Stockwinners Market Radar for July 18, 2017 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:11 EDT BHP Billiton sees FY18 copper equivalent output up 7%

19:10 EDT BHP Billiton reports Q4 iron ore output 60.14M tons - Reports Q4 Copper output 387,000 tons. Reports Q4 Petroleum output 52 MMBoe. Reports Q4 Energy coal output 8M tons. Reports Q4 Metallurgical coal output 8M tons.

18:48 EDT Agilent names Juno CEO Bishop to board of directors - Agilent (A) announced that Hans E. Bishop, CEO of Juno Therapeutics (JUNO) has been elected to its board of directors.

18:30 EDT Northern Trust board approves buyback of up to 9.5M shares - Northern Trust announced that its board of directors has approved a new common stock repurchase authorization of up to 9.5M shares. The new repurchase authorization replaces the authorization approved in April 2015. The timing and amount of shares repurchased under the new repurchase authorization will depend on various factors, including, but not limited to, Northern Trust's business plans, financial performance, other investment opportunities and general market conditions, including share price.

18:24 EDT Discovery up 9% to $28.50 after DJ reports merger talks with Scripps Networks - Scripps Networks is up over 10% on the news to $73.98.

18:04 EDT BP weighs strategic alternatives for certain midstream assets, including IPO - BP announced that it is evaluating the formation and initial public offering of a master limited partnership to enhance shareholder value and to support BP's strategy to grow its midstream business. The midstream assets that are being considered for initial contribution to the MLP are crude oil, natural gas and refined product pipelines located in the Midwest and on the U.S. Gulf Coast. If BP ultimately determines to pursue the MLP IPO, an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary, BP Midstream Partners L.P., would file a Registration Statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to initiate the regulatory process in the second half of this year. If an IPO is completed, BP would own the general partner of the MLP, all of its incentive distribution rights and a majority of its limited partner interests. There can be no assurance that BP's evaluation will lead to an IPO of the MLP or any other transaction.

17:40 EDT Select Energy Services enters merger pact with Rockwater Energy Solutions - Select Energy Services announced that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement with privately-held Rockwater Energy Solutions in a stock-for-stock transaction. Select will issue 37.95M shares of common stock in exchange for all outstanding shares of Rockwater common stock. Upon consummation of the transactions, current Select shareholders will own approximately 64.4% of the combined company and Rockwater shareholders will own approximately 35.6%, with a total of 106.73M Select common shares outstanding. Crestview Partners will be the largest shareholder post-merger, followed by SCF Partners and John Schmitz, currently Chairman and CEO of Select. The requisite stockholders of Select and Rockwater have approved the transactions, and the transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2017, subject to customary closing conditions, including U.S. governmental approval under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act. Upon completion of the merger, John Schmitz, currently Chairman & CEO of Select, will become the full-time Executive Chairman and Holli Ladhani, currently the Chairman, President & CEO of Rockwater, will become the President & CEO of Select. All water-related services of the combined company will consolidate under the Select brand name and Rockwater's chemicals business unit will retain the Rockwater brand name.

17:32 EDT Potbelly CEO Lewis leaving, company appoints CFO Coyne interim chief - Potbelly reported in its current report on Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 31, that Aylwin Lewis, Chairman and CEO, will be leaving Potbelly later this year. On July 18, the company's board appointed Michael Coyne, the company's CFO, as the interim CEO. Mr. Lewis will continue his role as Chairman of the Board of Directors through August 8. The board of directors has engaged an executive search consultant to assist in identifying and evaluating prospective candidates for the role of CEO.

17:28 EDT Starboard reports Depomed stake 8.7%, agrees board to be set at seven directors - On July 14, Starboard Value LP and certain of its affiliates entered into Amendment No. 1 to the cooperation and support agreement with the Issuer, dated March 28, pursuant to which Depomed and Starboard agreed that the size of Depomed's Board of Directors shall be set at seven directors effective immediately prior to the commencement of the Depomed's 2017 Annual Meeting of Shareholders and Depomed's slate of nominees for election to the Board at the 2017 Annual Meeting shall consist of the following seven directors: Karen Dawes, James Fogarty, Arthur Higgins, Louis Lavigne, William McKee, Peter Staple and James Tyree.The Amendment also provides that following the 2017 Annual Meeting, Gavin T. Molinelli shall have the right to serve as an observer to the Board until expiration of the Period, which is the date that is fifteen business days prior to the deadline for the submission of shareholder nominations for the Issuer's 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders.In accordance with Section 1(a)(iv) of the Cooperation Agreement and as further provided under the Amendment, so long as Starboard beneficially owns in the aggregate at least the lesser of (i) three percent of Depomed's then outstanding Shares and (ii) 1,862,986 Shares as of the date that Mr. Molinelli no longer serves as a director of the Company, Starboard has the ability to recommend a substitute person to serve on the Board in place of Mr. Molinelli and the Issuer shall take whatever actions may be required in connection with any such replacement director, including by increasing the size of the Board, if necessary.

17:27 EDT IBM sees revenue trajectory improving in 2H17 - Says mobile practices continues to expand. Says added more gross profit dollars in Q2 than in the same quarter of last year. Says continues to shift to higher value work. Says will move Bombardier (BDRBF) to the IBM Cloud (IBM). Says expects revenue trajectory to improve in 2H17.

17:19 EDT Huntington Ingalls awarded $148.7M government contract modification - Huntington Ingalls Industries, Newport News Shipbuilding, Newport News, Virginia, is being awarded a not-to-exceed $148,728,722 undefinitized fixed-price-incentive-firm target modification to previously awarded contract for the purchase of additional long-lead-time material in support of Enterprise. Work will be performed in Newport News, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by January 2024. Fiscal 2017 shipbuilding and conversion funding in the amount of $148,728,722 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured, in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1(a)(2)(iii) - only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity.

17:11 EDT United Continental sees 2017 total mainline aircraft of 742, up 5 y/y - Sees 2017 total regional aircraft of 515, up 21 y/y.

17:07 EDT IBM added more 'leading' companies to IBM Cloud in Q2 - Says had good FCF performance in Q2 "as expected." Says IBM Z-System available later this quarter. Says Cloud made up roughly 20% of total revenue in Q2. Says added more leading companies to IBM Cloud in Q2. Says Cloud "built for the enterprise." Comments taken from Q2 earnings conference call.

16:49 EDT CSX: forest products volume declined, cites consolidation anf truck competition - CSX says Q2 forest products volume declined as industry consolidation and truck competition negatively impacted shipments of paper products. These headwinds were partially offset by positive momentum from e-commerce growth in pulpboard shipments.

16:46 EDT United Natural Foods drivers in Montgomery, NY win first teamsters contract - Drivers who deliver groceries for United Natural Foods in Montgomery, NY ratified their first-ever Teamster contract this weekend. The contract guarantees overtime pay after 40 hours worked in a week, yearly pay raises, protections against unfair discipline, among many other improvements demanded by the drivers. The Montgomery drivers voted to be represented by Teamsters Local 445 in July 2016. Throughout the past year, Local 445 led drivers in a campaign for a fair first contract. Drivers signed petitions, participated in contract negotiations and made direct demands on management.

16:42 EDT VeriSign reports 1.3M domain name registrations in Q1 - VeriSign announced that approximately 1.3M domain name registrations were added to the internet in the Q1, bringing the total number of domain name registrations to approximately 330.6M across all top-level domains, or TLDs, as of March 31. The increase of approximately 1.3M domain name registrations globally equates to a growth rate of 0.4% over the Q4 of 2016.

16:38 EDT CSX: automotive volume declined on lower production - CSx says automotive volume declined on lower production, consistent with slowing North American vehicle sales and rising inventory levels.

16:35 EDT United Continental sees Q3 adjusted pre-tax margin 12.5%-14.5%

16:35 EDT CSX says ag and food products volume declined in Q2 - Agricultural and Food Products - Volume declined as a large southeastern grain crop led to local truck sourcing to feed mills in lieu of longer-haul rail moves. This decline was partially offset by gains in ethanol reflecting higher production levels and new business wins.Fertilizers - Volume increased as operational efficiency moving phosphate rock allowed for additional rail conversion of traffic that would otherwise move by truck.

16:32 EDT United Continental sees Q3 CapEx $1.15B-$1.25B

16:31 EDT Norfolk Southern to consolidate operating divisions - As part of ongoing efforts to enhance customer service and improve operating efficiencies, Norfolk Southern plans to consolidate its Central Division headquarters operations in Knoxville into three surrounding divisions. The consolidation, effective on or about Nov. 1, will reduce the number of operating divisions on NS' system to nine from 10. Dispatching responsibilities now handled from the Central Division, which includes track primarily in Tennessee and Kentucky, will be divided among operating divisions headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., Decatur, Ill., and Fort Wayne, Ind. The move will affect a total of about 50 employees who work at the Central Division headquarters in management, dispatching, and clerical positions. Dispatchers will have the opportunity to transfer to one of the other three divisions or apply for vacancies across the system. Administrative and clerical employees will be offered opportunities to apply for vacant positions elsewhere. Current yard and field operations on the Central Division will not be affected by the headquarters closure but will be reassigned among the other three divisions. More than 250 employees will remain in Knoxville to provide safe and reliable service to local customers and support the yard's role as a hub for through-train operations.

16:29 EDT United Continental sees FY17 CASM growth, ex-fuel & expenses 2.5%-3.5%, y/y

16:26 EDT United Continental sees Q3 PRASM (1%)-1%, y/y

16:25 EDT United Continental sees Q3 consolidated y/y capacity growth of about 4%

16:22 EDT Vertex up 25% to $165.74 after resuming trading following CF combo data

16:21 EDT Abercrombie & Fitch shareholder SLS Management urges board to repurchase shares - SLS Management, which identifies itself as a long-term investor in Abercrombie & Fitch, announced that it sent a letter to the Board of Directors of the company in which SLS outlines actionable steps for the Board of Directors to undertake to maximize value for the shareholders. In its letter, SLS outlines two suggested options: Option A is a large one-time buyback in conjunction with a reduction in the company's dividend. Option B is a monetization of assets comprising a substantial portion of Abercrombie's current valuation that "Wall Street analysts and investors are giving you no credit for." In its letter, SLS states: "Regardless of which of the above options the Board decides to pursue, we believe the Company should work to unwind the overfunded Rabbi Trust, which sits in Other Assets on the balance sheet and is a legacy of the Jefferies era. Based on our conversations with management, the trust is $25-40M overfunded and could be unwound, providing an additional source of liquidity for the company. Let's hypothetically illustrate how significant the opportunities on balance sheet are. If you were to execute Option A, Option B and liquidate the Rabbi Trust, the Company could buy back roughly 65% of its shares and save $37M per year."

16:20 EDT United Community boosts quarterly dividend 33% to 4c per share - On July 18, 2017, United Community's board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of 4c per common share payable August 11, 2017 to shareholders of record at the close of business July 28, 2017. The dividend marks a 33% increase from the previous dividend.

16:20 EDT Vertex trading resumes

16:19 EDT United Continental reports Q2 PRASM up 2.1% - Second-quarter 2017 consolidated passenger revenue per available seat mile (PRASM) was up 2.1% and consolidated yield increased 2% compared to the second quarter of 2016. Cargo revenue was $254M in the second quarter of 2017, an increase of 22.1% year-over-year due primarily to higher volumes across the system.

16:17 EDT Juniper appoints Bikash Koley as Chief Technology Officer - Juniper Networks announced that Bikash Koley will be named Chief Technology Officer. Koley will be responsible for charting Juniper's technology strategy and for leading and executing several of the company's critical technology innovations, including Contrail and AppFormix. Koley is anticipated to begin his employment at Juniper in August 2017.

16:17 EDT AtriCure names Sam Privitera CTO - AtriCure (ATRC) announced it has hired Salvatore Privitera as its Chief Technology Officer. Privitera will have responsibility for Research and Development activities, as well as Operations, including manufacturing, supply chain, and quality systems. Most recently, Mr. Privitera served as Vice President of Research and Development at Bard Medical, a division of C.R. Bard (BCR).

16:13 EDT Ayrton Capital reports 8.4% passive stake in Delcath Systems

16:12 EDT Sunesis doses first patient in oral non-covalent BTK-inhibitor SNS-062 study - Sunesis Pharmaceuticalsannounced that the first patient has been dosed at the Dana-Farber Institute in the Phase 1b/2 dose-escalation and cohort-expansion study of its reversible, non-covalent Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase-inhibitor, SNS-062, in adults with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, small lymphocytic leukemia, Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia and mantle cell lymphoma that have progressed after prior therapies. "Resistance to ibrutinib, the only FDA approved BTK inhibitor, is a growing area of unmet need in the treatment of relapsed CLL," said Dr. Jennifer Brown, Director of the CLL Center at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. "SNS-062 is designed to retain its activity in the presence of the C481S mutation, the primary resistance mechanism thus far identified to treatment by covalent-binding BTK inhibitors such as ibrutinib. We look forward to participating in Sunesis' Phase 1b/2 study to explore the therapeutic potential of SNS-062." "The start of this Phase 1b/2 study marks a significant milestone for the Company," said Daniel Swisher, Chief Executive Officer of Sunesis. "This study is designed to provide initial proof of concept that SNS-062 can become a new treatment option for patients with relapsed CLL. We look forward to progressing this trial to identify a recommended dose and to characterize the profile of SNS-062 across a range of B-cell malignancies." The Phase 1b/2 trial is an open-label, sequential-group study that will enroll up to 124 subjects and is being conducted at five leading sites in the United States: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, MD Anderson Cancer Center, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, U.C. Irvine Medical Center, and Weill Cornell Medicine. The target population comprises adult subjects who have advanced B-cell malignancies that have relapsed/progressed after prior therapy, including a BTK inhibitor. Phase 1b is the dose escalation portion of the study designed to evaluate the safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and antitumor activity of a range of SNS-062 dose levels, to determine the maximum tolerated and/or recommended dose. The Phase 2 portion is the cohort expansion that will further explore the clinical activity and safety of SNS-062 mono-therapy within specific disease cohorts, including relapsed CLL patients with C481S mutations.

16:11 EDT IBM reports Q2 Cloud revenue $3.9B, up 17% ex-currency - The annual exit run rate for as-a-service revenue increased to $8.8B from $6.7B in the second quarter of 2016. Revenues from analytics increased 6% adjusting for currency. Revenues from mobile increased 29% adjusting for currency and revenues from security 5% adjusting for currency.

16:09 EDT IBM reports Q2 cognitive solutions revenue $4.56B - Reports Q2 Global Business Services revenue $4.1B. Reports Q2 Technology Services & Cloud Platforms revenue $8.41B. Reports Q2 Systems revenue $1.75B. Reports Q2 Global Financing revenue $415M. "We finished the first half of the year where we expected, including continued strong free cash flow generation," said Martin Schroeter, IBM senior vice president and chief financial officer. "This allowed us to continue our strong R&D investment levels and return more than $5 billion to shareholders through dividends and gross share repurchases during the first half."

16:08 EDT Hortonworks announces changes to executive leadership team including COO - Hortonworks announced changes to its executive leadership team. Scott Davidson, who will continue in his role as Hortonworks' CFO, has been named COO, effective immediately. The Company has also appointed veteran sales executive Alan Fudge to the newly created role of Chief Revenue Officer and promoted Scott Reasoner from senior vice president, principal accounting officer, to the newly created role of chief accounting officer. Davidson succeeds Rajnish Verma, who is stepping down as president and chief operating officer upon mutual agreement with the Company in light of the changes to its leadership structure. Fudge has spent his entire career in the high-tech industry, most recently as COO and senior vice president of worldwide sales & field operations for software at Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Among his numerous responsibilities, he led the software strategy for corporate transactional work to enhance the software portfolio, enhanced margin contribution by transforming a siloed field organization into a more efficient sales model and was a member of the Operating Committee for the HPE and HP split.

16:08 EDT DryShips announces 1-for-7 reverse stock split - DryShips announced that its board has determined to effect a 1-for-7 reverse stock split of the company's issued common shares. At the company's annual general meeting of shareholders on May 2, the company's shareholders approved the reverse stock split and granted the board, or a duly constituted committee thereof, the authority to determine the exact split ratio and proceed with the reverse stock split. The reverse stock split will take effect, and the company's common shares will begin trading on a split-adjusted basis on the Nasdaq Capital Market as of the opening of trading on July 21 under the existing trading symbol "DRYS".

16:07 EDT CSX sees full-year operating ratio in the mid-60s - Adjusting for restructuring charges, CSX continues to expect to drive a full-year operating ratio in the mid-60s, earnings per share growth of around 25% off the 2016 reported base of $1.81, and free cash flow before dividends of around $1.5B.

16:05 EDT CSX board authorizes additional $500M to repurchase program - The CSX board authorized an additional $500M for the current share repurchase program, which now totals $1.5B As part of this program, nearly $500M of company shares were repurchased in the second quarter. At the same time, the company is currently evaluating its cash deployment strategy with respect to capital structure and shareholder distributions, and is committed to an investment grade rating.

16:00 EDT Vertex trading halted, news pending

15:54 EDT TD Ameritrade CEO says '2017 off to spectacular start' - Lower commission rate impacted EPS by only 1c year-over year in quarter. TD Ameritrade CEO Tim Hockey is speaking in a CNBC interview after the company reported Q3 financial results earlier today.

14:45 EDT MBIA unit, Assured Guaranty file motion to lift PROMESA stay - National Public Finance Guarantee Corporation, an indirect subsidiary of MBIA (MBI), announced that National, along with the Ad Hoc Group of PREPA bondholders, Assured Guaranty (AGO), Assured Guaranty Municipal Corp. and Syncora Guarantee, has filed a motion in the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico to lift the PROMESA stay to seek to enforce its right to compel the appointment of an independent receiver in order to pursue increased rates and to oversee certain operations of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority, or PREPA. In addition, National has filed an amended complaint in its lawsuit against the Oversight Board in the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico, asking the court to award National damages for the Oversight Board's unlawful rejection of the RSA.

13:49 EDT Alphabet launches new Google Glass focused on enterprise - Google parent Alphabet plans to make Glass Enterprise Edition, a newer version of its Google Glass technology that launched in 2014 but whose sales were halted in 2015, according to a blog post from Glass project lead Jay Kothari. The new Enterprise Edition is targeted more towards businesses through Google's network of partners. "We first saw signs of Glass' potential for businesses in the Glass Explorer days," the blog post said. "As we said when we graduated, we'd been seeing incredible developments with Glass in the workplace. Now the Glass product team is back at X, and we'll be collaborating with the Google Cloud team and our partners to help customers across a variety of business sectors make the most of Glass. Together, we're looking forward to seeing more businesses give their workers a way to work faster and in a more focused way, hands-free." Reference Link

13:36 EDT Polaris Industries recalls certain 2017 ROVs - Polaris recalls RZR 570 and RZR S 570 recreational off-highway vehicles due to crash and injury hazards. This recall involves all model year 2017 Polaris RZR 570 and RZR S 570 recreational off-highway vehicles, ROVs, including RZR EPS 570 or RZR S 570 EPS vehicles which have electronic power steering. Model number Z17VJE57AR was sold in red, model number Z17VHE57AU in silver and model number Z17VHA57A2 in white. The two-seat ROVs have "Polaris" stamped on the front grill and RZR or RZR S on the side of the rear cargo. The model number can be found on the manufacturing data label, near the right front fender. The vehicle identification number (VIN) is printed on the frame on the driver's side towards the rear of the vehicle. Reference Link

13:30 EDT Six Flags drops as CEO 'retires' after under two years in role - Shares of Six Flags Entertainment (SIX) dropped in afternoon trading after the company announced the retirement of its chief executive officer after just 17 months in the role. Following the news, an analyst said the news that the company's current chairman and former CEO is returning to the CEO role is "a positive." CEO DEPARTURE: Six Flags announced this morning that CEO John Duffey has retired from the company after less than two years. The theme park operator said it named Jim Reid-Anderson, its executive chairman since February 2016, as its new chairman, president and CEO, effective immediately. Reid-Anderson had served as Six Flags' CEO from August 2010 through February 2016. No explanation was provided by Six Flags for Duffey's departure. Reid-Anderson, who thanked Duffy for his contributions during his tenure with the company, commented that he is "very proud and excited to rejoin the operating team and look forward to executing our business strategy" and that he believes "the best is yet to come." Six Flags is expected to report quarterly earnings on July 26. ANALYST COMMENTARY: Oppenheimer analyst Ian Zaffino reiterated his Outperform rating on the stock following news that Duffey is leaving and Reid-Anderson is returning, calling it "a positive." Zaffino said in a note to clients that Reid-Anderson was the main driver of the company's strong performance following its bankruptcy, calling him a "management legend." PRICE ACTION: Shares of Six Flags Entertainment are down nearly 4% in afternoon trading to $56.75. OTHERS TO WATCH: Other theme park operators include Cedar Fair (FUN) and SeaWorld Entertainment (SEAS), both of which are lower this afternoon.

12:30 EDT Felcor Lodging sells Morgans Net York for $37M - FelCor Lodging Trust Incorporated announced that it has sold its 117-room Morgans New York hotel for gross proceeds of $37M. FelCor will use net proceeds to repay borrowings under its line of credit. Royalton New York remains under contract and is expected to close in early August for gross proceeds of $55M. The company continues to proceed with its previously announced efforts to market The Knickerbocker for sale.

12:18 EDT Wyndham acquires AmericInn hotel brand for $170M - Wyndham Hotel announced plans to acquire the Minnesota-based AmericInn hotel brand and its management company, Three Rivers Hospitality, from Northcott Hospitality for $170M. The deal, subject to regulatory and government approval and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions, will bolster Wyndham Hotel Group's existing collection of more than 1,500 midscale hotels while also significantly increasing its footprint in the Midwest. Upon closing, Wyndham's family of brands will expand to 20 names.

11:51 EDT Lockheed Martin sees order backlog of $95B-$100B by end of 2017

11:27 EDT Lockheed Martin CEO says looks at building of talent pipeline 'at all times' - CEO Hewson says "spends a lot of time on [succession planning] on a regular basis." Long-term, says focused on talent development, says an "ongoing" part of business. Says team "strong," "talented." Says succession planning "an ongoing effort." Commenting on investments outside Lockheed's core, Hewson said these investments "very closely aligned."

11:17 EDT Homebuilder seniment falls to eight month low as lumber prices spike - Shares of U.S. homebuilders are all trading lower after a key metric for the group missed expectations. HOME BUILDER SENTIMENT: Builder confidence for newly-built single-family homes dropped to its lowest level since before the Trump election. The confidence metric slipped two points in July to 64. The HMI measure of current sales conditions has been at 70 or higher for eight straight months, indicating strong demand for new homes," said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. "However, builders will need to manage some increasing supply-side costs to keep home prices competitive." "Home builders are troubled due to the increasing costs of material, in particular lumber," said NAHB Chairman Granger MacDonald. The situation is impacting housing affordability even as consumer interest purchasing a new home is strong. CANADIAN LUMBER TARRIFFS: In June, commerce secretary Wilbur Ross proposed new lumber tariffs adding to the previous tariffs proposed by the Trump administration on Canadian softwood lumber imported into the U.S. That type of lumber is used to build U.S. homes. Back in June, NAHB Chair MacDonald said adding the new tariffs "to the proposed 20% countervailing lumber duty that the Trump administration slapped on imports of lumber this spring means that total tariffs would be a whopping 27%." Publicly traded companies in the space include Beazer Homes (BZH), D.R. Horton (DHI), Hovnanian (HOV), KB Home (KBH), Lennar (LEN), PulteGroup (PHM), and Toll Brothers (TOL). Shares of construction materials vendors are also lower, including Vulcan (VMC), Martin Marietta Materials (MLM), Eagle Materials (EXP), US Concrete Inc (USCR), and Beacon Roofing Supply (BECN).

11:03 EDT Mattel launches new franchise called Enchantimals - Mattel reveals a new brand franchise, Enchantimals, a fantastical world celebrating the special bond between kids and animals, as pets are often a child's very first "bestie." Enchantimals joins the Mattel girl's portfolio of well-known brands offering products and engaging storylines that ignite imaginative play. Launching with 14 small dolls and 3 playsets, Enchantimals product inspires stories of friendship, empathy and compassion towards all living things. The characters and stories come to life through a variety of short-form YouTube content and 60-minute televised special this fall. Enchantimals product ranges from $8.99-$34.99 rolling out to retailers nationwide this fall.

10:58 EDT Chipotle plunges as restaurant closure reignites food safety fears - The shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) are falling sharply after the company reportedly shut down one of its restaurants following complaints of customers who claim they got sick after eating there recently. Notably, the stock had been higher in early trading after research firm Maxim upgraded Chipotle to Buy from Hold, citing the sales potential of its new Mexican cheese dip, which could be "an important catalyst" for the company in 2018. VIRGINIA STORE CLOSURE: Chipotle has shut down a location in Sterling, Virginia, after eight reports were made to the website iwaspoisoned.com claiming that customers fell sick after eating there from July 14-15, according to Business Insider. The company's executive director of food safety, Jim Marsden, told Business Insider: "We are working with health authorities to understand what the cause may be and to resolve the situation as quickly as possible. The reported symptoms are consistent with norovirus. Norovirus does not come from our food supply, and it is safe to eat at Chipotle." QUESO CATALYST: The Mexican cheese dip, called queso, is currently being offered in a special Chipotle restaurant in New York City where new concepts are tested, wrote Maxim analyst Stephen Anderson. The product, which is more natural than "typical queso" offered by competitors, "found strong acceptance" at the New York location, said Anderson, who predicted that the product would raise Chipotle's margins next year and increase its same-restaurant sales by as much two percentage points. Anderson increased his 2018 EPS estimate for the company to $14.21 from $13.88, adding that the stock's 20% decline since mid-May and the upcoming queso launch have created a buying opportunity. PRICE ACTION: In late morning trading, Chiopotle sank 4.4% to $374.64. Other restaurant shares have also moved lower as Chipotle has dipped, with McDonald's (MCD) and Starbucks (SBUX) each down about 0.6% and Wendy's (WEN) sliding about 0.7%.

10:52 EDT PayPal and Visa extend partner ship to Europe

10:35 EDT Barclays says sell AMD, Cirrus Logic on lackluster product outlook - Barclays downgraded the shares of chip makers AMD (AMD) and Cirrus Logic (CRUS) to Underweight, its equivalent of a sell rating, from Equal Weight. The firm is not very impressed by AMD's products and advises investors to buy stocks of companies that have clearer exposure to Apple's (AAPL) iPhone 8 than Cirrus. AMD: After attending the launch of AMD's new Epyc chips and reading third party reviews, Barclays analyst Blayne Curtis says that he is "unconvinced" that AMD's products will generate enough revenue to justify its current valuation. The stock is expensive even based on a long-term earnings per share target for the company of 75c, according to Curtis, adding that he does not expect the company to come close to reaching that level. He kept a $9 price target on the shares. CIRRUS: Although the company's results can still meet consensus estimates this year, it's better to buy the shares of chip makers with more exposure to Apple's upcoming iPhone 8, according to Curtis. He identified Broadcom (AVGO) as one such company. Additionally, Curtis indicated that he does not expect Cirrus' headphone adapter, which generates revenue of $1 per device, to be included in future iPhones. Furthermore, he warned that the company's wired headphone, which also generates $1 per device, may be eventually phased out due to efforts to utilize wireless headphones. The analyst kept a $55 price target on Cirrus shares. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, AMD sank 3% to $13.40 while Cirrus Logic slid 6.7% to $60.96.

10:20 EDT Street Check: Bernstein made timely Harley downgrade ahead of shipment cut - The shares of Harley-Davidson (HOG) are sliding after the company reported second quarter results and cut its 2017 shipments forecast. In a note to investors last week, Bernstein analyst David Beckel downgraded the stock to Market Perform, citing demand concerns. The same day, his peer at Goldman Sachs also decreased his second quarter shipment forecast. The Fly published a summary of the notes on the day they were circulated. RESULTS: Harley-Davidson reported today second quarter earnings per share of $1.48 and consolidated revenue of $1.77B, both above consensus of $1.38 and $1.59B, respectively. The company also announced second quarter motorcycles and related products revenue of $1.58B versus $1.67B last year. Harley-Davidson lowered its full-year guidance for motorcycle shipments, saying it now expects to ship 241,000 to 246,000 motorcycles to dealers worldwide in 2017, which is down approximately 6%-8% from 2016. In the third quarter, the company expects to ship 39,000 to 44,000 motorcycles, which is down about 10%-20% from 2016. The company had said with its last earnings call that it anticipated FY17 motorcycle shipments to be flat to down modestly in comparison to 2016. Additionally, Harley-Davidson CEO Matthew Levatich said the company is planning to reduce its hourly workforce. MOVING TO THE SIDELINES: Back on July 12, Bernstein's Beckel downgraded Harley-Davidson to Market Perform from Outperform based on increased conviction that motorcycle demand in the U.S is in "the throes of secular erosion," combined with weakened conviction in the materialization of near-term catalysts. The analyst pointed out that his original bull thesis for Harley-Davidson could have been described as an "antibear" thesis, supported by upside optionality from Milwaukee-Eight, or M-8, and/or "Trump induced demand." However, Beckel argued that the evidence supporting a secular erosion argument was getting stronger. Declines in Harley's U.S. unit sales have persisted long after the initial effects of competitive discounting were felt, and the overall market's declines are far more severe than oil market weakness alone could justify, he contended. More importantly, the analyst argued that he sees "demographic shifts and a stagnating economy" keeping unit sales growth in the U.S. at flat to slightly lower levels for the next five years. SHIPMENT FORECAST: On the same day, Goldman Sachs analyst David Tamberrino said he was decreasing his second quarter shipment forecast as he foresaw U.S. retail sales coming in slightly down versus flat previously, following his June 2017 dealer channel checks. The analyst also said he expected pricing decreasing sequentially due to the seasonally weaker touring quarter and later-start to the riding season. He kept a Neutral rating on the shares. Commenting on the results today, Tamberrino noted that despite the second quarter earnings per share beat, shipment and retail sales results were much softer than anticipated and shares could see pressure in trading. Speaking on CNBC, his peer at UBS also said the results were worse than expected. Robin Darley highlighted his concern that selling in the U.S. is down 9% during a time that should be seasonally higher. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of Harley-Davidson have dropped 10.5% to $46.55. Over the last six months, Harley shares have dropped about 20%.

10:01 EDT Baidu, Microsoft announce plans for autonomous driving partnership

10:00 EDT Lockheed Martin sees FY17 operating profit $5.575B-$5.695B - Says returned 81% of free cash flow to investors in Q2. Sees FY17 operating profit $5.575B-$5.695B vs. prior view of $5.515B-$5.635B. Still sees FY cash from operations at least $6B. Sees FY Aeronautics sales $20.25B-$20.55B, Space sales $9.15B-$9.45B, RMS sales $13.6B-$13.9B, MFC sales $6.8B-$7.1B. Says to provide 2018 trend information on October call. Comments from slides that will be presented on the Q2 earnings conference call.

09:49 EDT Goldman Sachs CFO says 'committed in every way' to commodities business - Goldman Sachs CFO Marty Chavez said that in commodities the "market backdrop was challenged. Client activity remained light. And we didn't navigate the market as well as we aspire to or as well as we have in the past." Still, the "firm remains committed in every way to help our clients manage their commodity risks," added Chavez while speaking on the bank's Q2 call.

09:38 EDT Goldman CFO says challenging environment continues in certain businesses - Goldman Sachs CFO Marty Chavez said the first six months of 2017 "reflected improved performance" despite "what continues to be a challenging operating environment in certain businesses." Low levels of volatility have negatively affected the FICC environment, as the current backdrop has been "particularly challenging" for Goldman's FICC franchise, creating headwinds in areas that are core strengths for the firm, explained Chavez. Goldman, a market leader in commodities, saw a "challenging environment on multiple fronts," while in market-making and derivatives client activity levels "understandably declined given the low volatility environment," the CFO added. Chavez continues speaking on the company's Q2 earnings conference call.

09:35 EDT UnitedHealth says will bring down debt to capital ratio early by a full quarter

09:31 EDT Johnson & Johnson says unclear on how biosimilar will impact Remicaid near term

09:30 EDT Fluidigm announces launch of Advanta I-O gene expression assay - Fluidigm announced the launch of the Advanta Immuno-Oncology Gene Expression Assay, an optimized qPCR assay designed for use with the Biomark HD system.

09:26 EDT Osisko announces advisory firms recommend shareholders to approve acquisition - Osisko Gold Royalties announced that Glass Lewis and Co. and Institutional Shareholder Services, two leading independent proxy advisory firms that provide voting recommendations to institutional investors, have recommended that shareholders of Osisko vote IN FAVOUR of the proposed acquisition of the Orion Mine Finance royalty portfolio dated June 5. ISS has also recommended that Osisko shareholders vote FOR the share issuance resolution associated with the Transaction for a number of reasons, including the fact "the proposed transaction makes strategic sense as shareholders might benefit from upside potential of the large royalty package with different advancement levels that maintains the Company's precious metals focus and diversifies the Company's portfolio while keeping low geopolitical risk. Moreover, the proposed transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to the Company's cash flow per share and to double the Company's near-term cash flow.

09:25 EDT H.B. Fuller agrees to purchase Adecol - H.B. Fuller has signed an agreement to purchase adhesives company, Adecol Ind. Quimica, Limitada, a highly respected manufacturer of quality adhesive technologies in Brazil. Adecol works closely with customers to develop innovative, high-quality hot melt, reactive and polymer-based adhesive solutions for customers in the packaging, converting and assembly markets. Based in Guarulhos, Brazil, this business generated nearly $40M in revenue for the 2016 fiscal year. The company has agreed to pay 8X 2016 EBITDA for the business.

09:22 EDT On The Fly: Pre-market Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Novartis (NVS), up 2%... Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), up marginally... UnitedHealth (UNH), up fractionally. ALSO HIGHER: Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR), up 4.5% after reporting data on a study of abuse potential of NKTR-181... Puma Biotechnology (PBYI), up 8.7% after the FDA grants approval of Nerlynx. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Ericsson (ERIC), down 13.2%... Bank of America (BAC), down marginally... Harley-Davidson (HOG), down 9.4%. ALSO LOWER: AMD (AMD), down 4.2% after being downgraded to Underweight from Equal Weight at Barclays.

09:20 EDT Six Flags names Jim Reid-Anderson as chairman, president and CEO - Six Flags Entertainment Corporation announced its board of directors has appointed Jim Reid-Anderson, who has been serving as Executive Chairman of the company since February 2016, as the company's new Chairman, President and CEO effective immediately, replacing John M. Duffey who has retired from the company. Reid-Anderson formerly served as Chairman, President and CEO of Six Flags from August 2010 through February 2016.

09:18 EDT AMC: Wanda does not actively participate in day-to-day running of AMC - "AMC is an American company run from its Leawood, Kansas, headquarters by our management teams located in the U.S. and Europe," said Adam Aron, AMC CEO and President. "Our shares are publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange and our shareholder roster includes some of the biggest U.S.-based institutional investors, as well as Dalian Wanda, which owns a majority of our shares. Wanda has been a terrific shareholder, and we are grateful for Wanda's support of AMC's efforts over the past few years to grow our business, to increase our profitability, to sustain some 45,000 U.S. and European jobs for AMC employees, and to improve the movie going experience for our more than 350 million U.S. and European guests each year. Wanda does not actively participate in the day-to-day running of AMC beyond the Board of Directors service of three Wanda executives side-by-side with six American directors on the AMC Board. Accordingly, recent press reports notwithstanding, we greatly look forward to Wanda's continued support as an AMC shareholder."

09:18 EDT TAT Technologies selected by Thales UK - TAT Technologies announced that the Company was selected by Thales UK, a division of the Thales Group, to design, develop, supply and maintain a thermal management cooling system for a Thales's Radar System for an Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance Helicopter. The program is for the delivery of cooling systems in the next five years, with a potential growth for additional systems in the future.

09:18 EDT AMC: Intercompany transactions between AMC, Wanda 'de minimis' - As previously disclosed on March 10, 2017, on Form 10-K, Wanda routinely reimburses AMC for general administrative and other expense in what are typically immaterial amounts incurred on behalf of Wanda. Total reimbursements of expenses received in the calendar years 2016, 2015 and 2014 respectively from Wanda were $461,000, $738,000 and $1,423,000. Total reimbursements of expenses from Wanda for the twelve-months ending December 31, 2017, are expected to be less than $600,000. Also previously disclosed in the 2016 10-K was Wanda's capital contribution of $10 million to AMC received during February 2017 for one-time payments to certain officer, directors, and other personnel for extraordinary services rendered in connection with merger and acquisition activity in 2016.

09:17 EDT Discovery CEO says media companies must 'disrupt' themselves - In an interview earlier on CNBC, Discovery Communications CEO David Zaslav said the company and its peers have a choice, namely: "We can hold onto our existing business or try and do some of these new forms of content. Or we can figure out how to disrupt ourselves." CNBC has posted a replay of Zaslav's interview to its site. Discovery peers include AMC Networks (AMCX) and Scripps Networks (SNI). Reference Link

09:13 EDT Clear Channel Airports, BGR sign five-year deal for advertising program - Clear Channel Airports, a brand division of Clear Channel Outdoor Americas (COO), and a subsidiary of iHeartMedia (IHRT), announced Bangor International Airport has awarded it a new five-year, exclusive contract to provide a comprehensive digital and print media network. The new program is scheduled for installation this month and will enhance the travel experience for BGR's nearly 500,000 annual passengers by incorporating terminal-wide state of the art advertising solutions. Clear Channel Airports' new advertising program at BGR presents unique advertising solutions for regional businesses to connect with visitors and grow regional commerce. The new advertising elements include: New 82" LCD located at baggage claim; Newly built show cases and product cases; Tension Fabric Displays will be added to all free charging stations located in gate hold areas and to the charging stations in the pre-security areas; Two new large format Tension Fabric Displays will be added at Gate 4; Two new Tension Fabric Displays will be added to Gate 6; Updated theming wraps in baggage claim; and a themed Tension Fabric Display will be added by the ticket counters.

09:11 EDT UnitedHealth says 'too early to speculate' on outcome of healthcare reform - Expects performance momentum to carry forward for balance of year into 2018 and beyond. Says entering 2H17 "in a strong position." Says expects to increase overall Medicare Advantage market share in 2018. Says Optum segments grew revenues by double digit percentage points in Q2. Says OptumRx revenue yield was flat as "we effectively passed on supply chain improvement to our customers." Says pricing "disciplined" and "rational." Says SCA unit performance "slightly ahead of expectations." Expects cash flows from operations of approximately $12B for FY17, an increase of 22.5% over 2016. Says headwinds to 2018 earnings include national, state healthcare policies, funding trends. Says respects complexity of political and social issues of national healthcare reform, too early to speculate on outcome.

09:06 EDT Johnson & Johnson sees FY adj. pre-tax operating margin flat to slightly down - Sees FY17 effective tax rate 19%-20%.

09:04 EDT Guided Therapeutics reopens communications with FDA for LuViva - Guided Therapeutics announced that it has re-opened discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration regarding U.S. premarket approval of the Company's LuViva Advanced Cervical Scan. The company's decision was prompted by a constructive outcome from the company's previous face-to-face meeting with FDA and a perceived more favorable environment for device approvals under the new presidential administration, along with a recent increase in device approvals at the FDA. In connection with the company's plan to re-file for approval of its LuViva Advanced Cervical Scan, it plans on conducting a new clinical study to confirm previous results already submitted to the FDA. In a telephonic meeting with the FDA, the company discussed initiating the process by submitting a new study protocol and discussed the possibility of submitting the study data under FDA's 510(k) de Novo regulations, which, if accepted, could potentially speed up the approval process. The new clinical study is expected take approximately nine months to complete, after which the company would submit the data to the FDA. The company intends on initiating the process by submitting the new study protocol to the FDA within 30 days after funding has been secured. Once final clinical study data has been submitted to the FDA, the FDA will have 180 days to respond with a decision or additional questions.

09:03 EDT Cleantech Solutions retains advisor to evaluate, discuss potential transactions - Cleantech Solutions International announced that the company's board of directors has formed a special committee comprised of three independent directors of the company to evaluate and engage in discussions with ECrent Capital Holdings regarding potential business cooperation between the two companies and a potential acquisition by the company of ECrent. "There can be no assurances that any definitive agreement will be executed relating to the Proposed Transactions, or that the Proposed Transactions or any other transaction will be approved or consummated," Cleantech stated. Shares of micro-cap Cleantech Solutions are up 21c, or 5%, to $4.33 in pre-market trading.

09:02 EDT Rent-A-Center reports June core U.S. SSS down 7.7% - Reports June Core U.S. Same Store Sales: (7.7%); Delinquencies: 7.1%, 60 basis points unfavorable versus prior month; Average Monthly Rate of New Agreements: 5.7% favorable versus prior year; Co-worker Turnover: 86.1% and 19.5 percentage points favorable versus prior year. Reports June Acceptance NOW Same Store Sales: 8.6%; Delinquencies: 8.1%, 90 basis points unfavorable versus prior month. In the Core U.S. segment, June same store sales improved sequentially as the initiatives put in place continue to make a positive impact on the size and quality of the rental portfolio. Delinquencies, which were favorable by 410 basis points versus prior year, were higher sequentially primarily due to seasonality. In addition, while there were some calendar differences on a monthly basis throughout the quarter versus prior year, second quarter 2017 same stores sales were approximately 350 basis points ahead of the low point in fourth quarter 2016. In Acceptance NOW, same store sales remain higher than last year due to a larger portfolio in those respective locations. The growth of the portfolio is being aided by a younger, still maturing store base and stronger average ticket driven by actions taken to optimize the value proposition.

08:57 EDT Nektar says NKTR-181 collaboration discussions 'underway right now' - Nektar Therapeutics said on today's conference call that collaboration discussions are "underway right now" for NKTR-181. The company this morning reported topline results from an oral Human Abuse Potential study of the opioid analgesic. Nektar shares in premarket trading are up 6% to $21.90.

08:52 EDT Johnson & Johnson says continuing to work on options for medical device business - Says Medicaid, managed care discounts led to low Invokana sales in Q2. Comments from Q2 earnings conference call.

08:49 EDT BofA sees issuing less debt in second half than in first half - Bank of America CFO Paul Donofrio said on the company's Q2 call that the bank expects to issue less debt in the second half of 2017 than it has in the first half of the year.

08:42 EDT Sarepta, BioMarin execute global settlement, license agreement - Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT) and BioMarin Pharmaceutical (BMRN) announced that Sarepta and BioMarin executed a license agreement that provides Sarepta Therapeutics with global exclusive rights to BioMarin's DMD patent estate for EXONDYS 51 and all future exon-skipping products. BioMarin retains the right to convert the license to a co-exclusive right in the event it decides to proceed with an exon-skipping therapy for DMD. In addition, Sarepta and BioMarin executed a settlement agreement, resolving the ongoing worldwide patent proceedings related to the use of EXONDYS 51 and all future exon-skipping products for the treatment of DMD. The effectiveness of the agreements is subject to closing conditions including execution of necessary approvals by Academisch Ziekenhuis Leiden by July 24, 2017. Under the terms of the license and settlement agreements, Sarepta will make a one-time payment of $35 million to BioMarin and certain additional regulatory and commercial milestone payments for exons 51, 45, 53 and possibly on future exon-skipping products.

08:38 EDT Kitov Pharma announces results of pre-clinical study of NT-219 - Kitov Pharmaceuticals Holdings announced results of a pre-clinical study demonstrating that NT-219, the lead drug candidate of its subsidiary TyrNovo, in combination with Keytruda, converted non-responding tumors to responders and blocked tumor progression in an immune-oncology preclinical model. The study, conducted in collaboration with researchers at Bar Ilan University and Rabin Medical Center, assessed NT-219's ability to overcome cancer drug resistance in a patient-derived xenograft model of immune-deficient mice, in which a tumor originated from an esophagus cancer biopsy was implanted. The mice were supplemented with immune cells from the same patient. While no response was observed with Keytruda alone or with NT-219 alone, and the tumors aggressively progressed, mice treated concomitantly with a combination of Keytruda and NT-219 demonstrated complete blockage of tumor progression.

08:36 EDT CGI Group selected by LACOE for modernization - CGI announced its selection by the Los Angeles County Office of Education, or LACOE, for the modernization of financial and human resources IT systems that support California's largest Office of Education. Under a US$68.7M, 5-year contract, CGI will deploy its CGI Advantage ERP solution, an enterprise resource planning, or ERP, solution designed specifically for government and educational entities, that will improve access to financial and HR business data, provide a user-friendly interface and allow adaptability to evolving regulations that impact local school districts.

08:34 EDT Granite Construction awarded design-build highway contract by Texas DOT - Granite Construction announced that Grand Parkway Infrastructure, comprised of Granite Construction Company, Ferrovial Agroman US Corp. and Webber, has been awarded the SH-99 Grand Parkway Design-Build Contract for Segments H, I-1, and I-2 by the Texas Department of Transportation. Granite booked its 30% share of the $855M joint venture project into backlog during Q2. Scope of the contract includes the construction of 52.5 miles of highway through Chambers, Harris, Liberty and Montgomery counties. The team is responsible for the construction of 37.5 miles of a tolled two-lane controlled access facility with intermittent four lane sections, new toll lanes and tolling equipment. There are also 74 new bridges along the length of the project and more than 10M yards of earthwork to be moved. Work is scheduled to begin in July and conclude in spring 2022.

08:32 EDT DelMar completes first visit for pivotal Phase 3 Study in Temozolomide-Avastin - DelMar Pharmaceuticals announced the completion of the first site initiation visit at the Dent Neurological Institute for its pivotal Phase 3 Study in Temozolomide-Avastin, or bevacizumab, Recurrent GBM. Site initiation visits are generally the final step before patient enrollment. The STAR-3 GBM trial is an adaptive design, randomized, controlled pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial to assess the efficacy and safety of VAL-083 versus salvage therapy in patients with late-stage glioblastoma multiforme whose disease has progressed following prior treatment with temozolomide and bevacizumab, for whom there is currently no standard-of-care therapy. The primary endpoint of the trial is overall survival of VAL-083 vs. the control arm. The statistical design between the two arms of the study is 90% power, and is proposed to include an interim analysis at 50% events for futility with O'Brien-Fleming superiority boundary and non-binding, gamma futility boundary.

08:30 EDT Calix appoints Matt Collins as chief marketing officer - Calix announced that Matt Collins has joined the company as chief marketing officer, effective immediately. Matt joins Calix from Dun & Bradstreet where, as SVP of global marketing and go-to-market strategy.

08:25 EDT Samsung plans to recover 157 tons of rare metals from Galaxy Note 7s - Samsung Electronics will launch Galaxy Note FE, which minimizes waste of resources by utilizing unopened Galaxy Note 7 and unused parts, and the rest of the recovered products will be recycled and recycled starting this month, the company said in a statement on its Korean site. Samsung Electronics has decided to separate and reuse key reusable components such as OLED display modules, memory semiconductors, and camera modules through eco-friendly processing methods, some of which will be used as service materials and the remaining parts will be sold. In addition, through the recycling and recycling process, it is estimated that about 157 tons of gold, silver, cobalt and copper will be recovered in addition to the parts. Samsung Electronics is planning to cooperate with domestic and foreign companies to extract and recycle electronic parts.

08:14 EDT NetSol Technologies announces new stock repurchase program - NetSol Technologies announced that its board has approved a stock repurchase program that authorizes repurchases of up to 500,000-1M shares of its common stock over the next five months.

08:13 EDT T2 Biosystems receives CE Mark for T2Bacteria Panel - T2 Biosystems announced that it has received a CE Mark for its T2Bacteria Panel, allowing for the sale and distribution of the product within the European Union and those countries accepting the CE Mark. The T2Bacteria Panel runs on the company's proprietary T2Dx Instrument and provides highly accurate species-specific test results of targeted bacterial infections direct from whole blood in as fast as about 3.5 hours, and without the need for a time-consuming blood culture. The T2Bacteria Panel is currently available in the United States for Research Use Only, or RUO, and the company is in the final stages of completing the FDA pivotal trial, after which a 510(k) application will be submitted to the FDA. Patient enrollment in the trial is currently 92% complete and the company is very pleased with the product performance demonstrated to date, which for the prospective arm of the study is showing an average sensitivity of 96% and average specificity of 98%.

08:12 EDT Abeona Therapeutics sees Phase 3 trial commencing in early 2018

08:12 EDT Abeona Therapeutics receives guidance from FDA to commence EB-101 Phase 3 trial - Abeona Therapeutics announced guidance from a recent Type-C meeting with the FDA which has recommended accelerating the EB-101 program into a pivotal Phase 3 trial. The company continues to engage the FDA on the final Phase 3 clinical trial design, planned to commence early 2018, and will provide an update on the program in the coming months. "The FDA guidance is an important milestone in our clinical development plan for EB-101, and we are pleased to be moving forward into a registrational Phase 3 clinical study in 2018. Abeona is committed to advancing innovative gene therapies that address the unmet needs of patients suffering with dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, a devastating rare skin disease. We are grateful that the FDA has recognized EB-101 as a rare disease product that addresses the underlying disease pathology to offer significant therapeutic benefit for RDEB patients, and we look forward to the collective work ahead in advancing this therapy," stated Timothy J. Miller, Ph.D., President and CEO of Abeona. Abeona's EB-101 product is an autologous, ex-vivo gene therapy in which the COL7A1 gene is inserted into a patient's own skin cells for the treatment of the underlying disease in Recessive Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa. The EB-101 program has been granted Orphan Drug and Rare Pediatric Disease Designations from the FDA and Orphan Drug Designation from the European Medicines Agency.

08:10 EDT Aldeyra says last patient dosed in Dry Eye Disease Phase 2a clinical trial - Aldeyra Therapeutics announced that the last patient has completed dosing in Aldeyra's single-center, double-blind, randomized Phase 2a clinical trial of ADX-102 in Dry Eye Disease. Management said, "We look forward to providing data from the trial later this quarter."

08:07 EDT Capricor Therapeutics: FDA grants Rare Pediatric Disease Designation to CAP-1002 - Capricor Therapeutics announced that the U.S. FDA has granted Rare Pediatric Disease Designation to CAP-1002, Capricor's development candidate for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a debilitating genetic disorder characterized by progressive weakness and chronic inflammation of skeletal, heart, and respiratory muscles. The Rare Pediatric Disease Designation, as well as the Orphan Drug Designation previously granted to CAP-1002 by the FDA, covers the broad treatment of DMD. Upon receiving market approval for CAP-1002 by the FDA, Capricor would be eligible to receive a Priority Review Voucher. In April 2017, Capricor announced positive results from its Phase I/II HOPE clinical trial of CAP-1002 in DMD patients with advanced disease. The company recently met with the FDA to discuss potential product registration strategies for this indication, and Capricor plans to commence a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of intravenous, repeat-dose CAP-1002 in boys and young men with Duchenne in the second half of this year, subject to regulatory approval. Capricor expects to report 12-month results from the HOPE Trial in the fourth quarter of 2017.

08:05 EDT Procter & Gamble to accelerate Q4 earnings release to July 27 - The Procter & Gamble Company will webcast a discussion of its fourth quarter earnings results on Thursday, July 27, 2017 beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET. P&G noted the acceleration in earnings release timing is facilitated by the simplification of the company's product portfolio and efficiency improvements in its accounting and review processes. P&G expects future earnings releases to be somewhat accelerated versus prior years. Specific dates of future releases will be announced closer to the timing of those releases.

08:04 EDT Rocket Fuel to be acquired by Sizmek for $2.60 per share in cash - Rocket Fuel (FUEL), announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to be acquired by Sizmek (SZMK), the largest people-based creative optimization and data activation platform delivering impressions that inspire. Sizmek is an affiliate of Vector Capital. Under the terms of the merger agreement with Sizmek, which has been unanimously approved by Rocket Fuel's board of directors, an affiliate of Sizmek will commence a tender offer for all of the outstanding shares of Rocket Fuel's common stock for $2.60 per share in cash. This represents an enterprise value for Rocket Fuel of approximately $145M. The proposed combination with Sizmek brings Rocket Fuel's media optimization and industry leading AI-enabled decisioning to Sizmek's omni-channel creative optimization and data activation platform, marking the next logical step in marketing automation. Combined, the two companies connect more than 20,000 advertisers and 3,600 agencies to audiences in over 70 countries around the globe, and service a client base comprised of an overwhelming majority of the world's most recognized brands and agencies. Under the terms of the merger agreement, Rocket Fuel has a go-shop right to solicit third party alternative acquisition proposals for the next 30 days. Completion of the acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including a majority of the outstanding shares of Rocket Fuel's common stock having been tendered in the tender offer and clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. The parties expect the transaction to be completed in Q3.

08:03 EDT Seagate names Ravi Naik as Chief Information Officer - Seagate Technology announced that Ravi Naik has joined the company as chief information officer. Naik brings more than 25 years of technology leadership experience to Seagate, having led technology deployments and teams at companies around the world, including at SanDisk and HP.

08:01 EDT Rocket Fuel trading halted, news pending

07:47 EDT Jacobs Engineering secures rail project in Malaysia - Jacobs Engineering Group has been awarded the role of Lead Trackwork Design Consultant for the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit Sungai Buloh-Serdang-Putrajaya Line in Malaysia. The KVMRT project involves the construction of a rail-based public transport network comprised of three lines. The SSP Line, which is the second mass rapid transit line to be developed, has an estimated construction cost of approximately $7.6B. Jacobs will work with the China Communications and Construction Company and George Kent Joint Venture, which was awarded the approximately $234M contract for the engineering, procurement, construction, testing and commissioning of track work, maintenance vehicles and work trains on the MRT SSP Line by MRT Corporation. The MRT SSP Line will be approximately 32.4 miles in length, with 8.4 miles of rail in tunnels and the remaining on elevated structures. It will include 26 elevated stations, 11 underground stations and a maintenance depot. The line will serve a corridor with a population of nearly two million people. Jacobs' services include the design of trackwork, emergency walkways, cable containment systems and stray current control systems. The project will be delivered in accordance with international systems engineering and assurance practices to ensure a fully interfaced and compliant design. Jacobs will provide design support services throughout the construction period and use building information modeling to support a fully integrated digital engineering approach.

07:43 EDT Kura Oncology announces issuance of patent for tipifarnib in head, neck cancer - Kura Oncology announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a patent protecting the company's lead product candidate, tipifarnib, which is currently being studied in multiple Phase 2 clinical trials. The patent includes multiple claims directed to the use of tipifarnib in patients with HRAS mutant squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and has an expiration date of August 2036, excluding any possible patent term extension. "Our goal is to identify genetically-defined patient populations in which tipifarnib will demonstrate enhanced therapeutic activity and to pursue patent protection in those indications," said Troy Wilson, Ph.D., President and CEO of Kura Oncology. "The granting of this new patent is a major milestone for Kura, and it illustrates the potential of our broader strategy to generate intellectual property related to tipifarnib and its use in treating human diseases." U.S. Patent No. 9,707,221, entitled "Methods of Treating Cancer Patients with Farnesyltransferase Inhibitors" is directed to the use of tipifarnib for treating patients with relapsed and/or refractory HRAS SCCHN.

07:42 EDT Goldman Sachs reports Q2 Investing & Lending revenues of $1.58B - Net revenues in Investing & Lending were $1.58 billion for the second quarter, 42% higher than the second quarter of 2016 and 8% higher than the first quarter of 2017.

07:41 EDT Goldman Sachs reports Q2 FICC revenues down 40% to $1.16B - Net revenues in Institutional Client Services were $3.05B for the second quarter, 17% lower than the second quarter of 2016 and 9% lower than the first quarter of 2017. Net revenues in Fixed Income, Currency and Commodities Client Execution were $1.16B for the second quarter, 40% lower than the second quarter of 2016, due to significantly lower net revenues in interest rate products, commodities, credit products and currencies, partially offset by higher net revenues in mortgages. During the quarter, Fixed Income, Currency and Commodities Client Execution operated in a challenging environment characterized by low levels of volatility, low client activity and generally difficult market-making conditions. Net revenues in Equities were $1.89B for the second quarter, 8% higher than the second quarter of 2016, primarily due to higher net revenues in equities client execution, reflecting higher results in both cash products and derivatives.

07:38 EDT Goldman Sachs says 'mixed operating environment persisted' into Q2 - Goldman Sachs Chairman and CEO Lloyd Blankfein said, "A mixed operating environment persisted into the second quarter as conditions continued to support underwriting and M&A, while constraining certain market-making activity. Against that backdrop, we produced revenue growth and improved profitability for the first half of 2017, reflecting both the diversity and strength of our global businesses."

07:34 EDT BiondVax to lease facility in Jerusalem BioPark - BiondVax Pharmaceuticals signed an agreement to lease approximately 1800m2 in the Jerusalem BioPark, or JBP, located in the Ein Kerem Hadassah campus, next to Hadassah University Hospitals and Hebrew University's Medical School. The mid-sized facility is planned to have capacity to annually produce tens of millions of doses of M-001 either in single-dose syringe or in bulk. M-001 is designed to provide protection against current and future seasonal and pandemic flu strains. Planning and design of the facility by a leading engineering company has begun, and while construction will begin soon, the agreement calls for BiondVax to begin lease payments in October 2018. Costs of building and operating the facility are partially supported by a previously announced grant from Israel's Ministry of Economy and Industry and a EUR20M agreement with the European Investment Bank.

07:33 EDT Moleculin Biotech signs agreement with MD Anderson cancer center - Moleculin Biotech announced it has signed a new technology license agreement with MD Anderson Cancer Center based on new patent applications it intends to file relating to its drug Annamycin for the treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia, or AML.

07:31 EDT Lockheed Martin raises FY17 outlook

07:14 EDT Citi reports June credit loss 2.40% vs. 2.94% last month - Citi yesterday after the close reported June 30-plus days delinquency rate 1.38% vs. 1.50% last month.

07:09 EDT Lockheed Martin invests $1.1M in contextere - Contextere is pleased to provide details on a recent investment made by Lockheed Martin. The $1.1M investment will allow Contextere, an emerging Artificial Intelligence software company based in Ottawa, Ontario, to design, develop and deliver an intelligent personal agent for aerospace and defense maintenance personnel. The system will be applicable in field service and industrial inspection activities as well as more complex maintenance, repair and overhaul tasks.

07:08 EDT uniQure granted patent covering insect cell-based AAV manufacturing technology - uniQure announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office, or USPTO, has granted a patent for a proprietary invention by uniQure which broadly covers an important component of insect cell-based AAV manufacturing technology. The USPTO issued patent number U.S. 9,708,627, a member of one of uniQure's Hermens patent families, with claims covering the expression of both Rep78 and Rep52 proteins from a Rep78 nucleic acid sequence in insect cells. The newly issued Hermens '627 patent significantly expands uniQure's leading intellectual property portfolio related to large-scale, highly reproducible manufacturing of AAV in insect cells. This patent, which broadens earlier claims granted in this patent family, is based on years of research by uniQure scientists focused on enhancing the genetic stability of the Rep78/52 encoding sequences used to produce AAV vectors in insect cells. The technology covered in the Hermens '627 patent family is currently widely applied in insect cell-based AAV manufacturing.

07:07 EDT Garmin introduces D2 Charlie aviator watch - Garmin International announced the D2 Charlie aviator watch, an elegant and functional timepiece that boasts global navigation information, rich and colorful moving maps and a host of connectivity options. Designed with pilots, aviation enthusiasts and aspiring pilots in mind, the D2 Charlie aviator watch features real-time worldwide weather radar, as well as airport information that includes frequencies, runway information, weather data and more. Garmin Elevate wrist heart rate technology also allows customers to measure heart rate 24/7 alongside daily activity tracking. Whether climbing into the cockpit, playing a round of golf or in the boardroom, using the new QuickFit bands pilots can easily switch between the stylish titanium or leather bands to a sporty silicone band in seconds to suit style preference. The D2 Charlie aviator watch is expected to be available at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, July 24-30, 2017 for a suggested retail price of $799 for the leather band and $999 for the titanium edition. Both versions of the D2 Charlie also come with a sporty silicone band. The D2 Charlie aviator watch also comes with free lifetime aviation database updates.

07:06 EDT Veeva files suit to fight 'unfair business practices that limit employee rights' - Veeva Systems (VEEV) announced it filed a lawsuit in the superior court of California to stop companies' widespread misuse of non-compete, confidentiality, and non-disparagement agreements that restrict employees' basic rights. Clauses in these agreements can materially impact an employee's ability to pursue new job opportunities. Veeva is taking legal action to address the increasing limitations companies are placing on employees. The case can set an important precedent in the enforcement of employment clauses that are illegal in states such as California. Veeva filed suit against three companies, Medidata (MDSO), QuintilesIMS (Q), and Sparta, for using illegal provisions in their employment agreements, including post-termination non-competes and overly broad confidentiality and non-disparagement clauses. All of these provisions make it harder, if not impossible, for employees to change jobs and provide services to California-based employers. The suit asserts that such agreements restrict fair competition and violate California law. Veeva has taken this legal action to protect employees from abusive employment clauses and enable them to freely pursue career opportunities at Veeva. The company competes for employees on the merits of its competitive wages and benefits, work environment, and innovative services and products. It does not require employees to sign non-compete agreements and it will not let a current or past non-compete prevent it from hiring a qualified candidate.

07:05 EDT Garmin introduces solution to ADS-B Out for general aviation - Garmin International, Inca unit of Garmin announced the GDL 82 Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast datalink, the latest addition to the most comprehensive line-up of certified ADS-B solutions available from Garmin. The GDL 82 is a small, lightweight Universal Access Transceiver with built-in GPS that uniquely integrates with the aircraft's existing transponder and transponder antenna. This new, patent-pending installation design allows for a streamlined installation. For aircraft owners looking for a turnkey solution to satisfy the requirements of ADS-B Out in the most economical manner, the GDL 82 is a straightforward path to meet regulatory requirements. The GDL 82, which includes a WAAS antenna and installation kit is expected to be certified and available in Q4 2017 for an expected street price of $1,795.

07:03 EDT Pizza Hut expects to hire 3,000 new drivers through the end of the year - Pizza Hut, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, announced that the company, along with its franchisees, expects to hire nearly 3,000 new drivers a month through the end of the year. The hiring effort will bring in approximately 14,000 new drivers across the system. The new delivery driver hires will include full and part-time positions and are based on the needs of the individual restaurant and market. In addition to increasing its driver fleet, Pizza Hut has developed a "delivery network algorithm" that will change its pizza delivery business.

07:03 EDT Garminintroduces all-in-one portable ADS-B, SiriusXM Aviation receiver - Garmin International (GRMN) announced the GDL 52/51, a series of portable receivers that are capable of receiving Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast traffic and weather, as well as SiriusXM (SIRI) Aviation weather and audio for display and control on select portables and mobile devices. The flagship GDL 52 combines all of these functions into a single device, while the GDL 51 specifically provides SiriusXM1 Aviation weather and audio entertainment.

07:01 EDT FDA designates Mallinckrodt's StrataGraft as RMAT - Mallinckrodt announced that StrataGraft regenerative skin tissue is among the first products to be designated as a Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy by the U.S. FDA under the provisions of the 21st Century Cures Act. The company's investigational, tissue-based therapy is currently under evaluation in a Phase 3 trial to assess its efficacy and safety in the promotion of autologous skin regeneration of complex skin defects due to thermal burns that contain intact dermal elements.

07:01 EDT Harley-Davidson down 3.6% after reporting quarterly results

06:58 EDT Fluor appoints Bruce Stanski as CFO - Fluor announced that Bruce Stanski has been appointed as Fluor's CFO effective Aug. 4, replacing Biggs Porter, whose retirement was previously announced in March. Porter will continue to support Fluor as an advisor on NuScale Power as well as in other capacities. Stanski has served as the president of Fluor's Government Group since March 2009, and under his leadership, has substantially grown Fluor's business in the sale and delivery of value-added services to government agencies including the U.S. Departments of Defense, Energy, State and Homeland Security, as well as the United Kingdom's Nuclear Decommissioning Authority. Prior to joining Fluor, he served as CFO at another company in the engineering and construction sector.

06:51 EDT Insys Therapeutics appoints Andrew Long as CFO - Insys Therapeutics announced that Andrew G. Long has joined the company as CFO, effective August 7. Andrew G. Long is a seasoned finance executive with three decades of experience in the life sciences, bio-pharma and industrial sectors. Long brings to Insys a diverse set of experiences, which he honed at companies known for grooming best-in-class finance talent. His extensive skillset includes: corporate and operational finance, strategy, supply chain, information technology, M&A integration and talent acquisition and development. He most recently served as Senior Vice President of Global Finance at Patheon, from 2015 to 2017, where he worked extensively with their operational finance and corporate team members on a number of initiatives leading up to Patheon's IPO.

06:50 EDT Bank of America reports Q2 adjusted FICC trading revenue $2.3B, down 14% y/y - Excluding net DVA, FICC revenue of $2.3B declined 14% from 2Q16, due to a weaker performance in rates and emerging markets relative to a strong quarter in the prior year.

06:48 EDT Johnson & Johnson CEO 'optimistic' on accelerating sales growth in 2H17 - "Our second-quarter results reflect strong adjusted earnings growth and we are optimistic that the investments we are making will accelerate our sales growth in the second half of this year. Our pharmaceutical pipeline continued its strong momentum with the approval of TREMFYA as well as the submission and approval of several key line extensions," said Alex Gorsky, Chairman and CEO. "The Actelion acquisition establishes a new therapeutic area as well as another engine for growth and we are pleased to welcome the Actelion colleagues to the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies. Together with all of our businesses, we will continue to transform the lives of patients around the world."

06:48 EDT Bank of America reports Q2 NII up 9% to $11B - Net interest income increased 9% to $11.0 billion, reflecting benefits from higher interest rates, as well as loan growth. Noninterest income increased 6% to $11.8 billion, driven primarily by the sale of the nonU.S. consumer credit card business and higher investment banking fees, partially offset by lower gains from the sale of debt securities and lower equity investment income. Provision for credit losses improved 26% to $726 million from $976 million. Net charge-offs declined 8% to $908 million from $985 million; the net charge-off ratio declined to 0.40% from 0.44%. Noninterest expense rose 2% to $13.7 billion. Efficiency ratio improved to 60%. Average loan balances in business segments rose $39 billion, or 5%, to $827 billion. eturn on average assets of 0.93%; return on average common equity of 8.0%; return on average tangible common equity of 11.2%. Book value per share rose 5% to $24.88; tangible book value per share. rose 6% to $17.78. Reports global banking revenue of $5B, global markets sales and trading revenue of $3.2B; excluding net DVA, sales and trading revenue down 9% vs. strong 2Q16.

06:36 EDT Medidata reports adjusted subscription backlog $223M as of June 30 - An increase of $34M, or 18%, compared with $189M a year ago.

06:31 EDT Lindsay names Timothy Hassinger as new CEO, effective October 16 - Lindsay (LNN) announced the appointment of Timothy Hassinger as president and CEO and a member of its board of directors, effective October 16. Hassinger will succeed President and CEO Rick Parod, who previously announced he is retiring later this year after 17 years of service to the company. Hassinger currently serves as President and CEO of Dow AgroSciences (DOW), headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.

06:00 EDT UnitedHealth reports Q2 OptumRx revenue up 5.1% to $15.8B - OptumRx fulfilled 322 million adjusted scripts in second quarter 2017, an increase of 16 million scripts or 5.2 percent over the prior year. OptumInsight revenues grew 13.1 percent year-over-year to $2.0 billion in second quarter 2017, driven by growth in revenue management and business process services. OptumInsight contract backlog grew by $2.1 billion or 18.6 percent year-over-year, ending the quarter at $13.4 billion. "Continued strong revenue growth from new business and exceptional customer retention reflects the confidence customers place in our commitment to and effectiveness in meeting their health care needs," said Stephen J. Hemsley, CEO of UnitedHealth Group.

05:55 EDT ADTRAN signs supply agreement in Australia - ADTRAN announced the signing of a supply agreement to advance high-speed broadband access to the citizens of Australia. The executed supply agreement covers software, hardware and services, which includes commitments from both companies to support the ongoing nationwide network rollout. To date, a number of key milestones have already been completed and both companies successfully completed a GPON network interoperability proof-of-concept program of work. In addition, ADTRAN IT specialists have been working in a collaborative, agile development process with nbn's IT team to implement ADTRAN's standards-based, multi-vendor DPU management solution, utilizing an open microservices architecture.

05:50 EDT Stratasys selected by Airbus to 3D print polymer serial flying A350 XWB parts - Stratasys Direct Manufacturing, a subsidiary of Stratasys (SSYS), has been chosen by Airbus (EADSY) to produce 3D printed polymer parts for use on A350 XWB aircraft. The company will print non-structural parts such as brackets, and other parts used for system installation, on Stratasys FDM production 3D Printers using ULTEM 9085 material. The project will help Airbus achieve greater supply chain flexibility and improve cost competitiveness, while leveraging on reduced material consumption and waste.

05:47 EDT Ericsson sees estimated negative impact on operating income of SEK 3B-SEK 5B - Ericsson sees an increased risk of further market and customer project adjustments with an estimated negative impact on operating income of SEK 3B-SEK 5B for the coming 12 months. Due to technology and portfolio shifts capitalization of costs will be reduced and is estimated to result in a net negative impact on operating income of SEK -2.9B. in the second half 2017, with no impact on cash.

05:38 EDT BrainStorm announces agreements with Massachusetts General Hospital, CPMC - BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics announced that it has signed definitive agreements with Massachusetts General Hospital and California Pacific Medical Center, or CPMC, to enroll patients in the planned Phase 3 clinical trial of NurOwn in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, pending FDA and Institutional Review Board approvals. Drs. Merit Cudkowicz and Robert G. Miller, both Key Opinion Leaders in ALS, have agreed to participate as investigators at Mass. General and CPMC, respectively.

05:35 EDT Trump calls on GOP to 'just repeal' Affordable Care Act, work on new plan - President Trump tweeted last night, "Republicans should just REPEAL failing ObamaCare now & work on a new Healthcare Plan that will start from a clean slate. Dems will join in!" Publicly traded companies in the Insurance space include Aetna (AET), Anthem (ANTM), Centene (CNC), Cigna (CI), Health Net (HNT), Humana (HUM), Molina Healthcare (MOH), UnitedHealth (UNH) and WellCare (WCG). Publicly traded companies in the Hospital space include Community Health (CYH), HCA Holdings (HCA), LifePoint (LPNT), Tenet (THC) and Universal Health (UHS). Trump's tweet followed news of two more Republicans publicly coming out against the GOP's healthcare replacement bill.

05:24 EDT PG&E issues statement on approval of Cap-and-Trade legislation - Pacific Gas and Electric issued the following statement on the California legislature approving a comprehensive bill package that extends the Cap-and-Trade program through 2030. "PG&E applauds the leadership of the Governor and state legislature on addressing climate change. Approval of the joint Cap-and-Trade proposal puts achievement of the state's historic climate goals within striking distance. We believe this represents the right balance of taking a sustainable cost-effective approach to achieving greenhouse gas emissions reductions while providing strong consumer protections. California has left no question that it is embracing its leadership role and moving full speed ahead to decarbonize our state's economy and ensure that a clean energy future is accessible and affordable for everyone," said Geisha Williams, CEO and President of PG&E.