at this Annual Meeting, he will be one step closer to seizing control of the Company at the 2022 Annual Meeting... Your board is committed to acting in the best interests of all stockholders and urges you to support the Company by voting "FOR ALL" of its director nominees - Raphael Hofstein, Ph.D. and David S. Battleman, M.D. - and "FOR" the appointment of Citrin Cooperman & Company, LLP as our independent registered public accounting firm for the 2021 fiscal year on the WHITE proxy card today.

08:14 EST GSK, Vir say Xevudy gets marketing authorization by EC for early COVID treatment - GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Vir Biotechnology (VIR) announced that the European Commission has granted marketing authorization to Xevudy for the early treatment of COVID-19. Sotrovimab is now approved in the European Union for the treatment of adults and adolescents aged 12 years and over and weighing at least 40kg with COVID-19 who do not require supplemental oxygen and who are at increased risk of progressing to severe COVID-19. The grant of the marketing authorization in the EU is a result of the positive opinion issued on December 16 by the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Human Medicinal Products, or CHMP, the companies said. In July, GSK and Vir announced a Joint Procurement Agreement with the EC to supply up to 220,000 doses of sotrovimab. "Following the grant of the marketing authorisation in the EU, Member States participating in the JPA can now order sotrovimab to support their pandemic responses," the companies stated.

08:12 EST TILT receives Massachussets CCCC approval for CAC adult-use operations - TILT Holdings announced that the Massachusetts Cannabis Control Commission has approved TILT's subsidiary, Commonwealth Alternative Care, to commence adult-use cannabis operations including cultivation, manufacturing, distribution and retails sales at its Taunton facility, effective December 20, 2021. With this approval to commence adult-use operations, CAC will be the first dispensary to open its doors to recreational cannabis customers in Taunton, Mass. Located at 30 Mozzone Boulevard, CAC's Taunton dispensary is located adjacent to its 100,000 square-foot cultivation and processing facility. Featuring 3,000 square-feet of nature-inspired space for customers and patients, CAC offers a wide selection of products from their house brands ONE, CHROMA and SLATE including flower, concentrates, edibles and topicals. Additionally, customers and patients can find products from industry-leading partner brands including 1906, AIRO, Her Highness, Old Pal, and Wana. CAC Taunton joins CAC Brockton in serving both adult-use customers and medical marijuana patients. An event to celebrate recreational cannabis sales is scheduled for Q1 2022.

08:11 EST Garrett Motion accelerates, expands Series B preferred stock redemptions - Garrett Motion announced it has taken further steps to improve its financial flexibility by accelerating and expanding Series B preferred stock redemptions, which Garrett anticipates will result in $411 million in debt reduction by the end of Q1 2022. On October 1, 2021 Garrett announced that it had amended the Certificate of Designations for the Series B preferred stock to provide for a partial redemption of Series B preferred stock in Q1 2022, which would result in a cash payment of $213 million. That first partial Series B preferred stock redemption has now been accelerated to December 28, 2021 and the corresponding cash payment slightly reduced to $211 million due to less accretion. In addition, Garrett plans to partially redeem additional shares of Series B preferred stock in Q1 2022 for a corresponding cash payment of $200 million. The second partial redemption is conditioned upon Garrett's board of directors having determined that Garrett otherwise has sufficient liquidity to effect the redemption. Garrett issued the Series B preferred stock upon completion of its financial restructuring on April 30, 2021 and an affiliate of Honeywell International Inc. is the only holder of the Series B preferred stock. The present value of Series B preferred stock reflects a 7.25% discount rate on the remaining scheduled payments, was approximately $585 million on June 30, 2021 and is expected to be approximately $400 million as of December 31, 2021 following the first partial redemption, with an expected further reduction to approximately $207 million as of March 31, 2022 following the completion of both partial redemptions.

08:10 EST Vincerx Pharma doses first patient in Phase 1 dose-escalation study of VIP152 - Vincerx Pharma announced that the first patient has been dosed in the Company's Phase 1 dose-escalation study of VIP152 in relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia or Richter Syndrome. The Phase 1 study will evaluate VIP152 in patients with relapsed/refractory CLL who have failed a Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor and venetoclax and in patients with RS who have relapsed after, or been refractory to, at least one prior line of therapy for DLBCL and have MYC overexpression/amplification/translocation. A dose-escalation arm will be performed in R/R CLL before enrolling 20 additional patients in each of the CLL and RS cohorts. The Phase 1 dose-escalation in CLL and RS builds upon Vincerx's ongoing first-in-human study in patients with advanced cancer, which consists of two expansion arms. Arm 1 will enroll up to 40 patients with relapsed/refractory aggressive lymphoma, including DLBCL, transformed follicular lymphoma, patients with mantle cell lymphoma who have failed a BTKi, as well as patients with any other type of lymphoma characterized by a MYC aberration. Arm 2 will enroll up to 40 patients with advanced solid tumors, including patients with ovarian cancer, triple negative breast cancer, castration-resistant neuroendocrine prostate cancer, and any other solid tumor with MYC aberration. All patients must have confirmed MYC overexpression or translocation.

08:09 EST RF Industries to acquire Wireless Telecom radio frequency components business - RF Industries (RFIL) announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Microlab, the radio frequency components business of Wireless Telecom (WTT), for an aggregate cash consideration of $24.25M. The transaction, which was unanimously approved by the board of directors of both companies, is subject to various terms and conditions, including approval by Wireless Telecom Group's shareholders. Wireless Telecom Group has agreed to file a proxy statement regarding the proposed transaction with the Security and Exchange Commission. Closing of the transaction is anticipated to occur in the first calendar quarter of 2022. Microlab designs and manufactures high-performance RF and Microwave products enabling signal distribution and deployment of in-building DAS, wireless base stations and small cell networks, and generated unaudited revenue of approximately $16M and adjusted EBITDA of approximately $3.7M for the twelve-month period ended 9/30/2021. RF Industries expects the transaction to be immediately accretive to its stand-alone financials and anticipates realizing meaningful operating synergies upon the integration of the Microlab business. RF Industries intends to pay the purchase price with a combination of cash on hand and borrowings from a credit facility.

08:08 EST FuelCell appoints Dolger as Executive VP, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary - FuelCell Energy (FCEL) announced that Joshua Dolger has been appointed by FuelCell Energy's Board of Directors as the Company's Executive Vice President, VP General Counsel and Corporate Secretary. Dolger has been serving as interim General Counsel and Corporate Secretary since June 2021. Prior to joining the Company in May 2021, Dolger held a variety of legal positions of increasing responsibility at the headquarters of Terex Corporation (TEX).

08:07 EST Entrada Therapeutics to be added to Russell 2000, 3000 Indexes - Entrada Therapeutics announced that the Company will be added to the Russell 2000 and Russell 3000 Indexes as part of the planned fourth quarter IPO additions, effective after the U.S. market opens on December 20, 2021.

08:07 EST C4 Therapeutics added to Nasdaq Biotechnology Index - C4 Therapeutics announced its inclusion on the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index, effective on December 20, 2021.

08:06 EST Middlefield Banc expands digital capabilities - Middlefield Banc (MBCN) announced the expansion of its digital banking capabilities to support growing customer engagement across digital channels. "Over the past two years, Middlefield Bank has experienced significant growth for our digital banking services. We continue to focus on creating a frictionless environment for our customers regardless of how they choose to interact with us," stated Thomas Caldwell, Middlefield President and CEO. "As customer expectations evolve, our team continues to transform our digital capabilities and grow partnerships to serve our retail and business customers. Our commitment to service, quality and our communities are always at the forefront, and we are excited to bring expanded resources to our customers." Middlefield is implementing new digital tools with the following capabilities: Digital Account Opening: Middlefield Bank has partnered with Finzly, a financial technology company, to digitize the entire account opening process for personal and commercial customers. Property and Casualty Insurance: Middlefield has partnered with Insuritas, using their digital insurance agency platform to offer a full range of personal and commercial insurance products to customers through Middlefield's branches and call centers. Fraud Prevention: Middlefield has partnered with Alkami (ALKT) to launch a set of cash management solutions with its commercial customers to help prevent fraud and improve their experience.

08:05 EST Waitr Holdings to acquire Retail Innovation Labs for $90M in cash, shares - Waitr Holdings announced the company has entered into a non-binding letter of intent, or LOI, to acquire Retail Innovation Labs, a point of sale, or POS, inventory and compliance software business serving cannabis dispensary retailers in North America. The LOI sets forth a proposed purchase price of $90M, to be paid in a combination of cash and shares of the company's common stock, subject to customary adjustments. There can be no assurance that entry into the LOI will result in a definitive agreement or, if a definitive agreement is reached, the acquisition will close on the terms described above or at all. Legal, regulatory, business and financial diligence will need to be satisfactorily completed by both the company and Cova, as well as other customary conditions and approvals. Additionally, the company shared that in accordance with its previously announced rebranding strategy, its has acquired the "ASAP.com" domain name and reserved the Nasdaq trading symbol (ASAP). The company expects that "ASAP" will serve as the foundation of its brand moving forward.

08:04 EST VirTra awarded standing offer from Government of Canada for simulation systems - VirTra has received a standing offer from the Government of Canada to supply marksmanship and judgmental use of force simulation technology to various law enforcement, border protection and corrections facilities throughout Canada. The standing offer allows the Government of Canada to repeatedly purchase goods and/or services, or a combination of goods and services at prearranged prices from VirTra, under set terms and conditions, when required. The award is part of a countrywide effort to enhance and standardize training from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police down to each individual agency. The award could include the delivery of multiple V-ST PRO single-screen simulators, authoring software, Threat-Fire consequence devices, weapon recoil kits, Conducted Electrical Weapons training cartridges and other tools designed for simulator training.

08:03 EST Sterling Bancorp announces strategic investment in Goalsetter - Sterling Bancorp announced it has made a strategic investment in Goalsetter, a mobile banking company aimed at promoting financial literacy and empowerment amongst K-12 students. According to studies compiled by the U.S. Financial Literacy and Education Commission, only one third of adults can answer at least four of five financial literacy questions on fundamental concepts such as mortgages, interest rates, inflation and risk. Goalsetter addresses these knowledge gaps through educational resources, budgeting tips, and planning tools. Sterling will be providing services to Goalsetter through its Banking as a Service business and earlier this year provided funding and support for Goalsetter's "Drafted" campaign, which aims to empower communities of color by promoting and supporting financial independence and literacy. "We are thrilled to deepen our relationship with Goalsetter through this investment," said Bea Ordonez, Chief Financial Officer of Sterling Bancorp. "Our partnership with Goalsetter is a paragon of the relationships we are building with innovative financial technology companies as we broaden our digital footprint and product set."

08:02 EST Advaxis says proposal to authorize reverse stock split not approved - Advaxis announced that following the conclusion of its second reconvened special meeting of stockholders on December 16, 2021, it plans to continue to explore additional options to maximize stockholder value. The Company's Proposal 2 to authorize a reverse stock split, a condition to consummating the Company's agreed upon merger with Biosight, was not approved at the meeting. Voting results at the first reconvened special meeting of stockholders held on December 7, 2021 signaled support for the Biosight merger through the approval of Proposal 1, which related to the issuance of shares of common stock of Advaxis to shareholders of Biosight pursuant to the terms of the merger agreement, as well as the change of control resulting from the merger. The merger proposal received the requisite stockholder votes by a clear majority of votes cast and, as a result, has passed. While Proposal 2, the reverse stock split proposal, also received the support of a clear majority of the votes cast, this proposal had a higher vote threshold as a matter of law, requiring the support of the majority of total shares outstanding. Approval of a reverse stock split as contemplated by Proposal 2 is a condition for completing the merger of Advaxis and Biosight. The Company intends to provide an update on these matters in the near future.

08:01 EST Comscore acquires Shareablee, terms not disclosed - Comscore announced that it has acquired Shareablee, a marketing analytics and measurement company in the social media space. With the acquisition, which closed on December 16, Comscore plans to expand its Media Metrix and Video Metrix currencies to include Shareablee's social media engagement and video insights, which will bridge the industry gap of traditional digital and social measurement services that exists today.

07:59 EST Imperial Oil sees FY22 capital expenditures C$1.4B - Sees FY22 upstream production 425,000-440,000 boe/d. Sees FY22 downstream production 395,000-405,000 boe/d. Imperial provided an update on its corporate guidance outlook for 2022. "Imperial's plans reflect our continued focus on maximizing the value of our existing assets through capital discipline and efficiency, maintaining reliable operations with continued structural cost reductions and the progression of key sustainability initiatives," said Brad Corson, chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Our plans also set the stage for continued volume growth in our core oil sands business in 2023 and beyond as we execute high-value, low-cost debottlenecking and other select growth projects."

07:51 EST Everest Re extends employment agreement with CEO Juan Andrade - Everest Re and its board of directors announced the extension of president and CEO Juan Andrade's employment agreement through the end of 2023 with automatic annual extensions following this term.

07:50 EST AMC Entertainment announces 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' breaks box office records - AMC Theatres announced that "Spider-Man: No Way Home" has broken AMC box office records. The movie, which opened last night at AMC Theatres across the United States, was the single highest grossing movie title on its opening night in AMC's history, for a movie opening in the month of December. It also was the second highest grossing movie title on its opening night of all-time. Approximately 1.1M people attended Spider-Man at a U.S. AMC theatre yesterday. This was the single highest number of people watching one movie on one day at AMC's U.S. theatres during all of calendar years 2020 and 2021. Attendance for Spider-Man at AMC's international theatres was also robust.

07:38 EST Sandstorm Gold raises FY22 production view to 65K-70K gold equivalent ounces - Sandstorm (SAND) is pleased to announce that the company has entered into a $60M financing package with Bear Creek Mining to facilitate Bear Creek's acquisition of the producing Mercedes gold-silver mine in Mexico from Equinox Gold (EQX). The financing package includes a $37.5M gold stream, together with a $22.5M convertible debenture. Bear Creek announced that it has agreed to acquire 100% of Mercedes from Equinox. The Transaction is expected to close by March 31, and gold deliveries to Sandstorm will commence immediately thereafter. Sandstorm expects gold deliveries of 5,400 ounces in 2022 and 7,200 ounces per annum in the first three years post-closing. Sandstorm expects the Mercedes Stream to be 13% accretive to 2022 -24 average cash flow per share. Sandstorm will receive 25,200 ounces of gold over the initial 3.5 years and a 4.4% gold stream thereafter. This is expected to increase the company's attributable gold equivalent ounces2 by 8% in 2022 and 11% in 2023/2024. Sandstorm has increased its 2022 production guidance to be between 65,000 and 70,000 gold equivalent ounces. Mercedes has a strong track record of reserve replacement, complemented by an expansive regional land package, which remains relatively untested. The Stream covers all 69,285 hectares of mineral concessions at Mercedes, plus a five kilometre area of interest. The transaction will be funded via a combination of cash reserves and Sandstorm's $350M ESG-linked revolving credit facility.

07:35 EST CleanTech Acquisition Corporation trading resumes

07:33 EST Vera Therapeutics announces acquisition of monoclonal antibody from Pfizer - Vera Therapeutics (VERA) announced that it has acquired MAU868, a first-in-class monoclonal antibody to treat BK Virus infections, and has entered into a credit facility with Oxford Finance to provide borrowing capacity up to $50M. MAU868, acquired from Amplyx Pharmaceuticals, a wholly owned subsidiary of Pfizer (PFE), has the potential to neutralize infection by blocking BKV virions from binding to host cells. "BKV is a leading cause of kidney transplant loss and transplant-associated morbidity, and there are currently no available antiviral treatments in the U.S. We are excited to acquire MAU868 from Pfizer and carry it forward in development," said Vera founder and CEO Marshall Fordyce, MD. "The acquisition of MAU868, a potentially transformative treatment for BKV, is consistent with our strategy to diversify our pipeline with new molecules that leverage our strengths and serve adjacent populations. We believe, based on currently available data, that MAU868 has the potential to significantly impact outcomes for kidney transplant patients and become the first effective therapy for BKV. We look forward to working with regulators to establish a new standard of care for kidney transplant patients." MAU868 is currently undergoing a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 clinical trial to assess the safety, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy for the treatment of BKV in kidney transplant patients. Full Cohort 1 and 2 interim analysis results will be submitted for presentation at a conference in mid-2022.

07:32 EST Vision Marine Technologies appoints Xavier Montagne to Chief Operating Officer - Vision Marine Technologies announces that Xavier Montagne, presently Vision Marine's Chief Technology Officer, has been appointed to the additional role of Chief Operating Officer. "Over the past few months, it has been extremely productive working with Xavier developing our technology and showcasing our E-Motion 180e at numerous boat shows. His leadership has provided Vison Marine the opportunity to work with engineering and technical teams throughout the marine industry. Xavier is our primary liaison with the engineering team at Linamar/McLaren," said Alex Mongeon, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Vision Marine.

07:30 EST CleanTech Acquisition Corporation trading halted, news pending

07:30 EST Bottomline Technologies trading resumes

07:21 EST Shawcor receives notice to proceed for Scarborough Project trunkline coating - Shawcor announced that its pipe coating division has received a formal notice to proceed from SAIPEM AUSTRALIA PTY LTD for the Scarborough Project, located offshore in Australia's north-west. The Scarborough gas resource is located in the Carnarvon Basin, approximately 375 km west-north-west of the Burrup Peninsula in Western Australia. The Scarborough gas resource will be developed through new offshore facilities connected by an approximately 430 km pipeline to a proposed second LNG train at the existing Pluto LNG onshore facility. The Scarborough reservoir contains only ~0.1% carbon dioxide, and together with the adoption of highly efficient and proven technology in design at Pluto Train 2, the development will be amongst the lowest-carbon intensity LNG sources globally for delivery into North Asia. The first cargo is expected to be delivered in 2026. Shawcor Ltd. had, in February 2020, signed a contract with SAIPEM AUSTRALIA Pty Ltd, conditional on a final investment decision by the Scarborough Joint Venture, which was taken on 22 November 2021. The contract is a large project for Shawcor that will include provision of internal, anticorrosion, and concrete weight coating services to be executed from Shawcor's Kabil, Indonesia facility commencing in the fourth quarter of 2022, with delivery continuing into 2024.

07:19 EST Nasdaq welcomed 743 IPOs, 35 exchange transfers in 2021 - Nasdaq announced that in 2021 it welcomed 743 initial public offerings, raising a total of $180B, extending its leadership to 32 consecutive quarters. A total of 318 operating companies listed on Nasdaq in 2021, representing a 76% win rate in the U.S. market. In addition to the IPOs, 35 companies transferred their corporate listing to Nasdaq, including Dow 30 company Honeywell, Palo Alto Networks and Xerox. At the end of 2021, Nasdaq-listed companies raised 63% of all IPO proceeds, including seven of the ten largest global IPOs by proceeds raised: Rivian, GlobalFoundries, Bumble, Robinhood, Applovin, Shoals Technologies and Playtika. Nasdaq also welcomed 110 SPAC business combinations, including Lucid, SoFi and Grab- the largest global ex-US combination in history.

07:18 EST Verano Holdings opens 41st Florida MUV dispensory - Verano Holdings announced the opening of a new MUV Florida dispensary, located at 265 SW Monterey Road in Stuart, on Saturday, December 18th at 9:00 a.m. local time. "We've long considered Stuart and greater Martin County an attractive market, and we're thrilled to open our first MundefinedV dispensary in the area," said John Tipton, President of Verano. "We believe Stuart and the 'Treasure Coast' region will continue to draw more tourists and new residents every year, and we look forward to offering our suite of premium medical cannabis products to serve patients in this growing, vibrant community."

07:16 EST Atea Pharmaceuticals added to Nasdaq Biotechnology Index - Atea Pharmaceuticals announced that the company has been added to the NASDAQ Biotech Index, effective prior to market open on Monday, December 20, 2021.

07:15 EST Medicenna receives clearance to expand Phase 1/2 ABILITY study to Canada - Medicenna Therapeutics announced that Health Canada has approved the expansion of the Phase 1/2 ABILITY study of MDNA11, the Company's long-acting, "beta-only" IL-2 super-agonist, to clinical trial sites in Canada. The ABILITY Study is currently enrolling patients in Australia and recently received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to expand to clinical trial sites in the United States. A preliminary update on safety and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic data from early cohorts of patients enrolled in the dose escalation phase of the ABILITY Study is expected by year-end. Additional safety, PK/PD, biomarker and initial efficacy data from the trial is expected in mid-2022. "We are making good progress in the ABILITY Study and expect this latest regulatory clearance to add to its positive momentum," said Dr. Fahar Merchant, President and CEO of Medicenna. "With the trial's first data update expected before the end of the year, we are poised to gain initial insights as to how MDNA11's promising preclinical profile translate to patients. We believe this early data together with updates in mid-2022 will contribute towards clinically validating the strong potential of MDNA11 and look forward to the trial's continued advancement." Medicenna anticipates that enrollment in the ABILITY Study across the United States, Canada, and Australia will be sufficient to meet the trial's objectives and stated timelines for the study. The Company may also pursue the trial's expansion into the United Kingdom, if required.

07:14 EST Nauticus Robotics to become public via merger with CleanTech Acquisition - Nauticus Robotics and CleanTech Acquisition Corp. (CLAQ) announced that they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement that will result in Nauticus becoming a publicly listed company. Upon closing of the transaction, CLAQ will be renamed Nauticus Robotics, Inc. and is expected to remain listed on NASDAQ under the new ticker symbol "KITT". Nauticus develops revolutionary cloud-based autonomy software to enable a smarter and more sustainable ocean industry using its fleet of autonomous robots from the surface to the seabed. These robots are enabled by the Nauticus Software Suite, a platform of AI/ML technologies designed to disrupt the legacy methods in the marine industry. Its first product offering, Aquanaut, is the world's first tetherless underwater robot capable of robust decision making for both long distance ocean data collection and close-in dexterous manipulation of the subsea environment, supporting government & defense and other commercial industry sectors. Nauticus' software, robots, and services provide customers the necessary data collection, analytics, and subsea manipulation capabilities to support and maintain assets, while significantly reducing their operational and carbon footprints to improve offshore health, safety, and environmental exposure. Nauticus operates in the $2.5 trillion ocean economy where it targets the rapidly expanding multibillion dollar bluetech robotics, data, and services market with a disruptive product offering. Some incumbent solutions utilize large vessels that can have severe drawbacks, including operating costs that can reach as high as $100,000 per day with large fuel emissions of up to 70 metric tons of CO2 per day and largely utilize antiquated, maintenance-heavy, hydraulic machines with little to no advanced technologies. In contrast, Nauticus' expected service pricing would save customers over 50% compared to traditional methods while eliminating nearly the entire greenhouse gas emissions with a significant reduction in required onsite personnel needs. The Company's estimated revenues in 2021 are approximately $8.2 million, with strong visibility to achieve robust growth in subsequent years, including currently contracted orders that would more than double revenue in 2022. Nauticus' robotic systems and services will be delivered to commercial and government-facing customers primarily through a Robotics as a Service business model but could also include strategic partnerships for unit sales. The strong unit economics of the RaaS model target long-term corporate EBITDA margins of approximately 60%. Nauticus Founder, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Nicolaus Radford and the current management team will continue to lead the Combined Company. The pro forma equity valuation of the Combined Company is expected to be approximately $561 million. Estimated cash proceeds to the Combined Company from the transaction are expected to consist of CLAQ's approximately $174.2 million of cash in trust and approximately $73 million from a fully committed Private Investment in Public Equity in equity and convertible notes anchored by existing investors. Proceeds from the fully committed PIPE Investment fully cover the minimum cash requirement for the transaction, reducing potential transaction uncertainty. Upon the closing of the transaction, and assuming none of CLAQ's public stockholders elect to redeem their shares of common stock and no additional shares of common stock are issued upon the closing of the transaction, it is anticipated that CLAQ's public stockholders would retain an ownership interest of approximately 33% in the Combined Company, the PIPE Investment investors will own approximately 6% of the Combined Company, the co-sponsors, officers, directors and other holders of CLAQ founder shares will retain an ownership interest of approximately 8% of the Combined Company, and the Nauticus stockholders will own approximately 53% of the Combined Company. These values exclude $75 million of earn-out shares that would be paid in common stock if applicable requirements are met. Fully committed PIPE of approximately $73 million in equity and convertible notes anchored by Schlumberger (SLB), Transocean (RIG), AeroVironment (AVAV), Material Impact and a large private university endowment, representing sufficient capital to meet the minimum cash required to close the transaction and to fully fund Nauticus' business plan. The board of directors of each of CLAQ and Nauticus approved the transaction, which is expected to close in the first half of 2022. The transaction will require the approval of the stockholders of CLAQ and is subject to other customary closing conditions including the receipt of certain regulatory approvals. The transaction will also require the approval of the stockholders of Nauticus. Stockholders holding the requisite vote of Nauticus have executed a support agreement and have agreed to vote in favor of the merger and related transactions by unanimous written consent or at a meeting of stockholders when called by Nauticus.

07:11 EST Casi Pharmaceuticals announces $10M share repurchase program - The company anticipates funding for this program to come from available corporate funds, including cash on hand and future cash flow

07:10 EST ObsEva announces positive CHMP opinion for linzagolix - ObsEva announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, CHMP, of the European Medicines Agency, EMA, adopted a positive opinion recommending approval of linzagolix, an oral GnRH antagonist for the management of moderate to severe symptoms of uterine fibroids in adult women of reproductive age. ObsEva's Marketing Authorisation Application submission was based on positive data from the Company's two Phase 3 PRIMROSE trials. "The positive CHMP opinion is an important milestone for millions of women in the EU living with UF to address the diverse medical needs of the women who suffer from this condition," said Brian O'Callaghan, CEO of ObsEva. "We will continue our productive, ongoing dialogue with EMA toward potential marketing authorization in the EU, and in parallel, continue to work with the FDA to advance linzagolix through the U.S. regulatory process." The positive opinion adopted by the CHMP is based on 52-week treatment results from the Phase 3 PRIMROSE 1 and PRIMROSE 2 clinical studies as well as supportive results from the 76-week post-treatment follow-up periods of both trials. A final marketing authorization decision from the EC is anticipated within two months.

07:10 EST Darden reports Q2 blended same-restaurant sales up 34.4% - Q2 same-restaurant sales by segment on y/y basis: +29.3% for Olive Garden; +61.6% for Fine Dining; +31.2% for LongHorn Steakhouse; +42.9% for Other Business.

07:09 EST Compass Pathways to be added to Nasdaq Biotechnology Index - COMPASS Pathways announced it has been selected for addition to the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index, effective as of market open on Monday, December 20, 2021.

07:06 EST Darden raises FY22 total sales growth vs. Pre-COVID to 9%-11% from 7%-9% - Raises FY22 same-restaurant sales vs. FY21 to 29%-31% from 27%-30%; Sees 35 to 40 new restaurant openings; Total capital spending of approximately $425M vs. prior view of $375-$425M; Total inflation of approximately 5.5% vs. prior view of 4%; EBITDA between $1.55B-$1.60B vs. prior view of $1.54B-$1.60B; Effective tax rate of approximately 14% vs. 13%-14% previously.

07:05 EST Tesla CEO Musk sells $884M in common stock - In a regulatory filing last night, Tesla disclosed that its CEO Elon Musk sold $884M in common stock on December 16th after exercising option for 2.15M shares.

07:01 EST Miromatrix submits pre-IND request to FDA for External Liver Assist Product - Miromatrix Medical announced it has submitted a pre-IND request to the FDA for its External Liver Assist Product for the treatment of acute liver failure. The request will help streamline the Company's Phase I IND submission for the External Liver Assist Product, and the start of a first in-human clinical trial slated for the second half of 2022, which will assess the function of a bioengineered liver graft in humans via an external application. "This is the first of many major milestones Miromatrix has planned for 2022, as we move closer to in-human implants of bioengineered organs," said Jeff Ross, Ph.D., Miromatrix CEO. "Our large animal study published earlier this year demonstrated that organs developed in a lab can be successfully transplanted in pre-clinical models. We are excited to build upon that body of research and work with the FDA on our Phase I IND submission to secure our first human clinical use of a bioengineered liver graft in the second half of 2022."

06:55 EST Astellas Pharma, Seagen announce CHMP opinion recommending approval for Padcev - Astellas Pharma (ALPMY) and Seagen (SGEN) announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, or CHMP, of the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, has adopted an opinion, recommending approval of the antibody-drug conjugate, or ADC, Padcev as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer who have previously received platinum-containing chemotherapy and a PD-1/L1 inhibitor.

06:50 EST International Seaways repurchased 1,077,070 shares in December - International Seaways announced that in connection with its existing $50M share repurchase program, the company has repurchased 1,077,070 shares of its common stock in open-market purchases in December, at an average price of $15.44 per share, for a total cost of approximately $16.7M. The shares repurchased will be retired. The company has approximately $33.3M available under the $50M share repurchase program, authorized by the Board of Directors in August 2020 for a 24-month period.

06:47 EST Merck receives positive EU CHMP opinion for KEYTRUDA - Merck announced the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency has adopted a positive opinion recommending approval of KEYTRUDA, Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, as monotherapy for the adjuvant treatment of adults with renal cell carcinoma at increased risk of recurrence following nephrectomy, or following nephrectomy and resection of metastatic lesions.

06:42 EST Astellas Pharma, Seagen receive positive CHMP opinion for PADCEV - Astellas Pharma (ALPMY) and Seagen (SGEN) announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency has adopted a positive opinion, recommending approval of the antibody-drug conjugate PADCEV as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer who have previously received platinum-containing chemotherapy and a PD-1/L1 inhibitor.

06:26 EST Futu Holdings responds to media speculations regarding potential PRC regulations - The company stated, "Futu Holdings Limited responds to the media speculations regarding potential PRC regulatory policies that may have a material adverse impact on the company's business operation. As a Nasdaq-listed company, Futu is committed to timely disclosing recent developments that may have a material adverse impact on the company's business operation, including regulatory developments. Futu always maintains active communication with different competent PRC regulatory authorities in its ordinary course of business. To date, the company has not received (nor is it aware of) any notice, guidance or order from any PRC regulatory authorities which is expected to have a material adverse impact on its business operation or financial conditions. The company has been operating steadily and will continue to serve existing and new clients. In terms of serving the PRC clients, Futu has been abiding by the same rules and regulations and adopting the similar industry practices and business models as other brokers who hold the same type of licenses in Hong Kong. No further innovations or breakthroughs have been made by Futu with respect to the business model. There is no such 'internet broker-dealer' category or definition under relevant legal framework and nowadays almost all broker-dealers are using internet (through App and/or website) to serve their clients. Futu will keep monitoring regulatory developments and continue to fully cooperate with relevant regulatory authorities. During the recent period, the company noticed that some individuals and institutions have been spreading false or fake information about Futu on social media with the purpose of profiting from short-selling. We have gathered relevant information and further reported to relevant regulators. We also reserve our right to take legal action. We believe that the regulatory authorities in mainland China and Hong Kong have always attached great importance to protecting investors, maintaining a healthy and stable financial market, and prudently formulating policies and guiding the industry. We caution the media and the public to distinguish false and fake information and avoid being taken advantage of."

06:04 EST Azure Power signs PPA with SEIC for 2,333 MW of ISTS solar power projects - Azure Power announced that it has signed its largest ever power purchase agreements, or PPAs, with Solar Energy Corporation of India, or SECI, for a capacity of 2,333 MW of ISTS connected solar power projects under the 4 GW manufacturing linked projects. This follows the 600 MW PPA signed during last month under the same tender. Projects developed under this PPA will supply power for 25 years at a fixed tariff of 3.3c per kWh and shall be constructed in Rajasthan, the highest solar insolation state in India. Connectivity approval for these projects is already in place and land is fully identified and is under acquisition. Commissioning of these projects are scheduled in phases wise manner with 1,000 MW by November 2024, 1,000 MW by November 2025 and balance 333 MW by November 2026. Azure Power also announced that it has received the letter of award, or LOA, for its second wind-solar hybrid power project of 200 MW from Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution, or MSEDCL, to supply power for 25 years at a fixed tariff of 3.5c per kWh and will entail setting up of 133 MW solar and 67 MW wind capacity within a period of 18 months from the signing of PPA. Solar capacity for the project will be set up in Rajasthan, while the wind capacity will be in Maharashtra.

06:02 EST Brunswick's Freedom Boat Club acquires Rhode Island franchise operation - Freedom Boat Club, a Brunswick business, announced that it has acquired the Freedom Boat Club of Rhode Island franchise operation and territory. The acquisition includes all four current Rhode Island-based locations, as well as the rights to expand and build new club locations throughout Rhode Island. This action complements the recent Freedom Boat Club acquisitions in the Northeast , including the New York City / Long Island and Connecticut territories. It furthers the company's plans to accelerate growth in tier one markets and leverage a consolidated footprint, creating regional super territories that provide operating efficiencies and enhance synergies for Brunswick. This transaction marks the fifth boat club acquisition made by Brunswick in 2021.

06:00 EST Ensign Group raises quarterly dividend to 5.5c per share - Payable on or before January 31, 2022, to shareholders of record as of December 31, 2021.

05:26 EST CooTek studio initiates development of metaverse game targeting female users - CooTek recently announced its long-term plan to build a metaverse, integrating its advantages in mobile games and online literature along with supports from multiple sources. Lejiu, a Shanghai-based game studio invested by CooTek, has initiated the development of a metaverse game, targeting female users.

05:17 EST Roche receives CE mark for cobas SARS-CoV-2 Qualitative test - Roche announced that its cobas SARS-CoV-2 Qualitative test has received CE mark for the use of saliva samples in the detection of SARS-CoV-2 on the widely available, high-throughput cobas 6800/8800 Systems. This non-invasive test is for any individual, including those suspected of COVID-19 and those without symptoms. Saliva sample collection represents a convenient testing approach for patients, who can easily self-collect their own samples.

05:12 EST Stellantis intends to create leasing group, captive finance arm - Stellantis has entered into exclusive negotiations with BNP Paribas Personal Finance, or BNPP PF, Credit Agricole Consumer Finance, or CACF, and Santander Consumer Finance, or SCF, aimed at better organizing Stellantis' current European financing landscape to bring financing activities to all Stellantis brand customers, dealers and distributors. Stellantis intends to: create a multi-brand operational leasing company in which Stellantis and CACF each hold a 50% interest, resulting from the combination of the Leasys and F2ML businesses and reorganize the financing activities through joint ventures set up with BNPP PF or SCF in each country to manage financing activities for all Stellantis brands. Consequently, it is intended that: CACF would acquire the 50% stakes in FCA Bank and Leasys Rent currently owned by Stellantis, on the understanding that these entities would continue to operate their financing activities with others carmakers primarily under existing and future White Label agreements; BNPP PF would operate financing activities through JVs with Stellantis in Germany, Austria and the UK in order to become Stellantis' exclusive partner for financing activities in these countries and SCF would operate financing activities through JVs with Stellantis in France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Poland, the Netherlands, and via a commercial agreement in Portugal, to become Stellantis' exclusive partner for financing activities in these countries. The relevant agreements could be signed in Q1 2022 upon completion of the information and consultation procedures with staff representative bodies regarding this plan. The proposed transactions should be completed during the first half of 2023 once the required authorization has been obtained from the relevant anti-trust authorities and market regulators.