Stockwinners Market Radar for September 10, 2018 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:40 EDT MGM Resorts partners with Alliance of American Football on betting technology - MGM Resorts International and new professional football league, The Alliance of American Football, have entered into a transaction that includes an investment in The Alliance and a three-year sponsorship establishing MGM Resorts as the official sports betting sponsor of The Alliance and exclusive gaming partner. For MGM Resorts, the investment represents its forward-looking view on the combination of live sports, real-time second-generation stats, and fan engagement - either for fun or for those who may choose to wager. The Alliance's new technology is revolutionary and will create a state-of-the-art experience for fans. The Alliance, founded by Charlie Ebersol and Bill Polian, is building its media and technology platform as part of the launch of the new league in February 2019. For The Alliance, the partnership aligns the league with the best gaming operator in the country and gives the sports entity the ability to utilize MGM Resorts' vast experience and industry-leading operations with mobile gaming. When The Alliance takes the historic first snap in February 2019, fans will be able to stream Alliance matchups for free through its first-of-its-kind app, while accessing integrated gaming with real rewards, and now, in states where sports gambling is legal, the sports betting platform owned and operated by MGM GVC Interactive will provide fans with in-game wagering while also still providing traditional sports betting.

19:12 EDT Sony aims to use 100% renewable electricity for all business sites by 2040 - Sony announced that it has joined RE100, an initiative operated by the international non-government organization The Climate Group in partnership with CDP. In so doing, Sony will aim to use 100% renewable electricity for all of its business sites by 2040. In order to accelerate the use of renewable energy, Sony will promote the following initiatives moving forward: In addition to its European sites, which have already achieved 100% renewable electricity, expand the use of renewable energy in North America and China; Promote the installation of solar panels at manufacturing sites in Thailand, Japan, and elsewhere; Within Japan, which contains many of Sony's semiconductor manufacturing sites and has the largest energy consumption within the Sony Group, establish an intracompany electricity transfer plan generated at Sony sites. Consider supplying Sony sites through electrical grids owned by power companies with energy created by in-house generation facilities that use renewable energy such as solar panels; Within Japan, work together with other RE100 member companies to strengthen outreach to renewable energy market to ensure sufficient and stable supply of economic renewable energy; Sony has adopted a "Road to Zero" long-term environmental plan that plots a course to a zero environmental footprint for the company's operations and across the lifecycle of its products by 2050. Moving toward this vision for the future, Sony set about pursuing its new "Green Management 2020" environmental mid-term targets from fiscal 2016, which it aims to achieve by the end of fiscal 2020, and cites the use of renewable energy as one of its pillars. Sony has adopted the target of using renewable energy equivalent to reducing CO2 emissions by 300,000 tons by fiscal 2020 and is accelerating the implementation of renewable energy in a variety of ways, including use of Renewable Energy Certificates and installation of solar panels. The cumulative total of CO2 emissions reduced by using renewable energy since fiscal 2016 is approx.154,000 tons.

18:45 EDT Fly Intel: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Avid Bioservices (CDMO) up 17.0%... Casey's General Stores (CASY) up 4.7%... Adaxis (ADXS) up 2.5%. ALSO HIGHER: SIGA Technologies (SIGA) up 20.6% after being awarded TPOXX contract...Nutanix (NTNX) up 4.2% after disclosing Defense Department contract...Trevena (TRVN) up 3.5% after announcing FDA meeting to discuss oliceridine injection. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Limoneira (LMNR) down 15.9%... Sonos (SONO) down 12.9%... Matrix Service (MTRX) down 11.0%. ALSO LOWER: NN (NNBR) down 7.1% after equity offering... Endocyte (ECYT) down 4.7% after equity offering... Phillips 66 (PSX) down 2.2% after Berkshire disclosed lower stake... Insulet (PODD) down 1.0% after naming new CEO.

18:21 EDT House Ways and Means Committee introduces Tax Reform 2.0 - House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady spotlighted the introduction of three bills that "collectively build on the growing economic successes of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. These bills constitute Republicans' Tax Reform 2.0 package and will lock in the individual and small business tax cuts made law in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, make it easier for families and businesses to save for retirement, and boost American innovation by growing startup businesses." Upon the introduction of this legislation, Chairman Brady said: "The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act changed the trajectory of our economy for the better. Now it's time to change the culture in Washington where we only do tax reform once a generation. This legislation is our commitment to the American worker to ensure our tax code remains the most competitive in the world. We are providing certainty. The Protecting Family and Small Business Tax Cuts Act locks in the tax relief from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act - which included a nearly doubled standard deduction, a doubled Child Tax Credit, lower rates across the board, and a historic 20-percent pass-through deduction for Main Street businesses. This will create over 1.5 million new jobs, continue to raise wages, and boost long-run GDP. We are creating financial security. The Family Savings Act focuses on helping families save more and earlier for the future by making it easier for businesses to offer retirement savings plans while ensuring workers can easily participate in these plans. This will help give our families the financial stability they need for whatever life throws their way. We are helping entrepreneurs grow. The American Innovation Act will increase innovation by helping new entrepreneurs move from the kitchen table to Main Street and beyond. The country that wins the innovation race wins the future, and it's time for our tax code to help us get there. Last year we said goodbye to America's old, broken tax code. Under our new system, we're seeing incredible job growth, bigger paychecks, and a tax code that works on behalf of families and American businesses. Now it's the time to ensure we never let our tax code become so outdated again. We look forward to bringing these bills to the Committee soon." As part of the committee's Tax Reform 2.0 package, the following bills were also introduced: the Protecting Family and Small Business Tax Cuts Act of 2018, the Family Savings Act of 2018, and the American Innovation Act of 2018. Reference Link

18:02 EDT NXP Semiconductors initiates quarterly dividend of 25c per share - NXP Semiconductors announced that its board of directors has approved the initiation of a dividend program under which the company will pay a regular quarterly cash dividend. The initial interim dividend for the fourth quarter of 2018 will be 25c per ordinary share. The interim dividend will be paid on October 5 to shareholders of record as of September 25.

17:46 EDT Azul reports August traffic results - Azul S.A. announced its preliminary traffic results for August. Consolidated passenger traffic increased 21.5% compared to August 2017 on a capacity increase of 20.3%. As a result, load factor was 82.4%, 0.8 percentage points higher than August 2017. Domestic load factor was 81.2% and international was 85.7%. Year to date, the company has an on-time arrival rate of 86.8%, according to FlightStats.

17:41 EDT Triumph Group wins contract extensions from General Dynamics - Triumph Group (TGI) announced that it was awarded two contract extensions from General Dynamics (GD) Ordnance and Tactical Systems for the production of specially machined guided missile parts. The contracts, which are expected to generate sales totaling more than $11M, are for machining and forging of parts and components on the Lockheed Martin (LMT) HELLFIRE Romeo guided missile systems. The production will take place at the Triumph Aerospace Structures' specialty machining facility in Albany, Oregon. Triumph is a supplier capable of performing the machining and forging work needed to produce the main and precursor charge liners used on the HELLFIRE Romeo. The company originally secured the contract with General Dynamic Ordnance and Tactical Systems in 1994 and served as the sole supplier for the parts until 2017 when a second source provider was mandated. Since then Triumph has maintained more than 80% of the contract for the main liner and 100% on the precursor liner. Triumph is also working with General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems to produce missile liners for other military missile system programs.

17:37 EDT Advisors Asset Management reports 6.0% passive stake in Kayne Anderson Midstream

17:24 EDT S&P: KLX Inc. to be acquired by Boeing on a date to be determined, not 9/17 - On September 7, S&P stated that Boeing (BA) is acquiring KLX Inc. (KLXI) in a transaction expected to be completed on Monday, September 17 pending final conditions. KLX Inc. will be acquired by The Boeing Co. on a date to be determined, not September 17 as originally stated.

17:12 EDT L3 Technologies awarded $202.9M U.S. Navy contract modification - L-3 Communications Vertex Aerospace is awarded $202,936,338 for modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery requirements contract to exercise an option for organizational, intermediate, and depot level maintenance, logistics, and engineering support for Navy T-45 aircraft, aircraft systems, and related support equipment for flight and test and evaluation operations. Work is expected to be completed in September 2019.

17:04 EDT Maxar Technologies signs multi-million dollar contract with SANSA - MDA, a Maxar Technologies company, announced that it has signed a multi-million dollar contract with the South African National Space Agency, or SANSA, for a one-year maritime surveillance program that includes the delivery of synthetic aperture radar, or SAR, data products from the RADARSAT-2 satellite, using MDA's global network of ground receiving stations. The contract includes two additional option years. As part of the presidential program Operation Phakisa, SANSA has been tasked to acquire SAR imagery with the aim of enhancing the monitoring and protection of South Africa's coastal regions and oceans. Initiatives under this program are considered crucial in accelerating the delivery of South Africa's development priorities.

16:54 EDT Oakland Hills BV reports 5.58% passive stake in USA Technologies

16:35 EDT International Game, FanDuel deliver mobile sports betting platform in New Jersey - International Game announced that its PlayShot sports betting platform now powers online and mobile sports betting in New Jersey via FanDuel Group's consumer-facing wager website. FanDuel is leveraging PlayShot's built-in content management system to deliver a mobile and desktop user experience. The system integration enables FanDuel to create betting promotions and dynamic content for retail, mobile and online all from a single source. IGT integrated PlayShot into GAN's player account management system utilized by FanDuel to complete the solution, and deployed a responsive HTML site for desktop and mobile designed by FanDuel. PlayShot's end-to-end sports betting management tools and its modular HTML 5 framework enable operators to develop promotions, bet structures and offers that are unique to each channel, while delivering unique user experiences that meet individual operator requirements.

16:33 EDT CRISPR, Intellia say they believe in 'strength' of 'foundational IP' - CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP), Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. (NTLA) and Caribou Biosciences, Inc. announced that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the decision by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's Patent Trial and Appeal Board in an interference proceeding relating to CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology. The interference was requested by the Regents of the University of California, the University of Vienna and Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier, co-owners of foundational intellectual property relating to CRISPR/Cas9 genome engineering, against the Broad Institute, Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In its decision, the Federal Circuit indicated that because it would "not reweigh the evidence," due to the deferential nature of appellate review, the PTAB had sufficient basis to discontinue the interference "given the mixture of evidence in the record." The Federal Circuit, like the PTAB, did not decide whether UC or the Broad actually first invented the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology. The Federal Circuit opinion also does not preclude other proceedings, either at the USPTO or in the courts, to determine which research group is the actual inventor and, thus, the proper owner of the technology. The court expressly indicated that its decision was limited to "the scope of two sets of applied-for claims, and whether those claims are patentably distinct." The Federal Circuit also emphasized that its decision was "not a ruling on the validity of either set of claims." Consistent with the consensus of the scientific community, the companies believe firmly in the strength, breadth and scope of the foundational IP covering the technology developed by Drs. Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna and their research teams. The companies expect that the USPTO will continue to issue patents to UC covering the foundational CRISPR/Cas9 technology, including its use in any environment. The USPTO recently issued U.S. Patent No. 10,000,772 for the use of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing covering widely used guide formats in various environments, including eukaryotic cells. The companies expect this is the first of many patents that will issue based on the foundational work done by Drs. Charpentier and Doudna and their teams.

16:31 EDT AmerisourceBergen CFO Guttman to retire, Cleary, Jr. named next CFO - AmerisourceBergen Corporation announced that Tim G. Guttman, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, has decided to retire from the company. James F. Cleary, Jr., Executive Vice President and Group President, Global Commercialization Services and Animal Health, will succeed Guttman as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Guttman will step down as Chief Financial Officer on November 9, 2018 and continue in an advisory capacity further into fiscal year 2019 to ensure a smooth transition. All previously communicated aspects of the company's fiscal year 2018 financial guidance and assumptions remain the same. Cleary joined AmerisourceBergen in February 2015 following the Company's acquisition of MWI Veterinary Supply, where he served as chief executive officer for over a decade, leading MWI through its initial public offering, many years of growth and ultimate sale to AmerisourceBergen. Following the acquisition, Cleary served as Executive Vice President & President, AmerisourceBergen Animal Health for over two years until taking on responsibility for AmerisourceBergen's pharmaceutical commercialization solutions for manufacturers and animal health as Executive Vice President & Group President, Global Commercialization Services & Animal Health in June 2017.

16:21 EDT Cross Country Healthcare CEO William Grubbs to retire in March 2019, or earlier - Cross Country Healthcare announced that William Grubbs intends to retire as President, CEO and a member of the Board of Directors of the company when his contract expires at the end of March 2019 or, if earlier, the date the Board of Directors appoints a new CEO. To ensure an orderly transition, Grubbs will remain in his current roles until such time and will assist the Board in its search for his successor. Cross Country's Board of Directors has retained Heidrick & Struggles, a nationally recognized executive search firm, to lead the search and will consider both internal and external candidates. The process is expected to take about six months.

16:20 EDT Sky Solar intends to defend against lawsuit - Sky Solar announced that Solar Partnership Capital, in July, filed a lawsuit against the company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Sky Solar Japan, or SSJ. On August 28, 2015, Sky Solar Japan entered into a silent partnership agreement with Solar Partnership Capital to build and operate approximately 107 MW of solar projects in Japan. The lawsuit alleges that there are significant differences in the understandings of the silent partnership between SSJ and Solar Partnership Capital, and purports to seek certain damages. The company strongly believes that the lawsuit is without merit and intends to vigorously defend against it. Meanwhile, the company has been working cooperatively with the TK Partner in an attempt to reach a potential resolution. All TK operating power-generation facilities are in operation and SSJ continues to manage the TK assets.

16:17 EDT Zendesk acquires FutureSimple, terms not stated - Zendesk announced it has acquired FutureSimple Inc., the company behind Base. Base is known for building modern, easy-to-use sales force automation software designed to help salespeople do their jobs more effectively. Zendesk will invest in Base's ongoing market growth and product development, focusing on existing customers and delivering products for smaller, fast-growing sales teams, expanding to larger organizations over time. Base and Zendesk last year launched an integration between their products, bringing together support and sales information about customers. Among the companies using it is home loan education platform Mortgage Coach. Its director of IT and QA support services called the integration seamless and said it ultimately saved the team countless hours of data duplication. While legacy sales force automation tools are designed around rigid management processes that discourage salespeople from using them, Base gives sales teams the information and context they need to be effective and successful with prospects and customers. The result is a tool that helps salespeople work and sell more easily. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. For the year ending December 31, 2018, the acquisition is not estimated to have a significant impact on Zendesk's revenue and is expected to be dilutive to GAAP and Non-GAAP operating margin and earnings per share. These estimates reflect a reduction relating to fair value adjustments to acquired deferred revenue. Zendesk will provide further detail on the actual and expected impact of the acquisition on its results of operations for the year ending December 31, 2018 when it releases financial results for the quarter ending September 30, 2018.

16:16 EDT United Airlines reports August traffic up 7.8% - United Airlines reported August 2018 operational results. UAL's August 2018 consolidated traffic, in revenue passenger miles, increased 7.8% and consolidated capacity, in available seat miles, increased 5.4% versus August 2017. UAL's August 2018 consolidated load factor increased 2.0 points compared to August 2017.

16:15 EDT Safe Bulkers agrees with Cosco to install Alfa Laval PureSOx scrubbers - Safe Bulkers announced that it has agreed with Cosco Shipping, a detailed schedule within 2019 for the installation of Alfa Laval PureSOx scrubbers in about half of the company's fleet mainly in medium size vessels, Kamsarmax to Post-Panamax class. More specifically the company will install scrubbers in five Kamsarmax class vessels, in thirteen Post-Panamax class vessels and in the recently acquired cape-size class vessel while it maintains an option for an additional scrubber. All preparatory engineering works are in progress targeting to initiate the first installation in Q2 of 2019 and the last installation in Q4 of 2019, opting for having about half of company's fleet operated with heavy fuel oil and the other half, consisting mainly of smaller more fuel efficient vessels, with compliant low sulfur fuels. Minimization of down time is expected to be achieved through prefabrication of piping and foundation, selection of shipyard with track record in the specific system, installation in group of sister vessels which will permit shorter times after the lead vessel and installation for ten vessels, during their scheduled dry-docking in 2019 which is part of their special survey. Contractually, the expected down time for scrubber installation is 32 days for the first vessel and 30 days for the remaining vessels, while the down time during a scheduled dry docking as part of special survey is about 15 to 20 days. During the same period ERMA First Ballast Water Treatment System will also be installed, achieving full compliance with IMO regulation Marpol Annex VI, as well as with Ballast Water Management Convention and EPA regulation for Ballast Water Treatment Systems. The scrubber and the related expenditure for prefabrication and installation is expected to be in aggregate of about $2M per medium size vessel. This investment will be financed from cash on hand and additional debt.

16:12 EDT Casey's General Stores reports Fuel segment SSS up 0.5% - For the quarter, Fuel same-store gallons sold were up 0.5% with an average margin of 20.5 cents per gallon. Grocery/Other Merchandise same-store sales were up 3.2% with an average margin of 32.4%. Same-store sales for the quarter were up 1.7% with an average margin of 62.0%. Prepared Foods and Fountain Same-store sales were up 1.7% with an average margin of 62.0%.

16:04 EDT Trevena announces FDA meeting to discuss oliceridine injection - Trevena announced that the FDA has scheduled a meeting of the Anesthetic and Analgesic Drug Products Advisory Committee on October 11 to discuss the safety and efficacy of oliceridine injection for the management of moderate to severe acute pain. The company's new drug application, or NDA, submission for oliceridine was accepted for review by the FDA on January 2. The Prescription Drug User Fee Act target date for completion of review by FDA of November 2 remains unchanged. Members of the Anesthetic and Analgesic Drug Products Advisory Committee will review and evaluate available data regarding safety and effectiveness and make appropriate recommendations. All final decisions will be made by the FDA.

16:03 EDT Hawaiian Airlines reports August traffic up 7.6%, capacity up 9.9% - Hawaiian Airlines announced its system-wide traffic statistics for the month ended August 31, 2018. Hawaiian welcomed more than 1M guests in August 2018, a decrease of 0.2% over the same period last year. Total traffic increased 7.6% on an increase of 9.9% in capacity. Load factor decreased 1.8 points to 84.4%.

16:02 EDT Altaba to sell all shareholdings of Yahoo Japan at Y354 per share - Altaba (AABA) announced the determination to sell all of the shares of Yahoo Japan (YAHOY) common stock that it currently holds to certain managers in connection with an offering of the shares at a price of Y354 per share. Altaba currently holds 1,363,531,700 shares of Yahoo Japan common stock and, after completion of the offering, will not hold any shares of Yahoo Japan. The shares are expected to be delivered on September 14. Altaba said it intends to use the proceeds from the sale of the Yahoo Japan shares to repurchase shares of its common stock and for other general corporate purposes.

15:34 EDT Altice launches Altice Gigabit fiber symmetrical internet service - Altice USA announces the launch of its Altice Gigabit fiber symmetrical internet service over its new fiber-to-the-home,FTTH, network, now available to residential customers in select areas of Long Island.The Altice Gigabit fiber service is the most advanced residential fiber offering in the nation, delivered across Altice USA's new FTTH network that was built and designed with Altice Labs' latest optical fiber technology, and bringing services into the home via the company's new sleek and compact fiber Gateway, the first all-in-one integrated giga-optics router and smart WiFi device offered by an MSO in the United States. "Altice USA is focused on offering the best network and connectivity experience, and the activation of our full-fiber network with smart WiFi, the most advanced of its kind in the nation, demonstrates our commitment to creating converged customer experiences," said Hakim Boubazine, Altice USA Co-President and Chief Operating Officer. "Delivering our symmetrical Altice Gigabit fiber service is just the start as we continue to scale our fiber network to bring our customers up to 10 gigabit internet speeds to support the explosive growth of data usage while laying the groundwork for the future of the connected universe."

15:24 EDT Procter & Gamble officer Kathleen Fish sells over 10K shares of company stock - Procter & Gamble officer Kathleen Fish disclosed in a filing that she had sold 10,342 shares of Procter & Gamble stock at an average price of $83.20 per share on August 31. The total transaction value of the sale was $860,407.

14:18 EDT Editas 'pleased' U.S. appeals court affirmed favorable USPTO decision - Editas Medicine announced that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit affirmed the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office decision that ended the U.S. patent interference between the University of California, the University of Vienna, and Emmanuelle Charpentier and the Broad Institute, Inc. concerning certain CRISPR/Cas9 patents Editas Medicine exclusively licenses from Broad. This favorable action by the CAFC upholds the USPTO decision issued in February 2017, granting Broad's motion for no interference-in-fact. "We are pleased with the Federal Circuit's decision affirming the Patent Trial and Appeal Board decision on the patents that were granted to the Broad Institute for its innovative and fundamental work on CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing," said Katrine Bosley, President and Chief Executive Officer, Editas Medicine. "This decision is highly favorable for Editas and for the Broad as it reaffirms the strength of our intellectual property foundation and has profound implications for making CRISPR medicines."

14:05 EDT Lincoln National teams with Market Synergy to bring Lincoln Retirement Safeguard - Lincoln Financial Group announced a new partnership with Market Synergy Group - a company that specializes in annuity product design - to launch the Lincoln Retirement SafeguardSM fixed indexed annuity. Lincoln Retirement SafeguardSM is a proprietary solution designed to help consumers protect what they've accumulated and grow their income to help satisfy their financial needs in retirement. "We continue to expand distribution among independent marketing organizations," said Tad Fifer, head of Fixed Annuity Sales and RIA Sales & Strategy at Lincoln Financial Distributors. "This new partnership with Market Synergy Group allows us to leverage their expertise in product design to offer customers a solution with accumulation potential and income protection through a leader in this distribution channel."

14:02 EDT Impinj announces Monza R6-B chip for global RAIN RFID baggage tracking - Impinj announced the Impinj Monza R6-B tag chip for tracking checked baggage in the global air-transport industry. Monza R6-B specifically addresses the recent International Air Transport Association Board of Governors initiative for member airlines to use RAIN RFID-enabled bag tags by 2020. The Impinj Monza R6-B is the first tag chip specifically engineered for airline baggage tracking. Its design builds upon Impinj's product leadership in tag chips, reader chips, and fixed readers in the largest RAIN RFID airport luggage tracking deployments to date. The Monza R6-B enables airlines and airports to meet key baggage tracking requirements including IATA Resolution 753 and specific guidelines for RAIN RFID implementation in Recommended Practice 1740c. "We have long been involved in baggage-tracking deployments with our integration partners, and are now seeing fast, worldwide adoption of RAIN RFID chips, readers, and software thanks to IATA's leadership," said Chris Diorio, Impinj founder and CEO. "There are more than 280 IATA member airlines transitioning to RAIN for bag tracking. This rollout is one of the largest and fastest industry adoptions in the history of RFID."

13:46 EDT New Jersey Resources appoints Stephen Westhoven president, COO - New Jersey Resources announced the appointment of Stephen Westhoven as president and COO of NJR, effective October 1, 2018. Westhoven will continue to report to chairman and CEO Laurence Downes and will become a member of NJR's board of directors. In his role as president and COO, Westhoven will oversee finance and technology in addition to his current responsibilities leading NJR's regulated and unregulated businesses, including New Jersey Natural Gas, NJR Energy Services and NJR Clean Energy Ventures. Downes will continue to serve as the company's chairman and CEO. Westhoven was promoted to EVP and COO of NJR on November 14, 2017.

13:31 EDT Xerox names Joanne Collins Smee Chief Commercial Officer - Xerox announced the appointment of Joanne Collins Smee as chief commercial officer and a member of the company's Executive Committee, effective immediately. Collins Smee joins Xerox from the U.S. Federal Government where she was leading Technology Transformation Services, overseeing technology and process design teams focused on transforming the way federal government agencies build, buy and use technology. Prior to that Joanne worked at IBM in a variety of global executive roles, including client sales, support and delivery of technical product and services.

13:13 EDT Security National Financial announces repurchase plan for up to 300,000 shares - Security National Financial announced that its board of directors has adopted a stock repurchase program. Under the repurchase program, the company may repurchase up to 300,000 shares of its Class A common stock. Stock repurchases will be made at management's discretion, subject to general market conditions, the trading price of the Class A common stock, and alternative uses for capital.

12:46 EDT Ball Aerospace gets exclusive license to make GmAPD LIDAR cameras - Ball Aerospace has signed an exclusive license agreement to be the sole manufacturer of the Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode, GmAPD, light detection and ranging, LIDAR, cameras for the defense and aerospace industries. The license was provided by Argo AI which acquired the former manufacturer of the technology, Princeton Lightwave, PLI, in October 2017. This technology is a critical component to non-conventional imaging and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems, which are used in U.S. Department of Defense, space and other government missions. "For more than 40 years, Ball Aerospace has been providing advanced imaging capabilities to government and commercial customers and securing the rights to this camera technology greatly complements our current portfolio," said Rob Freedman, vice president and general manager, Tactical Solutions, Ball Aerospace. "Geiger-mode LIDAR cameras provide unique sensing capabilities and high-resolution imaging, which enable and protect our warfighters to keep our nation safe."

12:20 EDT Gabelli recommends buying shares of CBS at these levels - Mario Gabelli is speaking on CNBC.

12:15 EDT Namaste Technologies jumps 12% after announcing pre-launch of CannMart.com - Earlier today, Namaste Technologies announces that the company has pre-launched its revolutionary medical cannabis online marketplace through its wholly-owned subsidiary, CannMart. CannMart is poised to be Canada's first medical cannabis "sales-only" license under Health Canada's Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes program. The company has pre-launched CannMart's website, CannMart.com, which will allow the company to commence sales immediately after receiving its license. Receipt of its sales license, coupled with the official launch of CannMart.com, will represent the most significant achievement in the company's history and will be the catalyst for Namaste introducing legal cannabis sales into its global e-commerce platform. Namaste is pleased to report that it received communication from Health Canada on September 6th, , and the Company would like to reaffirm that the application is progressing. CannMart's license, which is the first of its kind in Canada, will enable Namaste to procure and sell medical cannabis from both domestic and international Health Canada approved cultivators, which will be offered in an AI-driven e-commerce marketplace designed to provide a unique and personalized experience for each patient. Namaste has secured supply and holds inventory of a carefully curated selection of high-quality medical cannabis flower and oil. Namaste has successfully launched and operates the largest global e-commerce marketplace which retails cannabis ancillary devices on 30 websites in 20 countries. The Company maintains a database of over 1.5 million customers and has developed and acquired leading e-commerce technology platforms including Findify.io , a leading e-commerce AI company, and NamasteMD, Canada's first fully integrated patient consultation portal available in the Apple and Google Play stores and online. Namaste's technology team have incorporated cutting-edge e-commerce AI which will offer a personalized user experience for every patient ordering through CannMart.com. The Company anticipates that the launch of CannMart's website and receipt of its sales license will solidify Namaste's position as the leader in cannabis e-commerce. Shares of Namaste Technologies are up 12.14% to $2.31 per share in early afternoon trading.

12:09 EDT FRONTEO Inc (ADS) trading resumes

12:04 EDT FRONTEO Inc (ADS) trading halted, volatility trading pause

12:02 EDT Genuine Parts: S.P. Richards prospects 'remain strong' after Essendant rebuff - Genuine Parts Company (GPC) announced that it has received notice from Essendant (ESND) of its intent to terminate the merger agreement to combine GPC's S.P. Richards business with Essendant, entered into on April 12, 2018. The notice stated that Essendant's board of directors has determined that the competing acquisition proposal from Staples, Inc. is a "Superior Proposal" as defined in the Merger Agreement. Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, this notice commenced a three-day match period, during which GPC intends to evaluate its rights under the existing Merger Agreement. GPC continues to believe the Merger Agreement represents a superior proposal and will not make any counterproposals. Therefore, GPC anticipates that the Merger Agreement will terminate at the end of the three day match period. Upon termination of the Merger Agreement, Essendant will be required to pay a termination fee to GPC in the amount of $12M. GPC issued the following statement: "The Merger Agreement announced on April 12 was the result of a rigorous due diligence and negotiation process that we believe accurately determined fair value for the transaction combining S.P. Richards and Essendant. We believe that the prospects for S.P. Richards remain strong and that there is significant opportunity for S.P. Richards to grow and deepen its relationships with both independent dealers and other customer channels. As such, we are confident in our ability to drive growth and profitability for S.P. Richards and to support value creation for GPC shareholders."

12:00 EDT PPDAI Group falls -10.4% - PPDAI Group is down -10.4%, or -65c to $5.58.

12:00 EDT American Realty Investors rises 6.8% - American Realty Investors is up 6.8%, or 99c to $15.50.

12:00 EDT Nine Energy Services rises 8.3% - Nine Energy Services is up 8.3%, or $2.26 to $29.60.

11:40 EDT PrimeCap Management reports 5.02% passive stake in E-Trade

11:37 EDT New Mountain Finance CEO Robert Hamwee buys 15K shares of company stock - New Mountain Finance CEO Robert Hamwee disclosed in a filing that he had purchased 15,000 shares of New Mountain Finance at an average price of $13.70 per share on September 6. The total transaction value of the purchase was $205,563.

11:30 EDT Alibaba slides as chairman Jack Ma announces retirement plan - Shares of Alibaba (BABA) are under pressure this morning after chairman Jack Ma announced he will step down in September 2019, with CEO Daniel Zhang taking over as chairman of the board. Commenting on the news, Jefferies analyst Karen Chan told investors that the 12-month timeframe of Ma's succession plan should enable a smooth transition with lower "key man risk." While acknowledging that shares will move lower, her peer at JPMorgan argued that Alibaba's operations should not be impacted by Ma stepping down. CHAIRMAN MA STEPPING DOWN: Alibaba announced that on September 10, 2019, CEO Daniel Zhang will succeed Jack Ma as chairman of the board of Alibaba. Ma will continue as executive chairman of the company over the next 12 months "to ensure a smooth transition of the chairmanship" to Zhang. Ma will complete his current term as a member of Alibaba's board of directors until its annual general meeting of shareholders in 2020. In a letter, Ma said in part, "I have put a lot of thought and preparation into this succession plan for ten years. I am delighted to announce the plan today thanks to the support of the Alibaba Partnership and our board of directors. I also want to offer special thanks to all Alibaba colleagues and your families, because your trust, support and our joint enterprise over the past 19 years have prepared us for this day with confidence and strength. This transition demonstrates that Alibaba has stepped up to the next level of corporate governance from a company that relies on individuals, to one built on systems of organizational excellence and a culture of talent development...As for myself, I still have lots of dreams to pursue. Those who know me know that I do not like to sit idle. I plan on continuing my role as the founding partner in the Alibaba Partnership and contribute to the work of the partnership. I also want to return to education, which excites me with so much blessing because this is what I love to do." 'SMOOTH TRANSITION': Commenting on Ma's succession plan, Jefferies' Chan told investors that she believes the 12-month timeframe and his retention of a permanent role in the Alibaba partnership should enable a smooth transition with lower "key man risk" following next year's transition. Additionally, the analyst noted that Alibaba authorized a two-year $6B share repurchase program on May 18, 2017 and has not made any repurchase as of September 7, 2018. Based on the last closing price of $162.37, the company may repurchase up to 37M shares until May 18, 2019, she contended. Chan reiterated a Buy rating and a $225 price target on the shares. Voicing a similar opinion, JPMorgan analyst Alex Yao told investors in a research note of his own that he believes Jack Ma's stepping down from the chairman role should not have a significant impact on the company's daily operations and long-term strategic planning. Nonetheless, he acknowledged that shares of Alibaba will move lower on the announcement, but added that the near-term share price movement is highly dependent on the company's fiscal 2019 core commerce and consolidated profit growth outlook during its upcoming investor day. PRICE ACTION: In late morning trading, shares of Alibaba have dropped 3.5% to $156.68.

10:41 EDT Analysts see value in Wynn Resorts following recent sector pullback - JPMorgan analyst Joseph Greff argued that there is a disconnect between Wynn Resorts' (WYNN) current operating fundamentals and investor sentiment, viewing the recent sector pullback as a buying opportunity. Sharing a similar opinion, his peer at Deutsche Bank added that he would be a buyer of the stock given current valuation and as conditions in Macau remain stable in both the VIP and mass segments. 'CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF VALUE': After hosting investor meetings with CFO Craig Billings, JPMorgan's Greff told investors that he believes there is a disconnect between Wynn Resorts' current operating fundamentals and investor sentiment. With the stock down from $200 in late May, the analyst sees considerable among of Macau/China trade tension and emerging market risks baked in the current valuation multiple. As such, he sees a "considerable amount of value" at current share levels. Much of what the company is currently saying about Macau is similar to what it said on the second quarter earnings conference call in August, he pointed out, adding that he did not pick up on any incremental concerns on junket liquidity or negative trend change in player/junket collections, issues that have caused weakness in the Macau sector in the last week alone. Further, Greff highlighted that Wynn continues to be optimistic on premium mass and overall mass trends and its ability to grow market share here. The analyst reiterated an Overweight rating and $191 price target on the stock, and said he views the recent sector pullback as a buying opportunity. Meanwhile, Deutsche Bank analyst Carlo Santarelli told investors that he believes conditions in Macau remain stable in both the VIP and mass segments. While he recognized the overhangs of the China macro backdrop and the trade war, he can point to many instances of similar climates that served as "superb buying opportunities." Santarelli attributed the recent pullback in shares of Wynn Resorts to at least one larger seller, cautious junket commentary, muted reactions to positive catalysts, and concerns around Las Vegas (LVS) fundamentals in the third quarter. But with valuation levels akin to the fall of 2015, he would be a buyer of the stock. Santarelli reiterated a Buy rating and a $190 price target on the stock. GROUP RISK/REWARD LOOKS ATTRACTIVE: Nomura Instinet analyst Harry Curtis noted that since early June, the Macau gaming stock prices have fallen 20%-30%, with much of the decline over the last five trading days. The group is down to multiples last seen in 2015 when VIP revenues compressed 40%, he noted, adding that he believes the group's risk/reward profiles are as attractive as it was three years ago. Positive comments about gross gaming revenue trends made on the second quarter earnings calls "HAVE NOT deteriorated," wrote Curtis. The analyst believes Macau gaming stocks should be bought at these levels, especially Melco Resorts & Entertainment (MLCO), MGM Resorts (MGM) and Wynn Resorts. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of Wynn Resorts have gained about 2.5% to $131.63.

10:32 EDT Gene-editing patent challenge rejected by Federal Circuit appeals court - The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has ruled that Harvard-affiliated Broad Institute can keep its patents on gene-editing technology CRISPR. The court rejected the argument that the work was already covered by patents owned by the University of California at Berkeley. Companies developing CRISPR-based therapies include Editas Medicine (EDIT), Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA), and Crispr Therapeutics (CRSP).

10:12 EDT 21st Century Fox says NFL week 1 metered market ratings up from last year - The official Twitter account of FOX Sports PR stated: "From start to finish, FOX NFL Week 1 metered market ratings are up vs. 2017." Reference Link

10:03 EDT Pratt & Whitney awarded $437M contract modification for adaptive engines - Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies, has been awarded a $437M contract modification by the U.S. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center for next generation adaptive propulsion risk reduction for potential air superiority applications. Along with a demand-modulated engine architecture, Pratt & Whitney is also maturing an adaptive technology suite that includes control systems as well as power and thermal management systems to enable enhanced range, persistence, survivability, and maintainability capabilities for advanced weapon systems.

10:00 EDT SAIC falls -7.0% - SAIC is down -7.0%, or -$6.31 to $83.55.

10:00 EDT FTS International rises 5.2% - FTS International is up 5.2%, or 49c to $9.99.

10:00 EDT Generac rises 5.5% - Generac is up 5.5%, or $3.04 to $58.76.

09:34 EDT FTI Consulting sells Ringtail e-discovery software to Nuix for $55M - FTI Consulting announced the sale of its Ringtail e-discovery software to Nuix, a security, risk and compliance software company. The purchase price for the sale of the Ringtail software, related assets and transition support services is $55M. As the largest Ringtail customer, FTI Consulting has entered into a three-year preferred partner licensing agreement with Nuix for the Nuix Ringtail Review platform.

09:33 EDT Air Products to expand supply for Samsung Electronics' semiconductor fab - Air Products (APD) announced it has been awarded by Samsung Electronics (SSNLF) additional gaseous nitrogen and hydrogen supply to its semiconductor fab in Giheung, South Korea. Air Products, who has been supplying industrial gases to Samsung Electronics' Giheung site since 1998, will invest in building a new air separation unit, multiple hydrogen plants, and pipelines, which are scheduled to be operational in 2020 to supply the customer's increased demand.

09:27 EDT Cerner CCO Zane Burke to step down, John Peterzalek to succeed - Cerner announced that Zane Burke will step down as president of the company and Chief Client Officer, or CCO, November 2. Since joining Cerner in 1996, Burke had a range of executive positions across sales, implementation, support and finance. He was named president in 2013 after leading Cerner's client organization. Effective immediately, John Peterzalek, executive VP of worldwide client relationships, will assume Burke's responsibilities and the title of CCO .

09:22 EDT NetEase announces copyright licensing partnership with NBCUniversal Japan - NetEase Cloud Music, the Chinese online music platform owned by Chinese internet company NetEase (NTES), announced a copyright licensing partnership with NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan, the entertainment unit of Hollywood film maker Universal Pictures (CMCSA). NetEase Cloud Music will be granted the license to the Tokyo-based firm's Japanese music catalog. In China, the NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan library will be available on NetEase Cloud Music starting from September 10. NetEase Cloud Music and NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan will join forces to promote Japanese music in China and expand the range of musical genres available to Chinese audiences, with a focus on anime, NetEase stated.

09:19 EDT PHI, Inc. shareholder group calls on company to sell Air Medical Division - A group of PHI, Inc. shareholders consisting of Alesia Asset Management and private investor Timothy Stabosz, who, combined, control 4.6% of the company's non-voting stock, announced the filing of a 13D amendment with the SEC and delivery of a follow up letter, dated September 6, to the PHI board. In the letter, the group said it "praises PHI management for its principled refusal to agree to the outrageous demands of a lending group, offering to refinance PHI's debt at a proposed 11-12% interest rate. In lieu of submitting to such a usurious rate, Alesia and Stabosz requested that the board instead sell the company's Air Medical Division to de-lever the company, dramatically reduce financial risk, and importantly, unlock sizable value for the company's equity holders," the group announced in a press release related to its filing.

09:13 EDT Bombardier announces $106M order from Biman Bangladesh Airlines - Bombardier announced that Biman Bangladesh Airlines has ordered three new Q400 turboprops by signing a purchase agreement with the Canadian Commercial Corporation, or CCC. Based on the list price of the Q400 aircraft, the firm order is valued at approximately $106M.

09:11 EDT BankFinancial expands share repurchase program by 250,000 shares - BankFinancial announced that its board has increased the number of shares that can be repurchased in accordance with the authorization by 250,000 shares. The company is increasing the amount of shares authorized for repurchase as part of its continued efforts to further improve total shareholder return. Pursuant to this increased share repurchase authorization, there are 330,247 shares of common stock authorized for repurchase through April 30, 2019. The authorization permits shares to be repurchased in open market or negotiated transactions, and pursuant to any trading plan that may be adopted in accordance with rule 10b5-1 of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The authorization will be utilized at management's discretion, subject to price, volume and other internal limitations that will be established by the company's board and to the limitations set forth in rule 10b-18 of the Securities and Exchange Commission and other applicable legal requirements. Share repurchases will be funded from available working capital.

09:08 EDT Acadia publishes additional data from Phase 2 study of pimavanserin - ACADIA Pharmaceuticals announced publication of additional data from a Phase 2 single center, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to examine the safety and efficacy of pimavanserin for the treatment of psychosis in Alzheimer's Disease Psychosis in The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease. These results further demonstrate that pimavanserin may have the potential to treat dementia-related psychosis, a condition which can be present in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, dementia with Lewy Bodies, dementia associated with Parkinson's disease, vascular dementia and frontotemporal dementia-spectrum disorders. The publication focused on the pre-specified analysis in the subgroup of patients who had more pronounced psychotic symptoms at baseline. In this subgroup of patients with more severe delusions and hallucinations, at the primary efficacy endpoint, pimavanserin demonstrated significant improvement relative to placebo with a similar and acceptable tolerability profile. These results were also presented recently at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in Chicago in July 2018. The primary results from the study were previously reported at the Clinical Trials in Alzheimer's Disease conference in Boston in October 2017 and published in the Lancet Neurology in March 2018. A separate review published in JPAD also supports the potential use of pimavanserin in other forms of neurodegenerative diseases, including dementia-related psychosis. A research group led by Jeffrey Cummings, MD, ScD, of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Las Vegas, NV, looked at the clinical evidence that has been gathered to date that supports the potential efficacy of pimavanserin in dementia-related psychosis. ACADIA is currently conducting the Phase 3 HARMONY study in dementia-related psychosis. This is a randomized withdrawal study designed to evaluate the efficacy of pimavanserin in preventing relapse of psychotic symptoms in patients with dementia-related psychosis. Patients whose dementia-related hallucinations and delusions respond to 12 weeks of open-label treatment with pimavanserin are randomized, in a double-blinded manner to continue pimavanserin therapy or to placebo. The primary endpoint of this study is the average time to relapse between pimavanserin and placebo. Studies suggest that 30% of patients with dementia have psychosis, commonly consisting of hallucinations and delusions. Serious consequences have been associated with severe or persistent psychosis in patients with dementia. These consequences can impact both patients and their families. Medications that are currently used off-label to treat dementia related psychosis have been shown to impair cognition in this already impaired population.

09:05 EDT ZK International Group CEO converts $9.3M in debt into restricted equity - ZK International Group is pleased to announce that Jiancong Huang, CEO and Chairman of the Board, has agreed to reduce the debt of the company by converting related party debt personally owed to him in exchange for 3,280,525 ordinary restricted shares under Rule 144 to settle RMB64,079,472 or approximately $9,295,368 on August 15, 2018. The transaction was reviewed and approved by company's Compensation Committee, the Board of Directors and Nasdaq.

09:02 EDT Hasbro, Epic Games partner to launch Fortnite toys, games - Hasbro announced a partnership with Epic Games to introduce a range of Fortnite inspired play experiences, including a line of officially licensed NERF Fortnite blasters, and a MONOPOLY: Fortnite Edition Game, in a deal brokered by IMG. The NERF Fortnite blasters will immerse fans into the player-versus-player action of the game, letting them play out the Battle Royale in real world settings with blasters and accessories that emulate the amazing onscreen battles Fortnite is known for, and MONOPOLY Fortnite will bring a battle building twist to the iconic Fast Dealing Property Trading game. The MONOPOLY: Fortnite Edition game will debut at most major retailers in the U.S. and the U.K. this Fall, with additional markets to follow in 2019. The battle continues to build with a line up of additional licensed games, role play and NERF Fortnite blasters and accessories debuting in 2019.

08:47 EDT Fuel Tech awarded air pollution control orders totaling $15.8M - Fuel Tech announced the receipt of multiple air pollution control contracts from customers in the US and China. These awards have an aggregate value of approximately $15.8M. Foremost among these new awards is a follow-on order at a domestic data center that once again involves utilizing Fuel Tech's Selective Catalytic Reduction and urea reagent technologies to reduce nitrogen oxide emissions where natural gas is used for power generation. The domestic data center project includes multiple SCR systems where natural gas is used for power generation. The scope includes Fuel Tech's SCR and UDI Urea Direct Injection technologies, along with ancillary systems to reduce NOx emissions from backup power sources. Fuel Tech's UDI process, similar to our ULTRA technology, provides the safe use of urea reagent where SCR is used to reduce NOx, eliminating the hazards associated with the transport, storage and handling of anhydrous or aqueous ammonia. Equipment deliveries are expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2019. In addition to the data center order, two orders were received for ULTRA systems that will be installed on industrial and utility units in China being retrofitted with SCR technology. Delivery of these systems is scheduled for the third quarter of 2018. An additional contract was received for an ULTRA system in the US for a gas fired unit that supplies combined heat and power at a college campus. Delivery for this system will be completed by the first quarter of 2019.

08:40 EDT Applebee's announces largest, national delivery partnership with DoorDash - Applebee's is kicking off the football season by announcing its largest, national delivery partnership with DoorDash. To celebrate, Applebee's fans nationwide can receive free delivery via DoorDash every Monday, all day, throughout the football season from September 10 to December 24 where DoorDash is available. Football fans can get their favorite Applebee's meals delivered right to their door with $0 delivery fees on all orders over $25 for the first three games, and on all orders over $30 for the remaining 13 games this season.

08:38 EDT Fluidigm announces co-marketing agreement with Visiopharm - Fluidigm Corporation and Visiopharm A/S announced a co-marketing relationship to automate image analysis for Imaging Mass Cytometry. Under the terms of this agreement, Fluidigm and Visiopharm will cooperatively promote Visiopharm image analysis software in conjunction with the Fluidigm Hyperion Imaging System, MCD Viewer software and related Maxpar antibodies and kits. Chris Linthwaite, President and CEO of Fluidigm, said, "Today we are excited to announce our agreement with Visiopharm, a leader in quantitative digital pathology software solutions. Together with Visiopharm, we are proud to bring new software capabilities to our growing IMC community."

08:37 EDT PHI Inc announces additional extension of expiration time for tender offer - PHI announced that it is further extending the expiration time of its previously-announced cash tender offer to purchase any and all of the $500M aggregate principal amount of its outstanding 5.25% Senior Notes due 2019 and its related consent solicitation to adopt certain proposed amendments to the indenture under which the 2019 Notes were issued. The expiration time applicable to the Tender Offer and Solicitation, previously scheduled for 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 7, 2018, has been extended to 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 21, 2018, unless further extended or earlier terminated. The previously-announced withdrawal deadline of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on June 29, 2018 for holders to validly withdraw tenders of 2019 Notes and revoke related consents remains intact and continues to preclude any withdrawals after such time. PHI's obligation to accept for purchase, and to pay for, the 2019 Notes tendered pursuant to the Tender Offer is conditioned upon, among other things, the completion of one or more debt financing transactions on terms satisfactory to it, and having funds available therefrom that will allow it to purchase the 2019 Notes pursuant to the Tender Offer. PHI continues to explore several alternatives to raise the requisite amount of funds to complete the Tender Offer. For a variety of reasons, however, PHI cannot provide any assurances that these efforts will be successful in the near term or at all. According to information received from D.F. King & Co., Inc., PHI's information and tender agent, as of 5:00 p.m., New York City time, on September 7, 2018, PHI had received tenders and consents from holders of 90.53% of the aggregate principal amount of its 2019 Notes.

08:33 EDT Eros Now signs licensing deal with China's iQiyi - Eros International (EROS) announced that Eros Now, its digital over-the-top South Asian entertainment platform, has partnered with Chinese online video-streaming service iQiyi for a content licensing deal. iQiyi is one of the largest online video sites in the world, with nearly 6 billion hours spent on its service each month and over 500 million active monthly users. Eros Now has tied up with the Baidu (BIDU)-owned Chinese streaming giant for a content agreement to license its vast catalogue of Bollywood blockbusters that will be showcased on iQiyi. With this partnership, Eros Now becomes the first South Asian OTT player to make inroads into the Chinese digital space.

08:32 EDT Accenture renews agreement with The New York Fashion Tech Lab - Accenture has, for the second consecutive year, been named the exclusive management and technology consulting partner for the New York Fashion Tech Lab program. Founded in 2014 by Springboard Enterprises with the support of iconic fashion industry brands and retailers, the NYFTL focuses on women-led emerging tech companies that have developed innovations at the intersection of fashion, retail and technology. Under the agreement, Accenture will participate in selecting the start-ups that will join the 2019 program and will then work closely with each company to refine their solutions; develop customized retail strategies; create a plan for scaling their business and reducing time to market; and identify uses cases to drive value for retailers.

08:30 EDT Supreme Cannabis signs cannabis supply agreement with Tilray - Supreme Cannabis announced that the company's wholly owned subsidiary, 7ACRES, has entered into a supply agreement to provide dried cannabis to Tilray Canada, a subsidiary of Tilray Inc. The value of this initial supply agreement is estimated to be in excess of C$2 million. Dried cannabis provided to Tilray by 7ACRES will be used primarily to support medical cannabis patients in Canada, including Tilray's patient population, the company said.

08:22 EDT Latam Airlines reports preliminary August traffic up 2.7% - LATAM Airlines Group and its subsidiaries reported its preliminary monthly traffic statistics for August 2018 compared to the same period of 2017. System passenger traffic increased 2.7%, while capacity rose by 6.3%. As a result, the Company's load factor for the month fell 2.8 percentage points to 81.6%. International passenger traffic accounted for approximately 58% of the month's total passenger traffic.

08:14 EDT Secoo Holding signs memorandum of strategic partnership with SASSEUR Group - Secoo Holding announced that it has signed a memorandum of strategic partnership with SASSEUR Group, an operator of outlets mall in Asia. Building on this strategic, durable and comprehensive partnership, both parties will leverage respective resources and expertise to drive the growth of omni-channel retail networks, both companies' market presence in the respective field and jointly explore new business initiatives to offer luxury shopping experience for consumers in China. Under the memorandum, Secoo and SASSEUR Group will be surrounding outlet real estates developed and operated by SASSEUR across China to establish comprehensive business cooperations in operation, membership, brands flash sales, online-to-offline initiatives, consumer financing, luxury products after-sales services and smart retail model. Especially, both companies will work together to deploy an integrated omni-channel network throughout the value chain by sharing resources in merchandise, brands, membership, payment, consumer financing, customer service and big data solutions. In addition, both companies will jointly explore new marketing opportunities centering around upscale lifestyles, such as luxury culture discovery tour and luxury debut show, to strengthen their influences and capabilities among luxury consumers in China's key cities and tap into China's luxury market.

08:10 EDT CapGen exits position in Union Bankshares - Union Bankshares announced that it has been advised by CapGen Capital that CapGen fully exited its position in Union Bankshares common stock through a distribution to its limited partners. In its last public filing of a Schedule 13D/A on April 27, CapGen stated that it held at that time 3,138,579 shares or 4.8% of the total shares outstanding of Union Bankshares common stock.

08:08 EDT Walgreens to purchase pharmacy files of 185 Fred's pharmacies for $165M - Walgreens (WBA) and Fred's (FRED) announced they have entered into a definitive asset purchase agreement, pursuant to which Walgreens will acquire pharmacy patient prescription files and related pharmacy inventory of 185 Fred's stores located across 10 Southeastern states. Under the agreement, the aggregate consideration to be paid by Walgreens to Fred's is $165M, subject to adjustment, plus an amount equal to the value of related pharmacy inventory. The transaction is part of a previously announced plan by Fred's to unlock shareholder value by monetizing non-core assets through strategic transactions. Fred's will continue to operate its retail stores at most of these locations after the pharmacies close. Once the transaction is complete, Fred's will continue to operate approximately 162 pharmacies across nearly 600 stores. Fred's pharmacy staff at the closing locations will have an opportunity to apply for any available positions at Walgreens. The transaction is subject to the expiration or termination of applicable waiting periods under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and the satisfaction or waiver of certain other customary closing conditions. The companies expect the file transfers to begin in 4Q18 and be completed in 1Q19.

08:06 EDT Endocyte announces FDA acceptance of rPFS alternative endpoint in VISION trial - Endocyte announced that following a meeting with the FDA, it was determined that rPFS is an appropriate efficacy endpoint in the ongoing phase 3 VISION trial to support the submission of a new drug application, or NDA, for full FDA approval of 177Lu-PSMA-617 for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, or mCRPC. Under the updated VISION trial design, the two interim assessments previously planned at 50% and 70% of OS events will be replaced with a single assessment of rPFS. This assessment is expected to occur at approximately the same time that the first interim OS assessment would have occurred under the prior trial design and shortly after the time the trial is fully enrolled. If 177Lu-PSMA-617 meets the primary endpoint in the rPFS assessment, no unexpected safety issues arise, and it demonstrates no detriment in OS relative to the control arm, Endocyte intends to submit an NDA to seek full approval in the United States. The rPFS analysis will include approximately 450 rPFS events. Regardless of the outcome of the rPFS assessment, Endocyte intends to continue to follow patients in the VISION trial in order to assess the final OS alternative primary endpoint. Other aspects of the trial, including patient treatment and assessments, trial size, overall duration, and follow up remain unchanged. The acceptance of rPFS as a primary endpoint for full approval in Europe will be determined in upcoming regulatory interactions.

08:06 EDT Veritone announces acquisition of Machine Box - Veritone announced its acquisition of Machine Box, a developer of machine learning technologies that give organizations a suite of simple yet robust tools and models to create customized AI engines that can be deployed to enhance new or existing business solutions. Machine Box provides an elegant reference architecture across multiple cognitive categories, including face and object recognition, text analytics, data classification and personalized recommendation. This intuitive toolkit provides developers a guide to design and deploy tailored AI engines. When coupled with the Veritone AI operating system, developers, systems integrators and end customers will be able to produce bespoke, end-to-end AI-informed solutions for their specific use cases that can be deployed anywhere, accommodating for security and regulatory compliance requirements. The consideration paid by Veritone in the acquisition was $2M plus an earn-out of up to $3M based on the achievement of certain milestones. Such consideration is comprised of a combination of Veritone shares and cash.

08:04 EDT MarineMax acquires Bay Pointe Marina in Massachusetts - MarineMax announced it has expanded its presence in the Northeast by acquiring Bay Pointe Marina in Massachusetts. Bay Pointe Marina is a well-recognized and established full service marina serving the greater Boston market and is located on the Town River in Quincy.

08:03 EDT Yahsat and Hughes to form joint venture - Yahsat and Hughes Network Systems, a subsidiary of EchoStar, announced an agreement to enter into a joint venture to provide commercial Ka-band satellite broadband services across Africa, the Middle East and southwest Asia. This new venture combines Hughes deep expertise as the global leader in broadband satellite networks and services with Yahsat's unique position and knowledge as the leader in satellite broadband solutions across these regions. Hughes will purchase a minority interest in the venture.

08:02 EDT PriceSmart reports August net sales up 4.4% to $248.8M - PriceSmart announced that for the month of August 2018 net sales increased 4.4% to $248.8M, from $238.3M in August a year earlier. For the twelve months ended August 31, 2018, net sales increased 4.9% to $3.0538B from $2.9101B for the twelve months ended August 31, 2017. There were 41 warehouse clubs in operation at the end of August 2018 and 39 warehouse clubs in operation at the end of August 2017. For the five weeks ended September 2, 2018, comparable warehouse sales for the 39 warehouse clubs open at least 13 1/2 full months were flat from the comparable 5 week period a year ago. For the fifty-two week period ended September 2, 2018, comparable warehouse sales increased 2.3%, compared to the comparable fifty-two week period a year ago.

07:36 EDT United Rentals to acquire BlueLine Rental for $2.1B - United Rentals and BlueLine Rental announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which United Rentals will acquire BlueLine from Platinum Equity for approximately $2.1 billion in cash. The board of United Rentals unanimously approved the agreement. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2018, subject to Hart-Scott-Rodino clearance and customary conditions. BlueLine is one of the ten largest equipment rental companies in North America, serving over 50,000 customers in the construction and industrial sectors with a focus on mid-sized and local accounts. The company has 114 locations and over 1,700 employees based in 25 U.S. states, Canada and Puerto Rico. For the trailing 12 months ended August 31, 2018, BlueLine generated an estimated $313 million of adjusted EBITDA at a 39.8% margin on $786 million of total revenue. BlueLine's footprint will increase United Rentals' capacity in many of the largest metropolitan areas in North America, including both U.S. coasts, the Gulf South and Ontario. The combination is expected to generate approximately $45 million of cost synergies in the areas of corporate overhead, operations and third-party re-rent, and improve returns on BlueLine used equipment sales. Additionally, United Rentals expects to realize approximately $15 million of fleet and other procurement savings based on the combined spending. The acquisition is expected to be immediately accretive to United Rentals' adjusted earnings per share and free cash flow generation and result in a net leverage ratio of below 3.0x by year-end 2018 on an as-reported basis, with a strong path for deleveraging thereafter. On a pro forma basis, the company expects its net leverage to be below 2.8x by year-end. The transaction is not conditioned on financing. United Rentals expects to use a combination of newly issued debt and bank borrowing to fund the transaction and related expenses.

07:34 EDT United Rentals to acquire BlueLine Rental for $2.1B

07:33 EDT Engility trading resumes

07:18 EDT SAIC to acquire Engility in all-stock deal valued at $2.5B - SAIC (SAIC) and Engility Holdings (EGL) announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which SAIC will acquire Engility in an all-stock transaction valued at $2.5B, $2.25B net of the present value of tax assets, creating the second largest independent technology integrator in government services with $6.5B of pro-forma last 12 months' revenue. The combination of these two complementary businesses will accelerate SAIC's growth strategy into key markets, enhance its competitive position and provide significant financial benefits. The transaction will create market sub-segment scale in strategic business areas of national interest, such as defense, federal civilian agencies, intelligence, and space. In addition, it expands the capabilities of both companies, bringing additional systems engineering, mission, and IT capabilities to a broader base of customers. Under the terms of the merger agreement, Engility stockholders will receive a fixed exchange ratio of 0.450 shares of SAIC common stock for each share of Engility stock in an all-stock transaction. Based on an SAIC per share closing price of $89.86 on September 7, 2018, the transaction is valued at $40.44 per share of Engility common stock or $2.5B in the aggregate, including the repayment of $900M in Engility's debt. SAIC has obtained a financing commitment letter from Citigroup Global Markets Inc. for a new seven-year senior secured $1.05B term loan facility under our existing credit agreement. The proceeds will be used to repay Engility's existing debt and associated fees. SAIC expects no immediate change to its quarterly cash dividend as a result of this transaction. The transaction is expected to close by the end of the fiscal fourth quarter ending February 1, 2019, following customary closing conditions, including regulatory and SAIC and Engility shareholder approvals. The transaction has been unanimously approved by both boards. The businesses will continue to operate separately until the transaction closes. The combined company will retain the SAIC name and continue to be headquartered in Reston, Virginia. Following closing, Tony Moraco will continue as CEO and as an SAIC board member. SAIC will expand its board to include two additional members from Engility's board.

07:12 EDT MCBC Holdings to acquire Crest Marine for $80M - MCBC Holding announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Crest Marine for approximately $80M. MasterCraft also expects that approximately $10M net present value of future net tax benefits will accrue to the combined company. The transaction is expected to close in Q4, subject to customary closing conditions, and is anticipated to be immediately accretive to adjusted earnings per share. Crest is privately owned and operated out of a 150,000 square-foot manufacturing facility located in Owosso, Michigan. With more than 60 years of boat manufacturing experience, Crest has a growing network of dealers and customers. Crest currently sells its boats in the United States and Canada through an established network of approximately 120 dealer locations. In calendar year ending 2017, the company generated approximately $65.9M in net sales. Net sales are expected to grow to approximately $90M in 2018.

07:07 EDT Oceaneering enters contract with Subsea 7 - Oceaneering International (OII) announced that it entered into a contract with Subsea 7 (SUBCY) to supply an umbilical and flying leads for Shell's (RDS.A, RDS.B) deepwater Vito development in the Mississippi Canyon area of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico. The contract is for an electro-hydraulic steel tube control umbilical, and flying leads, totaling approximately nine kilometers in length. Product design and engineering will start in the third quarter of 2018, with manufacturing expected to commence in 2019, at Oceaneering's facility in Panama City, Florida. The contract work scope is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2020.

07:05 EDT Dixie Group announces unification of its two commercial brands - Dixie Group announces the unification of its two commercial brands, Atlas and Masland Contract, into one operating division of the company. This unification provides customers with a broad array of products, technologies and price points. The Atlas-Masland Contract brands encompass carpet tile, broadloom, area rugs, and vinyl flooring. Within each of these product categories, the brands offer a spectrum of aesthetics. The unification of the brands creates a product line composed of the best elements of these portfolios. The entire offering will be sold and serviced by one sales force. Each sales associate will have the complete assortment of both brands thereby providing a single flooring source for most commercial projects. In addition, the sales force will be supported by a unified customer service and sales support team.

07:02 EDT Nice Actimize chosen by Bank of Ayudhya for anti-money laundering compliance - NICE Actimize, a NICE business, has been chosen by Bank of Ayudhya/Krungsri, Thailand's fifth largest financial institution, to transform its anti-money laundering compliance and case management platform. To more effectively meet the needs of its regulators and support its growing customer base, Bank of Ayudhya will implement NICE Actimize's recently launched Suspicious Activity Monitoring solution, as well as Actimize ActOne, an investigation management system utilizing intelligent automation that will serve as the financial institution's next generation alert and case management platform.

07:01 EDT Raytheon expands relationship with HawkEye 360 - Raytheon's Intelligence, Information and Services business is collaborating with commercial small satellite company, HawkEye 360 as part of its ongoing focus to provide innovative commercial technologies and more precise data to the government sector. The alliance includes a strategic investment in HawkEye 360 and provides Raytheon with a unique level of access to data, enhancing the company's analytics services for government customers. HawkEye 360 is pioneering the use of low-flying, small satellites to collect radio frequencies for use in next-generation geospatial services. HawkEye 360 will launch its Pathfinder cluster of three small satellites at the end of 2018, with additional clusters planned until the full constellation is in orbit by 2020.

06:53 EDT ChipMOS reports Aug. revenue up 17.2% to $56.4M vs. $48.2M last year - Revenue for the month of August 2018 was $56.4M, an increase of 9.9% from the month of July 2018 and an increase of 17.2% from the same period in 2017.

06:49 EDT Energy XXI Gulf Coast provides update on merger with affiliates of Cox Oil - Energy XXI Gulf Coast provided an update on the merger with affiliates of Cox Oil LLC. On September 9, EGC entered into an amendment to the Agreement and Plan of Merger to provide for the closing date of the merger to occur on October 10, 2018. The amendment also provides that Cox cannot refuse to consummate the merger because of any material adverse events occurring on or after September 10, 2018 until the closing date.

06:46 EDT Merck: EC approves KEYTRUDA in combination with pemetrexed - Merck announced that the European Commission has approved KEYTRUDA, the company's anti-PD-1 therapy, in combination with pemetrexed and platinum chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer in adults whose tumors have no EGFR or ALK positive mutations. This approval, the first in Europe for an anti-PD-1 therapy in combination with chemotherapy, is based on data from the pivotal Phase 3 KEYNOTE-189 trial in patients with metastatic nonsquamous NSCLC regardless of PD-L1 tumor expression status, which demonstrated a significant survival benefit for the combination of KEYTRUDA with chemotherapy as compared with standard-of-care chemotherapy alone - reducing the risk of death in these patients by half.

06:32 EDT Air Lease announces placement of Boeing 787-9 with Neos - Air Lease (AL) announced a long-term lease agreement for one new Boeing (BA) 787-9 aircraft on lease to Neos. The aircraft will deliver in Q4 2019 from ALC's order book with Boeing.

06:21 EDT Consort Medical, Opiant Pharmaceuticals sign development agreements - Consort Medical announces a significant new contract with Opiant Pharmaceuticals. Consort and Opiant intend to develop a ready-to-use nasal-delivered version of nalmefene for the reversal of opioid overdose. Opioid overdose is the leading cause of death in the U.S. for adults under the age of 50. Under the agreement, both of Consort's wholly owned subsidiaries, Aesica and Bespak, will work with Opiant to produce a clinically pre-filled Unidose Xtra device with nalmefene. As part of the agreement, Aesica will supply Opiant with clinical samples and registration batches for the purposes of performing clinical studies and obtaining regulatory approvals. In addition, upon approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Aesica and Bespak will manufacture and supply the Unidose Xtra device for commercial purposes. The programme will be added to Consort's development pipeline and be referred to as NAS040. Following the completion of OPNT003 formulation studies, Opiant intends to initiate a confirmatory pharmacokinetic study in 2019. Based on previously obtained feedback from the FDA, Opiant intends to pursue a 505(b)(2) development path for OPNT003. Opiant anticipates the potential to submit a New Drug Application for the drug and intranasal delivery device combination in 2020. Opiant retains full commercial rights to OPNT-003, and this development work is largely funded by a $7.4M National Institutes of Health grant. Reference Link

06:15 EDT State Street expands Middle East presence with first Abu Dhabi office - State Street Corporation announced the opening of its first Abu Dhabi office, which will be located in the Abu Dhabi Global Market, the country's international financial centre. This is the firm's second office in the United Arab Emirates, building on its 26-year presence in Dubai. To mark this milestone, State Street also unveiled a research paper that draws on survey responses from 306 institutional investors based in the Middle East and North Africa responsible for more than $4.9T in assets under management, who were asked about their outlook for growth and future economic trends in the region. The firm's presence in the Middle East will be led by Oliver Berger, senior executive officer for State Street Bank and Trust, and Emmanuel Laurina, senior executive officer for State Street Global Advisors. Reference Link

06:04 EDT Riot Blockchain names Chris Ensey CEO following resignation of John O'Rourke - Riot Blockchain announced Saturday that Chris Ensey would be named CEO in connection with a restructuring of the company's senior executives. Ensey is expected to continue to aggressively pursue the exploration of the company's RiotX digital currency exchange under license from Coinsquare and expanded opportunities for digital asset and cryptocurrency businesses. The move follows the resignation of John O'Rourke, the company's chairman and CEO. Ensey has an extensive background in related industries and served as COO prior to this announcement. In addition, current Lead Director Remo Mancini has been appointed as chairman of the Board of Directors. The Board has created a new Investment and Strategy Committee which will be led by Andrew Kaplan as chairperson. In connection with the restructuring, Jason Les has been named interim chairperson of the Audit Committee. Each of the company's independent directors will continue to serve on each of the committees of the Board. Reference Link

06:01 EDT Baker Hughes announces August international rig count of 1,008, up 11 - Baker Hughes (BHGE), a GE company (GE) announced that the Baker Hughes international rig count for August 2018 was 1,008, up 11 from the 997 counted in July 2018, and up 56 from the 952 counted in August 2017. The international offshore rig count for August 2018 was 212, down 5 from the 217 counted in July 2018, and up 11 from the 201 counted in August 2017. The average U.S. rig count for August 2018 was unchanged at 1,050 counted in July 2018, and up 103 from the 947 counted in August 2017. The average Canadian rig count for August 2018 was 220, up 16 from the 204 counted in July 2018, and up 3 from the 217 counted in August 2017. The worldwide rig count for August 2018 was 2,278, up 27 from the 2,251 counted in July 2018, and up 162 from the 2,116 counted in August 2017.

05:13 EDT Boeing invests in BridgeSat to advance satellite communications - Boeing announced its investment in Denver-based BridgeSat, an optical communications solutions company enabling the future of connectivity in space through a network of ground stations and proprietary space terminals. BridgeSat is developing a global network of optical ground stations to transmit large amounts of data into space quickly and reliably. Its stations support low Earth orbit and geostationary satellite optical communications, enabling secure transmissions between satellites, other spacecraft, unmanned aerial vehicles and high-altitude aircrafts. BridgeSat was formed in 2015 to address cost, bandwidth and infrastructure limitations in space-based optical communications. The company recently announced an industry-first agreement with NASA to develop a commercialized free-space optical communication system that could support the agency's future missions.

04:49 EDT Alibaba chairman Jack Ma stepping down in September 2019 - Alibaba Group Holding announced that one year from yesterday, September 10, 2019, CEO Daniel Zhang will succeed Jack Ma as chairman of the board of Alibaba Group. Ma will continue as executive chairman of the company over the next 12 months "to ensure a smooth transition of the chairmanship to Mr. Zhang." Ma will complete his current term as a member of Alibaba Group's board of directors until its annual general meeting of shareholders in 2020. Alibaba added, "Mr. Ma is a lifetime partner in the Alibaba Partnership and is a member of its partnership committee. The Alibaba Partnership is currently comprised of 36 partners who are also members of senior management of Alibaba Group or its affiliates. Pursuant to the articles of association of Alibaba Group, the Alibaba Partnership has the right to nominate a majority of the directors to the board of the company." In a letter, Ma said in part, "I have put a lot of thought and preparation into this succession plan for ten years. I am delighted to announce the plan today thanks to the support of the Alibaba Partnership and our board of directors. I also want to offer special thanks to all Alibaba colleagues and your families, because your trust, support and our joint enterprise over the past 19 years have prepared us for this day with confidence and strength. This transition demonstrates that Alibaba has stepped up to the next level of corporate governance from a company that relies on individuals, to one built on systems of organizational excellence and a culture of talent development...As for myself, I still have lots of dreams to pursue. Those who know me know that I do not like to sit idle. I plan on continuing my role as the founding partner in the Alibaba Partnership and contribute to the work of the partnership. I also want to return to education, which excites me with so much blessing because this is what I love to do. The world is big, and I am still young, so I want to try new things - because what if new dreams can be realized?!"