Stockwinners Market Radar for April 23, 2019 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:09 EDT AT&T's WarnerMedia to sell 30 Hudson Yards for ~$2.2B - WarnerMedia has signed an agreement with an affiliate of Related Companies to sell its space at 30 Hudson Yards for approximately $2.2B. The transaction is expected to close in late second-quarter 2019. WarnerMedia has an agreement to lease the space at 30 Hudson Yards through early 2034. AT&T will use proceeds from this transaction, along with additional planned sales of non-core assets, to reduce its debt.

19:03 EDT MediciNova gets Notice of Allowance from U.S. PTC for MN-166 in glioblastoma - MediciNova announced that it has received a Notice of Allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a pending patent application which covers MN-166, or ibudilast, for the treatment of glioblastoma. Once issued, the patent maturing from this allowed patent application is expected to expire no earlier than December 2037. The allowed claims cover a method of treating a patient diagnosed with glioblastoma or recurrent glioblastoma using MN-166 as part of a combination therapy. The allowed claims cover the use of MN-166 with several types of combination therapies including laquinimod in addition to radiation therapy, electric field therapy, and various therapeutic agents such as temozolomide.

18:55 EDT DOJ says ex-GE engineer, Chinese man charged with theft of GE trade secrets - The U.S. Justice Department said that an indictment unsealed charges Xiaoqing Zheng of Niskayuna, New York, and Zhaoxi Zhang of Liaoning Province, China, with economic espionage and conspiring to steal General Electric's trade secrets surrounding turbine technologies, knowing and intending that those stolen trade secrets would be used to benefit the People's Republic of China. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, U.S. Attorney Grant C. Jaquith for the Northern District of New York, Assistant Director John Brown of the FBI's Counterintelligence Division and Special Agent in Charge James N. Hendricks of the FBI's Albany Field Office made the announcement. According to the 14-count indictment, Zheng, while employed at GE Power & Water in Schenectady, New York as an engineer specializing in sealing technology, exploited his access to GE's files by stealing multiple electronic files, including proprietary files involving design models, engineering drawings, configuration files, and material specifications having to do with various components and testing systems associated with GE gas and steam turbines. Zheng e-mailed and transferred many of the stolen GE files to his business partner, Chinese businessman Zhaoxi Zhang, who was located in China. Zheng and Zhang used the stolen GE trade secrets to advance their own business interests in two Chinese companies - Liaoning Tianyi Aviation Technology Co., Ltd. and Nanjing Tianyi Avi Tech Co. Ltd., companies which research, develop, and manufacture parts for turbines. The indictment also alleges that Zheng and Zhang conspired to commit economic espionage, as the thefts of GE's trade secrets surrounding various turbine technologies were done knowing and intending that the thefts would benefit the People's Republic of China and one or more foreign instrumentalities, including LTAT, NTAT, Shenyang Aerospace University, Shenyang Aeroengine Research Institute, and Huaihai Institute of Technology. The defendants, through LTAT and NTAT, received financial and other support from the Chinese government and coordinated with Chinese government officials to enter into research agreements with Chinese state-owned institutions to develop turbine technologies. The economic espionage counts carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. The trade secrets theft counts carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. Count Fourteen of the indictment, which charges Zheng with making false statements to the FBI during a voluntary interview, carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of up to three years. Reference Link

18:21 EDT AbbVie says FDA approves SKYRIZI - AbbVie announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved SKYRIZI, an interleukin-23 inhibitor, for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy. In clinical trials, SKYRIZI produced high rates of durable skin clearance - most people treated with SKYRIZI achieved 90% skin clearance at one year, with the majority achieving complete skin clearance. "The complex nature of psoriasis and the variability or loss of treatment response over time can prevent some patients from achieving their treatment goals," said Kenneth B. Gordon, M.D., a principal investigator for the ultIMMa-1 pivotal trial and professor and chair of dermatology at the Medical College of Wisconsin. "In clinical trials, risankizumab demonstrated high levels of skin clearance that persisted through one year. I'm pleased the dermatology community now has a new option that can help patients achieve and maintain a high level of treatment response." SKYRIZI is expected to be available in the U.S. in early May.

18:15 EDT Liberty Global names Lutz Shuler as Virgin Media CEO - Liberty Global announced the appointment of Lutz Schuler as CEO of Virgin Media, the company's operations in the UK and Ireland, effective June 11, 2019. Schuler joined Virgin Media as Chief Operating Officer in September 2018, after eight years running Liberty Global's operations in Germany. Tom Mockridge, who has been Virgin Media CEO since Liberty Global first acquired the business in 2013, is leaving the company to base himself again in Italy with his family.

17:45 EDT Texas Pacific Land Trust says trustee nominee Eric Oliver should be disqualified - Texas Pacific Land Trust responded to several statements recently made by "dissident" trustee nominee Eric Oliver regarding some of the Trust's key transactions. "The Trust observed that Mr. Oliver either fundamentally misunderstands the business or intentionally misrepresents information about the Trust in an attempt to mislead investors, either of which should disqualify him from a seat on TPL's Board of Trustees. The decisions made by TPL's management, with the Trustees' oversight, have clearly created and will continue to create long-term shareholder value. Mr. Oliver's shockingly uninformed statements make it clearer than ever that shareholders' best choice for their new trustee is General Don Cook.The Trust further noted that Mr. Oliver's lack of understanding of TPL's business model should be concerning to shareholders. TPL pursues land sales opportunistically and only when there is a clear benefit to shareholders. Our strategy has been to consolidate acreage, invest in higher-return investments, or drive further development and revenues where TPL maintains royalty interests. It is this thoughtful strategy of deploying capital where it will create new value that has allowed TPL to deliver spectacular returns to shareholders," explained the company.

17:39 EDT Snap CEO says 'definitely excited about what we're seeing' with new Android app - Says there is "a lot of opportunity to grow on augmented reality and gaming." Comments from earnings conference call Q/A.

17:31 EDT Cemex says will contribute to reconstruction of Notre-Dame Cathedral - Cemex announced that it will help rebuild Paris' Notre-Dame Cathedral after the devastating fire that partly destroyed and ravaged the building, including the iconic church's roof and spire. In France, Cemex will match the donations made by its employees to Fondation du patrimoine, a private organization dedicated to saving French cultural and natural heritage. In addition, CEMEX will assist in the reconstruction efforts with the following: A high-quality range of technical & specialized products & services; the availability of our Research & Development centres based in Biel and Paris; assistance with material specifications and mix designs through our Laboratory services.

17:21 EDT Comerica names Curtis C. Farmer CEO, Babb, Jr. executive chairman - Comerica announced that Curtis C. Farmer, President, Comerica Incorporated and Comerica Bank, has been named Chief Executive Officer and President of Comerica Incorporated and Comerica Bank. Ralph W. Babb Jr. has been named Executive Chairman, Comerica Incorporated and Comerica Bank. Farmer will continue reporting to Babb, and both Farmer and Babb will continue serving as members of the Comerica Incorporated Board of Directors and the Comerica Bank Board of Directors. In addition, as Executive Chairman, Babb will continue to chair the Comerica Incorporated Board of Directors and the Comerica Bank Board of Directors. Farmer joined Comerica as executive vice president of Wealth Management in 2008, from Wachovia Bank, where he spent 23 years. He was named Vice Chairman of Comerica's Retail Bank and Wealth Management divisions in 2011, and was named President of Comerica Incorporated and Comerica Bank in 2015, adding the Business Bank to his areas of responsibility.

17:19 EDT Boston Scientific gets FDA approval for Lotus Edge - Boston Scientific announced it has received FDA approval for the LOTUS Edge Aortic Valve System. Delivered via a "minimally-invasive procedure", this transcatheter aortic valve replacement technology is approved for patients with severe aortic stenosis who are considered at high risk for surgical valve replacement via open heart surgery. The company commenced a controlled launch of the valve system in Europe in March and expects to begin a controlled launch in the U.S. in the coming weeks.

17:15 EDT Snap interim CFO: Will not guide Q2 DAU, 'previously seen stronger growth in Q1' - Snap interim CFO Lara Sweet says: "While we are not going to give specific guidance on daily active users, we have previously seen stronger daily active user growth rates in Q1 when compared to Q2." Comments from prepared remarks accompanying Q1 earnings. Reference Link

17:13 EDT Teradyne up 5% after reporting Q1 results, giving Q2 guidance

17:04 EDT U.S. Energy receives Nasdaq notice over non-compliance - U.S. Energy announced that the NASDAQ Stock Market LLC notified the company on April 17, 2019 that it is not in compliance with NASDAQ Listing Rule 5250c1 for continued listing due to the delay in filing its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018. The notification from NASDAQ notes that U.S. Energy is required to submit a plan to regain compliance with NASDAQ's filing requirements for continued listing within 60 calendar days from the date of notification, or by June 17, 2019. Upon acceptance of the company's compliance plan, NASDAQ is permitted to grant an extension of up to 180 calendar days from the Annual Report's filing due date, or until October 14, 2019, for the company to regain compliance with NASDAQ's filing requirements for continued listing. The notice has no immediate effect on the listing of the company's Common Stock on the NASDAQ's exchange.

17:02 EDT Renasant raises quarterly dividend to 22c per share from 21c - Renasant said its board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of 22c per share to be paid on June 28, 2019 to shareholders of record as of June 14, 2019. The per share dividend represents a 1c increase from the dividend paid in the previous quarter and the fifth dividend increase since March 31, 2016.

17:01 EDT UMB Financial announces 2M share repurchase program - The Board has approved the repurchase of up to 2M shares of the company's common stock. Share repurchases may occur from time to time at any point until the regular meeting of the Board that immediately follows the 2020 annual meeting of the company's shareholders.

16:52 EDT Snap CEO: New Android OS promising, will 'take time to impact metrics' - Snap CEO Evan Spiegel says: "As of the end of Q1, our new Android application is available to everyone. Compared to the prior version, it is 25% smaller, opens 20% faster on average, and is modularized to allow for efficient ongoing innovation. On some of the lowest-performing devices, this resulted in a 6 percent increase in the number of people sending Snaps within the first week of upgrading to the new Android build. While these early results are promising, improvements in performance and new user retention will take time to compound and meaningfully impact our top-line metrics. There are billions of Android devices in the world that now have access to an improved Snapchat experience, and we look forward to being able to grow our Snapchat community in new markets.Reference Link

16:50 EDT Schlumberger CFO Simon Ayat sells 0ver $1.1M in company shares - Schlumberger CFO Simon Ayat disclosed in a filing that he had sold 25,000 shares of company stock at an average price of $46.10 per share on April 22. The total transaction value of the sale was $1,152,500.

16:44 EDT Jersey Central Power & Light reaches pact for JCP&L Reliability Plus program - Jersey Central Power & Light, a FirstEnergy subsidiary, announced it has reached a settlement with the staff of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, the NJ Division of Rate Counsel and the New Jersey Large Energy Users Coalition for its JCP&L Reliability Plus Infrastructure Investment Program. "We have taken great care to ensure that JCP&L Reliability Plus focuses on the enhancements that have the most reliability benefit for our more than one million New Jersey customers," said Jim Fakult, president of JCP&L. "The enhancements implemented through this program will help reduce the frequency of power outages, address tree damage during severe weather events, provide more flexibility for operating the system and help modernize our electric grid in New Jersey." The cost of JCP&L Reliability Plus will be recovered under a new rate provision included as part of the distribution charge on a customer's bill. Over the course of the program, the average JCP&L residential customer using 768 kilowatt hours per month is expected to see a 0.5%overall rate increase, which equates to a monthly increase of about 50c.

16:40 EDT Mangrove Partners commences action in Ontario court against TransAlta - Mangrove Partners, one of the largest shareholders of TransAlta with aggregate ownership of 7.1% of the company's outstanding shares, announced that it has commenced an action in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice against TransAlta, its Directors and Brookfield BRP Holdings. The action arises out of TransAlta's continued misrepresentation and obfuscation of critical details relating to the upcoming 2019 annual and special meeting of shareholders, and the proposed $750M transaction between the company and Brookfield BRP Holdings. In the action, Mangrove seeks relief under the oppression remedy provisions of the Canada Business Corporations Act, asking the Court to set aside the Brookfield Transaction. Mangrove commenced the action following TransAlta's repeated insistence, to both the Ontario Securities Commission and the Alberta Securities Commission, that Mangrove pursue its claims for relief in the courts and not before the Commissions. In its statement of claim, Mangrove outlines the rushed, defensive and improvident nature of the Brookfield Transaction, including that the TransAlta Special Committee was formed less than two weeks before the public announcement of the Transaction, and that CIBC was not formally engaged as financial advisor until three days before the announcement. The claim also records that TransAlta had rebuffed multiple offers by Brookfield to acquire the entire company over the past several years, only acceding to Brookfield's repeated entreaties when faced with an imminent proxy contest.

16:36 EDT Horizon Global board approves amendment to declassify board structure - Horizon Global Corporation announced that its board of directors has unanimously approved an amendment to its amended and restated certificate of incorporation to immediately declassify its board structure. This amendment is subject to shareholder approval at the company's 2019 Annual Meeting and, if approved, all directors will stand for election in 2019 and every year going forward. The company's board also unanimously approved revisions to its independent director compensation program to eliminate annual cash retainers. In lieu of annual cash retainers, independent directors will receive equity-based compensation. Further, as a result of this board action, independent directors will no longer be entitled to individual meeting fees.

16:34 EDT Burlington Stores CEO Thomas Kingsbury to step down, Michael O'Sullivan succeeds - Burlington Stores (BURL) announced a leadership succession plan to guide the company's continued growth and success: Thomas Kingsbury, Chairman, President and CEO, will step down as CEO on or about September 16, after more than 10 years in that role. Kingsbury will continue to support the company as Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors during a transition period. Michael O'Sullivan, formerly President and COO of Ross Stores (ROST), will join the company on or about September 16 as CEO. O'Sullivan will also be appointed to the company's Board. Jennifer Vecchio, Chief Merchandising Officer, Principal, has been appointed to the newly created role of President, Chief Merchandising Officer, effective immediately. She will continue to be responsible for Merchandising and Planning, and will also oversee Marketing and Strategy.

16:31 EDT Dorman Products announces Joseph Braun as SVP and General Counsel - Dorman Products announced that Joseph P. Braun will join its management team as Senior Vice President and General Counsel effective April 24, 2019. Mr. Braun succeeds Thomas J. Knoblauch who will continue as Corporate Counsel until his retirement at the end of this year. Kevin Olsen, the Company's President and Chief Executive Officer, said "I'm excited to welcome Joe to our Leadership Team. Joe's background spans a broad spectrum of legal practice areas and he has extensive experience counseling publicly traded companies in all aspects of corporate and commercial law. His strong business acumen will provide tremendous value as we continue to expand our leadership position in the passenger car and light, medium and heavy duty truck aftermarkets that we serve. I'd like to thank Tom Knoblauch for his outstanding work as General Counsel over the past fourteen years."

16:25 EDT eBay up 6% to $38.85 after Q1 results beat estimates, FY19 guidance raised

16:24 EDT eBay reports $550M of operating cash flow in Q1 - The company generated $550M of operating cash flow from continuing operations and $368M of free cash flow during the first quarter.

16:22 EDT Citi Global Consumer Bank CEO sells 30K shares of common stock - In a regulatory filing, Citi disclosed that the CEO of its Global Consumer Bank Stephen Bird sold 30K shares of common stock on April 22nd at $69.33 per share. The transaction size was $2.08M.

16:20 EDT eBay grew active buyers by 4% across its platforms in Q1 - In the first quarter, eBay grew active buyers by 4% across its platforms, for a total of 180M global active buyers. Underlying total eBay performance, the Marketplace platforms delivered $2.2B of revenue and $21.6B of GMV. Marketplace revenue growth was 3% on an as-reported basis and 4% on a FX-Neutral basis, and GMV was down 4% on an as-reported basis and down 1% on a FX-Neutral basis. StubHub platforms drove revenue of $230M, flat on both an as-reported and FX-Neutral basis, and GMV of $1B, down 3% on an as-reported basis and down 2% on a FX-Neutral basis. Classifieds platforms delivered revenue of $256M, up 4% on an as-reported basis and up 12% on a FX-Neutral basis. The company made measurable progress against protecting its unique advantage as a true marketplace in service of - not in competition with - sellers of all sizes, improving how people buy and sell on the platform.

16:20 EDT SailPoint Chief Revenue Officer Howard Greenfield to step down - SailPoint Technologies announced that Howard Greenfield will continue as SailPoint's Chief Revenue Officer through July 31, 2019, while a search for his successor is conducted.

16:18 EDT Rite Aid to increase minimum tobacco purchase age to 21 years old - Rite Aid will increase the age to purchase tobacco products to 21 "consistent with the company's commitment to promoting responsible access to tobacco products. Rite Aid previously announced that it will remove e-cigarettes and vaping products chain-wide." These actions will go into effect across all Rite Aid stores within 90 days.

16:16 EDT Mercury Systems receives $9M follow-on order - Mercury Systems announced it received a $9.0M follow-on order from a leading defense prime contractor for precision-engineered radio frequency, or RF, subsystems integrated into an advanced airborne electronic warfare program. The order was booked in Q3 and is expected to be shipped over the next several quarters.

16:13 EDT Snap reports Q1 free cash flow ($78M) - Operating cash flow improved by $166M to ($66M) in Q1 2019, compared to the prior year.

16:10 EDT Texas Instruments up 3.7% to $120.78 after Q1 results beat estimates

16:08 EDT Texas Instruments CEO says 'demand continued to slow across most markets' - Regarding the company's performance and returns to shareholders, Rich Templeton, TI's chairman, president and CEO, made the following comments: "Revenue decreased 5% from the same quarter a year ago as demand for our products continued to slow across most markets. In our core businesses, Analog revenue declined 2% and Embedded Processing declined 14% from the same quarter a year ago. Our cash flow from operations of $7.2 billion for the trailing 12 months again underscored the strength of our business model. Free cash flow for the trailing 12 months was $6.0 billion and represents 38.4% of revenue. This reflects the quality of our product portfolio, as well as the efficiency of our manufacturing strategy, including the benefit of 300-millimeter Analog production. We have returned $8.0 billion to owners in the past 12 months through stock repurchases and dividends. Our strategy is to return all our free cash flow to owners. Over the last 12 months, our dividends represented 45% of free cash flow, underscoring their sustainability. TI's second-quarter outlook is for revenue in the range of $3.46 billion to $3.74 billion, and earnings per share between $1.12 and $1.32, which includes an estimated $10 million discrete tax benefit. We continue to expect our annual operating tax rate to be about 16% in 2019."

16:06 EDT Galapagos NV, MorphoSys and Novartis announce GECKO study initiation - Galapagos NV (GLPG), MorphoSys (MOR) and Novartis (NVS) announced the initiation of GECKO, a Phase 2 study testing a subcutaneous formulation of MOR106 in combination with topical corticosteroids in patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis. The GECKO trial aims to randomize 60 patients who receive either a dose of MOR106 or placebo subcutaneously for eight weeks, together with topical steroids, with a 16 week follow-up period. The primary endpoint of GECKO is the incidence of treatment emergent adverse and serious adverse events through day 169. Pharmacokinetics and occurrence of anti-drug-antibodies after subcutaneous administration of MOR106 will be assessed as secondary endpoints. In addition, the efficacy of MOR106 will be explored. Recruitment will take place in the U.S. and Canada, and the study is intended to serve as an investigational new drug opener with the FDA.

16:04 EDT Hawaiian Holdings sees FY19 ASMs up 1.5%-4.5% - Sees FY19 cost per ASM excluding fuel and non-recurring items flat-3%.

16:00 EDT Avaya, Standard Chartered partner over multi-year CX transformation - Avaya Holdings (AVYA) is partnering with Standard Chartered (SCBFF) to deliver a multi-year client experience transformation project that will enable the bank to more fully align its services with clients' fast-paced, digitally connected lives. The Avaya OneCloud Private solution enables organizations like Standard Chartered to hit the ground running with Unified Communications and Contact Center solutions delivered on their own private cloud. "Our partnership with Avaya will enable us to offer a truly seamless experience for our clients by consolidating all our interactions with them in one place," said Stuart Beaumont, Global Head - Voice & Virtual, Standard Chartered. "This creates greater efficiencies in our structure, with agents being able to transition between all channels, benefiting from the context of previous conversations. Avaya's platform also offers us the flexibility of engaging third party organizations so that we can continue to evolve and offer best in class channels and a great experience for our clients."

15:45 EDT FAA grants Air Carrier Certification to Google's Wing unit - Google's Wing unit, a drone delivery company, said in a blog post on Medium that it has received Air Carrier Certification from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. "This is an important step forward for the safe testing and integration of drones into our economy. Safety continues to be our Number One priority as this technology continues to develop and realize its full potential," said U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Elaine L. Chao. Air Carrier Certification means that the company can begin a commercial service delivering goods from local businesses to homes in the United States, it said. Reference Link

14:02 EDT Ford, Autonomic announce multi-year, global agreement with Amazon Web Services - Ford Motor (F) and Autonomic announced that they have signed a multi-year, global agreement with Amazon Web Services (AMZN), which they said will expand the availability of cloud connectivity services and connected car application development services for the transportation industry. "Through this collaboration, Autonomic's TMC - the leading automotive cloud - will be powered by AWS- the world's leading cloud - to become the standard connected car solution for Ford vehicles. Ford Mobility and Autonomic chose AWS for its global availability, and the breadth and depth of AWS' portfolio of services, including Internet of Things, machine learning, analytics, and compute services. The collaboration with AWS allows additional partnership and business opportunities for automakers, public transit operators, large-scale fleet operators, and software developers," the companies said. The collaboration represents an expansion of the existing relationships between Ford, Autonomic and AWS, they noted in their press release announcing the agreement.

13:54 EDT Tonix Pharmaceuticals says USAMMDA exercising right to terminate CRADA - Tonix Pharmaceuticals announced that on April 18 the company received a notice of termination, effective April 29, whereby the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity, or USAMMDA, is exercising its contractual right to terminate without cause the Collaborative Research and Development Agreement, or CRADA, entered into on December 4, 2015 between the company and USAMMDA relating to the development of Tonmya or TNX-102 SL for the treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. "The termination does not affect Tonix's finances or the conduct of the ongoing RECOVERY trial in PTSD. Due to the statutory limitations on all CRADAs, Tonix's agreement with USAMMDA never contemplated nor contained any provision for funding Tonix or any PTSD study. There is, therefore, no financial impact to Tonix as a result of this action. A key objective of the CRADA was for USAMMDA to assist Tonix in recruiting active duty personnel from military treatment facilities into the Phase 2 AtEase and Phase 3 HONOR studies of military-related PTSD. However, no patients were recruited by USAMMDA from MTFs into either study. The ongoing RECOVERY trial is recruiting only patients whose PTSD results from trauma that occurred less than nine years before screening. Since the large U.S. troop deployments into the war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan were more than nine years ago, the number of relevant potential trial participants in MTFs would be lower than during our previous clinical trials. Therefore, we believe there is no patient recruitment impact to Tonix as a result of this action. Although a potential benefit of the CRADA was cooperation in planning PTSD studies, USAMMDA was not involved in the planning or execution of any Tonix PTSD study. Therefore, we believe there is no research or development impact to Tonix as a result of this action," the company said.

13:39 EDT Cascadilla Capital Partners urges sale or liquidation of Power REIT - Todd Merkle, Managing Principal of Cascadilla Capital Partners and owner of 21,000 shares of Power REIT, (PW) released a letter to Power REIT's Board of Trustees urging the company to pursue a sale or liquidation of its assets. The letter, which can be found here, also addressed the following in part: "Since David Lesser became Chairman of the Board of Power REIT on November 30, 2010: The company's stock price has declined by approximately 45% and its dividend has been eliminated, while the total return on the S&P 500 has been over 162%; In 2015, in the wake of Power REIT's loss in the Norfolk Southern (NSC) litigation, Mr. Lesser and Power REIT Board member Patrick Haynes launched Intellistay Hospitality. Intellistay Hospitality has acquired four hotels since that time while Power REIT has been totally inactive. Yet Power REIT has compensated Mr. Lesser with approximately $1.5M worth of Restricted Stock during this period of inactivity; Notwithstanding Mr. Lesser and Mr. Haynes' relationship as business partners in Intellistay Hospitality, Mr. Haynes has remained one of two members of Power REIT's Compensation Committee, raising serious questions about Mr. Haynes' independence and material conflicts of interest. Power REIT is unlikely to ever trade at, or near, net asset value due to management's track record of value destruction.A sale or liquidation of Power REIT's four high quality assets and approximately $2M cash balance would likely generate proceeds to shareholders of $11.00-$12.00 per share, nearly double recent trading prices, and enable shareholders to recover a significant portion of the losses that have been incurred under Mr. Lesser's watch. For these reasons, the letter strongly encourages Power REIT's Board to immediately commence a process to sell or liquidate the company in order to maximize value for shareholders."

13:31 EDT Lockheed Martin receives $362M contract for MLRS launchers - The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $362M contract to recapitalize 50 of the U.S. Army's Multiple Launch Rocket System launchers. The U.S. Army's MLRS recapitalization effort will eventually upgrade its existing fleet of 225 MLRS M270A1 launchers, and 160 decommissioned M270A0's slated for de-militarization, to M270A2s. In partnership with the Red River Army Depot, these launchers will be completely refurbished as "zero time" launchers with new engines, transmissions, Launcher-Loader Modules, Improved Armored Cabs and the new Common Fire Control System.

12:48 EDT First Financial announces 2-for-1 stock split, increased cash dividend - First Financial Bankshares announced that in connection with the 2019 Annual Shareholders' Meeting, the board of directors declared a two-for-one stock split in the form of a 100% stock dividend. The stock split will be effective for shareholders of record on May 15, with distribution on June 3. The board also declared a 12c per share cash dividend for the second quarter, post-split, which represents a 14.3% increase and will be paid to shareholders of record on June 17, with payment set for July 1.

12:21 EDT Gaming stocks get a jolt after Nvidia introduces 'turbocharged' laptop GPUs - Shares of companies in the gaming space are active on Tuesday GPU maker Nvidia (NVDA) introduced the GeForce GTX 1660 Ti and 1650 Turing-based GPUs for gaming laptops. WHAT'S NEW: Nvidia claims that the new GPU delivers a "major jump in overall performance and power efficiency for today's most popular games." "GeForce GTX 16-series gaming laptops take advantage of all of the shader innovations in the 12th generation NVIDIA Turing GPU architecture, including concurrent floating point and integer operations, unified cache architecture with 3x the L1 cache compared to the Pascal generation, and turbocharged performance using adaptive shading technology," the company said in a statement. WHAT'S NOTABLE: Nvidia's new cards will also enable content creators using Adobe (ADBE) Creative Cloud to access advanced video effects in Adobe Premiere Pro CC and Adobe Premiere Rush, and can "pan and zoom smoothly in Adobe Illustrator CC regardless of display resolution," Nvidia said. PRICE ACTION: Shares of Nvidia are up 1.6% to $191.50 while its chip-maker competitor AMD (AMD) is falling almost 1% to $27.95. GAMING AND HARDWARE: Shares of most companies in the PC gaming space are higher including Microsoft (MSFT), Dell Technologies (DELL), GameStop (GME), Electronic Arts (EA), Activision Blizzard (ATVI), Sony (SNE), Apple (AAPL) and Take-Two (TTWO).

11:27 EDT Lockheed Martin sees tax rate of 15.5% in 2019

11:17 EDT Lockheed says has seen 'strong' bipartisan support for security initiative - Says "encouraged" by recent congressional support for raising spending caps.

11:09 EDT Lockheed Martin says delivered 26 F-35s in Q1 vs. 14 last year - Comments from Q1 earnings conference call.

10:36 EDT Walgreens to implement new 'Tobacco 21' policy chain-wide as of Sept. 1 - Walgreens (WBA) announced that it is implementing a new, chain-wide policy that will require customers to be at least 21 years old in order to purchase tobacco products in its stores. The policy will be effective Sept. 1, 2019, and "is the most recent step in an ongoing effort to further prevent youth access to tobacco products," Walgreens said. The new Tobacco 21 policy reinforces other recent steps the company has taken, including the implementation of a "Card All" policy chain-wide last October and also aligns with the efforts of states and municipalities who have recently enacted, or are considering, laws to restrict tobacco sales to people 21 and older, according to Walgreens. Publicly traded companies in the tobacco products space include Altria Group (MO), British American Tobacco (BTI) and Philip Morris (PM).

10:17 EDT Polaris Industries says April off to a strong start - Says customer demand was strong until the final Sunday of the quarter, and the positive momentum as continued so far in April. Comments taken from the Q1 earnings conference call.

10:00 EDT Helix Energy falls -8.7% - Helix Energy is down -8.7%, or -74c to $7.84.

10:00 EDT Waters falls -13.6% - Waters is down -13.6%, or -$32.69 to $208.35.

10:00 EDT Arch Coal rises 9.4% - Arch Coal is up 9.4%, or $8.62 to $100.25.

09:55 EDT Trump claims Twitter 'very discriminatory,' doesn't treat him 'well' - President Donald Trump earlier quoted Fox Business' Maria Bartiromo as having said that the "best thing ever to happen to Twitter is Donald Trump," adding in a series of tweets: "So true, but they don't treat me well as a Republican. Very discriminatory, hard for people to sign on. Constantly taking people off list. Big complaints from many people. Different names-over 100 M...But should be much higher than that if Twitter wasn't playing their political games. No wonder Congress wants to get involved - and they should. Must be more, and fairer, companies to get out the WORD!" Reference Link

09:47 EDT Jupai Holdings falls -15.2% - Jupai Holdings is down -15.2%, or -61c to $3.39.

09:47 EDT Kohl's rises 6.9% - Kohl's is up 6.9%, or $4.65 to $72.10.

09:47 EDT Twitter rises 9.5% - Twitter is up 9.5%, or $3.26 to $37.65.

09:35 EDT Netflix announces proposed $2B offering of senior notes - Netflix announced that it intends to offer, subject to market and other considerations, approximately $2B aggregate principal amount of U.S. dollar denominated and euro denominated senior unsecured notes in two series through an offering to qualified institutional buyers pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and outside the United States to non-U.S. persons pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act. Netflix intends to use the net proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes, which may include content acquisitions, production and development, capital expenditures, investments, working capital and potential acquisitions and strategic transactions.

09:25 EDT GlycoMimetics enrolls first patient in NCI-sponsored uproleselan Phase 3 trial - GlycoMimetics announced dosing of the first patient in a Phase 3 clinical trial being conducted under the auspices of a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement, or CRADA, between GlycoMimetics and the National Cancer Institute, or NCI, part of the National Institutes of Health. The second in a series of trials designed to evaluate uproleselan across the continuum of care in AML, this NCI-sponsored study is evaluating the addition of uproleselan to a standard cytarabine/daunorubicin regimen in older adults with previously untreated AML who are suitable for intensive chemotherapy. A third trial, to be conducted by the European HOVON consortium, is expected to initiate later this year.

09:25 EDT Verizon says 'on track' to reach $10B in cost cuts by 2021 - Says: Sees 2%-3% wireless services growth for remainder of year... Balance sheet is strong, offering financial flexibility... Confident in ability to execute... At very early stages of 5G roll-out... Tuck-in M&A possible, but nothing large ahead... Prices on YouTube TV will be competitive.

09:18 EDT Harley-Davidson to supply China with bike from plant in Thailand by end of 2019 - Comments provided during Q1 earnings conference call.

09:11 EDT Raytheon completes successful static test of DeepStrike missile rocket motor - Raytheon completed a successful static test of the new DeepStrike missile rocket motor, which moved the advanced, surface-to-surface weapon closer to its maiden flight test later this year. The company is offering the DeepStrike missile for the U.S. Army's Precision Strike Missile, or PrSM, program to replace the aging Army Tactical Missile System that is approaching the end of its service life.

09:10 EDT Kohl's announces expansion of Amazon returns to stores nationwide - Kohl's (KSS) announced that all Kohl's stores will be accepting free, convenient, unpackaged returns for Amazon (AMZN) customers starting in July. Kohl's and Amazon first worked together in 2017 to pilot the returns program, which is currently operating in 100 stores in the Los Angeles, Chicago and Milwaukee markets. Kohl's and Amazon will roll out the program to all of Kohl's more than 1,150 locations across 48 states. Kohl's will accept eligible Amazon items, without a box or label, and return them for customers for free, providing additional service and convenience to Amazon customers. Last month, Kohl's also announced that it will expand its product relationship with Amazon by carrying Amazon products in more than 200 stores.

09:08 EDT Microsoft, Johnson Controls and Bee'ah announce agreement - Executives from Johnson Controls (JCI), Microsoft (MSFT) and the Middle East's sustainability pioneer, Bee'ah, announced an agreement to enhance Bee'ah's new headquarters in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, with a sweeping array of artificial intelligence and smart building solutions powered by Microsoft. Using its Digital Vault offering and extended capabilities built on Microsoft Azure, Johnson Controls will work with Microsoft to outfit the new building with intelligent edge systems, devices and software designed to optimize energy efficiency, make the best use of available space and help the building's occupants be more productive through a virtual AI persona.

09:07 EDT Corning, OtterBox collaborate to launch Amplify screen protectors - Corning Incorporated announced that it has formalized an agreement with OtterBox to market Amplify, a new line of screen protectors for smartphones, tablets and other mobile devices. Built on Corning's glass science and engineering expertise, this latest solution for the mobile consumer electronics industry addresses many of the challenges faced by consumers using existing screen protectors - including the desire for better scratch resistance and durability to handle everyday use, while preserving the beauty of their device. Amplify screen protectors are now available on Otterbox.com and in corporate Verizon retail stores in the U.S.

09:04 EDT BioScrip receives early termination of HSR waiting period for Option Care deal - BioScrip provided an update on its proposed merger with Option Care Enterprises. The company received notification on April 8, 2019, that early termination of the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 waiting period has been granted for the company's proposed merger with Option Care. The company expects to file the preliminary Option Care merger proxy statement the week of April 29, 2019 with the U.S. SEC. After the proxy statement is filed, management from both BioScrip and Option Care plan to conduct joint analyst and investor meetings. As part of the analyst and investor meetings, the company will file an investor presentation with the SEC that will include a business and merger update. The company will release its first quarter 2019 financial results after the proxy statement filing. The company continues to anticipate that its merger with Option Care will close in the second half of 2019.

08:56 EDT Coca-Cola says plans to launch Coke Plus Coffee in more than 25 markets by YE

08:55 EDT Sasol reaches benefical operation of new plant in Nanjing - Sasol reached beneficial operation of its new alkoxylation plant in Nanjing, Jiangsu Province on 18 April. The construction of the new alkoxylation plant began in the summer of 2017 and is Sasol's largest expansion project in the region. The facility's capacity is approximately 150 kilo tons per annum, with the option of using either branched or linear alcohols to meet differentiated customer requirements in applications, such as detergents, textiles, metal working and lubrication and other speciality end-markets. As part of the scope, Sasol has also expanded its R&D and technical support capabilities within the Nanjing Chemical Industrial Park (NCIP).

08:49 EDT Procter & Gamble says will be year of 'strong' cash return to shareholders - Says organic growth was broad-based. Says all six geographic regions grew organic sales. Says some challenges remain with grooming and baby-care down singles. Says core gross margin improved sequentially. Says cash flow remains strong. Says continues to accelerate change to meet challenges company still faces. Says working and investing to expand margin of advantage.Says improving category dedication. Says will be another year of strong cash return to shareholders. Says please with topline momentum company created. Sees fairly wide top and bottom-line guidance ranges for next year. Says external environment presents many challenges. Comments taken from Q3 earnings conference call.

08:45 EDT Waters says sales fell way short of expectations in Q1 - Says U.S. pharmaceutical industry is healthy. Says has seen Q1 lag before. Says nine of last 10 years China has been a double-digit grower. Says China makes up 18% of worldwide revenue. Says Q1 was an outlier and was unexpected. Says is reacting to changing environment. Says hit in pharmaceuticals was from small molecule business. Comments taken from Q1 earnings conference call

08:45 EDT United Tech: Losses in 1H Carrier earnings to be more than offset by 2H growth

08:41 EDT Verizon says initial 5G launches 'performing as expected' - Says: 5G has been a huge focus... Seeing good momentum heading into the second quarter... Well-positioned to deliver on capital allocation goals in coming years. Comments from Q1 earnings conference call.

08:39 EDT Magna expands in Morocco with new $11.3M mirrors facility - Magna has expanded its footprint in Morocco. The company recently broke ground on construction of a new facility in Kenitra, Morocco, to supply global automakers with exterior and interior mirror systems. The 61,400-square-foot facility represents an investment of $11.3M by Magna and is expected to create up to 275 jobs. Production at the new plant is projected to begin in spring 2020.

08:37 EDT United Tech says launched hybrid electric propulsion technology demo program - Says program expected to yield an average fuel savings for regional-sized aircraft of 30%. Says targeting first flight within three years. Comments from Q1 earnings conference call.

08:33 EDT BioElectronics responds to FDA's additional information requests - BioElectronics said it has submitted its response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's request for additional information on its ActiPatch 510(k) market clearance application for "treatment of musculoskeletal pain in women". Additionally, the company has requested a conference call with the FDA to seek clarification on additional information requested on the RecoveryRx 510(k) market application for "treatment of postoperative pain". The FDA's additional information requested on the musculoskeletal 510(k) was for the submission of women's clinical performance data from the Company's clinical studies on knee osteoarthritis, plantar fasciitis and low back pain. The nature of the request was focused on the clinical performance comparison between men and women to assess the Company's assertion that ActiPatch more preferentially treats musculoskeletal pain in women than men. In addition to the data, the FDA requested an explanation on how the proposed analyses support the market clearance indication and precludes the need for any additional information. Sree Koneru, Ph.D., VP Product Development, said, "The clinical data from all three studies clearly indicates that the ActiPatch treats musculoskeletal pain significantly better in women than men. We have provided a detailed explanation on how our existing data meets the FDA's clinical performance data requirement, and that additional studies are not required. Given the FDA's guidance on gender analysis in clinical studies, precedent for gender-specific approvals and development of least burdensome guidelines, we are looking forward to a favorable outcome of our responses by the FDA."

08:33 EDT Surmodics receives FDA clearance for Sublime guide sheath. - Surmodics announced it has received FDA 510(k) clearance for its Sublime guide sheath.

08:31 EDT Vonage announces partnership with Altice Portugal - Vonage has announced a partnership with Portugal-based telecommunications service company Altice Portugal to provide seamless, contextual SMS and Voice communications to its customers via Nexmo, the Vonage API Platform. Together, Vonage and Altice Portugal, through its corporate brand PT Empresas, will be the first in the region to offer businesses a fully comprehensive, pre-packaged cloud communications solution featuring mobile, SMS and voice tools.

08:22 EDT Twitter CFO says has been live on prototype app for just 30 days

08:18 EDT Nemaura Medical completes two usability studies for SugarBEAT - Nemaura Medical announced that it has completed two summative human factors usability studies for SugarBEAT. The usability studies were conducted according to the FDA guidance on "Applying Human Factors and Engineering to Medical Devices", in preparation for submission of its medical device application to the FDA for SugarBEAT. The two studies consisted of 16 participants each, including both Type I and Type II diabetics. Participants in the first and second study ranged from ages 18-50 and 51-70, respectively. The studies were designed to ensure adequate information was captured for the diverse age groups expected to use SugarBEAT. The objective of the two studies was to confirm that the user interface aspects of SugarBEAT met the FDA guidelines for medical devices.

08:16 EDT LabCorp announces extension of distribution agreement with OmniSeq - OmniSeq and LabCorp announced an extension of their exclusive distribution agreement as well as an additional investment by LabCorp. The distribution agreement and LabCorp's initial investment in OmniSeq's Series B financing round were first announced in August 2017. The distribution agreement originally provided LabCorp with exclusive distribution rights for the OmniSeq comprehensive and immune report card clinical assays. The agreement's extension adds OmniSeq Advance, as well as the OmniSeq MSI NGS test. Together, OmniSeq's next-generation sequencing, or NGS-based assays provide comprehensive genomic and immune profiling to enable oncologists to select the most appropriate therapies or clinical trials for each patient. Pursuant to the agreement, OmniSeq's suite of advanced tests will be exclusively offered by LabCorp to U.S.-based physicians through Integrated Oncology, a member of the LabCorp Specialty Testing Group and globally to biopharmaceutical customers through Covance, LabCorp's drug development business. Proceeds from LabCorp's additional investment will be used by OmniSeq to pursue FDA approval or clearance of its proprietary NGS-based comprehensive genomic and immune profiling panels, to continue the development of new panels intended to predict the response to checkpoint inhibitors and other immune-therapies, and to support the expansion of testing operations.

08:13 EDT Evofem completes patient enrollment in Phase 2b clinical trial of Amphora - Evofem Biosciences announced the completion of patient enrollment in AMPREVENCE, the Phase 2b clinical trial evaluating its lead product candidate Amphora, a Multipurpose Vaginal pH Regulator, or MVP-R, for the prevention of chlamydia and gonorrhea in women. According to the CDC, chlamydia is the most frequently reported sexually transmitted bacterial infection in the U.S. Rates of both gonorrhea and chlamydia climbed for the fourth consecutive year, with over 2.2 million cases reported in 2017.

08:12 EDT Twitter says first priority is still 'health,' focused on proactive detection - For products, says focused on events with recaps and latest conversations, extending to topics and interests.

08:08 EDT Twitter CFO says 'pleased' with pace of hiring in Q1

08:08 EDT Twitter CFO says significantly better than expected GAAP operating income in Q1 - Comments taken from the Q1 earnings conference call.

08:07 EDT CACI awarded prime position on $898M multiple-award contract from U.S. Navy - CACI International announced it has won a prime position on the multiple-award, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity Cyber Mission Engineering contract, with a shared ceiling value of $898M, $962M total if all options are exercised, to provide cyber engineering and electronic warfare solutions to the Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic. The award, which has a five-year base ordering period with one two-year option and one six-month option-to-extend services, represents new work for CACI. Through this contract vehicle, CACI will provide NIWC with a full range of agile design solutions in engineering and technical support for cyber security, electronic warfare, C5ISR, information operations, enterprise IT, and space capabilities.

08:05 EDT UroGen Pharma announces early-stage feasibility agreement with Janssen - UroGen Pharma (URGN) announced that it has entered into an agreement with Janssen Research & Development (JNJ) to conduct an early-stage feasibility evaluation in a therapeutic area of mutual interest. UroGen and Janssen will each conduct certain activities under the terms of the agreement.

08:05 EDT CalAmp partners with Trophy Automotive Dealer Group - CalAmp has partnered with Trophy Automotive Dealer Group to launch LoJack LotSmart and LoJack SureDrive to improve inventory management and provide customers with advanced connected car, driver safety and security services. The LoJack telematics solutions will be launched across Trophy's six Nissan, Kia, and Mercedes-Benz dealerships in Southern California. Deployments will ramp to over 5,000 vehicles across all stores, opening up opportunities to generate recurring subscription revenue from thousands of new customers annually.

08:03 EDT Audentes Therapeutics launches cGMP plasmid manufacturing facility - Audentes Therapeutics announced the launch of a new state-of-the-art, internal cGMP plasmid manufacturing facility in South San Francisco. This new internal capability is expected to significantly enhance a critical element of the company's supply chain, providing high-quality nonclinical and cGMP-grade plasmids for all of its development programs.

08:02 EDT Ameris Bancorp sees FY19 normalized ROTCE 17%-19% - Ameris Bancorp (ABCB) sees Fidelity Southern (LION) deal closing in Q2. Sees cost savings from Fidelity Southern will be realized in FY20. Says systems to be fully integrated by end of year 2019. Says the acquisition is its pathway to $20B asset size with no change in current operating ratios. Sees high single digit EPS accretion without any revenue synergies included. Comments from Q1 earnings presentation slides.

07:50 EDT AzurRx BioPharma surpasses 50% enrollment for Phase 2 OPTION study - AzurRx BioPharma announced that it has now surpassed the 50% enrollment target in its ongoing Phase II OPTION study of MS1819-SD for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in patients with cystic fibrosis, or CF. The Phase II multi-center OPTION study is designed to investigate the safety, tolerability and efficacy of MS1819-SD in a head-to-head comparison against the current porcine pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy, or PERT, standard of care for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency in CF patients. Planned enrollment is expected to include approximately 30 CF patients, with top-line results expected in summer.

07:47 EDT JetBlue says 'on track' to hit 2018-2020 CASM CAGR goal of 0-1% growth - Says executing on plan to reach $2.50-$3.00 EPS by 2020. Says anticipates capacity growth slowing to lower end of mid-to-high single digit range. Says focusing on margin opportunities. Says on track to hit 2018-2020 CASM CAGR goal of 0-1% growth, Says realizing Structural Cost Program achievements in sourcing/contracts, productivity gains and tech deployments. Says network reallocation and ancillary "Building Blocks" ramping as expects. Says on track to deliver Fare Options 2.0 by year-end. Says 2019 holiday placement shifts 2.25 points of RASM from Q1 to Q2. Says Transcon showing signs of normalization; Florida to Caribbean markets continue to see elevated capacity. Says soft start to 2Q; April peak as expected. Says cautiously optimistic for RASM growth acceleration for May / June. Says anticipates 1H-2H 2019 improvement driven by cost control initiatives and ASM tailwind. Says exact timing of engine maintenance expected to impact quarterly progression. Says expecting progress during 2019 and 2020 to hit 0-1% CASM Ex-Fuel CAGR goal. Says expects full run rate benefits from Structural Cost Program by 2020. Says additional seats from restyle program expected to benefit unit costs. Says no aircraft deliveries in Q1, anticipates one A321 NEO in Q2. Expects a minimum of six A321 NEO deliveries in 2019. Says capex mainly focused on aircraft, cabin restyling program. Sees Q2 all-in fuel price $2.21/gallon. Sees Q2 capex aircraft $300M-350M, capex non-aircraft $30M-$45M, other income/expense ($11M)-($16M), JTP/JTV ($9M)-($13M). Sees FY19 capex aircraft $1.05B-$1.2B, capex non-aircraft $150M-$200M, other income/expense ($62M)-($72M), JTP/JTV ($40M)-($50M). Comments taken from presentation slides to be presented on Q1 earnings conference call.

07:47 EDT Primoris announces natural gas distribution awards with value over $25M - Primoris announced three new contracts for major utility customers with a combined value of over $25M. The contracts were secured by ARB Underground. The first award is for a pipeline modernization project in Southern California. The basic scope of work is to relocate the interconnects between four natural gas transmission lines that are currently in the center of a major intersection. Work is scheduled to commence in Q2 and estimated completion is Q1 of 2020. The second award is a meter protection project in Northern California. The work involves installation of steel posts in front of existing meters at over 7,000 locations to protect the meters from damage by vehicles. Work is scheduled to commence in Q2 and estimated completion is Q4. The third award is the installation of underground electrical approaches to a new substation in Southern California. The scope of work includes three 41" bore casings under an existing railroad, installing over 36,000 feet of conduit, and trenching and backfill for the conduit. Work is scheduled to commence in Q2 and estimated completion is in Q4.

07:43 EDT Nucor CEO says 'well-positioned for continued growth and success' - "Our diversified business model helped us to once again deliver a significant year-over-year improvement in first quarter earnings," said John Ferriola, Nucor's Chairman, CEO and President. "Our plate, bar, and structural mills were strong contributors in the first quarter, and several of our downstream businesses also increased earnings as compared to the year ago period." Ferriola continued, "While we are focused on bringing new projects online to drive incremental earnings growth and margin expansion, we are also actively evaluating other profitable growth opportunities. We will remain disciplined and opportunistic, consistent with our focus on shareholder value creation. Overall, Nucor is well-positioned for continued growth and success, we are building on our strong momentum and we remain confident in our near-and long-term prospects."

07:41 EDT Home Bancorp raises dividend 5% to 21c - The Company increased its quarterly cash dividend on shares of its common stock to 21c per share payable on May 17 to shareholders of record as of May 6.

07:41 EDT Verizon reports Q1 retail postpaid net adds of 61,000 - Verizon reported 61,000 retail postpaid net additions in Q1, consisting of 44,000 phone net losses and tablet net losses of 156,000, offset by 261,000 other connected device net additions, primarily wearables. Postpaid smartphone net additions were 174,000. Total retail postpaid churn was 1.12% in Q1 and retail postpaid phone churn was 0.84%. Service revenues increased 4.4% in Q1.

07:39 EDT Alliance Data signs multi-year agreement with Burlington Stores - Alliance Data Systems (ADS) announced its Columbus, Ohio-based card services business has signed a new agreement to provide private label credit card services for Burlington Stores (BURL). Burlington plans to begin piloting its new private label credit card and loyalty program by the end of its first quarter in approximately 140 of its stores. Leveraging Alliance Data's innovative, tech-forward approach, Burlington shoppers who apply at the point of sale in many Burlington store locations will benefit from Driver's License Instant Credit, which simplifies the application process through a scan of the shopper's driver's license. Alliance Data will also implement a full suite of data-driven marketing services for the card program to drive brand loyalty and help grow Burlington's top-line sales.

07:37 EDT Verizon sees FY19 capital spending $17B-$18B

07:36 EDT ATI CEO says 'on track' to deliver improved results for remainder of 2019 - "While our first quarter sales increased to $1 billion, our financial results were below our expectations as we faced unexpected operational headwinds in both of our business segments," said Robert S. Wetherbee, ATI President and Chief Executive Officer. "We are working proactively to address challenges we faced in the form of short-term powder billet shortages and higher operating costs by ramping up our own production to offset future uncertainty. The company holds strong positions in high-value, growing markets, and the overall fundamentals of our businesses are solid. We are on track to deliver improved results in the second quarter and throughout the balance of 2019, and progress toward our longer-term objectives remains on pace.HPMC segment results were negatively impacted by the ongoing disruption in third party nickel powder billet supply, as well as the related operating costs to qualify materials and quickly ramp nickel powder production to help alleviate the shortage of incoming third-party powder billet. Segment results were also adversely impacted by the temporary margin compression caused by a recent steep and rapid drop in cobalt prices. Our STAL JV extended its production downtime for the Lunar New Year holiday period as a result of lower domestic demand in China, which is in part related to the current trade tensions between the U.S. and China. This lower demand, coupled with increased operating costs for the newly expanded STAL JV production facilities, resulted in lower than expected first quarter profitability."

07:17 EDT Microbot Medical receives Notice of Allowance from CIPO for patent - Microbot Medical expanded its IP portfolio as it receives a Notice of Allowance from the Canadian Intellectual Property Office, or CIPO, for Patent Application No. 2,850,279, which pertains to a device for the prevention of shunt stenosis. With this latest Notice of Allowance, the company now has 32 issued/allowed patents and 19 patent applications pending worldwide.

07:15 EDT Kimmeridge releases presentation criticizing PDC Energy decisions - Kimmeridge Energy Management released a presentation highlighting a history of excessive pay and misalignment with shareholders at PDC Energy. The presentation said that "Over the past two years, PDC's Board has rewarded management with bonuses greater than 100% of target despite the fact that in both years the Company missed four out of five internally-set performance metrics, and over the last 3 years has seen a total shareholder return of -44%. The strong compensation in light of such poor performance is symptomatic of a Board that is not interested in holding management accountable. Put simply, this Board has fallen asleep at the wheel. Despite the evident failings, in a recent letter to shareholders PDC claimed that, "In 2018, our entire team executed well on our strategic plan and achieved strong financial and operating results." This letter, in which the Company recommended that shareholders vote for the PDC slate of nominees, is mistaken in a number of key areas."

07:13 EDT GNC Holdings introduces new CBD infused products - GNC Holdings announced that the company is now offering topical cream products containing cannabidiol in select retail locations and online in 23 states and the District of Columbia. "By introducing 12 channel exclusive CBD products from Physician's Grade, an innovative health and wellness company, and Myaderm, a manufacturer of advanced cannabinoid products, GNC expects to attract the growing customer base looking for innovative offerings in the CBD market," the company said in a statement. The available Physician's Grade products include the company's face creams, luxe body lotion, scalp treatment and revitalizing shampoo. Myaderm's offerings include their four topical creams, which are the CBD Body Cream, available in two sizes, the Double Strength CBD Body Cream and the CBD Sport Cream. "As the market changes, GNC is committed to offering high-quality, innovative products that are being introduced in new categories like CBD," said Ken Martindale, chairman and CEO of GNC. "We are excited to work with both companies to evolve our product mix and look forward to offering more CBD-infused beauty and skincare products in the future."

07:11 EDT JetBlue CEO says committed to delivering EPS of $2.50-$3.00 by 2020 - "We are very proud of our team and the work they do every day to deliver the JetBlue experience. This quarter our financial performance was mainly impacted by the calendar placement of Easter and Passover holidays and, as disclosed in March, a softer revenue environment than initially expected," said CEO Robin Hayes. "In recent years we have repeatedly demonstrated our ability to adapt to the changing environment around us to achieve our margin commitments - and 2019 is proving to be no different. We believe we will successfully execute our five 'building blocks' introduced at our 2018 Investor Day, and we remain committed to our goal of delivering earnings per share between $2.50 and $3 dollars by 2020. We also continue to expect margin expansion in 2019, and to further expand our margins in 2020."

07:10 EDT Murphy Oil to acquire Gulf of Mexico assets from LLOG for $1.38B - Murphy Oil announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Murphy Exploration & Production Company - USA, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire deep water Gulf of Mexico assets from LLOG Exploration Offshore, L.L.C. and LLOG Bluewater Holdings, or LLOG. The accretive, cash flow providing Gulf of Mexico assets currently produce approximately 38,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day net and are expected to add approximately 66 million barrels of oil equivalent net of Proven reserves and 122 Mmboe of Proven and Probable reserves. The transaction will have an effective date of January 1 and is expected to close in the second quarter, subject to normal closing adjustments. Murphy will pay a cash consideration of $1.38B. Additional contingent consideration payments are based on the following: up to $200M in the event that revenue from certain properties exceeds certain contractual thresholds between 2019 and 2022; and $50M following first oil from certain development projects. The acquisition will be funded by a combination of cash on hand and availability under the company's $1.6B revolving credit facility. Total outstanding borrowings under the revolving credit facility, including the current balance of $325M, are expected to be fully repaid immediately following the closing of the previously announced $2.13B divestiture of Murphy's Malaysian assets. The company still intends to execute the previously announced $500M share repurchase program, expiring on December 31, 2020, of which $300M is planned in the first tranche, with the remaining $200M expected in the second tranche. The previously announced $750M debt repayment has been revised to only include the $325M that was drawn on the revolving credit facility as the company will no longer plan to repurchase or redeem outstanding senior notes at this time.

07:09 EDT GasLog, GasLog Partners appoint Paolo Enoizi as COO designate - GasLog (GLOG) and GasLog Partners (GLOP) announced that Paolo Enoizi has been appointed as COO designate of GasLog and GasLog Partners. Paolo, who will be based in Piraeus, Greece, will take up his role in August and initially work alongside current COO Richard Sadler to ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities. On joining GasLog in August 2017 and in addition to his day-to-day responsibilities, Paolo was most recently managing director of Stolt Tankers BV Rotterdam, a subsidiary of Stolt Nielsen, where he was responsible for the operation of over 100 chemical tankers, 200 people ashore and over 4,000 seafarers.

07:08 EDT Murphy Oil to acquire Gulf of Mexico assets from LLOG for $1.38B

07:07 EDT Allison Transmission acquires Vantage Power, AxleTech EV systems division - Allison Transmission announced that it has purchased Vantage Power and AxleTech's electric vehicle, or EV, systems division. The EV systems division is located at AxleTech's headquarters in Troy, Michigan. Further terms not disclosed.

07:06 EDT Twitter CEO says taking more proactive approach to reducing abuse - "We are taking a more proactive approach to reducing abuse and its effects on Twitter. We are reducing the burden on victims and, where possible, taking action before abuse is reported. For example, we are now removing 2.5x more Tweets that share personal information and ~38% of abusive Tweets that are taken down every week are being proactively detected by machine learning models. We're also continuing our work to make Twitter more conversational via the launch of our public prototype app (twttr), with the end goal of making conversation on Twitter feel faster, more fluid, and more fun," said Jack Dorsey, Twitter's CEO.

07:00 EDT Hill-Rom announce DoD grant of conditional authority to operate to products - Hill-Rom announced the U.S. Department of Defense, or DoD, has granted conditional authority to operate, or ATO-C, to the company's Welch Allyn Connex monitoring systems, Connex vital signs connectivity solutions and the ELI 380 resting electrocardiograph, or ECG, device. The DoD authorization allows these Hill-Rom vital signs monitoring systems and resting ECG devices to be connected to DoD healthcare system networks in the U.S. and internationally. Earning this distinction requires that each device meet or exceed the DoD's cybersecurity prevention thresholds and incorporates measures to help minimize the risk of a cyber-attack, a requirement of the DoD's risk management framework.

06:59 EDT Allison reaffirms FY19 revenue view 2.580B-$2.680B, consensus $2.62B - Sees FY19 net Income $525M-$575M, Adjusted EBITDA $1.000B-$1.060B, Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities $710M-$750M, Adjusted Free Cash Flow $550M-$600M and cash income taxes $100M-$110M

06:56 EDT Harley-Davidson reports Q1 motorcycle shipments down 7.9% - "Revenue from the Motorcycles segment was down in Q1 behind lower shipments. Operating income decreased due to lower revenues, unfavorable product mix and increased tariffs, partially offset by lower SG&A and restructuring charges. Harley-Davidson worldwide retail sales decreased 3.8% in Q1. International retail sales were down 3.3%. U.S. retail sales were down 4.2% in Q1 driven by continued weak industry sales which were down 4.7%. First quarter worldwide retail sales were impacted by the limited availability of Street motorcycles due to the recall we announced in January."

06:51 EDT Mallinckrodt completes enrollment in Phase 4 Acthar Gel study - Mallinckrodt confirmed it has completed enrollment in the company's Phase 4 clinical study assessing the efficacy and safety of Acthar Gel in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, or SLE, patients with persistently active disease. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial builds on data from a pilot study of Acthar Gel in patients with active SLE. The trial completed enrollment several months ahead of schedule in this underserved population, with a final count of 172 patients.

06:43 EDT Quarterhill subsidiary signs license agreement with Nvidia, settles litigation - Wi-LAN, a Quarterhill (QTRH) company, announced that WiLAN's wholly-owned subsidiary, Polaris, has granted a term license for certain patents owned by Polaris to Nvidia (NVDA) as well as options for Nvidia to renew through the life of the patents. The licensed patents relate to memory interface technology and are part of the portfolio that Polaris acquired from Infineon (IFNNY) in June 2015. The license fees payable to Polaris are confidential. The license also settles all litigations pending between the parties in the U.S. Federal Court for the Northern District of California, the District Court of Dusseldorf, Germany and the Inter Partes Review proceedings at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board of the United States Patent Office, some of the written decisions of which are under appeal at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. On March 28, the District Court of Dusseldorf found that one of the German patents asserted by Polaris against Nvidia was infringed and would be provisionally enforceable inter alia by an injunction in favor of Polaris, upon Polaris posting a security bond and pending further proceedings in Munich. Subject to the terms of the license agreement however, the injunction granted by the Dusseldorf Court shall not be enforced by Polaris, and Nvidia is not pursuing further proceedings to overturn the District Court decision.

06:37 EDT Fifth Third reports Q1 average loans up 6% from last year - Reports Q1 average core deposits up 5% from last year. Reports Q1 net charge-off ratio 0.32% vs. 0.36% last year. Reports Q1 CET1 capital ratio 9.65 vs. 10.82 last year. The company states: "Our first quarter performance was strong. Loan growth exceeded our previous expectations, we continued to manage expenses diligently, and credit quality metrics were solid. Additionally, we achieved a significant milestone on March 22, 2019, with the closing of the MB Financial acquisition. We are pleased to welcome our new customers and team members. We look forward to converting substantially all systems and processes in May and providing our Chicago customers with expanded products and services. With a strong start to the year, we now look forward to leveraging the enhanced capabilities of our company and expect to achieve our previously stated financial synergies from the transaction, which will meaningfully improve our key profitability metrics."

06:35 EDT Hasbro CEO says 'delivered a good start to the year' - "The global Hasbro team is executing very well and delivered a good start to the year," said Brian Goldner, Hasbro's chairman and CEO. "Our long-term investments in new platforms provided a meaningful contribution from our digital and e-sports initiative, Magic: The Gathering Arena, as well as growth in MAGIC: THE GATHERING tabletop revenues. In addition, MONOPOLY, PLAY-DOH and TRANSFORMERS were among the brands posting revenue gains this quarter. We are beginning to see improvement in our commercial markets, notably in the U.S. and Europe, and operating profit was driven by high margin revenue growth and our cost savings activities. With most of the year ahead of us, we remain on track to deliver profitable growth for the full-year 2019." "In addition to executing on the top-line, our team remains focused on implementing the cost savings initiatives we announced last year," said Deborah Thomas, Hasbro's CFO. "We continue to expect full-year net cost savings of $50-$55 million, as we announced in February. Our balance sheet is strong and we continue investing in areas intended to drive long-term profitable growth."

06:13 EDT Farmmi receives three-year license to use Lishui Shangeng collective trademark - Farmmi,announced that through its wholly owned subsidiary Zhejiang Farmmi Food, the company entered an agreement with the Lishui Ecological Agriculture Association, which authorized Farmmi Food to use the Lishui Shangeng collective trademark on the packages of its dried Shiitake mushroom and black Mu Er products and marketing materials. Farmmi Food concurrently became a member of the association and entered an agreement with Lishui Agricultural Investment Development, which authorized Farmmi Food to use its Lishui agricultural product quality safety traceability platform. Both agreements are renewable before the April 16, 2022 expiration under mutual agreement. Lishui Shangeng is a regional brand covering all categories and industries of agricultural products in Lishui, Zhejiang and is owned by the association. At the end of 2018, Lishui Shangeng covered 863 member enterprises, 1,122 cooperative bases, more than 1,000 brand endorsement agricultural products and more than 600 designs of agricultural products packaging.

06:08 EDT Commerce Bancshares promotes Paul Steiner to Chief Accounting Officer - Commerce Bank has promoted Paul Steiner to Corporate Controller and Chief Accounting Officer of Commerce Bancshares effective immediately. In his role as Corporate Controller and Chief Accounting Officer, Steiner will lead corporate accounting functions including corporate tax, regulatory reporting, accounting policy and risk management while also managing the company's accounting staff. A 12-year veteran of Commerce, Steiner has more than 25 years of accounting experience including eight years in public accounting. He most recently served as Assistant Controller and managed a number of accounting areas including the corporate tax function.

06:05 EDT Liberty Global announces deal with Amazon.com - Liberty Global announced a multi-year deal with Amazon to make content available to 4 million Virgin Media TV customers in the UK. Virgin Media will be the first of Liberty Global's European operations to integrate the Amazon Prime Video app within its Ultra HD V6 set-top box.

06:04 EDT Polaris Industries CEO says 'year is off to a solid start' - CEO Scott Wine said, "Polaris' 65th anniversary year is off to a solid start, as we delivered sound results and finished the Quarter with strong momentum. The team executed well, providing quality products to our customers while navigating a dynamic trade environment. Retail sales results were somewhat mixed, with greater than 20 percent Snowmobile growth helping to offset modest weather-related declines in ORV, Motorcycles and Boats, although all three of these segments came on strong at the end of March. Our product lineup has never been stronger, our Boat brands fared well during the recent boat shows, dealer inventory levels are well-positioned to support the peak spring retail selling season, and our strategic sourcing program is accelerating savings and value enhancement. We remain steadfastly committed to enhancing our customer-centric culture, which amplifies our investments in innovation and operational prowess, and as we look to the balance of 2019, we are confident about gaining market share as we continue bringing innovative products to our customers and solidifying our position as the leader in Powersports."

05:39 EDT Medigus receives European patent notice allowance for ScoutCam irrigation system - Medigus announced that it has received a notice for patent allowance from the European Patent Office for its ScoutCam irrigation system. The European patent application number is 13767441.2 and it is titled INTEGRATED ENDOSCOPE IRRIGATION. The patent is valid until 2033. "The patent refers to the ability to irrigate the endoscope's camera with fluids (such as water), without using a dedicated tube. This technology enables reducing the endoscope's diameter. Alternatively, the technology will allow a wider working channel for surgical tools."

05:27 EDT Equinix acquires Switch Datacenters AMS1 data center business in Amsterdam - Equinix, announced that it has closed a transaction for the purchase of Switch Datacenters' AMS1 data center business in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in an all-cash transaction for $34M. The facility, which will be renamed Equinix AM11 International Business Exchange data center, is in close proximity to Equinix's existing campus in southeast Amsterdam and will help meet growing demand for digital infrastructure connectivity in the Amsterdam and broader European markets, as businesses continue to build out their digital edge strategies. The agreement was signed on April 16, and the acquisition was completed on April 18.

05:16 EDT NextDecade receives EPC bid package from Fluor, Bechtel - NextDecade (NEXT) announced that it has received bid packages from each of Bechtel Oil, Gas, and Chemicals and Fluor (FLR). The technical and commercial bid packages, which were received on-schedule, are for fully wrapped lump-sum turnkey, or LSTK, EPC contracts for NextDecade's Rio Grande LNG export project in Brownsville, Texas. Following detailed evaluations of the Bechtel and Fluor bid packages, NextDecade expects to select a contractor and execute a fully wrapped LSTK EPC contract in Q3. McDermott, a third potential bidder, was required to finalize a joint venture partnership prior to submitting its bid. As a result of not having satisfied this condition, McDermott did not submit a bid package.