Stockwinners Market Radar for September 20, 2018 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

21:08 EDT MDC Partners to evaluate strategic alternatives - MDC Partners announced its intention to explore and evaluate potential strategic alternatives, which may result in, among other things, the possible sale of the Company. The Company has not made a decision to pursue any specific strategic alternative, and there is no timetable for completing the strategic review process. This review process is proceeding in parallel with the Company's previously announced search to identify a successor CEO. There can be no assurance that the Company will pursue or complete any specific action or transaction. The Company does not intend to disclose developments or comment further regarding its strategic review or CEO search until such time as its Board of Directors has determined the outcome of the process or otherwise has determined that further disclosure is appropriate or required.

20:13 EDT Avita Medical announces FDA approval of RECELL in burn treatment - AVITA Medica announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the Company's Premarket Approval application to market the RECELL Autologous Cell Harvesting Device to treat severe thermal burns in patients 18 years and older. The RECELL System uses a small amount of a patient's own skin to prepare Spray-On Skin(TM) Cells at the point of care in as little as 30 minutes, providing a new way to treat thermal burns. The two randomized, controlled clinical trials supporting the FDA approval demonstrated that treatment of acute burn wounds with the RECELL System required substantially less donor skin than required with conventional split-thickness autografts to achieve closure of burn wounds. Reduction in donor skin requirements provides key clinical benefits to patients and significant reductions in the cost of treatment.

19:09 EDT Fly Intel: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Steelcase (SCS) up 15.2%. ALSO HIGHER: Acadia Pharma (ACAD) up 3.6% after FDA statement affirming risk profile of Nuplazid... Texas Instruments (TXN) up 0.9% after raising dividend and announcing $12B stock buyback... McDonalds (MCD) up 0.4% after dividend increase and affirmed long-term guidance... Royal Dutch Shell (RDS) up 0.3% after reported $1.3B sale of Gulf Coast assets. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Pier 1 Imports (PIR) down 18.2%... United Natural Foods (UNFI) down 11.3%... Micron (MU) down 6.9%. ALSO LOWER: Smart Global (SGH) down 4.5% after mixed shelf offering.

19:01 EDT Michael Kors names Andrea Pesaresi head of Men's business - Michael Kors Holdings is pleased to announce that Andrea Pesaresi has been named President of Michael Kors Men's. He will report to John D. Idol, the company's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Pesaresi's appointment will be effective October 15, 2018. Mr. Pesaresi was most recently at Philippe Model, where he served as Chief Executive Officer. Prior to that, Mr. Pesaresi was at Ermenegildo Zegna for 25 years, where his most recent role was brand director of Z Zegna and Licensing which encompassed product development, brand strategy, international expansion and marketing.

18:59 EDT Medtronic to acquire Mazor Robotics for $58.50 per ADS, or about $1.64B

18:34 EDT Corbus CEO says wants to be leading pipeline for synthetic endocannabinoids - Corbus Pharmaceuticals CEO Yuval Cohen said on CNBC's "Mad Money" that its synthetic endocannabinoid-mimetic drug lenabasum is currently being evaluated in four diseases. Cohen said that the company's cash position is "strong" and that he wants Corbus to be the leading pipeline for synthetic endocannabinoids. Cohen noted that what company works with "has nothing to do" with the marijuana plant, saying his drugs are completely man-made.

18:31 EDT McDonald's raises quarterly dividendy by 15% to $1.16 per share - McDonald's board approved the company's 42nd consecutive annual dividend increase, raising the quarterly dividend 15% from $1.01 to $1.16 per share of common stock, payable on December 17, 2018 to shareholders of record at the close of business on December 3, 2018. This brings the fourth quarter dividend payout to nearly $900 million. McDonald's has experienced increased capital allocation flexibility due to the evolution of the Company's business model and the effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

17:41 EDT Acxiom shareholders approve AMS sale, will switch name to LiveRamp after close - Acxiom (ACXM) announced that its shareholders approved the sale of its Acxiom Marketing Solutions business, or AMS, to Interpublic Group (IPG), or IPG, at Acxiom's annual shareholder meeting. The transaction is expected to close on or about October 1, subject to customary closing conditions. Acxiom and IPG remain committed to ensuring this is a smooth transition for clients, partners and employees. The company will report the operations of AMS, as well as the sale of AMS, as a component of discontinued operations. The company also announced that, subject to the close of the AMS transaction, it will be transferring its stock exchange listing from NASDAQ to the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE, effective October 2, at which point its name will change to LiveRamp Holdings and its common stock will begin trading under the ticker symbol (RAMP).

17:24 EDT ForeScout beneficial owner Amadeus Capital Partners sells $4.6M in shares - ForeScout beneficial owner Amadeus Capital Partners disclosed in a filing that it sold 117,609 shares of company stock at an average price of $38.86 per share on September 18 and September 19. The total transaction value of the sale was $4,569,815.

17:21 EDT Cushman & Wakefield arranges $55M sale of a Whole Foods property - A 50,451-square-foot retail property occupied by Whole Foods Market in Los Altos, California has sold for $55 million. Imperial Hornet Developers, LLC acquired the freestanding property located at 4800 El Camino Real, one of the region's primary thoroughfares, from Compass Grand Associates, LLC. Investment specialists Kevin Held and Matt McNeill with Cushman & Wakefield represented the buyer in the transaction. The duo worked with Ron Goldie, a Los Angeles-based attorney who specializes in acquisitions, portfolio management, and dispositions for urban core, Class A real estate for high net worth private clients, and who acted as an investment advisor in leading negotiations for the buyer.

17:16 EDT United Natural Foods plunges after Q4 margins fall to 14.5% - Shares of United Natural Foods are down 10.6% in post close trading after the distributor of natural, organic, and specialty foods, reported Q4 gross margin was 14.50%, a decrease of 125 basis points from 15.75% for the same period last year. Gross margin was impacted by a shift in customer mix where net sales growth of our largest customer outpaced growth of other customers with higher margin and by an increase in inbound freight costs. Shares of United Natural Foods are down 10.63% or $3.60 per share to $30.25 in after-hours trading.

17:15 EDT MiMedx: Previous executive separations to be treated as termination 'for cause' - The Board of Directors announced that it has determined that the previously announced separations of four senior MiMedx executives - Parker H. Petit, William C. Taylor, Michael J. Senken, and John E. Cranston - be treated as terminations "for cause". The Compensation Committee separately reached this determination as well. These determinations are based on information identified as part of the Audit Committee's ongoing independent investigation. Petit is the Company's former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer; Taylor is the Company's former President and Chief Operating Officer and a former member of the Board; Senken is the Company's former Chief Financial Officer and principal accounting officer; and Cranston is the Company's former Vice President, Corporate Controller and Treasurer. Messrs. Petit and Taylor resigned as officers of the Company effective June 30, 2018, and Messrs. Senken and Cranston stepped down from their positions on June 6, 2018. Taylor resigned from the Board effective June 30, 2018. As a result of findings related to the conduct of the Separated Employees, the Board and the Compensation Committee, as the administrators of the MiMedx Group, Inc. Assumed 2006 Stock Incentive Plan and the MiMedx Group, Inc. 2016 Equity and Cash Incentive Plan, have taken all required action to cause all equity and incentive awards outstanding under the Plans held by the Separated Employees to be forfeited. The Board and Compensation Committee action was based on findings that the Separated Employees engaged in, among other things, conduct detrimental to the business or reputation of the Company. In addition, the Board and the Compensation Committee have determined that action shall be taken to recover compensation previously paid to the Separated Employees pursuant to the Plans and the Company's Compensation Recoupment Policy, based upon the final results of the Company's restatement of its previously issued consolidated financial statements and financial information. Additionally, the Board announced that Petit has resigned as a member of the MiMedx Board, effective immediately. The Audit Committee is working with its advisors to complete the investigation expeditiously and has made significant progress. The investigation is ongoing, and there may be other actions taken based, at least in part, on information from the investigation. The Company is also working to prepare its financial statements for audit and regain compliance with its SEC reporting obligations as soon as practicable.

17:10 EDT Nexa Resources authorizes $30M share buyback program - Nexa Resources has approved a share buyback program, under which the company, directly or indirectly through its subsidiaries, may repurchase, from time to time, up to $30M of its outstanding common shares, which is an amount equivalent to a return of approximately 22.5c per share over the 12-month period beginning on November 6, 2018 and ending on November 6, 2019.

17:05 EDT Vanda Pharmaceuticals announces HETLIOZ patent listing in FDA Orange Book - Vanda Pharmaceuticals announced that a HETLIOZ patent, number 10,071,977, is now listed in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration publication Approved Drug Products With Therapeutic Equivalence Evaluations, commonly known as the Orange Book. The '977 patent was issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office on September 11, 2018 and expires in February 2035. Prior to this newly listed '977 patent, the HETLIOZ Orange Book listed patent with the latest expiry date was set to expire in May 2034.

17:02 EDT Air Lease announces delivery of Airbus A320-200neo aircraft with SKY - Air Lease (AL) announced the delivery of one new LEAP-1A26-powered Airbus (EADSY) A320-200neo aircraft on lease to SKY Airline, Chile. This A320-200neo aircraft is the first of three A320-200neo aircraft set to deliver to SKY Airline from ALC's order book with Airbus.

16:52 EDT Micron says it achieved record revenue in FY18 - Says expects 1ynm sales will commence in calendar year 2019. Says it has made good progress on 4th generation NAND development. Says it had record automotive sales in Q4. Says DRAM revenue represented 70% of total revenue in Q4. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

16:46 EDT Micron up 5.7% to $48.69 after Q4 results top estimates

16:41 EDT Lone Pine Capital reports 5.4% passive stake in Wynn Resorts

16:32 EDT Merck receives positive CHMP opinion for DELSTRIGO and PILFETRO in E.U. - Merck announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency has adopted a positive opinion recommending granting of marketing authorization for two HIV-1 medicines: DELSTRIGO, a once-daily fixed-dose combination tablet of doravirine (100 mg), lamivudine (3TC, 300 mg) and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate; and PIFELTRO (doravirine, 100 mg), a new non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) to be administered in combination with other antiretroviral medicines. DELSTRIGO and PIFELTRO are currently under EMA review for the treatment of adults with HIV-1 infection without past or present evidence of resistance to the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase class, lamivudine or tenofovir. These two recommendations will now be reviewed by the European Commission for marketing authorization in the European Union. Marketing authorization applications for DELSTRIGO and PIFELTRO are also under review in other countries, including Canada, Australia, and Switzerland. The CHMP positive opinion was based on findings from two pivotal, randomized, multicenter, double-blind, active controlled Phase 3 trials, DRIVE-AHEAD and DRIVE-FORWARD, evaluating the efficacy and safety of DELSTRIGO and PIFELTRO, respectively, in participants infected with HIV-1 with no prior antiretroviral treatment history. In DRIVE-AHEAD, DELSTRIGO demonstrated sustained viral suppression through 48 weeks, meeting its primary endpoint of non-inferior efficacy compared to efavirenz (EFV)/emtricitabine. In DRIVE-FORWARD, PIFELTRO demonstrated sustained viral suppression through 48 weeks, meeting its primary endpoint of non-inferior efficacy compared to darunavir + ritonavir, each in combination with FTC/TDF or abacavir (ABC)/3TC.

16:25 EDT Blue Hills Bancorp signs agreement for Rockland to acquire Blue Hills Bank - Independent Bank Corp. (NASDAQ Global Select Market: INDB) ("Independent"), parent of Rockland Trust and Blue Hills Bancorp (BHBK) have signed a definitive merger agreement for Independent to acquire Blue Hills Bancorp and Rockland Trust to acquire Blue Hills Bank. The merger agreement provides that each Blue Hills Bancorp stockholder will receive 0.2308 of a share of Independent common stock and $5.25 in cash for each share of Blue Hills Bancorp common stock. The transaction is intended to qualify as a tax-free reorganization for federal income tax purposes and to provide a tax-free exchange for Blue Hills Bancorp stockholders for the Independent common stock portion of the consideration they receive. The agreement provides that, effective as of and contingent upon the merger, Independent will add three Blue Hills Bancorp directors to its board of directors. As of June 30, Blue Hills Bancorp had $2.7B in total assets, $2.3B in loans, and $2.1B in deposits. Rockland Trust and Blue Hills Bank anticipate that their transaction will close in the first half of 2019. After the Blue Hills Bank merger and the closing of Rockland Trust's previously announced acquisition of The Milford National Bank & Trust Company, which is anticipated in Q4, Rockland Trust will have over $11B in assets and the largest Massachusetts deposit share and most bank branches of any bank headquartered in Massachusetts. The Blue Hills Bank merger is anticipated to give Rockland Trust, which in 2017 expanded onto Martha's Vineyard with the acquisition of The Edgartown National Bank, a Nantucket Island presence and the number one deposit market share in Nantucket County. Rockland Trust is also projected to have the number three deposit market share in Norfolk County following the Blue Hills Bank merger. Independent anticipates issuing approximately 6.2M shares of its common stock in the merger. Based upon Independent's $89.35 per share closing price on September 19, the transaction is valued at approximately $726.5M and the aggregate consideration represents 178% of Blue Hills Bancorp's current tangible book value. Independent anticipates that the acquisition will be approximately 4% accretive to its 2019 EPS, excluding one-time costs; and the acquisition will be approximately 4.5% accretive to 2020 EPS. Independent estimates that the transaction will generate an internal rate of return of about 16% and expects the transaction will be neutral to tangible book value per share. Merger related charges are expected to be approximately $36M before tax, in the aggregate, incurred in 2018 and 2019. The boards of directors of each company have unanimously approved the transaction. The transaction is subject to certain conditions, including the receipt of required regulatory approvals, approval by the stockholders of both Blue Hills Bancorp and Independent, and other standard conditions. Blue Hills Bancorp's directors and officers who currently own, in the aggregate, about 4.4% of Blue Hills Bancorp's outstanding shares have signed voting agreements pursuant to which they have agreed to vote their shares in favor of the merger.

16:21 EDT Gray Television reaches agreement to renew all Gray NBC affiliations - Gray Television has reached an agreement in principle with the NBC Network that extends and renews all of Gray's existing NBC network affiliations, which otherwise would have expired at year-end 2018. Currently, Gray's portfolio includes NBC affiliated television stations serving 26 markets.

16:18 EDT Culp CEO Saxon to assume additional role of vice chairman - Culp announced the company's board of directors has approved changes in the executive management structure of the company, effective October 1, 2018. Robert G. Culp, III, one of the company's founders, will remain as chairman of the board, but he will change his role to become less involved in the day to day management of the company. He will continue in his role as a strategic advisor and remain involved in customer and home furnishings industry relationships. Franklin N. Saxon, president and chief executive officer of Culp, Inc., will assume the additional role of vice chairman of the board of directors. Saxon joined the company in 1983 and has been a member of the board since 1987. He has served as president and chief executive officer since 2007.

16:17 EDT Pole/Zero awarded over $66M contract by U.S. Department of Defense - Pole/Zero, part of Microwave Products Group and Dover, is being awarded a $66,673,285 fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. This contract provides for the procurement of antenna interface units and mounting trays, technical data, spares, and repair of repairables for the P-8A Poseidon Lots 9, 10, and 11 full-rate production aircraft in support of the Navy and the governments of the United Kingdom, Norway, New Zealand, and South Korea. Work will be performed in West Chester, Ohio and is expected to be completed by September 2022.

16:16 EDT Independent Bank, Blue Hills sign merger pact for Rockland to acquire BHB - Independent Bank Corp. (INDB), parent of Rockland Trust Company, and Blue Hills Bancorp (BHBK) have signed a definitive merger agreement for Independent to acquire Blue Hills Bancorp and Rockland Trust to acquire Blue Hills Bank. The merger agreement provides that each Blue Hills Bancorp stockholder will receive 0.2308 of a share of Independent common stock and $5.25 in cash for each share of Blue Hills Bancorp common stock. The transaction is intended to qualify as a tax-free reorganization for federal income tax purposes and to provide a tax-free exchange for Blue Hills Bancorp stockholders for the Independent common stock portion of the consideration they receive. The agreement provides that, effective as of and contingent upon the merger, Independent will add three Blue Hills Bancorp directors to its board of directors. The boards of directors of each company have unanimously approved the transaction. The transaction is subject to certain conditions, including the receipt of required regulatory approvals, approval by the stockholders of both Blue Hills Bancorp and Independent, and other standard conditions. Blue Hills Bancorp's directors and officers who currently own, in the aggregate, about 4.4% of Blue Hills Bancorp's outstanding shares have signed voting agreements pursuant to which they have agreed to vote their shares in favor of the merger.

16:15 EDT Micron appoints Mike Bokan SVP Worldwide Sales - Micron Technology announced that the company has appointed Mike Bokan as senior vice president of Worldwide Sales, effective Oct. 1. Bokan succeeds Steve Thorsen, who is retiring from Micron after 30 years with the company but will remain as an adviser through early November 2018 to ensure a smooth transition. Bokan is being promoted to senior vice president and will report directly to Micron President and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra.

16:13 EDT Neil Gagnon reports 5.5% passive stake in Castlight Health

16:12 EDT United Natural Foods says results reflect higher than anticipated freight costs - "We continued to deliver solid top-line growth across our customer channels, demonstrating sustained strong demand for UNFI's product assortment and services. On the bottom-line, our results reflected the impact of customer mix shift and higher than anticipated freight costs, while improvement in our working capital has resulted in record free cash flow for the quarter," said Steven Spinner, Chairman and CEO "We are on track to close the SUPERVALU transaction in the fourth quarter of calendar 2018, and our teams are hard at work planning for the integration to capture the significant synergies and strategic benefits of this transformative combination, positioning our company for growth and value creation."

16:10 EDT AT&T recommends that shareholders reject mini-tender from Ponos Industries - AT&T has learned that Ponos Industries LLC has made an unsolicited "mini-tender" offer, dated September 10, 2018. Ponos has offered to purchase up to 14M shares of AT&T common stock at $36.00 per share. While this price is above the current market price of AT&T common stock, the offer is conditioned upon the closing price of AT&T's shares exceeding the $36.00 offer price, as noted below. The offer expires on October 12, 2018 unless extended by Ponos. Ponos has included a condition in the terms of its offer that states the closing price of AT&T's shares must exceed the $36.00 offer price on the New York Stock Exchange on the last day of trading before the offer expires. Unless Ponos waives this condition, AT&T shareholders who tender their shares in the offer will receive a below-market price. There is no guarantee the conditions of the offer will be satisfied, and it is subject to numerous other conditions, including Ponos obtaining the financing for the offer. AT&T cautions shareholders that Ponos can extend the offer and delay payment beyond the scheduled expiration date of October 12, 2018.

16:09 EDT Karyopharm announces oral presentation relating to selinexor - Karyopharm Therapeutics announced two oral presentations and one poster presentation highlighting previously reported clinical data relating to selinexor, the company's lead, oral Selective Inhibitor of Nuclear Export compound at the 21st Annual Meeting of the Chinese Society of Clinical Oncology 2018 taking place September 19-23 in Xiamen, China. "Given our recently executed strategic alliance with Antengene to develop selinexor in China, we are honored to share these key results from the STORM, STOMP and SADAL studies with the medical oncology community this year at CSCO," said Sharon Shacham, PhD, Founder, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Karyopharm. "The CSCO annual meeting is among the most prestigious oncology conferences in China and presenting these important data further our goal of advancing selinexor in this important market and across the globe."

16:09 EDT Opiant Pharmaceuticals enters into $4.6M contract with BARDA for OPTN003 - Opiant Pharmaceuticals announced that it has entered into a multi-year contract with potential funding up to a maximum of approximately $4.6M, with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, part of the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of the assistant secretary for preparedness and response, to accelerate Opiant's development of OPTN003, its lead product candidate. OPTN003, nasal nalmefene, is a potent, long-acting opioid antagonist currently in development for the treatment of opioid overdose. The contract with BARDA will allow for accelerated development of OPNT003 as a medical countermeasure in the event of a fentanyl chemical attack. The high affinity of nalmefene at mu opioid receptors, combined with a rapid onset of action and long duration of action, makes it particularly well-suited to treat fentanyl overdose. The BARDA contract will cover activities not funded by the NIDA grant through a potential new drug application submission, and provides approximately $611,000 for the project from now through September 30, 2019, with the balance to be funded over the subsequent two years, subject to satisfactory project progress, funds availability and certain other conditions.

16:07 EDT EdR acquired by Greystar Real Estate for $4.6B - EdR's acquisition led by funds managed by an affiliate of Greystar Real Estate Partners has been completed. The total transaction value is approximately $4.6B. Pursuant to the transaction, EdR's stockholders are entitled to receive $41.50 per share in cash. As a result of the transaction, EdR's common stock ceased trading on the NYSE.

16:06 EDT Adobe to acquire Marketo for $4.75B - Adobe announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Marketo, the market-leading cloud platform for B2B marketing engagement, for $4.75B, subject to customary purchase price adjustments. With nearly 5,000 customers, Marketo brings together planning, engagement and measurement capabilities into an integrated B2B marketing platform. The transaction, which is expected to close during the fourth quarter of Adobe's 2018 fiscal year, is subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions. Until the transaction closes, each company will continue to operate independently. Upon close, Marketo CEO Steve Lucas will join Adobe's senior leadership team and continue to lead the Marketo team as part of Adobe's Digital Experience business, reporting to executive vice president and general manager Brad Rencher.

16:02 EDT Texas Instruments raises dividend 24%, announces $12B share repurchase plan - Texas Instruments said it will raise its quarterly cash dividend by 24$, from 62c per share to 77c, or $3.08 annualized. The higher dividend will be payable November 19, 2018, to stockholders of record on October 31, 2018, contingent upon formal declaration by the board of directors at its regular meeting in October. The board of directors also authorized the company to repurchase an additional $12B of its common stock over time. This is in addition to approximately $7.4B of previously authorized repurchases that remained at the end of June 2018.

15:57 EDT Education Realty trading resumes

15:40 EDT San Juan Basin Royalty Trust announces Hilcorp's revised 2018 CapEx plan - Compass Bank, as Trustee of the San Juan Basin Royalty Trust, reported that Hilcorp San Juan L.P. has provided the Trust with its revised 2018 capital expenditures plan. Hilcorp's original 2018 capital expenditures plan delivered to the Trust in February 2018 reported estimated capital expenditures of $547,800 for the Trust's subject interests, which included two facility projects and seven well recompletions. The Revised Plan of $3,924,500 for the subject interests includes two facility projects, which is unchanged, and seventeen well recompletions. A senior representative from Hilcorp has informed the Trust that "The growth in production and increase in investment activity is due to Hilcorp finding high quality projects to pursue, even after the beginning of the year budget estimates were provided. These projects were not identified by the previous operator. As Hilcorp discovers these projects, we react quickly to implement them to maximize asset value."

15:26 EDT TreeHouse rises to session high, up 1.5% to $53.50 - The move higher may be related to a Deal.com story involving TreeHouse, according to contacts.

15:05 EDT MDC Partners spikes 13% after Dow Jones report exploring options - Shares of MDC Partners are up 12.8% to $4.85 after Dow Jones report that company is exploring strategic options including potential sale.

14:59 EDT Amazon introduces new companion DVR Fire TV Recast - Amazon announced Fire TV Recast, a new companion DVR that lets you easily watch, record, and replay free over-the-air TV programming on Fire TV, Echo Show, and on compatible Fire tablet, iOS, and Android devices. Connect Fire TV Recast to a HDTV antenna for instant access to free over-the-air TV content available in your area, such as live shows, local news, sports, and more from channels like ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, PBS, and The CW - all with no monthly fees. Place Fire TV Recast and a HDTV antenna anywhere in your home, and all of your compatible devices will automatically connect, giving you immediate access to local over-the-air TV programming. Available in two models, Fire TV Recast allows you to record up to four shows at once, and stream to any two compatible devices at a time. Advanced wireless technology automatically optimizes the use of bandwidth on your local network, delivering the best HD picture quality possible-even when streaming across multiple devices in a congested Wi-Fi environment. In addition, you can now take your over-the-air shows with you on-the-go. Use the all-new Fire TV companion app for Fire TV Recast to watch live and recorded content over Wi-Fi or when connected to a cellular network. Mobile streaming for Fire TV Recast is available on all compatible mobile devices with no extra monthly charges or subscription fees. When connected to a Fire TV streaming media player or a Fire TV Edition TV, your favorite live, recorded, and streaming content is all in one place. You can use the 'On Now' row to view what's currently airing, or the Channel Guide and 'DVR' tab to search for live shows, manage recordings, and view up to two weeks of programming. Plus, live TV listings from Prime Video Channels and PlayStation Vue are integrated directly into your 'On Now' row and Channel Guide-right alongside your local over-the-air content.

14:50 EDT Wells Fargo sees headcount down approximately 5%-10% in next three years - Wells Fargo announced that CEO Tim Sloan shared progress with team members on the company's ongoing transformation, which addresses industry trends and changes in customer behavior, during a regularly scheduled companywide town hall meeting. "Given changing customer preferences, including the accelerating adoption of digital self-service capabilities, the focus on operational excellence, and ongoing commitment to efficiency, the company expects headcount to decline by approximately 5 to 10% within the next three years. This decline would reflect displacements as well as normal team member attrition over that period," Wells Fargo stated. Sloan said: "Wells Fargo takes very seriously any change that involves its team members, and as always, we will be thoughtful and transparent, and treat team members with respect. We have robust programs to make impacted team members aware of other job opportunities within Wells Fargo and provide support as they transition to the next phase of their careers. And even as we become more efficient, Wells Fargo will remain one of the largest employers in the United States. We are addressing past issues, enhancing our focus on customers, strengthening risk management and controls, simplifying our organization, and improving the team member experience - all in the spirit of building a better Wells Fargo for our customers."

14:37 EDT Duke says natural gas combined cycle plant at Sutton continues to operate safely - Duke Energy announced that the rising Cape Fear River is overtopping the cooling lake at the L.V. Sutton Plant in Wilmington, N.C. Sutton's ash basins are currently not affected by this incident. The 625-megawatt natural gas combined cycle plant at Sutton also continues to operate safely, and the company will evaluate continued plant operations. Sutton's 575-megawatt coal plant was retired in 2013 and the units were demolished in 2017. "We have deployed numerous resources to assess the situation and have positioned repair materials so we can rapidly respond once the river conditions are safe to do so. We continue to work closely with local emergency management and other officials as the situation evolves," said George Hamrick, a senior VP with Duke Energy.

14:20 EDT Array BioPharma says EU approves BRAFTOVI, MEKTOVI combo - Array BioPharma announced that the European Commission has approved BRAFTOVI in combination with MEKTOVI for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic melanoma with a BRAFV600 mutation, as detected by a validated test. This approval is applicable to all 28 European Union member states, as well as Liechtenstein, Iceland and Norway. "With an even greater number of patients with advanced BRAF-mutant melanoma in Europe than in the U.S., we are delighted BRAFTOVI + MEKTOVI will be available to these patients who are in critical need of additional options that delay disease progression and improve overall survival," said Ron Squarer, Chief Executive Officer. "Our European partner, Pierre Fabre, has a strong legacy in oncology, and with over a thousand employees dedicated to this therapeutic area, we are very pleased they have made BRAFTOVI + MEKTOVI a top priority for their team."

13:57 EDT Stryker to showcase Tritanium In-Growth Technology in AR experience - Stryker's Spine division will feature its family of 3D-printed Tritanium interbody fusion cages and highlight its Tritanium In-Growth Technology1 in an augmented reality experience at the North American Spine Society Annual Meeting, Sept. 26-29, in Los Angeles.The augmented reality "tour" combines objects in the real world with computer-augmented 3D animations. Using this augmented reality storyline, as well as a series of hands-on activities and scientific animations, the experience at the Stryker booth is designed to enhance understanding of the story behind Tritanium In-Growth Technology, as well as AMagine(TM), Stryker's proprietary additive manufacturing process, which assists in the creation of highly porous implants with a structure that is designed to mimic bone. "Our augmented reality tour will demonstrate Tritanium's characteristics, with the goal of helping surgeons better understand the differences of materials on the market," said Michael Carter, vice president and general manager of Stryker's Spine division. "Tritanium continues to receive terrific feedback as more surgeons become believers in the technology, validating our commitment to providing advanced and innovative products for our surgeon customers and their patients."

13:49 EDT CaixaBank to sell existing shareholding in Repsol - CaixaBank S.A. announces that its Board of Directors, in line with the current strategic plan, agreed to sell down the existing shareholding in Repsol S.A. through a disposal program. Two existing equity swaps for 30,547,921 shares, or 1.91%, and 43,074,196 shares, or 2.70%, at EUR15.39 and EUR15.55, respectively, are to be early settled with a value date no later than the end of September 2018. The disposal programme for 75,789,715 shares of REP will commence immediately and terminate no later than the end of the first quarter of 2019. Disposals are to be limited on daily basis to a maximum of 15% of the daily trading volume, CaixaBank stated. The end of the disposal program will be disclosed by a significant event filing. These decisions are estimated to result in a one-time gross/net loss of c. EUR450M in the 3Q18 P&L Statement and are expected to have a broadly neutral impact on the fully-loaded CET1 ratio, once the disposal program has been concluded. The existing CABK RoTE target of 9-11% for FY 2018 is hereby reiterated, CaixaBank said.

13:12 EDT Tetraphase announces EC decision granting marketing authorization for XERAVA - Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals announced that the European Commission has adopted the Decision granting marketing authorisation for XERAVA for injection for the treatment of complicated intra-abdominal infections in adults in the European Union. In clinical trials, XERAVA was well-tolerated and achieved high clinical cure rates in patients with cIAI, demonstrating statistical non-inferiority to two widely used comparators - ertapenem and meropenem. The European Commission approval follows the positive opinion issued by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use and allows Tetraphase to market XERAVA in all countries in the European Union as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. The decision was based on a comprehensive data package which included data from the Company's phase 3 clinical trials investigating XERAVA in patients with cIAI compared to ertapenem and meropenem. In the first trial, twice-daily intravenous XERAVA met the primary endpoint, demonstrating non-inferiority in clinical cure versus IV ertapenem. In the second trial, twice-daily IV XERAVA met the primary endpoint, demonstrating non-inferiority in clinical cure versus IV meropenem. In both trials, XERAVA was well-tolerated and achieved high cure rates in patients with Gram-negative pathogens, including resistant isolates.

12:25 EDT Acadia jumps 17%, or $2.54, to $17.64

12:07 EDT Nissan recalls over 215,000 vehicles in U.S. for antilock brake pump defect - Nissan North America is recalling 215,124 vehicles in the U.S. over an antilock brake pump defect that may increase the risk of a fire. The recall affects certain 2015-17 Nissan Muranos, 2016-17 Nissan Maximas, 2017-18 Nissan Pathfinders and 2017 Infiniti QX60s, according to the safety recall report. The automaker is advising owners to park their vehicles outdoors and away from other vehicles or structures. The seal on the antilock brake pump may leak brake fluid onto the circuit board, which could create an electrical short and, in "rare" instances, may lead to a fire.

12:00 EDT Seaspan falls -12.2% - Seaspan is down -12.2%, or -$1.11 to $8.05.

12:00 EDT Mechel rises 12.8% - Mechel is up 12.8%, or 38c to $3.29.

12:00 EDT China Online Education rises 15.9% - China Online Education is up 15.9%, or $1.23 to $8.95.

11:52 EDT MGT Capital Investments announces partnership with MMH Blockchain - MGT Capital Investments announced a a new agreement with MMH Blockchain Group, in an effort to expand its engagement with investors and the public. Under the new agreement, MMH Blockchain Group will advise and support MGT on matters related to public relations and marketing.

11:05 EDT ESPN+ streaming service hits 1M subscribers in five months post launch - Disney announced that ESPN+, its direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service in collaboration with ESPN, has surpassed one million paying subscribers in just over five months since its April 2018 launch. ESPN+ subscriptions cost $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year. "Reaching one million paid subscribers is an important milestone for any video subscription service, but reaching this benchmark in such a short amount of time is an incredible testament to the teams from DTCI and ESPN who have worked tirelessly to bring this product to market and continually improve it since our April launch," said Kevin Mayer, chairman, Direct-to-Consumer and International, The Walt Disney Company. "We're thrilled so many sports fans have quickly come to love the service. The future is bright and we believe growth will continue as we add features, distribution partners and more exclusive content in the coming months." Reference Link

11:02 EDT Caterpillar rises after analyst upgrade citing continued demand growth - Shares of Caterpillar (CAT) are rising after a Baird analyst upgraded the stock to Outperform saying he sees continued demand growth. UPGRADE TO OUTPERFORM: On Thursday, Baird analyst Mig Dobre upgraded Caterpillar to Outperform from Neutral saying he believes demand growth should continue into 2019. The analyst said he views setup into year-end for the machinery segment as more favorable as good fundamentals and more inexpensive valuation combine with several potential catalysts. While some markets like China and U.S. light construction equipment are close to peak, most of the Caterpillar's demand is still at or below mid-cycle levels, said Dobre. In addition, capital deployment remains a catalyst, the analyst said. Dobre raised his price target for Caterpillar shares to $191 from $155. "CAT-AGORICALLY BULLISH": On Wednesday, BMO Capital analyst Joel Tiss kept his Outperform rating and $185 price target on Caterpillar after meeting with its head of Resource Industries and representatives from Investor Relations this week, saying the discussions affirmed his view that the company's "cyclical peak concerns are overblown." Tiss said that certain markets may be reaching a "plateau," however "the depth of the trough" in other markets is likely underappreciated. The analyst notes that Caterpillar's end markets are not expected to top out for "several years," with mining and energy starting to show some traction from the bottom and power generation also showing signs of recovery. The analyst added that the management looks ahead to a "significant opportunity in driving growth in its existing business" as it transitions from cost reductions to improved profitability. WHAT'S NOTABLE: On September 4, the company reported that its total retail machines sales were up 23% on a three month rolling basis in August. For reference, retail sales of machines were up 24% in the period ending in July and up 25% in the period ending in June. The company reported world Resources Industries sales up 35% in the August-end period, compared to a July period increase of 34%. Construction Industries world sales were up 21% in the August-end period, versus the 22% increase in the prior three-month period ending in July. Total Energy & Transportation Retail Sales were up 16% in the August-end period, up from an 11% increase in the July-end period. PRICE ACTION: Caterpillar rose 1.5% to $155.08 in morning trading.

10:57 EDT Lilly has been 'very clear' on plans to exit Elanco stake in 2019, Simmons says - Elanco (ELAN) CEO Jeff Simmons is being interviewed on CNBC. Eli Lilly (LLY) is spinning off Elanco via an IPO this morning.

10:24 EDT KBS Fashion announces LOI for a proposed 51% acquisition of Siteng - KBS Fashion Group announced that it has entered into a non-binding letter of intent to acquire 51% of Hangzhou Siteng Network Technology Company. KBS has agreed to acquire 51% of Siteng in cash; the consideration will be based on Siteng's value which will be determined by an independent appraisal firm acceptable to KBSF, Siteng, and Siteng's shareholders. The parties seek to complete the transaction no later than June 30, 2019. Headquartered in Hangzhou, Siteng is engaged in providing operational services to more than 100 companies in China. There are currently over 100 employees with the majority being well-trained cross-border e-commerce professionals. The transaction remains subject to completion of due diligence reviews, customary definitive documentation, and approval by the respective KBS and Siteng boards of directors. As a result, there is no assurance that the transaction will be eventually consummated.

10:17 EDT Under Armour rises after announcing 3% cut to global workforce - Shares of Under Armour (UA, UAA) are rising after the company provided an update on its restructuring plan and announced a roughly 3% cut to its workforce. RESTRUCTURING PLAN: On Thursday, Under Armour announced an update to its 2018 restructuring plan and an approximately 3% cut to its global workforce. Previously, the company expected to incur total estimated pre-tax restructuring and related charges of roughly $190M-$210M in connection with the plan but, following further evaluation, the company identified about $10M of cash severance charges related to the workforce reduction. Accordingly, the company now expects approximately $200M-$220M of pre-tax restructuring and related charges to be incurred in 2018. The reduction in workforce is expected to be completed by March 31, 2019 and represents the final component to the 2018 restructuring plan. MANAGEMENT COMMENTS: "In our relentless pursuit of running a more operationally excellent company, we continue to make difficult decisions to ensure we are best positioned to succeed," said Under Armour Chief Financial Officer David Bergman. "This redesign will help simplify the organization for smarter, faster execution, capture additional cost efficiencies, and shift resources to drive greater operating leverage as we move into 2019 and beyond." GUIDANCE: Based on the operational efficiencies driven by the plan, the company now expects operating loss is to be approximately $60M versus the previous range of $50M-$60M. Excluding the impact of the restructuring plan, adjusted operating income is now expected to be $140M-$160M versus the prior expectation of $130M-$160M. Excluding the impact of the restructuring efforts, adjusted earnings per share is now expected to be in the range of 16c-19c versus the previously expected range of 14c-19c. This compares to analyst estimates of 12c. WHAT'S NOTABLE: Last year, Under Armour approved a restructuring plan to better align its financial resources to support the company's efforts as the consumer landscape shifts. As part of the plan, Under Armour said it was cutting about 2% of its global workforce of 15,000 and streamlining "all aspects" of the organization to improve business operations. On Tuesday, Matt Powell, Senior Industry Advisor, Sports at The NPD Group, stated in a LinkedIn post that "As expected, August was a disappointing month for sport footwear. Sales were down low singles in dollars and in units, yielding a flat performance in average selling price." Powell noted that Nike (NKE) brand sales grew in the very low singles on strong lifestyle results, Adidas (ADDYY) sales grew "only in the low singles digits," Skechers (SKX) athletic improved "in the low singles" and Under Armour footwear "declined more than 25%" last month. PRICE ACTION: Class A Under Armour shares rose 4.4% to $19.58 in morning trading.

10:06 EDT Corbus Pharmaceuticals trading resumes

10:00 EDT Seaspan falls -9.4% - Seaspan is down -9.4%, or -86c to $8.30.

10:00 EDT Skyline falls -10.7% - Skyline is down -10.7%, or -$3.26 to $27.35.

10:00 EDT Mechel rises 13.1% - Mechel is up 13.1%, or 38c to $3.30.

09:56 EDT Corbus Pharmaceuticals trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:47 EDT Mechel rises 12.7% - Mechel is up 12.7%, or 37c to $3.29.

09:35 EDT Exxon Mobil to join Oil and Gas Climate Initiative - ExxonMobil said it will join the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative, a voluntary initiative representing 13 of the world's largest oil and gas producers working collaboratively toward solutions to mitigate the risks of climate change. The CEO-led organization focuses on developing practical solutions in areas including carbon capture and storage, methane emissions reductions and energy and transportation efficiency. As part of the initiative, ExxonMobil will expand its investment in research and development of long-term solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as partnerships and multi-stakeholder initiatives that will pursue lower-emission technologies.

09:19 EDT MYnd Analytics subsidiary partners with IBH to provide TeleEAP services - MYnd Analytics announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Arcadian Telepsychiatry Services, has partnered with Integrated Behavioral Health, or IBH, to provide TeleEAP services to IBH's members. IBH currently serves over 7M members, representing 26,000 individual clients across the United States and is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California.

09:12 EDT Maxim's battery monitoring IC to be integrated into new Nissan LEAF - Maxim (MXIM) announced that its single-chip, ASIL D-rated battery monitoring IC is being integrated into the new Nissan (NSANY) LEAF, the next evolution of its zero-emission electric vehicle. The IC meets the highest safety standards with comprehensive diagnostics, delivers robust communications and dramatically reduces the isolation bill of material costs.

09:10 EDT Amgen, County of Los Angeles announce collaboration - Amgen and the County of Los Angeles announced that Amgen has agreed to become a founding sponsor of BioLA, a newly formed organization focused on advancing a life science innovation hub in Los Angeles County. The innovation hub is designed to contribute to advancements in global health by strengthening the County's life sciences ecosystem and accelerating the pace of startup activity. BioLA will also focus on creating jobs, driving economic development and promoting the County's public healthcare system.

09:09 EDT GoPro introduces HERO7 Black with HyperSmooth video stabilization - GoPro announced its new product lineup including its $399 flagship, HERO7 Black, which sets a new bar for video stabilization with its standout feature, HyperSmooth. HyperSmooth is the best in-camera video stabilization ever featured in a camera. It makes it easy to capture professional-looking, gimbal-like stabilized video without the expense or hassle of a motorized gimbal. And HyperSmooth works underwater and in high-shock and wind situations where gimbals fail. HERO7 Black with HyperSmooth video stabilization - you've got to see it to believe it. With HERO7 Black, GoPro is also introducing a radical new form of video called TimeWarp. TimeWarp Video applies a high-speed, 'magic-carpet-ride' effect to your videos. Imagine a scenic drive, ocean dive or walk through the city compressed into a super-stabilized, sped-up version of itself, with the entire experience playing out in seconds. TimeWarp Video transforms longer experiences into short, flowing videos that are compelling to watch and easy to share. And when it comes to sharing, there's no faster way to do it than live. HERO7 Black is the first GoPro to live stream, enabling users to automatically share in real time to Facebook, Twitch, YouTube, Vimeo and other platforms internationally. The result is an exciting and convenient way to share life's more interesting, on-the-go moments.

09:06 EDT Royal Dutch Shell expands relationship with Microsoft - Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A, RDS.B) announced it is broadening its work with Microsoft (MSFT) to help accelerate industry transformation and innovation. Through this collaboration, Shell will drive efficiencies across the company from drilling and extraction to employee empowerment and collaboration, as well as safety for its retail customers and employees. As part of this deal, Shell announced it has selected C3 IoT with Microsoft Azure as its artificial intelligence platform to enable and accelerate digital transformation on a global scale. Shell expects to realize substantial economic value by rapidly scaling and replicating AI and machine learning applications across its upstream and downstream businesses and improving operational performance.

09:04 EDT Imax, Universal Pictures announce multi-year, multi-picture deal - Universal Pictures and IMAX announced that the companies have expanded their growing partnership with a new, multi-year, multi-picture deal. As part of the agreement, IMAX will release several highly-anticipated Universal Pictures tentpole films, including Academy Award winner Damien Chazelle's First Man, Illumination's Dr. Seuss' The Grinch, Mortal Engines, executive produced by three-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson, M. Night Shyamalan's Glass, DreamWorks Animation's How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, The Voyage of Dr. Dolittle starring Robert Downey, Jr., and the next chapter in the billion-dollar Fast & Furious franchise.

09:02 EDT Ideanomics enters JV with APMEN Trade Tech Co - Ideanomics is pleased to announce that it has entered into joint venture with APMEN Trade Tech Co Ltd. to establish a leading enterprise focusing on digital supply chain services using blockchain and super artificial intelligence for the Asia-Pacific Model Electronic Port Network APEC's online port clearance system. Ideanomics will have a majority interest of 60% in the Joint venture. APMEN Trade Tech Co Ltd. intends to launch the operations as soon as possible in the two biggest ports: Shanghai and Guangdong (including seven ports), which account for nearly half of China's input and export.

08:46 EDT Perspecta awarded $75M contract from Homeland Security - Perspecta was awarded the Network Management Support Service for the Network Operations Center contract from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security. The blanket purchase agreement contract represents new work for the company and has a maximum potential period of performance of eight years and a total potential ceiling value of $75M if all options are exercised. Under the contract, Perspecta will ensure the NOC is supported and running 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year.

08:44 EDT iFresh signs letter of intent with CITCON for retail payment solution - iFresh announced that the company has signed a letter of intent, or LOI, with CITCON. Under the terms of the LOI, CITCON will provide software for Xiamen Yidong's smart retail technology to accept U.S. credit and debit cards, which will allow iFresh to distribute Xiamen Yidong's smart retail products across the United States. CITCON will coordinate software development with Xiamen Yidong to ensure compatibility and proper integration.

08:39 EDT Lantronix reaches patent settlement with Jinan USR IoT in Europe - Lantronix announced that it has reached a settlement agreement with Jinan USR IoT regarding Lantronix's efforts to enforce certain European patents covering Lantronix's XPort family of serial-to-ethernet device servers. Under the settlement agreement, USR IoT has agreed to cease all sales, offers to sell and importation of its SuperPort products in the territory of the European patents. The agreement essentially extends the previous settlement agreement reached with respect to the lawsuit Lantronix filed against USR IoT in July 2017 in U.S. District Court alleging that some of USR IoT's products infringed Lantronix's U.S. patents. In the original settlement, USR IoT agreed to cease and desist sales of SuperPort products in the United States. Under the terms of the settlement, Lantronix reserved the right to enforce its foreign patents in other countries around the world. Lantronix's XPort family of products is also protected by patents in several other international jurisdictions, including China, Japan, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

08:36 EDT Portola Pharmaceuticals names Scott Garland CEO - Portola Pharmaceuticals announced the appointment of Scott Garland as president and CEO effective October 8. Garland brings to his new role more than two decades of broad executive leadership experience, including a track record driving multiple billion dollar product launches. He will also serve on the company's board. Garland joins Portola from Relypsa where he was president and previously CCO. During his tenure, Garland was responsible for the integration and growth of the U.S. operations after Relypsa was acquired.

08:34 EDT Allstate announces estimated catastrophe losses for August of $186M pre-tax - The Allstate Corporation announced estimated catastrophe losses for the month of August 2018 of $186M, pre-tax, $147M after-tax. Catastrophe losses occurring in August comprised 16 events at an estimated cost of $137M, pre-tax, plus unfavorable reserve reestimates of prior reported catastrophe losses. One hail event, primarily impacting Colorado, accounted for approximately 35% of August event catastrophe losses. Allstate previously announced $262M, pre-tax, $207M after-tax, in estimated catastrophe losses for the month of July 2018, bringing catastrophe losses for the months of July and August 2018 to $448M, pre-tax, $354M after-tax. Catastrophe loss estimates do not include Hurricane Florence which made landfall on September 14, 2018.

08:19 EDT NetSol Technologies secures multi-million dollar contract with automaker - NetSol Technologies has secured an agreement with a major American multinational automaker to implement its NFS Ascent Retail Platform in China. The multi-million-dollar contract covers installation of the complete NFS Ascent Retail Suite including its loan origination system and contract management system, both of which will be integrated into the customer's leasing operations.

08:09 EDT ManTech an awardee on $28B AFICA contract - ManTech announced that it has been selected as an awardee on the $28B Information analysis center multiple award contract by the Air Force Installation Contracting Agency, or AFICA, office located at Offutt Air Force Base. AFICA awarded the contract on behalf of the DoD Information Analysis Center Program Management Officer sponsored by the Defense Technical Information Center, which provides research, development, test and evaluation operational services for defense and other government agencies. Under the nine-year indefinite-delivery-indefinite quantity award, ManTech will compete for task orders in Pool 1 with a value of $15M or greater, to support a span of disciplines ranging from cyber and information technology to defense systems and homeland defense.

08:06 EDT Celgene will not exercise option to license OncoMed's navicixizumab - OncoMed (OMED) announced that Celgene (CELG) has notified OncoMed that due to strategic product portfolio considerations Celgene has decided not to exercise its option to license OncoMed's bispecific antibody navicixizumab. Celgene continues to retain its options to license OncoMed's etigilimab and rosmantuzumab under the collaboration. OncoMed and Celgene are working to formalize the termination of the collaboration agreement with respect to navicixizumab, and OncoMed expects to retain worldwide rights to navicixizumab. OncoMed is currently conducting a Phase 1b clinical trial of navicixizumab in combination with paclitaxel in patients with platinum-resistant late-stage ovarian cancer.

08:04 EDT CGI Group acquires ckc AG in Germany - CGI announce its merger with ckc AG, a specialized provider of agile software development and management services, with a focus on the automotive sector. The transaction is expected to close before the end of 2018. Headquartered in Brunswick, Germany, ckc provides software development, mobility, IT modernization, information security, test and project management, and change management services. With the merger of ckc, CGI adds two new locations in Brunswick and Halle, along with more than 300 highly qualified specialists to its current network of 3,000 professionals across 15 locations in Germany.

07:54 EDT Wheeler REIT reports minimal damage from Hurricane Florence - Wheeler REIT announced that their shopping centers located in North and South Carolina sustained only superficial damage from Hurricane Florence based on preliminary inspections. These buildings are comprised of 11 shopping centers totaling approximately 576 thousand square feet. The company's property management team worked diligently through their hurricane protocols to ensure all shopping centers were prepared for the storm and are now open and operational, except for Lumber River in Lumberton, North Carolina, which has limited access due to flooding in the surrounding area. WHLR continues to assess the full impact from this devastating storm and continues to work with its property management and leasing teams as well at its tenants to return the centers to full operating normalcy.

07:34 EDT Under Armour provides update to restructuring plan - Under Armour (UA, UAA) announced an update to its 2018 restructuring plan based on an organizational and process redesign intended to optimize the company's strategic growth initiatives and overall business performance. Previously, the company expected to incur total estimated pre-tax restructuring and related charges of approximately $190 million to $210 million in connection with its 2018 restructuring plan. Following further evaluation, the company has identified approximately $10 million of cash severance charges related to an approximate 3 percent reduction in its global workforce. Accordingly, it now expects approximately $200 million to $220 million of pre-tax restructuring and related charges to be incurred in 2018. The reduction in workforce is expected to be completed by March 31, 2019 and represents the final component and update to the company's 2018 restructuring plan. "In our relentless pursuit of running a more operationally excellent company, we continue to make difficult decisions to ensure we are best positioned to succeed," said Under Armour Chief Financial Officer David Bergman. "This redesign will help simplify the organization for smarter, faster execution, capture additional cost efficiencies, and shift resources to drive greater operating leverage as we move into 2019 and beyond."

07:33 EDT Under Armour sees FY18 operating loss approximately $60M - Operating loss is now expected to be approximately $60 million versus the previous range of $50 million to $60 million. Excluding the impact of the restructuring plan, adjusted operating income is now expected to be $140 million to $160 million versus the prior expectation of $130 million to $160 million.

07:18 EDT Corbus Pharmaceuticals licenses exclusive rights for 600 compounds from Jerin - Corbus Pharmaceuticals announced that it has licensed the exclusive worldwide rights to develop, manufacture and market drug candidates from more than 600 compounds targeting the endocannabinoid system from Jenrin Discovery. The pipeline includes CRB-4001, Jenrin's 2nd generation, peripherally-restricted, CB1 inverse agonist targeting liver, lung, heart and kidney fibrotic diseases. The current portfolio for CRB-4001 includes multiple issued and pending patents. Under the terms of the exclusive licensing agreement, Corbus obtained worldwide commercialization rights to Jenrin's library of more than 600 endocannabinoid system compounds, including CRB-4001, as well as a portfolio of issued and pending patents, for an up-front cash payment and milestone payments to be paid upon the achievement of certain development and regulatory milestones for each compound as well as royalty payments for sales of any Jenrin compound.

07:14 EDT Darden cuts FY19 effective tax rate outlook to 10%-11% from 11%-12%

07:12 EDT Cronos Group, Aleafia Health announce commencement of medical cannabis study - Aleafia Health and Cronos Group announced the commencement of a joint medical cannabis study to improve the management and treatment of insomnia and daytime sleepiness. The study is funded in part by Peace Naturals Project, a licensed producer of medical cannabis that is wholly owned by Cronos Group. The study will be led by physicians practicing within the Canabo Medical Clinic network, which is wholly owned by Aleafia. According to a July 2017 report from the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, entitled Drug Summary: Prescription Sedatives, 11.4% of adults aged 25 and older had used a prescription sedative in the past year. The study will aim to assist in the treatment of insomnia and the development of non-addictive, natural sleep aids.

07:10 EDT Compugen announces milestone payment in collaboration with Bayer - Compugen (CGEN) was informed that Bayer (BAYRY) dosed the first patient in the Phase 1 clinical trial of BAY 1905254, a first-in-class immuno-oncology therapeutic antibody targeting the ILDR2 protein, in patients with advanced solid tumors. Under the terms of the collaboration and license agreement, Compugen is entitled to a milestone payment of $7.8M at first patient dosing. ILDR2 is a new immune checkpoint protein identified by Compugen using its predictive target discovery platform.

07:09 EDT Merrimack receives $5M milestone payment from Shire - Merrimack (MACK) has received a $5M milestone payment from Shire (SHPG), triggered by the sale of Onivyde in the first major non-European, non-Asian country, pursuant to the terms of Merrimack's asset sale to Ipsen in 2017. The terms of the company's asset sale to Ipsen in 2017 entitled Merrimack to receive up to an aggregate of $33.0M in net milestone payments from Shire, of which Merrimack has now received $23.0M, including this milestone and the $18.0M payment in August 2018 resulting from the sale of Onivyde in two additional major European countries. Merrimack remains eligible to receive up to an additional $10.0M in milestone payments for the first patient dosed in a pivotal clinical trial of Onivyde in an indication other than pancreatic cancer. Furthermore, Merrimack is entitled to receive up to an aggregate of $450M in regulatory-based milestones from Ipsen. Merrimack expects to pass these proceeds through to stockholders, net of any taxes owed and subject to there being a sufficient surplus at that time, consisting of: $225.0M upon approval by the FDA of Onivyde for the first-line treatment of metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, subject to certain conditions; $150.0M upon approval by the FDA of Onivyde for the treatment of small cell lung cancer after failure of first-line chemotherapy; and $75.0M upon approval by the FDA of Onivyde for an additional unrelated indication.

07:08 EDT Thor Industries down 2.5% after reporting Q4 results

07:07 EDT TherapeuticsMD says FDA grants Annovera marketing exclusivity as a NCE - TherapeuticsMD announced that Annovera has been granted marketing exclusivity as a new chemical entity from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The five-year NCE exclusivity runs for five years from the FDA approval of the New Drug Application for Annovera.

07:05 EDT Vonage to acquire NewVoiceMedia for $350M in cash - Vonage has entered into an agreement to acquire privately-held NewVoiceMedia, an industry-leading cloud Contact Center-as-a-Service provider, for an equity price of $350M paid in cash. Under the agreement, NewVoiceMedia shareholders will receive equity consideration of $350M. Vonage is financing the acquisition through a combination of existing revolver capacity, cash on hand and cash on the balance sheet of NewVoiceMedia. Pro forma for the transaction, Net Debt to LTM Adjusted OIBDA will be approximately 3.3x and is expected to be below 3.0x within two quarters. The enterprise value paid for NewVoiceMedia represents approximately 3.8x projected 2019 revenue. The Company expects to realize annual run rate synergies of approximately $10M by year-end 2019 and meaningfully higher by year-end 2020, which include revenue synergies from cross-selling and cost synergies from cost of service and G&A savings. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2018 and is subject to standard regulatory review and customary closing conditions. The Company plans to update financial guidance, taking into account the acquisition, in its third-quarter earnings release.

07:05 EDT Mylan and Fujifilm Kyowa receive European Marketing Authorization for Hulio - Mylan (MYL) and Fujifilm Kyowa Kirin Biologics announced that the European Commission has granted marketing authorization for Hulio, a biosimilar to AbbVie's (ABBV) Humira - adalimumab -, for all indications. The authorization follows the adoption of a positive opinion by the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, which concluded that the development program including analytical, functional, clinical and immunogenicity data demonstrated biosimilarity with the reference product, Humira. The EC approval of Hulio applies to all 28 European Union member countries and European Economic Area member states of Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Mylan plans to launch Hulio across various markets in Europe on or after Oct. 16. Mylan and Fujifilm Kyowa Kirin Biologics partnered earlier this year. Fujifilm Kyowa Kirin Biologics has a nonexclusive royalty bearing license with AbbVie for the use and sale of Hulio in European countries. Humira had brand sales of approximately $4.4B in Europe for the 12 months ending June 30, 2018.

07:01 EDT Darden reports Q1 blended same-restaurant sales up 3.3%

06:56 EDT Louisiana-Pacific's Wilmington, N.C. operations temporarily shut down - Louisiana-Pacific's Wilmington, N.C. engineered wood operations have been temporarily shut down due to Hurricane Florence. The company's Wilmington mill suffered damage in the storm. An LP response team has begun assessing the extent of the damage. LP has inventory at the mill that was not damaged and plans to continue servicing customers for the near term from inventory on hand at the Wilmington facility. LP employs 700 people at its three North Carolina mills, including 149 at its engineered wood products plant in Wilmington. The company's operations in Roaring River and Roxboro were not impacted by the storm.

06:30 EDT Carvana launches as-soon-as-next-day vehicle delivery in New York - Residents in New York City can order just about anything online and get it delivered to their front door. Now, thanks to Carvana, that also includes cars. Carvana, a leading e-commerce platform for buying, financing and selling used cars, has launched as-soon-as-next-day vehicle delivery in New York City. Customers can shop more than 10,000 vehicles on Carvana.com, finance, purchase, and even sell their current vehicle to Carvana, then schedule as-soon-as-next-day delivery to their home or office in as little as 10 minutes.

06:05 EDT Amicus acquires gene therapy portfolio of ten AAV programs for $100M - Amicus Therapeutics signed a definitive agreement in which Amicus will receive worldwide development and commercial rights for ten gene therapy programs developed at The Center for Gene Therapy at The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital and The Ohio State University. The ten programs are licensed to Amicus from Nationwide Children's Hospital through the acquisition of Celenex, a private, clinical stage gene therapy company. The lead programs in CLN6, CLN3, and CLN8 Batten disease are potential first-to-market curative therapies for these diseases. All acquired programs leverage intrathecal delivery, using the same AAV vector approach utilized successfully in clinical trials across other rare CNS indications. This approach and technology are considered to be a clinically validated gene delivery platform for diseases of the central nervous system. Amicus will pay $100M in an upfront cash payment to acquire all of these assets. Celenex shareholders are also eligible for up to $15M in development milestones and $262M in BLA/MAA submission and approval milestones across multiple programs. Amicus expects to pay no more than $75M over the next 4 years in these milestones. No royalties are owed to Celenex for any of these programs. Celenex shareholders may also be eligible for up to $75M in tiered sales milestone payments. The acquisition and several years of related development costs for all of these programs will be financed through a new $150M debt facility provided by BioPharma Credit PLC, an investment fund managed by Pharmakon Advisors.

06:02 EDT Steelcase acquires Orangebox Group for $79M - Steelcase announced it acquired Orangebox Group Limited, a UK-based designer and manufacturer of furniture for the changing workplace, the latest in a rapid expansion of innovative products designed for the new ways people work. This acquisition provides growth-driven organizations around the world with an even broader range of unique furniture designed to boost collaboration at work and provides Steelcase with an engine to accelerate innovative product development in Europe and around the world. The transaction involves the acquisition of all the outstanding capital stock of Orangebox for GBP 60M, (or $79M) less an adjustment for working capital, with an additional GBP 3M payable to one of the sellers over three years based on the achievement of certain performance obligations. Steelcase funded the acquisition by borrowings under its credit facility. Orangebox has posted revenue of approximately GBP 69M over the trailing twelve months through August 2018.

05:54 EDT CUI Global subsidiary signs cooperation agreement with SAMSON - CUI Global announced from the GasTech 2018 Conference that its wholly-owned energy subsidiary, Orbital Gas Systems, has signed a definitive Cooperation Agreement with SAMSON AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT for the global sales and distribution of the company's proprietary GasPT, VE Technology and combined GasPTi analyzer. Under the terms of the Agreement, SAMSON will distribute the Company's solutions globally excluding North America and the U.K. and become its exclusive distributor. The document contains specific performance milestones, which SAMSON must achieve to become and then maintain "exclusivity."

05:51 EDT Sky takeover to be decided by one-day auction on Saturday - The U.K.'s Takeover Panel said that "in order to provide an orderly framework for the resolution of this competitive situation," it will commence an auction a one-day auction for Sky (SKYAY) at 5.00 pm London time on September 21 and end during the evening of September 22. The auction procedure will consist of a maximum of three rounds which will all take place on September 22. In the first round, only the offeror with the lowest offer as at the commencement of the auction may make an increased bid. In the second round, only the offeror that was not eligible to make a bid in the first round may make an increased bid. If the auction procedure has not concluded after the second round, there will be a final round, in which both offerors may make an increased bid. Each of Sky, Comcast (CMCSA), 21st Century Fox (FOXA), and Disney (DIS), which is acting in concert with Fox, has agreed to the terms of the auction procedure and this statement, the Takeover Panel said. Reference Link

05:41 EDT Alibaba announces smart mobility initiatives with partners - Alibaba Group (BABA) announced a series of smart mobility initiatives in partnership with auto brands and technology service providers. The announcement was made during The Cloud Computing Conference, the company's largest technology showcase, held over four days in Hangzhou, Alibaba's home base. Alibaba Cloud and Bosch announced plans to introduce Automated Valet Parking, or AVP, solutions in China. Both parties will work together to enable the infrastructure-based, driverless parking solution. The technology is powered by software in a cloud and it will offer a fully automated valet parking service in the near future. Alibaba A.I. Labs announced it is upgrading its auto Artificial Intelligence solution, Tmall Genie Auto, by partnering with Volvo Cars (VLVLY) and adding car-to-home AI services. Tmall Genie is an AI-powered smart assistant developed by the Labs. Through the upgraded solution, Volvo Cars drivers with a Tmall Genie-compatible device will be able to monitor and control their smart-home devices from their cars, starting next year. As part of the strategic cooperation inked last December between Alibaba Group and Ford (F), the auto brand confirmed that Ford Kuga SUV customers will be able to order the car which has a 10.4-inch center screen and software powered by AliOS later this year. The debut of this technology in the Kuga marks another milestone in strengthening ties between the two leaders in their respective fields, and highlights the rapid growth of internet-connected cars in China. As of today, there are over 500,000 AliOS - equipped Internet vehicles on the road in China.

05:35 EDT Elbit awarded $173M contract to supply Naval RCWS to an Asia-Pacific country - Elbit Systems announced that it was awarded an approximately $173M contract to provide Naval Remote Controlled Weapon Stations, or RCWS, to the Navy and Coast Guard of an Asia-Pacific country. The contract will be performed over a five-year period. Under the contract, Elbit Systems will provide lightweight, fully stabilized dual-axis Naval RCWS to be installed onboard a wide range of vessels. The Naval RCWS to be provided feature a 12.7mm machine gun and ammunition, Elbit Systems' advanced fire control system and the company's modular electro-optic suite.

05:31 EDT Erytech Pharma enrolls first patient in Phase 3 TRYbeCA1 clinical trial - Erytech announced that the first three patients have been enrolled in its pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial, named 'TRYbeCA1', evaluating its lead product candidate eryaspase for the treatment of second line metastatic pancreatic cancer. The TRYbeCa1 trial will enroll approximately 500 patients with second line metastatic pancreatic cancer in 120-130 clinical sites in Europe and the US. Patients who meet the eligibility criteria are randomized 1-to-1 to receive eryaspase in combination with standard chemotherapy or chemotherapy alone until disease progression. The primary endpoint is overall survival. An interim analysis is foreseen when approximately two-thirds of events have occurred.

05:26 EDT Alibaba A.I. Labs launches hospitality robot - The robotics industry is revolutionizing the world, and Alibaba A.I. Labs is raising the stakes in this cutting-edge industry with the announcement of launching service robots for the hospitality sector starting in October. The news was made at The Computing Conference 2018, which is scheduled for four days till September 22 in Hangzhou, China, the site of Alibaba's headquarters. The technology that drives the Labs' service robot is state-of-the-art, combining aluminum casing with multi-sensor data functionality and parallel computing for lightning quick responses. It also includes a semantic map, autonomous navigation system to identify obstacles, communication systems to control elevators, and identity verification via facial-recognition technology. The robot's height is less than one meter, while its walking speed reaches one meter per second. After a trial at a hotel, Alibaba A.I. Labs will assess its suitability for other areas, including hospitals, restaurants and office services.

05:17 EDT Ultra Clean announces fire at Cinos plant in Republic of Korea - Ultra Clean Holdings announced that a fire occurred at a plant operated by the company's joint venture, Cinos, in Balan, Republic of Korea at approximately 1:30 pm September 19, 2018 local time. UCT is currently in the process of assessing the impact, although damage to the plant appears extensive. The company is working closely with the fire department and other local regulatory agencies to identify the cause of the fire and form a plan to mitigate any impact on its customers and employees. No additional details are available at this time.