Stockwinners Market Radar for August 16, 2018 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:48 EDT FDA updates on investigation of McDonald's salad-related Cyclospora illnesses - As of August 16, 2018, a total of 476 laboratory-confirmed cases of Cyclospora infection were reported in people who consumed salads from McDonald's restaurants; the cases were reported by 15 states. The investigation is ongoing and the FDA is currently reviewing distribution and supplier information for romaine and carrots. Reference Link

19:21 EDT Scientific Games and Pennsylvania Lottery launch virtual sports - Scientific Games (SGMS) announced that the company and the Pennsylvania Lottery have successfully launched the distribution of virtual sports games at retailers across the state. Another ground-breaking technology project for the Lottery and Scientific Games, the new virtual sports entertainment is called Xpress Sports, branded by the Pennsylvania Lottery, and initially includes Xpress Car Racing and Xpress Football content provided by Inspired Entertainment, Inc. (INSE). Integrated through Scientific Games' central lottery and sports betting platform, point-of-sale terminals, and TV monitors at Pennsylvania Lottery retailers, the virtual sports offering officially went "live" on August 14, 2018. Xpress Sports may be played at any Pennsylvania Lottery retailer. Players can watch drawing results in real-time on monitors at nearly 1,500 locations, with more on the way.

19:00 EDT On The Fly: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Accuray (ARAY) up 10.6%... Nordstrom (JWN) up 7.6%... America's Car-Mart (CRMT) up 6.2%... ALSO HIGHER: ATA (ATAI) up 2.6% after acquiring Beijing Biztour and announcing special dividend... Corcept Therapeutics (CORT) up 1.6% after director purchase. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: voxeljet (VJET) down 13.1%... 21Vianet (VNET) down 5.3%... Adtalem (ATGE) down 5.0%... NVIDIA (NVDA) down 4.6%... Applied Materials (AMAT) down 4.6%... Micron (MU) down 1.5%, Lam Research (LRCX) down 1.9% in sympathy. ALSO LOWER: Zoes Kitchen (ZOES) down 3.8% after postponing earnings release... Vericel (VCEL) down 1.7% after equity offering.

18:15 EDT Zion Oil & Gas confirms active petroleum system in Megiddo-Jezreel #1 well - Zion Oil & Gas announces that it is completing the initial testing program of its primary zones located within the Triassic-age Mohilla Formation of the Megiddo-Jezreel #1 (MJ #1) well. The company states: "We encountered oil at a depth of between 16,415 ft and 16,500 ft during drilling operations... Following the circulation of the fluid after the stimulation job, we ran back in the hole and began to swab the well to attempt to see if the well would flow. As of the writing of this update, when swabbing, the data confirms the well artificially flows at a rate of approximately 90-110 barrels of fluid per day in the zone between 16,415 and 16,500 ft. We are still swabbing completion fluid as of this writing and the results of the well are inconclusive at this point as to whether the well will establish natural flow and what the volumetric contribution of oil and water will be."

17:44 EDT Etsy chairman Frederick Wilson sells $1M in common stock - Etsy chairman Frederick Wilson disclosed in a filing that he had sold 22K shares of company stock at an average price of $45.48 per share on August 15th. The total transaction value was $1M.

17:37 EDT Arcus Biosciences CEO Terry Rosen buys over 28K shares of company stock - Arcus Biosciences CEO Terry Rosen disclosed in a filing that he had purchased 28,401 shares of company stock at an average price of $12.64 per share between August 14 and August 16. The total transaction amount of the purchase was $359,128.

17:28 EDT Legion Partners lowers stake in L.B. Foster to 10.0% from 15.4%

17:18 EDT Tyson Foods awarded $440.3M and $268.6M Defense Department contracts - Tyson Fresh Meats is being awarded an indefinite-delivery, requirements type contract to provide fresh beef and frozen coarse ground beef products for commissaries located in the Central and East Areas of the continental U.S. The award amount is estimated at $440,337,473 for the base year. Actual obligations using resale stock activity group, defense working capital funds will occur upon issuance of delivery orders during the period of performance. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract is for a 24-month base period beginning Oct. 21, 2018, through Oct. 17, 2020. Tyson Fresh Meats was also awarded an indefinite-delivery, requirements type contract to provide fresh beef and frozen coarse ground beef products for commissaries located in the West and Pacific Areas of the continental U.S. The award amount is estimated at $268,578,488 for the base year. Actual obligations using resale stock activity group, defense working capital funds will occur upon issuance of delivery orders during the period of performance. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract is for a 24-month base period beginning Oct. 21, 2018, through Oct. 17, 2020.

17:00 EDT Antares Pharma and Teva granted FDA approval of generic EpiPen - Antares Pharma (ATRS) announced that the FDA has approved Teva's (TEVA) epinephrine auto injector drug-device combination product indicated for emergency treatment of severe allergic reactions including those that are life threatening in adults and certain pediatric patients. Teva filed an ANDA seeking FDA approval of the product as a generic substitute of Mylan's (MYL) branded product EpiPen. Teva's drug-device combination product utilizes the Antares Pharma Vibex device and has been approved with an AP rating, defined as a therapeutically equivalent injectable aqueous solution and therefore fully substitutable to the EpiPen at the pharmacy. Antares previously entered into an exclusive License, Development and Supply Agreement with Teva for an epinephrine auto injector product to be marketed in the U.S. Pursuant to the agreement, Antares is responsible for supply of the device which will be sold to Teva at cost plus margin. Teva is responsible for commercialization and distribution of the final product for which Antares will receive royalties on net sales.

16:51 EDT MetLife and State Street enter into $2B commercial mortgage co-lending deal - MetLife Investment Management, the institutional asset management platform for MetLife (MET) and State Street (STT), announced a multi-year agreement in which MetLife Investment Management and its affiliates will originate and service for State Street affiliates up to $2 billion in commercial mortgage loans. State Street affiliates and MetLife affiliates will co-lend each loan under the agreement.

16:45 EDT Armistice Capital reports 6.2% passive stake in BioDelivery Sciences

16:39 EDT Talos Energy discloses it was top bidder in Gulf of Mexico blocks lease sale - Talos Energy announced the company was a top five bidder in the latest Gulf of Mexico lease sale held by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on August 15, 2018. Talos was the high bidder on six deepwater and eight shallow water blocks. Talos had 100% success rate on all 14 blocks it bid on. These blocks cover approximately 75,000 net acres and, once awarded, Talos will pay approximately $5.3 million for all leases combined. Two of the deepwater leases have a seven year primary lease term, while all of the others have a five year lease terms. The royalty rate for the deepwater blocks are 18.75%, whereas the shallow water leases are 12.50%. The Company has identified eight prospects on these blocks, with a possibility of an additional two. All but one of the identified prospects can potentially be a tieback to production facilities owned or accessible by Talos.

16:35 EDT ATA Inc. trading resumes

16:32 EDT Nvidia drops after reporting Q2 results, guidance - Shares of Nvidia are down almost 6% or $15.21 per share to $242.23 in after-hours trading.

16:28 EDT Nvidia says grew Automotive revenue by 13% YoY to $161M

16:26 EDT Nvidia says grew Gaming revenue by 52% YoY to $1.80B

16:22 EDT FDA announces approval of first generic EPiPen - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first generic version of EpiPen/EpiPen Jr. This approval is for a complex generic drug-device combination product for which no generic previously existed. Today's approval provides more access to this medication for these patients. Epinephrine Injection (auto-injector) is FDA-approved for the emergency treatment of severe allergic reactions, including those that are life-threatening (anaphylaxis), in adults and pediatric patients who weigh more than 33 pounds. Anaphylaxis occurs in about 1 in 50 Americans. Currently EpiPen/EpiPen Jr. is the most commonly prescribed epinephrine drug product in the United States. Epinephrine Injection (auto-injector) is intended for immediate administration in patients who are at increased risk for anaphylaxis, including individuals with a history of anaphylactic reactions. Epinephrine Injection (auto-injector) is intended for immediate administration as emergency supportive therapy only and not a substitute for immediate medical care. Reference Link

16:17 EDT ATA announces $3 per share special cash dividend in connection with Biztour deal

16:15 EDT Aqua Metals CFO Francis Knuettel resigns - On August 13 Francis Knuettel II resigned as the company's Chief Financial Officer.

16:12 EDT Accuray CFO Kevin Waters departing October 1, interim CFO appointed - Accuray CFO Kevin Waters will be leaving the company effective October 1. Waters has accepted an offer to become the CFO of a privately held company in the urology market segment. He will remain as CFO of Accuray until October 1 and has agreed to be available to the company to assist in any ongoing transition items through the end of the calendar year. Shig Hamamatsu, who joined the finance team last year and is currently Accuray's VP of Finance and CAO, will assume the CFO responsibilities effective October 1st as Interim CFO while Accuray initiates a search.

16:11 EDT Applied Materials reports Q3 gross margin 46.4% vs. 46.6% last year

16:08 EDT Mattel names Steve Totzke as Chief Commercial Officer - Mattel announced the promotion of Steve Totzke to the role of Chief Commercial Officer, with oversight of a new, unified global commercial organization for Mattel, effective immediately. Totzke will report to Ynon Kreiz, Mattel's Chairman and CEO. Totzke has held a wide variety of leadership roles with Mattel over the course of nearly 20 years, in areas including sales, marketing and business operations.

16:08 EDT Pfenex CMO Dr. Hubert Chen resigns - Pfenex announced that Dr. Hubert Chen has resigned from his role as Chief Medical and Scientific Officer, effective September 2, 2018, but will continue to support the company as an advisor. The company is conducting a search for a successor.

16:07 EDT ICF International awarded $20M task order from DHIS - ICF was recently awarded a re-compete task order by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services to support multiple aspects of its BioSense program, CDC's cloud-based public health surveillance system. The task order, which was awarded by the Division of Health Informatics and Surveillance, has a value of $20M and a term of one base year and two options years.

16:05 EDT Express Scripts urges stockholders to vote in favor of merger with Cigna - Express Scripts (ESRX) issued a statement recommending its stockholders to vote in favor of Express Scripts' merger agreement with Cigna (CI) at the Express Scripts' upcoming Special Meeting of Stockholders on August 24. The transaction consideration consists of $48.75 in cash and 0.2434 shares of stock of the combined company per Express Scripts share. Upon closing of the transaction, Cigna stockholders will own approximately 64% of the combined company and Express Scripts stockholders will own approximately 36%. In addition to the Board's recommendation, three independent proxy advisory firms Institutional Shareholder Services, Glass, Lewis & Co. and Egan-Jones Proxy Services have recommended that stockholders vote in favor of the transaction. The transaction is expected to be completed by December 31, subject to the approval of Cigna and Express Scripts stockholders and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including applicable regulatory approvals.

16:03 EDT Ovid Therapeutics announces Phase 2 STARS topline data accepted for presentation - Ovid Therapeutics announced that an abstract on OV101 was accepted for poster presentation at the 65th American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Annual Meeting taking place in Seattle, Wash., October 22 to 27, 2018. AACAP is the largest international gathering of child and adolescent psychiatrists. Angelman syndrome is a rare, lifelong, genetic disorder that affects 1 in 15,000 people in the general population. It is characterized by severe impairment in behavior, learning, verbal communication, motor skills, and sleep, and there are no FDA-approved medicines or an established treatment paradigm for this condition. If approved, OV101 could be the first medicine to specifically target a key underlying neurological dysfunction of Angelman syndrome: impaired tonic inhibition, which is most commonly caused by a disruption of the ubiquitin protein ligase (UBE3A) gene.

16:02 EDT Health Insurance Innovations announces transition of founders - Health Insurance Innovations a leading cloud-based technology platform and distributor of affordable individual and family health insurance and supplemental plans, announced today the planned transition of HealthPocket, Inc. founders, Bruce Telkamp and Dr. Sheldon Wang. Messrs. Telkamp and Wang's last day of employment with HIIQ will be August 17, 2018.

15:35 EDT Bayer to be 'actively involved' in Monsanto defense after starting integration - Bayer (BAYRY) announced this morning that the integration of Monsanto into the Bayer Group can begin following the completion on Thursday of the divestment by Bayer to BASF (BASFY) of certain Crop Science businesses with a total sales volume of around 2.2 billion euros. Bayer already became the sole owner of Monsanto Company on June 7, 2018. "One of the requirements of the U.S. Department of Justice was that Bayer and Monsanto remain separate companies and continue to operate separately until completion of these divestments to BASF, and that has now taken place," the company said. Bayer added: "As regards the glyphosate verdict in California on August 10, 2018, Bayer believes that the jury's decision is at odds with the weight of scientific evidence, decades of real world experience and the conclusions of regulators around the world that all confirm glyphosate is safe and does not cause non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. The National Institutes of Health recently reaffirmed glyphosate does not cause cancer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the European Food Safety Authority, the European Chemicals Agency and other regulators around the world have also concluded that glyphosate can be used safely. The jury's verdict is just the first step in this case, and it remains subject to post-trial motions in the trial court and to an appeal, as announced by Monsanto. As this case proceeds, Bayer believes courts ultimately will find that Monsanto and glyphosate were not responsible for Mr. Johnson's illness. Due to the aforementioned requirements imposed by the U.S. Department of Justice, Bayer did not have access to detailed internal information at Monsanto. Under these conditions, Bayer was not permitted to influence matters relating to Monsanto's business, and its ability to actively comment on them in detail was extremely limited. Today, however, Bayer also gains the ability to become actively involved in defense efforts in the glyphosate trials and any other legal disputes, such as potential claims for damages in connection with the product Dicamba." Reference Link

15:09 EDT Flagstar Bancorp announces lifting of Federal Reserve supervisory agreement - Flagstar Bancorp announced that effective August 14, 2018, the Federal Reserve has lifted its supervisory agreement with the company. The supervisory agreement, originally dated January 27, 2010, included a number of provisions, including requirements to submit a capital plan annually and receive written non-objection from the Fed before paying a dividend or repurchasing stock, incurring or renewing holding company debt or engaging in affiliate transactions. "This is a major milestone for our company, representing the last major regulatory issue with the old Flagstar," said CEO Alessandro DiNello.

15:01 EDT First Midwest receives Fed approval for Northern States deal - First Midwest Bancorp announced it has received approval from the Federal Reserve to acquire Northern States Financial Corporation and its wholly owned subsidiary, NorStates Bank. As of June 30, 2018, Northern States had approximately $530M of total assets, $450M of total deposits and $310M of total loans. The transaction remains subject to approval by Northern States' stockholders, regulatory approval by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.

14:03 EDT Aviat Networks awarded over $12M in Asia Pacific region business - Aviat Networks announced new orders in the company's fiscal 2018 fourth quarter worth approximately $12M from a number of accounts in the Asia Pacific region. Some of the key highlights include:$6.5M in new business with a leading mobile operator. As a leader in the Asia Pacific region, with aggressive plans to begin 5G rollouts in 2019, this operator is deploying the CTR microwave routing platform, ODU 600 microwave radios, ProVision network management, and turnkey services. These deployments for Aviat are a result of competitive takeaways within the account. "These new wins are a testament to the strength of our new products, our long-standing services presence in the Asia Pacific region, and the positive TCO impact we deliver to our customers," states Michael Pangia, president and CEO, Aviat Networks. "In addition, these wins clearly demonstrate the diversity and associated stability of our business which is a key strength, not only throughout Asia but across the globe."

13:56 EDT The Stilwell Group urges Wheeler REIT shareholders to vote for its nominees - The Stilwell Group, the largest shareholder of Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust, announced that it has delivered an open letter to shareholders of the company and filed its definitive proxy statement, including a GREEN proxy card, for the election of three director nominees at the upcoming 2018 annual meeting of shareholders. The letter read, "We are the largest WHLR stockholder. We have been investing in financially-related companies for over 20 years and in that time, have publicly disclosed our activist positions in over 65 companies and placed at least 20 representatives on company boards. In our experience, bad corporate governance is a big, red flag for corporate problems. The red flag flies at WHLR -- where the directors have an inflated view of themselves. While WHLR's common shares were plummeting, our board of directors deemed themselves deserving of outsized raises. Between 2016 and 2017, the board members voted themselves a disturbing jump in compensation. These are the egregious increases: Stewart Brown 228%; John McAuliffe 250%; Carl McGowan, Jr. 243%; John Sweet 293%; Jeffrey Zwerdling 280%. We can't think of any reason why our company's board deserved such a handsome reward for its abysmal performance. Can you? We even asked the board members privately to explain these outrageous numbers. We never got an answer. Do you think our directors deserve a raise? We think they deserve to be replaced. It's no wonder they don't want us on the board; we would have never permitted such behavior. To support our highly-qualified nominees, who are committed to representing your best interests, please complete and return the GREEN proxy card today. Thank you for your support."

13:30 EDT Sony reports over 3M PlayStation VR systems sold worldwide - Sony said on its PlayStation blog that it has officially sold-through more than 3M PlayStation VR systems worldwide, along with 21.9M PS VR games and experiences. The company also announced in the same blog post launch dates for two upcoming PS VR games: "Creed: Rise to Glory," which rolls out on September 25, and "Evasion," which launches on October 9. Reference Link

13:05 EDT Teva granted FDA approval of first generic version of EpiPen - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first generic version of EpiPen and EpiPen Jr auto-injector for the emergency treatment of allergic reactions, including those that are life-threatening, in adults and pediatric patients who weigh more than 33 pounds. Teva Pharmaceuticals USA (TEVA) gained approval to market its generic epinephrine auto-injector in 0.3 mg and 0.15 mg strengths, the FDA announced. "Today's approval of the first generic version of the most-widely prescribed epinephrine auto-injector in the U.S. is part of our longstanding commitment to advance access to lower cost, safe and effective generic alternatives once patents and other exclusivities no longer prevent approval," said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. Branded EpiPen is marketed by Mylan (MYL). In afternoon trading following the approval news, Mylan shares are fractionally lower while Teva shares are up about 6%.

13:00 EDT Northwest Bancshares chairman William Wagner sells over 64K shares - Northwest Bancshares chairman William Wagner disclosed in a filing that he had sold 64,230 shares of company stock at an average price of $18.15 per share between August 14 and August 15. The total transaction value of the sale was $1,165,967.

12:32 EDT Boeing to acquire Millennium Space Systems, terms not disclosed - Boeing announced that it will acquire Millennium Space Systems, a provider of agile, small-satellite solutions. "Millennium Space Systems' expertise in vertically-integrated small-satellite solutions perfectly complements Boeing's existing satellite portfolio, and will allow us to meet the needs of a diverse customer set. We look forward to incorporating Millennium Space Systems' end-to-end mission solution capabilities into our service offerings in satellite operations and data solutions," said Leanne Caret, president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. The terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The transaction will have no impact on Boeing's 2018 financial guidance or the company's commitment to returning approximately 100% of free cash flow to shareholders, the company noted.

12:05 EDT Blizzard's 'Diablo III' coming to Nintendo Switch later this year - Activision Blizzard (ATVI) said that its dungeon-crawling role-playing game "Diablo III," which originally launched on PC and consoles in 2012, will be coming to the Nintendo Switch (NTDOY) later this year. The "Diablo III: Eternal Collection" for the Switch will include the main game, the "Reaper of Souls" expansion, and the "Rise of the Necromancer" pack. "The Eternal Collection for the Nintendo Switch incorporates the system's flexibility and versatility into its design," Blizzard said. "Whether using a Joy-Con controller or a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, players will have an awe-inspiring assortment of demon-slaying powers at their fingertips, thanks to intuitive, ultra-responsive controls custom-built for Nintendo Switch. And true to the spirit of the Diablo series, players will also have a wealth of options when it comes to cleansing Sanctuary cooperatively-up to four players can band together to engage in grand multiplayer crusades, whether they're sharing a screen on a single Nintendo Switch, linking their systems together wirelessly, or teaming up through the Nintendo Switch Online service." Blizzard added that "Diablo III" is the fastest-selling PC game of all time, based on internal company records and reports from key distribution partners. The Fly notes that this is Activision Blizzard's first game on the Switch.

12:03 EDT Lionsgate signs deal with Jenny Bicks to develop new television series - Lionsgate has signed an overall television deal with Emmy and Golden Globe winning writer-producer Jenny Bicks to develop and produce original television series. Bicks has written and produced a string of notable television series including the multiple Emmy and Golden Globe winning phenomenon "Sex and the City" as well as "The Big C." She's also currently shepherding the HBO series "Divorce". Other credits include creating the ABC series "Men in Trees," producing and writing "Dawson's Creek" and films like the Oscar nominated The Greatest Showman and Rio 2, serving as a writer for both films.

12:00 EDT Diebold falls -11.1% - Diebold is down -11.1%, or -53c to $4.22.

12:00 EDT Walmart rises 9.6% - Walmart is up 9.6%, or $8.71 to $98.92.

12:00 EDT 58.com rises 12.1% - 58.com is up 12.1%, or $7.09 to $65.68.

11:51 EDT Peoples Financial Services trading halted, volatility trading pause

11:03 EDT First Citizens appoints West Ludwig Chief Human Resources Officer - First Citizens Bank announced today that West Ludwig has joined the company as Chief Human Resources Officer. He replaces Lou Davis, who retired on Aug. 1 after 21 years with First Citizens. Most recently, Ludwig was the head of HR at technology company Machine Zone in California.

11:02 EDT KFx Medical sues Stryker for patent infringement - KFx Medical announced it has sued Stryker for its continued infringement of US Patent number 7,585,311 and related patents for knotless double row rotator cuff repair. In 2015, when KFx successfully defended these patents versus Arthrex, Arthrex paid in excess of $35M in damages and interest for its infringement of these same KFx Knotless Double Row Fixation patents and fought KFx through the appellate court and was ultimately denied any further review by the Supreme Court of the United States. KFx Medical has 5 agreements that license the same patents to other medical device companies, giving them the right to promote the use of products and techniques for knotless double row rotator cuff repair as claimed in US Patent number 7,585,311 and related patents and applications for the life of those patents.

10:40 EDT UBS has favorable outlook on Aerospace and Defense, favors Boeing, Lockheed - UBS analyst Myles Walton started coverage of the Aerospace and Defense sector with a favorable outlook as he believes the group can support 5%-plus organic growth through 2020. Among the companies under his coverage, Walton initiated Boeing (BA), Lockheed Martin (LMT) and United Technologies (UTX) with Buy ratings, and Hexcel (HXL), Triumph Group (TGI) and Wesco Aircraft (WAIR) with Sell ratings. FAVORABLE OUTLOOK FOR THE GROUP: In a research note to investors, UBS' Walton initiated coverage of the Aerospace and Defense sector with a favorable outlook, though he believes selectivity is important with the sector exhibiting late-industrial cycle characteristics. Within Commercial Aero, the analyst argued that industry dynamics include a "tug-o-war on economics" between suppliers and OEMs. In defense, industry dynamics are not significantly changing, but the budget is, he contended. Walton noted that the Department of Defense's weapons budget is up 40% in three years, but spending outlays are up just 10%, highlighting acceleration in revenues through 2020. After four years of defense budget expansion, the market is "too quick to dismiss" prospects of further growth, the analyst added, saying he believes defense spend will accelerate into 2019, which will favor Lockheed Martin, Raytheon (RTN) and Huntington Ingalls (HII) the most. Meanwhile, Walton pointed out that the 14-year reflation of air transport demand continues, fueled by EM growth, a developed world refresh-cycle stimulated by new products, profitable customers, high oil and favorable duopoly dynamics. The analyst also highlighted that his proprietary survey on aircraft buying intentions provides a supportive view of the current OEM product offerings and the lack of competition, with 88% seeing competition for Boeing and Airbus (EADSY) more than 10 years away. Boeing, TransDigm (TDG), Spirit AeroSystems (SPR), Barnes Group (B) and United Technologies are the most favored name is aerospace, he contended. His top defense pick is Lockheed Martin, while his top aerospace pick is Boeing. BUY BOEING, LOCKHEED: UBS' Walton initiated coverage of Boeing with a Buy rating and $515 price target, citing positive cycle dynamics, competitive position and capital deployment that leave shares with the best upside in Aerospace and Defense. Walton also started coverage of Lockheed Martin with a Buy rating and $400 price target, saying he sees EPS growth of 23% through 2020 with about half of that coming through favorable pension dynamics on top 12% underlying operational earnings growth. Additionally, the analyst initiated coverage of United Technologies with a Buy rating and $160 price target as he expects to see solid growth through 2020 and shares to outrun the market as earnings growth returns and cash performance improves. Barnes Group, Huntington Ingalls, Raytheon, TransDigm, and Spirit AeroSystems were also initiated with Buy ratings. SELL HEXCEL, TRIUMPH GROUP: Meanwhile, Walton initiated Hexcel with a Sell rating and $65 price target as he sees decelerating sales growth and limited margin expansion. As a pure-play aero composite manufacturer, scarcity value is high and a takeout is possible, but he is inclined to see minimal upside from current levels on underlying fundamentals. Triumph Group was also initiated with a Sell rating and $19 price target, with Walton citing the persistent cycle of out-year cash flow disappointments and little to no benefit from $200M of past restructuring. Lastly, the analyst started Wesco Aircraft with a Sell rating and $11 price target as margins collapsed from 20%-plus to 6%. ON THE SIDELINES: UBS' Walton started Northrop Grumman (NOC), Harris (HRS), Heico (HEI), Bombardier (BDRBF), General Dynamics (GD), L3 Technologies (LLL), Curtiss-Wright (CW), and Embraer (ERJ) with Neutral ratings. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of Boeing, Lockheed and United Technologies have gained 3%, 2% and 1%, respectively. Meanwhile, Hexcel and Triumph Group have dropped about 1%, and Wesco has slipped over 4%.

10:29 EDT Signature Bank announces special meeting to approve stock buyback program - Signature Bank announced that its Board of Directors has approved the repurchase from time to time in open market transactions of up to $500M of common stock and that the Bank will seek stockholder approval of the Stock Repurchase Program at a special meeting of stockholders. Under applicable New York law, the Stock Repurchase Program must be approved by holders of at least two-thirds of the outstanding common stock. The record date for determination of shareholders entitled to vote at the special meeting is September 4, 2018. The special meeting will be held on or about October 17, 2018 in New York City. A proxy statement with more information about the special meeting will be sent to shareholders of record following the record date. The Stock Repurchase Program is also subject to approval by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Department of Financial Services of the State of New York. The Bank expects to file applications seeking such approval prior to the special meeting.

10:03 EDT Citi Retail Services announces long-term agreement with Caterpillar Financial - Citi Retail Services (C) announced a long-term agreement with Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation (CAT) to provide a private label credit card program in the United States and Canada. Cat Financial will jointly manage the overall program and continue to provide guidance on the product offerings while transitioning the origination and portfolio management responsibilities to Citi. Cat Financial offers a wide range of financing solutions to customers and Cat dealers for Cat machinery and engines, Solar Gas Turbines and other equipment and marine vessels. Citi Retail Services is one of North America's largest and most experienced retail credit solution providers, delivering consumer and commercial credit card products, both private label and co-brand, to retailers and their clients. The new Cat Card Program will offer both commercial and consumer financing options to give customers the flexibility to finance parts, servicing and rental needs at participating Cat dealers in the United States and Canada.

10:02 EDT Gray Television to sell WSWG-TV in Albany, Georgia - Gray Television (GTN) announced that it has entered into an agreement to sell WSWG-TV, the CBS (CBS) affiliate for the Albany, Georgia, television market to Marquee Broadcasting. Marquee currently owns television stations in Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, and Maryland. It also has a pending acquisition for WSST-TV, an independent television station in the Albany market expected to close on September 1. By combining WSWG-TV with WSST-TV, Marquee plans to improve and expand both stations' service to southwestern Georgia communities. The WSWG-TV transaction will close concurrently with the closing of Gray's acquisition of Raycom Media, which Gray anticipates will occur following the receipt of regulatory and other approvals in the fourth quarter of 2018. No additional terms were disclosed.

10:00 EDT ProShares Trust Ultra VIX Short Term Futures ETF falls -6.6% - ProShares Trust Ultra VIX Short Term Futures ETF is down -6.6%, or -64c to $9.12.

10:00 EDT Dillard's falls -9.8% - Dillard's is down -9.8%, or -$8.10 to $74.88.

10:00 EDT 58.com rises 11.2% - 58.com is up 11.2%, or $6.56 to $65.16.

09:47 EDT Pros????????Holdings falls -6.0% - Pros????????Holdings is down -6.0%, or -$2.15 to $33.41.

09:47 EDT Global Net Lease falls -6.6% - Global Net Lease is down -6.6%, or -$1.47 to $20.62.

09:47 EDT Briggs & Stratton rises 11.7% - Briggs & Stratton is up 11.7%, or $2.16 to $20.57.

09:32 EDT J.C. Penney says it plans on cutting $250M in inventory by 2019

09:21 EDT Diana Shipping enters into time charter contract for m/v Coronis - Diana Shipping announced that, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, it has entered into a time charter contract with CJ International Italy Societa Per Azioni for one of its Panamax dry bulk vessels, the m/v Coronis, for a period of minimum twelve months to maximum fifteen months. The gross charter rate is $8,300 per day for the first sixty days of the charter period and $11,300 per day for the balance period of the time charter, in each case minus a 5% commission paid to third parties. The charter commenced on August 11. The m/v Coronis was chartered, as previously announced, to Narina Maritime, at a gross charter rate of $9,000 per day, minus a 5% commission paid to third parties, for the agreed period of the time charter.

09:15 EDT Maxar Technologies subsidiary selected by Air Force for satellite communications - Maxar Technologies company SSL was selected to help define next generation protected communications for the U.S. Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center. SSL will develop, test and analyze antenna subsystem prototypes through a contract with the Space Enterprise Consortium, managed by Advanced Technology International.

09:05 EDT Comtech receives $1.9M order from mobile network operator in China - Comtech Telecommunications announced that during Q4, its Tempe, Arizona-based subsidiary, Comtech EF Data Corp., which is part of Comtech's Commercial Solutions segment, won a tender by a major Mobile Network Operator in China to replace the older generation of lower efficiency modems to provide more reliable services at a much lower OPEX. This latest order for $1.9M, specified Comtech EF Data's CDM-625A Advanced Satellite Modems, Up & Down Frequency Converters and the CX-U Series RAN Optimization by its subsidiary, Memotec. The purchase highlights the customer's long-standing confidence in the Comtech mobile backhaul solution. For over 10 years, the MNO has utilized Comtech's infrastructure equipment to support 1000+ sites that are serving China's rural communities and disaster recovery efforts. By leveraging Comtech EF Data's award-winning and bandwidth efficient satellite modems and Memotec's 2G traffic optimization solutions, the MNO has been extremely successful in lowering the total cost of ownership of backhauling its traffic over satellite. Some of the leveraged features include industry best VersaFEC-2 Forward Error Correction, the revolutionary DoubleTalk Carrier-in-Carrier bandwidth compression, lower rolloffs, and 2G TDM optimization.

09:03 EDT Dollar, Thrifty lower minimum age for renters in U.S., Canada - Dollar and Thrifty car rental brands, part of The Hertz Corporation, announced that they are lowering the minimum age to rent a car from 21 to 20 years old in the United States and Canada. In Michigan, New York and the province of Quebec, the minimum age to rent a vehicle will remain 18 for both brands as required by law.

09:02 EDT Comtech awarded $1M order for X-band SSPA products for military customers - Comtech Telecommunications announced that during its fourth quarter of fiscal 2018, its Santa Clara, California-based subsidiary, Comtech Xicom Technology Inc., which is part of Comtech's Commercial Solutions segment, was awarded a $1.0 million order to supply solid-state high-power amplifiers to a military integrator. The order is for X-band SSPA products for use in highly mobile satellite communications, or SATCOM, systems providing voice, data, video conferencing, internet and high-resolution video connectivity for military forces deployed world-wide. Comtech Xicom's SSPA products feature robust designs ensuring highly efficient and reliable operation in challenging global environments.

08:58 EDT J.C. Penney sees comparable sales slightly negative in Q3 - Says saw softer sales than expected in Q2. Says will launch 500 baby shops. Says disappointed in gross margin results. Says expects gross margin pressure to continue in Q3. Sees comparable sales slightly negative in Q3. Sees positive free cash flow for the year. Comments taken from Q2 earnings conference call.

08:48 EDT CBRE Group acquires Peloton Commercial Real Estate's San Antonio operations - CBRE Group announced that it has acquired the San Antonio operations of Peloton, a leading full service commercial real estate firm in Texas. The acquisition makes CBRE the leading provider of commercial property leasing, sales and management services in the growing San Antonio market. In 2017, CBRE and Peloton's San Antonio operations combined completed $681M of sales and leasing transactions and currently manage and/or lease over 20M sq. ft. of commercial property in the San Antonio market. Peloton in San Antonio is led by Gardner Peavy, who joins CBRE as managing director for San Antonio. He will be joined by 26 colleagues from the Peloton San Antonio operations. Peavy will report to Scott Senese, who leads CBRE's Austin and El Paso operations. The combined workforce of the two companies totals nearly 300 employees in San Antonio.

08:37 EDT Bright Scholar chairperson Huiyan Yang purchases additional 0.45M ADSs - Bright Scholar announced that Huiyan Yang, chairperson, through Concrete Win Limited, a company wholly owned by her, has purchased an additional approximately 0.45 million of American Depositary Shares in the secondary market as of the release date. The company expects that Yang may continue to purchase ADSs when suitable market conditions arise.

08:35 EDT BioHiTech Global signs LOI to increase stake in new resource recovery facility - BioHiTech Global has entered into a letter of intent with Entsorga USA to increase its stake in the nation's first resource recovery facility in Martinsburg,West Virginia, utilizing a proprietary high efficiency biological treatment technology for the disposal and recycling of mixed municipal solid waste. The Martinsburg Facility is expected to generate over $7M in revenue in 2019 when it begins its first year of full operations. Approximately 40% or more of the waste processed at the facility will be converted into a clean burning EPA approved alternative fuel through the patented HEBioT process. The Solid Recovered Fuel is contracted to be sold for ten years to a privately held company in West Virginia that intends to use it as an approved supplement to fossil fuels in the production of cement. The LOI contemplates BioHiTech acquiring up to an additional 30% stake in the Martinsburg Facility from Entsorga USA in exchange for a number of shares of BioHiTech common stock to be determined in a definitive agreement. If fully completed, the acquisition would make BioHiTech the largest equity owner of the Martinsburg Facility at over 47%, and enable the Company to consolidate the Martinsburg operations in its financials statements. BioHiTech controls the exclusive U.S. development rights for the patented HEBioT solid waste processing technology developed by Entsorga Italia in 11 northeastern states and the District of Columbia. The company is currently in the permitting process for the construction of two additional HEBioT facilities in New York and is in preliminary discussions to sight an additional facility in Philadelphia.

08:33 EDT XPO Logistics names official logistics partner of Carolina Panthers - XPO Logistics announced an agreement to sponsor the Carolina Panthers professional football team for the 2018 season. As the official logistics partner of the Carolina Panthers, XPO will provide equipment transportation for the team's eight away games during the regular season of the National Football League, plus two preseason games. Each time the Panthers have an away game, XPO will load equipment and supplies at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte into a dedicated, 53-foot tractor-trailer customized with XPO/Panthers branding.

08:32 EDT Overstock.com provides additional information on GSR Capital, Standby agreement - Overstock.com has released the following information in response to a number of shareholder questions related to the company's recently announced GSR Capital investment term sheets and recent 8-K filing: "Overstock.com is working on exciting opportunities that will disrupt a number of industries. Partnership with GSR Capital and other strategic investors will provide Overstock the capital and market access needed to create a global market for tokenized securities. The structure of the transactions includes consideration consisting of tZERO security tokens, a minority interest in tZERO, and an equity investment in Overstock common shares off the company's shelf. The term sheets also allow for other investors to participate on the same terms as GSR Capital, and the company is engaged with other potential partners who have expressed interest in participating. Overstock looks forward to closing these transactions in a timely manner, subject to customary closing conditions. Furthermore, Overstock is pleased with its plans to scale globally with GSR Capital and expects its current capital to adequately serve present operating needs for the retail business, Medici Ventures, and tZERO over the coming year. Finally, the company has not used the $50M Standby Equity Underwriting Agreement entered into on August 9, 2018 and intends to let it expire unused. Overstock also intends to maintain its Capital on Demand Sales agreement referenced in the 8-K filed on August 15, 2018 for up to three years."

08:22 EDT MYnd Analytics announces agreement with Inova Mount Vernon Hospital - MYnd Analytics announced an agreement to provide neuropsychiatric testing for the Inova Health System, a global leader in personalized health serving more than 2M people each year across the Washington, DC, metro area and beyond. The program will begin with Inova's Mount Vernon Hospital, where PEER testing will be provided for psychiatric outpatient and inpatient services.

08:14 EDT Torchlight Energy Resources provides update on Orogrande project - Torchlight Energy Resources provided an operational progress update on its Orogrande Basin Project. The company's Operator on the Orogrande Project, Maverick Operating, has successfully installed the gas lift system into the University Founders A25 1H wellbore. The system is designed to assist in the movement of fluids out of the lateral portion of the wellbore, which has been hindered to date due to the high gas content of sections in the heel of the well. This well will be tested over the next sixty days to determine what level of fluid recovery potential exists. The company and its partner, Wolfbone Investments, plan to drill two additional wells this year and three in 2019. With this plan in mind, the company has identified two vertical well locations that it plans on drilling to test shallower vertical targets. These targets will fulfill drilling commitments required under agreement with University Lands and if proven up, could add substantial value to the Project. Several shallow targets that show potential oil and gas of sufficient quality to be tested exists on well logs and core samples from previous wells Torchlight drilled in addition to the wells drilled by Trail Mountain. Torchlight has slated initial work on the next wells to begin in October.

08:08 EDT Aegean Marine announces transaction with Mercuria Energy Group - Aegean Marine Petroleum Network announced that Mercuria Energy Group Limited, together with its affiliates, became the sole lender under the company's U.S. and global revolving credit facilities, as contemplated by the previously announced Memorandum of Understanding. Mercuria and the company have executed a letter agreement detailing the $30M of incremental liquidity Mercuria is providing to the company by way of amendments and waivers to the Trade Finance Facility and other financing arrangements. With this significant step completed, the two parties intend to begin exploring a broader, global strategic partnership. Pursuant to the MOU, Mercuria will provide $250M and $750M in revolving credit facilities to finance the U.S. and global businesses, respectively, through at least January 31, 2019. Under the terms of the agreements, Aegean will issue to Mercuria new shares equal to 30% of its common stock, and expects to appoint David Gallagher as a new member of the company's Board of Directors. Gallagher is Mercuria's Global Head of Structuring and Origination. As previously disclosed, under the terms of the MOU, Mercuria has the exclusive right to pursue a broader strategic partnership transaction with the company until January 31, 2019.

08:05 EDT Trovagene completes second dosing of Phase 1b/2 trial of AML candidate - Trovagene completed dosing the second cohort of Onvansertib, a first-in-class, 3rd generation, highly-selective oral Polo-like Kinase 1 Inhibitor, in combination with standard-of-care low-dose cytarabine, in its Phase 1b/2 clinical trial in patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. All three patients in the cohort successfully completed treatment with Onvansertib at 18 mg/m2 and the combination was well tolerated. The Safety Review Committee has recommended escalating to the next dose level of Onvansertib at 27 mg/m2, approximately a 50% increase, in combination with LDAC. Additionally, two patients in the three-patient cohort of Onvansertib at 18 mg/m2 in combination with decitabine have also successfully completed at least one cycle of treatment and recruitment of the third patient to complete this cohort is in process. Four of the eleven patients treated to-date remain on treatment, three are currently receiving a second cycle of treatment and one patient is scheduled to start a fifth cycle of treatment.

08:05 EDT Wave Life Sciences announces FDA orphan drug designation for WVE-210201 - Wave Life Sciences announced that the FDA has granted both orphan drug designation and rare pediatric disease designation for WVE-210201 for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy, or DMD. The European Commission previously granted orphan drug designation for WVE-210201 in July. If market approval is granted by the FDA for WVE-210201 for the treatment of DMD, orphan drug designation would entitle Wave to seven years of market exclusivity in the United States. Additional incentives may include tax credits related to clinical trial expenses, exemption from prescription drug user fees and FDA assistance in clinical trial design.

08:03 EDT Grifols granted FDA approval for recombinant proteins manufacturing facility - Grifols received approval from the FDA to relocate existing immunodiagnostic manufacturing operations to a new Consolidated Manufacturing Facility in Emeryville, California. This first submission enables commercial good manufacturing practices Fermentation, Purification, and Bulk Fill operations in the facility and the production of one recombinant HCV antigen. Additional submissions to the FDA are planned to relocate the production of other licensed recombinant protein products. The transition is targeted for completion in mid-2019, pending the FDA approvals for the licensed antigens. The company designed, built, and validated the $80M, state-of-the-art, biological manufacturing facility in the San Francisco Bay Area. The facility will use disposable technology and is expected to be complete in late 2019.

08:02 EDT Kroger, Nuro choose Scottsdale, Arizona for self-driving grocery delivery pilot - The Kroger Co. and Nuro announced Scottsdale, Arizona as the city for their self-driving grocery delivery pilot. Earlier this summer, Kroger, America's largest supermarket retailer, and Nuro, maker of the world's first driverless delivery vehicle, announced a partnership to begin testing grocery delivery using Nuro's robots. Through the new self-driving delivery vehicles, customers will receive their groceries at their curb - safely and quickly. Nuro will begin the pilot using its self-driving Toyota Prius fleet and will introduce its custom R1 driverless vehicle this fall.

07:38 EDT J.C. Penney says reducing earnings guidance for FY18

07:37 EDT J.C. Penney: Board has met with 'highly qualified' CEO candidates

07:36 EDT Dillard's reports Q2 comparable store sales up 1% - Total merchandise sales for the 13-week period ended August 4, 2018 were $1.409B and $1.385B for the 13-week period ended July 29, 2017. Total merchandise sales increased 2% for the 13-week period ended August 4, 2018. Sales in comparable stores for the period increased 1%. In relation to the total merchandise sales performance, above trend performances were noted in men's apparel and accessories and juniors' and children's apparel. Sales in home and furniture and cosmetics were consistent with trend while sales in ladies' accessories and lingerie were slightly below trend. Below trend performances were noted in shoes and ladies' apparel. Sales were slightly above trend in the Western region, consistent with trend in the Eastern region and slightly below trend in the Central region.

07:20 EDT SAIC awarded $255M space contract - Science Applications International Corp. was awarded a $255M contract to provide systems engineering and technical assurance work that supports various space-related activities. This work will be performed primarily in the continental United States. As part of this contract, SAIC will use our Model Based System Engineering methodologies to develop mission-planning tools and products that help customers to save time, resources, and money.

07:18 EDT Walmart sees Walmart. U.S. comps 'more challenging' in 2H, particularly Q3 - Walmart now expects the FY19 the sales headwind from the Sam's-related items to be about 20 basis points less than originally expected as the transfer of sales from closed clubs is "tracking above what we originally anticipated and the tobacco actions have not had as significant an impact on sales as we expected." Walmart also sees a negative impact of about 60bps, given it will not be consolidating the Brazil entity in the future. The company expects comparisons for Walmart U.S. to be "a bit more challenging" in 2H, and particularly Q3, due to the hurricanes last year which drove higher than expected sales. Walmart now expects operating income to be flat to slightly down versus operating income last year, adjusted for discrete items. Previous guidance reflected a low single digit percentage decrease. As to eCommerce losses, Walmart still expects losses to be "somewhat higher" than last year.

07:17 EDT Walmart 'aggressively' rolling out grocery pickup, delivery in U.S. - Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said, "Thanks to the hard work of our associates, we had a great quarter with strong results and momentum across the business. We're pleased with how customers are responding to the way we're leveraging stores and eCommerce to make shopping faster and more convenient. We're continuing to aggressively roll out grocery pickup and delivery in the U.S., and we recently announced expanded omni-channel initiatives in China and Mexico. Customers have choices and we're making it easier than ever for them to choose Walmart."

07:14 EDT Walmart says U.S. omni-channel saw 'significant' progress in Q2 - Walmart Q2 U.S. omni-channel saw significant progress with an expanded online assortment, including 1,100 popular new brands. Grocery pickup is now in more than 1,800 locations, and the company is on track to reach about 40% of the U.S. population by year-end with grocery delivery.

07:12 EDT Walmart CEO says now has over 1,800 locations with grocery pickup - Walmart (WMT) President and CEO Doug McMillon said on the company's Q2 earnings conference call that the company had a "great" quarter, with "strong" top and bottom line results. The Walmart U.S. business delivered the best quarterly comp sales results in more than a decade, he said, up 4.5% excluding fuel. Walmart U.S. eCommerce sales accelerated to 40% growth, the CEO added. McMillion said the company continues to work through the approval process regarding the proposed combination of Asda with Sainsbury's (JSAIY) in the U.K. The executive added that Walmart will continue to partner in areas "where it makes sense" and that recent agreements with Microsoft (MSFT), Google (GOOG, GOOGL) and JD.com (JD) are "productive." McMillon noted that the company saw traffic growth of over 2% in Walmart U.S. stores as well as higher average baskets. General merchandise sales also recovered from the weather-related headwinds experienced in April, and sales momentum continued throughout the second quarter. Walmart is making "good progress" on activating grocery delivery to cover 40% of the U.S. population by year-end. He said Walmart now has over 1,800 locations with grocery pickup.

07:07 EDT Summit Therapeutics awarded additional $12M in contract with BARDA - Summit Therapeutics announced that it has been awarded an additional $12M under its contract with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response. The funds will support the Phase 3 development programme for ridinilazole, the company's precision new mechanism antibiotic for the treatment of C. difficile infection. The award represents the first of three optional awards to be exercised under the BARDA contract. It brings the total committed BARDA funding to $44M, which includes the base package of $32M announced in September 2017. If BARDA exercises its remaining options in full, the total funding under the contract would increase up to $62M. The $12M in funding will be drawn down to specifically support drug manufacturing activities required for the submission of marketing approval applications and other regulatory activities.

07:05 EDT Correvio's Brinavess shows decrease in hospitalization in Belgium survey - Correvio Pharma reported positive data highlighting reduced hospitalization in patients treated with Brinavess, its antiarrhythmic drug for the rapid conversion of recent onset atrial fibrillation, from a clinical survey assessing patients with acute AF in Belgian hospitals. As a result of this new, real world data, Brinavess received reimbursement approval from the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance in Belgium. The data demonstrated that treatment with Brinavess successfully avoided hospitalization for 85.4% of all treated patients. Treatment with Brinavess also significantly decreased the use of electric cardioversion, with 84.1% of patients avoiding electric cardioversion and all adverse events related to this procedure.

07:04 EDT Walmart raises FY19 adj. EPS view to $4.90-$5.05, consensus $4.81

07:02 EDT Regeneron, Teva announce 'positive' topline Phase 3 fasinumab results - Regeneron (REGN) and Teva (TEVA) announced positive topline results from a Phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of fasinumab in patients with chronic pain from osteoarthritis of the knee or hip. At the week 16 primary efficacy analysis, the study met both co-primary endpoints and all key secondary endpoints. Fasinumab-treated patients experienced significantly less pain and significantly improved functional ability from baseline compared to placebo. Interim safety data indicate that fasinumab was generally well tolerated, with similar adverse events as those observed in previous fasinumab trials. At week 16, treatment discontinuations due to AEs had occurred in 6% of the placebo group patients, 5% of the fasinumab 1 mg every eight weeks group patients and 6% of the fasinumab 1 mg every four weeks group patients. The fasinumab safety program was designed to capture all arthropathies, including those identified due to symptoms and those identified by regularly-scheduled radiographic monitoring, the first of which was scheduled at week 24. Among the approximately 65% of patients who had completed their first radiographic assessment, the placebo-adjusted rate of adjudicated arthropathies was approximately 2%. The majority of arthropathies were captured by the regularly-scheduled radiographic monitoring and involved isolated joint space narrowing, called RPOA-1. No cases of osteonecrosis have been identified to date in this study.

06:48 EDT Qiwi sees 2018 adjusted revenue growth 26%-32%, consensus $246.69M - Adjusted Net Profit is expected to decline by 25% to 15% over 2017.

06:34 EDT Hamilton Beach announces CFO James Taylor to retire - Hamilton Beach announced that James Taylor, VP, CFO and treasurer, will retire at the end of 2018 after 35 years of dedicated service. Taylor joined the company's subsidiary, Hamilton Beach Brand in 1983 as manager of corporate taxation and rose through a number of key accounting and finance roles of increasing responsibility.Taylor was elected to his current position with the company in 2017, following the completion of the spin-off of the company. The company will begin a search for Taylor's successor immediately. Taylor will assist with the succession process and help ensure a smooth transition.

06:31 EDT Clementia Pharmaceuticals completes enrollment in Phase 3 MOVE Trial for FOP - Clementia Pharmaceuticals announced the early completion of patient enrollment in the MOVE Trial, Clementia's registrational Phase 3 clinical study evaluating the safety and efficacy of palovarotene for the treatment of patients with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva. A total of 99 patients were enrolled in the MOVE Trial at 15 sites in 11 countries worldwide. Based on the early completion of enrollment, Clementia will conduct two interim data analyses in 2019: the first when the first 35 enrolled patients have had their 12-month whole body CT scans, expected in the second quarter of 2019, and the second when all enrolled patients have had their 12-month WBCT scans, expected in the second half of 2019. Final 24-month results from this study are expected in the fourth quarter of 2020.

06:10 EDT Medtronic's ITB therapy for post-stroke spasticity shows positive results - Medtronic announced the online publication of results, secondary endpoints of the 'Spasticity In Stroke-Randomised Study', or SISTERS, trial, demonstrate Intrathecal Baclofen Therapy. or ITB Therapy, with Lioresal Intrathecal injection reduces spasticity-related pain and improves quality of life more than conventional medical management with oral antispastic medications. Spasticity, a condition where certain muscles are constantly being contracted, is a relatively common long-term complication of stroke. Results of the study show ITB was more effective than CMM over six months for actual and least spasticity-related pain. Further, a majority of ITB patients reported satisfaction with spasticity reduction at month 6. More patients reported adverse events in the ITB group - 24/25 patients, 96% - compared to CMM - 63 percent; 77 events -, although events were generally consistent with the known safety profile of ITB Therapy. No patient discontinued ITB Therapy due to treatment related adverse events.

06:05 EDT BioNTech signs R&D collaboration agreement with Pfizer - BioNTech announced that it has entered into a multi-year research and development collaboration with Pfizer to develop mRNA-based vaccines for prevention of influenza. Under the terms of the agreement, BioNTech and Pfizer will jointly conduct research and development activities to help advance mRNA-based flu vaccines. Pfizer will assume sole responsibility for further clinical development and commercialization of mRNA-based flu vaccines, following BioNTech's completion of a first in human clinical study. BioNTech will receive $120M in upfront, equity and near-term research payments and up to an additional $305M in potential development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments. In addition, BioNTech will receive up to double-digit tiered royalty payments associated with worldwide sales if the program reaches commercialization.

05:52 EDT Google provides data on U.S. political advertising in transparency report - Google has added a section to its transparency report to show who buys U.S. election ads on its platform and how much money is spent on political advertising, it said on Wednesday. With a spend of $629,500, the Trump Make America Great Again Committee, a fundraising organization for President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, stood as the top U.S. political ad spender, according to the data. Reference Link

05:40 EDT Coinbase rebrands Toshi to Coinbase Wallet - Coinbase says in a blog post that Toshi is becoming Coinbase Wallet. "This is not just a new name, but part of a larger effort to invest in products that will define the future of the decentralized web and make that future accessible to anyone. At Coinbase, we believe that the applications of the future will be built on a decentralized internet (the blockchain). Everyone will own a crypto wallet that allows them to access decentralized applications (dapps) and that wallet will be their gateway to the open financial system... We are in the early days of a new technology revolution. One that will reshape everything we do online-from how we identify ourselves, to performing tasks, to buying and selling goods and services. We view our job at Coinbase as building the easy to use, trusted products that move the world closer to an open financial system. Coinbase Wallet is one part of our effort to accelerate the adoption of crypto and dapps around the world. We're looking forward to keeping our community updated as we continue to build the most secure and easy to use crypto wallet in the space." Reference Link

05:21 EDT Biohaven says BHV-0223 proof of concept clinical trial met primary endpoint - Biohaven Pharmaceutical announced positive results from a double-blind, placebo-controlled, proof of concept clinical trial evaluating the effect of BHV-0223 in patients diagnosed with social anxiety disorder and public speaking anxiety while performing an anxiety-provoking speech task. BHV-0223 met its primary endpoint of improvement in anxiety compared to placebo during an anxiety-provoking speech task in patients diagnosed with social anxiety disorder and public speaking anxiety. The investigator-initiated trial was performed at Yale University School of Medicine and treated 21 subjects who had a diagnosis of social anxiety disorder and participated in an anxiety-provoking, speech task in a double-blind, crossover design. In the pre-specified, primary analysis, BHV-0223 reduced anxiety by 8.3 points relative to placebo on the 100-point Visual Analogue Scale, or VAS. The observed reduction in anxiety was significant, relative to the protocol specified level. A likelihood-based analysis, that analyzed the change in the VAS from the pre-speech baseline, found that BHV-0223 had a 14.4-point advantage relative to placebo. In addition, BHV-0223 was safe and well-tolerated during this study. Biohaven expects to present additional results from this trial at upcoming scientific meetings over the next year. Based upon these trial results, Biohaven plans to expand its glutamate modulating platform development program to include the treatment of GAD. The trial results support further development of Biohaven's glutamate modulating platform as a potential novel treatment for anxiety disorders. Biohaven has an exclusive license agreement with Yale University under Yale's patent rights for the commercial development, manufacture, distribution, use and sale of products and methods related to the use of riluzole in treating a variety of central nervous system disorders including generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder and panic disorder. In addition to BHV-0223, Biohaven also owns worldwide patents and patent applications covering a broad library of prodrugs of riluzole designed for optimized safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics.