Stockwinners Market Radar for December 15, 2023 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

21:29 EST Eagle Pharmaceuticals discloses event of default under credit agreement - Eagle Pharmaceuticals disclosed that under the terms of the third amended and restated credit agreement among the company, the lenders party thereto and JPMorgan Chase Bank, as administrative agent, the company was required to deliver to the administrative agent and lenders, by not later than November 14, quarterly financial statements certified by one of its officers as presenting fairly in all material respects the financial condition and results of operations of the company and its consolidated subsidiaries for the fiscal quarter ended September 30 pursuant to a covenant requiring delivery of quarterly financials within 45 days of the end of each of the first three fiscal quarters of each fiscal year. Eagle failed to timely deliver the September 2023 financials, which such failure constituted a default under the credit agreement, subject to a 30-day cure period ending December 14. The Company failed to timely deliver the September 2023 financials and accordingly failed to cure such default within the 30-day cure period, which gave rise to an event of default under the credit agreement.

19:50 EST Virax Biolabs Group Ltd trading halted, news pending

19:50 EST 17 Education and Technology Group trading halted, news pending

18:57 EST Duke Energy responds to order by NCUC - Duke Energy issued the following statement in response to the order by the North Carolina Utilities Commission on the Performance-Based Regulation application submitted by Duke Energy Carolinas on Jan. 19, 2023. "We believe this is a constructive outcome that enables Duke Energy to maintain strong progress toward building a cleaner, more reliable energy future for our North Carolina customers while continuing to meet the energy demands of a growing and economically vibrant region. We are currently evaluating the NCUC order on Duke Energy Carolinas' rate request and will determine the exact impacts on customer rates in the coming weeks. Our investments over the past several years - and those included in the multi-year rate plan in the coming years - strengthen the electricity grid to improve reliability for customers and facilitate a cleaner, more secure energy future in a manner that supports economic development across the state."

17:39 EST Northrop Grumman awarded $164.2M Defense Logistics Agency contract - Northrop Grumman has been awarded a maximum $164.2M firm-fixed-price, requirements contract for F/A-18 weapon system supplies. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulations 6.302-1. This is a five-year base contract with one five-year option period. The performance completion date is Dec. 31, 2028. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2024 through 2029 defense appropriated funds and working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation.

17:24 EST Lockheed Martin awarded $663.13M Navy contract modification - Lockheed Martin was awarded a $663.13M modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee, fixed-price-incentive, cost reimbursable contract. This modification adds scope to provide logistics support, to include ground maintenance activities, action request solution, depot activation activities, automatic logistics information system operations and maintenance, reliability and maintainability, supply chain management, pilot training, maintainer training, and training system sustainment in support of delivered F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter Air Systems for the Marine Corps, Navy, Foreign Military Sales, or FMS, customers, and non-U.S. Department of Defense, or DOD, participants. Naval Air Systems Command is the contracting activity.

17:05 EST Pfizer, Astellas Pharma announce FDA approval for Padcev - Pfizer (PFE) and Astellas Pharma (ALPMY) announced that the FDA has approved Padcev for the treatment of adult patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial cancer, or la/mUC. This combination is the first approved to offer an alternative to platinum-containing chemotherapy, the current standard of care in first-line la/mUC.

16:56 EST Bristol Myers says Phase 3 RELATIVITY-123 trial to be discontinued - Bristol Myers Squibb announced that the Phase 3 RELATIVITY-123 trial evaluating the fixed-dose combination of nivolumab and relatlimab for the treatment of microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer patients whose disease has progressed following at least one, but no more than four, prior lines of therapy for metastatic disease will be discontinued due to futility based on a planned analysis conducted by an independent data monitoring committee. It was determined that the trial was unlikely to meet its primary endpoints upon completion. The recommendation to stop the study was not based on safety concerns. The safety profile was consistent with previously reported studies of the fixed-dose combination of nivolumab and relatlimab. Investigation of the fixed-dose combination of nivolumab and relatlimab as a treatment for other tumor types will continue as planned. These results do not impact the currently approved indication for patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma. "Metastatic colorectal cancer is a challenging cancer to treat with high unmet needs. Though there have been advances in treating patients with microsatellite instability-high/deficient mismatch repair colorectal cancers, patients with microsatellite stable tumors continue to have limited treatment options in later lines of therapy. While we know immunotherapies have historically demonstrated limited efficacy in MSS colorectal cancers, we had hoped to demonstrate meaningful clinical benefit in this patient population and are disappointed in this outcome," said Jeffrey Walch, M.D., Ph.D., vice president, global program lead, Bristol Myers Squibb. "We continue to be committed to the development of I-O therapies, including Opdivo and Yervoy, in MSI-H/dMMR colorectal cancers, and we thank the investigators, patients, and their loved ones who participated in this trial." The company will share the data with investigators so they may determine appropriate next steps for patients enrolled in the RELATIVITY-123 trial. The company will complete a full evaluation of the data and work with investigators to share the results with the scientific community.

16:21 EST U.S. Silica names Gene Padgett as Chief Accounting Officer - U.S. Silica Holdings announced that it has appointed Gene Padgett as its Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Controller effective December 18, 2023. In this role, Padgett will report to Kevin Hough, the company's interim Executive Vice President and CFO.

16:17 EST Emcor CFO Mark Pompa to step down, Jason Nalbandian to succeed - Emcor Group announced that, as part of a planned realignment of responsibilities, Mark Pompa, Executive Vice President and CFO, and R. Kevin Matz, Executive Vice President Shared Services, will step down from their respective positions, effective April 1, 2024. The company also announced that Jason Nalbandian, Emcor's Chief Accounting Officer, will succeed Pompa as Senior Vice President and CFO and will maintain his current Chief Accounting Officer responsibilities. Matz's responsibilities will be reallocated to other members of the Emcor executive leadership team, including Andrew Backman, who recently joined the company as Vice President of Investor Relations.

16:06 EST Visa to acquire a majority interest in Prosa, terms not disclosed - Visa announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority interest in Prosa, a payments processor in Mexico, to accelerate the adoption of secure and innovative digital payments in the country. Under the agreement, Prosa will continue to operate as an independent company with its own technology infrastructure, while Visa looks to expand Prosa's product offerings with new digital solutions, as well as share its experience and knowledge managing a global network and set of technology capabilities. Prosa will continue commercially providing its brand-agnostic solutions, with its current leadership team staying on to lead the organization. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions and is expected to close during the second half of 2024. Over the coming months, Visa will work closely with participants in the Mexican payment ecosystem, including regulators, current shareholders and the management and board of directors of Prosa to ensure a smooth closing of the transaction.

16:00 EST Intensity Therapeutics, Inc. trading resumes

15:50 EST Intensity Therapeutics, Inc. trading halted, volatility trading pause

15:38 EST Xos Inc trading halted, volatility trading pause

15:01 EST Regis to appeal NYSE determination to commence delisting proceedings - Regis Corporation announced that it will be appealing the NYSE's decision to commence proceedings to delist Regis' common stock from the New York Stock Exchange within the required timing. "Regis looks forward to presenting its plan of compliance at the hearing, and in the interim, will continue to evaluate all available listing options. While Regis intends to appeal, NYSE reserves the right under subsequent committee review to determine that trading in Regis common stock should be suspended. During this time, Regis common stock has not been suspended from trading and is expected to continue to be listed and traded on the NYSE while any appeal remains pending," the company stated.

13:02 EST Baker Hughes reports U.S. rig count down 3 to 623 rigs - Baker Hughes reports that the U.S. rig count is down 3 from last week to 623 with oil rigs down 2 to 501, gas rigs unchanged at 119 and miscellaneous rigs down 1 to 3. The U.S. Rig Count is down 153 rigs from last year's count of 776 with oil rigs down 119, gas rigs down 35 and miscellaneous up 1. The U.S. Offshore Rig Count is down 2 to 19, up 4 year-over-year. The Canada Rig Count is down 9 from last week to 185, with oil rigs down 2 to 118, and gas rigs down 7 to 67. The Canada Rig Count is down 14 from last year's count of 199, with oil rigs down 6, and gas rigs down 8.

12:57 EST Jin Medical International Ltd trading resumes

12:51 EST Kansas City Life Insurance Company announces sale of real estate asset - Kansas City Life Insurance Company announced that it has completed the sale of a certain real estate asset effective December 13, 2023. In connection with the sale of the asset, located in Beaverton, Oregon, the company expects to record an after-tax gain of approximately $35.2M during the fourth quarter of 2023.

12:27 EST Maison Solutions Inc trading resumes

12:05 EST Buenaventura looks to work with Antofagasta as 'collaborative partner' - Buenaventura (BVN) announces that is has become aware that Antofagasta plc (ANFGF) has entered into transactions pursuant to which Antofagasta, acting through a wholly owned subsidiary, has acquired beneficial ownership of approximately 19% of Buenaventura's outstanding shares. Roque Benavides, Chairman of the Board of Buenaventura, stated: "Buenaventura looks forward to working with Antofagasta as a collaborative partner to grow the value of our business, including by leveraging their deep expertise and proven track record in responsibly developing and operating world-class copper assets."

12:00 EST Heritage Insurance falls -11.2% - Heritage Insurance is down -11.2%, or -82c to $6.52.

12:00 EST Buenaventura rises 22.0% - Buenaventura is up 22.0%, or $2.20 to $12.19.

12:00 EST Lufax rises 284.4% - Lufax is up 284.4%, or $2.71 to $3.66.

11:45 EST EG Acquisition Corp trading halted, volatility trading pause

11:20 EST Lennar: Market conditions 'generally constructive' for industry -

11:12 EST Lennar expects 2024 margins to be 'at least consistent' with 2023 levels - Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

10:49 EST Chanson International Holding trading halted, volatility trading pause

10:31 EST Numinus' Cedar Clinical Research selected as site for Beckley Psytech study - Numinus Wellness announced that its research site, Cedar Clinical Research, has been chosen as one of multiple sites for Beckley Psytech's Phase 2b clinical trial for Treatment Resistant Depression. The study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of different doses of Beckley Psytech's proprietary intranasal formulation of synthetic 5-Methoxy-N, N-Dimethyltryptamine - known as BPL-003 - as a potential therapy for TRD. It follows Beckley Psytech's receipt of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's first-ever Investigational New Drug approval for a Phase 2b study of a short-acting psychedelic compound in February this year. CCR's selection as a clinical research site for this trial further establishes it as a leader in psychedelic clinical research and builds upon its commitment to forging collaborations that explore new mental health solutions.

10:25 EST Chavant Capital Acquisition Corp trading resumes

10:23 EST Chavant Capital Acquisition Corp trading halted, volatility trading pause

10:21 EST Gevo says Treasury guidance 'much-needed step forward for SAF investment' - Dr. Patrick Gruber, CEO of Gevo, issued the following statement regarding the release of the U.S. Department of Treasury's guidance on the 40B sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, tax credit: "Gevo greatly appreciates the Biden Administration's intent to use the Argonne GREET method and model for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Today's guidance is a much-needed step forward for SAF investment and innovation. Designating GREET for the 40B credit sets an accurate, science-based precedent for transparent carbon accounting across the SAF supply chain, from farm fields to the end use of the fuel. The details and certainty matter. Therefore, we look forward to reviewing the complete GREET update upon release to ensure it maintains the data-driven integrity, especially on indirect emissions, necessary to support SAF investment, properly value agriculture's contributions and cut aviation emissions. We also thank the Administration for its advocacy for climate-smart agriculture and the tools and policies that recognize and account for U.S. farmers' stewardship of the land and contribution to cleaner flight."

10:00 EST Gaotu Techedu falls -9.0% - Gaotu Techedu is down -9.0%, or -43c to $4.34.

10:00 EST L.S. Starrett Co rises 9.3% - L.S. Starrett Co is up 9.3%, or 92c to $10.80.

10:00 EST Lufax rises 277.9% - Lufax is up 277.9%, or $2.65 to $3.60.

09:47 EST XPeng falls -7.9% - XPeng is down -7.9%, or -$1.23 to $14.42.

09:47 EST North European Oil Royalty Trust falls -10.7% - North European Oil Royalty Trust is down -10.7%, or -70c to $5.83.

09:47 EST ZIM Integrated rises 8.0% - ZIM Integrated is up 8.0%, or 66c to $8.82.

09:46 EST Sono-Tek Corp trading resumes

09:44 EST Inno Holdings Inc trading resumes

09:42 EST DDC Enterprise Ltd trading resumes

09:39 EST Inno Holdings Inc trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:38 EST Brilliant Acquisition Corp trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:36 EST SEC denies Petition for Rulemaking filed on behalf of Coinbase - The Securities and Exchange Commission denied a Petition for Rulemaking filed on behalf of Coinbase Global, said Chair Gary Gensler. He added, "I was pleased to support the Commission's decision for three reasons. First, existing laws and regulations apply to the crypto securities markets. Second, the SEC addresses the crypto securities markets through rulemaking as well. Third, it is important to maintain Commission discretion in setting its own rulemaking priorities...The investing public benefits when they receive disclosures and related protections about a project's prospects and business. The investing public benefits when intermediaries are registered and overseen. The investing public benefits when all industry participants compete on a level playing field. The existing securities regime appropriately governs crypto asset securities. I agree with the Commission's decision to deny the petition."

09:34 EST Prospector Capital Corp trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:31 EST Aurora Technology Acquisition Corp trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:28 EST Utz Brands announces three year targets ahead of investor event - At its investor event, Utz plans to introduce the following three-year financial targets: 4% to 5% organic net sales growth; 16% adjusted EBITDA margin in FY 2026; Double digit annual adjusted EPS growth; net Leverage Ratio of ~3X by year-end 2026. Friedman continued, "As we look to the future, we will lean into the strength of our Power Brands, which include Utz(R), Zapp's(R), Boulder Canyon(R), and On The Border(R), with increased marketing, cross-category innovation and market expansion across the U.S. In doing so, we expect our top-line growth to outpace the Salty Snack category and our bottom-line growth to generate outsized shareholder returns. We look forward to sharing more details around our long-term value creation plans at our Investor Day today."

09:18 EST Mesa Financial to join Focus partner firm Buckingham Strategic Wealth - Focus Financial Partners has entered into a definitive agreement under which Mesa Financial Group, a registered investment adviser based in Atlanta, Georgia, will join Focus partner firm Buckingham Strategic Wealth. This transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2024, subject to customary closing conditions. Mesa Financial Group's founder, Alfredo Mesa, CFP has been providing comprehensive wealth management services for families and individuals throughout the country for over twenty years. Mesa Financial Group has been a part of Buckingham's affiliated turnkey asset management platform, Buckingham Strategic Partners, LLC, since 2012.

09:08 EST AYRO appoints David Hollingsworth as interim president, operating division - AYRO announces the appointment of its CFO David Hollingsworth as interim president of the operations division of AYRO, AYRO Operating Company, Inc. Mr. Hollingsworth will continue with his ongoing duties as the parent company's CFO, chief information officer and chief human resources officer. Mr. Hollingsworth's appointment follows Tom Wittenschlaeger's recent departure from AYRO.

09:06 EST HP Enterprise announces Marie Myers as CFO - HP Enterprise (HPE) announced that Marie Myers will join the company as executive vice president and chief financial officer on January 15, reporting to Antonio Neri, president and chief executive officer. Myers has served as CFO of HP Inc. (HPQ) since 2021, having spent more than 20 years in numerous financial leadership positions at the company. She is based in Houston. Jeremy Cox, who has served as interim chief financial officer since August, will return full time to his position as senior vice president, corporate controller, and chief tax officer, reporting to Myers.

09:04 EST Ford Credit CEO Marion Harris to retire, Cathy O'Callaghan to succeed - Marion Harris will retire March 1 as president and CEO of Ford Credit; he'll be replaced by Cathy O'Callaghan, Ford's vice president, controller, and chief accounting officer since June 2018. Under Harris, Ford Credit developed and is implementing an ambitious digitization and personalization of its customer offerings, remaking itself into a true technology-based financial services company, or "fintech." At the same time, Mark Kosman, presently director, global accounting, has been chosen to succeed O'Callaghan as Ford's chief accounting officer. The new roles for O'Callaghan and Kosman are effective February 12, after Ford has reported its fourth-quarter and full-year 2023 financial results. O'Callaghan and Kosman will report to CFO John Lawler.

09:02 EST United Fire Group appoints Walsh as Chief Underwriting Officer - United Fire Group announces the appointment of Kelly Walsh as chief underwriting officer, effective December 27, 2023. As chief underwriting officer, Walsh will lead all underwriting functions at UFG, maintaining full profit and loss and strategic accountability across all lines of business, applying a high level of underwriting governance and rigor to each business unit. Walsh most recently served as senior vice president, global product leader for general liability at CNA Insurance.

09:01 EST La Rosa acquires real estate brokerage, reports positive net income in 2022 - La Rosa announced that it has acquired a 100% interest in the Company's franchisee - La Rosa Realty CW Properties, located in Longwood, Florida. CW Properties generated revenue of $3.4 million and had positive net income in 2022. The franchisee provides residential and commercial real estate brokerage services. It also provides coaching and support services to agents on a fee basis. Joe La Rosa, CEO of the Company, commented, "We continue to execute on our planned roll-up strategy of acquiring franchisees, as this is our third real estate brokerage franchisee acquisition this year. Our goal is to acquire an additional 9 franchisees over the next six to eight months. We also have other acquisitions in the pipeline that we are actively evaluating. These acquisitions would contribute to both our top-line and bottom-line growth, as we believe that our current infrastructure is set up to support five times our current agent count. Our goal is to reach an annualized revenue run rate of $100 million before the end of 2024. While we historically operated profitably prior to our IPO in 2021, we believe our projected revenue growth will ensure our return to profitability as an exit run rate in 2024, even after factoring in our new costs and overhead as a public company. In our view, the fact that both our revenue and profitability continue to improve, despite the current market, sets us apart from most other brokerages in the industry - a testament to the strength and scalability of our business model. We look forward to providing updates on our other planned acquisitions in the near future."

08:52 EST LQR House regains compliance with Nasdaq minimum bid price rule - LQR House received a notice from the Nasdaq Capital Market informing the Company that it regained compliance with the bid price requirements under Nasdaq Listing Rules. In its letter Nasdaq also confirmed that LQR House is in compliance with all the applicable listing standards for continued Nasdaq listing. To meet the requirements outlined in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2), the Company diligently maintained a minimum closing bid price of $1.00 or more for 10 consecutive trading days. This milestone was reached on December 13, 2023, underscoring LQR House's commitment to sustaining positive market performance.

08:47 EST LiveOne enters B2B partnership with Fortune 500 media conglomerate - LiveOne announced a new significant partnership agreement as well as updated revenue guidance for its current fiscal year ending March 31, 2024. The company signed a strategic B2B partnership with a Fortune 500 media conglomerate, delivering a minimum of $20M in revenues for Calendar 2024.

08:35 EST Plexus joins United Nations Global Compact - Plexus announced that it has joined the United Nations, UN, Global Compact, a voluntary leadership platform for the development, implementation and disclosure of socially responsible business practices. The UN Global Compact is a call to companies to align operations and strategies with ten universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labor, environment and anti-corruption, and to take action in support of the goals and issues embodied in the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Todd Kelsey, Chief Executive Officer, commented, "Joining the UN Global Compact is representative of our unwavering commitment to our vision of building a better world through sustainable and responsible business practices. As we advance the positive impact we can have for our team members, customers and the communities where we operate, we are thrilled to join this global movement of sustainable companies and stakeholders."

08:34 EST Femasys begins FemBloc trial enrollment at Stanford Medicine - Femasys announced that it has activated enrollment for its pivotal FemBloc trial at Stanford Medicine in Palo Alto, California. The FemBloc Intratubal Occlusion for TranscervicAL Permanent Birth Control is being conducted to investigate the safety and efficacy of its investigational permanent birth control candidate, FemBloc. The FDA-approved, multi-center trial is designed to address the high unmet need that exists for women seeking permanent birth control, for whom elective surgery currently remains the only option. "We are thrilled to include Stanford amongst the clinical trial sites participating in this initial phase of the FINALE trial, as we have partnered with Doctors Blumenthal and Cahill in earlier FemBloc studies," said Kathy Lee-Sepsick, founder, president and chief executive officer of Femasys. "Dr. Blumenthal, a leader in the field of gynecology, has dedicated his career to advancing research and bringing women's health technologies to those in need around the globe. We greatly appreciate his long-standing support of FemBloc and the selection of Dr. Cahill as the principal investigator in the FINALE trial, as we continue to work together to progress this much needed non-surgical permanent birth control option for women."

08:33 EST Host Hotels board declares special dividend of 25c per share - The Company announced a special dividend of $0.25 per share, bringing the total dividends declared for the year to $0.90 per share.

08:32 EST Host Hotels board raises quarterly dividend 11% to 20c per share - Host Hotels & Resorts announced that its board of directors authorized a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.20 per share, an 11% increase over the prior quarter. The dividend is payable on January 16, 2024, to stockholders of record on December 29, 2023.

08:31 EST Wave Life Sciences announces initiation of dosing in Phase 2 FORWARD-53 trial - Wave Life Sciences announced the initiation of dosing in the Phase 2 FORWARD-53 clinical trial, which is evaluating WVE-N531 as a treatment for boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy who are amenable to exon 53 skipping. FORWARD-53 is designed to assess functional dystrophin protein at 24 and 48 weeks with every other week dosing of WVE-N531. "Following encouraging data from the WVE-N531 proof-of-concept trial, we believe we are on the right path toward addressing a significant unmet need in DMD - the generation of endogenous dystrophin protein to levels that meaningfully impact the trajectory of the disease," said Anne-Marie Li-Kwai-Cheung, MChem, MTOPRA, RAPS, Chief Development Officer at Wave Life Sciences. "Our clinical data in boys with DMD amenable to exon 53 skipping demonstrated the highest level of exon skipping ever observed in the clinic, and high muscle concentrations of WVE-N531 in skeletal muscle of 6.1 micromolar. Importantly, in our non-human primate studies, muscle concentrations were higher in the diaphragm and heart than in skeletal muscle. Additionally, while FORWARD-53 is dosing every other week, we have the potential for monthly dosing in the future. For these reasons, we are excited about the potential of WVE-N531. We are grateful to the DMD community for their continued support and look forward to announcing dystrophin expression data in 2024, as well as advancing exon skipping candidates for other mutations if FORWARD-53 is successful."

08:19 EST Takeda announces CHMP opinion recommending approval of Hyqvia - Takeda announced the European Medicines Agency's, or EMA, Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, or CHMP, has recommended the approval of Hyqvia in patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, or CIDP, as maintenance therapy after stabilization with intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, or IVIG. The European Commission will consider the CHMP positive opinion when determining the potential marketing authorization for HYQVIA for CIDP throughout the European Union.

08:11 EST Moderna announces publication of Phase 3 study results evaluating mRNA-1345 - Moderna announced the publication of positive Phase 3 clinical study results evaluating mRNA-1345, its vaccine candidate for respiratory syncytial virus, RSV, in The New England Journal of Medicine. The peer-reviewed article summarizes safety and efficacy data from ConquerRSV, the Company's Phase 2-3 trial evaluating mRNA-1345. An accompanying New England Journal of Medicine op-ed discusses these results as an important achievement in the realization of effective RSV vaccines as well as a milestone in the advancement of mRNA vaccines and medicines. Moderna is the only company to have developed an mRNA-based RSV vaccine. Top-line results from this study were previously announced in January 2023.

08:08 EST Nikola names Jonathan Pertchik to Board of Directors - Nikola announced the appointment of Jonathan Pertchik, a seasoned executive, to its Board of Directors. With over two decades of transformational leadership, Pertchik served as the CEO and Managing Director of TravelCenters of America and has demonstrated success in various capacities in real estate, investment groups and in startup environments.

08:04 EST CymaBay submits NDA to FDA for seladelpar - CymaBay Therapeutics announced it has submitted a New Drug Application to the U.S. FDA for investigational treatment, seladelpar, for the management of primary biliary cholangitis, including pruritus in adults without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis who are inadequate responders or intolerant to ursodeoxycholic acid. CymaBay has requested a Priority Review of the NDA that, if accepted, would mean the FDA would plan to complete its review within six months of accepting the application. CymaBay intends to file marketing authorization applications to the European Medicines Agency and U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency in the first half of 2024. Seladelpar has received Priority Medicines status from the EMA, as part of the program to optimize development plans and speed up evaluation of priority medicines so they can reach patients earlier.

08:02 EST Stanley Black & Decker to sell attachment tools business for $760M in cash - Stanley Black & Decker announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Stanley Infrastructure, the company's attachment and handheld hydraulic tools business, to Epiroc AB for $760M in cash. Infrastructure is expected to generate approximately $450 to $470 million in revenue with a mid-to-high teens adjusted EBITDA margin in FY2023. Stanley Black & Decker expects to utilize the cash proceeds of the transaction, net of modest taxes, to reduce debt. Stanley Black & Decker expects to incur a pre-tax, non-cash charge of approximately $100M-$150M related to the write-down of the Infrastructure net assets, which will be excluded from adjusted earnings. Until the transaction closes, the results of Infrastructure will remain in continuing operations and will not be reclassified as discontinued operations. The completion of the Infrastructure transaction is subject to regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions.

07:48 EST Rocket Lab launches 10th Electron launch this year - Rocket Lab launched its 42nd Electron rocket and deployed a satellite for Japan-based Earth imaging company the Institute for Q-shu Pioneers of Space, or iQPS. The mission was Rocket Lab's 10th Electron launch for the year, surpassing the company's previous annual record of nine launches in 2022. For the fifth year in a row, Electron has retained the title of second most frequently launched U.S. rocket annually.

07:32 EST Abeona Therapeutics announces employee inducement grants - Abeona Therapeutics has granted equity awards to new non-executive employees who joined the Company. The equity awards were approved in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). On December 14, 2023, the Compensation Committee of Abeona's Board of Directors granted restricted stock equity awards as a material inducement to employment to four individuals hired by Abeona, which equity awards relate to, in the aggregate, up to 81,000 restricted shares of Abeona common stock. One-third of the shares subject to such restricted stock awards will vest yearly on each anniversary of the Grant Date, such that the shares subject to such restricted stock awards granted to each employee will be fully vested on the third anniversary of the Grant Date, in each case, subject to each employee's continued employment with Abeona on the applicable vesting dates.

07:30 EST Allied Properties trustees declare special distribution of $5.48 per unit - Allied Properties Real Estate Investment Trust announced that the Trustees of Allied have declared a special distribution of $5.48 per unit, comprised of $0.48 per unit payable in cash and $5.00 per unit payable by the issuance of units of Allied to unitholders of record as at December 29, 2023. The special distribution is being made primarily to distribute to unitholders a portion of the capital gain realized by Allied during the 12-month period ending December 31, 2023, from the sale of the UDC portfolio. Accordingly, the special distribution will be in the form of a capital gain for income tax purposes. The cash portion of the special distribution is intended to assist unitholders in funding any additional tax liability that may arise in connection with the special distribution.

07:26 EST AC Immune reports ACI-35.030 advances into Phase 2b trial - AC Immune (ACIU) announced that its development partner has programmed the launch of a Phase 2b clinical study to evaluate ACI-35.030 in patients with preclinical Alzheimer's disease, those individuals not yet showing symptoms. ACI-35.030 is an investigational targeted active immunotherapy, selective for pathological phosphorylated Tau. Studies have shown that pTau correlates with AD progression and the trial aims to show that ACI-35.030 can prevent or slow down the progression of tau pathology and onset of clinical symptoms. Under the terms of the licensing agreement with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a Johnson & Johnson company (JNJ), AC Immune will now receive a milestone payment of CHF 15M and will receive another milestone payment of CHF 25M related to achieving a non-disclosed enrollment target. The partnership with Janssen aims to develop and commercialize therapeutic anti-Tau active immunotherapies for the treatment of AD and potentially other Tauopathies. The Phase 2b ReTain trial is a potentially registration-enabling trial and is a randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study in participants with preclinical AD to assess the clinical effect of active immunization with ACI-35.030. It is designed to test the hypothesis that ACI-35.030 has a disease-modifying effect that can delay or prevent the onset of cognitive impairment or other clinical symptoms in individuals with preclinical AD through inhibition of seeding and spreading of pathological Tau. Approximately 500 participants with preclinical AD will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to a single dose level of ACI-35.030 or placebo and administered as intramuscular injections for a maximum of 4 years. The primary endpoint will measure cognitive decline as assessed by the Preclinical AD Cognitive Composite 5 score, which combines tests that evaluate episodic memory, timed executive function, and global cognition. It is sensitive enough to detect early changes in cognitive function, even before the first clinical signs of mild cognitive impairment are apparent. The key secondary efficacy endpoint will assess the effect of ACI-35.030 on the propagation and/or accumulation of Tau pathology compared with placebo, as measured by Tau PET imaging in the Tau Naive Composite region of interest. PET imaging for pathological Tau will be performed at baseline and annually for 4 years. This endpoint may be sufficient for a Biologics License Application filing seeking accelerated approval from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, with the primary endpoint serving as the basis for a traditional approval.

07:14 EST Bruush Oral Care, Arrive Technology enter agreement, plan of merger - Bruush Oral Careand Arrive Technology have entered into an agreement and plan of merger. The combined company will focus on the advancement and implementation of Arrive's smart Mailbox-as-a-Service platform that makes the exchange of goods between people, robots and drones frictionless through the use of artificial intelligence. The Combined Company is expected to operate under the name Arrive Technology Inc. with its shares listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol 'ARRV'. Under the terms of the merger agreement, Bruush and Arrive will conduct a business combination in the form of a reverse triangular merger via an all-stock transaction. Bruush through its wholly owned subsidiary will merge with and into Arrive with Target Company continuing under the name of Arrive Technology Inc. and as a wholly owned subsidiary of PubCo. Upon completion of the Merger, the outstanding shares of Target Company's common stock, will be exchanged for common shares of PubCo representing upon issuance, 94.5% of PubCo's issued and outstanding common shares on a fully diluted basis. The legacy shareholders of PubCo will own shares of PubCo common shares representing 5.5% of PubCo's issued and outstanding common shares on a fully diluted basis. The merger has been approved by the board of directors of both companies and is expected to close in the first quarter of 2024, subject to customary closing conditions. Prior to closing, PubCo will, among other things, effect a reverse stock split with respect to PubCo's common shares at a ratio within the range of 6-for-1 to 200-for-1. Additionally, PubCo, will maintain a net cash minimum of US$10,000,000 consisting of cash and cash equivalents after full payment of current liabilities, including any financing and expenses in connection with the Merger. After the closing of the Merger, PubCo will sell, transfer and assign all existing legacy business, assets and liabilities of PubCo to a purchaser and pursuant to that certain separation and distribution agreement to be entered into by and between PubCo and such purchaser on terms and conditions to be mutually agreed by PubCo and such purchaser. The Combined Company will focus on advancing Arrive's existing operations as a technology company with a focus on designing and implementing a Mailbox-as-a-Service platform that facilitates smart, secure and seamless exchange of packages between people, robots and drones. Arrive's patented smart mailbox system leverages climate-assisted cargo space, smart alerts and advanced chain of custody controls to secure the last inch of the last-mile for all shippers, delivery services and autonomous delivery networks. Arrive's solutions are critically and uniquely positioned in the supply chain to leverage its unique data assets for artificial intelligence to provide users with machine-learning based insights that can aid businesses and consumers to lower logistical costs and capture new growth opportunities, among other benefits. Following the consummation of the Merger, the Combined Company will be headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana and it is anticipated that the Combined Company will be led by current members of the Arrive management team, including: Dan O'Toole, Chief Executive Officer; Todd Pepmeier, Chief Financial Officer; Mark Hamm, Chief Operations Officer; Torrey Bievenour, Chief Technology Officer; Neerav Shah, Chief Strategy Officer; Lora O'Toole, Vice President Business Development; John Ritchison, Corporate Counsel. The Board of Directors of the Combined Company is expected to consist of five members, one of which will be designated by Bruush and the remainder will be designated by Arrive.

07:07 EST Guardian Capital renews normal course issuer bid - Guardian Capital Group has received approval from the Toronto Stock Exchange for its Normal Course Issuer Bid, pursuant to which it intends to purchase, during the period from December 19, 2023 to December 18, 2024, up to 136,918 or 5% of its outstanding Common Shares, entitled to one vote per share, and up to 1,545,132 or 10% of its public float of Non-Voting Class A Shares as at December 5, 2023. Shares may also be purchased by the trustee for Guardian's employee profit sharing plan, which purchases will count against the maximum numbers of shares which may be purchased by Guardian. In each case, these shares will be purchased at market prices, on the TSX, other designated exchanges and/or alternative Canadian trading systems. All shares purchased by Guardian will be cancelled. Guardian intends to purchase the shares because it believes that, from time to time, the shares may become undervalued at prevailing market prices, based on Guardian's earnings and prospects and accordingly, Guardian is of the opinion that the purchase of shares for cancellation is an appropriate use of corporate funds to increase shareholder value. Pursuant to its most recent Normal Course Issuer Bid, under which Guardian sought and received approval from the TSX to purchase up to 137,468 Common Shares and 1,623,612 Class A Shares for the period from December 19, 2022 to December 18, 2023, Guardian and the Trustee purchased 0 Common Shares and 1,095,091 Class A Shares at an average purchase price of $35.50 per Class A Share. These shares were purchased on the TSX and alternative Canadian trading systems. As of December 5, 2023, there were 2,738,379 Common Shares and 22,490,948 Class A Shares issued and outstanding and the public float of the Class A Shares was 15,451,322 shares. The average daily trading volume for Guardian's shares on the TSX during the period from June 1, 2023 to November 30, 2023, excluding purchases made by Guardian under its Normal Course Issuer Bid and by the Trustee during the same period, was as follows: 416 Common Shares; and 5,193 Class A Shares. Except as otherwise permitted by the TSX, daily purchases under the bid will be limited to 1,000 Common Shares and 1,298 Class A Shares, other than block purchase exceptions.

07:06 EST 7GC & Co., Banzai complete business combination - 7GC & Co. (VII) and Banzai International announced the closing of the previously announced business combination (the between 7GC and Banzai. The combined company will operate under the name "Banzai International, Inc.". Beginning on December 15, 2023, Banzai will commence trading of its Class A common stock on the Nasdaq Global Market under the ticker symbol "BNZI" and warrants on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol "BNZIW". The Business Combination was approved by 7GC stockholders at a special meeting of stockholders held on December 13, 2023. Jack Leeney, Chairman and CEO of 7GC, commented: "We are proud to be partnering with Joe and the rest of the management team at Banzai. A public listing catalyzes the Company's consolidation strategy in the highly attractive MarTech vertical, and we believe that Banzai will thrive as a publicly traded company with a compelling growth story."

07:05 EST Cronos Group announces launch of Lord Jones Live Resin Vapes - Cronos Group announces the launch of its anticipated Lord Jones Live Resin Vapes in two different hardware options. "We're excited to introduce the latest addition to the evolving Lord Jones(R) lineup with premium live resin vapes. The Lord Jones brand epitomizes excellence, and we take pride in bringing exceptional products to market that showcase our commitment to craftsmanship and innovation," said Mike Gorenstein, President, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer, Cronos. "This launch marks a significant step in further establishing the Lord Jones brand as one that represents quality and artistry, and we look forward to launching more breakthrough products in 2024."

07:05 EST Hanesbrands chairman Ronald Nelson to retire, William Simon to succeed - HanesBrands announced that its board of directors has appointed William Simon to serve as chairman of the board, effective December 31. His appointment follows Ronald Nelson's decision to retire as chairman and a member of the board at the end of the year. Simon has been a director at the company since 2021 and has previously served on the Talent and Compensation Committee and the Governance and Nominating Committee.

07:03 EST OTC Markets Group welcomes Citizens Holding to OTCQX - OTC Markets Group announced Citizens Holding Co. has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. Citizens Holding Co. previously traded on NASDAQ.

07:01 EST HUB Security secures collaboration agreement with Israel military contractor - HUB Cyber Security announces a key collaboration agreement with one of Israel's top-three military contractors. According to the agreement, HUB will provide Confidential Computing and ancillary cybersecurity services to joint solutions to be used in a wide range of on-ground applications. Within the collaboration, HUB's technology aims to secure all mission-critical information being processed in real-time by combat computers. HUB Cyber Security's CEO, Noah Hershcoviz, stated: "This sensitive deal emphasizes our ongoing dedication to providing secure warfare solutions, now more than ever, amidst the Israeli war. The collaboration with a leading defense vendor signifies a crucial step in their mission to offer advanced security solutions and indicates the company's growing influence in the field of cybersecurity and military defense."

06:59 EST Taylor Morrison renews $500M stock repurchase plan - Taylor Morrison announced that its board of directors authorized a renewal of its stock repurchase program through December 31, 2025. The program permits the repurchase of up to $500M of the company's common stock and replaces the company's prior repurchase authorization that was scheduled to expire on December 31.

06:31 EST Ucommune International regains compliance with Nasdaq - Ucommune International announced that it received a notification letter from the Listing Qualifications Department of Nasdaq on December 14, indicating that the company has regained compliance with the minimum bid price requirement set forth in Rule 5550 of the Nasdaq Listing Rules.

06:04 EST Ensign Group raises quarterly dividend to 6c per share - The dividend is payable on or before January 31, 2024, to shareholders of record as of December 31, 2023.

06:02 EST Torii Pharmaceutical reports 'positive' results from Phase 3 trial of TO-208 - Verrica Pharmaceuticals announced that its development and commercialization partner, Torii Pharmaceutical Co., reported positive top-line results from its Phase 3 trial of TO-208 for the treatment of Molluscum Contagiosum in Japan. The Phase 3 trial was conducted in Japan and is a double blind, randomized and parallel-group comparison study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TO-208 in comparison to placebo, when applied once every 21 days for up to four applications in patients with molluscum. The top-line results show that the proportion of subjects achieving complete clearance of all treatable molluscum lesions at the completion of the confirmatory study, the primary endpoint of efficacy, was statistically significant versus placebo. TO-208 was well tolerated during the study. "We are obviously excited by the positive results from this confirmatory Phase 3 trial for TO-208 for the treatment of molluscum in Japan, which underscores the consistent safety and efficacy of VP-102 and FDA-approved YCANTH," said Ted White, CEO of Verrica Pharmaceuticals. "We believe Torii is an ideal partner to bring the product to people with molluscum in Japan, and these positive results take us one step closer towards achieving our goal of addressing this large and underserved patient population." In March 2021, Verrica and Torii signed an exclusive licensing agreement for the development and commercialization of VP-102 in Japan. Torii intends to submit a manufacturing and marketing application for the product in Japan, based on the results of the Phase 3 trial and other studies currently being conducted.