Stockwinners Market Radar for January 28, 2022 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

18:28 EST Boot Barn CEO: Plenty of opportunities to grow the business - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, Jim Conroy said Boot Barn continues to be a fast growing company and the valuation will take care of itself over time. He is convinced the company can at least double or triple its store count. New stores in new markets are exceeding expectations, he added. Conroy is seeing a fair amount of same store sales from legacy clients, and noted that the Western customer is "hardly tapped out." Recently, the company has experienced growth in the oil patch, he said.

17:05 EST MMTEC receives noncompliance notification from Nasdaq - MMTEC announced that the company received a notification letter from the listings qualifications department of Nasdaq regarding a failure to meet Nasdaq's minimum bid price requirements. The notification letter informed the company that the minimum closing bid price per share for its common stock was below $1.00 for a period of 30 consecutive business days and that the company did not meet the minimum bid price requirement set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550. This press release is issued pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5810, which requires prompt disclosure of receipt of a deficiency notification. The notification letter has no immediate effect on the listing or trading of the company's common stock on Nasdaq.

16:44 EST Adtran says acceptance threshold met for Adva Optical deal - Adtran (ADTN) announced that as of the end of the initial acceptance period on January 26, the voluntary public takeover offer by Acorn HoldCo to all shareholders of ADVA Optical Networking SE (ADVOF) has been accepted by more than 60% of all shares of ADVA Optical Networking SE entitled to voting rights existing as of October 31, 2021, thus exceeding the required minimum acceptance threshold. The consummation of the offer remains subject to regulatory approvals.

16:25 EST Penn National says theScore 'hard at work' preparing for Ontario market opening - Penn National Gaming issued statements from President and CEO Jay Snowden and theScore CEO John Levy after the Ontario government's announcement that the Province will officially open the market for sports betting and iGaming to private operators on April 4, 2022. "Our team at theScore has been hard at work preparing for the Ontario market opening, which presents a significant business opportunity," said Jay Snowden, President and CEO of Penn National. "As Canada's preeminent digital sports media brand, theScore is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the introduction of the open and regulated internet gaming market in Ontario, its home territory. Launching theScore Bet in Ontario will mark an exciting expansion of our online gaming business into a major new market where we already have an established mobile sports media product in theScore app and a wide base of loyal users. Today's news is very exciting, and I would like to recognize and congratulate the government of Ontario and the AGCO and iGaming Ontario for their dedication to creating a modern open and regulated sports betting and iGaming market." "We commend the Ontario government for their tireless efforts throughout this process and are thrilled to now have a confirmed launch date," said John Levy, CEO, theScore. "The AGCO and iGaming Ontario have been thoughtful and collaborative in their approach to creating and managing this new industry, and the result is a soon-to-be-launched framework that will bring widespread benefits to Ontarians and establish Ontario as one of the biggest and most important regulated gaming markets in North America. We will be ready to launch theScore Bet in Ontario on April 4 and could not be more excited to finally offer our best-in-class mobile sports betting and iGaming experience to customers in our home province." Prior to offering sports betting and iGaming services in Ontario, theScore Bet must satisfy all regulatory requirements imposed by the AGCO and enter into a commercial agreement with iGaming Ontario. theScore Bet previously announced that it received Gaming Labs International certification for Ontario, evidencing gaming platform compliance with the Registrar's Standards for Internet Gaming which satisfied a key pre-launch requirement.

16:07 EST FNCB Bancorp announces 750,000 share repurchase plan - On January 26, FNCB's Board of Directors authorized a stock repurchase program under which up to 750,000 shares of FNCB's outstanding common stock may be acquired in the open market commencing no earlier than March 4 and expiring December 31, 2022 pursuant to a trading plan that may be adopted in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In 2021, the Board of Directors had authorized a similar program under which 330,759 common shares were repurchased. The 2021 plan expired on December 31, 2021.

16:05 EST SJW Group names Andrew Walters as CFO, James Lynch as CAO - The SJW Group (SJW) board of directors has appointed James Lynch as chief accounting officer and Andrew Walters as CFO. Peter Fletcher has been appointed vice president - information security officer of San Jose Water Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of SJW Group. The appointments were effective on Jan. 26. Lynch and Walters have both held previous officer positions at SJW Group. Lynch, who had served as the CFO and treasurer since 2010, has taken on the role of CAO. Walters, who had recently served as chief corporate development officer and an integration executive, has been with SJW Group since 2014. Prior to joining SJW Group, Walters was a managing director and senior investor for JP Morgan's (JPM) Infrastructure Investment Group.

15:12 EST Delta Air Lines cancels flights ahead of expected nor'easter - Delta teams proactively canceled flights throughout the weekend as the early innings of a nor'easter began to impact the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions, allowing customers to attend to their new travel bookings or make travel adjustments before arriving at the airport. Delta issued a fare difference waiver on Wednesday for those who may be impacted. Given the severity of the forecast snowfall and high velocity winds in New York City and Boston, Delta will suspend operations at LaGuardia, John F. Kennedy, Newark Liberty and Boston Logan airports Saturday through Sunday morning - as airfields and ground transportation infrastructure are expected to be impacted. Delta teams are focused on a safe and orderly restart of operations at these airports and others in the Northeast Sunday afternoon, depending on conditions. Delta has taken the following proactive cancellation actions for both Delta Mainline and Delta Connection flights. Sunday cancellations may increase, depending on the nor'easter's trajectory and conditions at airports and in cities: Friday, January 28: approximately 240 cancels of 4,500 total scheduled. Saturday, January 29: approximately 750 cancels of 3,500 total scheduled. Sunday, January 30: approximately 300 cancels of 4,400 total scheduled. Reference Link

15:03 EST Cincinnati Financial raises quarterly dividend 10% to 69c from 63c per share - The dividend is payable April 15 to shareholders of record as of March 18.

14:45 EST Zions Bancorp board approves Q1 share repurchase of up to $50M - Zions Bancorporation announced that its board of directors authorized a share repurchase for the first quarter of 2022 of up to $50M. The board also declared a regular quarterly dividend of 38c per common share, payable February 24 to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 17.

14:04 EST Union Pacific announces purchase of 10 battery-electric locomotives from Wabtec - Union Pacific Railroad (UNP) announced the purchase of 10 FLXdrive battery-electric locomotives from Wabtec (WAB). The new locomotives will be manufactured in the United States with the first units being delivered to Union Pacific in late 2023. "The order, which marks the largest investment in battery technology by a North American railroad, will upgrade Union Pacific's rail yard infrastructure and support its commitment to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions," Union Pacific stated.

13:50 EST Catalyst: Appeals court directs mandate in Catalyst's favor in FDA lawsuit - Catalyst Pharmaceuticals reported that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit has issued a mandate directing the District Court that heard Catalyst's claim against the FDA to enter summary judgment in favor of Catalyst in its lawsuit against the FDA, thereby vacating the FDA's approval of Ruzurgi, Jacobus Pharmaceutical Company's amifampridine product. Patrick J. McEnany, Catalyst's Chairman and CEO stated: "Catalyst's priority has always been, and will continue to be, to put patients' needs first, and we are well prepared to address their questions and do everything we can to ensure that ALL LEMS patients continue with uninterrupted access to amifampridine for treating their LEMS condition, whether through commercial access or compassionate use access for those who qualify. Our patient-focused Catalyst Pathways team stands ready to provide information to patients currently being treated with Ruzurgi on how best to transition to FIRDAPSE."

13:19 EST OneSmart announces resignation of Xi Zhang as CEO - In a regulatory filing, OneSmart International Education Group disclosed that on January 24, Xi Zhang resigned from his positions as the Chief Executive Officer of the company and as the chairman of the company's board of directors, effective immediately. "Xi Zhang's resigned for health reasons and is not as a result of any disagreement with the company relating to its operations, policies or practices," the company stated. Effective January 24, the board appointed Xiaoming Li as the CEO of the company and chairman of the board to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Xi Zhang. Also, on January 24, the company entered into certain securities purchase agreement with certain non-affiliated and accredited "non-U.S. Persons" as defined in Regulation S of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, pursuant to which the company agreed to sell 8,000,000,000 Class A ordinary shares at a per share purchase price $0.0035625, which is 90% of the average NYSE official closing price of the ADS divided by 1,000, the current conversion ratio of ADS, for the three trading days immediately preceding the execution of the SPA. The gross proceeds to the company from this offering will be approximately $30M and shall be used to fund the company's planned new business model and for general corporate use as previously outlined in the 6K filed January 5, the company said. The parties to the SPA have each made customary representations, warranties and covenants. The shares will be issued to purchasers upon satisfaction of all closing conditions, including NYSE's completion of its review of the supplemental listing application of the shares.

13:00 EST Baker Hughes reports U.S. rig count up 6 to 610 rigs

12:43 EST MiMedx announces dismissal of Carpenters Pension Fund class action suit - MiMedx announced that a federal court in Georgia has denied a motion to reconsider the dismissal of Carpenters Pension Fund of Illinois' putative class action lawsuit claiming that the company violated the federal securities laws. Today, U.S. District Judge William Ray II, a federal judge in the Northern District of Georgia, dismissed CPFI's lawsuit, the company said in a statement. Judge Ray ruled that he would not reconsider his decision and it remains to be seen whether the plaintiffs will appeal, MiMedx added.

12:22 EST OneSmart International Education Group Limited (Class A ADS) trading halted, news pending

12:16 EST Eli Lilly reports $1B investment in new manufacturing facility in North Carolina

12:00 EST AMTD International falls -8.8% - AMTD International is down -8.8%, or -35c to $3.61.

12:00 EST Fair Isaac rises 12.1% - Fair Isaac is up 12.1%, or $51.18 to $474.17.

12:00 EST Ciner Resources rises 16.0% - Ciner Resources is up 16.0%, or $2.62 to $18.92.

11:16 EST Applied DNA to deploy Linea 1.0 COVID-19 Assay for omicron subvariant - Applied DNA Sciences announced that its wholly-owned clinical laboratory subsidiary, Applied DNA Clinical Labs, intends to deploy its Linea 1.0 COVID-19 Assay, part of ADCL's Linea COVID-19 diagnostics and testing portfolio, for the rapid detection of samples containing a mutation profile that is indicative of the BA.2 subvariant of Omicron in COVID-19-positive samples.

10:26 EST P&F Industries trading resumes

10:01 EST KE audit committee says Muddy Waters claims 'not substantiated' - KE Holdings earlier today provided an update on the status of its internal review. As previously disclosed, shortly after the publication of a report issued by Muddy Waters Capital on December 16, 2021 the audit committee of the company consisting of three independent directors commenced an internal review into the key allegations raised in the Muddy Waters Report, with the assistance of third-party advisors including a law firm and forensic accounting experts. "The Internal Review is now substantially complete. Based on such Internal Review, the Audit Committee has concluded that the allegations in the Muddy Waters Report were not substantiated," KE said in a statement. Stanley Yongdong Peng, Chairman of the Board and CEO of KE stated, "We are pleased that the Audit Committee has substantially completed its internal review. The Company enshrines business integrity as one of its core values and DNA, and has a zero-tolerance policy towards commercial frauds. We remain confident about our strong business fundamentals, and will continue to focus on the overall service quality improvement and technological empowerment to our connected service providers, and strive to achieve our vision of providing quality housing related services to 300 million families in China."

10:00 EST Weave Communications falls -9.7% - Weave Communications is down -9.7%, or -88c to $8.20.

10:00 EST Banco Macro rises 9.2% - Banco Macro is up 9.2%, or $1.18 to $13.98.

10:00 EST Ciner Resources rises 11.6% - Ciner Resources is up 11.6%, or $1.90 to $18.20.

09:48 EST Pfizer granted marketing authorization for Lorviqua in Europe - Pfizer announced that the European Commission granted marketing authorization for LORVIQUA as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase- positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer previously not treated with an ALK inhibitor. The approval for the first-line use of LORVIQUA was based on the results of the pivotal Phase 3 CROWN trial, in which LORVIQUA reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 72% compared to XALKORI. As a secondary endpoint, the confirmed objective response rate was 76% with LORVIQUA and 58% with XALKORI. In patients with measurable brain metastases, 82% of patients in the LORVIQUA arm experienced an intracranial response, compared to 23% of XALKORI patients. The CROWN trial is a randomized, open-label, parallel 2-arm trial in which 296 people with previously untreated advanced ALK-positive NSCLC were randomized 1:1 to receive LORVIQUA monotherapy or XALKORI monotherapy. The EC approval of LORVIQUA follows a positive opinion from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use in December 2021. LORVIQUA is approved in the U.S. by the FDA under the brand name LORBRENA for the treatment of adults with metastatic NSCLC whose tumors are ALK-positive as detected by an FDA-approved test.

09:47 EST Natuzzi falls -11.7% - Natuzzi is down -11.7%, or -$1.34 to $10.13.

09:47 EST United States Natural Gas Fund rises 9.3% - United States Natural Gas Fund is up 9.3%, or $1.42 to $16.62.

09:47 EST Ciner Resources rises 15.0% - Ciner Resources is up 15.0%, or $2.44 to $18.75.

09:40 EST Indonesia Energy Corporation Limited trading resumes

09:35 EST Indonesia Energy Corporation Limited trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:17 EST Humacyte announces preclinical results of small-diameter HAV in CABG - Humacyte announced results from the first preclinical study of the use of Humacyte's small-diameter Human Acellular Vessel in coronary artery bypass grafting, which were presented at Advanced Therapies Week. The HAV maintained patency and exhibited host-cell remodeling and regeneration in a non-human primate model. CABG, performed approximately 400,000 times each year in the U.S., is a surgical procedure where a vascular graft is placed to bypass occluded coronary arteries and restore blood flow to the heart. Saphenous vein grafts are used in 80-90% of CABG procedures but have shown a 30% failure rate at one year. In the preclinical study, the 3.5mm HAVs were implanted into primates following ligation of the native right coronary artery, and the primates were studied for six months. The HAVs that have been examined to date, one being explanted at six months, remained patent and vascular host-cell repopulation was observed. The preclinical surgeries were performed by Alan P. Kypson, M.D., cardiothoracic surgeon, University of North Carolina Rex Hospital, and Adam Williams, M.D., cardiothoracic surgeon, Duke University, in collaboration with Duke's Division of Laboratory Animal Resources and Department of Surgery. Humacyte plans to evaluate the safety and efficacy of these small-diameter HAVs in additional preclinical primate CABG studies designed to support first-in-human clinical trials. The 3.5mm diameter HAV has smaller product dimensions but is manufactured using a similar process as Humacyte's 6mm HAV system currently being evaluated in advanced-stage clinical trials in vascular trauma, arteriovenous access for hemodialysis, and peripheral arterial disease. The production of the functional 3.5mm HAV is indicative of the potentially broad application of Humacyte's proprietary bioengineered tissue platform and manufacturing processes. Humacyte also presented preclinical data on the 3.5mm HAV in pediatric heart disease at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2021. The HAV is an investigational product candidate and is not currently approved for sale by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or any international regulatory authority.

09:09 EST Alerus Financial appoints Alan Villalon CFO - Alerus Financial (ALRS) announced that Alan Villalon has been named CFO and executive VP of the company. Villalon replaces Katie Lorenson, who transitioned to president and CEO effective January 1. Additionally, Jerrod Hanson has been named chief accounting officer and senior VP. Villalon is a strategic finance executive with over 25 years of experience in financial services. He most recently served as deputy director of investor relations and senior VP at U.S. Bank (USB).

09:08 EST VNET Group announces $250M investment from Blackstone - VNET Group (VNET) announced that funds managed by Blackstone Tactical Opportunities (BX) have agreed to make an investment in VNET by purchasing $250M of convertible notes. The Notes have a term of five years and carry interest at 2% per annum. The Notes are convertible into the Company's American depositary shares, each representing six Class A ordinary shares, at $11.00 per ADS, representing a premium of 35% to the latest closing price of $8.14 per ADS. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and the closing is expected to take place in early February.

09:08 EST Caesars launches its Sportsbook app in Louisiana - Caesars Entertainment announced its Caesars Sportsbook app is now accepting its first mobile sports bets in the Pelican State. Starting today, eligible sports fans can download the Caesars Sportsbook app, register, and deposit funds to take advantage of launch offers and special odds boosts on their favorite local teams.

09:05 EST Omniq's AI-based VRS technology to be installed in additional city in Georgia - OMNIQ announced that after the successful deployment of Q Shield vehicle recognition systems, VRS, technology in the City of Adrian, Georgia and its cloud based citation management platform to identify any vehicle driving through the city, which is on a National Crime Information Center, NCIC, data base or the Georgia Bureau of Investigations Database, GBI Database, and issues citations to scofflaws driving through the city with an expired registration or no insurance, it is now set to deploy Q Shield in another Georgia city. Q Shield, OMNIQ's VRS solution, will be installed in 3 different sites resulting in 9 lanes throughout the city to capture vehicle data, including license plate number, color, make, and model efficiently and accurately. Q Shield's technology will also be used to provide local law enforcement with timely alerts for any vehicle on a federal, state, and local law enforcement wanted list in addition to enforcing the violations above.

09:05 EST Inspira Technologies lists ART and ECLS system on FDA exempt list - Inspira Technologies that has listed a component of its ART and ECLS systems on the FDA Administration Class I 510 exempt list. The component is intended to reduce the potential complications associated with jugular vein cannula movement, occurring during a change of a patient's posture in bed and/or during transportation. The component can also be potentially utilized in the treatment of thousands of patients being treated each year by Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation. This component is expected to allow the medical staff a safer mobilization for the awake cannulated patients within and between hospitals and medical centers.

09:02 EST Peapack-Gladstone board authorizes 5% stock repurchase program - On January 27, 2022, the Company authorized a new 5% stock repurchase program of up to 920,000 shares. Purchases will be conducted in accordance with the limitations set forth in the SEC's Rule 10b-18.

08:48 EST Caterpillar says 'encouraged' by sales trends - Says freight costs higher than expected and production inefficiencies persist. Says demand outstripping supply. Says well positioned to increase production when supply chain pressures ease. Says end user demand for equipment remains strong, with exception of China. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

08:34 EST Vital Farms expands Stephanie Coon's role to SVP of People, Strategy - Vital Farms announced the expansion of Stephanie Coon's role to Senior Vice President, SVP, of People and Strategy. In this newly created role, Coon will lead Vital Farms' People function in addition to her current team which includes Strategy, Project Management, and New Ventures. Coon joined Vital Farms in August 2021.

08:28 EST Synchrony sees FY22 net charge-offs up from current levels - Sees continued strength in purchase volume in FY22. Sees FY22 net interest margin consistent with the second half of FY21. Sees FY22 CET1 ratio down by 62 basis points. Says sales per active account grew 18%. Says excited to launch Paypal savings in Q1. Says employee cost increase of $62M attributable to higher hourly wages and higher incentive compensation as 2020 was lower due to the pandemic. Comments and guidance taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

08:16 EST Former Deutsche Bank traders have Libor-rigging conviction overturned - Appeals from judgments entered in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York following a jury trial before Colleen McMahon, then-Chief Judge, convicting former Deutsche Bank traders Matthew Connolly and Gavin Black, the defendants, of wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. Section 1343 and conspiracy to commit wire fraud and bank fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. Section 1349, in connection with the London Interbank Offered Rate, LIBOR, and sentencing them principally to time-served and supervised release, including various periods in home confinement, and imposing monetary fines. On appeal, defendants contend principally that the trial evidence was insufficient to prove the falsity, materiality, or fraudulent intent elements of the offenses of which they were convicted. Cross-appeals by the government to challenge the sentences imposed, contending principally that the district court failed to determine the availability of adequate monitoring for one defendant's home confinement and that that failure could result in punishment inadequate to reflect the court's assessment of the defendants' relative culpability. The government failed to show that any of the trader-influenced submissions were false, fraudulent, or misleading. "Finding that the evidence was insufficient as a matter of law to permit a finding of falsity, we reverse the judgments of conviction and remand to the district courtfor entry of judgments of acquittal. The government's cross-appeals with regard to sentencing are thus moot," the court said. Reference Link

08:07 EST Nexstar increases quarterly cash dividend 29% to 90c per share - Nexstar announced that its board of directors approved a 29% increase in the quarterly cash dividend to 90c per share of its Class A common stock beginning with the dividend declared for Q1. The dividend is payable on Monday, February 28 to shareholders of record on Friday, February 11.

08:06 EST I-Mab announces partnership agreement with the Hangzhou Qiantang New Area - I-Mab announced the signing of a partnership agreement with the Hangzhou Qiantang New Area in China to manufacture its innovative drugs locally and accelerate its transition to commercialization. This strategic partnership will accelerate I-Mab's commercialization strategy with an execution plan and timeline to commercialize its innovative assets, including felzartamab, and meet unmet medical needs for patients in China. I-Mab Hangzhou has commenced pilot operation in phase I facility, which is equipped with process development and analytical laboratories and in parallel the construction of phase II facility with an 80,000-square-meter manufacturing floor space was completed in December 2021.

08:05 EST Eli Lilly to discontinue Phase 3 development program for OLUMIANT in lupus - Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) and Incyte (INCY) announced updates on the Phase 3 development program for OLUMIANT in adults with active systemic lupus erythematosus and the status of the U.S. atopic dermatitis supplemental new drug application. Based on top-line efficacy results from two pivotal Phase 3 trials, Lilly has decided to discontinue the Phase 3 development program for OLUMIANT in lupus. In SLE-BRAVE-I, the baricitinib 4-mg oral dose met the primary endpoint, demonstrating a statistically significant reduction in disease activity as measured by the proportion of adults with active lupus who achieved an SRI-4 response at Week 52 compared to placebo. The SLE-BRAVE-II study, which also studied adults with active lupus, did not meet the primary endpoint of SRI-4 response. "Key secondary endpoints were not met in either study. Safety findings from both lupus studies were consistent with previously published OLUMIANT data and did not impact our decision to discontinue the program. Lilly intends to analyze the totality of our lupus data to help inform our understanding of the disease and advance the science and intends to publish findings at a later date. Lilly is working with investigators to appropriately conclude the Phase 3 SLE long-term extension trial, SLE-BRAVE-X, which was designed to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of OLUMIANT over three years in adults who completed SLE-BRAVE-I or II."

08:03 EST HTG Molecular appoints Christopher Kiritsy to board of directors - HTG Molecular Diagnostics announced it has appointed biopharmaceutical industry veteran Christopher Kiritsy to its board of directors. Currently the Managing Member of Precision Kapital, Kiritsy co-founded Arisaph Pharmaceuticals and served as its President and Chief Executive Officer until 2018.

08:02 EST Huntington Ingalls appoints Chris Kastner as president, CEO - Huntington Ingalls Industries announced Thursday its board of directors elected COO Chris Kastner to become HII president and CEO, consistent with the company's succession plan. The board also elected president and CEO Mike Petters to become executive vice chairman of the board for a transition period. Both changes are effective March 1. P Starting March 1, Petters will support the leadership transition as executive vice chairman and will remain an HII employee through 2022, during which time he will continue to represent HII. Succeeding Petters as CEO, Kastner brings extensive leadership and program management experience. Kastner was promoted to his current COO position in February 2021, after serving as HII's executive vice president and chief financial officer since March 2016. His selection to succeed Petters is part of HII's multi-year succession planning process.

07:55 EST Mountain Crest Acquisition Corporation III trading halted, news pending

07:40 EST Werner, Cummins announce integration collaboration - Werner (WERN), a premier transportation and logistics provider, and Cummins (CMI) have announced that Werner will begin validation and integration of Cummins' recently announced 15-liter natural gas and 15-liter hydrogen internal combustion engines in its vehicles. Cummins will begin integrating these new powertrains in Werner trucks in the second half of 2022, starting with the 15-liter natural gas product.

07:35 EST Ameris Bancorp says focused on long-term growth in TBV - Says TBV decreased $1.20 per share in Q4. Says loan growth was driven by investor CRE and residential mortgages. Says has strong liquidity and continued funding opportunities. Comments taken from Q4 investor presentation slides.

07:32 EST First High-School Education says 'business operations are in normal progress' - First High-School Education Group, an education service provider primarily focusing on high schools in Western China, announced its voluntary update on company's business operations. "The company's board of directors is aware of the recent unusual fluctuations in the company's share price. The company's business operations are in normal progress and it operates relevant schools in accordance with applicable governing laws and regulations. As of the date of this announcement, the company is not aware of any potential changes in existing applicable laws and regulations that may have any material adverse impact on the business operations and prospects of the company. The company will continue to monitor the latest regulatory updates, and seek to comply with relevant laws and regulations in its business operations."

07:14 EST Emerita Resources provides recent drill results from IBW project - Emerita Resources is providing an update of its ongoing exploration programs in Spain. The exploration program has resumed at its wholly-owned IBW project with four diamond drills operating presently. Progress is being hindered both in the field and at the assay labs presently due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Presently, there are seven Emerita employees in quarantine. Thankfully, they are mildly symptomatic to asymptomatic and are expected to return in approximately one week. The assay laboratory has also informed the Company that due to multiple staff in quarantine the assay production will be slowed for a time. Infanta Drilling, Latest Results: Assay results for 11 DDH at the La Infanta deposit have been received. Mineralization at the Infanta Deposit occurs in two panels that partially overlap, as the mineralized horizon is repeated by a reverse fault. The South Block outcrops at surface and terminates at approximately 120m depth against the fault. In the North Block, the mineralization is uplifted but does not come to surface and it is open at depth. To date, the deepest hole drilled by Emerita is hole 32 which intersected mineralization in the North Block at 210 meters vertical depth. The mineralization in the South Block tends to be lower grade close to the reverse fault. Similarly in the North Block, the intercepts are wider and appear to be higher grade at depth moving away from the fault. Please see Figure 3 below which is a plan map showing diamond drill hole locations. The intercepts are also plotted on two separate longitudinal sections one for each block All holes intersected mineralization. Close to the reverse fault there may be some structural mixing with host rocks resulting in lower grades. The focus of the ongoing Infanta drilling for the coming months is to continue to extend the deposit by drilling to the west on both blocks and at depth on the North Block to generate a NI 43-101 mineral resource estimate.

07:11 EST Petrus Resources announces results of of well in North Ferrier - Petrus Resources is pleased to provide information on the results of the Company's recently drilled operated well in North Ferrier as well as an operational update. Petrus began execution of its Q4 2021 drilling program in November, which included drilling the Company's first operated well in North Ferrier. The well was drilled, completed and tested in early December before being tied-in and brought on production near the end of the year. The average initial production rate from this well over the first 30 days was 830 boe per day. This is a restricted rate due to infrastructure limitations and the flow is currently fixed at that rate. Given the estimated capability of the well and that it is currently being produced at a restricted rate, Petrus expects the production profile of this well to be flatter than other wells drilled in this area; meaning, it will have a shallower decline and will hold in at a higher production rate for longer than if it was being produced at its full capability. The well flows to a non-operated plant in which Petrus holds a working interest. We anticipate some of the constraints will be alleviated in the coming months, improving access to processing infrastructure and allowing for restrictions to be reduced or removed. The results of this well are an exciting development for Petrus, as it is the first 100% working interest well the Company has drilled in this area. The Company has a strong land position in North Ferrier and sees the area as having significant potential for long-term growth. Petrus will continue to evaluate the economics and operational conditions of this asset relative to other opportunities and prioritize capital investments accordingly. In December, two wells were drilled in Petrus' core area of Ferrier. The wells were completed and tested in late December and brought on production the first week of January. Both wells are currently on production and performing in line with expectations based on typical well performance in the area. Ferrier will continue to be the core area of focus for Petrus as the Company moves through 2022 and executes a $50-55 million dollar capital budget. Ownership and control of critical infrastructure makes the incremental cost of adding production in the area very low, which supports superior economic returns. The 2022 budget was contemplated using a price forecast of WTI at US$69.00/bbl, AECO gas price at $3.20/GJ and a foreign exchange rate of US$0.79. Under these pricing assumptions, through the successful execution of the 2022 capital budget, Petrus expects to: Drill 14 gross wells in Ferrier, with the majority of the program taking place in the last half of the year. Achieve a corporate 2022 exit production rate of 8,500 to 9,000 boe per day, a projected increase of 40-50% compared to 2021 average annual production. Generate $55-$60 million in annual funds flow, an anticipated 70-90% improvement compared to estimated 2021 results. Continue to reduce debt and further strengthen the Company's balance sheet.

07:09 EST Scotts Miracle-Gro announces extension of exchange offer - The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company announced that it has extended its registered exchange offer to exchange any and all of its $500,000,000 aggregate principal amount of 4.000% Senior Notes due 2031, which were issued in a private placement on March 17, 2021, for an equal principal amount of its 4.000% Senior Notes due 2031, which have been registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The exchange offer, which had been scheduled to expire at 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on January 27, 2022, will now expire at 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on February 3, 2022, unless further extended by the Company. All other terms, provisions and conditions of the exchange offer will remain in full force and effect. As of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on January 27, 2022, $475,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the outstanding 4.000% Senior Notes due 2031 had been tendered for exchange, representing 95.0% of the outstanding 4.000% Senior Notes due 2031.

07:08 EST Alliance Resource Partners increases cash distribution 25% to 25c per unit - Alliance Resource Partners announced that the board of directors of ARLP's general partner approved an increased cash distribution to its unitholders for the quarter ended December 31, 2021. ARLP unitholders will receive a cash distribution for the quarter of 25c per unit, payable on February 14 to all unitholders of record as of the close of trading on February 7, 2022. The announced distribution represents a 25% increase over the cash distribution declared of 20c per unit for the quarter ended September 30, 2021.

07:07 EST Amryt says EMA plans to seek independent EB advice for Oleogel-S10 assessment - Amryt announces that the European Medicines Agency plans to seek external independent Epidermolysis Bullosa specific expertise and advice on the assessment of Oleogel-S10 for the treatment of the cutaneous manifestations of Junctional and Dystrophic EB, a rare and distressing genetic skin disorder affecting young children and adults for which there is currently no approved treatment. The European Medicines Agency review process for Oleogel-S10 in EB is ongoing and Amryt has responded to outstanding questions. Given the rarity of the disease without any approved therapies, the EMA has proposed that an Ad-Hoc Expert Group, comprised of both EB clinical experts and patients with EB, be consulted to provide external and independent EB specific advice. The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use opinion is now anticipated in March 2022.

07:06 EST Charter reports Q4 total residential and SMB relationships up 120,000 - Fourth quarter total residential and small and medium business customer relationships increased by 120,000. As of December 31, 2021, Charter served a total of 32.1 million residential and SMB customers, with 939,000 net new customer relationships added in 2021. Fourth quarter total residential and SMB Internet customers increased by 190,000. As of December 31, 2021, Charter served a total of 30.1 million residential and SMB Internet customers, with 1.2 million total Internet customers added in 2021. Fourth quarter total residential and SMB mobile lines increased by 380,000. As of December 31, 2021, Charter served a total of 3.6 million mobile lines, with 1.2 million mobile lines added in 2021.

07:04 EST Regeneron, Sanofi announce voluntary withdrawal of sBLA for Libtayo - Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN) and Sanofi (SNY) announced the voluntary withdrawal of the supplemental Biologics License Application for Libtayo as a second-line treatment for patients with advanced cervical cancer. The decision was made after the companies and the U.S FDA were not able to align on certain post-marketing studies. Discussions with regulatory authorities outside of the U.S. are ongoing.

06:59 EST Colgate-Palmolive reports Q4 gross margin down 300 bps to 58.1%

06:57 EST Church & Dwight raises dividend 4% to 26.25c - The Company's Board of Directors declared a 4% increase in the quarterly dividend from 25.25c to 26.25 per share, equivalent to an annual dividend of $1.05 per share. This raises the annual dividend payout from $248M to approximately $255M. The quarterly dividend will be payable March 1st, 2022 to stockholders of record at the close of business on February 15th, 2022. This is the 26th consecutive year in which the Company has increased the dividend. The Company has paid a consecutive quarterly dividend for 121 years.

06:50 EST Merck says molnupiravir active against omicron variant in in vitro studies - Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics announced data from six preclinical studies demonstrating that molnupiravir, an investigational oral antiviral COVID-19 medicine, was active against the SARS-CoV-2 variant omicron in vitro. "The in vitro studies were independently conducted by researchers from institutions in six countries including Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, the Netherlands and the United States. The studies used established cell-based assays to evaluate the antiviral activity of molnupiravir and other COVID-19 antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, including Omicron. Molnupiravir has yet to be studied against Omicron in clinical studies," the company said. "These findings from multiple independent in vitro studies showing that molnupiravir has consistent antiviral activity against Omicron, the primary variant circulating globally, provide additional confidence in the potential of molnupiravir as an important treatment option for certain adults with mild to moderate COVID-19 who are at high risk for progressing to severe disease," added Dr. Dean Y. Li, president, Merck Research Laboratories. Merck is developing molnupiravir in collaboration with Ridgeback Biotherapeutics and it has been authorized for use in more than 10 countries, including in the United States, United Kingdom and Japan.

06:30 EST Amazon to shut down 'Sold by Amazon' after price-fixing investigation - On Wednesday, Washington State's Attorney General, AG, Bob Ferguson announced that, as a result of his office's price-fixing investigation, Amazon will shut down the "Sold by Amazon" program nationwide. The Attorney General's Office simultaneously filed a lawsuit and a legally binding resolution in King County Superior Court. As part of the legally enforceable consent decree, Amazon must stop the "Sold by Amazon" program nationwide and provide the Attorney General's Office with annual updates on its compliance with antitrust laws. In addition, Amazon will pay $2.25 million to the Attorney General's Office, which will be used to support the Attorney General's antitrust enforcement, which does not receive general fund support. The "Sold by Amazon" program allowed the online retailer to agree on price with third-party sellers, rather than compete with them. Ferguson's lawsuit asserted that the program violated antitrust laws. Amazon offered the "Sold by Amazon" program from 2018 through 2020 on an invitation-only basis. "Consumers lose when corporate giants like Amazon fix prices to increase their profits," Ferguson said. "Today's action promotes product innovation and consumer choice, and makes the market more competitive for sellers in Washington state and across the country." Reference Link

06:09 EST Tritium secures EV fast charger purchasing commitment from Electromin - Tritium DCFC has entered into an agreement with Electromin, a Saudi-owned company and provider of e-mobility solutions across the Middle East and Africa. This agreement comes on the heels of a pledge by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to have net zero carbon emissions by 2060 and increase the uptake of electric vehicles. Through the agreement, Electromin plans to purchase 200 of Tritium's DC fast chargers. As Electromin builds their network, this deal provides them with access to Tritium's award-winning RTM and newly released PKM150 fast chargers, designed for more cost-effective operations and infrastructure deployment.

06:05 EST SoftBank Group names Michel Combes CEO of SoftBank Group International

05:34 EST Teck Resources provides sales, production update - The company said, "Demand for our steelmaking coal remains strong and the FOB price has risen from US$356 per tonne at the end of December to US$445 per tonne. At the same time, record high clean coal inventories at our mines are expected to result in sales exceeding production by 1.2 - 1.5 million tonnes in 2022. The strong pricing environment and increased sales volumes should result in strong cash flow in the first half of 2022. Weather conditions have affected logistics. Since our last guidance update on December 5, 2021, weather conditions have continued to negatively affect infrastructure recovery efforts in B.C. Interruptions and substantial reductions to rail service and port activities persisted from mid-November into the first two weeks of January as extreme cold-weather conditions followed heavy rains and mudslides, which affected critical transportation corridors. The provincial state of emergency declared on November 17, 2021 was lifted on January 18, 2022. As a result, our realized fourth quarter steelmaking coal sales were 5.1 million tonnes, slightly below the low end of our previously revised guidance of 5.2 - 5.7 million tonnes. Our 2021 steelmaking coal production was 24.6 million tonnes, within our previously revised guidance of 24.5 - 25.0 million tonnes. Strong logistics chain performance leading up to the heavy rain events, including at our expanded Neptune port facility, resulted in historically low clean steelmaking coal inventories at our operations, mitigating impacts on production volumes. However, due to ongoing weather-related logistical challenges which have continued through January, clean steelmaking coal inventories at our mine sites are currently near record-high levels. Further transportation disruptions have the potential to require production cutbacks to manage inventory levels. CN and CP reported meaningful progress on recovery in mid-January, with demonstrable improvements to train fluidity last week. We expect to substantially recover delayed fourth quarter sales in the first half of 2022. Despite the fourth quarter impacts of rail and port disruptions on sales, 2021 unaudited adjusted site cash cost of sales1 and transportation costs are $65 and $44 per tonne, within our previous guidance ranges of $64 - $66 and $44 - $46 per tonne, respectively. Logistics challenges and inflationary pressures drove higher fourth quarter adjusted site cash cost of sales1 and transportation costs of $72 and $49 per tonne, respectively, above the upper range of our annual guidance. Increased costs in the fourth quarter were more than offset by continued strong prices. Realized steelmaking coal prices1 in the fourth quarter averaged US$351 per tonne. The increase in steelmaking coal prices from the third quarter further resulted in positive pricing adjustments of approximately $70 million."

05:26 EST Stellantis provides update on China business through DPCA joint venture - In 2021, Stellantis said it strengthened its business position in China laying a foundation for the company's long-term expansion. Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobile, or DPCA, the joint venture formed by Stellantis and China Dongfeng Motor Corporation, sold over 100,000 vehicles in 2021, more than doubling the annual sales volume of 2020. Of the more than 100,000 vehicles, around 9,300 new energy vehicles, or NEV, were sold, which has made DPCA a net contributor of NEV and CAFC credits of Stellantis in China. The turnaround allowed significant improvement of DPCA's financial situation, setting the stage for the new DPCA strategy.

05:22 EST Homology Medicines, Oxford Biomedica to establish AAV business in the U.S. - Oxford Biomedica and Homology Medicines announced that the companies have agreed to establish a Adeno-Associated Virus, or AAV, Manufacturing and Innovation Business in the U.S. As a result of the agreement, which is immediately accretive to the Oxford's revenue growth with contribution from Homology and future customer pipeline, Oxford Biomedica will establish a presence in the U.S. Oxford Biomedica Solutions will provide access to Homology's proven end-to-end manufacturing capabilities. Under the terms of the agreement, Oxford will pay Homology $130M upfront and invest $50M to fund Oxford Biomedica Solutions in return for an 80% ownership stake, while Homology will own 20% of the new company. Additionally, at any time following the three-year anniversary of the agreement, Oxford will have a call option to purchase, and Homology will have a put option to require Oxford to purchase, Homology's ownership interest in Oxford Biomedica Solutions.

05:16 EST Weyerhaeuser sees Q1 adjusted EBITDA slightly higher - The company said, "Weyerhaeuser expects first quarter earnings and Adjusted EBITDA will be slightly higher than first quarter 2021 due to an increase in real estate acres sold. The company anticipates full year 2022 Adjusted EBITDA for the segment will be approximately $300 million."

05:06 EST Fortuna Silver Mines reports fatality at Lindero Mine in Argentina - Fortuna Silver Mines reported that a fatality involving a worker employed by the company occurred yesterday at the Lindero Mine located in Salta, Argentina. The accident occurred at the conveyor stacking system and there were no other injuries associated with the incident. The company has notified the appropriate government and local authorities and an investigation to determine the cause of the accident is currently underway. Stacking activities at the heap leach pad have been temporarily suspended for approximately 48 hours and the operation is also taking a safety stop for a day.