Stockwinners Market Radar for September 21, 2017 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

18:18 EDT Boeing: Turkish Airlines announces intent to order 40 787-9 Dreamliners - Boeing and Turkish Airlines announced the airline's intention to order 40 787-9 Dreamliners. Once finalized, the deal will be worth nearly $11B. Boeing and the Turkish government also announced the Boeing Turkey National Aerospace Initiative, which is designed to support the growth of the Turkish aerospace industry, in conjunction with the targets set by Turkey's Vision 2023, and strengthen Boeing's presence in the market.

18:11 EDT On The Fly: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Yogaworks (YOGA), up 1.25% after reporting Q2 results and giving Q3 guidance. ALSO HIGHER: Texas Instruments (TXN), up 0.8% after raising its dividend 24% and adding to its stock repurchase program. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Presidio (PSDO), down 6.8% after reporting Q4 results. ALSO LOWER: Versartis (VSAR), down 83.3% after its Phase 3 of somavaratan did not meet its primary endpoint. Note that shares of competitor Ascendis Pharma (ASND) spiked higher by 44% after the news.

18:07 EDT Playa Hotels & Resorts reports no significant damage from Maria - Playa Hotels & Resorts reported on the impact of Hurricane Maria: Playa's resorts in Mexico and Jamaica were not impacted by the storm's path. Playa's three resorts in the Dominican Republic sustained minor impact but no significant damage or injuries were reported. Dreams La Romana and Dreams Palm Beach remain fully operational and sustained only minor damage to landscaping. Dreams Punta Cana was impacted more heavily and will remain closed for 3-4 days in order to complete a more thorough clean up. Regular operations will resume shortly thereafter.

18:04 EDT Celanese increases price of acetyl intermediates - Celanese will increase list and off-list selling prices for several products. The price increases will be effective October 1 or as contracts otherwise allow, and are incremental to previously announced price increases. In North and South America, MIBK and MIBC will increase by 8c/lb, Formaldehyde Solution 50% will increase by 2c, Formaldehyde Solution 37% by 15c, Paraformaldehyde 91-93% by 3.5c, while Ethyl Acetate will increase 5c/lb in US and Canada, and $110/lb in Mexico and South America.

17:42 EDT Warrior Met Coal receives favorable IRS private letter ruling - Warrior Met Coal reported that the Internal Revenue Service has issued a Private Letter Ruling that favorably impacts the company's analysis of its ability to utilize its net operating loss carryforwards for federal income tax purposes. Prior to the PLR, the company applied an annual limitation on the utilization of NOLs and expected to pay a significantly higher amount of income taxes for 2017. However, the company expects to be subject to the Alternative Minimum Tax. The company expects to make a year-to-date adjustment in its Q3 financial results to reflect the change in application of Section 382 in computing income tax expense. After applying the revised method, the company believes that its effective income tax rate will be approximately 2% for the full year. The company expects that its NOLs will be less than the amounts previously disclosed due to the change in the application of Section 382, as a result of this ruling. The company now expects its federal NOLs to total approximately $1.8B-$2.0B. The company plans to provide an updated estimate of its NOLs by the end of this fiscal year.

17:31 EDT Northrop Grumman awarded $124.7M government contract - Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Rolling Meadows, Illinois, is being awarded a $124,737,813 fixed-price-incentive-firm contract to provide engineering, management and logistics support to fabricate, assemble, test and deliver 127 D2 processors, 462 D2 antenna detectors, 290 D2 radar receivers, 121 D2 low band arrays, 168 D2 battery handle assemblies, 20 D2 circuit card assemblies, 40 C2 processors, 63 C2 antenna detectors, 131 C2 radar receivers, 19 C2 upgrade kits, and two test stations which increases production capacity to meet necessary fielding requirements in support of the AN/APR-39 program. Work is expected to be completed in February 2020. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

17:19 EDT Aaron's provides update on impact of Hurricane Irma - Aaron's plans to continue to assist the ongoing recovery efforts related to Hurricanes Irma and Harvey. As it relates to Hurricane Irma specifically, 111 Aaron's stores in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina were forced to close in preparation for and during the immediate aftermath of the storm, with all but one store in Florida having since reopened. In addition, a number of Progressive Leasing's retail partners in the state have experienced business interruptions. In light of the extensive damage in the areas impacted by Hurricane Irma and Harvey, it is difficult to predict when the company's operations will return to normalized levels in the affected markets. The company maintains insurance coverage for windstorm, property and flood damage and business interruption, although it is difficult to predict the amount or timing of any insurance recoveries. The company expects to be in a better position to assess the financial impact of the storms over the coming weeks.

17:09 EDT Versartis down 85% after Phase 3 of somavaratan did not meet primary endpoint - In after-hours trading, shares are down 85% to $3.15.

17:04 EDT Tiffany names Roger Farah as Chairman of Board, effective October 2 - Tiffany & Co. (TIF) reported that the company's Board of Directors has elected Roger Farah as Chairman, effective October 2nd. Farah joined Tiffany's Board in March 2017. He has served in leadership roles at Ralph Lauren (RL), Venator Group, R.H. Macy & Co. and Federated Merchandising Services. Michael Kowalski, Chairman since 2002, initially joined the Board in 1995 and will remain a director. In addition, Kowalski, CEO from 1999 until his retirement effective March 2015, and Interim CEO since February 2017, will relinquish that title when the company's newly-appointed CEO, Alessandro Bogliolo, joins the company in October.

16:57 EDT Flowserve appoints Lee Eckert as CFO - Flowserve has named Lee Eckert senior VP and CFO, effective October 9. Eckert joins Flowserve from CHC Group, a global commercial helicopter service provider to the offshore oil and gas industry, where he served as senior VP and CFO since 2015.

16:49 EDT Analogic achieves ECAC standard C2 for new cabin baggage screening solution - Analogic announced its next-generation CT scanning solution for cabin baggage, ConneCT, has achieved the European Civil Aviation Conference, ECAC,C2 standard for Explosive Detection Systems at airport checkpoints. This represents a key milestone for Analogic, as the ECAC standard is followed by most international regulators and will allow international airports to purchase and deploy ConneCT. Analogic's ConneCT is designed specifically for cabin baggage screening to speed passenger throughput and reduce or eliminate the need for divestment of personal electronic devices, a key advantage for airports working to meet the needs and demands of increasing passenger volumes and emerging security threats. "This news represents a significant step toward bringing state-of-the-art CT technology to airport checkpoints around the world," said Jim Ryan, Analogic senior vice president, security systems. "With current technology at the end of its life cycle, ConneCT's open network architecture and advanced imaging provides the added capability of responding to new threats. It's the right time for CT technology and for ConneCT, giving today's world-class airports a world-class security solution that will keep the traveling public safer than ever before while speeding throughput and minimizing

16:35 EDT Texas Instruments raises dividend 24%, adds to repurchase program - Texas Instruments Incorporated said it will raise its quarterly cash dividend by 24%, from 50c per share to 62c, or $2.48 annualized. The higher dividend will be payable November 13 to stockholders of record on October 31 contingent upon formal declaration by the board of directors at its regular meeting in October. The board of directors also authorized the company to repurchase an additional $6B of its common stock over time. This is in addition to approximately $4.6 billion of previously authorized repurchases that remained at the end of June.

16:34 EDT FMC Corporation cleared for proposed acquisition of DuPont Crop Protection unit - FMC Corporation (FMC) announced that it has received approval from the Competition Commission of India for the proposed acquisition of a significant portion of DuPont's (DWDP) Crop Protection business. The CCI is the final jurisdiction to grant antitrust clearance needed to satisfy regulatory conditions for closing. "FMC is pleased to have received CCI's approval," said Pierre Brondeau, FMC president, CEO and chairman. "We are on track to close our transactions with DuPont on November 1, 2017." FMC announced on March 31, 2017 the signing of a definitive agreement for FMC to acquire a portion of DuPont's Crop Protection business that it must divest to comply with the European Commission ruling related to its merger with The Dow Chemical Company. FMC will acquire DuPont's global chewing pest insecticide portfolio, its global cereal broadleaf herbicides, and substantially all of DuPont's global crop protection R&D capabilities. Additionally, DuPont will acquire FMC's Health and Nutrition segment and receive $1.2 billion in cash.

16:27 EDT Triumph Group signs contract extensions with Boeing for ducting, floor panels - Triumph Group (TGI) signed an agreement with Boeing (BA) to continue their longstanding partnership to provide the environmental control systems ducting and floor panels utilized on Boeing's 737, 767, 777X and 787 airplanes. The extensions will cover deliveries of these composite interior components into the next decade.

16:17 EDT Univar acquires Tagma Brasil - Univar's wholly owned subsidiary Univar Brasil has acquired the stock of Tagma Brasil. In Brazil, Tagma is a provider of custom formulation and packaging services for crop protection chemicals that include herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and surfactants.

16:14 EDT Cray awarded $48M contract from KISTI - Cray (CRAY) announced the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information, KISTI, has awarded the company a contract valued at more than $48M for a Cray CS500 cluster supercomputer. The 128-rack system, which includes Intel Xeon Scalable processors and Intel (INTC) Xeon Phi processors, will be the largest supercomputer in South Korea and will provide supercomputing services for universities, research institutes, and industries.Located in Daejeon, South Korea, KISTI is a government-funded research institute designed to maximize the efficiency of science and technology R&D, and support high-tech R&D for the country's research communities. Since 1962, KISTI has served as a national science and technology information center and has provided information that researchers need to enhance South Korea's national competitiveness as a specialized science and technology research institute supported by the government.

16:08 EDT Citrix appoints Mark Ferrer Chief Revenue Officer - Citrix Systems announced that Mark Ferrer has been appointed executive VP and Chief Revenue Officer, reporting to Citrix president and CEO, David Henshall. Ferrer joins Citrix from SAP, where he has been the COO and executive VP of SAP Global Customer Operations since 2011.

16:06 EDT Kratos Defense: SMDS supports successful test of missile defense radar system - Kratos Defense & Security Solutions announced that Kratos' Space & Missile Defense Systems, SMDS, successfully supported the U.S. Navy as they completed the third test of the AN/SPY-6 Air and Missile Defense Radar, AMDR, against a live ballistic missile target. The successful test was conducted on September 7, 2017 against an advanced Short Range Ballistic Missile target, developed by Kratos and its Government and industry partners. The Kratos SRBM target was launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Kauai, Hawaii before it was acquired and tracked by the AN/SPY-6AMDR. The AN/SPY-6(V) AMDR is slated to begin service on the U.S. Navy's next generation Arleigh Burke Class Guided Missile Destroyer currently under development. The next generation radar promises to deliver improved range, accuracy and reliability over the SPY-1D radar currently deployed on the US Navy's Arleigh Burke class destroyers. The two stage separating SRBM target features selectable options for advanced scenario presentations. Kratos provided payload hardware including mechanical support structures, stabilizing fins, electrical event initiation systems, and staging and separation systems. In addition, Kratos personnel participated in mission planning, payload assembly, testing, target vehicle build-up and launch operations in support of the successful mission. Kratos is an industry leader in the rapid design, development, demonstration and fielding of technologically advanced and affordable systems. Kratos is a leading provider of products, solutions, and services supporting ballistic missile defense, hypersonics, Aegis, AMDR, sounding rocket, high powered energy, directed energy, laser programs and other national security and scientific programs. Mr. David Carter, President of Kratos' Space & Missile Defense Systems, stated, "We are extremely proud of the accomplishments of our government and industry team, and we're pleased to play a role in preparing AMDR for the fleet. Kratos looks forward to future opportunities to provide the most capable and affordable target solutions available to support the U.S. Navy and the Missile Defense Agency."

15:52 EDT Exxon Mobil says Baytown, Beaumont refineries begin fuels production - ExxonMobil said that its Baytown and Beaumont refineries have begun producing fuels at reduced rates and that crude oil and refined product pipelines in the Gulf and other regions of Texas have restarted as recovery continues from Hurricane Harvey. Offshore production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico and onshore facilities have resumed normal operations. "We are making good progress safely restoring our operations to pre-storm levels," said Jerry Wascom, president of ExxonMobil Refining and Supply Company. "We have brought in gasoline, diesel and jet fuel from other regions to supplement our own production to ensure a quick return of reliable supply to our customers." Crude oil and refined product pipelines operated by ExxonMobil Pipeline Company to and from the Baytown refinery are in service. Pipelines from Baytown to San Antonio and Irving, Texas have returned to full service and terminals in those locations have reopened. Pipeline services to all ExxonMobil throughput and exchange terminals have been restored. As a result, fuel supplies available to consumers have largely returned to normal levels. The company is working to restore chemical and lubricants manufacturing operations. The Baytown chemical plant, Mont Belvieu plastics plant and Beaumont polyethylene plant have resumed normal operations. The Baytown olefins plant is operating at reduced rates. The Beaumont chemical plant and the lubricants blending and packaging plant have resumed operations and are ramping up toward pre-storm production capacity.

15:39 EDT Facebook says will help government in ' vitally important ' election probe - The company said the following as the reason for deciding to share the ads with Congress: "As our General Counsel has explained, this is an extraordinary investigation - one that raises questions that go to the integrity of the US elections. After an extensive legal and policy review, we've concluded that sharing the ads we've discovered with Congress, in a manner that is consistent with our obligations to protect user information, will help government authorities complete the vitally important work of assessing what happened in the 2016 election. That is an assessment that can be made only by investigators with access to classified intelligence and information from all relevant companies and industries - and we want to do our part. Congress is best placed to use the information we and others provide to inform the public comprehensively and completely." Reference Link

15:36 EDT Sanderson Farms declares special dividend of $1.00 per share

15:05 EDT CSX says service 'rapidly' restored following Hurricane Irma - CSX said that following Hurricane Irma, which struck Florida on Sunday, Sept. 10, CSX re-established rail service in most of the southeast U.S. within hours, into and out of northern Florida within 24 hours, and throughout the vast majority of the state within one week. Despite the impacts of Irma, key service metrics show that CSX's operational performance continues to improve, the company stated, noting that terminal dwell times have decreased for seven consecutive weeks, while train velocity has steadily increased over the last four weeks, excluding localized hurricane impacts. CSX President and CEO E. Hunter Harrison said, "We're back on our feet and committed to fully implementing our new operating model. We remain confident that Precision Scheduled Railroading will provide lasting benefits to our customers, our employees and our shareholders."

14:41 EDT Alnylam CEO 'confident' patisiran is best-in-class treatment - Alnylam Pharmaceuticals CEO John Maraganore is speaking on CNBC.

14:40 EDT Alnylam CEO says more confident in other trials after patisiran data - Alnylam Pharmaceuticals CEO John Maraganore is speaking on CNBC.

14:25 EDT Intercept breaks $80, shares down over 19% to $79.41

14:14 EDT Muddy Waters highlights Phil Bentley's departure from Asanko Gold - Muddy Waters Research tweeted, "Looks like Phil Bentley has left $AKG #OnTheWayToZero." The short selling research firm posted a link to Phil Bentley's LinkedIn page, which shows he left Asanko Gold in September. His title at the company is listed as "Executive Geology and Resources." Shares of Asanko are down 5c to $1.03 in afternoon trading.

14:01 EDT Telia to pay $965M for FCPA violations - Sweden-based telecommunications provider Telia Company AB has agreed to pay $965M in a global settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission, U.S. Department of Justice, and Dutch and Swedish law enforcement to resolve charges related to violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act to win business in Uzbekistan. According to the SEC's order, Telia entered the Uzbek telecommunications market by offering and paying at least $330M in bribes to a shell company under the guise of payments for lobbying and consulting services that never actually occurred. The shell company was controlled by an Uzbek government official who was a family member of the President of Uzbekistan and in a position to exert significant influence over other Uzbek officials, causing them to take official actions to benefit Telia's business in Uzbekistan. Telia consented to the SEC's order requiring the company to pay $457M in disgorgement, and the company also agreed to pay a criminal fine of more than $508M imposed by the Department of Justice. Portions of each amount could be offset by payments made in overseas settlements or proceedings brought by the Dutch Openbaar Ministerie or the Swedish Aklagarmyndigheten. Telia's overall payment to the four agencies must be at least $965M.

13:30 EDT Before the Move: Watch Outfront Media ahead of NYC-MTA contract decision - A decision regarding the advertising bid process is expected on Monday, September 25, when New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority board is scheduled to meet. During Outfront Media's (OUT) last earnings call, the company's CEO and chairman Jeremy Male pointed out that he believes the process was "nearing a conclusion." NYC-MTA BOARD MEETING: During Outfront Media's last earnings call on August 3, the company's chairman and CEO Jeremy Male said: "I'd like to update you on the New York City transit renewal. Based on public comments, the MTA expects to make an announcement regarding the outcome of the bid process at its September 25 board meeting. So the key takeaway is that the process is very active and now appears to be nearing a conclusion." FULL LOSS ALREADY BUILT IN: In a post-earnings research note, Loop Capital analyst David Miller argued that he believes a full loss of this contact is already built in to the stock, so the risk-reward quotient favors "reward" over "risk." The analyst also told investors that Outfront Media will never be the "perfect" Outdoor name, but it is not priced that way, and "really doesn't have to be," trading at a significant discount to Lamar (LAMR). Miller reiterated a Buy rating and $27 price target on Outfront Media's shares. OTHER ANALYSTS: According to Bloomberg data, of eight analysts who cover the stock and have updated their price target within the last three months, four have a Buy or equivalent rating on Outfront Media, while four have a Hold or equivalent rating. The average price target on the stock from those eight firms is $26.71, Bloomberg's data shows. PRICE ACTION: In afternoon trading, shares of Outfront Media have dropped about 1% to $21.18. Over the last three months the stock is down roughly 7.5%. "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.

12:18 EDT Aldeyra jumps 13% after Perceptive Advisors increases stake - Perceptive Advisors disclosed earlier that it had purchased 200,000 shares of Aldeyra on September 19 at an average price of $7.25 for a total transaction value of $1,450,000. Perceptive Advisors owns 3,085,458 shares of Aldeyra. shares of Aldeyra are up over 13% to $8.60 per share in midday trading.

12:06 EDT Rio Tinto commits additional $2.5B to share buyback program - Rio Tinto said it has committed an additional $2.5B to its ongoing share buyback program, returning the proceeds of the sale of Coal & Allied to its shareholders. The capital return program will be executed through a combination of an off-market buy-back tender, targeting $560M of Rio Tinto Limited shares, with the balance of approximately $1.9B of additional funds being allocated to Rio Tinto's existing on-market purchases of Rio Tinto plc shares. Today's announcement brings the total of Rio Tinto share buybacks announced during 2017 to $4B, the company points out.

11:32 EDT Square names Intel's Naveen Rao to board - Square (SQ) announced that Naveen Rao, Corporate VP and General Manager of the Artificial Intelligence Products Group at Intel (INTC), has joined its Board of Directors.

11:29 EDT Intercept sinks after FDA safety communication cites 19 patient deaths - The FDA, in its safety communication sent out today on Intercept Pharmaceuticals' Ocaliva, said it identified 19 cases of death, of which eight provided information about the cause. Intercept on September 12 told Bloomberg that 10 patients died while taking Ocaliva. In the 13 months after Ocaliva was approved in May 2016, the FDA says it received reports of serious liver injury or death associated with the drug. The cause of death was reported to be worsening of primary biliary cholangitis disease in seven cases, with cardiovascular disease cited in the other case. Seven of these eight cases described patients with moderate to severe decreased liver function who received Ocaliva 5 mg daily, instead of a dose no greater than 10 mg twice weekly as recommended in the label prescribing information for patients with this extent of decreased liver function, the agency said in its communication. Shares of Intercept are down 7%, or $6.72, to $91.40 in late morning trading.

11:24 EDT Before the Move: Watch First Solar, others ahead of ITC decision - With an ITC Section 201 decision expected tomorrow, JPMorgan analyst Paul Coster commented on potential outcomes, pointing out that solar stocks seem to already price in a tariff on imports and that he prefers First Solar (FSLR) since the company's thin-film panels are not subject to the trade petition. Meanwhile, his peer at Deutsche Bank argued that First Solar shares can hit $110 if ITC finds "injury." ITC SECTION 201 DECISION: Back in April, the U.S.-based solar manufacturer Suniva filed a petition for global safeguards with the U.S. International Trade Commission, or ITC. Suniva requests the imposition of tariffs on solar cells and the establishment of a minimum price for solar modules imported into the U.S. The petition was filed under Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974, which authorizes global safeguards investigations, also known as "escape clause" investigations. An initial determination is due by September 22. INJURY DETERMINATION: JPMorgan's Coster told investors this morning that he believes a determination of "injury" from the ITC would probably get a favorable reception by the U.S. Administration, leading to tariffs on imports. Further, the analyst pointed out that solar stocks already seem to price in a tariff, albeit of a magnitude that is not crippling to the China-based suppliers. The relevant solar stocks, therefore, could move significantly if no injury is found, or if injury is found and the penalty is more than 10c/watt, he contended. While he reiterated a Neutral rating on Canadian Solar (CSIQ), First Solar, and SunPower (SPWR), Coster said he prefers First Solar heading into the ITC decision since its thin-film panels are not subject to the trade petition. In a research note of his own, Deutsche Bank analyst Vishal Shah told investors that he sees upside in First Solar shares to $110 if the ITC finds injury. In the bull case where ITC finds injury and tariffs make standard multi-module prices stay at mid-40c and c-Si module prices also remain high, the analyst said he expects First Solar to extend an incremental 1GW S4 in 2018 and 2019, making shipments 3GW and 4.5GW, respectively. In this scenario, Shah sees 2018 earnings per share approaching $3 and 2019 earnings per share approaching $5. In the bear case, with no injury finding, for 2018, he assumes the company does not extend incremental 1GW S4 capacity and shipments decrease from his current model of 2.5GW to 2GW, while component margins remain weak at low teens in the first half of 2018. The analyst reiterated a Buy rating and $65 price target on First Solar's shares. OF NOTE: Also of note in the solar space today, Axiom analyst Gordon Johnson started JinkoSolar (JKS) with a Sell rating and $10 price target. In a research note titled "Earnings "Valentine's Day Massacre" Appears Set to Unfold Imminently," the analyst argues that consensus estimates are ignoring the "sizable risks" to JinkoSolar's earnings in the second half of 2017 and 2018. Johnson sees an "imminent earnings cliff" for legacy PV module vendors with manufacturing origins in China. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of First Solar have dropped 2% to $47.87, while Canadian Solar's stock has slipped fractionally to $15.96. Shares of SunPower also slid over 4% to $7.53 and Jinko is off its earlier lows to be back to nearly flat for the day. "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.

10:47 EDT Hedgeye calls Virtu new best short idea, sees 40% downside - Hedgeye named Virtu Financial a news best short idea with a $10 price target, representing 40% downside. The market maker is down 3% to $16.80 in morning trading.

10:45 EDT Weight Watchers applies for 'fresh smart portions delivered' patent - Weight Watchers (WTW) has applied for a patent called "fresh smart portions delivered, according to a filing with the USPTO. Others in the home meal delivery business include Blue Apron (APRN). Reference Link

10:42 EDT Battleground: Analysts split on what Tesla partnership means for AMD, Nvidia - Following yesterday's report that Tesla (TSLA) is working with AMD (AMD) on self-driving Artificial Intelligence chips, several Wall Street analysts commented on the news. While some were bullish on the partnership, with Jefferies analyst Mark Lipacis saying it would be "a critical win" for AMD, others like Bank of America Merrill Lynch argued that Tesla's reported shift to AMD from Nvidia (NVDA) has limited impact on either. PARTNERSHIP REPORT: According to a report by CNBC last night, Tesla is using AMD intellectual property as it progresses toward developing its own Artificial Intelligence chip for autonomous driving in its cars. More than 50 people within Tesla are working on the initiative, which will likely reduce its reliance on Nvidia products, the report added. 'CRITICAL WIN' FOR AMD: In a research note to investors this morning, Jefferies' Lipacis pointed out that a partnership between Tesla and AMD would make sense, given that former chief AMD MPU architect Jim Keller left AMD to become Tesla's Head of Autopilot in early 2016. While the analyst would not expect shipments of AMD chips to Tesla to have a material impact near-term to the former's bottom line, he thinks this would constitute "a critical win" for AMD as it would support his thesis that with its parallel processing GPUs, AMD is a beneficiary of the "4th Tectonic Shift" in computing. Additionally, Lipacis believes the headline risk to Nvidia in the near-term will not be favorable, but does not see a clear long-term risk. The analyst reiterated a Buy rating and $19 price target on AMD shares. Meanwhile, his peer at Deutsche Bank argued that if the CNBC report is true, any meaningful financial benefit to AMD would likely be observed "many years into the future." Analyst Ross Seymore pointed out that AMD would be the third preferred processor provider to Tesla within the last year as the electric carmaker transitioned from Mobileye to Nvidia in the second half of 2016. 'LITTLE RISK' TO NVIDIA: Tesla's partnership with AMD is a headline rather than estimate risk for Nvidia and its Automotive Platform estimates before calendar 2019/fiscal 2020, by which time other partners seem likely to more than offset any Tesla-related losses, B. Riley analyst Craig Ellis told investors. The analyst argued that the development has the potential to be a "modest fundamental and psychological negative" for Nvidia in the intermediate-term, but he believes the company remains the dominant autopilot solutions provider with a "substantial competitive moat and very strong developer momentum." Ellis added that Nvidia has announced autopilot partnerships with Mercedes-Benz (DDAIF), Toyota (TM), Volkswagen's (VLKAY) Audi group and Volvo (VOLVY) year-to-date. Meanwhile, BofA Merrill Lynch analyst Vivek Arya said that the reports Tesla is considering a shift to internal chips from Nvidia's will have limited material impact on either near-term. The analyst pointed out that Tesla accounts for less than 1% of Nvidia sales and has a much bigger opportunity with other automakers, such as Toyota and Audi. Meanwhile, the potential win for AMD is "more positive for perception than in numbers." In a research note of his own, RBC Capital analyst Mitch Steves told investors that he views this announcement as similar to dynamics he anticipates occurring in the Data center, namely AMD winning some share while Nvidia remains as the "de-facto standard and market share leader." Overall, the analyst noted that he views the announcement as a near-term concern that should not impact Nvidia's story over the next several years. Steves expects Nvidia to continue to work with Tesla and remain the dominant chip provider to the automaker. PRICE ACTION: Shares of AMD, which spiked late yesterday, are about 1% lower to $13.60 in morning trading. Meanwhile, Nvidia's stock has dropped over 4% to $178.17.

10:39 EDT FDA warns about 'serious liver injury' with Intercept's Ocaliva

10:28 EDT Army extends FMTV contract pricing, awards Oshkosh $260.1M order - Oshkosh Defense, an Oshkosh Corporation company, announced today that the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command Life Cycle Management Command has announced an administrative modification to the Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles A1P2 requirements contract with Oshkosh, to establish the eighth, ninth and tenth Order Years' pricing under the contract, at an estimated value of $466M. This administrative modification authorizes future orders under the FMTV A1P2 contract through August 25, 2019. Oshkosh Defense also announced that TACOM placed an order for 1,065 FMTV vehicles at a value of $260.1M under Order Year 8. Oshkosh Defense was first awarded the FMTV contract by the U.S. Army in 2009 and, to date, has delivered more than 35,700 FMTV trucks and trailers.

09:43 EDT MiMedx files lawsuit against The Capitol Forum - MiMedx Group announced that it is filing a lawsuit for libel, slander, defamation, false light, tortious interference with business relations, and violations of the Lanham Act against The Capitol Forum. On September 7th, The Capitol Forum publicized a news article with the innuendo that the Department of Veterans Affairs was investigating MiMedx because a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) document indicated the VA was looking at documents related to MiMedx. In fact, MiMedx approached the VA with this information earlier this year. The Company explicitly informed The Capitol Forum that, to its knowledge, MiMedx was not the target of any investigation; yet, The Capitol Forum still published its confusing and misleading article. The Company's allegations in its lawsuit are based on statements made by The Capitol Forum to MiMedx shareholders that were untrue. The Company further alleges that The Capitol Forum made other statements that knowingly placed MiMedx in a false light. The Company also alleges that The Capitol Forum conspired with other persons yet to be identified who had a financial interest in driving down the price of MiMedx's stock. Parker H. "Pete" Petit, CEO, stated, "We believe that The Capitol Forum was acting as a 'shill' for short sellers by posing as an investment advisor through publishing information and providing opinions that could negatively impact MiMedx and its shares. Publishing an 'article' and then having professional sales people reach out to our shareholders by email and phone, encouraging them to call them back to 'learn more' is not a typical practice of a media outlet. The Capitol Forum's role was to publicize negative information about the Company, which the short sellers used to drive the price of our stock down, even in the face of very positive performance by the Company. We provided a significant amount of positive information as well as information providing different viewpoints on the Company to The Capitol Forum. They did not publish that information and instead only published the negative information. In some instances there were outright lies, and in other instances there was negative innuendo, but it all had the same goal, which was to discredit MiMedx. This type of behavior is unlawful."

09:34 EDT KB Home punishes CEO for rant at Griffin by cutting bonus - Shares of KB Home (KBH) are in focus after the homebuilder said it would cut its chief executive officer's bonus after a recording surfaced this week of Mezger berating his neighbor. WHAT'S NEW: KB Home said in a regulatory filing that it will cut the annual bonus of President and CEO Jeffrey Mezger by 25% after he was caught on audio berating his neighbor, actress and comedian Kathy Griffin, and her boyfriend. On a more than two-minute recording published by HuffPost, Mezger used sexist and homophobic slurs after Griffin and her boyfriend called the police with a noise complaint about the CEO, who went on a tirade when police officers arrived at the scene. KB Home said its board decided to cut the bonus Mezger would have "otherwise been entitled to receive" because his "recent behavior in his personal dealings with a neighbor is unacceptable and a negative reflection on KB Home." The board also added that "If in the future there is any similar incident, he will be dismissed," but noted that Mezger has been a "very effective CEO." WHAT'S NOTABLE: Mezger, who has been CEO of KB Home since 2006, received a salary of $1M in 2016 and nearly $8M in other compensation. He did not receive a cash bonus in 2016. The last time he received a bonus was 2014, according to filings. UPCOMING EARNINGS: KB Home, which handily beat consensus estimates for its second quarter in June, is expected to report third quarter earnings on September 28. The homebuilder previously forecast Q3 housing revenue of $1.08-$1.15B and raised its fiscal 2017 housing revenue view to $4.2B-$4.4B from $4B-$4.3B. However, hurricane activity ramped up doing Q3, with Harvey and Irma impacting areas of Texas and Florida in the past weeks, which could potentially impact KB Home's results. Yesterday, Mizuho analyst Haendel St. Juste told clients that builders' margins could be hurt as labor and material costs rise following Harvey and Irma. In a note to clients this morning, MKM Partners analyst Megan McGrath said that hurricane activity is likely to dominate the earnings conversations, and will likely focus on short-term topline impacts as well as medium-term impacts like labor shortages and commodity inflation. McGrath noted that 35% of the homebuilder's communities are in the Florida, Houston and San Antonio markets. She is also looking to see if the company's order growth reaccelerated prior to the hurricanes. OTHERS TO WATCH: Other publicly traded homebuilding companies include Lennar (LEN), Toll Brothers (TOL), Beazer Homes (BZH), D.R. Horton (DHI), Hovnanian (HOV) and PulteGroup (PHM). PRICE ACTION: Shares of KB Home slid nearly 3% yesterday as the CEO's rant was widely recirculated on various media channels. In early trading this morning, the stock is up 0.5% to $20.81.

09:31 EDT Perrigo announces FDA final approval for AB rated generic version of Exalgo 32mg - Perrigo announced it has received final approval from the U.S. FDA for its AB rated Abbreviated New Drug Application referencing Exalgo 32mg extended release tablets. The company anticipates launching this product by the end of September 2017. Annual market sales for the brand and generic equivalents of Exalgo 32mg extended release tablets for the 12 months ended July 2017 were approximately $35M.

09:25 EDT Brookline Bancorp signs definitive merger agreement for First Commons Bank - Brookline Bancorp and First Commons Bank, N.A. announced the execution of an agreement and plan of merger, pursuant to which First Commons Bank will merge with and into Brookline Bank. Under the terms of the agreement, Brookline will pay $16.70 per share, or $52.5M in Brookline stock, for the outstanding shares and warrants of First Commons Bank, and $3.4M in cash for the outstanding options, representing a total transaction value of $55.96M. First Commons Bank stockholders will receive 1.171 shares of Brookline common stock for each First Commons Bank share they own, subject to adjustment based on Brookline's ten-day, volume-weighted average stock price between $13.19 and $15.33. Brookline has the option to pay up to 50% of the consideration for the outstanding shares in cash. Brookline is a publicly-traded bank holding company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts with approximately $6.7B in assets and branch locations in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Brookline operates as the holding company for Brookline Bank, Bank Rhode Island, and First Ipswich Bank. First Commons Bank is a privately held national banking association with approximately $324M in assets as of June 30, 2017 located in Newton and Wellesley, Massachusetts. Upon completion of the acquisition, Brookline's assets are expected to increase to $7.1B. Following the acquisition, Brookline will continue to be well capitalized and positioned to take advantage of other potential future growth opportunities.

09:20 EDT Vuzix partners with MPC Energy for M300 smart glasses - Vuzix entered a strategic partnership with Modular Process Control, or MPC Energy, to collaborate on the delivery of Vuzix industrial smart glasses and MPC Energy's Aura application to provide tools for the management of energy, resource consumption and conservation to industrial customers. Vuzix' AR smart glasses aim to deliver real-time insights from MPC Energy to operators on the consumption of their energy for systems, machines and devices.

09:05 EDT CytRx's reverse stock split recommended by Glass Lewis advisory firm - CytRx announced that independent proxy voting and corporate governance advisory firm Glass Lewis & Co. has recommended that CytRx stockholders vote "for" the proposed reverse stock split at the upcoming special meeting of stockholders on October 17.

09:03 EDT Dish airs live 4K college football from FOX Sports - DISH (DISH) announced that it will deliver select college football games from FOX Sports' (FOX, FOXA) FS1 in 4K, beginning with the Oklahoma-Baylor matchup on Saturday, September 23 at 6:30 p.m. ET. Games will be simulcast in the pixel-packed format every weekend on DISH channel 540 throughout football season for Hopper 3 customers. This move is part of a broader agreement that includes future 4K coverage of college basketball games, Major League Baseball and NASCAR racing.

09:02 EDT Dana names Christophe Dominiak as Chief Technology Officer - Dana announced that it has selected Christophe Dominiak to serve as its new senior vice president and chief technology officer. He replaces George Constand, who is retiring. Dominiak most recently served as vice president of global engineering for Dana's Off-Highway Drive and Motion Technologies business since February 2016. Previously, he was deputy chief technology officer for Hutchinson Industries, a global automotive and aerospace supplier.

08:48 EDT Varian Medical's Halcyon cancer treatment system used on first patient - Varian Medical announced a patient at Penn Medicine, with head & neck cancer, became the first person in the world to be treated on Varian's Halcyon system, its new platform for cancer treatment. The treatment for this patient at Penn Medicine was a complex case that involved the delivery of nine fields.

08:36 EDT Core-Mark announces supply chain contract renewal with Rite Aid - Core-Mark (CORE) announced it has renewed its three year supply chain agreement with Rite Aid (RAD). Core-Mark is currently providing service to approximately 4,500 Rite Aid stores.

08:34 EDT SenesTech delivers first sale to natural resources program in Hawaii - SenesTech announced a sales agreement and initial delivery of ContraPest to a Hawaii natural resources program for the control of rodents in an outdoor setting under an experimental use permit to control wild rats that prey upon native birds and plants in the preserve. The agreement calls for ContraPest deployment on the island of Oahu over a total of 20 acres in a tropical forest region where bait stations are methodically placed on a grid by preserve personnel who have hiked into the remote area. Rodent management on this site has provided in excess of 10 years of population data and was selected strategically to demonstrate the sustainability of a fertility control approach to rat infestations in Island ecologies. The total area of all projects managed by this natural resources program is 16,163 acres. The ContraPest product is being provided by the Pacific International Center for High Technology Research in support of the experimental use permit. ContraPest baiting began in August, at the height of the rodent population expansion season. The precise location and additional details were not disclosed.

08:31 EDT Duke Energy to install two battery storage projects in North Carolina - Duke Energy plans to install North Carolina's two largest battery energy storage systems, a $30M investment, as part of the company's Western Carolinas Modernization Plan. In the city of Asheville, a 9-megawatt lithium-ion battery system will be placed at a Duke Energy substation. In Madison County in the town of Hot Springs, the company is planning a 4-megawatt lithium-ion battery system. The plan included a commitment from Duke Energy to deploy at least 5 MW of energy storage for the region, but the company is planning more.

08:28 EDT Allstate reports August catastrophe loss estimate of $593M - Allstate reported estimated catastrophe losses, net of reinsurance recoveries, for the month of August 2017 of $593M, pre-tax. or $385M after-tax. Catastrophe losses occurring in August comprised 6 events at an estimated net cost of $591M, pre-tax, plus unfavorable reserve reestimates of prior reported catastrophe losses. Allstate previously announced $181M, pre-tax - $118 million after-tax -, in estimated catastrophe losses for the month of July 2017, bringing estimated catastrophe losses for the months of July and August to $774M pre-tax, $503M after-tax. Hurricane Harvey made landfall in Texas on August 25. Estimated gross catastrophe losses, excluding homeowners flood, totaled $576M pre-tax, which will be reduced by $23M in anticipated reinsurance recoveries for a net estimated loss of $553M. Hurricane Harvey estimated losses include approximately 55% related to auto coverages. Allstate incurred estimated losses and expenses of $53M not covered by its reinsurance related to commercial insurance, auto protection contracts and loss adjusting expenses in excess of its reinsurance allowances. Allstate claims that given the complexity of this event, it may experience a higher level of uncertainty in estimates due to the inability of customers to gain access to their homes and autos and submit claims. Hurricane Irma occurred in September and is not included in reported estimates.

08:16 EDT Paratek Pharmaceuticals omadacycline receives QIDP designation from FDA - Paratek Pharmaceuticals announced that its investigational antibiotic omadacycline has been granted an additional Qualified Infectious Disease Product, or QIDP, designation by the FDA for the treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infections, or uUTI, for both the oral and the intravenous formulations. The QIDP designation, which is designed to speed the development of novel antibiotics for the treatment of pathogens with the potential to pose a serious threat to public health, provides an opportunity for more frequent interactions with the FDA, and a priority review of the marketing application for omadacycline in uUTI once submitted. Omadacycline has previously been granted QIDP designation for the treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia, or CABP, acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections, or ABSSSI, and complicated urinary tract infections, or cUTI.

08:12 EDT Azul orders five Airbus A330-900neo aircraft for international flights - Azul announced an order for five next-generation Airbus A330-900neo widebody aircraft from Avolon, an international aircraft leasing company. With deliveries starting in late 2018, the A330neo will be deployed to strengthen Azul's international flights to the U.S. and Europe, and to serve new destinations. Azul will be the only airline in South America and one of the first in the world to operate this type of aircraft, which will come with 298 seats, 27 more than the current A330s in high-density configuration. The A330neo reduces fuel consumption by 14% per seat compared to the current A330ceo model.

08:08 EDT Sunstone Hotel provides update on impact from Hurricanes Harvey Irma - Sunstone Hotel provided an update on its hotels in Texas and Florida that were impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. The company maintains customary insurance at all of its hotels, the coverage of which is subject to certain limitations including higher deductibles in the event of a named windstorm. The 175-room Oceans Edge Hotel & Marina in Key West, Florida closed on September 7 following a mandatory evacuation order and currently remains closed. The property sustained limited physical damage as a result of Hurricane Irma and Sunstone is working to prepare and execute restoration plans. The cost of the required restoration work may or may not exceed the related property insurance deductible amount. Sunstone currently believes the hotel will reopen in part or in full by the end of September. The 781-room Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida remained open and operational during Hurricane Irma and did not incur any meaningful physical damage. Sunstone's two hotels in Houston also remained open and operational during Hurricane Harvey and sustained only minor physical damage. Restoration work is currently underway at both hotels, the cost of which may or may not exceed the related property insurance deductible amounts.

08:03 EDT Tantech Holdings awarded $20M in electric van and bus sales orders - Tantech Holdings' 70% owned subsidiary, Suzhou E Motors Buses Co., has signed sales contracts worth approximately $20M for its electric vans and buses. Zhenjiang Baichuan New Energy Automobile Co. will purchase 450 all-electric vans and 10 all-electric buses from Tantech, with a projected unit sales price of $43,077. The Buyer has made an earnest money deposit to lock in price and must pay approximately 30% of the total purchase amount by November 1 to move forward with the purchase, and the buyer will pay the balance at delivery. The company is targeting to deliver the order the end of 2017.

08:01 EDT Endologix announces CE Mark approval for Nellix system - Endologix announced the CE Mark approval for its Nellix EndoVascular Aneurysm Sealing System with the refined Indications for Use (IFU). Nellix is being studied in the U.S. under an Investigational Device Exemption. Following a thorough review of supporting clinical data, the company's notified body, together with an independent clinical reviewer, has determined that Nellix, with the refined IFU, meets the applicable safety and clinical performance requirements. As a result of these evaluations, the notified body has granted a CE Mark for Nellix with the refined IFU.

07:32 EDT InspireMD announces distribution agreement for CGuard EPS in Portugal - InspireMD announced it has signed an agreement with Medicinalia Cormedica MC Medical Lda, a leading medical distributor in Portugal, to distribute CGuard Embolic Prevention System, or EPS. Medicinalia Cormedica MC Medical Lda is a subsidiary of WerfenLife Company, one of Europe's largest distributors of medical products.

07:05 EDT ALJ Regional Holdings subsidiaryto acquire assets of Moore-Langen Printing - ALJ Regional Holdings' (ALJJ) wholly-owned subsidiary Phoenix Color Corp. has entered into an asset purchase agreement to acquire the assets of Moore-Langen Printing Company in Terre Haute, Indiana from LSC Communications, Inc. (LKSD). ALJ and Phoenix expect to finance the acquisition by amending ALJ's existing term loan with Cerberus Business Finance, selling an aggregate of $1.5M of ALJ common stock in a private offering to two investors who are unaffiliated with ALJ, and using $1.0M in proceeds received from the recent stock option exercise by Jess Ravich, Executive Chairman of ALJ.

07:03 EDT CVS Health responds to opioid abuse epidemic with enterprise initiatives - CVS Health announced that, as part of the company's broad commitment to fighting the national opioid abuse epidemic, it is enhancing its enterprise-wide initiatives supporting safe drug disposal, utilization management of pain medications and funding for treatment and recovery programs. To support this goal, CVS Caremark will roll out an enhanced opioid utilization management approach for all commercial, health plan, employer and Medicaid clients as of February 1, 2018 unless the client chooses to opt out. This program will include limiting to seven days the supply of opioids dispensed for certain acute prescriptions for patients who are new to therapy; limiting the daily dosage of opioids dispensed based on the strength of the opioid; and requiring the use of immediate-release formulations of opioids before extended-release opioids are dispensed. CVS Pharmacy locations will also strengthen counseling for patients filling an opioid prescription with a robust safe opioid use education program highlighting opioid safety and the dangers of addiction. This clinical program will educate patients about the Guideline for opioid prescribing published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which advises using the lowest effective dose for the shortest duration possible. Pharmacists will counsel patients about the risk of dependence and addiction tied to duration of opioid use, the importance of keeping medications secure in the home and methods of proper disposal of unused medication.

07:01 EDT Universal Stainless & Alloy announces stainless base price increase - Universal Stainless & Alloy Products announced a base price increase of 5% on all stainless products manufactured at its Bridgeville, Dunkirk and North Jackson facilities. The increase will be effective for all non-contract new orders entered October 1, 2017 forward. Current material and energy surcharges will remain in effect.

06:57 EDT ACEA says EU commercial vehicle registrations up 0.01% in August - In August, EU demand for commercial vehicles slowed to 0.01% growth after a 4% upsurge in July, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. The various segments performed differently, with demand for buses increasing 17.8% while registrations of new trucks declined 2.9%. Among the major markets, Spain and France recorded the highest percentage gains, but the Italian market saw a substantial 22.9% fall in demand, the ACEA noted. Truck makers and suppliers include Daimler AG (DDAIF), Paccar (PCAR), CNH Industrial (CNHI), Navistar (NAV), Cummins (CMI) and Allison Transmission (ALSN).

06:48 EDT Japan's Kuraray to acquire Calgon Carbon for $21.50 per share in cash - Calgon Carbon Corporation (CCC) and Japan's Kuraray Co. announced that their respective board have unanimously approved, and the parties have entered into, a definitive merger agreement under which Kuraray will acquire Calgon Carbon for $21.50 per share in cash, which equates to an equity value of approximately $1.1B, and a transaction value in excess of $1.3B, including Calgon Carbon's net indebtedness. The transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals and approval by Calgon Carbon stockholders. The parties are targeting a closing by the end of December, 2017. The acquisition will be completed through a merger of a newly-created subsidiary of Kuraray with and into Calgon Carbon, with Calgon Carbon as the surviving corporation. Shares of Calgon, a manufacturer of activated carbon with capabilities in ultraviolet light disinfection, are up 59%, or $7.80, to $21.00 in premarket trading.

06:47 EDT Chatham Lodging acquires Hilton Garden Inn Portsmouth for $43.5M - Chatham Lodging announced that it has acquired the 131-room Hilton Garden Inn Portsmouth Downtown in N.H., for $43.5M, or approximately $332,000 per room.

06:14 EDT FedEx raises TNT Express integration costs by $75M - In a regulatory filing, FedEx (FDX) said that "During the remainder of 2018, we will continue to execute our TNT Express (TNTEY) integration plans. The integration process is complex as it spans over 200 countries and involves combining our pickup and delivery operations at a local level, our global and regional air and ground networks, and our extensive operations, customs clearance, sales and back-office information technology systems. The integration is expected to be completed by the end of 2020. We expect the aggregate integration program expense, including restructuring charges at TNT Express, over the four years to be approximately $800M and expect to incur approximately $350M of these costs during 2018. Our expected 2018 integration expenses are approximately $75M higher than our previous estimates, as we are accelerating portions of our TNT Express integration given the recent cyberattack. We continue to refine our integration plans, however, particularly in light of the recent cyberattack at TNT Express. The timing and amount of integration expenses and capital investments in any future period may change as we implement our plans."

06:05 EDT Gilead receives approval in Canada for expanded indication of Epclusa - Gilead Sciences Canada announced that Health Canada has granted a Notice of Compliance, or NOC, for updated labeling of Epclusa, the first all-oral, pan-genotypic, once-daily single tablet regimen, or STR, for the treatment of adults with chronic hepatitis C virus, or HCV, infection, to include use in patients co-infected with HIV-1. Health Canada granted Epclusa an NOC in July 2016, for the treatment of adults with genotype 1-6 chronic HCV infection without cirrhosis or with compensated cirrhosis, or with decompensated cirrhosis in combination with ribavirin.

06:02 EDT BioCryst's Rapivab granted FDA approval for pediatric indication - BioCryst has been granted a supplemental New Drug Application by the FDA for Rapivab, an intravenous neuraminidase inhibitor, extending its availability for the treatment of acute uncomplicated influenza to pediatric patients 2 years and older who have been symptomatic for no more than two days. The pediatric approval was based on the interim analysis of an ongoing pediatric clinical study.

06:01 EDT Google signs agreement with HTC to buy part of smartphone team - Rick Osterloh, SVP Hardware at Google, says in a blog post, "About a year and a half ago, I joined Google to pursue my dream job to create compelling hardware products, built with Google's smarts at their core. As a first step, we brought together various consumer hardware-related efforts and established a single hardware organization within the company. Our team's goal is to offer the best Google experience-across hardware, software and services-to people around the world. Last fall, we introduced our first family of Made by Google products, including Pixel smartphones, Google Home, Google Wifi, Daydream View and Chromecast Ultra, and we're preparing to unveil our second generation of products on October 4. We're excited about the 2017 lineup, but even more inspired by what's in store over the next five, 10, even 20 years. Creating beautiful products that people rely on every single day is a journey, and we are investing for the long run. Creating beautiful products that people rely on every single day is a journey, and we are investing for the long run. That's why we've signed an agreement with HTC, a leader in consumer electronics, that will fuel even more product innovation in the years ahead. With this agreement, a team of HTC talent will join Google as part of the hardware organization. These future fellow Googlers are amazing folks we've already been working with closely on the Pixel smartphone line, and we're excited to see what we can do together as one team. The deal also includes a non-exclusive license for HTC intellectual property. In many ways, this agreement is a testament to the decade-long history of teamwork between HTC and Google. Together, we've achieved several mobile-industry firsts, including the first ever Android smartphone, the HTC Dream, also known as the T-Mobile G1 (I loved mine!); as well as the Nexus One in 2010, the Nexus 9 tablet in 2014, and the first Pixel smartphone just last year. It's still early days for Google's hardware business. We're focused on building our core capabilities, while creating a portfolio of products that offers people a unique yet delightful experience only made possible by bringing together the best of Google software-like the Google Assistant-with thoughtfully designed hardware. HTC has been a longtime partner and has created some of the most beautiful, high-end devices on the market. We can't wait to welcome members of the HTC team to join us on this journey." Reference Link

05:34 EDT Boeing, Japan Airlines announce order for four 787-8 Dreamliners - Boeing and Japan Airlines (JAL) announced an order today for four 787-8 Dreamliners. The order, which was previously listed on the Boeing Orders & Deliveries website, attributed to an unidentified customer, is valued at more than $900M at current list prices and will expand JAL's Dreamliner fleet to 49 airplanes.

05:27 EDT Cognizant enters partnership with Hills - Hills Limited announced that it has embarked on a digital transformation programme in partnership with Cognizant to revitalise the company's e-commerce capabilities and improve core business processes, customer engagement, and operational efficiencies. Hills is focussed on the distribution of technologies that 'connect, entertain and secure people's lives'. With a strong presence in security, audio-visual, communications and health markets, Hills has positioned itself as a 'one-stop shop' for integrated building technology solutions, targeting industry verticals such as health, education, banking, and government infrastructure. Cognizant will leverage its digital strategy, design, and technology capabilities to develop an e-commerce platform that will provide the customers of Hills with 24x7 real-time inventory and self-service capabilities, including customer statements, invoices, pricing, online payments, and delivery information. Cognizant will implement a managed service model to enable Hills to improve operational agility and lower costs, while re-deploying savings to fund investments in innovation for growth. Hills believes it will allow staff to be more engaged with customers and vendors, and create a stronger platform to promote vendor products.