Stockwinners Market Radar for February 14, 2018 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:18 EDT Post Holdings chairman Stiritz acquires 100,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Post Holdings chairman William P. Stiritz disclosed the purchase of 100,000 common shares of the company at a price of $71.9938 per share.

19:10 EDT Cathay General executive chairman Cheng sells 20,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Cathay General Bancorp executive chairman Dunson K. Cheng disclosed the sale of 20,000 common shares of the company at a price of $41.9216 per share.

19:03 EDT Redmile Group reports 7.95% passive stake in Wave Life Sciences

18:36 EDT Boston Beer names Dave Burwick to succeed Martin Roper as CEO

18:31 EDT Maxar Technologies to move corporate headquarters to Westminster, Colorado - Maxar Technologies announced plans to move its corporate headquarters to Westminster, Colorado from San Francisco. Maxar Corporate headquarters will be located within the DigitalGlobe business unit facility, acquired by Maxar Technologies in October 2017. Maxar's three other technology businesses are Radiant Solutions, based in Herndon, Virginia; SSL, based in Palo Alto, California; and MDA, based in Richmond, Ottawa, Brampton, Montreal and Halifax, Canada. Currently, DigitalGlobe employs 1,000 people in Colorado, with 800 of them in the Westminster facility. The move of Maxar's headquarters and growth in DigitalGlobe is expected to result in the addition of approximately 800 jobs over the next eight years.

18:23 EDT Elliott Management took new stakes in Mednax, Akamai, Convergys in Q4 - Paul Singer's Elliott Management disclosed in an SEC filing its holdings as of December 31, 2017. In the fourth quarter, Elliott took new stakes in Mednax (MD), Akamai (AKAM), Uniti Group (UNIT), Convergys (CVG), and QEP Resources (QEP). The firm increased its holdings in Taubman Centers (TCO), Energen (EGN), and Hess (HES), while decreasing its stakes in Alcoa (AA), NRG Energy (NRG), Mitel Networks (MITL), Group 1 Automotive (GPI), and Imperva (IMPV). Elliott's top holdings as of December 31, 2017, in order of size, were NXP Semiconductors (NXPI), Arconic (ARNC), Hess (HES), Peabody Energy (BTU), and Citrix Systems (CTXS).

18:04 EDT 1st Constitution Bancorp merger with New Jersey Community Bank granted approvals - 1ST Constitution Bancorp has received approval from the State of New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation of the proposed merger of New Jersey Community Bankwith and into 1ST Constitution Bank. The merger is subject to a number of conditions, including the approval by the NJCB shareholders at a special meeting of shareholders scheduled to be held on March 22. The closing of the transaction is anticipated to take place during Q2.

18:02 EDT Ballard Power wins $4.2M program to develop next-gen air-cooled fuel cell stack - Ballard Power Systems announced that it has signed a Technology Solutions program with an unnamed strategic customer to develop a next generation air-cooled fuel cell stack. The multi-year program has an initial value to Ballard of approximately $4.2M. A key objective of the Technology Solutions program is to design and validate an ultra-high durability, high performance air-cooled fuel cell stack for uses in a number of target market applications, including certain material handling applications, with a target operating lifetime of 20,000 hours. A key market opportunity will be the integration of the next generation stacks into fuel cell systems for class 3 lift trucks, such as pallet jacks, deployed in high throughput distribution centers and warehouse operations. Other potential applications include systems for stationary continuous and backup power.

17:58 EDT Pershing Square takes stake in Nike, raises stake in Mondelez - Bill Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management disclosed in an SEC filing its holdings as of December 31, 2017. Pershing Square's one new buy during the fourth quarter was Nike (NKE). Pershing Square increased its stake in one holding, Mondelez (MDLZ). Pershing Square's top holdings as of December 31, 2017, in order of size, were Restaurant Brands (QSR), Automatic Data Processing (ADP), Mondelez, Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG), and Howard Hughes Corp (HHC).

17:51 EDT Paulson takes new stakes in Scripps, CenturyLink, exits Teva - John Paulson's Paulson & Co. disclosed in an SEC filing its holdings as of December 31, 2017. Paulson's 13 new buys during the fourth quarter included, by size of position, Scripps (SNI). CenturyLink (CTL), Viacom (VIAB), Twenty-First Century Fox (FOX), and Newmark Group (NMRK). Paulson exited 12 positions during the quarter, including by size of previous position, Teva (TEVA), Realogy (RLGY), Calpine (CPN), EQT Corp (EQT), and Sprint (S). Paulson increased its stake in 8 holdings, including by size of previous position, NXP Semiconductors (NXPI), Horizon Pharma (HZNP), Monsanto (MON), Rockwell Collins (COL), and Kamada (KMDA). Paulson reduced its stake in 11 holdings, including by size of previous position, Allergan (AGN), Synergy Pharma (SGYP), Dish (DISH), T-Mobile US (TMUS), and Vistra (VST). Paulson's top holdings as of December 31, 2017, in order of size, were Mylan (MYL), Shire (SHPG), Valeant (VRX), and Allergan.

17:40 EDT Appaloosa takes new stake in T-Mobile, increases stake in Apple - David Tepper's Appaloosa Management disclosed in an SEC filing its holdings as of December 31, 2017. Appaloosa's 11 new buys during the fourth quarter included, by size of position, T-Mobile US (TMUS), Comcast (CMCSA), MGM Resorts (MGM), and Caesars Entertainment (CZR). Appaloosa exited 12 positions during the quarter, including by size of previous position, PNC (PNC), Whirlpool (WHR), Kinder Morgan (KMI), CBS (CBS), and Hain Celestial (HAIN). Appaloosa increased its stake in 16 holdings, including by size of previous position, Apple (AAPL), Micron (MU), Facebook (FB), and Bank of America (BAC). Appaloosa reduced its stake in 17 holdings, including by size of previous position, Western Digital (WDC), Alphabet (GOOG), Williams Partners (WPZ), Owens Corning (OC), and Energy Tranfer Partners (ETP). Appaloosa's top holdings as of December 31, 2017, in order of size, were Micron, Facebook, Apple, and Alibaba Group (BABA).

17:35 EDT Sun Life Financial announces share repurchase program as part of issuer bid - Sun Life Financial intends to purchase common shares for cancellation pursuant to a share repurchase program. The Program will form part of Sun Life's normal course issuer bid announced on August 9, 2017, which provides authorization for the purchase of up to 11,500,000 common shares during the 12-month period beginning on August 14, 2017 and ending on August 13, 2018. Sun Life has entered into a program agreement with a third party to repurchase common shares through daily purchases that will take place between February 20 and the earlier of August 13 and the date on which Sun Life will have purchased 3,230,000 common shares from the third party under the Program. The price that Sun Life will pay for any common shares purchased by it from the third party will be negotiated by Sun Life and the third party, and will be at a discount to the volume weighted average trading price of the common shares on the Canadian markets on the date of the purchase. Sun Life currently intends to purchase the maximum of 3,230,000 common shares under the Program. All common shares purchased by Sun Life from the third party will be cancelled. Sun Life will be prohibited from purchasing any other common shares during the term of the Program.

17:31 EDT Soros takes new position in Overstock, exits Mondelez stake - George Soros' Soros Fund Management disclosed in an SEC filing its holdings as of December 31, 2017. Soros' 89 new buys during the fourth quarter included, by size of position, Overstock (OSTK), Kennedy-Wilson (KW), Target (TGT), FGL Holdings (FG), and Gap (GPS). Soros exited 124 positions during the quarter, including by size of previous position, Mondelez (MDLZ), Kraft Heinz (KHC), Zoetis (ZTS), Conduent (CNDT), and Colgate-Palmolive (CL). Soros increased its stake in 32 holdings, including by size of previous position, Urban Outfitters (URBN), Lam Research (LRCX), CBS (CBS), American Eagle (AEO), and Rockwell Collins (COL). Soros reduced its stake in 35 holdings, including by size of previous position, Time Warner (TWX), Viavi (VIAV), Edgewell Personal Care (EPC), TiVo (TIVO), and Model N (MODN). Soros' top holdings as of December 31, 2017, in order of size, were Liberty Broadband Series C (LBRDK), Caesars Entertainment (CZR), Overstock, Kennedy-Wilson, and NXP Semiconductors (NXPI).

17:26 EDT Seacoast Banking to replace Deltic Timber in S&P 600 at open on 2/21 - S&P MidCap 400 constituent Potlatch (PCH) is acquiring Deltic Timber (DEL) in a transaction expected to be completed on or about February 20 pending final approvals.

17:20 EDT Liberty Latin America sees FY18 OCF greater than $1.4B

17:17 EDT Barrick Gold sees 2018 gold production 4.5M-5.0M oz. - Sees 2018 cost of sales applicable to gold of $810-$850 per ounce, and all-in sustaining costs of $765-$815 per ounce. Copper production guidance for 2018 is 385M-450M pounds, at a cost of sales of $1.80-$2.10 per pound, and all-in sustaining costs of $2.30-$2.60 per pound. Total attributable capital expenditures for 2018 are expected to be in the range of $1.40B-$1.60B. This includes project capital expenditures of $450M-$550M, an increase of roughly $270M compared to 2017, as we increase investments in the future of our business. Attributable mine site sustaining capital expenditures are expected to be in the range of $950M-$1.1B, compared to $1.1B in 2017, reflecting our ongoing focus on capital efficiency and discipline. Based on current asset mix, from 2019 to 2022 expects average annual gold production to be between 4.2-4.6 million ounces, at an average cost of sales of $850-$980 per ounce, and average all-in sustaining costs of $750-$875 per ounce.

17:13 EDT JANA Partners take stake in PTC, exits stake in Universal Health - JANA Partners disclosed in an SEC filing its holdings as of December 31, 2017. JANA Partners' 12 new buys during the fourth quarter included, by size of position, PTC (PTC), Comcast (CMCSA), Northrop Grumman (NOC), Facebook (FB), and Iqvia Holdings (IQV). JANA Partners exited 14 positions during the quarter, including by size of previous position, Universal Health (UHS), DXC Technology (DXC), salesforce.com (CRM), UnitedHealth Group (UNH), and NuVasive (NUVA). JANA Partners increased its stake in 4 holdings, including by size of previous position, Bloomin' Brands (BLMN), DR Horton (DHI), First Data (FDC), and Pinnacle Foods (PF). JANA Partners reduced its stake in 11 holdings, including by size of previous position, Liberty Broadband Corp Series C (LBRDK), EQT Corp (EQT), Pandora Media (P), Zimmer Biomet (ZBH), and Molina Healthcare (MOH). JANA Partners' top holdings as of December 31, 2017, in order of size, were EQT Corp, Zimmer Biomet, Tiffany & Co (TIF), HD Supply Holdings (HDS), and First Data.

17:06 EDT Franklin Resources announces special dividend of $3.00 per share - Franklin Resources announced a special cash dividend in the amount of $3.00 per share, along with a regular quarterly cash dividend in the amount of 23c per share. The recently passed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act significantly increased the Company's financial strength and capital flexibility. The special and regular dividends are payable on April 12 to stockholders of record holding shares of common stock at the close of business on March 29. The quarterly dividend of 23c per share is equivalent to the dividend paid for the prior quarter and represents a 15% increase over the quarterly dividend paid for the same quarter last year.

17:05 EDT Allegion to acquire AD Systems, terms not disclosed - Allegion has agreed to acquire Aurora Systems, Inc. through one of its subsidiaries. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2018, subject to customary closing conditions. Following the closing of the transaction, AD Systems is expected to operate within Allegion's Americas region, and no immediate changes are planned for the business. AD Systems generated approximately $18M in net sales in 2017. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

17:04 EDT Neenah sees 'solid' top line growth in FY18 - Neenah said that its quarterly dividends will increase 11% to 41c per share effective with the March 2018 payment. In addition, the company may opportunistically repurchase shares under an approved $25M repurchase plan.

17:02 EDT Kinross Gold sees FY18 CapEx roughly $1.075B - Kinross expects to produce 2.5 million Au eq. oz., +/- 5%, at a production cost of sales per Au eq. oz. of $730, +/- 5%. All-in sustaining cost is forecast to be $975 per ounce sold on both a gold equivalent and by-product basis, +/- 5%. Total capital expenditures are forecast to be approximately $1.075B, +/- 5%,, which includes sustaining capital of $355 million, and non-sustaining capital of approximately $680 million to advance development projects.

16:55 EDT Cimarex Energy sees FY18 CapEx $1.6B-$1.7B - Includes drilling and completion capital of $1.3B-1.4B. Expects year-over-year production growth of 11%-16%, led by oil growth of 21%-26%. For 2018, total company production is projected to average 211-221 thousand barrels of oil equivalent (MBOE) per day, an increase of 14 percent at the midpoint from 2017 production levels with oil production expected to lead year-over-year growth and be up 21-26 percent. Fourth quarter 2018 oil production is projected to increase 29-34 percent over fourth quarter 2017 levels. First quarter 2018 output is expected to average 198-207 MBOE per day. Oil production in the first quarter is expected to increase approximately three percent from fourth quarter 2017 levels, with natural gas and NGL expected to be flat.

16:53 EDT Honeywell says Darius Adamczyk to assume Chairman title in April - Honeywell announced that its Board of Directors has nominated President and CEO Darius Adamczyk to serve as Chairman when current Chairman Dave Cote retires at the end of April. In addition, Duncan Angove, President of Infor, has been elected to Honeywell's Board as an independent Director and will stand for re-election at Honeywell's Annual Shareowners' Meeting on April 23.

16:48 EDT Berkshire Hathaway adds to Apple position, cuts stakes in IBM, GM - Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway disclosed in an SEC filing its holdings as of December 31, 2017. Berkshire Hathaway's one new buy during the fourth quarter was Teva (TEVA). Berkshire Hathaway increased its stake in four holdings, by size of previous position, Apple (AAPL), Bank of New York Mellon (BK), Monsanto (MON), and US Bancorp (USB). Berkshire Hathaway reduced its stake in five holdings, by size of previous position, IBM (IBM), General Motors (GM), Sanofi (SNY), America Airlines (AAL), and Wells Fargo (WFC). Berkshire Hathaway's top holdings as of December 31, 2017, in order of size, were Apple, Wells Fargo, Kraft Heinz (KHC), Bank of America (BAC), and Coca-Cola (KO).

16:43 EDT Marriott sees Q1 North America systemwide RevPAR flat to up 2% - For the 2018 first quarter, Marriott expects comparable systemwide RevPAR on a constant dollar basis in North America will be flat to up 2 percent. The company's guidance for first quarter RevPAR growth in North America reflects the unfavorable shift of the Easter holiday and tough comparisons to the 2017 U.S. Presidential Inauguration and Women's March in Washington, D.C. The company expects first quarter comparable systemwide RevPAR on a constant dollar basis will increase 3 to 5 percent outside North America and 1 to 3 percent worldwide. The company expects to realize an approximately $45 million gain in the 2018 first quarter associated with the sale of the Sheraton Buenos Aires Hotel & Convention Center and Park Tower, a Luxury Collection Hotel.

16:41 EDT TIER REIT announces exit from Baltimore - TIER REIT announced that it has completed the sale of 500 East Pratt, a 280,000 square foot property located in Baltimore, Maryland, for $60M. The sale marks the company's anticipated exit from the Baltimore market, and reduces the number of markets in which the company operates to six, including five of the company's target growth markets of Austin, Dallas, Houston, Charlotte and Nashville.

16:40 EDT Qualcomm says it met with Broadcom management, will consider next steps - Qualcomm (QCOM) issued the following statement after members of its board and its senior management team met with Broadcom Limited (AVGO) to discuss Broadcom's proposal to acquire Qualcomm: "We met with representatives of Broadcom for two hours earlier today, and listened carefully to what they had to say. The Qualcomm Board will promptly meet to discuss the meeting and to determine next steps."

16:39 EDT Marathon Oil sees Q1 U.S. production 265K-275K boed - For first quarter 2018, U.S. production is expected to average 265,000 to 275,000 net boed. International production, excluding Libya, is expected to average 105,000 to 115,000 net boed, which reflects planned turnaround activity in EG.

16:38 EDT Marathon Oil sees FY18 production ex-Libya to average 390K-410K boed - For full year 2018, the company forecasts total production available for sale, excluding Libya, to average 390,000 to 410,000 net barrels of oil equivalent per day, up 12 percent at the midpoint compared to 2017 on a divestiture-adjusted basis. Total annual oil production available for sale, excluding Libya, is expected to increase about 18 percent at the midpoint on a divestiture-adjusted basis, driven by 20 - 25 percent annual oil growth in the U.S. resource plays.

16:37 EDT Laredo Petroleum announces $200M share repurchase program - The authorization extends through February 16, 2020.

16:36 EDT Laredo Petroleum backs FY18 production growth target of at least 10% vs. FY17

16:35 EDT Marriott sees FY18 investment spending $600M-$700M - The company expects investment spending in 2018 will total approximately $600 million to $700 million, including approximately $225 million for maintenance capital. Investment spending also includes other capital expenditures (including property acquisitions), new mezzanine financing and mortgage notes, contract acquisition costs, and equity and other investments. Assuming this level of investment spending and no additional asset sales, roughly $2.5 billion could be returned to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends in 2018.

16:35 EDT SunPower trading resumes

16:28 EDT CoreSite Realty to expand Chicago data center campus - CoreSite Realty Corporation announced that it has acquired a two-acre land parcel in downtown Chicago, Illinois, on which CoreSite expects to build CH2, a greenfield development of a 175,000-square-foot, turn-key, four-story data center supporting 18 critical megawatts of power capacity. CoreSite currently expects to commence construction on CH2 at the end of 2018 or the beginning of 2019, with timing dependent upon the receipt of necessary entitlements and permits. CoreSite expects to construct the building in three phases, consisting of 6 megawatts of capacity per phase, with a total estimated cost of $190M-$210M at full build-out.

16:27 EDT Berkshire's sole new buy in Q4, Teva, jumps in after-hours trading - Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) disclosed in its quarterly filing that it purchased 18.9M shares of Teva Pharmaceutical (TEVA) during Q4 of 2017. The stake is worth around $357.7M. Teva represented Berkshire's only new buy during the quarter. Teva shares in post-market trading is up 9%, or $1.77, to $21.10.

16:26 EDT Waste Connections declares quarterly dividend of 14c per share - The regular quarterly cash dividend will be paid on March 14 to shareholders of record at the close of business on February 28.

16:24 EDT Neurocrine to file NDA for opicapone for Parkinson's Disease - Neurocrine Biosciences announced that the U.S. FDA has provided guidance on the regulatory path forward to support the New Drug Application for opicapone, an investigational drug for Parkinson's disease, after receiving meeting minutes from the January 2018 meeting with the FDA. Most importantly, the Neurology Division of the FDA has not requested that Neurocrine conduct an additional Phase III study for opicapone prior to the NDA filing. As a result, Neurocrine will proceed with plans to file the NDA for opicapone during the first half of 2019. In February 2017, Neurocrine entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with BIAL for the development and commercialization of opicapone in the United States and Canada. Under the terms of the agreement, Neurocrine is responsible for development and commercialization of opicapone in the United States and Canada. As a result of the FDA guidance for the NDA filing, Neurocrine will pay a $10M milestone payment to BIAL.

16:20 EDT Teva jumps over 8% after Berkshire Hathaway discloses stake

16:18 EDT Stifel Financial raises quarterly dividend 20% - Stifel Financial Corp. announced that its board has declared a cash dividend on shares of its common stock of 12c per share, up 20% from 10c per share in the previous quarter, payable March 15 to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 1.

16:13 EDT SolarEdge rises 12.5% afterhours to $41.50 following Q4 earnings and Q1 outlook

16:13 EDT Prothena sees FY18 net cash burn of $175M-$230M - Prothena expects FY18 net cash burn from operating and investing activities to be $175M-$230M, and to end the year with approximately $218M in cash. The estimated FY18 net cash burn from operating and investing activities is primarily driven by an estimated net loss of $200M-$260M, which includes an estimated $33M of non-cash share-based compensation expense.

16:10 EDT Cisco up about 5% after earnings report, capital return increase - In after-hours trading, Cisco shares are up 4.9% to $44.16.

16:09 EDT Equinix to acquire the Infomart Dallas in $800M deal - Equinix announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the Infomart Dallas, including its operations and tenants, from ASB Real Estate Investments, in an $800M debt and cash transaction. The transaction is expected to close by mid-2018, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. As part of the deal, approximately 50 Infomart employees and contractors, primarily in the operations functions of the acquired facility, will become Equinix employees or contractors. The Infomart building generated approximately $50 million of revenues in 2017, of which approximately $20 million was attributed to rent and maintenance recoveries from Equinix. Equinix expects this transaction to be AFFO per share breakeven one year from closing. Additionally, there is sizable AFFO upside from the future development of the acquired land parcel that is adjacent to the Infomart Dallas building. The financial terms of the deal include cash consideration of $31 million combined with $750 million in senior unsecured notes issued to ASB at various maturities over 36 months after the closing date. The notes will be valued at approximately $769 million when adjusted to reflect the current trading value of Equinix currently outstanding bonds.

16:09 EDT TripAdvisor sees 2018 adjusted EBITDA flat compared to 2017 - The company said, "We have taken important steps to stem recent profit declines in our Hotel business. As a result, we expect 2018 consolidated adjusted EBITDA will be approximately flat compared to 2017. In our Hotel segment, we will continue to reduce performance marketing expenses to achieve higher return on investment from online marketing channels. At the same time, we expect to increase our brand advertising investment to $100-130 million. The net result will be lower Hotel selling and marketing expenses compared to 2017. We expect our optimized marketing mix, coupled with tougher first half year-over-year comparisons, will result in lower Hotel segment revenue in 2018 compared to 2017. We also expect this will result in a smaller adjusted EBITDA decline in 2018 compared to 2017. In our Non-Hotel segment, in 2018 we expect strong revenue growth at levels similar to 2016 and 2017."

16:08 EDT Cisco raises dividend 14%, approves $25B increase to stock buyback program - Cisco has declared a quarterly dividend of 33c per common share, a 4c increase or up 14% over the previous quarter's dividend, to be paid on April 25 to all shareholders of record as of the close of business on April 5. Cisco's board of directors has also approved a $25B increase to the authorization of the stock repurchase program. There is no fixed termination date for the repurchase program. The remaining authorized amount for stock repurchases including the additional authorization is approximately $31B. "Q2 was a great quarter with 3% revenue growth and strong margins and cash flow. We continue to make progress as we shift the business toward more software and recurring revenue. Our significant dividend increase and additional share repurchase authorization reinforce our commitment to returning capital to our shareholders and show confidence in the strength of our ongoing cash flows," said Kelly Kramer, CFO of Cisco.

16:07 EDT Applied Materials doubles quarterly cash dividend to 20c per share - Applied's Board of Directors has approved a doubling of the quarterly cash dividend on the company's common stock to 20c per share. The Board declared that a dividend of 20c per share will be payable on June 14 to shareholders of record as of May 24. As previously announced, a cash dividend of 10c per share will be paid on March 14 to shareholders of record as of February 21.The Board also approved a new $6B share repurchase authorization. This new authorization is incremental to $2.8B remaining in the previously approved authorization.

16:07 EDT Cisco increases dividend 14%, approves $25B increase to stock buyback program

16:06 EDT TripAdvisor announces up to $250M share repurchase program - TripAdvisor says that on January 31, its board authorized up to $250M of share repurchases. The new repurchase program has no expiration but may be suspended or terminated by the board at any time.

16:05 EDT Popular to acquire Wells Fargo's auto finance business in Puerto Rico - Popular (BPOP) announced that Banco Popular de Puerto Rico, its Puerto Rico banking subsidiary, has agreed to acquire and assume from Reliable Financial Services, Inc. and Reliable Finance Holding Company, subsidiaries of Wells Fargo & Company (WFC), certain assets and liabilities related to Wells Fargo's auto finance business in Puerto Rico. As part of the transaction, Banco Popular will acquire approximately $1.5B in retail auto loans and $340M in commercial loans. The acquired auto loan portfolio has credit characteristics that are similar to Banco Popular's existing self-originated portfolio. Banco Popular will also acquire certain other assets and assume certain liabilities of Reliable. The purchase price for the all-cash transaction is expected to be approximately $1.7B, reflecting an aggregate discount of 4.5% on the assets to be acquired. Banco Popular will fund the purchase price with existing liquidity. The transaction is not subject to the receipt by the parties of any further regulatory approvals. Subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions, Popular anticipates the transaction to close during the second quarter of 2018 and be accretive to earnings.

16:03 EDT Warrior Met Coal sees FY18 coal sales 6.6M-7.2M short tons - Sees FY18 coal production 6.6M-7.2M short tons. Sees FY18 CapEx $100M-$120M.

16:02 EDT Amgen announces FDA Advisory Committee meeting to review BLINCYTO - Amgen announced that the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee of the U.S. FDA will review data supporting the BLINCYTO supplemental Biologics License Application for the treatment of patients with minimal residual disease-positive B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia at a meeting on March 7, 2018. MRD refers to the presence of a small amount of detectible cancer cells that remain in the patient after treatment.

15:03 EDT AstraZeneca treatment of Neurofibromatosis Type 1 granted FDA orphan status - AstraZeneca's treatment of Neurofibromatosis Type 1 was granted FDA orphan status, according to a post to the agency's website. Reference Link

14:53 EDT Biogen slides after discussing Alzheimer's trial at Leerink conference - Biogen, which is presenting today at Leerink's Global Healthcare Conference, is sliding in late day trading. Biogen told investors at the Leerink conference that 510 Alzheimer's patients are being added to the aducanumab clinical trial due to "increased variability," according to Adam Feuerstein of STAT. Biogen is off its lows but still down about 6% to $297 per share. Reference Link

14:48 EDT Biogen down 7% to $294.70 in afternoon trading - Biogen is presenting today at Leerink's Global Healthcare Conference

14:22 EDT T. Rowe Price reports 7.4% passive stake in Frank's International - In a regulatory filing, T. Rowe Price disclosed a 7.4% stake in Frank's International, representing 16,606,799 shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

13:54 EDT FDA approves Janssen's new treatment for a certain type of prostate cancer - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Erleada for the treatment of patients with prostate cancer that has not spread, but that continues to grow despite treatment with hormone therapy. This is the first FDA-approved treatment for non-metastatic, castration-resistant prostate cancer, the agency noted. The FDA granted the approval of Erleada to Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies, one of the companies of Johnson & Johnson.

13:34 EDT Airbus names Bruno Even CEO of Airbus Helicopters, effective April 1 - Airbus has appointed Bruno Even CEO of Airbus Helicopters, effective April 1. He will report to Airbus CEO Tom Enders and join the company's Executive Committee. Bruno Even comes to Airbus from Safran where he was CEO of the Helicopter Engines business since 2015. He succeeds Guillaume Faury who will assume his duties as President Airbus Commercial Aircraft next week.

13:31 EDT Pacira reports stock halted as FDA advisory committee reviews Exparel sNDA - Pacira Pharmaceuticals announced that NASDAQ has halted trading of the company's common stock. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Anesthetic and Analgesic Drug Products Advisory Committee is meeting to review the company's supplemental New Drug Application seeking approval of Exparel as a nerve block for regional analgesia. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act, or PDUFA, date for completion of the FDA's review of the company's sNDA for Exparel is April 6. Exparel is currently indicated for infiltration into the surgical site to produce postsurgical analgesia and has been used in over 3.5M patients across the U.S., the company noted.

13:25 EDT Appeals court upholds prior ruling in favor of Arista in patent fight with Cisco - The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed a prior ruling from the Patent Trial and Appeal Board from 2017 in favor of Arista Networks (ANET) invalidating all claims of the '668 patents that Arista was found to infringe by the ITC. The U.S. Patent Trial and Appeal Board previously had invalidated Cisco's (CSCO) '668 patent, which was one of the two patents in the '945 case Arista was found to have violated. Reference Link

13:20 EDT Lilly to showcase new Taltz data at AAD Annual Meeting - Eli Lilly and Company announced that it will present new data for Taltz, baricitinib and mirikizumab at the American Academy of Dermatology annual meeting taking place Feb. 16-20, 2018, in San Diego, Calif. The data include eight abstracts for Taltz, featuring two oral presentations highlighting patient-reported outcomes from a Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating Taltz for the treatment of moderate-to-severe genital psoriasis, as well as findings from the Corrona Psoriasis Registry on Taltz patient clinical characteristics and treatment history. Two abstracts evaluating the efficacy and safety of Taltz for the treatment of active psoriatic arthritis will also be presented. Additionally, Lilly will present Phase 2 efficacy, safety and patient-reported outcomes data for mirikizumab in moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. Lilly will also present a late-breaker abstract on patient-reported outcomes data from a Phase 2 study evaluating baricitinib for the treatment of moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis. One abstract from the Closer Together Survey, a survey where nearly 2,000 people with moderate-to-severe psoriasis from 17 countries cross Europe and Canada shared how psoriasis impacts their quality of life and their overall satisfaction with treatment, will also be presented. An additional three abstracts will detail results from studies investigating immune-mediated diseases.

12:35 EDT Gardner Denver acquires Runtech Systems for approximately $93M - Gardner Denver Holdings announced that it has acquired Runtech Systems Oy for a net purchase price of approximately $93M funded by cash on hand. Based in Kolho, Finland, Runtech is a global manufacturer of turbo vacuum technology systems and optimization solutions for use in a variety of process-oriented industrial end markets. Runtech will be part of Gardner Denver's Industrials Segment.

12:26 EDT Omeros sinks after FourWorld puts $4 price target on shares - Shares of Omeros are moving lower after FourWorld Capital Management posted online a critical report of the company. The firm, founded by John Addis, who ran Bank of America's Delta One Americas trading unit before leaving in 2015, according to Bloomberg, put a $4 price target on Omeros shares. The stock in midday trading is down 18%, or $2.44, to $11.21. Omidira, the company's sole source of revenue, is no longer in the Medicare reimbursement program and hopes for a legislative solution "are now effectively gone," FourWorld wrote in its report. The firm estimates Omeros' revenue will decline by 80%. STAT's Adam Feuerstein endorsed the research report by tweeting, "$OMER -17% on the highly critical report from FourWorld Capital. It's an informative read. Recommend." Reference Link

12:12 EDT Cooperman's Omega sold AIG, added Humana and Wells Fargo in Q4

11:56 EDT Cemex agrees to increase participation in Lehigh White Cement Comany to 36.75% - CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. announced that one of its subsidiaries in the U.S. agreed to increase its ownership interest in Lehigh White Cement Company from 24.5% to 36.75%. Lehigh White is a U.S. company that manufactures white cement in the U.S. which is currently 51% owned by Lehigh Cement Company LLC, U.S. subsidiary of HeidelbergCement; 24.5% owned by Aalborg Cement Company, a U.S. subsidiary of Cementir Holdings S.p.A, and 24.5% owned by a U.S. subsidiary of CEMEX. HeidelbergCement has agreed to divest its 51% interest to Cementir and CEMEX. As a result, Cementir would own 63.25% and CEMEX would own 36.75% of Lehigh White. The total consideration expected to be paid by CEMEX is approximately $34M. The closing of the transaction is expected to take place by the end of the first quarter of 2018 and remains subject to the satisfaction of standard closing conditions for this type of transaction.

11:10 EDT Microsoft announces new program Microsoft for Startups - In a post, Microsoft said: "We're excited to announce Microsoft for Startups, a new program that delivers access to technology, go-to-market and community benefits that helps startups grow their customer and revenue base. We are committing $500 million over the next two years to offer joint sales engagements with startups, along with access to our technology, and new community spaces that promote collaboration across local and global ecosystems. Startups are an indisputable innovation engine, and Microsoft is partnering with founders and investors to help propel their growth." Reference Link

10:52 EDT GE Chief Communications Officer Deirdre Latour to leave company - GE announced that after 14 years of service, Vice President, Chief Communications Officer and Senior Advisor for GE, Deirdre Latour, will leave the company effective March 16, 2018 to pursue other opportunities. Linda Boff, GE CMO and Chief Learning Officer, has taken on the added responsibilities as interim head of communications while the company conducts a search internally and externally.

10:30 EDT Morgan Stanley CFO says 'feels good about the tone' on regulatory reform

10:22 EDT Investors seem to love Chipotle CEO choice, while analysts still voice concerns - Shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) are on the rise after the company announced that Brian Niccol, who recently served as CEO of Yum! Brands' (YUM) Taco Bell unit, will succeed Steve Ells as its chief executive. While some Wall Street analysts argued that the announcement will remove uncertainty around Chipotle, not all were bullish this morning as they see challenges remaining for the burrito chain. NEW CEO: Commenting on the news, Credit Suisse analyst Jason West told investors he believes Brian Niccol's primary focus will be repairing Chipotle's image, particularly with younger consumers, and attempting to restore historical sales volumes. The turnaround effort is likely to involve brand rebuilding, innovation, operational improvements, digital upgrades, and potential day part expansion, he contended. West reiterated a Neutral rating and $275 price target on Chipotle's shares given the challenges ahead and already elevated valuation. Meanwhile, Piper Jaffray analyst Nicole Miller Regan told investors in a research note of her own that she believes the announcement removes uncertainty around Chipotle, while reiterating her stance that meaningful leverage exists when the recovery plays out. The analyst is a buyer of Chipotle shares, keeping an Overweight rating and $318 price target on the stock. SunTrust analyst Jake Bartlett also commented on the news, saying Chipotle's appointment of Niccol adds to his confidence that services initiatives will be "both aggressive and effective", producing an acceleration in same-store sales growth. Bartlett also noted he expects the new CEO to focus on marketing, helping win back the lapsed users. The analyst reiterated a Buy rating and $340 price target on the name. CHALLENGES REMAIN: Not as bullish, Deutsche Bank analyst Brett Levy said he applauds the hire, but cautions investors from becoming overly optimistic given Chipotle's ongoing challenges. Highlighting the company's sluggish fundamentals, its strategic uncertainty and a premium valuation, the analyst reiterated a Sell rating on Chipotle's shares. His peer at Stifel also voiced a similar opinion. Analyst Chris O'Cull said that while he is encouraged by Chipotle's decision to hire Brian Niccol, he remains concerned sales and margin recovery will fall short of Street expectations given the operational and competitive challenges the company needs to overcome. The analyst reiterated a Sell rating and $250 price target on the shares. Meanwhile, UBS analyst Dennis Geiger acknowledged that Chipotle's new CEO may be viewed as a near-term catalyst for the stock given his experience repositioning the Taco Bell brand. However, Geiger told investors that he continues to believe long-term headwinds remain, which will take time to address, while valuation remains elevated. The analyst reiterated a Sell rating and $275 price target on Chipotle's shares. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of Chipotle have gained over 14% to $286.66.

10:00 EDT Yakira calls for Safeguard Scientifics CEO and COO to be replaced - Yakira Capital Management, a long-term significant investor in Safeguard Scientifics, holding 2.41% of outstanding Safeguard shares, sent a public letter to the Board of Directors of Safeguard expressing Yakira's frustration with Safeguard's inability to address persistent shareholder value destruction and to adopt vital measures to drive value for the Company's investors. Yakira believes Safeguard's current CEO and COO must be replaced with individuals who have experience successfully exiting portfolio companies in the VC/PE business. Additionally, Yakira said it is "troubled" that CEO Steve Zarrilli -- rather than the Chairman of the Board or the Head of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee -- has been contacting potential director nominees put forth by Yakira, given Yakira's position that current management must be replaced. Yakira is "disappointed" by Safeguard's unwillingness to engage in further constructive dialogue with Yakira around reversing its track record of shareholder value destruction -- with stock down 31.5% since beginning of CEO's tenure through the January 2018 strategy announcement. Additionally, Yakira is calling for a reduction in size of Safeguard Board to five directors, including at least two new independent members identified by shareholders. The investor said it will "not hesitate to pursue all available options to protect the best interests of all shareholders."

09:56 EDT Frequency Electronics unit receives production orders worth $75M - Frequency Electronics announced that its wholly owned subsidiary FEI-Elcom Tech, has received product development and production orders with a combined potential future value of $75M for off-the-shelf and custom receivers, converters and synthesizers. Initial shipments of 40 GHz receivers occurred in Q4 of 2017. End users span a broad mix of US and overseas customers. Applications for the products include advanced Electronic Warfare and intelligence collection systems for ground based, maritime and airborne platforms.

09:50 EDT Liberty Expedia Holdings (Series B) trading resumes

09:34 EDT Teligent announces FDA approval of betamethasone dipropionate lotion - Teligent announced it has received approval of the company's abbreviated new drug application, or ANDA, from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of betamethasone dipropionate lotion USP (Augmented), 0.05%. Jason Grenfell-Gardner, President and CEO of the company, said, "This approval shows Teligent's commitment to delivering on our high-value pipeline and continuing the growth trajectory of the Company. We expect to launch this product in the first quarter of 2018. We now have twenty-five topical generic pharmaceutical products in the US portfolio, in addition to our four US injectable products."

09:28 EDT Bluerock Residential announces $25M share repurchase plan - Bluerock Residential announced that its Board of Directors has authorized the repurchase of up to $25M of its outstanding shares of Class A common stock over a period of one year.

09:27 EDT Cinedigm expands Dove Channel to VIZIO apps - Cinedigm announced the addition of the Dove Channel, Cinedigm's digital-first family network, to select VIZIO SmartCast and VIZIO Internet Apps Plus devices. VIZIO users will now have access to subscription offerings from the Dove Channel app which also includes hundreds of hours of free ad-supported programming. The Dove Channel also encompasses three free, ad-supported, 24/7 linear networks. Dove Channel is a digital-first entertainment network providing safe, values-based programming for families.

09:25 EDT LRAD Corporation receives $1M international defense order - LRAD Corporation announced a $1.0M order for LRAD 100X and LRAD 450XL AHDs from an international defense department. The man-portable and vehicle-mounted communication systems will be used for both training and operational deployments.

09:21 EDT On The Fly: Pre-market Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Sodastream (SODA), up 9.4%... Interpublic Group (IPG), up 5.8%... Owens & Minor (OMI), up 1%... Criteo (CRTO), up 28.3%... Molson Coors (TAP), up 2.4%... GEO Group (GEO), up 3.9%... Scorpio Tankers (STNG), up 3.5%... ACCO Brands (ACCO), up 12.1%... Credit Suisse (CS), up 2%... Hilton (HLT), up 1%... Fossil Group (FOSL), up 80.2%... Century Communities (CCS), up 6.7%... Baidu (BIDU), up 4.8%... Western Union (WU), up 3.8%. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Groupon (GRPN), down 7.5%... Tucows (TCX), down 3.9%... Shire (SHPG), down 2.1%... Intercept Pharmaceuticals (ICPT), down 1.7%... Mazor Robotics (MZOR), down 2%... Bunge (BG), down 4.4%... Teck Resources (TECK), down 4.7%.

09:14 EDT Sam's Club simplifies membership structure, plans to offer free shipping - Sam's Club, a unit of Walmart, says "Last fall we announced we're serious about creating a new Sam's Club, with a strong membership proposition and a simplified offer from top to bottom. Our focus has always been to provide irresistible value, amazing items, real convenience and simple choices to our members every day, and today we're taking that a step further. I'm excited to share several changes to our membership and eCommerce strategy. Starting today, we're adding value to our Plus membership with free shipping. Our Plus members will now receive free shipping on most of the items we sell online, including nearly every Member's Mark item - with no minimum purchase. We work hard to curate the best assortment for our members, and we're excited to now offer the majority of these items for free shipping. And, of course, Plus members will continue to receive other benefits they enjoy today such as Cash Rewards, early shopping hours, and pharmacy and optical discounts. Not only are we adding more benefits to our memberships, we're also simplifying our membership structure by reducing the number of membership types to two levels: Club for $45 a year and Plus for $100, which are the lowest membership fees in the warehouse channel. And we are lowering the membership for additional Club memberships to $40... We are focused on creating the quickest and most convenient shopping experience. Whether members are shopping with us in-club, online or a combination of the two -- we're making it faster and easier." Reference Link

09:04 EDT Energy Recovery awarded $2.9M for desalination projects in Asia - Energy Recovery announced total awards of $2.9M to supply its PX Pressure Exchanger technology for desalination projects in Asia. The orders are expected to ship in Q2.

09:03 EDT Fitbit analysis reveals resting heart rate decreases after age 40 - Fitbit revealed a resting heart rate analysis on its global users over the last 18 months.The company analyzed a representative sample of aggregated and anonymized average data of millions of global Fitbit users with PurePulse heart rate tracking devices, including Fitbit Alta HR, Fitbit Charge 2, Fitbit Blaze and Fitbit Ionic. Key findings revealed that resting heart rate decreases after age 40, women tend to have a higher average resting heart rate than men, and Fitbit users in the United States and Singapore had the highest average resting heart rate compared to users worldwide.

09:02 EDT OpenText acquires Hightail, formerly YouSendIt - OpenText has acquired Hightail, formerly known as YouSendIt, a cloud service for file sharing and creative collaboration with approximately 5.5 million customers globally spanning enterprise accounts, paid subscribers, and individual consumers. Hightail is not expected to contribute significant revenue to OpenText's results for Q3.

08:56 EDT Dr Pepper Snapple sees FY18 effective tax rate 26%-27%

08:52 EDT WMIH receives regulatory advice on Nationstar acquisition from Capstone - WMIH (WMIH) has received regulatory due diligence advice from Capstone, a provider of policy analysis for institutional investors and companies in the US and Europe, on WMIH's acquisition of Nationstar Mortgage (NSM). On February 13th, WMIH and Nationstar entered into a definitive merger agreement. Upon completion, Nationstar shareholders will receive $1.2B in cash and WMIH shares valued at an estimated $702M. In addition, approximately $1.9B of Nationstar's existing senior unsecured notes will be refinanced at closing, for total deal consideration of $3.8B. Private equity firm KKR (KKR), which owns 24% of WMIH's voting shares, has agreed to support the Nationstar transaction. In its work for WMIH, Capstone conducted regulatory due diligence on mortgage policy at the federal and state levels.

08:49 EDT SodaStream says 'on the lookout' for M&A opportunities - SodaStream says Q4 ended up stronger than initially expected. Says user base now stands at about 12.5M households. Says "on the lookout" for M&A opportunities. Comments taken from the Q4 earnings conference call.

08:48 EDT Charles Schwab reports January net new assets $18.7B - The Charles Schwab Corporation released its Monthly Activity Report. Company highlights for the month of January 2018 include: Core net new assets brought to the company by new and existing clients in January 2018 totaled $18.7B, which excludes an outflow of $7.2B from a mutual fund clearing services client. Net new assets excluding all mutual fund clearing flows totaled $17.7B. Total client assets were a record $3.48T as of month-end January, up 23% from January 2017 and up 4% compared to December 2017. New brokerage accounts totaled 165,000 in January 2018, up 49% from January 2017, representing the highest month since 2000.

08:36 EDT Constellation Brands appoints Bill Newlands as COO - Constellation Brands announced that Bill Newlands has been promoted to president and COO. Rob Sands, who previously held the title of president and CEO, will continue to serve as the company's CEO.

08:32 EDT China Biologic to build new plasma collection station in Hainan Province - China Biologic announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Guizhou Taibang Biological Products Co. Ltd. received approval from the Hainan Provincial Health and Family Planning Commission on February 13 to build a new plasma collection station in Hainan Province. The new plasma collection station will be located in Wenchang City, which covers a collection territory with a population of approximately 600,000. The company intends to complete all the prerequisite procedures, including site selection, facility construction, staff recruitment, government inspection, and certification, and expects to commence commercial operations of the new station, before the end of 2018. The capital expenditures for the new station in Wenchang are expected to be in the range of $3.2M-$4.7M, based on the February 13 exchange rate. The new facility is expected to reach its designed annual collection capacity in approximately three years after obtaining a collection license.

08:16 EDT Sabre granted NDC Level 3 capability as an I.T. provider - Sabre has been recognized by the International Air Transport Association as NDC Level 3 capable as an I.T. provider. Reaching this milestone less than two months after announcing Level 2 capability, Sabre accelerates its commitment to leading the evolution of retailing and distribution technology. By granting Sabre "NDC capable" Level 3 status under the NDC certification program, IATA recognizes that Sabre supports deployments using offer and order management messages whose schemas are compliant with the standard NDC message schema. Sabre has therefore demonstrated its ability to provide a broad range of retailing capabilities to a variety of sellers, including end-to-end offer and order fulfillment and servicing.

08:07 EDT Athenex completes patients enrollment for 2 Phase III studies of KX2-391 - Athenex announced early completion of patient enrollment for both Phase III clinical studies of KX2-391 Ointment for actinic keratosis indications months ahead of schedule. Actinic keratosis is a common skin condition that is induced through ultra-violet light damage, resulting in patches of thick, scaly, or crusty skin. Left untreated, the lesions have risk of progression to squamous cell carcinoma and consequently treatment by a dermatologist is recommended. Actinic keratosis is the most common pre-cancerous condition in dermatology and it affects more than 55 million Americans. Actinic keratosis constitutes between 14%-29% of dermatologist visits in the USA. KX2-391, also known as KX-01, is a dual Src kinase and tubulin polymerization inhibitor and a first-in-class topical treatment of actinic keratosis. Phase I and Phase II clinical studies showed excellent efficacy and safety results. After the FDA end of Phase II meeting, two randomized double-blind controlled Phase III trials totaling 600 patients were initiated in September 2017 in the United States and completed patient recruitment in February 2018.

08:04 EDT Durect's licensee Pain Therapeutics resubmits NDA for Remoxy ER - Durect's licensee Pain Therapeutics has resubmitted the New Drug Application for Remoxy ER to the FDA. Remoxy ER is designed as an abuse-deterrent, extended release, capsule formulation of oxycodone, a prescription drug for severe pain. Pain Therapeutics expects a six-month review cycle by FDA, and expects to be notified by FDA of a Prescription Drug User Fee Act date within 60 days.

08:03 EDT Pareteum awarded $1.5M contract in U.K. - Pareteum announced that it is has been awarded a 3-year contract to provide its Global Cloud Platform for a Connected Home and Office Project in the United Kingdom. Once fully ramped it will pass through 250,000 homes and offices and the contract will add $1.5M to the 36-month contractual revenue backlog. Additional revenue opportunities exist with connections for data to the established provider of smart home and office automation systems.

08:02 EDT Elbit Systems says discussions on IMI Systems acquisition still ongoing - Elbit Systems announced that further to reports in the press, the discussions with the Israeli Government in regard to the acquisition of IMI Systems are ongoing. If and when the conditions are fulfilled for completing the transaction, the company will make an announcement.

08:02 EDT bluebird bio names Alison Finger chief commercial officer - bluebird bio appointed Alison Finger as chief commercial officer. In this role, Alison will be responsible for shaping and delivering an integrated global commercial strategy to make bluebird's gene therapies broadly accessible to patients. Alison will oversee all commercial strategy and operations, access management, including pricing, reimbursement and health outcomes, as well as patient operations. Alison has been promoted to chief commercial officer after joining bluebird as senior vice president, marketing and product launch in August of 2015.

07:50 EDT Groupon expects to generate 'significant' FCF in 2018 - Expects 2018 SG&A to grow slightly above inflation with investment in business being somewhat offset by continued efficiencies. Expects gross profit dollar growth to exceed marketing and SG&A dollar growth. Expects to generate significant positive Free Cash Flow in 2018. Expects operating cash flow to trend above the rate of Adjusted EBITDA growth. Capex targeted at $60M-$70M for 2018.Comments from slides that will be presented on the Q4 earnings conference call.

07:46 EDT Sabre sees FY18 GAAP CapEx $305M-$325M

07:46 EDT Sabre sees FY18 adjusted EBTIDA $1.055B-$1.095B

07:42 EDT Occidental Petroleum sees Q1 total production 592,000-603,000 boed - Sees Q1 Permian Resources production of 169,000-173,000 boed.

07:41 EDT Groupon sees FY18 adjusted EBITDA $260M-$270M

07:41 EDT DBV says FDA supports submission of Viaskin Peanut application - DBV Technologies (DBVT) announced that the FDA has agreed that the available efficacy and safety data for Viaskin Peanut supports the submission of a Biologics License Application for the treatment of peanut allergy in children four to 11 years of age. The FDA provided written responses to the clinical pre-BLA meeting package submitted by the company, which reflect agreement on the content of the clinical module of the BLA for Viaskin Peanut. DBV said it remains on track to submit its BLA in the second half of 2018. "We are pleased with this positive step forward in our progress towards potential approval of Viaskin Peanut, and appreciate the feedback we received from the FDA supporting submission of our BLA," said Dr. Pierre-Henri Benhamou, CEO of DBV Technologies. "There are approximately one million children in the U.S. diagnosed with this life-threatening disease, and we look forward to continue working with the agency to address this urgent unmet medical need." Shares of DBV Technologies are up 39%, or $8.14, to $29.00 in premarket trading. Aimmune Therapeutics (AIMT), which is allergy developing a peanut allergy treatment, is down 34c to $37.50 in premarket trading.

07:38 EDT SodaStream up 5.4% to $82.88 after better than expected Q4 results

07:37 EDT Interpublic Group raises dividend by 17% to 21c per share - Interpublic Group announced that the company's Board of Directors has declared a quarterly dividend on IPG common stock of $0.21 per share, payable on March 15, 2018 to holders of record at the close of business on March 1, 2018. The increase in the dividend from $0.18 to $0.21 per share represents a 17% percentage increase to the Company's quarterly dividend.

07:35 EDT Ruckus Networks signs global OEM agreement with Dell EMC - Ruckus Networks, an ARRIS company, announced it has signed a global original equipment manufacturing agreement with Dell EMC to deliver Ruckus' broad portfolio of wireless solutions, including access points, controllers, virtualized and data analytics assets, and Cloudpath secure network access software-along with Ruckus IoT and CBRS LTE products-as Dell-branded solutions. This agreement gives Dell EMC's networking sales team and end-user customers access to Ruckus' award-winning portfolio of secure wireless connectivity solutions and strong brand presence not available through alternative suppliers. The agreement is effective immediately and encompasses a range of sales, marketing and customer support programs in international markets, including APAC, EMEA and the Americas.

07:31 EDT Primoris announces heavy civil award valued at $13M - Primoris Services announced a new heavy civil award valued at $13M. The contract was secured by Primoris Heavy Civil, part of the Civil segment. The project was awarded by the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development and is located in southern Louisiana. The project involves widening the existing LA 1 bridge at the North Connector and extending the existing LA 1 mainline bridge. The project will be constructed utilizing barge mounted cranes and marine equipment. Work is scheduled to commence in the second quarter of 2018 and to be completed in the first quarter of 2020.

07:30 EDT Bruker's MALDI Biotyper Solution receives AOAC International approvals - Bruker announced that AOAC International has approved the MALDI Biotyper solution for two new Official Methods of Analysis for the confirmation and identification of pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria. The two methods include some of the most common food pathogens, including Salmonella spp, Cronobacter spp, Listeria spp and Listeria monocytogenes, as well as the identification of other Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Validation studies have proven the performance of the MALDI Biotyper for the direct confirmation and identification of bacteria from the selective media recommended by the FDA, ISO and USDA, as well as from several chromogenic media, and from any non-selective culture media.

07:28 EDT Bill Barrett sets shareholder meeting dates for Fifth Creek combination - Bill Barrett has established a record date of February 13 and a meeting date of March 16 for a special meeting of its shareholders, which will be held at 8:30 a.m. Mountain Time at the company's offices in Denver, Colorado. At the special meeting, shareholders will vote on, among other items, the previously announced strategic business combination with Fifth Creek Energy pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Merger dated December 4, 2017.

07:25 EDT Alkermes submits NDA to FDA for ALKS 5461 - In January, Alkermes submitted a New Drug Application to the U.S. FDA for ALKS 5461 for the adjunctive treatment of major depressive disorder. 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.

07:22 EDT Main Street exits portfolio company for $5.M gain - Main Street recently fully exited its debt and equity investments in SoftTouch Medical Holdings, upon the successful sale of SoftTouch to a sponsor-backed strategic acquirer. Main Street realized a gain of approximately $5.2M on the exit of its equity investment in SoftTouch, representing a realized value of $0.6M above Main Street's fair market value of this equity investment as of September 30, 2017. On a cumulative basis since Main Street's initial investment in SoftTouch in October of 2014, Main Street realized an internal rate of return of 39.4% and a 2.7 times money invested return on its equity investment in SoftTouch. Main Street's initial investment in SoftTouch consisted of an $8.5M first lien, senior secured debt investment and a $5.0M direct equity investment. On a cumulative basis including both Main Street's debt and equity investments in SoftTouch, Main Street realized a total internal rate of return of 24.2% and a 1.8 times money invested return.

07:14 EDT Nektar drops 1.5% to $74.50 following Bristol collaboration agreement

07:13 EDT Alkermes CEO highlights 'significant progress' in advancing pipeline - Alkermes CEO Richard Pops says in today's earnings release, "We are making significant progress in advancing our pipeline of late-stage CNS development candidates, highlighted by the recent submission of the ALKS 5461 NDA, the recently announced license and collaboration agreement with Biogen to develop and commercialize BIIB098, and as we near completion of enrollment in the six-month pivotal weight study for ALKS 3831. Alkermes has worked for many years toward this moment. With a diversified CNS business and significant news flow expected across our pipeline of development candidates in 2018, we are focused on executing on our business strategy to bring these important potential new medicines to patients and creating value for our shareholders."

07:12 EDT Alkermes reports Q4 Vivitrol revenue $75.6M vs. $62.1M last year - Reports Q4 Aristada revenue $28.3M vs. $17.3M last year. CFO James Frates says in today's earnings release, "Our financial results in 2017 were driven by the strong year-over-year growth of our proprietary products, VIVITROL and ARISTADA, our base royalty and manufacturing business and our strategic alliance with Biogen for BIIB098. We exited the year well positioned to execute on our key strategic initiatives in 2018. Looking ahead, 2018 will be a transformative year for Alkermes. Our financial expectations for 2018 reflect important investments that will drive future value as we advance our late-stage pipeline and prepare for the anticipated launch of ALKS 5461, with the planned expansion of our commercial organization midyear. We also expect solid growth for VIVITROL and ARISTADA, and remain committed to driving awareness and advancing the treatment paradigm for these important medicines."

07:12 EDT Bioverativ publishes retrospective analysis on ELOCTATE - Bioverativ announced the publication of a retrospective analysis investigating the use of ELOCTATE for immune tolerance induction. These data add to a growing body of evidence supporting the potential of ELOCTATE to induce tolerance in severe hemophilia A patients with inhibitors. This analysis was published online as an early view manuscript in Haemophilia on February 13, 2018. The development of inhibitors, or antibodies, is one of the most serious complications for people with hemophilia, occurring in approximately 30% of people with severe hemophilia A. Eradication of inhibitors remains the standard of care and ITI therapy is considered to be the only way to eradicate inhibitors in people with hemophilia. ITI requires factor therapy to be given regularly over a period of time to train the immune system to accept the treatment without reacting to it. Improvement has typically been seen in 12-18 months, but more difficult cases can take two years or longer. In this retrospective analysis, data from 19 patients treated with ELOCTATE for ITI were evaluated. Findings show that four of the seven first-time ITI patients achieved tolerization in a median of 7.8 months. The remaining three patients have continued on ELOCTATE ITI treatment, with two patients showing a reduction in inhibitor levels. Additionally, in the 12 patients where ITI had been attempted with other factor therapies and failed, seven patients initially achieved a negative inhibitor level in a median 3.3 months, and one patient demonstrated a reduction in inhibitor levels. The remaining four rescue patients did not show a response to ITI with ELOCTATE. At the time of analysis, 16 of 19 patients remained on ELOCTATE prophylaxis treatment or ITI, and no adverse events were reported. Bioverativ, and its collaborator Swedish Orphan Biovitrum, have initiated two prospective studies that will further evaluate the use of ELOCTATE in ITI in people with severe hemophilia A and inhibitors.

07:10 EDT CMS Energy sees FY18 annual dividend $1.43 - FY17 annual dividend was $1.33.

07:08 EDT Garmin's DS Charlie aviator watch selected by U.S. Air Force - Garmin International announced that the D2 Charlie aviator watch has been selected by the United States Air Force for use by the pilots of the Lockheed U-2 aircraft. The high-sensitivity WAAS GPS-enabled D2 Charlie aviator watch incorporates global navigation capability, rich and colorful moving maps and more, providing pilots in the USAF with an exclusive, back-up navigation timepiece in the cockpit.

07:07 EDT Garmin launches OneHelm integrated solution for controlling boat systems - Garmin International announced OneHelm, an integrated solution designed for third-party companies that brings the power and convenience of controlling onboard boat systems like digital switching, lighting, stabilization and more, to a Garmin multifunction display. This solution makes the boating experience more automated and fluent at the helm, while also eliminating the need for multiple control displays and devices.

07:06 EDT Alkermes sees FY18 CapEx $80M-$90M

07:05 EDT AerCap announces new $200M share repurchase program - The Board of Directors approved a new share repurchase program authorizing total repurchases of up to $200M of AerCap ordinary shares through June 30, 2018. Repurchases under the program may be made through open market purchases or privately negotiated transactions in accordance with applicable U.S. federal securities laws. The timing of repurchases and the exact number of common shares to be purchased will be determined by the Company's management, in its discretion, and will depend upon market conditions and other factors. The program will be funded using the Company's cash on hand and cash generated from operations. The program may be suspended or discontinued at any time.

07:04 EDT Bristol-Myers to pay Nektar $1.85B in cash, stock as part of collaboration pact - Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) and Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR) announced the companies have executed a global strategic development and commercialization collaboration for Nektar's lead immuno-oncology program, NKTR-214. Under the collaboration, the companies will jointly develop and commercialize NKTR-214 in combination with Bristol-Myers Squibb's Opdivo and Opdivo plus Yervoy in more than 20 indications across 9 tumor types, as well as potential combinations with other anti-cancer agents from either of the respective companies and/or third parties. NKTR-214, a CD122-biased agonist, is an investigational immuno-stimulatory therapy designed to selectively expand cancer-fighting T cells and natural killer cells directly in the tumor micro-environment and increase PD-1 expression on those immune cells. Bristol-Myers Squibb and Nektar have agreed to a joint clinical development plan to evaluate NKTR-214 with Opdivo and Opdivo plus Yervoy in registration-enabling clinical trials in more than 20 indications in 9 tumor types including melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, non-small cell lung cancer, bladder and triple negative breast cancer. Pivotal studies in renal cell carcinoma and melanoma are expected to be initiated in mid-2018. Under the terms of the agreement, Bristol-Myers Squibb will make an upfront cash payment of $1.0B and an equity investment of $850M, or 8,284,600 shares of Nektar's common stock at $102.60 per share. Bristol-Myers Squibb has agreed to certain lock-up, standstill and voting provisions on its share ownership for a period of five years subject to certain specified exceptions. Nektar is also eligible to receive an additional $1.78B in milestones, of which $1.43B are development and regulatory milestones and the remainder are sales milestones. Nektar will book revenue for worldwide sales of NKTR-214 and the companies will split global profits for NKTR-214 with Nektar receiving 65% and Bristol-Myers Squibb 35%. Bristol-Myers Squibb will retain 100% of product revenues for its own medicines. The parties also will share development costs relative to their ownership interest of medicines included in the trials. For trials in the joint clinical development plan that include NKTR-214 with Opdivo only, the parties will share development costs with 67.5% allocated to Bristol-Myers Squibb and 32.5% allocated to Nektar. For trials in the joint clinical development plan that include NKTR-214 with Opdivo and Yervoy, the parties will share development costs with 78% allocated to Bristol-Myers Squibb and 22% allocated to Nektar. Both Bristol-Myers Squibb and Nektar have agreed for a specified period of time to not commence development with overlapping mechanisms of action in the same indications as those included in the joint clinical development plan. The parties are otherwise free to develop NKTR-214 with their own pipeline assets and/or any other third party compounds. Both parties have agreed to initiate registration-enabling studies in the joint clinical development plan within 14 months of the effective date of the agreement, subject to allowable delays. Both parties will jointly commercialize NKTR-214 on a global basis. Bristol-Myers Squibb will lead global commercialization activities for NKTR-214 combinations with Bristol-Myers Squibb medicines and Nektar will co-commercialize such combinations in the US, major EU markets and Japan. Nektar will lead global commercialization activities for NKTR-214 combinations with either Nektar medicines and/or other third-party medicines. For Bristol-Myers Squibb, the transactions are expected to be dilutive in 2018 and 2019 to the company's non-GAAP EPS by 2c and 10c, respectively. Nektar and Bristol-Myers Squibb currently expect to complete the transaction during the second quarter of 2018, subject to the expiration or termination of applicable waiting periods under all applicable US antitrust laws and the satisfaction of other usual and customary closing conditions. Further details of the agreement can be found in Nektar's Form 8-K filed today with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Nektar and Bristol-Myers Squibb entered into a clinical collaboration in September of 2016 to evaluate the potential for the combination of Opdivo and NKTR-214 to show improved and sustained efficacy and tolerability above the current standard of care. The Phase 1/2 PIVOT clinical study is ongoing in over 350 patients with melanoma, kidney, non-small cell lung cancer, bladder, and triple-negative breast cancers.

07:02 EDT Granite Construction to acquire Layne Christensen in $565M stock merger - Granite Construction Incorporated (GVA) and Layne Christensen Company (LAYN) announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement whereby Granite will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Layne in a stock-for-stock transaction valued at $565 million, including the assumption of net debt. The transaction, which was unanimously approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies, is expected to close in the second quarter of 2018. Under the terms of the agreement, Layne shareholders will receive a fixed exchange ratio of 0.270 Granite shares for each share of Layne common stock they own. This represents $17.00 per Layne share, or a premium of 33%, based on the volume-weighted average prices for Granite and Layne shares over the past 90 trading days. Following the close of the transaction, Layne shareholders will own approximately 12% of Granite shares on a fully diluted basis, and Granite's Board will be expanded to include one additional director from Layne. The transaction represents an enterprise value multiple of 8.2x 2018 expected EBITDA. Granite expects to achieve approximately $20 million of annual run-rate cost savings by the third year following the close of the transaction, with approximately one-third realized in 2018. Granite expects to incur approximately $11 million in one-time costs to achieve these savings. The transaction is expected to be accretive to Granite's adjusted earnings per share, and high single-digit accretive to Granite's adjusted cash earnings per share in the first year after closing. Granite expects to assume outstanding Layne convertible debt with principal value of $170 million and honor the terms and existing maturity date provisions of the indentures. The transaction is not expected to trigger any change of control provisions under Layne's indentures. Granite also expects to fund the cash financing requirements of the transaction of approximately $70 million through a combination of existing cash on hand and availability under Granite's revolving credit facility. Following close, Granite will maintain an investment grade credit profile and significant financial flexibility. The transaction, which is expected to close in the second quarter of 2018, is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including applicable regulatory approvals and the approval of the shareholders of Layne. Wynnefield Capital, which has an approximate 9% voting interest in Layne, has agreed to vote in favor of the transaction. In connection with the transaction, Granite will issue approximately 5.4 million shares of Granite common stock to Layne common stockholders.

07:01 EDT Bristol-Myers to pay Nektar $1.85B in cash, stock as part of collaboration pact

07:00 EDT Bristol-Myers, Nektar announce global development, commercialization pact

06:59 EDT TransEnterix says has delivered one Senhance System during current quarter - Thus far in the quarter ending March 31, the company has delivered one Senhance System and has received an additional order that it expects to deliver and recognize revenue for in the quarter ending March 31, 2018. Both of these sales have come from sales to end user hospitals by distributors in the Company's EMEA region.

06:49 EDT Descartes Systems selected by MedSpeed for healthcare logistics platform - Descartes Systems announced that MedSpeed, a provider of healthcare intra-company logistics in the U.S., has selected Descartes to enhance its technology platform, help manage increasingly complex needs and enhance customer service levels even more.

06:45 EDT ACCO Brands initiates quarterly dividend of 6c per share - ACCO Brands announced that its board of directors has approved the initiation of a dividend program under which the company will pay a regular quarterly cash dividend of 6c per share, or 24c per share on an annualized basis, to stockholders. The first dividend will be paid on March 21, 2018, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 1, 2018. The company also announced that its board of directors approved an authorization to repurchase up to an additional $100 million in shares of its common stock. As of December 31, 2017, the company had $84.0 million remaining of its prior authorizations. With the new authorization the company has a combined $184.0 million available for share repurchases.

06:34 EDT Universal Display and Samsung sign long-term OLED agreements - Universal Display (OLED) signed a long-term OLED material supply and license agreements with Samsung (SSNLF) company Samsung Display Co. a global display manufacturing company. These agreements affirm that Universal Display will continue to supply its proprietary UniversalPHOLED phosphorescent OLED materials and technology to Samsung Display for use in its OLED displays. The agreements are scheduled to run through December 31, 2022, and may be extended for an additional two-year period. Financial terms of the agreements have not been disclosed.

06:31 EDT Genesee & Wyoming reports January traffic of 277,131 carloads, down 0.4% y/y - Genesee & Wyoming reported traffic volumes for January 2018. G&W's traffic in January 2018 was 277,131 carloads, a decrease of 1,137 carloads, or 0.4%, compared with January 2017. G&W's same-railroad traffic in January 2018 was 276,630 carloads, a decrease of 1,638 carloads, or 0.6%, compared with January 2017.

06:19 EDT Summit Materials sees 2018 Adjusted EBITDA $490M-$510M

06:12 EDT Silvercorp Metals reports high-grade mineralization discovery in China - Silvercorp Metals reported results of its 2016 and 2017 exploration program at its GC Ag-Pb-Zn mine, Guangdong Province, China. In 2016 and 2017, the company launched extensive exploration program and completed a total of 33,029 meters of underground diamond drilling and 19,619 m of exploration tunneling at its GC Ag-Pb-Zn mine. Significant high-grade mineralized zones have been exposed at and below the current production levels, and major mineralized zones have been extended along strike and downdip. The drilling program included infill drilling to define and upgrade the current resource model, and step-out drilling for new resources surrounding and below the current resource area. Between 2016 and 2017, 294 NQ sized diamond drill holes with total length of 33,029 meters were accomplished. Among them, 153 holes intersected ore veins with Ag equivalent values greater than 194 g/t, and another 36 holes hit mineralized veins with AgEq values between 97 and194 g/t. In 2016 and 2017, 19,619 m of tunneling were driven along and across the major mineralized vein structures to upgrade the resource model and test for new vein structures. These included 7,767 m key drifts that exposed 4,803 m of ore veins, as well as 4,351 m of key raises that exposed 3,002 m of ore veins.

06:08 EDT Insulet presents 'positive' study result from Omnipod Horizon - Insulet announced promising new data for its Omnipod Horizon Automated Glucose Control System hybrid closed-loop system, which will be presented at the 11th International Conference on Advanced Technologies & Treatments for Diabetes, or ATTD, congress in Vienna, Austria. Two studies demonstrated that the Omnipod Horizon algorithm performed well in response to meal challenges and exercise in 24 adults with type 1 diabetes. Results showed strong blood glucose control with time in target range of approximately 75% and 85% with real-life challenges including high-fat meals and moderate intensity exercise. There was minimal hypoglycemia, 0.6% and 1.4%, respectively, over 54 hours of hybrid closed-loop control.1,2 Additional longer-term studies are underway to evaluate the Omnipod Horizon algorithm under free-living conditions in patients of all ages with type 1 diabetes.

06:06 EDT Bunge will continue to focus on execution of strategic priorities - Savings from the Global Competitiveness Program are expected to total $100 million versus our 2017 addressable SG&A baseline. We expect an additional $80 million of savings in industrial and supply chain initiatives. Savings from these programs are reflected in the segment EBIT ranges below. In Agribusiness, we are not expecting a quick turnaround; however, oilseed crush margins are showing signs of improvement. We are entering South American harvests with increased flexibility. We have reduced forward logistics and sales commitments in Brazil and Argentina, providing more optionality to adapt to farmer marketing and customer buying patterns. In each of the past two years, unusually low priced feed wheat and DDGS have taken share from soybean meal in feed formulations, negatively impacting soy crush margins. With soymeal more competitively priced and expectations that Argentine processors will crush in alignment with the pace of farmer selling, we see a better balance in the supply and demand of soymeal during the year. Based on these factors, which should improve origination and crush margins, we see segment EBIT improving to a range of $550 to $700 million. We expect results to be weighted to the second half of the year with a soft first quarter. In Food & Ingredients, we expect segment results to improve sequentially as we progress through the year, resulting in EBIT of $260 to $280 million. Our outlook for year-over-year growth reflects increased volume of higher value-added products, growth in sales to key accounts and higher results in Brazil wheat milling. The EBIT range does not reflect contributions from Loders Croklaan, which we expect to close in the first quarter. In Sugar & Bioenergy, we expect 2018 EBIT of $50 to $70 million. Results are expected to be seasonally weak in the first half of the year. We expect a loss of approximately $40 million in the first quarter, due to carrying over an exceptionally low inventory balance from 2017 into the intercrop period due to the reduced crush volume. In Fertilizer, we expect EBIT of approximately $25 million. Additionally, we expect the following for 2018 (excluding the Loders Croklaan acquisition): a tax rate range of 18% to 22% reflecting the impacts of U.S. and Argentina tax reform; net interest expense in the range of $225 to $245 million; capital expenditures of approximately $650 million, of which approximately $150 million is related to sugarcane milling; and depreciation, depletion and amortization of approximately $625 million.

06:05 EDT Toshiba names Nobuaki Kurumatani as Chairman and CEO - The Board of Directors of Toshiba, resolved to appoint Nobuaki Kurumatani for the post of Representative Executive Officer and Chairman of Toshiba Corporation, as of April 1, 2018. The Board has also decided to reappoint Satoshi Tsunakawa to his current position of Representative Executive Officer and President of the Company after the ordinary general meeting of the shareholders scheduled for June this year. Kurumatani as CEO, and Tsunakawa as COO will together execute the management of Toshiba Group. The appointments of Kurumatani and Tsunakawa as Directors of the Board are subject to approval by the ordinary general meeting of the shareholders.

05:58 EDT Orbotech says SPTS Technologies receives $37M - Orbotech announced that SPTS Technologies, an Orbotech company and a supplier of advanced wafer processing solutions for the global semiconductor and related industries, has received approximately $37M in orders for multiple etch and deposition systems from two GaAs foundry customers. SPTS's Omega plasma etch, Delta PECVD, and Sigma PVD systems will be used to manufacture radio frequency devices for 4G and emerging 5G wireless infrastructure and mobile device markets. Delivery of the systems is expected to be split between the first quarter and second quarter of 2018.

05:39 EDT Nasdaq, OPCOM sign new market technology agreement - Nasdaq and Operatorul Pietei de Energie Electrica si Gaze Naturale, or OPCOM, have signed a new market technology agreement for Nasdaq to deliver new matching engine and clearing technology via the Nasdaq Financial Framework architecture to Romania's market operator for gas and electricity. OPCOM will leverage the modular functionality of the Nasdaq Financial Framework to offer additional services to their members and clients. This new agreement marks the next chapter in the technology relationship of the two companies which began in 2005.

05:33 EDT Novartis forms alliance to develop drug candidate KDU731 - Novartis and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have formed an alliance to advance development of Novartis' drug candidate KDU731 for the treatment of cryptosporidiosis. Diarrheal diseases are one of the leading causes of childhood mortality globally, resulting in approximately 525,000 deaths each year and cryptosporidiosis is the second leading cause of infectious diarrhea in children under 2 years of age. "There is an urgent medical need for new and effective therapeutics for cryptosporidiosis, particularly in vulnerable populations" said Dr. Paul Kelly University of Zambia School of Medicine and Tropical Gastroenterology at Barts & The London.

05:24 EDT Genentech Rituxan granted FDA priority review - Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, announced that the FDA has accepted the company's Supplemental Biologics License Application, or sBLA, and granted Priority Review for the use of Rituxan for the treatment of pemphigus vulgaris, or PV, a rare, life-threatening condition characterized by progressive painful blistering of the skin and mucous membranes. The FDA previously granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation and Orphan Drug Designation to Rituxan for the treatment of PV. Presently, there are limited approved treatment options available for patients with PV. The sBLA submission is based on data from a Roche-supported randomized trial conducted in France which evaluated Rituxan plus a tapering regimen of low dose oral corticosteroid, or CS, treatment compared to a standard dose of CS alone as a first-line treatment in patients with newly diagnosed moderate to severe pemphigus.

05:20 EDT Clorox raises quarterly dividend 14% to 96c per share - Clorox announced that its board has declared a quarterly dividend of 96c per share on the company's common stock, payable May 11, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on April 25. This is an accelerated declaration of the company's dividend increase, which has typically taken place in the month of May. As communicated in the company's second-quarter earnings release, the recent passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is expected to provide significant, ongoing benefits to Clorox's earnings and cash flows. As a result, Clorox has raised its 2020 Strategy long-term aspiration for free cash flow, as a percentage of sales, to 11% to 13%, versus its previous aspiration of 10% to 12%.

05:09 EDT Calaveras County intends to file lawsuit against PG&E for losses from Butte fire - The Calaveras County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to retain the national law firm of Baron & Budd and the California Fire Lawyers to initiate litigation against PG&E for its role in causing the Butte Fire. The Board's decision marks the next important step towards recovering "millions upon millions of taxpayer losses" from Pacific Gas & Electric which the County of Calaveras sustained in the destructive 2015 Butte Fire. The County has been working with a premier team of top national experts to understand the total amount the County has suffered from this large-scale disaster. Collecting numbers and supporting data in order to determine the amount of damages from a 70,000+ acre fire is a tremendous undertaking and the County and its team has calculated the County's damages, evaluated and has pursued various legal avenues to secure compensation from PG&E and actively participated in confidential settlement negotiations. Early in recovery from the Butte Fire, the County announced that it had lost-and will continue to lose-tens of millions of dollars in lost taxpayer funds, damaged infrastructure, fire suppression costs, government employee overtime, emergency response and recovery efforts, injury to natural resources, and other significant losses. Since the County will forever be scarred and socially and economically damaged, the County has worked to secure fair compensation for its residents and seek reimbursement for the damage to Calaveras County and its local infrastructure from PG&E, which is responsible for this tragedy.