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

20:54 EDT Fred's extends cooperation agreement with Alden Capital by 6 months - Fred's announced that the company has reached an agreement to extend the cooperation agreement Fred's had previously entered into with Alden Global Capital LLC through September 1, 2019. The cooperation agreement contains certain customary standstill and other provisions and prior to the amendment, would have allowed either party to terminate the agreement after March 1, 2019. The amendment extends that date by six months.

18:54 EDT Fly Intel: After Hours Movers - HIGHER: CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP) up 15.7% after FDA announced a lift of its hold on CTX001... K2M Group Holdings (KTWO) up 4.5% after FDA cleared its Mesa technology platform... Sage Therapeutics (SAGE) up 2.2% after being initiated with Outperform at Oppenheimer... US Foods (USFD) up 0.9% after being awarded a $453M DoD contract... Venator Materials (VNTR) up 0.9% after Point72 reported a 5.5% stake... Canadian Solar (CSIQ) up 0.8% after Lion Point raised its stake... Celestica (CLS) up 0.7% after being upgraded at Macquarie... Zumiez (ZUMZ) up 0.5% after September SSS data... Murphy Oil (MUR) up 0.4% after announcing deep water deal with Petrobras in Gulf of Mexico. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: VOXX (VOXX) down 5.7%. ALSO LOWER: Fluor (FLR) down 13.7% after below-consensus Q3 revenue guidance... ENDRA Life Sciences (NDRA) down 9.8% after filing common stock offering... Square (SQ) down 9.0% after resignation of CFO... SeaSpine Holding (SPNE) down 5.3% after equity offering... Costco (COST) down 0.8% after September SSS.

17:38 EDT LabCorp, Walgreens Boots Alliance announce 600 patient center expansion - Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) and LabCorp (LH) announced their mutual commitment to a significant expansion of their LabCorp at Walgreens collaboration. The two companies have agreed to open at least 600 LabCorp patient service centers at Walgreens stores across the U.S. over the next four years, inclusive of the 17 locations that have opened since they first announced their consumer-focused initiative in June 2017. LabCorp at Walgreens locations are currently open in Florida, Colorado, North Carolina and Deerfield, Illinois, serving as an important part of LabCorp's network of nearly 2,000 patient service centers across the U.S. Consumers and healthcare providers continue to have a positive response to the existing locations, which offer specimen collection services for LabCorp testing in a secure, comfortable environment. The sites are located near the pharmacy area inside the Walgreens store, providing a convenient location for consumers to access important health services and information. In addition, the companies are pursuing other collaboration opportunities, to take advantage of LabCorp's combination of diagnostics and drug development, and Walgreens experience in pharmacy, retail health and consumer engagement. The parties are exploring novel approaches to clinical research, helping consumers take a greater role in their own health and well-being, enabling the ongoing transition to value-based care, and expanding the health-related services available at LabCorp at Walgreens. LabCorp at Walgreens locations offer collection of specimens for a broad range of laboratory testing that is performed in LabCorp's nationwide network of regional and specialty laboratories.

17:31 EDT Brown & Brown increases quarterly dividend 6.7% - Brown & Brown announced that its board has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of 8c per share. The dividend is payable on November 7 to shareholders of record on October 26. The dividend represents a 6.7% increase from Brown & Brown's previous regular quarterly cash dividend and is the twenty-fifth consecutive annual dividend increase for the company, making Brown & Brown a member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrat index.

17:21 EDT US Foods awarded $452.6M Defense Logistics contract - US Foods has been awarded a maximum $452.6M firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity with economic-price-adjustment contract for full line food distribution support. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a two-year base contract with one, one-year option period and one two-year option period. Maximum dollar amount is for the life of the contract. Location of performance is South Carolina, with an October 9, 2023 performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2024 defense working capital funds.

17:17 EDT Integrated Core Strategies reports 5.1% passive stake in Spark Energy

17:07 EDT Murphy Oil announces deep water Gulf of Mexico joint venture with Petrobras - Murphy Oil (MUR) announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Murphy Exploration & Production Company - USA, has entered into a definitive agreement to form a new joint venture company with Petrobras America, a subsidiary of Petrobras (PBR). The joint venture company will be comprised of Gulf of Mexico producing assets from Murphy and PAI with Murphy overseeing the operations. The transaction will have an effective date of October 1, 2018 and is expected to close by year-end 2018. Both companies will contribute all their current producing Gulf of Mexico assets to the joint venture, which will be owned 80% by Murphy and 20% by PAI. The transaction excludes exploration blocks from both companies, with the exception of PAI's blocks that hold deep exploration rights. Murphy will pay cash consideration of $900M to PAI, subject to normal closing adjustments. Additionally, PAI will earn an additional contingent consideration up to $150M if certain price and production thresholds are exceeded beginning in 2019 through 2025. Also, Murphy will carry $50M of PAI costs in the St. Malo Field if certain enhanced oil recovery projects are undertaken. Upon closing, Murphy expects to fund the transaction through a combination of cash-on-hand and the company's senior credit facility.

16:52 EDT Fluor down approximately 13% after Q3 revenue guidance trails consensus - In after-hours trading, shares are down 12.84% to $49.00.

16:48 EDT Green Plains to sell three ethanol plants to Valero Renewable Fuels for $328M - Green Plains has entered into an asset purchase agreement with Valero Renewable Fuels to sell three of its ethanol plants located in Lakota, Iowa, Bluffton, Ind., and Riga, Mich. for $300M in cash, plus approximately $28M of working capital also paid in cash. The transaction involves 280 million gallons of nameplate capacity, or approximately 20% of the company's reported ethanol production capacity. Green Plains also entered into an asset purchase agreement with Green Plains Partners to acquire the storage and transportation assets and the assignment of railcar leases associated with the Lakota, Bluffton and Riga ethanol plants. Green Plains will exchange approximately 8.9 million units it owns of the Partnership, valued at $120.9M, to the Green Plains Partnership for the storage and transportation assets and railcar leases. In addition, Green Plains and the Partnership agreed to extend the storage and throughput services agreement an additional three years to June 30, 2028. Both transactions are anticipated to close during Q4.

16:46 EDT New Leaf Ventures III reports 7.1% passive stake in Arvinas

16:38 EDT FDA clears K2M Group's Mesa platform technology - K2M Group Holdings announced at the Scoliosis Research Society 53rd Annual Meeting & Course, in Bologna, Italy a FDA clearance that also provides for the Dual Differential Correction Philosophy & Technique. The DDC philosophy combines rod rigidity and degree of bend with the MESA Platform Technology, to help achieve quality outcomes in patients with sagittal imbalance. In addition, MESA can be used with the BACS Patient-Specific Rods to help surgeons create pre-contoured rods, rails, and templates that match the surgeon's preoperative plan. K2M's MESA Platform Technology features top-loading and low-profile screws and Zero-Torque Technology that one-step locks without applying torsional stress to the spine. The MESA Platform includes the MESA 2 Deformity Spinal System, a state-of-the-art solution for the most difficult correction maneuvers in complex spine surgery.

16:34 EDT Jensyn Acquisition terminates share exchange agreement with Oneness Global - Jensyn Acquisition announced that it has terminated the share exchange agreement among Jensyn, Oneness Global and the stockholders of Oneness Global due to the breach of certain representations and warranties of Oneness Global contained in the share exchange agreement. Jensyn has demanded that Oneness Global immediately pay to Jensyn the $2.5M termination fee provided for in the share exchange agreement. No assurance can be given that Jensyn will be able to collect the termination fee. As a result of the termination of the share exchange agreement, Jensyn's management will begin exploring other strategic alternatives.

16:31 EDT Constellation Pharmaceuticals expands Phase 2 study of CPI-0610 - Constellation Pharmaceuticals announced several planned updates to the Phase 2 portion of its ongoing MANIFEST study, an open-label Phase 1/2 clinical trial of its BET inhibitor CPI-0610 in MF. MANIFEST is evaluating CPI-0610, either as a monotherapy or in combination with ruxolitinib, in patients with MF who are refractory or intolerant or have relapsed or lost response to the standard of care. Based on encouraging preliminary data in this trial, Constellation is amending the design of each second-line cohort to stratify all patients enrolled in the study based on transfusion dependence status. In addition, the company is amending the design of MANIFEST to include a third cohort designed to evaluate treatment with CPI-0610 in combination with ruxolitinib as a first-line therapy in JAK 1/2-inhibitor-naive MF patients. The company made these updates based on the unmet medical need for disease-modifying therapies in myelofibrosis, especially among patients requiring red-blood-cell transfusions. The changes are intended to enhance the clinical trial design by providing additional measures of potential clinical benefit and to expand the potential addressable patient population for CPI-0610. "We are encouraged by the preliminary data from MANIFEST, which may indicate synergistic and disease-modifying effects of CPI-0610 in myelofibrosis," said Adrian Senderowicz, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Constellation Pharmaceuticals. "We are enhancing the study's design to better measure these potential effects. Among the key goals of MANIFEST are identifying the most appropriate endpoints and patient populations for future pivotal studies. We continue to look forward to determining proof of concept for CPI-0610 in MF by mid-2019."

16:28 EDT BlackRock reports 11% passive stake in TriState Capital

16:25 EDT Jensyn Acquisition trading halted, news pending

16:20 EDT CVS Health provides update to board, senior management roles upon Aetna close - CVS Health (CVS) announced that three additional Aetna directors with deep insurance company oversight experience -- Edward J. Ludwig, Fernando Aguirre, and Roger N. Farah -- will join the CVS Health Board following the completion of its acquisition of Aetna (AET). The appointment of these three Aetna directors, together with the previously announced addition of Mark T. Bertolini, Aetna's current Chairman and CEO, will bring the total number of CVS Health Board members to 16. CVS Health also announced that following the completion of the transaction, Eva C. Boratto, currently CVS Health's Executive Vice President - Controller and Chief Accounting Officer, will become Executive Vice President and CFO of CVS Health. Shawn M. Guertin has decided to step away for personal and family reasons, but will remain with CVS Health until June 2019 to help the combined company with integration and financial planning strategy. As previously disclosed, Aetna will be managed as a distinct operating entity within the CVS Health organization.

16:18 EDT Costco reports September SSS up 7.3% - Costco Wholesale Corporation reported net sales of $13.64B for the retail month of September, the five weeks ended October 7, an increase of 10.3% from $12.37B last year.

16:17 EDT United Technologies appoints Denise Ramos, Christopher Kearney to board - United Technologies announced Denise Ramos, CEO and a Director of ITT Inc. (ITT), and Christopher Kearney, former Chairman, President and CEO of SPX FLOW (FLOW), have been elected to UTC's Board of Directors, effective December 10, 2018.

16:15 EDT Square slips 4.8% as CFO Friar intends to step down

16:11 EDT ADDvantage appoints Joseph Hart permanent CEO - ADDvantage Technologies Group announced that its board has appointed Joseph Hart as permanent CEO and president of the company. In addition, James 'Jim' McGill, has been named Non-Executive chairman of the board, replacing David Chymiak, who is stepping down from his chairman of the board position but will remain on the board and in his role of Chief Technology Officer at the company. Both new appointments are effective October 8.

16:08 EDT Crispr Therapeutics, Vertex announce FDA lifts hold for CTX001, accepts IND - Crispr Therapeutics (CRSP) and Vertex (VRTX) announced that the FDA has lifted the clinical hold and accepted the investigational new drug application, or IND, for CTX001 for the treatment of sickle cell disease, or SCD. CTX001 is an investigational, autologous, gene-edited hematopoietic stem cell therapy for patients suffering from severe hemoglobinopathies. In addition to the acceptance of the IND announced, Crispr and Vertex previously announced that they had obtained approvals of clinical trial applications for CTX001 in multiple countries outside the U.S. for both B-thalassemia and SCD. The companies remain on track to initiate a Phase 1/2 clinical study in SCD by the end of 2018 and are currently enrolling patients with transfusion dependent ss-thalassemia in a Phase 1/2 trial in B-thalassemia in Europe.

16:07 EDT Nantahala Capital reports 13.3% passive stake in FTD Companies

16:06 EDT Tupperware Brands CFO Michael Poteshman to retire - Tupperware announced that following a successful 25-year career with the company, Michael Poteshman plans to retire from his role as Executive Vice President and CFO. Poteshman will continue in his role until March 1, 2019, following the company's fiscal year 2018 financial closing process. Tupperware has initiated a search to identify the company's next CFO and will consider both internal and external candidates with the assistance of Spencer Stuart, a leading executive search firm.

16:04 EDT Manitex appoints Laura Yu CFO - Manitex International announced that Laura Yu has been named senior VP and CFO of Manitex International, effective October 15. Yu joined Manitex International in May 2018, as VP, Finance and Corporate Controller.

16:03 EDT Gramercy Property Trust trading resumes

15:44 EDT Dolans request restraining order against Altice USA - The Dolan Family announced that the family and two long-time News 12 anchors filed in court yesterday a reply in further support of their request for a temporary restraining order against Altice USA to "prevent further erosion at News 12." The original lawsuit was filed September 4 in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware by the Dolan Family against Altice USA alleging failure to abide by promises Altice made in a 2016 merger agreement and for equitable fraud, among other claims, the Dolans stated.

15:10 EDT Chinese intelligence officer charged with espionage involving GE Aviation - A Chinese Ministry of State Security operative, Yanjun Xu, aka Qu Hui, aka Zhang Hui, has been arrested and charged with conspiring and attempting to commit economic espionage and steal trade secrets from multiple U.S. aviation and aerospace companies, the Department of Justice announce. According to the indictment, beginning in at least December 2013 and continuing until his arrest, Xu targeted certain companies inside and outside the United States that are recognized as leaders in the aviation field. This included GE Aviation. He identified experts who worked for these companies and recruited them to travel to China, often initially under the guise of asking them to deliver a university presentation, the DOJ stated.

14:53 EDT Brown Advisory reports 5.09% passive stake in BWX Technologies

14:07 EDT Vanguard reports 10.13% passive stake in Atkore

14:02 EDT Medtronic receives license in Canada for MiniMed 670G system - Medtronic of Canada, a subsidiary of Medtronic, announced it has received a licence from Health Canada for the MiniMed 670G system. This is "the first insulin pump system in Canada that helps to stabilize glucose levels 24 hours a day by automatically adjusting basal insulin delivery based on real-time insulin needs," Medtronic of Canada said in a statement.

13:55 EDT New Jersey announces settlement with Aetna over privacy violations - New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal announced that New Jersey has entered into a settlement agreement with Aetna (AET) to resolve allegations that the company improperly disclosed protected health information of thousands of Americans, including hundreds of New Jersey residents. The settlement is the result of a multi-state investigation focused on two separate privacy breaches by Aetna that occurred in 2017 - one involving a mailing that potentially revealed information about addressees' HIV/AIDS status, the other involving a mailing that potentially revealed individuals' involvement in a study of patients with atrial fibrillation. New Jersey coordinated with Connecticut, Washington and the District of Columbia in conducting the investigation and negotiating a resolution. Under the terms of the settlement, Aetna will put in place policy, protocol and training reforms designed to safeguard individuals' protected health information, and ensure the confidentiality of mailings containing that information. The company also will hire an independent consultant to evaluate and report on its privacy protection practices, and to monitor its compliance with the settlement's injunctive terms. In addition, Aetna will pay a civil penalty of $365,211.59 to New Jersey. Reference Link

13:14 EDT AT&T to launch new direct-to-consumer streaming service in Q4 - AT&T made the following statements in a regulatory filing: "AT&T announced plans to launch a new direct-to-consumer, D2C, streaming service in the fourth quarter of 2019. This is another benefit of the AT&T/Time Warner merger, and we are committed to launching a compelling and competitive product that will serve as a complement to our existing businesses and help us to expand our reach by offering a new choice for entertainment with the WarnerMedia collection of films, television series, libraries, documentaries and animation loved by consumers around the world. We expect to create such a compelling product that it will help distributors increase consumer penetration of their current packages and help us successfully reach more customers.We expect financial support to launch this product to come from a combination of incremental efficiencies within the WarnerMedia operations, consolidating resources from sub-scale D2C efforts, fallow library content, and technology reuse.We expect to defer some licensing revenues to later periods in the form of increased customer subscription revenues,"

13:02 EDT JetBlue to retrofit Airbus fleet with vortex generators - JetBlue (JBLU) announces plans to retrofit its entire Airbus (EADSY) fleet with noise-reducing vortex generators. This move reflects JetBlue's continued commitment to the communities where its customers and crewmembers live and work. Beginning in 2015, JetBlue began taking delivery of new aircraft with vortex generators already installed. JetBlue is committing to add the devices to its 138 remaining Airbus A320 family aircraft through 2021. Joe Bertapelle, Director Strategic Airspace Programs, JetBlue, said "We're pleased to incorporate this advancement across our Airbus fleet and contribute to our communities in a meaningful way as good corporate citizens." Vortex generators will be installed on 130 existing JetBlue A320 aircraft and eight JetBlue A321 aircraft during their existing scheduled heavy checks with the full fleet wide install expected to be complete in 2021. All future Airbus orders will be delivered with vortex generators already installed. The cost to retrofit the full Airbus fleet is less than $1M.

12:43 EDT PGA of America, CBS and ESPN reach an 11-year agreement - The PGA of America, CBS (CBS) and Disney's (DIS) ESPN have reached an 11-year multimedia agreement for the television, digital and over-the-top rights to the PGA with coverage of the championship, beginning in 2020. CBS, ESPN and ESPN+ will combine to deliver more than 175 cumulative hours of live coverage, the companies said in a statement. The PGA of America will retain the rights to PGA.com and produce the web and mobile app experiences. The PGA moves to May beginning in 2019, becoming the second major championship on the golf calendar. CBS Sports will serve as the lead production entity producing all of the traditional 72-hole coverage for the entire tournament. Reference Link

12:33 EDT Third Point urges Campbell Soup to allow investors to have voice in CEO search - Third Point LLC (TPRE), a holder of approximately 7% of the outstanding common shares of Campbell Soup Company (CPB), sent a letter to the Company's Board of Directors in response to its troubling announcement regarding the ongoing search for a new full-time CEO. Third Point said it "believes there is no justification or rationale for Campbell to try to fill its full-time CEO position before the company's 2018 Annual Meeting of Shareholders in less than 60 days. We believe shareholders have a right to be heard and elect the directors that should ultimately select the company's next permanent CEO." Additionally, Third Point said "We believe there are other important reasons that the existing Board should not be charged with running the CEO search at this time. It seems to us that the chance of the company being able to attract a first-rate food executive in the middle of a proxy fight is low. No top-notch candidate would join a company when the Board that selected them could be replaced within a few weeks. This person also would be hamstrung by the Board's loud embrace of its "strategic review" plan, which it has asserted is the only way forward for the company. In our experience, transformative CEOs like to be instigators, not merely executors. They are there to refresh the recipe when the ingredients have gone stale."

12:16 EDT Mitek Systems jumps after reportedly rejecting takeover approach - Shares of Mitek Systems are rising sharply in afternoon trading after Reuters reported that the company rejected a takeover approach from ASG Technologies, which is owned by hedge fund Elliott Management. After ASG submitted an offer in writing, Mitek rejected the offer and told ASG it preferred to remain independent, sources told Reuters. In afternoon trading, Mitek shares are up about 9% to $7.25.

12:14 EDT Broadcom: DoD officials say memo is 'forged document'

12:13 EDT Mitek Systems trading resumes

12:11 EDT BNSF says 'pleased' with decision in J.B. Hunt arbitration case - Berkshire Hathaway's (BRK.A) BNSF issued the following statement on the interim award in the BNSF Railway/J.B Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) arbitration: "In January 2017, J.B. Hunt Transport Services and BNSF Railway commenced an arbitration on matters relating to their joint service product. On Friday October 5, 2018, BNSF and JBHT received the confidential interim arbitration award from the Arbitration Panel. While there are still matters to be finalized by the panel, BNSF is pleased with the decision which, when final, should result in favorable revenue division adjustments to BNSF for historic periods and going forward, resulting in payments to BNSF and improving the efficiency of our joint service product. With the key issues resolved, BNSF looks forward to working with JBHT to finalize the award and implement its directives."

12:00 EDT Ameriprise Financial reports 10.04% passive stake in Central Garden & Pet

12:00 EDT IDT Corp rises 28.5% - IDT Corp is up 28.5%, or $1.51 to $6.80.

11:50 EDT Luxury goods makers fall after LVMH earnings - Shares of luxury goods makers like Tiffany (TIF), Swatch Group (SWGAY), Burberry Group (BURBY) and Signet Jewelers (SIG) are dropping after LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMUY) reported earnings yesterday. LVMH EARNINGS: On Tuesday, LMVH reported revenue growth of 10%, reaching EUR33.1B in the first nine months of 2018. The company said organic revenue grew 11% compared to the same period in 2017, and 13% excluding the impact of the airport concession closures in Hong Kong at the end of 2017. In the third quarter, revenue was up 10% compared to the same period in 2017, a performance which continued the trend recorded in the first half of the year and to which all business groups contributed, according to the company. OUTLOOK: Along with reporting earnings, the company said, "In an uncertain geopolitical and monetary context, LVMH will continue to be vigilant. The group will pursue its strategy focused on innovation and targeted geographic expansion in the most promising markets. LVMH will rely on the power of its brands and the talent of its teams to further extend its global leadership in the luxury market in 2018." CHINA CRACKDOWN: LVMH Chief Financial Officer Jean-Jacques Guiony said on the company's earnings conference call that growth in the Louis Vuitton brand's sales to Chinese customers slowed slightly in Q3 to a percentage in the mid-teens. "The Chinese authorities have some laws with regards to importation of goods and luxury goods, these laws are being enforced with more strength at some point in time, which is exactly what we understand is happening. There is nothing wrong with that. It doesn't prevent people real tourists from purchasing goods outside of China," he said. The remark follows reports that Chinese customs authorities are ramping up border checks on returning travelers. The CFO noted that some Chinese residents buy the company's products on trips overseas, where they are cheaper, and then sell them at a profit when they return, undercutting company stores in China. The parallel market "is not something that we welcome and that we try to promote," Guiony said. "We limit the number of products that people can buy in stores, particularly in Paris, so that, parallel with our own actions in the European market, we try to avoid this as much as we can. Obviously, there are limits to the control you can exert over that." He added the company has no plans to equalize prices in China and abroad. PRICE ACTION: In late morning trading, shares of LVMH trading in New York dropped 8.2% to $61.13, while Tiffany fell 7.4%, Swatch Group dropped 5.7%, Burberry Group was down 8.2% and Signet Jewelers fell 1.3%.

11:32 EDT American Eagle and Aerie to hire 22 thousand associates for holiday - American Eagle Outfitters announces its plans to hire approximately 22,000 part-time seasonal associates for its American Eagle and Aerie brands. AE and Aerie are seeking brand advocates to join the selling team and fill an important role during the holiday shopping season. Part-time associates receive a 40% merchandise discount and are eligible for special contests, giveaways and prizes. Interested candidates should apply in person at their local store. "We are anticipating another successful holiday season for AE and Aerie and are focused on providing our customers with expert sellers to deliver an exceptional shopping experience," said Sunny Woo, Senior Vice President - AE and Aerie Stores. "Our seasonal workforce is an essential part of the selling team, and we are looking to fill those roles with energetic and enthusiastic associates who love our brands."

11:17 EDT Scott Keogh named head of Volkswagen Group of America - Scott Keogh, head of Audi of America (AUDVF), was named president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America (VLKAY) as well as head of the Volkswagen brand for the North American region. Keogh, who joined Audi in 2006, will succeed Hinrich J. Woebcken, who will remain with the company as an adviser. Keogh's successor is Mark Del Rosso, president and CEO of Bentley Motors, Inc., Americas, and former chief operating officer of Audi of America. Keogh and Woebcken's new roles are effective Nov. 1. Del Rosso joins Audi Dec. 1. A replacement for Del Rosso will be named later.

11:03 EDT Teva presents 25-year safety data from longest continuous trial of Copaxone - Teva Pharmaceutical announced safety and tolerability results representing 25 years of data from the open-label extension study of the original U.S. pivotal trial of Copaxone for the treatment of relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis. Results show that for study patients who continued to take Copaxone, long-term treatment has an acceptable safety and tolerability profile with low rates of serious adverse events and immediate post-injection reactions, the company stated. In addition to these 25-year data, the clinical effectiveness and safety of this study were also reported at 2 and 3 years, and at 6, 8, 10, 15 and 20 years. Data on the long-term neurological disease course and effectiveness of Copaxone will be presented at a future meeting, Teva noted.

11:01 EDT CVS Health confirms acquisition of Aetna moving forward on agreement with DOJ - CVS Health (CVS) confirmed that it has entered into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice that allows it to proceed with its proposed acquisition of Aetna (AET). DOJ clearance is a key milestone toward finalizing the transaction, which is also subject to state regulatory approvals, many of which have been granted. CVS Health's acquisition of Aetna remains on track to close in the early part of Q4. "DOJ clearance is an important step toward bringing together the strengths and capabilities of our two companies to improve the consumer health care experience," said CVS Health President and CEO Larry J. Merlo. "We are pleased to have reached an agreement with the DOJ that maintains the strategic benefits and value creation potential of our combination with Aetna. We are now working to complete the remaining state reviews." Following the close of the transaction, Aetna will operate as a standalone business within the CVS Health enterprise and will be led by members of its current management team. As part of the agreement reached with the DOJ, as previously announced, Aetna entered into an asset purchase agreement with a subsidiary of WellCare Health Plans, Inc. (WCG) for the divestiture of Aetna's standalone Medicare Part D prescription drug plans, which have an aggregate of approximately 2.2 million members. Aetna will provide administrative services to and will retain the financial results of the divested plans through 2019. DOJ's clearance, subject to this limited divestiture, moves CVS Health closer to realizing the substantial synergies and value expected from the combination.

10:52 EDT Newtek Business Services reconfirms 2018 annual dividend forecast of $1.80 - Newtek Business Services announced that it has reconfirmed its 2018 annual cash dividend forecast of $1.80 per share, which would represent a 9.8% increase over the company's 2017 annual dividend payment of $1.64 per share. The company expects the forecast of $1.80 per share to represent between 90-100% of 2018 taxable income.

10:47 EDT Mattress Firm receives approval of 'First Day' motions to support operations - Mattress Firm announced that it has received interim approval from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Delaware for all of its "First Day" motions related to the voluntary prepackaged Chapter 11 restructuring cases it initiated on October 5, 2018. Collectively, the interim approvals will help ensure that Mattress Firm continues normal business operations throughout the financial restructuring process. The company expects to complete this process within the next 45 to 60 days. Steve Stagner, Executive Chairman, President and CEO of Mattress Firm, said, "Mattress Firm is open for business and offering customers the best beds at the best prices every day, just as we always have. The Court's interim approvals of our First Day motions represent the successful first steps in the actions we are taking to strengthen our balance sheet and provide us the resources to improve our product offering, strategically expand into new and existing markets and ultimately, provide greater value to the customers we serve." Publicly traded peers include Tempur Sealy (TPX) and Sleep Number (SNBR).

10:41 EDT DOJ says proposed Aetna divestiture resolves CVS deal competition concerns

10:32 EDT Craft Brew Alliance acquires three partner brands - Craft Brew Alliance is cementing its strategic brewing and distribution partnerships with Appalachian Mountain Brewery, Cisco Brewers, and Wynwood Brewing Co. through three separate purchase agreements. Formally launched in 2015, CBA's craft partner strategy has contributed significantly to the evolution of the company, and today's agreements represent a milestone in enabling CBA and its shareholders to fully participate in the value that the partners will bring as wholly owned CBA brands. Over the past several years, the partnerships with North Carolina-based AMB, Massachusetts-based Cisco Brewers, and Florida-based Wynwood Brewing Co. have bolstered CBA's portfolio with strong local brands and breweries in key markets, complementing Kona Brewing Co. as the anchor of CBA's portfolio strategy. Further, these partners have supported CBA's strategic brewery evolution by leveraging the capability and location of the Portsmouth, New Hampshire brewery to increase production for partner brands as CBA rebalanced its brewing footprint. The terms of each agreement are unique and reflect the distinctiveness of each craft brewery partner. Additionally, as the agreements build on successful existing partnerships, the companies anticipate a smooth integration.

10:08 EDT GE under pressure after analyst says Power facing 'serious technology issues' - Shares of General Electric (GE) were under pressure on Wednesday after a bearish analyst said that the company's power unit may be facing "more serious technology issues with the flagship product" than previously thought. 'MORE SERIOUS ISSUES': JPMorgan analyst Stephen Tusa told investors in a research note that GE's power unit may be facing "more serious technology issues" with the new flagship product than previously expected. Tusa, who kept an Underweight rating on shares of General Electric, cited recently published feedback from a GE H-frame user group. While most of the focus has been on the technology around the blades, the event indicates a "myriad of shortfalls in other parts of the turbine that we find hard not to consider 'technology flaws,'" Tusa wrote. The analyst feels the commentary is a reminder of the hurdles to a "fix" for a power business that is already set to lose money on a GAAP basis and that the consensus "seemingly continues to ignore on-the-ground realities in exchange for hope around a new CEO." The issues pose a risk to GE's long-term outlook as "these are engineering feats that need to be validated, typically taking time measured in years, not months, and in long-cycle technology businesses where a new product gets introduced every couple of decades, missing a cycle has long-term implications," Tusa contended. BACKGROUND: GE Power CEO Russell Stokes said in a blog post on LinkedIn in September that the company had identified an "oxidation issue" that impacts the lifespan of blades in its HA-Class turbines. At the time, JPMorgan's Tusa cut his price target for GE shares to $10 from $11, saying that he believes the situation is worse than what GE said and represents a negative development for a company that has little wiggle room for more "shoes to drop." At the time, Tusa said he believes the situation is worse than what GE said, as the problem is material enough for Exelon (EXC) to have shut the Texas plant down, along with the "award winning" Wolf Hollow plant for precautionary measures. WHAT'S NOTABLE: Last week, GE announced that Larry Culp had been named chairman and CEO, succeeding John Flannery, who resigned September 30. In addition, the company stated that while its businesses other than power are "generally performing consistently with previous guidance," the company will fall short of previously indicated guidance for free cash flow and earnings per share for 2018 due to weaker performance in the GE Power business. GE expects to take a non-cash goodwill impairment charge related to the GE Power business that will likely be as much as the approximately $23B current goodwill balance for the business. GE previously forecast fiscal year 2018 EPS at the low end of its $1.00-$1.07 range. Separately, this morning, GE Renewable Energy announced details of a high-speed blade inspection system for wind turbines. The company said that over 1,500 turbines had already been inspected using the technology, with inspection time per unit taking under 15 minutes, on average. The new system uses thermal imaging technology and wide band acoustic spectral analysis to look for anomalies on blades. It works on both GE and non-GE turbines and can provide real time data analytics. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of GE are down about 1.5% to $13.34.

10:00 EDT Pyxus falls -9.3% - Pyxus is down -9.3%, or -$3.74 to $36.38.

10:00 EDT Trinseo falls -14.5% - Trinseo is down -14.5%, or -$11.04 to $65.11.

10:00 EDT IDT Corp rises 29.3% - IDT Corp is up 29.3%, or $1.55 to $6.84.

09:58 EDT Blackstone completes acquisition of Gramercy Property Trust - Gramercy Property Trust (GPT) announced the completion of its previously announced acquisition by affiliates of Blackstone (BX) Real Estate Partners VIII L.P. The total transaction value is approximately $7.6B. Pursuant to the transaction, holders of common shares of Gramercy Property Trust will be entitled to receive $27.50 in cash, without interest, in exchange for each common share they own. In connection with the transaction, all of Gramercy's outstanding Series A preferred shares will be redeemed for approximately $25.05 per share in cash. As a result of the transaction, Gramercy's common shares will cease trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

09:50 EDT Imperva trading resumes

09:47 EDT TransDigm falls -4.1% - TransDigm is down -4.1%, or -$14.32 to $336.89.

09:47 EDT Centrais Electricas falls -14.2% - Centrais Electricas is down -14.2%, or -87c to $5.27.

09:47 EDT IDT Corp rises 17.2% - IDT Corp is up 17.2%, or 91c to $6.20.

09:36 EDT MiMedx former CEO in process of engaging financial advisors - In a regulatory filing earlier, Parker Petit disclosed a 3.94% stake in MiMedx and noted that he "intends to participate in and influence the affairs of the Issuer through the exercise of voting rights with respect to his shares of common stock." Petit, who resigned as the company's CEO and Chairman of the Board effective June 30, 2018, noted that he is is "participating in, and expects to continue to participate in, discussions with existing shareholders" and "is in the process of engaging one or more financial advisors to assist him in his consideration, exploration and evaluation of such matters." Petit "has not determined a target date or timeline for the completion of his consideration, exploration and evaluation of any alternative. There is no assurance that Mr. Petit will decide to pursue any alternative, or that any alternative Mr. Petit may choose to pursue would be approved by the Issuer or its shareholders, or that any alternative Mr. Petit may choose to pursue would be successfully completed," the filing added.

09:22 EDT Aetna up 1% after report on pending DOJ approval for CVS deal - Shares of Aetna (AET) are up roughly 1% in pre-market trading after Bloomberg said a source familiar with the matter indicated that the Department of Justice antitrust division will sign off on a settlement clearing the way for CVS Health's (CVS) deal to buy the insurer as soon as today. Following Bloomberg's report on the expected antitrust clearance, CVS Health shares are also up 0.6%.

09:17 EDT Golub Capital announces $182.3M in new middle-market originations in Q4 - Golub Capital BDC announced that it originated $182.3M in new middle-market investment commitments during the three months ended September 30, 2018. Approximately 85% of the new middle-market investment commitments were one stop loans, 14% were senior secured loans and approximately 1% were subordinated debt and equity securities. Of the new middle-market investment commitments, $175.5M funded at close. During the three months ended September 30, 2018, Golub Capital BDC had a net return of capital of $20.1M from Senior Loan Fund LLC, an unconsolidated Delaware limited liability company, that invests in senior secured loans and is co-managed by Golub Capital BDC and RGA Reinsurance Company. Total investments at fair value are estimated to have decreased by approximately 0.9%, or $15.7M, during the three months ended September 30, 2018 after factoring in debt repayments, sales of securities, net fundings on revolvers and net change in unrealized gains (losses). Total investments at fair value held by SLF are estimated to have decreased by approximately 20.7%, or $46.9M, during the three months ended September 30, 2018 after factoring in debt repayments, sales of securities, net fundings on revolvers and net change in unrealized gains (losses).

09:13 EDT Aetna sued for systematically denying care to patients - Respiratory Sleep Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Alliance Family of Companies, LLC, has filed suit against Aetna seeking a declaratory judgment that restores patient access to needed in-home neurodiagnostic testing. The suit alleges that Aetna has systematically violated standard coding practices for RSS-provided in-home video electroencephalogram testing, effectively preventing patients from accessing in-home neurological testing for epilepsy and other disorders. "Aetna is lining its pockets by denying patients neurodiagnostic testing that is affordable, accessible, convenient and effective," said Conor Butts, COO of RSS. The lawsuit, filed in the District Court of Dallas County, Texas alleges that Aetna's payment policy has refused to follow established Current Procedural Terminology codes established by the American Medical Association to describe and determine proper reimbursement for services provided. It further alleges that Aetna has unilaterally mis-coded in-home testing provided by RSS to Aetna's patients, which contravenes the intent of the AMA when it wrote the procedures defined in each of the CPT codes. As a result of Aetna's practices, a growing number of individuals have been denied access to in-home VEEG testing. Additionally, Aetna has denied RSS proper reimbursement for its services. The lawsuit seeks to force Aetna to acknowledge the proper coding for RSS' services pursuant to the EEG CPT Codes as written by the AMA, and to reimburse RSS for its services under the CPT Code which accurately reflects its services.

09:12 EDT Fly Intel: Pre-market Movers - HIGHER: NIO Inc. (NIO), up 13%, extending a move started yesterday after Tesla (TSLA) investor Baillie Gifford & Co. disclosed an 11% stake in the Chinese electric car maker... Akorn (AKRX), up 6% after receiving an approval from the FDA for bimatoprost ophthalmic solution... Myriad Genetics (MYGN), up 1% after announcing new laboratory agreement with Pfizer (PFE)... India Global Capitalization (IGC), up 16% after filing a patent application that it said is part of its plan to support the creation of a branded, hemp/CBD sugar-free energy drink. UP AFTER EARNINGS: IDT Corp. (IDT), up 23%. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Fastenal (FAST), down 6%. ALSO LOWER: Sears Holdings (SHLD), down 30% after The Wall Street Journal reports the company has hired M-III Partners to work on a bankruptcy filing that could come as soon as this week... AcelRx (ACRX), down 1% after FDA staff said in report ahead of a committee meeting that Dsuvia "offers no apparent advantage" over existing therapies... Scorpio Tankers (STNG), down 7% after its 162.16M share spot secondary priced at $1.85 per share.

09:11 EDT Ionis Pharmaceuticals receives $75M payment from Roche to develop IONIS-FB-LRx - Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS) announced a new collaboration with Roche (RHHBY) to develop IONIS-FB-LRx for the treatment of complement-mediated diseases. This collaboration will leverage Ionis' RNA-targeted therapeutics to develop IONIS-FB-LRx targeting Factor B for a broad range of diseases. The first indication the two companies will pursue is the treatment of patients with Geographic Atrophy, the advanced stage of dry age-related macular degeneration. A Phase 2 study in patients with GA is planned to begin in early 2019. IONIS-FB-LRx reduces the production of FB, a key protein in the complement innate immune system. Under this new collaboration with Roche, Ionis will receive a $75M upfront payment. In addition, Ionis is eligible to receive up to $684M in development, regulatory and sales milestone payments and license fees. Ionis also has the potential to receive tiered royalties that range from the high teens to twenty percent on sales from the product when commercialized. Ionis is responsible for conducting a Phase 2 study in patients with dry AMD and exploring the drug in a rare severe renal indication. Roche has the option to license IONIS-FB-LRx at the completion of the studies. Upon licensing, Roche will be responsible for all global development and commercialization activities.

09:09 EDT Maiden Holdings sells casualty facultative reinsurance team to Sompo Group - Maiden Holdings announced an agreement to sell the company's U.S. casualty facultative reinsurance team to Sompo Group. Maiden's facultative reinsurance team consists of seven specialists who will continue to provide customers with the full range of value added services through the company's innovative internet-based reinsurance platform. "As part of the strategic review, the Company's Board of Directors continues to evaluate all options to enhance value to our shareholders," CEO Lawrence Metz said. "The Board, assisted by its financial and legal advisors, will execute its fiduciary obligation to shareholders and carefully review any credible proposal it receives."

09:08 EDT CPI Card Group renews agreement with PSCU - CPI Card Group announced that it has renewed its agreement with PSCU. As such, CPI will continue to serve as PSCU's primary manufacturer for its payment card needs. PSCU provides a comprehensive, highly integrated suite of payment solutions to nearly 900 credit unions across the country to optimize their member experience. CPI has served as PSCU's trusted partner for its card manufacturing needs for 15 years, supporting the CUSO as it delivers best-in-class, end-to-end solutions to credit unions.

09:07 EDT Kratos Defense receives $2.7M contract award for C5ISR system - Kratos Defense announced that it has recently received a new $2.7M contract award for specialized hardware in support of a command, control, communications, computing, combat, intelligence, surveillance and ceconnaissance, or C5ISR, system. Kratos Modular Systems Division is a provider of specialized products and hardware in support of C5ISR programs and systems. Work under this new program award will be performed in secure Kratos manufacturing and production facilities. Due to competitive, customer related and other considerations, no additional information will be provided related to this program.

09:03 EDT Synchrony, J.C. Penney extend strategic partnership with multi-year agreement - Synchrony (SYF) and JCPenney (JCP) announced a multi-year extension of their strategic partnership bringing together data analytics and consumer financial services expertise to continue to offer JCPenney customers financing options and personalized customer experiences. Synchrony and JCPenney have partnered for nearly two decades to offer a private label credit card program and a JCPenney Mastercard Dual Card. As part of the extension, Synchrony will continue to manage and service payment cards for JCPenney customers at the retailer's over 860 stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, as well as JCPenney.com. JCPenney cardholders are automatically enrolled in JCPenney Rewards, where they can earn points two times faster to receive a $10 reward for future purchases. JCPenney Mastercard cardholders can also earn points when they spend anywhere Mastercard is accepted. JCPenney cardholders are some of the retailer's best customers, shopping more frequently and spending over 2.5 times as much as other customers.

09:03 EDT Comtech receives $1.1M contract from domestic prime contractor - Comtech Telecommunications announced that during its first quarter of fiscal 2019, its Orlando, Florida-based subsidiary, Comtech Systems, Inc, which is part of Comtech's Government Solutions segment, has received an order totaling approximately $1.1 million to provide troposcatter radio terminals to a prime U.S. contractor. This equipment was chosen due to its superior performance at high date rates which will add increased capability to existing Modular Transportable Transmission System troposcatter terminals currently in use by the U.S. Army as part of a missile defense communications networks.

09:01 EDT Rambus, Phison sign patent license - Rambus announced that Phison has signed a patent license agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, Rambus will license Phison the use of a wide range of innovations in the Rambus patent portfolio, including technologies for DRAM and NAND Flash memory controllers, as well as serial links. Specific terms of the agreement are confidential.

08:57 EDT Esterline trading resumes

08:55 EDT TransDigm to acquire Esterline for $4B - TransDigm (TDG) and Esterline (ESL) announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which TransDigm will purchase all of the outstanding shares of common stock of Esterline for $122.50 per share in cash, which represents a premium of 38% to Esterline's closing price on October 9, or a total transaction value of approximately $4.B including the assumption of debt. The transaction has been approved by the boards of both companies. TransDigm expects the acquisition to be financed primarily through cash on hand and the incurrence of new term loans, and currently anticipates the acquisition to be modestly accretive to TransDigm's adjusted earnings per share within the first year of ownership. The acquisition of Esterline expands TransDigm's platform of proprietary and sole source content for the aerospace and defense industries, including significant aftermarket exposure. Headquartered in Bellevue, Washington, Esterline has anticipated fiscal year revenue of approximately $2B. The company consists of 28 business units organized across eight platforms to deliver specialty aerospace, defense and industrial products. The company employs over 12,500 employees in more than 50 operating locations throughout the world. Esterline has platform positions in both the OEM and aftermarket and has substantial content on many important commercial aircraft variants, many regional and business jet aircraft and major defense platforms. The acquisition will be financed through a combination of existing cash on hand of approximately $2B and the incurrence of new term loans. TransDigm has obtained commitments for the full amount of financing required for the transaction. Immediately upon closing, the combined company will maintain the financial flexibility to meet any anticipated operating, acquisition, and other opportunities that may arise though a combination of cash on hand, undrawn revolver, and under certain circumstances, additional availability under its credit agreement. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including Esterline stockholder approval and the receipt of required regulatory approvals. The companies expect to complete the transaction in the second half of calendar 2019.

08:54 EDT New Age Beverages announces debut of CBD-infused beverages - New Age Health Sciences, a wholly-owned subsidiary of New Age Beverages that houses all of New Age's patents, cooperative research studies, and human trial information, debuted its portfolio of CBD-infused beverages in offsite meetings during the North American Convenience Store Show held in Las Vegas on October 7-10, and held one-on-one meetings with major retailers and distribution partners on October 8-10, the company announced. Michael Cunningham, senior vice president of sales for New Age, commented, "The demand and interest for these products is unlike I have ever seen in my career. Customers loved the taste of New Age's CBD-infused products and many of them committed to bring in the products for sale."

08:48 EDT Century Aluminum agrees to 2-year power contract extension for Mt. Holly smelter - Century Aluminum of South Carolina announced that it has reached an agreement with Santee Cooper that will allow the Goose Creek, SC plant to continue to operate at half capacity. Under this agreement, Santee Cooper will continue to service 25% of the Mt. Holly load at a standard cost-based industrial rate. The remaining 75% of the power required to serve Mt. Holly is expected to be sourced from a third-party supplier at market prices that are tied to natural gas prices. The agreement with Santee Cooper has a term through December 31, 2020 but can be terminated by Mt. Holly on 120 days' notice. Century intends to continue seeking a path to obtain 100% of Mt. Holly's power requirements at market rates in order to allow the smelter to operate at full capacity and employment in the future.

08:47 EDT Goodyear Tire increases dividend 14% to 16c per share - Goodyear Tire has approved an increase in the company's quarterly common stock dividend to 16c per share from 14c per share. The increase is effective with the dividend payable December 3 to shareholders of record on November 1.

08:40 EDT MBT Financial to merge into First Merchants in $290.9M deal - First Merchants (FRME) and MBT Financial (NASDAQ: MBTF) announced they have executed a definitive agreement whereby MBT Financial will merge with and into First Merchants in a 100% stock transaction valued at approximately $290.9M. Upon completion of the merger, Monroe Bank & Trust, will merge with and into First Merchants Bank. MBTF operates 20 banking center locations in the southeastern Michigan area. Since its founding in 1858, Monroe Bank & Trust has grown to one of the largest community banks in Michigan. MBTF has total assets of $1.3B, total loans of $733M and total deposits of $1.1B and also earned a 1.51% return on average assets and 16.59% return on tangible common equity for the three months ended June 30. Additionally, as of June 30, MBTF had approximately $998M of deposits in the Monroe, Michigan Metropolitan Statistical Area, ranking it first in deposit market share with approximately 50% of the market. The merger agreement provides that shareholders of MBTF will have the right to receive 0.275 shares of First Merchants common stock for each share of MBTF common stock owned. Based on the closing price of First Merchants' common stock on October 9 of $45.71 per share, the implied price of MBTF common stock is $12.57 per share. The transaction is expected to be completed in Q1 of 2019, subject to the affirmative vote of MBTF shareholders, regulatory approvals, and other customary conditions. The combined company, doing business as First Merchants Bank, expects to complete its integration during Q3 of 2019. First Merchants and MBTF will have combined assets of approximately $11B and will be the second largest financial holding company headquartered in Indiana. The combined company will have 134 banking offices in thirty-one Indiana counties, as well as two counties each in Michigan, Ohio and Illinois.

08:34 EDT Interpace Diagnostics: Company has not entered into any financing arragement - CEO Jack Stover directly addressed "any potential confusion in the marketplace that has transpired since we filed a Form S-3, shelf registration statement late last week with the SEC. The filing was a routine corporate activity and not specific to any financing and the company has not entered into any financing arrangement; if we had, we would have made the appropriate and necessary filings with the SEC as well as appropriate public announcements. Our previous S-3 shelf expired on October 9th, and as a matter of business prudence, we were advised to file another in replacement. The purpose of filing this S-3 and keeping it effective is simply to provide the flexibility to engage in strategic financing options in a cost effective and streamlined manner. However, we will only utilize this, or any financing vehicle, if needed, or warranted based on business opportunities. Upon the SEC deeming this S-3 effective, it will then be available to the company for a maximum period of three years. Again, for clarity, the filing of this S-3 is simply a replacement of the prior S-3 that expired and it is not itself a financing. Our expectation is that at the end of the next three years we will again file another S-3, as many public companies do."

08:33 EDT Dragon Victory and Shenzhen Jintai Tourism launch joint venture - Dragon Victory established a joint venture, Shenzhen Guanpeng Information Technology between Hangzhou Dacheng Investment Management Co., the Company's wholly owned foreign subsidiary, and Shenzhen Jintai Tourism Development Co., a company contracted to the Shenzhen airport terminal project in Dacheng. Guangpeng aims to enhance tourism experiences for travelers. The company and Jintai agreed to co-invest to incorporate and establish Guanpeng, where the company and Jintai would own 51% and 49% of the equity interest in Guanpeng, respectively. Guanpeng is expected to provide a series of services and operate a number of service programs to explore the smart tourism market, primarily including flight terminal cloud services, tourism operations data solutions as well as industry data research and analysis. Guangpeng is expected to be authorized by the operating body of Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, the only airport in Shenzhen, as the exclusive service provider for certain services in the connecting travel terminal located in Dapeng District.

08:32 EDT T. Rowe Price reports preliminary AUM $1.08T at September 30 - Client transfers from mutual funds to other portfolios, including trusts and separate accounts, were $1.1B in September 2018, and $3.2B for the quarter-ended September 30, 2018. This brings total client transfers for the year-to-date period ended September 30, 2018, to $16.8B.

08:25 EDT MBT Financial trading halted, news pending

08:20 EDT AcelRx falls after FDA staff says Dsuvia 'offers no apparent advantage' - Shares of AcelRx (ACRX) are plunging in pre-market trading after the FDA posted the briefing documents for a meeting of the Anesthetic and Analgesic Drug Products Advisory Committee to discuss the new drug application for Dsuvia submitted by AcelRx Pharmaceuticals for the management of moderate-to-severe acute pain severe enough to require an opioid analgesic and for which alternative treatments are inadequate, in adult patients in a medically supervised setting. In the document, FDA staff wrote: "Overall, although efficacy was demonstrated, Dsuvia offers no apparent advantage to currently available therapies. There are two areas of safety concern with this product that require further evaluation: the safety of Dsuvia in patients requiring the maximum dosing proposed for labeling because of the accumulation of sufentanil and the risk of misplaced tablets due to the small tablet size, use of an applicator, and inadequate directions for use. These concerns outweigh the possible benefit at this time." In pre-market trading, AcelRx shares have fallen $1.03, or 39%, to $1.62. Reference Link

08:13 EDT Aeglea BioTherapeutics to present new Phase 1/2 clinical trial data at ASHG - Aeglea BioTherapeutics announced it will present new interim Phase 1/2 clinical trial data demonstrating clinical improvement in patients with Arginase 1 deficiency at the American Society of Human Genetics, or ASHG. The company will hold a clinical update conference call to discuss these developments.

08:12 EDT MiX Telematics says surpasses 700,000 subscribers - MiX Telematics announced that it has surpassed the 700,000 subscriber mark. This milestone was achieved by continued growth in its key markets, which saw more than 22,000 net new subscribers added in the second fiscal quarter, ending September 2018. Since listing on the NYSE five years ago, MiX has grown their subscriber base at a double-digit compound annual growth rate further enhancing their position as a global leader in both fleet and consumer telematics.

08:09 EDT Omnicell's medication management portfolio selected by Augusta University Health - Omnicell's medication management platform has been selected by Augusta University Health, based in Augusta, Ga., at their main campus location, Augusta University Medical Center. Omnicell solutions chosen by AU Health include Omnicell Performance Center, XR2 Automated Central Pharmacy System, IVX Workflow and Robotic IV Insourcing Solution, XT Automated Medication Dispensing Cabinets, and Omnicell Analytics.

08:06 EDT Duke Energy investing $500M in battery storage in Carolinas over 15 years - Duke Energy outlined plans to deploy $500M in battery storage projects in the Carolinas over the next 15 years - equal to about 300 MW of capacity.

08:06 EDT Oracle, LinkedIn collaborate on HR solutions - Oracle and LinkedIn announced that they are working together to help HR professionals meet the shifting demands of the talent economy. A series of new integrations between Oracle's Human Capital Management Cloud and Taleo Enterprise Edition, and LinkedIn, will help HR teams attract, engage and retain employees by growing their talent pool, improving the candidate experience, enhancing internal mobility and increasing career development opportunities.

08:04 EDT BIO-key's finger print authentication selected by Florida county election boards - BIO-key International announced that two County Election Boards' in Florida have selected BIO-key's ID Director for Windows software and its EcoID fingerprint biometric readers to enhance security of its identification and authentication process for staff members and volunteers involved in managing the voting process.

07:55 EDT J B Hunt Transport Services trading halted, news pending

07:46 EDT Transdigm trading halted, news pending

07:45 EDT Esterline trading halted, news pending

07:35 EDT Amedisys to acquire Compassionate Care Hospice for $340M - Amedisys announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Compassionate Care Hospice, or CCH, a national hospice care provider headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey. Compassionate Care Hospice, a community-based organization, cares for approximately 3,300 patients daily and employs more than 2,300 hospice professionals in 53 locations across 24 states. The company generates approximately $188M in annual revenues, with an adjusted EBITDA of $27M. Under the terms of the agreement, expected to close by February 1, 2019, Amedisys will acquire 100% of the ownership interests in CCH for a fixed price of $340M, which is inclusive of $50M in payments related to a tax asset and working capital. Amedisys, currently caring for more than 7,500 hospice patients per day in 22 states, will become the third largest hospice provider in America.

07:32 EDT Neovasc's Reducer granted breakthrough device designation from FDA - Neovasc's Reducer, a medical device for the treatment of refractory angina and not currently approved for commercial sale in the U.S., has been granted Breakthrough Device designation by the FDA.

07:28 EDT Fastenal: Pace of Onsites signing near low end of 2018 goal - In slides being presented on its Q3 earnings conference call, Fastenal says it has not recovered the 1H18 price/cost deficit and challenges remain from inflationary pressures and new tariffs on Chinese-sourced goods. Fastenal says it signed 88 Onsites in Q3, up 8.6% from last year, and has 828 active sites, up 49.2% from last year. The company says it has signed 269 Onsites YTD, with its pace of signing near the low end of its 2018 goal of 260-285 Onsites. National Accounts daily sales rose 18% in 3Q18 from 3Q17, it adds. Says conditions remain "broadly inflationary." The company now sees FY18 capital spending of $152M vs. previous view of $158M, primarily reflecting the likely timing of certain distribution center spending.

07:20 EDT Akorn receives ANDA approval from FDA for bimatoprost ophthalmic solution - Akorn announced that it has received a new abbreviated new drug application, or ANDA, approval from the FDA for bimatoprost ophthalmic solution, 0.03%. The product is manufactured at Akorn's Amityville, New York manufacturing facility. Bimatoprost ophthalmic solution, 0.03% is indicated to treat hypotrichosis of the eyelashes by increasing their growth including length, thickness and darkness.

07:17 EDT RedHill Biopharma to present Phase 3 Crohn's disease study with RHB-104 - RedHill Biopharma announced that a late-breaking abstract on the Phase III study with RHB-104 in Crohn's disease will be presented at the upcoming United European Gastroenterology Week. The presentation will highlight data from the MAP US Phase III study of RHB-104, including subgroup analysis of treatment with and without anti-TNF agents. Positive top-line results from the MAP US Phase III study were announced in July. The study successfully met its primary endpoint and key secondary endpoints, demonstrating consistent benefit to Crohn's disease patients treated with RHB-104.

07:11 EDT Celestica to acquire Impakt Holdings for $329M - Celestica announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Impakt Holdings. Impakt is manufacturer providing manufacturing solutions for OEMs in the semiconductor and organic light emitting diode, or OLED, display industries, as well as other markets requiring fabrication services. The company is headquartered in Santa Clara, with operations in California and South Korea. Through this acquisition, Celestica expects to gain new capabilities in large-format, complex, high-mix manufacturing solutions for multiple industries, and broaden its precision component manufacturing, full system assembly, integration and machining capabilities. In addition, Celestica anticipates that it will benefit from Impakt's full spectrum of specialized vertical services including its South Korea-based machining and manufacturing expertise. In conjunction with Celestica's current capital equipment business, Impakt's vertical integration will enable Celestica to provide more end-to-end product life cycle solutions across a diverse set of markets. Celestica will purchase Impakt for $329M and the transaction is expected to be accretive to consolidated non-IFRS operating margin and overall ATS margin upon closing. Celestica intends to finance the purchase price, which is subject to specific adjustments set forth in the definitive agreement, with a combination of borrowings under the company's current credit facility. The acquisition is expected to close in Q4, subject to receipt of applicable regulatory approvals and satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.

07:08 EDT Forum Energy acquires Houston Global Heat Transfer - Forum Energy Technologies has acquired Houston Global Heat Transfer from Pelican Energy Partners, a private equity fund focused on the oilfield service and equipment sector. Headquartered in Houston, TX with additional locations in Edmonton, Alberta and Midland, TX GHT designs, engineers, and manufactures industrial heat exchanger and cooling systems used primarily in hydraulic fracturing equipment.

07:07 EDT JetBlue sees Q3 RASM up approx. 1.7% y-o-y - The company revised guidance for Q3. Revenue per available seat mile is expected to increase by approximately 1.7% year-over-year, consistent with the prior guidance range of 1% to 3%. The updated Q3 RASM guidance was reduced by approximately 0.4 points related to three named storms within the JetBlue network during the month of September. The negative RASM impact from the storms was the result of refunds to impacted customers and temporarily softer bookings to certain destinations.

07:06 EDT WMIH announces name change to Mr. Cooper Group - WMIH announced the completion of its previously-announced 1-for-12 reverse stock split. The reverse stock split, which was authorized by WMIH's board of directors on August 16, 2018, was approved by its stockholders on October 9, 2018. The reverse stock split reduces the number of shares of WMIH common stock outstanding from approximately 1,089,738,735 shares as of October 9, 2018, to approximately 90,811,562 shares outstanding after giving effect to the reverse stock split. Concurrently with the reverse stock split, WMIH also changed its name to Mr. Cooper Group. Mr. Cooper will continue to trade on the Nasdaq Stock Market. Shares of common stock of Mr. Cooper will trade today, October 10, 2018, under the ticker symbol "WMIH" without giving effect to the reverse stock split. Shares of common stock of Mr. Cooper will begin trading on a split-adjusted basis tomorrow, October 11, 2018, with a new CUSIP number under the ticker symbol "COOP", replacing its former ticker symbol "WMIH". As a result of the reverse stock split, the initial trading price of Mr. Cooper common stock is expected to proportionately increase immediately following the reverse stock split; however, other factors may adversely affect the price of our common stock, and the reverse stock split may not increase the trading price of our common stock.

07:05 EDT DSW, Authentic Brands Group to acquire Camuto Group for about $375M - DSW announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the operations of Camuto Group. Additionally, DSW and Authentic Brands Group, a global brand development, marketing and entertainment company, have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire several intellectual property rights from the Camuto Group under a new partnership. Total consideration paid to the Camuto Group will be approximately $375M. The Camuto Group will maintain its existing Connecticut headquarters and will manage its dedicated wholesale and third-party design relationships independently of DSW Inc's retail business. Camuto Group's CEO Alex Del Cielo will continue to lead the organization. Under the terms of the agreement, DSW Inc. will contribute approximately $200M to acquire all of Camuto Group's global production, sourcing and design infrastructure, including operations in Brazil and China, a new, state-of-the-art distribution center in New Jersey, in addition to existing working capital of approximately $100M. DSW Inc. will also acquire the licensing rights for the Jessica Simpson footwear business, as well as the footwear and handbag licenses for Lucky Brand and Max Studio. DSW Inc. will also acquire joint venture participation in the ED Ellen DeGeneres and Mercedes Castillo brands currently managed by the Camuto Group. DSW Inc. will also contribute approximately $56M to acquire a 40% stake in the intellectual property of Camuto Group's proprietary brands with Authentic Brands Group taking the majority state of 60%. Brands include Vince Camuto, Louise et Cie, Sole Society, CC Corso Como, Enzo Angiolini and others. The partnership will focus on licensing the brands across existing lines in footwear, handbags and jewelry, and new category development with a focus on building out each brand's lifestyle offerings. Authentic Brands Group will hold a majority stake in the joint venture and will be responsible for the development, growth and global marketing of the brands. transaction, which has been approved by the DSW Inc. Board of Directors, is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close at the beginning of the Company's fiscal fourth quarter. All Hart-Scott-Rodino Act waiting periods applicable to the transaction have expired and no further merger control clearances are required.

07:01 EDT DSW to acquire Camuto Group for approximately $375M

06:51 EDT TransUnion to acquire Rubixis - TransUnion has signed an agreement to acquire Rubixis, a healthcare revenue cycle solutions company that helps providers maximize reimbursement from insurance payers. Rubixis brings specialized expertise in the management of denials and underpayments. The company works with more than 1,800 hospitals and health systems and has protected over $4.4B in net revenue and cash to date for its entire client base.

06:46 EDT First Data announces partnership with BlueSnap - First Data and BlueSnap, a payments technology provider, announced a partnership to combine the power of BlueSnap's All-in-one Payment Platform with the suite of global and local payments solutions offered by First Data. The partnership will also provide BlueSnap with access to First Data's distribution partners, including some of the world's largest banks, with First Data serving as BlueSnap's primary provider for all acquiring, processing, and settlement of payment card transaction and related services. As part of the agreement, First Data and BlueSnap will work together to introduce BlueSnap's ecommerce services to First Data's bank and distribution partners, providing its clients with the innovative tools that are necessary to match the expectations of an evolving global economy.

06:37 EDT Eli Lilly publishes data that shows Jardiance can extend life expectancy - Novel results based on data from the EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial were published in the journal Circulation which suggest that treatment with Jardiance positively impacts life expectancy in adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease, Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly and announced. Using actuarial methods and assuming that the demonstrated beneficial effects of Jardiance remain consistent with long-term use, Jardiance was estimated to extend life expectancy by 1 to 4.5 years on average, depending on age, when compared with placebo. This analysis suggests that treatment with Jardiance could add years of life. In an analysis of data from 7,020 people included in the EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial, estimated life expectancy increased across all ages when adults were treated with Jardiance as compared to those treated with placebo. Specifically, estimated mean survival in people aged 45 years was 32.1 years with Jardiance versus 27.6 years with placebo, resulting in a mean survival difference of 4.5 years. In people aged 50, 60, 70 and 80 years old, the mean survival difference with Jardiance compared to placebo was an additional 3.1 years, 2.5 years, 2 years and 1 year, respectively. The primary EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial results demonstrated a 38% relative risk reduction in cardiovascular death and a 32% relative risk reduction in all-cause mortality with Jardiance in people with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease, compared with placebo, over a period of 3.1 years. Modelling based on the EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial data was used to quantify the potential benefit of Jardiance on residual life span.

06:34 EDT EPIC Pipeline to purchase Robstown NGL fractionation facility - EPIC Midstream Holdings announced that a subsidiary of EPIC Y-Grade Holdings, LP, entered into a definitive equity purchase agreement with Southcross Holdings Borrower LP to acquire the Robstown NGL fractionation facility located near Corpus Christi, Texas. The purchase will also include a 57-mile pipeline that will enable the Robstown facility to receive natural gas liquids from various pipelines that allow the delivery of fractionated products to several Corpus Christi-area markets. EPIC will assume all of the NGL purchase and sale agreements associated with the fractionator including those with Southcross Energy Partners (SXE) a Southcross Holdings affiliate. The Robstown fractionator has a current capacity of 64 thousand barrels per day of NGLs with an expansion underway to 68 MB/D of capacity. The purchase of the Robstown fractionator provides immediate fractionation capacity to EPIC NGL customers via Sand Hills Pipeline. EPIC will have incremental NGL fractionation capacity during first quarter 2020 once its new 100 MB/D fractionation unit under construction near the Robstown facility comes online and the final phase of the EPIC NGL Pipeline is returned from early crude service in January 2020. The EPIC Pipelines are backed by capital commitments from funds managed by the Private Equity Group of Ares Management, L.P. (ARES)

06:20 EDT Volvo selects NVIDIA DRIVE for production cars - Volvo Cars (VLVLY) and NVIDIA (NVDA) announced that the Swedish automaker has selected the NVIDIA DRIVE AGX Xavier computer for its next generation of vehicles, with production starting early 2020s. DRIVE AGX Xavier is a highly integrated AI car computer that enables Volvo to streamline development of self-driving capabilities while reducing total cost of development and support. The initial production release will deliver Level 2+ assisted driving features, going beyond traditional advanced driver assistance systems. The companies are working together to develop automated driving capabilities, uniquely integrating 360-degree surround perception and a driver monitoring system. The NVIDIA-based computing platform will enable Volvo to implement new connectivity services, energy management technology, in-car personalization options, and autonomous drive technology.

06:05 EDT Boeing invests in Accion Systems to develop satellite propulsion capabilities - Boeing announced its investment in Accion Systems. Accion's new Tiled Ionic Liquid Electrospray, or TILE, in-space propulsion system aims to increase the lifespan and maneuverability of satellites and other vehicles in space. Leveraging a non-toxic, ionic liquid propellant and postage stamp-size thrusters, the TILE system is smaller, lighter and more cost-effective than traditional ion engines. Boeing HorizonX Ventures led the investment round with participation from GETTYLAB. The investment and partnership will help Accion grow its manufacturing and connect with Boeing experts, resources and state-of-the-art facilities.

06:04 EDT MacKenzie Realty Capital launches tender offer for American Finance Trust shares - MacKenzie Realty Capital has announced a tender offer for all Classes of Shares of American Finance Trust. The Purchasers are offering to purchase up to 400,000 Shares of each Class for $15.00 per Class A Share and $14.01 per Class B-2 Share.

05:49 EDT Genentech: Ocrevus data show early initiation of treatment reduces progression - Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, announced that new Ocrevus data will be presented at the 34th Congress of the European Committee for the Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis, or ECTRIMS, from October 10-12 in Berlin, Germany. Five-year data from the Phase III open-label extension studies of OPERA I, OPERA II and ORATORIO show OCREVUS efficacy is maintained on key measures of disease activity and that people treated earlier with OCREVUS had superior disability progression outcomes compared with RMS patients who switched from interferon beta-1alpha or PPMS patients who switched from placebo. In the open-label extension of the Phase III OPERA I and OPERA II trials, people with RMS who had continuous OCREVUS treatment over five years had better outcomes in brain atrophy and confirmed disability progression than patients who switched to OCREVUS after the first two years of interferon beta-1alpha treatment. People with RMS who initiated OCREVUS two years earlier maintained lower whole brain, white matter and cortical grey matter tissue loss after five years of continuous treatment. People with RMS who initiated OCREVUS treatment two years earlier achieved significant and sustained reductions in 24-week CDP compared to those who switched from interferon beta-1alpha. Additionally, people with RMS who switched to OCREVUS from interferon beta-1alpha after the controlled trial period had a rapid suppression of disease activity, measured with annualized relapse rate and MRI measures of T1-gadolinium enhancing lesions and new/enlarging T2 lesions. Switching to OCREVUS reduced the annualized relapse rate from 0.2 pre-switch to 0.07 after three years of OCREVUS treatment. People also experienced near-complete suppression of T1-gadolinium enhancing lesions from 0.49 lesions/scan on interferon beta-1alpha treatment to 0.004 lesions/scan after three years of OCREVUS treatment. Similarly, the number of new or enlarging T2 lesions were suppressed from 2.58 to 0.038 lesions/scan.

05:25 EDT Sinovac comments on unauthorized use of falsified Sinovac Hong Kong company seal - Sinovac Biotech became aware Monday October 8, 2018 that unauthorized changes have been made to the Hong Kong Companies Registry for Sinovac Biotech Hong Kong and that unauthorized changes have been made to the Industry and Commerce Bureau of Beijing for Sinovac Beijing. Unknown individuals have used a falsified version of the company seal of Sinovac HK and used unauthorized forgeries of the signatures of Mr. Weidong Yin and Ms. Nan Wang, Directors of Sinovac HK, to submit false letters of resignation to the Hong Kong Companies Registry in an attempt to remove Mr. Weidong Yin and Ms. Nan Wang from the Board and replace them with nominees of the Sinobioway Consortium, led by Sinobioway Biomedicine Co., Ltd., a minority shareholder of Sinovac Beijing, and a group of Sinovac's shareholders led by 1Globe and OrbiMed who have repeatedly attempted to take control of Sinovac Biotech Co. and its subsidiaries and affiliates. Additionally, without authorization on August 28, 2018, Aihua Pan, a member of the Board of Sinovac Beijing, who was appointed by Sinobioway, held a purported Sinovac Beijing Board meeting. At the meeting, Aihua Pan attempted to seize control of Sinovac Beijing by dismissing Mr. Weidong Yin, Ms. Nan Wang and Mr. Dawei Mao from the Board and replacing them with nominees of Sinobioway and the Dissident Shareholders. Aihua Pan also attempted to dismiss Mr. Yin from the General Manager position and appoint himself as General Manager. In addition, the meeting purported to amend the company charter to change the authorized representative of Sinovac HK from Mr. Yin to Jianzeng Cao, a representative of Sinobioway and the Dissident Shareholders. The Board resolutions of the purported meeting contain an unauthorized forgery of Director Yuk Lam Lo's signature. As confirmed by Zhongtian Forensic Examination Center, which issued an Examination Opinion, "Zhongtian Forensic 2018 Wenjianzi No. 263", dating back to April, 2018, Aihua Pan and Sinobioway have been using Sinovac HK's forged company seal and an unauthorized forged signature of Mr. Weidong Yin to falsely claim that Sinovac Beijing's business license, company seal, contract special seal, legal person seal, and finance seal had been lost and are therefore invalid. Sinovac HK has reported these fraudulent actions to the public security of Haidian District, City of Beijing. Mr. Weidong Yin and Ms. Nan Wang remain appointed and authorized directors of Sinovac HK; Mr. Weidong Yin, Ms. Nan Wang and Mr. Dawei Mao remain appointed and authorized directors of Sinovac Beijing. The Board of Directors and management of publicly traded Sinovac Biotech Ltd., which remain unchanged by the actions of Sinobioway and the Dissident Shareholders, are closely monitoring these unauthorized actions purportedly taken at Sinovac HK and Sinovac Beijing and continue to execute their fiduciary duties to act in the best interests of the Company and all shareholders as the Company moves forward in its mission to develop vaccines that enhance health in China and around the world and create shareholder value. Furthermore, the Board of Directors and management of Sinovac are vigorously defending the rights of all shareholders in all applicable courts.

05:19 EDT KKR, IGIS, NPS to acquire prime real estate asset in Gangnam Business District - KKR, together with IGIS Asset Management, announced that they have made an investment along with the National Pension Service of Korea, or NPS, to acquire a mixed-use real estate project under development in the Gangnam Business District in Seoul, South Korea. The project, to be purchased from a consortium led by local engineering firm Daor E&C, is expected to cost approximately $1.9B in total, inclusive of purchase price and further costs to complete. Additional terms of the transaction were not disclosed.