Stockwinners Market Radar for August 08, 2024 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:02 EDT Cathie Wood's ARK Investment bought 341K shares of Robinhood today

19:49 EDT eHealth CEO buys $204K in common stock - In a regulatory filing, eHealth disclosed that its CEO Francis Soistman bought 50K shares of common stock on August 8th in a total transaction size of $203.7K.

19:05 EDT Enstar Group to enter $376M loss portfolio transfer with QBE - Enstar Group "announced that one of its wholly owned subsidiaries has reached an agreement to provide a ground-up Loss Portfolio Transfer with certain subsidiaries of QBE Insurance Group Limited. The transaction involves a diversified portfolio of US commercial liability and workers' compensation business, largely underwritten on recently discontinued programs. Enstar is familiar with the majority of the business and has existing exposure to the programs through a previous transaction with QBE in 2023. Under the terms of the agreement, Enstar's subsidiary will assume net loss reserves from QBE of $376 million, as of the effective date of July 1, 2024, and will provide approximately $175 million of cover in excess of the ceded reserves."

18:24 EDT Dutch Bros CEO: We are building this company for the long term - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, Christine Barone said Dutch Bros is on a path to 4,000 shops. The company saw a bump in new shop productivity in Q2, she noted. 67% of transactions go through the rewards program, and over 90% of the beverages sold in Q2 were cold, she added. Barone is very confident in the trajectory of the business.

18:02 EDT Trevena announces 1-for-25 reverse stock split - Trevena announced that it will effect a reverse stock split of its common stock at a ratio of 1-for-25. The reverse stock split will become effective at 12:01 a.m. ET on Tuesday, August 13. Trevena's common stock will continue to be traded on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the symbol "TRVN" and will begin trading on a split-adjusted basis when the market opens on Tuesday, August 13. The reverse stock split is intended to enable Trevena to regain compliance with the $1.00 minimum bid price required for continued listing on the Nasdaq Capital Market. The new CUSIP number for Trevena's common stock following the reverse stock split will be 89532E 307.

17:57 EDT Organogenesis announces development program update for ReNu - Organogenesis announced a development program update for ReNu, a cryopreserved amniotic suspension allograft, or ASA, for the management of symptoms associated with knee osteoarthritis, or OA. Organogenesis completed a Type-B meeting with the FDA on July 25. The FDA typically requires two well-controlled Phase 3 clinical trials to support regulatory approval. The FDA indicated that a second Phase 3 study would be needed to support BLA submission. Organogenesis recently completed enrollment in the second Phase 3 multi-center RCT evaluating the safety and efficacy of ReNu with 594 patients, significantly outperforming enrollment expectations. Based on the success of the first Phase 3 study and the completion of enrollment of the second study, Organogenesis expects to submit the BLA by the end of 2025. Additionally, subgroup data analysis revealed that the most severe patients treated with ReNu responded with similar reductions in pain to those patients with moderate disease, supporting the top line results. As previously announced, the first Phase 3 randomized clinical trial achieved the pre-defined requirements for study success - statistically significant reduction in knee pain and statistically significant maintenance of function, at six months. Additional sensitivity analysis showed that subjects in the saline group took substantially more acetaminophen for break through pain during the study.

17:24 EDT Dropbox sees FY24 gross margin 83%-83.5% - Sees FY24: Operating margin 33.5%-34%; Free cash flow $910M-$950M; CapEx $20M-$30M; User base flat.

17:12 EDT Vor Bio reports Q2 EPS (41c) vs (45c) last year - Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities were $85.9 million as of June 30, 2024, which is projected to fund operations into the second half of 2025.."We are pleased with the progress we have made with enrollment of both the trem-cel + Mylotarg and VCAR33ALLO clinical trials during the quarter," said Dr. Robert Ang, Vor Bio's President and Chief Executive Officer. "Every year, thousands of patients with AML and MDS relapse post-transplant with no safe and effective treatment options. Our approach of shielded transplants may provide the first opportunity to

17:10 EDT Five9 to acquire Acqueon, terms not disclosed - Five9 announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Acqueon, a pioneering real-time revenue execution platform. Adding Acqueon's capabilities to Five9's Intelligent CX Platform is a big step toward realizing Five9's ambition to become the orchestration engine for every interaction across the entire customer journey, including marketing, e-commerce, sales and customer service. Through AI-driven, omnichannel proactive customer engagement, this strategic combination redefines how businesses engage with their customers - at the right time, in the right channel - to help deliver better outcomes. As customer expectations continue to rise, brands are eager to innovate how they engage with customers who have preferences of how and when they wish to be contacted. Companies want new options to proactively reach their customers in a personalized way - whether for sales, collections, appointment reminders, courtesy updates, emergency notifications, and much more. With AI at the forefront, and with access to valuable contextual data, enterprises are increasingly empowered to make informed decisions in real-time to predict with precision when and how to contact their consumers to maximize connection rates and business outcomes. "Today's customers have become more sophisticated and have higher demands, and this strategic acquisition enables Five9 to expand the strength of our outbound solutions, which we pioneered from our inception," said Mike Burkland, Chairman and CEO of Five9. "Together with Acqueon, we can intelligently combine the preferences of the customer with the increasing variety of outreach channels to help enterprises grow their revenue and delight customers, while aligning to compliance standards. Furthermore, the interactions generated within Acqueon create additional contextual data that further strengthens the value of the Five9 Genius AI Suite. I'm thrilled to welcome the Acqueon team to Five9 and look forward to taking proactive customer engagement to a new level." The transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2024.

17:05 EDT Pitney Bowes sees FY24 EBIT $340M-$355M - Pitney Bowes is updating its full-year 2024 guidance to reflect the exit of GEC, incremental cost-saving initiatives and strong first-half performance. Full year 2024 guidance and comparison to 2023 exclude the financial results of the GEC Entities, which the Company expects will be reflected in discontinued operations. Pitney Bowes expects full-year revenue growth to range from flat to a low-single-digit decline. The Company also expects full-year EBIT of $340 million to $355 million.

17:02 EDT Paramount says Paramount+ domestic profitability on track for 2025 - The company said, "Our strong performance in Q2 demonstrates that we are delivering on our strategic priorities. We are proud of our results, including significant earnings growth largely driven by our DTC segment. In fact, for the fourth year in a row, Paramount+ is leading the industry in domestic sign-ups driven by our big broad hit TV series and blockbuster films. DTC profit growth for the past four quarters has totaled nearly $900 million and we are on track to reach domestic profitability for Paramount+ in 2025. Looking ahead, we will continue to aggressively execute on our Strategic Plan which focuses on transforming streaming to accelerate profitability, streamlining our organization - including at least $500 million in annualized cost savings - and improving the balance sheet by growing free cash flow and optimizing our asset mix. We are confident that our Plan will drive long-term value by leveraging our broad hit content as we continue to transform Paramount for the future."

16:58 EDT OncoCyte announces successful GraftAssure beta launch - Reports in a letter to shareholders, in part: "We are thrilled to report that we have successfully launched GraftAssure , which is our research-use-only assay that can detect early evidence of graft organ damage in a patient's blood. On July 11 , our GraftAssure assay was run at a major metropolitan transplant center and research university in the northeast United States, representing the first time our test had been run outside of an Oncocyte lab. Days later, a lab at a leading transplant center in Southeast Asia began running the test. Though we believe this milestone is just the beginning, it's an important proof point in an 18-month journey. To recap, in January 2023, we decided to double down on commercializing our transplant test IP, primarily by making a kitted test that relies upon a biomarker, donor-derived cell-free DNA . Our first prototypes of GraftAssure came off the manufacturing line in December. Four months later, in April 2024, we welcomed Bio-Rad Laboratories (BIO) as an investor and strategic partner, supporting the GraftAssure global launch. And in June 2024, we began shipping to our launch customers. We shipped to two continents in our first week - representing major transplant centers and research universities in the U.S. and Southeast Asia. As of today, we have signed up several centers in the U.S, Europe and Southeast Asia. We are also pleased with the momentum we are seeing coming out of the American Transplant Congress in Philadelphia in June. That conference was especially meaningful for Oncocyte this year because it coincided with the New England Journal of Medicine's publication of favorable data regarding our centralized lab product VitaGraft Kidney1. That clinical product uses the same background IP as our GraftAssure kitted test. As a reminder, under our partnership, Bio-Rad and Oncocyte are co-marketing GraftAssure inside the US and Germany, with Oncocyte acting as commercial lead. Bio-Rad is acting as commercial lead outside the US and Germany, and correspondingly has been granted exclusive distribution and commercial rights in those countries.

16:57 EDT Paramount announces 15% staff reduction on earnings call

16:56 EDT Pitney Bowes sells controlling interest in GEC Entities - Pitney Bowes announced that it has sold a controlling interest in the entities representing a substantial majority of the Global Ecommerce segment operating in the U.S. to Hilco Commercial Industrial, an affiliate of Hilco Global, to support a value-maximizing liquidation of certain of the GEC Entities under the protection of Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. This sale of the controlling interest occurred on August 8, 2024. Hilco is a recognized leader in helping companies maximize the value of their assets and has worked with numerous organizations to wind-down operations in an efficient, responsible manner. Pitney Bowes' Board of Directors conducted a comprehensive strategic review, with the assistance of independent legal and financial advisors, prior to ultimately determining that this exit path for GEC is in the best interests of both the Company's shareholders and other stakeholders. Notably, the GEC segment had been struggling to achieve profitability over the past several years in the face of macroeconomic and industry headwinds. The Company expects this exit path to eliminate substantially all of the losses associated with GEC, which were equal to approximately $136 million for the year ended December 31, 2023. Pitney Bowes is committed to ensuring that this process is as seamless as possible for GEC employees, customers, partners and vendors. Lance Rosenzweig, Interim Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board, commented: "When the Company announced our four strategic priorities in late May, we committed to working with speed and urgency to complete a comprehensive review of alternatives for GEC. We are pleased to have delivered on that commitment by concluding a productive review and identifying an exit path for GEC that provides for an orderly and efficient wind-down of the business, which will ultimately maximize value for Pitney Bowes shareholders. This path also gives us a clear runway to streamline the Company and increase profitability across our core, cash-generating businesses: SendTech, Presort and Financial Services. In conjunction with our cost reduction efforts and progress on cash optimization, exiting GEC will also allow Pitney Bowes to make substantial progress in deleveraging our balance sheet. With these steps, we will be well-positioned to deliver stronger results in 2025 and pursue enhanced value for shareholders in the years to come."

16:54 EDT Identiv sees Q3 cont ops revenue $5.8M-$6.1M - Identiv provides guidance based on current market conditions and expectations, including macroeconomic conditions and customer demand. For fiscal Q3 2024, management currently expects revenue from continuing operations to be in the range of $5.8 million to $6.1 million. If the asset sale transaction has not closed by the end of the third quarter of 2024 as anticipated, then management expects total revenue from continuing operations and revenue included in discontinued operations to be in the range of $24 million to $26 million.

16:50 EDT Expedia sees Q3 gross bookings growth 3%-5%

16:48 EDT Alarm.com sees Q3 SaaS and license revenue $157.3M-$157.5M

16:44 EDT Voxx sells certain assets of domestic accessories group to Established for $25M - VOXX International announced that it has entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement to sell certain assets, including the company's iconic RCA trademarks and other intellectual property, to Established Inc. The total value of the transaction is expected to be approximately $25M, and the companies anticipate the deal will close on or before August 30, 2024. Under the agreement, VOXX Accessories Corp. will continue to operate the business while working with customers and partners in the normal course of business.

16:42 EDT 10x Genomics CFO Justin McAnear to resign, Adam Taich to succeed - 10x Genomics announced several changes to its executive team. Justin McAnear, CFO, will resign from the company effective August 30, to join a private company. Adam Taich has been appointed CFO, effective August 12. Taich will be responsible for leading the company's financial team and strategy. Mennah Moustafa has been named Chief Commercial Officer, effective August 1. In this role, Moustafa will be responsible for driving commercial strategy and execution and leading the company's sales, support and marketing functions.

16:40 EDT Cohen & Steers reports preliminary AUM of $84.6B as of July 31 - Cohen & Steers reported preliminary assets under management of $84.6B as of July 31, 2024, an increase of $3.9B from assets under management of $80.7B at June 30, 2024. The increase was due to market appreciation of $4.1B, partially offset by distributions of $153M and net outflows of $45M.

16:39 EDT CleanSpark postpones Q3 financial results webcast - CleanSpark announced the postponement of its fiscal third quarter 2024 financial results initially scheduled for August 8, 2024, at 4:30 PM ET / 1:30 PM PT. The company intends to provide the updated time and webcast details in a subsequent release.

16:37 EDT Babcock & Wilcox backs FY24 adjusted EBITDA view $105M-$115M

16:33 EDT C.H. Robinson raises quarterly dividend to 62c per share from 61c - C.H. Robinson Worldwide announced that its Board of Directors declared an increase to its regular quarterly cash dividend to 62c per share from 61c per share, payable on October 1, 2024, to shareholders of record on September 6, 2024. C.H. Robinson has distributed uninterrupted dividends that have increased annually on a per share basis for more than twenty-five years. As of August 7, 2024, there were approximately 117,630,781 shares outstanding.

16:19 EDT JBT shareholders approve combination with Marel - JBT Corporation (JBT) announced that its shareholders voted to approve the issuance of shares of JBT common stock in connection with JBT's pending combination with Marel hf. (MRRLF) at the special meeting of shareholders held earlier today. "We are pleased with the outcome of today's special meeting and extend our appreciation to our shareholders for supporting the combination with Marel," said Brian Deck, President and Chief Executive Officer of JBT. "Today's shareholder approval marks another major milestone in the process to combine our two complementary food and beverage solutions businesses. The compelling industrial logic of this transaction is expected to generate meaningful benefits for our customers, employees, shareholders and other stakeholders, and the JBT and Marel teams are beginning integration planning to ensure alignment and day one readiness."

16:18 EDT Century Aluminum sees Q3 adjusted EBITDA $65M-$75M

16:16 EDT Paragon 28 appoints Chahine as CFO, EVP of Supply Chain Operations - Paragon 28 announced that Chadi Chahine has been appointed Chief Financial Officer, CFO, and Executive Vice-President, EVP, of Supply Chain Operations, effective August 5, 2024. The appointment of Chadi Chahine concludes an extensive search process conducted by the Company. Chahine will succeed Kristina "Krissy" Wright who has been serving as Interim CFO since April 3, 2024.

16:14 EDT Archer Aviation unveils planned Los Angeles air taxi network - Archer Aviation Inc. announced plans to launch a Los Angeles air mobility network-seeking to change how Southern California residents and visitors commute, travel and spend their free time. The goal is for passengers to be able to go to a nearby vertiport, or vertical take-off and landing location, and then fly 10-20 minutes in Archer's Midnight aircraft to their destination of choice within the network-saving hours versus sitting in traffic. Archer's planned network includes vertiports at key locations such as Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Orange County, Santa Monica, Hollywood Burbank, Long Beach and Van Nuys. Archer's goal is to begin its LA network operations by as early as 2026. As part of its network planning, Archer is coordinating with the Los Angeles Rams to collaborate on potential exclusive vertiports at Woodland Hills and at Hollywood Park, the near 300-acre district centered around the 3.1 million square-foot SoFi Stadium. The University of Southern California is also engaged to be part of Archer's planned LA network. Over the next two years, Archer and USC will develop plans for converting USC's existing heliports for Midnight and other vertical take off and landing aircraft. USC's ultimate goal is to offer visitors an easy, quick and sustainable way to get to and from its campus, sports facilities and hospitals in the future.

16:09 EDT Unity names Jim Payne as chief product officer for advertising - Unity announced that effective August 12, 2024, Jim Payne will join the company as Chief Product Officer for Advertising. "We couldn't be more thrilled to welcome Jim to Unity," said Matt Bromberg, CEO and President of Unity. "We are deeply committed to accelerating our ads business and increasing the pace of innovation to fully capitalize on the approximately $150 billion mobile advertising opportunity. I look forward to working with Jim and the leadership team to continue to deliver competitive, market-leading products to partners." Payne is joining Unity's leadership team following the recent addition of Alex Blum, Senior Vice President, Corporate Development.

16:00 EDT Arrowhead announces $500M strategic financing with Sixth Street - Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals announced that it has entered into a strategic financing agreement with Sixth Street for significant, long-term, non-dilutive capital to fund innovation and growth opportunities across Arrowhead's robust and diverse pipeline of RNAi therapeutics. The $500 million senior secured credit facility includes $400 million funded at close with an additional $100 million available at Arrowhead's option, subject to mutual agreement between Sixth Street and Arrowhead, during the seven-year term of the agreement.

15:03 EDT Delta says it is pursuing legal claims against CrowdStrike, Microsoft - According to a regulatory filing, Delta (DAL) said it has experienced operational disruption resulting from the CrowdStrike-caused (CRWD) outage on July 19, 2024. The outage disrupted Delta's operations, causing approximately 7,000 flight cancellations over five days. "An operational disruption of this length and magnitude is unacceptable, and our customers and employees deserve better. Since the incident, our people have returned the operation to an industry-leading position that is consistent with the level of performance our customers expect from Delta," said Ed Bastian, Delta's Chief Executive Officer. "We are pursuing legal claims against CrowdStrike and Microsoft (MSFT) to recover damages caused by the outage, which total at least $500 million." For the September quarter, the direct revenue impact of the incident is estimated to be $380 million, primarily driven by refunding customers for cancelled flights and providing customer compensation in the form of cash and SkyMiles. Non-fuel expense associated with the technology-driven outage and subsequent operational recovery is estimated at $170 million, primarily due to customer expense reimbursements and crew-related costs. Fuel expense is estimated to be $50 million lower as a result of the 7,000 flight cancellations, which impacted projected year-over-year September quarter 2024 capacity growth by approximately 1.5 points.

13:01 EDT Newmark arranges $300M JV between Catalyst and Heitman - Newmark Group announced it has arranged a strategic joint venture between Catalyst Healthcare Real Estate, a U.S. healthcare real estate development and investment firm, and Heitman, a $50B real estate investment management firm. Newmark also helped secure $300M for such Venture to fund the development pipeline of purpose-built healthcare properties, including medical outpatient buildings, orthopedic centers of excellence and inpatient rehabilitation facilities. The transaction was led by Newmark's Healthcare Capital Markets group Executive Managing Director Ben Appel, Senior Managing Director John Nero, Executive Managing Director Jay Miele, Senior Managing Director Michael Greeley and Associate Director Ron Ott.

12:17 EDT Apple confirms updates to StoreKit External Purchase Link Entitlement - Apple said, "In response to the announcement by the European Commission in June, we're making the following changes to Apple's Digital Markets Act compliance plan. We're introducing updated terms that will apply this fall for developers with apps in the European Union storefronts of the App Store that use the StoreKit External Purchase Link Entitlement. Key changes include: Developers can communicate and promote offers for purchases available at a destination of their choice. The destination can be an alternative app marketplace, another app, or a website, and it can be accessed outside the app or via a web view that appears in the app. Developers may design and execute within their apps the communication and promotion of offers. This includes providing information about prices of subscriptions or any other offer available both within or outside the app, and providing explanations or instructions about how to subscribe to offers outside the application. These communications must provide accurate information regarding the digital goods or services available for purchase. Developers may choose to use an actionable link that can be tapped, clicked, or scanned, to take users to their destination. Developers can use any number of URLs, without declaring them in the app's Info.plist. Links with parameters, redirects, and intermediate links to landing pages are permitted. Updated business terms for apps with the External Purchase Link Entitlement are being introduced to align with the changes to these capabilities." Reference Link

12:02 EDT Dutch Bros falls -22.8% - Dutch Bros is down -22.8%, or -$8.61 to $29.09.

12:01 EDT BRC Inc. falls -30.3% - BRC Inc. is down -30.3%, or -$1.64 to $3.78.

12:00 EDT Klaviyo rises 27.1% - Klaviyo is up 27.1%, or $6.26 to $29.34.

11:30 EDT Customers Bancorp issued enforcement action from Federal Reserve Board - The Federal Reserve Board announced the execution of an enforcement action against Customers Bancorp, Inc., West Reading, Pennsylvania and Customers Bank, Malvern, Pennsylvania. As part of the action, within 60 days of the effective date of this agreement, the board of directors of Bancorp shall submit a written plan to the Reserve Bank to strengthen board oversight of the management and operations of the Organization's compliance with the BSA/AML Requirements and OFAC Regulations. Reference Link

11:09 EDT Ryanair announces follow on share buyback of EUR 800M - The Board of Ryanair Holdings announced that while S24 airfares had softened more than expected, cashflows have improved due to strong traffic growth and Boeing delivery delays which has considerably delayed planned capex. "Ryanair now expects to complete its current EUR 700m share buyback by the end of Aug. Given the stronger than expected cash position, the Board has decided to announce a follow-on buyback of up to EUR 800m. This will take total buybacks announced in FY25 to c.EUR 1.5bn. Subject to market rules, Ryanair expects this follow-on buyback will take between 6 and 9 months to complete. The Board of Ryanair will also request Shareholders (at its Sept. AGM) to approve an increase in the annual buyback authority from 10% of issued share capital, to up to 15% during the 12-month period after each AGM. As Ryanair faces into a 2-year period with no new aircraft deliveries from mid-2025 to mid-2027, it expects cashflow to receive a short term boost due to this temporary cut in aircraft capex. This creates the capacity to extend shareholder returns, which over the last 15 years amounts to c.EUR 8bn (incl. dividends) with over 30% of shares repurchased," the company stated. Reference Link

10:58 EDT Fluence says SEC conducting formal investigation after short-seller report - In a regulatory filing published in conjunction with the company's Q3 report, Fluence Energy stated: "On February 22, 2024, as we previously disclosed, a short-seller report was published about the Company. In response to the Short Seller Report, the Audit Committee of the Company's Board of Directors completed an internal investigation, with the assistance of outside counsel and forensic accountants, into the allegations in the Short Seller Report. The Company has been informed that the SEC is conducting a formal investigation and asking for certain information regarding our financial reporting. The Company intends to fully cooperate with the SEC's investigation. While we are unable to predict the likely outcome of this matter or the potential cost, exposure or duration of the process, based on the information we currently possess, we do not expect the total potential cost to be material to our financial condition." Reference Link

10:01 EDT BRC Inc. falls -20.0% - BRC Inc. is down -20.0%, or -$1.08 to $4.33.

10:00 EDT Aspen Aerogels rises 15.5% - Aspen Aerogels is up 15.5%, or $2.87 to $21.37.

10:00 EDT Klaviyo rises 27.2% - Klaviyo is up 27.2%, or $6.29 to $29.36.

09:49 EDT GoHealth trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:48 EDT Alta Equipment Group falls -20.9% - Alta Equipment Group is down -20.9%, or -$1.71 to $6.48.

09:47 EDT Dutch Bros falls -24.6% - Dutch Bros is down -24.6%, or -$9.27 to $28.43.

09:47 EDT Aspen Aerogels rises 22.6% - Aspen Aerogels is up 22.6%, or $4.18 to $22.68.

09:43 EDT Primega Group Holdings Ltd trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:33 EDT Zoned announces new project wins expected to generate over $3M in revenue - Zoned announced that it has signed multiple new brand partnerships. Zoned expects these new projects will generate over $3 million in revenue. New projects include marketing campaigns for renowned brands such as Topgolf and DairyMax, as well as multiple, soon-to-be announced, projects with leading global sports, media, and entertainment companies. Accelerating deal momentum reflects several organizational changes at Zoned, including the promotion of Carlos Tovar as President, continued growth of UEFN campaigns, a revitalized go to market strategy that now includes media buying for full-service marketing capabilities, and the growing benefits of GameSquare's next generation media platform.

09:31 EDT PureCycle Technologies provides Q2 commercial update - PureCycle CEO Dustin Olson said, "Our team made foundational progress in the second quarter, in terms of production, improving our reliability, and with higher levels of co-product 2 or CP2. All of this has provided a further understanding of how the plant behaves at higher rates. The many improvements made at the Ironton Facility during the planned outage in April resulted in our highest production month in June. We understand there is more work to be done, but we have taken significant steps forward." Olson added, "On the commercial front, I'm excited about the work we've done with compounding. This approach should allow us to make a one-pellet-solution that customers need for their specific application. We have received the first orders for our compounded PureFive material." A significant portion of the second quarter was spent making improvements to the Ironton Facility. The upgrades led to greater reliability during the production runs from late-May through June with feedstocks low in CP2. During that time, the Ironton Facility had multiple days with more than 100,000 pounds of pellets produced. When the Company transitioned to a feedstock with higher levels of CP2 in late-June and July, the rates were limited principally by reliability issues and the CP2 recovery and handling system. The upgrades to the front end of the CP2 removal system made in April are working as designed. The material removed from the system is now consistent in form and density. The current primary limiting factor is reducing the size of the end-product, so it can be removed through an automated process. The Company has begun implementing adjustments to the recovery and handling system and believes once this limitation is removed, production rates should improve throughout the rest of the year. In the meantime, the Company is continuing to pursue higher throughput by purchasing feedstock low in CP2 and sorting feedstocks for higher quality material. The Company has already installed one optical flake-sorting line that helps to reduce the CP2 in the feed. PureCycle expects to have an additional, larger flake-sorting line installed by the end of September. The combined output for the two lines is expected to be more than four million pounds per month. The production during the second quarter has provided PureCycle's commercial team with the opportunity to introduce the Company's recycled resin to more markets. One avenue that should provide greater flexibility is through compounding. By blending the PureCycle resin with post-industrial recycled material or virgin polypropylene, compounded material provides a more consistent product, should simplify the customer approval process, and is expected to increase the ability to bring higher levels of recycled product to the market. PureCycle is working with several partners that specialize in the development and production of recyclate-based polymers with similar performance properties and consistency to virgin resin. PureCycle will be offering multiple PureFive grades to customers that include a blend of PureCycle resin and varying levels of post-industrial recycled material or virgin polypropylene. PureCycle ended the second quarter of fiscal 2024 with approximately $10.9 million of unrestricted cash. On August 7, PureCycle reached an agreement on the sale of $22.5 million notional amount of its Southern Ohio Port Authority Revenue Bonds that will provide cash proceeds of $18.0 million.

09:29 EDT Crexendo enables BCN to more than double IP voice platform capacity - Crexendo announced an achievement in its partnership with BCN, a U.S.-based technology solutions provider. Through this expanded collaboration, Crexendo has enabled BCN to more than double its IP voice platform capacity. This capacity enhancement is a direct response to the escalating demand for BCN's cloud voice solutions, which leverage Crexendo's award-winning NetSapiens platform technology. BCN's expanded IP voice solution portfolio includes UCaaS, SIP trunking, and a leading POTS Replacement solution. Since partnering in 2020, Crexendo and BCN have collaborated to support BCN's extensive nationwide network of sales partners in transitioning enterprises from traditional TDM voice services to advanced UCaaS solutions.

09:27 EDT Ontrak enters two-year partnership with Northeast regional health plan - Ontrak announced the signing of a two-year strategic partnership with a large, regional health plan in the Northeast, aimed at delivering a proactive, predictive and personalized behavioral health solution to its members in New York with chronic comorbidities and unaddressed behavioral health conditions. Ontrak expects its current outreach pool of eligible members to approximately double with the initial addition of this health plan's eligible members in multiple lines of business within New York only.

09:23 EDT Halliburton announces offshore intervention and P&A contract in Brazil, no terms - Halliburton announced it has been awarded a contract by Petrobras to provide a full range of services in Brazil for integrated well interventions and plug and abandonment for offshore wells. This multi-year contract is set to begin in the second quarter of 2025. Under the agreement's terms, Halliburton will provide a wide range of services to include fluids, completion equipment, wireline, slickline, flowback services, and coiled tubing. We will integrate and coordinate these services through Halliburton's project management service line to ensure efficient and effective execution. "Our long-standing relationship with Petrobras exemplifies our ability to collaborate and engineer solutions to maximize their asset value," said Halliburton Chairman, President, and CEO Jeff Miller. "Halliburton's offshore well intervention capabilities optimize production, extend well life, reduce costs, and access challenging reserves." This contract, which covers nearly two-thirds of all interventions and plug and abandonment work for Petrobras, reinforces Halliburton's strategic position in the Brazilian market.

09:23 EDT Zentek announces preliminary battery results, U of T grant - Zentek announcec preliminary battery results and the commencement of a three-year, $441,000 project in collaboration with Professors Mohini Sain and Ning Yan from the University of Toronto ("U of T"). Funding for the project is provided by a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada ("NSERC") Mission Alliance Grant. Prof. Sain is the Endowed Ford Motor Canada Chair in Sustainable Materials and Prof. Yan is the Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Bioproducts. Highlights: Three-year $441,000 funding to optimize graphite for anode material. Promising preliminary results have already been achieved from this research with pouch cell batteries featuring engineered Albany graphite by U of T with a minimum 17% increase in capacity over batteries using commercial grade anode material. The project complements the $1.6M Mitacs research project with the same group, announced on October 28, 2022, aimed at inventing multifunctional materials for automotive batteries including anode, cathode, separator and electrolyte chemistries. Graphite is one of the six minerals identified by the Canadian government as a priority on its list of critical minerals, with electric vehicle batteries requiring up to 125 kg of graphite per vehicle. Unlike most critical minerals, graphite's value varies widely based on use cases, which require different purity, crystallinity, shape and flake size thresholds. With significant investment in the North American battery supply chain and growing demand for finished anode material, the company is exploring both graphite production from its Albany Deposit and graphite processing to produce battery-ready anode material.1 The U of T project will play a significant role in this strategy. he project with Profs. Sain and Yan will characterize and optimize the Albany Graphite by exploring various pathways to purify, increase capacity, enhance cycle life, and engineer the graphite to meet or exceed commercial standards for anode material in the EV market. The U of T team brings experience from producing battery technology for the Ford Powertrain Engineering Research and Development Centre and has recently expanded battery production capabilities at U of T to accomplish all critical processes and tests. The U of T team has already successfully increased the capacity of an engineered graphite anode material through a simple modification step, resulting in pouch cell batteries with initial results showing a 17% increased capacity over pouch cell batteries using commercial-grade anode materials. These results are preliminary and will be verified through further testing or at an independent third-party facility. Improvements have also been achieved in other performance metrics which will be announced in subsequent updates.

09:22 EDT Siebert Financial acquires Gebbia Entertainment, no terms - Siebert Financial announces the acquisition of Gebbia Entertainment . This strategic move enhances Siebert's dynamic portfolio, extending its reach into the vibrant realms of music, entertainment, and media. The acquisition includes a business partnership with GAMMA Media and L.A. Reid LLC for the rights to The Siemens, a talented group of three sisters from Los Angeles. Managed by the globally renowned Akon - singer, songwriter, producer, and Advisory Board Member of Siebert Financial - The Siemens are set to reach new heights under this innovative collaboration. Akon, with his extensive influence and visionary approach, not only manages The Siemens but is known for his groundbreaking work in the music industry and his philanthropic efforts across the African continent. He partners with Nick Jarjour, a prominent music executive known for his keen talent-spotting abilities and successful collaborations with top artists. Jarjour has played a key role in shaping the careers of several high-profile musicians, bringing his expertise and innovative strategies to this partnership with Akon.

09:21 EDT Comstock Mining secure $325M term sheet for investments, real estate sales - Comstock announced the execution of an indicative term sheet for $325 million in funding through SBC Commerce LLC, a U.S. based, globally positioned, private equity group. The transaction is subject to final due diligence and applicable regulatory approvals. The transaction package includes $275 million of direct investments into Comstock's three main operating subsidiaries, including a $3 million direct equity investment into common shares of Comstock itself, as well as an agreement to sell the membership interests in the entities that own Comstock's directly owned Nevada real estate and water rights for gross proceeds of $50 million.

09:19 EDT Mullen Automotive announces Eco Auto's expansionm, purchase of 180 EVs - Mullen Automotive announces that its Boston area dealer, Eco Auto, a dedicated EV dealer, will expand to cover national fleet opportunities in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont to meet the growing demand for commercial EVs and support the Company's full line of commercial electric vehicles in these regions. Eco's expansion includes the purchase of 180 vehicles over the next 18 months for an estimated value of $7.7 million with new deliveries beginning in September 2024.

09:18 EDT SoundHound acquires Amelia for $80M in cash and equity, sees accretion - SoundHound announced the acquisition of Amelia, an enterprise AI software company. The purchase price was $80M in cash and equity, with partial payment and assumption of Amelia's debt, as well as future earnout potential aligned to revenue milestone achievements. Combined revenue in 2025 is expected to exceed $150M, with Amelia contributing over $45M in recurring AI software revenue, plus other non-software revenues such as professional services and agent-related fees. Transaction is expected to be accretive to SoundHound earnings in the second half of 2025, with meaningful revenue and cost synergies driving growth and profitability expansion in subsequent years At closing, the combined company holds approximately $160M of cash and $39M of debt

09:16 EDT GeoVax Labs appoints Lambe to Scientific Advisory Board - GeoVax Labs announced the appointment of Teresa Lambe, PhD, OBE, FMedSci to its Scientific Advisory Board. Professor Lambe is the Calleva Head of Vaccine Immunology at the Oxford Vaccine Group within the University of Oxford and a Principal Investigator at the Pandemic Sciences Institute.

09:15 EDT Montana Technologies Corp. announces agreement with CIC - Montana Technologies Corporation announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Climate Impact Corporation, CIC, to collaborate on the development of CIC's renewable hydrogen production modules. Using AirJoule atmospheric water generators from Montana Technologies, CIC expects that its modular hydrogen production units will be able to produce hydrogen in areas with high sun exposure at a competitive USD$2 per kilogram production price.

09:12 EDT Progress Software announces its CDP has been certified as a RealCDP - Progress announced that Progress Sitefinity Insight customer data platform, CDP, has been certified by the Customer Data Platform Institute as a RealCDP for meeting specific standards and capabilities that are essential for managing and utilizing customer data effectively.

09:09 EDT Boralex appoints Ricky Fontaine to board of directors - Boralex announced the appointment of Mr. Ricky Fontaine to its Board of Directors. Ricky Fontaine has held numerous executive positions with national, regional and local organizations, including General Manager of the local government of Uashat mak Mani-uteman and General Manager of the Corporation de developpement economique montagnaise. During these mandates, he worked on the strategic planning associated with government activities and the commercial operations of the community of Uashat and was a key player in the implementation of the Impact Benefit Agreements signed by Uashat in the mining and energy sectors. Fontaine currently runs his own consulting firm specializing in the management and analysis of government policies relating to Indigenous affairs and economic development.

09:07 EDT Lucas GC announces $6M share repurchase program - Lucas GC announced that its board of directors has authorized a share repurchase program under which the Company may repurchase up to US$6 million of its ordinary shares, the same gross amount of proceeds that it raised in its IPO closed in March 2024. This plan is effective immediately for up to a one-year period.

09:07 EDT Flex partners with Musashi Energy Solutions for AI data center utility solution - Flex and Musashi Energy Solutions, a group company of Musashi Seimitsu Industry, announced an extensive collaboration to supply Flex-designed and manufactured Capacitor-based Energy Storage Systems featuring Musashi's Hybrid SuperCapacitor technology. These systems are designed to integrate with server rack power systems to address challenges with utility power in AI data centers. Flex's CESS solutions are designed to balance peak power and protect the grid from intense power surges and line disturbances during AI training and inference activities taking place in modern data center environments. Musashi's HSCs are designed to provide high-reliability energy storage in many applications. Flex is slated to begin production of its CESS in the first half of Calendar Year 2025, with commercial availability expected within one quarter of production start.

09:06 EDT Hyliion Holdings awarded SBIR government contract by United States Navy - Hyliion Holdings announced that it has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research SBIR government contract by the United States Navy. Phase 1 of the award, N241-060, will allow Hyliion to create a preliminary design of a modular generator system that integrates the Navy's specifications with Hyliion's cutting-edge KARNO generator technology. With this contract, Hyliion will showcase a design concept of the KARNO generator in a megawatt-scale modular system. The system will be engineered to offer a versatile and flexible approach to meet the U.S. government's Unmanned Surface Vessel USV cross-platform requirements, scalable to various power needs and adaptable to the available platform space. Hyliion plans to leverage its foundational 200-kilowatt KARNO genset, combining multiple units together to achieve the desired power output. "We are honored to receive this SBIR contract from the United States Navy," said Thomas Healy, Founder and CEO of Hyliion. "This award is a testament to the KARNO generator's expected ability to offer efficient, flexible, and low-maintenance power generation. We are excited to contribute to the Navy's mission and explore higher power solutions for their USV initiative."

09:05 EDT Safe & Green appoints David Cross as EVP, SG Echo - Safe & Green Holdings announced the promotion of David Cross to Executive Vice President of SG Echo, LLC. David Cross, a graduate of the Maine Maritime Academy, served as a Deck Officer, predominantly working with Maersk Line Limited. His career led him to managerial roles in intermodal/equipment container control, spanning the United States and China, with the Maersk and COSCO Lines.

09:04 EDT Houlihan Lokey acquires Waller Helms Advisors, no terms - Houlihan Lokey has agreed to acquire Waller Helms Advisors or Waller Helms , an independent advisory firm that provides investment banking services to clients in the insurance and wealth management sectors. The transaction, signed on August 6 confirms Houlihan Lokey as the premier investment banking advisor in these sectors and underlines the firm's leadership across the global financial services sector. The deal is expected to be completed before December 31 following regulatory approvals.."The addition of the Waller Helms team is exemplary of our desire to provide our clients with the greatest depth of sector expertise in the midcap space, alongside our market-leading private capital expertise, extensive relationships among financial sponsors, and other services," said Larry DeAngelo, Global Co-Head of Corporate Finance. .

09:04 EDT GSE Solutions to be acquired by Pelican Energy Partners - GSE Solutions has entered into a definitive merger agreement to be acquired by Pelican Energy Partners in an all-cash transaction. Under the terms of the merger agreement, which was unanimously approved by the board of the directors of GSE, Pelican will acquire all the outstanding shares of GSE for an estimated total cash consideration of $4.10 per share. The consideration per share represents a premium of approximately 50% to GSE's closing share price as of August 7. The transaction is expected to close in Q3 or Q4 2024, subject to the approval by shareholders of GSE and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions. GSE's Board of Directors unanimously approved the merger agreement and recommended that GSE shareholders vote in favor of it at a Special Meeting of Stockholders, to be scheduled as soon as practicable. The transaction is not subject to a financing condition. Upon completion of the transaction, GSE will become a private company and shares of GSE's common stock will no longer trade on the Nasdaq.

09:02 EDT Evoke Pharma supports Gastroparesis Awareness Month - Evoke Pharma joins the gastroparesis community in recognizing Gastroparesis Awareness Month throughout August and supporting the millions of people living with gastroparesis or suffering from associated symptoms of the condition. Matt D'Onofrio, CEO of Evoke Pharma commented, "In nearly two decades of working with the GI community and developing GIMOTI from a concept to a reality for gastroparesis patients, I have seen firsthand the dreadful impact gastroparesis has on patients and their families. I applaud the work of organizations like IFFGD, Gastroparesis Patient Association for Cures and Treatment, Inc, Association of Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders, and The Oley Foundation for their efforts in improving the understanding and awareness of this condition. At Evoke, we are dedicated to ensuring no patient suffering from diabetic gastroparesis goes untreated despite their economic background. This is made possible through our assistance programs when private insurance does not cover GIMOTI."

09:01 EDT Oragenics announces concussion drug ONP-002 clears cardiotoxicity testing - Oragenics announced its lead candidate for treating concussion successfully completed a study that indicates ONP-002 does not cause cardiotoxicity. ONP-002 is a new chemical entity designed to target the brain through delivery into the nasal cavity and onward to the brain. Prior to conducting a clinical trial, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, requires pharmaceuticals to be tested on cardiac receptors to ensure that they do not show any causes of electrical malformations. "We are pleased that ONP-002 has demonstrated a strong safety margin for the heart, enabling us to continue planning the Phase II trials. Safety remains our top priority, and we will continuously monitor all safety parameters throughout the trials," stated Michael Redmond, President of Oragenics. "Furthermore, a Phase II study is being planned to further evaluate the drug in concussed patients."

08:59 EDT Crinetics launches ACRO/TRUTH educational initiative - Crinetics Pharmaceuticals announced the launch of the ACRO/TRUTH healthcare provider, HCP, educational website and initiative, the purpose of which is to spotlight the significant challenges and burdens many people living with acromegaly experience when managing their disease with the current standard-of-care, injectable somatostatin receptor ligands, SRLs. "People living with acromegaly still experience diminished quality of life due to their disease and to the limitations of the treatment options currently available to treat their disease," said Alan Krasner, M.D., Chief Endocrinologist at Crinetics. "Crinetics is dedicated to bringing forward innovative products to better the lives of patients, and an integral part of that mission is bringing the patient perspective to the forefront."

08:57 EDT Foxo Technologies' Myrtle Recovery Centers receives two full licenses - FOXO Technologies announced that its recently acquired subsidiary, Myrtle Recovery Centers, has been granted two full licenses from the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, effective August 1, 2024, for 12 months. The first license authorizes the provision of services for alcohol and drug residential detoxification treatment, as well as alcohol and drug residential rehabilitation treatment. The second license authorizes the provision of services for non-residential office-based opiate treatment.

08:55 EDT authID announces partnership with DataVisor - authID and DataVisor announced they have signed an OEM agreement to integrate authID's biometric services in fighting identity fraud, and malicious, generative AI-driven deepfakes. "Our partnership with DataVisor further validates authID's superior solutions for defeating deepfake attacks and fraud, while advancing our go-to-market strategy to distribute our solutions through leading financial services technology providers," said Rhon Daguro, CEO of authID. "Our market-leading biometric solutions ensure DataVisor's enterprise customers 'Knows Who's Behind the Device(TM)' with speed, accuracy and precision. Our combined solutions offer a compelling risk toolset that streamlines account onboarding of good customers and stops cybercriminals from performing account takeovers and seizing assets, while delivering the fastest, frictionless, and most accurate user identity experience."

08:53 EDT Akoustis announces resignation of CEO Shealy, appoints Cheerma as interim CEO - Akoustis Technologies announced the mutually agreed resignation of Jeffery Shealy as Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Board of Directors, effective August 6, 2024. Kamran Cheema, the Company's Chief Product Officer, will serve as interim Chief Executive Officer. Cheema has served as Chief Product Officer for the Company since 2022. He joined Akoustis in August 2021.

08:52 EDT Woodward announces 5-year agreement with Lufthansa - Woodward (WWD) announced that it has entered a five-year Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul, MRO, Services agreement with Lufthansa Technik (DLAKY). Lufthansa Technik is a provider of regular maintenance and repair of critical fuel system components operating within fleets of various commercial airlines. Woodward will continue to provide MRO work for Lufthansa Technik relating to certain Woodward-manufactured components. The work will be done at the company's Rockford, IL, and Prestwick, UK, locations.

08:50 EDT Meineke selects Katapult's lease-to-own solution - Katapult Holdings announced that Meineke has added Katapult to its consumer application process, Meineke Payment Solutions. The decision to work with Katapult was endorsed by the Meineke Dealers Association, an independent organization comprised of more than 500 Meineke franchise owners. Meineke Payment Solutions is powered by Meineke's partnership with Premier Services Group, a consumer financing solution provider, and FormPiper, a financing management platform.

08:50 EDT Waste Connections renews normal course issuer bid for share repurchases - Waste Connections has received approval from the Toronto Stock Exchange for the annual renewal of its normal course issuer bid. The renewal will follow on the conclusion of the company's current NCIB expiring August 9. Pursuant to the renewed NCIB, Waste Connections proposes to purchase through the facilities of the TSX, the NYSE and/or alternative Canadian trading systems, from time to time over the next 12 months, if considered advisable, up to 12,901,981 common shares, being 5% of its 258,039,620 issued and outstanding common shares as of August 1, 2024. In accordance with TSX rules, any daily repurchases would be limited to a maximum of 25% of the average daily trading volume on the TSX of 240,359 common shares. Waste Connections is authorized to make purchases during the period of August 12, 2024, to August 11, 2025, or until such earlier time as the NCIB is completed or terminated at the option of the company. Since the commencement of the current NCIB, the company has not purchased any common shares through the facilities of the TSX, NYSE and/or alternative Canadian trading systems.

08:49 EDT LGI Homes opens four communities in Dallas-Fort Worth Area - LGI Homes announced the grand opening of its newest communities in the Dallas-Fort Worth market: Cresson Estates, Kingsborough, Retreat at Fossil Creek and Southaven. These exceptional neighborhoods offer stunning new construction homes with prices starting in the high $200s. Cresson Estates, located in the charming town of Cresson, provides a tranquil retreat from the city's hustle and bustle. Ideally situated off Hwy 377, residents enjoy both serenity and convenience. Homes in this peaceful community range from just under 1,380 square feet with three bedrooms to just over 2,730 square feet with five bedrooms. Retreat at Fossil Creek, situated just north of Fort Worth, offers residents a peaceful community with quick access to downtown. Homes in this beautiful community range from 1,175 square feet with three bedrooms to just over 2,500 square feet with five bedrooms. Southaven, located in Hutchins, is minutes away from downtown Dallas. This vibrant community provides residents with easy access to local amenities, employers, and schools. Homes here range from 1,229 square feet with three bedrooms to just over 2,600 square feet with five bedrooms. Kingsborough, nestled near Forney, offers a serene lifestyle in a peaceful community. Residents enjoy convenient access to local restaurants, shops, parks, and recreational facilities in Forney, Crandall, Terrell, and Kaufman. Homes in Kingsborough range from just over 1,350 square feet to just over 2,230 square feet, with three and four bedroom options.

08:47 EDT Eco Wave Power receives approval for repurchase of ADSs - Eco Wave Power announced that following its official request, submitted to the Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority on the 21st of December, 2023, for authorization for the repurchase of American Depositary Shares, or ADSs, representing up to 10% ercent of the total number of shares in the company, the SFSA responded that in its opinion, the ADS are not considered equivalent to shares in accordance with Chapter 19 of the Swedish Companies Act. As a result, the company should be able to repurchase ADSs, in accordance with Swedish law. Shareholders resolved the authorization for the company's board of directors to make purchases of the ADS in accordance with the following main terms: ADS repurchases may be made only on the Nasdaq Capital Market or any other regulated market; the authorization may be exercised on one or more occasions before the 2025 annual general meeting; the maximum number of ADS that may be repurchased so that the company's holding of shares at any given time does not exceed 10% of the total number of shares in the company; repurchases of the ADS on the Nasdaq Capital Market may only be made at a price within the range of the highest purchase price and lowest selling price at any given time; payment for the ADS shall be made in cash.

08:45 EDT Evaxion Biotech to present one-year efficacy data on EVX-01 - Evaxion Biotech A/S announces the presentation of one-year clinical efficacy Phase 2 data for its lead compound EVX-01 at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress 2024, taking place in Barcelona, Spain, from September 13-17, 2024. The EVX-01 vaccine is a personalized therapy currently being assessed in patient with advanced melanoma.

08:45 EDT Icon Energy announces the acquisition of Kamsarmax dry bulk carrier - Icon Energy announces that on August 2, 2024, it entered, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, into an agreement with an unaffiliated third-party to acquire a Kamsarmax dry bulk carrier, built in November 2007 in Japan, for a purchase price of $17.57 million. The Company expects to finance the purchase price of the vessel with a combination of cash on hand and borrowings under a new senior secured facility that the Company anticipates it will enter into prior to taking delivery of the vessel. Ismini Panagiotidi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Icon Energy commented: "We are pleased to announce our first vessel acquisition since the completion of our Initial Public Offering. With our addition of this asset, we will double the size of our fleet, consistent with our growth strategy and goal to create value for our shareholders."

08:42 EDT Ardelyx appoints Foster as Chief Commercial Officer - Ardelyx (ARDX) announced the appointment of Eric Foster as the company's Chief Commercial Officer. Foster is an experienced leader with more than 23 years of commercial experience for significant global biotech and pharmaceutical companies across numerous complex rare disease and specialty markets. Foster will be responsible for leading all commercial strategies for the company's two first-in-class medicines, IBSRELA and XPHOZAH, as well as supporting the development and launch of future commercial products. Most recently, Mr. Foster served as Senior Vice President and U.S. General Manager at Amgen (AMGN)

08:39 EDT Fractyl Health announces new results from post-Revita procedure follow-up - Fractyl Health announced new weight maintenance and blood sugar clinical results from the Company's German Real-World Registry for the first 11 patients who have completed at least 12 months of post-Revita procedure follow-up. At 12 months, the patients' median weight decreased from 111 kilograms to 97 kilograms, representing a nearly 13% total body weight loss, and their median HbA1c decreased from 9.6% to 7.2%. In addition, the number of glucose lowering medications remained stable or decreased for 10 out of the 11 patients at 12 months. It is important to note that weight loss was observed as early as 1-month post-Revita procedure, and weight loss was generally maintained through 1 year of follow-up, which demonstrates in a real-world setting the potential for a single Revita procedure to be a durable weight maintenance solution. Revita was well tolerated in these patients, and no procedure-related adverse safety events were observed.

08:37 EDT Sterling Infrastructure appoints Dan Govin as COO - Sterling Infrastructure appointed Dan Govin as COO. In 2007, he joined Quanta Services, where he most recently held the position of Regional President, and previously served as President of Par Electrical Contractors and Senior Vice President of Operations.

08:33 EDT MDU Resources provides 2024 guidance - MDU Resources affirms 2024 earnings guidance for its regulated energy delivery businesses of $170M-$180M. Updates 2024 construction services revenue guidance range to $2.65B-$2.85B, down from previous guidance range of $2.9B-$3.1B, with margins now expected to be higher than 2023. EBITDA is still expected to be $220M-$240M.

08:31 EDT Base Carbon announces receipt of $11.2M from sale of carbon credits - Base Carbon with operations through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Base Carbon Capital Partners announced it has received proceeds of approximately $11.2 million from sales of carbon credits from its Vietnam household device and Rwanda cookstove projects. Highlights: Received payment of approximately $11.2 million from the sale of carbon credits generated from its Vietnam and Rwanda projects. Received total payments to date of approximately $30.0 million from its Vietnam project, with full payback and initial capital return within approximately 2 years of initial capital commitment to the project. Maintains inventory of approximately 700,000 article 6 labeled carbon credits generated from the Rwanda project which the Company believes will be eligible for inclusion and delivery into programs like CORSIA, the international aviation industry framework to reduce/offset carbon emissions. Including the most recent payment, Base Carbon has received a total of approximately $30.0 million from the contracted sale of carbon credits generated from its Vietnam project and expects additional proceeds of approximately $6.3 million in future payments from the project off-take arrangement. The Company has now achieved both initial capital returns and full payback of Base Carbon's capital investment into the project. Beyond the first 7.4 million carbon credits produced from the project subject to the off-take sale arrangement, Base Carbon and its shareholders continue to have the right, but not the obligation, to purchase all carbon credits produced from the remaining life of the project, currently anticipated to be approximately 25 million carbon credits in "phase 2" of the project, at a predetermined price as further described in the Company's first quarter management's discussion and analysis. Base Carbon completed an initial market sale of 20,000 carbon credits generated from its Rwanda project. This sale represents less than 3% of the initial carbon credits issued to the Company from this project and was designed as a market-based "test-trade" to ensure commercial market-based capabilities. The Company continues to hold an inventory of approximately 700,000 carbon credits labeled with Verra's "Article 6 Authorized" designation.

08:29 EDT Jeffs' Fort Product signed a lease agreement for new warehouse in England - Jeffs' Brands announces that its wholly-owned subsidiary Fort Product has signed a lease agreement for a new warehouse in England. This strategic move is designed to support Fort's growth and manage the increased inventory following the transfer of production to China. Viki Hakmon, Jeffs' Brands' CEO, stated, "We are excited to take this important step in our expansion strategy. The new warehouse will enable us to better serve our growing customer base in the UK and Europe by relying less on external logistic warehouses and reducing our costs. We hope this property will help support our efforts to streamline our logistics to meet increasing demand efficiently."

08:28 EDT Emerita Resources intersects mineralization at El Cura - Emerita Resources has intersected significant mineralization in an ongoing drilling campaign at El Cura, part of Emerita's wholly owned Iberian Belt West project. IBW hosts three previously identified Volcanogenic Massive Sulfid) deposits: La Romanera, El Cura and La Infanta. Results contained in this news release are from El Cura deposit area only. Drillhole EC014 intersected 11.4 m grading 4.3% copper, 48.31 g/t silver and 1.85 g/t gold. Hole EC014 is the deepest and thickest intercept to date in El Cura, extending the deposit 40m down-dip. This is the deepest and most westerly hole drilled to date on the El Cura deposit and is approximately 600 meters west of the historical workings. Drillhole EC015 intersected 4.6m grading 0.6% copper, 1.2% lead, 2.3% zinc, 33.02 g/t silver and 0.65 g/t gold, including 1.5m grading 0.9% copper, 3.3% lead, 6.4% zinc, 1.52 g/t gold and 67.00 g/t silver. Hole EC015 is located approximately 200 meters east and at shallower depth than EC014. Mineralization at El Cura occurs as bedded copper-zinc-lead-rich semi-massive to massive sulfides with local overprinting of copper-rich veining that can significantly enrich grades, as is evident in the drill holes on section 9685E. First-pass drilling at Western Nuevo Tintillo has been completed; 8 diamond drill holes totaling 4,318m across nearly 4km of strike. Geological interpretation and integration with the other regional data is underway by the Company to determine next steps for this property.

08:25 EDT Howard Hughes forms special committee to evaluate potential alternatives - Howard Hughes announced that Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P., the Company's largest stockholder, has stated in a regulatory filing that it is, and intends to continue, evaluating the possibility of various potential alternatives with respect to its investment in the Company, including a possible transaction in which it may acquire all or substantially all of the shares of common stock in the Company not owned by Pershing Square and their affiliates, and in connection therewith take the Company private. Pershing Square made this statement in an amendment dated August 7, 2024, to its Schedule 13D filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Pershing Square currently owns approximately 37.5% of the total outstanding shares of HHH common stock.

08:24 EDT SupremeX says demand 'gradually returning to historical patterns' - Demand for the Company's products is gradually returning to historical patterns, although market recovery is taking more time than anticipated as it remains somewhat impacted by persisting high interest rates and inflation. As it continues to expand in the vast and fragmented U.S. envelope market, Supremex will be increasingly subject to competitive pressures, but the Company will rely on its solid reputation and geographic reach to stimulate sales while continuing to proactively control expenses. The Company remains focused on optimizing operating efficiency, productivity and capacity utilization throughout its network, as well as on capturing all sales and cost synergies from recent business acquisitions. In this regard, initiatives announced on July 24 for the Envelope segment are expected to result in annual cost savings in excess of $2.0 million once all measures are implemented, while initiatives announced in October 2023 for the Packaging and specialty products segment are expected to yield annual cost savings of approximately $1.5 million once all measures are implemented. With respect to capital deployment, the Company will continue to look for strategic acquisitions, mainly in the Packaging and specialty products segment, while sustaining capital returns to shareholders.

08:21 EDT Mikra joins AcousticSheep for SleepPhones x Serenity Giveaway - Lifeist Wellness announced that its U.S. biosciences subsidiary Mikra Cellular Sciences has joined with U.S. based AcousticSheep to offer a SleepPhones x Serenity Giveaway. Serenity has been formulated based on steam extract of lavender oil, combined with Mikra's proprietary polyterpene blend of passionflower, chamomile and lemon balm. Lavender oil extract has undergone thorough evaluation in randomized, double-blind clinical trials, where it demonstrated notable effectiveness even surpassing that of paroxetine, a leading SSRI recommended for managing generalized anxiety disorder. This study's findings indicated that lavender oil extract is both efficacious and well-tolerated in patients with generalized anxiety disorder enabling termination after a 10-week treatment at the full therapeutic dose without down-titration and without inducing withdrawal symptoms.

08:17 EDT Tilray's Shock Top announces return of Shock Top Twisted Pretzel - Shock Top is pleased to announce the return of its highly anticipated seasonal brew, Shock Top Twisted Pretzel. Starting today, Shock Top Twisted Pretzel will hit shelves in 6-packs and 12-packs, as well as on draft at select bars and restaurants nationwide. Get it while you can, because this seasonal is only available through November! Join Shock Top in celebrating the re-launch of Twisted Pretzel. It's more than just a beer - it's a twist on tradition.

08:13 EDT Vera Therapeutics expects cash to fund operations through atacicept approval - Vera reported $384.4 million in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities as of June 30, 2024, which the Company believes to be sufficient to fund operations through approval and US commercial launch of atacicept, if approved.

08:07 EDT Health Catalyst expands partnership with Contexture - Health Catalyst announced an expanded partnership with Contexture, a nonprofit, regional health information exchange organization that works to drive health data interoperability. Contexture supports the flow of health information between thousands of physician practices, hospitals, long-term care facilities, labs, radiology centers, and other healthcare organizations in Arizona and Colorado. Health Catalyst and Contexture's expanded partnership will now include technology and services support for Quality Health Network, a Contexture affiliate that helps medical, behavioral, and social health providers in western Colorado securely share patient and client data. Contexture and QHN announced their affiliation in May 2024 to expand and unify services in Colorado and the western slope and bring extensive Health Information Exchange expertise to the communities they serve.

08:07 EDT Health Catalyst expands partnership with South Dakota Health Link - Health Catalyst announced an expanded relationship with longtime client, South Dakota Health Link. This renewed agreement will include an expansion of technology and services, including the migration of technology to Ninja Universe by Health Catalyst, an end-to-end cloud-native platform and set of applications purpose-built for Health Information Exchanges.

08:05 EDT Nuvei announces partnership with Scanco Software - Nuvei announces its partnership with Scanco Software, a leading provider of innovative software solutions for the manufacturing and distribution industries, to enhance Scanco's new Invoice2Payment solution. i2PAY complements Scanco's existing warehouse management capabilities with payments features including online payment processing, email receipts, automated deposits, and advanced analytics. Collaborating with Nuvei enables Scanco customers to access a market-leading suite of payment solutions, including Card-Not-Present and ACH processing capabilities, integrated directly into Scanco customers' enterprise resource planning systems, including Sage, to facilitate simplified workflows, increase back-office efficiencies, and shorten invoice-to-cash cycles.

08:05 EDT Frontier Group sees 2024 capacity up 5%-7% year-over-year - 2024 adjusted pre-tax margin is expected to be (1.5%)-1.5%.

08:03 EDT Lowe's makes new advancements to its media network - Lowe's Companies is making new advancements to its media network to deliver a world-class retail media experience with enhanced white glove service for its brand advertisers. To support its strategic growth, Lowe's has rebranded its retail media network with a new logo and a simplified name: Lowe's Media Network. Lowe's also announced expanded placements on the Lowe's app and the launch of four new channels this year: email, in-store audio, paid search and direct mail for install services.

08:02 EDT Ryvyl licenses payment platform as a service to U.S. national payment processor - RYVYL licensed its payment-platform-as-a-service to a U.S. based Licensee that will deploy services nationwide for both Card Present and Card not present transactions. Under the licensing model, RYVYL will earn revenue per transaction. "Leveraging our core technology to build a new high margin revenue stream, we signed an exclusive U.S. license of our private label PPaaS platform, for a niche industry customer base," said RYVYL Co-founder and CEO Fredi Nisan. "In the third quarter of 2024, we delivered a private label Instance of the product, which the licensing partner will complete API integration to its banking network by the end of Q3 and should start contributing revenue by Q4. We expect it will take time to ramp up transactions as the licensee begins to onboard their available portfolio of more than 1,000 merchants."

07:58 EDT Kura Oncology announces FDA clearance of IND application for ziftomenib - Kura Oncology announced clearance by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, of the Investigational New Drug, IND, application for ziftomenib, the Company's potent and selective menin inhibitor, for the treatment of advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors. The Company plans to initiate a Phase 1 first-in-human study of ziftomenib in combination with imatinib, a targeted therapy approved for the treatment of GIST, in early 2025. "This important milestone represents the first IND clearance of a menin inhibitor to treat GIST, a solid tumor indication with limited treatment options for patients with advanced disease," said Troy Wilson, Ph.D., J.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Kura Oncology. "Although imatinib is utilized in frontline GIST patients, many eventually develop resistance. Our preclinical data suggest ziftomenib has potential to resensitize patients to imatinib and induce deep, durable responses. We look forward to presenting the preclinical data for the combination at an upcoming scientific meeting and initiating a proof-of-concept clinical study early next year."

07:50 EDT Intellia Therapeutics sees cash runway into late 2026 - Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities were $939.9 million as of June 30, 2024, compared to $1.0 billion as of December 31, 2023. The decrease was driven by cash used to fund operations of $234.4 million. The Company's investments were offset in part by $96.4 million of net equity proceeds from the Company's "At the Market" program, $35.9 million of reimbursement from collaborators, including a one-time $30.0 million payment received in April 2024 related to the Company's technology collaboration with Regeneron, $25.1 million of interest income and $4.8 million in proceeds from employee-based stock plans. The cash position is expected to fund operations into late 2026.

07:45 EDT Recursion Pharmaceuticals to combine with Exscientia in all-stock deal - The company states: "Recursion (RXRX) and Exscientia plc (EXAI) announced the companies have entered into a definitive agreement, combining Recursion, a leading clinical stage technology-enabled biotech company decoding biology to industrialize drug discovery, with Exscientia, a technology-driven clinical stage drug design and development company, committed to creating more effective medicines for patients, faster. Once integrated, the companies believe the extended and evolved Recursion OS will enable the discovery and translation of higher quality medicines more efficiently and at a higher scale with a full-stack technology-enabled small molecule discovery platform. In addition, the combined company expects to read out approximately 10 clinical trials in the next 18 months. The proposed business combination will also advance significant therapeutic discovery collaborations with some of the most prominent biopharma companies in the world, including Roche-Genentech, Sanofi, Bayer, and Merck KGaA. Moreover, there is the potential for approximately $200 million in milestone payments over the next 2 years from these current partnerships and there is the potential for more than $20 billion in revenue before royalties on net-sales of partnership programs which range from mid single-digit to double-digit royalties over the course of the partnership. Under the terms of the transaction agreement, which were unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both companies, Exscientia shareholders will receive 0.7729 shares of Recursion Class A common stock for each Exscientia ordinary share they own, with fractional shares paid in cash. Based on the fixed exchange ratio, Recursion shareholders will own approximately 74% and Exscientia shareholders will own approximately 26% of the combined company, in each case assuming no additional issuance by either company before closing. Major shareholders of each company, including holders of more than 40% of Exscientia shares, have entered into agreements on customary terms and conditions under which they have agreed to vote all their shares in favor of the transaction. There is approximately $850 million in cash and cash equivalents held by both companies at the end of Q2 2024. The combined company is estimated to achieve annual synergies of approximately $100 million with a runway extending into 2027."

07:35 EDT Rapport Therapeutics sees cash runway through end of 2026 - The Company expects that current cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments as of June 30, 2024, will enable the Company to fund its operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements through the end of 2026.

07:32 EDT Apellis and Sobi announce pegcetacoplan meets Phase 3 primary endpoint - Apellis and Sobi announced positive topline results from the Phase 3 VALIANT study investigating systemic pegcetacoplan in patients with C3 glomerulopathy or primary immune complex membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, which are rare kidney diseases with no approved treatments. The study met the primary endpoint, demonstrating a statistically significant and clinically meaningful 68% proteinuria reduction in C3G and IC-MPGN patients treated with pegcetacoplan compared to placebo, both in addition to background therapy, at Week 26. Results were consistent across all subgroups including C3G and IC-MPGN, adolescent and adult patients, and native and post-transplant kidneys. Pegcetacoplan also demonstrated statistical significance on the key secondary endpoints of composite renal endpoint, which combines proteinuria reduction and estimated glomerular filtration rate stabilisation, and proteinuria reduction of at least 50% compared to baseline, as well as nominal significance on the histological endpoint of reduction in C3c staining on kidney biopsy and stabilisation of kidney function as measured by eGFR compared to placebo. Sobi plans to submit a marketing application with the European Medicines Agency in 2025. Apellis also plans to submit a supplemental new drug application to the FDA in early 2025. Detailed data will be presented at an upcoming medical congress.

07:27 EDT Monte Rosa Therapeutics sees cash runway into 1H27 - Cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and marketable securities as of June 30, 2024, were $267.1 million, compared to cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash, and marketable securities of $197.8 million as of March 31, 2024. The Company expects its cash and cash equivalents to be sufficient to fund planned operations and capital expenditures into the first half of 2027.

07:26 EDT Monte Rosa Therapeutics announces FDA acceptance of IND for MRT-6160 - Monte Rosa announced that its Investigational New Drug submission for MRT-6160 has been accepted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Initiation of a Phase 1 single ascending dose/multiple ascending dose study is expected this summer and initial clinical results are anticipated in Q1 2025

07:25 EDT Citius Pharmaceuticals announces FDA approval of Lymphir - Citius Pharmaceuticals announced that the FDA has approved Lymphir, a novel immunotherapy for the treatment of r/r cutaneous T-cell lymphoma after at least one prior systemic therapy. Lymphir is the only CTCL therapy that targets the interleukin-2 receptor found on malignant T-cells and Tregs. This is the first indication for Lymphir and the first FDA-approved product for Citius Pharma.

07:20 EDT Aura Biosciences sees cash runway into 2H26 - As of June 30, 2024, Aura had cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities totaling $187.4 million. The Company believes its current cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities are sufficient to fund its operations into the second half of 2026.

07:17 EDT Cogent increases quarterly dividend 1% to 98.5c per share - Cogent's board approved a regular quarterly dividend of 98.5c per share payable on September 6 to shareholders of record on August 22. This third quarter regular dividend represents an increase of 1c per share, or 1%, from the second quarter 2024 regular dividend of 97.5c per share.

07:14 EDT The Buckle reports July SSS down 6.8% - The Buckle announced that comparable store net sales, for stores open at least one year, for the 4-week period ended August 3, 2024 decreased 6.8 percent from comparable store net sales for the 4-week period ended August 5, 2023. Net sales for the 4-week fiscal month ended August 3, 2024 increased 3.8 percent to $98.7 million from net sales of $95.1 million for the prior year 4-week fiscal month ended July 29, 2023. Comparable store net sales for the 13-week second quarter ended August 3, 2024 decreased 6.6 percent from comparable store net sales for the 13-week period ended August 5, 2023. Net sales for the 13-week fiscal second quarter ended August 3, 2024 decreased 3.4 percent to $282.4 million compared to net sales of $292.4 million for the prior year 13-week fiscal second quarter ended July 29, 2023. Comparable store net sales year-to-date for the 26-week period ended August 3, 2024 decreased 7.7 percent from comparable store net sales for the 26-week period ended August 5, 2023. Net sales for the 26-week fiscal period ended August 3, 2024 decreased 5.3 percent to $544.9 million compared to net sales of $575.3 million for the prior year 26-week fiscal period ended July 29, 2023.

07:13 EDT Palantir, Microsoft partner on AI services for Defense, Intelligence Community - Palantir Technologies (PLTR) and Microsoft (MSFT) announce a significant advancement in their partnership to bring some of the most sophisticated and secure cloud, AI, and analytics capabilities to the U.S. Defense and Intelligence Community. This is a first-of-its-kind, integrated suite of technology that will allow critical national security missions to operationalize Microsoft's best-in-class Large Language Models via Azure OpenAI Service within Palantir's AI Platform in Microsoft's government and classified cloud environments. Palantir and Microsoft have a long history operating in secure and accredited environments to deliver leading technology for the most critical U.S. Defense and Intelligence missions. Now, through this partnership, Palantir will deploy their suite of products - Foundry, Gotham, Apollo, and AIP - in Microsoft Azure Government and in the Azure Government Secret and Top Secret clouds. Palantir will also be an early adopter of Azure's OpenAI Service in Microsoft's Secret and Top Secret environments. This integrated solution of Microsoft's Azure cloud compute and powerful language models with Palantir's Foundry data integration and ontology capabilities, and AIP's use case building capabilities will help enable operators to safely and responsibly build AI-driven operational workloads across Defense and Intelligence verticals - from logistics, to contracting, to prioritization and action planning, and more. Availability of the services is subject to completion of authorization and accreditation by appropriate government agencies.

07:12 EDT Consol Energy sees FY24 capital expenditures $165M-$190M

06:49 EDT Merck to discontinue Phase 3 KeyVibe-008 trial based on recommendation of DMC - Merck announced the discontinuation of the Phase 3 KeyVibe-008 trial based on the recommendation of an independent Data Monitoring Committee. The trial is evaluating the investigational fixed-dose combination of vibostolimab, an anti-TIGIT antibody, and pembrolizumab, Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, in combination with chemotherapy compared to atezolizumab in combination with chemotherapy, for the first-line treatment of patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer. At a pre-planned analysis, data showed that the primary endpoint of overall survival met the pre-specified futility criteria. Additionally, when compared to patients in the control arm, patients in the vibostolimab and pembrolizumab fixed-dose combination arm experienced a higher rate of adverse events and immune-related AEs. A comprehensive analysis of this study is ongoing. Merck is notifying study investigators of the decision and that patients should stop ongoing treatment with the fixed-dose combination of vibostolimab and pembrolizumab and be offered the option to be treated with atezolizumab. Results will be shared with the scientific community. "Small cell lung cancer remains a difficult disease to treat, as evident by the seven percent five-year survival rate and limited advancements in treatment options," said Dr. Marjorie Green, senior vice president and head of oncology, global clinical development, Merck Research Laboratories. "Innovative research plays a critical role in improving our understanding to help patients achieve better outcomes, and while we hoped the results would be different, we remain committed to investigating novel approaches to treat this debilitating disease. We are extremely grateful to all of the patients, caregivers and investigators for their participation in this study." In SCLC, Merck and Daiichi Sankyo recently announced that the first patient has been dosed in the IDeate-Lung02 Phase 3 trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of investigational ifinatamab deruxtecan in patients with relapsed SCLC versus treatment of physician's choice of chemotherapy. Merck and Daiichi Sankyo also expanded their existing global co-development and co-commercialization agreement for three investigational DXd antibody-drug conjugates to include Merck's MK-6070, an investigational delta-like ligand 3 targeting T-cell engager that is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial. The companies are planning to evaluate MK-6070 in combination with I-DXd in certain patients with SCLC, as well as other potential combinations. Merck obtained MK-6070 through its acquisition of Harpoon Therapeutics. Ongoing Phase 3 studies evaluating the vibostolimab and pembrolizumab fixed-dose combination in lung cancer, which are routinely monitored by external data monitoring committees, include KeyVibe-003, KeyVibe-006 and KeyVibe-007. Interim external data monitoring committee safety reviews have not resulted in any study modifications to date and the studies are undergoing ongoing comprehensive safety monitoring.

06:40 EDT Restaurant Brands sees FY24 capital expenditures $300M - The company said, "RBI continues to expect consolidated capital expenditures, tenant inducements and incentives (excluding RH) of approximately $300 million. RBI now expects Adjusted Net Interest Expense, between $565 million and $575 million and Segment G&A (excluding RH) for 2024 between $640 million and $660 million, including share-based compensation and non-cash incentive compensation expense between $170 million and $180 million."

06:24 EDT Smashbox debuts in the U.S. Amazon Premium Beauty store - Smashbox, the legacy, cruelty free beauty brand renowned for studio-grade, high-performance makeup, and artistry made easy, announces its launch in the U.S. Amazon Premium Beauty store. The dedicated Smashbox storefront extends the accessibility of its cutting-edge cosmetics and The Original Photo Finish Smooth and Blur Primer, the #1 Prestige Vegan and Cruelty-Free Face Primer in the U.S. to the wide audience of Amazon customers.

06:18 EDT ATS Corporation to downsize transportation business - ATS Corporation stated that as the North American EV market is experiencing a slowdown in sales growth, this has given rise to reduced investment, program cancellations, deferrals, and production volume reductions by various automakers. In response to the resulting lower demand for the company's solutions in this space, the company intends to reduce the cost structure of its transportation-related businesses. This is expected to include reallocation of resources to other parts of the business, along with workforce reductions. These actions are expected to commence in the second quarter of fiscal 2025, with an estimated cost of between $15M-$20M.

05:51 EDT Better Home & Finance announces 1-for-50 reverse stock split - Better announced that it will effect a reverse stock split of its common stock at a ratio of one post-split share for every 50 pre-split shares. At the company's annual meeting of stockholders held on June 4, the Company's stockholders approved the proposal to authorize one or more amendments to the company's amended and restated certificate of incorporation to effect one or more reverse stock splits of the company's Class A common stock, Class B common stock and Class C common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, at a ratio ranging from any whole number between 1-for-2 and 1-for-100 and in the aggregate not more than 1-or-100, inclusive, as determined by the company's board of directors, in its discretion. On August 1, the company's board of directors approved a 1-for-50 reverse stock split ratio. The reverse stock split is expected to become effective at 6:00 p.m. New York Time on Friday, August 16. The company's Class A common stock is expected to begin trading on a split-adjusted basis when the market opens on Monday, August 19. The company's Class A common stock and public warrants will continue to be traded on Nasdaq under the ticker symbols "BETR" and "BETRW," respectively. Upon effectiveness of the reverse stock split, every 50 shares of the company's issued and outstanding common stock will be converted automatically into one issued and outstanding share of Class A common stock, Class B common stock and Class C common stock, as applicable.

05:31 EDT CRH announces new $300M share repurchase program - CRH announced that it has completed the latest phase of its share buyback program, returning a further $0.3B of cash to shareholders. Between May 10 and August 7, 3.8M ordinary shares listed on the New York Stock Exchange were repurchased. This brings total cash returned to shareholders under our ongoing share buyback program to $7.9B since its commencement in May 2018. CRH also announced that it has entered into an arrangement with BNP Paribas Securities Corp. to repurchase ordinary shares listed on the New York Stock Exchange on CRH's behalf for an aggregate maximum consideration of up to $0.3B. The buyback will commence on August 8 and will end no later than November 6. BNPP will conduct the Buyback on CRH's behalf and will make trading decisions under the Buyback independently of CRH in accordance with certain pre-set parameters. The maximum number of ordinary shares which may be acquired pursuant to the buyback is 55,000,000. The purpose of the buyback is to reduce the share capital of CRH.

05:12 EDT KKR to acquire Fuji Soft for JPY 8,800 per share - KKR announced that FK Co, an entity owned by investment funds managed by KKR, intends to make a tender offer to acquire all the outstanding shares of Fuji Soft. Fuji Soft is a system integrator in Japan with a focus on embedded, control and operational software and systems. The company serves clients across various industries based on advanced technologies built on decades of experience with a team of over 10,000 system engineers. Under the company's five-year "Mid-Term Business Plan 2028," Fuji Soft's vision is to become a provider of system, software, and service both in information technology and operational technology fields. The company's five-year plan also outlines its strategy to improve the profitability of its existing businesses, strengthen group synergies, and capture new growth opportunities. The proposed tender offer price of JPY 8,800 per share has been determined based on negotiations between KKR and Fuji Soft. The transaction will be financed predominantly from KKR's Asian Fund IV. The proposed tender offer price represents: a 110.3% premium over the simple average closing price of Fuji Soft's stock for the 12 months up to October 2, 2023. A 97.8% premium over the simple average closing price of Fuji Soft's stock for the 6 months up to October 2, 2023.

04:37 EDT Topgolf Callaway announces a full strategic review of Topgolf - The company said last night in its earnings release, "As we look forward, we remain convinced that Topgolf is a high-quality business with significant future opportunity. It is transforming the game of golf, and we believe it will deliver substantial growth and financial returns over time. At the same time, we have been disappointed in our stock performance for some time, as well as the more recent same venue sales performance. As a result, we are in the process of conducting a full strategic review of Topgolf. This review includes the assessment of organic strategies to return Topgolf to profitable same venue sales growth, as well as inorganic alternatives, including a potential spin of Topgolf. Our strategic review of Topgolf is being conducted with the help of outside advisors and is focused on maximizing long-term shareholder value. We are active in this work at present and expect to complete our strategic review of Topgolf expeditiously. We will report back on this when the work is complete."