Stockwinners Market Radar for July 22, 2024 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:14 EDT Cathie Wood's ARK Investment buys 144K shares of 10x Genomics today

19:50 EDT Nauticus Robotics Inc trading halted, news pending

19:13 EDT Vista Outdoor issues response to MNC Capital - The company states: "MNC Capital misled investors today by claiming that it needs Vista Outdoor's approval in order to make a tender offer. We want to set the record straight -- MNC is not subject to any restrictions from Vista Outdoor that would require Vista Outdoor to consent to MNC making an unsolicited tender offer. For the avoidance of doubt, the Vista Outdoor Board has already rejected MNC's proposal. Vista Outdoor does not support MNC's proposal and firmly believes that the transaction with Czechoslovak Group a.s. is superior. Vista Outdoor continues to strongly recommend the CSG transaction, which can close in early August after receipt of Vista Outdoor stockholder approval at the July 30 special meeting."

18:50 EDT Domino's Pizza CEO: 40%-50% of growth coming from China, India - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, Russell Weiner said the company's value has never been better. "We price our products for profit with our franchisees." He noted that new product offerings, such as New York style pizza, are resonating with customers.

18:23 EDT TNT Sports confirms matching NBA rights bid - TNT Sports, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), released the following statement: "We're proud of how we have delivered for basketball fans by providing best-in-class coverage throughout our four-decade partnership with the NBA. In an effort to continue our long-standing partnership, during both exclusive and non-exclusive negotiation periods, we acted in good faith to present strong bids that were fair to both parties. Regrettably, the league notified us of its intention to accept other offers for the games in our current rights package, leaving us to proceed under the matching rights provision, which is an integral part of our current agreement and the rights we have paid for under it. We have reviewed the offers and matched one of them. This will allow fans to keep enjoying our unparalleled coverage, including the best live game productions in the industry and our iconic studio shows and talent, while building on our proven 40-year commitment for many more years. Our matching paperwork was submitted to the league today. We look forward to the NBA executing our new contract." The Fly notes that Bloomberg reported earlier that the Warner Bros. offer was to match Amazon's (AMZN) bid for NBA TV rights. Reference Link

17:36 EDT Siemens awarded $107.45M Navy contract modification - Siemens Government Technologies was awarded a not-to-exceed $107.45M firm-fixed-price modification to a previously awarded third party financed contract. This modification provides for an increase to the energy service performance contract for Naval Station Guantanamo Bay. Work will be performed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. This award brings the total cumulative face value of the contract to $936.28M. Work is expected to be completed in April 2043. No funds were obligated at time of award. The Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center is the contracting activity.

17:00 EDT CRH acquires Ary Corporation, terms not discloseed - CRH announced the acquisition of Ary Corporation, a leading provider of building materials solutions headquartered in Canon City, Colorado. This acquisition expands CRH's Americas Materials Solutions business in the state of Colorado, enhancing its ability to provide integrated solutions to customers in Colorado and surrounding states. Ary Corporation complements CRH's Americas Materials Solutions business in the western U.S., expanding its aggregate reserves position with the addition of more than 25 sand and gravel locations. Additionally, Ary brings five fixed asphalt plants and two portable asphalt plants, nine ready mixed concrete plants, as well as paving and construction services. "We are delighted to welcome all Ary Corporation employees to the CRH family," said Scott Parson, President, Americas Materials Solutions, CRH. "The acquisition expands our existing footprint in Colorado and presents CRH with attractive opportunities for development and growth. As North America's leading integrated supplier of aggregates, asphalt, ready mixed concrete and construction services, we look forward to serving customers in Colorado with our unique combination of building materials, products and solutions."

16:52 EDT Archrock to acquireTotal Operations and Production Services for $983M - Archrock (AROK) and Total Operations and Production Services, a leading provider of contract gas compression services for the Permian Basin and portfolio company of investment funds managed by affiliates of Apollo Global Management APO) announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Archrock will acquire TOPS, including approximately 580,000 horsepower of predominantly young electric motor drive compression assets, in a cash-and-stock transaction valued at $983M. Strategic and financial benefits include: enhances Archrock's position in contract compression in the U.S., with pro forma operating horsepower of approximately 4.1M and a pro forma enterprise value exceeding $6B; increases Archrock's Permian Basin compression capacity by 30% to approximately 2.2M operating horsepower, with the Company's assets in the Permian Basin representing approximately 52% of its total operating horsepower; increases Archrock's electric compression horsepower to approximately 648,000. Acquired assets are expected to generate approximately $136M of Q3 annualized adjusted EBITDA, exclusive of any anticipated synergies. Purchase price represents a transaction multiple of 7.3x Q3 annualized adjusted EBITDA. Under the terms of the agreement, Archrock will issue approximately 6.87M new Archrock common shares to the sellers. In addition, Archrock intends to fund the $826M cash portion of the total consideration with a combination of equity and debt, and with an approach consistent with the Company's stated target leverage ratio range of between 3.0 times and 3.5 times. Following close of the transaction, TOPS will continue to be led by Brian Green. Archrock is committed to maintaining a dedicated presence in Midland, Texas, and no changes to the TOPS organization, personnel or operations are planned. The transaction has been unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of Archrock and is expected to close by the end of 2024, subject to customary regulatory approvals and other closing conditions.

16:33 EDT Invitation Homes announces settlement of California Qui Tam dispute - Invitation Homes announced that it has reached an agreement to settle the legal dispute entitled City of San Diego et al v. Invitation Homes, Inc. The complaint in the dispute, also known as a qui tam action filed under the California False Claims Act, alleged that the Company's contractors failed to pull building permits on certain home improvements. The Company has maintained that the complaint was without merit since it was filed. However, the Company believes reaching this settlement is in the best interest of all its stakeholders and allows the Company to better focus on its core business operations. Upon final approval of the settlement agreement by the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of California, the Company will pay a total amount of $19,992,900 to completely resolve the dispute, thereby fully releasing the Company without any admission of liability.

16:32 EDT Versus Systems appoints Geoff Deller as interim CFO - Versus Systems announced the appointment of a new interim CFO. Effective immediately, Geoff Deller has been appointed as the new interim CFO of Versus Systems. Geoff Deller brings with him years of experience in finance and investment banking, as well as broad experience within technology companies, including social media, entertainment and SMS messaging. In addition, Geoff has held various executive and advisory positions, at privately owned companies in multiple industry sectors.

16:27 EDT Cobra enters into a settlement agreement with PREPA - Cobra Acquisition, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mammoth Energy Services, announced that it has entered into a release and settlement agreement with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, or PREPA, and the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico, in its capacity as Title III representative for PREPA, or FOMB, to settle all outstanding matters between Cobra and PREPA. Arty Straehla, CEO, commented, "We are pleased to have reached this resolution with PREPA and look forward to receiving the money for work we concluded over five years ago. We plan to use a portion of the $188.4M in settlement proceeds to pay off our term credit facility, which had a balance of approximately $49.3M as of June 30. The remaining amount of approximately $139.1M will be cash on our balance sheet to be used to invest back into our business and for general corporate purposes." Under the terms of the Settlement Agreement, Cobra will have an allowed administrative expense claim against PREPA of $170.0M, plus the $18.4M in the Withheld FEMA Funds. Cobra's allowed claim will be paid through three installments: $150.0M on the later of ten business days following approval of the Settlement Agreement by the Title III Court and, August; $20.0M within seven days following the effective date of PREPA's plan of adjustment; and $18.4M in the Withheld FEMA Funds within either ten business days after the deadline for appealing the entry of the settlement order by the Title III Court under the applicable bankruptcy rules of procedure if no such appeal is filed, or if the provisions of the settlement order allowing PREPA to release the Withheld FEMA Funds to Cobra without retaining any liability to the Specified Municipalities are appealed by the Specified Municipalities, within ten business days of the filing of the notice of such appeal. The Settlement Agreement was approved by the Company's Board of Directors on July 22, and was also approved by the PREPA Board and by the FOMB. As a result of the Settlement Agreement, the Company will record a non-cash, pre-tax charge of approximately $170.7M in the Q2 to reduce its accounts receivable balance from PREPA to the amount expected to be received from the Settlement Agreement.

16:19 EDT Medpace down 3% at $420 after Q2 results, guidance update

16:17 EDT Capital Bancorp boosts dividend by 25% to 10c per share - The Company also declared a cash dividend on its common stock of 10c per share. The dividend is payable on August 21 to shareholders of record on August 5. The dividend declared of 10c is 2c, or 25% higher than the prior quarter dividend reflecting the strength of earnings and capital position. The Company has increased its dividend each year since it first started paying dividends in 2021. "All of our businesses continued to make progress in the second quarter with sustained loan and deposit growth, increased credit card accounts and revenue growth, mortgage banking income growth, and continued credit stability," said Ed Barry, Chief Executive Officer of the Company and the Bank. "These positive trends drove stable deposit costs, record net interest income, and increased net interest margin. We were also pleased to receive approval for our pending acquisition of Integrated Financial Holdings, Inc. from the Federal Reserve and we continue to work towards obtaining all approvals and closing requirements. IFHI's expertise in niche C&I lending will further diversify our lending and fee generating capabilities while enhancing shareholder value."

16:14 EDT Azenta announceds participation in the FinnGen project - Azenta announced its participation in the FinnGen project, a large-scale research initiative at the forefront of personalized medicine in Finland. The FinnGen project is a pioneering endeavor that has collected and is currently analyzing genomic and health data from a cohort of 500,000 Finnish biobank participants. In collaboration with the University of Helsinki, the organization leading the FinnGen study, Azenta will provide comprehensive proteomics profiling on up to 20,000 individuals, underscoring Azenta's commitment to advancing healthcare innovation and personalized treatments. Azenta will use Olink's advanced proteomics technology, based on the proprietary Proximity Extension Assay, to provide high-quality protein-level measurements across all major biological pathways.

16:12 EDT UPS to acquire Estafeta, Mexican express delivery company - The company states: "UPS announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Estafeta, a leading Mexican express delivery company. This acquisition is a key part of UPS's 'Better and Bolder' strategy, aimed at becoming the world's premium international small package and logistics provider. The acquisition is targeted to close by the end of this year, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. The value and terms of the transaction are not being disclosed at this time."

16:08 EDT SAP reports cloud backlog of EUR 14.8B, up 28%, at nominal and CC - Cloud revenue up 25%, underpinned by 33% Cloud ERP Suite revenue growth, all at nominal and constant currencies. IFRS cloud gross profit up 29%, non-IFRS cloud gross profit up 28% and up 29% at constant currencies.

16:06 EDT Calix falls 12% to $33.00 following Q2 reslts, Q3 outlook

16:05 EDT TortoiseEcofin Acquisition Corp III trading halted, news pending

15:57 EDT DraftKings sells VSiN to Musburger Media, terms undisclosed - Musburger Media announced it has purchased VSiN sports betting network, The Sports Betting Network from DraftKings. Original VSiN founders Brian Musburger and Bill Adee, who were part of the team that previously launched and led the multi-platform broadcast and content company, will lead it moving forward. VSiN will continue to deliver the news, analysis, and insights. With the strategy and team already in place, the sports betting network will focus immediately on expanding partnerships and distribution.

15:28 EDT Warner Bros. acquires MultiVersus developer Player First Games, no terms - Warner Bros. Games (WBD) announces the acquisition of Player First Games, the developer of their recently launched MultiVersus free-to-play platform fighter videogame. Player First Games will continue to operate under the leadership of co-founders Tony Huynh and Chris White. Huynh, Head of Player First Games, and White, Head of Technology, Player First Games, will report to Carlos Barbosa, Vice President and Studio Head of Warner Bros. Games San Diego. "We have worked with Player First Games over several years to create and launch MultiVersus, and we are very pleased to welcome this talented team to Warner Bros. Games," said David Haddad, President, Warner Bros. Games. "Our team is excited to join the Warner Bros. Games family, and we feel that this will be great for MultiVersus overall," Huynh said. "We are working to make the MultiVersus game experience the best it can be and having our development team integrated with the publisher is optimum for the players." MultiVersus is available now as a free download for PlayStation 5 PS5 and PlayStation 4 consoles (SONY), Xbox Series X S, Xbox One consoles (MSFT), and PC.

15:11 EDT Google's Privacy Sandbox proposes updated privacy approach for the web - In a blog post, Google's (GOOGL) Privacy Sandbox said it is proposing an updated approach to privacy on the web "that elevates user choice." "We developed the Privacy Sandbox with the goal of finding innovative solutions that meaningfully improve online privacy while preserving an ad-supported internet that supports a vibrant ecosystem of publishers, connects businesses with customers, and offers all of us free access to a wide range of content," the company said. "Throughout this process, we've received feedback from a wide variety of stakeholders, including regulators like the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), publishers, web developers and standards groups, civil society, and participants in the advertising industry. This feedback has helped us craft solutions that aim to support a competitive and thriving marketplace that works for publishers and advertisers, and encourage the adoption of privacy-enhancing technologies... Instead of deprecating third-party cookies, we would introduce a new experience in Chrome that lets people make an informed choice that applies across their web browsing, and they'd be able to adjust that choice at any time. We're discussing this new path with regulators, and will engage with the industry as we roll this out." Publicly traded companies in marketing tech include Trade Desk (TTD), Criteo (CRTO), Meta (META), Amazon (AMZN), and Adobe (ADBE). Reference Link

14:47 EDT Delta Air Lines says working 24/7 to restore operation after Crowdstrike outage - Delta Air Lines (DAL) said that Delta people worked Monday to get the airline's complex global operation back on track after cybersecurity vendor Crowdstrike's (CRWD) faulty Microsoft's (MSFT) Windows update rendered IT systems of companies across the globe inoperable. "We've got everyone around the company working around the clock to get this operation where it needs to be," Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in a video message to employees on Monday. Upward of half of Delta's IT systems worldwide are Windows based. The Crowdstrike error required Delta's IT teams to manually repair and reboot each of the affected systems, with additional time then needed for applications to synchronize and start communicating with each other. "Across the operation, Delta teams are working tirelessly to care for customers impacted by delays and cancellations as the airline works to put flight crews and aircraft back in position following the disruption," the company added. Delta extended a travel waiver for all customers with travel booked from July 19-23. Reference Link

14:31 EDT Premier CFO McKasson sells 30,000 class A shares - In a regulatory filing, Premier CAO and CFO Craig McKasson disclosed the sale of 30,000 class A common shares of the company on July 18 at a price of $20 per share.

14:19 EDT Spirit AeroSystems suspends earnings conference calls in light of Boeing merger - Spirit AeroSystems (SPR) announced it will release its second quarter 2024 financial results after the close of the market on Monday, August 5. "In light of the recent announcement of the merger agreement with The Boeing Company, Spirit has suspended quarterly earnings conference calls," the company stated.

14:16 EDT Workers at Microsoft's Bethesda Game Studios form wall-to-wall union - Workers at Bethesda Game Studios have joined the Communications Workers of America, forming the first wall-to-wall union at a Microsoft video game studio, according to a statement from the Campaign to Organize Digital Employees released late Friday. The workers, consisting of 241 developers including artists, engineers, programmers and designers have either signed a union authorization card or indicated that they wanted union representation via an online portal. Microsoft has recognized the union. Bethesda Game Studios produces popular games including Elder Scrolls, Fallout and Starfield. "We are so excited to announce our union at Bethesda Game Studio and join the movement sweeping across the video game industry. It is clear that every worker can benefit from bringing democracy into the workplace and securing a protected voice on the job. We're thrilled to get down to brass tacks and win a fair contract, proving that our unity is a source of real power to positively shape our working conditions, our lives, and the company as a whole,"said Mandi Parker, Senior System Designer and member of CWA. The Bethesda Game Studios workers join a surge of workers who have recently formed unions in the video game industry, which had previously been seen as hostile to worker organizing. They will be members of CWA Locals 2108 in Maryland and 6215 in Texas and join other CWA members at SEGA of America, Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax and Tender Claws. Reference Link

13:53 EDT Wisk Aero, Skyports Infrastructure expand partnership - Boeing's Wisk Aero and Skyports Infrastructure are expanding their partnership to identify an Entry-into-Service network for Wisk's autonomous Generation 6 aircraft in the South East Queensland region of Australia. The latest agreement builds on an existing partnership between Wisk and Skyports announced in 2022, which marked the first collaboration between a vertiport developer-operator and an autonomous eVTOL developer. The new partnership furthers Wisk's work with the Council of Mayors, which began in 2022 to work together to introduce safe, sustainable, and scalable, autonomous air taxi service to South East Queensland. As part of the new agreement, Wisk and Skyports will collaborate to determine locations for a viable vertiport network for SEQ. Reference Link

13:50 EDT Unusual Machines Inc trading resumes

12:36 EDT British Airways orders first GEnx engines for new 787 Dreamliners - GE Aerospace (GE) announced that International Airlines Group (ICAGY) has committed to purchasing GEnx engines to power six new 787 Dreamliners for British Airways - the first introduction of this engine into their fleet. "British Airways was the launch customer for the highly successful GE90 engine. Bringing the GEnx into their 787 fleet represents another important milestone in our relationship," said Russell Stokes, President and CEO, Commercial Engines and Services, GE Aerospace. British Airways currently operates aircraft powered by GE Aerospace's GE90, CF34 and LEAP engines.

12:03 EDT Golden Sun Health Technology Group Ltd trading halted, volatility trading pause

12:00 EDT Sasol rises 10.1% - Sasol is up 10.1%, or 73c to $8.04.

12:00 EDT Annovis Bio falls -8.0% - Annovis Bio is down -8.0%, or -91c to $10.42.

12:00 EDT Hawaiian Electric falls -20.0% - Hawaiian Electric is down -20.0%, or -$3.50 to $14.01.

11:52 EDT Hive Digital plans to build 100 MW hydroelectric data center in Paraguay - HIVE Digital Technologies announced its plans for constructing a 100 megawatt digital asset mining operation in Paraguay. After touring the country and meeting with President Santiago Pena and his senior cabinet ministers, HIVE endorses his vision for a business-friendly Paraguay. Stability in government fiscal policies, such as energy pricing and taxation, will be a key factor in our future expansion considerations relating to continued growth in Paraguay. Infrastructure projects such as data centers require significant foreign direct investment and a large scale project, such as a 100 MW data center, is expected to generate over $100M of stable U.S. dollar revenue for the Government's utility company over the next three years. Frank Holmes, HIVE's Executive Chairman stated: "We are thrilled to announce our plan for a 100 MW project in Paraguay, utilizing green and clean energy sourced from the Itaipu hydroelectric dam. This potential opportunity is expected to add up to an additional 6.5 Exahash per second to our Bitcoin mining operations, increasing our global EH/s to 12.1 EH/s. This represents a significant milestone in our diversified growth strategy and supports our commitment to expanding our global footprint with data center operations in Canada, Sweden, Iceland and now Paraguay. We are confident that this venture can deliver healthy returns and drive long-term value, fostering economic growth and innovation in the region." Reference Link

11:42 EDT Mattel continues higher after buyout interest report, up 16% after resumption

11:33 EDT Mattel jumps 5%, halted after Reuters report of takeover interest

10:57 EDT Lifeway Foods shareholders demand resignations of CEO, certain directors - Ludmila and Edward Smolyansky, who beneficially own approximately 29% of the outstanding common stock of Lifeway Foods, announced their demand that the Company's CEO, Julie Smolyansky, and certain of the Company's other directors, resign from their positions. The Smolyanskys believe these actions are necessary to avoid further underperformance and mismanagement of Company assets, and that new leadership can deliver swift and significant changes to shareholders. The Smolyanskys' previous campaign, which began in February 2022, called for replacing the Company's CEO and commencing an exploration of the Company's strategic alternatives. Lifeway's shares rose approximately 50% following that disclosure. The Smolyanskys subsequently agreed to terminate their campaign in exchange for a commitment by the Company to, among other things, engage a nationally recognized financial advisor to assist it with the exploration of strategic alternatives. Edward Smolyansky stated, "Lifeway did not make a good faith effort to honor its obligations under our settlement agreement, and by February 2023 it was apparent that it had breached the agreement. In light of the board's failures, we believe that even significant changes are needed, and are calling for resignations of each of the board's directors, other than Juan Carlos Dalto, who we believe is the only qualified independent director."

10:02 EDT Benson Hill falls -8.7% - Benson Hill is down -8.7%, or -59c to $6.17.

10:01 EDT Hawaiian Electric falls -13.0% - Hawaiian Electric is down -13.0%, or -$2.28 to $15.23.

10:01 EDT SentinelOne rises 8.7% - SentinelOne is up 8.7%, or $1.90 to $23.62.

09:58 EDT Air Products announces resignation of COO Samir Serhan - Air Products disclosed earlier that on July 18, Dr. Samir Serhan resigned as its Chief Operating Officer, effective immediately. Serhan is expected to remain with the company until September 30.

09:47 EDT Sasol rises 8.2% - Sasol is up 8.2%, or 60c to $7.91.

09:47 EDT Hawaiian Electric falls -4.1% - Hawaiian Electric is down -4.1%, or -71c to $16.80.

09:47 EDT Hippo falls -5.3% - Hippo is down -5.3%, or -$1.02 to $18.29.

09:29 EDT Verizon says focus on cash flow 'extremely important' - Says "very comfortable" with revenue, EBITDA guidance for FY24. "Feels good" about cost actions driving EBITDA. Sees sequential growth in service revenue in 2H24. Says capital allocation priorities "remain unchanged." Says will "consider buybacks" at a leverage of 2.25x. Expects to pay down debt in 2H24.

09:26 EDT AREX urges fellow stockholders to support 'meaningful change' at Enhabit - AREX Capital Management the beneficial owner of approximately 4.9% of the outstanding common shares of Enhabit, issued an open letter to its fellow stockholders asking them to address the deficiencies of Enhabit's current board of directors by electing the full AREX slate, which AREX believes will support the creation of long-term value for all stockholders. The AREX Letter, in-part, to Enhabit Stockholders. AREX encourages stockholders to vote for all seven of its highly qualified nominees on the WHITE Proxy Card at the upcoming 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders on July 25. AREX believes this will ensure that Enhabit has a board of directors with the right experience and skills to effectively oversee management and help them drive operational improvements that can lead to significant value creation for stockholders. Stockholders are encouraged to visit www.rehabEHAB.com for additional information and to download the presentation detailing the AREX Slate's comprehensive plan to turn around Enhabit's operational performance: Rehabilitate Enhabit.

09:21 EDT Occidental in talks about Ecopetrol investing in CrownRock assets - In a regulatory filing on Friday, Occidental Petroleum (OXY) disclosed that Occidental and Ecopetrol (EC) are engaged in discussions regarding a structure for Ecopetrol's potential acquisition of an undivided thirty percent interest in the CrownRock assets. If consummated, Occidental expects the Ecopetrol Transaction purchase price to be approximately $3.6B, which equates to approximately thirty percent of the aggregate consideration to be paid by Occidental in connection with the acquisition of CrownRock, subject to customary purchase price adjustments based on a January 1, 2024 effective date. "If a definitive agreement is entered into, Occidental expects it will be subject to the satisfaction or waiver of customary closing conditions, including, among other things, the expiration of the waiting period under the HSR Act, the receipt of approval from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and the closing of the Acquisition. However, there can be no certainty that Occidental and Ecopetrol will enter into a definitive agreement with respect to the Ecopetrol Transaction, about the timing, terms or conditions of any such definitive agreement or, if any such agreement is entered into, that the Ecopetrol Transaction would be completed. If Occidental and Ecopetrol are unable to reach agreement regarding the structure of the Ecopetrol Transaction and the joint ownership, development and operation of the CrownRock assets related to such Ecopetrol Transaction in August 2024, then Ecopetrol will have an option to elect for the Rodeo Midland Basin Joint Venture to acquire the CrownRock assets, resulting in an indirect ownership by Ecopetrol of an undivided forty-nine percent interest in the CrownRock assets. This option expires in August 2024, and there is no assurance that Ecopetrol can or would exercise such an option. Occidental expects to use any proceeds from the Ecopetrol Transaction to pay down a portion of its term loans," the filing stated. Reference Link

09:19 EDT Thumzup to represent Wines That Rock at San Diego Comic-Con - Thumzup Media will represent Wines That Rock in the sales of their Star Trek Wines at the highly anticipated San Diego Comic-Con, taking place from July 25 to July 28, 2024. This collaboration is designed to honor the iconic Star Trek legacy and offer fans a unique opportunity to experience specially curated wine collections inspired by the cherished franchise .Attendees of San Diego Comic-Con will have the chance to order the exclusive wines at the Thumzup booth, located across from the convention center, adjacent to the Star Trek Wines display area. In addition, Thumzup will offer attendees the chance to earn exclusive rewards by sharing their experiences with the Star Trek Wines samples on social media via the Thumzup app. This unique opportunity allows fans to engage further with the wines and the community, enhancing their Comic-Con experience.

09:17 EDT MidCap Financial completes mergers with Apollo Senior Floating, Tactical Income - MidCap Financial Investment (MFIC) has completed its previously announced mergers with Apollo Senior Floating Rate Fund (AFT) and Apollo Tactical Income Fund (AIF). The combined company will operate as MidCap Financial Investment Corporation and will continue to trade on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol "MFIC." In connection with the closing of the mergers, former AFT stockholders will receive 0.9547 shares of MFIC common stock for each share of AFT common stock they held prior to the closing based on the final exchange ratio, subject to adjustments for cash payable in lieu of fractional shares. In addition, former AIF stockholders will receive 0.9441 shares of MFIC common stock for each share of AIF common stock they held prior to the closing based on the final exchange ratio, subject to adjustments for cash payable in lieu of fractional shares. The final exchange ratios were based on MFIC's net asset value per share of $15.43, AFT's NAV per share of $14.73, and AIF's NAV per share of $14.57, each calculated as of July 19, 2024. As of June 30, 2024, MFIC's NAV per share was $15.38, AFT's NAV per share was $14.89, and AIF's NAV per share was $14.77. MFIC's NAV per share as of June 30, 2024 reflects net investment income of $0.45 per share for the June quarter and certain adjustments to the fair value of its investment portfolio. The change in MFIC's NAV per share between June 30, 2024 and July 19, 2024 was primarily the result of the accrual of net income. The change in the CEFs' NAVs per share between June 30, 2024 and July 19, 2024 was primarily the result of the accrual of net income and the pre-merger distributions that were declared and paid to their respective stockholders. As a result of the mergers, legacy MFIC stockholders, former AFT stockholders, and former AIF stockholders own approximately 69.6%, 15.8%, and 14.6%, respectively, of the combined company. Each merger is expected to qualify as a tax-free reorganization for federal tax purposes.

09:12 EDT Kingstone sees 2024 Core business direct written premium growth of 21%-30% - CEO Meryl Golden said, in part, "As we enter the second half of the year, I want to update you on our progress and alert you to material changes in the competitive landscape of the New York property market which represents a previously unforeseen and highly significant opportunity for our company to grow and prosper. Our strategy to focus on our Core state of New York is well understood. To again deliver Kingstone's historic level of profitability required us to: Price right; Properly match rate to risk; Insure all properties at their current replacement cost; Follow effective risk management protocols; and Operate at a highly efficient expense structure. These strategies are all in place and are being reflected in our financial results. We will soon be reporting our third consecutive quarter of profitability in our incredible turn-around journey...I believe the current market changes present us with the greatest profitable growth opportunity that Kingstone has ever experienced! We have the strongest management team in our history. We have built long-term relationships with our extensive group of producers. We have a highly segmented and proven product that effectively matches rate to risk. With confidence in our operations, this incredible growth opportunity could not have come at a better time. I will continue to keep you appraised of this development as accelerating new business comes our way. While it is impossible to gauge the size of this opportunity for Kingstone right now, I can share that every incremental $10 million in new PL premium written translates into approximately $0.10 of additional earnings per share as we earn the premium, and even higher earnings as the business renews. Core direct written premium growth in the first half of the year was 17.1%. Clearly, our growth rate for the rest of this year will far exceed what we had previously shared. It's possible that we could grow at more than two times that pace in the second half of the year. Typically, our new business represents only 20% of total premium. However, we have already seen a surge in PL new business quoting new business policies and new business premium this month versus the prior year month, and it will likely increase. As such, we are increasing our guidance for 2024 Core business direct written premium growth to a range of 21% to 30%, up from 16% to 20% that was previously communicated."

09:09 EDT Agilent to acquire Biovectra for $925M, sees dilution - Agilent announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Biovectra, a specialized contract development and manufacturing organization, for $925M. Based in Canada, Biovectra produces biologics, highly potent active pharmaceutical ingredients, and other molecules for targeted therapeutics. Biovectra supports early-stage clinical development to large-scale commercial manufacturing. The company currently serves biotech and pharmaceutical companies in North America and Europe. Biovectra delivered $113M in revenue during 2023 and expects double-digit revenue growth in 2024. Agilent expects that the acquisition will be 5c dilutive to non-GAAP EPS in the first full year after closing. Agilent will fund the transaction using a mix of cash on hand and debt financing. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals, and is expected to close before 2025. Upon close, Biovectra will become part of the Agilent Diagnostics and Genomics Group.

09:08 EDT EQT Corporation completes Acquisition of Equitrans Midstream - EQT Corporation (EQT) has closed its acquisition of Equitrans Midstream (ETRN). The merger of EQT and Equitrans creates America's only large-scale, vertically integrated natural gas business. The combined company is projected to have an unlevered NYMEX free cash flow breakeven price of approximately $2.00 per MMBtu. EQT has identified more than $425M of annual synergies associated with the combination. In conjunction with the closing, three former Equitrans directors, Vicky Bailey, Thomas Karam, and Robert Vagt, have joined the EQT Board of Directors, effective immediately.

09:05 EDT Syla Technologies, Broad Enterprise form business alliance - SYLA Technologies announced that it has entered into a business alliance with Broad Enterprise for sales cooperation, including service collaboration and mutual referral of prospective clients.

09:04 EDT Aligos Therapeutics announces collaboration with Xiamen Amoytop Biotech - Aligos Therapeutics announced that it has entered into a clinical trial collaboration agreement with Xiamen Amoytop Biotech. Under the terms of the agreement, Amoytop will sponsor and perform a Phase 1b exploratory clinical study evaluating the efficacy and safety of ALG-000184 in combination with PEGBING in chronic hepatitis B patients in China. The clinical study is expected to begin after approval by the National Medical Products Administration in China. "We are pleased to build on our existing relationship with Amoytop, as they have proven to be a valuable partner," stated Lawrence Blatt, Ph.D., MBA, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer at Aligos Therapeutics. "We look forward to initiating this exploratory study to evaluate the combination of ALG-000184 with PEGBING, one of the approved drugs for CHB patients in China, to assess the potential benefits of a combinatory approach."

09:03 EDT Actelis Networks receives over $150,000 in new military orders - Actelis Networks announced that it has received new orders of over $150,000 for a tier-1 military contractor for its latest cyber-hardened networking solution, the GigaLine 800, which will be deployed on U.S. military bases. This order marks the first major deployment of the GL800, underscoring Actelis' momentum in the military sector following its certification by the National Institute of Standards and Technology for FIPS standard, the Joint Interoperability Test Command, and placement on the U.S. Department of Defense's Approved Products List. "This order for a significant military contractor is a testament to Actelis' growth and ambition in the IoT sector. Our innovative solutions continue to gain traction, and this latest deployment of the GL800 highlights our ability to meet the critical needs of modern military infrastructure with rapid deployment capabilities," said Tuvia Barlev, Chairman and CEO of Actelis. "As we expand our footprint in the IoT market, we are committed to delivering cutting-edge, secure, and quickly deployable solutions that drive growth and ensure the highest levels of network performance and security for our clients."

08:49 EDT Boeing and Lufthansa Technik sign license agreement for 787 cabin modifications - Boeing and Lufthansa Technik signed an agreement to designate Lufthansa Technik as the first Boeing-licensed Service Center for cabin modifications on 787 Dreamliner airplanes. As a BLSC, Lufthansa Technik is licensed to perform interior modifications on the 787 as an external MRO - maintenance, repair and overhaul - service provider. Operators, lessors and other companies with 787 cabin modification needs will now have the choice to work with Lufthansa Technik. The two parties will continue to make the necessary preparations to enable Lufthansa Technik to start its first 787 cabin modification project in 2025.

08:46 EDT Western Uranium & Vanadium provides company update - Michael Skutezky was recently elected as a new director at the Company's Annual General and Special Meeting of Shareholders. In light of the significant improvements in uranium markets over the past year, the development of Western's mining operations, and substantial advancements in our projects, the Company also sought to enhance its governance. To achieve this, the company expanded the board of directors, adding an independent director with a complementary skill set and extensive expertise in the uranium industry. Previously, Skutezky served as Assistant General Counsel of the Royal Bank, where he specialized in international and Canadian project financing. Following his election as a director, Michael has been granted 100,000 stock options to purchase common shares under the Company's Incentive Stock Option Plan. The Options were granted on July 14, 2024, and with the exercise price being set at C$2.00 based on the closing prices on both the last trading day and the prior trading day, and the pricing of units offered in the most recent private placement conducted by Western. Each option is exercisable to acquire one common share for a five-year term starting with the vesting date. The Options vest equally in two installments: July 31, 2024 and January 31, 2025. Sunday Mine Complex Mining Operations: The mining teams are currently advancing the approximately 2,700-foot drift toward the Leonard & Clark deposit. To date, a total of 454 feet has been developed, including 362 feet of ramp footage. During the second quarter, the underground horizontal drilling program has achieved 12,339 linear feet of drilling. San Rafael Uranium Project: The San Rafael Uranium Project, located in Emery County, Utah, is being developed as the Company's second production facility. Western has submitted a Notice of Intent to the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and anticipates approval for this mineral and groundwater exploration project within approximately 30 days. The phase 1 drilling program is set to begin in 2024, following the completion of repairs to access roads. Initially, groundwater monitoring wells will be installed at five drilling locations, reaching depths of approximately 1,000 feet. During the borehole completion process, mineralization will also be assessed and confirmed against historical drill data. This project will provide the baseline data needed for permitting application submission.

08:44 EDT Nuburu revises implementation of 1-for-40 reverse stock split to July 23 - Nuburu announced a revised date for the implementation of a 1-for-40 reverse stock split . The new record date for the Reverse Split is July 23. "This Reverse Split is part of our overall strategic efforts to pursue resuming trading on NYSE and attract larger investors who may not otherwise invest in low-price stock," said Brian Knaley, CEO of NUBURU, Inc. The Reverse Split is expected to become effective on July 23, 2024 after the close of market. The Common Stock should begin trading on a split-adjusted basis at the commencement of trading on July 24 , under the Company's existing trading symbol "BURU." The Common Stock will be assigned a new CUSIP number, 67021W301, in connection with the Reverse Split. The Company cannot provide assurance that its trading price will increase as anticipated, or if such increase does occur, that it will be sustained, or that such increase will result in the Company resuming trading on NYSE American.

08:39 EDT Motorcar Parts expands rotating electrical, brake-related, wheelhub coverage - Motorcar Parts of America announced the company has expanded product coverage for its starter and alternator, brake caliper, brake pad, power brake booster, brake rotor, and wheel hub programs, with more than 150 new part numbers covering an additional 49M vehicles in operation. The new part numbers are offered through QB, Quality-Built and Quality-Built Black Series, Pure Energy brands powered by MPA, which serve the professional installer market. A select list of late model part number introductions is available via the link below. A complete list is available by contacting a Motorcar Parts of America sales representative. New Part Number Release July 2024 "Our Quality-Built and Pure Energy products continue to gain traction in the professional market and the new part number introductions highlight our ongoing commitment to proactively develop, catalog, and distribute products to meet the demand," said Jamie Cook, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Motorcar Parts of America.

08:38 EDT Connexa Sports Technologies regains full Nasdaq compliance - Connexa Sports Technologies announces receipt of Nasdaq confirmation that the Hearing Panel, convened for July 24, 2024, to review Connexa's bid price compliance has been canceled and the delisting determination withdrawn. Following the June 27, 2024 reverse split of its common stock and subsequent 10-day bid price remaining above $1, Connexa has now regained full Nasdaq compliance. "As already made public and approved by Connexa shareholders, the company is in the process of effecting a change in control, which will result in Yuanyu Enterprise Management becoming a subsidiary and Slinger Bag becoming a private company. As Connexa is now in full compliance with Nasdaq, we expect that the YYEM transaction can proceed to a close, subject to Nasdaq's listing approval of the incoming YYEM entity," commented Mike Ballardie, Connexa CEO.

08:37 EDT Atossa Therapeutics completes enrollment of 80mg PK run-in cohort - Atossa Therapeutics announced that the 12-patient 80mg pharmacokinetic, PK, run-in cohort of the Phase 2 EVANGELINE study has fully enrolled. EVANGELINE is a randomized non-inferiority trial of Atossa's patented Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator, SERM, (Z)-endoxifen, and exemestane plus goserelin as a neoadjuvant treatment for pre-menopausal women with Grade 1 or 2 Estrogen Receptor positive / Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 negative breast cancer. Atossa is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative medicines in areas of significant unmet medical need in oncology with a focus on breast cancer. The 80mg PK run-in cohort consists of 12 pre-menopausal women, all of whom will be treated with (Z)-endoxifen at 80mg/day for four weeks. After four weeks of treatment, participants with Ki-67 levels below 10% will continue on study drug for five additional months, followed by surgery. Ki-67 is a cellular marker for proliferation that indicates how fast the tumor is growing. Once the optimal dose of (Z)-endoxifen is determined, the treatment cohort will commence. The study is expected to enroll approximately 175 patients at up to 25 sites across the United States.

08:36 EDT Desktop Metal announces sale of 1st PureSinter Furnace to AmPd Labs - Desktop Metal announced that Houston-based AmPd Labs has placed an order for the all-new PureSinter Furnace - a high-purity vacuum furnace that delivers premium debited-and-sinter performance at an affordable price. A Desktop Metal customer since 2021, AmPd Labs offers a range of AM services across the entire product lifecycle - from design and prototyping to full-scale production. In addition to Desktop Metal's laser-free binder jetting technology, AmPd Labs also offers DLP, SLS, and traditional manufacturing technologies for metal and polymer part production. "We are thrilled to add the Pure Sinter Furnace to our fleet of Desktop Metal equipment," said Sean Harkins, COO & Co-Founder of AmPd Labs. "Pure Sinter is a technological game changer that will enable us to rapidly meet high-volume customer production demands." PureSinter is compatible with powder metal parts 3D printed with Additive Manufacturing, such as Bound Metal Deposition and Binder Jetting processes, as well as traditional Metal Injection Molding (MIM) or Press and Sinter manufacturing methods.

08:35 EDT Exela Technologies, AIDEO Technologies enter strategic alliance - Exela Technologies announces a strategic alliance with AIDEO Technologies. This collaboration is poised to revolutionize the medical billing landscape by enhancing efficiency and accuracy across the board. Exela's strategic initiative incorporates generative AI across its products and services, complementing other AI-driven efforts. PCH Global, Exela's industry leading Healthcare platform, continues to expand its capabilities and grow its customer base by providing solutions for providers and payers. This strategic partnership will further enhance value proposition for PCH Global customers by providing feature-rich, leading-edge solutions.

08:34 EDT HeartCore Enterprises board authorizes 2c dividend payment - HeartCore Enterprises has authorized its second dividend payment in the amount of $0.02 per share of common stock, resulting in an aggregate of $417,283 in total dividends to be paid by the Company. After evaluating the Company's balance sheet and financial profile, HeartCore and its Board of Directors deemed it was in the best interest of the Company and its stockholders to declare and authorize a dividend on the common stock. The record date for holders of the common stock to participate in the dividend is August 19, 2024, and the payment date will be August 26, 2024. HeartCore may continue to issue quarterly dividends going forward, contingent upon the Board approval following review of the Company's then-current financial results. Future dividends, if any, may be less than, equal to or greater than the current dividend.

08:34 EDT Farmmi expands North America operations with lease of center managed by Ryder - Farmmi's (FAMI) subsidiary Farmmi USA has signed a sublease agreement and acquired the right to use a large distribution and storage center in the U.S. to expand its global business. Farmmi USA has the right to use the leased premises of the storage center located in Los Angeles area, California, managed by Ryder Truck Rental, a subsidiary of Ryder System (R). The facility spans a total area of 636,000 square feet, with warehouse space covering 315,000 square feet.

08:32 EDT Hookipa Pharma appoints Peters as CEO, Coelho as EVP, CFO - HOOKIPA Pharma announced the appointment of Directors Dr. Malte Peters as Chief Executive Officer and Terry Coelho as Executive Vice President, EVP, and Chief Financial Officer, CFO, effective July 22, 2024. They will both retain their positions on the Board of Director. They succeed Jorn Aldag and Reinhard Kandera as CEO and CFO, respectively, who will be leaving the Company and stepping down from the Board. Dr. Peters and Coelho, in close collaboration with the Board, will lead a review of HOOKIPA's business strategy and operations to determine the best path to realize the full potential of HB-200 and create shareholder value. The review process will not impact HOOKIPA's operations or clinical trials.

08:32 EDT Ross Stores opens 24 new locations in 17 states in June and July - Ross Stores recently opened 21 Ross Dress for Less and three dd's Discounts stores across 17 different states in June and July. These new locations are part of the company's plans to add approximately 90 new stores, comprised of about 75 Ross and 15 dd's Discounts locations, during FY24. Together, Ross Dress for Less and dd's Discounts currently operate a total of 2,148 locations in 43 states, D.C., and Guam.

08:21 EDT Nextech3D.AI's 3D assets fully compatible with Google Merchant Center - Nextech3D.AI shares that the 3D assets and the 2D Photo rendering solutions in Nextech3d.ai 3D platform are now fully compatible with with Google Merchant Center. This compatibility allows businesses to leverage Nextech3d.ai's high-quality 3D models to enhance their product listings and create immersive shopping experiences for their customers.

08:19 EDT Accenture to acquire Camelot Management Consultants, terms undisclosed - Accenture has agreed to acquire Camelot Management Consultants, an international SAP-focused management and technology consulting firm from Germany, with specific strengths in supply chain, data and analytics. The acquisition will enhance Accenture's SAP and AI-driven supply chain capabilities. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Completion of the acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals.

08:17 EDT Mira Pharmaceuticals announces preclinical results for Ketamir-2 - MIRA Pharmaceuticals announced new preclinical study results for its novel oral ketamine analog, Ketamir-2. The additional data announced continues a string of preclinical results announced by MIRA in recent months for Ketamir-2 as MIRA works towards its goal of submitting an Investigational New Drug application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration by the end of this year which, if granted, would allow for human testing of Ketamir-2. Ketamir-2 is under investigation for its potential in treating neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders, including depression, treatment-resistant depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Ketamir-2 has demonstrated in in vitro studies that it is not a substrate for interaction with P-glycoprotein, a membrane protein that typically pumps many drugs out of cells, including cells located in the brain. This characteristic might allow Ketamir-2 to have a better oral absorption and to penetrate the blood-brain barrier more effectively than traditional ketamine, which is a substrate of P-gp. Key Areas of Recent Data Investigation: Patient Compliance and Convenience: Traditional ketamine requires intravenous administration, necessitating hospital visits and medical supervision. As an oral formulation, Ketamir-2 could potentially offer greater convenience and improved patient compliance if further studies confirm these benefits. Brain Penetration: P-gp is highly expressed in the blood-brain barrier and limits the entry of many drugs into the central nervous system. Studies have shown that Ketamir-2's non-substrate status for P-gp may allow better brain penetration. Drug Resistance: P-gp also plays a role in multidrug resistance, particularly in cancer cells. Ketamir-2, not being a substrate of P-gp, is therefore potentially less susceptible to this resistance. Bioavailability: P-gp further limits drug absorption in the intestines by pumping drugs back into the intestinal lumen. MIRA's preclinical research indicates that Ketamir-2 exhibits better oral bioavailability, which could ensure higher efficacy at lower doses compared to traditional ketamine. Potential for Lower Dosing: MIRA's preclinical also suggest that improved penetration into target tissues would allow for lower doses of Ketamir-2 to achieve therapeutic effects. Preclinical Results and Ongoing Research: MIRA previously announced that Ketamir-2's oral bioavailability is predicted to be around 80%, significantly higher than traditional ketamine's less than 30%. Additionally, preclinical studies have shown that while oral Ketamir-2 has been shown to be safe at high doses and is effective in several anti-depressant and anxiolytic models, and it does not appear to induce hyper-locomotor activity, a common side effect of traditional ketamine. Moreover, Ketamir-2 has shown no interaction with the mu-opioid receptor, unlike traditional ketamine. This could potentially mean a reduced risk of opioid-related side effects and dependency. Recent studies further highlight Ketamir-2's anti-depressive and anxiolytic effects in a mouse model, with significant improvements in behavioral tests compared to traditional ketamine. Expanding Indications and Exploring Orphan Drug Status: Building on these promising preclinical results, MIRA has additional ongoing preclinical studies to demonstrate Ketamir-2's potential efficacy in treating chemotherapy-induced depression and cancer-related neuropathic pain. Due to its novel chemical profile, MIRA is exploring options for orphan drug indications such as multiple sclerosis-induced depression and Huntington's disease-induced depression. Models are being developed to validate these designations and ongoing studies have been designed to help support these efforts.

08:16 EDT Airbus receives $24B order from Cebu Pacific for A321 aicraft with RTX engines - Airbus (EADSY), RTX's (RTX) Pratt & Whitney business and Cebu Pacific, or CEB, signed a memorandum of understanding for CEB's purchase of up to 152 A321neo aircraft for estimated $24B, the largest aircraft order in Philippine aviation history. The binding MOU covers firm orders for up to 102 A321neo, plus 50 A320neo family purchase rights. CEB has selected Pratt & Whitney GTF engines to power the future aircraft. The purchase agreement to finalize this transaction is expected to be completed in Q3.

08:14 EDT Emergent BioSolutions announces shelf-life extension for NARCAN spray in Canada - Emergent BioSolutions announced the shelf-life extension for NARCAN Nasal Spray from three years to four years to all newly manufactured product. The update makes NARCAN Nasal Spray the only 4 mg, intranasal naloxone spray in Canada with this extended expiration date. The Health Canada notification to extend NARCAN Nasal Spray's shelf-life was completed on February 2, 2024.

08:12 EDT aTyr Pharma completes enrollment in Phase 3 EFZO-FIT study - aTyr Pharma announced that it has completed enrollment in its global pivotal Phase 3 EFZO-FIT study of its lead therapeutic candidate, efzofitimod, in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis, a major form of interstitial lung disease with limited treatment options. The study enrolled 268 patients at 85 centers in 9 countries, exceeding target enrollment. Topline data from the study are expected in the third quarter of 2025. "Completing enrollment in this landmark study is an important milestone that brings us one step closer to delivering a potentially groundbreaking treatment to address the significant unmet need for pulmonary sarcoidosis patients," said Sanjay Shukla, M.D., M.S., President and Chief Executive Officer of aTyr. "We are grateful to all of the patients and their caregivers, our principal investigators and their teams, our many advocacy partners and our partner Kyorin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., who helped make this accomplishment possible. The historic number of patients enrolled in this study signifies the strong patient demand for a new treatment option such as efzofitimod."

08:11 EDT Unity Biotechnology appoints Tozier as Chief Strategy Officer - UNITY Biotechnology (UBX) announced the appointment of Alicia Tozier, MBA, as chief strategy officer. In this new role, she will develop and implement the company's corporate and product strategies. Prior to joining UNITY, Tozier was senior vice president at Outlook Therapeutics (OTLK) where she drove organizational activation and go to market, scaling multiple global functions for the pre-commercial biopharmaceutical company's global entry.

08:10 EDT DigitalOcean appoints Larry D'Angelo as new CRO - DigitalOcean Holdings (DOCN) announced the appointment of Larry D'Angelo as its new Chief Revenue Officer, effective today. In this role, D'Angelo will drive DigitalOcean's new business growth via direct sales and channel partnerships, customer success, customer support, and corporate communications. "Larry is a seasoned operator with rich experience scaling businesses, driving exceptional customer experience, and building world-class organizations," said Paddy Srinivasan, CEO of DigitalOcean. "He brings deep expertise in data-driven, high velocity, sales and customer success functions. DigitalOcean is a unique company with over 635K customers, and Larry is the perfect leader to complement DigitalOcean's world-class product-led growth motion powered by our passionate community of developers." D'Angelo brings more than 30 years of leadership experience and a proven track record in new business and customer expansion growth to DigitalOcean. Most recently, he served as Chief Customer Officer at Rapid7 (RPD). He has served as a Senior Advisor to numerous software companies and private equity firms. Before operating as an advisor, D'Angelo was the Chief Sales Officer of LogMeIn, where he helped the company grow from $100M in revenue to $1.4B. His strategic insights and deep industry knowledge will be pivotal in expanding the company's revenue streams and enhancing customer engagement initiatives.

08:10 EDT Inspire Medical appoints Mann as Chief People Officer - Inspire Medical Systems (INSP) announced the addition of Melissa Mann as Chief People Officer, effective July 22, 2024. Mann has over 25 years experience in human capital management and joins Inspire from UnitedHealth (UNH) where she served for 8 years in its Optum division, leading the human capital teams for Optum Health, Optum Insight, Optum Global/Shared Services, and Optum Technology.

08:09 EDT FinWise Bancorp appoints Ehrlich to board of directors - FinWise Bancorp announced the expansion of its Board of Directors by appointing Susan Ehrlich to the Company's Board, effective immediately. Ehrlich has also been appointed to the Bank's Board of Directors. Ehrlich brings over 25 years of experience and successful achievements in lending, banking and payments across fintech, financial services and retail. She currently serves as Partner of Core Innovation Capital, an early-stage fintech venture capital firm.

08:07 EDT Aspen Group announces DEAC has vacated show cause directive - Aspen Group received notification from the Distance Education Accrediting Commission regarding its decision to vacate the show cause directive previously issued to Aspen University on February 1, 2023. Upon careful review of the record, the Commission determined that Aspen has made substantial progress toward demonstrating compliance with DEAC standards. Accordingly, the Commission voted to vacate the show cause directive. DEAC requested that Aspen keep the Commission informed on the status of the teach-out of students who are completing the Nursing Pre-licensure program through September 2024 and continue providing monthly and quarterly reports through January 2025. The Commission also determined that Aspen is making satisfactory progress in addressing the accreditation standards that remain under a deferred review of the institution's application to renew accreditation. The Commission will proceed to review additional documentation to be submitted by Aspen for consideration at its January 2025 meeting.

08:05 EDT PulteGroup CFO Bob O'Shaughnessy to retire in 2025, Jim Ossowski to succeed - PulteGroup announced that Bob O'Shaughnessy, executive VP and CFO, has notified the company that he intends to retire at the end of 2025. As part of its long-term succession planning process, PulteGroup has named Jim Ossowski, currently PulteGroup's senior VP, finance, as successor. O'Shaughnessy will continue to serve as PulteGroup CFO through year end and final certification of the company's 2024 financial statements in early February 2025. O'Shaughnessy will then remain with PulteGroup through the end of 2025 as executive VP. In addition to supporting a smooth transition of CFO responsibilities, in 2025 he will continue to oversee the company's financial services business, strategic partnerships, and its asset management committee. Ossowski has been promoted to executive VP and CFO effective February 2025. At that time, he will report directly to PulteGroup resident and CEO Ryan Marshall and have responsibility for PulteGroup's accounting, tax, audit, risk management and treasury functions.

08:05 EDT Cboe Global Markets launches new Cboe S&P 500 Variance Futures - Cboe Global Markets plans to launch a newly redesigned Cboe S&P 500 Variance Futures contract - Ticker: VA -, expected to begin trading on September 23. The Cboe S&P 500 Variance Futures contracts will settle based on a calculation of the annualized realized variance of the S&P 500 Index. The realized variance will be calculated once each day from a series of values of the S&P 500 Index beginning with the closing index value on the first day a VA futures contract is listed for trading and ending with the special opening quotation of the S&P 500 Index on the final settlement date of that contract. Cboe's new VA futures aim to introduce a simplified approach to variance trading and settlement, providing an exchange-listed alternative to OTC variance swaps. The latest product aims to address feedback from a broad spectrum of market participants. As such, the redesigned futures leverage a more straightforward methodology and will quote and trade directly in variance units with a contract size of $12. The new VA futures will be exclusively listed and traded on Cboe Futures Exchange.

08:03 EDT Bitcoin Depot exceeds goal deploying 8,000 bitcoin ATMs ahead of schedule - Bitcoin Depot announced that it has achieved and exceeded its ambitious goal of deploying over 8,000 Bitcoin ATMs five months ahead of schedule, with 8,180 kiosks. This milestone reinforces Bitcoin Depot's abiding market dominance and showcases its rapid growth trajectory. The achievement solidifies the Company's previously announced achievement of signing 8,000 locations and its year-end objective of having the largest installed fleet of BTMs in the Company's history. "Surpassing our deployment goal well ahead of schedule is a testament to the relentless dedication of our team and our strategic initiatives aimed at expanding Bitcoin's accessibility," said Bitcoin Depot CEO Brandon Mintz. "Building on the momentum we've already cultivated in the first half of 2024; we have no intention of slowing down as we gear up to provide even more customers with seamless access to the digital financial ecosystem. "

08:03 EDT SECOM deploys Infinera XTM series for middle-mile network - Infinera announced that SECOM is modernizing its middle-mile and business Ethernet access network using Infinera's XTM Series optical transport solution to bring new multi-gigabit broadband services to previously underserved rural southern Colorado communities. SECOM's enhanced network provides connectivity for thousands of customers, including homes, schools, libraries, government entities, telecoms, and businesses.

08:02 EDT TC Biopharm doses 6th patient in study of TCB-008 in AML - TC BioPharm announced that on July 16, the sixth patient in ACHIEVE UK was treated. This is the first patient treated with a higher dose of TCB-008 post the amendment approved by the MHRA on Feb 22. The ACHIEVE UK clinical trial is a phase II study designed to evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of TCB-008 in patients with AML or MDS/AML, with either refractory or relapsed disease. The company is not required to complete investigation of both Cohorts prior to advancing to a Pivotal Phase 3 study in one or both Cohorts simultaneously.

08:02 EDT Assure announces extension of exchange offer relating to convertible notes - Assure Holdings announced that it has extended the expiration date of its exchange offer relating to the Company's 9% Convertible Debentures due 2023 and 2024. As a result of the extension, the Exchange Offer is now scheduled to expire at 11:59 p.m. on July 26, 2024 unless further extended. The Offer was previously scheduled to expire at 11:59 p.m., on July 19, 2024. Except for the extension of the Expiration Date, all of the other terms of the Offer remain as set forth in the Offer Letter dated June 21, 2024, as amended on July 3 and July 12, 2024, and a Schedule TO related thereto, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on June 21, 2024, as amended on July 3, July 9, July 12, and July 22, 2024. As of 11:59 p.m. on July 19, 2024, $2.7 million in principal face amount of Assure Convertible Debentures have been tendered into the Offer.

07:56 EDT Dynex Capital promotes Smriti Laxman Popenoe to co-CEO, Rob Colligan to COO - Dynex Capital announced the promotion of Smriti Laxman Popenoe and several other executive promotions. Popenoe, who has served as the company's president and chief investment officer, has been promoted to co-CEO, effective immediately. She will lead Dynex together with Byron Boston, who remains chairman and co-CEO. Popenoe will retain her role as president and CIO, overseeing the company's investment portfolio and capital management, and continue as a member of the board of directors. Dynex also announced the promotion of Rob Colligan, who has served as the company's CFO since 2022, to CFO and COO, effective immediately. In his expanded role, Colligan will oversee the company's finance, accounting, legal, human resources, investor relations, and marketing functions, in addition to the newly created technology function. He will continue to report to co-CEOs Byron Boston and Smriti Popenoe. Dynex also announced the hiring of Harman Sahni as CTO, effective immediately. Sahni will be responsible for leading the company's technology strategy, infrastructure, and innovation, and will report to Rob Colligan, CFO and COO.

07:46 EDT V2X wins $48.5M U.S. Army contract - V2X has been awarded a $48.5M Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity contract by the U.S. Army, under the purview of the PEO Soldier portfolio, for the Gateway Mission Router. The GMR creates a fully converged operational environment on the battlefield for warfighters by integrating information and assured communications across multiple domains. The contract spans four years.

07:40 EDT Hamilton Thorne to be acquired by Astorg for C$2.25 per share in cash - Hamilton Thorne has entered into a definitive arrangement agreement dated July 21, 2024 with an acquisition vehicle managed by Astorg, whereby the Purchaser has agreed to acquire 100% of the issued and outstanding common shares of the Company. Under the terms of the Arrangement Agreement, Hamilton Thorne shareholders, other than the Rollover Shareholders with respect to their Rollover Shares, will receive C$2.25 in cash per Company Share on completion of the Transaction, corresponding to an enterprise value of approximately CAD$388 million inclusive of the debt. After a comprehensive review of alternatives, and upon the recommendation of an independent special committee of the board of directors of Hamilton Thorne, the Board unanimously determined that the Transaction is in the best interests of Hamilton Thorne and the Transaction Consideration to be received by the Hamilton Thorne shareholders is fair, from a financial point of view. Simultaneously with entering into the Arrangement Agreement, the Purchaser has entered into a binding letter of intent. which is expected to be superseded by a definitive acquisition agreement in agreed form, to acquire the ART product portfolio of Cook Medical. Astorg intends to combine Hamilton Thorne and Cook ART following the completion of the Acquisition and the Transaction. Key Transaction Highlights: The Transaction Consideration represents a premium of approximately 54% to the closing price on the TSX of the Company Shares on July 19, 2024, the last trading day prior to the announcement of the Transaction. The Transaction Consideration also represents a premium of approximately 52% to the 30-day volume weighted average price of the Company Shares as of July 19, 2024, the last trading day prior to the announcement of the Transaction, and approximately 62% to the 90-day VWAP as of the same date. The Transaction Consideration presents immediate liquidity and certain value to Hamilton Thorne shareholders at a compelling price. The Transaction will be implemented by way of a Canadian statutory plan of arrangement pursuant to the Business Corporations Act. Under the terms of the Arrangement Agreement, Astorg will acquire all of the issued and outstanding Company Shares, with each shareholder of the Company, other than the Rollover Shareholders with respect to their Rollover Shares, receiving the Transaction Consideration for each Company Share they hold. In connection with the Transaction, each outstanding option of the Company will be cashed-out based on its in-the-money value and each outstanding restricted share unit of the Company will be cancelled in exchange for the Transaction Consideration.

07:36 EDT RTX's Pratt & Whitney GTF engines included in Airbus order from SMBC Aviation - RTX's (RTX) Pratt & Whitney business announced that SMBC Aviation Capital, one of the largest lessors for GTF- powered Airbus (EADSY) A320neo family aircraft, has exercised options for 22 firm orders. This is supplemental to a 2021 order for 20 additional firm aircraft, bringing the lessor's additional commitment to 42 firm A320neo family aircraft equipped with Pratt & Whitney's GTF engines. SMBC Aviation Capital announced its initial selection for 50 firm Pratt & Whitney A320neo family aircraft in 2019, and currently manages a portfolio of 142 GTF-powered A320neo family aircraft.

07:35 EDT Malibu Boats appoints Menneto as CEO - Malibu Boats (MBUU) announced the appointment of Steven Menneto as its new Chief Executive Officer, CEO, effective August 5, 2024. Menneto will also join Malibu Boats' Board of Directors, which will increase from nine to ten members. In connection with Menneto's appointment, the Office of the CEO, consisting of Ritchie Anderson, the Company's President, as well as Michael Hooks, the Chair of the Board, will end. Hooks will remain Board Chair and Mr. Anderson will remain President of the Company. Menneto joins Malibu Boats from Polaris (PII), where he was most recently President of the Off-Road Vehicle Division.

07:33 EDT Glass House Brands announces court dismissal of Catalyst lawsuit - Glass House Brands announced that a civil complaint against the Company has been dismissed with prejudice and judgment has been entered in the Company's favor. On June 25, 2024, the Superior Court of California dismissed a lawsuit filed by 562 Discount Med against Glass House for unfair competition. The Court granted Glass House's motion for judgment on the pleadings with prejudice, finding that a requested injunction to halt the alleged illegal sales would "assume the functions of an administrative agency, or to interfere with the functions of an administrative agency," and the enforcement of any injunction would be "overly burdensome." On July 15, 2024, the Court entered a judgment in Glass House's favor, awarding costs against the plaintiff and concluding the case. In an earlier press release dated May 20, 2024, Glass House announced it was voluntarily dismissing without prejudice its defamation lawsuit against Catalyst Cannabis Co., citing serious concerns about Catalyst's financial viability, which could render a judgment worthless, and harassment threats by Catalyst to Glass House's customers, and its customers' customers.

07:21 EDT Aldebaran Resources reports results from field campaign at Altar project - Aldebaran Resources reports results for the final holes from the 2023/2024 field campaign at the Altar copper-gold project in San Juan, Argentina. All holes intercepted significant mineralization, expanded the mineralized footprint, and will provide valuable information for the upcoming mineral resource estimate scheduled for H2 2024. Highlights: ALD-24-150EXT: 1,229.50 m of 0.55% CuEq from 10.00 m depth Including 742.90 m of 0.69% CuEq from 377.10 m depth; Including 345.00 m of 0.85% CuEq from 470.00 m depth; Hole ended in mineralization; Extension of historic hole. ALD-24-245: 735.00 m of 0.50% CuEq from 244.00 m depth; Including 202.55 m of 0.66% CuEq from 577.25 m depth; Hole ended in mineralization. ALD-24-062EXT: 1,043.00 m of 0.37% CuEq from 118.00 m depth; Including 729.00 m of 0.43% CuEq from 122.00 m depth; Hole ended in mineralization; Extension of historic hole. ALD-24-244: 592.00 m of 0.27% CuEq from 469.00 m depth; Hole ended in mineralization. John Black, CEO, commented: "The Altar project continues to grow. These holes expand the mineralized footprint laterally and at depth, with ALD-24-150EXT demonstrating the higher-grade potential at Altar. With the 2023/2024 field campaign behind us, we're now looking at the next stage for the Altar project. Since the last resource estimate was produced on the project in 2021, we have completed more than 63,000 m of drilling and made a major discovery in the Altar United zone. With all this additional information in hand, we expect a significant increase when we complete a mineral resource update in the second half of 2024. Also, in H2 2025 we plan to produce the first PEA on the project. Both studies will demonstrate the size and scale of the Altar project."

07:18 EDT Burford Capital announces notice of EGM - Burford Capital announces the date of its extraordinary general meeting and the distribution of the notice of the EGM to registered shareholders. In addition to the approval of KPMG LLP's appointment as Burford's independent registered public accounting firm and the authorization of the board of directors to agree upon KPMG LLP's remuneration, Burford is taking the opportunity, in anticipation of a change to full US issuer status this year, to propose a series of amendments to Burford's articles of incorporation to bring them more in keeping with typical US market norms and to adopt current best practices as advised by US counsel. The EGM will be held at 1:30 p.m. BST on August 20, 2024 at Oak House, Hirzel Street, St. Peter Port, Guernsey GY1 2NP. Details of the proposed resolutions, as well as the procedure for voting by proxy and shareholder attendance, are set out in the Notice of EGM. As a result of Burford's ordinary shares trading on both the New York Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange and Burford's incorporation in Guernsey, additional time is required for Broadridge's tabulation of final votes on the resolutions proposed at the EGM. Consequently, Burford expects that the final results of the voting at the EGM will be announced on August 23, 2024.

07:15 EDT Boeing's 737 MAX Model selected by Luxair - Boeing and Luxair announced the European regional carrier is again ordering a new member of the 737 MAX family. A year after purchasing the 737-7 and 737-8 models, Luxair has now placed an order for two 737-10 airplanes with options for two more. The 737-10 is the largest model in the MAX family. Luxair plans to operate its new 737-10s to offer passengers a minimum of 30-inch seat pitch. Luxair currently operates a regional fleet of 21 airplanes, including two leased 737-8s and eight Next-Generation 737s. Luxair has expanded its route network by 30% in the past two years, serving 94 destinations.

07:13 EDT Kaspi.kz CEO says consumer, merchant environment 'remains healthy' - CEO Mikheil Lomtadze said, "During the second quarter, we continued to execute in the fashion that you have become accustomed too. User engagement continues to hit record levels, with our consumers transacting 72 times per month, payments transaction up 46% year-over-year and marketplace purchases up 38%. We always aim to do more for our customers and strong transaction activity in turn is resulting in rapid top-line momentum across our business. Marketplace Platform continues to go from strength to strength, with GMV up 62% year-over-year. Within this, e-Grocery GMV increased 99%. In Kaspi Travel, GMV from Kaspi Tours increased 644%. Kaspi.kz is the market leader in e-Commerce and going forward we will focus on building a best-in-class consumer experience around more verticals. We started with Travel, then e-Grocery and now e-Cars. As we execute further on our vertical specific strategy, we expect this to unleash another wave of innovation and growth, creating value for both our customers and shareholders. More new game changing services to come from us later this year. Another important area of focus for us, is merchant value-added services. This includes advertising, where we recently launched our brand advertising solution. Now brands can run campaigns and promote merchants that sell their products. The digital advertising market in Kazakhstan is still in its early days. With a world class advertising proposition for local and global brands, we expect to be a catalyst for the market's growth. Each of our new services are not only helping us to keep growing fast but will open new areas for product innovations in the future. Their success gives me confidence that Kaspi.kz can keep delivering healthy growth for many more years to come. The third quarter of the year has gotten off to a strong start and the consumer and merchant environment remains healthy. Our Fintech Platform should now see its Net Income growth accelerate significantly, which is another encouraging driver for the future. With Kaspi Juma taking place in the first and second quarter this year, year-over-year GMV growth should be lower in the third quarter before accelerating again in the fourth quarter. Looking through the timing of marketing campaigns, we're very much on track to deliver another year of strong top and bottom-line growth. As usual, if we have excess capital, we return it to our shareholders. For the second quarter of 2024, our Board of Directors has recommended a dividend of KZT850/ADS, subject to shareholder approval. Investors should keep in mind though, that we're working on our plans to grow Kaspi.kz outside of Kazakhstan and when we think the time is right, we won't hesitate to put our capital to work."

07:12 EDT Mobilicom regains compliance with Nasdaq minimum bid price requirement - Mobilicom announced that it has received formal notice from The Nasdaq Stock Market stating that the Company has regained compliance with the minimum bid price requirement set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rule 5550(a)(2). Mobilicom is now in compliance with all applicable listing standards and its American Depositary Shares will continue to be listed and traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market.

07:11 EDT Anebulo gets $1.9M cooperative grant award from NIDA for intravenous selonabant - Anebulo Pharmaceuticals has been awarded the first tranche of a two year cooperative grant of up to approximately $1.9M from the National Institute on Drug Abuse NIDA part of the National Institutes of Health NIH to support the development of intravenous selonabant, for the potential use as an emergency treatment of acute cannabis-induced toxicities, including cannabis-induced CNS depression in children. The grant comes in the form of two tranches with the initial award of $0.9 million and subsequent funding of approximately $1M subject to certain milestones. The grant was awarded under NIH award number 1U01DA059995-01. "We are honored to receive this cooperative grant award from NIDA to support the further development of intravenous selonabant," commented Ken Cundy, CSO of Anebulo Pharmaceuticals. "We believe this provides additional validation of the significant and growing unmet medical need for an emergency antidote to cannabis. Acute cannabis exposure in children represents a potentially life-threatening condition that can result in CNS depression, respiratory depression, coma, and in rare cases death. Research has shown that children are much more sensitive to the toxic effects of cannabis. Younger children have an underdeveloped endocannabinoid system with significantly more of the primary cannabinoid receptor type 1 receptors present in their brains. As a direct consequence, pediatric cannabis ingestion can result in much more serious outcomes than in adults, and a much greater risk of hospitalization and admission to intensive care."

07:07 EDT Cyngn regains Nasdaq compliance, confirms no increase in shares - Cyngn announced that it has received a notice from Nasdaq confirming that the company has regained compliance with the Nasdaq's Capital Market's minimum bid price requirement of $1.00 per share. The notice from Nasdaq indicates that the company is in compliance with the Nasdaq Capital Market's listing requirements and the company's common stock will continue to be listed and traded on Nasdaq. In addition to achieving compliance with Nasdaq's listing standards, Cyngn confirms that despite recently receiving approval from shareholders to increase authorized shares outstanding, the company has chosen not to proceed with this authorization at this time. This decision reflects Cyngn's strategy to maintain a disciplined approach to capital structure and shareholder dilution.

07:07 EDT Cleveland-Cliffs announces new distribution transformer plant in Weirton, WV - Cleveland-Cliffs announced that it will establish a new electrical distribution transformer production plant in Weirton, West Virginia. This downstream direct investment by Cleveland-Cliffs in Weirton will address the critical shortage of distribution transformers that is stifling economic growth across the United States. Lourenco Goncalves, Cleveland-Cliffs' Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer will host a press conference with West Virginia Governor Jim Justice and other elected officials in Weirton today, July 22. The announcement will highlight Cleveland-Cliffs' investment to repurpose its Half Moon Warehouse in Weirton to commence production of three-phase distribution transformers used in electric power distribution systems. The total capital investment is $150M, of which $50M or 1/3 will be granted by the state of West Virginia to Cliffs through a forgivable loan. Cliffs expects the new plant to come online in the first half of 2026. The efficiency standards for distribution transformers recently promulgated by the U.S. Department of Energy support the long-term utilization of highly-efficient American-made Grain Oriented Electrical Steel GOES ensuring the viability of this investment in Weirton.

07:06 EDT RedHill Biopharma signs agreement to settle obligations, remove Talicia lien - RedHill Biopharma signed a Global Termination Agreement with Movantik Acquisition, Valinor Pharma and HCR Redhill. As a result of the agreement, RedHill received approximately $9.9M in cash and gained full control over an additional $0.74M currently held in a restricted account, leading to an increase of approximately $12.2M in liabilities for RedHill, reflecting assumed and settled liabilities between the parties, resulting in a net balance sheet reduction of approximately $2.3M. In addition, the Agreement ends all existing credit ties with the Agreement parties, removes the existing lien against Talicia and restores control over cash collections back to RedHill. The agreement eliminates substantially all encumbrances related to the previous Movantik divestment and Credit Agreements.

07:03 EDT Ionis Pharma's ION582 shows positive Phase 1/2 results in Angelman syndrome - Ionis Pharmaceuticals announced positive results from the completed multiple ascending dose portion of the Phase 1/2 open-label study of ION582 in people with Angelman syndrome - AS - demonstrating consistent clinical improvement on measures assessing all functional domains including communication, cognition and motor function. Overall, 97% of people in the medium and high dose groups saw an improvement in overall AS symptoms. ION582 showed favorable safety and tolerability at all dose levels in the study. AS is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder that is caused by a loss of function in the maternal UBE3A gene. It affects an estimated 1 in 21,000 people worldwide. HALOS included 51 people with AS. These results include: ION582 showed favorable safety and tolerability at all dose levels. Evidence of consistent benefit observed across all ages and genotypes as well as clinical improvement observed across key functional areas. Clinical improvements were observed across key functional areas in parent-reported assessment tools. 97% of participants showed clinically meaningful overall improvement on the SAS-CGI-C, which evaluates clinicians' impressions of AS symptoms in study participants. Ionis plans to meet with regulators to review and confirm their Phase 3 study design later this year, which puts the company on track for a pivotal study initiation in H1 2025.

06:59 EDT Crown Crafts acquires assets of Baby Boom Consumer Products for $18M - Crown Crafts has acquired substantially all of the assets of Baby Boom Consumer Products, a provider in the toddler bedding and diaper bag categories. Baby Boom designs, sources, markets and sells high-quality and functional toddler bedding and diaper bags. In addition to its own brands, Baby Boom offers licensed products. Crown Crafts paid $18M for the acquisition, subject to customary working capital adjustments. Crown Crafts financed the transaction through a combination of an $8M term loan and additional borrowings under Crown Crafts' revolving line of credit. The term loan is repayable monthly over four years. The term of the line of credit was extended from July 11, 2028 to July 19, 2029 and its borrowing capacity increased from $35M to $40M. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to earnings and to add approximately $20M annually to Crown Crafts' net sales.

06:53 EDT Sila Realty Trust announces preliminary results of "Dutch Auction" tender offer - Sila Realty Trust announced the preliminary results of its modified "Dutch Auction" tender offer to purchase for cash up to $50M in value of shares of the company's common stock, which expired July 19. Approximately 4.7 million shares of common stock were validly tendered at the final purchase price of $22.60 per share and not properly withdrawn. The company expects to purchase approximately 2.2 million shares of common stock at a purchase price of $22.60 per share, for an aggregate cost of approximately $50M. The number of shares of common stock that the company expects to purchase in the offer represents approximately 3.9% of the total number of shares of common stock outstanding as of July 19. Immediately following payment for the shares of common stock purchased in the Offer, the company expects to have approximately 55.0 million shares of common stock outstanding. The company will accept for purchase on a pro rata basis approximately 42% of the shares of common stock properly tendered and not properly withdrawn at the purchase price of $22.60 per share.

06:48 EDT Castellum announces strategic alliance with K2 - Castellum is pleased to announce a new strategic alliance with Krilla Kaleiwahea. The strategic alliance leverages Castellum's deep experience, and through its subsidiaries, many decades of serving the U.S. Government, with K2's experienced leadership team as well as its eligibility status as a Native Hawaiian government contractor, the relationship enables for set-aside department of defense work of up to $100M.

06:42 EDT Daqo New Energy announces $100M share repurchase program - Daqo New Energy announced that its board of directors has approved a $100M share repurchase program, effective today through June 30, 2025. The board of directors has authorized Daqo New Energy to repurchase up to $100M worth of its own issued and outstanding ordinary shares or American depositary shares representing ordinary shares in open-market purchases, in negotiated transactions off the market, in block trades or through other legally permissible means in accordance with applicable United States securities laws.

06:34 EDT Xwell announces director candidate nomination submitted by CPC is invalid - Xwell announced that the notice materials submitted by CPC Pain & Wellness, which purported to provide notice of CPC's intent to nominate four candidates for election to the company's five-member Board of Directors at the 2024 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, is invalid. CPC, a special purpose vehicle that was recently formed by two principals of private equity firm Caydan Capital, rapidly accumulated a 9.42% equity stake in XWELL last month and subsequently filed a Schedule 13D on June 17th without including specific details pertaining to its plans for the company. The company offered CPC opportunities to cure the deficiencies in its purported notice. Additionally, Xwell entered into a non-disclosure agreement with CPC to initiate discussions about a negotiated resolution. Despite the aforementioned efforts, CPC did not cure the deficiencies in its notice and opted to file litigation against Xwell in an apparent attempt to advance its own objectives. For instance, since receipt of the purported notice, Xwell claims to have reason to believe that CPC and its private equity partners are seeking to obtain control of a majority of the Board to engineer a transaction involving one of their underperforming affiliates in the pain and wellness space that has not been monetized via a reverse merger or sale. Xwell maintains that any such 'Take-Under' deal pursued by CPC could undervalue the company, dilute current stockholders, siphon tremendous value to CPC, as well as its affiliates, at the expense of fellow stockholders, who would be deprived of an adequate control premium. Xwell also maintains that CPC's Schedule 13D disclosure is deficient, representing a violation of SEC rules and regulations.

06:20 EDT Vertical Aerospace begins testing on new VX4 prototype - Vertical Aerospace announced that testing on its most advanced eVTOL aircraft, unveiled last week, has started with initial powered ground tests, including propeller balancing, complete. Over the coming days, the company will conduct powered, propulsion system testing of its most advanced powertrain. Together, these tests will ensure the VX4 meets the highest standards of operational safety which are needed for piloted flights. The company will then move onto its "wheels up" phase with tethered flight tests before progressing to low-speed untethered flights. The aircraft has been designed and built alongside global aerospace partners, including GKN Aerospace, Honeywell, Hanwha, Molicel, Leonardo and Syensqo. It features Vertical's propellers and new proprietary battery technology, designed and manufactured at its Vertical Energy Centre near Bristol.

06:09 EDT U-Haul Holding acquires self-storage property at Lake Lanier - U-Haul has announced the acquisition of the former Lazy Day Storage facility in Buford, where it is now meeting the self-storage needs of Gwinnett County. The four-acre property, now U-Haul Moving & Storage at Lake Lanier, was acquired July 10. The facility features 307 drive up self-storage units as well as U-Haul truck and trailer sharing, towing equipment and moving supplies.

06:07 EDT Clarivate acquires Rowan TELS, terms undisclosed - Clarivate announced it has acquired Rowan TELS Corp. through a subsidiary. Rowan TELS Corp. is the provider of Rowan Patents - an integrated patent drafting and prosecution solution specially designed for patent practitioners to establish and protect patents more effectively.

06:07 EDT Vista Outdoor announces increased purchase price for The Kinetic Group - Vista Outdoor announced that on July 21, 2024, the company entered into an amendment to the merger agreement with Czechoslovak Group, or CSG. The amended merger agreement with CSG further increases the base purchase price payable by CSG for the acquisition of The Kinetic Group business by $50M to $2.15B. In addition, Vista Outdoor has determined that an additional ~$125M of cash should be returned to Vista Outdoor's stockholders as cash consideration. In total, the increase in the base purchase price payable by CSG combined with the additional cash being returned to stockholders by Vista Outdoor increases the cash consideration payable to Vista Outdoor stockholders in the CSG Transaction by $3.00 per share to $24.00 in cash per share of Vista Outdoor common stock. Based on the amended merger agreement with CSG, Vista Outdoor stockholders will receive at the closing of the CSG Transaction, $24.00 per share in cash and one share of Revelyst common stock, in each case, per share of Vista Outdoor common stock. The $2.15B purchase price, representing a $240M increase from the original $1.91B purchase price, and cash consideration of $24.00 per share of Vista Outdoor common stock, is close to double the cash consideration per share from the original cash consideration of $12.90 per share of Vista Outdoor common stock, and a share of Revelyst stock.

06:03 EDT Clearwater Paper to sell tissue business to Sofidel America for $1.06B - Clearwater Paper announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its tissue business to Sofidel America Corporation, a subsidiary of Sofidel S.p.A., a manufacturer of paper for hygienic and domestic use, for $1.06B, subject to adjustments for debt, cash, transaction expenses and net working capital. The transaction represents the next step in the company's transformation to become a premier independent supplier of paperboard to North American converters and the conclusion of its previously announced review of strategic options for the tissue business. The $1.06B price represents a multiple of approximately six times the Adjusted EBITDA of Clearwater Paper's tissue segment during the twelve months ending March 31, 2024. The Company expects net proceeds from the transaction of approximately $850M, which it intends to use to meaningfully delever its balance sheet and invest in growth initiatives for its continuing operations. The transaction is expected to close in the latter part of 2024, subject to customary closing conditions, including the expiration or termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976.

05:58 EDT Boeing announces order for four 777 Freighters from National Airlines - Boeing and National Airlines announced the global carrier has committed to place its first order for four 777 Freighters. Currently the longest-range twin-engine freighter with unrivaled payload capacity, the 777 Freighter will help maximize the airline's commercial cargo service and boost market share across its global operations.

05:37 EDT RTX selected by Airbus Helicopters to support development of propulsion system - Pratt & Whitney Canada and Collins Aerospace, businesses of RTX (RTX), have been selected by Airbus Helicopters (EADSY) to support the development of a hybrid-electric propulsion system for its PioneerLab technology demonstrator. Based on a twin-engine H145 helicopter, PioneerLab aims to demonstrate the potential of hybrid-electric propulsion as well as aerodynamic improvements to enable up to 30% improved fuel efficiency and reduced CO2 emissions compared to a conventionally powered aircraft. For the PioneerLab demo, the helicopter's existing engines will be replaced by a hybrid-electric propulsion system comprised of a Pratt & Whitney Canada PW210 engine derivative linked with two Collins Aerospace 250 kW electric motors and controllers through a common gearbox. This hybrid-electric configuration is designed to enable optimized engine performance and improved efficiency, with the electric motors providing high torque capability during flight conditions such as take-off and landing. Test flights of the hybrid-electric propulsion system are targeted to begin in 2027 at Airbus Helicopters' site in Donauworth, Germany.

05:31 EDT Hafnia provides update on redomiciliation to Singapore - The board of directors of Hafnia proposes to implement a scheme of arrangement between the company and its shareholders pursuant to Section 99 of the Bermuda Companies Act 1981 as amended in order to affect a discontinuance of the company from Bermuda and continuance to Singapore in accordance with the provisions of Section 132G of the Bermuda Companies Act and Part 10A of the Singapore Companies Act 1967. There will be a hearing on August 5 at 11:00 a.m. at which the Supreme Court of Bermuda will be asked to give directions as to the convening of a meeting of shareholders of the company that are eligible to vote on the scheme.

05:21 EDT Nokia completes first 5G NSA Cloud RAN trial with Bharti Airtel - Nokia announced that it has successfully completed its first 5G non-standalone, or NSA, Cloud RAN trial with Bharti Airtel in India. The project supports Airtel's strategy of delivering a customer experience using networks. It is expected to deliver higher levels of service innovation, higher network automation, flexibility and efficient scaling of resources to support end-user services. The trial took place in an over-the-air environment utilizing 3.5 GHz spectrum for 5G and 2100 MHz for 4G. Data calls were successfully performed with commercial user devices over Airtel's commercial network achieving a throughput of over 1.2 Gbps. The trial utilized Nokia's RAN Software for virtualized Distributed Unit and virtualized Centralized Unit running on x86 Hardware with a CaaS layer. The trial also used Nokia's L1 acceleration that will enable enhanced power efficiency and support Nokia's anyRAN benefits of using common RAN software with the purpose-built part of the network. This will enable common functionality and performance across the hybrid network.

05:15 EDT Woodward selected by Boeing to provide rotary actuation solutions - Woodward (WWD) announced it has been selected to provide rotary actuation solutions for the NASA and Boeing (BA) Transonic Truss-braced Wing, or TTBW, X-66A aircraft demonstrator. The pioneering aircraft concept incorporates very long and thin strut-braced wings to add lift and reduce drag, with potential to dramatically increase fuel efficiency. The rotary actuators will be fitted to the X-66A ailerons, one of the flight control surfaces on the aircraft's special wings. Woodward has begun work with Boeing and plans to produce the actuators by 2026. Test flights are scheduled to begin in 2028.

05:09 EDT Gilead, EJAF announce five-year extension of Radian partnership - Gilead and the Elton John AIDS Foundation, or EJAF, announced a five-year extension of the Radian partnership to help meet the needs of the most vulnerable key populations in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, or EECA, where the HIV epidemic is growing. Radian will continue supporting the initiatives of trusted, grassroots organizations who are working to address HIV-related challenges in the region.

05:03 EDT GE Aerospace, Kratos Defense team on development and production of small engines - GE Aerospace (GE) and Kratos Turbine Technologies, a division of Kratos Defense (KTOS), signed a memorandum of understanding to partner on the development and production of small affordable engines that could potentially power unmanned aerial systems, or UAS, collaborative combat aircraft, and similar applications. The partnership builds on an existing joint development agreement and includes full-scale engine production.