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

18:35 EDT Endo obtains preliminary injunction against QuVa Pharma for vasopressin product - Endo's subsidiaries, Par Pharmaceutical and Par Sterile Products have obtained a preliminary injunction preventing QuVa Pharma from marketing and releasing its planned vasopressin product that would compete with Par's Vasostrict, the first and only vasopressin injection, USP, product approved by the FDA. The preliminary injunction is effective through the conclusion of a trial, which has not yet been scheduled. In August 2017, Par filed a complaint against QuVa and several individual defendants in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey alleging, among other claims, the misappropriation of Par's trade secrets by the defendants in connection with QuVa's development of a bulk compounded vasopressin product.

18:27 EDT Edgewell Personal Care says Jack Black acquisition to be EPS neutral in FY18 - Edgewell Personal Care announced that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of Jack Black, L.L.C., a leading U.S. based luxury men's skincare products company. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The acquisition was funded from operating cash and is expected to be EPS neutral in fiscal 2018.

17:57 EDT American Airlines to compete in low-cost trans-Atlantic market - Starting in April, American will introduce Basic Economy on some trans-Atlantic flights, "giving customers a new option for our lowest fares.We're following the same playbook in this latest expansion as we did for the initial rollout of Basic Economy. That includes training that began this week for Airports and Reservations team members and making it available in a limited number of markets first to make sure we get it right.In general, most options and restrictions for trans-Atlantic Basic Economy are similar to those for domestic Basic Economy or for short-haul international Basic Economy such as flights to Canada, although there are a few differences," said the airliner in a press release out earlier in the day. Reference Link

17:37 EDT Nevsun Resources receives Decline Exploration Permit for Timok Upper Zone - Nevsun Resources announced it received the Decline Exploration Permit from the Serbian Ministry of Mining and Energy for the Timok Upper Zone project. With this permit in place, the Timok project team will commence preparatory work and contracting for construction of the decline. The exploration decline is expected to take approximately two years to reach the Timok Upper Zone orebody.

17:35 EDT Brown & Brown acquires Kerxton Insurance Agency and Fitness Underwriters - Brown & Brown subsidiary Brown & Brown Insurance Agency of Virginia has acquired substantially all of the assets of Kerxton Insurance Agency and Fitness Underwriters. With roots dating back to 1964, Kerxton Insurance has annual revenues of approximately $5.0M. The firm provides a wide variety of personal and business insurance products and services to clients in the Mid-Atlantic Region and throughout the U.S. Following the acquisition, Kerxton Insurance will re-locate to Brown & Brown's existing Manassas, Virginia office and will operate under the leadership of Bill Strachan.

17:27 EDT Camping World to delay filing annual report on Form 10-K - Camping World is unable to file its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 within the prescribed time period without unreasonable effort or expense. In the Form 10-K, the Company expects to report material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting relating to the insufficient documentation of certain accounting policies and procedures within the Company's retail segment, and ineffective transactional level and management review controls over the valuation of used trade-in inventory. The identified material weaknesses required the Company to perform additional procedures and analyses in connection with the Company's annual financial statement close process and preparation of the Form 10-K, including the consolidated financial statements contained therein. As a result of these additional procedures and analyses, the Company is unable to file the Form 10-K within the prescribed time period. The Company expects to file the Form 10-K within the extension period of 15 calendar days as provided under Rule 12b-25 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Notwithstanding the Company's inability to file the Form 10-K within the prescribed time period, the Company currently does not expect any changes to the financial results it previously reported in its press release dated February 27, 2018.

17:15 EDT VMware says Dell Technologies partnership brings broad momentum - Says global customer momentum is "great". Says Dell partnership brings broad momentum. Says global carriers are preparing for imminent arrival of 5G. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

17:08 EDT DiamondRock acquires The Landing Resort & Spa for $42M - DiamondRock Hospitality Company announced that it has acquired The Landing Resort & Spa, a luxury resort in Lake Tahoe, California, for $42M, or $545,000 per key. The acquisition represents a 7% yield on 2017 Hotel Adjusted EBITDA.

17:01 EDT PG&E spent $2.58B with diverse suppliers in 2017 - Pacific Gas and Electric Company, or PG&E, announced that it spent $2.58B with diverse suppliers in 2017, accounting for 42.25% of its total procurement. For the sixth straight year, diverse suppliers accounted for $2B-plus of the company's spend and more than 40% of PG&E's total spend for the fifth consecutive year. In addition, PG&E eclipsed the California Public Utilities Commission's diverse spending goal of 21.5% for the 12th year in a row.

16:57 EDT WMIH Regains compliance with Nasdaq minimum bid price listing requirement - WMIH received written notification from the Listing Qualifications Department of The Nasdaq Stock Market that WMIH has regained compliance with Nasdaq as a result of the closing bid price of the WMIH's common stock, par value $0.00001 per share, being greater than $1.00 per share for ten consecutive business days as of February 28. Nasdaq has informed WMIH that this matter is now resolved.

16:54 EDT Disney moves next 'Avengers' film release to April 27 from May 4 - Disney's Marvel Studios tweeted that its upcoming superhero film "Avengers: Infinity War" will be in theaters everywhere on April 27, which is sooner than its prior release date of May 4. Reference Link

16:48 EDT Equifax says certain ISO certifications have been suspended - In a regulatory filing, the company said, "Our revenue growth in 2017 as compared to 2016 was negatively impacted by the cybersecurity incident. Certain of our customers have determined to defer or cancel new contracts or projects and others could consider such actions unless and until we can provide assurances regarding our ability to prevent unauthorized access to our systems and the data we maintain. Many of our customers are requiring security audits of our systems and any negative results of such audits may cause further losses of customers. In addition, some of our current and potential customers and the contracts governing certain customer relationships, as well as certain of our data suppliers, require us to maintain International Organization for Standardization certifications, such as ISO 27001 certification, that specify requirements for establishing, implementing, operating, monitoring, reviewing, maintaining and improving a documented information security management system. Due to the 2017 cybersecurity incident, certain of our ISO certifications have been suspended and we will be required to take additional remediation steps to retain such certifications, which efforts may not be successful. Additionally, certain of our payment card industry certifications have been suspended which could result in fines and loss of access to data if we are not able to complete the necessary remediation steps to retain these certifications, which would adversely affect our ability to offer certain products to customers. If we are unable to demonstrate the security of our systems and the data we maintain and rebuild the trust of our customers, consumers and data suppliers, and if further negative publicity continues, we could experience a substantial negative impact on our business."

16:45 EDT AK Steel applauds Trump administration plan to issue imported steel tariffs - AK Steel said that the company supports President Trump's announcement in which he indicated that next week he will formally announce significant tariffs on imported steels. This follows the Section 232 investigation initiated by the Department of Commerce in April 2017 to assess the threats to the national security of the United States caused by unfairly traded imports. AK Steel CEO Roger Newport and leaders of other steel companies in the U.S. joined President Trump at the White House today to discuss Section 232 remedies. "We support and commend President Trump for announcing today the actions he plans to take to stem the tide of unfairly traded steel imports that threaten the national security of our country," said Newport. "This is a strong, important step to combat the effects of global steel overcapacity and address actions by other countries to circumvent U.S. trade laws and orders designed to ensure a level playing field." AK Steel is the only steel manufacturer in North America that produces carbon, stainless and electrical steels. The company is also the sole remaining producer of electrical steel for electrical transformers in North America.

16:40 EDT MannKind to initiate Phase 1 study of Treprostinil Technosphere - MannKind announced that it will initiate enrollment of patients in a Phase 1 clinical study of Treprostinil Technosphere, or TreT, under an Investigational new drug application filed with the FDA. TreT is proposed as a drug-device combination product for the treatment of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, utilizing a small, portable, breath-powered inhaler that is intended to simplify drug dosing. The primary objective of the Phase 1 clinical study is to investigate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of TreT in healthy volunteers after dosing by oral inhalation. Secondary endpoints include the evaluation of systemic exposure and pharmacokinetics of TreT, including dose proportionality.

16:39 EDT Equifax says Q4 results 'underscore solid progress on multiple fronts' - "Our fourth quarter results underscore solid progress on multiple fronts," said Paulino Barros, Interim Chief Executive Officer at Equifax. "We invested heavily in advancing our data security infrastructure and improving our consumer support, and we delivered on our financial commitments. While the job is not over, I believe we have responded well thanks to the strong support of our Board of Directors, the commitment of our Senior Leadership team, outside partners, and the dedication of our 10,000+ employees around the world. There will be a lot of heavy lifting in 2018 and 2019 as we implement new data security initiatives and restore confidence with our customers and consumers. The DNA of this company is underpinned with both a deep commitment to strong ethical principles and values and a strong focus on execution. As I have met with our employees throughout the world, I sense a great level of enthusiasm and commitment to move this company forward with a heightened level of focus on protecting and safeguarding all of the consumer and commercial information we store and manage."

16:37 EDT Nasdaq files patent infringement lawsuit to protect intellectual property - Nasdaq filed a patent infringement lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, aiming to protect Nasdaq's electronic trading technology from unauthorized use by IEX Group, Inc. and Investors Exchange LLC. The seven patents asserted in the lawsuit represent millions of dollars in investment over decades, and cover several industry-leading innovations. These patents contribute to the performance of Nasdaq's trading platforms related to closing auction processes, multi-parallel order processing, matching engine performance, and data feed optimizations. The lawsuit asserts IEX knowingly violated this series of Nasdaq patents in the development of its trading platform. The lawsuit seeks to stop, and obtain fair compensation for, IEX's unauthorized use of Nasdaq intellectual property.

16:35 EDT Unitil CEO Robert Schoenberger to retire - Unitil Corporation announced that Robert Schoenberger will retire as chairman, president and CEO on April 25. Schoenberger has also decided not to stand for re-election to the board at the company's 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders on April 25. As part of the company's leadership succession plan, Thomas Meissner, Jr., the company's senior VP and COO, has been selected by the board to succeed Schoenberger as chairman, president and CEO on April 25. Meissner is expected to be elected to the board by the company's shareholders at the 2018 Annual Meeting for a term of three years.

16:35 EDT American Outdoor Brands trading resumes

16:33 EDT VMware up over 1% after reporting quarterly earnings

16:33 EDT Equity Residential COO Santee to retire, Manelis named successor - Equity Residential announced that David S. Santee, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, will step down as COO on June 30, 2018 and retire by year-end. The company also announced that Michael L. Manelis, Executive Vice President of Property Operations, will become the company's COO effective July 1, 2018.

16:32 EDT Teladoc expands collaboration with Microsoft - Teladoc (TDOC) announced its expanded collaboration with Microsoft (MSFT). The organizations will be working together to advance the delivery of telehealth, with Teladoc's platform running on the Microsoft Azure cloud platform. As a result of the joint go-to-market strategy, hospitals and health systems across the U.S. will have greater access to the virtual care solution to meet their business needs.

16:31 EDT Ritter Pharmaceuticals approves 1-for-10 reverse stock split - Ritter Pharmaceuticals announced that its board has set a ratio of 1-for-10 for its previously approved reverse stock split of its common stock, and an anticipated effective date for the reverse stock split of on or before March 23. The reverse stock split was approved by the company's stockholders at its special meeting of stockholders on December 20, 2017, where the company's stockholders granted to the board the authority to amend the company's amended and restated certificate of incorporation, as amended, to effect a reverse stock split of the outstanding shares of the company's common stock, at a ratio of 1-for-8 to 1-for-15, as determined by the board.

16:31 EDT Jury awards AeroVironment damages of over $2.4M in MicaSense case - AeroVironment announced that it won an important jury verdict in Ventura County Superior Court. On February 26 the jury found that former AeroVironment employees, Gabriel Torres, Justin McAllister, and Jeff McBride engaged in fraud, and that Torres and McAllister breached their respective Patent and Confidentiality Agreements. The jury also awarded punitive damages against all three defendants. The total verdict was more than $2.4M. Torres, McAllister, and McBride are founders of MicaSense, Inc., which is majority-owned by Parrot SA.

16:30 EDT Microsemi trading resumes

16:29 EDT FBL Financial raises quarterly dividend 4.5%, authorizes $50M stock buyback - FBL Financial Group announces a 4.5% increase in its quarterly cash dividend to 46c per share, a special cash dividend of $1.50 per share and authorization for the repurchase of up to $50M of its Class A common stock. FBL Financial Group's Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 46c per share, payable on March 29, 2018 to Class A and Class B common stockholders of record as of March 15, 2018. This represents a 4.5% increase from the prior quarterly dividend of 44c per share paid in December 2017, and reflects an annual indicated dividend rate of $1.84 per share. Based on this dividend rate, FBL Financial Group's indicated dividend yield is currently 2.8%.

16:28 EDT Global Ship Lease acquires containership for $11.3M - Global Ship Lease announced that it has agreed to acquire a 2005-built, 2,800 TEU containership for a purchase price of $11.3M. Following delivery, which is expected to be during Q2 of 2018 once the existing charter terminates, the vessel will be renamed and will commence charter employment with CMA CGM for a period of 12 months at a fixed rate of $9,000 per day. With this addition, the company's fleet will comprise 19 vessels with a total capacity of 85,112 TEU.

16:27 EDT Mercury Systems receives $3.8M follow-on order - Mercury Systems announced it received a $3.8M follow-on order from a leading defense prime contractor for state-of-the-art radio frequency subsystems that are integrated into an advanced airborne electronic warfare system. The orders were booked in the company's Q2 and are expected to be shipped over the next several quarters.

16:26 EDT Hugoton Royalty Trust - Hugoton Royalty Trust's Trustee Simmons Bank has received a notice from the NYSE that the Trust has fallen below the NYSE continued listing requirement that the average closing price of the Trust's units be at least $1.00 per share over a period of 30 consecutive trading days. The Trust can avoid delisting if, during the six-month period following receipt of the NYSE notice, on the last trading-day of any calendar month, the Trust's common stock has a closing price per share and a 30 trading-day average closing share price of at least $1.00.

16:24 EDT Strayer sees Capella merger closing in Q3 - Strayer said, "On January 19, 2018, stockholders of both Strayer Education, Inc. and Capella Education Company approved all proposals related to the pending merger. On February 27, 2018, the U.S. Department of Education completed its pre-acquisition review of the transaction without any material conditions, and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in November 2017 granted early termination of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976. The merger, which is anticipated to close in the third quarter of 2018, is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including approval by the Higher Learning Commission."

16:22 EDT Bristol-Myers raises quarterly dividend to 40c per share - The board of directors of Bristol-Myers Squibb declared a quarterly dividend of 40c per share on the 10c par value Common Stock of the corporation. The next quarterly dividend will be payable on May 1, 2018, to stockholders of record at the close of business on April 6, 2018.

16:22 EDT Ingevity receives FTC clearance to buy Georgia-Pacific's pine chemicals business - Ingevity announced that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission has cleared Ingevity's proposed acquisition of Georgia-Pacific's pine chemicals business, which was announced on August 22, 2017. Ingevity expects to close on the transaction in the first quarter of 2018. Georgia-Pacific's pine chemicals business manufactures and sells pine-based tall oil fatty acids, tall oil rosin, and tall oil rosin esters used in adhesives, cleaners, paints and other coatings, inks, metalworking, mining, oilfield, packaging and rubber processing. The business manufactures the majority of its products at a Georgia-Pacific site in Crossett, Ark., and employs approximately 70 people.

16:21 EDT Capella Education says FY18 is to deliver 'continued revenue growth' - The company's goal for 2018 is to deliver continued revenue growth. To achieve this goal, annual new enrollment growth will be needed in a continuing volatile enrollment environment, as well as stable or improving early cohort persistence and continued revenue growth in the Job-Ready Skills segment. In addition, the company is managing the Job-Ready Skills segment to be less dilutive in 2018. The tax rate for recurring operations for Capella Education Company in 2018 is currently expected to be about 24 to 25 percent related to the United States tax reform legislation passed at the end of 2017, which reduced the federal corporate tax rate.

16:19 EDT Gap rises over 10% afterhours following Q4 earnings and FY18 outlook

16:14 EDT Nordstrom falls over 4% afterhours following Q4 earnings

16:12 EDT Cleveland-Cliffs CEO 'applauds' Trump tariff plans on steel imports - Cleveland-Cliffs issued the following statement regarding President Trump's announcement of tariffs of 25 percent on steel imported to the United States. Lourenco Goncalves, Cliffs' Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "We applaud and thank President Trump for taking real action under Section 232 to punish the perpetrators and enablers of unfairly traded steel. The 25 percent tariffs to be imposed next week will support our ability to continue to produce iron ore pellets and steel in our country, enhancing a vibrant manufacturing economy and our national security. Artificially cheap steel boosted by subsidies, dumping and circumvention are not signs of competitiveness; these are just signs of blatant disregard to real free trade and to our trade laws. Once free from these unfair practices, we will finally have a level playing field for steel in the United States. Going forward, we expect that the Administration will fully enforce the announced actions, making sure that the offenders, particularly the enablers within our borders, will be treated as seriously as they deserve."

16:11 EDT Tetraphase promotes Edwards to COO - Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals announced the promotion of Larry Edwards, Chief Commercial Officer, to Chief Operating Officer. In his new role as COO Larry will also continue to oversee all aspects of pre-commercialization activities for eravacycline in complicated intra-abdominal infections.

16:09 EDT American Outdoor Brands says Q3 results reflect 'challenging market conditions' - James Debney, American Outdoor Brands Corporation President and CEO, commented, "Our results for the third quarter reflected a continuation of challenging market conditions in the consumer market for firearms. Lower shipments in our Firearms business were driven by a reduction in wholesaler and retailer orders versus the prior year, and were partially offset by double-digit revenue growth within our Outdoor Products and Accessories segment. Overall, our long-term strategy remains focused on being the leading provider of quality products for the shooting, hunting, and rugged outdoor enthusiast. While our new product pipeline is robust and channel inventory levels appear to be improving, we believe that the new, lower levels of consumer firearm demand we saw reflected in the January NICS results may continue for some time. Going forward, we will operate our business under the assumption that the next 12-18 months could deliver flattish revenues in Firearms. Should market conditions change, our flexible manufacturing model would allow us to quickly ramp production. In the meantime, we will continue to focus on organic growth in our Outdoor Products and Accessories business and on company-wide cost reduction efforts. At the same time, we will continue to invest in our new distribution center, an important strategic initiative designed to lower our overall cost structure."

16:07 EDT Puma Biotechnology needs more time to complete, file 10-K - Puma Biotechnology said: "Due to unanticipated delays by Puma surrounding certain disclosures related to tax and tax reform, Puma needs more time to complete its financial statements and to prepare its Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017. As a result, Puma is not in a position to file its Form 10-K within the prescribed time period without unreasonable expense and effort. Puma expects that its Form 10-K will be filed within the 15 day period specified by Rule 12b-25(b)(2)(ii) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended."

16:02 EDT Outfront Media awarded billboard management contract by Massachusetts Bay - Outfront Media has been awarded a new contract with the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority to manage 125 billboards on MBTA's owned properties. Outfront is scheduled to begin operations on March 4. This contract marks an expansion of Outfront's ongoing partnership with the MBTA. Outfront will now be able to integrate billboards with the existing MBTA subway and commuter rail advertising inventory it currently manages.

16:00 EDT American Outdoor Brands trading halted, news pending

16:00 EDT Microchip trading halted, news pending

15:48 EDT Century Aluminum CEO 'applauds' Trump's tariffs decision - President Donald J. Trump announced that his administration would impose tariffs, pursuant to Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, to stop the flood of foreign aluminum imports that have been destroying the U.S. aluminum industry and threatening our nation's national security. Michael Bless, Century Aluminum Company's President and Chief Executive Officer, praised the President's determination: "President Trump's commitment is critical for the U.S. aluminum industry. The President's bold leadership on the aluminum Sec. 232 will protect our country's national security and help level the playing field for thousands of American aluminum workers. Thanks to the President's leadership, once the tariffs are in place, we will work with the Commonwealth of Kentucky to restart our idled Hawesville, KY smelter, including the high purity production that is so critical to our nation's defense, and bring back American jobs as soon as possible."

15:25 EDT Lithium producers continue decline after SQM reports earnings, concerns - Lithium producers continue to fall after Chilean miner SQM (SQM) reported quarterly earnings Wednesday night. SQM reported fourth quarter net income of $110.5M, missing Bloomberg estimates of $111.7M. With its earnings release, SQM said it will only expand production beyond 2019 "based on market conditions" as an increase in mining of late, to capitalize on electric car battery demand may cause an over-supply situation. According to industry publication, Mining Global, lithium is the lightest and least alkali metal and is used in dryers, air conditioners, medicines and electric car batteries like those used in Tesla (TSLA) models. MORGAN STANLEY SEES GLUT: This past Monday, Morgan Stanley cautioned investors in a research note of a "significant oversupply" for the lithium market. The Morgan Stanley said it expects prices for lithium to plunge about 45% by 2021. PRICE ACTION: SQM is down almost 6% to $47.09 per share in late afternoon trading. OTHERS TO WATCH: Shares of FMC Corporation (FMC) are down 0.43% to $78.14, while Albemarle is lower by 4.5% to $95.82 per share.

15:20 EDT Century Aluminum 'applauds' President Trump's decision of 'broad relief' - After President Donald Trump announced that his administration would impose tariffs, pursuant to Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, to stop the "flood of foreign aluminum imports," Michael Bless, Century Aluminum President and CEO, issued the following statement: "President Trump's commitment is critical for the U.S. aluminum industry. The President's bold leadership on the aluminum Sec. 232 will protect our country's national security and help level the playing field for thousands of American aluminum workers. Thanks to the President's leadership, once the tariffs are in place, we will work with the Commonwealth of Kentucky to restart our idled Hawesville, KY smelter, including the high purity production that is so critical to our nation's defense, and bring back American jobs as soon as possible."

15:05 EDT Spirit Airlines backs FY18 ASMs growth view of about 23% - Sees FY18 adjusted operating expense ex-fuel per ASM flat to down 1%. Sees FY18 CapEx $649M.

14:31 EDT Monster Beverage authorizes new $250M share repurchase program - Monster Beverage announced that its board of directors has authorized a new share repurchase program for the repurchase of up to $250M of the company's outstanding common stock. As $250M remains available for grant under the company's prior repurchase plan, the aggregate amount available to repurchase the company's common stock is currently $500M.

13:59 EDT Facebook ending Explore Feed test - Facebook said in a blog post that it is ending its Explore Feed test, saying that users don't want two separate feeds on the social network. "In surveys, people told us they were less satisfied with the posts they were seeing, and having two separate feeds didn't actually help them connect more with friends and family," the company said. Separately, the company is also discontinuing the Explore Feed bookmark globally this week. Explore gave people a new feed of content to discover Pages and public figures they hadn't previously followed. "We concluded that Explore isn't an effective way for people to discover new content on Facebook," the social network giant said. Reference Link

13:46 EDT Wageworks trading resumes

13:30 EDT InterDigital trading resumes

13:07 EDT DowDuPont agriculture division outlines future strategy ahead of spin off - Corteva Agriscience, Agriculture Division of DowDuPont COO James Collins, Jr. presented an update on the Agriculture Division financial performance and strategic progress during the 2018 Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Agriculture & Chemicals Conference - providing a view of the Division's recent cost synergy achievements, as well as near-term product launches and longer term portfolio growth drivers. "We are coming out of 2017 from a position of strength, with a strong pipeline and playbook of cost and growth synergies that will enable us to continue to deliver earnings growth even within an uncertain market environment," Collins said. In an update on the Agriculture Division's progress toward its expected spin by June 1, 2019, Collins affirmed the Division's cost synergy commitment of approximately $1.1B -- sharing plans to deliver approximately $300M in cost synergies in 2018 vs. 2017. Synergy progress in 2018 is expected to come from actions to further streamline its operating structure, minimize its asset footprint and optimize its product portfolio. Growth drivers in the near term include product launches across the combined R&D pipelines - with $4.5B in peak sales expected from recent and upcoming launches in the 2017 to 2018 timeframe.

13:03 EDT Icahn sees 'too many variables' to know short-term market moves - Carl Icahn is speaking on CNBC.

13:02 EDT Seacor unit Witt O'Brien's acquires SCA, terms not disclosed - Witt O'Brien's, a wholly owned subsidiary of Seacor Holdings, announced the acquisition of Strategic Crisis Advisors LLC. SCA is a crisis management consulting firm specializing in corporate preparedness. SCA helps its multinational clients prepare for man-made and natural disruptions by developing robust crisis management programs that include innovative planning, training and exercises.

13:01 EDT Icahn weighed board slate for Newell, didn't want to be 'third horse' in race - Carl Icahn is speaking on CNBC.

12:59 EDT Icahn says Newell position not 5%, but likely one of the largest holders - Carl Icahn is speaking on CNBC.

12:58 EDT Icahn says shares of Newell Brands are 'undervalued' - Carl Icahn is speaking on CNBC.

12:57 EDT Icahn says bullish on Herbalife, won't talk about potential future trades - Carl Icahn is speaking on CNBC.

12:55 EDT Icahn has not sold 'one single share' of Herbalife - Carl Icahn is speaking on CNBC.

12:53 EDT Icahn says Ackman called him yesterday for congratulations on Herbalife - Carl Icahn is speaking on CNBC.

12:52 EDT Icahn says Herbalife is 'great company' with 'great future' - Carl Icahn is speaking on CNBC.

12:50 EDT Icahn says Herbalife model brings jobs to many people - Carl Icahn is speaking on CNBC.

12:40 EDT U.S. Steel CEO thanks President for leadership on tariffs - U.S. Steel CEO David Burritt thanks President Trump in front of the press for his leadership on tariffs. "We want a level playing field," Burritt says.

12:37 EDT Icahn says have to worry about inflation creeping higher - Carl Icahn is speaking on CNBC.

12:35 EDT Icahn says not much interaction with Trump over past 4-5 months - Carl Icahn is speaking on CNBC.

12:34 EDT Icahn 'somewhat concerned' about overall stock market - Carl Icahn is speaking on CNBC.

12:27 EDT Adamas COO buys 10,000 shares at price of $25.07 - Adamas Pharmaceuticals COO Richard King disclosed the purchase of 10,000 shares at a price of $25.07. King now owns 39,661 shares of Adamas.

12:06 EDT Compass Diversified subsidiary forms, acquires Rimports - Effective immediately, a new entity has been formed called The Sterno Group, which is a subsidiary of Compass Diversified Holdings (CODI). Don Hinshaw is CEO of The Sterno Group with three company presidents reporting to him. The three companies are Sterno Products led by recently promoted President Craig Carnes, Sterno Home led by President Michael Pacharis, and recently acquired Rimports, Inc. led by President Alan Farrell. Don Hinshaw commented, "This new structure will continue a successful corporate culture across multiple companies while also allowing the individual presidents of these stand alone companies to lead them to their full growth potential and focused on their specific customer base." In addition to the new structure, The Sterno Group has completed its acquisition of Rimports. Rimports is a manufacturer and distributor of branded and private label scented wickless candle products used for home decor and fragrance.

11:53 EDT Riot Blockchain director posts picture of bitcoin mining operations - Jason Les, a director on Riot Blockchain's board, tweeted "A look at Riot Blockchain's bitcoin mining operation in North America. Still a work in progress- but great work being done!" along with a pair of photos. Reference Link

11:22 EDT Honda reports February U.S. sales down 5% to 115,557 vehicles - American Honda Motor reported February sales of 115,557 Honda and Acura vehicles, a decrease of 5% versus February 2017. Honda Division sales were down 5.6% on sales of 104,588, with Honda cars down 6.9% on sales of 50,646, and trucks down 4.4% on sales of 53,942 vehicles. Total Acura Division sales gained 1% in February with 10,969 units sold. Acura cars gained 17.4% on sales of 3,866, while trucks decreased 6.2% on sales of 7,103 vehicles for the month.

11:19 EDT The Medicines Co. to restructure board, cut size to seven members - The Medicines Company stated in a regulatory filing earlier: "As a result of the rapid and significant evolution our business and the narrowing of our operational focus onto inclisiran, our board of directors determined to restructure the board, adding directors with relevant expertise and experience and reducing the board's overall size from twelve to seven members, providing a more agile and efficient structure. Accordingly, the board of directors has determined that the slate of directors to be nominated for election as directors at the 2018 annual meeting of shareholders will consist of: Alexander J. Denner, Fredric N. Eshelman, Geno J. Germano, John C. Kelly, Clive A. Meanwell, Paris Panayiotopoulos, and Sarah J. Schlesinger."

10:47 EDT Toyota reports February U.S. sales up 4.5% to 182,195 vehicles - Toyota Motor North America reported February sales of 182,195 vehicles, an increase of 4.5% from February 2017 on a volume basis. With the same amount of selling days in February 2018 compared to February 2017, sales were up 4.5% on a daily selling rate, or DSR, basis. Toyota division posted February sales of 162,930 units, up 4.4% on a volume and DSR basis. Lexus posted February sales of 19,265 vehicles, up 5.1% on a volume basis and DSR basis.

10:43 EDT WageWorks slides as JMP raises questions ahead of filing deadline - Shares of WageWorks are sliding in early trading on March 1, the sixtieth day after the end of the company's fiscal year and the deadline for the company to file its 2017 annual report on Form 10K as required by the SEC. In a note to investors this morning, JMP Securities analyst highlighted the deadline in a note entitled "The Clock Has Struck Midnight And Still No 4Q Report." DELAYED FILING?: JMP Securities analyst David Scharf said that while many companies may wait until the deadline filing, WageWorks' silence on the matter has left him to speculate about what appears now to be a meaningful probability that the company may have to file a Form NT 10-K, which is required when an issuer cannot file on time. Noting that delayed filings are often related to either accounting or disclosure issues, he questions if WageWorks' calculation and disclosure of its organic growth metric is causing a delay. The company's definition of organic growth has always been "liberal", contends Scharf, who wonders if the company may be readdressing implied comments it has received in the past from the SEC regarding the metric. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, WageWorks shares have fallen $7.45, or about 14%, to $45.00.

10:37 EDT Nissan reports February U.S. sales down 4.3% to 129,930 vehicles - Nissan Group announced total U.S. sales for February 2018 of 129,930 units, a decrease of 4.3% compared to the previous year. Combined sales of Nissan crossovers, trucks and SUVs set a February record, up 9%. Nissan Rogue sales continued to be strong with 38,119 sales, up 15%, and set a February record. Frontier truck sales rose to 7,992 units, up 69%.

10:33 EDT Ebix in advance stages of review on 'several acquisition opportunities' - Ebix said in its Q4 earnings release, "We are in advance stages of review on several acquisition opportunities that have the potential to make material contributions to our 2018 results if we are able to complete these transactions on the contemplated terms. Also, we have executed a number of large new business contracts that are expected to start contributing to our top line in 2018. As a result of our strong business development activity and pipeline, combined with expected organic growth across the business, we believe Ebix is well positioned for another solid year in 2018."

10:25 EDT Allergan slides after Mylan, Revance report deal for Botox biosimilar - Shares of Allergan (AGN) are under pressure this morning after Mylan (MYL) and Revance Therapeutics (RVNC) announced an agreement for the development and commercialization of a proposed biosimilar to Botox. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration extended the PDUFA date for Allergan's uterine fibroid candidate, ulipristal acetate, with Credit Suisse analyst Vamil Divan arguing it may raise concerns over a potential regulatory rejection. BOTOX BIOSIMILAR: Last night, Mylan and Revance Therapeutics announced a global collaboration and license agreement for the development and commercialization of a proposed biosimilar to Botox. The companies plan to work together to gain regulatory approval in the development of this biosimilar product and commercialize it in the U.S., Europe and applicable markets throughout the rest of the world. The collaboration includes an upfront payment of $25M to Revance, with contingent milestone payments upon achievement of additional clinical, regulatory and sales targets, plus sales royalties in all relevant markets. ALLERGAN NDA REVIEW EXTENDED: Meanwhile, Allergan said it 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. CREDIBLE LONGER-TERM THREAT: In a research note to investors, Morgan Stanley analyst David Risinger lowered his price target on Allergan to $181 from $200 following the news that Mylan and Revance plan to develop a biosimilar Botox. While the analyst assumes commercialization is several years away, he argued that the risk creates a long-term overhang on the durability of Allergan's most important franchise. Risinger reiterated an Overweight rating on Allergan shares. Also commenting on the Mylan and Revance agreement, Credit Suisse's Divan told investors he sees the collaboration as a credible longer-term biosimilar Botox threat, and believes it creates another legitimate overhang to add to prior concerns around risks to Allergan's flagship Botox franchise. Additionally, Divan said that the extension of the Esmya review is not surprising in light of some of the liver safety questions that have been raised in the EU, but the news does raise the specter of possible regulatory rejection. He reiterated an Outperform rating and $215 price target on Allergan's shares. Meanwhile, Wells Fargo analyst David Maris told investors in a research note of his own that the announced collaboration between Revance and Mylan is "clearly bad headlines news" for Allergan. The analyst noted, however, that this seems an "odd move" by Revance, which is also developing what it hopes to be a long-acting Botox-like product. For Allergan, it is unwanted noise around another key franchise, he contended, adding that while the news is more of a corporate rivalry and less a near-term commercial threat, it is likely to be another overhang for the shares. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of Allergan have dropped about 3% to $149.92. Meanwhile, Mylan's stock has gained 5% to $42.35 and Revance has slipped about 3% to $30 per share.

10:19 EDT SQM sees 'very strong' lithium market demand in coming years - SQM (SQM) said in its Q4 earnings release, "We truly believe in the lithium market as the demand growth, mainly driven by the development of the electric vehicles (EVs), should remain very strong in the coming years. The market will need more efficient projects to come on line to maintain the market equilibrium and support the development of the EVs and battery industries. Being one of the largest lithium producers in the world, we feel the responsibility to grow together with our customers and the market. Along with new expansions in Chile, we will continue development of our projects abroad. In Argentina, we expect the first stage of the Minera Exar project of 25,000 MT/year to be ready by 2020, the construction of the evaporations ponds has begun, and the filling of the evaporation ponds will begin in the second half of the year. In the meantime, we continue working on the detailed engineering of the chemical plant. In Australia, we completed the purchase of the Mt. Holland project in December 2017 and are working on further exploration of the resource, development of the feasibility study and required environmental permits, all of this with the goal of starting production in 2021." Companies with exposure to lithium include Albemarle (ALB) and FMC Corporation (FMC).

10:17 EDT SQM continues to see tight lithium market driven by 'strong demand' - SQM (SQM) said overnight in its Q4 earnings release, "We achieved the same sales volumes in our lithium and derivatives business line in 2017 as in the previous year, while the prices increased 25% with an average price reaching over US$13,500 per metric ton in the fourth quarter. On these days, we continue to see a tight market, mainly driven by a strong demand that is still growing over 15% per year, more than offsetting the new supply that came into the market during the second half of last year. For the remainder of this year, we expect that the strong demand growth will continue, while at the same time, new projects are expected to increase their output during the second half of the year." On the company's agreement with CORFO, SQM said, "We are pleased that we have reached an agreement with CORFO that will let us continue developing a successful story in the Salar de Atacama. The new production allowance granted in the agreement gives us flexibility to increase our operation capacity as the market continues growing, allowing us to keep a market share around 25% during the next few years." It added, "Approximately a year ago, we announced a capacity expansion from 48,000 to 63,000 MT of lithium carbonate in Chile, to be finished in 2018. This expansion project is being revised to reach a total production capacity of 70,000 MT this year. On top of this, we are working on a project to increase our plant capacity by another 30,000 MT in 2019, reaching 100,000 MT of total capacity in Chile. The total budget for both stages will be approximately US$170 million. We will evaluate the timing for future expansions in the Salar de Atacama based on market conditions." Names with exposure to lithium include Albemarle and FMC Corporation (FMC).

10:14 EDT AMC Networks 'enthusiastic' about RLJ Entertainment offer - AMC Networks said on its Q4 earnings conference call that on February 28, it entered into a multi-year distribution agreement with fuboTV, a streaming subscription service for live sports and entertainment. AMC said the fuboTV deal includes AMC Premiere, its premium television viewing option. Says "enthusiastic" about prospects for RLJ Entertainment (RLJE) offer.

10:06 EDT UPS rises 2% in early trading - UPS shares were up $2.04, or 1.95%, to $106.43 in early trading. Some traders attributed the early strength to speculation of a prominent investor taking a stake in the shipper, according to contacts.

09:49 EDT AB InBev says doesn't expect material change from 3.7% coupon in 2018

09:47 EDT Ford reports February U.S. sales down 6.9% to 194,132 vehicles - Overall Ford Motor Company U.S. sales for February totaled 194,132 vehicles, a 6.9% decline compared to the same month of last year. Fleet performance is down 3.8% on sales of 71,059 vehicles. Retail sales totaled 123,073 vehicles last month, a decline of 8.5%. "Ford's overall transaction prices compare favorably against the industry, $36,200 versus $32,200. With the highest transaction pricing of any full-line automaker, Ford posted an increase of $2,100, with incentive spend down $80 compared to a year ago," the company stated.

09:38 EDT General Motors reports February U.S. sales down 6.9% to 220,905 units - General Motors sales were down 6.9% in total and 10% on a retail basis compared to "an exceptionally strong" February 2017, the company reported. Last year, GM had record sales of crossovers, large SUVs and pickups, GM noted. The light vehicle SAAR last year was 17.5M units, compared with about 17.1M today. GM's incentive spending as a percentage of ATP was 13.2%, down 1.7 percentage points. Incentive spending for GM was down more than $500 per vehicle, while the industry average was down $64. About half of major automakers increased spending, GM said.

09:31 EDT AB InBev says sees FY18 tax rate 24%-26%

09:30 EDT General Motors reports February U.S. sales down 6.9% to 220,905 units

09:25 EDT Kroger to stop selling guns to buyers under 21 at Fred Meyer, company tells CNBC - Kroger will no longer sell guns to buyers under 21 at its Fred Meyer stores, the company told CNBC. In a statement, the company said "Kroger's vision is to serve America through food inspiration and uplift. In response to the tragic events in Parkland and elsewhere, we've taken a hard look at our policies and procedures for firearm sales. We follow all state and local laws regulating the sales of sporting-related firearms at our select general-merchandise Fred Meyer stores. Recent events demonstrate the need for additional action on the part of responsible gun retailers. We are raising the minimum age to 21 to purchase firearms and ammunition in all of our Fred Meyer locations that sell firearms. We stopped selling assault-style rifles in our Oregon, Washington and Idaho Fred Meyer stores several years ago and we will no longer accept any special-orders of these weapons in Alaska. Through Restock Kroger, we have a robust space optimization effort underway in many of our stores, including Fred Meyer locations. As we refresh stores we are often transitioning gun departments due to softer demand and changing customer preferences. We believe these are common sense steps we can take immediately that are in line with our values and our vision." Reference Link

09:19 EDT Diana Containerships announces sale of two Panamax container vessels - Diana Containerships announced that it has signed, through two separate wholly-owned subsidiaries, two Memoranda of Agreement to sell to an unaffiliated third party the m/v Sagitta and the m/v Centaurus, each a 2010 built containership for $12.3M each. The Company expects the Vessels to be delivered to the buyer at the latest by April 27, 2018.

09:13 EDT Kohl's says to test bringing Aldi into 5-10 stores in 2018

09:13 EDT Kohl's CEO says doesn't view January comps as 'slowdown' from Nov./Dec. - CEO Kevin Mansell noted that comps were up 6.9% in November/December, up low 2% in January, but doesn't view this as a slowdown. He noted that February comps were "positive."

09:08 EDT Overstock.com received a letter from FINRA regarding potential trading activity - Overstock.com disclosed this morning that in December 2017, SpeedRoute received a letter from FINRA stating that the Department of Enforcement at the agency received a referral from the staff of FINRA's Department of Market Regulation relating to rules applicable to supervision and required supervisory procedures for review of certain potential trading activity, such as pre-arranged trades or wash trades. In an unrelated matter, each of SpeedRoute and PRO Securities have been named in a FINRA investigatory matter in which FINRA has conducted on the record interviews of two senior officers of tZERO, Overstock.com stated. It added, "At this time, the Company is not aware of any proceedings against it which are expected to have a material adverse effect on its financial position, operations or ability to consummate the development and production of the Tokens." Shares of Overstock.com are down 6%, or $3.90, to $56.50 in premarket trading after the company disclosed an SEC investigation into its cryptocurrency token sale.

09:06 EDT Exelon sells W.A. Chester to Bernhard Capital - Exelon has sold W.A. Chester to a group of investors led by Bernhard Capital Partners Management, a services-focused private equity management firm. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. W.A. Chester became part of Exelon through the merger of Pepco Holdings and Exelon Corporation in March 2016.

09:05 EDT Kratos Defense receives $24.3M unmanned aerial drone system contract award - Kratos Defense & Security Solutions announced that its Unmanned Systems Division has been awarded a $24.3M contract for modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to exercise an option for the low rate initial production of the Subsonic Aerial Target BQM-177A and technical data. This option provides for the procurement of multiple BQM-177A targets, associated radar altimeters, technical manuals, training material/equipment, and contractor logistics support services. Work will be performed in Sacramento, California, and is expected to be completed by March 2020. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

09:04 EDT Exxon Mobil to join Stanford Strategic Energy Alliance - Exxon Mobil Corporation announced that it will become the first founding member of the new Stanford Strategic Energy Alliance, an initiative that will examine ways to improve energy access, security and technology while reducing impacts on the environment. As part of its commitment, ExxonMobil will contribute $20M in funding over five years to research and develop lower-carbon energy solutions.

09:04 EDT Walmart, BuzzFeed debut Tasty cookware line - Walmart and BuzzFeed's Tasty unveiled an exclusive new line of kitchen products that will "bring the fun, ease and accessibility of Tasty's signature recipe videos to Walmart and consumers nationwide." The Tasty-branded cookware line includes more than 90 products ranging from non-stick cookware to high-quality bakeware to kitchen gadgets, accessories and more, ranging in price from $4.44 to $99.00. Tasty cookware is available now at Walmart and Walmart.com.

09:03 EDT Marlin Business, Kaeser Compressors partner for new financing program - Marlin Business Services and Kaeser Compressors announced a partnership to provide financing options for Kaeser Compressor North American customers. Marlin's financing options will be available through its authorized distributor channel and direct sales team. The new strategic alliance will enable customers to acquire air compressor solutions equipment that are financed through Marlin's fast, convenient approval process. Customers will also benefit from Marlin's extensive vendor finance and industry experience.

09:02 EDT Red Lion Hotels signs franchise agreements with 10 Inner Circle hotels - RLH Corporation announced 10 new franchise license agreements with hotels owned by affiliates of Inner Circle Investments and managed by Inner Circle Management. The 20-year term franchise agreements include one Hotel RL and nine Red Lion Hotels, totaling 2,584 rooms bringing the company's mid and upscale brands to over 100 hotels.

09:01 EDT Kohl's raises quarterly dividend 11% to 61c per share - On February 28, 2018, Kohl's Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend on the company's common stock of 61c per share, an 11% increase over its prior dividend. The dividend is payable March 28, 2018 to shareholders of record at the close of business on March 14, 2018.

08:56 EDT Kohl's to pilot Kohl's Rewards platform to 100 stores beginning in late May - CEO Kevin Mansell said he sees an opportunity to bring key loyalty assets into one "simpler, easier to understand" platform called Kohl's Rewards. Beginning in late May, Kohl's will pilot the new platform in 100 stores across eight markets. Expects that, following the pilot, "some version" of the new platform will roll out to all stores in 2019.

08:47 EDT Senseonics: FDA advisory panel to review PAA for Eversense on March 29 - Senseonics Holdings announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Clinical Chemistry and Clinical Toxicology Devices Panel is scheduled to review the premarket approval application for Eversense on Thursday, March 29, 2018. The Eversense PMA application contains data from Senseonics' U.S. PRECISE II study. The study, considered one of the largest studies of a CGM system in the world, includes over 2 million sensor glucose readings, from 90 patients at eight clinical centers during the full 90-day study duration.

08:46 EDT Kohl's: Footwear had double digit comp in Q4 - CFO Bruce Besanko says Kohl's (KSS) saw significant improvement in average transaction value in Q4. He said footwear had a double digit comp in Q4. He expects a mid-single digit percentage decrease in inventory levels in FY18. Expects to report Q1 results during week of May 20th. The Fly notes that Kohl's has partnered with Under Armour (UA, UAA), Nike (NKE) and adidas (ADDYY) to sell the companies' shoes and apparel in Kohl's stores.

08:44 EDT On The Fly: Pre-market Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Best Buy (BBY), up 1%... Salesforce (CRM), up 4%... 3D Systems (DDD), up 14%... AMC Entertainment (AMC), up 5%. ALSO HIGHER: Novavax (NVAX), up 29% after reporting Phase I/II safety and immunogenicity data in healthy older adults treated with NanoFlu trivalent vaccine with Matrix M-1 adjuvant... Newell Brands (NWL), up 9% after The New York Post reported that Carl Icahn recently purchased a leading equity stake in the company. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Box (BOX), down 14%... Patterson Companies (PDCO), down 18%... Monster Beverage (MNST), down 8%... L Brands (LB), down 7%. ALSO LOWER: Portola Pharmaceuticals (PTLA), down 21% after the company disclosed an FDA communication regarding additional randomized trial data for AndexXa... Overstock (OSTK), down 8% after disclosing that the Division of Enforcement of the SEC informed the company that it is conducting an investigation and requested that the company voluntarily provide certain documents related to initial coin offerings and cryptocurrency tokens.

08:42 EDT IDC: Global wearables market up 7.7% in Q4, 10.3% in 2017 - The worldwide wearables market continued its upward trajectory in both the fourth quarter and full year 2017 with total shipment volumes reaching new records. Moreover, thanks to a surge in smartwatch shipment volumes, Apple (AAPL) moved past competitors Fitbit (FIT) and Xiaomi to claim overall leadership for both the quarter and the year. According to data from the International Data Corporation Worldwide Quarterly Wearable Device Tracker, total volumes for the quarter reached 37.9 million units, up 7.7% from the 35.2 million units shipped in the same quarter a year ago. For the full year, total wearable device shipments reached 115.4 million units, up 10.3% from the 104.6 million units shipped in 2016. "The 10.3% year-over-year growth in 2017 is a marked decline from the 27.3% growth we saw in 2016," said Ramon T. Llamas, research director for IDC's Wearables team. "The slowdown is not due to a lack of interest - far from it. Instead, we saw numerous vendors, relying on older models, exit the market altogether. At the same time, the remaining vendors - including multiple start-ups - have not only replaced them, but with devices, features, and services that have helped make wearables more integral in people's lives. Going forward, the next generation of wearables will make the ones we saw as recently as 2016 look quaint."

08:41 EDT Best Buy CFO says Q4 'way better than expected'

08:38 EDT Overstock.com reveals SEC investigation into cryptocurrency token sale - In a regulatory filing, Overstock.com said that in February, the Division of Enforcement of the SEC informed the company that it is conducting an investigation in the matter Re: Overstock.com, Inc. -- NY-9777 -- and requested that the company voluntarily provide certain documents related to the Offering and the Tokens in connection with its investigation. The company is in the process of responding to this document request and will cooperate with the SEC in connection with its investigation. While the SEC is trying to determine whether there have been any violations of the federal securities laws, the investigation does not mean that the SEC has concluded that anyone has violated the law. Also, the investigation does not mean that the SEC has a negative opinion of any person, entity, or security. Overstock.com is down 11.4% in pre-market trading.

08:35 EDT Allete Clean Energy to sell Phase II of Thunder Spirit wind farm to MDU for $85M - ALLETE Clean Energy, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ALLETE Inc., announced its plan to sell the 48-megawatt phase two of the Thunder Spirit wind farm near Hettinger, North Dakota to Montana-Dakota Utilities. The approximately $85M sale is expected to close when ALLETE Clean Energy's development of the site, scheduled to begin in May 2018, is complete later this year.

08:33 EDT WGL Holdings raises annual dividend 2c to $2.06 per share - The Board of Directors of WGL Holdings on February 22, 2018, voted to increase the annualized dividend on its common stock by 2c to $2.06 per share from $2.04 per share. The Board of Directors also declared a regular quarterly dividend of 51.5c per share of common stock. The quarterly dividend is payable May 1, 2018, to shareholders of record on April 10, 2018.

08:33 EDT SPX Corporation announces acquisition of Schonstedt Instrument Company - SPX Corporation announced that it has completed the acquisition of Schonstedt Instrument Company, based in Kearneysville, West Virginia. Schonstedt is a manufacturer and distributor of magnetic locator products used for locating underground utilities and other buried objects. Schonstedt's 2017 annual revenues were approximately $9M and the acquisition is expected to be modestly accretive to SPX's 2018 adjusted earnings. The company's results will be reported as a part of SPX's Radiodetection business unit within its Detection & Measurement segment.

08:31 EDT Westwater Resources announces business plan for graphite battery materials - Westwater Resources is pleased to announce the completion of an initial optimization study of Alabama Graphite Corp.'s Coosa Graphite Project and the development of an enhanced business plan for its advancement. WWR is in the process of acquiring Alabama Graphite, with the transaction expected to close during Q2 2018. WWR's process of optimization is centered on both improvements to the economics and project risk reduction. This study has further de-risked the project, as well as improved the economics of the project over the near term. Results of the study include: Economic Improvements to the Coosa Project compared to AGC's 2015 Preliminary Economic Assessment:Reduced initial capital expenditures by almost one-third to $30.0 million from $43.4 million. Increased the net present value to $490 million from $444 million. Advanced revenues to 2020 from 2022. Advanced positive cash flow to 2021 from 2022. Coosa Graphite Project Optimization and Risk Reduction Results:Proven graphite purification processes are utilized rather than lab scale, yet-to-be proven technologies. Mine permitting construction is no longer on the critical path for development because the processing plant initiates operations utilizing low-cost purchased graphite concentrate feedstock. WWR estimates that mining operations can be deferred until 2026, with initial mine capital expenditures funded by internal cash flow. A more advantageous product mix will be utilized to better serve developing markets for battery materials. Staged introduction of advanced materials allows for more conservative product development and pre-qualification with customers. Meetings in February 2018 with officials in the State of Alabama show strong support for the Coosa Graphite Project as a supplier to the green energy materials sector.

08:27 EDT Proofpoint completes Wombat Security acquisition, adjusts financial outlook - Proofpoint announced it has completed its acquisition of Wombat Security Technologies, a company engaged in phishing simulation and security awareness computer-based training. Proofpoint expects the acquisition of Wombat Security to have the following impact to its financial outlook for the first quarter, and full year 2018, as previously provided on February 6, 2018: For the full year 2018: Increase the billings range to $864M-$869M as compared to the previous range of $828M-$833M. Increase the revenue range to $691M$-$696M as compared to the previous range of $660M-$665M. Reduce the non-GAAP net income range to $46M-$50M as compared to the previous range of $52M-$56M. Increase the free cash flow range to $140M-$142M as compared to the previous range of $138M-$140M. For the first quarter of 2018: Increase the billings range to $182M-$184M as compared to the previous range of $180M-$182M. Increase the revenue range to $151M-$153M as compared to the previous range of $149M-$151M. Reduce the non-GAAP net income range to $7.5 - $8.5 million as compared to the previous range of $8M-$9M. No material impact to the previous range of $22M-$24M of free cash flow

08:20 EDT Enviva reports fire at Chesapeake terminal, may impact Q1 shipments and results - Enviva reported that a fire commenced at its deep-water marine terminal in Chesapeake, Virginia late on Tuesday, February 27. The fire was quickly controlled due to the efforts of onsite personnel and the Chesapeake terminal's fire suppression and mitigation processes, with assistance from local fire departments and other first responders. While the Chesapeake terminal is being returned to safe, full commercial operations, the partnership expects to utilize several storage alternatives to minimize the impact of the incident, including excess capacity at its deep-water marine terminal in Wilmington, North Carolina and other temporary storage facilities. The fire may impact the timing and number of shipments in the Q1 and the partnership expects to incur cost and liabilities associated with the event, which may impact the first quarter's financial results. However, due to the partnership's portfolio of production plants and export terminals and the fulfillment flexibility in its off-take contracts and shipping schedule, the partnership does not expect the fire to impact the guidance provided in its earnings release for FY18 adjusted EBITDA and distributable cash flow, subject to recoveries under insurance policies it maintains to mitigate against certain risks and other contractual rights.

08:17 EDT Icahn Enterprises approves increase in quarterly distribution to $1.75 per unit - On February 27, the board of directors of the general partner of Icahn Enterprises declared a quarterly distribution in the amount of $1.75 per depositary unit, an increase from $6.00 to $7.00 in the annualized distribution. The quarterly distribution is payable in either cash or additional depositary units, at the election of each depositary unit holder and will be paid on or about April 16 to depositary unitholders of record at the close of business on March 12. Depositary unit holders have until April 5 to make an election to receive either cash or additional depositary units; if a holder does not make an election, it will automatically be deemed to have elected to receive the distribution in cash.

08:15 EDT Best Buy says plans to expand total tech support program nationwide

08:08 EDT Hyatt announces extension of World of Hyatt loyalty program to home sharing - Hyatt Hotels announced an extension of the World of Hyatt loyalty program to the home sharing space. Effective today, members can now earn and redeem World of Hyatt points with Oasis, engaged in serviced home rental accommodations that offers more than 2,000 personally vetted homes across more than 20 destinations worldwide.

08:07 EDT Tarena to acquire a regional K-12 robotics education company - Tarena has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Wuhan Haoxiaozi Robot Technology Co., one of the largest K-12 robotics programming education service providers in Hunan and Hubei provinces in China. Founded in 2009, Rtec is a pioneer teaching institution that provides robotics education services in China to children aged from 3 to 12 years old. It now serves nearly 4,000 students through over 20 directly operating learning centers. The total consideration for this acquisition is not disclosed.

08:06 EDT Best Buy says customers responding 'very positively' to Best Buy 2020 strategy - Comments from Q4 earnings conference call.

08:05 EDT GTT 'progressing' on financial goals of $2B in revenue, $550M in adjusted EBITDA

08:03 EDT SpartanNash announces 9% increase in quarterly dividend to 18c per share - SpartanNash announced that its Board of Directors has approved an increase to its quarterly cash dividend from 16.5c per common share to 18c per common share. The dividend will be paid on March 29, 2018 to shareholders of record as of March 16, 2018. As of February 28, 2018, there were 36,048,591 common shares outstanding.

07:49 EDT Best Buy jumps 5% in pre-market trading after better than expected Q4 results - The company also said earlier that Enterprise SSS increased 9%.

07:45 EDT CSX to outline plan targeting 60% operating ratio by 2020 - CSX Corporation president and CEO James Foote will outline CSX's plans to build upon the foundation of the company's scheduled railroading model, increase efficiency, control costs, grow the business and target a 60% operating ratio by 2020. Highlights of CSX's Financial Targets include: Full-year operating ratio of 60% by 2020; Revenue growth at a compound annual rate of 4% in 2019 and 2020; Average annual capital expenditures of $1.6B through 2020; Cumulative free cash flow of $8.5B from 2018 to 2020; Share re-purchase of $5B to be complete by 1Q19.

07:43 EDT MGP Ingredients sees modest gross margin growth in 2018 - MGP is offering the following guidance for fiscal 2018 and beyond.Reconfirming previous guidance, operating income is expected to grow between 10% and 15% for fiscal year 2018. The Company's conservative estimate of growth in operating income in 2019 is 15% to 20% as sales of aged whiskey inventory becomes a more significant factor. 2018 net sales growth is projected in the high single-digit percentage range versus 2017, subject to some volatility as the Company continues to shift sales from industrial to premium beverage alcohol. 2018 gross margins are expected to continue to grow modestly versus 2017. 2018 effective tax rate is forecast to be 25%, and shares outstanding are expected to be approximately 16.9 million at year end

07:40 EDT NRG Yield reports Q4 adjusted EBITDA $204M vs. $214M last year - For the fourth quarter of 2017, NRG Yield reported a Net Loss of $98M, Adjusted EBITDA of $204M, Cash from Operating Activities of $142M, and CAFD of $59M. Fourth quarter Net Loss results were primarily due to the $68M write down of the revaluation of the existing net deferred tax asset pursuant to the reduction in the corporate income tax rate to 21% in accordance with the Tax Cut and Jobs Act and $31M of non-cash asset impairments within NRG Wind TE Holdco at two separate wind projects: Elbow Creek located in Texas, and Forward Wind located in Pennsylvania. Fourth quarter Adjusted EBITDA results were lower than 2016 primarily due to lower wind production in 2017 versus fourth quarter 2016, partially offset by growth in the distributed generation partnerships. CAFD results were lower than 2016 primarily due to Adjusted EBITDA results, partially offset by higher distributions received from Agua Caliente and distributed generation partnerships.

07:39 EDT Tronox announces extension to Cristal TiO2 acquisition agreement - Tronox announced the parties have agreed to an extension of the previously announced agreement to acquire the titanium dioxide business of Cristal, a privately held global chemical and mining company headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Pursuant to the amendment, the parties agreed to extend the end date for the transaction from May 21, 2018 to June 30, 2018 with automatic three-month extensions until March 31, 2019, if necessary based on the status of outstanding regulatory approvals. Tronox paid no extension fee for the amendment and has the right to terminate the agreement if it determines regulatory approval of the transaction is not reasonably likely to be obtained, with no fee payable for such a termination of the agreement prior to January 1, 2019. However, Tronox would be required to pay a termination fee of $60M if either party terminates the agreement on or after March 31, 2019 due to failure to obtain regulatory approval or Tronox terminates the agreement after December 31, 2018 if it determines regulatory approval is not likely to be obtained.

07:37 EDT Amneal launches generic Tamiflu oral suspension - Amneal Pharmaceuticals has launched oseltamivir phosphate for oral suspension, the company's AB-rated therapeutic equivalent for Tamiflu, in a 6 mg/mL strength. The powder finished dosage form is made in the U.S.A. and packaged in bottles providing 60 mL of usable volume after constitution. Amneal's oseltamivir phosphate for oral suspension joins its oral solid capsule form approved and launched in July 2017. Amneal Pharmaceuticals and Impax Laboratories announced on October 17, 2017 that they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement with the resulting combined company expected to create the 5th largest generics business in the United States. The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2018.

07:35 EDT Tegna sees Q1 total company revenue up high single digits y/y - In the first quarter, TEGNA expects: Non-GAAP total company revenue excluding the terminated digital business to increase 10%-12% year-over-year driven by Olympics, Super Bowl and subscription revenue growth. GAAP total company revenue to increase high-single digits year-over-year. Revenue consensus is $504.01M.

07:34 EDT XO Group backs long-term financial targets - XO Group reiterated its long-term financial targets of double digit revenue growth rates, gross margins of approximately 90-95%, and adjusted EBITDA margins of 20%.

07:33 EDT SL Green Realty JV to sell 175-225 Third Street site for $115M - SL Green Realty Corp. announced that its joint venture has entered into an agreement to sell the 3-acre development site at 175-225 Third Street in Gowanus, Brooklyn for a gross asset valuation of $115M. The joint venture, of which SL Green owns 95%, acquired the 140,000 square-foot site in 2014 for $72.5M. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2018 and will generate net proceeds to SL Green of approximately $70M. Proceeds from the sale are expected to be used to continue the company's stock repurchase program, which it expanded in December 2017 to $1.5B. To date, the company has repurchased a total of 11,854,335 shares at an average price of $100.30.

07:32 EDT MagneGas European JV awarded $7.2M grant for eco-innovation - MagneGas Corporation announced that its European joint venture with Infinite Fuels, GmbH has been awarded a EUR6M, $7.2M, grant from the Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, a department within the European Commission. The grant application was made by Infinite Fuels through an Eco-Innovation funding initiative within the Energy, Environment, and Resources Department of EASME. The grant approval process is expected to be finalized and funds made available in mid-2018.

07:31 EDT Lonsin Capital submits indication of interest to acquire majority of APWC - LONSIN Capital Limited, together with its affiliates, representing over 5% of the shares outstanding of Asia Pacific Wire and Cable on February 23, 2018 wrote to the Board of Directors of the Company and to the Board of Directors of the main Shareholder Pacific Electric Wire and Cable Co. the intention of interest to acquire a majority of APWC US at $4.00 per share. The proposal would represent a 62% premium to February 22, 2018 's close of $2.475 and a 47% premium to the five-year average closing price on NASDAQ. LONSIN said, "LONSIN has expressed concern to the management, both orally and in writing, concerning the failure of the Company to take sufficient action to enhance shareholder value and to include an additional independent director on the Company's board of directors over time. On May 18, 2016 LONSIN wrote a requisitioned, open letter to the Board of Directors of APWC asking the Board to consider a range of measures that could help deliver enhanced shareholder value without much cost to the Company. The Board responded by stating that they 'took very seriously concerns about shareholder value.'...In light of the underwhelming track record of the incumbent Board and Management of APWC over the short, medium and longer term, LONSIN believes that the acquisition of the majority stake would bring 'fresh impetus' to APWC's assets and 'swiftly deliver enhanced value for all shareholders.'" A response received from the Board of PEWC's US legal counsel, Michael Hagan, on February 27, 2018 states that the "LONSIN letter has been circulated to the board for their consideration." The response goes on to state that "a substantive response to the LONSIN offer" will be issued in due course but it is unlikely to be before the March 8, 2018 owing to existing commitments of the directors.

07:18 EDT Stone Point Capital, the Karfunkel Family, AmTrust CEO to acquire AmTrust - AmTrust Financial Services announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement with Evergreen Parent, an entity formed by private equity funds managed by Stone Point Capital, together with Barry D. Zyskind, Chairman and CEO of AmTrust, George Karfunkel and Leah Karfunkel, in which Evergreen Parent will acquire the approximately 45% of the Company's issued and outstanding common shares that the Karfunkel-Zyskind Family and certain of its affiliates and related parties do not presently own or control. The transaction values the fully diluted equity of the Company at approximately $2.7B, excluding the Company's outstanding preferred stock. Under the terms of the proposed merger, AmTrust common shareholders who are not affiliated with the Karfunkel-Zyskind Family will receive $13.50 in cash for each share of AmTrust common stock they hold. This represents a premium of 33% to the Company's unaffected closing common stock price on January 9, 2018, the last trading day before Stone Point and the Karfunkel-Zyskind Family announced their proposal to acquire all of the outstanding common shares of AmTrust that the Karfunkel-Zyskind Family did not already own or control. The Karfunkel-Zyskind Family and certain of its affiliates and related parties will rollover their shares in the Company for interests in Evergreen Parent. Each share of the Company's currently outstanding preferred stock will remain outstanding and it is expected that they will continue to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange following the consummation of the transaction. The proposed merger is anticipated to close in the second half of 2018, subject to satisfaction or waiver of the closing conditions, including approval by regulatory authorities and the Company's shareholders, including approval by a majority of the shares of the Company not owned or controlled by the Karfunkel-Zyskind Family, their children, senior management or their respective affiliates and certain related parties. The Company will file a Current Report on Form 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission which will more fully describe the terms and conditions of the proposed merger.

07:18 EDT Tribune Media CEO sees 'significant tax savings' in 2018 - CEO Kern said, "Looking ahead to 2018, while we are keenly focused on the completion of our pending merger, we also see growth opportunities in the core business, with the shift in our programming strategy at WGN America expected to turn that business into a significant EBITDA contributor, and the highly contested midterm elections expected to drive a resurgence of political advertising revenue across our diverse footprint of stations. In addition, we expect to realize significant tax savings from the recent changes in the tax code on both our core business operations as well as on any potential gains from continued asset sales."

07:15 EDT CECO Environmental sells Keystone Filter brand - CECO Environmental is selling its Keystone Filter brand and products to Porvair plc. Terms were not disclosed. The Keystone brand recorded revenue of approximately $4.0M in its last full year and is focused on the drinking water and the food and beverage markets in the USA.

07:15 EDT WPP sees 'above industry' revenue growth long-term - Long-term targets include: "Above industry revenue growth, due to effective implementation of horizontality, geographically superior position in new markets and functional strength in new media, data investment management, including data analytics and the application of new technology, creativity, effectiveness and horizontality; improvement in staff costs/revenue less pass-through costs1 ratio of 0 - 0.2 margin points or more depending on revenue less pass-through costs1 growth; revenue less pass-through costs1 operating margin expansion of 0 - 0.3 margin points or more on a constant currency basis, with an ultimate goal of almost 20%; and headline diluted EPS growth of 5% to 10% p.a. from revenue and revenue less pass-through costs growth, margin expansion, strategically targeted small- and medium-sized acquisitions and share buy-backs."

07:14 EDT WPP says will have 'dual' focus for 2018 - The company said it will have a "dual" focus for 2018: "1. Revenue and revenue less pass-through costs growth from leading position in horizontality, faster growing geographic markets and digital, premier parent company creative and effectiveness position, new business and strategically targeted acquisitions; 2. Continued emphasis on balancing revenue growth with headcount increases and improvement in staff costs/revenue less pass-through costs1 ratio to enhance operating margins."

07:14 EDT Alkermes appoints James Robinson as COO - Alkermes appointed James Robinson as President and COO, effective March 5. Robinson will lead Alkermes' global Commercial, Operations, Business Development and Human Resources functions. He will serve on the executive management team and report to CEO Richard Pops. Robinson joins Alkermes from Astellas US LLC, where he served as President, Americas Operations with responsibility for the company's operations in North and South America.

07:13 EDT WPP reports preliminary 2017 headline EPS 120.4p - Reports preliminary 2017 reported revenue up 6.1% to GBP15.265B. Reports preliminary reported billings up 0.6% at GBP 55.563 billion, down 3.9% in constant currency and down 5.4% like-for-like. Reports preliminary 2017 constant currency revenue up 1.6%, like-for-like revenue down 0.3%.

07:12 EDT Sotheby's approves $100M increase to share repurchase authorization - Sotheby's announced that its Board of Directors approved a $100M increase to its share repurchase authorization, resulting in an updated share repurchase authorization of $196M as of today.

07:10 EDT Broadcom urges Qualcomm shareholders to vote for all six Broadcom nominees - Broadcom (AVGO) urged Qualcomm stockholders (QCOM) to vote "FOR" all six Broadcom nominees in connection with the Qualcomm 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held March 6, 2018. "It is extremely important that stockholders vote as soon as possible - no matter how many shares they own - to support Broadcom's compelling proposal."

07:07 EDT Antares Pharma receives second installment from sale of Zomajet - Antares Pharma announced that it has received $2.75 million from Ferring Pharmaceuticals in connection with the previously disclosed sale of Antares' worldwide rights, including certain fixed assets, for the ZOMAJET needle-free auto injector device to Ferring. The purchase price of up to $14.5 million is to be paid in four installments of which the $2.0 million upfront payment and the second installment of $2.75 million have now been received. A third installment of $4.75 million will be payable upon satisfaction of customary closing conditions and the remaining payment of $5.0 million upon the completion of the transaction. Antares has been the worldwide supplier of ZOMAJET devices to its partners Ferring and JCR Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. and will continue to manufacture and supply the devices until the completion date pursuant to existing supply arrangements. During the completion period, Antares will continue to receive payment for ZOMAJET devices manufactured and supplied to its partners and a royalty on net product sales in accordance with the existing license and supply agreements. The transaction is subject to certain customary closing conditions and expected to be completed by the end of 2018.

07:06 EDT Impax sees Amneal acquisition closing in 2Q18 - "We made significant progress in preparing for our combination with Amneal Pharmaceuticals. Integration planning teams are finalizing key Day 1 plans to ensure business continuity following the close of the transaction. We remain excited about the value of this combination, which will create a more diversified company with one of the industry's leading high-value generic product pipelines. We are currently on track to close the transaction in the second quarter of 2018 and expect to provide combined company full year 2018 guidance after the close of the transaction." "We also completed our operational and cost improvement program nearly one year ahead of schedule," continued CEO Bisaro. "Key highlights included the sale of our Taiwan manufacturing subsidiary for $18.5 million, completing the closure of our Middlesex, New Jersey R&D and packaging facility, and completing our product optimization strategies across our generic portfolio. These actions are expected to generate run-rate savings of approximately $85 million."

07:04 EDT Best Buy board approves 32% increase in regular quarterly dividend to 45c - The company announced its Board of Directors approved a 32% increase in the regular quarterly dividend to 45c per share, effective immediately, and a share repurchase plan of at least $1.5 billion for FY19, which reflects an updated two-year plan of $3.5 billion compared to the original $3.0 billion two-year plan announced at the beginning of FY18. The regular quarterly dividend will be payable on April 12, 2018 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 22, 2018.

07:03 EDT Main Street Capital trading halted, news dissemination

07:02 EDT Floor & Decor sees FY18 CapEx $140M-$150M - Sees FY18 tax rate 23.7%.

07:01 EDT Nasdaq, Extroadinary Re sign market technology agreement - Nasdaq and Extraordinary Re signed a new market technology agreement for Nasdaq to deliver matching engine technology via the Nasdaq Financial Framework architecture. Extraordinary Re will deploy this technology through its patented Liquid Insurance Contract risk allocation platform. Extraordinary Re will also operate its system on a private cloud and leverage blockchain technology to transmit flow-through information to its participants. The go-live is targeted for summer 2018.

06:54 EDT NGL Energy Partners, Magnum Liquids sign joint venture - NGL Energy Partners and Magnum Liquids, along with Magnum Development and other Haddington-sponsored investment entities, have announced the formation of a joint venture to focus on the storage of natural gas liquids and refined products by combining NGL's Sawtooth Storage Facility with Magnum's refined products rights and adjacent leasehold. NGL will sell an interest in Sawtooth to Magnum for $45M in cash due at closing. Magnum will contribute its right, title and interest in certain leasehold and other assets located at the site, which will be utilized to expand Sawtooth' s existing operations and allow for the addition of refined products storage at the facility. NGL will own approximately 67.6% of the joint venture and Magnum will own the remaining 32.4% at closing. Magnum will have an option to acquire an additional 21.6% interest from NGL under similar terms with an additional option to acquire NGL's remaining 46% interest within three years of closing. The initial transaction, which is subject to certain closing conditions, is expected to close by March 31, 2018.

06:45 EDT AB InBev sees 'strong' revenue, EBITDA growth in FY18 - The company says, "While recognizing volatility in some of our key markets , we expect to continue to deliver strong Revenue and EBITDA growth in FY18 , driven by the solid performance of our brand portfolio and strong commercial plans . Our growth model is now far more focused on category development, and as a consequence, we expect to deliver net revenue per hl growth ahead of inflation based on premiumization and revenue management initiatives , while keeping costs below inflation. We expect a softer 1Q18 as a result of a tough comparable and the phasing of sales and marketing initiatives, but are confident that growth will accelerate for the balance of the year. We maintain our 3.2 billion USD synergy and cost savings expectation on a constant currency basis as of August 2016 . From this total, 547 million USD was reported by former SAB as of 31 March 2016, and 1 586 million USD was captured between 1 April 2016 and 31 December 2017 . The balance of just over 1 billion USD is expected to be captured in the next two to three years."

06:37 EDT Canadian Natural sees 2018 production levels 815K-885K Bbl/d of crude oil - Canadian Natural forecasts annual 2018 production levels to average between 815,000 and 885,000 bbl/d of crude oil and NGLs and between 1,650 and 1,710 MMcf/d of natural gas, before royalties. Q1 production guidance before royalties is forecast to average between 821,000 and 869,000 bbl/d of crude oil and NGLs and between 1,600 and 1,650 MMcf/d of natural gas. 2018 capital expenditures are targeted to be approximately $4.3B.

06:34 EDT Toronto-Dominion raises quarterly dividend 11.7% - The Bank announced a dividend increase of C$.07 per common share for the quarter ending in April, an increase of 11.7%.

06:30 EDT iCAD granted CE Mark approval in Europe for AI cancer detection solution - iCAD received CE Mark approval for PowerLook Tomo Detection 2.0, the company's second deep-learning based computer aided detection solution. This innovative breast cancer detection solution is compatible with Hologic, GE and Siemens systems. Using a unique algorithm that is trained to detect malignancies and determine the probability of cases having malignant findings, PowerLook Tomo Detection 2.0 provides radiologists with a "certainty of finding" score for each detected lesion.

06:24 EDT Amarin commences final clinical site visits in REDUCE-IT study - Amarin announced that final study-related visits have commenced for patients enrolled in its REDUCE-IT cardiovascular outcomes study. An important step in completion of this potentially landmark study is to have patients return to their clinical sites for final study data collection. Commencing final patient visits on March 1, 2018 is consistent with the company's estimated schedule of having results of this first of its kind study announced before the end of the third quarter of this year.

06:24 EDT L Brands sees total February comps up in low to mid single digit range

06:23 EDT L Brands sees FY18 SSS up 2%-4%, sales about 2 points higher than comps

06:22 EDT Silvercorp Metals updates share buyback program - Silvercorp Metals has acquired to date 1,717,100 of its common shares at an average price paid per common share of C$3.07 through the facilities of the TSX, pursuant to its normal course issuer bid announced November 23, 2017. All common shares acquired in the Buyback Program will be cancelled.

06:13 EDT Vermilion Energy raises 2018 production view to 75K-77.5K Boe/d - Previous production guidance was 74,500-76,500 boe/d. Increases 2018 capital guidance to $325M from $315M.

06:08 EDT Luxottica, Essilor deal approved by European Comission - The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed merger between Essilor and Luxottica, two leaders in the optical industry. The Commission concluded that the merger would not adversely affect competition in the European Economic Area or any substantial part of it.