Stockwinners Market Radar for November 07, 2017 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:00 EDT Ducommun CEO acquires 10,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Ducommun president and CEO Stephen G. Oswald disclosed the purchase of 10,000 common shares of the company at a price of $27.39 per share.

18:39 EDT Xplore CEO Mark HOlleran resigns, CFO Wilkinson named acting CEO - Xplore Technologies announced the resignation of Mark Holleran as president and CEO, effective October 31, 2017. The company also announced that Tom Wilkinson, CFO, has been appointed acting CEO, effective immediately.

18:14 EDT Huntington Ingalls raises quarterly dividend 20% to 72c per share - Huntington Ingalls announced that its board of directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 72c per share, a 20% increase over the 60c per share dividend paid in each of the prior four quarters. The 72c per share dividend will be payable on Dec. 8, 2017, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on Nov. 24, 2017.

18:12 EDT OMA Airports reports October passenger traffic up 3.4% y/y - OMA Airports reports that terminal passenger traffic at its 13 airports increased 3.4% in October 2017, as compared to October 2016. Domestic traffic increased 3.9%, and international traffic decreased 0.4%. Domestic traffic increased seven airports, with the largest increases in Monterrey, Culiacan, and Ciudad Juarez. International traffic also grew in seven airports in October, with the largest increase in San Luis Potosi, as a result of an increase in passenger volumes on the Dallas route. Of total October traffic, 99.1% was commercial aviation and 0.9% was general aviation.

17:54 EDT Correction: Zynga acquires mobile card game studio of Peak Games

17:37 EDT U.S. Steel announces resignation of Chief Compliance Officer Suzanne Folsom - U.S. Steel announced that Suzanne Rich Folsom, General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Senior Vice President Government Affairs, will resign from the Company effective December 29. Folsom began her tenure at U. S. Steel in 2014 as General Counsel, Chief Compliance Officer and Senior Vice President of Government Affairs. Known for her extensive expertise in corporate transformation, legal affairs and international law, she joined the Company to oversee all legal, regulatory, compliance, corporate governance, and environmental matters. Her responsibilities also included driving the Company's public policy; international trade, and government affairs initiatives; overseeing the corporate aircraft group; as well as ensuring the profitability of the USS Real Estate division and providing risk management oversight for the Company's joint ventures worldwide.

17:27 EDT Snap says sees more opportunities for content creators in 2018

17:21 EDT Snap says investing aggressively to expand advertiser base

17:16 EDT Digital Turbine sees Q3 revenue $32M, consensus $29.38M - Expects sequential improvement in non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA. The Company reaffirms its expectations to generate positive non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA for the FY18.

17:13 EDT Snap says many changes coming to platform in 2018

17:09 EDT Snap says user engagement continues to grow - Says currently redesigning application to make it easier to use. Says may be some disruption near term. Says exploring partnerships with several wireless carriers. Comments from Q3 earnings conference call.

17:06 EDT OncoSec names Daniel O'Connor as CEO, effective immediately - OncoSec Medical announced the appointment of Daniel O'Connor as CEO of the company. His appointment is effective immediately. Previously, on September 7, O'Connor joined the company's Board of Directors. Punit Dhillon, co-founder of OncoSec, will continue to serve as the company's President and a member of its Board of Directors.

17:02 EDT Ally Financial increases financing of retail contracts for Carvana to $2B - Ally Financial announced an agreement to increase financing commitments for retail contracts from Carvana, a leading eCommerce platform for buying used cars, to up to $2B over the next 12 months. Under the agreement, Ally will make the funding available to Carvana for financing and bulk purchases of contracts. The agreement increases Ally's original $600M commitment by an additional $1.4B.

16:59 EDT Syndax sees Q4 research and development expenses $15M-$18M - Sees Q4 total operating expenses $19M-$22M. Research and development expenses for the Q4 includes $5.0M paid to Allergan in connection with the Menin-MLL license. This expense will be offset on a cash basis with a $5.0M development milestone earned in the Q4 under agreement with KHK.

16:49 EDT Darling Ingredients and Valero to begin cost review for additional project - Valero Energy (VLO) and Darling Ingredients (DAR) announced that in anticipation of growing demand for renewable diesel due to the Renewable Fuel Standard, or RFS, and global low carbon markets, the companies will initiate an engineering and construction cost review to analyze an additional project that would grow annual production capacity to 550 million gallons at the Diamond Green Diesel facility in Norco, Louisiana. The DGD facility is currently undergoing an expansion that will increase annual production capacity from 160M gallons of renewable diesel to 275M gallons. This project is targeted for completion in the Q2 of FY18.

16:47 EDT Cimarex Energy sees Q4 production up 3%-7% from Q3 - Q4 production volumes are expected to average 1,175MMcfe-1,225MMcfe per day, up 3%-7% from Q3 volumes, as a result of the increase in well completions late in the third quarter. Oil production is expected to grow 32%-37% in Q4 versus Q4 of FY16. Total daily production volumes for FY17 are now estimated to average 1,134MMcfe-1,147MMcfe, up 18% from 2016 levels at the midpoint. Since giving 2017 production guidance in February, Cimarex has increased its midpoint 2017 daily production forecast by 5%. Cimarex estimates full-year E&D capital investment will be approximately $1.2B, compared to its previous forecast of $1.1B-1.2B. This capital investment is allocated 61% to the Permian and 37% to the Mid-Continent.

16:40 EDT Marriott sees FY17 N. America comparable systemwide RevPAR up 1%-2% - For the full year 2017, Marriott expects comparable systemwide RevPAR on a constant dollar basis for the combined company will increase 1 to 2 percent in North America, roughly 5 percent outside North America and 2 to 3 percent worldwide. Marriott anticipates gross room additions of nearly 7 percent and room deletions of 1 to 1.5 percent for full year 2017.

16:39 EDT Marriott sees Q4 N. America comparable systemwide RevPAR up 2%-3% - The company's guidance for fourth quarter RevPAR growth in North America reflects the shift of the Jewish holidays, which occurred in the third quarter of 2017 compared to the fourth quarter of 2016. The company expects fourth quarter comparable systemwide RevPAR on a constant dollar basis will increase 3 to 5 percent outside North America and 2 to 3 percent worldwide.

16:39 EDT EVERTEC temporarily suspends quarterly dividend - EVERTEC's board of directors has voted to temporarily suspend the quarterly dividend on the company's common stock due to the difficult operating environment in Puerto Rico. The board anticipates reviewing the dividend policy as conditions stabilize in Puerto Rico.

16:36 EDT Marriott sees FY18 comparable systemwide RevPAR up 1%-3% - "For 2018, we expect comparable systemwide RevPAR on a constant dollar basis will increase 1 to 3 percent worldwide and 3 to 5 percent outside North America, while RevPAR in North America should be flat to up 2 percent. Group revenue pace for our North American full-service hotels is up nearly 2 percent. We anticipate our number of rooms will increase roughly 7 percent, gross, in 2018, while rooms deletions should total 1 to 1.5 percent during the year."

16:35 EDT Vivint Solar sees Q4 MW installed 46 to 50 MWs - Sees Q4 cost per Watt $2.90-$3.00.

16:34 EDT Zynga acquires Peak Games for $100M - Zynga announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire the mobile card game studio of Peak Games, a global mobile gaming company. The acquisition will strengthen Zynga's casual card game portfolio with the addition of Peak Games' mobile card games such as Spades Plus and Gin Rummy Plus, the largest spade and rummy mobile games in the world, as well as local Turkish games including 101 Okey Plus and Okey Plus. The total consideration for the acquisition of Peak Games' mobile card studio is $100M in cash, and the transaction is expected to close in late Q4 subject to customary closing conditions.

16:33 EDT Rigel Pharmaceuticals reports Q3 EPS (14c), consensus (15c) - Reports Q3 revenues from collaborations of $900,000.

16:32 EDT Aegean Marine down 2.3% after reporting preliminary Q3 earnings

16:25 EDT TakeTwo Interactive Software trading resumes

16:23 EDT Continental Resources sees Q4 daily oil production up 14%-18% sequentially - Fourth quarter average daily oil production is expected to be 14% to 18% higher than third quarter. Total fourth quarter 2017 production is expected to be in a range of 275,000 to 285,000 Boe per day, and the 2017 exit rate production is now expected to be in a range of 280,000 to 290,000 Boe per day. Full-year 2017 production is expected to be in a range of 238,000 to 242,000 Boe per day.

16:20 EDT Zillow higher by 6.7% after reporting Q3 results, giving Q4 guidance

16:19 EDT Nelnet raises quarterly dividend to 16c from 14c per share - The dividend will be paid on December 15 to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 1.

16:17 EDT Abraxas Petroleum backs FY17 capital expenditure budget $120M

16:15 EDT Smart Global announces CEO transition - SMART Global Holdings announced that Iain MacKenzie, SMART's long-time CEO, has decided to transition to a revised role during the 2018 calendar year. MacKenzie will remain a member of SGH's board following the transition. It is anticipated that a search for a new CEO will commence in the near future. MacKenzie will remain in his current CEO position until the new CEO is in place and expects to be available to assist the new CEO with the transition.

16:15 EDT Abraxas Petroleum sees Q4 volumes 9,500-10,000 Boepd

16:12 EDT Parsley Energy sees FY18 CapEx $1.35B-$1.55B - Which would translate to oil production of 67.5-72.5 MBo per day. While almost half of the wells Parsley has drilled and completed over the past four quarters have been located in new counties, targeted new formations, and/or implemented new spacing arrangements, the company intends to focus on relatively established areas, formations, and configurations in 2018

16:07 EDT Alnylam plans for Partisiran NDA by year end - Advanced patisiran, an investigational RNAi therapeutic in development for the treatment of patients with hereditary ATTR amyloidosis, with positive results from the APOLLO Phase 3 study. Patisiran met its primary endpoint with a 34 point mean difference relative to placebo and a negative 6 point mean change relative to baseline in the modified neuropathy impairment score at 18 months, as well as all secondary endpoints, including a 21.1 point mean difference relative to placebo and a negative 6.7 point mean change (improvement) relative to baseline in the NORFOLK Quality of Life-Diabetic Neuropathy score, at 18 months. Patisiran also demonstrated a favorable safety and tolerability profile relative to placebo. The most commonly reported adverse events for patisiran were generally mild to moderate and included peripheral edema and infusion-related reactions, and the frequency of deaths and serious adverse events was similar in the patisiran and placebo groups. No deaths were considered drug-related. The company believes the totality of the APOLLO data are consistent with a clinically meaningful impact for patisiran on hATTR amyloidosis, and plans to submit an NDA for patisiran by the end of 2017 and a marketing authorisation application shortly thereafter.

16:05 EDT EXCO Resources seeking alternatives which may include bankruptcy - EXCO Resources said that, together with the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, it is currently exploring strategic alternatives to strengthen the company's balance sheet and maximize the value of the company, which may include, but not be limited to, seeking a comprehensive out-of-court restructuring, or reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. It added, "The Company's plans may include obtaining additional financing or relief from debtholders to support operations throughout the restructuring process, delevering its capital structure, and reducing the financial burden of certain gathering, transportation and other commercial contracts. At the direction of the Audit Committee, the Company has retained PJT Partners LP as financial advisors and Alvarez & Marsal North America, LLC as restructuring advisors. The Company is actively engaged in negotiations with its stakeholders to evaluate the feasibility of a consensual in-court or out-of-court restructuring. The Company continues to retain Kirkland & Ellis LLP as its legal advisor to assist the Audit Committee and management team with the strategic review process. If the Company is unable to restructure its current obligations under its existing outstanding debt, and address near-term liquidity needs, it may need to seek relief under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code."

16:02 EDT Depomed, Slan announce strategic asset transactions - Depomed announced that it has entered into an agreement with Slan Medicinal Holdings Limited under which Depomed will acquire from Slan rights to market the specialty drug, cosyntropin in the United States and divest its Lazanda nasal spray CII to Slan. Under the terms of the agreement, Depomed will acquire from Slan, the U.S. distribution rights to cosyntropin depot, a synthetic corticotrophin. Depomed intends to seek approval for cosyntropin in the US and subsequent to approval Depomed and Slan will share in the net sales of cosyntropin for a 10-year period. In addition, at closing Slan will assume ownership of Depomed's Lazanda. U.S. based West Therapeutic Development, a subsidiary of Slan, will be regulatory agent for both products and will be distributor for Lazanda.

15:22 EDT Texas PUC staff recommend approving Calpine takeover - The staff of the Texas PUC recommended that the Commission approve ECP's application for approval of a proposed merger of its indirect, wholly-controlled subsidiary, Volt Merger Sub, with Calpine. As previously reported, Energy Capital Partners, along with an investor consortium, has agreed to acquire Calpine for $15.25 per share in cash, or approximately $5.6B.

15:05 EDT GGP jumps 13% after Bloomberg report of Brookfield takeover talks

14:49 EDT Allegiant Travel reports October traffic up 14.6% - Allegiant Travel reported preliminary passenger traffic results for October. Traffic, measured by revenue passenger miles, grew 14.6% from the same month of last year. Capacity, measured by available seat miles, rose 15.5% across the total system. For November, Allegiant sees departures up 8% and ASMs up 10%. "During our earnings call on October 25, 2017, we called out 3 to 3.5 percentage points of a TRASM headwind due to the impacts of Hurricane Irma in Florida and the mass shooting in Las Vegas. At the time of the call, Florida had recovered but Las Vegas was still pacing below its previous trends. But each week since, we have seen meaningful recovery in the Las Vegas market, and now believe demand has normalized to the levels seen before the tragic event of October 1," stated Lukas Johnson, senior VP, commercial.

13:36 EDT Furniture sellers slide as Amazon unboxes private-label brands - Shares of retailers of furniture and home goods, including Wayfair (W), Williams-Sonoma (WSM), RH (RH) and Ethan Allen Interiors (ETH), are slipping after Amazon (AMZN) took the wraps off its first private-label furniture brands. PRIVATE-LABEL FURNITURE BRANDS: Amazon has introduced "Rivet" and the more modern and higher-priced "Stone & Beam" private-label furniture brands. According to the e-commerce giant's website, both brands offer free returns for 30 days, with the former giving customers a 1-year warranty on all furniture and the latter a 3-year warranty. "Rivet" and "Stone & Beam" focus on living room furniture and decor, and carry the Prime badge with free shipping, according to Furniture Today. PRICE ACTION: In afternoon trading, shares of Wayfair have dropped over 5% to $60.84, Williams-Sonoma slid about 4% to $47.93, RH slipped almost 3% to $83.80, and Ethan Allen Interiors dropped 2% to $27.45. Meanwhile, shares of Amazon are fractionally up to $1,123.27.

12:46 EDT TE Connectivity exec Calastri sells 8,539 common shares - In a regulatory filing, TE Connectivity senior VP and Treasurer Mario Calastri disclosed the sale of 8,539 common shares of the company at a price of $93.272 per share.

12:44 EDT Universal Corporation raises quarterly dividend to 55c per share - Universal Corporation announced that the company's board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of 55c per share on the common shares of the company, payable February 5, 2018, to common shareholders of record at the close of business on January 8, 2018. This increase indicates an annualized rate of $2.20 per common share and a yield of approximately 3.8% based on the $57.90 closing price on November 6, 2017.

12:33 EDT SPI Energy announces 10-for-1 share consolidation - SPI Energy announced a 10-for-1 share consolidation, effective as of the close of business on November 6, 2017. Beginning on November 8, 2017, the company's ordinary shares will trade on the NASDAQ on post-consolidation basis. At the company's extraordinary general meeting, the shareholders of the company considered and passed an ordinary resolution authorizing that each ten ordinary shares, par value of $0.000001, be consolidated into one ordinary share, par value of $0.00001. As a result of the share consolidation, each 10 pre-consolidation ordinary shares outstanding will automatically combine into one ordinary share of the company without any action on the part of the respective holders holding shares in a brokerage account. No fractional shares will be issued as a result of the share consolidation, and shareholders who otherwise would be entitled to a fractional share will receive, in lieu thereof, a cash payment which will equal the product obtained by multiplying the fraction to which the shareholder would otherwise be entitled; by the average closing bid price of the ordinary shares of the company for the five business days immediately preceding November 6, 2017, adjusted for the share consolidation ratio. When the share consolidation becomes effective, the number of authorized shares of the company's ordinary shares will decrease to 5,000,000,000, while the number of issued and outstanding ordinary shares will be reduced from 725,067,164 to approximately 72,506,716.

12:01 EDT Agrium, Potash receive regulatory approval in China - Potash (POT) and Agrium (AGU) announced that China's Ministry of Commerce, or MOFCOM, has approved their proposed merger of equals transaction. MOFCOM's approval will be conditioned on the parties' commitment to divest PotashCorp's minority shareholdings in Arab Potash Company and Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile S.A. within 18 months and Israel Chemicals Ltd. within 9 months from the closing of the merger transaction. The companies are permitted to consummate the merger prior to the divestments. The approval is also conditioned on the commitment to convert PotashCorp's equity interest in Sinofert Holdings Limited to a passive investment prior to the closing of the merger transaction and ensure that Canpotex remains a stable, reliable and dedicated supplier of potash to China. The companies have now received clearance for the merger in Brazil, Canada, China, India and Russia. The regulatory review and approval process continues in the U.S. and the parties expect to close the transaction by the end of the fourth quarter of 2017. Upon closing the merger transaction, the new company will be named Nutrien. As the largest global provider of crop inputs and services, Nutrien will play a critical role in "Feeding the Future" by helping growers to increase food production in a sustainable manner.

11:39 EDT Emerson raises dividend to 48.5c from 48c per share - The board of directors of Emerson declared the regular quarterly cash dividend of 48.5c per share of common stock payable December 11 to stockholders of record November 17. Emerson's prior quarterly cash dividend, payable September 11 to stockholders of record August 11, was 48c per share of common stock.

11:22 EDT Pershing says 'committed to working constructively' with ADP's board - Pershing Square comments on today's ADP shareholder vote: "Pershing Square congratulates the members of the ADP board on their reelection after a hard-fought proxy contest. Pershing Square is committed to working constructively with the board and management as it continues to actively monitor its investment. With respect to today's election results, in order for Bill Ackman to have been elected to ADP's board, he needed to receive the tenth most number of votes of any director. The ADP director that received the fewest votes on ADP's board was Mr. Eric Fast. By comparing Mr. Fast's vote with Mr. Ackman's vote, shareholders can measure the degree of support for Mr. Ackman. As of the most recent preliminary vote count, Bill Ackman received 81 million out of the 259 million votes cast for Eric Fast and Bill Ackman combined, or more than 31% of the votes cast. Furthermore, Mr. Fast also received 62 million withhold votes as a result of proxy advisor ISS's recommendation that shareholders support Bill Ackman's election by withholding their votes for Mr. Fast. Had these shareholders voted for Mr. Ackman rather than withholding for Mr. Fast, Mr. Ackman would have received 62 million more votes, or 143 million versus 178 million for Mr. Fast, representing 45% of the votes cast. Had ADP been willing to use a universal proxy card for this election, Pershing Square believes that Bill Ackman would have been elected to ADP's board." "I am extremely gratified for the support of 31% of shareholders who voted for me and the additional 14% of shareholders who supported my election by voting against Mr. Fast," said Ackman. "With 45% of shareholders, including the company's second largest shareholder, supporting my election to the board, shareholders have sent a strong message to management about the need for change at ADP."

11:07 EDT Ackman says 'accomplished much' at ADP despite not being elected to board - Pershing Square Holdings released an email sent from Pershing Square Capital Management, L.P. to its investors, sharing the statement that Bill Ackman made this morning at the ADP Annual Shareholder Meeting, where he stated in part: "When we invested in ADP, we did so because we believed that ADP was a great company with a wonderful legacy, but an uncertain future. We believed that the company had underachieved its potential, and that we could help ADP address the issues and shortcomings we had identified...While I and our other nominees did not get elected to the board this year, we have accomplished much of what we set out to do so far. ADP's shareholders, management and board are now fully informed about the opportunities for improvement, and the risks of management's failure to perform. Shareholders, including Pershing Square, can now hold management accountable for the company's public commitments during this contest so that ADP remains the dominant company in the Human Capital Management industry...Here's to hoping that the company delivers and we don't need to run for election next year. Nothing could make me happier than seeing Carlos and the Board succeed in meeting and exceeding their commitments. We intend to be a supportive shareholder who is not shy about sharing our ideas with the company."

10:40 EDT Priceline, Tripadvisor plunge as quarter disappoints investors - Priceline (PCLN) and Tripadvisor (TRIP) are sliding after each reported on its quarterly results last night. While both reported better than expected earnings per share, Priceline gave disappointing fourth quarter guidance and Tripadvisor missed on revenue. Following the news, several analysts cut their price target for Priceline but reiterated their bullish view on the stock. SELLOFF OVERDONE: In a research note to investors, Citi analyst Mark May argued that Priceline's post-earnings selloff is overdone as the fourth quarter outlook is likely conservative. Investors are underestimating tough comparable sales, and Priceline's marketing strategy could benefit near- and long-term margins, May contended. While the analyst lowered his price target on the shares to $2,050 from $2,190, he reiterated a Buy rating on the stock. His peer at Jefferies voiced a similar opinion. Analyst Brent Thill told investors in a research note of his own that he remains constructive on Priceline following third quarter results, arguing that while he understands investors' concern with management taking steps to optimize performance channels' ROI and shifting ad spend from performance to brand channels, he believes that this is a "unique opportunity" for Priceline to take market share from weakened competitors. The analyst reiterates a Buy rating on Priceline with a $2,300 price target. Morgan Stanley, Oppenheimer and Credit Suisse all lowered their price target for Priceline but reiterated buy-equivalent ratings. INCREASED SPEND: Following the results, Piper Jaffray analyst Michael Olson noted that like its closest competitor Expedia (EXPE), Priceline has entered a period of increased spending, combined with a shift in customer acquisition strategy toward more direct traffic flow. While the analyst acknowledged that Priceline is implementing prudent changes for the long-term trajectory of the business, he does not expect this to be a quick transition, but one that may extend well into 2018. Olson lowered his price target on Priceline's shares to $2,000 and reiterated an Overweight rating on the stock. BUY TRIVAGO: Meanwhile, Citi analyst Mark May upgraded trivago (TRVG) to Buy saying the 66% selloff since July has created a favorable risk/reward profile. Priceline's Booking.com recently reverted back to displaying "regional" landing pages on trivago, which suggests a willingness to spend more with trivago in order to acquire higher converting customers, May told investors. Furthermore, the analyst pointed out that it is unclear if Priceline's recent change is a test and sustainable, but any improvement in Priceline's spend could result in upside to expectations in the fourth quarter and potentially 2018. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of Priceline have dropped over 10% to about $1,701 and Tripadvisor's stock fell almost 18% to $32.49. Meanwhile, shares of Expedia and trivago have slid about 2% and 3%, respectively.

10:21 EDT Royal Caribbean: Cruising a 'relevant,' 'desirable' vacation option

10:16 EDT Royal Caribbean: Consumers 'more interested in buying experiences' than things - Says series of storms this quarter "highly unusual," says unusual to be hit by five major hurricanes in a row but also because of "when and where they hit." Says 2017 had most expensive hurricane season in 45-year history. Says situation "getting better every day." Says tourism, cruise tourism "important" to economic recovery. Says hurricanes interfered with normal quarterly bookings, and while the drop off in bookings was "very rapid," the recovery was "also rapid." Says years ago, incidents would have a strong and lasting impact, but has seen "much more sanguine" response recently.Says these events "still aren't normal," but are seen as "less relevant to broader audience." Says it is "discouraging that we've reached such a point" and "distressing that incidents are so common." Says "pleased and a little surprised" that company can maintain guidance despite issues during the quarter. Notes "significant" shift in the way cruises are viewed by the public, says "experiencing some very real changes in demand." Says consumers "more interested in buying experiences than buying things." Comments taken from the Q3 earnings conference call. Royal Caribbean is up about 5% to $131.14 in morning trading.

10:13 EDT Ackman says ADP comments on vote count misleading - Bill Ackman, while speaking on CNBC, said ADP's characterization of today's vote is misleading. Ackman says he received 31% of the vote and would have won had Fidelity voted in favor of his candidacy.

09:59 EDT Weight Watchers hit 52-week high as 'Oprah Effect' plays out - Shares of Weight Watchers International (WTW) surged in early trading after the company's quarterly earnings beat on the top and bottom line. In addition to announcing an increase in subscribers, the weight management services provider again raised its fiscal year guidance. EARNINGS BEAT AND RAISE: After the market close on Monday, Weight Watchers reported third quarter earnings per share of 65c on revenue of $323.7M, handily beating analysts' estimates of 51c and $319.4M, respectively. Weight Watchers said end of period subscribers were up 18.4% from last year to 3.4M, driven by growth in all major geographic markets. End of period meeting subscribers were up 10.6% and online subscribers at the end of the quarter were up 24.4% vs. last year, the company said. Total paid weeks were up 19.8% in Q3 vs. last year. The gains prompted the company to again raise its earnings per share view for fiscal year 2017. Weight Watchers now sees FY17 EPS of $1.77-$1.83, up from its prior view of $1.57-$1.67. In August, Weight Watchers raised its FY17 EPS view to $1.57-$1.67 from $1.40-$1.50. The company expects to end 2017 with over 400,000 more end of period subscribers than in year-end 2016, which will translate into an EPS tailwind of at least 30c in 2018. THE OPRAH EFFECT: Weight Watchers has been on a turnaround track since Winfrey took a stake in the company and agreed to become a company spokesperson in October 2015. The company said on its earnings conference call that Winfrey, a "strong advocate of our new program," will play an "essential" role in its upcoming U.S. marketing campaign. WHAT'S NOTABLE: In addition to "the Oprah Effect," CFO Nick Hotchkin said the company is retaining customers through technology investments and an improved weight loss program. Weight Watchers announced in late April that Mindy Grossman, CEO of HSN, Inc (HSNI), would join the company as president and CEO in July. Weight Watchers noted on its earnings call that in an independent study conducted in the U.K. and recently published in the British Medical Journal, researchers found "considerable" reductions in diabetes risk as well as an average weight loss of 22 pounds within a year of patients being referred to Weight Watchers. In September, Weight Watchers applied for a patent called "fresh smart portions delivered, according to a filing with the USPTO. Others in the home meal delivery business include Blue Apron (APRN). ANALYST COMMENTARY: Craig-Hallum analyst Alex Fuhrman raised his price target for Weight Watchers to $70 from $50 following the company's "strong" beat and raise. The analyst told clients in a note that momentum is building in 2017 with the potential for significant upside to estimates in 2018. With the post New Year's "diet season" quickly coming up, Fuhrman said future beats could be even bigger as the company carries a meaningful recruitment tailwind into 2018. PRICE ACTION: Weight Watchers shares touched a 52-week high and are up about 20% to $53.69 in morning trading.

09:41 EDT Alcentra Capital drops after dividend cut to 25c per share - Shares of Alcentra Capital are sliding in early trading after the company announced its financial results for the third quarter and reported that it will be lowering its dividend payout. The Board of Alcentra declared a dividend of 25c per share for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2017, which is payable on January 4, 2018. David Scopelliti, the company's CEO and CIO, stated, "The board's view on the dividend policy is to make distributions to shareholders in line with the earnings potential of the portfolio. The market environment has changed since the initial dividend rate of 34c per share following our IPO in May 2014. While it is still possible to find high yielding investments, we believe a single strategy of pursuing higher-yielding junior unsecured debt comes with a greater risk of principal loss or impairment in the current market environment. While we will not abandon making junior capital investments we will continue to expand the senior and unitranche component of our portfolio in order to diversify and mitigate portfolio risk." CFO Ellida McMillan, added, "Although the earnings capability of the portfolio has been reduced due to recent performance of certain credits, the strategy going forward will allow us to generate income without reducing the quality of our portfolio or reaching for yield. Our adviser, Alcentra NY LLC, has waived $1.3M of its management fees this fiscal year to-date to meet the 34c per share dividend to our shareholders for the past two quarters. The board and executive management team are committed to creating long-term shareholder value and believe that aligning the distribution with earnings power of the portfolio will provide our shareholders with more stable and consistent returns over the long-term." In early trading, Alcentra Capital shares are down 36c, or 4%, to $8.32.

09:30 EDT Veracyte trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:26 EDT Office Depot launches BizBox business services platform - Office Depot announced the launch of BizBox. This new business services platform will provide start-ups and small business leaders access to the core services needed to start and grow their businesses through a convenient subscription with monthly services starting at $99. BizBox will simplify business decisions and operations for all small and medium-size businesses.

09:22 EDT Dean Foods says will continue to pursue smart volume to drive margin - Says hurricanes impacted Q3 EPS by 4c. Says focused on resetting cost structure to a lower level to compete. Says attacking unnecessary costs across entire platform. Expects to deliver $40M-$50M of annual SG&A savings largely in 2018. Says ice cream brands well-positioned. Says will continue to build DairyPure brand through distribution and marketing. Expects raw milk costs to be relatively flat sequentially and up 2% year-over-year. Expects Q4 FCF to be aided by sequentially higher operating results. Comments taken from Q3 earnings conference call.

09:21 EDT Tapestry says earnings pattern to be 'uneven' in FY18

09:16 EDT RE/MAX, LLC to purchase RE/MAX Northern Illinois master franchise - RE/MAX, LLC has signed an agreement to purchase the master franchise rights for the RE/MAX Northern Illinois Region, which includes Chicago, America's third largest city. The acquisition of the region is expected to close by the end of November and includes nearly 2,300 agents and over 100 offices.

09:11 EDT Sling TV becomes first live, on-demand streaming service on Samsung Smart TVs - Sling TV became the first live and on-demand over-the-top service available on select Samsung (SSNLF) Smart TVs. The launch of Sling TV on this new platform enables Sling TV to expand its leadership in device compatibility, currently supporting other platforms that include tablets, game consoles, computers, smartphones, streaming devices and other smart televisions. Sling TV is now available on Samsung's 2016 line of Smart TVs, and will roll out to additional models in the future. Current Sling TV subscribers can log in to their accounts on Internet-connected compatible Samsung Smart TVs. New customers may sign up for Sling TV directly within the app on Samsung Smart TVs.

09:07 EDT Accenture, Vlocity expand strategic alliance partnership - Accenture announced an expanded strategic alliance partnership with Vlocity, an ndustry cloud company that delivers omnichannel and industry-specific cloud and mobile solutions on the Salesforce Customer Success Platform. The alliance partnership now includes a coordinated approach to the delivery, enablement, systems integration, and marketing of industry-specific cloud applications for organizations in customer-centric industries consisting of including communications & media, insurance, health insurance and the public sector.

09:05 EDT Fitbit selected by NIH precision medicine research program - Fitbit announced it has been selected as the first wearable for use in the national All of Us Research Program established by the White House in 2015. This project is funded by a supplement to a funding award from the National Institutes of Health to The Scripps Research Institute. All of Us seeks to enroll one million or more participants to accelerate research that may improve the ability to prevent and treat disease based on individual characteristics. Researchers will use data gathered from the program to learn more about how individual differences in lifestyle, environment and biological makeup can influence health and disease. As a subset of the All of Us Research Program, the Scripps Translational Science Institute leads The Participant Center, a unit tasked with enrolling and engaging diverse populations across the country. Through this network, STSI will provide up to 10,000 Fitbit Charge 2 and Fitbit Alta HR devices to a representative sample of All of Us volunteers for a one-year study. At the end of the study, the researchers will provide recommendations on how the devices could be more broadly incorporated into the All of Us Research Program. Additionally, the study will generate a data set that presents a unique opportunity to explore the relationship between health indicators such as physical activity, heart rate and sleep in conjunction with other critical health outcomes that will be captured as part of All of Us.

09:04 EDT Lowe's expands employee benefits support with Accolade - Accolade announced an expansion of its relationship with Lowe's to further improve and simplify the company's employee benefit offering, nearly doubling the number of Lowe's members under Accolade's care. Beginning in 2018, Accolade will become the first point of benefits support for Lowe's employees and their families, addressing questions and needs ranging from benefits and bills to navigation of Lowe's cutting-edge benefits ecosystem.

09:03 EDT BlackRock announces share split for iShares Nadsdaq Biotechnology ETF - BlackRock announces that the Board of Trustees of iShares Trust has authorized a share split for iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF. The Board has approved a 3-for-1 split for the fund for shareholders of record as of the close of business on November 28, 2017, payable after the close of trading on November 30, 2017. The 3-for-1 split will lower the share price and increase the number of outstanding shares. The total value of shares outstanding is not affected by the split.

09:01 EDT Tenable, Siemens partner to secure critical infrastructure - Tenable and Siemens announced a strategic partnership to help energy, utilities and oil and gas companies close the industry readiness gap with a new solution for industrial asset discovery and vulnerability management. At a time when the risk of cyberattacks against critical infrastructure has grown exponentially, the global leaders in cybersecurity and OT have teamed up to launch 'Industrial Security' from Tenable, which Siemens is delivering as a service to help companies secure and protect their critical OT assets. The Tenable-Siemens partnership announced can help organizations address this challenge of not knowing where they are at greatest risk. By leveraging the capabilities of both companies, customers will gain a better understanding of where their OT assets may be vulnerable. The combination of Tenable's technology, the first OT-dedicated passive vulnerability detection solution that gives customers continuous visibility into their greatest risks, combined with Siemens' domain expertise and operational knowhow, is a powerful solution that can help customers close this knowledge gap so they can protect their critical assets.

09:01 EDT Maxim Integrated signs distribution agreement with Hakuto - Maxim Integrated Products announced that it has signed a distribution agreement with Hakuto on September 1. The agreement strengthens Maxim's support system for a wide range of Japanese users, particularly those in the industrial market. Together with Maxim's highly integrated, strong-performance analog semiconductors and Hakuto's longtime achievements and experiences in the industrial field, Maxim will serve new customers and expand its range of design activities in new and existing markets.

08:58 EDT Valeant says single-digit price increases possible in 2018 - Says sees potential for volume growth in 2018.

08:57 EDT Ultragenyx completes tender offer for Dimension Therapeutics shares - Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical (RARE) announced the successful completion of its acquisition of Dimension Therapeutics, Inc. (DMTX). Ultragenyx has completed its previously announced tender offer to purchase all outstanding shares of common stock of Dimension for $6.00 per share in cash, without interest, or approximately $152.3 million in cash. As of the expiration of the tender offer at 12:00 midnight, Eastern time, on November 7, 2017, approximately 21,947,871 shares were validly tendered and not withdrawn in the tender offer, representing approximately 86.5 percent of Dimension's outstanding shares, according to the depositary for the tender offer. The condition to the tender offer that a majority of Dimension's outstanding shares on a fully-diluted basis be validly tendered and not withdrawn has been satisfied. As a result, Ultragenyx has accepted for payment and will promptly pay for all validly tendered shares. Dimension has become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ultragenyx and the common stock of Dimension will no longer be listed for trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, which is expected to take effect before the markets opens today.

08:53 EDT Collegium Pharmaceutical announces FDA approval for sNDA for Xtampza ER - Collegium Pharmaceutical announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved its Supplemental New Drug Application, or sNDA, to enhance the label for Xtampza ER, an abuse-deterrent, extended-release opioid, for the management of pain severe enough to require daily, around-the-clock, long-term opioid treatment and for which alternative treatment options are inadequate. With approval of the sNDA, the updated label for Xtampza ER includes three main changes: OxyContin comparative data; oral human abuse potential study results; and an oral abuse deterrent claim.

08:50 EDT Cellectar updates on median overall survival from Cohort 1 of CLR 131 trial - Cellectar Biosciences announces that the ongoing median overall survival from Cohort 1 of the Phase 1 study of its lead PDC compound, CLR 131, has reached 26.2 months in patients with multiple myeloma. "While no head-to-head studies have been conducted to date with CLR 131, for comparison, the median overall survival benefit seen with the three most recently FDA-approved third line therapies for multiple myeloma ranges from 11.9 - 18.6 months in separate trials," the company stated. "The ongoing median overall survival from the first cohort exceeding two years, and the second cohort's mOS surpassing 15 months underscore the clinical potential of our CLR 131 program in multiple myeloma. These observations taken together with the recently reported partial response from Cohort 3 leave us very optimistic with regard to advancing this compound through the clinic," added CEO Jim Caruso.

08:50 EDT Skyline Medical signs distribution agreements in Canada, Switzerland - Skyline Medical announced it has partnered with two independent distributors to support sales of Skyline's FDA approved STREAMWAY System to medical centers in Canada and Switzerland.Securing the extensive sales and marketing capabilities of these distributors will allow Skyline to penetrate the Switzerland market for the first time and expand its presence in Canada. Skyline's distributors are selected based on stringent requirements, including a demonstrable track record selling medical equipment, strong industry contacts and deep technical knowledge of the STREAMWAY System. The company continues to work toward developing more partnerships with independent distributors in other territories. Skyline Medical has Health Canada Approval and a CE Mark, allowing the STREAMWAY System to be marketed in Canada and Europe.

08:46 EDT State Street names Ron O'Hanley as president and COO

08:45 EDT State Street: Jay Hooley to retire as CEO by end of 2018

08:42 EDT Valeant says not providing guidance for 2018 - Says "confident" core business will grow in 2018 vs. 2017.

08:40 EDT Biomerica extends license agreement with Celtis Pharm to Dec. 2019 - Biomerica announced that it has extended its exclusive license agreement with Celtis Pharm of South Korea. Celtis has changed its name to Telcon Pharmaceuticals. The License Agreement grants Telcon an exclusive license to market and sell Biomerica's new InFoods IBS products in Korea for five years. The Biomerica InFoods IBS product identifies patient specific foods that, when removed, can alleviate an individual's IBS symptoms. Under the terms of the previously announced agreement, Telcon shall pay up to $1.25M in exclusivity fees to Biomerica based on certain milestones, including receipt of FDA clearance. In addition to the exclusivity fees, a royalty fee shall be paid to Biomerica based on a percentage of net sales of the products in Korea. The minimum royalty payments required to retain the exclusivity in Korea for the term of the agreement are $7.25M over five years. The exclusive territory under this license agreement is the Republic of Korea with a possibility of future expansion into other territories in Asia if mutually agreed upon terms are reached. The term of the exclusivity agreement is five years with an additional two years for Telcon to receive Korean FDA clearance and begins with the date Biomerica receives final clearance for sale of the InFoods IBS products in the United States. The amended agreement may now be cancelled if Biomerica has not obtained final clearance for sale of the Products in the United States from the United States FDA on or before December 31, 2019.

08:38 EDT Bristol-Myers: Opdivo, Yervoy delivered OS benefit across PDL1 expression levels - Bristol-Myers Squibb announced results from a new exploratory analysis of the phase 3 CheckMate -214 trial evaluating Opdivo plus Yervoy versus the standard of care, sunitinib, in intermediate- and poor-risk patients with previously untreated advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma. In an exploratory analysis of PD-L1 expression subgroups, an overall survival advantage was seen with the Opdivo plus Yervoy combination over sunitinib in both the PD-L1 expression level less than1%. The median overall survival was not reached for the Opdivo plus Yervoy combination or sunitinib for those with PD-L1 levels less than 1%, and for patients with PD-L1 expression levels greater than or equal to1%, the median OS was not reached for the combination and was 19.6 months for sunitinib. The safety profile of Opdivo plus Yervoy was consistent with that of previous reports. These data will be presented on November 10 at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer's 32nd Annual Meeting in National Harbor, MD, during the High Impact Clinical Trial Results Session. Findings from an exploratory endpoint showed patients reported statistically significantly better kidney cancer symptom control with the Opdivo plus Yervoy combination compared to sunitinib, when assessed using a valid tumor-specific patient-reported kidney cancer scale in the FKSI-19. Through the first six months of data, when completion rates exceeded 80%, a 3-6 point difference was observed, which is considered clinically meaningful.

08:37 EDT Baxter presents data on SHARESOURCE telehealth platform - Baxter International presented new data on SHARESOURCE, the company's remote patient management platform, indicating the potential value of this telehealth platform to improve clinical management of peritoneal dialysis patients. The exploratory studies show how SHARESOURCE data may provide an early indicator of impending peritonitis, or evidence of PD catheter dysfunction. If these factors are diagnosed and proactively managed earlier, it may help prevent costly complications or PD technique failure. SHARESOURCE, which has helped remotely manage more than 1M PD therapy treatments globally, is a two-way, cloud-based technology platform that is featured in Baxter's AMIA automated PD system and HOMECHOICE CLARIA APD system. SHARESOURCE allows healthcare providers to securely view their patients' recently completed home dialysis-related treatment data that is automatically collected after each PD session. Healthcare providers can then act on this information by remotely adjusting their patients' home device settings without requiring them to travel to the clinic. In a retrospective study, "Help of Remote Patient Monitoring in the Assessment of Changes in Ultrafiltration Before, During and After a Peritonitis Episode in Patients on APD", clinicians at the Hospital Belisario Dominguez, Mexico City, looked at data obtained from the SHARESOURCE remote patient management platform. The exploratory review looked at changes in ultrafiltration before, during and after a peritonitis episode of 10 patients diagnosed with peritonitis. In a study, "Pattern of Late Catheter Dysfunction in APD Patients Detected through Remote Patient Monitoring and its Impact in Therapy Total Time" clinicians at Hospital Belisario Dominguez in Mexico City reported recently implementing Baxter's SHARESOURCE technology for 216 patients who were already on PD. At initial assessment, four patients were found to have an abnormal pattern of PD catheter drainage time, a factor that reduces the total effective dialysis time, reducing waste and fluid removal. The clinicians, along with Baxter researchers, used SHARESOURCE data to compare these four patients with 10 randomly selected patients who did not show abnormal drainage. The team looked at total therapy time median catheter drainage time, median catheter infusion time, and ultrafiltration. The assessment demonstrated patients with catheter dysfunction had increased drainage time and lost effective therapy time. Clinicians also found a correlation between lost therapy time and lower ultrafiltration.

08:36 EDT Valeant says expects over 50 new product launches or relaunches in 2017

08:34 EDT Bluerock Residential sees Q4 AFFO 3c-6c

08:33 EDT Bluerock Residential reports Q3 Same store NOI decreased 0.6% vs last year

08:32 EDT Iteris awarded IDIQ contract to expand DOT education program - Iteris has been awarded a new indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract worth up to $9.5M from the Federal Highway Administration to develop, update, and deliver the National Highway Institute's financial management, business, public administration, quality, civil rights, highway safety and communications training. Since 2001, Iteris has been an agency of record for the FHWA and NHI, providing training programs for both sub-divisions of the United States Department of Transportation. Under this new contract Iteris will advance the state of practice and implement best practices for the FHWA financial management, business, public administration, quality, civil rights, highway safety and communication program areas. Training courses are delivered to staff from federal, state, regional and local transportation agencies.

08:26 EDT ADP ticks lower after WSJ reports Ackman wins no board seats - Shares of ADP are down 1% after the Wall Street Journal, citing sources, reported that Bill Ackman and Pershing Square's other two nominees were awarded no board seats at ADP. The stock in premarket trading are down 64c to $110.69.

08:23 EDT Townsquare Media co-CEOs to conduct comprehensive review of entertainment unit - Co-CEO Dhruv Prasad said that he and other co-CEO Bill Wilson will conduct a comprehensive review of the company's entertainment segment, due to its underperformance. Management expects to be able to return capital to holders, most likely in the form of a dividend, by FY18. Comments provided during Q3 earnings conference call.

08:22 EDT xG Technology signs MoU with Tesacom for xMax, IMT and Vislink products - xG Technology announced that is has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, or MoU, with Buenos Aires-based Tesacom for the resale of xMax, IMT and Vislink products and solutions in Latin America. The market focus of the agreement will be the defense, security and commercial sectors, in particular for use in remote and challenging environments.

08:19 EDT Infinity Pharmaceuticals sees FY17 net loss $40M-$50M - expects to end 2017 with a cash, cash equivalents and available-for-sale securities balance ranging from $40M-$50M. Based on its current operational plans, Infinity expects that its cash, cash equivalents and available-for-sale securities at September 30 will be adequate to satisfy the company's capital needs into the Q1 of FY19. The company's financial outlook excludes additional funding or business development activities.

08:17 EDT Krystal Biotech granted Orphan Drug Designation by FDA for KB103 - Krystal Biotech announced that the FDA has granted Orphan Drug Designation to the company' lead product candidate, KB103, currently in preclinical development for dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, or DEB.

08:16 EDT Townsquare Media co-CEOs to conduct comprehensive review of company - Co-CEO Dhruv Prasad said that he and other co-CEO Bill Wilson will conduct a comprehensive review of the company and its entertainment segment. Management expects to be able to return capital to holders, most likely in the form of a dividend, by FY18. Comments provided during Q3 earnings conference call.

08:12 EDT Valeant says dermatology pricing continues to stabilize

08:08 EDT Valeant says nearing middle of turnaround process - Says Q3 was a "great quarter." Says two largest business units "doing great." Comments from Q3 earnings conference call.

08:06 EDT PriceSmart reports October net warehouse club sales up 2.0% to $246.8M - PriceSmart announced that for the month of October, net warehouse club sales increased 2.0% to $246.8M from $241.9M in October a year earlier. For the two months ended October 31 net warehouse club sales increased 2.9% to $483.9M from $470.3M for the two months ended October 31, 2016. There were 40 warehouse clubs in operation at the end of October 2017 and 39 warehouse clubs in operation at the end of October 2016. For the four weeks ended October 29, 2017, comparable warehouse sales for the 38 warehouse clubs open at least 13 1/2 full months increased 1.0%, compared to the same four-week period last year. For the eight-week period ended October 29, 2017, comparable warehouse sales increased 1.9%, compared to the same eight-week period a year ago. As expected, the opening of the Santa Ana, Costa Rica warehouse club had a negative impact on reported comparable warehouse club sales. For the current four week period, company estimates that impact to be 110 basis points.

08:03 EDT Bristol-Myers presenting 23 abstracts in oncology program at SITC - Bristol-Myers Squibb announced that 23 abstracts spanning its expansive oncology research program will be presented at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer 32nd Annual Meeting from November 8 - 12 in National Harbor, Maryland. The research reinforces the breadth of the company's oncology pipeline, sourced through internal and external innovation to address areas of high unmet need, as well as the integration of translational research driving the company's approach to Immuno-Oncology drug development and continued research of the Opdivo plus Yervoy combination. "We continue to deepen our understanding of cancer biology and investigate novel mechanisms to address areas of high unmet need, with the goal of establishing new standards of care," said Fouad Namouni, M.D., head of development, Oncology, Bristol-Myers Squibb. "Through our research initiatives and broad clinical program investigating Opdivo, Yervoy and combinations with novel I-O targets, we are able to advance the next wave of potentially transformative combinations and use translational research to identify the right treatments for the right patients who may benefit from these therapies."

07:48 EDT Land's End and the Weather Channel network announce partnership - The Weather Channel television network and Lands' End announced a two-year partnership that will integrate the apparel brand into The Weather Channel's live in-the-field coverage by outfitting the trusted network's on-camera meteorologists in Lands' End outerwear and apparel.

07:39 EDT Toyota of Manhattan picks DropCar's enterprise vehicle service platform - DropCar anounced the entry into a definitive agreement with Toyota of Manhattan (TM) to utilize DropCar's Enterprise Vehicle Assistance & Logistics technology platform. DropCar's VAL platform will enable Toyota of Manhattan's maintenance and sales teams to provide an entirely new level of service to their customers by automating the pickup and delivery of vehicles for service and maintenance. On September 6, DropCar and WPCS International Incorporated (WPCS), entered into a definitive merger agreement whereby DropCar will merge with a wholly-owned subsidiary of WPCS with the DropCar securityholders receiving approximately 85% of the outstanding shares of WPCS common stock on a fully-diluted basis.

07:37 EDT Proofpoint agrees to acquire Cloudmark for $110M in cash - Proofpoint has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Cloudmark. The transaction is expected to close in Q4 and is subject to customary closing conditions, including Hart-Scott-Rodino merger review and any other required regulatory approvals. Contingent upon closing, Proofpoint expects Cloudmark to have the following contribution to its financial outlook for the full year 2018, also provided on October 19, 2017: Increase the revenue range by $20 - $25 million to $664 - $673 million; Increase the billings range by $20 -$25 million to $818 - $827 million; No material impact to Non-GAAP Net Income or Free Cash Flow.

07:36 EDT CBOE Holdings cuts FY17 adj operating expense view to $413M-$415M - Down from prior view of $415M-$423M. FY17 Capital expenditures are projected to be in the range of $49M-$53M, down from previous guidance of $55M-$60M. Capital expenditures include the company's ongoing investments in systems hardware and software, including Cboe's systems migration to Bats technology.

07:35 EDT Hain Celestial backs FY18 adjusted EBITDA view $350M-$375M - An increase of approximately 27%-36% as compared to fiscal year 2017.

07:23 EDT Tapestry sees run-rate synergies of $100M-$115M in FY19 vs. previous $50M view - Victor Luis, CEO of Tapestry, Inc., said "Our first quarter performance was in line with our expectations, reflecting the benefits of our diversified multi-brand model, notably the contribution of Kate Spade to our consolidated results and double-digit growth at Stuart Weitzman. While our Coach comparable store sales were impacted by both expected calendar shifts and inventory challenges as well as the effects of the unanticipated natural disasters - we have returned to growth thus far in the second quarter and are well positioned for holiday. Importantly, we remain on track to achieve the annual guidance we set out for Tapestry in August. We have been especially pleased with our progress on the integration of Kate Spade onto the Tapestry platform. During the quarter, we took significant actions to position the brand for long-term success. We began to implement our strategic initiatives including the pull back on wholesale disposition and flash sales, while taking substantial steps to unlock cost synergies. After only a few months since the close of the Kate Spade acquisition, we're even more excited about the opportunities for the brand, both in terms of revenue growth, driven by distribution and productivity, and profitability improvements, as we leverage our scale across our supply chain, global business development organization and other corporate functions. Importantly, we now expect to achieve run-rate synergies of approximately $100 to $115 million in fiscal 2019 versus our previous guidance of $50 million."

07:18 EDT Keryx reports FDA approval of Auryxia tablets - Keryx Biopharmaceuticals announced that the FDA has approved Auryxia for an additional indication. The approval is for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia in adults with chronic kidney disease, not on dialysis. Auryxia was originally approved in September 2014 for the control of serum phosphorus levels in people with chronic kidney disease who require dialysis. With the new indication, millions of people living with chronic kidney disease have the potential to benefit from treatment with Auryxia. This medication is available today in pharmacies and covered broadly by Medicare Part D and commercial insurance providers in the United States.

07:15 EDT Valeant jumps 12% following Q3 earnings report - Shares of Valeant are up $1.50, or 12.5%, to $13.54 following the company's report of GAAP earnings for the third quarter.

07:10 EDT Seres Therapeutics awarded grand from CARB-X to support development of SER-155 - Seres Therapeutics announced that it has been awarded a grant from CARB-X to support continued preclinical research and early development work for SER-155. The CARB-X grant provides Seres with up to $2.M of research funding with potential for an additional $3.1M upon completion of milestones. SER-155 is a synthetic, rationally-designed microbiome therapeutic candidate designed to prevent antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections and graft versus host disease in patients following solid organ and allogeneic stem cell transplantation. A significant contribution to the mortality associated with allogeneic stem cell transplantation is the result of bacterial infection and graft versus host disease.1 The SER-155 program will leverage Seres' advanced microbiome manufacturing capabilities. Seres is the first microbiome company to have brought a synthetic, rationally-designed microbiome development candidate into the clinic with SER-262, an investigational therapeutic, currently being evaluated in a Phase 1b trial.

07:09 EDT U.S. Gold raised over $14.4M in financings - U.S. Gold announced that it has issued a letter to its shareholders outlining the Company's recent and expected milestones as it continues to advance its Copper King and Keystone assets. As U.S. Gold lays the groundwork for future success, highlights of the Company's recent initiatives include: raised over $14.4M in financings; initiated 2016 / 2017 field exploration programs at our Keystone and Copper King properties; consummated a merger with Dataram Corporation and divested the legacy subsidiary; became one of the few publicly listed gold exploration companies on NASDAQ; assembled experienced management team and Board of Directors with a strong track records; consolidated the Keystone property so that we now control 100% of the district; acquired the Gold Bar North exploration property.

07:08 EDT Papa says Valeant a 'very different company today than it was a year ago' - "Our strong third-quarter performance demonstrates our continued progress in the turnaround of Valeant. Driven by solid execution in our Bausch + Lomb/International segment and our Salix business, we delivered strong organic revenue growth1 across approximately 77% of our business in the quarter. Valeant is a very different company today than it was a year ago. Under a new management team, we have strengthened our balance sheet and stabilized the Company by simplifying our business and allocating resources more efficiently. We realize there is more progress to be made, and we will continue to hold ourselves accountable for delivering on our commitments to best serve our shareholders, employees, customers, and most importantly, patients," said Valeant CEO Joseph Papa.

07:07 EDT Ionis Pharmaceuticals names Brett Monia as COO, effective January 15, 2018 - Ionis Pharmaceuticals announced management transitions to be effective January 15, 2018. Brett Monia, a founder of Ionis, and head of drug discovery and the inotersen program, will become COO. In his new role, in addition to continuing to play a key role in drug discovery and development, including taking responsibility for the transition of research programs into development, Dr. Monia will assume responsibility for the company's regulatory, patient advocacy, human resources and business functions, including corporate communications, investor relations, business development, alliance management and competitive intelligence. B. Lynne Parshall, who has been with Ionis for 27 years, will become senior strategic advisor to Ionis and remain a member of the board of directors of Ionis and Akcea. In addition to supporting Dr. Monia in his transition, Parshall will continue to be involved in strategic planning, business development, and with Ionis' important relationships with Biogen and Akcea.

07:05 EDT Lindblad Expeditions signs agreement with Ulstein Verft - Lindblad Expeditions announced that it has signed an agreement with Norwegian shipbuilder and ship designer Ulstein to build the world's foremost expedition ship. The new vessel will be built in Ulsteinvik, Norway and is scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2020, with an option for two additional ships to be delivered in subsequent years.

06:59 EDT Emerson: Market conditions began trending favorably in 2H17 - "Market conditions began trending favorably for Emerson in the second half of 2017, and we expect 2018 to continue that trajectory," said Farr. "With a strong foundation for growth and increasing momentum in global markets, I look forward to seeing our teams deliver results for our shareholders - strong cash flow and adjusted net earnings per share of $2.75 to $2.95."

06:54 EDT Extended Stay America reports Q3 adjusted FFO 57c vs. 55c last year

06:51 EDT Cambrex raises FY17 free cash flow view to $60M-$70M from $55M-$65M - Lowers FY17 CapEx view to $65M-$70M from $70M-$75M.

06:50 EDT SeaWorld sees FY17 adj. EBITDA $280M-$295M

06:49 EDT Tapestry mantains FY18 outlook

06:40 EDT Toyota updates consolidated financial forecasts for FY, sees net revenue Y28.5T - For the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018, TMC revised its consolidated vehicle sales forecast from 8.9 million units to 8.95 million units, in consideration of the latest sales trends worldwide. TMC also updated its consolidated financial forecasts for the fiscal year. Based on an exchange rate assumption of 111 yen to the U.S. dollar and 128 yen to the euro, TMC now forecasts consolidated net revenue of 28.5 trillion yen, operating income of 2 trillion yen, income before income taxes of 2.25 trillion yen, and net income of 1.95 trillion yen. TMC previously forecast consolidated net revenue of Y28.5T, operating income of Y1.85T, income before income taxes of Y2.05T, and net income of Y1.75T. TMC's Board of Directors also resolved to pay 100 yen per share as the interim dividend on common shares, and have also resolved to buy back up to 250 billion yen, or 45 million shares, of the company's common stock.

06:33 EDT Accenture names John Goodman Chief Executive of Accenture Federal Services - Accenture has named John Goodman chief executive of Accenture Federal Services, effective Nov. 20. Goodman, currently AFS COO, succeeds David Moskovitz, who will remain with AFS through the end of Accenture's 2018 fiscal year, Aug. 31, 2018, to ensure a seamless transition and lead key strategic initiatives focused on accelerating innovation. Following the transition, Moskovitz will remain a senior managing director at Accenture.

06:32 EDT Zebra Technologies expects to do a debt paydown of $300M in Q4 - The company said, "Looking ahead to Q4, we expect strong operating performance and free cash flow to enable at least $300M of debt paydown for the year. We continue to advance our Enterprise Asset Intelligence strategy through our leading portfolio of innovative products and Savanna, our IoT data intelligence platform."

06:14 EDT Microsoft acqui-hires 'living photo' app maker Swing Technologies - Swing Technologies, makers of the "living photo" app SWNG, will bring its talent and technology to Microsoft. Swing employees will join the Skype team at Microsoft. The Swing team will bring industry leading expertise in imaging technology and customer experiences to deliver on key innovations for Skype messaging and calling experiences. Swing Technologies was founded by Tommy Stadlen and Frederick Blackford in 2014. Reference Link

06:10 EDT Apple says its suppliers leaking could hurt reputation, operating results - In a regulatory filing, Apple said: "The company's business also requires it to share confidential information with suppliers and other third parties. Although the company takes steps to secure confidential information that is provided to third parties, such measures may not be effective and losses or unauthorized access to or releases of confidential information may still occur, which could materially adversely affect the company's reputation, financial condition and operating results. For example, the company may experience a security breach impacting the company's information technology systems that compromises the confidentiality, integrity or availability of confidential information. Such an incident could, among other things, impair the company's ability to attract and retain customers for its products and services, impact the company's stock price, materially damage supplier relationships, and expose the company to litigation or government investigations, which could result in penalties, fines or judgments against the company. Although malicious attacks perpetrated to gain access to confidential information, including PII, affect many companies across various industries, the company is at a relatively greater risk of being targeted because of its high profile and the value of the confidential information it creates, owns, manages, stores and processes.The company has implemented systems and processes intended to secure its information technology systems and prevent unauthorized access to or loss of sensitive data, including through the use of encryption and authentication technologies. As with all companies, these security measures may not be sufficient for all eventualities and may be vulnerable to hacking, employee error, malfeasance, system error, faulty password management or other irregularities. For example, third parties may attempt to fraudulently induce employees or customers into disclosing user names, passwords or other sensitive information, which may in turn be used to access the company's information technology systems. To help protect customers and the company, the company monitors its services and systems for unusual activity and may freeze accounts under suspicious circumstances, which, among other things, may result in the delay or loss of customer orders or impede customer access to the company's products and services." Reference Link

06:06 EDT Tutor Perini announces low bid for $189M Canton Viaduct replacement project - Tutor Perini announced that the company has been identified by the Maryland Transportation Authority as the low bidder for the Replacement of the Canton Viaduct I-895 Over I-95 Ramps, Railroads and City Streets and Rehabilitation of the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel and Tunnel Approaches. The anticipated contract value is approximately $189.4M, and contract award is expected later in the fourth quarter of 2017. The project scope of work includes the removal and replacement of an approximately 3,200-foot-long bridge structure on the north side of the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel, as well as tunnel rehabilitation. Work on the project is expected to commence in March 2018 with substantial completion anticipated by June 2021.

06:04 EDT USA Compression sees FY17 net income $11.0M-$16.0M - Sees FY17 adjusted EBITDA $152.0M-$157.0M; and distributable cash flow $115.0M-$120.0M. The company said "A forward-looking estimate of net cash provided by operating activities is not provided because the items necessary to estimate net cash provided by operating activities, in particular the change in operating assets and liabilities, are not accessible or estimable at this time. The Partnership does not anticipate the changes in operating assets and liabilities to be material, but changes in accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued liabilities and deferred revenue could be significant, such that the amount of net cash provided by operating activities would vary substantially from the amount of projected Adjusted EBITDA and Distributable Cash Flow."

06:02 EDT Takeda's Dengue vaccine candidate associated with reduction of incidence in kids - Takeda Pharmaceutical announced that data from an 18-month interim analysis of the ongoing Phase 2 DEN-204 trial of its live, attenuated tetravalent dengue vaccine candidate, TAK-003, have been published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases. The results of this interim analysis, a pre-planned evaluation of data from an ongoing trial, show that TAK-003 is associated with a reduction in the incidence of dengue in children and adolescents. These data were also presented at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene Annual Meeting. Phase 3 data are required to confirm these findings. The Phase 2 DEN-204 trial is ongoing and evaluating the safety and immunogenicity of TAK-003 in 1,794 children and adolescents ages 2 through 17 living in dengue-endemic areas. The primary objective of the trial is to assess the vaccine-induced antibody levels to all four types of dengue virus following different vaccine schedules.4 Trial participants received either one primary dose of TAK-003, two primary doses of TAK-003 administered three months apart, one primary dose of TAK-003 followed by a booster dose one year later, or a placebo. Febrile surveillance and assessment of safety and immunogenicity will continue through the 48-month study period of the trial. These interim results showed: In the safety set, children and adolescents who received TAK-003 had a relative risk of symptomatic dengue of 0.29 compared to children and adolescents in the placebo control group. Incidence of dengue was a pre-specified secondary endpoint of the analysis. TAK-003 was found to be safe and well-tolerated in terms of solicited local reactions and systemic adverse events, relative to the placebo control group. This is consistent with data from previous Phase 1 and 2 studies. There was limited difference in geometric mean titers and seropositivity rates between those who received one primary dose and those who received two primary doses three months apart, regardless of serostatus. However, importantly, in participants who were seronegative at baseline, a second dose given at Month 3 improved the tetravalent seropositivity rate at Month 6 to 86%, compared to 69% in the one-dose group. A booster dose at Month 12 resulted in a 100% tetravalent seropositivity rate at Month 13 in participants who were seronegative at baseline. These findings support selection of a two-dose regimen, administered three months apart, for Takeda's ongoing global pivotal Phase 3 efficacy trial. This regimen quickly achieves a high rate of response to all four dengue serotypes regardless of previous dengue exposure. TAK-003 is currently under evaluation in the Tetravalent Immunization against Dengue Efficacy Study, a large-scale Phase 3 efficacy trial being conducted in eight dengue-endemic countries. TIDES will build on DEN-204 and other previous studies in continuing to assess the tolerability, safety and immunogenicity of the vaccine against all four dengue serotypes in multiple age groups and to determine whether the vaccine helps prevent symptomatic dengue. Data from TIDES will be available in late 2018.

05:58 EDT Starbucks to open Princi Bakery inside Seattle Reserve Roastery - Starbucks announced the opening of the first Princi bakery and cafe location in the United States at its Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Seattle. The Roastery opened in December 2014 as an homage to coffee, a completely immersive and sensorial space that redefined customers' expectations of a retail environment. Completing this new customer experience is the introduction of Princi, offering freshly baked Italian food crafted from Rocco Princi's recipes, which has gained a devoted following in his six stores across Milan and in London's Soho neighborhood. Princi will become the exclusive food offering in all new Starbucks Reserve Roastery locations including Shanghai, opening in December 2017, Milan in late 2018, and New York, Tokyo and Chicago thereafter.

05:52 EDT Apple: Changes in Ireland's tax laws did not reduce tax payments - In a statement on its website, Apple says: "Apple believes every company has a responsibility to pay its taxes, and as the largest taxpayer in the world, Apple pays every dollar it owes in every country around the world. We're proud of the economic contributions we make to the countries and communities where we do business. We're presenting the facts on this page in response to reporting by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. Among the inaccuracies in these reports: The changes Apple made to its corporate structure in 2015 were specially designed to preserve its tax payments to the United States, not to reduce its taxes anywhere else. No operations or investments were moved from Ireland. Far from being 'untouched by the United States,' Apple pays billions of dollars in taxes to the US at the statutory 35% rate on investment income from its overseas cash. Apple's effective tax rate on foreign earnings is 21% -- a figure easily calculated from public filings. This rate has been consistent for many years. Last month, in response to questions from the ICIJ, the New York Times and others, Apple provided the following statement: 'The debate over Apple's taxes is not about how much we owe but where we owe it. As the largest taxpayer in the world we've paid over $35B in corporate income taxes over the past three years, plus billions of dollars more in property tax, payroll tax, sales tax and VAT. When Ireland changed its tax laws in 2015, we complied by changing the residency of our Irish subsidiaries and we informed Ireland, the European Commission and the United States. The changes we made did not reduce our tax payments in any country. In fact, our payments to Ireland increased significantly and over the last three years we've paid $1.5B in tax there.. We understand that some would like to change the tax system so multinationals' taxes are spread differently across the countries where they operate, and we know that reasonable people can have different views about how this should work in the future. At Apple we follow the laws, and if the system changes we will comply. We strongly support efforts from the global community toward comprehensive international tax reform and a far simpler system, and we will continue to advocate for that." Reference Link

05:40 EDT NGL Energy Partners agrees to sell portion of Retail Propane Business for $200M - NGL Energy Partners announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with DCC LPG, a division of DCC plc, to sell a portion of NGL's Retail Propane Business for $200M in cash, adjusted for working capital at closing. NGL will retain this business through closing, which is scheduled for March 31, 2018 and will also retain all profits generated through the closing date. These assets are expected to generate approximately $20M in Adjusted EBITDA from December 1, 2017 through March 31, 2018 based on NGL's current public guidance, resulting in a total value proposition to NGL of approximately $220M.

05:34 EDT Novartis says study data shows Cosentyx reduced signs, symptoms of PsA - Novartis announced results from the FUTURE 5 study showing Cosentyx reduced the signs and symptoms of psoriatic arthritis, or PsA, while significantly inhibiting the progression of joint structural damage in PsA patients compared to placebo at 24 weeks. The Phase III data were presented for the first time today as a late breaker during the 2017 American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals Annual Meeting in San Diego. Study participants were randomized to receive Cosentyx, 300 mg with loading dosage, or LD, 150 mg with LD, 150 mg without LD, or placebo. At week 24, more participants treated with Cosentyx had no worsening of joint structural damage compared to placebo, as measured by the modified total van der Heijde Sharp score, or mTSS, less than or equal to 0.5; 88%, 80%, 84%, and 74%. mTSS is a detailed scoring method evaluating erosion in the joints.