Stockwinners Market Radar for May 23, 2024 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:06 EDT Cathie Wood's ARK Investment bought 97K shares of Adaptive Biotechnologies today

19:05 EDT FDA AdCom recommends approval of Guardant Health's Shield blood test - The company states: "Guardant Health announced the Molecular and Clinical Genetics Panel of the FDA's Medical Devices Advisory Committee has strongly recommended FDA approval of the company's Shield blood test for colorectal cancer screening in adults age 45 and older who are at average risk for the disease. The recommendation signals the advisory committee panel's consensus on Shield's safety and effectiveness with its proposed intended use, and their conclusion that its benefits as a primary non-invasive screening option outweigh any potential risks. The committee offers valuable perspective and non-binding recommendations for the FDA to factor in alongside other considerations during approval decisions. The FDA is expected to decide whether to approve Shield later this year. The advisory committee panel members voted on three questions regarding the use of Shield in patients who meet the criteria specified in the proposed indication. They voted 8 to 1 favorably that there is reasonable assurance Shield is safe, 6 to 3 favorably that there is reasonable assurance Shield is effective, and 7 to 2 favorably that the benefits of Shield outweigh its risks."

18:17 EDT Corbus Pharmaceuticals updated Phase 1 data for SYS-6002 to be presented at ASCO - Corbus Pharmaceuticals "announced that the abstract for a poster presentation at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting being held from May 31-June 4, 2024 in Chicago has been released. The ASCO abstract is titled: Clinical Update Related to the First-In-Human Trial of SYS6002, A Next-Generation Nectin-4 Targeting Antibody Drug Conjugate and will be presented as a poster on June 1, 2024 from 9:00 AM -12:00 PM by Dr. Jian Zhang, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center. The poster will update data contained in the abstract [cut-off mid-January 2024] with approximately 3 months additional clinical data [cut-off end of April 2024] from dose escalation and PK cohorts. Dose escalation spans 7 dose levels (0.2, 0.6, 1.2, 1.8, 2.7, 3.6 & 4.5 mg/kg) and makes use of a Bayesian Optimal Interval (BOIN) design with accelerated titration. PK cohorts have been initiated at the 2.7mg/Kg & 3.6mg/Kg dose levels. The trial is evaluating the safety and tolerability of SYS6002 to determine the Maximum Tolerated Dose (MTD) and/or the Phase 2 dose in patients with advanced solid tumors who have failed or were intolerant to standard treatment. Patients were enrolled based on Nectin-4 staining, with the exception of metastatic urothelial cancer (mUC) urothelial cancer patients, who were considered to be Nectin-4 positive. Beyond determining safety and tolerability, the pharmacokinetic (PK) and preliminarily anti-tumor activity of SYS6002 are reported. This study is being conducted by Corbus's partner CSPC in China. Corbus has commenced a Phase 1 dose escalation study in the U.S. and dosed the first patient in April 2024."

18:10 EDT NKGen Biotech publishes phase 1 interim data of SNK02 at ASCO - The company states: "NKGen Biotech announced an online publication, titled "Interim Analysis of a Phase I Study using Cryopreserved Non-genetically Modified Allogeneic Natural Killer Cells With Enhanced Cytotoxicity in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors without Lymphodepletion" at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting to be held virtually and at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois from May 31-June 4, 2024. This Phase 1 clinical trial is a multi-center, open-label study evaluating the safety and tolerability of SNK02 in participants with pathologically confirmed solid tumors refractory to standard of care therapy. The study drug, SNK02, is a first-in-kind, cryopreserved allogeneic non-genetically modified NK cell product with significant anti-tumor cytotoxicity and over 90% expression of CD16, NKG2D, NKp46, and DNAM-1, that can be consistently produced on a large commercial scale. SNK02 was administered as an intravenous infusion (IV), weekly for eight weeks in patients with advanced solid tumors. The starting dose was 6x109 SNK02 cells. We hypothesized that higher doses of SNK02 (to overcome autodigestion) could be delivered frequently without the need for lymphodepletion and that it might demonstrate activity against solid tumors that have failed multiple prior standard-of-care treatment options. The primary endpoint was safety based on adverse events (AEs), vitals, laboratory tests, and physical exams. Tolerability of SNK02 and maximum tolerated dose were also evaluated."

18:01 EDT Browning West announces replacement of Gildan Activewear board - Browning West, which is a long-term shareholder of Gildan Activewear, and beneficially owns approximately 5.7% of the company's outstanding shares, announced that its eight-member slate of directors - Michael Kneeland, Glenn J. Chamandy, Michener Chandlee, Ghislain Houle, Melanie Kau, Peter Lee, Karen Stuckey, and J.P. Towner - will constitute the entirety of the Company's Board of Directors and will be the only director candidates to stand for election at Gildan's 2024 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. This follows the resignations of the entire incumbent Board and the termination of executives, including CEO Vince Tyra. Notably, preliminary results indicate that an overwhelming majority of shares have been voted in support of Browning West's full eight-member slate prior to the Board's resignation.

17:57 EDT Coherus Biosciences presents preliminary Phase I results of CHS-114 - Coherus BioSciences announced clinical data from the CHS-114, single agent dose escalation stage of its Phase 1 study at the ASCO Annual Meeting in Chicago. CHS-114 is a novel monoclonal antibody that selectively and potently targets human CCR8 with no off-target binding. CHS-114 has demonstrated an acceptable safety profile in 20 evaluable, heavily pre-treated patients with advanced solid tumors, with no DLTs reported to date. There were no treatment related adverse events leading to discontinuation or death. Preliminary results and acceptable safety profile support further evaluation of CHS-114 in combination treatment with toripalimab and other I-O agents. "We are very pleased with the safety profile, the predictable dose proportional pharmacokinetic profile, and the selective depletion of peripheral CCR8+ Tregs that were observed," said CMO Rosh Dias. "By targeting CCR8, we believe CHS-114 has the potential to overcome Treg immune suppression in the TME and allows T cell recruitment, which turns cold tumors hot and enhances anti-tumor activity when combined with I-O agents. The data support further evaluation of CHS-114 in combination treatment with our anti-PD-1 antibody, toripalimab, and other I-O agents."

17:44 EDT KLA Corp. exec Khan sells 7,833 common shares - In a regulatory filing, KLA Corp. exec Ahmad Khan disclosed the sale of 7,833 common shares of the company on May 21 at a price of $760 per share.

17:42 EDT Novocure releases topline efficacy data from TIGER study for glioblastoma - Novocure "released topline efficacy and safety data from the TIGER study investigating the use of Tumor Treating Fields therapy in routine clinical care in the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma in Germany. The TIGER study enrolled 429 patients who used TTFields therapy between August 2017 and November 2019 and is the largest prospective, non-interventional study of the use of TTFields therapy in routine clinical care completed to date. Median overall survival for patients treated with TTFields therapy was 19.6 months. Median progression-free survival was 10.2 months. TTFields therapy use was not associated with an increase in systemic toxicity and was well tolerated. The outcomes observed in the TIGER study are consistent with the survival and safety results from Novocure's phase 3 EF-14 clinical trial."

17:37 EDT Aadi Bioscience announces new nonclinical data from nab-sirolimus trial - Aadi Bioscience announced new nonclinical data demonstrating the significantly higher intratumoral drug concentration, stronger inhibition of mTOR targets and greater antitumor activity of nab-sirolimus compared to intravenous and oral mTOR inhibitors in a xenograft model. These data will be available as an abstract and published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology supplement to coincide with the American Society of Clinical Oncology, or ASCO, Annual Meeting taking place May 31 - June 4. Despite the broad importance of the mTORC1 pathway in cancer cell growth and survival, mTOR inhibitors temsirolimus, sirolimus and everolimus have limited clinical application in the cancer setting. In A549 xenografts, nab-sirolimus resulted in significantly greater suppression of tumor growth compared with IV temsirolimus and oral sirolimus and everolimus. Average intratumoral drug concentrations 24 hours after IV mTORi treatment were significantly higher with nab-sirolimus compared with temsirolimus and its active metabolite; similarly, tumor uptake of nab-sirolimus greatly exceeded that of sirolimus and everolimus at steady-state. We believe these results support further clinical evaluation of nab-sirolimus as a single agent or in combination with other therapeutic agents. In addition, Aadi will present a trials-in-progress poster on its Phase 2 trial in advanced or recurrent endometrioid-type endometrial cancer, a difficult-to-treat mTOR-driven cancer. Endometrial cancer is the most common cancer of the female reproductive organs and one of the few cancers with increasing mortality. There are an estimated 10,000 cases of EEC diagnosed annually.

17:35 EDT Elicio Therapeutics' ELI-002 shows positive efficacy and safety in Phase 1 trial - Elicio Therapeutics announced preliminary data from the ongoing AMPLIFY-7P Phase 1a study of its off-the-shelf investigational therapeutic cancer vaccine candidate, ELI-002 7P, in a presentation at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Meeting May 31-June 4 in Chicago. Preliminary data showed ELI-002 7P was well tolerated with T cell responses correlating with a reduction in tumor biomarkers at the recommended Phase 2 dose. ELI-002 7P was developed with Elicio's proprietary lymph node-targeting Amphiphile technology designed to stimulate an immune response against the seven KRAS mutations that drive 25% of all solid tumors. Polyfunctional mKRAS-specific T cells were observed in 100% of evaluable patients. Biomarker reductions were observed in 2/5 at the 1.4 mg AMP-Peptides 7P dose level and in 5/7 at the RP2D 4.9 mg dose level in patients with reductions/clearance observed for all the common G12 KRAS mutations enrolled in the study to date. There were no dose-limiting toxicities, no treatment-related serious adverse events or cytokine release syndrome.

17:32 EDT Rigel Pharmaceuticals announces presentations at upcoming ASCO - Rigel Pharmaceuticals "announced upcoming presentations from their commercial and clinical-stage hematology and oncology portfolio at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting and European Hematology Association (EHA) 2024 Hybrid Congress. The ASCO Annual Meeting is being held online and in person in Chicago, Illinois from May 31 to June 4, 2024. The EHA2024 Congress is being held online and in person in Madrid, Spain from June 13 to June 16, 2024. Rigel's presentations will include data for REZLIDHIA(R) (olutasidenib), for the treatment of mutated isocitrate dehydrogenase-1 (mIDH1) acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and TAVALISSE(R) (fostamatinib), for the treatment of chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), along with an overview of the ongoing Phase 1b trial evaluating R2891, a potent and selective inhibitor of IRAK1 and IRAK4, in patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (LR-MDS) who are refractory or resistant to prior therapies."

17:29 EDT Candel Therapeutics up 49% after Phase 2 CAN-2409 update ahead of ASCO

17:26 EDT Mural Oncology presents clinical data from Artistry-3 at ASCO - Mural Oncology shared data from ARTISTRY-3, a clinical trial designed to evaluate the effects of less frequent intravenous dosing of nemvaleukin alfa, or nemvaleukin, in advance of the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting taking place May 31-June 4 in Chicago. Nemvaleukin, Mural's lead candidate, is an investigational, engineered interleukin-2 (IL-2) cytokine designed to capture and expand the therapeutic benefits of high-dose native IL-2 while mitigating the cytokine's hallmark toxicities. In ARTISTRY-1, the company sought to recapitulate the results of high-dose IL-2 by mimicking its dosing regimen with five daily intravenous (IV) infusions (days 1-5) per three-week cycle. In the ARTISTRY-3 trial, the company evaluated escalating LFIV infusions, all of which were generally well tolerated. The safety profile in all dosing schedules evaluated was consistent with nemvaleukin's known mechanism of action, and no dose limiting toxicities were observed. Despite administering higher doses per three-week dosing cycle than in previous trials evaluating nemvaleukin with daily infusions, no new safety signals were identified. The desired pharmacodynamic (PD) effects were also seen across all evaluated doses. Expansion of antitumor CD8+ T cells and natural killer (NK cells) was observed concurrent with minimal expansion of immunosuppressive regulatory T cells.

17:19 EDT Sensei Biotherapeutics' SNS-101 shows potential efficacy in Phase 1/2 trial - Sensei Biotherapeutics (SNSE) reported encouraging clinical data from the dose escalation portion of its Phase 1/2 trial of SNS-101, a conditionally active, human monoclonal antibody targeting the immune checkpoint VISTA. The dose escalation portion of the Phase 1/2 clinical trial is designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and efficacy of SNS-101 both as monotherapy and in combination with Regeneron's (RGNE) PD-1 inhibitor Libtayo in patients with advanced solid tumors with primary or acquired PD-1 therapy resistance. SNS-101 demonstrated preliminary evidence of promising clinical activity in multiple tumor types. SNS-101 demonstrated a potentially best-in-class pharmacokinetic profile with linear elimination kinetics and dose-proportional increases in exposure, supporting once every three week dosing. The data are consistent with lack of target-mediated drug disposition, which has been observed in non-conditionally active anti-VISTA antibodies. SNS-101 was well tolerated alone and in combination with cemiplimab, with no dose-limiting toxicities observed. Patient enrollment is advancing in the dose expansion portion of the Phase 1/2 study. The company expects to report initial data from the dose expansion cohorts and to hold an end-of-Phase 1 meeting with the FDA by the end of 2024.

17:17 EDT Paramount, Charter announce new multi-year distribution agreement - Paramount Global (PARA) and Charter Communications( CHTR) "announced they will extend their long-standing partnership with a multi-year distribution agreement for Paramount's full portfolio of linear cable networks, CBS owned-and-operated broadcast stations and direct-to-consumer streaming services that generates greater value for consumers while creating new distribution opportunities and a glide path to a healthier video ecosystem. In addition to CBS, America's most-watched network, Spectrum audiences will continue to enjoy access to some of TV's most popular cable brands, including BET, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, and Paramount Network - home to "Yellowstone," the biggest series in all of television - as well as premium service Paramount+ with Showtime. As part of the deal, the ad-supported versions of Paramount's direct-to-consumer services, Paramount+ Essential and BET+ Essential, will be included at no additional cost to Charter's Spectrum TV customers. Charter also will make Paramount's direct-to-consumer products available for purchase to its millions of Internet-only customers. Charter and Paramount will continue to innovate through long-standing advanced advertising partnerships, leveraging the local and advanced capabilities of Spectrum Reach, Charter's advertising sales business, which will be enhanced through this new agreement. Additionally, Charter will leverage its vast distribution capabilities - including its nearly 25,000 onshore, in-house sales and marketing employees - to offer Paramount's direct-to-consumer products to its Internet-only customers for purchase at retail rates, with revenue share to Charter for new paid subscriptions and ad-free upgrades. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed."

17:14 EDT Hookipa Pharma announces updated HB-200 trial results - Hookipa Pharma announced updated results from its Phase 1/2 clinical trial of HB-200 for the treatment of human papillomavirus 16 positive, or HPV16+, head and neck cancers. The data were published in the company's abstract for the ASCO 2024 annual meeting and support the company's pivotal Phase 2/3 trial design for HB-200 in combination with pembrolizumab in the first line setting. The abstract reported data as of January 12 and included 42 patients treated with HB-200 plus pembrolizumab. The treatment was generally well tolerated with a low rate of treatment-related discontinuation and no treatment-related deaths. Among a subpopulation of 17 evaluable patients with CPS of 20 or higher, the updated data showed confirmed ORR of 53%, CR rate of 18%, and DCR of 82%. This subpopulation is representative of patients eligible for the company's pivotal Phase 2/3 trial, which will begin enrolling patients in the fourth quarter of 2024. Additional data will be presented in the Head and Neck Oral Abstract Session at the ASCO. During the presentation, preliminary progression-free survival and overall survival data will be shared for the first time.

17:12 EDT Merus announces publication of abstract on Petosemtamab at ASCO - Merus N.V. announced the publication of an abstract regarding petosemtamab in combination with pembrolizumab on the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology(R) (ASCO(R)) Annual Meeting website. The abstract presents interim clinical data from a cohort of 26 patients enrolled as of the abstract cutoff date, evaluating the combination in first line (1L) recurrent/metastatic (r/m) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma for presentation at the 2024 ASCO(R) Annual Meeting taking place in Chicago, May 31-June 4, 2024. "We believe petosemtamab continues to demonstrate potential best in class safety and efficacy in head and neck cancer. We are encouraged with the well tolerated safety profile of the combination of petosemtamab and pembrolizumab, particularly with a low rate of Grade 3 or greater adverse events, and a low rate of infusion-related reactions observed," said Bill Lundberg, CEO. "These data in the abstract provide encouraging efficacy albeit from an early cutoff date, with less mature data. And we look forward to our conference call, Tuesday May 28, to discuss the more mature clinical update from a later cutoff date where the response rate further improved."

17:07 EDT RTX awarded $227.35M Navy contract - RTX was awarded a $227.35M firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to provide depot level repairs, logistics support, sustainment engineering, software support, integration support, failure analysis, configuration management, technical data, diminishing manufacturing sources, and material shortages management, training, field support, spares predictions, ordnance assessment, reliability, and management of government property to support AIM-9X and AIM-9X Block II missile sustainment efforts for the Navy, Air Force, Army, and Foreign Military Sales customers. Work is expected to be completed in May 2029. No funds will be obligated at the time of award; funds will be obligated on individual orders as they are issued. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. Naval Air Systems Command is the contracting activity.

17:05 EDT Cogent Biosciences names Cole Pinnow chief commercial officer - Cogent Biosciences announced the appointment of Cole Pinnow as Chief Commercial Officer. Mr. Pinnow is a leader in the biopharmaceutical industry with an impressive track record in commercial strategy, including several successful product launches. At Cogent, he will be responsible for building and leading the commercial team including sales, marketing, access, and commercial operations. A key priority will be preparing the company for the potential commercial launch of bezuclastinib, for patients with systemic mastocytosis or Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors. "We are thrilled to welcome Cole to our leadership team, as we begin preparations for commercializing bezuclastinib, a product we believe has clear potential to become a standard of care treatment for patients with systemic mastocytosis and advanced GIST," said Andrew Robbins, the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Cole's broad commercial knowledge and leadership experience will be invaluable in helping Cogent expand from a research and development company to a fully-integrated commercial organization."

17:04 EDT Maquia Capital Acquisition and Immersed terminate business combination agreement - Maquia Capital Acquisition and Delaware corporation Immersed mutually agreed to immediately terminate the previously announced Business Combination Agreement. Maquia intends to continue to pursue the consummation of a business combination with an appropriate target.

17:03 EDT Zentalis to present 'promising' Phase 1 trial data of Azenosertib at ASCO - The company states: "Zentalis Pharmaceuticals announced the presentation of final results from a Phase 1 trial of azenosertib and gemcitabine in relapsed or refractory osteosarcoma at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in Chicago."

17:03 EDT Stellar Bancorp announces new $60M share repurchase program - The company announced that its Board of Directors authorized a new share repurchase program under which the company may repurchase up to $60M of the company's common stock through May 31, 2025. The company has an existing share repurchase program under which the company may repurchase up to $60M of the company's common stock through May 31, 2024.

17:02 EDT IN8bio announces INB-200 Phase 1 data in newly diagnosed glioblastoma - IN8bio announced an upcoming presentation of updated results from its fully enrolled Phase 1 study of INB-200 at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Oncology, ASCO, Annual Meeting, to be held May 31st - June 4th in Chicago, Illinois. INB-200 is evaluating autologous Drug Resistant Immunotherapy (DeltEx DRI) or chemotherapy resistant gamma-delta T cells as a potential first-line treatment for patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme,

17:00 EDT Norwegian Cruise Line director buys $327.5K in common stock - In a regulatory filing, Norwegian Cruise Line disclosed that its director Jose Cil bought 20K shares of common stock on May 22nd in a total transaction size of $327.5K.

16:48 EDT Wayfair's opens first large-format store in Wilmette, Illinois - Wayfair opens the doors to its first large-format store in Wilmette, Illinois, marking a significant milestone in the company's journey to meet customers where and how they prefer to shop." Spanning 150,000 square feet, the two-story Wayfair store is a one-stop shopping destination for all things home - including furniture, home decor, housewares, appliances and home improvement products, for any style, space or budget..."We are committed to providing our customers with unparalleled shopping experiences, tailored to their preferences, whether they choose to shop online or in-store. The opening of our Wilmette location marks an exciting chapter for Wayfair, reinforcing our position as the premier destination for home goods," said Liza Lefkowski, vice president of merchandising and stores. "Our store is thoughtfully designed to be both inspirational and practical, empowering shoppers to create spaces that are just right for them," said the company earlier.

16:47 EDT Acme United Acquires Assets of Elite First Aid - Acme United has acquired the assets of Elite First Aid, a supplier of tactical, trauma and emergency response products. Elite First Aid had revenues in 2023 of approximately $4.2m. The purchase price was not disclosed. The acquisition is expected to be accretive. The company is located in Wake Forest, North Carolina.

16:33 EDT Intuit CEO says share of paying customers increased this year - Says our engineers now far more productive with AI. Says investments made in AI has resulted in less entry for Customer Success folks. Comments coming from CNBC interivew.

16:31 EDT Granite awarded $48M contract by WSDOT - Granite announced that it has been awarded a $48M contract by the Washington State Department of Transportation to replace two existing fish barrier culvert crossings with three new fish passable structures on I-5 in Snohomish County, Washington. Project funding will come from WSDOT and be included in Granite's second-quarter CAP. Granite will deliver another solution in support of WSDOT's effort to be injunction-compliant by 2030. To support the project, Granite will import 95,000 tons of gravel from its Conway Aggregate Facility in Mount Vernon, Washington. "We are excited to embark on this new project that not only aligns with our strategic goals but also contributes to the preservation of the local ecosystem," said Mike Stein, Granite Vice President of Regional Operations. "We are committed to delivering high-quality, innovative, and sustainable solutions for our clients and communities." The project is anticipated to begin in June 2024 and is expected to be completed in December 2026.

16:23 EDT Stifel Financial reports total client assets up 12% from 2023 April-end - Stifel Financial reported selected operating results for April 30 in an effort to provide timely information to investors on certain key performance metrics. Due to the limited nature of this data, a consistent correlation to earnings should not be assumed. Ronald J. Kruszewski, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, said, "Total client assets and fee-based assets increased 12% and 15%, respectively, from the same period a year ago, as a result of strong recruiting and market appreciation. However, a decline in equity markets in April was the primary driver behind a 3% decline in both metrics versus March 2024 levels. Client money market and insured product balances decreased 2% in April, driven by seasonal tax payments and modest cash sorting as both Smart Rate and Sweep balances declined during the month. As we noted in our most recent earnings call, we are beginning to see ncreased lending opportunities and, as such, our total bank loans increased 2% in April, fueled by growth in our fund banking business."

16:19 EDT Deckers Outdoor jumps 8% to $982.03 after Q4 results beat estimates

16:18 EDT Etsy director Ballard sells 1,875 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Etsy director Andy Ballard disclosed the sale of 1,875 common shares of the company on May 22 at a price of $64.03 per share.

16:17 EDT American Strategic Investment Co. receives increased tender offer from Bellevue - Bellevue Capital Partners has increased the purchase price of its previously announced tender offer to purchase up to 125K shares of American Strategic Investment Co. common stock from the previous purchase price of $9.25 to an increased purchase price of $10.25 per share. The tender offer will close on July 5. Bellevue is making this offer at a 77% premium to the May 3, 2024 closing price because of its continued confidence in ASIC's portfolio and underlying assets. The 77% premium to the May 3, 2024 closing stock price reflects Bellevue's belief in the long-term performance of ASIC and its portfolio of assets.

16:15 EDT LPL Financial: Total advisory/brokerage assets down 1.9% to $1.41T at April-end - LPL Financial released its monthly activity report for April 2024. Total advisory and brokerage assets at the end of April were $1.41T a decrease of $27.9B, or 1.9%, compared to the end of March 2024. Total net new assets for April were $12B which included $5B of acquired net new assets resulting from the acquisition of Crown Capital. Total organic net new assets for April were $7B, translating to a 5.8% annualized growth rate. Total organic net new advisory assets were $7.4 B translating to an 11.2% annualized growth rate. Total client cash balances at the end of April were $45.7B, a decrease of $0.6 B compared to the end of March 2024. Net buying in April was

16:13 EDT Deckers Outdoor sees FY25 gross margin approximately 53.5% - Operating margin is expected to be approximately 19.5%. Effective tax rate is expected to be in the range of 22% to 23%.

16:11 EDT AbbVie completes the acquisition of Landos Biopharma - AbbVie (ABBV) announced that it has completed its acquisition of Landos Biopharma (LABP). With the completion of the acquisition, Landos is now part of AbbVie.

16:04 EDT Exicure receives Nasdaq notice of delisting determination - Exicure announced it received notice of a delisting determination from the Listing Qualifications Department of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC. The Staff Delisting Determination notified the Company that since it has not yet filed its Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023 per Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) by Nasdaq's extended deadline of May 20, 2024 pursuant to the previously granted exception, trading of the Company's common stock would be suspended from The Nasdaq Capital Market at the opening of business on May 30, 2024, unless the Company requests an appeal of the Staff Delisting Determination by May 28, 2024. In addition, unless an appeal is timely requested, a Form 25-NSE would be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which would remove the Company's securities from listing and registration on Nasdaq. In addition to the delinquency related to the Form 10-K, the Staff Delisting Determination noted the Company's delinquency under the Rule because of its failure to file its Form 10-Q for the first quarter of 2024 and the Company's continued delinquency under Rule 5620 because it has not held its 2023 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, each as an additional and separate basis for delisting that should be addressed in any appeal. The Company intends to file an appeal to Nasdaq's Hearings Panel by the May 28, 2024 deadline and subsequently submit its plan to regain compliance with all applicable listing requirements. This request for an appeal, if timely submitted, would automatically stay the suspension of trading in the Company's securities for a period of 15 days from the date of the request. The Company intends to seek an extended stay pending the hearing, although no assurance can be provided that such an extension would be granted.

16:03 EDT Workday cuts FY25 subscription revenue to $7.7B-$7.725B from $7.725B-$7.775B - Sees FY25 non-GAAP operating margin of 25.0%.

16:02 EDT Workday sees Q2 subscription revenue $1.895B - Representing growth of approximately 17%. Sees Q2 non-GAAP operating margin of 24.5%.

14:44 EDT Kazia Therapeutics reports 180-day extension granted by Nasdaq - Kazia Therapeutics announced it received a letter on May 22 from Nasdaq notifying the company that, while the company has not regained compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement, Nasdaq has determined that the company is eligible for an additional 180 calendar day period, or until November 18, to regain compliance with the Minimum Bid Price Requirement.

13:47 EDT GSK says jury in Valadez case in Illinois finds GSK not liable for cancer - GSK issued the following statement on Zantac litigation: "GSK plc welcomes today's jury verdict in the Valadez case in Illinois state court finding in GSK's favour in the first Zantac case to go to trial. This outcome is consistent with the scientific consensus that there is no consistent or reliable evidence that ranitidine increases the risk of any cancer, supported by 16 epidemiological studies looking at human data regarding the use of ranitidine. GSK will continue to vigorously defend itself against all other claims. Prior to this verdict, the court rejected the Plaintiff's ability to request punitive damages. Separately, the company welcomed the recent court ruling dismissing the next Zantac trial (Williams) that was due to start on 23 May 2024. In the Williams case, the Illinois state court dismissed the case before trial on the basis that GSK was not the brand manufacturer of over-the-counter Zantac at the time the Plaintiff allegedly used it and should not be liable for any subsequent over-the-counter Zantac use."

13:41 EDT Archer says FAA issues for inspection final airworthiness criteria for Midnight - Archer Aviation announced the FAA issued for public inspection the final airworthiness criteria for Archer's Midnight aircraft. This significant regulatory milestone provides the solidified path for Archer to achieve Type Certification for Midnight, the company said. Archer is one of two companies in the world to achieve this certification progress with the FAA for an eVTOL aircraft. The finalization of Archer's airworthiness criteria unlocks the ability for Archer to work with the FAA to obtain the remaining final approvals on its certification and test plans. "Midnight is one giant step closer to taking passengers into the sky in the coming years in the U.S. The final airworthiness criteria for Midnight is an important step on our journey to make electric flying taxis an everyday reality," said Billy Nolen, Archer Chief Regulatory Affairs Officer and former Administrator of the FAA. "Thank you to the team at the FAA for their continued hard work in support of making the electrification of aviation a reality."

12:43 EDT Activision says next 'COD' game named 'Call of Duty: Black Ops 6' - Activision confirmed that its next "Call of Duty" title will be named "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6." The Fly notes that this latest edition of the long-running "Call of Duty" franchise will be the first new game in the series since Microsoft closed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard earlier this year. Reference Link

12:04 EDT BBB Foods rises 14.5% - BBB Foods is up 14.5%, or $3.58 to $28.21.

12:02 EDT National Grid falls -10.4% - National Grid is down -10.4%, or -$7.49 to $64.50.

12:00 EDT Universal Corporation falls -12.0% - Universal Corporation is down -12.0%, or -$6.41 to $46.88.

11:37 EDT Norfolk Southern agrees to settle federal East Palestine derailment claims - Norfolk Southern announced it has reached an agreement on a consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. Department of the Interior to resolve all their claims and investigations arising from the derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. The agreement, which is subject to court approval, builds on the significant financial commitments that the company has already made toward environmental remediation, community-based programs, and safety-related enhancements. Under the agreement, Norfolk Southern will formalize several commitments to address environmental remediation, health monitoring, and rail safety. Those include: Paying a $15M civil penalty and reimbursing the EPA for its full response expenses, which are approximately $57M through November 30, 2023, as well as subsequent response costs. In addition to completing clean-up of the derailment site, implementing several environmental remediation projects to address pre-existing pollution and to improve water quality in the region. This is estimated to cost $7M. Continuing monitoring of groundwater and surface water bodies estimated to cost $10M-$15M. Additionally, a drinking water monitoring program will be established, which is estimated to cost $15M over 10 years. Establishing a $25M Community Health Program that will provide medical exams and mental health services for the community and first responders for up to 20 years. $244M to be spent on safety initiatives through 2025, as part of the company's Six Point Safety Plan and investments in safety infrastructure, technology, and training. "The financial impacts associated with the above have either been previously estimated as part of the total $1.7B recognized in response to the incident through March 31, 2024, or are included as part of the company's ongoing financial outlook, including those surrounding capital expenditures and overall 2024 outlook. The company continues to pursue insurance reimbursements and third-party claims," the company stated.

11:18 EDT Biomica announces clinical data update from Phase 1 trial of BMC128 - Biomica announced initial findings from an ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial. In the study, Biomica is investigating the safety and tolerability of its microbiome-based immuno-oncology candidate, BMC128, in combination with nivolumab, an anti-PD1 immune checkpoint inhibitor, in patients with non-small cell lung cancer melanoma, or renal cell carcinoma. All trial participants, 11 patients, had experienced disease progression in prior immunotherapy treatment before joining the trial. These preliminary findings represent some of the initial positive evidence emerging from the burgeoning field of clinical research on cancer therapies leveraging gut microbiota. While these results are preliminary and subject to further validation, they suggest potential benefits for patients facing advanced stages of these malignancies. Key observations from the study include: Safety Profile: As of the data cutoff date, the safety profile of BMC128 has been exceptional, with no major safety events potentially associated with BMC128 reported during the course of BMC128 monotherapy or combination treatment, indicating a favorable safety profile for the investigational therapy. Clinical Responses: As of the data cutoff date, among the patients included in the study, 72% of refractory cases exhibited positive clinical signals, indicating a potential efficacy for the BMC128 and nivolumab combination. Response Rates: As of the data cutoff date, one patient demonstrated partial response upon imaging and RECIST v1.1 assessment and remains actively responding to treatment. Additionally, 64% of patients' disease stopped progressing following the combination treatment, and they displayed stable disease and sustained benefits beyond the first imaging assessment, suggesting additional important potential clinical benefit. Durability of Response: As of the data cutoff date, 55% of patients showed sustained clinical benefit, with notable durations of response of over 16 weeks and with one patient exceeding 80 weeks. Cross-Cancer Effectiveness: 100% of RCC patients and 60% of NSCLC patients in the study demonstrated positive clinical outcomes, indicating potential efficacy across different cancer types. With these early results, it is important to note that the study remains ongoing. Further data will become available and analyzed through the next few months to gain a deeper understanding of the therapeutic potential of BMC128 in combination with nivolumab in cancer treatment.

11:15 EDT Galaxy Gaming appoints Steve Kopjo as CFO - Galaxy Gaming announces the appointment of Steve Kopjo as the company's new CFO. Amid an impressive career in the gaming industry, Kopjo joins Galaxy Gaming on May 28th, bringing extensive experience from senior finance and accounting positions held at various publicly traded gaming companies. With a proven track record of success, Kopjo is set to assume a pivotal role on the Executive leadership team, steering Galaxy Gaming through its next phase of growth and evolution. The appointment of Kopjo represents a significant move for Galaxy Gaming, as the Company looks to maintain its recent momentum while transitioning long-serving CFO, Harry Hagerty, to a Strategic Advisor role, from which he will continue to serve the company as a resource and contributor on strategic initiatives.

11:02 EDT Orsted announces investment from J.P. Morgan for $680M in tax equity financing - Orsted announced an investment from J.P. Morgan for $680M in tax equity financing for a portfolio of solar and storage assets in Texas and Arizona. The project portfolio consists of Eleven Mile Solar Center, a 300 MW solar and 300 MW /1200 MWh storage project in Pinal County, Arizona and Sparta Solar, a 250 MW solar project in Mineral, Texas. The tax equity investment will help fund the completion of both projects, which totals 550 MW of solar capacity and 300 MW of battery energy storage with the capacity to discharge for 4 hours, the company stated.

10:58 EDT Live Nation says DOJ 'absurd to claim' monopoly power - Dan Wall, Executive Vice President, Corporate and Regulatory Affairs, Live Nation Entertainment, issued a response to the Department of Justice lawsuit, stating in part: "The Department of Justice and a group of State Attorneys General have now filed the much-anticipated antitrust suit against Live Nation and Ticketmaster. This follows intense political pressure on DOJ to file a lawsuit, and a long-term lobbying campaign from rivals and ticket brokers seeking government protection for themselves. The complaint - and even more so the press conference announcing it - attempt to portray Live Nation and Ticketmaster as the cause of fan frustration with the live entertainment industry. It blames concert promoters and ticketing companies-neither of which control ticket prices-for high ticket prices. It ignores everything that is actually responsible for higher ticket prices, from increasing production costs to artist popularity, to 24/7 online ticket scalping that reveals the public's willingness to pay far more than primary tickets cost... It is also absurd to claim that Live Nation and Ticketmaster are wielding monopoly power. The defining feature of a monopolist is monopoly profits derived from monopoly pricing. Live Nation in no way fits the profile. Service charges on Ticketmaster are no higher than elsewhere, and frequently lower. And even accounting for sponsorship, an advertising business that helps keep ticket prices down, the company's overall net profit margin is at the low end of profitable S&P 500 companies... It was evident in our discussions with the DOJ Front Office that they just did not want to believe the numbers. The data conflicted too much with their preconception that Live Nation belongs in the ranks of the other 'tech monopolists' they have targeted. It is also clear that we are another casualty of this Administration's decision to turn over antitrust enforcement to a populist urge that simply rejects how antitrust law works... Ticketmaster in particular is a far better, more artist- and fan-focused business under Live Nation's ownership than it ever was as a standalone company. But that's not how this DOJ sees it. They are reflexively antagonistic to vertical integration." Reference Link

10:57 EDT Boeing: Q2 deliveries won't step up, will be close to Q1

10:34 EDT DOJ files suit seeking to break up Live Nation over alleged antitrust violations - The Department of Justice is suing to break up Live Nation, the parent company of Ticketmaster, over alleged antitrust violations. The lawsuit, joined by 30 states, follows a DOJ investigation into whether Live Nation maintains a monopoly in the ticketing industry. "We allege that Live Nation relies on unlawful, anticompetitive conduct to exercise its monopolistic control over the live events industry in the United States at the cost of fans, artists, smaller promoters, and venue operators. The result is that fans pay more in fees, artists have fewer opportunities to play concerts, smaller promoters get squeezed out, and venues have fewer real choices for ticketing services. It is time to break up Live Nation-Ticketmaster," said Attorney General Merrick Garland in a statement.

10:19 EDT Baker Hughes awarded contract from SONATRACH for gas project - Baker Hughes was awarded a major contract from SONATRACH for a gas-boosting project for the Hassi R'Mel gas field in Algeria. The contract is part of a broader order awarded to a consortium between Baker Hughes and Tecnimont, part of technology and engineering group MAIRE. The signing ceremony took place in Algiers in the presence of the three company CEOs: Rachid Hachichi of SONATRACH, Lorenzo Simonelli of Baker Hughes, and Alessandro Bernini of MAIRE, as well as H.E. Mohamed Arkab, Minister of Energy & Mines. Baker Hughes' awarded scope includes the supply of 20 compression trains based on Frame 5 gas turbine and BCL compressor technology, which will be installed across three gas boosting stations within the Hassi R' Mel gas field. Located 550 km south of Algiers, Hassi R' Mel is the largest gas field in Algeria and one of the largest in the world, representing a key source of energy supply for Algeria and Europe. Baker Hughes' proven technology solutions are expected to play a central role in the project by boosting and stabilizing the pressure of natural gas and increasing production at site, which will enhance Algeria's domestic energy system and economy as well as Europe's energy security. The new gas-boosting stations are part of Algeria's ambitious plan to strengthen its role in the global energy market and its commitment to natural gas as a key energy source for socio-economic development.

10:04 EDT Endava rises 12.4% - Endava is up 12.4%, or $3.62 to $32.83.

10:03 EDT LiveRamp rises 13.5% - LiveRamp is up 13.5%, or $4.37 to $36.71.

10:01 EDT National Grid falls -9.5% - National Grid is down -9.5%, or -$6.87 to $65.12.

10:01 EDT Recon Technology regains Nasdaq compliance - Recon Technology announced that on May 22, 2024, it had received a letter dated May 22, 2024 from the Listing Qualifications Hearings Department of Nasdaq notifying the company that (i) the company's bid price deficiency had been cured and (ii) the company was in compliance with all applicable listing standards. Accordingly, the Compliance Letter provided that the company's scheduled hearing had been determined to be moot and had been cancelled, and the company's ordinary shares will continue to be listed and traded on The Nasdaq Capital Market.

09:57 EDT Solowin Holdings Ltd trading resumes

09:50 EDT National Grid falls -9.9% - National Grid is down -9.9%, or -$7.14 to $64.85.

09:48 EDT Endava rises 10.8% - Endava is up 10.8%, or $3.16 to $32.37.

09:47 EDT Solowin Holdings Ltd trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:44 EDT Accenture announces acquisition of Teamexpat; terms not disclosed - Accenture has acquired Teamexpat, an embedded software specialist for complex high-tech products and systems, headquartered in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. Teamexpat's team of software experts join Accenture's digital engineering team in the Netherlands. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

09:35 EDT Moody's revises Illumina outlook to stable from negative on divestiture - Moody's Ratings yesterday affirmed the Baa3 issuer rating and senior unsecured ratings of Illumina and revised the outlook to stable from negative. The revision of the outlook to stable reflects "reduced negative pressure" on Illumina's credit profile because of the pending separation of Grail, the rating agency said in a statement. Moody's anticipates the separation will be "materially deleveraging" for Illumina.

09:34 EDT Nuvve engages Cappello Global to identify potential transaction opportunities - Nuvve Holding has engaged Cappello Global as its strategic financial advisor to identify potential strategic transaction opportunities to assist with Nuvve's capital needs that will support both its near term and long term growth objectives. During this engagement, the Company expects to review various potential strategic transaction opportunities aimed at strengthening Nuvve's balance sheet to support growth acceleration and asset development in line with Nuvve's forward trajectory as a leading global V2G green technology company. There can be no assurance that this process will result in Nuvve pursuing or consummating any particular transaction or strategic opportunity. Nuvve has not set a timetable for the completion of this process and does not intend to comment further unless or until it is determined that other disclosure is necessary or appropriate.

09:26 EDT SuperCom announces new contract win in North California - SuperCom's fully-owned subsidiary Leaders in Community Alternatives has secured a new contract to provide housing and evidence-based case management services to youth and those transitioning from housing. This program is set to begin in the summer of 2024 and will run for an initial term of two years. The client has indicated it plans to extend the program after this two-year period. The contract is expected to generate nearly $500K in annual recurring revenue.

09:19 EDT Autonomix completes animal study evaluating targeted nerve ablation - Autonomix Medical announced the completion of an animal study evaluating the ability of targeted nerve ablation to impact tumor metastases and growth. For the preclinical mouse study, two groups of mice received human pancreatic tumor cells into the pancreatic head region. The experimental group received peri-pancreatic neural ablation while the control group received no treatment. Results of the experimental group demonstrated a statistically significant reduction of the tumor mass growth and metastases. Local invasion showed a 60% difference between the control and experimental group while liver metastases showed a 40% difference. Lori Bisson CEO of Autonomix, commented, "The successful completion of this preclinical animal study and highly encouraging results, support the clinical literature suggesting that nerve fibers may be a pathway for cancer cell metastasis tumor growth. The results further support the concept that neural pathways are especially impactful in the pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer. Even with a small sample size in this preclinical study, the experimental group demonstrated statistically significant metastasis reduction. While our current proof of concept study in pancreatic cancer is strictly focused on pain reduction from the ablation of target nerves near the pancreas, additional studies will explore whether these preclinical findings translate to the clinical application of our technology. It is possible our ablation technology might slow human pancreatic cancer growth and metastasis and may be investigated in future clinical studies. Advancing clinical solutions for patients fuels our continued efforts as we develop unique and proprietary technologies to safely and reliably ablate nerves across multiple indications, from pain to hypertension."

09:13 EDT Zentek enters distribution agreement with DCL Supply - Zentek and DCL Supply have entered into a distribution agreement effective March 19th, 2024, for an initial one-year term, and which automatically renews for subsequent one-year terms unless 90 days' notice is given by either party prior to renewal. The initial product to be distributed will be ZenGUARD Enhanced Air Filters for the HVAC market, subject to the assessment by the Health Canada Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency for registration under the Pest Control Products Act, which is ongoing. Subject to such registration, this agreement would allow DCL Supply to distribute ZenGUARD Enhanced Air Filters through its extensive distributor network serving numerous industrial, commercial and institutional clients within and across Canad

09:09 EDT ResMed issues new research, insights into effectiveness of PAP therapy - A number of accomplished medical and scientific experts presented critical new research on sleep conditions and their effect on cardiovascular health at the American Thoracic Society International Conference. The ResMed-supported research provided new insights into the effectiveness of PAP therapy in treating sleep-disordered breathing and its associated clinical benefits. The studies were among 26 supported by ResMed. Real-world Trends of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists and PAP Therapy Use in OSA: The use of GLP-1s did not lead to higher discontinuation rates of PAP therapy, rather this analysis found that patients who were adherent to their GLP-1 medication had higher levels of PAP therapy use than those who were non-adherent to their GLP-1 medication. PAP Therapy Continues to Lower Risks Associated with Sleep Disorders: This meta-study, presented by Dr. Atul Malhotra, found mortality was 37% lower on average in patients with PAP-treated OSA vs untreated OSA. Examining the Prevalence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in the United States: A study presented by ResMed's research scientist Elroy Boers projected an increase in OSA cases in the United States using patient data calibrated across subgroups of age, sex and body-mass index. Adaptive Servo-Ventilation Patients with Treatment Emergent or Persistent Central Sleep Apnea and Central Sleep Apnea induced by Opioid Use: Two studies evaluated the effects of Adaptive Servo-Ventilation therapy in two populations. One study demonstrated ASV therapy showed a reduced symptom burden and an improvement in quality of life for patients with TE-CSA, with or without comorbid cardiovascular disease, a comorbidity present in a majority of patients with TE-CSA. The second study showed a -1 median reduction in Epworth Sleepiness Scale values and a median increase of .96 on the Functional Outcomes of Sleep Questionnaire, demonstrating a lower symptom burden and improved quality of life. Reducing Risk of Death in COPD Patients with Non-Invasive Ventilation at Home: Another study, also presented by Dr. Jean-Louis Pepin, looked at nearly 50,000 adults with COPD who were treated via domiciliary NIV. The study showed long-term home use of NIV was strongly associated with a reduced risk of death.

09:07 EDT Beacon opens new locations in Attleboro, Massachusetts and Mississauga, Ontario - Beacon announced that it has opened new locations in Attleboro, Massachusetts and Mississauga, Ontario, Canada to increase service to residential and commercial roofing contractors. The new branch in Attleboro, Massachusetts adds residential and commercial roofing and complementary products and services in the Providence, Rhode Island metro and the southeastern Massachusetts markets. "We have been serving contractors in New England since our founding nearly 100 years ago. Adding this location brings better service to the local market where our commitment to customer success is well known. Contractors will appreciate connecting to our industry-leading Beacon PRO+ app for online ordering, delivery tracking and our loyalty program," said Gerard Hill, Beacon's Regional Vice President, New England.

09:05 EDT WalkMe partners with Cognizant, UST - WalkMe announced key momentum in their partner ecosystem with the introduction of new partnerships with Cognizant and UST. These strategic alliances were formed to help joint customers tackle the challenge of effectively adopting and scaling the latest technologies, particularly in light of the generative AI revolution. As the surge of AI-powered applications brings immense potential for productivity and innovation, it also introduces new complexities in change management and digital adoption. WalkMe's partnerships with industry leaders Cognizant and UST position the Company at the forefront of helping organizations navigate this transformative landscape.

09:05 EDT Castor Maritime announces completion of sale of M/V Magic Vela - Castor Maritime announces that on May 23, 2024, it completed the previously announced sale of the M/V Magic Vela, a 2011-built Panamax bulk carrier vessel, for a price of $16.4 million, by delivering the vessel to its new owner. The Company expects to record a net gain of approximately $2.7 million from the above-mentioned sale, excluding any transaction-related costs, during the second quarter of 2024.

09:03 EDT Sintx Technologies announces reverse stock split effective May 28 - SINTX Technologies announced that its Board of Directors has declared a 1-for-200 reverse stock split of the company's common stock. The reverse stock split will become effective on May 28, 2024 at 12:01 AM Eastern Time. The company's common stock is expected to begin trading on a split-adjusted basis when the markets open on May 28, 2024 under the current trading symbol "SINT." The reverse stock split is primarily intended to bring the company into compliance with the minimum bid price requirements for maintaining its listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

09:02 EDT IPG Photonics launches LightWELD 2000 XR - IPG Photonics announced the launch of LightWELD 2000 XR, the fourth product offering within its handheld laser welding and cleaning product line. Fabricators will benefit from the increased processing speed and extended range of material thicknesses that LightWELD 2000 XR offers.

09:02 EDT Sage Group, Mitratech partner to simplify compliance - Sage announces a new partnership with Mitratech's Mineral, a leading HR and compliance platform serving more than 1 million SMBs. This partnership brings Mitratech's HR Advice offering to Sage HR customers, a comprehensive software solution tailored to the compliance needs of small businesses, allowing them to navigate ever-changing compliance regulations with confidence and ease. With HR Advice, Sage HR customers can stay compliant with state and federal laws, maintain employee job descriptions, create up-to-date employee handbooks, and ensure everyone is properly trained. This solution helps businesses navigate the complex HR and compliance landscape with the resources, tools, experts, and alerts they organization need to thrive.

09:01 EDT Arthur J. Gallagher acquires CCI Surety - Arthur J. Gallagher's U.S. wholesale brokerage, binding authority and programs division, Risk Placement Services, has acquired Golden Valley, Minnesota-based CCI Surety. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded by Michael Williams and led by Jeremy Crawford, CCI Surety is a managing general underwriter specializing in wholesale contract and commercial surety bonds for retail agents throughout the U.S. Crawford and the CCI Surety team will remain in their current location under the direction of Matt Lynch, head of RPS's national binding operations.

08:50 EDT Foremost Lithium completes winter drill program at Zoro Lithium Project - Foremost Lithium Resource & Technology announced that is has completed its 2024 winter diamond drilling program on its Zoro property, which was previously announced in the Company's press release dated February 13, 2024. The Company completed 5,826 meters, 21 diamond drill holes targeting untested mineralization to the south-east of Dyke 1, the Company's maiden inferred resource of 1,074,567 tons at a grade of 0.91% Li2O, with a cut-off of 0.3%, as outlined in the Company's filed Regulation SK-1300 Technical Report Summary and NI-43-101 Technical Report. Drilling results have demonstrated the continuity of lithium mineralization along Dyke 1, targeting new, untested areas proximal to the dyke, as well as infill areas along strike and at depth. In the west, the body is comprised of multiple near surface lithium-bearing pegmatites that range up to an apparent 17.9 m thickness; Multiple 50-meter step-outs, perpendicular to the strike of Dyke 1, were used to assess lateral continuity as well as the presence of at depth, extending Dyke 1 from a previous 265-meter strike length to greater than 400 meters. Spodumene was confirmed in drill core in several of the 50 metre step out extensions, providing promising potential for new resource calculation. The Company reported initial assay results on the first two holes confirming lithium mineralization spanning a cumulative length of 25.92 metres including 1.09% Li2O across 10 metres on drill hole FL24-010 and 1.52% Li2O in drill hole FL24-009 across 5.02 meters. A total of 973 drill core samples have been collected for assay and shipped to SGS Laboratories in Burnaby for detailed analysis. All remaining assays are still pending and are anticipated to be reviewed and completed in approximately 4 to 6 weeks.

08:47 EDT CureVac says organizational redesign 'on track' - The organizational redesign, initiated in April 2024, is on track with the aim to streamline structures and reduce operating costs across most areas of the company. Rightsizing the company with a focus on trimming residual pandemic infrastructure is ongoing, with a planned reduction of 150 positions by year end. The organizational redesign is tailored to CureVac's business scope and pipeline priorities, significantly increasing efficiency and performance while maintaining a strong focus on innovation and R&D activities. The redesign will continue throughout 2024 through measures that are expected to result in financial savings from the second half of 2024 onwards and extend the company's cash runway into the fourth quarter of 2025.

08:44 EDT CureVac sees cash runway into 4Q25 - Cash and cash equivalents amounted to EUR 300.2 million at the end of March 2024, decreasing from EUR 402.5 million at the end of 2023. In the first three months of 2024, cash used in operations was mainly allocated to the last payments related to the termination of raw material commitments for the first-generation vaccine, amounting to a total of EUR 52 million. Looking forward there will be no further raw material payments related to CVnCoV. The remaining cash spend was mainly related to ongoing R&D activities. In the second quarter of 2024, the company expects to fully settle all remaining CMO-related provisions stemming from CVnCoV. The company reaffirms its cash runway into the fourth quarter of 2025.

08:37 EDT Vivakor provides update on Empire's hydrogen project - Vivakor provided an update on the hydrogen project being developed at the Port of West Virginia industrial park by Empire Diversified Energy. The Company and Empire announced a proposed merger on March 4, 2024, and the Company is releasing this update in connection the potential merger. On May 20, 2024, Empire and Heartland Water Technology announced a new partnership with Empire Green Generation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Empire, to develop a facility that will convert food waste into renewable hydrogen and carbon as part of the Department of Energy's Appalachian Regional Clean Hydrogen Hub. The partnership between Heartland and Empire represents a significant step forward in converting waste into sustainable hydrogen production. The project incorporates several essential technical steps into a cohesive, unified process. First, food waste is treated in an anaerobic digester, producing biogas and residual solid material. Heartland's proprietary HelioStorm ultra-high temperature ionic gasifier performs methane pyrolysis of the biogas to produce clean hydrogen and valuable sustainable carbon. The digestate is processed through Heartland's proprietary LTC Dry and HelioStorm gasifiers in a parallel pathway to produce an ultra-pure, tar-free synthesis gas. This gas is then used to generate clean energy, powering the entire conversion system described, and reducing reliance on the grid and fossil fuels. The food waste to energy project is expected to begin operations in Q3 2025.

08:35 EDT Nano Nuclear Energy supports World Nuclear Association's NZN initiative - NANO Nuclear Energy has committed its support to the World Nuclear Association's Net Zero Nuclear initiative. Partners of the initiative, including other U.S. corporations such as Uranium Energy Corp. and Centrus Energy Corp., recognize that nuclear generation is the largest source of clean, low-carbon electricity in member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and that a resilient strategy for achieving net-zero should include an increase in the share of electricity provided by nuclear energy. The initiative aims to focus the industry's collective efforts on realistic, actionable, solutions-focused dialogue to enable the rapid expansion of the global nuclear fleet and the acceleration research and development into emerging nuclear technologies. The 128 companies currently involved with the NZN seek to at least triple nuclear capabilities by 2050 to help achieve global goals for decarbonization, clean energy supply and enhanced energy resiliency and security, as outlined by more than 20 countries from four continents during the World Climate Action Summit of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change.

08:33 EDT Mangoceuticals engages Crakmedia for digital marketing efforts - Mangoceuticals has engage Crakmedia to champion the Company's ongoing creative and digital marketing initiatives. Based in Quebec City, Canada, Crakmedia is a leader in performance marketing, web development and traffic monetization. Digital ads on the Crakmedia network are seen up to 1.5 billion times a day in over 150 countries and territories. The company will also use Crakmedia's owned and operated cost-per-acquisition network to manage its affiliate marketing program. MangoRx will be able to draw on the CPA platform's 15 years of experience in traffic monetization and digital marketing, as well as over 30 industry awards and nominations.

08:33 EDT Lion Group plans to use GPT-4o to enhance products and services - Lion Group plans to utilize and explore AI technologies, including OpenAI's latest model GPT-4o, to enhance the AI capabilities of Lion's core business products and services. By actively seizing the opportunities presented by AI, Lion aims to accelerate the construction of a development ecosystem based on finance, technology, and digitalization. Through in-house development and integration of AI technology models, Lion aims to reduce operational costs and inefficiencies in technological capabilities and software applications, such as intelligent customer service, smart account opening, data retrieval, and advisory services.

08:32 EDT KULR Technology CEO Michael Mo reduces cash salary - KULR Technology announced that, in keeping with the Company's recent efforts to reduce its cash consumption, KULR's compensation committee approved a voluntary request by CEO Michael Mo to reduce the cash component of his compensation by 33% and, believing in the future of KULR, to instead grant him an equity incentive grant that does not vest for 12 months from such grant date. The strategic move ensures one-third of Mr. Mo's salary going forward is provided at market value of the Company's stock, further aligning his interests with those of shareholders. With this revised compensation model, the CEO's benefits will directly correlate with value creation as the executive team drives the Company's transformation and industry innovation. Mo commented on his new compensation structure, saying, "During these pivotal moments, it's crucial for us to go back to our technology start-up roots and operate swiftly in a lean and agile fashion. In the first quarter of 2024, we have reduced our operating and investment cash usage by 23% from Q1 of 2023. We will continue to execute that way to grow our business and get to profitability."

08:29 EDT Medtronic expects unfavorable $275M-$375M impact to revenue from currency - Says simplicity will be an important growth driver. Says working closely with CMS and private payers and expects to make significant progress with coverage in FY25. Says committed to returning at least half of free cash flow to shareholders. Says expects revenue growth to accelerate each quarter. Says expects unfavorable $275M-$375M impact to revenue from currency. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

08:26 EDT Bakkt appoints Ray Kamrath as Chief Commercial Officer - Bakkt Holdings announced that Ray Kamrath was appointed as the Chief Commercial Officer of Bakkt's crypto business. In this newly created position, Kamrath will report to Andy Main, Bakkt's Chief Executive Officer. "By appointing Ray Kamrath to lead our commercial efforts, Bakkt is doubling down on our commitment to strategic expansion and growth. Ray brings a depth of experience and a proven track record of delivering business results, with deep client and marketplace relationships. All of this will be instrumental in bringing our strong, secure and scaled crypto platform to a growing market," said Main. Kamrath will lead the company's sales across Bakkt's crypto business including trade, custody and institutional offerings. Also under his remit will be marketing, strategic partnerships, client success, business development and operations, with an overall focus on scaling and growing Bakkt's business.

08:14 EDT Ameresco and Envision chosen by Atlantic Green for 300MW BESS project - Ameresco announced that Ameresco and Envision Energy have been chosen by Atlantic Green to build the Cellarhead project, a 300-megawatt battery energy storage project with a maximum energy capacity of 624 megawatt hours . The Cellarhead BESS project will be connected to National Grid's Cellarhead sub-station and will provide the UK with additional energy security and reliability...Ameresco and Atlantic Green expect to finish the BESS and secure grid connection by the middle of 2026. Following completion, Atlantic Green will own and operate the BESS as an energy storage asset. "We believe that a continuous development of battery energy storage is a vital step in the UK's journey to achieving net-zero carbon emissions, and we are excited to team up with Ameresco to bring this vision to life," said Nick Bradford, Managing Director of Atlantic Green. "Since our founding, Atlantic Green has consistently prioritized finding strategic ways to leverage our battery storage assets with the wider community and we are eager to answer the rising demand for battery storage with this new project with such a level of energy capacity, to really make the impact on the UK electricity system that is much needed."

08:12 EDT TKO Group merges live events teams from UFC, WWE - TKO Group announced that it has integrated the UFC and WWE Live Events teams into one unit. The integrated unit, the TKO Live Events Strategy Team, will drive revenue growth strategies, including live event development and scheduling, tourism incentive programs, ticketing, and fan experiences. Peter Dropick, who has played a role in driving UFC's industry live event success for nearly two decades, and who is a member of the senior executive team, has been elevated to lead the integrated unit as executive VP, event development and operations for TKO. Dropick will work closely with UFC, WWE, and TKO leadership, including UFC president and CEO Dana White, WWE chief content officer Paul Levesque, UFC COO Lawrence Epstein, WWE president Nick Khan, and TKO CFO Andrew Schleimer.

08:11 EDT AFC Gamma provides senior secured credit facility to Gron Edibles - AFC Gamma has provided a senior secured credit facility to Gron Holdings. Gron intends to use the proceeds from the new credit facility to expand its business into new states. AFC Gamma will hold the entire credit facility, which consists of a first-lien term loan secured by all assets of Gron. AFC Agent LLC served as agent for this transaction. SSC Advisors acted as Financial Advisor to Gron Holdings with respect to this transaction.

08:08 EDT NV5 Global awarded $12M in federal defense, intelligence geospatial contracts - NV5 Global announced that it has been awarded $12M in geospatial contracts in the defense, intelligence, and federal civilian market space. The work addresses national security concerns internationally and domestically and involves six different branches of the U.S. Department of Defense. "NV5's federal geospatial contract awards continue to increase since the passing of the federal budget in March. We anticipate sustained growth from government agencies, as well as defense and intelligence clients as the year progresses," said Dickerson Wright, PE, Executive Chairman at NV5. "NV5's geospatial capabilities support infrastructure, facilities, and natural resources management across many federal agencies, and we look forward to continuing our support of the United States Government."

08:06 EDT Traws Pharma announces poster on potency of COVID-19 candidate - Traws Pharma announced presentation of a poster at the annual International Conference on Antiviral Research, ICAR2024, which is being held from May 20th to May 24th in Gold Coast, Australia. The poster highlights positive results of preclinical experiments using patient isolates of COVID19 virus to define the resistance profile of ratutrelvir, formerly known as travatrelvir or TRX01, Traws' ritonavir-free Mpro protease inhibitor for COVID19, currently in Phase 1 single and multiple ascending dose escalation studies. "We are very pleased to present the results of resistance studies for ratutrelvir at ICAR2024. Resistance studies are an important part of establishing a differentiation profile for an antiviral agent. Our initial data indicate that ratutrelvir has superior activity compared to nirmatrelvir against a range of omicron variants, based on a comparison of EC50. We believe the results presented at ICAR provide additional positive data to indicate that ratutrelvir has a differentiated resistance profile compared to nirmatrelvir," said Werner Cautreels, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Traws Pharma.

08:06 EDT Xwell announces plans to introduce Ceragem V6 Massager in select locations - XWELL announced plans to introduce the Ceragem V6 Therapeutic Thermal Massager in select XpresSpa locations beginning in the second quarter of 2024. The fully autonomous and innovative massage solution is designed to rejuvenate and revolutionize relaxation by providing enhanced blood circulation, muscle and joint discomfort, as well as muscle relaxation. "We are excited to introduce this cutting-edge massage solution to travelers," commented XWELL Chief Executive Officer, Scott Milford. "This offering reflects our ongoing commitment to integrate innovative wellness experiences within our spas, enabling us to cost effectively increase revenue, drive more retail traffic, while also delivering an efficient experience for our customers."

08:05 EDT Genetic Technologies, Humanise Health host 'Know Your Risk' event - Genetic Technologies announced that the Know Your Risk event held yesterday at The Langham Pasadena has set a new standard for women's health initiatives, highlighting the transformative potential of genetic testing and risk assessment. Organized by GeneType and Humanise Health, in partnership with Thermo Fisher Scientific and Creators Entertainment Group, this landmark event was not merely a gathering, but a movement aimed at empowering women with the knowledge to take control of their health. The Know Your Risk event was designed to foster an environment where women could engage with cutting-edge discussions on genomics and the importance of personalized health strategies. Through thought-provoking sessions led by renowned healthcare professionals, attendees explored how genetic testing and risk assessment can revolutionize preventive healthcare for women. Co-hosted by the esteemed Dr. Kristi Funk and the dynamic Krystal Barter, the event featured a series of enlightening panels. Dr. Funk, Angelina Jolie's Breast Surgeon, and Krystal Barter, along with an impressive lineup of speakers including Dr. Carolynn Young, Andrea Hans, Allyn Rose Oertel, and Matthew Zachary, provided invaluable insights into the critical role of genomics in women's health.

08:04 EDT Gamma Biosciences sells Mirus Bio to Merck KGaA for $600M - Gamma Biosciences, a life sciences platform established by KKR (KKR) to address the advanced therapy bioprocessing market, announced that it has entered into an agreement with Merck KGaA (MKGAY), whereby Merck KGaA will acquire Gamma operating company Mirus Bio for $600M in cash. Mirus Bio is a provider of innovative transfection solutions used for the delivery of genetic material into cells. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of RUO and GMP reagents and enhancers based on proprietary, multi-component technology. Its products deliver high-performance and cost-effective transfection for a variety of applications, from research through virus manufacturing at scale to address rapidly growing cell and gene therapy applications in AAV & LV. Gamma acquired a controlling stake in Mirus Bio in 2021 and has worked closely with the company to support its growth and scale-up, including the launch of flagship products VirusGEN GMP and RevIT AAV Enhancer for large-scale therapeutic adeno-associated virus and lentivirus production. The transaction is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2024, subject to US regulatory approvals, as well as other customary closing conditions.

08:03 EDT Singing Machine announces exploration of strategic alternatives - The Singing Machine Company announced its Executive Committee of the Board of Directors has authorized management to explore a range of potentially transformational corporate transactions. The primary purpose for this initiative is to explore transactions that can potentially create immediate, sustained shareholder value. As part of this initiative, the Company intends to explore corporate transactions that expand the existing business model beyond its current legacy consumer electronics karaoke business. In particular, the Committee has prioritized disruptive software solutions, emerging sustainability-centric technologies, and other high-impact business models. To pursue these new growth opportunities, the Company has evaluated the process for a reverse merger, acquisitions, and merger of equals transactions. "This decision represents a major shift in our overall corporate strategy," commented Gary Atkinson, CEO of the Singing Machine. "We are still optimistic on the long-term value opportunities for our legacy karaoke business. We believe there is a great deal of value to be unlocked in the gamification of karaoke, software and subscription-based karaoke experiences, and automotive based karaoke. All of these opportunities provide scalable lasting value potential. With that said, our Board is extremely focused on delivering greater near term shareholder value. Since our uplisting to the Nasdaq two years ago, our Company has struggled to sustain shareholder value in a challenging retail environment. Recently, we have received numerous unsolicited inquiries regarding our willingness to consider a possible corporate transaction. Our highest priority today is to transform the value creation potential of our Company. We are very proud to have built a Company worthy of listing on a national exchange. This is a potentially powerful asset for us to leverage to better unlock value for our shareholders in the near term," concluded Mr. Atkinson.

07:52 EDT Taro Pharmaceutical approve Merger with Sun Pharma - Taro Pharmaceutical's merger agreement with Sun Pharmaceutical was approved by the affirmative vote of Taro shareholders at an Extraordinary General Meeting and an Ordinary Class Meeting. Upon completion of the merger, currently expected to close in approximately 35 days, Taro will become a privately held company wholly owned by Sun Pharma and soon after its shares will be de-listed from the NYSE.

07:45 EDT Monro sees FY25 CapEx $25M-$35M - Expects to generate at least $100M of operating cash flow, inclusive of working capital reductions. Assumes fixed occupancy costs within cost of goods and operating expenses will be flat on a dollar basis when compared to the prior year. Says earnings largely dependent on comp store sales.

07:35 EDT Monro announces 28c per share quarterly dividend - The company also announced that its board of directors has approved a cash dividend for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025 of 28c per share. The cash dividend is payable on June 18 on the company's outstanding shares of common stock, including the shares of common stock to which the holders of the company's Class C Convertible Stock are entitled. The dividend is payable to shareholders of record on June 4.

07:32 EDT Soligenix Board encourages stockholders to vote for reverse stock split - Soligenix issued a statement encouraging its eligible stockholders to vote "for" a Reverse Stock Split. The company and its Board believe it is important to maintain the listing of the Common Stock on Nasdaq. "Failure to maintain our listing on Nasdaq and meet Nasdaq's listing requirements has the potential to detrimentally impact our ability to attract the necessary institutional support to advance the HyBryte Phase 3 confirmatory trial and our other pipeline clinical programs to important value inflection points necessary to secure potential partnerships and/or additional non-dilutive government funding to build shareholder value," stated CEO Christopher Schaber.

07:17 EDT Aya Gold & Silver nominates Ghislane Guedira as independent director - In connection with the AGM, the Corporation is pleased to announce that its Board of Directors has nominated Ms. Ghislane Guedira as an independent director to the Board. Guedira brings over 30 years of extensive experience in the financial and mining sectors, notably serving as CFO for the OCP Group, a global leader in the phosphate and phosphate derivatives industry, for over a decade. Her expertise is expected to greatly enhance the Board's strategic oversight, particularly strengthening Aya's operations and initiatives in Morocco.

07:15 EDT Kaspi.kz announces extraordinary general meeting results - Kaspi.kz announces that the following resolutions were duly passed at its Extraordinary General Meeting on 22 May 2024: To approve the agenda of the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders of JSC Kaspi.kz: Approval of the agenda; Payment of dividends on common shares of JSC Kaspi.kz and approval of the amount of dividend per common share. To approve dividends to be paid within the period set by law: dividend amount of KZT 850 per common share of JSC Kaspi.kz; dividend is paid for period 1Q 2024; commencement date of dividend payments: 22 May 2024; the list of shareholders entitled to receive the dividend based on 21 May 2024 date of record; procedure and form of dividend payments: to be paid in cash by wire transfers to accounts of shareholders.

07:13 EDT Tilray announces latest release from Solei brand, Warming Deep Tissue Stick - Tilray Brands announces the latest addition to its Solei cannabis wellness brand, the Warming Deep Tissue Stick. This new innovative cannabis-infused roll-on is designed to elevate your wellness rituals and provide targeted warmth. With a balanced blend of 300mg THC and 300mg CBD, the Warming Deep Tissue Stick is Solei's first roll-on topical that combines nourishing shea butter, coconut, and jojoba oil to glide on smoothly and leave a non-greasy residue.

07:10 EDT OTC Markets Group welcomes Direct Selling Acquisition to OTCQX - OTC Markets Group announced Direct Selling Acquisition Corp. has qualified to trade on the OTCQX Best Market. Direct Selling Acquisition Corp. previously traded on the New York Stock Exchange

07:09 EDT Luckin Coffee announces change to board of directors - Luckin Coffee announced a change to the Board of Directors. The Board previously resolved that each of the Company's directors shall have a two-year term of office and may be re-appointed by the Board upon the term expiration. The terms of Jinyi Guo, Wenbao Cao, Feng Liu, Yang Cha, Sean Shao, Weihao Chen, Shaoqiang Liu, Jun Liu and Qianli Liu expired in May 2024. Mr. Yang Cha informed the Board of his choice not to stand for re-appointment as a director of the Company due to personal reasons but has agreed to continue providing guidance and expertise as an external strategic advisor to the Company. The rest of the foregoing persons have been re-appointed as directors by the Board for a successive two-year period. With these changes, the Board currently consists of nine directors: Jinyi Guo, Wenbao Cao, Feng Liu, Sean Shao, Weihao Chen, Shaoqiang Liu, Jun Liu, Qianli Liu and Joel A. Getz. The Audit Committee of the Board consists of Feng Liu, Qianli Liu and Sean Shao, with Feng Liu serving as the Chairperson. The Compensation Committee of the Board consists of Weihao Chen, Jinyi Guo, Feng Liu, Shaoqiang Liu and Sean Shao, with Sean Shao serving as the Chairperson. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee consists of Weihao (Michael) Chen, Jinyi Guo, Jun Liu and Qianli Liu, with Weihao Chen serving as the Chairperson.

07:08 EDT Guardant Health stock halted ahead of FDA review of Shield PMA - Guardant Health announced that Nasdaq has temporarily halted trading of the company's stock. The Molecular and Clinical Genetics Panel of the FDA Medical Devices Advisory Committee will meet to review the premarket approval, or PMA, application for Shield, Guardant Health's blood test to screen for colorectal cancer in average-risk adults.

07:07 EDT Macerich launches Path-Forward plan to simplify business - Macerich published its detailed Path-Forward plan to simplify the business, improve operational performance and reduce leverage under the leadership of new President and CEO Jack Hsieh. Macerich's plan is designed to: Deleverage the capital structure to a low-to-mid 6x range over the next three to four years. Invest in and fortify key assets in the portfolio. Proactively consolidate selected joint venture assets that are core to the overall strategy. Deliver clean FFO/share launch point of ~$1.80/share over the next three to four years. Improve various internal processes that are being evaluated and realigned to achieve outstanding operational results. Position the company to take an offensive stance on acquisitions, reinvestment, and selected development.

07:05 EDT OneMedNet reports more than five-fold expansion of iRWD network - OneMedNet announces a greater than five-fold expansion of its proprietary iRWD network and platform. "As demonstrated by this significant expansion of our network, we continue to successfully execute against the key pillars of our growth strategy," said Aaron Green, OneMedNet's President and CEO. "Our vision is to harness the full potential of RWD to drive innovation in healthcare. By providing our customers with comprehensive access to valuable, regulatory-grade clinical data across our growing network, we are not just furnishing more numbers - we are delivering the de-identified and hard-to-curate information needed to help foster a new era of medical excellence."

07:04 EDT Bristol Myers' KarXT shows positive results in schizophrenia - Bristol Myers announced the presentation of data at the 2024 American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology Annual Meeting May 28-31 in Miami. Research to be presented at the meeting continues to demonstrate the potential of KarXT as a differentiated treatment option for adults living with schizophrenia. Consistent with short-term studies, KarXT was not associated with clinically meaningful changes in movement disorder scale scores and a low incidence rate of extrapyramidal symptoms was reported over long-term trials in adults with schizophrenia. In-trial qualitative interviews found that the majority of participants treated with KarXT in the long-term EMERGENT-5 trial perceived improvements in positive, negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. The incidence of extrapyramidal symptoms adverse events deemed to be treatment-related was 1% and the most commonly reported treatment-related EPS AE was akathisia. KarXT was not associated with clinically meaningful changes from baseline in movement disorder scale scores over short or long-term studies. Initial findings showed participants perceived an improvement in positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia since initiating KarXT.

07:03 EDT Dell Technologies, Ericsson announce strategic partnership - Dell Technologies (DELL) and Ericsson (ERIC) announce a strategic partnership to combine their deep industry expertise with telecom software, solutions and support, to guide communications service providers through their radio access network cloud transformation journeys. CSPs are looking to network cloud and operations transformation to achieve improved economics and agility, while maintaining network reliability. According to a new MeriTalk study released today, sponsored by Dell Technologies, nine in 10 CSPs say network transformation is critical to their organization's survival. However, 96% of CSPs surveyed say their network transformation vision is lagging due to a variety of factors including limited time and budget, as well as reliability and security concerns, ultimately holding them back from giving their customers a modern network. Dell and Ericsson's partnership aims to address these concerns by working alongside CSPs to develop simple and reliable Open RAN-based network cloud transformation strategies, using Dell and Ericsson integrated solutions and support.

06:55 EDT Medtronic increases quarterly dividend to 70c per share - The company announced that effective the Medtronic board of directors approved an increase in Medtronic's cash dividend for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, raising the quarterly amount to 70c per ordinary share. This would translate into an annual amount of $2.80 per ordinary share. Medtronic has a long history of dividend growth, and the company is a constituent of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats index. This announcement marks the 47th consecutive year of an increase in the dividend payment.

06:48 EDT BJ's Wholesale reports Q1 digitally enabled comparable sales growth 21.0% y/y - Membership fee income increased by 8.6% year-over-year to $111.4M. Merchandise gross margin rate decreased by 50 basis points year-over-year.

06:41 EDT Anglo American rejects latest BHP offer, extends deadline to May 29 - Anglo American (NGLOY) rejected BHP Group's (BHP) latest takeover offer, saying it "includes the same highly complex structure as the proposals previously rejected on 26 April 2024 and 13 May 2024." Anglo American said its advisers have engaged with BHP and its advisers on multiple occasions with a focus on the proposed structure and associated risks. The board "continues to believe that there are serious concerns with the structure given that it is likely to result in material completion risk and value impact that disproportionately falls on Anglo American's shareholders." The requirement to pursue two contemporaneous demergers of publicly listed companies alongside a takeover and the inter-conditional nature of the three transactions "is unprecedented, and as a result of a takeover would result in additional material approvals and conditions, particularly in South Africa." Anglo American has consented to an extension to the date by which BHP is required either to announce a firm intention to make an offer for Anglo American or to announce that it does not intend to make an offer. Such announcement must now be made by not later than May 29.

06:31 EDT Smart Share regains Nasdaq compliance - Smart Share Global announced that it received a notification letter from the Listing Qualifications Department of the Nasdaq Stock Market, dated May 22, 2024, notifying the company that it has regained compliance with the requirement of minimum bid price of $1.00 per share set forth under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2). Accordingly, the company has regained the Minimum Bid Price Requirement, and the matter is now closed.

06:22 EDT Capital Group, KKR form exclusive strategic partnership - Capital Group and KKR announced an exclusive, strategic partnership to bring new ways for investors to incorporate alternative investments into their portfolios. Capital Group and KKR intend to make hybrid public-private markets investment solutions available to investors across multiple asset classes, geographies and channels. The first two strategies will be public-private fixed income offerings designed for financial professionals and their clients, which are expected to launch in the U.S. in 2025. While alternatives have been available to high-net-worth individuals and accredited investors for some time, mass affluent investors, which represent more than 40% of the wealth market globally, have not historically had access to the asset class. This combination of Capital Group and KKR opens the door for more financial professionals and their clients to access alternative investments as part of their portfolios.

06:09 EDT Lightspeed announces integration partnership with Uber Direct, Eats - Lightspeed (LSPD) and Uber (UBER) announced a new North American partnership to directly integrate Uber Direct and Uber Eats marketplace into Lightspeed's platform. Through the partnership, Lightspeed will have built-in integrations with the Uber Eats marketplace and Uber Direct, Uber's white-label delivery facilitation service, enabling Lightspeed merchants to: list their menu offerings on and take orders from the Uber Eats marketplace, which is accessed by millions of monthly active platform consumers and take orders from their own branded website through Lightspeed's Order Anywhere, then access delivery via Uber Direct, allowing them to pay only the associated delivery fee without the added cost of developing their own custom delivery fleet.

06:01 EDT Westlake unit announces investment to manufacture PVCO pipe - Westlake Pipe & Fittings, a division of Westlake Corporation, has announced plans to build a new molecular-oriented polyvinyl chloride pipe plant at its manufacturing site in Wichita Falls, Texas. The facility expansion marks a significant milestone in Westlake's commitment to growth, innovation, and job creation in the region. The expansion plan includes the addition of a 190,000 square-foot facility to the existing site situated at 3348 Industrial Drive, leveraging the region's strategic geographic location in the heart of the United States. This investment will enhance Westlake Pipe & Fittings' product portfolio with the expansion of PVCO pipe manufacturing, an advanced molecular-oriented PVC pipe the business introduced in 2021, in Canada. Using cutting-edge technology, Westlake Pipe & Fittings PVCO pipe sets the standard in the industry by offering superior strength, durability, and potable water conveyance. The innovative material streamlines the assembly process, delivers exceptional performance, and a reduced environmental footprint.

05:27 EDT Stellantis launches second tranche of share buyback program - Stellantis announced that pursuant to its share buyback program announced on February 15, covering up to EUR 3B to be executed in the open market, Stellantis has signed a share buyback agreement for the second tranche of its program with an investment firm that will make its trading decisions concerning the timing of purchases independently of Stellantis. This agreement will cover a maximum amount of up to EUR 1B. The second tranche of the program shall start on May 23 and end no later than August 30. The company intends to cancel the common shares acquired through its EUR 3B share buyback program apart from a portion of up to EUR 0.5B, which will be utilized to execute future employee stock purchase plan activities and equity-based compensation.

05:16 EDT Elbit Systems awarded $260M contract to supply systems - Elbit Systems announced that it was awarded a contract to supply systems to an international customer, in an amount of approximately $260M. The contract will be performed over a period of two years.