Stockwinners Market Radar for February 01, 2018 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

18:48 EDT Klondex Mines sees FY18 GEO produced 186,000-202,000

18:45 EDT Fifth Third names Greg D. Carmichael chairman of the board - Fifth Third Bancorp announced that its board of directors has elected Greg D. Carmichael, chairman of the board, effective immediately. Carmichael replaces Marsha C. Williams, who has been elected lead director. Carmichael will retain his title of chief executive officer. He became CEO on Nov. 1, 2015, and was named president in 2012 while serving as the bank's chief operating officer.

18:34 EDT Univar names David Jukes as CEO, effective May 9 - Univar announced that its board of directors has selected David Jukes as the company's president and CEO effective May 9. Stephen Newlin, the company's current Chairman and CEO, will become Executive Chairman of Univar's board of directors. The Univar board of directors also expects to appoint Jukes to the board at the time of his promotion, which will coincide with the May 9 Annual Shareholders' Meeting. Prior to joining Univar, Jukes was Senior Vice President of global sales, marketing and industry relations for Omnexus, a plastics industry e-commerce platform.

18:30 EDT Forterra completes strategic exchange of assets - Forterra has completed a transaction to exchange certain of its drainage assets in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee for assets owned by Foley Products Company in Mississippi and Texas plus $10M in cash. The transaction is not expected to be material to Forterra's financial results.

18:25 EDT Tortoise MLP reports reports unaudited total assets $1.5B on Jan 31 - Tortoise MLP Fund reports unaudited net asset value was $905.1 million, or $19.16 per share, on January 31. The company's asset coverage ratio under the 1940 Act with respect to senior securities representing indebtedness was 407%, and its coverage ratio for preferred shares was 305%.

18:14 EDT Mattel says FY18 gross margin should be 'well above' 40% - Says will report Power Brands as own unit starting in Q1.

18:06 EDT Boeing, others awarded $268.7M government contract - The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington; AAR Aircraft Services , Indianapolis, Indiana; and StandardAero, San Antonio, Texas, are each being awarded firm-fixed-price, time and material, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts for P-8A airframe and engine maintenance and repair depot support for the Navy; the government of Australia; and foreign military sales customers. The aggregate amount for all contracts is $268,724,729, with these companies having an opportunity to compete for individual task orders. Work is expected to be completed by January 2019. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

17:59 EDT Visa sees FY18 EPS growth at high end of mid-20s range on nominal dollar basis - This still includes 1 to 1.5 points of positive foreign currency translation impact. Visa projects adjusted free cash flow to be approximately $10B, up $900M from what the company estimated last quarter. This is largely driven by U.S. tax reform. Visa's quarterly dividend at 21c is 27% higher than its FY17 quarterly dividend. Visa has over $9B available for stock buybacks. The company continues to anticipate buying back over $7B of Visa stock during FY18. Visa ended the quarter with a global cash in hand including marketable securities of $14.B, of which $6.3B is currently offshore. During the quarter, company returned $1.8B of non-U.S. cash back to the U.S.On its quarterly earnings conference call the company said it working on additional actions to further reduce its offshore cash in FY18.

17:49 EDT Mattel says 'cautiously optimistic' on future of Toys R Us

17:46 EDT Amazon.com says 'very happy' with AWS performance

17:43 EDT Apple says still experiencing difficult memory price environment

17:41 EDT Apple CEO Cook 'thrilled' with reception to iPhone X

17:39 EDT Fluor selected for LAX automated people mover project, terms not disclosed - Fluor announced that its joint venture team was selected as the preferred proponent to design-build, finance, operate and maintain the Los Angeles International Airport Automated People Mover project for the Los Angeles World Airports. Fluor plans to book its share of the contract value later this year. The project includes a total of six stations that will connect a new consolidated rental car facility, intermodal transportation facilities, expanded airport parking and Metro transit to the airline terminals. Fluor will participate in every phase of the 30-year project. Design and construction is scheduled to begin later this year, with passenger service scheduled for 2023.

17:37 EDT Amazon.com says Q4 was a 'clean operational quarter' - Says advertising was a key contributor to Q4 results. Says saw strong volume in North America. Comments from Q4 earnings conference call.

17:35 EDT On The Fly: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Tableau Software (DATA), up 15.5%... Viavi (VIAV), up 9%... athenahealth (ATHN), up 8.1%... Amazon (AMZN), up 6%... Deckers Outdoor (DECK), up 5.7%... Edwards Lifesciences (EW), up 3.4%... National Fuel (NFG), up 2.1%... Cypress Semiconductor (CY), up 1.1%. ALSO HIGHER: Viacom (VIAB), up 1.5% after the board of CBS (CBS) formed a special committee to evaluate a potential combination with Viacom. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: OSI Systems (OSIS), down 18.3%... Natural Grocers (NGVC), down 15.3%... Mattel (MAT), down 8.6%... YRC Worldwide (YRCW), down 7.7%... Amgen (AMGN), down 3.2%... Alphabet (GOOGL), down 2.7%... Visa (V), down 1.8%... Varex Imaging (VREX), down 1.3%. ALSO LOWER: Impinj (PI), down 27.8% after it reduced its outlook for Q1 and said its CFO will step down... TrueCar (TRUE), down 6.3% after it disclosed in a regulatory filing that CFO Michael Guthrie will resign from the company for personal reasons... Shell Midstream (SHLX), down 6.7% after it filed to sell 25M common units representing limited partners.

17:31 EDT Mattel says does not see similar level of inventory writedowns in 2018 - Says plans to reduce advertising spending in 2018.

17:28 EDT Catalus Capital cuts Cars.com stake to 6.1% from 9.3%

17:25 EDT TrueCar CFO Guthrie to resign for personal reasons - According to a regulatory filing, TrueCar CFO Michael Guthrie notified the company on January 28, 2018, that for personal reasons he will resign from his position as the company's Chief Financial Officer, effective February 1, 2018. John Pierantoni, the company's Chief Accounting Officer, will be assuming the additional role of Interim Chief Financial Officer, and as such will become the company's principal financial officer, effective February 1, 2018. Guthrie has agreed to provide consulting services to the company for a four-month period following his departure in support of this management transition, during which consulting arrangement he will continue to vest in his equity awards.

17:22 EDT Apple says Q1 wearables revenue up 70% y/y - Says saw double digit revenue growth in all geographical segments in Q1. Says iPhone ASP increase driven by iPhone X. Says App Store saw all-time revenue record. Says Q1 wearables revenue up 70% y/y.

17:15 EDT Solus reports 5.56% passive stake in VICI Properties

17:14 EDT Boeing awarded $195M U.S. Air Force contract modification - The Boeing C has been awarded a $195,013,749 fixed-price-incentive-firm modification to previously awarded contract FA8213-17-F-1001 for Joint Direct Attack Munition tail kits.

17:11 EDT Apple says App Store had best holiday season 'ever' - Says App Store had best holiday season ever. Says on pace to double 2016 services revenue by 2020. Says Apple Pay saw growth in active users and revenue in Q1. Says Apple Pay now accepted at more than half of all American retail locations.

17:07 EDT Community Healthcare raises quarterly dividend from 39.5c to 39.75c per share - This dividend is payable on March 2, 2018 to shareholders of record on February 16, 2018.

17:06 EDT Visa says Q1 payments volume up 12% YoY - Comment from Q1 earnings conference call.

17:03 EDT Post Holdings sees FY18 adjusted EBITDA $1.22B-$1.25B, inclusive of Bob Evans

16:53 EDT Craft Brew sees 2018 CapEx $16M-$19M - Anticipates continued growth for Kona, bolstered by the national launch of its new 99-calorie Kanaha Blonde Ale, combined with increasing contributions from partner brands Appalachian Mountain Brewery, Cisco Brewers and Wynwood Brewing Co., as well as the ongoing stabilization of legacy craft brands Widmer Brothers and Redhook in the Pacific Northwest. Anticipates depletions and shipments ranging between a decline of 2% and an increase of 3%, average price increases of 1%-3%, gross margin rate of 32.0% to 35.0%, reflecting increases in net revenue per barrel, continued improvements in brewery operations, lower fixed overhead, SG&A expense ranging from $59M-$61 million, and an ffective tax rate of 27%.

16:48 EDT Park-Ohio acquires Canton Drop Forge, terms not disclosed - ParkOhio announced that it has acquired Canton Drop Forge, headquartered in Canton, Ohio. Edward Crawford, Chairman and CEO, stated, "ParkOhio is pleased to announce the acquisition of Canton Drop Forge, Canton, Ohio. The addition of CDF to our current Forged and Machined Products Group will enhance the company's international aerospace profile. The company has been in business for 115 years."

16:46 EDT Progenics announces AZEDRA presentation at ENDO meeting - Progenics Pharmaceuticals announced that data from the Company's open-label pivotal Phase 2b study of AZEDRA, including biochemical tumor marker data, will be presented in an oral session at the upcoming Endocrine Society Annual Meeting, which will be held March 17-20, 2018 at McCormick Place West in Chicago, Illinois.

16:45 EDT Alphabet says Nest product turned in a strong quarter across the sectors - Progress at Waymo is accelerating.

16:40 EDT Parker Drilling regains compliance with NYSE continued listing requirements - Parker Drilling received notification from the NYSE that the company regained compliance with the NYSE listing standard for share price. On January 2, 2018, Parker Drilling was notified by the NYSE of its noncompliance with continued listing standards because the average closing price of its common stock over the prior 30 consecutive trading day period had fallen below $1.00 per share. The company met these standards with the January 31, 2018 close price exceeding $1.00 and the average closing price over the prior 30 consecutive trading day period exceeding $1.00. Accordingly, Parker Drilling has resumed compliance with the NYSE's continued listing requirement and the ".BC" indicator following Parker Drilling's stock symbol will be removed by the NYSE.

16:39 EDT CenturyLink to hire 150 employees for new outbound sales center in Monroe - CenturyLink will open a new outbound sales center in Monroe staffed by 150 employees to serve small business customers in the U.S. This new center will be located in the company's Forsythe Avenue location and will focus on expanding CenturyLink's small business customer base as well as offering enhanced products and services to existing small business customers. CenturyLink expects to begin training the new employees in March.

16:36 EDT Apple shares fall $1.24 to $166.54 following Q1 earnings report

16:35 EDT Apple CFO highlights 'all-time record profitability' during Q1 - Apple CFO Luca Maestri said in tonight's earnings release, " Thanks to great operational and business performance, we achieved all-time record profitability during the quarter, with EPS up 16 percent. Cash flow from operations was very strong at $28.3 billion, and we returned $14.5 billion to investors through our capital return program."

16:34 EDT Apple CEO says iPhone X surpassed expectations - Apple CEO Tim Cook said in tonight's earnings release, "We're thrilled to report the biggest quarter in Apple's history, with broad-based growth that included the highest revenue ever from a new iPhone lineup. iPhone X surpassed our expectations and has been our top-selling iPhone every week since it shipped in November. We've also achieved a significant milestone with our active installed base of devices reaching 1.3 billion in January. That's an increase of 30 percent in just two years, which is a testament to the popularity of our products and the loyalty and satisfaction of our customers."

16:33 EDT Apple reports Q1 iPhone units 77.32M vs. 78.29M last year - Reports Q1 iPad units 13.17M vs. 13.08M last year. Reports Q1 Mac units 5.11M vs. 5.37M last year. Reports Q1 Services revenue $8.47B vs. $7.17B last year. Reports Other Products revenue $5.59B vs. $4.02B last year.

16:31 EDT TechnipFMC, Island Offshore enter collaboration pact for RLWI - TechnipFMC has signed an agreement with the Island Offshore group to acquire a 51% stake in Island Offshore's wholly owned subsidiary, Island Offshore Subsea AS. Island Offshore Subsea AS provides Riserless Light Well Intervention project management and engineering services for plug & abandonment, riserless coiled tubing and well completion operations. Island Offshore Subsea AS employs approximately 80 staff. Island Offshore Subsea AS has developed proprietary designs related to subsea P&A and riserless coiled tubing. In connection with the acquisition of the controlling interest, TechnipFMC and Island Offshore will enter into a strategic cooperation agreement to deliver RLWI services on a worldwide basis, which will also include TechnipFMC's RLWI capabilities. Island Offshore Subsea AS will be rebranded and become the operating unit for TechnipFMC's RLWI activities worldwide.

16:31 EDT Fred's names Joseph Anto as new CFO - Fred's announced the appointment of Joseph Anto as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, effective immediately. Mr. Anto succeeds Jason Jenne, who is leaving the Company. Mr. Jenne will remain in an advisory capacity until February 26, 2018, and will continue to work closely with Mr. Anto to ensure a smooth transition.

16:29 EDT Mattel reports strongest brand growth in Q4 from Barbie - Up 9% in Q4 as reported and up 6% in constant currency.

16:25 EDT Motorola Solutions to acquire Avigilon for C$27 per share - Motorola Solutions (MSI) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Avigilon (AIOCF) in an all-cash transaction that will enhance Motorola Solutions' portfolio of mission-critical communications technologies. Under the terms of the agreement, Motorola Solutions will acquire all of Avigilon's outstanding shares for C$27.00 per share. The enterprise value of the transaction is approximately US$1B including Avigilon's net debt. Motorola Solutions has sufficient capital resources, including cash on hand and available commercial credit facilities, to complete the transaction. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2018, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory, shareholder and court approvals.

16:24 EDT USD Partners raises quarterly dividend from 34.5c to 35c per share - The distribution is payable on February 16, 2018, to unitholders of record at the close of business on February 12, 2018.

16:21 EDT Visa declares quarterly dividend of 21c per share - On January 30, 2018, Visa Inc.'s board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend in the aggregate amount of 21c per share of class A common stock, payable on March 6, 2018, to all holders of record as of February 16, 2018.

16:21 EDT Motorola Solutions to acquire Avigilon for C$27.00 per share cash - Motorola Solutions announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Avigilon in an all-cash transaction that will enhance Motorola Solutions' portfolio of mission-critical communications technologies. Under the terms of the agreement, Motorola Solutions will acquire all of Avigilon's outstanding shares for C$27.00 per share. The enterprise value of the transaction is approximately $1B including Avigilon's net debt. Motorola Solutions has sufficient capital resources, including cash on hand and available commercial credit facilities, to complete the transaction. The transaction is expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter of 2018, subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory, shareholder and court approvals.

16:20 EDT Visa reports Q1 Payments volume up 10% - Reports Q1 cross-border volume up 9%. Reports Q1 processed transactiosn up 12%.

16:17 EDT OSI Systems discloses SEC, DOJ investigations into FCPA compliance - In a regulatory filing, OSI Systems disclosed that following a report by a short seller, the Securities and Exchange Commission commenced an investigation into the company's compliance with the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, or FCPA. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California of the DOJ has also said it intends to request information regarding FCPA compliance matters. The SEC and DOJ are also conducting an investigation of trading in the company's securities, and have subpoenaed information regarding trading by executives, directors and employees, as well as company operations and disclosures in and around the time of certain trades. "In relation to the matters that are the subject of the trading-related investigation, the company has taken action with respect to a senior-level employee. At this time, the company is unable to predict what, if any, action may be taken by the DOJ or SEC as a result of these investigations, or any penalties or remedial measures these agencies may seek. The company places a high priority on compliance with its anti-corruption and securities trading policies, and is cooperating with each of the government investigations," OSI stated.

16:16 EDT InnerWorkings names Rich Stoddart as new CEO - InnerWorkings announced that President and Chief Executive Officer, Eric Belcher, will be succeeded by Rich Stoddart, who is currently serving as Global President of Publicis Groupe's Leo Burnett Worldwide. Mr. Stoddart will be appointed President & Chief Executive Officer of InnerWorkings, Inc. and will join its Board of Directors effective on or before April 5, 2018, at which time Mr. Belcher will transition to the role of Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. As Global President of Leo Burnett Worldwide since January 2016, Rich Stoddart has served as the chief executive officer of one of the world's largest and most awarded global advertising agencies, and has more than 30 years of marketing experience. Prior to his current role, he ran Leo Burnett North America for 11 years as Chief Executive Officer and President.

16:15 EDT LogMeln increases dividend 20% - LogMeIn announced that its board has declared a 20% increase in its quarterly dividend, to 30c per share from 25c per share. The next quarterly dividend is payable on February 28 to shareholders of record as of February 12.

16:14 EDT Anika Therapeutics to partner with University of Liverpool on Osteoarthritis - Anika Therapeutics announced an agreement with the Institute of Integrative Biology at the University of Liverpool to collaborate on research to develop an injectable mesenchymal stem cell therapy for the treatment of osteoarthritis. The purpose of this three-year research collaboration is to develop a novel MSC therapy for the treatment of OA, and if successful, is expected to yield a lead candidate that will move toward clinical development within a year of the collaboration's completion.

16:13 EDT Amgen announces additional $10B share repurchase program - Amgen said its board authorized an additional $10B of share repurchases. The authorization is in addition to the existing $4.4B in share repurchase authorization as of Dec. 31, 2017.

16:11 EDT Alphabet authorizes repurchase up to nearly $8.6B of Class C shares - The Board of Directors of Alphabet authorized the company to repurchase up to an additional $8,589,869,056 of its Class C capital stock. The repurchase is expected to be executed from time to time, subject to general business and market conditions and other investment opportunities, through open market purchases or privately negotiated transactions, including through Rule 10b5-1 plans.

16:10 EDT Cardiovascular Systems announces commercial launch of Micro Crown in Japan - Cardiovascular Systems announced that it has commercially treated the first patient in Japan with its Diamondback 360(R) Coronary OAS Micro Crown. Following CSI's COAST trial, the device was approved by Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency as a frontline treatment for de novo severely calcified lesions and to facilitate access to the arteries for percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) post procedure. COAST was a Harmonization-By-Doing clinical study for the Micro Crown conducted in both the United States and Japan under the regulations of both governments. In Japan, COAST was led by the National Principal Investigator, Dr. Shigeru Saito, of Shonan Kamakura General Hospital, Kamakura City, Japan.

16:09 EDT Alphabet names John Hennessy as board chair - Alphabet announced that the Board appointed John L. Hennessy to serve as Chair of Alphabet's Board. Hennessy has served as a member of the Board since April 2004 and Lead Independent Director since April 2007.

16:07 EDT Alphabet Class A shares down 4% after Q4 earnings report

16:06 EDT Revance announces SAKURA Phase 3 clinical data to be Presented at IMCAS 2018 - Revance Therapeutics announced presentation of clinical data from the company's two pivotal SAKURA Phase 3 trials of DaxibotulinumtoxinA Injectable at the 20th annual IMCAS World Congress, taking place at Palais des Congres, Paris, France, February 1-3, 2018. The company's SAKURA Phase 3 clinical program included two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pivotal trials to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a single administration of RT002 for the treatment of moderate to severe glabellar lines in adults. The results were first reported on December 5, 2017.

16:04 EDT Alphabet CFO says operating income growth underscores core strength - "Our business is driving great growth, with 2017 revenues of $110.9 billion, up 23% year on year, and fourth quarter revenues of $32.3 billion, up 24% year on year. Our full year operating income growth continues to underscore our core strength, and on top of this, we continue to make substantial investments for the long-term in exciting new businesses," said Ruth Porat, CFO of Alphabet.

16:03 EDT Alphabet reports Q4 aggregate paid clicks up 43% vs. last year - Reports Q4 aggregate cost-per-click down 14% vs. last year.

16:00 EDT Unum Group boosts parental leave, employee pay, adds $1M to community giving - Unum said, in addition to the existing all-employee annual bonus program, it is investing in its people and communities with a new paid parental leave benefit for both mothers and fathers in the U.S.; enhancements to the compensation program so that all U.S. employees earn at least $15 an hour; and an additional $1 million in charitable contributions this year in support of the communities where Unum employees live and work. "These investments reflect our values and recognize the significant role that everyone at Unum plays in delivering for our customers," said Unum President and CEO Rick McKenney. "2017 was a great year, and one that would not be possible without the dedication of all of our people."

14:36 EDT NY AG sues Insys Therapeutics for 'dangerous and deceptive' promotion of Subsys

13:46 EDT Trade Desk drops sharply, down 9% in afternoon trading

13:26 EDT Honda reports January U.S. sales down 1.7% to 104,542 vehicles

13:14 EDT Monsanto opens Innovation Center at University of Illinois - The University of Illinois announced that Monsanto and The Climate Corporation, a subsidiary of Monsanto, have opened the Monsanto Innovation Center at the University of Illinois Research Park. When fully staffed, the Monsanto Innovation Center will employ more than two dozen students who will enhance and augment a robust agricultural innovation portfolio with additional enabling capabilities like IT, data science and engineering. Students will focus on cutting-edge, real-world, social, scientific challenges in areas like advanced analytics, operations research, phenomics, genomics, plant science and precision breeding technologies. The center will employ students who are studying disciplines such as electrical engineering, UX design, mechanical engineering, software engineering and imaging sensor science.

12:25 EDT Windstream to offer DIRECTV services across footprint - Windstream (WIN) announced it will offer AT&T's (T) DIRECTV satellite service and DIRECTV NOW streaming service to residential customers across its entire service area. The DIRECTV product offerings will provide a perfect complement to Windstream's high-speed internet service - Kinetic by Windstream - that will give customers affordable, diverse options for getting the programming they want and watching that content whether they are at home or on the go.

12:10 EDT YouTube Go access expands to over 130 countries worldwide - Alphabet's YouTube said in an official blog post that it will expand YouTube Go to over 130 countries around the globe starting today. YouTube Go provides users with access to YouTube regardless of connectivity status and more control over data usage, the company said. The app launched last year in India, and has since also launched in 14 additional countries, including Indonesia, Nigeria, and Thailand. Reference Link

12:07 EDT Instagram announces 'Type' mode for stories - In an announcement on its website, Instagram said, "Today, we're introducing 'Type' mode in stories, a new way to share anything that's on your mind with creative text styles and backgrounds - no photo or video required. Now, you can turn your most random thoughts into something colorful and expressive. When you open the camera, you'll see 'Type' next to 'Normal' under the record button. Tap 'Type' and write whatever comes to mind - your favorite lyrics, a silly thought or a random idea - and play with different styles to change the look and feel. Then, you can pick different background colors, highlight words and phrases or add a background photo.You can also use the new styles when adding text to any photo or video. And, like everything else you share to stories, it'll disappear from your story after 24 hours." Reference Link

11:59 EDT PG&E resumes, now up 10%

11:53 EDT PG&E jumps 7%, halted for volatility

11:51 EDT GoDaddy names Adobe CFO Mark Garrett to board - GoDaddy (GDDY) announced that Mark Garrett has been appointed to its board of directors. Garrett is the EVP and CFO at Adobe (ADBE).

11:37 EDT PayPal CFO says 'nothing' about yesterday's announcement that wasn't anticipated - PayPal (PYPL) CFO John Rainey, in an interview, said there was "nothing about yesterday's announcement" regarding eBay (EBAY) that was not anticipated and factored into PayPal's plans. Rainey said eBay is a "very large and important customer" for PayPal. Asked about his openness to a potential merger, Rainey said the company is always open to doing what is best for shareholders and would never rule anything out. Rainey continues being interviewed on CNBC.

11:31 EDT Siemens unit reports FDA clearance for point-of-care blood tests - Siemens Healthineers announced it has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for its Blood Urea Nitrogen and Total Carbon Dioxide point-of-care tests to aid in the diagnosis of renal diseases and metabolic imbalances. These assays expand precision medicine performed at the patient-side to enable faster clinical decision making. "Siemens Healthineers now can provide a full menu on a single test card within the blood analysis market for clinicians to perform at the patient bedside on the handheld epoc Blood Analysis System," the company stated. Siemens Healthineers is the separately managed healthcare business of Siemens AG.

11:08 EDT Novocure: Optune, temozolomide extended PFS, OS in patients in trial - Novocure announced that a detailed quality of life analysis of Novocure's EF-14 phase 3 pivotal trial of Optune in combination with temozolomide for the treatment of newly diagnosed glioblastoma has been published in JAMA Oncology. This secondary endpoint analysis demonstrated that the addition of Optune to temozolomide did not negatively impact health-related quality of life, except for itchy skin under Optune's transducer arrays. The analysis also demonstrated that a higher proportion of patients treated with Optune and temozolomide reported stable or improved quality life for global health status, pain, physical functioning and leg weakness. The analysis concluded that the use of Optune in combination with temozolomide extended progression free and overall survival in patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma, without negatively influencing their quality of life. Health-related quality of life was a predefined secondary endpoint of the study, which was measured with validated health-related quality of life questionnaires at the beginning of the trial and every three months after. The results were as follows: More patients treated with the combination of Optune and temozolomide reported stable or improved scores on: global health status, pain, physical functioning and leg weakness when compared to patients treated with temozolomide alone. Deterioration-free survival was longer for patients treated with the combination of Optune and temozolomide versus patients treated with temozolomide alone for: global health, physical and emotional functioning, pain and leg weakness.

11:05 EDT PayPal sliding, eBay rising after new commercial agreement - A little over two years after splitting up with PayPal (PYPL), eBay (EBAY) is distancing itself from the former even more. The latter announced last night that it will start processing payments using Adyen, allowing its users to remain on the eBay website when checking out. The news, which came alongside earnings reports from both companies last night, has sent eBay higher and PayPal into negative territory this morning. RESULTS, ADYEN ANNOUNCEMENT: Last night, eBay reported Q4 adjusted EPS of 59c and revenue of $2.6B, with consensus at 59c and $2.61B, respectively. The company also gave Q1 and 2018 revenue and earnings guidance that generally topped analysts' consensus expectations. Additionally, eBay announced it intends to further improve its customer experience by intermediating payments on its Marketplace platform. eBay has signed an agreement with Adyen to become its primary payments processing partner. PayPal will be a payments option at checkout for eBay buyers. The transition to full payments intermediation will be a multi-year journey, and eBay will move as quickly as possible to complete this process within the parameters of the operating agreement with PayPal, which remains in place through mid-2020, the company noted. Meanwhile, PayPal reported Q4 adjusted EPS of 55c and revenue of $3.74B, both above consensus, and gave Q1 and 2018 guidance that was not far from what analysts had been expecting. MOVING TO THE SIDELINES: In a post-earnings research note, BTIG analyst Mark Palmer downgraded PayPal to Neutral from Buy, telling investors he believes Q4 results were not strong enough to justify the stock's "lofty" valuation, and that PayPal's risk/reward proposition has become less attractive as the stock appears "priced for near-perfection while execution risk remains on several fronts." BUY PAYPAL ON WEAKNESS: Still bullish on PayPal, KeyBanc analyst Josh Beck told investors in a research note of his own that PayPal should be bought on weakness as he sees its Q4 results as "rock solid." Further, the analyst pointed out that he continues to see a manageable eBay risk and believes it will be difficult to materially alter eBay checkout habits away from PayPal. The market continues to discount all of the 2020 eBay contribution, while not factoring in Venmo, capital, and potential new marketplace wins, Beck contended. He reiterated an Overweight rating and $90 price target on PayPal's shares. Wedbush analyst Moshe Katri voiced a similar opinion, noting that while the gradual termination of the PayPal-eBay relationship was not expected by the Street, the terms and details associated with the renewed contract provide PayPal with a manageable "cushion." Specifically, the analyst believes the renewal factors lower transaction yields from eBay through 2020. Katri would use any potential weakness in PayPal's stock as a buying opportunity, and reiterated an Outperform rating and $90 price target on the shares. BUY EBAY: Meanwhile, RBC Capital analyst Mark Mahaney upgraded eBay to Outperform from Sector Perform and raised his price target to $51 from $39, citing the "ongoing acceleration in Marketplace gross merchandise volume, the surprise announcement that eBay will intermediate payments, and materially ramped up share repurchases". His peer at Benchmark is also bullish on the stock. Analyst Daniel Kurnos believes eBay "finally looks poised to break out." This morning several Wall Street firms raised eBay's price target, including Deutsche Bank, UBS, Baird, Credit Suisse, BMO Capital and Mizuho. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of PayPal have dropped over 6% to $79.91, while eBay's stock has gained more than 15% to $46.85.

11:01 EDT Matthews acquires Star Granite & Bronze for $41.2M - Matthews International announced that the company has acquired Star Granite & Bronze, based in Elberton, Georgia, for $41.2M, subject to a working capital adjustment and potential contingent consideration adjustment based on future performance. Star, a family-owned business, is a manufacturer and distributor of granite and other memorialization products to cemeteries and other customers across the United States. In the year ended December 31, 2017, Star's revenues were approximately $31.3M and the company has approximately 200 employees. Matthews plans to integrate Star within its Matthews Cemetery Products business, part of its Memorialization Segment.

10:42 EDT Cigna CEO sees opportunity in new Amazon/JPMorgan healthcare initiative - Cigna (CI) CEO David Cordani sees "more opportunity than not" in the change in the market that is indicated by Amazon (AMZN), Berkshire (BRK.A) and JPMorgan's (JPM) new healthcare initiative, he said during an interview on CNBC. Asked directly about Cigna's existing contract with JPMorgan, Cordani said it was "not constructive" to talk about any individual contract, adding that the company is not dependent on any one contract. Cordani added that Cigna needs to earn the right continually to do business with all of its customers.

10:35 EDT Nordstrom to close store at Salem Center Mall - Nordstrom announced plans to close its full-line store at Salem Center in Salem, Oregon. Originally opened in March 1980, the store will serve customers through Friday, April 6.The store closure will impact about 130 non-seasonal employees. Nordstrom is working with each impacted employee to determine their next steps. Nordstrom will continue to serve Oregon customers online and at three other Nordstrom stores: Downtown Portland, Clackamas Town Center in Happy Valley, and Washington Square in Tigard. The company also operates six Nordstrom Rack stores in Oregon: Clackamas, Tanasbourne Town Center in Beaverton, Portland, Oakway Center in Eugene, Cascade Airport in Portland, and Cascade Plaza in Beaverton.

10:31 EDT International Paper says 'confident' in 10% plus growth in EBITDA in 2018

10:19 EDT Wesco to prioritize growth acceleration in 2018 - Says priority is accelerating growth and delivering margin expansion in 2018. Says 2018 is "off to very good start." Says continues to make progress in passing along inflation. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

10:05 EDT Ford sees total January industry SAAR 'right around' 17.9M vehicle range - Sees total industry sales of 1.15M units in January, down "very slightly" from a year ago, translating to a SAAR 'right around' the 17.9M unit range. Ford says fleet sales were off 31% in January. Says planned to reduce sales to rental car companies. Comments taken from Ford's January U.S. sales conference call. Ford is down 0.4% in morning trading to $10.94.

09:59 EDT Greene County Bancorp trading resumes

09:52 EDT Sonoco Products to raise prices for paperboard tubes and cores - Sonoco announced it is implementing a price increase, the minimum of which will be 8%, for all paperboard tubes and cores sold in the United States and Canada, effective with shipments beginning March 1.

09:48 EDT Intercept announces updated U.S. prescribing information for Ocaliva - Intercept Pharmaceuticals announced that the Ocaliva, obeticholic acid or OCA, Prescribing Information in the United States has been updated to reinforce appropriate dosing in primary biliary cholangitis, or PBC, patients with Child-Pugh Class B or C or decompensated cirrhosis. In the postmarketing setting, hepatic decompensation and failure have been reported in patients with advanced cirrhosis when Ocaliva was dosed more frequently than the recommended starting dosage. As a result, the Ocaliva label has been revised to include a boxed warning and a dosing table that reinforce the existing dosing schedule for such patients, who comprise two to three percent of the overall PBC population. Intercept is also working with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) to update the Ocaliva European Summary of Product Characteristics to reinforce appropriate dosing in patients with advanced cirrhosis. In the meantime, a Direct Healthcare Professional Communication will be issued to educate physicians on the need for appropriate dosing in patients with advanced cirrhosis. "Following extensive review of postmarketing data, we remain confident in Ocaliva's safety profile and the benefit it provides when used as directed in patients with PBC, a devastating disease that is one of the leading causes of liver failure in women," said Mark Pruzanski, President and CEO of Intercept.

09:46 EDT Kroger says organic produce business achieves $1B in annual sales - The Kroger Co. announced that its organic produce business has achieved $1B in annual sales.

09:40 EDT Target, Shipt launch same-day delivery across Southeast - Shipt and Target Corporation announced that they will begin same-day delivery of an in-store assortment of groceries, essentials, home, electronics and other products across the Southeast. Beginning on February 8, 2018, Shipt will deliver from Target stores in 18 markets across five states. Cumulatively, the new partnership gives more than 9.1 million households across the Southeast access to groceries, essentials, home, electronics and other products from Target, delivered by Shipt.

09:39 EDT MasterCard sees economic environment in 2018 'similar' to 2017 - Expects economic environment in 2018 to be similar to last year, with "a few areas to monitor."

09:32 EDT UPS raises investments by $12B on favorable tax law impact - UPS announced more than $12B in investments to expand the company's Smart Logistics Network, significantly increase pension funding, and position the company to further enhance shareowner value. The company plans to raise future capital spending above its previously committed six-to-seven percent of annual revenue. UPS will invest an additional $7B over three years for the construction and renovation of facilities, to acquire new aircraft and ground fleet vehicles, and to enhance the information technology platforms required to support the network, manage the business and power new customer solutions. UPS also recently made a $5B tax-qualified contribution to the company's three UPS-sponsored U.S. pension plans. This represents about $13,000 per participant. The voluntary contribution raised the funding level to above 90-percent, securing retirement benefits on behalf of union-represented and union-free employees eligible for UPS-funded pensions.

09:28 EDT USG announces $250M share repurchase program - USG announced that its board approved a $250 million increase to its share repurchase program, raising the total authorization to $500 million. As of December 31, 2017, $66 million remained under the corporation's previously authorized $250 million share repurchase program. Although the Board of Directors did not set an expiration date for the share repurchase program, the corporation expects to execute the program within 18 months. Repurchases are expected be made from free cash flow generated from the business. Based on the January 31, 2018 closing share price, approximately 8 million shares, or 6 percent of the corporation's market capitalization as of January 31, 2018, could be repurchased based on the remaining $316 million authorization under the share repurchase program. The corporation may repurchase shares from time to time in the open market or in other privately negotiated transactions, subject to market conditions.

09:25 EDT MasterCard: 'No line of sight' how cardholders will view cryptocurrencies - Says company has "no line of sight" as to how cardholders will view cryptocurrencies in the future.

09:22 EDT On The Fly: Pre-market Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Facebook (FB), up 1.5%... Mastercard (MA), up 3.1%... Time Warner (TWX), up marginally... ConocoPhillips (COP), up 1.2%... Blackstone (BX), up 1.8%... Marathon Petroleum (MPC), up 1.1%... USG Corporation (USG), up 2.9%... AutoNation (AN), up 4.4%... Abiomed (ABMD), up 1.3%... Valero Energy (VLO), up 1.6%... eBay (EBAY), up 10.8%... AT&T (T), up 3.1%. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Alibaba Group (BABA), down 5%... DowDuPont (DWDP), down just under 1%... UPS (UPS), down 5.6%... Altria Group (MO), down 1.2%... McKesson (MCK), down 1.1%.. Baxter (BAX), down 2.4%... Boston Scientific (BSX), down 3.2%... Parker-Hannifin (PH), down 4.5%... Hershey (HSY), down 5.1%... Ralph Lauren (RL), down 5.5%... Paypal (PYPL), down 6.7% after reporting quarterly results and after eBay announced Ayden will become its primary payments processing partner... Symantec (SYMC), up 3.3%.

09:18 EDT MasterCard: Will still do business in Venezuela, won't include ops in results

09:16 EDT Terreno Realty acquires building in Torrance, CA for $17.5M - Terreno Realty Corporation acquired an industrial property located in Torrance, California on January 31, 2018 for a purchase price of approximately $17.5M.

09:16 EDT Ford reports January U.S. sales down 6.6% to 161,143 vehicles - Overall Ford Motor Company U.S. sales for January totaled 161,143 vehicles -- a 6.6% decline. Fleet sales of 45,956 vehicles are down 12% due primarily to a planned change in delivery timing of daily rental sales.

09:14 EDT MasterCard CEO says to boost contributions to employee retirement plans - MasterCard President and CEO Ajay Banga said he sees a "relatively steady" environment in 2018, with some "pockets" of instability. Banga views U.S. tax reform as a "positive" development, particularly in the near-term. As a result of tax reform, MasterCard said it will increase contributions to employee retirement plans, and will enhance employer match to 10% for defined contribution retirement plans. Says will "absolutely" accelerate investments on an organic and inorganic basis. Says majority of tax savings will be used to invest in company, return excess cash to shareholders. Comments taken from the Q4 earnings conference call. MasterCard is up 3.33% in pre-market trading.

09:12 EDT UPS says 'more work to be done' as far as getting better pricing

09:07 EDT UPS says sees growing dividend with board approval

09:03 EDT First American completes acquisition of BofA's lien release business operations - First American Financial Corporation (FAF) announced the completion of its acquisition of Bank of America's (BAC) lien release business. Bank of America's lien release business and its employees are now part of First American's Mortgage Solutions division, a leading provider of comprehensive solutions for residential lenders and servicers covering the entire loan spectrum. As part of the agreement, the group will continue to provide lien release services to Bank of America.

09:01 EDT Starbucks, Chase launch Starbucks Rewards Visa card - Starbucks (SBUX) and Chase (JPM) announce the availability of the Starbucks Rewards Visa Card, a co-brand credit card integrated directly into the Starbucks Rewards loyalty program.

09:01 EDT UPS sees FY18 net benefit from tax reform 80c-85c

08:58 EDT UPS plans FY18 share buybacks of $1B

08:57 EDT UPS sees FY18 U.S. revenue growth of 5%-6% - Sees FY18 International revenue growth of 7%-9%; FY18 International operating profit growth of 10%-12%.

08:51 EDT UPS says 'significant network enhancements' are planned for 2018

08:49 EDT MasterCard sees 2018 net revenue organic growth at in low teens - For 2018, organic net revenue growth including adjustments is now expected to be in the low teens, or 13%-14%, vs. previous guidance of the high end of low double digits, or 12%-13%. Operating expense organic growth is expected to be mid single digits. EPS CAGR for the 2016-2018 period is seen in the mid 20s vs. previous view of about 20%. Comments from slides that will be presented on the Q4 earnings conference call.

08:44 EDT UPS says plans to open 18 new or retrofit facilities in 2018 - Says most will be in the U.S.

08:40 EDT Affimed reports preliminary AFM13 patient data from two clinical studies - Affimed N.V. reported additional preliminary patient data from two separate clinical studies of its lead NK cell engager candidate AFM13. "The data demonstrate that AFM13 was well-tolerated and showed promising therapeutic efficacy both in combination with the anti-PD-1 antibody Keytruda(R) (pembrolizumab) in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and as monotherapy in CD30-positive lymphoma," Affimed N.V. says in a statement. Best response preliminary assessment data from 9 patients treated at the highest AFM13 dose level as reported by central read, showed an objective response rate of 89%, including complete metabolic responses in 44% and partial metabolic responses in 44% of patients. One patient experienced stable disease. The combination was well-tolerated with most of the adverse events observed mild to moderate in nature and manageable with standard of care, the company added. In an ongoing investigator-sponsored Phase 1b/2a trial of AFM13 in CD30-positive lymphoma with cutaneous manifestation led by Columbia University Medical Center, an analysis of the first dose cohort of three patients has been completed. The data demonstrated that AFM13 could be safely administered and showed therapeutic activity as a single agent, with an ORR of 66%, Affimed said. In detail, one complete response, one partial response and one stable disease were observed, as determined by global response score. The company said, "The data shown here comprise one previously reported patient as well as two additional patients. In total, the trial includes three cohorts of three patients each and enrollment is currently ongoing into the third dose cohort. These data further highlight the clinical utility of NK cell engagement in CD30-positive lymphoma, an indication with high unmet medical need, providing an opportunity for AFM13 beyond classical HL."

08:39 EDT UPS says demand in U.S. segments reached record levels in Q4 - Says sees demand for services "robust" in 2018. Says savings from tax reform to unlock "significant resources." Comments from Q4 earnings conference call.

08:34 EDT Magellan Midstream targets annual DCF growth of 5%-8% for 2019, 2020 - Management remains committed to its previously-stated goal of increasing annual cash distributions by 8% for 2018 and currently expects to generate annual DCF of $1.05 billion in 2018, resulting in approximately 1.2 times the amount needed to pay cash distributions for 2018. Current DCF guidance assumes throughput will equal minimum volume commitments on the Longhorn pipeline and be slightly above minimum commitment levels on the BridgeTex pipeline. DCF guidance also assumes volumes on the Longhorn pipeline will continue at historical levels once current contracts expire in the fourth quarter of 2018, but at lower tariff rates due to the increased competition in the Permian Basin. However, both BridgeTex and Longhorn pipelines have available capacity for spot shipments, which if utilized during 2018 could result in higher 2018 DCF up to $1.08 billion. Looking further ahead, management is targeting annual DCF growth in the range of 5% to 8% for both 2019 and 2020. Magellan intends to manage distribution growth consistent with its expectations for DCF growth for the foreseeable future while maintaining annual distribution coverage of 1.2 times, which correspondingly could result in annual distribution growth of 5% to 8% each year, as well. Guidance specific to 2019 and 2020 has not been provided previously.

08:32 EDT Evoqua Water acquires Pure Water Solutions, terms not disclosed - Evoqua Water Technologies announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire privately held Pure Water Solutions, a leading provider of high-purity water equipment and systems, service deionization and resin regeneration, with service operations in suburban Denver and Santa Fe. The acquisition further underscores Evoqua's service capabilities in the water treatment market. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Pure Water Solutions serves the ultrapure pharmaceutical and laboratory, medical, commercial, industrial and agriculture markets throughout Colorado and New Mexico. It serves its customer base with a variety of products and solutions including reverse osmosis, deionized water systems, ultra-filtration, and portable exchange. It will become part of Evoqua's Light Industry Technologies division, which is a part of Evoqua's Industrial Segment, and will extend the company's unmatched service network.

08:31 EDT Elevate Credit appoints PayPal CIO Bradley Strock to board - Elevate Credit (ELVT) announced that Bradley Strock has joined its Board of Directors, effective immediately. Strock joined PayPal (PYPL) in 2011 and since 2014 has been its Chief Information Officer. Strock replaces Jason Harvison, who stepped down from his Board role but continues as COO at Elevate.

08:21 EDT CareDx enrolls first patient in AlloSure registry - CareDx announces that the first patient was enrolled in the Kidney Allograft Outcomes AlloSure Registry on January 31.

08:13 EDT Alibaba: Ant Financial profitable in all three major lines of business

08:11 EDT Kratos Defense selected to participate in Air Force TETRAS program - Kratos Defense & Security Solutions announced last night that its subsidiary, Kratos RT Logic, is among 14 organizations awarded a shared ceiling, multiple award indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, or IDIQ, contract in the amount of $998M for the Test & Evaluation Technologies for Ranges, Armaments & Spectrum, or TETRAS, program. Frank Backes, VP of Business Development, said, "The enhancement of range test and evaluation technologies is one of a number of DoD ground initiatives Kratos is actively engaged in, including Enterprise Ground Services and the Wideband Communications Architecture Study, among others."

08:09 EDT Ribbon Communications' session border controller selected in Panama - Ribbon Communications' SBC 5210 Session Border Controller has been selected by Cable Onda, a provider of voice, video and Internet services in Panama, as the new platform for its SIP trunking and SIP interconnect services. Cable Onda will leverage the SBC 5210 to replace its legacy SBC platform and future-proof its ability to meet the demand for SIP-based services including unified communications.

08:09 EDT Synergy achieves cash balance requirement to access additional capital - Synergy Pharmaceuticals announced that it has met the cash balance requirement to access additional capital under the Term Loan Agreement dated as of September 1, 2017 with CRG Servicing LLC. In addition, Synergy announced details of upcoming investor events, including its financial results call to be held on March 1, 2018. "Synergy's cash balance at the end of January was in excess of $128 million, which means we met the financial requirement to access additional capital by February 28, 2018," said Gary Gemignani, EVP and CFO of Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc. "With the achievement of this financial condition, we have demonstrated our ability to effectively manage costs while simultaneously investing in strategic initiatives that deliver growth to the company's top-line. We look forward to providing a full update on our 2017 financial and business performance and go-forward priorities during our March 1st call."

08:07 EDT Charles River Labs granted access to AstraZeneca's HTS infrastructure - Charles River Laboratories International (CRL) announced a new agreement which grants Charles River commercial access to AstraZeneca's (AZN) high-throughput screening and compound management infrastructure. Through the agreement, Charles River will perform HTS programs for its clients utilizing AstraZeneca's state-of-the-art HTS facility. Charles River will place scientists-in-residence at AstraZeneca's Centre for Lead Discovery in Cambridge, United Kingdom, to manage its compound collection and run HTS for clients with a comprehensive range of assay technologies, liquid handling platforms, and automated storage systems. The highly dynamic and brand-new compound management and HTS facility is equipped to provide efficient drug discovery screening services from assay conception to hit identification.

08:07 EDT Elliott mails materials to NXP shareholders, economic interest increased to 7.2% - Elliott Advisors, which advises funds which now collectively hold an increased economic interest in NXP Semiconductors N.V. of approximately 7.2%, mailed materials to NXP retail shareholders in the United States, which can be viewed at www.FairValueForNXP.com. Elliott's increasing economic interest in NXP, which has current market value of approximately $2.9B, underscores the firm's significant level of conviction in the value opportunity present at NXP today, as well as its alignment of interest with its fellow NXP shareholders.

08:04 EDT Workhorse Group granted U.S. patent for HorseFly drone package delivery system - Workhorse Group announced that the USPTO has issued a notice of allowance for the HorseFly Truck Launched Drone Package Delivery System patent application. The HorseFly drone autonomously launches from the roof of the delivery truck, gains altitude and proceeds to the delivery location, where the drone autonomously descends and the package is released, and then returns to the delivery truck at a planned stop and autonomously redocks and recharges for its next delivery. The system was first successfully tested in a rural delivery, launching the drone with package from atop a truck.

08:02 EDT Lowe's to offer one-time bonus up to $1,000 for hourly employees - Lowe's announced plans to enhance benefits, including expanded maternity and parental leave as well as adoption assistance. The company will also offer a one-time bonus up to $1,000 for its more than 260,000 hourly employees. The bonus will be paid in addition to the company's long-standing, store-level bonus program. In addition to the company's comprehensive benefits program, eligible full-time hourly and salaried U.S. employees will qualify to receive: Ten weeks of paid maternity leave and two weeks of paid parental leave. An adoption assistance benefit to cover up to $5,000 of expenses related to agency, legal and other fees. Eligibility to enroll in health benefits sooner, as early as the first of the month following 30 days of service. These enhancements follow the company's recent hiring announcement to recruit more than 53,000 seasonal associates nationwide to better serve customers and communities.

07:56 EDT Alibaba says will be 'measured' in approach to monetization

07:52 EDT Kemet announces investment in Novasentis - KEMET and Novasentis, a developer of film based haptic actuators, today announced that KEMET Electronics Corporation, or KEC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of KEMET, has invested in Novasentis's Series-D round of funding. Novasentis makes the world's thinnest, electro mechanical polymer based actuators that provide rich haptic feedback for a variety of applications including AR/VR and Wearables. Novasentis supplies its "smart" film and KEMET applies its expertise in manufacturing film capacitors, to the development and commercial production of the actuators.

07:44 EDT Valero targets total payout ratio of 40%-50% in 2018 - The company is targeting a total payout ratio between 40%-50% of adjusted net cash provided by operating activities for 2018. Valero defines total payout ratio as the sum of dividends and stock buybacks divided by net cash provided by operating activities adjusted for changes in working capital. "With a lower tax burden in 2018 resulting from Tax Reform, we expect to see a significant benefit to Valero's net cash provided by operating activities," commented CEO Gorder.

07:42 EDT Alibaba: Ant deal a 'significant step' to enhance relationship - Says deepening relationship with Ant to bring several benefits, including advancing new retail strategy with mobile payments, increasing user acquisition and retention, enhancing execution of international expansion. Says to terminate the current profit-sharing arrangement under which Ant pays royalty and technology service fees. Says deal doesn't require any cash outlay from Alibaba. Comments taken from the Q3 earnings conference call. Alibaba is down 3.3% in pre-market trading.

07:36 EDT Resolute Forest CEO Richard Garneau to retire; Yves Laflamme to succeed - Resolute Forest announced the selection and appointment of Yves Laflamme as Resolute's new president and CEO, and a member of the Board of Directors, succeeding Richard Garneau. The announcement of Garneau's retirement coincides with the announcement of the company's fourth quarter and 2017 annual results. Laflamme currently serves as senior vice president, Wood Products, Global Procurement and Information Technology for Resolute. He is a 37-year veteran of the industry, as well as Resolute and its predecessor companies.

07:29 EDT AutoNation reports Q4 same store gross profit up 7% to $851M - Same store fourth quarter 2017 gross profit of $851 million increased by 7% compared to $794 million in the year-ago period, driven by increases in used vehicle gross profit of 16%, Customer Financial Services gross profit of 14%, and Customer Care gross profit of 6%. Same store Customer Financial Services gross profit per vehicle retailed was an all-time record $1,732.

07:25 EDT CytoSorbents' CytoSorb blood purification shows positive results in publication - CytoSorbents' CytoSorb blood purification was featured in a recent publication in the medical journal Clinical Transplantation in which the authors explore the potential benefit of intraoperative CytoSorb blood purification during open heart surgery and heart transplantation on common, but potentially fatal, postoperative complications. Severe vasoplegia is one of the most dangerous adverse events that occurs in up to 44% of patients following heart transplantation. In this study, a total of 84 heart transplant patients were analyzed. The need for vasopressors was significantly lower in the CytoSorb treatment group compared to control during the first 24 hours post-transplantation and the second postoperative day. Even with lower usage of vasopressors in the postoperative period, the treatment group was able to achieve similar primary hemodynamic parameters, such as cardiac index, mean arterial blood pressure, and systemic vascular resistance, as seen in the control group, but also a markedly improved lactate compared to controls during the first 24 hours after surgery, suggesting improved tissue perfusion. There was a trend towards less acute kidney injury, shorter mechanical ventilation times, and shorter intensive care unit stays. From a safety standpoint, there was no difference in postoperative blood loss and number of transfused blood products.

07:19 EDT DSP Group: product segments on trajectory to drive dynamic revenue growth - Commenting on the results, Ofer Elyakim, CEO of DSP Group, stated, "We are pleased to report that DSP Group has reached an inflection point in which the new product initiatives that we have been investing in over the past several years are gaining momentum and will be driving dynamic growth in the years ahead. While this momentum is not entirely evident from our financial results and is masked by the long-term decline of our cordless business, recent industry developments, design wins and customer engagements bolster our confidence that we are well-positioned for significant long term revenue growth and margin expansion. We are excited about our position and momentum in three dynamic industries: Unified Communications, Voice User Interface and IoT, where our new products play an instrumental role. This is evidenced by: 1) strong revenue growth of 31% in the VoIP segment to approximately $35 million in 2017, a market where DSP Group is emerging as a leader with many top tier customers, 2) numerous innovative product launches and product diversity in our SmartVoice segment whereby we capitalize on our long history and deep expertise in efficient voice processing to bring new capabilities to a nascent market, and 3) the growing ecosystem around our ULE technology, which is embraced by leading service providers and OEMs for its best in class characteristics which are ideal for wireless indoor connectivity. We expect the growth of these initiatives to outpace the decline of our legacy cordless telephone business in 2018. More importantly, each of those product segments is now on a trajectory to drive dynamic revenue growth and margin expansion in future years."

07:16 EDT MPLX, Marathon Petroleum to close dropdown of refining logistics assets - MPLX (MPLX) and its sponsor, Marathon Petroleum (MPC), announced that they are closing the dropdown of refining logistics assets and fuels distribution services that are projected to generate approximately $1B in annual EBITDA as well as the exchange of MPC's general partner economic interests, including its incentive distribution rights, for newly issued MPLX common units, eliminating the GP cash distribution requirements of the partnership.

07:13 EDT ObsEva CEO Dr. Ernest Loumaye returns to work following a personal leave - ObsEva announced that Dr. Ernest Loumaye, co-founder and CEO of ObsEva, has returned to work following a personal leave for medical reasons.

07:12 EDT Teva announces completion of global women's health divestiture to CVC Capital - Teva Pharmaceutical Industries announced it has completed the sale of a portfolio of products within its global women's health business across contraception, fertility, menopause and osteoporosis for $703M in cash. The portfolio, which is marketed and sold outside of the U.S., includes Ovaleap, Zoely, Seasonique, Colpotrophine, Actonel and additional products. The business will be known as "Theramex". Morgan Stanley acted as financial advisor to Teva, Ernst & Young served as accounting advisor and Goodwin Procter is Teva's legal counsel for the transaction.

07:11 EDT Lightbridge awarded key patents in EU, China - Lightbridge announced it has been awarded key patents in both Europe and China related to Lightbridge's innovative metallic fuel design that each extend through 2034. These patents follow Notices of Allowances that were issued by the European Patent Office and the State Intellectual Property Office of the People's Republic of China, as reported in October 2017. The newly issued patents cover an alternative embodiment of a multi-lobe fuel rod design; an all-metal pressurized water reactor, or PWR, fuel assembly design incorporating multi-lobe fuel rods based on the alternative embodiment; and an all-metal PWR fuel assembly design incorporating multi-lobe fuel rods arranged into a mixed grid pattern, thereby covering the all-metal fuel assembly design after the most recent optimization.

07:10 EDT DropCar appoints Paul Commons as CFO - DropCar announced the appointment of Paul Commons as CFO. Most recently, Commons served as CFO for Zipz.

07:08 EDT ConocoPhillips signs deal to buy 22% interest in Western North Slope - ConocoPhillips (COP) announced it has signed a definitive agreement with Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (APC) to acquire its 22 percent nonoperated interest in the Western North Slope of Alaska, as well as its interest in the Alpine pipeline, for $400 million in cash, before customary adjustments. The transaction is subject to regulatory approval, and has an effective date of Oct. 1, 2017. In 2017, the gross daily production from these assets was 63 thousand barrels of oil equivalent per day. In addition, ConocoPhillips will have 100 percent interest in approximately 1.2 million acres of exploration and development lands, including the Willow discovery.

07:07 EDT Neovasc receives German NUB Status 1 designation for Neovasc Reducer - Neovasc announced that the "Institut fur das Entgeltsystem im Krankenhaus," the German Institute for the Hospital Remuneration System, has awarded its Neovasc Reducer, a CE-Marked medical device for the treatment of refractory angina, NUB status 1 designation for 2018. InEK, is responsible for prioritizing new therapies in Germany through the NUB process. Yesterday, InEK upgraded the status of the Neovasc Reducer from status 4 to status 1 - the highest priority designation available. A NUB decision is valid for one year and can be renewed annually. The NUB process opens the path for negotiations between hospitals and health insurances on the reimbursement of new medical treatments in the German system. Based on the new NUB status 1 for the Neovasc Reducer, 107 German hospitals can now negotiate reimbursement coverage for the Neovasc Reducer therapy under the German health insurance system.

07:06 EDT ConocoPhillips increases quarterly dividend 7.5% to 26.5c per share - The board of directors approved a 7.5 percent increase to the quarterly dividend, from 26.5 cents to 28.5 cents per share. The dividend is payable on March 1, 2018 to stockholders of record at the close of business on Feb. 12, 2018.

07:05 EDT New Media acquires 20% stake in mobile database development company TapOnIt - New Media has acquired a 20% equity stake in TapOnIt, an opt-in text-based platform that delivers offers from local businesses direct to consumers' phones. TapOnIt was launched in April 2015 by digital advertising veteran Katie Wilson in Quad Cities, Iowa. The investment by New Media is expected to help TapOnIt to expand across the country by being added as an available product offered to advertisers at New Media's publications across its 540 markets.

07:04 EDT Altria Group board authorizes new $1B share repurchase program - Altria's Board has authorized a new $1 billion share repurchase program, which the company expects to complete by the end of 2018. The timing of share repurchases depends upon marketplace conditions and other factors. This program remains subject to the discretion of the Board. Altria expects to continue to return a large amount of cash to shareholders in the form of dividends by maintaining a dividend payout ratio target of approximately 80% of its adjusted diluted EPS. Future dividend payments remain subject to the discretion of the Board.

07:03 EDT Altria Group announces retirement of Chairman and CEO Marty Barrington - Altria announces today that Marty Barrington has decided to retire later this year at age 65, having completed more than 25 years of distinguished service, including six years as Chairman and CEO. The Board has elected Howard Willard to serve as Altria's Chairman and CEO, effective May 17, 2018, at the conclusion of the 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders. The Board also elected Mr. Willard to Altria's Board, effective February 1, 2018.

07:00 EDT Xylem raises quarterly dividend 17% to 21c per share - The dividend is payable on March 15 to shareholders of record as of February 15.

06:55 EDT Lazard reports AUM $249B as of Dec 31, 2017, up 26% y/y - Net inflows for 2017 were $3.1B.

06:51 EDT Marathon Petroleum raises quarterly dividend to 46c per share - On Jan. 29, the MPC board announced a 15% increase in the quarterly dividend, to 46c per share. This represents a 26.5% compound annual growth rate in the dividend since becoming an independent company six years ago, demonstrating continued confidence in the cash-flow generation of the business.

06:51 EDT Northern Oil and Gas appoints Chad Allen interin CFO

06:50 EDT Northern Oil and Gas reports Q4 daily production up 22.3% y/y - Daily production in the fourth quarter increased 9.3% sequentially and 22.3% year over year to average 16,742 barrels of oil equivalent per day, for a total of 1,540,237 Boe. Northern beat its prior expense guidance with lower production expenses, production taxes, and general and administrative expenses on a per Boe basis.

06:50 EDT Northern Oil and Gas accepts resignation of previous interim CEO, CFO - Northern Oil and Gas announced that it has entered into a privately negotiated exchange agreement with certain holders of its 8% senior unsecured notes due 2020. In connection with the transaction, Northern announced that current lead director Bahram Akradi has been appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors. In addition, Michael Reger has agreed in his role as Chairman Emeritus to serve as an advisor to the Board in connection with the equity raise and potential acquisitions. The company also announced that it has accepted the resignation of Thomas Stoelk, Northern's previous Interim CEO and CFO. In connection therewith, Brandon Elliott has been appointed Interim President in addition to his current role as EVP, Corporate Development and Strategy, and Chad Allen has been appointed Interim CFO in addition to his current role as Chief Accounting Officer.

06:49 EDT iHeartCommunications says will not make interest payment on unsecured notes - iHeartCommunications announced that its Board of Directors has elected not to make a cash interest payment of $106M, due February 1, 2018, to holders of its 14% senior unsecured notes due 2021 as active discussions continue among its lenders, noteholders, and financial sponsors regarding a comprehensive debt restructuring. The Company's Board elected not to make the payment in connection with ongoing efforts to proactively and comprehensively address the Company's capital structure. The decision will not trigger an event of default under the indenture as the Company will utilize a 30-day grace period under the indenture during which it retains the right to make the interest payment to the holders of the Notes and remain in compliance with the indenture governing the Notes. The Board is considering options as part of its strategy to achieve a comprehensive restructuring of the Company's debt.

06:41 EDT Alibaba reports mobile MAUs on China retail marketplaces reached 580M - Mobile MAUs on our China retail marketplaces reached 580 million in December 2017, an increase of 31 million over September 2017.

06:39 EDT Alibaba agrees to take 33% equity stake in Ant Financial - Alibaba Group and Ant Small and Micro Financial Services Group announced that pursuant to 2014 transaction agreements, Alibaba will acquire a 33% equity interest in Ant Financial. The parties have agreed to certain amendments to their 2014 transaction agreements to facilitate the transaction. Under the terms of the amended agreements, Alibaba will acquire newly-issued equity from Ant Financial in exchange for certain intellectual property rights owned by Alibaba exclusively related to Ant Financial. There will be no cash impact to Alibaba following completion of the transaction. Upon closing, the companies will terminate the current profit-sharing arrangement under which Ant Financial pays royalty and technology service fees in an amount equal to 37.5% of its pre-tax profits to Alibaba. Daniel Zhang, CEO of Alibaba Group, said, "This transaction is a significant step for Alibaba to enhance our long-term strategic relationship with Ant Financial as we continue to pursue our mission to make it easy to do business anywhere. Importantly, an equity stake in Ant Financial enables Alibaba and our shareholders to participate in the future growth of the financial technology sector, as well as the benefits of user growth and improved customer experience." The transaction was reviewed and approved by a committee of non-executive directors, the majority of whom are independent under NYSE rules, the audit committee of Alibaba's board and the full Alibaba board of directors. The closing of the transaction is subject to customary conditions. Alibaba will acquire the equity interest in Ant Financial through a Chinese domestic subsidiary. Morrison & Foerster and King & Wood Mallesons acted as legal advisors, Credit Suisse acted as financial advisor and PricewaterhouseCoopers acted as tax advisor to the Alibaba Independent Committee. Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, Sidley Austin LLP and Fangda Partners acted as legal advisors to Ant Financial.

06:39 EDT AZZ Inc. acquires Rogers Brothers, terms not disclosed - AZZ Inc. announced that it has acquired all the assets and outstanding shares of Rogers Brothers Company, a privately held company, based in Rockford, Illinois. Rogers Brothers provides galvanizing services to a multi-state area within the Midwest. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

06:27 EDT First Cash Financial increases quarterly dividend 16% to 22c per share - First Cash Financial approved an increase in the annual dividend to 88c per share, or 22c per share quarterly, beginning in 1Q18. On a year-over-year basis, this represents a 16% increase over the 19c per share dividend paid in 1Q17. The 22c per share Q1 cash dividend on common shares outstanding will be paid on February 28 to stockholders of record as of February 14.

06:21 EDT Roche sees 2018 sales growing in 'stable to low single digit range' - Sales for 2018 are expected to grow in the stable to low-single digit range. Core earnings per share are targeted to grow high-single digit. Excluding the U.S. tax reform impact core, earnings per share are targeted to grow broadly in line with sales. Roche expects to further increase its dividend in Swiss francs.

06:20 EDT Kennedy Wilson acquires two multifamily properties in Salt Lake City for $93M - Kennedy Wilson has acquired two wholly owned multifamily properties off market in Salt Lake City, Utah: Santa Fe Apartments, a 492-unit community in Cottonwood Heights for $79.5M; and Creekview Apartments, an 88-unit community in Midvale for $13.0M. KW invested $21.5M of equity, including closing costs, in Santa Fe and secured a 10-year fixed-rate loan of $59.1M at 3.9%. KW invested $4.8M of equity, including closing costs, and secured an $8.6M interest-only loan at L+1.6% for Creekview.

06:17 EDT MasterCard selected by Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's for co-brand portfolio - Mastercard has been chosen byBass Pro Shops and Cabela's to be the network for the outdoor retailer's combined consumer credit co-brand portfolio. Mastercard has long been the network on the Bass Pro Shops co-brand program. Under this new partnership, the Cabela's CLUB credit card business will convert to Mastercard, unifying the outdoor and conservation company's portfolios under a single network. The transition is expected to take place before the end of the year.

06:15 EDT Cigna sees FY18 Total Commercial Medical Care Ratio 77.5%-78.5% - Sees FY18 Total Government Medical Care Ratio 84%-85%. Sees FY18 Consolidated Adjusted Tax Rate 24%- 25%.

06:10 EDT Nintendo developing mobile 'Mario Kart Tour' game for release in 2019 - Nintendo of America tweeted: "The checkered flag has been raised and the finish line is near. A new mobile application is now in development: Mario Kart Tour! #MarioKartTour Releasing in the fiscal year ending in March 2019." Reference Link

06:08 EDT Prestige Brands sees FY19 effective tax rate approximately 26% - The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law in December 2017, which represents significant U.S. federal tax reform legislation that includes a permanent reduction to the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate. The permanent reduction to the federal corporate income tax rate resulted in a one-time gain related to the value of the Company's deferred tax liabilities in the third quarter of 2018, resulting in a net $278 million gain. For the fourth quarter of 2018, the Company expects an immaterial impact to its tax rate. Going forward, based on preliminary analysis, the Company expects the impact of the legislation to result in a reduction of its effective tax rate beginning in fiscal 2019 to approximately 26% and a cash tax savings of approximately $10-15 million in fiscal 2019 versus the prior year. The Company expects to provide a finalized fiscal year 2019 estimated tax rate outlook when it reports its fourth quarter fiscal 2018 results in May 2018.

06:06 EDT DowDuPont to separate Materials Science segment by end of Q1 of 2019 - DowDuPont is announcing today that it has updated the timing and sequence of the intended separation of the companies: Materials Science is expected to separate by the end of the first quarter of 2019, and Agriculture and Specialty Products are expected to separate by June 1, 2019.

06:04 EDT Cigna sees FY18 global Medicare customer growth 300K-500K customers

05:50 EDT Changyou.com receives letter regarding previous preliminary acquisition proposal - Changyou.com announced that on January 30, 2018 its board of directors received a letter from Dr. Charles Zhang, the Chairman of the Board of the company, regarding the previously-announced non-binding proposal that the Board received on May 22, 2017 from Dr. Zhang for the acquisition of all outstanding shares in the registrant, including shares represented by American depositary shares, by an acquisition vehicle to be formed by Dr. Zhang. Dr. Zhang stated in the letter that he was submitting the letter to reaffirm his commitment to the Proposed Transaction and to advise the Board that he is reviewing the purchase price he originally proposed. A copy of Dr. Zhang's letter is attached hereto as Exhibit A. The Proposal remains non-binding. Dr. Zhang has not indicated what his review of the purchase price might entail or what further steps, if any, he might take in that regard. As previously announced, the Board has formed a special committee to consider and evaluate the Proposal. The Special Committee cautions the company's shareholders and others considering trading in the company's securities that no decision has been made by the Special Committee or the Board with respect to the Proposal or the Proposed Transaction, and there can be no assurance that any definitive offer will be made, any agreement will be executed or that this or any other transaction will be approved or consummated.

05:47 EDT CNH Industrial, The Climate Corporation enter partnership - Industrial (CNHI) and The Climate Corporation, a subsidiary of Monsanto (MON), announced a new partnership that will extend and develop a portfolio of data sharing capabilities to help farmers with real-time agronomic visualization and decision-making solutions. Case IH and New Holland Agriculture, the global agricultural brands of CNH Industrial, will provide their customers two-way data connectivity between their AFS and PLM Connect precision farming platforms, and The Climate Corporation's industry-leading Climate FieldView digital agriculture platform. This partnership offers Case IH and New Holland customers unique functionality due to the depth and breadth of real-time machine and field data, including agronomic prescriptions, which can be both received and transmitted to Climate FieldView using the CNH Industrial brands' precision farming management systems. To date, this integration with Climate FieldView provides one of the most extensive data sets available. This additional level of real-time data connectivity will enable agribusinesses to fine tune field operations to further enhance their in-field productivity and efficiency across their existing machinery fleets.

05:41 EDT Vertex advances VX-659, VX-445 to Phase 3 development - Vertex Pharmaceuticals announced the selection of two next-generation correctors, VX-659 and VX-445, to advance into Phase 3 development as part of two different triple combination regimens for people with cystic fibrosis, or CF. The decision to advance VX-659 and VX-445 into Phase 3 development was based on initial Phase 2 data, including new data from ongoing Phase 2 studies that showed mean absolute improvements in percent predicted forced expiratory volume in one second of up to 13.3 and 13.8 percentage points from baseline through four weeks of treatment for the triple combination regimens with VX-659 or VX-445, respectively, in people who have one F508del mutation and one minimal function mutation. Regulatory discussions are ongoing to finalize the design of Phase 3 programs for VX-659 and VX-445. Upon completion of these discussions, Vertex plans to initiate a Phase 3 program in the first half of 2018 to evaluate VX-659 in triple combination with tezacaftor and ivacaftor. In addition, the company plans to initiate a Phase 3 program in mid-2018 to evaluate VX-445 in triple combination with tezacaftor and VX-561 as a once-daily regimen, pending additional data in the first half of 2018, including the Phase 2 data on the combination of VX-445, tezacaftor and VX-561. The triple combination regimens were generally well tolerated across both studies, and the majority of adverse events were mild to moderate in severity. Across the studies, the discontinuation rate due to adverse events was low.

05:32 EDT Vaxart issues statement on proposed merger with Aviragen - Vaxart commented on the company's proposed merger with Aviragen Therapeutics. The following is a statement from Wouter Latour, M.D., CEO of Vaxart, who will lead the combined company following completion of the transaction: "We are thrilled with the prospects of combining forces with Aviragen. In addition to continuing to develop our influenza oral tablet vaccine and norovirus vaccine, the transaction will allow us to access Aviragen's antiviral assets. Specifically, Vaxart is fully committed to Aviragen's BTA074 Phase 2 program for the treatment of condyloma caused by HPV. We are confident that Vaxart's drug development capabilities will be an asset to Aviragen's BTA074 Phase 2 program. Further, the clinical proof of efficacy of our oral tablet vaccine will provide the company with a significantly de-risked platform for all of our programs. We encourage Aviragen stockholders to vote FOR the proposed merger. Vaxart's Board of Directors and management team looks forward to completing the transaction expeditiously and intends to work diligently so that stockholders of both Aviragen and Vaxart can realize the significant benefits of the merger."