Stockwinners Market Radar for August 22, 2018 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

21:05 EDT Qualcomm and Datang showcase first multi-chipset vendor interoperability - Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Inc and the Datang Telecom Group, also known as China Academy of Telecommunications Technology announced the first successful multi-chipset vendor interoperability of 3rd Generation Partnership Project Release 14 C-V2X direct communications Mode 4, which is also referred to as LTE-V2X. The successful cross-chipset interoperability test was held at Qualcomm Wireless Communication Technologies Limited's laboratory in Beijing and utilized the Qualcomm 9150 C-V2X chipset solution and Datang's LTE-V2X module, the DMD31, and represents the maturing state of C-V2X radio technology and applications to improve automotive safety, automated driving, and traffic efficiency. C-V2X is the only V2X communication technology based on the global 3GPP Release 14 specifications for PC5-based direct communications in the 5.9 GHz ITS spectrum where vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) messages for collision avoidance can be sent without any dependency on cellular operator network involvement. C-V2X is also the only V2X communication technology with an ongoing evolution designed to offer forward compatibility in implementation with 5G NR C-V2X.

19:05 EDT OSI Systems executive Mehra sells 14,572 common shares - In a regulatory filing, OSI Systems executive VP Ajay Mehra disclosed the sale of 14,572 common shares at a price of $73.54 per share.

19:00 EDT On The Fly: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Synopsys (SNPS) up 6.1%... Williams-Sonoma (WSM) up 6.0%... Raven Industries (RAVN) up 3.5%... Zayo Group (ZAYO) up 1.4%. ALSO HIGHER: Nordstrom (JWN) up 2.4% after announcing $1.5B stock buyback. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Stein Mart (SMRT) down 9.5%... QAD Inc (QADA) down 7.0%... L Brands (LB) down 5.1%.

18:23 EDT Rimini Street receives $21.5M refund from Oracle, seeks additional $41.3M - Rimini Street issued the following statement regarding Oracle v. Rimini Street, which was filed in 2010, went to trial in 2015, and has been in the appeals stage since 2016: "Taking into account its successful appeal, Rimini Street has prevailed in 11 out of 12 claims alleged by Oracle in Oracle v. Rimini Street, with only a jury finding of "innocent" infringement related to support processes no longer in use by Rimini Street since at least July 2014. The "innocent" infringement finding means that Rimini Street did not know and had no reason to know that its former processes were infringing. The facts clearly show that Oracle failed in almost all of its claims and ultimately was only awarded approximately 10% of the amount of damages it sought at trial, and the award came in the form of a "fair market license" for "innocent" infringement. The jury found no lost profits for Oracle and no lost clients resulting from the "innocent" infringement. Other amounts awarded by the Court included interest, fees and costs, some of which were the subject of a subsequent appeal. So far, following its successful appeal, Rimini Street achieved a refund of $21.5 million from Oracle on March 30, 2018, and is still seeking an additional refund of $41.3 million through the appeal process. Oracle's apparent fear of Rimini Street's strong value proposition and growing list of nearly 2,500 clients signed through June 30, 2018, including over 150 Global Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 clients, appears to be fueling its misleading and increasingly desperate marketing campaign. Rimini Street plans to hold Oracle accountable for any illegal or anticompetitive activity, as it is doing presently with its claims against Oracle filed in a separate lawsuit brought by Rimini Street against Oracle in 2014, Rimini Street v. Oracle, which is pending in U.S. Federal Court and expected to go to trial in 2020 or later."

17:45 EDT Starbucks COO Rosalind Brewer purchases 5k shares of company stock - Starbucks COO Rosalind Brewer disclosed in a filing that she had purchased 5,000 shares of company stock at an average price of $54.04 on August 20. The total transaction value of the purchase was $270,200.

17:40 EDT L Brands announces retirement of Victoria's Secret PINK CEO - L Brands announced that Denise Landman, CEO of Victoria's Secret PINK, has made the decision to retire at the end of this year after building the business to a nearly $3 billion brand. Amy Hauk, currently President for Merchandising and Product Development of Bath & Body Works, will replace Landman as CEO of Victoria's Secret PINK. Hauk joined Bath & Body Works in 2008 as Senior Vice President, General Merchandise Manager. Prior to that, she held senior merchant leadership positions at The Children's Place, The Disney Store, Gap, Inc. and Macy's. Landman will remain in the business through the end of the year to onboard Hauk and facilitate the transition.

17:32 EDT L Brands reports Q2 consolidated SSS for Stores and Direct up 3% - Q2 SSS at Victoria's Secret down 1%. Q2 SSS at Bath & Body Works up 10%. Stores Only L Brands SSS down 1%, Victoria's Secret down 5%, Bath & Body Works up 7%.

17:06 EDT LyondellBasell breaks ground on $2.4B PO/TBA plant - LyondellBasell officially broke ground on what will be the largest propylene oxide, or PO, and tertiary butyl alcohol, or TBA, plant ever built. LyondellBasell team members along with Harris County and industry leaders officially break ground on the world's largest PO/TBA plant. The Houston area project is estimated to cost $2.4 billion, representing the single-largest capital investment in the company's history. Once in operation, the plant will produce 1 billion pounds of PO and 2.2 billion pounds of TBA annually. Startup of the plant is planned for 2021. The project will create more than 2,200 construction jobs at the peak of construction and 160 permanent positions.

17:03 EDT Nordstrom rises 2.9% in post market after announcing a stock buyback

17:02 EDT Semtech to buy LoRaWAN IoT solutions firm Trackio for about $8.4M - On August 17,Semtech entered into a share purchase agreement to acquire all of the outstanding equity interests of Trackio International, a Swiss corporation, and its subsidiaries for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $8.4M. TrackNet is a provider of LoRa-based end-to-end solutions for the Internet of Things and provides expertise and intellectual property that will be integrated into the company's business to support its goal of enabling the growing ecosystem around the company's LoRa devices and wireless radio frequency technology. The purchase price is expected to be funded by cash on hand. The closing of the Acquisition is subject to customary conditions and certain regulatory approvals. The closing will occur no later than October 31 but otherwise on the fifth business day following the satisfaction or waiver of all closing conditions set forth in the share purchase agreement or as the company and the other parties to the agreement may mutually agree. However, if by October 31, 2018, all closing conditions have been satisfied or waived except for the regulatory approvals, the Long-Stop Date will be automatically extended to December 15. In connection with the signing of the Acquisition, the employees of TrackNet have become employees or independent contractors of the company or one of its subsidiaries.

17:01 EDT Pfizer, Astellas amend clinical research protocols for two phase 3 trials - Pfizer (PFE) and Astellas Pharma (ALPMY) announced amendments to the protocols for two registrational Phase 3 trials, ARCHES and EMBARK, designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of XTANDI in men with hormone-sensitive prostate cancer. These amendments accelerate timelines for the anticipated primary completion dates of both trials. ARCHES is a randomized Phase 3 study evaluating the efficacy and safety of enzalutamide plus androgen deprivation therapy versus ADT alone in metastatic HSPC patients. The primary endpoint of the trial is radiographic progression-free survival. Changes to the protocol include revision of the planned analyses of the primary and secondary endpoints. Enrollment was completed earlier this year. The companies now anticipate the primary completion date for the ARCHES clinical trial to be in late 2018. The previously expected primary completion date was April 2020. Revisions were also made to the protocol for EMBARK, a randomized Phase 3 study of enzalutamide plus leuprolide, enzalutamide monotherapy, and leuprolide alone in men with high-risk non-metastatic HSPC. The primary endpoint of the trial is metastasis-free survival. The main purpose of the amendment is to revise the planned analyses of the primary and several secondary endpoints, which reduced the target sample size. Enrollment was completed earlier this year. With these changes, the estimated primary completion date for the EMBARK clinical trial is mid-2020. Previously, the expected primary completion date for EMBARK was March 2021.

16:53 EDT Integrated Core Strategies reports 5.3% passive stake in Nuvectra

16:35 EDT Nine Energy Services officer Edward Bruce Morgan sells over 20K shares - Nine Energy Services officer Edward Bruce Morgan disclosed in a filing that he'd sold 20,500 shares of company stock at an average price of $30.14 per share on August 20. The total transaction value of the sale was $617,870.

16:30 EDT Nordstrom board authorizes $1.5B stock buyback - Nordstrom announced that its board of directors has authorized a repurchase program of up to $1.5B of the Company's outstanding common stock, with no expiration date. This program will replace the Company's existing repurchase program, which has $327 million outstanding as of August 4, 2018 and will expire on August 31, 2018.

16:19 EDT Westerly Capital reports 6.4% passive stake in Harte-Hanks

16:18 EDT Aduro Biotech granted composition of matter patent for APRIL binding antibodies - Aduro Biotech announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a new composition of matter patent related to altered APRIL-binding antibodies, further enhancing the company's B-select intellectual property portfolio. Specifically, the granted claims cover BION-1301, Aduro's first-in-class anti-APRIL antibody being evaluated in a Phase 1/2 dose escalation trial for the treatment of multiple myeloma."Blocking APRIL represents a unique approach to treating patients with multiple myeloma and we believe BION-1301 has potential to treat a myriad of oncology indications as well as other autoimmune and inflammatory diseases," commented Stephen Isaacs, chairman and chief executive officer of Aduro Biotech. "Ensuring a robust intellectual property position around BION-1301 is inherent to advancing the program and the claims granted in this particular patent exemplify the novel science behind this exciting program."

16:17 EDT Darden: Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen may have suffered cyberattack - "On August 16, 2018, Darden Restaurants was notified by federal authorities that a legacy point-of-sale system of certain Cheddar's Scratch Kitchen restaurants, a concept acquired by Darden in 2017, may have been compromised in a cyberattack incident involving restaurants in 23 states. We believe that payment card information, including card numbers, from guests who visited the affected Cheddar's restaurants between Nov. 3, 2017 and Jan. 2, 2018, may have been exposed. We estimate the exposure to be 567,000 payment card numbers; however, we continue to assess the scope of the incident. Upon being notified of this incident, we activated our response plan and we engaged a third-party forensic cybersecurity firm to investigate. Our current systems and networks were not impacted by this incident. In fact, this incident occurred on a legacy Cheddar's system that was permanently disabled and replaced by April 10, 2018, as part of our integration process. The trust our guests place in us is something we take very seriously, and we regret that this incident occurred. We deeply value our relationships with our guests, and our priority is to assist those who may have been impacted by this incident. That is why we have arranged to have ID Experts provide identity protection services at no cost to those individuals."

16:13 EDT iBio regains compliance with NYSE - IBio announced that NYSE Regulation has accepted the company's plan to regain compliance with the exchange's continued listing standards set forth in section 1003 of the NYSE company guide and has granted a plan period through December 6, 2019, subject to periodic review by the exchange, including quarterly monitoring, for compliance with the initiatives outlined in the plan. If the company is not in compliance with the continued listing standards by December 6, 2019, or if the company does not make progress consistent with the plan during the plan period, the NYSE Regulation staff will initiate delisting proceedings as appropriate.

16:10 EDT Morgan Stanley reports 5.1% passive stake in Turtle Beach

16:06 EDT DexCom acquires TypeZero technologies, terms not stated - DexCom announced that it has acquired TypeZero Technologies. TypeZero's offering includes the inControl diabetes management system, designed to provide personalized diabetes management solutions including technology to automatically adjust and regulate insulin delivery. Dexcom, TypeZero and the University of Virginia have had a longstanding, productive relationship in developing important technologies for diabetes management, including inControl for integration with both automated insulin delivery and smart pens. The companies share a consistent vision to improve the lives of people with diabetes through innovation. Dexcom currently expects to support the first commercial launch of an AID system using the inControl algorithm in 2019. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

15:57 EDT DCT Industrial trading resumes

15:19 EDT Insperity enters into relationship with 'one-stop insurance shop' Mylo - Insperity announced it has entered into a relationship with Mylo, a digital one-stop insurance shop backed by more than 50 years of Lockton success. As a result of this relationship, Insperity's Workforce Acceleration solution, a comprehensive traditional employment human resources bundle for customers outside of the Professional Employment Organization relationship, is enhanced through Mylo's solution for business, group health, home, auto and individual health insurance needs. Insperity Insurance Services, a licensed insurance broker, entered into the agreement with Mylo. "We are pleased to extend our long-standing relationship with Lockton through the addition of Mylo to our Workforce Acceleration solution," said Paul J. Sarvadi, Insperity chairman and chief executive officer. "We are now able to offer a high level of expertise and quality insurance solutions generally unavailable to this target customer base, which is consistent with our goal to provide the leading traditional employment HR bundled solution in the marketplace."

14:00 EDT Auto parts makers battered after peer Continental warns on profit - Shares of auto parts manufacturers are lower after peer Continental (CTTAY) reduced its fiscal 2018 sales and margin views. LOWERS GUIDANCE: Earlier Wednesday, Continental revised its guidance for FY18 due to lower sales expectations, cost increases and warranty claims. The revised sales guidance for FY18, including all expected negative exchange-rate effects, amounts to about EUR45B versus the EUR46B projected earlier in the year. The lower sales guidance is a result primarily of two developments. First, the original equipment business fell short of expectations, especially in Europe and China in the Automotive divisions, as well as in the ContiTech division. Second, weak demand in the tire markets in both regions led to lower sales expectation. Continental also lowered its FY18 adjusted EBIT margin view for the Automotive Group to about 7% from the previously anticipated 8.5%. Warranty claims will reduce the reported and the adjusted EBIT by a total of EUR150M. Weak demand in the tire market also led to lower sales expectations, according to the company. PRICE ACTION: Shares of Continental are off earlier lows, but still down 13% in afternoon trading. AUTO PART PEERS FALL: Shares of Continental's peers in the OEM auto part space are all lower, including Stoneridge (SRI), Gentherm (THRM), Superior Industries (SUP), Tower International (TOWR), Gentex (GNTX), Delphi Technologies (DLPH), Lear (LEA), BorgWarner (BWA), Magna International (MGA), and American Axle (AXL).

13:18 EDT Nvidia rises as analysts get bullish on new gaming GPUs - After post-quarterly results weakness, Nvidia's stock is on the rise as analysts digest the launch of the company's new gaming GPUs. During a presentation at the Gamescom conference in Germany, Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang unveiled the new GeForce RTX 2070/80 and the new GeForce RTX 2080 Ti. In a research note this morning, JPMorgan analyst Harlan Sur argued that the new GPUs should "solidify" the company's leadership position in gaming and drive a "strong upgrade cycle." Voicing a similar opinion, his peer at Bank of America Merrill Lynch told investors he sees the Turing gamecard launch potentially re-energizing growth. NEW GPUS 'SOLIDIFY LEADERSHIP' IN GAMING: Commenting on the unveiling of Nvidia's next-generation RTX 20xx series of gaming graphics processors based on the new Turing architecture, B. Riley FBR analyst Craig Ellis argued that the launch breadth and pricing offer positive short- and long-term revenue growth implications. The analyst noted that Nvidia's shares appear to be rebounding from a post-second quarter results and third quarter guidance dip, though in his view still significantly underappreciate Turing's potential as well as longer-term Auto and Data Center Platform Group benefits. Ellis reiterated a Buy rating and $300 price target on the stock. Meanwhile, JPMorgan's Sur told investors in a research note of his own that he believes the new GPUs will "solidify" the company's leadership position in gaming, as its nearest competitor does not have new GPUs planned for introduction this year, and drive a "strong upgrade cycle." Additionally, with a large installed base of older GeForce GPUs, the analyst anticipates not only upgrades to Nvidia's GPU platforms but also PC system upgrades and two to four times more PC DRAM memory versus prior generation platforms. Sur reiterated a Neutral rating on the shares. Also commenting on the news, Bank of American Merrill Lynch analyst Vivek Arya said he expects the benefits of Turing across gaming and other segments to show-up in the fourth quarter, since Nvidia's muted third quarter sales outlook suggests it is a transitional quarter with current-generation Pascal inventory clearance. Heading into the fourth quarter, consensus is modeling only 4% quarter over quarter gaming sales growth in gaming which could prove conservative given pent-up demand for Turing and its richer ASPP, he contended. Moreover, Arya noted that the Street estimates for CY19/20 gaming growth of 9%-11% year over year could prove "ultraconservative" given the 74% of Nvidia gamers that are in prime position to upgrade per his latest PC gaming survey. The analyst reiterated a Buy rating and $340 price target on the shares. WHAT'S NOTABLE: In a report published yesterday, Citron Research's Andrew Left said he sees Nvidia "on its way to $200" as "not even ray tracing can support these lofty levels," short interest at an all-time low and datacenter facing major competition. This is not the first time Citron has discussed shorting the stock. Earlier this year, Left also said Nvidia's shares could fall 15% and that shareholders "should be prepared to see $200." PRICE ACTION: In afternoon trading, shares of Nvidia have gained about 3% to $260.44.

11:49 EDT AT&T slides as Wells Fargo moves to sidelines on continued pressure - Shares of AT&T (T) are slipping after Wells Fargo analyst Jennifer Fritzsche downgraded the stock to Market Perform, saying she believes the stock will be range bound over the near-to-medium term and Entertainment and Enterprise pressures may persist. Furthermore, the analyst highlighted that Time Warner brings a "brave new world of assets" to manage. MOVING TO THE SIDELINES: In a research note to investors this morning, Wells Fargo's Fritzsche downgraded AT&T to Market Perform from Outperform and lowered her price target for the shares to $35 from $40. While the analyst agrees in the longer-term story of AT&T's strategic perspective, she thinks that the stock will be range-bound over the near-to-medium term. The stock's valuation appears compelling, but Fritzsche believes it has to get a few full quarters under its belt with the Time Warner integration before the longer-term strategy gains more credibility with investors. The analyst pointed out that she remains concerned headwinds from AT&T's video migration to Over-The-Top and weaker than expected enterprise performance will weigh on overall results. While she does not in any way expect HBO to become the next Netflix (NFLX), Fritzsche argued that the synergy outlook promised by Time Warner may need to be reinvested into this content machine. Assuming AT&T reinvests its cost savings synergies into producing content in 2019, its programming budget would still be 33% shy of Amazon (AMZN) and $5B less than that of Netflix, she noted. Beyond programming costs, the analyst is still concerned about the "intangible" effect of merging Time Warner and legacy AT&T assets as the former represents a deal like no other the latter has done. Additionally, Fritzsche noted that near-term focus on deleveraging could push other priorities down the list. The multiple capital demands for AT&T are happening at a time when its competitors on the cable and telecom side remain somewhat double downed on their network investment, she contended, adding that the competition may be investing in a faster and more aggressive pace, especially in the fiber area. Nonetheless, the analyst highlighted that she continues to believe AT&T's dividend is secure at current levels. PRICE ACTION: In late morning trading, shares of AT&T have dropped about 2% to $32.86.

11:04 EDT Air Products acquires BHGE's Rotoflow turboexpander business - Air Products (APD) announced it has acquired the Rotoflow turboexpander business from Baker Hughes, a GE company (GE). Air Products acquired all engineering and service capabilities to continue providing world-class service to Rotoflow(TM) customers. The transaction has closed*, and financial terms are not being disclosed. This acquisition extends Air Products' existing world-scale industrial gas and liquefied natural gas turboexpander capabilities into growing hydrocarbon, petrochemical and energy segments. "Air Products already provides key proprietary equipment, services and industrial gases to many existing Rotoflow customers, and we are looking forward to expanding those relationships," said Air Products' Executive Vice President Dr. Samir J. Serhan. Air Products has designed and manufactured over 1,600 high quality turboexpanders as an integral part of large industrial gas and LNG projects executed over the company's 75+-year history. Recent projects include the world's largest industrial gases facility in Jazan, Saudi Arabia and the proprietary LNG technology provided for the floating liquefied natural gas projects off-shore Malaysia. Both projects utilized Air Products' leading turboexpander technology. The integration of the Rotoflow technology will enhance Air Products' existing capabilities. The combination of the existing Air Products and Rotoflow turboexpander capabilities will be integrated into a new Air Products business division known as "Rotoflow, an Air Products Business."

10:50 EDT Piper Jaffray cuts Starbucks rating, ups Chipotle target - Citing her latest round of domestic checks for July that suggest limited-service trends are relatively unchanged at most brands on a sequential basis, Piper Jaffray analyst Nicole Miller Regan downgraded Starbucks (SBUX) to Neutral. With checks suggesting reasonable comp expectations, the analyst raised her price target for Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) to $550 from $530. MOVING TO THE SIDELINES ON STARBUCKS: In a research note to investors, Piper Jaffray's Miller Regan downgraded Starbucks to Neutral from Overweight following another month of U.S. checks that suggest a lack of comp performance. With issues around inconsistent results, credibility of guidance and management transitions, the analyst argued that the stock is "range bound at best" until U.S. trends improve. While Miller Reagan sees modest downside risk, she lacks conviction in terms of material upside potential within a reasonable timeframe. The stock price performance suggests expectations have tapered, she added. The analyst also lowered her price target on the shares to $53 from $60. CHIPOTLE REMAINS TOP RECOVERY INVESTMENT IDEA: Meanwhile, Piper Jaffray's Miller Reagan raised her price target for Chipotle to $550 from $530, while reiterating an Overweight rating on the stock. The analyst noted that the first month of her third quarter checks suggests a 3%-plus comp for July. During the company's second quarter conference call, management suggested comps at that time were similar sequentially, and increased guidance for the year based on easing compares as well as a positive impact of marketing and digital efforts, Miller Reagan pointed out, adding that many new products and convenience platforms remain in test. The analyst told investors that she maintains the same "high degree conviction" in Chipotle's shares as her top recovery investment idea. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of Starbucks have dropped almost 2% to $53.18, while Chipotle's stock has gained about 1.5% to $526.32.

10:33 EDT Stitch Fix rallies 6.5%, or $2.28, to $36.99

10:06 EDT Exact Sciences jumps on Cologuard partnership with Pfizer - Shares of Exact Sciences (EXAS) are on the rise this morning after the company announced an agreement with Pfizer (PFE) to co-promote Cologuard. While acknowledging that Exact Sciences is giving up some margin, William Blair analyst Brian Weinstein believes the partnership adds "serious firepower" to the uptake of Cologuard. COLOGUARD PARTNERSHIP: Exact Sciences and Pfizer announced an agreement through 2021 to co-promote Cologuard, the first and only FDA-approved non-invasive stool DNA screening test for colorectal cancer. Pfizer will join Exact Sciences' sales representatives in reaching both physicians and health systems and will also actively participate in extending and deepening the Cologuard marketing campaign. Exact Sciences and Pfizer seek to increase colorectal cancer screening rates by accelerating adoption of Cologuard, a test that's fully covered by Medicare and most major health insurance plans. Exact Sciences brings a sales force with expertise in colorectal cancer, the innovative science of Cologuard and a recognizable direct-to-consumer marketing campaign, it said in a statement, adding that Pfizer brings a large and experienced sales force and relationships integrating with the leading health systems, two areas where Cologuard is most often prescribed, along with deep marketing expertise. Under the terms of the agreement, Pfizer will co-promote Cologuard with Exact Sciences beginning in the fourth quarter. Exact Sciences will maintain responsibility for all aspects of manufacturing and laboratory operations of Cologuard. Pfizer will share gross profits and marketing expenses equally above an agreed upon baseline. 'MEANINGFUL POSITIVE' FOR EXACT: Commenting on the announcement, William Blair's Weinstein told investors he believes the partnership adds "serious firepower" to Cologuard uptake. While he noted that Exact is giving up some margin, the analyst argued that the company is getting a "massive" infusion of firepower to detail its Cologuard test to the general practitioner community, access to the Pfizer Integrated Delivery Network team, and additional marketing dollars. Weinstein also pointed out that "the story has always been about driving uptake more so than profitability over the next few years, and this should accomplish this nicely," while also minimizing the number of additional representatives Exact will need to hire. Overall, the analyst believes this is a "meaningful positive" for the company. Weinstein reiterated an Outperform rating on Exact Sciences' stock. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of Exact Sciences have jumped about 22% to $60.94.

10:05 EDT Yulong Eco Materials Ltd trading resumes

10:00 EDT Lowe's says sees FY18 inventory 'flattish'

10:00 EDT J.Jill falls -6.4% - J.Jill is down -6.4%, or -44c to $6.41.

10:00 EDT Keysight Technologies rises 10.4% - Keysight Technologies is up 10.4%, or $6.29 to $66.73.

10:00 EDT Pure Storage rises 16.9% - Pure Storage is up 16.9%, or $3.73 to $25.74.

09:36 EDT Lowe's says needs to drive improvement in square foot productivity - Says no longer going to throw payroll at problems. Says spending lots of time looking at strategic processes.

09:29 EDT Lowe's says sees FY18 free cash flow approximately $5.8B - Sees FY18: CapEx ~ $1.2B; tax rate ~ 25%; share repurchases of ~ $3B.

09:26 EDT Lowe's says anticipates opening approximately nine stores in 2018

09:21 EDT Yulong Eco Materials Ltd trading halted, news pending

09:19 EDT Lowe's says 'excited' about continued roll-out of Craftsman in 2H18 - Says plans to expand relationship with Sherwin-Williams (SHW).

09:16 EDT Insperity announces relationship with Mylo - Insperity announced it has entered into a relationship with Mylo. As a result of this relationship, Insperity's Workforce Acceleration solution is enhanced through Mylo's solution for business, group health, home, auto and individual health insurance needs. Insperity Insurance Services, a licensed insurance broker, entered into the agreement with Mylo.

09:14 EDT MGM Resorts appoints Paul Salem of Providence Equity Partners to board - MGM Resorts has appointed Paul Salem to the company's Board of Directors. With his appointment, the company's board has been expanded from 12 to 13 directors. Salem joined Providence Equity in 1992, where he has served in several leadership positions. Prior to joining Providence Equity, Salem worked for Morgan Stanley in corporate finance and mergers and acquisition, and for Prudential Investment.

09:12 EDT MYnd Analytics presents at 2018 Military Health System Reserch Symposium - MYnd Analytics announced that MYnd's CEO, George Carpenter, presented at the 2018 Military Health System Research Symposium, held in Kissimmee, Florida from August 20th through 23rd. The presentation, co-authored by Mr. Carpenter and Dr. Mark Schiller, MYnd's Medical Director, covered topics including the growing clinical evidence supporting the use of the Company's Psychiatric EEG Evaluation Registry report to improve patient outcomes, including reduced suicidal ideation, by providing physicians with objective, personalized data to assist in the selection of appropriate medications. Additional data presented included confirmative results from the recently published EMBARC trial, a multicenter trial that also involved researchers at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, Columbia University, McLean Hospital, Stanford University, University of Pittsburgh, and the University of Michigan. EMBARC, funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, found that measuring electrical activity in the brain through the non-invasive EEG test can help predict a patient's response to an antidepressant. Additionally, the company presented findings that physicians using PEER guidance reduced the occurrence of trial-and-error prescribing, resulting in both greater efficacy and improved patient adherence. Study results show a 4.7 to 1 net cost offset when tools such as PEER are applied to reduce trial and error treatment, which has recently been accepted for publication in the September 2018 issue of Population Health Management. Finally, the company presented data demonstrating that reduction in trial and error pharmacotherapy has been correlated with reduced suicidal ideation in three studies. These studies included a review of 435 patients, which found an 85% reduction in suicidal ideation for patients in the 722-day period following PEER-guided treatment, as well as results from the Walter Reed PEER Interactive Trial showing 75% higher suicidal ideation for subjects in the group that did not follow PEER recommended therapy.

09:09 EDT Lowe's says anticipates 'continued growth' in home improvement sector - Says must "simplify business" to create better results. Comments from Q2 earnings conference call.

09:05 EDT First Busey, The Banc Ed Corp. to merge in approx. $304.9M transaction - First Busey Corporation and The Banc Ed Corp. jointly announced the signing of a definitive agreement pursuant to which Busey will combine Banc Ed through a merger transaction. The partnership will enhance Busey's existing deposit, commercial banking and wealth management presence in the greater St. Louis MO-IL Metropolitan Statistical Area. Through this transaction, Busey's deposit share ranking improves from #18 to #7 in this MSA. St. Louis is the largest MSA in Missouri and the 27th largest MSA in North America. The STL MSA includes St. Louis County, the independent City of St. Louis, the Missouri counties of St. Charles, Jefferson, Franklin, Lincoln and Warren, and the Illinois counties of Madison, St. Clair, Clinton, Monroe and Jersey.Under the terms of the merger agreement, Banc Ed stockholders will have the right to receive 8.2067 shares of common stock of First Busey and $111.53 in cash for each share of common stock of Banc Ed, with total consideration to consist of approximately 70% stock and 30% cash. Based upon Busey's closing share price of $31.89 on August 21, 2018, the implied per share purchase price is $373.24 with an aggregate transaction value of approximately $304.9M/ The transaction is expected to close in Q4 2018 or early Q1 2019, subject to customary closing conditions and required approvals.It is anticipated that TheBANK will be merged with and into Busey's bank subsidiary, Busey Bank, at a date following the completion of the holding company merger. At the time of the bank merger, TheBANK banking centers will become branches of Busey Bank. The combined pro forma franchise would serve customers through 82 full-service locations, including 62 branches across Illinois, as well as 14 in Missouri, five in Florida and one in Indiana and will have combined assets of $9.6B, $6.4B in gross loans, $7.7B in deposits and over $8.6B in assets under management. Barack Ferrazzano Kirschbaum & Nagelberg LLP served as legal counsel and FIG Partners served as financial advisor to Busey. Howard & Howard served as legal counsel and Sandler O'Neill + Partners, L.P. served as financial advisor to Banc Ed.

09:02 EDT Fortinet announces milestone of over 500 issued patents - Fortinet announced that it has exceeded 500 issued patents. Fortinet holds 536 total issued patents worldwide, with an additional 240 pending patent applications, a record among similar security vendors. Issued patents span a wide range of cybersecurity technologies, including IoT, OT, network security and cloud, all with the objective of helping customers stay ahead of the evolving threat landscape.

08:53 EDT Network-1 receives two new patents expanding Cox, M2M/IoT patent portfolios - Network-1 Technologies announced that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office issued U.S. Patent No. 10,057,059 and U.S. Patent No. 10,057,408. The claims in the newly issued '059 patent are generally directed towards methods of communication between Machine to Machine modules and servers. The claims of the newly issued '408 patent are generally directed towards methods of content identification and performance of actions following therefrom. The newly issued '059 patent arises from a patent application contained in the M2M/IoT patent portfolio acquired by Network-1 in December 2017. The M2M/IoT Patent Portfolio relates to, among other things, the enabling technology for authenticating and using embedded SIM cards in next generation IoT, Machine-to-Machine, and other mobile devices, including smartphones, tablets and computers as well as automobiles and drones. With this latest issuance, the M2M/IoT Patent Portfolio now includes seventeen issued U.S. patents and five pending U.S. patent applications, plus seven additional pending non-U.S. patent applications. Network-1 anticipates further issuances of additional claims for its M2M/IoT Patent Portfolio.

08:40 EDT Harvard Bioscience announces resignation of CFO Robert Gagnon - Harvard Bioscience announced the resignation of Robert Gagnon, CFO, effective August 31. The company has initiated a search for its next CFO. This news was not the result of any matters which, to the company's knowledge, would have an adverse impact on the integrity of the company's financial statement or the results of operations.

08:39 EDT On Track Innovations receives MIR certification for Russian market - On Track Innovations has received the MIR National Card Payment System organization certification in the Russian market. OTI expects to deliver 5,000 advanced payment systems to the Russian market in Q3, for which OTI will recognize a one-time sale, followed by a high-margin, recurring revenue stream over the long-term. The terms of the contract cannot be disclosed. The MIR certification was granted after tests between OTI and MIR concluded with zero errors. This certification grants OTI's Russian customers the ability to use OTI's cashless payment solutions within the Russian market.

08:34 EDT Barnes & Noble Education acquires PaperRater.com - Barnes & Noble Education announced that it has acquired PaperRater.com, a leading website that offers students a suite of writing services that includes a plagiarism checker, writing revision tools and an AI-based auto-grading scoring system to help them improve multiple facets of their writing. Founded in 2009, PaperRater has more than 18 million submissions of English language content, adding millions of pieces of new content each year, from essays and dissertations to personal narratives and speeches, and represents a significant expansion of BNED's digital content library. PaperRater's operations will become part of the Company's Digital Student Solutions business segment, and will further strengthen its existing proprietary content database, as well as significantly increase monetization opportunities for the websites purchased in the Student Brands acquisition last August. BNED acquired PaperRater on August 21, 2018 in an all-cash transaction. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to BNED's EBITDA, Net Income and Cash Flow in FY2019.

08:32 EDT Kraft Heinz, Oprah Winfrey collaborate to launch line of premium frozen pizzas - Pizza night just got even better. Oprah Winfrey, in collaboration with Kraft Heinz, today announced the expansion of O, That's Good! with a new line of premium frozen pizzas. This launch is the third category from Mealtime Stories, LLC, the joint venture between Kraft Heinz and Oprah Winfrey, which released refrigerated soups and side dishes in 2017. The O, That's Good! Brand was inspired by Oprah's love for nutritious, great-tasting food. Ten percent of Mealtime Stories' profits will be equally split between charitable organizations Rise Against Hunger and Feeding America to support the fight against hunger. The Kraft Heinz Company Foundation intends to make annual donations on behalf of Mealtime Stories to these charities until the joint venture becomes profitable.

08:30 EDT Kinstone Wirelessinfo changing name to Luokung Technology Corp. - Kingtone Wirelessinfo, now known as Luokung Technology Corp., has completed the transactions contemplated by the Asset Exchange Agreement with C Media entered into on January 25, and has changed its name to Luokung Technology effective August 20. On January 25, the company executed the AEA with C Media, pursuant to which the company agreed to purchase all of the capital stock and equity interests of LK Technology, together with its subsidiaries, from C Media in exchange for 185,412,599 ordinary shares of the company, par value 1c per share, 1,000,000 preferred shares of the company and all of the issued and outstanding capital stock or equity interests of the company's subsidiary. The Transaction was closed on August 17. Upon the closing of the transaction, the company gained the rights to deploy Wi-Fi systems on approximately 700 trains in China. The company also received all rights associated with the core mobile application of technologies held by LK Technology. On August 6, the company received approval from Nasdaq in connection with the listing of ordinary shares of Luokung Technology on The Nasdaq Capital Market. The company has reserved trading symbol LKCO with Nasdaq.

08:15 EDT Target says it is concerned about tariffs - Says tariffs would increase prices. Says it has been expressing concerns to Washington. Says continually developing contingency plans for tariffs. Says by 2020 will have newly refreshed base of stores. Says sees 2%-4% traffic growth in remodeled stores. Comments taken from Q2 earnings conference call.

08:09 EDT Square announces availability of shopping on Instagram - Square says in a blog post: "Reaching your customers across multiple channels is more important than ever, and now you can reach an even larger audience with shopping on Instagram. We're happy to announce new tools that allow you to tag and sell products from your Squarespace store on Instagram. Make an impact by visually showcasing your products. Shoppable posts give Instagram users another avenue to discover your brand and your products. When you tag a product, users can tap the image to view product details and click through to buy it on your site - all without leaving the app. Linking your product catalog to Instagram is a great way to reach your audience where they're already spending their time, share products with followers, and attract new customers. And with Squarespace's built-in analytics, you can see how much traffic and sales your shoppable posts are driving through your online store. This feature is available on the Commerce Basic and Advanced plans." Reference Link

08:08 EDT Calyxt names Yves Ribeill as interim CEO replacing Federico Tripodi - Calyxt (CLXT) and Cellectis (CLLS) announced its Board of Directors has appointed Yves Ribeill, Ph.D., as Interim CEO, effective immediately. Ribeill replaces Federico Tripodi, who is leaving the company to pursue other opportunities. Currently a member of Calyxt's Board of Directors, Ribeill will work closely with the executive management team to promote the development of the company's products to benefit consumers, including the commercial launch of Calyxt's high-oleic soybean oil. In addition, the Board of Directors of Calyxt appointed Jonathan Fassberg, founder of the Trout Group and currently co-CEO of Solebury Trout, as a member of the Board of Directors and a member of the Audit Committee. Ribeill founded SCYNEXIS (SCYX) and served aspresident and CEO from 1999 to 2015.

08:06 EDT LaSalle Hotel confirms receipt of proposal from Pebblebrook Hotel - LaSalle Hotel Properties (LHO) confirmed that it received a proposal from Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (PEB) on August 21, 2018 to acquire LaSalle in a transaction with consideration of 0.92 common shares of Pebblebrook per common share of LaSalle, with the option for LaSalle shareholders to elect to receive cash up to a maximum of 30% in aggregate of the consideration, subject to pro ration. On May 21, 2018, LaSalle entered into a definitive agreement with affiliates of Blackstone Real Estate Partners VIII, under which Blackstone will acquire all outstanding common shares of beneficial interest of LaSalle for $33.50 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at $4.8B. In accordance with the terms of the Blackstone Merger Agreement, and in consultation with its financial and legal advisors, the LaSalle board will carefully review Pebblebrook's proposal to determine the course of action that it believes is in the best interest of the company's shareholders. The Board has not changed its recommendation of the existing transaction with Blackstone or made any determination as to whether Pebblebrook's proposal constitutes, or could reasonably be expected to lead to, a "Superior Proposal" under the terms of the Blackstone Merger Agreement. The board expects to respond to Pebblebrook's proposal in due course. LaSalle shareholders are advised to take no action at this time.

08:03 EDT Louisiana Lottery extends instant games contract with Scientific Games - Scientific Games announced that the Louisiana Lottery has extended its existing contract with the company to provide instant products and services to the Lottery for an additional five years. The Lottery may extend the contract for five additional one-year terms thereafter. Scientific Games has supplied the Louisiana Lottery with instant games since 2005. Under the company's current contract, the Lottery's annual fiscal instant game sales increased over 40% from 2010 to 2018

08:02 EDT Kate Hudson, New York & Co. announce multi-year partnership - New York & Company announced a partnership with Kate Hudson, further expanding upon its success in developing high-profile collaborations. The award-winning actress, best-selling author and globally-successful businesswomen has signed a multi-year deal with New York & Company to be the Brand Ambassador of its $200M "Soho Jeans" collection, and will also partner with the Company to develop her own ready-to-wear fashion line. In addition to her role as a Brand Ambassador, Kate will design and develop her first ready-to-wear fashion apparel collection, slated to launch in March 2019. New York & Company will leverage its infrastructure, technical design and sourcing capabilities to build the brand. The new brand will be available at New York & Company stores and its ecommerce site as well as on its own dedicated ecommerce platform, with potential for additional retailer partnerships in the future-a first in New York & Company's history

07:45 EDT DCT Industrial trading halted, news dissemination

07:35 EDT Sierra Oncology trading resumes

07:33 EDT CenturyLink keeps quarterly dividend at 54c per share - CenturyLink last night announced that its board voted to declare a regular quarterly cash dividend of 54c per share. The dividend, which is unchanged, is payable Sept.14, to shareholders of record at the close of business on Aug. 31.

07:07 EDT Sierra Oncology obtains debt facility to acquire, advance momelotinib - Sierra Oncology announced that it has obtained a debt facility from Silicon Valley Bank to support the advancement of its drug development programs, including to acquire and advance its Phase 3 drug candidate, momelotinib, for the treatment of myelofibrosis. Under the terms of the debt facility with Silicon Valley Bank, Sierra can borrow up to $15M in three $5M tranches, the first of which was drawn by the company on loan closing. The subsequent tranches may be drawn upon the achievement of certain business and clinical milestones associated with the advancement of momelotinib. An additional $25M is potentially available in an uncommitted incremental facility subject to lender approval.

07:04 EDT Merus forms scientific advisory board - Merus announced the formation of a scientific advisory board, or SAB, consisting of several immuno-oncology and drug development professionals. The SAB will collaborate with members of Merus' management team to support the advancement of the company's pipeline of Biclonics candidates for various oncology indications.

07:03 EDT CatchMark Timber announces two timberlands transactions in Oregon, Texas - CatchMark Timber announced an agreement to acquire 18,063 acres of Oregon timberlands for $88.8M from Forest Investment Associates, or FIA. The to-be-acquired timberlands, known as the Bandon Property, are situated within the Douglas fir/western hemlock zone between the Coos Bay markets and Roseburg mills approximately 150 miles southwest of Portland. Separately, CatchMark announced an agreement to sell 56,000 acres of timberlands in Texas and Louisiana, the Southwest Region, to FIA for $78.5M. CatchMark will retain approximately 370,000 tons of merchantable inventory to be harvested over the next 18-24 months. The per-acre sales price is $1,533 when including the timber reservations. Together, these transactions will optimize CatchMark's portfolio with the company's entry into the Pacific Northwest, improve annual timber sales revenue by approximately $1.6M and adjusted EBITDA by approximately $2.5M annually over the next five years, and support the company's capital structure on a leverage-neutral basis. The Southwest Region portfolio, located across several counties in East Texas and western Louisiana, was acquired by CatchMark in four separate transactions during 2014 and 2015. The property is comprised of 79% pine and 21% hardwood by acres and 1.8M tons of merchantable inventory, consisting of 51% sawtimber and 49% pulpwood. After accounting for the timber reservation, the completed disposition would decrease the company's average annual harvest volume by approximately 134,000 tons over the next five years. CatchMark will fund the Bandon purchase, which is projected to close by the end of August, from a combination of cash on hand and borrowing under an amended credit facility expected to close in advance of the Bandon purchase.

07:02 EDT Capital Senior Living CEO Larry Cohen retiring January 1, 2019 - Capital Senior Living announced that Lawrence A. Cohen will retire as Vice Chairman and CEO, effective January 1, 2019. The board of directors will work alongside Cohen and the leadership team to ensure a smooth transition. The board has initiated a search to identify an external candidate to serve as CEO and has engaged Heidrick & Struggles, executive search firm, to assist with that process.

06:56 EDT Sierra Oncology trading halted, news pending

06:47 EDT Descartes Systems acquires PinPoint for approximately C$15M - Descartes Systems announced that it has acquired PinPoint, a leading provider of fleet tracking and mobile workforce solutions based in Canada. PinPoint is headquartered in Toronto, Ontario. Descartes acquired PinPoint for up-front consideration of approximately C$15M at August 22, 2018, plus potential performance-based consideration. The up-front consideration was satisfied with $C13M in cash from Descartes' existing acquisition line of credit, and Descartes common shares valued at $2M. The share consideration is subject to a 24 month hold period. The maximum amount payable under the all-cash performance-based earn-out is $3.0M, based on PinPoint achieving revenue-based targets in each of the first two years post-acquisition. Any earn-out is expected to be paid in fiscal 2020 and fiscal 2021.

06:36 EDT Target reports Q2 traffic up 6.4% - "We are extremely pleased with Target's Q2 results, which demonstrate our guests' excitement for the enhanced and differentiated shopping experience we're building. For the second consecutive quarter, traffic growth is better than we've seen in well over 10 years, driving 6.5% comp growth - Target's best in 13 years." said Brian Cornell, chairman and CEO of Target. "We laid out a clear strategy at the beginning of 2017, and throughout this year we've been accelerating the pace of execution. We're on track to deliver a strong back half and we've updated our full year guidance to reflect the strength of our business and the consumer economy. As we look ahead to 2019, we expect to achieve scale across the full slate of our initiatives - creating efficiencies and cost-savings, further strengthening our guest experience and positioning Target to continue gaining market share."

06:22 EDT Lowe's appoints David Denton as CFO - Lowe's (LOW) announced the appointment of David Denton as executive VP, CFO. Denton currently serves as executive VP and CFO of CVS Health (CVS) and will join Lowe's shortly after the closing of the CVS acquisition of Aetna (AET), which is expected in the second half of 2018. Denton brings to Lowe's more than 25 years of finance and operational expertise. At CVS, he is responsible for all aspects of financial planning and management. Since being appointed CFO in 2010, Denton has restructured CVS Health's balance sheet and implemented a capital allocation program designed to enhance shareholder value. Denton has also played an instrumental role in the company's pending acquisition of Aetna.

06:19 EDT PPDAI Group increases share repurchase program up to $120M - PPDAI Group announced that the board approved an expansion of the company's existing share repurchase program whereby the maximum aggregate value of the Class A ordinary shares in the form of American depositary shares, or ADS, that can be repurchased increased from $60M to $120M. The period of the company's existing share repurchase program was also approved by the board to be extended for another twelve-month period starting from the date on which the board approved such extension. Combined with remaining prior authorization of $20.63M, PPDAI is now authorized to repurchase its own Class A ordinary shares in the form of ADSs with an aggregate value of up to $80.63M in the twelve-month period starting from August 21.

06:16 EDT Lowe's developing plans to 'aggressively rationalize store inventory' - "We posted solid results this quarter by capitalizing on delayed spring demand. We are committed to driving even stronger performance in the future by sharpening our focus on retail fundamentals and by limiting any projects and initiatives that take us away from our core mission of being a great omni-channel home improvement retailer. I would like to thank our associates for their hard work and commitment to the company," commented Marvin R. Ellison, Lowe's president and CEO. "While it was a necessary business decision to exit Orchard Supply Hardware, decisions that impact our people are never easy. We will be providing outplacement services for impacted associates, and they will be given priority status if they choose to apply for other Lowe's positions," Ellison added. "In addition to the decision to exit Orchard Supply Hardware, we are developing plans to aggressively rationalize store inventory, reducing lower-performing inventory while investing in increased depth of high velocity items. Exiting Orchard Supply Hardware and rationalizing inventory are the driving force behind the changes to Lowe's Business Outlook." Ellison continued. "Our strategic reassessment is ongoing as we evaluate the productivity of our real estate portfolio and non-retail business investments. We will update you on the changes to our strategy at the upcoming analyst and investor conference in December."

06:15 EDT Psagot reports 5.04% passive stake in Nova Measuring - Psagot Investment House disclosed a 5.04% stake in Nova Measuring Instruments, which represents over 1.4M shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

06:10 EDT Exact Sciences, Pfizer enter into promotion agreement for Cologuard - Exact Sciences (EXAS) and Pfizer (PFE) announced an agreement through 2021 to co-promote Cologuard, the first and only FDA-approved non-invasive stool DNA screening test for colorectal cancer. Pfizer will join Exact Sciences' sales representatives in reaching both physicians and health systems and will also actively participate in extending and deepening the Cologuard marketing campaign. Exact Sciences and Pfizer seek to increase colorectal cancer screening rates by accelerating adoption of Cologuard, a test that's fully covered by Medicare and most major health insurance plans. Exact Sciences brings a sales force with expertise in colorectal cancer, the innovative science of Cologuard and a recognizable direct-to-consumer marketing campaign. Pfizer brings a large and experienced sales force and relationships integrating with the leading health systems, two areas where Cologuard is most often prescribed, along with deep marketing expertise. Under the terms of the agreement, Pfizer will co-promote Cologuard with Exact Sciences beginning in Q4. Exact Sciences will maintain responsibility for all aspects of manufacturing and laboratory operations of Cologuard. Pfizer will share gross profits and marketing expenses equally above an agreed upon baseline.

06:06 EDT Lowe's down 3.8% after reporting Q2 results

06:02 EDT Carlyle Group invests $350M in 1Life Healthcare - One Medical announced an investment of up to $350M by The Carlyle Group (CG) in 1Life Healthcare, the technology and management company behind One Medical. This fundraise represents the largest in the company's history and will build on One Medical's aggressive growth, with plans to double its offices and members across the nation over the next few years. Earlier financing rounds included investments from firms such as Benchmark Capital, Google Ventures (GOOG, GOOGL), Maverick and JP Morgan (JPM).

05:56 EDT Brookfield Business Partners, Macquarie to sell Quadrant Enerrgy for $2.15B

05:46 EDT Linde, Praxair merger hits antitrust hurdle, talks continue - Linde (LNEGY) said in a statement: "Based on additional feedback from antitrust authorities, it is now expected that the revenue threshold for divestiture commitments will be exceeded. Under the Business Combination Agreement Linde and Praxair (PX) would be required to agree to any divestiture commitment in excess of such threshold. Linde and Praxair remain in constructive dialogue with each other and the regulators on how to satisfy their requirements."

05:18 EDT Momo up 8.2% after reporting Q2 results, Q3 revenue guidance above expectations