Stockwinners Market Radar for August 14, 2018 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:16 EDT First American raises quarterly dividend by 11% to 42c per share - The cash dividend is payable on Sept. 17, 2018 to shareholders of record as of Sept. 10, 2018.

19:00 EDT On The Fly: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: PetIQ (PETQ) up 15.6%... Perspecta (PRSP) up 3.9%... Phoenix New Media (FENG) up 2.7%. ALSO HIGHER: Energen (EGN) up 9.2% after being acquired by Diamondback Energy (FANG), down 5.2%... Adient (ADNT) up 5.5% after entering S&P MidCap 400 Index... Eldorado Resorts (ERI) up 4.2% after entering S&P MidCap 400 Index... Teva (TEVA) up 2.4% after Berkshire Hathaway disclosed increased stake. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Casa Systems (CASA) down 25.6%... Agilent (A) down 1.8%... Cree (CREE) down 1.3%. ALSO LOWER: ViewRay (VRAY) down 5.9% after equity offering... Carrizo Oil & Gas (CRZO) down 4.6% after equity offering.

18:26 EDT Court grants Oracle's motion for permanent injunction against Rimini Street - For the second time, a Federal Court in Nevada granted Oracle's (ORCL) motion for a permanent injunction against Rimini Street (RMNI) for "years of infringement of Oracle's copyrights." In an opinion notable for its strong language condemning Rimini Street's actions, the Court made clear that since its inception, Rimini's business "was built entirely on its infringement of Oracle's copyrighted software," Oracle said in a press release. The Court also highlighted Rimini's "conscious disregard" for Oracle's copyrights and Rimini's "significant litigation misconduct" in granting Oracle's motion for its attorneys' fees to be paid, Oracle said. "The Court noted that it was Rimini's brazen misconduct that enabled it to "rapidly build" its infringing business, while at the same time irreparably damaging Oracle because Rimini's very business model "eroded the bonds and trust that Oracle has with its customers." It also stressed that for over five years of litigation, "literally up until trial", Rimini Street denied the allegations of infringement. At trial, however, Rimini CEO Seth Ravin, who was also a defendant, changed his story and admitted for the first time that Rimini Street did in fact engage in all the infringing activities that Oracle had identified," Oracle said. :Finally, the Court declared that over $28M in attorneys' fees should be awarded to Oracle because of Rimini Street's significant litigation misconduct in this action. Rimini comments to the market that this award would have to be returned to Rimini have proven to be false and misleading, like so many of its actions and assurances to customers and others."

18:05 EDT S&P announces changes to S&P MidCap 400 index - S&P Dow Jones Indices will make the following changes to the S&P MidCap 400: Eldorado Resorts (ERI) will replace VeriFone Systems (PAY) in the S&P MidCap 400 effective prior to the open of trading on Monday, August 20. Francisco Partners is acquiring VeriFone Systems in a deal expected to be completed soon pending final conditions. Adient (ADNT) will replace DCT Industrial Trust (DCT) in the S&P MidCap 400 effective prior to the open of trading on Wednesday, August 22. S&P 500 constituent ProLogis (PLD) is acquiring DCT Industrial Trust in a deal expected to be completed soon pending final conditions.

17:39 EDT SPDR Gold Trust holdings fall to 776.65MT from 784.60MT - This is the 2nd consecutive decline and also the lowest level of holdings since February 26th, 2016.

17:35 EDT Appaloosa adds KeyCorp, exits NVIDIA - David Tepper's Appaloosa disclosed in an SEC filing its holdings as of June 30, 2018. The fund's six new buys included, by size of position, KeyCorp (KEY), Symantec (SYMC), Citizens Financial (CFG), Vistra Energy (VST), and New Oriental Education & Technology Group (EDU). The fund exited 11 positions during the quarter, including by size of previous position Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1 (QQQ), Applied Materials (AMAT), VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH), Allstate (ALL), and NVIDIA (NVDA). Appaloosa increased its stake in 11 holdings, including by size of previous position Micron (MU), Western Digital (WDC), Cheniere Energy (LNG), Wells Fargo (WFC), and Platform Specialty Products (PAH). The fund reduced its stake in 29 holdings, including by size of previous position Alibaba (BABA), NRG Energy (NRG), Bank of America (BAC), MGM Resorts (MGM), and Ally Financial (ALLY). Appaloosa's top holdings as of June 30, in order of size, were Micron, Facebook (FB), Allergan (AGN), Alibaba, and Alphabet Class C (GOOG).

17:30 EDT GWG Holdings trading resumes

17:28 EDT Paulson & Co. adds Comcast, exits McDermott - John Paulson's Paulson & Co. disclosed in an SEC filing its holdings as of June 30, 2018. The fund's seven new buys in the quarter included, by size of position, Mitel Networks (MITL), Akorn (AKRX), Comcast (CMCSA), 21st Century Fox (FOXA), and LaSalle Hotel Properties (LHO). Paulson exited six positions during the quarter, including McDermott (MDR). The fund increased its stake in seven holdings, including by size of previous position Discovery (DISCA), NXP Semiconductors (NXPI), 21st Century Fox (FOX), Aetna (AET), and XL Group (XL). Paulson decreased its stake in eight holdings, including by size of previous position Randgold (GOLD), IAMGOLD (IAG), Rockwell Collins (COL), Agnico Eagle Mines (AEM), and Goldcorp (GG). The fund's top holdings as of June 30, in order of size, were SPDR Gold Shares, Bausch Health Companies (BHC), Shire (SHPG), Mylan (MYL), and Allergan (AGN).

17:26 EDT BlueMountain Capital lowers stake in Overseas Shipholding to 9.3% from 10.7%

17:22 EDT Lone Pine adds Canadian Pacific and NVIDIA, exits Broadcom and T-Mobile - Stephen Mandel's Lone Pine Capital disclosed in an SEC filing its holdings as of June 30, 2018. Lone Pine's three new buys during the quarter included, by size of position, Canadian Pacific (CP), NVIDIA (NVDA), and Mohawk Industries (MHK). The fund exited five positions during the quarter, including by size of previous position Broadcom (AVGO), Taiwan Semiconductor (TSM), BlackRock (BLK), T-Mobile US (TMUS), and Exact Sciences (EXAS). Lone Pine increased its stake in 12 holdings, including by size of previous position Wynn Resorts (WYNN), TrandsDigm (TDG), Microsoft (MSFT), Alibaba (BABA), and ServiceNow (NOW). The fund decreased its stake in 11 holdings, including by size of previous position Facebook (FB), PayPal (PYPL), Constellation Brands (STZ), Adobe Systems (ADBE), and Amazon (AMZN). Lone Pine's told holdings as of June 30, in order of size, were Microsoft, Alibaba, Activision Blizzard (ATVI), Adobe, and Booking Holdings (BKNG).

17:19 EDT Eldorado Resorts to replace Verifone in S&P 400 at open on 8/20 - Francisco Partners is acquiring VeriFone Systems in a deal expected to be completed soon pending final conditions.

17:09 EDT Yunxi Deng reports 9.35% passive stake in Helios and Matheson

17:06 EDT Elliott adds Devon, VMware, exits Energen - Paul Singer's Elliott Management disclosed in an SEC filing its holdings as of June 30, 2018. The fund's four new buys in the quarter were, in order of size, Devon Energy (DVN), VMware (VMW), 21st Century Fox (FOX), and Sempra Energy (SRE). Elliott exited five positions during the quarter, including by size of previous position Energen (EGN), Teradyne (TER), Nomad Foods (NOMD), and VICI Properties (VICI). The fund increased its stake in 11 holdings, including by size of previous position Hess (HES), Dish (DISH), EQT Corp. (EQT), Micro Focus International (MFGP), and Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1 (QQQ). Elliott decreased its stake in four holdings, including by size CDK Global (CDK), Investors Bancorp (ISBC), Wipro (WIT), and Imperva (IMPV). The fund's told holdings as of June 30, in order of size, were NXP Semiconductors (NXPI), Peabody Energy (BTU), Hess, Arconic (ARNC), and CDK Global.

17:00 EDT Icahn Capital adds VMware, Cigna, cuts stake in Herbalife - Carl Icahn's Icahn Capital disclosed in an SEC filing its holdings as of June 30, 2018. Icahn Capital's five new buys for the quarter included by size Energen (EGN), VMware (VMW), AmTrust Financial Services (AFSI), and Cigna (CI). The firm increased its stake in two holdings, including by size Icahn Enterprises (IEP) and Newell Brands (NWL). Icahn reduced stakes in two holdings, namely Herbalife (HLF) and Cheniere Energy (LNG). The firm's top holdings as of June 30 were, by size, Icahn Enterprises, CVR Energy (CVI), Herbalife, Cheniere Energy, and Freeport-McMoRan (FCX).

16:54 EDT LRAD Corporation reports Q3 bookings $7M, up 9% y/y

16:46 EDT Vanda Pharmaceuticals wins denial of petition for rehearing on Fanapt - Vanda Pharmaceuticals announced that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit denied petitions for panel rehearing and rehearing en banc filed by West-Ward Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Hikma Pharmaceuticals, relating to Vanda's U.S. Patent number 8,586,610 (the '610 Patent) for Fanapt. This denial by U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit leaves undisturbed its prior decision that West-Ward Pharmaceuticals's Abbreviated New Drug Application for iloperidone infringed the '610 Patent, and that West-Ward Pharmaceuticals had not proven the '610 Patent invalid. The '610 Patent is set to expire November 2, 2027.

16:42 EDT Pershing Square adds Lowe's, cuts stake in ADP - Bill Ackman's Pershing Square disclosed in an SEC filing its holdings as of June 30, 2018. The fund's one new buy was Lowe's (LOW). Pershing increased its stake in two holdings, namely United Technologies (UTX) and Mondelez (MDLZ). The fund decreased its stake in two holdings, namely ADP (ADP) and Restaurant Brands (QSR). Pershing's top holdings as of June 30, in order of size, were Restaurant Brands, Chipotle (CMG), Lowe's, Mondelez, and United Technologies.

16:32 EDT Perspecta reports Q1 adjusted EPS 54c, consensus 46c - Reports Q1 revenue $793M, consensus $1.03B. Q1 revenue for the quarter $793M, up 17% compared to the Q1 of FY18, primarily as a result of the mergers. Pro forma revenue for the quarter was $1.04B, up 2% from the Q1 of FY18.

16:31 EDT Atrion increases quarterly cash dividend by 13% - Atrion Corporation announced an increase in its quarterly cash dividend from $1.20 per share to $1.35 per share. Specifically, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $1.35 per share on its outstanding shares of Common Stock. This dividend will be payable on September 28, 2018 to stockholders of record at the close of business on September 14.

16:29 EDT Trian Fund boosts BNY Mellon, lowers stake in Wendy's - Nelson Peltz's Trian Fund disclosed in an SEC filing its holdings as of June 30, 2018. Trian's three increased holdings, including by size of previous position Bank of New York Mellon (BK), General Electric (GE), and Mondelez (MDLZ). The fund reduced its stake in three holdings, including by size Wendy's (WEN) and Sysco (SYY). Trian's top holdings as of June 30 were, by size, Procter & Gamble (PG), Sysco, GE, BNY Mellon, and Mondelez.

16:22 EDT Electromed 'thrilled' by results of independent clinical study - Electromed announced the results of an independent, outcome-based clinical study presented during the third annual World Bronchiectasis Conference in Washington D.C. The study's findings reveal that early use of high frequency chest wall oscillation therapy with the SmartVest Airway Clearance System significantly reduced severe exacerbations and hospitalizations among non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis patients. The study is the first to report "stabilization of key lung function parameters" as a result of HFCWO use, suggesting early bronchiectasis treatment with HFCWO may significantly slow the otherwise normal progression of the disease. "We are thrilled not only by the results of this study, but the significant milestone it represents," commented Kathleen Skarvan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Electromed. "This is the first independent study to evaluate bronchiectasis-related exacerbations using HFCWO therapy. The results confirm what we've said all along: incorporating the SmartVest into bronchiectasis treatment significantly reduces exacerbations and improves patient outcomes."

16:19 EDT Diamondback Energy to acquire Energen in all-stock transaction - Diamondback Energy (FANG) and Energen (EGN) announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Diamondback will acquire Energen in an all-stock transaction valued at approximately $9.2B, including Energen's net debt of $830 million as of June 30, 2018. The consideration will consist of 0.6442 shares of Diamondback common stock for each share of Energen common stock, representing an implied value to each Energen shareholder of $84.95 per share based on the closing price of Diamondback common stock on August 13, 2018. The transaction was unanimously approved by the Board of Directors of each company."This transaction represents a transformational moment for both Diamondback and Energen shareholders as they are set to benefit from owning the premier large cap Permian independent with industry leading production growth, operating efficiency, margins and capital productivity supporting an increasing capital return program. The Energen team has done an outstanding job assembling a portfolio of Tier One acreage in both the Midland and Delaware basins, which, when combined with Diamondback's current portfolio, will present an extended runway for Diamondback's record of best-in-class execution and low-cost operations. This transaction also adds critical mass for driving capital efficiencies in what is now truly becoming a manufacturing business. I expect the pro forma company to be able to grow at industry leading rates while returning capital at a competitive yield," stated Travis Stice, Chief Executive Officer of Diamondback.

16:18 EDT Diamondback Energy to acquire Energen in all-stock deal valued at about $9.2B

16:18 EDT Genworth, Oceanwide extend merger agreement - Genworth Financial and China Oceanwide Holdings Group Co. announced they have agreed to a sixth waiver and agreement of each party's right to terminate the previously announced merger agreement. The sixth waiver and agreement extends the previous deadline of August 15, 2018 to December 1, 2018 to allow additional time to complete the regulatory review process. The sixth waiver and agreement also waives the unstacking of Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Company from Genworth Life Insurance Company, regulatory approval of which had been a condition of Oceanwide's obligation to close the merger, as well as each party's respective covenants with respect to the unstacking, including Oceanwide's obligation to contribute $525M to facilitate the unstacking. The waiver also waives Oceanwide's obligation to contribute $600M to Genworth for the repayment of the company's debt obligations due May 2018, which, as previously disclosed, has been retired with the proceeds from a term loan and cash on hand. Separately, Oceanwide has agreed to a capital investment plan under which Oceanwide and/or its affiliates will contribute an aggregate of $1.5B to Genworth over time following consummation of the merger, with the final amounts of the plan to be contributed by March 31, 2020. Such contribution will be subject to the closing of the merger and the receipt of required regulatory approvals. The contribution would be used to further improve Genworth's financial stability, which may include retiring Genworth's debt due in 2020 and 2021 or enabling future growth opportunities. The closing of the proposed transaction remains subject to the receipt of required regulatory approvals in the U.S., China and other international jurisdictions and other closing conditions. As previously announced, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United State completed its review of the proposed transaction and concluded that there are no unresolved national security concerns.

16:17 EDT Sigma Labs CEO issues letter to shareholders - Sigma Labs announced the release of the following letter to shareholders from Chairman and CEO John Rice:Dear Shareholders:"It has been a year since I was privileged to become your company's CEO. I am accountable to you, so please accept this update on the company. As you know from my prior communications to you, the principal challenge that the company faced on August 1, 2017 was to transform itself from an R&D company with a high-potential R&D product into a commercialization company with reliable high-performance market-ready products to sell. Driving this transformation in the course of one year was challenging as we recruited additional expert personnel to provide our required balance of skillsets, implemented new business processes in product development and customer service, and step by step, set out to elevate our lab-ready hardware and software products into robust commercial equipment ready to deploy into high quality production settings. The good news is that we have managed to put together an extraordinary team of people to execute on these challenges, the bad news is that no matter how good the team, the process on which we have been engaged is arduous, and very vulnerable to Murphy's law that if something can go wrong it will, twice at least. Some extraordinarily capable and patient customers have permitted us to work with them as partially integrated teams and through doing so increased the sophistication of our customer responsiveness, and alas too, sometimes fallen victim to helping us with flaw and bug detection as we rapidly accelerated our product's sophistication in this transition year. These customers have made our product better - indeed made our company better, and we hope, but have no assurance, that this will result in Sigma receiving substantial orders for serial production applications in the tail-end of this year and first half of 2019. The very good news is that our team was more determined and effective than the admittedly very resourceful Murphy, and as we wind up this transition year, the core product, PrintRite3D, is proven to deliver valuable advanced quality solutions for Additive Metal production, not merely for AM research."

16:16 EDT SunTrust raises quarterly dividend to 50c per share - The dividend is payable on September 17 to common shareholders of record at the close of business on August 31.

16:15 EDT Devon Energy to sell $215M of non-core Delaware Basin acreage - Devon Energy (DVN) announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell 9,600 net acres of non-core Delaware Basin acreage in Ward and Reeves County to Carrizo Oil (CRZO) and Gas for $215M. Net production from these properties is approximately 2,500 oil-equivalent barrels per day. The transaction is expected to close in Q4, subject to customary terms and conditions. With this transaction, total proceeds from Devon's divestiture program have now reached $4.4B. The company expects to monetize additional minor, non-core assets across the United States by year-end. These divestiture packages include enhanced oil recovery projects in the Midland Basin and Rockies along with Wise County acreage in the Barnett Shale.

16:12 EDT Destination Maternity announces departure of CFO David Stern - Destination Maternity announced today that David Stern, executive VP & CFO, has departed the company, effective August 10. The terms of the departure have been agreed in a separation and release agreement. Destination Maternity recently retained an executive search firm on an ongoing basis and has initiated a formal search for Stern's replacement. The company will inform shareholders at the appropriate time once a qualified candidate is chosen.

16:10 EDT Intel, Phillips accelerate deep learning on CPUs in medical imaging uses - Using Intel Xeon scalable processors and the OpenVINO toolkit, Intel and Philips tested two healthcare use cases for deep learning inference models: one on X-rays of bones for bone-age-prediction modeling, the other on CT scans of lungs for lung segmentation. In these tests, Intel and Philips achieved a speed improvement of 188 times for the bone-age-prediction model, and a 38 times speed improvement for the lung-segmentation model over the baseline measurements. Until recently, there was one prominent hardware solution to accelerate deep learning: graphics processing unit, or GPUs. By design, GPUs work well with images, but they also have inherent memory constraints that data scientists have had to work around when building some models. Central processing units, or CPUs, in this case Intel Xeon Scalable processors don't have those same memory constraints and can accelerate complex, hybrid workloads, including larger, memory-intensive models typically found in medical imaging. For a large subset of artificial intelligence workloads, Intel Xeon Scalable processors can better meet data scientists' needs than GPU-based systems. As Philips found in the two recent tests, this enables the company to offer AI solutions at lower cost to its customers. AI techniques such as object detection and segmentation can help radiologists identify issues faster and more accurately, which can translate to better prioritization of cases, better outcomes for more patients and reduced costs for hospitals. Deep learning inference applications typically process workloads in small batches or in a streaming manner, which means they do not exhibit large batch sizes. CPUs are a great fit for low batch or streaming applications. In particular, Intel Xeon Scalable processors offer an affordable, flexible platform for AI models , particularly in conjunction with tools like the OpenVINO toolkit, which can help deploy pre-trained models for efficiency, without sacrificing accuracy. These tests show that healthcare organizations can implement AI workloads without expensive hardware investments. The results for both use cases surpassed expectations. The bone-age-prediction model went from an initial baseline test result of 1.42 images per second to a final tested rate of 267.1 images per second after optimizations - an increase of 188 times. The lung-segmentation model far surpassed the target of 15 images per second by improving from a baseline of 1.9 images per second to 71.7 images per second after optimizations.

16:08 EDT iKang Healthcare announces update on "Going Private" transaction - iKang Healthcare Group announced that, as of the close of business (New York time) on August 14, 2018, it has received notices of objection under Section 238(2) of the Cayman Islands Companies Law which object to the proposed merger contemplated by the previously announced agreement and plan of merger, dated as of March 26, 2018 and amended as of May 29, 2018, by and among the Company, IK Healthcare Investment Limited and IK Healthcare Merger Limited, from shareholders of the Company who hold Class A common shares representing, collectively, approximately 18.33% of the total issued and outstanding shares of the Company. As of the close of business on August 14, 2018, the Company has received from holders of the Company's American Depositary Shares, including former holders of ADSs who have provided Objection Notices to the Company, requests for the Company to convert such holders' ADSs into Class A common shares of the Company which, upon conversion of all such ADSs, would represent, collectively, approximately 32.37% of the total issued and outstanding shares of the Company. Under Section 7.02(e) of the Merger Agreement, the obligations of Parent and Merger Sub to consummate the Merger and the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement are subject to the condition that the holders of no more than 15% of the total issued and outstanding shares of the Company have validly served Objection Notices. Based on the Objection Notices received by the Company as of the close of business (New York time) on August 14, 2018, this condition is no longer satisfied. The Company has informed Parent and Merger Sub of the receipt of the Objection Notices and non-satisfaction of the closing condition in Section 7.02(e) of the Merger Agreement. The Company intends to request that Parent and Merger Sub waive this closing condition. However, the Company cautions its shareholders and others considering trading its securities that, due to the non-satisfaction of the closing condition in Section 7.02(e) of the Merger Agreement, Parent and Merger Sub are not obligated to consummate the Merger or the other transactions contemplated by the Merger Agreement and that there is no assurance that Parent and Merger Sub will waive such closing condition.

15:55 EDT Global Bit Ventures reports 12.5% passive stake in Marathon Patent Group

14:59 EDT Walmart opens distribution center in Mobile, Alabama - Walmart commemorated the official opening of its new $135M Distribution Center in Mobile, Alabama. The event was a culmination of a multi-year effort, supported by state and local officials and community members, to strengthen Walmart's supply chain network while creating more than 750 jobs, the retail giant said. "Walmart proves to be a great corporate partner to the state of Alabama, year after year, by investing in its stores, its employees and the surrounding community. Their commitment cannot be better proven than by the opening of this new Distribution Center, which, when fully operational, will provide approximately 750 quality jobs in the Mobile area," said Governor Ivey. "We are grateful to Walmart for supporting the economic health of the Port City, and for the large role they play in propelling our great state forward."

14:57 EDT Tiger Global adds Spotify and Adobe, exits United Continental - Chase Coleman's Tiger Global disclosed in an SEC filing its holdings as of June 30, 2018. Tiger made 11 new buys during the quarter, including, by size of position, Spotify (SPOT), Uxin (UXIN), Coupa Software (COUP), Adobe Systems (ADBE), and GDS Holdings (GDS). The hedge fund manager exited four positions during the quarter, including by size of previous position eHi Car Services (EHIC), Ares Capital (ARCC), and United Continental (UAL). Tiger increased its stake in 13 holdings, including by size Twitter (TWTR), Facebook (FB), ServiceNow (NOW), MercadoLibre (MLI), and Sunrun (RUN). The fund reduced its stake in four holdings, including by size Redfin (RDFN), JD.com (JD), TransDigm (TDG), and Microsoft (MSFT). Tiger Global's top holdings as of June 30, in order of size, were Spotify, Amazon (AMZN), JD.com, Booking Holdings (BKNG), and Microsoft.

14:45 EDT GulfMark Offshore Inc trading halted, news pending

14:43 EDT Twitter suspends accounts for trying to evade account suspension - Twitter's Safety account tweeted that this week the company is suspending accounts for attempting to evade an account suspension. These accounts were previously suspended for abusive behavior or evading a previous suspension, and are not allowed to continue using Twitter, the company said. "We will continue this work in the coming weeks as we identify others who are attempting to Tweet following an account suspension," Twitter said. "If you believe your account has been suspended in error, please let us know." Reference Link

14:21 EDT Intel down 1% after Register report of additional security holes - Shares of Intel are lower the The Register reported that Intel will publish a white paper today disclosing three more vulnerabilities in its processors that can be exploited by malware and malicious virtual machines to potentially steal secret information from computer memory. The information can include passwords, personal and financial records, and encryption keys, the report notes. Shares of Intel are down 1%, or 54c, to $47.91 in afternoon trading. Reference Link

13:29 EDT Kroger up 2% to $30.45 after WSJ reports pact with Alibaba

12:53 EDT Joshua G. James reports 15.1% passive stake in Domo

12:35 EDT Ekso Bionics awarded $5M Department of Veterans Affairs contract - Reference Link

12:00 EDT Vince Holding rises 9.4% - Vince Holding is up 9.4%, or $1.91 to $22.25.

12:00 EDT Lithium Americas rises 12.8% - Lithium Americas is up 12.8%, or 46c to $4.02.

11:48 EDT Match Group drops 2% after Tinder executives file lawsuit for damages - Shares of Match Group (MTCH) are down 2%, and its parent company IAC (IAC) is off its highs, after Tinder executives filed a lawsuit against the company in New York seeking at least $2B in damages. The suit alleges Match manipulated Tinder's valuation in order to reduce compensation for stock options.

11:24 EDT Cooperman's Omega buys NRG and Iqvia in Q2, sells out of Netflix - Leon Cooperman's Omega Advisors disclosed in an SEC filing its holdings as of June 30, 2018. Omega's 27 new buys during the second quarter included, by size of position, NRG Energy (NRG), Iqvia Holdings (IQV), Lennar (LEN), Marathon Petroleum (MPC) and CVS Health (CVS). Omega exited 27 positions during the quarter, including by size of previous position, Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY), Wells Fargo (WFC), Navient (NAVI), Netflix (NFLX) and New York Community Bancorp (NYB). Omega increased its stake in 18 holdings, including by size of increase, Sinclair Broadcast (SBGI), Humana (HUM), Trinity Industries (TRN), Citi (C) and FTS International (FTSI). Omega reduced its stake in 28 holdings, including Shire (SHPG), Andeavor (ANDV), MaxLinear (MXL), PVH Corp. (PVH) and Dish (DISH). Omega's top holdings as of June 30, in order of size, were United Continental (UAL), Alphabet (GOOGL), AMC Networks (AMCX), First Data (FDC) and Microsoft (MSFT).

11:12 EDT Boeing reports total of 487 orders through July 31 - The breakdown is as follows: 334 orders for 737, 14 orders for 747, 20 orders for 767, 26 orders for 777 and 93 orders for 787.

10:22 EDT Analysts up Nielsen rating as Elliott takes activist stake, plans push for sale - After jumping yesterday after Elliott Management disclosed an 8.4% stake in the company, shares of Nielsen (NLSN) are again on the rise this morning as Wall Street digests the announcement and two Wall Street firms upgraded the stock. Macquarie analyst Tim Nollen raised Nielsen's rating to Outperform, saying the activist stake raises the possibility of a sale, while his peer at Barclays upgraded the shares to Equal Weight as he now sees limited downside in the stock and possible deal scenarios. ACTIVIST STAKE: Yesterday, Elliott Asset Management disclosed an 8.4% stake in Nielsen in a filing with the SEC that allows for activism. Elliott collectively has beneficial ownership of 18M shares of common stock constituting approximately 5.1% of the shares outstanding and combined economic exposure in Nielsen equivalent to 30M shares, constituting approximately 8.4% of the shares outstanding. Elliott will encourage Nielsen to "undertake a full strategic review of, and initiate a process to explore, the sale" of the company in full, in addition to the exploration of the sale of certain of its businesses or assets, including transactions in which the fund "may seek to participate and potentially engage in, as a purchaser or investor." MACQUARIE, BARCLAYS UPGRADE NIELSEN: In a research note to investors this morning, Macquarie's Nollen upgraded Nielsen to Outperform from Neutral and raised his price target on the shares to $34 from $28. The analyst argued that Elliott Management's 8.4% stake in Nielsen will result in either a sale of the entire company, splitting it in two, or selling the Buy division and keeping Watch as a public company. Given the early retirement of CEO Mitch Barns at the end of the year, a rapid sale process could ensure with private equity firms likely leading the way, he contended. While his peer at Barclays thinks Nielsen's prospects as a standalone public company "remain grim," analyst Manav Patnaik upgraded the stock to Equal Weight from Underweight given limited downside now that Elliott Management has acquired an 8.4% stake and is pushing for a sale of the entire company. The analyst also raised his price target on the shares to $27 from $21, assuming a 60% likelihood of outright sale for $32 per share, with lower scenarios for just a Buy sale. STRATEGIC REVIEW COULD CONCLUDE IN NEXT 3 MONTHS: Commenting on the news, Morgan Stanley analyst Toni Kaplan told investors that she believes Nielsen could conclude its planned strategic review with a sale of the Buy business or a sale of the whole company, and that timing of the decision could take place over the next three months. Given the results that have been found in other strategic review processes as well as recent activist activity, no sale at all is potentially the least likely outcome, she contended. The analyst reiterated an Overweight rating and $26 price target on the shares. Meanwhile, Jefferies analyst Surinder Thind argued in a research note of his own that even following yesterday's 12% rally, there is "significant shareholder value to be unlocked" at Nielsen. The analyst noted that he believes Nielsen's Watch segment could be worth more than all of the company currently, estimating a value of $29-$33 per share. Overall, Thind's "rough math" suggests a buyout for the entire company could be worth $30 per share. He reiterated a Buy rating and $29 price target on the shares. Also keeping an Outperform rating on Nielsen's shares, Baird analyst Jeffrey Meuler raised his price target on the stock to $30 from $26 following the announcement. The analyst sees multiple avenue to unlock value including the company's Watch and Buy segments, which could be of interest of private equity. Additionally, Meuler pointed out he sees the potential for expense reduction and a more broad and urgent strategic review. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of Nielsen have gained about 6.1% to $26.12.

09:54 EDT Synalloy trading resumes

09:47 EDT HUYA falls -14.4% - HUYA is down -14.4%, or -$4.72 to $28.16.

09:47 EDT Yum China rises 6.1% - Yum China is up 6.1%, or $2.10 to $36.32.

09:47 EDT Tapestry rises 7.8% - Tapestry is up 7.8%, or $3.71 to $51.17.

09:42 EDT Ford-owned Autonomic announces partnership with Alibaba Cloud - Autonomic, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ford Smart Mobility LLC (F), and Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing arm of Alibaba Group (BABA), signed a Memorandum of Understanding to bring to China the Transportation Mobility Cloud. Enabled by Alibaba Cloud, the TMC will serve as an open, cloud-based platform that provides standardized data and infrastructure for developers to quickly build value-added software programs for interacting with connected vehicles. This new software could help deliver a better in-vehicle connectivity and mobility experience for Chinese consumers, such as helping residents plan transit journeys, managing a large-scale fleet for a ride-hailing business, and even routing self-driving cars on busy streets. Autonomic and Alibaba Cloud believe this partnership will be instrumental in shaping China's transportation ecosystem by empowering multiple parties - including automakers, public transit operators and large-scale fleet operators and software developers - to enhance their vehicle connectivity and mobility experiences for Chinese customers. Both companies also agreed to explore new collaboration opportunities in the transportation and mobility sectors, with the ultimate goal of creating a safer, more efficient and sustainable transportation ecosystem in China.

09:35 EDT Home Depot says tariff environment 'manageable'

09:25 EDT Tecogen receives U.S. patent for catalyst formulation for Ultera emissions - Tecogen has been granted a U.S. patent for a customized catalyst formulation developed for its Ultera emissions reduction process. The patent covers the material composition and manufacturing method used in its production. This material provides excellent performance while being impervious to corrosion in applications where the engine fuel contains significant contaminants such as sulfur and phosphorus. The material and the manufacturing process were developed under contract with Environex, an independent catalyst testing and development company located in Malvern, PA. In exchange for the know-how and agreement to supply the company with the catalyst, Tecogen has granted Environex a license to use the catalyst formulation other than in internal combustion engines and combined heat and power systems, both under 1,000 kW, for which Tecogen retains exclusive rights.

09:20 EDT Inovio announces first patient dosed with Pennvax-GP - Inovio announced that the first participant has been dosed with Pennvax-GP in a randomized clinical trial that will evaluate its ability to drive remission of HIV infection. This vaccine widely targets all major HIV strains and the potential to enhance the capacity of the immune system to eliminate or provide life-long control of HIV. This trial is part of a previously reported multi-year $6.95M grant from the NIH's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, or NIAID, to develop a single or combination therapy using Inovio's Pennvax-GP with the goal of attaining long-term HIV remission.

09:18 EDT Home Depot says sees FY18 gross margin up approximately 41 bps

09:15 EDT Naked Brand Group launches retail, outlet store expansion strategy - Naked Brand Group has signed a series of new leases for retail and outlet stores across Australia and New Zealand to commence the first stage of its planned two-year rollout strategy of 20 additional stores. Three new sites have been confirmed in New Zealand. Additionally, one site is underway in Perth, Australia which will open in a new direct factory outlet, or DFO, one of six highly productive outlet centers owned by Australian property retail group Vicinity. Once under full operation, the total incremental revenue per store is projected to be approximately $650,000, with the four-wall contribution projected to be in excess of 20%. The company defines four-wall contribution or net profit percentage of the store as gross margins minus all store operating costs. The Naked Brand Group retail and outlet network currently consists of 33 stores in New Zealand, 25 in Australia and contributes approximately 40% of overall sales and approximately $650,000 in annualized revenue per store, complimenting wholesale distribution across New Zealand. A further 16 sites have been identified and are expected to be rolled out by 2020, with a particular focus on highly productive and proven outlet opportunities which have a projected category growth of 25% over the next two years, with a projected four-wall contribution in excess of 20%.

09:12 EDT Tapestry says Stuart Weitzman addressing challenges in supply chain - Says Stuart Weitzman focused on creating stable platform for sustainable growth. Says focused on further refining supply chain organization and process. Says will expand footwear offering while maintaining authority in sandals. Says will expand globally with focus on Chinese consumer. Says has significant opportunity to expand brand awareness. Says globally introducing new store concept. Says plans to grow beyond footwear, establish handbag business. Says will drive consumer desire and elevate relationship with customer. Says addressing challenges in supply chain. Says expects to return to top-line growth by Q2.

09:10 EDT Lockheed Martin receives $218M contract for HIMARS launchers from U.S. Army - The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $218 million contract to produce High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, launchers and associated hardware for an international customer. With this procurement, HIMARS is now in the inventories of four international partners. The contract calls for the delivery of 18 HIMARS launchers and associated equipment by December 2020.

09:08 EDT Home Depot says drivers for home improvement spending 'strong'

09:06 EDT Home Depot says 'very pleased' with Q2 performance - Says most of seasonal sales missed in Q1 were recovered in Q2. Says experienced a spike in demand in May. Says Pro sales outpaced DIY sales in Q2. Says digital business continues to be a source of growth with online sales up 26%. Comments from Q2 earnings conference call.

09:05 EDT Lockheed Martin awarded $218M contract by U.S. Army - The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $218M contract to produce High Mobility Artillery Rocket System, or HIMARS, launchers and associated hardware for an international customer. With this procurement, HIMARS is now in the inventories of four international partners. The contract calls for the delivery of 18 HIMARS launchers and associated equipment by December 2020. The HIMARS vehicles will be produced from the ground up at Lockheed Martin's award-winning Camden, Ark., Precision Fires Center of Excellence.

09:00 EDT Perry Ellis trading resumes

08:58 EDT Nordic American Offshore sends letter to shareholders regarding vessel in Africa - The company sent the following letter to shareholders: "Dear Shareholders, Under reference to our 2Q2018 report of Friday August 10, 2018, this is to advise you that a firm contract of close to 3-months have been arranged for a NAO platform supply vessel in West Africa. The supply vessel shall serve a Scandinavian owned drilling rig. This is the first time we have secured NAO employment outside the North Sea. Going forward, we will consider employment of this nature."

08:45 EDT Tapestry says on track to achieve run-rate synergies of $100M-$115M in 2019 - Says strengthened executive and creative leadership across brands. Says "right" senior management in place to lead Kate Spade team. Says entered into purchase agreements to acquire Kate Spade's operations in Singapore, Malaysia and Australia and Stuart Weitzman's business in Southern China. Says uncertainty in FY19 macroeconomic outlook. Says goal is to deliver strong revenue and operating income growth in FY19, while making the right strategic investments to support long-term vision and drive a return to both double-digit operating income and earnings per share growth in fiscal 2020. Says remains on track to achieve run-rate synergies of $100M-$115M in 2019. Say will drive global growth with emphasis on the Chinese consumer and advance digital and data analytics capabilities. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

08:39 EDT Capstone Turbine secures order for brewing company in southern Brazil - Capstone Turbine announced it secured an order for one C65 and one C200R microturbine for an international brewing company located in South Brazil. Luming Inteligencia Energetica, Capstone's National Account partner in Brazil, secured the order, which is expected to be commissioned by the end of the calendar year. Luming secured a long-term energy agreement for the brewing project with additional projects expected in the near future. The order is the first industrial deployment for Luming in Brazil and expands beyond their traditional commercial applications leading to future development in the growing industrial sector.

08:31 EDT Perry Ellis trading halted, news dissemination

08:30 EDT Tesla forms special committee to evaluate potential going private transaction

08:21 EDT Tapestry reports Q4 Coach SSS up 2%, Q4 Kate Spade SSS down 3% - Net sales for Coach totaled $1.1B for the fourth fiscal quarter as compared to $1.05B in the prior year, an increase of 5% on a reported basis and 3% on a constant currency basis. Global comparable store sales rose 2% in aggregate, including e-commerce, as well as for bricks and mortar stores. Net sales for Kate Spade totaled $312M, reflecting, in part, the strategic pullback in wholesale disposition and online flash sales, partially offset by the consolidation of the joint ventures for Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Global comparable store sales declined 3%, including the negative impact of approximately half a point from a decline in global e-commerce due to the reduction in online flash sales.

08:08 EDT Internap, Sovrn announce global expansion of cloud hosting relationship - Internap Corporation and Sovrn, a partner to independent publishers that represents more than 25,000 sites, announced an expanded cloud hosting agreement. "INAP's ownership of Tier 3 design Data Centers, including Amsterdam, spread across a strong global footprint, was a critical factor for Sovrn as it expanded within a highly competitive environment," INAP said in a statement.

08:06 EDT IAMGold, Columbus Gold enter into agreement on Maripa gold project - Columbus Gold Corp. announced that it has entered into an agreement with IAMGOLD Corporation to acquire up to a 70% interest in the Maripa gold project, located in French Guiana, France. Maripa is located in eastern French Guiana, 50 kilometers south of the capital city of Cayenne, and is comprised of up to five contiguous exploration permits that cover an area of approximately 120 square kilometers.

08:05 EDT Aevi Genomics Medicine completed enrollment for Phase 2 ASCEND clinical trial - Aevi Genomic Medicine announced that it has completed enrollment in Part A of its Phase 2 ASCEND clinical trial, which is assessing a mGluR mutation positive genetic subset of pediatric and adolescent patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, to confirm response to AEVI-001 in these patients.

08:04 EDT Genius Brands says GBN surpasses 80M U.S. households - Genius Brands International announced that its Genius Brands Network has surpassed availability in over 80 million U.S. households. The thirty-three percent increase in reach from the company's last publicly reported total in April is a result of recent multi-year distribution deals with Cox, Tubi and XUMO.

08:03 EDT DLH Holdings wins $5M task order - DLH Holdings recently won a $5M task order contract to provide healthcare services for the Naval Medical Center at Portsmouth, Virginia, through a 5-year period. DLH's healthcare professionals will provide integrative and comprehensive care for NMCP's Medical Home Port patients including those at its facilities in Oceana and Virginia Beach, Virginia. Information technology tools will include the Armed Forces Longitudinal Technology Application, Comprehensive Health Care System, Care Point, Integrated Clinical Database information systems, and tracking of Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set measures.

08:02 EDT Alaska Air reports July traffic up 7.6%, capacity up 6.8% - On a combined basis for all operations, Air Group reported a 7.6% increase in traffic on a 6.8% increase in capacity compared to July 2017. Load factor increased 0.7 points to 87.7%.

07:26 EDT Advance Auto Parts up 5.6% to $153.00 after Q2 results beat estimates

07:19 EDT Allegheny Technologies CEO Richard Harshman to retire - Allegheny Technologies Incorporated announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Robert Wetherbee to become ATI's president and CEO effective January 1, 2019, when he will also join the ATI Board. Wetherbee was identified through a robust, board-driven leadership development and succession planning process to succeed Richard Harshman as ATI's president and CEO. Harshman, who currently serves as ATI's chairman, president and CEO, has informed the Board he will retire after a distinguished 41-year career with ATI to spend more time with his family. To ensure a smooth leadership transition, Harshman will remain chairman, president and CEO until January 1, 2019, following which he will continue to serve as executive chairman of the Board until his retirement in conjunction with ATI's May 9, 2019 Annual Meeting. The Board has elected Diane C. Creel, who has served as ATI's Lead Independent Director since 2011, to become Board Chair effective immediately following Harshman's May 2019 retirement. Bob Wetherbee has been ATI's EVP Flat Rolled Products Group since 2014.

07:05 EDT Acorda Therapeutics CTO Rick Batycky to depart - Acorda Therapeutics announced that Rick Batycky, CTO, will be leaving Acorda as of August 20, 2018 to take a position as the CEO of a private, venture-backed biotechnology company. David Lawrence, Acorda's chief of business operations, will assume responsibility for the company's Chelsea, MA manufacturing facility, which produces INBRIJA as well as for the external manufacturing of AMPYRA. Burkhard Blank, CMO, will assume responsibility for Acorda's Pharmaceutical Development and Technical Operations teams.

07:03 EDT STAAR Surgical, Shinjuku LASIK Clinic announce strategic cooperation agreement - STAAR Surgical Company and Dr. Maro Kariya of Shinjuku LASIK Clinic in Tokyo announced they have entered into a multi-year Strategic Cooperation Agreement to provide STAAR's EVO Visian ICL intraocular lenses as a primary and premium option for patients seeking visual freedom from spectacles and contact lenses through refractive eye treatment.

06:57 EDT Sharps Compliance says is well positioned to penetrate waste management market - The company said, "FY18 was a year of growth in all markets other than Pharmaceutical Manufacturer and continued transformation and repositioning of the Company as a comprehensive provider of value-added services and solutions to multiple markets. Going into FY19, we see four primary revenue streams driving growth including our traditional medical waste mailback, route-based medical waste pick-up services, unused medication management solutions and the new single use device recycling system. The team is very excited and focused on growth in all markets through the increased sales of the solution offerings driving these four revenue streams. We believe we are very well positioned to further penetrate the estimated $1B small and medium quantity generator medical waste management market and to drive growth in developing markets for ultimate user unused medication management as well as in the recycling of single use devices, each of which we believe could develop into $1B market opportunities."

06:52 EDT Kennametal appoints Damon Audia as CFO - Kennametal (KMT) announced that its board has appointed Damon Audia to the position of vice president and CFO effective September 24, 2018. Audia will succeed Jan Kees van Gaalen, who served as CFO for three years and announced his retirement in June 2018. Audia brings more than 25 years of financial expertise to the role, most recently serving as senior vice president and CFO at Carpenter Technology (CRS).

06:49 EDT Bright Scholar announces repurchase of 622,000 shares for $9.4M - Bright Scholar announced that that it has repurchased 622,000 of its American depositary shares as of August 14, for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $9.4M, since the adoption of its previously announced share repurchase program in April.

06:47 EDT Tapestry sees FY19 tax rate about 21%-22%

06:35 EDT Advance Auto Parts announces new $600M share repurchase program - On August 8, the company's Board of Directors authorized a $600M share repurchase program. This new authorization replaces the company's $500M share repurchase program authorized in May 2012, which had $415M remaining.

06:31 EDT Advance Auto Parts announces new $600M share repurchase program

06:13 EDT Pattern Energy, PSP Investments acquire 147 MW Mont Sainte-Marguerite facility - Pattern Energy and the Public Sector Pension Investment Board, or PSP Investments, announced the acquisition of the 147 megawatt, or MW, Mont Sainte-Marguerite Wind power facility from Pattern Energy LP. Mont Sainte-Marguerite Wind is located approximately 50 kilometers south of Quebec City, in the Chaudiere-Appalaches region. Mont Sainte-Marguerite Wind is fully operational and has been jointly acquired pursuant to a prior-agreed purchase-and-sale agreement. Pattern Energy acquired a 51% interest in Mont Sainte-Marguerite for a total investment of approximately $40M, which represents a CAFD multiple of 10x of the five-year average CAFD1, and was funded using available liquidity. PSP Investments acquired a 49% interest in Mont Sainte-Marguerite. Pattern Energy will operate the facility. The Mont Sainte-Marguerite Wind facility operates under a 25-year power purchase agreement with Hydro-Quebec Distribution. Mont Sainte-Marguerite Wind facility is expected to generate enough power for approximately 28,000 Quebec homes annually, according to power use statistics from Hydro-Quebec. The facility site, located on one of the higher elevations in Southern Quebec, has one of the strongest wind resources in the region. More than 350 skilled workers were employed on site at the peak of construction activity and Mont Sainte-Marguerite Wind has approximately 10 permanent employees for ongoing operations and maintenance, in addition to utilizing a number of local contractors. Mont Sainte-Marguerite Wind is bringing strong economic benefits to the local community, including more than $775,000 annually to our community partners, the municipalities of Sacre-Coeur-de-Jesus, Saint-Sylvestre and Saint-Severin, which are stakeholders in the facility and were active participants in its development.

06:06 EDT Hexindai acquires 20% equity stake in Musketeer Group for $1.6M - Hexindai announced that it entered into definitive agreements to acquire a 20% equity stake in Musketeer Group, an Indonesian online lending platform that offers consumption installment loans, for approximately $1.6M, and simultaneously completed the acquisition. The Indonesian government has introduced clear and definitive regulations that govern the industry and welcomes both foreign and domestic investors. Hexindai believes that Indonesia's vast online lending market and open regulatory environment present a significant growth opportunity to invest in as its first step into overseas markets.

05:34 EDT Expedia announces full ownership of AAE Travel - Expedia Group and AirAsia Group Berhad announced the purchase by Expedia Group of AirAsia's remaining 25% equity interest in AAE Travel Pte. Ltd., the joint venture formed by the two firms in March 2011 and in which Expedia Group has held 75% equity since 2015. The cash consideration is $60M, net of AirAsia's concurrent purchase of AirAsiaGo.com domain names and related assets from AAE Travel Pte. Ltd.

05:20 EDT Novartis appoints Dr. Klaus Moosmayer as Chief Ethics Risk & Compliance Officer - Novartis announced the appointment of Dr Klaus Moosmayer as Chief Ethics, Risk and Compliance Officer. He will report to Vas Narasimhan, M.D., CEO of Novartis and become a member of the Executive Committee of Novartis. Dr. Moosmayer will join Novartis on December 1, 2018 and will be based in Basel, Switzerland. He succeeds Shannon Thyme Klinger who was recently appointed Group General Counsel. Dr. Moosmayer has been the Chief Compliance Officer of Siemens since January 1, 2014.

04:47 EDT Musk says Tesla working Silver Lake, Goldman Sachs on going private - Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted last night, "I'm excited to work with Silver Lake and Goldman Sachs as financial advisors, plus Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz and Munger, Tolles & Olson as legal advisors, on the proposal to take Tesla private." Tesla shares in premarket trading are up $2.29 to $358.70.