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MZDAY

Mazda North American Operations reported a record December with sales of 39,518 vehicles, a 44.8% increase YoY. FY23 sales also rose to 363,354 vehicles, up 23.2% YoY. The CX-50, CX-5, and CX-30 models achieved best-ever December sales. Mazda's CX-90 started U.S. sales in March and won the Good Housekeeping 2024 Family Travel Award. Tom Donnelly became President and CEO in April. Mazda Toyota Manufacturing celebrated its fifth anniversary. All tested Mazda vehicles earned the IIHS 2023 TOP SAFETY PICK, with the CX-90 receiving the TOP SAFETY PICK+ after the first U.S. crash test. Mazda Canada and Mazda Mexico also reported sales increases in December and FY23.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Newsdesk

January 03, 2024 | 3:49 pm

DIS

The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) has partnered with ValueAct Capital for strategic counsel ahead of its 2024 annual shareholder meeting. ValueAct is expected to support Disney against a potential proxy battle with activist investor Nelson Peltz. Disney's CEO Bob Iger has expressed confidence in ValueAct, which has been in communication with Disney for over a decade and is now one of its largest stakeholders. The partnership is seen as a strategic move to address Peltz's demands for cost reduction and improvements in Disney's streaming services.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Neuro

January 03, 2024 | 3:35 pm

BLBD

Blue Bird Corporation (NASDAQ:BLBD) has delivered 23 electric school buses to Carter County Schools in Kentucky, funded by a $9 million grant from the EPA's Clean School Bus Program. The new Vision electric buses feature extended range, faster charging, and increased seating capacity. Blue Bird, a leader in electric and low-emission school buses, has over 1,500 electric buses in operation and is the only U.S.-owned school bus manufacturer in the U.S.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Newsdesk

January 03, 2024 | 3:14 pm

KSCP

Knightscope, Inc. (NASDAQ:KSCP) has received Authority to Operate (ATO) from FedRAMP, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. This allows Knightscope to be listed on the FedRAMP Marketplace as an approved provider for federal agencies and begin deployment for the VA contract. The company's 2024 Roadmap includes growth, margin improvements, acquisitions, and pre-orders for the new K7 in 2025.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Newsdesk

January 03, 2024 | 2:32 pm

AAPL

ADBE

AMZN

GOOG

MSFT

techUK, representing companies like Apple, Google, and Microsoft, opposes UK's proposed surveillance laws, fearing data security threats and legal conflicts. The group, which includes Apple, Alphabet's Google, Microsoft, Adobe, and Amazon, seeks to discuss the Investigatory Powers Act changes that could undermine encryption and impact tech investments in the UK. Apple has previously resisted such laws and threatened to withdraw iMessage and FaceTime over encryption issues.

Portfolio Pulse from Rounak Jain

January 03, 2024 | 2:21 pm

SMTI

Sanara Medtech has entered into an exclusive license agreement with Tufts University to develop and commercialize technology related to 18 unique collagen peptides. A new subsidiary, Sanara Collagen Peptides, LLC (SCP), has been formed, granting Tufts 10% ownership. SCP has exclusive rights to the patents and will pay royalties to Tufts based on net sales, with minimum annual royalties starting at $50,000 after the first year of sales and $100,000 in subsequent years.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Newsdesk

January 03, 2024 | 2:18 pm

MAR

Henri Giscard d’Estaing, co-CEO of Fosun Tourism and president of Club Med, has resigned from the board of Fosun Tourism. Despite rumors of a potential sale of Club Med due to Fosun's debt, the company's improved financials make a sale less likely. Fosun Tourism's revenue rose 39% in the first half of 2023, and Club Med's bookings for the second half of 2023 are up 23% from the same period in 2019. The company plans to open 17 new resorts in the next three years, focusing on growth in China and Southeast Asia.

Portfolio Pulse from The Bamboo Works

January 03, 2024 | 2:13 pm

SBUX

Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) announced a new initiative where customers in the U.S. and Canada can use their own clean cups to receive a $0.10 discount and, in the U.S., Starbucks Rewards members get 25 Bonus Stars. This move is part of Starbucks' goal to reduce waste by 50% by 2030. The company highlighted its unique position as the only national coffeehouse in the U.S. to allow personal cup use for mobile orders and the first in Canada to do so for all drink sizes. The announcement follows recent news of Starbucks' CEO addressing the damage to outlets amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, clarifying the company's values and beliefs. SBUX shares saw a slight premarket decrease of 0.13% to $93.54.

Portfolio Pulse from Nabaparna Bhattacharya

January 03, 2024 | 2:05 pm

BLMN

DRI

Bloomin' Brands, Inc (BLMN) has reached a cooperation agreement with Starboard Value LP, which holds about 9.7% of BLMN's common stock. As part of the agreement, BLMN appointed two new directors: Dave George, former COO of Darden Restaurants Inc (DRI), and Jon Sagal, Partner at Starboard. Additionally, BLMN formed an operating committee to identify opportunities for improvement. BLMN shares dropped 2.98% to close at $27.31.

Portfolio Pulse from Shivani Kumaresan

January 03, 2024 | 2:02 pm

GOVX

GeoVax Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ:GOVX) has been granted a U.S. patent for a malaria vaccine that covers both prevention and treatment. The patent, No. 11,857,611, is for a vaccine using GeoVax's MVA vector expressing Plasmodium antigens. This vaccine aims to induce an immune response targeting multiple stages of the malaria parasite's life cycle. The issuance of this patent comes as the first cases of locally transmitted malaria have been reported in the U.S. in 20 years. GeoVax's President and CEO, David Dodd, emphasized the company's commitment to public health and the development of vaccines against global threats like malaria.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Newsdesk

January 03, 2024 | 2:01 pm