Stockwinners Market Radar for February 28, 2018 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:20 EDT Credicorp CFO Dasso resigns, Rios named successor - Credicorp's board of directors accepted the resignation of CFO Fernando Dasso and appointed Cesar Rios, who currently holds the position of Head of Financial Planning and Control at Banco de Credito del Peru, Credicorp's largest subsidiary, as new Chief Financial Officer of Credicorp and BCP.

19:01 EDT Microsoft, Sunseap sign agreement on solar project in Singapore - Microsoft announced a new agreement with Sunseap Group that marks Microsoft's first clean energy deal in Asia and will create the single-largest solar energy portfolio in Singapore to date. This 60 megawatt-peak solar portfolio will span hundreds of rooftops across the nation. This is the largest rooftop solar project in Singapore and the first rooftop solar portfolio in the country focused on serving datacenter energy consumption. "Our cloud services are helping to power Singapore's digital transformation, and today's agreement will ensure that transformation is increasingly powered by clean energy," said Kevin Wo, managing director, Microsoft Singapore. "We're proud to work with Sunseap, the leading solar provider in Singapore, to support the growth of the local clean energy economy. With the agreement, Microsoft will improve the sustainability of our local operations and make important progress toward our corporate sustainability goals for datacenters."

18:42 EDT Walmart raises age requirement for firearm purchases to 21

18:12 EDT Monster Beverage estimates January gross sales up roughly 27.9% - Says estimates January 2018 gross sales roughly 27.9% higher than in January 2017, roughly 25.1% higher on a foreign exchange adjusted basis. Says estimates that less than half of such increase is attributable to the increase in January 2018 sales following reductions of its international distributors as well as initial shipments of Caffe Monster and Muscle Monster in bottles. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

18:05 EDT QEP Resources in pact with Elliott includes declassification proposal - On February 28, QEP entered into an agreement with Elliott Management Under the terms of the agreement, the company agreed to issue a press release announcing, among other things, certain strategic initiatives. The Agreement also provides that the company will include a proposal in its definitive proxy statement for its 2018 annual meeting asking the company's shareholders to approve an amendment to the company's Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation to immediately declassify the existing board structure and provide for the annual election of directors. The company has agreed to recommend to its shareholders that they vote in favor of the Declassification Amendment. In connection with the Declassification Amendment, all of the current members of the company's board of director, other than Mr. Thacker, will tender their resignations on the date of the Annual Meeting, to be effective on such date. Should the Declassification Amendment be approved by the company's shareholders, all of the directors shall serve until the 2019 annual meeting, including Mr. Thacker whose remaining term will expire at the 2019 annual meeting. Elliott further agreed that, subject to certain exceptions, until the earlier of (i) January 15, 2019, and (ii) thirty (30) days prior to the first day of the time period established pursuant to the company's bylaws for shareholders to deliver notice to the company of director nominations to be brought before the 2019 annual meeting, not to, among other things and subject to certain exceptions: (a) make any "solicitation" of proxies (b) form, join or act in concert with any "group" as defined in Section 13(d)(3) of the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, other than solely with affiliates of Elliott with respect to voting securities now or hereafter held by them, (c) acquire, offer or seek to acquire any voting securities of the company that would result in Elliott having a net long position of, or voting rights with respect to, more than 9.9% of the voting securities of the company, (d) effect or seek to effect, whether alone or in concert with others, any extraordinary transaction involving the company, (e) enter into any voting trust or similar arrangement, (f) seek to (i) elect or appoint to, or have representation on, the Board or (ii) remove any member of the Board, (g) make or be the proponent of any shareholder proposal (pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act or otherwise) or (h) enter into any discussions, negotiations, agreements or understandings with any third party with respect to the foregoing.

17:47 EDT Salesforce says sees FY19 adjusted tax rate 21.5%

17:42 EDT On The Fly: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: QEP Resources (QEP), up 12.5%... Builders Firstsource (BLDR), up 7.9%... Health Insurance Innovations (HIIQ), up 7.5%... Hostess Brands (TWNK), up 7%... Universal Health (UHS), up 3.3%. ALSO HIGHER: Novavax (NVAX), up 24% after its NanoFlu demonstrated improved immune response in a Phase 1/2 trial... 3D Systems (DDD), up 17.4% after reporting preliminary Q4 results... Asterias (AST), up 2.3% after it said it was "pleased" with its clinical update for its AST-OPC1 Phase 1/2a trial. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Portola Pharmaceuticals (PTLA), down 26.8%... Box (BOX), down 13%... L Brands (LB), down 8.1%... Monster Beverage (MNST), down 5.3%... ILG (ILG), down 0.9%. ALSO LOWER: GoDaddy (GDDY), down 1.8% after it filed to sell 16.92M shares of Class A common stock for holders.

17:34 EDT Gabelli reports 5.1% stake in RLJ Entertainment

17:24 EDT Salesforce CEO says has clear path to $20B in sales - Says margin pressure due to international expansion, new hires. Says half of all bank clients increased business in Q4. Comments from Q4 earnings conference call.

17:13 EDT Lockheed Martin awarded $148.7M U.S. Navy contract modification - Lockheed Martin is being awarded $148,745,565 for modification P00023 to a previously awarded cost-plus-incentive-fee contract. This modification provides for additional recurring logistics services for delivered F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft for the Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, non-Department of Defense and foreign military sales customers. Services to be provided include ground maintenance activities; action request resolution; depot activation activities; Automatic Logistics Information System operations and maintenance; reliability, maintainability and health management implementation and support; supply chain management; and activities. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (46 percent); Orlando, Florida (32 percent); Warton, United Kingdom (9 percent); El Segundo, California (7 percent); Greenville, South Carolina (6 percent), and is expected to be completed in April 2018.

17:10 EDT EP Energy sees Q1 total production 77-79 MBoe/d - Sees Q1 oil production 43-44 MBls/d. Sees Q1 oil and gas expenditures $210M-$220M.

17:07 EDT EP Energy backs 2018 production view o 81-87 MBoe/d - Backs 22018 oil production view 43-44 MBls/d. Still sees oil & gas expenditures $600M-$650M.

17:03 EDT M.D.C. Holdings announces new community in Las Vegas - Richmond American Homes of Nevada, Inc., a subsidiary of M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. (MDC), is excited to announce Onyx Point, a new community in the Summerlin masterplan. Starting from the mid $600,000s, Onyx Point offers ranch-style homes in four versatile floor plans. Available with up to five bedrooms and four and a half bathrooms, these homes are approximately 3,370 to 4,010 square feet and boast 3-car garages.

17:01 EDT Turquoise Hill says Oyu Tolgoi will lift force majeure - Turquoise Hill announced that Oyu Tolgoi will lift force majeure notice to customers effective March 1. Safe and normal mine operations, including underground development, have been maintained and no production impact is expected. Turquoise Hill expects any force majeure-related sales impact to be made up over the next few quarters.

16:48 EDT Eldorado Resorts to sell Presque Isle Downs Casino, Lady Luck Casino for $230M - Eldorado Resorts (ERI) announced that it entered into definitive agreements to sell substantially all of the assets and liabilities of Presque Isle Downs & Casino in Erie, Pennsylvania and Lady Luck Casino Vicksburg in Vicksburg, Mississippi to Churchill Downs Incorporated (CHDN). Under the terms of the agreements, Churchill Downs will purchase Presque Isle Downs & Casino for cash consideration of approximately $178.9M and Lady Luck Casino Vicksburg for cash consideration of approximately $50.6M, in each case subject to a customary working capital adjustment. The Lady Luck Casino Vicksburg transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2018, and the Presque Isle Downs & Casino transaction is expected to close in late 2018.

16:47 EDT Churchill Downs acquires two casinos for $229.5M - Churchill Downs announced that it has entered into two separate definitive purchase agreements to acquire Presque Isle Downs & Casino in Erie, Pennsylvania, and Lady Luck Casino in Vicksburg, Mississippi for total aggregate consideration of approximately $229.5M, to be paid in cash. The transactions are dependent on usual and customary closing conditions, including the company securing gaming licenses from the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board and the Mississippi Gaming Commission as well as a racing license from the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission. The Lady Luck Vicksburg transaction is expected to close in Q2. Closing of the Presque Isle purchase, which is also conditioned on the closing of the Lady Luck Vicksburg transaction, is expected to close in Q4.

16:46 EDT La Quinta reports Q4 EPS (5c), consensus (1c) - Reports Q4 revenue $214.3M, consensus $221.07M.

16:42 EDT Sterling Construction awarded $15.8M Coppell, Texas project - Sterling Construction announced that its Texas Sterling Construction Co. subsidiary was selected by the City of Coppell to reconstruct the Freeport Parkway in Coppell, TX. The $15.8M project is a 1.2 mile long stretch that adjoins Interstate 635. The major improvements consist of replacing all exiting pavement, water and wastewater infrastructure as well as replacing the existing 300 foot bridge over Grapevine Creek. Work on the Freeport Parkway is scheduled to begin during the spring of 2018, and is expected to take 18 months to complete.

16:42 EDT Builders CEO says new residential housing market showing 'steady growth' - Builders FirstSource CEO Chad Crow said, "I am as excited as ever about the outlook for Builders FirstSource for the years ahead. Demand in the new residential housing market continues to show steady growth. The company is well positioned to capitalize on the opportunities our national footprint, strong customer relationships and our end market diversity provide. We continue to invest to further leverage our advantaged product portfolio to capture growth in the coming years. We are enthusiastic about our plans to create meaningful value through the company's identified initiatives as well as capitalizing on a growing single family housing market."

16:40 EDT Asterias provides update for AST-OPC1 Phase 1/2a clinical trial - Asterias Biotherapeutics providedadditional data from the company's ongoing Phase 1/2a SCiStar study designed to evaluate the safety and potential efficacy of AST-OPC1 in the treatment of severe cervical spinal cord injury. The SCiStar study is an open-label, single-arm trial testing three sequential escalating doses of AST-OPC1 administered at up to 20 million AST-OPC1 cells in 25 subjects with subacute motor complete cervicalspinal cord injury. These individuals have essentially lost all movement below their injury site and experience severe paralysis of the upper and lower limbs. TTogether with the previously reported results from Cohort 2, the MRI results-to-date for 94% (17/18) of the Cohort 2-4 subjects provide supportive evidence that AST-OPC1 cells have durably engrafted at the injury site and helped to prevent cavitation.

16:36 EDT Victoria Menz reports 7% passive stake in AAC Holdings

16:33 EDT Allergan's NDA for ulipristal acetate extended to August by FDA - Allergan was notified by the FDA that the review of the New Drug Application for ulipristal acetate will be extended. The PDUFA target action date has been extended to August 2018 to provide time for a full review of the file. Ulipristal acetate is an investigational drug in the U.S. for the medical treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding in women with uterine fibroids. In Europe, ulipristal acetate is marketed under the trade name Esmya by Gedeon Richter. In Canada, ulipristal acetate is available under the trade name Fibristal and marketed by Allergan.

16:28 EDT Corium receives FDA feedback on bioequivalence study - In February, Corium received feedback via email from the FDA that the FDA had completed its preliminary review of data submitted before and after Corium's August 2017 meeting with the FDA and that the results of Corium's pilot bioequivalence study for Corplex Donepezil may, on their face, suffice as the sole basis for demonstrating bioequivalence between Corplex Donepezil and oral Aricept for the purpose of submitting a New Drug Application, or NDA. The FDA confirmed that the final acceptability of the results of the pilot study for approval purposes would be determined by the FDA's review of Corium's NDA, once submitted. Corium is in the process of evaluating the optimal path forward based on this feedback, taking into consideration that dosing in Corium's pivotal bioequivalence trial has already been completed. Full review of a data package is required for an NDA review, and there can be no assurance that the FDA would ultimately conclude that the pilot study is sufficient to support bioequivalence or that the FDA would approve an NDA filed on that basis.

16:25 EDT Bloomin' Brands, JANA add Wendy Beck to board - Bloomin' Brands and JANA Partners announced that the company has added a new independent director to its Board of Directors. The new independent director is WendyBeck. With the addition of Beck, the Board consists of eight directors.

16:24 EDT QEP Resources announces $1.25B share repurchase, strategic initiatives - QEP's Board of Directors has unanimously approved several strategic and financial initiatives to transition the Company to a pure-play Permian Basin company and to address the significant discount to net asset value reflected in the Company's share price.Use proceeds from asset sales to fund Permian Basin development program, until the program reaches operating cash flow neutrality in 2019, reduce debt and return cash to shareholders through share repurchases Authorized a $1.25B share repurchase program. Approved 2018 capital investment plan of approximately $1.075B of which approximately 65% will be directed toward the Permian Basin "The strategic initiatives announced today are responsive to ongoing shareholder feedback and fit with our long-term goal of becoming a more oil-focused company. The initiatives will allow us to simplify our portfolio, streamline our operations, and sharpen our focus on our Permian Basin assets, quickly resulting in QEP becoming a leading pure-play Permian company. Today our Permian Basin assets consist of approximately 44,000 net acres in the core of the northern Midland Basin. The assets delivered 8.2 MMboe of net production in 2017 with estimated total proved year-end 2017.

16:22 EDT El Pollo Loco appoints Bernard Acoca CEO - El Pollo Loco Holdings announced that Bernard Acoca has been appointed as president and CEO, effective March 12. Acoca will succeed Steve Sather, who previously announced his intent to retire during 2017. Acoca will also replace Sather on the company's board.

16:21 EDT Novavax NanoFlu demonstrates improved immune response in Phase 1/2 trial - Novavax announced positive top-line results from its Phase 1/2 clinical trial in older adults of its NanoFlu recombinant influenza vaccine, which includes its proprietary Matrix-M adjuvant, compared to the leading licensed egg-based, high-dose influenza vaccine for older adults. Overall, NanoFlu vaccine was well tolerated over the three-week trial period. Novavax now expects to begin a Phase 2 trial of its NanoFlu vaccine in Q3.

16:20 EDT Culp sees FY18 pre-tax income $27.4M-$28M

16:18 EDT Health Insurance Innovations up 11.2% after Q4 report, FY18 guidance

16:15 EDT Monster Beverage down 9.45% after reporting Q4 earnings results

16:13 EDT Spok announces up to $10M share repurchase program - Spok announced that its board has authorized the repurchase of up to $10M of the company's common stock through 2018 on the open market or in privately negotiated transactions. "Spok's management team and Board of Directors firmly believe in our long-term growth prospects," said Kelly. "We intend to utilize our healthy balance sheet and the ability to generate operating cash flow to fund the new repurchase program, which we believe will create further value for our stockholders."

16:12 EDT Concert Pharmaceuticals announces advancement of CTP-692 drug - Concert Pharmaceuticals announced the next development candidate in its product pipeline with the selection of CTP-692, a novel drug for adjunctive treatment of schizophrenia, a devastating, chronic illness with significant unmet need. CTP-692 is a deuterated form of D-serine, an endogenous, required co-agonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor. NMDA receptor hypofunction is believed to contribute to the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and enhancement of D-serine levels is believed to benefit individuals with schizophrenia. CTP-692 is being developed as a potential adjunctive therapy to antipsychotic medicines with the potential to improve positive and negative symptoms as well as cognitive function in these patients. The company intends to complete preclinical evaluation and advance CTP-692 into clinical development by year-end 2018. CTP-692 has the potential to improve the safety profile of D-serine. In preclinical evaluation, Concert found that selective deuterium modification increased D-serine exposure and substantially reduced evidence of renal impairment. As a result, the company believes that it can explore a wider exposure range to achieve optimal therapeutic levels in the clinic with a much lower risk of renal toxicity. These results support the further advancement of CTP-692.

16:12 EDT Addus HomeCare to acquire Ambercare Corporation - Addus HomeCare announced the signing of a definitive agreement to purchase Ambercare Corporation, a provider of personal care, hospice and home health services, headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Ambercare currently serves approximately 2,600 consumers through 15 locations located across New Mexico and for 2017, generated revenue of approximately $57M. Addus expects to complete the transaction in the second quarter of 2018 for a purchase price of $40M (net of excess cash), subject to usual closing conditions, with funding through the delayed draw term loan portion of its credit facility. Dirk Allison, President and Chief Executive Officer of Addus, commented, "We are pleased to announce our agreement to purchase Ambercare, a long-time provider of high quality home care services and the leading hospice provider in the state. With a trailing EBITDA purchase multiple between 7.0x and 8.0x, we expect this transaction to be accretive to our 2018 financial results, as well as significantly expand the scope of services we provide in New Mexico. The completion of this acquisition, along with our August 2017 purchase of Options Home Care, will make Addus New Mexico's leading provider of both personal care and hospice."

16:10 EDT Salesforce sees FY19 operating cash flow growth 20%-21% y/y

16:08 EDT CommerceHub signs Macy's as drop-ship retail customer - "We had another strong financial performance in the quarter, with core drop-ship revenue increasing 14%, but we are most excited about the January 2018 signing of Macy's (M) as a new drop-ship retail customer," said Frank Poore, CommerceHub's Founder, President and CEO. "Macy's is a storied retail brand with a significant online presence. This new relationship is yet another validation of CommerceHub's (CHUBA,CHUBK) role as strategic partner to many of the largest and most successful retailers online. Drop-shipping and virtual inventory are strategic initiatives at leading retailers, and CommerceHub's superior platform, solutions and supplier network power our market-leading position."

16:04 EDT Easterly Government Properties acquires FEAM Distribution Center re-development - Easterly Govenrment Properties announced that it has acquired the rights to a lease award for the re-development of a 210,373-square foot FEMA facility located in Tracy, California. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, a federal agency within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is responsible for coordinating a comprehensive response to disasters in the United States that exceed the capabilities of local and state authorities. FEMA focuses on pre-disaster preparation, protection, response, recovery and impact mitigation. The agency provides on-the-ground support as well as funds for training of response personnel throughout the United States as part of the agency's preparedness effort. As part of FEMA's mission to deliver immediate, on-the-ground response in moments of disaster, FEMA maintains eight distribution centers within the United States for emergency response preparedness. These facilities house a full inventory of goods that may be needed for FEMA's response to a disaster. Given the importance of deploying supplies quickly, FEMA strategically locates these facilities throughout the country to efficiently reach a significant portion of the population.

15:11 EDT Pandora up 2% in afternoon trading after Spotify files for direct listing - Shares of Pandora (P), which offers a streaming music service that competes with Spotify (SPOT), are up 2.4% to $4.47 in afternoon trading. Earlier this afternoon, Spotify, which disclosed that it has 159 million subscribers, filed a prospectus to publicly offer its stock in a direct listing on the New York Stock Exchange. Pandora stated in conjunction with its earnings report on February 21 that it had 74.7 million active listeners at the end of the fourth quarter of 2017.

14:53 EDT Imax slides despite quarterly beat, higher box office return - Shares of Imax (IMAX) are sliding despite the company reporting better than expected earnings per share. While Roth Capital analyst Darren Aftahi downgraded the stock to Neutral on limited growth catalysts, his peer at Wedbush raised his price target on the shares, citing "solid results" as the company gains box office share. RESULTS: Last night, Imax reported fourth quarter adjusted earnings per share of 34c and revenue of $125.6M, both above consensus of 32c and $121.2M, respectively. The company noted that the fourth quarter earnings per share includes a one-time tax charge of $9.3M - 14c per diluted share - associated with the recent U.S. tax reform and a $2.5M - 4c per diluted share - charge associated with the company's cost reduction exercise announced in June. During the company's earnings call, Imax CEO Richard Gelfond said: "I'm pleased to say that several refinements across various areas of the company have had encouraging early results as demonstrated by our stronger box office performance in the second half of 2017 and into 2018. More specifically, in the second half of last year following our refinements, IMAX domestic box office grew 17% compared to an exhibitor industry decline of 6%. In China, box office grew roughly 7% and in our international ex-China segment, box office was up over 19%. Overall, IMAX fourth quarter global box office was up roughly 13% compared to the prior year. And more recently, we broke company records with the release of Black Panther, which achieved $34M of the IMAX box office in its four-day opening weekend and another $15M last weekend." MOVING TO THE SIDELINES: In a research note to investors, Roth Capital's Aftahi downgraded Imax to Neutral from Buy and lowered his price target on the shares to $22 from $25.50. While Imax has taken steps to reduce cost, the underperformance from new initiatives leaves less revenue upside outside of box office outperformance, the analyst contended. Aftahi noted that he sees limited sales and earnings growth catalysts and prefers to wait for more visibility before getting more constructive on the shares. Piper Jaffray analyst Stan Meyers also reiterated a Neutral rating on Imax shares as he believes the company reported a "mixed quarter," exceeding Street top line expectations but missing EBITDA estimates. The analyst acknowledged that he continues to see progress as management's recent initiatives take hold, but Meyers still expects limited box office growth in 2018 as the business remains challenged with soft per-screen averages in China and domestic re-seating of standard screens. 'SOLID' QUARTER: More bullish, Wedbush analyst Michael Pachter raised his price target for Imax to $32 from $30, while reiterating an Outperform rating on the shares, as he believes the company's accelerated screen growth, increasing share of global box office, and expense reductions should drive "solid" long-term earnings growth. Further, the analyst expects IMAX to grow revenue and adjusted EBITDA in 2018 as it expands internationally beyond China, grows its film slate, and streamlines its cost structure. WHAT'S NOTABLE: Discussing Helios and Matheson Analytics' (HMNY) MoviePass during the company's earnings call, Imax CEO Richard Gelfond said: "since MoviePass doesn't take IMAX, one would expect our indexing to not be as high as it is, right, if MoviePass was having a big impact, but apparently it isn't on our box office and you could see that. Yes, we've taken a look at it. The same non-arrogance we want to apply to all markets will apply to MoviePass if the dynamic changes and it's to our benefit we'll look at it, but I don't think right now it works for either the movie industry or for IMAX." PRICE ACTION: In afternoon trading, shares of Imax have dropped about 9% to $21.20.

14:45 EDT Sorrento Therapeutics trading resumes

14:13 EDT Sorrento Therapeutics reports FDA approval of non-opioid ZTlido - Sorrento Therapeutics, and its majority-owned subsidiary, Scilex Pharmaceuticals, received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for ZTlido 1.8%. ZTlido is indicated for the relief of pain associated with post-herpetic neuralgia, also referred to as post-shingles pain. "ZTlido was designed to solve a problem that is commonly reported with transdermal/topical patches: they don't stay on. Based on the adhesion study results with ZTlido, we believe that ZTlido product will be welcomed by healthcare providers, patients and payers who are looking for an effective and efficient, local pain treatment. We also intend to explore the expansion of ZTlido into additional indications and the underlining platform technology of ZTlido for other active pharmaceutical ingredients and combinations of APIs. As demonstrated by the NDA approval for ZTlido, our team successfully executed on our development plan for the product and now, looks forward to executing on our commercial and strategic alliance plans as well," said Dr. Henry Ji, Chairman and CEO of Sorrento and Scilex.

13:45 EDT Golar LNG rises after upbeat preliminary results - Shares of Golar LNG (GLNG) were trading higher in the afternoon after the company reported preliminary results for the fourth quarter this morning. WHAT'S NEW: Before the market open, Golar LNG reported preliminary Q4 total operating revenue of $57.59M, exceeding the Wall Street expectation of $45.06M. Preliminary operating income was $2.8M in the quarter, while preliminary Q4 EBITDA was $19.4M, compared to third quarter losses of $22.9M and $5.5M, respectively, the company said. In addition, Golar LNG said that its Hilli Episeyo project is now a cash generating asset, and its final commissioning is currently expected in late March 2018, with customer acceptance testing scheduled for completion in mid-April 2018. STREET RESEARCH: Following the report, Cowen analyst Sam Margolin maintained an Outperform rating on Golar LNG and raised his price target on the shares to $49 from $44. The analyst said that the company's Q4 earnings miss relative to his firm's forecast was a result of costs associated with "positive" project developments and noted that its Hilli project is on track to produce first LNG in the next few days. Margolin added that he continues to view to the stock as well positioned to secure more FLNG projects. The move comes two weeks after Wells Fargo analyst Michael Webber backed an Outperform rating on Golar LNG but lowered its price target on the stock to $34 from $35, saying that the company could post its first positive quarterly EBITDA since 2014 on the back of firmer carrier rates. Webber at the time noted that the Hilli project reaching first gas is "getting the most attention" from investors, and that his firm believed it was close to schedule, with a first gas announcement expected to come before or at earnings. PRICE ACTION: In afternoon trading, Golar LNG shares are up 0.6% to $27.42.

13:34 EDT Lonestar Resources announces initial production results from first Hawkeye wells - Lonestar Resources announced initial production results from the first Eagle Ford Shale wells on its Hawkeye property in Gonzales County, Texas, which was acquired by Lonestar in the fourth quarter of 2017 for $3.4M. Under Lonestar's operatorship, production from the existing producing wells has increased from 49 BOE per day to 219 BOE per day. Lonestar has now completed its first two wells on the Hawkeye property. The Hawkeye leasehold contains 15 additional Eagle Ford Shale locations, most of which range in lateral length from 8,000 to 11,000 feet. Lonestar CEO Frank D. Bracken, III, commented, "The early results of our first two wells on our recently acquired Hawkeye property are extremely encouraging. The rates achieved thus far are 52% better than our six-well average at Cyclone on an absolute basis and 31% better than the best well at Cyclone. Moreover, measured by rates per 1,000 feet of lateral, the rates achieved at Hawkeye are on average, 26% better than the six-well average at Cyclone and 14% better than our best well at Cyclone. Importantly, initial production rates on our new Hawkeye wells are considerably outperforming the projections of our recently-issued third party reserve report."

13:06 EDT Twitter rolls out bookmarks to save tweets, new 'share' icon - Twitter tweeted, "Today we are rolling out a new 'share' icon that allows you to: Direct Message Tweets to others; Share Tweets via email or text message; Bookmark Tweets you want to save."

12:22 EDT Keysight Technologies reports MoU with Unigroup Spreadtrum & RDA - Keysight Technologies announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, or MoU, with Unigroup Spreadtrum & RDA, a fabless semiconductor company and core subsidiary of Tsinghua Unigroup. The MoU is an extension to the existing collaboration the two companies initiated more than ten years ago. It aims to accelerate the development of 5G technology by coordinating 5G chipset and device related design, verification, test and measurement, Keysight stated.

12:17 EDT Ackman reportedly out of long-standing Herbalife short position - Pershing Square's Bill Ackman is entirely out of his short position in Herbalife Nutrition (HLF), CNBC's Scott Wapner reports. Ackman's long-standing short position, recently converted to options, is "unwound," Wapner told viewers of CNBC. In addition, Ackman is building a stake in United Technologies (UTX), Wapner broke today. Shares of Herbalife Nutrition are up 6.5%, or $5.65, to $92.46 in midday trading.

12:04 EDT United Technologies jumps after CNBC says Ackman building stake - Shares of United Technologies are higher after CNBC reported that Pershing Square's Bill Ackman is building a position in the company. The stock in midday trading is up 2.3% to $136.97.

11:49 EDT WWE rises as SI reporter highlights appearance of Fox execs at event - Sports Illustrated reporter Richard Deitsch tweeted earlier: "In the front row last night at the WWE Smackdown show in L.A.: Fox Sports president Eric Shanks, Fox Sports talent producer Jacob Ullman and Fox Sports talker Colin Cowherd." Shares of WWE are up $1.39, or 3.8%, to $38.26 in early trading. Reference Link

11:29 EDT TJX sees 238 net new stores in FY19

11:27 EDT TJX sees FY19 Marmaxx comps up 1%-2% on sales of $22.6B-$22.7B - Sees HomeGoods comps up 2%-3%% on sales of $5.7B.Sees TJX Canada comps up 2%-3% on sales $3.9B-$4B. Sees TJX international comp growth 1%-2%% on sales of $5.4B.

11:22 EDT TJX sees 400 Homesense stores in the U.S. long-term - Says 2018 "off to a solid start." Says "always" examining ways to operate more efficiently. Says introducing long-term target for Homesense in the U.S. of 400 stores. Says ecommerce "an important complement" to brick-and-mortar business. Comments taken from the Q4 earnings conference call.

11:02 EDT Tegna, Independent Media form strategic content partnership - TEGNA announced a strategic content partnership with Independent Media, an innovative digital media company that launched The Outline in 2016. Together, TEGNA and The Outline will collaborate on mobile-first storytelling and investigative content across platforms, building on each company's strengths and offering consumers fact-based journalism of consequence. As part of the partnership, TEGNA and The Outline will work together to co-create original content and investigations that will appear across TEGNA's digital channels as well as on The Outline's digital platform. This collaboration will expand TEGNA's digital footprint and help to amplify its existing content. TEGNA has launched several new storytelling initiatives, like VERIFY, and original investigations, such as "Selling Girls." In addition, TEGNA and Independent Media plan to work together to create new content brands and test new digital advertising concepts.

10:48 EDT Medtronic, Lehigh Valley Health Network form strategic partnership - Medtronic and Lehigh Valley Health Network announced a five-year strategic partnership aimed at developing innovative, sustainable, and integrated value-based solutions to improve healthcare outcomes for the patients served by LVHN. The strategic partnership will create programs that span more than 70 major medical conditions, with the goal of positively impacting as many as 500,000 patients in Northeast Pennsylvania and reducing their cost of care by $100M. The strategic partnership brings together the technological insights and operational efficiency expertise of Medtronic with the clinical expertise of LVHN. It also creates the opportunity for piloting and beta-testing programs, processes and technology at Lehigh Valley Health Network across multiple disease states with a goal of creating new technologies and services that will drive better outcomes for patients at a reduced cost. Initial programs will address conditions such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and lung cancer, with additional areas to be identified as the partnership progresses. These are key priorities for the community, due to rising numbers of LVHN patients impacted by and costs associated with these conditions. Medtronic and LVHN will initially develop programs across 10 to 15 conditions and value-capture initiatives in three main areas: therapy optimization, episodic care bundles, and chronic care management.

10:28 EDT ADT, Alarm.com slide after Amazon buys smart doorbell maker Ring - Shares of ADT Inc. (ADT) and Alarm.com (ALRM) are sliding after Ring confirmed to CNBC that Amazon (AMZN) is acquiring the smart doorbell maker. Morgan Stanley analyst Toni Kaplan said that, despite the reported deal, she still believes ADT's brand and service differentiates the company from intense competition from "do it yourself" competitors. Meanwhile, her peer at William Blair argued that Amazon's acquisition of Ring creates an overhang on Alarm.com shares. ACQUISITION OF RING: A spokesperson for Ring has confirmed in an emailed statement to CNBC that Amazon agreed to acquire the company, saying, "We'll be able to achieve even more by partnering with an inventive, customer-centric company like Amazon. We look forward to being a part of the Amazon team as we work toward our vision for safer neighborhoods." The e-commerce giant is reportedly buying the smart doorbell maker for more than $1B, said Axios, citing sources, adding that Walmart (WMT) is said to have previously discussed buying Ring. ADT CORE THESIS INTACT: Commenting on the reported agreement, Morgan Stanley's Kaplan told investors the acquisition does not disrupt her core thesis that ADT's brand awareness and service differentiates the company from intense competition from technology and DIY competitors, and positions it as a partner-of-choice for these largely self-monitoring services. The analyst argued that many of these newer products and services go after a different subset of customers than ADT's core client base, and pointed out that she views Ring as more of a product offering than a service offering. Nonetheless, Kaplan acknowledged that greater risk could result if Amazon adds professional monitoring or pulls its existing Alexa integration with ADT. The analyst reiterated an Overweight rating and $18 price target on ADT shares. OVERHANG ON ALARM.COM: William Blair analyst Bhavan Suri also commented on Amazon's acquisition of Ring, saying it is likely to create an overhang on the shares of Alarm.com. The concern around DIY smart home and security offerings had already been elevated by a substantial amount of advertising for said products during the holiday season, he contended, and a deal like this may "pour more fuel on the fire." However, Suri pointed out that Amazon's motivation for acquiring Ring may actually be different than many other DIY providers, as the e-commerce giant's goal is to sell more products, and securing the front of a house enables more packages to be safely delivered. One positive is that a potential "arms race" in the smart home space could make Alarm.com an attractive acquisition target, the analyst added. He reiterated an Outperform rating on Alarm.com. WHAT'S NEXT?: Noting that Amazon acquired a smart camera company Blink last year and reportedly agreed this week to buy smart security company Ring, Northland analyst Michael Latimore told investors he thinks a "logical next step" would be for the e-commerce giant to buy iRobot (IRBT) and add more smart home products to sell. The analyst reiterated an Outperform rating on iRobot shares. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of ADT have dropped nearly 5% to $11.04, while Alarm.com's stock is down 7% to $35.52.

09:50 EDT Stellar Acquisition III trading resumes

09:34 EDT Lowe's says sees 1H18 sales 'slightly higher' than 2H18 - Sees FY18 tax reform benefit of $750M.

09:31 EDT Lowe's says sees FY18 gross margin flat - Sees FY18: Cash flow approximately $6.5B; free cash flow approximately $4.8B; share repurchases approximately $2.5B; CapEx approximately $1.7B.

09:27 EDT Dick's ends sale of assault-style rifles in response to Parkland shooting - Shares of Dick's Sporting Goods (DKS) are in focus in morning trading after the sporting goods retailer said it would no longer sell assault-style weapons, and that it would no longer sell any gun to anyone under the age of 21. The company's chief executive officer said the move is in direct response to the Parkland, Florida, school shooting earlier this month. ENDING SALES OF ASSAULT RIFLES: Dick's Sporting Goods said on Wednesday morning that it will immediately end sales of all assault-style rifles in its stores. The retailer also said that it will no longer sell high-capacity magazines and that it would not sell any gun to anyone under 21 years of age, regardless of local laws. The announcement was in direct response to last week's tragic school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that killed 17 students and staff members. The retailer said in a statement, "We have heard you. The nation has heard you." The company said that while it "supports and respects the Second Amendment," "we have to help solve the problem that's in front of us. Gun Violence is an epidemic that's taking the lives of too many people, including the brightest hope for the future of America -- our kids." Dick's also noted: "Following all of the rules and laws, we sold a shotgun to the Parkland shooter in November of 2017. It was not the gun, nor type of gun, he used in the shooting. But it could have been. Clearly this indicates on so many levels that the systems in place are not effective to protect our kids and our citizens." Dick's said it had already removed assault-style rifles from all Dick's stores after the Sandy Hook massacre in 2012, but will now remove them from sale at its 35 Field & Stream locations. Dick's also said "We never have and never will sell bump stocks that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire more rapidly." Dick's CEO Edward Stack, whose father founded the company, said in an interview with The New York Times, "When we saw what happened in Parkland, we were so disturbed and upset...We love these kids and their rallying cry, 'enough is enough.' It got to us." URGING OFFICIALS TO ENACT GUN REFORM: In addition, Dick's is urging officials to enact "common sense gun reform" and pass regulations that include banning assault-style firearms, raising the minimum age to purchase firearms to 21, banning high capacity magazines and bump stocks, requiring universal background checks that include relevant mental health information and previous interactions with the law. Finally, Dick's implored officials to close the private sale and gun show loophole that waives the necessity of background checks. WHAT'S NOTABLE: Last week, after coming under attack on social media for their ties to the National Rifle Association, major companies like Hertz (HTZ), MetLife (MET) and Delta Air Lines (DAL) ended their relationships with the NRA. PRICE ACTION: Dick's Sporting Goods is up 1.4% ahead of the market open. OTHERS TO WATCH: Publicly traded gunmakers include American Outdoor Brands Corp (AOBC), formerly known as Smith & Wesson, and Sturm Ruger & Company (RGR).

09:26 EDT Circor says aligning businesses with end markets - Says suspending cash dividend starting in 1Q18 to pay off debt. Says focused on improving working capital in 2018. Says top allocation priority is improving leverage position. Says aligning business with end markets, restructuring into Energy, Aerospace & Defense and Industrial. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

09:20 EDT Santander Chile names Claudio Melandri president of board of directors - The Board of Directors unanimously agreed to name the current Chilean Country Head of Grupo Santander and CEO Claudio Melandri, as the new president of the Board of Directors. This decision was made after the resignation of Vittorio Corbo, which was announced yesterday afternoon through the material event sent to the Superintendencia de Bancos e Instituciones Financieras and the SEC. Claudio Melandri will assume the Presidency of the Board starting March 1 of the current year to replace Vittorio Corbo, who had undertaken this role since April 23, 2014. Claudio Melandri will continue as Country Head of Grupo Santander in Chile.

09:13 EDT AeroVironment says Royal Canadian Navy acquires Pume II AE systems - AeroVironment announced the Royal Canadian Navy has acquired the AeroVironment Puma II AE, maritime mini unmanned aircraft system, for fielding aboard RCN Maritime Coastal Defence Vessels. The Puma II AE systems will include the Mantis i45 sensor and a 360-degree antenna system. MDA partnered with AeroVironment to satisfy the requirement of the Department of National Defence of Canada for the Maritime Miniature Unmanned Aircraft System.

09:12 EDT CytRx selects Destum Partners as advisor in pharma partnering activities - CytRx has entered into a definitive agreement with Destum Partners, a strategic advisory firm serving companies in the life sciences industry, to assist in its pharma partnering activities. Destum will be the exclusive advisor to CytRx for the identification of partnership opportunities for CytRx's LADR ultra-high potency drug conjugates.

09:07 EDT Lowe's says expects 'continued housing tailwinds' in 2018

09:07 EDT Stellar Acquisition III announces agreement to merge with Phunware - Stellar Acquisition III announced that it has entered into a definitive Agreement and Plan of Merger to combine with Phunware. The transaction values Phunware at an enterprise value of $301M on a cash-free, debt-free basis, with the transaction consideration to be paid in newly issued equity securities of Stellar. The transaction with Phunware enables Stellar to enter two of the most innovative and rapidly growing sectors within the technology space: mobile cloud software and blockchain. Phunware's mobile application lifecycle management platform delivers mobile marketing automation, analytics and business intelligence, alerts, notifications and messaging, content management, location-based services, audience engagement, audience monetization, vertical solutions, big data and cryptonetworking. The platform processes over 4 billion events per day, totaling over 1.4 trillion events per year. This amounts to petabytes of actionable data across thousands of mobile application portfolios. Currently, Phunware receives revenue from a large and diversified customer base that includes numerous Fortune 5000 companies in both Software-as-a-Service via recurring revenue streams and transactional formats. Phunware intends to initiate within the 1st half of 2018 a Token Generation Event based on its "PhunCoin" cryptonetworking ecosystem. Following the closing, the common stock and warrants of the combined entity are expected to trade on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the name Phunware, Inc. and trading symbols "PHUN" and "PHUNW", respectively. The combined company will be led by Mr. Alan S. Knitowski, who will continue as Phunware's CEO and Mr. Matthew Aune, who will continue as Phunware's CFO As part of the transaction, the combined company will redomesticate from the Marshall Islands to Delaware. Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, Phunware shareholders will receive consideration in the form of newly issued Stellar equity securities, valued based on an enterprise value of $301M for Phunware and subject to customary adjustments for cash and debt and, at the election of Phunware's shareholders, acquire from Stellar sponsors up to 929,890 warrants to purchase Stellar common stock at 50c per warrant. In addition, all Phunware stock options and warrants will be assumed by Stellar in the transaction as part of the merger consideration. Cash proceeds released from Stellar's trust account after any shareholder redemptions and payment of transaction expenses and other Stellar liabilities shall remain with the combined company, and Phunware intends to use the cash proceeds from the trust account to grow its business, fund inorganic growth initiatives and for working capital. The transaction is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The transaction is currently expected to close in the second quarter of 2018.

09:05 EDT S&W Seed granted patent for stevia variety SW227 - S&W Seed announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted S&W a patent covering its unique stevia plant variety 'SW 227.' S&W believes that its SW 227 variety has an excellent, sweet leaf taste with very low bitterness and aftertaste, and is late flowering, with high plant vigor characterized by extensive stooling and branching, enhanced dry leaf yields and leaves having an average rebaudioside A content of 10.7%. The patent was issued on February 20, 2018, as U.S. Plant Patent PP28977. The term of an issued plant patent is the same as that of an issued utility patent, which is 20 years from the patent's filing date. Based on the filing date, the patent for SW 227 will expire on March 31, 2036. This is S&W's fourth patent granted for its unique stevia varieties.

09:04 EDT Herbalife to change name to Herbalife Nutrition - Herbalife announced its intention to change the company's name to Herbalife Nutrition Ltd., reflecting the company's growing leadership and expertise in the field of nutrition. "We believe changing our company name to Herbalife Nutrition is more representative of our purpose to make the world healthier and happier and reflective of our strategies and investments to be the global leader in the nutrition industry," CEO Rich Goudis said.

09:04 EDT Herbalife to effect two-for-one stock split - The company intends to effect a two-for-one stock split of the company's common stock. "Herbalife's strong financial performance is a testament to the demand for our great-tasting, quality nutrition products, the Company's unique, effective and personalized distribution channel and the company's global geographic reach. This would be the first split in seven years and is part of our comprehensive program to increase shareholder value," said Herbalife CEO, Rich Goudis.

09:02 EDT Under Armour announces retirement of Chief Revenue Officer Charlie Maurath - Under Armour announced that Karl-Heinz (Charlie) Maurath will retire as its Chief Revenue Officer effective March 31. Maurath joined Under Armour in September 2012 as President, International with responsibility for growing the company's business overseas. He was named Chief Revenue Officer in November 2015, leading all global regions inclusive of North America, EMEA, Asia-Pacific and Latin America, as well as the global Direct-to-Consumer business.

09:02 EDT Banner Corp. announces retirement of CFO Lloyd Baker - Banner Corporation announced that Lloyd Baker will be retiring from both his position as EVP and CFO of the company and EVP of Banner Bank effective April 30, 2018. Peter Conner, currently EVP of Banner Bank, will assume the same position at the company following Baker's retirement.

08:45 EDT Straight Path trading halted, news dissemination

08:41 EDT TJX sees FY19 SSS up 1%-2%

08:40 EDT TJX plans to raise dividend 25%, buy back $2.5B-$3B of stock - The Company intends to increase the regular quarterly dividend on its common stock to be declared in April 2018 and payable in June 2018 to $.39 per share, subject to the approval of the Company's Board of Directors. This increase would represent a 25% increase in the current per share dividend and mark the 22nd consecutive year that the Company has raised the dividend. Over this period of time, the Company's dividend has grown at a compound annual rate of 23%. The Company also announced today its plan to repurchase approximately $2.5 to $3.0 billion of TJX stock during the fiscal year ending February 2, 2019. With $1.1 billion remaining at Fiscal 2018 year end under the Company's stock repurchase programs, the Company's Board of Directors approved a new stock repurchase program that authorizes the repurchase of up to an additional $3.0 billion of TJX common stock from time to time.

08:39 EDT TJX to pay one-time, discretionary bonus to associates - The 2017 Tax Act benefited the Company in the fourth quarter and full year Fiscal 2018. The Company expects to continue to benefit from the 2017 Tax Act going forward, primarily due to the lower U.S. corporate income tax rate. As a result of the estimated cash benefit related to the 2017 Tax Act, the Company is taking the following actions: A one-time, discretionary bonus to eligible, non-bonus-plan Associates, globally; An incremental contribution to the Company's defined contribution retirement plans for eligible Associates in the U.S. and internationally; Instituting paid parental leave for eligible Associates in the U.S.; Enhancing vacation benefits for certain U.S. Associates; Planning a significant increase in shareholder distributions in Fiscal 2019, through both the Company's dividend and share buyback programs.

08:37 EDT Kaplan acquires the assets of i-Human Patients - Kaplan, a subsidiary of Graham Holdings, has acquired the assets of i-Human Patients, or IHP, a leader in cloud-based, interactive patient encounter simulations for medical and nursing professionals and educators. The purchase price was not disclosed. i-Human Patients is a healthcare case authoring and playback system which can simulate a complete medical patient encounter from taking a history, performing physical exams, building and ranking a differential, to ordering and evaluating diagnostic tests. Used by healthcare professionals ranging from master clinicians to first-year medical students, as well as advanced practice nursing and physician assistant students, the i-Human platform includes 500+ cases that can be configured to match the level of the learner. IHP will become a key capability for Kaplan's Licensure operation, expanding current offerings in preparation for professional licensure exams, specifically for its healthcare portfolio, which serves doctors, nurses, physician assistants, pharmacists, emergency medical technicians and paramedics.

08:34 EDT Invuity appoints Scott Flora as interim president and CEO - Invuity announced that Scott Flora, a member of the Company's Board of Directors since 2017, has been appointed to serve as interim president and CEO. This appointment follows Philip Sawyer's resignation as president, CEO and a member of the Company's Board of Directors.

08:33 EDT ORBCOMM selected by Armstrong Transportation for logistics solution - ORBCOMM announced that it has been selected by Armstrong Transportation to provide an industry-leading logistics tracking and monitoring solution for their trailer fleet. ORBCOMM's end-to-end solution will provide wireless connectivity through its proprietary hardware and a web-based reporting platform for optimal fleet management.

08:31 EDT Riot Blockchain names Rob Chang as CFO - Riot Blockchain announced that it has appointed Rob Chang as its CFO. Chang comes to Riot from Cantor Fitzgerald, where he served as Managing Director and Head of Metals & Mining. The company also announced that its wholly owned subsidiary Kairos Global Technology, has entered into a lease with a facility in the United States that will potentially allow for power capacity of up to 12 Megawatts.

08:15 EDT Sequential Brands names Peter Lops CFO - Sequential Brands Group (SQBG) announced the appointment of Peter Lops as CFO. Lops joins Sequential from Viacom Media Networks (VIA, VIAB) where he served as the CFO and COO for the Distribution and Business Development division. In this position, Lops will be responsible for the company's financial operations. He assumes the role from pesident and Interim CFO Andrew Cooper who will continue to serve as President.

08:11 EDT Exxon Mobil announces offshore Guyana oil discovery - Exxon Mobil announced its seventh oil discovery offshore Guyana, following drilling at the Pacora-1 exploration well. ExxonMobil encountered approximately 65 feet of high-quality, oil-bearing sandstone reservoir. The well was safely drilled to 18,363 feet in 6,781 feet of water. Drilling commenced on Jan. 29. The Pacora-1 well is located approximately four miles west of the Payara-1 well, and follows previous discoveries on the Stabroek Block at Liza, Payara, Liza Deep, Snoek, Turbot and Ranger. Following completion of the Pacora-1 well, the Stena Carron drillship will move to the Liza field to drill the Liza-5 well and complete a well test, which will be used to assess concepts for the Payara development. ExxonMobil announced project sanctioning for the Liza phase one development in June 2017. Following Liza-5, the Stena Carron will conduct additional exploration and appraisal drilling on the block.

08:11 EDT Dick's says will no longer sell firearms to anyone under 21 years of age

08:10 EDT Hess Corp. announces seventh oil discovery offshore Guyana - Hess Corporation (HES) announced a seventh oil discovery offshore Guyana, following drilling at the Pacora-1 exploration well. ExxonMobil (XOM) encountered approximately 65 feet of high-quality, oil-bearing sandstone reservoir. The well was safely drilled to 18,363 feet depth in 6,781 feet of water. Drilling commenced on Jan. 29, 2018. The Pacora-1 well is located approximately four miles west of the Payara-1 well, and follows previous discoveries on the Stabroek block at Liza, Payara, Liza Deep, Snoek, Turbot and Ranger. Following completion of the Pacora-1 well, the Stena Carron drillship will move to the Liza Field to drill the Liza-5 well and complete a well test, which will be used to assess concepts for the Payara development. ExxonMobil announced project sanctioning for the Liza phase one development in June 2017. Following Liza-5, the Stena Carron will conduct additional exploration and appraisal drilling on the block. The Stabroek Block is 6.6 million acres. Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited is operator and holds a 45% interest in the Stabroek Block. Hess Guyana Exploration Ltd. holds a 30% interest and CNOOC Nexen Petroleum Guyana Limited (CEO) holds a 25% interest.

08:07 EDT TD Ameritrade completes conversion of Scottrade accounts - TD Ameritrade reported that it has successfully completed the conversion of Scottrade brokerage accounts to TD Ameritrade. The conversion is a major milestone in TD Ameritrade's ongoing integration of Scottrade. Converted brokerage accounts now have access to TD Ameritrade's full suite of investing platforms, solutions, and education. And, all TD Ameritrade clients can now take advantage of an exponentially larger branch network, with 364 locations nationwide.

07:57 EDT Dick's Sporting confirms that it will no longer sell assault-style rifles - In a statement on Twitter, Dick's confirmed that it will no longer sell assault-style rifles. "We had already removed them from all Dick's stores after the Sandy Hook massacre, but we will now remove them from sale at all 35 Field & Stream stores. We will no longer sell firearms to anyone under 21 years of age. We will no longer sell high capacity magazines. We never have and never will sell bump stocks that allow semi-automatic weapons to fire more rapidly." Reference Link

07:51 EDT Ultra Petroleum sees FY18 production 280-290 Bcfe - In 2018, the Company is focused on capital efficiency, cash flow visibility and accelerating the horizontal program, all within cash flow.Production: Ultra's 2018 annual production is expected to range between 280-290 Bcfe. In the first quarter, the average daily production rate is expected to range between 790-810 MMcfe/d. Price Realizations and Differentials: During the first quarter of 2018, the Company's realized natural gas price per Mcf is expected to average 8 to 10 percent below the NYMEX price due to regional differentials, before consideration of any hedging activity. Realized pricing for oil is expected to be approximately 3 to 5 percent less than the average NYMEX crude oil price in the first quarter.

07:43 EDT Hertz names Paul Stone as chief retail operations officer - Hertz announced that Paul Stone will be joining the company as executive vice president and chief retail operations officer, North America. Stone, who will join Hertz on March 6, brings more than 30 years of operational expertise from his leadership roles with retail giants Sam's Club/ Walmart (WMT) and Cabela's (CAB). Most recently, Stone has served as senior vice president and chief retail officer at Cabela's, one of the leading outdoor outfitter retail companies. Stone delivered strategy, service, people development and full-scale retail operations leadership.

07:41 EDT Sangamo: MHRA grants authorization of Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating SB-FIX - Sangamo Therapeutics announced that the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency of the United Kingdom has granted the Clinical Trial Authorisation for enrollment of subjects into the ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial evaluating SB-FIX, a zinc finger nuclease-mediated in vivo genome editing treatment for hemophilia B. The CTA allows for initiation of Europe's first in vivo genome editing study. Clinical sites in the United States have been initiated and are screening adult subjects. Sangamo expects to initiate sites in the U.K. later this year for the SB-FIX Phase 1/2 clinical trial and to file additional CTAs for its SB-318 and SB-913 in vivo genome editing treatments for Mucopolysaccharidosis Type I and MPS II, respectively.

07:39 EDT Qualcomm, PeriGen enter strategic license agreement - PeriGen announced a strategic reseller agreement with Qualcomm through its wholly owned subsidiary, Qualcomm Life. PeriGen's FDA-cleared software uses artificial intelligence to provide labor and delivery clinicians with real time analysis of dynamic patient data that has contributed to improved clinical and medical malpractice outcomes. The collaboration with PeriGen will allow Qualcomm Life to license and sell PeriWatch Vigilance, a new early warning platform for obstetrics that automatically identifies patients whose conditions are worsening, facilitating more timely interventions. Vigilance augments currently installed fetal surveillance systems, providing a critical layer of patient safety without requiring a hospital to "rip and replace" current systems. The "always on" software uses proprietary intelligent algorithms to analyze maternal vital signs, fetal heart rate, contractions and labor progress in real time, informing clinicians of emerging abnormalities. Specific thresholds and automated checklists can be configured according to each institution's preferences. PeriGen's solution will complement Qualcomm Life's Capsule product line to make care inside the hospital more intelligent by leveraging connected device and system data.

07:37 EDT MabVax Therapeutics reports 'positive' results from initial cohort of MVT-1075 - MabVax Therapeutics announced positive interim results from the initial cohort of the Phase 1 clinical trial evaluating the company's new human antibody-based radioimmunotherapy product MVT-1075 for the treatment of pancreatic, colon and lung cancer. Results from the first three patients dosed in the initial cohort of this dose escalation Phase 1 safety trial demonstrated that MVT-1075 is reasonably well tolerated and accumulates on tumor as evidenced by dosimetry measurements performed after the first dose. At this initial dose, two subjects met the criteria for stable disease (SD) and one met the criteria of progressive disease as measured using RECIST 1.1 criteria. Hematologic toxicities were manageable, and the Company is enrolling the first patient in the second cohort.

07:34 EDT Pizza Hut becomes official pizza sponsor of the NFL - The National Football League and Pizza Hut are getting an early start on celebrating the upcoming 2018 NFL season with news that Pizza Hut is the Official Pizza Sponsor of the NFL. The multi-year agreement will offer Pizza Hut a vast array of exclusive marketing rights, benefits and designations that will unmistakably connect the brand with the NFL and its teams, players, events, partners, properties and the many NFL experiences that capture the passion of consumers and football fans from all over the world. The Pizza Hut partnership with the NFL includes collective use of all 32 team marks. It also involves the NFL working closely with Pizza Hut to facilitate local, exclusive team partnerships. Pizza Hut will have the opportunity to leverage game tickets and unique fan experiences to all NFL games in marketing and promotional campaigns throughout each year.

07:32 EDT MetaStat announces completion of pilot research project with Celgene - MetaStat (MTST) announced results and the completion of the pilot research project with Celgene Corporation (CELG). In preclinical models of aggressive breast cancer, data showed cancer cell invasion and metastasis was reversed through inhibition of a specific serine-threonine kinase responsible for activation of the MenaINV protein. Over-expression of the MenaINV protein isoform has been shown to play an important role in driving progression and metastatic dissemination in aggressive types of solid tumors. "We are very pleased to have successfully completed our research project that demonstrated a 50% or more reduction in distant metastasis in animal models of aggressive breast cancer," stated Douglas A. Hamilton, MetaStat's President, CEO and Director. "These results confirm our pathway forward for development of MAPKAPK2 inhibitors selected for specificity against the Mena protein." MetaStat has received the final milestone payment of approximately $100,000 and completed its obligations under the pilot research agreement. MetaStat has received aggregate milestone payments of approximately $1 million from Celgene pursuant to the terms of the agreement. Detailed results from these in vitro and in vivo studies will be submitted to a future medical conference and for publication.

07:31 EDT Aehr Test Systems receives order for ABTS for military and aerospace application - Aehr Test Systems announced that it has received an order for an Advanced Burn-in and Test System from a prominent United States government military and aerospace contractor. The application is for production burn-in and test of a wide variety of integrated circuits designed and built by the contractor, including processors, memories, peripherals, custom ICs, and discrete circuits. This system is planned to ship during the next six months.

07:22 EDT Stratasys announces development of new metal additive manufacturing platform - Stratasys announced the development of a new metal additive manufacturing platform, designed to become a viable manufacturing technology to displace conventional methods for short-run manufacturing. The company's new technology platform is being developed to directly address the needs of customers whose requirements include the production of pilot-series parts, small batch manufacturing during product ramp up and end-of-life, and customized, lightweight, and complex parts.

07:14 EDT Main Street makes $33M portfolio investment in roofing contractor - Main Street made a new portfolio investment to facilitate the recapitalization of Chamberlin Holding, d.b.a. Chamberlin Roofing & Waterproofing, a commercial roofing and waterproofing specialty contractor. Main Street, along with a co-investor, partnered with the company's CEO, John Kafka, and senior management team to facilitate the transaction, with Main Street funding $33.0M in a combination of first-lien, senior secured term debt and a direct equity investment. In addition, Main Street and its co-investor are providing Chamberlin an undrawn credit facility. Founded in 1897, and now headquartered in Houston, Texas, Chamberlin is a commercial specialty contractor with a focus on installing roofing and waterproofing systems, as well as providing roof maintenance and leak repair services throughout the Southwest, Southeast, and Midwest. Outside of the company's Houston headquarters, Chamberlin has offices in Dallas, Austin, San Antonio and Oklahoma.

07:11 EDT Cipher acquires exclusive Canadian rights to Trulance from Synergy Pharmaceuticals - Cipher Pharmaceuticals announced it has acquired the exclusive Canadian rights to right to develop, market, distribute and sell TRULANCE from Synergy Pharmaceuticals. TRULANCE is a once-daily tablet approved by the U.S. FDA for the treatment of adults with chronic idiopathic constipation and irritable bowel syndrome with constipation. Under the terms of the licensing agreement, Synergy will receive an upfront payment of $5M and is eligible for an additional milestone payment, as well as royalties from product sales in Canada. The agreement provides that Synergy will be responsible for manufacturing and supplying finished product to Cipher.

07:08 EDT Valeant says FY17 revenue decline primarily driven by divestitures - The company states: "Total revenues were $8.724 billion for the full year of 2017, as compared to $9.674 billion for the full year of 2016, a decrease of $950 million, or 10%. The decline was primarily driven by the impact of divestitures, and lower volumes in the U.S. Diversified Products segment, attributed to the previously reported loss of exclusivity for a basket of products, and the Ortho Dermatologics business. Revenues were also negatively affected by the unfavorable impact of foreign exchange. The decline was partially offset by higher volumes in our Bausch + Lomb/International segment, primarily the U.S. Consumer Products business, and increased international pricing in our Bausch + Lomb/International segment"... "In 2017 the Company recorded an income tax benefit of $4.145 billion, which was primarily attributed to an internal tax reorganization effort, which began in the fourth quarter of 2016 and was completed in the third quarter of 2017, and provisional benefits related to changes under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017".

07:07 EDT Acorda Therapeutics: Scopia entitled to appoint two directors to board

07:06 EDT Acorda Therapeutics enters into cooperation agreement with Scopia Capital - Acorda Therapeutics announced that it has entered into a cooperation agreement with Scopia Capital Management LP. "We appreciate the constructive dialogue we have had with Scopia, and are pleased to have reached this agreement," said Ron Cohen, M.D., Acorda's President and CEO. "We are focused on continuing to meet our responsibilities to all of our stakeholders, including the many patients with debilitating neurological disorders who are served by our innovative therapies, and our highly dedicated employees." Under the terms and subject to the conditions of the agreement, following the 2018 Annual Meeting and until January 1, 2019, Scopia is entitled to appoint two directors to the Company's Board of Directors. In addition and to the extent set forth in the agreement, Scopia will support the Acorda Board of Directors' slate of nominees at the 2018 Annual Meeting and abide by customary standstill and other provisions through January 1, 2019.

07:05 EDT Cara Therapeutics doses first patient in Phase 1 trial of KORSUVA - Cara Therapeutics announced the dosing of the first patient in a Phase 1 safety and pharmacokinetic trial of Oral KORSUVA in patients with chronic liver disease. Data from this trial will directly inform the design for the planned Phase 2 trial of Oral KORSUVA in patients suffering from moderate-to-severe CLD-associated pruritus, a condition for which there are currently no approved therapies in the United States. The Phase 1 trial is an open-label study designed to evaluate the safety and PK profile of repeated doses of oral KORSUVA in up to 60 patients with chronic liver disease and up to 12 matched healthy control subjects. KORSUVA will be evaluated over an eight-day treatment period in patients with mild, moderate or severe CLD based on their Child-Pugh classification. In addition, PK and safety tolerability will be assessed with KORSUVA up to 5.0 mg tablet strength in mild and moderate CLD patients. The FDA has conditionally accepted KORSUVA as the trade name for difelikefalin injection. CR845/difelikefalin is an investigational drug product and its safety and efficacy have not been fully evaluated by any regulatory authority.

06:54 EDT Office Depot sees FY18 free cash flow about $325M - Sees FY18 adjusted effective tax rate about 31%, cash tax rate less than 10%. FY18 CapEx expected to be about $175M.

06:46 EDT Emergent BioSolutions awarded $26M one-year contract by CDC - Emergent BioSolutions has been awarded a contract by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention valued at $26M over 12 months for the continued supply of Vaccinia Immune Globulin Intravenous into the U.S. Strategic National Stockpile. VIGIV is the only therapeutic licensed by the FDA for the treatment of complications due to smallpox vaccination. Under contract 200-2018-96321, Emergent will conduct manufacturing runs, collect plasma for future manufacturing, and undertake additional activities in support of maintaining FDA licensure of VIGIV. VIGIV was developed on Emergent's hyperimmune platform, on which several marketed antibody therapeutics have been licensed. This contract will continue the CDC's commitment to VIGIV, which was licensed in the U.S. by FDA in 2005 and in Canada by Health Canada in 2007.

06:38 EDT Landec announces discontinuation of Food Export trading business - Landec announced the company's decision to discontinue the operations of its Food Export trading business segment, Cal-Ex Trading Company, at the end of fiscal 2018, consistent with the company's margin enhancement strategic initiatives. The Cal-Ex business will be presented as a discontinued operation in Landec's fiscal year-end 2018 financial statements.

06:35 EDT Herc Holdings sees FY18 net fleet capital expenditures $525M-$575M

06:28 EDT Bayer sees 2018 sales, earnings at prior-year level despite currency losses - Based on the exchange rates as of December 31, 2017, Bayer (BAYRY) expects sales of around 35 billion euros for 2018. Sales, EBITDA before special items and core earnings per share are expected to be at the prior-year level. On a currency- and portfolio-adjusted basis, Bayer expects sales to increase by a low- to mid-single-digit percentage, while EBITDA before special items and core earnings per share from continuing operations are each predicted to grow by a mid-single-digit percentage after adjusting for currency effects. For Pharmaceuticals, Bayer plans to generate sales of more than 16.5 billion euros. This corresponds to a low-single-digit percentage increase on a currency- and portfolio-adjusted basis. At Consumer Health, Bayer expects sales of more than 5.5 billion euros, which would be at the prior-year level on a currency- and portfolio-adjusted basis. For Crop Science, Bayer sees sales coming in at more than 9.5 billion euros. This corresponds to a mid-single-digit percentage increase on a currency- and portfolio-adjusted basis. At Animal Health, Bayer expects a currency- and portfolio-adjusted increase in sales by a low-single-digit percentage. Through the expected acquisition of Monsanto (MON) in the second quarter of 2018, Bayer anticipates a significant increase in sales and EBITDA before special items. Based on current assumptions about the equity and financing measures to be undertaken, Bayer expects a moderate decline in core earnings per share. For the first full year following the acquisition, Bayer continues to expect a significant increase in sales and EBITDA before special items, and an increase in core earnings per share.

06:19 EDT Mammoth Energy subsidiary's Puerto Rico contract increased to $945M - Mammoth Energy's wholly owned subsidiary, Cobra Acquisitions, has executed an amendment to its existing contract to assist in the restoration of the electric infrastructure on the island of Puerto Rico. In the amendment, the prior contract amount of approximately $445M has been increased to approximately $945M. In addition to continuing with its repair and restoration work, Cobra will now include the ability to source construction materials needed to rebuild the electrical infrastructure in Puerto Rico on a pass through basis. In the past, Cobra relied on third party contractors to supply all materials.

06:17 EDT KVH Industries receiving $4.5M investment from partner SKY Perfect JAST - KVH Industries' longtime satellite capacity partner SKY Perfect JSAT has agreed to invest $4.5M in KVH as part of the two companies' ongoing commitment to deliver next-generation maritime broadband services. KVH and SJC intend to collaborate on value-added services in the area of shipping digitalization and improved broadband access at sea. SJC agreed to purchase $4.5M of KVH common stock in a private placement at a purchase price of $11.95 per share, which represents a 10% premium over the average closing price of the KVH common stock over the 30 trading days before pricing. The transaction is expected to close later this week.

06:14 EDT Bayer CEO says 2017 was 'a year of ups and downs' operationally

06:13 EDT Bayer 'committed' to divesting entire vegetable seed business - "We have now also committed to divest our entire vegetable seed business. Certain additional business activities of Bayer and Monsanto may also be sold or out-licensed," Management Board Chairman Werner Baumann said. Thus Bayer is actively addressing observations expressed by antitrust authorities. Any sales and licenses would be subject to a successful closing of the proposed acquisition of Monsanto, which remains subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of required regulatory approvals.

06:12 EDT Jacobs Engineering awarded contract by Highways England - Jacobs Engineering Group has been awarded a contract by Highways England to develop possible solutions for improving the transport network around the motorways north west of Manchester. Highways England's Strategic Road Network in this area forms part of a key east-west connection linking the city regions of Liverpool and Manchester across the Pennines to Leeds, Sheffield and on to the North East. The Manchester North-West Quadrant project aims to improve capacity and reliability of east-west road connections, boost the local and regional economy and help establish the North of England as a global powerhouse. Over a two-year term, Jacobs and its supply chain partners will identify potential route options for increasing capacity and resilience on this part of the network. The project scope includes engineering, technological, environmental, economic and traffic modeling analysis, together with stakeholder management and design project management.

06:09 EDT Bayer proposes increased dividend for 2017 of EUR2.80 per share - The Supervisory Board of Bayer AG (BAYRY) has approved the Board of Management's recommendation that a dividend payment for fiscal 2017 of 2.80 euros per share entitled to the dividend be proposed to the Annual Stockholders' Meeting on May 25, 2018. "We thus want to increase the dividend for the eighth consecutive time," said Bayer CEO Werner Baumann. With 826.95 million shares entitled to the dividend, the total dividend payment would amount to 2.315 billion euros, an increase of 3.7%. Should the capital stock be increased prior to the Annual Stockholders' Meeting 2018 in connection with the acquisition of Monsanto (MON), the new shares would carry dividend rights for 2017. The total dividend payment would increase accordingly.

06:08 EDT Jeld-Wen to acquire American Building Supply, terms not disclosed - JELD-WEN has signed a definitive agreement to acquire all of the outstanding shares of ABS. ABS excels in supporting distributors, dealers, and home centers with a broad product range of doors, frames, and hardware for both the residential and commercial markets. Through its Doormerica division, ABS manufactures a broad selection of decorative, specialty, and architectural doors, including the Millennium Door series. ABS has developed a reputation as a premier supplier of value-added services for the millwork industry, through a relentless focus on quality and service. JELD-WEN expects the transaction to close late in the first quarter of 2018, subject to customary closing conditions. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. JELD-WEN has a long and valued partnership with ABS as a supplier of door and window products. As a result of the acquisition, JELD-WEN expects to add approximately $275M in incremental annualized revenue. JELD-WEN expects the acquisition to be immediately accretive to adjusted EPS in 2018. ABS's adjusted EBITDA margins initially will be lower than JELD-WEN's adjusted EBITDA margins, until expected synergies are achieved.

06:06 EDT Jeld-Wen CEO Mark Beck departs, Kirk Hachigian to succeed - JELD-WEN announced a leadership transition with Chairman of the Board, Kirk Hachigian, assuming the duties of CEO on an interim basis; announced an agreement to acquire American Building Supply; announced the acquisition of A&L Windows; and updated its outlook for first quarter and full year 2018 for the impact of the A&L acquisition. The Board of Directors of the Company announced the departure of President and CEO, Mark Beck, effective February 27, 2018, by mutual agreement. Under the terms of his employment agreement, Beck's service as a director also ended on that date. Hachigian, Chairman of the Board and former CEO of the Company, will assume Beck's duties while the Board conducts a search for a new CEO.

05:40 EDT TSYS extends existing agreement with Capital One UK - TSYS (TSS) announced it has extended its long-term agreement with Capital One Europe to continue providing processing services for Capital One's UK portfolio of consumer credit card accounts for multiple years. This news comes on the heels of TSYS extending its agreement with Capital One Financial (COF) in North America, announced in December 2017. Terms of the multi-year agreement were not released.

05:37 EDT EXFO Inc. acquires Astellia, terms not disclosed - EXFO Inc. announced the company has acquired 97.44% of the share capital and at least 95.07% of the voting rights of Astellia, a global leader in the performance analysis of mobile networks and subscriber experience, following the closing of the second phase of a public tender offer. The announcement was made at Mobile World Congress, the world's largest gathering for the mobile industry. With headquarters in Rennes, France, Astellia reported sales of EUR38.6M in 2017, and has over 400 employees and more than 120 customers worldwide. The company's solutions and services help mobile network operators improve service quality, maximize operational efficiency, reduce subscriber churn and develop revenues in core network, RAN, LTE and SDN/NFV deployments.