Stockwinners Market Radar for July 17, 2018 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:06 EDT Greenstar Canada Investment Ltd reports 13.5% stake in Canopy Growth

19:03 EDT On The Fly: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Martin Transport (MRTN) up 6.1%... United Continental (UAL) up 3.6%... CSX (CSX) up 3.3%... Mellanox Technologies (MLNX) up 1.2%... Interactive Brokers (IBKR) up 0.3%. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Healthcare Services Group (HCSG) down 5.6%... Texas Instruments (TXN) down 1.6%. ALSO LOWER: Sonic Automotive (SAH) down 11.0% after Q2 guidance miss... Cara Therapeutics (CARA) down 4.7% after equity offering... Casi Pharmaceuticals (CASI) down 3.6% after equity offering... Tillys's (TLYS) down 2.4% after equity offering... Clorox (CLX) down 0.9% after Goldman Sachs downgrade.

18:35 EDT BHP Billiton reports Q4 petroleum production 49 MMBOE, down 6% - Reports Q4 copper production 463 kt, up 20%. Reports Q4 iron ore production 63.6M tons, up 6%. BHP Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Mackenzie, said: "We have delivered a strong finish to the 2018 financial year with an eight per cent increase in annual production and record output at Western Australia Iron Ore, Queensland Coal and at our Spence copper mine in Chile. We further simplified the portfolio with the announced divestment of Cerro Colorado in Chile and Gregory Crinum in Australia and our investment in South Flank supports our ability to supply low cost, high quality products into Asia. Good prices and our culture of continuous improvement give us positive momentum into the 2019 financial year."

18:06 EDT Berkshire Hathaway amends share repurchase program - The Board of Directors of Berkshire Hathaway has authorized an amendment to Berkshire's share repurchase program. The earlier share repurchase program provided that the price paid for repurchases would not exceed a 20% premium over the then-current book value of such shares. Under the amendment adopted by the Board of Directors, share repurchases can be made at any time that both Warren Buffett, Berkshire's Chairman and CEO, and Charlie Munger, a Berkshire Vice Chairman, believe that the repurchase price is below Berkshire's intrinsic value, conservatively determined. The current policy whereby share repurchases will not be made if they would reduce the value of Berkshire's consolidated cash, cash equivalents and U.S. Treasury Bills holdings below $20B will continue. Berkshire will not initiate any share repurchases under the amended program until it publicly releases its second quarter earnings, currently scheduled after the close of the markets on Friday, August 3, 2018.

18:01 EDT Celanese announces acetic acid price increases in Asia - Celanese Corporation will increase list and off-list selling prices for the following acetyl intermediates product. The price increases of acetic acid to RMB300/MT in China and $50/MT in Asia outside China are for orders shipped and will be effective immediately, or as contracts otherwise allow, and are incremental to any previously announced increases.

17:34 EDT Genesee & Wyoming reports June total traffic down 1.2% - G&W's total traffic in June 2018 was 271,166 carloads, a decrease of 3,422 carloads, or 1.2%, compared with June 2017. G&W's same railroad traffic in June 2018 increased 5,740 carloads, or 2.2%, compared with G&W's traffic in June 2017, excluding carloads from G&W's former Continental European intermodal business, which was sold in June 2018. G&W's total traffic in the second quarter of 2018 was 834,363 carloads, an increase of 24,281 carloads, or 3.0%, compared with the second quarter of 2017. G&W's same railroad traffic in the second quarter of 2018 was 812,297 carloads, an increase of 29,863, or 3.8%, compared with G&W's same railroad traffic in the second quarter of 2017. Second quarter same railroad traffic excludes all traffic from ERS in Q2 2018 and Q2 2017 as well as April 2018 and May 2018 traffic from the Heart of Georgia Railroad, Inc. which was acquired on May 31, 2017.

17:06 EDT Hilltop Holdings announces approval for $85M Bank of River Oaks acquisition - Hilltop Holdings and The Bank of River Oaks today jointly announced the receipt of approval from federal regulators to proceed with Hilltop's $85M, all-cash acquisition of The Bank of River Oaks. The acquisition was approved by The Bank of River Oaks shareholders on May 10 and the companies expect it to close on or about August 1. Once completed, The Bank of River Oaks will be merged into PlainsCapital Bank with all customer accounts expected to be converted to the PlainsCapital platform by the end of the year.

17:01 EDT Texas Instruments down 2.2% after CEO resignation, Q2 results

16:57 EDT Integrated Core Strategies reports 5.1% passive stake in Dermira

16:46 EDT Annaly Capital extends exchange offer to acquire MTGE Investment - Annaly Capital Management (NLY) announced that it has extended its previously announced exchange offer to purchase all of the outstanding shares of common stock of MTGE Investment Corp (MTGE). In the Offer, MTGE common stockholders may elect to receive, in exchange for each share of MTGE common stock they hold, $9.82 in cash and 0.9519 shares of Annaly common stock, $19.65 in cash or 1.9037 shares of Annaly common stock. MTGE common stockholders tendering into the Offer and making an all cash election or an all stock election will be subject to proration so that approximately 50% of the aggregate consideration in the Offer will be paid in shares of Annaly common stock, and 50% of the aggregate consideration in the Offer will be paid in cash. The Offer will now expire at 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on August 20, 2018, unless further extended in accordance with the terms of the merger agreement dated May 2, 2018, by and among Annaly, Mountain Merger Sub Corporation and MTGE. All other terms and conditions of the Offer remain unchanged. The Offer has been extended to allow the parties to obtain the remaining regulatory approvals, which are conditions to the completion of the Offer, as set forth in the prospectus/offer to exchange, dated June 4, 2018. The parties currently anticipate receiving these regulatory approvals in the third quarter of 2018. The completion of the Offer remains subject to the satisfaction or waiver of these and other conditions of the Offer.

16:41 EDT CSX advances 3.2% after quarterly results

16:36 EDT Sonic Automotive down 7.6% to $18.85 after Q2, FY18 guidance

16:32 EDT Hope Bancorp raises quarterly dividend to 14c per share from 13c - Hope Bancorp announced that its board of directors approved an increase in the quarterly cash dividend to 14c per common share from 13c per common share. The dividend is payable on or about August 10, 2018 to all stockholders of record as of the close of business on July 27, 2018.

16:32 EDT Northern Trust raises dividend 30% to 55c - Northern Trust, holding company of The Northern Trust Company, has declared a quarterly cash dividend of 55c per share on its common stock, payable on October 1, to holders of record at 5:00 p.m., Chicago time, on September 14. The dividend represents a more than 30% increase from the prior quarterly rate of 42c per share, and results in an annualized dividend rate of $2.20, compared with the prior annualized rate of $1.68.

16:29 EDT United Continental sees FY18 total regional aircraft 554 at year end - Up 36 units from FY17 level.

16:28 EDT CSX says Q2 train velocity and length up year-over-year

16:26 EDT CSX says Q2 freight enviroment strong, yielding volume, pricing gains - Chemicals increase was driven by broad-based growth, but partially offset by fly ash losses, said the company in an investor slide presentation. Auto was up in Q2, in line with U.S. light truck production; Forest Products strength driven by residential construction and paper product and intermodal increase led by growth in the international market with domestic relatively flat due to lane rationalizations from late 2017.

16:26 EDT United Continental sees Q3 effective tax rate 20%-21% - Sees FY18 effective tax rate 20%-21%.

16:25 EDT United Continental sees Q3 consolidated CASM (1%)-0% y/y - Sees FY18 consolidated CASM (1%)-0%. Guidance excluding Third-Party Business Expenses, Fuel & Profit Sharing.

16:22 EDT United Continental sees Q3 consolidated capacity growth 4.5%-5.5% y/y - Sees FY18 consolidated capacity growth 4.5%-5.0%. Guidance from investor update.

16:20 EDT Fidelity National announces new 25M share repurchase program - Fidelity National Financial announced that its board has approved a new three-year stock repurchase program, effective August 1, 2018, under which the company may repurchase up to 25M shares of FNF common stock. Purchases may be made from time to time by the company in the open market at prevailing market prices or in privately negotiated transactions through July 31, 2021. Under its previous three-year repurchase program, which expires on July 31, 2018, the company repurchased a total of 10.6 million shares of common stock.

16:19 EDT Puma, Strata Oncology team to accelerate patient enrollment in SUMMIT trial - Puma Biotechnology, Inc. and Strata Oncology, Inc., a precision oncology company, have entered into a collaborative agreement to accelerate patient enrollment in Puma's ongoing Phase II SUMMIT trial of PB272. The SUMMIT trial is a global, multi-histology, open-label, precision-medicine 'basket' study evaluating the safety and efficacy of neratinib in patients with a wide variety of solid tumors with activating EGFR, HER2 or HER4 mutations. Neratinib, an oral irreversible pan-HER kinase inhibitor, was approved by the FDA in July 2017 for the extended adjuvant treatment of adult patients with early stage HER2-positive breast cancer following adjuvant trastuzumab-based therapy and is marketed in the United States as NERLYNX. Data published in the journal Nature earlier this year showed neratinib has activity across multiple tumor types with HER2-activating mutations. Under the terms of the agreement, Strata will exclusively refer HER2-mutated advanced cancer patients identified through the Strata Trial for consideration of enrollment to Puma's SUMMIT Trial for neratinib.

16:18 EDT WillScot receives CBC clearance for ModSpace deal - WillScot Corporation announced that, on July 16, 2018, the Canadian Competition Bureau issued a No Action Letter relating to Williams Scotsman's proposed acquisition of Modular Space Corporation. WillScot has now obtained the regulatory approvals required to complete the acquisition and continues to progress towards closing in the third quarter of 2018.

16:11 EDT Healthcare Services increases quarterly dividend to 19.375c per share - Healthcare Services' board declared a quarterly cash dividend of 19.375c per common share, payable on September 28, to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 24. This represents the 61st consecutive quarterly cash dividend payment, as well as the 60th consecutive increase since initiation of quarterly cash dividend payments in 2003.

16:07 EDT Mellanox reports Q2 gross margin 61.4% vs. 65.5% last year - CEO Eyal Waldman says: "We continue to see strong traction with our 25 gigabit per second and above solutions as they become the preferred solution of choice in hyperscale, cloud, high performance computing, artificial intelligence, storage, financial services and other markets across the globe. Our Ethernet revenue grew 81 percent year-over-year driven by network adapter and switch growth with hyperscale and OEM customers. We are proud to see our InfiniBand solutions accelerate the world's top three and four of the top five supercomputers, as seen in the recently published TOP500 supercomputers list. Our performance in the second quarter further shows the benefit of our investment in diversifying our revenue base and the operational focus that is driving our higher profitability."

16:04 EDT Williams Scotsman receives Competition Bureau clearance for Modspace acquisition - WillScot Corporation announced that, on July 16, the Canadian Competition Bureau issued a No Action Letter relating to Williams Scotsman's proposed acquisition of Modular Space Corporation. WillScot has now obtained the regulatory approvals required to complete the acquisition and continues to progress towards closing in Q3.

16:00 EDT Snap says many users having trouble with app, support site - Snapchat said via Twitter, "Many Snapchatters are having trouble using the app as well as our support site. We're working with a partner on the fix! In the meantime, we recommend staying logged in."

15:09 EDT Ad agency shares fall after Omnicom results indicate changing digital landscape - Shares of traditional advertising companies are under pressure on Tuesday after peer Omnicom OMC) reported quarterly earnings on Tuesday morning that reflected slower revenue growth. Omnicom, as well as rivals Publicis (PUBG), IPG (IPG), and London-based WPP (WPP), have been under pressure from the start of trading. Omnicom's worldwide revenue in the second quarter of 2018 increased 1.8% to $3,859.6M from $3,790.1M in the second quarter of 2017. "Across our regional markets, organic growth in the second quarter of 2018 as compared to the second quarter of 2017 was 11.2% in the Euro Markets and Other Europe, 8.5% in Asia Pacific and 2.5% in Latin America, while North America decreased 0.9%, the United Kingdom decreased by 2.2% and the Middle East and Africa decreased by 8.0%," said the company in a statement. COMPETITION FROM CONSULTING AND INTERNET AND TELECOM: Consulting firms like Accenture (ACN), Interactive, PwC Digital Services, IBM (IBM) iX, and Deloitte Digital are gaining traction in the ad business, according to an earlier report from AdAge. "These consultancies are rising fast by gaining a foothold in marketing departments and wooing chief marketing officers with their vast array of strategic and data analytics solutions to big business problems that traditional advertising can no longer solve alone. And in some cases, they are layering on creative services and content marketing, putting them solidly on the same turf as traditional shops," AdAge said. As consumers move from traditional media to digital there has been a shift in media consumption patterns, according to Reuters. As digital advertising surpasses TV advertising firms like Google (GOOG) and Facebook (FB) control more a large portion of the digital advertising market in the US, according to media reports. Telecoms are jumping into the ad game also, as witnessed by AT&T's (T) purchase recently of AppNexus, which operates a global digital-advertising marketplace and related software. PRICE ACTION: Shares of Omnicom Group are falling 8% this afternoon, dragging down peers Publicis, Interpublic Group, and WPP.

14:57 EDT Cleveland-Cliffs says Mesabi Metallics report is false

14:05 EDT UPS pilots in-building apartment deliveries through Latch devices - UPS said it has begun a pilot with Latch smart access devices to enable in-building deliveries to multi-unit homes in New York City, providing increased security and convenience for residents who are not at home to receive packages. Latch's smart access devices enable UPS drivers to provide more reliable customer service and complete more deliveries on the first attempt. UPS began preliminary tests in Manhattan earlier this year and has now expanded to Brooklyn. Eventually, UPS may offer the service in markets throughout the U.S. together with smartaccess pioneer Latch. The system works like this: A UPS driver taking packages to a Latch-enabled building receives a unique credential on a handheld UPS Delivery Information Acquisition Device. The credential works only for a specific building receiving deliveries. Any time a driver uses a credential to enter a building, Latch records the entry digitally to create an audit trail that identifies the user and the time of access, establishing a secure record of the transaction. Latch's smart access system lets residents and others use smartphones to unlock doors throughout a building, including at the main entrance. An embedded wide-angle camera within each device captures a visual record of every interaction by a non-resident that authorized users can monitor from the Latch mobile app. UPS, however, is using Latch systems only to enter buildings, not individual apartments. Residents can use Latch to enter the building and to manage guest access. To manage deliveries, they use the UPS My Choice mobile app or website.

13:40 EDT Embraer, Azul sign LOI for additional E195-E2 jets - Embraer (ERJ) and Azul Linhas Aereas Brasileiras S.A. (AZUL) announced, at the Farnborough AirShow 2018, a Letter of Intent for a firm order of 21 E195-E2 jets. This contract has a value of $1.4B. The order will be added to Embraer's order book as soon as the firm contract is completed. This order is additional to an order for 30 E195-E2 jets signed by the airline in 2015, which will raise Azul's total order to 51 Embraer E2 aircraft. Azul is the launch operator of the E195-E2 and will receive the first aircraft in 2019.

13:19 EDT Embraer signs firm order for 10 E195-E2 aircraft with Wataniya Airways - In a deal that will see the Middle East's first E2 operator, Embraer announced, at the Farnborough Airshow 2018, that it has signed a firm order for 10 E195-E2 aircraft with Kuwaiti airline, Wataniya Airways. The firm order will be included in Embraer's 2018 third-quarter backlog. The contract also includes 10 purchase rights for the same model, bringing the total potential order to up to 20 aircraft. The order has an estimated value of $1.3B, at current list price, with all the purchase rights being confirmed. The deliveries will start in 2020.

13:09 EDT JPMorgan confirms investment in Volley - JPMorgan Chase (JPM) has made a strategic investment in Volley, an artificial intelligence company that has developed a knowledge engine to generate, synthesize, and recommend personalized content for learning and knowledge management applications. In financing Volley, JPMorgan is joining an investor base which includes Zuckerberg Ventures, TAL (TAL), and a variety of high-profile current and former executives from Goldman Sachs (GS), Apple (AAPL), Facebook (FB), Udemy, and Dropbox (DBX).

13:03 EDT Biogen granted orphan status for SMA treatment - The FDA granted Biogen orphan status for its treatment of spinal muscular atrophy. Reference Link

12:51 EDT Embraer, Mauritania Airlines sign contract for two E175s - Embraer and Mauritania Airlines announced at the Farnborough Airshow 2018, a firm order for two E175 jets. The contract has a value of $93.8M based on current list prices, and will be included in Embraer's 2018 third-quarter backlog. Deliveries will take place in 2019.

12:35 EDT Game On: Morgan Stanley says Overwatch TV deal 'important step' for esports - Welcome to "Game On," The Fly's weekly recap of the stories powering up or beating down video game stocks. NEW RELEASES: This week's major release is Sega's (SGAMY) "Sonic Mania Plus," a 2D platformer that launches today on PlayStation 4 (SNE), Xbox One (MSFT), Nintendo Switch (NTDOY), and PC. Also out today is "Far Cry 5: Lost on Mars," a downloadable expansion for Ubisoft's (UBSFY) "Far Cry 5." The expansion rolls out today on PS4, Xbox One, and PC. OVERWATCH LEAGUE ON ESPN: Last Wednedsay, Disney's (DIS) ESPN, Disney XD and Blizzard Entertainment, a subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (ATVI), announced that they had reached an exclusive live television agreement to broadcast Overwatch League, the esports league based on Blizzard's "Overwatch" video game. The partnership started with Overwatch League playoff coverage on last Wednesday across both ESPN and Disney XD. The 2017-2018 Overwatch League inaugural season concludes with the Grand Finals live from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, on ESPN and Disney XD July 27-28, the companies said. All coverage also will be available for ESPN and Disney network subscribers to stream live on the ESPN App and DisneyNOW. The companies added that the 2018 Grand Finals telecast on ESPN will mark the first time live competitive gaming has aired on the network in primetime. Following the announcement, Morgan Stanley analyst Brian Nowak said that the deal not only has the potential to drive higher licensing revenue for Activision Blizzard, but is also an "important step" in continuing to establish esports as more of a mainstream event. Nowak backed an Overweight rating and $80 price target on the stock. GOLDMAN UPGRADES NINTENDO: Yesterday, Goldman sachs analyst Masaru Sugiyama upgraded Nintendo to Buy from Neutral with a reduced price target of JPY47,000. Sugiyama said that the earnings structure of the Switch console is "superior" to the Wii, which Nintendo rolled out in 2006, and its earnings contribution is "just getting started."

12:17 EDT Lockheed Martin, ThalesRaytheonSystems to provide NATO alliance with BMD system - Lockheed Martin (LMT) and ThalesRaytheonSystems are joining forces to provide the NATO Alliance with a territorial Ballistic Missile Defence command and control capability. This Teaming Agreement, signed in the presence of Raytheon (RTN) and Thales, the two shareholders of the joint venture, establishes a transatlantic team that combines the depth and breadth of decades of expertise from Lockheed Martin and Raytheon, with the European air command and control capabilities of Thales. The overall team will include industry representatives from across the Alliance to deliver a low risk capability for NATO's Air Command and Control BMD program.

12:10 EDT Azvalor Asset Management reports 10.0559% passive stake in Consol Energy

12:00 EDT StoneMor Partners falls -7.5% - StoneMor Partners is down -7.5%, or -34c to $4.22.

12:00 EDT Horizon Global falls -13.9% - Horizon Global is down -13.9%, or -95c to $5.92.

12:00 EDT Sogou rises 6.8% - Sogou is up 6.8%, or 76c to $11.89.

11:50 EDT Viking Therapeutics announces VK5211 Phase 2 study results - Earlier today, Viking Therapeutics announced that the results from the company's Phase 2 study of VK5211 in patients recovering from hip fracture have been selected for presentation as part of the oral plenary session of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research 2018 annual meeting. The presentation will highlight the efficacy, safety and tolerability data from the completed Phase 2 clinical trial. The ASBMR 2018 annual meeting is being held September 28 - October 1, 2018 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. VK5211, Viking's lead program for musculoskeletal disorders, is an orally available, non-steroidal selective androgen receptor modulator designed to selectively stimulate muscle and bone formation with reduced activity in peripheral tissues such as skin and prostate. The Phase 2 clinical trial was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group, international study designed to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of VK5211 in patients recovering from hip fracture surgery. As previously reported, the top-line data from this study showed that the trial successfully achieved its primary efficacy endpoint, demonstrating statistically significant, dose dependent increases in lean body mass, less head, among patients treated with VK5211, as compared to placebo. The study also achieved important secondary endpoints, demonstrating statistically significant improvements in appendicular lean body mass and total lean body mass compared to placebo. Patients receiving VK5211 also demonstrated numerical improvements in certain exploratory assessments of functional performance. VK5211 demonstrated encouraging safety and tolerability, with no drug-related serious adverse events reported in this study. Shares of Viking Therapeutics are down 5.6% in monring trading.

11:43 EDT Baxter: Warning letter does not cause any changes to long-range guidance

11:39 EDT Rogers creating 215 new jobs at Moncton contact center - Rogers is growing its Moncton call centre by creating 215 new jobs in order to provide the best service experience to its customers. With these new hires, Rogers will employ more than 1,000 people in greater Moncton, including call centre agents, sales reps, technicians and corporate positions. In addition to offering market competitive salaries in New Brunswick, Rogers Total Rewards Offering includes a generous benefit program and rich employee discounts. The Wealth Accumulation Program is also among the most generous in the country, and the company's focus on professional development helps ensure contact centre agents have the right support to build a rewarding career at Rogers.

11:26 EDT BGC Partners agrees to pay a $1.25M penalty to settle SEC charges - The Securities and Exchange Commission announced that broker-dealer BGC Financial has agreed to pay a $1.25M penalty to settle charges that it failed to preserve audio files sought by the SEC and inaccurately recorded travel, entertainment, and other expenses. The SEC's order finds that after receiving document requests in 2014 from the SEC's Division of Enforcement, BGC deleted audio files for the recorded telephone lines of eight brokers that were responsive to the document requests. According to the order, the department responsible for maintaining voice recordings was unaware of the SEC's request and deleted the files in keeping with the firm's policy of not maintaining them after one year. The SEC order also finds that BGC failed to maintain books and records that accurately recorded compensation, travel, entertainment, and gifts.

11:16 EDT Boeing, GECAS announce agreement for 35 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighters - Boeing (BA) and GE Capital Aviation Services (GE) announced that they have reached an agreement for 35 additional 737-800 Boeing Converted Freighters at the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow. The deal, which includes 20 firm orders and an option for 15 more, would take GECAS' 737-800BCF order book from 15 to 50 and enable GECAS to serve the growing express air cargo market. The commercial aircraft leasing and financing arm of General Electric is the launch customer of the new 737-800BCF. It took delivery of the first converted jet in April and leased it to a Swedish cargo carrier. This agreement, which is subject to GECAS board approval, would take the total commitments for the 737-800BCF program to 80 from more than half a dozen customers.

11:04 EDT Street Fight: Netflix gets both upgraded and downgraded after subscriber miss - After the company missed its subscriber addition projections for the first time in five quarters, Deutsche Bank analyst Bryan Kraft downgraded Netflix (NFLX) to Hold as he believes that the "slowdown in growth" requires a "reevaluation of value." Meanwhile, both BMO Capital and Stifel upgraded the stock to Buy-equivalent ratings as they see the post-earnings weakness in the shares as a buying opportunity. RESULTS: Last night, Netflix reported second quarter earnings per share of 85c and revenue of $3.91B, with consensus at 79c and $3.94B, respectively. The company also announced second quarter streaming net additions of 5.15M, and reported that first quarter U.S. memberships rose by 670,000 and international added 4.47M memberships. For the third quarter, Netfliz expects streaming net additions of 5M members. The streaming company also said it sees third quarter earnings per share of 68c and revenue of $3.99B. MOVING TO THE SIDELINES: Despite continuing to like Netflix's story, Deutsche Bank's Kraft downgraded Netflix to Hold from Buy and lowered his price target on the shares to $350 from $360. The analyst argued that the "slowdown in growth" is not thesis changing, but does require a "reevaluation" and consideration of the stock's year to date appreciation from $200 per share. Furthermore, Kraft added that he just does not see much upside over the next 12 months at current valuation levels, but still thinks the stock can double by 2025 to $700. Meanwhile, his peer at Wedbush contended that Netflix's valuation remains "unwarranted," and reiterated an Underperform rating and $125 price target on the shares. Analyst Michael Pachter expects content acquisition spending to trigger substantial cash burn for many years. Notwithstanding three Netflix price increases in the last five years, cash burn continues to grow, he added. The analyst also told investors that he believes international profits may remain elusive due to competition for content and subscriptions, and last year's price increases could cause a deceleration in subscriber growth. Loop Capital, Barclays, UBS, Credit Suisse and KeyBanc also lowered their prices targets for Netflix stock. BMO CAPITAL, STIFEL UPGRADE NETFLIX: Bullish on the streaming service, BMO Capital analyst Daniel Salmon upgraded Netflix to Outperform from Market Perform, with a $400 price target, saying the 14% decline in the stock price following quarterly results offers investors an attractive level to build positions. The analyst pointed out that he expects the India growth stories to build into 2019, Netflix to continue to transition to more originals from licensed studio content well, and he thinks its "small but steady" growth of consumer product licensing revenue can create a more dynamic company over time. His peer at Stifel also upgraded Netflix to Buy from Hold, with a $406 price target. Analyst Scott Devitt cited the potential for near-term subscription add expectations to reset, a strong second half of the year content slate, and a domestic and international runway, which supports a doubling of the company's subscriber base in the next five to ten years. Overall, Devitt views Netflix's long-term outlook positively, given the upside case he believes exists for the company's domestic and international opportunities, and thinks shares are again at an attractive entry point. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of Netflix are down about 8% to $368, which is well off the stock's earlier low of $344.

10:58 EDT Azul announces letter of intent to acquire 21 Embraer 195-E2 aircraft - Azul announced today at the Farnborough International Airshow a letter of intent to acquire 21 Embraer 195-E2 aircraft, increasing its total firm order of E2s to 51. "As Embraer's largest E-195 operator, Azul will benefit from favorable contractual conditions, including flexibility to adapt to market growth opportunities," the company stated.

10:39 EDT Dropbox down 4% after The Information says Facebook mulling switch to Google

10:12 EDT Goldman Sachs CFO: Incoming CEO Solomon 'instrumental' in bank's strategy

10:11 EDT Boeing, Aviation Capital Group announce order for 20 737 MAX 8s - Boeing and Aviation Capital Group announced an order for 20 737 MAX 8 airplanes at the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow. The order, valued at $2.34B at list prices, raises ACG's 737 MAX direct-buy order quantity to 100. The new orders will appear on Boeing's Orders & Deliveries website once all contingencies have been met.

10:07 EDT Air Products announces planned site for new global HQ in Lehigh Valley, Pa. - Air Products' chairman, president, and CEO Seifi Ghasemi told employees during a Town Hall that the company's new global headquarters facility will, as previously stated, be built in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley. In fact, it will be constructed not far from the company's existing headquarters location. Air Products has made the decision to build its new headquarters facility a little over one mile from its existing location on an available 50-acre tract of property southeast of the intersection of Mill Creek Road and the Route 222 Bypass. Groundbreaking is expected in March 2019 with occupancy targeted by Summer 2021. The new location will be the base for approximately 2,000 Air Products employees with capacity for growth. The new headquarters site will include new administration offices, a research and development facility, and an enclosed parking structure for employees. A cost estimate is not being disclosed at this time. Air Products' headquarters will remain at its current location, and employees will continue to work there during construction and completion of the new facilities. The company plans to make its existing 235-acre location available to the real estate market.

09:55 EDT Goldman Sachs CFO says running ahead of plan on revenue initiative

09:54 EDT Trials of Seattle Genetics' Brentuximab Vedotin suspend recruiting - Pilot phase I/II trial studies of the side effects and the best dose of brentuximab vedotin when given together with combination chemotherapy to see how well they work in treating patients with stage II-IV human immunodeficiency virus-associated Hodgkin lymphoma have been suspended from recruiting patients, according to a post to ClinicalTrials.gov that was last updated on July 17. Reference Link

09:48 EDT Goldman Sachs CFO says investment banking backlog reached record in Q2 - Goldman Sachs CFO Marty Chavez said on the company's Q2 earnings conference call that he is "cautiously optimistic" that many of the growth drivers seen in Q2, including emergence of new market trends, economic growth and investor sentiment, can remain in place. He said that the operating environment was "more constructive" in Q2. Chavez also noted that investment banking backlog reached a record in Q2. He added that Marcus has originated $4B of consumer loans since launch. The bank plans to start a product for the U.K. deposit market, the CFO said, adding that the initiative will be the fourth Marcus product. Shares of Goldman Sachs are down 1% to $227.80 in early morning trading.

09:47 EDT Horizon Global falls -6.6% - Horizon Global is down -6.6%, or -45c to $6.42.

09:47 EDT International Game rises 3.5% - International Game is up 3.5%, or 85c to $25.25.

09:47 EDT Farmland Partners rises 7.0% - Farmland Partners is up 7.0%, or 43c to $6.53.

09:41 EDT Boeing, Xiamen Airlines announce optimized maintenance program deal - Boeing and Xiamen Airlines announced that the airline will become the first in China to use Optimized Maintenance Program, a service that improves operational performance, powered by Boeing AnalytX. The order was unveiled at a signing ceremony at the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow. Xiamen, an all-Boeing operator, also signed a 737 MAX and Next Generation 737 Simulator Services Package including hardware, software and data -- as well as a suite of tools to enhance its digital capability -- including Airplane Health Management, Maintenance Performance Toolbox and Loadable Software Airplane Parts.

09:31 EDT LTC Properties acquires two communities for $25.2M - LTC Properties announced the $25.2M sale-leaseback acquisition of two Texas memory care communities comprised of 88 units and 133 beds. The communities were owned and will continue to be operated by Koelsch Communities under a new, 10-year master lease at a starting cash yield of 7.25%.

09:28 EDT Sabra, PointRight announce strategic partnership for post-acute analytics - Sabra Health Care REIT and PointRight announced a strategic partnership to provide post-acute analytics to Sabra's Skilled Nursing Facility portfolio. Through this partnership, Sabra's SNF tenants and operators can participate in a collaborative program that provides PointRight's clinical and business intelligence tools to help them manage and improve outcomes in their facilities. Known as a market leader for post-acute analytics, PointRight will offer three solutions to the Sabra SNF Portfolio, including Data Integrity Audit to ensure Minimum Data Set submission accuracy, PointRight Pro 30 Rehospitalization to understand rehospitalization performance, and Five-Star FastTrack for CMS Five-Star Quality Rating scenario planning. Equipped with this data, Sabra's SNF operators will have enhanced insight to deliver a high standard of care with improved outcomes that meets the changing needs of patients.

09:20 EDT Johnson & Johnson says expects growth in Pharmaceutical unit in 2H18

09:18 EDT TPG Pace Energy shareholders approve combination with Enervest South Texas - TPG Pace Energy announced that its shareholders have approved the previously announced business combination with EnerVest's South Texas Division at the special meeting of shareholders held. Additionally, the company announced that it will have in excess of $655M in its trust account from its May 2017 initial public offering as well as the $355M raised in a March private placement to complete the business combination. The company's board of directors had previously approved the business combination. In addition to approving the business combination, the company's shareholders approved the proposals to amend the company's amended and restated certificate of incorporation, including changing the name of the company to "Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation," and all of the other proposals included in the definitive proxy statement filed by the company with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 2.

09:15 EDT Rambus signs broad patent license agreement with Socionext - Rambus announced that Socionext has signed a patent license agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, Rambus will license Socionext a broad range of innovations related to memory controllers, SerDes and security technologies. Specific terms of the contract are confidential.

09:14 EDT Rapid7 integrates Insight platform with Microsoft Azure - Rapid7 (RPD) announced integration between Rapid7's Insight platform and Microsoft (MSFT) Azure. This integration provides modern vulnerability management, analytics-driven incident detection for hybrid environments, and simplified agent deployment within the Azure infrastructure. Rapid7 customers utilizing Azure now have, through InsightVM and InsightIDR, increased visibility into security vulnerability and attacks within their cloud and hybrid environments. Rapid7 customers can use the Azure integration to gain visibility, analytics, and automation to provide a more detailed view of risk prioritization, pragmatic remediation steps for threats and attackers, and support for hybrid environments to empower their IT and DevOps teams. InsightVM for Azure Security Center accelerates the process of deploying agents to Azure virtual machines running Windows and Linux. Users can deploy this modern vulnerability management solution to their infrastructure, designed to give them the confidence to act before the moment of impact.

09:11 EDT UnitedHealth says more tailwinds than headwinds ahead - Says Optum revenue grew 9%. Says Optum Insight is growing steadily. Says more tailwinds than headwinds ahead. Says policy debates over healthcare are a headwind. Says pace of agility and speed in innovation can improve. Comments taken from Q2 earnings conference call.

09:09 EDT Farmland Partners provides rebuttal to attack on company - Farmland Partners provided a rebuttal to a "short and distort" attack on the Company on July 11. The Company's response is below. On July 11 the Company was the subject of an organized, coordinated, anonymous and extremely damaging attack by the holder or holders of a short position in the Company's stock, which drove our stock price down by approximately 39% in one day. The internet posting was released on Seeking Alpha anonymously under the pseudonym Rota Fortunae, or RF, which translates into "Wheel of Fortune" and, based on current information, was prepared with the aid and assistance of Matthew M. Mitzner, Esq. and his law firm, Mitzner. The Wheel of Fortune internet posting is both false and materially misleading in numerous respects.

09:06 EDT Johnson & Johnson says 'confident' talcum products don't contain asbestos - Says 'confident' talcum products don't cause ovarian cancer. Expects $4.69B verdict against the company to be reversed.

09:05 EDT T-Mobile says ONE now available in over 210 countries and destinations - T-Mobile says, "T-Mobile customers already had unlimited data and texting in over 140 countries and destinations thanks to Simple Global, and now that coverage expands to over 210 countries and destinations. That's so many places that it's easier to tell you the few countries we don't cover rather than list all that we do! So, virtually everywhere you can travel, you get unlimited data, text and low rate calling - included in T-Mobile ONE. And today, the Un-carrier also introduces the industry's best option for high speed data and unlimited calling abroad - a new T-Mobile daily data pass - for just $5/day. That's half the price of day passes from Verizon and more places to use 'em!"

09:04 EDT Amazon to provide cloud infrastructure for 21st Century Fox - Amazon Web Services (AWS), an Amazon company (AMZN), announced that 21st Century Fox (FOX) extended its strategic relationship with AWS, selecting the world's leading cloud provider for the vast majority of its key platforms and workloads. The media company is also leveraging AWS's machine learning and data analytics services to create a consistent set of digital media capabilities across its brands. As part of a broader cloud transformation, 21st Century Fox has already reduced its data center needs by 50% and moved over 30M assets-approximately 10 petabytes of content-to Amazon Glacier and Amazon Simple Storage Service. Continuing this transformation, 21st Century Fox will use AWS as the primary platform to deliver over 90,000 titles on demand for key brands such as FOX, FX, National Geographic, 20th Century Fox Television, 20th Century Fox Film, and FOX Sports. In addition, 21st Century Fox has implemented an advanced company-wide approach to data collection, processing, and instrumentation using AWS's technologies. With this approach in place, 21st Century Fox is now leveraging AWS services such as Amazon S3 and AWS Glue to unify assets across the enterprise, Amazon Redshift to analyze data quickly, and Amazon Kinesis to collect, process, and analyze real-time, streaming data to gain deeper insights from the volume and variety of data ingested. This is facilitating the creation of new data products, and the deployment of artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques across the organization.

09:02 EDT Johnson & Johnson says 'confident' talcum powder decision will be reversed

09:01 EDT Amazon Web Services says Epic Games 'goes all-in' - Amazon Web Services announced that video game and software development corporation Epic Games, creator of the blockbuster cross-platform game Fortnite, is continuing to invest in AWS as its choice in infrastructure-going all-in on the world's leading cloud-to build new games and enhance the in-game experiences for its more than a hundred million online players around the globe.

08:57 EDT Johnson & Johnson says 'very pleased' with performance to date - Says will continue to focus strongly on R&D. Says "strongly positioned" for future growth. Comments from Q2 earnings conference call.

08:49 EDT PBF Logistics to acquire subsidiary of Crown Point International - PBF Logistics announced that it has entered into an agreement with Crown Point International, formerly known as Axeon Specialty Products, to purchase its wholly-owned subsidiary, CPI Operations, whose assets include a storage facility and other idled assets located on the Delaware River near Paulsboro, New Jersey. The East Coast Storage Assets include a storage facility with approximately four million barrels of multi-use storage capacity, an Aframax-capable marine facility, a rail facility, a truck terminal, equipment, contracts and other assets. The total consideration for the assets is $107.0M, which is comprised of an initial payment at closing of $75.0M with the balance being payable one year after closing. Following closing, the Partnership expects to invest approximately $8.5M over the next two years in projects to enhance facility capabilities and expects to achieve run-rate earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of $15.5M at the end of 2020. The transaction is expected to close in the Q4 subject to customary regulatory and other approvals.

08:39 EDT Praxair renews long-term contract with Marathon Petroleum - Praxair (PX) has renewed and expanded a long-term contract to supply hydrogen to Marathon Petroleum's (MPC) Galveston Bay Refinery in Texas City, Texas. Marathon Petroleum is the second largest transportation fuels refiner in the U.S. and operates an integrated refining, marketing and transportation system in the Midwest, East, Southeast and Gulf Coast. This 571,000-barrel-per-day refining complex is the second largest in the U.S. and requires reliable hydrogen supply to support production of clean fuels.

08:37 EDT Ageagle Aerial Systems appoints Barrett Mooney as CEO - AgEagle Aerial Systems has appointed Barrett Mooney as CEO, effective July 18. He succeeds the company's founder, Bret Chilcott, who will remain at AgEagle as chairman and president overseeing its precision ag business. Previously, he served as group product lead for The Climate Corporation, a subsidiary of Monsanto, recently acquired by Bayer (BAYRY) for $62.5B, where he led a cross-functional team focused on satellite imagery analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence to enhance field productivity and introduced a new organizational structure to improve sales efficiency.

08:35 EDT Immersion signs license agreement with Toyodenso - Immersion announced that it signed a license agreement with Toyodenso. The agreement provides Toyodenso, based in Tokyo, Japan, with access to Immersion's patented haptic technology for use in its automotive solutions. Haptics brings heightened realism and powerful feedback mechanisms to in-vehicle touch interfaces. When used in automotive systems such as entertainment, navigation and climate control, haptics can create a more intuitive experience and reduce driver distractions.

08:34 EDT ClearSign Combustion enters into agreement with clirSPV investment group - ClearSign Combustion announced it has entered into a definitive agreement with an investment group, clirSPV, to raise gross proceeds of $11.7M in a private placement of 5,213,543 common shares at a per-share price of $2.25. The clirSPV is a single purpose vehicle formed and capitalized by a small group of investors with the purpose to acquire a large equity position in ClearSign and benefit from the stock's long-term appreciation potential.

08:33 EDT Immune Pharmaceuticals files proxy statement for reverse stock split - Immune Pharmaceuticals announced it has filed a definitive proxy statement with the SEC and will host a Special Meeting of Stockholders on August 22, 2018 to consider and vote on the following matters: Approval of a reverse stock split of the company's common stock at a ratio between one-for-five and one-for-twenty, if and as determined by the company's board, at any time before the earlier of August 22, 2019 and the next annual meeting of stockholders of the company. Approval of a proposal for the adjournment of the Special Meeting to permit the company to solicit additional proxies, if there are insufficient proxies at the Special Meeting to approve the foregoing proposal.

08:32 EDT Fluent, mBolden partner to champion diversity in the mobile industry - Fluent announced that the company has partnered with mBolden, formerly Women in Wireless, a trade organization that connects, inspires, and emboldens women in mobile and digital. Through this partnership, Fluent will work with mBolden to help provide members access to networking and educational opportunities to help propel careers forward.

08:32 EDT OSI Systems awarded $63M contract for multiple cargo, vehicle inspection systems - OSI Systems announced that its Security division was awarded a contract for approximately $63M to provide cargo and vehicle inspection systems, including installation, operator training, and multi-year maintenance service for an international customer. Multiple systems are expected be deployed to screen occupied passenger vehicles, buses, and trucks to help secure critical national infrastructure.

08:31 EDT Farmmi enters into agreement with Bantan Internet Technology - Farmmi announced that the company has entered into strategic cooperation framework agreement with Bantan Internet Technology, a Singapore company. Pursuant to the Framework Agreement signed on July 10 BIT is obligated to establish a world leading blockchain technology system and other application of blockchain technology as well as to provide blockchain technology services for suppliers of the Company. In addition, BIT will also be responsible for the technical support and maintenance of the blockchain system. The term of the Framework Agreement is one year. BIT agrees to receive cash from the Company as the service fee which will be decided by both parties according to the specific performance.

08:10 EDT Arcus Biosciences announces final data from Phase 1 trial for AB928 - Arcus Biosciences announced the final unblinded safety data from its Phase 1 trial for AB928, its dual adenosine receptor antagonist, in healthy volunteers. These results demonstrated that AB928 was safe and well tolerated at all doses evaluated. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data from this trial were previously presented in April at the 2018 American Association for Cancer Research, or AACR. The Phase 1 double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled trial enrolled 85 healthy volunteers. The trial included a single-ascending-dose portion and a multiple-ascending-dose portion. In the SAD portion, single doses of 10, 25, 75 and 150 mg and a twice-daily dose of 100 mg were evaluated. In the MAD portion, once-daily doses of 10, 25, 75 and 150 mg and 200 mg were administered to subjects for four consecutive days. In each dosing cohort, six subjects received AB928 and two subjects received placebo. Based on the results from the healthy-volunteer trial, patients in the first dose-escalation cohort for the Phase 1/1b program, which will evaluate AB928 + AB122, will receive once-daily doses of 75 mg of AB928. The company plans to present the final safety results from the Phase 1 healthy-volunteer trial at a medical conference later in the year.

08:08 EDT Enterprise Products to develop offshore crude oil export terminal - Enterprise Products announced it is planning to develop an offshore crude oil export terminal off the Texas Gulf Coast. The terminal would be capable of fully loading very large crude carriers, or VLCC, which have capacities of approximately 2M barrels. Enterprise has started front-end engineering and design and preparing applications for regulatory permitting. Based on initial designs, the project could include approximately 80 miles of 42-inch diameter pipeline to an offshore terminal capable of loading and exporting crude oil at approximately 85,000 barrels per hour. Enterprise is completing the second partial loading of a VLCC tanker at its jointly owned Seaway marine terminal in Texas City. The Eagle Victoria is loading approximately 1.1M barrels of crude oil at the Texas City facility. A final investment decision will be subject to receiving the requisite state and federal permits and customer demand.

08:06 EDT AbbVie announces HUMIRA patent license with Mylan - AbbVie (ABBV) announced patent license agreements with Mylan (MYL) over its proposed biosimilar adalimumab product. Under the terms of the agreements, AbbVie will grant Mylan a non-exclusive license on specified dates to AbbVie's intellectual property relating to HUMIRA in the United States and in various other countries around the world in which AbbVie has intellectual property, excluding Europe. Mylan's U.S. license will begin on July 31, 2023, and will not be accelerated by Amgen's (AMGN) or Samsung Bioepis' (SSNLF) entry. Mylan will pay royalties to AbbVie for licensing its HUMIRA patents once its biosimilar product is launched. Mylan acknowledges the validity of the licensed patents. AbbVie will make no payments to Mylan.

08:04 EDT Bank BRI selects Hughes to power next generation satellite network - Hughes Network Systems announced it has been selected by PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia, a state-owned bank and the largest bank in Indonesia, to deploy its JUPITER System to power services over BRIsat, Bank BRI's satellite covering Indonesia and Southeast Asia. The next-generation satellite broadband solution brings Bank BRI an enterprise-grade wide-area network to connect tens of thousands of sites with the Quality of Service capabilities, scalability and availability necessary to meet customer banking needs throughout the region.

08:02 EDT Ameriserve Financial announces new stock repurchase program - The company's Board of Directors approved a new common stock repurchase program which calls for AmeriServ Financial to buy back up to 3%, or approximately 540,000 shares, of its outstanding common stock during the next 12 months.

08:01 EDT Goldman Sachs confirms Lloyd Blankfein to retire as Chairman and CEO

07:38 EDT Goldman Sachs reports Q2 FICC revenue $1.68B, 45% higher than last year - Net revenues in Fixed Income, Currency and Commodities Client Execution were $1.68 billion, 45% higher than the second quarter of 2017, reflecting higher net revenues across all major businesses, including significant increases in commodities, interest rate products and credit products. Net revenues in Institutional Client Services were $3.57 billion for the second quarter of 2018, 17% higher than the second quarter of 2017 and 19% lower than the first quarter of 2018. Net revenues in Equities were $1.89 billion, essentially unchanged compared with the second quarter of 2017. Net revenues in Investing & Lending were $1.94 billion for the second quarter of 2018, 23% higher than the second quarter of 2017 and 7% lower than the first quarter of 2018. Net revenues in Investment Management were $1.84 billion for the second quarter of 2018, 20% higher than the second quarter of 2017 and 4% higher than the first quarter of 2018. The firm's Standardized common equity tier 1 ratio was 12.6% and 12.1% as of June 30, 2018 and March 31, 2018, respectively. The firm's Basel III Advanced common equity tier 1 ratio was 11.5% and 11.1% as of June 30, 2018 and March 31, 2018, respectively. The firm's supplementary leverage ratio was 5.8% and 5.7% as of June 30, 2018 and March 31, 2018, respectively. The firm's global core liquid assets averaged $237 billion for the second quarter of 2018, compared with an average of $229 billion for the first quarter of 2018. Total assets were $969 billion as of June 30, 2018, compared with $974 billion as of March 31, 2018.

07:36 EDT Goldman Sachs reports Q2 annualized ROE 12.8% - Annualized return on average common shareholders' equity was 12.8% for the second quarter of 2018. Annualized ROE was 14.1% for the first half of 2018. Annualized return on average tangible common shareholders' equity was 13.5% for the second quarter of 2018. Annualized ROTE was 14.9% for the first half of 2018. Investment Banking produced net revenues of $2.05 billion, reflecting strong net revenues in both Financial Advisory and Underwriting. Investment Management produced record quarterly net revenues of $1.84 billion. Assets under supervision increased to a record $1.51 trillion. Book value per common share increased by 4.1% during the quarter and 7.4% during the year-to-date to $194.37. et revenues in Investment Banking were $2.05 billion for the second quarter of 2018, 18% higher than the second quarter of 2017 and 14% higher than the first quarter of 2018. Net revenues in Financial Advisory were $804 million, 7% higher than the second quarter of 2017, primarily reflecting an increase in industry-wide completed mergers and acquisitions volumes. Net revenues in Underwriting were $1.24 billion, 27% higher than the second quarter of 2017, primarily due to significantly higher net revenues in equity underwriting, primarily reflecting significantly higher net revenues from initial public offerings.

07:32 EDT Columbus signs renewal agreement with Victoria's Secret - Alliance Data Systems (ADS) announced its Columbus, Ohio-based card services business, a premier provider of branded private label, co-brand and business credit card programs, has signed a long-term renewal agreement to continue its decades-long relationship providing private label credit card services for Victoria's Secret. Victoria's Secret is a business of L Brands (LB).

07:22 EDT Boeing signs integrated services agreement with Blackshape - Boeing announced it signed an integrated services agreement with Blackshape, a global producer of general aviation aircraft specialized in training, for spare parts distribution and pilot training software. The announcement extends the companies' current agreement for delivery of Jeppesen navigation information while adding global exclusive parts distribution from Aviall and Boeing e-Aircraft training software.

07:08 EDT Asterias provides six month data readout for AST-OPC1 Phase 1/2a clinical trial - Asterias Biotherapeutics provided additional data from the company's ongoing Phase 1/2a SCiStar study designed to evaluate the safety and potential efficacy of AST-OPC1 in the treatment of severe cervical spinal cord injury. The SCiStar study is an open-label, single-arm trial testing three escalating doses of AST-OPC1 in 25 subjects with subacute motor complete cervical spinal cord injury. These individuals have lost essentially all movement below their injury site and experience severe paralysis of the upper and lower limbs. Each subject in the SCiStar study has now completed a six month follow-up and the updated results for the SCiStar study have shown the following: Positive Safety Profile - Asterias has dosed 25 subjects with AST-OPC1 in the SCiStar study and a total of 30 subjects including the five subjects from a previous Phase 1 safety trial in thoracic spinal cord injury who have been followed for as long as seven years. To date, there have been no serious adverse events related to the AST-OPC1 cells. Cell Engraftment - 100% of Cohort 5 subjects have magnetic resonance imaging scans at six months consistent with the formation of a tissue matrix at the injury site, which is encouraging evidence that AST-OPC1 cells have engrafted at the injury site and helped to prevent cavitation. Together with the previously reported results from Cohorts 2-4, the MRI results-to-date for 95% of the Cohort 2-5 subjects provide supportive evidence that AST-OPC1 cells have durably engrafted at the injury site and helped to prevent cavitation. Cavitation is a destructive process that occurs within the spinal cord following spinal cord injuries, and typically results in permanent loss of motor and sensory function. Additionally, a patient with cavitation can develop a condition known as syringomyelia, which results in additional neurological and functional damage to the patient and can result in chronic pain. Improved Motor Function - 100% of Cohort 5 subjects have recovered at least one motor level on at least one side through six months, with two subjects having recovered one motor level bilaterally. At six months, 86% of Cohort 2-5 subjects recovered at least one motor level on at least one side and 18% of these subjects recovered two or more motor levels on at least one side.

07:06 EDT KKR to invest $400M in AppLovin - AppLovin announced it has agreed to terms on a $400M investment from KKR. The partnership with KKR will accelerate AppLovin's goal of giving app developers of all sizes the ability to finance, market, and grow their businesses. Founded in 2012, AppLovin started in the mobile gaming user acquisition and monetization space and has expanded to offer a single, comprehensive platform that gives developers the ability to connect with consumers around the globe. In 2018, the company launched its own mobile gaming division, Lion Studios, which has already published multiple games. The company is headquartered in Palo Alto with offices in San Francisco, New York, Dublin, Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul, and Berlin. With accelerating revenue growth and profitability, AppLovin is a growth engine for mobile game developers around the world. The company reaches over 300M daily active users and drives over 1B installs for gaming companies annually. Close to 90% of the top mobile gaming companies from around the world work with AppLovin. The company is well positioned for continued growth, with mobile gaming projected to be a $70.3B industry in 2018, growing over 25% year-over-year according to Global Games Market Report.

07:04 EDT IBM, Columbia University establish new center to study blockchain technology - Columbia University and IBM announced a new Center devoted to research, education, and innovation in blockchain technology and data transparency. To advance compelling new ways to apply blockchain and help address growing demands around data transparency, the Center will also include an innovation accelerator to incubate business ideas from entrepreneurial students, faculty and members of the startup community. The Columbia-IBM Center for Blockchain and Data Transparency will combine cross-disciplinary teams from the academic, scientific, business and government communities to explore key issues related to the policy, trust, sharing and consumption of digital data when using blockchain and other privacy-preserving technologies. The Center will be supported by a steering committee consisting of Columbia faculty and academic leaders and IBM Research scientists and business leaders. A formal call for proposals for curriculum development, business initiatives and research programs is scheduled for later this year.

07:04 EDT Raytheon's Coyote selected by U.S. Army - The U.S. Army will use Raytheon Company's Coyote unmanned aircraft system and the KRFS radar, which stands for Ku band radio frequency system, to counter the escalating threat of enemy unmanned aerial vehicles in the skies above the battlefield. Equipped with an advanced seeker and warhead, the Coyote-enabled system can successfully identify and eliminate threat UAVs when paired with an advanced electronically scanned array KRFS radar, which acquires and accurately tracks all sizes of UAS threats.

07:02 EDT Capricor Therapeutics, USAISR announce collaboration for exosome platform - Capricor Therapeutics announced it has entered into an agreement with the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research to study the potential for the company's next-generation investigational therapeutic platform, designated CAP-2003, which represents extracelluar vesicles to address a wide spectrum of trauma-related injuries and conditions, which are now the third leading cause of death in the U.S. CAP-2003 is derived from Capricor's proprietary cardiosphere-derived cells, which comprise adult cardiac progenitor cells from donor heart tissue. CAP-2003 has shown promising results in various pre-clinical experiments using established animal models of diseases by exerting anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, pro-angiogenic, and anti-apoptotic effects. USAISR entered into the collaboration with Capricor after determining cell-free therapies offer great promise for treating conditions that contribute to soldier morbidity and mortality. Capricor will provide CAP-2003 for testing of function, potency and safety for eventual use in therapeutic indications. Because this is potentially a very important clinical use of CAP-2003, Capricor will work closely with USAISR on its studies and in publishing results of those studies in peer-reviewed journals.

07:02 EDT Attunity announces $2.3M license agreement with large oil and gas company - Attunity announced that a large oil and gas company has signed a three-year term-based $2.3M strategic license agreement to use the Attunity Data Integration Platform. The Customer will use the Attunity solution to enable a large-scale data lake initiative on the Microsoft Azure cloud. The Attunity platform displaces a competitive, incumbent solution, designed to enable large-scale data ingestion from a variety of data sources, including SAP HANA, onto the Azure Data Lake Store, or ADLS, and HDInsight on Azure cloud, as well as to streaming platforms like Kafka for real-time analytics.

07:01 EDT Mitek Systems achieves ISO 27001 certification - Mitek announced that it has achieved ISO 27001:2013 certification, the international standard for best practices in information security management systems. The certification affirms Mitek's ongoing commitment to following the highest standards in data security and privacy for its new cloud-based digital identity verification platform and throughout every level of the organization.

07:00 EDT AMERI Holdings secures robotic automation solution project with MedData - AMERI Holdings announced that it has secured a project to implement a robotic process automation solution with MedData, a leading provider of patient-facing financial services for hospitals and health systems. The new win, the first for Ameri100 in the healthcare sector, will center on the implementation of UiPath's Robotic Process Automation, or RPA, solution as a first step in the modernization and optimization of MedData's IT legacy platform, and positions Ameri100 as a key strategic partner in driving MedData's digital transformation.

06:55 EDT China Auto Logistics trading halted, news pending

06:53 EDT Johnson & Johnson down 2.4% after reporting Q2 results

06:49 EDT Johnson & Johnson reports Q2 domestic sales up 9.4% - Johnson & Johnson reports Q2 operational sales results increased 8.7% and the positive impact of currency was 1.9%. Domestic sales increased 9.4%. International sales increased 11.8%, reflecting operational growth of 7.9% and a positive currency impact of 3.9%. Excluding the net impact of acquisitions and divestitures, on an operational basis, worldwide sales increased 6.3%, domestic sales increased 5.7% and international sales increased 6.8%.

06:48 EDT Supervalu urges shareholders to vote 'FOR' board slate on White proxy card - The Supervalu Board of Directors unanimously recommends that stockholders vote "FOR ALL" nine of SUPERVALU's highly qualified director candidates and "FOR" the Holding Company Proposal on the WHITE proxy card.

06:42 EDT Gold Standard Ventures reports results from drill holes at Dark Star deposit - Gold Standard Ventures reported results from 19 reverse-circulation drill holes at the Dark Star deposit on its 100%-owned/controlled Railroad-Pinion Project in Nevada's Carlin Trend. The exceptional results confirm that the Dark Star Deposit may be emerging as a major Carlin gold occurrence where a larger-than-expected Ridgeline Fault System has played a significant role in concentrating higher grade gold. To date, 17,624m of infill, step-out and geotechnical drilling have been completed in 105 RC and core holes at Dark Star

06:35 EDT Mesoblast enters into alliance with Tasly to develop MPC-150-IM - Mesoblast announced that it has entered into a strategic alliance with one of China's largest pharmaceutical companies, Tasly Pharmaceutical Group, for the development, manufacture and commercialization in China of Mesoblast's allogeneic mesenchymal precursor cell, or MPC, product candidates MPC-150-IM for the treatment or prevention of chronic heart failure and MPC-25-IC for the treatment or prevention of acute myocardial infarction.Key commercial terms of the strategic alliance include: Tasly will receive exclusive rights and will fund all development, manufacturing and commercialization activities in China for MPC-150-IM and MPC-25-IC; Mesoblast will receive $40M on closing, comprising a $20M upfront technology access fee and $20M in an equity purchase in Mesoblast Limited at $1.86 per share, representing a 20% premium to a blended volume weighted average price calculated over three months, one month and one day; Mesoblast will receive $25M on product regulatory approvals in China; Mesoblast will receive double-digit escalating royalties on net product sales; and Mesoblast is eligible to receive six escalating milestone payments upon the product candidates reaching certain sales thresholds in China.

06:34 EDT First Horizon CEO says 'current operating environment remains favorable' - "Our second quarter results demonstrate continued progress towards our goal of building a strong, differentiated and leading bank in the Southeast," said Bryan Jordan, First Horizon's chairman and CEO. "The current operating environment remains favorable, and we're pleased with the strong momentum and customer activity we have seen across our portfolio, especially in our attractive high return specialty businesses. We believe First Horizon is well-positioned to deliver sustainable top-quartile returns and capitalize on our compelling growth and savings opportunities."

06:32 EDT Co-Diagnostics submits Logix Smart MTB Test files for registration in Europe - Co-Diagnostics announced that its Logix Smart MTB Test technical file has been submitted for registration with the European Community, and that the CE marked in vitro diagnostic, or IVD, is expected to be available for purchase early in August in markets that accept a CE mark as valid regulatory approval.

06:09 EDT WidePoint receives $11.4M in government contracts - WidePoint announced numerous government contracts exceeding $11.4M. WidePoint's trusted mobility management, or TM2, framework encompasses WidePoint's proprietary solutions for telecom lifecycle management, identity management, and bill presentment & analytics with added architecture to provide a trusted environment with enhanced secure access. Jin Kang, president and CEO of WidePoint, stated, "WidePoint is pleased with the gains of TM2, as evidenced by these renewals, option year awards, modifications and new contract awards. We are seeing increased opportunities to provide our comprehensive solution to government agencies to manage and protect mobile assets and environments. These awards enhance the reputation of WidePoint TM2 solutions throughout the public sector."

06:05 EDT Tutor Perini subsidiary awarded $59M contract by U.S. Army - Tutor Perini announced that its subsidiary, Roy Anderson, has been awarded a contract valued at approximately $59M by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for construction of the Visiting Quarters at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina. The project entails construction of a new four-story, approximately 149,000 square-foot building. The new Visiting Quarters will be Certified Silver under LEED for New Construction. Work is expected to begin in the next 30 days with substantial completion anticipated in the summer of 2020. The contract value will be included in the Company's Q3 backlog.

06:02 EDT KLX announces end of wating period for merger with Boeing subsidiary - KLX (KLXI) announced that the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, in connection with its previously announced merger with a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company (BA), expired at 11:59 p.m., Eastern time, on July 16. The expiration of the waiting period under the HSR Act satisfies one of the conditions to the closing of the merger, which remains subject to other closing conditions in the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of April 30, by and among KLX, Boeing and Merger Sub, as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto, dated as of June 1.

06:01 EDT Mercantile Bank raises cash dividend to 24c per share from 22c per share - Mercantile Bank announced that on July 12, its board declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of 24c per common share, payable on September 19, to holders of record as of September 7, 2018. The 24c cash dividend represents an increase of approximately 9% from the 22c cash dividend paid during both the first and second quarters of 2018.

05:57 EDT Applied DNA Sciences ships $1.15M order in Q3 to Tag Initial Cotton Harvest - Applied DNA Sciences announced that it received and shipped a $1.15 million order in its fiscal 2018 third quarter ended June 30, 2018 to tag cotton in the upcoming 2018/2019 ginning season. The order for the Company's SigNature T platform technology will be used to tag, test and track three US cotton varietals, Pima, Acala and Delta.

05:52 EDT Raytheon producing, delivering 44 Standard Missile-3 rounds under $466M contract - Raytheon will produce, test and deliver 44 Standard Missile-3 Block IB interceptors under a $466.9M U.S. Missile Defense Agency contract. This is the fiscal year 2018 contract under the initial 2015 contract announcement of $2.35M for planned SM-3 fiscal year 2015-2018 production.

05:45 EDT Parker Aerospace announces LEAP engine contract - Parker Aerospace, a business segment of Parker Hannifin, plans to use innovative robotic welding techniques to make oil reservoirs for the new CFM International LEAP aircraft engine. This manufacturing process, coupled with the use of a new state-of-the-art, five-axis horizontal milling machine, provides a significant improvement in tank quality and throughput.

05:31 EDT Booking Holdings enters strategic partnership with Didi Chuxing - Didi Chuxing and Booking Holdings announced that the two parties have entered into a strategic partnership. Under the partnership, DiDi and Booking Holdings will leverage their technology capabilities and local operating expertise to offer more comprehensive and personalized quality travel experiences across the world. With the partnership, Booking Holdings' brands will have the ability to offer on-demand car service through their apps, powered by DiDi, and DiDi customers will have the option to book hotels through Booking.com or agoda. In addition, Booking Holdings has invested $500M in DiDi, recognizing DiDi as a leader in the mobile transportation industry.

05:27 EDT AC Immune says second Phase 2 trial of crenezumab fully recruited - AC Immune (ACIU) announced that the second Phase 3 clinical trial of crenezumab, AC Immune's anti-Abeta antibody candidate for treatment of Alzheimer's disease, conducted by its partner Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (RHHBY), has completed global recruitment.

05:19 EDT Kratos Defense announces NAVAIR intention to award contract for BQM-177A targets - Kratos Defense announced that it expects its Unmanned Systems Division, or USD, to receive a contract as reflected in the July 3, 2018 announcement from the Naval Air Systems Command: "The Naval Air Systems Command, or NAVAIR, intends to award a contract to Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems on an other than full and open basis procuring: the supplies and services to provide a quantity of up to sixty BQM-177A surface launched aerial targets, with deliveries from second quarter FY20 through second quarter FY21, that emulate anti-ship cruise missiles and technical and administrative data associated with the BQM-177A."

05:17 EDT Raytheon selected as cybersecurity advisor to Royal Hashemite Court in Jordan - Raytheon has been selected as the cybersecurity advisor to the Royal Hashemite Court of the Kingdom of Jordan. The company's Intelligence, Information and Services business will provide cyber protection solutions and counsel to help defend critical systems and infrastructure across the Kingdom. Raytheon will provide the Royal Hashemite Court with cybersecurity services to protect its critical infrastructure systems, including conducting vulnerability assessments, cyber test range services, cyber governance and policy strategy. The Royal aviation fleet will undergo a holistic vulnerability assessment to ensure all integrated systems are hardened and resilient to cyberattacks. Raytheon's experience, advanced technology, and commercial best practices enable the company to identify and mitigate threats to systems, networks and equipment for global commercial and government organizations.

05:13 EDT TechnipFMC awarded MSA by Petrobras - TechnipFMC (FTI) has been awarded by Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. (PBR) a 3-year master services agreement in Brazil, with a 2-year renewal option. This contract for subsea services covers components for both the subsea equipment and flexible pipelines. The scope of work includes maintenance services, technical assistance, inspection and end-fitting re-termination of flexible pipes and umbilicals, installation support and engineering analysis of operations and installation conditions, among other services.

05:10 EDT UTC Aerospace selected by Emirates to advance 777 fleet with InteliSight - UTC Aerospace Systems, a unit of United Technologies (UTX), has been selected by Emirates to advance the airline's Boeing 777 fleet with the InteliSight Aircraft Data Management, or ADM, platform's latest application, virtual Quick Access Recorder, or vQAR. This digital transformation will enhance the airline's data collection and analysis capabilities used to generate significant cost savings by simplifying workflow and fueling data analytics that can help optimize operational efficiency, equipment performance and predictive maintenance programs.