Stockwinners Market Radar for May 01, 2019 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:58 EDT Kayne Anderson MLP reports net assets $2.2B as of April 30 - As of April 30, 2019, the company's net assets were $2.2B , and its net asset value per share was $17.12. As of April 30, 2019, the company's asset coverage ratio was 414% and asset coverage ratio was 295%.

19:10 EDT Fly Intel: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Zynga (ZNGA) up 9.4%... Cheesecake Factory (CAKE) up 4.5%... Seaspan (SSW) up 3.6%... Noble Corp (NE) up 3.5%... CACI International (CACI) up 3.2%... Antero Resources (AR) up 3.2%... Caesars Entertainment (CZR) up 3.2%... Qualys (QLYS) up 2.9%... Evertec (EVTC) Up 2.8%... Cross Country Healthcare (CCRN) up 2.8%... Mammoth Energy (TUSK) up 2.7%... Habit Restaurants (HABT) up 2.4%... Vanda Pharma (VNDA) up 2.2%... Fitbit (FIT) up 2.1%... Newtek Business Services (NEWT) up 2.1%... Acadia Pharma (ACAD) up 1.7%... EnPro Industries (NPO) up 1.6%... Valvoline (VVV) up 1.5%... TTM Technologies (TTMI) up 1.2%... Hillenbrand (HI) up 1.2%. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Eventbrite (EB) down 30.0%... Mitek Systems (MITK) down 13.4%... Casa Systems (CASA) down 11.0%... Whiting Petroleum (WLL) down 10.5%... Ceridian (CDAY) down 10.3%... Nuvectra Corp (NVTR) down 9.5%... Cree (CREE) down 9.2%... W&T Offshore (WTI) down 7.3%... Square (SQ) down 6.8%... Hilton Grand Vacations (HGV) down 4.7%... Ryerson Holding (RYI) down 4.0%... Qualcomm (QCOM) down 3.5%... Laredo Petroleum (LPI) down 2.7%... Host Hotels (HST) down 2.5%... Apache Corp (APA) down 2.2%... Coeur Mining (CDE) down 2.1%... Aegion Corp (AEGN) down 2.0%... Annaly Capital (NLY) down 1.9%... Yamana Gold (AUY) down 1.9%... PDC Energy (PDCE) down 1.6%... CyrusOne (CONE) down 1.4%... LeMaitre Vascular (LMAT) down 1.3%... Surmodics (SRDX) down 1.0%... Five9 (FIVN) down 1.0%. Movers as of 18:30ET.

18:57 EDT Ensco Rowan reports Q1 average day rate $121K vs. $132K last year - The company says Q1 revenue decreased "primarily due to the sale of two rigs that operated in the year-ago period and a decline in the average day rate to $121,000 from $132,000 in first quarter 2018. This was partially offset by the addition of ENSCO DS-9, ENSCO DS-10, ENSCO 140 and ENSCO 141 to the active fleet. Reported utilization increased to 58% from 54% in first quarter 2018."

18:46 EDT FDA approves Dengvaxia for dengue prevention in people ages 9-16 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Dengvaxia for the prevention of dengue disease caused by serotypes 1 - 4 of the virus in individuals 9 through 16 years of age living in endemic areas of the U.S. with a laboratory-documented prior infection. Dengvaxia is the first and only vaccine approved for protection against dengue in endemic areas of the U.S. Dengvaxia is also approved for use in several endemic countries in Latin America and Asia where reducing the human and economic burden of dengue is a public health priority. In December 2018, the European Commission granted marketing authorization for Dengvaxia to prevent dengue in individuals living in endemic areas with a documented prior infection. "Dengue is endemic and prone to outbreaks in several U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa. Despite this public health threat, there is no treatment and there has been no previously approved vaccine available in these areas," said David Greenberg, MD, Regional Medical Head North America, Sanofi Pasteur. "Today's FDA approval of Dengvaxia allows us to bring a critical medical prevention tool to at-risk populations, helping combat and prevent dengue among children living in U.S. dengue endemic areas."

18:25 EDT AMD CEO: We're all about gaining market share - In an interview on CNBC's Mad Money, AMD CEO Lisa Su said: It's been a great few years... We have been a share gain story... 2019 is a huge year for us as we're launching products in many markets... We think gaming is a secular growth market... We are honored and proud to be a part of Sony's next generation PlayStation... Our focus is on partnering with the best in the industry... We believe the Cloud is a great market for us... As our products get adopted, we'll grow margins.

18:08 EDT Golden Star Resources backs FY19 gold production view of 220K-240K ounces - remains on track to achieve its guidance on all stated metrics for FY 2019. This includes consolidated full year production of 220,000 - 240,000 ounces of gold at a cash operating cost per ounce1 of between $620 and $680, an AISC per ounce of between $875 and $955 and capital expenditures of $61.7 million, which includes $13.4 million for exploration.

18:04 EDT GreenTree enters strategic cooperation, investment pact with Urban Hotel Group - GreenTree Hospitality Group Ltd. announced that it has entered into a Strategic Cooperation and Investment Agreement with the Urban Hotel Group, an owner and operator of hotels and cafes in China. Yihan Chen, the Founder and CEO, and her management team will continue to lead the Urban Hotel Group. This transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to be completed in the second half of 2019. The Urban Hotel Group consists of nine distinct brands including Han Hotel, Urban Garden Hotel, City 118 Selected, City 118, Youth Mini Hotel, My Zone Hotel, City Mini Selected, Monochrome and Unistar Group, as well as My Zone Coffee, a cafe chain. Strategically, the Urban Hotel Group's strong brand portfolio and geographic coverage in China are highly complementary to GreenTree's business and expansion plans. The number of hotels and the number of hotel rooms within the scope of this cooperative investment transaction is more than 600 and 31,000, respectively.

18:02 EDT FreightCar America backs FY19 outlook to deliver 2.5K-3.5K railcars

17:57 EDT S&P announces changes to S&P MidCap 400, S&P SmallCap 600 indices - EastGroup Properties (EGP) will replace The Ultimate Software Group (ULTI) in the S&P MidCap 400, and GMS Inc. (GMS) will replace EastGroup Properties in the S&P SmallCap 600 effective prior to the open of trading on Tuesday, May 7. Hellman & Friedman is acquiring Ultimate Software Group in a transaction expected to be completed soon pending final conditions.

17:51 EDT Caesars says it expects higher summer demand - Says now operates 17 sportsbooks including five outside of Nevada and anticipates adding more this year. Says will continue to offer its own branded sports betting app Caesars Sports, despite Draft Kings deal. Sees FY19 maintenance capital expenditures $375M-$450M. Sees FY19 development cash capital expenditures $335M-$410M. Comments and guidance taken from Q1 earnings conference call.

17:49 EDT Four Corners acquires Texas Roadhouse, Olive Garden, Arby's properties - Four Corners Property Trust (FCPT) is pleased to announce the acquisition of a Texas Roadhouse (TXRH) property, an Olive Garden (DRI) property, and an Arby's property for an aggregate amount of $4.9M. All three properties are outparcels to a mall located in Logan, Utah and are leased to corporate operators under triple net leases with approximately 7 years of weighted average term remaining. The transaction was priced at a 6.8% going-in cash cap rate, exclusive of transaction costs.

17:43 EDT Pluralsight to buy developer productivity platform GitPrime for $170M in cash - Pluralsigh announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire GitPrime, a developer productivity platform, for $170M in cash. The acquisition is expected to close the week of May 6th, subject to customary closing conditions."The integration of GitPrime with our leading technology skills platform is a win for our customers and will greatly expand the Pluralsight platform to provide even more value to technology leaders and developers," said Aaron Skonnard, co-founder and CEO of Pluralsight. "Marrying Pluralsight's skill measurement and skill development capabilities with GitPrime's developer productivity capabilities provides technology leaders with the most complete platform to improve efficiencies and speed up product development to deliver their digital transformation strategies. The GitPrime team has built something incredible that solves a long-standing problem. I'm excited to welcome them to Pluralsight and integrate their platform so that technology leaders can more fully control their tech-driven futures." GitPrime is connected to every major code repository in use today, including GitHub, Bitbucket, GitLab, and others. As a result of this broad coverage, GitPrime captures data around virtually every developer code commit, providing a clear and unbiased view of the application of their skills in real time. GitPrime also offers deep and analytical insights around the efficiency and performance of software development teams.

17:36 EDT Endo's Par Pharma issues voluntary recall of One Lot of Mycophenolate Mofetil - Endo International announced that one of its operating companies, Par Pharmaceutical, Inc., is voluntarily recalling one lot of Mycophenolate Mofetil for Injection, USP to the hospital and retail pharmacy level. One vial of product was observed containing a glass fragment after reconstitution. The administration of a glass particulate, if present in an intravenous drug, may result in local irritation or swelling in response to the foreign material. More serious potential outcomes would include blockage and clotting in blood vessels, which may be life-threatening. To date, Par Pharmaceutical, Inc. has not received any reports of adverse events related to this recall.

17:31 EDT Brown & Brown authorizes up to an additional $372.5M share buyback - Brown & Brown, Inc. announced that as part of its disciplined capital allocation strategy, the company's board of directors has authorized the purchasing of up to an additional $372.5M of the company's outstanding common stock. With this authorization, the company will now have outstanding approval to purchase up to approximately $500M, in the aggregate, of the company's outstanding common stock. The shares will be repurchased from time to time, at the company's discretion and subject to the availability of stock, market conditions, the trading price of the stock, alternative uses for capital, the company's financial performance, the desire to reduce dilution from the company's employee equity incentive plans, and other potential factors. These purchases may be carried out through open market purchases, block trades, accelerated share repurchase plans of up to $100M each, negotiated private transactions or pursuant to any trading plan that may be adopted in accordance with Rule 10b5-1 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

17:26 EDT W&T Offshore sees Q2 total production 3.15 MMBoe-3.47 MMBoe

17:20 EDT GMS Inc. to repalce EastGroup Properties in S&P 600 at open on 5/7

17:17 EDT Heritage-Crystal Clean reports Q1 EPS (11c), consensus 9c - Reports Q1 revenue $95.8M, consensus $91.7M.

17:08 EDT Community Healthcare increases quarterly dividend to 41c per share - Community Healthcare has increased its common stock cash dividend for the quarter ended March 31 to 41c per share, payable on May 31 to shareholders of record on May 17.

17:05 EDT Valvoline raises FY19 VIOC same-store sales view to 8%-9% from 7%-8%

17:03 EDT Skyline CEO Anderson to retire on June 1 - Skyline Champion Corporation announced that Chief Executive Officer Keith Anderson will be retiring on June 1, 2019. The Board of Directors has appointed Mark Yost, Executive Vice President and President of U.S. Operations, to serve as successor to Mr. Anderson as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective June 1, 2019. In addition, Mr. Yost will join the Board of Directors, effective immediately. To ensure a seamless transition, Mr. Anderson will continue to serve as a member of the Board of Directors.

17:03 EDT Celgene, bluebird bio report interim results from CRB-401 study - Celgene Corporation (CELG) and bluebird bio, Inc. (BLUE) announced that the New England Journal of Medicine has published interim results from CRB-401, the ongoing phase 1 study of bb2121, the companies' lead investigational BCMA-targeted chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy candidate for patients with relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma. For the first 33 patients, the most common grade greater than or equal to3 events were hematologic toxicities, including neutropenia (85%), leukopenia (58%), anemia (45%) and thrombocytopenia (45%). Neurotoxicity all-grades occurred in 14 (42%) patients; 13 (39%) were grade less than or equal to2 and one patient (3%) had grade 4 neurotoxicity which resolved within one month. Twenty-five (76%) patients experienced cytokine release syndrome; 23 (70%) were grade less than or equal to2 events and two (6%) were grade 3 events; all events were reversible. Infection occurred in 14 (42%) patients; two were grade 3 (6%) and there were no grade 4 events. Peak CAR T cell expansion was higher in patients with cytokine release syndrome and CAR T-cells remained detectable in the blood in 57% of patients at six months following infusion. Treatment with bb2121 resulted in an 85% objective response rate (ORR) with 45% of patients achieving a complete response (CR) (n=15) and an additional 27% of patients (n=9) achieving a very good partial response (VGPR) to yield a greater than or equal to VGPR rate of 73%. Sixteen responding patients were evaluable for assessment of minimal residual disease (MRD) and all tested MRD negative at one or more time points. Responses to bb2121 CAR T-cell infusion occurred early, with a median time to first partial response or better of 1.0 month (range, 0.5 to 3.0), and responses were durable, with a median duration of response of 10.9 months (95% CI, 7.2 to not estimable). Researchers observed that greater CAR T-cell expansion occurred in responding patients. Responses were observed independent of tumor or serum BCMA levels. Median progression-free survival among all 33 patients was 11.8 months (95% CI, 6.2-17.8). "These data from CRB-401 demonstrate that BCMA is a promising target in the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma. We continue to be encouraged by the potential of bb2121 as a first-in-class BCMA-targeted CAR T-cell therapy," said Alise Reicin, M.D., President, Global Clinical Development for Celgene. "The compelling data in these heavily pre-treated relapsed/refractory patients has provided important insights in the development of bb2121 as we continue the follow up of patients in our recently fully enrolled pivotal KarMMa trial. We are also evaluating the potential for bb2121 in earlier lines of multiple myeloma treatment in the other KarMMa trials."

16:52 EDT Germany, Japan expand STAAR Surgical recommended range for EVO Visian ICL - STAAR Surgical announced the leading refractive ophthalmic societies in Germany and Japan have increased the diopter range for recommended use of phakic refractive lenses, including the EVO Visian ICL, to -3.0 diopters from -6.0 diopters.

16:51 EDT Summit Hotel Properties sees FY19 adjusted FFO $1.17-$1.29, consensus $1.27 - Sees FY19 pro forma RevPAR $123.00-$126.50, pro forma RevPAR growth 10.00%-3.00%.

16:43 EDT Rite Aid regains full compliance with NYSE minimum average share standard - Rite Aid Corporation announced that the New York Stock Exchange has notified the company that it is has regained full compliance with NYSE minimum average share price listing requirements. Rite Aid received written notification on May 1, 2019 that it has regained compliance after the Company's average stock price for the 30-trading days ended April 30, 2019 was above the NYSE's minimum requirement of $1. The company, which has continued to trade on the NYSE, is now in compliance with all NYSE listing rules.

16:42 EDT Hyatt raises FY19 net income view to $144M-$183M from $109M-$147M - Comparable system-wide RevPAR is expected to increase approximately 1% to 3%, as compared to fiscal year 2018. Adjusted EBITDA is expected to be approximately $780 million to $800 million. These estimates include an unfavorable impact from foreign currency of approximately $7 million (low end of the forecast) to $2 million (high end of the forecast). Refer to the table on page 13 of the schedules for a reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA. Adjusted EBITDA contribution from the Two Roads acquisition prior to non-recurring integration-related costs is estimated to be approximately $20 million to $25 million. Interest expense is expected to be approximately $78 million to $79 million. Adjusted selling, general, and administrative expenses are expected to be approximately $345 million inclusive of $25 million of expenses related to one-time integration costs for Two Roads. Adjusted selling, general, and administrative expenses exclude approximately $35 million of stock-based compensation expense and any potential impact related to benefit programs funded through rabbi trusts.

16:39 EDT IntercontinentalExchange to acquire Simplifile for $335M - Intercontinental Exchange announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Simplifile, LC. Simplifile operates one of the largest networks connecting the agents and jurisdictions that underpin residential mortgage records, serving as an electronic liaison between lenders, settlement agents, and county recording offices, streamlining the local recording of residential mortgage transactions. ICE will pay $335 million to acquire Simplifile, which is based in Provo, Utah and has no debt. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of this year, subject to the expiration or termination of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended. ICE does not expect the transaction to have any impact on its previously announced capital return plans. Upon closing, Simplifile, which has approximately 200 employees, will continue to be based in Provo and operate under the Simplifile name.

16:37 EDT Antero Midstream Partners sees leverage and DCF coverage targets reached by 2021

16:35 EDT PDC Energy says Q1 production 11.2 MMBoe - Production for the first quarter of 2019 was 11.2 MMBoe, or approximately 125,000 Boe per day, an increase of 26 percent from the first quarter of 2018. Oil production of 4.5 million barrels in the first quarter represents an increase of approximately 20 percent compared to the first quarter of 2018. The Company's capital investment for the quarter was approximately $282 million and included $21 million of Delaware Basin midstream related capital. Several operating efficiencies have led to a slightly accelerated capital pace; however, the Company maintains operational flexibility and commitment to its full-year capital investment range of $810 million to $870 million, excluding corporate capital.

16:33 EDT Marathon Oil sees Q2 total oil production of 200,000-220,000 net bopd - For second quarter, the company forecasts total oil production of 200,000-220,000 net bopd, with U.S. oil production of 180,000-190,000 net bopd. Second quarter U.S. oil production is expected to increase 5% sequentially at the midpoint of guidance, reflecting strong operational momentum already achieved early in the quarter. Second quarter 2019 international oil production guidance of 20,000-30,000 net bopd reflects continued unscheduled downtime at the non-operated Foinaven complex. Previously provided full-year 2019 production guidance, calling for total company oil production growth of 10%, with U.S. oil growth of 12%, remains unchanged.

16:28 EDT Hannon Armstrong backs 2018-2020 guidance - Hannon Armstrong is confirming its previously issued three-year guidance from 2018 to 2020 with respect to core earnings per share growth, on a compounded annual basis over the three years, in the 2% to 6% range, equivalent to $1.37 at the midpoint in 2019 and $1.43 at the midpoint in 2020. This guidance reflects the Company's estimates of (i) yield on its existing Portfolio; (ii) yield on incremental Portfolio investments, inclusive of the Company's existing pipeline; (iii) the volume and profitability of securitization transactions; (iv) amount, timing, and costs of debt and equity capital to fund new investments; (v) changes in costs and expenses reflective of the Company's forecasted operations, and (vi) the general interest rate and market environment. All guidance is based on current expectations of future economic conditions, the regulatory environment, the dynamics of the markets in which we operate and the judgment of the Company's management team. The Company has not provided GAAP guidance as discussed in the Forward-Looking Statements section of this press release.

16:24 EDT Qualcomm down 4% in afterhours trading after Q2 results, Q3 guidance

16:22 EDT Square says 'continued to see strength from larger sellers' - Square said in its earnings letter, "In the first quarter of 2019, we processed $22.6 billion in GPV, up 27% year over year. We continued to see strength from larger sellers. In the first quarter of 2019, GPV from larger sellers grew 37% year over year and accounted for 51% of total GPV, up from 47% in the first quarter of 2018. Of note, GPV from mid-market sellers grew 50% year over year and accounted for 24% of total GPV, up from 20% in the first quarter of 2018. Transaction-based revenue was $657 million in the first quarter of 2019, up 26% year over year, and transaction-based profit was $248 million, up 27% year over year."

16:21 EDT Americold Realty Trust acquires Lanier Cold Storage for $82M - Americold Realty Trust announced that the company has acquired privately-held Lanier Cold Storage for $82 million. "We welcome Lanier Cold Storage and its associates to the Americold family. We admire and respect the business that Lanier's owners - Larry Glover and Preston Bowen - have built and appreciate their great reputation in the poultry industry. We intend to enhance Lanier's business model by leveraging Americold's commercial platform and the Americold Operating System (AOS)," said Fred Boehler, President and Chief Executive Officer of Americold Realty Trust.

16:20 EDT Hilton Grand Vacations increases share buyback by $200M - Hilton Grand Vacations announced the board's approval for the repurchase of an additional $200 million shares under the company's Share Repurchase Program announced in November 2018, bringing the total funds allocated to the repurchase program to $400 million. "In the first quarter of 2019, we completed the initial $200 million authorization of our stock repurchase program, demonstrating our ongoing focus on delivering shareholder value while maintaining the financial flexibility to continue making the necessary investments in our business," says Mark Wang, president and CEO of Hilton Grand Vacations. "Today's $200 million follow-on authorization is indicative of our balance sheet strength and also reinforces our capital allocation strategy as detailed at our year-end 2018 investor day."

16:14 EDT Newtek Business Services raises dividend 9.5% to 46c per share - The Company paid a first quarter 2019 cash dividend of $0.40 per share on March 29, 2019 to shareholders of record as of March 15, 2019 On May 1, 2019, Newtek's Board of Directors declared a second quarter 2019 cash dividend of $0.46 per share, which represents a 9.5% increase over the second quarter 2018 cash dividend of $0.42 per share.

16:13 EDT Newtek Business Services raises dividend 9.5% to 46c per share - The Company paid a first quarter 2019 cash dividend of $0.40 per share on March 29, 2019 to shareholders of record as of March 15, 2019 On May 1, 2019, Newtek's Board of Directors declared a second quarter 2019 cash dividend of $0.46 per share, which represents a 9.5% increase over the second quarter 2018 cash dividend of $0.42 per share.

16:13 EDT Accuray signs agreement with Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital - Accuray announced that the company has signed an agreement with Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital for the acquisition of two Synchrony motion tracking and correction technology upgrades, to be used with the hospital's Radixact Systems. Synchrony is a sophisticated tool developed to make it easier to provide precise radiation treatments to all tumors, even those that move. The agreement was signed at the annual congress of the European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology and represents the first commercial sale of Synchrony for Radixact in Asia and the first achieved at ESTRO, independent of the Synchrony product evaluation sites.

16:10 EDT Square drops 6% to $68.90 after Q2 outlook misses estimates

16:10 EDT Square says 'continued to drive strong revenue growth at scale' - Square said in its earnings letter, "We continued to drive strong revenue growth at scale. In the first quarter of 2019, total net revenue grew 43% year over year, and Adjusted Revenue grew 59% year over year. Excluding the acquisitions of Weebly and Zesty, which were completed in the second quarter of 2018, total net revenue and Adjusted Revenue grew 39% and 49% year over year, respectively. Cash App volume grew nearly 2.5x year over year, reflecting the growing network effects, reach, and engagement of this ecosystem."

16:07 EDT Cree sees deal to sell Lighting Products unit closing by end of FY19 - As previously announced, Cree executed a definitive agreement to sell the Lighting Products business to IDEAL Industries. The transaction is expected to close by the end of Cree's fiscal year 2019, subject to customary closing conditions and governmental approvals. The parties received early termination of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Act in April 2019.

16:04 EDT Hologic reports Q2 gross margin 61.0% vs. 62.7% last year

15:55 EDT Epic Games to acquire 'Rocket League' developer Psyonix - Psyonix announced on its website that "Today is a big day for us here at Psyonix because, just as the headline says, we're officially joining the Epic Games family. Your first question to news like this might be, 'What does this mean for Rocket League and its community?' We're happy to say that the answers are only positive. Rocket League always has been and always will be a community-driven game, and now that we have joined forces with Epic, we will be able to serve our community in even bigger and better ways!" This transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions. Epic and Psyonix currently expect to close the acquisition near the end of May to early June. Investors in Epic include Tencent (TCEHY), Disney (DIS), and KKR (KKR).

15:36 EDT Procter & Gamble exec Schomburger sells 6,595 common shares - In a regulatory filing, Procter & Gamble global sales officer, CBD, Jeffrey K. Schomburger disclosed the sale of 6,595 common shares of the company at a price of $106.0602 per share.

14:30 EDT Nissan reports April U.S. sales up 9% to 95,698 units - Nissan Group announced total U.S. sales for April of 95,698 units, an increase of 9% compared to the prior year. Nissan Division sales of 87,207 units were up 10.7% from the same period of last year and Infiniti Division sales of 8,491 units were down 5.2%.

14:19 EDT Audentes Therapeutics reports follow-up data from ASPIRO Phase 1/2 trial - Audentes Therapeutics announced new data from ASPIRO, the Phase 1/2 clinical trial of AT132 for the treatment of X-linked Myotubular Myopathy, or XLMTM. The data are being presented today at the 22nd Annual Meeting of the American Society of Gene and Cell Therapy during the plenary session, "Presidential Symposium & Presentation of the Top Abstracts." The newly reported data include safety and efficacy assessments for 11 patients enrolled in ASPIRO as of the April 8, 2019 data cut-off date, including 48 weeks of follow-up for seven patients enrolled in Cohort 1 and 24 weeks of follow-up for four patients in Cohort 2. Key assessments include neuromuscular function as measured by both improvements in the CHOP INTEND score and the achievement of motor milestones; respiratory function as measured by improvements in maximal inspiratory pressure and reduction in ventilator dependence; and vector copy number, mRNA, protein expression and histological improvement as assessed via muscle biopsy. Matthew Patterson, Chairman and CEO of Audentes, said, "We look forward to important next steps for the program, including selection of the optimal dose and further discussions with regulators in the U.S. and Europe regarding possible pathways to license applications."

13:55 EDT Yum! Brands drops after comp sales growth at Taco Bell, Pizza Hut stalls - Shares of fast food conglomerate Yum Brands (YUM) are falling after the company's quarterly same-store sales results disappointed Wall Street. Yum! operates the brands Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, and WingStreet worldwide, except in China, where the brands are operated by a separate company, Yum China. EARNINGS: The company's Q1 results were mixed, with earnings per share of 82c, just a penny higher than consensus estimates, and revenue of $1.25B, slightly lower than the $1.26B analysts were modeling. Looking ahead, Yum! backed its fiscal 2019 adjusted EPS view of at least $3.75, which is below the current $3.83 consensus. SAME STORE SALES DISAPPOINT: Same-store sales growth for Yum!'s key Taco Bell brand missed analyst projections, coming in at 4%, while comparable sales at Pizza Hut stores open at least a year were flat during Q1. CEO OPTIMISM: Chief Executive Officer Greg Creed said in a statement: "First quarter results were a solid start to the year, reflecting particular strength at the KFC division and Taco Bell U.S. With this quarter, we have a healthy foundation to help us achieve our 2019 guidance." RICE ACTION: Shares of Yum! Brands are down about 3% to $101.35 in afternoon trading.

13:39 EDT EPA says herbicide in Bayer's Roundup poses no risk to public health - Yesterday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it was "taking an important step in the agency's review of glyphosate." In a press release, the EPA stated: "As part of this action, EPA continues to find that there are no risks to public health when glyphosate is used in accordance with its current label and that glyphosate is not a carcinogen. The agency's scientific findings on human health risk are consistent with the conclusions of science reviews by many other countries and other federal agencies. While the agency did not identify public health risks in the 2017 human health risk assessment, the 2017 ecological assessment did identify ecological risks. To address these risks, EPA is proposing management measures to help farmers target pesticide sprays on the intended pest, protect pollinators, and reduce the problem of weeds becoming resistant to glyphosate." Glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide in U.S. agriculture according to the EPA, is the active ingredient of Bayer's Roundup. Reference Link

13:05 EDT Flex names Ulrich to lead Human Resources, Skillern to head networking - Flex announced that Phil Ulrich has been named the Chief Human Resources Officer of the 200,000-employee manufacturing solutions provider that designs and builds intelligent products, while Raejeanne Skillern has been named president of the Communications and Enterprise Compute group. Flex offers manufacturing expertise, global capabilities and supply chain agility in more than 100 locations across 30 countries. Flex builds products in more than a dozen industries, including health solutions, automotive products, consumer technology, 5G and data center devices, and offers services from initial design concept to mass scale production. By utilizing cross-industry capabilities, regional manufacturing and advanced supply chain management, Flex helps customers around the world bring unique products to market faster

12:36 EDT Volkswagen reports April U.S. auto sales up 8.7% to 31,309 units - Volkswagen of America sales are up 3.9% year-to-date in 2019 to 117,181 units.

12:22 EDT Interactive Brokers reports April DARTs down 4% y/y - Interactive Brokers Group reported its Electronic Brokerage monthly performance metrics for April. Brokerage highlights for the month included: 778,000 Daily Average Revenue Trades, 4% lower than prior year and 10% lower than priormonth. Ending client equity of $151.2B, 16% higher than prior year and 2% higher than prior month. Ending client margin loan balances of $26.7B, 10% lower than prior year and 5% higher than prior month. Ending client credit balances of $53.2B, including $2B in insured bank deposit sweeps, 12% higher than prior year and 2% lower than prior month. 631,000 client accounts, 20% higher than prior year and 1% higher than prior month. 277 annualized average cleared DARTs per client account. Average commission per cleared client order of $3.65 including exchange, clearing and regulatory fees.

12:11 EDT Netflix announces high-quality audio, bringing sound quality to 'another level' - According to an earlier story on its media center blog, Netflix said, starting Wednesday, May 1, "when you watch Netflix on your TV, it should sound even better." "Some of the most iconic moments in TV and film are defined by their score. Without its beautiful theme music, would The Crown be as majestic? Would the eeriness of Stranger Things come across in the same way? Often the subtlety of sound may go unnoticed, but it can have a profound impact on the atmosphere of a scene and fundamentally change how a viewer responds to it. The magical combination of sight and sound brings viewers closer to the story, and that's why we support creative technologies and features like 4K, HDR, Dolby Atmos and Netflix Calibrated Mode. Today we're excited to announce a new feature, high-quality audio, which takes our sound quality to another level. We gave it this straightforward name because it fits: high-quality audio delivers audio that sounds closer to what creators hear in the studio, so every little detail is captured for a richer, more intense experience. Additionally, if you have bandwidth or device limitations, we've made the feature adaptive so that we will deliver the best possible audio to match your capabilities. This is similar to what we already do for video." Reference Link

12:02 EDT JetBlue names Michael Stromer Chief Product Officer, Technology - JetBlue Airways announced the promotion of Michael Stromer to Chief Product Officer, Technology, effective immediately. In this role, Mr. Stromer will be responsible for strategy and product oversight across all of the airline's digital and IT products that are key to driving efficiency and cost savings in the airline's operations. Mr. Stromer will report to Eash Sundaram, the airline's Executive Vice President and Chief Digital & Technology Officer and will lead the design and execution of the digital commerce web and mobile applications that support revenue initiatives; technology for airport, customer support, system operations, technical operations, flight, and inflight teams, as well as back office products. Mr. Stromer will also have primary responsibility for the modernization of JetBlue's customer sales and service and system operations technology, across all crewmember- and customer-facing products.

12:02 EDT Haverty Furniture falls -16.8% - Haverty Furniture is down -16.8%, or -$4.00 to $19.82.

12:01 EDT Rogers Corporation rises 19.2% - Rogers Corporation is up 19.2%, or $32.10 to $199.62.

12:00 EDT MFC Bancorp rises 40.2% - MFC Bancorp is up 40.2%, or $3.81 to $13.31.

11:14 EDT Appaloosa continues to believe split of Allergan CEO-chairman role 'necessary' - Appaloosa issued a statement following Allergan's Annual General Meeting of Shareholders on May 1, 2019 regarding Allergan shareholder's vote on Appaloosa's proposal to separate the Chairman and CEO roles. The firm said, "Allergan shareholders are clearly dissatisfied with management's performance, business strategy and board oversight, as nearly 40% of voting shareholders want more pressing change than what the Board is offering. It is incumbent on Allergan's Board to address these shareholder concerns with concrete actions. Appaloosa continues to believe that separating the roles of Chairman and CEO is a necessary initial step toward arresting the steady decline of what was once a great company. We look forward to Allergan detailing the tangible steps the Board intends to take in order to begin the process of restoring credibility and value for its shareholders."

11:05 EDT Cerner chief people officer Julie Wilson to retire - Cerner announced that Julie Wilson, chief people officer, is retiring effective June 30, 2019. Julie has spent the past 24 years with Cerner and the last 16 in this executive role. Cerner has commenced an executive search process for a successor.

10:36 EDT Boeing appoints J. Michael Luttig as counselor and senior advisor to CEO - Boeing named J. Michael Luttig to the newly-created position of counselor and senior advisor to Boeing chairman, president and CEO Dennis Muilenburg and the Boeing board of directors. Brett Gerry succeeds Luttig as general counsel. Both changes are effective immediately. Luttig, who has served as general counsel since joining the company in 2006, will manage all legal matters associated with the Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 accidents. He also will serve as counselor and senior advisor to Muilenburg and the Boeing board of directors on these and other special matters. Luttig continues to hold the title of EVP and remains on the company's Executive Council. As general counsel, Gerry will lead the Law Department, join the Executive Council and report to Muilenburg. Gerry has served as president of Boeing Japan since 2016. He will relocate from Tokyo to Chicago.

10:16 EDT Groupon says will continue to 'push really hard' around card-linking, booking - Expects gross profit to be 'somewhat lower' in Q2 compared to Q1. Expects adjusted EBITDA to be 'somewhat lower' in Q2 compared to Q1. Expects trends to continue to build and improve as the year progresses. Expects trends for international region to continue into Q1. Says seeing softening consumer in the UK. Says still "very optimistic" about the potential to grow international customers over time.

10:14 EDT iHeartMedia completes separation of Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings - iHeartMedia announced that the company has successfully completed its restructuring process. As a result of the balance sheet restructuring, iHeartMedia's debt has been significantly reduced, from $16.1B to $5.75B, the company stated. In conjunction with completion of the restructuring, and in accordance with its Plan of Reorganization, iHeartMedia and Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings (CCO) have fully separated, creating two independent publicly-traded companies. Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings shares will continue to be traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "CCO."

10:11 EDT Hilton says saw softer corporate demand in March - Says macro indicators suggest continued growth across global economies. Says fundamentals suggest steady demand, solid pricing gains in U.S. Sees 6.5% net unit growth in FY19. Says saw softer corporate demand in March. Says "feels good" about momentum for the rest of the year. Comments from Q1 earnings conference call. In morning trading, shares of Hilton are up 5.4% to $91.70.

10:00 EDT Mallinckrodt falls -12.0% - Mallinckrodt is down -12.0%, or -$1.85 to $13.61.

10:00 EDT Pitney Bowes falls -18.6% - Pitney Bowes is down -18.6%, or -$1.32 to $5.79.

10:00 EDT Nu Skin rises 24.5% - Nu Skin is up 24.5%, or $12.45 to $63.31.

09:55 EDT Honda reports April U.S. sales up 0.1% to 125,775 vehicles - "As industry sales continue to level off, we are increasing our share of the market through the strength of our car and truck lineups and our disciplined approach to sales," said Henio Arcangeli, Jr. senior vice president of Automobile Sales at American Honda Motor Co. "The compact SUV segment remains a bright spot for both Honda and Acura brands in 2019, with CR-V the outright retail sales leader in the industry's largest segment, and the Acura RDX the fastest growing model in the compact luxury SUV segment in 2019 and the top-selling retail model."

09:48 EDT Toyota reports April U.S. sales down 4.4% to 183,866 vehicles - Toyota Motor North America reported April sales of 183,866 vehicles, a decrease of 4.4% on a volume basis and a decrease of 8.2% on a daily selling rate basis versus April 2018. Toyota division posted April sales of 162,506 units, down 4.8% on a volume basis and down 8.6% on a DSR basis. Lexus division posted April sales of 21,360 vehicles, down 1.3% on a volume basis and down 5.3% on a DSR basis.

09:47 EDT Ferro falls -9.8% - Ferro is down -9.8%, or -$1.76 to $16.11.

09:47 EDT Calix rises 7.7% - Calix is up 7.7%, or 53c to $7.38.

09:47 EDT Nu Skin rises 19.8% - Nu Skin is up 19.8%, or $10.08 to $60.95.

09:32 EDT Medtronic receives FDA approval for Attain Stability Quad MRI SureScan lead - Medtronic announced it has received U.S. FDA approval for the Attain Stability Quad MRI SureScan left heart lead. Paired with Medtronic quadripolar cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillators and -pacemakers, the Attain Stability Quad lead is the only active-fixation left heart lead, and is designed for precise lead placement and stability. The lead will be commercially available in the U.S. in summer 2019.

09:32 EDT Fiat Chrysler says to start reporting quarterly U.S. sales starting October 1 - After review, FCA US LLC will end its practice of reporting U.S. and Canada sales on a monthly basis following June results. "A quarterly sales reporting cadence will continue to provide transparency of our sales results while at the same time aligning with where industry practice is heading," said Niel Golightly, FCA's Chief Communications Officer. FCA US and FCA Canada will report monthly sales for May and June. The first quarterly report will occur on October 1, 2019, covering the months of July, August and September. FCA will continue to share certain sales data with third-party research firms, under appropriate confidentiality arrangements.

09:28 EDT Honda's U.S. sales gained 0.1% in April, Bloomberg says

09:13 EDT Overstock's Medici Ventures names Jeremy Smith as CTO - Medici Ventures, a blockchain accelerator and subsidiary of Overstock.com, announces its new appointment to its executive leadership team. Jeremy Smith, who formerly served as a development manager for Medici Ventures, has been named to the role of Chief Technology Officer. "Medici Ventures and its companies will benefit greatly from the experience Jeremy will bring into his new position," said Jonathan Johnson, president of Medici Ventures. "His technological background and leadership skills will allow Medici Ventures to continue to bring blockchain-based solutions into production, facilitating the development of a technology stack for civilization."

09:11 EDT Voce Capital calls for investigation of Argo Group's governance practices - Voce Capital Management, the beneficial owner of approximately 5.6% of the shares of Argo Group, issued a detailed presentation, "Righting the Ship," which the company said, "outlines a specific, actionable plan which Argo's Board could pursue to unlock substantial shareholder value." Voce said, "Historically, Argo has failed to cover its cost of capital - meaning it is destroying shareholder value. In Voce's view, expense reductions alone can allow Argo to earn a double digit return on equity- significantly higher than its 10-year average ROE of 5.7%. A thorough review of Argo's capital allocation and portfolio of businesses is also required, including a potential divestiture of its international business, exit of underperforming lines and potential capital return. Voce's analysis suggests 110 bps of ROE opportunity from enhanced capital allocation and 220 bps from portfolio rationalization. Adding capital allocation and potential sale of the international business would allow Argo to achieve an ROE of over 13%. If acted upon by the Board, Voce's ideas could result in a pro forma ROE as high as 13.5% which could result in a share price approximately 75-90% above its unaffected stock price on February 1, 2019, prior to Voce's involvement...Voce offers a blueprint for immediate, substantial expense reductions of $100M that would boost Argo's ROE by 460 bps. Normalizing Argo's OUE to that of its peer average implies a $100M expense opportunity...Reducing Argo's investment expenses in line with peers would yield $16 million in savings. $20M in additional cost savings could be achieved by reigning in corporate expenses, including corporate aircraft and housing, vanity sponsorships and CEO compensation...Argo's handling of Voce's questions about a potential penthouse apartment where CEO Mark E. Watson III lives while in New York City demonstrates the Company's disregard for shareholders and lack of respect for honesty when engaging with investors...Argo's Board has, in Voce's view, abjectly failed to adequately oversee CEO Watson and rein in his rampant use of corporate resources to fund his personal pursuits, from fine art, to architecture, to race cars, to yachting...Voce believes a top-to-bottom investigation of Argo's corporate governance practices is urgently required. This should take the form of an immediate investigation into expenses, compensation and corporate perquisites by a credible external law firm and overseen by a special committee of independent Directors. In Voce's view, Argo's Board suffers from docile, over-tenured directors who lack independence and whose interests are not aligned with those of all shareholders. The reconstitution of the Board and all committees and removal and replacement of the "Big 5" legacy directors - with nearly 20 years' average tenure - is urgently required. Argo's flawed excessive executive compensation structure must be reformed, and the Board's stale and ineffective Compensation Committee reconstituted. "

09:06 EDT CVS Health says seeing 'optimistic things' in front store businesses - Says: Pleased with Aetna's performance... Seeing "nice growth" in newer services that have been brought to market... Margins are tracking "in-line" with expectations... Continue to look for opportunities to generate cash to pay down debt. Comments from company's Q1 earnings conference call.

09:00 EDT Johnson Controls says raw materials, tariff impacts have stabilized - Says margins were higher in each segment besides Asia Pacific. Says operational leverage is improving. Says net proceeds of $11.6B from power solutions segment transaction was higher than expected. Says committed to $50M corporate cost reduction by FY20 year-end. Comments taken from Q2 earnings conference call.

08:42 EDT Ocular Therapeutix says CMS reccomends DEXTENZA for J-Code - Ocular Therapeutix announced that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has included DEXTENZA 0.4mg for intracanalicular use on its list of products that have been preliminarily recommended for a new dedicated Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System J-code, effective January 1, 2020. A J-Code is a permanent product code established by CMS for the Prospective Payment System used to report drugs that ordinarily cannot be self-administered. J-codes are familiar to both medical practices and their billing staffs, as well as Medicare and commercial insurers. As a result, J-codes allow for a simpler and more convenient reimbursement process. The company believes that receipt of a J-code will facilitate reimbursement for a greater number of patients to be treated with DEXTENZA. As previously disclosed, the Company also submitted an application for a HCPCS C-code for transitional pass-through payment status and expects notification from CMS by mid-year 2019 on the status of the C-code application. A C-code is a unique temporary product code established by CMS for the Prospective Payment System used to report claims for hospital outpatient department services and procedures. If the Company receives a C-code, it should enable the use and reimbursement of DEXTENZA until such time as CMS may potentially approve the J-code and such approval becomes effective.

08:39 EDT ARCA Biopharma announces GENETIC-AF trial data published - ARCA Biopharma announced that GENETIC-AF data was published in JACC: Heart Failure, a journal of the American College of Cardiology. Bucindolol is a beta-blocker whose unique pharmacologic properties provide greater benefit in HF patients who have the beta-one adrenergic receptor, or ADRB1, Arg389Arg genotype. GENETIC-AF compared the effectiveness of bucindolol and metoprolol succinate for the maintenance of sinus rhythm in a genetically-defined HF population with AF. The trial enrolled 267 HF patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction, or LVEF, less than 0.50, symptomatic AF, and the ADRB1 Arg389Arg genotype. The primary endpoint of AF/atrial flutter, or AFL, or all-cause mortality, or ACM, was evaluated by electrocardiogram during a 24-week period. The hazard ratio, or HR, for the primary endpoint was neutral, but trends for bucindolol benefit were observed in several subpopulations. Precision therapeutic phenotyping revealed that a differential response to bucindolol was associated with: the interval of time from the initial diagnosis of HF and AF to randomization, and: the onset of AF relative to initial HF diagnosis. In a cohort whose first HF and AF diagnoses were less than 12 years prior to randomization, in which AF onset did not precede HF by more than 2 years, the HR was 0.54. Moreover, in the HF with mid-range LVEF subpopulation, which comprised approximately 50% of randomized patients, the HR was 0.42. As expected based on its unique pharmacology, bucindolol reduced plasma venous norepinephrine levels while metoprolol did not. Plasma NT-proBNP, a biomarker of both AF and HF, was reduced in the bucindolol group at 4 weeks, 12 weeks and 24 weeks while in the metoprolol group a reduction was observed only at 24 weeks.

08:33 EDT Groupon projects 2020 adjusted EBITDA of $300M or more - Says 2019 key priorities include enhancing the customer experience and increasing conversion by expanding frictionless technologies, such as card-linking and booking, and improving mobile experience, continuing to realize potential in International by driving product parity, enhancing supply, and investing in brand and marketing, extending Groupon's open platform by supplementing Groupon-sourced inventory with third-party partnerships and increasing distribution of Groupon content and maintaining a culture of operational efficiency. Says focused on driving long-term gross profit maximization. Expects increases in Gross Profit per customer to offset a meaningful portion of an anticipated decline in global customers in 2019. Says focused on driving conversion in core North America Local business through convenience and supply. Says continuing to realize International potential and narrow conversion gap relative to North America. Says plans to maintain 12-18 month payback of incremental spend in marketing. Says utilizing improved customer analytics to optimize North America marketing spend across online and offline channels. Says continuing to ramp marketing in International markets to support customer acquisition. Says maintainomg leverageable cost structure. Says driving ongoing efficiency to fund strategic investments and offset inflationary pressure. Says targeting long-term Adjusted EBITDA growth. Sees FY19 adjusted EBITDA $270M. Projects 2020 Adjusted EBITDA of $300M or more. Says targeting long-term Free Cash Flow growth. Expects to generate significant free cash flow for the full year 2019. Expects long-term free cash flow growth to trend with Adjusted EBITDA growth. Says strong balance sheet provides strategic flexibility. Comments taken from slides to be presented on Q1 earnings conference call/

08:26 EDT Royal Caribbean provides update on Grand Bahama Shipyard incident - On April 1, Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas was undergoing maintenance at the Grand Bahama Shipyard when an accident involving the drydock caused two construction cranes to collapse on the stern of the ship. The damage to the ship was extensive and the ship had to go to a dock in Europe for repairs. As a result, the ship was taken out of service for almost a month and is expected to return back to service for its normally scheduled May 5 sailing. The company estimates the direct financial impact of this unusual event, net of insurance, will be a reduction of approximately 25c per share to the company's full year adjusted EPS, mostly driven by lost revenue.

08:24 EDT Abeona Therapeutics presents AIM AAV204 findings at ARVO - Abeona Therapeutics announced that intravitreal administration of the company's AIM AAV204 capsid to non-human primates led to transgene expression in the inner and outer retina. These new preclinical data also support the potential use of intravitreal administration to deliver gene therapy in an out-patient setting for a wide range of inherited and acquired retinal diseases. Findings were presented at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, or ARVO. In the preclinical study, intravitreal administration of the AIM AAV204 capsid in non-human primates resulted in broad transgene expression in the peripheral retina as well as intense expression in the fovea 25 days post-administration. AAV204 also transduced photoreceptor cells in retinal explants and transduced the outer retina, with positive green fluorescent protein expression. The non-human primate data were complemented by findings from mice models, which identified AAV204 as one of three lead candidate AIM capsids that demonstrate robust transduction of retinal cells. The data in mice demonstrated that intravitreal administration resulted in broad retinal expression of AAV204 that penetrated to the photoreceptor and retinal pigmented epithelium layers.

08:12 EDT Heron Therapeutics receives CRL from FDA regarding NDA for HTX-011 - Heron Therapeutics announced that it received a Complete Response Letter from the U.S. FDA on April 30 regarding its New Drug Application for HTX-011 for the management of postoperative pain. The CRL stated that the FDA is unable to approve the NDA in its present form based on the need for additional CMC and non-clinical information. Based on the complete review of the NDA, the FDA did not identify any clinical safety or efficacy issues, and there is no requirement for further clinical studies or data analyses. "We plan to request a meeting with the FDA to obtain its agreement on our approach to resolve the issues outlined in the CRL and resubmit the NDA as soon as possible," said Barry Quart, Pharm.D., President and CEO of Heron Therapeutics.

08:09 EDT Kaman awarded contract to reactivate USMC K-MAX helicopters - Kaman Aerospace, the Aerospace segment of Kaman, announced that it has been awarded a contract to return two United States Marine Corps K-MAX aircraft to flight operations. Kaman Aerospace will transport the two helicopters from Yuma, Arizona, where they are currently located, to Bloomfield, Connecticut, where they will be reactivated to flight-ready status. "The two helicopters, designated as CQ-24A, served in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom from 2011 to 2013, and exclusively flew unmanned missions. In the 33 months the unmanned K-MAX was deployed to Afghanistan on combat resupply and logistical support missions, it moved over 4.5 million pounds of cargo throughout Afghanistan between forward operating bases and remote outposts. Operating exclusively during nighttime hours, these unmanned missions replaced the equivalent of 900 convoys and eliminated 46,000 hours of exposure to IEDs, direct fire, and other threat to troops on dangerous roads. The current unmanned system on the Marine CQ-24A aircraft will be replaced with new technology advancements."

08:07 EDT FireEye named key partner in U.S. Army Cyber Command efforts - FireEye (FEYE) announced that it has been named a key partner in the United States Army Cyber Command efforts to keep pace with adversaries and evolving cyber threats. As part of a new $905M, five-year award, Perspecta (PRSP) has subcontracted with FireEye to enhance cyber operations and global mission support for ARCYBER. Under the Cyberspace Operations Support task order, FireEye will provide professional services to assist with cyber threat intelligence operations, defensive cyber operations, cyberspace incident response, and cyberspace exercise support and training. In support of its global mission to strategically elevate the use of cyberspace capabilities within military operations, FireEye will provide ARCYBER with incident and network response, including intelligence methodology and best practices. More specifically, FireEye will provide staff augmentation of traditional cyber intelligence and expertise in order to further build and maintain immediate mission capacity, while concurrently enabling successful assurance as ARCYBER transitions its operations from Fort Belvoir to Fort Gordon.

08:04 EDT Bluebird Bio appoints Joanne Smith-Farrell as chief business officer - bluebird bio has appointed Joanne Smith-Farrell to chief business officer. In this role, Smith-Farrell will lead corporate development and strategy, and she will also continue to serve as oncology franchise leader. She has been promoted to chief business officer after joining bluebird in April 2017 as SVP, corporate development and strategy.

07:58 EDT CVS Health provides quarterly earnings progression update - Management said, "Year-over-year growth of consolidated adjusted operating income will be highest through the first three quarters of the year as we wrap the addition of Aetna. In Retail / LTC and PBM, we expect to see adjusted operating income growth in those segments improving as we move throughout the year. Adjusted operating income within Health Care Benefits is expected to be greatest in Q1 and lowest in Q4."

07:55 EDT Heron Therapeutics trading halted, news pending

07:47 EDT Jacobs Engineering awarded $27M contract at US Army Dugway Proving Ground - Jacobs was awarded a fifteen-month direct award bridge contract to perform field range testing and laboratory support services for the West Desert Test Center at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah. The West Desert Test Center estimates the contract value at $27M. Jacobs' support includes conducting field range testing, and chamber and laboratory tests for chemical and biological simulants and pollutants.

07:39 EDT Syros Pharmaceuticals plans to complete studies of SY-5609 in 2019 - Syros plans to complete investigational new drug-enabling studies of SY-5609 in 2019 to support the initiation of a Phase 1 oncology trial in early 2020.

07:37 EDT Syros plans to open additional cohort in Phase 2 trial of SY-1425 - Syros plans to open an additional cohort in the ongoing Phase 2 trial in the third quarter of 2019 evaluating the safety and efficacy of SY-1425 in combination with azacitidine in RARA or IRF8 biomarker-positive patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia. Syros expects to report potential proof-of-concept data from this cohort in 2020 that, if positive, could enable a decision to move toward a registration study. Syros plans to complete enrollment in mid-2019 in the ongoing Phase 2 trial cohort evaluating the safety and efficacy of SY-1425 in combination with azacitidine in RARA or IRF8 biomarker-positive patients with newly diagnosed AML who are not suitable candidates for standard chemotherapy. Syros plans to report updated data on SY-1425 in combination with azacitidine in the second half of 2019 in newly diagnosed AML patients who are not suitable candidates for standard chemotherapy.

07:33 EDT Spirit AeroSystems: Prior 2019 guidance does not reflect 737 MAX issues - New guidance to be issued at a later date. On April 5, Spirit (SPR) announced it will maintain its current delivery rate on the Boeing (BA) 737 program of 52 shipsets per month following Boeing's announcement that it will reduce its own production rate to 42 aircraft per month. On April 12, Boeing and Spirit executed a Memorandum of Agreement which established that all Boeing 737 shipsets produced above Boeing's production rate will be deemed to be delivered to Boeing "FOB" at Spirit's facilities, which will trigger Boeing's payment obligations for the incremental shipsets. Spirit will maintain these shipsets at Spirit's facilities. Spirit will also receive certain advance payments from Boeing for material purchases, all of which are repayable. "Previously, we had planned to increase production to 57 aircraft per month on the Boeing 737 program beginning in approximately June 2019. Now, we will be maintaining production at our current rate of 52 aircraft per month. With this schedule, we will produce fewer 737 MAX aircraft this year than we previously forecasted, by five units per month beginning in June, for as long as we remain at a production rate of 52 aircraft per month," said Tom Gentile, Spirit's President and CEO. "Given the reduction in production units and corresponding revenue, we have begun taking immediate actions to reduce expenses, defer capital investments, and redouble our efforts on working capital improvements to mitigate the financial impact of the production rate change. After spending $75 million in the first quarter on share repurchases, we will pause our share repurchases pending further clarity surrounding the 737 MAX." "Our prior guidance for 2019 assumed we would increase 737 monthly production in June 2019 to 57 aircraft. As we now expect to remain at 52 aircraft per month for some period of time, that guidance does not reflect our current outlook," said Gentile. "Due to the uncertainties, we will issue updated guidance for 2019 when we receive more definitive information on the timing of the 737 MAX return to service and Boeing's new production schedule."

07:25 EDT Roadrunner investing in new tractors and trailers - Roadrunner has invested in additional fleet assets. Capital plans for 2019 include the acquisition of over 500 sleeper and day cab tractors and the acquisition or refinancing of over 2,100 dry and refrigerated trailers.

07:20 EDT Interpace Diagnostics' thyroid registry featured in peer reviewed publication - Interpace Diagnostics announced that data from its thyroid registry has been published in the peer reviewed publication Diagnostic Cytopathology. The new data from over 300 samples was compiled from a two-year, real-world, retrospective study and highlighted the clinical utility of Interpace's ThyGenX thyroid oncogene panel in combination with ThyraMIR, its micro-RNA classifier. The study shows results from ThyGenX and ThyraMIR combination testing demonstrated the ability to help avoid unnecessary surgical resections as well as help target nodules for which surgery is the accurate approach. Importantly, the study also showed that surgical decisions made with the combination thyroid tests were appropriately aligned with risk of malignancy over multiple years of clinical follow-up, which is consistent with a combination test that effectively rules-in and rules-out higher risk of malignancy. The company believes these results further confirm the value that ThyGenX and ThyraMIR combination testing brings when confronted with an indeterminate cytology finding. The company is now engaged in a separate multi-site clinical validation study of ThyGeNEXT in combination with ThyraMIR. Results from this additional study are expected to be released in the second half of 2019.

07:17 EDT Broadridge acquires Rockall securities-based lending technology firm - Broadridge has acquired Rockall, a provider of securities-based lending and collateral management solutions for wealth management firms and commercial banks. Rockall currently enables the management of more than $3T worth of collateral daily for some of the world's top banks, and 10 of the top 30 U.S. banks use Rockall's technology to streamline collateral management, safeguard against credit risk and enhance lending. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

07:15 EDT EVO Payments to acquire payment gateway assets of SF Systems - EVO Payments announced an agreement to acquire the payment gateway assets of SF Systems, a Mexico City-based company specializing in integrated payments solutions for large and small merchants. Since its founding in 2002, SF Systems has developed integrations in Mexico. EVO and SF Systems have had a commercial relationship since EVO entered the market in 2015, with SF Systems providing integrations to POS systems at many of EVO's corporate customers. In conjunction with the transaction, the team of professionals that support SF Systems' gateway assets will be joining EVO. The acquisition also provides EVO with a platform in Mexico to facilitate future integrations to new software partners in the market. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. The acquisition is expected to be completed by the end of Q3, subject to closing conditions.

07:11 EDT Cengage Learning, McGraw-Hill to combine in all-stock merger on 'equal terms' - McGraw-Hill, part of Apollo Global (APO) and Cengage (CNGO) announced that they have entered into a definitive agreement to combine in an all-stock merger on equal terms. The transaction, which has been unanimously approved by the boards of both companies, "will bring together two premier learning companies that will deliver significant benefits for students, educators, professionals and institutions worldwide." The parties anticipate that the combined company will be named McGraw Hill, with details to be finalized prior to closing. The company will be led by Michael Hansen, currently CEO of Cengage. Nana Banerjee, who played a key role in facilitating the agreement to merge and in negotiating the material terms of the transaction, will continue to lead McGraw-Hill through the transition. The combined company's leadership team is expected to be comprised of members from both McGraw-Hill and Cengage and will be announced prior to close. Based on the financial statements of Cengage and McGraw-Hill for the twelve months ending March 31, the combined company would have pro forma cash revenue of $3.16B and cash EBITDA less Prepub of $889M including the pro forma impact of $300M of cost synergies. The transaction is expected to close by early 2020, subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of regulatory approvals.

07:06 EDT Taylor Morrison sees Q2 home closing 2,225-2,425 - Average active community count is expected to be flat to slightly down sequentially. Home closings are expected to be between 2,225 and 2,425. GAAP home closings gross margin, inclusive of capitalized interest and purchase accounting, is expected to be in the mid-to-high 17% range. Effective tax rate is expected to be about 25%. Diluted share count is expected to be about 108M

07:06 EDT Cengage Learning, McGraw-Hill to combine in all-stock merger on 'equal terms'

07:03 EDT Sealed Air to acquire Automated Packaging Systems for $510M - Sealed Air announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Automated Packaging Systems, a leading manufacturer of high-reliability, automated bagging systems, for a purchase price of $510M on a cash and debt free basis. Sealed Air intends to use cash on hand and credit facilities to finance the transaction. The transaction is expected to close early in the third quarter, subject to applicable regulatory reviews and customary closing conditions. Upon the transaction closing, the company plans to update its 2019 full year outlook on the second quarter earnings conference call, which is tentatively scheduled for July 31.

07:02 EDT CVS Health reports Q1 Health Care Benefits revenue up $16.6B from last year - Health Care Benefits segment revenues increased $16.6 billion for the three months ended March 31, 2019 compared to the prior year primarily driven by the Aetna Acquisition. Revenues for the three months ended March 31, 2019 reflect strong membership growth in the Health Care Benefits segment's Medicare products. Medical membership as of March 31, 2019 increased compared with December 31, 2018, reflecting increases in Medicare, Commercial ASC and Medicaid products, partially offset by declines in Commercial Insured products. The Health Care Benefits segment experienced favorable development of prior-years' health care cost estimates in its Commercial, Medicare and Medicaid products, primarily attributable to fourth quarter 2018 performance and provider recoveries. Prior years' health care costs payable estimates developed favorably by $446M during the first quarter of 2019. This development is reported on a basis consistent with the prior years' development reported in the health care costs payable table in the company's annual audited financial statements, and does not directly correspond to an increase in 2019 operating results.

07:00 EDT CVS Health reports Q1 Pharmacy Services revenue up 3.1% - Pharmacy Services segment revenues increased 3.1% for the three months ended March 31, 2019 compared to the prior year primarily due to brand name drug price inflation as well as increased total pharmacy claims volume, partially offset by continued price compression and an increased generic dispensing rate. Total pharmacy claims processed increased 2.8% on a 30-day equivalent basis, for the three months ended March 31, 2019 compared to the prior year primarily driven by net new business and the continued adoption of Maintenance Choice offerings. Operating income and adjusted operating income decreased 5.7% and 4.2%, respectively, for the three months ended March 31, 2019 compared to the prior year primarily driven by continued price compression and investments related to the Company's agreement with Anthem Inc. during the three months ended March 31, 2019.

06:53 EDT PJT Partners announces new $100M share repurchase program - The Board authorized a new $100M repurchase program for shares of the company's Class A common stock.

06:50 EDT Estee Lauder CEO says 'delivered terrific performance' in Q3 - Fabrizio Freda, President and CEO, said, "We delivered terrific performance in our fiscal third quarter, driven by strategic investments in our best opportunities combined with creativity and data-driven insights that fueled exciting innovations. These drivers strengthened loyalty to our brands and hero franchises and attracted new consumers globally. Our strongest growth engines were the Asia/Pacific region, the skin care category, our Estee Lauder, La Mer and Tom Ford Beauty brands, and travel retail and global online channels. Our double-digit constant currency net sales growth was ahead of our long-term goal and we continued gaining share in global prestige beauty. With savings from our Leading Beauty Forward initiative, we reallocated resources into targeted advertising, while still growing profit faster than net sales gains." Freda added, "We had anticipated a gradual moderation of growth in China and travel retail starting in the quarter, which didn't happen, and that contributed to our overachievement. We continue to see strength in several of our key engines of growth and, as a result, we are again raising our net sales and EPS guidance for the year. Long term, we are uniquely positioned in one of the most attractive consumer sectors and are oriented to the fastest growing areas. Favorable demographic trends make prestige beauty a desirable, growing industry, and as the best diversified pure play, we are confident in our ability to lead and to gain global share."

06:45 EDT Estee Lauder raises FY19 outlook

06:41 EDT Macau reports April casino revenue down 8.3% to 23.59B patacas - Macau's gaming bureau reported April gross revenue from games of fortune in the region declined 8.3% year-over-year to 23.59B patacas. Publicly traded companies in the Macau gaming space include Las Vegas Sands (LVS), MGM Resorts (MGM), Wynn Resorts (WYNN) and Melco Resorts (MLCO).

06:24 EDT L3 Technologies reports Q1 book-to-bill ratio of 1.25x on funded orders of $3.4B

06:21 EDT L3 Technologies raises FY19 outlook

06:18 EDT National Health Investors acquires Michigan assisted living facility - National Health Investors has acquired an assisted living/memory care facility in Shelby Township, Michigan, for a total commitment of $10.8M, and will lease the facility to an affiliate of Comfort Care Senior Living. The facility, Hampton Manor of Shelby, currently has 60 assisted living units in operation. An additional 14 memory care units are under construction, with an expected summer 2019 opening. The 10-year lease will have a lease rate of 7.75% plus annual escalators starting in year 3. The acquisition was funded by NHI's revolving credit facility.

06:17 EDT Dine Brands reports Q1 Applebee's comparable same-restaurant sales up 1.8% - IHOP's comparable same-restaurant sales increased 1.2% for the first quarter, achieving the fifth consecutive quarter of sales growth.

06:11 EDT Enable Midstream still sees 2019 natural gas gathered volumes 4.3-4.9 TBtu/d - Still sees 2019 natural gas processed volumes 2.3-2.8 TBtu/d. Sees 2019 net income $435M-$505M. Still sees 2019 Maintenance CapEx $105M-$125M.

06:09 EDT U.S. Silica backs FY19 CapEx view of $100M-$125M - U.S. Silica noted, "We believe a robust U.S. economy, supported by strong job growth and moderate interest rates, bodes well for many of our end-use markets in our Industrial business. First quarter GDP numbers recently released show the strongest rate of first quarter growth in four years, according to the Commerce Department. Despite some early weakness, housing starts are expected to strengthen through the remainder of 2019 and big-ticket residential remodeling activity is expected to stay strong nationwide according to the National Association of Home Builders and Metrostudy. U.S. auto sales are expected to decline modestly year-over-year, according to the Center for Automotive Research but sales of premium wine, an important filtration market for us are expected to grow between 4 and 8 percent, according to the State of the Wine Industry for 2019 by Silicon Valley Bank. For Oil and Gas, starting with sand proppants, demand and pricing for Northern White sand began to strengthen in the first quarter, and we remain optimistic that we'll see heightened activity around Northern White sand in the coming quarters. We expect Oil and Gas sand volumes will grow low to mid-single digits sequentially, driven by the continued ramp in West Texas volumes and the reactivation of some of our Northern White sand capacity. For Sandbox, we believe that load volumes should be up more than 15 percent sequentially. We have several recent customer wins and a very robust pipeline of potential new opportunities. We are also seeing a trend toward larger jobs as more of our business today is being conducted directly with E&P companies."

06:06 EDT Facebook introduces the new Oculus for Business - Yesterday at F8, Facebook introduced the new Oculus for Business, an enterprise solution designed to streamline and expand virtual reality in the workplace. The Oculus VR team said: "Launching this fall, the expanded Oculus for Business will add Oculus Quest to the hardware lineup and provide a suite of tools designed to help companies reshape the way they do business through the power of VR." It added: "Oculus for Business will simplify enterprise VR through a holistic approach designed especially for large-scale deployments. This includes a dedicated software suite offering device setup and management tools, enterprise-grade service and support, and a new user experience customized for business use cases. We're also working closely with leaders in enterprise IT and services to develop ways to integrate VR right alongside the workflows and services businesses already use." Reference Link

06:04 EDT Hilton sees FY19 system-wide RevPAR up 1%-3% - Full year 2019 system-wide RevPAR is expected to increase between 1%-3% on a comparable and currency neutral basis compared to 2018; full year net income is projected to be between $881M-$910M; full year Adjusted EBITDA is projected to be between $2.265B-$2.305B. Full year 2019 capital return is projected to be between $1.3B-$1.8B.

05:42 EDT Canadian Natural provides update on Scotford Upgrader - Canadian Natural provides a follow up report on the event which occurred at the Scotford Upgrader, in which the company has a 70% interest, on Monday April 15, at approximately 8:45am. Shell Canada, as Operator of the Scotford Upgrader, along with Strathcona County Emergency Services responded to a fire in the upgrader expansion area at the Scotford Upgrader, while it was being shut down for planned maintenance. The fire was promptly extinguished, all personnel were accounted for, and there were no reported injuries. The fire was contained to a process furnace in the North Upgrader, while operations at the base upgrader plant were not impacted by the fire. While the cause of the fire is being investigated by the Operator, an assessment is underway to determine the extent of damage to the North Upgrader and the cost and timing for repairs are yet to be determined. The investigation and planned maintenance activities continue on the North Upgrader. The planned 38 day turnaround at the Scotford Upgrader is targeted for April and May 2019, during which time the South Upgrader will run at a restricted gross processing rate of approximately 200,000 bbl/d of SCO. Upon completion of the planned maintenance, May and June average gross production at the Albian mines is targeted to be approximately 245,000 bbl/d versus the company's previously targeted gross curtailment production volumes at the Albian mines of approximately 255,000 bbl/d. The company continues to optimize other assets in Alberta to mitigate the impacts of curtailment on its production.