Stockwinners Market Radar for October 25, 2017 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:19 EDT Tesaro: FDA approves VARUBI IV - Tesaro announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved VARUBI IV in combination with other antiemetic agents in adults for the prevention of delayed nausea and vomiting associated with initial and repeat courses of emetogenic cancer chemotherapy, including, but not limited to, highly emetogenic chemotherapy. Delayed nausea and vomiting can occur anytime between 25 and 120 hours following chemotherapy, and is often extremely debilitating.

18:33 EDT Amgen reports Q3 total product sales down 1% y/y

18:31 EDT Amgen reports $3.3B of free cash flow in Q3

18:22 EDT Duke Energy Florida receives FPSC approval with settlement pact - Duke Energy Florida received approval from the Florida Public Service Commission to move forward with its settlement agreement that will pave the way to a smarter energy future for Florida customers. The company also received approval for its fuel, capacity, energy conservation and environmental costs. The settlement agreement, which was filed in August 2017, includes investments in solar energy, smart meters, grid modernization projects to enhance reliability and make the grid more resilient and secure, and optional billing programs to enhance customer choices. The agreement also includes plans to install electric vehicle charging stations and a battery storage pilot program. The company will also no longer move forward with the Levy County nuclear project and customers will not pay any further costs associated with the project. Beginning January 2018, the residential rate will be $123.88 per 1,000 kWh. This includes a reduction of $4.65 per 1,000 kWh as a settlement benefit. The portion of Duke Energy Florida's typical residential, commercial and industrial customer bills associated with the settlement will increase approximately 1%-3% annually in 2019-2021; about the same as general inflation rates. The settlement agreement was developed with representatives of various consumer groups, including the state's Office of Public Counsel, the Florida Industrial Power Users Group, the Florida Retail Federation, White Springs Agricultural Chemicals, Inc. d/b/a PCS Phosphate and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy. The agreement will take effect in January 2018 and will include investments of nearly $6B over the next four years while minimizing the impact on customer bills.

17:56 EDT Goldcorp on track to achieve targeted 60M ounces of gold reserves by 2021 - Proven and probable Gold Mineral Reserves increased by 26% to 53.5 million ounces. The increase is primarily due to the successful conversion of 4.7 million ounces into mineral reserves at Century and the acquisition, net of non-core divestitures, of 8.4 million ounces of gold mineral reserves. The company is on track to achieve a targeted 60 million ounces of gold reserves by 2021 as part of its 20/20/20 growth plan.

17:40 EDT On The Fly: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD), up 20.1%... Echo Global (ECHO), up 7.1%... Agnico Eagle (AEM), up 5.2%... Whiting Petroleum (WLL), up 4.3%... Biggs & Stratton (BGG), up 4%... Sarepta (SRPT), up 3.6%... Teradyne (TER), up 3.5%... PTC (PTC), up 2.4%... Las Vegas Sands (LVS), up 1.7%... Aflac (AFL), up 0.6%. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Nutrisystem (NTRI), down 11.5%... Ultra Clean (UCTT), down 11.1%... O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY), down 6.3%... ServiceNow (NOW), down 6.1%... Universal Health (UHS), down 6%... Xilinx (XLNX), down 5.3%... Netgear (NTGR), down 5.1%... Mellanox (MLNX), down 5%... CA Technologies (CA), down 4.8%... SS&C (SSNC), down 3.9%... Citrix (CTXS), down 3%... Trinity Industries (TRN), down 2.9%... Tractor Supply (TSCO), down 1.9%. ALSO LOWER: VBI Vaccines (VBIV), down 5.1% after it announced a public offering and registered direct offering.

17:32 EDT Scopus Asset Management reports 5.4% passive stake in Celadon Group

17:21 EDT Civitas Solutions completes Mentis Neuro Rehabilitation acquisition - Civitas Solutions announced that it successfully completed the acquisition of Mentis Neuro Rehabilitation, LLC and its direct and indirect wholly owned subsidiaries. Mentis is a leading provider of specialty rehabilitation services to individuals recovering from acquired brain injuries in the state of Texas and has a growing presence in the state of Ohio.

17:14 EDT Bravo Brio Restaurant responds to TAC Capital - Company states: "As you know, the BBRG board has engaged with you, shared with you our strategic plan, solicited your input and, most significantly, offered to add three of your designees to the board, constituting 30% of the Board, which represents approximately double your ownership level. It is unfortunate that you have rejected the opportunity to work collaboratively to build BBRG and grow shareholder value... The board will consider the suggestions you have made and take or recommend to shareholders those actions that we believe further these goals."

17:10 EDT Barrick Gold narrows FY17 gold production view to 5.3M-5.5M oz from 5.3M-5.6M oz - Sees FY17 cost of sales of $790-$810 per ounce, and all-in sustaining costs of $740-$770 per ounce.

17:07 EDT Varian Medical selected to install Proton System in South China hospital - Varian Medical Systems announced it has been selected to install a ProBeam four-room proton therapy system in the new Guangzhou Concord Cancer Hospital. Varian will also provide its Eclipse treatment planning and ARIA oncology information management software for the hospital, in addition to a 10-year service agreement. Varian booked the order in the fourth quarter of its fiscal year 2017.

17:05 EDT Oceaneering sees Q4 results 'considerably lower' than adjusted Q3 results

16:52 EDT Federal Signal names Ian Hudson as CFO, effective October 24 - Federal Signal announced that its Board of Directors has promoted Ian Hudson to the position of Senior Vice President and CFO, effective October 24. Hudson, who has served as the company's Interim CFO since March 21, will continue to serve as the company's Principal Accounting Officer. Hudson joined the company in August 2013 as Vice President and Corporate Controller. From June 2012 to August 2013, Hudson served as Groupon's Director of Accounting for Latin America and Asia Pacific and prior to that role, he worked at Ernst & Young LLP for 14 years.

16:48 EDT Callaway Golf sees FY17 gross margin in-line with prior estimate - The company estimates that its 2017 non-GAAP operating expenses will be $9M higher than previous guidance due primarily to the addition of the TravisMathew business and there also will be slightly higher variable expense related to the projected increased sales.

16:43 EDT One Liberty Properties acquires Tennessee property for $8.0M - One Liberty Properties announced that it acquired, in a sale-leaseback transaction, a 224,749 square foot distribution facility/corporate headquarters on 16.41 acres located in Memphis, Tennessee for $8.0 million. The facility was renovated in 2014 and is net leased through 2027 to Dufresne Spencer Group Holdings, the largest licensee of Ashley Furniture Industries. The annual base rent during the initial year of the lease is approximately $573,000.

16:38 EDT Coeur Mining backs FY17 production view of 37.327M-40.077M AgEq oz

16:37 EDT Neurocrine initiates Phase IIb study of INGREZZA - Neurocrine Biosciences announced that it has initiated a Phase IIb clinical trial, T-Force GOLD, for INGREZZA, a novel selective vesicular monoamine transporter 2 inhibitor, in children and adolescents with Tourette syndrome. Tourette syndrome is a neurological disorder that becomes evident in early childhood or adolescence and is characterized by motor and vocal tics.

16:36 EDT Essendant names Richard Phillips as CEO, effective immediately - Essendant announced that its Board of Directors has elected Richard Phillips, President and CEO, effective immediately. Phillips, who had been serving as interim president and CEO since June 2017, was also elected to Essendant's Board of Directors and the Board's Executive Committee. The Board has been expanded from nine to ten members with the addition of Phillips. to joining Essendant, Phillips spent 14 years at McKinsey & Company, where he was elected Partner in 2005.

16:34 EDT UPS to increase shipping rates by average 4.9% effective December 24th - Effective December 24, 2017, the rates for UPS Ground, UPS Air and International services, as well as UPS Air Freight rates within and between the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, will increase an average net 4.9%. UPS continues to make investments in the speed, scope and coverage of our transportation network in order to support our customers' growth and service needs. Rate increases support ongoing expansion and capabilities enhancements.

16:31 EDT Midstates Petroleum names David J. Sambrooks president, CEO - Midstates Petroleum Company announced that the board of directors has appointed David J. Sambrooks as President, Chief Executive Officer and a member of the board, effective November 1, 2017. Sambrooks succeeds the company's current President and Chief Executive Officer, Jake Brace, who will continue to serve on the company's board. Most recently Sambrooks served as the President, Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of Sabine Oil & Gas, LLC from 2007 to 2016.

16:30 EDT International Flavors commissions fragrance ingredients plant in China - International Flavors & Fragrances is commissioning a new fragrance ingredients plant in Jiande, located in China's Zhejiang Province. The plant underscores IFF's commitment to the region and builds on the Company's global presence for the sector. The new facility occupies approximately 165,000 square meters and will serve IFF customers globally. The plant was designed to help deliver on IFF's strategic sustainability goals and to minimize its environmental impact with a special focus on areas of greatest sensitivity to the region. With Jiande's growing population, the responsible use of water resources is paramount. As a result, the facility was designed to have the lowest water consumption per kilo of production in IFF's operations network. In addition, a state-of-the-art odor abatement system was installed in collaboration with global experts to ensure the best-in-class environmental compliance. By leveraging the latest technologies available, the Company believes that from the first full year of production, the Jiande plant will be one of IFF's most resource-efficient manufacturing locations globally. IFF's existing plant in China will serve as its center for training, teaching approximately 100 Chinese employees through 2018 in production skills, safety best practices, sustainability, and more. IFF's employee base in China is the Company's third largest globally.

16:26 EDT Agenus: Shingrix with QS-21 Stimulon gets positive recommendation from CDC - Agenus announced that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted in favor of three recommendations for the use of Shingrix containing QS-21 Stimulon(R) for the prevention of shingles. The ACIP recommendations will be forwarded to the director of the CDC and the US Department of Health and Human Services for review and approval. Once approved, the final recommendations will be published in a future Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

16:23 EDT Graco sees low single-digit organic, constant currency growth in Q4 - "Demand levels remained robust and broad based in the third quarter. We expect the positive business environment to continue into 2018, however we do note that our fourth quarter represents our most difficult comparable of the year. In addition to the strong fourth quarter last year, we also had 14 weeks compared to only 13 weeks in this year's fourth quarter. Just given the math, we anticipate low single-digit organic, constant currency growth in the fourth quarter. With that outlook we have the possibility to achieve double-digit sales growth for the full year 2017," the company stated.

16:15 EDT F5 Networks authorizes additional $1B for stock buyback - F5 Networks announced that its board of directors had authorized an additional $1B for the company's common stock share repurchase program. This new authorization is incremental to the $173.7M currently unused in the existing program which was initially authorized in October 2010.

16:13 EDT Allegiant Travel raises FY17 CAPEX guidance to $604M - Full year CAPEX guidance is expected to be $604M, versus prior guidance of $525M, with the higher amount driven by expected commitment for five additional Airbus A320 aircraft in the fourth quarter. Full year 2017 CASM ex fuel is expected to increase between eleven and twelve percent, versus the previously guided range of plus ten to twelve percent.

16:10 EDT Buffalo Wild Wings reports Q3 company-owned SSS down 2.3% - Reports Q3 franchise SSS down 3.2%.

16:10 EDT Waste Connections says on track to 'meet or exceed' full year guidance - Waste Connections CEO Ronald Mittelstaedt said, "We remain on track to meet or exceed the increased expectations for the full year we communicated in July despite the precipitous decline in recycled fiber values that began in September. As anticipated last quarter, our strong operating performance, free cash flow growth and balance sheet strength provided for another double-digit percentage increase in the quarterly cash dividend. We remain well positioned to fund expected above average acquisition activity in the near term while continuing to increase our return of capital to shareholders."

16:06 EDT Vertex reports Q3 non-GAAP EPS 53c, consensus 31c - Reports Q3 revenue $578.2M, consensus $520.13M.

16:04 EDT Tractor Supply reports Q3 comparable same store sales increase of 6.6%

16:03 EDT Buffalo Wild Wings trading halted, news pending

16:00 EDT Fifth Street Asset trading halted, news dissemination

15:40 EDT CenturyLink CEO presses FCC Chairman to conclude review 'expeditiously' - According to a post to the FCC website, Glen Post, III, CEO and President of CenturyLink (CTL), spoke by telephone on October 23 with FCC Chairman Ajit Pai about the status of the Commission's review of CenturyLink's proposed acquisition of Level 3 Communications (LVLT). "During the call, Mr. Post noted that the parties are prepared to close as soon as the Commission acts, and that the Commission therefore should conclude its review and approve the merger expeditiously. In the course of the call, Mr. Post also discussed the costs to the companies of further delay, and noted that timely action will help bring the merger's benefits...to customers," according to a recount of the call made by Yaron Dori, counsel to CenturyLink. Reference Link

15:32 EDT EU patent for steriods for use in radiation injury granted to Soligenix - The patent grant was published to the register of the European Patent Office, according to a post to the EPO website. Reference Link

15:03 EDT Dynegy trading resumes

15:01 EDT Agenus up 2% after Glaxo reports CDC committee recommendation of Shingrix - As previously reported, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted in favor of three recommendations for the use of Shingrix for the prevention of shingles. Shingrix contains Agenus' (AGEN) proprietary immune adjuvant QS-21 Stimulon. Agenus is up 3% to $3.84 in afternoon trading.

14:58 EDT Vistra Energy near deal to buy Dynegy, says Dow Jones citing sources

14:44 EDT Axon reports submission of response to SEC comment letter - In a regulatory filing, Axon disclosed that on October 25 the company submitted its response to a comment letter issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission dated August 10, 2017 relating to the SEC's review of the Company's Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2017.

14:39 EDT Nike to shift away from multi-brand, 'undifferentiated' retail over next 5 years

14:34 EDT Foot Locker jumps 2% as Nike discusses partnerships at investor event - The move higher in Foot Locker (FL) is being attributed to comments made by Nike (NKE), which is currently hosting its investor day meeting. During the event, Nike is talking about its retail and e-commerce efforts with partners including Foot Locker, Amazon (AMZN) and Alibaba's (BABA) Tmall.

14:31 EDT Foot Locker jumps 2% as Nike discusses parternships at investor event - The move higher in Foot Locker (FL) is being attributed to comments made by Nike (NKE), which is currently hosting its investor day meeting. During the event, Nike is talking about its retail efforts with partners including Foot Locker, Amazon (AMZN) and Alibaba's (BABA) Tmall.

14:03 EDT General Electric announces software and services agreement with NYPA - General Electric announced a software and professional services agreement with the New York State Power Authority, or NYPA, to advance NYPA's goal to be the world's first fully digital utility. NYPA intends to work with GE to explore the digitalization of every aspect of its operations, the company said. The agreement between NYPA and GE builds on a 2016 commitment by NYPA to use GE's Asset Performance Management software. This new agreement proposes that GE's application development platform Predix* will become NYPA's Industrial IoT platform of choice. It also intends for NYPA's expanded use of software from GE to further enhance the efficiency and reliability of NYPA fossil and hydroelectric-fueled power generation assets. NYPA also intends to deploy Predix-based software to enable it to build a dashboard of the operating health of all its power plants and transmission assets at its Smart Operations Center in White Plains, N.Y. In addition, as part of a competitive selection process, NYPA will explore intelligent environment technology from Current, powered by GE, to improve energy efficiency and digital productivity in public buildings and throughout its municipal customer base.

13:31 EDT Northrop Grumman says won't submit bid on Navy's MQ-25 program - On its Q3 earnings conference call, Northrop Grumman confirmed that notified the Navy that it will not be submitting a bid on the MQ-25 program. "Our assessment of the final RFP, which required a fixed-price incentive bid for this development work, was that we could not put forward an attractive offering to the Navy that would represent a reasonable business proposition for our company," the company said, adding that it has submitted a bit for the Joint STARS recap program as a prime. Looking ahead, Northrop Grumman raised its 2017 sales guidance for aerospace systems to $11.7B-$11.8B vs. prior guidance of $11.5B-$11.7B. The company sees 2017 mission systems sales $11.2B-$11.3B, narrowed from the previous guidance of $11.B-$11.3B. The company forecast technology services sales view for 2017 of about $4.7B, the high end of its prior range of $4.5B-$4.7B. Northrop Grumman is up 2.15% to $300.36 in afternoon trading.

13:13 EDT Nike at session highs, up about 4% as investor day continues

12:53 EDT GlaxoSmithKline: CDC committee recommends Shingrix as preferred shingles vaccine - GlaxoSmithKline announced that the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices voted in favor of three recommendations for the use of Shingrix for the prevention of shingles: Shingrix is recommended for the prevention of herpes zoster and related complications for immunocompetent adults aged 50 years and older; Shingrix is recommended for the prevention of herpes zoster and related complications for immunocompetent adults who previously received Zoster Vaccine Live; Shingrix is preferred over Zoster Vaccine Live for the prevention of herpes zoster and related complications. The new recommendations mean up to 62M more adults in the US should be immunized, approximately 42M aged 50-59 years old and 20M who have previously been vaccinated against shingles, the company said.

12:44 EDT PTC Therapeutics up 2% to $16.47 after confirming receipt of Ataluren CRL

12:37 EDT PTC Therapeutics trading resumes

12:34 EDT Nike up 1% after issuing 5-year guidance at investor day meeting

12:18 EDT PTC Therapeutics receives CRL from FDA for Ataluren new drug application - PTC Therapeutics announced that the Office of Drug Evaluation I of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a complete response letter, or CRL, for the New Drug Application of the investigational medicine ataluren for the treatment of nonsense mutation dystrophinopathies. The letter from the Office of Drug Evaluation I of the FDA stated that it is unable to approve the application in its current form. Specifically, the letter indicated that evidence of effectiveness from an additional adequate and well-controlled clinical trial(s) will be necessary at a minimum to provide substantial evidence of effectiveness. The letter also mentioned other nonclinical and CMC matters that PTC is in the process of addressing. "We are extremely disappointed for the Duchenne community and strongly disagree with the agency's conclusions. We believe that this decision fails to consider the benefit-risk of ataluren and the high unmet medical need. Therefore, we plan to file a formal dispute resolution request next week," said CEO Stuart Peltz.

12:16 EDT PTC Therapeutics announces receipt of complete response letter for Ataluren NDA

12:02 EDT Nortech Systems announces collaboration with Panasonic - Nortech Systems (NSYS) announced earlier that the company and Panasonic (PCRFY) have collaborated on a new, total-line-solution installation of integrated hardware and software. It provides enhanced Surface Mount Technology component placement capability and quality while increasing efficiency and Statistical Process Control at Nortech's manufacturing facility in Mankato, Minnesota, the company noted. John Stewart, regional sales manager, Panasonic Factory Solutions Company of America, said "This collaborative effort is an ideal and local example of two companies working toward the same goal. Nortech is a growing organization that's strengthening its global footprint and acknowledging the expertise we bring to the table. Panasonic appreciates and looks forward to a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership." Shares of micro-cap Nortech have jumped 47% to $5.84 in midday trading and have been halted several times for volatility.

11:22 EDT Ford issues four safety recalls in North America - Ford is issuing four safety recalls in North America: Ford is issuing a safety recall for approximately 73,000 2015-17 Ford Transit vehicles equipped with a trailer tow module for water intrusion into the module and connector resulting in potential wiring corrosion and damage to the module. In affected vehicles, water intrusion into the module may result in rapid flashing of the turn signals, loss of the instrument cluster display, loss of heater and air conditioning controls, and loss of multimedia including radio, screens and SYNC. Ford is not aware of any accidents or injuries associated with this issue. Ford is aware of two reports of vehicle fires on Canadian fleet vehicles potentially related to this condition. Affected vehicles include 2015-17 Ford Transit vehicles built at Kansas City Assembly Plant, Feb. 3, 2014 to Aug. 2, 2017.The recall involves approximately 73,443 vehicles in North America with 5,206 in the United States and federalized territories and 8,365 in Canada. The Ford reference number for this recall is 17S34. Ford is issuing a safety recall for approximately 15,000 2018 Ford F-150 vehicles with 3.3-liter engines, six-speed transmissions and column-mounted shift lever for inaccurate gear selection that could result in unintended vehicle movement. In affected vehicles, rapid movement of the transmission shifter from park to drive may cause loss of PRNDL gear indication in the instrument cluster and momentary engagement of reverse operation before the vehicle achieves forward drive function. Ford is not aware of any accidents or injuries associated with this issue. Ford is issuing a safety recall for approximately 15,000 2017 Ford F-150 vehicles with 10-speed automatic transmissions for an inability to shift the transmission using the shift lever. In affected vehicles, the pin attaching the transmission shift linkage to the transmission may come out. If this happens, movement of the shift lever by the driver will not change the transmission gear, which will remain in the gear it was in when the pin came out regardless of the position of the shift lever. Ford is not aware of any accidents or injuries associated with this issue. Ford is issuing a safety recall for approximately 30 2018 Ford F-150 vehicles with 3.5-liter engines for possible loss of motive power and engine failure. In affected vehicles, certain cylinder heads manufactured for 3.5-liter engines are missing machined holes intended to supply lubrication to the camshaft-bearing journals. Ford is not aware of any accidents or injuries associated with this issue.

11:04 EDT PTC Therapeutics trading halted, news pending

11:00 EDT Cedar Realty says will continue to take action to create long-term value - Cedar Realty Trust issued the following statement in response to the press release issued by Snow Park Capital Partners, LP: "Cedar Realty Trust welcomes open communications with all shareholders, and appreciates constructive input that may advance our goal of enhancing value. Cedar Realty Trust's Board and management team regularly evaluate strategic options to ensure the company is best positioned to achieve our objective of driving shareholder value. Cedar closely monitors the market and regularly explores sales of single assets and subsets of its portfolio. Notably, over the last six years the company has divested its interest in approximately 80 of the 140 assets it owned as of June 2011. As an active buyer and seller in the shopping center market, we have a clear view of the value of our shopping centers, on a one-off and portfolio basis, and therefore have an informed view of today's retail real estate market. The Board and management team are committed to creating long-term value for shareholders and will continue to take action to achieve that objective."

10:51 EDT Citron talks of selling RH stake after going long at $30 - Citron Research just tweeted, "1 yr ago Citron long $RH at $30 tinyurl.com/yd7xx38g Stock up 150+%. NOT comfort owning here with new cap struct. Knowing when to sell".

10:47 EDT GrubHub jumps after beat, strong guidance as Amazon competition looms - Shares of GrubHub (GRUB) climbed in morning trading after the food delivery services provider reported quarterly earnings that beat analysts' expectations. EARNINGS BEAT: GrubHub this morning reported third quarter adjusted earnings per share of 28c on revenue of $163.1M, handily beating analysts' consensus estimates of 24c and $159.69M. Revenues were up 32% year-over-year, the company noted, while adjusted EPS was a 23% y/y increase. Gross Food Sales grew 18% y/y to $867M, GrubHub said. Active Diners in the quarter were up 28% y/y to 9.81M, while Daily Average Grubs, or DAGs, were up 14% y/y to 304,500. During the quarter, Grubhub completed the acquisition of Eat24, OrderUp and Foodle. "Grubhub's goal is to give diners the most comprehensive restaurant selection, with the best option for every taste and every occasion. With the addition of the Eat24, Foodler and OrderUp restaurants to our network, we can help diners find their ideal local favorites better than ever before," said Grubhub Chief Executive Officer Matt Maloney. Looking ahead, GrubHub forecast current quarter revenue of $197M-$205M, surpassing analysts' estimates of $183.78M, and adjusted EBITDA of $51M-$56M. WHAT'S NOTABLE: Several analysts have expressed concern about GrubHub after Amazon (AMZN) teamed up last month with Olo, which offers an online food ordering solution for the restaurant industry. Olo said at the time that the partnership will enable thousands of Olo restaurant customers to "gain easy integration" with Amazon Restaurants. Gus Lopez, general manager of Amazon Restaurants, commented that "We are excited to leverage Olo's digital ordering technology and continue rapidly growing our network of restaurants to give Amazon Prime members more options for fast delivery from their favorite brands. This integration will enable Amazon Restaurants to onboard new restaurants with ease, as well as quickly add more new choices and delivery options for customers." GrubHub has also been named as a potential acquisition target for Amazon by analysts, the Financial Times said in September. In a phone interview this morning with Bloomberg, GrubHub said it is in a new partnership with Cheesecake Factory (CAKE) in "select" markets. Further details were not disclosed. ANALYST COMMENTARY AHEAD OF EARNINGS: Ahead of GrubHub's quarterly report, Stifel analyst John Egberg raised his price target to $60 from $53 and maintained a Buy rating, saying he believes investors will focus on the company's plans for integrating its recent acquisitions, which are expected to be accretive to adjusted EBITDA by 2019. PRICE ACTION: GrubHub is up nearly 7% to $55.45 in morning trading. Shares are up over 45% year-to-date.

10:42 EDT Partner highlights Cleveland BioLabs' preclinical study in prostate cancer - Research conducted by scientists at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in cooperation with Panacela Labs, a subsidiary of Cleveland BioLabs, "introduces a new class of immunotherapy and proposes a strategy for increasing the number of patients who are likely to benefit from this new approach," according to a press release issued by the institute. "The team's efforts, reported in a study published online ahead of print in the journal Oncogene, involve the innate immunity receptor TLR5...The first two clinical trials of Mobilan, in patients with prostate cancer, are underway at multiple centers in Russia, sponsored by Panacela Labs. The researchers expect that use of TLR5-targeting therapies will cause significantly fewer and less serious side effects than many other types of immunostimulatory agents known to induce acute systemic inflammation in some patients," the press release stated. Reference Link

10:37 EDT GM slides as Morgan Stanley argues Auto 2.0 expectations too high - Shares of General Motors (GM) are slipping after Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas downgraded the stock to Equal Weight on valuation as he believes investor expectations about the company's progress in next-generation automotive technologies may have gotten a "bit ahead of themselves." Meanwhile, his peer at Citi raised his price target on the shares on potential upside ahead. This follows two upgrades earlier this month to buy-equivalent ratings. MOVING TO THE SIDELINES: In a research note to investors this morning, Morgan Stanley's Jonas downgraded General Motors to Equal Weight from Overweight following the stock's 40% rise over the past year, which he attributes to investors having "finally noticed" the company's "bold and difficult moves" to reposition the core business for a longer duration of success. However, the analyst argued that his thesis that General Motors could change the narrative and drive its share price higher has played out, and investor expectations may have gotten "a bit ahead of themselves." Following discussions with a wide group of investors, Jonas pointed out that the consensus seems to be that the company is "substantially" ahead of the competition in the arena of fully autonomous transportation and expectations are also high on General Motor's ability and willingness to unlock hidden value of such a business through strategic action. Moreover, he noted that market expectations for the value of such a move is "well in to the many tens of billions of dollars," which greatly exceeds his estimates of $1B-$2B. While acknowledging that General Motors is still a "relatively inexpensive" stock, the analyst said he believes that its valuation is relatively fully valued when considering the point in the auto cycle and the valuations of other global auto peers. Furthermore, Jonas also highlighted the execution risk of a "highly ambitious" autonomous strategy. CITI SEES MORE MULTIPLE EXPANSION: Meanwhile, his peer at Citi voiced a more bullish opinion on General Motors. Analyst Itay Michaeli raised his price target for General Motors to $60 from $53 saying the company's "resilient" third quarter report "bolsters the case for further multiple expansion." Further, the analyst argued that the upcoming Investor Day should serve as a key opportunity for management to reframe the entire story and unlock a narrative - namely the RoboTaxi AVs and the company's pickup truck core - that could support a long-term potential upside path to $134 per share. He reiterated a Buy rating on the shares. BUY GENERAL MOTORS: Earlier this month two other research firms upgraded General Motors to buy-equivalent ratings. On October 13, Barclays analyst Brian Johnson upgraded the stock to Overweight from Equal Weight and raised his price target on the shares to $55 from $41. The analyst told investors that the automaker is set to recoup lost market capitalization from Tesla (TSLA), and expects the investor narrative to shift toward his view that General Motors may not be the "'dinosaur' that its low multiple would imply." This followed an upgraded to Buy at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, with analyst John Murphy saying GM has been pursuing expansion opportunities at an accelerating pace while maintaining its core truck and global auto business. Murphy noted at the time that the automaker has a first move advantage with its ability to integrate an autonomous electric vehicle into a ride hailing fleet and/or shared fleet enveloped with OnStar. This would allow General Motors to defend its current market share as the company pushes into creating a more valuable mobility product for consumers that will ultimately drive shareholder value, the analyst contended. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of General Motors have dropped 2.5% to $45.29. Year-to-date, GM shares are up about 30%.

10:27 EDT Exxon Mobil: Neuquen Province approves investment plan for Los Toldos I South - ExxonMobil announced that the Neuquen Province government has approved the investment plan for the development of a 35-year unconventional exploitation concession in the Los Toldos I South block. The initial investment of about $200M calls for a pilot project that brings up to seven wells to production, the construction of production facilities and development of export infrastructure. ExxonMobil and its partners, Gas y Petroleo del Neuquen and Americas Petrogas Argentina S.A, are looking for opportunities to further develop this block and bring wells into production. If the pilot project is successful, it could lead to a staged development of approximately 300 horizontal wells of up to 3,000 meters in length. The block could have estimated production of 11 million cubic meters per day of gas when at full production. Los Toldos I South is located 85 kilometers northwest of Anelo and 175 kilometers northwest of Neuquen city. ExxonMobil Exploration Argentina S.R.L is the operator and holds 80% interest in partnership with Gas y Petroleo del Neuquen, which holds 10% interest, and APASA, which has 10%.

10:18 EDT DineEquity's IHOP Restaurants opens small format location at DFW Airport - IHOP Restaurants announces the opening of the first post-security airport location, an IHOP Express, located at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in Terminal E. "The newest location is in response to longtime guest demand for delicious IHOP food on the go and part of the brand's growth strategy, which includes expanding its overall traditional restaurant footprint, introducing smaller prototype restaurants, and building its portfolio of locations at captive places like airports, travel centers, casinos, and universities," the company said.

10:15 EDT Atossa Genetics trading resumes

09:52 EDT Atossa Genetics to resume trading at 10:15 am ET - Atossa Genetics trading is set to resume at 10:15 am ET, with quotation to resume at 10:10 am ET, according to Nasdaq.

09:42 EDT Amazon takes aim at Wal-Mart with new 'Key' service - Shares of Wal-Mart (WMT) are in focus in morning trading after Amazon.com (AMZN) took a shot at the big box retailer by announcing a service that enables in-home delivery and secure home access for guests and service appointments for Prime members. The announcement follows Wal-Mart's own plans for the delivery of groceries "straight to the fridge." AMAZON KEY, CLOUD CAM: This morning, Amazon announced a connected door-lock and security-camera system for Prime members that lets delivery people drop off packages inside of customer homes. Additionally, Amazon introduced Amazon Cloud Cam, a $120 intelligent indoor security camera. Prime members can pre-order the Amazon Key In-Home Kit, which includes Amazon Cloud Cam and one of several compatible "smart" locks by lock manufacturers Yale and Kwikset. Yale is a lock manufacturer owned by Assa Abloy. Kwikset is owned by a division of Spectrum Brands (SPB). Amazon Key In-Home Kit starts at $250, Amazon said. HOW IT WORKS: Explaining how it works, Amazon said "Each time a delivery driver requests access to a customer's home, Amazon verifies that the correct driver is at the right address, at the intended time, through an encrypted authentication process. Once this process is successfully completed, Amazon Cloud Cam starts recording and the door is then unlocked. No access codes or keys are ever provided to delivery drivers." An Amazon spokesperson additionally told Recode the delivery people Amazon works with are "thoroughly vetted, with comprehensive background checks and motor vehicle records reviews." WHAT'S NOTABLE: In late September, Wal-Mart, which is looking to gain ground on Amazon since the latter acquired Whole Foods, announced a limited test to allow in-home delivery of groceries for some customers in Silicon Valley for a group of August Home customers. The initiative, under Walmart.com U.S. CEO Marc Lore, is the latest in a series this year that also includes a membership-free, two-day shipping program, a discount for customers who pick up an online order at a order rather than have it shopped, curbside grocery pickup at hundreds of stores and other services such as having a Walmart store worker drop off an online order after their shift. PRICE ACTION: In early trading, Wal-Mart is fractionally lower to $87.77, while Amazon is up about 0.8% to $984 per share.

09:37 EDT Snow Park urges Cedar Realty to explore all strategic alternatives

09:34 EDT CSX appoints James Foote as COO - CSX announced that James Foote is joining the company as COO. Foote will have responsibility for both operations and sales and marketing and will be based at the company's headquarters in Jacksonville, Florida. Foote will take on the responsibilities of Cindy Sanborn, executive vice-president and chief operating officer, and Fredrik Eliasson, executive vice-president and chief sales and marketing officer, both of whom plan to resign effective November 15 to pursue other interests, but will remain engaged in supporting the transition until early 2018.

09:33 EDT Coca-Cola says 'we are over-index on market share in e-commerce'

09:29 EDT First Mid-Illinois Bancshares raises dividend by 2c to 34c per share - First Mid-Illinois Bancshares announced that on October 24, its board declared a semi-annual dividend of 34c per share. The dividend is payable on December 8, to shareholders of record on December 1. This represents a 2c, or 6.3% increase from the previous semi-annual dividend.

09:28 EDT TransCanada agrees to sell Ontario solar portfolio for about $540M - TransCanada announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell its Ontario solar portfolio comprised of eight facilities with a total generating capacity of 76 megawatts to Axium Infinity Solar LP, a subsidiary of Axium Infrastructure Canada II Limited Partnership, for approximately $540M. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2017 subject to certain regulatory and other approvals as well as customary closing adjustments.

09:27 EDT On The Fly: Pre-market Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Visa (V), up marginally... Anthem (ANTM), up 3.5%... Boeing (BA), up fractionally... Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA), up 4%... Northrop Grumman (NOC), up 2.5%... Freeport-McMoRan (FCX), up 1.7%... Lear (LEA), up 1.7%. ALSO HIGHER: Actinium Pharmaceuticals (ATNM), up 2.4% after announcing the activation of the 15th clinical trial site for its SIERRA Phase 3 trial. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Chipotle (CMG), down 13.3%... AMD (AMD), down 8.9%... Nielsen (NLSN), down 2.3%... Hess (HES), down 2%... Wyndham (WYN), down 6%... AT&T (T), down 1.6%... Discover (DFS), down 1.5%... Edwards Lifesciences (EW), down 18%.

09:24 EDT Huntington Bancshares expects to deliver positive FY17 operating leverage - Says 'pleased' with Q3 results. Says "well on the way" to deliver positive operating leverage in FY17. Says reduced period end loan growth guidance for 2017 to 3%-4%. Says continues to face headwinds in corporate banking. Expects to achieve long-term financial goals in Q4 run-rate and in FY18, two years ahead of schedule due to FirstMerit acquisition. Says fully implemented $255M in cost savings in acquisition and expects to achieve cost savings target in Q4. Says executing on revenue synergies from acquisition. Says remains on pace to deliver $100M of total revenue enhancements in 2018. Says overall asset quality metrics remain strong. Says remains optimistic for local economies across eight states. Expects continued economic growth across footprint. Remains focused on delivering consistent shareholder returns. Comments taken from Q3 earnings conference call.

09:10 EDT Coca-Cola says building capabilities to incubate brands abroad - Says sees opportunities in premium mixers.

09:09 EDT Dish expands Amazon Alexa voice control support to Hopper 'Joey' clients - DISH (DISH) unveiled Hands-Free TV for the entire home by extending its support of Amazon (AMZN) Alexa voice control to all Joey clients. Now, DISH customers can ask Alexa to control all TVs in the Hopper whole-home ecosystem by pairing each set-top box with an Amazon Echo, Echo Show or Echo Dot. In April 2017, DISH became the first pay-TV provider to natively integrate Alexa voice control when it enabled compatibility on its Hopper DVR and Wally single-tuner HD receiver.

09:07 EDT Thomson Reuters and Attivio partner in AI application for financial services - Thomson Reuters and Attivio, a cognitive search and insight platform company, have partnered to integrate Attivio's core technology with Thomson Reuters Intelligent Tagging. The partnership combines Attivio's text analytics and natural language processing technology with TRIT's structured taxonomy for financial services.

09:06 EDT Coca-Cola says Mexico volume hurt by natural disasters in Q3

09:05 EDT Royal Caribbean returning to San Juan and St. Maarten - Royal Caribbean announced the cruise line's return to San Juan, Puerto Rico and Philipsburg, St. Maarten. On Nov. 30, Freedom of the Seas will be the first ship in the fleet to call on San Juan, Puerto Rico. Grandeur of the Seas will follow suit on Dec. 17 as the first cruise ship to sail into St. Maarten since Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas arrived to provide humanitarian relief last month.

09:03 EDT Walgreens sees closing about 600 stores following Rite Aid deal - Walgreens (WBA) CFO George Fairweather noted that in September the company secured regulatory clearance for the purchase of 1,932 Rite Aid stores and related assets. Following regulatory clearance, the company has been able to complete a comprehensive review of the combined store portfolio to determine the scope for optimizing locations. "This has resulted in our decision to close approximately 600 stores and related assets over an 18-month period, beginning in spring 2018. We estimate the cost of this program to be approximately $450M, substantially all cash spend. The resulting cost savings are expected to be approximately $300M per annum by the end of the fiscal year 2020," Fairweather stated on the company's earnings call.

09:01 EDT Occidental Petroleum recommends investors reject TRC Capital's mini-tender - Occidental Petroleum Corporation said it has received notice of an unsolicited "mini-tender" offer by TRC Capital Corporation to purchase up to 2 million shares of Occidental common stock, which represents approximately 0.26 percent of the shares outstanding as of the October 20, 2017, offer date. Occidental does not endorse this unsolicited offer, has no association with TRC Capital, its mini-tender offer or the mini-tender offer documentation, and recommends that shareholders do not tender their shares in response to the offer. Occidental also cautions shareholders that TRC Capital's mini-tender offer has been made at a price below the market price for Occidental shares. The offer price of $62.63 per share represents a discount of approximately 4.34 percent lower than the $65.47 closing share price of Occidental common stock on October 20, 2017 - the last trading day prior to the date of the offer. TRC Capital has made many similar mini-tender offers for shares of other companies. Mini-tender offers seek to acquire fewer than 5 percent of a company's shares outstanding, thereby avoiding many disclosure and procedural requirements of the U.S. SEC and other procedures mandated by U.S. securities laws that apply to offers for more than 5 percent of a company's shares outstanding. As a result, mini-tender offers do not provide investors with the same level of protections as provided by larger tender offers under U.S. securities laws.

08:55 EDT New York Times CFO James Follo to retire in early 2018 - The New York Times Company announced that James M. Follo, executive vice president and CFO, plans to retire in early 2018. The company will retain a leading executive search firm to help identify Mr. Follo's successor and will consider candidates from both inside and outside the organization. Follo joined The Times in January 2007 as senior vice president and chief financial officer. He was named an executive vice president in April 2013.

08:51 EDT Overstock rises after tZERO announces details of proposed initial coin offering - Dr. Patrick M. Byrne, chairman of t0.com, a portfolio company of Overstock.com's Medici Ventures, announced at the Money 20/20 conference additional details relating to tZERO's proposed initial coin offering, or ICO, utilizing a Simple Agreement for Future Tokens, Overstock announced in a press release last night. Byrne provided a general description of the proposed tZERO token's key features, and the offering's timing, with the tZERO SAFT pre-sale expected to open on Nov. 15 and run until Dec. 31. The proceeds from the sale are expected to fund, among other things, scaling tZERO's technology development and regulatory teams in order to maintain its leading edge, and potentially acquiring or establishing a custody and clearing firm to complement tZERO's existing infrastructure. On Sept. 27, tZERO, a subsidiary of Overstock.com, announced plans to work with the Argon Group and RenGen in order to launch a U.S. regulated Alternative Trading System and platform capable of trading both security tokens and app tokens issued via ICOs and SAFTs. In pre-market trading, Overstock shares are up $2.20, or 5.7%, to $40.80.

08:47 EDT Scientific Games partners with Osage Casinos for SG Universe install in Oklahoma - Scientific Games division SG Interactive will partner with Osage Casinos to install the SG Universe product suite at its seven Oklahoma.

08:40 EDT Resonant signs third ISN foundry agreement - Resonant announced that it has signed its third ISN Foundry Agreement with an established Surface Acoustic Wave, or SAW, foundry serving the RF market. This new agreement expands the filter capacity available from the ISN Foundry Program. This latest member of the ISN Foundry program is a full-service foundry with both filter and Gallium Arsenide, or GaAs, foundry capabilities. The company provides SAW foundry services to Tier One filter vendors, and is currently being utilized to process designs for two Resonant licensees. This agreement will provide licensees with additional foundry choices and services in the growing module market by leveraging Resonant's Infinite Synthesized Network Foundry Program -- whose eco-system includes non-captive SAW foundries, as well as backend and packaging partners -- enabling the first fabless mobile filter eco-system.

08:39 EDT BioTelemetry forms exclusive alliance for NAFLD with AMRA - BioTelemetry announced that BioTelemetry Research, their global imaging and cardiac core lab, and AMRA have formed an exclusive alliance for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD, and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis clinical trials. This first-to-market partnership will advance imaging science and benefit clinical trial sponsors in several musculoskeletal and metabolic therapeutic areas. In clinical studies, muscle and fat fractions have traditionally been measured by scanning individual organs such as the liver, or particular body regions such as the abdomen. Commonly, researchers would prefer to scan the entire body in order to learn exactly where study participants are losing or gaining muscle or fat mass. However, until now they have been constrained by prohibitive costs and insufficiently precise outcomes.

08:35 EDT Rockwell updates on Calcitriol post-approval manufacturing submission to FDA - Rockwell Medical provided an update on the commercial launch of Calcitriol, stating that the FDA has requested extra time to review its post-approval drug manufacturing submission that was filed with the FDA September 28. The FDA was required to provide Rockwell with a determination on its September 28th submission within 30 days. The company expects to have an answer from the FDA in approximately four months. Calcitriol is Rockwell's FDA approved active Vitamin D injection for the management of hypocalcemia in patients undergoing chronic renal dialysis. Rockwell intends to sell Calcitriol commercially once the FDA approves its post-approval drug manufacturing submission.

08:32 EDT Michaels launches online custom framing business - The Michaels Companies announces the launch of Framerspointe.com, "a quick and easy way to digitally design and purchase custom framing. The new online destination for framing needs will marry trend-right designs and superior craftsmanship at competitive prices with an easy to navigate shopping experience."

08:31 EDT Monsanto's Climate Corp expands digital agriculture platform into Western Canada - The Climate Corporation, a subsidiary of Monsanto Company, announced at the Farms.com Precision Agriculture Conference, the launch of the Climate FieldView digital agriculture platform into Western Canada for the 2018 growing season. With Climate's analytics-based digital tools, more Canadian farmers will be able to harness their data in one connected platform to identify and more efficiently manage variability in their fields, tailoring crop inputs to optimize yield and maximize their return on every acre.

08:24 EDT Visa CFO: Impacts of hurricanes in Caribbean, Mexico City earthquake 'ongoing' - CFO Vasant Prabhu says natural disasters have impacted business. While business in Houston and Florida has "largely" returned to normal, Visa says the impacts of hurricanes in the Caribbean, Mexico City earthquake are "ongoing."

08:19 EDT Huntington Bancshares sees FY17 revenue growth of 23% - The company expects FY revenue growth of approximately 23%, or 22% on an adjusted, non-GAAP basis. Expects Full FY expense growth of approximately 13%, or 18% on an adjusted, non-GAAP basis. Expects Completed implementation of all planned cost savings. See average balance sheet growth of 20% and period-end loan growth of 3% to 4%. Expects net charge-offs below long-term expectations of 35-55 bps.Comments taken from slides being presented on the Q3 earnings conference call.

08:15 EDT Atossa Genetics trading halted, news pending

08:13 EDT Quotient reports 'positive concordance data from MosaiQ 'V&V' studies - Quotient reported "positive" concordance data for the MosaiQ blood grouping microarray generated in Verification & Validation, or "V&V," head-to-head studies. Results of the V&V head-to-head studies for the MosaiQ IH Microarray indicate that MosaiQ achieved the required targeted performance compared with predicate technologies for all assays. "V&V head-to-head data announced today represent the achievement of an important milestone before MosaiQ enters field trials in Europe over the next one to two months. The strength of the data gives us great confidence in the results of those field trials and ultimately in our ability to commercialize MosaiQ. Overall concordance for blood grouping, at 99.8%, demonstrates the robustness and reliability of MosaiQ as a diagnostics platform. I am also pleased that we have strengthened our balance sheet through our recently announced private placement, which was led by a small group of existing shareholders, with participation by directors and management. This financing is an added vote of confidence for what we have achieved to date and what we have the potential to achieve in the future," said CEO Paul Cowan.

08:12 EDT Tyme Technologies identifies potential method, biomarker for tumor calcification - Tyme Technologies announced it has identified a mechanism and related biomarker that the company believes could potentiate the calcification of tumors. During clinical evaluation of the company's lead product candidate, it was observed that subsequent to SM-88 therapy some lytic bone lesions converted to benign sclerotic bone. Following further examination, the company believes it has isolated the cause of this conversion and developed a treatment method that can be used in combination with SM-88 to cause calcification of tumors with a particular biomarker. The company has conducted a small number of tests in canine osteosarcoma and observed positive results, including a rapid ossification of tumors.The calcification of tumors is recognized in several cancer types, including a majority of breast cancers as well as sarcomas and lymphomas. Based on previous independent studies, calcification of a tumor can mitigate its metastatic potential and is associated with favorable survival outcomes. Similar to calcification, we believe that SM-88 has demonstrated an ability to convert some malignant tumors to benign tissue that is metabolically inactive based on positron emission tomography imaging. This effect was seen in SM-88's first human study of certain subjects with progressive metastatic disease, where median overall survival was 29 months for patients that achieved "stable disease" under traditional RECIST response criteria. The ability to calcify tumors could lead to increased therapeutic benefit or tumor clearance, building on SM-88's current effects.

08:11 EDT Atara reports 'positive' results in ongoing Phase 1 study of autologous ATA190 - Atara Biotherapeutics announced that the company's collaborating investigators at QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute and The University of Queensland reported updated positive results for an ongoing Phase 1 study of autologous ATA190, an Epstein-Barr Virus specific T-cell immunotherapy, in patients with progressive MS. The results will be presented at the MSParis 2017 Congress. Six of ten progressive MS patients in the Phase 1 study of autologous ATA190 experienced clinical improvements, which were first observed 2-14 weeks after the initial infusion. Clinical improvements were reported in primary and secondary progressive MS patients from an established level of disability. Reduction in fatigue was a consistent observation in responding patients. Autologous ATA190 was well-tolerated, and no significant treatment-related adverse events were observed in the study.

08:09 EDT Marathon Patent Group regains compliance with Nasdaq listing requirements - Marathon Patent Group announced that it has received written confirmation from NASDAQ that it has regained compliance with NASDAQ Listing Rule 5550(b)(1), which requires companies listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market to maintain stockholders' equity of at least $2.5M.

08:06 EDT Sprint backs FY17 adjusted EBITDA view of $10.8B-$11.2B - The company continues to expect adjusted EBITDA of $10.8B-$11.2B. The company continues to expect operating income of $2.1B-$2.5B. The company continues to expect cash capital expenditures, excluding devices leased through indirect channels, of $3.5B-$4B. The company expects adjusted free cash flow to be around break-even.

08:05 EDT Nielsen says growth, margins improving in emerging markets - Comments from Q3 earnings conference call.

08:04 EDT MasterCard, Western Union team up on transfers to U.S. debit cards - Mastercard (MA) and The Western Union Company (WU) announced they are working together to integrate Mastercard Send into the Western Union Money Transfer service, allowing Western Union to deliver funds to virtually all U.S. debit cards. The alliance opens a new channel for U.S. consumers to quickly and conveniently send money via Western Union to the debit cards people use every day, including non-Mastercard cards. Western Union is the money transfer industry's first to offer the debit card-enabled service via the Mastercard Send platform in the United States.

08:04 EDT Freeport McMoRan CEO says 'encouraged' by progress in talks with Indonesia - Richard C. Adkerson, President and CEO, said, "We are pleased to report strong quarterly results throughout our global operations and a positive outlook for future results. Our focus on cost management combined with free cash flow generation have enabled us to continue to strengthen our balance sheet and successfully execute our strategy. Our shareholders are well positioned to benefit from our highly attractive portfolio of copper assets and improving copper market conditions. We are encouraged by continued progress in our active negotiations with the Indonesian government regarding our long-term operating rights in Indonesia and remain focused on managing our long-term business for the benefit of shareholders."

08:02 EDT Janssen's SYMTUZA shows 'positive outcome' in AMBER study - Janssen's new once-daily, single tablet combination therapy SYMTUZA alafenamide has shown to be both highly effective and well-tolerated in treating antiretroviral-naive HIV-1 patients through 48 weeks in the pivotal phase 3 AMBER study.1 The results of this study will be presented on 27 October 2017 at the 16th European AIDS Conference in Milan, Italy. Findings from the study demonstrated that the single tablet regimen D/C/F/TAF provided effective and durable viral suppression, meaning most patients achieved an undetectable viral load, whilst offering the high genetic barrier to resistance of darunavir, for ART-naive HIV-1-infected patients. AMBER is a Phase 3 randomised double-blind non-inferiority international study designed to assess the efficacy and safety of D/C/F/TAF versus the control in HIV-1 positive treatment-naive adult patients over 48 weeks. The control comprised two separate medications - a tablet of darunavir/ cobicistat plus a tablet of emtricitabine/ tenofovir disoproxil fumarate. The primary endpoint was non-inferiority of the STR versus the control regarding the proportion of patients with a viral load of less than 50 copies per mL at 48 weeks. Reducing their viral load to an undetectable level is a key treatment goal for HIV patients, enabling their immune system to strengthen and leading to improved quality of life. The single tablet D/C/F/TAF demonstrated durable non-inferiority versus the control group over 48 weeks and also produced low virologic failure rates. The high efficacy results were consistent across different subgroups of patients. No treatment-emergent mutations related to darunavir, primary protease inhibitors or tenofovir were observed. The STR showed improved bone and renal safety laboratory parameters, along with similar safety versus control through 48 weeks, in terms of rates of discontinuations due to adverse events , of Grade 3-4 AEs and of serious AEs. D/C/F/TAF also demonstrated a similar total cholesterol/HDL cholesterol ratio, with limited lipid changes. D/C/F/TAF safety and efficacy were also demonstrated in the open label Phase 3 48-week EMERALD study, a switch trial amongst virologically suppressed ART experienced patients.

07:47 EDT S&P Global participates in Ursa Space Systems $7M financing round - Ursa Space Systems, a Space 3.0 analytics-as-a-service company, announced it closed a $7M Series A equity financing from experienced financial, security, and strategic investors. The financing was led by Paladin Capital Group and included participation from New Enterprise Associates, RRE Ventures, S&P Global, and other strategic investors. Ursa was formed by leaders in the satellite and software security fields with the vision to unlock the potential of data and insights derived from radar satellite imaging.

07:36 EDT Boeing: Commercial Airplanes booked 117 net orders during Q3 - Backlog remains robust with nearly 5,700 airplanes valued at $412B.

07:35 EDT Boeing cuts FY17 effective tax rate view to about 28.5% from about 29%

07:35 EDT Tesla: Hospital del Nino 'first of many' solar+storage projects going live in PR - Tesla tweeted, "Hospital del Nino is first of many solar+storage projects going live. Grateful to support the recovery of Puerto Rico with @ricardorossello." Reference Link

07:33 EDT General Dynamics reports backlog up 9.2% sequentially to $63.9B - General Dynamics' total backlog at the end of third-quarter was $63.9B, up 9.2% from the end of second-quarter 2017. The estimated potential contract value, representing management's estimate of value in unfunded indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contracts and unexercised options, was $25.7B. Total potential contract value, the sum of all backlog components, was $89.7B at the end of the quarter. "There was order activity across the Gulfstream product portfolio and strong demand for defense products, including a book-to-bill ratio greater than one-to-one in each of the defense segments," the company stated.

07:30 EDT Boeing raises FY17 cash flow, EPS view

07:17 EDT Coca-Cola sees FY17 net share repurchases about $2B - Sees FY17 underlying effective tax rate 24%.

07:13 EDT Cara Therapeutics doses first patient in Phase 1 study of Oral CR845 - Cara Therapeutics announced that it has dosed the first patient in its Phase 1 pharmacokinetic and safety trial of Oral CR845 tablets in patients with stage III-V chronic kidney disease, or CKD, who are not on dialysis. According to estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 15 percent of the adult population in the United States, or 30M people, suffer from CKD, with an estimated 50 percent in stages III-V.1 Of the patients diagnosed with stage III-V CKD, approximately 25 percent suffer from moderate-to-severe pruritus.

07:12 EDT Shire receives Orphan Drug Designation for SHP654 - Shire announced the FDA awarded Orphan Drug Designation to Shire's gene therapy candidate SHP654, an investigational factor VIII gene therapy for the treatment of hemophilia A. The regulatory agency also granted Shire investigational new drug status for SHP654. Shire also received FDA clearance for the IND application it submitted earlier this year to initiate a global multi-center study with SHP654 to evaluate the safety and optimal dose needed to boost factor VIII activity levels and affect hemophilic bleeding. The company anticipates that the SHP654 Phase 1/2 study will begin by the end of 2017.

07:12 EDT The Medicines Co. to implement restructuring within next 45 days

07:11 EDT The Medicines Co.: Finalizing plan to significantly restructure company

07:07 EDT Stepan Company raises quarterly dividend by 10% - On October 24, the board of Stepan Company approved an increase of 2c per share or 10% on its quarterly cash dividend on its common stock. The dividend is payable on December 15, to common stockholders of record on November 30.

07:06 EDT Walgreens Boots Alliance adds $1B to share repurchase program - In October 2017 the company completed its $5.0 billion share repurchase program announced in June 2017. On 24 October the company expanded the program by an additional $1.0 billion.

07:05 EDT International Paper 'confident' in 10%-plus EBITDA growth forecast - International Paper said in earnings call slides that it remains "confident" in its 2017 view of 10%-plus year-over-year EBITDA growth.

07:04 EDT Walgreens Boots Alliance carrying out review of combined U.S. store portfolio

07:03 EDT SiriusXM reports Q3 net additions of 119,000 - The company added 311,000 net new self-pay subscribers in the third quarter to end the period with approximately 27M self-pay subscribers. Total net additions in the quarter were 119,000, after giving effect to the decline of approximately 191,000 paid promotional subscribers. The decline in paid promotional net additions was due to paid promotional subscription ends out-pacing paid promotional subscription starts as a result of lower shipments from automakers offering paid promotional subscriptions. The company ended the quarter with approximately 32.2M total subscribers and a total funnel of trial subscribers of approximately 8.9M. SiriusXM said revenue growth was driven by a 4% increase in subscribers and a 3% increase in average revenue per user, or ARPU, to $13.41, a record high.

07:00 EDT CarlyleL David Rubenstein, William Conway, Jr. to become co-Executive Chairmen

06:59 EDT Carlyle Group names Peter Clare as co-Chief Investment Officer

06:57 EDT Coca-Cola sees FY17 CapEx about $2B

06:49 EDT Nasdaq updates FY17 adjusted operating expense view to $1.275B-$1.29B - Versus prior 2017 expense guidance of $1.2B-$1.29B. The increase primarily relates to the closing of the acquisitions of eVestment and Sybenetix.

06:45 EDT PolyOne sees $3M-$4M expenses in Q4 related to hurricanes - Robert Patterson, chairman, president and CEO of PolyOne said, "We are very pleased with our recent performance; however, like many companies we have been focused on the safety and welfare of employees, families and communities impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. While our facilities were undamaged and all of our employees are safe, others were not as fortunate." CFO Bradley Richardson said, "We are experiencing raw material supply and transportation disruptions as a result of these storms. Fortunately, we believe these to be short-term in nature and additional expenses related to them will approximate $3M-$4M in Q4. Most importantly, we remain focused on assisting local communities and residents where needed and serving our customers."

06:38 EDT Lloyds Banking sees 225-240bps of capital this year - The Group now expects to generate between 225 and 240 basis points of capital this year and continues to expect to generate 170 to 200 basis points per annum on an ongoing basis. The Group's current view of the appropriate level of CET1 capital required to grow the business, meet regulatory capital requirements and cover uncertainties is around 13 per cent. Capital requirements however continue to evolve and during the third quarter the Prudential Regulation Authority has increased the Pillar 2A CET1 requirement from 2.5 per cent to 3 per cent. The additional Pillar 2A capital will be held at year end and as a consequence, while other elements are still uncertain, there is upward pressure on the Group's overall capital requirement of around 13 per cent. The Group is awaiting guidance on the PRA Buffer and will provide an update on capital requirements with the full year results. The Group however still expects to deliver a progressive and sustainable ordinary dividend for the full year and the Board will give due consideration at the year end to the distribution of surplus capital through the use of special dividends or share buy backs.

06:36 EDT Ingersoll-Rand says Q3 impact from natural disasters 4c-5c - "Financial and operational performance was solid in the third quarter," said Michael W. Lamach, chairman and CEO. "We delivered strong bookings growth in both our Climate and Industrial segments and low-single digit organic revenue growth. Our Industrial segment continues to perform ahead of our expectations with significant margin improvement on relatively flat revenue and our Transport business is performing well in a challenging market as anticipated. We continue to have success driving strong growth in highly competitive verticals in commercial HVAC in China and in the Middle East which negatively impacted enterprise adjusted operating margins by more than 50 basis points in the quarter. Additionally, while our teams have been resilient and have performed well managing through an unprecedented number of natural disasters in the third quarter, we estimate the negative financial impact from natural disasters was approximately $0.04 to $0.05 in Q3. Our business operating system remains strong and the outlook for our end markets continues to present good opportunities for profitable growth. However, our leverage for 2017 is below our expectations and we expect to drive improvement in 2018 and beyond. While we forecast material inflation and pricing pressures to moderate as we move through 2018, we are nonetheless planning to execute more aggressive productivity initiatives to underpin our margin expansion plans."

06:33 EDT Wyndham reports Q3 domestic same-store RevPAR up 2.3%

06:23 EDT Target adds AR shopping feature to its mobile website - Target says, "To help quash decor dilemmas, Target rolled out a new augmented reality feature on Target.com's mobile website called See It In Your Space. Guests shopping the new Project 62 line can use the feature to place three-dimensional versions of real Target home products within photos of actual rooms at home, and move them around at proper scale to see how they'd look-all before buying the product. Once a guest finds, say, a floor lamp or bedside table on Target.com using their smartphone, they simply tap the product's See It In Your Space button and follow steps to do just that. All they need is a photo of the living space they want to decorate-which they can shoot in real-time or pull from an existing photo! See It In Your Space is Target's latest experiment with augmented reality. Last spring the website debuted 360-degree shopping, virtual living rooms designed to help guests visualize size and scale of Target items and provide styling guidance. See It In Your Space is currently available to use for 200 Project 62 Target home products. But stay tuned...this functionality will roll out to hundreds of more products by the end of the year and thousands of more products in 2018." Reference Link

06:09 EDT W.R. Grace increasing FCC catalysts price 3%-9% effective January 1 - W. R. Grace will increase the price of its Fluid Catalytic Cracking catalysts by 3% to 9%, depending on product type and specific customer contract terms and commitments. This increase will be effective January 1, 2018, as contracts allow. Grace is experiencing increased demand for its premium FCC catalysts including its MIDAS, ACHIEVE, and propylene maximization technologies, which are helping refiners increase FCC unit profitability, maximize petrochemical and alkylate feedstocks, and process more challenging crudes.

06:05 EDT Anthem sees FY17 operating cash flow greater than $4B

06:05 EDT Shah Capital Opportunity Fund withdraws offer to acquire UTStarcom - UTStarcom Holdings announced that the special committee of the company's board has received a notice from Shah Capital Opportunity Fund LP, Himanshu H. Shah, Hong Liang Lu and certain of his affiliates and Tenling Ti to withdraw the preliminary non-binding take-private proposal letter from the Consortium to the board. Shah Capital Opportunity Fund initially made a $2.15/shr offer on March 31st, 2017.

06:02 EDT Anthem expects FY17 medical enrollment to grow by nearly 100,000-300,000 members

05:19 EDT Extraction Oil & Gas announces approval of Broomfield Operator Agreement - Extraction Oil & Gas announced the successful approval of its Operator Agreement with the City and County of Broomfield, Colorado. The approval of this agreement by Broomfield City Council marks the conclusion of a year-long process of unprecedented collaboration and stakeholder engagement that has resulted in potentially one of the most thoughtfully designed oil and gas developments in the country. With the approval of Extraction's Broomfield operator agreement, the company now has a clear pathway to completing the spacing and permitting process for the remainder of its Broomfield leasehold. Extraction still plans to spud its initial Broomfield wells from the Coyote Trails pad by the end of 2017.

05:17 EDT ADTRAN working to advance high-speed broadband access in Australia with nbn - ADTRAN announced it is working with nbn to advance high-speed broadband access to the citizens of Australia. The next-generation broadband technology, Gfast, will be launched on the nbn broadband access network in 2018, allowing the operator to deliver ultra-fast speeds over copper lines.