NA Proactive news snapshot: OTC Markets Group, Arizona Silver, Phunware, Codebase Ventures UPDATE …

OTC Markets Group Inc (OTCQX: OTCM) posted fourth-quarter results for the three months ended December 31, that saw revenue rise to $16.1 million, up 4% over the same quarter a year earlier. "We were pleased to report continued revenue growth across our business lines, delivering period over period increases in top-line revenue for the 12th consecutive quarter," said Bea Ordonez, chief financial officer at OTC Markets Group. She said the company was “well-positioned” to leverage the investments made in 2019. Corporate services delivered 6% growth in revenue versus the prior period, driven primarily by an increase in the number of companies on its OTCQX market Arizona Silver Exploration Inc (CVE:AZS) (OTC:AZASF) has closed the second and final tranche of its $1 million non-brokered private placement. The company issued 423,733 units, each containing one share and one half a share purchase warrant, at a price of C$0.15 per unit, raising $63,560. Whole purchase warrants are exercisable at a price of C$0.22 for a period of five years. The company plans to use the proceeds to fund further exploration of its Philadelphia Property in Mohave County, Arizona and the Ramsey silver mine in La Paz County, Arizona. Phunware Inc (NASDAQ:PHUN) announced Thursday it has won several notable customer wins for its proprietary Audience Engagement platform. New customer wins included Samsung, Live Nation, Ticketmaster, House of Blues, AEG, Madison Square Garden, Metrolink, Coast Electric, Census 2020, the University of Pennsylvania and Truthfinder, among others. Audience Engagement is a managed service capability that enables brands to build custom audiences and deliver targeted media to optimize engagement. Codebase Ventures Inc (CSE:CODE) (OTCMKTS:BKLLF) said Thursday it has extended the expiry date of nearly 9.1 million warrants for another two years. Of the 30 million warrants issued in May 2017, just over 20.9 million have already been exercised, the company said. The remaining warrants, which are exercisable at C$0.05, now have an expiry date of May 2, 2022. Brooklyn-based tech company Codebase’s portfolio includes blockchain firm Arcology, Pressland, which is dedicated to fighting fake news, and Code Cannabis Investments targeting the CBD market. Broker Roth Capital Partners continues to be bullish on gold miner Gold Resource Corporation (NYSEAMERICAN:GORO) and has repeated a 'Buy' rating on the shares, saying exploration will be a key focus for the group this year. The company has operations in Mexico and brought its second mining unit, in Nevada, USA, online last year, with its Isabella Pearl mine going into production. The firm last year increased its annual gold production by 50% compared to the year before that. "We remain supporters of management's disciplined approach to growth and believe the company is on-track to deliver strong cash flow at current gold prices. As such, we are reiterating a Buy rating and $6.75 price target," said analyst Jake Sekelsky in a note. Ximen Mining Corp (CVE:XIM)(OCTMKTS:XXMMF) has arranged a non-brokered private placement of 2 million flow-through shares at a price of $0.50 cents per share for gross proceeds of $1 million. The net proceeds from the offering will be used for exploration expenses on the company's British Columbia mineral properties. IEC Electronics Corp (NASDAQ:IEC) announced Thursday that it has been awarded a Low Rate Initial Production multi-year contract valued at more than $15 million from a top global defense contractor. In a statement, CEO Jeffrey Schlarbaum said the Newark, New York-based company is “energized” to have won the contract with a well-established aerospace and defense company. “This is a brand new customer for us, who we have been pursuing for more than three years as part of our focused go-to-market strategy,” Schlarbaum said. “Considering the competitive landscape, it is gratifying that IEC‘s unique technical capabilities and unmatched dependability as a vertically integrated manufacturing partner for life-saving and mission-critical products is being recognized with this award.” IEC expects “to realize modest revenue from the initial phase” of the contract during fiscal 2020, with revenue anticipated to increase as production ramps in fiscal 2021. Exro Technologies Inc (CSE:XRO) (OTCMKTS:EXROF) CEO Sue Ozdemir will appear on national television to talk about the firm’s electric motor technology. The segment, part of Business TV-News, will air over the weekend on Canada’s BNN Bloomberg network and in the US on the Biz Television Network on March 15. Ozdemir will tell viewers about how Exro’s technology improves the speed, torque and energy efficiency of electric motors. "Our objective is to tell investors, manufacturers and the public around the world about our remarkable technology, which is now being commercialized," Ozdemir said in a release. Newgioco Group Inc (NASDAQ:NWGI) continues to grow its market share in the Italian regulated online poker market, according to a gaming news agency in the country. Agenzia Giornalistica sul Mercato del Gioco (AGIMEG) reported that Newgioco, through its wholly owned subsidiary Multigioco SRL, grew its gross poker gaming revenue by 34% year-over-year in February. That represents approximately 4.5% of the total market, good for 7th among its peers in total wagers. Overall, the online poker product segment in Italy reached €5 million (US$5.6 million) in total wagers in February, an increase of 1.1% year-over-year. Heritage Cannabis Holdings Corp (CSE:CANN) (OTCMKTS:HERTF) and Empower Clinics Inc (CSE:CBDT) (OTCMKTS:EPWCF) are bounding closer to manufacturing hemp-based product in the US. The two companies are advancing a joint venture to extract hemp for CBD oil production and formulated CBD products as part of an agreement signed in September 2019. Toronto-based Heritage said it ordered and installed installation of extraction and post-production equipment units at Empower’s hemp processing facility in Sandy, Oregon. Gevo Inc (NASDAQ: GEVO) has signed a Heads of Agreement (HOA) with Viva Energy Australia Pty Ltd, one of the country's leading energy companies and the exclusive supplier of Shell fuels and lubricants in Australia. The HOA will further solidify both parties’ intent to work collaboratively on activities in Australia to establish the technical and commercial feasibility of converting biomass into sustainable jet fuel and renewable gasoline from regionally sourced renewable resources. Under the non-binding HOA, both Gevo and Viva will develop and enhance commercial and advocacy relationships to further foster the use of renewable hydrocarbons, including sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) in Queensland and, more broadly, the rest of Australia. Mota Ventures Corp (CSE:MOTA) (OTCMKTS:PEMTF) said it had hired AGORA Internet Relations Corp (AGORACOM) for an initial 12 months to provide online advertising and marketing services and has launched a 'CEO verified' discussion forum on the platform. AGORACOM is the pioneer of online marketing, broadcasting, conferences and IR services to North American small and mid-cap public companies, with more than 300 companies served, said Mota.   Byrna Technologies Inc (CSE:BYRN) (OTCMKTS:BYRN), formerly Security Devices International Inc, has announced the appointment of Reilly Schueler as director of sales and marketing. Schueler will be responsible for building Byrna's e-commerce and social media marketing program, developing the Byrna brand through the creation of print and digital content and the use of appropriate influencers, creating and implementing a nationwide reseller program focused on expanding Byrna's market penetration through gun shows and other direct to consumer events and developing a Byrna distribution network of brick-and-mortar outlets.     Co-Diagnostics Inc (NASDAQ:CODX), a molecular diagnostics company, said Thursday that both domestic and international demand has surged for its novel coronavirus detection kits in recent weeks, leading to increased product shipments, following the Food and Drug Administration’s change in policy on February 29, and an ever-larger number of patients testing positive for the disease worldwide. The new test is already prompting admiration on Wall Street and investors responded well, sending shares nearly 26.8% higher to $15.21 in New York. The kit is advancing towards emergency use clearance for use as an in vitro diagnostic by the FDA as well as by the CDSCO in India. Lingo Media Corporation (CVE:LM) (OTCMKTS:LMDCF) said that its subsidiary ELL Technologies Ltd, an edtech company changing the way the world learns languages through innovative online technologies, inked an agreement to sell its interactive language learning solutions to Accent Plus SA. In addition, ELL Technologies will be a keynote presenter in a multi-city seminar series across Ecuador from March 9-11, titled "From Utopia to Reality," showcasing current education trends and learning strategies. ELL Technologies provides online training and assessment for English language learning and is tapping the large market in Ecuador.  Salazar Resources Limited (CVE:SRL) and its partner Adventus Mining Corporation (CVE:ADZN) (OTCMKTS:ADVZF) have secured the key surface rights to allow development of the El Domo copper, gold, zinc deposit at the Curipamba project in Ecuador.  They have signed multiple agreements with private individuals over the rights, which cover the resource and proposed open pit and underground mines, as envisaged in last year's preliminary economic assessment (PEA).  Cardiol Therapeutics Inc (TSE:CRDL) (OTCMKTS:CRTPF), which is developing medicines for heart disease, marked a major step forward on Thursday - with the green light from Health Canada to carry out a  Phase 1 study on its pure cannabidiol formulation, which is THC free. The firm, which is developing innovative therapies for heart diseases, including acute myocarditis, plans to start the study in the second quarter of this year. The Phase 1 study will measure the blood levels of drug following single and multiple doses of the extra strength 100mg/mL in up to up to 55 healthy subjects. It will also measure standard safety parameters at escalating doses to help select the optimal dosing levels for a planned international Phase 2 study for acute myocarditis - a leading cause of sudden cardiac death in children and young adults. Calyxt Inc (NASDAQ:CLXT) reported record fourth-quarter and full-year 2019 financial results, noting it has a funding runway into mid-2021 as it ended the year with cash and cash equivalents totaled $58.6 million. Looking ahead to the rest of 2020, Blome said to meet the expected demand for the company’s HO soybean oil, it has nearly tripled its contracted soybean acreage compared to the 2019 planting. The company expects to have a 25% market share of all HO soybean acres planted in the US in 2020. Calyxt also hopes to achieve revenue growth of 90% to 110% year-over-year in 2020. Endeavour Mining Corporation (TSE:EDV) (OTCMKTS:EDVMF) has appointed experienced accountant Alison Baker as an independent non-exec director to boost the gold producer's auditing and corporate reporting skills. Baker has extensive emerging markets experience in energy and mining and led the UK and EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) oil & gas practice at PricewaterhouseCoopers and before that, the UK energy, utilities and mining assurance practice at Ernst & Young. "She brings with her key expertise in auditing and corporate reporting that will further strengthen the board’s skills as Endeavour continues its commitment to best practice governance and reporting standards," said Michael Beckett, Endeavour's chairman. NexTech AR Solutions Corp (OTCMKTS:NEXCF) (CSE:NTAR) has opened early access signup for its 3D augmented reality capture app, ARitize360. The company is offering free early access to 100 brands and business, allowing them to create 3D interactive versions of products — whether it’s an outdoor jacket, a vacuum cleaner, a rack of ribs or anything else —  using just a smartphone.  The Valens Company (CVE:VLNS) (OTCMKTS:VLNCF) launched a new line of cannabis-infused beverages heading to Canadian shelves. The new products, part of a white label agreement between Valens and A1 Cannabis Company, include a CBD-infused iced tea and a THC-forward citrus water. The launch “demonstrates Valens' leadership and excellence in the development and manufacturing of Cannabis 2.0 products”, as the company continues to successfully commercialize cannabis-infused beverages within the Canadian market, it said in a statement. Biocept Inc (NASDAQ:BIOC), a provider of liquid biopsy tests, said that it has entered into a securities purchase agreement with several institutional investors to raise $6.6 million in a registered direct offering priced at-the-market. The San Diego-based company said that it had struck a securities purchase agreement with several institutional investors for the issuance and sale of 16 million shares at $0.41 per share, for gross proceeds of approximately $6.6 million, in a registered direct offering priced at-the-market under Nasdaq rules. The company said the $6.6 million registered direct offering, along with $9.2 million in proceeds from its registered direct offering announced on March 2, and its current cash position will be sufficient to fund operations through December 31, 2020. Matinas BioPharma Holdings Inc (NYSEAMERICAN:MTNB) has initiated a head-to-head pharmaceutical study of its omega-3 drug candidate MAT9001 against a drug called Vascepa, in a battle to treat elevated triglycerides. The study, known as ENHANCE-IT, will measure how effectively the drugs reduce triglyceride levels and other important lipid markers, in addition to gathering data on bioavailability and omega-3 fatty acids in the blood. MAT9001 and Vascepa will each be administered twice daily to the roughly 100 enrolled patients over two 28-day treatment periods. NetCents Technology Inc (CSE:NC) (OTCMKTS:NTTCF), the cryptocurrency payments firm, said it did not file its audited annual financial statements, management's discussion and analysis and related certifications for its fiscal year to end October last year, which were due on February 28, as required, due to delay in the process of appointing new auditors. It has received a Management Cease Trade Order to permit the continued trading of its shares by people other than insiders and employees. The firm said it was working 'diligently' with its auditors and expects to have the audit of the issuer statements completed and filed no later than April 15 this year. NetCents confirmed that it also aims to satisfy the provisions of National Policy 12-203 Cease Trade Orders for Continuous Disclosure Defaults and issue bi-weekly default status reports for so long as it remains in default of the financial statement filing requirement. The company is not subject to any insolvency proceedings nor is there in other material information concerning its affairs that has not been generally disclosed, it said. Medexus Pharmaceuticals Inc (CVE:MDP) said the TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing the company's proposal to issue 134,290 bonus share purchase warrants to MidCap Financial Trust in connection with a credit and security agreement of up to US$20mln with a term of 40 months. The warrants will be exercisable into one common share of the company at an exercise price of $4 per share and will expire concurrently with the maturity of the credit agreement. Red Cloud Securities Inc, a global resource-focused investment firm, is hosting a live webinar Thursday afternoon with economist David Rosenberg to discuss gold and the broader investment market. Rosenberg, the chief economist and strategist of Rosenberg Research & Associates Inc, will join Red Cloud CEO Bruce Tatters at 2 pm ET (11 am PT) to answer audience questions live on air. Rosenberg and Tatters plan to discuss, negative interest rates and the impact on the market and gold, the impact of coronavirus on the global economy, David's view on the valuation of the broader market and the price of gold, sectors he’d invest in and more.