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

19:16 EDT Hershey Company to acquire 1.5M common shares from Hershey Trust - The Hershey Company announced that it has agreed to purchase 1,500,000 shares of its common stock from Hershey Trust Company, as Trustee for the Milton Hershey School Trust, for approximately $159M, or $106 per share.

18:46 EDT Amgen: Lancet Oncology publishes survival analysis from KYPROLIS Phase 3 trial - Amgen announced that results from an overall survival analysis of the Phase 3 head-to-head ENDEAVOR trial were published online first in The Lancet Oncology. Data showed that KYPROLIS administered at 56 mg/m2 twice weekly and dexamethasone reduced the risk of death by 21% over Velcade and dexamethasone, resulting in a 7.6 month OS benefit (median OS 47.6 months for Kd56 versus 40.0 for Vd, HR=0.79; p=0.01). The OS benefit was consistent regardless of prior Velcade therapy (HR=0.75 for no prior Velcade; HR=0.84 for prior Velcade). This Kd56 regimen is already approved in the U.S., European Union and other countries based on the primary analysis of progression-free survival in the ENDEAVOR study. "These results showed KYPROLIS and dexamethasone significantly reduced the risk of death compared to Velcade and dexamethasone in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma," said study co-author and investigator Meletios A. Dimopoulos, M.D., professor of Clinical Therapeutics at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine. "These results support the use of KYPROLIS and dexamethasone as a standard of care for multiple myeloma patients at first relapse."

17:44 EDT Hudbay Minerals acquires 10.76M common shares of Mason Resources - Hudbay Minerals announced that it has acquired ownership of 10,755,170 common shares of Mason Resources Corp. at a purchase price of C$0.26 per Share for total consideration of C$2,796,344. The shares acquired by Hudbay were purchased over the Toronto Stock Exchange and represent approximately 13.8% of the issued and outstanding Shares. As a result of the investment, Hudbay now owns and has control over 10,854,170 Shares, representing approximately 13.9% of the issued and outstanding Shares. The acquisition of the Shares is being made for investment purposes. Hudbay may in the future increase or decrease its ownership of Shares from time to time depending upon the business and prospects of Mason, future market conditions and Hudbay's investment objectives.

17:29 EDT On The Fly: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Guess (GES), up 12.2%... Williams-Sonoma (WSM), up 7%... Tilly's (TLYS), up 6.8%... PVH Corp. (PVH), up 3.5%. ALSO HIGHER: YuMe (YUME), up 4.9% after it confirmed that it is in talks regarding a potential transaction with RhythmOne. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: HP Inc. (HPQ), down 1.1%... Heico (HEI), down 1%. ALSO LOWER: Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT), down 3% after it filed a $125M mixed securities shelf.

17:20 EDT L3 Technologies awarded $172.9M government contract modification - L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace LLC, Madison, Mississippi, is being awarded $172,984,042 for modification to exercise an option to a previously awarded firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery, requirements contract. This option provides for organizational, intermediate, and depot level maintenance, logistics, and engineering to support and maintain 201 Navy T-45 Goshawk aircraft, aircraft systems, and related support equipment to support flight and test and evaluation operations. Work is expected to be completed September 2018. No funds will be obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated on individual delivery orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity.

17:18 EDT Raytheon awarded approximately $900M government contract - Raytheon Co., Tucson, Arizona, has been awarded an approximately $900M cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for the Long Range Standoff weapon's technology maturation and risk reduction acquisition phase. The contract supports replacement of the AGM-86B air-launched cruise missile. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona and is expected to be completed by 2022. Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity. Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center, Air Delivered Capabilities Directorate, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity.

17:11 EDT HP Inc. sees Samsung deal closing in Q4 - HP Inc. (HPQ) said it saw slight market share gain in Office Printing segment in Q2, slight market share loss in Home Printing segment in Q2. Says making progress in strategic growth areas. Says Graphics business grew y/y in constant currency for 16th consecutive quarter. Sees Samsung (SSNLF) Printing deal closing in Q4 of 2017.

17:08 EDT TransDigm declares special dividend of $22.00 per share - TransDigm has authorized and declared a special cash dividend of $22.00 on each outstanding share of common stock and cash dividend equivalent payments under options granted under its stock option plans. The record date for the special dividend is September 5 and the payment date for the dividend is September 12.

16:59 EDT Guess up 10% to $13.70 after Q2 results top estimates, FY18 guidance raised

16:56 EDT HP Inc. raises FY17 free cash flow view to at least $3B from $2.3B-$2.6B - Guidance taken from slides to be presented on Q3 earnings conference call.

16:37 EDT Whole Foods-Amazon deal gets FTC clearance - Bruce Hoffman, the Acting Director of the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Competition, issued this statement on the Commission's decision not to further pursue an investigation of Amazon.com's (AMZN) acquisition of Whole Foods Market (WFM). "The FTC conducted an investigation of this proposed acquisition to determine whether it substantially lessened competition under Section 7 of the Clayton Act, or constituted an unfair method of competition under Section 5 of the FTC Act. Based on our investigation we have decided not to pursue this matter further. Of course, the FTC always has the ability to investigate anticompetitive conduct should such action be warranted."

16:33 EDT Scott Emett Lamacraft reports 7.3% passive stake in CounterPath

16:33 EDT Heico sees half of FY17 growth generated organically - Management said, "With respect to the remainder of fiscal 2017, we now estimate high-single digit growth in the Electronic Technologies Group's net sales over fiscal 2016 levels, and anticipate the full year Electronic Technologies Group's operating margin to approximate 26%. Further, we continue to estimate that approximately half our fiscal 2017 growth will be generated organically. These estimates include our pending acquisition of AAT, but exclude any other additional acquired businesses, if any."

16:30 EDT Amazon-Whole Foods deal cleared by FTC - Reference Link

16:24 EDT Patterson Dental, Align Technology reach distribution pact over iTero system - Patterson Dental, a business unit of Patterson Companies (PDCO), and Align Technology (ALGN) announced a distribution agreement for Align's iTero Element intraoral scanning system. This agreement expands Patterson's portfolio of CAD/CAM products with iTero scanner's proven digital technology and superior Invisalign experience and tools. The iTero scanner enables dentists to scan in as little as 60 seconds, visualize changes in dentition, and perform restorative and orthodontic workflows that enhance their patient care and help them grow their practice. The iTero scanner will be available to dental customers through Patterson Dental in the U.S. and Canada beginning in September 2017. The distribution agreement is non-exclusive. Additional details of the agreement are confidential.

16:22 EDT Atwood Oceanics in new pact with employees of Australian unit - Atwood Oceanics announced that the offshore employees of its Australian operating subsidiary have approved a new four year Enterprise Bargaining Agreement. Among other provisions, the EBA provides clarity on working conditions for Atwood Oceanics' Australian offshore employees and resets wage levels to better align with current offshore drilling industry market conditions. The EBA will take effect upon the expiry of the nominal term of the current EBA on 24 November 2017, once it is approved by the Australian Fair Work Commission. Rob Saltiel, President and Chief Executive Officer of Atwood Oceanics, commented, "We are very pleased that our Australian offshore employees have ratified the new EBA. This is an agreement which has been developed after constructive negotiations with the employees directly affected, as occurred with our previous EBAs. Through application of cost reduction initiatives and innovative approaches to offshore employment, this agreement will reduce offshore personnel costs by more than 19% in its first year and will allow Atwood Oceanics to provide our clients in Australia superior drilling services at more competitive day rates over the next years. We have operated in Australia since 1972, and we look forward to a bright future in this important offshore energy market." Atwood Oceanics, Inc. is a leading offshore drilling contractor engaged in the drilling and completion of exploratory and developmental wells for the global oil and gas industry.

16:18 EDT CenturyLink's acquisition of Level 3 approved by New Jersey - CenturyLink's (CTL) pending acquisition of Level 3 (LVLT) has been approved by the State of New Jersey . With the New Jersey approval, California is the only state that has yet to approve or clear the acquisition. The transaction remains subject to the company receiving various regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. Century Link continues to work with the California Public Utilities Commission and federal regulatory agencies to secure the remaining approvals necessary to reach the target transaction closing date at the end of Q3.

16:13 EDT HP Inc.:Q3 Printing net revenue was up 6% year over year - Printing net revenue was up 6% year over year with a 17.3% operating margin. Total hardware units were up 1% with Commercial hardware units flat and Consumer hardware units up 1%. Supplies net revenue was up 10%.

16:11 EDT Misonix appoints Joseph Dwyer to CFO - Misonix announced that Joseph Dwyer has been appointed as CFO. Dwyer has been serving as interim CFO of Misonix since September 2016. Dwyer's last CFO job was from November 2012 until June 2015, he was CFO of Virtual Piggy.

16:08 EDT ImmunoCellular to refocus resources on Stem-to-T-Cell research program - ImmunoCellular Therapeutics announced that it plans to continue strategies to refocus and reallocate its available resources on its promising Stem-to-T-Cell research program. ImmunoCellular's Stem-to-T-Cell program is designed to provide a novel method of harnessing the immune system to manufacture antigen-specific killer T cells that target and destroy cancer cells and provide long-term immuno-surveillance against tumor recurrence. The Stem-to-T-Cell platform has the potential to address many types of cancer, including both solid and hematological tumors. Key anticipated near-term milestones in this program include: completion of loading of the T cell receptor DNA sequence into a viral vector during the third quarter of 2017 and transfection of the human hematopoietic stem cells by the loaded viral vector during the fourth quarter of 2017. These transfected stem cells are anticipated to ultimately be able to produce an unlimited supply of killer T cells bearing the desired T cell receptor. The killer T cells are designed to specifically target and destroy tumor cells. This phase of the Stem-to-T-Cell development is an important component of the proof-of-concept work for this technology. Once proof-of-concept has been established, ImmunoCellular can progress to testing in preclinical models. The Company is in the process of making significant reductions in its operating costs. Besides the previously announced suspension of the phase 3 registration trial of ICT-107 the Company is in the process of reducing its operating expenses through personnel and facility reductions. The Company plans to improve its liquidity by obtaining additional financing through the issuance of financial instruments such as equity and warrants or through the receipt of grants and awards. Additionally, the Company continues to evaluate its strategic alternatives, which may include a potential merger, consolidation, reorganization or other business combination, as well as the sale of the Company or the Company's assets.

16:02 EDT Amgen: JAMA Cardiology publishes results from new Repatha economic analysis - Amgen announced results from a new Repatha economic analysis published in the Journal of the American Medical Association Cardiology. The study identifies the clinical and economic consequences of treating a population of patients at high-risk of cardiovascular events and defines the cost-effectiveness of Repatha under various clinical scenarios. The analysis is based on the clinical outcomes from the Repatha outcomes study (FOURIER) in patients with established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, such as those who have already had a heart attack or stroke who require additional therapy. The authors include the world's leading cardiologists from UCLA and the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction Study Group, an academic research organization of Brigham & Women's Hospital and an Affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Repatha was found to be a cost-effective treatment for patients with established ASCVD in the U.S. when the net price is at or below $9,669 per year. While there are no formally established cost-effectiveness thresholds in the U.S., this study utilized thresholds employed by the World Health Organization and the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association. This estimate of the value-based price range for Repatha is in line with the discount range typical for biologic medicines in the U.S. market when applied to the U.S. list price of Repatha. Repatha delivers even greater value to patients at higher risk as the cost-effectiveness is a function of disease severity and the risk of events. Several clinical scenarios were explored to determine whether Repatha is worth the investment, including event rates seen in real world clinical practice settings, as well as event rates seen in the actual outcomes trial, and in patients who have higher baseline LDL levels. The researchers determined that to remain below generally accepted cost-effectiveness thresholds in a typical U.S. ASCVD population ($150,000 per quality adjusted life year (QALY)), the annual net price for Repatha would need to be at or below $9,669. Targeting the more severe clinical practice population with baseline LDL levels greater than or equal to100 mg/dL despite maximal intensity statin therapy reveals that an annual net price of $13,225 is cost-effective. In a population with event rates seen in the Repatha outcomes study, $6,780 is cost-effective.

15:44 EDT Optical components suppliers move higher in late day trade - A late day move higher in a number of optical components suppliers, including Oclaro (OCLR), Lumentum (LITE), Acacia Communications (ACIA) and Applied Optoelectronics (AAOI), may be related to a Chinese language report that is said to discuss a tender for projects announced by China Mobile (CHL), according to trading contacts. Reference Link

14:46 EDT Target names Minsok Pak chief strategy and innovation officer - Target announced the appointment of Minsok Pak as executive vice president, chief strategy and innovation officer. Pak will be responsible for Target's enterprise strategy development and retail innovation with the goal of enhancing the guest experience and accelerating growth. He will also oversee business development for the company, including mergers, acquisitions, partnerships and joint venture initiatives. He will report to Target Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brian Cornell, and serve as a member of Target's Leadership Team. Pak has two decades of experience with McKinsey & Company, where he held various leadership roles and worked with leading global retail and consumer companies. Pak will join Target in Minneapolis on September 11, 2017.

14:26 EDT Catalyst granted European patent related to macular degeneration treatment - The patent was granted to Catalyst Biosciences on August 23, according to a post to the site of the European Patent Office. Reference Link

14:17 EDT PetMed Express says reviewing 'all legal options' in response to short report

14:14 EDT James R. Smail reports 6.08% stake in Farmers National Banc

13:40 EDT Airline shares clobbered after Iceland's WOW escalates trans-Atlantic rumble - Shares of major U.S. airlines are outpacing losses in the transport index after Iceland's budget airline WOW Air announced service from four U.S. Midwest cities on Wednesday. The budget airlines latest move will give it a total of 12 U.S. destinations. WOW's new routes from Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and St. Louis will start in the spring. One-way fares to Iceland will start at $99.99 from all four cities. Connecting flights to WOW's other European destinations starting at $149.99. This announcement is the latest escalation in the low-cost competition battle over the Atlantic with U.S. network carriers. "We like the region. We think there's opportunity there. We think it's under-served," WOW Air CEO Skuli Mogensen said in an interview with USA Today's Sky blog, adding that the company is "very data driven" in seeking out prospective new markets. RUMBLE OVER THE ATLANTIC: According to an article from Investor's Business Daily, this past winter, the competition for the trans-Atlantic market is heating up. According to IBD, Delta (DAL), American (AAL), and United (UAL) control about one-third of the trans-Atlantic market, accounting for 10%-15% of their revenue. Carriers are gaining efficiency because of the new fuel-efficient, narrow-body jets, which are making it more feasible for carriers to offer low-cost long distance flights. Boeing is looking to regain narrow-body market share with its 737 Max narrow-body model, which was launched later than the Airbus narrowbody, the A320. PRICE ACTION: Shares of American, Alaska Air (ALK), Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines (LUV) and United Continental (UAL) are all down between 2%-3% in afternoon trading.

13:17 EDT PetMed Express tells Bloomberg Aurelius report 'false and defamatory' - In response to an earlier report from Aurelius Value that accused PetMed Express of "efforts to aggressively market dangerous painkillers to human opiate addicts and drug users," the company's CFO Bruce Rosenbloom told Bloomberg that the report was "false and defamatory," that PetMed "categorically denies the allegations and implications" and that PetMed will defend itself "vigorously." Shares of Petmed Express are down about 11% in afternoon trading. Reference Link

13:05 EDT Samsung Galaxy Note8 coming to Sprint for $20 a month - Sprint (S) announced the arrival of Samsung Galaxy Note8 (SSNLF) with an new offer. Under the terms of the offer, customers switching to Sprint get 50% off the lease price and pay just $20.00 per month with $0 down with 18 Sprint Flex payments. Galaxy Forever allows upgrades any time to the latest Galaxy after just 12 Sprint Flex payments, exclusively from Sprint. Customers who get Galaxy Note8 through Sept. 24 will receive their choice of a free Galaxy Foundation kit with a Samsung 128GB EVO+ memory card and Fast Wireless Charging Convertible or a free Samsung Gear 360 camera. Preorder begins Thursday, Aug. 24, with devices shipping as soon as Sept. 5. Galaxy Note8 will be available in Orchid Gray and Midnight Black at all Sprint stores, sprint.com and 1-800-Sprint1 on Sept. 15. It will be compatible with the new Gear VR with Controller, which will also be available from Sprint beginning on Sept. 15 for $129.99.

12:47 EDT Sabby Management reports 7.4% passive stake in CEL-SCI

11:54 EDT Consumers Union praises McDonald's plan to limit antibiotics by suppliers - Consumers Union, the policy and mobilization division of Consumer Reports, "praised McDonald's far reaching policy announced today to limit the use of antibiotics by its global chicken and beef suppliers. The consumer group has urged fast food chains to bar the routine use of antibiotics on healthy animals by their meat and poultry suppliers, a practice that medical experts have warned is making these drugs less effective for treating disease in people." "The widespread use of antibiotics on livestock that aren't sick is contributing to a global public health crisis with potentially dire consequences," said Jean Halloran, Director of Food Policy Initiatives at Consumers Union. "McDonald's plan is a bold vision that will help preserve the effectiveness of these critical medications to fight infections and keep us healthy. If fully implemented, it could be a total game changer that could transform the marketplace given the company's massive buying power." Over the past three years, Consumers Union has joined with a number of other organizations, including the Center for Food Safety, Food Animals Concerns Trust, Friends of the Earth, Natural Resources Defense Council, and USPIRG to urge the major fast food chains to stop selling meat and poultry raised on antibiotics. Reference Link

11:45 EDT Phoenix Holdings reports 7.63% passive stake in Allot Communications

11:39 EDT Phoenix Holdings reports 8.97% passive stake in RADA Electronic

11:35 EDT Before the Move: Watch Abercrombie & Fitch ahead of Q2 earnings report - Shares of Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) moved higher after peer American Eagle Outfitters (AEO) reported better than expected quarterly amid a trend of disappointing results in the retail sector. Abercrombie & Fitch is scheduled to report Q2 earnings before market open on August 24. AMERICAN EAGLE EARNINGS: Before the market open on Wednesday, American Eagle reported adjusted earnings per share of 19c on revenue of $845M, handily beating analysts' estimates of 16c and $824.04M, respectively. Consolidated comparable sales were up 2%, following a 3% increase last year.The company forecast Q3 EPS of 36c-38c, at the low end of analysts' 38c consensus, on flat to up low single digit SSS. CEO Jay Schottenstein noted on the earnings call that AE's store fleet is "largely profitable" and, despite a slower start to Q2, the company saw demand strengthen in June and July. ABERCROMBIE: In May, Abercrombie & Fitch said it expected comp sales to remain challenging in Q2, with trends improving in the second half of the year. The company also expected a continued adverse impact from foreign currency on sales and operating income and predicted a gross margin rate down slightly vs. last year, with continued pressure in Q2. During the quarter, Abercrombie announced plans to launch its namesake brand and abercrombie kids on Tmall. In July, Abercrombie said it had decided to end talks with parties interested in a potential deal to buy the company. The decision came after Abercrombie said in May that it was in preliminary discussions with several parties, with American Eagle and Cerberus Capital rumored to be working on a joint offer. "The A&F board of directors determined that the best path to enhance value for stockholders is the rigorous execution of our business plan," Abercrombie Executive Chairman Arthur Martinez said at the time. Prior to that, Abercrombie investor SLS Management said the retailer was not being "aggressive enough" in its turnaround efforts and called on the company to buy back a "large" amount of its shares. PEERS: Many mall-based retailers like Abercrombie & Fitch, have been hurt by the slowdown of mall traffic reflecting a shift to fast-fashion retailers like Zara, Forever 21 and H&M as well as an increase in online shopping on sites such as Amazon (AMZN). Urban Outfitters (URBN) recently reported a quarterly earnings beat, though its comp sales declined. "While we are disappointed in our second quarter performance, we have a number of initiatives underway including: speed to customer, international growth, wholesale expansion and digital investments," CEO Richard Hayne said. Macy's (M), Kohl's (KSS) both reported declining quarterly comp sales, though Kohl's EPS and revenue narrowly beat estimates. J.C. Penney (JCP) reported a larger than expected loss for the latest quarter, with its comp sales dropping 1.3%. Gap's (GPS) quarterly results, including comp sales, beat analysts' expectations, helped by Old Navy, a consistent bright spot for the retailer, as well as fewer promotions. Nordstrom (JWN) said in June that members of its founding family formed a group to explore the possibility of pursuing a "going private" transaction, but WWD recently said that the retailer is not in negotiations with "anybody" regarding a potential sale. PRICE ACTION: Shares of Abercrombie & Fitch are up 4.8% to $9.59 in morning trading. "Before the Move" is The Fly's recurring series of exclusive stories that identify potentially market moving events, along with analyst predictions, ahead of the news.

11:28 EDT MKM Partners bullish on Chinese e-commerce companies - MKM Partners was upbeat on two Chinese e-commerce companies today, upgrading JD.com (JD) to Buy from Neutral and raising its price target on Alibaba (BABA) to $220 from $177. JD A BUY: JD.com shares have retreated due to worries about the company's margins and competition, according to MKM analyst Rob Sanderson. However, the Chinese e-commerce market is large enough to support two strong players, and JD should benefit from strong consumption trends and the robust growth of e-commerce in China, he stated. Although JD.com has historically had low margins, its gross margins are starting to rebound, enabling it to begin to reach "sustained profitability," Sanderson wrote. Despite the fact that JD.com offered significant discounts in the second quarter, its gross margins from direct sales rose by more than 0.5 percentage points, according to Sanderson, who expects the company's gross margins to rise 0.1 percentage points this year, 0.2 percentage points in 2018, adding that these estimates are "conservative." With 260M active customers, JD.com has sufficient scale to succeed, and its direct sales to consumers differentiate it from Alibaba, which uses a third party model, according to Sanderson. MKM's surveys have found that 20% of Chinese consumers prefer the direct sales model. He raised his price target on the shares to $51 from $33. ALIBABA: Proclaiming that the company has the best fundamentals of "all mega-cap Internet stocks," Sanderson raised his estimate of the company's e-commerce business growth this year to 50% from his previous estimate of a 47% increase. The company is benefiting from its 60% margin, "strong secular trends, and dominant market position," according to Sanderson. Additionally, the analyst says that the company's markets appear to be accelerating, while its traffic growth and personalization are enabling it to improve its monetization significantly. Moreover, Sanderson is upbeat on the company's cloud business, saying that the move to the cloud is at an earlier stage in China than in the U.S. and that there may be less competition among cloud vendors in China than in the West. Finally, Sanderson thinks that the company should benefit from the growth of e-commerce in Southeast Asia, which is just beginning, while it may boost its results by selling more ads. He kept a Buy rating on the stock. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, JD.com rose 1.8% to $42.90 and Alibaba slipped 0.25% to $174. The latter stock reached a new all-time high of $176.23 earlier in the session.

11:13 EDT RhythmOne confirms talks regarding potential acquisition of YuMe - RhythmOne plc notes the recent press speculation and confirms that it is in discussions regarding the potential acquisition of YuMe Inc. "Given the nature of the discussions, there can be no certainty that any transaction will proceed. A further announcement will be made in due course if and when appropriate," RhythmOne stated in its notice to the London Stock Exchange.

10:33 EDT Amazon files trademark application related to domain registry operator services - Reference Link

10:09 EDT Analysts bullish on Fiat Chrysler break-up potential - This morning, both Jefferies and Morgan Stanley upped their price targets for Fiat Chrysler (FCAU), citing the company's break-up potential. This follows recent media reports saying China's Great Wall Motor is interested in acquiring part or all of Fiat Chrysler, and that the latter is considering spinoffs of its Maserati and Alfa Romeo brands, as well as its components operations. GREAT WALL INTEREST: According to several media reports, China's Great Wall Motor is said to be interested in acquiring part or all of Fiat Chrysler, with the company said to be expressing a specific interest in the Jeep business. The company, which said it has not been contacted by Great Wall and is currently focused on its five-year business plan, is seeking a partner or buyer to assist in managing costs, complying with regulations and developing electric and autonomous technology, Reuters said. Meanwhile, a report by Bloomberg said Fiat Chrysler is considering spinoffs of its Maserati and Alfa Romeo brands, as well as its components operations. The spinoffs would allow the automaker to focus on mass-market cars to make it "more attractive for a potential combination with a competitor," sources told the publication. BREAK-UP POTENTIAL: In a research note to investors, Jefferies analyst Philippe Houchois raised his price target for Fiat Chrysler to $19 from $14, citing his view of the increased probability of changes to the group's structure. The analyst noted that China's Great Wall and Fiat Chrysler "seem to be sizing each other up," and while political objections are a given should a deal proceed, these can be managed in a transaction that has no national security implications. Additionally, Houchois told investors that the idea of an independent Maserati/Alfa-Romeo is "growing on" him, while reiterating a Buy rating on the stock. Meanwhile, his peer at Morgan Stanley also raised his price target for Fiat Chrysler to EUR15 from EUR14 to reflect the Maserati spinoff opportunity. Analyst Adam Jonas told investors in a research note of his own this morning that he sees potential for Maserati to be a stand-alone entity - entwined with Alfa Romeo - by the end of 2018, and forecasts Maserati sales to double by 2027. The analyst also pointed out that Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne's recent comments have "very clearly opened the door for potential separation of some of its businesses." He reiterated an Overweight rating on Fiat Chrysler shares. Yesterday, Jonas had commented on the Great Wall Motor's news, saying his "conservative value" puts the Jeep brand at 132% of Fiat Chrysler's total share price. Further, the analyst said he sees the Jeep and Ram brands as having a total value of nearly twice the entire market cap of Fiat Chrysler. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading in New York, shares of Fiat Chrysler have gained 5% to $14.14. Over the last month the stock has now jumped about 20%.

09:46 EDT Huntington Ingalls awarded contract to repair USS Fitzgerald - Huntington Ingalls Industries announced that its Ingalls Shipbuilding division has been selected to repair the guided missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald when it returns to the United States. The ship will be brought to Ingalls' facilities in Pascagoula for the repairs.

09:34 EDT Lowe's says adding incremental labor to weekends, high traffic times during week - Says trying to retain seasonal labor.

09:24 EDT American Eagle says continuing to evaluate store fleet - Says continuing to evaluate store fleet, will close stores in markets where retailer is overstored.

09:18 EDT On The Fly: Pre-market Movers - HIGHER: Intra-Cellular Therapies (ITCI), up 31% after reporting it is moving forward with its long-term safety study of lumateperone and intends to submit a new drug application for the treatment of schizophrenia by mid-2018 following the company's meetings with the FDA... Paratek Pharmaceuticals (PRTK), up 24% after Bloomberg reported that the company is exploring its strategic options, including a possible sale... Fiat Chrysler (FCAU), up 4% after Bloomberg reported that the carmaker is considering spinoffs of its Maserati and Alfa Romeo brands, as well as its components operations. UP AFTER EARNINGS: Express (EXPR), up 16%... American Eagle (AEO), up 11%. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Lowe's (LOW), down 4%. Shares of peer Home Depot (HD) are down about 1% in sympathy... La-Z-Boy (LZB), down 18%... Cree (CREE), down 10%. ALSO LOWER: Ultragenyx (RARE), down 12% after the company said it plans to discontinue further clinical development of Ace-ER after a Phase 3 study did not achieve its primary endpoint of demonstrating a statistically significant difference in the upper extremity muscle strength composite score compared to placebo.

09:16 EDT Celldex announces enrollment completion in Phase 2b METRIC study - Celldex Therapeutics announced that patient enrollment has been completed in the company's Phase 2b METRIC study of glembatumumab vedotin in patients with metastatic triple negative breast cancers that overexpress gpNMB. The METRIC study is a randomized Phase 2b study of glembatumumab vedotin in patients with metastatic triple negative breast cancers that overexpress gpNMB. In this indication, overexpression is defined as greater than or equal to 25% of tumor cells testing positive for gpNMB. Patients are randomized 2 to 1 to either glembatumumab vedotin or to capecitabine, also known by the tradename Xeloda, as a comparator. In total, 327 patients were enrolled into METRIC. The primary endpoint of the study is progression-free survival, which is defined as the time from randomization to the earlier of disease progression or death due to any cause. The study calls for 203 progression events for evaluation of the primary endpoint, which will be assessed based on an independent, central reading of patient scans. The sum of the data, including the secondary endpoints of response rate, overall survival, duration of response and safety, will be important in assessing clinical benefit. The company projects that topline primary endpoint data should be available in the second quarter of 2018, but it could occur earlier or later based on the rate of events in the study.

09:13 EDT Diana Containerships announces one-for-seven reverse stock split - Diana Containerships announced that its Board of Directors has determined to effect a reverse stock split of the company's common shares, par value 1c per share, at a ratio of one-for-seven. The company's shareholders approved the reverse stock split and granted the Board the authority to determine the exact split ratio and proceed with the reverse stock split at the company's Annual Meeting of Shareholders held on June 29. The reverse stock split will take effect, and the company's common stock will begin trading on a split-adjusted basis on The Nasdaq Global Select Market, as of the opening of trading on or around August 24.

09:10 EDT American Eagle says saw demand strengthen during June, July - CEO Jay Schottenstein says margins pressured by incremental promotions in Q2. Says web business now represents 23% of total revenue, says digital marketing "highly effective." Says to launch new rewards program in "a few weeks." Reiterates that American Eagle's store fleet is "largely profitable." Says operating in environment with "intense competition." Following a slower start to Q2, says saw demand strengthen during June and July with more seasonal weather and a positive response to updated collections and promotional events. Comments taken from the Q2 earnings conference call. American Eagle is up 10.4% in premarket trading.

09:09 EDT Quarterback Tony Romo to appear in campaign for Skechers - SKECHERS continues to grow its roster of sports icons representing the top casual lifestyle footwear brand in the United States with the announcement that recently retired superstar Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will be wearing SKECHERS men's footwear in a multi-platform global marketing campaign set to launch later this year. Romo joins a roster of SKECHERS athletes that currently includes baseball slugger David Ortiz, boxer Sugar Ray Leonard plus football legends Joe Montana and Howie Long. SKECHERS has utilized sports icons when advertising its Men's collection for 15 years with an alumni list featuring names like Pete Rose, Mariano Rivera, Ozzie Smith, Tommy Lasorda, Joe Namath, Ronnie Lott, Karl Malone, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Rick Fox, and Wayne Gretzky.

09:07 EDT Hasbro, TripAdvisor partner for THE GAME OF LIFE - Hasbro (HAS) announced its teaming up with TripAdvisor (TRIP) to add vacations into the iconic THE GAME OF LIFE game. For the first time in the board game's 60-year history, players will be encouraged to "take a break" and choose their dream destination with vacation cards inspired by some of TripAdvisor's top-ranked family destinations and activities. THE GAME OF LIFE game's new vacation card options includes a ski trip, a beach day in Punta Cana, hiking the Great Wall of China, and visiting the Eiffel Tower. Knowing travel, like life, can sometimes include twists and turns, Hasbro also threw in a few travel mishaps like a camping failure and a flight cancelled last minute to add another dimension to gameplay.

09:03 EDT BAE Systems selects Harris' advanced electronic warfare transmitter technology - BAE Systems (BAESY) has selected Harris Corporation's (HRS) advanced electronic warfare transmitter technology to help protect the U.S. Air Force Special Operations AC/MC-130J aircraft from electronic threats. The contract was awarded during the Q4 of Harris' fiscal 2017.

09:00 EDT Commerce Union Bancshares trading resumes

08:39 EDT PURE announces antimicrobial listed as safe and suitable in USDA-FSIS directive - PURE Bioscience announced that PURE Control antimicrobial is included in the newly updated list of Safe and Suitable Ingredients Used in Production of Meat, Poultry and Egg Products in the Food Safety and Inspection Service 7120.1 Directive. PURE has commenced commercialization of PURE Control to poultry processors, and two major processors are preparing to initiate their own in-plant validation work with FDA/USDA approved PURE Control to reduce Salmonella, Campylobacter and other pathogens to prevent foodborne illness. PURE continues its ongoing in-plant raw poultry processing trial in which PURE Control is applied through a spray cabinet to whole chicken carcasses during Online Reprocessing, and is expected to complete that work by mid-calendar Q4.

08:35 EDT Targa Resources orders natural gas cryogenic processing facility - Targa Resources subsidiary Targa Pipeline Mid-Continent WestTex awarded KPE a contract valued in excess of $100M to provide engineering, procurement and construction for a 200 MMSCFD natural gas cryogenic processing facility located near Midkiff, in the Permian Basin of West Texas. The facility will include a 5,000 SBPD condensate stabilizer, low-pressure compression, intermediate compression, custody transfer metering, slug catchers and a control system for processing raw natural gas into merchantable natural gas by extracting natural gas liquids and removing impurities.

08:33 EDT Douglas Dynamics promotes CFO Robert McCormick to COO - Douglas Dynamics announced that it has initiated a planned management transition to aid in the execution of its growth strategy. The company's current EVP and CFO, Robert "Bob" McCormick, has been promoted to COO, effective August 28. In his new role, McCormick will assume day-to-day responsibility for both of the company's reporting segments, Work Truck Attachments and Work Truck Solutions, and will continue to report to Jim Janik, Chairman, President and CEO. McCormick's current responsibilities will be transferred to Sarah Lauber, who is joining the company as CFO on August 28. Lauber She joins the company from Jason Industries, where she was SVP and CFO.

08:25 EDT Commerce Union Bancshares trading halted, news pending

08:10 EDT Xenetic announces dismissal of annual meeting of stockholders - Xenetic Biosciences announced that its 2017 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, scheduled for Wednesday, August 16, was convened and dismissed, without any business being conducted, due to lack of the requisite quorum. The Annual Meeting has now been rescheduled for Thursday, October 5, at a place and time still to be determined by the Board of Directors, in order to allow additional time for stockholders to receive new proxy materials and vote on the updated proposals to be set forth in Xenetic's definitive proxy statement on Schedule 14A, which will be amended or supplemented to include the updated proposals. Such amendment or supplement to the proxy statement will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and mailed to the Company's stockholders as soon as reasonably practicable. A new record date for the Annual Meeting has yet to be determined but will be included in the updated proxy materials, along with the time and location of the Annual Meeting.

08:08 EDT SunPower breaks ground on solar power plant at U.S. Army post - SunPower has broken ground on a 10 MW solar photovoltaic system at the Redstone Arsenal U.S. Army post in Alabama which is expected to create more than 200 jobs at peak of construction. With a newly added 1 MW energy storage system, the project is designed to strengthen energy security and resilience at Redstone Arsenal. SunPower designed and is installing a SunPower Oasis Power Plant system at the site.

08:06 EDT Stryker says Oral Care solutions being manufactured in-house by Sage

08:05 EDT Stryker informs FDA of voluntary product recall involving Oral Care products - Stryker Corporation said that the company has informed the U.S. FDA of a voluntary product recall involving specific lots of Oral Care products sold through the company's Sage Products business unit. The recalled products contain Oral Care solutions manufactured for Sage by a third-party supplier and were distributed between July 2015 and August 2017. The recall is being initiated due to a potential for cross-contamination of Oral Care solutions manufactured by the third party on equipment shared with non-pharmaceutical products, as stated in a Warning Letter from FDA dated July 17, 2017. To date, Stryker has not been made aware of any serious adverse events associated with the Oral Care products recall. However, there have been some reports of minor irritation and allergic reaction. Stryker has discontinued business with the third-party supplier and all Oral Care solutions are being manufactured in-house by Sage. Stryker expects to resume shipping Oral Care products in September and anticipates a return to full supply capacity by year end. Additionally, the FDA Warning Letter sets forth concerns regarding microbiological testing methods used for all products containing solutions sold by Sage. These include Oral Care solutions in the recalled products and solutions contained in cloth-based products manufactured by Sage. FDA indicated that products must now be tested using a verified compendial microbiological method, a growth-based method that requires more time to complete than the one previously used at Sage. Both methods can detect the presence of microorganisms, while the compendial method provides additional information about the type and number of microorganisms. As a result, in August, Stryker placed cloth-based products, which represents approximately 50% of Sage's revenue, on a temporary ship hold until they are tested using this method. Stryker anticipates it will resume shipping products manufactured by Sage and tested under the compendial method in September, and anticipates a return to full supply capacity by year end.

08:02 EDT Unum Therapeutics announces IND application for ACTR087 - Unum Therapeutics announced that an investigational new drug application is now active for ACTR087 T cells in combination with a novel antibody, SEA-BCMA, for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. The IND, which the Company filed in the United States with the Food and Drug Administration, enables Unum to initiate a multi-center Phase 1 trial. This will be the first novel-novel Antibody Coupled T cell receptor -antibody combination. It will also be the first program under Unum's global collaboration with Seattle Genetics to enter clinical development, and Unum's third clinical trial with an ACTR T cell therapy. Site initiation activities are currently underway and the Company anticipates to initiate patient dosing in Q1 2018. The ATTCK-17-01 trial is an open-label Phase 1 adaptive dose-escalating study of genetically modified ACTR087 T cells in combination with SEA-BCMA, a novel humanized non-fucosylated anti-BCMA antibody developed using Seattle Genetics' sugar-engineered antibody technology, in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. The primary objective of this trial is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of ACTR087 in combination with SEA-BCMA in this study population and determine the recommended Phase 2 dose of the combination. Secondary objectives include patient response measured using the International Myeloma Working Group Response Criteria for Multiple Myeloma, and ACTR087 persistence, as well as safety and tolerability of SEA-BCMA. The trial will be conducted at several clinical sites in the U.S.

08:01 EDT Paratek jumps 30% after Bloomberg report on takeover interest - Shares of antibiotic developer Paratek Pharmaceuticals (PRTK) have jumped 30% in pre-market trading to $24.50 after Bloomberg reported that the company is exploring its strategic options, including a possible sale, with the help of advisers after seeing takeover interest from larger peers.

07:33 EDT BioDelivery Sciences CEO Mark Sirgo retiring at year-end - BioDelivery Sciences CEO Mark A. Sirgo will retire at the end of 2017. Sirgo will remain as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors where he will continue to provide leadership and guidance to BDSI. Sirgo and the Board will work together during the coming months to determine his successor.

07:32 EDT Luxoft completes acquisition of derivIT - Luxoft Holding announced completion of the transaction pursuant to a Share Purchase Agreement to acquire derivIT, a Singapore-based financial services-focused technology consulting company. derivIT provides a unique blend of technology expertise, deep domain understanding and strong knowledge of leading platforms, such as Murex, in capital markets and credit and risk management. This transaction was closed upon the receipt of the approval by Reserve Bank of India, as well as satisfaction of several other customary conditions precedent. The derivIT acquisition adds several delivery centers, which are expected to enhance the scalability of Luxoft's current distributed delivery center ecosystem into additional locations, such as Bangalore, India; Dubai, UAE; and Tianjin, China. The acquisition also is expected to expand Luxoft's existing capabilities in Singapore.

07:30 EDT Gentex announces additional 15M share repurchae authorization - At its most recent meeting, the Board of Directors authorized the purchase of an additional 15M shares of its common stock. As of August 23, including the most recent authorization, the company has a total of approximately 15.7M shares remaining available for repurchase. The company intends to continue to repurchase additional shares of its common stock in the future depending on macroeconomic issues, market trends and other factors that the company deems appropriate.

07:13 EDT WPP says 2018 'unlikely to be much different' than 2017 - WPP said: "After another record year in 2016, the Group's performance in the first seven months of the new financial year has been much tougher, as worldwide GDP growth, both nominal and real, seems to have slowed in the second half of last year and into the new year. Profitability, however, improved slightly in constant currency, with like-for-like margins up 0.1 margin points, although constant currency margins were flat in the first half. Net sales growth in the second quarter was less than the first quarter, with forecast client spending in quarter two under considerable pressure. Like-for-like revenue and net sales were down 0.3% and 0.5% respectively in the first six months, compared with up 4.3% and 3.8% in the same period last year. As client spending appears, at least at this stage, to be less predictable, our operating companies are still hiring cautiously and responding to any geographic, functional and client changes in revenue - positive or negative...For this year, growth is now forecast to be zero to 1.0% with weaker comparatives in the second half of 2016 aiding growth this year. Later this year and next year should also be aided by the impact of recent net new business wins and increased client spending to stimulate volume growth, along with easier comparatives. 2018 is unlikely to be much different. There seems little reason for an upside breakout in growth in terms of worldwide GDP growth, or indeed a downside breakout, despite the possibility of an increase in interest rates in the short-term. Indeed, interest rates, although they are likely to rise, are likely to continue to remain at relatively low relative levels historically, longer than some think. Whilst Trumponomics may well have resulted in an increase in the United States GDP growth rate with the United States the biggest GDP engine out of a total of $74T worldwide, the limitations of the new administration seem to be jeopardising the anti-regulatory, infrastructure and tax reduction programme that was promised. In addition, continued political uncertainties in Europe, West and East, the Middle East, the PyeongChang Peninsula, Chinese focus on qualitative growth and the longer-term recovery of Latin America, probably mean that stronger growth will be harder to find outside the United States. America First, if the new Administration's plans are finally implemented, will almost definitely mean a stronger American economy, at least in the short- to medium-term."

07:05 EDT Can-Fite BioPharma receives mileston payment from CKD - Can-Fite BioPharma announced it has received a milestone payment in the amount of $500,000 from Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceuticals, which has licensed the exclusive right to distribute Namodenosonfor the treatment of liver cancer in Korea upon receipt of regulatory approvals. This is the second payment received by Can-Fite, as part of the Korean distribution agreement with CKD which is valued at up to $3M in upfront and milestone payments plus 23% royalties on sales of Namodenoson. Can-Fite has received $1M to date from CKD and may receive up to an additional $2,000,000 in milestone payments. Under the distribution agreement with CKD, Can-Fite will supply Namodenoson to CKD, which will be responsible for all costs and activities associated with development, regulatory approvals, marketing, sales and distribution of Namodenoson in Korea. This agreement with CKD marks Can-Fite's second distribution and licensing deal in Korea, where the Company's drug candidate Piclidenoson has been out-licensed to Kwang Dong Pharmaceutical Co. for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

07:01 EDT Novavax says preclinical influenza nanoparticle study published in Vaccine - Novavax announced that data from a preclinical study of its nanoparticle influenza vaccine candidate with its proprietary Matrix-M adjuvant NanoFlu have been published in the journal Vaccine. Novavax is developing NanoFlu to protect older adults from seasonal influenza. The manuscript describes the formulation of Novavax' novel seasonal influenza vaccine candidate, NanoFlu, based on the 2017-2018 World Health Organization recommended influenza strains. The study, conducted in ferrets, found that NanoFlu induced hemagglutination-inhibition and microneutralizing antibodies against a broad range of influenza subtypes. In a head-to-head comparison against standard-dose and high-dose inactivated influenza vaccines in ferrets, NanoFlu elicited higher HAI and MN antibody responses exceeding those induced by the high-dose vaccine against recent A(H3N2) by 7-fold, A(H1N1) by 26-fold, and B strain viruses by 2-fold. Additionally, NanoFlu induced superior protection in a ferret challenge model against a homologous and a 10-year old drifted influenza strain spanning over a decade.

06:51 EDT Express CEO 'optimistic' about 2H results - David Kornberg, the company's president and CEO, stated: "Comparable sales and earnings were at the top end of our guidance, as our key initiatives gained further traction. Our e-commerce performance was outstanding, increasing 28% over last year, and store comps showed further sequential improvement." Kornberg continued, "As we look ahead to the second half of the year, we are optimistic about our ability to drive further improved performance in a transforming retail industry. We expect the momentum of our initiatives to continue to build and contribute more meaningfully. Our marketing efforts are resulting in improved trends in engagement and we believe they will drive increased customer acquisition and retention. We expect e-commerce sales growth to remain solid and store performance to sequentially improve, driven in part by our expanded omni-channel capabilities. We remain focused on managing our costs and see clear opportunities to enhance the overall efficiency of our business. Our balance sheet remains strong with more than $170 million in cash and no debt, and we continue to expect to generate solid cash flow. Our confidence in our strategy and conviction in our long-term opportunity remains resolute and we are committed to driving shareholder value."

06:47 EDT Teleflex awarded group purchasing contract with Vizient - Teleflex announced a new three year Product Category contract with Vizient for non-tunneled central venous catheters. The new agreement for non-tunneled central venous catheters, which became effective August 1, provides Vizient's members increased savings on contracts that offer Teleflex's range of catheter kits. Vizient's membership base represents more than $100B in annual purchasing volume

06:36 EDT Apogee Enterprises updates FY18 outlook due to acquisition of EFCO - Apogee Enterprises announced revisions to its fiscal 2018 outlook primarily related to the acquisition of EFCO, which closed early in the second quarter that ends September 2. "We continue to feel good about the North American non-residential construction markets. Based on second-quarter growth in our reported segment backlogs, our bidding activity and external metrics, we see continued market growth for three years and feel especially good about Apogee's growth and profit prospects for fiscal 2019," said Joseph F. Puishys, Apogee chief executive officer. "Our recent acquisitions of Sotawall and EFCO are helping us build a more diversified portfolio, which offers greater long-term growth opportunities while contributing to more stable performance throughout an economic cycle." Apogee estimates that EFCO revenues and margins will be slightly lower than initially anticipated due to revised cost estimates made post closing on some projects that EFCO will be delivering in the second half of fiscal 2018. Fiscal 2018 revenues for EFCO are now expected to be approximately $200 million, compared to the previous outlook of $200 to $220 million, and the operating margin is expected to be 2 to 3 percent, compared to mid-single digit. "EFCO is a great acquisition with significant long-term potential. With a concentration in mid-size to smaller commercial construction projects, EFCO supports our efforts to diversify future revenue streams. At the same time, it complements and accelerates our strategies to grow through new products and new geographies," said Puishys. "In three years, we expect to improve EFCO operating margins to double-digits and to achieve annual synergies of $10 to $15 million." Additional impacts to outlook include growing competitive pressures in the architectural glass mid-size project market that are expected to reduce full-year growth to low single-digits as ongoing productivity improvements drive increases in operating margin. The longer-term outlook related to European competition on larger projects is brightening with strengthening of the Euro. Relative to foreign exchange, Apogee expects an approximate $2 million non-cash, negative impact in the second quarter from the architectural framing systems segment Sotawall business, which fabricates in Canada and currently is primarily executing projects in the United States.

06:31 EDT Apogee Enterprises lowers FY18 outlook due to acquisition of EFCO

06:23 EDT Hulu experience, Huly with Live TV beta expands to Xbox 360 - Hulu, a joint venture owned by 21st Century Fox (FOXA), Comcast (CMCSA), Disney (DIS) and Time Warner (TWX), announced in a blog post: "We are excited to welcome Xbox 360 (MSFT) into the family of devices that supports the new Hulu experience and Hulu with Live TV beta. Today, Hulu on Xbox 360 will be automatically updated to the new, highly personal user interface and viewers will now have the option to subscribe to the Hulu with Live TV beta plan. All current Hulu users who watch on Xbox 360 will now enjoy the freshly revamped, even more personalized UI. Viewers can create up to six Profiles, including Kids Profiles, which feature their own personal lineups of the most current and relevant things to watch right now. The more a viewer watches Hulu, the more tailored the service gets. We hope you enjoy your experience on Xbox 360. Hulu's new experience and Live TV service are also currently supported on Apple TV (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN) Fire TV devices, Xbox One, iOS and Android (GOOG) mobile devices and Chromecast. We will continue to rollout to more devices soon." Reference Link

06:16 EDT Netflix says solar eclipse caused 10% drop in viewing - According to Netflix's U.S. Twitter account, Netflix plays dropped 10% during Monday afternoon's solar eclipse. "Hey, just wondering why 10% of you chose to watch a giant rock cover a giant ball of gas when I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THERE FOR YOU," Netflix tweeted. The account added, "but really, there was a 10% drop in plays during the eclipse today. Well played, Moon." Reference Link

06:13 EDT Microsoft to retire GigJam Preview on September 22 - Microsoft's Ambient Computing Team says in a blog post: "After careful consideration, we've decided to retire the GigJam Preview on September 22. GigJam introduced a new way to spontaneously create unstructured workflows and the Preview delivered learnings and insights that will inform future product experiences. During the Preview, gigs had a default lifespan of seven days. Effective September 22, any remaining gigs will automatically expire. Thank you for your interest, feedback and support." Reference Link

06:09 EDT Wal-Mart to offer hundreds of thousands of items for voice shopping with Google - Marc Lore, President and CEO, Walmart (WMT) U.S. eCommerce, says in a blog post: "Running around, going to work, picking kids up from school, making dinner and, between all of that, there's shopping to do. Because of this, I believe our job at Walmart isn't only about saving our customers money, but also about making shopping faster and easier. We're announcing an exciting partnership with Google (GOOG) to do just that. Starting in late September, we'll be working with Google to offer hundreds of thousands of items for voice shopping via Google Assistant - the largest number of items currently offered by a retailer through the platform. One of the primary use cases for voice shopping will be the ability to build a basket of previously purchased everyday essentials. That's why we decided to deeply integrate our Easy Reorder feature into Google Express. This will enable us to deliver highly personalized shopping recommendations based on customers' previous purchases, including those made in Walmart stores and on Walmart.com. To take advantage of this personalization, customers only need to link their Walmart account to Google Express. And, this is just the beginning. Next year, we will also leverage our 4,700 U.S. stores and our fulfillment network to create customer experiences that don't currently exist within voice shopping anywhere else, including choosing to pick up an order in store (often for a discount) or using voice shopping to purchase fresh groceries across the country." Reference Link

06:07 EDT Wal-Mart, Google partner on voice-based shopping - Sridhar Ramaswamy, SVP, Ads & Commerce at Google (GOOG), says in a blog post: "We're entering an exciting partnership with Walmart (WMT) to bring you hundreds of thousands of products at Walmart's Every Day Low Prices-everything from laundry detergent to Legos-that you can buy through voice with your Assistant on Google Home or on the Google Express website or app. We're thrilled to partner with one of the most popular stores in America to help make your shopping faster and easier. Walmart will be launching on Google Express in late-September and if you want to be notified when they join, let us know. Starting today, we're offering free delivery on Google Express as long as your order is above each store's minimum. There's no membership required so no matter how you shop-through voice with your Google Assistant or on the website or mobile app-you'll get free delivery within one to three days. We're just getting started, and there will be lots more exciting experiences to come, so stay tuned." Reference Link

06:04 EDT Lowe's CEO says 'pleased with our improved comparable sales performance' - "We are pleased with our improved comparable sales performance relative to last quarter, and the strong momentum we built throughout the second quarter culminating in a 7.9% comparable sales increase for the month of July," commented Robert Niblock, Lowe's chairman, president and CEO. "I would like to thank our employees for their passion and commitment to serving customers. While our results were below our expectations in the first half of this year, the team remains focused on making the necessary investments to improve the customer experience and drive sales. This includes amplifying our consumer messaging and incremental customer-facing hours in our stores which will put pressure on our operating margin. We believe this is the right strategy to more fully capitalize on strong traffic trends in what we believe is a supportive macroeconomic backdrop for home improvement," Niblock added.

05:59 EDT Microsoft unveils Project Brainwave for real-time AI - Microsoft engineer Doug Burger says in a blog post: "Today at Hot Chips 2017, our cross-Microsoft team unveiled a new deep learning acceleration platform, codenamed Project Brainwave. I'm delighted to share more details in this post, since Project Brainwave achieves a major leap forward in both performance and flexibility for cloud-based serving of deep learning models. We designed the system for real-time AI, which means the system processes requests as fast as it receives them, with ultra-low latency. Real-time AI is becoming increasingly important as cloud infrastructures process live data streams, whether they be search queries, videos, sensor streams, or interactions with users. The Project Brainwave system is built with three main layers: A high-performance, distributed system architecture; A hardware DNN engine synthesized onto FPGAs; and A compiler and runtime for low-friction deployment of trained models... We are working to bring this powerful, real-time AI system to users in Azure, so that our customers can benefit from Project Brainwave directly, complementing the indirect access through our services such as Bing. In the near future, we'll detail when our Azure customers will be able to run their most complex deep learning models at record-setting performance." Reference Link

05:43 EDT MakeMyTrip to use Travelport platform - MakeMyTrip (MMYT), India's leading online travel agency has signed an agreement with Travelport's (TVPT) distributor for India, InterGlobe Technology Quotient, for the use of Travelport's Travel Commerce Platform. Together with its well-recognized brands, MakeMyTrip, Goibibo and redBus, MakeMyTrip receives over 33M visits via its Desktop & Mobile-web platforms and serves over 40M Mobile App active users each month. Under the agreement, MakeMyTrip can expand the use of Travelport's technology from the Ibibo Group to MakeMyTrip's other primary distribution channels starting in the second half of calendar year 2017. MakeMyTrip undertook a strategic combination with Ibibo Group in January 2017 and acquired its 100% equity interest. Travelport, working in conjunction with ITQ which operates as its distributor in India, Bhutan and Sri Lanka, will make available to MakeMyTrip its industry leading travel content featuring real time access to approximately 400 airlines, including the merchandised content of over half of these carriers such as fares families and ancillary products. Travelport has pioneered the inclusion of Low Cost Carriers on its platform for shopping and booking and uniquely went live with IndiGo in November 2016, which is now India's largest passenger airline.

05:32 EDT Agilent sues Shanghai Echrom Electronic Technology Co. over trade secrets - Agilent Technologies has filed a civil lawsuit against Shanghai Echrom Electronic Technology Co. and several former employees of Agilent, alleging infringement of trade secrets and petitioning the court to stop the defendants' use of Agilent's proprietary technologies. The suit also requests the court to order compensation for Agilent's losses. The complaint alleges trade secrets were illegally obtained by former employees of Agilent, who later formed Shanghai Echrom Electronic Technology Co. and used the illegally obtained information to imitate an Agilent gas chromatograph.

05:29 EDT Teamsters go on strike at Vistar Foodservice - Teamster warehouse workers and drivers who work at Vistar Foodservice's distribution facility have been on strike since last week after more than a year of unsuccessful negotiations with the company. The 85 warehouse workers and drivers are members of Teamsters Local 630 in Los Angeles and are calling attention to ongoing pay discrimination against women and other unfair labor practices at Vistar, a division of Performance Food Group.