Stockwinners Market Radar for September 07, 2018 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:23 EDT Opko Health says SEC lawsuit 'contains serious factual inaccuracies' - Opko Health provided a comment on the lawsuit filed by the SEC earlier today. It reads: "OPKO learned today that the Securities and Exchange Commission has filed a lawsuit in the Southern District of New York against a number of individuals and entities, including OPKO and its CEO and Chairman Phillip Frost. The SEC failed to provide notice of its intent to sue prior to filing the complaint, which contains serious factual inaccuracies. Had the SEC followed its own standard procedures, OPKO and Dr. Frost would gladly have provided information that would have answered a number of the SEC's apparent questions, and filing of this lawsuit against them could have been avoided. OPKO and Dr. Frost have always prided themselves on adhering to the highest standards of financial disclosure, and they are confident that once a proper investigation is completed and the facts of the case have been fully disclosed, the matter will be resolved favorably for them." The company added that the complaint does not contain any allegations about Opko's financial practices, financial statements or business practices. The stock closed the trading day down 18%, or $1.01, to $4.58.

18:00 EDT Allegiant announces multi-year partnership with T-Mobile Arena - Allegiant (ALGT) and T-Mobile (TMUS) Arena announced a multi-year partnership, designating Allegiant as the "Official Domestic Airline of T-Mobile Arena". The partnership will connect the Las Vegas airline with the city's entertainment venue. In addition, Allegiant will engage with event fans by offering activations at a variety of touchpoints throughout both T-Mobile Arena and the adjacent two-acre Toshiba Plaza.

17:31 EDT United Technologies awarded $436.7M U.S. Air Force contract - United Technologies has been awarded a $436,688,397 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification to contract FA8626-16-2139 for designing, fabricating, integrating, and testing complete, flight-weight adaptive engines. The contract modification is for the execution of next generation adaptive propulsion risk reduction for air superiority applications. Work will be performed in East Hartford, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 28, 2022.

17:27 EDT Weight Watchers to replace KLX Inc in S&P MidCap 400 on 9/18 - Weight Watchers International (WTW) will replace KLX Inc. (KLXI) in the S&P MidCap 400, and KLX Energy Services Holdings Inc. (KLXE) will replace FTD Companies Inc. (FTD) in the S&P SmallCap 600 effective prior to the open of trading on Tuesday, September 18, 2018. S&P 500 constituent The Boeing Co. (BA) is acquiring KLX in a transaction expected to be completed on Monday, September 17 pending final conditions. Immediately prior to its acquisition, KLX will spin-off KLX Energy Services Holdings to shareholders. FTD Companies is ranked near the bottom of the S&P SmallCap 600 and is no longer representative of the small-cap market space.

17:12 EDT Tesla announces management changes in company update - Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced in an email to Tesla employees a number of management changes. Jerome Guillen has been promoted to President, Automotive, reporting directly to Musk. In his new role, Jerome will oversee all automotive operations and program management, as well as coordinate the extensive automotive supply chain. Kevin Kassekert has been promoted to VP of People and Places, with responsibility for Human Resources, Facilities, Construction, and Infrastructure Development. Chris Lister has been promoted to VP, Gigafactory Operations. In this role, he will leads production and manufacturing engineering at Giga. Felicia Mayo, Sr. HR Director and head of Tesla's Diversity and Inclusion program, has been promoted to VP. Dave Arnold has been promoted to Sr. Director, Global Communications, overseeing Tesla's communications team. Reference Link

17:03 EDT Zion Oil & Gas appints Dustin Guinn as CEO - Zion Oil & Gas announced the appointment of Dustin Guinn as CEO of Zion Oil & Gas, effective September 1. John Brown, Zion's founder and chairman, states, "Dustin's background as a former CEO of an international oil and gas service company in which he oversaw the growth of a regionally focused company to one that had over 1,500 employees with peak annualized revenues in excess of $400M with an asset base of over $600M help give Zion the operational and organizational experience we need at this time."

16:33 EDT iKang Healthcare announces buyer's re-evaluation of merger, requests extension - iKang Healthcare Group announced that IK Healthcare Investment Limited and IK Healthcare Merger Limited have informed the Special Committee of the Board of Directors of the Company that Parent and Merger Sub are re-evaluating the commercial viability of the merger contemplated under the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of March 26, 2018, entered into by and among Parent, Merger Sub and the Compan and have requested an extension of the termination date under the Merger Agreement from September 26, 2018 to October 31, 2018. Parent and Merger Sub made a public announcement regarding their current intentions with respect to the Merger and their request for an extension of the termination date under the Merger Agreement. The Special Committee and the Board of Directors of the Company are currently evaluating the request to extend the termination date by Parent and Merger Sub. Due to the absence of any certainty as to whether the Buyer Group will proceed to consummate the Merger, the Special Committee and the Board are currently evaluating the potential risks to the Company if the Merger process is further delayed in light of, among other factors, the upcoming maturity in December 2018 of certain convertible loan agreements entered into by iKang Healthcare Technology Group Co. Ltd., one of our affiliated PRC entities, with an aggregate outstanding principal amount of RMB850 million (equivalent to approximately $124.23 million). The Company currently does not have sufficient cash to repay the Convertible Loans. If the Merger is not consummated or the process is further delayed, the Company may not have adequate time or otherwise be able to obtain sufficient financing to repay and/or refinance the Convertible Loans in amounts or on terms acceptable to the Company, if at all. Accordingly, the Special Committee and the Board have instructed management of the Company to explore potential financing alternatives for the Company in the event that the Merger is not consummated.

16:12 EDT Broadfin Capital reports 5.5% passive stake in Sierra Oncology

16:07 EDT Criteo continues to work with Facebook through platform integration - Criteo (CRTO) issued a comment on its Facebook (FB) relationship. Criteo continues to work with Facebook through integration with the Facebook platform. The change in Criteo's partner status with Facebook does not impact its ability to buy inventory for clients on the Facebook platform. In the second quarter of 2018, Revenue ex-TAC generated from inventory purchased on the Facebook platform was 4% of Criteo's Revenue ex-TAC.

16:00 EDT Teamsters Local 727 files unfair labor practice charge against CVS Health - Teamsters Local 727 filed an unfair labor practice charge against CVS as a result of the company's bad faith bargaining after negotiators continued delay tactics and refused to provide the union with multiple dates for negotiations. Local 727 demanded a return to face-to-face negotiations after nearly two years of CVS delaying progress in federal mediation and refusing to speak to the CVS bargaining committee. Among other delay tactics employed by the company, CVS stalled negotiations by refusing to set dates to meet during mediation sessions and failing to timely respond to both the union's and the mediator's proposed dates. In order to prevent any further delays, Local 727 asked CVS negotiators to provide several dates for face-to-face negotiations when the parties ended mediation. The company responded with one date and completely disregarded the union's request to set at least two meetings.

15:52 EDT BlackRock reports 12.8% passive stake in Triumph Bancorp

15:05 EDT First Horizon appoints Dawn Morris Chief Digital Banking and Marketing Officer - First Horizon National Corporation announced that Dawn Morris has joined the company as executive VP, Chief Digital Banking and Marketing Officer. In her new role, she will help drive growth by leading First Horizon's digital banking, marketing and customer experience initiatives across all areas of the company.

14:45 EDT Scientific Games announces launch of Caesars mobile sports betting app in NJ - Scientific Games (SGMS) announced its launch yesterday of mobile online sports betting with Caesars Entertainment (CZR) in New Jersey to coincide with the start of the professional football season. "This launch showcases the power of Scientific Games' partnership with Caesars, one of the most diversified gaming and entertainment companies. The two companies now have the unmatched ability to provide a full-service offering to bettors that includes the sportsbook platform, player account technology, and highly engaging customer touchpoints across in-venue screen solutions, point of sale terminals and the digital portal," the company stated.

14:33 EDT SEC charges 'microcap fraudsters' Honig and Frost for manipulation schemes - The Securities and Exchange Commission charged a group of 10 individuals and 10 associated entities for their participation in long-running fraudulent schemes that generated over $27M from unlawful stock sales and caused significant harm to retail investors who were left holding virtually worthless stock. According to the SEC's complaint, from 2013 to 2018, a "group of prolific South Florida-based microcap fraudsters" led by Barry Honig manipulated the share price of the stock of three companies in classic pump-and-dump schemes. Miami biotech billionaire Phillip Frost allegedly participated in two of these three schemes. "As alleged, Honig and his associates engaged in brazen market manipulation that advanced their financial interests while fleecing innocent investors and undermining the integrity of our securities markets," said Sanjay Wadhwa, Senior Associate Director in the SEC's Division of Enforcement. The SEC's complaint, which was filed in federal district court in Manhattan, charges Honig, Frost, Opko Health (OPK) and others with violating antifraud, beneficial ownership disclosure, and registration provisions of the federal securities laws and seeks monetary and equitable relief. Beyond Opko Health, stocks that have Honig or Frost as holders or have been said to have links to Honig and/or Frost include PolarityTE (COOL), Marathon Patent Group (MARA), and Riot Blockchain (RIOT). Reference Link

14:18 EDT PolarityTE, Ladenburg Thalmann drop after SEC files suit against Honig, Frost - Shares of PolarityTE (COOL) are down after the SEC alleged that Barry Honig, Phillip Frost, OPKO Health (OPK), and other defendants engaged in "pump-and-dump" schemes that enriched the defendants and "left retail investors holding virtually worthless shares." According to Bloomberg data, Honig is the fourth largest individual holder of PolarityTE shares. Shares of Ladenburg Thalmann (LTS) are also sliding following the SEC suit news. Bloomberg data indicates that Phil Frost is the largest individual holder of Ladenburg shares. In afternoon trading, PolarityTE shares are down 24%, Ladenburg shares have fallen 3% and Opko shares are down 25%.

14:15 EDT Korn/Ferry drops after earnings as Credit Suisse underscores slowdown - Shares of organizational consulting firm Korn/Ferry (KFY) have dropped sharply following the company's report of its first quarter results Thursday night. RESULTS: Korn/Ferry reported fee revenue of $465.6M in Q1, which it said was a 16.0% increase from the same period of last year, driven by organic growth in all solutions. Adjusted diluted EPS of 78c in Q1 were up from adjusted EPS of 55c in the same quarter of last year, and topped the consensus analyst forecast of 71c. CEO Gary Burnison said, "I am pleased to report fee revenue of approximately $466M and strong profits, with adjusted EBITDA of approximately $71M during our recently completed first quarter." He added: "As disclosed last quarter, we are sunsetting our legacy logos and migrating to one unified brand -- Korn Ferry. Over the next 15 months, we will continue to move our organization towards an industry, solution and geographic orientation to capture the substantial opportunity we have as an organizational consulting firm." For the second quarter, the company expects EPS of 76c-84c, compared to a consensus forecast of 80c. Korn/Ferry sees Q2 fee revenue of $470M-$490M, compared to a consensus forecast of $476.7M. CREDIT SUISSE SAYS SELL: In a note to investors following the quarterly report, Credit Suisse analyst Kevin McVeigh said that Korn/Ferry shares "should slip" 1-7% "if markets are efficient," given the likelihood of decelerating revenue growth in Q2 and what he views as elevated expectations. Last night's report was the first in five quarters where the company did not produce a "meaningful" beat and raise, added McVeigh. Executive search consultant headcount decelerated for a fourth consecutive quarter while Korn/Ferry consulting headcount slipped for the third consecutive quarter sequentially, added the analyst in a note titled "Slowing revenue + peak margins = sell KFY." McVeigh kept an Underperform rating on the stock, though he raised his price target to $58 from $55. PRICE ACTION: In afternoon trading, Korn/Ferry shares are down $15.06, or 23.5%, to $49.05.

13:57 EDT SEC files suit against Opko Health, Phil Frost alleging 'pump and dump' schemes - In a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, the SEC alleged that Barry Honig, Phillip Frost, OPKO Health, and other defendants engaged in "pump-and-dump" schemes that enriched the defendants and "left retail investors holding virtually worthless shares." Honig was the primary strategist, calling upon other defendants to buy or sell stock, arrange for the issuance of shares, negotiate transactions, or engage in promotional activity, the SEC lawsuit claims.

13:03 EDT Cyanotech to acquire Cellena's Kona Demonstration Facility - Cyanotech Corporation announced that it has signed an Asset Purchase Agreement with Cellana to acquire a six-acre production and research facility, known as the Kona Demonstration Facility, located adjacent to Cyanotech's existing 90-acre site at the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority. The acquisition includes all existing equipment and other assets necessary to operate the facility. The KDF has been used extensively for microalgae research and production since 2009. Following the closing of the transaction, Cyanotech expects to use the facility in a number of ways, including to expand its research and development capabilities, to supplement its production capacity, and to develop new products and explore new production techniques. Cellana operates the KDF pursuant to a sublease agreement with NELHA. As part of the Asset Purchase Agreement, Cellana has agreed to assign this sublease agreement to Cyanotech, subject to the approval of NELHA and the State of Hawaii Board of Land and Natural Resources. The closing of the acquisition is conditioned upon the approval of NELHA and BLNR, among other standard conditions. Cyanotech expects the transaction to close in Q4.

12:34 EDT Scilex says data shows ZTlido well-tolerated, bioequivalent to Lidoderm - Scilex Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Sorrento Therapeutics, announced data showing ZTlido 1.8% demonstrated a statistically significant improved adhesion profile compared to Lidoderm and Versatis. In a separate study, ZTlido was found to be bioequivalent to Lidoderm. The presentation of results at PAINWeek 2018 in Las Vegas, September 4-8, followed U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in February for the relief of pain associated with post-herpetic neuralgia. ZTLIDO will be commercially available in October. ZTlido is a new topical product that uses an advanced adhesion technology providing more efficient lidocaine delivery than Lidoderm over a full 12 hours. PHN, also referred to as post-shingles pain, is a frequent complication of shingles, a condition caused by the herpes zoster viru. The adhesion performance of ZTlido, Lidoderm and Versatis was assessed in an open-label, three-period, single-application study in 47 healthy adults over a 12-hour dosing period. In the primary endpoint analysis, ZTlido demonstrated statistically significant superior percent adhesion at all time points, including at Time 0 immediately after application, compared to Lidoderm in the 44 subjects who completed the study. A significantly larger number of ZTlido subjects were able to maintain greater than or equal to90% adhesion at 12 hours post-application time point compared to Lidoderm, one of the study's secondary endpoints1. ZTlido and Lidoderm were well-tolerated with no observed adverse events during the study. A single-center, randomized, comparative Phase 1 study in 54 healthy adult subjects was conducted to characterize and compare the single-dose pharmacokinetics of ZTlido and Lidoderm. Overall, PK bioequivalence was demonstrated between ZTlido and Lidoderm, based on the PK parameters of AUC and Cmax. A retrospective analysis of medical and pharmacy claims data from the Truven Health MarketScan 2010 to 2014 Commercial Claims and Encounters and Medicare Supplemental and Coordination of Benefits Databases was conducted to explore treatment patterns associated with PHN and characterize healthcare utilization and expenditure associated with PHN diagnosis and treatment. The analysis found that recommended first-line treatments were underutilized in PHN patients. Only 29% of diagnosed patients were started on recommended first-line therapies, including lidocaine patch, gabapentin, pregabalin, or tricyclic antidepressants. Notably, 22% of patients were started on opioids, while 9% started on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which are not recommended by neuropathic treatment guidelines. Opioids and gabapentin were the most common initial treatments in both age groups. In younger patients, NSAIDs were used prior to first or second-line treatment more frequently

12:01 EDT Aspen Insurance reports outsourcing agreement with Cognizant - In a regulatory filing, Aspen Insurance (AHL) reported that on August 31, Aspen Insurance UK Services Limited, U.S. Services Inc. and Aspen Bermuda Limited entered into an outsourcing agreement with Cognizant (CTSH). Under the deal, Cognizant will provide Aspen and its subsidiaries with information technology services. The agreement is effective August 31, 2018 and shall have an initial term period of five years from October 1, 2018. Aspen has the right to extend the agreement for an additional two year term. The agreement has minimum service levels that Cognizant must meet or exceed. Cognizant will progressively assume responsibility for these services during a phased transition period that will extend over nine months in line with a transition plan. Certain of Aspen's employees will become employees of Cognizant. The compensation structure under the agreement includes a combination of fixed and variable fees which may fluctuate, as set forth in the agreement, based on Aspen's actual use of Cognizant's services. Based on the currently projected usage of services, Aspen expects to pay Cognizant approximately $65M during the initial five-year term of the agreement. Additionally, Aspen has the right to periodically compare the charges under the agreement to the market prices for comparable services.

12:00 EDT Argan falls -9.1% - Argan is down -9.1%, or -$4.15 to $41.25.

12:00 EDT Gol Linhas rises 9.6% - Gol Linhas is up 9.6%, or 47c to $5.38.

12:00 EDT Quanex rises 12.5% - Quanex is up 12.5%, or $2.05 to $18.40.

11:29 EDT Aurora Cannabis receives production license for Aurora Eau facility - Aurora Cannabis announced that the company has received a Health Canada production license for its Aurora Eau facility in Lachute, Quebec. The company now has seven facilities licensed for production, with a combined production capacity in excess of 160,000 kg per annum. Aurora has additional facilities under development, bringing the total funded capacity to more than 500,000 kg per annum. Additionally, Aurora, through its wholly-owned subsidiary MedReleaf, has received its oils production license for its Bradford facility, which at full capacity is a 28,000 kg per annum cultivation facility. MedReleaf Bradford features a high-volume CO2 extraction facility, which will significantly increase oils production, and is in the process of stockpiling significant quantities of derivative products in anticipation of receipt of its sales license.

11:07 EDT Box Office Battle: Warner Bros. films expected to dominate the weekend - Opening this weekend is AT&T (T) subsidiary Warner Bros.' horror film "The Nun," the latest film in "The Conjuring" Universe. It is opening at 3,876 locations and is expected to domestically gross $45M-$50M. Warner Bros. romantic comedy "Crazy Rich Asians," directed by John Chu and featuring a majority Asian cast, is expected to earn an additional $14M-$15M in its fourth weekend at theaters. Also opening this weekend is STX Entertainment's action thriller "Peppermint," starring Jennifer Garner, which is expected to open in the $10M-$13M range. Another Warner Bros. film, sci-fi thriller "The Meg," is expected to finish in this weekend's top four. The film, starring Jason Statham and an enormous shark, is expected to earn around $5M in its fifth weekend at theaters. Other publicly traded companies in filmmaking include 21st Century Fox (FOX, FOXA), Comcast (CMCSA, CMCSK), Disney (DIS), Lionsgate (LGF.A, LGF.B), Sony (SNE), and Viacom (VIA, VIAB).

11:01 EDT FRONTEO Inc (ADS) trading halted, volatility trading pause

10:07 EDT Ameris Bancorp announces retirement of general counsel Stephen Melton - Ameris Bancorp announced that Stephen Melton, EVP and general counsel of the company and Ameris Bank, will be retiring on September 30, 2018. Melton joined the Company in 2011, serving as EVP and chief risk officer through September 2017, when he was named general counsel.

10:00 EDT Barclays ETN+ FI Enhanced Global High Yield ETN Series B falls -6.7% - Barclays ETN+ FI Enhanced Global High Yield ETN Series B is down -6.7%, or -$6.69 to $93.25.

10:00 EDT CAI International rises 8.1% - CAI International is up 8.1%, or $2.00 to $26.70.

10:00 EDT Quanex rises 13.0% - Quanex is up 13.0%, or $2.12 to $18.48.

09:53 EDT The Intersection: Crypto and Wall Street This Week - As bitcoin, ethereum and other cryptocurrencies get increasing attention from investors, Wall Street and its traditional banks continue to adjust to the shift. Catch up on this week's top stories highlighting the intersection of these old guard and new school areas of finance with this recap compiled by The Fly. 1. GOLDMAN CFO SAYS WORKING ON BITCOIN DERIVATIVE: On Wednesday, Business Insider reported that given the uncertain regulatory landscape for cryptocurrencies, including bitcoin, Goldman Sachs (GS) was putting on hold plans to open a cryptocurrencies trading desk. The report said Goldman was instead focusing in the near-term on other projects, such as a custody product for cryptocurrencies. However, on Thursday, CNBC reported that Goldman CFO Martin Chavez called the report "fake news." At the TechCrunch Disrupt Conference, the executive said, "I never thought I would hear myself use this term but I really have to describe that news as fake news," adding that Goldman is working on a type of derivative for bitcoin because "clients want it." "The next stage of the exploration is what we call non-deliverable forwards, these are over the counter derivatives, they're settled in U.S. dollars and the reference price is the bitcoin-U.S. dollar price established by a set of exchanges," he said. 2. COINBASE CONSIDERS CRYPTO ETF: Crypto exchange operator Coinbase is looking to create an exchange-traded product tied to the digital currency and has sought help from BlackRock (BLK), Business Insider reported Thursday. Coinbase has been in talks with people from BlackRock's blockchain working group to leverage the firm's expertise at launching exchange-traded products, the report said. The move comes after several firms have seen their ETF applications rejected by the Securities and Exchange Commission due to concerns over market transparency and manipulation issues. 3. SEVEN STARS ACQUIRES GRAPEVINE LOGIC: On Tuesday, Seven Stars Cloud Group (SSC) announced the acquisition of Grapevine Logic, an end-to-end influencer marketing platform. "Grapevine will play a pivotal role in SSC's consumer asset digitization strategy...By applying blockchain-enabled technologies such as smart contracts and the tokenization of assets to Grapevine's existing ecosystem and existing social media influencer business model, SSC looks to revolutionize the way influencers and celebrities alike, engage with fans, brands and communities on a global scale," Seven Stars said. 4. RIOTX, COINSQUARE ENTER AGREEMENT: Riot Blockchain (RIOT) announced Tuesday that its subsidiary RiotX Holdings had entered into a Software License and Services Agreement with goNumerical to provide a RiotX branded version of the Coinsquare platform with customized functional integrations and associated transaction processing services. RiotX has obtained an exclusive license for the U.S. market through this partnership with Coinsquare. 5. SOCIAL REALITY DECLARES RIGHT TO RECEIVE BIGTOKEN SECURITY: On Wednesday, Social Reality (SRAX) declared it will issue a right to receive securities of BIGtoken, the company's wholly owned subsidiary to the holders of the company's Class A common stock on the record date of September 17. CRYPTO STOCK PLAYS: Cryptocurrency revenues have been pointed to as reasons to be bullish on Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Nvidia (NVDA) in select research. Overstock (OSTK), DPW Holdings (DPW), Kodak (KODK), Seven Stars Cloud, Riot Blockchain, Pareteum (TEUM) and Social Reality are other stocks that have been touted, or promoted themselves, as a way to play the crypto theme. PRICE ACTION: As of time of writing, bitcoin fell about 6.9% this week to $6,435 in U.S. dollars, according to CoinDesk. WANT BITCOIN NEWS ALERTS?: To receive alerts on stories relating to bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, Fly subscribers can enter "Bitcoin" into the "Add symbols" box of their portfolios.

09:47 EDT LSB Industries falls -6.4% - LSB Industries is down -6.4%, or -58c to $8.45.

09:47 EDT ABM rises 7.1% - ABM is up 7.1%, or $2.24 to $33.78.

09:47 EDT Quanex rises 6.1% - Quanex is up 6.1%, or $1.00 to $17.35.

09:34 EDT Tesla drops as executives leave, CEO smokes weed during interview - Shares of Tesla (TSLA) dropped in early trading after the company's chief accounting officer resigned after just a month in his role. News of Morton's departure follows CEO Elon Musk's "marijuana and whiskey" podcast interview with Joe Rogan and comes a day after Citron Research's Andrew Left filed a suit against Tesla and Musk on behalf of fellow short-sellers. MORTON RESIGNS: In a regulatory filing on Friday morning, Dave Morton, who was named Tesla's chief accounting officer on July 30, said that on September 4 he had resigned, effective immediately. Morton said he resigned because of "the level of public attention placed on the company." In the filing, Morton added that "Since I joined Tesla on August 6th, the level of public attention placed on the company, as well as the pace within the company, have exceeded my expectations. As a result, this caused me to reconsider my future. I want to be clear that I believe strongly in Tesla, its mission, and its future prospects, and I have no disagreements with Tesla's leadership or its financial reporting." Tesla's accounting functions and personnel will continue to be overseen by both Tesla's CFO and its corporate controller. GABRIELLE TOLEDANO: In addition to Morton's resignation, Tesla's HR chief, Gabrielle Toledano took a leave of absence in August after just over a year in her role. In an email to Bloomberg on Friday, she said she will not return to work at the company. During Toledano's leave, Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted that he was considering taking Tesla private and had secured funding for the effort. On August 25, Musk said in a blog post that the company will remain public. Tesla now faces shareholder lawsuits as well as an investigation by the SEC. Earlier this year, Doug Field, who had been SVP for engineering at Tesla, went on a leave of absence and his eventual departure was part of a series of management transitions this year. In June, Musk said Tesla would cut about 9% of its workforce as a result of the company's previously described organizational restructuring effort and the need to reduce costs and become profitable. MUSK'S APPEARANCE ON PODCAST: Musk appeared on"The Joe Rogan Experience," a podcast hosted by stand up comic Joe Rogan, during which Rogan shared what he said was a cigarette with marijuana and tobacco with the CEO. Musk also drank whiskey and fired a flamethrower during the interview. The appearance on Rogan's show comes not long after a recent interview with The New York Times, in which Musk said he has no plans to relinquish the chairman and CEO roles, though efforts are under way to find a No. 2 executive to help take some of the pressure off. Musk also recently has renewed his feud with Vernon Unsworth, a British cave diver who helped rescue a boys' soccer team trapped in a flooded cave in Thailand. WHAT'S NOTABLE: Yesterday, Andrew Left, the head of Citron Research, filed a securities class action lawsuit against Tesla and Musk, alleging that Musk "artificially manipulated the price of Tesla securities with objectively false tweets in order to 'burn' the company's short-sellers." PRICE ACTION: In early trading, shares of Tesla are down 8.3% to $257.76.

09:07 EDT Perrigo announces approval for OTC equivalent of Imodium Multi-Symptom Relief - Perrigo Company announced that it has received final approval from the U.S. Food & Drug administration for the store brand over-the-counter equivalent of Imodium Multi-Symptom Relief. This product will be packaged and marketed as store brands or retailer 'own label' brands and will provide consumers with a high-quality, value alternative to the national brand. Perrigo is finalizing plans to launch its wholly owned store brand loperamide hydrochloride and simethicone tablets, 2 mg/125 mg, in the fourth quarter of 2018. Imodium Multi-Symptom Relief is indicated to relieve symptoms of diarrhea plus bloating, pressure and cramps, commonly referred to as gas. Retail sales for the last 12 months were approximately $62M as measured by IRI.

08:54 EDT PPMD, Sarepta partner to launch Duchenne Outcomes Research Interchange - Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy announced plans to launch a patient- and physician-reported outcomes data warehouse - the Duchenne Outcomes Research Interchange - which will combine data from The Duchenne Registry with clinician entered data provided by its inaugural partner, Sarepta Therapeutics. The Duchenne Outcomes Research Interchange, scheduled to launch in 2019, will aggregate patient and clinician entered data obtained through various means, providing critical information to clinicians, sponsors, payers, regulators, and the patients/families who participate in PPMD's Duchenne Registry. In parallel to PPMD establishing a new patient engagement platform, Sarepta will initiate their post-approval patient registry which will collect clinician-reported outcomes data from those with Duchenne on EXONDYS 51. The registry will later expand to the broader Duchenne community. These data will flow into the Interchange, governed by a steering committee and PPMD and become part of a comprehensive data set, which is intended to inform the understanding of the long-term impact of the therapies developed by Sarepta. PPMD plans to invite industry, advocacy, and academic partners to join the Interchange, following the successful integration with Sarepta.

08:46 EDT Bilibili acquires Hangzhou Overwatch League team - Bilibili announced that it has acquired a team in the Overwatch League. As Bilibili continues to expand its presence in the increasingly popular esports space, the company will join the Overwatch League for the start of the 2019 season. The Overwatch League's teams are permanent fixtures in the League representing major cities across the globe. The company will represent the city of Hangzhou and is expected to unveil its team and roster later this year.

08:43 EDT Gauzy-led group invests $2M in Research Frontiers - Research Frontiers and Israel-based material science company Gauzy announced that Gauzy has lead a group that has invested $2M in SPD-SmartGlass technology company Research Frontiers. The investors purchased 2,173,916 shares of common stock of Research Frontiers at a price of 92c per share and also received warrants expiring September 30, 2023 to purchase 1,086,957 shares of Research Frontiers common stock at an exercise price of $1.10, $1.20 or $1.38 per share depending upon the exercise date. The shares purchased by Gauzy are subject to at least a one-year lock-up period with incentives including certain standstill and other exclusive rights, with the further possibility of up to a five year lock-up period. The shares issued to the other investors in the group are not subject to a similar lock-up and will be covered by the company's existing registration statement. Gauzy also has the ability to purchase up to $1M worth of additional common stock from Research Frontiers at market prices at the time of purchase and will also receive one warrant for every two shares purchased.

08:37 EDT Tesla's accounting functions to be overseen by CFO, corporate controller

08:37 EDT Tesla Chief Accounting Officer Dave Morton resigns after just over a month

08:36 EDT Morton says has had no disagreements with Tesla's leadership

08:35 EDT Tesla says Chief Accounting Officer Dave Morton resigning, effective immediately - In a regulatory filing, Tesla said that on September 4, its Chief Accounting Officer, Dave Morton, provided notice that he was resigning from Tesla, effective immediately. Dave stated: "Since I joined Tesla on August 6th, the level of public attention placed on the company, as well as the pace within the company, have exceeded my expectations. As a result, this caused me to reconsider my future. I want to be clear that I believe strongly in Tesla, its mission, and its future prospects, and I have no disagreements with Tesla's leadership or its financial reporting." Tesla's accounting functions and personnel will continue to be overseen by both Tesla's CFO and its Corporate Controller, as had been the case prior to and during Dave's transition to Tesla.

08:32 EDT Namaste Technologies signs cannabis purchase agreement with Tilray - Namaste Technologies (NXTTF) announced that the company has signed a purchase agreement with Tilray Canada Ltd., a subsidiary of Tilray (TLRY), whereby the company will purchase bulk medical cannabis products from Tilray, to be sold on Namaste's e-commerce platform through its wholly-owned subsidiary Cannmart. With Cannmart's anticipated sales license imminent, the company continues to aggressively seek and secure partnerships with the top global ACMPR Licensed Producers as it looks to implement its strategy. The Supply Agreement with Tilray Canada will add significant value to Cannmart's current product offering, and Namaste is incredibly excited to be able to offer patients Tilray's selection of high quality, pharmaceutical-grade medical cannabis products.

08:15 EDT Mondelez sees FY19 free cash flow approximately $2.8B

08:10 EDT Mondelez backs FY18 organic revenue growth at high end of up 1%-2% - Now sees $2B in share repurchases in FY18.

08:08 EDT Mondelez outlines long-term strategy - At a meeting with analysts and investors in Boston, Mondelez CEO, Dirk Van de Put, and other senior executives outlined the company's new long-term strategy to generate sustainable shareholder value. At the conference, Van de Put and other leaders discussed Mondelez International's plan to transition to a more growth-oriented company. The company's new strategy focuses on several key priorities: A more holistic view of consumer snacking behaviors to sharpen brand positioning in clear demand spaces, transformation of marketing and digital capabilities to increase ROI, balanced investments in both global and local heritage brands to achieve higher growth, the creation of a more agile organization with accelerated innovation capabilities, brand extension into new markets and snacking adjacencies, increased investments in channels such as e-commerce, accelerating exposure in higher-growth geographies and leveraging partnerships and M&A to expand into new markets and snacking adjacencies. To drive its new way of operating, the company outlined tangible actions it will take to reorient the organization around growth. As such, it will focus on building a growth culture that more effectively leverages local commercial expertise and enables the business to move with greater speed and agility. With increased investment in talent and capability building, this cultural shift will be complemented by a new employee incentive structure aimed at driving growth.

08:05 EDT Exelixis announces new recommendations for Cabometyx tablets in NCCN guidelines - Exelixis announced that the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, or NCCN, updated its Clinical Practice Guidelines to include new recommendations for Cabometyx tablets. With the updates, Cabometyx is recommended by the NCCN for the treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma, or RCC, regardless of patient risk status. Key Cabometyx-related highlights from the updated NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines for Kidney Cancer include: Cabometyx is the only preferred tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment option for first-line patients in the poor- and intermediate-risk groups; Cabometyx is a recommended first-line treatment option for favorable-risk patients; Cabometyx is the only preferred TKI treatment option for previously treated patients.

08:01 EDT Cracker Barrel closes on five-year $950M credit facility - Cracker Barrel Old Country Store announced that it has entered into a five-year $950M revolving line of credit. This new credit facility replaces the previous $750M revolving line of credit. Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC, Cooperatieve Rabobank U.A., New York Branch, and SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, Inc. are the Joint Lead Arrangers and Joint Bookrunners; and Bank of America, N.A., is the Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent. Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, Cooperatieve Rabobank U.A., New York Branch, and SunTrust Bank are Co-Syndication Agents; and, Regions Bank, U.S. Bank National Association, Branch Banking and Trust Company, and PNC Bank, National Association are Co-Documentation Agents. First Tennessee Bank, Synovus Bank, and Pinnacle Bank also participated in the facility.

07:37 EDT Quality Systems changes name to NextGen Healthcare - Quality Systems announced that the company has changed its corporate name to NextGen Healthcare effective September 10. On September 10, the company's securities listed on The NASDAQ Global Select Market will cease trading under the symbol "QSII" and will begin trading under the new symbol "NXGN." The name change was effectuated by a merger pursuant to Section 1110(d) of the California Corporations Code. The name change was effective as of September 6, 2018. The name change does not affect the rights of the company's security holders and the company's current leadership structure will remain in place. The company's transfer agent will contact the company's shareholders regarding the tender and exchange of share certificates reflecting the old company name. The company's new Committee on Uniform Securities Identification Procedures Number is 65343C 102.

07:22 EDT Fastenal reports August net sales up 13.7% to $467.89M - Fastenal reports net sales grew 13.7% in August compared to last year to $467.89M. Daily sales of $20.34M were up 13.7%.

07:05 EDT Hydro One appoints Chris Lopez as acting CFO - Hydro One Limited is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Lopez as acting CFO effective September 6, 2018. Paul Dobson will continue in his role as the company's acting president and CEO. Lopez was most recently the SVP of Finance at Hydro One with responsibility for accounting, treasury, business planning and tax.

07:02 EDT Ritchie Bros. sells over C$78M of equipment at September Edmonton auction - Ritchie Bros. started September with a C$78+M, $60+M, auction in Edmonton, AB this week, selling equipment for more than 1,000 consignors.The three-day auction attracted more than 9,000 bidders from 49 countries, including 6,850+ people that registered to bid online. Approximately 88% of the equipment was sold to Canadian buyers, including 56%sold to Alberta. International buyers from such countries as the United States, Singapore, and New Zealand purchased 12%. Online buyers purchased approximately 67% of the assets sold. In total, more than 7,650 items were sold in the Edmonton auction, including 200+ truck tractors, 130+ compactors, 100+ skid steer loaders, 80+ excavators, 70+ flatbed trucks, 50+ dump trucks, 40+ dozers, 40+ loaders, 40+ boom trucks, 25+ farm tractors, and more. All items were sold without minimum bids or reserve prices.

06:57 EDT Genesco reports Q2 SSS up 2%

06:07 EDT Thermo Fisher to acquire Becton Dickinson 's advanced bioprocessing business - Thermo Fisher (TMO) has signed a definitive agreement with Becton Dickinson (BDX) under which Thermo Fisher will acquire BD's advanced bioprocessing business. This business combines a technical services program with a variety of peptones that enhance cell culture media formulations to improve yield and reduce variability in biopharmaceutical applications. BD's advanced bioprocessing business has annualized revenue of approximately $100M and will be integrated into Thermo Fisher's life sciences solutions segment. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in early 2019.

05:17 EDT Daqo New Energy to discontinue wafer manufacturing operations - Daqo New Energy announced that it plans to discontinue its solar wafer manufacturing operations in September 2018 so that the company can focus on its core polysilicon manufacturing business. The company expects to incur approximately $21.6 million in fixed-asset impairment and restructuring charges during the third quarter of 2018, including approximately $1.6 million in employee severance payments and approximately $20 million in impairment of long-lived assets. Longgen Zhang, CEO of Daqo New Energy, commented, "We made a strategic decision to discontinue our solar wafer manufacturing operations to accommodate the increasingly challenging market conditions for multi-crystalline wafers. We expect to complete the shutdown of the solar wafer business in the third quarter of 2018. This move will allow us to focus all of our resources and expertise on our core polysilicon manufacturing business and Phase 3B expansion project which will begin pilot production in the fourth quarter of 2018."

05:11 EDT UMC reports August revenue up 1.4% to NT$13.18B vs. NT$13.05B last year

05:08 EDT Infosys, Temasek announce joint venture in Singapore - Infosys announced the formation of a joint venture with Temasek. The joint venture will integrate teams from Infosys and the operations of Temasek's wholly owned subsidiary in Singapore, Trusted Source Pte Ltd, which currently delivers IT services to Temasek and a number of other clients. As part of the transaction, Infosys will acquire a 60% stake in the joint venture and Temasek will hold 40%. The agreement was signed by the parties last night and is effective immediately. The joint venture will support Temasek's digital transformation journey, managing a complex Cloud migration program that will enable Temasek to host its applications on a cloud platform. Infosys and Temasek have named Shveta Arora, Vice President at Infosys, as CEO. The joint venture will be headquartered in Singapore, and more than 200 employees and contractors from Trusted Source will be part of it on establishment, in addition to Infosys staff who will join over time.