Stockwinners Market Radar for April 30, 2018 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:46 EDT Forum Energy expects 'robust growth for balance of year' - The company states: "We expect robust growth for the balance of the year, led by our North America focused Completions and Production & Infrastructure segments. We are also well positioned to capture growth opportunities in our Drilling product line as the global land rig count improves. Regarding Subsea, we expect to receive some large non-oil and gas orders in the second quarter. With these orders, and our continued focus on streamlining operations, Subsea will achieve EBITDA break even or better for the balance of the year."

19:27 EDT Kirkland Lake Gold identifies new gold output source in Australia - Kirkland Lake Gold announced positive drill results at Union Reefs, where the company's processing plant in the Northern Territory is located. The company's Northern Territory operations, including the Union Reefs Mill and Cosmo Mine, have been on care and maintenance since June 30, 2017. Four holes for 4,287 m were drilled from surface to test the potential of the Prospect Deposit, Crosscourse Deposit and the Lady Alice Deposit, all related to historic open-pit mining activities at Union Reefs. The results indicate the continuation of gold mineralization at the three deposits below known Mineral Resources, and highlights the potential for Mineral Resource expansion at each location within the Union Reefs gold trends.

18:40 EDT eBay CTO sells 86,843 common shares - In a regulatory filing, eBay SVP and CTO Stephen Fisher disclosed the sale of 86,843 common shares of the company at a price of $38.0959 per share.

18:00 EDT Celanese initiates expansion program of POM production assets - Celanese announced it is in the initial stages of a capital efficient debottlenecking project of its polyoxymethylene production lines to support the continued growth in its engineered materials business. This additional production of POM will allow Celanese to continue to grow its leadership market position according to the needs of the industry. Phase I of the debottlenecking project is expected to be completed in 2020, and Phase II of the project will be completed shortly thereafter.

17:46 EDT Oracle acquires Vocado, terms not disclosed - Oracle announced that it has completed the acquisition of Vocado, which provides a student-centric, cloud-based financial aid solution for higher education institutions. Vocado works with thousands of financial aid sources to optimize funding for any type of higher education learning model. The solution helps students identify eligibility and obtain financing so they can achieve their academic goals. Vocado integrates its financial aid solution with both cloud and on-premise Student Information Systems. Oracle Student Cloud is Oracle's next-generation, cloud-based SIS designed for all academic models across every stage of the modern student lifecycle. Vocado adds the most advanced financial aid solution with a highly-automated and scalable platform.

17:35 EDT Fortune Brands approves $150M repurchase program - Fortune Brands' Board of Directors authorized the repurchase of up to $150M of shares of the Company's common stock over the next two years on the open market or in privately negotiated transactions in accordance with applicable securities laws. The purchases, if made, will occur from time to time depending on market conditions. The Company has approximately $160M existing from a prior authorization that expires December 8, 2019, bringing the total share repurchase authorization to approximately $310M. The newly announced share repurchase authorization does not obligate the Company to repurchase any dollar amount or number of shares of common stock. This authorization is in effect until April 30, 2020, and may be suspended or discontinued at any time.

17:33 EDT Celanese adds new GUR UHMW-PE production line at Nanjing facility - Celanese announced the addition of a new GUR ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, or UHMW-PE, production line at its Nanjing, China manufacturing facility to support the significant growth in its engineered materials business, specifically the electric vehicle market. The new production line at Celanese's Nanjing manufacturing facility is expected to add approximately 15kT per year of GUR UHMW-PE product capacity by 2019. In addition to the demand for GUR in sheet, profile and filter markets, Celanese is seeing market growth for GUR in lithium ion battery separators for electric vehicle applications, resulting in 20% to 30% growth in demand per year, with most processors being located in China.

17:13 EDT Orbital awarded $146.1M U.S. Army contract modification - Orbital Alliant Techsystems was awarded a $146,064,129 modification to contract W15QKN-13-C-0074 for Precision Guidance Kit M1156. Work will be performed in Plymouth, Minnesota, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2021. Fiscal 2018 other procurement funds in the amount of $146,064,129 were obligated at the time of the award.

17:11 EDT Raytheon awarded $395.8M U.S. Army contract modification - Raytheon IDS was awarded a $395,847,480 modification to foreign military sales contract W31P4Q-15-C-0022 for Phased Array Tracking on Radar to Intercept Option Fire Unit. Work will be performed in Andover, Massachusetts; Pelham, New Hampshire; Tewksbury, Massachusetts; Marlborough, Massachusetts; McKinney Texas; Portsmouth, Rhode Island; Chambersburg, Pennsylvania; and Burlington, Massachusetts, with an estimated completion date of April 30, 2020.

17:06 EDT Intevac sees FY18 gross margin 33% - Sees FY18 operating expenses below $38M.

17:04 EDT nVent Electric announces separation from Pentair - nVent Electric (NVT) announced the completion of its separation from Pentair (PNR) and its launch as an independent, publicly traded company. nVent shares will begin "regular way" trading on the New York Stock Exchange on May 1, 2018, under the symbol "NVT." The distribution of nVent ordinary shares occurred effective at 4:59 p.m. EDT on April 30, 2018. In the distribution, nVent issued one nVent ordinary share for each Pentair ordinary share held as of the close of business on April 17, 2018, the record date for the distribution.

17:02 EDT Celanese to increase VAM production capacity - Celanese announced acetic acid and vinyl acetate monomer, or VAM, capacity expansions and debottlenecking projects at the company's global manufacturing facilities. The projects being announced include: At the company's Clear Lake, Texas acetyls manufacturing facility, Celanese is on schedule to start up additional 150kT of annual VAM capacity by the Q4. Once this additional production capacity is added, the total capacity for VAM at the Clear Lake facility will be 450kT per annum, making it the largest and most efficient VAM plant in the world. Across our unique, global network of acetyls manufacturing plants, Celanese will implement and translate a series of capital efficient technology oriented process improvement projects that will add 140kT per annum of acetic acid and 150kT per annum of VAM, when required by demand growth, through the year 2020. These proprietary debottlenecking projects will leverage a new generation of Celanese's AOPlus acetic acid and VAntagePlus VAM manufacturing technologies.

17:00 EDT Clear Channel Outdoor says China probe may lead to criminal, civil sanctions - As previously disclosed, several employees of Clear Media Limited, an indirect, non-wholly-owned subsidiary of Clear Channel Outdoor whose ordinary shares are listed, but are currently suspended from trading on, the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, are subject to an ongoing police investigation in China for misappropriation of funds. Such misappropriation resulted in discrepancies between actual cash balances and cash amounts included in the company's accounting records. Included in Selling, general and administrative expenses and Interest expense is $9.6 million and $1.4 million, respectively, recorded in the fourth quarter of 2017 to correct for the accounting errors resulting from the discrepancies. Such corrections are not considered to be material to the current year or prior year financial statements. Clear Media Limited has conducted additional procedures and processes, including a special investigation by forensic accountants and an external law firm appointed by Clear Media Limited's board of directors and approved by the CCOH's Audit Committee, into the misappropriation of funds. During the course of the special investigation, it was discovered that three bank accounts were opened in the name of Clear Media Limited entities, which were not authorized, and certain transactions were recorded therein. These matters have been referred to the police in China for investigation. The company advised both the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and the United States Department of Justice of the investigation at Clear Media Limited, and the company intends to cooperate with both agencies in connection with any investigation that may be conducted in this matter. In 2017, Clear Media Limited accounted for 9.8% of the company's net revenue and 9.9% of its consolidated total assets. Based on information known to date, the company believes any contingent liabilities arising from potential misconduct that has been or may be identified by the investigations are not material to the consolidated financial statements of the company. The investigation could implicate the books and records, internal controls and anti-bribery provisions of the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which statute and regulations provide for potential monetary penalties as well as criminal and civil sanctions. It is possible that monetary penalties and other sanctions could be assessed on the company in connection with this matter. The nature and amount of any monetary penalty or other sanctions cannot reasonably be estimated at this time.

16:49 EDT Boeing declares quarterly dividend of $1.71 per share - The dividend is payable June 1 to shareholders of record as of May 11.

16:47 EDT Highbridge Capital reports 6.5% passive stake in Paratek Pharmaceuticals

16:35 EDT Metropolitan Bank names Scott Lublin chief lending officer - Metropolitan Bank Holding announced that Scott Lublin has been named to the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Lending Officer, effective April 25. Lublin will be responsible for managing the bank's Commercial Real Estate and Commercial Lending groups and for the strategic development and implementation of lending products and services. He will report to Mark DeFazio, President and Chief Executive Officer. Lublin returns to the Bank after previously serving as Senior Vice President of the Commercial Real Estate business from 2008 until 2013.

16:35 EDT BWX Technologies' subsidiary awarded $5.4M from DOE - BWX Technologies announced that its BWXT Nuclear Energy subsidiary has been awarded $5.4M in cost-sharing funds from the U.S. Department of Energy, or DOE for an advanced nuclear technology development initiative. In cooperation with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, BWXT will use its unique capabilities and facilities to develop the ability to implement additive materials manufacturing to the fabrication process for nuclear components and sub-components that will yield acceptable material structure and strength that can be accepted by the national code organizations and the regulator.

16:33 EDT FormFactor named top supplier of Semiconductor Probe Cards by VLSI Research - FormFactor was again ranked as the world's number one supplier of semiconductor probe cards for 2017 by market research firm VLSIresearch. In its annual report on the probe card market, VLSI reported that FormFactor increased its market share to 34% of the advanced probe card market, with more than double the share of its nearest competitor. VLSIresearch forecasts the advanced probe card market will grow at 5.6% CAGR to reach $1.87 billion by 2022. According to their survey, the fastest growing sub-segment in this sector is MEMS fabricated probe cards growing at 6.7% CAGR, where FormFactor grew its leading share position to 40% of the $927M market. According to VLSIresearch, factors contributing to this trend include the use of advanced probe card technologies to both enable the testing of advanced packaging technologies and to reduce overall test costs.

16:33 EDT Fortis appoints Jocelyn Perry as new CFO - Barry Perry, President and CEO of Fortis, announced the appointment of Jocelyn Perry as EVP, CFOr at Fortis effective June 1. Karl Smith, current Executive Vice President, CFO , will retire May 31, 2018 after more than 30 years with Fortis.

16:32 EDT Live Oak Bancshares' Canapi names Timur Davis as Principal - Canapi Inc. announced today the appointment of Timur Davis as principal for the fintech-focused company. In this newly created role effective April 23, Davis will develop and execute investment and incubation plans and strategies that support Canapi's mission, roadmap and vision to bring innovation, efficiency and excellence to the forefront of the banking industry.

16:29 EDT Brigade Capital Management reports 5.9% passive stake in Libbey

16:25 EDT Consolidated Communications announces launch of SD-WAN - Consolidated Communications announced the launch of SD-WAN, software-based network technology that provides a simplified management and automation of WAN connections. Consolidated's SD-WAN solution streamlines IT operations and optimizes network performance by prioritizing traffic across a customer's entire network. By dynamically determining the optimal delivery path for traffic in the WAN, Consolidated's sophisticated SD-WAN solution automatically manages bandwidth to ensure high priority applications and critical traffic continually perform at a high-level. It's a proven technology that results in an optimal user experience and provides benefits to customers by ensuring network uptime and enhanced performance. "SD-WAN is an emerging technology that offers businesses reliability and flexibility in connecting their critical branch operations," said Doug Abolt, vice president of commercial product management at Consolidated Communications. "The agility of our solution provides businesses a simple and fast means to custom configure their SD-WAN and prioritize their critical traffic and applications. Deployment is also easy as our SD-WAN offering allows for various deployment options, including cloud-based, software-based or a hybrid approach."

16:25 EDT 3M announces FDA clearance for new biological indicator system - 3M announced FDA 510k clearance for its 3M Attest Super Rapid Biological Indicator System for Steam, which now provides BI test results in just 24 minutes. The new 24-minute system is attainable through a software upgrade to existing 3M Attest Auto-reader 490 and 490H units. The software upgrade enables all customers who have existing hardware to receive the benefit of a 24-minute readout at no extra charge. In addition, the upgrade provides an added benefit of Any-Well technology. Each upgraded BI Auto-reader will have the ability to read both steam and vaporized hydrogen peroxide BIs simultaneously in any incubation well. These innovations enable facilities to simplify, standardize and streamline their sterilization department's workflow to help ensure every instrument is safe for patient use and keep surgeries on schedule.

16:23 EDT Macy's opened roughly 20 Backstage locations in Q1 - Macy's provided an update on the expansion of Macy's Backstage, the company's on-mall, off-price concept. The company opened approximately 20 Backstage locations in the first quarter of fiscal 2018 as part of its previously announced plan to open 100 locations within existing Macy's stores in fiscal 2018. Many of these locations are in markets new to the Backstage concept, including the Northwest and Southwest. The company's initial Backstage stores were clustered in the Northeast. To support the growth of Backstage, Macy's, Inc. plans to open a dedicated Backstage distribution center in Columbus, Ohio. The distribution center in Columbus, Ohio, is another step in the company's commitment to the state of Ohio, where it is headquartered. The distribution center is planned to open in Fall 2019, and Macy's, Inc. anticipates it will create approximately 400 jobs. This is in addition to the approximately 6,500 employees in Ohio who work at 24 Macy's stores, one Bluemercury and the company's corporate offices in the greater Cincinnati area.

16:21 EDT Westlake Chemical Partners raises quarterly distribution 2.9% to 39.75c per unit - The board of directors of Westlake Chemical Partners GP, the general partner of Westlake Chemical Partners LP, declared a distribution of 39.75c per unit, representing a 2.9% increase from the fourth quarter 2017 distribution. This is the fifteenth quarterly distribution announced by the Partnership since its successful Initial Public Offering closing on August 4, 2014. The distribution will be payable on May 24, 2018, to unit holders of record on May 10, 2018.

16:16 EDT MetaBank, Curo announce agreement - MetaBank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Meta Financial Group, announced an agreement with CURO Group Holding. Together, the organizations will launch a new line of credit product that the parties believe will be more flexible and transparent than others in the market, and well-suited for US-based underbanked consumers. CURO and Meta expect to unveil the new, joint brand and a timeline for the pilot launch later this year.

16:13 EDT TransDigm names Kevin Stein as President and CEO - TransDigm Group announced that its Board of Directors has elected Kevin Stein as President and CEO and W. Nicholas Howley as Executive Chairman. As part of this organizational change, Stein and Howley have both modified and extended their employment agreements through 2024. Stein joined TransDigm in 2014 as COO of the Power Group businesses. He has been the company's President and COO since 2016. Prior to joining TransDigm, he was employed at Precision Castparts Corporation as Executive Vice President and President of the Fasteners and Structural Castings businesses.

16:10 EDT Financial Institutions announces retirement of CFO Kevin Klotzbach - Financial Institutions parent company of Five Star Bank, Scott Danahy Naylon, LLC and Courier Capital, LLC, announced today that Kevin B. Klotzbach will retire as CFO effective March 31, 2019. Mr. Klotzbach will continue to serve as Treasurer through December 31, 2019.

16:08 EDT Allison Transmission updates 2018 outlook - The company said, "Our updated full year 2018 guidance includes a year-over-year net sales increase in the range of 10 to 14 percent, Net Income in the range of $515 to $550 million, Adjusted EBITDA in the range of $975 to $1,025 million, Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities in the range of $720 to $760 million, and Adjusted Free Cash Flow in the range of $625 to $675 million. Capital expenditures are expected to be in the range of $85 to $95 million and cash income taxes are expected to be in the range of $80 to $90 million. Allison's full year 2018 net sales guidance reflects increased demand for Global On-Highway products and Global Off-Highway products and price increases on certain products. Although we are not providing specific second quarter 2018 guidance, Allison does expect second quarter net sales to be up from the same period in 2017 principally driven by increased demand for Global On-Highway products and Global Off-Highway products."

16:05 EDT Allegiance Bancshares announces merger with Post Oak Bancshares - Allegiance Bancshares announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement with Post Oak Bancshares, the holding company of Post Oak Bank, N.A., whereby Post Oak will be merged with and into Allegiance. Post Oak Bank, N.A. operates thirteen (13) banking locations: twelve located throughout the greater Houston MSA and one in Beaumont, just outside of Houston. As of March 31, Post Oak, on a consolidated basis, reported total assets of $1.43 billion, total loans of $1.15 billion and total deposits of $1.24 billion.Under the terms of the definitive agreement, Allegiance will issue 0.7017 shares of Allegiance common stock for each outstanding share of, and option to purchase a share of, Post Oak capital stock, subject to certain conditions and potential adjustments. "We are excited about the opportunity to become partners with Post Oak, an exceptional institution that, like Allegiance, prides itself on being a strong community bank," said George Martinez, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Allegiance. "I have admired the leadership and growth that the entire Post Oak organization has achieved, and I am elated that we will soon be on the same team. Post Oak's success can be attributed to its experienced financial services professionals and the culture they have created. We believe our banks will fit together nicely and are thrilled for our respective customers, bankers and shareholders to realize the near and long-term benefits and value creation opportunities this combination provides. With this merger, we will surpass $4 billion in total assets, which we believe will allow us to gain valuable scale. The combined company will be well-positioned to take advantage of organic and strategic growth opportunities that will further enhance shareholder value as Houston's largest community bank. We all look forward to this new partnership - both for the positive impact it will have on the combined customer and associate base, and also the contributions it will make to the communities our combined company will serve," concluded Martinez.

16:03 EDT Stifel Financial reports Q1 net interest margin 2.89% - "Our first quarter revenue represented the strongest first quarter performance in Stifel's history, as net revenue of $750 million increased by 11% from the same quarter a year ago. We continue to benefit from growth in recurring revenues, which represented 41% of total revenue in the first quarter, as bank revenue and asset management & service fee revenue were both quarterly records. We also generated 39% growth in investment banking revenue as our advisory revenue nearly doubled and equity underwriting revenue was up nearly 50% from the first quarter of 2017. As a result of our revenue growth and focus on expense management, our non-GAAP pre-tax margins improved to 17.3% from 14.9% a year ago. We continue to have a positive outlook for our business as economic growth continues to accelerate and the operating environment remains solid despite increased volatility. Given the increased diversity of our business model, we believe Stifel remains well positioned for continued growth," stated Ronald J. Kruszewski, Chairman & CEO of Stifel.

16:03 EDT Whiting Petroleum backs FY18 production view 46.5-47.2 MMBOE

16:00 EDT Karyopharm trading halted, news pending

15:40 EDT Viacom announces new global partnerships with Snap and Twitter - Viacom (VIAB, VIA) unveiled Viacom Digital Studios and announced an upcoming slate of digital programming, platform partnerships, talent deals and the expansion of VidCon at its first-ever Digital Content NewFront. Viacom Digital Studios detailed its plans to deliver hundreds of hours of content with Viacom stars and digital-native talent from BET, Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon. The presentation also featured new global deals with Snap Inc. (SNAP) and Twitter (TWTR) to deliver original content and talent from BET, Comedy Central and MTV.

15:26 EDT Arconic to move global headquarters to Fairfax County, VA - Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced that Arconic Inc. will relocate its global headquarters from New York City to Fairfax County. The move will bring approximately 50 jobs to the community. A decision on an exact headquarters location will be made at a later date.

14:58 EDT FirstEnergy: PJM reliability finding 'not a surprise, but was a disappointment' - FirstEnergy Solutions, or FES, a competitive generation subsidiary of FirstEnergy, has responded to a reliability study issued by PJM Interconnection, the regional transmission organization. The study was undertaken following FES's March 28, 2018, notification that it would deactivate its three nuclear plants, two in Ohio and one in Pennsylvania, over the next three years. As it signaled in public statements following the FES notification, PJM said it does not expect the plant deactivations to adversely affect the reliability of its transmission system. What was new in the study was PJM's revelation that to maintain reliability, it must carry out "a combination of remedial measures" to prevent overloads of transformers and transmission lines and other strains on its system associated with the withdrawal of the FES plants from service. Don Moul, president of FES Generation Companies and chief nuclear officer, issued the following statement: "PJM's reliability finding was not a surprise, but it was a disappointment. The results of the PJM reliability study highlight that their review ignores the value that these units offer the grid in terms of fuel diversity and zero-carbon emissions generation. The 4,048 megawatts of capacity that these plants provide amounts to 14 percent of Ohio's overall generation capacity and 7 percent of Pennsylvania's overall generation capacity. That gap will have to be filled overwhelmingly by carbon-fueled generation. PJM did not provide a dollar estimate for the upgrades its system will need to cope with the loss of our units, but those remediation costs will be passed along to Ohio and Pennsylvania consumers in the form of higher electricity bills...In mid-2019, we will begin facing decisions on each of these plants as to whether to refuel them or shut them down. Without operating relief, they will be permanently lost."

14:25 EDT Disney, Twitter announce new live content and advertising agreement - Disney (DIS) and Twitter (TWTR) have announced a new agreement to create live content and advertising opportunities from across the entire Disney portfolio on the Twitter platform. As part of the new deal, Twitter and ESPN will announce specific live shows in development this week at their NewFront presentations later today, Monday, April 30, and on Wednesday, May 2, respectively, Disney reported. Other participants from TWDC include ABC, Disney Channel and Freeform, Disney Digital Network, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, Radio Disney and Marvel. Live content to launch from these entities under the new agreement will be announced at a later date. Reference Link

14:02 EDT Panasonic unit to pay $137.4M fine to settle FCPA violations - Panasonic Avionics, a subsidiary of multinational electronics company Panasonic, has agreed to pay a $137.4M criminal penalty to resolve charges arising out of a scheme to retain consultants for improper purposes and conceal payments to third-party sales agents, in violation of the accounting provisions of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, FCPA. Reference Link

13:46 EDT Boeing, Uzbekistan finalize order for one 787-8 Dreamliner - Boeing and Uzbekistan Airways announced the finalization of an order for one 787-8 Dreamliner, valued at $239M at current list prices. Uzbekistan Airways currently operates two Dreamliners on international routes, including Europe, Southeast Asia, Japan and USA. With today's order, the carrier will add five more Dreamliners as part of its plan to modernize and expand its fleet, Boeing said in a statement.

12:49 EDT Achaogen rises after FDA posts briefing document ahead of review - The Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee of the FDA is scheduled to meet on May 2 to discuss new drug application 210303 for plazomicin, sponsored by Achaogen, for the proposed indicaitons for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infection and blood stream infections in adults. The FDA posted the briefing document ahead of the review meeting, which states in part: "Though prespecified stratification based on disease type, APACHE score, and time from initial empiric therapy to randomization allowed for some balance between treatment arms, there were significant disparities in important characteristics between the treatment arms. For example, there are disparities between the two arms by gender, the ages of subjects, ethnicity, background therapy, and study site locations. It is unclear if any of these differences might affect outcomes. The assessments of efficacy outcomes are also complicated by uncertainty of the source of the BSI. Although the majority of BSI subjects were considered to have primary bacteremia, a majority of them had intravascular catheters at the time of BSI diagnosis and it does not appear that there was an attempt to collect standardized data across all investigators to assess whether the BSI was related to the intravascular catheters or other source(s) of infection." In midday trading following the posting of the document to the FDA website, Achaogen shares are up 67c, or 5%, to $13.76. Reference Link

12:32 EDT Lockheed Martin opens new facility to support F-35 output growth - Elected officials and business community leaders joined Lockheed Martin in the formal opening of a new manufacturing facility that will create more than 80 new jobs by mid-2019. These new jobs are in addition to the 30 Lockheed Martin jobs added late last year to support the increasing F-35 production rate. The facility is expected to be operational by mid-May. Lockheed Martin currently employs approximately 270 people at the Pinellas Park operation. The new facility will assemble canopies and bulkheads for the F-35 Lightning II program. The expanded work is a result of the rapid growth of the F-35 production program. The facility, located in Pinellas County, adds 65,500 square feet of manufacturing and office space and is expected to begin delivering parts to the main F-35 production facility in Fort Worth, Texas, by mid-summer. In 2018 alone, the Pinellas facility will deliver more than 200 F-35 components to support production and sustainment of the growing F-35 fleet. Across Florida, Lockheed Martin operations employ about 14,400 people. In addition to the new jobs in Pinellas Park, Lockheed Martin recently announced an additional 500 jobs by the end of 2019 in Orlando. Work on the F-35 in Florida includes 97 businesses employing nearly 22,500 direct and indirect jobs.

12:20 EDT Google Cloud announces expansion with NVIDIA Tesla V100 GPUs - Google Cloud Product Managers Chris Kleban and Ari Liberman stated in a post to the Google Cloud Platform Blog: "We strive to provide the widest selection of popular accelerators on Google Cloud to meet your needs for flexibility and cost. To that end, we're excited to announce that NVIDIA Tesla V100 GPUs are now publicly available in beta on Compute Engine and Kubernetes Engine, and that NVIDIA Tesla P100 GPUs are now generally available. Today's most demanding workloads and industries require the fastest hardware accelerators. You can now select as many as eight NVIDIA Tesla V100 GPUs, 96 vCPU and 624GB of system memory in a single VM, receiving up to 1 petaflop of mixed precision hardware acceleration performance." Reference Link

11:34 EDT Union Pacific safest railroad in employee safety third consecutive year - Union Pacific became the safest U.S. Class 1 railroad in employee safety for the third consecutive year. The top-performing railroad had a 0.79 reportable injury rate in 2017, according to Federal Railroad Administration data. A railroad's reportable injury rate represents total number of injuries reported per 200,000 employee work hours. "Being the safest railroad for the third consecutive year reflects our employees' consistent dedication to keeping each other safe," said Rod Doerr, Union Pacific vice president and chief safety officer. "Our work isn't finished and we will continue focusing on eliminating risks to accomplish our ultimate goal of operating in an incident-free environment." Union Pacific's employee-driven safety initiatives include Courage to Care, a voluntary commitment empowering employees to look out for their peers and "stop the line" on operations that could result in an incident. Twice annually, the company stops work system-wide to hold safety stand downs, giving employees an opportunity to have candid discussions and share experiences to learn from each other.

11:25 EDT McDonald's expects G&A to increase about 5% in Q2 - Says beginning to see the benefits of more heavily-franchised model in operating margin. Says expects most of refranchising activity to be conventional franchising in 2018. Expects most activity to occur in 1H18. Expects G&A to increase around 5% in Q2, expects FY18 G&A to decrease about 1% in constant currency. Expects FY18 tax rate to be in the 25%-27% range. Says confident about the U.S. as refranchisees are "energized" with "deep commitment" to customers. Says confident "on track to strengthen leadership position."

11:21 EDT Loews CEO says has no need to issue additional debt 'right now'

11:13 EDT Loews CEO: Boardwalk MLP review 'sparked' by FERC policy change - Loews (L) CEO Jim Tisch said on the company's Q1 earnings conference call that FERC's recently announced policy change plus tax reform legislation has sparked a review as to whether Boardwalk Pipeline (BWP) should remain a publicly-traded MLP. Says effect on max rates may result in Loews being able to purchase Boardwalk's outstanding LP units. Tisch says "We are exploring all our options" regarding these developments. Says expects to reach a decision sometime this year, but no decisions have been made. Says CNA (CNA) poised for ongoing, responsible growth. He said Loews has repurchased approximately 18.6M shares over last seven months, reflecting confidence in underlying business.

10:56 EDT Analysts say buy Spotify ahead of results on valuation, market leadership - Shares of Spotify (SPOT) are on the rise after six Wall Street analysts started coverage of the stock with Buy-equivalent ratings, citing valuation and their bullish view on its success given the company's leading role in the expanding music streaming market. Spotify's direct listing of stock began trading on the NYSE on April 3, opening for trade at $165.90 per share. BUY SPOTIFY: In a research note to investors this morning, Morgan Stanley analyst Benjamin Swinburne started coverage of Spotify with an Overweight rating and $190 price target, as he sees premium users growing from 70M to about 200M by 2022, with revenue growing over 20% per year in that period. The analyst pointed out that his rating is based on his bullish view of the music streaming business, on Spotify's already near global scale, and supporting data regarding its competitive position and value proposition to consumers. Further, Swinburne is encouraged that engagement is high and growing, noting that time spent on Spotify Premium is nearing Netflix (NFLX) levels. Voicing a similar opinion, his peer at JPMorgan also initiated coverage of Spotify with an Overweight rating and $190 price target. Analyst Doug Anmuth told investors in a research note of his own that a secular shift toward streaming and its market leadership should drive multiple years of growth. The analyst is forecasting Spotify's total Monthly Active Users, or MAU, to grow 31% and 26% respectively in 2018 and 2019 to 206M/260M, as he expects both its free and paid services to scale in a growing streaming market. UBS analyst Eric Sheridan also started Spotify with a Buy rating and $200 price target. The analyst told investors he characterizes Spotify as a category leader in streaming music today and believes management execution could widen that moat over the next 3-5 years. With an increasing ubiquity of smart devices globally, Sheridan sees the adoption and monetization of streaming media as a key secular growth theme for investors, while noting that Spotify, playing on that theme, is focusing on a paid subscription and advertising business model. Also bullish on Spotify, BofA Merrill Lynch analyst Jessica Reif initiated the stock with a Buy rating and $195 price target, citing ramping profitability, positioning in a secular growth area, and favorable risk/reward, while her peer at Goldman Sachs started Spotify with a Buy rating and $190 price target, calling it a leader in "the global music revolution." Evercore ISI also initiated Spotify with an Outperform rating and $190 price target. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of Spotify are fractionally up to $161.01. Spotify is scheduled to report on its first quarter results, which will be its first earnings report since becoming publicly traded, on May 2 with a conference call to be held at 5 pm ET.

10:32 EDT Analogic receives early termination of HSR waiting period - Analogic announced that it has received notice from the U.S. FTC that early termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 was granted in connection with the pending acquisition of Analogic by an affiliate of Altaris Capital Partners. The termination of the waiting period under the HSR Act satisfies one of the conditions to the closing of the acquisition, which remains subject to other customary closing conditions, including Analogic's stockholder approval. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2018. As previously announced on April 10, 2018, the transaction price of $84.00 per share represents a 25% premium to the company's closing share price of $67.45 on June 7, 2017, the day after Analogic reported quarterly earnings for the third quarter of fiscal 2017 and announced the launch of its strategic review process. On June 6, 2017, the last trading day prior to this announcement, Analogic's stock price closed at $74.60. Analogic's Board of Directors unanimously recommends that Analogic's stockholders vote in favor of the transaction as it strongly believes that it provides maximum value for and is in the best interest of Analogic stockholders.

10:20 EDT Fitbit rises after announcing digital health collaboration with Google - Shares of Fitbit (FIT) are rising after the wearables company and Google (GOOG, GOOGL) announced a partnership to explore the development of consumer and enterprise health solutions. WHAT'S NEW: Fitbit and Google announced Monday that they will work together to "innovate and transform" the future of digital health and wearables in an effort to create positive health outcomes for people globally. The companies said they are exploring the development of consumer and enterprise health solutions and Fitbit intends to use Google's new Cloud Healthcare API to help integrate further into the healthcare system. Fitbit said combining its data with electronic medical records can offer patients and clinicians a more comprehensive view of the patient profile resulting in more personalized care. The companies also said they are seeking to help better manage chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension by using services such as Fitbit's recently acquired Twine Health and its health dashboard interface. Fitbit will move to the Google Cloud Platform in ordered to accelerate the efforts. In the future, the company hopes to leverage Google's machine learning capabilities to draw insights from large groups of patients and said Google's artificial intelligence could be used in ways that may directly affect health care costs, according to a Fast Company report. EXECUTIVE COMMENTARY: "Over the past decade, we have built an incredible foundation as the leading wearables brand, helping millions of people around the world make lasting behavior changes that improve their health and wellness through fun and engaging experiences. Working with Google gives us an opportunity to transform how we scale our business, allowing us to reach more people around the world faster, while also enhancing the experience we offer to our users and the healthcare system," said James Park, Fitbit co-founder and chief executive officer. "This collaboration will accelerate the pace of innovation to define the next generation of healthcare and wearables." ANALYST VIEW: Following the announcement, Craig-Hallum analyst Alex Fuhrman said he believes Fitbit is viewed as the "ideal healthcare partner" among fitness tracker makers due to its massive wealth of consumer health data, including over 100B hours of heart rate information. The analyst said he thinks the company's data is "significantly more valuable" than that of the Apple (AAPL) Watch for the simple reason that most Fitbit devices have a battery life of approximately four days, allowing Fitbit users to wear the device to sleep and thus collect data continuously for 24 hours. He reiterated a Buy rating and $10 price target on Fitbit's shares. PRICE ACTION: Fitbit rose 8.1%, or 43c, to $5.73 in morning trading.

10:02 EDT W&T Offshore, Baker Hughes announce strategic partnership - W&T Offshore (WTI) and Baker Hughes (BHGE) announced a strategic partnership related to W&T's joint exploration and development program, which includes 14 drilling projects, most of which are operated by W&T in the Gulf of Mexico. The project utilizes a commercial model that consolidates BHGE engineering, products and services expertise in order to reduce total project costs and time to first production. The field development agreement will leverage BHGE's portfolio to improve execution efficiency, reduce risk, and incentivize performance through shared objectives. The deal demonstrates BHGE's fullstream capability by leveraging its integrated portfolio of offerings from oilfield equipment and oilfield services. This announced partnership is part of W&T's joint exploration and development program among a group of investors to drill up to 14 specified projects in the Gulf of Mexico over the next three years. BHGE will provide drilling and evaluation, completions and well intervention, and pressure pumping services. It will also supply wellhead systems, subsea production systems which includes subsea trees, controls and associated subsea connection systems. Surface wellheads and production equipment, as well as the associated installation tooling and services will also be provided from the OFE product company.

09:50 EDT Financial Engines trading resumes

09:37 EDT Nevada reports March statewide gaming win up 3.37% to $1.02B - Nevada's Gaming Control Board reports Las Vegas Strip gaming win was up 9.1% in March to $573.94M. Publicly traded companies in the space include Boyd Gaming (BYD), Caesars (CZR), Las Vegas Sands (LVS), MGM Resorts (MGM), Penn National (PENN) and Wynn Resorts (WYNN).

09:34 EDT T-Mobile CEO says will answer 'every question' from White House, DOJ - Marcello Claure said Sprint (S) and T-Mobile (TMUS) will continue running their companies independently during the deal review and will both continue to take wireless customers. T-Mobile CEO John Legere and Sprint CEO Marcello Claure continue to be interviewed together on CNBC.

09:32 EDT MetLife names Randy Clerihue chief communications officer - MetLife announced that Randy Clerihue has been named chief communications officer. Clerihue was previously the company's head of Corporate Communications with responsibility for financial, executive, public policy, and corporate responsibility communications. In his new role, he will add responsibility for the company's global communications teams in the United States, Asia, Latin America, and Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Helping Clerihue lead MetLife's communications function will be Jennifer Gottlieb, who will become head of global employee communication with responsibility for internal communications and employee engagement. Gottlieb and her team will continue to oversee the internal content strategy, manage all internal channels, and partner with Human Resources to maximize employee engagement.

09:31 EDT Allergan: Transformational deal was 'never a top priority'

09:23 EDT Sprint CEO says will not 'back off' competition during deal review - Legere said he and the company are competitive, as he said Claure is as well. T-Mobile (TMUS) CEO John Legere and Sprint (S) CEO Marcello Claure are being interviewed together on CNBC regarding the deal to combine their companies.

09:22 EDT Five Oaks acquires Hunt CMT Equity for $68M - Five Oaks acquired 100% of the equity interests of Hunt CMT Equity from Hunt Mortgage Group for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $68M. Assets of Hunt CMT Equity LLC include the junior retained notes and preferred shares of a commercial real estate collateralized loan obligation, a licensed commercial mortgage lender and 8 loan participations. The Transaction is part of the company's previously announced reallocation of capital into new investment opportunities in the commercial real estate mortgage space. The company funded the Transaction through sales of residential mortgage-backed securities and available cash. The assets of the CLO consist of performing transitional floating rate commercial mortgage loans with a portfolio balance of $346.3M as of March 31, 2018, collateralized by a diverse mix of property types, including multifamily, retail, office, mixed-use, industrial and student housing.

09:22 EDT Chipotle, DoorDash announce national delivery partnership - Chipotle Mexican Grill and DoorDash announced a national delivery partnership. The new partnership now makes Chipotle delivery available from more than 1,500 Chipotle restaurants across the country, the company's largest delivery footprint to date. To launch this partnership, Chipotle customers are eligible for free delivery on Chipotle orders of $10 or more placed through DoorDash from Monday, April 30 to Sunday, May 6, including May 5 in celebration of Cinco de Mayo. Chipotle customers in areas across the U.S where DoorDash is available can place their orders on the DoorDash mobile app or website. Delivery on qualifying orders will be free during regular Chipotle operating hours for the entire week using the promo code GETCHIPOTLE at checkout.

09:21 EDT Financial Engines to be acquired by Hellman & Friedman for $45 per share in cash - Financial Engines announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to be acquired by funds affiliated with Hellman & Friedman in an all-cash transaction that values Financial Engines at an aggregate value of approximately $3.02B. Under the terms of the agreement, Financial Engines shareholders will receive $45.00 per share in cash upon the closing of the transaction. The price per share represents more than a 32 percent premium above the closing share price of $33.95 on April 27, 2018 and more than a 41 percent premium above the trailing 90-day volume weighted average stock price for the period ended April 27, 2018. The agreement has been unanimously approved by Financial Engines' board of directors. Edelman Financial Services will be combined with Financial Engines as part of the transaction. H&F owns a majority interest in Edelman. "After a thorough assessment, the Board has determined that this transaction represents a compelling outcome for our stockholders, customers and employees. It recognizes the value of Financial Engines' franchise and mission while providing stockholders with a substantial premium," said Blake Grossman, Chairman of the Board of Financial Engines. The transaction, which is expected to close in the third quarter of 2018, is subject to approval by Financial Engines stockholders, regulatory approval and other customary closing conditions. Sandler O'Neill & Partners, L.P. acted as financial advisor to Financial Engines, and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz provided legal counsel. J.P. Morgan, Barclays, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., and UBS Investment Bank acted as financial advisors to H&F and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett provided legal counsel to H&F and Edelman.

09:20 EDT Financial Engines to be acquired by Hellman & Friedman for $45 per share in cash

09:17 EDT Capital Federal to acquire Capital City Bancshares in $37.5M deal - Capitol Federal announced the signing of a definitive agreement and plan of merger pursuant to which CCB will merge with and into Capitol Federal. Immediately upon closing the merger, Capital City Bank will merge with and into Capitol Federal Savings. As of March 31, 2018 and excluding purchase accounting, the combined company would have had pro-forma total assets of $9.5B, gross loans of $7.5B, deposits of $5.7B and an equity position of approximately $1.4B. Subject to the terms of the merger agreement, CCB stockholders will receive 3.725 shares of Capitol Federal's common stock for each of the outstanding shares of their common stock. Based on this fixed exchange ratio, Capitol Federal will issue approximately 3M shares of its common stock, representing approximately 2.1% of pro forma shares following the merger. Based on Capitol Federal's closing price of $12.64 as of April 27, 2018, this represents a value of $47.08 per CCB common share, and an aggregate deal value of $37.5M. This equates to a price to CCB tangible book value as of March 31, 2018 of 141% and a premium to CCB's core deposits of 3.2% as of March 31, 2018. The merger agreement has been unanimously approved by each of the members of the board of directors of CCB and Capitol Federal. Completion of the merger is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of required regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to close by the end of October 2018.

09:17 EDT T-Mobile CEO say AT&T 'solidly' moved into 'dumber' role in pair with Verizon - John Legere said he and Marcello Claure have had their disagreements in the past, but that they have always agreed that it would make sense to combine their companies. Legere said he believes AT&T (T) has "solidly moved into the dumber role" with its recent announcements. Legere frequently referred to AT&T and Verizon (VZ) as "dumb and dumber" during the interview, as he has in the past. Legere said this deal can "supercharge" the competition that his company has represented against AT&T and Verizon. T-Mobile (TMUS) CEO John Legere and Sprint (S) CEO Marcello Claure are being interviewed together on CNBC.

09:15 EDT Green Brick acquires GHO Homes in Florida - Green Brick Partners announced that GHO Homes, one of the oldest brands and leading private homebuilders on Florida's Treasure Coast, has become Green Brick's seventh Team Builder after its acquisition by Green Brick. Headquartered in Port St Lucie, Florida and operating primarily in Vero Beach, Florida, GHO Homes constructs townhouses, single family homes, and luxury homes. Green Brick Partners has purchased all of the assets of GHO Homes and affiliates and acquired an 80% controlling ownership of GHO Homes through an investment in a newly formed entity, GRBK GHO Homes, LLC. Bill Handler will continue serving as President and will be a 20% partner in GRBK GHO Homes.

09:14 EDT Diana Shipping enters time charter contract for m/v Salt Lake City with Cargill - Diana Shipping announced that, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, it has entered into a time charter contract with Cargill International, Geneva, for one of its Capesize dry bulk vessels, the m/v Salt Lake City. The gross charter rate is $16,250 per day, minus a 4.75% commission paid to third parties, for a period of minimum eight months to maximum ten months. The charter is expected to commence on May 1, 2018. The m/v Salt Lake City is currently chartered, as previously announced, to Uniper Global Commodities, Dusseldorf, at a gross charter rate of $9,000 per day, minus a 5% commission paid to third parties. The "Salt Lake City" is a 171,810 dwt Capesize dry bulk vessel built in 2005. This employment is anticipated to generate approximately $3.9M of gross revenue for the minimum scheduled period of the time charter.

09:11 EDT Capital Federal reports Q2 EPS 17c, consensus 19c - Reports Q2 net interest margin of 1.86% (2.24% excluding the effects of the leverage strategy).

09:11 EDT Kansas City Southern, CloudMoyo announce operating system partnership - Kansas City Southern (KSU) and CloudMoyo, or CM, announced a partnership to modernize KCS' railroad operating system called Management Control System, or MCS. KCS will deploy the CloudMoyo rail transportation management, or CRTM, system built on the CloudMoyo transportation platform. This system will leverage the scale of the Microsoft (MSFT) Azure cloud and harness analytics and artificial intelligence to improve operational efficiency and agility. KCS will deploy the CRTM system in phases over the next three years, and each application of the CRTM will be tested prior to being put into live service. KCS already leverages CloudMoyo's crew management, business intelligence and advanced analytics. The cloud-based CRTM system is anticipated to help KCS scale to meet current and future requirements, bypass deployment schedules, and avoid infrastructure investment; enable KCS teams to work more effectively and securely across locations and business units, while retaining the flexibility to operate independently on a regional basis; and span key railroad functions, including rail operations, service planning and design, revenue management, interline settlement, waybill management, asset management and the customer/partner portal.

09:09 EDT Allergan CEO says also reviewing stock buybacks, business as usual

09:08 EDT 2U expands degree partnership with USC Sol Price School of Public Policy - 2U is expanding its partnership with the University of Southern California Sol Price School of Public Policy. This time, 2U is partnering with USC Price to deliver an updated online Master of Public Administration. USC Price's existing online MPA will be transitioned to the 2U-powered online Master of Public Administration degree, which will begin in fall 2019.

09:07 EDT Allergan CEO: Divestitures, M&A, splitting company among options under review - Says "confident" in ability to deliver 5% revenue CAGR from 2017-2022. Says paid down $3.6B in net debt in Q1. Sees FY18 non-GAAP gross margin 85.5%-86%, adjusted tax rate about 14%. Sees FY cash flow from operations roughly $5B vs. previous view of $4.7B-$5B. Says "optimistic" on prospects for body contouring business, prospects for CNS business "bright." Says Vraylar "continues to exceed expectations," says "one of the most successful DTC campaigns" company has launched. Says updated FY18 revenue guidance reflects better than expected revenues that were realized broadly across the business in Q1. Says will continue to provide preliminary quarterly guidance on a temporary basis. Says evaluating a range of strategic options, says "well into process" with multiple advisers. CEO Brent Saunders says "everything is on the table," but "we have not reached the end of the assessment." Says divestitures, M&A, splitting the company among options under review. Comments taken from the Q1 earnings conference call. Allergan is up 2.8% in pre-market trading.

09:03 EDT Avaya says Chris McGugan returns to company as chief technology strategist - Avaya Holdings announced Chris McGugan has re-joined Avaya in a new role as Chief Technology Strategist. McGugan will lead Avaya's technology strategy development to guide future investments. He will focus on assessing customer needs, market trends and how new and emerging technologies can drive value and improved customer experience as part of the digital transformation in communications that Avaya is leading.

09:03 EDT DSP Group sees 'gradual' gross margin expansion

09:02 EDT Platinum Equity acquires DMT mail business, software from Pitney Bowes for $361M - Pitney Bowes announced that Platinum Equity has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the company's Document Messaging Technologies, or DMT, production mail business and supporting software for $361M, subject to certain adjustments. The company anticipates proceeds from the sale of approximately $270M, net of estimated closing costs, transaction fees and taxes. Pitney Bowes expects to use the majority of the net proceeds from the sale to pay down debt. The transaction is likely to be completed late in Q2 or early in the Q3 subject to customary closing conditions.

09:02 EDT Perry Ellis announces accessories license agreement for Farah brand - Perry Ellis International announced that it has entered into a license agreement with Arnold Wills and Company for men's accessories which include bags, luggage, small leather goods, belts, hip flasks, water bottles, mugs, braces, umbrellas, stationery, manicure kits, cufflinks, tie bars and lapel pins under the Farah brand. The new collection will be available in department stores and online.

08:57 EDT On The Fly: Pre-market Movers - HIGHER: Andeavor (ANDV), up 12% after agreeing to be acquired by Marathon Petroleum (MPC). Marathon shares are down 8% following the deal, which values Andeavor at $23.3B in equity value and $35.6B of total enterprise value... ILG (ILG), up 4% after Marriott Vacations (VAC) agreed to buy the company in a cash and stock transaction with an implied equity value of approximately $4.7B... DCT Industrial Trust (DCT), up 8% after announcing a merger agreement by which Prologis (PLD) will acquire the company for $8.4B in a stock-for-stock transaction, including the assumption of debt... SteadyMed (STDY), up 81% after agreeing to be acquired by United Therapeutics (UTHR) in a transaction valued at $216M. UP AFTER EARNINGS: McDonald's (MCD), up 4%... First Data (FDC), up 11%... Allergan (AGN), up 2.5%. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Arconic (ARNC), down 8%... Cooper Tire (CTB), down 11%. LOWER: Sprint (S), down 12% after confirming an agreement to merge with T-Mobile (TMUS). T-Mobile shares are down 2% following the announcement. Verizon (VZ) is down fractionally and AT&T (T) is up fractionally after the deal to combine the number 3 and 4 players in U.S. wireless was announced.

08:52 EDT Alkermes to present six posters at American Psychiatric Association meeting - Alkermes announced the presentation of six posters highlighting data from the company's schizophrenia and depression portfolios at the 2018 American Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting in New York, May 5-9. Key presentation highlights include: Results from a pharmacokinetic and safety study evaluating Aripiprazole Lauroxil NanoCrystal Dispersion, a novel, investigational product designed for initiation onto Aristada; Patient preferences concerning the efficacy and side-effect profile, including weight gain, of antipsychotic medications for the treatment of schizophrenia; Results from an open-label, Phase 3 study in patients with major depressive disorder assessing long-term efficacy, safety and tolerability of ALKS 5461.

08:48 EDT Cytori Therapeutics intends to seek EU approval for liposomal doxorubicin - Cytori Therapeutics provided an update on its plans for US manufacturing and EU approval for its ATI-0918 liposomal doxorubicin product. ATI-0918 has been designed and developed to be bioequivalent to the market leading branded reference drug, Caelyx/Doxil. Liposomal doxorubicin is a commonly used cytotoxic agent for recurrent breast and ovarian cancer, multiple myeloma and Kaposi's sarcoma. The global market is anticipated to grow to $1.4B by 2024. Cytori intends to first seek European approval for its drug and has applied for and has received EMA approval to file for centralized European Union approval. Generic medicines in Europe can be approved either centrally via the European Medicines Agency or nationally via the local regulatory body. Approval by EMA using a centralized procedure leads to approval of the product in all 28 EU Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. All states of manufacturing of the product will be performed in the United States. More specifically, manufacturing of the cytotoxic liposomal formulation will be performed in Cytori's San Antonio Texas facility. Cytori's facility features a new manufacturing clean room and technology specifically designed for the manufacture of complex liposomal compounds integrating cytotoxic compounds. In addition, Cytori has in house analytical chemistry capabilities to ensure its products are manufactured to the highest quality standards. Final sterile packaging and fill finish activities will also be performed in the United States by Bryllan, located in Brighton, Michigan. Bryllan is a premier commercial scale contract manufacturing organization capable of safely filling potent and cytotoxic compounds, hormones, antibodies and complex biologics, live viruses and vaccines. Bryllan features a state-of-the-art aseptic production facility using isolators as the core technology with the highest engineering standards of design and construction to meet US FDA and other global regulatory standards.

08:46 EDT DSP Group says sees Q2 smarthome revenue $2.7M-$3.7M - Sees recovery in 2H18.

08:43 EDT DSP Group sees Q2 VOIP revenue $8.8M-$9.6M

08:42 EDT Capstone Turbine secures large 4 MW oil, gas order - Capstone Turbine announced a new 4 MW purchase order for a clean and green portable power oil and gas project in the United States. The new project, which is scheduled to ship during the first quarter of fiscal 2019, was secured utilizing the company's recently announced new bundled solutions sales program. The order consists of four natural gas-fueled C1000 Signature Series systems that will provide power to critical equipment at the wellhead to ensure continuous operation of the oilfield. Any loss of power at an oilfield significantly impacts the operator's business by halting the oil extraction process. This results in substantial financial losses for the operator. As part of Capstone's new bundled solutions program, these four microturbines come with a long-term Factory Protection Plan, or FPP, that covers all scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, providing fixed operating costs and peace of mind to the end-user. Under the terms of the new program, the equipment and long-term FPP service contract must be prepaid at the time of order thus improving the company's working capital and cash flow.

08:40 EDT ACM Research awarded orders totaling $14.9M - ACM Research announced the receipt of multiple orders for wafer-cleaning tools based on ACM's proprietary Space Alternated Phase Shift, or SAPS, technology, and advanced packaging equipment. The orders represent approximately $14.9M in total revenue from existing customers based in China. The company intends to ship all of the ordered tools in the second half of 2018, and anticipates acceptance and revenue recognition in 2018.

08:36 EDT Conduent agrees to sell non-core consulting segment of HR Services business - Conduent has entered into a binding agreement to sell its U.S. based human resource consulting and actuarial business. The deal also includes human resource consulting and outsourcing businesses located in Canada and the U.K. This business, formerly known as Buck Consultants, is being sold to H.I.G. Capital, a global private equity investment firm. These businesses, which represent approximately $278M of the company's 2017 revenue, are part of the previously announced Conduent plan to divest up to $500M in revenue in 2018 associated with non-core assets across the company. The transaction is expected to close in Q3.

08:34 EDT J.C. Penney announces exclusive Lionel Richie home collection - JCPenney announces an exclusive home collection designed by the Grammy award winner Lionel Richie. Available now at JCPenney.com and in select stores this fall, Lionel Richie Home features simple, classic designs with a modern twist inspired by Richie's travels and his own design aesthetic. Richie's namesake brand includes comforters, quilts, sheets, decorative pillows and bath towels designed to coordinate with the retailer's existing JCPenney Home brand so customers can mix and match products. Richie played an integral role in the design and development of the entire brand, infusing his style and passion for the home into each piece. The Lionel Richie Home collection features simple, elegant designs in a rich color palette including a black three-piece comforter set with gold accents, a classic dark blue three-piece coverlet set, coordinating sheet sets and embroidered towels, to name a few. Sale prices include $129.99 for a queen comforter set, $39.99 for two decorative pillows and $24.99 for two Euro shams.

08:33 EDT MetLife merges two life insurance subsidiaries - MetLife announced that it has completed the merger of its subsidiary, General American Life Insurance, with and into another subsidiary, Metropolitan Tower Life Insurance. The surviving entity, Metropolitan Tower Life Insurance, is domiciled in Nebraska. All necessary regulatory approvals have been received for the merger. In January, MetLife announced it would merge these subsidiaries to simplify and streamline its corporate and operational structure, promoting the company's efforts to remain competitive, flexible and in the best position to meet customer needs. The decision resulted from a review of the entities out of which MetLife does business following the decision to separate a substantial portion of its U.S. Retail segment.

08:26 EDT Allergan sees Restasis generic entry between May-July 2018 - Says on track to achieve $400M operating expense savings. Comments from slides that will be presented on the Q1 earnings conference call.

08:22 EDT China Internet Nationwide reports findings of independent investigation - China Internet Nationwide's independent special committee of the Board of Directors has completed its investigation into the allegations raised in the report issued by Muddy Waters dated December 20, 2017. The Report made allegations against the company. The major findings of the investigation include: no material inconsistency between the gross revenue in the company's books and records and the revenue reported in its SEC reports. Loans were verified. Transactions with Xiamen Beiruichen Trading and Xiamen Luye Trading were verified. Acquisition of Beijing Anytrust Science & Technology was a valid transaction. Kashgar Sheng Yingxin Enterprise Consulting's 2016 revenue was verified. Wealth products services business was sold. Internet Content Provider license and the company's Variable Interest Entity structure verified. As a result of its investigation, the Special Committee, on behalf of the company, has adopted, and the management will in the near future implement, a series of measures intended to improve the company's operations, compliance and internal controls. These measures include, among other things, enhanced corporate policies and practices governing the management of acquisitions and requiring the reconciliation of reports filed with the SAIC and reports filed with the SEC.

08:15 EDT DropCar appoints Victoria Pasquale as Chief Human Resources Officer - DropCar announced the appointment of Victoria Pasquale as Chief Human Resources Officer. Pasquale comes to DropCar from Aramark.

08:11 EDT BioLife Solutions receives $2.6M from exercise of warrants - BioLife Solutions received $2.6M in proceeds from the exercise of 540,896 common stock purchase warrants since April 2. Each warrant was exercised to purchase one share of common stock for $4.75 per share. The warrants were issued as part of a financing completed in March 2014, and were exercised by several unaffiliated holders. No inducements or incentives were offered to the parties exercising the warrants.

08:09 EDT Oasis Petroleum reports Q1 production volume 76,819 Boepd - Oasis produced Q1 volumes at the high end of its guidance range of 75,000 -77,000 Boepd, delivering 76,819 Boepd, of which 76.4% was oil. Oasis produced 74,425 Boepd and 2,394 Boepd during q1 in the Williston Basin and the Delaware Basin, respectively. Volumes in the Delaware Basin averaged 3,652 Boepd since closing the acquisition. During Q1, NYMEX West Texas Intermediate Crude oil index price averaged $62.87 per barrel, and Oasis expects to realize between $61.15 and $61.25 per barrel of oil, without derivative settlements. For Q1, Oasis expects to realize $4.05 to $4.15 per Mcf for natural gas. Q1 CapEx was in line with Oasis's Q1 budget, and the company is reiterating its original guidance for all full year metrics that were provided in February. At March 31, Oasis had $626.0M of loans and $14.0M of outstanding letters of credit issued under the its revolving credit facility, resulting in an unused borrowing base committed capacity of $710.0M.

08:09 EDT NCR Corp. names Michael Hayford CEO - NCR Corporation announced that its board has named Michael Hayford CEO and Frank Martire executive chairman. Bill Nuti, who previously announced his forthcoming retirement, will serve as chairman emeritus. Hayford will participate in NCR's Q1 earnings call.

08:08 EDT Accenture agrees to acquire Certus Solutions; terms not disclosed - Accenture (ACN) has entered into an agreement to acquire Certus Solutions, one of the UK's top Oracle Cloud (ORCL) implementation service providers. Certus Solutions will become part of Accenture's Oracle practice, further strengthening its capabilities in delivering digital transformation on Oracle Cloud. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.

08:07 EDT Everbridge names Tracy Reinhold as Chief Security Officer - Everbridge (EVBG) announced that Tracy Reinhold has joined the company as Chief Security Officer. Reinhold will be responsible for advancing Everbridge's enterprise-level security strategy, as well as working closely with customers and partners to optimize their organizational approach to managing and responding to critical events. This newly created role will report to CEO Jaime Ellertson. As Chief Security Officer at Fannie Mae (FNMA), Reinhold was responsible for designing and managing the company's enterprise resilience strategy.

08:06 EDT Henry Schein partners with Ortho2, terms not disclosed - Henry Schein and Ortho Computer Systems announced that they have signed a definitive agreement to advance practice management software solutions to orthodontists. As a result of the transaction, Henry Schein will own a 50% interest in Ortho2. The transaction, subject to closing conditions, is expected to be neutral to Henry Schein's 2018 diluted earnings per share. Financial terms were not disclosed.

08:05 EDT ConocoPhillips recommends stockholders reject Baker Mills offer - ConocoPhillips announced that it has received notice of an unsolicited mini-tender offer by Baker Mills LLC to purchase up to 55,000 shares of ConocoPhillips common stock from the stockholders of ConocoPhillips. The offer represents approximately 0.005% of the outstanding shares of ConocoPhillips common stock. The offer price of $54.00 per share is approximately 17.9% lower than the $65.79 closing share price of ConocoPhillips common stock on the NYSE, the last trading day prior to the offer date. ConocoPhillips does not endorse Baker Mills' unsolicited mini-tender offer and is not associated in any way with Baker Mills, its mini-tender offer or its mini-tender offer documents. Because Baker Mills' offer price is below the current market value for shares of ConocoPhillips common stock, ConocoPhillips recommends that stockholders reject this unsolicited offer and not tender their shares in response to Baker Mills' offer, or, if stockholders have already tendered shares, that they withdraw their shares by providing the written notice described in the Baker Mills mini-tender offer documents prior to the expiration of the offer. Baker Mills has made similar mini-tender offers for shares of other companies. Mini-tender offers, such as this one, seek to acquire less than 5%of a company's shares outstanding, thereby avoiding many disclosure and procedural requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result, mini-tender offers do not provide investors with the same level of protections as provided by larger tender offers under U.S. securities laws.

08:02 EDT McDonald's CEO says 'confident in the strategies guiding our business' - "We continued to build upon the broad-based momentum of our business, marking 11 consecutive quarters of positive comparable sales and our fifth consecutive quarter of positive guest counts," said McDonald's President and CEO Steve Easterbrook. "More customers are recognising that we are becoming a better McDonald's, appreciating our great tasting food, fast and friendly service and compelling value as we execute our Velocity Growth Plan." Steve Easterbrook concluded, "We're keeping the customer at the centre of everything we do as we continue enhancing their McDonald's experience. Guided by our Velocity Growth Plan, we are satisfying the rising expectations customers have for the taste and quality of our food and greater convenience as they visit our restaurants or enjoy meals delivered to their homes and offices. We are confident in the strategies guiding our business for today and for long-term sustained growth into the future."

07:59 EDT McDonald's reports Q1 U.S. SSS increased 2.9% - In the U.S., first quarter comparable sales increased 2.9% driven by growth in average check resulting from menu price increases and product mix shifts. Operating income for the quarter increased 5%, reflecting higher franchised margin dollars and higher gains on sales of restaurant businesses, partly offset by lower Company-operated margin dollars. Comparable sales for the International Lead segment increased 7.8% for the quarter, reflecting positive results across all markets, primarily driven by the U.K. and Germany. The segment's operating income increased 21% (9% in constant currencies), fueled by sales-driven improvements in franchised margin dollars. In the High Growth segment, first quarter comparable sales increased 4.7%, led by strong performance in China and Italy and positive results across most of the segment, partly offset by continued challenges in South Korea. In the Foundational markets, first quarter comparable sales rose 8.7%, reflecting positive sales performance across all geographic regions.

07:52 EDT Unisys selected by Transportation Security Administration for airport security - Unisys has been selected by the Transportation Security Administration to leverage an integrated package of Unisys Stealth software and application services in developing, implementing and maintaining a suite of mission-critical applications that connect, protect and integrate the agency's security screening equipment deployed at more than 400 U.S. airports. The work will be performed under the single-award Domain Awareness Integrated Network Support Services blanket purchase agreement within TSA's Security Technology Integrated Program. The BPA has a ceiling value of $250M over five years and covers a one-year base period followed by four option years.

07:45 EDT xG Technology trading halted, news pending

07:37 EDT Evoke Pharma granted first gender-specific patent for Gimoti in EU - Evoke Pharma announced that the European Patent Office has issued a Decision to Grant European Union patent no. 2747561 for Gimoti, covering formulations of metoclopramide for intranasal delivery for the treatment of symptoms associated with diabetic gastroparesis specifically for women. The notice confirms that the patent grant applies to 38 covered member states and will be published on May 9, 2018 with patent expiry extended to 2032.

07:36 EDT Rigel Pharmaceuticals' Tavalisse Phase 3 data featured in publication - Rigel Pharmaceuticals announced that the American Journal of Hematology has published positive results from the Fostamatinib in Thrombocytopenia Phase 3 clinical program of Tavalisse - fostamatinib disodium hexahydrate - for the treatment of adults with chronic immune thrombocytopenia. On April 17, the FDA approved Tavalisse for the treatment of thrombocytopenia in adult patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia who have had an insufficient response to a previous treatment. FIT-1 and FIT-2 were phase 3 trials evaluating Tavalisse in comparison with placebo in a total of 150 adult patients with persistent or chronic ITP.

07:34 EDT Conatus completes enrollment in ENCORE-PH Phase 2b clinical trial - Conatus Pharmaceuticals announced the completion of enrollment in ENCORE-PH, a Phase 2b clinical trial evaluating emricasan, the company's first-in-class, orally-active pan-caspase inhibitor. Top-line results from the ENCORE-PH clinical trial are expected in the fourth quarter of 2018.

07:32 EDT Chico's to offer brand apparel and accesories on Amazon.com - Chico's (CHS) brand apparel and accessories will soon be available to purchase on Amazon.com (AMZN), beginning in mid-May. As the new business channel gains traction, additional Chico's merchandise will likely be made available. Chico's will maintain control of marketing, pricing and promotions for its products on Amazon. Given its early nature, this new sales channel is not expected to be material to Chico's FAS 2018 financial results.

07:21 EDT Silicom's edge devices selected by Tier-1 U.S. telecommunications company - Silicom announced that a Tier-1 US telecommunications company has selected one of Silicom's edge devices for a new SD-WAN-based Small Business Gateway offering that it plans to launch soon. The customer has already placed nearly $1M in preliminary purchase orders to be delivered during Q2-Q3 2018, and forecasts that a several additional million dollars worth of products will need to be delivered by the end of 2018. During 2019, the customer expects to ramp up its program gradually to a steady run rate of $15M-$20M per year.In parallel, Silicom is working with the customer to obtain all necessary certifications for the selected edge devices that, in accordance with the customer's decision, will include LTE and Wi-Fi interfaces. Once these certifications are received, the customer will be able to begin deployment of the devices including in LTE and Wi-Fi environments.

07:15 EDT SAIC says John F. Walsh III to lead IT Solutions Market segment - SAIC announced that John F. Walsh III will become the new senior vice president and general manager for the Information Technology Solutions Market Segment, effective April 30. As the new leader of the Information Technology Solutions Market Segment, Walsh will be responsible for the company's growth strategy focusing on software, end-user services, cyber, and digital infrastructure. He will report directly to COO Nazzic Keene. Walsh joins SAIC from CSRA, where he was vice president of Homeland Security Programs.

07:12 EDT Allergan CEO says '2018 is off to a strong start' - "2018 is off to a strong start for Allergan with our first quarter results demonstrating solid execution on all fronts, including the R&D pipeline. Allergan is clearly focused on strong operational performance and disciplined capital allocation," said Brent Saunders, Chairman and CEO of Allergan. "Allergan revenues grew 3 percent driven by a 13 percent increase in our core business amid exclusivity challenges for older products, and our tight expense management enabled maintenance of strong margins. We drove strong cash flow, continued to pay down debt to further de-lever our balance sheet while accelerating and completing our $2 billion share repurchase program." "Our team has continued to drive development of the R&D pipeline and we have achieved several key milestones, including delivering two positive pivotal phase 3 studies for Ubrogepant in acute migraine and the third positive pivotal study for VRAYLAR(R) in bipolar depression. This is just the beginning of the clinical data read-outs and pipeline accomplishments we expect to achieve this year. I thank our 17,000 global colleagues for their important work in delivering innovation for patients and I'm extremely proud of their commitment to making Allergan BOLD For Life," added Saunders.

07:10 EDT WPP sees FY flat like-for-like revenue; sees 'slightly' stronger 2H - WPP says, "Our quarter one preliminary revised forecasts are in line with budget, with a slightly stronger second half, at the revenue less pass-through costs level and show the following": Flat like-for-like revenue and revenue less pass-through costs; Revenue less pass-through costs operating margin flat on a constant currency basis. Long-term targets include: Revenue and revenue less pass-through costs growth at least in line with the industry average; Improvement in revenue less pass-through costs operating margin of between zero and 0.3 margin points, excluding the impact of currency; Annual headline diluted EPS growth of 5% to 10% p.a. delivered through revenue growth, margin expansion, acquisitions and share buy-backs; Revised target range of average net debt/EBITDA ratio lowered to 1.5-1.75x.

07:09 EDT Titan Machinery enters agreement to acquire two AGRAM companies - Titan Machinery announced it has entered into a definitive purchase agreement to acquire all interests of two companies, AGRAM Landtechnikvertrieb GmbH and AGRAM Landtechnik Rollwitz GmbH, which consist of four Case IH agriculture dealership locations in the following cities of Germany: Burkau, Altranft, Rollwitz and Gutzkow. In its most recent fiscal year, AGRAM generated revenue of approximately $30M. The acquisition is expected to close in July.

07:07 EDT The Medicines Co: Data shows inclisiran has one-size-fits-all dosing regimen - The Medicines Company presented important new data and analyses from the ORION development program for inclisiran at the National Lipid Association 2018 Scientific Sessions held in Las Vegas, NV. Multiple studies in the ORION development program demonstrate that the proposed dosing regimen is likely to be the same for a wide range of dyslipidemia patient populations, including those hard-to-treat patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and other sub-groups. Dr. David Kallend, MBBS, Chief Medical Officer of The Medicines Company, presented a range of new data and analysis during a Late Breaker session titled "The Efficacy and Safety of Inclisiran, An RNAi Therapeutic Targeting PCSK9, in Different Patient Populations", demonstrating that the inclisiran dosing regimen achieved substantial PCSK9 and low-density lipoproteins cholesterol lowering in patients with HoFH and primary dyslipidemia, as well as in various sub-groups, such as patients with renal impairment and diabetes. The data showed that inclisiran lowered LDL-C by more than 50% across a wide range of dyslipidemia patient populations and sub-groups, and by up to 44% in HoFH patients.

07:06 EDT Elaine Wynn says sale of Wynn Boston Harbor potentially value destroying - Elaine P. Wynn, co-founder and the largest shareholder of Wynn Resorts, announced that she has mailed her definitive proxy materials and released a letter to all shareholders in connection with her campaign to urge shareholders to withhold votes from Wynn legacy director candidate John Hagenbuch, who is up for re-election at Wynn's annual meeting of shareholders scheduled for Wednesday, May 16. In the letter, she states in part: "I am the Company's co-founder and largest shareholder, and I am committed to ensuring that the Company's board of directors, corporate governance, stewardship and oversight are as standard-setting as its resorts. Guests have come to expect the highest standards from the Company in design, service, cuisine and entertainment. In my view, we should hold the Company's board to the same standards. I am seeking to send a message to the board that the longstanding legacy directors should step down, many of whom (like John Hagenbuch) have close ties to Stephen A. Wynn, the Company's former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. I want to make way for the election to the board of new outstanding leaders, who are committed to best-in-class governance and oversight. I am concerned that the longstanding legacy directors cannot exercise objective judgment on our behalf going forward, in light of the regulatory and media scrutiny of their past decision-making. In particular, I am troubled by the potential conflict of interest between the protection of their personal and professional reputations and their responsibilities to the Company and that this conflict could lead to business decisions that are not in the interests of the shareholders. For example, the Massachusetts Gaming Commission - which has licensed the Company to open the only gaming resort in or around the City of Boston - is conducting an investigation into the board's knowledge and handling of the allegations of sexual harassment by Mr. Wynn. The Commission is also investigating the Company's decision not to disclose payments to settle allegations of sexual misconduct against Mr. Wynn on the Company's licensing application, which was filed in 2012... Some members of the current board are directly implicated by the Massachusetts regulatory investigation. I do not know what the Commission will conclude, but I believe that the legacy directors would prefer that their actions not be scrutinized by the gaming officials. That is why I am concerned that not long after the announcement of the investigations, management suggested, for the first time, that the Company might divest Wynn Boston Harbor, which is scheduled to open in June 2019. Wynn Boston Harbor is, in my view, an extremely attractive opportunity of significant strategic importance to the Company. Wynn holds the only gaming license in the immediate Boston region and will be the only luxury gaming destination in the Northeastern United States. For many years, the Company highlighted the resort as a remarkable expansion opportunity - with Boston representing an attractive market, easily accessible and an international travel hub, with significant potential revenue and market share."

07:04 EDT Marriott Vacations to acquire ILG in $4.7B deal - Marriott Vacations (VAC) and ILG (ILG) announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which MVW will acquire all of the outstanding shares of ILG in a cash and stock transaction with an implied equity value of approximately $4.7B. Under the terms of the agreement, ILG shareholders will receive $14.75 in cash and 0.165 shares of MVW common stock for each ILG share. Under the terms of the merger agreement, which has been unanimously approved by the Boards of both companies, ILG shareholders will receive $14.75 in cash and 0.165 shares of MVW common stock for each ILG share. Following the close of the transaction, ILG shareholders will own approximately 43% of MVW's common shares on a fully-diluted basis, based on the number of MVW common shares outstanding today. Qurate Retail, Inc. has entered into a voting agreement with ILG in support of the transaction. The transaction, which is expected to close in the second half of 2018, is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals and approval by shareholders of both companies.

07:02 EDT Edge Therapeutics announces review of strategic alternatives - Edge Therapeutics announced that its board is conducting a comprehensive review of strategic alternatives focused on maximizing stockholder value. In conjunction with the exploration of strategic alternatives, Edge intends to streamline its operations in order to preserve its cash resources. Edge has retained Piper Jaffray & Co. to act as its financial advisor to assist with this review process. Potential strategic alternatives that may be explored or evaluated as part of this review include, but are not limited to, an acquisition, merger, business combination or other strategic transaction involving Edge. There is no defined timeline for completion of the review process. There is no assurance that this review will result in Edge pursuing any transaction or that a transaction, if pursued, will be completed. Edge does not intend to discuss or disclose further developments regarding the strategic review process unless and until its Board of Directors has approved a specific action or otherwise determined that further disclosure is appropriate or required by law.

07:01 EDT Aqua America says Daniel Schuller to succeed David Smeltzer as CFO - Aqua America (WTR) Chairman and CEO Christopher H. Franklin announced several changes in the senior management team stemming from the scheduled retirement of Executive Vice President and CFO David Smeltzer. Daniel Schuller, who is currently serving as EVP, strategy and corporate development, will succeed Smeltzer as CFO, with an immediate appointment as deputy CFO until Smeltzer's formal retirement. Matthew Rhodes will join the company to fill Schuller's current role as EVP, strategy and corporate development. To round out Franklin's executive team, Christina Kelly will join the company as senior vice president and chief human resources officer. In the CFO role, Schuller will oversee all financial functions including accounting, tax, treasury, planning, and capital spending. He has served in his current role at Aqua since August 2015, where he is responsible for developing, communicating, and executing Aqua's strategic initiatives, with an emphasis on growth. Prior to joining Aqua, Schuller spent eight years with J.P. Morgan Asset Management - Infrastructure Investments Group. Rhodes will join Aqua in June after spending 11 years within the Investment Banking Division at Goldman Sachs (GS), where he was a managing director with lead coverage responsibility for over 25 regulated electric and gas utility clients.

06:57 EDT Preferred Apartment acquires two shopping centers in Atlanta, Nashville suburbs - Preferred Apartment announced its acquisition of two grocery-anchored shopping centers with an aggregate of approximately 139,000 square feet located in the Atlanta, Georgia and Nashville, Tennessee MSAs. The two properties were acquired in one transaction with the same seller. Governors Towne Square is a high growth suburb in the Atlanta, Georgia MSA and is anchored by a 44,840 square foot Publix grocery store. Greensboro Village is also a high growth suburb in the Nashville, Tennessee MSA and is anchored by 45,600 square foot Publix grocery store.

06:55 EDT Marathon Petroleum sees Q2 throughput 1,925 MBPD - Sees FY18 CapEx $3.97B. Guidance provided in Q1 earnings presentation slides.

06:47 EDT MPLX affirms 2018 distribution growth guidance of 10% - The partnership ended the quarter with strong distribution coverage of 1.29 times and affirmed its 2018 distribution growth guidance of 10%. Debt-to-pro forma adjusted EBITDA was 3.8 times for the quarter. Consistent with its strategy to maximize unitholder returns and execute a self-funding model, the partnership did not issue public equity during the first quarter.

06:42 EDT MPLX reports Q1 adj. EBITDA $760M - "Our record financial results reflect MPLX's significant transformation into one of the largest diversified master limited partnerships in the energy sector," said Gary Heminger, chairman and CEO. "The dropdowns of the past year have nearly doubled the partnership's earnings base, and the elimination of incentive distribution rights improves the partnership's cost of capital. Combined with our existing business and planned organic growth, the partnership is extraordinarily well-positioned to deliver long-term sustainable distribution growth for our investors."

06:32 EDT Aerie Pharmaceuticals announces U.S. launch of Rhopressa - Aerie Pharmaceuticals announced that it has launched Rhopressa in the United States. Rhopressa is now in national and regional U.S. pharmaceutical distributors, and patients have access to Rhopressa through their local pharmacies across the nation.

06:24 EDT Andeavor CEO Greg Goff to join Marathon Petroleum as executive vice chairman - At closing, Greg Goff, Andeavor (ANDV) chairman and CEO, will join MPC (MPC) as executive vice chairman. As executive vice chairman and an executive of MPC following closing, Goff will provide leadership and be integrally involved in the strategy for the combined company. Goff, along with three other Andeavor directors, will also join the board of directors of Marathon Petroleum. "With significantly increased scale, a strong platform for our midstream businesses and a leading nationwide retail and marketing distribution portfolio, the combined company presents tremendous value enhancement and growth opportunities for all shareholders," said Goff. "This strategic combination provides our shareholders with a premium for their shares and the opportunity to benefit from substantial future value creation at MPC. As the largest refiner by capacity in the U.S., with a best-in-class operating capability and a strong capital structure, the combined company will be exceptionally well-positioned to deliver on its synergy and earnings targets. We look forward to working together to deliver on the full potential of this powerful combination."

06:22 EDT Marathon Petroleum approves incremental $5B of share repurchase authorization - "Importantly, we expect this transaction will be meaningfully accretive for shareholders, generating approximately $1 billion of tangible annual run-rate synergies within the first three years and significantly enhancing our long-term cash flow generation profile," said CEO Heminger. "Given the confidence in the robust cash flow expected to be generated by the combined business, our board also authorized an incremental $5 billion of share repurchases. As a combined company, we will continue our balanced approach to investing in the business and returning cash to our investors, while maintaining

06:20 EDT NanoString partnering with five Contract Research Organizations - NanoString Technologies announced commercial partnerships with five Contract Research Organizations that expand access to NanoString's Digital Spatial Profiling technology. NanoString has entered commercial partnerships with Covance, Cancer Genetics Incorporated, Core Diagnostics, Propath UK and another undisclosed CRO. These CRO partners will be able to market DSP services to their customers through a Technology Access Program in advance of the expected commercial launch of the DSP instrument platform in 2019.

06:15 EDT Jumei announces $100M share repurchase plan - Jumei announced that its board of directors has authorized a share repurchase plan under which the company may repurchase up to $100M of its shares over the next 12 months.

06:12 EDT BASF wins conditional EU approval to buy certain Bayer assets - The European Commission has conditionally approved under the EU Merger Regulation the acquisition of parts of Bayer's (BAYRY) Crop Science business by BASF (BASFY). This transaction is related to the Bayer/Monsanto (MON) merger divestment commitments.The decision follows the Commission's conditional clearance in March 2018 of Bayer's planned acquisition of Monsanto. Bayer committed to divest an extensive remedy package worth well over EURO$6 billion to address the competition concerns on overlaps between Bayer and Monsanto in seeds, pesticides and digital agriculture. The Commission concluded that this divestment package would enable a suitable buyer to sustainably replace Bayer's competitive effect in these markets and continue to innovate, for the benefit of European farmers and consumers. The Bayer Divestment Business includes: Bayer's entire vegetable seeds business; Bayer's entire broad acre seeds and traits business including its R&D organisation, subject to limited carve outs; a number of Bayer non-selective herbicide assets, in particular Bayer's global glufosinate business assets and three lines of research; a number of Bayer nematicidal seed treatment assets and products; and Bayer's global digital agriculture assets and products. Since BASF does not currently sell seeds or non-selective herbicides and has only recently started to develop a limited offering in digital agriculture, the Commission did not identify competition concerns with most parts of the transaction.

06:05 EDT Marathon Petroleum CEO sees Andeavor deal 'meaningfully accretive' - "This transaction combines two strong, complementary companies to create a leading U.S. refining, marketing, and midstream company, building a platform that is well-positioned for long-term growth and shareholder value creation," said Gary R. Heminger, MPC chairman and chief executive officer. "Each of our operating segments are strengthened through this transaction, as it geographically diversifies our refining portfolio into attractive markets, increases access to advantaged feedstocks, enhances our midstream footprint in the Permian basin, and creates a nationwide retail and marketing portfolio that will substantially improve efficiencies and enhance our ability to serve customers. "Importantly, we expect this transaction will be meaningfully accretive for shareholders, generating approximately $1 billion of tangible annual run-rate synergies within the first three years and significantly enhancing our long-term cash flow generation profile," said Heminger. "Given the confidence in the robust cash flow expected to be generated by the combined business, our board also authorized an incremental $5 billion of share repurchases. As a combined company, we will continue our balanced approach to investing in the business and returning cash to our investors, while maintaining our commitment to an investment-grade credit profile."

06:03 EDT Walmart, Sainsbury announce combination of Sainsbury's and Asda - Walmart (WMT) and J Sainsbury (JSAIY) announce the combination of Sainsbury's and Asda Group, Walmart's wholly owned UK retail subsidiary. Under the terms of the Combination, which is subject to various approvals, including from the Competition and Markets Authority, Walmart would hold 42% of the share capital of the Combined Business. This holding will be made up of 29.9% of Sainsbury's ordinary shares, with full voting rights attached, with the balance held as non-voting shares convertible into voting shares. In addition, Walmart would receive approximately GBP 2.98B in cash, subject to customary closing adjustments, valuing Asda at approximately GBP 7.3B on a debt-free, cash-free and pension-free basis. Walmart would retain the Asda defined benefit pension scheme as part of the combination, along with any ongoing defined benefit pension related obligations. The new business will operate a distinctive dual brand strategy. Asda would continue to be run from Leeds by its own CEO, Roger Burnley, who would join the Group Operating Board of the Combined Business. Based on the current deal terms, Walmart expects to recognize a non-cash loss of approximately $2B, which is based on the current value of shares to be received and current foreign exchange rates. This estimate could fluctuate significantly due to changes in the fair value of the equity consideration to be received and changes in currency exchange rates. Due to the conditions to complete the transaction, including regulatory approval which could extend into the second half of calendar year 2019, the timing of the loss recognition is not yet determined. Walmart expects the impact to earnings to be slightly dilutive in the first full year following completion of the transaction and neutral to slightly accretive in subsequent years, as synergies are realized. Walmart will update further after the deal closes. Walmart is scheduled to report first quarter results on May 17, 2018.

06:02 EDT United Therapeutics to acquire SteadyMed for $4.46 per share in cash - United Therapeutics (UTHR) and SteadyMed (STDY) announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement under which United Therapeutics will acquire SteadyMed for $4.46 per share in cash at closing and an additional $2.63 per share in cash upon the achievement of a milestone related to the commercialization of Trevyent. The transaction, including the $75M in contingent consideration, is valued at $216M. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by SteadyMed's shareholders and the expiration or termination of the required waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, and is expected to be completed in the third quarter of this year.

05:55 EDT KBR awarded contract by Saudi Aramco, SABIC - KBR, Inc. announced that it has been awarded a contract by Saudi Arabian Oil Company and SABIC as the second Project Management Contractor, or PMC, to provide Pre-Front End Engineering Design, or Pre-FEED, Front End Engineering Designm, or FEED, and Program Management Services to develop the world's largest fully integrated Crude Oil to Chemicals, or COTC, complex. The project, which will be located in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, will be executed from KBR's Houston, Al-Khobar and Chennai offices and is expected to continue through to the start-up of the facility in 2025. The COTC complex will be based on advanced refining technologies, innovative process configurations and proven conversion technologies that will create a fully integrated petrochemical complex which maximizes chemicals, further diversifying the petrochemical feedstock mix in the Kingdom.

05:44 EDT LabCorp agrees to sell Covance Food Solutions to Eurofins for $670M - LabCorp announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement under which Eurofins Scientific, a global group of laboratories active in food, environment and pharma product testing, will acquire the Covance Food Solutions business from LabCorp for an all-cash purchase price of $670M. Covance Food Solutions is a global provider of innovative product design and product integrity services for end-user segments that span the global food supply chain, with an integrated network of facilities across the United States, United Kingdom and Singapore. For the twelve months ending December 31, 2017, Covance Food Solutions recorded pro-forma revenue of approximately $150M. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2018. Further terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

05:38 EDT Rowan Companies awarded four contract from Saudi Aramco - Rowan expects that four of its idle jack-ups will be leased to ARO Drilling to fulfill four three-year contracts that ARO Drilling has been awarded by Saudi Aramco. ARO Drilling will lease the EXL I, EXL IV, Bess Brants and Earnest Dees from Rowan through a bareboat charter lease mechanism. The estimated commencement of the contracts is during the third quarter 2018 for the EXL I and EXL IV, and late 2018 or early 2019 timeframe for the Bess Brants and Earnest Dees. Rowan will prepare the rigs for operations, including all contractually required modifications, and then lease the rigs to ARO Drilling who will operate the rigs in Saudi Arabia. The contracts for the four rigs have been awarded and are in the process of being finalized.

04:49 EDT T-Mobile, Sprint enter agreement to merge in all-stock transaction - T-Mobile US (TMUS) and Sprint (S) announced they have entered into a definitive agreement to merge in an all-stock transaction at a fixed exchange ratio of 0.10256 T-Mobile shares for each Sprint share or the equivalent of 9.75 Sprint shares for each T-Mobile US share. Based on closing share prices on April 27, this represents a total implied enterprise value of approximately $59B for Sprint and approximately $146B for the combined company. The combined company will be named T-Mobile and will be headquartered in Bellevue, Wash., with a second headquarters in Overland Park, Kan. John Legere, current President and Chief Executive Officer of T-Mobile US and the creator of T-Mobile's successful Un-carrier strategy, will serve as Chief Executive Officer, and Mike Sievert, current Chief Operating Officer of T-Mobile, will serve as President and Chief Operating Officer of the combined company. The remaining members of the new management team will be selected from both companies during the closing period. Tim Hottges, current T-Mobile US Chairman of the Board, will serve as Chairman of the Board for the new company. Masayoshi Son, current SoftBank Group Chairman and CEO, and Marcelo Claure, current Chief Executive Officer of Sprint, will serve on the board of the new company. "This combination will create a fierce competitor with the network scale to deliver more for consumers and businesses in the form of lower prices, more innovation, and a second-to-none network experience - and do it all so much faster than either company could on its own," said John Legere. "As industry lines blur and we enter the 5G era, consumers and businesses need a company with the disruptive culture and capabilities to force positive change on their behalf." "The combination of these two dynamic companies can only benefit the U.S. consumer. Both Sprint and T-Mobile have similar DNA and have eliminated confusing rate plans, converging into one rate plan: Unlimited," said Marcelo Claure. "We intend to bring this same competitive disruption as we look to build the world's best 5G network that will make the U.S. a hotbed for innovation and will redefine the way consumers live and work across the U.S., including in rural America. As we do this, we will force our competitors to follow suit, as they always do, which will benefit the entire country. I am confident this combination will spur job creation and ensure opportunities for Sprint employees as part of a larger, stronger combined organization, and I am thrilled that Kansas City will be a second headquarters for the merged company." :