Stockwinners Market Radar for July 31, 2018 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

20:47 EDT OMA Airports provides update regarding Durango Airport accident - Mexican airport operator Grupo Aeroportuario del Centro Norte, S.A.B. de C.V informs that Aeromexico Connect flight 2431 from Durango to Mexico City suffered an accident on takeoff from the Durango airport today at approximately 3:47 pm. The plane was carrying 97 passengers and 4 crew members. An emergency response operation, including both internal and external resources, was immediately commenced under the direction of the airport Commander of the Civil Aviation Directorate, with the participation of the Ministry of Defense, Civil Protection, the Federal Preventive Police, the air traffic control agency, and the airport's own emergency response unit. According to federal and state authorities, there were no deaths as a result of the accident, and the injured were transported to several hospitals in Durango for treatment.

20:28 EDT Greenlight's Einhorn discloses new position in Altice in his quarterly letter - Einhold says: "Ample liquidity, loose covenants, years before large bond maturities and the potential for deleveraging asset sales provide a long runway for a turnaround. There is also substantial upside from further consolidation in the sector".

20:19 EDT Nexa Resources sets shareholder meeting to authorize 6.5M share buyback - Nexa Resources announces that the Board of Directors of the company has decided to convene a general meeting of shareholders of the Company expected to be held on September 13, 2018 for the purpose of obtaining shareholder approval to authorize the Board to establish, from time to time, share buyback programs, pursuant to which the Company, directly or indirectly through its subsidiaries, may purchase, acquire, receive or hold and sell shares of the Company listed on the New York Stock Exchange or the Toronto Stock Exchange, through normal course open market transactions. The record date of the relevant shareholders meeting is set for August 9, 2018 and its notice of meeting and proxy statements will be made available on August 10, 2018. The proposed share buyback authorization is sought for a period of three years ending on September 12, 2021 for share repurchases of up to 6.5 million common shares of the Company, representing 4.875% of the current issued and outstanding shares. As of July 30, 2018, the Company had 133,320,513 shares issued and outstanding.

20:09 EDT Synaptics confirms terminated buyout discussions with Dialog Semiconductor - Synaptics (SYNA) announced it has terminated its previously-announced discussions with Dialog Semiconductor plc (DLGNF) regarding the potential acquisition of Synaptics by Dialog. Synaptics does not intend to make any additional comments regarding the discussions at this time.

18:44 EDT Lockheed Martin awarded $171.7M government contract modification - Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is being awarded a $171,705,115 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to a previously awarded F-35 Lightning II low rate initial production Lot 11 contract. This modification authorizes the procurement of diminishing manufacturing sources redesign activities in support of the F-35 Lightning II air system. Work is expected to be completed in January 2024. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

18:15 EDT Neuralstem announces initiation of Phase 2 trial of NSI-189 - Neuralstem announced the initiation of a Phase 2 clinical trial evaluating NSI-566, the Company's lead neural stem cell candidate, as a potential treatment for ischemic stroke. Neuralstem announced the positive topline results of Phase 1 stroke study in the 2018 ISSCR (International Society for Stem Cell Research) abstract on June 23, 2018. The trial will be taking place at Bayi Brain Hospital in Beijing, China, commencing on August 1, 2018. Managing the trial will be James Li, Ph.D., Executive Vice President of Asia Operations of Suzhou Neuralstem Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Neuralstem, Inc., located in Suzhou, China. Dr. Li has been made the Manager and a Registered Agent of Suzhou Neuralstem. Neuralstem will be allocating US$3 million toward this trial.

18:08 EDT Baidu reports Q2 adjusted EBITDA $1.12B, or 29% of total revenues

17:59 EDT International Game subsidiary signs contract extension with Michigan Lottery - International Game Technology announced that its subsidiary, IGT Global Solutions has signed a 10-year contract extension with the Michigan Lottery to provide new lottery technology and ongoing services through January 2031. Under the terms of the contract extension, IGT will provide the Michigan Lottery with innovative tools from IGT's Aurora platform, such as Aurora Navigator, and several of IGT's BizApps lottery applications including Performance Wizard, Retailer Wizard, Order Wizard, and Instant Tracking Wizard which enable the Lottery to drive profitable growth.

17:51 EDT Cheesecake Factory says international sales remain consistent - Says there is a number of ongoing litigations. Says labor is an incremental pressure. Says executing exclusive agreement with DoorDash. Says DoorDash brings marketing leverage. Says no plans to change tip sharing. Says immaterial amount of seafood could be affected by tariffs.

17:41 EDT Apple CEO says tariffs end up as a 'tax on the consumer' - Says tariffs "not the approach" to fixing trade relations.

17:27 EDT Apple says iPad revenues down due to new models in 3Q17 - Says company grew in each of top 15 markets. Says saw strong performance in Russia, Africa, and the Middle East in Q3.

17:23 EDT Pandora extending gains following Q3 revenue guidance, up over 10% afterhours

17:19 EDT Apple says Mac App Store getting full redesign this fall - Says Mac App Store getting full redesign this fall. Says company in position to provide best AR experience. Says iOS/Mac app merger to expand Mac platform.

17:18 EDT Nexeo Solutions introduces new methylene chloride free startex paint strippers - Nexeo Solutions announced the availability of methylene chloride free alternatives in their Startex brand of paint strippers. The new products represent a continued effort by the Company to find solutions that meet the challenges faced by customers and end users. With a commitment to providing quality raw materials and consumer-friendly products, Nexeo Solutions has reformulated its Startex Liquid Paint Stripper and Semi-Paste Paint Stripper products with ingredients without methylene chloride. "As a market leader, it is our responsibility to provide innovative products to customers. We have been working on these alternative formulations for the past two years, and. I am proud to say that we have delivered a high-performing, methylene chloride free option to current products on the market," said Jason Sanchez, Business Director Co-Pack. "At Nexeo Solutions, we are excited that our Startex product line can help set the standard for methylene chloride free paint stripper products."

17:17 EDT Genworth says making progress in Oceanwide transaction - The company states: "Genworth and Oceanwide continue to work towards closing their previously announced proposed transaction as quickly as possible. During the quarter, CFIUS completed its review of the proposed transaction and concluded that there are no unresolved national security concerns. In connection with the CFIUS review of the proposed transaction, Genworth and Oceanwide entered into a mitigation agreement which, among other things, requires Genworth to use a U.S.-based, third-party service provider to manage and protect the personal data of Genworth's U.S. policyholders. As previously announced, the parties are seeking approval of the transaction without unstacking Genworth Life and Annuity Insurance Company from Genworth Life Insurance Company, and Genworth's debt obligations due May 2018 were redeemed with the proceeds from a term loan and cash on hand. As a result, Oceanwide and Genworth are developing a new capital investment plan whereby Oceanwide would contribute an aggregate of $1.5 billion to Genworth over time following the closing of the transaction. The contribution would be used to further improve Genworth's financial stability, which may include retiring Genworth's debt due in 2020 and 2021 or enabling future growth opportunities. Given these updates to the proposed transaction, Genworth and Oceanwide continue to provide regulators with updated information to facilitate their review of the transaction. The parties therefore entered into a fifth waiver and agreement on June 28, 2018, extending the deadline of each party's right to terminate the previously announced transaction to August 15, 2018. "

17:14 EDT Apple says over 4M users participating in new OS beta programs - Says has over 4M users participating in new OS beta programs. Says iOS 12 will include Siri taking a "major step forward" with Siri Shortcuts. Says Wearables segment surpassed $10B over past four quarters.

17:13 EDT Hudbay Minerals on track to meet production and capital expenditure guidance - Hudbay is on track to meet production and capital expenditure guidance expectations, as well as Peru unit cost guidance. As a result of a number of factors, including cold weather in the first quarter, higher costs at the 777 mine and the impact of a fan outage at the Lalor mine, Hudbay expects Manitoba combined mine/mill unit operating costs to be between C$125 and C$135 per tonne in 2018.

17:11 EDT Enphase Energy drops 6% after reporting quarterly results, guidance - Shares of Enphase Energy are down 5.88% or 35c to $5.60 per share in after-hours trading.

17:08 EDT Pandora says making progress in onboarding new users and reducing churn - Plan to be more opportunistic on the marketing side. Comments taken from Q2 earnings conference call.

17:03 EDT Boston Properties discloses The Hub on Causeway is more than 75% leased - Delaware North and Boston Properties announced that with the signing of a lease with Verizon for 440,000 square feet of space, The Hub on Causeway project is more than 75% leased. The Hub on Causeway is a joint-venture development of Delaware North and Boston Properties, and consists of more than 1.5 million square feet of mixed-use retail, office, hotel, and residential space, as well as an expansion of TD Garden. This transit-oriented development is a significant investment that will bring substantial improvements to North Station, will create major economic impact for the area and enhance the vitality of this important district in the City of Boston. The Hub on Causeway is being constructed in three phases. Completion of Phase I, which includes TD Garden's grand entrance, new entry for North Station and additional commuter conveniences, is set for October 2018. The retail, office space and amenities located within The Hub are planned to open in late 2019. Phase II, which includes the hotel and residential spaces, will be completed in late 2019. Verizon's commitment to the project kicks off the final phase, featuring a 31-story office tower, the tallest in Boston in more than two decades, which will be completed in mid-2021.

17:00 EDT McDermott awarded sizeable contract by PEMEX - McDermott International announced a sizeable contract award by PEMEX Exploracion y Produccion for subsea pipeline flowline installation in support of its Ayatsil field, located 50 miles northwest of Ciudad del Carmen in the Bay of Campeche offshore Mexico. The scope of work includes design and detailed engineering, procurement, construction and installation of two subsea pipelines.

16:56 EDT Preferred Apartment acquires 'Class A' office property in North Carolina - Preferred Apartment Communities announced that it acquired Wells Fargo Capitol Center, a 559,591 square foot office building in the Central Business District of Raleigh, North Carolina. The 29-story tower is located at 150 Fayetteville Street and is leased to a diverse mix of high quality tenants representing financial services, law, technology, government and other industries. This acquisition increases the size of the company's office portfolio to six assets totaling approximately 2.1M square feet.

16:53 EDT Amgen breaks ground on new biomanufacturing plant in Rhode Island - Amgen announced the groundbreaking of its new next-generation biomanufacturing plant that will be constructed at its West Greenwich, R.I. campus. The new plant is the first-of-its-kind in the U.S. and will use Amgen's proven next-generation biomanufacturing capabilities to manufacture products for the U.S. and global markets. Amgen expects to invest up to $200M in the approximately 120,000 square foot next-generation manufacturing plant in Rhode Island. This plant is anticipated to create approximately 150 additional highly-skilled manufacturing positions.

16:49 EDT Quad/Graphics authorizes new $100M stock buyback program

16:43 EDT Emergent BioSolutions initiates Phase 1 clinical study of anti-Zika drug - Emergent BioSolutions announced the initiation of a Phase 1 clinical study to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics of ZIKV-IG, the company's anti-Zika virus immune globulin, being developed as a therapeutic intervention against Zika virus disease. ZIKV-IG was granted Fast Track designation by the FDA in December 2017. This Phase 1 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical study will enroll approximately 30 healthy volunteers at a single site.

16:42 EDT Rowan Companies: ARO Drilling awarded drilling contracts from Saudi Aramco - Rowan Companies announced that ARO Drilling was awarded six three-year contracts by Saudi Aramco for Rowan jack-up rigs currently operating in Saudi Arabia. These new contracts will commence upon completion of the rigs' existing contracts later this year.

16:38 EDT Newfield Exploration raises investment expectations to $1.35B from $1.3B - Newfield increased it's expectations for annual production volumes and capital investments in 2018. Newfield now expects to invest approximately $1.35B in 2018, from previous guidance of $1.3B, excluding capitalized interest overhead costs of about $114M. The increase in estimated capital investments for 2018 is primarily related to greater participation in projects operated by others as well as increased working interest levels in its operated developments year-to-date.

16:36 EDT Kayne Anderson anounces stockholder approval of merger - KA Fund Advisors , which serves as the adviser to Kayne Anderson MLP/Midstream Investment Company (KYN) and Kayne Anderson Energy Development Company (KED), announced that the proposal to merge KED with and into KYN has been approved by KED stockholders. The Merger is expected to close on August 6, 2018.KYN will be the surviving company, and KED stockholders will receive shares of KYN at an exchange ratio based on each company's relative net asset value per share as of August 3, 2018. "We are very pleased with today's results and want to thank all of our KED stockholders that took the time to vote on this important matter," said Kevin McCarthy, the Company's Chairman and CEO. "We expect stockholders of the combined company to benefit from operating cost savings, enhanced market liquidity and greater financial flexibility."

16:36 EDT Emerge Energy announces new terminal opening in Utah - Superior Silica Sands, a subsidiary of Emerge Energy Services LP, announced that it has signed an agreement with Price River Terminal to access its existing multi-commodity terminal in Wellington, Utah for frac sand handling. Including this new terminal, Emerge Energy will have 13 total active terminals across North America.

16:35 EDT Universal Health acquires The Danshell Group, terms not disclosed - Universal Health Services announced that, through its UK subsidiary Cygnet Health Care, it has acquired The Danshell Group. Danshell owns and operates 25 facilities with a total of 288 beds in the United Kingdom. Cygnet Health Care will operate and manage these new facilities. The Danshell facilities support and care for adults living with learning disabilities, who may also have a diagnosis of autism, in specialist supported living, residential services and hospitals. Through this acquisition, the company expands into new service lines and new geographical areas, complementary to the existing UK portfolio.

16:35 EDT Apple CEO says 'strong' sales of iPhone, Services and Wearables drove Q3 - Apple CEO Tim Cook said in today's earnings release, "We're thrilled to report Apple's best June quarter ever, and our fourth consecutive quarter of double-digit revenue growth. Our Q3 results were driven by continued strong sales of iPhone, Services and Wearables, and we are very excited about the products and services in our pipeline." Luca Maestri, Apple's CFO, added, "Our strong business performance drove revenue growth in each of our geographic segments, net income of $11.5 billion, and operating cash flow of $14.5 billion. We returned almost $25 billion to investors through our capital return program during the quarter, including $20 billion in share repurchases."

16:34 EDT Janus Henderson names Dick Weil CEO - While not an easy decision, due to having two highly qualified candidates, the CEO decision was based on a very rigorous process over several months, supported by expert advice from external consultants, Janus Henderson said. This decision was made with the full support of the Board, and the Board believes Dick is most appropriate to take Janus Henderson to the next level. "Now that our integration plans are significantly progressed, our Board has determined that the co-CEO structure has achieved its goals, and now is the appropriate time for Janus Henderson to be led once again by a sole CEO. Dick brings a breadth of skills and experience from prior roles in his career where he successfully led organizations through challenge and change", said Richard Gillingwater, Chairman of the Janus Henderson Group plc Board.

16:32 EDT TherapeuticsMD announces strategic partnership with Knight Therapeutics - Knight Therapeutics, a Canadian specialty pharmaceutical company, and TherapeuticsMD announced that they have entered into a licensing agreement that grants Knight the rights to commercialize TX-004HR and TX-001HR in Canada and Israel. TX-004HR is TherapeuticsMD's FDA-approved product, marketed as Imvexxy in the U.S., for the treatment of moderate-to-severe dyspareunia, a symptom of vulvar and vaginal atrophy , due to menopause. TX-001HR is TherapeuticsMD's investigational bio-identical hormone therapy combination of estradiol and progesterone in a single, oral softgel for the treatment of moderate-to-severe vasomotor symptoms due to menopause. According to the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, vasomotor symptoms affect 60%-80% of women entering menopause1 and it is estimated that 50% of postmenopausal women suffer from VVA2. Under the terms of the licensing agreement, Knight will pay TherapeuticsMD a milestone fee upon first regulatory approval in Canada of each of TX-004HR and TX-001HR, sales milestone fees based upon certain aggregate annual sales in Canada and Israel of each of TX-004HR and TX-001HR and royalties based on aggregate annual sales of each of TX-004HR and TX-001HR in Canada and Israel. Knight will be responsible for all regulatory and commercial activities in Canada and Israel related to TX-004HR and TX-001HR. In connection with the licensing agreement, Knight has agreed to invest $20 million in TherapeuticsMD common stock concurrently with closing of the first public offering of TherapeuticsMD common stock to occur within sixty days following the date of the licensing agreement at a price per share equal to the price to the public in such offering. If TherapeuticsMD does not close such an offering then, instead of an investment in TherapeuticsMD common stock, Knight will pay TherapeuticsMD a previously negotiated upfront licensing fee.

16:31 EDT Amdocs CEO Eli Gelman to retire at year end - Amdocs Limited announced that Eli Gelman, President and CEO of Amdocs Management Limited, has decided to retire at the end of FY18 and will be replaced by Shuky Sheffer, a senior VP and President of Global Business Group of Amdocs Management Limited. Gelman will continue to serve as a member of the board of Amdocs Limited.

16:28 EDT STAG Industrial generated Cash NOI of $67.6M, up 16.5% vs last year

16:24 EDT TherapeuticsMD launches investigational segesterone contraception system - TherapeuticsM announced that it has entered into an exclusive license agreement with the Population Council to commercialize its investigational segesterone acetate/ ethinyl estradiol one-year vaginal system for contraception in the United States. The one-year vaginal contraceptive system is in the shape of a ring and combines a novel progestin, segesterone acetate, with a widely used estrogen to prevent ovulation for an entire year (13 cycles). The New Drug Application for the one-year vaginal contraceptive system is currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration with a Prescription Drug User Fee Act target action date for the completion of the FDA's review of the NDA of August 17, 2018. If approved, the product would be the first and only procedure-free, reversible prescription contraceptive to provide a full year of protection against unintended pregnancy while fully under a woman's control. TherapeuticsMD intends to leverage its existing infrastructure to commercialize the one-year vaginal contraceptive system together with the company's recently-approved Imvexxy and its TX-001HR product candidate, if approved. Under the terms of the agreement, TherapeuticsMD will pay the Population Council milestone payments of $20 million upon FDA approval of the one-year vaginal contraceptive system and $20 million upon release of the first commercial batch of the product. The Population Council is also eligible to receive milestone payments and royalties from commercial sales of the one year vaginal contraceptive system. The Population Council will reinvest all proceeds from the agreement into continued research and development programs.

16:19 EDT Cheesecake Factory now expects to open as many as six restaurants in FY18 - Cheesecake Factory now expects to open as many as six restaurants in fiscal 2018, including one Grand Lux Cafe, scheduled to open in August 2018, as well as the first location of Social Monk Asian Kitchen, a fast casual concept under development and expected to open in the fourth quarter of 2018. In addition, the company now expects three restaurants to open internationally under licensing agreements in fiscal 2018. This includes the second location in Saudi Arabia, which opened in April.

16:19 EDT Oneok raises FY18 adjusted EBITDA view to $2.35B from $2.315B - ONEOK increases its 2018 net income guidance midpoint to $1.085B from $1.055B.

16:16 EDT Manning & Napier reports AUM June 30 $22.8B compared to $23.4B at March 31 -

16:14 EDT Glu Mobile raises FY18 bookings view to $374M-$378M from $360M-$370M

16:13 EDT NewLink Genetics announces organizational changes - The company has completed an organizational realignment that will support these clinical development efforts within its current financial capacity, substantially cut future expenses, and extend its cash runway into the second half of 2021.The organizational changes include a reduction in headcount of approximately 30%, and include the following changes to senior leadership, effective immediately:Jack Henneman has been appointed Chief Administrative Officer for a transition period to end with his retirement from NewLink in November 2018;Carl Langren has been promoted to Chief Financial Officer; Lori Lawley has been promoted to Vice President, Finance and Controller; Brad Powers has been promoted to General Counsel;

16:12 EDT Rogers Corporation backs FY18 CapEx view $50M-$60M

16:11 EDT Amdocs announces collaboration with Amazon Web Services - Amdocs (DOX) announced its collaboration with Amazon (AMZN) Web Services in enabling Globe Telecom, one of the Philippines' largest telecommunications providers, to deliver cloud-based intelligent omnichannel routing and interactions management. This collaboration aims to bring digital engagement to life, delivering effortless experience across all Globe Telecom touchpoints including web, portal, self-service and mobile applications, social media and messaging platforms, hotline, as well as email. Amdocs recently signed a multi-year service agreement with Globe to assist the telecommunications company in modernizing its IT operations for several lines of businesses, including prepaid and postpaid mobile services, fixed-line broadband, and enterprise services.

16:09 EDT Mercury Systems acquires Germane Systems for $45M - Mercy Systems announced the acquisition of Germane Systems. Based in Chantilly, VA, Germane specializes in the design, development and manufacturing of rugged servers, computers and storage systems for command, control and information applications. Their solutions are used in environments serving critical U.S. and international defense programs. Mercury acquired Germane for an all cash purchase price of $45M, subject to net working capital and net debt adjustments. The acquisition and associated transaction expenses were funded through Mercury's existing revolving credit facility. The acquisition is expected to be accretive to FY19 adjusted EPS.

16:09 EDT Amdocs company wins Verizon managed services deal for on-demand content - VUBIQUITY, an Amdocs (DOX) company and a provider of content services and media technology solutions, announced its managed services and technology platforms will provide the processing and packaging of Verizon's (VZ) video on-demand, or VOD, and Pay Per View, or PPV, portfolio across the Fios multiscreen platform. This deal also continues to include a content licensing component which is an extension of the prior relationship.

16:07 EDT Whiting Petroleum raises FY18 production view to 47-47.7 MMBOE - Previous view 46.5-47.2 MMBOE.

16:07 EDT Whiting Petroleum sees Q3 production 11.7-12.2 MMBOE

16:06 EDT Viper Energy Q2 production increased 16% to 16.3 Mboe/d - Viper announced that production for the second quarter of 2018 was 16.3 Mboe/d, an increase of approximately 16% from its Q1 2018 average daily production of 14.1 Mboe/d. Viper's second quarter 2018 average realized prices were $62.66 per barrel of oil, $2.07 per Mcf of natural gas and $26.68 per barrel of natural gas liquids, resulting in a total equivalent price of $50.10/boe, up 33% year over year from $37.64/boe in Q2 2017 and up 2% from the Q1 2018 total equivalent price of $49.09/boe.

16:05 EDT Hologic CFO Bob McMahon to depart, Karleen Oberton to succeed - Hologic (HOLX) announced that CFO Bob McMahon is leaving the company to become the CFO of Agilent (A). Company veteran Karleen Oberton, who currently serves as Hologic's Chief Accounting Officer, has been promoted to CFO, effective August 1.

16:04 EDT Agilent announces CFO transition - Agilent Technologies announced that Didier Hirsch, senior vice president and chief financial officer, has decided to retire on Oct 31, 2018. The company has appointed Robert W. McMahon, currently chief financial officer, Hologic, Inc., as his successor. McMahon will join Agilent on August 3, as senior vice president, and will become CFO on Sept. 1, 2018, when Hirsch will step down as CFO. Hirsch will continue as an active member of the executive staff until his retirement date at the end of the fiscal year, focused on working with McMahon to ensure a smooth transition.

16:03 EDT Akamai CEO says 'very pleased' with Q2 results - "We are very pleased with our second quarter performance, highlighted by outstanding growth in our security portfolio, further improvement in our Media and Carrier Division, overall margin expansion and very strong non-GAAP earnings growth of 34% year-over-year," said Dr. Tom Leighton, CEO.

15:43 EDT Genetic Technologies developing screening tests for cancer, other diseases - In a regulatory filing, Genetic Technologies said that, as announced on July 16, the company is on schedule to introduce an enhanced version of its breast cancer screening test. Also as previously reported, the company is on track to begin the commercialization process for a new colon cancer screening test in October. In addition, the company has commenced development of a suite of genetic screening tests targeting both cancer and non-oncological diseases, the filing stated.

14:35 EDT MGM Resorts reports multi-year pact to be official gaming partner of NBA - MGM Resorts and the National Basketball Association announced a new multi-year partnership that will make MGM Resorts the official gaming partner of the NBA and WNBA. As part of the partnership, MGM Resorts will use official NBA and WNBA data and branding, on a non-exclusive basis, across MGM Resorts' land-based and digital sports betting offerings throughout the United States. The NBA and MGM Resorts will also work together to create a series of integrations across NBA platforms, including a special digital content series. MGM Resorts and the NBA will also partner on "best-in-class practices to protect the integrity of NBA and WNBA games," including anonymized real-time data sharing, the company said. "The partnership is the NBA's first with a sports betting operator in the U.S. and is the first of its kind between MGM Resorts and a major professional sports league," MGM added.

14:17 EDT Milacron makes voluntary $25M principal payment on loan - On July 31, Milacron Holdings made a voluntary $25M principal payment on the company's outstanding senior secured term loan facility with a maturity date of September 28, 2023, the company's third such payment in 2018. Consistent with the company's second quarter 2018 earnings call, the company is committed to an additional minimum pay down of $25M on the 2017 Term Loan Facility, for a total minimum pay down of $100M.

13:46 EDT Integer announces FDA approval for thin wall radial introducer kit - Integer announced that it has received FDA and CE Mark approval for their new radial access introducer, RadialSeal. The RadialSeal Introducer Kit is "founded on Integer's core technology platforms in guidewires and hemostatic introducers, and further strengthens its portfolio of high quality access products available for distribution by medical device companies in the interventional cardiology and peripheral vascular space," the company said.

13:07 EDT Overwatch League Grand Finals drew global average minute audience of 861,705 - Activision Blizzard (ATVI) said its Overwatch League Grand Finals on July 27-28 were streamed worldwide via the primary digital viewing experience on Twitch (AMZN), as well as on MLG; in China on ZhanQi TV, NetEase CC, and Panda TV; and broadcast to domestic audiences on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, and Disney XD (DIS), along with a highlights show on Sunday, July 29, on ABC. The ESPN broadcast was the first time live competitive gaming had aired on ESPN's flagship network in primetime, while the ABC program was the first esports championship ever shown on that network. Inclusive of these TV networks and streaming platforms, the estimated global average minute audience across both days of the Grand Finals was 861,205. The U.S. average minute audience was 289,175, with an estimated 45% of that total, or 129,792, falling into the 18-34 demographic. Worldwide, the 18-34 average minute audience was 605,013.

12:51 EDT SiriusXM, PGA of America agree to five-year broadcast rights extension - The PGA of America and SiriusXM announced a five-year extension to their long-term broadcasting agreement. SiriusXM will continue to deliver live audio broadcasts of PGA of America events, including the PGA Championship and the 2020 Ryder Cup, to subscribers nationwide. SiriusXM and the PGA of America will also launch a new weekly talk show-PGA of America Radio-which debuts on Aug. 8.

12:43 EDT Facebook removes accounts involved in 'coordinated inauthentic behavior' - Facebook says in a social media post: "Today we removed 32 Pages and accounts from Facebook and Instagram because they were involved in coordinated inauthentic behavior. This kind of behavior is not allowed on Facebook because we don't want people or organizations creating networks of accounts to mislead others about who they are, or what they're doing. We're still in the very early stages of our investigation and don't have all the facts - including who may be behind this. But we are sharing what we know today given the connection between these bad actors and protests that are planned in Washington next week. We will update this post with more details when we have them, or if the facts we have change. It's clear that whoever set up these accounts went to much greater lengths to obscure their true identities than the Russian-based Internet Research Agency has in the past. We believe this could be partly due to changes we've made over the last year to make this kind of abuse much harder. But security is not something that's ever done. We face determined, well-funded adversaries who will never give up and are constantly changing tactics. It's an arms race and we need to constantly improve too. It's why we're investing heavily in more people and better technology to prevent bad actors misusing Facebook - as well as working much more closely with law enforcement and other tech companies to better understand the threats we face." Reference Link

12:34 EDT EPA says Cummins to recall about 500,000 trucks over faulty emissions component - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that Cummins Inc. will voluntarily recall roughly 500,000 model year 2010-2015 medium- and heavy-duty trucks. The recall will replace a faulty emissions control systems component that causes excess emissions of nitrogen oxides. This recall is the largest voluntary truck emissions recall to date. The problem Cummins is acting to correct is the result of a defective part and does not involve a defeat device. The trucks being recalled are equipped with selective catalytic reduction systems designed to control NOx emissions. NOx is a potent air pollutant that contributes to smog and fine particle formation in the atmosphere. The SCR catalysts that will be replaced through the recall were found to be less durable than is required, degrading within a few years instead of controlling NOx pollution for the regulatory full useful life of the vehicle. The recall will replace these SCR system components. The full useful life of medium-duty vehicles is 185,000 miles or ten years, and the full useful life of heavy-duty vehicles is 435,000 miles or ten years. The problem was discovered through government oversight programs that test vehicles for compliance with emissions standards throughout their useful life. Both EPA and the California Air Resources Board run emission testing programs to check emissions from typical, privately-owned vehicles in customer service. Initial testing identified high NOx emissions from certain trucks equipped with Cummins engines. EPA and CARB shared results with Cummins, which agreed to conduct the voluntary recall after the company's own follow-up testing confirmed that deteriorating components within the SCR system were causing emissions to exceed Federal and California pollution standards. Cummins will recall the remaining affected vehicles in two phases. The company will contact owners with instructions about how and when to get their truck repaired. Owners should contact Cummins for further details about the affected products and recall schedule. Reference Link

12:03 EDT Sony Electronics launches MASTER Series TVs with Netflix Calibrated Mode - Sony Electronics (SNE) announced Netflix (NFLX) Calibrated Mode - available exclusively on the new Sony MASTER Series A9F OLED and Z9F LCD TVs - to ensure cinematic fidelity for the viewing experience on Netflix. Developed by Sony picture quality engineers, in collaboration with Netflix color scientists, Netflix Calibrated Mode delivers picture quality approaching that of a master monitor used for standard reference in motion picture production studios. Sony MASTER Series is comprised of two new televisions - the A9F OLED TV and the Z9F LED TV. Drawing on Sony's half-century of TV engineering expertise, the MASTER Series delivers Sony's highest quality picture possible in a home setting. It comes with a variety of smart features and is the only series of TVs that offers Netflix Calibrated Mode. The MASTER Series A9F and Z9F will be available across North America in the fall of 2018, with pricing and retail availability to be announced later.

12:00 EDT Pioneer Energy falls -25.3% - Pioneer Energy is down -25.3%, or -$1.25 to $3.70.

12:00 EDT Simpson Manufacturing rises 19.2% - Simpson Manufacturing is up 19.2%, or $11.50 to $71.50.

12:00 EDT Aerojet Rocketdyne rises 19.9% - Aerojet Rocketdyne is up 19.9%, or $5.53 to $33.25.

11:35 EDT Green Plains unit acquires two cattle-feeding operations for approximately $16M - Green Plains announced that its subsidiary, Green Plains Cattle Company, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire two cattle-feeding operations from Bartlett Cattle Company LC for approximately $16M, plus working capital. The transaction includes two feed yard operations located in Sublette, Kansas and Tulia, Texas with combined capacity of approximately 97,000 head, increasing Green Plains Cattle's feeding operations to 355,000 head of capacity. "Our success in cattle feeding over the last four years gives us confidence to continue growing in this area and adding the Bartlett cattle-feeding operations fits seamlessly into our protein growth strategy," commented Todd Becker, president and chief executive officer of Green Plains. "Expanding our feeding operations by 38% strengthens our ability to further supply our internal demand for the distillers grains and corn oil we produce. This acquisition will be immediately accretive to our earnings in the third quarter and enhances our ability to deliver more stable and consistent earnings to our shareholders." In conjunction with the close of the transaction, the company will be amending the Green Plains Cattle senior secured revolving credit facility, increasing the maximum commitment from $425M to $500M to fund the additional working capital requirements related to the Bartlett acquisition. The amended credit facility includes an accordion feature that enables the credit facility to be increased by up to $100M with agent approval.

11:26 EDT IDB Development reports passive stake in 8.74% in Pointer Telocation

11:06 EDT Norfolk Southern enters partnership with Heartwood 3D - Norfolk Southern is developing and deploying 3D, simulation-based training apps built in partnership with application developer Heartwood 3D. These innovative programs are already helping Norfolk Southern realize significant training benefits by alleviating burdensome space and time constraints, and allowing for unlimited repetitions, providing targeted feedback, all in an even safer training environment. Norfolk Southern's first pilot of this exciting technology was a 3D simulator covering freight-car air-brake inspection, a fundamental skill for new conductors and freight-car mechanics. This inspection and testing typically requires Norfolk Southern to set up multiple freight cars on-site and to allocate a significant amount of training time for demonstration, practice, and evaluation. The new training simulator allows students to conduct virtual inspections of freight cars and interact with various brake components - all on a tablet or desktop computer, anytime, anywhere.Using the simulator, students are able, among other things, to virtually walk a line of freight cars, inspect various components, determine the correct brake pressure, and ensure proper brake application and release. Upon completion, students receive a record of their performance and suggested areas of improvement. They are then able to repeat the test as many times as they need, allowing for unlimited practice, at own their pace, from any device.

10:53 EDT IPG Photonics slides, drags peer down after earnings miss - Shares of nLight (LASR) are sliding after leading laser maker IPG Photonics (IPGP) missed second quarter estimates for both earnings per share and revenue. IPG PHOTONICS RESULTS: This morning, IPG Photonics reported second quarter earnings per share of $2.21 and revenue of $413.6M, both below consensus of $2.25 and $418.61M, respectively. The company said foreign exchange losses reduced EPS by 3c. For the third quarter, the company expects earnings per share between $1.80-$2.05 and revenue between $360M-$390M, with consensus estimates at $2.27 and $424.91M, respectively. "Book-to-bill was at 1.0 for the quarter. While orders grew slightly on a year over year basis, order flow was below target as demand softened in Europe and China at the end of the quarter, the company said. "This more modest year over year growth in orders has persisted through July, and we believe is primarily driven by macroeconomic and geopolitical factors rather than competitive dynamics. We are seeing strong order activity in North America and some smaller regions. Furthermore, we are beginning to benefit from rapid growth from new products, including ultraviolet, green, and ultrafast pulsed lasers, systems and beam delivery components. While we are encouraged by the strength in new products and select regions, this growth will only partially offset the more modest outlook in China and Europe," the company added. Additionally, IPG Photonics announced that its board of directors has authorized a new $125M anti-dilutive stock repurchase program following the completion of its previous $100M repurchase program. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of IPG Photonics have plunged 26% to $166.04, while nLight's stock has dropped about 13% to $31.89 per share.

10:38 EDT Amid misconduct allegations, Cowen steps to sidelines on CBS - Shares of CBS (CBS) are in the spotlight once again this morning as Cowen analyst Doug Creutz downgraded the stock to Market Perform citing "too many unquantifiable variables." This comes after the company's board met yesterday to evaluate the recent allegations made against CEO Les Moonves, which have surfaced as he is locked in a legal battle over control of CBS with the company's largest shareholder, National Amusements, owned by Shari Redstone, who also controls media company Viacom (VIA; VIAB). OUTSIDE COUNSEL: Last night, CBS announced that its board of directors is in the process of selecting outside counsel to conduct an independent investigation. "No other action was taken on this matter at today's board meeting," CBS' board stated. Additionally, the board determined to postpone CBS Corporation's 2018 annual meeting of stockholders that was previously scheduled to be held on August 10. Earlier yesterday, Deadline had reported that Les Moonves was "contemplating" stepping aside from his CEO role as investigations into allegations of misconduct continue. COWEN MOVING TO THE SIDELINES: In a research note to investors this morning, Cowen's Creutz downgraded CBS to Market Perform from Outperform and lowered his price target on the shares to $50 from $69. While the analyst noted that he continues to like the company's assets and strategic positioning, between the control fight with National Amusements, the potential for a recombination with Viacom, and the allegations of sexual harassment at the company, there are "too many unquantifiable variables" for him to keep an Outperform rating on the stock. Given the scope and detail of the allegations, the fact that some sources were willing to go on record, and the fact that the allegations go beyond CEO Les Moonves and extend to the overall culture of the company, this is a serious matter for the board, he contended. Nonetheless, Creutz pointed out that his downgrade is not based on any evaluation of the claims but rather a reflection of the fact that the added overhang of an investigation of uncertain length with an uncertain outcome will make share outperformance difficult, even given the recent selloff. Additionally, the analyst's concerns also extend to how this affects the company's fight for control with National Amusements and the Redstones, as he believes this controversy weakens the board's position. A potential result could be a recombination that ultimately places current Viacom management in charge, he argued, adding that he thinks such an outcome would likely be value destructive, with a "very, very difficult integration process." From the perspective of what would be best for CBS and its shareholders, Creutz thinks the best choice would be for Moonves to step down and immediately be replaced by COO Joe Ianniello. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of CBS have gained almost 1% to $51.57, recovering some of their losses from yesterday.

10:18 EDT Check Point announces Yerushalmi replaces Allard as Head of Global Sales - In a regulatory filing last night, Check Point Software announced the appointment of Dan Yerushalmi as Check Point's new Head of Global Sales and Strategy. He will manage worldwide field operations and engineering, channel sales and strategic technologies initiatives. All organizations and functions that previously reported to Pierre-Paul Allard as Head of Worldwide Sales will now report to Dan. "In a letter to Check Point's employees, Gil Shwed, Check Point's Founder and CEO, expressed his gratitude to Pierre Paul Allard for his contribution to Check Point in the past two years and wished him all the best as he is now pursuing new endeavors," the filing stated.

10:11 EDT UPS, Thor partner to test fully-electric class 6 delivery truck in Los Angeles - UPS announced earlier a collaboration with Thor Trucks, Inc. to develop and test a fully-electric class 6 delivery truck in Los Angeles, Calif. The truck is expected to be ready for deployment later this year. UPS continues to work with a range of companies to test and deploy promising alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles that will help it meet its sustainability goals. Electric vehicles, and the charging infrastructure needed to support them, play a critical role in UPS's vision for its fleet of the future. The Thor electric delivery truck will have a driving range of approximately 100 miles powered by a Thor-designed and built battery that will be lightweight, durable and allow long-range driving distances. "UPS believes in the future of commercial electric vehicles. We want to support the research needed to make advances and the companies developing those innovative products," said Carlton Rose, president, global fleet maintenance and engineering for UPS. "Performance is critical in our fleet. We are excited to get this vehicle on the road to test how it handles routes in and around Los Angeles." For six months, UPS will test the medium-duty electric delivery truck as part of its fleet. Testing will include off-road evaluation to address durability, battery capacity, technical integration, engineering and any items found during on-road testing. Depending on the success of the deployment, UPS may make additional purchases of the electric vehicle.

10:04 EDT Deere to acquire sprayer and planter manufacturer PLA, terms not disclosed - Deere & Company has signed a definitive agreement to acquire PLA, a privately-held manufacturer of sprayers, planters, and specialty products for agriculture. PLA is based in Argentina, with manufacturing facilities in Las Rosas, Argentina, and Canoas, Brazil.

10:03 EDT Yamana Gold up 1.6% following BMO upgrade - Shares of Yamana Gold are up about 1.6% in early trading to $3.15 per share following an upgrade from BMO Capital analyst Andrew Kaip. The analyst noted that the discount on the stock is no longer justified after its production update for Q2 demonstrated progress in the delivery of the Cerro Mine. Q2 EARNINGS MET CONSENSUS: Late last week, Yamana Gold reported Q2 earnings per share of 2c, matching the consensus, while its revenue rose to $431.5M from $428.1M last year, below the Bloomberg consensus of $456.0M. The company's total Q2 production of 248.2K ounce of gold was also up from 244.6K reported in the year ago period, while the total cost of sales per ounce sold declined to $1,010 from $1,096. CERRO MORRO PRODUCTION UPGRADE: In its Q2 earnings report, Yamana Gold indicated that its estimated production for Cerro Morro gold mining project in Argentina is "well positioned to exceed the previously provided guidance of 900,000 ounces of gold for Yamana Mines." The company also stated that the resulting overall higher production estimate for the first half will more than offset the expected production decline in silver.

10:01 EDT U.S. Air Force awards Raytheon $96.1M contract - Raytheon received a $96.1M contract to produce 250 Miniature Air-Launched Decoys, or MALD missiles. The U.S. Air Force award occurred just prior to Raytheon marking its 2,000th MALD system delivery, and 10th year of on-time customer deliveries. The MALD system is an air-launched missile with both decoy and jamming capabilities that can electronically stimulate and then neutralize enemy air defense systems. Raytheon produces the MALD-J jamming variant, and is also developing a system for the U.S. Navy.

10:00 EDT Castlight Health falls -18.5% - Castlight Health is down -18.5%, or -82c to $3.62.

10:00 EDT Aerojet Rocketdyne rises 11.1% - Aerojet Rocketdyne is up 11.1%, or $3.07 to $30.79.

10:00 EDT Simpson Manufacturing rises 18.3% - Simpson Manufacturing is up 18.3%, or $10.98 to $70.98.

09:53 EDT Procter & Gamble says online, offline margins 'roughly equal' - Says online sales now account for about 7% of total revenue.

09:48 EDT Canon, Nuance team up for vertical markets with content connectors - With the demand to digitize information and assist companies with their compliance efforts growing in vertical markets, Canon U.S.A. (CAJ),leverages its strategic relationship with Nuance Communications (NUAN) to help organizations streamline workflows in a fast-evolving work culture. Targeting the healthcare and legal markets, Canon and Nuance introduce eCopy ShareScan Services to help organizations leverage their current investments in iManage and Epic software, respectively, and connect compatible Canon solutions that support eCopy via the content connectors.

09:40 EDT MoviePass to increase standard pricing plan to $14.95 per month within 30 days

09:39 EDT MoviePass to limit ticket availability to blockbuster films

09:37 EDT Gold Fields completes joint venture transaction with Asanko Gold - Gold Fields (GFI) announces the completion of the joint venture transaction with Asanko Gold (AKG), with Gold Fields acquiring a 50% stake in Asanko's 90% interest in the Asanko Gold Mine in Ghana. Gold Fields is expected to equity account its share in the joint venture, with attributable production and costs incorporated into the Group numbers from completion. Asanko's published guidance for 2019-2023 is average annual production of 253koz. Nick Holland, CEO, said: "The closing of the transaction with Asanko gives us exposure to a great camp, with long-life, low-cost production, with significant exploration potential in a country we know well and have operated in for 25 years. The joint venture bolsters the Ghana region, with Tarkwa providing the base load production and Damang providing growth through the reinvestment plan currently underway."

09:33 EDT Nevada reports June statewide gaming win up 4.17% to $933.0M - Nevada's Gaming Control Board reports Las Vegas Strip gaming win was up 5.36% in June to $523.9M. Publicly traded companies in the casino gaming space include Boyd Gaming (BYD), Caesars (CZR), Las Vegas Sands (LVS), MGM Resorts (MGM), Penn National (PENN) and Wynn Resorts (WYNN).

09:27 EDT Mubadala sells 22M shares of AMD stock - In a regulatory filing earlier, Mubadala Investment Company PJSC disclosed that it sold 22M shares of AMD stock with an aggregate market value of $427.24M. Bloomberg said its data indicates that this represents about 39% of Mubadala's stake in the chipmaker. In pre-market trading, AMD is fractionally lower to $19.32 per share.

09:23 EDT Tyler Technologies to provide enterprise records solution to MJB - Tyler Technologies announced that it has signed an agreement with the Maine Judicial Branch for its New World Enterprise Records solution. The MJB is Tyler's first New World public safety client in the state of Maine, as well as the first state government entity to purchase the latest version of Tyler's Enterprise Records solution.

09:20 EDT R.R. Donnelley announces new marketing agreement with Sobeys - R.R. Donnelley announced a new agreement with Sobeys. As one of only two national grocery retailers in Canada, Sobeys provides food shopping needs for Canadians with approximately 1,500 stores in all 10 provinces under retail banners as well as more than 380 gas stations. The agreement covers store marketing and decor signage print, including production, procurement, fulfillment, warehousing, logistics, and installation support for more than 1,200 Sobeys stores, and over 1,500 additional stores within Sobeys independent and wholesale operations. RRD's retail focus, broad production capabilities and marketing communications expertise will help Sobeys streamline in-store communication execution, drive integration and consistency within each banner and respond quickly and effectively to evolving market conditions.

09:16 EDT BioPharmX receives approval for its Phase 2 study of BPX-04 - BioPharmX announced it has received Institutional Review Board approval for its phase 2 study of BPX-04 for the treatment of papulopustular rosacea. The company also announced that, based on data from its open-label feasibility study which assessed tolerability in subjects with papulopustular rosacea, it has selected the 1% minocycline concentration for use in the PRISM phase 2 trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of BPX-04, continuing in its patient-centric commitment to antibiotic stewardship by utilizing a lower dose of antibiotics for patients.

09:12 EDT BAE Systems receives U.S. Army task order for touch screen display units - The U.S. Army has selected BAE Systems to provide touch screen computer display units as an upgrade to the company's ASN-128 Doppler GPS Navigation System on Black Hawk helicopters. The self-contained, all-weather, day or night navigation system enables Black Hawk pilots to view real-time flight plan data. This task order, which was awarded to BAE Systems under a current $226M indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract, will bring touch-screen navigation system control to UH-60A/L Black Hawks. The Army plans to use the ASN-128 systems through 2035, and the upgrades will support safer operation for pilots by minimizing heads-down tasks.

09:09 EDT Procter & Gamble says expects stronger organic sales in 2H19

09:08 EDT IES Holdings acquires Utah-based Electrical Contractors North - IES Holdings announced that its subsidiary IES Residential has acquired substantially all of the assets of Electrical Contractors North, a Salt Lake City, Utah-based provider of electrical contracting for multi-family residential and hotel construction.

09:06 EDT Skyline AI raised $18M in a Series A Round - Skyline AI announced that it has raised $18M in a Series A Round. Led by Sequoia Capital and TLV Partners with participation from JLL Spark, a division of JLL, and others, the strategic round enables Skyline to expand platform integration to include additional asset classes and further cooperation with the leading commercial real estate investment firms in the US. Closed just four months after announcing $3M in seed funding, the Series A Round brings Skyline AI's total funding to $21 Million. Other participants in the round include NYCA Partners, Arbor Ventures and iAngels.

09:04 EDT WWE extends partnership with Foxtel to broadcast WWE in Australia - WWE and Foxtel will extend their partnership into its 19th year with a new agreement to broadcast WWE programming live in Australia, including flagship shows Raw and SmackDown, as well as WWE's live pay-per-views events. Foxtel's FOX8 will continue to air Raw live at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays and SmackDown live at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays. For the first time, FOX8 will re-air Raw on Tuesday nights in primetime and SmackDown on Wednesday nights in primetime, and FOX Sports will air one-hour versions of Raw and SmackDown in primetime each week. Foxtel Now will make both shows available on demand following their airings.

09:03 EDT Booz Allen awarded spot on $554M, five-year contract by U.S. Army - MICC, Fort Eustis, Virginia, has awarded Booz Allen Hamilton a spot on the Training Support Systems Enterprise contract in December to provide global training, support systems and mission support services. This indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract has a ceiling value of $554M over a potential five-year period with six other prime contractors.

09:02 EDT SSLJ.com announces top management changes - SSLJ.com announced that Warren Z. Wang was appointed as the Company's CEO, replacing Jianbao Li, and Ming Yi was appointed as Company's CFO effective July 29. Jianbao Li remains the Chairman of the Board of Directors. Warren Z. Wang has a long track record of business success in key roles in various institutions. Wang has been the Chairman of Wall Street IPO Consultation, a New York based financial advisory company, since 2012. He served as Chairman of the Board of China INSOnline Corp, formerly a Nasdaq listed company, from January 4, 2008 to February 1, 2011 and has served as Executive Director and Chairman of ZYTX Technology Co., Ltd from July 2007. Mr. Wang holds an Executive Master of Business Administration degree from Peking University. Ming Yi has extensive experience in finance, business administration and public accounting with his sector expertise spanning retail/wholesale distribution, financial services and manufacturing. From 2016 to 2018, Yi served as the CFO of Wave Sync.

09:01 EDT Forest City Enterprises Inc trading resumes

08:58 EDT Procter & Gamble says plans to monetize some innovations - Cites packaging licensing, plastic technology.

08:54 EDT Fly Intel: Pre-market Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: SunPower (SPWR), up 10%... Cognex (CGNX), up 8.5%... Illumina (ILMN), up 7%... Archer Daniels (ADM), up 4%... Oshkosh (OSK), up 3%. LOWER: Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG), down 2% after the company closed a store in Powell, Ohio following reports of customer illnesses. The company said last night in a statement to Bloomberg: "We acted quickly and closed this single restaurant out of an abundance of caution and we are working with health officials to reopen this restaurant as soon as possible"... Castlight Health (CSLT), down 24% as Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Steven Halper said Castlight's beat in Q2 was overshadowed by the loss of large client Walmart (WMT) and the initiation of a cost-restructuring program to mitigate the loss of revenue in 2019... WisdomTree (WETF), down 4.5% after Citi analyst William Katz downgraded the stock to Sell. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Lumber Liquidators (LL), down 19%... Varonis (VRNS), down 20%... AK Steel (AKS), down 10%.

08:50 EDT Net Element acquires recurring cash flow portfolio for $2.7M - Net Element announced it has acquired certain transactional services portfolio from Universal Payment Systems. Net Element through its subsidiary Unified Payments has acquired cash flow assets for a total of $2.7M, which are expected to generate well over $5M in gross profits over the next four years and expected to continue generating profits thereafter. The Company and UPS have enjoyed a successful and mutually beneficial partnership over the last five years. The newly acquired cash flow assets are expected to enhance the Company's profit margins.

08:46 EDT Exelon sells Oyster Creek Generating Station to Holtec - Exelon and Holtec International announced an agreement for Holtec to purchase Oyster Creek Generating Station. Under the terms of the agreement, which is subject to regulatory approvals, Holtec will assume ownership of the site, real property and used nuclear fuel. As the site's owner, Holtec will manage all site decommissioning and restoration activities. The transaction is expected to close in Q3 2019, pending the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's and other regulatory approval, and will not impact the scheduled shutdown of Oyster Creek, as previously announced. Holtec will be accelerating Oyster Creek's decommissioning timeline. As part of the sale agreement, CDI will offer employment to Oyster Creek decommissioning employees, effective upon the transaction closing. Holtec will submit a new Oyster Creek decommissioning plan, which must be reviewed and approved by the NRC. The process provides opportunities for public review and comment on the plan during the NRC evaluation period.

08:43 EDT Pure Capital demands replacement of Medigus board of directors - Pure Capital announces that it has completed its acquisition of 217,696 ADRs of Medigus and as a result now holds more than 5% of the company. Upon the acquisition, and in accordance with Israeli regulations, Pure Capital sent a letter to Medigus' CEO, chairman of the board, and the directors, calling for an immediate general assembly meeting of the shareholders of Medigus and the dismissal of the internal members of the board. The replacement nominees, led by Professor Benad Goldwasser, have been carefully vetted and were selected following a thorough due diligence process. Goldwasser is a urological surgeon, inventor, entrepreneur, venture capital investor and co-founder of Medinol. In the letter, Pure Capital detailed previous actions which it believes have been harmful to shareholders. These actions, conducted by Medigus' management and board, include continual capital consolidations and capital raises under unfavorable terms. Furthermore, Pure Capital has requested that Medigus not execute disposition of the assets of the company, attempt to raise capital, or make public or private offerings until the meeting. Pure Capital is committed to fully replacing the internal members of the board of directors and substantially enhancing shareholder value in the process. According to the Israeli GCL, the meeting must be held no later than 21 business days from the date of the letter of demand.

08:40 EDT ARCA Biopharma announces 'positive' outcome of End-of-Phase 2 meeting with FDA - ARCA biopharma announced that it has received guidance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration following an End-of-Phase 2 meeting regarding the Phase 3 program for ARCA's pharmacologically unique beta-blocker Gencaro as a potential genetically-targeted treatment for atrial fibrillation patients with heart failure. Based on review of the Phase 2 GENETIC-AF trial results, as well as its alignment with previous Phase 3 pharmacogenetic substudy data, the FDA stated that data from a single pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial may be sufficient to support approval of Gencaro for the treatment of AF in patients with HF. The company, in consultation with the FDA, has established key elements of the Phase 3 clinical trial needed to support a New Drug Application, details of which will be confirmed via the FDA Special Protocol Assessment process. The FDA previously granted the Gencaro atrial fibrillation development program Fast Track Designation. As the Gencaro program is developing potentially the first genetically-targeted cardiovascular therapy, the FDA has suggested the Company submit a SPA application, which the Company anticipates submitting in the third quarter of 2018. ARCA anticipates initiating the Phase 3 clinical trial subject to securing additional financing through a strategic partnership and/or additional sales of the Company's securities. The pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial will likely entail a single randomized, active-controlled trial with the primary endpoint based primarily on AF Burden. AFB is defined as the amount of time per day a patient experienced AF, as measured by an implanted monitoring device. In the recently completed GENETIC-AF Phase 2B clinical trial, Gencaro showed a trend for 25% benefit over Toprol-XL in reducing AF recurrence as measured by AFB in a subgroup of patients with implanted devices in which AFB was monitored. For U.S. patients in this substudy, a trend for 51% benefit was observed. The Company believes that patients in GENETIC-AF who had AF secondary to an underlying HF pathophysiology showed evidence of superior benefit when treated with Gencaro compared to Toprol-XL. In contrast, patients in GENETIC-AF who had long-standing AF prior to the development of asymptomatic/mild HF did not appear to show benefit when treated with Gencaro compared to Toprol-XL. Accordingly, in the proposed Phase 3 clinical trial, the company plans to exclude this non-responsive subgroup and focus on patients who likely have AF driven by their underlying HF.

08:39 EDT UQM Technologies to open customer service center in Shanghai - UQM Technologies announced that it has signed a lease agreement in Shanghai, China to open a customer service center for both its fuel cell compressor systems and propulsions systems. The facility will allow UQM to provide quick turnaround for service and spare parts to UQM's customers, and eventually assemble the fuel cell compressor systems in that region. UQM has seen dramatic growth in its fuel cell compressor systems, particularly in China where the fuel cell market is expanding quickly. As the company has previously announced, China is at the beginning of developing fuel cell vehicles and fueling infrastructure, and by 2020 plans to have 10,000 fuel cell vehicles on the road with the infrastructure to support the growth. With the establishment of a physical location in Shanghai, UQM will now begin the process of creating a wholly-foreign-owned-entity in China. In alignment with management's overall long-term strategy, the WFOE will support UQM's other main undertakings in China, including the joint venture with China National Heavy Duty Truck and sourcing and purchasing key components.

08:38 EDT Procter & Gamble says online sales grew 30% in FY18 - Said made "good progress" in two largest markets. Says continues to make "strong turnaround" in China. Says Brazil strike, Saudi Arabia hurt revenue in Q4. Comments from Q4 earnings conference call.

08:37 EDT ePlus names Douglas King CIO - ePlus announced that it has added Douglas King as chief information officer to its executive management team. As CIO, Mr. King will be responsible for delivering reliable, agile, and optimized IT systems and infrastructure to align with the Company's strategic vision. Prior to joining ePlus, King served as CIO and SVP of Administration at Landauer.

08:34 EDT Surmodics IVD launches MatrixGuard Diluent - Surmodics has announced the launch and immediate availability of MatrixGuard Diluent. MatrixGuard Diluent provides assay developers unsurpassed blocking whereby matrix interferences are effectively blocked while the intended assay signal is maintained.

08:33 EDT Voyager Therapeutics' V-TAG judged 'substantially equivalent' by FDA - Voyager Therapeutics' Trajectory Array Guide, or V-TAG, device was judged to be "Substantially Equivalent" in a decision dated July 23, according to a 510(k) Premarket Notification posted to the FDA's website. Reference Link

08:32 EDT Supervalu announces agreement with Blackwells Capital - SUPERVALU announced that it has entered into an agreement with Blackwells Capital. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, Blackwells has agreed to withdraw its director nominees and vote all of its shares in support of SUPERVALU's full slate of directors at the company's upcoming 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, to be held on August 16, 2018. Blackwells has also withdrawn its stockholder proposal to be considered at the 2018 Annual Meeting and agreed to abide by certain customary standstill provisions, which will be in effect until July 30, 2019. "We are pleased to have reached this agreement with Blackwells, as we may now dedicate our full attention to continuing to operate our business and to completing the transaction with UNFI, which delivers a substantial premium and immediate and certain value to our stockholders," said Donald Chappel, Chairman of the Board.

08:30 EDT IPG Photonics trading resumes

08:22 EDT Helios and Matheson drops under $1 five days after 1-for-250 reverse split - Shares of Helios and Matheson, the majority owner of MoviePass, are back below $1 after a recent split of the stock and news that the service will not allow subscribers to order tickets for major releases. WHAT'S NEW: MoviePass subscribers were unable to order tickets to "Mission: Impossible - Fallout" this weekend, Business Insider is reporting. According to a source familiar with the matter, MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe announced during an all-hands meeting on Monday that other major releases, like "The Meg" and "Christopher Robin," would not be available to order on the app. The source also noted Lowe's implication that other major releases would not be offered going forward. WHAT'S NOTABLE: Shares of Helios and Matheson (HMNY), which owns MoviePass, began trading on a split-adjusted basis on Wednesday, July 25. The company issued a demand note of $6.2M, which includes $5M in cash on July 27 after MoviePass stopped working on the evening of July 26. Shares plummeted 53% following the company's disclosure in a regulatory filing on July 27. PRICE ACTION: On July 30, shares of Helios and Matheson closed down 60% to 80c per share and as of this writing on July 31, shares continued lower in pre-market trading, dipping another 2.5%.

08:21 EDT Novelion Therapeutics announces marketing authorization for Myalepta in EU - Novelion Therapeutics announced that the European Commission has granted marketing authorization for Myalepta, as an adjunct to diet, as a replacement therapy to treat the complications of leptin deficiency in lipodystrophy, or LD, patients with confirmed congenital generalized LD or acquired generalized LD in adults and children 2 years of age and above; or with confirmed familial partial LD or acquired partial LD, in adults and children 12 years of age and above for whom standard treatments have failed to achieve adequate metabolic control.

08:16 EDT Hertz and its Dolen subsidiary announce partnership with Aptiv - The Hertz (HTZ) and its fleet management subsidiary, Donlen, announced a new strategic partnership with Aptiv (APTV). Hertz will assist with the operations and management of Aptiv's Las Vegas autonomous vehicles (AVs). Aptiv's technology powers safe and reliable AVs in cities worldwide with Las Vegas serving as the initial North American commercial deployment market. The two companies will execute a phased approach to develop standard operating procedures for mobility-related AV fleets. The initial program is scheduled to launch this fall.

08:13 EDT Northwest Indiana Bancorp, AJS Bancorp announce definitive merger agreement - NorthWest Indiana Bancorp and AJS Bancorp announced they have executed a definitive merger agreement whereby NWIN will acquire AJSB and its wholly-owned subsidiary, A.J. Smith Federal Savings Bank. Under the terms of the merger agreement, stockholders of AJSB who hold 100 or more shares of AJSB common stock will receive 0.2030 shares of NWIN's common stock and $7.20 in cash for each issued and outstanding share of AJSB common stock, subject to possible adjustment, for total consideration that consists of approximately 55% stock and 45% cash. Stockholders of AJSB holding less than 100 shares of AJSB common stock will have the right to receive $16.00 in cash and no stock consideration for each share of AJSB common stock. Based on NWIN's closing stock price of $43.00 as of July 30, the merger consideration has an aggregate value of approximately $34.6M, which represents approximately 109% of tangible book value, and which includes unallocated shares held by the AJSB Employee Stock Ownership Plan, or ESOP, some of which will be cancelled at closing in order to satisfy the ESOP's outstanding loan balance. AJSB is a savings and loan holding company headquartered in Midlothian, Illinois with total consolidated assets of $191.8M as of June 30. A. J. Smith Federal Savings Bank was established in 1924 and serves the Chicagoland metropolitan market with three full service locations. NWIN expects the merger to be approximately 25c accretive to 2019 earnings per share, approximately 0.8% dilutive to tangible book value at closing, and expects the tangible book value earnback to be approximately 2.2 years using the cross-over method. Upon closing of the transaction, both Peoples Bank and NWIN expect to remain above well-capitalized standards on all regulatory capital ratios. The merger is expected to be completed early in the first quarter of 2019.

08:11 EDT Cardiovascular Systems, Aerolase sign collaborative agreement to develop device - Cardiovascular Systems announced that it has signed an agreement with Aerolase Corp. to co-develop a new laser atherectomy device for physicians to use in more effectively treating multiple forms of arterial disease. Under the terms of the agreement, CSI made an undisclosed equity investment in Aerolase and will make additional equity investments as development milestones are met.

08:10 EDT Nemaura Medical initiates studies of sugarBEAT product - Nemaura Medical announced it has initiated the first of a number of planned studies in support of a submission to the U.S Food & Drug Administration for approval of its sugarBEAT product, and further announced positive interim results from the home-use portion of this initial study. The interim results evaluated data from 25 patients, split approximately equally between Type I and Type II diabetics, each wearing sugarBEAT whilst going about their daily home/work routine for 1 or 2 non-consecutive days, for a total of 36 patient days. Each patient recorded up to 5 finger prick readings per day, at approximately equal intervals, over periods up to 14 hours. Readings were measured using the Abbott Freestyle Optimum neo Blood glucose meter.The results analysed 121 matched pair points between the BGM and sugarBEAT, and indicated 84.3% of the data points had an overall MARD of 10.63%, and an overall nominal MARD of 16.3%. It is the first time the company has published data from a home use study, which replicates all the challenges of real-world usage, and the data compares favorably to existing CGMs. The initial U.S. study is expected to enroll a total of 75 patients wearing the device over a 7-day period, including 3 days in a clinical setting. Initial U.S. study completion and FDA submission is anticipated in Q1 2019, alongside poster presentation at ATTD in Berlin in February 2019 for the in-clinic portion, which is designed to record approximately 16,000 matched data points.

08:10 EDT Pioneer Power announces new $2.4M switchgear order - Pioneer Power and CleanSpark announced that Pioneer's Switchgear segment has received a $2.4M equipment order as part of a contract for the new U.S. Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon. Pioneer's Switchgear segment is providing medium voltage switchgear, master control panels and other circuit protective equipment as part of the main electrical distribution service (normal and standby) for the facility. The job is expected to ship by the end of 2018.

08:08 EDT Aldeyra names Joshua Reed as CFO, succeeding Stephen Tulipano - Aldeyra Therapeutics (ALDX) announced the appointment of Joshua Reed as CFO. Reed will succeed Stephen Tulipano, the company's outgoing CFO. Prior to joining Aldeyra, Reed served as Vice President and Head of Finance for Bristol-Myers Squibb's (BMY) United States and Puerto Rico operations, a $12B business unit.

08:08 EDT Biocept granted European Patent for Target Selector assays for ctDNA analysis - Biocept announces that it has been granted European Patent No. 2,705,162, entitled METHODS FOR DETECTING NUCLEIC ACID SEQUENCE VARIANTS. The patent provides intellectual property protection in seven European countries and is core to Biocept's Target Selector assays for ctDNA analysis using real-time PCR, Sanger sequencing and next-generation sequencing, or NGS.

08:07 EDT Lantheus, GE Healthcare start Phase 3 trial of Flurpiridaz F - GE (GE) Healthcare and Lantheus (LNTH) have started a second Phase 3 clinical trial of Flurpiridaz F, an investigational agent being evaluated for the detection of coronary artery disease, or CAD, the most common form of heart disease. CAD affects an estimated 15.5MAmericans 20 years of age or older and is the leading cause of death in the United States and in Europe, where CAD is responsible for 19% of all deaths among men and 20% of deaths among women each year. The AURORA study is an international, multicenter study to evaluate diagnostic efficacy of Flurpiridaz 18F Injection positron-emission tomography, or PET, myocardial perfusion imaging, or MPI, in the detection of CAD. In this prospective, open-label, study, patients with suspected CAD, for whom an intracoronary angiography has been indicated, will undergo a single-photon emission computed tomography MPI and Flurpiridaz 18F Injection PET MPI prior to the performance of coronary angiography. The primary endpoint is the diagnostic efficacy of Flurpiridaz 18F Injection PET MPI for the detection of significant CAD. The first patient was enrolled in the study in June 2018. A total of 650 patients will be enrolled, with the last patient follow-up projected to occur in August 2020.

08:03 EDT SS&C to acquire Eze Software in all-cash transaction of $1.45B - SS&C Technologies announced it has entered into a definitive agreement wherein SS&C will acquire Eze Software from TPG Capital. Eze Software is a leading global provider of investment management solutions designed to optimize operational and investment alpha throughout the entire investment process. The transaction represents a continuation of SS&C's proven strategy of adding talented people and technology through acquisitions. Under the terms of the agreement, SS&C will purchase Eze Software in an all-cash transaction of $1.45B. In 2017, Eze Software had total revenues of $280M and Adjusted EBITDA of $105M. SS&C expects $30M of run-rate costs savings, achieved by 2021. SS&C plans to fund the acquisition with a combination of cash and term loan debt. The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive to adjusted earnings per share. The transaction is expected to close by the fourth quarter of 2018 and is subject to clearances by the relevant regulatory authorities and other customary closing conditions.

07:55 EDT IPG Photonics trading halted, news pending

07:50 EDT Transact Technologies names Haydee Olinger to board - TransAct Technologies (TACT) announced that Haydee Olinger has been appointed to the company's Board of Directors, effective Friday July 27. The appointment of Olinger to TransAct's Board of Directors increases the size of the Board to five members, four of whom are considered independent directors under Nasdaq rules. Olinger served in senior management roles for more than twenty years at the McDonald's Corporation (MCD), most recently as Global Chief Compliance and Privacy Officer from 2002 to 2015.

07:46 EDT Jacobs Engineering signs three-year contract with Mosaic Fertilizer - Jacobs Engineering (JEC) has received a contract from Mosaic Fertilizer (MOS) to provide small capital construction and maintenance services at its Uncle Sam and Faustina facilities in St. James Parish, Louisiana.

07:37 EDT Novocure announces published results of INNOVATE trial - Novocure announced that the results of its INNOVATE phase 2 pilot trial have been published in Gynecologic Oncology. The INNOVATE trial was a prospective, single-arm study testing the feasibility, safety and preliminary efficacy of Tumor Treating Fields combined with weekly paclitaxel in recurrent ovarian cancer. Tumor Treating Fields is a cancer therapy that uses electric fields tuned to specific frequencies to disrupt cell division, inhibiting tumor growth and causing affected cancer cells to die. Progression free survival of recurrent ovarian cancer patients treated with Tumor Treating Fields plus weekly paclitaxel was more than double that of weekly paclitaxel-treated historical controls. Median progression free survival in the Tumor Treating Fields-treated group was 8.9 months and median overall survival was not yet reached. Median one-year survival in the Tumor Treating Fields-treated group was 61%. The median compliance of patients with Tumor Treating Fields in the first three months of treatment was 77%. Two cases of severe skin irritation due to Tumor Treating Fields were reported. No other serious device-related adverse events were reported.

07:34 EDT Moleculin Biotech opens enrollment for brain tumor trial of WP1066 - Moleculin Biotech announced enrollment has opened for a physician-sponsored clinical trial of WP1066 for the treatment of glioblastoma and brain metastases in adults. The goal of this clinical research study is to find the highest tolerable dose of WP1066 that can be given to patients with recurrent cancerous brain tumors or melanoma that has spread to the brain. The safety of this drug will also be studied.

07:33 EDT Primoris announces utility award valued over $11M - Primoris Services Corporation announced an electric utility award valued over $11M. The contract was secured by ARB Underground, part of the Utilities & Distribution segment. The award is for an underground transmission conversion project with a major utility customer in Southern California. The work involves installing nearly three miles of trench and conduit system between two substations, as well as installation of eleven vaults, thirteen telecom handholes, and one pier foundation. Work is scheduled to commence in the third quarter of 2018 and to be completed in the first quarter of 2019.

07:32 EDT Kura Oncology appoints Marc Grasso as CFO, CBO - Kura Oncology announced the appointment of Marc Grasso, M.D., as CFO and CBO, effective August 21, 2018. Dr. Grasso succeeds Heidi Henson, who served as Kura's CFO since the company's inception in August 2014. Dr. Grasso joins Kura from Stifel, where he was managing director responsible for building and managing Stifel's west coast life sciences and biotechnology investment banking business.

07:30 EDT Qualcomm commences tender offer to purchase up to $10B of shares

07:17 EDT Asterias provides 12 month Cohort 3 and 4 update for AST-OPC1 Phase 1/2a trial - Asterias Biotherapeutics provided additional data from the company's ongoing Phase 1/2a SCiStar study designed to evaluate the safety and potential efficacy of AST-OPC1 in the treatment of severe cervical spinal cord injury. The SCiStar study is an open-label, single-arm trial testing three escalating doses of AST-OPC1 in 25 subjects with subacute motor complete cervical spinal cord injury. These individuals have lost essentially all movement below their injury site and experience severe paralysis of the upper and lower limbs. Positive Safety Profile - Asterias has dosed 25 subjects with AST-OPC1 in the SCiStar study and a total of 30 subjects including the five subjects from a previous Phase 1 safety trial in thoracic spinal cord injury who have been followed for as long as seven years. To date, there have been no serious adverse events related to the AST-OPC1 cells.Cell Engraftment - 92% of Cohort 3 and 4 subjects have magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans at twelve months consistent with the formation of a tissue matrix at the injury site, which is encouraging evidence that AST-OPC1 cells have engrafted at the injury site and helped to prevent cavitation. The 12-month MRI results-to-date for 94% of the Cohort 2-4 subjects provide supportive evidence that AST-OPC1 cells have durably engrafted at the injury site and helped to prevent cavitation. In addition, 100% of Cohort 5 subjects had MRI scans at six months consistent with the formation of a tissue matrix at the injury site. Cavitation is a destructive process that occurs within the spinal cord following spinal cord injuries, and typically results in permanent loss of motor and sensory function. Additionally, a patient with cavitation can develop a condition known as syringomyelia, which results in additional neurological and functional damage to the patient and can result in chronic pain. Improved Motor Function - At 12 months, 100% of Cohort 3 subjects have recovered at least one motor level on at least one side, with one subject having recovered two motor levels on one side. At 12 months, 83% of Cohort 4 subjects have recovered at least one motor level on at least one side, with one subject having recovered two motor levels on one side. At twelve months, 94% of Cohort 2-4 subjects recovered at least one motor level on at least one side and 33% of these subjects recovered two or more motor levels on at least one side.

07:16 EDT Innovate Biopharmaceuticals announces research collaboration - Innovate Biopharmaceuticals announced it has agreed to collaborate with James Nataro, MD, PhD, MBA, the Benjamin Armistead Shepherd Professor and Chair, Director of Children's Services, UVA Children's Hospital of the University of Virginia School of Medicine, whose research is focused on the study of enteric bacteria and their roles in health and disease Dr. Nataro commented, "I am excited by this collaboration. Abnormalities of intestinal permeability underlie a host of human diseases such as environmental enteric dysfunction, known as EED. EED is a disorder that afflicts millions of children around the world, leading to growth faltering, cognitive delay and impaired resistance to infection."

07:15 EDT Mimecast acquires Solebit for about $88M - Mimecast announced it has acquired security software developer Solebit for approximately $88M net of cash acquired. Solebit's technology is engineered to provide a fast, accurate and computationally efficient approach for the identification and isolation of zero-day malware and unknown threats in data files as well as links to external resources. Further enhancing Mimecast's cyber resilience platform architecture, Solebit provides powerful threat protection to help customers face today's broad threat landscape with evasion-aware, signature-less technology. According to research Mimecast conducted with Vanson Bourne, more than 80 percent of organizations have seen both targeted and untargeted phishing attacks increase or stay the same over the last year. Additionally, cybercriminals are constantly adapting their attack methods, looking for new ways to bypass security solutions that look for specific behaviors or signature matches.

07:14 EDT Akcea says study results show benefits of patient-to-patient connectivity in FCS - Akcea Therapeutics announced the publication of results from the first-ever study demonstrating the benefits of patient-to-patient connectivity in the management of familial chylomicronemia syndrome. FCS is a rare, potentially life-threatening disease with multiple severe, daily and chronic manifestations that affect one's ability to work and engage in activities of everyday living. Results from the CONNECT study which surveyed both FCS patients and their caregivers were published this month in Expert Opinion on Orphan Drugs. In the CONNECT study, FCS patients and caregivers in the U.S. and Canada were asked to respond to a series of questions to highlight their level of connectivity with FCS-focused organizations and the perceived benefits that these associations provide. A total of 50 respondents self-identified as either actively or passively connected or not connected to any patient group. Respondents were asked to compare different measures of quality of life before and after connecting with an FCS support organization. Patients who reported some level of connection to FCS support organizations overall showed a marked improvement in perceptions of their overall health, disease outlook and emotional well-being compared to the period before making these connections. After connecting with patient support organizations, respondents reported that they were more likely to take steps to manage their health. Patients who were actively connected were three times as likely to report "high" or "extremely high" motivation in managing their health. As levels of connection increase, patients are also more likely to report higher levels of satisfaction with their primary treating physician.

07:13 EDT Northern Oil and Gas reports deal with W Energy Partners for asset acquisition - Northern Oil and Gas announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement with W Energy Partners for the largest acquisition in Northern's history. At closing, the acquisition will represent approximately 6,750 barrels of oil equivalent per day of production and 10,600 net acres in the core of the Williston Basin. Total consideration at closing will consist of $100 million in cash and 56.37 million shares of Northern common stock, which will be subject to an equity lock-up feature. Northern has entered into a definitive purchase agreement with an affiliate of W Energy Partners, a portfolio company of Crestview Partners. The assets to be acquired comprise 10,600 acres and, at closing, an estimated 6,750 Boe per day of production. The acquisition is expected to generate approximately $95 million in cash flow in 2019, with an estimated 2019 base capital plan of approximately $42 million, representing a 17% free cash flow yield based upon purchase price. Total consideration at closing will consist of $100 million in cash and 56.37 million shares of Northern common stock. The shares will be subject to a limited lock-up over a 13-month post-closing period, which includes a mechanism for additional consideration if Northern's stock trades below certain price targets. The acquisition is expected to close in approximately 60 days, with an effective date of July 1, 2018. "The W Energy acquisition will add robust drilling inventory under some of the best acreage in the Williston Basin," commented Northern's founder and President, Mike Reger. "This asset fits perfectly with Northern's existing core leasehold and drilling inventory and is highly complementary to our recently announced Pivotal acquisition. With significant excess cash flow from these acquisitions, we are in a position to further our strategy as the natural consolidator of non-operated working interests in the Williston Basin."

07:07 EDT William Lyon Homes reports Q2 new home deliveries of 1,082 homes, up 30% - Reports Q2: Net new home orders of 1,270, up 25%; Dollar value of orders of $623.1M, up 12%; Units in backlog of 1,648, up 28%; Dollar value of homes in backlog of $867.7M, up 15%; Average sales locations of 107, up 22%; Average sales price of new homes delivered of $479,100, down 6%.

07:06 EDT Archer Daniels CEO sees 'strong' results in 2H18 - "Our team executed exceptionally well to deliver outstanding results in the second quarter," said ADM Chairman and CEO Juan Luciano. "We continue to accelerate the execution of our strategic plan -- optimizing our core, driving efficiencies, and expanding strategically -- generating more than $150 million in run-rate savings, announcing three acquisitions in Nutrition, and closing on two new joint ventures overseas. Our actions, combined with robust global demand, position us to navigate today's dynamic business environment and deliver strong results in the second half of 2018, and put us on a trajectory for continued future growth in earnings, returns and shareholder value."

07:04 EDT Bristol-Myers: EC approves Opdivo for treatment of adults with melanoma - Bristol-Myers Squibb announced that the European Commission has approved Opdivo for the adjuvant treatment of adult patients with melanoma with involvement of lymph nodes or metastatic disease who have undergone complete resection. This indication is for both BRAF mutant and wild-type melanoma patients. With this decision, Opdivo becomes the first and only PD-1 therapy to receive an EC approval in the adjuvant setting and has gained its eighth indication across six distinct tumor types in the European Union.

07:00 EDT Ametek completes Motec aquisition - Ametek announced that it has completed the acquisition of Motec GmbH, a provider of integrated vision systems serving the mobile machine vision market. Motec's vision products and integrated software solutions provide customers with improved operational efficiency and enhanced safety across a variety of critical mobile machine applications in transportation, agriculture, logistics and construction. Motec was a privately held company and is headquartered in Hadamar-Steinbach, Germany. The company has annual sales of approximately EUR30M and joins Ametek as part of its Electronic Instruments Group.

06:59 EDT Owens Corning names Brian Chambers as COO, effective August 1 - Owens Corning announced that Brian Chambers has been appointed President and Chief Operating Officer effective August 1. Chambers has been President of Owens Corning's Roofing business since 2014. Under his leadership, revenues for the Roofing business grew 16% in 2017. Prior to his current position, Chambers was Vice President and General Manager for Roofing, a role he held since 2013.

06:57 EDT Oshkosh CEO sees 'solid results to close out fiscal 2018' - "We are pleased to report another quarter of solid performance, as our team members continued to execute our MOVE strategy," said Wilson Jones, president and CEO of Oshkosh Corporation. "Despite the uncertainty surrounding the impact of trade policies, market fundamentals for our businesses are positive. Combined with a strong pipeline of defense business and higher backlog in all segments compared to the prior year, we are confident as we head into the last quarter of our fiscal year. The challenges we noted last quarter still exist and continued to impact us in the third quarter. But, the team is making progress addressing these challenges and we expect solid results to close out fiscal 2018."

06:51 EDT Oshkosh raises FY18 outlook

06:49 EDT Pfizer CEO says reported 'solid' Q2 results - Ian Read, Chairman and CEO, stated, "We reported solid second-quarter 2018 financial results, with total company revenues up 2% operationally, driven by the continued growth of key brands such as Eliquis, Ibrance and Xeljanz, as well as biosimilars and emerging markets. The performance of these growth drivers was partially offset by product losses of exclusivity, a decline in legacy Established Products in developed markets and ongoing legacy Hospira supply shortages. Regarding our investment in innovation, we continue to advance our pipeline, which we believe currently has the largest and most promising array of late-stage prospects it has had in decades. We are looking ahead to several potential near-term opportunities in core therapeutic areas, and continue to see the potential for approximately 25-30 approvals through 2022, of which up to 15 have the potential to be blockbusters. We continue to believe our pipeline positions us to deliver life-changing medicines to patients while enhancing shareholder value. In addition, we recently announced a new organizational structure. The new structure is a natural evolution of our business as we transition to a period post-2020 where we expect a higher and more sustained revenue growth profile driven by this new structure, the ongoing success of our in-market products, our advancing pipeline and a dramatic reduction in loss of exclusivity impacts." Frank D'Amelio, Executive Vice President, Business Operations and Chief Financial Officer, stated, "I am pleased with our results over the first-half of 2018, which keep us on track to deliver a solid financial performance this year. We are raising our 2018 guidance range for Adjusted diluted EPS, which at the midpoint implies 13% growth compared to last year. Additionally, in the first half of 2018, we returned $10.1 billion directly to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases, demonstrating our continued commitment to returning capital to our shareholders."

06:44 EDT Astronics subsidiary awarded contract by Jamco - Astronics announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, Astronics PGA, was awarded a contract to provide its next-generation seat motion and lighting systems for Jamco's new Venture seat program. Astronics PGA also entered into a long-term contract for potential future seat projects. Under the agreement, Astronics PGA will provide a complete seat motion and lighting system for passenger comfort in the Venture seat.

06:41 EDT LSC Communications announces strategic investment in MAZ Systems - LSC Communications announced an equity investment and the signing of a definitive reseller agreement with MAZ Systems Incorporated. MAZ is a New York City-based content logistics company that enables brands, media and publishers to publish any content to various output channels, including mobile applications, OTT, social media, video and news aggregators, gaming consoles, voice assistants, wearable technology and more. LSC will harness MAZ's technology to complement and expand its legacy platform to expose clients to new distribution solutions that help streamline and accelerate their business strategies beyond print.

06:40 EDT Nintendo says sold 1.8M Switch consoles in Q1 - Nintendo says, "During the first quarter of this period, for Nintendo Switch, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze was released in May and became popular, selling 1.40 million units worldwide. Mario Tennis Aces, released in June, is also off to a good start, with 1.38 million units sold. We also released Nintendo Labo in April as an offering of new ways to play that gained a lot of attention globally, and was very well received by consumers who purchased it. Sales of Nintendo Labo series overall reached 1.39 million units. Additionally, sales of popular titles released during the previous fiscal year, and of titles released by other software publishers are showing steady growth. As a result, hardware and software sales came to 1.88 million units, and 17.96 million units respectively. Hardware sales of Nintendo 3DS, now in its 8th year since launch, reached 0.36 million units sold, while 2.95 million software units were sold. We also re-launched the Nintendo Entertainment System: NES Classic Edition in June, and recorded sales of 1.26 million units. Turning to our digital business for dedicated video game platforms, sales of downloadable versions of packaged software and add-on content for Nintendo Switch showed especially good growth, bringing digital sales to 18.5 billion yen. In our smart-device business, consumers are continuing to enjoy currently available titles like Super Mario Run, Fire Emblem Heroes and Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. Smart devices and IP related income reached 9.0 billion yen.

06:35 EDT Intelsat reports Q2 backlog $8.7B - At June 30 Intelsat's contracted backlog, representing expected future revenue under existing contracts with customers, was $8.7B, including approximately $1.1B attributable to ASC 606. Excluding the effects of ASC 606, contracted backlog was $7.5B, as compared to $7.6B at March 31.

06:30 EDT Eaton raises FY18 outlook

06:26 EDT PagSeguro Digital sees Q2 TPV R$16.9B - Sees Q2 net Income of approximately R$228M and Non-GAAP Net Income of approximately R$242M.

06:24 EDT United Therapeutics announces FDA approval of Remodulin ISR NDA - United Therapeutics (UTHR) announced approval by the FDA of a new drug application, or NDA, for the use of Remodulin injection in the Implantable System for Remodulin, or ISR. The ISR has been developed under a collaboration with Medtronic (MDT). In December 2017, Medtronic received FDA approval of a premarket application, or PMA, for a proprietary intravascular infusion catheter to be used with its SynchroMed II implantable infusion pump and related infusion system components in order to deliver Remodulin for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension, or PAH. Remodulin was originally approved by the FDA to treat PAH by continuous subcutaneous and intravenous routes of administration in 2002 and 2004, respectively, using external pumps. In the case of intravenous users, the therapy can be very burdensome and brings a risk of sepsis due to the use of a central indwelling catheter. The ISR provides patients a new option for delivery of intravenous Remodulin, where the entire delivery system is implanted into the body and will be refilled by healthcare professionals at intervals of up to 16 weeks depending on the patient's dose, using a syringe needle through the patient's skin.

06:19 EDT Medtronic receives FDA approval for Implantable System for Remodulin - Medtronic (MDT) has received U.S. FDA approval for the Implantable System for Remodulin to treat patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Through a first-of-its-kind collaboration, the Medtronic SynchroMed II drug delivery system and cardiac catheter technologies were leveraged to deliver the PAH medication Remodulin Injection developed by United Therapeutics (UTHR). United Therapeutics will lead the commercial promotion of the ISR, with Medtronic support.

06:17 EDT Armada Hoffler reports Q2 Same Store NOI up 2.1%

06:13 EDT Athersys enrolls first patient at Phase 3 study for MultiStem - Athersys announced that the first patient has been enrolled its Phase 3 study entitled, MultiStem Administration for Stroke Treatment and Enhanced Recovery Study-2 to evaluate MultiStem cell therapy treatment of patients who have suffered an ischemic stroke. The MASTERS-2 clinical trial is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial designed to enroll 300 patients in North America and Europe who have suffered moderate to moderate-severe ischemic stroke.

06:10 EDT HP Inc. launches first print security bug bounty program - HP Inc. announced the industry's first print security bug bounty program, underscoring its commitment to deliver the world's most secure printersi. HP selected Bugcrowd, a global leader in crowdsourced offensive security, to manage vulnerability reporting, further enhancing HP's business printer portfolio. With HP's extensive history of device security innovation and driving new industry security standards, this print-focused bug bounty program is yet another way HP is leading the way when it comes to providing the highest-level security for its customers and partners.

06:07 EDT Discover, NCCC to form strategic network alliance - Discover Financial Services and National Credit Card Center of R.O.C., signed an agreement to form a strategic network alliance and expand its existing acquiring relationship. Currently, Discover, Diners Club International, and network affiliate cards are accepted on the NCCC network in Taiwan. The new agreement will allow acceptance of NCCC Global Cards outside of Taiwan on the Discover Global Network. NCCC is a non-profit foundation that provides card issuing member institutions with centralized processing services, including international credit card brand licensing and sponsorship, a shared information system, as well as merchant network setup. NCCC will continue to work with Taiwanese merchants to ensure acceptance of Discover, Diners Club and affiliate network cards on their network. The agreement also allows for all banks in Taiwan to begin issuing NCCC Global Cards. The cards will be issued by Taiwanese banks after enrolling in the Global Card program and run on their network domestically, while Discover Global Network will be enabling global acceptance for the card.

06:04 EDT Armstrong World authorizes additional $300M share repurchase program - The AWI Board of Directors authorized an expansion of the company's existing stock repurchase program under which it may repurchase up to an additional $300M of its outstanding common stock. This additional repurchase authorization extends through October of 2020.

05:49 EDT Chipotle closes Ohio restaurant on illness reports, shares drop - Chipotle Mexican Grill yesterday closed a store in Powell, Ohio following reports of customer illnesses. The Mexican food chain said last night in a statement to Bloomberg: "Our protocols identified a handful of illness reports at one restaurant in Powell. We acted quickly and closed this single restaurant out of an abundance of caution and we are working with health officials to reopen this restaurant as soon as possible." Chipotle shares in premarket trading are down 2%, or $9.07, to $456.40. Jefferies this morning upgraded the shares to Buy from Hold with a $550 price target.

05:41 EDT Concord Medical signs cooperation agreement with Peking University Hospital - Concord Medical Services Holdings announced that Concord Medical signed a cooperation agreement with Peking University International Hospital. Under the cooperation agreement, Concord Medical will provide comprehensive services for the Department of Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine of Peking University International Hospital. Peking University International Hospital is a hospital affiliated to Peking University Medical School and has a good reputation in the medical industry. It has a total construction area of 440,000 square meters with 1,800 beds. As the first U.S. listed medical service company in China, Concord Medical is experienced in providing radiation therapy and diagnosis imaging services, and provides patients with the advanced technical standards, quality control procedures and multidisciplinary treatments of the top cancer treatment institutions in the United States. Through this cooperation, both parties will develop their respective advantages and strive to provide quality multidisciplinary medical services for patients in Beijing and the surrounding areas.

05:38 EDT Applied DNA Sciences signs MOU with Everledger - Applied DNA Sciences and Everledger have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU, to execute a co-marketing and development plan for the two companies' platforms with an objective of providing integrated physical and digital security for supply chain traceability and certification for high-end brands and products. Under the MOU, Applied DNA and Everledger will collaboratively integrate their respective technology platforms and pursue various market opportunities, including leather. The two companies have identified several prospects for the combined platform and are actively developing the system for the demonstration of tagging and in-field authentication data posting to the digital transactions, thereby reinforcing molecular certification with immutable transactions. The proposed combination of the Everledger blockchain-enabled platform with Applied DNA's CertainT platform is designed to broaden the capability to track the movement and chain of custody of goods across complex ecosystems, while strengthening the protection of physical goods with forensic identity and traceability embedded in items themselves. The design expands on the proven functionality of the CertainT platform to support millions of tagging datapoints and thousands of sample submissions.

05:18 EDT Roche purchases shares in tender offer for Foundation Medicine - Roche (RHHBY) and Foundation Medicine (FMI) announced that Roche's wholly owned subsidiary 062018 Merger Subsidiary, Inc. has accepted for payment all shares validly tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to its tender offer for all outstanding shares of common stock of Foundation Medicine not already owned by Roche or its affiliates, at a price of $137.00 per share in cash. The tender offer expired at 12:00 midnight, Eastern Time, at the end of the day on 30 July 2018 and was not extended. Roche has been advised by Citibank, N.A., the depositary for the tender offer, that a total of approximately 12,535,376 shares of Foundation Medicine's common stock were validly tendered and not validly withdrawn in the tender offer, which represent approximately 77.28% of the total number of shares of Foundation Medicine's common stock outstanding. Following completion of the merger, Foundation Medicine will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Roche and Foundation Medicine's shares will cease to be traded on the NASDAQ Stock Market.

05:13 EDT Liberty Global announces $500M increase to share buyback program - Liberty Global announced sale of UPC Austria to T-Mobile Austria for an enterprise value of $2.2B, equal to nearly 11x UPC Austria's estimated 2017 adjusted segment operating cash flow. The proceeds, after taking into account the repayment of debt that we attribute to UPC Austria, will be approximately $1.1B. These proceeds will be used to increase our share repurchase program by $500 million and to repay additional debt across select credit pools of Liberty Global. Liberty Global's board authorized this increase to the buyback program in connection with the closing of the sale. The increase supplements our previously announced $2B share repurchase program, which we intend to complete by year-end 2018. The incremental $500M announced can be spent at any time over the next 12 months.