Stockwinners Market Radar for August 20, 2018 - Earnings, Upgrades downgrades, option trades, Best Stock Advisory Service

19:33 EDT BHP CEO says looking to accelerate oil output on higher prices, Bloomberg says

19:14 EDT Tilray reaches pact with OCC to supply variety of cannabis brands, products - Tilray Canada announced that the company has signed an agreement with the Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation, operating as the Cannabis Retail Store to supply the province of Ontario with a diverse array of cannabis products in anticipation of the launch of the adult-use market on October 17, 2018. Tilray intends to fulfill the agreement through its affiliate High Park Holdings Ltd., DBA High Park Company, which was formed to produce and distribute a broad-based portfolio of adult-use cannabis brands and products.

18:45 EDT On The Fly: After Hours Movers - UP AFTER EARNINGS: Fabrinet (FN) up 6.5%. ALSO HIGHER: Workday (WDAY) up 0.5% after being initiated at Buy, Top Pick at Guggenheim. DOWN AFTER EARNINGS: Sito Mobile (SITO) down 11.1%... Nordson (NDSN) down 7.3%. ALSO LOWER: Appian Corp (APPN) down 3.4% after mixed shelf offering... Cree (CREE) down 3.1% after announcing convertible note offering... MercadoLibre (MELI) down 1.5% after announcing convertible note offering... Hertz (HTZ) down 1.2% after CFO resignation.

18:29 EDT LinkedIn to let economics researchers mine its data - Microsoft's LinkedIn said in a blog post that the LinkedIn Economic Graph Research Program is an opportunity for researchers, academics, or data-driven thinkers to team with LinkedIn to "solve some of the most challenging economic problems of our time." LinkedIn said that it believes its "unique dataset" should be used "in service of creating economic opportunity for every member of the global workforce." "While our own researchers have made great strides in the application of this data to addressing both real-world problems and some interesting theoretical questions, we believe that partnering with academic researchers has tangible benefits, not only for LinkedIn members and customers, but for the global research community as well." The company added that interested researchers from universities, think tanks, and other non-profit entities can download the proposal template and submit their proposals for the Economic Graph Research Program until December 1. Reference Link

17:30 EDT Silgan Holdings director Leigh Abramson buys 7.5K shares of company stock - Silgan Holdings director Leigh Abramson disclosed in a filing that he had purchased 7,500 shares of company stock at an average price of $27.36 per share on August 20. The total transaction value of the purchase was $205,206.

17:17 EDT E.W. Scripps to acquire two ABC affiliates in Florida, Texas for $55M - The E.W. Scripps Company has agreed to acquire two ABC-affiliated television stations in Florida and Texas owned by Raycom Media for $55M. KXXV/KRHD in Waco, Texas, and WTXL in Tallahassee, Florida, are being divested as part of Gray Television's acquisition of Raycom. With this deal, Scripps will own 17 ABC affiliates. The stations are market No. 86 (KXXV/KRHD) and market No. 108 (WTXL). The acquisitions will expand Scripps' holdings to 35 TV stations in 26 markets and increase its U.S. TV household reach to 18.5%. KXXV/KHRD will be the company's first TV station in Texas. Adding WTXL expands Scripps' presence in Florida, which already includes the Fort Myers, West Palm Beach and Tampa markets, to reach nearly 50% of the state's TV households. The transaction is structured as a purchase of assets, and it will be funded with cash on hand; no debt financing will be required. It is expected to be accretive to earnings in the first full year Scripps operates the acquired stations. The purchase is subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the fourth quarter in conjunction with the closing of the Gray-Raycom transaction.

17:11 EDT General Dynamics awarded $134M US. Missile Defense Agency contract - General Atomics Electromagnetic System is being awarded a competitive cost-plus-award fee contract with a total value of $133,969,081. Under this new contract, the contractor will complete the development, integration, and flight test of an advanced sensor into an MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle in realistic test scenarios at continental U.S. and outside the continental U.S. locations. The work will be performed in San Diego, California. The performance period is from August 2018 through October 2021.

17:09 EDT Rockwell Collins awarded $288.5M U.S. Navy contract modification - Rockwell Collins is awarded $288,537,270 for modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to exercise option year one for the manufacture and delivery of the AN/ARC-210 family of radio equipment in support of Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Foreign Military Sales customers. Work will be performed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and is expected to be completed in September 2021.

17:00 EDT Cubic officer David Buss sells almost 3K shares of company stock - Cubic officer David Buss disclosed in a filing that he had sold 2,917 shares of company stock at an average price of $74 per share on August 16. The total transaction value of the sale was $215,858.

16:57 EDT Hertz slips 3.2% after CFO Thomas Kennedy resigns

16:42 EDT Great Ajax CFO buys over 7K shares of company stock - Great Ajax CFO Mary Doyle disclosed in a filing that she had bought 7,446 shares of company stock at an average price of $13.44 per share for a total transaction value of $100,074 on August 16.

16:35 EDT Nordson reports backlog of $428M at July 31 - Backlog for the quarter ended July 31, 2018 was approximately $428M, an increase of 16% compared to the same period a year ago, inclusive of 15% organic growth and 1% growth due to acquisitions.

16:31 EDT Switch repurchased 6.1M units from Intel Capital - In a regulatory filing, Switch (SWCH) announced that on August 16, 2018, the company entered into an agreement with Intel Capital Corp. (INTC) to purchase all of Intel Capital's 6,055,110 common units in the Operating Company. The Repurchase follows Intel Capital's June 18, 2018 notice of intent to redeem Units pursuant to the terms of the Fifth Amended and Restated Operating Agreement of the Operating Company. The Repurchase occurred at a price per Unit of $10.543. Pursuant to the Repurchase, the Company canceled its Class B common stock owned by Intel Capital. The Repurchase is part of a program previously approved by the Board of Directors of the company and reported in the company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2018.

16:20 EDT Hill International names Raouf Ghali CEO - Hill International has announced Raouf Ghali will become the company's new CEO, effective October 1. Ghali, currently Hill's president and COO, will replace Paul Evans, who has served as the company's interim CEO since May 2017.

16:18 EDT Lantheus names Robert Marshall as CFO - Lantheus Holdings (LNTH) announced that it has appointed Robert J. Marshall, Jr. as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, effective September 24, 2018. Mr. Marshall succeeds Jack Crowley, who will continue with the Company in a full time advisory role until September 28, 2018, and will work with Mr. Marshall to ensure a smooth transition. Mr. Marshall brings to the Company more than 30 years of finance experience, including in M&A, capital markets and investor relations. Prior to joining the Company, Mr. Marshall spent 16 years with Zimmer Biomet Holdings (ZBH), a global medical device company with a leading position in musculoskeletal health.

16:08 EDT RigNet appoints Lee Ahlstrom as CFO - RigNet announced the appointment of Lee Ahlstrom as senior VP and CFO, effective immediately. Most recently, Ahlstrom served as senior VP and CFO for Paragon Offshore Ltd. Ahlstrom succeeds Tonya McDermott, who served as the interim CFO.

16:06 EDT REV Group expands partnership with Federal Signal - REV Group (REVG) announced that it has expanded its partnership with Federal Signal (FSS) to provide Federal Signal's complete catalog of lighting and signaling products through REV's Parts Division, REV Parts, LLC. Federal Signal offers signaling products at competitive prices, making their products attractive for initial vehicle builds as well as aftermarket replacements and upgrades. This partnership will allow REV Parts to better serve dealers and end-user customers. REV Parts customers will be able to easily find and order Federal Signal products through REV's Parts' online parts system.

16:02 EDT Hertz CFO Thomas Kennedy resigns, Jamere Jackson to succeed - Hertz (HTZ) announced that Thomas Kennedy, Hertz's CFO, has resigned to pursue the next chapter of his career. Hertz also announced that effective on September 10, 2018, Jamere Jackson will join the company as CFO. Jackson will oversee all financial aspects of the company, including financial planning and analysis, accounting and financial reporting, and managing tax, internal audit, treasury and risk management. Jackson served as CFO of Nielsen Holdings (NLSN) from March 2014 to August 2018.

16:01 EDT Morgan Stanley Energy Partners, Catalyst Energy form strategic partnership - Investment funds managed by Morgan Stanley Energy Partners, part of Morgan Stanley Investment Management, and Midland, Texas-based Catalyst Energy Services LLC announced a strategic partnership whereby MSEP has made a majority equity investment in Catalyst to support the growth of the company's pressure pumping and other complementary services in premier U.S. oil and gas basins. Proceeds from MSEP's investment will be used to purchase state-of-the-art Tier IV pressure pumping equipment specifically designed to maximize pumping efficiency and meet the needs of E&P customers' modern completion designs. The partnership with MSEP provides the company with capital and resources to significantly expand Catalyst's equipment fleet and service offerings. In connection with MSEP's equity investment, the company expects to introduce new pressure pumping and pump down equipment into the Permian Basin in 3Q 2018 with additional plans to expand its service offerings and geographic footprint to support its customers.

15:57 EDT Qwest trading resumes

15:57 EDT Qwest trading resumes

15:23 EDT Stoneridge appoints Laurent Borne as Chief Technology Officer - Stoneridge announced Laurent Borne as the company's Chief Technology Officer, effective August 20. In this new role, Borne will support increasing market demand for the company's advanced products and help shape the company's future technology road map. Prior to joining Stoneridge, Borne was vice president of product development, global dishwasher platform, at Whirlpool Corporation.

14:46 EDT FTC approves Alimentation Couche-Tard sale of two Minnesota fuel stations - The Federal Trade Commission has approved an application by Alimentation Couche-Tard (ANCUF) to divest two retail fuel stations in Minnesota. The divestitures are required under the FTC's Feb. 15, 2018 final order settling charges that ACT's proposed acquisition of Holiday Companies would violate federal antitrust law. The application requests that the FTC approve the divestiture of the two retail fuel stations located in Saint Peter and Minnetonka to the Andeavor Corporation (ANDV) subsidiary Northern Tier Retail. The application also included a third station in Saint Paul, but ACT later asked to divest the station to Twin City Petroleum & Property instead. That application is pending final approval by the Commission. Under the terms of the consent agreement, ACT and its affiliate, CrossAmerica Partners (CAPL) are required to identify a buyer or buyers that are acceptable to the Commission within 120 days after the issue date of the order, which was June 15, 2018, and to divest 10 retail fuel stations. The agreement also requires ACT and CAPL to maintain the economic viability, marketability, and competitiveness of each station until the divestiture is complete.

14:34 EDT PURA approves rate settlement agreement for Connecticut Water - Connecticut Water Company received unanimous approval from the Connecticut Public Utilities Regulatory Authority on a Settlement Agreement that was developed between the Company and the state's consumer advocate at the Office of the Consumer Counsel. "Understanding the current economic climate and the impacts it has had on our customers and Connecticut's municipalities, we are working hard to hold down any cost increases," stated David C. Benoit, president and chief executive officer of Connecticut Water Service. "We sought recovery of only a limited portion of the investments made in our water supplies, treatment, tanks, equipment and other improvements in the systems across the company since the last general rate case in 2010. This agreement allows us to continue to serve customers and communities with high-quality water and service while maintaining the financial strength to invest in our systems," continued Benoit. Richard Sobolewski, Supervisor of Technical Analysis of the OCC, said, "The Office of Consumer Counsel was pleased to reach this settlement agreement with the Company that includes a balance of trade-offs and compromises that reduces the impacts on customers' rates and stabilizes those rates until at least January 2020 while allowing Connecticut Water to continue to invest in its water system to maintain the service level for customers." With this approval, customers will still receive safe, clean drinking water for less than one penny per gallon. Water bills under the new rates will increase by approximately 8 cents per day, or $2.37 per month, for a residential customer using the average 15,000 gallons of water per quarter. To minimize the impact on municipal budgets, there will be no change in the rates charged for public fire service

14:06 EDT EA announces Battlefield V early access open beta to begin September 4 - Electronic Arts' DICE announced that the Battlefield V Open Beta will begin on September 4 for early access and September 6 for all players on Origin for PC, Xbox One and PlayStation4. Battlefield V will be available worldwide October 19 on Xbox One, PlayStation4 and Origin for PC.

13:45 EDT FDA grants regular approval for pembrolizumab combo for NSqNSCLC - The Food and Drug Administration approved pembrolizumab, marketed as Keytruda by Merck, in combination with pemetrexed and platinum as first-line treatment of patients with metastatic, non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer, or NSqNSCLC, with no EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations. Pembrolizumab was previously granted accelerated approval for this indication in May 2017 based on improvements in overall response rate and progression-free survival for patients randomized to pembrolizumab administered with pemetrexed and carboplatin as compared with pemetrexed and carboplatin alone in the KEYNOTE-021 study. "Today's approval represents fulfillment of a postmarketing commitment demonstrating the clinical benefit of this product," the FDA stated on August 17. Reference Link

13:13 EDT Facebook, NYU School of Medicine launch research collaboration to improve MRI - Facebook and NYU School of Medicine's Department of Radiology announced fastMRI, a new collaborative research project that will investigate the use of artificial intelligence to make magnetic resonance imaging scans up to 10 times faster. If this effort is successful, it will make MRI technology available to more people, expanding access to this key diagnostic tool. This project will initially focus on changing how MRI machines operate. Currently, scanners work by gathering raw numerical data in a series of sequential views and turning the data into cross-sectional images of internal body structures that doctors then use to evaluate a patient's health. The larger the data set to be gathered, the longer the scan will take. Though this project will initially focus on MRI technology, its long-term impact could extend to many other medical imaging applications. For example, the improvements afforded by AI have the potential to revolutionize CT scans as well. Advanced image reconstruction might enable ultra-low-dose CT scans suitable for vulnerable populations, such as pediatric patients. Such improvements would not only help transform the experience and effectiveness of medical imaging, but they'd also help equalize access to an indispensable element of medical care. Reference Link

12:43 EDT Sabby Management reports 9.88% passive stake in Ability

12:26 EDT Cowen says EA's new 'Battlefield' game 'headed for a rough go' - Shares of Electronic Arts (EA) were marginally lower after a Cowen analyst said that the company's upcoming war shooter "Battlefield V" appears "headed for a rough go." ORDOMETER ANALYSIS: In a research note to investors, Cowen analyst Doug Creutz unveiled Cowen's updated Ordometer analysis, which historically used Amazon's (AMZN) best-seller data but transitioned this year to using GameStop's (GME) best-seller data. According to updated data, Activision Blizzard's (ATVI) "Call of Duty: Black Ops 4" is at the top of the 2018 Ordometer rankings, as Creutz thinks pre-orders are tracking broadly in-line with other strong-selling "Call of Duty" games. The analyst noted that Take-Two's (TTWO) much-anticipated "Red Dead Redemption 2" is the third ranked game on the Odometer's rankings, with Bethesda's "Fallout 76" just ahead in second. "RDR 2" is currently tracking 46% below "Black Ops 4," according to Creutz. In addition, the analyst said that Ubisoft's (UBSFY) upcoming action role-playing game "Assassin's Creed Odyssey" is tracking roughly in line with the median of prior titles in the "Assassin's Creed" franchise, though he noted that most prior "Assassin's Creed" games were available for sale before E3, whereas "Odyssey" was first made available the week of E3, so his firm's data is capturing the initial pre-order surge. NEW BF GAME 'TRACKING WEAKLY': Meanwhile, Creutz backed a Market Perform rating on EA, saying that the newest "Battlefield" title is tracking "very weakly" -- over 85% behind "Black Ops 4." Creutz noted that this estimate is "very far off" the tracking levels of previous "Battlefield" games in 2011, 2013, and 2016. The analyst added that because "Battlefield V" has a release date directly in between the new "Call of Duty" and "Red Dead Redemption 2," he worries that EA's new shooter game could be headed for a similar fate as the 2016 EA game "Titanfall 2," which got squeezed out of its launch date directly between "Battlefield 1" and "Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare." Creutz noted that this year marks the first time "Battlefield" has gone head-to-head with the "Black Ops" sub-brand. PRICE ACTION: In afternoon trading, shares of EA are down about 0.5% to $127.41. Meanwhile, Activision Blizzard and Take-Two are both also trading lower.

12:10 EDT Keysight, NTT DOCOMO extend collaboration to accelerate 5G commercialization - Keysight Technologies announced it has extended its collaboration with NTT DOCOMO, INC. by providing first-to-market 5G network emulation solutions for characterizing and validating new 5G New Radio mobile devices intended to operate on the leading mobile operator's 5G network. Keysight's 5G NR network emulations solutions enable NTT DOCOMO to assess the performance of new 5G mobile devices and address new technical challenges of deploying a 5G network at mmWave frequencies. Keysight's solutions allow users to validate the protocol signaling and Radio Frequency performance of 5G NR mobile devices in a laboratory environment. Keysight's comprehensive mmWave over-the-air test capabilities combine network emulation solutions with anechoic chamber, such as Keysight's Compact Antenna Test Range, which is consistent with 3GPP's decisions approving the chamber as an indirect far field test methodology. Keysight is also collaborating with NTT DOCOMO to develop specific test scenarios for their mobile ecosystem to ensure new 5G mobile devices will operate as expected on their network. This enables NTT DOCOMO's ecosystem to reduce R&D efforts and accelerate market introductions of new 5G mobile devices.

12:03 EDT Central Federal announces 1-for-5.5 reverse stock split - Central Federal Corporation announced a reverse stock split of its issued and outstanding shares of common stock at a ratio of 1-for-5.5. The company's common stock is expected to begin trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on a split-adjusted basis at market open on Tuesday, August 21. The company's common stock will continue to trade on NASDAQ under the symbol "CFBK". The reverse stock split will reduce the number of outstanding shares of the company's common stock from approximately 23.39 million shares to approximately 4.25 million shares.

12:01 EDT Street Fight: Analysts split on Bloom Energy after IPO - Several Wall Street analysts started coverage of Bloom Energy (BE) this morning. While Morgan Stanley analyst Stephen Byrd called the company "a true disruptor" and initiated the stock with a buy-equivalent rating, his peer at Bank of America Merrill Lynch started Bloom with an Underweight rating on high expectations and execution risks over costs and deployment. Highlighting the nearly 80% jump off the $15 IPO back in July 25, Credit Suisse analyst Michael Weinstein initiated coverage of Bloom Energy with a Neutral rating. BUY BLOOM ENERGY: Morgan Stanley's Byrd was among several Wall Street analysts that initiated coverage of Bloom Energy this morning. The analyst started the shares with an Overweight rating and $30 price target, calling the company "a true disruptor" that is revolutionizing on-site power with its natural gas fuel cell systems. The analyst pointed out that he sees a path to "significant" margin expansion and cash flow generation that is not yet reflected in the stock. Furthermore, Byrd believes Bloom has a multi-year lead given its technological advances, cost reductions, high barriers to entry and very limited set of commercial competitors. The analyst sees a "very large" market opportunity that continues to grow for Bloom as costs decline. Meanwhile, his peer at KeyBanc also started Bloom Energy with an Overweight rating and $27 price target. Analyst Tahira Afzal told investors that she views it as being in nascent phases of adoption as a practical, low-emissions power solution for C&I customers who are becoming increasingly emissions conscious and are looking for more weather-resilient energy solutions. Afzal assesses Bloom Energy to be well-placed to deliver close to 40% CAGR volume sales and notable margin expansion into 2020/21. Additionally, she pointed out that she views recent positive free cash flow inflection as sustainable and likely to improve, on an annualized basis. Voicing a similar opinion, JPMorgan analyst Paul Coster also initiated Bloom Energy with an Overweight rating and $32 price target. The analyst argued that Bloom is poised to disrupt the global power market and investors have an opportunity to build positions in a company that is inflecting into profitability over the next two years and is then positioned to grow sales at 25% CAGR with operating leverage for a decade, funded by positive cash flow. BOFA/MERRILL SAYS SELL: Bearish on the stock, Bank of America Merrill Lynch's Dumouln-Smith initiated Bloom Energy with an Underperform and $19 price target, citing high expectations and execution risks over costs and deployment. Smith told investors in a research note of his own that he expects difficulty in reducing costs by 15% and noted he believes pricing may have to be reduced further in order to meet 30%-plus deployment growth, which would significantly impact margins. ON THE SIDELINES: Meanwhile, Credit Suisse's Weinstein started coverage of Bloom Energy with a Neutral rating and $24 price target. After a nearly 80% jump off the $15 IPO, the analyst believes that current pricing captures a fair balance between the risk of executing continued cost reductions and the possible upside from accelerating sales growth once the investment tax credit sunsets in 2023. Oppenheimer analyst Colin Rusch also initiated Bloom Energy with a Perform rating. The analyst acknowledged that he sees the potential for the company to be a core solution provider in disrupting the power market and leading to the possibility for multi-decade growth, but sees limited valuation support at current price levels and also sees significant execution in front of Bloom. Additionally, Baird analyst Ben Kallo and Cowen analyst Jeffrey Osborne started coverage of the stock with Neutral-equivalent ratings. PRICE ACTION: In late morning trading, shares of Bloom Energy have gained over 1% to $22.50.

12:00 EDT Installed Building Products falls -5.3% - Installed Building Products is down -5.3%, or -$2.60 to $46.75.

12:00 EDT Acorn International rises 8.7% - Acorn International is up 8.7%, or $1.70 to $21.25.

12:00 EDT Cheetah Mobile rises 19.5% - Cheetah Mobile is up 19.5%, or $1.77 to $10.87.

11:57 EDT Skype's end-to-end encrypted Private Conversations now available for all users - Microsoft's Skype said that use of end-to-end encrypted Private Conversations on the service is now available for all users on Skype iOS, Android, Linux, Mac, and Windows Desktop. A preview of the feature was first announced back in January. Skype users can now select "New Private Conversation" from the compose menu or from the recipient's profile if they wish to opt in to these kinds of conversations. Once an user starts a new Private Conversation, the recipient will receive an invite. After the recipient accepts the invite, all calls and messages in that conversation will be encrypted end-to-end until users choose to end it. Users can participate in only one private conversation from a single device at a time. Users can switch the conversation to other devices, but the messages they send and receive will be tied to the device they're using at the time. Reference Link

11:36 EDT Immune Pharmaceuticals granted Orphan Drug Designation for bertilimumab - Immune Pharmaceuticals announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Orphan Drug Designation to bertilimumab for the treatment of bullous pemphigoid. The FDA Orphan Drug Designation program provides a special status to drugs and biologics intended to treat, diagnose or prevent diseases and disorders that affect fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S. This designation provides for a seven-year marketing exclusivity period, as well as certain incentives, including federal grants, tax credits and a waiver of PDUFA filing fees.

10:46 EDT JPMorgan cuts Tesla target to remove 'premature' go-private assumptions - Shares of Tesla (TSLA) are under pressure again this morning as JPMorgan analyst Ryan Brinkman lowered his price target on the stock to $195 from $308 as he reverts back to valuing the shares on the basis of fundamentals alone. Meanwhile, Vertical Research analyst Gordon Johnson told investors that he "strongly" believes a Tesla go-private transaction has a "very low probability." BACK TO FUNDAMENTALS-BASED VALUATION: In a research note to investors this morning, JPMorgan's Brinkman lowered his price target for Tesla to $195 from $308 as he is reverting to valuing the stock on the basis of fundamentals alone given that funding for any type of deal appears to not have been secured. While the analyst acknowledged that Tesla does appear to be exploring a going private transaction, he now believes that such a process appears much less developed than he had earlier presumed, suggesting formal incorporation into his valuation analysis seems premature at this time. As such, Brinkman feels it is appropriate to remove the 50% weighting he had briefly assigned to a going private transaction and instead return to his previous fundamentals-based valuation approach. The analyst reiterated an Underweight rating on Tesla shares. FULLY DEBT-FUNDED DEAL 'NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE": After his back-of-the envelope analysis and given his understanding of Tesla's business, Vertical Research's Johnson "strongly" believes that a go-private transaction has a "very low probability" of reaching the "finish line." He feels that a go-private deal for Tesla would require about $49B in funding, or more than two times the amount Elon Musk projected. The analyst sees a fully debt-funded deal as likely "nearly impossible" to garner interest at present. Despite Musk's claims, Johnson pointed out that he believes retail investors will be restricted from participating in any potential Tesla go-private deal, noting that as a result of the JOBS Act, "private vehicles are limited to 2,000 investors, no more than 500 of whom may be unqualified investors." In the analyst's view, for a deal to be realistic, Tesla would need to reduce its debt by roughly half, or $5B, and would need another approximately $5B in equity financing to make it through the next 10-12 month "theoretical" deal process. Given existing shareholders who decide to roll their position into a private equity will not be able to exit shares if they "don't like what they see," the analyst highlighted that institutional participation is predicted on "several, large, credible buyers coming forward soon to give their 'blessing' to the deal." This has not happened yet, he said, adding that with roughly $800M in annual stock-based compensation, the deal would likely need to be upsized by $4B-$5B to cover new cash expenses. Overall, Johnson sees the probability of Tesla being taken private at less than 10%. WHAT'S NOTABLE: Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund PIF is in talks to invest in aspiring Tesla rival Lucid Motors, according to Reuters, citing people familiar with the matter. It has been speculated previously that PIF, which has built a stake in the electric carmaker, could be asked to help Musk fund a deal to take the company private. PRICE ACTION: In morning trading, shares of Tesla have come off their lows to be down fractionally at $304.78.

10:32 EDT HP Enterprise, Alibaba Cloud announce collaboration - Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) announced a collaboration with Alibaba Cloud, the cloud computing arm of Alibaba Group (BABA), stating it is the first technology vendor to deliver next-generation on-premise hybrid cloud solutions with Apsara Stack on HPE platforms in Asia Pacific excluding China. Scott Morris, HPE Vice President & General Manager, Asia Pacific Channel, Distribution & Alliances, said, "In supporting Alibaba Cloud, we're aiming to help customers leverage Apsara Stack powered by HPE technology and services to deploy a comprehensive suite of scalable cloud computing services that securely and cost-effectively manage their business needs." The HPE-based offering, using Intel (INTC) Xeon Scalable processor-based platform, is targeted for availability end-2018 across Asia Pacific excluding China. Reference Link

10:29 EDT Qwest trading halted, news dissemination

10:07 EDT RPM up in early trading after eliminating 'poison pill' provision - In a regulatory filing after the close on Friday, RPM International reported that on August 17 the company and Equiniti Trust Company, as rights agent, entered into an amendment the accelerated the expiration of the rights to purchase common stock under the company's rights agreement from May 11, 2019 to August 17, 2018. This had the effect of terminating the rights agreement on that date, the company noted. A rights agreement, which is used as an anti-takeover strategy in anticipation of a hostile takeover attempt, is often referred to as a "poison pill." In early trading, RPM International shares are up 97c, or 1.5%, to $64.90.

10:00 EDT Amneal Pharmaceuticals rises 7.1% - Amneal Pharmaceuticals is up 7.1%, or $1.53 to $23.05.

10:00 EDT Cheetah Mobile rises 12.2% - Cheetah Mobile is up 12.2%, or $1.11 to $10.21.

09:23 EDT Cemtrex licenses VR gaming rights to Star Force - Cemtrex announced that the company and author, B. V. Larson, have entered into an exclusive licensing agreement to develop and publish video games based on the author's series, Star Force. Larson is the author of more than fifty books with over 2M copies sold. Star Force is a military, science fiction book series written by Larson. Larson started the space opera Star Force series in December 2010 with the publishing and release of the first novel, Swarm. The agreement grants Cemtrex exclusive rights to publish games on VR, console, PC, and handheld devices. The company plans to prioritize the development of virtual reality games for the Star Force series.

09:14 EDT Ocean Power ships PB3 PowerBuoy to Eni SpA - Ocean Power (OPTT) announced that the company has successfully shipped its PB3 PowerBuoy to Ravenna, Italy for Eni SpA's (E) deployment and use in its subsea operations. OPT will also provide to Eni deployment support, remote data collection and monitoring. Since signing in March, OPT and Eni have attained several key milestones such as payload integration and testing of buoy systems.

09:11 EDT RADA Electronic's MHR to be delivered to the British Army - RADA Electronic announced that its multi-mission hemispheric radars, or MHR, which are embedded in the Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Drone Dome counter-drone solution, will be delivered to the British Army in the coming months. These systems will be used to protect from airborne drones some sensitive facilities and sites on which British armed forces are deployed. The British Army is the first customer for this new and advanced drone dome system. Several initial systems are being purchased, with additional potential for significant further orders which are expected to materialize in the coming months and quarters. Rafael's drone dome team together with RADA, won the tender published by the UK Ministry of Defense, ahead of Israel Aerospace Industries' subsidiary Elta and Italian company Leonardo.

09:04 EDT J.C. Penney unveils new, exclusive big & tall brand with Shaquille O'Neal - Building on the company's partnership with NBA legend and television personality Shaquille "Shaq" O'Neal, JCPenney is unveiling an all-new, exclusive big & tall brand, Shaquille O'Neal XLG. "Available in 350 stores and online at JCPenney.com on Sept. 13, the brand will feature a curated selection of men's clothing and furnishings designed specifically with the big & tall customer in mind," the company said.

09:03 EDT Intevac announces $10M expansion of existing $30M share repurchase program - Intevac announced that its board of directors has authorized the repurchase of up to an additional $10M of the company's ordinary shares, incremental to the $30M stock repurchase plan currently in place; thereby increasing the total repurchase plan to $40M. With our current plan, the company has repurchased 4.8M shares for a total of $28.5M.

08:58 EDT Guidewire contributes to report on cyber insurance market - Guidewire Software helped develop data analysis included in a report published by A.M. Best, "Cyber Insurance Market: Stress Testing the Future." The report extrapolates market trends to test and estimate the impact of future cyberattacks on the industry's capitalization and ratings. Cyber insurance market premiums globally are on pace to grow to $14B by 2022, and the report's goal was to provide clarity on the potential impacts of this growth on insurers, and to provide risk management guidance to support the market. In the test, five typical policy profiles were created, each with specific attributes such as policy limits and line of business minimums. Guidewire Cyence Risk Analytics, which uses data listening to collect real exposure and accumulation data at scale, was applied to the modeled cyber portfolios of the top 20 insurance carriers to model their gross loss potential in two scenarios - cloud service provider interruption and mass vulnerability as described in a Lloyd's 2017 emerging risk report. In the first scenario, numerous cloud-based customer servers fail, leading to widespread service and business interruptions. In the second, a common software application is compromised and exploited on a global scale. To capture the totality of potential losses, Guidewire also modeled the portfolio's total annual losses from all event types. According to the A.M. Best special report, most carriers' gross losses were manageable, however severity loss potential was identified. Three of the carriers' modeled gross losses range from 15 percent to 119 percent of their estimated 2022 policyholder surplus in a single-event scenario. In addition to the two event scenarios, annual gross losses that could occur over a 12-month period as a result of all events, were assessed. At the 1-in-200 event level, five companies incurred gross losses ranging from 11 percent to 233 percent of their 2022 policyholder surplus. The report notes that loss projections under the 1-in-50 and 1-in-200 scenarios do not consider ceded reinsurance arrangements the companies may have.

08:47 EDT Melco Resorts & Entertainment subsidiary provides update on IPO - Studio City International provided an update to its announcement made on August 14, 2017 regarding the confidential submission of a draft registration statement for the proposed initial public offering, or IPO, of American Depositary Shares, or ADS, representing ordinary shares of Studio City. Studio City has been continuing its preparations for the proposed IPO, which is expected to commence as market conditions permit and remains subject to the SEC declaring the registration statement effective. The ADSs may not be sold nor may offers to buy be accepted prior to the time the registration statement becomes effective.

08:38 EDT Cellectar Biosciences announces improved tolerability of CLR 131 - Cellectar Biosciences announced data from Cohort 5 of the company's ongoing Phase 1b clinical trial evaluating CLR 131 for the treatment of relapsed/refractory, or R/R, multiple myeloma, or MM. Unlike prior cohorts that used single doses of CLR 131, Cohort 5 utilized a fractionated two-dose regimen of 15.625 mCi/m2 given approximately one week apart. This dosing schedule provides higher average drug exposure but lower peak serum levels than non-fractionated dosing potentially reducing adverse events and improving efficacy. The independent Data Monitoring Committee, or DMC, determined the fractionated dose used in Cohort 5 to be safe and well tolerated and recommended advancement to a higher dose cohort. Results from Cohort 5 indicate enhanced tolerability and safety in comparison to Cohort 4 despite an 18% increase in total average dose from 55.29 mCi to 65.15 mCi of CLR 131. Patients in Cohort 5 required less supportive care such as transfusions of platelets or packed red blood cells than seen in previous cohorts. Based on the results and DMC recommendation, the company plans to initiate a sixth cohort using a fractionated dose regimen of two doses of 18.75 mCi/m2 administered one week apart and to modify the dosing regimen of its ongoing Phase 2 trial of R/R hematologic malignancies to use fractionated dosing.

08:34 EDT Consortium of investors proposes to acquire China Biologic for $118 per share - A consortium composed of David Gao, GL Capital Group, Bank of China Group Investment Limited, and CDH Investments announced it has made a non-binding proposal to acquire all of the outstanding common shares of China Biologic Products Holdings, that are not already held by the Consortium, for $118.00 per share in an all-cash transaction valued at approximately $3.9B. The proposal was conveyed on August 17, 2018 in a letter to China Biologic's board. The Consortium's proposal represents an approximate 30% premium to China Biologic's closing share price on August 16, 2018, and an approximate 40% premium to the company's closing price on June 8, 2018, the last trading day before CITIC Capital's proposal to acquire the company for $110.00 per share was conveyed.

08:33 EDT Consortium of investors proposes to acquire China Biologic for $118 per share -

08:32 EDT Annaly Capital extends exchange offer to acquire MTGE Investment - Annaly Capital Management (NYL) announced that it has extended its previously announced exchange offer to purchase all of the outstanding shares of common stock of MTGE Investment Corp. (MTGE). In the Offer, MTGE common stockholders may elect to receive, in exchange for each share of MTGE common stock they hold, $9.82 in cash and 0.9519 shares of Annaly common stock, $19.65 in cash or 1.9037 shares of Annaly common stock. MTGE common stockholders tendering into the Offer and making an all cash election or an all stock election will be subject to proration so that approximately 50% of the aggregate consideration in the Offer will be paid in shares of Annaly common stock, and 50% of the aggregate consideration in the Offer will be paid in cash. The Offer will now expire at 7:00 a.m., Eastern Time, on September 7, 2018, unless further extended in accordance with the terms of the merger agreement dated May 2, 2018, by and among Annaly, Mountain Merger Sub Corporation and MTGE. All other terms and conditions of the Offer remain unchanged. The Offer has been extended to allow the parties to satisfy the remaining conditions to the completion of the Offer, as set forth in the prospectus/offer to exchange, dated June 4, 2018. Computershare Trust Company, N.A., the depositary and exchange agent for the Offer, has advised Annaly that as of 5:00 p.m., Eastern Time on August 17, 2018, approximately 14,517,976 shares of common stock of MTGE have been validly tendered and not validly withdrawn pursuant to the Offer, representing approximately 31.7% of the outstanding shares of common stock of MTGE.

08:25 EDT Odyssey Marine to acquire 80% interest in ocean mineral project - Odyssey Marine has entered into a letter of intent with Seabed Capital to acquire from Seabed an 80% interest in a holding company whose primary asset is an exclusive license for a potentially significant subsea mineral deposit. Total consideration for this acquisition is 250,000 shares of Odyssey common stock and an agreement that will pay Seabed a 2.5% net smelter royalty from future mine production. The deposit has strategic value to Odyssey and adds additional diversification to the company's mineral property portfolio. Previous exploration expeditions resulted in promising high-grade ore samples and the concession is close to other mineral projects with substantial proven value.

08:17 EDT Seven Stars Cloud Group signs $24B deal with National Transportation Capacity Co - Seven Stars Cloud Group announced a ground-breaking, three-year, exclusive $24B deal with National Transportation Capacity Co to issue fixed income lease financing-based products, through a global strategic alliance network which operates in a regulatory compliant manner, for large-scale electric bus upgrades, as part of the Chinese government's regulations for all buses to be replaced with electric buses by 2021. The market size for the mandatory replacements and upgrades to achieve fully-electric bus operations in China is estimated at approximately $145B. NTS is the largest full-service operator for electric buses, with sales, lease financing, a charging station network, and real-time data services including media, payments, maps, and facial recognition. Under the terms of the deal, SSC, through its global strategic alliance network, will provide two distinct financing campaigns, one in China and the second across global markets. For the China-based financing, SSC will conduct financing activities through the sale of fixed income products to raise approximately $8.75B over three years. For the global markets financing activities, SSC will exclusively provide both fixed income and asset digitization products to raise $15B over three years.

08:10 EDT Teva Canada expands recall of valsartan drugs to include additional lots - Health Canada is advising Canadians that, as a precautionary measure, Teva Canada is expanding its voluntary recall to include eight additional lots of valsartan products in Canada because they may contain an impurity, N-nitrosodimethylamine. Valsartan is used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure.This latest action is further to an initial recall of certain valsartan products because of the presence of NDMA in the active ingredient. All of the recalled products use a valsartan ingredient manufactured by Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals in China. Health Canada is reviewing the long-term potential health impacts of the NDMA impurity on patients. The additional Teva Canada products are being recalled after sample testing of the active ingredient by Zhejiang Huahai Pharmaceuticals identified trace levels of NDMA. Testing is ongoing. In the meantime, Health Canada has asked Teva Canada to recall these additional products as a precautionary measure, and to conduct a full investigation to determine the root cause of this most recent issue.

08:06 EDT Strata Skin Sciences announces marketing agreement with dermatology groups - Strata Skin Sciences announced the signing of a strategic marketing agreement with one of the nations' largest private equity backed dermatology groups. The agreement allows for deployment across the group's network of dozens of clinics to place the XTRAC excimer laser and to utilize Strata's unique XTRAC value-add business model. The placement is on a pay per use basis with no upfront cost to the practices. Strata provides clinical training, drives XTRAC utilization with direct to consumer, or DTC, advertisement, and supports patients with advocacy. The agreement will be implemented across the group's network, with the first 10 clinics expected to be deployed before the end of 2018.

08:02 EDT ConocoPhillips signs $2B settlement agreement with PDVSA - ConocoPhillips announced that it has entered into a settlement agreement with Petroleos de Venezuela, the Venezuelan state-owned oil company, to recover approximately $2B, the full amount awarded to ConocoPhillips by an arbitral tribunal constituted under the rules of the International Chamber of Commerce, plus interest through the payment period. PDVSA has agreed to recognize the ICC judgment and make initial payments totaling approximately $500M within a period of 90 days from the time of signing. The balance of the settlement is to be paid quarterly over a period of 4.5 years. As a result of the settlement, ConocoPhillips has agreed to suspend its legal enforcement actions of the ICC award, including in the Dutch Caribbean. ConocoPhillips has ensured that the settlement meets all appropriate U.S. regulatory requirements, including any applicable sanctions imposed by the U.S. against Venezuela. Further details of the agreement are confidential. On April 25, 2018, the ICC tribunal awarded ConocoPhillips approximately $2B arising out of PDVSA's failure to uphold its contractual commitments. The award relates to the unlawful expropriation of ConocoPhillips' investments in the Hamaca and Petrozuata heavy crude oil projects in Venezuela in 2007 and other pre-expropriation fiscal measures. The ICC arbitration award is final and binding upon the parties. Additionally, ConocoPhillips has a separate and independent legal action pending against the government of Venezuela before a tribunal under the auspices of the World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes. The ICSID tribunal has already ruled that Venezuela's expropriation of ConocoPhillips' investments violated international law. Proceedings are underway to determine the amount of compensation owed to ConocoPhillips.

07:54 EDT Farmers & Merchants to acquire Limberlost Bancshares in $88.77M transaction - Farmers & Merchants announced that they have signed a definitive merger agreement whereby F&M will acquire Limberlost Bancshares, the holding company for Bank of Geneva, in a combination stock and cash transaction. Bank of Geneva operates six full-service offices in northeast Indiana and has approximately $287M in assets, $257M in loans, $212M in deposits and $30.6M in consolidated equity as of June 30. Limberlost is taxed as an S-Corporation. Subject to the terms of the merger agreement, which has been approved by the board of each company, Limberlost shareholders will receive 1,830 shares of F&M common stock for each outstanding share of Limberlost common stock plus $8,465 in cash. Limberlost currently has 1,000 shares of common stock outstanding. Based on the F&M closing share price as of August 17, the transaction is valued at approximately $88.77M in aggregate. The transaction will significantly increase F&M's presence in northeast Indiana. Bank of Geneva operates offices in the Indiana communities of Geneva, Berne, Monroe, Monroeville, Portland and Decatur. F&M has 21 offices in Ohio and 4 offices in Indiana.

07:50 EDT Nova Lifestyle appoints Wilson Yiu as CTO - Nova LifeStyle announced the appointment of a key technology executive, Wilson Yiu, to lead the expansion efforts of the company's blockchain technology platform. The company is seeking to incorporate blockchain technology into its product supply chain. Yiu has twenty years of experience in enterprise resource planning, or ERP, and customer relationship management, or CRM, projects in consulting, management, implementations, application development and e-commerce. Yiu was a senior IT manager at Green Wave Ingredients. Yiu will serve as the CTO.

07:36 EDT Zai Lab announces completion of ZL-2306 study for ovarian cancer patients - Zai Lab announced the early completion of an open-label study to evaluate the pharmacokinetic, or PK, profile of ZL-2306 made in China in Chinese ovarian cancer patients. The study demonstrated comparable PK profile of Chinese patients who were administered ZL-2306 to the PK profile of patients evaluated in Tesaro's clinical trials using product manufactured outside of China. These results are important in supporting the regulatory review of ZL-2306, a potent and highly selective PARP1/2 inhibitor, in ovarian cancer patients in mainland China. The open-label PK Study enrolled 36 subjects with dose levels ranging from 100mg, 200mg and 300mg, and assessed the PK profile of ZL-2306 made in China. The objective was to evaluate ZL-2306's PK profile and tolerability in Chinese patients, and to compare the key PK parameters with global data. The results showed that the drug exposure increased proportionally from 100mg to 300mg, with no unexpected safety issues noted. All key PK parameters were comparable to those in global studies. The population PK data and analysis showed no ethnicity differences between Chinese and non-Chinese patients.

07:31 EDT Amneal Pharmaceuticals announces license agreement with Jerome Stevens - Amneal Pharmaceuticals announced a 10-year license and supply agreement for Levothyroxine sodium tablets with Jerome Stevens Pharmaceuticals, a New York-based pharmaceutical manufacturer of prescription tablet and capsule formulations. The agreement is effective March 22, 2019. The agreement includes an upfront milestone payment upon commercialization and a profit share on future sales of Levothyroxine. Further terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

07:18 EDT GasLog signs two charter party agreements with Cheniere Energy subsidiary - GasLog (GLOG) announced the signing of two new charter party agreements, each for a firm period of seven years, with a wholly owned subsidiary of Cheniere Energy (LNG). To fulfil the Charters, two 174,000 cubic meter LNG carriers with low pressure two stroke propulsion have been ordered from South Korea, with expected delivery in late 2020. The rate of hire for the Charters is broadly in line with mid-cycle rates and delivers returns in line with GasLog's financial strategy. In addition to the Charters, GasLog has agreed with Cheniere an option for the charter of one or two additional newbuild vessels. GasLog Partners (GLOP) has the right to acquire the vessels delivered into the Charters pursuant to the omnibus agreement between GasLog and GasLog Partners. As a result, GasLog Partners' potential dropdown pipeline will increase to 11 LNG carriers with charter length of five years or longer.

07:14 EDT Aspen Group announces 1,314 new student enrollments in Q1 - Aspen Group announced a company record of 1,314 new student enrollments for Q1, a 52% increase year-over-year. Aspen University accounted for 1,093 new student enrollments, while United States University, or USU, accounted for 221 new student enrollments. Aspen University's traditional fully-online degree programs delivered 1,000 enrollments in the quarter compared to 862 in the prior year period, a 16% increase year-over-year. Aspen University's traditional fully-online enrollment center ended the quarter with 56 Enrollment Advisors as compared to 49 EAs in the prior year period, representing growth of 14%. Overall, AGI grew its enrollment center from 49 to 70 EAs year-over-year, representing growth of 43%. The majority of the year-over-year enrollment center growth was the staffing of its new subsidiary, USU, which ended the quarter with 11 EAs. Finally, Aspen University's Pre-licensure BSN AZ campus now employs 3 EAs whom were responsible for delivering 93 enrollments for the inaugural semester which began in July.

07:10 EDT RedHill Biopharma receives notice of allowance from USPTO for RHB-106 - RedHill Biopharm announced that it has received a notice of allowance from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, or USPTO, for a new formulation patent covering RHB-106, which is expected to be valid until at least 2033. Additional patent applications for RHB-106 are pending in numerous other countries. RHB-106 is an encapsulated bowel cleanser licensed to Salix Pharmaceuticals. RedHill recently amended its 2014 worldwide license agreement with Salix relating to RHB-106, as well as additional related rights. The amendment clarified Salix's future development efforts and provides for enhanced involvement by RedHill in certain intellectual property matters and increased the lower end of the range of royalty payments to be paid to RedHill on net sales from low single digits to high single digits. Milestone payments remain unchanged. RedHill continues to assist Salix in the development of RHB-106, as needed.

07:08 EDT Oceaneering unit awarded four-year contract from Petrobras - Oceaneering International (OII) announced that one of its wholly owned subsidiaries, Marine Production Systems do Brasil Ltda., has secured a four-year contract with a one-year optional extension period from Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. (PBR) in Brazil. The contract will support intervention and completion operations in Brazil. Under the terms of the contract, Oceaneering will supply and operate three drill pipe riser systems with installation workover control systems, or IWOCS, along with project management, engineering and support services. The company plans to manufacture the associated umbilicals for the DPR systems at its facility in Niteroi, Brazil. Oceaneering will start constructing and building the assets in the third quarter of 2018, and expects work under the contract to commence in the third quarter of 2019. The contract value is expected to exceed $50M in revenue during the initial four-year period.

07:07 EDT Cubic unit awarded $27M contract from Canadian government - Cubic announced its Cubic Global Defense business division was awarded a task authorization worth more than $27M from Public Service and Procurement Canada on behalf of Canada's Department of National Defence to deliver Urban Operations Training capability into the Canadian Weapon Effects Simulation environment. Under this task authorization, Cubic will equip Urban Operations sites at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown and the Canadian Manoeuvre Training Centre Wainwright, to satisfy the force-on-force training capability requirements of the Canadian Army.

07:05 EDT Tyson Foods to acquire Keystone Foods for $2.16B - Tyson Food announced it has reached a definitive agreement to buy the Keystone Foods business from Marfrig Global Foods for $2.16B in cash. The acquisition of Keystone, a major supplier to the growing global foodservice industry, is Tyson Foods' latest investment in furtherance of its growth strategy and expansion of its protein capabilities. Headquartered in West Chester, Pennsylvania, Keystone supplies chicken, beef, fish and pork to some of the quick-service restaurant chains, as well as retail and convenience store channels. Its product portfolio includes chicken nuggets, wings and tenders; beef patties; and breaded fish fillets. The acquisition includes six processing plants and an innovation center in the U.S. with locations in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. It also includes eight plants and three innovation centers in China, South Korea, Malaysia, Thailand and Australia. Keystone, which employs approximately 11,000 people, generated annual revenue of $2.5B and adjusted EBITDA of $211M in the last 12 months ending June 30, excluding non-controlling interest and other adjustments. During the same period, the company generated approximately 65% of its revenue from U.S.-based production and the remaining 35% from its Asia Pacific plants. The acquisition will be funded through a combination of existing liquidity and proceeds from the issuance of new debt. Initial leverage metrics are expected to be well within levels appropriate for the company's existing investment-grade credit ratings. The company plans to use its cash flows to pay down debt to continue to support its credit ratings and to strengthen its balance sheet.The transaction, which has been approved by Tyson Foods' board of directors, is expected to close in mid-fiscal 2019. It is subject to customary closing conditions, including regulatory approvals.

07:03 EDT Izea announces name change to IZEA Worldwide - IZEA Worldwide announced that it has completed a corporate name change from IZEA, Inc. to IZEA Worldwide, Inc. The name change does not affect the rights of the Company's stockholders, creditors, customers or suppliers. The Company's common stock will continue to trade on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the current trading symbol "IZEA." Effective as of August 20, 2018, the CUSIP number of the Company's common stock is 46604H 105. The Company's current stockholders will not need to exchange their current stock certificates as the stock certificates reflecting the Company's prior corporate name will continue to be valid.

07:01 EDT Tyson Foods to acquire Keystone Foods for $2.16B from Marfrig Global Foods

06:58 EDT Brookdale Senior Living agrees to sell Brookdale Battery Park for about $194M - Brookdale Senior Living (BKD) announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Brookdale Battery Park independent living community for approximately $194M to Ventas (VTR). The price represents a cap rate of approximately 5%. Ventas has selected Brookdale to manage the community under a separate management agreement following the closing of the sale. This prime real estate, located in downtown Manhattan, is a well-established senior housing community with strong community leadership and high occupancy. The company expects the proceeds from the sale of this community to be approximately $140 million, net of associated debt and transaction costs and that the transaction will close by year-end 2018. However, the sale remains subject to customary closing conditions and there can be no assurance whether or when the closing will occur. The sale of Brookdale Battery Park is a significant component of the company's previously-announced plan to market in 2018 and sell 28 owned communities, which the company expects will generate aggregate proceeds in excess of $250 million, net of associated debt and transaction costs. Brookdale Battery Park was included in the company's assets held for sale as of June 30, 2018.

06:56 EDT Quanta Services selected by TransCanada for North Montney Mainline Project - Quanta Services (PWR) announced that it was selected by NOVA Gas Transmission, a TransCanada (TRP) company, for spread three of the North Montney Mainline Project. Quanta's scope of work will be executed utilizing one mainline spread and includes the construction and installation of approximately 39 miles of new 42-inch diameter natural gas mainline pipe in Fort St. John, British Columbia. Quanta's construction on the project is expected to begin in the third quarter of 2018 and is anticipated to achieve substantial completion in the first half of 2019. This project will be reflected in Quanta's third quarter 2018 backlog.

06:50 EDT Novo Nordisk says PIONEER 5 trial of Oral semaglutide achieved primary objective - Novo Nordisk announced the headline results from PIONEER 5, a phase 3a trial with oral semaglutide in adults with type 2 diabetes and moderate renal impairment. Oral semaglutide is an investigational GLP-1 analogue taken once daily as a tablet. The 26-week trial investigated the efficacy and safety of 14 mg oral semaglutide compared with placebo in 324 people with type 2 diabetes and moderate renal impairment inadequately controlled with metformin, sulfonylurea alone or in combination with metformin, or basal insulin alone or in combination with metformin. Two distinct statistical approaches to evaluating the effects of oral semaglutide were applied in the PIONEER 5 trial; a primary statistical approach required by recent regulatory guidance evaluating the effect regardless of discontinuation of treatment and use of rescue medication, and a secondary statistical approach describing the effect while on treatment and without use of rescue medication. The trial achieved its primary objective according to the primary statistical approach by demonstrating statistically significant and superior reductions in HbA1c with oral semaglutide compared to placebo at week 26. Furthermore, people treated with oral semaglutide achieved statistically significant and superior reductions in body weight compared to placebo at week 26. When applying the secondary statistical approach, people treated with oral semaglutide experienced a statistically significantly greater reduction in HbA1c of 1.1% compared to 0.1% with placebo. Reduction in body weight was statistically significantly greater with oral semaglutide at week 26, with a reduction of 3.7 kg compared to 1.1 kg with placebo. In this 26-week trial, oral semaglutide was well-tolerated in people with moderate renal impairment, with a profile consistent with GLP-1-based therapies. "The results from PIONEER 5 showed that oral semaglutide is efficacious and has a solid safety profile in people with type 2 diabetes and moderate renal impairment, thereby further expanding the solid clinical profile of oral semaglutide," said Mads Krogsgaard Thomsen, executive vice president and chief science officer of Novo Nordisk.

06:34 EDT Novan reports 'positive' clinical results with SB414 - Novan announced an update on the SB414 nitric oxide-releasing cream product candidate and its application to two therapeutic indications: atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. Based on results of two complementary Phase 1b clinical trials with SB414 in patients with psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, Novan intends to advance the development of SB414 as a treatment for atopic dermatitis and conduct additional exploratory trials in psoriasis and acne rosacea. The Phase 1b trial design for atopic dermatitis was purposefully short in duration and small in sample size and, as such, substantive clinical efficacy data was not expected to be generated. However, the Company observed that the mean changes in EASI scores were more favorable for SB414-treated patients than those on vehicle. Directional consistency in the clinical data further reinforces the strong correlation with key biomarker signals. In the Phase 1b trial for mild-to-moderate chronic plaque psoriasis, 36 adults received SB414 6% cream or vehicle twice daily for four weeks. Analysis of the data revealed that various known biomarkers related to psoriasis were not downregulated after four weeks of treatment with SB414 6%. Both doses of SB414 were safe as defined by no serious adverse events and SB414 2% was more tolerable with no patients discontinuing treatment in the trial due to application site reactions. SB414 at the 6% dose was not consistently effective in reducing biomarkers across both the atopic dermatitis and psoriasis trials. This lack of consistent biomarker movement could potentially be explained by the increased irritation score experienced by patients treated with SB414 6% in both trials. Additionally, SB414 6% showed detectable systemic exposure in a subset of patients, which cleared in nearly all affected patients within 12 hours. Given the successful downregulation of key biomarkers, favorable tolerability and lack of systemic exposure with SB414 2%, Novan intends to advance the development of SB414 as a treatment for atopic dermatitis and explore the use of lower doses of SB414 in psoriasis

06:31 EDT Alexion says FDA accepts Priority Review of ALXN1210 as treatment for PNH - Alexion announced that the U.S. FDA has accepted for review the company's Biologics License Application for approval of ALXN1210, the company's investigational long-acting C5 complement inhibitor, for the treatment of patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. The FDA set a Prescription Drug User Fee Act date of February 18, 2019, as part of an expedited eight-month review instead of the standard 12-month review following Alexion's use of a rare disease priority review voucher. The application is supported by comprehensive data from two rigorous Phase 3 clinical trials.

06:05 EDT China Automotive announces withdrawal of 'going-private' proposal - China Automotive announced that the special committee of the board has received a letter dated August 16 from the buyer withdrawing its non-binding "going-private" proposal. In a letter dated August 30, 2017 from Hanlin Chen, chairman of the company, and his affiliates, including Wiselink Holdings and Chariot, the buyer proposed to the board an offer to acquire all outstanding shares of common stock of the company not owned by the buyer in a going-private transaction. In the withdrawal letter, the buyer stated that, considering recent market conditions, it has decided to withdraw the proposal and is terminating any further discussion with the company regarding the proposal, with immediate effect.

06:01 EDT Xtant names Kathie Lenzen as CFO, effective August 20 - Xtant announced the appointment of Kathie Lenzen as CFO, effective August 20. Lenzen will report to Carl O'Connell, Xtant's CEO. Kathie Lenzen brings over 36 years of financial experience to Xtant. Most recently, Lenzen served as the senior vice president and general manager of Astora Women's Health division.

05:22 EDT Vertex receives 'positive' PBAC recommendation for reimbursement of Orkambi - Vertex Pharmaceuticals announces that it has received the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee's, or PBAC, recommendation for Orkambi to be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, or PBS, in Australia for people ages six and over with cystic fibrosis, or CF, who have two copies of the F508del mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene. Lumacaftor/ivacaftor is the first medicine to treat the underlying cause of CF in people ages six and older who have two copies of the F508del mutation.

05:18 EDT PepsiCo agrees to acquire SodaStream for $144 per share in cash - PepsiCo (PEP) and SodaStream (SODA) announced that they have entered into an agreement under which PepsiCo has agreed to acquire all outstanding shares of SodaStream for $144.00 per share in cash, which represents a 32% premium to the 30-day volume weighted average price. PepsiCo's strong distribution capabilities, global reach, R&D, design and marketing expertise, combined with SodaStream's differentiated and unique product range will position SodaStream for further expansion and breakthrough innovation. Under the terms of the agreement between PepsiCo and SodaStream, PepsiCo has agreed to acquire all of the outstanding shares of SodaStream International for $144.00 per share, in a transaction valued at $3.2B. The transaction will be funded with PepsiCo's cash on hand. The acquisition has been unanimously approved by the boards of both companies. The transaction is subject to a SodaStream shareholder vote, certain regulatory approvals and other customary conditions, and closing is expected by January 2019. "SodaStream is highly complementary and incremental to our business, adding to our growing water portfolio, while catalyzing our ability to offer personalized in-home beverage solutions around the world," said Ramon Laguarta, CEO-Elect and President, PepsiCo. "From breakthrough innovations like Drinkfinity to beverage dispensing technologies like Spire for foodservice and Aquafina water stations for workplaces and colleges, PepsiCo is finding new ways to reach consumers beyond the bottle, and today's announcement is fully in line with that strategy."

05:14 EDT Roche says CNDA grants rapid approval of Alecensa - Roche announced that China National Drug Administration, or CNDA, has granted marketing authorisation for Alecensa as a monotherapy treatment for patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase, or ALK,-positive, advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The approval follows priority review of Alecensa in China and has been granted just eight and nine months after European Medicines Agency and FDA approvals, respectively.