Stockwinners Market Radar for November 02, 2017 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

18:33 EDT Suncor acquires 41% equity interest in Quebec's PetroNor - Suncor and PetroNor announced the purchase by Suncor of a 41% equity interest in PetroNor, a petroleum products distributor across the James Bay and Abitibi-Temiscamingue regions of Quebec. Owned and operated by the James Bay Crees, PetroNor services commercial, industrial, aviation, mining and residential clients. Under the terms of the agreement, Suncor, through its Petro-Canada brand, will continue its exclusive supply agreement with PetroNor providing fuel and distillate from the Suncor Montreal refinery to the northwest Quebec region. In addition, Suncor and PetroNor will continue to pursue additional opportunities in northwestern Quebec to better serve customers in the region.

18:11 EDT Alliant Energy sees 2017 CapEx $1.49B - Includes $180M of renewable projects. Sees CapEx $1.72B, $1.68B, $1.0B and $1.0B for 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021, respectively.

18:08 EDT Alliant Energy increases 2018 dividend target 6% to $1.34 per share - Alliant Energy approved a 6% increase, or 8c per share, to its 2018 expected annual common stock dividend target of $1.34 per share from the current annual common stock dividend target of $1.26 per share. Payment of the 2018 quarterly dividend is subject to the actual dividend declaration by the board of directors, which is expected in January 2018 for the Q1 dividend.

18:00 EDT On The Fly: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Cardtronics (CATM), up 16.1%... Floor & Decor (FND), up 11.2%... Varonis (VRNS), up 9.6%... Molina Healthcare (MOH), up 9.4%... MercadoLibre (MELI), up 6.8%... Arista Networks (ANET), up 6.6%... Boingo Wireless (WIFI), up 4%... Activision Blizzard (ATVI), up 2.2%... Aspen Insurance (AHL), up 2.2%... Apple (AAPL), up 2.1%... Assured Guaranty (AGO), up 1.8%. ALSO HIGHER: Sprint (S), up 5.1% after the Wall Street Journal reported that the company and T-Mobile (TMUS) are working to salvage their proposed merger. T-Mobile rose 3% after the news. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Accelerate Diagnostics (AXDX), down 16.6%... Rubicon Project (RUBI), down 13.9%... Tableau Software (DATA), down 12.4%... Stamps.com (STMP), down 12.3%... Pandora (P), down 10.9%... Cohu (COHU), down 9.7%... Pacific Biosciences (PACB), down 9.4%... El Pollo Loco (LOCO), down 7.6%... Herbalife (HLF), down 6%... Starbucks (SBUX), down 5.1%... Radius Health (RDUS), down 3.8%... Dicerna Pharmaceuticals (DRNA), down 3.2%... AIG (AIG), down 3.1%... CBS (CBS), down 1.8%.

17:46 EDT Pandora says expects gross margins to improve over time - Sees FY17 sales, marketing expense similar to FY16.

17:31 EDT Southside Bancshares declares special dividend, receives merger approval - The board of Southside Bancshares declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of 28c per common share. In a separate action, the board declared a special cash dividend of 2c per common share. The combined cash dividend of 30c per common share is payable to common stock shareholders of record on November 16. The cash dividend is scheduled for payment on November 30. Southside also announced that it has received all regulatory approvals required to complete its merger with Diboll State Bancshares, which is scheduled to occur on or about November 30, subject to customary closing conditions.

17:29 EDT SM Energy still sees FY17 CapEx $875M - Now sees FY17 production 44.2-44.6 MMBoe.

17:28 EDT New York REIT to sell Broadway property - New York REIT, which is liquidating and winding down pursuant to a plan of liquidation, announced that it has entered into a contract to sell its property located at 1440 Broadway, in New York, New York for $520M to an unaffiliated third party. The consummation of the sale is subject to customary closing conditions for sales of real property in New York, New York. The closing is expected to occur prior to year-end.

17:19 EDT Pandora says active listeners fell 4% y/y due to natural disasters

17:17 EDT Pandora says shareholder value will build through 2018

17:16 EDT Pandora says will either build or buy ad-tech capability - Says ad-tech gaps having material impact on revenue. Comments from Q3 earnings conference call.

17:10 EDT Starbucks says adapting cost structure to align with new long-term targets. - Says "very proud" of performance since 2010, last time long-term targets were updated. Says strategic planning process serves as basis of long-term outlook. Says committed to streamlining business. Says adapting cost structure to align with new long-term guidance. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

17:06 EDT Vectren increases dividend 7.1% - Vectren Corporation announced the board has declared a quarterly dividend of 45c per share, up 7.1% from the current quarterly dividend of 42c per share. This equates to an annualized dividend of $1.80 per share, up from the current annualized dividend of $1.68 per share. The quarterly dividend will be payable December 1 to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 15.

17:04 EDT Leidos awaded three task orders for $45M by National Institutes of Health - Leidos was awarded three task orders by the National Institutes of Health to provide information technology solutions in support of the National Heart Lung Blood Institutes Information Technology and Applications Center. The single-award firm fixed-price task orders have a combined contract value of approximately $45M. Work will be performed primarily in Bethesda, Md.

16:58 EDT Evolent Health to acquire Medicare Advantage, commercial assets of Premier - Evolent Health announced it has signed an expanded relationship agreement with long-standing customer, Premier Health, including an agreement to acquire the Medicare Advantage and commercial assets of Premier Health Plan. Evolent and Premier Health have partnered on a value-based care strategy since 2013, including launching Premier's locally-based, physician-led MA and commercial health plans. Based in Dayton, Ohio, the plans have experienced strong growth over the first several years of operations, and Premier and Evolent have agreed that Evolent will acquire Premier Health Plan to support continued expansion in Dayton and other Ohio markets. Under the agreement, Evolent will acquire Premier Health Plan, which owns and operates the MA business and large commercial group business, effective for the 2018 plan year. As part of the transaction, Evolent and the acquired Premier Health Plan will enter into two additional agreements with Premier Health: a long-term provider arrangement in which Premier Health's hospitals and physicians would perform medical services for the members of the health plan; and a long-term services agreement with Evolent to support the system's population health management efforts across employee, Next Generation ACO and payer partnership populations. The closing is expected to occur in the first quarter of 2018 and is subject to customary closing conditions, including federal and state regulatory approvals. The acquisition will not have an impact on MA open enrollment nor the plan's commercial products.

16:54 EDT Veeco wins preliminary injunction in patent infringement lawsuit - Veeco Instruments announced that the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York granted Veeco's motion for a preliminary injunction against SGL Carbon, a supplier of wafer carriers to Advanced Micro-Fabrication Equipment. The injunction prohibits the sale of wafer carriers by SGL for use in susceptorless Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition systems using Veeco's patented technology, including wafer carriers designed for AMEC MOCVD systems.

16:53 EDT CVD Equipment acquires assets of MesoScribe - CVD Equipment has, through its new wholly owned subsidiary CVD MesoScribe Technologies Corporation, purchased assets, formerly owned by MesoScribe Technologies. Formed in 2002, by a group out of Stony Brook University, MesoScribe having corporate offices in St. James, NY and manufacturing in Huntington Beach, CA., established itself as a pioneer and leader in the direct deposition and writing of thermal sensors, heaters, and electronics devices used in high temperature and harsh environments. MesoScribe specializes in the manufacturing of harsh environment sensor products and structurally integrated electronics based on its proprietary direct write thermal spray technology. MesoScribe's focus is on developing innovative sensor prototypes and manufacturing direct write devices in production quantities for advanced sensing and communications.

16:45 EDT SPS Commerce announces $50M stock repurchase program - SPS Commerce announced that its board has authorized a program to repurchase up to $50.0M of common stock. Under the program, purchases may be made from time to time in the open market over the next two years. The number of shares to be purchased and the timing of purchases will be based on the price of the company's common stock, general business and market conditions and other investment considerations and factors.

16:42 EDT Century Communities backs FY17 home sales revenue view $1.3B-$1.5B

16:37 EDT Altice USA unveils 'Altice One' - Altice USA unveiled 'Altice One,' a new connectivity platform that reinvents the way consumers connect to the entertainment and content they want. Altice One provides a better, personalized and simple all-in-one video, broadband, WiFi and phone experience with new and enhanced features such as access to apps, voice search and more in a sleek, compact home hub that replaces the traditional cable box, modem and router. As a cloud-based service, the Altice One platform gives Altice the flexibility to continuously innovate and enhance offerings quickly and simply for customers.

16:35 EDT Invacare CFO Gudbranson to leave company - Invacare announced the resignation of Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Robert K. Gudbranson, who will be leaving the company to pursue a new opportunity, effective November 26, 2017. In submitting his resignation, Mr. Gudbranson did not express any disagreement with the company on any matter related to the company's operations, policies or practices, including its controls or financial-related matters. While the company performs an executive search to identify a successor to Mr. Gudbranson, Kathleen P. Leneghan, Invacare's long-standing vice president and corporate controller, will assume the role of interim CFO. Ms. Leneghan has been with Invacare for 27 years, serving in various financial roles in North America and Europe. She has served as vice president and corporate controller since 2003. Prior to joining Invacare, Ms. Leneghan was an audit manager with Ernst & Young LLP.

16:34 EDT Apple CEO highlights 'best quarter ever for Services' - "We're happy to report a very strong finish to a great fiscal 2017, with record fourth quarter revenue, year-over-year growth for all our product categories, and our best quarter ever for Services," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "With fantastic new products including iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, Apple Watch Series 3, and Apple TV 4K joining our product lineup, we're looking forward to a great holiday season, and with the launch of iPhone X getting underway right now, we couldn't be more excited as we begin to deliver our vision for the future with this stunning device." Luca Maestri, Apple's CFO, added, "Apple's year-over-year revenue growth rate accelerated for the fourth consecutive quarter and drove EPS growth of 24 percent in the September quarter. We also generated strong operating cash flow of $15.7 billion and returned $11 billion to investors through our capital return program."

16:33 EDT Intersect ENT announces new data for steroid releasing sinus implants - Intersect ENT announced a pivotal study publication of the second cohort of the prospective, randomized, blinded, multi-center PROGRESS study - a trial to assess the safety and efficacy of the company's Propel Contour steroid releasing sinus implant when placed in the frontal sinuses, which are located behind the forehead. The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association - Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. The authors concluded that frontal sinus surgery followed by placement of Propel Contour significantly minimizes scarring and inflammation, reducing the need for post-operative surgical and medical interventions compared to standard frontal sinus surgery. The study met its primary efficacy endpoint, demonstrating a previously reported statistically significant 65% relative reduction in the need for post-operative interventions, such as the need for additional surgical interventions or need for oral steroid prescription, compared to surgery alone. The implant's placement success rate was 100% and there were no implant-related adverse events. There were three adverse events, which were judged by clinical investigators to have an 'indeterminate' relationship to the implant.

16:31 EDT Apple declares dividend of 63c - Apple's board has declared a cash dividend of 63c per share of the company's common stock. The dividend is payable on November 16, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on November 13.

16:24 EDT Valley National CEO Gerald Lipkin retires, Ira Robbins to succeed - Valley National announces the retirement of Gerald Lipkin as CEO, effective December 31, 2017. Ira Robbins has been selected by the Board of Directors to assume the position of CEO of both Valley and the Bank. Robbins will also become a member of the Board of Valley National Bancorp. Robbins will continue to serve as President and a Director of Valley National Bank. Robbins joined Valley in 1996 as part of the Bank's Management Associate Program and has held several key positions throughout the Bank over the past two decades.

16:21 EDT EOG Resources expects to grow 2017 U.S. oil production 20% - Within discretionary cash flow including dividends.

16:17 EDT Chemours backs FY17 adjusted EBITDA view $1.3B-$1.4B - "The successful implementation of our Five Point Transformation Plan has given us the solid foundation to build a future focused on growth," commented Vergnano. "We continue to expect our 2017 Adjusted EBITDA to be between $1.3 and $1.4 billion, which far exceeds our original transformation plan goal. We also expect 2017 Free Cash Flow to be positive, driven by the strength of our results and the diligent work of our employees."

16:10 EDT CBS reports Q3 Local Media revenues of $397M, down 3% - Local Media revenues of $397 million for the third quarter of 2017 decreased 3% from $409 million for the same prior-year period, which benefited from strong political advertising sales. The decrease was partially offset by higher retransmission revenues. Local Media operating income of $105 million for the third quarter of 2017 decreased 14% from $122 million for the same prior-year period, mainly due to a decline in high-margin political advertising sales.

16:10 EDT Starbucks sees long-term annual global comparable store sales growth of 3%-5% - The company provided the following updates to long term financial targets: annual global comparable store sales growth of 3% to 5%; annual consolidated net revenue growth in the high single digits; annual earnings per share growth of 12% or greater; annual ROIC of 25% or greater.

16:09 EDT CBS reports Q3 Publishing revenue up 1% to $228M - Publishing revenues of $228 million for the third quarter of 2017 grew 1% from $226 million for the same prior-year period. The increase was led by growth in print book sales and digital audio sales. Bestselling titles for the third quarter of 2017 included What Happened by Hillary Rodham Clinton and Sleeping Beauties by Stephen King and Owen King. Publishing operating income of $46 million for the third quarter of 2017 increased 5% from $44 million for the same prior-year period, mainly reflecting the revenue growth.

16:08 EDT CBS reports Q2 Cable Networks revenue up 40% to $840M - Cable Networks revenues of $840 million for the third quarter of 2017 increased 40% from $598 million for the same prior-year period, driven by the distribution of the Floyd Mayweather/Conor McGregor pay-per-view boxing event as well as growth from the Showtime digital streaming subscription offering. These increases were partially offset by the domestic licensing of Penny Dreadful in the third quarter of 2016. Cable Networks operating income of $294 million for the third quarter of 2017 increased 3% from $285 million for the same prior-year period, reflecting the revenue growth, which was significantly offset by higher costs associated with the aforementioned pay-per-view boxing event.

16:08 EDT Starbucks commits to returning $15B to shareholders over next 3 years

16:07 EDT CBS reports Q3 Entertainment revenue down 7% to $1.82B - Entertainment revenues of $1.82 billion for the third quarter of 2017 decreased 7% from $1.95 billion for the same prior-year period. Affiliate and subscription fees grew 35%, driven by higher station affiliation fees and growth from new digital initiatives, including CBS All Access and third-party live television streaming offerings. Content licensing and distribution revenues declined 26%, mainly as a result of the timing of domestic television licensing sales, which was partially offset by growth in international licensing sales. Advertising revenues decreased 3% for the quarter, partly resulting from one fewer Thursday Night Football game broadcast on the CBS Television Network. Entertainment operating income of $345 million for the third quarter of 2017 decreased 1% from $348 million, while the operating income margin expanded one percentage point, reflecting a mix of higher-margin revenues in 2017.

16:05 EDT CONMED CFO to retire from company - CONMED announced that Luke Pomilio, executive VP, finance and CFO, has decided to retire after over two decades of service with the company. The company has initiated a search for a new CFO. In order to ensure an orderly transition, Pomilio is committed to remaining in his current role until a successor is found.

16:03 EDT Pandora reports Q3 active listeners 73.7M

15:41 EDT Cedar Realty Trust CEO named as defendant in sexual harassment suit - A lawsuit filed in a New York court against Bruce Schanzer, CEO of Cedar Realty Trust, by plaintiff Nancy Mozzachio seeks recovery of injury suffered as a results of the defendant's alleged violations of the New York State Human Rights Law, according to court records.

14:48 EDT Leviticus Partners reports 9.69% passive stake in STRATA Skin Sciences

13:37 EDT L Brands CFO says 'confident' in maintaining dividend - L Brands CFO Stuart Burgdoerfer, speaking at today's investor meeting, said he's "confident" the company can maintain its dividend. This report corrects the speaker to CFO from CEO.

13:30 EDT Hardinge trading resumes

13:16 EDT Feuerstein: Omidria losing Medicare pass-through code, price will fall 'a lot' - Adam Feuerstein, a senior writer at STAT News, tweeted: "$OMER Omidria losing Medicare pass-through code, so price will fall a lot. Funny, this is one of risks shorts warned about ahead of time." Reference Link

13:11 EDT Plug Power: Tax Cuts & Jobs Act would reinstate Fuel Cell Investment Tax Credit - Plug Power says in a blog post: "On Thursday, November 2nd the House Ways and Means Committee released their Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Included in the bill is a provision that would reinstate the Fuel Cell Investment Tax Credit. We applaud the Committee for addressing the market disparity that was created in 2015. While this is only the first step in the legislative process, we are thankful to our champions in the House Ways and Means Committee, particularly Congressman Tom Reed and Patrick Meehan. We also thank our friends off the Committee including John Faso and Paul Tonko for their tireless support. As we await passage in the House and then turn to the Senate, we are confident that our champions in both houses will keep fighting to get this done and restore parity for our growing industry here in the United States helping protect and grow good paying American manufacturing and service jobs." Reference Link

12:56 EDT Hardinge trading halted, news pending

12:45 EDT Broadcom says supports tax reform plan because it is pro-growth

12:44 EDT Broadcom: Redomiciliation to occur whether or not there is U.S. tax reform

12:40 EDT Chevron received EPA notice regarding waste matters at Hawaii refinery - In a regulatory filing, Chevron said: "As initially disclosed, on August 6, 2012, a piping failure and fire occurred at the Chevron refinery in Richmond, California. Various federal, state, and local agencies initiated investigations as a result of the incident. The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health issued citations related to the incident in January 2013. Chevron and Cal/OSHA resolved these citations in July 2017 through a settlement agreement that included a civil penalty of $1.01 million. The EPA issued alleged findings of violation related to the incident on December 17, 2013, pursuant to its authority under the Clean Air Act Risk Management Plan program. Following the Richmond incident, EPA also conducted RMP inspections at Chevron's El Segundo, California; Pascagoula, Mississippi; Kapolei, Hawaii; and Salt Lake City, Utah refineries. With the participation of the United States Department of Justice, Chevron and EPA are negotiating a potential combined resolution that may include all of EPA's alleged findings of violation related to the Richmond incident and subsequent RMP inspections. Resolution of those alleged findings of violation may result in the payment of a civil penalty of $100,000 or more. On August 3, 2017, Chevron received a Notice of Intent to File an Administrative Complaint from the United States Environmental Protection Agency in connection with certain waste matters at the Kapolei, Hawaii Refinery during the period of time that the facility was owned and operated by Chevron. Chevron is evaluating the allegations stated in the Notice. Resolution of these matters may result in the payment of a civil penalty of $100,000 or more."

12:01 EDT HP Enterprise to move headquarters to Santa Clara site - Hewlett Packard Enterprise announced that the company will move its corporate headquarters to Santa Clara, California from its current Palo Alto location by the end of 2018. Over the past two years, HPE has transformed into a smaller, nimbler company, and now has the opportunity to consolidate its Silicon Valley real estate to better meet the company's current needs. HPE plans to sell its Palo Alto building and relocate employees to newer, nearby sites including San Jose, Milpitas and the company's state-of-the-art HPE Aruba offices in Santa Clara, which will become the new global headquarters. The HPE Aruba offices were recently built as a showcase for Aruba's intelligent workplace technologies. The building is a next-generation digital workplace that provides innovative tools to enable employees to quickly and efficiently locate each other, find appropriate meeting spaces and use technology to collaborate seamlessly.

11:12 EDT UPS discloses receipt of Civil Investigative Demand from DOJ - In a regulatory filing, UPS stated: "In October 2015, the DOJ informed us of an industry-wide inquiry into the transportation of mail under the United States Postal Service International Commercial Air contracts. In October 2017, we received a Civil Investigative Demand seeking certain information relating to our contracts. The DOJ has indicated it is investigating potential violations of the False Claims Act or other statutes. We are cooperating with the DOJ. The Company is unable to predict what action, if any, might be taken in the future by any government authorities as a result of their investigation. Accordingly, at this time, we are not able to estimate a possible loss or range of loss that may result from this matter or to determine whether such loss, if any, would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations or liquidity."

11:00 EDT Ionis says Phase 3 NEURO-TTR study met both co-primary endpoints - Ionis Pharmaceuticals earlier today announced new data from the Phase 3 NEURO-TTR study, evaluating inotersen in patients with hereditary TTR amyloidosis. The company said results from the study demonstrated early and significant benefit in both co-primary endpoints: Norfolk Quality of Life Questionnaire-Diabetic Neuropathy and modified Neuropathy Impairment Score +7, a measure of neuropathic disease progression, in inotersen-treated patients compared to placebo-treated. It added, "A continued increase in benefit, relative to placebo, was observed in both endpoints through study completion. Statistically significant benefit was also observed in multiple other endpoints in the study, including the SF-36 Health Survey and cardiac measures. The data will be presented at the first annual meeting of the ATTR Amyloidosis Meeting in Paris, France." Two key safety issues were identified during the study: thrombocytopenia and safety signals related to renal function. Enhanced monitoring was implemented during the study to support early detection and management of these issues. Serious platelet and renal events were infrequent and easily managed with routine monitoring, which has proven effective since implementation, Ionis noted. Other serious adverse events were observed in 24.1% of inotersen-treated patients and 21.7% of placebo-treated patients. No cumulative toxicities have been identified with long-term exposure. The overall mortality rate in the NEURO-TTR study was 2.9% and was lower than mortality rates reported in other studies in hATTR patients.

10:52 EDT United Tech's Kidde unit recalls fire extinguishers due to failure to discharge - Kiddie, a unit of United Technologies, notified the CPSC that it is recalling Kidde fire extinguishers with plastic handles, as they can become clogged or require excessive force to discharge and can fail to activate during a fire emergency. In addition, the nozzle can detach with enough force to pose an impact hazard. The recall, which includes 37.8M units in the U.S. and 2.7M in Canada, involves 134 models of Kidde fire extinguishers manufactured between January 1, 1973 and August 15, 2017, including models that were previously recalled in March 2009 and February 2015. The firm is aware of a 2014 death involving a car fire following a crash. Emergency responders could not get the recalled Kidde fire extinguishers to work. There have been approximately 391 reports of failed or limited activation or nozzle detachment, including the fatality, approximately 16 injuries, including smoke inhalation and minor burns, and approximately 91 reports of property damage.

10:48 EDT Time Warner trading resumes, shares off lows, still down 5% to $93.20

10:47 EDT Mechel signs long-term coal supply contract with Itochu - Mechel (MTL) reports signing a framework agreement with a major Japanese universal trading company Itochu Corporation (ITOCY). The agreement stipulates that Mechel is due to supply Itochu Corporation with up to 300,000 tonnes of washed steam coal produced at Southern Kuzbass Coal Company's New-Olzherasskaya Mine. The price will be determined by mutual agreement without reference to any particular formula. Japan's major cement and power facilities will be the end consumers of Mechel's products.

10:44 EDT Time Warner drops after report that DOJ may sue to block AT&T deal - The Department of Justice has not made a final decision but is preparing for litigation in case it decides to go to court in an effort to block the proposed merger of AT&T (T) with Time Warner (TWX), reported The Wall Street Journal. The DOJ is in settlement talks with the companies, but the sides are "not close," according to the Journal's report. Shares of Time Warner are down 6% after the headlines.

10:41 EDT Time Warner trading halted, volatility trading pause

10:32 EDT Under Armour drops amid management shake up, lowered expectations - Shares of Under Armour (UA, UAA) dropped in morning trading following a report that two more senior executives are leaving the company. The news follows several downgrades by analysts following the company's weak quarterly sales, when it cut its fiscal year revenue outlook for the second quarter in a row, citing operational challenges and lower demand in North America. SENIOR DEPARTURES: The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that Under Armour's chief marketing officer and the head of its women's business are leaving the company, according to a person familiar with the matter. Marketing chief Andrew Donkin and Pamela Catlett, SVP and general manager of Under Armour's women's and youth categories, will leave later this month after "mutually agreeing to part ways," according to an internal memo circulated among company leaders Tuesday night. Donkin joined Under Armour from Amazon (AMZN), while Catlett spent over a decade at Nike (NKE). Donkin and Catlett are the latest in a series of senior departures at Under Armour, with other recent exits include Ben Pruess, the president of sport fashion. Additionally, Kip Fulks, a co-founder of Under Armour and widely seen as the deputy to Kevin Plank, the company's chief executive officer, went on sabbatical last month. In June, Patrik Frisk was hired as president and chief operating officer, and he has taken over some of Fulk's responsibilities. A person familiar with the matter told the Journal that Frisk is "shaking up the company's leadership team," and believes more changes may follow. WEAK REVENUE, LOWERED GUIDANCE: Earlier this week, Under Armour reported third quarter revenue of $1.41B, falling short of analysts' estimates, though its adjusted earnings per share view beat expectations. The company lowered its expectations for fiscal 2017 EPS to 18c-20c from 37c-40c and cut its revenue guidance to up at a low single-digit percentage rate vs. its previous growth rate view of 9%-11%. The company said guidance was being lowered to reflect lower North American demand and operational challenges due to the implementation of its enterprise resource planning system and related service levels. Looking to 2018, Under Armour said initial assumptions include "continued strength across our international [direct-to-consumer] business...contrasted with a difficult environment in our North America wholesale business well into next year." CEO Plank added that "against this difficult backdrop, our management team is working aggressively to evolve our strategy and level of execution to proactively address these challenges." ANALYSTS LOWER EXPECTATIONS POST-EARNINGS: Following Under Armour's earnings report, Canaccord, SunTrust and JPMorgan downgraded the stock, while Wells Fargo, FBR Capital, Deutsche Bank, Citi Bernstein and Wedbush all lowered their respective price targets. Morgan Stanley, which noted that the Q3 report fell short of even the lowest expectations, said this is not necessarily the bottom for the stock. JPMorgan sees five "red flags" for Under Armour, including North America revenues dropping double digits with a "slow to re-grow" game-plan and international growth moderating. Citi said there is not much to feel positive about, as the stock has been "hammered and downside risk is still present." PRICE ACTION: Class A shares of Under Armour (UAA) dropped another 3.7% to $11.60 in morning trading. Year-to-date, shares are down about 60%.

10:18 EDT Homebuilders lower after GOP tax plan lowers mortgage interest deduction - The Republican tax plan to be released today will cut in half the mortgage interest deduction, according to several news outlets. The plan proposes capping the tax deduction on new mortgages of $500,000 or less. Presently, Americans can deduct interest on mortgages of up to $1M from their income. The news is sending the stocks of homebuilders. Companies in the space include Beazer Homes (BZH), D.R. Horton (DHI), Hovnanian (HOV), KB Home (KBH), Lennar (LEN), M.D.C. Holdings (MDC), CalAtlantic (CAA), PulteGroup (PHM) and Toll Brothers (TOL).

09:54 EDT Ralph Lauren sees 2H margins up at least 150bps

09:42 EDT Occidental Petroleum sees FY17 total production 597,000-599,000 boed - Previous guidance was 597,000-605,000 boed. Sees FY Permian Resources production of 141,000-144,000 boed vs. prior guidance of 140,000-147,000 boed. Sees FY17 production costs for domestic oil and gas of approximately $13.50/boe vs. prior guidance of $14/boe. Comments from slides that will be presented on the Q3 earnings conference call.

09:33 EDT Mueller Water says bias is towards share repurchases - Says will consider strategic M&A.

09:30 EDT Cboe Global Markets to acquire assets of Silexx Financial Systems - Cboe Global Markets announced it has acquired the assets of Silexx Financial Systems, a Sarasota, Florida-based company that develops and operates an innovative multi-asset order and execution management system that caters to institutional customers throughout the U.S. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Near term, Cboe considers its acquisition of the assets of Silexx to be immaterial from a financial perspective; however, Cboe is very optimistic about the potential for growth longer term.

09:25 EDT On The Fly: Pre-market Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Alibaba (BABA), up 2.6%... L Brands (LB), up 7.8%... Ralph Lauren (RL), up 7.9%... Shake Shack (SHAK), up 3.8%. ALSO HIGHER: Amedisys (AMED), up 10% after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services yesterday announced it is not finalizing the Home Health Groupings Model and "will take additional time to further engage with stakeholders to move towards a system that shifts the focus from volume of services to a more patient-centered model." Almost Family (AFAM) and LHC Group (LHCG) may also be active today on the news. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Tesla (TSLA), down 5.8%... Facebook (FB), down 0.4%... Oclaro (OCLR), down 18%... Wayfair (W), down 19%... FireEye (FEYE), down 7.8%... GoPro (GPRO), down 9%... Newell Brands (NWL), down 22%. ALSO LOWER: Square (SQ), down 3% after Stifel analyst Scott Devitt downgraded the stock to Hold ahead of the company's upcoming earnings report, citing valuation.

09:16 EDT Rite Aid names Matt Schroeder SVP, Chief Accounting Officer and Treasurer - Rite Aid Corporation announced that Matt Schroeder has been promoted to senior vice president, chief accounting officer and treasurer, effective immediately. He will continue to report to Darren Karst, the company's senior executive vice president, CFO and chief administrative officer. Schroeder, who is currently group vice president of strategy, investor relations and treasurer, is assuming the chief accounting officer responsibilities from Doug Donley, who is retiring after more than 20 years with the company. The company also announced that Brian Hoover, who is currently vice president of financial accounting, has been promoted to group vice president and controller, reporting to Schroeder.

09:07 EDT Sprouts Farmers Market reports Q3 SSS up 4.6%

09:06 EDT Discovery talking to Apple, Amazon, Google on content deals

09:04 EDT BrainStorm appoints Eyal Rubin as CFO - BrainStorm has appointed Eyal Rubin as CFO. Eyal Rubin joins BrainStorm from Teva Pharmaceutical, where he served as Vice President and Head of Corporate Treasury since 2013.

09:03 EDT Delta Air Lines reports October traffic up 4.1% - Delta Air Lines reported operating performance for October. The company carried 16.2M passengers across its broad global network in the month. Total system traffic, as measured by RPMs, was up 4.1% compared to the prior year. System capacity, as measured by ASMs, was up 3.1% compared to the prior year.

09:01 EDT CACI 'absolutly on track' to meet FY18 goals - Management said the company is "absolutely on track" to meet its FY18 goals. Comments provided during Q1 earnings conference call.

09:01 EDT L3 Technologies to design capabilities for unmanned undersea vehicles - L3 Technologies will design next-generation communications, mission planning, autonomy, navigation, cybersecurity and anti-tamper capabilities for the U.S. Navy's Extra Large Unmanned Undersea Vehicle, or XLUUV. L3 will integrate these capabilities throughout the vehicle and system, which includes a fixed ashore command center, a mobile command center and forward operating base support systems. L3's Sensor Systems and Communication Systems business segments collaborated to design these innovative capabilities for the XLUUV program. L3 Adaptive Methods, the newest business of L3's growing presence in the unmanned undersea market, is a supporting member of the L3 team.

08:59 EDT CMS issues final rule for home health agencies serving Medicare beneficiaries - The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services yesterday issued a final rule that updates the 2018 Medicare payment rates and the wage index for home health agencies serving Medicare beneficiaries. The rule also finalizes proposals for the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model and the Home Health Quality Reporting Program. It added, "CMS is not finalizing the Home Health Groupings Model and will take additional time to further engage with stakeholders to move towards a system that shifts the focus from volume of services to a more patient-centered model. CMS will take the comments submitted on the proposed rule into further consideration regarding patients' needs that strikes the right balance in putting patients first." CMS projects that Medicare payments to HHAs in 2018 will be reduced by 0.4 percent, or $80M, based on the finalized policies. Home health companies include Almost Family (AFAM), Amedisys (AMED) and LHC Group (LHCG). Reference Link

08:55 EDT Marathon Patent Group to acquire Global Bit Ventures - Marathon Patent Group announced that it has entered into a definitive purchase agreement to acquire 100% ownership of Global Bit Ventures Inc., a digital asset technology company that mines cryptocurrencies. GBV has robust infrastructure in place with significant capability for expansion. The closing of the transaction is subject to obtaining requisite approvals.

08:52 EDT Discovery backs FY17 adjusted EPS growth view of low to mid teen percentage - Discovery (DISCA) CEO David Zaslav says "laser-focused" on tracks designed to drive growth, including maximizing linear business. Says TLC continues "impressive" audience growth. Expects GO to deliver another meaningful increase in revenue in 2018. Says "no sign" that U.S. GO everywhere TV platform cannibalizing its linear business. Expects closing of Scrippts Networks (SNI) deal in early 2018. Sees FY tax rate a "couple hundred basis points" below 20%. Backs FY17 constant currency adjusted EPS growth view of low to mid teen percentage, consensus $2.21, and low double-digit free cash flow growth. Says "confident" in FY U.S. distribution guidance of MSD growth. Says to suspend share repurchases with focus on paying down debt after deal. Sees $100M-$150M of pretax Scripps-related costs in Q4. Comments taken from the Q3 earnings conference call.

08:50 EDT ZK International Group's consumer plumbing divsion increasing sales force 227% - ZK International Group has increased its sales force by 227% from 15 to 49 professionals throughout China, in order to meet the increased demand for its patented pipeline water products.

08:47 EDT Teradata CFO Stephen Scheppmann to step down, Mark Culhane to succeed - Teradata announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Mark Culhane Executive Vice President, CFO and principal accounting officer, effective November 10. Culhane succeeds Stephen Scheppmann, who is stepping down as the company's CFO and principal accounting officer for health reasons following the filing of the company's third quarter Form 10-Q. Following Culhane's appointment, Scheppmann will be on medical leave under the company's short-term disability plan and has agreed to assist with the transition of his responsibilities.

08:41 EDT Riot Blockchain to acquire 1,200 bitcoin mining machines - Riot Blockchain announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire cryptocurrency mining equipment consisting of 700 AntMiner S9s and 500 AntMiner L3s, all manufactured by industry leader Bitmain. Riot has secured a location for the operation of the mining equipment at a competitive electric cost, with infrastructure in place for expansion. The transaction is anticipated to close on or before November 15, 2017.

08:37 EDT Entercom authorizes $100M share repurchase program - The company also announced that its Board of Directors authorized a $100 million share repurchase program. The company currently anticipates repurchasing approximately $30M in Class A common stock by the end of 2018, subject to market conditions.

08:37 EDT Perrigo announces tentative FDA approval for generic version of Picato Gel 0.05% - Perrigo announced it has received tentative approval from the U.S. FDA for the generic version of Picato Gel 0.05%. The submission date of Perrigo's Abbreviated New Drug Application matches the first-to-file date posted on FDA's Paragraph IV Patent Certifications list. Picato Gel 0.05% is indicated for the topical treatment of actinic keratosis. Branded market sales for the twelve months ending September 2017 were approximately $16M.

08:33 EDT OSI Systems receives $6M multiyear service and support contract - OSI Systems announced that its Security division received a multi-year service contract valued at approximately $6M from an international customer to provide continued service and support for Rapiscan high energy x-ray cargo inspection systems, which are being utilized for border security.

08:31 EDT Navigant Consulting acquires substantially all assets of Quorum Consulting - Navigant announced it acquired substantially all of the assets of Quorum Consulting, Inc., a San Francisco-based consulting firm that provides commercial readiness, reimbursement strategy, and market access services to medical technology, pharmaceutical/biotechnology, and laboratory diagnostics clients. The Quorum team, including founder and CEO Kuo Bianchini Tong, will join the life sciences practice within Navigant's Healthcare segment.

08:29 EDT DowDuPont announces initial $4B share repurchase program - DowDuPont announced that its Board of Directors has declared a fourth quarter dividend of 38c per share. The company also announced that its Board has approved an initial $4B share repurchase program. "Rewarding our owners over both the near- and long-term has been a top priority for both legacy companies, and it remains so for DowDuPont," said Andrew Liveris, executive chairman of DowDuPont. "The Board considered many factors in making these decisions, following an approach that delivers benefits to both heritage Dow and DuPont shareholders." "We're committed to returning cash to shareholders consistent with the heritage of both Dow and DuPont, and to preserving the financial flexibility to achieve the target capital structures to support the strong independent companies we intend to create," said Ed Breen, CEO of DowDuPont. The share repurchase program has no expiration date.

08:26 EDT Teva says doesn't currently have plans to raise equity

08:23 EDT Yum! Brands says expects to double delivery sales by 2020 - Says delivery the largest growth driver for KFC.

08:22 EDT Two Harbors announces final distribtution ratio for special dividend - Two Harbors Investment (TWO) announced the completion of its special stock dividend of common stock of Granite Point Mortgage Trust Inc. (GPMT). On November 1, 2017, the company distributed the 33,071,000 shares of Granite Point common stock it had acquired in connection with the contribution of its commercial real estate portfolio to Granite Point. Two Harbors common stockholders who were entitled to take part in the Stock Dividend received 0.094765 shares of Granite Point common stock for each share of Two Harbors common stock outstanding on October 20, 2017, subject to the liquidation of fractional shares for which stockholders will receive a payment of cash in lieu of such fractional shares. Following the Stock Dividend, the company also completed its previously announced one-for-two reverse stock split of the outstanding shares of Two Harbors common stock. The Reverse Stock Split reduced the number of outstanding shares of Two Harbors common stock from approximately 349 million shares to approximately 174 million shares. In addition, the number of authorized shares of common stock was also reduced on a one-for-two basis, from 900 million to 450 million. The par value of each share of common stock remained unchanged.

08:19 EDT Pareteum awarded contracts in October totalling $20.5M to backlog - Pareteum signed contracts during the month of October scheduled to add $20.5M to its 36-month contracted revenue backlog. These revenues are planned for accounting recognition, following SaaS accounting guidelines and mark a 22% increase over the $94M revenue backlog announced on September 27. Contracts in the last 30 days include: $12,000,000 contract with a leading telecommunications company in Sub-Saharan Africa to enable Mobile Virtual Network Operator and Internet of Things connectivity; $2M contract with an established U.S.-based competitive local exchange carrier for global connectivity to serve the enterprise market, announced October 26; $3M contract with one of the world's largest Communications Platform as a Service companies for expansion into Latin America, announced October 27; $3M contract with leading India-based travel SIM reseller, announced October 30.

08:16 EDT Alibaba sees increasing investments in second half, 'optimistic' about revenue - Alibaba CFO Maggie Wu said the company remains optimistic about revenue growth prospects for the second half of the fiscal year, but noted Alibaba will face more "difficult comps rather than easy comps in the second half against the prior year from a growth rate standpoint." In the medium term, Alibaba expects to increase investments in the second half, focusing on further market penetration, improving user experience as well as new growth businesses in "New Retail" and international expansion, Wu added.

08:15 EDT Vivint Solar begins operations in Delaware - Vivint Solar has expanded availability of its solar energy systems into Delaware. Vivint Solar now operates in 21 states.

08:13 EDT Seattle Genetics submits sBLA for Adcetris to FDA - Seattle Genetics said it has submitted a supplemental Biologics License Application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration based on data from the phase 3 ECHELON-1 trial evaluating ADCETRIS in combination with chemotherapy for the frontline treatment of patients with advanced classical Hodgkin lymphoma. ADCETRIS is an antibody-drug conjugate directed to CD30, a defining marker of classical Hodgkin lymphoma. ADCETRIS is being evaluated globally as the foundation of care for CD30-expressing lymphomas in more than 70 corporate- and investigator-sponsored clinical trials. ADCETRIS is currently not approved as a frontline therapy for Hodgkin lymphoma. The ECHELON-1 study evaluated a combination of ADCETRIS plus AVD compared to a recognized standard of care chemotherapy regimen, ABVD, in previously untreated advanced classical Hodgkin lymphoma. The ECHELON-1 study met its primary endpoint of a statistically significant improvement in modified progression-free survival of the ADCETRIS containing regimen versus the control arm as assessed by an Independent Review Facility. The two-year modified PFS rate for patients in the ADCETRIS arm was 82.1 percent compared to 77.2 percent in the control arm. Interim analysis of overall survival, the key secondary endpoint, also trended in favor of the ADCETRIS plus AVD arm. The safety profile of ADCETRIS plus AVD in the ECHELON-1 trial was consistent with that known for the single-agent components of the regimen. Full data from the ECHELON-1 study will be presented in the Plenary Scientific Session at the American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting on Sunday, December 10, 2017 from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. ET in Atlanta, Georgia. ADCETRIS was recently granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation by the FDA based on data from the phase 3 ECHELON-1 clinical trial. The FDA's Breakthrough Therapy Designation is intended to expedite the development and review of promising drug candidates for serious or life-threatening conditions. It is based upon clinical evidence of substantial improvement over existing therapies on one or more clinically significant endpoints.

08:11 EDT Cartesian CEO, CFO to resign effective Nov. 15 - Cartesian announced several management changes designed to support the strategic review and improve performance by reducing costs, increasing efficiencies and vesting decision-making authority closer to the operating units. Peter Woodward will resign from his position as CEO, effective November 15. Woodward will serve as a Special Adviser to the Executive Chairman of the Company, focusing on strategic initiatives and alliances. He will remain a member of the company's board. Managing Director Jim Serafin has assumed the role of Senior Director of Global Operations with operational oversight across all divisions. He will also directly lead all North American operations. Susannah Hawkins, currently the head of Global Strategy for the company, was appointed acting Operations Director of the company's EMEA unit. Her expanded duties will include overseeing delivery and driving sales across all divisions in EMEA. CFO John Ferrara will resign from his position as CFO, effective November 15, after the release of the company's third quarter 2017 earnings and 10-Q filing, and will assist in the transition of CFO duties. Dermod Ranaghan, Managing Director of EMEA, will add the role of acting CFO for the company. Serafin, Hawkins, Ranaghan and company President William Hill, along with Executive Chairman Tringali, will constitute an Office of the Chief Executive under the direction of Tringali.

08:10 EDT Ironwood sees FY17 R&D expenses in low-to-middle end of $145M-$160M range - Ironwood now expects R&D expenses to be in the low-to-middle end of the previously guided $145 million to $160 million range; the combined Allergan and Ironwood total 2017 marketing and sales expenses for LINZESS to be in the middle of the previously guided $250 million to $280 million range; and to use less than $110 million in cash for operations in 2017, up from less than $100 million previously guided.

08:09 EDT Cartesian exploring strategic alternatives - Cartesian has announced that a Strategic Review Committee of the board is leading the process of exploring strategic alternatives to enhance shareholder value, and has engaged Armory Securities, LLC as its financial advisor. The company has also announced a series of executive management changes to support this important initiative and improve performance as it is conducted. In connection with this review of strategic alternatives, the company has postponed its Annual Shareholder Meeting to allow the process to be concluded and to allow shareholders to act with the benefit of knowing the results of this effort.

08:08 EDT Xenetic enters into sublicense agreement related to PolyXen with Shire - Xenetic Biosciences (XBIO) has entered into a Right to Sublicense Agreement with Baxalta Incorporated, Baxalta US Inc., and Baxalta GmbH, wholly-owned subsidiaries of Shire plc (SHPG). Pursuant to the Sublicense Agreement, Xenetic granted to Baxalta the right to grant a nonexclusive sublicense to certain patents related to the Company's PolyXen technology that were previously exclusively licensed to Baxalta pursuant to an agreement between the Company and Baxalta in connection with products relating to the treatment of blood and bleeding disorders. As part of the Sublicense Agreement, Baxalta agreed to pay Xenetic a one-time payment of $7.5M and single digit royalty payments based upon net sales of the products covered under the sublicense throughout the term of the agreement.

08:07 EDT Ralph Lauren lowers FY18 capital expenditures view to about $225M from $300M - Ralph Lauren said: "We expect capital expenditures of approximately $225M for Fiscal 2018, lower than our previous guidance of $300M, as we shift capital investments behind consumer-facing initiatives that have demonstrated a proof of concept and healthy rates of return."

08:05 EDT CB&I awarded contract by LUKOIL - CB&I announced it has been awarded a contract by LUKOIL NizhegorodNefteorgSyntez, a subsidiary of JSC LUKOIL, for the detailed engineering, procurement and supply of process equipment, including two proprietary delayed coking heaters for the Deep Conversion Complex in Kstovo City, central Russia. The units will use Chevron Lummus Global's delayed coking technology for the processing of 2,100 KTA of refinery residues. CLG offers the most complete, bottom-of-the-barrel upgrading solutions. In addition to the engineering, procurement and supply contract announced today, CB&I is continuing to work closely with LUKOIL to assess a broader range of solutions for the project

08:02 EDT Global Partner Acquisition, Purple Innovation announce merger agreement - Global Partner Acquisition Corp. and Purple Innovation announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which Purple will become a subsidiary of GPAC, based on an initial enterprise value of approximately $900M. The consummation of the merger will be subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the agreement. More information will become available in the coming days regarding the proposed business combination.

07:52 EDT Pioneer Energy sees FY17 CapEx approximately $60M - Which includes approximately $22 M for domestic and international drilling rig upgrades, the exchange of 20 well servicing rigs which was completed in the first quarter of 2017, and the purchase of six wireline units.

07:51 EDT Progenics completes submission of NDA for Azedra - Progenics Pharmaceuticals announced that it has completed the rolling submission of its New Drug Application, or NDA, for Azedra in patients with malignant, recurrent and/or unresectable pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma, which are rare neuroendocrine tumors. Azedra has received Breakthrough Therapy, Orphan Drug and Fast Track designations from the FDA. There are currently no approved therapeutics in the U.S. for the treatment of malignant, recurrent, and/or unresectable pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma. The NDA remains subject to FDA regulatory review and approval.

07:46 EDT Alibaba CEO says globalization continues to be a top growth driver - Alibaba CEO Daniel Zhang said globalization continues to be a top growth driver, noting that the company's international commerce retail business grew 115% in revenue year-on-year. Globalization continues to be an important theme for November 11, he added, stating that one of the company's top "Single's Day" initiatives is enabling 100 Chinese brands to sell directly to consumers around the world. Comments from Alibaba's Q2 earnings call.

07:46 EDT Brookdale Senior Living enters multi-part transaction with HCP - Brookdale Senior Living (BKD) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with HCP (HCP) for a multi-part transaction that will include the following components: Lease Terminations - Triple-net leases on 34 communities (3,170 units) will be terminated. Brookdale will acquire two of such communities (208 units). Brookdale's remaining triple-net lease portfolio with HCP will be consolidated into one master lease. RIDEA Restructurings - HCP will acquire Brookdale's 10% equity ownership in two existing RIDEA joint ventures with HCP, for which Brookdale provides management services to 59 communities (9,585 units). Brookdale will acquire four of such communities (787 units), will retain management of 18 of such communities (3,276 units) with extension of the term to 2030, and will terminate management of 37 of such communities (5,522 units). Brookdale will acquire the six communities for $275M, plus transaction costs. The sources of funds for the transaction will include Brookdale's approximately $99M of proceeds from the sale of its minority ownership interest in the two RIDEA joint ventures with HCP, cash on hand and non-recourse mortgage financing on the assets to be acquired. Brookdale expects the disposition of its ownership interest in the two joint ventures and its acquisition of the six communities to occur in the next three to six months, and expects the terminations of triple-net leases and management agreements on 69 communities to occur in stages throughout 2018.

07:40 EDT KemPharm KP484 allowed to proceed in clinical studies - KemPharm announced that the FDA has completed its safety review of the Investigational New Drug, or IND, application for KP484, the company's prodrug product candidate of "super-extended" release d-methylphenidate, and concluded that the company may proceed with its planned clinical investigation for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

07:38 EDT Hyatt sees FY systemwide RevPAR up 2.5%-3% y/y vs. previous 1%-3% view - The company is reaffirming the following information for the 2017 fiscal year: Adjusted selling, general, and administrative expenses are expected to be approximately $310M. This excludes approximately $31M of stock-based compensation expense and any potential expenses related to benefit programs funded through rabbi trusts. Other income, net is expected to be negatively impacted by approximately $80M related to performance guarantee expense for the four managed hotels in France. Interest expense is expected to be approximately $80M. The effective tax rate is expected to be approximately 36% to 38%. The company is revising the following information for the 2017 fiscal year: Comparable systemwide RevPAR is expected to increase approximately 2.5% to 3%, compared to fiscal year 2016. The Company's previous expectation was 1% to 3%. Net income is expected to be approximately $193M to $210M, compared to the previous expectation of $173M to $201M. Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be approximately $805M to $815M, compared to the previous expectation of $795M to $815M. Capital expenditures are expected to be approximately $300M, compared to the previous expectation of $350M. The decrease is attributable to a shift in the timing of certain hotel renovations and recent hotel dispositions. Depreciation and amortization expense is expected to be approximately $365M to $369M, compared to the previous expectation of $362M to $366M. The company expects to open at least 60 hotels, compared to the previous expectation of approximately 60 hotels.

07:36 EDT Myriad Genetics announces GeneSight results from prospective trial - Assurex Health, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Myriad Genetics, announced positive results from a double-blind, multi-center, randomized controlled trial assessing the impact of the GeneSight Psychotropic test (GeneSight) on psychiatric treatment response in 1,200 patients with major depressive disorder. GeneSight is the leading pharmacogenomic test to help guide medication selection for mental health disorders. This was the largest ever pharmacogenomics depression trial and primarily assessed Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 17 scores from baseline to eight weeks in patients receiving GeneSight-guided therapy compared to those receiving treatment-as-usual. The study was designed to evaluate three key endpoints relative to HAMD-17 scores: remission, response, and symptom reduction. Patients receiving the GeneSight test achieved a clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvement in both remission rates and response rates at eight weeks compared to the treatment-as-usual group. In addition, patients who received the GeneSight test had a greater reduction in HAMD-17 scores after eight weeks, compared to the treatment-as-usual group, with the difference approaching statistical significance. Lastly, the improvement in remission, response, and symptoms continued throughout the 24-week study period, demonstrating the durability of the benefit through that period. The data will be submitted for presentation at the upcoming American Psychiatric Association's annual meeting in May 2018.

07:34 EDT Tempur Sealy narrows FY17 adjusted EBITDA view to $435M-$450M from $425M-$450M

07:31 EDT RAIT Financial announces suspension of dividend - RAIT announced that on November 1, 2017, the Board determined to suspend the dividend on RAIT's common shares. RAIT expects that its distributions to its common and preferred shareholders in 2017 will be at least equal to the minimum amounts required in order for RAIT to remain a real estate investment trust for federal tax purposes. The Board expects to consider whether to reinstate a dividend on RAIT's common shares after RAIT completes its previously announced strategic transformation and exploration of strategic and financial alternatives. The Board expects to continue to review and determine the dividends on RAIT's preferred shares on a quarterly basis. Michael Malter, RAIT's Chairman of the Board said, "The decision to suspend the quarterly common dividend was a difficult one given the importance of the dividend to our shareholders. However, the Board felt it was prudent to suspend the common dividend at this time, enhancing RAIT's financial flexibility, a benefit to all stakeholders, as RAIT continues making progress in its strategic transformation and explores strategic and financial alternatives."

07:27 EDT Enviva raises quarterly distribution to 61.5c - The board of directors of our general partner declared a distribution of 61.5c per common and subordinated unit for Q3. This distribution is 16% higher than the distribution for the third quarter of 2016. The partnership's distributable cash flow, net of amounts attributable to incentive distribution rights, of $16.9M covers the distribution for the third quarter of 2017 at 1.04 times. The quarterly distribution will be paid on Wednesday, November 29, 2017, to unitholders of record as of the close of business on Wednesday, November 15, 2017.

07:25 EDT MSCI names Laurent Seyer as COO - The Board has appointed Laurent Seyer to the position of COO in addition to his current role as Chief Client Officer. Seyer has served as Chief Client Officer since September 2016. He previously served as the Global Head of Client Coverage from 2014 to 2016. Prior to joining MSCI, Seyer worked for AXA Investment Managers in Paris, most recently as Global Head of the Client Group.

07:22 EDT Platform Specialty Products backs FY17 adj. EBITDA view of $810M-$830M

07:21 EDT Adelphia Gateway holding Open Season for firm transportation service in PA - Adelphia Gateway LLC, a subsidiary of New Jersey Resources, is holding a Binding Open Season for customers seeking firm transportation service for up to 250,000 dekatherms per day on a proposed natural gas pipeline located in Pennsylvania, extending from interconnections with Texas Eastern Transmission, LLC in Bucks County and Columbia Gas Transmission in Northampton County to Marcus Hook in Delaware County. Adelphia Gateway will operate is an 84-mile pipeline originating in Northampton County and terminating in Marcus Hook. The southern 50-mile portion of the pipeline will be repurposed to provide a clean, safe, low-cost supply of natural gas to the region. The northern 34 miles of the pipeline, extending from Bucks County to Northampton County, were converted to deliver natural gas in 1996. Once complete, Adelphia Gateway will be able to transport an incremental 250,000 dekatherms of natural gas per day, approximately 91 million dekatherms per year, providing a direct and flexible path for delivering locally produced natural gas to growing and underserved markets in southeastern Pennsylvania and beyond. The project is expected to close following receipt of all of the necessary permits and regulatory actions, including those from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. The final size and scope, as well as the amount of capacity to be made available will be fully defined based on binding bids received in this Open Season. Adelphia Gateway expects to place the project into service in late 2018.

07:20 EDT The Buckle reports Q3 $224.3M, consensus $223.95M - Reports SSS down 5.9%. reports October SSS down 3.7% and October net sales down 4.3% to $66.1M.

07:14 EDT NRG Yield raises Q4 dividend by 2.9% to 28.8c - NRG Yield's board declared a quarterly dividend on Class A and Class C common stock of 28.8c per share, payable on December 15, to stockholders of record as of December 1. This equates to a 2.9% increase over the prior quarter, and a 15% year-over-year increase.

07:12 EDT MSCI sees FY total operating expenses $690M-$700M - MSCI's guidance for full-year 2017 is as follows: Total operating expenses are expected to be in the range of $690 million to $700 million. Adjusted EBITDA expenses are now expected to be towards the higher end of the previously announced range of $605 million to $615 million, primarily reflecting higher severance in the fourth quarter associated with certain efficiency initiatives. Interest expense, including the amortization of financing fees, is expected to be approximately $116 million, assuming no additional financings. Capex is expected to be in the range of $40 million to $50 million. Net cash provided by operating activities and free cash flow is expected to be in the range of $360 million to $410 million and $310 million to $370 million, respectively. The effective tax rate is now expected to be at the lower end of the previously announced range of 30.0% to 31.0%.

07:10 EDT Exelon targeting another $250M of annual cost savings by 2020 - Jonathan W. Thayer, Exelon's Senior Executive Vice President and CFO, said: "Exelon is narrowing the full-year 2017 guidance from $2.50 - $2.80 to $2.55 - $2.75 per share as our utilities perform better than planned, absorbing the impact of delays in recognition of Illinois ZEC revenues until 2018. We also continue to execute against a disciplined management plan that is focused on strengthening and optimizing our operations. We are now targeting another $250 million of annual cost savings by 2020, bringing total annual run-rate savings to over $700 million from initiatives identified since 2015."

07:09 EDT NRG Energy sees 2018 adjusted EBITDA $2.8B-$3.0B - Sees 2018 cash flow $2.015B-$2.215B.

07:09 EDT NRG lowers 2017 adjusted EBITDA outlook to $2.4B-$2.5B from $2.565B-$2.765B - Lowers 2017 cash flow outlook to $1.6B-$1.7B from $1.76B-$1.96B. The company said, "NRG has decreased and narrowed the range of its Adjusted EBITDA and FCF before growth investments guidance for 2017 and is initiating guidance for fiscal year 2018. The 2018 guidance does not include the impact from targeted asset sales announced on July 12, 2017, as part of the Transformation Plan."

07:04 EDT Teva reports Q3 Generic medicines revenue of $3B, down 8% vs. last year - Generic medicines revenues comprised 54% of Teva's total revenues in the quarter, compared to 59% in the third quarter of 2016. Global revenues of Copaxone were $1.0 billion, a decrease of 7% compared to the third quarter of 2016. Global Azilect revenues were $36 million, a decrease of 64% compared to the third quarter of 2016 following the introduction of generic competition to Azilect in the United States in 2017. Revenues of respiratory products were $351 million, up 30% compared to the third quarter of 2016. Revenues of oncology products were $302 million in the third quarter of 2017, up 12% compared to the third quarter of 2016.

07:04 EDT TreeHouse announces $400M share repurchase - TreeHouse Foods announced that its board of directors has approved a $400M share repurchase authorization. The new share repurchase program represents approximately 10% of the company's shares outstanding. On November 2, the board authorized the company to enter into an administered repurchase plan for $50M of the $400M in the next 12 months, with the remainder to be repurchased at management's discretion. The company will repurchase shares opportunistically with a total annual cap of $150M. The authorization is open ended and the company can begin repurchasing shares on November 6, 2017.

07:03 EDT Cobalt sees FY17 CapEx $250M

07:01 EDT Mallinckrodt to acquire Ocera Therapeutics for $1.52 per share plus CVR - Mallinckrodt (MNK) and Ocera Therapeutics (OCRX) announced that they have entered into an agreement under which Mallinckrodt will acquire Ocera, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics for orphan and other serious liver diseases with high unmet medical need. Ocera's developmental product OCR-002, an ammonia scavenger, is being studied for treatment of hepatic encephalopathy, a neuropsychiatric syndrome associated with hyperammonemia, a complication of acute or chronic liver disease. A subsidiary of Mallinckrodt will commence a cash tender offer to purchase all of the outstanding shares of Ocera Therapeutics common stock for $1.52 per share, or approximately $42M, plus one Contingent Value Right to receive one or more payments in cash of up to $2.58 per share, or up to approximately $75M, based on the successful completion of certain development and sales milestones. Mallinckrodt expects dilution from the acquisition to adjusted diluted earnings per share by 25c-35c annually beginning in 2018, assuming the expected 2017 close. "Guidance on the impact of the acquisition to the company's GAAP diluted earnings per share has not been provided due to the inherent difficulty of forecasting the timing or amount of items that would be included in calculating such impact," the company said. Subject to customary closing conditions, the company estimates the transaction will close in the fourth quarter of 2017.

06:58 EDT Mallinckrodt to acquire Ocera Therapeutics, OCR-002 for $1.52 per share

06:57 EDT Dicerna and Boehringer Ingelheim collaborate for chronic liver disease treatment - Dicerna and Boehringer Ingelheim announced a research collaboration and license agreement to discover and develop novel GalXC RNAi therapeutics for the treatment of chronic liver diseases. The partnership will initially focus on nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, a devastating, chronic liver disease for which there is no approved treatment option. This new approach has the potential to treat diseases by silencing previously inaccessible drug targets. It adds a further breakthrough therapy opportunity to Boehringer Ingelheim's cardiometabolic pipeline and provides additional combination options. Under the terms of the agreement, Dicerna may receive more than $200M from Boehringer Ingelheim, including an upfront payment, development and commercial milestone payments, and research and development reimbursement for a GalXC candidate product addressing an undisclosed NASH target. Dicerna is also eligible to receive royalties staggered up to double-digits on worldwide net sales.

06:44 EDT Attunity appoints Mark Logan as COO - Attunity announced the appointment of Mark Logan as COO of Attunity, effective November 20. He has served in numerous executive management roles, including as CEO of WealthEngine, CEO of Rivermine, COO of Emptoris and General Manager of Peoplesoft and JD Edwards.

06:40 EDT PBF Logistics raises quarterly distribution to 48c per unit - The board of PBF Logistics GP LLC, the Partnership's general partner, declared a regular quarterly cash distribution of 48c per common unit. The distribution is payable on November 29, 2017, to unitholders of record at the close of business on November 13, 2017.

06:36 EDT Credit Suisse expects global economic growth to remain strong in Q4 - Credit Suisse says, "We expect global economic growth to remain strong overall in the fourth quarter, which could be a significant tailwind for our activities in spite of continuing geopolitical uncertainty. We expect to see a continued strong performance in our wealth management businesses, albeit with seasonally lower NNA inflows. Our deal pipeline remains strong with a substantial backlog of transactions to be completed in the fourth quarter, subject to constructive markets. Within our most market dependent businesses, trading conditions in October have remained broadly similar to those in the third quarter, with continued low levels of volatility but improved activity levels. After seven quarters of our three-year plan, we remain firmly focused on delivering against our objectives for both business growth and efficiency improvement in order to create value for our clients and shareholders."

06:33 EDT Genie Energy appoints Michael Stein as CEO - The board of Genie Energy has appointed Michael Stein as CEO effective immediately. Stein succeeds Howard Jonas, who continues to serve as chairman of the board. Michael Stein has served as COO of Genie Energy and as Chief Executive Officer of Genie Retail Energy, the Company's retail energy provider and commercial energy brokerage arm.

06:27 EDT AC Immune to receive milestone payment for anti-Tau antibody moving into Phase 2 - AC Immune (ACIU) announced that Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (RHHBY), has dosed the first patient in a Phase 2 clinical trial for Alzheimer's disease with an anti-Tau monoclonal antibody known as RO7105705. This investigational medicine was discovered and humanized as part of the company's collaboration with Genentech. Upon the dosing of the first patient in the Phase 2 clinical trial, AC Immune becomes eligible to receive a milestone payment of CHF 14M, which is expected to be paid in the fourth quarter of 2017. This will be the third milestone payment under the 2012 strategic collaboration and licensing agreement with Genentech for anti-Tau antibodies for the treatment of AD and other neurodegenerative diseases. AC Immune also has a licensing agreement for the anti-Abeta antibody crenezumab, which is in Phase 3 clinical studies being conducted by Genentech.

06:17 EDT Samsung names Roh Hee-Chan as President and CFO - Samsung Electronics announced new appointments of senior executives to form its next generation of leadership. he promotions are as follows: Tim Baxter was promoted to Corporate President and will continue to serve as CEO of Samsung Electronics America. Gyoyoung Jin, Head of Memory Business, was promoted to President and will maintain his current role. Inyup Kang, Head of System LSI Business, was promoted to President and will maintain his current role. Eun Seung Jung, Head of Foundry Business, was promoted to President and will maintain his current role. Jong-Hee Han was named President and Head of Visual Display Business; previously Executive Vice President and Head of R&D at Visual Display Business. Hee-Chan Roh was appointed as President and Chief Financial Officer; previously Executive Vice President and CFO at Samsung Display. Deuk-kyu Hwang was appointed as President and Head of Samsung China; previously Executive Vice President in charge of the Giheung-Hwaseong Complex, Semiconductor Business.

06:07 EDT Gartner reports Q3 adjusted EPS 65c, consensus 52c - Reports Q3 revenue $828.1M, consensus $849.02M.

06:06 EDT DowDuPont: Demand outlook positive for most key end-markets - "Consumer-led demand continues to drive global economic activity, which remains robust across most major economies, including Europe, China and the United States. Our demand outlook is positive for the majority of our key end-markets," said Andrew Liveris, executive chairman of DowDuPont. "We still see some market headwinds, the most notable for us being in agriculture where we continue to closely monitor the situation in Brazil due to the slow start to the summer season. But we remain confident that we will have a solid year across our newly combined Ag division. "Looking forward, DowDuPont has all the levers it needs to execute our near-term priorities: delivering earnings and cash flow growth; executing our cost synergy actions and realizing the savings; advancing stand-up activities for the intended growth companies; and unlocking the shareholder value creation envisaged through this historic transaction."

06:05 EDT DowDuPont takes actions to generate cost savings of $3B - DowDuPont announced today actions taken to generate cost savings of $3 billion. These actions are designed to integrate the organization post-merger and create strong foundations for the three intended companies. The majority of this work will come from procurement synergies, global workforce reductions, buildings and facilities consolidations and select asset shutdowns, among other activities. In connection with the actions approved to date, DowDuPont recognized pre-tax charges of $180 million in the third quarter. The Company expects to recognize total pre-tax charges of approximately $2 billion, with approximately $1 billion expected in the fourth quarter of 2017. The program is expected to achieve a 70 percent run rate at the end of 12 months and 100 percent run rate within 24 months.

06:02 EDT Cigna: FY17 global medical customer growth view increased to about 650 lives

05:59 EDT NXP Semiconductors signs agreement with Chongqing - NXP Semiconductors, Chongqing Economic and Information Technology Commission, and Chongqing Laingian New Area Administrative Committee, have signed an agreement to establish the NXP China Applications Development Center for Auto Electronics. The center will help China's domestic carmakers quickly gain the needed knowledge and expertise to build Electronic Control Units using NXP solutions to drive growth, innovation and industry standards for automotive electronics.

05:52 EDT Microsoft announces second European wind project in the Netherlands - Microsoft Corp. announced its second European wind project in the Netherlands with Vattenfall, one of Europe's largest electricity and heat retail and producers. Microsoft will purchase 100 percent of the wind energy generated from a repowered and expanded wind farm that is adjacent to its local datacenter operations in the Netherlands. The 180-megawatt wind farm will be constructed and operated by Nuon, part of Vattenfall in the Wieringermeer Polder, near Amsterdam. Vattenfall will begin construction of the expansion in 2018, and expects it to be operational effective 2019. Once completed, the Wieringermeer wind farm will be one of the largest onshore wind farms in the Netherlands, almost three times bigger than the Princess Alexia wind farm inaugurated in 2013.

05:41 EDT Costco reports October SSS up 7.5% - Reports October net sales up 10.1% to $10.02B vs. $9.11B last year. Reports October E-commerce comparable sales up 31%. Reports October SSS, excluding the impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange, up 5.16%.

05:31 EDT IMPAC Mortgage president William Ashmore to step down - Impac Mortgage announced that William Ashmore has informed the company of his intention not to seek renewal his employment agreement and to step down as President and as a member of the company's board effective December 31, the date on which the term of his current employment agreement expires. Ashmore has been President at Impac since 1995 at the time of its initial public offering and a director since 1997. He has also served as COO for over 10 years. Ashmore intends to pursue other interests both personal and professional. The company, along with Ashmore, are working on a transition of his duties and responsibilities to ensure a smooth operational transition.