Stockwinners Market Radar for November 29, 2018 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:14 EDT Tokyo Gas selects Rimini Street for support of SAP applications - Rimini Street announced that Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd., Japan's largest provider of city gas, has switched to Rimini Street support for its SAP BusinessObjects application. By switching to Rimini Street support, Tokyo Gas finds it now receives a vastly improved service model which is more comprehensive and responsive than what they had received before; the company can also maximize its current, stable SAP application without the need to upgrade just to stay fully supported, for a minimum of 15 years from the time the company transitioned to Rimini Street. Additionally, Tokyo Gas has realized significant savings in total maintenance costs when factoring in customized system support needs.

18:58 EDT Micron CEO elected as Chair of SIA - The Semiconductor Industry Association, representing U.S. leadership in semiconductor manufacturing, design, and research, announced the Board of Directors has elected Sanjay Mehrotra, President and CEO of Micron Technology (MU) as its 2019 Chair and Keith Jackson, President, CEO, and Director of ON Semiconductor (ON), as its 2019 Vice Chair.

18:32 EDT Air Lease delivers first of four new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft with Cayman Air - Air Lease (AL) announced the delivery of one new Boeing (BA) 737 MAX 8 aircraft featuring CFM International LEAP-1B27 engines on long-term lease to Cayman Airways. This Boeing 737 MAX 8 is the first of four 737 MAX 8 aircraft confirmed to deliver to Cayman Airways through 2020 from ALC's order book with Boeing.

18:01 EDT NIO USA unit CEO announces her resignation - NIO Inc announced that Ms. Padmasree Warrior, chief development officer of NIO and chief executive officer of NIO USA, Inc., has decided to resign from her roles with the company for personal interests, effective from December 17, 2018.

17:42 EDT HP CEO: Printing market is 'relatively flat' - Says the Managed Print Services business remains an area of focus. Says he is "really excited" about the 3D printing end market, but do not expect it to have a "material impact" in 2019.

17:34 EDT HP Inc. CFO: Our guidance factors in impact of all announced tariffs - Comments from Q4 earnings conference call Q&A.

17:32 EDT EastGroup Properties EVP Coleman sells 10,000 common shares - In a regulatory filing, EastGroup Properties executive VP John F. Coleman disclosed the sale of 10,000 common shares of the company at a price of $99.5675 per share.

17:30 EDT Trian reduces stake in Sysco to 5.45% - The reduction in Trian' beneficial ownership as reported primarily resulted from the distribution in kind of shares to certain limited partners in the parent entity of SPV XI pursuant to their request in connection with the expiration of SPV XI's applicable lock-up period and the resulting liquidation of the fund.

17:27 EDT Workday spikes 9.5% after quarterly results beat consensus views - Shares of enterprise cloud services provider Workday (WDAY) are strong in post-close trading after reporting earnings and revenue ahead of projections. BEATS ON TOP AND BOTTOM LINES: Workday reported adjusted earnings per share of 31c in the latest quarter from 24c in the year-ago period. Analysts were modeling 15c in adjusted EPS. Revenue came in at $743.2M, up from the $555.4M reported a year earlier and above current analyst views. CEO IS PLEASED: "We had a great third quarter and continue to see significant momentum across our suite of products," said Aneel Bhusri, co-founder and CEO, Workday. "We extended our market leadership in HCM, welcoming more Fortune 500 customers to the Workday community, and accelerated adoption of Workday Financial Management as more finance organizations move to the cloud. As we look to the remainder of fiscal 2019, we are confident that our commitment to customer satisfaction and product innovation, coupled with our strong company culture, will continue to deliver meaningful growth and customer success. "We're pleased with our strong performance in Q3, which resulted in accelerated growth across our core business metrics and gives us great momentum heading into year-end," said Robynne Sisco, co-president and chief financial officer, Workday. "The strength in our business is allowing us to raise our fiscal 2019 outlook and we now expect subscription revenue of $2.375 to $2.377 billion, or growth of 33%. We continue to prioritize investing in long-term growth initiatives while delivering solid operating and cash flow margins over time." PRICE ACTION: Shares of Workday are spiking 9.5% to $159.11 in after-hours trading. OTHERS TO WATCH: Other companies in the cloud space include salesforce (CRM), Adobe (ADBE), Microsoft Corporation (MSFT), and IBM (IBM).

17:22 EDT AT&T shares trade higher after company updates strategy, guidance - Shares of AT&T (T) are higher by 1.2% in after-hours trading, after the company provided an update on its strategy following the acquisition of Time Warner -- now known as WarnerMedia -- as well as guidance for 2019. The guidance includes significant expected growth in free cash flow, which will help the company achieve its target of a debt ratio in the 2.5x range by the end of 2019, as well as a low single digit growth rate in adjusted EPS. AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson said in the update, "The company expects total WarnerMedia synergies to reach a run rate of $2.5B by the end of 2021. About $1.5B will be cost synergies... The remaining $1B are revenue synergies expected from additional sales opportunities, lower subscriber churn and higher advertising. The company expects to reach a run rate of about $700M by the end of 2019, increasing to $2B by the end of 2020 and ramping to $2.5B by the end of 2021." He added that "WarnerMedia expects to continue growing its top- and bottom-line and to be accretive to AT&T's adjusted EPS in 2019."

17:19 EDT GameStop says drove 'strong' sales performance over Black Friday, Cyber Monday

17:15 EDT Spring Creek Investment reports 6% passive stake in Creative Realities

17:11 EDT GameStop says Q3, forecast Q4 profitability below performance expectations - Says Spring Mobile sale will bring great optionality to the company. Says looking at how to improve all aspects of company. Says not every title met expected performance. Says overall Q3 and Q4 forecast profitability are below performance expectations.

17:06 EDT CTI Industries terminates proposed subscription rights offering - CTI had deferred a proposed subscription rights offering on November 13 due to unfavorable market conditions. Due to continuing unfavorable market conditions, CTI and its underwriter have mutually agreed to terminate the proposed subscription rights offering. The termination of the proposed subscription rights offering will not materially affect CTI's existing operations or outlook. CTI and its lender revised the terms of its credit facility based on the expectation of this funding event, and now are engaged in discussions to further modify that arrangement assuming no additional capital is raised. CTI believes that an agreement will be reached and will continue to monitor market conditions.

17:02 EDT Sierra Oncology reports pre-clinical efficacy with SRA737 - Sierra Oncology reported preclinical data for its novel oral Chk1 inhibitor, SRA737, in a poster presented at the American Association for Cancer Research Conference on Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy in Miami Beach, Florida. "In this study we found that the potent, selective oral Chk1 inhibitor, SRA737, activated the innate immune signaling STING pathway and demonstrated significant anti-tumor activity in an immunocompetent preclinical model of small cell lung cancer" said Dr. Lauren Byers, Associate Professor at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas. "Remarkably, the combination of SRA737 with an anti-PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor induced tumor regression in this model, providing strong rationale for combining these agents to treat this immunotherapy refractory indication." Dr. Christian Hassig, Chief Scientific Officer said: "SCLC remains a significant unmet need and one where immunotherapies have yielded limited efficacy. These tumors frequently harbor defects in cell cycle checkpoint and DNA damage repair genes, with a coincident dependence on regulators of replication stress such as Checkpoint Kinase 1 as a compensatory mechanism. These encouraging preclinical results highlight an additional potential application for SRA737 that warrants further evaluation beyond our current clinical development programs for the drug as a monotherapy and in combination with replication stress-inducing low dose gemcitabine."

17:01 EDT Neenah raises quarterly dividend 10% to 45c per share - Neenah announced that on November 28, 2018, its board of directors approved a 10% increase in the cash dividend on the company's common stock. The quarterly dividend will increase from 41c per share to 45c with the first payment at the new rate in March 2019. Neenah has consistently paid a dividend every quarter since the company was first incorporated in 2004 and today's announcement marks a ninth consecutive double-digit increase in the dividend.

16:47 EDT Morgan Stanley reports 5.0% passive stake in Canadian Solar

16:43 EDT SL Green Realty raises quarterly dividend to 85c from 81.25c per share - The fourth quarter dividend is payable on January 15, 2019 to shareholders of record at the close of business on January 2, 2019.

16:38 EDT WC SACD commences tender offer for all outstanding shares of Intersections - WC SACD One, a newly formed joint venture entity of iSubscribed, WndrCo Holdings, General Catalyst Group and GC Entrepreneurs Fund announced that WC SACD's wholly-owned subsidiary, WC SACD One Parent, has directed its own wholly-owned subsidiary, WC SACD One Merger Sub,, to commence its previously announced cash tender offer to purchase all of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of Intersections.

16:34 EDT Diamondback completes Energen acquisition - Diamondback Energy (FANG) announced that it has completed its acquisition of Energen (EGN) ("Energen"). The merger was previously approved by Diamondback stockholders and Energen shareholders at special meetings held on November 27. Each eligible share of Energen's common stock issued and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the merger was converted into the right to receive 0.6442 of a share Diamondback's common stock, with cash in lieu of any fractional shares. As a result of the merger, Energen common stock will no longer be listed for trading on NYSE, and Energen will no longer have reporting obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. "Today is an exciting day for Diamondback as we have completed the merger of these two companies to become a large cap independent oil and gas company with the size, scale, inventory depth and cost structure to compete for many years in the Permian Basin. Our path to success has never been clearer: maintain best in class execution and low-cost operations on a larger scale. As a result of this merger, we have built a company that can consistently grow production at best in class rates and generate free cash flow even in challenging commodity price environments, all while maintaining a fortress balance sheet," stated Travis Stice, Chief Executive Officer of Diamondback.

16:34 EDT China Customer Relations Centers engages advisors to evaluate bid by founder - China Customer Relations Centers announced that the independent committee of the company's board of directors has retained Duff & Phelps as its financial advisor, Sidley Austin LLP as its international legal counsel, and Maples and Calder LLP as its British Virgin Islands legal counsel in connection with its review and evaluation of the preliminary non-binding proposal letter dated November 10, 2018 from Mr. Zhili Wang, the Company's founder, chairman of the Board and chief executive officer and Guangzhou Cornerstone Asset Management Co., Ltd. to acquire all of the outstanding shares of the company not already owned by the Buyer Group in a going private transaction. The company's directors caution the company's shareholders and others considering trading in the company's securities that no decision has been made on the response to the proposal.

16:32 EDT Air Lease delivers Airbus aircraft to Frontier Airlines - Air Lease Corporation announced the delivery of one new Airbus A321-200 aircraft on long-term lease to Frontier Airlines. Featuring CFM International CFM56-5B3/3 engines, this A321-200 is the first of two A321-200 aircraft confirmed to deliver to Frontier Airlines from ALC's order book with Airbus.

16:32 EDT Renmin Tianli Group regains compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250c1 - Renmin Tianli Group received a notification letter from the Nasdaq Stock Market stating that, based on the November 28, 2018, filing of the company's Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2018, the company regained compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250c1.

16:31 EDT Cushman & Wakefield acquires QSI Facilities, terms not stated - Cushman & Wakefield has announced it has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Quality Solutions, one of the nation's top facilities management firms specializing in on-demand facility maintenance and project management services through a national network of facilities contractors. This acquisition will expand Cushman & Wakefield's facilities management capabilities and coverage across North American markets by leveraging QSI's strong supply chain of 50,000+ qualified suppliers and 75+ facilities trades. The acquisition of QSI is expected to close in the first quarter of 2019 and is subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of all applicable antitrust approvals.

16:30 EDT Point72 Asset Management reports 5.3% passive stake in Inogen

16:25 EDT Highbridge Capital reports 5% passive stake in Novelion Therapeutics

16:24 EDT VMware says Q3 license revenue up 17% year-over-year - License revenue for the third quarter was $884M, an increase of 17% from the third quarter of fiscal 2018.

16:23 EDT Culp sees Q3 pre-tax income $4.6M-$5.4M - Sees Q3 CapEx $6M-$6.5M.

16:19 EDT Sprouts Farmers Market CEO Amin Maredia to depart, names co-interim CEOs - Sprouts Farmers Market announced that Amin Maredia, the company's CEO and member of the board of directors, will transition away from the company on December 30 to pursue other interests. Jim Nielsen, the company's president and COO and Brad Lukow, the company's CFO, will serve as the company's co-interim CEOs until a permanent successor has been named. The company is in the process of engaging a leading executive search firm to conduct a comprehensive search for a new CEO. Maredia will remain available for a period of time in an advisory role to assist with the transition.

16:18 EDT GameStop down 11.9% after reporting Q3 earnings, updating FY18 guidance

16:17 EDT Palo Alto Networks reports Q1 billings up 27% y/y to $758.5M - Deferred revenue grows 34% year over year to $2.4B.

16:13 EDT GameStop sees FY18 comparable store sales flat to down 5%

16:11 EDT Ocean Rig UDW shareholders approve merger with Transocean - Ocean Rig UDW (ORIG) announced that its shareholders have approved the merger of the company with Transocean (RIG) by which, upon the closing of the merger, Ocean Rig will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Transocean. Holders of 86.76% of the outstanding shares of Ocean Rig voted, of which 99.99% approved the merger. At the effective time of the merger, each issued and outstanding share of Ocean Rig immediately prior to such time (other than certain Ocean Rig shares that will be canceled as set forth in the merger agreement), will be canceled and automatically converted into the right to receive 1.6128 newly issued shares of Transocean and $12.75 in cash.

16:08 EDT Workday says subscripton revenue up 34.7% to $624.4M in Q3 - Total revenues were $743.2M, an increase of 33.8% from the third quarter of fiscal 2018. Subscription revenues were $624.4M, an increase of 34.7% from the same period last year.

16:06 EDT MagnaChip names Nader Tavakoli as new non-executive Chairman of Board - MagnaChip announced the appointment of Nader Tavakoli as its new non-executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, effective November 26, 2018. Tavakoli replaces Gary Tanner as the Company's Chairman. Tanner will remain a Director on the Board and will continue to serve as a member of the Audit, Compensation and Risk Committees of the Board. Tanner joined MagnaChip's Board in August 2015, and has served as its non-executive Chairman since October 2016.

16:02 EDT AT&T sees FY19 adjusted EPS growth in the low single digits, consensus $3.58 - AT&T provided an update on its strategy following the acquisition of Time Warner, now known as WarnerMedia, as well as guidance for 2019. Guidance includes significant expected growth in free cash flow, which will help the company achieve its target of a debt ratio in the 2.5x range by the end of 2019, as well as a low single digit growth rate in adjusted EPS. "We are well positioned for success as the lines between entertainment and communications continue to blur," said Randall Stephenson, AT&T chairman and CEO. "If you're a media company, you can no longer rely exclusively on wholesale distribution models. You must develop a direct relationship with your viewers. And if you're a communications company, you can no longer rely exclusively on oversized bundles of content. "We have some of the world's best content and 370 million direct-to-consumer relationships across mobility, video, broadband and our digital properties,"4 Stephenson said. "That exceptional combination enables us to deliver a broad spectrum of entertainment experiences - from premium video to skinnier over-the-top and mobile-centric bundles of live content, and a subscription video-on-demand product to launch late next year. And with Xandr, our advertising business, we're using insights from our customer relationships, combined with our large advertising inventory, to drive higher yields on advertising. Our leadership position in communications and entertainment gives us a distinct advantage that will allow us to grow our share of both segments over time." Sees FY19 free cash flow in the $26B range. Sees FY19 gross capital investment in the $23B range. The company expects total WarnerMedia synergies to reach a run rate of $2.5 billion by the end of 2021. About $1.5 billion will be cost synergies, including efficiencies in marketing and procurement functions and corporate overhead. The remaining $1 billion are revenue synergies expected from additional sales opportunities, lower subscriber churn and higher advertising. The company expects to reach a run rate of about $700 million by the end of 2019, increasing to $2 billion by the end of 2020 and ramping to $2.5 billion by the end of 2021. AT&T expects to end 2018 with a net-debt-to-adjusted-EBITDA ratio of about 2.8x, which it plans to reduce to the 2.5x range by the end of 2019, implying an $18 billion to $20 billion reduction in debt. The company expects to use about $12 billion in free cash flow after dividends to pay down debt in 2019. It also expects to generate cash of at least $6 billion to $8 billion from other opportunities, including real estate sale-lease backs, sales of non-core assets and working capital initiatives.

15:41 EDT CPUC orders PG&E to implement safety recommendations after 2010 San Bruno blast - The California Public Utilities Commission, or CPUC, announced it has ordered Pacific Gas and Electric Company, or PG&E, to implement the safety recommendations of CPUC staff as outlined in a report by an independent third-party. The recommendations that PG&E is ordered to implement include: development of a comprehensive safety strategy, with associated timelines/deliverables, resource requirements and budgets, personnel qualifications, clear delineation of roles and responsibilities; action plans, assignment of responsibility for initiatives; and associated metrics to assess effectiveness. "The CPUC initiated this proceeding after the pipeline explosion in San Bruno occurred to determine whether PG&E has an adequate safety culture. Sadly, the events of September 9, 2010, continue to echo today. Evidence shows that, although there are a few bright spots, PG&E appears not to have a clear vision for safety programs and instead pursues many programs without thought to how they fit together, despite eight years passing since the explosion in San Bruno. I plan to open a new phase in this proceeding to examine the corporate governance, structure, and operation of PG&E to determine the best path forward for Northern California to receive safe electrical and natural gas service," said CPUC President Michael Picker. Reference Link

14:40 EDT Nintendo Switch to outsell Sony's PS4 in 2019, Strategy Analytics says - Nintendo (NTDOY) is set to regain its leadership position in video game consoles for the first time since 2009, according to the latest projections from Strategy Analytics' Connected Home Devices service. The report, Global Game Console Market Forecast , predicts that Nintendo will sell 17.3M Switch consoles worldwide in 2019, while Sony (SNE) will sell 17.1M PS4 and PS4 Pro consoles. Microsoft (MSFT) will remain in third place, selling 10M Xbox One and Xbox One X devices. The overall console market has performed well in 2018, with total global sales reaching 46.1M devices, the highest level since 2010. Other key findings from the report include: Sony is still the market leader in terms of consoles in use, accounting for nearly half of all video games consoles in use, and 84% of these are now PS4 or PS4 Pro devices; video game console ownership has been rising again in recent years, as 45% of North American homes and 20% of Western European homes now own at least one console; the global retail value of the games console business is predicted to reach $15.4B in 2018, an increase of 7.6%; 2019 revenues are expected to decline by 10% as shipment volumes and prices fall; by 2023 revenues will return to 2018 levels, driven by the launch of next generation systems such as the PS5 and Xbox and Switch updates.

14:29 EDT Caterpillar says sector deal talks indicate modest growth in 2019 mine sales

14:26 EDT Caterpillar sees mine sales growth slower than in previous years - Says expects mine sales growth to be slower than in previous years. Says still a few years from normal replacement demand in mining. Says China industry this year will grow close to another 40%. Says feedback from Chinese dealers still positive. Comments taken from Credit Suisse 6th Annual Industrial Conference.

14:11 EDT Caterpillar sees digital as way to grow business - Sees digital not as a business itself, but as a way to grow the company's businesses organically. Comments taken from Credit Suisse 6th Annual Industrial Conference.

13:24 EDT Jack in the Box jumps 5.4% after Reuters says company exploring sale

13:07 EDT Helmerich & Payne forms new technology entity, acquires Angus Jamieson - Helmerich & Payne announced it has formed a new business entity, H&P Technologies, that will be used to drive development of advanced technologies and directional drilling automation solutions, resulting in greater reliability and well performance. As part of its ongoing commitment to digital innovation, the company also announced it has acquired Angus Jamieson Consulting, a software-based, training and consultancy company based in Inverness, Scotland.

13:03 EDT General Motors names Dan Ammann as CEO of Cruise - General Motors and Cruise are taking the next step toward commercializing autonomous vehicle technology with the appointment of Dan Ammann as CEO of Cruise. Kyle Vogt, Cruise co-founder, will partner with Ammann to set strategic direction for the company and will lead technology development as Cruise president and chief technology officer. The appointments are effective Jan. 1, 2019. As GM president, Ammann spearheaded the 2016 Cruise acquisition and, among his other global responsibilities, oversaw GM's relationship with Cruise. With Ammann's appointment, GM's global regions and GM Financial will now report directly to Mary Barra.

12:36 EDT CDW names Elizabeth Connelly chief HR officer - CDW (CDW) announced that Elizabeth H. Connelly will join CDW as chief human resources officer and senior vice president, coworker services, at the end of December. She will be a member of CDW's executive committee. Connelly joins CDW from J.P. Morgan Chase (JPM) where she most recently served as managing director and head of the Healthcare, Higher Education and Not-for-Profit Commercial Banking business.

12:18 EDT Aquestive Therapeutics launches Sympazan oral film in the U.S. - Aquestive Therapeutics announced it has launched SYMPAZAN oral film with availability nationwide through retail pharmacies and mail order. SYMPAZAN is the first and only oral film approved by the FDA to treat seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in patients 2 years of age or older. SYMPAZAN is a formulation based on Aquestive's PharmFilm technology. Multiple pharmacokinetic studies were conducted to compare SYMPAZAN with clobazam tablets and oral suspension. Based on the studies, SYMPAZAN oral film was demonstrated to be bioequivalent to clobazam tablets and have comparable safety profiles.

12:09 EDT Transocean shareholders approve acquisition of Ocean Rig UDW - Transocean (RIG) announced that its shareholders approved the acquisition of Ocean Rig UDW (ORIG) by approving the proposals presented at Transocean's Extraordinary General Meeting. Jeremy Thigpen, President and CEO, said, "Through this combination, Transocean further enhances our industry-leading fleet of high specification floaters, thus improving our competitive position. We are excited to begin actively marketing these assets into the growing list of opportunities we continue to see emerging across our global customer base. We look forward to closing the transaction in the coming days and welcoming Ocean Rig's experienced crews into the company."

12:04 EDT MPLX, Crimson Midstream announce extension of 'Swordfish' binding open season - Since the Swordfish Pipeline binding open season was announced on Oct. 17 by Crimson Midstream, and MPLX, the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, LOOP, terminal facility in Clovelly, Louisiana, reports that customer requests concerning its deepwater port export capabilities have risen sharply. In addition, LOOP has stated that the number of vessels loaded can be scaled to meet increasing market demand. To allow prospective shippers sufficient time to evaluate this new information and to account for the holiday season, Crimson and MPLX today announced an extension to a binding open season to continue to assess interest and solicit commitments from prospective shippers for transportation service on the Swordfish Pipeline.

12:00 EDT Build-A-Bear falls -17.2% - Build-A-Bear is down -17.2%, or -$1.27 to $6.11.

12:00 EDT Frontline rises 9.7% - Frontline is up 9.7%, or 72c to $8.15.

12:00 EDT Abercrombie & Fitch rises 20.6% - Abercrombie & Fitch is up 20.6%, or $3.53 to $20.65.

11:29 EDT Kraft Heinz announces agreement to acquire Primal Kitchen for about $200M - Kraft Heinz announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Primal Nutrition, makers of Primal Kitchen branded products, for approximately $200M. The brand holds leading positions in both e-commerce and natural channels, and is expected to generate approximately $50M in net sales this year, Kraft Heinz stated. "The proposed partnership with Primal Kitchen is consistent with Kraft Heinz's vision to be the best food company, growing a better world. The Primal Kitchen team has built an amazing portfolio of the world's best-tasting, health-enhancing, real-food pantry staples," said Paulo Basilio, U.S. Zone President for Kraft Heinz. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed in early 2019. Further terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

10:53 EDT Markets fall following report saying Navarro attending meeting with Xi

10:26 EDT Analyst says sell National Beverage as LaCroix sales growth creates uncertainty - Shares of National Beverage (FIZZ) dropped in morning trading after an analyst cut his price target on the stock, telling investors that he believes shares are overvalued. LACROIX SALES GROWTH CREATES 'UNCERTAINTY': Guggenheim analyst Laurent Grandet maintained a Sell rating on National Beverage ahead of the company's second quarter earnings report next week. In a research note to investors, Grandet said he is lowering his price target on the shares to $83 from $91 as he continues to believe shares are overvalued given the forward earnings power of the company, which has been hurt by recent negative press surrounding the "natural" claim of LaCroix flavoring ingredients. The analyst also lowered his LaCroix brand growth estimates and now sees a 7% consolidated sales compound annual growth rate through fiscal 2021 vs. his previous estimate of 9%. "What we don't know is how/if the sales trends will recover," Grandet said, adding that while the last two weeks of retail data show a slight improvement, it is unclear if the brand will ever fully regain its momentum. He continues to think LaCroix is a strong brand, but noted that the level of competition in the flavored sparkling water category continues to increase as new brands and private label offerings enter the market and existing brands expand their offering breadth. WHAT'S NOTABLE: In recent months, a report in Popular Science raised doubts about the "all-natural" claims of the chemicals in LaCroix -- specifically ethyl butanoate, limonene, linalool and linalool propionate -- saying that the chemicals technically quality as syntehtic or dangerous. The company was sued in an Illinois circuit court, which alleged that the products were mislabeled as limonene is known to cause kidney toxicity and tumors, while linalool propionate is used to treat cancer. National Beverage later responded by saying that a certified independent laboratory confirmed that LaCroix's Essences were confirmed as "natural." PRICE ACTION: Shares of National Beverage are down about 5% in morning trading to $83.95.

10:02 EDT Cinedigm acquires North American Distribution rights to 'THE FINAL WISH' - Cinedigm announced that it has acquired all North American Distribution rights to Status Media & Entertainment's "THE FINAL WISH," a horror film starring Lin Shaye, Michael Welch, Spencer Locke, Melissa Bolona and Tony Todd. The film is set to be released in theaters early 2019.

10:00 EDT Express falls -17.5% - Express is down -17.5%, or -$1.25 to $5.91.

10:00 EDT Endava rises 13.0% - Endava is up 13.0%, or $3.20 to $27.77.

10:00 EDT Abercrombie & Fitch rises 21.0% - Abercrombie & Fitch is up 21.0%, or $3.59 to $20.71.

09:50 EDT FRONTEO Inc (ADS) trading resumes

09:47 EDT Build-A-Bear falls -14.8% - Build-A-Bear is down -14.8%, or -$1.09 to $6.29.

09:47 EDT Express falls -19.1% - Express is down -19.1%, or -$1.36 to $5.79.

09:47 EDT La-Z-Boy rises 9.5% - La-Z-Boy is up 9.5%, or $2.78 to $31.94.

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

09:34 EDT B-Temia enters into $6.9M U.S. Army/Lockheed Martin agreement - B-Temia, a Canadian robotics tech company and leader in the human mobility market, announced its engagement in a major agreement with U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center with its partner Lockheed Martin, appointed as the prime contractor. At a total value of $6.9M, the agreement is for the optimization of the of the ONYX exoskeleton, the military version of the B-Temia's Dermoskeleton technology, for field trials with military operators. ONYXTM is a brand owned by Lockheed Martin under the B-Temia Enabled co-branding.

09:30 EDT Constellation Pharmaceuticals appoints Patrick Trojer CSO - Constellation Pharmaceuticals announced that Patrick Trojer has been appointed CSO, effective immediately. Trojer joined Constellation Pharmaceuticals as a founding scientist in 2008, working closely with the initial investors to launch the company. He has held positions of increasing responsibility at Constellation, initially leading biology, then research and most recently, as senior VP, EZH2 franchise and head of translational sciences. During his tenure at Constellation, he has built a scientific team to generate innovative cancer therapeutics by targeting various gene regulatory mechanisms. He made a significant contribution to building Constellation's portfolio of two clinical and multiple preclinical product candidates.

09:26 EDT Rafael Holdings initiates Phase 3 trial for CPI-613 with CHAM - Rafael Holdings announced the initiation of a Phase 3, multicenter, open-label, randomized, pivotal trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of its lead compound CPI-613 in combination with high dose cytarabine and mitoxantrone, or CHAM, in older patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia, or AML. ARMADA 2000 will compare the efficacy and safety of high dose cytarabine and mitoxantrone with CHAM. Patients 60 years old with relapsed or refractory AML and an ECOG performance status of 0-2 are eligible for enrollment. The primary efficacy endpoint will be complete remission, or CR. Secondary endpoints include the evaluation of overall survival, or OS, and CR with partial hematologic recovery as well as safety. A total of 500 patients will be evaluated in ARMADA 2000 at approximately 87 sites in 12 countries. The interim analysis of the study is expected to be completed as early as Q1 2020. An earlier Phase 1 dose escalation study evaluated the safety, tolerability and efficacy of CHAM in patients with relapsed or refractory AML. In total, 67 patients were enrolled and 62 were evaluable for response. The overall response rate was 50% with median survival of 6.7 months. In a subsequent Phase 2 study of CHAM, a total of 48 patients were enrolled and all were evaluable for response. The overall response rate was 45% with median survival was 10.4 months. In the combined data of these two trials, elderly patients with relapsed or refractory AML dosed with 2,000 mg/m2 of CPI-613, exhibited 52% CR+CRi with median survival of 12.4 months. In both studies, the treatment was well tolerated. Given these results, further evaluation of CPI-613 in AML is warranted.

09:21 EDT Plantronics expands stock repurchase program by 1M shares - Plantronics announced that its board has approved an expansion of the company's stock repurchase authorization by 1M shares. The expanded authorization brings Plantronics total remaining capacity to approximately 1.7M shares for future purchases.

09:14 EDT Northrop Grumman says 'actively pursuing' GBSD

09:11 EDT Abercrombie & Fitch sees 25% of goods imported from China in FY18 - Management said they have a number of tools in place to mitigate the potential impact from tariffs. Comments provided during Q3 earnings conference call.

09:09 EDT Northrop Grumman CFO says 'aligns well' with national defense strategy - CFO Ken Bedingfield says company "aligns well" with national defense strategy. Says "feels good" about cultural fit of Orbital-ATK into company. Says "on track for the cost synergy side of things," says "bullish" on missile defense synergies. Says "broad support" for strong defense, says threat environment "remains significant." Comments taken from the Credit Suisse Industrials Conference.

09:07 EDT Carbonite, Iron Mountain announce expansion of strategic partnership - Carbonite (CARB) and Iron Mountain (IRM) announced the expansion of their strategic partnership. Iron Mountain plans to integrate the Carbonite data protection platform into its Iron Cloud platform, enabling businesses to safeguard and improve recoverability of their mission-critical data across all IT environments in the event of data loss, disaster or cyber-attack. The Carbonite data protection platform allows businesses to deploy data protection solutions for their systems across physical and virtual environments. From backup for physical servers to high availability for critical workloads, data migration solutions to endpoint protection, Carbonite's comprehensive platform provides a data protection strategy for growing businesses. With this partnership, Iron Mountain will host the Carbonite data protection platform in its enterprise-class Iron cloud within its data centers. Iron cloud is a data management platform that delivers the availability and protection of critical data, enabling organizations to mitigate risk, increase operational efficiency and drive value from data. With Iron Cloud, organizations can deploy a hybrid data management strategy for their multi-cloud environments with the appropriate cost, performance and security for each storage tier.

09:06 EDT Fly Intel: Pre-market Movers - HIGHER: Nielsen (NLSN), up 3.5% after Financial Times reports Madison Dearborn has joined the group of PE firms exploring a takeout of the company... Tonix Pharmaceuticals (TNXP), up 77% after receiving minutes from its Type B meeting with the FDA consistent with the preliminary guidance the company received and confirming the FDA's acceptance of the new Phase 3 RECOVERY study design. UP AFTER EARNINGS: Tech Data (TECD), up 15%... Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF), up 22%... Box (BOX), up 4%... Yeti (YETI), up 6%. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Express (EXPR), down 20%... Dollar Tree (DLTR), down 4%... RYB Education (RYB), down 13%. LOWER: Deutsche Bank (DB), down 4% after its headquarters was raided in a money-laundering investigation... Intelsat (I), down 14% after filing to sell 11.5M common shares for holders.

09:04 EDT Nielsen expands its U.S. Dynamic Ad Insertion pilot - Nielsen is expanding its U.S. Dynamic Ad Insertion pilot, adding a Smart TV platform and national cable network. MediaTek, a global semiconductor company, will bring DAI to their Smart TV platform for the first time. A+E Networks is joining CBS, as previously announced, to begin replacing advertisements in live linear programming on select networks. Nielsen's DAI pilot will enable MediaTek-powered Smart TV platforms to deliver addressable advertising capabilities in live trials across five major U.S. markets. As part of this pilot, A+E Networks and CBS will be the first broadcasters to replace traditional linear TV advertisements as well as show/network promotions with targeted advertisements.

09:02 EDT Nucor acquires precision castings company in Mexico - Nucor is acquiring Corporacion POK, a fully integrated precision castings company with a facility in Guadalajara, Mexico. POK produces complex castings and precision machined products used by the oil and gas, mining and sugar processing industries. POK currently employs 425 people at its Guadalajara production facility. In addition to the Nucor ATP Mexico cold finish facility in Monterrey, Nucor's current Mexican operations include several sheet steel processing facilities as part of its Steel Technologies joint venture with Mitsui & Co., as well as a steel sales office.

08:58 EDT Bayer sees Q4 non-cash impairments and write-offs of EUR3.3B - Bayer said: "At the Consumer Health and Pharmaceuticals divisions, non-cash impairments and write-offs totaling approximately EUR3.3B are anticipated in the fourth quarter of 2018. At Consumer Health, these primarily concern brands acquired with the Merck & Co. and Dihon businesses as well as some of the goodwill recognized in the balance sheet, totaling some EUR2.7B. In the case of Pharmaceuticals, impairments and write-offs of around 0.6 billion euros are due especially to the decision not to utilize the factor VIII facility that was built in Wuppertal, Germany, and to focus all recombinant factor VIII production in Berkeley, United States. At the Crop Science Division, the focus is on successfully integrating the acquired business. As previously communicated, Bayer expects synergies to deliver annual contributions of 1.04 billion euros, or $1.2B, to EBITDA before special items as of 2022. This figure, which comprises 0.87 billion euros, or $1B, in cost synergies, is included in the contribution target outlined above."

08:53 EDT Bayer assessing options to exit Animal Health business, suncare, footcare lines - The Bayer Group announced that it aims to strengthen its core life science businesses through a series of portfolio, efficiency and structural measures designed to enhance productivity and innovation while significantly improving competitiveness. "In a meeting on Thursday, the Supervisory Board of Bayer AG discussed the plans laid out by the Board of Management and unanimously expressed their support," the company stated. "Bayer intends to advance the portfolio measures in 2019. The company intends to exit the Animal Health business and is assessing available options. Although this unit offers growth options in an attractive market, Bayer intends to allocate the investment resources necessary to support Animal Health to Bayer's core businesses of Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Health and Crop Science. At Consumer Health, the company has initiated measures to enable the division to catch up to market growth in the coming years and improve profitability. These measures include a planned exit from product categories that have more favorable development potential outside of Bayer. In addition to the previously announced divestment of prescription dermatology products, Bayer will review its strategic options in the coming months with a view to exiting the sun care, or Coppertone, and foot care, or Dr. Scholl's, product lines. Through these moves, the company intends to focus on driving profitable growth in its core Consumer Health categories. Furthermore, Bayer is in discussions regarding the divestment of its 60% interest in German site services provider Currenta. Following the successful carve-out of Covestro, Bayer's use of Currenta's services no longer justifies this 60% stake. In addition to the planned portfolio measures, Bayer intends to significantly improve its cost structure. The company aims to further strengthen innovation and productivity, to accelerate access to future technologies, and to further enhance competitiveness and profitability. In this context, the company will seek to achieve greater efficiency across its supporting functions and services," Bayer said.

08:48 EDT SunLink Health Systems announces share repurchase program - SunLink Health Systems announced that its board had approved a share repurchase program that authorizes the company to purchase up to 300,000 shares of its common stock or approximately 4% of its currently outstanding shares. The company expects to fund any repurchases with cash on hand or from future cash flow.

08:37 EDT Histogenics continues talks with FDA on NeoCart pathway - Histogenics provided an update on the NeoCart regulatory pathway based on its ongoing dialogue with the FDA. Since the initial Type C meeting in October, Histogenics and the FDA have continued their discussions on the clinical data generated to date, the potential need for any additional supplemental clinical data and potential alternative regulatory pathways for the NeoCart biologics license application, or BLA. The FDA has not yet made a final decision regarding a potential BLA submission. Histogenics intends to provide a further update by the end of 2018 or early 2019 based on additional feedback from the FDA, once available.

08:33 EDT BioHiTech Global increases stake in HEBioT renewable resource recovery facility - BioHiTech Global has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire an additional 26.8% ownership stake in the nation's first HEBioT renewable resource recovery facility located in Martinsburg, West Virginia. The acquisition will make BioHiTech the largest owner of the Martinsburg Facility and enable the company to consolidate an estimated $7M in annual high margin revenue generated by the operations in its financial statements beginning in 2019. The company is acquiring the additional ownership stake in the Martinsburg Facility from Entsorga USA in exchange for the issuance of approximately $1,886,000 in BioHiTech preferred stock, convertible into BioHiTech common stock at a fixed price of $2.64 per share. Entsorga USA, a company owned by the principals of the Italian engineering firm that developed the HEBioT technology, will remain as a minority owner of the Martinsburg Facility. The Martinsburg Facility is expected to begin the commissioning process in December 2018 and to ramp production throughout 1Q19. The Martinsburg facility has secured ten year agreements for both the supply of MSW from a regional hauler and the off-take of the SRF production by a multi-billion dollar cement company with operations nearby. The company controls the exclusive development rights to the HEBioT technology in 12 Northeastern states and the District of Columbia. A second site is currently under development in Rensselaer, NY with other potential locations in early stage planning.

08:27 EDT Abercrombie & Fitch targets FY20 adj. EBIT margin of 2.9% - Targets low single-digit sales CAGR in FY20. Targets positive SSS and global market expansion in FY20. Targets modest gross profit rate expansion in FY20. Guidance provided in Q3 earnings presentation slides.

08:17 EDT Amag Pharmaceuticals awards grants totaling nearly $300,000 for maternal health - As part of the company's annual grant program to support research to reduce preterm birth and preeclampsia and associated complications, AMAG Pharmaceuticals announced it has awarded four grants totaling nearly $300,000 to independent researchers in the maternal health field. The 2018 grant recipients were selected by an independent external review panel of maternal fetal medicine specialists with extensive research experience.

08:11 EDT Tocagen and NRG Oncology partner in Toca trial for glioblastoma - Tocagen and NRG Oncology, a member of the National Cancer Institute's National Clinical Trial Network, announced that the NCI Cancer Therapy and Evaluation Program Brain Malignancies Steering Committee has approved a concept to develop a clinical trial utilizing the investigational therapeutic regimen Toca 511 for the treatment of patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. NRG Oncology conducts practice-defining, multi-institutional Phase 2 and 3 trials funded primarily by the NCI. The proposed Phase 2/3 trial is expected to begin enrollment in 2019 and will be conducted by NRG Oncology with Tocagen supplying investigational drug and supplemental financial support. Additional information about the trial will be provided in 2019. Tocagen is currently studying Toca 511 & Toca FC for the treatment of recurrent high grade glioma in the ongoing Phase 3 trial.

08:08 EDT Genomic Health's Oncotype DX breast cancer test shows predictive capacity - Genomic Health and the NSABP Foundation announced the publication of "positive" results from a new analysis of the NSABP-led B-20 study reconfirming that the Oncotype DX Breast Recurrence Score test predicts which patients with early-stage, HER2-negative breast cancer will benefit from chemotherapy. NSABP conducted a new analysis in 569 patients from its previously completed B-20 study. The results show that Oncotype DX provides definitive information about which patients will derive life-saving benefit from chemotherapy treatment.

08:07 EDT Motorola Solutions comments on recent court rulings against Hytera - The company said, "Motorola Solutions set the record straight regarding the misleading statements put forth by Hytera Communications Corporation of Shenzhen, China. 'The numerous court rulings across the globe have confirmed that Hytera is a serial infringer of Motorola Solutions' intellectual property,'said Mark Hacker, general counsel and chief administrative officer of Motorola Solutions. 'Moreover, it has been reported in a recent interview that Hytera admitted that its new i-Series will lack important features available on Motorola Solutions' devices. While Hytera has stated that the features are 'minor,' we believe Hytera is deliberately misleading its own customers and distributors as our patented technologies provide important benefits that vastly improve performance. Any products without those features, including Hytera's supposed new 'i-Series,' will be severely limited in functionality. In addition, Hytera's contention that its 'i-Series' has been broadly cleared by the ITC is not supported by the ITC's public materials...Hytera has been fighting hard in court to keep as much as possible of the ITC's rulings redacted and secret, and we urge Hytera to permit the rulings to be made public. Dealers and customers deserve the right to make informed decisions about the risks they run in purchasing products lacking the critical functionalities covered by Motorola's patents, and in doing business with a company that has engaged in intentional copying, infringement and misappropriation.'..Significantly, Hytera appears to be largely avoiding questions about how its products will be functionally impacted by the ITC's order if the infringing features are removed. That impact is significant: the infringed patents cover key innovative technologies widely used in Hytera's DMR two-way radios and repeaters...Hytera's statements to the public are very different than those made by Hytera and its dealers to the ITC, where it confirmed the importance of the technologies Hytera says it will remove from its products. Hytera's dealers urged the International Trade Commission not to issue the order it did, stating that '[i]f the recommended order is entered, our customers' effectiveness in providing services essential to public health, safety, and welfare will be put at great risk.' Hytera's customers also described how the ITC's exclusion order would impact their use of Hytera's products, indicating that if the ITC excluded Hytera's products with the infringing technologies, that decision would impact Hytera's products significantly, and noting that 'our people and the public cannot afford delays caused by communication interruptions or failures. Seconds matter if we are to protect the public and save lives.' Consistent with Hytera's and its customers' statements to the International Trade Commission, Hytera's recent product announcements regarding its new i-Series are conspicuously silent as to whether those new products will deliver equivalent functionality to Motorola Solutions' products. In addition to reportedly lacking key technologies and features, Motorola Solutions notes that it has been unable to locate any i-Series products in use or available for purchase anywhere around the world. As soon as any such newly released products become available, Motorola Solutions will promptly evaluate them to determine if they contain technologies subject to the International Trade Commission's orders or Motorola's patent portfolio."

08:05 EDT Jazz Pharmaceuticals says first patient enrolled in Phase 3 JZP-258 trial - Jazz Pharmaceuticals announced that the first patient has been enrolled in a Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of JZP-258 for the treatment of idiopathic hypersomnia, a sleep disorder characterized by chronic and disabling excessive daytime sleepiness that is not caused by other conditions known to induce excessive daytime sleepiness. Other symptoms of idiopathic hypersomnia may include prolonged nighttime sleep, long and unrefreshing naps and difficulty waking up from nocturnal sleep or daytime naps. JZP-258 is an investigational oxybate mixed-salts oral solution with 90% less sodium than Xyrem oral solution. JZP-258 is also currently in Phase 3 development for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy in narcolepsy. The JZP-258 clinical trial for patients with idiopathic hypersomnia will be conducted in multiple study centers in the United States and European Union.

08:03 EDT Tribune, Altice USA reach agreement on carriage, retransmission consent - Tribune Broadcasting, a subsidiary of Tribune Media (TRCO), and Altice USA (ATUS) announced that they have reached a comprehensive agreement on carriage and retransmission consent. The agreement enables Altice USA to continue carrying Tribune local televisions stations across the country and provides for carriage of Tribune's cable entertainment network WGN America. Specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

08:01 EDT Altria, under pressure from FDA, said in talks to buy stake in Juul Labs - Following a report that Altria Group (MO) is in talks to take a "significant" stake in Juul Labs, an analyst said that an agreement could make strategic sense for the tobacco giant to gain exposure to a fast-growing product that poses a threat to its cigarette business. REPORT: On Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal said Altria is in talks to take a "significant" minority interest in Juul Labs, a controversial e-cigarette startup. According to people familiar with the matter, any deal is likely several weeks away. Juul was last valued at $16B in a private fundraising round this summer. Altria has an agreement with Philip Morris (PM) to market IQOS, subject to regulatory approval. Philip Morris is already selling it in 43 countries and has said it could get approved for the U.S. by the end of the year. Juul has drawn criticism over its products' popularity with teens. Juul, whose products are sold online and in convenience stores, gas stations and vape shops, accounted for about three-quarters of the U.S. e-cigarette market in the four-week period ended November 17, according to the Wells Fargo analysis of Nielsen data. Earlier this month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced plans to place restrictions on sales of flavored e-cigarettes. Juul also said it would restrict sales of nearly all its flavored pods to the internet, and stop most social media promotion to combat youth vaping. "More than 99% of all social media content related to JUUL Labs is generated through third-party users and accounts with no affiliation to our company. Nevertheless, we understand that many young people get their information from social media. To remove ourselves entirely from participation in the social conversation, we have decided to shut down our U.S.-based social media accounts on Facebook (FB) and Instagram. We have never used Snapchat (SNAP)," the company stated. WHAT'S NOTABLE: Following the FDA statement on the agency's proposed steps against underage smoking, Altria General Counsel Murray Garnick said it "welcomed" the FDA's efforts to address the underage use of e-vapor products and said it believes Congress should raise the legal age of purchase for all tobacco products to 21. Last month, Altria said it would pull its pod-based e-vapor products from the market until approved by FDA. The company said Nu Mark will remove MarkTen Elite and Apex by MarkTen pod-based products from the market "until these products receive a market order from the FDA or the youth issue is otherwise addressed," and that for the remaining MarkTen and Green Smoke cig-a-like products, Nu Mark will sell only tobacco, menthol and mint varieties. Nu Mark will discontinue the sale of all other flavor variants of our cig-a-like products until these products receive a market order from the FDA. The FDA is also pursuing a ban on menthol cigarettes, which could remove nearly a third of the roughly 250B cigarettes sold annually in the U.S., The Wall Street Journal said. A rule could take a year or more to finalize, the FDA said. The FDA concluded in 2013 that menthols are harder to quit and likely pose a greater health risk than regular cigarettes. ANALYST COMMENTARY: Morgan Stanley analyst Pamela Kaufman said she has no knowledge of a potential deal between Altria and Juul but that taking such a stake could make strategic sense for Altria to gain exposure to a fast growing product that poses a threat to its cigarette business. Altria does not have a robust reduced risk product portfolio and Juul's e-cigs could significantly enhance its competitive position, stated Kaufman, who also believes Altria would likely be buying in at a lower valuation than the previously reported $15B given the FDA recently prohibited flavored pods sales in convenience stores. PRICE ACTION: In pre-market trading, shares of Altria are up about 0.8%. OTHERS TO WATCH: Publicly traded companies in the tobacco products space also include Philip Morris and British American Tobacco (BTI).

07:58 EDT Encompass Health building inpatient rehabilitation hospital in South Dakota - Encompass Health plans to build a 40-bed inpatient rehabilitation hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, expected to be named Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Sioux Falls. The freestanding hospital will provide comprehensive rehabilitative services to patients overcoming debilitating illnesses and injuries. Included in the hospital will be a large therapy gym, rehabilitation technologies, activities-of-daily-living suite, dining room, in-house pharmacy, and courtyard. The company expects the project will represent an investment of approximately $28M and will bring approximately 83 full-time jobs to the community. Construction is expected to start in spring 2019 with patient care beginning in the summer of 2020.

07:44 EDT KNOT Offshore Partners CEO/CFO John Costain stepping down - KNOT Offshore Partners announced that John Costain has decided to step down as CEO and CFO of the partnership. Although Costain is resigning in order to pursue other interests outside of the partnership, he will be available for the partnership until May 31, 2019. This ensures that the board has sufficient time to find a suitable replacement to Costain when he steps down.

07:33 EDT Alliance Data launching Penn National Gaming credit card loyalty program - Alliance Data's (ADS) Columbus, Ohio-based card services business, a provider of branded private label, co-brand and business card programs, has signed a new agreement to provide co-brand credit card services for Penn National Gaming (PENN), subject to any requisite regulatory approvals. The credit card program will expand Penn National's customer loyalty program. Alliance Data's Frictionless Mobile Credit and Instant Card Issuance capabilities will aim to simplify and accelerate the process of applying for and receiving the credit card.

07:30 EDT Alkermes trading resumes

07:22 EDT Keryx announces ISS recommendation for Akebia merger - Keryx (KERX) announced that independent proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services, or ISS, recommends Keryx stockholders vote "FOR" the merger and the proposals relating to the proposed merger with Akebia (AKBA) at the special meeting of Keryx stockholders to be held on December 11. In recommending that Keryx stockholders vote "FOR" the merger and related proposals relating to the proposed merger, ISS stated in its November 28 report "...the strategic rationale appears strong, as both companies are focused on developing drugs for patients with kidney disease, which should lead to substantial cost savings in the long run. Moreover, the company appears to have conducted a relatively thorough process. As such, support for the merger is warranted. Keryx's board appears to have conducted a thorough process, proactively reaching out to at least 13 potential transaction partners. Keryx's board, its management, and its largest shareholder also each conducted diligence on Akebia's clinical program, which includes its lead product candidate, vadadustat, in Phase 3 development and not yet FDA-approved... the evaluation of Akebia's clinical program by multiple parties, including Keryx's largest shareholder, is reassuring. Akebia's ability to use Keryx's existing commercial organization is a big reason that the combined company forecasts cumulative cost savings of $250 million over the five years after the merger closes."

07:14 EDT Tonix Pharmaceuticals announces additional details of Phase 3 RECOVERY study - Tonix Pharmaceuticals announced that it has received the official minutes from the Breakthrough Therapy Type B clinical guidance meeting with the FDA. The minutes are consistent with the preliminary guidance the company received at the meeting and confirm FDA's acceptance of the new Phase 3 RECOVERY study design. As previously communicated, the company plans to start the RECOVERY trial for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, in Q1 of 2019. The new trial will incorporate several new design features including restricting enrollment of study participants to individuals with PTSD who experienced an index trauma within nine years of screening, instead of 2001 or later as in the Phase 3 HONOR study. The RECOVERY study will also include participants who have experienced civilian traumas in addition to those with military-related traumas. The primary endpoint, mean change from baseline in the severity of PTSD symptoms as measured by the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5, is the same as that used in the Phase 3 HONOR study and the Phase 2 AtEase study, but the CAPS-5 primary endpoint will be assessed at Week 4 instead of at Week 12. Based on the Week 4 primary endpoint, approximately 250 patients will be enrolled in the RECOVERY trial, compared to approximately 550 patients targeted for the previous Phase 3 HONOR study, which utilized a primary endpoint assessed at week 12.

07:10 EDT Antares Pharma announces commercial availability of Xyosted - Antares Pharma announced the availability of Xyosted injection. Xyosted is the only FDA approved subcutaneous testosterone product for once-weekly, at-home self-administration with a single dose, disposable QuickShot auto injector. Xyosted has been approved in three dosage strengths and is indicated for testosterone replacement therapy in adult males for conditions associated with a deficiency or absence of endogenous testosterone. Xyosted was approved by the FDA on September 28.

07:05 EDT Voyager enters into collaborations with Brammer Bio, Fujifilm Diosynth - Voyager Therapeutics announced that it has entered into collaborations with Brammer Bio and Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies to further expand Voyager's manufacturing capabilities to support the development of its gene therapy programs. The collaborations allow Voyager to transfer its state-of-the-art research and development production capabilities to best-in-class gene therapy contract development and manufacturing organizations with late-stage clinical and commercial-scale capabilities, particularly as it relates to the baculovirus/Sf9 system for manufacturing adeno-associated virus gene therapies. As part of the announcement, Voyager will partner with Brammer to implement a commercial-ready manufacturing process under current good manufacturing practice at their Cambridge facility, and will partner with Fujifilm to provide first-in-human cGMP clinical trial material production capacity at their College Station facility.

07:05 EDT Akebia says ISS recommends shareholders vote for proposed Keryx merger - Akebia Therapeutics (AKBA) announced that independent proxy advisory firm, Institutional Shareholder Services, recommends that Akebia shareholders vote "FOR" the shareholder proposals relating to the company's proposed merger with Keryx Biopharmaceuticals (KERX). In its report of November 28, 2018, ISS stated: "...the strategic rationale appears strong, as the combined company should require less future funding and both companies are focused on developing drugs for patients with kidney disease, which should lead to substantial cost savings. As such, a vote for the merger is warranted...If vadadustat is approved, the combined company will be able to provide a more complete solution for patients with CKD, which could help the company gain greater awareness among doctors treating CKD and lead to the combined company having greater revenue than the two companies would have had individually...The combined company would use the commercial organization that Keryx has been building, which includes sales people who have relationships with the same group of physicians who would prescribe vadadustat, doctors who treat kidney disease. That existing commercial organization should lead to the combined company being able to increase vadadustat revenue more quickly than if Akebia were to build its own commercial organization....[Akebia] anticipates that the combined company will have a better balance sheet in future years, and that the transaction will close a substantial funding gap." The merger of Akebia and Keryx is subject to the satisfaction of various closing conditions, including approval by shareholders of both companies. The Akebia Board of Directors strongly urges Akebia shareholders to vote "FOR" the Akebia proposals set forth in the definitive proxy statement, including "FOR" the proposal to issue shares of Akebia common stock to Keryx shareholders in relation to the proposed merger.

07:04 EDT Alkermes reports schizophrenia Phase 3 trial met both co-primary endpoints - Alkermes announced topline results from ENLIGHTEN-2, a pivotal phase 3 study of ALKS 3831, an investigational, novel, once-daily, oral atypical antipsychotic drug candidate for the treatment of schizophrenia. ENLIGHTEN-2 is the second of two key phase 3 studies in the ALKS 3831 registration program and was designed to confirm ALKS 3831's favorable weight profile compared to olanzapine, an antipsychotic agent with established efficacy but limited in its clinical use by a high incidence and magnitude of weight gain. ENLIGHTEN-2 was a multicenter, double-blind, randomized, phase 3 study that evaluated the weight gain profile of ALKS 3831 compared to olanzapine over six months in 561 patients with stable schizophrenia. In the study, ALKS 3831 met the pre-specified co-primary endpoints, demonstrating both a lower mean percent weight gain from baseline at six months compared to the olanzapine group and a lower proportion of patients who gained 10% or more of their baseline body weight at six months compared to the olanzapine group. In addition to meeting the co-primary endpoints, the study also met its pre-specified key secondary endpoint, with the ALKS 3831 treatment group demonstrating a lower proportion of patients who gained 7% or more of their baseline body weight at six months compared to the olanzapine group. Consistent with the phase 2 study of ALKS 3831, the weight gain curves for the ALKS 3831 and olanzapine treatment groups began to separate after Week 4 and continued to diverge for the remainder of the study. For the ALKS 3831 treatment group, weight stabilized at Week 6 and remained flat for the rest of the six-month treatment period.

07:03 EDT Realm Therapeutics provides update on strategic review process - Realm Therapeutics provides an update on timing of the ongoing formal sale process as part of the previously announced strategic review. On September 17, 2018, Realm announced the commencement of a strategic review, including the evaluation of a potential sale of the Company being conducted within the context of a formal sale process. The Board continues to consider many strategic initiatives in parallel. As part of the strategic review, Realm received multiple indications of interest which include a potential sale of the Company, contemplated as a reverse merger, directly and through parties contacted by MTS Partners, LP acting as an advisor in the strategic review. From among the several non-binding proposals, the Company has selected a short list of potential transactions and has advanced these to deal negotiation and due diligence. The Company anticipates providing a further update to shareholders in Q1 2019. Realm is also considering the separate sale of its HOCl-related assets, which include the Vashe royalty stream, the anti-itch hydrogel and the Company's HOCl-related intellectual property and other assets. The Company is in advanced negotiations to sell these assets and expects to update shareholders as to progress early in 2019. As at October 31, 2018, Realm had $20M in cash and cash equivalents, and short term investments. Realm continues to assess all options available to the Company to maximize shareholder value. There can be no certainty that any transaction will ensue from the formal sale process whether as a reverse merger or through the on-going efforts to monetize the HOCl assets. The Board reserves the right to alter or terminate any prospective transaction process at any time and, in such cases, will make an announcement as appropriate. The Board also reserves the right to reject any approach or terminate discussions with any interested party at any time.

06:55 EDT Alkermes trading halted, news pending

06:39 EDT Toronto-Dominion to amend normal course issuer bid - TD Bank Group announced that, subject to the approval of the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada and the Toronto Stock Exchange, it intends to amend its existing normal course issuer bid to increase the number of common shares that it may repurchase for cancellation from 20M common shares to 40M common shares. This represents approximately 2.2% of the common shares currently issued and outstanding. To date, TD has completed the purchase for cancellation of 20M common shares since the commencement of its normal course issuer bid. On October 31, 2018, there were 1,830,396,240 common shares issued and outstanding. TD's current normal course issuer bid commenced on April 24, 2018 and continues until April 12, 2019. Repurchases will continue to be made through the facilities of the TSX as well as through other designated exchanges and alternative trading systems in Canada in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements. The price paid for such repurchased shares will be the market price of such shares at the time of acquisition or such other price as may be permitted by the TSX. All repurchased shares will be cancelled. As at October 31, 2018, the Bank's Common Equity Tier 1, Tier 1 and Total Capital ratios were 12.0%, 13.7% and 16.2%, respectively.

06:12 EDT Yeti reports Q3 adjusted EBITDA up 26% to $38.4M

06:03 EDT Hollysys announces high-speed rail signaling bidding wins - Hollysys announced that it has recently won contracts with a total value of approximately $48.6M. One is to provide to the Henan section of the Zhengzhou-Wanzhou High Speed Railway a comprehensive set of highway signaling products including Train Control Center, Temporary Speed Restriction Server, and Lineside Electronic Unit with a total value of approximately $10.4M. The other is to provide 98 sets of Automatic Train Protection for high-speed trains in 300-350km/h covering equipment, system and relevant service packages, with a total value of approximately $38.2M.

05:55 EDT KBRwyle awarded 2 BOSS contracts valued at almost $54M by U.S. Navy - KBR announced that its global government services business, KBRwyle, has been awarded two base operating support services, or BOSS, contracts by Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Europe, Africa and Southwest Asia. These contracts total almost $54M. Most recently, KBRwyle received a $23.5M cost-plus-award-fee task order to provide base operating support services at a Naval Support Facility in Poland. The period of performance covered by the award is a one year base period with three option years. The Navy also awarded KBRwyle a $30M contract modification to provide base operating support services in the Kingdom of Bahrain. This is the fourth option year on the contract, which was originally awarded in June 2014. This contract modification brings the total cumulative contract value to $147M. KBRwyle will perform a range of services to support the men and women at these military installations. They include facility management, galley services, base vehicle maintenance, as well as laundry services, pest control and fire emergency services.

05:31 EDT Ericsson, Volvo sign 5-year connected vehicle worldwide cloud deal - Ericsson (ERIC) has been selected by Volvo Car Group (VOLVY) to provide the industrialized Ericsson Connected Vehicle Cloud, or CVC, platform to further enable its digital vehicle services in more than 120 markets worldwide for the next five years. Volvo Cars, like other major players in the automotive industry, is increasing focus on securing high-quality connected-vehicle services as digitalization increases the importance of software services. The services will also benefit from the increased speed, low-latency and capacity for mission critical applications, such as autonomous driving, that commercial 5G networks will enable. The deal - which will enable Volvo Cars to provide car owners and drivers with its latest developments in connected car digital services such as automation, fleet management, telematics, navigation, and infotainment - is the largest to date for Ericsson Connected Vehicle Cloud. Delivered via several geographically distributed centers, the platform takes full account of legal, security, and privacy obligations on a global scale - such as compliance with the European Union General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR. With digital services increasingly becoming a differentiation factor for automotive consumers, the need for a secure and dependable service provision infrastructure is critical to provide quality of service at scale. This is what the Ericsson Connected Vehicle Cloud delivers - meeting Volvo Cars' high services and applications availability and stability expectations, and allowing Volvo Cars to focus on the value creation of connected vehicle digital customer experiences as a differentiator.

05:28 EDT Chi-Med enters into multiple collaborations to evaluate surufatinib/fruquintinib - Hutchison China MediTech (HCM) entered into four collaboration agreements to evaluate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of Chi-Med's surufatinib and fruquintinib in combination with checkpoint inhibitors. It is an important part of Chi-Med's strategy to explore the potential synergies of its drug candidates in combination with other anti-cancer treatments. These four new immunotherapy collaborations add to our ongoing studies combining savolitinib, Chi-Med's highly selective c-Met inhibitor, with AstraZeneca's (AZN) checkpoint inhibitor, durvalumab.

05:23 EDT Novartis announces EU approval of Gilenya for children, adolescents with MS - Novartis announced that the European Commission has approved Gilenya for the treatment of children and adolescents 10 to 17 years old with relapsing-remitting forms of multiple sclerosis, or RRMS. The European market authorization makes Gilenya the first and only oral disease-modifying treatment for children and adolescents based on clinical Phase III data. This young population living with MS have a critical need for an effective treatment option, as they experience two-to-three times as many relapses as adults, often leading to a more severe prognosis and earlier irreversible disability compared to adult-onset MS.