Stockwinners Market Radar for July 27, 2023 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:01 EDT Community Healthcare raises quarterly dividend to 45.25c from 45c per share - The dividend is payable on August 25, 2023 to shareholders of record on August 11, 2023.

19:27 EDT Permian Resources exec sells $4.49M in common stock - In a regulatory filing, Permian Resources disclosed that its Chief Accounting Officer Brent Jenson sold 400K shares of common stock on July 26th in a total transaction size of $4.49M.

19:23 EDT Abercrombie & Fitch CEO sells $2.3M in common stock - In a regulatory filing, Abercrombie & Fitch disclosed that its CEO Fran Horowitz sold 60K shares of common stock on July 26th in a total transaction size of $2.3M.

18:29 EDT Blackstone CAO Payne sells 10,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Blackstone chief accounting officer David Payne disclosed the sale of 10,000 common shares of the company on July 26 at a price of $103.22 per share.

18:19 EDT Siga Technologies announces procurement orders of $138M for Oral and IV TPOXX - SIGA Technologies "announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services exercised procurement options for the delivery of approximately $113 million worth of oral TPOXX(R) treatment courses and approximately $25 million worth of IV TPOXX(R) treatment courses. SIGA expects to fully deliver approximately $113 million of oral TPOXX under this order in 2023 and expects to start delivering IV TPOXX under this order in 2024. Prior to delivery of IV TPOXX under this order, SIGA will be focused on fulfilling delivery obligations under a prior IV TPOXX order." Shares of Siga are up 22% afterhours at $6.20.

17:55 EDT Johnson & Johnson exec Fasolo sells 20,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Johnson & Johnson chief HR officer Peter Fasolo disclosed the sale of 20,000 common shares of the company on July 25 at a price of $170.3249 per share.

17:47 EDT Stanley Black & Decker increases dividend 1c to 81c per share - Stanley Black & Decker approved a 1c increase of its quarterly cash dividend to 81c per common share. The dividend is payable on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on Tuesday, September 5, 2023.

17:31 EDT Ford no longer expects to hit break-even on EVs in 2023 - Says 2023 tailwinds include improvement in supply chain and lower commodity costs.

17:24 EDT RTX awarded $175.05M Air Force contract - RTX has been awarded a $175.05M indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the B-2 Advanced High Frequency Radar Components and end items. This contract provides for overhaul and repair of the B-2 Advanced High Frequency Radar Components and end items. Work will be performed in El Segundo, California, and is expected to be completed by July 31, 2033. This contract was a sole-source acquisition. FY23 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $24.56M are being obligated at time of award. The Air Force Sustainment is the contracting activity.

17:23 EDT SLB CAO Guild sells 17,500 common shares - In a regulatory filing, SLB chief accounting officer Howard Guild disclosed the sale of 17,500 common shares of the company on July 27 at a price of $57.97 per share.

17:16 EDT U.S. Silica projects investing at high-end of FY23 CapEx guidance of $50M-$60M - Looking forward to the third quarter, the Company's two business segments remain well positioned in their respective markets. The Company has a strong portfolio of industrial and specialty products that serve numerous essential, high growth and attractive end markets, supported by a robust pipeline of new products under development. The Company also expects growth in its underlying base business, coupled with pricing increases. The oil and gas industry is progressing through a multi-year growth cycle. Constructive through-cycle commodity prices are supportive of an active well completions environment over the next few years. The Company has strong contractual commitments for its sand production capacity for this year and is maintaining pricing discipline despite the current, short-term decline in well completions activity. The Company remains focused on generating free cash flow and de-levering the balance sheet. It expects to produce significant operating cash flow in 2023, and projects investing at the high-end of capital expenditures guidance of $50-$60 million for the year.

17:14 EDT Ford plans to introduce new F-150 at Detroit Auto Show in September - Says Ford was America's number one brand in first half of 2023. Says best-seller F-150 grew at almost three times the rate of the overall pickup truck market. Sees quadrupling of hybrid sales over the next five years. Says plans to introduce new F-150 at the Detroit Auto Show in September. Says Ranger and Everest models outside North America are "backbone" of international business.

17:08 EDT 3D Systems targets August 4 for completion of merger talks with Stratasys - 3D Systems (DDD) announced a target date of August 4, 2023 for completion of due diligence and merger agreement discussions with Stratasys (SSYS). This would mark the culmination of efforts that commenced with the announcement on July 17, 2023 by the Board of Stratasys that the 3D Systems' binding offer of July 13, 2023 "would reasonably be expected to result in a 'Superior Proposal' as defined in Stratasys' merger agreement with Desktop Metal (DM)." With the conclusion of these efforts by Stratasys and 3D Systems on or about August 4, 3D Systems expects that Stratasys would be in a position to agree with Desktop Metal to terminate their agreement, 3D Systems would pay the termination fee that Stratasys will owe to Desktop Metal, and Stratasys and 3D Systems would execute a merger agreement. In addition, 3D Systems confirmed that the form and amount of merger consideration offered by 3D Systems on July 13 for each Stratasys share is the company's best and final proposal. The July 13 binding offer stated that each Stratasys share will convert into $7.50 in cash and 1.5444 shares of the combined company, representing ownership by the Stratasys shareholders, in the aggregate, of approximately 44% of the shares of the combined company, in addition to the approximately $540M of aggregate cash consideration being offered. 3D Systems remains poised and eager to resolve any comments that Stratasys may have on terms, other than the form and amount of merger consideration, set forth in the July 13 merger agreement that 3D Systems publicly filed with the SEC. Since July 17, the two management teams and their respective advisors have exchanged due diligence materials and held multiple meetings to discuss synergies, internal projections and otherwise confirm the attractiveness of a combination. Based on these exchanges and meetings, which remain ongoing, 3D Systems has now increased its initial projections and is confident that it will be able to deliver highly achievable cost synergies of at least $110M, compared to its prior estimates of $100M. The merger agreement that 3D Systems submitted on July 13 tracks the Desktop Metal merger agreement and contains a number of provisions for the benefit of Stratasys shareholders that are absent from the Desktop Metal merger agreement. These provisions were designed to improve certainty of closing and enhance Stratasys' ability to maximize value for shareholders, including a provision for the Stratasys Board to terminate the merger agreement to accept a superior proposal. As detailed in the registration statement on Form F-4 that Stratasys filed with the SEC, Stratasys completed its due diligence review of Desktop Metal in 14 days and, in parallel, completed negotiation of the merger agreement with Desktop Metal in seven days. Dr. Jeffrey Graves, President and CEO commented, "We are pleased that through these initial discussions, we have been able to increase our estimated cost synergies. The value of this combination is clear and our binding proposal represents a significant premium to Stratasys shareholders. Our job now is to move quickly to realize that value. It is now two weeks ago that the Stratasys Board determined that our binding offer is reasonably likely to result in a superior alternative to the Desktop Metal merger. We are fully committed to engaging with Stratasys to complete the reciprocal due diligence processes. In addition, we stand ready to hammer out a definitive agreement reflecting the form and amount of merger consideration that served as the basis for the Stratasys Board determination two weeks ago. We believe that we can complete these processes in another eight days at most, and have set August 4 as a target date."

17:05 EDT Belite Bio doses first subject in pivotal Phase 3 PHOENIX trial - Belite Bio announced that, in its pivotal Phase 3 "PHOENIX" trial for subjects with GA, the first subject has been dosed at the Retina Associates of Southern California, a clinical trial site in the United States. "We are pleased to have successfully dosed the first subject in the Phase 3 PHOENIX trial for GA. GA is a chronic, and progressive condition that ultimately leads to blindness. Predominantly affecting an elderly population, the unmet need remains high with no currently FDA-approved oral or non-invasive treatments for GA," said Dr. Tom Lin, Belite's Chairman and CEO. "The encouraging data in our Phase 2 trial for STGD1, which shares similar pathophysiology as GA, supports the potential for Tinlarebant to change the treatment paradigm for GA, as the first oral treatment that can reduce disease progression."

16:59 EDT Vornado to sell four Manhattan properties and The Armory Show for $124.4M - Vornado has entered into an agreement to sell four Manhattan retail properties located at 510 Fifth Avenue, 148 - 150 Spring Street, 443 Broadway and 692 Broadway and that it has sold The Armory Show in New York for a combined sales price of $124.4M. The sale of the four retail properties is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in Q3. The combined impact of the two transactions will be an approximately $20M gain, which will be recognized in Q3.

16:52 EDT Baker Hughes increases quarterly cash dividend to 20c per share - Baker Hughes announced that the Baker Hughes board of directors declared an increased quarterly cash dividend of 20c per share of Class A common stock payable on Aug. 18 to holders of record on Aug. 8. The dividend increase reflects a 5.3% growth rate, or 1c over the previous quarter's dividend and an 11.1% increase, or 2c, compared to the same quarter last year.

16:51 EDT Boise Cascade raises quarterly dividend 33% to 20c per share - Boise Cascade Company's board of directors has declared a quarterly dividend of 20c per share, an increase of 5c per share or 33%, to holders of its common stock. The dividend will be paid on September 15, 2023 to stockholders of record on September 1, 2023.

16:39 EDT Sleep Number falls 23% to $29.75 after Q2 revenue miss, updated FY23 guidance

16:37 EDT Intel jumps 6% to $36.69 after Q2 earnings beat

16:36 EDT TopBuild to acquire SPI in all-cash transaction valued at $960M - TopBuild has entered into an agreement to acquire Specialty Products & Insulation, SPI, in an all-cash transaction valued at $960 million. SPI is a portfolio company of Incline Equity Partners. TopBuild plans to fund this $960 million transaction with a new $550 million Term Loan A and cash on hand. The Company's net debt to pro forma adjusted EBITDA is expected to be approximately 2.0 times, based on March 31, 2023, trailing twelve months pro forma results. As a result of the transaction, TopBuild will benefit from a $90 million tax asset. Robert Buck, President and Chief Executive Officer of TopBuild, stated, "The acquisition of SPI is highly strategic for TopBuild, accelerating Specialty Distribution's growth and enhancing our leadership position in the very diverse and fragmented insulation industry. SPI has a broad customer base, an experienced and talented operating team, and a fabrication footprint complementary to our current mechanical insulation business. In addition, SPI generates significant recurring revenue from industrial maintenance and repair. When combined with our Specialty Distribution business today, we estimate recurring revenue will account for approximately one third of the segment's overall revenue stream."

16:36 EDT Archrock boosts quarterly dividend by 3% to 15.5c per share - Archrock declared an increased quarterly dividend of 15.5c per share of common stock, or 62c per share on an annualized basis. The Q2 dividend will be paid on August 15, to all stockholders of record on August 8. The Q2 dividend per share amount represents an increase of 3% over the Archrock Q1 dividend level. "Archrock remains committed to creating long term value and returning capital to our shareholders, including through a competitive, growing and well-covered dividend," the company said.

16:34 EDT Accenture names Manish Sharma CEO - Accenture announced the following leadership appointments, effective September 1, 2023: Manish Sharma, Accenture's Chief Operating Officer, will become Chief Executive Officer - North America. Sharma succeeds Jimmy Etheredge, who is retiring after an outstanding nearly-38-year career with Accenture. Etheredge will step down as of August 31 and become an advisor for a transition period. John Walsh, Accenture's Chief Strategic Accounts & Global Sales Officer, will become Accenture's Chief Operating Officer. Steve Ferneyhough, Accenture's Lead - Sales, Europe, will become Chief Strategic Accounts & Global Sales Officer. Paul Daugherty, Accenture's Group Chief Executive - Technology & Chief Technology Officer, will become Chief Technology & Innovation Officer. Karthik Narain, Accenture's Lead - Accenture Cloud First, Data & AI, will become Group Chief Executive - Technology. In their new roles, Sharma, Walsh, Ferneyhough, Daugherty and Narain will serve as members of Accenture's Global Management Committee. As Chief Executive Officer - North America, Sharma will be responsible for Accenture's largest geographic market, which generated $29B in revenues in FY22, and will be responsible for delivering on the promise of technology and human ingenuity for Accenture's clients, people, shareholders, partners and communities. Sharma, who joined Accenture in 1995 in its strategy practice, currently serves as the company's Chief Operating Officer, and before that, was Group Chief Executive - Operations, for which North America was the largest market. He has a proven track record of creating business value for global clients, enabled by tech, data and AI, and has personally engaged with some of the company's largest clients, including many in North America.

16:32 EDT CBRE Group names Banke Odunaike chief culture officer - CBRE Group announced the promotion of two accomplished leaders to senior executive roles. Chad Doellinger has been promoted to General Counsel. Mr. Doellinger was a senior member of the CBRE legal group from May 2020 to April 2023, before being promoted to Chief Transformation Officer earlier this year. He previously served as Legal Chief Operations Officer and Deputy General Counsel overseeing litigation, intellectual property and other areas. His prior experience includes serving as Head of Complex Litigation for Walmart. The company has decided to move the General Counsel role to Dallas. Larry Midler, CBRE's current General Counsel, decided to step down rather than relocate to Dallas. He will remain with the company in a consulting capacity through mid-2024. Banke Odunaike has been promoted to Chief Culture Officer, a new position. In her new role, Ms. Odunaike will support the effort to advance CBRE's already-strong culture with an initial focus on oversight of four areas: i) Ethics & Compliance ii) Diversity across multiple dimensions globally, iii) senior leadership talent identification and development, and iv) succession planning, working in partnership with the CBRE People team on the latter two activities. Ms. Odunaike has been a member of CBRE's legal group since 2017, rising to the top position overseeing all legal matters across EMEA and APAC for the Advisory Services business segment.

16:30 EDT ChargePoint secures $150M revolving credit facility - ChargePoint announced a new credit agreement which provides for a $150 million revolving credit facility led by J.P. Morgan Chase Bank as Administrative Agent and Joint Lead Arranger, HSBC Innovation Banking as Joint Lead Arranger, and both Citi and Goldman Sachs as Documentation Agents.

16:28 EDT Nu Skin names James Thomas as CFO - Nu Skin Enterprises announced the appointment of James Thomas as executive vice president and CFO. Thomas has been serving as interim CFO for the past four months and has been the company's chief accounting officer for the past four years. Thomas joined Nu Skin in 2010 and has served as interim CFO since April 2023 and as chief accounting officer since 2019.

16:27 EDT United Insurance announces name, ticker change to American Coastal Insurance - United Insurance Holdings Corp. announced that it has changed its corporate name to 'American Coastal Insurance Corporation.' The Company will begin trading on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol 'ACIC', prior to market open on August 15, 2023. The new ticker replaces the current ticker symbol 'UIHC,' which has been used since the Company's formation and initial public offering on the over-the-counter (OTC) market in 2007, and subsequent listing on The Nasdaq Capital Market in 2012. The rebranding follows the expanded emphasis on AmCoastal's commercial residential business and marks the evolution of its business. "This year has been transformational for our company, employees and the customers we serve," said Mr. R. Daniel Peed, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. "The rebranding honors the heritage and credibility of AmCoastal throughout our overall mission and values. AmCoastal is a leader in the industry with the number one market share in Florida commercial residential condominium associations. With our deep underwriting experience and expertise in this niche market, we believe we are well-positioned to drive continued profitable operations."

16:24 EDT GameStop announces resignation of CFO Diana Saadeh-Jajeh - GameStop Corp. announced that Diana Saadeh-Jajeh, its CFO, will be resigning from her role on August 11. The company will be appointing Daniel Moore as its Principal Accounting Officer and interim Principal Financial Officer, effective as of August 11.

16:23 EDT Republic Services raises quarterly dividend to 53.5c per year - Republic Services announced that its Board of Directors has approved a 4c increase in the company's regular quarterly dividend. The quarterly dividend of 53.5c per share will be paid on October 13 to shareholders of record on October 2.

16:14 EDT Mettler-Toledo sees increased uncertainty for remainder of 2023 - The company said, "As we look to the remainder of 2023, there is increased uncertainty in the global economy and our end markets, and we continue to face challenging sales growth comparisons. Market demand in China has deteriorated sharply, and we expect reduced sales during the remainder of 2023. We remain confident in the factors we can control, including executing on our best-in-class sales and marketing programs and our margin expansion and proactive cost savings initiatives. Our team remains very agile in adapting to changing market conditions, and I am confident that our efforts will deliver good financial results this year in a more challenging business environment."

16:12 EDT Roku jumps 10% to $75 after Q2 results

16:11 EDT Roku reports Q2 active accounts at 73.5M - Roku reports Q2 Active Accounts were 73.5 million, a net increase of 1.9 million Active Accounts from Q1 20235. Streaming Hours were 25.1 billion, up 4.4 billion hours YoY . Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) was $40.67 (trailing 12-month basis), down 7% YoY. For the first time, The Roku Channel was 1.1% of total U.S. TV viewing in May.

16:09 EDT First Solar jumps 7% to $212.03 after Q2 beat

16:08 EDT Homology Medicines announces initial data from pheEDIT trial - Homology Medicines announced initial clinical data from the first dose cohort in the pheEDIT Phase 1, dose-escalation trial evaluating gene editing candidate HMI-103 in adults with classical phenylketonuria, or PKU, the most prevalent and severe form of the disease. As of the data cut-off date of July 26, HMI-103 has been generally well-tolerated in all three participants. Participant 1 experienced a reduction in plasma phenylalanine levels to below the U.S. American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics PKU treatment guideline threshold of less than 360 micromol/L*, and the majority of Phe levels have been below 360 micromol/L through 31 weeks post-dose, including after the initiation of dietary protein supplementation. Participant 2 has experienced a meaningful plasma Phe reduction of 49% at 17 weeks post-dose. Participant 3 was recently dosed. HMI-103 is a nuclease-free gene editing candidate for PKU designed to harness the body's natural DNA repair process of homologous recombination to insert a functional gene and liver-specific promoter, and to increase PAH with episomal expression in all transduced liver cells. HMI-103 was administered to participants via a one-time intravenous infusion at a dose of 6E13 vg/kg. As of the data cut-off date of July 26, HMI-103 has been generally well-tolerated by all three participants with no serious adverse events, or SAEs, and the majority of treatment-related adverse events, or AEs, have been mild. All liver function tests have remained in the normal range during the prophylactic immunosuppression regimen incorporating the T-cell inhibitor tacrolimus in combination with corticosteroid. At baseline, Participant 1's plasma Phe level was 781 +/- 145 micromol/L, an average of five readings during the Screening and Run-in period while on a stable, Phe-restricted diet. Following HMI-103 administration, and while on a Phe-restricted diet, the participant experienced a rapid and clinically meaningful plasma Phe reduction of 55% change from baseline and below the ACMG PKU treatment guideline threshold of 360 micromol/L. At 14 weeks post-dose, Participant 1 achieved a plasma Phe reduction of 98% change from baseline and, at that time, supplemental protein was added to the diet per protocol, based on plasma Phe levels of less than30 micromol/L. After dietary protein supplementation, the majority of Participant 1's plasma Phe levels have remained below 360 micromol/L, with a plasma Phe reduction of 59% change from baseline at 31 weeks post-dose. Participant 2's baseline plasma Phe level was 1,506 +/- 173 micromol/L. Following HMI-103 administration, the participant experienced variable plasma Phe levels, potentially due to self-liberalized and variable protein intake, including above baseline diet, and has achieved a meaningful plasma Phe reduction of 49% from baseline at 17 weeks post-dose. Participant 3's baseline plasma Phe level was 1,492 +/- 93 micromol/L. Participant 3 was recently dosed, and plasma Phe values are currently above baseline; however, the company believes additional data are needed to make a meaningful conclusion given the timeframe and the participant's self-liberalized and variable dietary protein intake to above baseline diet.

16:08 EDT Walgreens Boots Alliance CFO Kehoe to leave company - Walgreens Boots Alliance announced the departure of James Kehoe, Executive Vice President and Global Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Kehoe will leave WBA in mid-August to pursue an opportunity in the technology sector. Manmohan Mahajan, Senior Vice President, Global Controller, has been named Interim Global Chief Financial Officer while the company conducts a search to fill the role with a leader who not only brings deep financial acumen to WBA, but also healthcare experience. Chief Executive Officer, Rosalind Brewer, acknowledged Kehoe's impact on the company saying, "James has been a valuable member of my executive leadership team and has made significant contributions over his five years with the company. As we articulated the future vision of Walgreens Boots Alliance to become a leading healthcare company, James helped build a strong Finance organization. We wish him well in his next role."

16:05 EDT First Solar to build fifth manufacturing facility in U.S. - First Solar announced its intention to build a fifth manufacturing facility in the United States, investing up to $1.1B in further expanding capacity to produce its own photovoltaic solar modules. "The planned fully vertically integrated facility, the location of which is yet to be determined, is expected to grow the company's nameplate manufacturing capacity by 3.5 gigawatts to reach approximately 14 GW in the US and 25 GW globally in 2026," the company said in a statement.

16:03 EDT South State raises quarterly dividend to 52c from 50c per share - The dividend is payable on August 18 to shareholders of record as of August 1.

16:02 EDT Data I/O sees double-digit revenue growth in FY23 - The company provided a financial outlook for 2023 upon reporting year end 2022 results. The second quarter 2023 financial results affirm the improved visibility and ongoing strength in the Company's primary end markets. For 2023, the Company now expects: Double-digit revenue growth for the year, consistent with the long-term double-digit semiconductor growth rate in the automotive electronics industry; Gross margins to be in the mid-to-high 50% range for the year; and Operating expenses for the year to be higher than 2022 primarily due to increased R&D spending, sales commissions, variable compensation and currency effects.

15:22 EDT S&P Global Ratings upgrades issuer credit rating on Meritage to 'BBB-' - S&P Global Ratings said: "Meritage Homes Corp.'s S&P Global Ratings-adjusted net debt leverage remains below 1x, even amid economic slowdown and contraction in demand from elevated mortgage rates. We expect U.S. homebuilder MTH to maintain profitable growth over the next few years, with S&P Global Ratings estimating the company will generate over $5 billion of total revenue in fiscal year 2023. We upgraded our issuer credit rating on Meritage to 'BBB-' from 'BB+' with stable outlook. We also raised our issue-level ratings on Meritage's senior unsecured notes to 'BBB-' from 'BB+'. The stable outlook reflects our expectation for S&P Global Ratings-adjusted net debt leverage of around 1x as the increasing cash cushion provides further support to maintain financial policies and credit quality over the next 12 months."

13:53 EDT MGIC Investment raises quarterly dividend 15% to 11.5c per share - MGIC Investment Corporation announced that its board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of 11.5c per share, an increase of 15% from the last quarterly dividend paid of 10c per share. This quarter's dividend will be payable on August 24 to shareholders of record as of August 10, the company stated.

13:39 EDT SoundHound down 11% after Culper accusations in short report - SoundHound shares are down 28c, or 11%, to $2.18 in afternoon trading.

13:31 EDT MGM Resorts appoints Daniel Yang as chief customer, innovation officer - MGM Resorts announced the appointment of Daniel Yang as Chief Customer & Innovation Officer. In this newly constituted role, Yang will lead and advance the company's global consumer success strategy, with a focus on maximizing growth and profitability at the intersection of digital technology and the guest experience. Yang joins MGM Resorts from Aristocrat Leisure Limited where he served as the company's Chief Strategy Officer responsible for driving corporate strategy, long-range planning, and corporate development.

12:48 EDT Sony's PlayStation 5 sells over 40M units since November 2020 launch - Sony said that the PlayStation 5 has surpassed 40M units sold since its launch in November 2020. Reference Link

12:37 EDT Westamerica increases quarterly dividend to 44c per share - The Board of Directors of Westamerica Bancorporation declared a quarterly cash dividend of 44c per share on common stock outstanding to shareholders of record at the close of business August 7, 2023. The dividend is payable August 18, 2023. Chairman, President and CEO David Payne stated, "This increase in the quarterly dividend recognizes Westamerica's reliable earnings stream, financial strength and conservative risk profile."

12:02 EDT Kroger Delivery expands in Kentucky - The Kroger Co. announced the official opening of a new spoke in Independence, Kentucky. The spoke facility is located in Independence, Kentucky and will work in conjunction with the Monroe, Ohio fulfillment center. All orders are picked at the products' peak freshness within the Monroe facility. Associates carefully assemble orders and place them in climate-controlled vehicles to travel to Independence. Once the orders arrive, they are checked and placed on refrigerated delivery trucks that deliver directly to customers' doors, ensuring cold and frozen products remain at the perfect temperature from the supplier to the customer's refrigerator. The facility will employ nearly 100 associates and currently employs more than 70.

12:00 EDT Oil States falls -14.3% - Oil States is down -14.3%, or -$1.26 to $7.53.

12:00 EDT QuantumScape rises 23.1% - QuantumScape is up 23.1%, or $2.17 to $11.54.

12:00 EDT Tupperware Brands rises 67.9% - Tupperware Brands is up 67.9%, or $1.29 to $3.19.

11:36 EDT OKYO Pharma appoints William Clementi as COO - OKYO Pharma announced that it has appointed William Clementi, Pharm.D., FCP as COO. Mr Clementi will formally take up the COO role effective September 1, 2023. Clementi previously served at Synthelabo and the U.S. affiliate Lorex Pharmaceuticals, where he held the Worldwide Director of Market Development position.

11:15 EDT Essential Utilities' Aqua Pennsylvania acquires Shenandoah Water System for $12M - Essential Utilities announced its Aqua Pennsylvania subsidiary completed the purchase of the Municipal Authority of the Borough of Shenandoah water system for $12M. MABS serves approximately 3,000 customers in Schuylkill County, PA. Parts of the Shenandoah system's water infrastructure date back to the 1800s. MABS currently has $5.5M in debt and the system deals with frequent outages and main leaks. Water loss is estimated at some 60 percent. Essential plans to invest more than $23M in MABS over the next 10 years, including $10M to replace water mains. The infrastructure improvements promise system-wide cost savings over time by: increasing reliability and reducing water loss; improving water quality; improving operational efficiency and environmental performance. All full-time MABS employees were offered employment at Aqua, after completing the company's standard hiring process.

11:04 EDT Biohaven: FDA won't review NDA application for troriluzole - Biohaven earlier announced that regarding its SCA program, the FDA informed Biohaven that it would not review the recently submitted NDA application for troriluzole given that the study's primary endpoint was not met and thus, would not permit a substantive review. The communication from the FDA indicated that the Company may request a Type A meeting within 30 days. Biohaven is committed to working closely with the FDA to bring troriluzole to people with SCA3 as quickly as possible given no therapy is currently approved for this ultra-rare genetic disorder and is requesting a Type A meeting to comprehensively address FDA's concerns cited in the refusal to file letter. Any updates regarding the Type A meeting will be provided subsequent to the upcoming regulatory interaction. Shares of Biohaven are down nearly 27% to $17.53.

10:25 EDT UroGen Pharma trading resumes

10:23 EDT Universe Pharmaceuticals to effect 6-for-1 share consolidation - Universe Pharmaceuticals announced that the Company plans to effect a share consolidation of six ordinary shares with par value of $0.003125 per share each in the Company's issued and unissued share capital into one ordinary share with par value of $0.01875. As a result of the Share Consolidation, each six pre-consolidation ordinary shares outstanding will automatically combine and convert to one issued and outstanding ordinary share without any action on the part of the shareholders. The Share Consolidation will be effective at 5:00 p.m. Cayman Islands time on July 27, 2023. Beginning with the opening of trading on July 28, 2023, U.S. Eastern time, the Company's ordinary shares will begin trading on a post-Share Consolidation basis on the Nasdaq Global Market under the same symbol "UPC" but under a new CUSIP number of G9442G 112. No fractional shares will be issued in connection with the Share Consolidation. All fractional shares will be rounded up to the whole number of shares. Immediately following the Share Consolidation, the authorized share capital of the Company will be $3,125,000 divided into 150,000,000 ordinary shares, par value $0.01875 per share and 16,666,666.6666 preferred shares, par value $0.01875 per share.

10:12 EDT Accenture announces acquisition of Strongbow Consulting - Accenture has acquired Strongbow Consulting, a data-driven strategic advisory firm. Strongbow Consulting's team of approximately 60 professionals is joining Accenture's Technology Strategy & Advisory practice, the company said in a statement. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

10:10 EDT Mitsubishi UFJ appoints Alla Whitson as CIO, Americas - Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group announced that Alla Whitston has joined as Chief Information Officer for the Americas and Matt Abrusci has joined as General Counsel for the Americas. Whitston is responsible for all IT strategy, infrastructure, architecture, and technology systems for all corporate and business functions within the company. As General Counsel, Abrusci is responsible for the overall management of legal affairs and board of directors administration related to MUFG's combined operations in the Americas. Whitston most recently served as the Chief Information Officer for Silicon Valley Bank/First-Citizens Bank, leading the Global Commercial Bank and Capital divisions. Most recently, Abrusci served as the Global Head of the Capital Markets Law Group of the Royal Bank of Canada.

10:05 EDT First Hawaiian Bank selects Q2 PrecisionLender for lending business - Q2 Holdings (QTWO) announced that First Hawaiian Bank, the principal subsidiary of First Hawaiian (FHB), has selected Q2 PrecisionLender, Q2's premier relationship pricing and profitability solution, to optimize client relationships, enhance internal team collaboration and drive more profitable deals.

10:01 EDT Interactive Brokers to raise interest rates to 4.83% on instantly available cash - Interactive Brokers announced that clients are expected to earn up to 4.83% on instantly available cash balances over $10,000. "Interactive Brokers offers a simple Cash Management solution so clients can oversee their finances from a single account," said Steve Sanders, EVP of Marketing and Product Development, at Interactive Brokers. "With our all-in-one approach, clients can earn and borrow at superior rates, make routine transactions and also trade across products and markets, without maintaining multiple accounts and services."

10:00 EDT Oil States falls -16.7% - Oil States is down -16.7%, or -$1.47 to $7.32.

10:00 EDT Celestica rises 20.5% - Celestica is up 20.5%, or $3.38 to $19.84.

10:00 EDT North American Construction rises 31.9% - North American Construction is up 31.9%, or $6.03 to $24.91.

09:49 EDT Barnes Aerospace partners with Blue Raven Solutions - Barnes Aerospace is pleased to announce an agreement to partner with Blue Raven Solutions. The two businesses entered a U.S. military Aftermarket distribution agreement for Barnes Aerospace products. This agreement helps Barnes Aerospace grow its U.S. military Aftermarket business through Blue Raven Solutions' tech-enabled, scalable supply chain solutions across various platforms that support the warfighter, the nation, and commercial customers. Under the terms of the agreement, Barnes Aerospace appointed Blue Raven Solutions as an exclusive distributor of Barnes Aerospace products directly to the DLA Aviation, DLA Land and Maritime, DLA Troop Support divisions, and all other U.S. military agencies for Aftermarket sales. Barnes Aerospace will maintain its existing contracts and relationships with the OEM customers and, indirectly, the U.S. military agencies. Barnes Aerospace is a business of Barnes.

09:47 EDT Oceaneering falls -12.8% - Oceaneering is down -12.8%, or -$3.03 to $20.61.

09:47 EDT Biohaven falls -16.0% - Biohaven is down -16.0%, or -$3.80 to $20.00.

09:47 EDT QuantumScape rises 14.8% - QuantumScape is up 14.8%, or $1.39 to $10.76.

09:45 EDT UroGen Pharma trading halted, news pending

09:41 EDT ATI Physical Therapy, Genie Health partner to create hybrid-care model - ATI Physical Therapy announced a strategic partnership with Genie Health. At full maturity, the goal of the partnership is to create a hybrid-care model linking nationwide virtual physical therapy with hands-on care in more than 900 clinics in 24 states. The partnership is expected to expand ATI's digital care capabilities that have delivered 150,000 telehealth visits for more than 12,500 patients since 2020. The combined platform will add computer vision-driven remote monitoring through Genie Health's innovative MSK healthcare platform, which is rooted in AI. The first phase of the relationship will enable ATI to deploy a hybrid model of healthcare, delivering remote monitoring services alongside its nationwide telehealth and in-office therapy network of practices. ATI specializes in physical therapy, workers' compensation rehabilitation, employer worksite solutions, sports medicine, and a variety of specialty therapies.

09:38 EDT NovoCure trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:37 EDT MasterCard sees consumer spending, travel recovery remaining resilient

09:31 EDT Udemy appoints Prasad Raje as CPO - Udemy has appointed Prasad Raje as Chief Product Officer, effective August 14. In the newly created role, Raje will report directly to Udemy President and CEO Greg Brown and will oversee the design/user experience and product management as the company continues to scale globally, with a focus on accelerating the delivery of innovative, personalized and engaging immersive learning experiences across the platform. He was most recently Chief Product Officer at Outreach, where he created a unique Sales Execution Platform for creating and closing pipeline.

09:22 EDT MasterCard: Business fundamentals remain strong, consumer spending 'healthy'

09:17 EDT Smart for Life enters distribution agreement with Boxout - Smart for Life announced that it has entered into a distribution agreement with Boxout, a national distributor of medical, rehabilitation, and health & wellness products, for nationwide distribution of the Company's proprietary Sports Illustrated Nutrition products through Boxout's distribution channels to sports and fitness chains across North America. "Smart for Life is excited to announce our agreement with Boxout for the distribution of Sports Illustrated Nutrition products in gyms and spas across the United States," stated Darren Minton, Chief Executive Officer of Smart for Life. "Boxout works with over 1,300 leading brands and we are thrilled to partner with them to include Sport Illustrated Nutrition in their distribution offering. More specifically, we will be distributing the Sports Illustrated Nutrition products through Boxout's Elivate division, which focuses on the industry's leading fitness clubs and gyms, serving locations nationwide."

09:15 EDT Asensus Surgical trading resumes

09:13 EDT Cutera appoints Taylor Harris as CEO - Cutera announced that Taylor Harris has been appointed CEO, effective August 7. Harris will succeed Sheila Hopkins, who has been serving as interim CEO since April. Harris and Hopkins will both continue serving as members of Cutera's board of directors. Harris joined Cutera's board in June. He most recently served as senior VP and CFO of MyoKardia.

09:11 EDT Great Lakes signs first rock supply subcontract with Carver Sand & Gravel - Great Lakes Dredge & Dock (GLDD) announced the signing of the first ever subcontract for procurement of rock for a U.S. offshore wind farm with Carver Sand & Gravel, a U.S. quarry in the state of New York. Through this subcontract, Great Lakes will use rock produced in the State of New York to provide scour protection for offshore wind turbine foundations, and substations at Equinor (EQNR) and bp's (BP) Empire Wind I and Empire Wind II wind farms. The rock will be quarried locally, transported to the quayside on the Hudson River, and loaded onto Great Lakes' rock installation vessel, the Acadia, which will sail to the wind farms to install the rock starting in 2025. Great Lakes and Carver will be developing the first U.S. rock supply chain for offshore wind, including the quarry producing the rock, the stockpiling and transportation of the rock to the quayside, the port and loading facilities that will load the rock installation vessel, and other facilities along the Hudson River that will help guide the vessel in the riverway.

09:10 EDT Tetra Tech wins $34M U.S. Army Corps of Engineers A-E services contract - Tetra Tech announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers USACE Walla Walla District, selected Tetra Tech for a $34M, multiple-award contract to provide architectural and engineering A-E design services for civil works infrastructure including flood risk management, inland navigation, hydroelectric power generation, and aquatic ecosystem restoration. Under the seven-year contract, Tetra Tech engineers and scientists will perform advanced computer modeling and prepare plans and specifications for sustainable and resilient navigation and water control structures, such as dams, spillways, channels, and navigation lock features. Tetra Tech's engineers and fisheries biologists will optimize water resources infrastructure design to facilitate migratory fish passage and the restoration of other vital ecosystems.

09:09 EDT Sorrento Therapeutics issues FAQ in response to request from Scilex holders - Sorrento Therapeutics announced that, in connection with its ongoing chapter 11 case, it has posted a "Frequently Asked Questions" document in response to a number of requests from parties who hold short interests in restricted stock of Scilex Holding Company regarding its previously announced elective offering of restricted stock of Scilex.

09:09 EDT Scansource announces partnership with Logitech - ScanSource (SCSC) announced a partnership with Logitech (LOGI) to deliver the company's video collaboration and modern workplace solutions. The partnership expands the modern workplace solutions delivered by ScanSource and includes video conferencing cameras as well as Microsoft Teams and Zoom Room solutions. Additional offerings from Logitech's portfolio include docks, webcams, headsets, keyboards, and accessories.

09:07 EDT Heart Test Laboratories' MyoVista wavECG selected by Naya Imaging Center - Heart Test Laboratories announces that its MyoVista wavECG has been selected for commercial use in clinical practice by the Naya Imaging Center in Hvidore, Denmark. Andrew Simpson, CEO of HeartSciences stated, "Heart disease is placing considerable strain on health systems worldwide and is a major health and cost burden. Many international health systems have long waiting lists for cardiac testing and HeartSciences has been working internationally with a number of physicians and key institutions where there is considerable interest in the role that the MyoVista could play in improving cardiac care pathways. It is very encouraging that MyoVista wavECG is starting to be used in clinical practice and bodes well for rapid adoption following the relevant regulatory clearances."

09:05 EDT ContextLogic signs partnership with Singapore Post - ContextLogic announced it has signed a partnership agreement with Singapore Post Limited that it expects will significantly improve the shipping experience for its Australian consumers. Customers can now expect their orders to arrive in less than 2 weeks, and will be able to trace their package from the moment it leaves the warehouse to the time it arrives on their doorstep. "We are delighted to be expanding our network of logistics partners to reduce delivery times for our Australian users," said Bill Zhang, VP of Global Logistics at Wish. "SingPost is a world class logistics provider, so we look forward to leveraging their expertise to streamline the delivery process and optimize the experience for both our users and merchants."

09:05 EDT SurgePays, Parichute Connect partner with BGCA Native services - SurgePays announced that its distribution partner, ParichuteConnect, has signed a partnership agreement with the Boys & Girls Clubs, BGCA, of America Native Services. BGCA Native Services is a dedicated group of leaders that works tirelessly to provide culturally relevant support to Boys & Girls Clubs on Native Lands. The partnership agreement allows ParichuteConnect to launch an Affordable Connectivity Program enrollment process using SurgePays' platform for Boys & Girls Clubs members on Native Lands. Vy Bui, President and CEO of ParichuteConnect added, "We are able to offer this gateway to the ACP and superior internet carriage and service because of our wireless partner, SurgePays. We are absolutely thrilled to be connecting Native Lands' Clubs."

09:03 EDT Celularity, Versea Ophthalmics announce U.S. commercialization agreement - Celularity and Versea Ophthalmics announced that the companies have entered into an exclusive U.S. commercialization agreement in which Versea Ophthalmics will distribute Celularity's BIOVANCE and BIOVANCE 3L Ocular products to support the treatment of ocular surface disease and ocular surgical applications. "We are excited to partner with Versea Ophthalmics to distribute our BIOVANCE and BIOVANCE 3L Ocular products in the U.S.," said Robert J. Hariri, M.D., Ph.D., Celularity's CEO, Chairman and Founder. "Versea Ophthalmics has the channel expertise in eye care necessary to reach physicians and to provide patients in need access to our innovative biomaterial technology."

09:02 EDT Ontrak to effect 1-for-6 reverse split to regain Nasdaq minimum bid price rule - Ontrak announced that it will effect a 1-for-6 reverse split of its outstanding shares of common stock, effective at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time on July 27. The company's common stock is expected to trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market on a post-split basis at the open of trading on July 28. The company's common stock will continue to trade under the symbol "OTRK...At a special meeting of stockholders held on February 20 the company's stockholders approved a proposal giving the company's board of directors the authority, at its discretion, to effect a reverse split of the company's outstanding common stock at a ratio that is not less than 1:4 and not greater than 1:6, with the final ratio to be selected by the company's board of directors in its discretion. The reverse split is primarily intended to bring the company into compliance with Nasdaq's minimum bid price requirement. However, there can be no assurances that the company will be able to regain compliance with the minimum bid price requirement over time, or that it will be successful in maintaining compliance with that requirement or any of the other continued listing requirements of the Nasdaq Capital Market.

08:59 EDT Hub Group expands automotive solutions into all OEM manufacturing sites - Hub Group will expand its automotive industry capabilities to include intermodal services into all OEM manufacturing facilities. Through longstanding relationships with automotive manufacturers and Union Pacific Railroad, Hub Group's focus on transporting parts inbound for manufacturing will bolster the company's automotive offering and add competitive service options in the marketplace. Hub Group will operate utilizing its intermodal expertise and fleet of nearly 50,000 GPS-enabled intermodal 53' containers, while leveraging northbound and southbound service including Falcon Premium and Eagle Premium through Union Pacific. The railroad's new Falcon Premium service provides the fastest service from the U.S. and Mexico border to Chicago and Detroit - and most direct routing entirely by rail between Canada and Mexico.

08:54 EDT Conduent highlights solutions for protection of school children - Conduent Transportation will highlight technology solutions to make streets and communities safer for school children at next week's Annual Summer Training Conference & Exposition, hosted by the Florida Police Chiefs Association and held July 28 to August 2 in Bonita Springs. Conduent's exhibit will feature technology and expertise that it uses to operate one out of every four U.S. public safety systems, including those designed to encourage motorists to slow down in school zones. Powered by AI, the Conduent DriveSafe Enforcement System uses sensors to detect and track vehicles through a particular location, such as in a school or construction zone or along a highway. The speed and position of each vehicle at that location is monitored to detect if a violation occurs, as determined by local laws.

08:47 EDT McDonald's: Operating in a 'challenging' macro environment - Sees inflation starting to normalize later in the year, with top-line growth moderating.

08:43 EDT NovAccess Global, BCN Biosciences partner for immunotherapy platform - NovAccess Global announced the signing of a Letter of Intent and formation of a partnership with BCN Biosciences to expand its immunotherapy platform. Utilizing BCN's small molecule drug BCN057, developed with support from the National Institutes of Health and in collaboration with the University of California Los Angeles, NovAccess Global has begun the development of a fourth generation of its novel brain tumor immunotherapy TLR-AD1, targeting glioblastoma. Awarded Orphan Drug Status by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2022, TLR-AD1 improves the ability of specialized blood cells, known as Dendritic Cells, to recognize tumors. These specialized blood cells then provide a 'zip code' to the immune system improving its ability to seek out and destroy tumor cells in the body. While TLR-AD1 is the most advanced technology to enhance DC immunotherapy, a combination therapy leveraging BCN057 could further enhance DC tumor recognition as well as increase DC yield from patients' blood. The partnership between NovAccess Global and BCN provides a unique opportunity to further develop BCN057 in combination with TLR-AD1 to benefit patients with CNS cancer and potentially other cancer tumor types. The partnership with BCN will further strengthen the IP portfolio supporting NovAccess Global's 4th generation of TLR-AD1. This partnership will increase opportunities for third-party licensing of NovAccess Global's drug platform to pharmaceutical companies active in developing new classes of therapies to compete in the global immune oncology market which today exceeds more than $100 billion a year.

08:39 EDT Reborn Coffee launches pet focused initiative with events, retail location - Reborn Coffee announced an initiative to appeal to pet owners including a series of pet-focused events at selected Reborn locations and the launch of a flagship "Reborn Cafe N Pet Social" at the soon to be expanded Pasadena Playhouse location in the dog-friendly city of Pasadena, California. "With many of our customers looking to enjoy our retail locations with their dogs, we recognized the growing need for dog-friendly venues where coffee enthusiasts and dog owners can come together," said Jay Kim, Chief Executive Officer of Reborn. "To reinforce our appreciation of our dog-loving community, we are excited to sponsor a series of events that will endorse responsible dog ownership, highlight rescue groups and adoption, and support our communities."

08:38 EDT Commvault expands partnership with Amazon Web Services - Commvault (CVLT) announced its continued integration with Amazon (AMZN) Web Services - AWS - by joining the AWS ISV Workload Migration Program and attaining multiple AWS Service Ready Program designations. As part of the Service Ready Program, Commvault software has been validated as AWS Graviton, AWS PrivateLink, and Amazon Linux Ready for its Backup & Recovery solution. Participation in these programs expands Commvault's relationship with Amazon to bring joint customers access to data protection that is purpose-built to secure, defend, and recover their data across cloud and hybrid environments.

08:37 EDT Avenue Therapeutics announces first patient dosed in Phase 1b/2a trial of AJ201 - Avenue Therapeutics announced that the first patient has been dosed in the Phase 1b/2a clinical trial of AJ201 for the treatment of spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy, SBMA, also known as Kennedy's Disease. Enrollment in the trial is expected to be complete by the end of 2023 or early 2024 with potential topline data in 2024. "We are excited to announce that the first patient has been dosed in our Phase 1b/2a clinical trial evaluating AJ201 for the treatment of SBMA, a progressive and devastating neurodegenerative disease that currently has no approved treatments available," said Alexandra MacLean, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Avenue. "We are encouraged by the Phase 1 clinical data of AJ201 that demonstrate the drug's excellent safety profile in healthy volunteers. Additionally, compelling preclinical data in a mouse model showed efficacy signals, including improvement in motor function, robust degradation of mutant androgen receptors, a disease-signaling protein, and activation of the Nrf1 and Nrf2 pathways. In this Phase 1b/2a clinical trial, we aim to demonstrate how AJ201's novel, multi-fold mechanism of action reduces accumulation of mutant AR aggregates to potentially decrease neuroinflammation, protect cells from oxidative stress, and ultimately, improve clinical outcomes for SBMA patients. We look forward to advancing this much needed drug, as we continue to deliver on our mission of bringing impactful therapies to people suffering from neurologic diseases."

08:36 EDT Bridgeline Digital announces MISUMI has extended engagement with HawkSearch - Bridgeline Digital announced today that MISUMI USA has extended its engagement with HawkSearch, Bridgeline's AI-driven search solution, to power its ecommerce business. MISUMI USA committed to a multi-year agreement after seeing an increase of 18% in its click-through rate and over 80% in conversions by leveraging powerful HawkSearch features such as Smart Search and Recommendations. The company will use combinations of HawkSearch's 17 Recommendations Strategies to further scale its e-commerce business. "MISUMI USA is known for its exceptional engineering and manufacturing. Their continued partnership with HawkSearch underscores our joint commitment to ongoing digital growth and innovation," said Ari Kahn, CEO of Bridgeline Digital.

08:35 EDT Northrop Grumman sees FY23 effective tax rate ~17% vs. prior view of high 16%

08:33 EDT Anixa Biosciences announces Notice of Allowance of additional patent - Anixa Biosciences announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has issued a Notice of Allowance broadening protection of Anixa's novel ovarian cancer vaccine technology, which has been exclusively licensed from, and is being developed in partnership with, Cleveland Clinic. The patent is titled "Ovarian Cancer Vaccines," and covers nucleic acid-based delivery of the vaccine. The lead inventor is the late Dr. Vincent Tuohy of Cleveland Clinic. This ovarian cancer vaccine targets the extracellular domain of anti-Mullerian hormone receptor 2, which is expressed in the ovaries but disappears as a woman reaches and advances through menopause. However, AMHR2-ED is expressed again in the majority of ovarian cancers.

08:31 EDT Huntington Bancshares raises prime rate to 8.5% from 8.25%, effective July 27

08:29 EDT Mobilicom expands into new geographic markets for drone, robotics solutions - Mobilicom announced design win sales into three new geographic markets including: A Korean drone manufacturer has ordered Mobilicom's newly designed and released MCU Maxi Controller PRO, a mobile, handheld Ground Control Station to be integrated and used with its drones. A Brazilian manufacturer of robotics and unmanned ground vehicles ordered Mobilicom's SkyHopper Datalinks for its small-sized robotics solutions. A Canadian drone services provider in the oil, gas and mining industries also ordered Mobilicom's SkyHopper Datalinks to distribute real time sensor feed from drones to on the ground users.

08:28 EDT 23 Attorneys General announces opposition to proposed PFAS settlement with 3M - New York Attorney General Letitia James announced her opposition to a proposed class action settlement with the 3M Company (3M) that "fails to hold the company accountable for contaminating the drinking water of millions of Americans." The AG said: "Together with a bipartisan group of 22 other attorneys general, Attorney General James noted that under the proposed settlement, public water systems would withdraw the hundreds of lawsuits they have filed against 3M over its use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances - commonly referred to as 'PFAS' or toxic 'forever chemicals' - in a wide range of consumer products and firefighting foams. The water systems would also have to withdraw their lawsuits without knowing what settlement funds they would receive from 3M." Reference Link

08:25 EDT Eskay Mining identifies drill targets at Consolidated Eskay Gold Project - Eskay Mining has identified new high priority drill targets and has commenced its 2023 diamond drill campaign at its 100% controlled Consolidated Eskay Gold Project in the Golden Triangle of British Columbia. Precious metal-rich volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits are the main focus of Eskay's exploration. 2023 Drill Targets: In a Company news release dated May 18, 2023, Eskay Mining announced recognition of two new drill targets identified by Simcoe Geoscience, the Maroon Cliffs and Hexigon-Mercury geophysical anomalies, both of which display strong geophysical similarities to the nearby Eskay Creek deposit. Since commencing its field program in late June, preparations have been made to drill both of these targets. Recent field work conducted at site in mid-July has yielded four additional high value drill targets, all of which display geophysical expressions similar to Maroon Cliffs and Hexigon-Mercury. These include: Storie Creek: This target is an as yet undrilled area situated just 3.5 km SSE of the Eskay Creek mine. Recent geologic interpretation by Eskay Mining's team indicates that uppermost Hazelton Formation strata including the Contact Mudstone subcrops underneath the NE-trending Storie Creek drainage and dips gently northwestward underneath a veneer of post-mineral Bowser Lake Formation sedimentary rocks. Extensive gossanous outcrops of Upper Hazelton Formation rocks were discovered along the eastern side of Storie Creek over a strike length of at least 4 km. Gossan forms from weathering of sulfides that may be associated with mineralization. Upon review of historic soil data dating back to the early 1990's, Eskay's geologic team has identified two areas where high silver-in-soil values occur, an indication that the Storie Creek gossanous outcrops are likely associated with mineralization. Two drill holes are planned at Storie Creek beginning in late August or early September. Cumberland: Situated approximately 6 km south of the TV deposit, the Cumberland target appears to be a very robust zone of alteration and mineralization that has seen limited historic drilling dating back +20 years ago. Limited mining occurred near this site in the early 1900's. Eskay Mining's team conducted field examination of the site in recent days yielding compelling geologic data. Given its promising geophysical expression, previous promising drill results, and its position along strike from the TV deposit, Cumberland is deemed a high value target justifying two drill holes to be completed in August. Bruce Glacier: Situated directly between Tarn Lake and Scarlet Knob, Eskay Mining's team has identified a target in potentially VMS-hosting sea floor strata belonging to Lower Hazelton Formation. This area is under the toe of Bruce Glacier. Given the extensive alteration and mineralization at both Tarn Lake and Scarlet Knob, it is readily apparent there is a likely connection between these two zones under the ice. This target will be tested by two holes to be drilled in August, one from the Tarn Lake side and the other from the Scarlet Knob side. TV South: The TV deposit, subject of much of Eskay Mining's drilling over the past three seasons, terminates against a gabbro dike on its south side. Eskay's team thinks the system continues on the other side of this dike. Geophysics indicates this is a likely scenario. Eskay Mining in planning one drill hole to be drilled in August to test this possibility.

08:23 EDT Lightspeed expands features to streamline merchant operations - Lightspeed Commerce is announcing the launch of advanced features designed to streamline merchant operations: Time Clock, Shipment History and Automated Ordering. Powering the world's best businesses, Lightspeed is the unified POS and payments platform for ambitious entrepreneurs to accelerate growth, provide the best customer experiences and become a go-to destination in their space. Lightspeed Retail makes it easy for sophisticated omnichannel businesses to stay on top of everything with these new features: Time Clock brings punch-in-and-out to the POS so staff remain focused on selling while retailers can streamline payroll processing, monitor employee attendance and ensure accurate pay through third-party integrations. Shipment History allows merchants to track shipments received against placed purchase orders, eliminating the need for manual reconciliation. Automated Ordering simplifies complex inventory issues by leveraging Lightspeed Analytics to automate reordering processes.

08:21 EDT FOREWARN partners with Baldwin REALTORS - FOREWARN announced a new partnership with Baldwin REALTORS, the local REALTORS association for Baldwin County, AL, and the surrounding Gulf Coast region. Baldwin REALTORS has contracted to make FOREWARN services available for the 3,000+ members they serve to promote proactive real estate agent safety.

08:21 EDT Eli Lilly announces SURMOUNT-3, SURMOUNT-4 trials met all primary endpoints - Eli Lilly announced results of two phase 3 tirzepatide studies in adults with obesity or overweight with weight-related comorbidities, excluding type 2 diabetes. SURMOUNT-3 and SURMOUNT-4 met all primary and key secondary objectives for tirzepatide compared to placebo. Across SURMOUNT-3 and SURMOUNT-4, participants on tirzepatide following intensive lifestyle intervention or with continued tirzepatide treatment, achieved up to 26.6% mean weight loss, for the efficacy estimandi. The overall safety profile of tirzepatide in both studies was similar to previously reported SURMOUNT and SURPASS trials and to that of incretin-based therapies approved for the treatment of obesity and overweight. The most commonly reported adverse events in both trials were gastrointestinal-related and generally mild to moderate in severity. SURMOUNT-3 evaluated the efficacy and safety of tirzepatide compared to placebo for 72 weeks after a 12-week intensive lifestyle intervention lead-in period that included a low-calorie diet, exercise and weekly counseling sessions. The trial randomized adults with obesity or overweight who had at least 5% body weight reduction by the end of the 12-week lead-in period to placebo or tirzepatide. At study entry, the mean body weight was 241.4 lb. At the end of the 12-week lead-in period, participants achieved 6.9% mean weight loss. Tirzepatide met both co-primary endpoints demonstrating superiority to placebo during the 72-week double-blind treatment period. For the efficacy estimand, those taking tirzepatide, on average, lost an additional 21.1% of their body weight from randomization, a co-primary endpoint, compared to those taking placebo who experienced mean weight regain of 3.3% over 72 weeks, for a placebo-adjusted net weight change of -24.5%. In addition, 94.4% of those taking tirzepatide achieved an additional =5% body weight reduction from randomization, the other co-primary endpoint, compared to 10.7% in the placebo group over 72 weeks. In a secondary endpoint, participants receiving tirzepatide had a total mean weight reduction of 26.6% from study entry after 12 weeks of intensive lifestyle intervention followed by 72 weeks of tirzepatide treatment. For the treatment-regimen estimandii, those taking tirzepatide, on average, lost an additional 18.4% of their body weight from randomization compared to those taking placebo who experienced mean weight regain of 2.5% over 72 weeks. In addition, 87.5% of those taking tirzepatide achieved an additional 5% body weight reduction from randomization compared with 16.5% in the placebo group over 72 weeks. Participants receiving tirzepatide had a total mean weight reduction of 24.3% from study entry after 12 weeks of intensive lifestyle intervention followed by 72 weeks of tirzepatide treatment. The full results of the SURMOUNT-3 study will be presented at the ObesityWeek conference in October and submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. SURMOUNT-4 evaluated the efficacy and safety of tirzepatide compared to placebo for 52 weeks after a 36-week open-label tirzepatide lead-in period. The trial had two periods: a 36-week open-label lead-in period during which all participants took tirzepatide, followed by a 52-week double-blind treatment period during which participants were randomized to either continue on tirzepatide or switch to placebo. For randomized participants, the mean body weight was 236.6 lb. at study entry. At the end of the 36-week tirzepatide lead-in period, they achieved 21.1% mean weight loss. Tirzepatide met the primary endpoint of superior mean percent change in body weight compared to placebo from 36 weeks to 88 weeks, indicating sustained weight loss. For the efficacy estimand, those taking tirzepatide, on average, lost an additional 6.7% of their body weight from randomization, compared to those taking placebo who experienced mean weight regain of 14.8% from randomization at 88 weeks, for a placebo-adjusted net weight change of -21.4%. In a secondary endpoint, participants who remained on tirzepatide after randomization achieved a total of 26.0% mean body weight loss from study entry over the entire 88-week period. For the treatment-regimen estimand, those taking tirzepatide, on average, lost an additional 5.5% of their body weight from randomization, compared to those taking placebo who experienced mean weight regain of 14.0% from randomization at 88 weeks. Participants who remained on tirzepatide after randomization achieved a total of 25.3% mean body weight loss from study entry over the entire 88-week period. The full results of the SURMOUNT-4 study will be presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes Annual Meeting in October and submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

08:19 EDT CareCloud, Google Cloud collaborate to bring generate AI to healthcare settings - CareCloud (CCLD) announced a collaboration with Google Cloud (GOOG;GOOGL) to use generative artificial intelligence to transform and enhance the operational efficiency and capabilities of ambulatory practices in office settings, bringing groundbreaking advancements to small and medium-sized healthcare providers. By leveraging Generative AI support on Vertex AI and Enterprise Search on Generative AI App Builder, CareCloud aims to provide doctors and clinicians with timely access to the data they need. The integration will enable physicians using CareCloud solutions to ask complex questions, gain valuable insights, and receive evidence-based recommendations by analyzing large amounts of patient data while complying with privacy laws. "Google Cloud and CareCloud's partnership will extend advanced technologies to a wider array of physicians," said Hadi Chaudhry, CareCloud's president and chief executive officer. "Generative AI, along with other advanced technologies, has greatly improved data analysis, pattern recognition, and accurate disease diagnoses. We're honored to collaborate with Google Cloud to enhance healthcare for all by leveraging their generative AI capabilities."

08:17 EDT TFI International announces Martel will join board of directors - TFI International (TFII) announced that Sebastien Martel will join its Board of Directors, effective July 31, 2023. Martel is the Chief Financial Officer of BRP (DOOO).

08:17 EDT TELUS Pollinator Fund invests in Dryad Networks - TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good is making an equity investment into Series A financing of Dryad, a German startup that provides ultra-early wildfire detection through large-scale IoT networks and sensors that can detect fires as early as their smoldering phase. This greatly reduces the risk of fires spreading out of control, and can help prevent the escalating costs and environmental impacts of wildfires, including biodiversity loss and health issues related to poor air quality. With the amount of forest burned by wildfire that is projected to double by 2050, the Pollinator Fund's investment will contribute to address this growing environmental emergency by accelerating the deployment of Dryad's technology to protect forests and to reduce carbon dioxide emissions resulting from wildfires.

08:16 EDT ABM enters agreement to deploy authID's identity authentication solutions - authID (AUID) and ABM (ABM) announced that they have signed an agreement to deploy authID's identity authentication solutions to optimize facilities' operations and secure employee access across shared devices. authID's strong biometric authentication services will allow ABM to deploy next-generation security, while delivering a cost-effective and intuitive user authentication experience to critical workforce applications.

08:15 EDT Omnicom acquires Brazilian-based agencies Outpromo and Global Shopper - Omnicom's media services division, Omnicom Media Group, has acquired Outpromo and Global Shopper, two of Brazil's connected commerce and retail media agencies. The acquisitions aim to create the foundation for a dedicated, end-to-end e-commerce and retail media performance agency in the Brazilian market for Omnicom Media Group. Outpromo was founded in Sao Paolo in 1999 as a shopper marketing agency. Global Shopper's offer to brands is concentrated around three pillars: commerce, innovation and digital transformation, from its Sao Paulo headquarters. Ricardo Franken, CEO of Outpromo, and Mauricio Gallian, CEO of Global Shopper, will retain a minority stake in the companies and will continue to serve in their current roles.The acquisition is expected to close in Q3 and is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval.

08:14 EDT Telavant doses first patient in Phase 2 trial of RVT-3101 in CD - Telavant announced the initiation of the TAHOE study, a Phase 2 clinical trial of RVT-3101 for the treatment of moderate to severely active CD, with first patient dosed. The TAHOE study is a global, randomized, double-blind study evaluating two doses of RVT-3101 given once-monthly in patients with moderate to severely active Crohn's disease. The primary and key secondary endpoints are the proportion of participants achieving clinical remission by Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI) and the proportion of participants achieving endoscopic response at week 14.

08:13 EDT Ayala Pharmaceuticals, Biosight enter definitive merger agreement - Ayala Pharmaceuticals and Biosight announced they have entered into a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which Ayala will combine with Biosight in an all-stock transaction. Upon completion of the merger, the combined company will operate under the name Ayala Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and will continue to trade on the OTCQX under Ayala's current ticker symbol. Certain of the current Biosight shareholders have agreed to support the proposed transaction. The combined company will work to advance a portfolio of oncology assets, with a primary focus on Ayala's AL102, a once-daily, potent, selective, oral gamma-secretase inhibitor and Biosight's Aspacytarabine. AL102 is currently being evaluated in the registrational RINGSIDE study in desmoid tumors. There are currently no FDA-approved therapies for the treatment of unresectable, recurrent or progressive desmoid tumors. Data from the Phase 2 portion of RINGSIDE were presented at the recent American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting demonstrating AL102's activity against progressing desmoid tumors. These data showed 50% partial response and 100% disease control rates in evaluable desmoid tumor patients treated with AL102 in the 1.2 mg once daily arm, the dosing regimen being tested in the ongoing Phase 3 study. The majority of the patients from Phase 2 have continued on study and are now in the open label extension of the Phase 3 portion of RINGSIDE. Ayala expects to present updated data on these patients at a medical conference later this year. Under the terms of the merger agreement, upon completion of the merger, ownership of the combined company will be split, with 55% ownership going to Biosight stockholders and 45% going to Ayala stockholders. The merger agreement has been unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of each company, by all directors entitled to vote. The transaction is expected to close prior to the end of the third quarter of 2023, subject to regulatory and other conditions including approval of Biosight stockholders. Effective as of the closing of the merger, the combined company will be led by Ayala's existing senior management team, with Ken Berlin serving as President and CEO. Additionally, the Board of Directors is expected to consist of nine members, including four designated by Ayala and four designated by Biosight, as well as Mr. Berlin.

08:11 EDT Akari Therapeutics announces the European Commission granted ODD to nomacopan - Akari Therapeutics announced that the European Commission granted orphan drug designation, ODD, to nomacopan as a treatment in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation following the European Medicines Agency positive opinion in June. Akari is currently conducting a registrational Phase 3 study of nomacopan in pediatric hematopoietic stem cell transplant-related thrombotic microangiopathy, HSCT-TMA. Additionally, the company is moving forward into a Phase 3 double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial of nomacopan in adult HSCT-TMA with enrollment expected to begin in 2024.

08:10 EDT Enviri's Harsco wins five-year contract renewal with SFEL - Harsco Environmental announced the signing of a five-year renewal contract with Sheffield Forgemasters Engineering Limited, SFEL. "The work that Harsco Environmental undertakes is crucial to our operations and requires full understanding of the safety implications of each task," said Jeremy Makepeace, Commercial Director at Sheffield Forgemasters. "Most of the work that Harsco undertakes is challenging, whether that's moving materials in a hot-metal environment, transporting molten steel from the Melt Shop, or moving our largest castings and forgings around the site."

08:09 EDT D-Wave Quantum announces two new quantum computing collaborations - D-Wave Quantum announced two new collaborations with the Institute for Quantum Computing, or IQC, at the University of Waterloo. These collaborations establish key hardware research programs for quantum computing systems. The two multi-year projects between D-Wave and the researchers were funded through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, or NSERC, Quantum Alliance program, which is part of Canada's National Quantum Strategy. These projects will focus on identifying improvements in device design and materials quality that support increasingly coherent superconducting quantum processors.

08:07 EDT EU probes Microsoft's bundling of Teams with Office software package - The European Commission has opened a formal investigation to assess whether Microsoft may have breached EU competition rules by tying or bundling its communication and collaboration product Teams to its popular suites for businesses Office 365 and Microsoft 365. In particular, the Commission is concerned that Microsoft may grant Teams a distribution advantage by not giving customers the choice on whether or not to include access to that product when they subscribe to their productivity suites and may have limited the interoperability between its productivity suites and competing offerings. These practices may constitute anti-competitive tying or bundling and prevent suppliers of other communication and collaboration tools from competing, to the detriment of customers in the European Economic Area. The Commission said it will carry out its in-depth investigation as a matter of priority. The opening of a formal investigation does not prejudge its outcome. Reference Link

08:06 EDT United Airlines adds Braille to aircraft interiors - United became the first U.S. airline to add Braille to aircraft interiors, helping millions of travelers with visual disabilities more easily navigate the cabin independently. According to the Department of Transportation, about 27M people with disabilities traveled by air in 2019. The airline currently has equipped about a dozen aircraft with Braille markings for individual rows and seat numbers as well as inside and outside the lavatories. United expects to outfit its entire mainline fleet with Braille by the end of 2026.

08:04 EDT Royal Caribbean says Q2 bookings volume remained significantly higher vs. 2019 - The company states: "Booking volumes in the second quarter remained significantly higher than the corresponding period in 2019 and at record pricing levels. Demand for 2023 sailings has significantly exceeded expectations and bookings for 2024 sailings are up significantly versus all prior years at record prices. Demand from the North American consumer has remained incredibly strong throughout the year, and booking volumes from European consumers who are booking European cruises this summer have accelerated. The further increase in yield expectations for the year is the result of higher pricing and onboard revenue expectations for key itineraries, particularly in North America and Europe. Consumer spending onboard, as well as pre-cruise purchases, continue to significantly exceed 2019 levels driven by greater participation at higher prices. As of June 30, 2023, the Group's customer deposit balance was at a record-high $5.7 billion."

08:03 EDT MasterCard reports Q2 gross dollar volume up 12%, purchase volume up 14% - Reports cross-border volume growth of 24% on a local currency basis and switched transactions growth of 17%.

07:53 EDT Highway Holdings to resume full production for Playmaji - Highway Holdings will resume manufacturing for Playmaji, the Los Angeles-based company behind the modular multi-system game console Polymega. Highway Holdings previously announced a significant, multi-year order on October 15, 2020 to manufacture Playmaji's Polymega game consoles and accessories. Subsequent to the announcement, complications from the COVID-19 pandemic created micro-chip and component shortages and logistics and shipping delays, which in turn resulted in lower-than-expected manufacturing volume and production yields for FY2020-2022. With pandemic-era related production issues resolved and Playmaji's recent announcement of a partnership and minority investment from Atari, Playmaji and Highway Holdings anticipate returning to full production in Q2 /Q3 2023 and delivering to customers and distributors Polymega gaming hardware consistently going forward into the future.

07:51 EDT Expro says 'well positioned for growth' in future - "Looking ahead, Expro is well positioned for growth as we capitalize on market opportunities delivering maximum value to our customers, shareholders and other stakeholders. I am confident of our delivery as we progress into the second half of the year and look forward to the opportunities ahead for our business."

07:48 EDT Annexon appoints Jamie Dananberg as Chief Medical Officer - Annexon appointed Jamie Dananberg as Chief Medical Officer. Dananberg joins Annexon with more than 20 years of drug development experience across a variety of therapeutic areas in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Most recently, he served as chief medical officer for UNITY Biotechnology. Prior to UNITY, Dananberg served as executive vice president at Takeda Pharmaceuticals in several roles. Before joining Takeda, he spent 16 years at Eli Lilly & Co.

07:46 EDT Rekor Systems nominates Sanjay Sarma, Tim Davenport to board - Rekor Systems announced that it will nominate two new directors for election at the Company's upcoming annual meeting of shareholders. The two new additions to its Board of directors are Professor Sanjay Sarma, President, CEO, and Dean of Asia School of Business and Mr. Tim Davenport, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Compliance Officer for Arctis Global.

07:44 EDT Nextech3D.ai announces $2.2M expansion contract wih Amazon - Nextech3D.AI has announced a significant increase in demand from its largest customer - Amazon. These new 3D model orders amount to $2.2 million in additional revenue. Moreover, the Company's profit margins are expanding significantly, primarily attributed to its groundbreaking generative AI technology driven productivity enhancements. As a result, the Company is now rapidly progressing towards achieving positive cash flow. This new expansion contract from Amazon highlights Nextech's breakthrough Generative AI technology, which positions Nextech3D.ai as the globally dominant AI solution for scaling the production of 3D models in the booming e-commerce industry, gaming and manufacturing.

07:42 EDT Marimaca Copper announces results from Eastern MOD exploration drilling - Marimaca Copper announces the results of the five drill hole diamond drilling exploration program from the eastern margin of the Marimaca Oxide Deposit, MOD. Sergio Rivera, VP Exploration of Marimaca Copper, commented: "Despite challenging drilling conditions we continue to improve our understanding of Marimaca's genesis and target generation for the potential sulphide feeder zones. We are very encouraged to see the continuation of the alteration assemblages and rock types observed in MAD-22 in the follow-up program, which is the first time that consistent sulphide-associated alteration has been observed below the MOD. MAD-25, in particular, which stepped out 500m to the south of MAD-22, intersected the expected alteration mineral assemblages with strong mineralization at the targeted horizon, but was terminated before the expected higher-grade zone due to the intersection of a fault zone, which deviated the hole."

07:40 EDT Vision Marine Technologies announces collaboration with 4ocean - Vision Marine Technologies announces its collaboration with 4ocean, a global cleanup operation actively removing plastic and trash from the ocean and coastlines. Alex Mongeon, co-founder and CEO of Vision Marine, emphasized the Company's purposeful leadership, stating, "Vision Marine is determined to lead the way towards a greener future for the boating industry. Our partnership with 4ocean exemplifies our commitment to environmental preservation and signifies a new era of collaboration, where companies unite to tackle the critical issue of ocean pollution. We are proud to set a precedent for the industry and showcase how businesses can drive positive change for the planet."

07:34 EDT Altair Engineering acquires OmniV, terms not disclosed - Altair acquired OmniV, a technology out of XLDyn, a product development software company based in southeast Michigan. OmniV empowers open model-based systems engineering practice across systems, simulation, test, product development, and controls engineering by formalizing the development, integration, and use of models to inform enterprise and program decision making.

07:29 EDT Zentek, McMaster announce new aptamer technology platform - Zentek and McMaster University announced that Dr. Yingfu Li and his team at the Li Lab have developed a novel aptamer technology that increases the binding affinity of aptamers by up to 250 times. The increased binding affinity enhances the limits of detection for aptamer-based diagnostics. In addition, the enhanced binding affinity may lead to the successful adaptation of these same aptamers for new therapeutic and prophylactic treatments. Binding affinity is a key metric in both diagnostic and therapeutic applications. This technology platform was first successfully tested in vitro and in vivo against the SARS-CoV-2 virus as reported in the July 20th, 2023, news release. The technology was further tested against previously published aptamers with known binding affinity for human biomarkers including Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Troponin, as well as the influenza virus. These published aptamers were synthesized both in their original state and using the McMaster technology. Afterwards, their binding affinity was measured using both a dot blot assay and biolayer interferometry. In each case, the aptamers synthesized with the technology demonstrated a significant increase in binding affinity, from 30 to 250 times compared to the original aptamers. These results demonstrate the potential broad use of this aptamer technology platform to enhance most existing and future aptamers.

07:27 EDT FLYHT Aerospace receives STC certification for version of AFIRS 228 - LYHT Aerospace Solutions announced receipt of a Supplemental Type Certificate revision from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to install the TSO approved AFIRS 228S satcom solution on Airbus A319, A320 and A321 aircraft. This STC allows FLYHT to fulfill its agreement with an existing customer in furtherance of a press release dated December 7, 2021. The TSO unit configuration of AFIRS 228S is a specialized version of the Iridium satcom solution which provides aircraft with reliable safety voice and data communication between the flight deck and air traffic control. Benefits offered include more efficient route structure, reduced flight times, reduced fuel burns, and enhanced communications between air traffic control and the aircraft.

07:25 EDT Bread Financial announces $35M share repurchase program - Bread Financial announced that its Board of Directors has approved a new plan to purchase up to $35M of shares of the company's common stock. As part of Bread Financial's continued commitment to its stated capital priorities, the share buyback is designed to offset the impact of dilution associated with issuances of employee restricted stock units. In addition, Bread Financial today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 21c per share on the company's common stock, payable on September 15 to stockholders of record at the close of business on August 11.

07:22 EDT Information Services adds new lender to syndicated credit facility - Information Services Corporation has expanded the lenders under the Company's secured syndicated credit facility to include the Bank of Montreal. The syndicated Credit Facility now includes Royal Bank of Canada, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and the Bank of Montreal. Shawn Peters, President and CEO of ISC commented, "We are extremely pleased that BMO has joined our Credit Facility. Since going public 10 years ago, ISC has been on a growth trajectory and we have expanded our Credit Facility over the years to support the execution of this growth." Peters continued, "The inclusion of BMO comes on the heels of the announcement on July 5, 2023 of the Saskatchewan Registries extension, and is a logical and prudent step to ensure that we remain well positioned to fund our ongoing growth strategy. I look forward to working with all our partners in the years ahead as we continue to drive value for our shareholders."

07:21 EDT Ashland to host live 2023 Innovation Day - Ashland will host a live Innovation Day on Tuesday, September 12, 2023 beginning at 9:00 a.m. ET at the company's corporate headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware. Utilizing a coordinated and market-based approach, Ashland is developing novel specialty ingredients and additives to create long-term value for its customers and expanding core and adjacent markets. This event will showcase how technology is a playing a critical role in Ashland's long-term profitable growth strategy and highlight the company's innovation playbook and portfolio of scalable technologies. The event will include presentations, prepared remarks, and a moderated question-and-answer session with members of Ashland's executive leadership team

07:19 EDT Mersana Therapeutics provides strategic reprioritization, financial update - "As an organization driven by a mission to discover and develop potentially life-changing ADCs for patients fighting cancer, UPLIFT's outcome is clearly disappointing and requires us to reprioritize our areas of focus," said Anna Protopapas, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mersana Therapeutics. "In recent years, Mersana has advanced new product candidates and developed new partnerships utilizing its next-generation ADC platforms, Dolasynthen and Immunosynthen. These will be our primary focus moving forward. We plan to complete the dose escalation portion of our Phase 1 clinical trial of XMT-1660 in 2023 and initiate the dose expansion portion of the trial in 2024. Our team continues working diligently to address the clinical hold on the Phase 1 clinical trial of XMT-2056. Additionally, we intend to strongly support Mersana's collaborators as they leverage our next-generation ADC platforms and advance their product candidates. "We also are taking decisive action to extend our cash runway and ensure we have the resources to evaluate the clinical potential of our next-generation ADC product candidates," Ms. Protopapas continued. "Unfortunately, this necessitates reducing our workforce by approximately 50%. A very talented group of employees who helped to build Mersana will be departing as a result of this strategic reprioritization. We are grateful for their many contributions and intend to provide strong support through their transition." Mersana's restructuring plan includes a wind-down of UpRi-related development activities, including its UP-NEXT and UPGRADE-A clinical trials and the company's regulatory and commercial readiness efforts. If analyses of data enable the identification of a path forward for UpRi, the company will consider strategic alternatives for the asset, including partnering.

07:19 EDT Cloudpay selects Nuvei for payroll solutons - Nuvei Corporation and CloudPay are announcing a strategic partnership that enables CloudPay customers to access faster, more flexible payroll solutions.The partnership also supports a broad range of global salary payment solutions, including the capability to push salary payment to cards through Visa Direct, reducing payment times from days to 30 minutes or less.

07:18 EDT Checkpoint Therapeutics announces longer-term data for cosibelimab - Checkpoint Therapeutics announced new, longer-term data for cosibelimab from its pivotal studies in locally advanced and metastatic cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. These results demonstrate a deepening of response over time, resulting in substantially higher complete response rates than previously reported. Furthermore, responses continue to remain durable over time with the median duration of response not yet reached in either group. Results include: 55% objective response rate; 23% complete response rate in locally advanced cSCC; 50% objective response rate; 13% complete response rate in metastatic cSCC. "We are excited to see the substantial increases in the rate of patients experiencing a complete response of their cSCC tumors with further cosibelimab treatment in both our locally advanced and metastatic pivotal trials," said James Oliviero, President and Chief Executive Officer of Checkpoint. "We believe cosibelimab's strong efficacy and response durability are driven by its unique two-fold mechanism of action in which cosibelimab binds to PD-L1 with sustained high target tumor occupancy to reactivate the body's T-cell anti-tumor response, with the addition of a functional Fc domain to activate the body's natural killer immune cells to induce antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity of tumor cells, resulting in a powerful one-two punch to eradicate tumors. We expect this dual mechanism of action to benefit not just immunocompetent patients, but also the large number of difficult-to-treat patients with immunosuppressive conditions or taking immunosuppressive medications who continue to suffer poor outcomes with currently available treatments."

07:15 EDT Aquestive Therapeutics reports topline pharmacokinetic data for Anaphylm - Aquestive Therapeutics released topline data from its latest clinical crossover pilot trial, Study AQ109103, for Anaphylm Sublingual Film. This crossover clinical trial in healthy human subjects was designed with the finalized dosing instructions expected for use in the Company's upcoming pivotal clinical trial. The 103 study demonstrated that Anaphylm, using the finalized dosing administration instructions, delivers epinephrine systemically as effectively as either commercially available autoinjectors or the manual intramuscular injection. Administration of Anaphylm 12mg resulted in a geometric mean maximum epinephrine concentration of 457 pg/mL and a median time to maximum concentration of 15 minutes after administration. The partial Area Under the Curve measurement, or pAUC, was bracketed between previously generated manual 0.3mg IM injection and epinephrine 0.3mg autoinjector data at all timepoints between 10 and 60 minutes, post-dosing. Importantly, Anaphylm 12mg met the standards of bracketing in the 103 study for all the critical parameters that the Company anticipates measuring in the pivotal PK study including Cmax and pAUC during the critical early time periods, while remaining similar to autoinjectors for Tmax. The product was safe and well-tolerated with no serious adverse events. Chart 1 below highlights Anaphylm 12mg pAUC from the103 study when compared to autoinjector and manual IM injection pAUC from a previous study conducted by the Company. The 103 study also included crossover arms of Anaphylm 12mg with alternate dosing instructions as well as Anaphylm 14mg with the finalized dosing instructions. In both cases, the product was considered safe and well-tolerated. Table 1 below provides a comparison of the two arms that utilized final dosing instructions from the 103 study to autoinjector and manual IM injection data from a previous study conducted by the Company.

07:11 EDT Hershey raises quarterly dividend 15% to $1.192 per share - The Board of Directors of The Hershey Company announced quarterly dividends of $1.192 on the Common Stock and $1.083 on the Class B Common Stock, an increase of 15% or $0.156 and $0.141 per share, respectively. The dividends were declared July 26, 2023, and are payable September 15, 2023, to stockholders of record as of August 18, 2023. It is the 374th consecutive regular dividend on the Common Stock and the 155th consecutive regular dividend on the Class B Common Stock.

07:08 EDT Optinose reports preliminary Q2 XHANCE net revenue $19.5M - Optinose announced preliminary XHANCE net product revenue of $19.5 million for the three months ended June 30, 2023. "Our preliminary second quarter net product revenue of $19.5 million contributes to a first half 2023 performance that exceeded our initial expectations," stated CEO Ramy Mahmoud. "We look forward to providing a complete update of our recent commercial performance and regulatory progress on the tenth of August."

07:04 EDT Kirby expects 2023 capital spending $300M-$380M - Commenting on the outlook for the remainder of 2023, Mr. Grzebinski said, "We exited the quarter with continued strength in our businesses. Pricing in the marine market continues to improve and demand is strong. In distribution and services, despite persistent supply chain constraints and delays, demand for our products and services continues to grow, and we continue to receive new orders in manufacturing. Overall, we expect our businesses to deliver improved financial results in the coming quarters. While all of this is encouraging, we are mindful of challenges related to a slowing global economy and additional economic headwinds due to higher interest rates. Also, labor constraints and inflationary pressures continue contributing to rising costs across our businesses, although some of this is starting to moderate. Even with these uncertainties, we remain very positive and expect to drive strong cash flow from operations." In inland marine, we anticipate continued gradual upward movement in pricing and margins in the second half of 2023 as steady demand and a limited availability of equipment is expected to keep the market tight. As a result, the Company expects further pricing improvements in the spot market, which currently represents approximately 45% of inland revenues. Term contracts are also expected to continue to reset higher to reflect improved market conditions and offset inflation. Overall, inland revenues are expected to grow by low double digits on a full year basis. Barring unexpected high cost inflation and rising fuel costs, the Company expects operating margins to continue improving as the year progresses and average in the high teens for the full year. In coastal marine, revenues and operating margins are being impacted this year by an approximate doubling of planned shipyard maintenance days with ballast water treatment installations on certain vessels. Kirby expects modestly improved customer demand through the balance of the year with barge utilization in the low to mid-90% range. Rates are expected to continue gradually improving as the industry is getting very close to supply and demand balance across the fleet. For the full year, coastal revenues are expected to be flat compared to 2022. Coastal operating margins are expected to be near break-even to low single digits on a full year basis. In distribution and services, favorable oilfield fundamentals and steady demand in commercial and industrial are expected to continue throughout 2023 and into 2024. In the oil and gas market, despite the near-term headwinds of lower commodity prices and flat to declining rig counts, we expect strong demand for manufacturing as well as for OEM products, parts, and services. Within manufacturing, the Company expects demand for environmentally friendly pressure pumping and e-frac power generation equipment to remain strong, with new orders and increased deliveries of new equipment during the year. Supply chain issues and long lead times are expected to persist in the near-term, contributing to some volatility as deliveries of new products shift between quarters and into 2024. In commercial and industrial, steady markets are expected to help drive full year revenue growth in the low double-digit percentage range, with increased activity in power generation, marine repair, and on-highway. Overall, the Company expects segment revenues to grow 10% to 20% on a full year basis with operating margins in the mid to high-single digits. Kirby expects to generate net cash provided from operating activities of $500 million to $580 million in 2023. 2023 capital spending is expected to range between $300 to $380 million. Approximately $240 million is associated with marine maintenance capital and improvements to existing inland and coastal marine equipment, including ballast water treatment systems on some coastal vessels, and facility improvements. Up to approximately $140 million is associated with growth capital spending in both our businesses.

07:03 EDT McDonald's reports Q2 global SSS up 11.7% - U.S. SSS increased 10.3%, International Operated Markets segment SSS increased 11.9%, and International Developmental Licensed Markets segment SSS increased 14.0%.

06:47 EDT Merck: V1166 met key immunogenicity, safety endpoints in two Phase 3 trials - Merck announced topline results from two Phase 3 trials evaluating V116, the company's investigational 21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in vaccine-naive and previously vaccinated individuals. If approved, V116 would be the first pneumococcal conjugate vaccine specifically designed for adults. Results from the STRIDE-3 trial demonstrated statistically significant immune responses compared to PCV20 in vaccine-naive adults for serotypes common to both vaccines as assessed by serotype-specific opsonophagocytic activity 30 days post-vaccination. Positive immune responses were also observed for serotypes unique to V116. Additionally, results from STRIDE-6 demonstrated that V116 was immunogenic for all 21 pneumococcal serotypes in the vaccine among adults who previously received a pneumococcal vaccine at least one year prior to the study. In both studies, V116 had a safety profile comparable to the comparator in the studies. Results will be shared with the scientific community in the near future and will support global regulatory licensure applications. "Despite the availability of current pneumococcal conjugate vaccines, many adults remain vulnerable to pneumococcal disease, especially those who are older," said Dr. Eliav Barr, senior vice president, head of global clinical development and chief medical officer, Merck Research Laboratories. "These results support the potential for V116 to become an important new preventative option for adults, regardless of prior pneumococcal vaccination status, by expanding coverage to include eight serotypes not currently included in any licensed vaccine. We are very grateful to the patients and investigators who contributed to these studies."

06:31 EDT AstraZeneca says Soliris approved in EU for children with refractory gMG - Soliris has been approved in the European Union for expanded use to include the treatment of refractory generalised myasthenia gravis, or gMG, in children and adolescents aged six to 17 years who are anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive, AstraZeneca announced. "This is the first and only targeted therapy approved for the treatment of paediatric patients with the disease in the EU," the company said.

06:16 EDT Liquidia submits amendment to NDA for YUTREPIA inhalation powder - Liquidia announced the submission of an amendment to the tentatively approved new drug application for YUTREPIA inhalation powder to add the treatment of pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease. The U.S. FDA has previously confirmed in writing that the addition of the PH-ILD indication will not require any new clinical information. Upon acceptance of the amendment, the FDA will confirm the type of resubmission as Class 1 or Class 2. If approved by FDA, YUTREPIA would be indicated for the treatment of both PH-ILD and pulmonary arterial hypertension. The FDA can grant final approval of the PH-ILD indication in the YUTREPIA label after the new clinical investigation exclusivity granted to Tyvaso expires on March 31, 2024.

06:14 EDT Cenovus Energy sees 2023 total production 775,000-795,000 BOE/d

06:07 EDT FirstCash adds $200M to share repurchase plan

06:06 EDT Dorian LPG reports irregular cash dividend of $1.00 per share - Dorian LPG updated its financial and operational outlook for the quarter ended June 30 and announced that its board of directors has declared an irregular cash dividend of $1.00 per share of the company's common stock, returning $40.4M of capital to shareholders. The dividend is payable on or about September 6 to all shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 10. The company also plans to issue a press release on Wednesday, August 2 prior to the market open, announcing its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended June 30.

05:34 EDT RingCentral opens inaugural office in Bengaluru - RingCentral announced the opening of its inaugural office in Bengaluru. This comes just after RingCentral announced it obtained key regulatory verifications to operate in India by Department of Telecommunications and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, making it the first global cloud provider to offer fully compliant cloud phone services in India.

05:14 EDT Shell commences $3B share buyback program - Shell announced the commencement of a $3B share buyback program covering an aggregate contract term of approximately three months. The purpose of the program is to reduce the issued share capital of the company. All shares repurchased as part of the program will be cancelled. It is intended that, subject to market conditions, the program will be completed prior to the company's Q3 results announcement, scheduled for November 2.