Stockwinners Market Radar for January 16, 2019 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:22 EDT Amazon announces AWS Backup service - Amazon Web Service, an Amazon.com company, announced AWS Backup, a fully-managed, centralized backup service that makes it faster and simpler for customers to back up their data across AWS services and on-premises, helping customers more easily meet their business and regulatory backup compliance requirements. AWS Backup makes protecting storage volumes, databases, and file systems easier by giving customers a single service to configure and audit the AWS resources they backup, automate backup scheduling, set retention policies, and monitor recent backups and restores in one place.

18:44 EDT New Relic CEO: 'We are an app-centric company' - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, New Relic CEO Lew Cirne said: "We are an app-centric company... We measure software in real time with a cloud based platform... We are a massive cloud operation... Anyone who is competing on their software needs New Relic to succeed."

18:00 EDT KeyyBank to acquire Laurel Road, terms not disclosed - KeyBank National Association announced that KeyBank and Laurel Road Bank have entered into a definitive agreement for the acquisition by Key of Laurel Road's digital lending business; Laurel Road's three bank branches located in southeast Connecticut are not part of this transaction. Through the acquisition, Key will enhance its digital capabilities with state-of-the-art, customer-centric technology and will leverage Laurel Road's proven ability to attract and serve professional millennial clients. The acquisition is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Financial terms of the transaction have not been disclosed.

17:36 EDT CSX falls in after-hours trading after reporting quarterly results - Shares of railroad operator CSX (CSX) are falling in after-hours trading. Shares of CSX are down 2.6% in after-hours trading to $63.70 per share. Other publicly traded companies in the space include Canadian National (CNI), Canadian Pacific (CP), Genesee & Wyoming (GWR), Kansas City Southern (KSU), Norfolk Southern (NSC) and Union Pacific (UNP).

17:29 EDT Heartland Financial acquires Kansas-based Blue Valley Bank - Heartland Financial will acquire Blue Valley Ban and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Bank of Blue Valley, headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas. Founded in 1989, Bank of Blue Valley is a full-service community bank with approximately $725M in total assets, $527M in net loans outstanding and $608M in deposits as of September 30, 2018. Upon completion, Bank of Blue Valley will merge with and into Heartland's existing Kansas-based subsidiary, Morrill & Janes Bank, which had approximately $593M in total assets. The combination of Morrill & Janes Bank and Bank of Blue Valley will have assets of approximately $1.3B and 13 banking centers. Bank of Blue Valley CEO Robert Regnier will be named the Executive Chairman and CEO of the combined bank and Wendy Reynolds, President and CEO of Morrill & Janes Bank will assume the role of President of the combined bank. After the acquisition, Heartland will have total assets of approximately $12B with 127 full-service banking locations operating in 12 states. Holders of BVBC common stock at the closing will receive 0.3271 shares of Heartland common stock for each share of BVBC common stock owned immediately prior to closing, or approximately 2,066,000 shares of Heartland common stock in the aggregate. The 100% stock transaction is valued at approximately $93.9M, or $14.87 per share of BVBC common stock. The transaction is expected to close in Q2, with a systems conversion planned for Q3. Heartland expects the transaction to be accretive to its EPS within the first year of combined operations.

17:19 EDT Washington Federal increases share repurchase authorization - The board increased the number of shares authorized for repurchase by 10M, bringing the currently authorized amount up to 10.3M shares. Over the last four fiscal years the company has repurchased 17.7M shares at a weighted average price of $26.9, this represents 18% of the shares outstanding on October 1, 2014.

17:14 EDT H.B. Fuller down 9% to $39.50 after Q4 results, FY19 guidance trail estimates

17:10 EDT Woodside Petroleum reports Q4 output 24.1MMBOE, up 10% from last year - Reports Q4 sales $1.42B, up 43% from last year. Sees FY19 output of 88 MMBOE - 94 MMBOE vs 91.4MMBOE in FY18.

17:04 EDT Cars.com announces review of strategic alternatives, including potential sale - Cars.com announced that it has been conducting a process to explore strategic alternatives to enhance shareholder value. The Board authorized management and its external advisors to initiate such a process at its September 28 meeting, and it has since been considering a broad range of strategic alternatives including a potential sale of the company. Cars.com has retained J.P. Morgan as financial advisor and Latham & Watkins LLP as legal counsel for its process of exploring strategic alternatives.

17:03 EDT Corporacion America Airport reports December traffic up 5.2% y/y - Total passenger traffic in December 2018 increased by 5.2% YoY, primarily reflecting growth of 7.4% in Argentina, 3.0% in Brazil, and 6.7% in Ecuador. Cargo volume declined 3.4% in December mainly as a result of a decline of 6.5% in Argentina in relation with macroeconomic conditions, partially offset by the continued recovery in Brazil, with an increase of 16.5% YoY. Aircraft movements increased 3.1% in December, mainly as a result of an increase of 6.6% in Argentina and 14.0% in Ecuador, partially offset by an 18.1% decline in Peru.

17:02 EDT Bank OZK hires Ottie Kerley as Chief Deposit Officer - Bank OZK has hired Ottie Kerley as its newly created Chief Deposit Officer, to oversee all aspects of the bank's deposit strategies, including data analytics, deposit growth and deposit pricing. Kerley most recently led deposit pricing for a $110B consumer deposit portfolio at SunTrust Bank. Previously, he was a senior financial manager for consumer deposit finance and wholesale deposit pricing at SunTrust Bank, and a marketing database analyst for Wells Fargo & Company.

17:01 EDT CenterPoint Energy, Vectren merger receives final order for IURC - CenterPoint Energy, Inc. (CNP) and Vectren Corporation (VVC) announced that they have received a final order from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission. The order concludes the IURC's proceeding on the pending merger. Subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the remaining order with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, the merger is expected to close in the first quarter of 2019. Under a merger agreement announced in April 2018, the combined company, which will be named CenterPoint Energy and headquartered in Houston, is expected to have regulated electric and natural gas utility businesses in eight states that serve more than 7 million metered customers and a competitive energy businesses footprint in nearly 40 states. The combined company will also have approximately 14,000 employees with assets totaling approximately $29B and an enterprise value of $27B. The IURC's final order satisfies one of the two remaining conditions for the closing of the transaction. The pending merger has already received Vectren shareholder approval and approvals from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and Federal Communications Commission. It has also cleared the Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period. The remaining condition is the issuance of an order by the PUCO in response to the companies' joint informational filing with respect to the merger.

16:48 EDT Marsh & McLennan names new Mercer CEO and MMC vice chairman - Marsh & McLennan announced key leadership changes to further its growth strategy. Martine Ferland has been appointed to the role of President and Chief Executive Officer of Mercer effective March 1, 2019. Mercer is the global consulting leader advancing the health, wealth and careers of more than 115 million people around the world. In her new role, Ms. Ferland will report to Marsh & McLennan's President and CEO, Dan Glaser, and join the company's Executive Committee. Dan Glaser commented, "Martine is a talented executive who possesses broad global experience and a proven record of success. Her deep understanding of our business and clients, and more than 30 years of experience across the health, wealth and career spectrum, has uniquely prepared her for the challenge." Ms. Ferland joined Mercer in 2011 as Retirement Business Leader for Europe and Pacific Region. She then served as Europe and Pacific Region President and Co-President, Global Health, before being named Mercer Group President. Julio A. Portalatin, who served with distinction as Mercer's President and CEO for seven years, will become a Vice Chairman of Marsh & McLennan Companies. In this new role, he will continue to report to Mr. Glaser.

16:41 EDT SEACOR Marine Holdings to acquire three platform supply vessels from Cosco - SEACOR Marine Holdings has entered into definitive agreements to acquire three platform supply vessels from COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry, an affiliate of COSCO Shipping Group, the world's largest ship owner. Aggregate consideration for the vessels will be approximately $46.0M, of which 30% will be paid in cash and 70% will be paid under a four-year deferred payment agreement between SEACOR Marine and COSCO Zhoushan. Half of the cash payment will be funded in Q1 with the balance per vessel to be paid upon physical delivery of each vessel. The parties currently expect the vessels to be delivered on September 30, 2019, January 30, 2020, and April 30, 2020.

16:39 EDT HTG Molecular launches HTG EdgeSeq Reveal - HTG Molecular Diagnostics announced the launch of the HTG EdgeSeq Reveal. HTG EdgeSeq Reveal is a powerful software product that streamlines analysis of biomarker data from samples analyzed with the HTG EdgeSeq Precision Immuno-Oncology Panel on HTG's EdgeSeq system. "Characterization and visualization of immune response in the tumor environment continues to be an important step in developing biomarker strategies to understand the body's immune response in relation to cancer biology and potential response to mono and combination therapies," commented John Lubniewski, HTG's President and COO. "Our innovative HTG EdgeSeq Reveal data analysis suite is a scalable, flexible data product that we believe will expand with new applications to support HTG's growing translational research product portfolio," Mr. Lubniewski added.

16:36 EDT Protagonist Therapeutics reports granting of inducement award - Protagonist Therapeutics reported that on Jan. 15, it issued an inducement award to Suneel Gupta, Ph.D., the Company's recently hired Executive Vice President of Clinical Operations and Pharmacology, in accordance with the terms of Dr. Gupta's employment offer letter. The award was granted under the Protagonist Therapeutics Inducement Award Plan, which was adopted May 29, 2018.The inducement award consists of an option to purchase 110,000 shares of Protagonist Therapeutics common stock and has a ten-year term. The exercise price of the option was $7.38, which was the per-share closing price of Protagonist Therapeutics common stock on the Nasdaq Capital Market on Jan. 15, 2018. The option vests over a four-year period, with 25 percent vesting on the first anniversary of the employee's date of hire and the remainder vesting in equal monthly installments over three years thereafter.

16:33 EDT Oxbridge Re Holdings sees $6M in Q4 losses from Hurricane Michael and CA fires - Oxbridge Re announced that it expects its fourth quarter 2018 results to include $3.1 million in losses from Hurricane Michael and $2.9 million in losses from California Wildfires, both after taking into consideration its quota-share arrangement through its reinsurance sidecar, Oxbridge Re NS. Total notable large losses are expected to impact the fourth quarter 2018 by approximately $6 million.

16:32 EDT MannKind announces direct purchase insulin program for Afrezza - MannKind Corporation announced a direct purchase program to help those with diabetes obtain the company's inhaled insulin, Afrezza, for as little as $4 a day. Afrezza Inhalation Powder is a rapid-acting inhaled insulin indicated to improve glycemic control in adult patients with diabetes mellitus.

16:31 EDT AutoWeb names Dan Ingle as COO - AutoWeb has appointed Dan Ingle to the newly created position of COO. Ingle brings more than two decades of automotive and technology related experience to AutoWeb, and has spent the last 12 years with Cox Automotive serving in various capacities.

16:24 EDT Entegra Financial announces postponement of Q4 financial report - Entegra Financia, the holding company for Entegra Bank announced that it will postpone the release of its financial results for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, until after the stock market closes on January 24, 2019, in order to complete its review, together with the Audit Committee of Entegra's Board of Directors, of a possible impairment charge to Entegra's goodwill.

16:20 EDT Maiden Holdings sells AVS automotive group to Allianz Partners - Maiden Holdings announced another step in its strategic review with the sale of AVS Automotive VersicherungsService, or AVS, and related European subsidiaries to Allianz Partners. Maiden's proceeds from the sale include an undisclosed cash payment at closing and a three-year quota share reinsurance agreement with Allianz. Maiden's AVS and AVS subsidiaries work with German and Austrian auto retailers, original equipment manufacturers and related credit providers to design and distribute auto dealer and consumer insurance products. All of Maiden's AVS employees have joined Allianz and the company name will remain unchanged.

16:19 EDT Herman Miller appoints Mike Smith to Board of Directors - Herman Miller (MLHR) announced the unanimous action by the Board of Directors to appoint Mike Smith to the Board of Directors and the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors, effective January 16. Smith is the President and COO of Stitch Fix (SFIX) and former COO of Walmart.com (WMT).

16:17 EDT Oneok raises quarterly dividend 12% to 86c per share - Oneok increased its quarterly dividend 0.5c per share to 86c per share, a 12% increase vs. its dividend announced in January 2018. The dividend is payable Feb. 14 to shareholders of record at the close of business Jan. 28.

16:16 EDT EPR Properties raises monthly dividend 4% - EPR Properties announced that its board of trustees has declared its monthly cash dividend to common shareholders. The dividend of 37.5c per common share is payable February 15, 2019 to shareholders of record on January 31, 2019. This dividend represents an annualized dividend of $4.50 per common share, an increase of over 4% over prior year and the company's ninth consecutive year with an annual dividend increase. "We are pleased to announce a dividend increase for 2019," commented company President and CEO Greg Silvers. "Having successfully executed a significant capital recycling plan in 2018, this increase demonstrates the ongoing strength of our investment portfolio."

16:14 EDT Alcoa sees FY19 bauxite shipments 47M-48M dry metric tons - In 2019, Alcoa projects total bauxite shipments to range between 47.0 and 48.0 million dry metric tons. Total alumina shipments are expected to be between 13.6 and 13.7 million metric tons with anticipated operational improvements and higher year-on-year production. Aluminum is expected to ship between 2.8 and 2.9 million metric tons, which reflects the expiration of a can sheet tolling agreement in the flat-rolled business. The tolling agreement's expiration should have a negligible impact on Adjusted EBITDA for the year. Alcoa anticipates favorable impacts from spot prices for raw materials to be fully offset by higher energy costs in the first quarter, and to be partially offset for the remainder of the year. Based on current alumina and aluminum market conditions, the company expects an annual operational tax rate ranging from 45 to 55 percent. For the first quarter of 2019, Alcoa expects moderate benefits from both improvements in customer-specific alumina pricing and lower alumina costs to the Aluminum segment. These are partially offset by increased maintenance activities. For 2019, Alcoa projects a global aluminum deficit ranging between 1.7 million and 2.1 million metric tons with global demand growth in a range of 3 to 4 percent. The company's final global aluminum demand growth rate estimate for 2018 was 4 percent with a deficit of 1.7 million metric tons. The global alumina market closed 2018 with a deficit of 0.6 million metric tons, which fell within Alcoa's last estimate of a 0.4 million to 1.2 million metric ton deficit. In 2019, the company expects the alumina market to move to a surplus that is projected to range between 0.2 million and 1 million metric tons, which assumes ongoing, third-party supply disruptions in the Atlantic region. The projected alumina surplus is driven by China, where refining expansions are expected to outpace demand growth from smelting. The bauxite market is expected to remain in surplus with global stockpile growth projected to continue in 2019, ranging between 7 million and 11 million metric tons. The stockpile is driven by China, which strategically holds bauxite due to uncertain sourcing within and outside of the country.

16:12 EDT Kinder Morgan declares 20c per share Q4 dividend - Kinder Morgan announced that its board of directors approved a cash dividend of 20c per share for the fourth quarter payable on February 15, 2019, to common stockholders of record as of the close of business on January 31, 2019. "The dividend we are declaring is a 60 percent increase from the 2017 fourth quarter dividend, and is consistent with the plan to return value to shareholders that KMI announced during the summer of 2017," said Richard D. Kinder, Executive Chairman. "We are pleased that so far two of the three ratings agencies recognized the tremendous progress we made on our balance sheet, and we fully expect the third agency to upgrade us later this year."

16:11 EDT CSX says free cash flow trending ahead of 3-year guidance - CSX says free cash flow is trending ahead of 3-year guidance of $8.5B.

16:08 EDT Earthstone Energy sees FY19 average daily production 11K-12K Boepd

16:07 EDT Earthstone Energy sees Q4 oil and gas sales volumes of roughly 959,000 Boe - Earthstone Energy provided an operations update and 2019 guidance. The company has estimated its oil and gas sales volumes for the fourth quarter of 2018 at approximately 959,000 Boe or an average of approximately 10,430 Boepd. The company had approximately 1,100 Boepd shut-in across 11 gross operated and three gross non-operated wells during the fourth quarter of 2018 due to offset completion activity. For the year ended December 31, 2018, the company estimates its annual sales volumes grew 26% to approximately 3.62 million Boe, or an average of approximately 9,930 Boepd compared to 7,869 Boepd reported for the year ended December 31, 2017.

16:06 EDT Anika Therapeutics to showcase Hyalofast at ICRS - Anika Therapeutics announced plans to showcase HYALOFAST, a biodegradable, HA-based cartilage repair scaffold, at the 2019 International Cartilage Repair Society Summit. The 2019 ICRS Summit, which will be focused on Bio-Orthopaedics in Sports Medicine, will be held in San Diego, CA at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay on January 17-18, 2019. At the 2019 ICRS Summit, Dr. Alberto Gobbi, world-renowned specialist in arthroscopic surgery, cartilage repair and regenerative medicine, will present findings from a 10-year follow-up study of patients treated with HYALOFAST HA scaffold with Bone Marrow Aspirate Concentrate in a one-step surgery. The session will also provide a comparative review of HYALOFAST in comparison to ACI, or Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation, and MACI, or Matrix Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation, two-step surgeries requiring cell cultivation.

16:03 EDT Neurocrine: New analysis of INGREZZA published in Journal of Affective Disorders - Neurocrine Biosciences announced that a new analysis of INGREZZA capsules, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, demonstrated sustained improvement in tardive dyskinesia symptoms in patients with primary mood disorders. In the post-hoc analysis, INGREZZA significantly reduced involuntary movements associated with TD in patients with a primary mood disorder, such as bipolar and major depressive disorder, and was generally well tolerated with no clinically meaningful changes to psychiatric stability. INGREZZA is the first U.S. FDA approved treatment for adults with TD, a movement disorder that is characterized by uncontrollable, abnormal and repetitive movements of the face, torso and/or other body parts.

15:32 EDT AltraVue Capital reports 6.34% passive stake in Limbach Holding - In a regulatory filing, AltraVue Capital disclosed a 6.34% stake in Limbach Holding, which represents about 481,000 shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

14:54 EDT Sabby Management reports 8.82% passive stake in Kitov Pharma - In a regulatory filing, Sabby Management disclosed an 8.82% stake in Kitov Pharmaceuticals, which represents 1.7M shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

14:30 EDT Royce & Associates reports 6.07% passive stake in Secureworks - In a regulatory filing, Royce & Associates disclosed a 6.07% stake in Secureworks, which represents about 710,000 shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

14:21 EDT Vornado increases quarterly dividend to 66c per share - Vornado announced that its board has declared an increased quarterly dividend of 66c per share, a 2019 annual dividend rate of $2.64. The dividend will be payable on February 14 to shareholders of record on January 28.

14:02 EDT Xilinx enabling Baidu's edge acceleration computing solution - Xilinx (XLNX) announced that the "newly unveiled" EdgeBoard, Baidu's (BIDU) edge acceleration computing solution, is enabled by Xilinx. "The EdgeBoard is a turn-key solution which is available fully configured directly from Baidu. It can also be configured and customized as part of the Baidu Brain AI Hardware Platform initiative, developed to deliver proven market-specific technologies to the industry so that companies can quickly adopt and deploy them for edge-specific applications. The Baidu Brain AI Hardware Platform is part of the Baidu Brain AI capabilities open platform, encompassing Baidu's open computing services and hardware and software products for edge artificial intelligence applications," Xilinx stated in a press release.

13:51 EDT Standex sells majority interest in Giorik; terms not disclosed - Standex International Corporation announced that it has sold its minority interest investment in Giorik, SpA to that business's majority owner. It was necessary to have the Company's partner repurchase the minority interest in Giorik to allow the eventual buyer of Cooking Solutions maximum flexibility and to have a supply contract with the partner in place. Standex continues to make progress on the Cooking Solutions divestiture from the Food Service Equipment Group segment in line with its plan.

13:19 EDT United Natural Foods trading resumes

13:07 EDT Bunge drops 2% after ADM CEO says wrong time for 'monster' acquisitions

13:00 EDT Ligand sinks after Citron Research predicts 80% share downside - Shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals are moving lower after Andrew Left's short selling firm Citron Research posted a negative report on the company. "While Ligand has managed to generate some consistent royalties, they are mainly generated from just four approved drugs with one accounting for over 75% of royalties though it will soon begin to lose patent exclusivity," Citron wrote in a research report posted on its website. After modeling for future cash flows and adjusting for net operating losses and cash, Citron gets to a current valuation of $20 per share for Ligand's base business. "It is time for Ligand Management to disclose to Wall St the attribution of your pipeline/milestone payments from specific companies and increase your disclosures about the true viability of the pipeline," the firm concluded. "Once investors see that they do not own a pharma ETF but rather a collections of the lazy man's sub par assets, Citron expects Ligand stock to reflect its true value." The firm put a price target of $35 on Ligand shares, which it says reflects "all the benefit of the doubt." Shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals are down 15.5%, or $20.46, to $111.32 in afternoon trading. Reference Link

12:52 EDT Ligand drops 12% to $115.36 after Citron predicts 80% downside

12:46 EDT NRG Energy announces LPSC approval of sale of South Central business - NRG announces that the Louisiana Public Service Commission has approved the previously announced transaction between NRG and Cleco Corporate Holdings. In an open session meeting, the LPSC awarded Cleco approval for the transaction. This is the last regulatory approval needed to finalize the transaction. The agreement to sell NRG's South Central Business to Cleco was first announced on February 7, 2018. On that date, NRG and Cleco entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement for Cleco to purchase NRG's South Central business for a total purchase price and cash proceeds of $1B, subject to certain adjustments. The companies expect to close the transaction in February 2019.

12:39 EDT JPMorgan CEO Dimon says China trade issues must be fixed

12:32 EDT JPMorgan CEO Dimon says consumer in very good shape

12:28 EDT JPMorgan CEO Dimon says credit quality near best levels in history - Speaking at an Economic Club of New York event, JPMorgan Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon said credit quality is near the best levels in history. The government shutdown, which he called a self-inflected wound for the U.S., is negative for sentiment, he said, adding that government and business need to collaborate. Dimon's comments come two days after the bank reported quarterly earnings.

12:00 EDT VelocityShares 3x Inv Natural Gas ETN falls -8.6% - VelocityShares 3x Inv Natural Gas ETN is down -8.6%, or -$5.91 to $62.69.

12:00 EDT IAMGold falls -11.2% - IAMGold is down -11.2%, or -40c to $3.18.

12:00 EDT Invacare rises 12.9% - Invacare is up 12.9%, or 64c to $5.62.

11:56 EDT Chicago Capital reports 6.65% passive stake in MedEquities Realty Trust - Chicago Capital disclosed a 6.65% passive stake in MedEquities Realty Trust, which represents 2.12M shares. The filing does not allow for activism.

11:53 EDT IBM Services announces $325M agreement with Juniper - IBM Services (IBM) announced a $325M agreement with Juniper Networks (JNPR) in which IBM will assist the network technology giant in managing its existing infrastructure, applications and IT services to help reduce costs and enhance their journey to the cloud. As part of the seven-year agreement, IBM will use the IBM Services Platform with Watson to help manage the Sunnyvale, Calif. based company's support systems including data centers, help desks and data and voice networks.

11:50 EDT Phunware Inc trading halted, volatility trading pause

11:23 EDT BlackRock says Fink letter 'coming soon' after fake version circulated - BlackRock's official Twitter account tweeted earlier: "Don't be fooled by imitations...Larry's real CEO letter coming soon." The tweet followed the circulation of an email Wednesday purporting to be from BlackRock CEO Larry Fink. Reference Link

11:03 EDT Yelp says to review SQN's latest presentation

11:03 EDT Yelp says 'open to hearing ideas and investor input, including from SQN' - Yelp issued the following statement in response to today's press release from SQN Investors LP: "Yelp's Board and management team are focused on taking actions to deliver on our disciplined strategy to achieve sustained, long-term growth and create shareholder value. We value our shareholders' input and will continue to incorporate investor feedback as we work to capitalize on the opportunities before us and further ensure that our Board's composition best serves the strategic and operational goals of the business. Yelp is open to hearing any ideas and investor input, including from SQN. We remain willing and open to meeting with SQN to hear their perspectives on the topics they have previously raised, all of which are items on which the Board has already been engaged. We will also review SQN's latest presentation. We look forward to engaging further with Mr. Mehta so we can take his perspectives into consideration along with the perspectives of our other investors. As previously disclosed, the Board and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee are in the process, with the support of a nationally-recognized director search firm, of evaluating its composition and identifying additional Board candidates to help drive our strategy."

10:48 EDT United Continental 'paying close attention to government shutdown' - CEO Oscar Munoz says company is paying close attention to government shutdown and at this point it has not noticed much impact. Nonetheless, the company acknowledged that the government shutdown creates some Q1 uncertainty. Says new redesigned app will be available for download next week. Comments provided during Q4 earnings conference call.

10:30 EDT Goldman Sachs: Reasonably possible legal costs will be around $2B

10:13 EDT PNC Financial CEO says '2018 was successful for PNC' - PNC CEO Bill Demchak said, "We don't think we're headed towards a recession." Demchak noted this could change if government shutdown carries on for extended period of time and from uncertainty with trade disputes with China. Comments provided during Q4 earnings conference call.

10:10 EDT Renmin Tianli Group announces change int icker symbol - Renmin Tianli Group (ABAC) announced that the company's common shares will commence trading on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the new ticker symbol "BIQI" (BIQI), effective January 17, 2019. The changes reflect the company's on-going efforts to "transform itself from a single revenue stream -- hog farming -- to a well-diversified company through targeted investments and acquisitions in selected industries, including its recently completed acquisitions in real estate and hotel operations"

10:00 EDT Goldman Sachs says expense management remains a priority

10:00 EDT VelocityShares 3x Inv Natural Gas ETN falls -9.4% - VelocityShares 3x Inv Natural Gas ETN is down -9.4%, or -$6.48 to $62.12.

10:00 EDT VelocityShares 3x Long Natural Gas ETN rises 9.8% - VelocityShares 3x Long Natural Gas ETN is up 9.8%, or $5.63 to $63.03.

10:00 EDT First Data rises 16.3% - First Data is up 16.3%, or $2.87 to $20.41.

09:52 EDT Borqs Technologies Inc trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:42 EDT Goldman CEO says declined to advise Jho Low, suspect at center of 1MDB scandal

09:38 EDT Goldman Sachs CEO says plans to share financial targets later this year

09:30 EDT U.S. Bancorp says customer spending was strong in Q4 - Says on a linked quarter basis, average total loan growth was driven by growth in residential mortgages and total commercial loans. Says there was a $340M gain on sale of ATM servicing business in Q4. Says had $140M favorable adjustment to deferred tax assets and liabilities related to tax reform and other tax adjustments. Says GDP continues to be strong and unemployment low. Says saw good growth on commercial real estate. Says Q4 is usually stronger and was favorably impacted by tax reform. Says Q1 is usually, seasonally lower. Comments taken from Q4 earnings conference call.

09:23 EDT Old National Bancorp CEO Bob Jones to retire, CFO Jim Ryan to succeed - Old National Bancorp announced that Bob Jones will retire as CEO after over 14 years of service with the company and almost 40 years in banking. Old National's corporate board of directors has appointed Jim Ryan, currently Old National's CFO, to succeed Jones as CEO. Ryan will transition to the CEO role on May 2, when Jones officially steps down. At that time, current Old National treasurer Brendon Falconer will succeed Ryan as CFO. A new treasurer has not yet been named. Jones will continue to serve as Old National's chairman of the board, through January 2020, after his retirement as CEO.

09:17 EDT Aeterna Zentaris receives EMA marketing clearance for macimorelin - Aeterna Zentaris announced that the European Medicines Agency, or EMA, has granted marketing authorization for macimorelin, an orally available ghrelin agonist, for diagnosis of adult growth hormone deficiency, or AGHD. The approval came following the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use, or CHMP, positive opinion of macimorelin on November 15, 2018. AGHD may occur in an adult subject who has a history of childhood onset growth hormone deficiency or may occur during adulthood as an acquired condition.

09:16 EDT Spirit Realty comments on recent events regarding Spirit MTA REIT - Spirit Realty (SRC) commented on the anticipated impact of the announcement by Spirit MTA REIT (SMTA), currently externally managed by Spirit, that its Board intends to accelerate their strategic plan. A presentation titled, 'SRC Business Update, January 2019', has also been posted to the Investor Relations section of Spirit's website. "In light of the recent news, we feel strongly that our hard work over the past two years has positioned Spirit well. At this time, SMTA has ample liquidity and capacity to meet its obligations to Spirit and we believe the acceleration of their strategic plan meaningfully benefits Spirit in several ways," said Jackson Hsieh, President and Chief Executive Officer. "This accelerated timeline allows Spirit to pull forward significant proceeds, which can be redeployed into triple net assets and / or to strengthen the balance sheet by reducing leverage. Further, we expect that a nearer term expiration of Spirit's three-year management contract with SMTA will improve our organic growth by removing a flat income stream and removing the uncertainty around the duration of that income stream. Finally, and most importantly, the permanent separation of SRC and SMTA should benefit SRC's cost of capital as Spirit completes its transition to a simplified, pure play net lease REIT."

09:14 EDT BlackRock says seeing 'elevated flows' into ETFs - Says expects ETF industry to grow significantly; "superior nature" of ETFs becoming clear.

09:13 EDT Inxeption announces investment from UPS Strategic Enterprise Fund - Inxeption Corporation announced that UPS Strategic Enterprise fund has made an equity investment in the company. The investment will be used to create innovative new e-commerce solutions for B2B sellers and buyers. Inxeption said it "has designed the first blockchain-based e-commerce platform for B2B that catalogs and digitizes product information."

09:09 EDT CHF Solutions files two new patent applications with USPTO - CHF Solutions announced the filing of two new patent applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, or USPTO, designed to deepen the company's intellectual property protection for its Aquadex FlexFlow system. One of the two applications is based on the company's design for a wearable device designed to assist in maintaining peripheral venous blood flow access in the arm during aquapheresis treatment with the Aquadex FlexFlow system. The second application includes multiple potential new features and improvements to the diagnostic capabilities of the Aquadex FlexFlow system, which, if incorporated into the product, would be designed to help ensure optimal patient fluid balance and to dramatically improve usability for healthcare providers.

09:06 EDT BlackRock says continuing to see iShares inflows in January

09:04 EDT Bank of America sees NIM edging up in Q1

09:02 EDT MUFG Union Bank to acquire supply chain finance platform from GE Capital - MUFG Americas Holdings Corporation and GE Capital announced the signing of an agreement where MUFG Union Bank, N.A., a subsidiary of MUAH, will acquire Trade Payable Services, a leading supply chain finance platform, from GE Capital. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Following the close of the proposed transaction, MUFG Union Bank will assume management control of the systems and processes supporting the supply chain finance activities that GE Capital performs for GE.

08:53 EDT Cross Country Healthcare names Kevin Clark as president, CEO - Cross Country Healthcare has announced that Kevin Clark has been named president and CEO, effective today. Clark will also serve as a member of the Company's Board of Directors. He succeeds William Grubbs, who previously announced his intention to retire. Clark co-founded Cross Country in 1986 and served as its Chairman and CEO until 1994.

08:47 EDT BlackRock says expects to repurchase 'at least' $1.2B of shares in 2019 - Says targeting long-term "low to mid teens" revenue growth in technology services. Says "committed" to returning capital to shareholders and expects to repurchase "at least" $1.2B of shares in 2019. Says sees 2019 tax rate approximately 24%. Comments from Q4 earnings conference call.

08:44 EDT RGS Energy says California Clean Energy Commission approves solar shingles - RGS Energy reports that the California Energy Commission has approved the Powerhouse 3.0 solar shingle system and added it to the commission's list of Eligible Photovoltaic Modules. "The California Energy Commission stamp of approval allows us to sell Powerhouse in California, the nation's largest solar market," said Dennis Lacey, RGS Energy's CEO. In pre-market trading following the announcement, RGS Energy shares are up 5c, or 10%, to 57c.

08:39 EDT Vaccinex completes enrollment for SIGNAL trial - Vaccinex announced that it has completed subject enrollment for the SIGNAL trial. SIGNAL is a Phase 2, multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study in subjects with early manifest and late prodromal Huntington's disease, or HD, to assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and efficacy of VX15/2503. Cohort B, now fully enrolled, includes two cohorts with a total of 265 HD subjects, 179 in group 1 who have early manifest disease and 86 in group 2 who are late prodromal. All subjects are randomized to receive monthly infusions of either VX15/2503 or placebo for 18 months in double-blind fashion without crossover.

08:37 EDT Capstone Turbine announces follow-up order from pharmaceutical manufacturer - Capstone Turbine announced that it has secured an additional order from a global pharmaceutical manufacturer for an additional C600 Signature Series microturbine with integrated heat recovery. Cal Microturbine, Capstone's exclusive California distributor, secured the C600S order to add to its existing C800 system to provide a total of 1.4 MW of on-site clean and green energy for the highly sensitive manufacturing process. The order for the C600S also includes heat recovery which will not only provide an additional 600 kW of highly redundant critical power but also provide operational savings as the customer will use exhaust for heating during the manufacturing process.

08:37 EDT Bandera Partners says Glass Lewis recommends voting Jeff Gramm to Luby's Board - Bandera Partners announced that proxy advisor Glass Lewis recommends that their clients vote using only the GOLD proxy card at Luby's 2019 Annual Meeting on January 25th. Glass Lewis recommends that its clients vote FOR Bandera nominee Jeff Gramm on the GOLD proxy card, and to not vote the white proxy card. Bandera believes that stockholders seeking change at Luby's should vote for all four of its nominees on the GOLD proxy card. The Glass Lewis report said, in part, "Having evaluated the arguments made by the Dissident and the incumbent board's response, we find that the Company's disastrous financial performance combined with an insufficient turnaround plan suggest that additional oversight and fresh perspective on the board are warranted...We believe the Dissident presents an alarming assessment of the Company's capital allocation, noting that the Company has invested more than $260M into capital expenditure and acquisitions from FY2009 through FY2018, while the Company's market capitalization declined approximately 80% from $201M to $39M over that period...Ultimately, we believe shareholders would benefit from some change to the composition of the board..The incumbent board and management team have delivered very poor shareholder returns relative to peers and broader market indices over the long-term and the Company's operational fundamentals have deteriorated, with shrinking revenue and mounting losses in recent periods."

08:34 EDT Attis Industries announces collaboration with Novozymes - Attis Industries (ATIS) announced it will collaborate with Novozymes (NVZMF). Under this newly announced relationship, Novozymes has committed to supplying the enzymes required by Attis to convert its pulp into sugar at all of its planned biorefineries. Novozymes has a broad portfolio of biotechnology to support commercial cellulosic biofuels production, and the ability to ramp up production as needed in an effort to support Attis' ambitious growth plans. Attis and Novozymes' initial collaboration will focus on optimizing the value of the biotechnology utilized in the Attis process, enabling Attis to meet the growing demand for advanced biofuels. The current Renewable Fuel Standard calls for the production of 16 billion gallons of cellulosic biofuels by the year 2022, however, the renewable fuel industry has not been consistently able to produce 1 billion gallons on an annual basis. Attis believes this is a tremendous market opportunity where with the combination of Attis' patented biomass processing technology and Novozymes' proprietary enzymes can forge a new standard for renewable fuel production in the United States.

08:24 EDT BASF co-founds Alliance to End Plastic Waste - BASF co-founded a global alliance of nearly 30 companies to advance solutions that reduce and eliminate plastic waste in the environment, especially in the ocean. The Alliance to End Plastic Waste, or AEPW, has committed over $1B with the goal of investing $1.5B over the next five years to help end plastic waste in the environment. New solutions will be developed and brought to scale that will minimize and manage plastic waste. This also includes the promotion of solutions for used plastics by helping to enable a circular economy. The alliance is a not-for-profit organization that includes companies from across the global plastics and consumer goods value chain: chemical and plastic manufacturers, consumer goods companies, retailers, converters and waste management companies. The alliance will work with governments, intergovernmental organizations, academia, non-government organizations and civil society to invest in joint projects to eliminate plastic waste from the environment. BASF is also actively implementing the international program Operation Clean Sweep globally in all its plastic pellet production sites, which aims to prevent plastic pellet loss along the value chain through behavioral, organizational and technical measures. Furthermore, BASF engages in various collaborations and association projects on waste management and education.

08:13 EDT Bank of America CEO says consumer spending growth 'remains solid'

08:12 EDT Harte-Hanks CFO Jon Biro steps down, Mark Del Priore succeeds - Harte-Hanks (HHS) announced the appointment of Mark Del Priore as CFO, effective immediately. Del Priore succeeds Jon Biro, who decided to step down from the role and has agreed to remain with the company through February 28, to help facilitate a transition. Del Priore joined Harte Hanks in November 2018 as its CRO. Prior to joining the company, Del Priore was CFO at SITO Mobile (SITO).

08:07 EDT Henry Schein provides update on Animal Health business spin-off - Henry Schein announced that in connection with the previously announced spin-off of its Henry Schein Animal Health Business, its Board of Directors has now changed from February 4, 2019 to February 7, 2019 the anticipated distribution date for the distribution of shares of HS Spinco, the new company formed to effectuate the spin-off, to shareholders of record of Henry Schein common stock as of January 17. Spinco intends to list its common stock on Nasdaq under the symbol "CVET" and will change its name to Covetrus. The spin-off will occur by way of a dividend of 0.4 of a share of Covetrus common stock for each share of Henry Schein common stock held on the Record Date. Henry Schein common stock will continue to trade on the Nasdaq under the symbol "HSIC." It is also now anticipated that the Amended Registration Statement will become effective no later than February 4 rather than January 28. Once the Amended Registration Statement becomes effective, it is anticipated that trading of Covetrus common stock will begin on a "when-issued" basis and such trading will continue through the Distribution Date. "Regular way" trading in Covetrus common stock will begin on the first trading day after the Distribution Date.

08:04 EDT Great Panther Silver proposed acquisition of Beadell Resources supported by ISS - Great Panther reported that, in respect of the upcoming special meeting of shareholders of Great Panther, independent proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services has recommended that shareholders vote in favour of the Great Panther Scheme Resolution and the Name Change Resolution in connection with the Scheme Implementation Deed pursuant to which Great Panther will acquire Beadell Resources and change its name to Great Panther Mining. In its recommendation, ISS noted, "The merger makes strategic sense as it will create a new emerging intermediate metals producer and will result in significant pro forma gold and silver production. The combined company will also have an increased public float and broadened shareholder base, providing stronger liquidity and augmented scale in the capital markets. Furthermore, Great Panther stands to benefit having extensive reserves, when the company previously had none, and would also be accretive to measured, indicated and inferred resources. Finally, the combined company stands to benefit from an enhanced balance sheet and from anticipated cost synergies and efficiencies."

07:52 EDT Global Medical REIT completes six acquisitions for $58.6M in Q4 - Global Medical REIT announced that on December 20, 2018 the Company closed on the disposition of its Great Bend Regional Hospital for proceeds of $32.45M, and that it acquired six medical office net-leased assets during the fourth quarter of 2018 for an aggregate purchase price of $58.6M. During the fourth quarter of 2018, the Company completed six acquisitions, encompassing an aggregate of 206,997 leasable square feet, for an aggregate purchase price of $58.6M with annualized base rent of $4.5M and a weighted average capitalization rate of 7.59%. In connection with two of these acquisitions, the Company's operating partnership issued approximately 1.3 million operating partnership units valued at $12.7M at an average issuance price of $9.89 per unit.

07:41 EDT Pacira announces Phase 4 Exparel study achieves primary endpoint - Pacira announced that its Phase 4 study of Exparel in patients undergoing Cesarean section achieved its primary endpoint with a statistically significant reduction in total postsurgical opioid consumption through 72 hours. Exparel also achieved statistical significance for reduction in pain intensity scores through 72 hours. The full study results will be submitted for publication in the peer-reviewed medical literature later this year. Importantly, the study also achieved statistical significance for relevant additional endpoints pre-specified in the statistical analysis plan to better characterize the clinical benefit of the opioid reduction, including: total opioid consumption at one and two weeks following C-section and percentage of opioid-spared patients, a composite endpoint, which was defined as patients who took no more than one oxycodone 10 mg tablet and graded their bother or stress from the following opioid-related adverse events as "not at all": vomiting, itching, sweating, freezing, or dizziness. This was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind study including a total of 13 sites and 186 patients. Patients undergoing elective C-section and given spinal anesthesia were randomized to receive Exparel or the active comparator bupivacaine HCl. Patients in the Exparel arm were administered a transversus abdominis plane field block with 10 mL Exparel admixed with 10 mL 0.25% bupivacaine HCl and 10 mL normal sterile saline injected bilaterally. Patients in the active comparator arm received a TAP field block with 10 mL 0.25% bupivacaine HCl admixed with 20 mL normal sterile saline injected bilaterally. In accordance with current medical practice, prior to C-section all patients in this study received an intrathecal injection of 150 mcg preservative-free morphine for spinal injection in conjunction with single-shot spinal anesthesia using 1.4-1.6 mL bupivacaine HCl 0.75% and 15 mcg fentanyl. Following C-section, patients also received 15 mg of intravenous ketorolac, 1000 mg of IV acetaminophen at the time of skin incision closure, and oral acetaminophen and ibuprofen beginning 6 hours after skin incision closure for up to 72 hours following surgery. Rescue medication was available upon request and postsurgical opioid consumption through 72 hours was collected. Pain intensity was measured using visual analog scale pain intensity scores at rest from 6 to 72 hours. As a follow-on to this study, Pacira will soon begin enrollment in CHOICE, its C-section trial designed to be completely opioid-free in the Exparel arm, including opioid-free spinal anesthesia.

07:38 EDT Goldman Sachs reports Q4 FICC revenue $822M - Net revenues in Institutional Client Services were $2.43 billion for the fourth quarter of 2018, 2% higher than the fourth quarter of 2017 and 22% lower than the third quarter of 2018. Net revenues in FICC Client Execution were $822 million, 18% lower than the fourth quarter of 2017, reflecting significantly lower net revenues in credit products and lower net revenues in interest rate products. Net revenues in commodities, currencies and mortgages were essentially unchanged. During the quarter, FICC Client Execution operated in an environment characterized by challenging market conditions, including wider credit spreads, compared with the third quarter of 2018. Net revenues in Equities were $1.60 billion, 17% higher than the fourth quarter of 2017, primarily due to significantly higher net revenues in equities client execution compared with a challenging prior year period. Net revenues in Investment Banking were $2.04 billion for the fourth quarter of 2018, 5% lower than the fourth quarter of 2017 and 3% higher than the third quarter of 2018. Net revenues in Investing & Lending were $1.91 billion for the fourth quarter of 2018, 2% lower than the fourth quarter of 2017 and 6% lower than the third quarter of 2018. Net revenues in Investment Management were $1.70 billion for the fourth quarter of 2018, 2% higher than the fourth quarter of 2017 and unchanged compared with the third quarter of 2018.

07:29 EDT Aptinyx: NYX-2925 didn't achieve stat. significant separation from placebo - Aptinyx announced top-line results from a Phase 2 clinical study of NYX-2925 in subjects with painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy. In the study, NYX-2925 did not demonstrate statistically significant separation from placebo on the primary endpoint, change in subjects' average daily pain scores on the Numerical Rating Scale during the final treatment week compared to baseline. Of the three dose levels evaluated, 50 mg showed the most meaningful improvements across multiple measures. NYX-2925 was well tolerated in the study with no serious adverse events. In the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 300 subjects with painful DPN received daily oral doses of placebo or NYX-2925 at 10 mg, 50 mg, or 200 mg over the course of four weeks. Subjects were randomized in a 1:1:1:1 ratio. Baseline values for each endpoint were measured over the seven-day period prior to randomization. All subjects in the study had moderate to severe pain at baseline. The primary endpoint of the study was the mean change in average daily pain, as measured using the NRS, at week four of treatment compared to baseline. Key secondary endpoints in the study included worst daily pain, pain on walking, and sleep interference. In the study, the 50 mg and 200 mg dose levels of NYX-2925 showed the greatest improvements from baseline, with the 50 mg dose showing numerical superiority. The group treated with 50 mg of NYX-2925 showed a 1.61-point reduction from baseline in average daily pain on the NRS, the largest such reduction among the dose levels evaluated. This improvement did not separate statistically (p=0.1586) from the 1.23-point reduction observed in the placebo group. No plateau in the effect of NYX-2925 at 50 mg was observed by the end of this four-week study, suggesting a longer treatment duration may result in a stronger analgesic effect. Subjects receiving NYX-2925 at 50 mg also had clinically meaningful trends of improvement on key secondary endpoints, including sleep and pain on walking. In a pre-specified subset of subjects who were not taking a concomitant medication, those treated with NYX-2925 across all dose levels showed improvements relative to placebo on pain and other endpoints that were greater than those observed in the overall study population.

07:18 EDT Bank of America says positioned for NII to benefit as rates move higher - In slides being presented ahead of its Q4 earnings conference call, Bank of America said it remains positioned for NII to benefit as rates move higher. Says a +100 bps parallel shift in interest rate yield curve is estimated to benefit NII by $2.7B over the next 12 months, driven primarily by sensitivity to short-end interest rates. Sees Q1 negatively impacted by approximately $200M for two fewer interest accrual days than Q4. Compared to 4Q18, 1Q19 expenses expected to include approximately $0.5B for seasonally elevated personnel costs.

07:10 EDT Combined Fiserv, First Data to be led by Fiserv CEO Jeffrey Yabuki - The combined company will be led by an experienced board and leadership team that leverages the strengths and capabilities of both companies. Upon closing, the board of the combined company will consist of 10 members, six of whom will be from the board of Fiserv and four of whom will be from the board of First Data. Upon closing, Jeffery Yabuki, current Fiserv (FISV) President and CEO, will serve as CEO and Chairman of the board of directors of the combined company. Frank Bisignano, current Chairman and CEO of First Data (FDC), will assume the role of President and COO, and will serve as director of the board of the combined company. The combined entity will be known as Fiserv. An affiliate of Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. L.P (KKR), New Omaha Holdings L.P., which controls approximately 39% of the outstanding First Data common stock and 86% of the voting rights of First Data, has entered into a voting agreement in support of the transaction. Upon closing, New Omaha Holdings will own approximately 16% of the outstanding common stock of the combined company. The transaction, which is expected to close during the second half of 2019, is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, including the approval of shareholders of both companies. The transaction is not subject to any financing conditions.

07:09 EDT Fiserv, First Data to combine in deal with equity value of $22B - Fiserv (FISV) and First Data Corporation (FDC) announced that their boards of directors have unanimously approved a definitive merger agreement under which Fiserv will acquire First Data in an all-stock transaction. The transaction unites two premier companies to create one of the world's leading payments and financial technology providers, and an enhanced value proposition for its clients. Under the terms of the agreement, First Data shareholders will receive a fixed exchange ratio of 0.303 Fiserv shares for each share of First Data common stock they own, for an equity value of $22B. This represents $22.74 based on closing prices as of January 15, and a premium of 29% to the five-day volume weighted average price as of that date. Following the close of the transaction, Fiserv shareholders will own 57.5% of the combined company, and First Data shareholders will own 42.5%, on a fully diluted basis. The all-stock transaction is intended to be tax-free to First Data shareholders. Fiserv and First Data will explore integrated, complementary technology capabilities and solutions to enhance client value and increase market differentiation. Following the close of the transaction, the combined company expects to invest an incremental $500M over five years to create significantly enhanced solutions for clients and accelerate growth. The program will focus on a series of new and existing technologies, including next-generation merchant solutions, digital enablement, advanced risk management, and data-focused solutions to keep the combined company at the forefront of evolving client expectations and innovative payment methods. The transaction is expected to generate at least $500M of revenue synergies over a five year period. Incremental revenue growth is expected to come from a focus on delivering additional client value in areas such as bank merchant services and Clover, credit processing, additional biller services and network innovation. The transaction is expected to be accretive to adjusted EPS by more than 20 percent in the first full year following close. The combined company expects accretion of more than 40 percent to adjusted EPS at the full cost synergy run-rate. The combined company expects to generate significant free cash flow exceeding $4B in the third year following close, including synergies. Fiserv intends to deploy its cash flow through the continuation of its proven and disciplined capital allocation strategy, and remains committed to retaining its investment grade debt ratings. The combination is expected to generate approximately $900M of run-rate cost synergy savings over five years, driven primarily by the elimination of duplicative corporate structures, streamlined technology infrastructure, increased operational efficiencies, process improvements, and footprint optimization. Fiserv intends to refinance the approximately $17B of debt that First Data is expected to have at the time of closing, and has entered into a committed bridge financing arrangement in connection with the transaction.

07:08 EDT Fiserv to acquire First Data for $22.74 per share in all-stock deal

07:05 EDT Adient initiates discussions to strengthen capital structure - Adient is taking steps to increase the strength and flexibility of its capital structure to better enable its turnaround. This includes initiating discussions with its bank group to evaluate options to refinance its existing credit facilities, and reviewing various portfolio changes. CEO Doug Del Grosso stated, "After completing a comprehensive assessment during the first 100 days of my tenure, we are taking actions to improve our financial performance, including assembling a strong management team aligned with turning around our business; reducing our overhead spend; and focusing relentlessly on commercial and operational excellence. We expect to see the benefits of these actions gaining momentum in the second half of fiscal 2019 as we work to achieve industry-leading margins over the longer term."

07:02 EDT McDermott awarded 'sizeable' contract from Daelim Saudi Arabia Company - McDermott announced it has been awarded a sizeable contract from Daelim Saudi Arabia Company Ltd. for engineering, procurement and construction of CB&I Storage Tanks for the Ma'aden Ammonia Plant at Ras Al-Khair, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The fixed lump sum contract encompasses the engineering, procurement and fabrication of four Ammonia Tanks and nine CB&I storage tanks. Work on the project will predominantly be executed from Saudi Arabia utilizing McDermott's local capabilities and facilities. McDermott defines a sizeable contract as between $1M-$50M.

06:58 EDT EyeGate schedules FDA meeting on Ocular Bandage Gel application - EyeGate is scheduled to meet with the FDA on March 20th to discuss EyeGate's de novo application strategy for its Ocular Bandage Gel product, which will cover the clinical plan, data to date, and potential submission timelines. EyeGate's OBG platform, a cross-linked hyaluronic acid compound, has potentially broad applications in managing ocular surface damage due to a variety of conditions, ranging from punctate epitheliopathies commonly found in dry eye patients, to large epithelial defects like those that occur following photorefractive keratectomy.

06:50 EDT BofA CFO says has seen 16 consecutive quarters of positive operating leverage - Brian Moynihan, Chairman and CEO, said: "I am proud of our teammates who produced record earnings for the quarter and the year by driving responsible growth. Our teammates worked for our customers and delivered solid loan and deposit growth, and other activity, while managing risk well. Operating leverage based on disciplined expense management while investing in our future, solid asset quality, and loan and deposit growth drove this quarter's results. In addition to lending and investing activities, we shared success in many ways: returning nearly $26 billion in capital to our shareholders; a second bonus since U.S. tax reform passed last year, impacting 95% of our teammates, to share success from our performance and the benefits of tax reduction; and more than $200 million of philanthropic giving to our communities." CFO Paul Donofrio commented: "We have now seen 16 consecutive quarters of positive operating leverage, enabled by responsible growth. Our net income grew robustly and our EPS grew faster as we invested part of our profits in share repurchases. We significantly improved our returns in the fourth quarter, with a 1.24% return on average assets and a 16.3% return on average tangible common shareholders' equity. Each line of business contributed to these results. With a strong balance sheet, we're ready to deliver again in 2019."

06:49 EDT U.S. Bancorp CEO says positioned well for 2019 - Andy Cecere, Chairman, President and CEO said, "Fourth quarter results capped a strong year for U.S. Bank and the momentum we are seeing in our lending and fee businesses positions us well for 2019. This quarter we achieved record revenue and EPS and delivered a best-in-class return on tangible common equity of 20.2%. These strong results enabled us to return 80% to our shareholders through dividends and share repurchases. Loan growth accelerated in the fourth quarter even as we maintained our consistent and disciplined underwriting standards. Furthermore, we continued to see strong sales activity and expanded customer relationships across all of our businesses supported by our investments in technology and innovation, as well as our employees' dedication to helping to make our customers' financial lives simpler and more productive. I want to thank our employees for their efforts this year and every year, and for their unwavering commitment to making U.S. Bank the most trusted choice for our customers."

06:48 EDT BlackRock CEO: 2018 was a 'year of records' - Says index products "becoming more dominant." Says had "huge equity declines" in Q4. Says Institutional business had net new inflows, saw record revenue increase in technology. Says recent layoffs were a "reorientation." Says market has likely hit a bottom in short run, but lots of noise creating uncertainty. Says "surprised" at Fed's last statement. Larry Fink is speaking on CNBC.

06:47 EDT Bank of America reports Q4 provision for credit losses down $96M to $905M - Net charge-off ratio declined to 0.39%.

06:45 EDT Talos Energy sees FY19 production sales volume 19.5M-20.4M MMBoe - Talos Energy announced FY19 operating guidance. Talos Energy's 2019 plan is designed to balance modest production growth and free cash flow generation through the recent commodity pullback by investing in lower-risk US Gulf of Mexico projects, while continuing to invest in the company's globally recognized Zama discovery and other exploration drilling in Talos's prolific acreage position offshore Mexico. The company sees FY19 production sales volumes of 19.5M-20.4M barrels of oil equivalent, or MMBoe, which represents an average daily production of 53,000-56,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, or MBoe/d. This is an increase from the company's 2018 guidance and is inclusive of an extended shut-in in its Phoenix complex due to the scheduled HP-1 dry dock. Sees FY19 capital expenditures of $465M-$485M.

06:36 EDT Quarterhill subsidiary awarded $4.2M MSS contract from Virginia DMV - International Road Dynamics, or IRD, a Quarterhill company announced the award of a commercial vehicle systems maintenance and support services, or MSS, contract from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, or DMV. The initial term of this agreement is for two years with renewal options for up to eight successive one-year periods. The purpose of this contract is to provide labor, materials, tooling, test equipment and services required to maintain and provide commercial vehicle enforcement solutions using weigh-in-motion, or WIM, and other technologies to The Commonwealth of Virginia. Virginia DMV currently has eleven active commercial vehicle enforcement mainline and ramp systems using IRD WIM and other technologies that are covered under this contract. These systems are located at the Suffolk, Bland, Carson, Alberta, Stephens City, Troutville, Dumfries, and Sandston weigh stations. The mainline systems operate at highway speeds and screen commercial vehicles on Interstate, primary, or secondary roadways as they approach the inspection station. Vehicles are screened as they pass over in-road sensors, with those vehicles that are overweight or in violation of operating regulations being signaled to exit to the inspection station ramp; conversely, vehicles that are deemed to be compliant are signaled to bypass the inspection station. The ramp systems operate at lower speeds and screen commercial vehicles at the entrance to the inspection station. Similar to mainline systems, vehicles are screened as they pass over in-road sensors and are signaled to either report to the inspection station or bypass and return to the mainline roadway.

06:33 EDT Cerecor granted Orphan Drug Designations for substrate replacement therapies - Cerecor announced that the U.S. FDA granted Orphan Drug Designations to Cerecor's three substrate replacement therapies for Congenital Disorders of Glycosylation. The FDA granted ODD to: CERC-801, D-galactose for the treatment of Phosphoglucomutase 1 Deficiency; CERC-802, D-mannose for the treatment of Mannose Phosphate Isomerase Deficiency; and CERC-803, L-fucose for the treatment of Congenital Disorder of Glycosylation IIc.

06:31 EDT Genesee & Wyoming reports December traffic of 242,846 carloads, down 4.8% y/y - G&W's total traffic in December 2018 was 242,846 carloads, a decrease of 12,353 carloads, or 4.8%, compared with December 2017. G&W's same railroad traffic in December 2018 decreased 1,677 carloads, or 0.7%, compared with G&W's traffic in December 2017, excluding carloads from G&W's former Continental European intermodal business, which was sold in June 2018, and short line lease expirations in Canada in the fourth quarter of 2018. G&W's traffic in the fourth quarter of 2018 was 788,926 carloads, a decrease of 13,502 carloads, or 1.7%, compared with the fourth quarter of 2017. G&W's same railroad traffic in the fourth quarter of 2018 increased 16,905 carloads, or 2.2%, compared with the fourth quarter of 2017.

06:26 EDT Ford announces actions to reshape regional businesses - Jim Farley, president, Global Markets, shared details of the company's major global product wave, which focuses on trucks, commercial vehicles and SUVs. "We are now beginning to see the results of our capital shift away from traditional sedans to trucks and SUVs with new utility nameplates globally, including Territory in China, Bronco, and a slightly smaller, yet-to-be named off-roader in North America," Farley said. "2018 was a growth year for F-Series, especially Super Duty in North America. Transit and Ranger are now in all global markets in high volume with great potential." Farley also outlined actions the company is taking to reshape its regional businesses, including North America: In the next 24 months, Ford is refreshing 75% of its lineup, fortifying the company's successful truck franchise and renewing and expanding the range of SUVs; Expedition and Navigator posting increases in share; conquesting from competition; Increasing mix of SUVs, more in line with overall market.... Europe: #1 selling commercial vehicle brand in Europe; Redesign to strengthen competitive position, improve profitability and returns; More targeted vehicle lineup within three customer-focused business groups: Commercial vehicles, passenger vehicles and imports... China: Creating a solid foundation for turnaround with right leadership and right products - including new Territory and Focus; Intense focus to improve cost structure and improve relationships with partners, including dealer network; Introducing more than 10 new Ford and Lincoln products in China this year and more than 30 by 2021... South America: Remain committed to the region with an optimized footprint, targeted to Ford's strengths Focused on reducing structural costs and improving efficiency; administrative headcount reduced by 20% in 2018.

06:19 EDT BlackRock reports record $81B of quarterly iShares inflows

06:16 EDT BlackRock CEO: Generated total net inflows of $124B in 2018 - Laurence D. Fink, Chairman and CEO: "BlackRock's scale and strategic positioning allowed us to deliver organic growth, revenue growth, and operating leverage in 2018, while simultaneously investing in our highest growth opportunities and returning $3.6 billion in capital to shareholders. The benefits of the investments we have made to build the most diversified global asset management and technology services firm in the world are clearer today than at any point in our history. BlackRock generated total net inflows of $124 billion in 2018. This included $50 billion of fourth quarter net inflows and record quarters for iShares and illiquid alternative strategies. Technology services revenue grew 19% in 2018, driven by strong demand for Aladdin and our digital wealth technologies. Our results reflect continued growth in these key initiatives and the resilience of our platform. BlackRock is well positioned to deliver the holistic portfolio solutions, technology services and strategic counsel that clients increasingly are seeking, especially in the face of meaningful headwinds for the asset management industry. We will continue to invest in our platform to ensure BlackRock is even better positioned to serve clients and consistently deliver long-term value to shareholders in the years ahead."

06:13 EDT BlackRock reports Q4 AUM $5.975T, down 5% y/y

06:06 EDT Wesco subsidiary to acquire Sylvania Lighting Solutions - Wesco announced that its Wesco Services subsidiary has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire certain assets of Sylvania Lighting Solutions, or SLS, from Osram Sylvania. The transaction is expected to close in March. SLS offers a full spectrum of energy-efficient lighting upgrade, retrofit and renovation solutions with annual sales of more than $100M and approximately 220 employees across the U.S. and Canada. It is headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts. Under the terms of the agreement, Wesco will acquire SLS's business operations in the United States and Canada. Todd Myers, SLS's current CEO, will continue to lead the organization.

06:03 EDT Kennedy Wilson sells Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe for $120M and UK hotel for $54M - Kennedy Wilson has sold the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe for $120M. In December, the company also sold a portfolio of hotels located across the U.K. for $54M. A cash profit of $73M to Kennedy Wilson was generated over the lifetime of the two investments. Kennedy Wilson and its partner acquired the Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe in 2012 for $74M. The company also completed the sellout of all 23 condominium units at The Ritz-Carlton Residences in 2016 for a total gross sales price of approximately $50M.

05:30 EDT China Advanced Construction regains compliance with Nasdaq - China Advanced Construction announced that it has regained compliance with Nasdaq's periodic filing requirement and annual meeting requirement. On January 11, 2019, the company received a written notification from the NASDAQ Stock Market Listing Qualifications Staff indicating that the company has regained compliance with the periodic filing requirement for continued listing on the NASDAQ Capital Market pursuant to NASDAQ Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) based on the December 10, 2018 filing of the company's Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2018 and the January 4, 2019 filing of the company's Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2018.

05:26 EDT Ford, IBM, others launch blockchain pilot to trace ethically sourced minerals - Ford (F), Huayou Cobalt, IBM (IBM), LG Chem and RCS Global announced plans to use blockchain technology to trace and validate ethically sourced minerals. The group, which includes participants at each major stage of the supply chain from mine to end-user, will begin with a pilot focused on cobalt and explore the creation of an open, industrywide blockchain platform that could ultimately be used to trace and validate a range of minerals used in consumer products. Cobalt is in high demand for its use in lithium-ion batteries, which power a wide range of products such as laptops, mobile devices and electric vehicles. According to a report from Morgan Stanley, by 2026, demand is expected to multiply eightfold, especially for its use in electric vehicles and consumer devices. The typical electric car battery requires up to 20 pounds of cobalt and a standard laptop requires around one ounce of the mineral. The blockchain pilot is already underway and seeks to demonstrate how materials in the supply chain are responsibly produced, traded and processed. For this pilot based on a simulated sourcing scenario, Cobalt produced at Huayou's industrial mine site in the Democratic Republic of Congo, or DRC, will be traced through the supply chain as it travels from mine and smelter to LG Chem's cathode plant and battery plant in South Korea, and finally into a Ford plant in the United States. An immutable audit trail will be created on the blockchain, which will include corresponding data to provide evidence of the cobalt production from mine to end manufacturer. Participants in the network will be validated against responsible sourcing standards developed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

05:13 EDT Boeing invests in Isotropic Systems, terms not disclosed - Boeing announced its investment in Isotropic Systems, a London-based startup pioneering next-generation solutions to better connect people and enterprises around the globe. Isotropic joins Boeing subsidiary Millennium Space Systems and Boeing HorizonX Ventures portfolio startups Myriota, BridgeSat Inc. and Accion Systems in advancing the company's satellite and space-based capabilities. Isotropic is the second UK-based startup to join the HorizonX portfolio, following Reaction Engines in April 2018.