Aligned with its business model to acquire and roll-up sales, marketing, and manufacturing companies, Halitron, Inc. (OTC: HAON) this morning announced its fourth and fifth acquisitions since 2015: PRD Holdings, Inc., a U.S. holding company for a Mexico-based factory; and PiecesInPlaces, a leading direct marketing brand.

PRD Holdings owns several factory investments in Mexico. These factories produce a wide array of products utilizing base materials in the print industry, as well as plastic-based product lines. The 12,000-square-foot main factory is located just a few miles over the border from San Diego, California, where 20 employees and a diverse line of equipment are capable of producing over $20 million in annual sales at full capacity.

In the $150,000 stock acquisition of PRD Holdings, Halitron purchased the corporation, equipment, raw material, finished goods and the know-how within a “very talented management team and employee base to produce goods with high quality at low costs.”

“PRD Holdings Inc. improves gross profits by over 35% with the acquisition,” Halitron CEO Bernard Findley stated in the news release. “We are now vertically integrated and can operate at very attractive margins due to a number of key factors including low labor rates, NAFTA, and distribution costs.”

Halitron also acquired the PiecesInPlaces brand in an asset sale from Plastic Retail Displays, LLC for an additional $27,895 and 4,016,469 in restricted common stock. PiecesInPlaces primarily sells vinyl file folders, pages and pouches to medical, dental and manufacturing businesses looking for ways to efficiently and safely transport important documents throughout an operational process.

In this transaction, Halitron acquired assets including a customer list totaling over 40,657 customers, the www.piecesinplaces.com website, and digital artwork files utilized for print and email blast campaigns. Halitron said it expects the acquisition to add an additional 35% gross profit margin by manufacturing the products it sells to the end user.

“NDG Holdings Inc., a digital marketing acquisition from January 2015, will be able to grow the brand dramatically over the coming years. NDG Holdings maintains a strong analytical focus specifically on digital marketing which has a solid synergy with PiecesInPlaces,” Findley stated.

With these new acquisitions, Halitron said it is on pace to generate over $10 million in sales over the next three years, including its current pipeline of acquisitions.

For more information, visit the company’s website at www.halitroninc.com.

The controlled environment agricultural (CEA) landscape is looking greener as attitudes warm toward cannabis use in the United States. A recent survey (http://dtn.fm/aLZP0) by the PewResearchCenter found that 53 percent of Americans would like to see cannabis legalized. CEA systems can range from simple, low-tech devices such as row covers to high-tech greenhouses that are controlled by computers. Typically, CEA facilities are employed in growing vegetables and flowers, and, according to a TechNewsWorld article (http://dtn.fm/qMa78), the four main CEA crops are cucumber, lettuce, peppers and tomato. Even astronauts floating around on the International Space Station have tried their hands at CEA, growing ‘leafy greens both to eat and to advance scientific knowledge.’ Now, cannabis growers are embracing CEA methods with open arms.

The big advantage of CEA is, of course, that the grower can escape the vagaries of weather, but one other salient feature of CEA is security, particularly with a crop such as cannabis. Although praedial larceny is not as prevalent as it was in the days of the Wild West, it’s very likely that cannabis crops may pose a temptation to today’s ‘rustlers’. A recent NPR story (http://dtn.fm/CcF1A) reports that cattle rustling is making a comeback in certain parts of the country, driven by the high price of beef and the spread of substance abuse. These are factors that, undoubtedly, will bear on cannabis farming.

The BudCube Cultivation System will obviate such theft since it operates in a protected indoor environment. A single BudCube Unit is around 800 sq. ft. and will produce two crops of 20 plants per crop within six months. The first crop can be harvested at 14 weeks, with the second following after an additional 12 weeks. Cherubim Interests, Inc. (OTC: CHIT) estimates that one plant will yield an average of one pound of product with a market price of $1,700 a pound, providing gross revenues of $68,000. Another great advantage of the BudCube Cultivation System is that it will generate revenues in just over three months’ time.

As the social and political environment eases its hostility to the use of cannabis, Cherubim is set to strike while the iron is hot. A Reuters report (http://dtn.fm/q64TN) last year stated that Georgia had enacted a law legalizing the use of marijuana for medical purposes. To date, according to ProCon.org, 23 states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for medical use. Georgia will soon bring that number to 24. Additionally, four states – including Alaska, Colorado, Oregon and Washington – and the District of Columbia also allow the recreational use of cannabis.

According to Leafly, the online information resource devoted to news on the cannabis industry, ‘Legislators in Georgia, Illinois, Wyoming, and Virginia are all seeking to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of cannabis, and… New Mexico is trying to join four other states (and one district) by legalizing cannabis in 2016’. Missouri has also passed a decriminalization law which is due to take effect on January 1, 2017. Decriminalization is not the same thing as legalization. Decriminalization means that possession and use of cannabis will not be treated as criminal offenses but may still carry penalties.

Cherubim, which, through subsidiary BudCube Cultivation Systems USA, is developing and marketing the BudCube units, invests in undervalued real estate assets in order to create safer living environments and promote more desirable lifestyles for future generations. The company specializes in a full array of development activities – including due diligence, acquisition, planning, construction, renovation and property management – allowing it to upgrade assets to their full market potential while providing a substantial return to investors.

For more information, visit www.cherubiminterests.com

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A pioneer in children’s play spaces, the Giggles N’ Hugs, Inc. (OTCQB: GIGL) restaurants promise organic food and tons of fun for everyone. This innovative restaurant concept was created by Joey and Dorsa Parsi in 2008 after realizing there weren’t any kid-friendly eateries around that offered healthy foods. Eight years later, Giggles N’ Hugs has expanded to three California locations in Century City, Woodland Hills, and Glendale. Each location is housed inside a shopping mall, which guarantees plenty of foot traffic. The company hopes to expand its reach across the United States through marketing, branded merchandise, and happy customers.

This past January, Giggles N’ Hugs was featured on KTLA 5 Morning News, a Los Angeles news program. The program showcased three of the most popular party themes that the restaurant offers: disco, superheroes, and the classic luau. Reporter Wendy Birch danced her way through a disco-themed party for a one year old to the hip tunes of Disco Joe. KTLA promoted Giggles N’ Hugs by demonstrating how much fun these parties can be for children while promising a stress-free planning process for parents.

Giggles N’ Hugs offers a hassle-free way of celebrating a child’s birthday by having themed party options, healthy foods, and a variety of entertainment at an affordable price point. Parents have the power to customize every facet of the day, including the size of the party with options such as VIP, Private, or Semi-Private. Then the child has his or her choice of a fantastic theme like superheroes, princess, dinosaurs, jungle, and more. Parents can also rest easy knowing that their children are getting fresh and healthy meals that use local ingredients without antibiotics or hormones. For added fun, the 2,000 square foot play area comes alive with entertainment such as concerts, magic shows, puppets, crafts, face painting, and karaoke.

With its fan base continuously growing, Giggles N’ Hugs will likely launch itself across the nation in the near future. Westfield Corp. (OTC: WEFIF), one of the nation’s largest mall operators, has even made its entire portfolio available for future restaurant locations. At this rate, parents everywhere will soon be able to enjoy a wholesome birthday party for their youngster without the headache.

Learn more by visiting www.gigglesnhugs.com

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After a triumphant initial launch of its ContentChecked app, Content Checked Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB: CNCK) is looking ahead. The company has set its sights on a wider release of its ContentChecked app and its other apps (SugarChecked and MigraineChecked) in order to further its impact.

What problem is Content Checked interested in solving? The company is developing smartphone applications for use by U.S. residents suffering from food allergies and intolerances, as well as migraine and chronic headaches. In the years since its establishment in 2013, the California-based company has conceived and introduced the ContentChecked, MigraineChecked and SugarChecked smartphone apps to the public and, as a result, created an innovative marketplace for people with dietary restrictions and the institutions who cater to them.

Content Checked continues to leverage and promote the effectiveness of its current apps, including its most recent addition, SugarChecked. How exactly does SugarChecked work? SugarChecked is an easy shopping tool for consumers who are interested in decoding often-misleading food labels and receiving recommendations for healthier alternative products in real time as they shop.

The app, which is available in the iPhone App Store and Google Play Store, allows consumers to use their smartphones to scan the barcode on a food item. It then highlights the sugar content of that item and the forms sugar will take if it is consumed. The app specifically identifies the four main types of sugars that consumers can avoid, including added sugars, artificial sweeteners, natural low-calorie sweeteners and sugar alcohols, and all of this comprehensive sugar content information is fact checked by a team of nutritionists. Then, if the item is unsuitable for the user, based on his or her dietary preferences, the app suggests a host of alternatives from an extensive food database.

SugarChecked empowers consumers. It gives them the ability to scan the barcodes of grocery store products and determine what kind of sugars they contained. It also educates them on their options and why they may want to avoid certain food items. In doing this, the app is geared toward meeting the needs of millions of people in the United States who suffer from dietary restrictions, wish to maintain a low sugar diet and want to avoid unwelcome, hidden ingredients.

In addition to serving consumers, SugarChecked also serves food producers. It has given food producers a vital way to showcase their products to consumers who are actively seeking those types of products, and it does so at the point of purchase.

For more information, visit www.contentchecked.com

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GTX Corp. (OTC: GTXO) centers its efforts on providing people with the peace of mind of knowing where their loved ones are at any given time. A provider of wearable monitoring and tracking solutions using GPS, Cellular and BLE technology, GTXO delivers a value proposition to investors and consumers alike that is both compelling and affordable in today’s upward trending wearable technology space. Caregivers to those inflicted with Alzheimer’s are among the many natural beneficiaries.

Using GTXO’s GPS SmartSole, caregivers know that there’s no longer a need to remember to carry a separate tracking device, since the SmartSole resides within the shoe. You can track their location through any smartphone, tablet or web browser and set up text and e-mail alerts if they leave or enter defined areas on a map. The GPS SmartSole provides peace of mind for family members and those caring for the millions of people suffering from memory impairment and conditions that cause them to wander, which can be caused by a variety of cognitive memory disabilities.

The company is poised to present at this year’s upcoming 2nd Annual Innovations Investor Conference, February 22, 2016. This year’s forum is designed to enable emerging public and private companies to showcase their products, services and programs. The environment is one in which companies can exchange ideas with potential strategic partners, present their technologies and network with private and institutional investors.

Current and prospective investors can meet GTXO company leaders and converse about their plans for 2016 at a Shareholder Meeting being held on February 23, 2016.

In a recent news release, Patrick Bertagna, chief executive officer of GTXO, stated, “We plan to discuss a host of topics, including: the size and scope of our market and some new markets we are exploring, our technology roadmap and where we see the industry going, our channels of distributions and our recent expansion in Latin America. We plan to demonstrate the significance of our global partnerships and how the collective of these alliances are contributing to our growth and value proposition. We will discuss some of the recent insurance reimbursement codes and government vendor numbers we have been issued. And we will also discuss our IP portfolio and the recent patents we were granted from the family tree of patent 286, including how this affects our position in the multibillion dollar wearables industry. We look forward to seeing you in South Florida as we have a lot to talk about at the conference and more in depth at the shareholder meeting.”

Conference Information: Monday, February 22, 2016, at the Ritz-Carlton South Beach, presented by SeeThruEquity and The Brewer Group.

Shareholder Meeting Information: Tuesday, February 23, 2015, at 10:30 a.m. at the Parkland Golf & Country Club, located at 10001 Old Club Rd, Parkland, Florida, 33076. Shareholders who have not yet registered are encouraged to do so by February 15, 2016, by clicking on the investor page at www.gtxcorp.com

For more information, visit www.gtxcorp.com

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The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2016, about 22,280 new cases of ovarian cancer will be diagnosed and 14,240 women will die of ovarian cancer in the U.S. Mortality rates for ovarian cancer have declined only slightly in the forty years since the “War on Cancer” was declared. However, other cancers have shown a much greater reduction in mortality, due to the availability of early detection tests and improved treatments. The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program reported that in 2012 in the U.S. approximately 192,446 women were alive who had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer (including those who had been cured of the disease).

Early detection of cancer is the key to using the medicines available today to battle cancer and give the patient the best chance of beating this horrible disease and getting back to a normal life. Avant Diagnostics, Inc. (OTCQB: AVDX) has undertaken this heroic challenge with its OvaDx Pre-Symptomatic Ovarian Cancer Screening Test.

OvaDx is a sophisticated microarray-based test that measures the activation of the immune system in blood samples in response to early stage ovarian tumor cell development. Upon commercialization, it’s estimated that the market opportunity for OvaDX could be $50 million annually as a diagnostic test for ovarian cancer, and it could expand to over $2 billion if the test were to be approved as a generalized screening and/or monitoring tool.

Some form of cancer has affected almost every family in the U.S. either personally or through a member of their immediate family. The common denominator between cancer and any ailment is that the earlier it is detected, the better your chances of survival. Continual monitoring of treatment coupled with early detection can better the odds significantly and prolong your lifespan. If someone gets tested regularly and detects ovarian cancer early, their five-year survival rate is 93 percent compared to a five-year survival rate of only 18 percent if detected in the later stages.

For more information, visit the company website at www.avantdiagnostics.com

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Torchlight Energy Resources, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRCH) is a high growth oil and gas Exploration and Production (E&P) company primarily focused on the acquisition and development of highly profitable domestic oil fields. Leveraging a diverse portfolio, carefully selected interests, and a strong management team are pillars of Torchlight’s broader success strategy.

The company maintains a diversified energy portfolio by holding interests in numerous projects in multiple established plays, and it currently holds interests in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, where its targets are established plays such as the Wolf Penn, Eagle Ford Shale, Mississippi Limestone and Hunton Limestone trends.

Torchlight is currently moving forward on the next phase of drilling on three new wells in its Orogrande Project in West Texas, where the company owns a 47.5% working interest on 168,000 acres alongside Founders Oil and Gas, LLC. Torchlight drilled the Rich A-11 well (6,091 feet) on the Orogrande Project in March last year and subsequently executed a $50 million JV farm-out agreement with Midland, Texas-based Founders Oil and Gas, who initiated frac work on the well in November.

The Marcelina Creek Project in South Texas, with its prime access to the Austin Chalk, Buda, and Eagle Ford formations, is surrounded on all four sides by leading Eagle Ford producers. Torchlight’s Johnson #4 well was recently re-entered and drilled laterally to approximately 2500 feet in the Austin Chalk Formation. With more than 20 additional drilling locations on its Marcelina Creek Asset, the project has the potential to positively impact cash flows and production sustainability.

Torchlight’s executive team and board of directors are led by CEO John Brda and COO Willard McAndrew III. Combined they have over 50 years of experience in the oil and gas industry as executives, investors and consultants to the industry. Their knowledge base includes all aspects of the business, including: operations, mid stream, capital formation, purchase and sale of assets, re-entries, investor relations and oil and gas consulting for public and private companies.

Key Investment Highlights:

• Defined strategy targets highly profitable oil fields in the United States
• Diversified energy portfolio enables projects in multiple established plays
• Primary focus on interest in major Orogrande Basin discovery in West Texas
• Strong management team with vast, relevant experience in energy industry

For more information on the company, visit www.TorchlightEnergy.com

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On Monday, Stellar Biotechnologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SBOT) (TSX-V: KLH), the leader in the sustainable manufacture of Keyhole Limpet Hemocyanin (KLH), announced its financial results for its first fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2015. According to the report, the company successfully leveraged the increased visibility and improved access to institutional investors provided by its recent uplisting to the NASDAQ Capital Market (completed on November 5, 2015) to drive a 130 percent year-over-year increase in quarterly revenue.

“We are pleased to report good momentum heading into 2016, with what we believe are positive indicators for our core KLH business,” Frank Oakes, president, chief executive officer and chairman of Stellar, stated in the news release. “We are focusing on continuing to increase sales revenue, and we are working to expand our commercial and clinical opportunities with new collaborations.”

One such collaboration was proposed on January 20, 2016, in the form of a joint venture between Stellar and Neovacs, S.A, a leading biotechnology firm focused on an active immunotherapy technology platform (Kinoids) with applications in autoimmune and/or inflammatory diseases. The purpose of this proposed joint venture is to produce Neovacs’ Kinoid product candidates using Stellar’s KLH. The term sheet also outlined the possibility of manufacturing other KLH-based immunotherapies on behalf of third party customers in the future. As of writing, this proposed joint venture has yet to be consummated.

Additional highlights from Stellar’s financial report include:

• The company generated total revenues of $488,160 for the three months ended December 31, 2015, compared to $212,661 for the three months ended December 31, 2014
• Total expenses for the quarter were $1.8 million, compared to $1.5 million for the same period in 2014; the company attributed this increase to a combination of NASDAQ listing fees, compensation increases, increased share-based compensation and increased investor relations activity
• Stellar’s working capital as of December 31, 2015, was $8.97 million, compared to working capital of $7.49 million as of September 30, 2015
• The company maintained positive shareholders’ equity of $9.6 million and approximately 8.45 million shares outstanding as of December 31, 2015, compared to shareholders’ equity of $8.0 million and approximately 7.98 million shares outstanding at September 30, 2015

To view the full financial report, visit http://dtn.fm/t8W36

Stellar has applied decades of specialized aquaculture science to a pharmaceutical industry challenge, creating the only KLH production facility of its kind in the world and establishing itself as the world leader in the sustainable manufacture of this important immune-stimulating molecule. The company’s customers and partners include multinational pharmaceutical companies, renowned research centers, and developers of active immunotherapies and therapeutic vaccines.

For more information, visit www.StellarBiotech.com and http://ir.StellarBiotechnologies.com.

Star Mountain Resources, Inc. (OTC: SMRS), a microcap mining company, focuses its efforts on acquiring mineral properties and then developing them into major producing mines. The company plans to continue its upward growth through these acquisitions. Star Mountain Resources is currently developing operations to restart its Balmat zinc mining operation in St. Lawrence County, New York. This venture would turn the company into an active mining producer rather than a junior explorer. In November 2015, the company acquired Northern Zinc, LLC, a private company, and closed on the acquisition of the Balmat Holding Corporation from Hudbay Minerals, which gave Star Mountain Resources access to the Balmat zinc mine, a high-quality mineral asset.

According to Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS), zinc is making a comeback by rallying 18% of mid-January lows at around $1,445. The mineral is making back most of the 20% loss it suffered in 2015. Last year, metal slumped 26% with China’s economic slowdown limiting the demand for metals. However, so far this year, zinc has the strongest “bull case” of all the base metals, because mine depletion and production cutbacks will tighten the supply even more, thus driving up prices. With zinc gaining 6.8% on the London Minerals Exchange in February alone, Goldman Sachs predicts that in twelve months the price of zinc will be $1,800 a ton.

In a recent report, Goldman Sachs analysts stated, “Against the backdrop of still significant short metals positioning (particularly copper and aluminum), we reiterate that the recent stabilization of the GS China Metals Consumption Index, the upcoming seasonal improvement in metals demand (post Chinese New Year), China State stockpiling, and potential further capacity closures could be catalysts for a short covering rally near term.”

The ICBC Standard Bank expects the global surplus of zinc to be greatly diminished this year, resulting in a deficit for 2017. This deficit in zinc will cause higher prices within the global metal market due to lack of substantial resources. These escalating zinc prices bode well for Star Mountain Resources as the company approaches the recommencement of mining operations at the Balmat zinc mine.

For more information, visit www.starmountainresources.com

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International Stem Cell Corp. (OTCQB: ISCO) builds shareholder value through the development of restorative medicine using stem cell technology. Through its innovative parthenogenesis technology, the company makes use of human stem cells from unfertilized oocytes (eggs), bypassing common ethical controversy that accompanies the destruction of the viable human embryo. Additionally, the company works with subsidiaries Lifeline Skin Technology and Lifeline Skin Care in the area of skin rejuvenation on a product that contains a nano-compound that facilitates the replenishment of the skin’s texture and elasticity.

Evidence of the company’s resolve to be a leader in the field of restorative medicine can be found in a recent partnership with The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, one of the world’s leading brain research centers. The agreement calls for the team to launch Phase I/IIa clinical trials research on the effects of human parthenogenetic stem cells in people with Parkinson’s disease.

The credibility The Florey Institute brings to ISCO’s mission to build shareholder value cannot be understated. The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health is one of the world’s leading brain research centers, employing a staff of over 500. The center’s scientists comprise the largest neuroscience research team in Australia. Its work is conducted on a range of serious diseases, including stroke, epilepsy, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, depression, multiple sclerosis, Huntington’s disease, motor neuron disease, schizophrenia, mental illness and addiction. Further, The Florey is viewed by many as a world leader in imaging technology, stroke rehabilitation and epidemiological studies.

The company’s human cell culture products are made up of adult stem cells and reagents for regenerative medicine aiding in the study of prostate disease, human renal and bladder diseases, human corneal cells present in corneal disease and other cell culture reagents and supplements for the growth, staining, and freezing of human cells. ISCO markets and sells skincare products through its website, channel sales, distributors and human cell culture products through its sales force, OEM partners, and brand distributors. International Stem Cell Corp. was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Carlsbad, California.

For more information, visit www.internationalstemcell.com

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