Stockwinners Market Radar for April 24, 2018 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:33 EDT Boot Barn acquires Lone Star Western & Casual LLC assets, terms not disclosed - Boot Barn Holdings acquired certain assets of Lone Star Western & Casual LLC, an individually-owned retail company with three stores in Waxahachie, Corsicana and Athens, Texas. As part of the transaction, Boot Barn purchased inventory, entered into new leases with the stores' landlord and offered employment to the Lone Star team at all three store locations. Boot Barn funded the acquisition from cash on hand.

19:02 EDT On The Fly: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Cree (CREE) up 7.8%... Six Flags (SIX) up 6.5%... Texas Instruments (TXN) up 4.6%... Usana (USNA) up 4.4%... MKS Instruments (MKSI) up 4.2%... Supervalue (SVU) up 3.5%... iRbotot (IRBT) up 3.3%... DDR Corp (DDR) up 3.1%... Inphi (IPHI) up 3.1%... Hawaiian Holdings (HA) up 2.2%. ALSO HIGHER: Shire (SHPG) up 4.2% after reports of pending deal with Takeda... Knowles Corp (KN) up 1.8% after S&P SmallCap600 entry. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Teradyne (TER) down 10.2%... Edwards Lifesciences (EW) down 8.2%... Dolby (DLB) down 5.9%... Wynn Resorts (WYNN) down 2.9%... Capital One (COF) down 2.6%. ALSO LOWER: Sangamo (SGMO) down 6.2% after equity offering... Mirati Therapeutics (MRTX) down 4.1% after sitravatinib update.

18:05 EDT Amgen reports Q1 Repatha sales up 151% driven primarily by higher unit demand

17:59 EDT S&P announces changes to S&P MidCap 400, S&P SmallCap 600 indices - nVent Electric (NVT) will replace Knowles (KN) in the S&P MidCap 400, and Knowles will replace DHI Group (DHX) in the S&P SmallCap 600 effective prior to the open of trading on Wednesday, May 2. S&P 500 constituent Pentair (PNR) is spinning off nVent Electric in a transaction expected to be completed prior to the open on Tuesday, May 1, pending final conditions. Pentair will remain in the S&P 500 following the spin-off transaction. Knowles has a market capitalization that is more representative of the small-cap market space. DHI Group is ranked near the bottom of the S&P SmallCap 600.

17:22 EDT Knowles to replace DHI Group in S&P 600 at open on 5/2

17:21 EDT nVent Electric to replace Knowles in S&P 400 at open on 5/2 - S&P 500 constituent Pentair (PNR) is spinning off nVent Electric (NVT) in a transaction expected to be completed prior to the open on Tuesday, May 1, pending final conditions.

17:19 EDT CenterState Bank to acquire Charter Financial for $360M in cash and stock - CenterState Bank Corporation (CSFL), the parent company of CenterState Bank, N.A., and Charter Financial Corporation ( CHFN), the parent company of CharterBank announced the signing of a definitive agreement and plan of merger pursuant to which Charter will merge with and into CenterState. Immediately upon completion of the merger, CharterBank will merge with and into CenterState Bank, N.A. As of March 31, 2018 and excluding purchase accounting, the combined company has pro forma total assets of $12.0 billion, gross loans of $8.0 billion, deposits of $9.5 billion and a market capitalization of approximately $2.5 billion. Subject to the terms of the merger agreement, Charter stockholders will receive 0.738 of a share of CSFL common stock and $2.30 in cash consideration for each outstanding share of Charter common stock. Based on CSFL's stock price of $27.72 as of April 24, 2018, this equates to a per share value of $22.76 and an aggregate deal value of $360.1 million.

17:15 EDT PTC VP Aaron von Staats selss 7,500 shares of stock - Aaron von Staats, a Vice President, at PTC disclosed in a filing after the close that he had sold 7,500 shares of company stock at an average price of $84.85 per share on April 23, at a total transaction value of $636,407.

17:11 EDT Herbalife to change name to 'Herbalife Nutrition,' announces 2-for-1 stock split - Herbalife announced its name change to "Herbalife Nutrition Ltd.", as approved by shareholders at its annual general meeting of shareholders. The evolution of the company's name reflects the investments Herbalife Nutrition has made to "become a leader in the nutrition industry, and its commitment to making the world healthier and happier." Common shares of Herbalife Nutrition, which are traded on the New York Stock Exchange, will begin trading under the new name on April 25, 2018; the ticker symbol will remain "HLF". In addition to the name change, shareholders also voted to approve a previously announced two-for-one stock split. The record date for the stock split is May 7, 2018 and the stock split distribution date is May 14, 2018. Common share certificates bearing the old company name, "Herbalife Ltd.", continue to be valid, and shareholders are not required to exchange their existing common share certificates for new certificates bearing the new company name.

17:07 EDT Buckeye Partners to partner with Phillips 66 Partners, Andeavor on new terminal - Buckeye Partner (BPL), announced the formation of a joint venture with Phillips 66 Partners LP (PSXP) and Andeavor (ANDV) to develop a new deep-water, open access marine terminal in Ingleside, Texas. The South Texas Gateway Terminal will be constructed on a 212 acre waterfront parcel at the mouth of Corpus Christi Bay. The facility is positioned to serve as the primary outlet for crude oil and condensate volumes delivered off of the planned Gray Oak pipeline from the Permian Basin. The terminal, to be constructed and operated by Buckeye, will offer 3.4 million barrels of crude oil storage capacity, connectivity to the Gray Oak pipeline and two deep-water vessel docks capable of berthing Very Large Crude Carrier petroleum tankers as part of the initial scope of construction. The facility can ultimately be expanded to include over 10 million barrels of storage capacity as well as multiple additional docks and other inbound pipeline connections. The initial construction of the terminal is supported by long-term minimum volume throughput commitments from credit-worthy customers, including Phillips 66 and Andeavor, and is scheduled to commence initial operations by the end of 2019. Buckeye will own a 50% interest in the newly formed joint venture and Phillips 66 Partners and Andeavor will each own a 25% interest.

17:03 EDT Renasant raises quarterly dividend to 20c per share from 19c - Renasant said its board of directorsdeclared a quarterly cash dividend of 20c per share to be paid June 30, 2018, to shareholders of record as of June 16, 2018. The per share dividend represents a 1c increase from the dividend paid in the previous quarter and the third increase to the company's quarterly dividend since March 31, 2016. "Renasant opened the year with very strong results. Our continued focus on profitability in this competitive interest rate environment coupled with our strategies around expense containment were the driving factors behind our record earnings for the quarter," commented Renasant Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, E. Robinson McGraw. "We're also excited to announce an increase in our quarterly dividend, effective in the second quarter of 2018. This increase represents the third dividend increase in the last eight quarters and boosts our annual cash dividend from $0.76 to $0.80. It is also my pleasure to announce that, effective May 1, 2018, our Board of Directors has elected Mitch Waycaster as Chief Executive Officer of both Renasant Corporation and Renasant Bank and Kevin Chapman as Chief Operating Officer, in addition to his role as Chief Financial Officer, of both Renasant Corporation and Renasant Bank."

16:54 EDT Costco raises quarterly dividend to 57c from 50 per share - The dividend is payable May 25, 2018, to shareholders of record at the close of business on May 11, 2018.

16:49 EDT Bar Harbor Bankshares raises quarterly dividend to 20c from 18.7c per share - The quarterly cash dividend is payable to all shareholders of record as of the close of business May 14, 2018 and will be paid on June 14, 2018.

16:44 EDT PacWest Bancorp increased quarterly dividend to 60c per share - PacWest Bancor announced that its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.60 per common share, an increase from $0.50 per common share declared last quarter. The cash dividend is payable on May 31, 2018 to stockholders of record at the close of business on May 21, 2018. Matt Wagner, President and CEO of PacWest Bancorp, stated "Our current level of profitability and confidence in continued strong financial performance support this increase in our quarterly dividend. We are pleased to continue to make current income an important component of shareholder return."

16:42 EDT Broadview Investments lowers stake in Chart Industries to 4.7% from 6.9%

16:42 EDT Menlo partners halt Japanese Phase 2 clinical trial of serlopitant - Japan Tobacco and Torii Pharmaceuticals Co., Menlo Therapeutics's partners for development and commercialization of serlopitant in Japan, have informed the company that they have decided to halt the recently initiated Japanese Phase 2 clinical trial of serlopitant. JT Torii has indicated that they are reevaluating their serlopitant development program based upon evolving commercial considerations in Japan. Based upon communication with JT Torii, the company expects that the JT Torii license agreement for serlopitant will ultimately be terminated.

16:37 EDT UGI Corporation raises quarterly dividend 4% to 26c per share - The board of directors of UGI Corporation has declared a quarterly dividend of 26c per share on the company's common stock representing a 4% increase. The dividend is payable July 1, 2018 to shareholders of record as of June 15, 2018.

16:36 EDT Flexion to present data on ZILRETTA at AMCP - Flexion Therapeutics will present positive clinical data from a post-hoc analysis of patients with unilateral knee osteoarthritis pain from its Phase 3 trial. The results indicated that patients with unilateral knee OA pain treated with ZILRETTA experienced significant and sustained improvements in pain, function, and knee-related quality of life metrics compared with immediate-release triamcinolone acetonide crystalline suspension. The data will be presented in a poster session, entitled "Efficacy of triamcinolone acetonide extended-release injectable suspension in patients with unilateral knee osteoarthritis," at the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy Annual Meeting 2018, taking place April 23 - 26 in Boston."We are encouraged by these data as they further bolster our confidence in ZILRETTA's ability to deliver meaningful relief to those suffering from knee OA pain," said Michael Clayman, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Flexion. "This analysis enhances our understanding of ZILRETTA's clinical profile within a specific subpopulation and provides deeper insight into the benefit it provides."

16:33 EDT Reata announces data showing potential of omaveloxolone in neorological issues - Reata Pharmaceuticals announced new preclinical data demonstrating that omaveloxolone potently activates the Keap1/Nrf2 pathway, significantly reduces production of reactive oxygen species, and improves mitochondrial function in two different models of severe neurological diseases. These results support the rationale for clinical studies of omaveloxolone in neurodegenerative and neuromuscular disorders, including the ongoing pivotal MOXIe trial in patients with Friedreich's ataxia. In one study, omaveloxolone treatment dose-dependently increased the expression of key Nrf2 target genes, decreased LPS-induced expression of pro-inflammatory genes, and improved mitochondrial function in several cell lines including hFXN154F mouse embryonic fibroblasts expressing a mutant human frataxin gene. These data were presented by Christian Wigley, Ph.D., Reata's Vice President of Research, at the ongoing 2018 American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting in Los Angeles, CA.

16:33 EDT Six Flags to add three new branded parks to China - Six Flags Entertainment and its development partner, Riverside Investment Group Co. Ltd., announced continued growth in the China market with the planned addition of three new branded parks. The parks will be located in Nanjing, capital of Jiangsu province and the second largest city in the East China region. Six Flags Nanjing will offer guests a full range of world-class experiences with a theme park, waterpark, and an adventure park. The first phase of the multi-million dollar entertainment complex is expected to open in 2021. The theme park and waterpark will boast state-of-the-art roller coasters, rides, waterslides and attractions along with elaborately-themed sections celebrating time-honored Chinese and American traditions. The theme park will also feature live performances along with exclusive, limited time only special events. Both parks will offer an extensive collection of culinary and retail locations.

16:26 EDT Dolby down 8.8% after reporting Q2 earnings, giving Q3, FY18 guidance

16:25 EDT American Lorain receives notice from NYSE American - On April 18 American Lorain received a notice from NYSE American that the Company was not in compliance with Sections 1003 and 1003 of the NYSE American Company Guide since the Company reported a stockholders' equity deficit of $3.05M of December 31, 2017 and net losses in three of its four most recent fiscal years ended December 31, 2017. In order to maintain its listing on the Exchange, the Company must, by May 21 submit a plan of compliance advising the Exchange of actions it has taken or will take to regain compliance.

16:21 EDT Associated Banc-Corp announces $100M share repurchase program - This repurchase authorization is in addition to the authority remaining under the previous program.

16:21 EDT Mirati Therapeutics provides update for clinical trial of sitravatinib - Mirati Therapeutics provided a progress update on its lead development programs and announced updated, positive clinical trial data for sitravatinib, a spectrum selective kinase inhibitor, and mocetinostat, a class I and IV HDAC inhibitor. The Company has been evaluating sitravatinib and mocetinostat in separate Phase 2 clinical trials in combination with checkpoint inhibitor therapy in non-small cell lung cancer patients whose disease had progressed following prior treatment with a checkpoint inhibitor. Both clinical trials have generated encouraging preliminary data demonstrating the potential to overcome resistance to checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

16:20 EDT MetLife raises quarterly dividend by 5% to 42c per share - The dividend will be payable on June 13, 2018, to shareholders of record as of May 7, 2018.

16:15 EDT Meredith to purchase KPLR-TV for $65M - Meredith (MDP) announced a definitive agreement to purchase KPLR-TV, the CW affiliate in the St. Louis market, for $65M, subject to certain purchase price adjustments. The transaction, in which Meredith will purchase all of the stock of KPLR, is expected to close concurrently with Sinclair Broadcast Group's (SBGI) acquisition of Tribune Media Company, and after the parties receive regulatory approvals. The acquisition creates a duopoly for Meredith in the nation's 21st largest television market, as Meredith already owns CBS affiliate KMOV in St. Louis. It is the 6th duopoly market for Meredith. The acquisition of KPLR is not expected to have a material effect on Meredith's FY18 financial performance. Meredith will fund the acquisition using existing cash.

16:12 EDT Kindred Biosciences provides update on pending drug approvals - Kindred Biosciences announced that it has received a response from the FDA for the Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls technical section for Zimeta IV for the control of fever in horses. The FDA has no additional questions or requests for KindredBio regarding this submission. The FDA stated that the approval is pending the pre-approval inspection, or PAI, at the contract manufacturer of Zimeta IV scheduled for July 2018, and an acceptable resolution by the contract manufacturer of the active pharmaceutical ingredient dipyrone of findings identified during an inspection conducted this month. KindredBio believes that the findings at the API manufacturer are minor and addressable. KindredBio continues to anticipate approval of its first product, Mirataz, for the management of weight loss in cats on or before the May 6, 2018 action date. The FDA does not have any additional questions or requests from KindredBio, final label negotiations have been completed, and all of the required inspections have been completed successfully at the contract manufacturers.

16:11 EDT Hess Midstream Partners raises quarterly dividend by 3.6% to 33.3c - The distribution will be payable on May 14, 2018 to unitholders of record as of the close of business on May 4, 2018.

16:10 EDT Cree jumps 7.2% after earnings beat, guidance

16:09 EDT ISS reaffirms support for McDermott's proposed combination with CB&I - McDermott International (MDR)announced that Institutional Shareholder Services, a leading independent proxy advisory firm, has reaffirmed its recommendation that McDermott stockholders vote "FOR" each of the proposals relating to the combination with CB&I (CBI) to be voted on at the special meeting of stockholders on May 2.

16:07 EDT Capital Southwest supports Gauge Capital's recapitalization of American Nuts - Capital Southwest (CSWC) announced that it supported the recent majority recapitalization of American Nuts, by Gauge Capital with a first lien term loan , a revolving credit facility and an equity co-investment. Capital Southwest will act as the sole administrative agent on the credit facility. Main Street Capital (MAIN), was its co-lender on the term loan."We are pleased to have the opportunity to partner with Gauge on the majority recapitalization of American Nuts," said Josh Weinstein, Managing Director of Capital Southwest. "American Nuts' rigorous sourcing operations and value-add processing capabilities create substantial value for its clients. We look forward to our partnership with Gauge and American Nuts."

16:06 EDT Jabil CFO Alexander to retire - Jabil announced that CFO Forbes I.J. Alexander has elected to retire from his role effective August 31, 2018, following a distinguished 25-year career with the company. Further, as part of its succession planning process, the company announced that Michael K. Dastoor, Senior Vice President, Controller will succeed Forbes as Chief Financial Officer, effective September 1, 2018.

16:05 EDT AveXis to present data from pivotal trial and follow-up data - AveXis will present initial results from the Type 1 U.S. Pivotal trial and 24-month follow-up data from the Phase 1 trial of AVXS-101 for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy Type 1 at the 2018 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting in Los Angeles."With a population closely matched to the Phase 1 trial, preliminary safety data and the early and rapid increases in CHOP-INTEND scores achieved by infants in this pivotal STR1VE trial are consistent with results of the Phase 1 trial of AVXS-101 in SMA Type 1," said John W. Day, MD, PhD, Professor, Neurology & Pediatrics, and Director of the Stanford Neuromuscular Program, Stanford University Medical Center, who will present these data at AAN. "These early signs of efficacy and safety are promising, and I look forward to seeing the trial progress."

16:03 EDT Coffee Holding joint venture acquires Steep N Brew Coffee - Coffee Holding Co. announced the acquisition of substantially all of the assets of Steep N Brew Coffee Company through Generations Coffee Company, the company's specialty coffee joint venture in Ohio. Located in Madison Wisconsin, Steep N Brew is a highly recognizable regional roaster selling to most large retail channels in the upper Midwest area since 1979. Their brand portfolio includes the Steep N Brew brand, their Fair Trade Organic line, Cafe Fair and value line, Kendra. Revenues of Steep N Brew for the past fiscal year were approximately $7M. The purchase price under the asset purchase agreement was comprised of (i) a cash payment of $1.6M, (ii) a cash payment of $1.1M for the payment for the inventory purchased under the asset purchase agreement and (iii) the issuance of a promissory note in the principal amount of $150,000. Generations intends to incorporate the infrastructure of Steep N Brew into the existing business model of Generations.

16:02 EDT Wynn Resorts reports Q1 Wynn Macau revenue $618.2M, up 11.9%

15:05 EDT Target expanding electric vehicle program in partnership with Tesla - Target (TGT) announced yesterday that it is accelerating its electric vehicle program with the help of Tesla (TSLA), ChargePoint and Electrify America. "Together, we'll expand our current program, available now at 18 sites in five states, to more than 600 parking spaces at over 100 sites across more than 20 states with charging stations over the next two years," Target stated. Reference Link

14:42 EDT FANG stocks lead tech sector lower after analysts worry about Alphabet costs - Leadership in the tech-heavy Nasdaq-100 index (QQQ) is under pressure, as selling in some of the most popular names -- including Facebook (FB), Amazon (AMZN), Apple (AAPL), Netflix (NFLX), and Alphabet (GOOG GOOGL) -- is intensifying in afternoon trading. ANALYSTS UNEASY AFTER ALPHABET: After the close of trading Monday, Alphabet reported Q1 net profit up 73% to $9.4B for the quarter, compared to $5.4B last year. Despite Alphabet's strong Q1 report, some analysts are concerned about the tech giant's increased willingness to spend. Citing costs, Alphabet reported Q1 operating margin of 22%, missing expectations and down from the 27% in the year-ago quarter. The core takeaway is that Google continues to demonstrate "remarkable" sales strength, while heavily investing, said Piper Jaffray analyst Sam Kemp in a post-earnings research note. He sees these investments as unlikely to abate in 2018. CAP-EX SWELLING: Capital expenditures at Google spiked to $7.3B in Q1 from $2.5B in the year-ago quarter. The blames the spending in part on acquiring streaming rights for YouTube's new TV service and other marketing expenses. Deutsche Bank analyst Lloyd Walmsley told investors in a note that cost growth continues to surprise in excess of revenue. Walmsley lowered his price target for Alphabet to $1,225 but kept a Buy rating on the shares following the Q1 results. He expects the shares to be volatile in the near-term, pending more signs of stabilizing margins. WAYMO CATALYST: JPMorgan analyst Doug Anmuth reiterated an Overweight rating on shares but lowered his price target for Alphabet to $1,285 from $1,330. Anmuth said that accounting changes and higher spending may drive the bulk of near-term discussion. BMO Capital analyst Daniel Salmon kept his Market Perform rating and $1,100 price target on Alphabet after the company's Q1 results, saying that while revenues came in "solid", margins were "weak again" and could remain pressured as the company spends more to address inappropriate content on YouTube. The analyst said earlier this trend is being "increasingly embedded" in investors' expectations, requiring a notable "new story" like Maps monetization or Waymo commercialization to produce "material stock outperformance." PRICE ACTION: Shares of Alphabet Class A are near session lows, down over 5% to $1016.68 per share: OTHER FANG NAMES FALL: Also lower are Facebook, down almost 4%, and Amazon and Netflix, losing over 4%. Apple is faring slightly better, down almost 2% in afternoon trading.

14:21 EDT BB&T raises dividend 13.6% to 37.5c per share - The board of directors of BB&T Corporation declared a dividend of 37.5c per common share, reflecting a 13.6% increase as previously announced in February as BB&T shares tax reform benefits with shareholders. The regular quarterly dividend is payable June 1 to shareholders of record at the close of business May 11.

14:00 EDT Lakewood Capital discloses short positions in iRhythm, Ligand - Lakewood Capital Management disclosed in its quarterly letter that it recently initiated short positions in both iRhythm Technologies (ITRC) and Ligand Pharmaceuticals (LGND). Shares of iRhythm are down 5% in afternoon trading to $58.63 while Ligand is down 3% to $162.74.

13:13 EDT Cree, Acuity Brands lower after Germany's Osram cuts outlook - Shares of Cree (CREE) and Acuity Brands (ATI) moved lower after Osram lowered its forecast for fiscal year 2018. The German lighting manufacturer explained, "The reasons for this are the uncertain macroeconomic conditions, particularly the weakness of the US dollar against the euro, and the slower business development in the first half of fiscal year 2018. Based on current exchange rates, a comparable revenue increase of 3.0-5.0 percent (previously: 5.5-7.5 percent) and adjusted EBITDA of EUR640 million (previously: EUR700 million) are now forecast. Furthermore, OSRAM expects earnings per share (diluted) of EUR1.90-EUR2.10 (previously: EUR2.40-EUR2.60) and a negative free cash flow of EUR50 million to EUR150 million (unchanged) for fiscal year 2018." Shares of Cree are down 3% to $39.28 in afternoon trading while Acuity Brands is down 1% to $127.68.

12:53 EDT Charter Financial increases quarterly dividend to 8.5c per share - Charter Financial announced that its board of directors has declared an increased quarterly cash dividend of 8.5c per share, the seventh consecutive increase after a 5cper share dividend was announced in the previous 14 quarters. The dividend is payable on May 24, 2018, to stockholders of record as of May 10, 2018.

12:42 EDT Game On: 'Fortnite' Vegas stream gets 667,000 Twitch viewers - Welcome to "Game On," The Fly's weekly recap of the stories powering up or beating down video game stocks. FORNITE VEGAS STREAM: A high-profile streaming event in Las Vegas featuring popular battle royale game "Fortnite" peaked at 667,000 concurrent viewers on Twitch (AMZN) last weekend, according to ESPN. The event pitted streamer Tyler "Ninja" Blevins against other high-level streamers at the Epic Games title in the newly opened esports arena in the Luxor Resort & Casino, which is owned by MGM (MGM). Just last month, Ninja broke the single-streamer record with just over 600,000 viewers on Twitch when he was joined in-game by rapper Drake, NFL receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and rapper Travis Scott, ESPN noted. "Fortnite" maker Epic Games is 40% owned by Tencent (TCEHY) and is part of Disney's (DIS) Accelerator Program. CALL OF DUTY REPORTEDLY GETS BATTLE ROYALE MODE: Last week, Kotaku reported that the next edition of Activision Blizzard's (ATVI) "Call of Duty" franchise will be multiplayer-only. In addition to foregoing the kind of single-player mode that has been part of the series for over a decade, "Call of Duty: Black Ops 4" will also include a battle royale mode, similar to that found in "Fortnite" and "PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds," according to Kotaku. The mobile version of "PUBG" is published by Tencent Games while the console version on Xbox One is published by Microsoft (MSFT). MARCH NPD SOFTWARE SALES: March NPD video game software sales fell 25% year-over-year due to a tough compare with the launch of Nintendo's (NTDOY) Switch console a year ago and its successful launch title "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild," Piper Jaffray analyst Michael Olson told investors in a research note. The top two games in March were Ubisoft's (UBSFY) "Far Cry 5" and Sony's (SNE) "MLB The Show 18," though the two titles combined generated less revenue than last year's "Zelda," Olson noted. PIPER E3 NOTE: In addition, Piper analyst Michael Olson said that this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo, or E3, could prove more of a catalyst this year for the "big three" game makers, namely Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts (EA), and Take-Two (TTWO), than in previous years. Olson said that, in the midst of "Fortnite" fears, it was worth looking back at how game stocks typically perform ahead of E3, which is scheduled for June 12-14 in Los Angeles, California. Olson highlighted that this has historically been a time that the group of major U.S. game publishers consistently outperforms the broader market, noting that the main three publishers have an average 5-year move of up 15% in the 60 days heading into E3. The analyst said E3 2018 could prove more of a catalyst than in prior years due to a high likelihood of announcement and discussion of so-called battle royale modes being added to major titles later this year.

12:34 EDT Hilton Garden Inn announces expansion in diverse locations - Hilton Garden Inn announces the opening of four hotels in diverse locations across the U.S., as well as Turkey and Colombia. Each new property is unique to the local area, minutes away from natural landmarks, business parks, and thriving entertainment and shopping venues. "Hilton Garden Inn continues its robust expansion from vacation hot-spots to leading business destinations," said John Greenleaf, global head, Hilton Garden Inn. "Our diverse line-up of nearly 800 hotels across the globe makes it easy to find a property that is conveniently located - whether that be for an important business meeting or for a relaxing weekend at the beach." Rendering of the new Hilton Garden Inn Lehi in Utah, which opened earlier this month along with three other Hilton Garden Inn properties around the globe."Hilton Garden Inn continues its robust expansion from vacation hot-spots to leading business destinations," said John Greenleaf, global head, Hilton Garden Inn. "Our diverse line-up of nearly 800 hotels across the globe makes it easy to find a property that is conveniently located - whether that be for an important business meeting or for a relaxing weekend at the beach." New Hotel Highlights Include: Oklahoma: Hilton Garden Inn Tulsa-Broken Arrow, Turkey: Hilton Garden Inn Isparata, Utah: Hilton Garden Inn Lehi, Hilton Garden Inn Santa Marta.

12:18 EDT Ionis presents top-line data from Phase 1/2 study of IONIS-HTT Rx - Ionis Pharmaceuticals announced that it presented top-line data from the Phase 1/2 study of IONIS-HTTRx in people with early stage Huntington's disease at the 70th American Academy of Neurology meeting. Results from exploratory analyses of data from the study demonstrated correlations between reductions in mutant huntingtin, the disease-causing protein, and improvements in clinical measures of Huntington's disease. "With the results from the Phase 1/2 study with IONIS-HTTRx, we have cleared the first major hurdle in developing such a drug. The substantial lowering of the mutant huntingtin protein, combined with additional data from exploratory clinical measures presented today and the good safety profile we observed in the study, give us hope that this new drug may have the potential to slow, or perhaps halt, the progression of this devastating disease. The next step is to advance the drug into a larger study designed to demonstrate the potential clinical benefit of reducing the toxic mutant huntingtin protein in people with Huntington's disease," said Dr. Sarah Tabrizi, professor of clinical neurology, director of the University College London's Huntington's Disease Centre and the global lead investigator on the study.

11:46 EDT Caterpillar sees Resource Industries margins coming down from Q1

11:37 EDT Altaba to pay $35M to settle SEC charges over cybersecurity breach - The Securities and Exchange Commission announced that the entity formerly known as Yahoo! Inc. has agreed to pay a $35M penalty to settle charges that it misled investors by failing to disclose one of the world's largest data breaches in which hackers stole personal data relating to hundreds of millions of user accounts. According to the SEC's order, within days of the December 2014 intrusion, Yahoo's information security team learned that Russian hackers had stolen what the security team referred to internally as the company's "crown jewels": usernames, email addresses, phone numbers, birthdates, encrypted passwords, and security questions and answers for hundreds of millions of user accounts. Although information relating to the breach was reported to members of Yahoo's senior management and legal department, Yahoo failed to properly investigate the circumstances of the breach and to adequately consider whether the breach needed to be disclosed to investors. The fact of the breach was not disclosed to the investing public until more than two years later, when in 2016 Yahoo was in the process of closing the acquisition of its operating business by Verizon Communications, Inc. Yahoo neither admitted nor denied the findings in the SEC's order, which requires the company to cease and desist from further violations of Sections 17(a)(2) and 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rules 12b-20, 13a-1, 13a-11, 13a-13, and 13a-15.

11:32 EDT Morgan Stanley commits to finance $250B in low carbon solutions by 2030 - Morgan Stanley announced a new commitment to provide $250B in low-carbon financing by 2030. Contributing to this commitment are the Firm's activities in clean-tech and renewable energy financing, sustainable bonds and other transactions that enable low-carbon solutions. As companies, governments and institutions transition to a low-carbon economy, Morgan Stanley views low-carbon financing as a win-win for business and the environment. "This announcement reflects Morgan Stanley's continued commitment to enabling private sector capital to find attractive opportunities in the growing market for low-carbon solutions," said Audrey Choi, Morgan Stanley's Chief Sustainability Officer and Chief Marketing Officer. To date the Firm has financed more than $84B in transactions that support clean-tech and renewable energy since 2006. Since 2013, the Firm has underwritten sustainable bond transactions worth more than $27B, including the issuance of its own $500M green bond in 2015. Governments and other entities will need to invest an estimated $90T in infrastructure between 2015 and 2030 to achieve goals outlined by the Global Commission on Economy and Climate.

11:27 EDT Caterpillar says will do M&A 'where it makes sense'

11:24 EDT Caterpillar says seeing signs of improvement in power generation

11:22 EDT Lockheed Martin says 'making progress' on delivering 90 F-35 jets in 2018 - Says pleased to see Congress passed 2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act. Says hopeful that FY19 funding process "will follow the same positive path." Says remains in discussions on several operations within Saudi Arabia. Says making progress on 2018 goal of delivering 90 F-35 aircraft. Says saw continued demand for air and missile products. Says could see negative cash from operations in Q2. Says confident in outlook of greater than or equal $3B cash from operations goal. Says off to a good start for the year with strong financial and operational performance. Says continues to see strength in backlog. Comments taken from Q1 earnings conference call.

10:49 EDT JetBlue says pilot contract talks made progress in April session

10:45 EDT IBM raises dividend 5% to $1.57 per share

10:33 EDT Oracle buys Grapeshot; financial terms not disclosed - Oracle announced that it signed an agreement to acquire Grapeshot, a provider of brand safety and pre-bid contextual solutions to over 5,000 of the world's leading marketers. Oracle says: "Every month, over 38 billion programmatic ad impressions are enhanced using Grapeshot's Contextual Intelligence Platform in dozens of languages, and this number has grown well over 100% year over year. Grapeshot's Contextual Intelligence Platform enables the rapid creation of highly-customized segments that allow marketers and their agencies to confidently: Avoid unsafe content that will damage brand equity, and close the loop via Moat Measurement; Extend global audience reach by targeting the most relevant context, including late-breaking news and trending themes, to complement Oracle Data Cloud's custom audience segments. The acquisition of Grapeshot will dramatically expand Oracle Data Cloud's ability to improve marketing outcomes for our partners worldwide by adding the important dimension of Context to Oracle Data Cloud's expertise in Audiences and Measurement."

10:30 EDT Twitter says new Privacy Policy to come into effect on May 25 - Twitter says: "Protecting and defending your privacy is at the heart of our work. Today, we've launched our new Privacy Policy, which will come into effect on May 25. From safeguarding anonymity, to offering meaningful privacy and security controls, and our overall commitment to transparency - these are foundational principles at Twitter. We believe you should know exactly what data we collect from you and how we use it. Most importantly, we believe you should have meaningful control over both. It's your fundamental right. We want to empower you to make the best decisions about the information that you share with us and to ensure you feel confident that your data is protected and secure. It's our responsibility. For now, we encourage everyone to read it in full, to make your voice heard, and to hold us accountable. Thank you for your trust." Reference Link

10:24 EDT Peapack-Gladstone CEO address recent events within the banking industry - President and CEO of Peapack-Gladstone Bank, Doug Kennedy, for the second time in just a few short years, has been moved to address the recent headlines associated with abuses in the banking industry. "With the recent announcement about a nationally known bank being fined $1B for home and auto loan abuses toward its clients, I'm compelled to speak out yet once again," stated Doug Kennedy. "I've said it before and I can't believe I'm in a position of having to say it again, but this behavior from a financial institution is outrageous, and I think clients deserve better."

10:21 EDT JetBlue sees CASM ex-fuel growth inflecting down in 2H - Sees 1H CASM ex-fuel growth 2%-4%, to decline (4%)-(2%) in 2H. Sees FY effective tax rate 24%-26%.

10:18 EDT JetBlue sees ongoing strength in demand, close-in pricing

10:03 EDT U.S. Gold plans 2018 drilling program for Keystone Project - U.S. Gold Corp. announced the forthcoming Keystone target-specific drilling program. This program, comprised of an initial phase 15 RC drill holes for a total of about 27,000 feet, will assess several targets identified through evaluation of the detailed geology, geochemistry and geophysics, comprehensively covering the 20 square miles, or 650 lode claims, of mineral rights. An Environmental Assessment study for the purpose of expanded exploration commenced in early 2017 and is scheduled to be completed soon in preparation for the 2018 target assessment drilling program. As a result, U.S. Gold Corp. will soon be able to start drilling in areas that have previously been inaccessible because of areal disturbance limitations. Up to this point, most Keystone project drilling was considered to be "scout drilling" largely conducted to obtain 1) critical information related to host rock characteristics; 2) locations of specific host horizons within the approximately 3000-foot-thick prospective host rock package comprised of Devonian Horse Canyon and Wenban and Devonian-Silurian Roberts Mountains Formations; 3) gold deposit model characteristics; as well as to provide a sense of lateral extent of the hydrothermal gold system. Scout drilling results have indicated the size extent of the gold system and overall metal distribution is much larger than originally conceived.

10:01 EDT General Dynamics' Gulfstream to expand In Savannah/Hilton Head airport - Gulfstream Aerospace announced plans to build a new service center at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport in response to its growing customer fleet's needs for maintenance and service. The service center is expected to open in the second quarter of 2019 and create about 200 jobs.Gulfstream will invest approximately $55M to build the 202,000-square-foot/18,766-square-meter maintenance, repair and overhaul facility on the east side of the airport. The building will include hangar space, offices and back shops, and will complement the main Gulfstream Savannah Service Center, the world's largest purpose-built business jet maintenance facility.

09:56 EDT Overstock.com to purchase $2.5M of Elio Motors common stock - Overstock.com (OSTK) and Elio Motors (ELIO) jointly announced Overstock's strategic purchase of common stock in Elio, pursuant to which Overstock has agreed to buy $2.5M of newly issued shares of Elio common stock at $2.75 per share in a private placement. Elio intends to use the proceeds of the new investment to fund capital expenditures and repay certain outstanding debt and accounts payable. "I believe Elio's vision and business model to build a $7,500 ultra-high mileage, ultra-fuel-efficient car-like vehicle is a win for America," said Overstock CEO and founder Patrick Byrne.

09:53 EDT Icahn nominates slate of five nominees to SandRidge Energy board - In a regulatory filing, Carl Icahn confirmed that he has nominated a slate of five nominees - Mr. Frates, Mr. Graziano, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Alexander and Mr. Read - to the board of SandRidge Energy. "We believe that the Nominees' business experience, as well as their knowledge of operations, investments, corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance, would be extremely beneficial to SandRidge and, therefore, its shareholders. We also believe that each Nominee is a strong shareholder-oriented individual who is well qualified to serve as a member of the Board and will help represent the best interests of the Company's shareholders," Icahn states in his proxy filing.

09:51 EDT Merck pembrolizumab study in U.K. suspended - According to a post to ClinicalTrials.gov that was updated on April 24, a study being sponsored by Merck in the U.K. of pembrolizumab in muscle invasive/metastatic bladder cancer has been suspended as a result of a safety review committee meeting decision, pending amendment. Reference Link

09:36 EDT Eli Lilly: Trump administration should mandate rebate pass-through for patients - Says making "expected" progress on Elanco strategic review, sees sharing conclusions on Q2 earnings call in July. Comments taken from the Q1 earnings conference call.

09:30 EDT JetBlue sees summer demand peak to have positive impact on RASM - Says headwinds to 2Q RASM include calendar, tougher comps. Sees 2.5 point calendar placement headwind, 1.25 point tougher comp from lower completion factor and incentive payments related to co-brand card. Says co-brand credit card continues to grow. Expects summer demand peak to have a positive impact on RASM; lapping 2017 initiatives naturally becoming tougher underlying comparisons in 2H18. For 2018, JetBlue sees aircraft CapEx of $750M-$900M and non-aircraft CapEx of $150M-$200M. Sees Q2 aircraft CapEx $190M-$225M, non-aircraft CapEx $35M-$50M. Sees 2017-2020 CapEx about $1.1B. Sees Q2 all-in fuel price $2.23/gallon. Comments from slides that will be presented on the Q1 earnings conference call.

09:25 EDT Verizon says mobile 5G will happen when 5G phones are available

09:11 EDT Verizon says too early to tell if tax cuts will raise spending

09:09 EDT Seven Stars Cloud Group names M. Chad Arroyo as Chief Marketing Officer - Seven Stars Cloud Group announced that as part of its overall growth strategy and intentions to expand and strengthen its US-based management team, the Company has hired M. Chad Arroyo as Chief Marketing Officer, effective immediately. Prior to joining Seven Stars Cloud, Mr. Arroyo worked as a Technology Strategy Consultant for Deloitte.

09:08 EDT Microsoft and DNG sign agreement to deliver internet access in Virginia - Declaration Networks Group, or DNG, and Microsoft announced a new agreement to deliver broadband internet access to approximately 65,000 people on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, including Accomack and Northampton Counties, and Garrett County, Maryland, over the next three years. This partnership is part of Microsoft's Rural Airband Initiative.

09:06 EDT Fifth Third sees FY18 effective tax rate 16.25 %-16.75% - Including the impact from the Worldpay step-up gain. Run-rate beyond 2018:~15.5%. Sees net charge-offs range-bound with the potential for quarterly variability.

09:05 EDT SS&C confirms it does not intend to make an offer for Fidessa - Further to the announcements made by Fidessa on April 3 and April 5, in which SS&C Technologies (SSNC) was identified as a potential bidder for Fidessa (FDGRY), and further to SS&C's announcement on April 6 confirming that it had engaged in preliminary discussions with Fidessa regarding a potential transaction, SS&C today confirms that it does not intend to make an offer for the entire issued and to be issued share capital of Fidessa.

09:02 EDT WEYV partners with Bonnier to expand in-app magazine options - WEYV, an Altair company, announced its partnership with Bonnier. Through this partnership, WEYV will now offer 17 new magazines in the app, including Boating, Cruising World, Cycle World, Field & Stream, Flying, Hot Bike, Marlin, Motorcyclist, Outdoor Life, Popular Science, Sailing World, Salt Water Sportsman, Saveur, Scuba Diving, Sport Fishing, Working Mother and Yachting. The inclusion of these special-interest titles is in direct response to WEYV users seeking additional magazine options. More content - including music, magazines, podcasts and videos - will be added to WEYV on a rolling basis.

08:59 EDT Fifth Third sees Q2 NII $1.025B-$1.03B - Sees Q2 NIM up 3-5 bps sequentially. Sees FY18 NII $4.14B-$4.16B; NIM 3.22%-3.24%. Says expects two more rate hikes in 2018 (June & December). Guidance from slides presentation for Q1 earnings conference call.

08:48 EDT Coca-Cola CFO sees FY18 EPS growth driven by 2H

08:47 EDT Coca-Cola CFO says facing significant freight headwinds in North America

08:46 EDT Pareteum and iPass form strategic partnership - Pareteum and iPass announced the creation of a strategic partnership for collaboration in sales and marketing, and the development of new products and services that will address a broad range of mobility challenges. Mobile operators, enterprises and IoT providers are increasingly experiencing mobile data security risks, competitive cost and mobile carrier friction for end users that includes the lack of globally pervasive affordable Wi-Fi offload and connectivity for IoT devices.

08:43 EDT Coca-Cola CEO says pricing strategy 'has not changed' - CEO James Quincey said on Coca-Cola's Q1 earnings conference call that he is "encouraged" by the start to the year and that he is "confident" in ability to achieve bottom-line outlook. Says pricing strategy "has not changed." Expects to achieve LSD price mix for total beverage portfolio in North America this year. Says consumers seeking more natural beverage choices. Says working to scale acquired high-growth brands. Says "confident" in overall plan. Coca-Cola is up about 0.75% in pre-market trading.

08:40 EDT Intelsat subsidiary to distribute TV, radio programming to U.S. soldiers - Intelsat General, a wholly owned subsidiary of Intelsat, operator of the world's first globalized network and leader in integrated satellite communications, announced that the company will distribute television and radio programming to U.S. servicemen and women stationed around the world, working with the support of three other satellite and ground service providers. Intelsat General has been carrying the global satellite feed for the American Forces Network, or AFN, for more than 15 years, bringing U.S. troops on land and at sea a wide variety of television and radio programming. The new one-year contract with four renewable option years will involve six satellites and five teleports at various locations around the globe, as well as the IntelsatOne terrestrial fiber network. The other partners involved in providing the service are SES Government Solutions, Korea Telecom and Allen Communications. The AFN will provide Intelsat General with three data streams for distribution globally, using uplink teleports in California and Maryland in the United States as well as South Korea and Germany. Intelsat will distribute the AFN programming to ships at sea and fixed military bases in the Atlantic Ocean Region, the Indian Ocean Region, and the Continental U.S., Greenland, Central America and Cuba.

08:37 EDT Babcock & Wilcox awarded $15M contract by K.R Energy - Babcock & Wilcox announced that its subsidiary, Babcock & Wilcox MEGTEC, has been awarded a contract for more than $15M to design and supply battery coating equipment to K.R. Energy Group subsidiary FIB S.r.l. for a lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility currently under construction in Teverola, Italy. B&W MEGTEC will supply equipment for mixing systems, anode and cathode coating lines, and slitting systems, as well as general contracting and plant start-up services. The plant will produce energy storage systems for homes, businesses and electric vehicles. B&W MEGTEC's proprietary lithium-ion battery electrode coating process uses a simultaneous two-sided horizontal tensioned-web coating method and a patented air flotation dryer. This entire coating and drying method increases efficiency and reduces waste. Benefits of the two-side coating process include improved quality, lower capital and operating costs, and more effective and efficient operation than other traditional coaters. The contract was booked in Q1 and B&W MEGTEC has begun engineering and manufacturing work for the project and is scheduled to commission the plant in Q2 of 2019.

08:35 EDT Turtle Beach regains compliance with Nasdaq listing rules - Turtle Beach announced that it has regained compliance with applicable continued Nasdaq listing requirements. In letters dated April 23, 2018, The Nasdaq Stock Market indicated that Turtle Beach has regained compliance with both the minimum bid price and the minimum market value of public float rules.

08:34 EDT Aqua Metals announce operational progress - Aqua Metals announced that three modules have completed the "conditioning" period and have entered into production. In March 2018, Aqua Metals began the process of retrofitting and bringing on line the first four AquaRefining modules. This involved each module going through a conditioning period supervised by the Aqua Metals Technical Team before transfer to the Production Team. As of today, three AquaRefining modules have completed the conditioning period and have been transferred from technical control to production, where they are running consistently on a single shift. A fourth module has entered the conditioning period and is expected to be transferred to production in the next week. Based on the experience gained with these modules, the company intends to focus on achieving 24/7 operations with four modules before bringing additional modules on line. This strategy is intended to maximize module production hours and increase AquaRefined lead quantities, as well as allow the remaining components of plant operations to synchronize with AquaRefining operations. Once operations across the whole plant have met standards for the first four modules, the company will bring additional modules on line, in batches of four, until all 16 modules are fully operational.

08:33 EDT Nektar enters into collaboration with Takeda to evaluate NKTR-214 - Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR) announced that it has entered into a new clinical collaboration with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company (TKPYY) to evaluate Nektar's investigational medicine, NKTR-214, with Takeda's investigational medicine, TAK-659, as a potential combination treatment regimen in multiple cancer settings. NKTR-214 is an investigational immuno-stimulatory therapy designed to expand specific cancer-fighting T cells and natural killer cells directly in the tumor micro-environment and increase expression of PD-1 on these immune cells. TAK-659 is a dual inhibitor of both spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK), a kinase involved in cell proliferation and FLT-3, a cytokine receptor in the receptor tyrosine kinase class III.

08:32 EDT Nektar enters into collaboration with Takeda to evaluate NKTR-214 - Nektar Therapeutics announced that it has entered into a new clinical collaboration with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited to evaluate Nektar's investigational medicine, NKTR-214, with Takeda's investigational medicine, TAK-659, as a potential combination treatment regimen in multiple cancer settings. NKTR-214 is an investigational immuno-stimulatory therapy designed to expand specific cancer-fighting T cells and natural killer cells directly in the tumor micro-environment and increase expression of PD-1 on these immune cells. TAK-659 is a dual inhibitor of both spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK), a kinase involved in cell proliferation and FLT-3, a cytokine receptor in the receptor tyrosine kinase class III.

08:32 EDT APS says to issue resource RFPs - Arizona Public Service Company, the principal subsidiary of Pinnacle West Capital Corp, plans to issue multiple RFPs in the next several months as part of a comprehensive effort to meet its resource needs beginning in the early 2020s. APS will seek competitive proposals for peaking-capacity needs, Arizona forest bioenergy solutions, and battery retrofit opportunities for APS-owned solar facilities. More specific information about each of the solicitations will be released in the coming weeks.

08:29 EDT Lockheed Martin raises FY18 segment operating profit view $5.31B-$5.46B - Lockheed Martin said FY18 sales are expected to be 50.35B-$51.85B, up from previous outlook of $50B-$51.5B Lockheed Martin said FY18 sales by segment is expected to be: $20.45B-$20.95B in Aeronautics, $9B-$9.3B in Space, $13.3B-$13.7B in RMS and $7.6B-$7.9B in MFC. Expects segment operating profit $5.315B-$5.465B, up from previous view of $5.2B-$5.35B. Expects FY18 segment operating profit by segment: $2.19B-$2.24B in Aeronautics, $970M-$1B in Space, $1.075B-$1.115B in RMS and $1.08B-$1.11B in MFC. Sees net FAS/CAS pension adjustment approximately $1,010. Raises FY18 EPS view to $15.80-$16.10 from $15.20-$15.5. Expects cash from operations less than or equal to $3B. Guidance provided in conference call slides to be presented on Q1 earnings conference call.

08:17 EDT Atossa receives positive interim review from independent safety committee - Atossa Genetic announced that it has received a positive interim review on its Phase 1 study of topical endoxifen in men, which is being developed to address gynecomastia which is a common condition in patients being treated for prostate cancer. The Independent Safety Committee reviewed the blinded data generated from the first group in the study and concluded that the study may advance to the next dosing level. The objectives of this double-blinded, placebo-controlled, repeat dose study of 24 healthy male subjects is to assess the pharmacokinetics of proprietary formulations of topical endoxifen dosage forms over 28 days, as well as to assess safety and tolerability. The study is being conducted on behalf of Atossa by CPR Pharma Services Pty Ltd., Thebarton, SA, Australia.

08:14 EDT Imax and Cineworld to install new laser experience in 55 locations - IMAX and Cineworld Group, including its Regal Entertainment Group subsidiary, announced a binding letter of intent to install IMAX's new ground-breaking laser experience for commercial multiplexes in 55 of the exhibitor's locations across the U.S. and Europe. Under the agreement, the companies will be adding IMAX with Laser systems to 26 new IMAX theatres and upgrading 29 of its existing IMAX sites, including 15 currently open and 14 sites in backlog. The IMAX with Laser systems will include renewed 12-year lease terms and are expected to be installed between 2018 and 2022. The specific sites and mix of deal types will be agreed by the companies.

08:07 EDT Imax signs agreement with AMC Theatres for new laser experience - IMAX (IMAX) and AMC Theatres (AMC) signed a binding letter of intent to install IMAX's new ground-breaking laser experience for commercial multiplexes in 87 of the exhibitor's highest-performing IMAX at AMC locations across the U.S. The announcement coincides with the launch of the next-generation of IMAX with Laser, IMAX's most advanced commercial projection system to date designed to transform the premium blockbuster moviegoing experience. Under the agreement, the IMAX with Laser systems operate under a joint revenue sharing arrangement with renewed 12-year lease terms, and are expected to be installed between 2018 and 2022. Additionally, AMC will be undertaking a complete renovation in the locations with several additional moviegoing enhancements including the installation of IMAX's 12-channel immersive sound, luxury plush rocker seating, redesigned entryways and in-theatre branding. To date, the company has signed agreements for more than 150 of its new IMAX with Laser systems worldwide.

08:05 EDT Aldeyra enrrolls first patient in Phase 3 clinical trial of reproxalap - Aldeyra Therapeutics announced that it has enrolled the first patient in a Phase 3 clinical trial of topical ocular reproxalap for the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis. The multi-center, double-masked, parallel-group, vehicle-controlled Phase 3 clinical trial is expected to enroll 300 allergic conjunctivitis patients, randomized equally to receive either topical ocular 0.25% reproxalap, 0.5% reproxalap, or vehicle in a conjunctival allergen challenge model of acute allergic conjunctivitis. The primary outcome measure will be patient-reported ocular itching.

08:04 EDT ReShape Lifesciences: ReShape Balloon granted registration by NHRA in Bahrain - ReShape Lifesciences announced that the ReShape Balloon was granted registration by the National Health Regulation Authority in the Kingdom of Bahrain and the company has signed a distribution agreement with Yousuf Mahmood Husain CO W.L.L. of Bahrain.

08:04 EDT Quotient announces FDA approval for for seven blood bank reagents - Quotient announced the recent FDA approval for U.S. commercialization of seven new blood bank reagents including two market firsts. The new products are: Monoclonal Antisera; ALBAclone Anti-Fy; ALBAclone Anti-C; ALBAclone Anti-e; ALBAclone Anti-C; and Anti-Human Globulin: Anti-IgG; Anti-IgG,-C3d; Polyspecific Anti-C3d. Anti-Human Globulin, or AHG, is an essential tool for laboratories responsible for blood transfusion. ALBAclone monoclonal antisera are used in the laboratory to detect the presence of specific antigens on patient and donor red blood cells.

08:03 EDT Freeport McMoRan sees consolidated 2018 sales of copper of 3.8B pounds - Freeport McMoRan sees consolidated sales for the year 2018 to approximate 3.8 billion pounds of copper, 2.4 million ounces of gold and 95 million pounds of molybdenum, including 970 million pounds of copper, 700 thousand ounces of gold and 24 million pounds of molybdenum for second-quarter 2018.

08:02 EDT Genworth, Oceanwide withdraw and refile CFIUS joint notice - Genworth Financial and China Oceanwide Holdings Group Co. reported that they have withdrawn and re-filed their joint voluntary notice with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to provide CFIUS additional time to review and discuss the proposed transaction between Genworth and Oceanwide contemplated under the merger agreement entered into by the parties on October 21, 2016. In connection with this re-filing, CFIUS has agreed to proceed directly to a 45-day investigation period following a one-day review period. Additional information about the CFIUS review process can be found in the definitive proxy statement filed by Genworth with the SEC on January 25, 2017. There can be no assurances that CFIUS will ultimately agree to clear the transaction. In addition to CFIUS clearance, the closing of the proposed transaction remains subject to other conditions, including the receipt of required regulatory approvals in the U.S., China, and other international jurisdictions.

08:01 EDT Walmart, DoorDash to accelerate online grocery delivery option - Walmart and DoorDash announced they are teaming up to help expand the retailer's Online Grocery Delivery option beginning with the Atlanta metro area. DoorDash and Walmart will broaden their work together in more markets in the coming months as the retailer expands to reach more than 40 percent of U.S. households with delivery by the end of the year.

08:00 EDT Ryder sees used vehicle pricing challenges continuing throughout the year

07:59 EDT Ryder sees y/y pre-tax earnings higher for the balance of the year

07:43 EDT Huntington Bancshares backs FY18 revenue growth view of 4%-6% - Says "on pace" to achieve all long-term financial goals in 2018. Long-term financial goals include: revenue FTE growth 4%-6% y/y, positive operating leverage, 56%-59% efficiency ratio, NCO 35-55bps, ROTCE of 15%-17%. For 2018, sees net charge-offs remaining below long-term expectations of 35-55bps. Sees FY18 average loan growth of 4%-6%, average deposit growth of 3%-5%. Sees FY18 revenue up 4%-6%, assuming no additional rate hikes in 2018. Sees "flat" NIM in 2018, with core NIM up modestly. Sees FY efficiency ratio 55%-57%, effective tax rate 15.5%-16.5%. Comments from slides that will be presented on the Q1 earnings conference call.

07:41 EDT Cytokinetics to present data from Phase 2 clinical study of reldesemtiv - Cytokinetics (CYTK) announced that data from the Phase 2 clinical study of reldesemtiv in patients with spinal muscular atrophy will be presented by John Day, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Neurology and Pediatrics, Stanford University Medical Center, in an oral presentation at the 2018 Annual Cure SMA Conference in Dallas on June 16, 2018. The clinical study is designed to assess the effect of reldesemtiv, a next-generation fast skeletal muscle troponin activator, on multiple measures of muscle function in both ambulatory and non-ambulatory patients with SMA. In collaboration with Astellas Pharma (ALPMY), Cytokinetics is developing reldesemtiv as a potential treatment for people living with SMA and certain other debilitating diseases and conditions associated with skeletal muscle weakness and/or fatigue. The primary objective of this Phase 2, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study is to determine the potential pharmacodynamic effects of a suspension formulation of reldesemtiv following multiple oral doses in patients with Type II, Type III, or Type IV SMA. Secondary objectives are to evaluate the safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of reldesemtiv. There is no single primary endpoint in this hypothesis-generating study. The study enrolled 70 patients, 39 in Cohort 1 and 31 in Cohort 2. Ambulatory and non-ambulatory patients 12 years of age and older were randomized 2:1 to receive reldesemtiv or placebo dosed twice daily for eight weeks, stratified by ambulatory versus non-ambulatory status. The first cohort of patients received 150 mg of reldesemtiv or placebo and the second cohort of patients received 450 mg of reldesemtiv or placebo. Enrollment in this study was stopped short of the targeted 72 patients after blinded analyses of variability for the change from baseline of several of efficacy measures demonstrated that the study has sufficient statistical power to detect clinically relevant differences versus placebo in efficacy endpoints. Multiple assessments of skeletal muscle function and fatigability are being performed in the study, including respiratory assessments, upper limb strength and functionality for non-ambulatory patients, as well as six-minute walk and timed-up-and-go for ambulatory patients. Patients enrolled in the second cohort will also be assessed with the SMA Health Index, a patient reported outcome measure.

07:40 EDT Home Bancorp raises dividend 13% to 17c - The Company announced that its Board of Directors increased the quarterly cash dividend on shares of its common stock to 17c per share payable on May 18 to shareholders of record as of May 7.

07:39 EDT 3M drops 3% in pre-market trading following Q1 results

07:38 EDT Primoris announces civil award valued at $19M - Primoris announced a new award with a major agricultural chemical customer valued at approximately $19M. The contract was secured by Primoris I&M, part of the Civil segment. The award is for a large impoundment and reservoir as part of the customer's phosphate mining process in central Florida. The work includes the build-up of the perimeter dam, moving approximately 4.5M cubic yards of dirt, installing slope drains and soil curbs, hauling fill and shape slopes for the interior dam, and seeding and mulching specified areas around the dam. Work is scheduled to commence in Q2 and to be completed in Q3.

07:35 EDT PAVmed signs LOI with Case Western to commercialize EsoCheck technology - PAVmed announced that it has signed a letter of intent with Case Western Reserve University to commercialize its EsoCheck technology. Under terms outlined in the letter of intent, a PAVmed subsidiary and Case Western Reserve University propose to enter into a definitive license agreement in which the university will grant the subsidiary an exclusive worldwide license of the intellectual property rights for both the balloon sampling device and DNA biomarkers of EsoCheck. In return, Case Western Reserve will receive a non-cash license fee in the form of a minority equity interest in the subsidiary, with PAVmed retaining a supermajority equity interest. The agreement will be subject to certain regulatory and commercialization milestones, with the university receiving royalties based on revenue and a specified portion of any additional proceeds. The subsidiary will operate as a separate entity, raise its own capital and recruit a separate management team when deemed appropriate. The letter of intent does not constitute a binding contract and the proposed license will not be granted unless and until a definitive License Agreement has been executed by both parties. The parties expect the definitive agreement to be finalized within 15 days.

07:34 EDT JetBlue sees FY18 Capacity up 6.5%-8.5% - For the full year 2018, JetBlue expects year over year CASM Ex-Fuel to be between (1.0)% and 1.0%.

07:34 EDT JetBlue sees Q2 capacity up 5%-7% y/y - RASM growth is expected to range between (3.0)% and 0% for the second quarter 2018 compared to the same period in 2017. CASM Ex-Fuel is expected to grow between 2.0% and 4.0% for the second quarter of 2018. JetBlue's solid revenue performance and cost management efforts were partially offset by increasing fuel prices. The company's focus on costs and the timing of certain expenses resulted in CASM ex-fuel within the guidance from January. JetBlue continues to expect its CASM ex-fuel growth to inflect during the second half of the year, driven by progress in its Structural Cost Program. "We are delighted with having closed a 15-year deal for the purchase and maintenance of NEO engines. A minor portion of the expected savings from this agreement is included in our 3-year program, and most of the run rate savings will extend well beyond 2020. Our continued focus on costs and our recent accomplishment give us confidence that we will achieve our CASM ex-fuel commitments from 2018 to 2020," said Steve Priest, JetBlue's EVP CFO.

07:32 EDT Huntington Bancshares Reports Q1 tangible book value per common share $7.12 - Q1 tangible book value per share represents a 9% year-over-year increase.

07:31 EDT ADMA Biologics announces release of its first commercial batch of Nabi-HB - ADMA Biologics announced that it has successfully completed the manufacturing, release and has made commercial sales of its first batch of Nabi-HB produced under its leadership. ADMA Biologics is a vertically integrated commercial biopharmaceutical company that manufactures, markets and develops specialty plasma-based biologics for the treatment of Primary Immune Deficiency Disease and the prevention and treatment of certain infectious diseases. As part of the company's acquisition of the Biotest Therapy Business Unit, ADMA acquired the worldwide rights to Nabi-HB, along with raw materials and finished commercial inventory, from which ADMA has generated accretive sales since closing the acquisition in June 2017. The commercially-released batch of Nabi-HB enables the company to fulfill ongoing demand for this specialty product.

07:29 EDT Verizon report Q1 total retail postpaid churn was 1.04% - Total retail postpaid churn was 1.04% in Q1, a year-over-year improvement. Retail postpaid phone churn of 0.80% was the fourth consecutive quarter of retail postpaid phone churn of 0.80% or better.

07:28 EDT Verizon reports Q1 retail postpaid net adds of 260,000 - Reports 260,000 retail postpaid net additions, including 220,000 postpaid smartphone net adds. Reports strong customer loyalty with 0.80 percent retail postpaid phone churn, the fourth consecutive period of customer retention at 0.80 percent or better. Reports Q1 66,000 Fios Internet net adds, total Fios revenue growth of 1.9 percent, excluding the impact of the revenue recognition standard.

07:19 EDT General Motors vehicles can have packages delivered by Amazon.com - More than seven million owners of eligible Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles from General Motors (GM) in the U.S. can enjoy the convenience of having Amazon (AMZN) packages delivered inside their vehicle using Amazon Key. In-Car Delivery comes at no extra cost for Amazon Prime members with an active OnStar account and is available in 37 U.S. cities and surrounding areas, with more cities to follow.

07:11 EDT Biogen sees 'significant' opportunity for future growth of Spinraza worldwide - "We started 2018 well with our first quarter revenues growing 11% versus the prior year, or 15% excluding hemophilia revenues. This is in line with our expectations," said Michel Vounatsos, Biogen's CEO. "The fundamentals and resilience of our multiple sclerosis business remained strong, while we experienced anticipated seasonality at the beginning of the year. I believe there is significant opportunity for the future growth of SPINRAZA worldwide as we position Biogen for long-term leadership in spinal muscular atrophy." Says Q1 multiple sclerosis revenues were $2.1B, including approximately $77M in royalties on the sales of OCREVUS. Revenue growth in Q1 was principally driven by SPINRAZA, which contributed $364M in global revenues, biosimilars, which contributed $128M, and Other Revenues of $164M. Reports Q1 Tecfidera revenue $987M, Avonex revenue $451M, Plegridy revenue $100M, Tysabri revenue $462M.

07:10 EDT Intec Pharma announces data from two Phase 1 studies of Accordion Pill - Intec Pharma announces that data collected from two Phase 1 studies of its proprietary Accordion Pill Carbidopa/Levodopa for Parkinson's disease were highlighted in a poster presentation at the American Academy of Neurology 2018 Annual Meeting underway in Los Angeles. The poster titled, "Optimizing Delivery of Carbidopa/Levodopa via the Accordion Pill: Comparative PK and Safety From 2 Randomized Crossover Studies in Healthy Volunteers," was delivered by R. Michael Gendreau, Chief Medical Officer of Intec Pharma, last evening at AAN.

07:08 EDT Peoples Bancorp raises quarterly dividend to 28c from 26c per share - Payable on May 21 to shareholders of record on May 7.

07:06 EDT Attunity signs new multi-million-dollar technology license agreement with OEM - Attunity announced that it has entered into a new multi-million-dollar technology license agreement with one of its existing OEM partners, a global technology company. Replacing an older OEM agreement, the new agreement includes $3.5M in total licensing fees and additional recurring annual support fees of $300,000.

07:05 EDT Mitel to be acquired by Searchlight Capital Partners affiliates for $2B

07:04 EDT Level Brands reports launch of 3 CBD product categories in Isodiol deal - Level Brands and Vancouver-based Isodiol International announced the launch of their newest jointly developed cannabidiol, or CBD, products. The products are CBD pain-relieving cream, marketed under LEVB subsidiary Ireland Men One; CBD oral sprays marketed under BeTru kathy ireland Health & Wellness; and CBD edibles, marketed under Chef Andre Carthen Edibles. The new products will be available in early Summer 2018 at in-store and online retailers nationwide. According to The Hemp Business Journal, the CBD market will grow to $2.1B by 2020.

07:03 EDT Travelers reports Q1 net written premiums $6.82B, up 5% from prior year - Reports Q1 consolidated combined ratio of 95.5% vs. 96.0% last year; underlying combined ratio remained strong at 92.4% vs.91.7% last year.

07:02 EDT Stepan Company CEO says "optimistic about the balance of the year" - "Looking forward, we believe our Surfactant business will continue to build upon its strong start and benefit from our diversification efforts into functional products, new technologies, improved internal efficiencies and expanded sales into our broad customer base globally," said F. Quinn Stepan, Jr., chairman, president and CEO "However, headwinds in our North America Polymer business will continue to challenge us in 2018. Improved European weather should restore demand for insulation and contribute to better Polymer results. Overall, we remain optimistic about the balance of the year."

07:00 EDT Amazon says Amazon Key launches in-car delivery - Amazon announced that Amazon Key, the service that already enables in-home delivery and keyless guest access, now gives customers an option to receive deliveries inside their vehicle. With Amazon Key In-Car, Prime members with compatible vehicles now have the convenience of having packages delivered inside their cars when parked in a publicly accessible area, typically at their home or workplace. In-car delivery is available at no extra cost for Prime members and is available today in 37 cities and surrounding areas across the U.S. with more cities rolling out over time. Delivery is available on tens of millions of items sold on Amazon.com and works with Same Day, Two-Day and Standard Shipping.

06:57 EDT Harley-Davidson up 3.1% after reporting Q1 results

06:57 EDT Harley-Davidson backs FY18 motorcycle shipment view of 231,000-236,000 - Harley-Davidson continues to expect the following for the full-year 2018: Motorcycle shipments to be approximately 231,000 to 236,000 motorcycles. Operating margin as a percent of revenue to be approximately 9.5 to 10.5 percent including manufacturing optimization costs of $120 million to $140 million. Capital expenditures of $250 million to $270 million including approximately $50 million to support manufacturing optimization. Effective tax rate of approximately 23.5 to 25.0 percent. The company now expects Harley-Davidson Financial Services operating income to be flat to down modestly.

06:56 EDT Harley-Davidson reports Q1 motorcycle shipments down 9.7% to 63,944

06:56 EDT Restaurant Brands reports Q1 SSS (0.3)% at TH, 3.8% at BK and 3.2% at PLK - Comparable sales are in constant currency.

06:55 EDT Waters announces additional $3B share repurchase program - Waters Corporation announced that the Board of Directors authorized a new share repurchase program. This new program adds the remaining $526M from the pre-existing program, authorizing the purchase of a total of $3.526B of the Company's common stock over a three-year period.

06:51 EDT EU commercial vehicle registrations down 2.5% in March - In March, new commercial vehicle registrations in the European Union declined by 2.5%, totaling 260,810 units, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. Demand fell across all commercial vehicle segments and in all major EU markets except for France, which was up 7.7%, said the ACEA. Publicly traded truck makers and suppliers include Daimler AG (DDAIF), Paccar (PCAR), CNH Industrial (CNHI), Navistar (NAV), Cummins (CMI) and Allison Transmission (ALSN).

06:43 EDT Eli Lilly down 2.9% in the premarket following Q1 results and guidance

06:41 EDT Eli Lilly Q1 gross margin as pct of sales declined 1.8% to 72.4% - Gross margin increased 6%, to $4.129 billion, in the first quarter of 2018 compared with the first quarter of 2017. Gross margin as a percent of revenue was 72.4%, a decrease of 1.8 percentage points compared with the first quarter of 2017. The decrease in gross margin percent was primarily due to the effect of foreign exchange rates on international inventories sold and, to a lesser extent, product mix, partially offset by higher realized prices and manufacturing efficiencies.

06:40 EDT Eli Lilly Q1 Pharmaceutical revenue rose 11% - New pharmaceutical products, including Trulicity, Cyramza, Basaglar, Jardiance, Taltz, Lartruvo, Olumiant, and Verzenio, represented 25% of total revenue and drove 11% volume growth. Revenue in the U.S. increased 8%, to $3.155B, due to increased volume for new pharmaceutical products, including Trulicity, Basaglar, Jardiance, Verzenio, and Taltz, as well as higher realized prices, primarily for Cialis, Humalog , Strattera, Basaglar, and companion animal products. The increase in revenue was partially offset by decreased volume due to loss of exclusivity for Strattera and Effient(R), as well as decreased demand for Cialis and food animal products. Revenue outside the U.S. increased 11%, to $2.545 billion, largely due to the favorable impact of foreign exchange rates and increased volume for new pharmaceutical products, including Trulicity, Olumiant, Taltz, Jardiance, and LartruvoTM. The increase in revenue was partially offset by lower realized prices for several pharmaceutical products, as well as decreased volume for Cialis.

06:34 EDT PulteGroup CEO says in 'strong position' to achieve long-term financial goals - "PulteGroup has gotten off to an exceptional start in 2018, as we realized 21% top line growth while effectively doubling reported earnings per share," said Ryan Marshall, President and CEO of PulteGroup. "By continuing to invest organically within our established markets, we have put ourselves in position to grow our business while continuing to generate high returns." "Robust buyer demand in the face of mortgage and financial market volatility attests to the strong underpinnings of this housing recovery which is being bolstered by sustained economic growth, good job trends, favorable demographics and a limited supply of homes for sale," said Marshall. "Within this environment, we believe that our diversified operating platform, balanced customer base, and supportive land pipeline puts the Company in a strong competitive position to achieve its long-term financial goals."

06:17 EDT Eli Lilly announces results for galcanezumab for migraine patients during AAN - Eli Lilly announced results from a post-hoc subgroup analysis which demonstrated efficacy of galcanezumab in patients with episodic and chronic migraine who previously failed to respond to two or more preventive therapies. Detailed results from a new subgroup analysis of three Phase 3 studies evaluating galcanezumab will be presented as part of the "Best of Headache" platform session at the American Academy of Neurology, or AAN, annual meeting in Los Angeles. As previously reported, in these Phase 3 studies, the most commonly-reported adverse events were injection site reactions. The FDA is reviewing galcanezumab for the prevention of migraine in adults. A decision is expected in Q3. EVOLVE-1, EVOLVE-2 and REGAIN were Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies that evaluated the efficacy of two doses of galcanezumab in patients with episodic or chronic migraine. This subgroup analysis evaluated patients treated in the EVOLVE-1 and EVOLVE-2 studies for six months and the REGAIN study for three months. The subgroup analysis reviewed the mean change from baseline in the number of monthly migraine headache days and the proportion of patients with at least a 50% reduction in number of monthly migraine headache days in patients who previously failed two or more preventive therapies, using integrated EVOLVE-1 and EVOLVE-2 results and REGAIN results.

06:14 EDT AstraZeneca says ARCTIC Phase III did not meet sub-study B primary endpoints - AstraZeneca and MedImmune, its global biologics research and development arm, announced high-level results from the Phase III ARCTIC trial in patients with locally-advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer who have received at least two prior treatments. This randomized, open-label, multi-center trial assessed the efficacy and safety of the combination of Imfinzi plus tremelimumab, as well as Imfinzi and tremelimumab monotherapies, versus standard-of-care chemotherapy in patients with PDL1-low/negative NSCLC, and Imfinzi monotherapy versus SoC in patients with PDL1-high NSCLC. In sub-study B, the combination of Imfinzi plus tremelimumab in patients with PD-L1 low/negative NSCLC did not meet the primary endpoints of a statistically-significant and clinically-meaningful improvement in progression-free survival and overall survival compared to SoC. Activity and safety of monotherapy arms of sub-study B were consistent with prior published data. Sub-study A was not powered for statistical significance; however, Imfinzi monotherapy showed a clinically-meaningful reduction in the risk of death compared to chemotherapy. Full data from the ARCTIC trial will be presented at a forthcoming medical meeting. Sean Bohen, Executive Vice President, Global Medicines Development and Chief Medical Officer, said: "While we are disappointed that the combination of Imfinzi plus tremelimumab did not result in a statistically-significant survival benefit in this heavily pre-treated patient population, we are encouraged by the activity of Imfinzi monotherapy observed in this trial and look forward to presenting the full data from the ARCTIC trial at an upcoming medical meeting." AstraZeneca recently received approval from the US FDA for Imfinzi for the treatment of patients with unresectable, Stage III NSCLC whose disease has not progressed following concurrent platinum-based chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

06:08 EDT Polaris Industries CEO: 'Prepared to deliver solid growth for the full year' - "We delivered record first quarter Off-Road Vehicle retail sales to begin the year, driven by innovation and improved dealer engagement. This translated into strong revenue and earnings growth for the quarter. Through the tireless efforts of our team and the efficacy of various quality and productivity initiatives, we overcame commodity and freight inflation and product mix pressures in the first quarter to maintain our gross margin year-over-year, while leveraging operating expenses even as we continue to invest heavily in research and development," commented Scott Wine, Chairman and CEO of Polaris Industries. "We are fully prepared to build upon this early success and deliver solid growth for the full year. Our production flow improved steadily throughout the quarter and inventory, snow notwithstanding, is in great shape. With the recent introduction of the all new RANGER XP 1000 and the 72-inch RZR XP Turbo S, and a robust innovation pipeline, we are exceptionally well positioned to bring more customers into Polaris dealers. While we must overcome significant commodity, freight and tariff headwinds throughout the remainder of the year, I am confident Polaris is taking the necessary steps towards becoming a customer centric, highly efficient growth company," Wine concluded.

06:00 EDT Crescent Point: Glass Lewis recommends holders vote for management nominees - Crescent Point Energy announced that leading independent proxy advisory firm, Glass Lewis, has recommended that shareholders vote FOR all of Crescent Point's director nominees using only the Company's WHITE proxy prior to the its Annual General Meeting on May 4, 2018. In reaching its recommendation, Glass Lewis stated the following: "The Company's current directors appear to us to have made concerted efforts in recent periods to actively engage with its shareholders and address various relevant issues facing the Company, well before the Dissident launched this seemingly-rushed activist campaign...we believe that the Dissident's plan is decidedly vague and bereft of any meaningful substance...we believe that the Dissident has presented shareholders with a slate of nominees and a plan for the Company that, taken together, strains credibility. Cation was seemingly formed by Mr. Edmonstone, a former investment banker who most recently served as Deputy Head of Global Oil & Gas at the Macquarie Group, just a little over a week before the initiation of this proxy contest. Having only recently obtained its less than 1% stake in the Company, Cation is hoping that its last-minute case here will be enough to spur shareholders to replace 40% of the Company's board at this AGM...the Dissident argues that the Company's all-in G&A and SBC costs as a percentage of $/boe has been higher than the peer group median for each of the last three years. However, the Dissident's calculation of such costs is rather nebulous, as the Dissident does not explain how it accounted for differences in capitalization policies and/or differences in disclosures of capitalized costs among the selected peers. We believe that the Dissident has failed to show that the Dissident Nominees have relevant operational experience, nor any sort of successful track record in addressing the sorts of concerns raised by the Dissident. We believe that Cation has failed to present shareholders with a compelling case that further board refreshment is required beyond what the Company has already planned, nor that the Dissident Nominees would necessarily represent a marked improvement over any of the Management Nominees, individually or collectively. Based on its analysis, Glass Lewis recommends that shareholders vote FOR all resolutions -- including the Restricted Share Bonus and Stock Option Plans, Stock Option Grant and Say on Pay on management's WHITE proxy.

05:53 EDT Boeing, Ryanair announce order for 25 737 MAX 8s - Boeing (BA) and Ryanair (RYAAY) announced they finalized an order for 25 additional high-capacity 737 MAX 8 airplanes. The $3B order, at current list prices, was previously listed as unidentified on Boeing's Orders & Deliveries website.

05:47 EDT Whirlpool intends to launch 'modified Dutch Auction' for up to $1B of stock - Whirlpool intends to launch a "modified Dutch Auction" tender offer for up to $1B of its common stock at an anticipated price per share not less than $150 and not greater than $170, subject to market conditions. The tender offer is expected to launch on April 26, 2018. The company has arranged committed financing in an amount approximating the net proceeds from the Embraco transaction and, consistent with the company's balanced approach to capital allocation, intends to use the proceeds of the financing to fund the tender offer under the company's existing share repurchase authorization. The company expects to repay the financing amount with the proceeds from the sale upon closing of the Embraco transaction. Subsequent to the completion of the tender offer, the company intends to opportunistically execute open market share repurchases throughout 2018. Share repurchases had previously been suspended since the end of 2017 pending the completion of the Embraco sale process and related negotiations.

05:22 EDT Amazon expands Whole Foods grocery delivery to Denver, Sacramento, San Diego - Amazon and Whole Foods Market today launched free two-hour delivery of natural and organic products from Whole Foods Market through Prime Now in Denver, Sacramento and San Diego. Prime members in those cities can shop through Prime Now for bestselling items including fresh produce, high quality meat and seafood, everyday staples and other locally sourced items from Whole Foods Market. The service launched earlier this year with plans for continued expansion across the U.S. throughout 2018.

05:18 EDT Assured Guaranty issues statement in response to Greenlight Capital - Assured Guaranty issued the following statement in response to a short-sale presentation made by David Einhorn of Greenlight Capital: "Mr. Einhorn's analysis of Assured Guaranty fails to acknowledge the positive implications of our significant financial strength and strong operating performance, and demonstrates a fundamental lack of understanding of our business model and the municipal debt markets. In the event of a municipal default, Assured Guaranty is obligated to cover shortfalls in scheduled principal and interest payments only when those payments are due. Our insurance policies do not permit acceleration of payments without our consent. Mr. Einhorn's focus on total debt service ignores this lack of acceleration, as well as the strength of our balance sheet, and the highly liquid nature of our investment portfolio, which generates significant investment income over time. Furthermore, Assured Guaranty is well reserved for its municipal exposures and, due to the non-acceleration feature, does not face liquidity risks. We have $11.5B of cash and investments with $2.8B of estimated excess capital over S&P's AAA level. In addition, we have strong legal rights, including for Puerto Rico under PROMESA, which requires that fiscal plans must respect contractual liens and constitutional priorities established under Commonwealth law. Throughout its history, Assured Guaranty has successfully mitigated potential losses and defended its legal rights in numerous distressed municipal situations, including Jefferson County, AL; Stockton, CA; Hartford, CT; Detroit, MI; and Harrisburg, PA. "For all these reasons and others, we strongly disagree with Mr. Einhorn's assertions. We remain focused on continuing to generate long-term value for our shareholders."