Stockwinners Market Radar for October 22, 2018 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:11 EDT Intelsat, SES, Eutelsat in transition on planning to support 5G deployment - The C-Band Alliance, which includes Intelsat (I), SES, Eutelsat (EUTLF) and Telesat announced that up to 200 MHz of mid-band spectrum could be cleared, dependent upon demand, under its updated proposal to the U.S. Federal Communications Commission opening new spectrum to support 5G wireless deployment while protecting current users. This updated commitment will be reflected in comment filings due October 29 under the FCC Notice of Proposed Rule Making proceeding. The proposal increases by 80% the amount of spectrum that could be made available for 5G terrestrial use as compared to the initial proposal made by Intelsat and SES. This announcement allows the CBA and its members to engage in detailed planning of the complicated task of moving customers to different frequency assignments, facilitated through new satellite capacity and innovative technical solutions, implementing new ground infrastructure and modifying the significant existing infrastructure deployed nationwide.

18:20 EDT BNY Mellon, Bank of the West reach pact on new real-time payments solution - BNY Mellon and Bank of the West announced agreement today where BNY Mellon is providing Bank of the West extended capabilities to help deliver faster payments solutions for its commercial clients through connectivity to RTP and Disbursements with Zelle. "This reseller agreement is part of our strategy to help banks accelerate payment innovation," said Tony Brady, Digital Platform Officer for BNY Mellon's Treasury Services business. "In turn, banks can 'pay it forward' to their clients. It's part of the responsibility we take on as a leader in modernizing the global payment ecosystem."

18:04 EDT AbbVie reports 'positive' data from Phase 2b/3 study of upadacitinib - AbbVie announced positive results from U-ACHIEVE, an ongoing Phase 2b/3 dose-ranging study evaluating upadacitinib, an investigational JAK1-selective inhibitor, for induction and maintenance therapy in adult patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis. After 8 weeks, upadacitinib (15/30/45 mg, once daily) met the primary endpoint of clinical remission and all ranked secondary endpoints. These clinical data, in addition to patient-reported outcomes data from the study, are being presented at United European Gastroenterology Week 2018 in Vienna, Austria. Upadacitinib is not approved by regulatory authorities and its safety and efficacy have not been established. The study showed that significantly more patients achieved clinical remission with upadacitinib (14/14/20 percent of patients in the 15/30/45 mg groups) compared to placebo (0 percent) at week 8.1 Additionally, key secondary endpoints were also achieved at week 8 across the upadacitinib 15/30/45 mg groups, including endoscopic improvement, clinical remission and clinical response. The upadacitinib 7.5 mg group did not meet the primary endpoint. These results are being presented October 22 during an oral presentation entitled "Efficacy and safety of upadacitinib as an induction therapy for patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis: data from the phase 2b study U-ACHIEVE" from 2:12 - 2:24 p.m. CEST.

17:42 EDT Synnex director Matthew Miau buys over $9.5M in company stock - Synnex director Matthew Miau disclosed in a filing that he had purchased 122,202 shares of common stock at an average price of $78.27 per share on October 19. The total transaction value of the purchase was $9,564,384.

17:23 EDT Sallie Mae reports Q3 net interest margin up 15bps at 6.00% - Q3 Private education loan originations of $2.1B, up 12%. Average private education loans outstanding of $19.3B, up 19% from last year. Average yield on the private education loan portfolio was 9.16%, up 66bps. Private education loan provision for loan losses was $42M, down from $53M. Private education loans in forbearance were 3.4% of private education loans in repayment and forbearance, up from 3.2%. Private education loan delinquencies as a percentage of private education loans in repayment were 2.3%, down from 2.6%.

17:16 EDT Boeing maintains quarterly dividend of $1.31 - The dividend is payable December 7, 2018, to shareholders of record as of November 9, 2018.

17:09 EDT IAMGold announces positive results from a feasibility study for Senegal project - IAMGOLD announced positive results from a Feasibility Study for its Boto Gold Project in Senegal, West Africa. The results outline an economically robust project with an anticipated low cost of production and long operating life. The FS demonstrates a significant economic and operational improvement compared to the Pre-feasibility Study results announced in February of this year. The FS will be used to support an application for a mining concession in the fourth quarter of 2018. Proven and Probable Reserves increased by 0.51 million ounces to 1.93 million ounces grading 1.71 g/t Au versus the P&P Reserves from thePFS. Indicated Resources of 2.49 million ounces grading 1.61 g/t Au.

17:03 EDT Brown & Brown reports Q3 organic revenue up 1.4%

16:54 EDT NBT Bancorp raises quarterly dividend to 26c from 25c per share - The dividend will be paid on December 14, 2018 to shareholders of record as of November 30, 2018.

16:49 EDT FB Financial authorizes $50M common stock repurchase program - FB Financial's board authorized the repurchase of up to $50M of the company's outstanding common stock, which will remain in effect until October 22, 2019.

16:47 EDT Universal Insurance announces expected financial impact from weather events - Universal Insurance Holdings announced the expected financial impact to the Company from recent weather events, including Tropical Storm Gordon and Hurricane Florence as well as Hurricane Michael. Using claims information received to date and post event catastrophe model estimations, the company expects the following: Tropical Storm Gordon initially made landfall on the U.S. Gulf Coast on September 4 primarily impacting Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The storm is expected to result in both gross and net pre-tax losses and loss adjustment expenses of $2.5M. Hurricane Florence initially made landfall as a strong Category 1 hurricane in North Carolina on September 14 primarily impacting North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. The storm is expected to produce gross losses and loss adjustment expenses of $35-45 million, resulting in net pre-tax losses and loss adjustment expenses of $5M. Hurricane Michael initially made landfall as a strong Category 4 hurricane along the Florida Panhandle on October 10 primarily impacting Florida, Georgia, and several other Southeastern U.S. states. The storm is expected to produce gross losses and loss adjustment expenses of $300M-350M, resulting in net pre-tax losses and loss adjustment expenses of $35M. In addition, to the extent the Company experiences any additional reinsurance recoveries from its supplemental Non-Florida reinsurance program, those recoveries could serve to partially reduce its $35M retention.

16:44 EDT Chembio Diagnostics acquires opTricon GmbH for $5.5M in cash - Chembioannounced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire opTricon GmbH, a privately-held developer and manufacturer of hand-held analyzers for rapid diagnostic tests. Under terms of the purchase agreement, Chembio will pay $5.5M in cash, and the transaction is expected to close on October 31, subject to standard closing conditions.Since 2015, Chembio and opTricon have collaborated to develop the DPP Micro Reader, a hand-held, battery-operated analyzer that uses an innovative image sensor to provide a quantitative interpretation of diagnostic results when combined with Chembio's proprietary DPP tests. Located in Berlin's Science & Technology Park, opTricon will become Chembio's Center-of-Excellence for optical technology and serve as Chembio's European headquarters. As part of its ongoing business, opTricon will continue to develop and manufacture hand-held analyzers for OEM customers which do not compete with Chembio. "Long term success in the point-of-care infectious disease market requires innovation that extends beyond the diagnostic test to include data capture, transmission, and storage," stated John Sperzel, Chembio's Chief Executive Officer. "Our scientific team is focused on the development of DPP tests that provide increased sensitivity, advanced multiplexing, and quantitative results which are collectively enhanced by the use of an optical reader. The acquisition of opTricon will enable us to further advance our innovative technology development

16:37 EDT ResMed says it won German patent infringement case against Fisher & Paykel - ResMed announced the results of a court and patent office ruling in Germany in ResMed's favor. A trial court ruling from the Munich District Court states that the headgear used on two Fisher & Paykel CPAP masks - the Simplus full face and Eson 2 nasal mask - infringes ResMed patent EP 2 373 368 B1 in Germany. In a separate decision, the Opposition Division of the European Patent Office had already decided that the patent asserted against Fisher & Paykel is valid. Each decision may be appealed by Fisher & Paykel. "We applaud the Munich District Court for reaching this just finding, and are exploring all options in light of the fact that Fisher & Paykel is selling CPAP masks with headgear that infringes a valid ResMed patent in Germany," said ResMed Chief Administrative Officer and Global General Counsel David Pendarvis. "We will continue to defend our intellectual property here and wherever necessary to ensure that patients worldwide continue to receive the high-quality care they deserve," Pendarvis said.

16:36 EDT Google's YouTube investing $20M in education resources for 'EduTubers' - YouTube is investing $20 million toward educational content through its new Learning Fund program. In an entry on its blog page, YouTube said: " People all over the world use YouTube to learn and follow their passions. Whether it's learning prerequisites for a college course or how to compete in Olympic javelin throwing, everyone seems to have turned to YouTube to learn something. Many of these learning stories are powered by an incredible community of EduTubers like PhysicsGirl and Manual do Mundo, whose videos have demonstrated the appeal of content that enriches as well as entertains. We've already completed our first round of investment in some of the most respected names in online education like TED-Ed or Hank and John Green's Crash Course. We're also supporting many of our emerging EduTubers like Socratica and Linda Raynier. Creators who are interested in applying to the Learning Fund can sign up for more information here. In addition to investing in EduTubers through the Learning Fund, we're also developing new YouTube Originals focused on learning like Mind Field: Season 3 from Vsauce creator Michael Stevens, and a new series with Vox Entertainment which was announced earlier this month." Reference Link

16:31 EDT BioScrip names John McMahon CAO - BioScrip announced the appointment of John McMahon as Vice President, Controller and Chief Accounting Officer of the company, effective October 19, 2018. McMahon is a certified public accountant and has more than 25 years of accounting and finance experience, including over a decade in principal accounting officer roles at publicly traded companies, such as Heska Corporation where he was the chief financial officer and Advanced Energy Industries, Inc. where he was the corporate controller.

16:28 EDT One Liberty Properties acquires industrial property in Colorado for $12.8M - One Liberty Properties announced that it acquired, in a sale-leaseback transaction, a 63,882 square foot industrial/office property on 7.35 acres located in Englewood, Colorado, a suburb of Denver, for $12.8M. Englewood, Colorado is located 15 miles southeast of downtown Denver and just a short distance from the Centennial Airport. The building, which was constructed in 2014, is net leased to Applied Control Equipment through 2030 for an aggregate annual base rent of approximately $926,000, which increases 2.5% annually. The facility is used for warehouse and distribution purposes and also serves as the tenant's corporate headquarters. Applied Control is the exclusive sales and service provider in the Rocky Mountain region for Emerson Electric's automated solutions division.

16:27 EDT Columbia Sportswear's board elects former CFO of Gap to serve as director - Columbia Sportswear (COLM) announced that its board of directors has elected Sabrina Simmons former EVP and CFO of Gap (GPS), to serve as a director and member of the Nominating and Corporate Governance and Compensation Committees, effective immediately. The board intends to nominate Ms. Simmons for election by the company's shareholders to a full term as a board member at the company's 2019 annual meeting of shareholders.

16:19 EDT Sykes Enterprises to acquire Symphony Ventures Limited for $69M - Sykes Enterprises announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Symphony Ventures Limited. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in London, UK, Symphony is a premier provider to blue chip clients, offering RPA consulting, implementation, hosting and managed services. Approximately 200 people strong, Symphony has one of the largest independent global teams of Intelligent Automation experts. Under the terms of the acquisition agreement, the company will pay a cash purchase price of approximately $69M for 100% ownership of Symphony Ventures Limited, which is expected to be funded through a combination of cash on hand and the company's credit facility. The purchase price is approximately 2.0x 2019 projected revenues. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close on or about November 1. Symphony, through its innovative practices, has developed a well-recognized brand in the industry, which it is expected to retain post acquisition. The management team will remain in place after the transaction closes and will continue to oversee the day-to-day operations of the business. The transaction is expected to be dilutive on a GAAP and neutral on a non-GAAP basis to 2018 diluted earnings per share.

16:12 EDT SS&C up 6% to $53.00 after guiding Q3 results above consensus

16:09 EDT SS&C CEO says 'our markets remain robust' - "SS&C continues to execute. Our markets remain robust and we are delivering significant value to our customers. DST, in particular, is making significant progress and we expect to significantly outperform our $175 million, three-year synergy target," said Bill Stone, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of SS&C Technologies. "Our overall lower cost structure led to a substantial beat of our previous earnings guidance. We will update Q4 guidance on October 31st when we release our full Q3 earnings report."

16:03 EDT Omeros treatment granted FDA orphan designation status - Omeros' treatment of Hematopoietic Stem-Cell Transplant-Associated Thrombotic Microangiopathy was granted orphan designation by the FDA, according to a post to the agency's website. Reference Link

16:03 EDT Lancaster Colony acquires Bantam Bagels for $34M - Lancaster Colony announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, T. Marzetti Company, has acquired all the assets of Bantam Bagels, LLC. Bantam Bagels is a producer and marketer of frozen mini stuffed bagels and mini stuffed pancakes sold to both the retail and foodservice channels. The acquisition transaction closed on October 19, 2018. The acquisition was funded internally with cash on hand and is not significant to the financial position of Lancaster Colony Corporation. Annual net sales for Bantam Bagels are approximately $20 million and the impact of the acquisition on Lancaster Colony's earnings per share is expected to be about neutral for the current fiscal year ending June 30, 2019. In addition to the base purchase price of $34M, which is subject to post-closing adjustments, the transaction also includes contingent consideration in the form of an additional earn-out payment that is tied to the future financial performance of the business. Other terms of the transaction are not disclosed.

16:01 EDT Mobile Mini names Kelly Williams as new COO - Mobile Mini announced the appointment of Kelly Williams as President & Chief Operating Officer. Mr. Williams was previously serving as Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer at Mobile Mini. Mr. Williams will now oversee global operations in both North America and the UK as well as the company's Supply Chain, Operational Excellence and Marketing responsibilities on a global basis. He will continue reporting to Erik Olsson, CEO of Mobile Mini.

15:57 EDT Supervalu trading resumes

15:39 EDT SCANA trading resumes

15:27 EDT SCANA says SC judge indicated no final decision has been reached - SCANA issued the following statement: "SCANA is aware that last week the circuit court judge assigned to the customer class action in South Carolina provided instructions to counsel for the plaintiffs and the state that requested them to submit proposed orders to him. Those instructions directed the attorneys to include language in the proposed orders stating, among other things, that the Base Load Review Act violates the procedural due process provisions of the South Carolina Constitution. The proposed orders have been submitted to the judge by those attorneys. SCANA intends to provide the judge with comments to various portions of the proposed orders by Monday, October 29. The judge has indicated to the attorneys for the parties that no final decision has been reached at this time, and the aforementioned issues will remain unresolved until he signs an order in the matter."

15:20 EDT SCANA trading halted, news pending

15:03 EDT First Data to refinance revolving credit facility and certain other indebtedness - First Data announced that it is seeking to refinance its existing revolving credit facility maturing June 2020, its existing term loans due June 2020 and certain other existing indebtedness. As of the date of this press release, the arrangers of the Refinancing have informed First Data that they have received commitments in respect of a potential new revolving credit facility of over $1.25B and commitments in respect of a potential new term loan facility of over $4.75B. If consummated, the transaction is expected to be completed on or about October 26, 2018 to refinance the existing facilities due 2020 with a portion of the funding to be consummated later to refinance other existing indebtedness. The successful completion of these transactions is subject to market and other conditions and there can be no assurance that they can be completed on the terms contemplated or at all.

14:34 EDT AngloGold says Kibali Gold Mine seen delivering record performance in Q3 - AngloGold Ashanti reports that the Kibali Gold Mine is expected to deliver a record performance for the third quarter, and is on track to exceed its guidance for the year, as the operation met or exceeded designed capacity on throughput, recovery and hoisting capacity. The mine, a joint venture with the Democratic Republic of Congo, AngloGold Ashanti, 45%, and Randgold Resources, 45% and operator, is trending to outperform its full-year production guidance of 730,000oz. The joint venture has also reached agreement with the DRC Ministry of Finance, for the return of outstanding value-added tax refunds. "This is an important, tier-one asset for the country at large, and for us, as we work to improve returns to our shareholders," AngloGold Ashanti CEO Kelvin Dushnisky said. "It's encouraging for us as investors, and for the future development of the DRC's mining industry, that Kibali is poised to start returning capital to those who funded the first large- scale, industrial gold mining project in one of the country's most remote areas."

14:04 EDT Ford expanding test of autonomous vehicles to Washington, D.C. - In an opinion editorial provided by Sherif Marakby, CEO, Ford Autonomous Vehicles, the executive stated: "Just like guiding a bill through Congress, establishing a self-driving vehicle business requires a lot of coordination. Not only do self-driving vehicles need to operate safely and reliably, but they also need to work in concert with the businesses, people and cities they serve. On top of all this, they must operate within an ecosystem that supports their operation and maintenance. As Ford's work in all those areas continues in Detroit, Pittsburgh and Miami, we are expanding to become the first company to test autonomous vehicles in Washington, D.C., according to the district, by establishing a self-driving vehicle business-a business that will be responsive to the needs of the city and its residents...The advent of self-driving vehicles promises a chance to make it more affordable and easier for people to get to jobs by filling gaps in access to public transportation, new ways to deliver food and other products, and more...That's why we'll be working with local officials in Washington, D.C., to ensure that we test our self-driving vehicles in all eight of the district's wards-and eventually operate business pilot programs in all eight wards as well-as we work toward deployment of a commercial service in 2021." Reference Link

13:34 EDT Wells Fargo 'pleased' to reach pact with NY Attorney General - Wells Fargo & Company issued a statement regarding an agreement with the Office of the Attorney General of the State of New York to resolve claims alleging certain misstatements and omissions in the company's disclosures related to sales practices matters. "We are pleased to reach this agreement," the bank said. "Wells Fargo did not admit liability, and we believe that putting this matter behind us is in the best interest of all of our stakeholders, including customers. The settlement costs have been previously accrued. We are making strong progress in our work to rebuild trust, and this represents another step forward. Over the past two years, we have made fundamental changes to retail sales practices, and the claims in this settlement relate to past product sales goals that were eliminated in 2016. We remain focused on transforming Wells Fargo into a better company for our customers and other stakeholders."

13:17 EDT NY Attorney General announces $65M settlement with Wells Fargo - New York Attorney General Barbara D. Underwood announced that Wells Fargo & Company will pay a $65M penalty following the Attorney General's investigation into the bank's fraudulent statements to investors in connection with its "cross-sell" business model, related sales practices, and the bank's publicly reported cross-sell metrics. "The misconduct at Wells Fargo was widespread across the bank and at every level of management - impacting both customers and investors who were misled," said Attorney General Underwood. The Attorney General's office is also continuing its investigation of Wells Fargo in connection with its illegal business practices of opening millions of unauthorized accounts and enrolling consumers in services without their knowledge or consent. This settlement has no impact on that ongoing investigation and other pending investigations of Wells Fargo.

12:57 EDT Canyon Partners 'has faith in the ability' of Caesars management - Canyon Partners earlier today issued a statement in response to recent media reports that it says "have no basis in fact and as to which Canyon Partners was not provided an opportunity to comment in advance of publication to refute anonymous sources." It said, "Canyon has not leaked any confidential information relating to Caesars to anyone at any time. It is reckless for anyone to report otherwise. Canyon has faith in the ability of the Caesars management team and board of directors to operate the business, to evaluate any reported transactions and to continue to maximize value for all shareholders."

12:23 EDT Fred H. Brenner Estate reports 7.9% passive stake in EuroDry

12:11 EDT South Jersey Industries tightens targeted payout ratio to 55%-65% - South Jersey Industries tightened its targeted payout ratio to 55%-65% of consolidate SJI earnings from previous ratio of 55%-70%. "We expect to achieve the midpoint of our targeted payout ratio in the latter years of plan horizon," the company stated in slides.

12:02 EDT Oracle launches new data cloud solution for B2B marketers - Oracle Data Cloud today launched a new SMB data solution that helps B2B marketers reach over 115 million IDs at more than 1.5 million small and mid-sized businesses, SMBs, with effective digital campaigns. The new solution enables account-based marketing,ABM, for sales outreach to contacts at small and mid-size businesses across 48 industry and sub-industry segments, offering similar outreach tools to those used by larger organizations. "Most data and tools for digital B2B marketing have focused on large companies while ignoring the millions of smaller companies who make up the vast majority of US businesses," said Niraj Deo, vice president, product & data Strategy, Oracle Data Cloud. "This SMB data solution levels the playing field for B2B marketers so they can identify, reach, and manage their sales and marketing programs for both large organizations and the smaller businesses who can drive their growth. By combining their own CRM data with Oracle's syndicated and custom segments, B2B marketers can use advanced account-based marketing capabilities for this massive, but underserved, universe of SMBs." Using Oracle Data Cloud's SMB solution, B2B marketers can build digital audiences to match their marketing goals and business needs, based on criteria ranging from number of employees to financial risk profiles, growth patterns, accepted payments, ecommerce capabilities, and past purchases.

12:02 EDT Overstock's blockchain subsidiary invests $6M in Minds, Inc. - Minds, Inc., a crypto social network, announced a $6M Series A investment from Medici Ventures, the wholly-owned blockchain subsidiary of Overstock.com, Inc., advancing blockchain technologies to democratize capital, eliminate middlemen, and re-humanize commerce. Overstock.com founder and CEO Patrick M. Byrne, a vocal advocate for blockchain, user rights, and free speech, will be joining the Minds board of directors.

12:00 EDT Canopy Growth falls -9.1% - Canopy Growth is down -9.1%, or -$4.25 to $42.60.

12:00 EDT Pzena Investment rises 7.0% - Pzena Investment is up 7.0%, or 67c to $10.20.

12:00 EDT Concord Medical rises 9.4% - Concord Medical is up 9.4%, or 27c to $3.14.

11:14 EDT Tompkins Financial appoints Steven Cribbs to senior leadership team - Tompkins Financial announced that Steven Cribbs, SVP, chief risk officer, was appointed to the Senior Leadership Team of the company by its Board of Directors. The Senior Leadership Team is responsible for setting the overall direction of the company and providing executive leadership. Steve joined Tompkins Financial in June of this year. He is responsible for overseeing compliance, audit, information security, and enterprise risk management functions at Tompkins Financial.

10:38 EDT Analyst says sell Union Pacific, Genesee & Wyoming on slowing demand - In a research note this morning, Morgan Stanley analyst Ravi Shanker told investors that it was time to get cautious on freight transportation stocks as he sees downside risk to consensus in 2019 across virtually the entire group driven by slowing demand fundamentals. In conjunction with his change in the sector rating, the analyst downgraded Union Pacific (UNP) and Genesee & Wyoming (GWR) to Underweight and cut Old Dominion (ODFL) to Equal Weight. DOWNGRADING INDUSTRY VIEW TO CAUTIOUS: Moving his industry view to cautious, Morgan Stanley's Shanker argued that he sees downside risk to consensus in 2019 across virtually the entire freight transportation group driven by slowing demand fundamentals. Yet, valuations remain elevated across most of the group, he said. The analyst trimmed his estimates across the board by about 2%, on average, for FY19-21. However, Shanker noted that he is not calling for a macro recession in 2019. Instead, he is concerned that 2019 could be similar to 2015-2016, when the transportation complex went through a freight recession even as the overall economy held up. SELL UNION PACIFIC, GENESEE & WYOMING: Morgan Stanley's Shanker downgraded Union Pacific to Underweight from Equal Weight, saying that while he has always viewed it as "the most defensive" among the U.S. rails given its long LoH, PRB coal exposure, and relatively low IM risk, he now sees risk as too high if the cycle turns. Specifically, Shanker pointed out that his firm's coal team has turned more bearish on domestic coal demand in 2019, and added that the frac sand risk that he highlighted last year looks like it would materialize in early 2019. Union Pacific's struggles to grow pricing when the market is firing on all cylinders raises concern on what pricing net of inflation will be like next year given the increase in rail inflation expectations, he contended. Additionally, the analyst believes the company's PSR implementation carries "significant execution risk" and the goal appears to be a stretch relative to expectations. Meanwhile, Shanker also downgraded Genesee & Wyoming to Underweight from Equal Weight arguing that if the truckload market loosens up driven by decelerating demand and industrial end markets weaken from here, Genesee will be the rail "most exposed" to topline headwinds. Noting that about 20% of the company's operating income is from Australia and U.K./Europe, the analyst pointed out that Genesee & Wyoming's Australia business faces risk of decelerating growth in China and the U.K./Europe business faces risk of Brexit uncertainty. Moreover, Genesee & Wyoming is also the most levered rail, making it exposed to rising interest rates, he contended. MOVING TO SIDELINES ON OLD DOMINION: Despite the recent selloff in the stock and it remaining his favorite less than truckload name, Morgan Stanley's Shanker downgraded Old Dominion to Equal Weight from Overweight. The analyst noted that Old Dominion's absolute and relative tonnage growth turned as scheduled three months ago but the stock did not reciprocate as it typically does. It now appears that the stock is catching up but has "a ways to go to close the relative valuation gap to the truckloads," Shanker added. While the analyst thinks that if macro does start to slow, LTL stocks will feel it, he still believes Old Dominion will hold up better than peers given its defensive nature, superior margin profile and relatively bearish investor positioning. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of Union Pacific have dropped almost 1.5% to $146.57, while Genesee & Wyoming's stock has slipped about 3% to $79.02. Also lower, shares of Old Dominion slid over 1% to $130.27.

10:34 EDT Roche reports Phase 3 study of Alecensa met primary endpoint - Roche will today announce results from the phase 3 ALESIA study, showing that Alecensa met its primary endpoint of investigator-assessed progression-free survival. Alecensa significantly reduced the risk of disease worsening or death by 78%, compared to crizotinib, when given as an initial monotherapy treatment in Asian patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. Median PFS reported by the investigators was not yet reached in patients who received Alecensa versus 11.1 months in those who received crizotinib. The safety profile of Alecensa was consistent with that observed in previous studies. "The ALESIA study supports the use of Alecensa as the standard of care for newly diagnosed advanced or metastatic ALK-positive lung cancer across multiple populations. Alecensa has received rapid regulatory approvals for first-line treatment in 65 countries to date, including in China," said Sandra Horning, MD, Roche's Chief Medical Officer and Head of Global Product Development.

10:31 EDT Merck says Keytruda imrpoved OS vs. SoC in KEYNOTE-048 trial - Merck announced the first presentation of interim data from the pivotal Phase 3 KEYNOTE-048 trial investigating KEYTRUDA, Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, as both monotherapy and in combination with chemotherapy, for the first-line treatment of recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. These interim results are being presented today during the Presidential Symposium at the ESMO 2018 Congress and are included in the official Press Program. Interim data from KEYNOTE-048 showed KEYTRUDA monotherapy improved overall survival, a primary endpoint of the study, by 39 percent in patients whose tumors expressed PD-L1 with Combined Positive Score greater than or equal to20, and by 22 percent in patients with CPSgreater than or equal to1, compared to the EXTREME regimen, the current standard of care. In addition, KEYTRUDA in combination with chemotherapy demonstrated improved OS compared to the EXTREME regimen by 23 percent, regardless of PD-L1 expression. At the final analysis, superiority for OS will be evaluated for KEYTRUDA monotherapy in the total population and KEYTRUDA combination in patients whose tumors express PD-L1 at CPSgreater than or equal to20 and CPSgreater than or equal to1; at this interim analysis, based upon the prespecified testing algorithm, non-inferiority for KEYTRUDA monotherapy in the total population was demonstrated and statistical significance was not achieved for the KEYTRUDA combination in the subset of patients whose tumors expressed PD-L1 at CPS greater than or equal to20 or greater than or equal to1. Additionally, at this time point there was no difference in progression-free-survival, a dual primary endpoint of the study, in any of the groups studied. There were no new safety concerns identified with the use of KEYTRUDA in KEYNOTE-048.

10:17 EDT Kimberly-Clark says making 'good' progress on restructuring program

10:16 EDT Pratt & Whitney GTF engines selected by Aegean Airlines - Pratt & Whitney, a division of United Technologies Corp. (UTX), announced that Aegean Airlines has selected the Pratt & Whitney GTF engine to power up to 62 Airbus (EADSY) A320neo family aircraft: 30 firm, 12 option, and up to 20 leased aircraft. Pratt & Whitney will also provide the airline with engine maintenance through a long-term EngineWise Comprehensive service agreement.

10:01 EDT J&J says tetravalent 'significantly enhanced' HIV immune responses - Johnson & Johnson announced the primary analysis of immune response data for a tetravalent mosaic-based preventive vaccine against HIV-1 infection in development at its Janssen Pharmaceutical unit. In the early-stage, Phase 1/2a Traverse study among HIV-negative volunteers, a vaccine regimen including a tetravalent mosaic viral vector was compared to a regimen containing a trivalent mosaic vector. At 28 weeks, the tetravalent mosaic-based vaccine was well tolerated and "significantly enhanced" the breadth of immune responses to different HIV-1 strains compared to the trivalent version, J&J said in a statement. These Phase 1/2a data will be shared this week at the 2018 HIV Research for Prevention Conference in Madrid, Spain. The tetravalent vaccine is "now in large-scale efficacy testing," the company said. Reference Link

09:47 EDT Philips falls -7.9% - Philips is down -7.9%, or -$3.14 to $36.81.

09:47 EDT Jacobs Engineering rises 7.1% - Jacobs Engineering is up 7.1%, or $5.13 to $77.41.

09:47 EDT Bright Scholar rises 10.1% - Bright Scholar is up 10.1%, or $1.03 to $11.20.

09:40 EDT Super Micro denies malicious chip report, undertaking 'complicated' review - In a regulatory filing, Super Micro Computer (SMCI) said that on October 18, the company began sending letters to its customers, refuting allegations in a recent article that a malicious hardware chip was implanted during the manufacturing process of the company's motherboards. In the letters, Super Micro says "We are confident that a recent article, alleging a malicious hardware chip was implanted during the manufacturing process of our motherboards, is wrong. From everything we know and have seen, no malicious hardware chip has been implanted during the manufacturing of our motherboards. We trust you appreciate the difficulty of proving that something did not happen, even though the reporters have produced no affected motherboard or any such malicious hardware chip. As we have said firmly, no one has shown us a motherboard containing any unauthorized hardware chip, we are not aware of any such unauthorized chip, and no government agency has alerted us to the existence of any unauthorized chip. Despite the lack of any proof that a malicious hardware chip exists, we are undertaking a complicated and time-consuming review to further address the article. In the meantime, I want to assure you that Supermicro's design, manufacturing and quality processes are designed to ensure we provide high-performing, safe, reliable, and secure hardware to all our customers. We are a customer-focused, engineering-led culture, so we test our products at every step along the way. We check every board, we check every layer of every board, and we check the board's design visually and functionally, throughout the entire manufacturing process. Every board we manufacture has Supermicro oversight, including multiple layers of testing, from design to delivery. Specifically, our process requires the inspection of the layout and components of every product at the beginning and end of each stage of manufacturing and assembly. Our employees are on site with our assembly contractors throughout the process. These inspections include several automated optical inspections, visual inspections, and other functional inspections. We also periodically employ spot checks and x-ray scans of our motherboards along with regular audits of our contract manufacturers. Our test processes at every step are not only designed to check functionality, but also to check for the integrity and composition of our designs and to alert us to any discrepancies in the base design... For these reasons, we are confident that these allegations are wrong. In addition, experts across the ecosystem, including FBI Director Christopher Wray, NSA Senior Cybersecurity Advisor Rob Joyce, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats, the Department of Homeland Security, the UK's GCHQ and even an expert quoted in the article itself, have questioned these allegations. Finally, Apple (AAPL) and Amazon (AMZN) have issued strong statements denying the claims."

09:36 EDT Hasbro says it recaptured one third of Toys "R" Us revenues in U.S.,Canada - Says will open Midwest warehouse. Says it expects to return to growth in 2019. Says European margin was worse than expected. Says had more closeouts than expected. Says this is a transition year. Says is aggressively working to clear European inventory by year end. Says is well positioned to meet retailers demand this holiday season. Comments taken from Q3 earnings conference call.

09:31 EDT Quest Diagnostics acquires certain assets of Hurley Medical Center - Quest Diagnostics announced it has acquired certain assets of the outreach laboratory services operation of Hurley Medical Center, a leading regional provider of healthcare services. Patients and providers in central Michigan will have access to Quest's broader range of diagnostic services, a larger network of patient service centers, and access to unique tools, such as the company's Quanum suite of healthcare information technologies and data analytics. Financial terms were not disclosed.

09:25 EDT Celsion announces GEN-1 overview published in oncology journal - Celsio announced that a program overview of the company's novel, immunotherapy agent GEN-1 was published in the peer-reviewed journal, Future Oncology. The article is co-authored by Premal Thaker and principal investigator in Celsion's GEN-1 development program. The publication outlines the DNA plasmid, gene-based concept and the key attributes supporting GEN-1's mechanism of action characterized by local and persistent delivery of IL-12 and modulation of tumor microenvironment favoring immune stimulation. GEN-1 is an investigational immunotherapy designed for the localized treatment of ovarian cancer as an adjuvant to standard of care chemotherapy treatment. GEN-1's ability to deliver IL-12 locally in a persistent manner to alter tumor microenvironment in favor of immune stimulation may have applications in tumor immunotherapy based on IL-12's proven ability to activate both innate and adaptive immunities. Formulated using Celsion's proprietary TheraPlas platform technology, the GEN-1 DNA plasmid is incorporated into a non-viral nanoparticle delivery system. Administered locally, the TheraPlas system protects the DNA plasmid while enabling cellular uptake. This novel approach then results in persistent, local, cellular production and secretion of the IL-12 protein at the cancer site.

09:16 EDT Planet Green Holdings comments on unusual market activity - Planet Green Holdings announced that in view of the unusual market activity in the company's common stock on October 19, the NYSE American has contacted the company in accordance with its usual practice. The company is not aware of any reason for the activity and stated that its policy is not to speculate on unusual market activity.

09:11 EDT Fly Intel: Pre-market Movers - HIGHER: American Railcar (ARII), up 50% after announcing that it has entered into a definitive agreement to merge with a wholly-owned subsidiary of ITE Rail Fund at a price of $70 per share... Jetpay (JTPY), up 134% after NCR Corporation (NCR) announced a definitive agreement to acquire the company in a cash tender offer of $5.05 per JetPay share... CollPlant (CLGN), up 58% after the company and United Therapeutics (UTHR) announced that they have entered into a license, development and commercialization agreement for 3D bioprinted lung transplants... Dynavax (DVAX), up 22% after announcing its SD-101, Keytruda combo still shows 70% ORR in advanced melanoma. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Halliburton (HAL), down 2%... Hasbro (HAS), down 5%. ALSO LOWER: Mirati Therapeutics (MRTX), down 25% after presenting updated data on sitravatinib with Opdivo study... Aveo (AVEO), down 4% after announcing updated interim results from Phase 2 TiNivo study... Caesar's (CZR), down 3% after NY Post reports the company will reject Golden Nugget's merger offer... Axon (AAXN), down 4% after New York Times reports The New York Police Department is removing roughly 3,000 body cameras from use after one of the devices worn by a Staten Island officer exploded into flames... Bristol-Myers (BMY), down 3% after the company announced a slowing of the regulatory process in the U.S. and E.U. for the ongoing review of its applications for an indication in metastatic first-line non-small cell lung cancer with Opdivo plus low-dose Yervoy in patients with tumor mutational burden. Also, Citi analyst Andrew Baum downgraded Bristol-Myers to Neutral from Buy citing competition from Merck's (MRK) Keytruda.

09:10 EDT Deckers Brands division Hoka One One partners with Engineered Garments - Deckers Brands' Hoka One One division has announced its second partnership with American- and Japanese-inspired fashion label Engineered Garments to create a footwear collaboration featuring the Tor Ultra Low style for this Fall 2018. The unisex style will be available at select Engineered Garments' retail stores in New York and Tokyo, as well as on Hoka's U.S., Japanese and European websites starting October 22. The collaboration for HOKA and Engineered Garments features the Tor Ultra Low, a low-cut edition of the brand's best-selling Tor Ultra Hi Waterproof hiking shoe. The shoe retails for $200.

09:08 EDT Adobe achieves global gender pay parity - Adobe announced it has delivered on its commitment to pay parity between women and men globally across nearly 40 countries. This is a critical milestone in Adobe's ongoing commitment to providing employees with a workplace that is inclusive, innovative and exceptional. Adobe defines pay parity as ensuring that employees in the same job and location are paid fairly to one another, regardless of their gender or ethnicity. As a core element of its gender pay parity initiative, the company analyzed its employees' pay within job families and location, and then made a small number of adjustments to employees' pay based on that review. These global pay adjustments, including those previously made in the United States and India, impacted less than five percent of Adobe employees and less than 0.2 percent of global payroll costs.

09:06 EDT DHI Group names Michelle Marian as Chief Marketing Officer - DHI Group (DHX) announced it has hired Michelle Marian as its new Chief Marketing Officer. Based in Denver, Marian will lead DHI's global marketing organization, with responsibility for the company's digital marketing strategy, demand generation and branding for its three services: Dice, eFinancialCareers and ClearanceJobs. Marian most recently managed Global Digital Marketing at Crocs (CROX).

09:03 EDT Fir Tree issues open letter to Halcon Board urging sale of Pecos assets - Fir Tree Capital Management, manager of certain funds that together have economic exposure to approximately 7.2% of the common stock of Halcon Resources, issued an open letter and presentation to the Board of Directors of Halcon complimenting the company's progress to date, highlighting the market's significant lack of appreciation for Halcon's share price and urging the company to take specific additional steps to maximize long term shareholder value, including exploring a sale of the company. Reference Link

08:58 EDT Supervalu trading halted, news dissemination

08:49 EDT Ameren Missouri to acquire 157-megawatt wind facility in northwest Missouri - Ameren Missouri, a subsidiary of Ameren, announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire, after construction, a wind generation facility of up to a 157-megawatts to be located in northwest Missouri. This agreement, along with the previously-announced planned addition of a 400 MW wind generation facility in northeast Missouri, continues Ameren Missouri's planned growth of renewable wind energy by 2020. The facility, developed by EDF Renewables North America, will be located in Atchison County. When operational in 2020, energy produced by the wind facility will power an estimated 47,000 homes. This new generation will help Ameren Missouri meet its goal of reducing carbon emissions 80 percent by 2050, based on 2005 levels. Ameren Missouri's planned additions will create approximately 280 jobs at the peak of construction, as well as several permanent jobs when the turbines are in service.

08:44 EDT Global Water Resources receives extension on taxable gain - Global Water Resources has received an extension from the Internal Revenue Service, or IRS, to defer the gain realized from the disposition of Valencia Water facility until the end of 2019. After taking into consideration the recent acquisition of Red Rock Utilities as well as the remaining projected capital investments in 2018, Global Water expects to apply approximately $7.5M of additional capital investment in 2019 to fully defer the tax gain. Global Water Resources earlier received a private letter ruling from the IRS that allowed the assets involuntarily converted upon the disposition of Valencia to be replaced with certain facility improvements or newly acquired facilities with the cost offset by the taxable gain from the disposition, according to Internal Revenue Code. The company has acquired four utilities and completed a number of capital improvements since the disposition in July of 2015. Additional investments to be applied against the taxable gain are currently scheduled to be completed in 2018 and 2019.

08:38 EDT Clearbridge MLP and Midstream Total Return Fund reaffirms name change - ClearBridge MLP and Midstream Total Return Fund , formerly known as ClearBridge Energy MLP Total Return Fund, reaffirmed that effective today, Monday, October 22, 2018, the Fund's name has been changed to ClearBridge MLP and Midstream Total Return Fund Inc. The Fund's shares of common stock will continue to trade under its existing New York Stock Exchange symbol "CTR". The Fund's CUSIP, 18469Q108, will not change. In addition, also effective today, October 22, 2018, under normal market conditions the Fund invests at least 80% of its managed assets in energy master limited partnerships and energy midstream entities. Previously, the Fund's investment policy provided that at least 80% of its managed assets be invested in energy MLPs. The name change and investment policy amendment should allow additional investment flexibility by permitting greater investments in midstream entities organized as C corporations. Management does not anticipate any material change in the portfolio construction in the near term because of these changes. For as long as "MLP" and "Midstream" are in the name of the Fund, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its managed assets in energy MLPs and energy midstream entities. The Fund may not change its policy to invest at least 80% of its managed assets in energy MLPs and energy midstream entities unless it provides stockholders with at least 60 days' written notice of such change.

08:37 EDT Corvus Pharmaceuticals announces new data on CPI-444 at ESMO - Corvus Pharmaceuticals announced new data on a biomarker associated with patient response to therapy with CPI-444, an adenosine receptor antagonist. This "adenosine gene signature" has the potential to be used as a predictive biomarker for patient selection in future clinical studies of CPI-444 and other therapies targeting the adenosine pathway, including CPI-006. The biomarker data was presented in a poster discussion session at the European Society for Medical Oncology, or ESMO. CPI-444, Corvus' lead product candidate, is a selective and potent inhibitor of the adenosine A2A receptor. It is currently being evaluated in clinical trials in patients with various solid tumors as a single agent and in combination with Genentech's atezolizumab, an anti-PD-L1 antibody. CPI-006 is a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against CD73. It is currently being evaluated in an early-stage, three-arm clinical trial in patients with a variety of solid tumors as a single agent, in combination with CPI-444, and in combination with pembrolizumab, an anti-PD-1 antibody.

08:34 EDT Attis Industries secures Medicare license for Tulsa toxicology lab - Attis Industries announced that it has received the Medicare license for its toxicology laboratory in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The laboratory, which received its CLIA license in August, is dedicated to running samples reimbursed by Medicare and individual state Medicaid programs only. Now that Attis has received its CMS license, which provides Medicare coverage for all states, Attis will begin taking samples and billing under its new Medicare number while at the same time begin applying for Medicaid coverage for the states of Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Texas, Colorado and New Mexico. Additionally, on October 18, Attis entered into an agreement with a tenant to sublease the office space of Attis' former corporate office through the end of the lease period. This will save the company over $300,000 in operating expenses per year.

08:33 EDT Capstone Turbine reports 1.6MW of microturbine rentals - Capstone Turbine announced it continues to expand into the Permian Basin with another 1.6 megawatts of long-term microturbine rentals on top of the initial 2.0 MWs rented just a week earlier. All 3.6 MWs are being rented by one of the world's largest oil and gas producers. Both long-term rentals were secured by Capstone's new distribution partner, Lone Star Power Solutions. The first two units were delivered and are in the process of being commissioned, while the next two C800 microturbines are expected to be delivered and commissioned in November.

08:32 EDT MySize partners with Lightspeed - My Size announced it has partnered with Lightspeed to provide access to its MySizeID mobile measurement solution to e-retailers worldwide.

08:25 EDT Aeglea BioTherapeutics presents clinical data on pegzilarginase at ESMO - Aeglea BioTherapeutics announced that it presented clinical data for pegzilarginase in melanoma patients at the European Society for Medical Oncology, or ESMO. Clinical data from the company's ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial investigating pegzilarginase as a single agent includes expansion cohorts for cutaneous melanoma and uveal melanoma. Pegzilarginase demonstrated single agent anti-tumor activity in patients with advanced melanoma. Pegzilarginase rapidly and sustainably depleted plasma arginine with a manageable safety profile, treatment related adverse events were grade three or lower.

08:23 EDT Genomic Health reports results from multiple studies of Oncotype cancer tests - Genomic Health announced results from multiple studies of its Oncotype DX tests highlighting their value in optimizing treatment for patients with various stages of breast and prostate cancer. The findings, presented at the ESMO Congress in Munich, demonstrated that the Oncotype DX tests identify patients who will or will not benefit from a specific treatment. Two European-based studies demonstrated its impact on treatment decisions for women with node-negative and node-positive breast cancer. Additionally, three prostate cancer studies in the U.S. demonstrated how the Oncotype DX Genomic Prostate Score and AR-V7 Nucleus Detect tests refine treatment decisions in men with clinically low-intermediate risk or metastatic prostate cancer based on the aggressiveness of their tumor or their resistance to androgen receptor-targeted drugs. In Ireland, results showed that oncologists believed the test significantly changed their treatment recommendations 64% of the time, and that use of the Oncotype DX test led to a 27% reduction in recommendations for chemotherapy. Results from a real-life, decision-impact study of breast cancer patients in France and Italy showed that treatment recommendations changed in 35% of patients based on their Oncotype DX test results, resulting in a 43% reduction in chemotherapy recommendations.

08:18 EDT Halozyme reports results of data for PEGPH20 combination - Halozyme presented data from two clinical trials for PEGPH20 in patients with advanced pancreas and metastatic breast cancer at the annual European Society for Medical Oncology Congress in Munich. PEGPH20 is Halozyme's proprietary PEGylated recombinant human hyaluronidase enzyme being developed as an investigational new drug for the treatment of advanced pancreas cancer. This study has enrolled 60 patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The primary objective was the rate of symptomatic TE events, and the secondary objectives included PFS, OS and major bleeding rate. Two grade 3/4 TE events occurred, and two grade 3 GI hemorrhages; these AEs resolved with supportive treatment. There were three complete responses, 28 partial responses, 20 stable disease responses, and 9 progressive disease/non-evaluable responses. Median PFS is 7.0 months across both cohorts, and median overall survival has not been reached. Efficacy and safety are similar for patients with and without prior TE. The second study enrolled 14 patients with HER2 negative metastatic breast cancer without regard for HA status. No complete responses were reported, four - 28.6% - patients had a partial response and three - 21% - had stable disease. Drug related treatment emergent adverse events occurred in 86% of patients, with 79% of patients experiencing grade 3 or higher TEAEs. There were three serious adverse events, and the overall safety profile for PEGPH20 + eribulin mesylate was in line with previous observations, with no new safety signals identified. 1.6ug/kg was determined to be the appropriate dose for this combination. An additional response was confirmed following the data cutoff, increasing the overall response rate to 36%. The overall response rate is encouraging and the PEGPH20 + eribulin mesylate combination warrants further investigation.

08:17 EDT Allena Pharmaceuticals presents ALLN-346 data at ACR/ARHP - Allena Pharmaceuticals announced preclinical proof-of-concept data for ALLN-346, its lead product candidate for hyperuricemia and gout in the setting of advanced chronic kidney disease, or CKD. The data were presented at the 2018 American College of Rheumatology, or ACR/ARHP. The poster presentation includes data demonstrating urate reduction in a urate oxidase knock-out mouse model, an animal model of severe hyperuricemia with kidney damage due to urate crystal deposition. After one week of treatment, mice treated with ALLN-346 achieved a substantial reduction in urate burden on the kidney, as evidenced by normalization in urine uric acid and a significant reduction in plasma urate.

08:16 EDT Lennox raises FY18 estimated business interruption impact from tornado - "For 2018, we are raising the estimated business interruption impact from the tornado, which will reverse to a benefit in 2019 upon the receipt of insurance proceeds," said Chairman and CEO Todd Bluedorn. "We are also rebalancing the expected tornado impact between the third and fourth quarters of 2018. We had guided that one-third of the impact would be in the third quarter and now expect that approximately 40% of the impact was in the third quarter. We had estimated two-thirds of the impact to come in the fourth quarter and now expect that approximately 60% of the impact will be in the fourth quarter. Third-quarter EPS was up 8% but was impacted by lost profits from the tornado of $0.52 per share, about $0.17 higher than estimated for the quarter. Turning to business segment results, Residential and Commercial set new third-quarter highs for revenue, and Refrigeration established a new high for segment margin. In Residential, impacted by the tornado, revenue rose 1%, profit was down 1%, and segment margin was down 40 basis points to 19.0%. In Commercial, revenue rose 2%. Segment profit was down 7%, and margin was down 170 basis points to 16.9%. Commercial national account equipment revenue, lumpy on a quarter-to-quarter basis, was down low-single digits compared to 20% growth in the prior-year quarter, and Europe HVAC revenue was down double digits on continued softness in the region. In Refrigeration, revenue was up 4%. Refrigeration profit rose 19%, and margin expanded 190 basis points to 15.4%. While there are moving pieces and noise from the tornado impact in the reported results, we remain focused on normalizing Residential production and continuing to execute on all our corporate initiatives to drive performance and shareholder value. We plan to repurchase $100 million of stock in the fourth quarter as we look toward a strong close to 2018 and ahead to 2019."

08:13 EDT Rowan Stavanger awarded contract by Equinor - Rowan Companies announced that the Rowan Stavanger, an N-Class ultra-harsh environment jack-up rig, has been awarded a contract in Norway by Equinor with a firm term of approximately five months plus options. The contract is expected to commence the third quarter of 2019. The Rowan Stavanger is currently on the Yme field for accommodations and platform support services for Repsol in Norway. In addition, Equinor and Rowan have also executed a Master Framework Agreement which facilitates future contracts.

08:11 EDT eBay launches new program for consumers to instantly sell smartphones - For consumers looking for the quickest and easiest way to sell their unwanted smartphones with instant gratification, eBay has announced the launch of eBay Instant Selling. The new program allows consumers to sell their devices and get paid instantly with an eBay voucher, without having to manage the selling process. The entire process takes only a matter of minutes, from start to payment. Instant Selling removes time spent waiting for their device to sell with a new option to receive instant payment in the form of an eBay voucher once the phone is listed. Standard smartphone trade-in providers typically offer 40 to 50 percent off the average market selling price, while eBay provides a higher return - up to 40% higher than trade-in values, on average.

08:09 EDT Major retailer selects Zayo for nationwide network - A major retailer has selected Zayo Group Holdings for a wavelength solution, connecting its core and edge data centers across the U.S. The solution includes fully diverse 10G and 100G wavelengths. The network will support the retailer's initiative for a seamless experience from their physical stores to their online site, including rapid home and business delivery across the U.S. The initiative depends on big data analytics that track buyer behavior, optimize the supply chain, and forecast and manage inventory.

08:07 EDT Melinta Therapeutics CEO Dan Wechsler steps down, John Johnson named interim - Melinta Therapeutics (MLNT) announced that its board of directors has appointed John Johnson as interim CEO, effective immediately. Johnson, a director of Melinta, succeeds Dan Wechsler, who is stepping down from his role as president, CEO and director to pursue other opportunities. The board and Wechsler mutually agreed that now is the right time to transition leadership of the company. Johnson has more than 30 years of biopharmaceutical industry, executive leadership and commercial experience at leading global organizations. In addition to Melinta, Johnson currently serves on the boards of Aveo Oncology (AVEO), Histogenics Corporation, Portola Pharmaceuticals (PTLA), and is chairman of Strongbridge Biopharma (SBBP). Johnson previously served as a director at Cempra and Sucampo.

08:04 EDT Tendril, Google collaborate for energy info for Indiana Michigan Power customers - Tendril announced a new collaboration with Google (GOOG, GOOGL) that will provide voice-activated energy information and notifications to utility customers via the Google Assistant and Google Home devices. Indiana Michigan Power, an American Electric Power (AEP) company, will be the first utility to work with Tendril and to offer this functionality to its customers. With this partnership, utilities like I&M will leverage Tendril's vast amount of data on how consumers use energy to deliver rich insights and better manage energy in the home. The Tendril Platform will enable the delivery of energy insights through any device that supports the Google Assistant. Specifically, it will combine utility customer usage and billing information with thousands of data points on each home and their occupants to provide feedback about energy usage and notifications. This additional interaction with smart devices in the home builds on an existing effort between the two companies to better manage residential load using Nest thermostats.

08:04 EDT Eiger BioPharmaceuticals' lonafarnib receives RPD designation from FDA - Eiger BioPharmaceuticals announced that the FDA has granted Rare Pediatric Disease designation to lonafarnib in the treatment of both Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome and progeroid laminopathies. RPD designation for progeria and progeroid laminopathies enables priority review voucher eligibility upon FDA approval of a rare pediatric disease product application for lonafarnib for these ultra-rare and fatal genetic conditions characterized by accelerated aging in children. Eiger is collaborating with The Progeria Research Foundation in this lonafarnib program and plans to submit a new drug application to the FDA in 2019. There is no approved treatment for progeria or progeroid laminopathies.

08:01 EDT Accenture agrees to acquire New Content, terms not disclosed - Accenture has entered into an agreement to acquire New Content, an independent Brazilian content marketing agency, to strengthen its customer experience services provided through Accenture Interactive. The acquisition will enhance Accenture Interactive's ability to serve its clients in Latin America with branded and strategic content that connects people and brands, and helps clients maximize the return-on-investment of their marketing programs. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

07:55 EDT JetPay trading halted, news pending

07:43 EDT Flexion to present data from Phase 2 Zilretta study at ACR - Flexion will present the results from a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating the pharmacokinetics, or PK, and safety of concurrent administration of Zilretta in patients with bilateral osteoarthritis, or OA. Results indicate that bilateral injections of Zilretta were well tolerated and resulted in substantially lower plasma concentrations of triamcinolone acetonide compared to immediate-release triamcinolone acetonide in crystalline suspension, or TAcs. These data will be presented in a poster session at the 2018 American College of Rheumatology, or ACR. Exposure to triamcinolone acetonide was significantly lower in patients given Zilretta compared to those given TAcs, with maximum plasma concentrations nearly 10-fold lower. Safety profiles were similar for Zilretta and TAcs treatment groups, and both treatments were generally well tolerate. Neither bilateral injections of Zilretta nor TAcs resulted in prolonged decreases in systemic cortisol production and there were no serious treatment emergent adverse events, or TEAEs, and no patients discontinued the study. The Phase 2 open-label study randomized 24 people with bilateral OA to receive concurrent injections of either Zilretta or TAcs in both knees. The most common TEAE related to study drug in patients given Zilretta was injection site pain. In patients given TAcs, the most common TEAEs related to study drug were arthralgia and joint swelling.

07:37 EDT Kimberly-Clark provides update to 2018 guidance - The company updated the following key planning and guidance assumptions for full-year 2018: Net sales similar year-on-year (prior assumption similar, to up 1 percent). Changes in foreign currency exchange rates anticipated to have a 1 percent negative impact on net sales (previous estimate neutral to 1 percent negative impact). Organic sales expected to increase approximately 1 percent (no change). Adjusted operating profit decline at the high end of, or slightly more than, the prior estimate for a 2 to 5 percent decline. Inflation in key cost inputs in the upper half of the previously estimated range of $675 to $775 million. Currency effects somewhat more unfavorable than previously assumed. Adjusted effective tax rate expected to be 21 to 22 percent (prior assumption at the low end of the 23 to 26 percent range). FY18 EPS, revenue consensus $6.64, $18.34B, respectively.

07:34 EDT Zai Lab announces approval of Zejula for patients with relapsed ovarian cancer - Zai Lab Limited announced that the Hong Kong Department of Health has approved ZEJULA, an oral, once-daily poly polymerase inhibitor in Hong Kong for adult patients with platinum-sensitive relapsed high grade serous epithelial ovarian cancer who are in a complete response or partial response to platinum-based chemotherapy. Unlike other PARP inhibitors approved in Hong Kong, ZEJULA does not require BRCA mutation or other biomarker testing prior to administration. The approval of ZEJULA in Hong Kong was based upon the international Phase 3 ENGOT-OV16/NOVA trial sponsored by TESARO, Inc., a double-blind, placebo-controlled study that enrolled 553 patients with relapsed predominantly high grade serous ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer who were platinum sensitive, defined by a CR or PR for more than six months to their penultimate platinum-based therapy. The primary endpoint of the trial was progression free survival. Approximately two-thirds of study participants did not have germline BRCA mutations. Progression in the NOVA study was determined by a robust, unbiased, blinded central review to be the earlier of radiographic or clinical progression. ZEJULA significantly increased PFS in patients both with and without germline BRCA mutations as compared to the control arm. Treatment with ZEJULA reduced the risk of disease progression or death by 73% in patients with germline BRCA mutations and by 55% in patients without germline BRCA mutations. The magnitude of benefit was similar for patients entering the trial with a CR or PR.

07:33 EDT Kimberly-Clark names Michael Hsu as CEO, succeeding Thomas Falk - Kimberly-Clark announced that its Board of Directors has named Michael Hsu, 54, CEO, effective January 1, 2019. Hsu will continue to serve as a member of the company's Board of Directors. Hsu has served as Kimberly-Clark's President and COO since January 1, 2017. Before that, he oversaw the company's nearly $8B North American Personal Care and Consumer Tissue businesses. Hsu succeeds Thomas Falk who has served as CEO since 2002 and Chairman of the Board of Directors since 2003. Falk will become Executive Chairman of the Kimberly-Clark Board of Directors to help ensure a smooth transition.

07:32 EDT Novocure announces publication of results of PANOVA phase 2 pilot trial - Novocure announced that the results of its PANOVA phase 2 pilot trial have been published in Pancreatology. The PANOVA pilot trial was a prospective, single-arm study testing the feasibility, safety and preliminary efficacy of Tumor Treating Fields in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer whose tumors could not be removed surgically and who had not received chemotherapy or radiation therapy prior to entering the clinical trial. Tumor Treating Fields is a cancer therapy that uses electric fields tuned to specific frequencies to disrupt cell division, inhibiting tumor growth and causing affected cancer cells to die. The trial included 40 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer in two cohorts, 20 of whom received Tumor Treating Fields plus gemcitabine and 20 of whom received Tumor Treating Fields plus gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel. The primary endpoint was safety. Secondary endpoints included progression free survival and overall survival. In the Tumor Treating Fields plus gemcitabine cohort, progression free survival and overall survival were each more than double those of the gemcitabine-treated historical control. Advanced pancreatic cancer patients treated with Tumor Treating Fields plus gemcitabine experienced a median progression free survival of 8.3 months and a median overall survival of 14.9 months, compared to 3.7 months and 6.7 months, respectively, in the gemcitabine historical control. In the Tumor Treating Fields plus gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel cohort, progression free survival and the one-year survival rate were more than double those of the gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel-treated historical control. Advanced pancreatic cancer patients treated with Tumor Treating Fields plus gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel experienced a median progression free survival of 12.7 months, compared to 5.5 months in the nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine historical control. Median overall survival for the Tumor Treating Fields and gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel cohort was not yet reached. The one-year survival rate of patients treated with Tumor Treating Fields plus gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel was 72 percent, compared to 35 percent in a gemcitabine plus nab-paclitaxel historical control. Twenty-one patients reported skin toxicity related to Tumor Treating Fields. No serious adverse events related to Tumor Treating Fields were reported. In December 2017, Novocure initiated its PANOVA-3 phase 3 pivotal clinical trial designed to determine the efficacy and safety of Tumor Treating Fields with nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine as a front-line treatment for unresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

07:30 EDT Iqvia down 1.5% after reporting Q3 results, FY18 guidance

07:30 EDT American Railcar trading resumes

07:24 EDT Izea to execute holiday influencer marketing program for Fortune 10 customer - IZEA Worldwide announced that it has been selected to execute an influencer marketing program for a Fortune 10 customer to promote its products during the 2018 holiday season. The latest program is an expansion of an existing brand direct relationship which spans multiple divisions in the company and has now more than tripled in size year-to-date as compared to 2017. The company will be utilizing IZEA's managed services and the IZEAx influencer marketing platform to execute its program. IZEAx provides access to a marketplace of online influencers that can be engaged at scale to create sponsored posts on social media platforms.

07:20 EDT Aslan Pharmaceuticals presents new data for varlitinib with COX, FOL at ESMO - Aslan Pharmaceuticals announced the presentation of new data from an ongoing phase 1 study to determine the safety, tolerability and maximum tolerated dose, or MTD, of varlitinib in combination with oxaliplatin and capecitabine, or COX, or oxaliplatin and 5-FU, or FOL, in advanced solid tumors. The study findings, presented in a poster session at the 2018 European Society for Medical Oncology, or ESMO, indicate encouraging signs of efficacy for varlitinib as a treatment for late-stage oncology patients. Of 28 patients evaluable for response, 11% showed partial response, or PR, 57% experienced stable disease and 10 (36%) patients had PR or SD continuing beyond 18 weeks. The MTD for varlitinib in combination with COX and FOL was 300mg BID administered orally. Durable efficacy was seen in patients with biliary tract cancer and HER2 over-expressing colorectal cancer, with 7 patients having progression free survival over 24 weeks up to 92 weeks, all of whom had prior platinum exposure. As at April 12, four patients were still on study. The full study results are expected in the first half of 2019.

07:15 EDT PNC to roll out digital business lending platform with OnDeck in 2019 - PNC Bank (PNC) announced that in 2019 it plans to begin offering fully digital business lines of credit, up to $100,000, in an expansion of its online lending to customers and prospects in the United States. "PNC's new digital product brings together one of the nation's largest banks and OnDeck (ONDK), the leader in online lending to boost small business. PNC will utilize OnDeck's Platform-as-a-Service solution to simplify and accelerate the conventional lending originations processes for PNC Bank's small and medium-sized business customers. PNC will combine its extensive product and credit expertise with ODX's online origination technology and professional services to create PNC Small Business Lending, a fully digital, online business credit origination solution," the companies stated. Lakhbir Lamba, head of Retail Lending at PNC Bank, said, "Our relationship with OnDeck is PNC's first opportunity to leverage the services of a fintech company in a platform-as-a-service model that will make it easier for businesses to borrow from us in order to support their growth."

07:14 EDT Atar Capital acquires Pathways from Molina Healthcare - Atar Capital announced that it has completed the acquisition of Pathways Health and Community Support from Molina Healthcare. Atar Capital also announced the appointment of Jill Winters, an experienced healthcare management executive, to lead Pathways as its new CEO. Winters held positions of increased responsibility over almost 20 years at UnitedHealthcare, serving as President of the company's Medicare & Retirement Central Region, as well as Chief Field Executive Officer of its Medicare Solutions business. She succeeds Interim CEO Craig Bass, who will remain at Molina Healthcare.

07:14 EDT Aveo announces updated interim results from Phase 2 of TiNivo study - Aveo Oncology and EUSA Pharma today announced the presentation of updated interim results from the Phase 2 portion of the TiNivo study, a Phase 1b/2 multicenter trial of oral, or PO, tivozanib in combination with intravenous, or IV, nivolumab, an immune checkpoint, or PD-1, inhibitor, for the treatment of advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma. The results were presented today at European Society of Medical Oncology, or ESMO, 2018 Annual Congress, in a poster presentation titled "TiNivo: Tivozanib Combined with Nivolumab: Safety and Efficacy in Patients with Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma. The Phase 1b/2 study has enrolled a total of 28 patients. The Phase 2 portion of the study was designed to assess the safety, tolerability, and anti-tumor activity of the full dose and schedule of PO tivozanib, as established in the Phase 1b portion of the study, in combination with IV nivolumab. The combination was generally well tolerated. Treatment-related Grade 3/4 adverse events occurred in 60% of patients, the most common of which was hypertension. Interim efficacy was assessed in all 25 patients treated with the full dose and schedule of PO tivozanib in combination with IV nivolumab and enrolled at least 4 months prior to the data cutoff date. Of these, 13 had received at least one prior systemic therapy. An objective response rate was observed in 56% of patients, including 4% of patients achieving a complete response, and a disease control rate was observed in 96% of patients. At the time of data collection 52%, of patients remained on study. To date, a total of 72% of patients had tumor shrinkage of greater than or equal to 25%, with a majority of patients having disease control for greater than or equal to 48 weeks.

07:12 EDT Alpine says ALPN-101 demonstrates preclinical activity in inflammatory arthritis - Alpine Immune Sciences presented positive results from preclinical studies of its lead program ALPN-101, a dual ICOS/CD28 antagonist, in experimental models of inflammatory arthritis and multiple sclerosis. The data were presented on Sunday, October 21, 2018 in poster sessions during the 2018 American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals Annual Meeting in Chicago and the 143rd Annual Meeting of the American Neurological Association in Atlanta. ALPN-101, a Dual ICOS/CD28 Antagonist, Potently Suppresses Disease in Multiple Mouse Models of Autoimmunity: The preclinical studies presented at the ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting evaluated the activity of ALPN-101 in a collagen-induced arthritis and an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis model. Abatacept was used as a key comparator. Results showed: ALPN-101, given preventively or therapeutically, significantly reduced disease activity in CIA. ALPN-101 was more efficacious than interventions on the CD28 or ICOS pathways alone. In CIA, ALPN-101 inhibited multiple biomarkers associated with disease, including inflammatory cytokines, anti-collagen autoantibodies, and activated T cells. Therapeutic Candidate ALPN-101, a Dual ICOS/CD28 Antagonist, Demonstrates In Vivo Efficacy in an Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Model: The preclinical study presented at the ANA Annual Meeting evaluated the activity of ALPN-101 in mouse EAE, a model for multiple sclerosis. Abatacept was also used as a comparator. Results showed: ALPN-101 was superior to abatacept in reducing EAE as assessed by body weight and clinical scores. ALPN-101 reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines and activated T cells in vitro and in vivo.

07:09 EDT Molina Healthcare agrees to sell Pathways Health and Community Support - Molina Healthcare announced that it has completed the sale of Pathways Health and Community Support, a provider of home and community-based human services, to Atar Capital, a global private investment firm. As part of Molina Healthcare's renewed focus on its health plan business and continued execution of its margin recovery and sustainability plan, the company identified Pathways as a non-core asset. Molina has sold the business for a nominal purchase price. Pathways provides national home and community-based human services. It offers a full spectrum of social service and behavioral health solutions to over 60,000 children, adults, and families in 17 states and the District of Columbia.

07:08 EDT American Railcar to merge with ITE Rail Fund subsidiary for $70.00 per share - American Railcar announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to merge with a wholly-owned subsidiary of ITE Rail Fund, managed by ITE Management at a price of $70.00 per share, which is 51% above the October 19 closing price of $46.29. The transaction is valued at approximately $1.75B. The transaction is expected to close in Q4, subject to termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended, and other customary closing conditions. The transaction is not subject to any further due diligence or any financing conditions.

07:07 EDT Seres Therapeutics appoints Kevin Horgan, M.D., as Chief Medical Officer - Seres Therapeutics announced the appointment of Kevin Horgan, M.D., as Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Horgan will lead Seres' clinical development, clinical operations, regulatory affairs, and medical affairs functions. Dr. Horgan will succeed Seres' outgoing Chief Medical Officer, Michele Trucksis, Ph.D., M.D., who will continue to provide consulting services to the company. Most recently, Dr. Horgan was Vice President of Clinical Development at AstraZeneca.

07:07 EDT Intec Pharma completes enrollment in Phase 3 trial of Parkinson's candidate - Intec Pharma completed patient enrollment in the company's pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of Accordion Pill compared with immediate release CD/LD Sinemet as a treatment for the symptoms of advanced Parkinson's disease. The study enrolled 462 patients in the Sinemet titration period to provide approximately 300 patients to be randomized into the double-blinded portion of the study. The company expects to provide timelines for the validation, stability and bridging studies for the commercial manufacturing process around the end of the year.

07:06 EDT Athenex: 11 patients achieved partial remission in Oraxol trial - Athenex announced the presentation of efficacy and safety data of Oraxol in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer patients who failed previous chemotherapies in a pharmacokinetics and phase II clinical trial conducted in Taiwan. The data were presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress on October 21, 2018 in Munich, Germany. Oraxol is an innovative oral formulation of paclitaxel, a very effective and commonly used anti-cancer chemotherapy, combined with HM30181A. Results from twenty four patients with metastatic breast cancer were reported. Common metastatic sites included bone, liver, lungs, lymph nodes and 6 patients had greater than 3 metastasis. These patients failed a median of two previous chemotherapies. Eleven patients achieved partial remission, 10 patients had stable disease, and 3 patients had progressive disease, as shown in the waterfall plot of tumor responses below:

07:03 EDT Oncolytics: Pelareorep more than doubles OS at recommended Phase 2 dose - Oncolytics Biotech announced clinical trial results for pelareorep in the treatment of patients with KRAS mutant metastatic colorectal cancer. Patients receiving treatment with the recommended phase 2 dose of pelareorep in combination with FOLFIRI/B had progression free survival of 65.6 weeks and an overall survival of 107.5 weeks, which exceeded expectations when compared to historical data. Engagement of the adaptive immune system was also noted, suggesting that pelareorep promotes an inflamed tumor phenotype. This clinical data was presented at the annual European Society for Medical Oncology 2018 Congress, taking place October 19-23 in Munich. The poster titled "Dose finding and safety study of Reovirus with irinotecan/fluorouracil/leucovorin/bevacizumab in patients with KRAS mutant metastatic colorectal cancer: Final Results", was presented yesterday at ESMO. This phase 1 dose escalation study enrolled 36 patients with oxaliplatin refractory KRAS mutant metastatic colorectal cancer. The trial was designed to determine the maximum tolerated dose and a RPTD. Of the six patients receiving the RPTD, three had a partial response and the median PFS and OS were 65.6 weeks and 107.5 weeks, respectively, exceeding expectations when compared to historical data. Reovirus administration is marked by activation of cytotoxic T-cells and rapid maturation of dendritic cells. Reovirus is safe and well tolerated in combination with FOLFIRI and Bevacizumab.

07:03 EDT Regenxbio announces exclusive worldwide license with Ultragenyx - REGENXBIO (RGNX) announced that Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical (RARE) has exercised an option for an exclusive worldwide license to REGENXBIO's NAV Vectors, including NAV AAV9, for the treatment of CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder. Under the terms of the license, REGENXBIO will receive an upfront payment, ongoing fees, milestone payments and royalties on net sales of products incorporating NAV Vectors. The option exercised by Ultragenyx is the final remaining disease indication option under the 2015 license agreement between REGENXBIO and Dimension Therapeutics, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Ultragenyx. CDD is a severe and debilitating neurological disorder that shares many features of Rett Syndrome, though the two disorders are now considered distinct from each other.

06:56 EDT Lannett enters into distribution agreement with Adare Pharmaceuticals - Lannett announced that it has entered into an agreement with Adare Pharmaceuticals to be the exclusive U.S. distributor of Dexmethylphenidate Hydrochloride extended release, or ER, capsules. Lannett expects to commence marketing within a few months. Dexmethylphenidate Hydrochloride ER Capsules has an estimated IMS market value of approximately $620 million, although actual generic market values are expected to be lower. Under the agreement, Lannett will primarily provide sales, marketing and distribution support for the product, for which it will receive a percentage of the net profits. Other financial terms were not disclosed.

06:56 EDT American Railcar trading halted, news pending

06:51 EDT Merck's Keytruda receives positive opinion from EMA in melanoma - Merck announced that the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency has adopted a positive opinion recommending approval of Keytruda, Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of patients with melanoma with lymph node involvement who have undergone complete surgical resection. This recommendation is based on data that demonstrated a significant improvement in recurrence-free survival for Keytruda in the pivotal Phase 3 EORTC1325/KEYNOTE-054 trial. The CHMP's recommendation will now be reviewed by the European Commission for marketing authorization in the European Union. A final decision is expected in Q4.

06:49 EDT Mallinckrodt to report interim data on H.P. Acthar Gel Phase 4 study at ACR/ARHP - Mallinckrodt is reporting interim data at the midway point of enrollment in the ongoing Phase 4, multicenter study assessing the efficacy and safety of H.P. Acthar Gel in patients with persistently active rheumatoid arthritis, or RA, despite receiving disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs, or DMARDs, and corticosteroids. The data will be reported in a poster presentation at the 2018 American College of Rheumatology/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals, or ACR/ARHP. Acthar Gel is FDA approved as adjunctive therapy for short-term administration in RA including juvenile RA. The study is a Phase 4, multicenter, two-part study assessing the efficacy and safety of H.P. Acthar Gel in adult subjects with rheumatoid arthritis with persistently active disease despite treatment with DMARDs and corticosteroids. The primary endpoint of the study is the proportion of patients reaching low disease activity, or LDA, at 12 weeks. In this interim analysis at the midway point of study enrollment, researchers found that 61% of the 100 patients who had completed the open-label period achieved LDA at 12 weeks.

06:45 EDT NuCana PLC (ADS) trading halted, news pending

06:35 EDT HC2 Holdings to explore strategic alternatives for Global Marine subsidiary - HC2 Holdings announced that it is exploring strategic alternatives, including a potential sale, for its Global Marine subsidiary. As part of this process, Global Marine Holdings, LLC, a leading provider of offshore engineering services to the telecommunications, renewables and oil & gas industries through its operating subsidiary Global Marine Systems Limited, has engaged Deutsche Bank Securities and ABN AMRO Bank as joint advisors to explore strategic alternatives for the business. "We very much welcome this decision from HC2 to explore strategic options to support the continued growth of the Global Marine Group platform," said Ian Douglas, Chief Executive Officer of Global Marine. "Together, we have strengthened the business and grown across our target markets, and we believe we have a great opportunity to accelerate our growth with our experienced and proven management team, strong balance sheet, enhanced and upgraded portfolio of marine assets and a solid pipeline of secured and potential project opportunities." There can be no assurance that the exploration of any strategic alternative, including a potential sale, will result in a consummated transaction or other alternative. Neither HC2 nor Global Marine has set a timetable for completion of the process, and neither intends to comment further regarding the process unless a specific transaction or other alternative is approved by their respective Boards of Directors, the process is concluded or it is otherwise determined that further disclosure is appropriate or required by law.

06:33 EDT Hasbro CEO says managing 'through a very disruptive year' - "The global Hasbro team is effectively managing our business forward through a very disruptive year," said Brian Goldner, Hasbro's chairman and CEO. "The lost Toys"R"Us revenues are impacting many markets around the world, notably the U.S., Europe, Australia and Asia. The volume of product liquidated in the second quarter had a near-term impact on the third quarter sell through and shipments. We are successfully managing retail inventory and it is down significantly in the U.S. and in Europe, where we are aggressively working to clear excess inventory by year end. A growing array of retailers are now ramping new programs to take share this holiday season and we are well positioned to meet their demand. "We continue to make meaningful organizational changes to ensure we have the right teams in place with the right capabilities to lead Hasbro into the future," continued Goldner. "Global retailers have ambitious programs this holiday season and we have innovative brand offerings across the portfolio, including programs behind our feature TRANSFORMERS film, Bumblebee, set for release this holiday season. Our long-term commitment to building capabilities around our Brand Blueprint coupled with industry-leading investment in innovation positions us for a successful holiday season and beyond." "Hasbro remains in a strong financial position, including good operating profit margins, $907 million in cash and quality inventory to support our business this holiday season," said Deborah Thomas, Hasbro's chief financial officer. "As we manage through a very disruptive environment, the strength of our brands and our business allows us to continue to invest to drive profitable growth in future years."

06:32 EDT Hasbro reports Q3 U.S. and Canada segment revenues down 7% - Reports Q3: U.S. and Canada segment revenues down 7%; International segment revenues down 24%; Entertainment and Licensing revenues up 45%; Operating profit margin of 20.0% versus 20.1% in third quarter 2017.

06:25 EDT Hi-Crush Partners completes buyout of general partner for $96.25M - Hi-Crush Partners has acquired its general partner by acquiring Hi-Crush Proppants for consideration of 11.0 million newly issued common units of the Partnership. Total value of the consideration for the acquisition, comprised entirely of the newly issued units, is $96.25M based on Friday's closing price of $8.75 per unit. Through the acquisition, which closed on October 21, Hi-Crush simplified its corporate structure, eliminating its incentive distribution rights and associated reset provisions, and acquiring the non-economic general partner interest in the Partnership. Six members of the board of Directors have resigned, including those seats previously held by Avista Capital Partners and its appointees. The current board consists of the three independent directors and Hi-Crush CEO Robert Rasmus, elected chairman. The Partnership expects to elect new members to its Board of Directors, including additional independent directors, and to hold meetings for the public election of directors in the future. Hi-Crush CFO Laura Fulton stated "The 100% equity financed buyout of our general partner provides us with additional flexibility as we continue to execute on our growth program, and accelerates our pathway to corporate conversion, likely during 1H19. Using equity for the transaction and eliminating cash distributions that would have been associated with the IDR reset path's requirement of three additional quarters of distributions above $0.7125 per unit allows us to conserve cash and strengthen the balance sheet going forward, in what today is a softer market environment."

06:21 EDT John Schnatter urges Papa John's board to change poison pill - John Schnatter, who currently owns 30.9% of Papa John's outstanding common stock, delivered a letter to the company's board communicating his concerns about the Rights Plan and requesting that the board amend the Rights Plan. The letter states in part, "Specifically, I request that you promptly amend the Poison Pill to remove or otherwise render inapplicable the 'Acting in Concert' provisions of the Poison Pill. As you know, no Delaware court ever has found that this type of 'wolfpack' provision in a poison pill is consistent with Delaware law. In fact, this provision goes far beyond Delaware law by unreasonably curtailing the rights and legitimate interests of shareholders. Among other things, it precludes shareholders from holding any substantive discussions about the Company because of the threat of crippling dilution of their ownership interest in the Company. Prompt removal of this provision is important. Per media reports, the Special Committee's process to consider acquisition proposals or other strategic transactions has already elicited at least one potential investor. In addition, there surely are other shareholders who wish to engage with their fellow shareholders about the Company. Several third parties have expressed an interest in speaking with me. The 'Acting in Concert' provision, however, precludes me from discussing the Company, my investment in the Company or the activities or plans of potential investors or shareholders with them or anyone else with an interest in the Company. I believe that preventing me from discussing such matters will lead to significant loss of value for all shareholders and is in plain contravention of your duties under Delaware law...Among other things, the leadership changes which have occurred over the past several weeks are cause for deep concern for the future of the Company and its direction. The leadership team that Steve Ritchie established is crumbling, and now he is promoting the wrong people and losing long-term employees who provided the essence of what Papa John's was created to do - provide customers with better ingredients and better pizza. The Board must cease this ongoing infringement on shareholders' rights through an amendment to the Poison Pill making clear that the Board has no authority to preclude its shareholders from conversing freely and fully regarding the Company, the issues the Company faces and the Company's future. As time is of the essence, please respond by the close of business on October 23, 2018. If I do not receive a response by that time, I reserve all rights to take any action to ensure the Company permits the shareholders to exercise their rights."

06:19 EDT Sinovac Biotech granted interim injunctive relief in falsified documents - Sinovac Biotech senior management and the lawful directors of Sinovac Hong Kong, Yin Weidong and Wang Nan, have been granted interim injunctive relief against Li Pengfei and Cao Jianzeng by the High Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The interim injunction was granted in the proceedings brought by the Lawful Directors to nullify and remove forged documents that were illegally filed with the Hong Kong Companies Registry in respect of Sinovac Biotech Hong Kong. "These forged documents were used to unlawfully remove the Lawful Directors of Sinovac HK's subsidiary, Sinovac Biotech Co., and to deceive the Industry and Commerce Bureau of Beijing into believing that the board of Sinovac Beijing had been reconstituted". Li and Cao were given prior notice of the hearing but did not appear in Court to respond to the proceedings. At the hearing, the Judge granted an interlocutory injunction in the same terms sought by the Lawful Directors restraining Li and Cao from purporting to act or holding themselves out as directors of Sinovac HK or its subsidiaries. The Board of Directors and management of publicly traded Sinovac, which remain unchanged by the unauthorized actions of Sinobioway and the Dissident Shareholders, are closely monitoring these unauthorized actions purportedly taken at Sinovac HK and Sinovac Beijing.

06:12 EDT Yandex addresses market rumors on capital structure - Yandex acknowledged "recent media speculation about potential changes to our capital structure (...) In the normal course of business, the Board of Directors and its relevant committees periodically consider questions relating to the optimal capital structure of our company (...) It should also be noted that any corporate actions affecting the rights of holders of any class of shares are subject to robust governance policies, which include not only Board approval, but also the approval of holders of 75% of the company's Class A shares. Arkady Volozh, the company's CEO and co-founder, currently holds Class B shares representing approximately 48% of the votes of the company and approximately 10% of the economic interest. Mr. Volozh and other founders and early employees, who also own Class B shares, together currently hold approximately 57% of the total voting power in the company (...)" CEO Volozh commented, "I have no intention to sell my shares in the company. I support the Board's efforts to continuously evaluate the company's capital structure to best position the company for the future." Board deliberations may or may not lead to any proposal to change the company's capital structure or to any potential transaction, and the company does not intend to comment further on market speculation or disclose any developments unless and until it otherwise deems further disclosure is appropriate or required.

06:06 EDT Radware selected by global SaaS company for hybrid DDos attack mitigation - Radware announced a multi-million-dollar deal for DDoS Protection Services with a Tier 1 SaaS organization. The purchase layers cloud DDoS on top of Radware on-premises attack mitigation to provide a hybrid defense solution. Radware's Hybrid Defense Messaging provides critical information from the on-premises devices to Radware's Emergency Response Team, for near instantaneous detection and switchover in the face of a complex attack.

06:04 EDT Neon Therapeutics presents Phase 1b data on NEO-PV01 vaccine - Neon Therapeutics presented updated data from NT-001, its ongoing Phase 1b clinical trial evaluating NEO-PV-01 in the metastatic setting, at the European Society for Medical Oncology Congress in Munich. NEO-PV-01 is a personal neoantigen vaccine custom-designed and manufactured based on the unique mutational fingerprint of each individual patient. NT-001 is a Phase 1B study evaluating NEO-PV-01 in combination with nivolumab in both checkpoint naive first and later-line treated patients with metastatic melanoma, smoking-associated, non-small cell lung cancer or bladder cancer. The primary endpoint of the study is safety. Exploratory endpoints include both neoantigen-specific immune responses as well as post-vaccine clinical responses, clinical response durability and correlation between immune and clinical findings. Neon's President of Research and Development of Therapeutics Richard Gaynor, said,"Today's dataset, in addition to demonstrating safety and tolerability, represents a positive evolution of the clinical results, notably in the form of post-vaccine responses and patients remaining on treatment. Importantly, these data build upon the growing body of evidence for the immune mechanism underlying these outcomes. While still early, this is clearly a promising dataset and we look forward to how these results evolve over time."

05:56 EDT Epizyme says tazemetostat showed clinically meaningful activity in ES patients - Epizyme announced positive interim data from the fully enrolled epithelioid sarcoma cohort of its ongoing Phase 2 study of its lead candidate tazemetostat, a potent, selective, orally available EZH2 inhibitor. The data were presented by the study's lead investigator, Mrinal Gounder, M.D., attending physician, Sarcoma Medical Oncology and Early Drug Development Services, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, during the European Society for Medical Oncology 2018 Congress in Munich, Germany. Interim data as of August 21, 2018 from the 62 patients enrolled show that tazemetostat treatment demonstrated clinically meaningful activity for patients with epithelioid sarcoma, or ES. Oral, twice daily administration of tazemetostat resulted in durable objective responses and encouraging overall survival in both treatment-naive patients and patients who had been previously treated with an anticancer therapy. In addition, tazemetostat was generally well-tolerated.

05:53 EDT CollPlant, United Therapeutics announce licensing and commercialization deal - CollPlant (CLGN) and United Therapeutics (UTHR) announced that they have entered into a license, development and commercialization agreement for 3D bioprinted lung transplants. The agreement combines CollPlant's proprietary recombinant human collagen and BioInk technology with the regenerative medicine and organ manufacturing capabilities of United Therapeutics. Under terms of the agreement, CollPlant granted United Therapeutics, through its wholly owned organ manufacturing and transplantation-focused subsidiary Lung Biotechnology PBC, an exclusive license to its technology for the production and use of rhCollagen-based BioInk for 3D bioprinted lung transplants throughout the universe. CollPlant will manufacture and supply BioInk for a few years to meet development process demand, and will provide technical support to United Therapeutics as it establishes a U.S. facility for the manufacture of CollPlant's rhCollagen and BioInk. In addition to the initial focus on lung manufacturing, the agreement grants United Therapeutics an option, in its sole discretion, to expand the field of its license to add up to three additional organs. Under financial terms of the agreement, once effective, CollPlant will receive an upfront payment of $5 million and milestone payments of up to $15 million based on the achievement of certain operational and regulatory milestones related to the development of manufactured lungs. The agreement also provides for option exercise payments of up to $9 million, and additional developmental milestone payments of up to $15 million if United Therapeutics elects to develop manufactured organs other than lungs using CollPlant's technology. CollPlant will also be entitled to receive royalties on sales of commercialized products covered by patents licensed from CollPlant, as well as reimbursement for certain costs. Effectiveness of the agreement is subject to certain closing conditions, including receipt of approval of the agreement by the Israel Innovation Authority.

05:45 EDT Genentech Tecentriq plus chemo as initial treatment helped people with NSCLC - Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, announced positive results from the Phase III IMpower130 study of Tecentriq plus chemotherapy for the initial treatment of people with previously untreated metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC. The analysis showed that Tecentriq plus chemotherapy helped people live significantly longer compared to chemotherapy alone in the intention-to-treat wild-type, or ITT-WT, population. The Tecentriq-based combination also significantly reduced the risk of disease worsening or death compared to chemotherapy alone in the ITT-WT population. Safety for the Tecentriq plus chemotherapy combination appeared consistent with the known safety profile of the individual medicines, and no new safety signals were identified with the combination.

05:30 EDT Biohaven gets FDA authorization to proceed, doses first subject with BHV-3500 - Biohaven Pharmaceutical announced that the first participant was dosed with BHV-3500, a third generation calcitonin gene-related peptide, or CGRP, receptor antagonist. The initiation of dosing follows Biohaven's filing of an investigational new drug application, or IND, for BHV-3500 in the treatment of migraine and receipt from FDA of authorization to proceed with the clinical investigation of this product candidate. Biohaven's initial clinical trial of BHV-3500 will explore a range of doses using intranasal administration. Intranasal BHV-3500 utilizes the Aptar Pharma Unit Dose System, or UDS, which is designed to enable systemic delivery of drugs without the need for injection or administration by a healthcare professional. This device is approved with multiple drug products marketed in the United States using the Aptar technology and is used by thousands of people every day.

05:24 EDT Fiat Chrysler confirms sale of Magneti Marelli to Calsonic Kansei for EUR 6.2B - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCAU) announces that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its automotive components business Magneti Marelli S.p.A. to CK Holdings, a holding company of Calsonic Kansei, a wholly owned portfolio company of KKR (KKR). Following the closing of the Transaction, CK Holdings will be renamed as Magneti Marelli CK Holdings*. The combined businesses of Calsonic Kansei and Magneti Marelli will create the world's 7th largest global independent automotive components supplier based on total revenues. The agreement represents a transaction value of EUR 6.2B. The Transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2019 and is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The Transaction represents a unique opportunity to combine two successful businesses to create one of the leading global independent automotive components suppliers, with combined revenues of EUR 15.2B. The combination is a decisive step towards both companies' strategic ambition to become a leading globally-diversified tier-one supplier. The combined company will be well positioned to serve its customers around the world due to its enhanced scale, financial strength and the highly complementary nature of its combined product lines and geographic footprint. The new entity will operate out of nearly 200 facilities and R&D centers across Europe, Japan, the Americas, and Asia Pacific. FCA has also agreed to a multi-year Supply Agreement that will further strengthen a mutually beneficial relationship for both Magneti Marelli and FCA's expanding model range and which will sustain Magneti Marelli's Italian business operations, positioning it strongly for continued growth and success in the future. The combined company will be led by Beda Bolzenius, currently CEO of Calsonic Kansei, based in Japan. Ermanno Ferrari, CEO of Magneti Marelli, will join the Magneti Marelli CK Holdings board.