Stockwinners Market Radar for January 03, 2018 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

21:25 EDT Costco reports December SSS up 11.5% - Reports December net sales of $14.94B, an increase of 14.3% from $13.07 billion during the similar period last year. Reports December e-commerce sales up 33%. Reports December SSS, excluding the impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange, up 8.8%.

18:50 EDT Shaw Communications vice chairman Jim Shaw passes away - Shaw Communications announced that, following a brief illness, Jim Shaw, Vice-Chairman and former Chief Executive Officer, passed away peacefully earlier today at the age of 60. Jim Shaw served as the second CEO of Shaw Communications from 1998 to 2010.

18:04 EDT Suncor increases share of Fort Hills project to 53.06% - Suncor Energy announced that the Fort Hills partners have resolved the previously announced commercial dispute and reached an agreement whereby Suncor and Teck Resources Limited have each acquired an additional working interest in the Fort Hills project from Total E&P Canada. Under the terms of the agreement, Suncor's share of the project increased to 53.06% and Teck's share increased to 20.89%. Total's share decreased to 26.05%. Suncor and Teck have funded an increased share of the project capital, in the amounts of approximately $300M and $120M respectively, equating to approximately $69,330 per flowing barrel, commensurate with the additional working interests, which may be further adjusted in accordance with the terms of the agreement.

18:01 EDT Concurrent closes sale of content delivery, storage business and changes name - Concurrent reported that it closed the previously-announced sale of its content delivery and storage business to Vecima Networks for $29M in cash. Effective immediately, the company has changed its name to "CCUR Holdings, Inc." The Company will continue to trade on the NASDAQ market under the symbol "CCUR" and has launched a new website located at www.ccurholdings.com.

17:50 EDT Flexsteel Industries CFO Timothy Hall to retire, Marcus Hamilton to replace - Flexsteel Industries announced that Timothy Hall, CFO, will be retiring from Flexsteel Industries on June 30, after 23 years of service. Marcus Hamilton will join Flexsteel and assume the role of CFO on January 8. Hall will assist in the transition of his CFO responsibilities to Hamilton, and will continue working on the business information systems project, the Dubuque Operations building construction project, and will continue serving as secretary to the board until his retirement. Hamilton most recently served as the global VP finance for the $1.7B Valspar paints business.

17:36 EDT PG&E comments on California Senate Bill 819 - Pacific Gas and Electric Company released the following statement regarding California Senate Bill 819. "While there has been no determination on the causes of the Northern California wildfires that took place in October, it is clear that California needs much broader reforms that recognize the mutual interests of customers, utilities, investors, insurers and others as we work together to address the impacts of climate change including more frequent and more damaging wildfires. California is one of the only states in the country where the courts have applied inverse condemnation liability to events caused by a privately owned utility's equipment. This means that if a utility's equipment is found to have been a substantial cause of the damage in the event like a wildfire - even if the utility has followed established inspection and safety rules - the utility may be liable for property damages and attorneys' fees associated with that event. Allowing essentially unlimited liability undermines the financial health of the state's utilities, discourages investment in California and has the potential to materially impact the ability of utilities to access the capital markets to fund utility operations. All of these are bad for customers and bad for the state of California. And, at a time when California is asking privately owned utilities to invest billions of dollars to meet the state's greenhouse gas reduction goals, these risks pose real consequences for the state's environment, economy and communities."

17:33 EDT Cabot Oil & Gas raises quarterly dividend 20% to 6c per share - The dividend will be paid on February 7 to all shareholders of record as of the close of business on January 24.

17:31 EDT AK Steel raises spot base price for all carbon flat-rolled products by $40/ton - AK Steel will increase current spot market base prices for all carbon flat-rolled steel products by a minimum of $40 per ton, effective immediately with new orders.

17:28 EDT Soros Fund Management reports 7.78% passive stake in ServiceSource - In a regulatory filing, Soros Fund Management disclosed a 7.78% stake in ServiceSource, representing 125,050 shares and 7,468,159 shares issuable upon the conversion of Convertible Notes. The filing does not allow for activism.

17:17 EDT Great Southern Bancorp announces bonuses for over 1200 employees - Great Southern Bancorp announced that following the enactment of the new federal tax reform legislation, it will distribute special cash bonuses to its more than 1,200 employees. A $1,000 cash payment will be made to all full-time employees and a $500 cash payment will be made to all part-time employees who were employed by the company on December 31, 2017. The company is in the process of assessing the financial impact of the new tax law changes and intends to disclose the approximate anticipated impact on or before the date that the company reports its earnings results for Q4.

17:14 EDT IAC's Winiarski sells 62,253 common shares - In a regulatory filing, IAC executive VP and General Counsel Gregg Winiarski disclosed the sale of 62,253 common shares of the company at a price of $127.19 per share.

17:13 EDT Intel says security exploit not a denial of service attack - Says security exploit not a denial of service attack, network attack, or means to inject malicious code or corrupt memory. Says exploit is a method for an attacker to observe contents of privileged memory. Says has not observed active deployment of exploit.

17:10 EDT Intel: Security flaw mitigations to be available within next few days - Says security researcher notified Intel (INTC), AMD (AMD), and ARM Holdings of a new side-channel analysis exploit. Says such security flaw not unique to any one architecture or processor implementation. Says not a result of product errata, says processors operating to specification. Says mitigations for such flaws include updates to system software, firmware, and future hardware. Says launched industry-wide collaboration to facilitate responsible disclosure with mitigation options. Says can improve processor hardware for the future with knowledge of security issue. Says new mitigations to be available within the next few days. Comments taken from conference call regarding reports of new security research findings.

17:01 EDT Main Street Capital names Dwayne Hyzak next CEO, Foster to remain exec chairman - Main Street Capital announced that Vincent D. Foster, co-founder of Main Street, and who has served as its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer since its 2007 initial public offering, will transition the role and responsibility of CEO to Dwayne L. Hyzak, with this transition presently planned to occur in the fourth quarter of 2018. Integral to this plan is the continuation of Foster at Main Street as its Executive Chairman. In this capacity, he will work closely with Mr. Hyzak as CEO. This transition is the cornerstone of the board of directors' long-term succession plan for the company. Hyzak also joined the Main Street board of directors, effective immediately, bringing the size of the board to ten members.

16:50 EDT Bank of Hawaii says U.S. Tax Act will cause its deferred taxes to be revalued - On December 22, 2017 the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law, a tax reform bill which, among other items, reduces the current corporate federal income tax rate to 21% from 35%. The rate reduction is effective January 1, 2018. Bank of Hawaii has concluded that the Act will cause the company's deferred taxes to be revalued. Based on currently available information the company estimates that it will reduce the value of its net deferred tax assets impacted by the rate change by approximately $3.6M, which will be recorded as additional income tax expense during the fourth quarter of 2017. The company's revaluation of its deferred taxes are subject to further refinement as additional information becomes available and further analysis is completed.

16:43 EDT Broadfin Capital reports 9.99% passive stake in Egalet - In a regulatory filing, Broadfin Capital disclosed a 9.99% stake in Egalet, representing 4,775,756 shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

16:40 EDT Intel CEO: Company working to patch security issue - Speaking to CNBC, Intel CEO Brian Krzanich said he believes the comapny has the "right fixes" in place for the recently reported security flaw. The CEO added that most high-end processors are impacted by security flaw but noted that the company is constantly searching and working to find exploits. Krzanich added that the system working exactly how it's supposed to and that he hwas found no instance of anyone executing the exploit.

16:37 EDT AMD falls after Reuters says its chips have same security flaw as Intel - Shares of AMD are down 1% to $11.44 per share in after-hours trading.

16:37 EDT Casey's CEO: Board to review content of JCP letter 'thoroughly' - Casey's General Stores issued the following statement regarding a letter to Casey's shareholders publicly released earlier today by JCP Investment Management, LLC, BLR Partners LP and Joshua E. Schechter, who collectively own approximately 1% of Casey's outstanding shares. Terry Handley, President and CEO of Casey's, said, "Casey's Board of Directors and management team welcome and appreciate input from all shareholders. To that end, we met with representatives from JCP this past summer. During that discussion they did not raise their recommendation that Casey's explore strategic alternatives, and there has been no substantive engagement with them since that time. However, the Board will review the content of their letter thoroughly." Handley continued, "The Company is focused on generating increased long-term value for shareholders through new initiatives to accelerate same-store growth and returning cash to shareholders through share repurchases and a steadily increasing dividend. With the combination of the Company's growing acquisition pipeline, new store construction activity, new initiatives aimed at enhancing operations - such as digital engagement and price optimization projects - Casey's expects to deliver substantial value for its shareholders."

16:35 EDT Zynerba provides 2018 update, to focus on neurological and psychiatric disorders - Zynerba Pharmaceuticals announced that it will concentrate its focus on rare and near-rare neurological and psychiatric disorders with high unmet medical needs. In 2018, the company intends to develop ZYN002 in a pivotal Phase 2/3 program in Fragile X syndrome and in Phase 2 programs in refractory epilepsies, including adult refractory focal epilepsy and developmental and epileptic encephalopathies in pediatric and adolescent patients. Additionally, the company plans to initiate Phase 2 development of ZYN001 in Tourette Syndrome by year end 2018.

16:31 EDT TOP Ships extends time charter agreement with Stena Bulk by 12 months - TOP Ships Inc announced that it has extended the time charter agreements with Stena Bulk AB by 12 months for M/T Stenaweco Energy and M/T Stenaweco Elegance and by 18 months for M/T Stenaweco Evolution and M/T Stenaweco Excellence. The company expects a total gross revenue backlog associated with these time charter extensions of $27.4 million.

16:28 EDT Aflac creates asset management subsidiaries - Aflac announced the establishment of its new subsidiary Aflac Asset Management LLC (branded as Aflac Global Investments) as part of the broader conversion of the Aflac Japan branch to a subsidiary, which is expected to take place as early as April 1, 2018. Eric Kirsch has been named president of Aflac Asset Management LLC, while continuing to serve in his role as executive vice president and global chief investment officer. Additionally, the company created a subsidiary of Aflac Asset Management LLC called Aflac Asset Management Japan Ltd. Hideto Yamamoto has been named president of Aflac Asset Management Japan Ltd., while continuing to serve in his role as senior vice president and chief investment officer of Aflac Japan, reporting to Eric Kirsch. Aflac Global Investments will maintain its organizational structure and continue in its role within Aflac as the entity that manages the general account investment portfolios of Aflac Japan and Aflac U.S.

16:24 EDT Tesla reports Q4 vehicle deliveries 29.9K, up 27% from prior year - The company states: "In Q4, Tesla delivered 29,870 vehicles, of which 15,200 were Model S, 13,120 were Model X, and 1,550 were Model 3. This was once again our all-time best quarter for combined Model S and X deliveries, representing a 27% increase over Q4 2016, and a 9% increase over Q3 2017, our previous best quarter. In total, we exceeded our previously announced guidance by delivering 101,312 Model S and X vehicles in 2017. This was a 33% increase over 2016. In addition to Q4 deliveries, about 2,520 Model S and X vehicles and 860 Model 3 vehicles were in transit to customers at the end of the quarter. These will be counted as deliveries in Q1 2018. Q4 production totaled 24,565 vehicles, of which 2,425 were Model 3. As we previously indicated, we slightly reduced Model S and X production in Q4 because of the reallocation of some of the manufacturing workforce towards Model 3 production, which also caused inventory to decline. During Q4, we made major progress addressing Model 3 production bottlenecks, with our production rate increasing significantly towards the end of the quarter. In the last seven working days of the quarter, we made 793 Model 3's, and in the last few days, we hit a production rate on each of our manufacturing lines that extrapolates to over 1,000 Model 3's per week. As a result of the significant growth in our production rate, we made as many Model 3's since December 9th as we did in the more than four months of Model 3 production up to that point. This is why we were not able to deliver many of these cars during the holiday season, just before the quarter ended. Model 3 deliveries to non-employee customers are now accelerating rapidly, and we're confident our customers will love them." As we continue to focus on quality and efficiency rather than simply pushing for the highest possible volume in the shortest period of time, we expect to have a slightly more gradual ramp through Q1, likely ending the quarter at a weekly rate of about 2,500 Model 3 vehicles. We intend to achieve the 5,000 per week milestone by the end of Q2.

16:23 EDT OvaScience to reduce personnel by approximately 50% - OvaScience has decided to implement a corporate restructuring to streamline its operations and reduce its cost structure. As part of this restructuring, OvaScience is reducing headcount by approximately 50%. The majority of the reduction in personnel is expected to be completed by March. As a result, the company expects to realize annualized cost savings beginning in Q2. OvaScience estimates that it will incur one-time costs of approximately $1M -$1.5M related to the restructuring plan.

16:21 EDT MainSource Financial increasing hourly pay to $15 an hour - MainSource Financial will raise the starting pay and minimum hourly rate to $15 an hour effective immediately for all of its non-exempt, non-commissioned employees. This announcement comes as a result of the recently passed tax legislation, which includes a reduction in corporate tax rates. Approximately 1,000 associates are employed throughout Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. The pay increase will affect over 200 employees.

16:19 EDT CNX Resources acquires Noble Energy's GP interest in CONE Midstream - CNX Resources (CNX) and CNX Midstream Partners LP (CNXM) jointly announced today that CNX has closed its previously announced acquisition of Noble Energy's (NBL) 50% membership interest in CONE Gathering, which holds the general partner interest and incentive distribution rights in CONE Midstream Partners LP (CNNX). In conjunction with the closing, CONE Midstream Partners LP was renamed CNX Midstream Partners LP and will commence trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker "CNXM" effective January 4, 2018.

16:19 EDT Ascendis Pharma completes target enrollment in Phase 3 trial of TransCon hormone - Ascendis Pharma A/S announced it has reached its target enrollment in the phase 3 heiGHt Trial of TransCon Growth Hormone for pediatric growth hormone deficiency. Given strong enthusiasm for the trial from investigators and subjects, as well as a commitment to those still in screening who may qualify, the company expects to randomize over 160 subjects. Based on one-year follow-up, top-line results are anticipated in the first quarter of 2019.

16:17 EDT OvaScience reports data from OvaPrime study, plans to initiate 1b/2a study - OvaScience provided a corporate update. The company announced initial clinical data from its ongoing Phase 1 trial of OvaPrime in women with primary ovarian insufficiency, or POI, and poor ovarian response, or POR. In an interim safety analysis of the first 20 patients followed for six months post-egg precursor cell reintroduction, OvaPrime was generally safe and well-tolerated. OvaScience has decided to close enrollment in this Phase 1 study at 78 patients, for a modified intent-to-treat population of 60, and to progress OvaPrime into a multi-center Phase 1b/2a trial in women with POI or POR. Initial clinical data from OvaScience's single center, prospective, blinded and placebo-controlled Phase 1 safety study of the OvaPrime treatment in women with POI or POR suggest that the OvaPrime treatment is generally safe and well-tolerated. Among the first 20 patients evaluable for safety six-months post-EggPC cell reintroduction, there were no treatment related serious adverse events, or SAE, and no adverse events, or AE, related to the EggPC cells. There were seven mild AEs, four of which were deemed unrelated to OvaPrime and three of which were related to the standard laparoscopic procedure used to reintroduce EggPC cells into the ovary. No patients discontinued treatment because of an AE. The mean duration of follow-up among these 20 patients was nine months. This Phase 1 study is a single center, prospective, blinded and placebo-controlled trial evaluating the safety of OvaPrime in 60 women with either POI or POR. Additional exploratory endpoints include OvaPrime's effect on patients' anti-mullerian hormone, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and estradiol (E2) levels, as well as follicular development as measured by ultrasound. OvaScience has completed biopsies in 58 patients in this Phase 1 study. The company expects a readout of six-month safety data of all patients by year-end 2018 and a readout of embryo transfers by the end of the third quarter of 2019. OvaScience plans to initiate a multi-center, prospective, controlled, Phase 1b/2a clinical trial of OvaPrime to evaluate the safety and tolerability of administering a higher number of EggPC cells per OvaPrime treatment in women with POI or POR. Secondary endpoints will include measures of reproductive physiology and fertility outcomes. This study will enroll up to 60 women with POI or POR, for a mITT population of 40. It will include 20 POI patients who are between 21 and 39 years of age at reintroduction and 20 POR patients who are between 38 and 42 years of age at reintroduction and have failed or canceled two to four in vitro fertilization cycles. OvaScience expects to begin patient enrollment in the first half of 2018 and to report initial clinical data in 2019.

16:16 EDT CNX Resources acquires Noble Energy's GP interest in CONE Midstream

16:12 EDT AmpliPhi reports 'positive' interim results for expanded antibiotic program - AmpliPhi announced topline results for the first seven patients treated under its ongoing single-patient expanded access program. Six of the seven patients achieved treatment success, defined as complete resolution or significant improvement of baseline signs and symptoms. All patients were severely ill and unresponsive to antibiotic treatment at the time of enrollment. The expanded access approach allows critically ill patients to receive experimental, unapproved therapies in an attempt to save lives. AmpliPhi's lead product candidates, AB-SA01, for Staphylococcus aureus infections, and AB-PA01, for Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections, are being provided through this program. Both investigational products were well tolerated in all patients with no treatment-related serious adverse events reported. The one death was unrelated to treatment with bacteriophage therapy. No additional deaths occurred up to 90 days following initiation of therapy, and patient follow up is continuing. The predicted mortality rate for this patient group was 46%. AmpliPhi expects to continue its expanded access clinical strategy in 2018, review data with the FDA in mid-2018, and initiate a Phase 2 or registrational clinical program potentially as early as 2H18

16:10 EDT Owens Realty announces repurchase and settlement pact with with Freestone - The aggregate purchase price was $15,610,537.25, approximately $4.1M of which was paid with the remaining balance of the company's $10M stock repurchase plan previously announced on June 13. As a result of the shares already repurchased in the open market and the repurchase from Freestone, the Company's repurchase plan, which had been set to expire on January 15, 2018, has been terminated. Owens Realty Mortgage announced that it has entered into an agreement with Freestone Capital Management and certain of its affiliates to repurchase the 810,937 shares of the Company's common stock beneficially owned by Freestone. The company agreed to repurchase the shares for $19.25 per share in a private, accretive transaction representing more than a 10% discount to the $22.12 per share GAAP book value of the company's common stock as of September 30, 2017.

16:08 EDT Itron and Silver Spring merger gets shareholder approval - Itron (ITRI) and Silver Spring Networks (SSNI) announced that Silver Spring Networks stockholders have approved the previously announced merger with Itron. Silver Spring Networks and Itron expect the transaction to close on or about Jan. 4. At the special meeting of stockholders, approximately 68% of the outstanding shares of common stock entitled to vote at the meeting voted in favor of the proposal to adopt the merger agreement and approve the merger, based on the preliminary results of voting.

16:07 EDT Bunge appoints Vinita Bali to board of directors - Bunge has appointed Vinita Bali to its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Bali served as CEO of Britannia Industries, a publicly listed food company in India, from 2005 to 2014. Prior to that, she was Head of the Business Strategy practice in the U.S. at the Zyman Group, a consulting firm. Currently, Bali serves as an advisory board member of PwC India.

16:04 EDT Agree Realty provides 2018 acquisition and disposition guidance - Agree Realty's outlook for acquisition volume in 2018, which assumes continued growth in economic activity, moderate interest rate growth, positive business trends and other significant assumptions, is $250M-$300M of retail net lease properties. The company's 2018 disposition guidance is $25M-$50M.

16:04 EDT Zumiez rises 12.9% afterhours to $23.15 following Dec SSS and raised Q4 outlook

15:55 EDT Delta Air Lines to cancel over 400 flights in preparation of Nor 'easter - Delta Air Lines employees at airports throughout the mid-Atlantic, Northeast and New England are preparing for a strong Nor'easter. In anticipation of the severe winter weather, Delta will proactively cancel more than 400 mainline and Delta Connection regional flights Wednesday evening and Thursday, primarily at New York JFK International and LaGuardia airports as well as Boston's Logan International. Additional cancellations are possible. Airports along the storm's eastern seaboard path could see deicing delays and possible cancellations as well, depending on the track and severity of the storm. In order to facilitate an efficient restart to the operation once the storm passes, Delta will reposition some aircraft away from the New York and Boston airports so they can be flown in as soon as conditions improve and runways are cleared of snow. The same winter storm has already produced snow, ice and mixed frozen precipitation at airports in the Southeast. Delta suspended its operations at Savannah/Hilton Head International and Brunswick Golden Isles airports due to snow and ice accumulation on the runways and taxiways.

15:10 EDT Intel says reports of exploits being a 'flaw' unique to Intel are 'incorrect' - Intel issued a statement in response to security research findings, stating in part: "Intel and other technology companies have been made aware of new security research describing software analysis methods that, when used for malicious purposes, have the potential to improperly gather sensitive data from computing devices that are operating as designed. Intel believes these exploits do not have the potential to corrupt, modify or delete data. Recent reports that these exploits are caused by a "bug" or a "flaw" and are unique to Intel products are incorrect. Based on the analysis to date, many types of computing devices - with many different vendors' processors and operating systems - are susceptible to these exploits. Intel is committed to product and customer security and is working closely with many other technology companies, including AMD, ARM Holdings and several operating system vendors, to develop an industry-wide approach to resolve this issue promptly and constructively. Intel has begun providing software and firmware updates to mitigate these exploits. Contrary to some reports, any performance impacts are workload-dependent, and, for the average computer user, should not be significant and will be mitigated over time." Reference Link

14:55 EDT CIM Commercial Trust to acquire fee simple interest in 9460 Wilshire Boulevard - CIM Commercial Trust Corporation announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to purchase the fee simple interest in 9460 Wilshire Boulevard in the Golden Triangle of Beverly Hills, California. "9460 Wilshire, situated in the prominent Golden Triangle and surrounded by first-class retailers, restaurants, hotels, and services, is in a highly-desirable and high barrier to entry office market. It is a strong addition to CIM Commercial Trust's portfolio," said Charles Garner, CEO of CIM Commercial Trust Corporation. "The property has not changed ownership in almost forty years, and is positioned for growth by tapping CIM's operational expertise and long-term experience in the Los Angeles market. Our goal is to continue to invest in high-quality urban assets possessing attractive growth prospects, such as 9460 Wilshire."

14:25 EDT Yelp moves higher after Reuters says Google may sell Zagat - Shares of Yelp (YELP) moved up to $43.52 after Reuters reported that Alphabet's Google (GOOG,GOOGL) unit has held informal talks with multiple companies about potentially selling Zagat, the restaurant review company it acquired in 2011.

12:55 EDT Citron sees shares of Aurora Cannabis dropping 50% - The short seller said in Twitter, "Citron warns investors on Aurora Canibas TSE$:ACB OTC:$ACBFF. Not a commentary on the cannabis industry, just one stock that should retrace 50%- FAST when sanity sets in. Short term target $6.5." Aurora Cannabis shares in afternoon trading are up 17% to $11.12. Reference Link]:[https://twitter.com/CitronResearch/status/948609862094569472/photo/1]

12:43 EDT Former executive managing director of Och-Ziff indicted - A former executive managing director of Och-Ziff Capital Management Group was charged in an indictment unsealed for his alleged participation in a scheme to defraud one of the hedge fund's clients, a large charitable foundation, when recommending financial investments relating to the African mining sector. Michael Leslie Cohen of London, England was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit investment adviser fraud, one count of investment adviser fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, four counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, one count of obstruction of justice and one count of making false statements. The indictment was returned under seal by a federal grand jury sitting in Brooklyn, New York on Oct. 5 and relates to Cohen's alleged conduct between 2008 and 2013. Reference Link

12:12 EDT ArcLight acquires interest in Deepwater Perdido platform from BP - ArcLight Capital Partners announced that one of its affiliates has acquired a 26.5% non-operated interest in the Perdido Regional Host from BP Exploration & Production (BP). The Perdido Regional Host is the only deepwater production facility serving the Gulf of Mexico's Perdido Foldbelt Trend, one of the most prolific and strategic plays in the Gulf of Mexico. The facility, which is operated by Shell Offshore (RDS.A), is an offshore spar moored in southern Alaminos Canyon in approximately 8,000 feet of water, located approximately six miles from the US/Mexican maritime border and 220 miles south of Galveston, Texas.

11:45 EDT Nissan reports December U.S. sales down 9.5% to 138,226 units - Nissan Group announced total calendar year 2017 U.S. sales of 1,593,464 units, an increase of 1.9% over the prior year, setting an all-time record. In December 2017, Nissan Group sold 138,226 units, a decrease of 9.5% versus the prior year.

11:28 EDT Allergan to cut over currently filled positions, 400 open positions - Allergan followed up today on its November 1, 2017, announcement that it would undertake a cost cutting and restructuring program to enable it to achieve 2018 guidance. The company today announced to its global workforce the specific employment reductions and other cost-cutting actions being taken, consistent with the November announcement. "In response to the anticipated loss of exclusivity of several key revenue-generating products in 2018, the Company is optimizing and restructuring its operations in early 2018," Allergan discloses in a regulatory filing. As part of an internal restructuring plan, the company intends to eliminate over 1,000 currently filled positions, impacting employees in commercial and other functions. Commercial reductions will primarily focus on products and categories subject to loss of exclusivity. In addition, the company will eliminate approximately 400 open positions. Allergan expects to incur related restructuring costs of approximately $125M, primarily due to severance, the majority of which will be recorded in Q4. These amounts do not include additional charges related to potential building closures, contract terminations, and other items. The company added that it will achieve additional cost reductions through non-headcount spending rationalization. Overall operating expense savings from this internal restructuring are expected to be in the range of $300M to $400M as compared to the fiscal year 2017.

11:24 EDT 3M files lawsuit to enforce patent rights in metal mesh conductor technology - 3M and 3M Innovative Properties filed a patent infringement lawsuit in federal district court in Wilmington, Del., today against Elo Touch Solutions. The suit alleges that certain Elo Touch projected capacitive products infringe 3M's U.S. Patents 8,179,381, 8,274,494, 8,704,799 and 9,823,786. Metal mesh conductor technology is widely used in the construction of projected capacitive touch sensors for consumer and commercial applications. Metal mesh conductors have broad applicability across touch sensors of all sizes, in particular, large-format touch sensors often utilized in interactive whiteboards, conferencing systems, casino gaming machines, digital signage displays, and fast-food self-ordering systems. "3M strives to provide its customers with the most innovative materials and solutions for their products. The company is committed to protecting its investments in research and development for projected capacitive technology and vigorously defends its intellectual property rights," said Makoto Ishii, vice president and general manager, 3M Display Materials and Systems Division.

11:04 EDT Kingstone Companies announces salary increases as result of new tax law - Kingstone Companies announced salary increases for all non-managerial level staff, primarily those located in its Kingston, New York headquarters. "Prior to the passage and signing of the "Tax Cuts and Jobs Act", we decided that a reduced corporate income tax burden, down from almost 35% to under 21%, would afford us with a great opportunity," said Barry Goldstein, Kingstone's chairman and CEO. "We've chosen to redirect some of the savings from the new tax law to our dedicated and well-deserving core staff. We will accomplish this by providing an immediate salary increase to all non-managerial staff. This permanent benefit will provide them with a material amount of additional spendable income. In combination with other benefits from the new tax law, many will see their take home pay rise materially, helping to propel the local Kingston economy. This will improve our ability to hire, retain, and continue to build our excellent staff, which is now approaching 100 full-time employees. Every Kingstone employee participates in our profit sharing plan, where distributions are driven directly by the company's combined ratio. Over the past five years the average annual payout has been more than 17% of employee base pay. All employees have access to company sponsored health insurance, where Kingstone pays over 75% of the total cost. Managerial and executive staff all receive restricted stock grants, providing long-term incentives aligned with shareholder value. In November, we increased the company's minimum hourly wage to $15. With the new tax law in place, our Compensation Committee has approved, effective January 1st, an increase in base pay of 5%, with a minimum of $2,500 per year, for all non-managerial level employees. This is not just the one-time bonus that other larger companies have chosen to pass along to their staffs. It is a permanent increase, and over the course of 2018 additional merit raises will be based upon these increased base salaries."

10:53 EDT Roku rises after announcing licensing program expansion, voice assistant - Shares of streaming player manufacturer Roku (ROKU) are rising after the company announced an expansion of its licensing program and plans to develop a new voice assistant. LICENSING PROGRAM EXPANSION: On Wednesday, Roku announced plans for a new whole home entertainment licensing program. The program will enable original equipment manufacturer brands to build soundbars, smart speakers, surround sound and multi-room audio systems that use Roku Connect software to work together as a home entertainment network. With Roku Connect devices working together they will be able to connect wirelessly and be controlled by voice commands and a single remote. In addition, OEM brands will be able to license smart soundbar and smart speaker hardware reference designs along with the Roku operating system, Roku OS. Roku does not expect licensing revenues, if any, from smart speakers and smart soundbars to be material in the foreseeable future. The company added that TCL is lead OEM partner and will announce its plans to offer the first device under the new program on January 8. Roku unveiled its TV licensing program in 2014 announcing partnerships with TCL and Hisense and since then, eight TV brands have started selling Roku TVs in the U.S., the Verge reported. The company said its TVs accounted for more than one out of every five smart TVs sold in the U.S. during the first nine months of 2017 and also announced that Magnavox has joined the program as the ninth brand to offer new Roku TVs available this Spring. VOICE ASSISTANT: Roku also announced plans Wednesday to develop and launch a voice assistant, the Roku Entertainment Assistant. It, along with Roku Connect, is expected to be rolled out as a free software update to the Roku operating system by this Fall to most Roku TV models and Roku players. When launched, the Roku Entertainment Assistant will enable consumers to use voice commands to enjoy entertainment on voice-supported Roku devices. DIGITAL ASSISTANT COMPETITORS: Roku's plans to launch a voice assistant will pit the company against Google's (GOOG, GOOGL) Assistant, Apple's (AAPL) Siri and Amazon's (AMZN) Alexa. Roku's voice capabilities are currently limited to search requests and app launches, but the assistant is expected to handle broader requests and tasks regarding entertainment. The digital assistants from Google, Apple and Amazon have already been available and have wider capabilities, including performing tasks and controlling appliances. EXECUTIVE COMMENTARY: "We've always focused on making it incredibly simple for consumers to find and enjoy streaming entertainment on their TVs, and with an expanded Roku ecosystem, consumers will be able to add great sound to their TVs and audio around the whole home in a modern way," Roku CEO Anthony Wood said today. "Consumers will love the benefits of a home entertainment network...and, of course, OEM brands benefit by offering their products in a more appealing way to our already large and engaged audience of millions of active accounts." In a September 28 interview with CNN Money following Roku's initial public offering, Wood said the company has no plans to produce content, commenting that "We all understand that our business is being a content distribution platform." In addition, when asked about the licensing program expansion by The Verge, executive Mark Ely said licensing the platform has been "the fastest way to acquire active accounts," and emphasized that the Roku OS and Roku Entertainment Assistant are still entirely entertainment focused. PRICE ACTION: Roku rose 7.2%, or $3.73, to $55.81 in morning trading.

10:42 EDT LightPath receives $5M order for infrared optical lens elements - LightPath Technologies announced earlier that its wholly-owned subsidiary, ISP Optics Corporation, has been awarded a $5M purchase contract to supply a variety of infrared optical lens elements to a major commercial infrared vision products customer. his purchase contract requires manufacturing to commence immediately, with monthly shipping of lenses throughout 2018. LightPath was selected by the customer after an evaluation of suppliers based on volume manufacturing capabilities, materials and cost analysis, and global service and support for an optimized value proposition. This single contract represents 16% of our trailing 12-month revenues through September 2017. "We are confident that recent investments in our production capacity and sales and marketing initiatives are delivering their intended results," President and CEO Jim Gaynor said.

10:39 EDT Volkswagen reports December U.S. sales down 18.7% to 30,281 units - Volkswagen of America reported sales of 30,281 units delivered in December, which marks an 18.7% decrease over December 2016.

10:22 EDT Ford sees tax cuts 'net positive' for U.S. economy

10:12 EDT Toyota reports December U.S. sales down 8.3% to 222,985 vehicles - Toyota Motor North America reported December sales of 222,985 vehicles, a decrease of 8.3% from December 2016 on a volume basis. With one less selling day in December 2017 compared to December 2016, sales were down 4.8% on a daily selling rate basis. Toyota division posted December sales of 187,524 units, down 7.2% on a volume basis and 3.6% on a DSR basis. Lexus posted December sales of 35,461 vehicles, down 13.9% on a volume basis and down 10.6% on a DSR basis.

10:02 EDT Powell trading resumes

09:53 EDT Microsoft to acquire Avere Systems - Jason Zander - Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Azure - announced in a post to Microsoft's corporate blog that the company has signed an agreement to acquire Avere Systems, which he calls "a leading provider of high-performance NFS and SMB file-based storage for Linux and Windows clients running in cloud, hybrid and on-premises environments." By bringing together Avere's storage expertise with the power of Microsoft's cloud, customers will benefit from industry-leading innovations that enable the largest, most complex high-performance workloads to run in Microsoft Azure, the blog post stated. Reference Link

09:44 EDT GM reports U.S. December sales down 3.3% to 308,539 vehicles - General Motors reported U.S. December sales of 308,539 vehicles, down 3.3% compared to last year. For 2017, GM delivered 3,002,241 vehicles in the United States. As of December 31, 2017, Inventories were 752,554 units, down 90,000 from a year ago. Days supply was 63 days. Mustafa Mohatarem, GM's chief economist, forecasts 2018 total vehicle sales to exceed 17M units for the fourth year in a row. Light vehicle sales are forecasted to be in the high 16M-unit range.GM said it is "well positioned heading into the new year because of its low inventories and multi-year strategy to redesign and expand its truck and crossover portfolio." On a retail basis, 78% of GM sales are now trucks and crossovers, compared with an industry average of 65%.

09:33 EDT Horizon Bancorp names James Neff president - Craig Dwight, chairman and CEO of Horizon Bancorp is pleased to announce that on December 19, the Boards of Directors of Horizon and its wholly owned subsidiary, Horizon Bank, named Jame Neff as president of both Horizon and Horizon Bank. In addition, Neff will serve on Horizon Bank's board of directors. The promotion was effective January 1, 2018. Neff joined Horizon in October 1999 as SVP, Mortgage Warehouse lending and was promoted to EVP in January 2004. In 2016, Mr. Neff assumed additional responsibilities over consumer lending.

09:31 EDT FCA US reports December U.S. sales down 11% to 171,946 units - FCA US LLC reported sales of 171,946 units, an 11% decrease compared with sales in December 2016.In December, retail sales of 150,772 units were down 3% compared with the same month in 2016 and represented 88% of total sales. In line with FCA's strategy to reduce sales to the daily rental segment, fleet sales of 21,174 units were down, as expected, 42% year over year. The largest planned volume reduction in December fleet sales came from the Jeep brand, which reduced its fleet sales number by 75% year over year. Fleet sales represented 12% of total FCA US December sales.

09:25 EDT Gevo announces cost-saving plan: CFO to separate, Englewood workforce cut by 40% - Gevo announced its key initiatives for 2018: Gevo reaffirms its focus on the commercial development of renewable jet fuel, renewable isooctane, isobutanol and related products. The goal is to aggregate enough confirmed commercial off-take to support the capital expense of expanding Gevo's production facility based in Luverne, MN. Gevo plans to expand its business development capabilities in 2018 to achieve this goal. Gevo is undertaking several initiatives to improve the cash flow profile of its business in 2018 compared to 2017. This improvement is expected to be achieved by increasing sales of isobutanol into the ethanol-free marketplace, increasing sales of its alcohol-to-jet fuel, or ATJ, and isooctane produced out of Gevo's hydrocarbon demonstration plant based in Silsbee, TX, improving the cash flow profile at the Luverne Facility and reducing overall corporate expenses. Gevo expects to sign its first commercial license in India, through its partnership with Praj Industries. In 2018, Gevo expects to improve the cash flow out of the Luverne Facility by optimizing the plant's ethanol production processes, developing value added products for ethanol and animal feed produced at the plant and further reducing the cost of the plant's carbohydrate feedstock. These initiatives are also expected to benefit the cost of producing Gevo's isobutanol, once isobutanol production resumes at the Luverne Facility at its current scale or when the isobutanol capacity is expanded at the plant. The reduction in corporate expense is expected to be driven by a series of measures: Mike Willis, Gevo's CFO, has entered into a mutual separation agreement and is expected to leave the company in early January 2018. Gevo does not currently plan on replacing the CFO at this time. Certain executive officers who are remaining with the company have volunteered to take a reduction in compensation, including Dr. Patrick Gruber, Gevo's CEO, who has agreed, at his discretion, to a salary reduction of 30% in 2018. Gevo will reduce its overall headcount in Englewood, CO, by approximately 40%, as compared to the peak employee level in 2017. Gevo's employees will forego their 2017 annual cash bonus. A systematic review of all non-employee expenses across the company has been undertaken, and reductions have or will be made wherever possible.

09:19 EDT Workhorse Group's SureFly electric hybrid helicopter receives FAA certification - Workhorse Group has received an Experimental Airworthiness Certificate from the Federal Aviation Administration that will allow the company to conduct test flights of its SureFly electric hybrid helicopter. The first test flight is scheduled on January 8, prior to the start of the 2018 Consumer Electronic Show. Workhorse announced that it intends to spin off its SureFly business into a separate publicly traded company called SureFly.

09:15 EDT Delta Air Lines sees Q4 adjusted operating margin of about 11% - Delta sees Q4 passenger unit revenue up about 4%. Sees Q4 system capacity up 2.3%. Sees Q4 normalized CASM-ex including profit sharing up about 5.5%. In guiding on its operating margin, Delta said strong Q4 revenue performance was offset by higher fuel prices during the quarter. The company previously said it saw a Q4 operating margin of 11%-13%. Guidance from slides shared in a regulatory filing.

09:09 EDT AVX announces definitive agreement to acquire Ethertronics for $150M - AVX Corporation announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Ethertronics, a privately held manufacturer of passive and active antenna systems. Ethertronics is a leader in advanced antenna system technology and manufactures antenna products for wireless applications such as mobile phones, Wi-Fi, defense, aerospace, medical, and Internet of Things. In accordance with the agreement, AVX will acquire Ethertronics for a consideration of $142M in cash and assumption of $8M of net debt, subject to normal working capital adjustments at closing. The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals and other conditions that are customary for transactions of this type.

09:08 EDT Roku unveils whole home entertainment licensing program - Roku, Inc. unveiled plans to "make it easier for consumers to enjoy streaming entertainment around the whole home. Roku plans to make it especially easy for Roku TV customers to add great audio to their TV experience. The new whole home entertainment licensing program will enable OEM brands to build soundbars and smart speakers, surround sound and multi-room audio systems that use Roku Connect software to work together as a home entertainment network. With Roku Connect devices working together they will be able to connect wirelessly and be controlled by voice commands and a single remote. In addition, OEM brands will be able to license smart soundbar and smart speaker hardware reference designs along with the Roku operating system, Roku OS. TCL is our lead OEM partner and will announce its plans to offer the first device under the new program at its press conference at CES on Jan. 8." Roku also announced plans to develop and launch a voice assistant, the Roku Entertainment Assistant, that is optimized for home entertainment. It, along with Roku Connect, is expected to be rolled out as a free software update to the Roku operating system by this Fall to most Roku TV models and Roku players. When launched, the Roku Entertainment Assistant will enable consumers to use voice commands to enjoy entertainment on voice-supported Roku devices. For example, customers will be able to say, "Hey Roku, play jazz in the living room" and a smart soundbar with Roku Connect will begin playing music - even if the TV is turned off.

09:07 EDT Amazon Prime Video, ITV greenlight The Widow series starring Kate Beckinsale - Amazon Prime Video and ITV announced it has greenlit The Widow, an eight-episode Prime Original and ITV series, starring Kate Beckinsale. Written and executive produced by Harry and Jack Williams (The Missing, Fleabag) and produced by Williams' Two Brothers Pictures, The Widow follows Georgia Wells who has cut herself off from her previous life and is no longer the woman she once was. After seeing her "late" husband on the news, she is pulled back to face the world and will stop at nothing until she gets the truth about her past. This emotionally gut-wrenching thriller will take Georgia into the depths of the African Congo where danger and revelation will greet her at every turn.

09:06 EDT BAE Systems awarded $41M contract by U.S. Navy for USS Oscar Austin - BAE Systems has received a $41.6M contract from the U.S. Navy to modernize the guided-missile destroyer USS Oscar Austin. The Oscar Austin will undergo 12 months of extensive work at the company's shipyard in Norfolk, Virginia, the ship's homeport. The contract includes options that, if exercised, would bring the cumulative value to $117.1M. Under the depot maintenance period contract, BAE Systems will dry-dock the 509-foot-long Oscar Austin. The shipyard's employees and subcontractors will then upgrade the ship's Aegis Combat System and will perform alterations and miscellaneous repairs that will affect nearly every onboard space. The work is expected to begin in February and be completed in February 2019.

09:04 EDT Ligand earns $6M as OmniAb partner out-licenses antibody projects - Ligand Pharmaceuticals announces that its partner HanAll Biopharma successfully out-licensed antibody projects that were discovered by HanAll using Ligand's OmniAb antibody discovery platform. The licensing events triggered $6M of payments to Ligand. HanAll has had access to the OmniAb platform since December 2014 and is developing multiple antibody projects in the immunno-oncology and autoimmune areas using this platform. Under the license agreements with HanAll, Ligand is eligible to receive milestones and royalties on the successful development of antibodies and to share sub-license revenue on out-licensed antibodies.

09:03 EDT Tallgrass Energy Partners announces crude oil terminal acquisitions - Tallgrass Energy Partners announced two strategic acquisitions by its Tallgrass Terminals business and several significant commercial developments that continue to expand the variety of services offered by Pony Express in key crude oil producing basins it serves. Tallgrass Terminals, LLC has entered into an agreement to acquire a 51 percent membership interest in the Pawnee, Colo. crude oil terminal from Zenith Energy for approximately $31 million. The Pawnee Terminal is an injection point for the Tallgrass Pony Express Northeast Colorado Lateral, with 300,000 barrels of storage and backed by minimum volume commitments of approximately 90,000 barrels per day. The Pawnee Terminal will provide commercial and operational synergies with Pony Express and offers the potential for incremental sourcing opportunities such as directly connecting nearby producers. Tallgrass Terminals expects the transaction to close in Q1 2018, subject to certain closing conditions. In addition, Tallgrass Terminals has acquired a 38 percent interest in Deeprock North, LLC, which owns a crude oil terminal in North Cushing, Okla., immediately adjacent to the Deeprock Development, LLC crude oil terminal facility. The purchase price for the interest was $19.5 million or approximately eight times current cash flow. Immediately following the acquisition, Deeprock North was merged into Deeprock Development. After the acquisition and merger, Deeprock Development now owns a larger and more diverse terminalling complex with total storage capacity of 4.0 million barrels. Tallgrass Terminals owns approximately 60 percent of the combined entity and retains significant strategic and commercial control. Tallgrass expects the acquisition to enhance and expand Tallgrass Terminals' commercial offerings for both Pony Express customers and other customers in Cushing. Pony Express recently concluded a successful binding open season to secure committed shipper contracts for crude oil transportation of a new common stream on the Platteville Extension. The open season resulted in additional unaffiliated third-party commitments of 10,000 barrels per day for a total of 37,500 barrels per day of short-haul and long-haul binding transportation commitments. The 55-mile Platteville Extension is approximately 60 percent complete and expected to begin operations in April 2018, with the associated Grasslands Terminal expected to be in service in Q4 2018. The initial capacity of the Platteville Extension will be approximately 40,000 barrels per day, increasing to approximately 80,000 barrels per day once the Grasslands Terminal is in service.

09:02 EDT Valeant pays down $300M of senior secured term loans - Valeant Pharmaceuticals has paid down an additional $300M of its senior secured term loans, using cash on hand. In aggregate, Valeant has now reduced its debt by more than $6.5B since the end of 1Q16. As of Dec. 31, 2017, the company's total debt is approximately $25.7B.

08:55 EDT Orbital ATK signs $23M full-rate production contract for HTVSF - Orbital ATK announced that it has signed its first full-rate production contract for its revolutionary all-electronic FMU-167/B Hard Target Void Sensing Fuze. Contracted through the U.S. Air Force, the $23M award is a follow-on FRP order to the low-rate initial production contract awarded in 2016. The HTVSF is an advanced technology, intelligent, cockpit programmable fuze that provides the capability to destroy hard and deeply buried targets. It provides multiple delay arming and detonation times, as well as a void-sensing function, which allows precision activation of the fuze. Since entering limited production last year, the FMU-167/B has been rigorously tested and evaluated and has demonstrated exceptional survivability, reliability and accuracy of detonation in penetrating weapons.

08:51 EDT HD Supply agrees to acquire A.H. Harris for $380M - HD Supply Holdings has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase A.H. Harris Construction Supplies, a leading specialty construction distributor serving the northeast and mid-Atlantic regions. The purchase price is approximately $380M. The transaction is expected to close in HD Supply's first fiscal quarter of 2018 subject to obtaining customary regulatory approvals. Headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut, A.H. Harris Construction Supplies operates more than 50 branches across 12 states and generated annual sales of approximately $380M over the last twelve months.

08:48 EDT Spark Therapeutics announces programs to improve patient access to Luxturna - Spark Therapeutics announced three new payer programs: an outcomes-based rebate arrangement with a long-term durability measure, an innovative contracting model and a proposal to CMS under which payments for Luxturna would be made over time. Together, these initiatives aim to help ensure eligible U.S. patients have access to Luxturna, a one-time gene therapy indicated for the treatment of patients with confirmed biallelic RPE65 mutation-associated retinal dystrophy. Luxturna should only be administered to patients who have viable retinal cells as determined by their treating physicians. Spark Therapeutics has reached agreement in principle with Harvard Pilgrim to make Luxturna available under the outcomes-based rebate arrangement and the innovative contracting model that aims to reduce risk and financial burden for payers and treatment centers. Spark Therapeutics also has reached an agreement in principle with affiliates of Express Scripts to enable the innovative contracting model. Luxturna and other potential one-time therapies face unique health insurance challenges given current practices and regulations in the U.S. health care system. Barriers to offering alternate models include the system's focus on short-term value, largely because most patients switch health insurance companies on average every three years; government price reporting requirements that are not designed to reflect certain outcomes-based arrangements, therefore limiting a manufacturer's ability to offer significant performance-based rebates, particularly for diseases with small patient populations; and complicated distribution models, which add costs and financial risk to parties involved in the delivery and reimbursement of specialty drugs and specialized medical care. "Over these past few months, we have been working with health insurers to create innovative pathways for access to Luxturna that may serve as models for other one-time administered gene therapies in the future," said Marrazzo. "Our work is not done, but we believe that the offerings we are announcing today will help ensure that eligible U.S. patients have the coverage and financial support they need to gain access to both Luxturna and the specialized medical care required to deliver the product at treatment centers."

08:40 EDT Avinger: first patients treated with Pantheris Lumivascular atherectomy system - Avinger announced that Arne Schwindt, M.D., a vascular surgeon at St. Franziskus Hospital in Munster, Germany, has successfully treated the first seven patients with the next generation Pantheris Lumivascular atherectomy system. Dr. Schwindt, an experienced operator of Lumivascular technology, used the next generation Pantheris to treat seven separate patients with a variety of lesion types, including in-stent restenosis, a calcified lesion, and a chronic total occlusion, in arteries above and below the knee.

08:37 EDT VistaGen Therapeutics receives FDA fast track designation for AV-101 - VistaGen Therapeutics announced that the FDA has granted Fast Track Designation to AV-101 for development as a potential adjunctive treatment for Major Depressive Disorder, or MDD. The FDA's Fast Track process is designed to facilitate the development and review of new treatments for serious conditions with unmet medical need such as MDD.

08:36 EDT AMD jumps 7% following report of Intel design flaw - Shares of AMD (AMD) are jumping after technology website The Register reported that Intel's (INTC) processor chips have a fundamental design flaw that make them vulnerable to hackers. Fixes to Microsoft's and Apple's operating systems will be required, but the security updates may slow down older machines, The Register added. Shares of Intel competitor AMD are up 7%, or 74c, to $11.72 in premarket trading following the report.

08:34 EDT Casey's General Stores shareholder JCP encourages exploration of alternatives - JCP Investment Management, BLR Partners and Joshua Schechter, which together are "significant shareholders" of Casey's General Stores that collectively own approximately $45M of the company's common stock, issued an open letter to Casey's shareholders, stating in part: "We believe Casey's shares are significantly undervalued as they do not reflect the true earnings power and full real estate value of the Company's irreplaceable fleet of 2,000+ stores...Rapid consolidation has been ongoing in the convenience store industry over the past five years. We have played a constructive role in this consolidation while serving as directors during the successful sale of The Pantry, Inc. to ATD in 2014 and as part of a settlement agreement with CST Brands, which resulted in a sale to ATD in 2016. Based on the above transaction multiples, we believe Casey's shares could be worth from $150 to greater than $170 per share to a potential acquirer. We believe this is realistic given the significant synergies and real estate value that Casey's offers. We note that ATD is projecting $125M in synergies for its acquisition of Pantry and between $150-200M in synergies for its acquisition of CST, both of which were smaller than Casey's and owned less real estate...We do not believe that waiting for an increase in share price in the face of significant declining EBITDA is the prudent path to take considering that we believe that Casey's could potentially realize $150 to greater than $170 in a sale today. We believe that Casey's Board should immediately engage a financial advisor to explore all strategic alternatives, including a potential sale, merger or similar transaction in order to maximize shareholder value."

08:16 EDT Camping World to acquire Erehwon Mountain Outfitter - Camping World Holdings announced plans to purchase Erehwon Mountain Outfitter, a leading Midwest specialty retailer of outdoor gear and apparel. The acquisition of Erehwon Mountain Outfitter is further progression in Camping World Holding's commitment to an omni-channel approach to penetrating the outdoor lifestyle market. Erehwon is currently a top source of outdoor clothing and gear in the Midwest with three Chicagoland area locations and the flagship location in the Milwaukee area.

08:13 EDT Perrigo gets tentative FDA approval for generic Prolensa ophthalmic solution - Perrigo (PRGO) announced it has received tentative approval from the U.S. FDA for the generic version of Prolensa 0.07%. Perrigo previously settled litigation with Bausch & Lomb (VRX) for this product. Prolensa 0.07% is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug indicated for the treatment of postoperative inflammation and reduction of ocular pain in patients who have undergone cataract surgery. Branded market sales for the last twelve months were approximately $113M.

08:09 EDT Hersha Hospitality announces new $100M share repurchase program - Hersha Hospitality announced that its board of trustees authorized a new share repurchase program of up to $100M of the company's outstanding common shares. This new program will commence immediately and the company expects to complete the new repurchase program prior to December 31, 2018, unless extended by the board.

08:08 EDT Albireo Pharma announces royalty monetization agreement with HCR for elobixibat - Albireo Pharma announced that subsidiary Elobix AB has entered into an agreement with HealthCare Royalty Partners, or HCR, to monetize its royalty rights under its license agreement with EA Pharma Co., Ltd. for elobixibat in the treatment of chronic constipation in Japan. EA Pharma is a subsidiary of Eisai Co, Ltd. Under the terms of the agreement with HCR, Albireo subsidiary Elobix will receive $45 million if elobixibat is approved by the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and is eligible to receive an additional $15 million upon achievement of a specified sales milestone. In return, HCR obtains the right to receive royalties and sales milestones for elobixibat in Japan that may become payable by EA Pharma, up to a specified threshold. If the specified threshold is reached, Elobix will again become eligible to receive royalties and sales milestones for elobixibat under the terms of its license agreement with EA Pharma. Elobix has retained its right to receive a milestone payment from EA Pharma if elobixibat is approved by the MHLW.

08:06 EDT Pareteum reports record 2017-end contractual revenue backlog of $147M - Pareteum has executed agreements that represent a 36 Month Contractual Revenue Backlog of a record $147M, as of December 31, 2017. With 28 newly signed customer agreements in 2017, totaling $117M in 36 Month Contractual Revenue Backlog, 4Q17 represents an increased 58% over 3Q17 contract agreement executions. The Compounded Annual Growth Rate of Pareteum's 36 Month Contractual Revenue Backlog is 389% since January 1, 2017.

08:05 EDT InVivo Therapeutics does not plan to reopen enrollment in INSPIRE study - InVivo Therapeutics Holdings announced the latest results from The INSPIRE Study. The primary endpoint of the study is defined as improvement in ASIA Impairment Scale grade from baseline for all evaluable patients at the six-month visit. Nineteen patients have been implanted with the Neuro-Spinal Scaffold. Three patients died within two weeks of implantation. The 16 evaluable patients have now all reached the six-month primary endpoint visit. Seven of the 16 evaluable patients had an AIS grade improvement from baseline at six months.The Objective Performance Criterio for the study was a 25% AIS conversion rate based on the published conversion rates for thoracic spinal cord injury reported in the literature.The most recent patient to reach the primary endpoint visit was assessed to be AIS C at six months, meaning that some motor function was detected at the sacral level. Of the seven INSPIRE patients who had AIS improvements at six months, five patients improved from complete AIS A SCI to sensory incomplete AIS B SCI, and two patients improved from complete AIS A SCI to motor incomplete AIS C SCI. Two of the five patients who were assessed to be AIS B at six months later improved to AIS C at 12 or 24 months. In July 2017, enrollment of patients in the INSPIRE study was placed on hold following the third patient death. Although InVivo and the respective site principal investigators believe these deaths were not related to the Neuro-Spinal Scaffold investigational device, the company is in discussions with the FDA to ensure that these cases have been comprehensively evaluated and to ensure that all appropriate risk mitigation measures have been implemented. As part of those ongoing discussions, InVivo has proposed a randomized controlled trial to supplement the existing clinical evidence for the Neuro-Spinal Scaffold. InVivo does not anticipate reopening enrollment in INSPIRE and expects to provide additional clarity on its clinical path forward in the second quarter of 2018.

08:03 EDT BlackBerry entering partnership with Baidu - BlackBerry (BB) and Baidu (BIDU) announced today that the two companies will collaborate to accelerate the deployment of connected and autonomous vehicle technology for automotive OEMs and suppliers worldwide. The companies have signed a statement of intent to make BlackBerry QNX's industry-leading ISO26262 ASIL-D certified safety operating system, or OS, the foundation for Baidu's Apollo autonomous driving open platform. Also, BlackBerry and Baidu will work together to integrate Baidu's CarLife, the leading smartphone integration software for connected cars in China, as well as its conversational AI system DuerOS, and high definition maps to run on the BlackBerry QNX Car Platform.

08:03 EDT Intec Pharma granted patent in Canada for Accordion Pill Carbidopa / Levodopa - Intec Pharma announced that the Canadian Intellectual Property Office has issued a Certificate of Grant of a Canadian patent No. 2,721,493. The patent, entitled "Carbidopa/Levodopa Gastroretentive Drug Delivery," broadly covers the Accordion Pill containing certain drugs, including the combination of Carbidopa and Levodopa and provides patent protection through April 2029. The patent belongs to the company's IN-7 patent family, which already includes patents granted in the U.S., Europe, China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, South Africa, and Israel.

08:02 EDT IHS Markit: Lance Uggla assumes role of chairman and CEO - IHS Markit announced the appointments of Lord Browne of Madingley and Nicoletta Giadrossi as new directors of the company. Also, Lance Uggla, the company's president and COO, became chairman and CEO of IHS Markit on January 1, 2018, following the previously announced retirement of chairman and CEO Jerre Stead on December 31, 2017.

08:01 EDT Carroll, PGIM Real Estate acquire 28 property portfolio - Carroll Organization and PGIM Real Estate announced the formation of a joint venture to acquire a multifamily portfolio including twenty-eight properties across Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. The seller was affiliates of Lone Star Funds. Carroll Organization, acting on behalf of its latest investment vehicle, Carroll Multifamily Real Estate Fund V, LP, is one of the country's leading privately-held real estate companies focused on multifamily investment, management, and development. PGIM Real Estate, acting on behalf of institutional investors, is the real estate investment business of PGIM, the global investment management business of Prudential Financial. All the newly acquired properties will be managed by Carroll Management Group.

07:48 EDT Jacobs Engineering selected by Borealis for engineering study - Jacobs Engineering Group has been awarded a contract to complete a front end engineering design study for a propane dehydrogenation plant located at the existing Borealis production site in Kallo, Belgium. The contract award follows the successful completion of the feasibility study for the plant. When complete, the new PDH plant will have a targeted annual production capacity of 740 kilotons, making it one of the largest and most efficient facilities in the world. As part of the FEED study, Jacobs is preparing the basic design package for both the inside battery limit areas as well as the outside battery limit areas of the new PDH plant. The FEED phase is scheduled for completion by mid-2018.

07:37 EDT CEL-SCI updates shareholders on Phase 3 trial enrollment, CRO arbitration - CEL-SCI Corporation issued a letter to its shareholders, which in part read, "CEL-SCI enters 2018 in a position of strength and hope for the year ahead. We thank all of our shareholders for supporting our company during a difficult 2017. I am pleased to report where we stand today with the items that have the most significant impact on our company's value: Our Phase 3 trial in head and neck cancer is fully enrolled. All that remains is to monitor patients and determine if our trial has met its primary endpoint of improving overall survival of Multikine treated patients following 298 events in the two main groups. We continue to believe that boosting a cancer patient's immune system before surgery, radiation and chemotherapy makes the most sense because that is the time when the immune system is thought to be strongest. In October 2013 we filed an arbitration suit seeking at least $50M against the clinical research organization that was originally contracted to managed our phase 3 trial in head and neck cancer patients and which was subsequently replaced by us. This arbitration finally completed its testimony phase in early November 2017. We are now working on post-trial submissions and closing statements to bring this arbitration to conclusion and finally allow the arbitrator to reach and issue a final decision. With a new $1.5M grant from the National Institutes of Health, we are moving our LEAPS rheumatoid arthritis vaccine forward towards filing an Investigational New Drug application. Data regarding the vaccine were presented at numerous scientific conferences throughout 2017....As we begin 2018, we have completed full enrollment in the world's largest clinical trial in head and neck cancer. As we monitor enrolled patients, we expect that a positive outcome in the trial would enable us to apply for regulatory approval in head and neck cancer in dozens of global markets. Our rheumatoid arthritis vaccine studies are currently being funded by an NIH grant. We await the final decision in the arbitration suit we filed against our former CRO in 2013."

07:33 EDT Sangamo, Pfizer collaborate for development of zinc finger protein gene therapy - Sangamo Therapeutics (SGMO) and Pfizer (PFE) announced a collaboration for the development of a potential gene therapy using zinc finger protein transcription factors to treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar degeneration linked to mutations of the C9ORF72 gene. Under the terms of the collaboration agreement, Sangamo will receive a $12M upfront payment from Pfizer. Sangamo will be responsible for the development of ZFP-TF candidates. Pfizer will be operationally and financially responsible for subsequent research, development, manufacturing and commercialization for the C9ORF72 ZFP-TF program and any resulting products. Sangamo is eligible to receive potential development and commercial milestone payments of up to $150M, as well as tiered royalties on net sales. In May 2017, Sangamo and Pfizer entered into an exclusive, global collaboration and license agreement for the development and commercialization of potential gene therapy products for Hemophilia A, including SB-525, which entered the clinic in August 2017.

07:32 EDT GeneCentric reports collaboration on drug response biomarkers for lung cancer - GeneCentric Therapeutics announced a research collaboration to evaluate the potential of GeneCentric's Cancer Subtype Platform to identify responders to G1 Therapeutics' oral CDK4/6 inhibitor G1T38 for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. As part of the research collaboration, GeneCentric will apply its lung cancer subtyping profilers in preclinical, patient-derived xenograft models to determine NSCLC subtype associations with G1T38 response, as well as examine potential drug response associations with specific genes. Financial terms were not disclosed.

07:17 EDT Myriad Genetics announces expanded research collaboration with AstraZeneca - Myriad Genetics (MYGN) announced that AstraZeneca (AZN) will use the company's myChoice HRD Plus in an exploratory analysis to identify women with advanced ovarian cancer who may benefit from maintenance treatment with Lynparza and Avastin. Financial terms were not disclosed. Under the agreement, Myriad will use its myChoice HRD Plus test to evaluate patients enrolled in an ongoing Phase III trial. In this collaboration, the companies will use the myChoice HRD Plus test to identify cases with homologous recombination deficiencies.

07:11 EDT Sapiens acquires KnowledgePrice.com, terms not disclosed - Sapiens announced that it has expanded its digital division's capabilities through the acquisition of KnowledgePrice.com, a technology specialist with expertise in digital insurance services and consulting. The acquisition, whose primary goal is to expand Sapiens' resources and knowledge base, is not significant to Sapiens' revenue or profits.

07:06 EDT SCANA trading resumes

07:05 EDT Funrise, Paramount enter multi-year partnership - Funrise and Paramount have entered into a multi-year partnership where Funrise will serve as the worldwide master toy partner for Paramount Pictures' highly anticipated animated feature, Amusement Park. Funrise will create a comprehensive line of exciting products based on the movie including figures, playsets, plush, role-play, collectibles and more. The products will begin global retail rollout in early 2019.

07:04 EDT Cubic selected for Los Angeles Metro TAP fare payment system - Cubic's (CUB) Cubic Transportation Systems business division was awarded a contract with the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority to deliver an integrated mobile app in support of the TAP regional contactless fare system. TAP links 24 transit agencies across the Los Angeles region and the mobile app will provide travelers with a range of tools for their daily commute. The app will be supported by Cubic's application programming interface portal provided on the company's Software-as-a-Service cloud platform enabled via Cubic's collaboration with Microsoft (MSFT) for the company's Azure cloud environment. Cubic's open APIs will allow third-party devices to interact with TAP cards for authentication, top-up or debiting card and account balances.

07:02 EDT Scana holders to receive equivalent of $55.35/share in Dominion stock in merger

07:01 EDT Glaukos submits IDE application to FDA to study iStent infinite system - Glaukos Corporation announced that it has submitted an Investigational Device Exemption application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration seeking authorization to study its iStent infinite Trabecular Micro-Bypass System. The iStent infinite is designed for use as a standalone procedure to reduce elevated intraocular pressure in refractory glaucoma patients. In the IDE application, Glaukos proposes to conduct a prospective, multi-center, single-arm clinical trial to evaluate safety and performance of the iStent infinite in approximately 65 refractory subjects and/or subjects on maximally tolerated topical ocular hypotensive medications. The primary endpoint is proposed to be a 20% or greater reduction in IOP from baseline at 12 months on the same or fewer medications. Glaukos plans to use the trial results as the basis for seeking FDA clearance via a 510k pre-market submission.

06:57 EDT Ryder opens new Logistics Operations Center in London, Ontario - Ryder System opened its new Logistics Operating Center in London, Ontario, which will primarily serve the Eastern Canada region. A total of 210 drivers are domiciled out of the facility, along with 55 Ryder employees. The new LOC facility is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and is located between Detroit and Toronto, enabling Ryder to serve clients on both sides of the border.

06:52 EDT Commercial Metals up 1.3% after reporting Q1 results

06:39 EDT American Midstream Partners commences full operation of Cayenne Pipeline - American Midstream Partners (AMID) announced the completion and commencement of deliveries on the previously announced Cayenne Pipeline joint venture between AMID and Targa Resources (TRGP). Cayenne will initially have 40,000 barrels per day of Y-grade NGL transport capacity with the ability to expand to more than 50,000 barrels per day. Cayenne will originate from the Targa-operated Venice gas processing plant and deliver to fractionation in Southern Louisiana.

06:36 EDT Spectrum Brands CEO says has received 'multiple inquiries' for GBA units - "The Global Batteries & Appliances businesses are both strong, well-run divisions with excellent management and dedicated employees, and they have consistently contributed to the long-term success of Spectrum Brands," said Andreas Rouve, CEO of Spectrum Brands Holdings. "We have received multiple inquiries from prospective buyers and are in active discussions with several. Given their attractiveness and upside potential, we believe these businesses can have accelerated success in the hands of new owners."

06:31 EDT Plymouth Industrial REIT acquires three industrial buildings in Atlanta for $11M - Plymouth Industrial REIT acquired three single-tenant industrial buildings in Atlanta, Georgia totaling 330,361 square feet for $11.43M in cash. The acquisition is projected to provide an initial yield of 8.3%. The portfolio is occupied by three longstanding tenants with extended histories at the properties.

06:31 EDT Trimble enters partnership with CalAmp - Trimble (TRMB) announced that CalAmp (CAMP) is supplying customized telematics tracking devices and systems management technology for Trimble's Field Service Management, or FSM, vehicle and asset monitoring solutions. Trimble will focus on the value-add fleet management, work management, diagnostics, driver safety and mobility software and cloud-services that enable organizations to improve efficiency and productivity. The Trimble solutions allow fleet managers and equipment dealers to locate and monitor the health and utilization of their vehicles and equipment, and proactively manage maintenance.

06:07 EDT United Therapeutics, enters strategic collaboration with Corsair Pharma - United Therapeutics and Corsair Pharma announced that they entered into an exclusive license agreement for Corsair's portfolio of patents covering treprostinil prodrugs as well as an equity investment by United Therapeutics in Corsair. Under the terms of the license agreement, United Therapeutics has been granted an exclusive license to Corsair's intellectual property for the development of treprostinil prodrug formulations. Corsair will continue development of transdermal treprostinil prodrug formulations for PAH. Corsair received upfront consideration, and is entitled to royalty payments based on the commercialization of treprostinil prodrug products by United Therapeutics that are covered by Corsair's patents. In addition, United Therapeutics made a minority equity investment in Corsair that includes an option to acquire the remaining outstanding shares of Corsair. As part of this collaboration, United Therapeutics and Corsair will collaborate and support each other's development activities. United Therapeutics and Corsair are committed to the development of novel compounds that will allow more PAH patients to benefit from treprostinil by eliminating as far as possible, and as soon as possible, any pain, side effects, or safety risks associated with its delivery.

06:03 EDT Destination Maternity appoints Melissa Payner-Gregor as interim CEO - Destination Maternity announced the appointment of Melissa Payner-Gregor, an independent director of the company, as Interim CEO, effective immediately. Payner-Gregor is succeeding Allen Weinstein, who had been serving in the role since September 2017. Weinstein has decided to retire from the board for personal reasons, also effective immediately.

06:02 EDT iKang Healthcare to form investment fund with AVIC Trust Co. - iKang Healthcare announced that it will form an investment fund with AVIC Trust Co., Ltd. AVIC Trust's ultimate shareholder is Aviation Industry Corporation of China. The aggregate size the investment fund will not exceed RMB 502M. An affiliate of Lee Ligang Zhang, iKang's Chairman and CEO, and an affiliate of AVIC Trust will act as general partners and each contribute RMB 1M to the investment fund. iKang's PRC affiliated entity, iKang Healthcare Technology Group Co., Ltd., and AVIC Trust will contribute up to RMB 70M and RMB 430M, respectively, to the investment fund as limited partners. The company has reached a re-financing arrangement with the investment fund. Pursuant to the arrangement, the investment fund will purchase from iKang Guobin Healthcare Group Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of iKang Healthcare Technology, 25% equity interest in New China Life Insurance Health Investment Management Co., Ltd. with a cash consideration of RMB 425M. After the equity transfer, iKang Guobin holds 20% equity share in NCI Health. iKang Guobin has the right to repurchase after 12 months and the obligation to repurchase in 36 months such 25% equity interest from the investment fund at a price equal to the original transfer price with an annual return rate of 10%. The company will act as the guarantor for the repurchase.

05:32 EDT Gridsum signs lululemon as new client - Gridsum Holding (GSUM) announced that it has signed lululemon athletica (LULU) as a new client. lululemon is significantly scaling its business in China. It entered the China market in 2016 by opening a number of offline stores and an online store on Tmall. As part of its global expansion, lululemon is looking to further expand its online presence and acquire new customers in China with the launch of approximately 30 additional stores in Shanghai in 2018.

05:28 EDT Novartis receives FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation for Kisqali - Novartis announced Kisqali received FDA Breakthrough Therapy designation for initial endocrine-based treatment of pre-or perimenopausal women with hormone-receptor positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 negative advanced or metastatic breast cancer in combination with tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor. This Breakthrough Therapy designation is based on positive results of the Phase III MONALEESA-7 trial demonstrating Kisqali in combination with tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor as initial endocrine-based therapy significantly prolonged progression-free survival compared to endocrine therapy alone

05:24 EDT Kayne Anderson Midstream/Energy Fund reports net assets $327M at Dec. 31 - Kayne Anderson Midstream/Energy Fund provided a summary unaudited statement of assets and liabilities and announced its net asset value and asset coverage ratios under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as of December 31, 2017. As of December 31, 2017, the Fund's net assets were $327M and its net asset value per share was $14.83. As of December 31, 2017, the Fund's asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness was 497% and the Fund's asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to total leverage was 359%.

05:23 EDT Kayne Anderson Energy reports net assets $194M at Dec. 31 - Kayne Anderson Energy provided a summary unaudited statement of assets and liabilities and announced its net asset value and asset coverage ratios under the Investment Company Act of 1940 as of December 31, 2017. As of December 31, 2017, the company's net assets were $194M, and its net asset value per share was $18.01. As of December 31, 2017, the company's asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness was 465% and the company's asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to total leverage was 328%.

05:18 EDT Euronet statement regarding termination of MoneyGram, Ant Financial merger - Euronet Worldwide issued the following statement in response to numerous inquiries regarding Euronet's intentions following the announcement by MoneyGram and Ant Financial of the termination of their Merger Agreement. Euronet continues to believe there is compelling commercial logic to a combination between Euronet and MoneyGram. However, significant developments have been disclosed by MoneyGram since Euornet's offer and Euronet has not conducted any evaluation of the business in that time. While we continue to view a transaction with MoneyGram as logical, there is no guarantee any offer will be made or any transaction will ultimately occur.