Stockwinners Market Radar for June 22, 2017 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:18 EDT YouTube says reaches 1.5B monthly users - In a blog post Thursday, YouTube detailed a number of announcements made at its VidCon event, including that 1.5B logged in viewers now visit YouTube every single month. "On average, our viewers spend over an hour a day watching YouTube on mobile devices alone," the company added. On its recently-launched YouTube TV service, the company said it will be expanding to ten more markets in "just a couple of weeks." YouTube also noted that its YouTube Red Originals has so far generated nearly a quarter billion views. Reference Link

18:05 EDT Concept Laser, LAUAK sign LOI for additive manufacturing collaboration - Concept Laser, a GE Additive company, and LAUAK Group have signed a Letter of Intent to launch an alliance that will advance additive manufacturing in the aerospace industry. The agreement was signed at the Paris Air Show. LAUAK will invest in Concept Laser additive machines as a reference customer for Concept Laser technology. Also, Concept Laser will work closely with LAUAK to implement additive processes and design new products.

17:59 EDT Oneok and Oneok Partners merger recommended by two proxy advisory firms - Oneok (OKE) and Oneok Partners (OKS) announced that two leading proxy advisory firms, Institutional Shareholder Services and Glass Lewis & Co., have recommended votes in favor of the proposed merger transaction between Oneok and Oneok Partners. Under the proposed merger transaction announced Feb. 1, Oneok will acquire all of the outstanding common units of Oneok Partners it does not already own. Completion of the transaction, which is expected to occur on June 30, or early in Q3, is subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions. Oneok will acquire all of the 171.5 million outstanding units of Oneok Partners it does not already own at a fixed exchange ratio of 0.985 of a share of Oneok common stock for each public unit of Oneok Partners. Oneok Partners units will no longer be publicly traded following the closing of the transaction. Following the close of the merger transaction, Oneok expects: a dividend increase of 21% to 74.5c per share, or $2.98 on an annualized basis, with dividend growth of 9%-11% annually thereafter through 2021; annual dividend coverage greater than 1.2 times; the transaction to be immediately accretive and then double-digit accretive to Oneok's distributable cash flow in all years from 2018 through 2021; no cash income taxes through at least 2021; and shareholders to benefit from a lower cost of funding, improved capital markets access and enhanced dividend growth.

17:52 EDT Bed Bath & Beyond says 'seeing less foot traffic'

17:49 EDT Sunoco CEO Bob Owens to retire, Joe Kim named COO - Sunoco announced that Robert "Bob" Owens, president and CEO has announced his intention to retire from the Partnership as of December 31, 2017, after more than 20 years with Sunoco and its predecessors. Owens, who joined Sunoco in 1997, has been serving as president and CEO since 2012. Effective immediately, Joe Kim, who has been serving as executive vice president and chief development officer for Sunoco since 2015, has been appointed president and CPP. Owens will continue as CEO until his retirement and will then serve as a consultant to the Partnership through 2019. Sunoco executives Cynthia Archer, executive vice president and chief marketing officer and Boyd Foster, executive vice president manufacturing and distribution are also retiring from the Partnership effective December 31, 2017.

17:34 EDT Thermo Fisher says FDA grants premarket approval for Oncomine Dx Target Test - Thermo Fisher (TMO) announced that the FDA has granted premarket approval for its Oncomine Dx Target Test, which the company called the first next-generation sequencing-based test that simultaneously screens tumor samples for biomarkers associated with three FDA-approved therapies for non-small cell lung cancer. LabCorp's (LH) Diagnostics and Covance Businesses, NeoGenomics (NEO) Laboratories, and Cancer Genetics (CGIX) are among the first laboratories that will offer the Oncomine Dx Target Test as a service to oncologists, Thermo Fisher said. All tests will be run on Thermo Fisher's Ion PGM Dx System, which received FDA 510k clearance in parallel for use on formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue samples. Thermo Fisher developed the Oncomine Dx Target Test in collaboration with Novartis (NVS) and Pfizer (PFE). "This first iteration of the test is just the beginning since the diagnostic claims of the Oncomine Dx Target Test may be expanded in the future based on the existing panel. Thermo Fisher has entered into discussions with several pharmaceutical companies looking to use the panel for FDA-approved targeted therapy applications beyond lung cancer," the company noted.

17:29 EDT Starboard liquidates stake in Parexel

17:27 EDT Lockheed Martin awarded $130.8M government contract - Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is being awarded a $130,827,895 cost-plus-incentive-fee, cost reimbursement contract for the procurement of Technical Insertion 18-20 Acoustic Rapid Commercial-Off-The-Shelf Insertion engineering services. The A-RCI TI 18-20 engineering services provide engineering development to support modernization requirements. Work is expected to be completed by August 2018. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.

17:10 EDT Bed Bath & Beyond says gross margin approximately 36.5% in Q1 - Says Q1 EPS ot 53c included an unfavorable impact of approximately 5c from adoption of new share-based payment accounting standard. Comments from Q1 earnings conference call.

17:03 EDT Teleflex says subsidiary issues recall of Venture catheters - Teleflex announced that a worldwide recall of Venture Catheters was voluntarily initiated by its Vascular Solutions subsidiary on April 25. Vascular Solutions is the manufacturer of Venture Catheters, which are designed for use in catheterization procedures. The FDA classified this as a Class I recall, which it defines as "a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death." The worldwide recall affects 4,679 units distributed in the United States. All unexpired lots of the Rapid Exchange, Over-the-Wire, and Coronary Sinus versions of the product have been recalled due to the potential for excess material to be present within the inner lumen of the distal catheter tip. "It is possible that the excess material may separate from the catheter during use and pose a potential risk of embolism, which could result in serious injury. No serious injuries or death have been reported in association with this issue to date," the company noted. Vascular Solutions initiated the recall through an Urgent Medical Device Recall notification distributed to purchasers of the affected products. Vascular Solutions has notified the FDA of this action.

17:01 EDT Haemonetics forms Scientific Advisory Council - Haemonetics announced the formation of a Scientific Advisory Council as part of its broader innovation agenda, advancing its commitment to science and clinical excellence. The Scientific Advisory Council, composed of fifteen physician-scientists, will advise Haemonetics' management and board of directors on key clinical and scientific issues. The SAC will also, as appropriate, provide opinion on strategic issues impacting product and clinical matters. The SAC's members represent a spectrum of expertise and experience from multiple global institutions. Their primary focus will be on the Company's Hospital and Blood Center business units. A similar council is currently under formation to provide advice on matters for the Plasma business unit, and will include experts from the scientific and market communities. The SAC recently met for the first time at Haemonetics' headquarters.

16:54 EDT Willbros Group reports $68M in recent awards - Willbros Group's Oil & Gas segment has executed two contracts and its Utility T&D segment has finalized multiple extensions of existing Master Service Agreements. The first award is to construct approximately 24 miles of pipeline in the Northeast. Construction is expected to commence early in Q3 with completion by the end of the year. This segment has also been selected to construct five new booster stations in the Midwest. This facility work will commence immediately and is expected to be completed during 2Q18. These awards, with an estimated value of $50M, will be added to backlog during June. Multiple MSA extensions, varying in length from 1 to 2 years, have been executed and are included in the May backlog with an estimated value of $18M.

16:52 EDT Nvidia director Robert Burgess sells 50K shares of company stock - Robert Burgess, a director at Nvidia, reported in a filing post-close on Thursday that he'd sold 50,000 shares of company stock at an average price of $158.08 per share for a total transaction value of $7.9M on June 21.

16:34 EDT Idera announces FDA orphan drug designation for IMO-2125 for melanoma treatment - Idera Pharmaceuticals announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted orphan drug designation for IMO-2125, an agonist of endosomal Toll-like receptor 9 for the treatment of melanoma Stages IIb to IV. Idera is currently conducting the Phase 2 portion of the ipilimumab combination arm of a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of intratumoral IMO-2125 in patients with anti-PD-1 refractory metastatic melanoma. The objectives of the current trial are to evaluate IMO-2125's safety, tolerability and clinical activity. The company expects to complete enrollment of the Phase 2 multicenter trial in the second half of 2017 with overall response rate data available in the first quarter of 2018. The company has submitted an abstract to provide an update of clinical data from the ongoing trial at the European Society of Medical Oncology Congress being held in September, in Spain. "The Orphan Drug Designation bestowed by the FDA today, represents another important step in the development of IMO-2125," stated Joanna Horobin, M.B. Ch.B., Idera's Chief Medical Officer. "A substantial proportion of patients with metastatic melanoma do not benefit from anti-PD-1 therapy. For these patients, with PD-1 refractory melanoma, ipilimumab offers a modest benefit with an overall response rate of 10-13%1,2. Our goal is to significantly improve on this through the combination of IMO-2125 with ipilimumab. We are increasingly encouraged with the data seen to date and look forward to providing our next clinical data update." Idera is also enrolling a second arm in the Phase 1/2 clinical trial in patients with PD-1 refractory melanoma to study the combination of IMO-2125 and pembrolizumab which is currently in the dose escalation phase. In addition to the above mentioned clinical trial, the company recently initiated a trial of IMO-2125 monotherapy in refractory solid tumors, including PD-1 refractory melanoma. Orphan Drug Designation is granted by the FDA Office of Orphan Products Development to drugs intended for the treatment of a rare disease or condition that affects fewer than 200,000 people in the United States. This designation provides certain incentives, including eligibility for federal grants, research and development tax credits, waiver of PDUFA filing fees and a seven-year marketing exclusivity period, once the product is approved and as long as orphan drug designation is maintained. The approval of an orphan drug designation request does not alter the standard regulatory requirements and processes for obtaining marketing approval of an investigational drug. Sponsors must establish safety and efficacy of a compound in the treatment of a disease through adequate and well-controlled studies.

16:32 EDT All 34 banks exceed minimum requirements of Fed Stress Test - Publicly traded banks include Bank of America (BAC), Citi (C), Goldman Sachs (GS), JPMorgan (JPM), Morgan Stanley (MS), U.S. Bancorp (USB), and Wells Fargo (WFC). Reference Link

16:25 EDT Bed Bath & Beyond down 11% to $30.11 after Q1 results missed estimates

16:24 EDT Gabelli reports 15.94% stake in CIRCOR

16:21 EDT Callon Petroleum appoints Correne S. Loeffler as Interim CFO - Callon Petroleum has appointed Correne S. Loeffler as Interim CFO. Loeffler assumes this role from Joe Gatto, Callon's CEO, and will continue to perform her current duties as the company's Treasurer. Loeffler joined Callon in April from JPMorgan Securities, where she spent the past ten years in the Corporate Client Banking Group, including her service as Callon's relationship manager since 2013.

16:19 EDT SYNNEX approves $300M share repurchase program - SYNNEX has approved an anti-dilution repurchase program of up to $300 million of its common stock over a period of up to three years effective July 1.

16:16 EDT Bed Bath & Beyond reports Q1 comparable sales decrease of approximately 2.0%

16:16 EDT Alpha Pro Tech expands share repurchase by $2M - Alpha Pro Tech announced that its board has authorized a $2.0M expansion of the company's existing share repurchase program. With this authorized expansion, the company now has approximately $2.9M available to repurchase shares of the company's common stock, $0.9M of which remains from the previous expansion announced in November.

16:11 EDT American Software says FY18 'off to a great start'

16:08 EDT Ocular Therapeutix says Mattessich to assume CEO role in September - Ocular Therapeutix announced that -- in line with Ocular's strategic plan and growth objectives -- Antony Mattessich will succeed Amar Sawhney as Chief Executive Officer, on or before September 30. Until that time, Sawhney will continue to serve as Chief Executive Officer and Chairman, and will then transition to an Executive Chairman role. Mattessich has also been elected to the Company's Board of Directors, effective immediately. Most recently, Mattessich was the Managing Director of Mundipharma. To facilitate Mattessich's election to the Board of Directors, James Garvey has resigned from the Board. "Antony's strong track record of commercial, operational and business development experience will build upon the research and development foundation established through the efforts of Ocular Therapeutix's founding team," the company remarked.

16:04 EDT Dean Foods acquires Uncle Matt's Organic juice company - Dean Foods has acquired Uncle Matt's Organic, an organic juice company. Uncle Matt's Organic will continue operating the business out of its offices in Clermont, Florida, as a subsidiary of Dean Foods. Uncle Matt's Organic is the nation's oldest organic juice company offering a range of organic juices, including probiotic-infused juices and fruit-infused waters. In addition to the brand, founder Matt McLean will be joining Dean Foods to continue his leadership of this brand.

15:18 EDT Halozyme says FDA approves Genentech's RITUXAN HYCELA - Halozyme Therapeutics (HALO) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Genentech's RITUXAN HYCELATM, a combination of rituximab and Halozyme's hyaluronidase human ENHANZE technology, for subcutaneous injection in multiple blood cancer indications. RITUXAN HYCELA has been approved for patients with follicular lymphoma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and is expected to be available within one to two weeks. Including all approved indications, Roche (RHHBY) reported total 2016 sales of rituximab in the United States of approximately $3.9B. Across all of its global collaboration and licensing agreements, Halozyme earns on average a mid-single-digit royalty on sales of products using the ENHANZE technology.

14:51 EDT PEDEVCO terminates pending merger with GOM to pursue alternative transaction - PEDEVCO Corp. disclosed in a regulatory filing that it has terminated its pending merger with GOM Holdings in order to pursue an alternative transaction with a Hong Kong-based investor group as contemplated pursuant to a non-binding term sheet entered into by the company and the investor group, which term sheet includes a binding 90-day no-shop period expiring in late August 2017, during which time the company is prohibited from discussing or pursuing the merger with GOM while the parties conduct in-depth due diligence on one another, prepare definitive documentation, and move to closing. The company said it has no further obligations or termination liabilities due or owing to GOM under the GOM merger agreement as a result of the termination of the transactions contemplated thereunder. Also, the company has entered into a certain non-binding letter of intent contemplating the restructuring of the company's senior debt and substantial equity investment by a Hong Kong-based investor group. The "transactions contemplated in the letter of intent, if consummated, may result in significant dilution to existing shareholders," the company noted.

14:22 EDT Novo Nordisk says CHMP endorses EU label update of Saxenda - Novo Nordisk announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, or CHMP, under the European Medicines Agency, has endorsed an update of the EU label for Saxenda. This update is based on the results from the LEADER trial which investigated the long-term effects of Victoza in people with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease. In October 2016, Novo Nordisk submitted an application to the EMA for including data from the LEADER cardiovascular outcomes trial in the product information of Victoza. Novo Nordisk expects feedback from the EMA on the Victoza application shortly.

14:02 EDT Analyst says sell Cinemark on weaker theater outlook, VOD threat - Credit Suisse downgraded theater owner Cinemark (CNK) to Underperform, its equivalent of a sell rating, from Neutral. As reasons for the downgrade, the firm cited "weak box office trends" and the looming threat of video on demand. Based on similar concerns, the firm cut its price target on two other theater owners: Regal (RGC) and AMC (AMC). It also lowered its price target on another movie-linked stock, IMAX (IMAX), citing a lack of near-term catalysts. WEAK THEATER TRENDS: U.S. box office trends have been weaker than expected this quarter, as revenues are on track to fall 2% versus the same period a year earlier, according to Credit Suisse analyst Omar Shikh. The analyst continues to estimate that U.S. box office revenue will be flat this year, but he predicts that box office revenue will have to jump 15% in order to meet his 2017 estimate. PREMIUM VOD: Studios are going to continue to seek to launch premium video on demand rentals this year and the analyst thinks that such a development will probably cause movie theaters' profits to decline. PRICE TARGET: Sheikh cut his price target on Cinemark to $34 from $38. OTHER THEATERS: Sheikh cut his price target on Regal to $17 from $19, on AMC to $20 from $26, and on IMAX to $26 from $33. He kept Underperform ratings on Regal and AMC and maintained a Neutral rating on IMAX. Regal and AMC will be hurt by the same factors as Cinemark, while IMAX has few catalysts and is increasing its investment in new initiatives, causing its profits to drop significantly this year, Sheikh wrote. The analyst believes that IMAX will grow in 2018, but he says that it lacks near-term catalysts. PRICE ACTION: In afternoon trading, Cinemark fell 3.6% to $38.39, Regal lost 1.5% to $20.46, AMC slid 1.5% to $22.70 and IMAX gave back 3.4% to $23.40.

13:49 EDT Ron Howard takes over director duties on 'Han Solo' film - Lucasfilm announced that Ron Howard has been named director of the untitled Han Solo film. "We're thrilled to announce that Ron Howard will step in to direct the untitled Han Solo film. We have a wonderful script, an incredible cast and crew, and the absolute commitment to make a great movie. Filming will resume the 10th of July," the company said, adding that the film is slated for a May 25, 2018, release. The news follows the recent departure of directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller due to creative differences. Reference Link

13:24 EDT Stonepine Capital reports 7.6% passive stake in CTI BioPharma

13:01 EDT Pottery Barn announces home decor collaboration with Monique Lhuillier - Pottery Barn, a member of the Williams-Sonoma portfolio of brands, announced an exclusive home decor collaboration with bridal, ready-to-wear and accessories designer Monique Lhuillier. The collaboration, a multi-season partnership across Pottery Barn's favorite wedding registry categories including bedding, bath, tabletop, entertaining and decor, will debut for Holiday 2017 with new collections to be introduced for Spring 2018 and beyond.

12:46 EDT Tesla confirms working with Shanghai government to explore China production - Shares of Tesla (TSLA) are in focus following the company's confirmation it is working with the Shanghai government to explore production in China. NOTABLE: It was reported by various media agencies that Tesla signed a preliminary agreement with Shanghai to produce vehicles in China in a move that could reduce manufacturing, labor and shipping costs for the automaker. In an emailed statement to The Fly, a Tesla spokeswoman said, "Tesla is working with the Shanghai Municipal Government to explore the possibility of establishing a manufacturing facility in the region to serve the Chinese market. As we have said before, we expect to more clearly define our plans for production in China by the end of the year. Tesla is deeply committed to the Chinese market, and we continue to evaluate potential manufacturing sites around the globe to serve the local markets. While we expect most of our production to remain in the US, we do need to establish local factories to ensure affordability for the markets they serve." Under the deal, Tesla would be able to construct factories in Shanghai's Lingang development zone allowing it to better compete with Chinese automakers through the elimination a 25% import tariff that makes its Model S sedans and Model X SUVs more costly. The company, which expects to start production of its Model 3 in its sole assembly plant in California in July, would also need to establish a joint venture with at least one local company to be granted manufacturing permits under current rules. PRICE ACTION: Tesla rose 1.5%, or $5.69, to $382.09 in afternoon trading.

12:22 EDT Facebook holds communities event, announces new mission - Facebook hosted its first "Facebook Communities Summit" in Chicago today where the company announced several new features to support communities on the platform, including additions such as group metrics and membership filtering. Additionally, CEO Mark Zuckerberg kicked off the event by announcing a "new mission for Facebook that will guide our work over the next decade: Give people the power to build community and bring the world closer together." Reference Link

12:01 EDT Nielsen launches mobile measurement for YouTube ads - Nielsen (NLSN) announced it has introduced advertising measurement on YouTube's (GOOG) mobile app with Nielsen Digital Ad Ratings. The service, which expands Nielsen's current measurement coverage of YouTube ads on desktop and mobile web browsers, will now provide marketers independent and comprehensive cross-device measurement of advertising audiences on YouTube across computer and mobile devices. Nielsen measurement of the YouTube mobile app is currently available in the U.S. with expansion into international markets planned for the future.

11:55 EDT Hain Celestial CEO says he has a strong management team backing him - The Hain Celestial CEO is speaking in a CNBC interview.

11:38 EDT Commercial Metals says a little to early to call a bottom on pricing

11:23 EDT Visa says 'engaged in search' for new CEO in Europe

11:20 EDT Visa says continues to pursue domestic license in China - Says regulation a "disruptor." Says even playing field "critical." Says continues to pursue domestic license in China. Says nearly 75% of company's employees work outside headquarters, half of employees work outside the U.S.

11:12 EDT Acora sends letter to Potbelly urging board to change strategy or sell company - Ancora Advisors, a 4% shareholder of Potbelly Corporation, sent a letter this morning to the Board of Directors of Potbelly Corporation. "We believe Potbelly has the potential to be a very attractive investment at the current valuation, underpinned by robust store level return on invested capital, a strong balance sheet, a quality brand and product, and significant growth runway. However, while the Company targets 25%+ shop level ROIC, it has been unable to translate strong unit level returns to acceptable shareholder returns.Since going public in October 2013, investors have experienced nothing but losses as owners of Potbelly. Over every measurable period, Potbelly has underperformed the market, dramatically for the most part... If the board remains convinced that it now has the appropriate strategy in place, we would strongly urge it to immediately pursue a sale / going private transaction, as we do not believe the current strategy would be attractive for current or potential public/minority shareholders over any investable timeframe... Considering the majority of this board has overseen the significant under-performance of Potbelly's shares, and has shown such a lack of conviction in the Company's operating plan, shareholders deserve representation on the board by professionals that actually have a real vested interest in maximizing shareholder value. We would be happy to assist the board in identifying acceptable board candidates, and we reserve the right to potentially pursue board representation at next year's annual meeting if necessary."

11:08 EDT Visa says company 'no stranger to disruption and change' - Sees "substantial" growth opportunity in payments volume, processed transactions, revenue. Says has "sound" strategy to deliver growth. Says will invest "as required" to support strategy. Says company is "no stranger to disruption and change." Sees China has potential longer-term opportunity.

10:58 EDT Clear Channel Airports wins new contract with CCAI - Clear Channel Airports, a brand division of Clear Channel Outdoor Americas, announced it has signed a new five-year partnership with an additional five-year option with the Corpus Christi International Airport to provide state of the art advertising solutions. Installation of the new advertising network will be completed by July 28, 2017.

10:40 EDT Mallinckrodt short-seller highlights Acthar adverse events in new report - Citron Research, which has previously disclosed its short view on Mallinckrodt, issued a new report in which it claims the company is in "full damage control mode" with its disclosure of additional data regarding the adverse events reports related to its H.P. Acthar Gel. According to Citron's report, adverse events on Acthar are "up more than 280%" which "could lead to criminal prosecution of Mallinckrodt executives." Shares of Mallinckrodt, which has been down since the open, have just moved into positive territory and are now up fractionally to $45.55. Reference Link

10:29 EDT Bombardier concludes Paris Air Show with up to $2B in orders, commitments - Bombardier Commercial Aircraft concluded the 2017 International Paris Air Show, where it had the opportunity to connect with customers from around the world and announced up to $2B in orders and other commitments. "We are concluding the airshow with solid momentum, and I am very pleased with the level of interest and activity we are seeing in all of our aircraft programs," said Fred Cromer, President, Bombardier Commercial Aircraft.

10:21 EDT Carnival says realizing 'strength' in booking trends across core products - Says on track to realize an additional $75M of cost cuts this year for cumulative savings of over $265M in cost savings to date. Says realizing "sustained strength" in booking trends across all core products. Comments taken from the Q2 earnings conference call.

10:08 EDT Cel Sci trading halted, news pending

10:04 EDT GM reports 'successful' conclusion of three-year consent order with NHTSA - General Motors reports that it has successfully concluded a three-year consent order with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, and is working with the agency to transition to a voluntary model for continuing dialogue on important vehicle safety issues. "The company has built a positive and productive relationship with NHTSA, and the proposal for a continuing dialogue includes regularly scheduled monthly meetings with senior agency officials, with expedited discussions as needed, covering field investigations, safety recalls and other issues. GM is also proposing periodic meetings with NHTSA and other stakeholders to advance safety discussions that benefit the industry as a whole," the company stated.

10:01 EDT Twitter, Sela Sport announce live streaming partnership - Twitter and Sela Sport announced they will partner to live stream matches during the 2017 Arab Championship to a global audience. This marks the first live streaming deal for football on Twitter with a partner in the Middle East and North Africa region, the company noted.

09:58 EDT 22nd Century receives guidance from FDA on Phase 3 clinical trials - 22nd Century announced that on June 20, the Company and its wholly owned subsidiary, Heracles Pharmaceuticals, participated in a meeting with the multi-discipline review team in the Division of Anesthesia, Analgesia, and Addiction Products at the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research of the U.S. FDA regarding the Company's Investigational New Drug Application for 22nd Century's X-22 prescription-based smoking cessation product in development so that it may become available for doctors to prescribe to help their patients to stop smoking. The meeting with the FDA/CDER was very positive and productive. FDA/CDER and the Company will work to reach agreement on the Company's design and implementation of two parallel, Phase III clinical trials to be conducted by the Company in various parts of the United States to show that the Company's X-22 prescription-based smoking cessation product will result in a more robust quit rate in smoking as compared to existing smoking cessation products that are already in the market in the U.S. The Company believes that it will be able to achieve such robust results. Henry Sicignano, III, President and CEO of 22nd Century Group, stated, "The mission of our Company is to reduce the harm caused by smoking and we believe that we can help smokers to successfully stop smoking through the use of our novel X-22 smoking cessation product in development. We look forward to working collaboratively and closely with the FDA during 2017 regarding the approval of important aspects of the two parallel, Phase III clinical trials on X-22 that we intend to commence in the first half of 2018, subject to our determination of whether we will use funds from a third-party or Company funds to conduct such clinical trials. The public health implications of a smoking cessation product that is more robust in effectiveness than other existing smoking cessation products is enormous. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the FDA on this very important public health matter."

09:45 EDT Weibo down 8% to $70.76 after announcing receipt of SAPPRFT notice

09:40 EDT Mallinckrodt issues update on H.P. Acthar Gel adverse event reports - Mallinckrodt stated: "To address the false and misleading information about Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals and its product H.P. Acthar Gel, the company is committed to regularly providing important facts about this critical medicine. H.P. Acthar Gel makes a significant difference in the lives of very sick patients with unmet medical needs. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration reviewed H.P. Acthar Gel's label in 2010, and determined there was sufficient scientific and clinical evidence to support the 19 indications now in the current label. In most indications, H.P. Acthar Gel is a later line treatment, prescribed by skilled healthcare providers to a small subset of patients who need an alternative treatment option. H.P. Acthar Gel is a first line monotherapy treatment for infantile spasms. Mallinckrodt annually provides the FDA with data about adverse events related to its marketed products. As we approach our yearly filing, we are pleased to report that the positive benefit-risk of H.P. Acthar Gel has remained unchanged across all marketed indications and is consistent with previous years. To derive meaningful conclusions of this topic, adverse event reports for H.P. Acthar Gel need to be considered within the appropriate context...Over the past years, the number of patients using H.P. Acthar Gel has increased significantly. Critically, however, company-generated H.P. Acthar Gel data on adverse events over the last three calendar years indicates that the number of serious adverse events as a proportion of the number of H.P. Acthar Gel prescriptions (measured by vials sold) has remained very low and consistent with the FDA's independent analysis." Reference Link

09:36 EDT Autodesk holder Sachem Head lowers stake to 3.0% - In a regulatory filing before the open, Sachem Head Capital Management reported that on June 21 it sold a portion of its position in Autodesk "for portfolio management purposes because the position's significant outperformance had caused it to become disproportionately large relative" to the firm's other portfolio holdings.

09:25 EDT Proteon Therapeutics trading halted, news pending

09:22 EDT EnerNOC enters into agreement to be acquired by Enel Group for $7.67 per share

09:20 EDT Myriad Genetics, UnitedHealthcare in pact on hereditary cancer test pricing - In a regulatory filing yesterday, Myriad Genetics (MYGN) disclosed that the company agreed on a new long-term relationship with UnitedHealthcare (UNH) that established pricing for its hereditary cancer tests, GeneSight, Prolaris, Vectra DA and EndoPredict. "New product coverage will be determined based on a member's benefit plan. Additional terms of the deal are not disclosed," the company stated.

09:19 EDT On The Fly: Pre-market Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Oracle (ORCL), up 11.7%... Hain Celestial (HAIN), up 5.6%. ALSO HIGHER: American Airlines (AAL), up 5.1% after disclosing a notice from Qatar Airways indicating its intention to acquire about 10% of American's shares... Novartis (NVS), up 3.2% after the Phase III CANTOS study met its primary endpoint. LOWER: EnSync (ESNC), down 30.1% after its 7.15M secondary priced at 35c... Accenture (ACN), down 2.8% after reporting quarterly results... STMicroelectronics (STM), down 2.9% after offering $1.5B in bonds and announcing it will buy back up to $297M of stock... Taylor Morrison (TMHC), down 3.9% after its 10M share Spot Secondary priced at $23.50.

09:16 EDT Dr Pepper Snapple names Lain Hancock CEO of Bai Brands - Dr Pepper Snapple announced that Lain Hancock has been named CEO for Bai Brands. He will take over leadership from Bai founder Ben Weiss, who has left the business. Hancock had previously served as executive vice president, human resources for DPS. He has also held multiple senior leadership positions with the company's supply chain organization, including continuous improvement, manufacturing and procurement. He joined the company in 2007 after serving as a consultant at McKinsey & Co. and an aviation branch officer in the U.S. Army.

09:10 EDT ShoreTel to offer SMS APIs through Google Cloud Platform - ShoreTel (SHOR) has become a Google (GOOG) Cloud Platform Technology Partner. As part of this partnership, ShoreTel is offering an SMS API solution through the Google Cloud Launcher. Through the Google Cloud Launcher, ShoreTel will offer developers the ability to integrate inbound and outbound SMS capabilities into new or existing applications using the SMS REST APIs of ShoreTel Summit.

09:06 EDT YuMe declares special dividend of $1.00 per share - YuMe announced that its board of directors has declared a special dividend of $1.00 per share, and a quarterly dividend of 3c per share. Both dividends are payable on July 7 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on July 3.

09:05 EDT Carnival CEO says 'strong execution drove significant operational improvements' - Carnival President and CEO Arnold Donald noted, "Strong execution drove significant operational improvements, which more than offset the substantial drag from fuel and currency, leading to another second quarter adjusted earnings record. It was reinforcing to see over five percent improvement in cruise ticket prices, affirming our efforts to increase demand by building positive word of mouth through the delivery of exceptional guest experiences as well as our innovative marketing and public relations programs."

09:03 EDT IDT Corp to sell Gibraltar based banking unit - IDT Corporation has agreed to sell its IDT Financial Services Holdings Limited subsidiary to JAR Fintech, a Gibraltar entity controlled by JAR Capital, a UK based wealth and asset manager authorized and regulated by the UK's Financial Conduct Authority. IDT Finance is the sole shareholder of IDT Financial Services, a Gibraltar-based bank and e-money issuer, providing prepaid card solutions across the European Economic Area. IDT Finance Services is licensed and regulated by the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission and its sale to JAR is subject to GFSC approval, as well as the approval of the Gibraltar Minister. The agreed-upon purchase price consists of the value of IDT Finance's net assets at closing plus an additional amount of approximately GBP3M.

09:03 EDT Supreme Court of New York County denies Hawaiian Telcom motion to dismiss claim - Fine Point Technologies Inc. announces the Honorable David Benjamin Cohen, Judge on the New York County Supreme Court denied Hawaiian Telecommunications Motion to Dismiss the Breach of Contract claim filed by Fine Point Technologies, Inc. The plaintiff, Fine Point Technologies is litigating with Hawaiian Telcom for an alleged breach of contract in Hawaiian Telcom's terminating a two- year agreement it executed with the plaintiff in August of 2015. The contract was for Fine Point to continue to provide device management software that was installed and used at Hawaiian Telcom since 2010. Hawaiian Telcom terminated the agreement for convenience. The claim is for $384,000 plus interest. The case is being litigated in New York, New York, where both parties agreed for jurisdiction and venue in the contract.

09:02 EDT Berkshire Hathaway announces agreement to invest in Home Capital - Berkshire Hathaway said that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Columbia Insurance, has entered into an investment agreement pursuant to which it has agreed to make an initial investment of C$153,225,739 to acquire 16,044,580 common shares of Home Capital Group on a private placement basis, representing an approximate 19.99% equity stake in Home Capital on a post-issuance basis. Subject to approval from the Toronto Stock Exchange for reliance on the "financial hardship" provisions of the TSX Company Manual, the Initial Investment will not require approval of Home Capital's shareholders and is expected to close on June 29, 2017. The Initial Investment is subject to customary closing conditions and is not subject to any financing or diligence condition. Columbia also agreed to make an additional investment (the "Additional Investment") of C$246,774,261 to acquire 23,955,420 Common Shares on a private placement basis, which, together with its Initial Investment, would represent an approximate 38.39% equity stake in Home Capital. The Additional Investment will be subject to approval by not less than a majority of the votes cast by Home Capital's shareholders at a special meeting of shareholders that is expected to take place in September 2017. The Additional Investment is also subject to Canadian Competition Act clearance and other customary closing conditions. If approved by Home Capital's shareholders, it is anticipated that the Additional Investment would close shortly after the required special shareholders meeting. Berkshire will not be granted any rights to nominate directors of Home Capital or any governance rights as an equity holder pursuant to the Investment Agreement. Berkshire will be granted customary registration rights for transactions with a significant shareholder in connection with the Additional Investment. In addition, Berkshire has agreed that for as long as it owns more than 25% of the outstanding Common Shares it will only be entitled to vote that number of shares that represents 25% of the outstanding Common Shares, unless and until it obtains the required regulatory approvals to enable it to vote greater than a 25% interest. Concurrently with the execution of the Investment Agreement, Home Capital caused Home Trust Company, as borrower, to agree to enter into a new C$2 billion loan facility with a wholly-owned subsidiary of Berkshire, as the agent and initial lender, to be secured against a portfolio of mortgages originated by Home Trust Company. The New Credit Agreement will replace the C$2 billion loan facility made as of May 1, 2017 between Home Trust Company, as borrower, and a major institutional investor, and is expected to be effective on June 29, 2017.

09:01 EDT DelMar Pharmaceuticals' Phase 3 trial of VAL-083 receives IRB approval - DelMar Pharmaceuticals has received Institutional Review Board approval to conduct its pivotal Phase 3 Study in Temozolomide-Avastin Recurrent GBM. "IRB approval is an essential step in initiating patient enrollment in our Phase 3 trial," stated DelMar CEO Jeffrey Bacha. Under FDA regulations, Institutions Review Boards are required to review all human subject research to ensure that the rights and welfare of human subjects are protected at all times.

09:00 EDT Carnival says cumulative bookings for next three quarters higher - At this time, cumulative bookings for the next three quarters are higher at prices that are well ahead of the prior year. During the quarter, booking volumes for the next three quarters have been running in line with last year, also at prices that are well ahead. Looking forward, CEO Donald commented, "We are realizing sustained strength in booking trends across all core products. We are delivering on our strategy to grow demand in excess of measured capacity growth while leveraging our industry-leading scale resulting in increased return on invested capital. We are working hard to sustain the momentum. We have accelerated returns to shareholders through our recent dividend increase, with annual dividend distributions now approaching $1.2 billion, and the reauthorization of up to $1 billion in share repurchases." Donald added that the company has completed $2.7B in share repurchases since late 2015.

08:58 EDT STMicroelectronics offering $1.5B in bonds, to buy back up to $297M of stock - STMicroelectronics N.V. announced the launch of a $1.5B offering of senior unsecured bonds convertible into new or existing ordinary shares of STMicroelectronics, the early redemption of the outstanding $600M Zero Coupon Convertible Bonds due 2019 and the launch of a share buy-back program. The New Convertible Bonds will be offered in two tranches, with a minimum size of $500M for each tranche, with a maturity of 5 years and 7 years. The final terms of the New Convertible Bonds are expected to be determined and announced later today and settlement is expected to take place on or about July 3. The company also announces the launch of a share buy-back program of up to 19M shares for an amount up to $297M intended to meet obligations arising from debt financial instruments that are exchangeable into equity instruments and to meet obligations arising from share award programs.

08:48 EDT CACI says 'FY19 and beyond looks very promising'

08:43 EDT Zayo says Edward Morche resigns after approx. one month to rejoin Level 3 - Zayo Group (ZAYO) announced that Edward Morche resigned from the company to rejoin Level 3 Communications (LVLT), ending his tenure at Zayo after approximately one month. Zayo's net bookings for the Mar17q were $6.9M which reflected a strong recovery from the Dec16q. In Zayo's May 9, 2017 earnings call, Zayo expressed confidence that this positive Net Bookings momentum would continue. Zayo re-affirms this expectation. Given the short amount of time that Morche was with Zayo, little will change in the near-term plans. Max Clauson, a seasoned Zayo executive who had been leading Zayo's sales efforts over the quarters prior to Morche's arrival, and who had remained directly engaged with that team over the past month, will continue to have overall responsibility for sales and lead the team as he had been doing previously.

08:41 EDT VistaGen announces peer-reviewed publication in Scandinavian Journal of Pain - VistaGen Therapeutics announced a peer-reviewed publication in the Scandinavian Journal of Pain of two Phase 1 clinical studies of the effects of AV-101, the company's CNS prodrug candidate, as a potential non-opioid treatment for neuropathic pain. Safety data from both the single and multi-dose Phase 1 studies indicated that oral AV-101 was extremely safe and well tolerated, with no meaningful difference in adverse events, or AEs, at any dose between AV-101 and placebo. Recently published statistically-significant positive results in four well-established preclinical models of pain associated with tissue inflammation and nerve injury, together with the excellent clinical safety profile, pharmacokinetic, or PK, characteristics and consistent reductions in three pain measures demonstrated by these studies, support future Phase 2 clinical studies of AV-101 as a potential new non-opioid treatment alternative for neuropathic pain.

08:39 EDT Reading International provides update on New Zealand, Australia properties - Reading International announced that it has received $20M in settlement proceeds for property and business interruption losses arising out of the previously disclosed earthquake damage to its parking garage which is adjacent to its Courtenay Central entertainment themed center located in Wellington, New Zealand. The company has now effectively reached the insurance policy maximum of $25M for the loss event, substantially recovering incurred losses. The proceeds will provide the funding for the construction of a new state-of-the-art parking structure as the old structure had to be demolished as a result of the earthquake damage. It is anticipated that the replacement of this parking structure will provide the company with flexibility to increase the rentable square footage of and to enhance the traffic flow at the center. Additionally, Reading has received $16.6M from Frasers Property Australia as a partial payment of the purchase price for the company's Burwood property in Victoria, Australia. The remainder of the purchase price, approximately $28.6M is due on or before December 31.

08:37 EDT Barnes & Noble expects FY18 SSS to decline in 'low single digits' - For FY18, the company expects comparable bookstore sales to decline in the low single digits and full year consolidated EBITDA to be approximately $180M.

08:35 EDT Barnes & Noble reports Q4 SSS down 6.3% - Comparable store sales declined 6.3% for both Q4 and full year. Online sales increased 2.9% for the quarter and 3.7% for the full year.

08:35 EDT Carver Bancorp names John Fitzpatrick as COO - Carver Bancorp announced that John Fitzpatrick was recently appointed First Senior Vice President and COO of the company. Fitzpatrick is a senior banking and operational specialist who formerly served as the COO of Fieldpoint Private Bank and Trust in Greenwich, CT.

08:33 EDT Altaba announces final results of modified 'Dutch auction' self tender offer - Altaba announced the final results of its modified "Dutch auction" self tender offer to purchase up to $3.0 billion of shares of its common stock, which expired at 11:59 p.m., New York City time, on June 16, 2017. Based on the final count by Computershare Trust Company, N.A., the depositary for the tender offer, a total of 64,514,767 shares of the Company's common stock were properly tendered and not properly withdrawn at or below the final purchase price of $53.20 per share. In accordance with the terms and conditions of the tender offer, the Company accepted for payment, at a purchase price of $53.20, all of the 64,514,767 shares properly tendered at or below the purchase price and not properly withdrawn before the expiration date, at an aggregate cost of approximately $3.4 billion, excluding fees and expenses relating to the tender offer. These shares represent approximately 6.7% of the Company's issued and outstanding shares as of June 20, 2017. The shares accepted for purchase include 56,390,977 shares for an aggregate purchase price of up to $3.0 billion and an additional 8,123,790 shares that the Company has elected to purchase pursuant to its right to purchase up to an additional 2% of the Company's issued and outstanding shares without extending the tender offer. After giving effect to the purchase of the shares, the Company will have outstanding approximately 894,803,145 shares of common stock.

08:31 EDT Intel extends cash tender offer for all outstanding shares of Mobileye - Intel (INTC) announced that Cyclops Holdings, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Intel, has extended the offering period of its previously announced all cash tender offer to purchase all of the outstanding ordinary shares of Mobileye (MBLY). The tender offer is being made pursuant to the Purchase Agreement, dated as of March 12, 2017, by and among Intel, Cyclops and Mobileye. The tender offer is now scheduled to expire at 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on July 20, 2017, unless the tender offer is extended or earlier terminated, in either case pursuant to the terms of the Purchase Agreement. American Stock Transfer & Trust Company, LLC, the depositary for the tender offer, has advised Cyclops that as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on June 21, 2017, the previously scheduled expiration time, 112,004,732 Mobileye ordinary shares, representing approximately 50.31 percent of the outstanding Mobileye ordinary shares, have been validly tendered pursuant to the tender offer and not properly withdrawn and an additional 17,270,830 Mobileye ordinary shares, representing approximately 7.76 percent of the outstanding Mobileye ordinary shares, have been tendered pursuant to guaranteed delivery procedures. Completion of the tender offer remains subject to additional conditions described in the tender offer statement on Schedule TO filed by Cyclops Holdings with the U.S. SEC on April 5, 2017. Such conditions include the receipt of regulatory approvals in certain non-U.S. jurisdictions and at least 95 percent of Mobileye's outstanding shares being validly tendered and not withdrawn prior to the expiration of the tender offer.

08:30 EDT Airline stocks rise after American announces Qatar investment plans - Shares of publicly traded airlines are rising in pre-market trading after American Airlines (AAL) revealed that it recently received an unsolicited notice from Qatar Airways indicating the latter's intention to make a "significant investment" in the airline and interest in acquiring approximately a 10% stake. Following the disclosure, American Airlines shares are up 5% in pre-market trading, while Delta Air Lines (DAL) is up 1.4%, Southwest (LUV) has added 1.8% and United Continental (UAL) has risen 1.3%.

08:18 EDT CACI says 'FY18 outlook in line with long-term financial goals' - Looking ahead to FY18 the company noted, "Our strategy is working. CACI is winning business and increasing the high-end solutions and services content. FY17 expected to close strong. FY18 outlook in line with long-term financial goals. CACI's long-term prospects are healthy."

08:14 EDT Micron appoints Sumit Sadana as Chief Business Officer - Micron Technology announced that the company has appointed Sumit Sadana as executive vice president and Chief Business Officer. His addition to the executive team will accelerate the company's ability to execute on its strategic goals. In this role, all four business units of the company will report to Sadana. In addition, he will have responsibility for driving corporate strategy and business development for the company.

08:12 EDT Zogenix receives ODD from FDA for ZX008 - Zogenix announced the FDA has granted its investigational drug, ZX008, orphan drug designation, or ODD, for the treatment of Lennox Gastaut Syndrome, or LGS, a refractory, debilitating childhood-onset epilepsy. The Orphan Drug Designation by the FDA follows the European Union's granting of Orphan Drug Designation for ZX008 in the treatment of LGS earlier this year.

08:11 EDT Nielsen and Trax partner to develop shelf consumer data solution - Nielsen and Trax, a provider of computer vision for retail, are partnering to provide the fast-moving consumer goods industry with shelf insights. This alliance, which will first service the U.S. market, is anticipated to grow to global markets in the future. Through this alliance, a new, joint-solution known as Shelf Intelligence Suite will be created. This suite includes a new syndicated offering from Trax and Nielsen that digitizes the shelf, allowing brands to have a more frequent and accurate measurement of how their products are represented in store and how this influences their sales. A new category benchmark will also be introduced to the market called the Shelf Quality Index. This index enables brands to measure their own shelf performance relative to shelf share, observed promotions, observed shelf pricing and many other KPIs against a category.

08:08 EDT QIAGEN's QuantiFERON TB test reimbursement approved by French health system - QIAGEN's QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus has been approved for reimbursement by France's Ministry of Health and Social Affairs by the national health insurance system to screen at-risk individuals for latent tuberculosis infection. Previously, QuantiFERON-TB tests have been available in France only if purchased by hospitals or public health centers for health care worker screening or on a non-reimbursed or private-pay basis. Other countries in Europe that are reimbursing QFT include Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and the UK.

08:07 EDT Sony Pictures Networks India, WWE announce WWE Sunday Dhamaal - Sony Pictures Networks India (SNE) and WWE (WWE) announced the launch of a new weekly show in Hindi, WWE Sunday Dhamaal, featuring action and family-friendly entertainment from WWE's flagship programs Raw and SmackDown beginning Sunday, June 25 from 6.00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Sony MAX, India's number one movie channel. WWE Sunday Dhamaal will be presented by television personalities Salil Acharya and Madonna Tixeira and include exclusive features giving Indian fans a unique, localized WWE experience beyond Raw and SmackDown each week. WWE Sunday Dhamaal replaces Raw Sunday Dhamaal and will air in Hindi on Sony MAX and in English on TEN 1 and TEN 1 HD on Sundays at 10:00 a.m.

08:07 EDT American Airlines: Qatar Airways interested in acquiring approx. 10% stake

08:04 EDT Investors Bancorp appoints Michael Fegan Chief Information and Operations Office - Investors Bank has appointed Michael Fegan as its Chief Information and Operations Officer. Fegan will be taking over many of the responsibilities that were managed by Executive VP of Operations and Technology Dan Harris, who is retiring on July 1. Fegan will immediately begin his new duties and report directly to Investors Bank's COO Domenick Cama. Prior to joining Investors Bank, Mr. Fegan was Chief Operations and Technology Officer and Executive VP at Bank Leumi from 2013 to 2017.

08:04 EDT Ametek completes acquisition of Mocon - Ametek (AME) announced that it has completed its acquisition of Mocon (MOCO) for $30 per share in cash per fully diluted common share, or approximately $182M net of cash acquired. The completion of the transaction follows approval from Mocon shareholders and the receipt of all regulatory approvals. As a result of the completion of the merger, the common stock of Mocon will no longer be listed for trading.

08:02 EDT Trovagene to provide Trovera tests and services for global pharma company - Trovagene has entered into an agreement with a worldwide biopharmaceutical company to provide Trovera urine circulating tumor DNA biomarker tests and services. The Trovera(R) urine and blood liquid biopsy tests will be used to assess and monitor mutation status in clinical trials of potential first-in-class or best-in-class oncology therapeutics in development.

07:50 EDT Otonomy announces successful end-of-Phase 2 review by FDA for Otiprio - Otonomy announced that it it has successfully completed an End-of-Phase 2 review with the FDA for Otiprio in the treatment of pediatric patients with acute otitis media with tympanostomy tubes, or AOMT. Based on this feedback, Otonomy plans to conduct a single, sham controlled, Phase 3 trial enrolling approximately 200 pediatric patients with AOMT to support approval of Otiprio for this indication. The timing for initiation of this trial has not yet been determined.

07:42 EDT Primoris announces new pipeline construction awards valued at about $53M - Primoris Services announced new pipeline construction awards valued at approximately $53M. The contracts were secured by Primoris' Rockford Corporation, part of the Pipeline and Underground segment. The awards are for construction of natural gas pipelines located in Pennsylvania for a major energy infrastructure company. The projects are for a combined 27 miles of new gathering pipelines in the Marcellus shale region, including 24", 16", and 20" diameter pipeline. Work is scheduled to commence in the second quarter of 2017, and completion is expected in the fourth quarter of 2017.

07:37 EDT Boeing: Customers announced orders, commitments for 571 airplanes at Paris show - Boeing made several announcements at the 2017 Paris Air Show. The company launched the 737 MAX 10, the newest member of the 737 MAX family, with more than 361 orders and commitments from 16 customers worldwide. Commercial customers announced incremental orders and commitments during the week for a total of 571 Boeing airplanes, valued at $74.8B at list prices. Boeing revealed its 2017 Current Market Outlook, raising its 20-year outlook to more than 41,000 new airplanes, valued at $6.1T. Boeing also forecasts significant growth in the Aerospace Services Market, projecting $2.6T demand in commercial and government services for the next 10 years. Boeing confirmed its new Global Services business remains on track to be up and running next month. Boeing Global Services announced multi-year services agreements valued at up to $6B during the show. Boeing also announced the launch of Boeing AnalytX, featuring 800 analytics experts from across the company focused on transforming data into actionable insights and customer solutions. Five customer agreements were announced to provide solutions powered by Boeing AnalytX.

07:31 EDT Waters names Shire CEO Flemming Ornskov to board of directors - Waters Corporation (WAT) announced Dr. Flemming Ornskov, CEO of Shire plc (SHPG), has been elected as a Director of Waters, effective today.

07:14 EDT Kamada withdraws MAA for AAT therapy with EMA - Kamada announced that the Company has withdrawn the Marketing Authorization Application, or MAA, for its proprietary inhaled Alpha-1 Antitrypsin, or AAT, therapy for the treatment of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, or AATD, with the European Medicines Agency, or EMA. Following extensive discussions with the EMA during recent months, Kamada concluded that the EMA does not view the data submitted to date as sufficient for approval of the MAA, and that the supplementary data needed for approval requires an additional clinical trial. While the post-hoc data provided by the Company from the European clinical trial showed a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in lung function, the EMA was of the opinion that an overall positive conclusion on the effect of inhaled AAT to treat AATD could not be reached based on that post-hoc analysis, and that the treatment of AATD patients with inhaled AAT should be further evaluated in the clinic in order to obtain comprehensive long-term efficacy and safety data. Kamada is currently in advanced discussions with the FDA in order to secure the approval of an Investigational New Drug application this year to conduct a U.S. Phase 3 pivotal study of inhaled AAT for the treatment of AATD that would begin in 2018. Kamada intends to utilize the data to be obtained from that pivotal study to resubmit the MAA to the EMA. Kamada will continue discussions with the EMA regarding the required data that would support the approval of the Company's MAA. Based on the substantial data set obtained to date, the extensive discussions with the EMA and FDA, as well as key opinion leaders in AATD, Kamada has a strong understanding of the indication, the method of treatment with an inhaled product and the key regulatory guidelines.

07:12 EDT Reata Pharmaceuticals Orphan Drug Designation - Reata Pharmaceuticals announced the FDA has granted Orphan Drug Designation to omaveloxolone for the treatment of Friedreich's ataxia.

07:09 EDT Durect completes enrollment in Phase 3 trial for pain relief candidate Posimir - Durect (DRRX) has completed patient enrollment in PERSIST, the pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial of Posimir, an investigational locally acting, non-opioid analgesic intended to provide up to three days of continuous pain relief after surgery. The company expects to complete patient follow-up visits during Q3 and announce top-line data in Q4. In May 2017, Durect signed a development and commercialization agreement with Sandoz AG, a division of Novartis (NVS), covering the U.S. Under the terms of the agreement, Sandoz made an upfront payment to Durect of $20M following review under the HSR Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, with the potential for up to an additional $43M in development and regulatory milestones, up to an additional $230M in sales-based milestones, as well as a tiered double-digit royalty on product sales in the U.S. Durect remains responsible for the completion of the ongoing PERSIST Phase 3 clinical trial for Posimir as well as FDA interactions through approval.

07:04 EDT Office Depot, Centriq partner on asset management platform - Office Depot announced it is entering into an exclusive licensing agreement with Centriq Technology to develop a business application utilizing their asset management platform. Centriq Home, available for iOS and Android, connects homeowners to product manufacturers for an improved product experience. Centriq creates a single, comprehensive and personalized user guide for everything in their home. Support content, troubleshooting and parts and accessories purchases are available with a click. Office Depot will work with Centriq to develop a business to business version of their current app that will enable businesses to better manage their assets.

07:01 EDT IKEA to install 3 EV charging stations in Texas - IKEA announced plans to install three Blink electric vehicle charging stations at its future Grand Prairie, TX store opening Fall 2017 as second DFW-area IKEA store. This initiative reflects the continued partnership between IKEA and Car Charging Group, the owner of the Blink Network and Blink EV charging stations, and the largest owner/operator of EV charging services with thousands of public EV charging stations in 36 states and two countries. There currently are EV charging units at 29 U.S. IKEA stores.

06:55 EDT Kamada trading halted, news pending

06:54 EDT Lannett receives approcal for Hydrocodone Bitartrate and Acetaminophen Tablets - Lannett announced that it received approval from the FDA of its Abbreviated New Drug Application, or ANDA, for Hydrocodone Bitartrate and Acetaminophen Tablets USP, 5 mg/300 mg, 7.5 mg/300 mg and 10 mg/300 mg, the therapeutic equivalent to the reference standard drug, Hydrocodone Bitartrate and Acetaminophen Tablets USP, 5 mg/300 mg, 7.5 mg/300 mg and 10 mg/300 mg, of Mikart, Inc. The product is also marketed under the brand names Vicodin, Vicodin ES and Vicodin HP. For the 12 months ended April 2017, total U.S. sales of Hydrocodone Bitartrate and Acetaminophen Tablets USP, 5 mg/300 mg, 7.5 mg/300 mg and 10 mg/300 mg, at Average Wholesale Price were approximately $67.1M, according to IMS.

06:53 EDT JinkoSolar to supply 38.4 MW of PV modules to solar plant in Hokkaido - JinkoSolar Holding announced that it will supply 38.4 MW of PV modules to Fuji Electric Co., Ltd., for use in a solar plant in Tomakomai, on the southern Japanese island of Hokkaido. Under the terms of the agreement, JinkoSolar will deliver its high efficiency solar modules from July to November in 2017 for a solar power plant in Hokkaido. This project includes a 10MWh sophisticated energy storage system, which will help adjust to variable load. This power plant is expected to be connected to the grid in 2018 and will enjoy a feed-in tariff rate of Y40 /kWh. This solar plant is funded via Tokumei Kumiai investments by Japanese institutional investors, Aquila Capital from Germany and Green Power Development Corporation of Japan. GI capital management provides Asset Management services to act the solar plant.

06:49 EDT Stantec to acquire RNL Design - Stantec announced the acquisition of RNL, a Denver-based, 134-person integrated architectural, interior and urban design firm. A recognized industry authority in transit facilities, urban design, workplace, civic, higher education, and mixed-use facilities, RNL also embraces a companywide strength in sustainable design. The company's award-winning services are provided from offices in Denver, Los Angeles, Washington DC, Abu Dhabi and Phoenix. The transaction is expected to close in late July.

06:38 EDT MEI exits Connectivity and Active Energy Solutions units, to acquire Procoplast - Methode Electronics enters into stock purchase agreement for acquisition of Procoplast s.a., an independent manufacturer of automotive complex insert molded subassemblies located close to the Belgian-German border, which is in close proximity to several key automotive customers. Its brand new facility includes automated assembly equipment, injection molding and testing equipment. Procoplast produces high volume products for Bosch, Kiekert, ZF-TRW and others, which will augment Methode's transmission lead-frame business. The closing of the transaction is subject to customary conditions, including, but not limited to, regulatory approvals, and is expected in Q2 of FY18.

06:13 EDT Hain Celestial up 2.7% after reporting Q3 results, ending strategic review

06:12 EDT Hain Celestial expects to deliver $350M in total cost savings through FY20 - Hain Celestial continues to execute on its strategic plan, which expands upon Project Terra announced in FY16, to drive long-term growth and profitability. These initiatives to drive net sales growth and margin expansion include: Investing in top brands and capabilities to grow globally; Expanding Project Terra cost-savings programs, which are expected to deliver $350M in total cost savings through fiscal 2020 including annual productivity; Building a global management team with deep sector and operating expertise-including key hires in marketing, sales, and operations-to drive innovation and distribution expansion; Pursuing a capital allocation strategy that includes a new $250M share repurchase authorization.

06:09 EDT Airbus says received $40B of new commercial aircraft orders at Paris Air Show - Airbus announced $39.7B worth of new business during the 2017 Paris Air Show. The company won commitments for a total of 326 aircraft, including firm orders for 144 aircraft worth $18.5B and MoUs for 182 aircraft worth $21.2B.A320 Family aircraft sales and commitments were robust, with business accounting for a total of 306 aircraft worth $33.8B. This total comprises 132 firm orders worth $14.7B, and MoUs for 174 aircraft worth 19.1 billion. In the Widebody segment, Airbus won firm orders for 20 aircraft worth $5.9B. comprising 12 firm orders worth $3.6B and MoUs for eight aircraft worth 2.3B. John Leahy, Chief Operating Officer Customers, Airbus Commercial Aircraft said: "Our commercial success this week at Paris extends our already diversified order backlog to a new industry record of over 6,800 aircraft, with 326 orders worth $40B."

06:08 EDT Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department signs contract for one H215 - The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department has signed a contract for one H215, making it the first operator in Japan to operate the rotorcraft when it is delivered in 2020. Currently operating a fleet of 14 helicopters, the largest police air corps in Japan plans to enhance its law enforcement activities with this new H215. The brand new H215 will be delivered ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics, and is dedicated for missions including personnel and VIP transportation, material transport, as well as wide area support missions. The H215 will also join the H135 and H155 helicopters in supporting the day-to-day patrol and rescue missions in Tokyo.

06:06 EDT Iran Airtour Airlines signs MOU for 45 Airbus aircraft - Tehran based Iran Airtour Airlines, has become Airbus' newest customer for the A320neo Family after signing a memorandum of understanding for 45 aircraft at the Paris Air Show. The MoU is contingent upon all necessary approvals, including those from the Office of Foreign Assets Control. Airbus will continue to act in full compliance with the Joint Comprehensive Plan Of Action and associated rules.

06:04 EDT Mesoblast presents rheumatoid arthritis trial results - Mesoblast announced that results from the 48-patient Phase 2 trial of its proprietary allogeneic Mesenchymal Precursor Cells in patients with biologic refractory rheumatoid arthritis were presented at the European League Against Rheumatism Annual European Congress of Rheumatology held in Madrid June 14-17. The investigators said the trial had met its primary endpoints and the data indicated an early trend to improvements in patient-related outcome measures, supporting further development of Mesoblast's mesenchymal precursor cells for biologic-refractory rheumatoid arthritis patients.

05:48 EDT Shire announces EMA validation of Veyvondi MAA - Shire announced that the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, validated the Marketing Authorization Application, or MAA, for Veyvondi to prevent and treat bleeding episodes and peri-operative bleeding in adults diagnosed with von Willebrand Disease, or VWD, the most common inherited bleeding disorder. Currently available in the U.S. as Veyvondi, Veyvondi is the first and only recombinant von Willebrand factor treatment for adults living with VWD.

05:43 EDT China Med initiates Phase I/II clinical trial of HMPL-453 in China - Hutchison China MediTech has just initiated a Phase I/II clinical trial of HMPL-453 in China. HMPL-453 is a novel, highly selective and potent small molecule inhibitor targeting fibroblast growth factor receptor, or FGFR. The first drug dose was administered on June 19, 2017. This study complements the first-in-human Phase I clinical trial in Australia that was initiated earlier this year. This Phase I/II study is a multi-center, single-arm, open-label, two-stage study to evaluate safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and preliminary efficacy of HMPL-453 monotherapy in patients with solid tumors harboring FGFR genetic alterations.

05:37 EDT Biohaven Pharmaceutical announces senior leadership appointments - Biohaven Pharmaceutical and it's wholly owned subsidiary, Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, announced recent key additions to its senior leadership team as it develops an expanded portfolio of therapeutic candidates across multiple neurological disorders. Elyse Stock, M.D. has been appointed as the company's Chief of Portfolio Strategy and Development, and Donnie McGrath, M.D. has been appointed as Chief of Corporate Strategy and Business Development. Dr. Stock was most recently Vice-President Global Development Leader at Bristol-Myers (BMY). Dr. McGrath joins Biohaven from Bristol-Myers, where he most recently served as Vice President of Business Development and Head of Search & Evaluation.

05:33 EDT Boeing, Tassili Airlines announce order for 3 Next-Generation 737-800s - Boeing and Tassili Airlines announced an order for three Next-Generation 737-800 airplanes, valued at over $294M at list prices, at the 2017 Paris Air Show. The order was previously attributed to an unidentified customer on Boeing's Orders & Deliveries website.

05:31 EDT Boeing, Ruili Airlines announce commitment for 20 737 MAXs - Boeing and Ruili Airlines announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for 20 737 MAX airplanes at the 2017 Paris Air Show. The airplanes, valued at approximately $2.2B at current list prices, will be posted to the Boeing Orders & Deliveries website once all contingencies are cleared.