Stockwinners Market Radar for July 30, 2024 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:03 EDT Cathie Wood's ARK Investment buys 133K shares of Guardant Health today

19:57 EDT Samsung says smartphone demand decreased sequentially in weak quarter - In Mobile Experience division, the company states: "Smartphone demand decreased sequentially in the seasonally weak quarter, particularly in the premium segment. We recorded a decline in sales largely due to the base effect of launches of new models in the first quarter. However, the S24 series continued to see strong sales and achieved double-digit growth YoY in both shipments and revenue for 2Q and 1H. Profitability declined slightly in the quarter from rising prices of key components, but we kept it in the double digits for 1H despite persistent pressure." In Mobile Experience Outlook for the Second Half of the year, the company states: "In smartphones, we expect the premium segment to grow, but the mass segment is likely to slow. We also expect to see growth in ecosystem products, including tablets, watches, and TWS. We plan to drive revenue growth by expanding sales of flagship smartphones and ecosystem products. In foldables, we will enhance the durability, battery life, and camera and promote the Galaxy AI experience, thus solidifying our global leadership. The S24 series will maintain its growth momentum on the back of sustained marketing efforts. We will provide the Galaxy AI experience in tablets, starting with the Tab S9 series, and continue the momentum in premium sales. In wearables, we target the super-premium segment with the release of Watch Ultra; and offer innovations in TWS and advanced health experiences with the Galaxy Ring. Overall, we will strive to secure solid profitability through optimizing product specifications, including component communization and standardization, and pursuing operational efficiencies."

18:47 EDT Johnson & Johnson's Darzalex Faspro approved by FDA in multiple myeloma - Johnson & Johnson announced that the FDA approved Darzalex Faspro in combination with bortezomib, lenalidomide and dexamethasone - D-VRd - for induction and consolidation in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma, or NDMM, who are eligible for an autologous stem cell transplant. Patients will have the opportunity to receive this Darzalex Faspro-based quadruplet therapy at initial diagnosis. This approval is supported by data from the Phase 3 PERSEUS study evaluating Darzalex Faspro in a regimen that included D-VRd induction and consolidation therapy compared to bortezomib, lenalidomide and dexamethasone during induction and consolidation in patients with NDMM eligible for ASCT. Findings from the study demonstrated a significant improvement in the primary endpoint of progression-free survival, with D-VRd reducing the risk of disease progression or death by 60% compared to VRd. Treatment with D-VRd induction and consolidation resulted in deeper responses at the end of consolidation compared to VRd. The overall safety profile of D-VRd was consistent with the known safety profiles for Darzalex Faspro and VRd.

18:30 EDT Microsoft expects cloud capacity constraints to remain in 1H25 - Expects Azure growth to accelerate in 2H25. Says cloud and AI spend "nearly all" of CapEx. Says half of CapEx is data centers, half is servers.

18:08 EDT Microsoft sees Q1 Intelligent Cloud revenue $28.6B-$28.9B - Sees Q1 More Personal Computing revenue $14.9B-$15.3B. Sees Q1 Productivity and Business Processes revenue $20.3B-$20.6B. Sees Q1 Office 365 growth ~14%. Sees Q1 LinkedIn revenue growth high single digits. Sees Q1 Azure revenue growth 28%-29%. Sees Q1 CapEx up sequentially. Sees Q1 currency impacting sales by less than 1%. Sees Q1: COGS $19.95B-$20.15B; OpEx $15.2B-$15.3B; tax rate ~19%.

17:58 EDT Microsoft says Activision contributed 3% to revenue growth in Q4 - Says Teams passed 3M paid seats. Says CoPilot AI customers doubled since last quarter. Says has over 60,000 Azure AI customers.

17:48 EDT Microsoft says Azure AI customers up nearly 50% y/y - Seeing "accelerated adoption" of Windows 11. Says putting security "above all else." Says LinkedIn seeing accelerating user growth. Says premium sign ups increased 51% this year. Says content pipeline in gaming has "never been stronger." Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

17:26 EDT Groupon to exit local business in Italy following negative tax assessment ruling - The company said, "Second, moving to the topic of Italy. As previously disclosed, we received a negative ruling related to a tax assessment for one of our Italian subsidiaries, Groupon S.r.l. In April 2024, Groupon S.r.l. paused the sale of local vouchers in Italy and the Company has been evaluating its options regarding operations in Italy. After a careful review of options, in July 2024, we decided to exit the local business in Italy. We expect to incur total pre-tax restructuring charges of up to $7.0 million in connection with the exit. The restructuring actions are expected to include an overall reduction of approximately 33 positions, with the majority of these reductions and payments expected to occur by the end of 2024. The Company does not expect incremental financial exposure that exceeds the assets of Groupon S.r.l. As of December 31, 2023, Groupon S.r.l. has assets of approximately EUR 48 million, made up largely of intercompany receivables and includes approximately EUR 1 million in cash and cash equivalents. Overall, while I am frustrated by the slow start to the third quarter, we are in a strong position to weather this minor set back. While progress in transformation is not always a straight path, I am confident that our transformation plan focused on driving profitable top line growth can generate attractive returns for our shareholders over the long-term."

17:23 EDT Starbucks says conversations with Elliott to date have been 'constructive' - Says "not satisfied" with quarterly results. Says runway for improvement is "long." Sees "green shoots" in U.S. business. Says targeting outlier stores for effiency improvements. Says "confident" in trajectory of U.S. business. Says in early stages of exploring strategic partnerships to accelerate growth in China. Says conversations with Elliott to date have been "constructive." Comments taken from Q3 earnings conference call.

17:19 EDT New Gold maintains 2024 production view - Still sees 2024 production of 310,000-350,000 ounces of gold and 50-60 million pounds of copper at all-in sustaining costs1 of $1,240 to $1,340 per gold ounce sold on a by-product basis.

17:06 EDT Ovintiv raises 2024 total production view to 570-580 from 545-575 MBOE/d

17:03 EDT Tectonic Therapeutic announces FDA clearance of TX45 IND application - Tectonic Therapeutic announced that the FDA has cleared its investigational new drug, or IND, application for TX45, an Fc-relaxin fusion protein being evaluated for the treatment of patients with Group 2 PH-HFpEF. TX45 aims to address the physiological abnormalities of PH-HFpEF through its effects on both pulmonary and systemic vasodilation, cardiac diastolic dysfunction and potential remodeling in both the pulmonary vessels and cardiac muscle, which could translate into a clinically meaningful improvement in exercise capacity in these patients. Tectonic expects to initiate the global Phase 2 clinical trial of TX45 in PH-HFpEF in the third quarter of 2024, with topline results anticipated in 2026.

17:01 EDT Valvoline announces $400M share repurchase plan - Valvoline announced that its board of directors authorized the company to repurchase up to $400M of its common stock. The authorization has no expiration date.

16:55 EDT Triumph Financial names Mitchell Lee as chief risk and compliance officer - Triumph Financial announced the appointment of Mitchell Lee as chief risk and compliance officer. In his new role, Lee will be responsible for providing strategic oversight of the company's enterprise risk and compliance efforts. This includes driving the ongoing development of a comprehensive enterprise risk management framework across all divisions of Triumph Financial including TriumphPay, Triumph and TBK Bank. Prior to joining Triumph Financial, Mitchell served as the chief risk and compliance officer at Synctera.

16:51 EDT DBV Technologies provides update on VITESSE, COMFORT studies - DBV Technologies shared an update on the Phase 3 study, VITESSE, using the modified Viaskin Peanut Patch, in children ages 4-7 years old with peanut allergy. The company also provided a status update on the COMFORT Toddlers supplemental safety study in 1 - 3-year-olds with peanut allergy. DBV Technologies reports that enrollment for the VITESSE Phase 3 pivotal study in children 4 - 7-year-olds with a peanut allergy continues to be on track to screen the last subject by the end of Q3. VITESSE is a trial evaluating efficacy and safety of the modified Viaskin Peanut patch in approximately 600 subjects with 86 participating sites in US, Canada, Europe, UK and Australia. DBV Technologies and the FDA have been engaged in ongoing dialogue since May 2023 on the COMFORT Toddlers supplemental safety study in 1-3-year-olds with a peanut allergy. The study protocol was submitted on November 9, 2023, with comments provided by FDA on March 11. Since March, much of the dialogue between DBV and FDA regarding the COMFORT Toddlers supplemental study has focused on patch wear-time experience, including how prescribers would advise parents and caregivers to manage day-to-day variability in patch wear time. In this context, DBV proposed an approach, informed by the EPITOPE efficacy data, that focuses on the user experience during the first 90-days of treatment. DBV submitted to the FDA draft labeling for Section 2 - Dosing and Administration, for a potential Viaskin Peanut Prescribing Information, along with comprehensive supportive data and analyses. Within the first 90-days of treatment it is possible to identify those patients who are very likely to have a robust clinical efficacy response based on patch wear time experience. The proposed PI recommends continuation of treatment for these patients. With the same 90-day approach, patients less likely to have a robust clinical efficacy response, identified by their patch wear-time experience, would be identified as "Label-out" patients. In these instances, the PI would recommend a shared decision-making process, between the health care provider and the parent or caregiver, to determine whether treatment should be discontinued. DBV is currently awaiting FDA's response to the proposed labeling approach which was submitted on June 28.

16:43 EDT AMC Networks announces General Counsel Jamie Gallagher retires year end - AMC Networks announced that Jamie Gallagher, the company's long-time General Counsel and EVP, will retire at the end of the year. Following more than 16 years of service, Gallagher will step down from his role, concluding a distinguished career marked by invaluable contributions to the company.

16:35 EDT NerdWallet announces 15% workforce reduction to reduce costs - NerdWallet said it has committed to a restructuring plan, effective August 1, intended to reduce the company's operating expenses and better position it "to execute its long-term strategic initiatives." The plan will reduce the size of the company's workforce by approximately 15% of its full-time employees as compared to its headcount as of December 31, 2023. NerdWallet expects to incur a total estimated pre-tax restructuring charge of $8M to $10less than in connection with the plan. The company anticipates most of these charges will occur in Q3, with the workforce reduction largely completed by the end of that quarter. CEO Tim Chen said, "We are committed to building NerdWallet with a long-term orientation, and that sometimes requires difficult decisions. Today we have decided to reduce our workforce by approximately 15%. This decision is part of a larger effort to improve our operational efficiency and better position NerdWallet to invest more in our most important long-term strategic initiatives. Saying goodbye to fellow Nerds is never easy and we're dedicated to supporting each of them through this transition. We thank all of our Nerds for their contributions and hard work, and we remain confident in our ability to deliver on our long-term vision of becoming a trusted financial ecosystem for consumers and SMBs."

16:33 EDT BlueLinx sees Q3 average daily sales up from Q2 - Through the first four weeks of the third quarter of 2024, specialty product gross margin was in the range of 18% to 19% and structural product gross margin was in the range of 8% to 9%. Average daily sales volumes were improved versus the second quarter of 2024.

16:31 EDT Inari Medical announces CFO Mitch Hill retiring, Strange succeeds - Inari Medical announced that Mitch Hill, Chief Financial Officer, will retire effective October 1 and will be succeeded by Kevin Strange, Inari's current SVP, Finance, Accounting, Strategy and Business Development. Mr. Hill has served as the CFO since 2019, and prior to that in various senior financial roles spanning over four decades. Mr. Strange joined Inari in 2020 as VP, Strategy and Business Development. Since 2023 he has served as the SVP, Finance, Accounting, Strategy and Business Development leading Inari's day to day financial and accounting operations. Prior to joining Inari, he has over 15 years of experience in various financial and business development leadership roles within the medical device space. "Over the last five years, Mitch helped build and scale a robust financial, operating, and technology foundation for Inari," said Drew Hykes, Inari CEO. "He also led our IPO in May 2020 and helped us identify and develop Kevin Strange as his successor. We thank Mitch for his myriad contributions to Inari and his unwavering commitment to our patients. Looking ahead, I couldn't be more confident in the leadership Kevin will provide as Inari's next CFO. In addition to being a highly experienced financial executive, Kevin is deeply passionate about Inari's mission. He is uniquely qualified to lead our finance and accounting organization into the next phase of growth. I expect a seamless transition of the CFO role from Mitch to Kevin."

16:31 EDT Landstar System increases quarterly dividend 9% to 36c per share - Landstar also announced that its board declared a quarterly dividend of 36c per share payable on September 10 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on August 20. This quarterly dividend includes a 3c per share increase, or 9%, over the amount of the company's regular quarterly dividend declared following each of the prior four quarters.

16:29 EDT Community Health to sell three Pennsylvania hospitals to WoodBridge - Community Health Systems announced that certain subsidiaries of the Company have entered into a definitive agreement to sell three Pennsylvania hospitals - 186-bed Regional Hospital of Scranton and 122-bed Moses Taylor Hospital in Scranton, 369-bed Wilkes-Barre General Hospital in Wilkes-Barre, and certain related businesses to affiliates of WoodBridge Healthcare, Inc. for $120 million, inclusive of a $10 million prepayment for services to be provided pursuant to an information technology transition services agreement and subject to adjustment for the assumption of any capital/finance leases and net working capital. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year, subject to customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions. The hospitals included in this transaction are among the additional potential divestitures discussed on the Company's second quarter 2024 earnings call.

16:28 EDT American Assets Trust says Adam Wyll to take over as CEO in 2025 - American Assets Trust announced that on July 25, Ernest Rady, the company's Chairman and CEO, gave notice of his intention to transition from CEO to Executive Chairman, effective as of January 1, 2025. In connection with Rady's transition, the company's board of directors has appointed Adam Wyll, the company's President and COO, to the role of President and CEO effective on January 1, 2025. Wyll joined the company's predecessor in 2004 and has held multiple positions on the company's executive management team.

16:28 EDT Vistra approved to operate operate Comanche Peak Nuclear Plant through 2053 - Vistra announced that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has approved its request to extend the operation of Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant through 2053, an additional 20 years beyond its original licenses. The company submitted its application for license renewal with the NRC in October 2022.

16:25 EDT ICF International awarded $17M contract from SoCalREN - The Los Angeles County Southern California Regional Energy Network recently awarded a contract to global consulting and technology services provider ICF to design and deliver their full portfolio of residential energy efficiency programs. The recompete contract has a value of $17M and a term of nearly three years.

16:22 EDT Clorox raises quarterly dividend to $1.22 from $1.20 per share - The Clorox Company announced that its board of directors has declared an increase to its quarterly dividend from $1.20 to $1.22 per share on the company's common stock. The dividend is payable August 30, 2024, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 14, 2024.

16:21 EDT AMD up 3% after Q2 report, Q3 guidance - AMD shares are up $4.56, or 3%, to $143.00 in after-hours trading.

16:17 EDT Starbucks reports Q3 Active U.S. rewards membership totals 33.8M, up 7% y/y - "Our three-part action plan is beginning to work and driving operational improvements that we expect to improve financial performance," commented Laxman Narasimhan, chief executive officer. "Our growing culture of focused innovation and relentless execution continues to enhance our capabilities, while helping return the business to sustainable growth," Narasimhan added. "Our efficiency efforts, which are tracking ahead of expectations, partially offset investments associated with the cautious consumer environment," commented Rachel Ruggeri, chief financial officer. "Collectively, our disciplined approach enables us to preserve both balance sheet strength and flexibility, positioning us to successfully navigate through the current macroeconomic environment," Ruggeri added.

16:14 EDT California American Water agrees to buy Yerba Buena Water Company assets - California American Water has entered into an agreement to acquire Yerba Buena Water Company's water distribution system, which serves approximately 249 customer connections in unincorporated Ventura County. The Yerba Buena water system is located approximately 34 miles from California American Water's Ventura District operations center in Newbury Park, California. "We are looking forward to being the new water provider to Yerba Buena's customers," said California American Water President Kevin Tilden. "Our talented team of experienced experts will support customers with robust conservation programs, a 24-hour emergency call center, ratepayer assistance programs as well as many other benefits in the coming years." California American Water serves approximately 28,000 customer connections in the Ventura County communities of Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Camarillo, El Rio and Piru.

16:11 EDT Microsoft CEO says 'ensuring we lead the AI era' - "Our strong performance this fiscal year speaks both to our innovation and to the trust customers continue to place in Microsoft. As a platform company, we are focused on meeting the mission-critical needs of our customers across our at-scale platforms today, while also ensuring we lead the AI era."," said Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO of Microsoft. "We closed out our fiscal year with a solid quarter, highlighted by record bookings and Microsoft Cloud quarterly revenue of $36.8 billion, up 21% - up 22% in constant currency - year-over-year," said Amy Hood, executive vice president and CFO of Microsoft.

16:03 EDT PepGen reports 'positive' data from low-dose cohort of PGN-EDO51 - PepGen announced positive clinical data from the first dose cohort (5 mg/kg) of PGN-EDO51, its lead investigational candidate for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) whose mutations are amenable to an exon 51-skipping approach. In the ongoing CONNECT1-EDO51 Phase 2 open-label trial, PGN-EDO51 demonstrated higher levels of exon skipping than previously reported studies with other oligonucleotide therapies at similar PMO dose levels in DMD patients. The Company also reported that change from baseline in total dystrophin production and muscle-adjusted dystrophin production was comparable to, or higher than, previously reported studies with other oligonucleotide therapies at similar PMO dose levels in DMD patients. Today at 4:30 p.m. ET, the Company will host a conference call with the CONNECT1 lead investigator Dr. Hugh McMillan to discuss the data being presented. "We are encouraged by the early data from our CONNECT1 clinical trial of PGN-EDO51 in people with DMD. In three months, the starting monthly dose of 5 mg/kg achieved high levels of exon skipping and all patients showed increases in dystrophin. PGN-EDO51 produced meaningfully higher levels of exon skipped transcript at lower doses and in a shorter time period compared to other exon 51 therapies, approved and in development, indicating that our Enhanced Delivery Oligonucleotide technology is delivering higher levels of oligonucleotide to the nuclei," said James McArthur, Ph.D., President and CEO of PepGen. "Importantly, PGN-EDO51 has demonstrated a favorable safety profile, supporting our ongoing evaluation of the 10 mg/kg monthly dose cohort in CONNECT1. We intend to leverage the early observations from CONNECT1 to optimize our CONNECT2-EDO51 Phase 2 trial. Based on these initial results, we are optimistic about the possibility that higher levels of dystrophin production will be observed in the 10 mg/kg cohort of CONNECT1. We also look forward to reporting data from the first cohort of our placebo-controlled multinational study CONNECT2."

16:01 EDT FibroGen trading halted, news pending

14:03 EDT Tenable Holdings up 9% after Bloomberg report on exploring possible sale

13:14 EDT Vertex says FDA accepted suzetrigine new drug application - Vertex Pharmaceuticals announced that the Food and Drug Administration has accepted its new drug application submission for suzetrigine, an investigational, oral, selective NaV1.8 pain signal inhibitor to treat moderate-to-severe acute pain. "Suzetrigine has the potential to be the first new class of medicine to treat acute pain in over twenty years," the company said in a statement. The FDA has granted suzetrigine priority review and assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act target action date of January 30, 2025. Suzetrigine has already been granted FDA Fast Track and Breakthrough Therapy designations for the treatment of moderate-to-severe acute pain, Vertex noted.

12:48 EDT Ameriprise files lawsuit against LPL for 'misusing' client information - Ameriprise Financial Services (AMP) said it filed a lawsuit today in United States District Court contending that LPL Financial (LPLA) "is engaged in a widespread pattern and practice of harvesting and misusing private, confidential client information as they recruit advisors in violation of legal, regulatory and industry obligations." The lawsuit alleges that LPL "systematically directs the advisors it recruits from Ameriprise and its competitors to take confidential information on their way out the door." The company believes "these actions are in direct violation of multiple securities laws and regulations, as well as the standards LPL is legally bound to follow as a member of the broker protocol for recruiting."

12:01 EDT Corning falls -9.2% - Corning is down -9.2%, or -$3.94 to $38.74.

12:01 EDT Howmet Aerospace rises 12.9% - Howmet Aerospace is up 12.9%, or $10.66 to $93.51.

12:00 EDT Meta Data Limited rises 19.5% - Meta Data Limited is up 19.5%, or 89c to $5.45.

11:50 EDT Retail Opportunity jumps 11% after Reuters report on Blackstone buyout talks

11:48 EDT Spirit Airlines to offer new categories of service, including priority check-in - Spirit Airlines said it is "redefining low-fare travel with new, high-value options that empower travelers to choose an elevated Guest experience at an affordable price." The airline is introducing new offerings, including brand-new premium selections, as part of a significant transformation that delivers an "even friendlier, more comfortable, and cost-effective travel experience." Spirit will begin offering new travel options for booking on Aug. 16 and launch the newly transformed Guest experience by August 27, 2024. "We're unveiling a new era in Spirit's history and taking low-fare travel to new heights with enhanced options that are unlike anything we've offered before," said Ted Christie, Spirit's President and Chief Executive Officer. "We listened to our Guests and are excited to deliver what they want: choices for an elevated experience that are affordable and provide unparalleled value." The new offerings include Go Big, Go Comfy, Go Savvy and Go. All four options include the flexibility of no change or cancel fees. In addition, the company will debut a priority check-in experience on August 27 who opt to Go Big, and will inititate a new "enhanced" boarding process the same day.

11:15 EDT Virginia Court of Appeals reverses judgment as to Appian's trade secret claims - In a decision posted to the court's website, the Court of Appeals of Virginia stated: "A jury found Pegasystems, Inc. (Pega) used improper means to misappropriate trade secrets from Appian Corporation (Appian). On appeal, Pega asks this Court to reverse the jury verdict and enter judgment for Pega because it contends, as a matter of law, there was insufficient evidence that Pega misappropriated any trade secrets. In the alternative, Pega seeks a new trial, arguing the trial court erred in excluding certain evidence and in granting flawed jury instructions (particularly with respect to proximate cause). We reject Pega's claim that it is entitled to judgment as a matter of law; however, we find that the trial court committed a series of errors that require us to reverse the judgment as to Appian's trade secret claims." Reference Link

11:09 EDT Concord Medical trading resumes

11:04 EDT Concord Medical trading halted, volatility trading pause

10:48 EDT JetBlue sees 2025 CapEx a few hundred million lower y/y

10:43 EDT JetBlue to take delivery of 60 Airbus aircraft in 2025-2029 vs. 104 previously

10:36 EDT Trinity Place trading halted, news pending

10:32 EDT JetBlue sees average number of grounded aircraft in 2025 in mid to high teens - Sees greater uncertainty in 2026 and beyond.

10:19 EDT JetBlue says imperative airline keep costs low

10:16 EDT Sysco says 'profitably' took market share in 2024 - Says grew business more than 1.75x the market. Says Sysco 'winning' with specialty platforms. Says pleased with overall performance versus total market. Says confident company can improve local case performance in 2025. Says overall expense management continues to improve year-over-year. Says plans to hire additional 450 net incremental sales professionals in 2025. Says total team selling program continues to advance. Says will continue to expand specialty capabilities domestically and internationally. Says continues to expect international to be a tailwind in 2025. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

10:15 EDT VBI Vaccines trading resumes

10:01 EDT Agco falls -7.4% - Agco is down -7.4%, or -$7.58 to $94.47.

10:00 EDT Bitcoin Investment Trust falls -11.1% - Bitcoin Investment Trust is down -11.1%, or -$6.61 to $53.07.

10:00 EDT Hayward rises 13.0% - Hayward is up 13.0%, or $1.75 to $15.24.

09:59 EDT VBI Vaccines initiate restructuring proceedings under CCAA - VBI Vaccines announced that the Ontario Superior Court of Justice has issued an initial order granting the company protection under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. C-36, as amended. The Initial Order provides for, among other things: a stay of proceeding in favour of VBI, approval of the DIP Loan, and the appointment of Ernst & Young to serve as monitor in the Court during the restructuring. The decision to seek creditor protection was made in the best interest of its stakeholders after careful evaluation of VBI's financial situation and all available alternatives following consultation with its legal and financial advisors. The board of directors of VBI will remain in place and VBI will remain responsible for the sale process under the supervision of the CCAA Court and the general oversight of the Monitor. VBI intends to fund the CCAA process from cash on hand as well as through the authorized interim debtor-in-possession financing entered into with K2 HealthVentures, as the secured creditor and DIP lender. VBI intends to seek approval of a sale and investment solicitation process, which, if approved, would allow interested parties to participate in the process in accordance with the SISP procedure. VBI intends to use this process to build on the work it undertook prior to the filing to identify one or multiple purchasers of its assets on an efficient basis. The SISP, if approved by the CCAA Court, will be administered by VBI, with the assistance of its financial advisor and the Monitor, EY. Additional detail relating to the SISP will be disclosed in due course. VBI intends to commence a case under Chapter 15 of the United States Bankruptcy Code to seek recognition and enforcement in the United States of the CCAA Court's orders, and to commence a case under the relevant provisions of the Israeli Insolvency and Economic Rehabilitation Law, 2018, to protect VBI's subsidiaries and assets located in the United States and Israel, respectively. The Company has notified Nasdaq of the foregoing and expects its common shares will cease trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market upon such date that Nasdaq determines. The Company expects to cease reporting as a public reporting company.

09:47 EDT NIPG Stock trading resumes

09:47 EDT Howmet Aerospace rises 11.6% - Howmet Aerospace is up 11.6%, or $9.65 to $92.50.

09:47 EDT OppFi falls -8.1% - OppFi is down -8.1%, or -31c to $3.53.

09:47 EDT Bitcoin Investment Trust falls -11.0% - Bitcoin Investment Trust is down -11.0%, or -$6.56 to $53.12.

09:36 EDT Focus Impact BH3 Acquisition Co trading resumes

09:32 EDT Cineverse to publish library of video content on Spotify - Cineverse Corp. (CNVS) will be distributing video content for the first time on Spotify (SPOT). This includes programming from both Cineverse's channel partners as well as additional titles curated from the company's content library of more than 70,000 films and television shows.

09:31 EDT Focus Impact BH3 Acquisition Co trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:29 EDT F5 Networks announces retirement of EVP and CFO Frank Pelzer during 1Q25 - In a regulatory filing, F5 Networks said that on July 26, Frank Pelzer, Executive Vice President and CFO of F5, informed the company of his plans to retire during the company's first fiscal quarter 2025, which ends December 31, 2024. In the meantime, Pelzer will continue in his current role at the company and will assist the company in the transition to his intended successor, Edward Cooper Werner, the company's current Senior Vice President of Finance, who is slated to be appointed upon Pelzer's retirement. Additional information regarding the chief financial officer change will be provided at the time of transition, F5 said.

09:16 EDT Kartoon Studios announces 'successful' 2024 San Diego Comic-Con - The company said, "Kartoon Studios celebrates a tremendously successful 2024 San Diego Comic-Con roll-out of multiple Stan Lee Universe activations, including the debut of limited-edition apparel and digital collectibles from Multiverse Clothing and VeVe; signings with celebrated pop culture artists at VeVe's booth, and the Stan Lee: The Next 100 Years panel last Saturday, which offered a sneak-peek into what's coming from Stan Lee Universe, as well as an EXCLUSIVE STAN LEE TRAILER looking at the icon himself." "On the heels of a world record weekend box office for Deadpool & Wolverine, two key characters in the universe that Stan Lee co-created, as well as the weekend news that Robert Downey Jr, was revealed to be the new Dr. Doom in Marvel's upcoming Avengers films, it was more clear than ever that Stan Lee remains an unequaled force in pop culture, and we certainly experienced his enduring popularity this last weekend at San Diego Comic-Con. His 20 million fans across the social media landscape fuel comic books, TV, film, and merchandise, and they can't seem to get enough of the great icon," stated Kartoon Studios Chairman & CEO Andy Heyward.

09:15 EDT Global Business Travel expects proposed acquisition of CWT to close in 1Q25 - American Express Global Business Travel, which is operated by Global Business Travel, announced it now expects its proposed acquisition of CWT, a global business travel and meeting solutions provider, to close in the first quarter of 2025. Amex GBT continues to work collaboratively with regulatory authorities including the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority, or CMA, and the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice in their review of the transaction. The CMA also confirmed that it intends to continue its review of the transaction in a Phase 2 investigation. Amex GBT said it will continue to work with the regulatory authorities to demonstrate how the acquisition of CWT will create synergies and provide greater capacity for investment and innovation.

09:14 EDT VivoPower's Tembo agrees to extension of exclusive heads of agreement - VivoPower International (VVPR) announced that its electric vehicle subsidiary, Tembo e-LV, has agreed to a further one month extension of its exclusive heads of agreement with Nasdaq-listed Cactus Acquisition Corporation I (CCTS) to 31 August 2024. The extension is intended to provide additional time for Tembo to consummate a material transaction and update disclosures before finalising a definitive business combination agreement relating to the proposed transaction as well as the independent fairness opinion.

09:11 EDT NextTrip launches Group Booking Platform - NextTrip announced the launch of a new Group Booking Platform, a proprietary technology for its direct-to-consumer travel booking website offering travelers and facilitators a flexible and versatile solution for group travel. NextTrip's Platform streamlines front-end booking flow for customers, empowering each traveler to book their own travel while still remaining part of a group. This versatility allows travelers to book travel when it is most convenient for them. For group leaders, our Platform reduces the workload by eliminating the need to follow up with travelers for details such as travel dates, flight information and room category. Guests can also easily include pre- and post-stays and book activities. Access to the Platform can be sent in email invitations and implemented on a variety of sites, such as conference and other customized websites. Future versions will include additional destination flexibility, customization, and white label capabilities.

09:08 EDT Knight-Swift announces immediately accretive acquisition of Dependable, no terms - Effective July, 30 Knight-Swift Transportation acquired the operating assets and assumed certain liabilities of the non-union regional less-than-truckload division DHE of Dependable Highway Express Dependable, based in Los Angeles, California. The acquisition is expected to be immediately accretive to Knight-Swift's earnings per share. Knight-Swift CEO, Adam Miller, commented, "We are excited to take the next step toward building a nationwide LTL business, and especially to grow our network to include the key Southwest markets of California, Arizona, and Nevada. This transaction increases our LTL terminal and door counts by approximately 10% and brings our network's coverage of the US population to approximately 70%. The strategic value of acquiring a strong Southwest competitor like DHE is meaningful given the impact to our coverage area significantly expands the customers we can serve as well as the difficulty of building or acquiring LTL facilities in many of these locations. DHE will connect with our existing AAA Cooper and MME businesses to provide seamless coast-to-coast service to our customers. Financial terms were not disclosed. The Company estimates that DHE generated approximately $122 million in total operating revenue over the past twelve months with an operating margin of approximately 10%. The DHE associates and assets will operate as a separate brand under the AAA Cooper corporate group. Joe Finney served as Chief Operating Officer of DHE prior to the transaction and will continue leading DHE as its President after the transaction. Scudder Law served as legal advisor to Knight-Swift. Houlihan Lokey served as financial advisor to Dependable, and Proskauer served as legal advisor to Dependable.

09:07 EDT Phytanix Bio publishes new investor deck - Phytanix Bio announced the release of its new investor deck. The updated presentation provides an in-depth look at the company's strategic vision, scientific advancements, and growth potential as it progresses towards the development of next-generation cannabinoid medicines. Key Highlights of the Investor Deck Include: Strategic Vision and Mission: An overview of Phytanix Bio's commitment to developing innovative therapies targeting serious unmet medical needs using cannabinoid and cannabinoid-like molecules. Scientific and Clinical Progress: Detailed updates on the company's preclinical studies, research collaborations, and upcoming clinical milestones. Intellectual Property Portfolio: Insights into Phytanix Bio's exclusive cannabinoid and cannabinoid-like medicine intellectual property, including patents and proprietary technologies. Management Team: Profiles of the experienced leadership team, including CEO Barrett Evans, COO Colin Stott, and Chief Legal Officer Dominic Schiller, all former key members of GW Pharmaceuticals. Market Opportunities: Analysis of the market potential for Phytanix Bio's lead product candidates, including treatments for treatment-resistant facial seizures and Painful Bladder Syndrome. Financial Overview: Information on the company's financial position, recent funding, and future financing strategies. Barrett Evans, CEO of Phytanix Bio, stated, "We are excited to share our new investor deck, which provides a comprehensive overview of Phytanix Bio's vision and progress. Our team is dedicated to advancing our pipeline of cannabinoid-based medicines, and this presentation outlines our path forward and the significant opportunities ahead." Phytanix Bio has entered into a Business Combination Agreement with Chain Bridge I

09:05 EDT Elevai Labs subsidiary appoints Shirihai to Scientific Advisory Board - Elevai Labs announced the appointment of Orian Shirihai, MD, PhD, to the Scientific Advisory Board of its subsidiary, Elevai Biosciences. As a renowned researcher in the field of metabolism, Dr. Shirihai will support the advancement of EL-22, a first-in-class engineered probiotic approach, to address obesity's pressing issue of preserving muscle while on weight loss treatments, including GLP-1 receptor agonists.

09:04 EDT PodcastOne announces multi-year deal with Jonathan Mark - PodcastOne announced that Celebrity Medium Jonathan Mark has joined PodcastOne network in a multi-year deal for his debut podcast Connect with Jonathan Mark. PodcastOne holds the exclusive sales and distribution rights for the podcast. The first season of Connect with Jonathan Mark launches on July 30, 2024 with twelve-episodes that feature an array of celebrity appearances, expert guests and updates on compelling true crime cases.

09:04 EDT Reading: 'Deadpool & Wolverine' breaks multiple records in global cinema circuit - Reading International announced that this past weekend's opening of the highly anticipated, Deadpool & Wolverine, set several records across its global cinema circuit, including: The biggest opening weekend for any R-rated movie ever in our U.S. Cinema division, in terms of both attendance and box office. The biggest opening weekend for any MA 15+ rated movie ever in our Australian Cinema division, in terms of both attendance and box office. The biggest opening weekend box office gross, on a same-store basis, for our premium large format screens for any movie in our U.S. Cinema division. Our U.S. Cinema team created a specially curated Deadpool & Wolverine F&B menu and offered Deadpool & Wolverine collector's merchandise for sale, which helped deliver the highest F&B Revenues for any weekend so far in 2024, the highest ever single day F&B spend per patron on Thursday, July 25, the day the movie opened, the biggest opening weekend F&B Revenues for a movie themed menu since 2019 and the biggest movie-themed merchandise revenues for any movie ever, despite also being the fastest to sell-out. Our Australian Cinema team created a special BFF combo inspired by Deadpool & Wolverine, which was the biggest selling F&B item opening weekend and helped deliver the highest opening weekend F&B Revenues for any weekend so far in 2024 and the second highest opening weekend F&B Revenues ever. The biggest opening weekend gross box office for our premium large format screens for any movie in our global circuit since Thor: Love and Thunder in 2022. The biggest opening weekend gross box office so far in 2024 for each of our U.S., Australian and New Zealand cinema circuits.

09:02 EDT Leidos appoints Ron Keesing as Chief AI Officer - Leidos appointed Ron Keesing as chief AI officer. In this role, Keesing will lead Leidos' strategic initiatives advancing Trusted Mission AI solutions and deploying those solutions across all customer missions. Keesing brings over two decades of experience in AI, machine learning, and advanced analytics. Part of the Leidos team since March 2004, Keesing has served as the founding director of the Leidos AI Accelerator and most recently served as senior vice president of technology integration.

08:58 EDT PharmAla provides investor update following Q3 financial statement - PharmAla Biotech Holdings is pleased to share its Q3 Financial Statement. The 9 months ended May 31st, 2024, included significant revenue growth compared to the previous year. "I am pleased to report that, as compared to the same period in 2023, PharmAla has generated approximately 10x more revenue in 2024," said Nicholas Kadysh, CEO, PharmAla Biotech. "This speaks to our success in generating new opportunities in Canada, Australia, and other ex-US markets. This strategy will remain the cornerstone of our work on our LaNeo MDMA product as we continue to establish ourselves as the first choice for clinical trial practitioners and prescriber suppliers." PharmAla is furthermore gratified that the Board of Cortexa has seen fit to vote that PharmAla has completed all precedents relating to the transfer of intellectual property to Cortexa, and as such the Joint Venture is now permanent and irrevocable . PharmAla is pleased that the US Patent and Trademark Office has issued patent 12042478, supporting PharmAla's APA-001 composition of matter for (R)-2-[(2H-1,3-Benzodioxol-5-YL)Methyl]Pyrrolidine. PharmAla continues to believe based on preclinical studies that this molecule may have suitability and applicability as a treatment in a range of indications. It exhibits pro-social effects at lower doses than MDMA, in addition to acting on the 5HT1A receptor, and is believed to trigger neuroplasticity via binding to intracellular 5HT2A receptors. PharmAla expresses its gratitude to IPON, which has continued to support efforts to secure global patents for molecules like APA-01 with over $160,000 in non-dilutive grant proposals accepted by PharmAla in 2024. With support from IPON, PharmAla has filed patents to secure its made-in-canada intellectual property in a large number of globally relevant jurisdictions. PharmAla's Board of Directors has voted to approve a new contract for PharmAla's CEO, Nicholas Kadysh. The CEO's salary shall be $170,000 per annum, with a further annual bonus of up to 50%, which may be granted at the discretion of the Board of Directors. The CEO's salary shall be reviewed annually by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors of PharmAla. The Board of Directors of PharmAla has also granted the CEO, Nicholas Kadysh, with 2 Million Restricted Share Units, to be vested quarterly over one year, in light of his continuing performance in the execution of the Company's goals. All shares granted are subject to a 4 month hold.

08:56 EDT Syra Health awarded emergency response contract by Wyoming Department of Health - Syra Health has been awarded a population health contract by the Wyoming Department of Health, Behavioral Health Division. This marks Syra Health's entry into its 23rd state. The contract, awarded under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act Grant, aims for Syra Health to conduct a comprehensive situational assessment of the emergency preparedness plans for eight Wyoming Behavioral Health Centers. Based on the findings, Syra Health will recommend tailored improvements to address identified gaps, enhance mental health services after traumatic events, and suggest relevant training opportunities to better prepare the BHCs for effective responses.

08:52 EDT Evolus expands global footprint with debut of Nuceiva in Australia - Evolus has commenced operations in Australia with the launch of Nuceiva or prabotulinumtoxinA. Nuceiva is approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration TGA for the temporary improvement in the appearance of moderate to severe glabellar lines in adult patients . "Launching Evolus in Australia underscores our commitment to strategic geographic expansion and our dedicated focus on customers in this growth market," said David Moatazedi, President and Chief Executive Officer. "This milestone fuels our global growth strategy by establishing a strong presence in a key region. Successfully entering new markets like Australia positions us for sustained above-market growth, reinforcing Evolus' position as a global leader in its industry." Evolus has established a direct operating entity in Australia, under the leadership of Daniel Henry. Working closely with aesthetics healthcare professionals will enable Evolus to offer this new treatment to patients. Nuceiva is licensed in the United States under the brand name Jeuveau and has been the fastest-growing neurotoxin in the United States for three consecutive years.

08:50 EDT Stryker's Spine Guidance 5 Software receives 510(k) clearance from FDA - Stryker's Q Guidance System with Spine Guidance 5 Software featuring Copilot received 510(k) clearance from the FDA. Spine Guidance Software with Copilot's breakthrough technology was built to provide multiple feedback modalities for supporting bone resection, pedicle preparation and screw delivery to help maximize a surgeon's effectiveness and enhance patient outcomes.

08:44 EDT Ree announces over 50,000 government entities can purchase electric truck - REE Automotive announced that its REE's P7-C software-defined Class 4 electric vehicles will be available to government and education entities in all 50 states of the U.S. looking to add electric options to their fleets through a 4-year contract awarded to National Auto Fleet Group, NAFG, by Sourcewell.

08:42 EDT Reborn Coffee announces strategic joint venture with Penglai Data Store - Reborn Coffee announced a strategic partnership and joint venture with a China AI Database Company - Penglai Data Store, led by CEO Alex Guo, which develops the high performance AI database software - HetuKV optimizing the AI learning and training process for businesses. This collaboration signifies the official launch of Reborn China, an innovative venture poised to transform the coffee industry in China by incorporating advanced AI technology into every new franchise in the region. Reborn China's new AI features will also be introduced in the United States, bringing cutting-edge advancements to the local need upon full integration satisfaction.

08:39 EDT Amprius gets $1.9M contract from U.S. Army to develop high-energy batteries - Amprius Technologies announced that it was selected by the U.S. Army to develop a large form factor 500 Wh/kg SiMaxx high-energy cell for electric mobility applications in the defense sector. The $1.9M contract that comes with the award will be used over the next 18 months to create the large form factor prototype 500 Wh/kg SiMaxx cell..."Amprius' 500 Wh/kg SiMaxx cell provides the energy density required to enable broad application objectives on our solar HAPS performance roadmap," said Dex Halpin, Vice President and General Manager of AV's HAPS division. "Our partnership with Amprius allows AV to field our solar stratospheric platforms with the highest payload capability in its class: 150 lb mass and 1500W continuous power. The SiMaxx cell's proven performance gives us confidence that our partnership with Amprius will help expand our solar platforms' performance and payload capabilities for government and commercial customers." Amprius' industry-leading 500 Wh/kg, 1300 Wh/L SiMaxx cell has been verified by Mobile Power Solutions and provides approximately double the energy compared to conventional cells. The continued partnership with the Department of Defense accelerates the development of critical capabilities and strengthens the U.S. supply chain.

08:37 EDT Alliance Entertainment signs distribution agreement with Arcade1Up - Alliance Entertainment announced an exclusive distribution agreement executed with Arcade1Up for retail and website fulfillment of the complete line of arcade and gaming products in North America. Arcade1Up licenses and manufactures home arcade consoles with over 95% market share and over 90% of key licenses in the retro gaming space. These include some of the most well-recognized arcade games like PAC-MAN, Ms. PAC-MAN, Mortal Kombat, NBA Jam, Golden Tee, Big Buck and more. Arcade1Up has also launched the Infinity Gaming line, which includes the Infinity Game Table and the Infinity Game Board. This unique platform brings home fun for the entire family via digital versions of classic and iconic board games, including Hasbro's Monopoly, Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, Yahtzee and more. The Infinity Gaming line also includes puzzles, card games, coloring books, educational and many more licensed games.

08:36 EDT Evoke Pharma announces 1-for-12 reverse stock split - Evoke Pharma announced that its board of directors has approved a 1-for-12 reverse stock split of the company's common stock. The reverse stock split will become effective at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on August 1, 2024. The company's common stock is expected to begin trading on a split-adjusted basis on The Nasdaq Capital Market under the same symbol when the market opens on August 1, 2024 with the new CUSIP number 30049G302. The reverse stock split is primarily intended to bring the company into compliance with Nasdaq's minimum bid price requirement. To regain compliance, the bid price of the company's common stock must close at $1.00 per share or more for a minimum of ten consecutive business days.

08:35 EDT Milestone Scientific announces receipt of multiple NOAs for patent applications - Milestone Scientific announced receipt of multiple Notices of Allowance, NOA, for essential patent applications in both the U.S. and Europe. One NOA was granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and one NOA was granted by the European Patent Office for a new patent titled "Device and Method for Needle/Catheter Location Utilizing Correlation Analysis." These patent applications cover Milestone Scientific's next-generation Dynamic Pressure Sensing technology for real-time pressure-sensing guidance in manual injection systems. The innovative DPS technology enables fluid-pressure analysis to compare pressure signals, alert pressure thresholds, and display pressure graphs, in order to ensure accurate positioning of needles and catheters, as well as enhance the safety and precision of manual injections.

08:33 EDT Reliance Global announces AI-powered Quote & Bind InsurTech solution - Reliance Global Group unveiled its new, advanced AI-powered Quote & Bind InsurTech solution for commercial policies, designed to significantly enhance the capabilities of RELI Exchange agency partners. The Company plans to launch the new offering in the fourth quarter of 2024. The new Quote & Bind solution, integrated within the RELI Exchange platform, leverages artificial intelligence, enabling agents to provide real-time commercial insurance quotes from multiple carriers and bind policies in real time from the RELI Exchange agent dashboard. These new commercial lines of insurance include workers' compensation, business owners, general liability, cyber liability, and inland marine, as well as executive lines, such as directors & officers insurance and employment practices liability insurance.

08:33 EDT Goodyear Tire appoints new Chief Digital Officer and Chief Marketing Officer - Goodyear Tire has named Mamatha Chamarthi SVP and Chief Digital Officer, and Will Roland SVP and Chief Marketing Officer, effective August 1. Chamarthi previously served as Chief Software Business Growth Officer for Stellantis. At Stellantis, she also served as Chief Information and Digital Officer. Earlier in her career, Chamarthi held leadership roles at ZF Friedrichshafen AG, Consumers Energy and Daimler Group. Roland was previously SVP Media, Consumers, Analytics and Digital for Stellantis North America. Roland also previously served as president of Solutions for Publicis Media.

08:32 EDT City of Vineland, NJ achieves $1M in surplus sales via GovDeals partnership - The City of Vineland, New Jersey has recently reached the milestone of over $1 million in surplus property auction sales conducted on GovDeals. The City of Vineland has primarily used GovDeals for surplus vehicle and heavy equipment sales. The county first began listing on GovDeals' virtual auction platform in June 2009, conducting over 1,069 auctions since that time.

08:31 EDT American Airlines renews subscription with Sabre PRISM - Sabre (SABR) announced that American Airlines (AAL) has renewed its subscription to PRISM, Sabre's industry-leading corporate travel contract management solution used by more than 30 of the world's premier airlines.

08:26 EDT PayPal sees FY24 free cash flow $6B vs. prior view $5B - Sees FY24 share repurchase $6B vs. prior view at least $5B. Still sees FY24 effective tax rate approximately 22%. Sees FY24 transaction margin dollar growth in the low to mid single digits.

08:22 EDT Comscore introduces comprehensive YouTube audience measurement - Comscore (SCOR) announced comprehensive measurement of YouTube audiences across all digital devices in the US. Starting in July, Comscore began delivering a holistic view of YouTube (GOOGL) traffic across desktop, mobile, and connected TV (CTV). This new capability enhances Comscore's existing reporting for YouTube video traffic on desktop and mobile browsers, as well as in mobile apps. This holistic YouTube measurement sets Comscore apart from other industry measurement providers.

08:20 EDT Silk Road Medical announces more than 100,000 TCAR procedures performed - Silk Road Medical announced the milestone that more than 100,000 TCAR procedures have been performed to date. "A growing number of patients come to us looking for a solution that is minimally invasive and requires less downtime so they can get back to their daily lives," said Dr. Gregg Landis, System Chief of Vascular Surgery at Northwell Health. "It's incredible that Silk Road was able to not only address that need by creating the TCAR procedure, but also achieve such widespread adoption in a short period of time. TCAR has transformed the way we approach treating carotid artery disease while consistently delivering positive patient outcomes."

08:18 EDT NKGen Biotech presents new SNK01 biomarker data - NKGen Biotech announced the presentation of a poster entitled, "Subjects treated with expanded non-genetically modified autologous Natural Killer cells show improved changes in CSF alpha-synuclein and in cognitive function." SNK01 is a first-in-kind, autologous non-genetically modified NK cell product with significantly increased cytotoxicity and over 90% activating receptor expression that can be consistently produced from any donor. Elevated levels of alpha-syn in the CSF have been linked to cognitive impairment in AD patients and correlate with worse cognitive performance. NKGen's in vitro data demonstrated that SNK01 had, similarly to microglial cells, the ability to internalize and degrade alpha-syn aggregates which further supports the rationale for its use for alpha-synucleinopathies. Following an initial Phase I biomarker analysis that showed SNK01 could improve CSF levels of amyloid, tau, and neuroinflammation, a secondary analysis was performed looking at the effect of SNK01 specifically on alpha-syn protein levels in CSF. Despite 70% of patients in this trial being treated with relatively low doses of SNK01, 60% had a reduction in their CSF levels of alpha-synuclein. In addition, 90% of patients showed stable or improved cognitive function at 11 weeks using the ADCOMS score.

08:17 EDT Cassava Sciences announces expansion of open-label extension trials - Cassava Sciences announced that the Company will extend by up to an additional 36 months each of the open-label extension trials in its ongoing Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical programs. These amendments to the protocols will allow patients who have previously participated in a randomized trial of simufilam in Alzheimer's disease, if they desire, to continue open-label treatment with simufilam. This expansion of the open-label extension trials offers a bridge for any gap between patients ending treatment in a clinical trial and the Company reporting to regulatory authorities the results of the ongoing, randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 3 trials. The open-label extension can continue for up to 36 months or until a new drug application for simufilam has been reviewed by FDA. Cassava also plans to add cognition and plasma biomarker monitoring to its open-label extension trial for patients who have completed the Phase 3 trials in order to gather additional long-term data on the potential impact of simufilam treatment.

08:17 EDT 180 Life Sciences announces results from study testing new solid formula of CBD - 180 Life Sciences announced topline results from a clinical pharmacology study, that evaluated the uptake of cannabidiol in a solid formulation which can be delivered as a pill orally. The clinical trial in humans, performed with Prof. Avi Domb of the Hebrew University, School of Pharmacy, and with Prof. Elyad Davidson, of Hadassah Hospital, compared two solid formulations of CBD with a U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, approved drug for epilepsy, Epidiolex. The purpose of the Study was to compare the pharmokinetic profile of a generic approved CBD product, Epidiolex, with two solid formulations. The company believes this type of trial has yet to be examined in a clinical setting. For the Company's trial, twelve volunteers received all three formulations in a crossover randomized trial.

08:15 EDT Ocean Power enters reseller agreement with Geos Telecom in Costa Rica - Ocean Power Technologies announced the signing of a reseller agreement with Geos Telecom, a prominent provider of maritime communication and navigation solutions in Costa Rica. This partnership marks a significant expansion of OPT's presence in the Latin American market and includes the immediate sale of a WAM-V with anticipated near-term continued growth of PowerBuoy systems and WAM-V's in support of regional demand.

08:14 EDT Eyenovia, SGN Nanopharma announce collaboration agreement - Eyenovia and SGN Nanopharma announced that the companies have entered into a collaboration agreement to develop a treatment for chronic dry eye disease. Under the terms of the agreement, the companies will work to develop SGN's Micellar Nanoparticle Platform platform-based cyclosporine formulation for use with Eyenovia's Optejet(R) dispenser. The companies are currently validating the novel drug-device combination product's manufacturability to support clinical testing and will then schedule a consultation meeting with the FDA to discuss clinical development.

08:13 EDT Armlogi Holding expands warehouse capacity to support partnership with Massimo - Armlogi (BTOC) announced the leasing of a new warehouse facility in City of Industry, CA, to support the Company's expanding trucking operations and strategic partnership with Massimo Group (MAMO). The new warehouse, encompassing approximately 60,000 square feet within a larger building, is expected to provide Armlogi with additional capacity to store and manage inventory, streamline distribution processes, and enhance overall operational efficiency. This expansion aligns with the Company's recent announcement regarding the growth of its trucking department and the ongoing collaboration with Massimo to optimize vehicle storage and transportation services.

08:12 EDT Imunon announces increase in survival in patients treated with IMNN-001 - Imunon announces positive topline results from the Phase 2 OVATION 2 Study with IMNN-001 in patients with advanced ovarian cancer. OVATION 2 is a randomized study of IMNN-001 in combination with neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy inclusive of interval debulking or cytoreductive surgery compared with a control arm of standard-of-care NACT alone. Highlights from patients treated with IMNN-001 plus standard-of-care in a first-line treatment setting include: An 11.1 month increase in median OS compared with standard-of-care alone in the intent-to-treat population. A hazard ratio in the ITT population of 0.74, which indicates a 35% improvement in survival. Among the approximately 90% of trial participants who received at least 20% of specified treatments per-protocol in both study arms, patients in the IMNN-001 arm had a 15.7 month increase in median OS, representing a further extension of life with a hazard ratio of 0.64, a 56% improvement in survival. For the nearly 40% of trial participants treated with a poly ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitor, the hazard ratio decreased further to 0.41, with median OS in the IMNN-001 treatment arm not yet reached at the time of database lock, compared with median OS of 37.1 months in the standard-of-care treatment arm. The PFS results, the trial's primary endpoint, support the OS results with: A three-month improvement in PFS compared with standard-of-care alone. A hazard ratio in the intent-to-treat population of 0.79, indicating a 27% improvement in delaying progression for the IMNN-001 treatment arm. OS was extended by 15.7 months in patients receiving three or more doses of IMNN-001 in the 17-dose protocol. Patients also receiving maintenance PARP inhibitor therapy demonstrated an OS hazard ratio of 0.41 in the IMNN-001 trial arm with median OS not yet reached at the time of data lock.

08:11 EDT aTyr Pharma announces research study with Stanford Medicine - aTyr Pharma has entered into a research agreement with Stanford Medicine. Michael Lim, M.D., Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at Stanford Medicine, will serve as the principal investigator for the study. Dr. Lim's research focuses on understanding the basic mechanisms of immunosuppression in glioblastoma multiforme. The research collaboration aims to explore the role of the Company's novel function blocking antibodies against NRP2 in combination with chemotherapy to evaluate their role in reversing immune evasion in GBM. If preliminary studies are successful, the researchers plan to evaluate the NRP2 antibodies in combination with other immunomodulating agents, such as anti-PD-1, STING, or anti-CSF-1R, to address multiple targets of myeloid and T cell immunosuppression for the potential treatment of GBM.

08:09 EDT PayPal making Fastlane generally available to merchants in the U.S. in August

08:08 EDT Polar Power appoints Michael Field to board of directors - Polar Power announces that Michael Field has been appointed a director of the Company and compensation committee chair. He has held key operating and managerial roles and positions both at the divisional and executive levels at UTC Carrier Corporation, PRI Automation and Brooks Automation, and is currently the President and CEO of The Raymond Corporation, which is in the materials handling market. The appointment fills a vacant board seat and brings the number of independent directors to three.

08:04 EDT Accenture and SandboxAQ expand partnership to strengthen data encryption - Accenture and SandboxAQ are expanding their partnership to address the critical need for enterprise data encryption that can defend against current data breaches, as well as future AI and quantum threats. Together, Accenture and SandboxAQ are helping organizations secure sensitive data and strengthen encryption across their technology portfolios. The joint offering will also provide observability across environments to help increase enterprise resilience and lower impact from third party risks..."The prevalence of generative AI, as well as expected new global post-quantum encryption standards, makes data protection absolutely critical to safeguarding confidential business information and data used to train AI foundational models or used in AI applications," said Paolo Dal Cin, global lead of Accenture Security. "The reality is that malicious actors are stealing sensitive data now, with the intention of decrypting it later using quantum computers that can break many current encryption methods. Our assessment service enables clients to see potential risks to their data and upgrade encryption to increase protection against ransomware, data theft and manipulation campaigns, and to prepare for future risks from quantum computing. Companies that assess their data encryption level now will be more protected against current attacks and better prepared to mitigate future risks."

08:03 EDT Sysco CFO says long term view reflects CAGR of 4%-6% for net sales - "Our fourth quarter operating profit included our seventh consecutive quarter of positive operating leverage. Additionally, over $2.2 billion was returned to shareholders this year. We plan to build on that momentum with continual improvements expected this coming fiscal year. Fiscal 2025 kicks off the first year of our three-year financial growth algorithm. Our plans for consistent top- and bottom-line growth are built on our expectations for sustainable growth, operational excellence, and a balanced capital return profile. This long-term view reflects an expected compounded annual growth rate of 4%-6% for net sales, 6%-8% for adjusted EPS, and 9-11% total shareholder returns," said Kenny Cheung, Sysco's Chief Financial Officer.

08:01 EDT PTC Therapeutics submits sepiapterin NDA to U.S. FDA - PTC Therapeutics announced the submission of the sepiapterin NDA to the U.S. FDA. The NDA submission is for the treatment of pediatric and adult patients with phenylketonuria, including the full spectrum of ages and disease subtypes. The European marketing authorization application is currently under review and the marketing authorization applications for Japan and Brazil are expected to be submitted later in 2024.

07:52 EDT Jacobs expands wastewater program management role in Syracuse, NY - Jacobs was contracted by Onondaga County, New York, to provide program management services for the county's combined sewer overflow abatement and capacity, management, operations and maintenance programs. The new contract extends Jacobs' long-term program management role to cover the CSO program and improve sewer system performance county-wide using Jacobs' Digital OneWater solutions. Jacobs has provided program management services for the county's CSO program since 2008. Under the new five-year contract, Jacobs will finalize the county's Long-Term Control Plan for CSO abatement and provide program management services including capital planning, preliminary design and permitting support for the remaining CSO program projects.

07:47 EDT Biogen, Beckman Coulter, Fujirebio to collaborate on test for tau pathology - Biogen, Beckman Coulter, Inc. and Fujirebio announced a collaboration to potentially identify and develop blood-based biomarkers for tau pathology in the brain and to potentially clinically advance and potentially commercialize new tests for tau pathology in Alzheimer's disease. The development of tau-specific blood-based biomarkers that can measure a patient's tau burden could provide critical insights into the underlying pathological processes of AD and may help advance the development of a new generation of therapies impacting tau pathology. Through this collaboration, the companies will work to identify new blood-based biomarkers and advance known blood-based biomarkers for tau pathology in AD. The collaboration aims to develop and clinically advance new tools that measure brain tau pathology to potentially stratify patients or monitor treatment response in AD clinical trials. The collaboration has the potential to advance tau-specific blood-based biomarkers and diagnostic tools that could be used not only in clinical trials, but also in clinical practice to enable adoption of future therapies impacting tau pathology. Under the terms of the collaboration, Biogen will provide Alzheimer's clinical study data and expertise in biomarker research to prioritize markers for tau pathology. Fujirebio and Beckman Coulter will be responsible for providing diagnostic development, manufacturing and commercialization.

07:45 EDT Alphabet's partnership with Anthropic probed by U.K.'s CMA - The U.K.'s Competition and Markets Authority is investigating Alphabet's partnership with Anthropic PBC. The CMA is considering whether it is or may be the case that Alphabet's partnership with Anthropic has resulted in the creation of a relevant merger situation under the merger provisions of the Enterprise Act 2002 and, if so, whether the creation of that situation may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition within any market or markets in the United Kingdom for goods or services. The CMA is inviting comments on the transaction in advance of the formal investigation by the deadline of August 13. Reference Link

07:44 EDT Anavex announces preclinical results from study of ANAVEX2-73 - Anavex Life Sciences reported positive preclinical results in directly to humans' translatable biomarkers for individuals with FXS for ANAVEX2-73, in a disease model of Fragile X syndrome. The findings presented at the 19th NFXF International Fragile X Conference reports positive results in directly to humans' translatable electroencephalogram biomarkers present in both individuals with FXS and animal models of FXS. The study presented investigated the effects of ANAVEX2-73 on brain activity in a mouse model of FXS using electroencephalography, a non-invasive technique that measures electrical signals in the brain. Key results were found in the auditory steady state response EEG test, which are of particular importance to the treatment of CNS disorders. In the current study, ANAVEX2-73 enhances neural synchrony in response to sounds in the frontal and auditory cortices of the brain in a dose dependent manner.

07:44 EDT Extreme Networks and Intel team to drive AI-centric product innovation - Extreme Networks (EXTR) announced it has formed a co-innovation alliance with the Intel (INTC) Connectivity Analytics Program to enhance native AI capabilities within its Extreme AI Expert( solution, currently in technology preview within Extreme Labs . This collaboration aims to help customers optimize network performance, detect security threats, personalize end-user experiences and reduce operational costs by leveraging network data, unique device data from PCs through the innovative Intel Connectivity Analytics SDK and Generative AI GenAI to make networks smarter, faster and more resilient. As the number of client devices continues to increase across all network environments, customers need improved visibility into device activity as well as a simplified way to manage devices from the data center to the network edge. Extreme's partnership with Intel will deliver increased visibility into both network and client devices and will drive additional development of GenAI tools that enable customers to optimize the design, deployment and management of enterprise networking and security. These new features help to optimize network performance, dynamically adjust bandwidth to prioritize critical devices and improve security threat detection and issue resolution.

07:43 EDT Ocular Therapeutix announces first patients enrolled in Phase 3 SOL-R study - Ocular Therapeutix announced that the first patients have been enrolled in the Phase 3 SOL-R clinical trial evaluating repeat dosing of AXPAXLI for the treatment of patients with wet age-related macular degeneration. "Our first Phase 3 trial, SOL-1, is intended to show that AXPAXLI can safely and durably maintain visual acuity in patients with wet AMD. SOL-R is intended to build on that by providing physicians with important evidence regarding the potential to re-dose AXPAXLI every six months, which better aligns with a likely 'real world' experience," said Pravin Dugel, MD, Executive Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ocular Therapeutix.

07:41 EDT Bowman Consulting expands Southwest Gas egagements into Northern Nevada and CA - Bowman Consulting Group was selected by Southwest Gas to provide on-call survey services in Western and Northern Nevada and California, marking the Company's fifth ongoing on-call agreement with the natural gas distribution company and the first in these territories. Southwest Gas provides natural gas service to more than 2 million customers throughout Arizona, Nevada and portions of California. Bowman supports Southwest Gas with a variety of utility-specific survey, engineering and design services throughout Arizona. Prior to this expansion of territory, Bowman served Southwest Gas throughout Arizona and southern Nevada. Bowman is committed to being highly responsive to Southwest Gas' needs and will apply continued process improvements to effectively support Southwest Gas' business of safely and reliably providing natural gas service to its communities. "This new contract and the expansion of territory we cover reflects our relentless commitment to the highest standards of customer service, quality work and timely execution," said Gary Bowman, chairman and chief executive officer at Bowman. "Our teams have the technical skills and industry knowledge both to support Southwest Gas' expansive and complex infrastructure and to contribute to their long-term growth through whatever task we are assigned. We appreciate our positive relationship with Southwest Gas and look forward to serving them for many years to come."

07:39 EDT Vitalhub to acquire MedCurrent for up to C$34M - VitalHub has signed a definitive agreement to acquire MedCurrent Corporation and its subsidiaries, by way of a court-approved plan of arrangement under the provisions of the Business Corporations Act/ MedCurrent is a physician-founded Clinical Decision Support company focused on improving the quality of care and managing health system costs through its innovative and scalable solution, OrderWise. OrderWise enhances the clinical decision-making process within real-time to determine the appropriateness of a test using evidence-based guidelines and artificial intelligence integrated at the point of care. To date, the development of OrderWise has been primarily focused on improving appropriateness of orders for medical imaging tests. MedCurrent provides its solutions in over 80 customer installations in Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Australia. Hospital diagnostics, including medical imaging and laboratory testing, are critical components of healthcare delivery, accounting for a sizable portion of hospital expenditures1. In Canada alone, hospitals spend over $3 billion annually on medical imaging and $5.9 billion on laboratory testing2. Addressing inefficiencies and improving appropriateness in these areas is essential to reducing costs and enhancing patient outcomes. The Conference Board of Canada estimates that in 2022, average wait times were 67 days for a CT scan and 133 days for an MRI, significantly exceeding the acceptable 30-day standard3. These delays result in a net loss of $3.5 billion in GDP annually. Additionally, up to 30% of certain medical tests, procedures, and treatments are potentially unnecessary, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information. By integrating MedCurrent's CDS solutions, VitalHub aims to reduce these inefficiencies, with a view to lowering healthcare costs and improving patient care. VitalHub's acquisition of MedCurrent aligns with VitalHub's strategic vision to integrate cutting-edge technology solutions that streamline healthcare delivery. MedCurrent's OrderWise platform, focused on optimizing diagnostic orders, will complement VitalHub's existing Patient Flow software suite, providing a comprehensive solution to manage healthcare resources more effectively. VitalHub has agreed to acquire MedCurrent for total consideration of up to approximately C$34 million including a cash payment of approximately C$12 million on closing and additional earn-out consideration up to a maximum of approximately C$21.875 million) based on annual performance over 36 months. The Transaction will be effected by way of a court-approved plan of arrangement under the Business Corporations Act and will require the approval of at least 66 2/3% of votes cast by MedCurrent shareholders at a special meeting of MedCurrent shareholders, the timing of which will be approved by the court. Upon completion of the Transaction, MedCurrent will become a wholly owned subsidiary of VitalHub. Directors, officers, and certain other shareholders of MedCurrent, holding approximately 79.81% of the issued and outstanding common shares of MedCurrent, calculated on an as-converted to common share basis, have entered into voting support agreements pursuant to which they have agreed to vote their MedCurrent common shares in favour of the Transaction. In addition to the shareholder and court approval, the Transaction is subject to applicable regulatory approvals and third party consents and the satisfaction of certain other closing conditions customary in transactions of this nature. The Transaction is expected to close at the beginning of September, 2024.

07:33 EDT Barnes Aerospace announces long-term agreement extension with MTU Aero Engines - Barnes Aerospace announced a long-term agreement extension with MTU Aero Engines AG, through which it will provide a package of precision fabricated components valued at $33M. Leveraging its existing manufacturing capabilities, Barnes Aerospace-Singapore OEM will produce aero-engine components to be used in Pratt and Whitney's A320neo / A220 and Gulfstream G500 / G600 engines. These applications require high-precision technologies in high volume.

07:25 EDT Interactive Strength secures distribution for CLMBR in Germany - Interactive Strength announced that it has secured exclusive distribution and a six-figure initial order for CLMBR in Germany, the largest fitness market outside the United States.

07:22 EDT Silver Tiger Metals provides update on PFS drilling program on El Tigre - Silver Tiger Metals provided an update on the first 138 drill holes of the Company's Pre-Feasibility Study drilling program on its El Tigre Project in Sonora, Mexico. These new results are highlighting the expansion of stockwork mineralization in the Keel Zone, now projecting mineralization 100 metres below the PEA designed pit. Drill hole ET-24-609 has intersected significant mineralization in the HW Stockwork Zone, and the Keel Zone in both El Tigre and Seitz Kelly veins. The hole intersected 50.7 metres grading 155.0 g/t silver equivalent or 2.07 g/t gold equivalent, consisting of 0.17 g/t gold and 142.1 g/t silver, from 178.4 to 229.1 metres in the Keel Zone of the Seitz Kelly vein. The interval also includes 14.3 metres grading 334.3 g/t silver equivalent or 4.46 g/t gold equivalent from 198.4 to 212.7 metres, consisting of 0.20 g/t gold and 319.5 g/t silver. This hole highlights the high-grade Keel Zone in the Seitz Kelly Vein, some 100 metres below the PEA pit. The hole also intersected 40.0 metres grading 80.7 g/t silver equivalent or 1.08 g/t gold equivalent, consisting of 0.09 g/t gold and 74.1 g/t silver, from 124.4 to 164.4 metres in the Keel Zone of the El Tigre vein some 50 metres below the PEA pit. The interval also includes 17.3 metres grading 143.8 g/t silver equivalent or 1.92 g/t gold equivalent from 145.1 to 162.4 metres, consisting of 0.12 g/t gold and 134.7 g/t silver. In the Hanging Wall gold stockwork zone, the hole cut two significant zones of gold and silver mineralization including 24.2 metres from 3.7 to 27.9 metres grading 58.1 silver equivalent or 0.77 g/t gold equivalent, consisting of 0.76 g/t gold and 0.8 g/t silver, and 53.8 metres from 51.4 to 105.2 metres grading 44.7 silver equivalent or 0.60 g/t gold equivalent, consisting of 0.56 g/t gold and 2.8 g/t silver. Silver Tiger's CEO, Glenn Jessome, stated, "As we progress to a PFS release in September 2024 we continue to receive promising assay results, especially in the newly defined Keel Zone and high-grade El Tigre and Seitz Kelly veins" Mr. Jessome further stated, "These results further de-risk the project, as we increase the confidence and size of the new MRE as we are now discovering stockwork mineralization 100 meters below the PEA designed pit."

07:20 EDT Vicinity Motor announces first public deployment of automated transit bus - Vicinity Motor Corp. announced the first public deployment of a Vicinity Autonomous Lightning Electric Transit Bus in partnership with automated driving software platform provider ADASTEC at Michigan's Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, beginning service on Wednesday, August 14th, 2024. As announced by Michigan Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist at a launch event at the Michigan State Capitol Building today, through a National Park Service Mobility Challenge Program grant, ADASTEC and Vicinity will deploy an automated, electric low-floor, accessible transit bus that will transport passengers along a 4.1-mile route on Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The deployment - supported by federal funding - aims to study how the next generation of automated bus technology performs in an outdoor recreational setting. The vehicle will be available for public use and is free to riders with a 7-day, annual or lifetime NPS pass during its deployment period.

07:17 EDT Howmet Aerospace to pay dividend of 15% +/- 5% of net income ex -items in 2025 - On July 30 he Board of Directors approved the establishment of a 2025 dividend policy that would pay dividends on the Company's common stock in 2025 at a rate of 15% plus or minus 5% of net income excluding special items, subject to Board approval of the declaration of any future dividends.

07:16 EDT Howmet Aerospace increases share repurchase pact to $2.487B - On July 30 the Board of Directors authorized an increase in the Company's share repurchase program by $2 B, which, together with the remaining authorization of $487M, results in authorization to repurchase up to $2.487B of the Company's outstanding common stock. There is no stated expiration, and the Company is not obligated to repurchase any specific number of shares.

07:12 EDT Graphic Packaging sees FY24 adjusted EBITDA margins in 19%-20% range - On track to achieve $200M innovation sales growth. Expects positive full-year consumer packaging volume/mix growth. Sees $5B+ cash flow 2024-2023, with $2.5B cash flow 2024-2027 under its Vision 2023 plan. Comments taken from Q2 earnings conference call presentation slides.

07:11 EDT Arvinas expects cash to fund requirements into 2027 - Based on its current operating plan, Arvinas believes its cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and marketable securities as of June 30, 2024, is sufficient to fund planned operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements into 2027.

07:10 EDT Arvinas CEO says making 'meaningful progress' across portfolio - "During the second quarter, we continued making meaningful progress across our entire portfolio, with upcoming milestones that will further support our mission to improve patient lives with pioneering therapies from our revolutionary PROTAC protein degradation platform," said John Houston, Ph.D., Chairperson, Chief Executive Officer and President at Arvinas. "The readout of VERITAC-2, our first Phase 3 clinical trial, will be a landmark event for Arvinas. We are on-track to complete enrollment in the fourth quarter of the year, with topline data anticipated in either the fourth quarter of 2024 or first quarter of 2025. If positive, we believe these results will support our first new drug application filing and our transition to a commercial-stage company, assuming regulatory approval. We are well on our way to becoming a multi-product, commercial-stage organization with strong leadership and a robust pipeline across several indications," continued Dr. Houston. "Our first PROTAC degrader with the potential to treat neurodegenerative diseases, ARV-102, was recently cleared to initiate the multiple ascending dose portion of our Phase 1 clinical trial. In addition, we initiated the first-in-human Phase 1 clinical trial in patients with B-cell lymphomas with our PROTAC BCL6 degrader ARV-393. I'm excited by the progress we have made and the ongoing confidence we have in our PROTAC platform, which was further validated by our recent strategic transaction with Novartis. We believe Novartis will accelerate and broaden the development of ARV-766 as a potential best-in-class treatment for patients with prostate cancer."

07:09 EDT BioCardia submits for FDA approval of Morph DNA Steerable Introducer family - BioCardia reported it has submitted a 510(k) for approval of its patented Morph DNA Steerable Introducer Sheath. This product family is intended to provide a pathway through which medical instruments, such as balloon dilatation catheters, guidewires, or other therapeutic devices, may be introduced into the peripheral vasculature or chambers and coronary vasculature of the heart. The filing for approval of this product family follows the FDA approval of BioCardia's Helix biotherapeutic delivery Morph DNA guide system and its Avance transseptal steerable introducer, both of which incorporate Morph DNA technology.

07:06 EDT Armata Pharmaceuticals receives $5.25M of funding from DoD - Armata Pharmaceuticals announced that it has received an additional $5.25M of non-dilutive funding pursuant to a previously announced Department of Defense grant, received through the Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium and managed by the Naval Medical Research Command - Naval Advanced Medical Development with funding from the Defense Health Agency and Joint Warfighter Medical Research Program. The grant was awarded to Armata to support clinical development of its optimized phage candidate, AP-SA02, as a potential treatment for complicated Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia.

07:04 EDT LGI Homes sees FY24 home closings between 6,400-7,200 - Full Year 2024 Outlook : Active selling communities at the end of 2024 of approximately 150; Average sales price per home closed between $360,000 and $370,000; Gross margin as a percentage of home sales revenues between 23.5% and 24.5%

07:02 EDT PayPal raising 2024 guidance, increasing share repurchases, says CEO - President and CEO Alex Chriss said: "PayPal delivered a strong second quarter and first half, and I'm confident we're on the right track. We delivered our best transaction margin dollar growth since 2021, and we are making steady progress on our strategic transformation, while investing in innovation and operating more efficiently. Given the strength of our business, we are raising our 2024 guidance and increasing share repurchases. We are operating from a position of strength, delivering for our customers, and focusing on long-term profitable growth."

06:54 EDT International Game withdraws guidance amidst sale of Gaming & Digital business - The company said, "Due to the planned sale of the Gaming & Digital business, the Company expects to classify and report Gaming & Digital results as discontinued operations beginning in the third quarter of 2024. As a result, the Company is withdrawing its previously provided full year financial outlook. The Company expects to provide an outlook for full year 2024 continuing operations once the preparation of the discontinued operations reporting is complete."

06:51 EDT NovaBay reports record Amazon Prime Day sales - NovaBay Pharmaceuticals (NBY) reports record sales of Avenova-branded eyecare products during the Amazon (AMZN) Prime Day event, which was held July 16-17, 2024. Over the two-day period, Avenova sales were 17% higher compared with Prime Day 2023 and were up 40% over Prime Day 2022. "We reached another new sales record during the 2024 Amazon Prime Day event as consumers took advantage of discounts on our high-quality Avenova products," said Justin Hall, NovaBay CEO. "This event offered great pricing to our repeat customers on the Avenova products they've come to rely on, as well as to those new to our brand and our best-in-class dry eye product portfolio."

06:48 EDT BioNTech's BNT111 meets primary Phase 2 endpoint in advanced melanoma - BioNTech (BNTX) announced positive topline data from the ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial in patients with unresectable stage III or IV melanoma whose disease had progressed following anti-PD-L-containing treatment. The randomized trial evaluates the clinical activity and safety of the investigational mRNA cancer immunotherapy BNT111 in combination with Libtayo, an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody being developed by Regeneron (REGN), and assesses the two single agents alone. The trial met its primary efficacy outcome measure, demonstrating a statistically significant improvement in ORR in patients treated with BNT111 in combination with cemiplimab as compared to historical control in this indication and treatment setting. Both randomized monotherapy arms showed clinical activity. The ORR in the cemiplimab monotherapy arm was in line with the historical control of anti-PD-L or anti-CTLA-4 treatments in this patient group. The treatment was well tolerated and the safety profile of BNT111 in combination with cemiplimab in this trial was consistent with previous clinical trials assessing BNT111 in combination with anti-PD-L-containing treatments. The Phase 2 trial will continue as planned to further assess the secondary endpoints, which were not mature at the time of the primary analysis. BioNTech and Regeneron plan to present data from this trial at a forthcoming medical conference and to submit these data for publication in a peer reviewed scientific journal.

06:33 EDT Merck reports Q2 KEYTRUDA sales grew 16% to $7.3B - Excluding the Impact of Foreign Exchange, Sales Grew 21%.

06:11 EDT Haemonetics gets CE Mark for SavvyWire Pre-Shaped Pressure Guidewire - Haemonetics announced CE Mark certification and the first commercial European procedures for the SavvyWire Pre-Shaped Pressure Guidewire. The SavvyWire guidewire is the world's first and only sensor-guided 3-in-1 solution for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation, designed to improve procedural efficiency with predictable wire performance, hemodynamic measurement and left-ventricular pacing capabilities.

06:10 EDT Enterprise Products to expand Houston Ship Channel export facility - Enterprise Products Partners L.P. announced that it is moving forward with a key expansion project along the Houston Ship Channel in response to continued strong customer demand for natural gas liquids export capacity. At the Enterprise Hydrocarbons Terminal, the company is adding refrigeration capacity that will increase propane and butane export capabilities by approximately 300,000 barrels per day. In addition to providing incremental capacity for liquefied petroleum gas, the expansion will increase instantaneous loading rates for propane and butane, while making additional capacity available for propylene exports. The expanded service is expected to begin by the end of 2026. The need for increased LPG capacity at EHT is being driven by the success Enterprise has had in contracting the company's flexible product capacity at its Neches River Terminal being developed in Orange County, Texas, adjacent to the company's Beaumont East refined products terminal. Phase 1 of the NRT buildout includes the addition of a new loading dock, an ethane refrigeration train with a nameplate capacity of 120,000 BPD, and a 900,000-barrel refrigerated tank that will accommodate loading rates up to 45,000 barrels per hour. Phase 1 is expected to begin service in the second half of 2025. Phase 2 includes a second refrigeration train that will allow Enterprise to load up to 180,000 BPD of ethane, 360,000 BPD of propane, or a combination of the two. The second phase is expected to begin service in the first half of 2026. Growth capital associated with the EHT and NRT projects fits within the company's existing forecasted growth capital expenditure ranges for 2024-2026.

06:07 EDT Vista Outdoor board announces review of strategic alternatives - Vista Outdoor announced that its Board of Directors has commenced a review of strategic alternatives, which includes: Exploration of a full range of alternatives for Revelyst, including a potential sale of Revelyst. The Czechoslovak Group a.s. is also considering an acquisition of Revelyst with potential partners (in addition to its proposed acquisition of The Kinetic Group). Engagement with MNC Capital and its private equity partner with respect to its proposal to acquire Vista Outdoor to see if it can deliver superior value for the Company's stockholders. This follows MNC's recent public statement on July 26, 2024 that "if there were a reason or basis to increase our offer, including Vista engaging with us and providing one, we would increase our offer price". In light of this recent statement, the Board has determined that MNC's proposal would reasonably be expected to lead to a superior proposal and meets the standard for engagement under the terms of the CSG merger agreement. Considering the extensive diligence conducted by MNC and its private equity partner to date, Vista Outdoor expects MNC to be able to confirm an increased proposal for the acquisition of Vista Outdoor in short order. Continued consideration of the separation of Revelyst and The Kinetic Group through a spin-off. The Board remains committed to acting in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. "We recognize the continuing support received from many of our stockholders for the CSG transaction and the feedback from some of our stockholders with respect to other strategic alternatives," said Mike Callahan, Chairman of the Board of Directors. "We take the views of our stockholders very seriously and believe it is prudent to evaluate all strategic alternatives. In addition to engaging with CSG and MNC and its private equity partner, we also look forward to reviewing any other strategic alternative for Vista Outdoor that would maximize value for stockholders. While we conduct this strategic review, we remain as focused as ever on delivering high-quality, innovative products for our consumers around the world." In light of this announcement, Vista Outdoor will adjourn the special meeting of stockholders scheduled to be held at 9:00 am (Central Time) on July 30, 2024, to 9:00 am (Central Time) on September 13, 2024. The Board continues to recommend Vista Outdoor stockholders vote in favor of the proposal to adopt the merger agreement with CSG at the Special Meeting.

05:34 EDT Sacks Parente Golf announces 1-for-10 reverse stock split - Sacks Parente Golf announced that its board of directors has approved a 1-for-10 reverse stock split of the company's common stock. The reverse stock split will become effective on July 30 at 12:01 am, Eastern Time, and the company's common stock is expected to begin trading on a reverse stock split-adjusted basis on Nasdaq on July 30 at market open under the existing ticker symbol, (SPGC). The reverse stock split is intended to increase the price per share of the company's common stock to allow the company to demonstrate compliance with the $1.00 minimum bid price requirement for continued listing on Nasdaq, among other benefits.

05:24 EDT AudioCodes declares 18c per share cash dividend - AudioCodes also announced that the company's board of directors has declared a cash dividend in the amount of 18c per share. The aggregate amount of the dividend is approximately $5.5M. The dividend is payable on August 29 to all of the company's shareholders of record at the close of trading on Nasdaq on August 15. In accordance with Israeli tax law, the dividend is subject to withholding tax at source at the rate of 25% of the dividend amount payable to each shareholder of record, subject to applicable exemptions. If the recipient of the dividend is at the time of distribution or was at any time during the preceding 12-month period the holder of 10% or more of the company's share capital, the withholding rate is 30%. The dividend will be paid in U.S. dollars on the ordinary shares of AudioCodes Ltd. that are traded on Nasdaq or the Tel-Aviv Stock Exchange. The amount and timing of any other dividends will be determined by the board.

05:13 EDT C.H. Robinson to sell EST business to sennder Technologies, terms undisclosed - C.H. Robinson announced that it has made the strategic decision to sell its European Surface Transportation business, or EST, to sennder Technologies, a digital road freight forwarder in Europe. Through this transaction, the EST operations of C.H. Robinson will become part of sennder. EST has been a subsidiary of C.H. Robinson since 1994 and provides transportation and logistics services, including truckload and LTL transportation services, across Europe. The closing of the transaction is subject to certain customary conditions and regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2024. C.H. Robinson will not have further comments until its second quarter 2024 earnings conference call that is scheduled for Wednesday, July 31. Terms of the transaction are not disclosed.