Stockwinners Market Radar for August 21, 2023 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:27 EDT Alexion sickle cell disease treatment granted FDA orphan designation - Alexion's treatment of sickle cell disease was granted FDA orphan designation, according to a post to the agency's website. Reference Link

20:26 EDT Beauty Health director buys $348.6K in common stock - In a regulatory filing, Beauty Health disclosed that its director Brian Miller bought 60K shares of common stock on August 17th in a total transaction size of $348.6K.

20:12 EDT CenterPoint Energy names Earl Cummings as new Board Chair - CenterPoint announced that the company's Board of Directors has appointed Earl M. Cummings as its Independent Board Chair. Mr. Cummings has served as an Independent Director of CenterPoint Energy's Board of Directors since 2020. During that time, he has also served as the Chair of the Governance, Environmental and Sustainability Committee, as well as a member of the Audit and Compensation Committees. Cummings succeeds Martin H. Nesbitt, who served as Independent Board Chair since July 2021.

18:47 EDT Palo Alto Networks CEO: We have a simplistic view on cybersecurity - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, Nikesh Arora said cybersecurity is one of the most fragmented industries. He doesn't think a customer should have to stich together a string of security measures. "Our platform approach helps us consolidate spend across multiple vendors," he added. "There's a resonance between what our customers need and what we can deliver." According to Arora, the company is distancing itself from other cybersecurity players. Its RPO grew 30% year over year and that is the metric to look at, not billings, he noted.

17:50 EDT AerSale CEO buys $829.7K in common stock - In a regulatory filing, AerSale disclosed that its CEO Nicolas Finazzo bought 66K shares of common stock on August 18th in a total transaction size of $829.7K.

17:33 EDT Newmont receives competition clearance in Australia's to acquire Newcrest Mining - Newmont has been cleared by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission to proceed with its proposed acquisition of Newcrest Mining. The ACCC is expected to convey its clearance of the transaction to Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board for consideration. Newmont continues advancing other regulatory approvals and expects to close the transaction in Q4. Earlier this month, Korea's Fair Trade Commission and Papua New Guinea's Independent Consumer & Competition Commission cleared the proposed acquisition. In July, the Canadian Competition Bureau issued a "no action" letter also clearing the transaction. Other regulatory approvals to be secured for Newmont's proposed acquisition of Newcrest include the Australia Foreign Investment Review Board, the Japan Fair Trade Commission, and the Philippine Competition Commission. Newmont and Newcrest also continue engaging with the PNG Government and regulators about other approvals and clearances for the transaction. The combined business is anticipated to generate annual pre-tax synergies of $500M, expected to be achieved within the first 24 months, while also targeting at least $2B in the first two years after closing through portfolio optimization.

17:25 EDT Zoom Video sees FY24 free cash flow $1.2B-$1.23B - Says operating cash flow grew 31%. Says Zoom Phone reached $500M in annualized run rate revenue. Says surpassed 500 contract center customers. Says Zoom is built for hybrid work. Sees FY24 gross margin 79.7%. Sees Q3 $6B in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities. Says Zoom Scheduler has paid customers already and is doing very well. Says Zoom Scheduler is at a very attractive price point. Comments and guidance taken from Q2 earnings conference call.

17:17 EDT Kenvue to replace Advance Auto Parts in S&P 500 at open on 8/25 - As previously announced on August 9, the addition of Kenvue (KVUE) is the result of Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) offering to exchange the shares of Kenvue held for shares of Johnson & Johnson in a split-off exchange offer that expired on Friday, August 18.

17:11 EDT Lockheed Martin awarded $347.44M Navy contract modification - Lockheed Martin was awarded a $347.44M firm-fixed-price modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This modification adds scope to procure Lots 15-16 helmet mounted display system requirements in support of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, F-35 Cooperative Program Partners, and Foreign Military Sales customers. Work is expected to be completed in December 2026. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command is the contracting activity.

16:59 EDT AerSale successfully completes certification light testing for AerAware EFVS - AerSale Corporation announced that it has successfully completed all certification flight testing for AerAware, its Enhanced Flight Vision System, in coordination with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. Prior to the completion of the final test flight, the FAA approved all modifications to the system and the Company successfully completed its fifth set of test flights on August 19, 2023, which when added to the first four set of flight tests, totaled more than 100 hours of flight time. Nicolas Finazzo, AerSale's Chief Executive Officer said, "We are pleased to reach this milestone in the development of AerAware, and we look forward to proceeding to Supplemental Type Certification and commercialization of the product."

16:52 EDT Diversified Healthcare Trust merger proposal receives three negative assessments - Diversified Healthcare Trust (DHC) shareholder Flat Footed, owner of approximately 9.8% of the company's outstanding common shares, announced that all three independent proxy advisory firms - Institutional Shareholder Services or ISS, Glass, Lewis and Egan-Jones Ratings - have now recommended that DHC shareholders vote against the proposed merger with Office Properties (OPI) at the company's upcoming Special Meeting of Shareholders on August 30. In its recently issued report, Egan-Jones highlighted its rationale for recommending shareholders vote against the proposed merger: "The inadequacy of the merger consideration clearly depicts the lack of alignment of the Board and management's interests with those of the shareholders." "The absence of a strategic process, lack of synergies and dubious rationale that favor RMR instead of DHC shareholders [...] delineate that the proposed transaction is self-serving to the personal motives of RMR and Mr. Portnoy." "Given DHC's SHOP assets, we believe that the company is poised for a sizable rebound in the next two years. We also believe that the potential of DHC's SHOP assets was completely overlooked in determining the true value of its stock price." "As of Aug. 2, 2023, the value of the merger consideration represents a take-under at a meaningful 53.7% discount to DHC's closing price."

16:41 EDT Fabrinet jumps 13% to $132.00 after Q4 earnings beat - Shares of Fabrinet are up 13% or $15.22 at $132.00 per share after the company reported a Q4 earnings beat, extended its buyback, and guided Q1 in line with estimates.

16:36 EDT Cboe Global Markets exec Howson sells 8,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Cboe Global Markets executive VP Dave Howson disclosed the sale of 8,000 common shares of the company on August 17 at a price of $148.42 per share.

16:32 EDT Eastern Company announces 200,000 share repurchase program - The Eastern Company announced that its Board of Directors has approved a new share repurchase program authorizing the company to repurchase up to 200,000 shares of its common stock through August 20, 2028. Under the share repurchase program, the company may repurchase shares in the open market and may also enter into structured repurchase agreements with third parties. The company previously repurchased 140,000 shares of the 200,000 shares authorized on the share repurchase plan that was authorized on May 3, 2018 and expired on May 2, 2023.

16:23 EDT Conformis announces ISS recommendation that stockholders vote for restor3d deal - Conformis announced that independent proxy advisory firm, Institutional Shareholder Services, or ISS, has recommended that Conformis stockholders vote for the pending merger transaction with restor3d. As previously announced, under the terms of the definitive merger agreement, restor3d will acquire all outstanding shares of common stock of Conformis for $2.27 per share in an all cash transaction. Conformis said it is pleased that ISS shares its belief that the proposed merger with restor3d is in the best interests of all Conformis stockholders.

16:21 EDT Charles Schwab to close or downsize certain corporate offices - In a regulatory 8-K filing, the company states: "As previously announced, in addition to cost synergies directly related to the integration of TD Ameritrade, the company is planning incremental actions to streamline its operations to prepare for post-integration. The company is currently assessing its real estate footprint, and plans to close or downsize certain corporate offices. In addition, the company plans to reduce its operating costs primarily through lower headcount and professional services. The company expects to realize at least $500 million of incremental annual run-rate cost savings to be achieved through these actions. In order to achieve these cost savings, the company expects to incur exit and related costs, primarily related to employee compensation and benefits and facility exit costs, of approximately $400 to $500 million. The company anticipates most costs related to position eliminations will be incurred in the second half of 2023, and costs related to real estate will be incurred in 2023 and 2024."

16:16 EDT Fabrinet extends buyback by up to $74.6M - Fabrinet announced that its Board of Directors has approved the repurchase of up to an additional $47.6 million of Fabrinet's ordinary shares, bringing the aggregate authorization under Fabrinet's existing share repurchase program to $294.8 million, with $100.0 million currently remaining.

16:14 EDT Adverum Biotechnologies announces Andrew Ramelmeier as chief technology officer - Adverum Biotechnologies (ADVM) announced that Andrew Ramelmeier has joined Adverum as the company's chief technology officer. Ramelmeier will serve as a member of Adverum's executive committee and will lead Adverum's technology and operations organization, including process development and assay development for Adverum's investigational gene therapy ixoberogene soroparvovec. Most recently, Ramelmeier served as executive vice president, head of technical operations at Sangamo Therapeutics (SGMO).

16:10 EDT Matrix Service receices $464M in Q4 awards, announces backlog $1.1B at June-end - Matrix Service Company announced that it has received fiscal fourth quarter awards of $464M, resulting in $1.1B in backlog as of June 30 , the largest backlog since June 30, 2018. Total awards in fiscal 2023 of over $1.3B were also the highest annual total in five years. "Our large, high quality multi-year backlog is the result of the actions we have taken to focus the business on the core markets aligned with our skills, expertise, and strong brand. Entering fiscal 2024, our backlog supports long-term sustainable revenue and improved earnings. The reshaping of the global energy markets, the push towards lower carbon activity, and industrial reshoring all create long-term opportunities for our business that we expect will drive further backlog growth," said Matrix Service The Company will announce fourth quarter and full year results for Fiscal 2023 after market on Monday, September 11 The Company expects results to be in line with consensus.

16:08 EDT SS&C increases common stock dividend by 20% to 24c per share - SS&C has approved a quarterly dividend payout of 24c per share, up from 20c per share. The dividend is payable on September 15 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on September 1.

16:05 EDT Agiliti announces $50M share buyback - Agiliti "announced that its board of directors approved a share repurchase program that grants the Company authority to repurchase up to $50 million of shares of the Company's common stock over a 12-month period."

16:01 EDT Teva settles prices fixing charges with DOJ - Teva Pharmaceuticals, a U.S. affiliate of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., has reached a deferred prosecution agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice to settle the criminal price-fixing charges brought against Teva in 2020. Under the DPA, which will allow Teva to avoid mandatory exclusion from participation in U.S. federal health care programs, Teva will pay a fine of $225M over five years, with $22.5M due each year from 2024 through 2027, and $135M due in 2028. The company has also agreed to donate $50M worth of two generic products (valued at wholesale acquisition cost), to humanitarian organizations, and to divest one additional generic product to a third-party buyer. Teva admits in the DPA that a single former employee, in three instances involving three separate customers between 2013 and 2015, agreed with competitors that Teva would not bid on an opportunity to supply that customer with a particular generic product. This former employee left the Company in 2016.

13:43 EDT Digital Brands announces 1-for-25 reverse stock split - Digital Brands Group announced that it will effect a 1-for-25 reverse stock split of its common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, that will become effective on August 22, 2023, at 12:01 a.m., Eastern Time, pursuant to the vote of its shareholders on August 21, 2023. DBG's Common Stock will continue to trade on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the existing symbol "DBGI" and will begin trading on a split-adjusted basis when the market opens on August 22, 2023. The new CUSIP number for the Common Stock following the Reverse Stock Split will be 25401N 408.

13:31 EDT SentinelOne trading resumes

13:30 EDT SentinelOne jumps 12% to $16.27 after Reuters says exploring sale

13:02 EDT Charge Enterprises shareholder Arena urges board to address underperformance - Arena Investors, which identifies itself as an institutional asset manager that, together with investment funds managed by it, is "one of the largest beneficial owners of Charge Enterprises," announced in a press release that it sent a letter to the board of directors of Charge. "The purpose of the letter is to urge the Board of Directors of Charge to take clear steps towards improving Charge's current corporate management and operations, with the goal of remedying Charge's dramatic underperformance, including an approximately 78% decline in Charge's stock price in the past year. Arena is confident that, with better strategic direction and significantly improved leadership and corporate governance, the company can deliver strong profitability and growth while driving much needed expansion in electric vehicle charging infrastructure, delivering value for shareholders and benefits for customers, drivers and the environment. However, the current Board of Directors and management of Charge have failed to take immediate actions to address these issues despite Arena's multiple attempts to engage on these matters constructively and privately over the past six months. Disappointingly, they appear to be a roadblock to the much needed changes that are required for Charge to reverse its disturbing trend of poor operational execution and stock performance. Arena and/or investment funds managed by it are the beneficial owners of approximately 9.99% of the outstanding common stock of Charge and the beneficial owner of other securities, which, upon 61 days' notice, are convertible into an additional 10% of the outstanding common stock of Charge. Certain of Arena's shares were recently included in a resale registration statement filed by Charge to fulfill Charge's contractual obligation. However, Arena remains a committed long term investor in Charge," the firm stated.

12:28 EDT AMC sinks after Delaware Supreme Court says conversion can proceed - The Delaware Supreme Court ruled that AMC Entertainment's stock conversion can proceed this week, rejecting an appeal from a pension fund. "The Objector has not proposed a schedule for orderly resolution of an interlocutory appeal. It is therefore unclear how long impediments to AMC's ability to raise capital would continue if the status quo were preserved pending appeal.16 And finally, the Objector has identified issues for appeal that can be decided post-closing without risking the serious harm that AMC might suffer if settlement approval is delayed. Under these circumstances, a status quo order pending appeal is not warranted," the court said in its order. Shares of AMC are down 25% to $3.09 in midday trading.

12:19 EDT Volvo Chairman Carl-Henric Svanberg declines re-election - Carl-Henric Svanberg has declined re-election as Chairman of the AB Volvo Board of Directors. He will remain as Board Chairman until the Annual General Meeting to be held in March 2024."Today, I have informed the Election Committee of AB Volvo of my intention to step down in conjunction with next year's Annual General Meeting," says Carl-Henric Svanberg, Chairman of the AB Volvo Board of Directors. "In March 2024, I will have served as Chairman for 12 years. It has been a great privilege and I am proud of the achievements of the management team and all the employees in the Volvo Group." Carl-Henric Svanberg became Board Chairman of AB Volvo in April 2012.

12:00 EDT Hecla Mining falls -9.5% - Hecla Mining is down -9.5%, or -43c to $4.14.

12:00 EDT AMC Entertainment falls -24.5% - AMC Entertainment is down -24.5%, or -$1.00 to $3.09.

12:00 EDT SOS Limited rises 14.9% - SOS Limited is up 14.9%, or 67c to $5.16.

11:33 EDT Pinterest rolls out new features for teen safety - In a blog post, Pinterest said, "Today, we're announcing a suite of updates to features that will expand the ways we're protecting our users' personal space. These new features, which will begin rolling out this week, will include the launch of private profiles, more control over your followers, improved options for collaborating only with people you know, and the ability for parents to easily opt in and out of a parental passcode for teens...Pinners age 16 and over will be able to opt into a private or public profile. Once private, you will still be able to connect with your friends and family by sending a unique profile link. Private profiles are not discoverable by others on the platform and will remain the default and only option for teens under the age of 16...You will have even more control over who gets to follow you. For teens under the age of 16, followers will be removed so that they can decide who gets to follow them and only collaborate with people they trust. In addition, all users will be able to review and remove followers...We're enabling more ways to help you make decisions about who can and can't contact you. Messaging and group boards will be available to all users, as long as you give them permission. Teens under the age of 16 will only send and receive messages from mutual followers who have been accepted through a unique profile link that expires after 3 days or when they get 5 new followers with the shareable link, whichever comes first...Parents and caregivers can already opt to require a passcode to change certain account settings for their teens. We are giving caregivers the ability to easily opt-in and out of the parental passcode and update the protected settings on their teen's account. Additional information on how to change permissions and more resources for caregivers can be found in our Help Center." Reference Link

11:16 EDT Splash Beverage enters new, expanded distribution agreements - Splash Beverag has entered new or expanded distribution agreements with Chicago's Lakeshore Beverage, Mississippi's Southern Beverage Company, and Georgia's United Distributors. At the same time, Splash announced that Copa di Vino will now be offered in nine Blaze Pizza locations across Southern California.

11:05 EDT Flowers Foods appoints Brigitte King, Joanne Smith to board of directors - The Flowers Foods (FLO) board of directors has elected two new independent directors, effective October 1, 2023: Brigitte King is the global chief digital officer at Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL), where she oversees digital commerce, digital marketing and omnichannel brand strategies. Joanne Smith is executive vice president and chief people officer at Delta Air Lines (DAL), where she oversees talent management and development, recruitment, HR service delivery, diversity and inclusion, and HR policies and programs.

11:03 EDT Commonwealth LNG announces strategic agreement with Baker Hughes - Commonwealth LNG announced that it has signed a strategic agreement with Baker Hughes related to Commonwealth LNG's liquefied natural gas facility under development in Cameron Parish, Louisiana. "Baker Hughes will work with Commonwealth LNG on maximizing the project's output and minimizing emissions through the use of Baker Hughes' LM9000 aeroderivative gas turbine technology - the most efficient in the 65+ MW power range. The LM9000 equipment order is expected to be granted in conjunction with financial close of the Commonwealth LNG project, which is expected in the first quarter of 2024. The collaboration will also feature other key Baker Hughes equipment, services and software in support of the project, including its proven compressor technology, spare parts, maintenance services and Cordant Asset Performance Management suite. Commonwealth LNG views its relationship with Baker Hughes as vital to ensuring that Commonwealth LNG commences production in early 2027," Commonwealth LNG stated.

10:23 EDT Northrop Grumman selected by SDA to build data transport satellites - Northrop Grumman Corporation has been selected by the Space Development Agency to design and build 36 data transport satellites, the first space vehicles in the latest generation of its low-Earth orbit Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. The team will now update the company's Tranche 1 design to add new broadcast and tactical communications capabilities to PWSA.

10:00 EDT Hawaiian Electric falls -9.2% - Hawaiian Electric is down -9.2%, or -$1.27 to $12.50.

10:00 EDT Skillz rises 13.5% - Skillz is up 13.5%, or 99c to $8.31.

10:00 EDT Tupperware Brands rises 25.4% - Tupperware Brands is up 25.4%, or 62c to $3.08.

09:54 EDT Waldencast PLC trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:47 EDT CI&T falls -5.3% - CI&T is down -5.3%, or -28c to $5.01.

09:47 EDT Skillz rises 8.2% - Skillz is up 8.2%, or 60c to $7.92.

09:47 EDT Boqii rises 13.0% - Boqii is up 13.0%, or 60c to $5.20.

09:30 EDT Performance Shipping board initiates $2M share buyback plan - Performance Shipping announced the completion of the $2M share repurchase plan announced in April 2023. Under this plan, the Company repurchased a total of 2,222,936 common shares for a total amount of approximately $2M. Additionally, the Company announced that its Board of Directors has approved a new share repurchase plan. Under the Plan, the Company may repurchase up to $2M of its outstanding common shares, representing approximately 12.2% of its market capitalization based on 10,910,319 outstanding common shares and the share price as of the close of trading on Friday, August 18, 2023.

09:25 EDT Verizon announces fortified network, digital security tools, device protection - For a limited time, from August 21 to October 19, eligible Verizon customers have a second chance to enroll in Verizon Mobile Protect to cover their devices from loss, theft, damage and post-warranty malfunctions. Verizon Mobile Protect now includes an unlimited number of claims for an enrolled or registered line, cracked screens on select smartphones repaired at no extra cost and a low $99 deductible per claim. Customers also get access to benefits like same-day device delivery and setup. During the open enrollment period customers can also enroll in one of Verizon's other device protection options.

09:21 EDT EHang UACS approved by CAAC for trial operations - EHang Holdings announced that its EHang Unmanned Aircraft Cloud System has been officially approved by the Civil Aviation Administration of China for UACS trial operations. With the UACS trial operations approved, EHang, as the world's first manufacturer and operator of passenger-carrying unmanned vehicle system, further solidifies a vital foundation for commercial operations post the certification of EH216-S. Additionally, the approval of the UACS trial operations serves as a significant safeguard for large-scale operational safety and management.

09:18 EDT Finnovate Acquisition enters business combination deal with Scage - Finnovate Acquisition and Scage International entered into a definitive Business Combination Agreement. Upon consummation of the two mergers and the other transaction contemplated by the Business Combination Agreement, Scage Future, a newly formed holding company will seek to be listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market. The outstanding securities of Scage and Finnovate will be converted into the right to receive securities of Pubco. The transaction represents a post-combination valuation of $1B for Scage upon closing of the Business Combination, subject to adjustment. Headquartered in Nanjing, China, Scage is a zero-emission solution provider focused on new energy heavy-duty commercial vehicles and e-fuel solutions. Scage has completed the design, production and testing of several new energy commercial vehicles, covering application scenarios for logistics, mining and port transportation. Scage's competitive advantages are characterized by robust R&D capabilities, an accelerated delivery process and an experienced management team. According to Frost & Sullivan, a third-party research firm commissioned by Scage in connection with the proposed Business Combination, Scage's Galaxy II truck is one of the earliest new energy hybrid heavy-duty trucks in China to operate with a driving range of 2,000 km, which aims to solve the range anxiety problem of new energy heavy trucks. Scage has entered the batch delivery stage for Galaxy II and expects the new Galaxy series based on hydrogen and hydrogen derivatives will achieve zero carbon while meeting the economic needs of most customers. The boards of directors or similar governing bodies of Scage and Finnovate have approved the proposed Business Combination, subject to, among other things, the approval by Scage's and Finnovate's shareholders of the proposed Business Combination, satisfaction of the conditions stated in the Business Combination Agreement and other customary closing conditions, including that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission completes its review of the proxy statement/prospectus relating to the proposed Business Combination, the receipt of certain regulatory approvals, and approval by The Nasdaq Stock Market to list the securities of Pubco. Scage's Founder and Chairman, Chao Gao, is expected to continue to lead Pubco after the closing of the Business Combination.

09:16 EDT Clean Energy announces natural gas sales agreement with China Resources - Clean Energy Technologies announced that it has entered into 3 sales agreements with 3 subsidiaries of China Resources, ranked 74 in the 2023 global Fortune 500 rankings. As CETY has demonstrated itself as an established supplier of natural gas with its pipeline investments and supply allocation, China Resources, a conglomerate with business units ranging from consumer products, real estate, pharmaceuticals, to energy, authorized CETY as a qualified supplier of natural gas to its subsidiaries in the Dazhou City region in China to fulfill their potential upstream shortfall. CETY will supply natural gas to the subsidiaries of China Resources on an on-demand basis until March 31, 2024. This business relationship with China Resources is expected to open many cross-selling opportunities for CETY's clean energy products and solutions furthering CETY's strategy to penetrate China's waste to energy and waste heat recovery markets.

09:15 EDT H&R Block opens enrollment for income tax course - H&R Block has opened nationwide enrollment for its Income Tax Course. This course is ideal for people looking to deepen their understanding of taxes and the complexities of federal and state tax codes, while skillfully learning to prepare income tax returns. ITC classes begin Aug. 28 and can be taken through June 2024.

09:12 EDT Sabre expands relationship with Scandinavian Airlines - Sabre announced a multi-year distribution agreement that expands its relationship with Scandinavian Airlines, or SAS. The agreement ensures Sabre-connected agencies can retain access to SAS's fares and offers through the Sabre travel marketplace, while also giving SAS the ability to distribute future New Distribution Capability, or NDC, content. SAS is the flag carrier of Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The enhanced agreement with Sabre supports the airline's new distribution model, which aims at providing travellers with SAS offers through NDC in addition to EDIFACT, both through the direct and the indirect channel.

09:08 EDT AMD showcases CPUs, DPUs at VMware Explore 2023 Las Vegas - Today, at VMware Explore 2023 Las Vegas, AMD continued to showcase its proven performance and growing adoption of AMD EPYC CPUs, AMD Pensando data processing units and adaptive computing products as ideal solutions for the most efficient and innovative virtualized environments. For instance, a system powered by a 4th Gen AMD EPYC 9654 CPUs and a Pensando DPU, delivers approximately 3.3x the Redis application performance and 1.75x the aggregate network throughput when compared to a 4th Gen EPYC system with standard NICs. Additionally, servers with 2P 4th Gen EPYC 9654 CPUs alone can enable using up to 35% fewer servers in an environment running 2000 virtual machines compared to 2P Intel Xeon 8490H based servers.

09:05 EDT Ryan Specialty Group names Michael Conklin chief human resources officer - Ryan Specialty announced that Michael Conklin has joined Ryan Specialty as executive VP and chief human resources officer. Conklin will be responsible for the firm's overall people strategy, compensation and benefits, succession planning, as well as talent acquisition and management. Michael brings to Ryan Specialty decades of experience and expertise in human resources, most recently serving as EVP and Chief Human Resources Officer for WSFS Bank. He is succeeding Lisa Paschal, Ryan Specialty's chief human resource officer who has been with Ryan Specialty since 2014 and will officially retire on September 1.

09:03 EDT WWE announces WrestleMania 40 broke all-time gate record - WWE announced that WrestleMania 40 broke the company's all-time gate record in one day. The previous total gross record, $21.6M, was set earlier this year at WrestleMania 39 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles. WrestleMania 40, which takes place at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7, sold more than 90,000 tickets when it went on sale last Friday. The record gate comes on the heels of unprecedented ticket sales demand for WWE in 2023, which to date has produced the highest-grossing gates of all-time for premium live events such as SummerSlam, Royal Rumble and Money In The Bank. SummerSlam, which emanated from Ford Field in Detroit earlier this month, generated a record gate of $8.5M, the largest gate for any non-WrestleMania event ever. Additionally, On Location has sold more fan experience packages for WrestleMania 40 than all of WrestleMania 39 and broke the all-time revenue record for a single WWE event in this area.

08:59 EDT LPL Financial: Watermark Wealth joins broker-dealer, RIA, custodial platforms - LPL Financial LLC announced that Watermark Wealth Management has joined LPL Financial's broker-dealer, RIA and custodial platforms. The team of 16 advisors reported having served approximately $1.5 billion in advisory, brokerage and retirement plan assets, and joins LPL from Kestra.

08:47 EDT LiveOne announces PodcastOne stock to commence trading on or around Sept 8 - LiveOne announced PodcastOne Common Stock Expected to Commence Trading on a National Securities Exchange on or Around September 8, 2023. The company also announced that it has set August 28, 2023 as the record date to determine LiveOne's shareholders of record eligible to receive its planned special dividend of approximately 19% of PodcastOne's common stock as part of its planned spin-out of PodcastOne as a separate public company. In February 2023, LiveOne announced it had received an independent, third party valuation from ValueScope, which indicates that the fair market value range of its wholly-owned subsidiary PodcastOne's equity, on a controlling, marketable interest basis, as of December 31, 2022, is reasonably stated as between $230 million and $274 million. The valuation report was obtained in connection with planned Spin-Out. Other criteria, if any, to determine LiveOne's shareholders eligible for the special dividend shall be determined and announced by LiveOne at a later date.

08:45 EDT ParaZero customer Speedbird Aero celebrates 10,000 operational delivery flights - ParaZero Technologies announced that one of its customers, Speedbird Aero, a world-leading innovator in drone delivery technology development and service provision, has achieved a significant milestone by successfully completing 10,000 operational delivery flights. These landmark deliveries encompass essential medical supplies, on-demand food delivery, and critical telecom components to communities worldwide. What makes this achievement even more remarkable is the unmatched safety and reliability ensured by the integration of mission-critical drone technologies, including ParaZero's cutting-edge SafeAir parachute recovery systems throughout Speedbird Aero's delivery drone fleet. "Speedbird Aero is a global leading player in aerial logistics, and continues to demonstrate their world-class capabilities through various drone delivery initiatives around the world. We're incredibly proud of our ongoing partnership with their team and look forward to continue supporting their safety-first ethos," said ParaZero CEO Boaz Shetzer.

08:44 EDT Curiosity Ink announces enhanced interface for SANTA.COM - Curiosity Ink Media, a subsidiary of Grom Social Enterprises, announced an enhanced interface for SANTA.COM. A high-utility resource, the site is a technology-driven solution for the busiest and most stressful time of the year, helping families globally create a magical yuletide experience. Under the direction of SANTA.COM's recently-installed General Manager, Savannah Brentnall, the holiday hub brings a wide-range of tools. For adults, SANTA.COM features a robust, curated e-commerce marketplace where features, such as "The List" inform users about the most buzzed-about new products, styles and toys; "The Guides" offer curated gifting insights based on themes and consumer interests; and "The Ideas" suggest easy, holiday-inspired decorating and planning tips, as well as memory-making recipes for holiday treats. Additionally, family members have access to all-new DIY content with step-by-step instructions to create ornaments, garlands, centerpieces and more with their kids.

08:41 EDT Mueller Water trading resumes

08:40 EDT American Resources' ReElement appoints Ben Wrightsman as president - American Resources Corporation's ReElement Technologies has expanded its executive team with the appointment of Ben Wrightsman as President of ReElement. Mr. Wrightsman will work alongside the executive team to expand the business geographically through the deployment of its next-generation refining capacity, commercial partnerships, as well as product offerings within both North America and international markets. Wrightsman most recently served as CEO of the Battery Innovation Center.

08:38 EDT Albany International appoints Gunnar Kleveland as President and CEO - Albany International (AIN) announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Gunnar Kleveland to succeed Bill Higgins as President and CEO, effective September 1. Mr. Kleveland will also join the Company's Board at that time. Mr. Higgins, who previously announced his intention to retire as CEO, will remain a member of Albany's Board. Prior to that, Mr. Kleveland served as President of Textron's (TXT) TRU Simulation + Training . He also held various leadership roles in strategic sourcing, supply chain and logistics at Bell Helicopter, including as Executive Vice President of Integrated Operations. Prior to these roles, he was a fighter pilot in the Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) and finished his 15-year career in the air force as the Chief of Flight Safety.

08:36 EDT Two Mueller Water board directors to depart as part of refreshment plan - The Company is committed to further refreshing the Board by adding new directors with fresh perspectives in the near term to further align the Board's experience and skills with the Company's strategic direction. The previously announced accelerated refreshment plan calls for members of the Board with more than 10 years of service to depart no later than the 2026 Annual Meeting. As part of this plan, two Board members, Mark O'Brien and Michael Tokarz, have indicated they will not stand for re-election to the Board at the 2024 Annual Meeting. As part of its ongoing commitment to Board refreshment, Mueller is continuing to identify and evaluate outstanding candidates with skills and experience to enhance the Company's Board. In addition, Ms. Zakas has been appointed as a member of the Board.

08:35 EDT Inhibikase Therapeutics developing new molecules for Parkinson's treatment - Inhibikase Therapeutics is evaluating new molecules with multiple mechanisms of action for c-Abl inhibition. Along with the development of new molecules, IkT-148009 has now been granted the non-proprietary name of risvodetinib. c-Abl activation in response to alpha-synuclein invasion into neurons is an early step in the course of Parkinson's disease. IkT-148009 is a selective c-Abl kinase inhibitor that uniquely inhibits c-Abl and the closely related Abl2/Arg enzyme. By inhibiting c-Abl in neurons where invading alpha-synuclein activated the enzyme, IkT-148009 can suppress progression of neurodegeneration in animal models of Parkinson's disease. These two approaches, separately or in combination, could potentially improve the ability to block spread of disease and more efficiently lead to clearance of the underlying pathology associated with Parkinson's disease through processes reactivated in the presence of c-Abl inhibition. The World Health Organization published the non-proprietary name of risvodetinib as the official name of IkT-148009. Going forward, the company will refer to IkT-148009 as risvodetinib or use the nickname 'risvo'.

08:23 EDT Liquidia down 7% after United Therapeutics patent disclosure on treprostinil - In a regulatory 8-K filing, the company states: "On August 15, 2023, United Therapeutics (UTHR) was issued patent number 11,723,887, the claims of which generally cover the manufacture of treprostinil salts. This patent belongs to the same patent family as U.S. patents 9,593,066, 9,604,901, and 8,497,393, each of which has been subject to previous litigation, and covers the same basic method of manufacturing treprostinil. Liquidia Corporation, (LQDA) is evaluating the claims of the patent and intends to aggressively defend the ability of patients to access the Company's products." Shares of Liquidia are down 6.6% in pre-market trading at $6.50 per share.

08:20 EDT Polaris Renewable Energy announces normal course issuer bid - Polaris Renewable Energy announced that the Toronto Stock Exchange has accepted its notice of intention to proceed with a normal course issuer bid. Under the NCIB, Polaris may purchase up to 2,048,273 of its common shares, representing approximately 10% of the Company's public float during the twelve month period commencing August 23, 2023 and ending August 22, 2024. As at August 18, 2023, the Company had 21,025,775 Shares issued and outstanding and its public float consisted of 20,482,730 Shares. The average daily trading volume of the Shares on the TSX for the most recently completed six calendar months prior to the commencement of the NCIB was 29,942. As a result, in accordance with TSX rules, the Company may purchase up to 7,485 Shares on the TSX under the NCIB during any trading day, subject to the Company's ability to purchase additional Shares pursuant to the TSX's block purchase exemption. Any Shares purchased under the NCIB will be cancelled. The Company's Board of Directors believes that having the NCIB in place provides the Company with flexibility to manage its capital position. The NCIB will enable the Company to use, when determined appropriate, its available free cash to increase shareholder value and is in the best interest of the Company and its shareholders. As at June 30, 2023, the Company had USD$37.3 million of un-restricted consolidated cash on hand. Although the Company intends to purchase Shares under the NCIB, there can be no assurances that any purchases will be completed. The timing and amount of purchases, if any, under the NCIB are subject to the discretion of management based on various factors, including prevailing market conditions. Any purchases made under the NCIB will be made by Polaris at the prevailing market price, plus applicable brokerage fees through the facilities of the TSX, and alternative Canadian trading systems.

08:20 EDT Mueller Water trading halted, news pending

08:17 EDT Satellogic and Quant Data & Analytics announce 3-year pact, no terms - Satellogic announced that it has signed an agreement with Quant Data & Analytics or Quant, a Saudi provider of Data & AI Products and Enterprise Solutions focused on the real estate and retail sectors. This strategic agreement leverages Satellogic's high-resolution satellite imagery to serve and evolve the ever-expanding property tech landscape across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region...The agreement will empower the Saudi Arabian and Gulf region's real estate and retail sector by delivering AI solutions and unparalleled insights, accuracy, and efficiency for driving growth and enhancing decision-making processes... This collaboration is timely, coinciding with increased Saudi government investment in infrastructure to stimulate tourism, residential, and commercial real estate developments. Leveraging Satellogic's high-resolution EO satellite constellation, the agreement will enable monitoring of rapid urban development and compliance with..environmental and zoning regulations, enhancing competitiveness in the high growth market. ..By harnessing the power of satellite imagery, Quant is laying the foundation for a futuristic approach to data-led development, monitoring, and decision-making. This collaboration promises to be a game-changer in utilizing big data to make transformative impacts on real estate, retail and beyond.

08:16 EDT Onfolio advances AI-offerings with launch of Get Quick - Onfolio announces the launch of Get Quick, its new AI-driven tool to help website owners better understand and respond to Google Lighthouse page speed and search engine optimization data. Get Quick will allow users to enter their URL at no cost and will explain the current Google Lighthouse results and suggest potential fixes to improve the website's performance and SEO. "We continue to advance our AI capabilities to maximize the efficiency of our current portfolio companies. Free online tools, such as Get Quick, are part of our offering, which is useful to both prospect for new leads and, following further development, create additional revenue through more enhanced offerings on a paid tier of the tool," commented Dominic Wells, Onfolio's CEO and Founder.

08:15 EDT GD Culture Group unveils rebranding initiatives - GD Culture Group, a holding company currently conducting business through Shanghai Highlight Media, announced that it has unveiled rebranding initiatives reflecting the Company's cultural transformation and a redefined strategy focused on growth and innovation. The Initiatives signify the Company's ambitions to explore new business opportunities in emerging industries and to create long-term value for all shareholders. New Logo; New Investor Relations Website; Business Transformation: The Company plans to expand into new horizons with a strong focus on e-commerce, live streaming interactive gaming, and audio comic storytelling experiences on the TikTok platform; Digital Marketing.

08:13 EDT Bowlero to acquire Merri-Bowl Lanes, BAM! Entertainment Center in Michigan - Bowlero announced they have entered into definitive agreements to acquire Merri-Bowl Lanes and BAM! Entertainment Center in Michigan. These acquisitions mark the company's fourth and fifth locations in the state and are expected to close in the fall of 2023. Located in Livonia, Michigan, Merri-Bowl Lanes is a traditional 35,000-square-foot center featuring 40 lanes of bowling. This location is a family-fun destination, showcasing a diverse array of entertainment experiences, including league play, youth and adult tournaments, parties, and events.

08:11 EDT DraftKings' Golden Nugget debuts online casino product in Pennsylvania - Golden Nugget Online Gaming announced that the company has launched its online and mobile casino in Pennsylvania. The Golden Nugget Online Gaming casino app, powered by DraftKings technology, includes more than 500 slots and classic table games like Blackjack, Roulette and Craps, as well as exclusive games including Rocket, Golden Nugget American Roulette, Golden Nugget Blackjack and more. "We're thrilled to announce that Golden Nugget Online Gaming's mobile casino is now available to customers in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," said Matt Kalish, President, DraftKings North America. "The app is powered by our leading technology, which dynamically brings hundreds of popular casino games and exclusive content to our customers' fingertips. Pennsylvanians will be able to enjoy superior customer service, rewarding promotions, and a smooth interface while playing on Golden Nugget Online Gaming."

08:10 EDT Cheetah Net Supply Chain Service sells 175 luxury vehicles in 1H23 - For the six months ended June 30, 2023, Cheetah sold a total of 175 luxury vehicles, 69% of which were sold directly to PRC-based parallel import dealers and the balance to U.S. parallel vehicle exporters for sale into the PRC. Gross profit increased by approximately 35% to an estimated $2.4 million, for a gross profit margin of 10.7%, compared with 5.3% for the prior year period due to higher average selling prices. Unit volume and revenue were lower than the first half of 2022. Cheetah expects to report a net profit for the first half of 2023, compared with a $0.5 million loss in the first half of 2022. Cheetah's Chairman and CEO Tony Liu commented: "Our improved performance this year compared with last year demonstrates the successful execution of our strategy to maximize the profit potential of each trade, which we believe is the most efficient way to allocate capital. During the first half of the year, we focused on selling more higher-priced vehicles, which drove an increase in the average selling price by nearly 13% to $128,214 and both significantly reduced cost of sales as a percentage of revenue and contributed to an improvement in net profit. Going forward, we are maintaining a positive outlook for the parallel import business for the rest of 2023, while we put into action the next phase of our plan to develop logistics and warehouse capabilities that can facilitate our own parallel-import vehicle business and be offered as a standalone business to small and medium-sized parallel import dealers."

08:09 EDT FTAC Zeus announces cancellation of special meeting, redemption of shares - FTAC Zeus Acquisition announced its decision to cancel its special meeting scheduled for Monday, August 21, 2023. The Company also announced that, because it will not consummate an initial business combination within the time period required by its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, the Company intends to dissolve and liquidate in accordance with the provisions of the Charter, effective as of the close of business on August 23, 2023, and will redeem all of the outstanding shares of Class A common stock that were included in the units issued in its initial public offering at a per-share redemption price of approximately $10.49. As of the close of business on August 23, 2023, the Public Shares will be deemed cancelled and will represent only the right to receive the Redemption Amount. In order to provide for the disbursement of funds from the trust account, the Company will instruct the trustee of the trust account to take all necessary actions to liquidate the securities held in the trust account. The proceeds of the trust account will be held in a non-interest bearing account while awaiting disbursement to the holders of the Public Shares. Record holders will receive their pro rata portion of the proceeds of the trust account, less $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses, and net of taxes payable, by delivering their Public Shares to Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, the Company's transfer agent. Beneficial owners of Public Shares held in "street name," however, will not need to take any action in order to receive the Redemption Amount. The redemption of the Public Shares is expected to be completed within ten business days after August 23, 2023. The Company's sponsor has agreed to waive its redemption rights with respect to its outstanding shares of Class B common stock issued prior to the Company's initial public offering. There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to the Company's warrants, which will expire worthless. The Company expects that the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC will file a Form 25 with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission to delist the Company's securities. The Company thereafter expects to file a Form 15 with the Commission to terminate the registration of its securities under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company anticipates that the Public Shares, as well as the Company's publicly traded units and warrants, will cease trading as of the close of business on August 22, 2023.

08:07 EDT Spirax-Sarco to present at PACK EXPO, Las Vegas - Steam and energy experts from Spirax Sarco USA will be showcasing high-quality, sterile, and sustainable solutions with a diverse product range at PACK EXPO, Las Vegas Convention Center on September 11 - 13, 2023. Attendees are invited to booth N-10424 to speak to steam and energy experts about their business needs and to see products that will help customers in the Pharmaceutical, and Food & Beverage industries minimize waste, reduce CO2 emissions, and improve process efficiency in their steam systems. At 10:00 AM on Tuesday, September 12, 2023, Alex Rosa, Spirax Sarco Senior Manager, Applications, Sales & Support, will take the Processing Innovation Stage N-10511, to deliver a presentation The Journey for the Steam System Decarbonization. Rosa, an Automation Engineer with 28 years of experience working as a Steam Process Application Solution Provider, in a 30-minute session will preview the technology that will help attendees on their journey with the design, optimization, and net zero solutions of process and utility steam.

08:06 EDT Nokia launches Corteca home connectivity software - Nokia announced the launch of Corteca, a new end-to-end home connectivity software for broadband devices that will enable service providers to significantly enhance customer experiences, generate new revenues and reduce operational costs.

08:04 EDT RBC Bearings buys assets of precision bearings maker Specline for $18.7M - RBC Bearings announced the acquisition of the business assets of Specline, a manufacturer of precision bearings for the commercial and defense aerospace markets, for $18.7M. Dr. Michael J. Hartnett, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "Specline has a proven business model that delivers value to aircraft customers. The addition of Specline's unique bearing and manufacturing processes increases the breadth of our aerospace product offering and enhances our production capacity. We are excited to be gaining such a well-respected family business with deep customer relationships and a talented workforce. Rick and Veronica Clemens continued the legacy of Rick's father over the last 50 years and have now passed the torch to RBC Bearings." Founded in 1970 and headquartered in Carson City, Nevada, Specline has a diverse aerospace customer base and employs 38 skilled professionals. The business produces standard and custom configuration precision spherical bearings, rod ends and journal bearings. Specline generated approximately $8.4M in net sales over the last twelve months.

08:03 EDT Freshpet, JANA Partners enter cooperation agreement - Freshpet has entered into a cooperation agreement with JANA Partners, one of the Company's largest shareholders. As part of the agreement, Freshpet has appointed Timothy McLevish and Joseph Scalzo to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Mr. McLevish joins the Board as a Class I director with a term expiring at the Company's 2024 annual meeting, and Mr. Scalzo joins as a Class II director with a term expiring at the Company's 2025 annual meeting. In connection with this appointment, Freshpet's Board has increased from ten to twelve directors, eleven of whom are independent. Pursuant to the agreement, JANA has agreed to withdraw the director nominations it had previously submitted to the Company and will support the Board's slate of directors at the 2023 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. JANA has also agreed to certain customary standstill provisions. The full cooperation agreement with JANA will be filed in a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Bank of America served as financial advisor and Sidley Austin LLP served as legal advisor to Freshpet.

08:02 EDT Phathom announces submission of six-month stability data for GERD NDA - Phathom Pharmaceuticals announced it has submitted to the FDA six-month stability data from its long-term and accelerated stability program for its reformulated vonoprazan tablets. The additional stability was required for the FDA to complete its NDA review for vonoprazan, a novel first-in-class potassium-competitive acid blocker, for the treatment of Erosive GERD, also referred to as erosive esophagitis. With the submission of these data, Phathom has satisfied the FDA's request for additional data in response to the Complete Response Letter issued in February 2023 relating to specifications and controls for a nitrosamine drug substance related impurity, N-nitroso-vonoprazan. Phathom resubmitted the NDA for vonoprazan for Erosive GERD in May 2023 on the basis of three months of stability data and was assigned a PDUFA goal date of November 17, 2023. "We are happy to share that the six-month stability data continue to demonstrate effective control of NVP, which is another big step forward as we prepare for a planned launch in the fourth quarter of this year," said Terrie Curran, President and Chief Executive Officer of Phathom. "The latest stability data confirm that our minor product reformulation has limited the presence of NVP, and we believe these data comfortably support the proposed shelf life for vonoprazan tablets. We look forward to working with the FDA as it completes its review."

07:38 EDT Medigus announces ParaZero signed new agreement with Black Square - Medigus (MDGS) announced that ParaZero Technologies (PRZO), an aerospace company focused on drone safety systems for commercial drones and urban air mobility aircraft, has announced its further expansion into the Latin American drone market with a new development agreement with Colombia-based drone OEM, Black Square, an industrial drone producer leader in the region that focuses on enterprise drone platforms. Black Square's decision to integrate ParaZero's patented parachute technology underscores the importance of safety in advanced drone operations. "Latin America represents a growing market for commercial drone applications, and our collaboration with Black Square solidifies our commitment to promoting safety across the commercial drone and urban air mobility ecosystem in the region," said Boaz Shetzer, Chief Executive Officer of ParaZero. "Having recently facilitated groundbreaking operational approvals in Latin America with our technology, we're eager to further our presence and deepen our ties in Latin America, and we look forward to our new partnership with the very talented team at Black Square."

07:37 EDT Vision Marine Technologies announces collaboration with Shaun Torrente - Vision Marine Technologies announces its strategic collaboration with three-time boat racing world champion, Shaun Torrente. Building upon the successful breakthrough of the 109-mph speed barrier last year, Shaun Torrente, together with Alex Mongeon, CEO of Vision Marine, and Xavier Montagne, CTO of Vision Marine, and the visionary mastermind behind the E-Motion Electric Powertrain, are poised to further elevate speed records in an extraordinary event scheduled for August 26th & 27th, 2023. The company said, "This collaborative vision transcends more than a mere pursuit of records; it signifies a paradigm shift in boat racing. By harnessing the limitless potential of electric power and a meticulously designed electrical architecture, this partnership aims to redefine high-speed watercraft and recreational boating, forging a path toward sustainable racing while pushing the boundaries of conventional competition."

07:37 EDT Tingo Group reschedules Q2 earnings conference call - Tingo Group has briefly postponed its second quarter 2023 conference call and the filing of its Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2023, to after the market closes today. The Company has rescheduled its second quarter 2023 conference call to take place at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time today, Monday August 21, 2023, at which time the Company will present its results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023, and provide a business update. A press release detailing the results will be issued prior to the call.

07:35 EDT Medical Properties Trust cuts quarterly dividend to 15c per share - Medical Properties Trust announced that its board of directors has adopted an updated capital allocation strategy designed to significantly strengthen its balance sheet, lower its cost of capital, and position MPT for long-term shareholder value creation. Over the past eighteen months, MPT has completed several transactions that have resulted in lower adjusted funds from operations, including its partnership with Macquarie Asset Management for eight Massachusetts hospitals, Prime Healthcare's repurchase of 14 facilities, and the sale of seven Australian hospitals. The company is declaring a quarterly cash dividend or 15c per diluted share, which will be paid on October 12 to shareholders of record as of September 14. In setting this new dividend level, the board has carefully considered the dilutive effects of recent and pending dispositions and recapitalization transactions, while targeting an initial payout of projected near-term AFFO of less than 60%. Importantly, only anticipated cash rent scheduled to be paid on Prospect's California leased hospitals is included in this estimate. MPT plans to scale back discretionary operating expenses and other costs for better alignment with the reduction of both its asset base and its near-term acquisition activities.

07:34 EDT Complete Solaria enters LOI to sell certain North American solar panel assets - Complete Solaria announced they have entered into a Non-Binding Letter of Intent to sell certain Complete Solaria's North American solar panel assets to a global, tier-1 panel manufacturer. The agreement also includes a provision for the buyer to supply premium, high-power solar panels to Complete Solaria. Further information about the transaction will be published in due course. Deal closing is expected by the end of September. There can be no assurance that the transaction will close. Key terms and closing schedule may be subject to change.

07:32 EDT Phio announces dosing of first patient in trial with AgonOx, Providence Cancer - Phio Pharmaceuticals announced that its clinical development partners, AgonOx and Providence Cancer Institute of Oregon, have dosed their first patient in an Adoptive Cell Therapy clinical trial. This first-in-human trial is investigating the safety and the potential for enhanced therapeutic benefit from the administration of AgonOx's AGX148 'double positive' CD8 tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes alone and in combination with Phio's PD-1 silencing PH-762 in patients with melanoma and other advanced solid tumors. "TIL therapies hold the promise of clinical benefit in patients with solid malignancies. This product is different from current TIL therapies as we are selectively expanding the tumor-reactive T cells and potentially increasing their potency by reducing PD-1 suppression," said Andrew Weinberg, Ph.D., Founder and CSO of AgonOx, Inc., and Judith Ann Hartmann Endowed Chair for the Laboratory of Basic Immunology at the Earle A. Chiles Research Institute.

07:15 EDT Arcimoto announces partnership with MATBOCK - Arcimoto announced a partnership with MATBOCK to supply the company with electrical systems architecture and energy storage systems for the development of hybrid-electric tactical vehicles. The partnership will allow MATBOCK to maintain its focus on paradigm-shifting technology by providing American-made technologies to be used by the U.S. Department of Defense in specific areas of operations. "The shift to electric vehicles is underway, not just in the consumer industry, but also in the military sector," said Chris Dawson, Chief Executive Officer, Arcimoto. "This partnership builds upon the adoption of electric vehicle technology on the battlefield. We're looking forward to working with MATBOCK to assist the military's efforts to improve tactical capabilities and operational efficiencies through the adoption of American-made green energy technology."

07:13 EDT AstraZeneca to present 19 abstracts at upcoming ESC Congress - The company states: "AstraZeneca will present 19 abstracts, including 10 oral presentations and five late-breaking presentations, at the European Society of Cardiology, ESC, Congress from 25-28 August 2023, which includes data highlighting the opportunities for improved management in heart failure, and AstraZeneca's leadership across the interconnectedness of chronic diseases. Among these abstracts will be sub-analyses from the DELIVER trial - a trial that has been pivotal in informing updates to medical guidelines. Notably, new late-breaking data from a pooled analysis of DELIVER and DAPA-HF trials assess the efficacy of Forxiga (dapagliflozin) versus placebo in HF patients whose eGFR levels fell below 25ml/min/1.73m2. The findings showed a marked elevation in the risks of CV outcomes in patients with deteriorating kidney function, further reinforcing the connection between heart failure and kidney disease. These patients appeared to benefit with continued treatment of Forxiga. New cardiopulmonary data from a sub-analysis of the DELIVER trial demonstrate the effects of Forxiga in patients with HF with preserved ejection fraction (pEF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) - a common comorbidity that is associated with worse outcomes.2 In addition, findings from a multi-database cohort study, EXAcerbations of COPD and their OutcomeS in CardioVascular diseases (EXACOS-CV), illustrate increased COPD-driven cardiopulmonary risk including that of decompensated HF, acute coronary syndrome, arrhythmia, and ischemic stroke following a COPD exacerbation." Reference Link

07:11 EDT Krystal Biotech announces sale of PRV for $100M - Krystal Biotech announced that it has completed the sale of its Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher, PRV, for $100 million. The Company was awarded the PRV following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration accelerated approval of VYJUVEKTM for the treatment of recessive or dominant dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa for patients 6 months of age and older. Under the Rare Pediatric Disease Priority Review Voucher Program, the FDA awards priority review vouchers to sponsors of rare pediatric disease product applications that meet certain criteria.

07:09 EDT Hyzon Motors elects Erik Anderson as Chairman of the Board - Hyzon Motors' Board of Directors elected Erik Anderson as Chairman of the Board of Directors, effective August 24. Anderson replaces George Gu, who resigned his position. The Board also elected Andrea Farace as Vice Chairman of Hyzon's Board. Anderson has served on Hyzon's Board of Directors since 2021. He is Founder and CEO of WestRiver Group. He led four Special Purpose Acquisition Companies in the decarbonization space. He also serves as Vice Chairman of Topgolf Callaway Brands and was previously the Executive Chairman of Topgolf Entertainment Group. Anderson also holds the position of Executive Chairman at Singularity Group. Andrea Farace has more than 40 years in finance and general business management, including 20 years at Citigroup as Chief Executive officer or Chief Operating Officer of a number of institutional businesses. He is currently Chairman of the Board of HBL Bank UK, a regulated full-service UK bank, and member of the board of two fintech companies based in the UK, Germany, and Italy.

07:09 EDT Permian Resources to acquire Earthstone Energy in $4.5B all-stock transaction - Permian Resources (PR) and Earthstone Energy (ESTE) announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Permian Resources will acquire Earthstone in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $4.5 billion, inclusive of Earthstone's net debt. Under the terms of the transaction, each share of Earthstone common stock will be exchanged for a fixed ratio of 1.446 shares of Permian Resources common stock. The transaction strengthens Permian Resources' position as a leading Delaware Basin independent E&P with over 400,000 Permian net acres, pro forma production of approximately 300,000 Boe/d and an enhanced free cash flow profile to increase returns to shareholders. The transaction is expected to be accretive to all relevant per share metrics before synergies, including operating cash flow, free cash flow and net asset value per share. The Company expects the transaction to deliver accretion to free cash flow per share of over 30% per year during the next two years and over 25% during the next five and ten-year periods. This is consistent with the Company's disciplined acquisition strategy, pursuing transactions which provide significant accretion to all relevant per share metrics over both the short and long-term. The accretive nature of this transaction immediately improves Permian Resources' current return of capital program. The Company plans to increase its quarterly base dividend by 20% to $0.06 per share beginning with its first quarter 2024 dividend. Permian Resources' variable return program remains unchanged, distributing at least 50% of free cash flow after the base dividend through a variable dividend, share repurchases or a combination of both. Total synergies resulting from the transaction are expected to drive approximately $175 million in annual cash flow improvements, which include $145 million of operational and G&A synergies expected to be fully realized by year-end 2024. Expected annual operational synergies total $115 million and are primarily associated with reduced drilling, completions and facilities, lease operating and midstream costs. Permian Resources expects to realize significant DC&F savings in the Delaware Basin through improved efficiencies and lower cost structure. The Company expects to reduce LOE expense on a per unit basis through personnel and contract services optimization and enhanced production operations. Additionally, the combined company expects to leverage its enhanced size and scale to optimize pricing across completion, production and midstream operations. Permian Resources has identified $30 million of annual general and administrative savings. The combined company is also expected to benefit from a lower overall cost of capital, leading to potential financial synergies of $30 million annually. Permian Resources has proven operational and integration track records and plans to leverage its best practices and lower corporate cost structure to advance cost reductions across all operating expenses and capital expenditures. The all-stock transaction structure allows for shareholders of both Permian Resources and Earthstone to benefit from the cost synergies and significant upside potential of the combined companies. The all-stock transaction will consist of 1.446 shares of Permian Resources common stock for each share of Earthstone common stock, representing an implied value to each Earthstone stockholder of $18.64 per share based on the closing price of Permian Resources common stock on August 18, 2023. Permian Resources will issue approximately 211 million shares of common stock in the transaction. After closing, existing Permian Resources shareholders will own approximately 73% of the combined company and existing Earthstone shareholders will own approximately 27% of the combined company. The transaction has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both Permian Resources and Earthstone and is expected to close by year-end 2023, subject to customary closing conditions, regulatory approvals and shareholder approvals. Permian Resources' and Earthstone's largest shareholders, which currently own approximately 49% and 48% of each respective company's outstanding shares, have executed a Voting and Support Agreement in connection with the transaction. Upon closing of the transaction, Permian Resources' Board of Directors will be expanded to consist of eleven directors, including the addition of two representatives from Earthstone. Permian Resources' executive management team will lead the combined company with the headquarters remaining in Midland, Texas. Permian Resources and Earthstone are operating an eleven-rig drilling program in aggregate, primarily focused on the Delaware Basin. The combined company plans to allocate at least one of Earthstone's two rigs currently in the Midland Basin to the Delaware Basin. During 2024, the combined company expects to allocate approximately 90% of capital to high rate-of-return projects in the Delaware Basin, predominantly focused on Lea, Eddy, Reeves and Ward Counties. Delaware Basin activity is expected to be weighted slightly more towards New Mexico, as a result of the transaction. The Company expects to maintain optionality from the low decline Midland Basin asset base, while harvesting significant free cash flow. The Company expects to provide detailed forward-looking guidance for the full-year 2024 early next year and in accordance with its annual budgeting cycle. Permian Resources plans to deliver an operational plan that maximizes free cash flow during the near-term, depending on strip commodity prices and expected oilfield service costs. The Company remains committed to returning at least 50% of free cash flow after its base dividend through variable dividends and share repurchases.

07:06 EDT Permian Resources to acquire Earthstone Energy in $4.5B all-stock transaction

07:04 EDT Permian Resources to acquire Earthstone Energy in $4.5B all-stock transaction

07:03 EDT DuPont to divest ~80% ownership in Delrin business to TJC - DuPont announced a definitive agreement to sell an 80.1% ownership interest in the Delrin acetal homopolymer business1 to TJC in a transaction valuing the business at $1.8B. TJC has received fully committed financing in connection with the transaction, which is expected to close around year-end 2023. At close, DuPont will receive pre-tax cash proceeds of approximately $1.25B, a note receivable of $350M, and will own a 19.9% non-controlling common equity interest in the Delrin business. The results of operations of the Delrin business will continue to be presented as discontinued operations in DuPont's consolidated financial statements through transaction closing.

06:53 EDT Kontoor Brands CFO Rustin Welton retiring, Joe Alkire succeeds - Kontoor Brands CFO Executive VP and CFO Rustin Welton has decided to retire from Kontoor after four years of service with the company. Effective August 31, Joe Alkire will succeed Welton and has been appointed Executive VP and CFO. Alkire joins Kontoor from BruMate, a private equity backed consumer products company, where he served as COO and CFO. Prior to that, he served as the Vice President, Corporate Development, Treasury, and Investor Relations for VF Corporation. Prior to VF, Alkire served as an investment banking and equity research analyst for William Blair & Company. To ensure a smooth transition, Welton will continue at Kontoor in an advisory position through year-end.

06:35 EDT TH International opens first flagship Popeyes restaurant in Shanghai - TH International, or TH China, started the nationwide expansion of Popeyes in China on August 19 with the opening of its first flagship restaurant in Shanghai. Popeyes set an opening day record with 1,761 orders. Tims China plans to open at least 10 Popeyes restaurants in Shanghai this year and 1,700 across China over the next 10 years. The Tims China team has leveraged its expertise in China's quick-service restaurant industry to adapt Popeyes' menus, restaurant design and dining experience for the Chinese consumer.

06:23 EDT Johnson & Johnson reports preliminary results of Kenvue exchange offer - Johnson & Johnson's (JNJ) offer to its shareholders to exchange their shares of Johnson & Johnson common stock for shares of Kenvue (KVUE) common stock owned by Johnson & Johnson was oversubscribed. 8.0324 shares of Kenvue common stock will be exchanged for each share of Johnson & Johnson common stock accepted in the exchange offer. 802,707,331 shares of Johnson & Johnson common stock were tendered, including 250,407,279 shares that were tendered by notice of guaranteed delivery. Johnson & Johnson intends to accept 190,955,436 of the tendered shares in exchange for the 1,533,830,450 shares of Kenvue common stock owned by Johnson & Johnson. Because the exchange offer was oversubscribed, Johnson & Johnson is accepting only a portion of the shares of its common stock, on a pro rata basis in proportion to the number of shares tendered. It is estimated that approximately 23.8% of the tendered shares of Johnson & Johnson common stock will be exchanged. Johnson & Johnson expects to announce the final proration factor on August 23. Following the completion of the exchange offer, Johnson & Johnson will retain approximately 9.5% of the outstanding shares of Kenvue common stock.

06:06 EDT U.K.'s CMA clears Broadcom's $69B deal to buy VMware - The CMA has cleared Broadcom's (AVGO) $69B purchase of VMware (VMW) following an in-depth Phase 2 investigation, the CMA announced on Monday. The independent panel explored concerns that the deal could harm the ability of Broadcom's rivals to compete if the merged company were to make their products work less well with VMware's server virtualization software, but it has found that the potential financial benefit to Broadcom and VMware of making rival products work less well with VMware's software would not outweigh the potential financial cost in terms of lost business, the CMA said. Following a consultation on its provisional findings, and having considered the feedback, the panel has confirmed its final decision is that the deal does not substantially reduce competition - clearing it to proceed in the UK. Reference Link

06:05 EDT Macerich reports 1H23 leasing volume up 34% year-over-year - Macerich detailed elements of its leasing. In Q2, Macerich signed 191 leases for 1.4 million square feet. Year-to-date, the company signed leases for 2.4 million square feet, which is 34% more square footage signed than during the same period last year. Portfolio-wide occupancy hit 92.6% at the end of the second quarter, an 80 basis-point gain compared to a year ago, and a 40 basis-point increase compared to last quarter. These gains support double-digit positive re-leasing spreads, which nearly doubled to 11.3% in Q2 2023 over Q1. In Q2, Macerich opened 263,000 square feet of new stores, which is approximately 20% more square footage than the company opened in Q2 2022.

06:02 EDT Ideaya Biosciences announces FDA clearance of GSK101 IND application - Ideaya Biosciences (IDYA) announced the clearance of an Investigational New Drug, or IND, application with the FDA for initiation of a GSK-sponsored (GSK) Phase 1/2 clinical trial to evaluate GSK101, a small molecule inhibitor of Pol Theta Helicase, in combination with niraparib, the GSK small molecule inhibitor of poly-polymerase, or PARP, for the treatment of patients having tumors with BRCA or other homologous recombination mutations or homologous recombination deficiency.

05:47 EDT Royal Gold provides update on potential acquisition of Serrote, Santa Rita mines - Royal Gold announced that ACG Acquisition issued a press release providing an update with respect to the transaction for the acquisition of the entities that own the Serrote and Santa Rita mines from Appian Capital Advisory and that revisions to the acquisition agreement have yet to be agreed; the long stop date of August 18 has now passed and the acquisition agreement may be terminated at any time; discussions between Appian, the anchor investors and ACG are ongoing; and ACG has 12 months from the completion date of its initial public offering to complete an acquisition, subject to two three-month extensions without shareholder approval.

05:24 EDT Metalpha Technology receives noncompliance notice from Nasdaq - Metalpha Technology announced that it has received a written notice from The Nasdaq Stock Market which states that, as a result of not having timely filed its annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended March 31, Metalpha is not in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250, which requires timely filing of periodic reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This notice has no immediate effect on the listing or trading of Metalpha's ordinary shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market. The company is required by Nasdaq to submit its plan to regain compliance within 60 calendar days, or no later than October 16. If the plan is accepted by Nasdaq, the Company can be granted up to 180 calendar days from the 2023 Form 20-F's due date, or until February 12, 2024, to regain compliance.

05:19 EDT Exelixis, Ipsen announce CONTACT-02 trial met one of two primary endpoints - Exelixis (EXEL) and Ipsen (IPSEY) announced that the global phase 3 CONTACT-02 pivotal trial met one of two primary endpoints, demonstrating a statistically significant improvement in progression-free survival, or PFS, at the primary analysis. CONTACT-02 is evaluating cabozantinib in combination with atezolizumab compared with a second novel hormonal therapy in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, or mCRPC, and measurable soft tissue disease who have been previously treated with one novel hormonal therapy. At a prespecified interim analysis for the primary endpoint of overall survival, or OS, that occurred at the same time as the primary analysis of PFS, a trend toward improvement of OS was observed; however, the data were immature and did not meet the threshold for statistical significance. Therefore, the trial will continue to the next analysis of OS as planned. The safety profile of the combination of cabozantinib and atezolizumab was consistent with the known safety profiles for each single medicine, and no new safety signals were identified with the combination.

05:13 EDT Indivior subsidiary reaches agreement to resolve antitrust litigation claims - Indivior announced that its subsidiary, Indivior Inc, has reached an agreement to resolve the claims brought by the end payor class of litigants in the In re Suboxone Antitrust Litigation multi-district litigation, or MDL. The agreement marks the resolution of the End Payor Claimants' claims against the company in the MDL. The agreement is subject to initial approval by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, a notice period, participation by an appropriate number of end payors and final approval of the court. As part of the agreement, the company expects to pay $30M to the end payor claimants. The settlement amount is in line with the current provision of $188M for the MDL. Once the agreement is approved and entered by the court, the final settlement amount will be recorded against the $188M provision. Payment into an escrow account for the benefit of the end payor claimants is expected to be made in September, and funded from the company's existing cash balance. As set out in the company's half year report on July 27, the company continues to prepare for trial on October 30, in relation to the remaining claims of the direct purchaser class while at the same time exploring the possibility of settlement at the right value with this class.

05:07 EDT JinkoSolar named co chair of Tech, Innovation, and R&D Taskforce of B20 India - JinkoSolar announced it has been appointed a co-chair of the Tech, Innovation, and R&D Taskforce of B20 India, which has commenced work on a series of discussions and recommendation proposals related to, among others, policy recommendations and interventions required to promote and accelerate technology, innovation and R&D across all industry sectors and identify strategies for mass adoption. The B20 India Summit will be held on August 25 - 27, in New Delhi, India.