Stockwinners Market Radar for January 24, 2019 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:01 EDT United Therapeutics, Arena Pharmaceuticals close Ralinepag license deal - United Therapeutics (UTHR) announced the closing of the transactions contemplated by its license agreement with Arena Pharmaceuticals (ARNA). Under the agreement, United Therapeutics acquired exclusive, worldwide rights to develop and manufacture the Phase 3 investigational drug candidate ralinepag, a next-generation, oral, selective and potent prostacyclin receptor agonist in development for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Upon closing, United Therapeutics paid Arena $800M. Arena is also entitled to potential milestone payments of up to $400M based on the achievement of certain regulatory events as well as low double-digit tiered royalties on annual net sales of ralinepag products. As previously announced, the closing of the transactions contemplated by the agreement was conditioned upon expiration or termination of the required waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act, among other conditions. The requisite waiting period expired on January 22, 2019, and closing occurred on January 24, 2019.

18:46 EDT Fly Intel: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Western Digital (WDC) up 10.2%... Lantronix (LTRX) up 9.2%... OSI Systems (OSIS) up 6.8%... Heritage Commerce (HTBK) up 5.0%... Western Alliance (WAL) up 4.0%... Starbucks (SBUX) up 1.6%... Tessco (TESS) up 1.0%. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: ResMed (RMD) down 9.2%... Intel (INTC) down 6.7%... Intuitive Surgical (ISRG) down 4.9%... Avnet (AVT) down 4.5%... E-Trade (ETFC) down 3.7%... SVB Financial (SIVB) down 2.8%... Alaska Air (ALK) down 2.7%... Discover Financial (DFS) down 2.6%. ALSO LOWER: PG&E (PCG) down 2.9% after disclosing 'continued extensive litigation' following Cal Fire announcement earlier. Movers as of 18:30ET.

18:19 EDT Hess Midstream Partners raises quarterly distribution 3.5% to 37.01c per share - Hess Midstream Partners LP announced that the board of directors of its general partner declared a quarterly cash distribution of 37.01c per common unit for the quarter ended December 31, 2018. The distribution represents a 15% increase compared to the prior year quarter and a 3.5% increase compared to the third quarter of 2018. The distribution will be payable on February 13, 2019 to unitholders of record as of the close of business on February 4, 2019.

17:48 EDT Western Digital accelerating Kuala Lumpur facility closure by nearly 3 quarters - Sees near term demand trends in smartphone markets as soft.

17:35 EDT Medtronic to Acquire EPIX Therapeutics, terms undisclosed - Medtronic announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire EPIX Therapeutics,, a privately-held medical device company that designs and manufactures a novel, catheter-based, temperature-controlled cardiac ablation system for the treatment of patients with cardiac arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation, AF. When completed, the EPIX acquisition will expand the Medtronic cardiac ablation portfolio to offer physicians a comprehensive suite of tools to treat patients with cardiac arrhythmias."The DiamondTemp cardiac ablation system represents leapfrog technology in the RF cardiac ablation space, a segment of the market where we haven't previously participated," said Rebecca Seidel, vice president and general manager of the Atrial Fibrillation Solutions division, which is part of the Cardiac and Vascular Group at Medtronic. "When combined with our existing leading cryoballoon technology, we expect to provide physicians with a complete portfolio of best-in-class cryo and RF systems." The EPIX acquisition is expected to close in Medtronic's fourth fiscal quarter, which runs January 26 to April 26, 2019, subject to the satisfaction of certain customary closing conditions. EPIX is currently pre-revenue, and although the acquisition is expected to be dilutive to Medtronic's near-term adjusted earnings per share, Medtronic intends to offset the dilution. The transaction is expected to meet Medtronic's long-term financial metrics for acquisitions. Additional terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

17:28 EDT Starbucks sees Q2 results being 'seasonally lower' - Sees non-GAAP operating margin to be higher in back half of the year. Says selling more Food and Merchandise in China. Says "pleased" with Q1 performance.

17:24 EDT KKR takes 6.8% passive stake in SAIC - KKR Fund Holdings disclosed a 6.8% passive stake in SAIC. The stake represents over 4.0M shares. The filing with the SEC does not allow for activism.

17:16 EDT Delek Logistics raises quarterly distribution 2.5% to 81c per share - Delek Logistics Partners declared its quarterly cash distribution for the fourth quarter 2018 of 81c per common limited partner unit, or $3.24 per common limited partner unit on an annualized basis. This distribution represents a 2.5%increase from the distribution for the third quarter 2018 of 79c per common limited partner unit and a 11.7% increase over Delek Logistics' distribution for the fourth quarter 2017 of 72.5c per common limited partner unit. The fourth quarter 2018 cash distribution is payable on February 12, 2019 to unitholders of record on February 4, 2019.

17:14 EDT Starbucks says UberEATS partnership gaining momentum - Says "confident" in long-term prospects. Says partnership with UberEATS gaining momentum. Says Starbucks Delivers being "seamlessly" integrated into UberEATS app. Says expanded active user base by about 1M customers in Q1. Says aiming to enhance loyalty and rewards programs. Comments taken from Q1 earnings conference call.

17:07 EDT Genesco Chairman Robert Dennis sells over $1M in company stock - Genesco Chairman Robert Dennis disclosed in a filing that he had sold 22,760 shares of company stock at an average price of $47.21 per share on January 23 and January 24. The total transaction value was $1,074,595.

17:05 EDT Noble Midstream raises quarterly dividend 4.8% to 58.6c per share - The dividend will be payable on February 11, 2019 to unitholders of record as of February 4, 2019.

17:00 EDT Heritage Commerce raises quarterly dividend 9% to 12c per share - The dividend will be payable on February 21, 2019, to shareholders of record at close of business day on February 7, 2019.

17:00 EDT Interlink Electronics trading resumes

16:50 EDT Shenandoah reports postpaid net additions in Q4 9,639 - Shenandoah Telecommunications announces preliminary operating statistics that show strong customer growth while hitting milestones and breaking records in Wireless and Cable for the fourth quarter and year-end 2018. Shentel closed 2018 with a robust fourth quarter for Wireless subscriber additions and the continued progression of broadband customers in its Cable business. In the Wireless segment, Shentel reported postpaid net additions for the fourth quarter of 9,639 and prepaid net additions of 3,242. For full year 2018, Shentel reduced postpaid wireless retail churn to 1.82% and reduced prepaid churn to 4.45%. Since the launch of the company's wireless expansion strategy in 2016, Shentel's wireless subscriber base has grown to more than 1 million subscribers today. President and CEO Christopher French commented, "Fiscal 2018 demonstrated customer growth in all of our operating segments. In our Wireless business we achieved increases in both postpaid and prepaid customers with a record year for gross adds. We believe this is reflective of the strength of our wireless offering and our ability to provide reliable service throughout our coverage areas as well as heightened capacity for consumers who are expecting and demanding more from their wireless service provider. Our Cable segment continued to show progress with solid growth in RGUs as our high speed bandwidth and dependability allow us to meet and exceed the expectations of our existing customers and attract new subscribers. As we move into 2019 we remain focused on growing our business through the continued delivery of excellent service, expanded coverage and unmatched consistency throughout our entire service footprint."

16:35 EDT Chegg selected to join World Economic Forum - Chegg announced the company has become a Member of the World Economic Forum. Forum membership is by invitation only, after a careful selection and approval process.

16:32 EDT Siemens, 3 national labs sign pact to explore joint grid modernization - Siemens Corporation, a global energy and technology leader, and three Department of Energy national laboratories are teaming up to conduct integrated experiments within their respective research and development facilities to test and validate novel software and hardware technologies needed to strengthen and modernize the nation's electric grid. Their joint efforts would enhance the technological, scientific, educational, and industrial development of power electronics needed for a reliable and economic power supply in the 21st century. This agreement - formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding - announced at the Innovation XLab Grid Modernization Summit in Seattle, WA, was signed by Siemens Corporate Technology, the company's central research and development unit located in Princeton, NJ, and DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, CO; Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, TN; and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, WA. The MOU establishes a framework for research scientists to share information and resources, and to potentially collaborate on technologies to help integrate innovative power electronic devices with the electric grid, including smart inverters for solar panels, batteries, and electrical vehicles that are capable of supporting the nation's power system. The MOU may also lead to jointly-led scientific workshops, lectures, and symposia, as well as co-written publications and journal articles.

16:30 EDT Boston Scientific launches Vercise stimulation systems for Parkinson's - Boston Scientific has launched the Vercise Primary Cell and Vercise Gevia Deep Brain Stimulation Systems featuring the Vercise Cartesia Directional Lead. The new systems, recently approved by the FDA, feature technology designed to allow physicians to control the range, shape, position and direction of electrical stimulation to treat the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The new systems featuring the Vercise Cartesia Directional Lead leverage eight individually controlled electrodes on each lead to offer stimulation that can adapt to impedance changes within the brain.

16:25 EDT Interlink Electronics trading halted, news pending

16:22 EDT Discover reports Q4 net charge off rate 3.08% vs. 2.85% last year - Net interest margin was 10.35%, up 7bps from last year. Total loans ended the quarter at $90.5B, up 7% compared to the prior year. Credit card loans ended the quarter at $72.9B, up 8% from the prior year. Personal loans increased $80M, or 1%, from the prior year.

16:20 EDT Albemarle, Corfo announce resolution in Chile - Albemarle announced that the company has reached an agreement with the Chilean Economic Development Agency (Corfo) on the process for establishing and validating the preferential price and terms to be offered to specialized manufacturers meeting the criteria set forth in the Amendment. As a result, Corfo will not file the previously disclosed arbitration claim. In December 2016, Albemarle and Corfo entered into an Amendment to the Basic Agreement to increase the company's authorized lithium quota to 2 million metric tons on an LCE basis. The Amendment provides Albemarle with the right to produce over 80,000 MT annually of technical and battery grade lithium salts through at least 2043 at its expanding battery grade manufacturing facilities at La Negra, Chile. In 2019, Albemarle will produce 40,000 to 45,000 MT on an LCE basis in that facility, and the expansion of that site to the full 85,000 MT remains on track to begin commissioning in 2020. "We are pleased to have jointly developed this process that meets the spirit of the Amendment with Corfo and is in line with what we expected our commitment on preferential pricing and terms to be," said Eric Norris, Albemarle President Lithium. "The agreed upon process will have no material impact on our anticipated earnings growth, margins or other financial results."

16:18 EDT Triumph Group sells metallics machining business - Triumph Group announced a definitive agreement to sell its metallics machining operations to NWI Holdings, an affiliate of TECT Aerospace and TECT Power. TECT Aerospace manufactures complex aerostructure components, parts and assemblies from the full spectrum of traditional and aerospace alloys, and is headquartered in Wichita, Kansas. Combined, the businesses generated revenues of approximately $121 million during Triumph Group's fiscal year ended March 31, 2018. The transaction is subject to customary conditions and is expected to close in the next few months.

16:17 EDT Everest Re estimates Q4 catastrophe losses of $695M - Everest Re Group, Ltd. announced that it expects to incur in the fourth quarter 2018 catastrophe losses of $695M, net of reinsurance, reinstatement premiums and taxes. The catastrophe losses were related to the fourth quarter 2018 events of Hurricane Michael which impacted Florida and other states in the Southeastern US, the Camp and Woolsey wildfires in California, and the December hailstorm event in Australia. In total, Everest sees industry losses from these events potentially approaching $30B. The impact to Everest is primarily arising from its reinsurance operations, and as such is dependent upon the loss reporting from ceding insurers across many underlying insurance policies.

16:15 EDT Wintrust Financial increases quarterly dividend 31.6% - Wintrust Financial Corporation announced that the company's board approved a quarterly cash dividend of 25c per share of outstanding common stock. The dividend is payable on February 21 to shareholders of record as of February 7. This represents an increase of approximately 31.6% from the 19c quarterly cash dividend paid in each of the quarters of 2018.

16:12 EDT Starbucks up 3% following Q1 earnings report - In after hours trading, Starbucks shares are up $2.06, or 3.2%, to $66.80.

16:11 EDT Hi-Crush Partners resumes operations at Whitehall facility - Hi-Crush Partners LP announced that it resumed operations at its Northern White frac sand production facility in Whitehall, Wisconsin. Concurrently, the Partnership announced that it has idled operations at its Northern White frac sand production facility in Augusta, Wisconsin. The dedicated and experienced workforce at the Augusta facility is in the process of transitioning to the operation of the Whitehall facility.

16:10 EDT Starbucks sees FY19 global comparable store sales growth 3%-4% - Starbucks updated its FY19 global comparable store sales guidance to growth between 3% and 4% to "conform with its ongoing earnings growth model provided at its December 2018 Investor Day," it said.

16:07 EDT Norfolk Southern reports Q4 operating ratio 62.8%

16:04 EDT Intel raises cash dividend 5% to $1.26 per share on annual basis - Intel announced that its board of directors has approved a 5% increase in its cash dividend to $1.26 per-share on an annual basis. The board declared a quarterly dividend of $0.315 per-share on the company's common stock, which will be payable on March 1 to shareholders of record on February 7.

16:03 EDT Alaska Air reports Q4 passenger revenue up 6% - Grew passenger revenues by 6% compared to the fourth quarter of 2017, and by 5% compared to full-year 2017.

16:02 EDT Americas Silver reports Q4 silver production 1.8M, up 28% from last year - Consolidated cash costs for Q4, 2018 were approximately $1.27 per silver ounce, a decrease of approximately 74% when compared to Q3, 2018, while consolidated AISC were approximately $11.86 per silver ounce, a decrease of 26% quarter-over-quarter.

15:25 EDT PG&E up 25% after Cal Fire says Tubbs Fire caused by private electrical system

15:22 EDT Cal Fire finds private electrical system as cause of Tubbs Fire

15:14 EDT PG&E trading halted, volatility trading pause

14:26 EDT ICE introduces U.S. Dollar Bank Yield Index for review and comment - Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. announced that ICE Benchmark Administration has published a paper introducing the U.S. Dollar ICE Bank Yield Index for review and comment by market participants. The fully transaction-based U.S. Dollar ICE Bank Yield Index is designed to measure the yields at which investors are willing to invest U.S. dollar funds in large, internationally active banks on a wholesale, unsecured basis over one-month, three-month and six-month periods. The index has been developed to meet the potential needs of lenders, borrowers and other users of non-derivative or "cash" products that have historically referenced short-term interest rate benchmarks, such as LIBOR, in their contracts. IBA has conducted a period of testing on a preliminary methodology for the index over the course of the past year. The results are published in the paper and on IBA's website. IBA is now inviting market participants and stakeholders to review and provide feedback on the U.S. Dollar ICE Bank Yield Index and its proposed methodology via email at IBA@theice.com by March 31, 2019. IBA intends to consider and take account of this feedback in finalising the construction of the index before conducting a production-standard test in the second half of 2019. If the market's response is encouraging and future testing is successful, IBA anticipates that it will launch the U.S. Dollar ICE Bank Yield Index and commence publication during the first quarter of 2020.

13:27 EDT Harvard Pilgrim Health Care selects UnitedHealth's OptumRx as PBM - Harvard Pilgrim Health Care announced it has entered into a new, multi-year agreement with OptumRx to provide Pharmacy Benefit Management, or PBM, solutions. "Effective January 1, 2020, OptumRx will provide Harvard Pilgrim with PBM services designed to better manage overall drug spend and increase member engagement in pharmacy and health care through a more integrated health and wellness service platform. OptumRx will support convenient and affordable access to prescription medications to Harvard Pilgrim members through a comprehensive retail and home delivery pharmacy network. The new collaboration between Harvard Pilgrim and OptumRx further broadens a long-term strategic relationship Harvard Pilgrim has with Optum, including several program partnerships such as Optum Behavioral Health," the not-for-profit health services company stated in a press release earlier.

13:04 EDT Canaan IX reports 15.4% passive stake in Arvinas - In a regulatory filing, Canaan IX disclosed a 15.4% stake in Arvinas, which represents nearly 5M shares.The filing does not allow for activism.

12:57 EDT Southwest says 'reasonable' chance of launching Hawaii service in Q1 - Says has reasonable chance of launching Hawaii service in Q1 if shutdown ends in a week.

12:43 EDT Southwest says to end service to Mexico City later this quarter

12:41 EDT Gasparino: Tesla 'to address coming bond payment/capital needs on earnings call' - Charles Garparino of Fox Business News said via Twitter: "Ppl @Tesla say @elonmusk likely to address coming bond payment/capital needs at Jan 30 earnings call as investors grow worried abt $TSLA cash position. These people say Tesla likely to have enough cash to make $920m bond payment as investors grow dubious more." Reference Link

12:33 EDT Southwest discontinuing practice of releasing monthly traffic statistics - Comment taken from the Q4 earnings conference call.

12:28 EDT Teradyne CFO Beecher to retire - In a regulatory filing, Teradyne announced that Gregory R. Beecher plans to retire from the company. No retirement date has been set. Beecher will continue in his role as Chief Financial Officer until his successor is appointed, and then remain with the company during a transition period until his retirement date.

12:21 EDT Target, Shipt expand same-day delivery in Hawaii - Shipt and Target Corporation announced they will begin same-day delivery of more than 55,000 groceries, electronics, toys and other household essentials in Hilo, Honolulu, Kahului and Kailua, Hawaii metro areas beginning on Feb. 7, 2019.

12:05 EDT Aetna, Anthem, HCSC, PNC and IBM collaborate on blockchain-based ecosystem - Aetna (CVS), Anthem (ANTM), Health Care Service Corporation, PNC Bank (PNC) and IBM (IBM) announced a new collaboration to design and create a network using blockchain technology to improve transparency and interoperability in the healthcare industry. The aim is to create an inclusive blockchain network that can benefit multiple members of the healthcare ecosystem in a highly secure, shared environment. The goal is to allow the blockchain network to enable healthcare companies to build, share and deploy solutions that drive digital transformation in the industry. The collaboration members intend to use blockchain to address a range of industry challenges, including promoting efficient claims and payment processing, to enable secure and frictionless healthcare information exchanges, and to maintain current and accurate provider directories. Aetna, Anthem, HCSC, PNC Bank, and IBM are actively working to further define the initial use cases for the health utility network. The collaboration will add additional members to the network in the coming months including other health organizations, healthcare providers, startups, and technology companies.

12:00 EDT McCormick falls -13.1% - McCormick is down -13.1%, or -$18.14 to $120.86.

12:00 EDT Bristow Group rises 12.0% - Bristow Group is up 12.0%, or 36c to $3.40.

12:00 EDT Triumph Group rises 28.0% - Triumph Group is up 28.0%, or $3.72 to $16.99.

11:12 EDT RH up 5% after Citron sets $250 price target, cites takeover potential

11:07 EDT Jerash signs agreement to add additional manufacturing capacity - After the market close on Wednesday, Jerash Holdings announced it signed an agreement to operate its fourth manufacturing facility in Al Tajamouat Industrial City, a Qualified Industrial Zone located in Amman, Jordan. The acquisition is expected to close in Q4 of the fiscal year ended March 31, 2019. Upon the closing of the acquisition, the facility is expected to add 1.5M-1.8M pieces per year to Jerash's current annual capacity of approximately 6.5M pieces, an increase of up to 27% annually.

10:38 EDT JetBlue sees decision on European service later this year

10:24 EDT Freeport McMoRan CEO says today demand outlook 'looks good' - Freeport McMoRan CEO Richard Adkerson said the company had to "go out and buy copper" to meet demand in U.S. this year. Adkerson added, "Can you believe that?" Comments given during Q4 earnings conference call.

10:20 EDT JetBlue says to defer four Airbus A220s on order through 2025

10:08 EDT JetBlue: Shutdown may cause delays, canceled flights, long lines

10:07 EDT JetBlue views 2019 as 'stepping stone year' to deliver on 2020 goals

10:06 EDT Freeport McMoRan sees FY19 copper sales 3.3B pounds - Sees FY19 gold sales of 0.8M ounces. Sees FY19 molybdenum sales of 94M pounds. Sees FY19 operating cash flows of approximately $1.8B. Sees FY19 CapEx $2.4B. Guidance provided in Q4 earnings presentation slides.

10:04 EDT Bank First National Corporation trading resumes

10:00 EDT McCormick falls -11.2% - McCormick is down -11.2%, or -$15.54 to $123.46.

10:00 EDT Invacare rises 8.1% - Invacare is up 8.1%, or 38c to $5.05.

10:00 EDT Triumph Group rises 21.6% - Triumph Group is up 21.6%, or $2.86 to $16.13.

09:49 EDT American Airlines says corporate demand 'continues to be strong' - Says will continue three daily flights to Venezuela.

09:47 EDT Briggs & Stratton falls -12.3% - Briggs & Stratton is down -12.3%, or -$1.68 to $12.02.

09:47 EDT Triumph Group rises 7.1% - Triumph Group is up 7.1%, or 94c to $14.21.

09:47 EDT STMicroelectronics rises 9.1% - STMicroelectronics is up 9.1%, or $1.28 to $15.38.

09:35 EDT B.O.S. Better Online's supply chain division receives $1.9M in orders - B.O.S. Better Online Solutions announced that its Supply Chain Division has received orders totaling $1.9M from a new customer, an electronics manufacturer, in India. The orders, for electronic components, are expected to be delivered during 2019-2020.

09:33 EDT Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Wiley form exclusive partnership for AP materials - Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMHC) announced that it has entered into a partnership with John Wiley and Sons (JWA, JWB) to become the exclusive distributor of its Advanced Placement, honors and electives catalog in the K-12 market. The addition of Wiley's AP and electives portfolio further enhances and extends HMH's core programs and services, providing customers with an integrated set of offerings that supports college readiness. As Wiley's exclusive distributor, HMH will support this growth by broadening access to rigorous elective coursework, including providing high schools that previously lacked established AP programs with increased access to high-quality resources, integration support and training, and data and analytics to measure impact.

09:32 EDT General Dynamics awarded F-35 Joint Strike Fighter IT support contract - General Dynamics Information Technology announced it was recently awarded the Joint Strike Fighter F-35 IT program support contract. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division awarded a task order against a previously issued General Services Administration, Government Wide Acquisition Alliant Contract to General Dynamics One Source, a joint venture between GDIT and General Dynamics Mission Systems. The contract holds an estimated ceiling value of $155.6M and includes a base period of two years with three one-year options. GDIT will provide knowledge-based, information assurance and cybersecurity IT services to the F-35 JSF Virtual Enterprise network in support of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Program Office.

09:30 EDT Taiwan Liposome Company Ltd (ADS) trading halted, volatility trading pause

09:20 EDT Air Products increases quarterly dividend 5% to $1.16 - Air Products has increased more than 5% increase, from $1.10 to $1.16 per share. The dividend is payable on May 13 to shareholders of record at the close of business on April 1.

09:11 EDT Energy Recovery awarded $4.4M desalination contract in Oman - Energy Recovery announced total awards of $4.4M to supply its PX Pressure Exchanger technology for desalination projects in the Sultanate of Oman. These desalination projects are expected to ship in Q2 and Q3.

09:09 EDT MGM Resorts up about 4% after forming board to evaluate real estate portfolio - In pre-market trading, shares are up 3.88% to $28.89.

09:06 EDT Adobe announces appointments of Marriott CFO, Nutanix CEO to board - Adobe (ADBE) announced the appointments of Leeny Oberg and Dheeraj Pandey to its board of directors, effective Jan. 22, 2019. In addition, current board directors Edward "Ned" Barnholt and Robert "Rob" Burgess have each announced their intent to retire and step down from the Adobe board, effective at the end of their respective terms in April. Barnholt is the retired chairman, president and CEO of Agilent Technologies (A) and served as the chair of the Adobe board's nominating and governance committee for over a decade. Burgess is the former chairman and CEO of Macromedia.Oberg has served as the CFO of Marriott International (MAR) since 2016. Pandey is the founder, CEO and chairman of Nutanix (NTNX), a global leader in enterprise cloud software and hyperconverged infrastructure solutions.

09:04 EDT Digital Realty, Facebook announce virtual power purchase agreement - Digital Realty (DLR) announced the signing of a virtual power purchase agreement on behalf of Facebook (FB) to support Facebook's renewable energy goals at data center facilities leased from Digital Realty. Under the agreement, Digital Realty has executed a long-term renewable power purchase contract to secure approximately 80 megawatts of solar power capacity for Facebook. Digital Realty contracted with SunEnergy, which has developed and will own and operate the solar project, to be located within Virginia Electric and Power Company territory in North Carolina. Under the terms of the agreement, all renewable energy certificates and environmental claims will be delivered to Facebook. This agreement marks the first back-to-back utility-scale renewable energy transaction between a data center provider landlord utilizing a virtual power purchase agreement to underpin the renewable energy supply dedicated to a customer. Digital Realty worked in partnership with Facebook to structure the transaction to align with Facebook's quality standards for new renewable energy projects within the same power grid as the data center load.

09:02 EDT MGM Resorts forms ad-hoc board to evaluate real estate portfolio - MGM Resorts announced that its Board of Directors formed an ad-hoc Board committee to evaluate MGM Resorts' real estate portfolio and make recommendations to the full Board regarding strategy and opportunities to enhance value. The Committee will be composed of three independent directors, each with extensive real estate and financial markets experience, John B. Kilroy Jr., Keith A. Meister and Paul Salem. They will work with management to assist in the evaluation. The Committee's focus and objectives will remain consistent with the company's existing strategy to enhance free cash flow per share, maximize value of the owned real estate and MGM's equity holdings, preserve the Company's financial stability and position the company for continued growth.

08:58 EDT American Airlines says sees no impact from Brexit at this point - Says premium economy fares averaging twice coach fares.

08:47 EDT Attis Industries announces carbon fiber partnership with Iowa State University - Attis Industries announced a partnership with Iowa State University for a funded research program to develop carbon fibers for use in a wide variety of applications derived entirely or predominately from lignin produced at Attis' planned biorefineries. The Department of Energy and its National Laboratories have placed a high priority on the development of a bio-based precursor for carbon fiber while simultaneously cutting its final cost, so that it may be a viable material in the mass automotive market to improve fuel efficiency, safety and energy independence. Attis identified Iowa State University as an ideal candidate to partner with for carbon fiber research and development due to their broad background in bio-based material evaluation for carbon fiber production. The partnership will involve a significant amount of laboratory and pilot testing of Attis' lignin by Iowa State University to maximize the amount of lignin in a finished carbon fiber formulation while meeting the industry standard for carbon fiber in automotive applications.

08:44 EDT Hanmi Financial announces 1.5M share repurchase program - Hanmi Financial announced that its board has adopted a new stock repurchase program. Under the current repurchase program, the company may repurchase up to 5% of its outstanding shares or approximately 1.5M shares of its common stock. In August 2018, the bank authorized a stock repurchase plan of up to 5%, or 1.6M shares, which was completed during Q4 and previously reported.

08:41 EDT Teligent receives FDA approval for Clobetasol Propionate Ointment ANDA - Teligent announced it has received approval of the company's abbreviated new drug application, or ANDA, from the FDA of Clobetasol Propionate Ointment. This is Teligent's first approval of 2019, and its thirty-third approval from its internally-developed pipeline of topical generic pharmaceutical medicines.

08:40 EDT Shell Midstream increases quarterly dividend 4.7% to 40c per share - Shell Midstream announced that the board of its general partner declared a cash distribution of 40c per limited partner unit for Q4. This represents an increase of 4.7% over the previous quarterly distribution of 38.2c per unit and a 20.1% increase over the distribution paid with respect to Q4 of 2017. With this distribution increase, the partnership has achieved its distribution guidance for 2018. The distribution will be paid February 14 to unitholders of record as of February 4.

08:36 EDT American Airlines says '2018 was a challenging year' - Says: "We enter 2019 with great momentum... We feel great about where we are positioned." Comments from Q4 earnings conference call.

08:34 EDT Sparton announces expiration of HSR waiting period with respect to acquisition - Sparton Corporation announced that the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvement Act of 1976, as amended, with respect to Sparton's pending acquisition by Striker Parent 2018, an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management, expired at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on January 22, 2019 without a request for additional information by the Federal Trade Commission or the Department of Justice. The expiration of the waiting period under the HSR Act satisfies one of the conditions to the closing of the acquisition, which remains subject to other customary closing conditions set forth in the Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of December 11, 2018, by and among Sparton, Parent and Striker Merger Sub 2018, a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent.

08:14 EDT Honeywell and Pipistrel collaborate on urban air mobility technologies - Honeywell and Pipistrel have signed a memorandum of understanding to explore and develop solutions for the urban air mobility market. The companies will integrate Honeywell avionics, navigation, flight control systems, connectivity and other beneficial products and services onto a future Pipistrel Vertical Takeoff and Landing air vehicle to support fully autonomous operations in the future. Urban air mobility is an aviation industry term for on-demand and automated passenger or cargo-carrying air transportation services, typically flown without a pilot.

08:13 EDT Goldman Sachs CEO says 'focused' on resolving 1MDB issue

08:12 EDT ABM water meter replacement project to recoup Sand Diego County district $10M - ABM has initiated a district-wide water meter installation project for the Rainbow Municipal Water District in San Diego County, California. ABM's solution will help Rainbow Municipal Water District replace aging and inaccurate water meters with new residential and commercial water meters, including a new automated meter reading, or AMR, system. This new equipment will allow the district to recoup an estimated $10M in lost revenue over the next 10 years. The project launched in October 2018 and is scheduled for completion in June 2020. The estimated savings of $1M per year will be achieved by reducing non-revenue water, or NRW. NRW is water currently provided to the District's customers without proper billing due to the current water meters' inaccurate measurements. The district's current system is not registering 100% of the water delivered to customers, resulting in significant non-revenue water losses. The new AMR system will also allow the district to remotely collect consumption, diagnostic and status data from the new meters, in addition to remote reading and troubleshooting capabilities.

08:11 EDT Lipocine files IND to evaluate LPCN 1144 in biopsy confirmed NASH subjects - Lipocine has filed an Investigational New Drug application with the FDA to initiate a Phase 2 clinical study of LPCN 1144 in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis with biopsy confirmed NASH subjects. There is currently no FDA approved product for the treatment of NASH.

08:10 EDT East West Bancorp sees FY19 NIM between 3.75%-3.8% - Current outlook for the expected full year 2019 results, compared to full year 2018 results, is as follows: End of Period Loans: increase by approximately 10%. Net Interest Income: increase at a percentage rate in the low double digits. Net Interest Margin: between 3.75% and 3.80%. Noninterest Expense: increase at a percentage rate in the mid-single digits. Provision for Credit Losses: in the range of $80M to $90M.Tax Items: projecting full year effective tax rate of approximately 15%, including the impact of tax credit investments, which reduce our tax liability from statutory rates. Interest Rates: No additional fed funds rate increases in the year 2019.

08:09 EDT Luokung Technology partners with National Engineering Research Center - Luokung Technology announced its strategic cooperation with the National Engineering Research Center for Remote Sensing Applications, China's national level center of scientific research and development, technological innovation and industrialization in the area of remote sensing application. The two parties jointly established a national level "Spatial-temporal Data Research Center" which will allow the parties to access synergies and complementary advantages and achieve further development in the spatial temporal data industry. The Engineering Center is supported by the Institute of Remote Sensing and Digital Earth Chinese Academy of Sciences. Luokung is receiving the full support necessary to realize the scientific research and development, technological innovation and industrialization in the area of remote sensing application.

08:07 EDT Union Pacific reports Q4 total revenue carloads up 3% y/y - Fourth quarter business volumes, as measured by total revenue carloads, increased 3% compared to 2017. Strong growth in industrial and premium shipments more than offset declines in agricultural products and energy. In addition: Quarterly freight revenue increased 6% compared to the fourth quarter 2017, as positive volume, increased fuel surcharge revenue and core pricing gains all contributed to the increase, but were partially offset by negative business mix. Union Pacific's operating ratio of 61.6% improved 1.1 points compared to adjusted fourth quarter 2017. The $2.33 per gallon average quarterly diesel fuel price in the fourth quarter 2018 was 15% higher than the fourth quarter 2017. Quarterly train speed, as reported to the Association of American Railroads, was 24.4 mph, 3% slower than the fourth quarter 2017. Terminal dwell was 26.7 hours, an 18% improvement compared to the fourth quarter 2017. Union Pacific repurchased 8M shares in the fourth quarter 2018 at an aggregate cost of $1.2B. Union Pacific also received 4.5M shares to complete a $3.6B Accelerated Share Repurchase program initiated in June 2018.

08:06 EDT Two River Bancorp announces $2M share repurchase program - Two River Bancorp announced that its board has approved a new share repurchase program. Under this new program, the company may repurchase up to $2M of its common stock from January 31 to December 31. This new program replaces the company's prior share repurchase program, which expired on December 31, 2018.

08:04 EDT EU commercial vehicle registrations down 4.0% in November - In December, commercial vehicle registrations across the EU were down 4.0% compared to the last month of 2017, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. Demand contracted across all segments, but heavy trucks and buses saw the highest drops, the group said. Publicly traded truck makers and suppliers include Daimler AG (DDAIF), Paccar (PCAR), CNH Industrial (CNHI), Navistar (NAV), Cummins (CMI) and Allison Transmission (ALSN).

08:02 EDT Union Pacific CEO sees FY19 operating margins improving - "We are optimistic that continued economic growth, improving service performance and the strength of our diverse franchise will drive positive volume and revenue growth in 2019. We expect operating margins will increase as a result of solid core pricing gains and significant productivity benefits from our G55 + 0 initiatives, including Unified Plan 2020," said CEO Fritz. "We have a strong leadership team in place that includes new people in key positions who will help deliver on our goals for achieving industry-leading safety, service reliability, and financial performance in the coming year."

07:47 EDT ECB says to reinvest QE debt for 'extended period' after start of rate raising - The European Central Bank stated: "Regarding non-standard monetary policy measures, the Governing Council intends to continue reinvesting, in full, the principal payments from maturing securities purchased under the asset purchase program for an extended period of time past the date when it starts raising the key ECB interest rates, and in any case for as long as necessary to maintain favorable liquidity conditions and an ample degree of monetary accommodation."

07:40 EDT Fanhua announces correction to January 22 press release - Fanhua announced a correction to its press release disseminated on January 22, 2019 which incorrectly stated that approximately RMB195.8 million will be used on the 521 development plan. It should be corrected as "approximately US$195.8 million has been used on the 521 development plan in 2018". The rest of the press release remain unchanged.

07:36 EDT Axon receives Taser 7 orders from Florida Police Departments - Axon received significant orders for its Taser 7 Conducted Energy Weapons. These orders were placed in December 2018 and will ship in multiple phases. Some of the larger orders include Brevard County Sheriff's Office, FL, for 586 TASER 7 weapons backed by five years of Axon Evidence, West Palm Beach Police Department, FL, for 293 TASER 7 weapons backed by five years of Axon Evidence, and Coral Gables Police Department, FL, for 200 TASER 7 weapons backed by five years of Axon Evidence.

07:33 EDT Fanhua completes extended repurchase program, reports new issuance - Fanhua announced the completion of its expanded share repurchase program previously authorized by its board of directors and completion of the new share issuance under its 521 development plan. In August 2018, the Company was authorized by the Board to repurchase up to 6.5 million American Depository Shares of the Company up to $29.00 per ADS before December 30, 2018. As of December 30, 2018, the Company has repurchased 1,423,774 ADS at an average price of US$25.5285 per ADS, for a total amount of US$ 36.3 million under the program. Pursuant to Board approval previously announced in August 2018, on January 24, 2019, the Company resold the 1,423,774 ADSs which were held in treasury to participants in Fanhua's 521 development plans, at $25.52 per ADS, or the weighted average of the closing prices of the share repurchases under the share repurchase program. In the meantime, the Company was approved by the Board to newly issue and sell 101,524,520 ordinary shares to the Participants at the same price. Combined with the 7.5 million ADS previously purchased by the Participants at US$29.0 per ADS, a total of 14 million ADSs, representing 19.95% of the Company's expanded share capital, have been purchased by the Participants under the 521 development plan, at the weighted average price of US$27.38 per ADS. These shares are subject to a five year lock-up period and the Participants must fulfill certain performance goals in the next five years in order to enjoy the full appreciation in the value of the ADSs.

07:29 EDT IAG does not intend to make offer for Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, to sell stake - International Airlines Group confirmed in an announcement to the market that it does not intend to make an offer for Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA and that, in due course, it will be selling its 3.93% shareholding in Norwegian.

07:21 EDT Morgan Stanley CEO: Shutdown could have 'extremely damaging' impact - Gorman is speaking to CNBC's "Squawk Box" in Davos, Switzerland.

07:17 EDT Navios Maritime Containers exercises option to acquire containership for $52.5M - Navios Maritime Containers L.P. announced the exercise of a previously announced option to acquire a 2011-built 10,000 TEU containership from an unrelated party for $52.5M.The containership is expected to be delivered into Navios Containers' fleet in Q1 2019 and is chartered out at a net rate of (i) $26,325 per day until November 2020 and thereafter (ii) $27,300 per day until October 2021. The containership is expected to generate approximately $9.5M of revenue and $6.5M of EBITDA in the twelve month period following its delivery. Navios Containers will finance the acquisition through (i) $31.8 million of debt financing (maturing in 2023 and bearing interest at LIBOR plus 325 bps per annum), (ii) $15M credit by the seller for a period until December 31, 2019 at a rate of 500 bps per annum and (iii) $5.7M of cash on the balance sheet. The acquisition is subject to certain conditions, and there can be no assurances that this acquisition or the related financing will occur in whole or in part.

07:14 EDT Universal Stainless & Alloy increases low alloy VAR bar base price 5%-10% - Universal Stainless & Alloy announced a base price increase of 5%-10% on all low alloy VAR quality bar products manufactured at its Bridgeville, Dunkirk and North Jackson facilities. The increase will be effective for all new orders entered January 28 forward. Current material and energy surcharges will remain in effect.

07:09 EDT McDermott announces ethylene furnace award in Indonesia - McDermott announced that it has been awarded a sizeable technology contract by PT Chandra Asri Perkasa for the detailed engineering of 8 proprietary SRT ethylene cracking heaters at the Chandra Asri Perkasa ethylene plant in Cilegon, Indonesia. The unit will utilize Lummus Technology's SRT pyrolysis heater technology to produce 1,100 KTA of ethylene and 600 KTA of propylene. This award follows the company's announcement in April 2018 of a contract for the license and basic engineering of the ethylene plant at this facility. This award will be reflected in McDermott's fourth quarter 2018 backlog.

07:08 EDT Curis says first mesothelioma patient dosed in CA-170 study - Curis announced that the first mesothelioma patient has been enrolled and dosed in the Phase I study of CA-170. CA-170 is an orally available, dual inhibitor of VISTA and PDL1, which the company believes could provide benefit in tumors with high levels of VISTA expression. Over 90% of mesothelioma cells express VISTA. The company had previously announced its expectation to begin enrollment of mesothelioma patients in a dedicated cohort within the existing Phase 1 study. "We are pleased to announce that the CA-170 study has begun dosing patients ahead of schedule," said James Dentzer, President & CEO of Curis. "On last quarter's earnings call, we outlined the reorganization of company resources to strengthen focus on clinical execution. Today's announcement is a result of those efforts. We re-iterate our confidence in our expectation to report initial efficacy data in this study in the second half of 2019."

07:07 EDT Bridgewater Bancshares announces $15M stock repurchase program - Bridgewater Bancshares announced that its Board of Directors has adopted a stock repurchase program. Under the repurchase program, Bridgewater may repurchase up to $15M of its common stock during the 24-month period beginning on January 22, 2019. "While we will continue to use capital to support Bridgewater's organic growth and opportunistic acquisition opportunities, if at times we perceive the market price of Bridgewater's common stock does not accurately reflect Bridgewater's value, this program provides Bridgewater the ability to repurchase its stock," said Chairman, President and CEO Jerry Baack. "We believe the repurchase program demonstrates our commitment to enhancing shareholder value."

07:05 EDT JetBlue sees CASM ex-fuel growth higher in 1H19 vs. 2H19 - "I am delighted to say we exceeded our plan, and reported underlying CASM ex-fuel growth below the mid-point of our full year guidance, despite the added pressure from lower capacity in three of four quarters," said Steve Priest, JetBlue's EVP CFO. "Excluding the 2018 impact from our pilot deal of 1.3 points, we achieved a small decline in underlying CASM ex-fuel for the year. This is an important accomplishment in improving our cost control as we have now achieved $199 million dollars in 2020 run rate savings from our $250 to 300 million dollar Structural Cost Program, and we are on track to execute on our cost commitments through 2020. Looking into the first quarter, similar to our progression in 2018, we expect the quarter over quarter variations during 2019 to also include scheduled engine maintenance events that may shift between quarters as we remain on a time and material basis for our Airbus engines. For 2019 we continue to expect our ex-fuel unit costs growth to range between 0 and 2 percent. We anticipate CASM ex-fuel growth to be higher in the first half of this year, largely as a result of the pilot contract effective on August 1 of 2018. In the second half of 2019 we expect to see further benefits from the ramp of the Structural Cost Program and the greater impact of our A320 fleet restyling efforts."

07:04 EDT McDermott awarded EPC contract by BP Trinidad & Tobago - McDermott (MDR) has been awarded a contract award by BP (BP) Trinidad & Tobago for the engineering, procurement and construction of the Cassia Compression Platform, located 35 miles southeast off the coast of Trinidad. The contract was awarded in two phases, with an initial booking in 4Q18 for early engineering and procurement work. The remainder of the award will be reflected in McDermott's 1Q19 backlog. McDermott will provide engineering, procurement, construction and hook-up and commissioning of the Cassia C topsides, jacket and bridge and fabricate the compression platform from its facility in Altamira, Mexico.

07:03 EDT JetBlue sees FY19 capacity up 5%-7% - For the full year 2019, JetBlue continues to expect year over year CASM ex-fuel to be between flat and 2.0%.

07:02 EDT BlueMountain Capital urges PG&E shareholders to replace board - BlueMountain Capital issued an open letter to Shareholders of PG&E Corporation saying it plans to announce a "New Slate" of Board Members by no later than February 21. The Board Election will be held at the Annual Shareholder Meeting, slated for May 21. "The Current Board has not only failed the Company and its shareholders; it has failed its customers; it has failed its employees; and, it has failed the people of California," reads the letter. "The Company has lost the public's trust, and it has severely damaged its relationship with regulators and elected officials. A publicly regulated utility needs a strong working partnership with the public sector. In order to rebuild essential relationships and restore trust, the Company needs an entirely new board," the letter continues. "We expect the New Slate would insist the Company work collaboratively with the state of California and its citizens to transform the Company. The Current Board has chosen to do just the opposite. As you are undoubtedly aware, the Current Board announced their intention to file a voluntary, costly, and unnecessary bankruptcy, which, in our view, violates their fiduciary duties to the Company and to you. We plan to nominate a New Slate that will provide appropriate oversight and ensure the Company has a strong and experienced management team, a strategy to address its challenges, and an effective implementation plan," the letter says. Reference Link

07:00 EDT Accenture Federal Services wins $49.4M Air Force personnel contract - Accenture has been awarded a contract to modernize the payroll, leave-management and core human resources functions that serve more than 600,000 Air Force men and women. The Air Force Integrated Personnel and Pay System task order has an estimated value of $49.4M over a three-year base performance period. Accenture Federal Services will develop a web-enabled enterprise resource planning solution that integrates many of the existing personnel and pay processes into a single unified ERP system.

06:56 EDT Endeavour Silver sees 2019 production down 10% to 8.1-9.4 million silver eq. oz - Endeavour Silver provided 2019 production and cost guidance for its four silver-gold mines in Mexico. The company also provided its 2019 capital and exploration budgets for the four mines and several exploration and development projects. In 2019, consolidated silver and gold production is estimated to be about 10% lower than 2018. Silver production is expected to range from 4.4 to 5.2 million oz and gold production of 46,200-52,200 oz. Silver equivalent production should approximate 8.1-9.4 million oz. Estimates consolidated cash cost slightly higher year-on-year at $8.50-9.50 per oz silver and AISC equal to or slightly lower than 2018 at $15-16 per oz silver. Cash costs are expected to increase slightly in 2019 compared to 2018, primarily at El Cubo, whereas reduced capital expenditures in 2019 should result in lower all-in sustaining costs year-on-year, based on lower 2019 precious metal production and using lower estimated metal prices of $15.50 per oz silver and $1,240 per oz gold. Endeavour CEO Bradford Cooke commented, "We expect to improve our operating performance this year (...) However, El Cubo production will scale back to about half that of 2018, in order to give our exploration group more time to explore for new resources. We expect Guanacevi to return to full plant capacity in H2, 2019, we have a substantial ore stockpile now at El Compas to fill that plant to capacity, and we are pursuing opportunities to fill the El Cubo plant with new sources of ore in 2019. Meanwhile, we await the final permit, debt financing and board decision so we can commence development of our Terronera project, which has the potential to become our largest and lowest cost mine." In 2019, Endeavour plans to invest $20.6M on capital projects primarily on sustaining capital at the four operating mines, and $1.8M in growth capital to maintain the exploration concessions and cover corporate infrastructure. In 2019, the company plans to drill 30,000 metres and spend $9.8M on brownfields and greenfields exploration and development engineering. At the four existing mines, 18,500 metres of core drilling are planned at a cost of $3.1M. For the exploration and development projects, expenditures of $5.7M are planned to fund 11,500 metres of core drilling and advance engineering studies at Terronera and Parral, for which the Company recently published updated NI 43-101 resource estimates, and drilling of three new projects in Chile. Another $1M will be allocated to projects on an as needed basis during the year.

06:40 EDT Southwest sees Q4 economic fuel costs $2.00-$2.05 per gallon - Based on the company's existing fuel derivative contracts and market prices as of January 18, Q1 economic fuel costs are estimated to be $2.00-$2.05 per gallon, including 6c per gallon in premium expense and an estimated 2c per gallon in favorable cash settlements from fuel derivative contracts, compared with $2.09 per gallon in Q1 2018, which included 7c per gallon in premium expense and 5c per gallon in favorable cash settlements from fuel derivative contracts. In addition, the company expects FY19 economic fuel costs to be in the range of $2.00-$2.10 per gallon, including 4c per gallon in premium expense and an estimated 1c per gallon in favorable cash settlements from fuel derivative contracts. As of January 18, the fair market value of the company's fuel derivative contracts settling in first quarter 2019 was an asset of approximately $12M, and an asset of approximately $73M for those settling over the remainder of 2019. In addition, the fair market value of the fuel hedge portfolio settling in 2020 and beyond was an asset of approximately $145M.

06:35 EDT Applied Industrial Technologies raises dividend to 31c per share - Applied Industrial Technologies increased the quarterly cash dividend to 31c per common share. The dividend is payable on February 28, to shareholders of record on February 15.

06:06 EDT Nissan plans April investor meeting to oust Ghosn from board - Nissan (NSANY) announced that it has begun preparations to hold an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders, targeting mid-April 2019. The agenda is to be limited to the discharge of directors Carlos Ghosn and Greg Kelly, and the appointment of a new director to be nominated by Renault (RNSDF).

06:01 EDT Mechel launches steel trade online store - Mechel reports launching an online store to market the company's rolls. Mechel Service OOO's online store offers a wide range of rolls, including over 40,000 articles in 49 categories such as flat and section rolls, pipes, hot- and cold-rolled products, hardware, stainless rolls and others. The store's website is http://www.mechelservice.ru/catalog . The website also shows updated information on all of Mechel Service sales network's subsidiaries located in 41 Russian cities and towns. Any Russian-based client can make a purchase and choose to use a delivery service, with the customer pick-up option also available. The store's structure is simple and intuitively understandable, and an interactive catalogue makes choosing and buying rolls easier.

05:37 EDT iQIYI, Ctrip expand strategic cooperation in shared membership - iQIYI (IQ) announced a deepening of its partnership in joint premium membership benefits with Ctrip (CTRP). Under the agreement, members who purchase iQIYI Diamond VIP or QIYIGUO year card benefits on the iQIYI platform will be able to claim the benefits of Ctrip Prime members, including the use of Ctrip's VIP airport lounges, priority access for purchasing train tickets, discounts on hotel bookings, vehicle reservation, entry to sightseeing attractions and more. Similarly, customers who become Ctrip Prime members can activate an iQIYI 8-month VIP membership and enjoy access to VIP exclusive content, members-only audio-visual experiences, attendance at exclusive offline events and more.

05:17 EDT Bemis, Amcor say closing delayed due to U.S. government shutdown - Amcor and Bemis have made significant progress towards closing the all-stock transaction announced on August 6, 2018. Integration planning led by a dedicated team of full time executives from both companies is well underway and preparation of documentation is nearing completion. The process toward securing required antitrust clearances and other regulatory consents in all jurisdictions which are conditional to closing have either been completed or are progressing in line with the range of original expectations. However, in the U.S., antitrust approval and completion of shareholder meeting documentation review by the SEC have been delayed due to the partial US government shutdown. As a result, it is now anticipated the transaction will close in the second quarter of calendar year 2019.