Stockwinners Market Radar for November 26, 2018 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:00 EDT Columbia Sportswear names John Soh as GM of China - Columbia Sportswear announced the appointment of John Soh as Vice President and General Manager of China, effective February 2019. In his new role, John will report to Doug Morse, Senior Vice President of Emerging Brands and APAC. John joins Columbia Sportswear Company from LEGO, where he was a Senior Commercial Director in the Asia Pacific region, based in Singapore. Prior to that, John was with Nike for two decades, working his way up as a product trainer to Senior Sales Director in Greater China and Southeast Asia. He has broad commercial management experience that includes category, retail and country management.

18:53 EDT S&P announces changes to S&P 400, 500, 600 indices - S&P Dow Jones Indices will make the following changes to the S&P 500, S&P MidCap 400 and S&P SmallCap 600 prior to the open of trading on Monday, December 3: Lamb Weston Holdings (LW) will replace Rockwell Collins (COL) in the S&P 500, S&P SmallCap 600 constituent CACI International (CACI) will replace Lamb Weston Holdings in the S&P MidCap 400, and Addus HomeCare (ADUS) will replace CACI International in the S&P SmallCap 600. United Technologies (UTX) is acquiring Rockwell Collins in a deal expected to close tonight pending final conditions. Maxim Integrated Products (MXIM) will replace Aetna (AET) in the S&P 500. CVS Health (CVS) is acquiring Aetna in a deal expected to close on November 28 pending final conditions. Diamondback Energy (FANG) will replace Stericycle (SRCL) in the S&P 500, and Stericycle will replace Energen (EGN) in the S&P MidCap 400. Diamondback Energy is acquiring Energen in a deal expected to be completed soon pending final approvals. Stericycle is ranked near the bottom of the S&P 500 and has a market capitalization more appropriate for the mid-cap market space. Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (PEB) will replace LaSalle Hotel Properties (LHO) in the S&P MidCap 400. Pebblebrook Hotel Trust is acquiring LaSalle Hotel Properties in a deal expected to be completed soon pending final approvals.

18:16 EDT United Technologies expects to complete split into 3 companies in 2020 - The company discloses additional "Separation Transaction Details": "The proposed separation is expected to be effected through spin-offs of Otis and Carrier that will be tax-free for UTC shareowners for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Gregory Hayes will oversee the transition and will continue in his current role as UTC Chairman and CEO following the separation. The three independent companies will be appropriately capitalized with the financial flexibility to take advantage of future growth opportunities. Each business will be better positioned to pursue a capital allocation strategy more suitable to its respective industry and risk and return profile, and enjoy greater flexibility with an independent equity currency and more appropriately aligned management and employee incentives. UTC's commitment to strengthening its credit metrics remains unchanged. Each independent company is expected to have a strong balance sheet and to maintain an investment grade credit rating. Any existing or potential liabilities that are not associated with a particular entity will be allocated appropriately to each of the businesses. Following separation, the three companies together are initially expected to pay a quarterly dividend that is in sum no less than 73.5c per share, although each company's dividend policy will be determined by its respective Board of Directors following the completion of the separation. Until the planned transactions are completed, UTC expects to continue to pay a quarterly dividend of no less than 73.5 cents per share. The separation is expected to be completed in 2020, with separation activities occurring within the next 18-24 months. There can be no assurances regarding the ultimate timing of the separation or that the separation will be completed."

18:08 EDT Bellatrix Exploration announces $9.5M asset purchase from Daewoo - Bellatrix Exploration announces that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire complementary assets within its core Ferrier area of west central Alberta from POSCO Daewoo E&P Canada Corporation for total consideration of approximately $9.5M. The acquisition includes approximately 1,250 boe/d (65% natural gas, 35% liquids) of low decline (less than15%) current production and represents the consolidation of working interest ownership in existing producing wells and formation rights. The acquisition consolidates 100% of partner assets in the area further simplifying Bellatrix's business and long-term strategy. The acquisition includes production volumes from 61 gross (19.6 net) producing wells and acreage originally acquired by Daewoo International Corporation and Devonian Natural Resources Private Equity Fund in 2013, and subsequently jointly developed with Bellatrix. Total consideration of approximately $9.5M includes $1.75M in cash and 6.75M shares of Bellatrix. The transaction has an effective date of September 1, 2018. The transaction is consistent with Bellatrix's strategy to consolidate operated production and acreage within its core area at attractive metrics. The acquired volumes are expected to be processed through Bellatrix owned and controlled infrastructure and facilities, and as a result, the acquisition is expected to have no incremental impact on general and administrative expenses. The asset acquisition will contribute approximately one month of volumes (based on an estimated closing date on or before November 30, 2018) to Bellatrix's annual results or the equivalent of approximately 100 boe/d, therefore Bellatrix is not amending its 2018 full year production guidance range.

18:01 EDT Steel Dynamics to invest $1.7B-$1.8B in a new flat roll steel mill - Steel Dynamics announced that its board has authorized the company to construct a new state-of-the-art, electric-arc-furnace flat roll steel mill in the United States. The facility is anticipated to have an annual production capacity of approximately 3.0 million tons with the capability to produce the latest generation of Advanced High Strength Steel products. The project will include value-added finishing lines, including a galvanizing line with an annual capacity of 450,000 tons, and a paint line with an annual coating capacity of 250,000 tons. The product offering is anticipated to include various flat roll steel products, including hot roll, cold roll, galvanized, Galvalume and painted steel, primarily serving the energy, automotive, construction, and appliance sectors. The current estimated investment is $1.7 billion to $1.8 billion, with anticipated direct job creation of approximately 600 well-paying positions, and numerous opportunities for indirect job growth from other support service providers. The company currently expects to locate the facility in the southwestern United States, to cost effectively serve not only the southern United States, but also the underserved Mexican flat roll steel market. Determination of the final site location is subject to state and local government infrastructure and incentive support. Upon final site selection and the receipt of required environmental and operating permits, the company would expect to begin construction in 2020, followed by the commencement of operations in the second half of 2021.

17:58 EDT SPDR Gold Shares holdings fall to 761.74MT from 762.92MT

17:42 EDT Simcoe Capital reports 5.9% stake in Donnelley Financial Solutions - In a regulatory filing, Simcoe Capital disclosed a 5.9% stake in Donnelley Financial, saying it purchased the shares on the belief that the shares, when purchased, were and continue to be substantially undervalued.

17:40 EDT Trupanion director Howard Rubin sells 45K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Trupanion director Howard Rubin disclosed the sale of 45K shares of company stock on November 21st to November 26th for a total transaction of about $1.2M.

17:31 EDT Akorn receives FDA ANDA approval for diclofenac sodium topical gel, 1% - Akorn announced that it received a new Abbreviated New Drug Application, or ANDA, approval from the FDA for diclofenac sodium topical gel, 1%. According to IQVIA, the U.S. market for diclofenac sodium topical gel, 1% was approximately $357M for the twelve months ended September 2018, with three current competitors. The IQVIA market size is not a forecast of our future sales. Diclofenac sodium topical gel, 1% is indicated for the relief of the pain of osteoarthritis of joints amenable to topical treatment, such as the knees and those of the hands. Diclofenac sodium topical gel, 1% has not been evaluated for use on the spine, hip, or shoulder.

17:25 EDT GrafTech declares special dividend of 70c per share - The board of GrafTech International Ltd. approved a special cash dividend of 70c per share, which is expected to total approximately $204M. This dividend will be payable December 31 to holders of record as of December 7.

17:25 EDT Hess Corp. VP Michael Turner sells over 4k shares of company stock - Hess Corp. VP Michael Turner disclosed in a filing that he had sold 4,142 shares of company stock at an average price of $56.82 per share on November 21.The transaction value of the sale was $235,348.

17:22 EDT Addus HomeCare to replace CACI in S&P 600 at open on 12/3

17:20 EDT Diamondback Energy to replace Stericycle in S&P 500 at open on 12/3

17:19 EDT Maxim Integrated to replace Aetna in S&P 500 at open on 12/3 - CVS Health (CVS) is acquiring Aetna (AET) in a deal expected to close on November 28 pending final conditions.

17:11 EDT Jonathan Lau reports 8.77% passive stake in EyeGate

17:06 EDT Ducommun enters into new credit facility - Ducommun announced that, effective November 21, it entered into a new credit facility, consisting of a $100M revolving line of credit and a $240M term loan, to replace its existing debt structure. In connection with the transaction, the company extinguished its existing $200M revolving line of credit and its $275M term loan, both of which mature in June 2020. The new revolving line of credit matures in November 2023 and the new term loan matures in November 2025. The initial variable interest rate on the new revolving line of credit will be LIBOR plus 2.25%, subject to adjustments based on the Company's leverage ratio, and the rate on the new term loan will be LIBOR plus 4.00%, amortizing 1% annually. "This new credit facility will provide financial support through 2025," said Stephen G. Oswald, the Company's chairman, president and chief executive officer. "Ducommun has made tremendous strides in the last two years positioning the company for higher growth and improved operating performance. The refinancing of our debt allows for stability and flexibility as we continue to move forward building the business."

17:03 EDT RGC Resources raises annual dividend 6.5% to 66c per share - The Board of Directors of RGC Resources at its meeting on November 26, declared a quarterly dividend of 16.5c per share on the company's common stock. The indicated annual dividend is 66c per share, a 4c or 6.5% per share increase over the prior annual level. The company has now increased the annual dividend 15 consecutive years. John D'Orazio, President and CEO of RGC Resources, Inc., stated, "The 6.5% increase reflects our solid financial performance, confidence in our business strategy and our continued commitment to deliver dividend growth to our shareholders." The dividend will be paid on February 1, 2019 to shareholders of record on January 15, 2019. This is the Company's 299th consecutive quarterly cash dividend.

16:55 EDT Berkshire Hills Bancorp CEO Daly steps down, Marotta named successor - Berkshire Hills Bancorp, the parent company of Berkshire Bank, announced that Michael P. Daly has stepped down as Chief Executive Officer, President and Director. Berkshire Bank President, Richard M. Marotta has been named Chief Executive Officer and President of the company and Chief Executive Officer of the bank; and he has also been appointed as a member of the Board of Directors. Additionally, Berkshire Bank Chief Operating Officer, Sean A. Gary has been named President of the bank. Although these changes are effective immediately Daly will continue to be available to assist in the transition of the CEO role to Marotta.

16:50 EDT Raging Capital reports 7.1% stake in Tidewater

16:42 EDT Arbutus Biopharma names Frank Torti as board chairman - Arbutus Biopharma Corporation announced that Dr. Frank Torti has been appointed as Chairman of the Company's Board of Directors, effective November 26, 2018. For much of his career, Dr. Torti was a partner at New Enterprise Associates, a leading venture capital firm. At NEA, Dr. Torti managed early and growth-stage investments in numerous healthcare companies developing and commercializing new drugs and medical devices. Dr. Torti has served as a director at Neotract Inc., Galera Therapeutics Inc., Tarveda Therapeutics Inc., Annexion Biosciences and XOC Pharmaceuticals Inc., amongst others. Before NEA, Dr. Torti was a researcher at the Duke University Center for Clinical & Genetic Economics where he was involved in clinical trial research and economic evaluations of multinational clinical trials. Dr. Torti received his M.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and his M.B.A. with distinction from Harvard Business School.

16:36 EDT Ferroglobe reports Q3 total shipments 255.9MT, up 14.3% from last year - Q3 total average selling price $1,841 vs. $1,803 last year.

16:35 EDT Halozyme trading resumes

16:32 EDT Bristol-Myers Phase 3 CheckMate -451 study did not meet primary endpoint - Bristol-Myers Squibb Company announced that the Phase 3 CheckMate -451 study did not meet its primary endpoint of overall survival with Opdivo 1 mg/kg in combination with Yervoy 3 mg/kg versus placebo as a maintenance therapy for patients with extensive-stage small cell lung cancer without disease progression after completion of first-line platinum-based chemotherapy. No new safety signals were observed with Opdivo 1 mg/kg plus Yervoy 3 mg/kg in this study. The company will work with study investigators on the future publication of these results.

16:31 EDT Abeona Therapeutics announces CEO transition - Abeona Therapeutics announced the immediate termination of its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Carsten Thiel due to personal misconduct that violated the company's Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. The company has appointed its Head of Research & Development and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Joao Siffert, as Interim Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Thiel's termination follows an investigation by independent members of the company's Board of Directors and external counsel into allegations of misconduct towards colleagues that the Board concluded violated the Company's Code of Business Conduct and Ethics and was inconsistent with its expectations for Abeona's CEO. Dr. Thiel's termination is not related to the condition of the company's finances, operations or clinical programs, nor due to any disagreement with the company regarding its management of financial reporting, scientific data or other practices.

16:30 EDT G1 Therapeutics trading resumes

16:23 EDT Apple down 2% in after-hours after Trump talks 10% iPhone tariff - Shares of Apple are down 2%, or $2.81, to $171.82 in after-hours trading after President Trump told the Wall Street Journal in an interview that iPhones could be hit with 10% tariffs. Trump said he expects to move ahead with boosting tariff levels on Chinese goods to 25%.

16:19 EDT Southwest Gas to acquire Linetec Services for approximately $299M in cash - Southwest Gas Holdings announced it has entered into a definitive agreement under which its wholly-owned subsidiary, Centuri Construction Group, will acquire Linetec Services. Linetec is a premier provider of recurring maintenance, refurbishment, upgrade, and installation services for electrical transmission and distribution infrastructure throughout the Gulf Coast and Mid-Atlantic regions. Under the terms of the transaction, Centuri will acquire an 80% ownership interest in Linetec for approximately $299 million in cash, and will have the option to acquire the remaining 20% ownership interest in Linetec in increments during the next five years. The overall initial transaction cost of approximately $336 million, which includes working capital adjustments and other transaction expenses, is expected to be financed with a combination of approximately $95 million of debt from Centuri's credit facility, and approximately $241 million of cash proceeds from a SWGH public equity offering. The transaction, which is expected to be accretive to SWGH's earnings within the first year, will broaden Centuri's capabilities in the electric services infrastructure space and extend its geographic footprint into the Southeast, including the Gulf Coast and Mid-Atlantic regions. As a result, the transaction will not only enhance Centuri's service offerings for existing customers, but also will enable it to serve additional customers in new markets with an increased array of capabilities. The transaction is expected to close by the end of calendar 2018, subject to customary closing conditions. Following the close of the transaction, Linetec will maintain its current offices in Alexandria, Louisiana, Corpus Christi, Texas, and Russellville, Arkansas, and it will continue to be led by Mr. Dubea and its current senior leadership team.

16:17 EDT Dominion, Dominion Energy Midstream announce definitive merger agreement - Dominion Energy (D), and Dominion Energy Midstream Partners (DM) announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement under which Dominion Energy will acquire all outstanding public common units of Dominion Energy Midstream in exchange for 0.2492 Dominion Energy common shares per unit representing an increase from the original offer of nearly 1%. The transaction is expected to be approximately neutral to Dominion Energy's earnings guidance and credit profile. Closing of the transaction is expected to occur in the first quarter of 2019 and will be subject to customary closing conditions. The fourth-quarter 2018 Dominion Energy Midstream common unit distribution is expected to be paid in early 2019, prior to or in conjunction with the transaction closing. The distribution is expected to be equal to the third-quarter 2018 distribution, declared on Oct. 19, 2018, of $0.369 per unit. All distribution decisions are subject to approval of the Board of Directors of Dominion Energy Midstream GP, LLC, the general partner of Dominion Energy Midstream.

16:09 EDT Nexthera Capital reports 5.6% passive stake in Chiasma

16:09 EDT G1 Therapeutics announces data from phase 2 trilaciclib trial - G1 Therapeutics announced "positive" topline data from its randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial evaluating trilaciclib in combination with chemotherapy and the checkpoint inhibitor Tecentriq as a treatment for first-line small cell lung cancer, or 1L SCLC. Trilaciclib is a myelopreservation therapy designed to improve outcomes of patients who receive chemotherapy by preserving hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell, or HSPC, and immune system function. Data from this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 2 trial demonstrated that trilaciclib reduced clinically relevant consequences of myelosuppression versus placebo when administered in combination with chemotherapy and Tecentriq across three lineages: neutrophils, red blood cells, or RBCs, and platelets. Lymphocyte subset analyses are ongoing. Trilaciclib was well tolerated, with no Grade 4 trilaciclib-related treatment emergent adverse events, or TEAEs, reported. Trilaciclib's potential to preserve immune system function during chemotherapy may enhance overall survival, or OS, in this trial. OS data are immature and will be reported when available. There was no statistical difference between the trilaciclib and placebo groups in overall response rate and median duration of response, or DOR. Preliminary median progression-free survivall was 5.7 months for trilaciclib versus 5.4 months for placebo.

16:06 EDT Bluegreen Vacations board approves buyback of up to 3M shares of common stock - Bluegreen Vacations Corporation announced that its board has approved a share repurchase program which authorizes the repurchase of a total of up to 3M shares of the company's Common Stock at an aggregate cost of no more than $35M. The program authorizes the company, in management's discretion, to repurchase shares from time to time subject to market conditions and other factors.

16:05 EDT Marchex acquires Callcap for $35M - Marchex announced the acquisition of Callcap, a call monitoring and analytics company, for total consideration of $35 million in a combination of cash and stock. Callcap specializes in call monitoring and analytics solutions for more than twelve industry verticals, including home services, healthcare, automotive, and telecommunications. The company's innovative technology powers complex, custom evaluations of millions of calls each month, providing deep insights into consumer and business conversations with numerous integrations into the call center environments of many franchise businesses. Callcap has processed tens of millions of calls year to date, which further expands the footprint of Marchex's leading conversational data set. Additionally, the company offers a separate self-service offering to Small and Medium Sized Businesses, which is one of the fastest growing segments in the call analytics market and one where Marchex sees meaningful prospective opportunity. Marchex expects the amortization of intangible assets from the acquisition will impact GAAP results. For the remainder of 2018 and for 2019, the acquisition is expected to be accretive to Adjusted OIBA. For 2019, the Company anticipates the continuation of double-digit percentage year-over-year growth in Callcap's core analytics revenue and Callcap to contribute operating income of more than $3M excluding amortization. In 2020, the Company anticipates the realization of potential annualized cost synergies of an incremental $500,000 or more.

16:04 EDT Imperva announces expiration of go-shop period - Imperva announced the expiration of the 45-day go-shop period included in the previously announced merger agreement under which Imperva has agreed to be acquired by Thoma Bravo. During the go-shop period, Imperva and its financial advisor solicited inquiries relating to alternative acquisition proposals from 49 potentially interested parties, six of these parties entered into confidentiality agreements and received access to non-public information about Imperva. Imperva received one preliminary non-binding acquisition proposal prior to commencement of due diligence, which was subsequently withdrawn, and as of the expiration of the go-shop period there were no acquisition proposals pending. Following the expiration of the go-shop period, Imperva became subject to customary no-shop restrictions that limit its and its representatives' ability to solicit alternative acquisition proposals from third parties, subject to customary "fiduciary out" provisions. Imperva continues to expect the transaction to close early in the first quarter of 2019, subject to approval by Imperva's stockholders and regulatory authorities and the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.

16:03 EDT Payment Data Systems announces two new strategic partnerships - Payment Data Systems announced the addition of two new strategic partners; Pivotal Partners and Pilgrim Consulting. These partnerships represent exciting new distribution channels to further expand Payment Data Systems' penetration of targeted verticals, especially in healthcare and other strategic verticals. Pivotal Partners provides advisory and consulting services across the healthcare, product distribution and business services industries. Founder Brent Hendrickson and his team have experience in the healthcare sector. Pilgrim Consulting is a professional software development firm serving the developer community in a variety of consultative manners.

16:02 EDT CareDx appoints Reginald Seeto Chief Business Officer - CareDx announced that Reginald Seeto has joined the company in the newly created role of president and Chief Business Officer. His appointment was effective Monday, November 26.

16:01 EDT Boeing, Turkish Airlines announce order for additional 777 jets - Boeing and Turkish Airlines today announced an order for three 777 Freighters as the flag carrier of Turkey continues to soar on record financial results and double-digit passenger and cargo growth. The order adds more of the long-range freighter to Turkish's fleet as the airline pursues its goal of becoming the world's largest cargo carrier.

16:00 EDT G1 Therapeutics trading halted, news pending

15:59 EDT Lakeland Bancorp reports FDIC Approves merger with Highlands State Bank - Lakeland Bancorp, the parent company of Lakeland Bank, and Highlands Bancorp, the parent company of Highlands State Bank, announced that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation has approved the merger of Highlands State Bank with and into Lakeland Bank. The New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance approved the merger in October 2018. In addition, Lakeland Bancorp has obtained a waiver from the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System with respect to the merger of Highlands Bancorp with and into Lakeland Bancorp. The closing of the holding company and bank mergers is subject to the approval of Highlands Bancorp's shareholders at a special meeting of shareholders to be held on December 13, 2018, and to certain other conditions, as described in the final proxy statement and prospectus, dated November 5, 2018, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and mailed to Highlands Bancorp's shareholders.

14:58 EDT Mallinckrodt drops as Citron takes aim again - Shares of Mallinckrodt (MNK) are under pressure after Andrew Left's Citron Research tweeted that the company failed its "only real clinical trial of Acthar" and also failed to disclose the outcome. Additionally, the short-focused research firm pointed out that the "failed clinical studies comes weeks after OIG publishes that Acthar is a drug based on a history of fraud and abuse." CITRON ACCUSES MALLINCKRODT OF NOT DISCLOSING FAILED TRIAL: Using its Twitter account, Andrew Left's Citron Research said that, "[Mallinckrodt] has just FAILED its only real clinical trial of Acthar. Mallinckrodt has failed to disclose. Citron will follow with the full story on why the OIG and MEDPAC are finally about to put an end to this charade." The short-focused research firm linked its tweet to an article from the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology that discusses the ATLANTIS Randomized Trial. The conclusions section states that, "ACTH at 80 U/1.73 m2 administered twice weekly was ineffective at preventing disease relapses in pediatric nephrotic syndrome." The publication also stated: "The ATLANTIS trial was the first randomized trial of ACTH in childhood nephrotic syndrome. The trial was stopped early because of the lack of discernible efficacy. ACTH monotherapy at 80 U/1.73 m2, administered twice weekly, given during disease remission failed to maintain disease remission, with similar relapse rate and time to relapse when compared with no relapse-preventing treatment. The negative trial findings contrast with recent case series that have suggested that ACTH is effective in reducing proteinuria in adults with nephrotic syndrome.". In a follow-up tweet, Citron also added that "[Mallinckrodt] failed clinical studies comes weeks after OIG publishes that Acthar is a drug based on a history of fraud and abuse. Citron believes that $MNK could be first pharma to go BK if Medicare opens its eyes." OIG RESPONSE: The OIG response mentioned by Citron Research was published on November 16 and stated that "we conclude that the Proposed Arrangement could potentially generate prohibited remuneration under the anti-kickback statute and that the Office of Inspector General - "OIG" - could potentially impose administrative sanctions on [company redacted] under sections 1128(b)(7) or 1128A(a)(7) of the Act in connection with the Proposed Arrangement. [...] In addition, certain publicly available information that relates to the subject of this request for an advisory opinion illuminates our analysis of the fraud and abuse risks posed by the Proposed Arrangement." Commenting on the response, Wells Fargo analyst David Maris highlighted in a research note last week that the OIG has advised Mallinckrodt that the proposed patient access program for Acthar in hospitals would "present more than a minimal risk of fraud and abuse under the anti-kickback statute." While not a setback to current Acthar sales, this is a negative outcome in Mallinckrodt's efforts to expand access to the drug, the analyst argued. Maris told investors that he believes the OIG opinion effectively states that if Mallinckrodt gives Acthar to hospitals for free for a chronic syndrome, and then will provide it for free only to those patients when discharged whose insurance won't pay for it, then the company is effectively giving away a product to help get those with commercial insurance to pay for it when out of the hospital. Maris also said he believes Mallinckrodt's Acthar faces a "challenging environment" with HHS and OIG. He kept a Market Perform rating and $27 price target on the shares. WHAT'S NOTABLE: Previously, in June, Citron published a report entitled "Citron provides New PROOF (post-SALT Conference) why Mallinckrodt is on its way to ZERO." In November of 2016, Citron Research had tweeted: "$MNK exposed by Medicare. CEO LYING to Wall Street. Acthar has become most expensive drug per treatment for Medicare. Big problems ahead" PRICE ACTION: In afternoon trading, shares of Mallinckrodt have dropped almost 10% to $23.88

14:35 EDT Eli Lilly's Jardiance recommended in ACC expert consensus decision pathway - A new Expert Consensus Decision Pathway issued by the American College of Cardiology recommends Jardiance as the preferred SGLT2 inhibitor for its proven benefit in reducing the risk of cardiovascular death in adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease. The recommendation, part of the ACC's first Expert Consensus Decision Pathway on novel therapies for cardiovascular risk reduction in adults with type 2 diabetes and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, was released today and published online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Jardiance is marketed by Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly and Company. The recommendation of Jardiance is based on evidence from the landmark EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial, which investigated the effects of Jardiance compared with placebo when added to standard of care in adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease. In addition to the ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway, the American Diabetes Association and European Association for the Study of Diabetes recommend SGLT2 inhibitors such as Jardiance to help manage cardiovascular outcomes. Jardiance is also the only SGLT2 inhibitor recommended in the ADA 2018 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes for reducing the risk of cardiovascular death in people with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease. Worldwide, more than 50 treatment guidelines have been updated to include findings from the EMPA-REG OUTCOME trial in their endorsement of type 2 diabetes treatments with proven cardiovascular benefits. "People with type 2 diabetes are at an increased risk of serious cardiovascular complications and events even when their blood sugar is under control, which is why reducing cardiovascular risk in people with diabetes is critical," said Thomas Seck, M.D., senior vice president, Medicine and Regulatory Affairs, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. "The ACC Expert Consensus Decision Pathway, along with the ADA and EASD, all now recommend a comprehensive cardiovascular program for adults with type 2 diabetes and established cardiovascular disease that includes a treatment such as Jardiance, shown to improve cardiovascular outcomes in this population. These recommendations reflect a fundamental change in the management of diabetes, moving beyond glucose control to a broader strategy of comprehensive cardiovascular risk reduction."

14:01 EDT Mallinckrodt drops as Citron accuses company of not disclosing 'failed' trial - Shares of Mallinckrodt (MNK) are falling after Andrew Left's Citron Research tweeted that the company "has just FAILED it's only real clinical trial of Acthar. Mallinckrodt has failed to disclose. Citron will follow with the full story on why the OIG and MEDPAC are finally about to put an end to this charade." The short-focused research firm linked its tweet to an article from the "Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology" that discusses the "ATLANTIS Randomized Trial." The conclusions section states: "ACTH at 80 U/1.73 m2 administered twice weekly was ineffective at preventing disease relapses in pediatric nephrotic syndrome." In afternoon trading following Citron's tweet, Mallinckrodt shares have declined $2.95, or 11%, to $23.47. Reference Link

13:34 EDT PG&E says over 2,000 employees, contractors working on Butte County response - Pacific Gas and Electric Company said its gas and electric crews continue with restoration work in areas impacted by the Camp Fire in Butte County, stating that more than 2,000 PG&E employees and contractors are working onsite to facilitate emergency response, restoration and customer service. The company will continue to restore services where and when it can in the fire-impacted areas and is looking ahead toward supporting the community with its rebuilding effort, the company said. "Our hearts continue to be with all of our customers who have been impacted by this devasting wildfire. Our primary focus continues to be the safety and well-being of customers and communities that have been affected. We recognize the hardships you are currently facing, and we want to provide solutions and programs to help our customers through these difficult times," said Laurie Giammona, PG&E's Senior VP and Chief Customer Officer.

13:30 EDT ReShape Lifesciences Inc trading resumes

13:06 EDT Creative Realities purchases Allure, sees EBITDA accretion in 2019 - Creative Realities announced it has completed the acquisition of Allure Global Solutions from Christie Digital Systems, Inc. Based in Atlanta, Allure is an industry-leading provider of digital signage, digital menu boards, and digital signage analytics with a strong presence in the quick serve restaurant, entertainment, and theater verticals. Allure offers a complete set of project solutions to clients operating thousands of digital signage installations nationally, including Long John Silver's, AMC Theatres, Levy Restaurants and Coca-Cola. Its tenured management team develops leading analytical capabilities in content strategy, creation and optimization, and prioritizes ROI as a key part of its digital signage strategy-empirically demonstrating that its strategies can increase revenue at its customers' point of sale. Allure brings to CRI a large pipeline of pilot projects with marquee brands, as well as significant international expansion opportunities in the theater and QSR channels."Allure will be a vital component of CRI's growth strategy," remarked Rick Mills, CRI's Chief Executive Officer. "We are excited about the new sales verticals and analytics capabilities that Allure can now offer across our enterprise. Allure will benefit from CRI's strong reputation for efficient implementation and management of complex technology solutions, as we transfer a number of Allure's important back-end services, like project management and network operations, to CRI's proven services platform. This will result in significant improvement in efficiency and reliability for clients, and profitability enhancement for CRI." Combining CRI's 2018 revenue guidance of $25M with Allure's fiscal year ended March 31, 2018 revenue of $9.4M results in 2018 estimated pro-forma revenue of $35M. Adjusting for anticipated synergies, the transaction is expected to be EBITDA accretive in 2019. CRI purchased the outstanding stock of Allure for total consideration of $8.5M, or 0.9x fiscal year 2018 revenue, comprised of a combination of cash, seller note and assumption of certain liabilities. CRI would make an additional $2M payment to the seller if the Allure's customers actual twelve month revenue exceeds $13M by December 31, 2020, an increase of 38% over fiscal year 2018 revenue.

12:38 EDT Ship Finance sells 2002-built VLCC Front Falcon for $30.7M - Ship Finance International Limited announces that it has agreed to sell the 2002-built VLCC Front Falcon to an unrelated third party. Delivery to the new owner is expected later this quarter, and the net sales price will be approximately $30.7M. The company does not expect a material book effect from the transaction. Divesting of older vessels is part of Ship Finance's strategy to continuously renew and diversify its fleet. Following this transaction, the company has three VLCCs remaining on charter to a subsidiary of Frontline Ltd.

12:26 EDT Sabby Management reports 6.62% passive stake in DelMar Pharmaceuticals

12:05 EDT HP Enterprise unveils next phase of composable strategy with new capabilities - Hewlett Packard Enterprise unveiled the next phase of its composable strategy, which includes expanded delivery of cloud services through an open hybrid cloud platform built on composability. Accelerating HPE's composable leadership, the first-of-its-kind integrated software stack allows enterprises to benefit from unmatched choice of public and private clouds with the speed, efficiency, scale, and economics of public cloud providers. These benefits are enabled through enhanced capabilities, including built-in AI-driven operations with HPE InfoSight, additional new intelligent storage features, an innovative fabric built for composable environments, and new updates to HPE OneSphere, the as-a-Service hybrid cloud management solution. Organizations of all sizes are adopting hybrid cloud models to create and deliver new services, improve time-to-market, and drive business growth. However, the transition to hybrid cloud environments can be hampered by the need for specialized skills to build and operate proprietary cloud stacks. Enterprises require a cohesive approach that spans people, technology and economics.To simplify and accelerate this transition, HPE brings together IT automation, AI-driven operations, security and compliance to deliver a turnkey cloud platform ready to scale. The new cloud stack gives customers more choice across composable infrastructure building blocks - including, for the first time, rack servers through HPE Composable Cloud for ProLiant DL, or the industry-leading HPE Synergy platform through HPE Composable Cloud for Synergy - to compose any workload, any service and across any cloud, reducing infrastructure cost and complexity. In addition, HPE announced Composable Fabric will be available on HPE SimpliVity, further simplifying deployments and scalability.

12:00 EDT United States Natural Gas Fund falls -7.7% - United States Natural Gas Fund is down -7.7%, or -$2.81 to $33.57.

12:00 EDT VelocityShares 3x Long Natural Gas ETN falls -21.8% - VelocityShares 3x Long Natural Gas ETN is down -21.8%, or -$34.62 to $124.00.

12:00 EDT JinkoSolar rises 16.4% - JinkoSolar is up 16.4%, or $1.51 to $10.73.

11:55 EDT Campbell Soup trading resumes

11:41 EDT Campbell Soup Third Point reach agreement

11:36 EDT Campbell Soup trading halted, news pending

11:07 EDT General Motors says looking at 'number' of headwinds, tailwinds for 2019

11:03 EDT Ixia extends collaboration with ProtectWise - Keysight Technologies announced that Ixia has extended their collaboration with ProtectWise to better secure hybrid data centers with the combination of Ixia's Vision ONE and CloudLens with The ProtectWise Grid. Ixia's Vision ONE network packet broker and the CloudLens visibility platform, combined with The ProtectWise Grid, an on-demand platform with full-packet memory that delivers real-time and retrospective detections and advanced network forensics, offers enterprises: Easy collection and visualization of NetFlow, metadata, truncated flows, and full-fidelity packet capture by protocol and application for complete visibility into data assets in a hybrid environment including enterprise, cloud, or hybrid deployments from a single-pane-of-glass graphical user interface; Continuous, automated threat detection and analysis in real-time enabling analysts to sift through large volumes of data quickly for threat hunting; Long-term retention for retrospective analysis and correlated event creation to detect threats that emerge over time as well as an impact analysis; Community-scaled threat intelligence and analysis leveraged through The ProtectWise Grid creating a feedback loop to eliminate noise; Rapid access to full PCAP for comprehensive forensic investigation to reduce attacker dwell time; Automatic scaling in the cloud as cloud data assets change.

10:57 EDT CRISPR stocks rise after Chinese researcher claims first gene-edited babies - Shares of Crispr Therapeutics (CRSP), Editas Medicine (EDIT) and Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA) are on the rise after a Chinese researcher claimed that he helped make the world's first genetically edited babies. The trio of public companies are developing therapies using the technology known as CRISPR, which is the method He Jiankui says he used in China. FIRST GENETICALLY-EDITED BABIES: A Chinese researcher claims that he helped make the world's first genetically edited babies, twin girls born this month whose DNA he said he altered, according to Associated Press. The researcher, He Jiankui of Shenzhen, said he altered embryos for seven couples during fertility treatments, with one pregnancy resulting thus far, the report noted, adding that the goal was not to cure or prevent an inherited disease, but to try to bestow a trait that few people naturally have, namely an ability to resist possible future infection with HIV, the AIDS virus. This kind of gene editing is banned in the U.S. because the DNA changes can pass to future generations and it risks harming other genes. According to the publication, some U.S. scientists have denounced the Chinese report as human experimentation. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of Crispr Therapeutics have gained about 2% to $36.32, Editas Medicine's stock has risen almost 3% to $28.83, and Intellia Therapeutics has advanced over 3% to $17.75. Meanwhile, shares of Sangamo Therapeutic (SGMO), which uses a gene-editing platform known as Zinc finger nuclease, is up about 3% to $11.37.

10:42 EDT GM up 3% after reopening following confirmation of plant closure plans

10:33 EDT GM taking actions to reduce salaried, salaried contract staff by 15% - GM expects to fund the restructuring costs through a new credit facility that will further improve the company's strong liquidity position and enhance its financial flexibility. GM expects to record pre-tax charges of $3.0 billion to $3.8 billion related to these actions, including up to $1.8 billion of non-cash accelerated asset write-downs and pension charges, and up to $2.0 billion of employee-related and other cash-based expenses. The majority of these charges will be considered special for EBIT-adjusted, EPS diluted-adjusted and adjusted automotive free cash flow purposes. The majority of these charges will be incurred in the fourth quarter of 2018 and first quarter of 2019, with some additional costs incurred through the remainder of 2019. "The actions we are taking today continue our transformation to be highly agile, resilient and profitable, while giving us the flexibility to invest in the future," said GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra. "We recognize the need to stay in front of changing market conditions and customer preferences to position our company for long-term success." Barra added, "These actions will increase the long-term profit and cash generation potential of the company and improve resilience through the cycle."

10:32 EDT General Motors: Future products to be allocated to fewer plants next year - In the past four years, GM has refocused capital and resources to support the growth of its crossovers, SUVs and trucks, adding shifts and investing $6.6 billion in U.S. plants that have created or maintained 17,600 jobs. With changing customer preferences in the U.S. and in response to market-related volume declines in cars, future products will be allocated to fewer plants next year. Assembly plants that will be unallocated in 2019 include: Oshawa Assembly in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly in Detroit. Lordstown Assembly in Warren, Ohio. Propulsion plants that will be unallocated in 2019 include: Baltimore Operations in White Marsh, Maryland. Warren Transmission Operations in Warren, Michigan. In addition to the previously announced closure of the assembly plant in Gunsan, Korea, GM will cease the operations of two additional plants outside North America by the end of 2019. These manufacturing actions are expected to significantly increase capacity utilization. To further enhance business performance, GM will continue working to improve other manufacturing costs, productivity and the competitiveness of wages and benefits. The company is transforming its global workforce to ensure it has the right skill sets for today and the future, while driving efficiencies through the utilization of best-in-class tools. Actions are being taken to reduce salaried and salaried contract staff by 15 percent, which includes 25 percent fewer executives to streamline decision making.

10:20 EDT General Motors trading halted, news pending

10:02 EDT Griffon's Telephonics awarded $2.2M contract from NASA - Telephonics, a wholly owned subsidiary of Griffon, announced that it has been awarded a $2.2M contract from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for the replacement/upgrade of the agency's existing Airport Surveillance Radar-8 Secondary Surveillance Radar systems at its Wallops Island Flight Center. The award includes dual All-Mode, AIMS certified, AN/UPX-44 Identification Friend or Foe interrogator, Passive Detection and Reporting System, and Common Terminal Digitizer. Through this award, NASA will replace its existing IFF interrogator system with technology that preserves current capabilities and expands on supported modes, which will now include Mode 5, Mode S and full-range Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast. The CTD, which is being installed at all 34 existing ASR-8 radar sites currently utilized in the national airspace, will improve radar performance by enhancing digital weather processing and small target detection, while also extending service life. Full installation is expected to be completed by late 2019.

10:01 EDT Northern Capital Management to join Kovitz Investment Group - Focus Financial Partners announced that Northern Capital Management has entered into a definitive agreement to join Kovitz Investment Group, based in Chicago, Illinois. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2019, subject to customary closing conditions. Founded in 2003, Kovitz has rapidly grown to become one of Chicago's most successful RIAs under the leadership of its principals - Mitchell Kovitz, Marc Brenner, Jonathan Shapiro and Bruce Weininger. NCM, a locally-owned, Madison-based investment management firm led by Paul Perry, Daniel Murphy and Stephen Hawk, has been serving individual and institutional investors since 1979. The NCM team will remain intact and have access to additional resources, both financial and intellectual, through this transaction. Kovitz will provide NCM's clients with enhanced capabilities in the areas of financial planning, fixed income and alternatives, while NCM will bring to the deal an enhanced reach in an attractive contiguous geography.

10:00 EDT JinkoSolar rises 9.8% - JinkoSolar is up 9.8%, or 91c to $10.12.

10:00 EDT VelocityShares 3x Inv Natural Gas ETN rises 21.4% - VelocityShares 3x Inv Natural Gas ETN is up 21.4%, or $12.20 to $69.20.

09:47 EDT Plantronics falls -6.8% - Plantronics is down -6.8%, or -$3.44 to $47.50.

09:47 EDT VelocityShares 3x Long Natural Gas ETN falls -22.0% - VelocityShares 3x Long Natural Gas ETN is down -22.0%, or -$34.87 to $123.75.

09:47 EDT JinkoSolar rises 16.4% - JinkoSolar is up 16.4%, or $1.52 to $10.74.

09:45 EDT FRONTEO Inc (ADS) trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:31 EDT ServiceSource extends global strategic relationship with Mitel - ServiceSource (SREV) announced a multi-year contract extension and expansion with Mitel (MITL). This agreement, which runs through 2020, broadens the scope of a nearly 10-year partnership between ServiceSource and Mitel and reflects the positive revenue and customer impact that ServiceSource has helped Mitel achieve. As part of this extension, ServiceSource will leverage its nearly 20 years of renewals experience and expertise to manage customer retention and channel partnerships across Mitel's global, on-site product line.

09:09 EDT Lockheed Martin awarded $108M for IRST21 sensor system - Lockheed Martin (LMT) received a contract for phase II of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Block II Infrared Search and Track program for the U.S. Navy, awarded by aircraft prime contractor Boeing (BA). Under this contract, Lockheed Martin will complete development, platform integration, flight test, and qualification of the IRST21 Block II sensor system. These efforts will further enhance IRST21's proven detection, tracking and ranging capabilities in radar-denied environments.

09:07 EDT TEN, Ltd. announces charter with profit sharing provisions of suezmax tanker - TEN, Ltd. announced the charter with profit sharing provisions of one suezmax tanker for 18 months to a major oil concern. This increases the number of vessels fixed on secured revenue contracts since the beginning of the year to 24, the majority of which on rates with upside optionality. These charters have an average duration of two years and are expected to add a minimum of $250M to fleet revenues.

09:06 EDT Fly Intel: Pre-market Movers - HIGHER: Amazon (AMZN), up 2% after KeyBanc analyst Brent Bracelin said he believes 2019 could mark the first year AWS adds an incremental $10B within a single year as cloud and digital transformation becomes a mainstream phenomena driving AWS revenue to $35B-plus and operating profits above $10B for the first time... TechnipFMC (FTI), up 2% after being upgraded to Hold from Reduce at HSBC... Cleveland-Cliffs (CLF), up 2% after announcing a $200M share repurchase program... Novavax (NVAX), up 8% after Piper Jaffray analyst Edward Tenthoff upgraded the stock to Overweight from Neutral and doubled his price target for the shares to $4 from $2. UP AFTER EARNINGS: JinkoSolar (JKS), up 13.5%... Diana Shipping (DSX), up 2%. LOWER: Platronics (PLT), down 6% after Logitech (LOGI) confirmed it has ended discussions to buy the company... Eli Lilly (LLY), down fractionally after Citi analyst Andrew Baum downgraded the stock to Neutral from Buy while raising his price target for the shares to $115 from $96. After 40% of outperformance versus the sector over the last 10 months, the stock is now trading close to estimated net present value, Baum told investors.

09:05 EDT Ellie Mae to move infrastructure to Amazon Web Services - Amazon Web Services (AMZN) announced that Ellie Mae (ELLI) is moving its infrastructure to AWS to rebuild its core applications and create new digital products for the evolving needs of homebuyers. Ellie Mae will use the breadth and depth of AWS services, including compute, storage, database, serverless, and containers, to develop new ways of delivering the true digital mortgage and simplifying the loan process for its customers and partners. Ellie Mae built a company-wide data lake on AWS using Amazon Simple Storage Service to better understand, personalize, and further automate digital lending.

09:04 EDT Arthur J. Gallagher acquires Buckman-Mitchell, terms not disclosed - Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. announced the acquisition of Buckman-Mitchell, with offices in Visalia and Fresno, California. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Founded by C.T. Buckman and Hyman Mitchell in 1916, Buckman-Mitchell is a retail property/casualty and employee benefits agency and consultant specializing in commercial and agribusiness.

09:03 EDT Perrigo announces tentative FDA approval for generic version of Ultravate Lotion - Perrigo announced it has received tentative approval from the U.S. FDA for the first to file generic version of Ultravate Lotion 0.05%. Perrigo previously announced a patent litigation suit with Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, and MiCal Pharmaceuticals for this product. Ultravate Lotion, 0.05% is indicated for the topical treatment of plaque psoriasis in patients 18 years of age and older. Annual market sales for the 12 months ending September 2018 were approximately $17M as measured by IQVIA.

09:01 EDT Paychex to acquire Oasis Outsourcing for $1.2B - Paychex announced that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Oasis Outsourcing Acquisition Corporation, the nation's largest privately owned professional employer organization and an industry leader in providing human resources outsourcing services. The acquisition will significantly advance Paychex's leadership position in HR outsourcing, leveraging the scope of the company's technology platform and providing new clients access to Paychex's innovative products and technology-enabled services. Paychex will now serve more than 1.4M worksite employees through its HR outsourcing services. The total cash purchase price is $1.2B, subject to working capital and other adjustments, and is expected to be financed through a combination of cash on Paychex's balance sheet and borrowings under existing credit facilities or new debt. Paychex will see a number of revenue and cost synergies as a result of this transaction. Excluding transaction costs, the acquisition is expected to have minimal impact on fiscal year 2019 earnings per share. The company will provide additional information on the acquisition during its second-quarter earnings call on December 19, 2018.

08:40 EDT Rocket Pharmaceuticals, Regenxbio announce new license agreement - Rocket Pharmaceuticals (RCKT) and REGENXBIO (RGNX) announced an exclusive, worldwide license agreement for Rocket to develop and commercialize gene therapy treatments for Danon disease using REGENXBIO's NAV AAV9 vector, as well as exclusive options for two additional NAV AAV vectors for the treatment of Danon disease. Under the terms of the agreement, REGENXBIO has granted Rocket an exclusive, worldwide license, with rights to sublicense, to REGENXBIO's NAV AAV9 vector for the development and commercialization of gene therapy treatments for Danon disease. REGENXBIO has also granted Rocket exclusive options to two additional undisclosed NAV AAV vectors for the treatment of Danon disease for up to four years. In return for these rights, REGENXBIO will receive a $7M upfront payment, ongoing fees, milestone payments and high-single to low-double digit royalties on net sales of products incorporating the licensed intellectual property.

08:36 EDT Newell Brands appoints Christopher Peterson as CFO - Newell Brands announced the appointment of Christopher Peterson as Executive Vice President, CFO. His appointment is effective December 3rd and he will report to the company's President and CEO, Michael Polk. The company previously announced current Executive Vice President, CFO, Ralph Nicoletti's plans to retire at the close of 2018. Polk said: "During his tenure, Ralph played an important role in driving Newell Brands' transformation work. We thank Ralph for his contributions and for ensuring a seamless transition." Nicoletti will aide in the transition of his role to Peterson.

08:35 EDT Arena Pharmaceuticals names Robert Lisicki as Chief Commercial Officer - Arena Pharmaceuticals (ARNA) announced the appointments of Robert Lisicki as Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, and Paul K. Audhya, MD, MBA, as Senior Vice President, Medical Affairs. Lisicki brings over 20 years of experience in biopharmaceutical management, sales and marketing to Arena. Lisicki most recently served as General Manager, Vice President Cardio-Metabolic and Inflammation at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN).

08:33 EDT Ampio provides update on regulatory, publication status of Ampion - Statisticians representing Ampio and the FDA met recently to discuss the clinical pathway of Ampion, the company's lead drug, for the treatment of severe Osteoarthritis-of-the-knee. All KL-4 patients, from each single injection trial, were subjected to a statistical review that resulted in the FDA scheduling an additional, internal meeting that will include reviewers from the Office of Tissue and Advanced Therapies. The review of Ampion was transferred from the Office of Blood Research and Review to OTAT during the most recent FDA re-organization. After reaching internal consensus, OTAT has indicated it will provide final guidance by mid- December that will determine whether the clinical trial portion of the Ampion BLA process is complete or will require an additional trial, which would be carried out under a Special Protocol Assessment. Publication Update: Accumulating clinical and in-vitro evidence for the efficacy and disease-modifying properties of Ampion are summarized in a recent comprehensive review article published in Current Rheumatology Reviews entitled: "On the mechanisms of action of the low molecular weight fraction of commercial human serum albumin in osteoarthritis." Bar-Or D, Thomas G, Rael LT, Frederick E, Hausburg M, Bar-Or R, Brody E. Current Rheumatology Review. 2018 Nov 19. The peer-reviewed article describes inflammation and healing biochemical pathways (including functional cartilage regeneration), relevant to OA, that are affected by at least three of the well characterized chemical components present in Ampion. These pathways include the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor, the scavenger receptor CD-36, the cyclooxygenase 2 and its beneficial prostaglandin products, and the mammalian Target of Rapamycin protein. The in vitro experiments show that the effects of Ampion coupled with recent and published clinical data from previous clinical trials of single and multiple injections of Ampion into OAK patients' knees, demonstrated improvements in pain, function, and Patient Global Assessment, as well as high responder rates that could be attributed to the multiple mechanism of action pathways summarized in this article.

08:22 EDT NY DFS approves CVS Health acquisition of Aetna with conditions

08:19 EDT Gladstone Land acquires potato farm in Texas for $8.5M - Gladstone Land announced that it has acquired a 3,667-acre farm in Hartley County, Texas, for $8.5M. The farm includes over 2,200 irrigated acres growing primarily chip potatoes and is currently leased to CSS Farms, a national agribusiness company who is a market leader in chip, seed, and specialty potatoes.

08:10 EDT Kratos Defense receives $4.7M C5ISR program contract awards - Kratos Defense announced that it has recently received $4.7M in contract awards in support of Command, Control, Communication, Computing, Combat & Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Program, or C5ISR, awards. Under these recent awards, Kratos will be providing specialized products and systems which will be produced in secure Kratos manufacturing facilities. Kratos' C5ISR focused modular systems business is a leading provider of customized and hardened systems and products that support unmanned aerial drone, missile defense, radar, combat, satellite and chemical, biological, radiation, nuclear and explosive, or CBRNE, programs and platforms. Due to customer related, competitive and other considerations, no additional information will be provided related to these recent contract awards.

08:07 EDT Allegheny Technologies enters joint technology development agreement with Bruker - Allegheny Technologies Incorporated and Bruker Energy & Supercon Technologies, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bruker Corporation, today announced that they have entered into a joint technology development agreement to advance state-of-the-art niobium-based superconductors, including those used in magnetic resonance imaging magnets for the medical industry, and preclinical MRI magnets used in the life-science tools industry. Built on a 30-year collaboration between the two companies, this agreement further extends their tremendous combined expertise to develop higher-performance niobium-based alloys and apply these alloys in improved and more efficient superconductors, which are expected to enable MRI magnets with higher performance and lower total cost of ownership. The resulting products are expected to have applications in medical imaging, scientific instrumentation, particle physics research, and large-scale fusion experiments to produce energy. The advanced manufacturing and metrology processes, as well as the highly differentiated new superconductors planned under this agreement will deliver higher performance, ultimately aiming to give healthcare providers better diagnostics to improve lives. At the same time, the fully integrated supply chain will allow for process innovation to even further increase efficiency, quality and supply chain security for demanding customers.

08:06 EDT NV5 Global awarded $6M contract amendment from California utility - NV5 Global announced that it has been awarded a contract amendment with a Southern California utility for $6M. The new contract brings NV5's total awarded fire hardening contracts to $28M over the past two years. The amended contract, which begins immediately and adds to the company's ongoing work, addresses risk by modernizing the utility's electric system infrastructure in fire prone areas.

08:05 EDT Oncolytics announces first patient treated in Phase 2 Pelareorep, Keytruda study - Oncolytics Biotech (ONCY) announced that the first patient was treated in a phase 2 study combining pelareorep with Merck's (MRK) Keytruda to treat advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The primary objective of the study is to determine the overall response rate by iRECIST criteria. Secondary objectives include safety of the combination, immune response as determined by analysis of pre- and post-treatment biopsies and blood-based immune markers, determination of progression-free survival by iRECIST criteria; and one-year, two-year and median overall survival. This study is a phase 2, single arm, open-label study enrolling up to 30 patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma who experienced disease progression or did not tolerate first-line therapy. The principal investigator is Dr. Devalingham Mahalingam, of Northwestern University. The first 16 patients will be enrolled in stage one, and up to 14 additional patients will be enrolled in stage two if pre-specified criteria are met. The pre-defined criteria state that, for the primary objective, three or more responses out of 16 are needed in stage one to continue the trial to the full 30 patients.

08:03 EDT MagnaChip commences volume production of high-voltage IGBT products - MagnaChip Semiconductor announced that volume production has commenced for an IGBT product for power module targeted to high-voltage industrial applications. IGBT is one of a MagnaChip family of Power standard products called Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors.

08:02 EDT Shutterstock announces exclusive partnership with Greenlight - Shutterstock announced a partnership with rights and clearance agency, Greenlight, a part of Branded Entertainment Network. This exclusive rights clearance agreement enables Shutterstock customers, including ad agencies, brands, and creatives around the world, to license image and video content that would otherwise only be available for editorial purposes. Greenlight offers a full scope of rights clearance services, securing permissions to use celebrities, sports, science and literature talents, historical icons, trademarks, copyrights, landmarks, locations, and any other unique intellectual property for brand and advertising campaigns. The company has an exceptional reputation worldwide for securing clearances with an unmatched client service and speed to market.

07:32 EDT Eldorado Resorts announces market access partnership with The Stars Group - Eldorado Resorts (ERI) announced that it has entered into a 20-year definitive agreement with The Stars Group (TSG) pursuant to which the Company will provide TSG with options to obtain access to Eldorado's second skins for online sports wagering. In addition, TSG will have an option to access its third skin to operate real money online gaming and poker operations in the United States. Under the terms of the agreement, Eldorado will receive a revenue share from the operation of the applicable verticals by TSG under Eldorado's licenses. Eldorado will also receive an upfront equity interest in TSG of $25M, and Eldorado may receive an additional $5M in TSG equity upon the exercise of the first option by TSG. A further equity stake may be provided to Eldorado after five years, based on TSG net gaming revenue generated in Eldorado's markets, the value of which will come at a fixed ratio based on $23.22 per TSG share. TSG will operate under Eldorado's licenses using TSG's significant portfolio of online brands and its turnkey online sports technology services and Eldorado is providing TSG with access to its government relations personnel as TSG seeks additional licensing. Eldorado's suppliers will equally share all costs related to licensing and permitting. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement announced between William Hill and Eldorado on September 5, 2018, William Hill US remains Eldorado's exclusive provider for land-based retail sports wagering and has consented to the Company's agreement with TSG. William Hill US will share in the economics of The Stars Group transaction and will have access to Eldorado's first and third skin for online sports betting in all states.

07:30 EDT Zafgen trading resumes

07:24 EDT Resonant announces up to $4M stock repurchase program - Resonant announced its board approved a stock repurchase program for up to $4M dollars of the company's outstanding common stock. The stock buyback program, which is effective immediately, permits the company to repurchase shares from time to time through open market purchases. The actual timing, number and value of shares repurchased under the program will be determined in the company's discretion and will depend on a number of factors, including the market price of Resonant's stock, general market and economic conditions and applicable legal requirements. The program will expire on November 14, 2019, unless extended.

07:15 EDT Valeritas announces publication of study supporting V-Go - Valeritas announced the publication of a manuscript in a special Bolus Insulin issue of Annals of Diabetes, Metabolic Disorders & Control, an international, peer-reviewed journal. The published manuscript describes in detail the retrospective analysis conducted by Sandip Mehta of Texas Star Adult Medicine and the Texas Health Research & Education Institute. Results of the study support the view that V-Go can safely improve glycemic control of patients with type 2 diabetes using an easy to follow physician-driven titration algorithm. In the proof-of-concept study, Mehta evaluated the safety and efficacy of a physician-driven insulin titration algorithm in adult patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who were prescribed V-Go. At weekly intervals, the bolus doses of insulin were titrated based on 2-hour post meal blood glucose averages. Up titration occurred when averages exceeded 170 mg/dl and down titration occurred when averages were below 100 mg/dl. Following initiation of V-Go, the bolus dose was actively titrated for the first three weeks of therapy after which insulin dosing remained fairly stable. Basal doses were adjusted after bolus dosing was optimized. Clinical outcomes were evaluated after four months. After four months of V-Go use with insulin dose adjustments, 67% of patients achieved an A1C level less than 7.5% compared to 13% at baseline on prior regimens. Moreover, a significant decrease in A1C of 1.6% was found compared to baseline and the prevalence of hypoglycemia decreased to 7% by month four from a baseline of 23%. Mean body weight did not change from baseline to study end.

07:06 EDT Athenex initiates Phase 1/2 Oraxol study - Athenex announced that it has initiated a Phase I/II clinical study to assess the safety, tolerability and activity of Oraxol in combination with an anti-PD1 antibody in patients with advanced solid malignancies, in collaboration with Mayo Clinic. Oraxol is an innovative oral formulation of paclitaxel, an effective and commonly used anti-cancer chemotherapy, combined with HM30181A, a novel gastrointestinal tract specific P-glycoprotein pump inhibitor. Pembrolizumab is a checkpoint inhibitor approved by FDA. The study is a Phase I/II study being conducted in patients with urothelial, gastric/gastroesophageal or non-small cell lung cancer that have previously failed treatment with a checkpoint inhibitor. The primary outcome measures are tumor response rate and determination of maximum tolerated dose, while the secondary outcome measures include progression free survival, overall survival, duration of response and pharmacokinetics.

07:03 EDT Cleveland-Cliffs announces $200M share repurchase program - Cleveland-Cliffs announced that its board has authorized the company to buy back its outstanding common shares. Under the share repurchase program, the company will have ample flexibility to buy up to a maximum of $200M worth of shares, via acquisitions in the open market or privately negotiated transactions, including through accelerated share repurchases or pursuant to the terms of a Rule 10b5-1 plan. The company is not obligated to make any purchases and the program may be suspended or discontinued at any time. The authorization is active until December 31, 2019.

07:03 EDT Cubic, Transport for New South Wales expand contactless payment system - Cubic announced that its Cubic Transportation Systems business division and Transport for New South Wales will expand the contactless payment system to cover the city's train network, following its success on Sydney's ferries and light rail. Some of the contactless technology, software and equipment developed for Sydney will also be included in Cubic projects to be rolled out over the next few years in cities like New York, Boston and San Francisco, as a result of recent Cubic contract wins.

06:58 EDT Zafgen trading halted, news pending

06:51 EDT Eldorado Gold announces updated reserve and resource estimates as of September 3 - Highlights: Total Proven and Probable Reserves of 389 million tonnes at 1.35 grams per tonne gold containing 16.9M ounces. Added new reserves of 60,000 ounces of gold at Lamaque and replaced milled production (80,000 ounces of gold) at Efemcukuru. Added 572,000 ounces of gold to the Lamaque Inferred Resources which now totals, 1.8M ounces of gold. Maiden Inferred Resource at Bolcana in Romania of 381M tonnes at 0.53 grams per tonne gold and 0.18% copper containing 6.5M ounces of gold and 686,000 tonnes of copper. The company's proven and probable gold Reserves totalled 16.9M ounces as of September 30, 2018, compared to 17.3M ounces as of December 31, 2017.

06:48 EDT Ocwen announces senior leadership appointments - Ocwen Financial announced two senior leadership appointments. Timothy Yanoti joins Ocwen as Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer. The company also appointed Albert Celini Senior Vice President, Chief Risk and Compliance Officer of Ocwen. Previously, Celini was Chief Risk and Compliance Officer of PHH Corporation and joined Ocwen as part of its acquisition of PHH on October 4, 2018.

06:36 EDT Ares Management changes name to Ares Management Corporation - Ares Management announced that it has completed its conversion to a corporation under Delaware law and changed its name from Ares Management, L.P. to Ares Management Corporation. Since Ares had already elected to be taxed as a corporation for U.S. federal and state income tax purposes effective March 1, 2018, no material tax or financial changes are expected from the state law conversion.

06:34 EDT Air Lease announces lease placement of 15 new Airbus aircraft with Vistara - Air Lease (AL) announced long-term lease agreements for nine Airbus (EADSY) A320-200neo and six Airbus A321-200neo aircraft with Vistara, an Indian full-service airline that is a joint venture of TATA Sons Limited and Singapore Airlines Limited. The nine A320-200neo aircraft will feature CFM56 LEAP-1A26 engines and will be delivered to Vistara starting in the first quarter of 2021 through 2022. Featuring CFM56 LEAP-1A32 engines, the six A321-200neo aircraft will be delivered to the airline starting the first quarter of 2020 through 2021. All 15 aircraft will be delivered from ALC's order book with Airbus.

06:30 EDT Edge Therapeutics enters merger agreement with PDS Biotechnology

06:07 EDT CenterState Bank to acquire National Commerce in all-stock transaction - CenterState Bank (CSFL) and National Commerce (NCOM) jointly announced the signing of a definitive agreement pursuant to which National Commerce will merge with and into CenterState in an all-stock transaction. This combination will create a Southeastern regional bank, with branches in Florida, Georgia and Alabama. As of September 30 and excluding purchase accounting, the combined company has pro forma total assets of $16.4B, gross loans of $11.5B, deposits of $12.8B and a market capitalization of approximately $3.2B. Over 75% of the pro forma deposit base will be in Florida. Upon completion of the merger, Richard Murray, chairman and CEO of National Commerce, will join CenterState as CEO of the company's wholly-owned bank subsidiary, CenterState Bank, N.A., and William Matthews, president and CFO of National Commerce, will join CenterState as CFO of both the bank and the holding company. Subject to the terms of the merger agreement, National Commerce stockholders will receive 1.65 shares of CSFL common stock for each outstanding share of National Commerce common stock. Each outstanding option to purchase shares of National Commerce common stock will be assumed by CenterState and become an option to purchase shares of CenterState common stock, with the exercise price and number of shares underlying the option adjusted to reflect the exchange ratio of 1.65. Based on CSFL's stock price of $24.25 as of November 23, this equates to a per share value of $40.01 and an aggregate transaction value of $850.4M. Additionally, three National Commerce directors will join both the company board and the CenterState Bank board and one additional director will join the CenterState Bank board. The transaction is expected to result in mid-single-digit EPS accretion on a fully phased in basis and limited tangible book value dilution, expected to be earned back in approximately two years. The merger agreement has been unanimously approved by the board of directors of each of National Commerce and CenterState. Completion of the merger is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of required regulatory approvals and the approval by the stockholders of both National Commerce and CenterState. The transaction is expected to close in Q2 of 2019.

06:02 EDT GM to announce plans to close Oshawa operations, CTV News Toronto says - General Motors will soon be announcing that it is closing all operations in Oshawa, affecting approximately 2,500 jobs, sources tell CTV News Toronto. Reference Link

05:54 EDT KBR awarded contract by Papua New Guinea Department of Petroleum - KBR announced it has been awarded a contract by Papua New Guinea's Department of Petroleum to provide ongoing consulting, advisory and engineering services in relation to multiple new and existing energy and resource developments located across Papua New Guinea, including upstream, LNG and downstream sectors. Under the terms of the agreement, KBR will provide these services utilizing strategy and technical specialists from multiple offices including Singapore, Australia, London and Houston. This award by the Department of Petroleum, an office of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is testament to KBR's long-term strategic commitment to this promising and rapidly developing market.

05:53 EDT JinkoSolar sees Q4 total solar module shipments 3.7 GW to 4 GW

05:33 EDT Puxin Limited announces senior management share purchase plan - Puxin announced that members of its senior management team, including Yunlong Sha, Chairman and CEO, and Peng Wang, CFO, will use their personal funds to purchase the company's American Depositary Shares on the open market for an aggregate amount up to a maximum of $10M within the next 6 months, subject to the restrictions of, and compliant with, the applicable laws and regulations and the company's securities trading policy.

05:30 EDT Biohaven Pharmaceutical announces FDA acceptance of BHV-0223 NDA filing - Biohaven Pharmaceutical announced that its 505(b)(2) new drug application, or NDA, for BHV-0223, an investigational sublingual form of riluzole for the treatment of people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, has been accepted for review by the FDA. Biohaven previously announced that the FDA granted orphan drug designation for BHV-0223 in ALS. BHV-0223 is a novel, lower dose formulation of riluzole designed to be placed under the tongue where it dissolves in seconds and is absorbed sublingually. The active ingredient, riluzole, is the only FDA-approved treatment to extend tracheostomy-free survival in people living with ALS.

05:19 EDT PerkinElmer receives CE-IVD Mark for Vanadis NIPT system - PerkinElmer announced that its Vanadis NIPT system has obtained CE-IVD mark for commercialization and distribution throughout Europe and other countries that accept CE marking. This non-invasive test provides screening results for trisomy 21, trisomy 18 and trisomy 13. The Vanadis NIPT system has been validated in an external clinical study conducted in France. The blinded study analyzed 80 samples from pregnancies affected by trisomy 21 and 670 samples from unaffected pregnancies, classifying all cases correctly, with only one sample failing to generate a result. In addition to trisomy 21, PerkinElmer conducted clinical studies to demonstrate high sensitivity and specificity for trisomies 18 and 13. Generally, non-invasive prenatal testing, or NIPT, analyzes cell-free DNA, or cfDNA, circulating in the maternal blood and has rapidly become the standard follow-up procedure for women classified as high risk following traditional prenatal screening. Measuring cfDNA from a standard blood draw to detect common chromosomal trisomies has been demonstrated with high sensitivity and specificity.