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

18:44 EDT MasterCard announces new $4B share repurchase program - The Board of Directors approved a new share repurchase program, authorizing the company to repurchase up to $4B of its Class A common stock. The new share repurchase program will become effective at the completion of the company's previously announced $4B share repurchase program. The company has approximately $1.5B remaining under the current program authorization.

18:39 EDT Osisko Gold Royalties renews normal course issuer bid program - Osisko Gold Royalties announces its intention to renew its normal course issuer bid to purchase for cancellation, from time to time over a 12-month period, common shares of the Corporation listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange in an aggregate amount of up to 10% of the public float of the Corporation . The commencement of the NCIB Program is subject to TSX approval.

18:12 EDT Suncor begins regulatory process to replace coke-fired boilers - Suncor took its first steps in the regulatory process to replace coke-fired boilers with two cogeneration units at its Oil Sands Base Plant as a part of its plan to remain globally cost and carbon competitive. In addition to providing the facility with steam needed for its operations, the cogeneration units are expected to export approximately 700 megawatts of electricity to the provincial grid, equivalent to roughly seven per cent of Alberta's current electricity demand. The project, which has been submitted to the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency, is expected to offer base load reliability to Alberta's electricity grid as the province transitions to more intermittent renewable energy sources, while contributing lower carbon power supply to Alberta.

18:02 EDT Independent Bank to acquire TCSB Bancorp for $63.2M - Independent Bank Corporation and TCSB Bancorp jointly announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement for IBCP to acquire TCSB. Subject to the terms of the merger agreement, which has been unanimously approved by the board of directors of each company, TCSB shareholders will receive 1.1166 shares of IBCP common stock for each outstanding share of TCSB common stock or 2.71 million shares of IBCP common stock in the aggregate. The 169,800 outstanding options to acquire TCSB common stock will be converted into IBCP options at the completion of the merger. The transaction is valued at approximately $63.24 million based on IBCP's 15-day volume weighted average price of $22.4438 as of Dec. 1, 2017, which is equal to 206.4% of TCSB tangible book value as of September 30, 2017.

17:49 EDT Triumph Group to combine Aerospace Structures and Precision Components units - Triumph Group announced that it intends to combine Aerospace Structures and Precision Components into one business unit, "Aerospace Structures," effective January 1, 2018. Pete Wick, current Executive Vice President of Precision Components, will become Executive Vice President of the new combined Aerospace Structures business unit. Beginning with the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018, Triumph will report its financial results under the three market-focused business unit structure - Integrated Systems, Product Support and Aerospace Structures.

17:31 EDT Adtalem Global Education to transfer ownership of DeVry to Cogswell Education - Adtalem Global Education announced that it has signed an agreement to transfer ownership of DeVry University and its Keller Graduate School of Management to Cogswell Education, a company that has significant experience in higher education. The agreement is subject to certain terms and conditions to be met during the transition process, including regulatory and accreditor approval, and the transaction is anticipated to be completed in 2018. Cogswell Education will assume full ownership of DeVry University, and, while no consideration will be paid to Adtalem at closing, the agreement includes an earn-out for Adtalem, which is based on DeVry University's future performance over a multi-year period. Adtalem has also committed to delivering DeVry with a minimum working capital balance, further supporting DeVry's future success.

17:25 EDT Fluor awarded Ontario Power Generation contract, terms not disclosed - Fluor Corporation announced that it was selected by Ontario Power Generation for the procurement and construction of refurbishment work at OPG's Darlington Nuclear Generating Station in Ontario, Canada. Fluor will book the undisclosed contract value in Q4 of 2017. Fluor's scope will include the replacement of emergency power generators for Units 1 and 2. The replacements are part of site safety and infrastructure projects underway to refurbish the power station. The new emergency power generators will replace the existing units that are approaching the end of their design life.

17:21 EDT On The Fly: After Hours Movers - HIGHER: Adamis Pharmaceuticals (ADMP), up 5% after it submitted an IND application to the FDA for an opioid overdose drug candidate. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: ascena retail (ASNA), down 21.5%... Coupa Software (COUP), down 4.5%. ALSO LOWER: Digital Power (DPW), down 11.5% after it filed to sell 2.3M shares of common stock for holders... Heron Therapeutics (HRTX), down 9.3% after it announced an offering of common stock... Cleveland-Cliffs (CLF), down 5.9% after it announced an offering of $400M of senior secured notes due 2024 and an offering of $275M of convertible senior notes due 2025.

17:14 EDT Ezcorp acquires 21 pawn stores in Mexico, terms not disclosed - EZCORP announced that it has acquired 21 pawn stores located in the Mexican state of Sinaloa and operating under the name "Bazareno." The Bazareno stores make up the largest chain of pawn stores in Culiacan, the capital city of Sinaloa, giving EZCORP the number one position in that market with more than double the store count of its nearest competitor and an important strategic presence in the northwest region of Mexico. This is EZCORP's first acquisition in Mexico in over six years, and it continues the company's expansion momentum in Latin America, where 43% of the company's pawn stores are now located. The company has a total of 894 pawn stores, consisting of 513 in the U.S. and 381 in Latin America, including 269 in Mexico.

17:10 EDT Under Armour names Michael La Guardia as Senior Vice President, Digital Product - Within the new digital product, engineering and media structure, Under Armour announced that Michael La Guardia will join as Senior Vice President, Digital Product. La Guardia will have responsibility for leading the strategy for all digital product development working cross-functionally with executive management, category leadership, marketing, creative/design, development and external partners to manage the successful creation and execution of Under Armour's digital products. He will be based out of Under Armour's San Francisco office and starts on January 8, 2018. La Guardia was most recently the head of product for both Yahoo! Finance and Sports. Prior to Yahoo!, Michael worked with AOL/Netscape in increasing positions of responsibility including Mozilla.org, the Netscape Browser and AIM, among other products.

17:04 EDT Broadridge expands collaboration efforts with Amazon Web Services - Broadridge Financial Solutions (BR) announced that it is increasing its collaboration efforts with Amazon Web Services (AMZN) to accelerate digital innovation across financial services and other industries to drive efficiencies and improve the customer experience. Broadridge is now working on the next generation of data management and archival platforms, to move beyond traditional solutions that primarily store static documents to meet regulatory obligations and facilitate presentment. The new solution will store documents, data and other objects in a repository where organizations can leverage machine learning, artificial intelligence and structured/un-structured querying to turn archives into actionable information.

17:02 EDT Turquoise Hill sees Oyu Tolgoi FY18 gold output 240k-280k oz, copper 125k-150kt - Turquoise Hill Resources announced 2018 production and financial guidance. Oyu Tolgoi is expected to produce 125,000 to 155,000 tonnes of copper and 240,000 to 280,000 ounces of gold in concentrates for 2018. Open-pit operations are expected to mine in Phase 6 in early 2018 and Phase 4 throughout the year. In addition, stockpiled ore will be processed during 2018. The increased gold production relative to the 2016 technical report is due to splitting Phase 4 into two parts and bringing production forward from future years. Operating cash costs for 2018 are expected to be approximately $700 million. The reduction compared to expected 2017 operating cash costs reflects lower concentrator and logistics costs. Capital expenditures for 2018 on a cash-basis are expected to be approximately $150 million for open-pit operations and $1.1 billion to $1.2 billion for underground development.

17:00 EDT Depomed trading resumes

16:43 EDT Collegium Pharmaceutical to license rights to commercialize Nucynta franchise - Collegium Pharmaceutical (COLL) announced that it has entered into a definitive commercialization agreement with Depomed (DEPO) pursuant to which Collegium will have the right to commercialize Nucynta Immediate Release and Nucynta Extended Release tablets in the United States. The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive and to significantly increase product revenue. Transaction Details: The transaction is expected to close in January 2018, following clearance under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act and other customary closing conditions. Collegium will receive an exclusive sublicense to commercialize Nucynta and Nucynta ER in the United States. Upon closing, Collegium will pay an upfront license fee of $10M, as well as a cash payment equal to Depomed's cost of inventory with greater than twelve months dating at the time of close. For the first four years of the Agreement, Collegium will pay a minimum annual license fee of $135M paid quarterly in arrears, plus double-digit royalties on net sales above $233M per year. After four years, Collegium will pay double-digit royalties on all net sales. After twelve months, Collegium may terminate the Agreement with twelve months' notice and payment of a $25M termination fee. The transaction has been approved by Collegium's and Depomed's Board of Directors.

16:36 EDT Ecolab acquires three strategically aligned U.S. pest services businesses - Ecolab has expanded its U.S. Pest Elimination business through the purchase of three strategically aligned U.S. pest services businesses that provide specialized capabilities in food storage. These will broaden Ecolab's pest elimination solutions for the food and beverage industry. The acquired companies are Food Protection Services, which operates in the Pacific Northwest, Great Lakes, Midwest and the Mississippi Delta; Royal Pest Solutions, operating in the Mid-Atlantic region from New Jersey to South Carolina; and Research Fumigation Company, serving customers in the Gulf Coast states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida. Sales for the combined companies were $36M in 2016. The transaction closed December 1. No further details were announced.

16:33 EDT Southwestern Energy names Clayton Carrell as COO - Southwestern Energy (SWN) announced that, effective December 5, 2017, Clayton Carrell will join the company as its Executive Vice President and COO, responsible for the company's operational and technical activities. Carrell joins Southwestern Energy from EP Energy (EPE), where he served as Executive Vice President and COO since 2012.

16:31 EDT Vital Therapies names Russell Cox as new CEO - Vital Therapies. (VTL) announced the appointment of Russell J. Cox as Chief Executive Officer and as a member of its board effective January 3, 2018. Mr. Cox will succeed Terry Winters, Ph.D., who remains CEO of Vital Therapies until January 3, 2018. On January 3, Dr. Winters will step down from the Vital Therapies Board and become a consultant to the Company. Mr. Cox has served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Jazz Pharmaceutical plc (JAZZ) since May 2014, with responsibility for U.S., EU and rest-of-world commercial activities, R&D, manufacturing / technical operations, new product planning and global molecule leadership.

16:25 EDT Depomed trading halted, news pending

16:18 EDT Reed's to partner with Owen-Illinois on glass, to evaluate non-core assets - Reed's, Inc (REED) announced that it has secured multi-year contracts with Owen-Illinois (OI) as its exclusive glass supplier and R.C. Moore as its primary logistics partner for North America. The company also announced the engagement of Gordon Brothers to lead the Company's process of evaluating and maximizing the value of its operational and non-core assets.

16:16 EDT Ascena Retail reports Q1 comparable sales down 5%

16:12 EDT James River Group announces 50c special dividend - Dividend is payable on December 28, 2017 to shareholders of record as of December 15, 2017.

16:09 EDT ICF International awarded $9M cancer surveillance task order from CDC - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion has selected ICF for a re-compete task order to continue its role in maintaining the National Program of Cancer Registries - Cancer Surveillance System, one of the agency's largest disease surveillance systems. The task order, which was awarded in the third quarter, has a value of over $9M and a term of four years including one base and three option years.

16:07 EDT Jazz Pharmaceuticals COO Russell Cox resigns, Daniel Swisher to succeed - Jazz Pharmaceuticals (JAZZ) announced the appointment of Daniel Swisher, Jr. as president and COO, effective January 3, 2018. Swisher will report to Bruce Cozadd, chairman and CEO. Russell Cox, who has served as the company's executive vice president and COO since 2014, has resigned, effective January 3, 2018, to assume the role of CEO and member of the Board of Directors at a biotherapeutic company that is focused on helping patients with acute forms of liver failure. Swisher will join Jazz Pharmaceuticals from Sunesis Pharmaceuticals (SNSS), where he currently serves as president and chief executive officer and as a member of the Board of Directors.

16:06 EDT Inter Parfums, Jimmy Choo extend license agreement through 2031 - Inter Parfums announced that Jimmy Choo and Interparfums SA, our 73% owned Paris based subsidiary, have entered into an amended license agreement extending their partnership through December 31, 2031. Jean Madar, chairman and CEO of Inter Parfums, Inc. added: "This new long-term partnership between Jimmy Choo and Interparfums represents an opportunity to develop the beauty business for the Jimmy Choo brand. Growing a beauty business that emulates the Jimmy Choo DNA will require additional investments in product development over the long-term. We look forward to collaborating with Jimmy Choo to design perfume and cosmetic products that resonate with customers globally."

16:04 EDT D.E. Shaw reports 5.1% passive stake in Babcock & Wilcox

16:03 EDT Columbia Sportswear names Melissa Dugan CAO - Columbia Sportswear announced the following management appointment. Melissa Dugan, an industry veteran with 27 years of experience, has been appointed VP, CAO, reporting to Jim Swanson, senior VP, CFO.

16:00 EDT Empery Asset Management reports 9.93% passive stake in Myomo

15:35 EDT Monster Digital reports dismissal by plaintiff in putative class action - Monster Digital announced the voluntary dismissal by the plaintiff in connection with the previously disclosed putative class action complaint filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California against the Company and certain employees. David Clarke, Chairman and CEO noted, "We are thrilled with the successful outcome of this complaint and removing another potential obstacle to the proposed merger with Innovate."

15:12 EDT BML Investment Partners reports 5.1% passive stake in ZAIS Group Holdings

14:10 EDT Discovery increases ownership stake in Oprah Winfrey Network - Discovery Communications has purchased an additional 24.5% stake in the companies' joint venture with Harpo, Inc., OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, for $70M. Oprah Winfrey's Harpo will still hold a 25.5% stake in OWN, which had previously been a 50/50 joint venture. Winfrey will continue as chief executive of the network and has extended her contractual relationship with the network through 2025.

13:33 EDT Robert Way reports 7.3% passive stake in JRjr33

12:41 EDT Netflix says 'strongly supports' net neutrality - Says potential net neutrality repeal "not really a business problem." Says repealing net neutrality would stifle innovation.

12:29 EDT Netflix says not focused on getting service to China soon - Says not focused on getting Netflix to China soon. Says operating environment in China "pretty lousy." Says licensing content to Chinese video services.

12:19 EDT Netflix says 'House of Cards' to end with eight episode season

12:07 EDT Netflix CCO says expanding investment in animated features - Says developing two animated films, could make four or five per year. Says expanding investment in animated features. Says making 60 original kids series in house. Comments taken from UBS Annual Global Media and Communications Conference.

11:54 EDT Sabby reports 5.54% passive stake in Myomo - Sabby Management disclosed a 5.54% stake in Myomo, which represents 580,000 shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

11:43 EDT CBS: Hottest brand competition right now is Google Home. vs Amazon Echo - Facebook (FB) and Google (GOOG, GOOGL) have over 1M advertisers, "we depend on 200 companies," said CBS CRO David Poltrack. When Google and Facebook advertisers get bigger, they will move to TV, he said. Poltrack said the hottest battle of the brands is currently Google Home vs. Amazon Echo (AMZN), and "Apple (AAPL) is on the way making a third entrance," he added, noting that the battlefield is network television. He said Facebook, Amazon, Google, Apple and Netflix (NFLX) will spend over $1B in TV advertising in 2017, a 23% increase from 2016.

11:33 EDT CBS CRO Poltrack: Advertising dollars to be up 23.6% in 2017 - CBS CRO David Poltrack says advertising dollars as a percentage of marketing dollars will be up 23.6% this year.

11:24 EDT Facebook CEO Zuckerberg says going on parental leave for December - Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg commented in a social media post, "I'm going on parental leave for December to be with August and Max, so you'll hear from me a little less. We have a couple more Facebook and philanthropy announcements this year and then I'll see you all in 2018!" Reference Link

11:17 EDT CBS CRO Poltrack: CBS All Access 'exceeding expectations' in early stages - CBS Chief Research Officer David Poltrack said at the UBS Global Media and Communications Conference that he believes television is entering a new golden era, adding that the CBS business is "dynamic" and "vital." Poltrack, who noted a "major transformation" in television business, said CBS All Access has already exceeded expectations in its early stages. The executive noted that CBS is becoming less and less dependent on advertising.

10:48 EDT Trump Effect: Supernus, cruise operators, restaurants seen as tax vote winners - Following a marathon voting session this weekend, the Senate narrowly passed the Republican's tax reform legislation. Following the news, Janney Capital analyst Ken Trbovich upgraded Supernus (SUPN) to Buy calling it the best positioned among the companies he covers to be an immediate beneficiary of lower U.S. corporate tax rates. Some of his peers also commented on the potential impact of the bill, with Stifel analyst Steven Wieczynski seeing cruise stocks benefiting from an overhang being removed and Baird analyst David Tarantino arguing that potential tax cuts should bode well for restaurants. TAX REFORM: On Saturday morning, following a marathon voting session overnight, the Senate narrowly passed the Republican's tax reform legislation, with no democratic support. According to CBS News, the bill was approved just before 2 a.m. in a 51-49 vote. The vote had been scheduled for Thursday, but Senate Republicans delayed it after hitting a deficit obstacle as GOP leaders worked on revising the bill. It will now head to conference, where House and Senate negotiators will work out the differences in their bills. SUPERNUS SEEN AS A WINNER: In a research note to investors this morning, Janney Capital's Trbovich upgraded Supernus to Buy from Neutral, calling it the best positioned among the companies he covers to be an immediate beneficiary of lower U.S. corporate tax rates, which now appear highly likely for 2018 following the passage of tax bills in both the Senate and House. The analyst acknowledged that while the tax reform legislation calls for the corporate tax rate to be cut from 35% to 20%, the rate may come up somewhat during the reconciliation between House and Senate versions of the bill. Nonetheless, Trbovich noted that a reduction in federal corporate taxes would provide a significant boost to the earnings outlook for Supernus. Reducing the Federal corporate tax rate from 35% to 22% would boost his 2018 EPS estimate for Supernus to $1.72 from $1.48 per share, he noted. CRUISE STOCKS TO PERFORM WELL: Noting that the Senate's final tax bill had no specific cruise language in it, Stifel's Wieczynski said he expects cruise operators' stocks to perform well today with this overhang now removed. The analyst reiterated Buy ratings on Carnival (CCL), Royal Caribbean (RCL) and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH). TAX CUTS BODE WELL FOR RESTAURANTS: Meanwhile, Baird analyst David Tarantino told investors in a research note of his own that with Congress making progress toward passing a tax package that would reduce rates for corporations and individuals, most restaurant chains should benefit from the reform. As such, the analyst argued that he sees potential for investor sentiment toward the group to become more positive if tax cuts are enacted, creating a good setup for many stocks heading into 2018. Jack in the Box (JACK), El Pollo Loco (LOCO), Wingstop (WING), Dunkin' Brands (DNKN), McDonald's (MCD), Yum! Brands (YUM), Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD), and Texas Roadhouse (TXRH) seem best positioned to show meaningful step-up in comps following tax cuts, he contended. WATERS MAY ALSO BENEFIT: This morning, Morgan Stanley analyst Steve Beuchaw upgraded Waters (WAT) to Equal Weight from Underweight after the firm's October lab survey indicated that Waters' implied market share loss in Pharma labs has moderated. The analyst also has updated his tax analysis to reflect the proposed elements of the House and Senate tax bills, noting that over 95% of the company's cash is held overseas and its "repatriation opportunity can no longer be overlooked." PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of Supernus Pharmaceuticals have gained about 1.5%. Meanwhile, Carnival is up 2.5%, Royal Caribbean has advanced about 2%, and Norwegian Cruise has gained over 3%. Also higher are a number of the restaurant stocks highlighted by Baird. "Trump Effect" is The Fly's recurring series of exclusive stories that highlight stocks that are being impacted, or are predicted to be impacted, by the comments, actions and policies of President Trump and his administration.

09:58 EDT Scientific Games: Lotterie Nazionali JV accepts nine-year contract extension - Scientific Games announced that Lotterie Nazionali S.r.l., a joint venture, the exclusive manager of Gratta e Vinci, the Italian Scratch and Win concession owned by Scientific Games, IGT subsidiary Lottomatica Holding, and Arianna 2001, has accepted a nine-year contract extension for the Italian Scratch and Win concession. The acceptance follows a communication received from the Italian regulator Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli regarding the extension of the Italian Scratch & Win concession through September 30, 2028, in application of the Law Decree n. 148/2017 recently converted into law. Lotterie Nazionali S.r.l. is required to pay an upfront fee of EUR800M in three installments. The first installment of EUR50M will be paid by December 15, 2017; payments of the second installment of EUR300M and third installment of EUR450M are expected to be made in April 2018 and October 2018, respectively. The payments are expected to be funded by the joint venture partners and pro-rated based on their respective ownership percentage. All other conditions will be the same as the original concession. Scientific Games owns a 20% interest in Lotterie Nazionali S.r.l., the world's largest instant ticket lottery, and continues to serve as the primary instant game provider for the term of the extension.

09:26 EDT La Jolla initiates pivotal clinical study of LJPC-401 - La Jolla Pharmaceutical announced the initiation of a pivotal clinical study of LJPC-401 in patients with transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia who, despite chelation therapy, have cardiac iron levels above normal. A high level of cardiac iron puts patients at risk of cardiac complications such as heart failure and sudden death. The primary efficacy endpoint of this study is the change in iron content in the heart after 6 months, as measured by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI. La Jolla had previously announced that it had reached agreement with the European Medicines Agency on the design of this registration study of LJPC-401.

09:23 EDT On The Fly: Pre-market Movers - HIGHER: Aetna (AET), up 2.5% following the announcement that it will be acquired by CVS (CVS)... Digital Ally (DGLY), up 8.3% after the United States Patent Office rejected the request of Enforcement Video to institute an inter partes review on U.S. Patent No. 9,325,950... Costco (COST), up 1% after being initiated with a Buy at MoffettNathanson... Glu Mobile (GLUU), up 4.7% after announcing that Tesla's (TSLA) Chief People Officer Gabrielle Toledano joined the company's board... Broadcom (AVGO), up 1.2% after announcing it will nominate 11 directors to Qualcomm's (QCOM) board. Qualcomm is up fractionally. LOWER: CVS Health is down 2.3% following the Aetna acquisition announcement... Nokia (NOK), down 3.6% after being downgraded to Underperform from Neutral at Exane BNP Paribas... GW Pharmaceuticals (GWPH), down marginally after reporting quarterly results.

09:17 EDT Kroger's QFC division launches home delivery service powered by Instacart - QFC, a division of The Kroger Co., announced it is offering home delivery at a majority of its stores in both Puget Sound and Portland, through a partnership with Instacart, a nationally-recognized on-demand retail delivery service. The partnership supports two key drivers of the company's Restock Kroger Plan: Expand Partnerships to Create Customer Value and Redefine the Food and Grocery Customer Experience. QFC delivery powered by Instacart will be offered in addition to its ClickList store locations that offer online ordering for curbside pickup.

09:16 EDT Correct: CVS: Aetna deal has 'no bearing' on Anthem partnership

09:11 EDT CVS says may repurpose store space to expand retail clinics

09:08 EDT AudioCodes selected by Thailand's True Corporation for all-IP transformation - AudioCodes announced that its products have been selected by True Corporation, one of Thailand's largest telecom operators. True will be deploying AudioCodes' session border controllers and media gateways to facilitate the planned migration of its fixed-line business customers to a state-of-the-art VoIP infrastructure over the next two years.

09:06 EDT Orange Business Services surpasses 200K user subscriptions for Cisco Spark - Orange Business Services (ORAN) said it has registered more than 200,000 user subscriptions for Cisco Spark (CSCO) and hundreds of the popular Spark Boards for more than 20 multinational enterprise customers.

09:04 EDT L3 Technologies selected by United Launch Alliance to design avionics systems - L3 Technologies announced that it has entered into an agreement with United Launch Alliance to become the exclusive provider of avionics and related services for its new Vulcan Centaur rocket system, delivering an estimated $1B-plus in mission-critical systems and services, over a 10-year period. Under the agreement, ULA and L3 will integrate the companies' design and manufacturing processes to provide ULA with low-cost, custom solutions, enhancing ULA's launch services. Work on this project will be performed by L3's Space & Sensors sector, which is part of the company's Sensor Systems business segment.

09:03 EDT CVS CEO: Big opportunity in deal lies in Medicare, Medicaid

09:01 EDT Delta Air Lines reports November traffic up 3.5% - Reports November capacity up 2.9%; load factor up 0.4 points.

08:58 EDT Atento to provide sales services to Sanitas - Atento will provide sales services to Sanitas, a leading company in healthcare and wellbeing services in Spain, strengthening the company dental insurance sales strategy. Specifically, Atento will implement Sanitas' new marketing campaign for its dental insurance programs and to raise awareness about the importance of good oral health. Adding Sanitas to its customer base constitutes a new commercial milestone for Atento in Spain. It also reinforces its position as a leading CRM/BPO service provider for companies in the healthcare and insurance sector, a key vertical for Atento's growth strategy.

08:55 EDT CVS says will suspend share repurchase program, forgo large-scale M&A

08:52 EDT Consolidated Tomoka demands withdrawal of Wintergreen's board nominations - Consolidated-Tomoka Land responded to both a notice of intent to nominate three candidates for election to CTO's board of directors, dated November 24, 2017, and a shareholder proposal dated November 13 received from Wintergreen Partners Fund, LP and Wintergreen Advisers, LLC, the advisor to the Wintergreen Fund. "The Board believes that the Nomination Notice and Wintergreen Proposal are calculated efforts by Wintergreen to deal with the Fund's own apparent problems and are not in the best interests of all of CTO's shareholders. We also firmly believe that it is in the best interests of all CTO shareholders to allow the Company to continue executing its business plan without the unwarranted distraction and cost of a second strategic review process since mid-2016, or another protracted and costly proxy fight. We want to remind you that, as principals and directors of the Fund, you are bound by your fiduciary duties to your own investors. Consistent with these duties, we trust that you will carefully consider the contents of this letter and promptly withdraw the Nomination Notice and Wintergreen Proposal... Please know, as well, that as a Board we have a duty to safeguard the best interests of all CTO shareholders. We therefore remain prepared to take all available steps to protect our shareholders' interests, including defending against any harm caused by Wintergreen's repetitive activist campaigns and baseless attacks on the directors and senior management of the Company. The Board remains open, at all times, to discuss ways in which CTO can assist the Fund with its issues, including by having the Company repurchase, at an appropriate price, all or a significant portion of the CTO shares held by the Fund and the other investment vehicles managed by Wintergreen Advisers."

08:49 EDT CVS CEO says company, Aetna to build 'entire new health care concept' - CVS (CVS) CEO Larry Merlo said the current healthcare system is "failing too many people," adding that a paradigm shift is needed. He said that the Aetna (AET) deal makes sense strategically and financially and that "together, we plan to build an entire new health care concept." CVS is down 1.4% in pre-market trading, while Aetna is up about 3%.

08:48 EDT Moody's places CVS' rating on review for downgrade pending Aetna acquisition - Moody's Investors Service placed the long term ratings of CVS Health (CVS) on review for downgrade and affirmed its P-2 short term commercial paper rating. The review for downgrade is prompted by CVS's and Aetna's (AET) announcement that CVS would be acquiring Aetna for $207 per share in a transaction valued at about $69B. Moody's estimates that this represents about an 11x EBITDA multiple and about a 14% premium over Aetna's closing share price on December 1, 2017. Moody's anticipates that the review could extend longer than 90 days given the size and the complexity of the transaction and the regulatory approval process, and anticipates that any downgrade to CVS' senior unsecured rating would likely be limited to one notch at the conclusion of the review. The transaction is expected to close during the second half of calendar 2018. "The combination of CVS and Aetna will create a one of a kind vertically integrated healthcare company with huge scale and mark an industry shift towards a more seamless approach to managing healthcare costs as it brings together the overall management of a patient's medical bills and prescription drugs under one umbrella", Moody's Vice President Mickey Chadha stated. "However, the transaction will result in significant weakening of CVS' credit metrics as it will be financed with a large amount of debt and will come with high execution and integration risks," Chadha further stated.

08:46 EDT Big Lots CEO David Campisi, to take temporary medical leave

08:43 EDT CVS Health announces cancellation of annual analyst day set for Dec. 12 - On its conference call discussing the proposed acquisition of Aetna (AET), CVS (CVS) also announced the cancellation of Aetna's investor day, which was scheduled for December 14.

08:41 EDT CVS Health says to issue 2018 guidance during Q4 call in February

08:39 EDT Mustang Bio announces license agreement with Harvard University - Mustang Bio (MBIO), a Fortress Biotech (FBIO) company, announced that it has entered into a license agreement with Harvard University and a research collaboration agreement with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, or BIDMC, for the development of CRISPR/Cas9-enhanced CAR T therapies for the treatment of cancer. Under the licensing agreement with Harvard's Office of Technology Development, technologies related to the development of off-the-shelf CAR T, as well as CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing platforms, will be utilized in conjunction with Mustang's CAR T cell therapies for the development of treatments for hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. The Harvard technologies were developed in the lab of Chad Cowan, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology and a Principal Investigator at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute. Under a separate collaboration agreement, Dr. Cowan will lead preclinical research programs at BIDMC, where he is an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine.

08:37 EDT Therapix Biosciences completes enrollment of Phase IIa study of THX-110 - Therapix Biosciences announces the completion of enrollment in its investigator-initiated Phase IIa study at Yale University evaluating its investigational compound THX-110, a therapeutic compound consisting of FDA-approved dronabinol for Tourette syndrome. Sixteen patients have been enrolled in the study. Top-line results are currently anticipated in the first half of 2018.

08:34 EDT Alexandria Real Estate raises quarterly dividend to 90c from 86c per share - Alexandria Real Estate announced that its Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of 90c per common share for the fourth quarter. The dividend is payable on January 15, 2018, to shareholders of record on December 29, 2017. The common stock dividend for the fourth quarter of of 90c per common share represents an increase of 4c, or 5%, over the third quarter.

08:32 EDT CTI Industries CEO John Schwan retires, Stephen Merrick to succeed - The Board of Directors of CTI Industries is pleased to announce the following changes to the management structure effective December 1, 2017. John Schwan has retired as the CEO and, while remaining Chairman of the Board, will be CTI's first non-management chairman. Stephen Merrick has vacated the presidency of CTI Industries and has been appointed to the position of CEO. Jeffrey Hyland has been named to replace Merrick as President and the Board of Directors has acted to appoint Hyland to the Board of Directors to fill a vacancy on the Board.

08:17 EDT Facebook introduces Messenger Kids app for families to connect - Loren Cheng, Product Management Director at Facebook, said in a blog post, "Today, in the United States, we're rolling out a preview of Messenger Kids, a new app that makes it easier for kids to safely video chat and message with family and friends when they can't be together in person. After talking to thousands of parents, associations like National PTA, and parenting experts in the US, we found that there's a need for a messaging app that lets kids connect with people they love but also has the level of control parents want. To give kids and parents a fun, safer solution, we built Messenger Kids, a standalone app that lives on kids' tablets or smartphones but can be controlled from a parent's Facebook account. Whether it's using video chat to talk to grandparents, staying in touch with cousins who live far away, or sending mom a decorated photo while she's working late to say hi, Messenger Kids opens up a new world of online communication to families. This preview is available on the App Store for iPad, iPod touch, and iPhone... Messenger Kids is full of features for kids to connect with the people they love. Once their account is set up by a parent, kids can start a one-on-one or group video chat with parent-approved contacts. The home screen shows them at a glance who they are approved to talk to, and when those contacts are online. There are no ads in Messenger Kids and your child's information isn't used for ads. It is free to download and there are no in-app purchases. Messenger Kids is also designed to be compliant with the Children's Online Privacy and Protection Act." Reference Link

08:07 EDT Ironwood reports Phase IIa data for IW-1973 demonstrating positive effects - Ironwood Pharmaceuticals announced encouraging top-line results from two Phase IIa studies of IW-1973, Ironwood's lead investigational soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator, in patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Consistent with pre-clinical observations, in both studies treatment with IW-1973 led to blood pressure reductions and improvements in metabolic parameters, including reductions in fasting plasma glucose and cholesterol levels, in patients who were taking a stable regimen of therapies to manage their disease. Elevated levels of plasma cGMP provided clear evidence of target engagement. These studies confirm a pharmacokinetic profile of IW-1973 supporting once-daily dosing and suggest broad distribution to tissues, offering the potential for extra-vascular pharmacology. IW-1973 was generally well-tolerated. Ironwood is currently developing IW-1973 for the treatment of diabetic nephropathy and for the treatment of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. The company recently initiated two new Phase II dose-ranging clinical trials with IW-1973 in these indications. The two Phase IIa exploratory studies were designed to evaluate the safety and tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of IW-1973 in diabetic patients with hypertension on a stable regimen of medicines to manage their disease. The studies were not designed or powered explicitly to assess efficacy, but the data yielded clear and consistent trends indicating a positive effect of IW-1973 on blood pressure, metabolic parameters and endothelial function biomarkers. At day 14, patients treated with IW-1973 showed a mean decrease in mean arterial blood pressure of 6.3 mmHg from baseline compared to a decrease of 1.6 mmHg from baseline in patients treated with placebo, as measured by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, which was a 4.7% greater reduction in patients treated with IW-1973 compared to placebo-treated patients.

08:06 EDT Exactech, TPG Capital increase merger consideration to $49.25 per share - Exactech has entered into an amendment to its merger agreement with TPG Capital and certain of its affiliates which was previously announced on October 23, 2017. Pursuant to the amended merger agreement, the company's common stock outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the merger will be converted into the right to receive $49.25 per share in cash. This represents an increase of approximately 17.3% over the $42.00 of per share merger consideration previously agreed to by Exactech and TPG Capital. TPG Capital has also increased its equity financing commitment to $737M for purposes of consummating the merger. Pursuant to a rollover and voting support agreement entered into at the time of the amended merger agreement, the company's founders, CEO and certain other management shareholders have agreed with TPG to exchange a portion of their shares in the transaction, representing approximately 18.8% of the company's outstanding common stock, for new equity securities in the post-closing ownership of the company at a valuation equal to or less than $49.25 per share. Such founding and management shareholders have previously agreed to vote all of their shares for the approval of the amended merger agreement. Exactech's Board has approved the amended merger agreement with TPG and has determined that it is advisable, fair to and in the best interests of Exactech and its shareholders. Exactech's Board hereby recommends to Exactech's shareholders that they vote to approve the merger agreement and the merger with TPG. TPG has arranged fully committed equity financing for the transaction and there is no financing condition to consummation of the merger with the Company. Early termination of the statutory waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act was obtained on November 17, 2017 and, accordingly, there are no anti-competition or other regulatory approvals needed to consummate the merger with TPG Capital's affiliate. The merger is expected to close during the first quarter of 2018, subject to customary closing conditions.

08:04 EDT RAIT Financial reports expected $25M gain in Q4 from divestiture completion - RAIT Financial Trust announced that the previously disclosed process to divest RAIT of a ten property industrial portfolio has been completed. This process began in the first quarter of 2017 and was completed in November, 2017 when the last of the two remaining industrial properties in the Portfolio were divested. As previously disclosed, RAIT recognized non-cash losses in prior periods as properties in the Portfolio were divested and their respective net carrying amounts exceeded the related non-recourse debt that was satisfied in connection with the sale of the applicable property. RAIT expected these losses would be offset by a non-cash gain in a future period when this process was completed and, as a result of the completion of this process, RAIT expects to recognize a non-cash gain of approximately $25M during the fourth quarter of 2017.

08:03 EDT IPG Photonics acquires Laser Depth Dynamics, terms not disclosed - IPG Photonics announced that it has acquired Laser Depth Dynamics, LDD, an innovative provider of in-process quality monitoring and control solutions for laser-based welding applications. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

08:02 EDT PROS appoints Celia Fleischaker as Chief Marketing Officer - PROS announced the appointment of Celia T. Fleischaker as Chief Marketing Officer. She reports directly to President and CEO Andres Reiner. She most recently served as Chief Marketing Officer and EVP for Epicor Software Corporation.

08:01 EDT ClearSign Combustion receives purchase order from refiner - ClearSign Combustion announced receipt of a purchase order from an Eastern Mediterranean/Middle East Refinery for six Duplex Plug and Play burners for multiple refinery process heaters. The terms of the sale were not disclosed. This Eastern Mediterranean/Middle East refinery is the among the largest in the region with a reported capacity of just under 200,000 barrels per day. The customer is a leading refinery in the Eastern Mediterranean/Middle East region and are part of a large integrated refining and petrochemicals complex.

08:00 EDT Callidus Software acquires Learning Seat for $26.4M in cash - Callidus Software announced that it has acquired Learning Seat, a cutting edge provider of adaptive training and compliance learning content. The acquisition enhances CallidusCloud Litmos Learning Platform by adding nearly 500 courses. The combination of Litmos and Learning Seat allows organizations to provide automated personalized training tailored to an individual's knowledge base. Under the terms of the transaction, CallidusCloud will purchase Learning Seat Holdings Pty Ltd, based in Melbourne, Australia, for $26.4M in cash.

07:47 EDT Avino Silver & Gold Mines approved to list shares, warrants on TSX - Avino Silver & Gold Mines is pleased to announce it has received conditional approval from the Toronto Stock Exchange to graduate from the TSX Venture Exchange and list its common shares and its warrants on the TSX. Each whole Warrant is exercisable to purchase one additional Share at an exercise price of $2.00, subject to adjustment, until November 28, 2019. Final approval of the listing on the TSX is subject to the Company meeting certain standard requirements of the TSX on or before February 27, 2018. The Company expects that it will be able to satisfy all requirements and will make a further announcement once the TSX issues a bulletin confirming the date on which trading on the TSX will commence. Upon completion of the final listing requirements, the Company's Shares and Warrants will be delisted from the TSX Venture Exchange and the Shares and Warrants will commence trading on the TSX.

07:41 EDT FTI Consulting announces increased authorization for stock repurchase program - FTI Consulting announced that on December 1, its board authorized an additional $100M to repurchase shares of FTI Consulting's outstanding common stock pursuant to its stock repurchase program, for an aggregate authorization of $300M. As of November 30, FTI Consulting has repurchased 5,126,618 shares of its outstanding common stock at an average price per share of $36.39 for an aggregate cost of approximately $186.6M.

07:35 EDT GNC: Potential refinancing terms 'not in the company's best interests'

07:34 EDT GNC Holdings withdraws proposed offering of senior notes

07:34 EDT CME Group says November ADV reached 18M contracts - CME Group announced that November 2017 average daily volume reached 18M contracts, down 14% from the record November 2016 average daily volume, but up 21% compared with October 2017 and representing the second highest monthly average daily volume to date in 2017. CME Group November 2017 options volume averaged 3.5M contracts per day, down 18% versus November 2016, with electronic options averaging 2.2M contracts per day, down 6% from the same period last year. Open interest at the end of November was 123M contracts, up 9% from the end of November 2016.

07:32 EDT Mylan, Aspen announces U.S. launch of generic Busulfex Injection - Mylan and its partner, Aspen, announced the U.S. launch of Myleran Injection, 60 mg/10 mL (6 mg/mL) Single-dose Vial, a generic version of Otsuka Pharmaceutical's Busulfex Injection. Aspen received final approval from the U.S.FDA for its Abbreviated New Drug Application for this product, which is indicated for use in combination with cyclophosphamide as a conditioning regimen prior to allogeneic hematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation for chronic myelogenous leukemia. As part of its partnership with Aspen, Mylan will commercialize Busulfan Injection, 60 mg/10 mL (6 mg/mL) Single-dose Vial in the U.S. Mylan has one of the largest injectable portfolios in the industry and is also one of the largest suppliers of cancer medicines by volume in the U.S. U.S. sales for Busulfan Injection, 60 mg/10 mL (6 mg/mL) Single-dose Vial were approximately $97M for the 12 months ending Sept. 30, 2017, according to IQVIA.

07:23 EDT Advanced Emissions announces $10M stock repurchase program - Advanced Emissions Solutions announced that its board has approved the repurchase of up to $10M of the company's common stock in the open market. The repurchases will be funded from cash on-hand.

07:12 EDT Digital Ally says USPTO rejects IPR in litigation against Enforcement Video - Digital Ally (DGLY) announced that the United States Patent Office has rejected the request of Enforcement Video to institute an inter partes review, or IPR, on U.S. Patent No. 9,325,950. The '950 Patent is asserted against WatchGuard in a patent infringement lawsuit pending in the U.S. District Court in Kansas. The lawsuit also involves U.S. Patent Nos. 8,781,292 and 9,253,452, the same two patents asserted against Axon Enterprise (AAXN). Digital's lawsuit against WatchGuard claims infringement of these three patents by WatchGuard's VISTA WiFi body camera and its 4RE Digital HD Panoramic In-Car System. Digital is seeking both damages and an injunction preventing the sale of these products.

07:07 EDT Cision, International Luxury Hotel Association renew partnership - International Luxury Hotel Association and Cision have renewed their partnership to distribute content across each other's respective networks. Cision's PR Newswire distribution service will continue to deliver real-time travel news content to the International Luxury Hotel Association's website and the ILHA will share important luxury hotel industry news via Cision's content distribution network.

07:06 EDT LHC Group, Erlanger Health system finalize JV agreement - LHC Group and Erlanger Health System announced finalization of a new joint venture to enhance home health and community-based services in Chattanooga and southeast Tennessee. The joint venture includes a Chattanooga facility providing both skilled home health care and non-skilled community-based services, further expanding LHC Group's joint venture presence and services footprint in the state of Tennessee. LHC Group is purchasing majority ownership of the facility in Chattanooga and assuming management responsibility. The facility will operate under the name Erlanger ContinuCare Home Health. LHC Group expects annualized revenue from this joint venture of approximately $7M and that it will not materially affect its 2017 diluted earnings per share.

07:04 EDT Seres Therapeutics announces FDA orphan drug designation for SER-287 - Seres Therapeutics announced that the U.S. FDA has granted Orphan Drug Designation to microbiome therapeutic candidate SER-287 for the treatment of Ulcerative Colitis in pediatric patients. The FDA's designation of SER-287 follows a review of data which established a medically plausible basis for the use of SER-287 - specifically, the Phase 1b clinical data that highlights the potential of SER-287 as a novel treatment modality for patients suffering from UC. Seres successfully completed a placebo-controlled Phase 1b study of SER-287 in patients with mild-to-moderate UC who were failing current therapies. SER-287 administration resulted in a dose-dependent improvement of both clinical remission rates and endoscopic scores, and demonstrated a very favorable safety profile. The Phase 1b results demonstrate the potential for SER-287 to provide an effective and safer alternative treatment modality for patients suffering from UC. SER-287 Phase 1b microbiome data are expected in early 2018.

07:03 EDT BioLineRx announces 'positive' survival data from Phase 2a trial of BL-8040 - BioLineRx positive overall survival data from the long-term follow-up part of the Phase 2a trial of BL-8040 for the treatment of relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia. The results demonstrate that the combination of BL-8040 with high-dose Ara-C in this difficult-to-treat patient population significantly improved overall survival, compared with historical data of HiDAC monotherapy. The long-term survival results from the Phase 2a study derive from the expansion phase of the study, which included 16 patients (out of 42 total patients enrolled in the study). Participants were treated with BL-8040 as a monotherapy for two days, followed by a combination of BL-8040 and HiDAC for 5 days. The mean follow-up time was 338 days (29-853 days). BL-8040 in combination with HiDAC was found to be safe and well tolerated, and the response rate was 38% (6/16). Median overall survival was 11.1 (1-28) months, the estimated one-year survival rate was 37.5% and the estimated two-year survival rate was 28.5%, compared to historical data for patients treated only with HiDAC showing overall survival of approximately 6.1 months. Furthermore, the subset of patients exhibiting a response showed prolonged overall survival, with estimated one-year and two-year survival rates of 60%. Median overall survival for this group could not be calculated, since only two of these patients have relapsed.

07:02 EDT CBIZ acquires McKay & Carnahan - CBIZ announced that it has acquired the non-attest business of McKay & Carnahan of Newport Beach, CA, effective December 1, 2017. Concurrent with the transaction, Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C. announced the acquisition of the attest business of McKay. CBIZ and Mayer Hoffman McCann P.C. operate an alternative practice structure. The two companies are separate and independent legal entities that work together to serve clients' business needs. Founded in 1981, McKay provides primarily professional tax compliance and consulting services to small and medium sized clients in and around Orange County. McKay has 14 associates, recorded approximately $2.5M in revenue over the past year and will be integrated into the existing CBIZ Irvine office.

06:58 EDT Bayer, Loxo: updated larotrectinib pediatric data shows response in TRK cancers - Bayer (BAYRY) and Loxo Oncology (LOXO) announced updated clinical data from the larotrectinib pediatric Phase I SCOUT trial. These data are being presented today at the American Association for Cancer Research, or AACR, Special Conference on Pediatric Cancer Research in Atlanta. Bayer and Loxo Oncology are jointly developing larotrectinib, an investigational compound being studied for the treatment of patients with cancers harboring tropomyosin receptor kinase, or TRK, gene fusions, which are genetic alterations present across a wide range of tumors resulting in uncontrolled TRK signaling and tumor growth.

06:57 EDT Endeavour Silver discovers high grade silver-gold mineralization in Mexico - Endeavour Silver announces that exploration drilling on the Calicanto property in Zacatecas State, Mexico has discovered high grade silver-gold mineralization assaying up to 2,043 grams per tonne silver and 13.2 gpt gold over 2.8 m true width within the Calicanto and Misie vein systems. Twenty-nine drill holes totaling 7,207 metres of core were drilled to test the subparallel Misie-Karla-Karla HW veins, along which there are a few small historic diggings over a 1000 m strike length on the property, and the Calicanto vein, which saw historic underground mining accessed by several old shafts over an 800 m strike length on the property. Drilling highlights include 2,043 gpt silver and 13.2 gpt gold (2,967 gpt silver equivalent over a 2.8 m true width (86.5 oz per ton AgEq over 9.2 feet in hole CLT-15 within the Calicanto vein. Another high grade intercept assayed 932 gpt silver and 1.26 gpt gold (1,020 gpt AgEq) over a 2.7 m true width (29.7 opT AgEq over 8.9 ft) in hole CLT-20 within the Misie vein.

06:49 EDT Green Plains, Jefferson Energy JV loads first vessel - Green Plains (GPRE) and Jefferson Energy Companies, a subsidiary of Fortress Transportation and Infrastructure Investors (FTAI), announced that their joint venture, JGP Energy Partners, loaded its first vessel with nearly 3M gallons of ethanol destined for Brazil. The joint venture is currently loading its second shipment of 10less than gallons of ethanol on a vessel bound for India. The joint venture leveraged the existing infrastructure at Jefferson's Beaumont, Texas terminal and completed construction under budget in less than 12 months. Green Plains plans to offer its interest in the joint venture to its master limited partnership, Green Plains Partners LP (GPP), during the first half of 2018.

06:35 EDT Quarterhill appoints Douglas Parker as CEO - Quarterhill (QTRH) announced the appointment of Douglas Parker as President and CEO, effective January 1, 2018. Parker is expected to join Quarterhill's board later in 2018. Parker will operate out of Quarterhill's Toronto office. Prior to Quarterhill, Parker was Senior Vice President, Corporate Development of Open Text (OTEX).

06:32 EDT LSC Communications awarded multi-year print agreement with Bauer Media Group - LSC Communications has signed a multi-year agreement with Bauer Media Group, the number one seller of magazines at retail in the country. Beginning in January 2018, LSC will print 17 of Bauer's popular print titles including Woman's World, First for Women, In Touch Weekly, Life & Style Weekly, Closer Weekly and J-14, among others.

06:29 EDT Australia confirms probe of Facebook, Google over media disruption - Australia's Federal Government has formally directed the ACCC to commence an inquiry into digital platform providers such as Facebook (FB) and Google (GOOG, GOOGL). The ACCC's inquiry will look at the effect that digital search engines, social media platforms and other digital content aggregation platforms are having on competition in media and advertising services markets. "The ACCC goes into this inquiry with an open mind to and will study how digital platforms such as Facebook and Google operate to fully understand their influence in Australia," ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said. "We will examine whether platforms are exercising market power in commercial dealings to the detriment of consumers, media content creators and advertisers." The ACCC is expected to produce a preliminary report early December 2018, with a final report due early June 2019.

06:16 EDT Hartford Financial to sell Talcott Resolution to investors for $2.05B

06:06 EDT Brian Ross suspended at ABC News over incorrect report - ABC News said in a statement on Saturday, "We deeply regret and apologize for the serious error we made yesterday. The reporting conveyed by Brian Ross during the special report had not been fully vetted through our editorial standards process. As a result of our continued reporting over the next several hours ultimately we determined the information was wrong and we corrected the mistake on air and online. It is vital we get the story right and retain the trust we have built with our audience -- these are our core principles. We fell far short of that yesterday. Effective immediately, Brian Ross will be suspended for four weeks without pay. This is the correction that was issued Friday: During a live Special Report, ABC News reported that a confidant of Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn said Flynn was prepared to testify that then-candidate Donald Trump instructed him to contact Russian officials during the campaign. That source later clarified that during the campaign, Trump assigned Flynn and a small circle of other senior advisers to find ways to repair relations with Russia and other hot spots. It was shortly after the election, that President-elect Trump directed Flynn to contact Russian officials on topics that included working jointly against ISIS." Reference Link

06:05 EDT Kennedy Wilson: Indeed commits to Capital Dock campus development - Kennedy Wilson in a joint venture with Fairfax Financial Holdings Limited and the National Asset Management Agency announces that Indeed, the world's #1 jobs site, is to become the second major occupier to commit to the highly-sought after Capital Dock campus development. This follows a forward funding sale agreement on the 130,000 sq ft 200 Capital Dock building to J.P. Morgan in May 2017. Indeed has signed an Agreement for Lease to occupy the entirety of Buildings 100 and 300 Capital Dock, extending to over 216,000 sq ft of prime office accommodation. On completion, Indeed will enter 20-year leases with lease breaks at year 13, occupying the buildings on a phased basis.

06:02 EDT National Health Investors acquires The Country Club of Woodland Hills - National Health Investors announced that it has acquired The Country Club of Woodland Hills, a 200-unit independent living and assisted living community in Tulsa, Oklahoma. NHI's investment is $35.1M, including $500,000 for capital improvements expected to be fully funded by the end of 2019. The facility will be leased to NHI's current tenant, Discovery Senior Living, for a term of 15 years, with renewal options, at an initial lease rate of 7.0% plus annual fixed escalators. The acquisition was funded with a draw on NHI's revolving credit facility.

06:00 EDT Twitter changes course on anti-Muslim tweets retweeted by Trump - Twitter has changed course and now says that anti-Muslim tweets retweeted by President Donald Trump are "permitted on Twitter based on our current media policy." CEO Jack Dorsey commented, "We mistakenly pointed to the wrong reason we didn't take action on the videos from earlier this week. We're still looking critically at all of our current policies, and appreciate all the feedback. See our safety calendar for our plans and ship dates." @TwitterSafety added, "To clarify: these videos are not being kept up because they are newsworthy or for public interest. Rather, these videos are permitted on Twitter based on our current media policy." Reference Link

05:33 EDT Nasdaq signs post-trade technology transformation agreement with Tadawul - The Saudi Stock Exchange, or Tadawul, and Nasdaq have officially signed an agreement to transform Tadawul's post-trade technology infrastructure, which includes registry, depository and risk management technologies. In addition to the post-trade area, Nasdaq will continue to support the existing trading and market surveillance technology at Tadawul. The new post-trade technology, will replace Tadawul's current registry, depository, clearing and settlement solution, which was implemented in 2001. In addition to introducing a new central counterparty clearing solution, this transformation will enable both Tadawul and market participants to introduce new asset classes to the market and offer new services to the investors. Furthermore, these changes will increase efficiency, effectiveness and further growth of the market, supported by a modern flexible and efficient technology that reduces risks in the post-trade area in compliance with international best practices and standards. This transformation is expected to be complete during second half of 2020.

05:26 EDT General Cable to be acquired by Prysmian for $30 per share - Prysmian Group and General Cable announced that they have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Prysmian will acquire General Cable for $30.00 per share in cash. The transaction values General Cable at approximately $3B, including debt and certain other General Cable liabilities, and represents a premium of approximately 81% to the General Cable closing price of $16.55 per share on July 14, 2017, the last day of trading before General Cable announced its review of strategic alternatives. The transaction, which has been unanimously approved by each company's board and recommended to its shareholders by General Cable's board, is expected to close by the third quarter of 2018.

05:22 EDT TechnipFMC awarded Bapco Sitra refinery expansion in Bahrain - TechnipFMC announced that, jointly with Samsung Engineering and Tecnicas Reunidas, it has been awarded a $4.2B contract from Bahrain Petroleum Company for the Bapco Modernization Program, or BMP. The project is located on Bahrain's Eastern coast and entails the expansion of the capacity of the existing Sitra oil refinery from 267,000 up to 360,000 barrels per day, or BPD, improve energy efficiency, valorization of the heavy part of the crude oil barrel (bottom of the barrel), enhancing products slate and meeting environmental compliance. The project will be executed on engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning, or EPCC, lump sum turnkey basis and is slated for completion in 2022. It includes the following main units: Residue Hydrocracking Unit, Hydrocracker Unit, Hydro Desulfurization Unit, Crude Distillation Unit, Vacuum Distillation Unit, Saturated Gas Plant, Hydrogen Production Unit, Hydrogen Recovery Unit, Sulphur Recovery Unit , Tail Gas Treatment Unit, Sour Water Stripper Unit, Amine Recovery Unit, Bulk Acid Gas Removal Unit, Sulphur Solidification Unit and Sulphur Handling Facilities. Utilities and offsites are also part of the scope. The BMP project will capitalize on the vast experience of the joint venture partners in Bahrain as well as in the Region.