Stockwinners Market Radar for February 21, 2024 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:20 EST Cathie Wood's ARK Investment bought 243K shares of Archer Aviation today

18:21 EST Bausch + Lomb CEO: We have spent the last year rebuilding management - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, Brent Saunders said, "We're excited about the hard work we've done and the optimism I have." The company is taking share in many categories, he added. In 2021 and 2022, the company took more price, but in 2023 it was more about taking volume. He expects several new product launches in 2024.

18:04 EST Carriage Services concludes review of strategic alternatives - Carriage Services' Board has concluded the company's strategic review process, first announced on June 29, 2023. The Board has unanimously determined that continuing to execute on the company's strategic plan as an independent, public company is in the best interests of the company and its stockholders at this time. In this regard, the Board's determination took into account positive trends described above in the company's financial and operating results toward the end of 2023. Following a review and evaluation of the proposals and alternatives available to the company, the Board concluded that none of those proposals would be in the best interests of the company's stockholders. The Board endorsed the company's continued execution of its standalone business plans as an independent publicly held company under the leadership of Carlos Quezada as CEO, Steve Metzger as President and Kian Granmayeh as CFO, as well as leadership from the company's Board, which added three talented new directors during the summer of 2023.

17:49 EST CymaBay's seladelpar shows efficacy in Phase 3 study featured in NEJM - CymaBay announced that The New England Journal of Medicine - NEJM - has published detailed results from the RESPONSE Phase 3 trial evaluating seladelpar, an investigational agent, and the only potent, selective peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta agonist or delpar, being studied in adults with primary biliary cholangitis - PBC -. Results showed rapid and sustained improvements in reducing cholestasis and liver injury, together with significant reductions in pruritus. The primary endpoint was a composite of ALP and total bilirubin at Month 12, which supported authorization for current second line treatment in PBC by the FDA and EMA for registrational studies in PBC. The primary endpoint was achieved in 61.7% of patients treated with seladelpar vs. 20.0% treated with placebo. The key secondary endpoint of ALP normalization was reached in 25.0% of patients treated with seladelpar vs. 0.0% for patients treated with placebo. The study also measured change in patient-reported pruritus as a key secondary endpoint. Improvement in pruritus was seen as soon as Week 4 and significance achieved at Month 6 among patients with baseline NRS greater than 4 reporting decreases of 3.2 points with seladelpar vs. 1.7 for patients on placebo. Similar results demonstrating reductions in itch and improvements in sleep were observed using the PBC-40 questionnaire. Safety was similar in the seladelpar-treated and placebo-treated groups. A New Drug Application for seladelpar for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis was accepted for priority review by the FDA in February 2024. The company also plans to file marketing authorization applications in the first half of 2024 with the EMA where seladelpar has received Priority Medicines status and plans to file with the U.K. Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

17:41 EST Alterity Therapeutics Ltd (ADR) trading halted, news pending

17:31 EST Nvidia says generative AI is enabling a whole new industry - Nvidia (NVDA) says demand for Hopper remains very strong. Says next-generation products are back ordered as demand far exceeds supply. Says large language model field is thriving. Says partnered with Google (GOOG) to launch optimizations across all NVIDIA AI platforms for Gemma large language model. Says has not received licenses to ship restricted chips to China. Says expects gross margin after Q1 to return to mid seventies percent range. Says fundamentally conditions are excellent for growth in data center from 2024 to 2025. Says general purpose computing is starting to run out of steam. Says accelerated computing can dramatically improve energy efficiency and cost in data processing. Says generative AI enabling new way to do software. Says inference part of business has grown 40%. Comments and guidance taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

17:29 EST Nutrien raises quarterly dividend 2% to 54c per share, begins share repurchase - Nutrien declared a quarterly dividend of 54c per share payable on April 11 to shareholders of record on March 28, an approximately 2% increase from the prior dividend. The Board also approved the purchase of up to 5% of Nutrien's issued and outstanding common shares over a twelve-month period through a normal course issuer bid.

17:23 EST Rivian Automotive reports Q4 production 17.5K vehicles vs. 10.0K last year - Reports Q4 deliveries of 14.0K vehicles vs. 8.1K last year.

17:08 EST Trip.com Group announces $300M share repurchase program - Pursuant to the regular capital return policy adopted by the company's board of directors in November 2023, in February, the board of directors of the company approved and authorized the company to implement strategic capital return initiatives from time to time for an aggregate value up to $300M. The 2024 capital return program permit discretionary annual share repurchases, discretionary annual cash dividends, or a combination of both.

17:01 EST Thermo Fisher increases quarterly dividend 1% to 39c per share - Thermo Fisher authorized a quarterly cash dividend of 39c per common share, payable on April 15 to shareholders of record as of March 15. This reflects an 11% increase over the previous dividend payment of 35c.

16:58 EST Sunrun falls 10% to $13.95 after convertible debt offering

16:56 EST TrueBlue down 13% at $10.80 after Q4 results, below-consensus guidance

16:52 EST iKena Oncology CMO Sergio Santillana resigns, Caroline Germa succeeds - Ikena Oncology announced the resignation of Sergio Santillana and the appointment of Dr. Caroline Germa as chief medical officer, or CMO. Her addition comes at a pivotal time with the company's focus on its clinical programs, IK-930 and IK-595, underscoring Ikena's commitment to driving innovation in the targeted oncology space.

16:51 EST Vital Energy sees FY24 production 116.5-121.5 MBOE/d - The company said, "The Company's 2024 development plan is designed to maximize Adjusted Free Cash Flow, enhance capital efficiency and organically add high-return locations. Vital Energy plans to invest $750 - $850 million in 2024, excluding non-budgeted acquisitions and leasehold expenditures, operating four drilling rigs throughout the year and averaging 1.7 completions crews. Capital investments are expected to peak in the first quarter due to higher working interest on wells being TIL'd during the quarter. The Company expects total production of 116.5 - 121.5 MBOE/d and oil production of 55.0 - 59.0 MBO/d for full-year 2024."

16:51 EST Huntsman board approves 5% quarterly dividend increase

16:48 EST Mosaic sees 'robust' potash demand for North America in 2024 - 2024 Market Outlook: "Global grain and oilseed markets are expected to remain tight in 2024. Crop production, threatened by geopolitical unrest, weather extremes and reduced fertilization, is struggling to keep up with strong demand driven by secular demographic changes and growing consumption from renewable fuels. As a result, global stocks-to-use ratios for grains and oilseeds are expected to remain under pressure for the foreseeable future. Today's healthy agriculture back drop and favorable economics will continue to incentivize growers to maximize yields and apply fertilizers. These demand factors are especially promising for the phosphate market as they are expected to be matched by tight global supply well into 2024. China's exports are expected to remain capped as domestic agriculture and industrial demand is prioritized over fertilizer exports. Firm phosphate prices and low raw material prices suggest that stripping margins will stay elevated for the foreseeable future. In North America, after a long Fall application season and solid winter fill activities, demand strength continues into the Spring planting season. Brazil shipments are expected to remain solid in 2024 as barter ratio are favorable and growers need to replenish soil nutrients. In India, grower demand is strong and growers are waiting for higher government subsidy rates. Potash demand for North America is expected to remain robust in 2024, and demand in Southeast Asia and Brazil is expected to improve as the year progresses. Supply appears adequate to meet that demand in the near term."

16:43 EST Alexander & Baldwin announces three transactions at Maui Business Park II - Alexander & Baldwin announced a build-to-suit lease and two sales at its Maui Business Park Phase II - MBP II - project in Kahului, Maui. The first transaction is a build-to-suit industrial lease to develop a Class A, 29,500-square-foot warehouse and distribution facility on two lots totaling 2.4 acres for lease to a national food manufacturer and distributor. Completion and occupancy of the facility is expected in 4Q25. The County of Maui initiated the purchase of 12.5 acres in the business park's final phase of horizontal development for $17.4M, which will close upon subdivision completion. The County plans to construct a new facility for its Department of Transportation. With 21 remaining lots ranging from one-half to five acres, the project's final increment allows for warehousing, distribution, light manufacturing, retail, and office uses. A&B has commenced the subdivision process and intends to complete all infrastructure improvements required to deliver finished lots in this final increment by early 2026. The second sale consists of two of the remaining lots available in the park's initial increments, totaling 1.3 acres, sold to Hamai Appliances for $2.4M.

16:41 EST Newpark Resources sees 2024 industrial solutions revenue $230M-$240M - Sees 2024 industrial solutions segment Adjusted EBITDA of $80M-$85M and capital expenditures of $30M-$35M.

16:35 EST Old National Bancorp announces $200M stock repurchase program - Old National Bancorp announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of 14c per share on the Company's outstanding shares of common stock. This quarterly cash dividend will be payable on March 15, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 5.... also announced that its Board of Directors approved a stock repurchase program which authorizes the repurchase of up to $200 M of the Company's common stock. Share repurchases under this program may be made from time to time on the open market, in privately negotiated transactions or through accelerated share repurchase programs in the discretion of, and at prices to be determined by, the Company. The program will be in effect until February 28, 2025.

16:35 EST Marathon Oil sees FY24 CapEx $1.9B-$2.1B - Marathon Oil announced a $1.9B-$2.1B capital expenditure budget for 2024, fully consistent with the company's disciplined capital allocation framework that prioritizes corporate returns and FCF generation. The 2024 program is expected to deliver approximately $1.9B of FCF, assuming $75/bbl WTI, $2.50/MMBtu Henry Hub, and $10/MMBtu TTF. Marathon Oil expects to deliver total company oil production of 190,000 net bopd at the midpoint of its 2024 guidance range. Although winter weather is expected to lower first quarter production by about 4,000 net bopd, primarily concentrated in the Bakken, the company expects no impact to its flat oil production guidance for the full year. Marathon Oil expects to continue driving significant growth in oil production per share. The underlying capital efficiency and bottom line financial outcomes of the 2024 capital program are again expected to benchmark at the top of Marathon Oil's high-quality E&P peer group.

16:32 EST American Homes 4 Rent increases quarterly distribution 18% to 26c - AMH declared a dividend of 26c per share on the company's common shares for 1Q24, an increase of 18% versus the prior quarterly dividend rate of 22c per share. The distribution will be payable in cash on March 28 to shareholders of record on March 15. The Board also declared a per share quarterly distribution on the company's cumulative redeemable perpetual preferred shares of $0.36719 per share on the 5.875% Series G shares and $0.39063 per share on the 6.250% Series H shares payable in cash on March 28 to shareholders of record on March 15.

16:31 EST Marathon Oil sees FY24 CapEx $2B - Expects $2B capital program to deliver 190,000 net bopd at midpoints of respective annual guidance ranges. Expects to return at least 40% of adjusted CFO to shareholders in 2024 under differentiated CFO-driven framework that continues to provide investors with first call on cash flow.

16:30 EST ACV Auctions settles antitrust litigation related to the AutoIMS tech platform - ACV announces the settlement of its antitrust litigation related to the AutoIMS technology platform.... AutoIMS serves the wholesale automotive remarketing industry with a tool that connects auto auctions, consignors, third-party services providers, and remarketing networks. In 2022, ACV filed suit after the company was unable to secure an AutoIMS license. ACV has now received an AutoIMS license and settled the lawsuit. The company may now provide services to the 1,300 commercial consignors that currently utilize AutoIMS to connect with hundreds of physical auctions. ACV will also be able to deploy AutoIMS in a way that supports ACV's digital-focused business model. "AASC is pleased the parties were able to reach a reasonable agreement and looks forward to meeting the needs of both ACV and our consignment customers," stated AASC President and CEO Venkat Krishnamoorthy. ACV CEO George Chamoun remarked, "Our objective is to help our commercial and dealer partners achieve their unique and strategic business goals. ACV is excited for the opportunity to work with AASC to expand AutoIMS's capabilities to consignment of vehicles at any location while leveraging ACV's digital offering." The settlement also resolves the litigation as between ACV and NAAA, and ACV's affiliates look forward to participating in NAAA's membership programs consistent with NAAA's bylaws. In recognition of the new relationship, ACV will donate to NAAA's Warren Young, Sr. Scholastic Foundation, Inc. Scholarship Program, which grants academic scholarships to eligible full-time employees of NAAA member auctions or corporate offices, their children or grandchildren. The settlement provides that the litigation will be dismissed with prejudice. All parties agree that the settlement does not represent an admission of liability...

16:27 EST BuzzFeed to reduce remaining workforce by 16% - BuzzFeed announced a planned strategic restructuring intended to reduce expenses by implementing a 16% reduction in the remaining workforce, which is expected to yield approximately $23M in annualized compensation cost savings. The company's restructuring, the details of which will be shared on Wednesday, February 28, "is designed to reduce centralized costs and to allow the company to become more agile, sustainable, and profitable." Overall, the company "will focus on optimizing sustainable revenue streams with the highest margins. BuzzFeed, First We Feast, HuffPost and Tasty will each operate entrepreneurially with individual strategies and revenue lines tailored to market and audience dynamics."

16:27 EST Nvidia reverses, up 1% ahead of Q4 earnings call - Shares of Nvidia are up $5.28, or 1%, to $680.00 ahead of the company's Q4 earnings call.

16:26 EST SAP proposes dividend of EUR 2.20 per share - The Supervisory Board and Executive Board of SAP recommend that shareholders approve a dividend of EUR 2.20 per share for fiscal year 2023. This is an increase of EUR 0.15, or 7.3% compared to the dividend paid for fiscal year 2022. If approved by shareholders and assuming the same level of treasury shares as at December 31, 2023, the total amount distributed in dividends would be approximately EUR 2.568B, representing a pay-out ratio of 43.1%. SAP believes that its shareholders should benefit appropriately from the profit the company made in 2023. The company's dividend policy is to pay a dividend totaling 40% or more of profit after tax.

16:26 EST Prothena names Daniel Welch as Director and Chair Designate - Prothena, a late-stage clinical biotechnology company with a robust pipeline of investigational therapeutics built on protein dysregulation expertise, announced the appointment of Daniel G. Welch to its Board of Directors as an independent director and Chair Designate following a comprehensive search process in connection with the board's regular succession planning.

16:25 EST Joby Aviation sees use of cash, equivalents in 2024 to be $440M-$470M

16:23 EST Nvidia down 2% after Q4 beat, Q1 guidance - Shares of Nvidia are down $14.77, or 2%, to $659.95 in after-hours trading.

16:22 EST Veritone announces restructuring, to reduce workforce by 14% - Veritone and accelerating its path to profitability. These initiatives, which began in January 2024, include a workforce reduction that will impact approximately 14% of Veritone's worldwide workforce, with the majority of these workforce actions being completed by the end of the first quarter of 2024. Veritone expects to incur up to $2.0 million in costs and expenses as a result of these reductions, which is primarily related to one-time severance, transition and termination-related costs. Management expects this reorganization will provide a more efficient and effective structure to continue to drive its near- and longer-term growth plans and leading AI software and solutions innovation. The organizational restructuring is only one component of a larger strategy focused on driving Veritone towards profitability through a range of cost and revenue synergies that will streamline operational efficiencies through continued integration.

16:21 EST SM Energy sees FY24 CapEx $1.16B-$1.2B - FY24 net production volumes are expected to range between 56-59 MMBoe, or 153-161 MBoe/d, at ~44% oil. At the midpoint, this implies an increase of 3%-4% year over year on a Boe basis and an increase of approximately 6% year over year in oil production.

16:21 EST Energy Recovery CFO Ballard to step down - Energy Recovery announced Joshua Ballard has made the decision to step down from his position as Chief Financial Officer at the end of June 2024. A search to identify Energy Recovery's next CFO is underway with the executive search firm Korn Ferry. "I want to thank Josh for his tremendous leadership and contributions to the success of Energy Recovery. He is leaving a stronger organization both operationally and financially than he found it. Josh has agreed to help us through an orderly transition in the coming months as we work hand in hand to identify his replacement before June 30th, which will ensure we continue to grow and build on our financial strength," said David Moon, President and Chief Executive Officer of Energy Recovery.

16:19 EST Valmont sees long-term organic net sales growth 'above mid-single digits' - Sees long-term operating margin approaching mid-teens.

16:18 EST Jackson Financial announces future retirement of CFO Wadsten - Jackson Financial announced that after more than 32 years of dedicated and outstanding service, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Marcia Wadsten intends to retire from Jackson on June 3, 2024. It is expected that Don Cummings, the Company's current Senior Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Controller will be appointed Chief Financial Officer as of June 3, 2024. He will succeed Wadsten, who is also expected to continue as an advisor to the Company for a period of time to support transition efforts. "Marcia was instrumental in our transition to an independent public company, building our relationships with ratings agencies, analysts and institutional shareholders and most recently with the establishment of Brooke Life Reinsurance Company. Her positive contributions to Jackson are innumerable and her steadfast commitment to being a steward of the company's capital will be felt for years to come," stated Laura Prieskorn, President and Chief Executive Officer of Jackson. "I am pleased that our approach to cultivating talent and succession planning allows for a smooth transition of responsibilities. Don has been a valuable member of our executive management team since he joined Jackson. We are confident in his ability to build on our strong track record of financial strength and performance and look forward to the leadership he will provide in this new role."

16:15 EST Churchill Downs receives approval to open Phase One of The Rose Gaming Resort - Churchill Downs, or CDI, announced that the company received approval from the Town of Dumfries to open Phase One of The Rose Gaming Resort with 1,650 historical racing machines, or HRMs. This number represents an increase of 500 HRMs from what CDI had previously announced. The Rose, located in Northern Virginia, is now scheduled to open by the end of September. The facility will also open with a 102-room hotel, eight food and beverage options and over 2,540 parking spaces. The total capital investment in the project to now expected to be $460M, with approximately $160M remaining to be spent as of December 31, 2023. The company will provide updated development plans for Phase Two at a later date. As part of CDI's commitment to the Town of Dumfries, the company will make a one-time, $3.6M contribution to the town. CDI will also make a one-time $2M contribution to support the design and development of a new community center, in addition to the public park currently being built on site. The facility will also open with a 102-room hotel, eight food and beverage options and over 2,540 parking spaces. The total capital investment in the project to now expected to be $460M, with approximately $160M remaining to be spent as of December 31, 2023. The company will provide updated development plans for Phase Two at a later date. As part of CDI's commitment to the Town of Dumfries, the company will make a one-time, $3.6M contribution to the town. CDI will also make a one-time $2M contribution to support the design and development of a new community center, in addition to the public park currently being built on site.

16:15 EST Jackson Financial raises quarterly dividend nearly 13% to 70c per share - Jackson Financial announced its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.70 per share of common stock for the first quarter of 2024, reflecting a nearly 13% increase over the prior year dividend level. The dividend on the common stock will be payable on March 21, 2024, to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 12, 2024.

16:12 EST Inseego CEO Sharma resigns - Inseego announced that Ashish Sharma has resigned as Chief Executive Officer and President, effective February 23, 2024, to pursue other interests, and that Philip Brace has been appointed to the newly created role of Executive Chairman, effective immediately. Among other responsibilities, as Executive Chairman, Brace will be leading the Board of Directors' search for a new permanent CEO.

16:11 EST Sunnova Energy sees FY24 customer additions 185,000-195,000 - Sees Adjusted EBITDA between $350 million and $450 million and interest income between $150 million and $190 million.

16:07 EST Enterprise acquires JV interests from Western Midstream for $375M - Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (EPD) announced that certain of its affiliates have acquired interests in Whitethorn Pipeline Company LLC and Enterprise EF78 LLC from affiliates of Western Midstream Partners, LP (WES) in a series of debt-free transactions for $375M in total cash consideration. Enterprise completed the acquisition of Western's 20 percent equity interest in Whitethorn, which owns the 620,000 barrel per day Midland-to-Sealy portion of the Midland-to-ECHO 1 crude oil pipeline. Enterprise now owns 100 percent of Whitethorn. Enterprise also completed the acquisition of Western's 25 percent equity interest in EF78, which owns natural gas liquids fractionators 7 and 8 located in Mont Belvieu, Texas. These fractionators have an aggregate capacity of 170,000 barrels per day. Enterprise now owns 100 percent of EF78. "We are pleased to complete these transactions to consolidate ownership in these midstream assets," said A. J. "Jim" Teague, co-chief executive officer of Enterprise's general partner. "The pipeline asset serves the prolific Permian Basin, and the fractionation assets are integral to our NGL system. These transactions are immediately accretive to Enterprise's distributable cash flow per unit."

16:06 EST Goosehead CEO Mark Jones to transition to chairman, Mark Miller to succeed - Goosehead Insurance announced that chairman and CEO Mark Jones will transition to executive chairman of the company effective July 1, 2024. Mark Miller, president and COO will succeed Jones as CEO and will continue to serve as a member of the board of directors.

16:05 EST Finward Bancorp, Peoples Bank appoint Benjamin Schmitt CFO,Treasurer - Finward Bancorp announced the appointment of Benjamin Schmitt as the Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer of the Bancorp and the Bank, effective February 20.

16:02 EST Cyngn granted extension for continued listing on Nasdaq - Cyngn announced it has received an additional 180-day extension from Nasdaq to continue its listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market. The company was given until August 19, 2024 to regain compliance with Nasdaq's $1 minimum bid price per share requirement.

15:31 EST Fed, OCC approve Old National Bancorp, CapStar Financial merger - As previously announced, on October 26, 2023, CapStar Financial (CSTR) and Old National Bancorp (ONB) entered into an agreement and plan of merger pursuant to which CapStar will merge with and into Old National, with Old National as the surviving corporation. Following the merger, on a date to be determined by Old National, CapStar Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of CapStar that is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, will merge with and into Old National Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Old National, with Old National Bank as the surviving bank. On February 20, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System approved the merger and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency approved the bank merger, CapStar disclosed in a regulatory filing. Completion of the merger remains subject to approval by CapStar's shareholders at a special meeting to be held on February 29, as well as the satisfaction of the other customary closing conditions set forth in the merger agreement. The merger is currently expected to be completed on April 1, CapStar stated. Reference Link

14:58 EST Cadiz announces additional $20M to support capital investments - Cadiz and Heerema International Group Services the Company's largest shareholder, are pleased to announce a new financing agreement to support growth and capital investments in the Company's water supply, pipeline, filtration and storage assets. Under the agreement, Heerema will acquire the Company's $21.2M Senior Secured Loan held by BRF Finance and provide the Company an additional $20M to support capital investments and growth. The Maturity Date of the combined $41.2 million Senior Secured Loan will be extended to 6/30/2027. As part of the agreement, the holders of the Company's existing $16M Junior Convertible Loan have also agreed to extend their Maturity Date to 6/30/27. Following the transaction, the Company will have no debt due prior to 2027.

14:05 EST Google introduces two Gemini models - Alphabet's Google has introduced a "new generation of open models from Google to assist developers and researchers in building AI responsibly." "Gemma is a family of lightweight, state-of-the-art open models built from the same research and technology used to create the Gemini models," the company said. "Developed by Google DeepMind and other teams across Google, Gemma is inspired by Gemini, and the name reflects the Latin gemma, meaning "precious stone." Accompanying our model weights, we're also releasing tools to support developer innovation, foster collaboration, and guide responsible use of Gemma models." Google released Gemma model weights in two sizes: Gemma 2B and Gemma 7B. Each size is released with pre-trained and instruction-tuned variants. A new Responsible Generative AI Toolkit provides guidance and essential tools for creating safer AI applications with Gemma, it said. "Gemma models share technical and infrastructure components with Gemini, our largest and most capable AI model widely available today," Google added. "This enables Gemma 2B and 7B to achieve best-in-class performance for their sizes compared to other open models. And Gemma models are capable of running directly on a developer laptop or desktop computer. Notably, Gemma surpasses significantly larger models on key benchmarks while adhering to our rigorous standards for safe and responsible outputs. See the technical report for details on performance, dataset composition, and modeling methodologies." Reference Link

13:14 EST Datasea Inc trading resumes

13:12 EST North American rail traffic up 3.2% for the week ending February 17 - The Association of American Railroads or AAR reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending February 17. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 474,226 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.7% compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending February 17 were 220,529 carloads, down 0.6% compared with the same week in 2023, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 253,697 containers and trailers, up 7.9% compared to 2023. North American rail volume for the week ending February 17, on 12 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 331,196 carloads, down 1.0% compared with the same week last year, and 337,305 intermodal units, up 7.6% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 668,501 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.2%. North American rail volume for the first seven weeks of 2024 was 4,443,897 carloads and intermodal units, down 0.2% compared with 2023. Publicly traded companies in the space include CSX (CSX), Canadian National (CNI), Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CP), Kansas City Southern (KSU), Norfolk Southern (NSC), Union Pacific (UNP), Greenbrier (GBX), Trinity Industries (TRN), FreightCar America (RAIL), Rail Vision (RVSN) and Wabtec (WAB). Reference Link

13:07 EST Microsoft confirms 'Sea of Thieves,' 'Hi-Fi Rush' coming to PlayStation 5 - Microsoft (MSFT) announced that four Xbox games will be coming to Nintendo Switch (NTDOY) and Sony (SONY) plattforms this spring. "Pentiment" will arrive on PlayStation 4, PS5, and Switch on February 22; "Hi-Fi Rush" will come to PlayStation 5 on March 19; "Grounded" will be available on PS4, PS5, and Switch on April 16; and "Sea of Thieves" will be coming to PS5 on April 30. Reference Link

12:19 EST Intel launches Intel Foundry for the AI era - Intel said it launched Intel Foundry as a more sustainable systems foundry business designed for the AI era and announced an expanded process roadmap designed to establish leadership into the latter part of this decade. The company also highlighted customer momentum and support from ecosystem partners - including Synopsys, Cadence, Siemens and Ansys - who outlined their readiness to accelerate Intel Foundry customers' chip designs with tools, design flows and IP portfolios validated for Intel's advanced packaging and Intel 18A process technologies. "AI is profoundly transforming the world and how we think about technology and the silicon that powers it," said Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger. "This is creating an unprecedented opportunity for the world's most innovative chip designers and for Intel Foundry, the world's first systems foundry for the AI era. Together, we can create new markets and revolutionize how the world uses technology to improve people's lives." Intel's extended process technology roadmap adds Intel 14A to the company's leading-edge node plan, in addition to several specialized node evolutions. Intel also affirmed that its ambitious five-nodes-in-four-years (5N4Y) process roadmap remains on track and will deliver the industry's first backside power solution. Company leaders expect Intel will regain process leadership with Intel 18A in 2025. The new roadmap includes evolutions for Intel 3, Intel 18A and Intel 14A process technologies. It includes Intel 3-T, which is optimized with through-silicon vias for 3D advanced packaging designs and will soon reach manufacturing readiness. Also highlighted are mature process nodes, including new 12 nanometer nodes expected through the joint development with UMC announced last month. These evolutions are designed to enable customers to develop and deliver products tailored to their specific needs. Intel Foundry plans a new node every two years and node evolutions along the way, giving customers a path to continuously evolve their offerings on Intel's leading process technology. Intel also announced the addition of Intel Foundry FCBGA 2D+ to its comprehensive suite of ASAT offerings, which already include FCBGA 2D, EMIB, Foveros and Foveros Direct.

12:07 EST Xcel Energy boosts quarterly dividend to 54.75c from 52c per share - Xcel Energy raised the quarterly dividend on its common stock from 52c per share to 54.75c per share, which is equivalent to an annual rate of $2.19 per share. The dividends are payable April 20, to shareholders of record on March 15. "Today's dividend increase of 5.3% marks the twenty first consecutive year that Xcel Energy has increased its dividend. It signals the strength of our business and our recognition of the importance of dividend growth to our shareholders," said Bob Frenzel, CEO of Xcel Energy. "In addition, we have established a long-term dividend payout ratio target of 50-60 percent. Our dividend growth and earnings per share growth objectives remain 5-7 percent annually."

12:00 EST TPG RE Finance rises 13.2% - TPG RE Finance is up 13.2%, or 73c to $6.26.

12:00 EST Teladoc falls -24.6% - Teladoc is down -24.6%, or -$5.04 to $15.45.

12:00 EST Unisys falls -26.2% - Unisys is down -26.2%, or -$2.04 to $5.75.

11:52 EST Xbox games 'Grounded,' 'Pentiment' coming to Nintendo Switch - At a Partner Direct presentation Wednesday morning, Nintendo (NTDOY) announced a number of games from other publishers that will arrive on the Switch in 2024. Among the announcements were: Microsoft's (MSFT) Xbox exclusives "Grounded" and "Pentiment," which will release on Switch April 16 and February 22, respectively; a port of the first two "Star Wars Battlefront" titles; Atlus' (SGAMY) "Unicorn Overlord" and "Shin Megami Tensei 5: Vengeance"; and Konami's (KONMY) "Contra: Operation Galuga."

11:11 EST Arm announces two new Arm Neoverse Compute Subsystems - Arm announced: "We are extending our Neoverse Compute Subsystems roadmap with new N-series IP that takes performance efficiency to the next level. Neoverse CSS N3 achieves an impressive 20% higher performance-per-watt compared to Neoverse CSS N2. In addition, we are also bringing compute subsystems to our performance-focused V-series product line for the first time. The new Neoverse CSS V3 is based on all-new Neoverse V3 IP and delivers a whopping 50% performance-per-socket improvement over our previous Neoverse CSS offerings... Today we are proud to announce that Arm Total Design has expanded to include over 20 partners, all committed to ensuring broad accessibility of performant, efficient solutions that will help meet the computing demands of an AI-accelerated future. These partners are already working together on everything from verifying IP, and customizing firmware, through to building chiplets on the world's most advanced process nodes - all using Neoverse CSS." Reference Link

10:32 EST Intuitive Machines says Odysseus completed lunar orbit insertion burn - Intuitive Machines said via X, "Odysseus completed its scheduled 408-second main engine lunar orbit insertion burn and is currently in a 92 km circular lunar orbit. Initial data indicates the 800 m/s burn was completed within 2 m/s accuracy. Over the next day, while the lander remains in lunar orbit, flight controllers will analyze the complete flight data and transmit imagery of the Moon. Odysseus continues to be in excellent health. We expect to continue to provide mission updates at least once a day on X and the IM-1 Mission web page, where we intend to host a live stream for landing coverage."

10:09 EST 3M announces filing of Form 10 for planned spinoff of health care business - 3M announced the filing of a Form 10 registration statement with the U.S. SEC for the planned spin-off of its Health Care business as the newly independent health care company Solventum. Solventum is anticipated to spin off from 3M on April 1, 2024, subject to final approval from the 3M Board of Directors and other required conditions. Solventum has applied to list on the New York Stock Exchange as "SOLV". Solventum had sales of $8.2B in 2023, and will include more than 20,000 employees led by Bryan Hanson as CEO, Wayde McMillan as CFO, and Carrie Cox as Board Chair.

10:05 EST Intuitive Machines Inc trading resumes

10:00 EST Intuitive Machines Inc trading halted, volatility trading pause

10:00 EST MediaAlpha rises 12.0% - MediaAlpha is up 12.0%, or $1.90 to $17.70.

10:00 EST ProShares UltraShort Bloomberg Natural Gas falls -22.0% - ProShares UltraShort Bloomberg Natural Gas is down -22.0%, or -$37.90 to $134.66.

09:48 EST UAW reaches tentative local agreement at Ford Kentucky truck plant - After months of negotiations over local issues, UAW Local 862 announced that it has reached a tentative local agreement with Ford Motor Co., averting a potential strike this week. "Workers at Ford's most profitable plant were set to walk off the job over local issues related to skilled trades, health & safety, and ergonomics. The tentative deal addresses these and other core issues of concern to KTP autoworkers. There are dozens of remaining open local agreements across the Big Three automakers, while the national contracts were ratified this fall after the union's Stand Up Strike secured record contracts." Reference Link

09:47 EST ProShares UltraShort Bloomberg Natural Gas falls -21.0% - ProShares UltraShort Bloomberg Natural Gas is down -21.0%, or -$36.17 to $136.38.

09:47 EST Select Water Solutions rises 9.6% - Select Water Solutions is up 9.6%, or 75c to $8.60.

09:47 EST United States Natural Gas Fund rises 10.7% - United States Natural Gas Fund is up 10.7%, or $1.58 to $16.35.

09:36 EST MicroCloud Hologram Inc trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:25 EST Hyperfine, Athletic Heart team on brain-health-imaging for former pro athletes - Hyperfine and Athletic Heart Cardiac and Metabolic Testing, or Athletic Heart, a mobile medical diagnostic company "providing streamlined, comprehensive testing for collegiate, professional, and former professional athletes," announced a collaboration to bring portable brain imaging screenings to current and retired professional athletes, starting with retired professional basketball players...."We're thrilled to partner with Athletic Heart to provide valuable medical insights to clinicians and athletes that can ultimately improve their quality of life and brain health," said Maria Sainz, president and CEO of Hyperfine, Inc. "This collaboration underscores our commitment to making brain MR available at any site of care where it can be of value to patients. The safety and portability of our proprietary ultra-low-field MR technology make this uniquely possible."

09:22 EST Lytus Technologies announces 1-for-60 reverse stock split - Lytus Technologies Holdings announced that on February 5th, 2024, the Board of Directors of the Company approved a reverse stock split of its authorized, issued and outstanding ordinary shares, par value $0.01 per share, at a ratio of 1-for-60 so that every 60 shares currently authorized and issued is combined into one share. Shareholders otherwise entitled to receive a fractional share as a result of the Reverse Split will receive a whole share in lieu of such factional share. In connection with the Reverse Split, a vote of the shareholders of the Company is not required and as such, no shareholder vote or meeting of shareholders will be held. The Reverse Split will be effected by filing amendments with the Registrar of Corporate Affairs of the British Virgin Islands. The Company intends to file the amendments with the Registrar of Corporate Affairs of the British Virgin Islands on February 22nd, 2024, and it is anticipated that the ordinary shares will begin trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on a split-adjusted basis when the market opens on February 23rd, 2024. The Company is effecting the Reverse Split in order to maintain its listing on The Nasdaq Stock Market. As previously disclosed, on February 8, 2024, the Company received notice from the Listing Qualifications Department of Nasdaq indicating that the Company is not in compliance with the minimum bid price requirement of $1.00 per share under the Nasdaq Listing Rules. We believe that the proposed Reverse Split will assist the Company in regaining compliance under the Nasdaq Listing Rules. Both before and after the Reverse Split, the Company is and will be authorized to issue 230,000,000 ordinary shares and per share par value will be $0.01. As a result of the Reverse Split, the Company's issued and outstanding ordinary shares will be reduced from 93,679,260 to approximately 1,561,321.

09:14 EST SEALSQ Corp. signs distribution agreement with Okaya - SEALSQ Corp announced a Distribution Agreement with Okaya Electronics. Effective immediately, this agreement will contribute to the acceleration of the business expansion of SEALSQ in Asia. With offices in Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama, Hong-Kong and Shenzen, and over 200 people on the field, Okaya brings four decades of experience in the embedded electronic components distribution market. SEALSQ's Secure Elements, PKI and trust service portfolio will enable Okaya to address the needs of new and existing potential customers requiring a complete suite of security offerings. Okaya will be spearheading the expansion of SEALSQ in Japan, with the support of SEALSQ's own Japan based sales & application team.

09:10 EST Beyond Meat unveils its Beyond IV platform - Beyond Meat announced the fourth generation of its core beef platform, Beyond IV, resulting in the unveiling of the company's new Beyond Burger and Beyond Beef exclusively at retail. The new platform raises the bar for plant-based meat products and center-of-the-plate protein generally, and further cements Beyond Meat's commitment to creating plant-based meat products that not only taste delicious but deliver important nutritional benefits. "Beyond IV represents a transformative step forward in delivering plant-based nutrition to the consumer in the form of meat. The development of the new products occurred within an ecosystem of leading medical and nutrition experts, and were designed to meet the standards of national health organizations to create a product that delivers the taste, satisfaction, and utility of 80/20 beef - yet is demonstrably healthier," said Ethan Brown, Beyond Meat Founder & CEO.

09:09 EST SEI Investments announces $10M strategic investment in TIFIN - SEI announced a strategic investment of $10M in TIFIN, a leading innovation platform accelerating the adoption of artificial intelligence, or AI, in wealth management. TIFIN's pace of development and breadth of AI solutions-combined with SEI's scale, technology, and distribution-will help enhance and personalize client experiences and support business growth. SEI and TIFIN expect that their strategic partnership will accelerate value and growth for the industry through: Rapid exploration and solution delivery: Evaluating and testing new ideas quickly with a clear path to build or co-invest in promising opportunities. Access to market innovation: Engaging the financial services ecosystem to share best practices and resources and to stay abreast of the pace of change in AI and wealth technology. Talent development: Empowering growth and learning through access to a greater pool of talent in emerging technologies, as well as externship programs.

09:09 EST Correction: SEI Investments announces $10M strategic investment in TIFIN - SEI announced a strategic investment of $10M in TIFIN, a leading innovation platform accelerating the adoption of artificial intelligence, or AI, in wealth management. TIFIN's pace of development and breadth of AI solutions-combined with SEI's scale, technology, and distribution-will help enhance and personalize client experiences and support business growth. SEI and TIFIN expect that their strategic partnership will accelerate value and growth for the industry through: Rapid exploration and solution delivery: Evaluating and testing new ideas quickly with a clear path to build or co-invest in promising opportunities. Access to market innovation: Engaging the financial services ecosystem to share best practices and resources and to stay abreast of the pace of change in AI and wealth technology. Talent development: Empowering growth and learning through access to a greater pool of talent in emerging technologies, as well as externship programs.

09:07 EST Nokia utilizes Intel technology to drive greater 5G network savings - Nokia (NOK) in collaboration with Intel (INTC) announced that they are targeting greater energy efficiency improvements in 5G networks by using Xeon processors and power management software from Intel that will power Nokia's cloud-native 5G Core solutions. The two companies' advances, building on years of innovation, will give communication service providers more leverage in reducing electricity usage and costs in their networks. In testing demonstrations, Nokia achieved approximately 40% runtime power savings using Nokia's cloud-native 5G Core, integrated with Intel Infrastructure Power Manager software and 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processors, while maintaining key network performance metrics.

09:07 EST Seitel announces $10M strategic investment in TIFIN - SEI announced a strategic investment of $10M in TIFIN, a leading innovation platform accelerating the adoption of artificial intelligence, or AI, in wealth management. TIFIN's pace of development and breadth of AI solutions-combined with SEI's scale, technology, and distribution-will help enhance and personalize client experiences and support business growth. SEI and TIFIN expect that their strategic partnership will accelerate value and growth for the industry through: Rapid exploration and solution delivery: Evaluating and testing new ideas quickly with a clear path to build or co-invest in promising opportunities. Access to market innovation: Engaging the financial services ecosystem to share best practices and resources and to stay abreast of the pace of change in AI and wealth technology. Talent development: Empowering growth and learning through access to a greater pool of talent in emerging technologies, as well as externship programs.

09:05 EST Blue Star Foods signs MSA with vertically integrated seafood provider - Blue Star Foods announces its signing of a Master Service Agreement with a vertically integrated seafood value added provider. John Keeler, CEO of Blue Star Foods, commented, "We are thrilled to join forces with this team in what is truly a transformational event for Blue Star Foods. Under its current leadership in business development and sales and its chef's wizardry in the creation of avant garde gourmet recipes, they have built a $20 million annual business. We have identified several ways to integrate and optimize the businesses, which we expect to undertake over the next few months."

09:03 EST Icahn Enterprises names Andrew Teno as CEO - Names current CEO, David Willetts, as CEO of Pep Boys. Chairman Carl C. Icahn stated: "To best position IEP and our activist efforts for future success, we are making several management changes - including naming Icahn Capital portfolio manager Andrew Teno as CEO of IEP and naming David Willetts as Chief Executive Officer of Pep Boys."

08:59 EST PNC Financial doesn't see meaningful losses in multifamily book, says CFO

08:57 EST PNC Financial CFO: No imminent M&A deals, but sees need for more scale - Comments taken from the Bank of America Financial Services Conference.

08:41 EST Intuitive Machines shares up 17% premarket after providing update on Odysseus - Shares of Intuitive Machines are up 17% in premarket trading after the company provided an update on Odysseus on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. The company said: "Flight controllers received and analyzed data from the February 16th engine Commissioning Maneuver. Data from the 21-second full-thrust mainstage engine CM confirmed Odysseus hit its 21 m/s target with approximately 0.8 m/s accuracy. Propulsion mixture ratios, mass flow rate, and temperature were as predicted. Overall, Intuitive Machines characterizes the execution of the CM as nominal and per expectations. On February 18th, flight controllers commanded the lander's first planned trajectory correction maneuver, igniting the lander's engine for the second time, and are planning the anticipated final required maneuver before Odysseus' largest challenge to date, lunar orbit insertion, which is expected on Wednesday, February 21st. In addition, flight controllers completed all NASA and commercial transit payload operations this morning. Odysseus continues to be in excellent health, and flight controllers are analyzing and managing the lander's thermal conditioning for critical systems and payloads with a combination of heater power and attitude control to maximize efficiency. We expect to continue to provide mission updates at least once a day on X and the IM-1 Mission web page, where we intend to host a live stream for landing coverage." Reference Link

08:37 EST SharpLink Gaming director Adrienne Anderson resigns - SharpLink Gaming announced recent changes to its Board of Directors and Audit Committee. On February 16, 2024, the Board accepted the resignation of Adrienne Anderson as a director, Chair of the Audit Committee and member of the Compensation Committee, effective February 16, 2024. The resignation of Anderson was not the result of any disagreement with the Company, its management, the Board or any committee of the Board. The Board subsequently elected Leslie Bernhard, a current member of the Board, to serve as the new Chairperson of the Audit Committee, effective February 16, 2024. In addition, the Board elected Robert Gutkowski as a new director and appointed him to serve as a member of the Audit and Compensation Committees, effective immediately. From October 2014 through the present, Gutkowski has led RMG Sports Venture

08:35 EST CSP Inc. announces 2-for-1 stock split in the form of an 100% stock dividend - CSP Inc.Board of Directors has approved and declared a two-for-one stock split in the form of a 100% stock dividend on the Company's outstanding common stock. Each stockholder of record as of the close of business on March 6, 2024 will receive one additional share of common stock for every share of common stock held. The distribution date for the stock split, or the date on which new shares will be distributed from the Company's transfer agent, Equiniti Trust Company, LLC, will be March 20, 2024. CSPi's Common Stock is expected to trade on a post-split basis at the market open on March 21, 2024. Upon completion of the stock split, the Company expects to have approximately 9,753,900 shares outstanding. The Company also pays a quarterly cash dividend, which was recently increased by the Board of Directors, to $0.05 per share on a pre-split basis. The next quarterly dividend is payable on March 08, 2024, to shareholders of record on the close of business on February 26, 2024. The Company's quarterly cash dividend in the future will be set on a split adjusted basis.

08:35 EST LivePerson appoints Kevin Meeks as Chief Customer Officer - LivePerson announced the appointment of Chief Customer Officer Kevin Meeks. An established customer experience leader with a track record of success driving revenue and improvements in gross retention, Meeks will be the company's first Chief Customer Officer, responsible for helping customer brands fully realize the value of their investments in LivePerson's award-winning platform for AI-empowered digital customer conversations. Over the past two decades, Meeks has led winning customer-centric organizations at high-growth companies, including building and scaling both pre-sales and customer success teams. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President, Customer Success at VMware, where he led a 1,400-person global success organization. During Meek's tenure, VMware achieved annual recurring revenue of over $4B and double digit improvement in gross retention rates. Prior to VMware, Meeks led customer success, experience, and renewals organizations in roles including Vice President, Customer Success at DocuSign, Chief Customer Officer at Apptio, and Senior Vice President, Global Customer Success and Renewals at Splunk, where he drove double-digit improvement in both net and gross retention rates.

08:34 EST Navitas Semiconductor powers Samsung Galaxy S24 with integrated AI - Navitas Semiconductor announced that its GaNFast power ICs drive Samsung's 25 W "Super-Fast Charging" for the new, AI-enhanced Galaxy S24 smartphone. Flagship hardware specifications include a 2340 x 1080 dynamic AMOLED 2X, and 120 Hz screen, plus the Galaxy S24 delivers innovative and practical AI features to help transform the way users communicate, create and discover the world. Galaxy AI features like Live Translate, Chat Assist and new "Circle to Search" with Google, to improve nearly every experience that S24 users can enjoy. The 25 W GaNFast unit delivers 50% charge to the high-capacity 4000 mAh battery in only 30 minutes, while the USB PD 3.0 specification makes it compatible with other Samsung products including Galaxy Buds2 audio, Galaxy Z Fold5, Galaxy Flip and Galaxy A23.

08:32 EST Nucor board approves funding for new Pacific Northwest rebar micro mill - Nucor announced that the company's Board of Directors approved $860M to construct a 650,000-tons-per-year rebar micro mill in the Pacific Northwest. This will be Nucor's fourth and largest rebar micro mill, with approximately 50 percent more production capacity than the mill currently under construction in North Carolina. Nucor continues to evaluate potential locations, and the project is expected to take two years to construct, subject to regulatory approvals. The new mill will produce a full range of rebar sizes and will have spooling capabilities. Rebar is used primarily in the construction of roads, buildings, and other structures. With the increase in U.S. infrastructure investments, the domestic rebar market is expected to show continued strength.

08:32 EST NeuroSense reports additional data from its Phase 2b PARADIGM trial of PrimeC - NeuroSense Therapeutics reports additional positive data from its six-month double-blind Phase 2b PARADIGM trial of NeuroSense's lead drug candidate PrimeC for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. The PARADIGM trial's secondary clinical efficacy outcome measure endpoints included Quality of Life and Survival. Consistent with the previously reported results, PrimeC displayed a clinically meaningful effect on various aspects of patients' quality of life, including mental and physical health. Moreover, analyses pertaining to survival outcomes emphasized the implications of PrimeC intervention in mitigating disease progression and burden. PrimeC achieved an improvement in complication-free survival compared to placebo, reducing the risk of ALS disease complications or death by up to 53%. These survival analyses observe time from participant randomization to death from any cause or respiratory insufficiency, or time to hospitalization due to ALS-related complications or advancements in MiToS or King's stages.

08:30 EST Coya expands pipeline for COYA 302, adding Alzheimer's Disease - Coya Therapeutics releases the following letter to stockholders from its Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, Dr. Howard Berman. Just over two months ago we announced our partnership with Dr. Reddy's Laboratories for COYA 302 in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis ALS , our lead product candidate in our lead indication. This pivotal collaboration is worth up to $733M plus low-to-mid teens product royalties to us. We have already received $7.5M as an upfront payment tranche from that transaction and expect to receive an additional $8.4M tranche in 2024 following the IND filing and first patient dosed in the Ph. 2 ALS trial. Our team continues to see strong value in COYA 302, as exhibited by our announcement in January 2024 that we were expanding the potential indications for that product candidate to include Frontotemporal Dementia FTD and Parkinson's disease PD as additional indications. FTD and PD are two neurodegenerative diseases that share common inflammatory disease pathways with ALS, and we believe COYA 302 can target these multiple pathways by restoring dysfunctional regulatory T cells , reducing oxidative stress, and inhibiting toxic neuroinflammation. Today, we announce that we are further expanding the pipeline for COYA 302, adding Alzheimer's disease AD to its growing list of indications expected to be validated in the clinic. We recognize the historical challenges faced by pharma companies looking to address the massive problem that AD is posing to patients, families, and the healthcare system. Yet, researchers have shown that ALS, FTD, PD, and AD share common features, including neuroinflammation and catastrophic neuronal loss that leads to cognitive or motor dysfunction through the complex interplay of the body's immune system and dysfunctional anti-inflammatory Tregs. We believe the traditional "one disease - one target - one drug" approach might not be the most appropriate framework for neurodegenerative disorders, and may be partly responsible for the lack of available and truly effective treatments ...With our current cash balance at the end of 2023, along with the initial $7.5M upfront payment received from Dr. Reddy's in early January 2024, we believe we have at least a two-year cash runway to support our operations. We anticipate milestones in 2024 that could deliver additional shareholder value, including, but are not limited to, 1) the publication of additional data from the COYA 302 investigator initiated trial in ALS patients and biomarker data that is positively correlated to survival and rate of decline in ALS patients, 2) the filing of INDs for COYA 302 in ALS and FTD, and 3) topline data from the Ph. 2 investigator-initiated trial with COYA 301 in AD that we expect will support the development of COYA 302 in that same indication.

08:21 EST Biomerica appoints Gary Huff to strategic advisory board - Biomerica (BMRA) announces the appointment of Gary Huff to its Strategic Advisory Board. Mr. Huff, former CEO of Diagnostics at Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (LH), brings extensive expertise to collaborate with Jack Kenny, Chairman of Biomerica, and Zack Irani, CEO of Biomerica, in driving expansion of the inFoods IBS product.

08:15 EST Joby Aviation completes third stage of FAA certification process - Joby Aviation announced it has become the first developer of electric vertical take-off and landing, VTOL, aircraft to complete the third of five stages of the Federal Aviation Administration type certification process. During the third stage of the process, Joby submitted certification plans that cover all of the aircraft's structural, mechanical, and electrical systems, as well as the Company's intended certification approach to cybersecurity, human factors, and noise. These certification plans, which detail the tests and analyses that Joby will use to certify every aspect of its aircraft for commercial use, have now all been reviewed and accepted by the FAA, laying the groundwork for Joby to submit test plans and begin for-credit testing across every area of the Company's aircraft program. JoeBen Bevirt, Founder and CEO of Joby, commented: "Joby continues to lead the industry towards bringing electric air taxis to the commercial market. Our certification and engineering teams are best-in-class and, working closely with the FAA, continue to support U.S. leadership in this new area of aviation."

08:14 EST Brera Holdings accelerated investment in Brera Tchumene FC - Brera Holdings (BREA) announces that the strategic acquisition of Manchester United (MANU) stock last year, which has seen a remarkable 70% increase in value, has accelerated its investment into one of the Company's professional football teams, Brera Tchumene FC, based in Mozambique. This move underscores Brera Holdings' commitment to its Environmental, Social, and Governance, ESG, strategy, focusing on social impact and inclusivity in the world of professional football. The investment in Brera Tchumene FC is not merely a financial venture but a strategic move to foster economic growth and talent development in Mozambique. In alignment with this vision, Brera Holdings announces the appointment of Mr. Vasco Imparato as the new CEO of Brera Tchumene FC.

08:13 EST Bank of America CEO: Strength of American consumer 'still there' - Comments taken from the BofA Securities Financial Services Conference.

08:12 EST Worksport announces SOLIS solar cover availability for Ford F-150 Lightning - Worksport commenced the initial planning phases for the development of a model of its SOLIS solar cover for the Ford F-150 Lightning. This pioneering product signifies a significant step forward in sustainable automotive solutions, providing F-150 Lightning owners with the ability to harness solar energy for off-grid use. Once a SOLIS model is developed and optimized for the Ford F150 Lighting, Worksport's engineering team intends to begin exploring the feasibility and possibility of integrating the SOLIS Solar Tonneau Cover with the vehicle's charging system.

08:11 EST Locafy signs series of commercial agreements with Localista - Locafy announced that it has signed a series of commercial agreements with Localista, the largest lifestyle and travel directory network in Australia and New Zealand. Under these agreements, Locafy is set to acquire the digital assets of Scoop, provide SEO consulting services to Localista's retained asset, and add Localista's sales team as a reseller of Locafy's Article Accelerator product. "Localista is a well-respected name in the Australian lifestyle and travel space," said Locafy CEO, Gavin Burnett. "With our focus on delivering rapid results in highly competitive markets, we're confident that we can transform Localista into the leading online property in Australia for these lucrative market segments. We also look forward to partnering with the Localista team in the future to support the thousands of brands that contribute to the directory network."

08:11 EST Carbon Revolution appoints Lutz as Chair of the Board - Carbon Revolution (CREV) announced Robert Lutz will become Chair of the Board. Lutz has an extensive background in the automotive industry including as Vice Chairman of General Motors (GM). Lutz has served as a director since November 2023 .

08:10 EST Asset Entities launches Ternary V2 payment processing platform - Asset Entities has launched Ternary V2, the next generation of Ternary's Stripe-verified payment processing platform for Discord communities. Ternary V2 will provide additional customer relations management tools, allowing community owners the ability to scale, manage, and transact payments all in a single platform. The platform is designed to solve diverse problems in the Creator Economy, the modern economic landscape where creators leverage digital platforms and technology to produce and distribute content that promotes products and services directly to their audience.

08:08 EST Madrigal Pharmaceuticals reports inducement grants under Nasdaq listing rule - Madrigal Pharmaceuticals announced that the company granted equity awards to 46 new employees, in each case with a grant date of February 15, 2024, as equity inducement awards under the terms of the company's 2023 Inducement Plan. The equity awards were approved in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4). The equity awards were granted as inducement material to the employees' acceptance of employment with the company. The new employees received, in the aggregate, options to purchase 1,091 shares of Madrigal's common stock, and in the aggregate 11,712 time-based restricted stock units. All options granted have an exercise price of $222.22 per share, and vest as follows 25% of the option shares will vest on the first anniversary of the date of grant and 6.25% of the option shares shall vest on each quarterly anniversary following the first anniversary of the date of grant. All restricted stock units granted vest in a 25% increment on each of the first through fourth anniversaries of the grant date. The vesting of all awards described above shall be subject to each such employee's continued employment as of the vesting date.

08:07 EST Harmony Biosciences: FDA grants priority review for sNDA for WAKIX - Harmony Biosciences announced that the U.S. FDA granted priority review for its supplemental New Drug Application for WAKIX tablets for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness or cataplexy in pediatric patients 6 years of age and older with narcolepsy. The FDA has set a Prescription Drug User Fee Act, or target action date, of June 21, 2024.

08:07 EST Vaccinex enters eight new antibody discovery agreements for use of ActivMAb - Vaccinex has entered into eight new antibody discovery agreements integrating use of its proprietary ActivMAb platform to select antibodies against difficult-to-drug transmembrane protein targets. Within the last 3 months, Vaccinex has entered into new antibody discovery agreements for complex targets with 3 major pharma and biotech companies as well as 5 strategic relationships with other antibody service providers who have developed transgenic animal species for immunization or very large synthetic antibody libraries that complement our own technology. ActivMAb's new "Antigen Virus" application is a powerful complement to drug discovery strategies targeting complex protein targets including ion channels and G-protein coupled receptors such as chemokine receptors. Specific membrane targets are also key to development of antibody drug conjugates for cancer, The ActivMAb system enables expression of functional, properly folded complex proteins on the relatively simple membrane of a mammalian virus. We believe that this is a much more highly purified presentation and efficient selection technology than the complex natural membrane fragments that have been termed virus-like particles. Vaccinex's ActivMAb catalog and custom services are available through Science Exchange.

08:06 EST Bite Acquisition receives commencement of delisting notice from NYSE - Bite Acquisition Corp. announces that the company received a letter from the NYSE American on February 20, 2024, stating that the staff of NYSE Regulation has determined to commence proceedings to delist the company's Common Stock, Units and Warrants pursuant to Sections 119(b) and 119(f) of the NYSE American Company Guide because the company failed to consummate a business combination within 36 months of the effectiveness of its initial public offering registration statement, or such shorter period that the company specified in its registration statement. The company has a right to request that a Committee of the Board of Directors of the Exchange review the delisting determination, provided a written request for such review is requested no later than February 27, 2024. The company intends to make a request for the review of the delisting determination. At this time, the Securities have not been suspended and will continue to trade.

08:05 EST Aethlon Medical announces TA with Santersus - Aethlon Medical announced that it entered into a Materials Transfer Agreement, or MTA, with Santersus, a Zurich-London based, privately held therapeutic medical device company, for Santersus' NucleoCapture and HemoNucleoCapture devices. Under the terms of the MTA, Santersus will supply Aethlon with NucleoCapture and HemoNucleoCapture devices, designed to remove Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs), which are toxic to tissues and organs and are implicated in the pathophysiology of cancer, sepsis, autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, and ischemia reperfusion injury in organ transplantation. Aethlon will perform initial pre-clinical studies to examine the NucleoCapture and HemoNucleoCapture devices, alone, and in combination with Aethlon's Hemopurifier - a therapeutic blood filtration system designed to bind and remove harmful exosomes and life-threatening viruses from blood and other biological fluids -- to assess their ability to remove important targets in samples from cancer patients, as well as from perfusates from kidneys that have undergone machine perfusion as part of the renal transplantation process.

08:04 EST Baker Hughes secures major multi-year well construction services contract - Baker Hughes (BKR) announced Wednesday a significant contract award from Petrobras (PBR) for integrated well construction services in the Buzios field, offshore Brazil. The integrated services project is set to start in the first half of 2025 and will include drilling services, drill bits, wireline, cementing, wellbore clean up, fishing, remedial tools, fluids, services and geosciences. Baker Hughes will provide these services across three rigs over the course of the multi-year contract. "Baker Hughes is proud to contribute to this significant project and expand our long-standing relationship with Petrobras, establishing ourselves as a major provider of integrated solutions in Brazil," said Maria Claudia Borras, executive vice president, Oilfield Services and Equipment. "This agreement further highlights our broad capabilities in well construction, as well as our continued commitment to deliver excellence and value for customers."

08:03 EST Local Bounti awarded patent for Stack & Flow Technology - Local Bounti announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office issued a patent to the company on February 13, 2024 for its proprietary Stack & Flow Technology.

08:02 EST Nokia announces GenAI assistant integrated with NetGuard Cybersecurity Dome - Nokia announced NetGuard Cybersecurity Dome software will be integrated with a telco-centric GenAI assistant to give communication service providers and enterprises faster and higher quality detection and resolution capabilities in the face of cyber criminals increasingly using GenAI to launch more sophisticated attacks on critical infrastructure. Cybersecurity Dome is Nokia's extended detection response market security platform that provides CSPs and enterprises with strong, 5G network defenses through a series of AI and machine learning capabilities. Amid the rising sophistication and frequency of targeted cyberattacks, the XDR security market is projected to grow by nearly 150 percent, from $965 million in 2022 to around $2.4 billion by 2027, according to industry estimates. Nokia's new Telco GenAI assistant, commercially available from the second quarter, further extends those capabilities by quickly combining and interpreting vast amounts of information related to cyber threats, strengthening Cybersecurity Dome's protection efficiency for threat identification and resolution.

07:55 EST Compass Minerals announces Gordon Dunn as new COO - Compass Mineral announced the appointment of Gordon Dunn as the company's new chief operations officer COO . In this role, Dunn holds executive management responsibility over all global operations within the company's Salt and Plant Nutrition businesses, building upon his tenure leading the company's U.K. operations since January 2012.

07:46 EST Jazz Pharmaceuticals appoints Philip Johnson as CFO - Jazz Pharmaceuticals announced that Philip Johnson has been appointed Executive Vice President and CFO, effective March 1. Johnson succeeds Renee Gala, who was promoted to President and Chief Operating Officer in October 2023. Johnson joins Jazz Pharmaceuticals with over 35 years of financial experience, most recently leading Eli Lilly and Company's treasury and investor relations operations as Group Vice President of Finance. In his new role, Mr. Johnson will oversee financial reporting, accounting, tax, treasury, risk management, financial planning and analysis, information services and facilities. He will also oversee the Company's investor relations and corporate development functions.

07:43 EST QuidelOrtho announces termination of President and CEO Douglas Bryant - The Board of Directors of QuidelOrtho Corporation has made significant decisions aimed to enhance operational efficiency, drive revenue growth and deliver shareholder value. After a comprehensive evaluation, the Board has terminated Douglas Bryant, President and Chief Executive Officer of QuidelOrtho. Mr. Bryant has also resigned from the Board, both effective February 21. To ensure business continuity and effective leadership, the Board formed the Office of the Chief Executive Officer on February 17. The Office of the CEO is led by the Company's Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, Michael Iskra, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Robert Bujarski, and Chief Financial Officer, Joseph Busky. In this transition, Michael Iskra has been appointed as the Interim Chief Executive Officer, and Robert Bujarski as the Interim President, effective February 21.... Both will continue to fulfill their current responsibilities while assuming the additional duties of their new roles. Kenneth F. Buechler, Ph.D., will remain as Chairman of the Board and will provide guidance to the Office of the CEO, supported by other Board members. The Board has started a comprehensive search to identify a new Chief Executive Officer, considering both internal and external candidates. There is no change to the Company's financial guidance provided on February 16 ...Additionally, the Company will postpone its previously announced Investor Day until a later date.

07:39 EST Aehr Test Systems receives $23M in follow-on orders - Aehr Test Systems received new follow-on orders totaling $23 million from existing customers for FOXTM wafer level test and burn-in products to be used for production and engineering qualification needs for wafer level burn-in and screening of their silicon carbide devices. Customer-requested ship dates for these orders range from immediate shipment through the end of Aehr's current fiscal year, which ends May 31, 2024. The orders include a significant number of FOX WaferPak full wafer Contactors for both current design capacity increases as well as new device designs that are expected to drive additional orders in calendar year 2024 and beyond.

07:37 EST Whitestone REIT acquires Garden Oaks Shopping Center - Whitestone REIT announced the acquisition of the grocery-anchored Garden Oaks Shopping Center in Houston. The center, which contains 107,000 leasable square feet and is 96% occupied, is in the pathway of significant development, both residential and commercial, and sits on a major thoroughfare in the area. The Aldi-anchored center has a mix of 19 service and convenience-based tenants, including a top performing Planet Fitness. Nearly 30,000 vehicles per day pass by on North Shepherd Drive. "Garden Oaks property values are up nearly 50% since 2019, and the area is poised to continue with very strong growth as young professionals settle beyond the Heights area and take advantage of the larger plots and tree-lined streets in Garden Oaks," said Whitestone REIT COO, Christine Mastandrea. "The center fits well with our strategy to own high quality centers that successfully serve the surrounding neighborhood."

07:35 EST Bread Financial announces approval of $30M share repurchase program - Bread Financial announced that its Board of Directors has approved a new plan to purchase up to $30 million of shares of the Company's common stock. As part of Bread Financial's continued commitment to its stated capital priorities, the share buyback is designed to offset the impact of dilution associated with issuances of employee restricted stock units.

07:32 EST SunCar Technology announces business cooperation with Li Auto - SunCar Technology Group announced a new business cooperation through its wholly owned subsidiary, Shanghai Chengle Network Technology Co., Ltd. with Beijing Li Auto Insurance Brokerage Company. This partnership focuses on developing a state-of-the-art information technology system for insurance brokerage, symbolizing a significant stride in technological advancement and operational efficiency within the insurance sector. This Agreement has a total consideration of RMB 1.74M. Under this Agreement, SunCar and Li Auto Insurance are set to collaborate on developing the 'Li Auto Insurance's Broker System'. This cutting-edge project, slated for completion by November 15, 2024, entails a comprehensive software solution to streamline brokerage operations, enhance procurement workflows, and provide a seamless operational experience. SunCar will lead the design and development phases and deploy a robust software solution tailored to Li Auto Insurance's needs. Beyond the development stage, SunCar will provide six months of operational services, ensuring the system's continuous functionality and offering ongoing assistance to optimize performance and efficiency. SunCar will also provide life-long free maintenance and technical support to the system. This collaboration underscores SunCar's technological prowess and innovative capabilities to serve its customers within the insurance industry and sets new standards in the insurance brokerage sector. SunCar aims to significantly enhance Li Auto Insurance's operational efficiency and service quality by providing a resilient and customized software solution.

07:31 EST Tevogen prepares to launch genetic predisposition study to investigate TVGN 489 - Tevogen's ExacTcell platform was developed to harness the killing ability of naturally occurring cytotoxic T lymphocytes, or CTLs, against viral and malignant targets. TVGN 489, a CTL therapy produced by the ExactTcell platform, contains CTLs recognizing multiple protein targets across the SARS-CoV-2 genome. These cells were well tolerated in a completed proof of concept clinical trial in high-risk patients with acute COVID-19, with later stage studies planned in this area. Tevogen plans to assess whether TVGN 489 cells can rapidly eliminate symptoms of Long Covid. To facilitate the development of a Long Covid treatment trial, Tevogen will launch a preliminary study in Q1 to assess whether the development of Long COVID is associated with a key component of an individual's immune system known as Human Leukocyte Antigens, or HLA. TVGN 489 CTLs work in conjunction with HLA molecules to recognize and destroy viral targets. HLA types vary from person to person and are known to influence degrees of risk in other infectious settings. Specific HLA types may be associated with more or less protection against a particular infection. Prior to launching the Long COVID clinical trial, Tevogen seeks to address whether Long COVID occurs more commonly with certain HLA types and less commonly with others, or whether Long COVID occurs randomly in the population regardless of HLA. This effort will help Tevogen generate CTL products recognizing the HLA types that are most commonly associated with Long Covid, if a relationship between Long Covid and HLA type is identified, with the goal of allowing a Long COVID treatment trial to be designed and completed expeditiously.

07:25 EST ProPetro Holding sees FY24 incurred capital expenditures $200M- $250M - ProPetro's outlook for full year 2024 incurred capital expenditures is expected to be between $200 million and $250 million, a reduction compared to $310 million in 2023. The significant year-over-year reduction is a testament to ProPetro's strategy of employing capital light assets, such as the FORCESM electric frac fleet, and optimizing our operational and maintenance performance to reduce the capital intensity in our business. Additionally, based on its current outlook for the first quarter of 2024, ProPetro anticipates frac fleet utilization of 14 to 15 fleets.

07:22 EST Rocket Lab to launch NRO mission from Wallops, Virginia - Rocket Lab announced it will launch a dedicated mission for the National Reconnaissance Office NRO from Launch Complex 2 in Wallops, Virginia, during a launch window that opens March 20th, 2024. The NROL-123 mission, called 'Live and Let Fly', will be Rocket Lab's first launch for the NRO from the United States after previously launching four NRO missions from Launch Complex 1 on New Zealand's Mahia Peninsula. It will be Rocket Lab's 4th mission from Launch Complex 2, a dedicated pad for the Electron rocket located at Virginia Spaceport Authority's Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport within the NASA Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. "Electron has been providing reliable access to orbit for the NRO since 2020 and we're honored to once again provide critical launch capability, this time from U.S. soil," said Rocket Lab founder and CEO Peter Beck. "The ability to reliably launch national security missions from pads in two countries is a unique one that offers a rare level of responsiveness and resiliency for small satellite launch. We're immensely proud to deliver this capability to the NRO, enabling them to maintain the nation's advantage in space."

07:19 EST Caesarstone sees positive adjusted EBITDA in 2024 - "As we enter 2024, we believe our business is seeing signs of stabilization. The U.S. macro environment appears more encouraging with potential Fed rate cuts on the horizon to catalyze construction activity. In Australia, we are determined to maintain our leading position as we introduce our high-quality alternative products in the first half of 2024. Based on these factors, we expect first quarter revenues to trend in line with the fourth quarter and improve sequentially in accordance with our historic seasonal cadence. While macro uncertainties and the competitive landscape persist, our strategic restructuring actions initiated over the past year have put us on more solid footing with leaner operations to deliver positive adjusted EBITDA in 2024. We also expect to produce another full year of positive operating cash flow. We believe that we are poised to take hold of the promising opportunities that lie ahead," concluded Nahum Trost, Caesarstone's Chief Financial Officer.

07:19 EST Main Street announces supplemental cash dividend of 30c per share - In addition to the regular monthly dividends for the second quarter of 2024, the Board of Directors declared a supplemental cash dividend of 30c per share payable in March 2024. Record date is March 20 with payment date of March 27.

07:17 EST EchoStar's Hughes awarded contract from SES Space & Defense - Hughes Network Systems, an EchoStar company, announced that SES Space & Defense, a wholly owned subsidiary of SES, awarded Hughes a contract to provide a flexible, software-defined, multi-orbit, auto-PACE solution and associated modems in support of SES Space & Defense's and the Air Force Research Laboratory's Defense Experimentation Using Commercial Space Internet program. The Hughes solution will enable resilient broadband connectivity using both Ku- and Ka-band Geostationary, Medium Earth Orbit, and Low Earth Orbit satellite constellations for various Comms on the Pause and Comms on the Move test scenarios.

07:15 EST Evogene's AgPlenus announces licensing, collaboration agreement with Bayer - AgPlenus, a subsidiary of Evogene (EVGN), announced the signing of a licensing & collaboration agreement with Bayer (BAYRY). In collaboration with Bayer's Crop Science division, having an industry-leading R&D pipeline and portfolio of seeds & traits, crop protection, and digital farming solutions, AgPlenus will use its AI-driven computational modeling technology to design and optimize molecules identified for their broad-spectrum herbicidal activity targeting the APTH1 protein, a new mode of action identified by AgPlenus. The two companies will collaborate to optimize new molecules, identified by AgPlenus and tested by Bayer, into commercially viable candidates. The collaboration will leverage AgPlenus' proprietary computational technology, powered by Evogene's ChemPass AI tech engine, together with Bayer's extensive expertise in research, development and commercialization of crop protection products. Under the agreement, Bayer will have the exclusive license for the development and commercialization of products developed within the collaboration. AgPlenus will be entitled to receive an upfront payment, ongoing research funding, milestone payments, and royalties based on future product sales.

07:15 EST Emergent BioSolutions appoints Papa as new president, CEO - Emergent BioSolutions (EBS) announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Joseph Papa as president and CEO, effective February 21, 2024. Papa succeeds Haywood Miller, who will step down from his role as interim CEO, effective February 21, 2024. Papa brings over 35 years of experience in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industry, having most recently served as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman at Bausch and Lomb Corporation (BLCO)

07:14 EST ADMA Biologics successfully implements ADMAlytics - ADMA Biologics announced the successful initial use of its Artificial Intelligence program, named ADMAlytics. ADMAlytics combines AI and machine learning to improve and predict outcomes for production and operational processes. Recently, ADMA successfully produced its first batch of ASCENIV utilizing this innovative ADMAlytics software to prospectively automate and realize efficiency improvements to plasma pooling during commercial manufacturing. "We're proud to announce the successful development and implementation of our innovative ADMAlytics AI program," said Adam Grossman, President and Chief Executive Officer of ADMA. "This achievement aligns seamlessly with our overarching mission to continuously innovate our production processes for specialty biologics, while also building on our reputation as a thought leader within the commercial specialty biologics markets for the patients our therapies serve."

07:12 EST Osisko Development undertakes review of carrying value of assets - Osisko Development has undertaken a review of the carrying value of its assets in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards as at December 31, 2023, as part of its fourth quarter and year-end 2023 financial results preparation. As a result of the preliminary review, which is ongoing and has not been finalized, the Company believes that a non-cash impairment exists to the carrying value of its 100%-owned Trixie gold test mine, located within the Company's wider Tintic Project in central Utah, U.S.A. Based on the information currently available, the preliminary Impairment Analysis suggests that a non-cash impairment charge totaling approximately between $80 and $120 million will be recorded against the net carrying value of Trixie. The impairment charge is primarily a result of, among other things, assumptions related to required future exploration and capital expenditures, potential mining and processing methods, and average processed gold grades related to the gold targets only. For greater clarity, the Impairment Analysis relates only to Trixie, and is unrelated to the wider Tintic Project property or the ongoing copper porphyry target drilling. Despite the expected non-cash impairment charge, management continues to believe in the highly prospective nature of the exploration package, which remains significantly underexplored in areas with known historical mining due to capital allocation constraints of its balance sheet resources. The asset impairment charge will be a non-cash item and, for the avoidance of doubt, will have no impact on Company cash flows. The Impairment Analysis will be finalized and recognized in the Company's consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2023. The Company anticipates releasing a new mineral resource estimate for the Trixie deposit in March 2024, and its fourth quarter and year-end 2023 operating and financial results at the end of March 2024.

07:11 EST Amwell expands presence in Australia with Amplar Health partnership - Amwell announced that it has partnered with Amplar Health to expand access to hybrid and digital care programs across Australia. Amplar Health partnered with Amwell to support delivery of its prevention programs to reach more Australians at risk of chronic disease. The Amwell Automated Care platform will provide Amplar Health customers with access to a digital companion that can guide them through the next steps on their care journeys, whether automated or escalated to a health coach or care team member. Murray Brozinsky, Amwell chief strategy officer said, "Amplar Health's hybrid approach and commitment to prevention and keeping people healthy showcases its innovation and leadership, making it a beacon for others to follow. We're extremely honored to partner with Amplar Health and help enable this first-of-its-kind preventative health program to nurture a healthier Australia."

07:08 EST Garmin board to recommend increase in dividend - The Board of Directors intends to recommend to the shareholders for approval at the annual meeting to be held on June 7, a cash dividend in the amount of $3.00 per share, payable in four equal installments on dates to be determined by the Board. In addition, the Board has established March 29 as the payment date and March 15 as the record date for the final dividend installment of 73c per share, per the prior approval at the 2023 annual shareholders' meeting.

07:06 EST Ero Copper announces Q4 production results - Caraiba Operations: Throughput volumes increased 12.8% year-on-year to over 3.2 million tonnes, despite lower-than-expected processed tonnage in Q4 2023 due to mill downtime related to the integration of the expansion circuit; Processed copper grades and metallurgical recoveries were in-line with expectations, averaging 1.49% and 91.4%, respectively, for the year. Xavantina Operations: Processed gold grades increased 98.8% to average 15.13 gpt for the year, more than offsetting lower year-on-year mill throughput volumes. David Strang, Chief Executive Officer, said: "Our 2023 production performance reflects the strong execution of our organic growth strategy, highlighted by the successful completion of the NX 60 initiative, which resulted in a 39% year-on-year increase in gold production. Although the completion of the mill expansion project at our Caraiba Operations necessitated additional plant downtime, culminating in full-year copper production that slightly missed our expectations, this milestone is pivotal for supporting higher sustained ore production volumes from the Pilar Mine over the long term."

06:56 EST Eton Pharmaceuticals awarded U.S. patent for oral liquid hydrocortisone - Eton Pharmaceuticals announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has granted the company's U.S. Patent Application No. 18/113,458, which covers the company's ET-400 product candidate's proprietary formulation of oral liquid hydrocortisone. The patent has an expiration in 2043 and is expected to be listed in the FDA's Orange Book upon the product's approval. The company has additional patent applications related to the product under review with the USPTO.

06:54 EST Exelon raises quarterly dividend to 38c from 36c per share - On February 21, Exelon's Board of Directors declared a regular quarterly dividend of 38c per share on Exelon's common stock for the first quarter of 2024. The dividend is payable on Friday, March 15 to shareholders of record of Exelon as of 5 p.m. Eastern time on Monday, March 4.

06:51 EST Becton Dickinson enters pact with Camtech to advance cervical cancer screening - Becton Dickinson announced a strategic partnership with Camtech Health, a digital health company focused on at-home health testing, to advance cervical cancer screening by offering the first-ever option for women in Singapore to self-collect a sample in the privacy of their own home. The program combines the Camtech Health HPV test for self-collection with the BD Onclarity HPV Assay, which is a clinically validated test that can simultaneously detect 14 high-risk HPV strains. The program objective is to improve the rate of cervical cancer screening in Singapore, where less than half of eligible women are currently being tested.

06:46 EST Freight Technologies regains Nasdaq compliance - Freight Technologies previously announced that it received written notification on August 21, 2023, from The Nasdaq Stock Market that it did not comply with the minimum bid price requirement for continued listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market pursuant to the Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2) because the closing bid price for the company's ordinary shares had fallen below $1.00 per share for 30 consecutive business days. On February 20, 2024, the company received notification from The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC that its staff had determined that for the last 10 consecutive business days, from February 5 through February 16, 2024, the closing bid price of the company's ordinary shares had been at $1.00 per share or greater. Accordingly, the company has regained compliance with Listing Rule 5550(a)(2), and this matter is now closed.

06:34 EST CGI Inc. selected by Utah for modernization of HCM solution - CGI Inc. announced its selection by the State of Utah for modernization of the state's human capital management, or HCM, solution with CGI Advantage to improve the accuracy, efficiency and transparency of state employee payroll processes and vital human resources functions across 30 state agencies, employing approximately 23,000 employees.

06:17 EST HSBC sees RoTE in mid-teens for 2024, banking NII at least $41B - HSBC said: "While our outlook for loan growth remains cautious for the first half of 2024, we continue to expect year-on-year customer lending percentage growth in the mid-single digits over the medium to long term. Given continued uncertainty in the forward economic outlook, we expect ECL charges as a percentage of average gross loans to be around 40bps in 2024. We are targeting cost growth of approximately 5% for 2024 compared with 2023, on a target basis. We intend to continue to manage the CET1 capital ratio within our medium-term target range of 14% to 14.5%. Our dividend payout ratio target remains at 50% for 2024."

06:13 EST GSK announces LATITUDE phase III interim trial demonstrates 'superior efficacy' - GSK (GSK) announced that ViiV Healthcare, the global specialist HIV company majority owned by GSK, with Pfizer (PFE) and Shionogi Limited as shareholders, announced results from an interim analysis of the LATITUDE phase III trial, indicating their long-acting injectable antiretroviral treatment for HIV, Cabenuva, or cabotegravir + rilpivirine, demonstrated superior efficacy in maintaining viral load suppression compared to daily oral therapy in individuals with a history of ART adherence challenges. The LATITUDE study is ongoing across 31 sites in the U.S. including Puerto Rico, implemented through Advancing Clinical Therapeutics Globally for HIV/AIDS and Other Infections. Once enrolled, participants received comprehensive and incentivised adherence support while taking guideline-recommended, three-drug regimen oral ART, including dolutegravir and bictegravir-based regimens, to achieve viral suppression. Last week, the DSMB performed a planned interim review. The DSMB recommended that all eligible participants should be offered long-acting injectable cabotegravir + rilpivirine.

06:11 EST Murphy USA announces excutive leadership appointments - Murphy USA announced executive leadership changes effective March 1. The Company announced the Board of Directors elected Mindy West to the newly created position of Executive Vice President and COO. In this elevated role, Mindy will have responsibility for both the Murphy USA and QuickChek brands, including store operations, merchandise, marketing, and fuels. Since the 2013 spin, Mindy has served as Executive Vice President and CFO, in 2018, she assumed responsibilities for all fuels activities. As COO, Mindy will drive strategic initiatives and enhance the performance and profitability of the entire business, including synergistic activities across the brands. The Company also announced Galagher Jeff has been hired as Executive Vice President and CFO. Jeff joins MUSA from Dollar Tree where he has served as SVP FP&A, Treasurer, and Chief Transformation Officer. Prior to Dollar Tree, Jeff was SVP Finance and Head of Strategy Transformation at Advanced Auto Parts. He also spent 11 years at Walmart, including roles as CFO of Walmart.com and VP US Merchandising Strategy, Pricing and Assortment and Business Analytics. Additionally, Chris Click, current Senior Vice President Strategy and Development, has been promoted to Executive Vice President Strategy, Growth and Innovation where he will take on additional responsibility for Asset Development and Digital Transformation.

06:09 EST Genetron's shareholders approve plan of merger - Genetron Holdings announced that at an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders held today, the Company's shareholders voted in favor of, among other things, the proposal to authorize and approve the previously announced agreement and plan of merger, dated as of October 11, 2023, among the Company, New Genetron Holding Limited and Genetron New Co Limited, or Merger Sub, pursuant to which, Merger Sub will be merged with and into the Company with the Company continuing as the surviving company and becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent, the plan of merger required to be filed with the Registrar of Companies of the Cayman Islands, and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger. Of the ordinary shares voted at the EGM, approximately 99.9% voted in favor of the proposal to authorize and approve the Merger Agreement, the Plan of Merger and the transactions contemplated thereby, including the Merger. Completion of the Merger is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions set forth in the Merger Agreement.

06:04 EST Planet Fitness announces resignation of Christopher Rondeau from board - In a regulatory filing on Tuesday, Planet Fitness said that on February 15, Christopher Rondeau resigned from the Planet Fitness board of directors. Rondeau did not serve on any Board committees at the time of his resignation. "The Company believes that Mr. Rondeau resigned from the Board because of disagreements with the Company over decisions made by the Company since Mr. Rondeau's separation as chief executive officer in September 2023, including the Company's decision to terminate the employment of approximately 9% of the Company's headquarters employees in February 2024, the scope of the role of the interim chief executive officer in managing the Company during the Company's ongoing search for a permanent chief executive officer, and the Board's role in reviewing and approving such decisions... The Company thanks Mr. Rondeau for his service to the Company; however, the Company respectfully disagrees with Mr. Rondeau's views on these matters. The Board has momentum behind the search for a new CEO and the Board is encouraged by the progress to date. The Company will provide an update on the search in its upcoming earnings call on February 22, 2024."

05:25 EST Equinor announces 60c per share extraordinary cash dividend - Equinor announced an extraordinary cash dividend per share of 60c per share for Q3. On February 27, the cash dividend will be paid to relevant shareholders on Oslo Bors and to holders of American Depositary Receipts on New York Stock Exchange.

05:19 EST AirNet Technology CEO Dan Shao resigns from board, Fuying Yan named co-CEO - AirNet Technology announced changes in its senior management team. Dan Shao and Qing Xu has tendered resignation as a director of the company, effective immediately. Their resignation was for personal reasons and did not result from any disagreement with the company on any matter relating to the company's operations, policies or practice. Dan Shao and Qing Xu will continue to serve as the chief executive officer and executive president of the company, respectively, following their resignation from the board of directors. Fuying Yan has been appointed as the company's co-chief executive officer and director of the board, effective immediately. Shirong Tong has been appointed as an independent director of the board, effective immediately. Upon the effectiveness of the above-mentioned changes, the Board will consist of six directors, including four independent directors. Fuying Yan has been serving as a chief executive officer at Beijing 365 Tourism Group since January 2019.

05:11 EST Vontier announces Kople will migrate EV charging network to Driivz platform - Driivz, a Vontier company, part of its EVolve e-mobility portfolio and a provider of end-to-end smart EV charging and energy management software, announced that Kople, one of Norway's largest charge point operators, will migrate its network of more than 7,000+ public and private EV charging connectors to the Driivz platform.

05:06 EST AerCap signs lease agreements with Thai Airways for seven widebody aircraft - AerCap (AER) announced it has signed lease agreements with Thai Airways for seven widebody aircraft comprising four Airbus (EADSY) A350-900 aircraft and three Boeing (BA) 787-9 aircraft, and ten Airbus A321NEO aircraft. The decision to procure these aircraft was made in 2023 as part of Thai Airways' short-term fleet development strategy. Of the four A350 aircraft, two have already been delivered with the remaining two units scheduled for delivery in the first and second quarter of 2024, respectively. The 787 deliveries are scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2024 through the fourth quarter of 2025, while deliveries of the A321NEOs are scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2025 through the second quarter 2026.