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

19:43 EDT Eisai, Merck provide update on sNDA for Lenvatinib in HCC - Eisai (ESALY). and Merck (MRK) announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has extended the action date for the supplemental New Drug Application for lenvatinib for the potential first-line treatment of patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma. The FDA has indicated that the extension of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act date is needed to allow additional time for review of the application. The agency expects to complete the review on or before August 24, 2018, thus extending the target action date by a standard extension period of three months from the original PDUFA action date of May 24, 2018. Eisai, as the marketing authorization holder, is working closely with the FDA to support the continued review of this application. Lenvatinib is approved by the U.S. FDA for the treatment of locally recurrent or metastatic, progressive, radioactive iodine-refractory differentiated thyroid cancer. Lenvatinib is also approved by the U.S. FDA in combination with everolimus for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma following one prior anti-angiogenic therapy.

18:29 EDT Great Plains-Westar Energy merger approved by KCC, MPSC - Great Plains Energy (GXP) and Westar Energy (WR) received final regulatory approval from the Kansas Corporation Commission and Missouri Public Service Commission (MPSC) to combine. The stock-for-stock merger of equals creates a holding company of approximately $15B equity value, which will be named Evergy, Inc. (EVRG). Its principal business will be conducted by the operating companies known today as Westar and KCP&L. The companies anticipate a closing date in early June, concluding a two-year effort to combine the two companies. The utilities have guaranteed more than $100M in customer bill credits with $29M upfront for Missouri customers and $75M for Kansas customers over the first five years after the merger closes. In addition, once currently pending rate reviews are resolved, the companies have agreed to fix their base rates for up to five years in Kansas as a result of the merger.

18:05 EDT Kearny Financial increases quarterly cash dividend to 4c per share - Kearny Financial declared an increased quarterly cash dividend of 4c per share to stockholders of record as of June 6, payable on June 20.

17:44 EDT BioMarin receives standard FDA approval for Palynziq in adults with PKU - BioMarin Pharmaceutical announced that it received standard approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Palynziq Injection to reduce blood phenylalanine concentrations in adult patients with phenylketonuria - PKU- who have uncontrolled blood Phe concentrations greater than 600 micromol/L on existing management. Palynziq, a PEGylated recombinant phenylalanine ammonia lyase enzyme, is the first approved enzyme substitution therapy to target the underlying cause of PKU by helping the body to break down Phe. Palynziq is BioMarin's second approved treatment for this important condition. PKU is a rare genetic disease that manifests at birth and results in a variety of cumulative toxic effects on the brain. PKU affects approximately 1 in 12,500 live births in the United States each year. PKU is marked by an inability to break down Phe, an amino acid that is found in all forms of protein. Left untreated, high levels of Phe become toxic to the brain and may lead to serious neurological and neuropsychiatric-related issues, impacting the way a person thinks, feels, and acts. Due to the seriousness of these symptoms, infants are screened at birth to ensure that they are diagnosed early and treated to avoid intellectual disability and other complications. Patients living with PKU require life-long management, including adherence to a challenging and severely restrictive daily diet of medical foods and formula that avoids the ingestion of Phe that is present in most foods.

17:23 EDT Nasdaq scheduled resumption in Rockwell Medical - Nasdaq (NDAQ) announced that trading in Rockwell Medical (RMTI) is scheduled to resume Friday, May 25 at 7:15:00 a.m., Eastern Time. Trading in the company's stock was halted on May 23 at 9:23:14 a.m.

17:21 EDT Gap CFO says saw 'dramatic inflection' in trends when the weather improved - Says merchandise margin pressure in Q2 will be about half of that experienced in Q1.

17:19 EDT CBC expresses privacy, racial bias concerns about Amazon Rekognition - In a letter to Amazon president and CEO Jeffrey Bezos and prominent tech trade associations, the Congressional Black Caucus expressed privacy and racial bias concerns about Rekognition, facial recognition technology that the company is marketing and selling to law enforcement agencies. In regard to privacy, the CBC expressed concerns that some law enforcement agencies will use the technology to surveil law-abiding citizens. In regard to racial bias, the CBC expressed concerns that the data used to deploy the technology would include an overrepresentation of African Americans and that the technology itself may misidentify African-American facial features, a problem called "algorithmic bias." "We are troubled by the profound negative unintended consequences this form of artificial intelligence could have for African Americans, undocumented immigrants, and protestors," CBC Chairman Cedric L. Richmond wrote. "Surveillance of perfectly legitimate and constitutionally protected activity will only further erode the public's trust in law enforcement." Reference Link

17:13 EDT Boeing awarded $416.4M U.S. Navy contract - The Boeing Co. is being awarded a $416,438,385 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract for the manufacture and delivery of three Lot 9 full-rate production P-8A multi-mission maritime aircraft for the Navy.

17:11 EDT Gap CFO says saw operational misstep around timing of inventory received - Says the company is addressing issues around margins. Expecting Issues will continue in Q2 but not to the same extent as Q1.

17:07 EDT Gap CEO says 'remain confident in the year' - Says performance was impacted by cold weather. Have seen improvement when the weather turned. Very encouraged by performance in Banana Republic. Comments taken from the Q1 earnings conference call.

16:49 EDT Hillhouse Capital reports 9.8% stake in Enstar Group - The Reporting Person acquired the shares for investment purposes in the ordinary course of business, and not with the purpose nor with the effect of changing or influencing the control or management of the Issuer. The Reporting Person and its representatives may and from time to time engage in discussions with members of management, and the Board, other current or prospective shareholders, industry analysts, existing or potential strategic partners or competitors, investment and financing professionals and other third parties regarding a variety of matters relating to the Issuer, which may include, among other things, the Issuer's business, management, capital structure and allocation, corporate governance, Board composition and strategic alternatives and direction.

16:44 EDT Anchorage Capital Group reports 13.6% stake in Goodrich Petroleum - The Reporting Persons initially acquired Shares in connection with the Issuer's Restructuring, and acquired additional Shares in the Private Placement for investment purposes, because they believed the securities were undervalued and represented an attractive investment opportunity. The Reporting Persons have engaged and may continue to engage in discussions with management, the Issuer's board of directors, other shareholders of the Issuer and other relevant parties, including representatives of any of the foregoing, concerning the Reporting Persons' investment in the Issuer, including, without limitation, matters concerning the business, operations, governance, board composition, director candidates, management, capitalization (including, without limitation, implementing a share buyback program involving open market purchases, private transactions and/or some form of tender offer) and strategic plans of the Issuer.

16:38 EDT Gap reports Q1 gross margin 37.7% vs. 37.9% last year - Excluding the impact from the adoption of the new revenue recognition standard, gross margin was 36.7%, a decrease of 120 basis points compared with last year, largely due to the Gap Brand.

16:36 EDT Amarin settles patent litigation with Teva - Amarin Corporation (AMRN) announced a settlement agreement with Teva Pharmaceuticals USA (TEVA) that resolves Amarin's previously reported Vascepa patent litigation as it relates to Teva's abbreviated new drug application seeking U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of generic forms of Vascepa capsules. This patent litigation continues in the United States District Court for the District of Nevada with parties West-Ward Pharmaceuticals Corp. and Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Inc. and their affiliated entities. In the lawsuit, Amarin alleges that the generic forms of Vascepa adverse parties seek to market in the United States infringe upon multiple issued patents owned by Amarin. As part of the settlement agreement, Teva may first begin selling its generic version of Vascepa in the United States on August 9, 2029, or earlier under certain customary circumstances. The agreement is subject to a required review by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice.

16:33 EDT UnitedHealth, Quest Diagnostics establish long-term strategic partnership - UnitedHealthcare (UNH) and Quest Diagnostics (DGX) have established a long-term strategic partnership as the two organizations focus on ways to create more personalized care recommendations and a simpler consumer experience for the more than 48M people enrolled in UnitedHealthcare plans. Quest will be in network for all UnitedHealthcare plan participants beginning January 1, 2019. As part of the expanding relationship, UnitedHealthcare and Quest will collaborate on a variety of value-based programs, bringing the same aligned incentives and enhanced patient experience to lab services as exist today in accountable care arrangements between UnitedHealthcare and more than 1,100 hospitals and 110,000 physicians.

16:31 EDT LCI Industries raises quarterly dividend to 60c from 55c per share - The dividend is payable on June 15, 2018, to stockholders of record at the close of business on June 4, 2018.

16:25 EDT Preferred Apartment announces $11.9M investment in Tennessee development - Preferred Apartment announced that it closed on an aggregate loan investment of up to approximately $11.9M. This investment is in connection with Oxford Properties' plans to develop a 301-unit Class A multifamily community located in the Nashville, Tennessee MSA. Additionally, with this investment, PAC received an option to purchase the multifamily community following stabilization at a discounted price to market. "We continue to originate multifamily real estate loan investments that provide both attractive current returns and the opportunity to acquire newly constructed properties at a discount to stabilized value," said Jeff Sherman, the company's executive VP and director of multifamily investments.

16:21 EDT Gap falls over 7% afterhours following Q1 earnings miss

16:21 EDT Gap reports Q1 SSS up 1% vs. up 2% last year - Reports Q1 Old Navy Global SSS up 3% vs. up 8% last year. Gap Global SSS down 4% vs. down 4% last year. Banana Republic Global up 3% vs. down 4% last year.

16:17 EDT ViaSat expects to 'significantly ramp' in-flight connectivity in fiscal 2019 - ViaSat said that during Q4, it and United Airlines signed a new agreement to bring Viasat's latest generation in-flight entertainment and connectivity system to more than 70 new aircraft, including at least 58 of United's new Boeing 737MAX aircraft. At the close of Q4, there were 635 commercial aircraft in service equipped with Viasat's in-flight connectivity system. Viasat expects to "significantly ramp" IFC installations in fiscal year 2019, and currently has 1,590 aircraft either in service or under contract.

16:17 EDT DXC Technology raises quarterly dividend to 19c per share - The board of directors of DXC Technology has declared a regular quarterly dividend of 19c per share on the company's Common Stock. The dividend will be paid on July 17, 2018 to stockholders of record at the close of business on June 6, 2018.

16:16 EDT Ross Stores down over 4% afterhours following Q1 results and Q2 guidance

16:15 EDT Revance says 'positive' Phase 2 RT002 study results published in journal - Revance Therapeutics, Inc. announced that results of a Phase 2 study of DaxibotulinumtoxinA for Injection to treat moderate-to-severe cervical dystonia have been published in the peer-reviewed journal Movement Disorders Clinical Practice. These positive 24-week results from a Phase 2 open-label, dose-escalating study were announced in May 2017 and were formally presented at the 21st International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders in June 2017. The previously reported findings demonstrate that RT002 injectable provided clinically significant improvement in the signs and symptoms of CD as determined by reduction of the Toronto Western Spasmodic Torticollis Rating Scale-Total score from baseline. In addition, RT002 was found to be generally safe and well-tolerated. "Cervical dystonia is a movement disorder characterized by involuntary movements of the head and neck resulting in abnormal twisting postures of the head that is frequently associated with pain. The treatment of choice for cervical dystonia is botulinum toxin injections. Unfortunately, the drawback of this therapy, as currently available, is that patients must typically be re-treated at approximately three to four month intervals in order to maintain benefit," said trial investigator Joseph Jankovic, MD, Professor of Neurology and Distinguished Chair in Movement Disorders, Baylor College of Medicine. "The data from the now published RT002 study indicated that this new formulation of botulinum toxin serotype A may significantly improve symptoms of cervical dystonia and have an impressive duration of benefit of 24 weeks, which is almost twice as long as the toxins currently available. The Phase 3 ASPEN cervical dystonia program will ultimately determine if the results of this Phase 2 study published in Movement Disorders Clinical Practice are replicated."

16:12 EDT Marvell announces completion of CFIUS review on Cavium merger - Marvell (MRVL) announced that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, has completed its review of the company's previously announced merger transaction with Cavium (CAVM) and determined that there are no unresolved national security concerns with respect to the merger. The merger remains subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approval from China's State Administration for Market Regulation. Marvell continues to expect the merger to close mid-calendar year of 2018.

16:10 EDT 8x8 sees Q1 service revenue $77M-$78M - Sees Q1 adjusted pre-tax loss $4M-$5M.

16:04 EDT Callon acquires Ward County properties from Cimarex for $570M - Callon Petroleum Company (NYSE: CPE) ("Callon" or the "Company") today announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Callon Petroleum Operating Company, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire certain producing oil and gas properties and undeveloped acreage for total consideration of $570 million in cash from Cimarex Energy (XEC). The company intends to fund the cash purchase price with the net proceeds of an equity offering announced concurrently with the announcement of this acquisition, cash on hand and/or incurrence of long-term indebtedness. On a pro forma basis, assuming the closing of the acquisition, Callon's aggregate Permian Basin position will include approximately 86,000 net surface acres concentrated in four core operating areas within both the Midland and Delaware Basins. The pending acquisition is expected to close on or before September 10, subject to the completion of customary closing conditions.

16:03 EDT Ross Stores reports Q1 SSS up 3%

16:02 EDT ContraVir Pharmaceuticals announces 1-for-8 reverse stock split - ContraVir Pharmaceuticals announced a reverse split of its common stock, at a ratio of 1 for 8, effective May 25. The company's common stock will begin trading on a split-adjusted basis when the markets open on May 29 under the existing trading symbol "CTRV."

15:43 EDT SIA acquires European card processing business from First Data - SIA, a European high-tech leader in payment infrastructure and services, and First Data Corporation (FDC), have signed an agreement for SIA to acquire First Data's card processing businesses in parts of Central and Southeastern Europe for EUR375M. In 2017, these businesses generated a combined revenue of approximately EURO100M for First Data.

15:36 EDT JetBlue announces Fort Lauderdale as its home for JetBlue Travel Products - JetBlue announced it has selected Fort Lauderdale as the new home for its JetBlue Travel Products subsidiary. JetBlue Travel Products consists of the JetBlue Vacations brand and other non-air travel products including travel insurance, cruises, car rentals and more. Fort Lauderdale is one of JetBlue's six focus cities. As the JetBlue Travel Products subsidiary grows, the move to South Florida places the subsidiary right at the center of the travel and tourism industry. Fort Lauderdale is a major center of operations for JetBlue's international flights to and from the Caribbean and Latin America, two regions which now account for one-third of the airline's network. Today the airline serves 59 destinations from Fort Lauderdale and is growing toward 140 daily departures. JetBlue Travel Products is laying the foundation for the next level of ancillary earnings growth, building on the JetBlue brand. Andres Barry was recently appointed president of the JetBlue subsidiary. In his new role, he will lead JetBlue Travel Products and work to expand its presence throughout the broader travel experience.

15:26 EDT PayPal targeting $1B-$3B per year for M&A - PayPal CFO John Rainey is discussing medium-term guidance during the company's investor day presentation.

15:19 EDT PayPal at session highs, up 2% to $82.63 as CFO presents at investor day - PayPal CFO John Rainey is currently presenting as the company's investor day continues.

14:10 EDT Outfront Media hires Matthew Siegel for CFO position - OUTFRONT Media announced that it has appointed Matthew Siegel to serve as EVP and CFO, effective June 4. Siegel most recently served as EVP and CFO of CBS Radio and previously held senior finance positions at Time Warner Cable Inc. and Time Warner Inc.

13:36 EDT E.W. Scripps renews affiliation pacts with ABC and CBS in several markets - The E.W. Scripps Company (SSP) has completed new multi-year affiliation agreements with ABC (DIS)and CBS (CBS) for stations in several markets.The ABC agreement covers all 15 Scripps ABC affiliates serving Bakersfield, California; Baltimore; Boise, Idaho; Buffalo, New York; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Denver; Detroit; Indianapolis; Las Vegas; Phoenix; San Diego; Tampa, Florida; Tucson, Arizona; and Twin Falls, Idaho."These renewals reinforce our long-standing relationships with two of our most important network partners," said Brian Lawlor, president of Local Media for Scripps. "Together, we serve local communities around the country with news, entertainment, sport and other high-quality programming that draws tens of millions of viewers a day. We value our strong, mutually beneficial partnerships with these networks."

13:05 EDT Twitter launches Political Campaigning Policy in U.S. - "We believe transparency is key for both the people using our service and advertisers to feel confident in our platform. As we stated last year, we are committed to enforcing stricter policies for political advertisers and providing clear, transparent disclosure for all ads on Twitter, with more details for political campaigning ads. Today, we are launching our Political Campaigning Policy in the United States to provide clear insight into how we define political content and who is advertising political content on Twitter," said Twitter in a blog post. Reference Link

12:40 EDT PayPal COO says 'committed to success' of eBay

12:39 EDT Left says Inogen insiders sold over $200M of shares in four years - Citron Research's Andrew Left is speaking on CNBC.

12:38 EDT Citron's Left says Inogen 'most expensive' in med tech, has no pipeline - Citron Research's Andrew Left is speaking on CNBC.

12:32 EDT PayPal gains 1% to $81.88 after announcing partnership expansion with Google

12:22 EDT PayPal COO says 'a lot more' it can do with Facebook, other tech companies

12:18 EDT Tesla says it's 'critical' that all employees be owners of Tesla - Wall Street Journal reporter Tim Higgins posted a statement from Tesla on Twitter in response to CEO Elon Musk's tweets from the day before about the United Auto Workers union. "Elon's tweet was simply a recognition of the fact that unlike Tesla, we're not aware of a single UAW-represented automaker that provides stock options or restricted stock units to their production employees, and UAW organizers have consistently dismissed the value of Tesla equity as part of our compensation package," the statement reads. "We fundamentally believe it's critical that all employees be owners of Tesla so that everyone is on the same team, with all sharing in the company's success." Musk said yesterday that the union "destroyed once great US auto industry & everyone knows it." Reference Link

12:14 EDT PayPal COO confirms deeper integration with Google at Investor Day - PayPal (PYPL) COO Bill Ready confirmed a "significant expansion" of its work with Google (GOOG, GOOGL), under which users who add their PayPal details to their Google Pay accounts will be able to pay for bills and other items using PayPal without leaving the Google services and without logging in.

12:02 EDT Con Edison invests $1.5B in overhead, underground systems in NYC, Westchester - Con Edison is investing in its electric delivery systems, using new technologies, and working with customers to help them use less energy, as another hot New York summer approaches. The energy company has invested $1.5B in its overhead and underground systems in New York City and Westchester County to prepare for this summer. As an example of how the company is using new and evolving technologies, Con Edison is installing a 12-megawatt hour battery system on company-owned land in Ozone Park, Queens. The company will charge the batteries when demand for power is low and then discharge that power at peak times, taking pressure off the grid. The batteries can discharge one megawatt for 12 hours or two megawatts for six hours. A megawatt is enough to power up to 1,000 homes in that area. The storage project is part of the Brooklyn-Queens Neighborhood Program, in which Con Edison works with customers in certain fast-growing areas to help them reduce their usage. Monthly bills for residential customers in the June-to-September period are expected to be higher than the same period last year, mainly due to higher supply charges, which the company does not control. A smaller portion of the increase is due to higher delivery charges. A typical New York City residential customer using 350 kilowatt hours per month can expect an 8.4-percent increase from $96.89 in 2017 to $105.02 this year. A typical Westchester residential customer using 500 kilowatt hours per month can expect an average increase of 4.5 percent from $128.24 in 2017 to $133.98.

12:01 EDT Stericycle holders join teamsters to oust director John Patience - The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a long-term Stericycle shareholder, said that Stericycle director and company co-founder John Patience has failed to secure majority support for his re-election at the company's annual shareholder meeting yesterday. The vote follows an investor call-to-action by the Brotherhood. In an April 2018 letter to Stericycle shareholders, Teamsters General Secretary-Treasurer Ken Hall cited concerns about the company's "historically insular board - its failure to oversee internal controls and mitigate legal and compliance risk." Patience, who served 21 years on the board's audit committee, bears significant responsibility for a costly billing scandal that has plagued the company for years, Hall argued. "Shareholders have lost patience with this clubby board," Hall said. "This is no time to circle the wagons. Stericycle must accept the resignation of John Patience and take the opportunity to refresh its board of directors."

11:04 EDT Autoliv announces agreement with Cevian regarding Veoneer - Autoliv announced that its board of directors has approved the completion of the previously announced spinoff of Veoneer into an independent publicly traded company. It also announced additional individuals that are expected to serve on the board of directors of Veoneer effective as of the completion of the spinoff, including Jonas Synnergren a partner of Cevian Capital. Pursuant to the agreement with Cevian, Autoliv and Veoneer agreed to take action for Veoneer to appoint Mr. Synnergren to Veoneer's board following the spin-off of Veoneer and nominate him or another designee of Cevian at future annual meetings of Veoneer, subject to the terms and conditions of the agreement, including Cevian maintaining an at least 8% ownership position in the common stock of Autoliv as of the spin-off and Veoneer thereafter. Cevian has agreed to customary standstill and voting commitments under the agreement, including not acquiring more than 19.9% of the common stock of Veoneer.

10:33 EDT Vevo says to 'phase out elements of our owned and operated platforms' - Vevo, the music video service owned by Universal Music Group (VIVHY), Sony Music Entertainment (SNE) and Warner Music Group, said on its website: "At Vevo, our objective is to grow the commercial and promotional value of music videos, fostering deep connections between artists and fans. To be most effective in achieving those goals, we will phase out elements of our owned and operated platforms. Going forward, Vevo will remain focused on engaging the biggest audiences and pursuing growth opportunities. Our catalog of premium music videos and original content will continue to reach a growing audience on YouTube and we are exploring ways to work with additional platforms to further expand access to Vevo's content. We will continue to be the primary seller of Vevo-specific advertising on all distribution platforms - including the sponsorship of video premieres. Vevo will invest in original content including our flagship dscvr and LIFT emerging artist programs, as well as new formats that we plan to roll out shortly. Vevo's unique programming and cross promotion of content helps artists at every stage of their careers to harness the power of music videos to reach new, global audiences." Reference Link

10:30 EDT Netflix CEO asks Telefonica CEO for permission to announce 'good news' - Netflix (NFLX) CEO Reed Hastings tweeted the following to the CEO of Telefonica (TEF), Jose Maria Alvarez-Pallete Lopez: "Hi @jmalvpal! It was an honor for me and @netflix to be invited to talk to your team. Very exciting times. Shall we make it official and announce our customers the good news?" Reference Link

10:24 EDT Inogen drops after short-seller Citron Research takes aim - Shares of Inogen are sliding after short-seller Citron Research published a new cautious report on the company, contending that Inogen has the "lowest R&D spend" in medical technology, "no pipeline" and a "future that is guaranteed to have price compression and competition." Andrew Left's firm set a "generous" price target of $95 on Inogen shares, which are down 8% to $159.38 following the publication of the report. Reference Link

09:47 EDT Comstock Holding announces conversion of majority of unsecured short-term debt - Comstock Holding announced last night that it has converted a majority of its unsecured short-term debt into the company's existing Series C Non-Convertible Preferred Equity. Additionally, CHCI secured an extension of up to two years on $5.0M of its remaining unsecured corporate debt. These related party transactions provide the company with greater financial flexibility while enhancing the company's working capital position as it executes against its recently announced strategic initiative to transition its business out of for-sale homebuilding and into commercial development, asset management and real estate services, said Comstock. CEO Christopher Clemente said, "By deleveraging our balance sheet, we will improve our working capital position and support the strategic initiatives that are at the core of our recently announced operating platform transformation. In early trading, microcap Comstock Holding shares have more than doubled, rising $2.68, or 133%, to $4.70.

09:17 EDT Tiffany raises quarterly dividend 10% to 55c per share - The Board of Directors of Tiffany & Co. has declared a regular quarterly dividend of 55c per share of Common Stock, representing a 10% increase in the quarterly rate. This declaration increases the quarterly dividend from 50c per share, or $2.00 annually, to the new rate of $0.55 per share, or $2.20 annually. The dividend will be paid on July 10, 2018 to shareholders of record on June 20, 2018. Future dividends are subject to declaration by the directors.

09:15 EDT Babcock & Wilcox confirms receipt of Steel Partners indication of interest - Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises (BW) confirmed that it had received a non-binding indication of interest from Steel Partners (SPLP), which beneficially owns 17.8% of B&W's outstanding common stock, to acquire B&W in a transaction in which B&W shareholders would receive between $3.00 and $3.50 per share in cash. The non-binding indication of interest assumes the acquisition of all of B&W's businesses, including its MEGTEC and Universal businesses. B&W announced last year that it was exploring strategic options for those businesses. B&W said that its Board of Directors will review the Steel Partners non-binding indication of interest to determine the course of action it believes to be in the best interests of B&W and its stockholders. There can be no assurance that the non-binding indication of interest will result in a transaction or on what basis or terms any transaction may occur. B&W does not intend to comment further with respect to the non-binding indication of interest unless and until further developments warrant.

09:09 EDT Unum Group raises quarterly dividend 13% to 26c per share - Unum Group announced that its board of directors has authorized an increase of 13% in the quarterly dividend paid on its common stock. The new rate of 26c per common share, or $1.04 per share on an annual basis, will be effective with the dividend expected to be paid in 3Q18. The new quarterly dividend represents a 247% increase from the 7.5c per share the company was paying in 2008 and marks the tenth consecutive year in which Unum has raised its dividend. Unum has also repurchased approximately $3.4N of its stock, reducing its outstanding share count by almost 36% since 4Q08.

09:05 EDT RiceBran to relocate corporate headquarters to The Woodlands in Texas - RiceBran Technologies announced that it will relocate its corporate headquarters to 1330 Lake Robbins Drive, Suite 250, The Woodlands as of May 30. This corporate relocation to The Woodlands, located approximately 27 miles north of downtown Houston, positions the company's main offices in closer proximity to Arkansas and Louisiana where the majority of rice bran supply in the U.S. is produced.

09:03 EDT Sterling Construction subsidiary awarded $18.7M project to upgrade, expand roads - Sterling Construction announced that its subsidiary Texas Sterling Construction was selected by the Texas Department of Transportation to upgrade and expand the frontage roads along State Highway 73 near Winnie, TX. The $18.7M project consists of 2.5 miles of new subgrade and asphalt overlay, and the building of a grade separation at the interchange between State Highway 73 and State Highway 124. The project is scheduled to begin in late summer 2018 and is expected to take 26 months to complete.

09:02 EDT Workiva, SAP sign OEM agreement for integration with Wdesk platform - Workiva (WK) announced it has signed an original equipment manufacturer agreement with SAP (SAP). Through this agreement, Workiva is partnering with SAP to provide a first-party integration with the Wdesk platform using the SAP Cloud Platform Integration service. The bundled solutions are expected to provide customers with powerful linking, auditability and control features. After users integrate their SAP business data directly into the Wdesk platform, they can benefit from the full capabilities of Wdesk, including synchronized data, dynamic commentary, controlled collaboration, granular permissions and clear audit trails. Wdesk enables narrative to be linked to data across documents, spreadsheets, presentations and reports.

09:01 EDT BioPharmX: Studies show topical minocycline gel may be treatment option for acne - BioPharmX will present research showing that the topical delivery of minocycline in a gel formulation may offer a more targeted path to treating acne and rosacea than oral formulations that could make it the preferred treatment option for patients with those indications. The poster presentation, "Early Data from BPX-04 Topical Minocycline Gel for Rosacea Supported by Data From BPX-01 Topical Minocycline Gel for Acne: A Review," will be shared at the Congress of Clinical Dermatology, May 25-28, in Miramar Beach, Fla. The presentation concludes that, because topical minocycline formulations may avoid systemic side effects commonly associated with oral formulations of minocycline, as well as the cutaneous irritation common in other topical treatments, dermatologists may prefer these formulations for treatment of acne and rosacea. BioPharmX has successfully completed a phase 2b trial for BPX-01 and is preparing for phase 3 trials in acne. The company is currently conducting a feasibility study for BPX-04 in rosacea and is preparing for a phase 2 trial.

08:54 EDT Elliott Management calls for athenahealth to commence a full sale process - Elliott Management Corporation sent a letter to the Board of Directors of athenahealth following up on Elliott's recent proposal to acquire athenahealth for $160 per share in cash. The letter read, in part: "I am writing to you again on behalf of Elliott Associates and Elliott International. First, we want to thank the company for having its advisors reach out in response to our letter of May 14 and inform us that the Board is discussing our $160 per share all-cash offer...The purpose of this note is to share with you the reactions to our offer that we've seen and heard, both privately and in the form of published research and commentary...Reactions to our Proposal fall into four categories: feedback from shareholders, published research by equity research analysts, a survey of the broader investment community and comments from informed media. Regardless of the source, the feedback has been overwhelmingly supportive of the idea that athenahealth has struggled as a public company and should immediately and fully explore a value-maximizing sale...At this point, we have had dozens of conversations and have heard from a majority of athenahealth's shareholder base. Feedback was varied and thoughtful, but primarily conformed to the following thoughts, which reflect those of numerous shareholders representing a significant portion of the base: athenahealth should fully explore a sale process, including Elliott's offer. athenahealth should attempt to solicit the highest price possible for the Company. Shareholders are frustrated by historical execution and skeptical of the Company's plan and ability to execute in the future...Elliott believes it has reviewed all of the research that has been published regarding our offer for the Company. From this review, it is apparent that equity research analysts overwhelmingly find that our offer represents an attractive starting proposition for shareholders and that athenahealth should fully consider it as well as other possible offers...Evercore ISI Research customarily conducts surveys of the investment community in response to M&A announcements. In its survey following our Proposal, to which ~100 members of the investment community responded, the feedback was overwhelming: Investors think the Company will, and should, explore a sale...Multiple informed media commentators also reacted positively to our Proposal, emphasizing that a rejection of the Proposal would further frustrate shareholders. These commentators agreed that, in light of athenahealth's ongoing underperformance and execution issues, it is in the Company's best interest to consider our offer...Based upon the feedback to date, we think the best next step would be for the Company to authorize its advisors to immediately initiate a sale process, in which Elliott will participate as a bidder.

08:48 EDT MSCI appoints Jigar Thakkar as CTO - MSCI (MSCI) announced the appointment of Jigar Thakkar as CTO and head of engineering. Thakkar will report to Baer Pettit, president of MSCI, and will be a member of the firm's executive committee. He will be based in New York and is expected to start in late July. Thakkar joins MSCI from Microsoft (MSFT) where he most recently served as corporate VP leading software engineering for Microsoft teams and Skype for Business. During his 19-year tenure at Microsoft, Jigar built large-scale products and served in various leadership positions within the Office 365, Dynamics CRM, Bing, Windows and MSN divisions.

08:43 EDT Best Buy CFO says trending toward higher end of FY19 revenue range right now - Says "genuinely not to read more into" that the company did not raise its guidance for the FY.

08:36 EDT Ecolab forms Food Safety Advisory Board - Ecolab has formed the Ecolab Food Safety Advisory Board to identify and help solve emerging trends that could impact food safety. The insights gained from leading industry experts will help Ecolab develop new solutions and protocols to advance food safety at food processing, food retail and foodservice facilities throughout the world. Ecolab Food Safety Advisory Board members include: Mary Wagner, Ph.D., president of MK Wagner and Associates and chair of the Ecolab Food Safety Advisory Board. Scott Brooks, DVM, president of River Run Consulting. Hal King, Ph.D., president of Public Health Innovations. Mick Miklos, CP-FS, program director for the National Restaurant Association. Elsa Murano, Ph.D., professor and president emerita at Texas A&M University. Payton Pruett, Ph.D., president of Practical Food Safety Solutions. The Ecolab Food Safety Advisory Board steering committee includes Ecolab food safety experts and leaders from the Ecolab divisions that provide food safety solutions and expertise.

08:36 EDT Medtronic says it expects low double-digit emerging market growth going forward - Says currency headwind will turn into tailwind in Q1. Says tax reform will continue to result in liquidation of assets overseas. Says emerging markets diversification was key to growth in Q4. Says expects low double-digit emerging market growth going forward. Says Q1 is not typically "most robust" growth quarter.

08:31 EDT Bristow Group secures three-year contract extension from Perenco UK Ltd - Bristow Group announced a three-year contract extension from Perenco UK Ltd. The extension covers seven-day-a-week coverage in the UK Southern North Sea through December 2021. Under the three-year extension, Bristow will provide world-class performance coupled with a tailored aviation solution to meet its client's specific needs in support of their operations offshore Norwich. By leveraging its diverse fleet of aircraft, Bristow plans to support the operations seven days a week from its Norwich base utilizing up to five existing Leonardo AW139s and dedicated back-up support. This increases Bristow's aircraft support from three to up to five operational AW139s compared to its current contract with Perenco.

08:27 EDT Best Buy sees closure of mobile small format stores neg. impacting FY revenue - Best Buy sees the closure of mobile small format stores negatively impacting FY revenue by about $225M.

08:19 EDT Best Buy testing Assured Living program to help aging population with products - Chairman and CEO Hubert Joly said on Best Buy's (BBY) Q1 earnings conference call that top-line strength is the result of "continued healthy consumer confidence," product innovation in multiple areas of technology and its value proposition resonating with customers. He noted that Oculus Go (FB) is now available in more than 700 stores and online. Joly said Best Buy is exploring the health space with a focus on older Americans, including medical alert systems. Says testing a program called Assured Living to help the aging population with technology products and services. Best Buy is down 1.7% in pre-market trading.

08:18 EDT AstraZeneca to present diversified oncology portfolio at ASCO - AstraZeneca and MedImmune, its global biologics research and development arm, head to the 2018 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL, June 1-5, 2018, with an expanded portfolio in Oncology. Having achieved 16 regulatory approvals across major markets, AstraZeneca will be sharing its R&D momentum at ASCO with seven "Best of ASCO" presentations and 14 oral presentations from a total of 91 accepted abstracts. These presentations will showcase AstraZeneca's four scientific platforms: Immuno-Oncology, DNA Damage Response, Anti-Drug Conjugates, and Tumor Drivers and Resistance. An oral presentation of Study 08, evaluating olaparib in combination with abiraterone in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, will highlight the potential of poly polymerase inhibition beyond ovarian and metastatic breast cancers, regardless of homologous recombination repair mutation status. Olaparib is being jointly developed and commercialized by AstraZeneca and MSD, known as Merck in the US and Canada. Response rates and safety data from the Phase III multicenter trial of moxetumomab pasudotox, an investigational agent that is part of our ADC platform, in relapsed or refractory hairy cell leukemia patients will be presented. The FDA has granted the moxetumomab pasudotox Biologics License Application Priority Review status; if approved, it will be a first-in-class treatment for patients with relapsed refractory HCL. New investigational data will also be presented for CALQUENCE, a selective Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor and AstraZeneca's first medicine approved in hematology. Findings will be shared in an oral presentation of the Phase II clinical trial of patients with treatment-naive, relapsed or refractory Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia. AstraZeneca's broad network of industry and academic partners is broadening exploration of the Company's pipeline into additional tumor types where unmet patient needs remain. The US National Cancer Institute, a division of the US National Institutes of Health, will present Phase II data from the ongoing SPRINT trial evaluating MEK 1/2 inhibitor selumetinib, a potential new medicine within the AstraZeneca and MSD partnership, in pediatric patients with neurofibromatosis type 1 and plexiform neurofibromas. Additional investigator-sponsored research includes a late-breaking oral presentation on the Phase II GeparNuevo trial of neoadjuvant treatment with IMFINZI in triple-negative breast cancer. AstraZeneca initiated this study alongside the German Breast Group and Celgene, and the DREAM Phase II trial of durvalumab in combination with chemotherapy in first-line mesothelioma. AstraZeneca's early-stage pipeline will also be showcased at the 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting with 39 abstracts highlighting its breadth and depth.

08:14 EDT YellowPepper announces $12.5M in additional funding for Latin America growth - YellowPepper announced the close of its $12.5M Series D financing, with participation from Visa and current investors. The funding will be used to accelerate the momentum of its digital finance platform, which already powers 480M digital transactions annually. With more than 60 clients in six countries, YellowPepper has become an indispensable financial services partner to Latin American institutions.

08:10 EDT Krystal Biotech's KB103 for DEB granted fast track designation by FDA - Krystal Biotech's KB103 has been granted Fast Track designation by the FDA for the treatment of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa, or DEB. KB103 is the first-ever topically-applied herpes simplex virus based gene therapy engineered to deliver a human collagen protein to patients suffering from DEB. DEB is a chronic, progressive and incredibly painful skin disease. DEB patients' skin is incredibly fragile, resulting in blistering or skin loss at the slightest friction. There are currently no approved treatments for DEB. A single-site Phase 1/2 clinical study of KB103 is underway at Stanford University.

08:07 EDT Enterprise Products, Apache execute long-term agreement for Alpine High NGLs - Enterprise Products Partners (EPD) and Apache Corporation (APA) announced they have executed a long-term agreement, with Apache committing 100% of its Alpine High natural gas liquids to Enterprise. Apache has 336,000 net acres in its Alpine High discovery in the Delaware Basin. Enterprise has committed to accept a minimum of 205,000 barrels per day of NGLs from Apache. Enterprise is constructing the 658-mile Shin Oak pipeline from Reeves County to Enterprise's NGL fractionation and storage complex in Mont Belvieu, Texas. The pipeline is expected to have an initial capacity of 550,000 BPD and is scheduled to be completed in the second quarter of 2019. Apache has an option for a 33 percent equity stake in the Shin Oak pipeline, which is exercisable after the in-service date.

08:07 EDT MabVax Therapeutics receives Nasdaq notification due to late Form 10-Q - MabVax Therapeutics Holdings announced that, as expected, the company received notice from the Listing Qualifications Department of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC indicating that the company is not in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1), which requires the timely filing of periodic reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The notice was sent as a result of the delay in the filing of the company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ending March 31, 2018. The notice has no immediate effect on the listing of the company's common stock on Nasdaq. In accordance with the Nasdaq Listing Rules, the company has been provided a period of 60 days from the date of the notice to either file the Form 10-Q or to submit a plan to regain compliance with the Rule for the Staff's review. If a plan is submitted and accepted, the company could be granted up to 180 days from the Form 10-Q's due date, or until November 12, 2018, to regain compliance.

08:03 EDT BattleFin names Jefferies as exclusive investment banking partner - BattleFin announces an exclusive partnership withJefferies. Jefferies will be the exclusive investment banking partner of BattleFin's Global Conferences spanning across the U.S., Europe, and Asia. BattleFin has organized multiple alternative data conferences across the United States in cities including New York, Miami, Palo Alto and intends to expand globally into London on September 27th and Hong Kong on November 14th. BattleFin's Alternative Data Discovery Days have become one of the largest and most widely attended conferences in the alternative data space, both for data vendors and asset managers alike. These events implement a one-on-one, speed dating like meeting format between pre-vetted alternative data providers and asset managers. Since BattleFin does not take commissions or ask for exclusives from alternative data providers, it attracts the largest group of alternative data vendors in the space and plans to host over 150 data vendors in New York on June 20th. Jefferies has been instrumental in creating constructive and meaningful engagement between leading asset managers and data vendors and will continue to drive these efforts globally in partnership with BattleFin. As part of the partnership Jefferies will receive a Board seat at BattleFin. Dan Furstenberg will join BattleFin's Board of Directors.

08:02 EDT Myomo announces MyoPro availability in 16 new U.S. locations - Myomo announced agreements with leading orthotics and prosthetics practices to bring MyoPro availability to 16 new U.S. locations. Today's announcement includes an agreement with Limb Lab, an independently owned and operated boutique prosthetic and orthotic company, to cooperate in two new markets: Jacksonville, Florida, and Scottsdale, Arizona. Several medical and rehabilitation centers with national acclaim have locations in Jacksonville and Scottsdale. Myomo has recently hired business development managers in both Phoenix and Florida to support expected growth. Limb Lab's existing facilities in Rochester and Mankato, Minn., and La Crosse, Wisc., are well-established centers of excellence serving a range of patients, including those suffering from upper limb paralysis as a result of stroke or other neuromuscular disease or injury. Limb Lab frequently fits MyoPro devices for patients who have experienced brachial plexus injuries and whose arms are impaired. Additional new agreements include Reach Orthotics & Prosthetics in Newport News, Chesapeake, Gloucester, and Williamsburg, Virginia; Teter Orthotics & Prosthetics in Traverse City and Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Springer Prosthetics and Orthotics in Lansing and Mount Pleasant, Michigan. Through other partnerships, MyoPro is also available in Chicago; Indianapolis; Milwaukee; St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri; and Wichita, Kansas.

07:51 EDT CIT Group announces preliminary results of cash tender offer for common stock - CIT Group announced the preliminary results of its "modified Dutch auction" tender offer, which expired at 11:59 p.m., ET, on May 23, 2018. Based on the preliminary count by Computershare Trust Company, N.A., the depositary for the tender offer, a total of approximately 12.9 million shares of CIT's common stock were properly tendered and not properly withdrawn at or below a purchase price of $54.75 per share, including approximately 9.0 million shares that were tendered by notice of guaranteed delivery.In accordance with the terms and conditions of the tender offer and based on the preliminary count by the depositary, CIT expects to accept for payment, at a purchase price of $54.75, approximately 11.1 million shares properly tendered at or below the purchase price and not properly withdrawn before the expiration date, at an aggregate cost of approximately $609 million, excluding fees and expenses relating to the tender offer.

07:36 EDT Sanderson Farms expects grain prices to be 'somewhat higher' in 2H - "Looking ahead to the second half of the fiscal year, we expect grain prices to be somewhat higher as we move through the crop growing season," said CEO Joe Sanderson. "While there are ample supplies of both corn and soybeans worldwide, a slow start to the United States planting season for 2018 corn and soybean crops as a result of the cold, wet spring in the United States grain belt put upward pressure on market prices. Farmers quickly made up that early deficit, and planting progress is now on pace with historical averages. Grain market participants will now turn their attention to trade issues and weather during the growing season. With respect to chicken production numbers, while the USDA reports that the United States broiler breeder flock is 4% larger than a year ago, the agency also reports that egg production, hatch rates and livability are trending below last year. The current USDA forecast for United States broiler production during calendar 2018 to increase approximately 1.6% over calendar 2017 seems reasonable, but even this lowered estimate could prove to be high should these production trends continue. We expect our production during Q3 and Q4 to be up 2.8% and down 4.7%, respectively, compared to the same quarters of fiscal 2017."

07:33 EDT Celgene authorizes $3B common stock share repurchase program - Celgene announced that the company's board authorized the repurchase of an additional $3B of the company's common stock. In addition, the company plans to enter into an accelerated share repurchase, or ASR, agreement to repurchase an aggregate of $2B of the company's common stock. The planned ASR will utilize part of the existing board authorized share repurchase program as well as part of the new authorization. The remaining authorization will be used in our continuing open-ended program effective immediately. Additional stock purchases outside the ASR may be made in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions from time to time, as determined by Celgene's management and in accordance with the requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

07:31 EDT Stellar Biotechnologies reports robust viral clearance for manufacturing process - Stellar Biotechnologies announced that third-party trial results have demonstrated that the company's KLH manufacturing methods achieve robust viral clearance. This clearance step is a key quality assurance milestone under Stellar's initiatives to increase the scalability and throughput capacity of its manufacturing processes. Results from testing completed by Texcell, a contract testing organization for viral safety, demonstrated that Stellar's manufacturing process for its most widely used formulation effectively removes three representative viruses, and meets suggested regulatory criteria for robustness. While routine quality testing has never detected the presence of viruses in Stellar KLH, one of the principal approaches to control the potential presence of viruses in biological products is to purposely introduce viruses in a test environment and demonstrate the capacity of the production process to remove them.

07:30 EDT Recro Pharma trading resumes

07:23 EDT SemGroup, DCP Midstream announce open season on White Cliffs, Southern Hills - SemGroup (SEMG) and DCP Midstream (DCP) announced a binding open season for natural gas liquids, or NGL, transportation service on the White Cliffs Pipeline and Southern Hills Pipeline, which will connect Weld County, Colorado to Mont Belvieu, Texas. The project is expected to be in service in the fourth quarter of 2019 and will provide DJ Basin customers with increased NGL takeaway capacity and open access to the Texas Gulf Coast markets.

07:19 EDT BioTime expands Phase 1/2a trial for OpRegen to two new sites - BioTime announced the expansion of its ongoing Phase I/IIa clinical trial for OpRegen, with the addition of two new U.S. sites that are expected to begin treating patients later this quarter. The sites will be led by Diana Do, Professor of Ophthalmology at the Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine and David Telander at The Retinal Consultants Medical Group serving northern California.

07:15 EDT Omeros settles with Lupin, resolves patent litigation - Omeros announced that it has entered into a settlement agreement with Lupin and its subsidiary Lupin Pharmaceuticals , resolving Omeros' patent litigation against Lupin. The litigation concerned Lupin's filing of an Abbreviated New Drug Application, or ANDA, seeking approval from the FDA to market a generic version of Omeros' commercial drug Omidria. Last year, Omeros announced that it had settled litigation directed to an ANDA filing by Par Sterile Products and Par Pharmaceutical. As in the settlement with Par, this agreement with Lupin includes Lupin's acknowledgment and confirmation of the validity of all asserted patents for OMIDRIA as well as overall terms and market entry date similar to those set forth in the Par agreement. The expiration date of the last-to-expire of Omeros' asserted patents for Omidria is October 23, 2033.

07:13 EDT Fossil names J.M. Smucker CFO Mark Belgya to board - Fossil Group (FOSL) announced the election of Mark R. Belgya to its Board of Directors effective May 23. Belgya currently serves as Vice Chair and CFO of The J.M. Smucker Company (SJM). Belgya has also been appointed to the company's Audit Committee and Finance Committee of the Board of Directors. With Belgya's election, the company's Board of Directors consists of nine members, including eight independent directors and one current member of senior management.

07:11 EDT Molina Healthcare CFO Joseph White to retire, Thomas Tran to succeed - Molina Healthcare (MOH) announced that its board has appointed Thomas Tran as its new CFO and treasurer, effective June 4, as Joseph White, currently CFO, has announced his plans to retire from the company as of that same date. As CFO for Molina Tran will have oversight of the company's finance, accounting, reporting, budgeting and forecasting, actuarial, investor relations and treasury functions. Tran brings over 35 years' experience in health care, including six years as CFO of WellCare (WGC), where he financially managed the company with $14B of revenue and helped lead its turnaround.

07:08 EDT Best Buy CEO says investing in tech, people and supply chain - "We are happy to report better-than-expected top- and bottom-line results for the first quarter," said Hubert Joly, Best Buy's chairman and CEO. "This strong performance was broad-based, with positive comparable sales across all channels, geographies and most of our product categories. The top-line strength is the result of continued healthy consumer confidence, product innovation in multiple areas of technology, and our unique value proposition resonating with customers. We are executing well and customers are responding positively to the unique experience we provide to them online, in stores and in their homes. We are excited by our momentum and continue to believe we are operating in an opportunity-rich environment driven by technology innovation and customers' need for help. We are focused on providing services and solutions that solve real customer needs, and on building deeper customer relationships. We are investing in technology, people and supply chain in support of our strategy. We believe this has the opportunity to continue to generate significant value for our shareholders."

07:07 EDT Daqo New Energy receives approval for entire Phase 4 capacity expansion - Daqo New Energy Corp. announced that it has received government approval of its Phase 4 capacity expansion plan in its entirety and signed an investment agreement with the local government. The Phase 4 expansion plan will expand the company's manufacturing capacity in Shihezi, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, by a total of 70,000 MT in two Phases, Phase 4A and 4B, which will each consist of 35,000 MT expanded manufacturing capacity. We began the design, construction and installation of the new facilities for Phase 4A in early May 2018, with pilot production expected to commence in the fourth quarter of 2019 before ramping up to full 35,000 MT annual production capacity in the first quarter of 2020. Phase 4A compliments Phase 3B of the company's capacity expansion which will increase the total annual production capacity from 18,000 MT to 30,000 MT by the first quarter of 2019.

07:07 EDT Foundation Medicine, Merck to collaborate on diagnostic tests with Keytruda - Foundation Medicine (FMI) announced a collaboration with Merck (MRK) to develop companion diagnostic tests for use with Keytruda, Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy and the first approved immunotherapy for microsatellite instability, or MSI, high or mismatch repair deficient solid tumors. The companion diagnostic tests will leverage FoundationOne CDx, Foundation Medicine's FDA-approved comprehensive genomic profiling, or CGP, assay for all solid tumors incorporating multiple companion diagnostics. The companies will collaborate on the development of a pan-cancer companion diagnostic to measure MSI. In addition, they plan to develop companion diagnostics for tumor mutational burden, or TMB, as well as additional potential novel biomarkers of response. FoundationOne CDx, an FDA-approved CGP assay for all solid tumors, assesses genomic alterations in 324 genes known to drive cancer growth, providing potentially actionable information to help guide treatment options. FoundationOne CDx is also FDA-approved as a broad companion diagnostic for patients with certain types of non-small cell lung cancer, melanoma, colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer or breast cancer to identify those patients who may benefit from treatment with one of 17 on-label targeted therapies, 12 of which are approved as first line therapy for their respective indications. FoundationOne CDx also reports genomic biomarkers, such as MSI and TMB, that can help inform the use of other targeted oncology therapies, including immunotherapies and relevant clinical trial information. In all of these ways, FoundationOne CDx is available to biopharma companies as an FDA-approved platform for clinical research and as a CGP platform for biopharma companies seeking to develop companion diagnostics for their precision therapeutics.

07:03 EDT CoreSite Realty raises quarterly cash dividend 5.1% to $1.03 per share - CoreSite Realty announced a cash dividend of $1.03 per share on common stock and common stock equivalents for Q2. The $1.03 per share quarterly dividend represents a 5c, or 5.1%, increase over the prior quarterly dividend of 98c per share. The Q2 common stock dividend will be paid on July 16, to shareholders of record on June 29.

06:55 EDT Recro Pharma trading halted, news pending

06:42 EDT Toronto-Dominion reports Q2 book value per share C$38.26 - Canadian Retail net income was C$1.83B, an increase of 17% compared with the same quarter last year. This performance reflects higher margins, good volume growth, and strong credit performance, as well as increased trading volumes and assets under management in our wealth businesses. We continued to transform the customer experience this quarter with the launch of a digital pre-approval tool for mortgages which, combined with the mortgage affordability and pre-qualification tools, help customers feel more confident about their home buying decision and deliver a more seamless and personalized experience across multiple channels. U.S. Retail reported net income was $770M U.S. and adjusted net income was $827M U.S., an increase of 21%, on a reported basis and 30% on an adjusted basis, compared with the second quarter last year. The U.S. Retail Bank, which excludes the Bank's investment in TD Ameritrade, reported net income of $663M and adjusted net income of $673M. This represents an increase of 20% on a reported basis and 21% on an adjusted basis, compared with the second quarter last year. Earnings reflect peer-leading growth in loan and deposit volumes, higher margins, and a lower corporate income tax rate.

06:37 EDT Maximus awarded five-year Australian Disability Employment Services contract - Maximus has been awarded a five-year contract renewal for the Disability Employment Services program by the Australian Department of Social Services. The performance-based contract, which begins on July 1, has an estimated revenue range of $250M-$300M over five years. The company's Australian business unit, MAX Solutions, will continue to help individuals with disabilities, injuries or health conditions to prepare for, find and succeed in sustainable employment.

06:35 EDT Coinbase says GDAX to evolve to become Coinbase Pro - Coinbase says in a blog post: "We're announcing that GDAX -- our professional trading platform for individuals -- will evolve to become Coinbase Pro. Since launching in 2015, GDAX has built liquidity and stability in the space and also helped us understand the needs of active crypto traders. Switching to the name Coinbase Pro is a recognition that the individual active trader requires a product completely dedicated to their specific needs. The platform will offer professional trading tools and services, delivered through a completely reengineered UI that will make the trading experience easier and more intuitive. Anyone with an existing individual account on GDAX will automatically become a Coinbase Pro member." Reference Link

06:32 EDT Hormel Foods' VP of Specialty Foods Don Kremin retiring - Hormel Foods announced the retirement of Don Kremin, group vice president of Specialty Foods. In his 34-year career with Hormel Foods, Kremin held various management and leadership positions within the company's Grocery Products, Consumer Products Sales and Specialty Foods businesses.

06:25 EDT Toyota to expand mass production of fuel cell stacks, hydrogen tanks - Toyota sees global sales of fuel cell electric vehicles increasing significantly after 2020, to at least 30,000 per year from today's 3,000. To prepare for this growth, the company unveiled plans for two major new facilities today: a brand-new building near its original automobile factory for expanding fuel cell stack mass production, and a new line in an existing plant to manufacture high-pressure hydrogen tanks. The FC stack is what generates the on-board electricity from hydrogen and oxygen which propel FCEVs with zero emissions, and the tanks store the hydrogen fuel. Manufacturing both components at scale is critical to achieving lower system costs and wider availability for further growth and sales of FCEVs.To increase FC stack output, Toyota will move production from its current location, within one of the existing buildings at its Honsha Plant in Toyota City, to a brand-new, eight-floor high-tech facility on the same premises, near the original site of the company's very first automobile factory in 1938. The production of high-pressure hydrogen tanks will be handled by a new, dedicated line to be added inside the nearby Shimoyama Plant in Miyoshi City. Previously, the hydrogen tanks were assembled at the Honsha plant on a smaller scale. Construction of the new hydrogen tank line at Shimoyama is starting now, while the exterior for the new stack production facility is already finished and work will now begin on the interior. Details of the respective facilities will be announced later with a view to start operations around 2020. However, in order to encourage more widespread use of hydrogen-powered zero-emission vehicles, popularization needs to start by the 2020s. Toyota aims for annual sales of FCEVs to top 30,000 units globally from around that time. At present, Mirai is sold in eleven countries: Japan, the United States, and nine countries in Europe. Toyota is working to develop an environment that will allow FCEVs to be sold in more countries and regions in the future. As part of this, demonstration tests of Mirai are currently under way in Australia, Canada, China, and the U.A.E., and Toyota is examining demand for FCEVs while continuing to help with initiatives to promote hydrogen infrastructure development. In the Japanese market, Toyota aims to reach sales of at least 1,000 FCEV units per month and over 10,000 units annually, from around 2020.

06:21 EDT Emergent BioSolutions relieves up to $25M to collaborate on vaccine for NiV - CEPI, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, announced a collaboration with Profectus BioSciences and Emergent BioSolutions under which Profectus and Emergent will receive up to $25M to advance the development and manufacture of a vaccine against the Nipah virus, or NiV, a bat-borne virus that can spread to both humans and livestock. Under the terms of the framework partnering agreement for the collaboration among the three parties, Profectus will receive development funding from CEPI for advancing its Nipah virus vaccine and Emergent will provide technical and manufacturing support for the CEPI-funded program. Emergent, through a separate agreement with Profectus, has an exclusive option to license and to assume control of development activities for the Nipah virus vaccine from Profectus. The international nonprofit organization PATH will also be working with the consortium under a separate agreement with CEPI to work on clinical development. Nipah virus and Hendra virus, or HeV, are closely related Paramyxoviruses that cause respiratory and encephalitis disease in a variety of animal hosts and in humans. A natural reservoir for these viruses are flying foxes found in Southeast Asia and Malaysia. Human infection occurs after direct exposure to tissues and secretions from infected horses, pigs, and bats. There is currently no approved vaccine or therapeutic against either NiV or HeV. The primary treatment for human cases is intensive supportive care, and the mortality rate is high at approximately 75% of cases. The investment of up to $25M represents an innovative approach to funding vaccine development, unlocking research and development potential so that vaccines are ready for efficacy studies during an outbreak. The agreement will enable funding for development efforts over a five-year period.

06:13 EDT Deutsche Bank CEO: 'We must concentrate on what we truly do well'

06:11 EDT Deutsche Bank to cut Equities Sales & Trading unit headcount by approx. 25% - Deutsche Bank will significantly reshape its Equities Sales & Trading business. Overall, the bank aims to reduce headcount in this area by approximately 25%. In Cash Equities, it will concentrate on electronic solutions and its most significant clients globally. In Prime Finance, the bank will reduce leverage exposure by a quarter, equivalent to a reduction of approximately EURO$50 billion. These business reductions will contribute to a decrease in leverage exposure in the Corporate & Investment Bank of over EURO$100 billion. This is approximately 10% of the EURO$1,050 billion euros of leverage exposure reported at the end of the first quarter of 2018. The majority of this reduction is expected to be achieved by the end of this year. "We remain committed to our Corporate & Investment Bank and our international presence - we are unwavering in that," said Christian Sewing, Chairman of the Management Board. "We are Europe's alternative in the international financing and capital markets business. However, we must concentrate on what we truly do well."Together with its decision to right-size the expense base in the Corporate & Investment Bank, Deutsche Bank will accelerate the pace of cost reduction across the organization. In 2018, as already announced, the bank envisages adjusted costs not to exceed EURO$23 billion. For 2019, the Management Board plans to reduce adjusted costs to EURO$22 billion with no further significant disposals currently planned. In connection with the implementation of these plans, the number of full-time equivalent positions is expected to fall from just over 97,000 currently to well below 90,000. The associated personnel reductions are underway. The Management Board reaffirms its target of a post-tax return on tangible equity of approximately ten percent in a normalized business environment. The bank will seek to reach this goal from 2021 onwards. Although results in 2018 will reflect the impact of the aforementioned actions, including planned restructuring charges of up to EURO$800m, the bank aims to deliver steady growth in return on capital over the coming years.

05:24 EDT Teledyne awarded second phase of $47M contract from ESA - The European Space Agency, or ESA, has awarded Teledyne e2v, a division of Teledyne Technologies, with the second phase of a $47M contract to produce high-end Charge Coupled Device, or CCD, visible light image sensors for the PLATO, or Planetary Transits and Oscillations of stars, mission. PLATO is a planet hunting spacecraft that will seek out and research Earth like exoplanets around Sun like stars. About 100 Teledyne e2v large area CCDs will allow the mission to detect minute changes in the apparent brightness of stars, orbited by planets.

05:17 EDT Arcturus Therapeutics comments on court ruling on former CEO 13D situation - Arcturus Therapeutics announced that the United States District Court for the Southern District of California has granted a preliminary injunction to compel former President and CEO, Joseph Payne, to comply with and prevent violations of Section 13(d) of the Exchange Act and Regulation 13D. As a result of the injunction, Payne is required to amend his Schedule 13D by June 1, 2018 to redress his violations of these disclosure and reporting rules. In its May 22, 2018 order, the Court stated: "...Arcturus is likely to prevail in showing that Defendants formed a group requiring the filing of a Schedule 13D... There is an adequate basis in the record indicating that Arcturus is likely to prevail in its claim that the Schedules 13D fail to disclose information regarding the Payne Group... Because a Schedule 13D must include a statement of the group's aggregate interest in securities of the issuer, the background and identity of the group members, and their plans and intentions with respect to the issuer, the Court finds that Arcturus is likely to prevail on its claim that Defendants' Schedules 13D failed to disclose the information required..." The company pursued this relief to protect the interests of all Arcturus shareholders and to safeguard their right to a fully informed vote at the upcoming EGM. We believe that it is in the interest of all shareholders that Payne and his associates commit to full transparency and compliance with securities laws going forward.