Stockwinners Market Radar for October 04, 2017 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

18:42 EDT Iberiabank recently negotiated $5.7M settlement in HUD/DOJ legal matter - In the third quarter of 2016, Iberiabank disclosed that it had been served with a subpoena from the Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General pertaining to its origination and quality control practices for loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration. The company learned earlier this year that it was a defendant in a qui tam lawsuit filed in a United States District Court in Arkansas brought by two former associates of Iberiabank Mortgage Company. When the company concluded a probable loss was reasonably estimable, it disclosed in the second quarter of 2017 a potential exposure between $6 million to $17 million. At that time, the company accrued $6 million. The company has recently negotiated a settlement amount of $11.7 million that counsel for the United States are recommending for approval by the appropriate government decision makers, which remains subject to final review and approval by the Department of Justice. The company expects to accrue the remaining $5.7 million for this matter in the third quarter of 2017. The company hopes to fully resolve this matter by the end of October 2017. As previously disclosed, the Company plans to pursue insurance coverage.

18:37 EDT S&P announces changes to S&P 500, 600 indices - S&P Dow Jones Indices will make the following changes in the S&P 500 and S&P SmallCap 600 indices: Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) will replace Level 3 Communication (LVLT) in the S&P 500 effective before the open of trading on Friday, October 13. S&P 500 constituent CenturyLink (CTL) is acquiring Level 3 Communications in a deal expected to be completed on or about that date pending final approvals. Post acquisition, CenturyLink will change its Global Industry Classification Standard Sub-Industry group from Integrated Telecommunication Services to Alternative Carriers. Pacific Premier Bancorp (PPBI) will replace Parkway (PKY) in the S&P SmallCap 600 effective before the open of trading on Thursday, October 12. Canada Pension Investment Board is acquiring Parkway in a deal expected to be completed on or about that date pending final approvals.

18:28 EDT Bill Ackman: Valeant CEO Joe Papa doing a 'superb job' - Pershing Square's Bill Ackman is speaking on CNBC.

18:23 EDT Bill Ackman: ADP produces lower revenue per employee vs. peers - Says due to ADP's scale, it should be more efficient. Says would like to see ADP's margins improve. Says ADP has "massively underachieved" its potential and has underperformed vs. peers in recent years. Says Pershing is third largest investor in ADP by dollars spent and interests align with other shareholders. Pershing Square's Bill Ackman is speaking on CNBC.

17:53 EDT Gerdau sells Chilean steel unit to Matco and Ingenieria e Inversiones for $154M - Gerdau reports it has signed a contract for the sale of 100% of its operation in Chile to the Chilean family groups Matco and Ingenieria e Inversiones. The assets included in the sale are long steel industrial units, with an annual installed steel capacity of 520,000 tons. The transaction is valued at $154M. The transaction is pending the approval of the Chilean competition authority.

17:49 EDT Pratt & Whitney awarded $2.74B government contract - Pratt & Whitney, East Hartford, Connecticut, has been awarded a $2,740,747,815 firm-fixed-price contract for F-117 engine sustainment support. Work will be performed at United Airlines, San Francisco, California; Columbus Engine Center, Columbus, Georgia; and Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2022. This contract involves foreign military sales to the United Kingdom, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, India, Australia and Strategic Airlift Capability. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Foreign military sales funds; and operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $52,707,534 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity.

17:42 EDT Intercept falls over 2% after FDA warns on Ocaliva liver injury - Shares of Intercept fall over 2% in after-hours trading after Bloomberg says the FDA warns on Ocaliva liver injury. Intercept is down 2% to $67.35 per share in after-hours trading.

17:32 EDT Bain reports 7.25% stake in Yuma Energy

17:24 EDT Resources Connection sees Q2 gross margin 37%-38% - Comments taken from Q1 earnings conference call.

17:20 EDT Norwegian Cruise Line to replace Level 3 in S&P 500 at open on 10/13 - S&P 500 constituent CenturyLink (CTL) is acquiring Level 3 Communications (LVLT) in a deal expected to be completed on or about that date pending final approvals. Post acquisition, CenturyLink will change its Global Industry Classification Standard Sub-Industry group from Integrated Telecommunication Services to Alternative Carriers.

17:11 EDT CynergisTek appoints Mac McMillan as CEO - CynergisTek announced that its board has appointed Mac McMillan as CEO, effective immediately. McMillan has served as the company's president and CSO and on the board since January and will continue to serve in this capacity. In conjunction with this appointment, Joe Flynn resigned as CEO effective October 2. He will step down from the board and has decided to pursue an opportunity as CEO of a privately held business. Flynn will be working with McMillan and the leadership team on this transition until October 31.

17:05 EDT Tejon Ranch commences rights offering - Tejon Ranch announced that it has commenced the previously announced rights offering to raise gross proceeds of up to approximately $75M. Under the terms of the rights offering, Tejon has distributed, at no charge, to the holders of its common stock as of 5:00 p.m., New York time, on October 4, one transferable subscription right for each share of Tejon common stock then owned. Each subscription right entitles the holder to purchase 0.20 shares of common stock using a purchase price of $18.00 per whole share.

17:02 EDT MutualFirst Financial, Universal Bancorp agree to $65.6M merger pact - MutualFirst Financial and Universal Bancorp announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement pursuant to which Universal will be merged into MutualFirst, with MutualFirst being the surviving entity. Upon the closing of the transaction, BloomBank, the wholly owned bank subsidiary of Universal, will merge into MutualFirst's wholly owned bank subsidiary, MutualBank. The merger will expand MutualFirst's presence into Central and Southern Indiana. At closing, the combined company is expected to have $2B in total assets. This transaction will increase MutualFirst's branch network to a total of 40 branches. MutualFirst will acquire 100% of the outstanding shares of Universal in exchange for a mixture of cash and common shares of MutualFirst. Under the terms of the Agreement, shareholders of Universal will be entitled to receive 15.6 shares of MutualFirst common stock plus $250.00 in cash for each common share of Universal. The transaction, which has been unanimously approved by both MutualFirst's and Universal's boards of directors, is expected to close in the first quarter of 2018, pending receipt of regulatory approvals, the approval of the shareholders of Universal and other customary closing conditions. The cash and stock transaction is valued at approximately $65.6M, based on MutualFirst's closing stock price as of October 2, 2017. The merger is expected to be accretive to MutualFirst's earnings per share in 2018 and with cost savings fully implemented in 2019 the accretion is projected to be approximately 13%. The tangible book value dilution at closing of 3.1% is expected to be earned back in approximately 2.2 years using the "crossover" method. Key transaction assumptions include a gross loan credit mark of $4.4M and MutualFirst is expected to realize 25% cost savings on BloomBank's non-interest expense.

17:01 EDT World Fuel Services announces $100M share repurchase plan - World Fuel Services announced that its Board of Directors has renewed the company's share repurchase program, authorizing the purchase of up to $100M in common stock. This board action replaces the previously announced September 2016 share repurchase authorization.

16:55 EDT US Energy trading halted, news pending

16:46 EDT Third Point Reinsurance sees Q3 catastrophe loss less than $10M - Third Point Reinsurance announced that its initial net loss estimate from third quarter catastrophes is expected to be less than $10M. "Third Point Re does not write any catastrophe excess of loss contracts and had only modest losses from the recent catastrophe events," commented Rob Bredahl, President and CEO of Third Point Re. "Our total return business model is to manage our investment portfolio for higher expected returns while avoiding highly volatile forms of reinsurance such as catastrophe excess of loss treaties and other event covers. The estimated net investment return, as reported by our investment manager, on our more than $2.5 billion investment portfolio was 14.4% year to date through September and we estimate our total third quarter catastrophe losses at less than $10 million against total industry losses that many industry experts believe could exceed $100 billion."

16:33 EDT 3M sees Scott Safety acquisition 8c dilutive to Q4 EPS - 3M (MMM) announced that it has completed its acquisition of Scott Safety from Johnson Controls (JCI) for a total enterprise value of $2B. 3M estimates the acquisition to be 8c dilutive to earnings in the fourth quarter.

16:32 EDT Cellectis names Mathieu Simon interim chief medical officer - Cellectis announced that Mathieu Simon M.D. will act as interim chief medical officer, effective immediately. Simon is taking over the responsibilities of Loan Hoang-Sayag, chief medical officer, who is leaving Cellectis to pursue other opportunities. Mathieu Simon has served as Cellectis' executive VP since 2012 and as COO since 2013.

16:30 EDT ASUR Airports reports total passenger traffic for September down 3.5% - ASUR Airports announced that total passenger traffic for September 2017 decreased by 3.5% when compared to September 2016. Passenger traffic rose 5.9% in Mexico, and decreased 36.7% in San Juan. This announcement reflects comparisons between September 1 through September 30, 2017 and 2016. Accumulated figures reflect comparisons between January 1 and September 30, 2017 and 2016. Transit and general aviation passengers are excluded for Mexico.

16:21 EDT Verizon EVP, president of Global Media Marni Walden to leave in Feb 2018 - Marni Walden, Verizon executive vice president and president of Global Media, announced her plans to leave the company in February 2018. Effective December 31, 2017, Walden will move into a strategic advisor role and continue to report to Verizon Chairman and CEO Lowell McAdam until her departure. Following that date, Tim Armstrong, CEO of Oath, who will continue to be responsible for leading Oath, will report directly to McAdam. The Telematics organization will report to John Stratton, executive vice president and president of Global Operations.

16:20 EDT Altai Capital Management reports 7.63% stake in MobileIron

16:19 EDT World Fuel Services names CVS Health CIO Gold to board of directors - World Fuel Services Corporation (INT) announced the appointment of Stephen J. Gold to the board of directors of the company. Gold currently serves as Executive Vice President Technology and Operations Innovation, Chief Information Officer for CVS Health Corporation (CVS). Gold will serve as a member of the Technology and Operations and Governance committees.

16:18 EDT Xenia acquires the Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City for $105M - Xenia Hotels & Resorts announced its acquisition of The Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City, a 365-room luxury hotel located in Arlington, Virginia, for a purchase price of $105 million, or approximately $287,670 per key. The acquisition was funded with cash available on the Company's balance sheet and its senior unsecured credit facility. The purchase price represents an estimated 11.3x multiple on 2017 forecasted Hotel EBITDA. The Company currently forecasts that the hotel will generate approximately $2 million of Hotel EBITDA for the remainder of 2017

16:18 EDT Coca-Cola, AB InBev complete transition of majority ownership in CCBA - The Coca-Cola Company (KO) and Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD) announced that they have completed the transition of AB InBev's majority interest in Coca-Cola Beverages Africa, or CCBA. The transition, which was first announced in December 2016, makes The Coca-Cola Company the controlling shareowner of CCBA. The closing follows the completion of a number of regulatory approvals across the territories in which CCBA operates. The Coca-Cola Company plans to hold its controlling interest in CCBA temporarily until it is refranchised. The Coca-Cola Company will account for CCBA as a discontinued operation.

16:16 EDT RenaissanceRe sees $625M negative impact from Harvey, Irma, Maria, earthquake - RenaissanceRe Holdings announced it anticipates an initial estimated net negative impact of $625M from Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria and the Mexico City Earthquake. These events caused widespread damage to both personal and commercial property in and around the impacted regions. The company currently estimates that losses from Hurricanes Harvey and Irma will have a net negative impact of approximately $225M and $175M, respectively, on its third quarter 2017 results of operations. In addition, the company currently estimates that the combined losses from Hurricane Maria and the Mexico City Earthquake will have a net negative impact of approximately $225M on its third quarter 2017 results of operations.

16:16 EDT 8point3 Energy sees Q4 distribution up 3% to 28.02c per share - Forecasts Q4 distribution of 28.02c per share, an increase of 3% compared to the Q3 distribution.

16:13 EDT Ligand: Crystal deal to contribute up to $1M of revenue during Q4 - This acquisition is projected to contribute up to $1M of revenue and a similar level of operating expenses during the fourth quarter of 2017, Ligand said. For 2018, Ligand expects incremental Crystal revenues of at least $5M and incremental EPS of at least 9c.

16:12 EDT Oncor, Sempra Energy to file for Texas regulatory approval - Oncor Electric Delivery Company and Sempra Energy announced that they expect to jointly file a Change-in-Control application tomorrow with the Public Utility Commission of Texas. This filing represents a key step in the regulatory review process for Sempra Energy's agreement to acquire Energy Future Holdings Corp., the indirect owner of approximately 80% of Oncor. The application will include 47 regulatory commitments and a new financing structure, under which Sempra Energy proposes to now acquire 100% of EFH at the close of the transaction with no third-party equity investors or EFH debt. While accretion will vary based on the actual closing date of the transaction, and the timing and mix of equity and debt issued, Sempra Energy expects the acquisition of EFH under the new financing structure to result in an average annualized accretion in earnings per share of approximately 10c-20c over the next four years.

16:09 EDT Sierra Wireless signs distribution agreement with Ingram Micro - Sierra Wireless announced it has signed a distribution agreement with Ingram Micro. Through this agreement, Ingram Micro is now authorized to distribute the complete AirLink portfolio of networking solutions, including cellular routers and gateways, management, services and support, to its channel partners in the U.S. Sierra Wireless AirLink networking solutions enable organizations to seamlessly and securely connect their mission-critical infrastructure, such as pipelines, SCADA systems, branch offices and retail kiosks, transit, police cruisers and ambulances, to the enterprise.

16:09 EDT Kinder Morgan, DCP Midstream, Targa agree to jointly develop GCX project - Kinder Morgan Texas Pipeline LLC, a subsidiary of Kinder Morgan, Inc. (KMI), DCP Midstream, LP (DCP) and an affiliate of Targa Resources Corp. (TRGP) announced they have signed a letter of intent with respect to the joint development of the proposed Gulf Coast Express Pipeline Project, which would provide an outlet for increased natural gas production from the Permian Basin to growing markets along the Texas Gulf Coast. The participation of the three parties involved with the GCX Project is subject to negotiation and execution of definitive agreements among KMTP, DCP Midstream and Targa. As part of the definitive agreements, Targa and DCP Midstream would commit significant volumes to the proposed project, including certain volumes provided by Pioneer Natural Resources Company (PXD), a joint owner in Targa's WestTX Permian Basin system and one of the largest producers in the Permian Basin. The capacity of the GCX Project is expected to be approximately 1.92 billion cubic feet per day and would include a lateral into the Midland Basin, consisting of approximately 50 miles of 36-inch pipeline and associated compression to serve gas processing facilities owned by Targa, as well as facilities owned jointly by Targa and Pioneer. The expected in-service date of the pipeline continues to be scheduled for the second half of 2019, pending the timely completion of definitive agreements with shippers and a final investment decision by the three parties. Per the terms of the letter of intent, KMI would build, operate and own a 50 percent interest in the GCX Project, and DCP Midstream and Targa would each hold a 25 percent equity interest in the project. It is anticipated that natural gas supply would be sourced into the project from multiple locations, including existing receipt points along KMI's KMTP and El Paso Natural Gas pipeline systems in the Permian Basin, a proposed interconnection with the Trans-Pecos Pipeline, and additional interconnections to both intrastate and interstate pipeline systems in the Waha area. Deliveries of natural gas into the Agua Dulce area would include points into KMTP's existing Gulf Coast network, KMI-owned intrastate affiliates (KM Tejas and KM Border pipelines), the Valley Crossing pipeline, the NET Mexico header, and multiple other intrastate and interstate natural gas pipelines.

16:05 EDT Stifel more cautious on Solid Waste sector, only Waste Connections remains Buy - Stifel analyst Michael Hoffman downgraded Advanced Disposal Services (ADSW), Casella Waste (CWST), Republic Services (RSG) and Waste Management (WM) to Hold as he believes a pause is called for in Solid Waste given recycling headwind risk in the fourth quarter and 2018, and Hurricane expenses that could weigh on the group. The analyst, however, reiterated a Buy rating on Waste Connections (WCN). MOVING TO THE SIDELINES: Discussing the Solid Waste sector, Stifel analyst Michael Hoffman told investors that a pause may be called for and downgraded Advanced Disposal Services, Casella Waste, Republic Services and Waste Management to Hold from Buy. While the analyst acknowledged that basic fundamentals are good, he said the recycling headwind cannot be ignored. Last week, paper prices plummeted 30%-40%, he noted, adding that China is cracking down on contamination in imported recycled materials. Further, Hoffman believes that even if China issues import licenses soon, prices will stay low to clear ports. Additionally, the analyst pointed out that third quarter hurricane expenses could weigh on the group. Hoffman reiterated a $26 price target on Advanced Disposal Services, $19 on Casella Waste shares, and lowered his price target for both Republic Services and Waste Management to $70 and $80, respectively. TOP PICK: Nonetheless, Stifel's Hoffman said Waste Connections remains his Solid Waste Top Pick, reiterating a Buy rating on the stock and raising his price target on the shares to $80 from $75. The analyst noted that the company has an "unique market selection" and is maximizing contract structure and asset positioning to drive the best in class free cash flow growth and conversion. Hoffman told investors he believes there is incremental operating leverage from the Waste Connections/Progressive Waste Solutions, and foresees better than normal free cash flow growth in the next two to three years. Free cash flow allocation will go to tuck-ins, dividend growth and share buybacks, he contended. PRICE ACTION: Following this morning's rating changes, shares of Waste Connections dropped over 1%, Advanced Disposal Services and Waste Management slipped about 4%, Casella Waste plunged almost 8% and Republic Services slid about 5%.

16:01 EDT Live Nation buys United Concerts to build regional presence In Utah - Live Nation Entertainment announced that is has acquired United Concerts, the leading local promoter in Salt Lake City. United Concerts produces more than 170 live events per year at a wide range of venues throughout Utah, and has produced more than 6,000 events in its 50 years of business.

15:56 EDT Diebold names Devon Watson as Chief Marketing Officer - Diebold announced Devon Watson has been named vice president, chief marketing officer. In this newly created position Watson, an experienced strategy and business development leader, will lead the company's global marketing operations and strategy, focusing on driving growth through industry thought leadership and effective customer-facing campaigns. Watson joined Diebold, Incorporated in 2012 and has held a number of leadership roles in solution strategy and innovation. Most recently, he served as vice president, software strategy and operations. Prior to joining Diebold, Watson held go-to-market positions in software, cloud-based services and software-as-a-service companies. Watson also co-founded a SaaS analytics start-up.

15:22 EDT Sonic issues notice of payment card breach -

15:10 EDT bluebird bio: 88% of patients getting Lenti-D drug alive, free of MFDs - As of the April 25, 2017 data cut-off, 15/17, 88%, 95% confidence interval: 64% to 99%, of the patients infused with Lenti-D drug product remain alive and free of MFDs, the primary efficacy endpoint of the trial. Median follow-up at the time of data analysis was 29.4 months . This exceeds the pre-defined efficacy success benchmark for the study of 76% MFD-free survival at 24 months for this initial subset of patients. Most adverse events occurred during the 2 weeks post-transplant and most were associated with myeloablative chemotherapy. One possibly drug related serious adverse event occurred and resolved with standard measures. There was no engraftment failure, graft versus host disease or life-threatening infections. There was no evidence of insertional oncogenesis. Gadolinium enhancement, positive in all patients at baseline, was negative in 16/17 patients by month 6. Diffuse gadolinium enhancement re-emerged in 6 patients at month 12. Subsequent fluctuations in gadolinium enhancement were observed, with 11/17 patients negative for gadolinium enhancement at their last follow-up. In all patients showing gadolinium re-emergence, the enhancement was less extensive compared to baseline. Initial results suggest that re-emergence of gadolinium enhancement does not correlate with clinical outcome. Two patients did not meet the primary efficacy endpoint:

14:43 EDT FOX News announces expansion of FOX & Friends franchise - FOX News Channel, owned by 21st Century Fox, announced it is expanding the FOX & Friends franchise by one hour. Beginning October 9th, FOX & Friends FIRST will be presented from 4-6am ET and FOX & Friends will continue in the 6-9 am ET timeslot. "On pace to have its highest-rated year in network history, FOX & Friends has been FNC's signature morning program for more than 19 years," the company noted.

14:30 EDT PEDEVCO Corp. trading resumes

14:21 EDT Citron's Left says short Shopify, will remain short the stock - Andrew Left of Citron Research, while speaking on Bloomberg TV, said he's short shares of Shopify and will remain short. He believes the shares have a lot more to go on the downside.

14:10 EDT Collegium rises 28c to $10.97 after Cigna signs contract for Xtampza

13:56 EDT Cigna removing OxyContin from group commercial drug lists on January 1 - America's opioid epidemic is complex, and Cigna has taken a multi-faceted approach to reducing opioid use among its customers by 25 percent by 2019. The company's covered drug lists are regularly evaluated with an eye to eliminating the inappropriate use of opioids and assisting customers in safely achieving positive health results, while also managing their out-of-pocket costs. As a result of this review, the brand OxyContin is no longer covered as a preferred option on Cigna's group commercial drug lists effective January 1, 2018. "Our focus is on helping customers get the most value from their medications - this means obtaining effective pain relief while also guarding against opioid misuse. We continually evaluate the clinical effectiveness, affordability and safety of all our covered medications as these characteristics can change over time, and we make adjustments that we believe will provide better overall value for those we serve," says Jon Maesner, PharmD, Cigna's chief pharmacy officer. Cigna is in the process of notifying customers with current OxyContin prescriptions and their doctors of the upcoming change so that they have time to discuss treatment options and covered oxycodone clinical alternatives. Individuals who have started using OxyContin for hospice care or cancer treatments will continue to have the medication covered in 2018. As with other medications that are not on covered drug lists, Cigna will consider approving coverage for OxyContin if a customer's doctor feels that treatment using OxyContin is medically necessary.

13:44 EDT PEDEVCO Corp. trading halted, news pending

13:41 EDT GoPro slides as Google hosts product event - The move lower in GoPro (GPRO) is being attributed to Google's (GOOG) announcement of Google Clips. Reference Link

13:39 EDT Eastman Chemical removes shelter in place advisory for corporate campus - Eastman has removed the precautionary shelter in place advisory for its corporate campus and surrounding community, except for those within a half-mile radius of the intersection of John B. Dennis and Moreland Drive, and personnel inside the Kingsport plant perimeter. The shelter in place advisory was issued in an abundance of caution in response to a process upset in the coal gasification area of its Kingsport manufacturing site. No injuries have been reported. The company expects to have an assessment by 3 p.m. whether the localized shelter in place advisory will be lifted.

13:30 EDT Google's Pixel 2 starts at $649, Pixel 2 XL at $849 - Google says the phones will be available in U.S. at Verizon today.

13:13 EDT Google to bring Google Lens recognition software to Pixels this year - Google Lens can not only recognize what is being seen through the Pixel camera but provide information on what is being "Lensed."

13:09 EDT Windstream rises after ISDA panel says no default event occured - An ISDA Credit Derivatives Determinations Committee voted 15 to 0 that a "Failure to Pay Credit Event" has not occurred with respect to Windstream Services (WIN). In a regulatory filing on September 26, Windstream disclosed that the company received a purported notice of default dated September 21 from a noteholder that claims to hold greater than 25% in aggregate principal amount of the company's 6 3/8% Senior Notes due 2023. The filing stated: "The Notice alleges that the transfer of certain assets and the subsequent lease of those assets in connection with the spinoff of Communications Sales & Leasing, Inc. (now known as Uniti Group, Inc.) in April 2015 constituted a Sale and Leaseback Transaction which did not comply with the Sale and Leaseback covenant under the Indenture. The transactions did not constitute a Sale and Leaseback Transaction, and the Company asserts no default occurred, and that no default is continuing, under the Sale and Leaseback covenant under the Indenture..The Company will vigorously defend against these allegations and pursue all appropriate remedies, including, but not limited to, action(s) against any party alleging default." In afternoon trading, Windstream shares are up 4% and Uniti Group shares have risen about 3%. Reference Link

13:00 EDT Google announces Google Pixel 2

12:56 EDT Google announces partnership with Snapchat for use on Pixelbook

12:48 EDT Google announces Pixelbook premium Chromebook.

12:41 EDT Google announces larger Home device with improved speakers

12:40 EDT Google announces partnership with Disney for family features on Home devices

12:37 EDT Nest CTO announces new video doorbell device 'Nest Hello' with recognition - Google's Nest division is announcing a new doorbell device, Nest Hello, that competes with Ring doorbells and integrates Google's machine learning facial recognition and can identify a familiar person at the door.

12:32 EDT Columbia Sportswear awarded over $3M for Seirus patent infringement - Columbia Sportswear Company issued the following statement regarding the jury verdict in its patent infringement lawsuit against Seirus Innovative Accessories: "On September 29, a jury in the federal district court in San Diego awarded damages to Columbia Sportswear in the amount of $3.018M for Seirus's infringement of one of Columbia's U.S. design patents in its portfolio of patents concerning its Omni-Heat Reflective technology. The amount awarded represents Seirus's total profits from the sale of its infringing HeatWave products. Columbia is also entitled to prejudgment interest and to seek the profits that retailers earned through their sales of the Seirus infringing products...The jury also found that two claims of one of Columbia's U.S. Omni-Heat utility patents are invalid. 'We continue to maintain numerous patents around the globe related to our Omni-Heat designs and technology, and will seek to overturn the jury's partial invalidation of one of our U.S. Omni-Heat patents,' said Peter Bragdon, EVP and general counsel. The court rulings are subject to appeal."

12:28 EDT Time Inc.'s Entertainment Weekly to move headquarters to Los Angeles - Time Inc. has announced that ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY will move its headquarters to the company's Los Angeles bureau effective March 2018. This strategic relocation will provide EW with more frequent and deeper engagement with talent, studios and networks in the entertainment industry. EW Editor-in-Chief Henry Goldblatt will relocate to LA, continuing his leadership of EW under Jess Cagle, Editorial Director, Style & Entertainment Group. The EW team will be the newest addition to the LA-based office, which also houses the West Coast bureau of PEOPLE, members of Time Inc.'s other brands and departments, and a new state-of-the-art television and video studio. In August 2017, EW.com had 18.7 million visitors, increases of 5% MoM and 16% YoY. Internal metrics for September show that EW.com surpassed its previous traffic records, attracting its largest number of visitors in almost two years. September also marked the highest number of video streams to date for EW's video programming-at 11.1 million, according to internal data.

12:21 EDT Google Home VP Rishi Chandra says Google Home to launch in Japan this week

12:13 EDT Google plans moving to mobile first to AI first - In an AI first atmosphere, computers have to be conversational and sensory. It has to be ambient with multiple devices. It has to be thoughtfully contextual, and learns and adapts. Google's image classification accuracy has increased through the use of AutoML. Google's Object Detection precision has increased to 43.2% by using AutoML from 39.1% with previous models. Comments made at the Made By Google conference.

12:02 EDT Siemens: Soussan, Peter to succeed Jochen Eickholt as head of Mobility unit - Sabrina Soussan and Michael Peter have been appointed to succeed Jochen Eickholt as head of Siemens' (SIEGY) Mobility Division, effective October 1, 2017. Eickholt has been appointed integration manager for the announced merger of Siemens' and Alstom's (ALSMY) mobility businesses, effective the same date. In addition to heading the Mobility Division, Sabrina Soussan will remain CEO of its Mainline Transport and Urban Transport Business Units. In this capacity, she will continue to be responsible for the Division's businesses in the areas of high-speed trains, commuter and regional trains, locomotives, metro systems, and tram and light rail systems and will now also head its service business, in addition. Michael Peter will also continue to serve as CEO of the Mobility Management Business Unit in addition to heading the Mobility Division. Additionally to his current responsibility for rail automation and traffic management systems, he will now head the company's turnkey solutions and rail electrification businesses as well.

11:58 EDT Tetraphase rises after presentation of oral eravacycline data - Shares of Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals are higher after the company earlier this morning announced the presentation of data at IDWeek 2017 from the first study of a recently completed phase 1 program designed to optimize drug exposure of oral eravacycline in an IV-to-oral dosing regimen. These results, along with data from subsequent trials in this phase 1 program, have allowed for the identification of an optimized IV-to-oral dosing regimen using the current oral formulation which the company plans to advance into a phase 2 clinical trial in patients with complicated urinary tract infections, the company noted. "We are encouraged by the clinical data in healthy volunteers we have recently seen in the phase 1 oral eravacycline development program and are eager to initiate the next step of evaluating the optimized IV-to-oral dosing regimen in a patient population," said CEO Guy Macdonald. Patrick Horn, Chief Medical Officer of Tetraphase, added, "Data from this phase 1 study presented at IDWeek confirm that the timing of oral dosing relative to meals drove the lower than expected drug exposures seen with the oral dosing regimen in IGNITE2, our first phase 3 IV-to-oral study in cUTI...We have also seen promising data in phase 1 clinical trials using a new oral eravacycline formulation and we will continue phase 1 development of this new formulation in parallel, as it could represent a future life-cycle option for oral eravacycline." In afternoon trading, Tetraphase shares are up 6% to $7.69.

11:36 EDT Puerto Rico bond insurers fall after Trump debt comments - Shares of the insurers of Puerto Rico's bonds, including MBIA (MBI), Assured Guaranty (AGO), and Ambac Financial Group (AMBC) are dropping after President Donald Trump said that his administration would wipe out Puerto Rico's debt to hasten the recovery from the damage that was left by recent hurricanes. During an interview with Fox News, President Trump said, "We have to look at their whole debt structure... You know, they owe a lot of money to your friends on Wall Street, and we're going to have to wipe that out." DIMINISHED CAPACITY TO REPAY: This past April, Moody's lowered the ratings on debt of the Government Development Bank and five other Puerto Rico issuers, with a total of approximately $13B outstanding. "The commonwealth's outlook and the outlooks for seven affiliated obligors linked to the central government have been revised to negative from developing," said Moody's at the time. Moody's said it downgraded the territory's debt because of the pressures on Puerto Rico's economic base indicating a "diminishing capacity to repay." PRICE ACTION: Shares of Puerto Rico's bond insurers are lower in late morning trading, with MBIA down over 7% to $8.06 per share, Assured Guaranty falling 2.3% to $37.80 per share, and Ambac Financial Group lower by 5.9% to $16.64 per share.

11:17 EDT Eastman Chemical drops 1% to $90.09 after report of explosion

10:51 EDT Puerto Rico bond insurers fall after Trump debt comments - In an interview with Fox News, President Donald Trump said his administration would get rid of Puerto Rico's debt to help the hurricane-ravaged territory get back on its feet. Puerto Rico bonds fell after the comments. Shares of the firms that insure the debt are falling in morning trading. Assured Guaranty (AGO) is down over 3% to $37.51, while MBIA (MBI) is lower by 9% to $7.91. Ambac Financial (AMBC) is down 4.5% to $16.91 in morning trading.

10:43 EDT Instagram introduces polls in stories - Instagram announced in a blog post on Tuesday, October 3, that the social media network will introduce polls to Instagram Stories. "Today we're introducing an interactive poll sticker in Instagram Stories that lets you ask a question and see results from your friends and followers as they vote. Whether you're trying to plan tomorrow's outfit, choosing which class to take or figuring out where to go for dinner, now it's easy to share a two-option poll right in your story. After you've taken a photo or video for your story, select the 'poll' sticker and place it anywhere you'd like - you can write out your own question and even customize the poll choices. After you've shared your poll, your friends and followers can immediately start voting and see real-time results. Once someone has voted on your poll, they'll see which choice is in the lead at any given moment. And if they watch your story again later, they'll see the latest results. To see your own poll results, swipe up to open the viewers list for that part of your story. There you'll see everything you need to get the best answer for your question. Not only will you see how many votes each option received, but you'll also see who voted and what option they chose. That way, you'll be able to compare votes from the friends and followers whose opinions you trust most. And just like your story, your poll and its results will disappear after 24 hours." Reference Link

10:36 EDT Teva, Momenta slide after Mylan gets earlier than expected MS drug nod - Shares of Mylan (MYL) are soaring after the company announced that the Food and Drug Administration had approved its generic version of Teva Pharmaceutical's (TEVA) multiple sclerosis treatment Copaxone. The news sent both Teva and generic competitor Momenta Pharmaceuticals (MNTA) into negative territory. COPAXONE GENERIC APPROVAL: Mylan has announced that the FDA has approved Mylan's Abbreviated New Drug Applications for Glatiramer Acetate Injection 40mg/mL for 3-times-a-week injection and Glatiramer Acetate Injection 20mg/mL for once-daily injection. These are substitutable generic versions of Teva's Copaxone 40mg/mL and Copaxone 20mg/mL, which are indicated for the treatment of patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. Mylan will begin shipping imminently. Commenting on the news, Teva said that any launch by Mylan of a generic version of Copaxone 40mg/mL prior to final resolution of the pending patent appeals and other patent litigation should be considered an "at-risk" launch, which could subject Mylan to significant damages among other remedies. 'BIG WIN' FOR MYLAN: Wells Fargo analyst David Maris told investors that he sees this is a "big win" for Mylan, as Copaxone is an approximately $3.4B brand in the U.S., with sales last quarter of approximately $843M. Under an optimistic case, at a 40% discount Mylan may secure 40% share of the 40mg market, Maris contended, which would mean generic Copaxone sales for Mylan could be approximately $172M per quarter from Copaxone 40mg while it is alone in the market. Further, the analyst estimates that at this level, generic Copaxone 40mg could contribute approximately 13c in earnings per share per quarter. The analyst has a Market Perform rating and $32 price target on Mylan's shares. Meanwhile, his peer at BTIG told investors in a research note of his own that he believes the company gaining approval on both strengths of Copaxone not only validates Mylan's core competency as a premier generics company, it also provides an important signal to investors that "one can simply never count out Mylan," especially regarding complex generic products. Analyst Timothy Chiang estimates that Mylan could obtain up to $450M of sales from its generic version of Teva's Copaxone in the first year in which it is marketed, and raised his price target on the shares to $45 from $42, while reiterating a Buy rating on the stock. READ-THROUGH FOR TEVA, MOMENTA: In a research note of his own, Oppenheimer analyst Derek Archila told investors that Mylan's approval of its substitutable generic Copaxone 20mg and 40mg is "clearly another headwind" for Teva, but not that unexpected. The analyst believes a 5% move to the downside is an appropriate move for the stock based on the news, and reiterated a Perform rating on Teva shares. Meanwhile, JPMorgan analyst Chris Schott argued the approval puts further pressure on Teva's "already challenged" near-term earnings profile and delevering efforts. Additionally, the analyst pointed out that the earlier than expected approval for Mylan also represents a setback for Momenta's generic Copaxone opportunity. Schott had assumed the company's Glatopa would be the first generic version of Copaxone 40mg to enter the market, but he acknowledged that the product has been delayed due to manufacturing issues at a Pfizer (PFE) plant handling fill for the drug. Nonetheless, he continues to see a "large and fairly durable" generic opportunity for Glatopa. Schott reiterated an Overweight rating on Momenta's shares. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of Mylan have gained over 18% to $38.60, while Teva and Momenta have dropped about 14% and 17%, respectively.

10:23 EDT Netflix climbs as analysts predict better than expected subscriber growth - The shares of Netflix (NFLX) are climbing after UBS and Piper Jaffray predicted that the company's third quarter subscriber data would come in above expectations. UBS: The positive momentum that Netflix saw in the second quarter continued at similar rates in the third quarter, wrote analyst Doug Mitchelson, noting that Netflix said that it expected its subscriber momentum to ease in Q3. The continued strong year-over-year subscriber growth "across almost all markets" came despite a downturn in the quality of the company's original programming last quarter, the analyst stated. He raised his Q3 U.S. net subscriber addition estimate by 100,000 to 850,000 and increased his Q3 international net add estimate by 300,000 to 3.95M. Analysts' consensus outlook for total Q3 U.S. and foreign subscriber net adds is 750,000 and 3.6M, respectively, he wrote. As a result, he predicted that the company's net subscriber adds for the second half of 2017 would beat the consensus outlook by about 1M, and he expects the stock to rise in the near-term, due to the "lackluster" performance of its stock this quarter and investors' belief that the company's Q3 results will be in-line with expectations. Mitchelson hiked his price target on the shares to $225 from $190 and kept a Buy rating on the stock. PIPER: After analyzing Google search trends, Piper's Michael Olson believes that Netflix's international and domestic subscriber growth beat expectations last quarter. The analyst says the search data suggests that the company's U.S. subscriber base jumped 16% in Q3, while its foreign subscriber base surged by 71% year-over-year. According to Olson, the consensus outlook is 10.7% for U.S. subscriber growth and 42% for international subscriber growth. Although investors should not expect actual subscriber growth rates to be in-line with the numbers indicated by the search data, there is "a high likelihood" that Netflix's Q3 subscriber data will beat expectations, according to Olson. He kept a $215 price target and an Overweight rating on the shares. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, Netflix rose 3.25% to $185 per share.

10:07 EDT Beacon Roofing announces expiration of HSR period for Allied deal - Beacon Roofing Supply (BECN) announced the expiration of the waiting period required under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, in connection with its acquisition of Allied Building Products Corp. The waiting period expired on Monday, October 2. As announced on August 24, Beacon has entered into a definitive purchase agreement to acquire Allied from global diversified building products group CRH plc (CRH) for $2.625 billion in cash. The transaction is expected to close on January 2, 2018.

09:51 EDT Shopify drops 4% after cautious mention by short-seller Citron Research

09:45 EDT Monsanto anticipates Q1 EPS to be higher than last year - Says couldn't be more pleased with Q4 results. Says economy continues to be challenged but company is well-positioned to meet production challenges. Says key filings in Bayer (BAYRY) deal have been made and the company has received one-third of necessary approvals. Expects continued momentum for new products. Expects corn acres to decline in Brazil in Q1. Plans to launch in Western Canada in FY18. Sees improved pricing in glyphosate-based herbicides in Q1. Comments taken from Q4 conference call.

09:36 EDT Bioptix to shift focus, change name to 'Riot Blockchain' - Bioptix (BIOP) announced earlier that it is changing its name to Riot Blockchain and has reserved and plans to change its Nasdaq ticker symbol to "RIOT," in line with a shift in direction of the company. Moving forward, Riot Blockchain's focus will be as a strategic investor and operator in the blockchain ecosystem with a particular focus on the Bitcoin and Ethereum blockchains. As part of this focus, the company announces it has made a strategic investment in Coinsquare, one of Canada's leading exchanges for trading digital currencies. "This investment into a blockchain-focused company is indicative of similar opportunities Riot Blockchain plans to pursue, including possible acquisitions of businesses serving the blockchain ecosystem," the company stated. Shares of micro-cap Bioptix are up 11% to $9 in early trading.

09:17 EDT Gartner to evaluate strategic alternatives for CEB Talent Assessment - Gartner announced that it has initiated a process to explore and evaluate strategic alternatives for its CEB Talent Assessment business, formerly SHL. As part of this process the company intends to consider a range of strategic options, which may include, among other things, a sale of the business. CEB Talent Assessment is a global provider of talent assessment solutions. For the twelve month period ending June 30, CEB Talent Assessment's revenue represented approximately 6% of Gartner and CEB combined adjusted revenue. "The Board and management team regularly evaluate opportunities to enhance shareholder value and believe now is the right time to explore potential alternatives for CEB Talent Assessment," said Gene Hall, CEO. "Since acquiring CEB Talent Assessment as part of the CEB acquisition earlier this year, we have repositioned the business to drive long-term growth. While CEB Talent Assessment is a recognized industry leader in a rapidly expanding marketplace with significant growth opportunities, it is not aligned with our core focus of providing research and advisory services to address the mission-critical priorities of every functional leader in the enterprise. We are confident this is a positive step forward for CEB Talent Assessment and its clients as it represents an opportunity to bring a renewed focus on the business to better support innovation, product development and long-term growth." There can be no assurance that this review will result in a transaction being announced or agreed upon. Although Gartner expects to proceed in a timely manner, there is no timetable for completion of the review process and the company does not intend to announce any updates until the conclusion of the strategic review.

09:15 EDT On The Fly: Pre-market Movers - HIGHER: Catabasis Pharmaceuticals (CATB), up 27.6% after reporting ew positive efficacy results showing sustained disease-modifying effects in the MoveDMD trial open-label extension following 24 and 36 weeks of treatment with edasalonexent... Mylan (MYL), up 15.9% after announcing FDA approval of Abbreviated New Drug Applications, or ANDAs, for Glatiramer Acetate Injection 40 mg/mL... Lamb Weston (LW), up 6% after reporting quarterly results. LOWER: PepsiCo (PEP), down 1.6% after reporting quarterly results... Teva Pharmaceutical (TEVA) is down 12.3% and Momenta (MNTA) is down 20.6% after the FDA approved Mylan's ANDAs for Glatiramer Acetate Injection... Wells Fargo (WFC), down marginally after announcing plans to refund customers for mortgage rate lock extension fees.

09:07 EDT UPS and Polonez Parcel Services partner for shipping to Poland - UPS and Polonez Parcel Service, a consumer-to-consumer consolidated shipping service into Poland and other countries, announced an agreement that provides Polonez Parcel Service customers in the U.S. a parcel drop-off point at more than 8,700 UPS Access Points.

09:05 EDT Cedar Fair appoints Richard Zimmerman CEO effective January 1 - Cedar Fair president and COO Richard Zimmerman will succeed Matt Ouimet as CEO effective January 1, 2018. On the same date, Ouimet will take the newly created role of executive chairman of the board of directors and Debra Smithart-Oglesby will become lead independent director. As part of this process, Zimmerman will also be added to the board of directors during the 2018 annual meeting period. Zimmerman became president of Cedar Fair in 2016, having been named COO in 2011 after serving as an executive vice president since 2007.

09:04 EDT Anadarko announces leadership changes - Anadarko announced a consolidation of its leadership structure. Since the beginning of 2015, Anadarko has sold nearly $7.5B of non-core assets in order to reposition and focus its business to deliver better returns and growth across commodity cycles. These management changes align with the evolution of the portfolio and strategic direction the company has taken. Effective immediately, Danny Brown, formerly Executive Vice President, International and Deepwater Operations, has been named EVP, U.S. Onshore Operations, with responsibility for the company's upstream and midstream activity in Colorado, Texas, Utah and Wyoming. Mitch Ingram, formerly EVP, Global LNG, has been named EVP, International & Deepwater Operations and Project Management, overseeing Anadarko's development and production activities in Algeria, Ghana, the Gulf of Mexico and Mozambique. Ingram will also assume responsibility for the company's worldwide project-management and construction activities. In addition, the company announced Ernie Leyendecker, formerly EVP, International and Deepwater Exploration, has been named EVP, Exploration, with responsibility for the company's worldwide exploration efforts. U.S. onshore exploration is being combined with Leyendecker's prior duties, consolidating all of the company's exploration activities under his direction. Brad Holly, formerly EVP, U.S. Onshore Exploration and Production, is leaving the company to pursue other interests.

09:04 EDT Williams-Sonoma expands Fair Trade USA commitments to $3M in premiums by 2020 - As the first international home furnishings retailer to partner with Fair Trade USA in 2014, West Elm and parent company Williams-Sonoma announced plans to expand upon their responsible retail commitments to include a goal to pay premiums of $3M towards Fair Trade Community Development by 2020. The company also announced that it has partnered with Vietnam's first-ever Fair Trade furniture factory, bringing its total operating Fair Trade factory count to 11 in countries including Nepal, India and Pakistan. Consumers are increasingly making purchasing decisions based on social and environmental impacts. West Elm believes that the vendors it partners with can lead to positive change, and as such has committed that 40T of its product will be Fair Trade Certified by 2020. One of the most important aspects of Fair Trade is its ability to help realize economic empowerment in global communities and improve artisans' and workers' quality of life. Not only must factories meet rigorous social and environmental criteria, but workers also earn additional money with every single Fair Trade purchase. Workers vote on how to spend these funds to address pressing needs in their community. Toward these goals, 4,500 Fair Trade products have been introduced as part of West Elm's 2017 assortment of furniture, decorative accessories and rugs.

09:03 EDT Boeing announces agreements with seven customers for analytics solutions - Boeing announced at the MRO Europe conference and exhibition new agreements with seven customers for Boeing AnalytX solutions. This brings the total amount of analytics contracts signed this year to 223. Agreements announced include: Biman Bangladesh Airlines, a new Airplane Health Management customer, will use the service for its 777-300ER and 737-800 fleets. Condor will reduce crew costs and enhance efficiency through the use of crew optimization software from Jeppesen, including Crew Pairing and Rostering solutions. Japan Airlines signed an agreement for an Optimized Maintenance Program, which improves maintenance operations through customized maintenance programs using text analytics, parametric modeling and diagnostic analysis. MTU Aero Engines signed an agreement to use AerData's Engine Fleet Planning and Costing tool, which helps customers optimize engine maintenance planning, engine spares availability and budgets. The tool analyzes in hours what typically takes an airline weeks to examine using other methods. Qantas signed a contract adding Airplane Health Management to its 787 fleet. Qantas utilizes Airplane Health Management analytics in taking predictive maintenance actions that improve efficiency and lower operating costs. TUI Group expanded its use of Airplane Health Management by signing a contract to provide predictive analytics alerts for its forthcoming 737 MAX fleet. United Airlines has expanded use of Airplane Health Management to cover its entire Boeing fleet of airplanes, adding coverage for its Next-Generation 737, 737 MAX, 757 and 767 fleets, and renewing Airplane Health Management for its 747, 777 and 787 fleets. This represents the potential for 500 airplanes to receive Airplane Health Management's analytics-based predictive alerts.

09:01 EDT Jamba announces acquisition, growth agreement with Vitaligent - Jamba announced a growth agreement with its largest franchise partner, Vitaligent, LLC, which includes the acquisition of 21 stores from a former franchisee and the development of 12 new stores in the greater Seattle market. This agreement will increase Vitaligent's operation to 100 stores across California, Missouri, and now, Washington. Vitaligent has also committed to a 12-store development agreement for the Seattle market, to be completed over the next 5 years.

08:33 EDT On Track Innovations awarded follow-on order of payment systems from Japan - On Track Innovations has received the second batch purchase order of 2,000 cashless payment systems from Japan. This recent order of 2,000 and the initial order of 3,000 are both part of a previously announced Letter of Intent and three-year purchase order for an impending 10,000 secure cashless payment solutions systems in Japan.

08:31 EDT Keysight Technologies' Ixia announces collaboration with Rebaca Technologies - Ixia, a Keysight Business, announced a collaboration with Rebaca Technologies, a provider of Advanced Test Orchestration and DevOps solutions for Video and Wireless domains, that will enable mobile operators with virtualized environments to accelerate deployment of thoroughly tested network functions virtualization-based services to subscribers.

08:29 EDT Monsanto expects Q1 soybean gross profit growth vs. prior year - For corn, expects lower planted acres in Brazil; balanced with expected gain on sale of Precision Planting assets to AGCO. For Seeds & Genomics, the company expects corn germplasm price mix lift in local currency and global genetic share gains from the introduction of new hybrids globally, expects cotton brand share gains in the U.S. and approximately 6M acres of Bollgard II XtendFlex cotton, expects soybeans trait revenue growth and genetic share gains expected from more than 40M acres of Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans and greater than60M acres of Intacta RR2 PRO soybeans and expects NemaStrike Technology incremental gross profit from premium pricing from the launch of NemaStrike nematicide across 6-to-8M acres of corn, soybeans and cotton. Comments from slides that will be presented on the Q4 earnings conference call.

08:29 EDT Real Goods Solar signs exclusive license agreement with Dow Chemical - RGS Energy (RGSE) has entered into an exclusive domestic and international license agreement with Dow Chemical (DWDP) for the POWERHOUSE solar shingles system, an innovative and aesthetically pleasing solar shingle system developed by Dow that has been deployed on more than 1,000 homes. RGS will lead all commercial activities for the product, including supply chain management, marketing, sales, installation and warranty.

08:27 EDT Net Element announces reverse stock split effective Oct. 5 - Net Element announced that effective at 12:01 am, Eastern Time, on October 5, the company will effect a one-for-ten reverse stock split of its outstanding common stock. The company's common stock will open for trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market on October 5 on a post-split basis. The Reverse Stock Split is intended to increase the per share trading price of the company's common stock to satisfy the $1.00 minimum bid price requirement for continued listing on the NASDAQ Capital Market. When the reverse stock split becomes effective, every ten shares of common stock will automatically convert into one share of common stock with no change in par value per share. This will reduce the number of shares outstanding as of October 3, 2017 from approximately 22,048,974 to approximately 2,204,897. Any fractional shares resulting from the reverse stock split will be rounded up to the next whole share. There is no impact on the actual trading of Net Element's shares.

08:15 EDT Gannett closes majority investment in Grateful Ventures - Gannett has closed a majority investment in Grateful Ventures, an online media and publishing company which focuses on building lifestyle content and monetization strategies for high-influence food and cooking websites and bloggers. This investment will expand and diversify USA TODAY NETWORK's portfolio and audience, and significantly increase the number of Gannett's owned and operated digital sites. As a part of USA TODAY NETWORK, Grateful will launch in 2018 into several new personality-driven lifestyle categories with long-tail content, videos, live interactions, event integrations and passion topics to create deep, meaningful connections with readers across multiple platforms. These new initiatives with Grateful will increase USA TODAY NETWORK's advertising offerings through influencer marketing, branded content and events sponsorships with consumers who are deeply engaged. The initial focus will continue with Grateful's vision in the food & cooking category. USA TODAY NETWORK, through its content, scale and promotion, will accelerate Grateful's build out of Thanksgiving.com as the top destination for all holiday-related food and cooking content, and drive growth in its blogging network, Food Blog Stars. Additionally, USA TODAY NETWORK and Grateful will further develop its social media platform created exclusively for food bloggers, FoodBlogs.com.

08:13 EDT Vance Street Capital acquires two manufacturing facilities from W.L. Gore - Vance Street Capital announced the acquisition of two manufacturing facilities and related operations located in Wall Township, New Jersey from W. L. Gore & Associates, forming a new company named Fermatex Vascular Technologies. Gore Associates working at these facilities will transfer employment to the new company. The Wall Township, New Jersey operation - originally known as Adam Spence Corporation - was part of the Medical Products Division of Gore, a global materials science company dedicated to transforming industries and improving lives. The acquired facilities design and manufacture high pressure braided tubing and extrusions, and assembly/molding for the medical industry. These products are used in the cardiovascular device market. The Vance Street team brings considerable experience building and managing middle-market engineering and manufacturing companies, and direct knowledge of the medical tubing and catheter industry. Mike Janish, a Partner at Vance Street, and John LeRosen, a Principal at Vance Street, were previously the CEO and CFO, respectively, of Avalon Laboratories. Avalon Laboratories is a manufacturer of highly specialized catheters and medical tubing products for cardiology, pulmonology and related applications that was acquired by Nordson in August 2014.

08:13 EDT BioCardia receives U.S. patent covering Morph product family design - BioCardia announced the issuance of United States Patent No. 9,775,963 entitled, "Steerable Endoluminal Devices and Methods." BioCardia CEO Peter Altman, PhD stated, "This new patent provides greater protection for our Morph vascular navigation products, which have broad clinical application to enable complex interventional procedures. Moving forward, we will continue to pursue our patent strategy of protecting active programs where we are investing our resources." The Morph steerable, thin-walled catheter shaft technology is designed to navigate through tortuous anatomy, customize the shape of the catheter to the patient's anatomy and their clinical needs during a procedure, and offer significant back-up support once positioned. To date, Morph products have been used in more than 10,000 clinical procedures worldwide.

08:11 EDT Gilead presents results from study evaluating switch to BIC/FTC/TAF combination - Gilead Sciences announced detailed 48-week results from a Phase 3 study evaluating the efficacy and safety of switching virologically suppressed HIV-1 infected adult patients from a multi-tablet regimen containing a boosted protease inhibitor to a fixed-dose combination of bictegravir, a novel investigational integrase strand transfer inhibitor, and emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide, a dual-NRTI backbone. In the ongoing study, BIC/FTC/TAF was found to be statistically non-inferior to regimens containing bPIs and demonstrated no treatment-emergent resistance at 48 weeks. The data are being presented at IDWeek 2017 in San Diego. In Study 1878, a total of 577 virologically suppressed adults with HIV taking regimens of boosted atazanavir or darunavir + abacavir/lamivudine or FTC/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate were randomized 1:1 to continue their bPI regimen or to switch to open-label coformulated BIC/FTC/TAF once daily. At the primary endpoint of Week 48, switching to BIC/FTC/TAF was non-inferior to continuing on a bPI regimen with 1.7 percent of patients in each group having HIV-1 RNA greater than or equal to50 c/mL; the proportion of patients with HIV-1 RNA less than50 c/mL was 92.1 percent in the BIC/FTC/TAF arm and 88.9 percent in the bPI arm, according to FDA snapshot algorithm. No patients in the BIC/FTC/TAF arm developed treatment-emergent resistance, and one participant on DRV/ritonavir + ABC/3TC developed a treatment-emergent NRTI mutation associated with abacavir. No renal adverse events leading to discontinuations or cases of proximal renal tubulopathy occurred with BIC/FTC/TAF. The incidence of grade 3 or 4 adverse events was 4 percent for the BIC/FTC/TAF arm versus 6 percent for the bPI arm; the incidence of grade 3 or 4 laboratory abnormalities was 16 percent for the BIC/FTC/TAF arm versus 29 percent for the bPI arm. The most commonly reported adverse events in both arms included headache, diarrhea, nasopharyngitis and upper respiratory tract infection.

08:10 EDT PepsiCo sees sequential improvement in NAB in Q4

08:06 EDT PepsiCo sees natural disasters negatively impacting EPS by 3 percentage points - CFO Hugh Johnston sees core operating margin expansion for FY17. Says productivity programs on track to achieve annual $1B target. Sees FY17 core effective tax rate approximately 24%. Sees $10B in cash flow from operations, net CapEx of $3B. Sees about $7B in free cash flow for FY17. Says will return cash to shareholders via dividends and repurchases. Sees cash dividends of $4.5B, $2B in share repurchases. Sees natural disasters negatively impacting EPS by 3 percentage points.

08:04 EDT CDK Global, CarGurus announce strategic relationship - CDK Global announced a strategic relationship with CarGurus, an online automotive marketplace. Through this collaboration, dealers using CDK websites will gain exposure for their inventory on CarGurus.com as well as high quality leads from CarGurus shoppers. In addition, CDK will leverage CarGurus' anonymized, aggregated data in its suite of automotive digital marketing personalization solutions to enhance CDK's ability to create personalized shopping experiences and cross-site consumer behavior attribution.

08:02 EDT Solta Medical receives FDA 510(k) clearance for Thermage FLX System - Solta Medical, a division of Valeant Pharmaceuticals, announced that its Thermage FLX System received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. FDA to non-invasively smooth skin on the face, eyes and body. The new Thermage FLX system is expected to be commercially available before the end of 2017.

08:00 EDT Thermon Group announces strategic acquisition of CCI Thermal for C$258M - Thermon Group Holdings announced the execution of a definitive agreement to acquire 100% of the equity interests of CCI Thermal Technologies and certain related real estate assets in an all-cash transaction valued at C$258M. CCI has approximately 375 employees that support manufacturing and fabrication at five facilities in Canada and the United States. For its fiscal year ended July 31, 2017, CCI generated approximately C$95M in total revenue, net income of C$15.9M and Adjusted EBITDA of C$22.5M, after adjusting for certain payments to related parties and other expenses that are not anticipated to continue after closing. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to operating margins, free cash flow and GAAP EPS in Fiscal 2019.

07:52 EDT Jacobs Engineering awarded contracts from Ireland NTA - Jacobs Engineering Group has been awarded several contracts to support the National Transport Authority in Ireland as part of the NTA's strategy to develop greater use of sustainable transportation options. The NTA has re-appointed Jacobs to provide transport modeling expertise for an additional three years to support development of an integrated transportation system. Other contracts include supporting Cork City and County Councils with the Cork Metropolitan Area Transport Strategy and providing transport planning services to assist with the re-design of the bus network within the Greater Dublin area. Over the last four years Jacobs has worked collaboratively with the NTA to develop a regional modeling system that incorporates five multi-modal transport models that serve all of Ireland. The models are used to assess transport policies and plans that have a local and/or national impact. The system includes a national demand model and an innovative appraisal toolkit to evaluate programs and policy interventions.

07:36 EDT KemPharm, Genco Sciences announce technology licensing agreement - KemPharm announced that it has entered into a technology licensing and assignment agreement with Genco Sciences. Utilizing Genco's early research-stage proprietary nano-particulate amphetamine technology, KemPharm will focus on devising an unique prodrug to be developed as a treatment for pediatric Tourette's syndrome when accompanied by ADHD. Genco previously received an Orphan Designation letter from the FDA Office of Orphan Products Development for its product candidate for pediatric Tourette's syndrome.

07:07 EDT Viking Therapeutics announces results from proof-of-concept study of VK0214 - Viking Therapeutics announced positive top-line results from a 25-week proof-of-concept study of VK0214 in an in vivo model of X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy. The results of this study showed that VK0214 led to statistically significant reductions in plasma levels of multiple very long chain fatty acids in treated animals compared with vehicle controls. Additionally, VK0214-treated animals demonstrated statistically significant reductions in VLCFA levels within key tissues, including liver, brain and spinal cord. As the accumulation of VLCFAs is believed to contribute to the underlying pathology of X-ALD, these data provide additional support for the continued evaluation of VK0214 in this indication. The results showed that 25 weeks of treatment with VK0214 led to robust effects on multiple VLCFAs, including statistically significant reductions in plasma levels of saturated C26, C24, C22, and C20 fatty acids ranging from 45% to 82% relative to controls. Importantly, these reductions were generally maintained or increased in magnitude over the course of the 25-week study, suggesting a potentially progressive and durable effect. These data compare favorably to results from a prior six-week study, with improvements observed on all key VLCFA measures relative to the prior study. These results further support the thesis that activation of the thyroid beta receptor can lead to an improved metabolic profile in this setting. The study also evaluated the effect of VK0214 on VLCFA levels in various tissues. After 25 weeks of treatment, VK0214 was shown to reduce levels of VLCFAs in liver, brain and spinal cord. This suggests an added potential therapeutic benefit, as elevated tissue VLCFA levels may contribute to the underlying cerebral and myelotoxicities observed in X-ALD. Detailed results will be presented at the upcoming 87th Annual Meeting of the American Thyroid Association, October 18-22 in Victoria, British Columbia.

07:06 EDT Mallinckrodt expects peak total net sales of $1B from development pipeline - Mallinckrodt management will report aggregate net sales expectations for near-term development programs to exceed $675M at peak, with total pipeline expected to exceed net sales of $1B at peak, at its investor briefing. The pipeline is expected to contribute greater than 20% of total growth long term, with four product launches expected over next three years.

07:04 EDT AmerisourceBergen, Pfizer expand safe medication disposal kiosks with Walgreens - AmerisourceBergen (WBA), Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Pfizer (PFE) and Prime Therapeutics are joining Walgreens (WBA) to combat the national opioid abuse crisis by expanding the availability of safe medication disposal kiosks to an additional 900 Walgreens stores near military bases and other areas where the opioid epidemic has challenged communities. When the expansion is complete, kiosks will be available in approximately 1,500 Walgreens stores nationwide. The announcement builds upon the initial 600 safe medication disposal kiosks Walgreens installed beginning in 2016 across 45 states and the District of Columbia. Those kiosks have collected 155 tons of unwanted medications in the first 18 months of the program. With this expansion, the organizations have set a goal to collect an additional 300 tons of unwanted medication in the next two years.

07:02 EDT Garmin introduces new flight displays, engine information system TXi - Garmin International announced the touchscreen G500 TXi, G600 TXi and G700 TXi flight displays, as well as the engine information system TXi. "Boasting a clean-sheet touchscreen design and vibrant presentation, the TXi family incorporates greater situational awareness tools and an innovative feature set into a contemporary avionics platform. Three displays are available, offering optimal flexibility for panel configurations, including a large 10.6-inch display, and two versions of 7-inch displays, in portrait and landscape orientations. The 10.6-inch display can operate as a primary flight display, multi-function display and optional integrated EIS in a highly customized package, while the 7-inch portrait display can be dedicated to any one of those functions. The 7-inch landscape display is available exclusively as a dedicated EIS solution. The G500 TXi system is intended for Part 23 Class I/II aircraft under 6,000 lbs. and the G600 TXi flight displays are intended for Class III aircraft that weigh up to 12,500 lbs. The G700 TXi is exclusively for Part 23 Class IV and Part 25 aircraft that weigh greater than 12,500 lbs. Supplemental Type Certificate for the G500 TXi/G600 TXi and EIS TXi systems are targeted for approval in Q4 2017, which will feature a comprehensive approved model list containing over 600 single-engine piston, twin-engine piston and turboprop aircraft makes and models, offering the most configurable, state-of-the-art glass flight display solution in the market."

07:01 EDT Avolon reports owned, managed, committed fleet at end of Q3 of 915 aircraft - Avolon, the international aircraft leasing company, issues an update for the third quarter of 2017. Following another active quarter, Avolon's owned, managed and committed fleet at the end of Q3 was 915 aircraft. Q3 Business Highlights & Fleet Metrics: Owned and managed fleet of 567 aircraft at end of Q3, with total orders and commitments for 348 new technology aircraft; Delivered a total of 10 aircraft, including 6 transitions, and sold 11 aircraft including 9 managed aircraft; Completed a total of 22 lease transactions in the quarter comprising new aircraft leases, second leases and lease extensions; Average owned fleet age of 5.1 years with average remaining lease term of 6.7 years at end of Q3; Total customer base of 151 airlines in 65 countries at end of Q3. Year to date, Avolon has raised $14B of total capital, as announced during the quarter.

06:32 EDT Allied Motion awarded $6.8M order for defense market - Allied Motion received a $6.8M order for motors and other related products to control azimuth and elevation on a defense application. Revenue will be equally spread out over a three-year period at an estimated average of $2.2M-$2.3M per year. Production is expected to start in the latter part of Q4 and be at full production levels within 1Q18.

06:18 EDT M.D.C. Holdings announces expanded credit facility and preliminary Q3 results - M.D.C. Holdings announced an increase in the aggregate commitment and maturity under its unsecured revolving credit facility from $550M to $700M, with a two year increase in maturity to December 2022 The company also reported pretax gain of approximately $52M on investment sales, Q3 home sale revenues up 2% year-over-year to $584.9M, dollar value of net new orders up 6% year-over-year to $596.7M, ending backlog dollar value up 6% year-over-year to $1.71B. The facility permits an increase in the maximum commitment amount to as much as $1.25B upon the company's request. Preliminary Q3 home sale revenues increased 2% year-over-year to $584.9M, primarily driven by a 2% increase in deliveries to 1,317. The backlog conversion rate for the quarter was 38%. During Q3, the company approved 2,509 lots for purchase, an increase of 85% from the same period a year ago.

06:12 EDT PepsiCo backs FY17 free cash flow guidance of about $7B - PepsiCo continues to expect approximately $10B in cash flow from operating activities and approximately $7B in free cash flow; net capital spending of approximately $3B; dividend payments of approximately $4.5B; share repurchases of approximately $2B.

06:02 EDT PICO Holdings sells its stake in Century Communities for $59.2M - PICO Holdings (PICO) has sold its stake of approximately 2.4 million shares of Century Communities (CCS) for net proceeds of approximately $59.2M. As a result, the company's only material investment is its wholly - owned subsidiary, Vidler Water Company, a water resource and water storage business with assets and operations primarily in the Southwestern U.S.

05:52 EDT Achieve Life Sciences commences cytisine multi-dose study - Achieve Life Sciences announced the commencement of a multi-dose study to evaluate both PK and PD characteristics of cytisine. In preparation to initiate a pivotal Phase 3 trial in the United States, Achieve recently began enrollment in a multi-dose, PK/PD clinical study. An assessment of PK parameters and PD effects is planned to be conducted on both the 1.5mg standard and 3.0mg higher-dose of cytisine administered over the currently indicated 25-day scheduled duration of cytisine treatment. Additional data will be collected to help further inform the Phase 3 trial design. The multi-dose PK/PD study is expected to be completed by the end of the year, with data expected by the first-quarter of 2018. Additionally, Achieve recently completed enrollment in a clinical study evaluating the effect of food on the bioavailability of 3mg cytisine. Data analysis is ongoing and results are expected to be announced by the end of the year.

05:50 EDT Catabasis Pharmaceuticals reports 'positive' results from Phase 2 MoveDMD trial - Catabasis Pharmaceuticals reported new positive efficacy results showing sustained disease-modifying effects in the MoveDMD trial open-label extension following 24 and 36 weeks of treatment with edasalonexent. Across all key assessments of muscle function, improvements were observed in the rate of decline after 24 and 36 weeks of oral 100 mg/kg/day edasalonexent treatment compared to the rate of change in the control period for boys prior to receiving edasalonexent treatment. These data provide clinically meaningful evidence that edasalonexent substantially slowed the progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

05:37 EDT Motif Bio says REVIVE-2 Phase 3 Study of iclaprim met primary endpoint - Motif Bio announced positive topline results from REVIVE-2, a global Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the investigational drug candidate iclaprim in patients with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections, or ABSSSI. Iclaprim achieved the primary endpoint of non-inferiority (NI) (10% margin) compared to vancomycin, the current standard of care, at the early time point, 48 to 72 hours after the start of administration of the study drug, in the intent-to-treat, or ITT, patient population. Iclaprim also achieved NI at the test of cure endpoint, 7 to 14 days after study drug discontinuation, in the ITT patient population.

05:20 EDT Mylan announces FDA approval of ANDAs for Glatiramer Acetate Injection 40 mg/mL - Mylan announced that the FDA has approved Mylan's Abbreviated New Drug Applications, or ANDAs, for Glatiramer Acetate Injection 40 mg/mL for 3-times-a-week injection, an AP-rated, substitutable generic version of Teva's Copaxone 40 mg/mL, and Glatiramer Acetate Injection 20 mg/mL for once-daily injection, an AP-rated, substitutable generic version of Teva's Copaxone 20 mg/mL, which are indicated for the treatment of patients with relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Mylan will begin shipping imminently.