Stockwinners Market Radar for September 06, 2018 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:12 EDT Caesars launches mobile sports betting app in New Jersey - Caesars Entertainment announced that it's taking mobile sports bets today, September 6th, in New Jersey via The Caesars Casino & Sports app which is available through the App Store and on CaesarsCasino.com for Android users. This move allows anyone in NJ who downloads the app to place bets on their favorite sporting events, including professional football whose season kicks off today. They can also play over 400 casino games including slots, table games, and video poker.

19:19 EDT Fly Intel: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Okta (OKTA) up 16.1%... Five Below (FIVE) up 9.1%... Quanex Building (NX) up 8.6%... Marvell Technology (MRVL) up 6.9%... Palo Alto Networks (PANW) up 6.2%... Finisar (FNSR) up 5.6%... Broadcom (AVGO) up 3.4%... Domo (DOMO) up 2.4%... Zumiez (ZUMZ) up 1.0%. ALSO HIGHER: Nucor (NUE) up 2.7% after announcing new $2B buyback program. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: eGain Corp (EGAN) down 22.2%... GameStop (GME) down 2.4%... ALSO LOWER: At Home Group (HOME) down 0.9% after selling stock for holders.

18:47 EDT Marcus & Millichap acquires McGill Commercial - Marcus & Millichap announced the expansion of its Canadian presence with the acquisition of McGill Commercial, an independent regional commercial real estate investment sales firm. McGill Commercial, located in Montreal, will complement the firm's existing Canadian operations in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary. The acquisition closed on August 31st.

17:45 EDT Richard Schottenfeld raises stake in Barnes & Noble to 6.9% from 5.68% - Richard Schottenfeld has engaged in, and expect to continue to engage in, discussions with members of management and/or the board of directors of Barnes & Noble, other current or prospective shareholders, industry analysts, potential strategic transaction partners, investment and financing professionals and other third parties regarding a variety of matters relating to the company, which may include, among other things, Barnes & Noble's business, management, operations and capital structure, as well as strategic alternatives potentially available to the Barnes & Noble.

17:35 EDT Finisar continues to see 'very strong demand for ROADMs on a global basis' - Speaking on its quarterly conference call a Finisar executive said, "in our core business, we are continuing to see a very strong demand for ROADMs on a global basis, with India and China beginning to deploy ROADMs in large volumes."For the upcoming 5G transition for wireless, Finisar is "a leading supplier of the major OEMs of 25-gig and 100-gig data rates for both short and long reach applications," the executive continued. The company sees itself as well positioned for the 100-gig to 400-gig transition in the Enterprise data center markets starting in calendar 2019.Comments are from Q1 earnings conference call.

17:21 EDT Alpha Capital Anstalt reports 5.3% passive stake in MER Telemanagement

17:15 EDT Twitter permanently suspends Alex Jones, Infowars - In a series of tweets from Twitter's @TwitterSafety account, the company announced it has permanently suspended Alex Jones and his media platform Infowars. "Today, we permanently suspended @realalexjones and @infowars from Twitter and Periscope. We took this action based on new reports of Tweets and videos posted yesterday that violate our abusive behavior policy, in addition to the accounts' past violations." Reference Link

17:12 EDT GameStop says it will not name new CEO until the conclusion of strategic review - Says GameStop (GME) is still looking for a CEO. Says it is the market share leader in videogame industry, which makes the company an "attractive" investment. Says will not name CEO until review of strategic alternatives concludes. Says sales results were driven by the emergence of the Xbox One X (MSFT). Comments taken from Q2 earnings conference call.

16:56 EDT Meredith reiterates FY19 adjusted EBITDA guidance of $720M-$750M - In a regulatory filing earlier today, multi-platform media company Meredith reiterated its guidance for fiscal 2019 adjusted EBITDA of $720M-$750M. The guidance was also issued when the company reported fiscal Q4 earnings on August 10. The company listed a "goal" for fiscal 2020 adjusted EBITDA of $1B in the slides. On a slide describing some of its capital priorities, Meredith listed in descending order a continued commitment to returning cash to shareholders via dividends; debt repayment and de-levering in the near-term; accretive acquisitions; and selective share repurchases. Meredith closed the trading day down 5%, or $2.50, to $49.60. This story updates a previous version which did not state Meredith issued the same guidance on August 10.

16:50 EDT Gladstone Land acquires Florida farm for $2.6M - Gladstone Land announced that it has acquired a farm in northern Florida totaling 574 acres for $2.6 million. Upon acquisition, Gladstone Land assumed a lease that has more than two years remaining on it with a farming operation growing primarily peanuts and melons.

16:46 EDT Correction: Meredith reiterated FY19 EBITDA guidance today at conference

16:40 EDT GameStop sees FY18 SSS down 5% to flat - Consistent with the company's expectations, total global sales decreased 2.4% to $1.65B, resulting in a consolidated comparable store sales decrease of 0.5%, 2.4% increase in the U.S. and 6.4% decrease internationally. New hardware sales increased 20.1%, driven by the launch of the Xbox One X and continued strong sales of the Nintendo Switch and PS4. New software sales decreased 18.5% primarily due to the lack of significant title launches during the quarter. Pre-owned sales declined

16:35 EDT Akcea Therapeutics to cut workforce by 10% and take charge of $2.0-$2.5M in Q3 - On September 6, 2018, Akcea Therapeutics enacted a plan to reorganize its workforce to better align with the immediate needs of its business following the August 27, 2018 announcement of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's issuance of a Complete Response Letter for its New Drug Application for WAYLIVRA (volanesorsen). In connection with the Reorganization Plan, the Company intends to reduce its workforce by approximately 10%. The Reorganization Plan was approved by the Company's Board of Directors on September 2, 2018, and affected employees were informed on September 6, 2018. The Reorganization Plan will impact U.S. team members primarily from the WAYLIVRA field team and functions focused principally on WAYLIVRA. Affected employees will be eligible to receive salary continuation payments and other customary benefits. Under the Reorganization Plan, the Company expects to incur third quarter restructuring charges in the range of $2.0M to $2.5M.

16:35 EDT GameStop confirms strategic and financial alternatives review - The company also confirmed that it continues to engage with third parties regarding a possible transaction as part of a comprehensive review of strategic and financial alternatives initiated by the company's board of directors. The ongoing process includes a thorough evaluation of a full range of alternatives to enhance shareholder value. Dan DeMatteo, executive chairman of GameStop's board of directors, stated, "As our teams prepare for a busy and exciting holiday period, our board of directors, with the support of our financial and legal advisors, continues to conduct a comprehensive review of strategic and financial alternatives, including, but not limited to, a potential sale of the company."The company noted there can be no assurance that the board's review will result in any transaction. The company does not intend to discuss or disclose further developments related to its review unless and until further disclosure is appropriate. The company and board of directors have been working with Perella Weinberg Partners LP as financial advisor and Sullivan & Cromwell LLP and Pepper Hamilton LLP as legal advisors to assist in the review process.

16:32 EDT Incyte announces CFO David Gryska intends to retire at the end of 2018 - Incyte announced that David Gryska, executive VP and CFO, intends to retire at the end of 2018 and that Incyte has launched a search for his replacement. Gyska plans to remain at Incyte until the end of this year and will provide support during the transitional period.

16:29 EDT Quanex announces $60M share repurchase program - Quanex's board authorized a $60M share repurchase program representing approximately 10% of common shares outstanding based on the company's stock price and share count as of July 31.

16:27 EDT Cerus appoints Timothy Moore to board - Cerus (CERS) announced the appointment of Timothy Moore to its board. Moore, who currently serves as executive VP, technical operations for Kite, a Gilead (GILD) company, brings over three decades of experience in engineering, manufacturing, and technical operations in the biopharmaceutical industry. Prior to his current position at Kite where he has led the global manufacturing effort for the launch of Kite's Yescarta product, Moore served 12 years in various engineering, supply chain and manufacturing leadership roles at Genentech, most recently as senior VP and head of global technical operations, biologics unit.

16:22 EDT Costco reports August SSS up 9.2% - Costco reported net sales of $11.0B for the retail month of August, the four weeks ended September 2, an increase of 12.2% from $9.8B last year. For the month, comparable sales were up 9.2% and e-commerce comparable sales were up 23.8%. Comparable sales excluding the impacts from changes in gasoline prices and foreign exchange were up 8.0% and e-commerce comparable sales were up 24.5%.

16:21 EDT Royal Caribbean raises dividend to 70c per share - Royal Caribbean declared a quarterly dividend of 70c per common share payable on October 11 to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 21.

16:19 EDT PQ Group enters into exclusive alliance with KD Corporation - PQ Group announced that it has entered into an exclusive alliance with KD Corporation to produce polyolefin catalysts from KD's facilities in the Republic of Korea. As part of the alliance, PQ also will expand its product portfolio and global customer base and extend its North American and European polyolefin catalyst manufacturing capability to Asia.

16:18 EDT Medical Properties Trust completes sale of North Cypress Medial Center to HCA - Medical Properties Trust announced that it has completed the sale of North Cypress Medical Center, a 139-bed acute care hospital located in Cypress, Texas near Houston, to Hospital Corporation of America, or HCA. The $148M sale to HCA resulted in an approximate $100M gain for MPT and an unlevered internal rate of return of more than 17% since the completion of development in 2007. The company expects to use proceeds to make additional investments in U.S. hospital real estate and for other corporate purposes.

16:17 EDT Casella Waste announces permit expansion at landfill - Casella Waste Systems announced that the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation issued a modified permit for the Clinton County Landfill to increase the annual permit limit from 175,000 tons per year to 250,000 tons per year.

16:16 EDT Casella Waste closes two acquisitions - Casella Waste Systems announced that it has acquired the assets of Youngblood Disposal Enterprises of Western New York, and its wholly owned subsidiaries and of Silvarole Transfer, and select assets of Silvarole Trucking. Both transactions closed on August 31, 2018. In total, the company expects to generate approximately $30M of annualized revenues from the Youngblood and Silvarole acquisitions.

16:14 EDT Five Below higher by 7% after reporting Q2 earnings, giving Q3, FY18 guidance

16:13 EDT Five Below sees Q3 comparable sales growth of 3%-4%

16:08 EDT Mattel launches theatrical film division Mattel Films - Mattel announced the creation of Mattel Films, a new division of the company focused on developing and producing motion pictures based on the company's franchises. Producer Robbie Brenner has been appointed to lead Mattel Films as Executive Producer, reporting to Ynon Kreiz, Mattel's CEO. Brenner was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture for Dallas Buyers Club, and her film Burden was a 2018 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award winner. She has held multiple leadership roles in the entertainment industry for the last two decades. Brenner also ran the classics division at Davis Entertainment, and prior to this, she held Senior Vice President roles at both Twentieth Century Fox and Miramax.

16:06 EDT Finisar CEO says earnings exceeded guidance due to 'favorable product mix' - "Revenues grew over the prior quarter and exceeded the mid-point of our guidance range, primarily driven by strength in demand for our wavelength selective switches. Gross margin also improved over the prior quarter and exceeded our guidance range due to favorable product mix," said Finisar CEO Michael Hurlston. "In addition, we were able to accelerate the process of bringing more focus to our product development efforts, which allowed the company to reduce relative expense levels faster than expected. In combination, this led to better earnings per share, exceeding the high end of our guidance range."

16:05 EDT Hilton the All Suites brands opens 34 new hotels in Q2 - The All Suites brands by Hilton have continued their strong growth into Q2, opening 34 new hotels and bringing the total number of All Suites properties to nearly 1,000. Q2 was marked by the All Suites brands entrance into several new convention center submarkets, and further expansion of the brand's footprint of multi-brand hotels. The All Suites brands also signed 35 hotel deals in Q2.

16:03 EDT Charter names Kelly Atkinson Head Of Marketing, Consumer & SMB - Charter Communications has hired Kelly Atkinson as Head of Marketing, Consumer & SMB. In this newly created role at Charter, Atkinson will oversee digital, creative and marketing efforts, with a focus on increasing penetration of all residential and SMB services. Atkinson joins Charter from Rogers Communications in Toronto, Canada, where she most recently served as Executive Vice President, Consumer Cable & Content.

15:23 EDT Sotheby's mentioned cautiously at Grant's Interest Rate Observer

14:34 EDT INTL FCStone acquires SWIFT Service Bureau from PayCommerce - INTL FCStone announced that to expand the capabilities of its Global Payments Division, it has acquired the fully accredited SWIFT Service Bureau from PayCommerce. "This acquisition will now enable INTL FCStone to act as a SWIFT Service Bureau for its 350-plus correspondent banking network," the company said. Carsten Hils, Global Head of INTL FCStone's Global Payments Division, added: "This acquisition increases our technological infrastructure and strengthens our offering to our correspondent banking network by providing them with faster and more secure payments facilities through the SWIFT Network. At the same time, this acquisition enables us to deepen our already strong working relationship with SWIFT."

14:04 EDT PTC says several industry-leading companies have implemented Servigistics - PTC announced that several industry-leading companies have recently implemented and expanded their use of PTC's Servigistics Service Parts Management solution. Organizations across major geographies and industries, including electronics, medical device, heavy equipment, industrial products, and aerospace and defense, depend on Servigistics solutions to deliver superior service to their customers and solve complex service supply chain issues. Servigistics Service Parts Management is a purpose-built enterprise solution that delivers business value by enabling companies to increase service parts and equipment availability and reduce operational cost and inventory investment. As a complete and scalable solution, Servigistics offers features including historical and causal forecasting, inventory and network optimization, and demand planning. Through Servigistics' integration with PTC's ThingWorx Industrial Innovation Platform, customers can increase their forecast accuracy by 30 percent by leveraging asset utilization data.

13:58 EDT Eaton CFO Richard Fearon sells over $2M in company shares - Eaton CFO Richard Fearon disclosed in a filing that he had sold 25,000 shares of Eaton stock at an average price of $83.29 per share on September 5. The total transaction value of the sale was $2,082,250.

13:24 EDT NYSE American starting proceedings to delist Gastar Exploration - NYSE American announced that the staff of NYSE Regulation has determined to commence proceedings to delist the common stock of Gastar Exploration - ticker symbol "GST" - from the Exchange. Trading in the company's common stock on the NYSE American will be suspended immediately. NYSE Regulation has determined that the company is no longer suitable for listing due to the abnormally low trading price of its common stock. The company has a right to a review of staff's determination to delist the common stock and additional securities by a committee of the Board of Directors of the Exchange. The NYSE American will apply to the SEC to delist the company's common stock upon completion of all applicable procedures, including any appeal by the company of the NYSE Regulation staff's decision.

13:06 EDT Verizon names PayPal President and CEO Daniel Schulman to board - Verizon (VZ) announced the election of Daniel H. Schulman, president and CEO of PayPal Holdings (PYPL) to the Verizon Board of Directors, effective September 6. The addition of Schulman brings Verizon's total board membership to 13.

12:35 EDT NTSB investigating report of engine failure from Delta flight on Boeing 757 - The National Transportation Safety Board announced via Twitter that it is investigating a reported "uncontained engine failure" from yesterday's Delta Airlines flight 1418, as it departed Atlanta bound for Orlando. "The crew of the Boeing 757-200 with 127 persons onboard, shut down the engine and safely returned to Atlanta. There were no injuries," the NTSB said in a tweet.

12:23 EDT Maryland Consumer Protection Division charges Insys Therapeutics - Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh announced that his Consumer Protection Division has charged Insys Therapeutics with multiple violations of the Consumer Protection Act and is requesting relief for consumers. Insys manufactures opioid Subsys, approved only for treating "breakthrough pain in adult cancer patients." The FDA limited the use of Subsys and similar drugs to this group of patients because it believed the risks of these drugs made them inappropriate for patients with other types of pain, Frosh said in a statement. According to the Consumer Protection Division's statement of charges, Insys and local health care providers circumvented the limited approval and targeted "off-label" patients without cancer, including patients with chronic pain syndrome, knee pain, back pain, and migraines. According to the statement of charges, more than 90% of Subsys prescriptions written or filled in Maryland were written for patients who never should have received the drug. The Consumer Protection Division also alleges that Insys provided tens of thousands of dollars to prescribers as inducements to prescribe Subsys to their patients. The Consumer Protection Division is requesting an order that Insys cease and desist from engaging in unfair or deceptive trade practices; return all revenue it received from the illegal prescription of Subsys; and, pay costs and pay civil penalties for each violation of the Consumer Protection Act. According to the allegations, Insys made more than $20M in Maryland from its conduct. Reference Link

12:06 EDT Booking.com teamswith DJ Khaled to launch 'Booking Experiences' - Coming off his recent MTV Video Music Award win for "Best Collaboration," GRAMMY nominated and best-selling artist, DJ Khaled has a new collaboration with Booking.com, the global leader in connecting travelers with the widest choice of incredible places to stay. Booking.com and DJ Khaled have today come together to launch Booking.com's Booking Experiences product in the United States. The mobile-based, in-destination product uses technology to empower travelers to discover the best experiences a destination has to offer, all via their smartphone, and includes hassle-free payment, priority queueing at select attractions, venues and tours, and exclusive deals and discounts for Booking.com customers. n celebration of the launch, through the Booking Experiences platform Booking.com is offering travelers the chance to book exclusive, complimentary tickets and meet & greets for DJ Khaled's sold-out North American tour in cities where Booking Experiences is already live: Los Angeles, CA on September 22nd and 23rd and San Francisco, CA on September 29th, with special releases planned for New York City and Miami. Taking to the stage alongside famous friends, DJ Khaled will kick off the hottest concert in town, with one-time tickets available on a first come, first served basis until supplies last for travelers who have booked an accommodation on Booking.com in one of these cities during the concert dates.

12:03 EDT Archer Daniels enters joint development agreement with ATUM - Bioengineering company ATUM announces that it has extended its 2014 agreement with Archer Daniels Midland to apply ATUM's proprietary bioengineering technology and gene engineering platform to ADM's process technologies.

12:00 EDT Amazon introduces next generation Fire HD 8 Kids Edition - Amazon announced the next generation of its kids' tablet: the all-new Fire HD 8 Kids Edition. Fire HD 8 Kids Edition includes a year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, which offers more than 20,000 premium books, videos, Audible books, educational apps, and games that have been curated for age-appropriateness, plus access to tens of thousands of hand-selected websites and web videos and parental controls at no additional cost.

12:00 EDT REV Group falls -10.1% - REV Group is down -10.1%, or -$1.59 to $14.16.

12:00 EDT Grupo Supervielle rises 10.6% - Grupo Supervielle is up 10.6%, or 74c to $7.70.

12:00 EDT Cloudera rises 21.0% - Cloudera is up 21.0%, or $3.02 to $17.43.

11:54 EDT RBC Capital ups Netflix target after positive survey results - Shares of Netflix (NFLX) are on the rise after RBC Capital analyst Mark Mahaney raised his price target on the streaming service's stock to $440 following positive U.S. and U.K. survey results. SURVEY SAYS: In a research note to investors, RBC Capital's Mahaney raised his price target for Netflix to $440 from $360, while reiterating an Outperform rating on the stock. The analyst pointed out that U.S. survey results in August were "reasonably strong," with penetration levels up quarter over quarter and year over year. Furthermore, he noted that the survey suggested consistently strong customer satisfaction trends in the U.S. and churn likely remaining at low levels, although a "bit of caution" may be in order. These results largely confirm Netflix's "strong value proposition and competitive position," he contended. Meanwhile, his U.K. survey showed "very positive" results, with record high penetration levels, improving customer satisfaction and record low churn levels. 56% of U.K. respondents said they watch Netflix, surpassing for the first time YouTube (GOOG; GOOGL) and ahead of Amazon Video (AMZN), the analyst added. Mahaney argued that these "positive results for Netflix" highlight that the streaming service company is "succeeding in a very important market." WHAT'S NOTABLE: RBC Capital's Mahaney also noted that during Netflix's second quarter earnings call, management "went out of its way" to talk positively about progress in India. The analyst told investors that he believes India could well be a source of millions of new Netflix subscriptions over the next few years, but the company has a lot of work to do to achieve such a goal. PRICE ACTION: In late morning trading, shares of Netflix advanced over 1% to $344.79.

11:29 EDT Agios reports termination of collaboration pact with Celgene for AG-881 - In a regulatory filing yesterday, Agios Pharmaceuticals (AGIO) disclosed that on September 4 the company and Celgene (CELG) agreed to terminate the collaboration and license agreement dated April 27, 2015 between the company and Celgene and the collaboration and license agreement dated April 27, 2015 between the company's wholly owned subsidiary Agios International Sarl and Celgene International II Sarl, in each case effective as of September 4, 2018. The company and Celgene had established a joint worldwide collaboration focused on the development and commercialization of products containing AG-881. Agios will obtain sole global rights to AG-881 and no party will have a financial obligation to the other parties, including milestones, royalties or other payments, except that Celgene shall be eligible to receive royalties from the company at a low single-digit percentage rate on worldwide net sales of products containing AG-881 and the company and Celgene shall split certain agreed-upon worldwide development costs for AG-881 until December 31, 2018. In addition, for a specified period and subject to specified exceptions, Celgene and its affiliates shall be prohibited from developing, manufacturing or commercializing any product that inhibits isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 at specified levels of binding for any indication and the company shall be prohibited from developing, manufacturing or commercializing AG-881 in hematologic indications.

11:02 EDT Keysight, ASUS extend collaboration to accelerate 5G NR device development - Keysight Technologies announced that ASUS will leverage the company's 5G network emulation solutions to accelerate 5G New Radio device development and verification. ASUS selected Keysight's 5G network emulation solutions to validate new designs that support the latest 3GPP 5G New Radio Release 15 specifications, including beamforming and beam management technologies across both sub-6GHz and mmWave frequencies.

10:38 EDT Micron slides as Baird sees gross margin nearing peak - Shares of Micron (MU) are sliding this morning after Baird analyst Tristan Gerra said the stock is no longer a top semi large-cap idea as gross margin is near a peak. Furthermore, the analyst believes DRAM pricing is also likely peaking in the third quarter as NAND oversupply worsens. Meanwhile, his peer at Deutsche Bank argued that while recent price weakness in both DRAM and NAND will likely fuel debate regarding a potential cycle peak and the need to revise down earnings estimates, all these factors appear to already be priced in the shares' valuation. MICRON NO LONGER TOP IDEA: In a research note to investors this morning, Baird's Gerra lowered his price target for Micron to $75 from $100. The analyst reiterated an Outperform rating on the stock on valuation, but removed the name as a top semi large cap idea as he believes gross margin is near a peak. Moreover, the analyst pointed out that DRAM pricing is likely peaking in the third quarter, while NAND oversupply has worsened recently. Given the first half of fiscal year 2019's weak seasonality in NAND, Gerra does not expect a stabilization in NAND flash pricing until the second half of the year, and is modeling a moderate pricing decline in DRAM for 2019, well within Micron's cost reduction abilities. PEAK CYCLE PRICED IN: In a research note of his own, Deutsche Bank analyst Sidney Ho reiterated a Buy rating and $80 price target on Micron's shares. The analyst argued that while recent price weakness in both DRAM and NAND will likely fuel debate regarding a potential cycle peak and the need to revise down earnings estimates, he believes these factors are already priced in as the stock is trading at 4.5 times the Street's 2019 EPS estimate. As Micron continues to execute on its technology roadmap and delivers solid operating results through the business cycle, Ho expects the stock's valuation multiple to be re-evaluated by the market. On gross margin, the analyst pointed out that he sees the company benefiting from "solid cost improvement through technology transition" in fiscal 2019. The DRAM market has become more diverse, which should help offset temporary weakness in any given end market, he contended, adding that 20% of Micron's revenues come from the automotive, industrial and networking markets that tend to see much less volatility than the PC, mobile and server markets. WHAT'S NOTABLE: Presenting at Citi's Global Technology Conference this morning, Micron's CFO Dave Zinsner said that the company is going to be "more of a product company than we've ever been" and that Micron's DRAM products that go into automotive and IoT end-markets are a focus of the company and do not get a lot of attention from the market. The executive also noted that NAND pricing has declined by a "reasonable number" in the third quarter. While capital intensity is higher now given the changes in the memory industry, the company must be careful not to "get ahead of its skis" with its spending, Zinsner contended, adding that Micron needs to add clean room space to manage node transitions. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of Micron have dropped over 8% to $45.49.

10:15 EDT Micron CFO sees giving more color on buybacks, cash return on earnings call - Micron CFO Dave Zinsner said he sees buying back the stock at current levels as "a good price for sure based on any metric you look at," adding "you'll be pretty happy with what our [buyback] activity is this year." Zinsner is presenting at Citi's technology conference.

10:03 EDT Target, Shipt to launch same-day delivery throughout California - Shipt and Target Corporation announced plans to launch same-day delivery throughout California, beginning in Northern California this month and expanding across Central and Southern California in the fall. The sweeping expansion across California will begin in the Bay Area, offering same-day delivery of more than 55,000 groceries, essentials, home, electronics, toys and other products from Target in the East Bay, North Bay, Peninsula, San Francisco and San Jose, California on Sept. 20, 2018. This announcement gives millions across the Bay Area access to same delivery by Shipt in as soon as one hour. To celebrate this announcement, new Northern California Shipt members who sign up before Sept. 20 will receive an annual membership for $49, regularly $99. Leading up to the launch, Shipt plans to add thousands of new shoppers across California to be part of the team responsible for ensuring complete, accurate fulfillment of each order.

10:01 EDT Dish launches DISH OnePoint remote app - DISH launched DISH OnePoint, an interactive app that gives business owners the ability to control multiple televisions from one interface using iPad and Android tablets. Dish says, "Users can use the DISH OnePoint remote app to efficiently manage large entertainment systems at properties installed with DISH set-top boxes, like sports bars, restaurants, fitness centers and waiting rooms."

10:00 EDT Turning Point Brands rises 7.1% - Turning Point Brands is up 7.1%, or $2.45 to $37.05.

10:00 EDT Cloudera rises 19.4% - Cloudera is up 19.4%, or $2.79 to $17.20.

09:54 EDT European Commission clears Apple's acquisition of Shazam - The European Commission has approved under the EU Merger Regulation the proposed acquisition of Shazam by Apple (AAPL). The Commission concluded that the merger would not adversely affect competition in the European Economic Area or any substantial part of it.Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, in charge of competition policy, said: "Data is key in the digital economy. We must therefore carefully review transactions which lead to the acquisition of important sets of data, including potentially commercially sensitive ones, to ensure they do not restrict competition. After thoroughly analysing Shazam's user and music data, we found that their acquisition by Apple would not reduce competition in the digital music streaming market." The decision follows an in-depth investigation of Apple's proposed acquisition of Shazam. Apple operates "Apple Music", which is the second largest music streaming service in Europe, after Spotify (SPOT).

09:50 EDT Amedica trading resumes

09:45 EDT Zinsner says Micron 'kind of likes' the way its DRAM business mix looks - Zinsner says the set of Micron's DRAM products that go into automotive and IoT end-markets are a focus of the company and do not get a lot of attention from the market. Micron CFO Dave Zinsner is presenting at Citi's Global Technology Conference.

09:34 EDT LaSalle Hotel trading resumes

09:32 EDT Perspecta receives $787M contract extension from U.S. Department of the Navy - Perspecta received a $787M contract extension from the U.S. Department of the Navy for the continuation of IT services. Perspecta currently provides to the Navy under the Next Generation Enterprise Network contract. The award allows Perspecta to continue providing services for an additional year, through September 2019. Under NGEN, Perspecta operates the Navy Marine Corps Intranet, the world's largest intranet, with approximately 300,000 seats representing 700,000 Navy and Marine Corps uniformed and civilian users, largely within the continental United States. As originally awarded, the NGEN contract would have expired on September 30, 2018.

09:27 EDT Pebblebrook Hotel to acquire LaSalle Hotel for $5.2B - Pebblebrook Hotel (PEB) and LaSalle Hotel (LHO) have entered into a definitive merger agreement under which Pebblebrook will acquire 100% of LaSalle's outstanding common shares. LaSalle has terminated its previously announced merger agreement with affiliates of Blackstone (BX) following receipt of a waiver of Blackstone's four business day period during which it could have proposed amendments to the terms of the Blackstone-LaSalle Agreement. LaSalle has canceled its special meeting of LaSalle shareholders previously scheduled for September 6 relating to the Blackstone-LaSalle Agreement. Under the terms of the Pebblebrook-LaSalle Agreement, for each LaSalle common share owned, each LaSalle shareholder will receive either a fixed amount of $37.80 in cash or a fixed exchange ratio of 0.92 Pebblebrook common share. A maximum of 30% of the outstanding LaSalle common shares may be exchanged for cash. The LaSalle common shares Pebblebrook already owns will be canceled and excluded from the cash election. The transaction is valued at approximately $5.2B and represents a 48% premium to LaSalle's unaffected share price. Anticipated annual corporate-level G&A cost synergies are approximately $18M-$20M driven primarily by the elimination of overlapping corporate functions. Jon E. Bortz will continue to serve as CEO of Pebblebrook upon closing; Raymond Martz will continue to serve as CFO; and Thomas Fisher will continue to serve as CIO. The Pebblebrook Board will remain unchanged.

09:25 EDT Precision Therapeutics announces formation of new scientific advisory board - Precision Therapeutics announced the formation of a new scientific advisory board, with Marc Malandro appointed as its first member. The board will be comprised of scientific and medical experts, who will work closely with Precision Therapeutics' senior management team to advance the company's growth strategy in the precision medicine market. Marc Malandro is VP of operations for science at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Prior to his position, Malandro was the founding director of the innovation institute and vice chancellor for technology management and commercialization at the University of Pittsburgh.

09:16 EDT SS&C to acquire Intralinks for $1.5B - SS&C Technologies Holdings announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Intralinks Holdings, Inc. from affiliates of Siris Capital Group for total consideration of $1.5B. The purchase price will consist of $1B in cash and $500M in SS&C stock, with the per share price of the stock based on the volume weighted average trading price for 30 trading days prior to closing. SS&C and Frank Baker, Siris' co-founder and managing partner, expect that Mr. Baker will join the SS&C Board of Directors following the closing on a mutually-agreed date. In 2017, Intralinks had total revenues of $303M and adjusted EBITDA of $115M. Its trailing twelve month total revenues as of June 30, 2018 are $325M and its LTM adjusted EBITDA as of June 30, 2018 is $132M, with margins of 41%. SS&C expects an additional $15M in run-rate cost savings achieved by 2021. The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to SS&C's adjusted earnings per share and to be leverage neutral for SS&C. The purchase price represents 10.9x expected 2018 adjusted EBITDA and 9.8x after giving effect to synergies. SS&C Technologies has secured up to $1B of fully committed financing from Deutsche Bank, Citigroup, RBC Capital Markets and Credit Suisse. Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP acted as legal advisor to SS&C, and Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz acted as legal advisor to the seller and Intralinks in connection with the transaction. Evercore and RBC Capital Markets are acting as financial advisors to the seller and Intralinks. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2018 and is subject to clearance by the relevant regulatory authorities and other customary closing conditions.

09:16 EDT Kratos Defense awarded $11M contract by Kacific Broadband Satellites - Kratos Defense announced that it has been awarded an $11M contract by Kacific Broadband Satellites, to design and build ground stations for Kacific's new Ka-band High Throughput Satellite, or HTS, network. The Kacific-1 HTS satellite, launching in 2019, will deliver broadband services to Pacific Rim and South East Asia. Kratos will help address Kacific's HTS gateway infrastructure needs by designing and building a state-of-art Ka-band multi-site gateway solution for Kacific-1. Kratos' gateway solutions are pre-configured in a secure and controlled off-site environment resulting in higher quality and faster time-to-market. The company's designs will optimize and protect Kacific's investment by reducing complexity and risk, and accelerating market entry. The Kacific contract award is for a multi-site gateway solution that will additionally include Kratos' high-performance antennas and RF equipment, as well as several Kratos complementary ground system products, including the compass monitoring and control system Monics for carrier and spectrum monitoring; and SpectralNet RF-over-IP inter-facility links. The solution will be integrated at Kratos' facility, and installed at various locations in the Pacific Rim, with control equipment centralized in Kacific's network operations centre.

09:11 EDT Rembert Pendleton Jackson selects Envestnet Tamarac platform - Rembert Pendleton Jackson announced it selected the Tamarac platform from Envestnet as its portfolio management, reporting and client portal solution. The platform will enable RPJ to streamline back-office operations and enhance client interactions by allowing its advisors to save time and focus on what they do best: providing full-service counsel to more than 900 individual and institutional clients.

09:08 EDT SEI Investments announces Rockland Trust IMG will adopt SEI Wealth Platform - SEI announced that Rockland Trust Investment Management Group will adopt the SEI Wealth Platform to provide a modernized user experience through a web-based wealth management solution. The Platform is a fully-integrated, single-infrastructure technology solution developed to support client relationship management, including front-, middle- and back-office services. This news was first announced during SEI's second-quarter 2018 earnings call. Rockland Trust IMG will migrate approximately $2.9 billion in assets under management and $3.2 billion in total assets, from SEI's legacy platform, TRUST 3000, to the SEI Wealth Platform in summer 2019. The firm will continue to leverage SEI to support its back-office operations, eliminating multiple applications and integration points common in legacy infrastructure today.

09:06 EDT Information Services makes $7M payment to further reduce debt - Information Services Group announced it has further reduced its debt through the repayment in full upon maturity of the unsecured subordinated promissory notes issued in connection with its December 1, 2016 acquisition of Alsbridge Holdings, Inc. ISG repaid the $7M of principal this week. The payment was made from cash on hand and is consistent with the firm's strategy of continuing to deleverage its balance sheet. With this latest payment, ISG has reduced its total debt by $22M since the beginning of 2017.

09:06 EDT Aileron Therapeutics announces appointment of Manuel Aivado as CEO - Aileron Therapeutics announced that Manuel Aivado has been named president and CEO and elected to its board. Since 2012, Aivado has served as Aileron's senior VP and CMO and CSO. He succeeds John Longenecker who was appointed interim CEO on May 15. Aivado brings more than 20 years of scientific, medical, and executive leadership to this position. Most recently, Aivado led Aileron's clinical testing of stapled peptides against intracellular targets and designed and implemented the ALRN-6924 first-in-human trial.

09:05 EDT Pebblebrook Hotel trading halted, news pending

09:03 EDT Allergan announces launch of SkinMedica LUMIVIVE System - Allergan announces the launch of the new SkinMedica LUMIVIVE System, an innovative skincare product designed with two distinct formulas - one to shield skin from blue light and environmental aggressors during the day and another to recharge the skin's essential repair process at night. During the day, LUMIVIVE offers full atmospheric protection and fights the signs of aging for optimal skin health and vitality. At night, LUMIVIVE supports the skin's ability to repair itself overnight, restoring the appearance of a glowing, youthful complexion. Unlike any other product on the market, the innovative LUMIVIVE System formulas work around the clock to support optimal skin vitality and radiance, and doesn't fade throughout the day or wash off, providing 24-hour protection and revitalization.

09:00 EDT Naked Brand Group trading resumes

08:59 EDT Intuitive Surgical submits robotic-assisted platform to FDA premarket - Intuitive Surgical announced it has submitted a premarket notification to the FDA for the company's new flexible robotic-assisted, catheter-based platform, designed to navigate through very small lung airways to reach peripheral nodules for biopsies. Lung cancer is the world's leading cause of cancer deaths. The majority of suspicious lesions found in the lung are small and difficult to access, which can make obtaining a diagnosis challenging.

08:53 EDT Baxter receives FDA clearance for new Actifuse bone graft substitute - Baxter has received FDA clearance of Actifuse Flow Bone Graft Substitute for use in a variety of orthopedic surgical procedures. Actifuse Flow utilizes the proprietary silicate-substituted technology of Baxter's Actifuse Bone Graft Substitute, which enhances silicon levels to accelerate bone formation. Baxter expects Actifuse Flow to be available to U.S. customers by year-end.

08:47 EDT MySize secures first commercial contract for BoxSizeID with Katz Corporation - My Size announced it has entered into agreement with Katz Corporation to provide its BoxSizeID mobile measurement technology for improved operational efficiency and to reduce operating expenses. The commercial contract follows a successful seven-month pilot program that resulted in an estimated $1M annualized incremental revenue to the customer, a result of BoxSIzeID's ability to optimize packaging sizes used to ship Katz's packages throughout the world. Katz will install BoxSizeID on to its mobile devices for use by its more than 550 employees in seven centers across Israel, measuring more than five million packages annually. Katz will utilize BoxSizeID to provide real-time logistics data on package volumes and transportation, enabling the company to improve cartonization and manifesting, while reducing operating costs and increasing revenues.

08:45 EDT Barnes & Noble continues to see FY19 EBITDA $175M-$200M - As the company prepares for the holiday season, it said it is encouraged by the sequential improvement in its sales trend and the fall title line-up. The organization is focused on its merchandising initiatives to grow sales, while continuing to control expenses.

08:44 EDT J.C. Penney launches Artesia - J.C. Penney is launching Artesia, a new boho style brand for women. Artesia offers a collection of silhouettes, fabrics and peasant-style tops and dresses. Available exclusively at J.C. Penney, the brand will launch in nearly 400 stores and at JCPenney.com beginning September 7. Each piece available is on sale for less than $30. Located on the women's floor next to the retailer's denim shop, Artesia is designed to pair with denim pieces from the company's popular casual women's brand.

08:42 EDT Honeywell mobile computers validated for Android Enterprise Recommended program - Honeywell (HON) announced that three of its rugged mobile computers used by distribution center, logistics, delivery and retail workers have been validated for the Google (GOOG, GOOGL) -led Android Enterprise Recommended program, which helps businesses select the right devices to meet their needs. Inclusion in the program demonstrates that Honeywell's mobile computers meet strict technical specifications and extended lifecycle support requirements. Devices in the program provide customers with easy enrollment options, timely software and security updates, business-ready hardware features and support for multiple versions of the Android operating system.

08:39 EDT CVS earns NCQA Health Information Products certification for pharmacy benefits - CVS Health announced that its pharmacy benefit manager CVS Caremark received NCQA Health Information Products Certification in pharmacy benefits. This helps affirm that CVS Caremark, through its caremark.com website and customer call center, provides members with the information they need to understand and use their pharmacy benefits. NCQA's HIP Certification is a quality assessment program that health plans can use to help evaluate health care organizations that develop and provide content, tools and services to plan members.

08:37 EDT General Electric, CGI Group partner to advance electric grid software - GE (GE) and CGI (GIB) announced the signing of an alliance agreement to pursue joint development and implementation opportunities for electric grid software in North America. This unique partnership bridges information technology and operational technology in the utility industry. GE and CGI will focus on real-time grid operations and controls, critical infrastructure and cybersecurity. GE and CGI are combining efforts to form a unique partnership to meet changing needs. GE's portfolio of digital technologies helps the industry safely manage, analyze and improve all aspects of transmission and distribution. Its solutions, including WAMS, EMS, ADMS, GIS and DERM, use advanced analytics, machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies.

08:35 EDT Genie Energy nears completion of transition to retail energy business model - Genie Energy announced that it has substantially completed its strategic transition to a retail energy provider model with an investment in a domestic solar energy company and sale of a stake in its Israel-based drilling services subsidiary. In a move to expand its renewable energy portfolio, Genie has completed an initial investment in Prism Solar Technologies of Highland, NY. Prism is a full-service solar technology and solutions company. It designs and manufactures solar systems in the United States featuring its innovative bifacial solar modules. The Prism modules harvest energy from both sides of the panel to significantly boost efficiency. As a result, the Prism solution's average cost per kilowatt for commercial and industrial solutions is extremely competitive. Genie Energy has made an initial investment in Prism, and, subject to certain conditions, has agreed to acquire a controlling stake in the solar energy company. Genie also has finalized an agreement to sell a significant stake in its on-shore drilling services venture based in Israel, Atid Drilling, to its Chairman, Howard Jonas, and Atid's management. The deal enables Genie to substantially reduce the wind-down costs of its oil and gas technology program while it continues to pursue permitting of the final tests needed to complete its oil and gas exploration program in Northern Israel.

08:33 EDT Mountain Province Diamonds announces results of seventh diamond sale of 2018 - Mountain Province Diamonds announces the results of its seventh diamond sale completed on Friday August 31, 2018. Total proceeds from the sale were $26.9M from 411,317 carats at an average realized value of $65 per carat.

08:31 EDT Naked Brand Group trading halted, news dissemination

08:15 EDT Celsion initiates dosing patients in OVATION II Study - Celsion announced it has begun dosing patients in the recently initiated OVATION II Study, the company's randomized, Phase I/II clinical trial of GEN-1, its DNA-based immunotherapy for the localized treatment of ovarian cancer as an adjuvant to chemotherapy current standard of care. GEN-1, designed using Celsion's proprietary TheraPlas platform technology, is an interleukin-12 DNA plasmid vector encased in a non-viral nanoparticle delivery system, which enables cell transfection followed by persistent, local secretion of the IL-12 protein.

08:12 EDT Turning Point Brands acquires International Vapor Group for $24M - Turning Points Brands has acquired International Vapor Group. IVG markets and sells an array of proprietary and third-party vapor products direct to adult consumers via an online platform. The company was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Miami Lakes, Florida. The acquisition values IVG at $24M plus $4.5M of contingent earnouts. Acquisition consideration comprises $15M of cash, $5M equivalent of TPB common shares and a $4M 18-month promissory note. For the twelve-month period ending June 30, 2018, IVG had revenue of approximately $47.7M and EBITDA of $4.9M. TPB expects the transaction to be immediately accretive. As part of the acquisition, TPB will consolidate underperforming overlapping channels that will lower remaining TPB 2018 net sales by $5.0M.

08:12 EDT STF GROUP implements Oracle Cloud to optimize inventory planning - Colombian Fashion Retailer STF GROUP has deployed Oracle Retail Planning and Optimization Cloud Service to support the growth of channels and operations by introducing best of breed, advanced planning solutions with supporting retail science to optimize inventory and financial plans. STF GROUP curates a unique fashion shopping experience of high quality apparel, footwear, handbags, accessories through an online shop, boutiques and certified wholesalers that serve customers in Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala and Peru. After experiencing strong growth in recent years, STF GROUP looked to the cloud for a single source of performance, market and vendor data that will be critical to improving the accuracy and depth of inventory plans while maximizing margin potential and mitigating unnecessary markdowns.

08:11 EDT QAD Inc signs system integrator agreement with Tata Consultancy Services - QAD Inc. announced it has signed a system integrator agreement with Tata Consultancy Services, a global IT services, consulting and business solutions organization, to provide functional consulting and implementation services on large engagements globally.

08:09 EDT Actinium Pharmaceuticals appoints Robert Daly VP, head of clinical operations - Actinium Pharmaceuticals (ATNM) announced the appointment of Robert Daly, M.S., Ph.D., to the position of Vice President, Head of Clinical Operations, effective immediately. In this role, Dr. Daly will oversee all clinical operations, with a focus on executing Actinium's progressing pivotal Phase 3 trial for Iomab-B as a targeted conditioning agent, driving forward the Company's growing CD33 program including its advancement in targeted conditioning, as well as future clinical trial expansion for the entire pipeline. He will be supervised by Dr. Mark Berger, Actinium's CMO and will report to Actinium's Chairman and CEO, Sandesh Seth, for strategic and organizational related matters. Prior to joining Actinium, Dr. Daly served as Vice President, Clinical, at CTI BioPharma (CTIC).

08:08 EDT Walgreens and Kaleo partner to address epinephrine auto-injector suply issues - Walgreens and kaleo, a privately-held pharmaceutical company, are partnering to improve access to epinephrine auto-injectors by making kaleo's AUVI-Q 0.15 mg and 0.3 mg available through Walgreens locations nationwide, as supply issues have been reported to the FDA by other manufacturers. AUVI-Q is a prescription medicine approved by the FDA to treat emergency allergic reactions.

08:07 EDT U.S. government awards ViaSat eight-year contract for connectivity services - The United States Defense Information Systems Agency has officially awarded global communications company, Viasat, an eight-year, firm-fixed price contract to provide U.S. Government Senior Leader and VIP aircraft with in-flight broadband and connectivity services. The base year award value is $55.6M. The period of performance for the base year award is Sept. 1, 2018, through Aug. 31, 2019. The base year and seven 12-month option periods have a total cumulative value of $559.8M.

08:05 EDT WestRock, KapStone announce preliminary merger consideration election results - WestRock Company (WRK) and KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation (KS) announced the preliminary results of the elections as of 5:00 p.m. on September 5, 2018 made by KapStone stockholders to receive shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, of Whiskey Holdco as consideration in the acquisition of KapStone by WestRock through Holdco. If the KapStone special meeting of stockholders, currently scheduled for 10:00 a.m. September 6, 2018, is delayed to a subsequent date, the Election Deadline will be similarly delayed to a subsequent date, and WestRock and KapStone will announce any such delay and, when determined, the new election deadline. As previously announced, KapStone stockholders have the option, with respect to each share of KapStone common stock they hold, to receive $35.00 per share in cash, or to elect to receive 0.4981 shares of Holdco common stock and cash in lieu of fractional shares by the Election Deadline, provided that Stock Consideration may be received with respect to a maximum of 25% of the issued and outstanding shares of KapStone common stock immediately prior to the effective time of the acquisition. There is no limit on the number of shares of KapStone common stock with respect to which Cash Consideration may be received. The documents related to the election of Stock Consideration were mailed to KapStone stockholders beginning on August 2, 2018. Based on information as of the Election Deadline, holders of 3,135,062 shares of KapStone common stock, or approximately 3.2% of the shares of KapStone common stock currently issued and outstanding, elected to receive Stock Consideration in respect of such shares. These are preliminary results. Because, based on such preliminary results, Stock Consideration is expected to be elected in respect of fewer than 25% of the shares of KapStone common stock outstanding as of immediately prior to the effective time of the acquisition, the election of Stock Consideration is not expected to be prorated.

08:05 EDT Troxell, Boxlight announce new partnership - Troxell is pleased to announce a new partnership with Boxlight Corporation. Both companies believe this partnership gives school districts a great advantage in their efforts to enhance classroom learning, improving student outcomes. Troxell believes technology helps learners of all ages, from kindergarten to college graduates, engage with the people and resources needed to solve real world problems. Troxell understands how to use technology to build classrooms where every student wants to learn, and every educator wants to teach. Audio-visual technologies are at the core of Troxell's DNA and dates to our 1946 beginning.

08:04 EDT M6 Group selects Harmonic for all-IP workflow solution - Harmonic announced that M6 Group, leading operator of multiple TV channels in France, will upgrade its ingest, playout and storage infrastructure to a media-over-IP solution from Harmonic. Offering support for the SMPTE ST 2110 suite of standards for professional media delivery over IP networks and SMPTE 2022-7 for seamless protection switching, Harmonic's playout and storage solutions will streamline the broadcaster's transition to all-IP video delivery. M6 Group chose Harmonic's Spectrum X media servers and MediaGrid shared storage system based on their rock-solid reliability and workflow simplicity. They will use the Spectrum X media servers for content ingest, live switching with graphics, DVE, 24x7 playout and manual review, with manual control supported through Broadteam's Omnium video controller. Harmonic's MediaGrid shared storage system will support M6 Group's real-time editing and playout operations.

08:02 EDT Alaska Airlines begins nonstop service between Seattle and Pittsburgh - Alaska Airlines announced that it will begin nonstop, daily service between Seattle and Pittsburgh. This new service is currently the only nonstop flight offered from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to Pittsburgh International Airport. The new route effectively links Seattle to the thriving business community in Pittsburgh, which continues to grow as top technology companies, entrepreneurs and start-ups look to establish a presence in the city.

07:59 EDT Ford issues safety recall for approximately 2M F-150 trucks - Ford is issuing a recall for approximately 2 million select 2015-18 Ford F-150 Regular Cab and SuperCrew Cab vehicles in North America for driver and front passenger seat belt pretensioners. Ford's investigation found that some front seat belt pretensioners can generate excessive sparks when they deploy. When sufficient sparks are present, gases exhausted inside the lower portion of the B-pillar by the pretensioners may ignite. If this gas ignites, components behind the B-pillar such as insulation and carpet may subsequently catch fire. Ford is aware of 17 reports of smoke or fire in the United States and six in Canada. Ford is not aware of any accidents or injuries as a result of this condition. There are approximately 1,995,776 vehicles in North America relating to this concern, with 1,619,112 vehicles in the United States and its federalized territories, 339,884 in Canada and 36,780 in Mexico. All repairs will be provided at no cost to customers, Ford said.

07:45 EDT MYnd Analytics announces article highlighting PEER's positive economic impact - MYnd Analytics announced the publication of an article in Population Health Management, a peer-reviewed journal focused on improving health outcomes. The article highlights the positive economic impact to payors and self-insured employers when the company's Psychiatric EEG Evaluation Registry, or PEER, is utilized to inform therapeutic choices, including a 4.7 to 1 cost offset by reducing "trial-and-error" treatment. These costs savings also correlate to greater efficacy and improved patient adherence. Four randomized, controlled studies of PEER at Harvard, Stanford and Walter Reed have shown that doctors armed with this additional information get better outcomes for their patients. PEER currently has outcomes for over 10,200 unique patients, and the database continues to grow. By combining evidence-based practice with objective information, physicians can improve outcomes and lower the total cost of care. The latest clinical results showed patients of physicians who followed recommendations of the PEER Report had 144% greater improvement in depression scores and 75% greater reduction in suicidality than current standard of care treatment. Further, treatments that followed PEER recommendations resulted in 2.5 times greater adherence to therapy.

07:37 EDT Checkpoint Therapeutics to present 'positive' preliminary data at IASLC - Checkpoint Therapeutics announced "positive" preliminary safety and efficacy data from an ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trial of CK-101, a third-generation epidermal growth factor receptor, or EGFR, tyrosine kinase inhibitor being evaluated in advanced non-small cell lung cancer. The data will be presented at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, or IASLC.

07:35 EDT Osisko Gold Royalties acquires additional gold royalty on Cariboo gold project - Osisko Gold Royalties announced that it has entered into a second amended and restated royalty purchase agreement with Barkerville Gold Mines pursuant to which it will acquire an additional 1.75% net smelter return royalty for the aggregate purchase price of C$20M on the Cariboo property located in British Columbia, Canada. Under the terms of the Agreement, Barkerville also has the option to grant Osisko an additional 1% NSR royalty on the Property for additional cash consideration of C$13M, at any point between the closing date of the Royalty Transaction and December 31, 2018. In the event that (i) Barkerville announces a change of control during the Royalty Option Period, or (ii) Osisko participates in an equity financing of Barkerville during the Royalty Option Period, if the Royalty Option remains unexercised, Osisko will have the right to purchase the Royalty Option. The Royalty Transaction will have the effect of increasing Osisko's existing royalty on the Property to a total of 4% NSR royalty, and a total of 5% NSR royalty if the Royalty Option is exercised.

07:33 EDT Swanson Health selects Alliance Data's Conversant for digital marketing services - Conversant, the digital media arm of Epsilon, an Alliance Data company, announced a new agreement with Swanson Health. Conversant will lead Swanson Health's personalized digital marketing to help increase product sales, grow its customer base and drive marketing efficiency. Under the terms of the agreement, Conversant will develop and implement digital marketing programs to increase engagement with Swanson Health's existing customers and website visitors. The programs will also introduce the brand to prospective customers and re-engage previous customers in the U.S. and Canada.

07:27 EDT Titan Medical presents SPORT Surgical System pilot study at ERUS - Titan Medical announced an abstract of a pilot study featuring the use of its SPORT Surgical System in partial nephrectomy and heminephrectomy procedures was presented at the European Association of Urology Robotic Urology Section, or ERUS. The pilot study was comprised of 10 procedures in a porcine model, which demonstrated that all critical surgical tasks required for partial nephrectomy and heminephrectomy procedures were successfully completed using Titan's SPORT Surgical System, with comparable outcomes to current MIS surgical approaches and no complications.

07:17 EDT Protagonist Therapeutics receives $1.45M SBR funding for PTG-300 development - Protagonist Therapeutics announced the receipt of a Phase 2 Small Business Innovation Research Grant from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health. This award, Number R44HL132702, provides up to $1.45M over two years to support research aimed at developing the Company's novel hepcidin mimetic clinical drug for the potential treatment of chronic anemia and iron overload in rare blood disorders, including beta-thalassemia. The objective of the SBIR-funded research is to develop methods for characterizing in vivo target engagement, including pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic methods to characterize PTG-300 interactions, effects on pathway and disease biomarkers, and effects in pre-clinical disease models.

07:16 EDT Attunity wins deal over $500,000 with electronics manufacturing company - Attunity announced that a large semiconductor and electronics manufacturing company has signed a contract to license Attunity Replicate and Attunity Enterprise Manager for over $500,000 with future expansion opportunities. The integrated Attunity solution was selected to consolidate and integrate the Customer's geographically-dispersed data from many Microsoft SQL Server and Oracle systems to a corporate data warehouse to support high volumes of data for advanced analytics and reporting.

07:15 EDT Summit Therapeutics announces discovery of antibiotics against ESKAPE pathogens - Summit Therapeutics announced the discovery of multiple new mechanism antibiotics against novel ESKAPE pathogen targets. Commonly referred to as superbugs, the ESKAPE pathogens collectively comprise the leading cause of hospital-acquired infections globally. New classes of antibiotics are urgently needed to address these pathogens that are increasingly developing resistance to existing antibiotic drug classes. Summit's Discuva Platform utilises proprietary libraries of mutant bacteria to identify genes which are essential for bacteria to survive. Summit's libraries provide coverage across the ESKAPE pathogens. Through the Discuva Platform, Summit has identified essential ESKAPE pathogen genes, which could represent novel drug targets against these pathogens. Several of these targets are now the focus of Summit's drug development programmes, with the platform having already discovered potential new mechanism antibiotics against them.

07:11 EDT Cato Corp. reports August SSS up 5% - The Cato Corporation reported sales for the four weeks ended September 1, 2018 of $56.4M, flat compared to sales of $56.2M for the four week period ended August 26, 2017. Same-store sales in August were up 5% compared to the four weeks ended September 2, 2017. August 2018 same-store sales are compared to the four week period ended September 2, 2017 due to the 53rd week in fiscal 2017. Sales for the thirty weeks ended September 1, 2018 were $499.3M, flat compared to sales of $498.9M for the thirty weeks ended August 26, 2017. The Company's year-to-date same-store sales increased 2%. As of September 1, 2018, the Company operated 1,350 stores in 33 states, compared to 1,372 stores in 33 states as of August 26, 2017.

07:09 EDT President Trump thanks North Korea's Kim Jong Un for 'unwavering faith' - President Trump just tweeted, "Kim Jong Un of North Korea proclaims unwavering faith in President Trump.' Thank you to Chairman Kim. We will get it done together!"

07:08 EDT Cutera announces Health Canada approval for truSculpt iD system - Cutera announced that Canada's medical device regulatory authority, Health Canada, recently granted regulatory approval for the truSculpt iD system. Commercial shipments to Canada will begin immediately. truSculpt iD is 510 cleared by the FDA for non-surgical fat-reduction and circumferential reduction procedures.

07:07 EDT BeyondSpring to present Plinabulin data at IASLC - BeyondSpring will present clinical trial data on its lead asset, Plinabulin, during a poster presentation at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, or IASLC. The data demonstrated that Plinabulin, a novel, non-G-CSF small molecule in development for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia and for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC, mitigated both docetaxel CIN and thrombocytopenia in patients with advanced NSCLC. Thrombocytopenia, a frequent side effect of chemotherapy, is a lowering of platelet counts that, when severe, leads to bleeding and anemia and can require transfusion with platelets.

07:04 EDT Verastem doses first patient in Phase 1/2 trial of cancer combination candidate - Verastem dosed the first patient in a multicenter Phase I/II clinical trial at the Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center of duvelisib in combination with venetoclax in patients with relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma. This trial will investigate venetoclax, an oral, selective inhibitor of BCL-2 - a key mediator of the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis, the process of programmed cell death - given in combination with duvelisib. Preclinical data support this combination. The phase I primary objectives are to determine the maximum tolerated dose, as well as the recommended phase II dose of venetoclax for this combination regimen with duvelisib in patients with relapsed or refractory CLL/SLL. The phase II primary objective is to determine the rate of complete response of the combination.

07:02 EDT Teledyne announces executive promotions in EEMI group - Teledyne announced the following executive promotions within Teledyne's Environmental and Electronic Measurement Instrumentation, or EEMI, group, effective September 7. Sean B. O'Connor, current CFO, Teledyne EEMI, will assume management responsibility for the EEMI group as COO and CFO. O'Connor joined Teledyne in 2012 following the acquisition of LeCroy Corporation, where Sean had been CFO of the publicly traded company since 2005. Kevin Prusso, current VP, world-wide sales and marketing of Teledyne LeCroy, will become VP and GM, Teledyne LeCroy, also known as Teledyne Test & Measurement Instrumentation. Prusso joined LeCroy in 2004, with his responsibilities progressively increasing over the last 14 years. Vicki Benne, current VP and GM, Teledyne ISCO, will become VP and GM, Teledyne Environmental Instrumentation. Benne joined Teledyne in 2004, following the acquisition of ISCO, where Vicki had been CFO of the publicly traded company since 1999. Teledyne separately announced today that Thomas Reslewic, group president, EEMI and defense electronics and VP, Teledyne, has resigned, effective September 7 to pursue other professional opportunities.

06:57 EDT TransEnterix files FDA 510(k) submission for its Senhance Ultrasonic Instrument - TransEnterix filed a FDA 510(k) submission for its Senhance Ultrasonic Instrument System. Advanced energy devices deliver controlled energy to effectively ligate and divide tissue, and minimize thermal injury to surrounding structures.

06:54 EDT Merrimack completes enrollment in Phase 2 study of NSCLC candidate MM-121 - Merrimack has completed enrollment in its ongoing SHERLOC study, a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating its lead investigational drug candidate, MM-121, in patients with heregulin positive Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. The SHERLOC study is a Phase 2 clinical trial of MM-121 in combination with docetaxel, versus docetaxel alone, in patients with heregulin positive NSCLC. The primary endpoint of the trial is progression-free survival, with objective response rate, time to progression and overall survival as key secondary endpoints. Merrimack continues to anticipate top-line data from this trial in 2H18.

06:38 EDT Clorox expands transparency with voluntary label disclosure of ingredients - Clorox will publish its list of ingredients on the labels of all 350 of its household registered disinfecting products sold through U.S. retail channels in addition to the 300 nonregistered household and professional products covered under California's Cleaning Product Right to Know law, which will take effect in 2020. This effort will occur over time as updated labels are submitted for their required review and approval by regulatory authorities. In addition to adding ingredients to the labels of its household registered disinfecting products, Clorox is choosing the most comprehensive of the labeling options within the California law, disclosure of all its intentionally added ingredients on the labels of relevant products. Providing ingredient information on the labels of all household cleaning, disinfecting and laundry products sold through U.S. retail channels will help ensure a more consistent experience for consumers, making it easier to know where to find information across its portfolio of products.

06:34 EDT Ares Management acquires Paradigm Energy Partners' Assets - Ares Management announced that funds managed by Ares EIF, its power and infrastructure strategy, have closed on the acquisition of substantially all of the assets and business interests of Paradigm Energy Partners from an affiliate of Stonepeak Infrastructure. The Paradigm assets will be combined with Ares EIF's adjacent Van Hook Gathering System, which it acquired in 2015, to form a regional midstream platform serving the core of the Williston Basin in North Dakota, with additional reach into the prolific Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas. The combined entity, which will continue to be known as Paradigm, will continue to be operated by Paradigm's existing management team and employee base. The acquisition consists of two oil and natural gas gathering systems in North Dakota and a third in South Texas, along with joint venture interests in the Sacagawea Pipeline and various logistics assets in North Dakota. By year end 2018, the combined company is expected to transport nearly 50,000 barrels of oil and 23M cubic feet of gas per day from 11 contracted customers in North Dakota and Texas.

06:07 EDT U.S. Concrete acquires Leon RIver Aggregate Materials in Texas - U.S. Concrete announced that it has expanded its aggregates business in Texas with the acquisition of Leon River Aggregate Materials, a sand and gravel producer based in Proctor, Texas. The acquisition adds over 400 acres of land with reserves to the company's operations and a processing plant to achieve the highest efficiencies. Furthermore, U.S. Concrete also announced that it has completed the divestiture of its Dallas/Fort Worth area lime operations to Lhoist North America, which includes two fixed plants, lime tankers and raw material tankers.

06:04 EDT Hercules Capital receives SBA approval letter to complete third SBIC License - Hercules Capital announced that the U.S. Small Business Administration has issued a "green light" or "go forth" letter inviting Hercules to finalize its application process to obtain a license to form and operate a third Small Business Investment Company subsidiary, following the company's recent presentation to the SBA committee. Upon approval, Hercules will obtain a third SBIC license held by subsidiaries of the company and continue to access additional growth capital of $175.0M of long-term debentures, bringing Hercules' combined borrowing capacity through the SBIC program to a total of $350.0M of capital. However, receipt of a green light letter from the SBA does not assure an applicant that the SBA will ultimately issue an SBIC license. Final approval for the additional $175.0M is anticipated to occur by 1Q19. In addition, Hercules completed the full repayment of $41.2M outstanding of its first SBIC license, Hercules Technology II, on July 13.

06:03 EDT Patterson-UTI reports average of 178 drilling rigs operated in August - Patterson-UTI reported that for the month of August, the company had an average of 178 drilling rigs operating. For the two months ended August 31, the company had an average of 178 drilling rigs operating.

05:45 EDT Calix announces strategic partnership with CityFibre - Calix announced a strategic partnership with CityFibre to deploy the world's only Software Defined Access, or SDA, operating system, or OS, across its fiber networks. The implementation of the Calix AXOS platform will allow CityFibre to emerge as the UK's only advanced-intelligence, wholesale infrastructure company. This partnership future proofs their capability to deliver 10 gigabit services to every home and business, with the potential for speeds of up to 100 gigabits in the future. Once deployed, the Calix AXOS platform will enable CityFibre to deliver a truly open-access, Software Defined Networking, or SDN, ecosystem, supporting any customer implementation from legacy OSS/BSS systems to end-to-end SDN implementations. CityFibre's AXOS enabled network will provide carrier, mobile operator, and ISP customers with unprecedented levels of programmability, network intelligence, and automation as well as superior, differentiated product and service experiences to end users. This industry leading capability, delivered across a modern full fiber network designed and built to serve all verticals, is expected to help fuel innovation in NG-PON2, 5G, and Artificial Intelligence, as well as autonomous and IoT technologies. In turn, this will speed the deployment of smart homes, smart businesses, and smart cities.

05:31 EDT Gilead, Galapagos NV announce TORTUGA Phase 2 study meets primary endpoint - Gilead Sciences (GILD) and Galapagos NV (GLPG) announced that the randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 2 TORTUGA study of filgotinib, an investigational, selective JAK1 inhibitor, achieved its primary efficacy endpoint in adults with moderately to severely active ankylosing spondylitis, or AS. In the study, patients treated with filgotinib achieved significantly greater improvements in AS Disease Activity Score, or ASDAS, the primary endpoint, at Week 12, with a mean change from baseline of -1.5 versus -0.6 for those treated with placebo. Adverse events were generally mild or moderate in severity and were reported in an equal proportion of patients in the filgotinib and placebo groups. Laboratory changes were consistent with those previously reported for filgotinib, and no new safety signals were observed in the study. There was one treatment-emergent serious adverse event reported for a patient receiving filgotinib who experienced pneumonia and recovered after hospital-based antibiotic treatment. One patient randomized to filgotinib, with an inherited risk for thrombosis, experienced a non-serious deep venous thrombosis after completing the course of study drug. No deaths, malignancies, hepatic events, opportunistic infections or cases of Herpes zoster were observed in the study.

05:18 EDT S&W Seed enters $23M stalking horse bid for Chromatin sorghum assets - S&W Seed announced that it has entered a stalking horse bid of $23M to purchase substantially all of the assets of Chromatin, a U.S.-based sorghum operator, which entered into receivership earlier this year. If successful with the bid, S&W anticipates the transaction would close in October 2018. On September 5, 2018, S&W entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement with Novo Advisors, solely in its capacity as the receiver for, and on behalf of, Chromatin in a receivership action pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. Pursuant to the Asset Purchase Agreement, S&W agreed to purchase substantially all of Chromatin's assets, as well as assume certain of its contracts, for a purchase price of $23.0 million. Pursuant to the court-approved sale procedures, other parties have an opportunity to submit a competing bid by September 7, 2018 and, if a qualified competing bid is submitted, an auction would be held on September 13, 2018. A court hearing to consider approval of the Asset Purchase Agreement and the related asset acquisition or, if an auction is held, the winning bid at the auction, is scheduled for September 17, 2018. The closing of the transaction is contingent upon, among other things, (a) the outcome of this sale process, (b) the entry of a sale order by the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, (c) the written consent of Chromatin's bank and all other all other holders of any liens and security interests on the purchased assets, and (d) Novo obtaining executed written consents to the assignment of certain contracts.