Stockwinners Market Radar for April 23, 2017 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:20 EDT White House budget director: Tax announcement likely to be broad guidance, ideas - Speaking in a Fox News interview Sunday, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney said, "I think what you're going to see on Wednesday is some specific governing principles, some guidance. Also some indication of what the rates are going to be. I don't think you're going to see something -- and I don't think anybody expects us to roll out -- bill language on Wednesday. In fact, we don't want to do that. So what you're going to see on Wednesday for the first time is: Here's what our principles are, here's some of the ideas that we like, some of the ideas we don't like. Here's some of the rates we're talking about." Asked whether the tax reform will be revenue neutral, Mulvaney said, "I don't think we've decided that part yet. Keep in mind, it's a balancing act on that. You can either have a small tax cut that's permanent, or a large tax cut that is short term. I don't think we've decided yet, but you'll know more on Wednesday." Questioned about his recent statement that he doesn't expect a "real plan, specifics, meat on the bone" until June, Mulvaney responded, "I think that's still probably fair. Again, we want to start working -- and have already started working with the committees in the House and the Senate as we try to build some momentum." Reference Link

19:39 EDT bebe stores to close all locations by end of May - bebe stores disclosed in a regulatory filing Friday: "On April 18, bebe stores entered into a Consulting Agreement with Great American Group, an affiliate of B. Riley & Co., the Company's financial advisor, and Tiger Capital to, among other things, sell all merchandise and inventory owned by the Company and certain of its subsidiaries located in its existing retail stores and certain furnishings, trade fixtures, equipment and improvements to real property with respect to the Stores. We may incur a loss in connection with this sale of our merchandise and inventory, but we cannot estimate such loss at this time... The Company currently anticipates that it will close all of the Stores by the end of May. The Company expects to recognize an impairment charge of approximately $20M, net of deferred rent and other credits, as a result of closing the Stores. This impairment charge will be recorded in the third and fourth quarters of fiscal year 2017."

17:38 EDT Becton Dickinson names Polen as president, says will lead Bard segment - BD (BDX) announced the appointment of Tom Polen as president of BD, effective immediately. In his new role, Polen will oversee all of BD's operating segments -- the Medical and Life Sciences segments, as well as the new Interventional segment, which will include the C. R. Bard (BCR) businesses following the close of BD's acquisition of Bard. Polen, currently executive vice president and president of the BD Medical Segment, will continue to report to Vince Forlenza, who remains chairman and CEO of BD.

17:23 EDT BD sees forming third business segment, says Bard CEO to join board - Commenting on its integration plans, BD (BDX) said it has put in place a plan to ensure a "seamless" integration with Bard (BCR). A designated integration team, comprised of senior members of both organizations, will be led by Bill Tozzi, a seasoned BD executive who most recently served as worldwide president of the Medication and Procedural Solutions business and earlier was corporate controller for BD. At the closing of the transaction, Tim Ring, chairman and chief executive of Bard, and an additional Bard director, are expected to join the BD board, which will be expanded by two directors. "BD is confident in its ability to achieve synergies as it brings together two world class companies and expects to offer opportunities for talented employees to become part of an even more dynamic global leader," the company said. BD (BDX) also announced it expects to create a third segment within the company -- BD Interventional -- where the Bard (BCR) businesses will report both operationally and financially. BD is separately announcing the appointment of Tom Polen, currently executive vice president and president of the BD Medical Segment, as president of BD, effective immediately. In his new role, Polen will oversee BD's Medical and Life Sciences segments, as well as the new Interventional segment.

17:18 EDT Becton Dickinson says expects to continue buyback suspension - "BD expects to continue the suspension of its share repurchase program. BD is also committed to annual dividend increases while reinvesting in the business to continue to drive long-term growth," said the company.

17:11 EDT Becton Dickinson to acquire C.R. Bard for $24B

15:32 EDT Orbital ATK says Cygnus spacecraft successfully rendezvous, berths with ISS

15:27 EDT Merck reports new Phase 2 MK-3682B data - Merck announced the first sustained virologic response results 12 weeks after completion of therapy from C-SURGE, an ongoing Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating MK-3682B, the company's investigational triple-combination therapy in treatment-experienced patients with hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection for whom treatment with approved direct-acting antiviral regimens had failed. The study showed that 100 percent -- 43/43 -- of patients who completed 16 weeks of treatment plus ribavirin achieved SVR12 and 100 percent of patients who completed 24 weeks of treatment achieved SVR12. Results were presented at The International Liver Congress. There were no drug-related serious AEs, and no patients discontinued treatment due to a drug-related AE.

15:05 EDT Achillion reports updated data from Phase 2 JNJ-4178 study - Achillion Pharmaceuticals (ACHN) announced Saturday the presentation of updated results from the ongoing phase 2 '604 Study' being conducted by Alios, part of Johnson & Johnson's (JNJ) Janssen companies. Results were presented during the European Association for the Study of the Liver 2017 International Liver Congress. "These results demonstrate that the triple combination of simeprevir, odalasvir and AL-335 has the ability to shorten treatment duration, offer high efficacy and be generally well tolerated in those whose disease is caused by hepatitis C virus genotype 1," the company said. The presentation "demonstrated that JNJ-4178, the three-drug combination of simeprevir, odalasvir and AL-335, was highly effective in treatment naive patients with HCV genotype 1 infection without cirrhosis, achieving 100% SVR24 for treatment durations of both 6 and 8 weeks. The two-drug regimen of odalasvir and AL-335, a combination regimen not anticipated to move forward, achieved 84% SVR24 for treatment duration of 8 weeks in patients with HCV genotype 1 without cirrhosis. The three-drug regimen of simeprevir, odalasvir and AL-335 in HCV genotype 3 patients without cirrhosis achieved an SVR12 of 77% following 12 weeks of therapy, and is also not anticipated to move forward. Genomic sequencing results indicate that despite the presence of multiple NS5A mutations observed at baseline there was no apparent impact on SVR rates. The all-oral combination regimens containing odalasvir and AL-335, with or without simeprevir, were generally safe and well tolerated... Based on these data, JNJ-4178 is being further investigated for the treatment of HCV genotypes 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6," the company said. Achillion noted that results from the Phase 2b study of JNJ-4178 are anticipated during the second half of 2017.

14:45 EDT Albireo Pharma reports 'promising' A4250 data, sees Phase 3 trial start in 2H - Albireo Pharma announced that the embargo on its abstract discussing preliminary data from a Phase 2 trial of its lead product candidate A4250 in children with cholestatic liver disease has been lifted and the data was presented Saturday at The International Liver Congress. "The data demonstrated improvement in pruritus and reduction in serum bile acids in most patients, particularly patients with progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis, after four weeks of treatment with A4250," the company said, adding that "we are currently engaging with regulatory authorities in the United States and Europe with the objective to design a coordinated Phase 3 program in patients with PFIC, which we expect to initiate in the second half of 2017." A4250 reduced mean levels of sBA in all five dose groups, with substantial sBA reductions observed in seven of nine PFIC patients -- ranging from 43 percent to 98 percent. In addition, 14 of 19 patients showed improvement in pruritus using a visual analogue scale. The dose with the greatest improvement showed a mean decrease of 2.86 points from baseline. The trial was not powered for formal statistical analyses. The data showed a significant correlation between reduction in sBA and improvement of pruritus. In addition, no treatment-related serious adverse events were observed, and A4250 was well tolerated. Subsequent to the submission date for ILC, the trial's remaining patients completed the study.

14:30 EDT Ocean Rig UDW extends Drill Rigs early consent deadline - Ocean Rig UDW announced Friday that it agreed to extend the term of the early consent deadline under the restructuring support agreement dated March 23 for holders of the senior secured notes issued by the company's direct subsidiary, Drill Rigs Holdings, to accede to the RSA and receive a pro rata portion of the DRH early consent fee of $2.5M. The DRH early consent fee deadline has been extended from April 21 to April 25.