Stockwinners Market Radar for January 31, 2018 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

18:32 EDT Telecom Argentina announces three-year, $5B investment plan - Telecom Argentina announces that its Board of Directors approved a three-year Investment Plan (2018-2020) for an amount of $5B which will be destined to increase the telephone and mobile internet radiobases, to extend the NGN networks, and to expand and improve the connectivity infrastructure in order to be able to provide multiplay services, in the framework of convergence.

18:22 EDT GAMCO announces board nominees at E.W. Scripps - GAMCO Asset Management Inc., an affiliate of GAMCO Investors, Inc. (GBL), recently announced its intention to nominate directors at the 2018 annual meeting of The E.W. Scripps Company (SSP). GAMCO intends to nominate Vincent L. Sadusky, former CEO of Media General, Inc. (MEG) and LIN Media LLC, and Colleen Birdnow Brown, Founder and owner of Marca Global LLC, to the board of E.W. Scripps. Additional nominees for the board may be announced at a later date. GAMCO, on behalf of its clients, and certain of its affiliates owns approximately 16.5% of the outstanding Class A common stock of E.W. Scripps.

18:13 EDT Energen says has spoken with Corvex numerous times over the past months - Energen Corporation issued a statement regarding the announcement by Corvex Management LP that it has submitted four nominees for election to the company's board of directors at Energen's 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders: "Energen welcomes open communications with its shareholders and considers their views seriously. While it is the Company's policy not to comment on the content of discussions with specific shareholders, members of Energen's Board of Directors and management team have spoken with Corvex numerous times over the past months. The Energen Board is made up of nine highly-qualified and experienced directors, all of whom are independent except for the Chairman. The Board welcomes fresh perspectives and has added four new independent directors over the last two years and seven new independent directors over the last five years. The Company's Board members are all actively engaged, have a broad range of valuable perspectives, and possess a significant experience in the upstream energy space. Under the leadership of Energen's Board and management team, Energen's transformation into a pure-play Permian Basin oil and gas exploration and production company culminated in 2016. Throughout 2017, wells completed with Energen's new Generation 3 frac design have significantly outperformed expectations. We are delivering on our drilling and development plans, driving production growth, and further reducing costs. We estimate that YOY production growth in 2017 will be more than 34%, and we expect our Generation 3 multi-zone pattern wells to continue driving production growth as we move forward. At the same time, we remain focused on continuing to optimize our well performance and reducing per-unit lease operating and G&A expenses. Since it first invested in Energen in March 2017, Corvex has pushed a singularly-focused agenda to sell the Company regardless of market conditions and the Company's continued improving performance. Energen's Board and management team are committed to acting in the best interest of the Company and all of our shareholders and will continue to work to drive growth, enhance returns, and realize the full value of our assets for all shareholders. The Energen Board will present its formal recommendation regarding director nominations in the Company's definitive proxy materials that will be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and mailed to shareholders eligible to vote at the 2018 Annual Meeting, which has not yet been scheduled."

18:05 EDT Microsoft sees FY18 operating margin up slightly

18:03 EDT Celanese announces acetyl intermediates price increases - Celanese Corporation will increase list and off-list selling prices for the following acetyl intermediates products. The price increases will be effective February 1, 2018, or as contracts otherwise allow, and are incremental to any previously announced increases.

18:02 EDT California Water Service raises quarterly dividend to 75c per share from 72c - California Water Service Group said its board of directors declared the company's 292nd consecutive quarterly dividend, increasing the annual dividend from 72c-75c. This represents the company's 51st consecutive annual dividend increase. The quarterly dividend of 18.75c per common share will be payable on February 23, 2018, to stockholders of record on February 12, 2018.

18:01 EDT Microsoft sees Q3 Intelligent Cloud revenue $7.55B-7.75B - Sees Q3 More Personal Computing revenue $9.1B-$9.4B. Sees commercial cloud gross margins improving. Sees Q3 operating expenses $9.1B-$9.2B.

17:59 EDT Microsoft says expects FX to increase Q3 revenue by 2% - Says plans to increase CapEx in Q3; Sees commercial business remaining strong.

17:54 EDT Microsoft says LinkedIn earnings remain ahead of expectations - Says LinkedIn had $111M of operating income in Q2. Comments from Q2 earnings conference call.

17:32 EDT On The Fly: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Quinstreet (QNST), up 20.6%... OpenText (OTEX), up 12.4%... Qorvo (QRVO), up 8.4%... eBay (EBAY), up 6.9%... MKS Instruments (MKSI), up 3.6%... Vertex (VRTX), up 3.9%... AT&T (T), up 3.8%. ALSO HIGHER: Pandora (P), up 2.9% after it announced an organizational restructuring program. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: NIC Inc. (EGOV), down 17.2%... Tractor Supply (TSCO), down 4.3%... PayPal (PYPL), down 3.7%... Symantec (SYMC), down 2.3%... Facebook (FB), down 1.8%... Citrix Systems (CTXS), down 1.7%... Microsoft (MSFT), down 1.6%.

17:24 EDT Starbucks sees China acquisition negatively impacting margin in 2018

17:22 EDT Gaming Partners signs licensing and development agreement with Xuvi - Gaming Partners International has entered global licensing and development agreements to develop an advanced Automated Table Solution with BrainChip Holdings and with Xuvi, LLC - a data science company that uses immersive data analytics and automation for intelligent data-driven decisions.

17:20 EDT eBay CEO says 'Q4 was a record quarter' - "Q4 was a record quarter for eBay, representing the fifth quarter in a row of volume acceleration in our US Marketplace," said Devin Wenig, President and CEO of eBay Inc. "We have made great progress transforming eBay while delivering meaningful growth and we expect further acceleration in 2018 as we continue to execute our strategy."

17:20 EDT Starbucks has 6.2M active rewards members in China - Comment from Starbucks China conference call.

17:17 EDT First National Community Bancorp raises quarterly dividend from 3c to 4c / share - The dividend is payable March 15, 2018 to shareholders of record March 1, 2018.

17:13 EDT BAE Systems awarded $148.9M U.S. Army contract modification - BAE Systems Land & Armaments was awarded a $148,884,392 modification to contract W56HZV-17-C-0001 for early procurement material in support of the M109A7 and M992A3 vehicle production. Work will be performed in York, Pennsylvania, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2022.

17:09 EDT Lazard declares $1.30 special dividend - The dividends are payable on February 23, 2018, to stockholders of record on February 12, 2018.

17:08 EDT American Financial Group sees FY18 annuity sales up 2%-6%

17:01 EDT Rexnord sees FY18 adjusted EBITDA $381M-$387M

16:45 EDT Qualcomm reports Q1 MSM chip shipments 237M, up 9% y/y - Up 8% sequentially.

16:44 EDT Energen shareholder Corvex nominates four independent board candidates - Energen's largest shareholder Corvex Management, with beneficial ownership of approximately 9.9% of the company's outstanding shares, has nominated four highly-qualified, independent candidates for election to Energen's nine-member Board of Directors at the upcoming 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The nominees each have significant experience at multi-billion dollar energy and industrial companies. The nominees are: Jose Maria Alapont, former President and CEO of Federal-Mogul; Jonathan Cohen, Founder of Atlas Energy and Atlas Pipeline Partners; Daniel Herz, former Senior Vice President of Atlas Energy and Atlas Pipeline Partners; and Vincent Intrieri, former Senior Managing Director of Icahn Capital LP.

16:41 EDT Zion Oil & Gas nears total depth in Israel well, launches new Unit program - Zion Oil & Gas' Megiddo-Jezreel #1 well is at a current depth of 4,850 meters and should reach its final total depth of up to ~5,100 meters in the next few drilling days. Zion also launched a new $5 per share Unit Program of limited duration during the month of February under its Dividend Reinvestment and Common Stock Purchase Plan. Zion's Unit Program begins February 1 and will last until the company raises $5M in funding or February 28, whichever occurs sooner. The new Unit Option program allows investors to purchase Units of its securities where each Unit, priced at $250.00, is comprised of: 50 shares of ZN common stock, and 50 common stock purchase warrants. Each warrant affords participants the opportunity to purchase one share of ZN common stock at a warrant exercise price of $5.00.

16:34 EDT Penske Automotive raises 401(k) matching contributions - Penske Automotive Group announced that it has enhanced the company's U.S. 401(k) savings plan by increasing company matching contributions from 1.5% to 2.5% of eligible contributions, representing an increase of 67%. Cites recently enacted tax reform.

16:31 EDT Chevron raises quarterly dividend from $1.08 to $1.12 per share - The dividend is payable March 12, 2018, to all holders of common stock as shown on the transfer records of the Corporation at the close of business February 16, 2018.

16:28 EDT Thomson Reuters announces resignation of Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE from board - Thomson Reuters announced that Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE, who joined the Board of Reuters in 2004 and the Board of Thomson Reuters on its formation in 2008, resigned from the Thomson Reuters Board of Directors. At the time of Sir Kenneth's resignation, he served on the Board's Audit Committee. Following his departure, the Thomson Reuters Board of Directors consists of 11 members.

16:27 EDT Microsoft down 1% following Q2 earnings reports

16:26 EDT Aflac CEO says 'pleased with the company's overall performance' in 2017 - Commenting on the company's results, Chairman and CEO Daniel P. Amos stated: "We are pleased with the company's overall performance for the year. Aflac Japan, our largest earnings contributor, generated strong financial and third sector sales results for the year. Looking ahead to 2018, sales of third sector products face challenging comparisons, especially in the early part of the year due to the conversion of the Japan branch. However, we expect to see improvements in third sector sales in the second half of the year. As we said during our outlook call last month, in 2018, we anticipate that third sector earned premium will continue its steady growth in the 2% to 3% range, reflecting Aflac's stable sales and high persistency in Japan. Turning to our U.S. operations, we are pleased with the sales results, financial performance and strong profitability of Aflac U.S. in 2017. Our sales results reflect our focus on the growth strategy we implemented in both our career and broker channels. As we said on last month's outlook call, we anticipate 2018 growth in earned premium to be around 2% to 3% and new annualized premium sales growth of 3% to 5%."

16:24 EDT KeyCorp appoints Clark Khay as Chief Strategy Officer - KeyCorp has named Clark Khayat as Executive VP and Chief Strategy Officer. In this role, Khayat will be responsible for corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, and strategic investments. Khayat rejoins Key after previously serving with the company in several roles, including as head of Corporate Strategy and Group Head of Enterprise Commercial Payments. He will report to CFO Don Kimble. Clark Khayat most recently served as co-founder and managing director of Occom Ridge Partners, a strategic advisory firm. He previously joined Key in 2012 to lead Corporate Strategy before being named Group Head of Enterprise Commercial Payments in 2014.

16:22 EDT Aflac sees 2018 share repurchases $1.1B-$1.4B - "We remain committed to maintaining strong capital ratios on behalf of our policyholders and balance this financial strength with a focus on increasing the dividend, repurchasing shares and reinvesting in our business. The board of directors' action to increase the dividend by 15.6% reflects overall strength in the company's capital position, along with an outlook for stable growth in earnings and deployable capital generation. This accelerated resetting of the dividend as we enter 2018 demonstrates our commitment to rewarding our shareholders. Additionally, we expect share repurchase will be in the range of $1.1 to $1.4 billion in 2018, which assumes stable capital conditions and the absence of compelling alternatives. At the same time, we recognize that prudent investment in our platform is also critical to our growth strategy and driving efficiencies that ultimately will impact the bottom line."

16:19 EDT Zogenix completes enrollment in second ZX008 Phase 3 clinical trial - Zogenix announced that the last patient has been randomized into the treatment period of Study 1504, its second Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating ZX008 as an adjunctive treatment for seizures in children and young adults with Dravet syndrome. Previously, in the third quarter of 2017, the Company announced positive top-line data from its first global Phase 3 trial of ZX008, Study 1, that met the primary efficacy endpoint, as well as all prespecified key secondary efficacy endpoints. "The completion of patient randomization in Study 1504 represents another significant achievement in our ZX008 Phase 3 development program in Dravet syndrome," said Stephen J. Farr, Ph.D., President and CEO of Zogenix. "We expect to announce top-line data from this study in the second quarter of this year. The data generated to date from the Phase 3 clinical program have further strengthened our confidence in the potential of ZX008 to become an important treatment option for the control of seizures in patients suffering from Dravet syndrome, a rare and catastrophic form of epilepsy." ZX008 is designated as an orphan drug in both the U.S. and Europe, and has received Fast Track designation in the U.S. for the treatment of Dravet syndrome. ZX008 is an investigational treatment and is not approved for use in any country.

16:17 EDT Vertex authorizes share repurchase program of up to $500M - The company announced that its Board of Directors has authorized a share repurchase program of up to $500M of common stock through December 31, 2019. The repurchase program is expected to be executed over two years with the primary objective of reducing the impact of dilution from employee equity programs. Purchases may be made through the open market or privately negotiated transactions and may be made pursuant to Rule 10b5-1 plans or other means as determined by Vertex's management and in accordance with the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

16:13 EDT Wheeler REIT appoints Matthew Reddy CFO - Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust reported that effectively immediately, the board named Matthew Reddy as Chief Financial Officer. Reddy is a certified public accountant and has been with the company since June 2015 as Chief Accounting Officer.

16:12 EDT Voyager Therapeutics CEO transitioning to executive science advisor - Voyager Therapeutics announced plans during 2018 for Steven Paul, M.D., to transition from president and CEO of Voyager Therapeutics to executive science advisor. Dr. Paul is a founder of Voyager, having been with the company for six years since its inception, initially as president of R&D, then as president and CEO since September 2014. In addition to transitioning to an executive science advisor role, in which he will focus on preclinical discovery research and portfolio development, Paul will continue to serve on Voyager's board, and as a member of Voyager's Science & Technology Committee. Voyager's board will conduct a retained search during which time Paul will remain in his current role until a new CEO has been appointed.

16:11 EDT Facebook shares drop 4%, or $7.35, to $179.54 after Q4 results

16:11 EDT Facebook says Q4 changes reduced daily time spent on site by 50M hours - Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in today's earnings release, "2017 was a strong year for Facebook, but it was also a hard one. In 2018, we're focused on making sure Facebook isn't just fun to use, but also good for people's well-being and for society. We're doing this by encouraging meaningful connections between people rather than passive consumption of content. Already last quarter, we made changes to show fewer viral videos to make sure people's time is well spent. In total, we made changes that reduced time spent on Facebook by roughly 50 million hours every day. By focusing on meaningful connections, our community and business will be stronger over the long term."

16:09 EDT Qualcomm sees FY18 non-GAAP effective tax rate 8%

16:09 EDT Microsoft reports Q2 More Personal Computing revenue up 2% - Revenue in More Personal Computing was $12.2B and increased 2%. Windows OEM revenue increased 4% driven by OEM Pro revenue growth of 11%. Windows commercial products and cloud services revenue decreased 4% due to the impact of a prior year large deal. Gaming revenue increased 8% driven by Xbox hardware revenue growth from the Xbox One X launch. Search advertising revenue excluding traffic acquisition costs increased 15% driven by higher revenue per search and search volume. Surface revenue increased 1%.

16:08 EDT AT&T reports 4.1M total wireless net adds in Q4 - Reports 4.1 million total wireless net adds for the fourth quarter: 2.7 million in U.S., driven by connected devices, postpaid phones and prepaid 1.3 million in Mexico. Reports 300,000 total video net adds: 161,000 in U.S. and 139,000 in Latin America. U.S. wireless results: Operating income margin of 22.1% with EBITDA margin of 32.7% and wireless service margin of 43.8%. Reports 329,000 postpaid phone net adds. Added nearly 700,000 branded smartphones to base.

16:07 EDT InfuSystem announces dismissal of class action shareholder lawsuit - InfuSystem Holdings announced it has received notice that on January 29, 2018 the United States District Court for the Central District of California has issued an order dismissing, with prejudice, a putative class-action lawsuit against the Company. The dismissal relates to an action brought on November 8, 2016 by a purported shareholder of the Company (Case No. 2:16-cv-08295-ODW) against the Company and two individual defendants: Eric Steen, the Company's former Chief Executive Officer, President and Director; and Jonathan Foster, the Company's former Chief Financial Officer. The complaint asserted claims against all defendants under the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws and against Messrs. Steen and Foster as control persons. On June 19, 2017, the Company and all defendants filed a Motion to Dismiss the amended complaint. On December 15, 2017, the Court dismissed the plaintiff's first amendment to the class action compliant, with leave to amend. On December 20, 2017, the parties stipulated, and the Court extended, the plaintiff's time to amend the FAC up to January 19, 2018. As of January 19, 2018, the plaintiff never filed an amended complaint and the Court dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice on January 29, 2018.

16:05 EDT Qualcomm sees Q2 MSM chip shipments 170M-190M

16:03 EDT GoPro introduces new benefits to Plus subscription service - GoPro is introducing new benefits in its Plus subscription service at no additional cost. The expanded Plus monthly service includes camera replacement, mbile cloud backup, ulimited photo storage, 35 hours of video storage, 20% off accessories at gopro.com, front-of-the-line priority phone and chat support. The new GoPro Plus is now available in the US for $4.99 a month with a 30-day free trial and will expand to global markets later this year.

16:03 EDT Amplify Snack Brands trading resumes

16:01 EDT Qualcomm, Samsung amend long-term cross-license agreement - Qualcomm (QCOM) announced that it has expanded its global patent cross-license agreement with Samsung (SSNLF) covering mobile devices and infrastructure equipment. The amended agreement is consistent with Qualcomm's global handset-level licensing practices. As part of the agreement, Samsung will be withdrawing its interventions in Qualcomm's appeal of the KFTC decision in the Seoul High Court.

14:52 EDT PHH Corporation says D.C. Court decision 'important and gratifying' - PHH Corporation issued a statement in response to the decision issued on January 31, 2018 by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit. The en banc court reinstated the October 11, 2016 panel decision related to the RESPA issues, which included vacating the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's order imposing $109M in disgorgement penalties, and remanded the matter for further proceedings based on the legal guidance of the Court. "The decision by the full D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold the panel's ruling to overturn former Director Cordray's decision under RESPA with respect to our former mortgage reinsurance activities, which includes vacating the $109M penalty, is an important and gratifying outcome for PHH and the industry. We continue to believe that we complied with RESPA and other laws applicable to our former mortgage reinsurance activities in all respects. Regarding the remand, we will continue to present, if necessary, the facts and evidence to support our position that mortgage insurers did not pay more than reasonable market value to PHH affiliated reinsurers."

14:46 EDT Before the Move: Watch Aimmune ahead of peanut allergy trial results - Aimmune Therapeutics (AIMT) is expected to present top-line data from its Phase 3 PALISADE trial of AR101 in February. JMP Securities analyst Liisa Bayko believes the study will show a high level of desensitization to peanut and exceed the Food and Drug Administration's statistical requirement, an opinion shared by her peer at Cantor Fitzgerald. TRIAL DATA DUE SOON: Aimmune is expected to announce top-line data from the company's Phase 3 PALISADE trial of AR101 for peanut allergy in February, and present full study data on March 4 at The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology meeting in Orlando. AR101 is an investigational oral biologic drug designed to help protect patients from severe allergic reactions in case they are accidentally exposed to peanut. Through the company's investigational Characterized Oral Desensitization ImmunoTherapy approach, gradually increasing doses of AR101 would desensitize patients to peanut over a period of about six months. Afterward, patients would continue to take maintenance doses of AR101 in order to maintain desensitization. ADEQUATE FOR APPROVAL: In a research note to investors, JMP Securities' Bayko said she is optimistic the study will show a wide therapeutic benefit and exceed the FDA's statistical requirement of more/equal 15% margin in the 95% confidence interval over placebo. Given her confidence in efficacy, the analyst noted that she views safety as the most important read-out for the study, with eosinophilic esophagitis and anaphylaxis as key areas of interest. While Aimmune's stock surged since competitor DBV Technologies (DBVT) announced that Phase 3 data missed on statistics, Bayko still sees upside. She reiterated an Outperform rating and $40 price target on Aimmune's shares. Earlier this month, Cantor Fitzgerald analyst William Tanner had voiced a similar opinion. The analyst told investors he "strongly" believes data from the PALISADE Phase 3 trial will be adequate for regulatory approval and that AR101 could be an "important therapy" for treating peanut allergy. Further, Tanner argued that the use of AR101 will dovetail well with existing allergy practices, providing a new revenue opportunity while addressing a significant unmet medical need. With development and commercialization success of AR101, the market should begin to value the company's characterized oral delivery immunotherapy CODIT platform and the opportunities that could be provided by egg and walnut allergy therapies, he contended. The analyst reiterated an Overweight rating and $55 price target on the shares. Meanwhile, Baird analyst Neena Bitritto-Garg told investors in a research note of her own that she continues to expect PALISADE to be a "significant catalyst" for Aimmune's stock, and positive results should go a long way toward answering key questions around the competitive profile of AR101 in the evolving peanut allergy landscape. The analyst reiterated an Outperform rating and $64 price target on the stock. POTENTIAL M&A: This morning, Roth Capital analyst Jotin Marango raised his price target for Aimmune to $75 from $60, saying he is now more bullish not only on its value ahead of PALISADE topline data in the next few weeks, but also on potential M&A theses or scenarios that a study win is likely to generate and support. The analyst reiterated a Buy rating on the shares. PRICE ACTION: In afternoon trading, shares of Aimmune are fractionally down to $35.30. Over the last three months the stock is up about 21%. "Before the Move" is The Fly's recurring series of exclusive stories that identify potentially market moving events, along with analyst predictions, ahead of the news.

14:20 EDT CVI Investments reports 6.6% passive stake in Recon Technology - In a regulatory filing, CVI Investments disclosed a 6.6% stake in Recon Technology, representing 1,197,500 shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

14:03 EDT Alkermes announces submission of NDA for ALKS 5461 for major depressive disorder - Alkermes plc announced that it has submitted a New Drug Application, or NDA, to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for ALKS 5461, a once-daily, oral investigational medicine with a novel mechanism of action for the adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder, or MDD. ALKS 5461 was granted Fast Track status by the FDA in October 2013 for the adjunctive treatment of MDD in patients with an inadequate response to standard antidepressant therapies. "ALKS 5461 has demonstrated consistent safety, tolerability and antidepressant activity for the adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder throughout its comprehensive clinical development program. The NDA submission of ALKS 5461 further demonstrates our ongoing commitment to developing innovative, patient-centered treatment options for those afflicted by serious mental illness and chronic CNS disorders," stated Craig Hopkinson, M.D., Chief Medical Officer at Alkermes.

14:00 EDT Siemens names Jim Hagemann Snabe as Supervisory Board Chairman - Jim Hagemann Snabe is the new Supervisory Board Chairman of Siemens AG. At the constituent meeting of the new Supervisory Board, the 52-year-old software expert was elected to succeed Gerhard Cromme. Gerhard Cromme's term of office as Chairman and member of the Supervisory Board expired at the conclusion of the 2018 Annual Shareholders' Meeting. A member of the Supervisory Board since 2003, he had been its Chairman since 2007. Shareholders also approved the distribution of a dividend of EUR3.70 per share for fiscal 2017 as proposed by the Managing and Supervisory Boards. The dividend for fiscal 2017 was EUR0.10 higher than the dividend for fiscal 2016.

13:19 EDT Puma Biotechnology announces publication of SUMMIT 'Basket' trial results - Puma Biotechnology announced that initial results from the company's ongoing SUMMIT Phase II 'basket' clinical trial of neratinib in patients with tumors harboring HER2 or HER3 mutations were published in the journal Nature. The paper, "HER kinase inhibition in patients with HER2- and HER3-mutant cancers," appears in the January 31, 2018 online issue and will be published in a future print issue of the journal. SUMMIT is designed to evaluate the contributions of both genetic mutation and cancer type on individual patients' response to neratinib. Information generated from the trial will help guide neratinib-based targeted therapy across a broad spectrum of tumor types with HER2 or HER3 mutations, including patients with rare tumors who may not otherwise have access to investigational therapies. The initial SUMMIT results published in Nature comprise data from 141 patients enrolled in the neratinib monotherapy arm of the trial, including 124 patients with HER2 mutations and 17 patients with HER3 mutations. This included patients with 21 unique tumor types, with the most common being breast, lung, bladder and colorectal cancer. Researchers observed 30 distinct HER2 and 12 distinct HER3 mutations among these patients. In the HER2-mutant cohort, clinical responses were observed in tumors with S310, L755, V777, P780_Y781insGSP and A775_G776insYVMA mutations. When stratified by tumor type, responses were observed in patients with breast, cervical, biliary, salivary and non-small-cell lung cancers, which led to cohort expansions in these tumor types. No activity was observed in the HER3-mutant cohort. The neratinib safety profile observed in the SUMMIT study is consistent with that observed previously in metastatic patients with HER2 amplified tumors. The study showed that the most frequently observed adverse reaction was diarrhea. For the 141 patients enrolled in the neratinib monotherapy arm with safety data available, 31 patients reported grade 3 diarrhea. The median duration of grade 3 diarrhea for those patients was two days. Four patients permanently discontinued neratinib and 21 patients had dose interruptions due to diarrhea.

12:46 EDT Toyota recalls roughly 49,000 Prius, Lexus vehicles with faulty air bag systems - Toyota Motor North America, Inc. announced that it is conducting a safety recall in the U.S. of approximately 49,000 Model Year 2016 Prius and Lexus RX vehicles and Model Year 2015 - 2016 Lexus NX vehicles. The involved vehicles have air bag systems where an open circuit could be created over time. If this were to occur, the air bag warning light will illuminate and the side and curtain shield air bags and/or front air bags may not deploy. Air bag non-deployment could increase the risk of injury to the occupants in the event of a crash. For all involved vehicles, Toyota and Lexus dealers will inspect the serial number of the sensors and replace them with new ones, if necessary, at no cost to customers. All known owners will receive a notification by first-class mail starting in late March 2018.

12:03 EDT BAE Systems awarded $54.8M in contracts from U.S. Navy - BAE Systems has received two U.S. Navy contracts totalling $54.8M to modernize the amphibious assault ship USS America and the guided missile cruiser USS Cape St. George. Both contracts include options that, if exercised, would bring the total cumulative value of the awards to $62.2M. The USS America was commissioned in October 2014. BAE Systems will perform hull, mechanical, and electrical repairs, as well as additional flight deck modifications to support F-35 Lightning II operations on board. Work on the 844-foot-long ship will be conducted at Naval Station San Diego by company employees and subcontractors. The modernization is expected to begin in March and be completed in December 2018.The USS Cape St. George was commissioned in June 1993. BAE Systems will perform ship alternations and repairs aboard the 567-foot-long ship, including the replacement of critical aluminium structures and the removal of obsolete equipment, under the Navy's cruiser modernization program. BAE Systems' work on the Cape St. George, to be conducted at the company's shipyard in San Diego, is expected to begin in March and be completed by January 2019.

11:59 EDT Norman Pessin raises stake in Sharps Compliance to 7.6% - Norman Pessin originally purchased the shares based on the belief that the shares, when purchased, were undervalued and represented an attractive investment opportunity. Depending upon overall market conditions, other investment opportunities available toNorman Pessin , and the availability of shares at prices that would make the purchase or sale of shares desirable, the Norman Pessin may endeavor to increase or decrease their position in the Issuer through, among other things, the purchase or sale of shares on the open market or in private transactions or otherwise, on such terms and at such times as Sharps Compliance may deem advisable.

11:52 EDT Forest City Realty jumps after report of Brookfield takeover talks - Shares of Forest City Realty (FCE.A) are higher after Bloomberg said Brookfield Asset Management (BAM) is in takeover talks with the REIT. "The current price being discussed isn't meaningfully higher than where the stock currently trades," one of the sources told Bloomberg, according to the report. However, the valuation could change, the report added. Following the report, Forest City shares are up 3.5% to $23.95.

11:47 EDT Marathon says 'appalled' by J. Alexander's adjournment of special meeting - Marathon Partners Equity Management, LLC, a New York-based investment firm, and its affiliated investment funds, which beneficially own approximately 6.3% of the common stock of J. Alexander's Holdings, issued the following statement in response to the company's adjournment of the Special Meeting of Shareholders to vote on the company's proposed acquisition of 99 Restaurants, LLC. The rescheduled meeting, to be held on February 1, 2018, will no longer require shareholders to approve, by a two-thirds vote, the removal of the Tennessee Control Share Acquisition Act from the company's Charter as a condition to closing. Mario Cibelli, managing member of Marathon Partners, issued the following statement: "With this latest maneuver, the Board of J. Alexander's continues to prioritize their self-interests above those of the shareholders. We continue to be exasperated by these thinly-veiled efforts to coerce approval of a transaction that is not in the best interests of shareholders and was rejected by the two leading independent proxy advisory firms, ISS and Glass Lewis. The Company stated that this eleventh hour change is favorable to shareholders, but nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is that J. Alexander's shareholders had many months to consider the proposed 99 Restaurants transaction and clearly did not approve it at yesterday's Special Meeting. We urge shareholders to stick with their vote against this ill-advised transaction and force a more robust and thorough investigation of value-creating alternatives."

11:31 EDT Johnson Controls says focus on improving cash flow 'top priority' in 2018 - Says made changes to tie executive compensation to organic revenue growth, EBIT growth and free cash flow conversion. Says accelerating field orders and improving secured margins in Buildings. Says accelerating service growth. Says implemented Cash Management Office to achieve FCF targets, which is a top priority for FY18. Says macroeconomic environment remains "generally favorable". Sees headwinds for Buildings continuing in Q2 but says pressures should abate throughout the year. Expects to see continued solid order growth for Building Solutions North America in Q2. Expects continued pricing pressure in China field business in Q2. Says on track to deliver FY18 FCF of over 80%. Says continues to evaluate impact of tax reform. Says FY18 will be a "year of change". Says cost synergies are on track. Says committed to delivering on profitability. Comments taken from Q1 earnings conference call.

11:21 EDT On The Fly: What to watch in eBay earnings report - eBay (EBAY) is scheduled to report results of its fourth quarter after the market close on Wednesday, January 31, with a conference call scheduled for 5:00 pm ET. What to watch: 1. GROSS MERCHANDISE VOLUME: In the third quarter, eBay reported that its gross merchandise volume, or the amount of sales it helps facilitate, grew 8% on an as-reported basis, and 7% in constant currency, to $21.7B. This growth rate was up from the second quarter growth of 3% on a reported basis, and 5% in constant currency, following an increase in growth rate from the first quarter and a flat growth rate prior to that. Investors will be anxious to see if the company can continue to accelerate GMV growth. 2. GUIDANCE: With its last report, eBay guided to Q4 adjusted earnings of 57c-59c per share. The consensus remains at 59c, the same as when the outlook was provided. The company pointed toward Q4 revenue of $2.58B-$2.62B. The consensus forecast, which was $2.58B at the time of the company's report, has edged up to $2.61B. 3. INITIATIVES: eBay has taken on a number of initiatives to improve the user experience and visibility. In October, the company launched eBay Authenticate, a white glove authentication service which enables eBay sellers to list luxury handbags and wallets, valued at over $500 from 12 high-end brands, and collect 80% of the final selling price. The items are marked with an "Authenticity Verified" label for eBay buyers and are backed by a 200% Money Back Guarantee. In addition in November, eBay announced it would offer Price Match Guarantee from Black Friday through Cyber Monday on over 50,000 deals with no blackout periods. In December, the company announced that it signed an agreement to acquire Terapeak, a company that uses supply, demand and pricing data to help ecommerce sellers know what to sell, when to sell it and at what price on marketplaces. Also in December, Openbay announced a partnership with eBay Motors to provide the availability of millions of searchable automotive parts and accessories for its online marketplace for auto repair and service. Active user growth should show how effective the company has been at improving user experience and visibility. 4. STUBHUB SPORTS DEALS: In October, eBay's StubHub announced a multi-year agreement with the National Football League designating StubHub as the "NFL Authorized Ticket Resale Marketplace" beginning with the 2018-2019 season. With the NFL's recently announced open ticket marketplace, StubHub will be directly integrated with the primary ticketing systems of the League and its clubs. In November, StubHub and Major League Baseball announced a five-year renewal for StubHub to continue to serve as the Official Fan to Fan Ticket Marketplace of MLB.com and the 30 Major League Clubs. The agreement provides StubHub with an exclusive ticketing integration with MLB.com and the 30 clubs.

11:05 EDT Street Fight: Analysts diverge on Castlight after Amazon healthcare announcement - Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Steven Halper upgraded Castlight Health (CSLT) to Overweight saying the shares offer 45% upside potential following weakness related the Amazon (AMZN), Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A; BRK.B), and JPMorgan (JPM) announcement yesterday of a healthcare initiative. Not as bullish after the news, his peer at Morgan Stanley told investors that he sees Amazon's entry into healthcare transparency as an incremental negative for Castlight. BUY CASTLIGHT: In a research note to investors, Cantor Fitzgerald's Halper upgraded Castlight Health to Overweight from Neutral, keeping a $5 price target on the stock. The analyst argued that given their recent weakness related to the Amazon/Berkshire/JPMorgan healthcare initiative, the shares now offer about 45% upside potential. Additionally, Halper said he believes customer churn should ease in the future as mix shifts toward platform sales versus point solutions. During 2018, the analyst expects Castlight to demonstrate progress in its transition to a platform strategy and to continue its efforts to reach positive cash flow. Overall, Halper told investors he is "not too worried about" the Amazon group's initiative "just yet." SELL CASTLIGHT: Commenting on the Amazon/JPMorgan/Berkshire coalition news, Morgan Stanley analyst Ricky Goldwasser told investors that she sees Amazon's entry into the healthcare transparency market as an incremental negative for Castlight, a standalone transparency vendor. The analyst reiterated an Underweight on the latter's shares, citing the company's inability to drive better organic growth in the transparency market. While Castlight has changed its go-to market strategy several times in attempts to improve traction, a critical issue remains, namely the way that consumers shop for and purchase health care, Goldwasser contended. Given consumer aversion to changing healthcare shopping habits, data providers' aversion to providing data needed for effective service, and the announcement of Amazon as "a formidable new entrant" into the transparency market, the analyst keeps a sell-equivalent rating on Castlight's shares. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of Castlight have jumped almost 8% to $3.72. Yesterday the stock had declined about 6%.

11:00 EDT Philotimo,KWM reportss 5.3%, stake in Bravo Brio Restaurant, will seek talks - Philotimo, KWM intend to consider plans and/or make proposals with respect to, among other things, Bravo Brio Restaurant's operations, Board composition, capital or corporate structure, capital allocation policies, strategy and plans, and a potential strategic review to maximize stockholder value. Philotimo, KWM intend to communicate withBravo Brio Restaurants management and Board about a broad range of operational and strategic matters, including on ways to improve Bravo Brio Restaurant's same store sales and operational performance, and may communicate with other stockholders or third parties in this regard.

10:50 EDT Boeing says tax reform will have a clear direct effect on the company - In Q4 tax advantage was driven by a drop in deferred tax liability.

10:45 EDT Johnson Controls sees FY18 corporate expense $425M-$440M - Expects FY18 corporate expense of $425M-$440M. Expects FY18 free cash flow conversion of over 80%, excluding net one-time payments of $800M-$900M related to integration, restructuring and income taxes. Expects FY19 effective tax rate of 16%-18%. Guidance from Q1 earnings conference call presentation slides.

10:37 EDT Broadcom jumps after view on upcoming quarter tops estimates - Shares of Broadcom Limited (AVGO) are rising in early trading after the semiconductor device supplier narrowed the range for its revenue outlook for the first quarter and gave higher than expected revenue guidance for the second quarter. UPDATE OUTLOOK: Earlier this morning, Broadcom said it expects Q1 non-GAAP net revenue of $5.3B-$5.35B, compared to its prior guidance for revenue of $5.3B plus or minus $75M. In addition, the company expects non-GAAP EPS of approximately $5.10, which topped analysts' consensus estimate of $4.95. For the second quarter, Broadcom expects non-GAAP net revenue of $5.B, plus or minus $75M. Analysts had been forecasting Q2 revenue of $4.93B. "Our first quarter results are tracking towards the higher end of our expectations as we continue to execute on our business model. Looking ahead to our second fiscal quarter, strong data center demand for our wired and enterprise storage products and a seasonal pick up in broadband is expected to offset a greater than seasonal decline in wireless. As a result, we currently forecast on a normalized 13-week quarter basis, that second quarter revenue will be roughly flat to the previous quarter," said Hock Tan, President and CEO of Broadcom Limited. WHAT'S NOTABLE: Broadcom is considering all options with regards to its proposal to acquire Qualcomm (QCOM), including a "hell or high water" provision, which would commit it to undertaking any obligations necessary to obtain antitrust approval, CNBC's David Faber reported on January 25, citing sources close to the situation. On November 6, 2017, Broadcom proposed to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Qualcomm for per share consideration of $70.00 in cash and stock, consisting of $60.00 in cash and $10.00 in Broadcom shares. PRICE ACTION: In early trading, Broadcom shares are up $9.82, or 4%, to $250.80, while Qualcomm is up 1.4% at $67.90.

10:14 EDT Fox Sports reaches five year rights agreement with NFL for Thursday games - The National Football League announced that it has reached an agreement with Fox Sports to broadcast the next five seasons of Thursday Night Football beginning with the 2018 season. The announcement was made together by Roger Goodell, NFL Commissioner and Peter Rice, President of 21st Century Fox. The agreement awards Fox Sports with a five year deal that includes 11 games between Weeks 4-15, excluding Thanksgiving night, to be broadcast on Fox, simulcast via NFL Network, and distributed in Spanish on Fox Deportes. In addition, NFL Network will exclusively televise seven games next season, with Fox producing the full slate of 18 games. Fox Sports complements its current Sunday NFC package agreement with the addition of Thursday Night Football. This announcement also allows Fox Sports and the NFL to each expand its digital rights, enabling the network to distribute both Thursday Night Football and its Sunday games to Fox subscribers over a wide array of digital platforms including mobile phones for the first time. The agreement also allows the NFL to further develop digital distribution models for Thursday Night Football as well as Fox's Sunday games, the league said.

10:01 EDT Kroger to install Scan, Bag, Go technology at 400 stores in 2018 - The Kroger Co. announced it will introduce its new and exciting Scan, Bag, Go shopping technology in 18 operating divisions, making the service available this year to customers at 400 stores. Kroger's in-house research and development team invented and built the Scan, Bag, Go technology. Scan, Bag, Go allows customers to use a wireless handheld scanner or the Scan, Bag, Go app on their personal device to scan and bag products as they shop for a quicker, seamless checkout experience. Scan, Bag, Go customers currently visit a store's self-checkout area to provide payment. Customers will soon have the ability to provide payment directly through the app, allowing shoppers to exit the store even quicker. By the end of the year, Scan, Bag, Go will be available at select locations in the following divisions: Atlanta; Central; Cincinnati; Columbus; Dallas; Delta; Dillons; Fred Meyer; Fry's; Houston; King Soopers; Louisville; Michigan; Mid-Atlantic; Nashville; Ralphs; Smith's; and QFC.

09:58 EDT Moody's changes outlook on Ford to negative from stable - Moody's Investors Service yesterday changed the rating outlook of Ford Motor Company to negative from stable, and affirmed the company's existing Baa2 senior unsecured debt rating. The negative outlook reflects the challenges Ford will face in implementing its "Fitness Redesign" initiatives, and restoring operating performance that is more solidly supportive of the Baa2 rating. During the past 18 months the company has allowed an erosion in many of the operating disciplines that it established following the 2009 restructuring of the North American auto sector. These disciplines supported strong performance through 2016. In addition, Ford is contending with the disruptive changes being caused by the auto sector's move toward vehicle electrification, autonomous driving, and ride sharing. The "Fitness Redesign" is an expansive undertaking intended to: 1) re-establish Ford's competitive cost structure; 2) better allocate capital across various geographic regions and business opportunities; and 3) streamline decision-making within the organization.

09:41 EDT I.D. Systems receives order from top-3 auto manufacturer - I.D. Systems announced that it has reached an agreement with several divisions of one of the world's largest automotive manufacturers to purchase I.D. Systems' PowerFleet industrial vehicle management solution. These new orders include products and services totaling $2.8M and will be deployed in four U.S. sites in 2018.

09:32 EDT Nevada reports December statewide gaming win up 0.44% to $960.38M - Reports December Las Vegas Strip gaming win down 3.25% to $571.5M. Publicly traded companies in the casino space include Boyd Gaming (BYD), Caesars (CZR), Las Vegas Sands (LVS), MGM Resorts (MGM), Penn National (PENN) and Wynn Resorts (WYNN).

09:25 EDT Juniper Pharmaceuticals to explore strategic alternatives - Juniper Pharmaceuticals announced that it is exploring strategic alternatives in order to enhance shareholder value. The company has engaged Rothschild as its independent financial advisor to assist Juniper and its Board of Directors in evaluating potential strategic alternatives. There can be no assurance that the exploration of strategic alternatives will result in a transaction. Any potential strategic alternative will be evaluated by the Board of Directors. The Company does not intend to discuss developments with respect to the evaluation process unless a transaction is approved, or disclosure becomes appropriate.

09:18 EDT Eli Lilly says to communicate decision on Elanco on Q2 earnings call in July - Says will communicate decision on Elanco on Q2 earnings call in July. Says "pleased" that Congress enacted tax reform. Says repatriated cash will not change business development priorities. Says will monitor FX movements throughout the course of Q1. Comments taken from the Q4 earnings conference call. Eli Lilly is up about 1% in pre-market trading.

09:11 EDT Ply Gem trading resumes

09:08 EDT Aviragen stockholder CAS group comments on Glass Lewis merger recommendation - Aviragen shareholders Digirad Corporation, East Hill Management Company and Thomas M. Clay, or the CAS Group, with collective beneficial ownership of approximately 8.3% of AVIR's outstanding shares of common stock, issued a statement that claimed the intent to "emphasize the potential value of the company's ongoing teslexivir (BTA074) program, which Aviragen stockholders should not lightly trade away when clinical proof of concept is fast approaching". The CAS Group also announced that independent proxy voting advisory firm Glass, Lewis & Co has recommended that Aviragen stockholders vote against the proposed merger with Vaxart at the upcoming Special Meeting of Stockholders. Glass Lewis concluded: "While we understand the impetus for the board's exploration of strategic alternatives, and further acknowledge the public nature of the process and the number of counterparties involved, we also find the presented combination was preceded by critical procedural flaws and continues to rely heavily on the support of a tenuous operational case and decidedly suspect quantitative methodologies. (...) In this regard, we believe the CAS Group has successfully argued for a process reset, which, though not free of cost, presents a much lower risk to Aviragen's liquid resources than Vaxart's current cash burning operational profile and uncertain development prospects, in our view (...) We believe there is sufficient cause to suggest pivotal components of the board's process were flawed and potentially preclusive to a fulsome assessment and understanding of Aviragen's value as a target. We thus believe the presented framework fails to clearly establish the Vaxart transaction is reasonably likely to represent the most attractive strategic alternative presently available to Aviragen investors."

09:07 EDT Anthem says sees 2018 MLR 'flat to slightly better' than 2017

09:04 EDT Ply Gem to be acquired by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in deal valued at $2.4B - Ply Gem Holdings and Clayton, Dubilier & Rice announced a definitive agreement under which CD&R funds will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Ply Gem common stock in a go-private transaction valued at approximately $2.4B. Ply Gem's board of directors unanimously approved the agreement, which provides for the payment of $21.64 per share in cash to all holders of Ply Gem common stock. The cash purchase price represents a premium of approximately 20% over Ply Gem's closing stock price on January 30, 2018. Promptly following entry into the agreement, stockholders holding greater than 50% of the outstanding shares of Ply Gem common stock executed a written consent to approve the transaction, thereby providing the required stockholder approval. CD&R has also entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Atrium Windows & Doors and combine the company with Ply Gem to create an exterior building products company with total revenue of more than $2.4B in 2017. The transactions are expected to close simultaneously in the second quarter of 2018 and are subject to the receipt of customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Closing of the acquisition of Ply Gem is not subject to the closing of the acquisition of Atrium. However, assuming both transactions close simultaneously, CD&R funds will own approximately 70% of the new privately-held company, and Atrium shareholders, which include funds managed by Golden Gate Capital, will hold approximately 30%. The new Ply Gem will continue to be headquartered in Cary, NC, and Gary E. Robinette, currently Chairman and CEO of Ply Gem, will continue as Chairman and CEO. John Krenicki, a CD&R Operating Partner and former Vice Chairman of General Electric Company, will become Lead Director of the Board.

09:03 EDT Eclipse Resources sees Q1 production 295-305 MMcfe/d

09:02 EDT First Foundation sees FY18 loan originations consistent with FY17 levels - Current expectation for the expected full year 2018 is as follows: Loan originations consistent with 2017 levels; Maintaining the ratio of the allowance for loan losses to loans at current levels; Deposit growth between 15% and 20%, excluding any deposits obtained from acquisitions; Net yield on interest earning assets between 2.80% and 2.95%; Efficiency levels consistent with 2017 results.

09:01 EDT L3 Technologies delivers first HC-130J to U.S. Coast Guard - L3 Technologies announced that it has delivered the first production HC-130J aircraft integrated with a next-generation Minotaur Mission System Suite to the U.S. Coast Guard for improved long-range surveillance capabilities. Work was done by L3's Aerospace Systems business segment.

08:57 EDT D.R. Horton sees Q2 home closings of 97%-100% - Sees Q2 home building SG&A to be 9%-9.2% of home building revenues. Management said backlog conversion has been "solid." Comments taken from Q1 earnings conference call.

08:47 EDT Enterprise Products and Navigator Holdings to build ethylene export terminal - Enterprise Products (EPD) and Navigator Holdings (NVGS) have entered into a 50/50 joint venture to build a new ethylene export facility along the U.S. Gulf Coast that will have the capacity to export approximately 1 million tons of ethylene per year. Refrigerated storage for 30,000 tons of ethylene will be constructed on-site and will provide the capability to load ethylene at rates of 1,000 tons per hour. The facilities are expected to be in service by 1Q20. The project is supported by long-term contracts with anchor customers that include U.S. ethylene producer Flint Hills Resources and a major Japanese trading company. Enterprise is also developing a high-capacity ethylene salt dome storage facility at its complex in Mont Belvieu, Texas. This storage facility will have a capacity of approximately 600 million pounds with an injection/withdrawal rate of 420,000 pounds per hour. The storage facility is expected to begin service in 1Q19 and will be designed to enable connections to the eight ethylene pipelines within a half-mile of the Enterprise ethylene storage system. In addition, Enterprise is building a new ethylene pipeline from Mont Belvieu to Bayport, Texas, which is scheduled to begin service in 2020. The location and final investment decisions for the terminal are subject to reaching acceptable arrangements with local taxing authorities.

08:41 EDT Anthem says government business positioned for 'sustainable growth' - Sees "substantial growth opportunities" in Medicare. Says "encouraged" by Medicare Advantage growth rate.

08:37 EDT Ply Gem trading halted, news pending

08:32 EDT Sparton announces extension of outside date under Ultra merger agreement - Sparton Corporation announced that the outside date for completing the pending merger pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of July 7, 2017, among Sparton, Ultra Electronics Holdings and Ultra Electronics Aneira has been extended from January 31, 2018 to March 31, 2018. As previously disclosed, in connection with the review of the pending merger by the United States Department of Justice under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvement Act of 1976, Sparton, Ultra and the DOJ entered into a timing agreement pursuant to which, among other things, Sparton and Ultra agreed not to consummate the pending merger until 90 days following the date on which both of them shall have certified compliance with the DOJ's requests for additional information, unless the DOJ's review shall have been closed sooner, subject to certain exceptions. Sparton expects that both Sparton and Ultra will have certified compliance with the second requests on or before February 8, 2018. The DOJ's decision on the pending merger might not be received by Sparton and Ultra by March 31, 2018. The merger agreement provides Ultra with the right to further extend the outside date for completing the pending merger until July 31, 2018 if certain regulatory approvals, including clearance under HSR, remain pending as of March 31, 2018. Sparton and Ultra have been cooperating fully with the DOJ as it conducts its review and are continuing to work with the DOJ to obtain clearance of the pending merger.

08:25 EDT Naspers comments on MultiChoice South Africa's carriage contract review - Naspers advised that the Naspers Audit and Risk Committees, and the Naspers Board, have considered the process undertaken by MultiChoice South Africa to assess its carriage agreement with the news channel ANN7 and its government lobbying, following certain allegations made in November 2017. A review was performed by the MultiChoice Audit and Risk Committee. The Committee had all relevant contracts scrutinised, five years of payment information and emails checked, executives involved interviewed, and undertook objective contract and cost comparisons. The Committee then presented its findings and recommendations to the full MultiChoice Board. Subsequently, the Chair of the MultiChoice Audit and Risk Committee provided a detailed explanation of the review process, as well as the findings and recommendations, to the Naspers Audit and Risk Committees. On Thursday, 25 January, the Naspers Board reviewed the processes. Both the Naspers Audit and Risk Committees and the Naspers Board are satisfied that the MultiChoice review was extensive and complied with its governance requirements. The review found no evidence of corruption or illegal activity. It is evident from the findings that the presently polarised political environment in South Africa and controversy around the ANN7 channel ownership demanded a higher level of diligence and scrutiny than was the practice previously. Naspers supports the recommendations made by the MultiChoice Board to ensure that governance of sensitive issues like channel ownership is tightened and elevated further to avoid similar problems in the future.

08:08 EDT Ronald Chez sends letter to Neonode board regarding failure to perform - In a letter to Neonode's board, activist investor Ronald Chez said, "To the Board and interim CEO - It is very disappointing, although not surprising, that you have refused to set up a conference call with the Board of Directors, as I have requested. There is no need to recount the disastrous performance of NEON in the public market, nor its disastrous performance in building sales and realizing success from the touch technology even though it appears to have significant potential in multiple markets. In addition to your failure with regard to NEON's ability to earn a profit, there has been a total lack of communication to your shareholders regarding your plan to move NEON in a positive direction. You had a press release stating that NEON was exploring strategic alternatives with regard to the AirBar. The market opportunity for AirBar has not been realized, and the marketing opportunities have failed because AirBar was never a fit with any capability possessed by the management of NEON...significant overpromise, underperform. Have you now completely missed the opportunity? For several years, there has been nothing but failure at NEON, and we know of no plan constructed by the Board of Directors. We only know that you continue to disappoint and fail to communicate. You and your associates recently invested at $1.00/share, and all we have seen is a further 35-40% decline in NEON's valuation. It is unfortunate, but good, that you suffer some of the same pain as your shareholders do...and have. As a result of your unwillingness to engage the Board to meet with me, all future communications will be in the public domain. I will be working with investment bankers in an effort to find a management team and company that will bring value to NEON shareholders."

08:06 EDT One Equity Partners acquires majority stake in Ericsson Media Solutions - One Equity Partners announced that it has signed an agreement to acquire a majority stake in Media Solutions, a global provider of media processing, delivery and TV service platforms, from Ericsson (ERIC). Ericsson will continue to own a 49% stake in the company. Additional terms of the private transaction were not disclosed. Upon completion of this transaction, Media Solutions will be positioned as a premier independent pure-play video software technology vendor. Media Solutions employees and contractors, as well as specified assets and liabilities, will transfer to a newly formed company upon closing. Ericsson and One Equity Partners are committed to a seamless transition for employees, customers, partners and suppliers.The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approval.

08:05 EDT Catasys expands OnTrak-HC to Illinois with Blue Cross Blue Shield health plan - Catasys announced that it has expanded the OnTrak-HC program to Illinois with the nation's second largest Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance plan. This company is the country's largest nonpublic health insurer and the fourth-largest health insurer overall, with health plans also in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Montana. This expansion follows the successful OnTrak-HC launch in Oklahoma in August, 2017. The OnTrak solution is now available to eligible commercial members in Illinois who suffer from anxiety, depression and substance use disorders. Enrollment has commenced and is expected to grow throughout 2018. This launch represents the first deployment of the proprietary Catasys network. Catasys expects its network to improve access to, and effectiveness of, care by expanding the number of high-quality providers available and by better matching health plan member needs with provider expertise.

08:04 EDT IHS Markit, Cambridge Blockchain form identity data alliance - Cambridge Blockchain announced a strategic alliance with IHS Markit through which the companies will offer integrated reference data, operations, and software to support utilities for the collection and management of know-your-customer information. Financial institutions face growing compliance challenges related to identity, with KYC costs that can exceed $500M annually for large banks. Strict data privacy rules such as the European General Data Protection Regulation additionally limit the ability to access validated customer identity attributes, with potential fines up to EUR20 million or 4% of worldwide revenues. The combination of IHS Markit's kyc.com services with Cambridge Blockchain's distributed digital identity system resolves the competing challenges of transparency and privacy, resulting in faster customer onboarding, lower costs, and enhanced compliance through a single, trusted and consistent view of customer reference data.

08:03 EDT PPG announces EPD verification for 15 formulas from PPG Top Gun sealants line - PPG announced environmental product declaration, or EPD, verification for 15 formulas from the PPG TOP GUN architectural sealants product line. PPG Top Gun is one of the first sealants in North America to publish a building and construction sealant EPD that is certified by the global public health organization NSF International.

08:02 EDT Hess Corp. announces 2018 E&P capital and exploratory budget of $2.1B - Hess Corporation announced its 2018 E&P capital and exploratory budget will be $2.1B, the same as 2017. The 2018 budget allocates increased capital for continuing exploration and development activities offshore Guyana and for the Bakken, which includes growing the rig count from four rigs to six rigs. These increases are offset by lower capital allocated to the Gulf of Mexico and Malaysia compared to 2017. "We are allocating approximately two thirds of our 2018 budget to our transformative investment opportunity in Guyana that continues to get bigger and better and to our low cost position in the core of the Bakken, which together are expected to drive industry leading returns for Hess shareholders for many years to come," CEO John Hess said. "Our 2018 budget is consistent with our strategy to grow our resource base in a capital disciplined manner, move down the cost curve so we are resilient in a low oil price environment, and be cash generative at a $50 per barrel Brent oil price post 2020. As a result of our disciplined portfolio reshaping efforts over the past year, we are extremely well positioned to fund and execute on our strategy."

07:57 EDT Nevsun Resources provides production outlook for 2018 - Nevsun Resources provided outlook and guidance for 2018. The company expects to invest $50M-$60M in advancing the Timok Upper Zone Copper-Gold Project; producing 210-240 million pounds of zinc at C1 cash cost of 70c-90c per payable pound sold with copper on a co-product basis and C1 cash cost of 60c-80c per payable pound sold with copper on a by-product basis; produce 20-30 million pounds of copper at: C1 cash cost of $1.55-$1.75 per payable pound sold on a co-product basis; invest $15M including 12.5 km of follow-up drilling on highly prospective Upper Zone targets; suspend the dividend and redeploy capital to growth. Nevsun expects to complete prefeasibility for the high-grade Timok Upper Zone project in Q1 and commence and advance the definitive feasibility study work for completion in 1H19. At Bisha, zinc and copper production are expected to increase. Capital investment at Bisha is estimated at $15M for 2018 including $3M for continuation of studies investigating the underground potential and $12M for general sustaining capital. The company is investing $5M in exploration for the Upper and Lower Zone projects during 2018. The company will drill approximately 16,000 metres at its 100% owned exploration projects in Serbia and Macedonia at a cost of $4M. In 2018 a budget of $7M for 15,000 metres of exploration drilling is planned at Bisha.

07:54 EDT Erin Energy discovers hydrocarbons in Oyo-NW well - Erin Energy Corporation announced that it has completed the drilling of the Oyo-NW well and, based on preliminary evaluation, it has discovered hydrocarbons in the Miocene Formation. The well is located approximately 9.5 kilometers northwest of the Oyo Central field on the company's offshore Nigeria block 120. The Miocene formation is where several of Erin Energy's neighbors have discovered billions of barrels of hydrocarbons and from which several hundred thousand barrels per day are produced offshore Nigeria. The company is currently completing well-suspension activities so it can re-enter the well in the future for possible production. Preliminary evaluation of the well data shows that the two main sand units, the Miocene U7.0 and U8.0, with a gross thickness of approximately 83.6 feet are hydrocarbon-bearing. Work has commenced to estimate the discovered volumes and to determine the relevant appraisal and development program.

07:35 EDT Boeing reports backlog of $488B - Including a record 5,864 commercial aircraft.

07:34 EDT Boeing sees FY18 operating cash flow approximately $15B

07:33 EDT Boeing sees FY18 commercial airplane deliveries 810-815 units

07:32 EDT Enterprise Products, Navigator Holdings form JV for ethylene export terminal - Enterprise Products Partners (EPD) and Navigator Holdings (NVGS) announced that they have entered into a 50/50 joint venture to build a new ethylene export facility along the U.S. Gulf Coast that will have the capacity to export approximately 1M tons of ethylene per year. Refrigerated storage for 30,000 tons of ethylene will be constructed on-site and will provide the capability to load ethylene at rates of 1,000 tons per hour. The facilities are expected to be in service by the first quarter of 2020. The project is supported by long-term contracts with anchor customers that include U.S. ethylene producer Flint Hills Resources and a major Japanese trading company. Enterprise is also developing a high-capacity ethylene salt dome storage facility at its complex in Mont Belvieu, Texas. This storage facility will have a capacity of approximately 600 million pounds with an injection/withdrawal rate of 420,000 pounds per hour. The storage facility is expected to begin service in the first quarter of 2019 and will be designed to enable connections to the eight ethylene pipelines within a half-mile of the Enterprise ethylene storage system. In addition, Enterprise is building a new ethylene pipeline from Mont Belvieu to Bayport, Texas, which is scheduled to begin service in 2020. The location and final investment decisions for the terminal are subject to reaching acceptable arrangements with local taxing authorities.

07:14 EDT SiriusXM sees FY18 self-pay net subscriber additions of approximately 1M

07:09 EDT On Assignment to acqure ECS Federal for $775M in cash - On Assignment announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire ECS Federal, LLC from Roy Kapani, the company's majority owner and founder, and Lindsay Goldberg, a private investment firm, for $775M in cash. The transaction is subject to various regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions and is expected to close on April 2, 2018. ECS will become a division of On Assignment and continue to operate under the ECS brand name. The CEO of ECS, George Wilson, and the current leadership team will continue to execute the strategy and oversee the day-to-day operations of the business. On Assignment intends to change its name to ASGN Incorporated to "better reflect its evolving position as a leading provider of human capital in IT and Professional Services Solutions," effective April 2, 2018.

07:06 EDT Cara Therapeutics initiates pivotal Phase 3 trial of Korsuva - Cara Therapeutics announced the initiation of its first pivotal Phase 3 efficacy trial of Korsuva injection in hemodialysis patients suffering from moderate-to-severe chronic kidney disease-associated pruritus, or CKD-aP, in the United States. The FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation to Korsuva injection for this indication, for which there are currently no approved therapies in the U.S.

07:04 EDT Kaman announces $324M joint programmable fuze order - Kaman Corp. announced that its Aerospace segment has been awarded a direct commercial sale order for the procurement of Joint Programmable Fuzes with an expected total value of $324M. Delivery of the fuzes is anticipated to begin in 2019 and continue through 2022. Kaman has been the sole provider of the JPF to the USAF since 2002.

07:03 EDT Seres Therapeutics appoints CFO Eric Shaff to additional role of COO - Seres Therapeutics announced the appointment of Eric D. Shaff to the additional role of COO. Shaff has been EVP and CFO since joining the company in November 2014, and he will continue to retain both positions.

07:01 EDT SiriusXM board approves additional $2B share repurchase program

06:56 EDT Kemper sees Q4 pre-tax catastrophe losses $49M-$53M - Kemper announced that it estimates that its fourth quarter 2017 results will include pre-tax catastrophe losses between $49M-$53M, including the impacts of the California wildfires, net of reinsurance, and favorable development from re-estimates of losses from catastrophes that occurred in the first nine months of 2017.

06:49 EDT DPW Holdings to acquire Flexisphere, terms not disclosed - DPW Holdings announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire the operations of Flexisphere, an IT managed services provider that will work with Super Crypto Mining, DPW's wholly owned subsidiary, to leverage its curated blockchain and cloud mining technology and expertise. Flexisphere's client base ranges from small to medium businesses and large firms that seek expertise for desktop, network, and other distributed services as well as programming, web/online asset development and cloud computing. Flexisphere is expected to be a majority-controlled subsidiary of DPW and will be available to provide a host of services including supporting Super Crypto Mining's development of an online cloud mining platform for consumers interested in purchasing hash-rate for as low as $250.00. The cloud mining platform will feature a comprehensive dashboard readily providing historical and real-time operational data to its subscribers. In conjunction with these developments, the Company has prompted Super Crypto Mining to appoint Darren Magot as its CEO.

06:39 EDT Textron CEO sees increasing organic sales, margin expansion in 2018 - CEO Donnelly said, "Our outlook reflects the continuation of our strategy around growth through new product investments and acquisitions to drive increases in long-term shareholder value. In 2018, we expect these investments to drive increasing organic sales along with margin expansion and strong cash generation."

06:35 EDT MarketAxess sees FY18 CapEx $43M-$50M - Sees FY18 expenses $220M-$232M, including duplicate occupancy costs of approximately $8.0M for the Company's new corporate offices in New York during the build-out phase. The overall effective tax rate is expected to be between 23.0% to 25.0%.

06:32 EDT Seattle Genetics to acquire Cascadian Therapeutics for $10.00 per share in cash

06:19 EDT LINE Corp's LINE Mobile enters into MOU with SoftBank for strategic alliance - LINE MOBILE Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of LINE Corporation (LN) , has entered into a memorandum of understanding with SoftBank (SFTBF) to proceed with a strategic alliance for the purpose of further growing the "LINE MOBILE" MVNO business operated by LINE MOBILE. This strategic alliance will consist of a capital alliance wherein SoftBank takes on a third party allocation of new shares to be conducted by LINE MOBILE, as well as a partnership to promote the MVNO business, though the details will be decided through future mutual consultations between the companies. As a result of this, LINE MOBILE will be a business operated under LINE and SoftBank -- the investment ratio after the conclusion of this transaction is planned to be: LINE, 49%; SoftBank, 51% -- and the transaction is planned to be completed around March 2018. Through this strategic alliance, LINE MOBILE aims to operate its business by making use of the partnership with SoftBank and its experience as a comprehensive telecommunications business operator to achieve further growth. Ayano Kado will continue to serve as Representative Director and President.

06:16 EDT BP invests in mobile electric vehicle charging company FreeWire - BP announced that its venturing business has invested $5M in FreeWire Technologies, a US-based manufacturer of mobile electric vehicle rapid charging systems, and plans to roll out FreeWire's Mobi Charger units for use at selected BP retail sites in the UK and Europe during 2018. Tufan Erginbilgic, CEO, BP Downstream, said: "Mobility is changing and BP is committed to remaining the fuel retailer of choice into the future. EV charging will undoubtedly become an important part of our business, but customer demand and the technologies available are still evolving. Using FreeWire's mobile system we can respond very quickly and provide charging facilities at forecourts where we see the greatest demand without needing to make significant investments in today's fixed technologies and infrastructure. The opportunity also to explore options for providing charging services away from our existing retail sites makes FreeWire an ideal partner for BP."

06:10 EDT Anthem names Bahija Jallal to Board of Directors, effective February 1 - Anthem (ANTM) announced that Bahija Jallal, PhD, has been named to its Board of Directors effective February 1. Dr. Jallal currently serves as Executive Vice President of AstraZeneca (AZN) and President of its biotechnology subsidiary MedImmune, where she is responsible for biologics research and development activities and advancing the biologics portfolio of medicines.

06:07 EDT Outfront Media awarded new bus advertising contract by LACMTA - Outfront Media announced today that it has been awarded a new 10-year contract to sell advertising on the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority, or LACMTA, Metro Bus system, subject to the execution of a definitive agreement. The company was not awarded a new contract to sell advertising on the LACMTA Metro Rail system. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, Outfront Media generated $3.1 million of advertising revenue from the rail portion of the contract. The company's existing contract with the LACMTA expired on December 31, 2017, and is currently operating under an extension.

06:06 EDT Thermo Fisher up 1.5% after reporting Q4 results, raising dividned

06:05 EDT Wag! announces $300M investment from SoftBank Vision Fund - Wag! announced a $300M commitment by the SoftBank Vision Fund. The founders also recruited veteran technology executive Hilary Schneider as CEO. Wag!, the on-demand dog walking and boarding app with service available 24 hours a day, was founded in 2015, launching in Los Angeles and New York City, before expanding to more than 100 cities nationwide. "We're thrilled to have a strategic partner in SoftBank, and welcome their experience scaling leading technology companies through their global vision and operating expertise," said founder Joshua Viner.

06:04 EDT Anthem raises quarterly dividend 7.1% to 75c per share - The first quarter dividend is payable on March 23 to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 9.

06:03 EDT Anthem reports medical enrollment up about 325K members in 2017 to 40.2M

05:59 EDT Applied DNA Sciences receives first international order for DNA Transfer System - Applied DNA Sciences announced that in response to an order from an international cotton gin, the company will be installing its patent-pending SigNature T DNA Transfer System at an off-shore gin. Recently, the company has been fielding inquiries for DNA tagging of cotton from multiple foreign countries. For strategic reasons, the company has decided not to reveal the customer and the location at this time. The SigNature T tagging system will be installed at the international gin this quarter in advance of orders for the company's molecular taggants.

05:47 EDT Fujifilm, Xerox agree to combine Fuji Xerox JV with Xerox - FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation (FUJIY) and Xerox (XRX) announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to combine Xerox and their longstanding Fuji Xerox joint venture. The combined company will be a global leader in innovative print technologies and intelligent work solutions with annual revenues of $18 billion and leadership positions in key geographic regions. This proposed combination provides Xerox shareholders with significant cash at closing, as well as a substantial interest in the significantly enhanced combined company. Under the terms of the agreement, Xerox shareholders will receive a $2.5 billion special cash dividend, or approximately $9.80 per share1, funded from the combined company's balance sheet, and own 49.9% of the combined company at closing. The cash dividend represents more than 30% of Xerox's unaffected share price of $30.35 based on closing share price as of January 10, 2018. Fujifilm will own 50.1% of the combined company and provide important operational support and transformational leadership. The transaction has been unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both Fujifilm and Xerox. The combined company will be named "Fuji Xerox" and trade on the NYSE under the ticker XRX. The new Fuji Xerox will have dual headquarters in Norwalk, CT, U.S. and in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with presence in over 180 countries. The combined company will go to market and maintain the iconic "Xerox" and "Fuji Xerox" brands within its respective operating regions. This highly synergistic combination is expected to deliver at least $1.7 billion in total annual cost savings by 2022, with approximately $1.2 billion of the total cost savings expected to be achieved by 2020. The targeted cost savings represent approximately 10% of the total cost base of the new Fuji Xerox and will drive significant margin expansion over the next four years. Of the total $1.7 billion cost savings, $1.25 billion is related to the synergies that will be achieved through the transaction. In addition, the combined company will benefit from a cost reduction program commencing immediately at the existing Fuji Xerox joint venture, which is targeted to generate approximately $450 million of cost savings on an annualized basis. These amounts are incremental to Xerox's ongoing Strategic Transformation initiatives. The new company expects to incur approximately $1.4 billion in one-time integration and restructuring costs, mainly in the first three years. The new Fuji Xerox will also have significant revenue synergy opportunities over time as it capitalizes on its global reach, industry-leading scale and enhanced innovation capabilities. Importantly, the combined company will have an increased total addressable opportunity estimated at nearly $120 billion and a strong presence in attractive growth markets, allowing the new company to become more competitive and better able to serve customers and business partners globally.

05:40 EDT Sanofi asks EMA to review fexinidazole for sleeping sickness treatment - Sanofi has asked the European Medicines Agency to review fexinidazole for the treatment of sleeping sickness. Fexinidazole is being developed in collaboration with the Drugs for Neglected Disease initiative, or DNDi. It would be the first all-oral treatment under investigation for Trypanosoma brucei gambiense human African trypanosomiasis, or g-HAT, commonly known as sleeping sickness. It is hoped that this treatment will contribute to the elimination of the disease. EMA has accepted the application under a special procedure called "Article 58" which allows the EMA to give a scientific opinion, in co-operation with the World Health Organization, for the evaluation of medicinal products that are intended exclusively for markets outside of the European Union. Fexinidazole was previously granted accelerated assessment by the EMA. Following the evaluation of the dossier, the EMA will publish its scientific opinion of the benefit risk of the treatment, which will facilitate the registration of fexinidazole in HAT-endemic countries.

05:22 EDT Southern California Edison announces settlement in SONGS closure - Southern California Edison, an Edison International company, and consumer parties today submitted a settlement agreement to the California Public Utilities Commission regarding issues and costs associated with the closure of the San Onofre nuclear plant. If approved by the commission, the agreement would bring to conclusion the commission's proceeding regarding San Onofre by revising the prior settlement it approved in 2014. "We are pleased to be able to bring closure to this issue," said SCE President Ron Nichols. "The parties undertook extensive efforts over many months to reach agreement and SCE looks forward to timely regulatory approval." A summary of the agreement is available here. Nichols noted the following key terms of the settlement: Customers of SCE and San Diego Gas & Electric Co. will no longer pay for $775 million in San Onofre-related investments that had not yet been recovered by the utilities under the 2014 settlement. SCE customers' portion of that total reduction is worth roughly $68 per residential customer over the next four years. Because the agreement awaits approval by the commission, any amounts collected by the utilities in excess of the $775 million while the proposed settlement is pending will be refunded to customers. In addition, the plaintiffs in a federal court lawsuit challenging the commission's approval of the 2014 settlement have agreed to dismiss that case in its entirety following commission approval of the revised settlement announced today. SCE will reimburse SDG&E for SDG&E's $151 million share of the $775 million. This provision will not reduce the revised settlement benefits SCE customers receive. SCE and plant co-owner, SDG&E, have already returned more than $2 billion to customers under the 2014 settlement, which ensured that customers did not pay for the faulty steam generators, which prompted the closure of San Onofre, from the time this equipment failed. SCE retired San Onofre in June 2013 after a contractor provided faulty steam generators. SCE is focused on safely decommissioning the nuclear plant, guided by core principles of safety, stewardship and engagement. SCE has established a Community Engagement Panel to support those principles.