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Student creates water-colour paints made from discarded cosmetics

Student creates water-colour paints made from discarded cosmetics Wednesday, May 23, 2018 - 02:09 A British university student has created a range of water-colour paints made from discarded cosmetics, which she calls an example of how the so-called 'circular economy' can help improve the environment. ▲ Hide Transcript ▶ View Transcript A British university student has created a range of water-colour paints made from discarded cosmetics, which she calls an example of how the so-called 'circular economy' can help improve the environment. Press CTRL+C (Windows), CMD+C (Mac), or long-press the URL below on your mobile device to copy the code https://reut.rs/2II6ToI

https://in.reuters.com/video/2018/05/23/student-creates-water-colour-paints-made?videoId=429572129

Real won’t give Barca guard of honour, says Zidane

May 5, 2018 / 12:06 PM / in 4 hours Real won’t give Barca guard of honour, says Zidane Joseph Cassinelli 3 Min Read MADRID (Reuters) - Real Madrid will not give La Liga champions Barcelona a guard of honour when the sides meet in El Clasico, coach Zinedine Zidane said on Saturday. FILE PHOTO - Soccer Football - Champions League Semi Final Second Leg - Real Madrid v Bayern Munich - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - May 1, 2018 Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane REUTERS/Juan Medina Barcelona wrapped up the title last weekend and face European champions Real on Sunday. “After the Club World Cup they didn’t want to do it for us,” Zidane told a news conference. “They might have said they didn’t do it because they weren’t in the competition, but that’s not true. You’ve got to win the Champions League to play in it and we’re both in the Champions League. “It’s not up to me to decide about the guard of honour but they didn’t do it. We, with respect, won’t do it for them because they didn’t. “We respect what Barca have done in winning the league, which for me is the most difficult and nicest thing you can do. But these things happen; if they’d have given us one, we weren’t going to break the tradition of doing so.” The incident Zidane was referring to happened before the Clasico on Dec. 23 when, having returned from the United Arab Emirates as Club World Cup winners, Barcelona elected not to give Real a guard of honour as is traditional in Spain. Barca won the match 3-0. Real, third in the table, secured their place in this month’s Champions League final on Tuesday and are aiming to win the trophy for the third year in a row but Zidane is planning to name a full-strength side against Barcelona. “While the game won’t change the league positions, we still want to play well and do everything we can to win,” he said. “If there’s players who still feel knocks, they won’t play, but we’ve got a lot of options to replace them. (Raphael) Varane and Isco should be fine to travel.” Sunday’s meeting will be the final time Barca midfielder Andres Iniesta plays in the fixture having announced he will leave the Catalans at the end of the season. “He’s a player we admire, not just any other player, and we all know how he is as a person,” Zidane said. “We’ll shake his hand, congratulate him and wish him luck for the future.” Editing by Ed Osmond

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-soccer-spain-fcb-mad-zidane/real-wont-give-barca-guard-of-honour-says-zidane-idUKKBN1I60EU

Italy's 5-Star makes last-ditch overture to League for government

* President to consult with parties on Monday * Centre-right alliance to meet later on Sunday * 5-Star wants new election if League refuses By Steve Scherer ROME, May 6 (Reuters) - The leader of Italy’s anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, Luigi Di Maio, on Sunday made a last-ditch offer to the far-right League in a bid to break a political deadlock that has dragged on for more than two months. For the first time since the March 4 vote ended with a hung parliament, Di Maio said he would pick a prime minister with League leader Matteo Salvini. Until now, Di Maio has insisted that he be the next premier. “If the goal is to put into action an election platform and the obstacle is Luigi Di Maio as premier, then I say let’s choose a prime minister together,” Di Maio said referring to the League during an interview on RAI state television. The move comes a day before a third and possibly final round of formal consultations with President Sergio Mattarella. While Di Maio conceded the prime minister’s office, he held his ground on insisting that Salvini abandon his ally, former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, who 5-Star views as a symbol of political corruption. “The ball is now in the centre-right’s court,” Di Maio added, saying he did not know if Berlusconi would take “a step back”. Salvini, Berlusconi and Giorgia Meloni - the leaders of the centre-right alliance - are scheduled to meet on Sunday to discuss their position heading into the latest round of consultations. If the centre-right remains united, Mattarella is expected to try to put forward a stopgap government to take Italy back to a vote later this year. Di Maio said if 5-Star fails to come to an agreement with the League, he wants an election as soon as possible, as early as this summer. 5-Star will not support any government put together by Mattarella, Di Maio said. Such a short-term government could only take office with full powers if it has the support of either 5-Star or the League, and both parties have been hostile to the idea. “A government put together by the president would not have the numbers (in parliament),” Di Maio said. “We cannot vote confidence in it and as far as I know, neither would the League.” Di Maio’s latest offer to the League followed Salvini’s proposal on Friday for the formation of a stopgap government between the centre-right and 5-Star that would be tasked with writing a 2019 budget and preparing for a new election. Mattarella, who has the power to select prime ministers and dissolve parliament, has sought to avoid another vote by conducting meticulous and patient negotiations, but now a source familiar with the situation has said an election in September or October cannot be ruled out. “I thought it would be difficult (to form a government), but I didn’t think it would be impossible,” Di Maio said. Reporting by Steve Scherer; Editing by Janet Lawrence

https://www.reuters.com/article/italy-politics/italys-5-star-makes-last-ditch-overture-to-league-for-government-idUSL8N1SD0IG

U.S. gun lobby takes aim at 'gun-hating' banks Citi, BofA

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. gun lobby is taking aim at “gun-hating” banks after Citigroup Inc and Bank of America said they would no longer provide certain banking services to gun-makers, according to industry lobbyists. FILE PHOTO: The Citigroup Inc (Citi) logo is seen at the SIBOS banking and financial conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada October 19, 2017. Picture taken October 19, 2017. REUTERS/Chris Helgren The attack by Gun Owners of America and the National Rifle Association (NRA) could imperil de-regulatory gains the banks had hoped to win from Republican lawmakers and regulators, many of whom are staunch defenders of the Second-Amendment right to bear arms, according to industry sources. In March, Citigroup put restrictions on new retail business clients which sell guns to require their customers to pass background checks, following February’s Florida high school shooting that killed 17 people. Weeks later, Bank of America said it would no longer lend to companies that make military-style firearms for civilians. Gun-control activists and Democrats praised the policy, urging other financial firms to follow suit. But gun owners and manufactures say it encroaches on Americans’ constitutional rights and they are fighting back. Gun Owners of America (GOA), a Washington-based lobby group, has asked lawmakers to add a provision to a draft law rewriting bank rules that it says would prevent “gun-hating banks” from “discriminating” against firearms makers. The bill reforming the 2010 Dodd Frank act is set to be voted on by the House of Representatives next week. While financial-industry lobbyists say the bill is likely to pass without the provision on gun-lending, the firearms issue is threatening to turn the powerful gun lobby into an adversary for banks on other regulatory issues longer term. “Citigroup and Bank of America are threatening our Second-Amendment rights. They do not realize how much more there is to lose than to gain,” by their new policies, said GOA’s executive director, Erich Pratt. The group this month wrote to its 1.5 million members urging them to petition House lawmakers to vote against the bill if the provision is not added. “Our members will take direct action to such discriminatory lending practices by these banks,” Pratt added. Citigroup and Bank of America declined to comment. FILE PHOTO: A Bank of America logo is seen in New York City, U.S. January 10, 2017. REUTERS/Stephanie Keith Charles Adcox, a member of GOA, has stopped accepting Citi and Bank of America credit cards at his Missouri gun shop Black River Armory in response to their new policy. “My more loyal customers don’t mind paying in cash. Some even wish to drop their credit-card companies for gun-friendly alternatives,” Adcox told Reuters. The NRA is running an advertisement campaign criticizing Citi and Bank of America online, adding that Citi may be encouraging retailers to violate anti-discrimination laws. “The NRA will continue to promote awareness of those companies who seek to infringe upon the Second Amendment rights of American citizens,” William Brewer, partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors and counsel for the NRA, said in a statement. “POOR STRATEGY” Mike Crapo, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, which writes banking rules and oversees Wall Street regulators, wrote to the chief executives of both lenders in April chastising them for trying to “manage social policy”, according to reports. J.W. Verret, professor of Banking Law at Scalia Law School, said the banks’ gun policies appeared to be a “terrifically poor strategy” at a time when they had stood to gain from a political push to cut red tape across the financial industry - potentially reducing their access to lawmakers and regulators. “There might be a timing challenge in getting that particular provision in this bill but it means that the number of offices that takes Citi’s phone calls in the next year or two on the Hill has just been cut in half.” The gun issue is unlikely to go away as mass shootings grab the nation’s attention. Multiple people were killed on Friday in a shooting at a high school in Texas, a law enforcement source said. As lawmakers aim to relax banking regulations almost 10 years after the start of the 2007-2009 crisis, banking lobbyists have been increasingly active on Capitol Hill. The Dodd Frank rewrite now being considered in the House would relax lending and capital and mid-size banks, give a capital break to some large banks’ custody businesses, and includes a provision that would directly benefit Citi’s bond trading business. Reporting by Katanga Johnson; Editing by Michelle Price and Alistair Bell

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-guns-banks/u-s-gun-lobby-takes-aim-at-gun-hating-banks-citi-bofa-idUSKCN1IJ260

Synergy Pharmaceuticals Reports First Quarter 2018 Financial Results and Business Update

TRULANCE only CIC/IBS-C Rx brand to grow in total and new Rx volume quarter-over-quarter, per IQVIA Synergy lowers 2018 adjusted operating expense (non-GAAP) guidance Initiated strategic partnership with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to collaborate on study to evaluate dolcanatide’s potential to prevent colorectal cancer Conducting ongoing review of strategic business development options focused on maximizing shareholder value NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:SGYP), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel gastrointestinal (GI) therapies, today reported its financial results and business update for the three months ended March 31, 2018. “The first quarter of 2018 was all about executing on our three key business priorities of optimizing the value of TRULANCE, ensuring a strong financial foundation, and continuing to explore all strategic business development opportunities,” said Troy Hamilton, Chief Executive Officer of Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc. “With TRULANCE, we saw continued growth in prescriptions, market share and its prescriber base and with the IBS-C launch in late February, we have the opportunity to continue to drive further sales growth. In addition, we continued to efficiently manage our operating expenses by prioritizing key investments in areas of high return, such as expanding market access. Finally, we amended our debt agreement to allow for more flexible access to capital as we are pursuing strategic options that align with our core mission to deliver exceptional value to our patients, customers and shareholders. Overall, our progress against our key business priorities during the first quarter reflect our commitment to maximizing shareholder value while also maintaining our focus on providing safe and effective treatment options for patients living with chronic GI conditions.” First Quarter 2018 and Recent Highlights Optimizing the Value of TRULANCE 44,177 TRULANCE 30-count packs were dispensed in the first quarter of 2018, resulting in a total of 132,628 TRULANCE 30-count packs dispensed since the product's launch on March 20, 2017, per IQVIA. TRULANCE was the only prescription brand for CIC and IBS-C to show positive total and new prescription volume growth in the first quarter over the prior quarter, per IQVIA. In the nine weeks since the launch of the IBS-C indication in late February, TRULANCE prescription volume grew 24% versus the prior nine weeks or nearly five times the branded CIC and IBS-C prescription market growth rate, per IQVIA. The total number of unique healthcare practitioners prescribing TRULANCE since launch reached nearly 12,000 in the first quarter of 2018, increasing more than 20% over the prior quarter, per IQVIA. TRULANCE currently has over 70% payer coverage across all segments including commercial, Medicare Part D and Managed Medicaid. Ensuring a Strong Financial Foundation Financial Results Reported TRULANCE net sales were $8.6 million in the first quarter of 2018 compared to net sales of $9.4 million during the fourth quarter of 2017. TRULANCE first quarter net sales of $8.6 million increased by 18% compared to fourth quarter of 2017 adjusted net sales (non-GAAP) of $7.3 million. Reported total operating expenses were $43.5 million in the first quarter of 2018 compared to total operating expenses of $43.8 million during the fourth quarter of 2017. Total adjusted operating expenses (non-GAAP) were $40.6 million in the first quarter of 2018 compared to $41.1 million in total adjusted operating expenses (non-GAAP) in the fourth quarter of 2017. In February 2018, Synergy amended its Term Loan agreement with CRG to provide more financial flexibility while the company continues to evaluate various strategic options. Synergy has the ability to access up to an additional $100 million in 2018 in three tranches. Synergy received $5.0 million in non-refundable upfront payments related to the TRULANCE Canadian licensing agreement with Cipher Pharmaceuticals completed in February 2018. This payment was recorded as deferred revenue for the quarter and will be recognized as revenue upon meeting future contractual obligations. Under the terms of the licensing agreement, Synergy is eligible for an additional milestone payment upon regulatory approval in Canada, as well as royalties from Trulance product sales in Canada. Synergy reported a net loss of $36.1 million, or $0.15 per share, for the first quarter of 2018. Cash and cash equivalents were approximately $98.7 million at the end of the first quarter. 2018 Financial Guidance As a result of ongoing efforts to improve cost efficiency measures, Synergy is lowering projected total adjusted operating expense (non-GAAP) guidance for 2018 to be in the range of $165 million - $175 million versus previously guided $175 million - $185 million. Exploring All Strategic and Business Development Opportunities Collaborations & Partnerships Synergy initiated a partnership with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to collaborate on a NCI-funded and managed clinical biomarker study to evaluate dolcanatide’s potential to prevent colorectal cancer. The study will assess the colorectal bioactivity of dolcanatide in healthy volunteers and will inform the feasibility and design of a larger study. This is the first clinical biomarker study evaluating the potential benefit of using a uroguanylin analog in colorectal cancer prevention. The advancement of Synergy’s proprietary uroguanylin analog, dolcanatide, into this clinical trial builds on Synergy and NCI scientists' pioneering work showing the important role of uroguanylin in the complex biology of colorectal cancer. Synergy's Canadian partner, Cipher Pharmaceuticals, is currently in discussions with Health Canada and plans to file a New Drug Submission for TRULANCE in IBS-C in the second half of 2018. The regulatory review period is approximately one-year from the submission date. Ongoing Strategic Review Synergy continues to engage in an ongoing review of strategic business opportunities focused on maximizing shareholder value. This review process includes, but is not limited to, potential US and ex-US partnerships, licensing, and merger and acquisition transactions. Synergy expects to provide further updates on or before it reports second quarter 2018 results. First-Quarter Conference Call & Webcast Synergy will host a conference call and webcast today at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time to discuss first quarter 2018 results. Participants may access the conference call by dialing 877-407-3978 (US and Canada) or 412-902-0039 (International). Please let the operator know you would like to join the Synergy Pharmaceuticals call. To access the webcast as well as a PDF copy of the presentation, please visit the Investors section of Synergy's website at www.synergypharma.com . An audio replay of the conference call will also be available beginning approximately two hours after the call's conclusion, and will remain available through May 24, 2018. The replay may be accessed by dialing 877-660-6853 (U.S. and Canada) or 201-612-7415 (International) and entering conference ID number 13668774. A replay of the webcast will also be available on the Investors section of Synergy's website at www.synergypharma.com . About Synergy Pharmaceuticals Synergy is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel gastrointestinal (GI) therapies. The company has pioneered discovery, research and development efforts around analogs of uroguanylin, a naturally occurring human GI peptide, for the treatment of GI diseases and disorders. Synergy’s proprietary GI platform includes one commercial product TRULANCE® (plecanatide) and a second product candidate - dolcanatide. For more information, please visit www.synergypharma.com . About Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation (IBS-C) Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic gastrointestinal disorder characterized by recurrent abdominal pain and associated with two or more of the following: related to defecation, associated with a change in the frequency of stool, or associated with a change in the form (appearance) of the stool. IBS can be subtyped by the predominant stool form: constipation (IBS-C), diarrhea (IBS-D) or mixed (IBS-M). Those within the IBS-C subtype experience hard or lumpy stools more than 25 percent of the time they defecate, and loose or watery stools less than 25 percent of the time. It is estimated that the prevalence of IBS-C in the U.S. adult population is approximately 4 to 5 percent. About Chronic Idiopathic Constipation (CIC) CIC affects approximately 14 percent of the global population, disproportionately affecting women and older adults. People with CIC have persistent symptoms of difficult-to-pass and infrequent bowel movements. In addition to physical symptoms including abdominal bloating and discomfort, CIC can adversely affect an individual’s quality of life, including increasing stress levels and anxiety. About TRULANCE ® TRULANCE ® (plecanatide) is a once-daily tablet approved for adults with CIC or IBS-C. With the exception of a single amino acid substitution for greater binding affinity, TRULANCE is structurally identical to uroguanylin, a naturally occurring and endogenous human GI peptide. Uroguanylin activates GC-C receptors in a pH-sensitive manner primarily in the small intestine, stimulating fluid secretion and maintaining stool consistency necessary for regular bowel function. Indications and Usage TRULANCE (plecanatide) 3 mg tablets is indicated in adults for the treatment of Chronic Idiopathic Constipation (CIC) and Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation (IBS-C). IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION WARNING: RISK OF SERIOUS DEHYDRATION IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS TRULANCE ® is contraindicated in patients less than 6 years of age; in nonclinical studies in young juvenile mice administration of a single oral dose of plecanatide caused deaths due to dehydration. Use of TRULANCE should be avoided in patients 6 years to less than 18 years of age. The safety and efficacy of TRULANCE have not been established in pediatric patients less than 18 years of age. Contraindications TRULANCE is contraindicated in patients less than 6 years of age due to the risk of serious dehydration. TRULANCE is contraindicated in patients with known or suspected mechanical gastrointestinal obstruction. Warnings and Precautions Risk of Serious Dehydration in Pediatric Patients TRULANCE is contraindicated in patients less than 6 years of age. The safety and effectiveness of TRULANCE in patients less than 18 years of age have not been established. In young juvenile mice (human age equivalent of approximately 1 month to less than 2 years), plecanatide increased fluid secretion as a consequence of stimulation of guanylate cyclase-C (GC-C), resulting in mortality in some mice within the first 24 hours, apparently due to dehydration. Due to increased intestinal expression of GC-C, patients less than 6 years of age may be more likely than older patients to develop severe diarrhea and its potentially serious consequences. Use of TRULANCE should be avoided in patients 6 years to less than 18 years of age. Although there were no deaths in older juvenile mice, given the deaths in young mice and the lack of clinical safety and efficacy data in pediatric patients, use of TRULANCE should be avoided in patients 6 years to less than 18 years of age. Diarrhea Diarrhea was the most common adverse reaction in the four placebo-controlled clinical trials for CIC and IBS-C. Severe diarrhea was reported in 0.6% of TRULANCE-treated CIC patients, and in 1% of TRULANCE-treated IBS-C patients. If severe diarrhea occurs, the health care provider should suspend dosing and rehydrate the patient. Adverse Reactions In the two combined CIC clinical trials, the most common adverse reaction in TRULANCE-treated patients (incidence ≥2% and greater than in the placebo group) was diarrhea (5% vs 1% placebo). In the two combined IBS-C clinical trials, the most common adverse reaction in TRULANCE-treated patients (incidence ≥2% and greater than in the placebo group) was diarrhea (4.3% vs 1% placebo). Please also see the full Prescribing Information , including Box Warning, for additional risk information. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements in this press release are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by the use of forward- looking words such as "anticipate," "planned," "believe," "forecast," "estimated," "expected," and "intend," among others. These forward-looking statements are based on Synergy's current expectations and actual results could differ materially. There are a number of factors that could cause actual events to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, substantial competition; our ability to continue as a going concern; our need for additional financing; uncertainties of patent protection and litigation; uncertainties of government or third party payer reimbursement; limited sales and marketing efforts and dependence upon third parties; and risks related to failure to obtain FDA clearances or approvals and noncompliance with FDA regulations. As with any pharmaceutical under development, there are significant risks in the development, regulatory approval and commercialization of new products. There are no guarantees that future clinical trials discussed in this press release will be completed or successful or that any product will receive regulatory approval for any indication or prove to be commercially successful. Investors should read the risk factors set forth in Synergy's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 and other periodic reports filed with Commission. While the list of factors presented here is considered representative, no such list should be considered to be a complete statement of all potential risks and uncertainties. Unlisted factors may present significant additional obstacles to the realization of forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements included herein are made as of the date hereof, and Synergy does not undertake any obligation to update publicly such statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances. Synergy Pharmaceutical Inc. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (unaudited) ($ in thousands) March 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 Assets Cash and cash equivalents $ 98,658 $ 136,986 Accounts receivable 7,414 6,491 Inventories 16,175 17,214 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 8,924 4,469 Total Current Assets 131,171 165,160 Other assets 1,475 1,446 Total Assets $ 132,646 $ 166,606 Liabilities and Stockholders' (Deficit) Total Current Liabilities $ 42,490 $ 38,147 Senior convertible notes, net 17,480 17,302 Long term debt, net 98,965 98,660 Derivative financial instruments – warrants 11,938 17,582 Other long-term liabilities 406 433 Total Liabilities 171,279 172,124 Total Stockholders’ Deficit (38,633 ) (5,518 ) Total Liabilities and Stockholders’ Deficit $ 132,646 $ 166,606 Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations ($ in thousands except share and per share data) (unaudited) Three Months Three Months Ended March 31, Ended March 31, 2018 2017 Net sales $ 8,586 $ 98 Cost of goods sold 3,704 1,636 Gross profit 4,882 (1,538 ) Costs and Expenses: Research and development 3,392 18,401 Selling, general and administrative 40,145 42,788 Total Operating Expenses 43,537 61,189 Loss from Operations (38,655 ) (62,727 ) Other Income/(Expense): Interest expense, net (3,123 ) (790 ) State R&D tax credits 30 — Debt conversion expense — (1,209 ) Change in fair value of derivative instruments - warrants 5,644 122 Total Other Income/(Expense) 2,551 (1,877 ) Net Loss $ (36,104 ) $ (64,604 ) Net Loss per Common Share, Basic and Diluted $ (0.15 ) $ (0.30 ) Weighted Average Common Shares Outstanding 246,664,067 215,484,670 Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc. Non-GAAP Financial Measures Adjusted net sales, adjusted research and development expenses, adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses, and adjusted total operating expenses are not measures of financial performance under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) and should not be construed as substitutes for, or superior to, GAAP net sales, GAAP research and development expenses, GAAP selling, general and administrative expenses and GAAP total operating expenses as a measure of financial performance. However, management uses both GAAP financial measures and the disclosed non-GAAP financial measures internally to evaluate and manage the Company's operations and to better understand its business. Further, management believes the addition of non-GAAP financial measures provides meaningful supplementary information to, and facilitates analysis by, investors in evaluating the Company's financial performance, results of operations and trends. The Company's calculations of adjusted net sales, adjusted research and development expenses, adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses and adjusted operating expenses, may not be comparable to similarly designated measures reported by other companies, since companies and investors may differ as to what type of events warrant adjustment. The following table reconciles reported net sales to adjusted net sales: (Unaudited; $ in thousands) Three Months Ended Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 Net sales $ 8,586 $ 9,400 Adjusted to deduct: Recognition of net sales which were deferred as of September 30, 2017 — 2,057 Adjusted net sales $ 8,586 $ 7,343 The following table reconciles reported research and development expenses to adjusted research and development expenses (adjusted R&D): (Unaudited; $ in thousands) Three Months Ended Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 Research and development expenses $ 3,392 $ 1,990 Adjusted to deduct: Stock based compensation expense 671 516 Adjusted research and development expenses $ 2,721 $ 1,474 The following table reconciles reported selling, general and administrative expenses to adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses (adjusted SG&A): (Unaudited; $ in thousands) Three Months Ended Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 Selling, general and administrative expenses $ 40,145 $ 41,779 Adjusted to deduct: Stock based compensation expense 2,288 2,117 Adjusted selling, general and administrative expenses $ 37,857 $ 39,662 The following table reconciles reported total operating expenses to adjusted operating expenses (adjusted OPEX): (Unaudited; $ in thousands) Three Months Ended Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 Total operating expenses $ 43,537 $ 43,769 Adjusted to deduct: Stock based compensation expense 2,959 2,633 Adjusted operating expenses $ 40,578 $ 41,136 View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180510006233/en/ Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc. Gem Hopkins, 212-584-7610 VP, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications ghopkins@synergypharma.com Source: Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/10/business-wire-synergy-pharmaceuticals-reports-first-quarter-2018-financial-results-and-business-update.html

AirAsia chief apologizes for video in support of Malaysia's Najib

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Shares in AirAsia Group Bhd ( AIRA.KL ) fell as much as 10 percent on Monday in the first trading session since Malaysia’s election and after its chief Tony Fernandes apologized for endorsing former prime minister Najib Razak in the election. FILE PHOTO: AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes speaks during a news conference at AirAsia headquarters in Sepang, Malaysia December 13, 2017. REUTERS/Lai Seng Sin Najib was ousted by former leader Mahathir Mohamad in a shock election result last week. Najib’s Barisan Nasional coalition, which had governed Malaysia since independence in 1957, was booted out of power for the first time. AirAsia has several airlines in various Asian countries but Malaysia, its home market, is its largest contributor to earnings. In a highly regulated industry where its main rival is state-owned Malaysia Airlines, it relies on government approvals to support its growth plans. Two days before Wednesday’s poll, Fernandes released a video praising Najib and the government’s support of the low-cost airline he co-founded. Later that day, Najib posted photos of him and Fernandes standing in front of an AirAsia plane painted with a campaign slogan for Najib’s coalition. “I am sorry for what has gone on. I buckled at the crucial moment in our history,” Fernandes said in a video released on Sunday. “It wasn’t right and I will forever regret it.” FILE PHOTO: Malaysia’s former Prime Minister Najib Razak attends the United Malays National Organisation (UMNO) 72th anniversary celebrations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia May 11, 2018. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File Photo AirAsia shares fell as much as 10 percent on Monday but later recovered slightly, compared with a 0.9 percent fall in the broader Malaysian index . Fernandes said the video and campaign-themed livery was an effort to appease Najib’s government after he came under “intense” pressure in the lead-up to elections for adding extra flights on polling day and refusing to fire a subsidiary’s chairman who had expressed support for Mahathir. AirAsia had announced extra flights and reduced fares to help voters return home to cast ballots. Fernandes refused to fire Rafidah Aziz, a former minister who was campaigning for Mahathir’s coalition, as the chairman of AirAsia X ( AIRX.KL ), the long-haul arm of AirAsia. “As Rafidah’s impact and popularity grew, the pressure grew exponentially. It was getting harder and harder to resist the pressure from the prime minister’s office,” he said. Najib’s aides could not be reached for comment. AirAsia’s decision to add more flights on election day added to the pressure from Najib’s government, Fernandes said. The government’s challengers criticized the decision to hold the election on a Wednesday, charging that it was an effort to dampen voter turnout and make it harder for Malaysians living away from home, many of whom support the opposition, to vote. “Within 24 hours, we were summoned by the (regulator) Malaysian Aviation Commission and told to cancel all those flights. That put us again under tremendous pressure,” Fernandes said, adding that his airline had added 120 flights. The Malaysian Aviation Commission said in a statement on its website that it considered Fernandes’ claims to be “serious allegations” and it had launched an immediate investigation. Reporting by A. Ananthalakshmi in Kuala Lumpur; additional reporting by Jamie Freed in Singapore; Editing by Michael Perry

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malaysia-politics-airasia/airasia-chief-apologizes-for-video-in-support-of-malaysias-najib-idUSKCN1IF01K

GlassBridge Enterprises, Inc. Announces Q1 Financial Conference Call

OAKDALE, Minn., May 10, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- GlassBridge Enterprises, Inc. (OTCQX: GLAE) ("GlassBridge", the "Company" or "we") announced today it will hold a teleconference and live webcast at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, May 15, 2018 to discuss financial results for the first quarter ended on March 31, 2017. The call will follow the Company's release of financial results. You may access the live webcast online at: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/1401/25872 A digital recording of this teleconference will be available for replay at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time on May 15, 2018 and will be accessible via the replay number listed below until May 22, 2018. For your convenience, you will also be able to access the recording online at: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/1401/25872 Digital Recording Replay Numbers: U.S. Toll Free: 877-344-7529 International Toll: 412-317-0088 Canada Toll Free: 855-669-9658 Replay Access Code: 10120415 All remarks made during the teleconference will be current at the time of the call and the replays will not be updated to reflect any subsequent developments. About GlassBridge Enterprises GlassBridge Enterprises, Inc. (OTCQX: GLAE) is a holding company. We actively explore a diverse range of new, strategic asset management business opportunities for our portfolio. The Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, GlassBridge Asset Management, LLC ("GBAM"), is an investment advisor focused on technology-driven and quantitative strategies and other alternative investment strategies. Our partially-owned subsidiary, NXSN Acquisition Corp., operates a global enterprise data storage business through its subsidiaries. For more information, please visit GlassBridge's website at www.glassbridge.com . Disclaimers This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation to buy any securities or otherwise invest in any investment vehicle managed, advised or coordinated by GBAM (collectively, the "GlassBridge Vehicle"), and may not be relied upon in connection with any investment or offer or sale of securities. Any such offer or solicitation may only be made pursuant to the current Confidential Private Offering Memorandum (or similar document) for any such GlassBridge Vehicle, which is provided only to qualified offerees and which should be carefully reviewed prior to investing. GBAM is a newly formed entity and the GlassBridge Vehicles are currently either in formation state or have recently launched. GBAM is not currently registered with the SEC as an investment adviser under the U.S. Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, or under similar state laws, and nothing in this press release constitutes investment advice with respect to securities. For Further Information Stockholders of GlassBridge Enterprises, Inc. – Danny Zheng, Interim CEO, CFO, (651) 704-4311; Prospective Investors in GlassBridge Vehicles – Robert Picard, Senior Managing Director, (732) 939-9000. View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/glassbridge-enterprises-inc-announces-q1-2018-financial-results-conference-call-300645972.html SOURCE GlassBridge Enterprises, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/10/pr-newswire-glassbridge-enterprises-inc-announces-q1-2018-financial-results-conference-call.html

UPDATE 2-Regeneron/Sanofi to cut price of heart drug in Express Scripts deal

(Adds share prices, Amgen detail) May 1 (Reuters) - Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc and Sanofi SA will cut the net price of their expensive cholesterol drug for Express Scripts Holdings Co customers in exchange for greater patient access, with some savings to be shared with consumers, the companies said on Tuesday. The drug, Praluent, dramatically lowers bad LDL cholesterol and reduces the risk of heart attacks and death in high-risk heart patients. But sales of Praluent and a rival Amgen drug, with list prices of more than $14,000 a year before discounts, have been constrained by onerous roadblocks to patient access by insurers. They reject about 70 percent of prescriptions written, the companies have said. "I expect this to substantially increase the sales," Regeneron Chief Executive Leonard Schleifer said of the deal. The arrangement makes Praluent exclusive on the Express Scripts' national formulary for the drug class known as PCSK9 inhibitors, meaning some customers of the largest U.S. pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) will not easily access Amgen's Repatha. Amgen said the decision impacts 2,000 Repatha patients out of the 39,000 people who take the drug. It said it has been negotiating with several payers and that it will fight to be included in other Express Scripts business, and that it is offering significant discounts. Amgen shares were off 2.7 percent, or $4.70, at $174.48 while Regeneron shares fell 2 percent, or $5.59 to $$298.09. Regeneron and Sanofi said in March they would be willing to lower Praluent's price in exchange for easier patient access. They said pricing could be tied to an independent review by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER), which put an appropriate Praluent price for highest risk patients at $4,500 to $8,000 a year. The Praluent net price will be at the "low end" of the ICER range including double-digit rebates, said Express Scripts Chief Medical Officer Steve Miller. Beginning July 1, doctors can submit just one form attesting that a patient with heart disease meets criteria for PCSK9 therapy, such as inability to sufficiently lower LDL with cheap statins, like Pfizer's Lipitor. "This ... addresses head-on the frustrations caused by complex pre-authorization requirements that hamstring physicians and put an important medicine out of reach from patients," Michelle Carnahan, head of Sanofi's North America cardiovascular business, said in a statement. Starting next year, Express Scripts will pass along a portion of Praluent rebates it receives from the drugmakers to people in eligible health benefit plans, lowering out-of-pocket costs. "This is a significant (price) reduction that the patients will also feel, not just the insurance companies or the employers," Schleifer said. He said talks were taking place with other insurers and PBMs about similar arrangements. "I hope that this will spread like wildfire through the entire payer system," Schleifer said. (Reporting by Bill Berkrot in New York and Deena Beasley in Los Angeles; editing by Diane Craft and Marguerita Choy)

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/01/reuters-america-update-2-regeneronsanofi-to-cut-price-of-heart-drug-in-express-scripts-deal.html

Marlin Business Services Corp. Reports First Quarter 2018 Earnings and Declares a Cash Dividend of $0.14 Per Share

First Quarter Summary: Net income of $6.2 million, or $0.50 per diluted share Net income on an adjusted basis was also $6.2 million, or $0.50 per diluted share, an increase of 44% compared with net income on an adjusted basis of $4.3 million, or $0.34 per diluted share in the first quarter last year Net interest and fee income of $23.8 million for the quarter, compared with $21.7 million for the first quarter last year ROE of 13.7%; ROE on an adjusted basis of 13.7% compared with ROE on an adjusted basis of 10.4% in the first quarter last year Net Investment in loans and leases totaled $930.6 million, up 12.3% from a year ago and total managed assets surpassed the $1 billion milestone and ended the first quarter at $1.02 billion, up 19.4% from a year ago Total first quarter origination volume (excluding leases and loans originated but referred to third parties) of $159.7 million, up 9.0% year-over-year Total direct and indirect origination yield of 12.44%, up 85 basis points from the prior quarter and up 58 basis points year-over-year 30+ and 60+ day delinquencies on total finance receivables increased modestly from prior quarter to 105 basis points and 64 basis points, respectively Annualized net charge-offs of 1.68%, compared with 1.87% in the prior quarter and 1.57% in the first quarter last year Provision for credit losses of $4.6 million compared with $4.5 million in the prior quarter and $3.9 million in the first quarter last year Closed on a $300 million forward flow agreement with Varadero Capital Strong capital position, with equity to assets ratio of 17.2% MOUNT LAUREL, N.J., May 03, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Marlin Business Services Corp. (NASDAQ:MRLN) (“Marlin” or the “Company”) today reported first quarter 2018 net income of $6.2 million, or $0.50 per diluted share, compared with net income of $1.5 million, or $0.12 per share a year ago. First quarter net income on an adjusted basis was $6.2 million, or $0.50 per diluted share, compared with $4.3 million, or $0.34 per diluted share a year ago. Commenting on the Company’s results, Jeffrey A. Hilzinger, Marlin’s President and CEO, said, “Marlin is off to a good start in 2018 as strong execution continued to drive solid origination volume, stable credit performance and excellent earnings growth. Excluding referral volume, total origination volume was $159.7 million for the quarter compared with $146.5 million last year, resulting in a year-over-year increase of 9%. Growth in the quarter was driven by solid demand for both our Equipment Finance product and Funding Stream, our working capital loan product. During the quarter, yield on our origination volume was 12.44% compared to 11.86% a year ago with Equipment Finance increasing to 9.99% from 9.67% and Funding Stream decreasing from 33.0% to 31.7%. We also continued to gain traction in our Direct origination initiative that identifies additional financing opportunities with existing customers. During the quarter, Direct origination volume was $30.9 million compared with $16.6 million last year, resulting in a year-over-year increase of 86%. As part of Marlin’s developing capital markets activities, we referred or sold $27.2 million of leases and loans. As a result of these origination and capital markets activities, our Net Investment in Leases and Loans grew to $930.6 million, up 12.3% from a year ago. Also, for the first time our Managed Assets exceeded $1 billion growing to $1.02 billion compared with $855.3 million a year ago, resulting in a year-over-year increase of 19.4%. Importantly, our focus on maintaining disciplined underwriting standards continues to be a top priority and credit quality remained stable and within expectations during the quarter.” Mr. Hilzinger concluded, “Our momentum continues to build and puts us on track to achieve our strategic, operational and financial objectives for the year. I look forward to continued strong execution of our strategy, further enhancing our financial performance and driving shareholder value as we move forward.” Results of Operations Total origination volume (excluding referral volume) for the first quarter of $159.7 million was up 9.0% from a year ago. Direct origination volume of $30.9 million in the first quarter was up 86.3% from $16.6 million in the first quarter of 2017. Indirect origination volume in the first quarter of 2018 was $128.8 million, down slightly from $129.9 million in the same period a year ago. Referral volume totaled $4.2 million, down from $22.3 million in the first quarter last year, largely due to the transition of leases originated by Horizon Keystone Financial to Marlin’s balance sheet over the past year. Net interest and fee margin as a percentage of average finance receivables was 10.43% for the first quarter, down 14 basis points from the fourth quarter of 2017 and down 48 basis points from a year ago. The decrease in margin percentage was primarily a result of a decline in interest income and an increase in interest expense. The Company’s interest expense as a percent of average finance receivables increased to 149 basis points compared with 145 basis points for the previous quarter and 117 basis points for the first quarter of 2017, primarily as a result of the rising interest rate environment. On an absolute basis, net interest and fee income was $23.8 million for the first quarter of 2018 compared with $21.7 million for the first quarter last year. The increase continues to reflect the strong growth in the portfolio and the underlying earnings power of the business. Non-interest income was $5.2 million for the first quarter of 2018, compared with $5.3 million in the prior quarter and $3.8 million in the prior year period. The year-over-year increase in non-interest income is primarily due to a $1.5 million increase in gains-on-sale, $0.3 million increase in Insurance related income and a $0.4 million increase in servicing fee income, partially offset by a decrease of $0.6 million in referral income. Non-interest expense was $16.6 million for the first quarter of 2018, compared with $15.4 million in the prior quarter and $19.6 million in the first quarter last year. The increase from the prior quarter was primarily due to a $0.3 million increase in stock-based compensation expense, $0.4 million increase in payroll taxes and a $0.2 million increase in marketing expense. The overall increase from prior quarter was actually less than anticipated due to the timing of approximately $0.4 million of employee related expenses that were expected to be recognized in the first quarter but will ultimately be recognized in the second and third quarters. The decrease from a year ago was primarily due to a $4.4 million charge recorded in the first quarter last year in connection with a regulatory matter. This was partially offset by increases in expenses in the first quarter of 2018 related to the Horizon Keystone acquisition, including intangibles amortization expense, higher salaries and benefits and higher sales commissions. Expenses also increased due to investments in the Direct origination initiative and expenses associated with building-out Marlin’s senior leadership team. The Company’s efficiency ratio for the first quarter was 57.1% compared with 76.8% in the first quarter last year. On an adjusted basis, first quarter 2017 efficiency ratio was 59.5%. Excluding acquisition related sales commissions, the efficiency ratio in the first quarter of 2018 was 55.8%. Marlin expects its efficiency ratio to continue to improve as the Company leverages its fixed costs through continued portfolio growth and from continued operational efficiencies generated by its various process renewal initiatives. Marlin recorded an income tax expense of $1.7 million, representing an effective tax rate of 21.4% for the first quarter of 2018, compared with an income tax expense of $0.5 million in the first quarter of 2017. Portfolio Performance Allowance for credit losses as a percentage of total finance receivables was 1.68% at March 31, 2018 compared with 1.63% at December 31, 2017 and 1.42% at March 31, 2017, with the year-over-year increase driven by generally higher portfolio delinquency and net charge-offs. Coverage of total 60+ day delinquencies was 231.9% at March 31, 2018 compared with 262.99% at December 31, 2017 and 247.1% at March 31, 2017. Finance receivables over 30 days delinquent were 1.05% of the Company’s total finance receivables portfolio as of March 31, 2018, up 3 basis points from December 31, 2017 and up 17 basis points from March 31, 2017. Finance receivables over 60 days delinquent were 0.64% of the Company’s total finance receivables portfolio as of March 31, 2018, up 9 basis points from December 31, 2017 and up 13 basis point from March 31, 2017. Annualized first quarter net charge-offs were 1.68% of average total finance receivables versus 1.87% in the fourth quarter of 2017 and 1.57% a year ago. The overall increase in delinquency and charge-offs year-over-year is attributed to a return to a more normal credit environment. As of March 31, 2018, the Company’s consolidated equity to assets ratio was 17.17%. This compares to 17.27% and 17.22%, in the prior quarter and year ago quarter, respectively. Corporate Developments Marlin’s Board of Directors today declared a $0.14 per share quarterly dividend. The dividend is payable May 24, 2018, to shareholders of record on May 14, 2018. Based on the closing stock price on May 2, 2018, the annualized dividend yield on the Company’s common stock is 1.94%. At the end of the first quarter, the Company entered into a forward flow sale agreement with Varadero Capital, L.P., a leading alternative asset management firm, to sell up to $300 million in equipment leases and loans to be originated by Marlin. This arrangement expands Marlin’s ability to provide equipment financing to small businesses that are not currently served by the Company’s existing finance programs, diversifies its funding sources and provides substantial new lending capacity. Business Outlook The Company is maintaining guidance for the full year ending December 31, 2018 as follows: Total origination volume (including referral volume) is expected to finish approximately 20% above 2017 levels Portfolio performance is expected to remain within the targeted range Net interest margin, as a percentage, is expected to between 10.0% and 10.25% ROE is expected to improve in 2018 as the Company continues to improve operating scale EPS is expected to be between $1.95 and $2.10 per share Conference Call and Webcast Marlin will host a conference call on Friday, May 4, 2018 at 9:00 a.m. ET to discuss the Company’s first quarter 2018 results. If you wish to participate, please call 877-407-0792 approximately 10 minutes in advance of the call time. The conference ID will be: “Marlin.” The call will also be webcast on the Investor Relations page of the Company’s website, www.marlinfinance.com . An audio replay will also be available on the Investor Relations section of Marlin’s website for 45 days. About Marlin Business Services Corp. Marlin Business Services Corp. is a nationwide provider of credit products and services to small businesses with a mission of helping small businesses fulfill their American dream. Our products and services are offered directly to small businesses and through financing programs with independent equipment dealers and other intermediaries. Marlin and its wholly-owned operating subsidiary, Marlin Business Bank, are publicly traded (NASDAQ:MRLN). For more information about Marlin, visit www.marlinfinance.com or call toll free at (888) 479-9111. Forward-Looking Statements This release contains “ ” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. All (including statements regarding future financial and operating results) involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, which may cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance or achievements. All statements contained in this release that are not clearly historical in nature are forward-looking, and the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “expect,” “estimate,” “plan,” “may,” “intend” and similar expressions are generally intended to identify . Economic, business, funding, market, competitive, legal and/or regulatory factors, among others, affecting our business are examples of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the . More detailed information about these factors is contained in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the sections captioned “Risk Factors” and “Business” in the Company’s Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We are under no obligation to (and expressly disclaim any such obligation to) update or alter our , whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Regulation G – Non-GAAP Financial Measures In this release the Company uses certain financial measures which are not calculated and presented in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). The Company defines net income on an adjusted basis as net income excluding an after-tax charge related to a reserve for restitution in connection with certain payment processing practices in effect prior to February 2016 and charges for associated legal and consulting fees, the after-tax hurricane credit and insurance loss reserves, the after-tax executive severance (Chief Operating Officer), and the net tax benefit from the tax cut and jobs act, as applicable. The Company defines diluted earnings per share on an adjusted basis, return on average assets on an adjusted basis and return on average equity on an adjusted basis as the calculation used for the “as reported” number substituting net income as reported with net income on an adjusted basis while using the same denominator in the “as reported” number, where appropriate. The Company defines efficiency ratio on an adjusted basis as the calculation used for the “as reported” ratio adjusting the numerator for the reserve for restitution in connection with certain payment processing practices in effect prior to February 2016, hurricane insurance loss reserves, and executive severance, as applicable. The Company believes that these non-GAAP measures are useful performance metrics for management, investors and lenders, because it means to evaluate period-to-period comparisons of the Company's financial performance without the effects of certain adjustments in accordance with GAAP that may not necessarily be indicative of current operating performance. Non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered as an alternative to GAAP financial measures. They may not be indicative of the historical operating results of the Company nor are they intended to be predictive of potential future results. Investors should not consider non-GAAP financial measures in isolation or as a substitute for performance measures calculated in accordance with GAAP. Investor Contacts: Taylor Kamp Senior Vice President & Chief Financial Officer 856-505-4108 Lasse Glassen Addo Investor Relations lglassen@addoir.com 424-238-6249 MARLIN BUSINESS SERVICES CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) March 31, December 31, 2018 2017 (Dollars in thousands, except per-share data) ASSETS Cash and due from banks $ 4,394 $ 3,544 Interest-earning deposits with banks 80,497 63,602 Total cash and cash equivalents 84,891 67,146 Time deposits with banks 7,664 8,110 Investment securities (amortized cost of $11.2 million and $11.7 million at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively) 10,946 11,533 Net investment in leases and loans: Net investment in leases and loans, excluding allowance for credit losses 946,247 929,271 Allowance for credit losses (15,620 ) (14,851 ) Total net investment in leases and loans 930,627 914,420 Intangible assets 1,075 1,128 Goodwill 1,160 1,160 Property and equipment, net 4,035 4,204 Property tax receivables 11,740 6,292 Other assets 19,087 26,167 Total assets $ 1,071,225 $ 1,040,160 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY Deposits $ 833,145 $ 809,315 Other liabilities: Sales and property taxes payable 7,790 2,963 Accounts payable and accrued expenses 27,774 31,492 Net deferred income tax liability 18,589 16,741 Total liabilities 887,298 860,511 Stockholders’ equity: Preferred Stock, $0.01 par value; 5,000,000 shares authorized; none issued — — Common Stock, $0.01 par value; 75,000,000 shares authorized; 12,418,497 and 12,449,458 shares issued and outstanding at December 31, 2017 and 124 124 December 31, 2016, respectively Additional paid-in capital 82,509 82,588 Stock subscription receivable (2 ) (2 ) Accumulated other comprehensive loss (98 ) (96 ) Retained earnings 101,394 97,035 Total stockholders’ equity 183,927 179,649 Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 1,071,225 $ 1,040,160 MARLIN BUSINESS SERVICES CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations (Unaudited) Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 2017 (Dollars in thousands, except per-share data) Interest income $ 23,279 $ 20,531 Fee income 3,959 3,530 Interest and fee income 27,238 24,061 Interest expense 3,399 2,340 Net interest and fee income 23,839 21,721 Provision for credit losses 4,612 3,884 Net interest and fee income after provision for credit losses 19,227 17,837 Non-interest income: Insurance premiums written and earned 1,939 1,706 Other income 3,295 2,047 Non-interest income 5,234 3,753 Non-interest expense: Salaries and benefits 10,023 9,391 General and administrative 6,571 10,170 Non-interest expense 16,594 19,561 Income before income taxes 7,867 2,029 Income tax expense 1,682 489 Net income $ 6,185 $ 1,540 Basic earnings per share $ 0.50 $ 0.12 Diluted earnings per share $ 0.50 $ 0.12 Cash dividends declared per share $ 0.14 $ 0.14 MARLIN BUSINESS SERVICES CORP. AND SUBSIDIARIES Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Financial Measures (Unaudited) Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 2017 (Dollars in thousands, except per-share data) (Unaudited) Net income as reported $ 6,185 $ 1,540 Deduct: Charge in connection with regulatory matters - (4,411 ) Tax effect - 1,694 Charge in connection with regulatory matters, net of tax - (2,717 ) Net Income on an adjusted basis $ 6,185 $ 4,257 Diluted earnings per share as reported $0.50 $0.12 Diluted earnings per share on an adjusted basis $0.50 $0.34 Return on Average Assets as reported 2.37% 0.67% Return on Average Assets on an adjusted basis 2.37% 1.86% Return on Average Equity as reported 13.69% 3.78% Return on Average Equity on an adjusted basis 13.69% 10.44% Efficiency Ratio as reported 57.08% 76.79% Efficiency Ratio on an adjusted basis 57.08% 59.47% First quarter 2017 Net Income on an adjusted basis is defined as net income excluding a first quarter 2017 $4.2 million charge associated with recent regulatory matters and a $0.3 million first quarter 2017 charge for associated legal and consulting fees. First quarter 2018 did not have any as reported to on an adjusted basis reconciling items. SUPPLEMENTARY QUARTERLY DATA (Dollars in thousands, except share amounts) (Unaudited) Quarter Ended: 3/31/2017 6/30/2017 9/30/2017 12/31/2017 3/31/2018 Net Income: Net Income $1,540 $4,553 $3,305 $15,894 $6,185 Annualized Performance Measures: Return on Average Assets 0.67% 1.90% 1.31% 6.21% 2.37% Return on Average Stockholders' Equity 3.78% 11.19% 8.01% 38.08% 13.69% EPS Data: Net Income Allocated to Common Stock $1,495 $4,444 $3,225 $15,532 $6,065 Number of Shares - Basic 12,213,464 12,242,805 12,220,381 12,187,666 12,188,906 Basic Earnings per Share $0.12 $0.36 $0.26 $1.27 $0.50 Number of Shares - Diluted 12,223,333 12,249,530 12,257,922 12,230,858 12,245,019 Diluted Earnings per Share $0.12 $0.36 $0.26 $1.27 $0.50 Cash Dividends Declared per share $0.14 $0.14 $0.14 $0.14 $0.14 New Asset Production: Direct Originations $16,571 $23,648 $23,444 $31,610 $30,869 Indirect Originations $129,915 $131,812 $123,977 $148,468 $128,833 Total Originations $146,486 $155,460 $147,421 $180,078 $159,702 Equipment Finance Originations $132,691 $140,656 $133,646 $163,562 $141,646 Funding Stream Loans Originations $13,795 $14,804 $13,775 $16,516 $18,056 Total Originations $146,486 $155,460 $147,421 $180,078 $159,702 Assets referred in the period $22,296 $12,324 $13,024 $6,466 $4,201 Assets sold in the period $8,694 $12,364 $9,649 $36,037 $22,981 Implicit Yield on Direct Originations 24.49% 21.81% 21.44% 19.22% 19.47% Implicit Yield on Indirect Originations 10.22% 10.44% 10.43% 9.93% 10.75% Total Implicit Yield on Total Originations 11.86% 12.21% 12.18% 11.59% 12.44% Implicit Yield on Equipment Finance Originations 9.67% 9.96% 9.99% 9.46% 9.99% Implicit Yield on Funding Stream Loans Originations 32.95% 33.62% 33.51% 32.73% 31.68% # of Leases / Loans Equipment Finance 7,185 7,704 7,447 8,346 7,764 Equipment Finance Approval Percentage 56% 55% 56% 56% 56% Average Monthly Equipment Finance Sources 1,114 1,247 1,185 1,244 1,190 Net Interest and Fee Margin (NIM) Percent of Average Total Finance Receivables: Interest Income 10.31% 10.33% 10.37% 10.31% 10.19% Fee Income 1.77% 1.79% 1.75% 1.71% 1.73% Interest and Fee Income 12.08% 12.12% 12.12% 12.02% 11.92% Interest Expense 1.17% 1.25% 1.39% 1.45% 1.49% Net Interest and Fee Margin (NIM) 10.91% 10.87% 10.73% 10.57% 10.43% Risk Adjusted NIM (1) 9.34% 9.22% 9.00% 8.70% 8.74% Cost of Funds (2) 1.29% 1.37% 1.49% 1.58% 1.63% Interest Income Equipment Finance $18,611 $19,338 $19,840 $20,382 $20,639 Interest Income Funding Stream Loans $1,781 $2,039 $2,213 $2,322 $2,321 Average Total Finance Receivables $796,920 $835,516 $862,718 $891,819 $913,804 Average Net Investment Equipment Finance $775,551 $810,961 $836,713 $864,665 $884,946 Average Funding Stream Loans $21,369 $24,555 $26,005 $27,154 $28,858 End of Period Net Investment Equipment Finance $806,330 $837,520 $861,102 $887,328 $900,763 End of Period Funding Stream Loans $22,510 $25,183 $25,328 $27,092 $29,864 Total Owned Net Investment in Leases and Loans (3) $828,840 $862,703 $886,430 $914,420 $930,627 Total Assets Serviced for Others $26,422 $36,482 $42,657 $74,359 $90,701 Total Managed Assets $855,262 $899,185 $929,087 $988,779 $1,021,328 Portfolio Asset Quality: Total Finance Receivables 30+ Days Past Due Delinquencies 0.88% 0.92% 1.13% 1.02% 1.05% 30+ Days Past Due Delinquencies $8,208 $8,978 $11,370 $10,565 $10,994 60+ Days Past Due Delinquencies 0.51% 0.52% 0.61% 0.55% 0.64% 60+ Days Past Due Delinquencies $4,729 $5,108 $6,157 $5,647 $6,735 Equipment Finance 30+ Days Past Due Delinquencies 0.90% 0.94% 1.15% 1.04% 1.07% 30+ Days Past Due Delinquencies $8,206 $8,887 $11,260 $10,446 $10,942 60+ Days Past Due Delinquencies 0.52% 0.54% 0.63% 0.56% 0.66% 60+ Days Past Due Delinquencies $4,729 $5,108 $6,157 $5,647 $6,735 Funding Stream Loans 15+ Days Past Due Delinquencies 0.43% 0.89% 0.77% 0.95% 0.53% 15+ Days Past Due Delinquencies $99 $230 $200 $264 $162 30+ Days Past Due Delinquencies 0.01% 0.35% 0.42% 0.43% 0.17% 30+ Days Past Due Delinquencies $2 $91 $110 $119 $52 Net Charge-offs - Total Finance Receivables $3,134 $3,442 $3,735 $4,169 $3,843 % on Average Total Finance Receivables Annualized 1.57% 1.65% 1.73% 1.87% 1.68% Net Charge-offs - Equipment Finance $2,840 $3,062 $3,537 $3,944 $3,618 % on Average Net Investment in Equipment Finance Annualized 1.46% 1.51% 1.69% 1.82% 1.64% Net Charge-offs - Funding Stream Loans $294 $380 $198 $225 $224 % of Average Funding Stream Loans Annualized 5.51% 6.19% 3.05% 3.31% 3.10% Total Allowance for Credit Losses $11,687 $12,559 $14,504 $14,851 $15,620 % of Total Finance Receivables 1.42% 1.46% 1.64% 1.63% 1.68% % of 60+ Delinquencies 247.13% 245.87% 235.57% 262.99% 231.92% Allowance for Credit Losses - Equipment Finance $10,769 $11,514 $13,422 $13,815 $14,310 % of Net Investment Equipment Finance 1.34% 1.38% 1.56% 1.56% 1.60% % of 60+ Delinquencies 227.72% 225.40% 218.00% 244.64% 212.48% Allowance for Credit Losses - Funding Stream Loans $918 $1,045 $1,082 $1,036 $1,310 % of Total Funding Stream Loans 3.96% 4.04% 4.14% 3.73% 4.25% % of 60+ Delinquencies n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a Non-accrual - Equipment Finance $2,282 $2,560 $2,933 $3,065 $3,626 Non-accrual - Equipment Finance 0.25% 0.27% 0.30% 0.30% 0.36% Non-accrual - Funding Stream Loans $53 $61 $17 $118 $27 Non-accrual - Funding Stream Loans 0.23% 0.24% 0.07% 0.42% 0.09% Non-accrual - Total Finance Receivables $2,335 $2,621 $2,950 $3,183 $3,653 Non-accrual - Total Finance Receivables 0.25% 0.27% 0.29% 0.31% 0.35% Restructured - Total Finance Receivables $798 $878 $2,543 $4,489 $4,366 Expense Ratios: Salaries and Benefits Expense $9,391 $9,070 $9,302 $9,806 $10,023 Salaries and Benefits Expense Annualized % of Avg. Fin. Recbl. 4.71% 4.34% 4.31% 4.40% 4.39% Total personnel end of quarter 330 329 331 330 326 General and Administrative Expense $10,170 $6,110 $6,409 $5,583 $6,571 General and Administrative Expense Annualized % of Avg. Fin. Recbl. 5.10% 2.93% 2.97% 2.50% 2.88% Efficiency Ratio 76.79% 56.69% 58.74% 53.30% 57.08% Balance Sheet: Assets Investment in Leases and Loans $824,942 $858,671 $883,778 $911,242 $927,752 Initial Direct Costs and Fees 15,585 16,591 17,156 18,029 18,495 Reserve for Credit Losses (11,687 ) (12,559 ) (14,504 ) (14,851 ) (15,620 ) Net Investment in Leases and Loans $828,840 $862,703 $886,430 $914,420 $930,627 Cash and Cash Equivalents 75,728 77,316 82,937 67,146 84,891 Restricted Cash - - - - - Other Assets 39,924 45,063 43,650 58,594 55,707 Total Assets $944,492 $985,082 $1,013,017 $1,040,160 $1,071,225 Liabilities Deposits 739,793 780,838 806,954 809,315 833,145 Other Liabilities 42,054 40,061 39,768 51,196 54,153 Total Liabilities $781,847 $820,899 $846,722 $860,511 $887,298 Stockholders' Equity Common Stock $126 $125 $125 $124 $124 Paid-in Capital, net 84,066 82,825 83,391 82,586 82,507 Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) (109 ) (106 ) (82 ) (96 ) (98 ) Retained Earnings 78,562 81,339 82,861 97,035 101,394 Total Stockholders' Equity $162,645 $164,183 $166,295 $179,649 $183,927 Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity $944,492 $985,082 $1,013,017 $1,040,160 $1,071,225 Capital and Leverage: Equity $162,645 $164,183 $166,295 $179,649 $183,927 Debt to Equity 4.55 4.76 4.85 4.50 4.53 Equity to Assets 17.22% 16.67% 16.42% 17.27% 17.17% Regulatory Capital Ratios: Tier 1 Leverage Capital 17.41% 16.81% 16.24% 17.25% 17.35% Common Equity Tier 1 Risk-based Capital 18.37% 17.80% 17.64% 18.22% 18.33% Tier 1 Risk-based Capital 18.37% 17.80% 17.64% 18.22% 18.33% Total Risk-based Capital 19.63% 19.05% 18.90% 19.47% 19.58% Notes and Footnotes: (1) Risk Adjusted NIM is defined as NIM less net charge-offs (2) COF is defined as interest expense for the period divided by average interest bearling liabilities, annualized (3) Net investment in total finance receivables includes net investment in Equipment Finance leases and loans and Funding Stream Loans. Equipment Finance consists of equipment leases and loans. Funding Stream Loans consist of small business loans. Source:Marlin Business Services Corp.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/03/globe-newswire-marlin-business-services-corp-reports-first-quarter-2018-earnings-and-declares-a-cash-dividend-of-0-point-14-per-share.html

Héroux-Devtek Reports Fiscal 2018 Fourth Quarter Results

Sales of $113.0 million, versus $120.9 million in the previous year Operating income of $6.7 million and net income of $5.9 million, or $0.16 per share Adjusted EBITDA 1 of $19.4 million and adjusted net income 1 of $10.4 million, or $0.29 per share For fiscal 2018, cash flow related to operating activities of $56.1 million, in line with last year For fiscal 2018, record free cash flow 1 generation of $50.8 million, as compared to $33.0 million a year ago Contract announced with AAR Corporation for a landing gear remanufacturing in support of the U.S. Air Force CESA and Beaver acquisitions expected to close during the first semester of fiscal 2019 LONGUEUIL, Québec, May 24, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Héroux-Devtek Inc. (TSX:HRX), (“Héroux-Devtek” or the “Corporation”), a leading international manufacturer of aerospace products, today reported its results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended March 31, 2018. Unless otherwise indicated, all amounts are in Canadian dollars. “We reported fiscal 2018 results relatively in line with expectations. We had strong deliveries related to the Boeing 777 program, shipping 13 landing gears in the fourth quarter alone and 42 for the year. We ended the year with a strong backlog at $466 million, an increase of 15% over last year. We also generated record free cash flows of $51 million. Today, we are in a healthy financial position to pursue our next expansion phase, with cash and cash equivalents of $93 million and a resulting net debt of $39 million,” said Gilles Labbé, President and CEO of Héroux-Devtek. “We look to the new year with enthusiasm as we expect to leverage many opportunities for future growth, including the closing of the CESA and Beaver acquisitions, as well as the positive long-term outlook on commercial aerospace and increased defence spending commitments worldwide. In addition, we are well positioned to obtain a number of contracts on several aircraft programs given our fully integrated offering, leading-edge equipment and international network,” added Mr. Labbé. FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Quarters ended March 31, Fiscal years ended March 31, (in thousands of dollars, except per share data) 2018 2017 2018 2017 Sales 113,024 120,886 386,564 406,536 Operating income 6,697 8,678 23,378 35,552 Adjusted operating income 1 12,089 12,312 30,325 35,880 Adjusted EBITDA 1 19,369 19,181 56,904 61,448 Net income 5,858 8,895 13,674 31,768 Per share – diluted ($) 0.16 0.25 0.38 0.88 Adjusted net income 1 10,439 9,077 24,213 26,353 Per share ($) 0.29 0.25 0.67 0.73 1 This is a non-IFRS measure. Please refer to the “Non-IFRS Measures” section at the end of this press release. FOURTH QUARTER RESULTS Consolidated sales reached $113.0 million, compared with $120.9 million last year. This 6.5% variation reflects lower sales in both the commercial and defence aerospace markets and a net negative impact on sales of $1.4 million resulting from year-over-year fluctuations in the value of the Canadian currency versus foreign currencies. Commercial sales decreased 5.4% to $57.5 million, compared with $60.8 million last year. The decrease was mainly driven by lower large commercial programs sales, including the scheduled ending of a Tier-2 contract, and lower aftermarket customer requirements for regional aircraft. These negative factors were partly offset by increased Boeing 777 deliveries. Defence sales decreased 7.7% to $55.5 million from $60.1 million. This variation is essentially due to lower spare parts requirements from the U.S. Government. Gross profit decreased to $19.0 million, or 16.8% of sales, versus $20.8 million, or 17.2% of sales last year. The decrease was largely attributable to unfavourable product mix, mainly related to lower sales of spares and aftermarket requirements for regional aircraft. Operating income stood at $6.7 million, or 5.9% of sales, compared with $8.7 million, or 7.2% of sales last year. Adjusted operating income was $12.1 million, as compared to $12.3 million last year. This quarter’s adjusted operating income excluded $5.4 million of restructuring charges related to workforce adjustments, following the non-renewal of the USAF contract, and acquisition-related costs. Adjusted operating income from the fourth quarter last year excluded a $3.6 million restructuring charge related to workforce adjustments made following production rate reductions for certain aircraft programs announced by OEMs. Consequently, adjusted EBITDA, which excludes non-recurring items, was $19.4 million, or 17.1% of sales, compared with $19.2 million, or 15.9% of sales, a year ago. Net income for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 was $5.9 million, or $0.16 per diluted share, compared with $8.9 million, or $0.25 per diluted share, a year ago. Excluding non-recurring items net of taxes, adjusted net income reached $10.4 million, or $0.29 per share, versus $9.1 million, or $0.25 per share last year. As at March 31, 2018, Héroux-Devtek’s funded (firm orders) backlog stood at $466 million, versus $405 million as at March 31, 2017. YEAR-END RESULTS For fiscal 2018, consolidated sales reached $386.6 million, versus $406.5 million in fiscal 2017. Commercial sales reached $195.1 million versus $210.8 million a year ago, while defence sales totalled $191.5 million compared with $195.7 million last year. Year-over-year fluctuations in the value of the Canadian currency versus foreign currencies decreased sales by $2.4 million. Gross profit for fiscal 2018 amounted to $61.3 million, or 15.9% of sales, compared with $68.0 million, or 16.7% of sales, in fiscal 2017. Operating income was $23.4 million, or 6.0% of sales, versus $35.6 million, or 8.7% of sales a year ago. Adjusted operating income was $30.3 million, compared to $35.9 million last year. Adjusted EBITDA reached $56.9 million, or 14.7% of sales, versus $61.4 million, or 15.1% of sales a year earlier. Net income was $13.7 million, or $0.38 per diluted share, in fiscal 2018, compared with $31.8 million, or $0.88 per diluted share, in fiscal 2017. Adjusted net income stood at $24.2 million, or $0.67 per share, versus $26.4 million, or $0.73 per share last year. SOLID CASH FLOWS AND HEALTHY FINANCIAL POSITION Cash flows related to operating activities amounted to $18.5 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018, versus $29.1 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017. This variation mainly reflects a less favourable variation in non-cash working capital items. Fourth quarter free cash flow was $20.0 million compared to $22.8 million last year. For fiscal 2018, cash flows related to operating activities were $56.1 million, in line with last year, with a record free cash flow amounting to $50.8 million, up significantly from $33.0 million last year, primarily as a result of lower net cash flow utilized in investing activities. Given this free cash flow generation, Héroux-Devtek’s already healthy financial position improved further as at March 31, 2018, with cash and cash equivalents of $93.2 million, while total long-term debt was $132.0 million, including the current portion, but excluding net deferred financing costs. Long-term debt includes $54.2 million drawn against the Corporation’s authorized credit facility of $200.0 million. As a result, the net debt position was $38.8 million at the end of the fourth quarter, down from $92.3 million as at March 31, 2017. The net-debt-to equity ratio was 0.10:1 as at March 31, 2018, versus 0.26:1 as at March 31, 2017. UPDATE ON PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED ACQUISITIONS Following a longer than anticipated regulatory process, the CESA acquisition is now expected to close during the second quarter of fiscal 2019. The transaction is subject to certain approvals, including by the Spanish Council of Ministers and the prior acquisition by Airbus of the stake of its minority partner in CESA. The closing of the Beaver acquisition is expected to occur during the current quarter, subject to customary closing adjustments and certain regulatory approvals. WORKFORCE ADJUSTMENTS Héroux-Devtek announced workforce adjustments of about 60 employees at its Longueuil facility following the non-renewal of the US Air Force contract announced on March 27, 2017. These workforce adjustments along with other restructuring costs related to the decrease in volume resulted in non-recurring charges totalling $5.0 million before taxes. UPDATE ON DASSAULT FALCON 6X Heroux-Devtek recently signed an amended contract for the design and manufacture of the Falcon 6X landing gear. SUBSEQUENT EVENT On May 16, 2018, subsequent to the end of the fiscal year, Héroux-Devtek announced the signing of a contract with AAR to perform the remanufacturing of landing gear assemblies of the KC-135 aircraft, the manufacturing of spare parts for the C-130 and KC-135 aircraft and the manufacturing of other landing gear components, all in support of a contract AAR was recently awarded from the US Air Force.The contract’s total value could exceed $65 million over the 4-year term. GUIDANCE For fiscal 2019, Management expects sales to be stable as compared to fiscal 2018 due to the ramp-down of the USAF contract, offset by higher defense volume from other customers and increased deliveries related to the Boeing 777 and 777x programs. Long-term sales growth guidance will be materially impacted by the acquisitions of CESA and Beaver and will be provided after the closing of these two transactions. In addition, Management expects approximately $15 million in capital expenditures in fiscal 2019. Please see “Forward-Looking Statements” below and the Guidance section in the Corporation’s MD&A for the quarter ended March 31, 2018, for further details regarding the material assumptions underlying the foregoing guidance. CONFERENCE CALL Héroux-Devtek Inc. will hold a conference call to discuss these results on Thursday, May 24, 2018 at 8:30 AM Eastern Time. Interested parties can join the call by dialling 1-877-223-4471 (North America) or 1-647-788-4922 (overseas). The conference call can also be accessed via live webcast at Héroux-Devtek’s website, www.herouxdevtek.com/investor-relations/events or http://www.gowebcasting.com/9254 . An accompanying presentation will also be available on Héroux-Devtek’s website, www.herouxdevtek.com/investor-relations/events . If you are unable to call in at this time, you may access a tape recording of the meeting by calling 1-800-585-8367 and entering the passcode 3186266 on your phone. This tape recording will be available on Thursday, May 24, 2018 as of 12:00 PM Eastern Time until 11:59 PM Eastern Time on Thursday, May 31, 2018. PROFILE Héroux-Devtek Inc. (TSX:HRX) is an international company specializing in the design, development, manufacture and repair and overhaul of landing gear and actuation systems and components for the Aerospace market. The Corporation is the third largest landing gear company worldwide, supplying both the commercial and defence sectors of the Aerospace market with new landing gear systems and components, as well as aftermarket products and services. The Corporation also manufactures hydraulic systems, fluid filtration systems and electronic enclosures. Approximately 90% of the Corporation's sales are outside Canada, including about 65% in the United States. The Corporation's head office is located in Longueuil, Québec with facilities in the Greater Montreal area (Longueuil, Laval and St-Hubert); Kitchener, Cambridge and Toronto, Ontario; Springfield and Strongsville, Ohio; Wichita, Kansas; Everett, Washington; and Runcorn, Nottingham and Bolton, United Kingdom. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS Except for historical information provided herein, this press release contains information and statements of a forward-looking nature concerning the future performance of the Corporation. Forward looking statements are based on assumptions and uncertainties as well as on management's best possible evaluation of future events. Such factors may include, without excluding other considerations, fluctuations in quarterly results, evolution in customer demand for the Corporation's products and services, the impact of price pressures exerted by competitors, and general market trends or economic changes. As a result, readers are advised that actual results may differ from expected results. Please see the Guidance section in the Corporation’s MD&A for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018, for further details regarding the material assumptions underlying the forecasts and guidance. Such forecasts and guidance are provided for the purpose of assisting the reader in understanding the Corporation’s financial performance and prospects and to present management’s assessment of future plans and operations, and the reader is cautioned that such statements may not be appropriate for other purposes. NON-IFRS MEASURES Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“EBITDA”), adjusted EBITDA, adjusted operating income, adjusted net income, adjusted earnings per share and free cash flow are financial measures not prescribed by International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) and are not likely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other issuers. Management considers these to be useful information to assist investors in evaluating the Corporation's profitability, liquidity and ability to generate funds to finance its operations. Refer to Non-IFRS financial measures under Operating Results in the Corporation’s MD&A for definitions of these measures and reconciliations to the most comparable IFRS measures. Note to readers: Complete audited consolidated financial statements and Management’s Discussion & Analysis are available on Héroux-Devtek’s website at www.herouxdevtek.com . From: Héroux-Devtek Inc. Gilles Labbé President and Chief Executive Officer Tel.: (450) 679-3330 Contact: Héroux-Devtek Inc. Stéphane Arsenault Chief Financial Officer Tel.: (450) 679-3330 MaisonBrison Pierre Boucher Tel.: (514) 731-0000 Source:Heroux-Devtek Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/24/globe-newswire-haroux-devtek-reports-fiscal-2018-fourth-quarter-results.html

UK's Prince William and Kate register new son Louis's birth

LONDON (Reuters) - Prince William and his wife Kate formally registered the birth of new son Louis on Tuesday, just over a week after the arrival of the latest member of Britain’s royal family. Britain's Prince William and Catherine, The Duchess of Cambridge leaves the Lindo Wing at St Mary's Hospital with their newborn son in London, April 23, 2018. John Stillwell/Pool via Reuters Prince Louis Arthur Charles, the couple’s third child, who joins brother George, 4, and sister Charlotte, 2, and becomes fifth-in-line to the throne, was born on Monday last week, weighing in at 8 lbs 7oz. On Tuesday, William and Kate, formally known as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, signed the birth register at their Kensington Palace home in central London in front of an official from Westminster Register Office. All newborns in Britain have to be registered, with details of the parents and their occupation. William and Kate duly listed their jobs as Prince and Princess of the United Kingdom. Reporting by Michael Holden; editing by Stephen Addison

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-royals-louis/uks-prince-william-and-kate-register-new-son-louiss-birth-idUSKBN1I23N7

UPDATE 1-Turkish banker gets 32 months prison in U.S. case over Iran sanctions

May 16, 2018 / 5:26 PM / Updated 11 minutes ago UPDATE 1-Turkish banker gets 32 months prison in U.S. case over Iran sanctions Reuters Staff (Adds background throughout) By Brendan Pierson NEW YORK, May 16 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge sentenced Mehmet Hakan Atilla, a Turkish banker at Turkey’s state-controlled Halkbank, to 32 months in prison on Wednesday after he was found guilty of taking part in a scheme to help Iran evade U.S. sanctions. Atilla, a 47-year-old Turkish citizen, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard Berman in Manhattan. The case has strained diplomatic relations between the United States and Turkey, and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has condemned it as a political attack on his government. Prosecutors had sought a sentence of about 20 years for Atilla, who worked as a deputy general manager at Halkbank. The defendant’s lawyers had argued that federal guidelines recommended a term of just 46 to 57 months, and asked for a sentence “dramatically below” that length. Atilla was found guilty on Jan. 3 of conspiring to violate U.S. sanctions law. His conviction followed a four-week trial in which Atilla testified in his own defense. Prosecutors have said that beginning around 2012, Atilla was involved in a scheme to help Iran spend oil and gas revenues abroad using fraudulent gold and food transactions through Halkbank, violating U.S. sanctions. According to prosecutors, the central figure in the scheme was wealthy Turkish-Iranian gold trader Reza Zarrab, who pleaded guilty to fraud, conspiracy and money laundering charges, and testified for several days as the U.S. government’s star witness against Atilla. Zarrab, who has yet to be sentenced, said on the witness stand during Atilla’s trial that he bribed Turkish officials, and that Erdogan personally signed off on parts of the scheme while serving as Turkey’s prime minister. Erdogan has said the U.S. case was based on evidence fabricated by followers of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, whom he has also blamed for a failed 2016 coup attempt. The Turkish president has repeatedly condemned Atilla’s conviction, most recently in an interview with Bloomberg Television on Tuesday. “If Hakan Atilla is going to be declared a criminal, that would be almost equivalent to declaring the Turkish Republic a criminal,” Erdogan said. Atilla was arrested in New York in March 2017, a year after Zarrab’s arrest in Florida. (Reporting by Brendan Pierson in New York Editing by Susan Thomas and Frances Kerry)

https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-turkey-zarrab/update-1-turkish-banker-gets-32-months-prison-in-u-s-case-over-iran-sanctions-idUSL2N1SN1EQ

GLAAD calls for LGBT characters in 20 percent of movies by 2021

May 22, 2018 / 1:02 PM / Updated 3 hours ago GLAAD calls for LGBT characters in 20 percent of movies by 2021 Reuters Staff 3 Min Read LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Romance “Call Me By Your Name” may have won a screenplay Oscar, and Disney’s family-friendly “Beauty and the Beast” had a gay character, but movies from Hollywood’s major studios last year had the lowest percentage of lesbian, gay, transgender and bisexual characters since 2012, according to a report released on Tuesday. FILE PHOTO: James Ivory wears a shirt depicting actor Timothee Chalamet as he holds his Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for "Call Me My Your Name" during the 90th Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, March 4, 2018. REUTERS/Mike Blake Gay and transgender media advocacy group GLAAD said in its annual Studio Responsibility Index that of the 109 releases by the seven largest movie studios in 2017, just 14, or 12.8 percent, included LGBTQ characters. GLAAD called on Hollywood to have 20 percent of annual film releases include a gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or gender fluid character by 2021, rising to 50 percent of output by 2024. Box office hits like “Wonder Woman” and “Black Panther” have smashed old Hollywood notions that movies that champion women and people of color do not have global appeal, GLAAD said. “It is time for LGBTQ stories to be included in this conversation,” GLAAD President Sarah Kate Ellis said in the report. GLAAD praised movies like tennis film “Battle of the Sexes,” Oscar best picture winner “The Shape of Water” and independent transgender tale “A Fantastic Woman” from Chile that won the best foreign language Oscar in March. But it gave the thumbs-down to “Thor: Ragnarok” for deleting references to two characters who are bisexual or queer in the original Marvel comic book source material, criticized “Baywatch” for its “many jokes relying on gay panic for cheap laughs,” and said “Pitch Perfect 3” sidelined a lesbian character. Despite the slide in LGBTQ characters in 2017, GLAAD said 2018 had already shown welcome progress, with movies like gay young adult film “Love, Simon” and the raunchy teen comedy “Blockers.” The report expressed hope for upcoming films, such as musical “Mamma Mia 2,” where GLAAD said it would like to see Colin Firth’s gay character further explored, and “The Girl in the Spider’s Web,” where lead character Lisbeth Salander is bisexual in the original Stieg Larsson novel. As for “Bohemian Rhapsody,” the upcoming biopic about Queen singer Freddie Mercury who died in 1991 of AIDS complications, GLAAD said it hoped the film would “make a powerful impact by fully exploring his queer identity.” Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Matthew Lewis

https://in.reuters.com/article/us-film-lgbt/glaad-calls-for-lgbt-characters-in-20-percent-of-movies-by-2021-idINKCN1IN1MB

Top Greek court grants Turkish soldier asylum, rejects government appeal

ATHENS (Reuters) - A Turkish soldier who fled with seven others to Greece after a failed coup attempt against President Tayyip Erdogan in 2016 should be granted asylum, a Greek court ruled on Wednesday, prompting an angry response from Ankara. The Council of State, Greece’s top administrative court, rejected an appeal by the leftist-led government against an administrative decision by an asylum board to grant asylum to the Turkish soldier, a judicial source said. The case has posed a dilemma for Athens, keen to keep relations with Ankara on an even keel but also demonstrate respect for the independence of the judiciary. Turkey has demanded the eight soldiers are handed over, accusing them of involvement in the abortive coup. The soldiers have denied wrongdoing and say they fear for their lives. Greek courts have dismissed the Turkish demands, saying there were not convinced the eight would face a fair trial in their country. Turkish EU Minister Omer Celik called the Council of State ruling “the most embarrassing decision a country can make”. “The justice system of Greece, an EU member, decided to defend the terrorists who attempted a coup to overthrow democracy in Turkey,” he said on Twitter. The soldiers - three majors, three captains and two sergeant majors - flew to Greece by helicopter on July 16, 2016, as the coup attempt against Erdogan crumbled. The Greek government had appealed against the asylum board verdict on one of the soldiers, winning a temporary injunction suspending his asylum status “for reasons of public interest” until a formal court hearing. The other soldiers’ asylum cases are still pending. Once the Council of State ruling is officially registered, the Turkish soldier will be freed, the judicial source said. Reporting by Constantinos Georgizas in Athens and Ezgi Erkoyun in Ankara, Writing by Angeliki Koutantou and Renee Maltezou; editing by John Stonestreet

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-security-greece/top-greek-court-grants-turkish-soldier-asylum-rejects-government-appeal-idUSKCN1IO38F

Consumers returning to luxury brands. Investors should too: Analyst

Consumers are returning to the luxury goods sector with updated versions of iconic brands such as Tiffany & Co. and Louis Vuitton. Retail analyst Oliver Chen told CNBC that it's a good place for investors to be too. "Tiffany is very exciting," Chen, managing director and senior equity research analyst at Cowen Outperform, said Wednesday on " Power Lunch ." "They're becoming a lot more modern," he said. "Customers are returning to Tiffany on the heels of new collections, new product, as well as new campaigns that are innovative, fun, disruptive, as well as tying back to the history of the brand." "And that blue box is iconic," Chen said. On Wednesday, the high-end jeweler beat first-quarter earnings estimates with better-than-expected sales in the Americas and Asia. Shares surged about 17 percent and were on track to mark the company's best day since 2001. But Tiffany isn't the only luxury company outperforming. Chen, who covers retail and luxury goods at Cowen, said his firm likes the luxury goods sector, including brands such as Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton and Sotheby's , and said it is "a good spot for investors to be in." Businesses that specialize in discounted goods — such as TJX Companies, which owns off-price stores Ross Stores and Marshalls, and Costco — are thriving. But Chen pointed out that some cost-cutting measures may affect margins, which in turn affects investors. The analyst said jewelry brands such as Tiffany can leverage prices to get better returns for investors. "Grocery, food, apparel, where there's less differentiation, that becomes a problem, and people compete on price," the analyst said. "And that's a big factor for retail over the long term, especially with Amazon and others," Chen said. "Competing on the basis of price is very competitive." In fact, Tiffany's success may be in part because it is "un-Amazonable," Chen said, referring to experiences that can't be bought online. CNBC/Marguerite Ward For Mary Chao, that came in the form of a trip to her local Tiffany & Co. for her daughter's 16th birthday. "For a $150 necklace, you get the blue box, a pampering and a status symbol," the Brighton, New York, resident told CNBC. "And teenage girls are always looking for status symbols." "Luxury is trending in the suburbs," Chao said. "For me it's Louis Vuitton. For my daughter it's Tiffany." Disclaimer

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/23/consumers-returning-to-luxury-brands-investors-should-too-analyst.html

Creditors lead effort to sell Brazil's Odebrecht rail unit-sources

May 10, 2018 / 12:34 PM / in an hour Creditors lead effort to sell Brazil's Odebrecht rail unit-sources Reuters Staff 1 Min Read SAO PAULO, May 10 (Reuters) - Brazilian creditors of conglomerate Odebrecht SA are leading the efforts to sell the group’s commuter rail operator Supervia Concessionaria de Transporte Ferroviario SA, as banks pressured the corruption-ensnared group to accelerate asset sales, three people with knowledge of the matter said. Odebrecht hired Banco BTG Pactual SA as an adviser months ago to sell Supervia, the sources added, asking for anonymity because talks are still private. But failure to reach an agreement with potential acquirers after talks with investors made creditors such as Banco Bradesco SA and Itau Unibanco Holding SA interfere and transfer the mandate to sell the company to their investment banking units. (Additional reporting by Carolina Mandl in Sao Paulo, Stanley Carvalho in Abu Dhabi Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

https://www.reuters.com/article/supervia-ma/creditors-lead-effort-to-sell-brazils-odebrecht-rail-unit-sources-idUSL1N1SA26W

Chipotle Is Using Technology to Speed Up Burrito Production

1:44 PM EDT Even burritos are going high tech. Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. is spending almost $10,000 a restaurant to add flat-screen panels that will allow workers to fulfill off-site orders more quickly, according to Chief Digital and Information Officer Curt Garner. The move will improve the additional production lines — dedicated to digital, online and catering orders — that Chipotle has added to supplement the front lines that serve in-store diners. With the new screens, which are already in place at 300 locations and will grow to 900 by the end of the year, employees see images of an order’s ingredients, instead of words, and labels are printed automatically instead of handwritten. The new system makes it easier and quicker to train workers, and orders are more accurate, according to Garner. “It’s so much more intuitive and easier,” Garner said in an interview. “We can make orders much more quickly for folks. We don’t overload the restaurant.” The investment comes as restaurants race to outdo rivals in the surging food-delivery market. Taco Bell, KFC and McDonald’s are all now offering the service in some capacity, while Panera Bread has built its own network with 13,000 drivers. Chipotle, meanwhile, is eager to prove it can recapture growth under its new chief executive officer, Brian Niccol. Chipotle has said about 8.8 percent of orders go to its second production lines. The chain is working to boost its delivery capabilities — in April it announced a partnership with DoorDash Inc. to add the service to 1,500 restaurants. It also delivers at some locations through Postmates Inc. and Tapingo. The burrito chain is considering doing delivery itself in areas where third-party services aren’t available, Garner said. Chipotle, which has about 2,400 restaurants, is in talks with additional delivery partners, he said. “It is such a rapidly evolving marketplace particularly now that Uber and Amazon and others are getting in,” he said, referring to new moves by those companies to capture growth in the delivery market. “We’re continuing to keep a very close eye on what’s happening and understanding how we can rapidly shift our strategy.” SPONSORED FINANCIAL CONTENT

http://fortune.com/2018/05/09/chipotle-burritos-flat-screens/

California store faces suit over no-Spanish language policy

SAN DIEGO (AP) — A grocery store in San Diego subjected Hispanic employees to harassment and a hostile work environment by implementing a no-Spanish language policy, federal officials said Thursday. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed a lawsuit alleging store managers at Albertsons publicly reprimanded Hispanic employees who were caught speaking Spanish. The workers were barred from speaking Spanish around non-Spanish speakers, even during breaks or when talking to Spanish-speaking customers, the lawsuit said. No action was taken despite employee complaints, causing some workers to transfer to other stores, according to the EEOC. Albertsons wouldn't comment on the lawsuit but said in a statement that it does not require its employees speak English only. "Albertsons serves a diverse customer population and encourages employees with foreign language abilities to use those skills to serve its customers," the statement said. The conduct violates the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the EEOC said. "It is extremely important for workers to feel safe in coming forward to report harassment," said Christopher Green, director of the EEOC's San Diego office. "It is equally important for employers to make certain that harassment is investigated and addressed appropriately." The Albertsons chain is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the U.S., employing about 280,000 people in 35 states.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/03/the-associated-press-california-store-faces-suit-over-no-spanish-language-policy.html

Ultimate frontier market? Amid thaw, Chinese eye North Korea real estate

May 2, 2018 / 2:08 PM / Updated 5 hours ago Ultimate frontier market? Amid thaw, Chinese eye North Korea real estate Yawen Chen , Sue-Lin Wong 5 Min Read BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese property speculators are starting to bet on a rapid improvement in relations between North Korea and the rest of the world, pushing up prices in the border city of Dandong and even spurring buying interest in the world’s most isolated country. FILE PHOTO: A general view shows the unfinished New Yalu River bridge that was designed to connect China's Dandong New Zone, Liaoning province, and North Korea's Sinuiju, September 11, 2016. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/File Photo Last week, online Chinese real estate investment platform Uoolu.com released a guide for Chinese buyers interested in North Korean real estate, while popular accounts on the mobile messaging app WeChat have been posting articles about the country’s housing market in recent weeks. “Recently we’ve had many inquiries about investing in North Korea’s property market,” said Huang Xiaodan, founder and CEO of Uoolu.com, which specializes in helping Chinese buy property overseas. Actual cross-border investment has yet to materialize. “Venturing into a new frontier requires policy support and time to cultivate the market,” said Huang. “At the moment, we’re just paying close attention to what’s going on.” North Korea has long been largely shut to foreign investors, an isolation that deepened when the United Nations ratcheted up sanctions last year in an effort to curb its development of nuclear weapons. But a dramatic improvement in relations between Pyongyang and China, with a secretive Beijing visit by the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in late March, followed by last week’s historic inter-Korean summit and an upcoming meeting between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump, has caught the notice of some opportunistic investors. “I’ve had several inquiries from Chinese interested in purchasing properties in Pyongyang, Wonsan and Sinuiju,” said the founder of INDPRK, a travel company in Dandong that runs tours to North Korea, who goes by the name Griffin Che. “There are a lot of speculators on the market right now but, at the moment, only locals can buy property in North Korea.” PROPERTY PRICES JUMP ON CHINESE BORDER There are no such restrictions in Dandong, the main gateway into North Korea in northeastern China, where listed prices of apartments in some projects seen as most likely to gain from an economic opening up of North Korea have jumped by as much as 50 percent since Kim’s Beijing visit in late March, according to five real estate agents and three local residents. FILE PHOTO: The Downing One residential project is seen in the Dandong New Zone, in Dandong, Liaoning province, China September 28, 2017. REUTERS/Philip Wen/File Photo “Rising property prices are due to North Korea,” Mr. Zhao, an official in Dandong’s real estate registration office, told Reuters, declining to give his full name or further details. The Dandong New Zone - which was planned in anticipation of the opening of the New Yalu River Bridge connecting Dandong with Sinuiju in North Korea - has been attracting the most interest from prospective buyers. The dual-carriageway bridge was slated to open in November 2015 but today sits abandoned. “We’re all hopeful the bridge will open soon,” said Zhao Bin, a Chinese trader who does business with North Korea and considered buying property in Dandong last week. INDPRK’s Che, who has a prominent social media presence, said Dandong New Zone transaction prices had risen from about 4,000 yuan per square meter to 5,500 to 6,000 yuan, which he attributes to the improving situation on the Korean peninsula. He warned that Dandong prices were so frothy they may have even peaked. “I was keen to buy but I think it’s too late now,” he said. OUT-OF-TOWNERS BOOST SALES Around one-third of buyers over the recent Labor Day weekend holiday were from out of town, taking advantage of time off to scout properties, according to Mr. Liao, an agent at Gold Key Real Estate in Dandong, who also declined to give his full name, whereas locals made up the vast majority of buyers in much of April. Sales of residential properties rose almost 30 percent in Dandong’s of Zhenxing District, which includes the New Zone, last month from March, according to data from the local housing authority. A total of 967 apartments were sold in April, it posted on the official website. Average home prices in Dandong rose nearly 1 percent in April from March, according to data from the China Real Estate Association, compared with a 0.5 percent decline in the same period a year earlier, although city-wide averages tend not to fully reflect big price fluctuations at individual projects. Dandong’s real estate registration office released a statement last week saying it was unable to keep up with the sudden rise in people registering apartments so people needed to make an appointment to visit the office ahead of time, according to state-owned Securities Times newspaper. A woman answering the phone at Dandong’s real estate registration office said the new system was not connected to North Korea, but because several projects had recently been completed so more people were purchasing apartments. Reporting by Yawen Chen, Sue-Lin Wong and the Beijing newsroom; Editing by Tony Munroe and Alex Richardson

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-northkorea-property/ultimate-frontier-market-amid-thaw-chinese-eye-north-korea-real-estate-idUSKBN1I31X5

Athletics - IAAF unveils new, mass worldwide running event

May 7, 2018 / 8:41 PM / Updated 3 hours ago Athletics - IAAF unveils new, mass worldwide running event Reuters Staff 2 Min Read LONDON (Reuters) - A new series of one-mile runs in 24 cities around the world to celebrate Global Running Day on June 6 and tagged “Run 24:1” was unveiled by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on Monday. Partnering with sports ministries, city governments, race organisers and member federations around the world, the IAAF initiative incorporates races to be held in cities across 15 time zones that will each start at the same local time to create a ‘simultaneous’ worldwide celebration of running. IAAF Run 24:1 will commence at 1700 local time (GMT +12) in Auckland, New Zealand, then cross Oceania to Sydney, enter Asia in Tokyo, move to Europe in Minsk, into Africa in Addis Ababa, and cross the Atlantic to the Americas in Sao Paulo and Buenos Aires before the day’s final race in Vancouver on Canada’s west coast. In all, IAAF Run 24:1 will include stops in 23 countries, uniting tens of thousands of runners around the world. “Running is accessible to everyone, it is fun, it is competitive,” said IAAF President Sebastian Coe. “It can be social, it can be solitary. It is testing, it is personal but most of all it builds strength, stamina, fitness and health. It is the mother of all sports. “On Wednesday 6 of June, we want as many people as possible to celebrate Global Running Day – the biggest annual celebration of running.” Each race will be headed by a designated ‘City Captain’, a former or current athlete who will lead local efforts to spread awareness of the initiative and to involve their respective running communities. Celebrating its third year in 2018, Global Running Day is a grassroots initiative where people of all abilities and from all paths of life come together to celebrate their passion for running and inspire others to get moving. Reporting by Mitch Phillips, editing by Pritha Sarkar

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-athletics-run24/athletics-iaaf-unveils-new-mass-worldwide-running-event-idUKKBN1I82DG

The Failure of GE’s Digital Transformation

Stay Connected The Failure of GE's Digital Transformation General Electric Chairman and CEO John F. Welch, left, shakes hands with GE Chairman-Elect Jeffrey R. Immelt during a news conference November 27, 2000, in New York City. Immelt will succeed Welch after he retires at the end of 2001. Chris Hondros — Getty Images By Adam Lashinsky 11:41 AM EDT This article first appeared in Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter on the top tech news. To get it delivered daily to your in-box, sign up here . It is painful, but necessary, to read about failure in business. By any measure the decline of General Electric these past months is an epic fail for the ages. Fortune ’s Geoff Colvin should know. He repeatedly profiled the storied industrial conglomerate during the tenure of its departed CEO, Jeffrey Immelt. Colvin explained in past years what made Immelt a worthy successor to the legendary Jack Welch. He also described Immelt’s struggles to achieve adequate growth at GE—long before its grave problems emerged. But nothing prepared Colvin or GE’s investors for the precipitous collapse of the company’s market value in the immediate aftermath of Immelt’s abrupt retirement. In a stunning article titled “ What the Hell Happened? ”, Colvin describes a company that made poor investment decisions, allocated capital badly, and suffered from a decline in its vaunted corporate culture. The irony is that GE (ge) had fashioned itself as an industrial leader of the digital revolution. It was to be a major player in software and putting sensors on its powerful equipment. Immelt’s successor, John Flannery, isn’t backing away from GE’s digital strategy. But he is scaling back its software aspirations and no longer using the flowery language Immelt’s team favored to describe GE industrial hipness. Colvin’s telling is a sympathetic tale of what can go horribly wrong when a great company becomes distracted or otherwise makes the wrong decisions. GE under Immelt by no means did everything wrong, and Colvin gives the company its due in that regard. But it didn’t do enough things right. It’s a sobering tale. *** The New York Times published in print Wednesday a piece that echoed the argument I made in Data Sheet about Facebook . I contend that 1990s-era distinctions between print newspapers and newfangled “social networks” are irrelevant. A publisher is a publisher, and Facebook (fb) ought to be treated like one under the law. One European lawyer sums it up nicely. As The Times describes it, he argues that social media companies must block offensive content without censoring legitimate debate, and it must foot the bill the same as any other publisher. “If they can’t do it, they should get out of the kitchen.” Precisely.

http://fortune.com/2018/05/24/ge-failure-immelt/

Starboard Commercial Real Estate Announces Sale of Premier Retail Property in Roseville, CA For $4,511,000

SAN FRANCISCO, May 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Starboard Commercial Real Estate, privately owned and locally-based San Francisco commercial real estate firm, is pleased to announce the sale of 318 N. Sunrise Avenue in Roseville, CA. The 24,750 square foot property was purchased for $4,511,000 by a San Francisco-based investor and is located in the Centre Pointe Regional Shopping Center, in between Home Depot and Fitness Evolution. The building is currently leased to Pet Club. The deal was led by Richard Gumbiner, broker associate with Starboard Commercial Real Estate. According to Gumbiner, the 100 percent leased NNN investment is located at a prosperous retail intersection with Hwy 80 visibility, and provides long-term stable income to the investor with minimal management obligations. "Conditions are still favorable to find NNN leased investment properties. Cap rates have improved and financing is still readily available at attractive rates," shared Gumbiner. "Investors who are experiencing challenges with rent control, management, or excessive operating expenses should consider whether a NNN leased investment is more appropriate to their investment goals." The city of Roseville has a diverse economy that allows the city to thrive. The most dynamic industries in the city are technology, healthcare, agriculture, financial services, and retail. Shopping plays a vital role in the economy of Roseville, which has the thirteenth highest retail sales of all California cities. The city is also considered a regional shopping destination, with the Westfield Galleria at Roseville being the main shopping center in the city and the second largest shopping mall in Northern California. For a full list of Starboard's current listings, visit www.starboardnet.com/listings.php . About Starboard Commercial Real Estate Starboard Commercial Real Estate is the largest independently owned commercial real estate company in San Francisco, California. Starboard was established in 1991 with a unique vision of what a commercial real estate firm should be. With a combined total of 55 years representing landlords and tenants, members of the firm are devoted to serving clients with the highest ethics and professionalism. By implementing the latest technology, Starboard combines innovative market techniques with hard work, pursuing every opportunity to meet its clients' commercial property goals. Our brokers are highly qualified professionals supported by skilled support staff and a full-service in-house graphic and website design team. Our brokers have access to critical information on existing tenants in San Francisco and more than 1,814 office buildings and over 103 million square feet of office space throughout San Francisco. In 2000, Starboard became the San Francisco member of TCN Worldwide Real Estate Services, a national affiliation of independent real estate firms located in more than 200 markets with 62 offices in 8 countries, including North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Using national and international real estate expertise, Starboard provides clients with local know-how on a global scale. Hans Hansson, managing principal, previously served on TCN Worldwide's Board of Directors and served as regional vice president for two years. For more information, visit www.starboardnet.com . Media Contact: Natalie Wolfrom PR for Starboard TCN Worldwide 415-609-7092 nwolfrom415@gmail.com View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/starboard-commercial-real-estate-announces-sale-of-premier-retail-property-in-roseville-ca-for-4-511-000--300639746.html SOURCE Starboard Commercial Real Estate

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/01/pr-newswire-starboard-commercial-real-estate-announces-sale-of-premier-retail-property-in-roseville-ca-for-4511000.html

Italy's president gives 5-Star, League more time to clinch government deal

May 14, 2018 / 6:14 PM / Updated 37 minutes ago Italy's president gives 5-Star, League more time to clinch government deal Reuters Staff 2 Min Read ROME (Reuters) - Italian President Sergio Mattarella has granted more time to the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement and the far-right League to wrap up a coalition deal, a source in Mattarella’s office said on Monday. FILE PHOTO: Italian President Sergio Mattarella leaves after speaking to the media during the second day of consultations at the Quirinal Palace in Rome, Italy, April 5, 2018. REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi/File Photo “The president agreed that they would get in touch when they are ready,” said the source, after the leaders of both parties met Mattarella to tell him they had not yet hammered out the details of a joint program. “The president has no intention of hampering the birth of a government that can last a full term of office,” the source added. The Northern League later announced that on Saturday and Sunday it would hold an informal referendum of its members, in squares around the country, to approve any coalition deal. Key points of the deal would include scrapping an unpopular pension reform, tougher rules on immigration, tax cuts and renegotiation of EU treaties, the party said in a statement. The 5-Star Movement has already said it would put any accord to an online vote of its own members. Reporting by Massimilano Di Giorgio and Crispian Balmer, writing by Gavin Jones; Editing by Crispian Balmer

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-italy-politics-president/italys-president-gives-5-star-league-more-time-to-clinch-government-deal-idUSKCN1IF2LG

English County Championship Division Two Scoreboard

May 4, 2018 / 5:30 PM / Updated 3 hours ago English County Championship Division Two Scoreboard Reuters Staff 3 Scoreboard at stumps on the first day of between Sussex and Middlesex on Friday at Hove, England Sussex trail Middlesex by 170 runs with 6 wickets remaining Middlesex 1st innings Sam Robson c Ben Brown b Oliver Robinson 10 Nick Gubbins b Oliver Robinson 8 Stevie Eskinazi lbw Oliver Robinson 38 Dawid Malan lbw Oliver Robinson 13 Hilton Cartwright c Michael Burgess b Oliver Robinson 4 Max Holden Not Out 84 John Simpson c Michael Burgess b Danny Briggs 26 James Harris c George Garton b Danny Briggs 1 Ollie Rayner lbw Oliver Robinson 9 Tim Murtagh c Luke Wright b George Garton 26 Tom Barber b Oliver Robinson 3 Extras 1b 1lb 6nb 0pen 0w 8 Total (73.0 overs) 230 all out Fall of Wickets : 1-13 Gubbins, 2-24 Robson, 3-67 Eskinazi, 4-75 Cartwright, 5-76 Malan, 6-132 Simpson, 7-135 Harris, 8-169 Rayner, 9-220 Murtagh, 10-230 Barber Bowling Ov Md Rn Wk Econ Ex Oliver Robinson 21 3 58 7 2.76 1nb David Wiese 18 5 54 0 3.00 1nb George Garton 15 1 46 1 3.07 1nb Stiaan van Zyl 4 0 13 0 3.25 Danny Briggs 12 1 48 2 4.00 Luke Wells 3 0 9 0 3.00 Sussex 1st innings Luke Wells c Sam Robson b Tim Murtagh 4 Philip Salt c Dawid Malan b Tim Murtagh 0 Stiaan van Zyl c Stevie Eskinazi b James Harris 15 Harry Finch Not Out 26 Luke Wright b James Harris 9 Danny Briggs Not Out 1 Extras 0b 0lb 4nb 0pen 1w 5 Total (21.0 overs) 60-4 Fall of Wickets : 1-4 Wells, 2-5 Salt, 3-32 van Zyl, 4-50 Wright To Bat : Brown, Burgess, Robinson, Wiese, Garton Bowling Ov Md Rn Wk Econ Ex Tim Murtagh 7 2 18 2 2.57 Tom Barber 7 2 16 0 2.29 1w 2nb James Harris 7 1 26 2 3.71 Umpire David Millns Umpire Jonathan Blades Home Scorer Mike Charman Away Scorer Donald Shelley

https://in.reuters.com/article/cricket-england-scoreboard/english-county-championship-division-two-scoreboard-idINMTZXEE547SMAD3

Ex-New York town official found not guilty in bribery case

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A former town official in New York’s Nassau County was found not guilty on Thursday of taking bribes from a restaurateur, as jurors continued to weigh the fate of the county’s former top elected executive charged in the same case. FILE PHOTO - John Venditto, Oyster Bay Town Supervisor, whose facing corruption charges with Edward Mangano, Nassau County Executive and his wife Linda Mangano, leaves his arraignment hearing outside federal court in Central Islip, New York, U.S., October 20, 2016. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton Former Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto was acquitted following a trial in federal court in Central Islip, New York, according to John Marzulli, a spokesman for federal prosecutors. Marzulli declined to comment on the verdict. “We are over the moon with Mr. Venditto being acquitted,” said Marc Agnifilo, Venditto’s lawyer. “It’s a great day for him and our jury system.” The jury said on Wednesday afternoon that it had not yet reached a decision regarding former Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano or his wife, Linda Mangano, who were on trial alongside Venditto. John Carman, a lawyer for Linda Mangano, said of Thursday’s acquittal that Venditto’s lawyers had “brilliantly exposed the government’s flawed theory of guilt.” A lawyer for Edward Mangano could not immediately be reached. Prosecutors charged Mangano and Venditto with accepting bribes and kickbacks from Oyster Bay restaurateur Harendra Singh in exchange for favorable treatment, including government contracts and loans. They said the bribes included a no-show job for Linda Mangano. Singh was charged separately in 2015, pleaded guilty and testified at the trial. He was a major fundraiser for New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio, who was also investigated for possible corruption by state and federal authorities but ultimately not charged. Reporting by Brendan Pierson in New York; Editing by Dan Grebler and Tom Brown

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-new-york-corruption-nassau/ex-new-york-town-official-found-not-guilty-in-bribery-case-idUSKCN1IP380

Guatemala opens embassy in Jerusalem, two days after U.S. move

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Guatemala opened an embassy in Jerusalem on Wednesday, two days after the United States inaugurated its new site in the contested city in a move that infuriated Palestinians and drew international condemnation. Workers hanging from the side of a building place a banner welcoming the opening of the new Guatemalan embassy in Jerusalem, in the complex hosting the new embassy in Jerusalem, May 15, 2018. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun Israeli troops shot dead dozens of Palestinian protesters on the Gaza border on Monday when the high-profile opening of the U.S. Embassy to Israel in Jerusalem by the administration of President Donald Trump raised tension to boiling point after weeks of anti-Israeli demonstrations. Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attended the embassy’s opening on Wednesday in an office complex in west Jerusalem. “It’s not a coincidence that Guatemala is opening its embassy in Jerusalem right among the first. You were always among the first. You were the second country to recognize Israel,” Netanyahu said at the ceremony, referring to its founding in 1948. Morales said his country, Israel and the United States “share friendship, courage and loyalty”. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shakes hands with Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales during a meeting at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem following the dedication ceremony of the embassy of Guatemala in Jerusalem, May 16, 2018. Debbie Hill/Pool via Reuters Guatemala was one of only a few nations that backed Trump’s decision in December to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and is only the second country to move its embassy to the holy city. Paraguay said it will move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem by the end of May. Trump’s move reversed decades of U.S. policy, upsetting the Arab world and Western allies. The status of Jerusalem is one of the thorniest obstacles to forging a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, who with broad international backing want East Jerusalem, captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war, as their capital. Slideshow (6 Images) Israel regards all of the city, including the eastern sector it annexed after the 1967 conflict, as its capital. The Trump administration has said the city’s final borders should be decided by the parties. Senior Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said: “The Guatemalan government has chosen to stand on the wrong side of history, to side with violations of international law and human rights, and to take a hostile step against the Palestinian people and the Arab world.” Most world powers do not recognize Israeli sovereignty over the entire city and says its final status should be set in peace negotiations. On the day the United States inaugurated its own embassy in Jerusalem, Israeli gunfire killed 60 Palestinians during the Gaza border protests. It was the bloodiest day in the Hamas Islamist-run enclave since a 2014 war with Israel. Palestinian leaders said by relocating the embassy the United States had created incitement and instability in the region and abrogated its role as a peace mediator. Palestinians have been demonstrating on the Gaza frontier for the past six weeks, demanding a return to family land or homes lost to Israel when it was founded in the 1948 Middle East war. On Wednesday, a day after expelling Israel’s ambassador in response to the Gaza deaths, Turkey ordered the Israeli consul general in Istanbul to return home. Prior to 1980, Guatemala and a dozen other countries maintained embassies in Jerusalem. Israel’s passage in June 1980 of a law proclaiming Jerusalem its “indivisible and eternal capital” led to a U.N. Security Council resolution calling on Guatemala and several other countries to move their embassies to Tel Aviv. Reporting by Jeffrey Heller; Editing by Dan Williams and Janet Lawrence

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-guatemala/guatemala-opens-embassy-in-jerusalem-two-days-after-u-s-move-idUSKCN1IH0Q7

Denuclearization Means Different Things to Kim and Trump, North Korean Defector Says

5 COMMENTS SEOUL—North Korea’s highest-profile defector in two decades said that Kim Jong Un doesn’t share the same concept of denuclearization as the U.S., issuing a warning ahead of a planned summit meeting between President Donald Trump and the North Korean leader. Thae Yong Ho, Pyongyang’s deputy ambassador in London before his defection to South Korea two years ago, told reporters in Seoul on Monday that North Korea is unlikely to agree to Washington’s demand of “complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization,” or CVID, because it would challenge the fundamental structure of North Korea’s political system. CVID “will strike at the core of North Korea’s power structure. North Korea will not accept CVID that does not ensure the security of the regime,” Mr. Thae said. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un both say they want denuclearization, but they may have different definitions of the word. WSJ's Shelby Holliday explains. Related Coverage North Korea Plans to Destroy Nuclear Test Site Ahead of Trump Summit (May 12) North Korean Leader Meets With China’s Xi in Second Visit (May 8) History Shows Peril and Promise of Trump-Kim Summit (April 2) How a Donald Trump-Kim Jong Un Summit Scrambles the Calculus for Key Players (March 9) Instead, Mr. Thae said that North Korea is likely to push for a watered-down version of denuclearization that will ensure the long-term stability of the regime. Disagreements over how to verify North Korea’s denuclearization and the meaning of complete denuclearization have emerged as stumbling blocks in the U.S.-North Korea talks. Mr. Thae emphasized Mr. Kim’s insistence on a security guarantee as a precondition for committing to denuclearization. “What Kim Jong Un means by a security guarantee is a promise to keep his hereditary political system intact, and his absolute authority intact,” Mr. Thae said, adding that he didn’t believe Pyongyang would pursue economic reforms in the same way as China and Vietnam, both communist nations. Since his defection, Mr. Thae has spoken out against the regime he once served. Last year, he told reporters in Seoul that Mr. Kim’s “days are numbered” and vowed to help bring him down. His remarks come at a delicate time. Mr. Kim met with South Korean President Moon Jae-in last month at the inter-Korean demilitarized zone and is set to meet with Mr. Trump in Singapore on June 12. Mr. Trump said last week that he believed Mr. Kim wanted to strike a big deal to give up his nuclear program in exchange for economic inducements. “I really think he wants to do something and bring that country into the real world. I really believe that,” he said. Mr. Thae, speaking to reporters at the release of a 542-page memoir, said North Korea had described its nuclear program as its “spear and shield” just a week before last month’s inter-Korean summit—language that underscored Mr. Kim’s commitment to holding on to such a strategic asset. ‘ What Kim Jong Un means by a security guarantee is a promise to keep his hereditary political system intact, and his absolute authority intact. ’ —Thae Yong Ho Instead, Mr. Thae said, the North Korean leader is more likely to seek increased South Korean investment in his country by initially reopening it to South Korean tourists. He reasoned that Mr. Kim’s youth in Switzerland had made him open to the idea of earning cash through tourism, unlike his father, Kim Jong Il. The former Pyongyang diplomat further asserted tourism would be a way to earn trust with South Korean investors, who remain wary of spending cash in North Korea due to the political risk stemming from the regime’s nuclear-weapons program. Mr. Kim is likely to pursue tourism ventures for two to three years in coastal areas, before seeking to widen South Korean investment to joint industrial parks similar to one at Kaesong that was built with South Korean cash and employed cheap North Korean labor. That park was closed in 2016 after North Korea’s fourth nuclear test. Write to Andrew Jeong at andrew.jeong@wsj.com

https://www.wsj.com/articles/denuclearization-means-different-things-to-kim-and-trump-north-korean-defector-says-1526298955

Rosneft's tilt towards investors prompted Qatar stake increase

LONDON/MOSCOW/DUBAI (Reuters) - When Qatar negotiated a deal to increase its holding in Rosneft it told the Russian oil company it wanted higher returns on its existing stake before it bought more, three sources familiar with the deal said. FILE PHOTO: Rosneft Chief Executive Igor Sechin, June 2, 2017. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin/File Photo Qatar’s request was one of the triggers which prompted Igor Sechin, Rosneft’s boss and a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, to propose last week a $2 billion share buyback and an $8 billion debt reduction, marking a significant shift in the oil company’s strategy. Days later, Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority, one of the world’s largest, raised its stake in state-controlled Rosneft to just under 19 percent from 4.8 percent bringing the value of its total investment to 10 billion euros. “The pledge to reduce debts and embark on a buyback was taken by Rosneft’s directors as part of preparations for Qatar’s investment,” one of the three sources familiar with the talks, said. Rosneft and the QIA declined to comment. Rosneft’s shift to focus on shareholder returns and debt reduction is its biggest in years after a decade of expansion which turned the group into Russia’s most indebted company with borrowings of more than $90 billion as of the end of 2017. This has had an impact in terms of Rosneft’s valuation versus its rivals. Rosneft’s market value is currently around $65 billion, while its production is at more than 5 million barrels of oil equivalent per day. ExxonMobil, the world’s biggest oil company by market value, has a market cap of $330 billion while producing less than 4 million boe. Investors say this partly reflects the impact of Rosneft’s heavy debts. “Rosneft is just plain cheap. Look at where it value stands versus peers and compare it with its production,” one of the sources involved in negotiation told Reuters asking not to be named as the matter is not public. Rosneft’s shares were also hit by sanctions on many Russian companies after Moscow’s annexation of Crimea and incursion in east Ukraine. NEW PARTNERSHIP Sechin travelled to Doha in March together with his right hand man, first vice-president Pavel Fyodorov, who spent days negotiating the Qatar deal, according to two sources close to the talks. The new partnership could also help Rosneft expand its gas projects around the world, possibly in cooperation with Qatar Petroleum, the world’s largest producer of liquefied gas. For Qatar, the deal showed the country’s return to making large scale investments nearly a year after a boycott by its Gulf neighbours. The Rosneft deal would help Qatar guarantee long-term access to “good gas assets”, a Doha-based industry source said: “Qatar is thinking long-term game. By long-term they mean decades, when their own gas reserves could start depleting.” Qatar bought the Rosneft shares when a deal by Chinese energy firm CEFC to buy a 14 percent stake in the Russian oil company collapsed after an investigation into the Chinese group’s chairman. The Rosneft deal makes the QIA the third biggest investor in the oil company behind the Russian state with 50 percent and BP with 19.75 percent. Set up in 2005, the QIA benefited from Qatar’s gas boom amassing assets of over $300 billion and making it one of 10 world’s largest sovereign wealth funds, according to the Sovereign Wealth Fund Institute. Its investments from the United States to France and China effectively helped the tiny state to gather political support in some of the world’s biggest capitals. Additional reporting by Ranie El Gamal, Writing by Dmitry Zhdannikov. Editing by Jane Merriman

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-rosneft-qatar/rosnefts-tilt-towards-investors-prompted-qatar-stake-increase-idUSKBN1IB21Z

Euro zone is stable, Italians are pro-European: Finance Minister

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz said he is firmly convinced a majority of Italians have “a very pro-European stance”, and that the euro zone is stable and has become better prepared for difficult situations in recent years. German Finance Minister Olaf Scholz poses for a portrait before a Reuters interview in Berlin, Germany, May 30, 2018. REUTERS/Axel Schmidt Asked about developments in Italy, where a political crisis has spooked financial markets, Scholz told Reuters that euro zone countries had worked hard in recent years to make the bloc more stable. “The European Union is very stable, the euro zone too,” he said in an interview on Wednesday. “One can say that Europe is better prepared for difficult situations than before. What is more, I am firmly convinced that the majority of Italians have a very pro-European stance. It is a European nation.” Slideshow (2 Images) A political crisis in Italy, where two anti-establishment parties came close to forming a ruling coalition after an inconclusive election in March, has unsettled financial markets. Asked about whether he was worried about market turmoil, Scholz said: “Europe is currently in good economic condition.” DEUTSCHE BANK ‘STABLE’ On the euro, he added: “What we have seen over the last few years is that the euro is a stable currency and when one speculates against this currency it’s totally unreasonable. There are of course ups and downs, but there is no need for further debate.” The 5-Star Movement and the right-wing League abandoned their bid to take power in coalition after President Sergio Mattarella vetoed their choice of 81-year-old eurosceptic Paolo Savona as economy minister. Italy faces the risk of a drawn-out political crisis with a possible new election later this year, which could amount to a referendum on the euro in the single currency bloc’s third-largest economy. Scholz also dismissed concerns about the exposure of Deutsche Bank ( DBKGn.DE ), Germany’s largest lender, to Italian bonds. “Deutsche Bank is very stable and over the last few years it has taken good precautions so that its business can develop reasonably,” he said. Writing by Paul Carrel and Joseph Nasr; Editing by Catherine Evans Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. 0 : 0 narrow-browser-and-phone medium-browser-and-portrait-tablet landscape-tablet medium-wide-browser wide-browser-and-larger medium-browser-and-landscape-tablet medium-wide-browser-and-larger above-phone portrait-tablet-and-above above-portrait-tablet landscape-tablet-and-above landscape-tablet-and-medium-wide-browser portrait-tablet-and-below landscape-tablet-and-below Apps Newsletters Advertise with Us Advertising Guidelines Cookies Terms of Use Privacy All Quote: s delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. © 2018 Reuters. All Rights Reserved.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-scholz/euro-zone-is-stable-italians-are-pro-european-german-finance-minister-idUSKCN1IV23N

Big-name hedge funds bought healthcare stocks in 1st quarter

NEW YORK, May 15 (Reuters) - Prominent hedge fund managers appeared to make big first-quarter bets in UnitedHealth Group Inc, Anthem Inc and other health insurers whose shares tumbled in January after Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett and Jamie Dimon in January announced a joint venture to slash U.S. healthcare costs. Jana Partners added a new position in Anthem, while Omega Advisors and Tiger Management both added new positions in UnitedHealth Group, according to regulatory filings released Tuesday. Shares of Anthem are 10.5 percent below the high for the year reached in January, while shares of UnitedHealth are 3.1 percent below January highs. Shares of healthcare companies have come under pressure this year due to the threat of increased competition. Buffett, famed for his love of junk food, has said spiraling healthcare costs are responsible for 18 percent of U.S. gross domestic product, up from 5 percent in 1960, and he wants to slash a few percentage points off. The partnership between Amazon.com Inc, Berkshire Hathaway Inc, and JPMorgan Chase & Co - which collectively employ more than 1 million people - announced plans to reform healthcare for their own employees while simultaneously reducing their own companies’ coverage costs, though it has yet to make significant progress. “I think we’ll have a CEO within a couple of months,” Buffett said at Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder’s meeting earlier this month. “We want our employees to get better medical services at lower cost ... The resistance will be unbelievable, and if we fail, at least we tried.” At the same time, shares of pharmacy benefits managers Express Scripts Holdings Co and CVS Health Corp have slid on concerns that Amazon.com Inc will enter the business. Glenview Capital Management Chief Executive Larry Robbins made a bullish case for both stocks at the Sohn Investment Conference in New York on April 23, one of the most prominent hedge fund conferences of the year. Amazon’s entry into the business of selling medications, is “neither imminent, assured, nor likely to succeed,” he said. Quarterly disclosures of hedge fund managers’ stock holdings, in what are known as 13F filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, are one of the few public ways of tracking what the managers are selling and buying. But relying on the filings to develop an investment strategy comes with some risk because the disclosures come 45 days after the end of each quarter and may not reflect current positions. Along with the bets on healthcare companies, large hedge fund managers also added to so-called FANG stocks during the first quarter as the tech sector slid due to fears of increased regulatory oversight. Jana Partners added a new position in Apple Inc while selling all of its shares in Facebook Inc, while Tiger Management added to its positions in Google-parent Alphabet and Facebook. Overall, hedge funds are up by an average of 0.4 percent for the year to date, according to Hedge Fund Research, while the broad S&P 500 is up 1.2 percent over the same time. (Additional reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt; Editing by Jennifer Ablan and Nick Zieminski) Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

https://www.reuters.com/article/investment-funds/big-name-hedge-funds-bought-healthcare-stocks-in-1st-quarter-idUSL2N1SM1D1

Zombies invade Cannes (don't worry - it's just a movie)

May 7, 2018 / 4:40 PM / Updated 20 hours ago Zombies invade Cannes (don't worry - it's just a movie) Reuters Staff 1 Min Read CANNES, France (Reuters) - Zombies invaded a beach on the French Riviera on Monday. Dancing to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”, the undead were not there to eat human brains, but to take advantage of the world’s press gathered a day ahead of the start of the Cannes Film Festival to publicize a movie, “Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation”. The animated comedy follows the adventures of a part-monster, part-human family, on a cruise holiday. Director Genndy Tartakovsky said he had decided the second installment of the Sony Pictures franchise would be the last, but was inspired to make a third after his in-laws invited his family on a cruise holiday. “Who doesn’t want to be on a ship with their in-laws for a week?” he joked with reporters. “But as I got on the boat I realized: ‘Hey, it’s all about family, and what a great venue for our monster family.’” The Cannes Film Festival runs from May 8 to May 19. Slideshow (14 Images)

https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-filmfestival-cannes-hotel-transylvani/zombies-invade-cannes-idUKKBN1I81VZ

Shareholders approve all resolutions on the agendas of Tenaris’s Annual General Meeting and Extraordinary General Meeting

LUXEMBOURG, May 02, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tenaris S.A. (NYSE:TS) (BAE:TS) (BMV:TS) (MILAN:TEN) announced that its annual general meeting of shareholders and its extraordinary general meeting of shareholders approved today all resolutions on their agendas. Among other resolutions adopted at the annual general meeting, the shareholders approved the consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2017 and the annual accounts as at December 31, 2017, and acknowledged the related management and independent auditors’ reports and certifications. The annual general meeting also approved the payment of a dividend for the year ended December 31, 2017, of US$0.41 per share (or US$0.82 per ADS), or approximately US$484 million, which includes the interim dividend of US$0.13 per share (or US$0.26 per ADS) paid in November 2017. Tenaris will pay the balance of the annual dividend in the amount of US$0.28 per share (US$0.56 per ADS) on May 23, 2018, with an ex-dividend date of May 21, 2018. The annual general meeting decided to increase the number of members of the board of directors to eleven (11), by electing Mr. German Curá and Ms. Mónica Tiuba and re-electing Messrs. Roberto Bonatti, Carlos Condorelli, Roberto Monti, Gianfelice Mario Rocca, Paolo Rocca, Jaime Serra Puche, Yves Speeckaert, Amadeo Vázquez y Vázquez and Guillermo Vogel, each to hold office until the meeting that will be convened to decide on the 2018 annual accounts. The board of directors subsequently confirmed and re-appointed Roberto Monti, Jaime Serra Puche and Amadeo Vázquez y Vázquez as members of Tenaris’s audit committee and appointed Ms. Tiuba as a new member of the audit committee, with Mr. Vázquez y Vázquez to continue as chairman. All four members of the audit committee qualify as independent directors under the articles and applicable law. The annual meeting appointed PricewaterhouseCoopers S.C., Réviseurs d’entreprises agréé , as Tenaris’s independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018. The extraordinary general meeting of shareholders also held today approved certain amendments to Tenaris's articles of association. Copies of the minutes of the annual general meeting and the extraordinary general meeting, as well as the amended articles of association, can be downloaded from Tenaris’s website at www.tenaris.com/investors . Tenaris is a leading global supplier of steel tubes and related services for the world’s energy industry and certain other industrial applications. Giovanni Sardagna Tenaris 1-888-300-5432 www.tenaris.com Source:Tenaris S.A.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/02/globe-newswire-shareholders-approve-all-resolutions-on-the-agendas-of-tenarisas-annual-general-meeting-and-extraordinary-general-meeting.html

Peru declares alert over suspected Guillain-Barre outbreak

May 9, 2018 / 3:57 PM / Updated 6 minutes ago Peru declares alert over suspected Guillain-Barre outbreak Reuters Staff 2 Min Read LIMA (Reuters) - Peru has declared a national epidemiological alert to contain what appears to be an outbreak of the rare Guillain-Barre syndrome, which is associated with the Zika virus, the country’s health ministry said on Wednesday. Health authorities suspect more than 19 cases of the syndrome in Peru and have warned hospitals to watch for symptoms in other people, the ministry said in a statement. It added that the suspected cases will be confirmed in the coming days. Guillain-Barre, in which the immune system attacks part of the nervous system, causes gradual weakness in the legs, arms and upper body and sometimes leads to total paralysis. Four of the patients who are suspected to have the syndrome in Peru need respirators to support their breathing, the ministry said. Researchers have found a close association between an increased number of mosquito-born Zika infections and increases in Guillain-Barre. There were some 500 confirmed cases and 5,269 suspected cases of Zika in Peru last year, up from a combined total of 1,651 suspected and confirmed cases in 2016, according to health ministry data. The health ministry said between 3 percent and 5 percent of Guillain-Barre cases are fatal. Reporting by Maria Cervantes; Writing by Mitra Taj; Editing by Paul Simao

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-peru-health/peru-declares-alert-over-suspected-guillain-barre-outbreak-idUSKBN1IA2LO

Gowdy defends FBI after Trump's 'Spygate' claim

Gowdy defends FBI after Trump's 'Spygate' claim 2:10pm EDT - 01:33 After receiving a briefing last week with intelligence officials, House Oversight Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy defended the FBI on Wednesday in response to President Donald Trump's unsubstantiated allegation that the agency placed a ''spy'' into his 2016 presidential campaign to help his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Rough Cut (no reporter narration). After receiving a briefing last week with intelligence officials, House Oversight Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy defended the FBI on Wednesday in response to President Donald Trump's unsubstantiated allegation that the agency placed a "spy" into his 2016 presidential campaign to help his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Rough Cut (no reporter narration). //reut.rs/2IW2uiq

https://www.reuters.com/video/2018/05/30/gowdy-defends-fbi-after-trumps-spygate-c?videoId=431713069

Stella Announces Minority Ownership of Talix, Inc.

EAGAN, Minn., May 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Stella today announced that its business development group has acquired a minority ownership stake in Talix, Inc., the premier provider of natural language processing (NLP)-enabled healthcare risk adjustment and quality analytics solutions for payers and providers. Talix provides risk adjustment and quality solutions that help providers, payers and accountable care organizations take on financial risk and succeed in value-based healthcare. Its applications transform complex data into actionable intelligence that drives improved coding efficiency and accuracy — leading to better patient outcomes, more accurate reimbursements and reduced costs. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (Blue Cross), a Stella company, initially leveraged the Talix Coding InSight work flow tool and NLP technology in late 2017 to increase coding accuracy and efficiency and to minimize risk adjustment data validation (RADV) risk. Talix was chosen as a solution because of its cost-effective and highly advanced technology. Talix's Coding InSight application uses proprietary NLP and Health Taxonomy to analyze patients' medical charts and other relevant clinical data for missed coding opportunities that were not included with the original records. This proprietary process can increase the accuracy of medical diagnoses and treatment classifications, in addition to enabling a health plan's compliance adherence to regulations established by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare (CMS). Stella pursued a strategic investment in Talix based on its ability to reduce dependency on vendor support while increasing accuracy and efficiency of operations. Furthermore, Stella will be looking to help Talix expand complementary applications beyond risk adjustment coding. "Stella believes the Talix business is uniquely positioned for success as health care increasingly focuses on value-based care," said Mike Zeman, vice president and chief growth officer of diversified business at Stella. "We are delighted to have Stella as a new strategic investor in Talix," said Dean Stephens, CEO of Talix. "Our shared vision to enable value-based care through creative, time-saving, integrated work flow applications in core business functions makes for a strong and timely partnership." About Stella Stella is a Minnesota-based company designed to nurture and scale differentiated businesses across the country to improve health in bold and innovative ways. Stella serves as the parent company for a number of entities that share a focus of making a healthy difference in people's lives, including the non-profit health insurer Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota and its subsidiaries, and diversified affiliate companies including Further and ClearStone Solutions, Inc. Go to stellahealth.com to learn more. About Talix Talix delivers NLP powered workflow applications to improve the speed and accuracy of risk adjustment coding and other value-based care requirements. Our proven applications serve health plans (first pass, second pass, and claims validation) and healthcare providers and coders (retrospective, concurrent and prospective uses) at the point of care. Talix's sophisticated reporting and analytics capabilities provide better visibility and increased predictability of risk adjustment operations and financial performance. For more information, please visit www.talix.com or follow @TalixHealth on Twitter. View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/stella-announces-minority-ownership-of-talix-inc-300654532.html SOURCE Stella

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/24/pr-newswire-stella-announces-minority-ownership-of-talix-inc.html

ExxonMobil to launch flow meter system for gasoil bunkering barges in May

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - ExxonMobil is launching a mass flow metering (MFM) system for marine gasoil (MGO) refueling barges in Singapore, with the first deliveries under the system set to start next month, the company said in a statement on Monday. The logo of Exxon Mobil Corporation is shown on a monitor above the floor of the New York Stock Exchange in New York, December 30, 2015. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson/File Photo The meters will enhance the transparency of the marine refueling, or bunkering, process by keeping better track of volumes and reduce refueling times by up to three hours, the company said. ExxonMobil, the world’s largest publicly traded oil producer, said the new system for MGO deliveries will start ahead of a deadline Singapore authorities announced last week. Singapore’s Maritime Port Authority (MPA) said it would extend the mandatory use of MFMs to bunker barges delivering distillate fuels to large ships from July 1, 2019, ahead of an expected pick-up in the use of distillates to meet caps on sulfur content in marine fuels. [nL3N1S44MD] New rules by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will significantly cut the amount of sulfur that ships can burn in their engines from 2020. The new rules will increase gasoil consumption by close to 1 million barrel per day at the expense of the high-sulphur fuel oil that is typically used to power ship engines. [nL5N1QN419] Singapore, the world’s largest marine refueling hub, became the first port to mandate the use of mass flow meters in 2017, making them compulsory for marine fuel oil bunker barges licensed by the MPA. Reporting by Roslan Khasawneh; Editing by Christian Schmollinger

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-singapore-port-bunker-exxon-mobil/exxonmobil-to-launch-flow-meter-system-for-gasoil-bunkering-barges-in-may-idUSKBN1I10UN

Credit Suisse scales back rates team in electronic trade push

May 31, 2018 / 3:38 PM / Updated 4 minutes ago Credit Suisse scales back rates team in electronic trade push Reuters Staff 1 Min Read ZURICH (Reuters) - Credit Suisse Group ( CSGN.S ) will cut around 15 percent of its 60-strong team of rates traders in New York and London to focus on electronic trading. FILE PHOTO: Switzerland's national flags fly beside the logo of Swiss bank Credit Suisse in Zurich, Switzerland April 24, 2017. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann “This will allow us to re-invest into our electronic platform and lean into product areas that better align to market environment and client demand,” a spokeswoman said, confirming the contents of a staff memo seen by Reuters. The Swiss-based bank will enhance its international trading solutions service for corporate, wealth management and institutional clients and maintain its U.S. Treasury and Swiss primary dealerships, she added. Reporting by Oliver Hirt, writing by Michael Shields; Editing by Alexandra Hudson

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-credit-suisse-gp-rates/credit-suisse-scales-back-rates-team-in-electronic-trade-push-idUKKCN1IW28W

Turkey's Erdogan seeks votes in Bosnia after ban on campaigning elsewhere

May 20, 2018 / 5:21 PM / in 30 minutes Turkey's Erdogan seeks votes in Bosnia after ban on campaigning elsewhere Maja Zuvela 3 Min Read SARAJEVO (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan took a swipe at European countries that refused to let him campaign on their territory on Sunday as he called at a rally in Bosnia for expatriate Turks to vote for him and his ruling AK Party in elections next month. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan addresses supporters during a pre-election rally in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina May 20, 2018. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic The presidential and parliamentary polls on June 24 will see Turkey switch to a powerful, executive presidential system that was narrowly approved in a referendum last year. “As European Turks you have always supported us by a wide margin. Now we need your support again in the elections on June 24,” Erdogan told a rally in a Sarejevo sports hall, where supporters waved Turkish and Bosnian flags. Ahead of the 2017 referendum, ministers traveled to countries with big Turkish communities — including Germany and the Netherlands — to urge support for the change, but were stopped from campaigning by authorities citing security fears. Erdogan nevertheless said last month he was expecting to hold a campaign rally in a European city. Supporters of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attend a pre-election rally in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina May 20, 2018. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic “At a time when renowned European countries claiming to be the cradle of civilization failed, Bosnia and Herzegovina showed by allowing us to gather here that it is a real democracy not a so-called one,” he told a crowd of around 15,000. Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who heads a right-wing coalition opposed to Turkey joining the European Union, said last month Erdogan would be barred from “trying to exploit” Europe’s Turkish communities. Germany, home to about 3 million people of Turkish origin, says it will not allow foreign politicians to campaign on its territory ahead of elections. Slideshow (2 Images) Earlier in the day, Erdogan pledged a multi-billion euro investment in a motorway connecting Belgrade and Sarajevo. Thousands of Turks came from Germany, the Netherlands and Austria, and from across the Balkans for the rally. “Turkey is our mother nation,” said Coskun Celiloglu, a Macedonian student of Turkish descent. “We came to Sarajevo just for one day to support our savior Erdogan.” The most popular — and divisive — politician in recent Turkish history, Erdogan has ruled for 15 years, overseeing a period of rapid economic growth. But a widespread crackdown against his opponents has led rights groups and Western allies of the NATO member to voice concerns about Turkey’s record on civil rights and Erdogan’s growing authoritarianism. On Saturday, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu agency reported there had been tip-offs about a potential assassination attempt against Erdogan while he visits the Balkans. Asked about the report, Erdogan said: “This news reached me and indeed that is why I am here ... Such threats and operations cannot deter us from this path.” Additional reporting by Daria Sito-Sucic; Writing by Daren Butler in Istanbul; Editing by Catherine Evans

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-turkey/turkeys-erdogan-seeks-votes-in-bosnia-after-ban-on-campaigning-elsewhere-idUSKCN1IL0OR

PennyMac: 1Q Earnings Snapshot

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. (AP) _ PennyMac Financial Services Inc. (PFSI) on Thursday reported first-quarter earnings of $16.6 million. On a per-share basis, the Westlake Village, California-based company said it had profit of 67 cents. The results fell short of Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of three analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 72 cents per share. The mortgage banking and investment management company posted revenue of $238.2 million in the period. PennyMac shares have declined roughly 7 percent since the beginning of the year. The stock has increased 21 percent in the last 12 months. This story was generated by Automated Insights ( http://automatedinsights.com/ap ) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on PFSI at https://www.zacks.com/ap/PFSI

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/04/the-associated-press-pennymac-1q-earnings-snapshot.html

Razer's founder Min-Liang Tan thought he would only make gaming mice

Entrepreneur Min-Liang Tan made a computer mouse especially for gamers and thought that would be all his company would sell. Back in 2005, he founded gaming hardware business Razer with Robert Krakoff and launched the Diamondback mouse, testing it out on his friends. Fast-forward to 2018 and the company still makes mice, but has added gaming keyboards, headsets and laptops and has more than 40 million users on its software platform. It made $517.9 million in revenue in 2017 and listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange in November, raising $528 million . "Candidly, I don't think we even had a thought that this would last anything beyond a single product. We're now the number one … in the U.S., Europe, China for all gaming peripherals (hardware) at this point of time," Tan told CNBC's " The Brave Ones. " John B Carnett | Getty Images A 2005 Razer Copperhead gaming mouse Tan produced the company's first mouse after testing it out on his friends. "One of the most important weapons in a gamer's arsenal is the mouse. You know, something as banal or as humble as the gaming mouse, that's what we kind of conceived it to be. We pinged our friends and said: 'Who wants one of these — the world's first gaming mouse?' And we went out there. It was probably one of the earliest forms of crowd sourcing, it just took off," he said. The company's mice are named after snakes. "We said: 'What kind of name would it be that would destroy the competition, would eat up all the competition?' I said, 'What eats mice? Snakes.' So, boom. We started from there. We used names of snakes for our mice. Diamondback, copperhead, mamba, et cetera," Tan told "The Brave Ones." A Razer Mamba wireless mouse with adjustable "click force" is listed at $149.99 on its website. The Brave Ones: Min-Liang Tan airs at 2300 CET on May 23 2018. show chapters Gaming on mobile phones is taking off 9:43 PM ET Thu, 22 March 2018 | 02:29 Correction: The headline of this story has been changed to reflect that Razer had $500 million in revenue in 2017.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/23/razers-founder-min-liang-tan-thought-he-would-only-make-gaming-mice.html

Iran Could Benefit From the Brewing U.S.-Europe Nuclear Deal Dispute

The EU believes the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action ( JCPOA ) nuclear deal is worth preserving. It is no surprise, then, that President Trump’s decision to restore nuclear sanctions and terminate America’s adherence to the JCPOA risks putting Washington on a collision course with Europe. With sanctions kicking-in between the next 90 to 180 days, all attention will be on the efficacy of American tools of financial pressure. In the interim, Washington must not lose sight of managing Europe’s reaction and preventing Iran from taking advantage of fissures in the trans-Atlantic alliance. Already, there are meetings scheduled between European officials and their Iranian counterparts. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has tasked the government of President Hassan Rouhani with obtaining “a strong guarantee” from Europe to shield the Islamic Republic from American sanctions. Absent that, Khamenei said Iran “won’t stick to the nuclear agreement.” And there is reason to worry. In the 2003-2005 iteration of nuclear talks, it was then chief nuclear negotiator Rouhani who met with foreign ministers from the E3 (France, Germany, and the U.K.) and obtained a promise to prevent the transfer of Iran’s nuclear file to the UN Security Council (UNSC). After Rouhani was relieved of his duties in 2005, Iran’s nuclear dossier was eventually transferred to the UNSC, and the first in a series of escalating UNSC Resolutions (UNSCRs) against Iran were passed. As such, with Rouhani back at the helm and looking for guarantees , Europe and Iran may be able to work out a strategy to keep the deal alive and offset American sanctions. Now, as Washington looks to generate the same pressure on Iran that existed during the sanctions incubation period (2010-2013), it must not forget that those measures had EU political buy-in and followed the strongest UNSCR on Iran. This necessitates close diplomatic coordination with Europe before the 180-day period lapses. Conversely, while Europe may strongly disagree with Washington’s unilateral exit, it too, can work to stem any trans-Atlantic fissure. Private European banks and businesses are more inclined to heed the Treasury Department’s warnings , since they will make the logical calculation that doing business in an economy the size of Iran’s pales in comparison to being able to do business with the U.S. But state-owned European companies are another matter since they might be willing to take the risk of doing business with Iran, especially if they continue to hear invective against Washington by EU leaders. In the aftermath of President Trump’s decision, the E3 reiterated its commitment to keeping accord, as did EU High Representative Federica Mogherini. While both their statements cited the importance of UNSCR 2231 —which unanimously passed in 2015, codifying the JCPOA—Mogherini’s statement signaled a European interest in deterring Washington from enforcing sanctions. “The European Union is determined to act in accordance with its security interests and to protect its economic investments,” she said. These interests might necessitate returning to 1990s-style blocking legislation that could shield European firms from having to comply with extra-territorial sanctions, an issue that EU officials have already met to discuss. Other options available to the EU include siding with Iran to stigmatize the U.S. as the “violator” of the accord in the JCPOA’s Joint Commission, as well as filing complaints at the World Trade Organization. A recent Politico article helps explain the EU’s dogged attachment to the JCPOA as being motivated by “pride,” rather than commerce. While this may overstate the case in an attempt to understate the efficacy of American sanctions—particularly as European imports from Iran have risen in the last two years—it is worth considering. The EU has previously framed the JCPOA as “the culmination of 12 years of diplomacy facilitated by the EU.” Put differently, the EU sees the JCPOA as a multinational endeavor to use peaceful means of conflict resolution to [attempt] to solve a major global challenge. Ultimately, even if the attempt to put up a fight is ineffective and American secondary sanctions compel Europe into begrudging compliance with the U.S.’s pressure strategy, the short-term beneficiary of this public tiff would be the Islamic Republic. Tehran could easily exploit the distance between both sides of the Atlantic over Iran policy to continue its destabilizing activities—support for terror groups in the region—with little unified Western response. And in international fora, Iran could use European arguments against Washington to paint American concerns about Iran’s behavior as politically charged. To preclude that, Washington should create a channel with Europe to find a way to focus on areas of non-nuclear common interest in the post-May 8 world that involve Iran, like stopping ballistic missile flight tests. Although it’s not worth crying over spilt milk, Washington had ample opportunity and authority to grow financial pressure on Iran in a manner that would not violate the JCPOA, and thus not cause a trans-Atlantic row. Neither President Obama, or interestingly enough, President Trump, took that chance. Instead, Washington today finds itself in a high-risk, high-reward game of sanctions enforcement—not against its chief Middle Eastern adversary, but rather, against its major global partner. Behnam Ben Taleblu is a research fellow focusing on Iran at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD).

http://fortune.com/2018/05/14/iran-nuclear-deal-donald-trump-europe/

Web.com Appoints New Chief Financial Officer

JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 21, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Web.com Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:WEB), the marketing partner for businesses wanting to connect with more customers and grow, today appointed Jennifer Lada as senior vice president and chief financial officer (CFO), effective July 1, 2018. With more than 20 years of financial management experience, Lada serves as vice president and chief accounting officer of Web.com. Before joining the company in 2017, Lada was vice president of financial reporting at PGA TOUR, Inc., and at Advanced Disposal was vice president of financial reporting and director of financial reporting and investor relations. During her 15-year career at PricewaterhouseCoopers, she led domestic and international audit teams and served as chief auditor for the state of Florida. Lada is a Certified Public Accountant and has both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Florida. “Jennifer is a seasoned executive with a wealth of experience and a strong leader who exemplifies everything we value,” said David L. Brown, chairman, chief executive officer, and president of Web.com. “Jennifer is in the perfect position to hit the ground running to ensure continuity at this important time in our company's growth.” Lada will succeed Kevin Carney, who has been with Web.com for 20 years and has served as executive vice president and CFO since 2002. Carney will continue as CFO until his retirement on June 30 while working with Lada on a smooth transition. Added Brown, “Through his integrity and leadership, Kevin has been a standard-bearer for the Web.com culture and an integral part of building and ensuring the financial success of Web.com. We will miss Kevin, but he will leave behind a legacy of fiscal stewardship and discipline that has served the company and its investors well.” About Web.com Since 1997 Web.com (Nasdaq:WEB) has been the marketing partner for businesses wanting to connect with more customers and grow. We listen, then apply our expertise to deliver solutions that owners need to market and manage their businesses, from building brands online to reaching more customers or growing relationships with existing customers. For some, this means a fast, reliable, attractive website; for others, it means customized marketing plans that deliver local leads; and for others, it means customer-scheduling or customer-relationship marketing (CRM) tools that help businesses run more efficiently. Owners from big to small can focus on running the companies they know while we handle the marketing they need. To learn how this global company collaborates with customers and employees to achieve their potential, explore www.web.com or follow on Twitter at @webdotcom or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/web.com . Contacts Investors: Ira Berger 904-680-6909 Ira.Berger@web.com Media: Corporate Communications (904) 680-6633 CorporateCommunications@web.com Source: Web.com Group, Inc. A photo accompanying this announcement is available upon request. Source:Web.com Group, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/21/globe-newswire-web-com-appoints-new-chief-financial-officer.html

Israel's Partner Comms Q1 profit sinks, plans to buy back shares

May 31, 2018 / 7:33 AM / Updated 2 hours ago Israel's Partner Comms Q1 profit sinks, plans to buy back shares Steven Scheer 3 Min Read JERUSALEM, May 31 (Reuters) - Partner Communications , Israel’s second-largest mobile phone operator, reported an 86 percent drop in quarterly profit as it continues to invest heavily in the deployment of a fibre-optics network and its TV service. The company also said it planned to buy back up to 200 million shekels ($56 million) of its own shares traded in Tel Aviv between June 4 and May 30, 2019. The plan will be implemented in tranches, with the first amounting to 50 million shekels. Partner said on Thursday it earned 9 million shekels in the first quarter, down from 64 million a year earlier. Revenue rose 3 percent to 826 million shekels, with its cellular subscriber base falling by 7,000 in the first quarter to 2.67 million. Partner’s revenue and profit have plunged in the wake of a 2012 reform that opened up the mobile market to new players, sharply reducing prices. It is seeking new revenue streams and is making a push to become an integrated multi-service telecoms group. The company said about 65,000 consumers had connected to Partner TV, an internet-based TV service offering cut-rate packages it launched a year ago in partnership with Netflix . In April, Partner signed a deal with Amazon Prime Video. Partner said it was in advanced talks with rival Cellcom regarding possible collaboration in the fibre optic infrastructure that both companies are rolling out, in order to enable a faster deployment rate at a lower cost which will improve the economic returns from the project. “The deployment of the fibre optic infrastructure was accelerated significantly, and by year end, we intend to be present in over half of the cities in Israel,” said Partner chief executive Isaac Benbenisti. Partner also said it was in the process of examining other growth opportunities, including conducting an initial assessment of entry into the credit and debit card market, through either acquisitions or internal development. On Wednesday, Cellcom, Israel’s largest mobile phone operator, reported a 73 percent fall in quarterly profit. Another rival, Pelephone, a unit of Bezeq , posted a 49 percent decline in first-quarter profit. ($1 = 3.5680 shekels) (Reporting by Steven Scheer; Editing by Mark Potter)

https://www.reuters.com/article/partner-comm-results/israels-partner-comms-q1-profit-sinks-plans-to-buy-back-shares-idUSL5N1T219P

Italy should further cut budget deficit this year, EU Commission VP tells paper

MILAN (Reuters) - Italy should further cut its structural budget deficit this year and press ahead with prudent budget policies, the Vice President of the European Commission told a daily on Thursday. Valdis Dombrovskis said Italy should further cut its structural deficit to GDP ratio by 0.3 percent this year, net of one-off and cyclical effects, speaking in an interview with Corriere della Sera. Asked whether this meant that the government needed to approve further budget measures this year, Dombrovskis said he could not say that now and that the Commission would talk to the newly-formed government. “The government is being formed. For now, all I can say is that it is important (for Italy) to keep the path of responsible macroeconomic and budgetary responsibility,” Dombrovskis added. On Wednesday, Italy’s president gave little known law professor Giuseppe Conte a mandate to lead the first government made up of anti-establishment parties that have vowed to shake up the European Union. The two groups - the 5-Star-Movement and the League - last week agreed to a government pact, promising to slash taxes, ramp up welfare spending, posing the biggest challenge to the bloc since Britain voted to leave it two years ago. The European Commission warned on Wednesday that Italy’s financial stability was at risk from possible interest rate increases and political worries. The EU executive warned the incoming government it should continue trimming Italy’s heavy public debt. Reporting by Giulia Segreti; Editing by Clarence Fernandez

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-eurozone-italy-budget/italy-should-further-cut-budget-deficit-this-year-eu-commission-vp-tells-paper-idUSKCN1IP0PF

Fresh off a key acquisition, Axon CEO touts benefits of body camera tech for police

Axon Enterprise may be the smallest competitor in its space — developing evidence-capture technology for law enforcement — but based on its deal flow, it might be the most refined. The company recently won contracts with the New York Police Department, the Miami-Dade Police Department and the Phoenix Police Department via its acquisition of privately held software play Vievu. Rick Smith, Axon's co-founder and CEO, told CNBC on Friday that Axon fought hard for the Vievu deal and other acquisitions it's made in recent months. "We're up against little companies like Motorola and Panasonic and L3 , so there's still a lot of competition, but the fact is we've been winning the vast majority of the deals because our system performs really well," Smith told "Mad Money" host Jim Cramer. System performance is where Axon thrives relative to its competitors, Smith said. After Axon announced in 2017 that it would give free body cameras to every U.S. police officer, enforcement agencies signed up for field trials to test its equipment. Following the trials, Axon won nearly every major deal that was proposed, Smith told Cramer. "When it comes to cameras, it's really the software ecosystem," the CEO said. "We're running the geekiest office in Seattle. We're up there playing with the big guys. We're bringing in talent. Our head of AI came from Uber. Our head of software engineering came from Microsoft and from Amazon . So we're bringing a lot of talent and that's building a great system." Smith also nodded to a 2016 Cambridge University study that showed the efficacy of body cameras in law enforcement. The survey of seven U.S.- and U.K.-based police departments revealed that complaints dropped 93 percent when police wore cameras. "Much like I'm probably not going to do anything too bad in front of a million people here on camera, you put a camera on and police behave more professionally and the people that they deal with also behave better," the CEO said. "Police sitting and typing up reports all day doesn't make sense when you can record this stuff and actually know what happened," Smith continued. "This is a phenomenon that we believe is going to go global." Watch Cramer's full interview with Rick Smith here: show chapters 'We're running the geekiest office in Seattle.' Fresh off a key acquisition, Axon CEO touts benefits of his police tech 17 Hours Ago | 06:27 Disclosure: Cramer's charitable trust owns shares of Amazon. Questions for Cramer? Call Cramer: 1-800-743-CNBC Want to take a deep dive into Cramer's world? Hit him up! Mad Money Twitter - Jim Cramer Twitter - Facebook - Instagram - Vine Questions, comments, suggestions for the "Mad Money" website? madcap@cnbc.com

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/04/axon-ceo-talks-vievu-acquisition-police-body-camera-tech-results.html

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. to Report First Results and File Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q on Tuesday, May 8

SOUTHPORT, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. (NYSE-RGR) will file its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q on May 8, 2018, after the close of the stock market. On Wednesday, May 9, 2018, Sturm, Ruger will host a webcast of its Annual Meeting of Stockholders at 9:00 a.m. MST (12:00 p.m. EDT). Interested parties can access the webcast at Ruger.com/corporate or by dialing 855-871-7398, participant code 4566028. The Form 10-Q will be available on the SEC website at www.sec.gov and the Ruger website at Ruger.com/corporate as soon as practicable after the filing. Concurrent with the filing of the Form 10-Q, an earnings release containing the first quarter 2018 financial statements will be issued. We urge investors to read our complete Form 10-Q in order to have adequate information to make informed investment decisions. About Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. is one of the nation's leading manufacturers of rugged, reliable firearms for the commercial sporting market. As a full-line manufacturer of American-made firearms, Ruger offers consumers over 400 variations of more than 40 product lines. For more than 60 years, Ruger has been a model of corporate and community responsibility. Our motto, “Arms Makers for Responsible Citizens ® ,” echoes the importance of these principles as we work hard to deliver quality and innovative firearms. The Company may, from time to time, make and projections concerning future expectations. Such statements are based on current expectations and are subject to certain qualifying risks and uncertainties, such as market demand, sales levels of firearms, anticipated castings sales and earnings, the need for external financing for operations or capital expenditures, the results of pending litigation against the Company, the impact of future firearms control and environmental legislation, and accounting estimates, any one or more of which could cause actual results to those projected. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these , which speak only as of the date made. The Company undertakes no obligation to publish revised to reflect events or circumstances after the date such are made or to reflect the occurrence of subsequent unanticipated events. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180507005701/en/ Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. One Lacey Place Southport, CT 06890 www.ruger.com 203-259-7843 Source: Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/07/business-wire-sturm-ruger-company-inc-to-report-first-quarter-results-and-file-quarterly-report-on-form-10-q-on-tuesday-may-8.html

The Morning Risk Report: Risk-Modeling Skills Prized by CEOs - Risk & Compliance Journal. - WSJ

0 COMMENTS Readers can subscribe to The Morning Risk Report here: http://on.wsj.com/MorningRiskReportSignup . Follow us on Twitter at @WSJRisk. Risk-modeling specialists are in demand as companies move to protect themselves against increasing regulatory, strategic, operational and emerging risks. Photo: Sergey Nivens/Shutterstock.com Good morning. Specialists in emerging technology, cybersecurity and risk-and-scenario modeling are going to be among the most sought-after employees in the next three years, according to a survey of 400 U.S.-based chief executives by KPMG LLP . Three-quarters said they are prioritizing hiring in these areas to support growth, while 52% said they think more jobs will be created by artificial intelligence than will be lost. It’s no surprise these specialists are in high demand, given companies’ need to protect themselves against increasing regulatory, strategic, operational and emerging risks, said Kelly Watson, national service group leader for risk consulting at the professional-services firm. Most companies have a wealth of data but often struggle to tap it for insights that will help them avoid trouble. Modeling specialists help organizations to be more agile in their risk management and compliance efforts, he said. “By leveraging forward-looking insights from the data they can better plan for and respond to emerging risks, including regulatory shifts, changes in the geopolitical landscape and risks created by disruptive technologies,” said Ms. Watson. “CEOs have come to appreciate the importance of scenario planning, and understand that to effectively manage the organization it’s key to anticipate change.” While 89% of CEOs said protecting customer data is one of their most important personal responsibilities, just 15% said having a strong cybersecurity strategy was important for building trust with stakeholders, the survey found. Why the disparity? It may be that while CEOs view customer data protection as one of their most important personal responsibilities, they are less sure about the role of a strong cyber strategy in building trust, said Tony Buffomante, U.S. leader of cybersecurity services at KPMG. “They understand that more than just a sound cyber strategy is needed to engender customer and stakeholder trust,” he said. Also key is being able to properly respond to breaches, including timely and accurate communication to consumers and other stakeholders, said Mr. Buffomante. “While an overarching and high-level strategy is important to set the stage for cyber risk management, those more mature organizations in the U.S. have moved beyond just strategy to focus on deploying detailed tactics to fortify trust with their customers and other stakeholders,” he said. EXCLUSIVE ON RISK AND COMPLIANCE JOURNAL Bumble Bee Foods Chief Executive Christopher Lischewski is taking a leave of absence to fight charges he colluded to fix tuna prices, the company said Friday. Mr. Lischewski was indicted on May 16 in connection with allegedly agreeing to fix prices on packaged seafood. He didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. COMPLIANCE Months before new U.S. sanctions against Iran take hold , the world’s two biggest shipping lines, Denmark’s Maersk Line and Swiss-based Mediterranean Shipping Co. , said they were winding down general cargo shipment. Tanker owners plan to move their vessels to other oil-producing countries, the WSJ reports. The oil terminal on Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf handles most of Iran’s crude exports. ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH/EUROPEAN PRESSPHOTO AGENCY The U.S. decided to defer a sanctions push against North Korea as both sides sought to revive a summit between President Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un. The White House was to announce the sanctions Tuesday but decided Monday to indefinitely delay the measures, the WSJ reports. Japan said it detected what seemed to be a Chinese ship making an illegal cargo transfer to a North Korean vessel some 200 miles offshore from Shanghai, Reuters reports. China has repeatedly said it is fully enforcing U.N. sanctions against North Korea, Reuters reports. Murray Huberfeld, a co-founder of the defunct hedge fund Platinum Partners , pleaded guilty Friday to a single count of wire-fraud conspiracy in connection with what federal prosecutors had called a bribery-and-kickback scheme, the WSJ reports. Chinese authorities are set to approve Qualcomm ’s planned $44 billion acquisition of Netherlands-based NXP Semiconductors , in what would be another significant step toward easing frayed U.S.-China trade relations, the WSJ reports. Irish voters overwhelmingly repealed a constitutional ban on abortion, a sweeping change that caps an emotion-filled debate and marks another significant step away from the country’s historic Catholic influence, the WSJ reports. DATA SECURITY Two Canadian banks said Monday they were contacted by “fraudsters” who said Sunday they had information about customer accounts. Bank of Montreal said data for fewer than 50,000 customers may have been stolen. Simplii Financial , an online unit of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce , said roughly 40,000 customers may have been affected, the WSJ reports. GOVERNANCE Founders of top startups are increasingly wresting control of their companies from venture-capital backers and extracting huge pay packages tied to going public, the WSJ reports. Venture capitalists remain the main backers of private companies, but new sources of capital have reduced their leverage, giving power to star entrepreneurs. REPUTATION C.L. Max Nikias, the embattled president of the University of Southern California , agreed to step down Friday, just over a week after allegations were made public that a longtime gynecologist at the school’s student-health center had sexually abused patients for years, the WSJ reports. RISK The European Union’s top trade official, Cecilia Malmstrom, will meet U.S. counterparts in Paris on Wednesday, according to EU officials, in a last-ditch effort to secure waivers from steel and aluminum tariffs and to engage Washington on efforts to tackle China’s market-distorting policies, the WSJ reports. OPERATIONS Two railway unions, representing close to 3,500 conductors, engineers and signal operators, filed a strike notice Saturday with Canadian Pacific Railways Ltd. , telling management that workers will walk off the job Tuesday night if an agreement can’t be reached. Time off and wages are at issue, the WSJ reports. Brazil’s government said concessions to end a truckers strike will have a high cost for taxpayers even as businesses and consumers struggle with shortages of vital goods. Truckers began blockading highways May 21. As of Monday afternoon, there were still 557 blockades around the country, the WSJ reports. A second major flash flood to hit Ellicott City, Md., in two years on Sunday left businesses once again devastated. The flood sent cars floating down Main Street in the community of about 68,000 and swept others away. A similar flash flood hit the region in July 2016, the WSJ reports. STRATEGY PepsiCo said Friday it is buying Bare Foods Co. , a maker of fruit and vegetable snacks, as the global food and beverage company looks to expand its offerings of healthier fare . Terms of the deal weren’t disclosed, the WSJ reports. PepsiCo said it is buying Bare Foods Co., a maker of fruit and vegetable snacks, for an undisclosed sum. SETH PERLMAN/ASSOCIATED PRESS A fizzy lemon-flavored alcoholic drink that went on sale in Japan on Monday marked Coca-Cola ’s first fling at selling alcohol in its 132-year history. Although it owned a winery from 1977 to 1983, Coca-Cola had never directly sold an alcoholic drink during a history that dates to 1886, the WSJ reports. The Morning Risk Report from WSJ’s Risk & Compliance Journal cues up the most important news in risk and compliance every weekday morning. Send tips, suggestions and complaints to henry.cutter@wsj.com . Share this: Bank of Montreal Bare Foods Brazil strike Brazil truckers Bumble Bee Canada rail strike Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce Canadian Pacific CIBC Coca-Cola Huberfeld Iran Sanctions Ireland abortion irish abortion KPMG Lischewski Maersk Malmstrom Mediterranean Shipping Nikias North Korean sanctions NXP PepsiCo Platinum Partners Qualcomm Simplii U.S.-Europe trade University of Southern California USC Previous Corruption Currents: Man Jailed for 660 Years Wants His Gold Bars Back Content from our sponsor Deloitte Risk management, strategy and analysis from Deloitte Broadening the Lens of EERM to Focus on Value Creation Many organizations use third parties to perform core operations and processes, as well as to help meet strategic objectives. That makes a significant difference in the way senior executives and boards should think about extended enterprise risk management (EERM), with one approach being to think of third parties as teaming with the business to help create value. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to EERM, managing third-party risk from both a revenue and cost perspective can provide significant opportunity to drive additional business value, create efficiencies, and build resilience. Please note: The Wall Street Journal News Department was not involved in the creation of the content above. More from Deloitte →

https://blogs.wsj.com/riskandcompliance/2018/05/29/the-morning-risk-report-risk-modeling-skills-prized-by-ceos/

Australia far-right party rejects proposed tax cut, adding to PM's woes

May 22, 2018 / 3:15 AM / Updated 6 minutes ago Australia far-right party rejects proposed tax cut, adding to PM's woes Colin Packham 3 Min Read SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia’s far-right One Nation party said on Tuesday it will not support the government’s proposed corporate tax cut, all but ending Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s hope for a policy victory ahead of a series of by-elections. FILE PHOTO: Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and German Chancellor Angela Merkel (not pictured) address the media following their talks in Berlin, Germany, April 23, 2018. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch/File Photo Turnbull’s Liberal-National coalition government had proposed to reduce the corporate income tax rate by 5 percent to 25 percent for all companies by 2026-27. The legislation has been stalled in the Senate where the government is in the minority and was struggling to win the support of enough independent lawmakers. “The people in general don’t want it. It has not been well­received,” One Nation leader Pauline Hanson told The Australian in an interview published on Tuesday. The opposition Labor Party, The Greens and several independent lawmakers have said they will not back the bill. Without One Nation and its three votes in the Senate, Turnbull’s centre-right government is well short of securing enough support for the tax measure, analysts said. “I am obviously very disappointed with this latest development, but self-evidently I hope this is not the last word,” Finance Minister Mathias Cormann told reporters in Canberra. The stalled tax legislation is the latest problem facing Turnbull ahead of five by-elections triggered when a group of opposition lawmakers were forced from office after being deemed dual nationals this month. Dual citizens are blocked from national elected office under Australia’s 117-year-old constitution. The dates of the by-elections have yet to be set but Turnbull’s Liberal Party is leading opinion polls in the race for the Queensland state seat of Longman. A victory there would give his coalition a two-seat majority from the current one seat, but analysts said the troubled tax cut and other setbacks limited the impact of a by-election win. “These failures build a perception of a prime minister who appears weak and unable to secure reform,” said Haydon Manning, a political science professor at Flinders University in South Australia state. With just a razor thin majority, Turnbull has been forced into a series of policies that he had previously opposed, most notably a powerful inquiry into the country’s financial sector. Turnbull also faces internal pressure over the issue of live sheep exports after the death of 2,400 animals on a ship bound for the Middle East, prompted widespread criticism of the A$250 million ($190 million) industry. The government introduced tougher oversight of the shipments, though a group of rebel backbenchers on Monday proposed a blanket ban - exposing fractures within the coalition government. ($1 = 1.3186 Australian dollars)

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-australia-politics-tax/australia-far-right-party-rejects-proposed-tax-cut-adding-to-pms-woes-idUKKCN1IN09Q

Saudi Arabia moves to tempt more foreign insurers with draft rules change

RIYADH, May 2 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia has published draft rules for foreign insurers and reinsurers wanting to establish branches in the kingdom, in the latest attempt by the government to woo international investment. Currently, there are no foreign branches of foreign insurers in the kingdom, with such companies instead having to establish fully capitalised subsidiaries or own a limited share of local insurance businesses. But it was unclear from the draft, released this week, whether foreign insurers setting up branches would be required to have a local partner, with industry sources saying they would seek clarity on this point. Until now, the central bank, which regulates the insurance industry, has closely controlled the number of licences in the market, with the regulator planning tougher rules for existing insurers as part of a drive to create a smaller number of stronger market players. At present, there are more than 30 insurance firms in operation serving a population in excess of 30 million people. But industry insurance sources said allowing more foreign entrants would help to boost competitiveness. The insurance sector has come under pressure after the economy slipped into recession last year, with health insurance suffering in particular as expatriates have left the kingdom and hospital costs have risen. The economy should return to growth this year, but industry margins remain under pressure. Saudi Arabia is seeking to tempt foreign entrants across industries as it embarks on a massive overhaul of its economy to diversify away from a reliance on oil revenues. At the moment, international players including Bupa, MetLife, Allianz and AXA all operate in the kingdom through partnerships with local ventures. These foreign companies often have management control of the business, although limited ownership levels. The draft rules made clear that licences from the central bank for specific insurance lines would be dependent on foreign applicants having approval from regulators in their home countries for the same activities for at least the past five years. They also specified that in order to open a branch, insurers would have to place a deposit, ranging from 60 million riyals ($16 million) for the highest-rated insurers to 200 million riyals for the lowest, in a local bank. The deposit requirement was higher for reinsurers. ($1 = 3.7502 riyals) (Reporting By Tom Arnold Editing by Hugh Lawson)

https://www.reuters.com/article/saudi-insurance/saudi-arabia-moves-to-tempt-more-foreign-insurers-with-draft-rules-change-idUSL8N1S972Q

Cable Companies Like Comcast, Frontier Among Most Hated By Customers

Every year, the survey wizards at the American Customer Satisfaction Index poll tens of thousands of customers of almost 400 leading companies to uncover how satisfied they are across a variety of key indicators. And for many years, the cable TV industry and its side-business of providing Internet service have come up dead last in customer satisfaction. This year was no different, though the dissatisfaction is worsening. Cable TV companies averaged a score of 62 on the ACSI’s 100 point scale, down 3% from last year and the lowest rating for the industry in 11 years. Cable TV tied for the lowest average score among the 46 different industry groups in the survey, with Internet service providers ranking equally poorly. Not surprisingly, many of the same companies, such as Comcast and Frontier Communications , are in both groups. The top-ranked companies in 2018 were TV set makers, with an average score of 85; breweries, which averaged 84; and soft drink makers, also scoring an average of 84. Cable companies fared poorly in the 2018 American Customer Satisfaction Index. The poor results for cable come amid an acceleration of cord cutting , the phenomenon of people dropping cable or never subscribing in the first place. The rise of Internet video services like Netflix and Amazon Prime has raised customer expectations, ACSI managing director David VanAmburg explains. The Internet video services offer greater personalization, better user interfaces, and a lower price, he says. Meanwhile, cable bills are up 53% over the past 10 years to an average of over $100 a month . “As a result, cable and satellite television customers think they are paying higher prices for lesser value and receiving poor service to boot,” VanAmburg wrote in a blog post accompanying the 2018 report. Get Data Sheet , Fortune’s technology newsletter. Digging into the results, cable industry customers were increasingly dissatisfied compared to 2017 with picture quality, helpfulness of staff, frequency of service interruptions, and call center assistance. Mediacom Communications, the fifth-largest cable operator, ranked dead last in the survey with a rating of just 55. It also ranked last as an ISP with a rating of 53. By comparison, Netflix (nflx) got a rating of 78 in its Internet video industry category. Mediacom said it expects to improve its score as it nears completion of a three-year, $1 billion effort to bring 1 gigabit-per-second Internet speeds to its customers. “We believe this is the type of transformative change that will greatly improve the customer experience moving forward,” the company said in a statement. Frontier Communications ranked second to last as a cable TV provider with a score of 56; it scored 54 as an ISP. The company has been struggling mightily with debt from its 2015 purchase of customers from Verizon in California, Florida, and Texas. Frontier (ftr) did not respond to a request for comment. Cable giant Comcast, the largest cable provider, ranked third from the bottom in its industry with a score of 57. Comcast (cmcsa) did a little better as an ISP, ranking in a tie for 6th out of 12 with a score of 60. The company declined to comment on the ACSI report. The top-ranked cable TV companies were AT&T’s (t) U-Verse, with a score of 70; Verizon’s (vz) Fios, with a score of 68; and Dish Network (dish) , with a score of 67. ( Update: This story was corrected on May 23 to note that Comcast finished in a tie for 6th place in the ISP rankings, instead of finishing 7th .)

http://fortune.com/2018/05/23/hate-cable-tv-comcast-frontier/?iid=recirc_f500landing-zone2

STRATA Skin Sciences Announces Closing of a $17 Million Equity Financing and the Formal Appointment of New Management to Accelerate Growth and Enrich its XTRAC® Business Strategy

Conference call and webcast tomorrow, May 30th at 8:30 am Eastern Time New Financing: Equity financing of $17 million led by Accelmed, a leading investment firm specializing in medical technologies, and joined by existing investors Broadfin Capital and Sabby Management and incoming CEO, Dr. Dolev Rafaeli Experienced Management: Dr. Dolev Rafaeli, formally named CEO of STRATA, brings significant history of success with XTRAC business. From 2011 to 2015 during his time as CEO of PhotoMedex, Dr. Rafaeli transformed the XTRAC business growing the installed base by 240%, increasing the per device recurring revenue by 220% and boosting the recurring business segment’s gross margins from 39% to 68% XTRAC Business Model: STRATA, the global market leader of Laser devices for dermatological treatments, provides a vertically integrated array of value-added services to its physician partners. Following the equity financing, STRATA will be better positioned to become a platform company for dermatology procedures generating recurring revenue XTRAC Opportunity: STRATA’s Recurring Revenue Business Model provides opportunities for top and bottom-line growth, with an available domestic market of over 35 million patients across all reimbursed indications XTRAC Technology: STRATA is developing a faster treatment protocol for skin clearance utilizing its proprietary OTD™ (Optimal Therapeutic Dose) device to achieve faster XTRAC treatment times and better patient outcomes STRATA’s commercial platform to be used to introduce new growth products aimed at clinical dermatologists As part of financing STRATA issued 15,740,741 shares of common stock subject to customary post-closing adjustments and now has 33,495,801 shares of common stock outstanding and on as-converted basis HORSHAM, Pa., May 29, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- STRATA Skin Sciences (NASDAQ:SSKN) (“STRATA”), a medical technology company in Dermatology and Plastic Surgery dedicated to developing, commercializing, and marketing innovative products for the treatment of dermatologic conditions, today announced that its shareholders have voted in favor of an equity financing, raising proceeds of $17 million. The financing was led by Accelmed Growth Partners (“AGP”), a private equity investment firm focused on value creation for medical device companies and technologies, through the establishment of platform companies. AGP was joined by current shareholders Broadfin Capital and Sabby Management, and incoming CEO, Dr. Dolev Rafaeli. Financing Details and Amendment of MidCap Financial Trust Agreement Of the $17 million in proceeds, $3 million will be used to pay down a portion of the current loan with MidCap Financial, as part of an amendment to the loan agreement that provides more favorable terms and covenants. The remaining proceeds from the equity financing will fund growth opportunities for the Company by focusing on its core recurring revenue business and adding innovative medical devices, which can leverage STRATA’s salesforce, customer relationships and current infrastructure in sales, marketing and reimbursement. Appointment of New Chairman of the Board of Directors Following the closing of the financing, Dr. Uri Geiger, Managing Partner of Accelmed, will be appointed Chairman of the STRATA Board. Dr. Geiger brings extensive entrepreneurial, management and investment know-how having created and built many successful medical device enterprises. Among his many accomplishments, Dr. Geiger served as CEO and Founder of Exalenz Bioscience Ltd., and of GalayOr Networks, and is a founding partner of Dragon Variation Fund, as well as most recently the Chairman of Cogentix Medical. Dr. Geiger stated, “We are excited to become the majority shareholder of STRATA and confident that the combination of Dr. Rafaeli’s leadership and Accelmed’s proven track record of creating successful medtech platform companies will provide tremendous value to patients, physicians and shareholders.” Appointment of New Management with Experience in the XTRAC Business and Company Turnarounds In conjunction with the closing of the financing, Dr. Dolev Rafaeli formally assumed the position of CEO, having served as the Company’s interim CEO since April, 2018. Dr. Rafaeli has over 25 years of experience in the healthcare, medical device, consumer and industrial services fields. Prior to STRATA, he served as CEO of PhotoMedex, the company that founded the XTRAC business, and served on its Board from 2006 to 2017. It was under his leadership that PhotoMedex achieved sales growth from $19 million to over $300 million, driven by increases in brand portfolio, distribution channels and M&A transactions. During his tenure, the XTRAC business grew by 335%, and the XTRAC business gross margins grew from 39% to 68%. Dr. Rafaeli stated, “I am thrilled to lead STRATA at this extraordinary time. The XTRAC device is a best-in-class UV technology for the treatment of psoriasis, vitiligo and other skin conditions. Our business model is differentiated by a combination of clinical superiority, unique value-added services – including a direct-to-patient engine that accelerates awareness and drives consigned XTRAC device utilization – and a reimbursement support team that confirms insurance benefits, thereby expediting the patient experience.” “Our immediate priority is to execute a comprehensive turnaround strategy to restore the growth potential of the business. The initial steps will include: 1) rebuilding the XTRAC business’ value creation proposition for our physician partner accounts, 2) improving patient retention through improved clinical outcomes and protocol compliance, and 3) re-engaging our proven direct-to-consumer, end-to-end patient acquisition strategy to drive more patients into the dermatology practices,” Dr. Rafaeli added, “We believe that stricter adherence to protocol compliance will lead to better clinical outcomes for patients, resulting in a higher patient retention rate for physicians. We also believe that our Optimal Therapeutic Dose (OTD) technology for XTRAC, currently in development, will jump start adherence to the preferred protocol, once deployed.” “Our nationwide network of XTRAC partner clinics offers a significant opportunity to increase market penetration in psoriasis and to broaden our market penetration with other approved indications, including vitiligo and atopic dermatitis (eczema).” Dr. Rafaeli concluded, “Lastly, we are formulating a strategy that is expected to drive revenue growth outside the U.S., where we currently enjoy significant market penetration in such markets as China, South Korea and the Middle East, to name a few.” The Company also announced the appointment of Matthew C. Hill as Chief Financial Officer, effective as of May 15, 2018. Mr. Hill brings to STRATA over two decades of experience in the medtech industry, having previously served as CFO of two publicly traded companies, Velcera, Inc. and EP Medystems Inc. “I am thrilled to join STRATA at this exciting time and believe that the Company’s portfolio of skin science technologies has enormous potential,” said Matthew Hill, STRATA’s Chief Financial Officer. “I look forward to growing with the Company and working with the management team to help STRATA become one of the leaders in the dermatology space.” Conference Call & Webcast The management of STRATA will hold a conference call tomorrow, Wednesday, May 30, 2018 at 8:30 am Eastern Time to discuss the financing, the turnaround strategy, and the management and Board changes. Dial-in and replay details are as follows: Wednesday, May 30, 2018 @ 8:30 am Eastern Time Domestic: 800-347-6311 International: 323-794-2094 Israel - local 1-809-212-909 Passcode: 7669358 Webcast: http://public.viavid.com/index.php?id=129953 About STRATA Skin Sciences, Inc. ( www.strataskinsciences.com ) STRATA Skin Sciences is a medical technology company in Dermatology and Plastic Surgery dedicated to developing, commercializing and marketing innovative products for the treatment of dermatologic conditions. Its products include the XTRAC ® excimer laser and VTRAC ® lamp systems utilized in the treatment of psoriasis, vitiligo and various other skin conditions; and the STRATAPEN™ MicroSystem, marketed specifically for the intended use of micropigmentation. Safe Harbor This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include but are not limited to the Company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and may contain words such as “will,” “may,” “seeks,” and “expects,” that suggest future events or trends. These statements, including the Company’s ability to generate the anticipated revenue stream, the Company’s ability to generate sufficient cash flow to fund the Company’s ongoing operations and research and development activities beginning at any time in the future, the public’s reaction to the Company’s new advertisements and marketing campaigns under development, and the Company’s ability to build a leading franchise in dermatology and aesthetics, the Company’s ability to grow revenues and sustain that growth, and the Company’s ability to secure FDA 510k clearance for the OTD device, are based on the Company’s current expectations and are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and changes in circumstances. Actual results may differ materially from the Company’s expectations due to financial, economic, business, competitive, market, regulatory and political factors or conditions affecting the Company and the medical device industry in general, as well as more specific risks and uncertainties set forth in the Company’s 10K filed with the SEC on March 30, 2018. Investor Contacts: Dr. Dolev Rafaeli, Chief Executive Officer Bob Yedid, Managing Director STRATA Skin Sciences, Inc. LifeSci Advisors, LLC 215-619-3200 646-597-6989 ir@strataskin.com Bob@LifeSciAdvisors.com Source:STRATA Skin Sciences, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/29/globe-newswire-strata-skin-sciences-announces-closing-of-a-17-million-equity-financing-and-the-formal-appointment-of-new-management-to.html

Exclusive: Malaysia's Anwar says 'shattered' Najib called him twice on election night

May 17, 2018 / 1:01 PM / Updated 8 hours ago Exclusive: Malaysia's Anwar says 'shattered' Najib called him twice on election night Praveen Menon 6 Min Read KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysia’s ousted former premier Najib Razak was “totally shattered” the night he lost the general election and called his jailed rival Anwar Ibrahim twice for advice on what he should do, Anwar said on Thursday. Malaysian politician Anwar Ibrahim, who was granted a royal pardon, speaks to supporters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia May 16, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer Najib was handed a shocking election loss last week which ended the dominance of the Barisan Nasional coalition that has ruled Malaysia for more than six decades. BN’s defeat in the May 9 polls was attributed to rising anger over corruption and an unlikely alliance struck between 92-year-old Mahathir Mohamad and his former rival, Anwar, who got together to oust the scandal-tainted Najib. Anwar, who was pardoned and released from his five-year jail term for sodomy on Wednesday, said he had received two calls from Najib. “When he called on the night of the election, I advised him as a friend to concede and move on,” Anwar told Reuters in an interview at his home on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur. Anwar said he asked Najib to come out with a statement quickly rather than delay and be perceived as trying to scuttle the process. Najib, however, said nothing despite Mahathir declaring victory a few hours after the counting of the votes began. At a news conference the next day, Najib said no party had a simple majority and the constitutional monarch would decide who would form the government. “He was just very evasive ... he refused to concede early,” Anwar said about his discussion on election night. He said Najib was thinking of what he could do and who he could consult. But Anwar insisted the former-PM did not approach him for a deal in any “serious manner”. “Even if he had referred to that (a deal) I would have just ignored ... I was just listening to him,” Anwar said when asked if Najib had offered him a deal to shift allegiance. “After the second call he was totally shattered,” he said. Najib could not immediately be reached for comment. “In a close contest between two coalitions it is not unusual for a leader of the losing team to try to entice members from the other side,” said Adib Zalkapli, a Kuala Lumpur-based analyst with risk consultancy Vriens & Partners. Khairy Jamaluddin, the youth and sports minister in Najib’s government, visited Najib at his house on election night and said this week the prime minister had been “calm” and “poised”, but that the people around him were “stunned, shocked and sombre”. Khairy was not available for comment on Thursday. A spokesman for Khairy declined to comment on Anwar’s description of events on election night. Najib’s coalition secured only 79 of Malaysia’s 222 parliamentary seats while Anwar’s People’s Justice Party (PKR) won 50 seats. An alliance between the two could have secured Najib’s return to power. Last year, Najib visited Anwar at a hospital where he was recovering from a shoulder surgery. The meeting sparked rumours that the two leaders may strike up an agreement to join forces against Mahathir, although this was quickly dismissed by Anwar’s team. RIGHT MAN Mahathir, who was sworn in as leader last Thursday, secured a royal pardon for Anwar, and has promised to step aside for his friend-turned-foe-turned-ally to become prime minister. The relationship between these two giants of Malaysian politics is a saga that has spanned three decades. Anwar said it had been accepted that he would be the next prime minister after Mahathir steps down, but he wanted to ensure a smooth transition. “Mahathir has been in power for just a week so it’s not proper to talk about an immediate transition. So let him just continue,” Anwar said. He did not give a time frame for this move. Anwar was Mahathir’s deputy in the 1990s, but fell out with his mentor during the 1997-99 Asian financial crisis. He was eventually sacked from the ruling party and founded the Reformasi (Reform) movement, challenging Mahathir’s government. Within weeks, he was arrested and jailed on disputed charges of sodomy and corruption. After being freed in 2004, Anwar was jailed a second time for sodomy in 2015, when Najib was in power. Both times, he and his supporters said the charges were politically motivated. Mahathir was perfect as prime minister right now as the new government goes about dismantling the obsolete and corrupt system put in place by the long-ruling United Malay National Organisation (UMNO)-led coalition, Anwar said. UMNO’s race-based politics and patronage system has been slammed by its critics and blamed for the bulging civil service and weak institutions like the judiciary. “Probably he seems to be the right man...I am a bit more moderate and have a softer image,” Anwar said. “Because of how I suffered, I always think how any decision would cause sufferings to those affected. So I’m a bit more considerate...and that may not be good in these times when we have to make sure the elements of the old regime do not resurface.” Anwar and his party has faced a protracted struggle to gain power due to electoral systems and government institutions working in favour of the ruling party. He said the old regime had been dismantled, but the new government could not assume it would retain the level of support and euphoria seen in the last week. “From my discussion with the PM (Mahathir) this morning, that seems to be the sentiment ... we will have to deliver,” he said. “I have given that message. We don’t want UMNO 2.0.” Malaysian politician Anwar Ibrahim, who was granted a royal pardon, arrives to speak to supporters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia May 16, 2018. REUTERS/Lai Seng Sin Additional reporting by Tom Westbrook; Editing by Nick Macfie

https://in.reuters.com/article/malaysia-politics-anwar-exclusive/exclusive-malaysias-anwar-says-shattered-najib-called-him-twice-on-election-night-idINKCN1II1U0

Ethiopia releases Swedish doctor in jail since 2013

May 15, 2018 / 12:56 PM / Updated an hour ago Ethiopia releases Swedish doctor in jail since 2013 Aaron Maasho 2 Min Read ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Ethiopian authorities on Tuesday released an Ethiopian-born Swedish cardiologist who has been in jail since 2013 on corruption and terrorism charges, his family members said. Fikru Maru, who founded a heart hospital in the capital Addis Ababa, was held in custody on suspicion of graft, but in October 2016 he was sentenced to four years and eight months for tax fraud related to his business. Though he was acquitted of corruption afterward, the 67-year old was then charged in December, 2016, with involvement in causing a fire that ripped through a prison complex and killed dozens of inmates in September of that year. Prosecutors accused him of financing and recruiting the perpetrators. He had always denied the charges against him. The terrorism charges against him were dropped last week. “Five years of his life have been taken away despite his innocence. Words cannot express my happiness at his release,” his daughter Amy Fikru told Reuters shortly after he walked out of the prison complex. Fikru is one of thousands of prisoners, including high-profile journalists and opposition leaders who had been charged with a variety of offences, including terrorism, to be freed. Their release is part of reform pledges by the government of Abiy Ahmed, who took over in April this year, and preceding administrations, to end widespread protests Hundreds of people have been killed during protests that convulsed two of the country’s most populous provinces, whose ethnic Oromo and Amharic communities complain they are politically marginalised. Editing by Richard Balmforth

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-ethiopia-sweden-politics/ethiopia-releases-swedish-doctor-in-jail-since-2013-idUKKCN1IG1VL

iZettle says it plans to list on the Nasdaq Stockholm

Swedish payment start-up iZettle announced it will go public this year. The financial technology firm said Tuesday that it plans to raise 2 billion Swedish krona ($226 million) through an initial public offering on the Nasdaq in Stockholm. The company provides mobile card readers and other digital payment products to small businesses. It is a rival to Square , the U.S. fintech firm led by Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey , but only competes directly with the $20 billion company in the U.K. IZettle said in a statement that, "depending on market conditions," the Stockholm listing is expected to be completed this year. The company's CEO Jacob de Geer has previously spoken of the company's intention to go public, saying that it was surrounded by "ifs and buts, market conditions and so-forth." Tuesday's announcement solidifies that intention. "We believe that the listing will support our continued growth, our strategy and provide us with improved access to capital markets," De Geer told CNBC. "Our strategy going forward is to grow our merchant base in existing markets as well as shift the mix towards slightly larger merchants, though we'll continue to remain focused on small businesses." IZettle is currently a loss-making company, but it's targeting net revenue growth of 40 percent in the medium term and wants to achieve positive consolidated EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization) by 2020. "We made a strategic choice together with the board to prioritize growth over profitability, to build iZettle's brand and secure a leading position in our target markets," De Geer said. "It's all going according to plan and we can clearly tell that our strategy is paying off."

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/08/izettle-ipo-says-it-plans-to-list-on-nasdaq-stockholm.html

Motor racing-Team by team analysis of the Monaco Grand Prix

May 27, 2018 / 11:19 PM / Updated 12 hours ago Motor racing-Team by team analysis of the Monaco Grand Prix Reuters Staff 3 Min Read MONACO, May 27 (Reuters) - Team by team analysis of Sunday’s Monaco Formula One Grand Prix (listed in championship order): MERCEDES (Lewis Hamilton 3, Valtteri Bottas 5) Hamilton chalked up his 31st successive scoring finish but had his lead cut to 14 points. Both drivers finished where they started. FERRARI (Sebastian Vettel 2, Kimi Raikkonen 4) No change from the grid position but Vettel clawed back three points from Hamilton and is now only 14 behind the Briton. Ferrari also reduced the gap to Mercedes in the constructors’ championship to 22 points. RED BULL (Daniel Ricciardo 1, Max Verstappen 9) Ricciardo won from pole after setting the fastest time in every practice session and all stages of qualifying. It was his second win of the season, first from pole and seventh of his career and came despite power unit problems. Verstappen went from last to ninth and set the fastest lap. The race was Red Bull’s 250th start. RENAULT (Nico Hulkenberg 8, Carlos Sainz 10) Both Renault drivers ended up in the points to pull further away from McLaren. Hulkenberg started 11th, Sainz eighth. MCLAREN (Stoffel Vandoorne 14, Fernando Alonso retired) Alonso retired at Sainte Devote on lap 53 after a transmission failure. The Spaniard, who missed last year’s race to compete in the Indianapolis 500, had been running in seventh place. Vandoorne dropped two places from 12th at the start. FORCE INDIA (Esteban Ocon 6, Sergio Perez 12) Ocon enjoyed his best result of the season so far in front of what is virtually a home crowd. Perez failed to score for the first time since China in April. Force India are now 14 points behind McLaren. TORO ROSSO (Pierre Gasly 7, Brendon Hartley 19) Gasly, starting 10th, scored for the second time this season and in his first Monaco Grand Prix. Hartley started 15th and damaged his car’s front wing on the opening lap, pitting for a new one. He retired after being hit in the rear by Sauber’s Leclerc at the tunnel exit late on. HAAS (Kevin Magnussen 13, Romain Grosjean 15) Still no points for Grosjean, who started 18th with Magnussen 19th. Grosjean pitted during the late virtual safety car period with Magnussen staying out. SAUBER (Marcus Ericsson 11, Charles Leclerc 18) Leclerc retired after crashing into Hartley, an accident blamed on a brake disc issue on his car. WILLIAMS (Sergey Sirotkin 16, Lance Stroll 17) A difficult weekend for Williams. Sirotkin collected a 10 second stop-go penalty on lap seven because all the wheels were not on before the deadline ahead of the start. Stroll got a puncture on lap nine and lost a lot nursing his car back to the pits. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Greg Stutchbury)

https://uk.reuters.com/article/motor-f1-monaco-teams/motor-racing-team-by-team-analysis-of-the-monaco-grand-prix-idUKL3N1SY0KH

Revlon CEO, USA Gymnastics, Sarah Silverman: Broadsheet May 24

By Kristen Bellstrom 7:08 AM EDT Good morning, Broadsheet readers! We read journalist Kim Wall’s final story, the CEO of USA Gymnastics breaks her silence on Larry Nassar, and Revlon gets its first-ever female chief. Finally a bit of housekeeping: Today is my co-editor Valentina Zarya’s final day at Fortune . I’m sure you will all miss her as much as I will, so please join me in wishing her well on her next adventure! EVERYONE'S TALKING • Revlon needs a makeover Revlon has appointed Debra Perelman, daughter of Ronald Perelman—the company’s controlling shareholder—chief executive officer. The move is interesting for a few reasons. Perelman, who was named COO four months ago, is the first-ever woman to run the 86-year-old cosmetics company. As noted by Fast Company there are fewer top execs in the beauty world than you might think; L’Oréal, Estée Lauder, and Avon are all currently run by men. As the daughter of the company’s chairman, Perelman will likely face some whispers about nepotism—an idea she dismissed outright in her conversation with Fast Company , noting that she has two decades of experience at the company. But it’s not Perelman’s advantages that interest me—in fact, the polar opposite: it’s her position on the glass cliff. For anyone who’s unfamiliar with the term, it’s what my former colleague Jennifer Reingold once described as “a phenomenon in which women leaders are more likely to be offered the top position at companies that are struggling or in crisis.” Revlon seems to fit the bill. Former chief Fabian Garcia was hired to turn the company around. He failed and departed after less than two years. Sales are down at the cosmetics giant, as is its stock . Meanwhile, it faces growing competition from specialty beauty retailers and innovative online upstarts. Will Perelman be able to maintain her footing on that steep and slippery slope? We’ll have to watch and see. Advertisement ALSO IN THE HEADLINES • Sorry’s a start . Breaking nearly six months of silence on the issue, USA Gymnastics CEO Kerry Perry told a Congressional panel she was “appalled and sickened by the despicable crimes of Larry Nassar.” Perry apologized to the more than 300 victims of the disgraced doctor, vowing: “Those days are over.” Washington Post • Fund 2, for F3 . Fortune ‘s Polina Marinova talks to Female Founders Fund leaders Anu Duggal and Sutian Dong about closing their second fund—a $27 million pot that includes investments from the likes of Melinda Gates, Hayley Barna, and Katrina Lake. Their conversation also touches on “the role LPs play in the venture ecosystem, investment trends to watch, and whether a fund like F3 is really in a position to challenge the status quo.” Fortune • Funny girl . This Sarah Silverman profile—part of GQ ‘s annual comedy issue—charts how the comedian has shown a kinder and more vulnerable part of herself in recent years, asking: “Can she pull it off? Or does being a better person make you a worse comic?” The piece also gets into Silverman’s thoughts on #MeToo—and her response to the bad behavior of her friends Louis C.K., Aziz Ansari, and Al Franken. GQ • Last words . LongReads has published the last piece written by journalist Kim Wall before she was murdered by Danish inventor Peter Madsen. The article, which Wall wrote with her reporting partner Mansi Choksi, tells the story of three women who fought with the Tamil Tigers during Sri Lanka’s 25-year civil war—and how the experience affected the rest of their lives. “Years after the war had ended, these women continued to fight privately with the ideas that had drawn them to the movement in the first place—a desire to exercise their right to self-determination, the blinding rage of wanting to avenge their oppression, suffering, and humiliation, and the dream of creating a new order for women in the promised homeland.”

http://fortune.com/2018/05/24/revlon-ceo-usa-gymnastics-sarah-silverman-broadsheet-may-24/

Evofem Biosciences Announces Pricing of Public Offering of Common Stock and Warrants

SAN DIEGO, May 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Evofem Biosciences, Inc., (NASDAQ: EVFM) ("Evofem" or the "Company"), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to developing and commercializing innovative products to address unmet needs in women's sexual and reproductive health, announced today the pricing of an underwritten public offering of up to 8.5 million shares in aggregate of common stock or, in lieu of shares of common stock, pre-funded warrants exercisable for shares of common stock, and accompanying common warrants to purchase an aggregate of 1.7 million shares of common stock. The shares and pre-funded warrants are being sold at a public offering price of $4.69 per share and $4.68 per pre-funded warrant, respectively. Each share of common stock and pre-funded warrant is being sold together with a common warrant to purchase one-fifth of a share of the Company's common stock at an exercise price of $7.50 per share. Each common warrant is being issued at a price of $0.01. The common warrants will be exercisable immediately and will expire seven years from the date of issuance. The gross offering proceeds to Evofem from this offering are expected to be approximately $39.9 million, before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other estimated offering expenses, and excluding the exercise of any warrants. As part of the offering, Evofem granted the underwriters a 30 day option to purchase up to an additional 1,275,000 shares of common stock and/or common warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 255,000 shares of common stock. All of the shares of common stock and warrants are being offered by Evofem. RBC Capital Markets LLC and Cantor Fitzgerald & Co. are acting as joint book-running managers for the offering. Oppenheimer & Co. Inc. is acting as lead manager, and Roth Capital Partners is acting as co-manager. Evofem intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to fund its ongoing Phase 3 clinical trial of Amphora ® (L-lactic acid, citric acid, and potassium bitartrate) vaginal gel for the prevention of pregnancy, which is fully enrolled and from which it expects to report top line results in the first quarter of 2019 and the ongoing Phase 2b clinical trial of Amphora for the prevention of urogenital transmission of chlamydia and gonorrhea in women, as well as for general corporate purposes, funding working capital needs and any necessary capital expenditures. A registration statement on Form S-1 relating to the offering was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on May 16, 2018 and was declared effective on May 21, 2018. The offering is being made only by means of a prospectus. Evofem's SEC filings are available to the public from the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Copies of the final prospectus relating to the offering may also be obtained, when available, by contacting RBC Capital Markets LLC, Attention: Equity Syndicate, 200 Vesey Street, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10281-8098 or by telephone at (877) 822-4089 or by email at equityprospectus@rbccm.com , or Cantor Fitzgerald & Co., Attention: Capital Markets, 499 Park Avenue, 6th Floor New York, New York 10022 or by email at prospectus@cantor.com . This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation, or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. About Evofem Biosciences Evofem Biosciences, Inc., (NASDAQ: EVFM) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company committed to developing and commercializing innovative products to address unmet needs in women's sexual and reproductive health. Evofem is leveraging its proprietary Multi-purpose Prevention Technology vaginal gel to develop product candidates for multiple indications, including contraception, the prevention of urogenital transmission of chlamydia and gonorrhea in women, and recurrent bacterial vaginosis. Forward-Looking Statements Statements in this press release about the Company's future expectations, plans and prospects, including the expected closing of the offering, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are often characterized by terminology such as "believes," "hopes," "may," "anticipates," "should," "intends," "plans," "will," "expects," "estimates," "projects," "positioned," "strategy" and similar expressions and are based on assumptions and assessments made in light of management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors believed to be appropriate. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are outside of the Company's control. Important factors that could cause actual results, developments and business decisions to differ materially from forward-looking statements are described in the sections titled "Risk Factors" in the Company's filings with the SEC, including its most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on May 14, 2018, and its Registration Statement on Form S-1 filed with the SEC on May 16, 2018, and include but are not limited to the following: risks and uncertainties associated with market conditions and the Company's ability to satisfy the closing conditions related to the offering. Forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the company undertakes no duty to update or revise any such statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing the Company's views as of any date subsequent to the date hereof. Evofem Biosciences' Contact Amy Raskopf Investor Relations araskopf@evofem.com 858-550-1900 x167 View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/evofem-biosciences-announces-pricing-of-public-offering-of-common-stock-and-warrants-300652665.html SOURCE Evofem Biosciences, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/22/pr-newswire-evofem-biosciences-announces-pricing-of-public-offering-of-common-stock-and-warrants.html

Cyber firms warn on suspected Russian plan to attack Ukraine

May 23 (Reuters) - Cisco Systems Inc on Wednesday warned that hackers have infected at least 500,000 routers and storage devices in dozens of countries with highly sophisticated malicious software, possibly in preparation for another massive cyber attack on Ukraine. Cisco’s Talos cyber intelligence unit said it has high confidence that the Russian government is behind the campaign, dubbed VPNFilter, because the hacking software shares code with malware used in previous cyber attacks that the U.S. government has attributed to Moscow. Cisco said the malware could be used for espionage, to interfere with internet communications or launch destructive attacks on Ukraine, which has previously blamed Russia for massive hacks that took out parts of its energy grid and shuttered factories. “With a network like this you could do anything,” Cisco researcher Craig Williams told Reuters. The Russian government has vehemently denied assertions by Ukraine, the United States, other nations and western cyber-security firms that the Kremlin is behind a massive global hacking program, which has included attempts to harm Ukraine’s economy and interfering in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. The warning about the malware - which includes a module that targets industrial networks like ones that operate the electric grid - will be amplified by alerts from members of the Cyber Threat Alliance (CTA), a nonprofit group that promotes the fast exchange of data on new threats between rivals in the cyber security industry. Members include Cisco, Check Point Software Technologies Ltd , Fortinet Inc Palo Alto Networks Inc, Sophos Group Plc and Symantec Corp. “We should be taking this pretty seriously,” CTA Chief Executive Officer Michael Daniel said in an interview. Cisco shared technical details on VPNFilter with the group on Monday during a secret video briefing describing what it has learned over the past few months analyzing the campaign. While VPNFilter infects routers and internet-connected storage devices used in home offices and small offices, the army of compromised devices can be used to launch coordinated attacks on much larger targets, Williams said. Although infected devices are scattered across at least 54 countries, Cisco determined the hackers are targeting Ukraine following a surge in infections in that country on May 8, Williams told Reuters. Researchers decided to go public with what they know about the campaign because they feared the surge in Ukraine, which has the largest number of infections, meant Moscow is preparing to launch an attack there next month, possibly around the time the country celebrates Constitution Day on June 28, Williams said. Some of the biggest cyber attacks on Ukraine have been launched on holidays or the days leading up to them. They include the June 2017 “NotPetya” attack that disabled computer systems in Ukraine before spreading around the globe, as well as hacks on the nation’s power grid in 2015 and 2016 that hit shortly before Christmas. VPNFilter gives hackers remote access to infected machines, which they can use for spying, launching attacks on other computers or downloading additional types of malware, Williams said. Cisco has discovered about 500,000 infected devices, but believes the actual number may be much higher. The researchers discovered one malware module that targets industrial computers, such as ones used in electric grids, other infrastructure and in factories. It infects and monitors network traffic, looking for login credentials that a hacker can use to seize control of industrial processes, Williams said. The malware also includes an auto-destruct feature that hackers can use to delete the malware and other software on infected devices, making them inoperable, he said. VPNFilter is named after a directory the malware creates to hide its files on an infected device. (Reporting by Jim Finkle in Toronto Editing by Darren Schuettler and Jeffrey Benkoe)

https://www.reuters.com/article/cyber-routers-ukraine/cyber-firms-warn-on-suspected-russian-plan-to-attack-ukraine-idUSL2N1ST289

Athletics - China's Liang betters women's 50km walk record at first attempt

May 5, 2018 / 5:45 AM / Updated 2 hours ago Athletics - China's Liang betters women's 50km walk record at first attempt Reuters Staff 2 Min Read SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China’s Liang Rui took more than a minute off the world record for the women’s 50km walk in Taicang on Saturday, claiming gold at the world racewalking team championships in what was her maiden outing in the endurance event. The 23-year-old, who will win $50,000 once the record is ratified, clocked four hours, four minutes and 35 seconds to top the podium and better the mark of 4:05:56 that Inez Henriques recorded in London last year. Henriques’s time had earned her the first gold medal to be awarded in the event at the world athletics championships after the women’s race was a late addition to the schedule. The Portuguese world champion dropped out of Saturday’s race before the 30km mark to leave Liang to forge on through the drizzle and claim victory four and a half minutes clear of compatriot Yin Hang, who also won silver in London last year. Australia’s Claire Tallent finished third for bronze in what was also her first attempt at the distance, which was first listed as a world record event in August 2015 as the IAAF looked to ensure equal competition opportunities for men and women. Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney, editing by Sudipto Ganguly

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-athletics-walk-record/athletics-chinas-liang-betters-womens-50km-walk-record-at-first-attempt-idUKKBN1I603U

Padres' Ross tames Nationals

EditorsNote: revises seventh and ninth grafs Tyson Ross held the Nationals to one run over 6 2/3 innings, and the San Diego Padres scored three runs on a pair of two-out, opposite-field hits Wednesday afternoon to score a 3-1 win in Washington and salvage the finale of a three-game series. All the Padres’ runs came against right-hander Erick Fedde, the Nationals’ top pitching prospect who was promoted from Triple-A for the start. The game was scoreless in the fifth when Padres shortstop Freddy Galvis doubled to right-center with one out and scored on a two-out, opposite-field single to right by Manuel Margot. In the sixth, Eric Hosmer singled with one out and advanced to second when Fedde walked Franchy Cordero with two outs. Christian Villanueva then hit a fly deep toward the right field corner. After a long run, Bryce Harper had the ball hit off his glove, allowing Hosmer and Cordero to score. At first, the play was ruled a double, then changed to an error on Harper, then eventually changed back to a double. Matt Adams homered off Ross leading off the bottom of the seventh for the Nationals’ lone run. Adams finished with three hits. Ross (4-3) allowed five hits and a walk while striking out nine (tying for his second-highest total in 2018). He lowered his earned run average to 3.13. Before Adams’ homer, Ross had retired eight consecutive batters. Left-hander Brad Hand entered the game with one out in the eighth to face left-handers Juan Soto and Harper and recorded his first five-out save of the season, his 15th of the season overall. In the ninth, Hand gave up a leadoff double to Anthony Rendon and a single to pinch hitter Mark Reynolds. Hand then struck out Michael Taylor and got catcher Spencer Kieboom to ground into a game-ending, around-the-horn double play. Fedde (0-1), the Nationals’ first-round pick in the 2014 draft, gave up three runs on five hits and a walk with six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. —Field Level Media

https://www.reuters.com/article/baseball-mlb-was-sd-recap/padres-ross-tames-nationals-idUSMTZEE5O7FLBKN

Apple always viewed the Watch as a health device, Jony Ive says

SOURCE: Jeniece Pettitt CNBC Apple has envisioned its smartwatches as health devices since the product's conception in 2012, according to a new interview with Apple's top designer in Hodinkee Magazine . Jony Ive told Hodinkee, which covers the luxury watch industry, that health was "absolutely" an "early and significant focus" of the watch. The goal, he said, was "developing both the hardware and software to form the foundation for all of the health-based capabilities." That may come as a surprise to some. After the first Apple Watch received a mixed reception, reviewers of the second series praised a heavier focus on fitness. "Let's call it what it is: a fitness tracker," The Verge wrote in 2016. "It's what Apple had resisted calling its wearable for the past year and a half, even declining to categorize it as such when citing industry rankings, opting for the 'smartwatch' category instead. It is, definitely, still a smartwatch. But the Watch now has focus, and that's a good thing." Ive told Hodinkee that while health was a primary focus, "there is nothing as motivating or encouraging as hearing directly from our customers." The changes seem to have paid off. The Apple Watch hasn't reached the volume of the iPhone, but it is the top-selling watch globally and top-selling wearable worldwide. Apple has since tested whether the Apple Watch can detect cardiac abnormalities , and is using the devices in a heart study . Health insurance companies have also looked into using discounted Apple Watches to facilitate wellness programs. While Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was a health enthusiast, especially fond of fruits and vegetables and meditation , Ive said the Watch was conceived after Jobs' death, as the company was "pausing to think about where we wanted to go, what trajectory we were on as a company, and what motivated us." Ive also said the company has learned from some of the Watch's forays into new materials like gold and ceramic , offering a rare hint into Apple's thinking for future product designs. "[W]orking in gold and ceramic was purposeful – not only to expand who Apple is, but also from a materials science perspective," Ive said. "Our material sciences team now understands these fundamental attributes and properties in a way they didn't before. This will help shape future products and our understanding of what forms make sense." Read the full interview in Hodinkee Magazine.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/09/apple-always-viewed-the-watch-as-a-health-device-jony-ive-says.html

Viking Partners Acquires Parkside Plaza in Knoxville, Tennessee

Office Building Adds to Viking’s Existing Retail and Office Portfolio CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Viking Partners Fund III, LLC (“Fund III”), a private equity real estate investment firm focused on the acquisition, turnaround and disposition of value-add real estate and real estate related assets in the Midwest and Southeast United States, announced the acquisition of Parkside Plaza in Knoxville, Tennessee. Parkside Plaza is a 100,340 square foot, 5-story Class A office building located in Turkey Creek, a mixed-use retail, office and entertainment complex in the Town of Farragut in west Knoxville. Constructed in 2007, the building features a three-story entry atrium and is benefitted by convenient access and visibility from I-40/75 and ample surface parking. “Parkside Plaza is strategically located within the Knoxville market, providing Viking with the opportunity to build upon the strong base of tenants currently occupying Parkside,” said Bret Caller, Principal with Viking Partners. “The fourth floor offers 20,000 square feet of contiguous space for one tenant or may be subdivided for smaller users. Given the potential upside in the asset, Parkside will be a great add to our existing portfolio.” Leasing for the building is being handled by Deborah Petrolina with IMS and Matt Fentress with NAI Koella | RM Moore, both based in Knoxville. For information on the entire Viking portfolio, visit www.vikingpartnersllc.com . To connect with Viking Partners via LinkedIn, visit www.linkedin.com/company/viking-partners-llc . ABOUT VIKING PARTNERS, LLC Since 1991, the principals of Viking Partners have invested in more than 100 commercial real estate projects totaling over four million square feet and valued at more than $500 million. Viking Partners is currently seeking acquisition opportunities in the Midwest, Southeast and Southwest with a transaction range of $2 million to $50 million. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180508006007/en/ Viking Partners Carl Goertemoeller, 513-985-1114 carlg@vikingprt.com Source: Viking Partners Fund III, LLC

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/08/business-wire-viking-partners-acquires-parkside-plaza-in-knoxville-tennessee.html

U.S. Senate panel OKs bill to tighten foreign investment oversight

May 22, 2018 / 8:08 PM / Updated 23 minutes ago U.S. Senate panel OKs bill to tighten foreign investment oversight Diane Bartz 3 Min Read WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate Banking Committee voted on Tuesday to approve a bill that would tighten oversight of foreign investment to slow China’s acquisition of sensitive U.S. technology. The House Committee on Financial Services is slated to consider a version of the measure on Tuesday. The two chambers began the process in November with identical bills to expand the clout of the inter-agency Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, which reviews foreign investment to ensure it does not compromise national security. Congress is considering the bills to address Defense Department concerns that U.S. soldiers could some day face on a battlefield U.S. technology like robotics or drones that had been acquired by foreign adversaries. The Senate committee approved removing from the bill a section that would require CFIUS to review joint ventures that could lead to technology transfer, a process that would delay transactions. The approved bill also defines passive investments, which CFIUS normally considers approvable. The House Financial Services Committee is expected to consider similar amendments on Tuesday. Senator John Cornyn, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate and lead sponsor of the legislation, told reporters it would be “ideal” to attach CFIUS to the defence authorization bill or some other “must-pass” legislation. “What we need to do is elevate everybody’s understanding of what China’s strategic long-term goals are and they are to dominate the United States economically and militarily,” said Cornyn. “They’ve got a very clear strategy for doing that and we need to wake up to that and make sure we’re responding in kind.” The Senate Banking Committee voted to tack onto the bill a measure that would make it more difficult for the president to modify penalties on Chinese telecommunications companies such as ZTE Corp ( 000063.SZ ). U.S. lawmakers have expressed concern that President Donald Trump would ease tough penalties on ZTE, saying the United States should not bow to pressure from Beijing to help the smartphone maker. Reporting by Diane Bartz; Additional reporting by Richard Cowan; Editing by Richard Chang

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-cfius-congress/u-s-senate-panel-oks-bill-to-tighten-foreign-investment-oversight-idUKKCN1IN2TK

France tells Israel to show restraint, disapproves of U.S. Embassy move

PARIS (Reuters) - France’s foreign minister called on Israeli authorities to exercise restraint after more than 40 Palestinians were killed on Monday and said the U.S. decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem flouted international law. “France calls on all actors to show responsibility to prevent a new escalation,” Jean-Yves Le Drian said in a statement. “France again calls on the Israeli authorities to exercise discernment and restraint in the use of force that must be strictly proportionate.” Le Drian disapproved of the U.S decision to move its embassy to Jerusalem, which he said “violated international law and in particular U.N. Security Council resolutions.” Reporting by John Irish; editing by Richard Lough

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-usa-diplomacy-france/france-tells-israel-to-show-restraint-disapproves-of-u-s-embassy-move-idUSKCN1IF1ZG

Shell Midstream Partners, L.P. 1st Quarter 2018 Unaudited Results

Houston, May 03, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shell Midstream Partners, L.P. (NYSE: SHLX), a growth-oriented midstream master limited partnership formed by Royal Dutch Shell plc (“RDS”), reported net income attributable to the partnership of $64.0 million for the first quarter of 2018, which equated to $0.18 per common limited partner unit. Shell Midstream Partners also generated adjusted earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization attributable to the partnership of $95.8 million. Total cash available for distribution was $80.1 million, approximately $17.0 million lower than the prior quarter. The financial results of the quarter were largely impacted by the 49-day shut in of the Zydeco system, which was partially offset by a one-time dividend from Colonial following the tax reform rate change and an insurance recovery on Auger. The Board of Directors of the general partner previously declared a cash distribution of $0.3480 per limited partnership unit for the first quarter of 2018. This distribution represented an increase of 4.5% over the fourth quarter 2017 distribution and 20% increase over the first quarter 2017 distribution. This represents the thirteenth consecutive quarter of distribution growth, which supports the partnership's intent to increase distributions by 20% in 2017 and 2018. FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS Net income attributable to the partnership was $64.0 million, compared to $86.4 million for the prior quarter. Net cash provided by operating activities was $109.0 million, compared to $87.2 million for the prior quarter. Cash available for distribution was $80.1 million, compared to $97.0 million for the prior quarter, largely driven by the integrity project at Zydeco, partially offset by a one-time dividend from Colonial following tax reform rate change and an insurance recovery on Auger. Total cash distribution declared was $105.7 million resulting in a 0.8x coverage ratio. Excluding the impacts of the Zydeco integrity test, the additional dividend payment and insurance recovery, the coverage ratio for the quarter would have been 1.1x. Adjusted EBITDA attributable to the partnership was $95.8 million, compared to $118.7 million for the prior quarter. In February 2018, the Partnership raised approximately $980.0 million gross proceeds in common equity, including a $300.0 million private sale of common units to Shell. The Partnership used the funds to pay down outstanding debt under its credit facilities and for general partnership purposes. As of March 31, 2018, the Partnership had $184.7 million of consolidated cash and cash equivalents on hand. Cash available for distribution and Adjusted EBITDA are non-GAAP supplemental financial measures. See reconciliation to their most comparable GAAP measures later in this press release. ASSET HIGHLIGHTS Significant Crude Systems and Related Storage Zydeco - Mainline volumes were 471 kbpd in the current quarter, compared to 649 kbpd in the prior quarter. Total volumes were down due to the 49-day shut in during the integrity project. The system returned to normal operations in March. Mars - Volumes were 466 kbpd compared to 449 kbpd in the prior quarter. The increase in volumes was largely due to new wells coming online on the Mars production platform. Poseidon - Volumes were 239 kbpd, slighly lower than the prior quarter. Total operating income and cash available for distribution were consistent with the prior quarter. Auger - Volumes were 31 kbpd, slightly higher than the prior quarter of 26 kbpd. The Auger platform resumed operations in mid-February. Total business interruption insurance recovery was $4.5 million in Q1 2018 and we expect to receive approximately $3.5 million later in 2018. Eastern Corridor - Volumes were 359 kbpd compared to 318 kbpd in the prior quarter. Increase in volume was primarily due to returning to normal operations after hurricane days in Q4 2017. Significant Refined Products Systems and Related Storage Refinery Gas Pipelines - Volumes were as expected backed by a long-term transportation services agreements with minimum volume commitments. Colonial - Dividends were $19.5 million, up $14.8 million from the prior quarter, primarily due to one-time increased dividend following tax reform rate changes. Explorer - Dividends were $5.4 million in line with seasonal demand. ABOUT SHELL MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, L.P. Shell Midstream Partners, L.P., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a fee-based, growth-oriented midstream master limited partnership formed by Royal Dutch Shell plc to own, operate, develop and acquire pipelines and other midstream assets. Shell Midstream Partner, L.P.’s assets include interests in entities that own crude oil and refined products pipelines and terminals that serve as key infrastructure to (i) transport onshore and offshore crude oil production to Gulf Coast and Midwest refining markets and (ii) deliver refined products from those markets to major demand centers. Our assets also include interests in entities that own natural gas and refinery gas pipelines that transport offshore natural gas to market hubs and deliver refinery gas from refineries and plants to chemical sites along the Gulf Coast. For more information on Shell Midstream Partners and the assets owned by the partnership, please visit www.shellmidstreampartners.com . FORTHCOMING EVENTS Shell Midstream Partners, L.P. will hold a webcast at 8:30am CT today to discuss the reported results and provide an update on partnership operations. Interested parties may listen to the conference call on Shell Midstream Partners, L.P.’s website at www.shellmidstreampartners.com by clicking on the “2018 First-Quarter Financial Results Webcast” link, found under the “Events and Conferences” section. A replay of the conference call will be available following the live webcast. Unaudited Summarized Financial Statement Information For the Three Months Ended (in millions of dollars) March 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 Revenue (1) $ 99.6 $ 126.8 Costs and expenses Operations and maintenance 56.5 39.8 Cost of product sold 6.5 — Loss from disposition of fixed assets — 0.1 General and administrative 14.8 14.9 Depreciation, amortization and accretion 11.4 11.7 Property and other taxes 5.5 3.8 Total costs and expenses 94.7 70.3 Operating income 4.9 56.5 Income from equity investments 40.2 46.1 Dividend income from investment 24.9 10.2 Other income 5.4 — Investment, dividend and other income 70.5 56.3 Interest expense, net 10.6 10.2 Income before income taxes 64.8 102.6 Income tax expense — 0.1 Net income 64.8 102.5 Net income attributable to Parent — 11.2 Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests 0.8 4.9 Net income attributable to the Partnership $ 64.0 $ 86.4 Less: General partner's interest in net income attributable to the Partnership 27.0 20.6 Limited Partners' interest in net income attributable to the Partnership $ 37.0 $ 65.8 Net income per Limited Partner Unit – Basic and Diluted: Common $ 0.18 $ 0.35 Weighted average Limited Partner Units outstanding – Basic and Diluted (in millions): Common units – public 113.8 98.8 Common units – SPLC 95.6 89.0 (1) Deferred revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, including the impact of overshipments and expiring credits, was $3.4 million and $9.9 million, respectively. Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA and Cash Available for Distribution to Net Income For the Three Months Ended (in millions of dollars) March 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 Net income $ 64.8 $ 102.5 Add: Loss from disposition of fixed assets — 0.1 Depreciation, amortization and accretion 11.4 11.7 Interest expense, net 10.6 10.2 Income tax expense — 0.1 Cash distribution received from equity investments 51.1 52.1 Less: Equity method distributions included in other income 0.7 — Income from equity investments 40.2 46.1 Adjusted EBITDA 97.0 130.6 Less: Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Parent — 6.6 Adjusted EBITDA attributable to noncontrolling interests 1.2 5.3 Adjusted EBITDA attributable to the Partnership 95.8 118.7 Less: Net interest paid attributable to the Partnership (1) 10.6 10.3 Maintenance capex attributable to the Partnership 7.7 6.6 Add: Net adjustments from volume deficiency payments attributable to the Partnership (1.8 ) (7.3 ) Reimbursements from Parent included in partners' capital 4.4 2.5 Cash Available for Distribution Attributable to the Partnership $ 80.1 $ 97.0 (1) Amount represents both paid and accrued interest attributable to the period. See “ Non-GAAP Financial Measures ” later in this press release. Reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA and Cash Available for Distribution to Net Cash Provided by Operating Activities For the Three Months Ended (in millions of dollars) March 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 Net cash provided by operating activities $ 109.0 $ 87.2 Add: Interest expense, net 10.6 10.2 Income tax expense — 0.1 Return of investment 11.1 5.0 Less: Deferred revenue and other unearned income (2.0 ) (8.0 ) Non-cash interest expense 0.2 0.1 Change in other assets and liabilities 35.5 (20.2 ) Adjusted EBITDA 97.0 130.6 Less: Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Parent — 6.6 Adjusted EBITDA attributable to noncontrolling interests 1.2 5.3 Adjusted EBITDA attributable to the Partnership 95.8 118.7 Less: Net interest paid attributable to the Partnership (1) 10.6 10.3 Maintenance capex attributable to the Partnership 7.7 6.6 Add: Net adjustments from volume deficiency payments attributable to the Partnership (1.8 ) (7.3 ) Reimbursements from Parent included in partners' capital 4.4 2.5 Cash Available for Distribution Attributable to the Partnership $ 80.1 $ 97.0 (1) Amount represents both paid and accrued interest attributable to the period. See “ Non-GAAP Financial Measures ” later in this press release. Distribution Information (in millions of dollars, except per-unit and ratio data) For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 Quarterly distribution declared per unit $ 0.3480 $ 0.3330 Adjusted EBITDA attributable to the Partnership (1) $ 95.8 $ 118.7 Cash available for distribution attributable to the Partnership (1) $ 80.1 $ 97.0 Distribution declared: Limited partner common units $ 77.9 $ 62.5 General partner units 27.8 20.6 Total distribution declared $ 105.7 $ 83.1 Coverage ratio (2) 0.8 1.2 (1) Non-GAAP measures. See reconciliation tables earlier in this press release. (3) Coverage ratio is equal to Cash Available for Distribution attributable to the partnership divided by total distribution declared. Capital Expenditures (in millions of dollars) For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 Expansion capital expenditures $ 4.0 $ 6.7 Maintenance capital expenditures 5.4 8.2 Total capital expenditures paid $ 9.4 $ 14.9 Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet Information (in millions of dollars) March 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 Cash and cash equivalents $ 184.7 $ 137.7 Property, plant & equipment 739.9 736.5 Total assets 1,387.7 1,366.5 Total related party debt 871.3 1,844.0 Total equity (deficit) 410.3 (565.9 ) Pipeline and Terminal Volumes and Revenue per Barrel For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 Pipeline throughput (thousands of barrels per day) (1) Zydeco – Mainlines 471 649 Zydeco – Other segments 257 258 Zydeco total system 728 907 Mars total system 466 449 Bengal total system 531 556 Poseidon total system 239 240 Auger total system 31 26 Delta total system 214 188 Na Kika total system 36 32 Odyssey total system 109 98 LOCAP total system 1,182 1,271 Other systems 366 330 Terminals (2)(5) Lockport terminaling throughput and storage volumes 246 185 Revenue per barrel ($ per barrel) Zydeco total system (3) $ 0.51 $ 0.78 Mars total system (3) 1.24 1.40 Bengal total system (3) 0.31 0.35 Auger total system (3) 1.05 1.16 Delta total system (3) 0.55 0.57 Na Kika total system (3) 0.72 0.73 Odyssey total system (3) 0.85 0.82 Lockport total system (4) 0.18 0.25 (1) Pipeline throughput is defined as the volume of delivered barrels. (2) Terminaling throughput is defined as the volume of delivered barrels and storage is defined as the volume of stored barrels. (3) Based on reported revenues from transportation and allowance oil divided by delivered barrels over the same time period. Actual tariffs charged are based on shipping points along the pipeline system, volume and length of contract. (4) Based on reported revenues from transportation and storage divided by delivered and stored barrels over the same time period. Actual rates are based on contract volume and length. (5) Refinery Gas Pipeline and our refined products terminals are not included above as they generate revenue under transportation and terminaling service agreements, respectively, that provide for guaranteed minimum throughput. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release includes various “forward-looking statements.” All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements expressing management’s expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. You can identify our forward-looking statements by words such as “anticipate”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “forecast”, “goals”, “objectives”, “outlook”, “intend”, “plan”, “predict”, “project”, “risks”, “schedule”, “seek”, “target”, “could”, “may”, “should” or “would” or other similar expressions that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. These statements are accompanied by cautionary language identifying important factors, though not necessarily all such factors, which could cause future outcomes to differ materially from those set forth in forward-looking statements. In particular, expressed or implied statements concerning future growth, future actions, closing and funding of acquisitions, future drop downs, volumes, capital requirements, conditions or events, future impact of prior acquisitions, future operating results or the ability to generate sales, income or cash flow or the amount of distributions are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. They involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Future actions, conditions or events and future results of operations may differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, May 3, 2018, and we disclaim any obligation to update such statements for any reason, except as required by law. All forward-looking statements contained in this document are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this paragraph. Many of the factors that will determine these results are beyond our ability to control or predict. These factors include the risk factors described in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, as updated by the information in our other filings with the SEC. If any of those risks occur, it could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. Because of these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement. NON-GAAP FINANCIAL MEASURES This press release includes the terms Adjusted EBITDA and cash available for distribution. We believe that the presentation of Adjusted EBITDA and cash available for distribution provides useful information to investors in assessing our financial condition and results of operations. Adjusted EBITDA and cash available for distribution are non-GAAP supplemental financial measures that management and external users of our condensed consolidated financial statements, such as industry analysts, investors, lenders and rating agencies, may use to assess: our operating performance as compared to other publicly traded partnerships in the midstream energy industry, without regard to historical cost basis or, in the case of Adjusted EBITDA, financing methods; the ability of our business to generate sufficient cash to support our decision to make distributions to our unitholders; our ability to incur and service debt and fund capital expenditures; and the viability of acquisitions and other capital expenditure projects and the returns on investment of various investment opportunities. The GAAP measures most directly comparable to Adjusted EBITDA and cash available for distribution are net income and net cash provided by operating activities. These non-GAAP measures should not be considered as alternatives to GAAP net income or net cash provided by operating activities. Adjusted EBITDA and cash available for distribution have important limitations as analytical tools because they exclude some but not all items that affect net income and net cash provided by operating activities. They should not be considered in isolation or as substitutes for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. Additionally, because Adjusted EBITDA and cash available for distribution may be defined differently by other companies in our industry, our definition of Adjusted EBITDA and cash available for distribution may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies, thereby diminishing their utility. References in this press release to Adjusted EBITDA refer to net income before income taxes, net interest expense, gain or loss from disposition of fixed assets, allowance oil reduction to net realizable value, and depreciation, amortization and accretion, plus cash distributed to Shell Midstream Partners, L.P. from equity investments for the applicable period, less equity method distributions included in other income and income from equity investments. We define Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Shell Midstream Partners, L.P. as Adjusted EBITDA less Adjusted EBITDA attributable to noncontrolling interests and Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Parent. References to cash available for distribution refer to Adjusted EBITDA attributable to Shell Midstream Partners, L.P., less maintenance capital expenditures attributable to Shell Midstream Partners, L.P., net interest paid, cash reserves and income taxes paid, plus net adjustments from volume deficiency payments attributable to Shell Midstream Partners, L.P. and certain one-time payments not reflected in net income. Cash available for distribution will not reflect changes in working capital balances. May 3, 2018 The information in this Report reflects the unaudited condensed consolidated financial position and results of Shell Midstream Partners, L.P. Inquiries: Shell Media Relations Americas: +1 832 337 4355 Shell Investor Relations North America: +1 832 337 2034 Attachment Q1 2018 SHLX Earnings Release Source:Shell Midstream Partners LP

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/03/globe-newswire-shell-midstream-partners-l-p-1st-quarter-2018-unaudited-results.html

Starbucks calls anti-bias training part of 'long-term journey'

May 23, 2018 / 10:52 PM / Updated 25 minutes ago Starbucks calls anti-bias training part of 'long-term journey' Lisa Baertlein 3 Min Read LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Starbucks Corp ( SBUX.O ) on Wednesday revealed details of the employee anti-bias training programme that will take place behind closed doors at 8,000 U.S. company-owned cafes on the afternoon of May 29. Protesters marching down Market Street are seen reflected in a Starbucks storefront in Philadelphia, a week after two black men were arrested at a Starbucks coffee shop, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. April 19, 2018. REUTERS/Dominick Reuter Starbucks announced plans to shutter stores and corporate offices to train 175,000 employees after the controversial April 12 arrests of two black men, who were detained for hours after the manager of a Philadelphia Starbucks called police because they had not made purchases and refused to leave. The arrests of Donte Robinson and Rashon Nelson, who were waiting to meet a friend, sparked protests and calls for a boycott of the coffee chain known for its diverse workforce and liberal stances on issues such as gay marriage. Starbucks said the first training on May 29 “will serve as a step in a long-term journey to make Starbucks even more welcoming and safe for all.” It will include videos featuring Starbucks executives such as Chief Executive Kevin Johnson, Executive Chairman and co-founder Howard Schultz, board member Mellody Hobson, hip hop artist Common, store managers and experts from the Perception Institute. Employees also will view a film called “You’re Welcome” by Stanley Nelson and participate in discussion and problem-solving sessions on identifying and avoiding bias in every day situations. Starbucks said the long-term programme is being designed and developed with input from researchers, social scientists, employees and other advisers. Those partners include consultancy SY Partners - which worked with Starbucks to reinvent itself after a business crisis spawned by the “Great Recession”; the Perception Institute; Sherrilyn Ifill, president of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund; Bryan Stevenson, executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative; and Heather McGhee, president of public policy group Demos. Since the Philadelphia incident, Starbucks has said it will allow people to sit in its cafes and use its restrooms without making a purchase. It also said it has outlined procedures for dealing with customers who are disruptive, using tobacco, drugs or alcohol or sleeping in its cafes. Reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Los Angeles; Editing by Tom Brown

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-starbucks-training/starbucks-calls-anti-bias-training-part-of-long-term-journey-idUKKCN1IO3FQ

Cambodia polls organizer hails multi-party democracy as registration ends

May 14, 2018 / 12:38 PM / a minute ago Cambodia polls organizer hails multi-party democracy as registration ends Prak Chan Thul 2 Min Read PHNOM PENH (Reuters) - Cambodia’s National Election Committee (NEC) on Monday hailed the prospect of multi-party democracy with the registration of 20 parties for a July general election that the main opposition party has been prevented from contesting. National Election Committee (NEC) spokesman Dim Sovannarom attends a news conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, May 14, 2018. REUTERS/Samrang Pring Prime Minister Hun Sen, who has ruled the country for 33 years, has waged a campaign against his critics, including the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), which won the support of a new generation of voters disillusioned at what they see as the corruption and nepotism that have stalked politics. But in November, the Supreme Court dissolved the CNRP and banned more than 100 of its politicians, after the government accused it of plotting to take power with the help of the United States. National Election Committee (NEC) spokesman Dim Sovannarom attends a news conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, May 14, 2018. REUTERS/Samrang Pring Members of the opposition have called for a boycott of the July 29 vote but preparations are going ahead, with party registration ending on Monday. National Election Committee (NEC) spokesman Dim Sovannarom attends a news conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, May 14, 2018. REUTERS/Samrang Pring “Now, we have 20 political parties registered, this shows a multi-party democracy,” NEC spokesman Dim Sovannarom told a news briefing. “This is an opportunity for people, in every five years, to chose their leaders,” he added. The NEC would take a week to consider the party registration applications, he said. Analysts say that with the dissolution of the CNRP, Hun Sen will easily the July vote. “The strategy of decapitating and finally dissolving the opposition was designed to ensure a landslide victory for the ruling party,” Cambodia-based political analyst Lao Mong Hay told Reuters. Reporting by Prak Chan Thul Writing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre Editing by Robert Birsel

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cambodia-election/cambodia-polls-organizer-hails-multi-party-democracy-as-registration-ends-idUSKCN1IF1LN

Magnitude 5.1 earthquake hits Japan, no tsunami

May 12, 2018 / 1:58 AM / Updated 10 hours ago Magnitude 5.1 earthquake hits central Japan, no tsunami Reuters Staff 1 Min Read TOKYO (Reuters) - A magnitude 5.1 earthquake hit central Japan on Saturday morning but no tsunami is expected, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. Police said they have heard no reports of damage or casualties. The quake’s epicenter was in northern Nagano prefecture in central Japan, and tremor occurred at around 10:29 a.m. (0129 GMT) at a depth of around 10 km (6 miles), the weather agency said. No abnormalities have been observed at Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings’ (TEPCO) Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in neighboring Niigata prefecture, public broadcaster NHK quoted the electric utilities as saying. Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-quake/magnitude-5-1-earthquake-hits-japan-no-tsunami-idUSKBN1ID01Y

Ex-Valeant official accused of kickback scheme faces trial

NEW YORK, May 3 (Reuters) - A former Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc executive and the former head of mail order pharmacy Philidor Rx Services will face trial Thursday on charges they orchestrated a multimillion-dollar kickback scheme, more than two years after Valeant drew scrutiny for its business practices. Gary Tanner, formerly a senior director at Valeant, and Andrew Davenport, formerly chief executive officer of Philidor, have pleaded not guilty to charges including wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy. Prosecutors and the two men’s lawyers are expected to make opening statements to jurors on Thursday morning. Lawyers for Tanner and Davenport could not immediately be reached for comment. Prosecutors have said Tanner and Davenport worked together in secret to steer business and funding from Valeant to Philidor. They said the scheme netted Davenport $40 million, $10 million of which was secretly kicked back to Tanner. Founded in 2013, the now-defunct Philidor was a specialty mail-order pharmacy formed with Valeant’s assistance. At least 90 percent of the drugs it dispensed were Valeant-branded products, according to prosecutors. Valeant was a victim of the scheme, which deprived the company of Tanner’s “honest services,” prosecutors said. “Our company has cooperated with the authorities throughout the course of the investigation, and now, trial,” said Valeant spokesman Lanie Keller. “Today, Valeant is focused on improving people’s lives with our health care products.” The drugmaker’s stock fell sharply in October 2015 after it disclosed it had been subpoenaed by U.S. prosecutors over various business practices. Later that month, a short selling firm published a report claiming Valeant hid its ties to Philidor and used the pharmacy to artificially inflate sales in order to drive up prices. Valeant has denied wrongdoing related to Philidor. In March 2017, billionaire investor William Ackman and his Pershing Square International Fund sold their stake of roughly 8 percent in Valeant at a $3 billion loss. Ackman had been engaged in a public effort to save the company for about 18 months. (Reporting by Brendan Pierson in New York Editing by Matthew Lewis) Our

https://www.reuters.com/article/valeant-pharm-in-court/ex-valeant-official-accused-of-kickback-scheme-faces-trial-idUSL1N1S81FB

Tyler Winklevoss tells Bill Gates how to short bitcoin

Early bitcoin investor Tyler Winklevoss tweeted back at Bill Gates to explain how to bet against the cryptocurrency, after the Microsoft co-founder said he would short it if he could. "Dear @BillGates there is an easy way to short bitcoin," Winklevoss said in a tweet Monday afternoon. "You can short #XBT, the @CBOE Bitcoin (USD) Futures contract, and put your money where your mouth is!" Tweet A representative for Gates did not immediately respond to a CNBC request for comment. Earlier on Monday, Gates said on CNBC's " Squawk Box " that "bitcoin and ICOs, I believe completely [they're some] of the crazier, speculative things." "I agree I would short it if there was an easy way to do it," he said. Gates said someone once gave him some bitcoins for his birthday, but he sold it a few years later. show chapters Bill Gates and Charlie Munger on bitcoin 5 Hours Ago | 03:10 Bitcoin traded near $9,100 Tuesday morning. The cryptocurrency has lost more than half its value since soaring above $19,000 in December. Winklevoss and his twin brother, Cameron, had $11 million in bitcoin at $120 a coin in April 2013 . At Tuesday's price, their combined holding was worth about $834.17 million, assuming the twins haven't sold any. In 2015, the Winklevoss brothers founded digital asset exchange Gemini, whose bitcoin prices form the basis for the Cboe's bitcoin futures that launched in December. Futures let traders bet on the price of an asset at a point months later. A trader who sells a futures contract in anticipation of a decline in bitcoin makes money if the price does drop. Trading to benefit from a decline is known as shorting.

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/08/tyler-winklevoss-tells-bill-gates-how-to-short-bitcoin.html

Talend Reports First Quarter 2018 Financial Results

-Record total quarterly revenue of $46.8 million, an increase of 42% year-over-year -Quarterly subscription revenue of $39.8 million, an increase of 44% year-over-year REDWOOD CITY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Talend (NASDAQ: TLND) , a global leader in cloud and big data integration solutions, today released financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2018. “We had a strong start to the year with record first quarter revenue of $46.8 million, up 42% year-over-year,” said Mike Tuchen, Talend CEO. “Our solid financial results were driven by strong subscription revenue growth of 44% and continued success with large enterprise customers. Business adoption of the cloud is accelerating and driving more customers to deploy Talend in the cloud. We anticipate our cloud momentum will continue as we roll out our new cloud product roadmap in 2018 and collaborate more closely with leading cloud partners.” First Quarter 2018 Financial Highlights (in thousands, except per share data) Three Months Ended March 31, 2017 * 2018 Revenue: Total Revenue $ 32,865 $ 46,813 Year-over-Year % Change 44 % 42 % Subscription Revenue $ 27,539 $ 39,786 Year-over-Year % Change 43 % 44 % Year-over-Year % Change - on a constant currency basis 47 % 35 % IFRS operating margin -21 % -22 % Non-IFRS operating margin (1) -16 % -11 % Net loss: IFRS $ (7,418 ) $ (10,115 ) Non-IFRS (2) $ (5,541 ) $ (5,288 ) Net loss per share: Net loss per share - basic and diluted $ (0.26 ) $ (0.34 ) Non-IFRS net loss per share $ (0.19 ) $ (0.18 ) Shares outstanding used in computing per share amounts - basic and diluted 28,688 29,539 (1) Non-IFRS operating margin is calculated as non-IFRS loss from operations divided by total revenue. (2) Non-IFRS financial measures exclude stock-based compensation, amortization of acquired intangibles and costs related to our follow-on offerings. * We have initially applied IFRS 15 at January 1, 2018. Under the transition method chosen for IFRS 15, the comparative information is not restated. A reconciliation of IFRS to non-IFRS financial measures is provided in the financial tables below. An explanation of these measures is also included below, under the heading Non-IFRS Financial Measures. Recent Business Highlights In the first quarter we: Unveiled our 2018 product roadmap featuring new self-service apps that allow developers, data scientists and other data workers to collaborate on cleaning, transforming and sharing trusted data. Released Talend Data Streams, a free, Amazon marketplace cloud application that simplifies and accelerates the ingestion of real-time streaming data. Hosted our annual user and customer conference, Talend Connect, which featured keynote cloud partner presentations, customer speakers, and hands-on tutorials to help companies improve business success through the latest cloud integration strategies. Financial Outlook Talend’s outlook assumes similar business conditions and foreign exchange rates as of March 31, 2018. Our guidance is based on the new IFRS 15 revenue recognition standard which was adopted by Talend on January 1, 2018. See the section titled “New Revenue Recognition Standard Under IFRS 15” below. Second quarter of 2018: Total revenue is expected to be in the range of $48.8 million to $49.8 million. Loss from operations is expected to be in the range of $(8.6) million to $(7.6) million and non-IFRS loss from operations is expected to be in the range of $(4.0) million to $(3.0) million. Net loss is expected to be in the range of $(8.9) million to $(7.9) million and non-IFRS net loss is expected to be in the range of $(4.3) million to $(3.3) million. Net loss per basic and diluted share is expected to be in the range of $(0.30) to $(0.26) and non-IFRS net loss per share is expected to be in the range of $(0.14) to $(0.11). Basic and diluted weighted average share count of 29.8 million shares. Full year 2018: Total revenue is expected to be in the range of $202.6 million to $204.6 million. Loss from operations is expected to be in the range of $(32.4) million to $(30.4) million and non-IFRS loss from operations is expected to be in the range of $(13.8) million to $(11.8) million. Net loss is expected to be in the range of $(33.3) million to $(31.3) million and non-IFRS net loss is expected to be in the range of $(14.8) million to $(12.8) million. Net loss per basic and diluted share is expected to be in the range of $(1.11) to $(1.04) and non-IFRS net loss per share is expected to be in the range of $(0.49) to $(0.43). Basic and diluted weighted average share count of 30.0 million shares. These statements are forward-looking and actual results may differ materially. Refer to the section under the heading Forward-Looking Statements below for information on the factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially. An explanation of non-IFRS measures is also included below under the heading Non-IFRS Financial Measures. Conference Call Information Talend will host a conference call and live webcast for analysts and investors at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time on May 10, 2018. Parties in the United States and Canada can access the call by dialing (888) 466-4587, using conference code 3321756. International parties can access the call by dialing (719) 325-4793, using conference code 3321756. The webcast will be accessible on Talend’s investor relations website at http://investor.talend.com for one year. A telephonic replay of the conference call will be available through Tuesday, May 15, 2018. To access the replay, parties in the United States and Canada should call (866) 375-1919 and enter conference code 3321756. International parties should call (719) 457-0820 and enter conference code 3321756. Non-IFRS Financial Measures In addition to disclosing financial measures prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) as issued by the International Accounting Standard Board (“IASB”), this press release and the accompanying tables contain certain non-IFRS financial measures. Non-IFRS financial measures do not have any standardized meaning and are therefore unlikely to be comparable to similarly titled measures presented by other companies. Talend considers these non-IFRS financial measures to be important because they provide useful indicators of its performance and liquidity measures. These are key measures used by our management and board of directors to understand and evaluate our core operating performance and trends, to prepare and approve our annual budget and to develop short and long-term operational plans. In addition, investors often use similar measures to evaluate the performance of a company. Non-IFRS financial measures are presented for supplemental informational purposes only for understanding the company’s operating performance. The non-IFRS financial measures should not be considered a substitute for financial information presented in accordance with IFRS, and may be different from non-IFRS financial measures presented by other companies. Please see the reconciliation of non-IFRS financial measures to the most directly comparable IFRS measure included in this release below. Non-IFRS gross profit is calculated by adjusting gross profit to eliminate the impact of stock-based compensation expense and amortization of acquired intangibles. Non-IFRS gross margin , expressed as a percentage, is calculated as non-IFRS gross profit divided by total revenue. Non-IFRS loss from operations is calculated by adjusting loss from operations to eliminate the impact of stock-based compensation expense, amortization of acquired intangibles expense, acquisition related expense and costs related to follow-on offering and shelf registration statement. Non-IFRS operating margin , expressed as a percentage, is calculated as non-IFRS loss from operations divided by total revenue. Non-IFRS net loss is calculated by adjusting net loss to eliminate the impact of stock-based compensation expense, amortization of acquired intangibles expense, acquisition related expense and costs related to follow-on offering and shelf registration statement. Non-IFRS cost of revenue is calculated by adjusting cost of revenue to eliminate the impact of stock-based compensation expense and amortization of acquired intangibles. Non-IFRS operating expenses is calculated by adjusting operating expenses to eliminate the impact of stock-based compensation expense, amortization of acquired intangibles expense, acquisition related expense and costs related to follow-on offering and shelf registration statement. Non-IFRS sales and marketing expense is calculated by adjusting sales and marketing expense to eliminate the impact of stock-based compensation expense and amortization of acquired intangibles. Non-IFRS research and development expense is calculated by adjusting research and development expense to eliminate the impact of stock-based compensation expense and amortization of acquired intangibles. Non-IFRS general and administrative expense is calculated by adjusting general and administrative expense to eliminate the impact of stock-based compensation expense, amortization of acquired intangibles expense, acquisition related expense and costs related to follow-on offering and shelf registration statement. Free cash flow is defined as net cash from (used in) operating activities less cash used in investing activities for acquisition of property and equipment and intangible assets. Subscription revenue growth on a constant currency basis represents subscription revenue adjusted to exclude foreign currency impacts. Subscription revenue on a constant currency basis is calculated by applying the average monthly currency rates for each month in the comparative period to the corresponding month in the current period. We believe the disclosure of subscription revenue in constant currency provides useful supplementary information to investors considering potential significant fluctuations in currency rates. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or our future financial or operating performance. In some cases, you can identify because they contain words such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “could,” “intends,” “target,” “projects,” “contemplates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential” or “continue” or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions that concern our expectations, strategy, plans or intentions. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, our anticipated operating results for the 2018 second quarter and fiscal year, our expectations regarding the evolution of our marketplace and the goals for our Talend Data Fabric, our ability to capture an increasing share of the big data and cloud integration market, our expectations regarding the impact of our collaborations with partners on our market, and our belief that we are well-positioned to capitalize on the growing trends of big data, Spark, MapR Streams and cloud adoption. Our expectations and beliefs regarding these matters may not materialize, and actual results in future periods are subject to inherent risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstance that are difficult or impossible to predict. Consequently, you should not rely on these Actual outcomes and results may those contemplated by these as a result of such uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances, including without limitation risks and uncertainties related to our ability to continue to deliver and improve our products and successfully develop new products; customer acceptance and purchase of our existing products and new products, including conversion of bookings to sales; our ability to retain existing customers and generate new customers; the market for data integration solutions, particularly our big data and cloud integration solutions, not continuing to develop; competition from other products and services; and general market, political, economic and business conditions, including the fluctuation of foreign currency exchange rates. The contained in this press release are also subject to other risks and uncertainties, and the foregoing list of factors is not exclusive. Additional risks and uncertainties that could affect our financial and operating results are included under the captions “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operation” and elsewhere in our most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our most recent reports on Form 6-K and our Form 20-F filed with the SEC on March 5, 2018. Our SEC filings are available on the Investors section of Talend’s website at http://investor.talend.com and the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov . The in this press release are based on information available to us as of the date hereof, and we disclaim any obligation to update any provided to reflect any change in our expectations or any change in events, conditions, or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law. About Talend Talend (NASDAQ: TLND) is a global leader in cloud and big data integration solutions that helps companies turn data into a strategic asset that delivers real-time, organization-wide insight into customers, partners, and operations. Through its open, native, and unified integration platform, Talend delivers the data agility required for companies to meet the constantly evolving demands of modern business. With Talend, companies can easily scale their data infrastructure and rapidly adopt the latest technology innovations in cloud and big data. Talend’s solutions support over 1500 global enterprise customers including AstraZeneca, GE, HP Inc. and Lenovo, across a range of industries. Talend has also been recognized as a leader in its field multiple times by leading analyst firms, as well as several industry and data trade publications including InfoWorld and SD Times. For more information, please visit www.talend.com and follow us on Twitter: @Talend . TALEND S.A. UNAUDITED INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND OTHER DATA (in thousands, except per share amounts) Three Months Ended March 31, 2017 * 2018 Revenue Subscriptions $ 27,539 $ 39,786 Professional services 5,326 7,027 Total revenue 32,865 46,813 Cost of revenue Subscriptions 3,661 5,368 Professional services 4,317 5,881 Total cost of revenue 7,977 11,249 Gross profit 24,887 35,564 Operating expenses Sales and marketing 19,734 26,142 Research and development 5,655 9,729 General and administrative 6,549 9,874 31,939 45,745 Loss from operations (7,052 ) (10,181 ) Finance income (expense) (341 ) 77 Loss before income tax expense (7,392 ) (10,104 ) Income tax expense (26 ) (11 ) Net loss for the period $ (7,418 ) $ (10,115 ) Shares outstanding used in computing per share amounts - basic and diluted 28,688 29,539 Net loss per share - basic and diluted $ (0.26 ) $ (0.34 ) UNAUDITED STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION AND AMORTIZATION OF ACQUIRED INTANGIBLES EXPENSE Total stock-based compensation and amortization of acquired intangibles expense included in the Unaudited Consolidated Statements of Operations is as follows: Three Months Ended March 31, 2017 * 2018 Cost of revenue - subscriptions $ 21 $ 177 Cost of revenue - professional services 39 104 Sales and marketing 402 1,181 Research and development 198 1,596 General and administrative 507 1,481 Total stock-based compensation and amortization of acquired intangibles expense $ 1,167 $ 4,539 * We have initially applied IFRS 15 at January 1, 2018. Under the transition method chosen for IFRS 15, the comparative information is not restated. TALEND S.A. UNAUDITED INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION (in thousands) December 31, 2017 * March 31, 2018 Assets Current assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 87,024 $ 95,395 Trade receivables, net 57,129 40,076 Contract acquisition costs — 16,911 Other current assets 8,311 7,855 Total current assets 152,464 160,237 Non-current assets: Contract acquisition costs — 8,586 Property and equipment, net 3,473 3,650 Goodwill 6,196 6,362 Intangible assets, net 7,528 7,211 Other non-current assets 3,137 3,622 Total non-current assets 20,334 29,431 Total assets $ 172,798 $ 189,668 Liabilities Current liabilities: Trade and other payables $ 30,562 $ 27,734 Provisions 1,145 626 Contract liabilities - deferred revenue 118,601 100,753 Borrowings 1,188 1,189 Total current liabilities 151,496 130,302 Non-current liabilities: Provisions 787 889 Contract liabilities - deferred revenue 21,618 25,737 Borrowings 7 5 Total non-current liabilities 22,412 26,631 Total liabilities 173,908 156,933 Equity Share capital 3,059 3,079 Share premium 201,536 204,043 Foreign currency translation reserve 672 930 Share-based payments reserve 13,854 17,875 Other reserves 49 91 Accumulated losses (220,280 ) (193,283 ) Total shareholders’ equity (deficit) (1,110 ) 32,735 Total liabilities and shareholders' equity (deficit) $ 172,798 $ 189,668 * We have initially applied IFRS 15 at January 1, 2018. Under the transition method chosen for IFRS 15, the comparative information is not restated. TALEND S.A. UNAUDITED INTERIM CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (in thousands) Three Months Ended March 31, 2017 2018 Cash flows from operating activities: Net loss for the period $ (7,418 ) $ (10,115 ) Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash from operating activities: Depreciation 329 441 Amortization of intangible assets 76 529 Unrealized (gain) loss foreign exchange 83 110 Stock-based compensation 1,091 4,021 Income tax for the period 24 11 Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Trade receivables 7,952 17,996 Other assets 1,245 152 Trade and other payables (3,336 ) (3,459 ) Provisions 115 (389 ) Contract liabilities - deferred revenue * 2,318 (3,612 ) Net cash from operating activities 2,479 5,685 Cash flows from investing activities: Acquisition of property and equipment (439 ) (560 ) Net cash used in investing activities (439 ) (560 ) Cash flows from financing activities: Proceeds from issuance of ordinary shares 1,292 2,569 Repayment of borrowings (45 ) (34 ) Net cash from financing activities 1,247 2,535 Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 3,287 7,660 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of the period 91,023 87,024 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 783 711 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 95,093 $ 95,395 * The change in deferred revenue presented on the cash flow statement was impacted by the adoption of IFRS 15, the shortening of the duration of pre-billed contracts and the foreign exchange impact from several of our foreign entities. New Revenue Recognition Standard Under IFRS 15 Effective as of January 1, 2018, we adopted IFRS 15, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which was issued by the IASB in May 2014. The financial information presented in this press release is prepared in accordance with IFRS 15. Talend adopted the standard on a modified retrospective basis and under this transition method, the comparative information is not restated. The impact of adoption on our consolidated statement of operations are provided in the table below which allows for easier comparison to prior period results, reported under old revenue standards. For the three months ended March 31, 2018 Balance Without Adoption of Effect of Change As Reported IFRS 15 Higher/(Lower) Revenue Subscriptions $ 39,786 $ 37,886 $ 1,900 Year-over-Year % Change 44% 38% IFRS operating margin -22% -27% 5% Non-IFRS operating margin -11% -16% 5% Net loss: IFRS (10,115) (11,989) 1,874 Non-IFRS (5,288) (7,162) 1,874 Net loss per share: Net loss per share - basic and diluted $ (0.34) $ (0.41) $ 0.06 Non-IFRS net loss per share $ (0.18) $ (0.24) $ 0.06 Shares outstanding used in computing per share amounts - basic and diluted 29,539 29,539 TALEND S.A. IFRS to Non-IFRS Reconciliations (In thousands) (unaudited) The following tables detail the reconciliation of IFRS financial measures to non-IFRS financial measures included in this release: Loss from operations: Three Months Ended March 31, 2017 * 2018 Loss from operations $ (7,052 ) $ (10,181 ) Stock-based compensation expense 1,091 4,021 Amortization of acquired intangibles 76 518 Costs related to follow-on offering and shelf-registration statement 710 288 Non-IFRS loss from operations $ (5,175 ) $ (5,354 ) Non-IFRS operating margin -16 % -11 % Net loss: Three Months Ended March 31, 2017 * 2018 Net loss $ (7,418 ) $ (10,115 ) Stock-based compensation expense 1,091 4,021 Amortization of acquired intangibles 76 518 Costs related to follow-on offering and shelf-registration statement 710 288 Non-IFRS net loss $ (5,541 ) $ (5,288 ) Share count: Weighted-average shares outstanding - basic and diluted 28,688 29,539 Net loss per share: Net loss per share - basic and diluted $ (0.26 ) $ (0.34 ) Non-IFRS net loss per share $ (0.19 ) $ (0.18 ) Gross profit: Three Months Ended March 31, 2017 * 2018 Gross profit $ 24,887 $ 35,564 Stock-based compensation expense 60 281 Amortization of acquired intangibles - - Non-IFRS gross profit $ 24,947 $ 35,845 IFRS gross margin 76 % 76 % Non-IFRS gross margin 76 % 77 % Cost of revenue: Three Months Ended March 31, 2017 * 2018 Cost of revenue $ (7,977 ) $ (11,249 ) Stock-based compensation expense 60 281 Amortization of acquired intangibles - - Non-IFRS cost of revenue $ (7,917 ) $ (10,968 ) Operating expenses: Three Months Ended March 31, 2017 * 2018 Operating expenses $ (31,939 ) $ (45,745 ) Stock-based compensation expense 1,031 3,740 Amortization of acquired intangibles 76 518 Costs related to follow-on offering and shelf-registration statement 710 288 Non-IFRS operating expenses $ (30,122 ) $ (41,199 ) Sales and marketing expense: Three Months Ended March 31, 2017 * 2018 Sales and marketing expense $ (19,734 ) $ (26,142 ) Stock-based compensation expense 402 1,181 Amortization of acquired intangibles - - Non-IFRS sales and marketing expense $ (19,332 ) $ (24,961 ) Research and development expense: Three Months Ended March 31, 2017 * 2018 Research and development expense $ (5,655 ) $ (9,729 ) Stock-based compensation expense 166 1,183 Amortization of acquired intangibles 32 412 Non-IFRS research and development expense $ (5,457 ) $ (8,134 ) General and administrative expense: Three Months Ended March 31, 2017 * 2018 General and administrative expense $ (6,549 ) $ (9,874 ) Stock-based compensation expense 463 1,376 Amortization of acquired intangibles 44 106 Costs related to follow-on offering and shelf-registration statement 710 288 Non-IFRS general and administrative expense $ (5,332 ) $ (8,104 ) * We have initially applied IFRS 15 at January 1, 2018. Under the transition method chosen for IFRS 15, the comparative information is not restated. TALEND S.A. Free Cash Flow (In thousands) (unaudited) The following table details our free cash flow for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2018, and a reconciliation to the most directly comparable IFRS measure: Free cash flow: Three Months Ended March 31, 2017 2018 Net cash from operating activities 2,479 5,685 Less: Acquisition of property and equipment 439 560 Free cash flow $ 2,040 $ 5,125 TALEND S.A. Constant Currency Reconciliation (In thousands) (unaudited) The following table details our constant currency reconciliation for the three months ended March 31, 2018 to the most directly comparable IFRS measure: Year-over-Year Three Months Ended March 31, Change 2017 2018 Subscription revenue as reported 27,539 39,786 44% Conversion impact U.S. Dollar/other currencies - (2,622) Subscription revenue on a constant currency basis $ 27,539 $ 37,164 35% TALEND S.A. IFRS to Non-IFRS Reconciliations for EPS Guidance (In millions) (unaudited) The following tables detail the reconciliation of IFRS financial measures to non-IFRS financial measures included in this release: Guidance for the second quarter and full year 2018: Three Months Ended June 30, 2018 Year Ended December 31, 2018 Low High Low High Loss from operations $ (8.6 ) $ (7.6 ) $ (32.4 ) $ (30.4 ) Stock-based compensation expense 4.0 4.0 16.0 16.0 Amortization of acquired intangibles 0.6 0.6 2.3 2.3 Costs related to follow-on offering - - 0.3 0.3 Non-IFRS loss from operations $ (4.0 ) $ (3.0 ) $ (13.8 ) $ (11.8 ) Three Months Ended June 30, 2018 Year Ended December 31, 2018 Low High Low High Net loss $ (8.9 ) $ (7.9 ) $ (33.3 ) $ (31.3 ) Stock-based compensation expense 4.0 4.0 16.0 16.0 Amortization of acquired intangibles 0.6 0.6 2.3 2.3 Costs related to follow-on offering - - 0.3 0.3 Non-IFRS net loss $ (4.3 ) $ (3.3 ) $ (14.8 ) $ (12.8 ) Shares outstanding used in computing IFRS and Non-IFRS per share amounts 29.8 29.8 30.0 30.0 Net loss per share: Net loss per share - basic and diluted $ (0.30 ) $ (0.26 ) $ (1.11 ) $ (1.04 ) Non-IFRS net loss per share $ (0.14 ) $ (0.11 ) $ (0.49 ) $ (0.43 ) Due to rounding, numbers presented throughout this document may not add up precisely to the totals provided and percentages may not precisely reflect the absolute figures. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180510006059/en/ Investor Contact: The Blueshirt Group for Talend Lisa Laukkanen or Lauren Sloane, 650-268-5018 ir@talend.com or Media Contact: Talend Chris Taylor, 408-674-1238 Vice President, Corporate Communications Ctaylor@Talend.com Source: Talend

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/10/business-wire-talend-reports-first-quarter-2018-financial-results.html

WeissLaw LLP Investigates Guaranty Bancorp Acquisition

NEW YORK, WeissLaw LLP is investigating possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law by the Board of Directors of Guaranty Bancorp ("GBNK" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: GBNK) in connection with the proposed acquisition of the Company by Independent Bank Group Inc. ("IBTX") (NASDAQ: IBTX). Under the terms of the acquisition agreement, GBNK shareholders will receive 0.45 of a IBTX share in exchange for each GBNK share they own, representing consideration of $ 32.73 per GBNK share, based on IBTX's May 23 trading price of $72.75. WeissLaw is investigating whether GBNK's Board acted to maximize shareholder value prior to entering into the agreement. Notably, according to IBTX's Chairman and CEO, "[t]his transaction represents the build out of [IBTX's] Colorado footprint through the acquisition of a high quality bank operating in dynamic markets along the Front Range. [GBNK] is the premier Colorado banking franchise and brings a committed management team, consistent level of high profitability, clean balance sheet, strong core deposit base, and a track record of growth." Moreover, the Company recently announced record earnings. It reported net income of $13.6 million in the first quarter of 2018, representing an impressive 37.7% annual increase when compared to the figures reported in the same period of the previous year. Given these facts, WeissLaw is investigating whether GBNK's Board acted in the best interests of GBNK's public shareholders to maximize shareholder value prior to entering into the agreement. If you own GBNK shares and would like more information about your rights or our investigation, or if you have information to share with us, please contact Joshua Rubin by telephone at (888) 593-4771 or by email at stockinfo@weisslawllp.com . WeissLaw LLP has litigated hundreds of stockholder class and derivative actions for violations of corporate and fiduciary duties. We have recovered over a billion dollars for defrauded clients and obtained important corporate governance relief in many of these cases. If you have information or would like legal advice concerning possible corporate wrongdoing (including insider trading, waste of corporate assets, accounting fraud, or materially misleading information), consumer fraud (including false advertising, defective products, or other deceptive business practices), or anti-trust violations, please email us at stockinfo@weisslawllp.com or fill out the form on our website, http://www.weisslawllp.com/guaranty-bancorp / releases/weisslaw-llp-investigates-guaranty-bancorp-acquisition-300654016.html SOURCE WeissLaw LLP

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/23/pr-newswire-weisslaw-llp-investigates-guaranty-bancorp-acquisition.html

Strange divergence in gold and oil could spell more gains for stocks

The U.S. dollar's rally is having an unusual effect on the commodities market. Gold prices have fallen as expected, while crude oil has rallied to its highest level in years. Oppenheimer's Ari Wald says this setup is bullish for the broader market. "When the value of the dollar rises, it typically costs less to buy commodities that are priced in the dollar. So it's no surprise that we've seen [the] U.S. dollar reverse its year-long downtrend — it has strengthened — and against that backdrop the price of gold has broken down," Oppenheimer's head of technical analysis said Monday on CNBC's " Trading Nation ." The DXY U.S. dollar index , which measures the greenback against a basket of foreign currencies, is up 1.5 percent this year and gold is down 1.4 percent. Since the beginning of April, the dollar index has gained nearly 4 percent while gold has dropped almost 3 percent. Wald says that is the "typical relationship" between the dollar and gold. "What's interesting to us is that the price of oil has held firm against this strengthening greenback, so our take is that this is a sign of bullish risk appetite — that economically sensitive commodities like oil are outperforming more safe-haven ones like the price of gold," he said. As the U.S. dollar increased more than 1 percent since the beginning of the year, the price of crude oil surged 20 percent. Dennis Davitt, partner at Harvest Volatility Management, says the rise in oil should give opportunity to stock market bulls. "Equities are a buy here because they're good hedges against inflation, so the inflationary aspects of oil outside of the dollar are what you should really look towards," Davitt said on Monday's "Trading Nation." "There is strong growth coming out of the United States, and that's where we're seeing the price of oil go higher." West Texas Intermediate crude rose on Tuesday to its highest level since November 2014. Vote Vote to see results Total Votes: Not a Scientific Survey. Results may not total 100% due to rounding. Disclaimer

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/22/strange-divergence-in-gold-and-oil-could-spell-more-gains-for-stocks.html

UPDATE 1-Britain's FTSE sails on sterling slide after BoE

May 10, 2018 / 4:15 PM / Updated an hour ago UPDATE 1-Britain's FTSE sails on sterling slide after BoE Reuters Staff * FTSE 100 up 0.5 pct at close * BoE keeps rates on hold, pound falls * RBS up on smaller-than-expected U.S. settlement * BT drops after disappointing update, job cuts (Recasts, adds quote, detail and graphic; updates prices at close) By Danilo Masoni and Kit Rees MILAN, May 10 (Reuters) - The UK’s top share index hit a fresh 3-1/2 month high on Thursday after a decision by the Bank of England to keep rates on hold pushed sterling lower, while shares in Royal Bank of Scotland surged after it settled a probe in the United States. The FTSE index closed 0.5 percent higher at 7,700.97 points, outperforming a slightly negative European market. Sterling dropped after the Bank of England held interest rates steady as expected, but trimmed some losses after Governor Mark Carney told the BBC that he expected a rate rise over the course of the next year if there are no shocks to the economy. “In light of the current uncertainty, the Bank is, understandably, inclined towards a more hesitant rather than pre-emptive approach to normalising policy,” Karen Ward, chief market strategist for the UK and Europe at J.P. Morgan Asset Management, said, referring to uncertainty around Brexit. Weakness in the pound against a surging dollar has been supporting the FTSE recently, helping the internationally-exposed index recover from losses suffered at the start of the year. Away from economics, the FTSE was boosted by a 3.8 percent move higher in RBS’ shares after it agreed to pay a smaller-than-expected $4.9 billion to resolve a U.S. investigation into its sale of mortgage-backed securities. Analysts, who had estimated the U.S. could impose a fine of up to $12 billion, said the bank could reinstate a dividend. “It’s a happy day for RBS, with the DoJ settlement coming in well below what we had feared,” said Neil Wilson, Chief Market Analyst at Markets.com. “The settlement also paves the way for a quick return to annual profits after ten years of losses and dividends will once again start flowing,” Wilson added. Next’s shares were the biggest risers, up more than 6 percent after a strong outlook and trading update, while ITV jumped after saying that advertising growth was in-line in the first quarter. BT, however, fell 7.4 percent. Traders said its latest update showed a disappointing guidance, while Jefferies analysts highlighted that the company missed on the opportunity of announcing a bolder mover of fiber roll out while the 13,000 job cuts were bigger then expected. Randgold was another weak spot, down 7 percent after its quarterly profit fell, while Among mid-caps, Superdry plummeted more than 19 percent after the fashion retailer said it expected 2018 full-year gross margins to decline and it gave a weaker than expected revenue forecast for 2019. Reporting by Danilo Masoni and Kit Rees; Editing by Toby Chopra

https://www.reuters.com/article/britain-stocks/update-1-britains-ftse-sails-on-sterling-slide-after-boe-idUSL8N1SH6SA

Novus Therapeutics Reports First Quarter 2018 Financial Results

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Novus Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: NVUS), a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing products for patients with disorders of the ear, nose, and throat (ENT), today announced financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2018 and provided a corporate update. “We are excited by the ongoing progress being made with OP-02, our novel and potential first-in-class treatment option for otitis media,” said Gregory J. Flesher, CEO of Novus Therapeutics, Inc. “The next step for the program is to manufacture drug product, which we expect to complete in the coming months. This product will allow us to initiate our first-in-human clinical studies with OP-02 in the second half of 2018. In addition, we strengthened our financial position during the quarter with the completion of our at-the-market facility, bringing our cash and cash equivalents to $22.5 million as of March 31, 2018.” First Quarter 2018 Financial Results For the three-month period ended March 31, 2018, Novus reported a net loss of $2.8 million, or $0.36 loss per share, compared to a net loss of $1.4 million, or $0.59 loss per share, for the same period in 2017. The company had $22.5 million in cash and cash equivalents as of March 31, 2018. Research and development (R&D) expenses were $1.1 million during the three-month period ended March 31, 2018, compared to $0.5 million for the same period in 2017. R&D expenses were higher in 2018 primarily due to increased spending on the surfactant program (OP-02). We expect research and development expenses to increase in subsequent periods due to the initiation of OP-02 clinical trials. General and administrative (G&A) expenses were $1.7 million during the three-month period ended March 31, 2018, compared to $0.9 million for the same period in 2017. G&A expenses were higher in 2018 primarily due to an increase in administrative costs associated with operating a public company, ongoing legal costs related to Tokai’s shareholder lawsuits, and stock-based compensation. Anticipated Milestones Mid-2018 - Manufacture OP-02 drug product (cGMP) 2H 2018 - Initiate OP-02 phase 1 study in healthy adults (safety/tolerability) 1H 2019 - Initiate OP-02 phase 1 study in children with otitis media with effusion (explore efficacy) 1H 2019 - Initiate OP-02 phase 1 study in adults with acute otitis media (explore efficacy) 1H 2019 - Topline data from phase 1 studies About OP-02 OP-02 is a drug-device combination product comprised of a novel formulation of the surfactant dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and the spreading agent cholesteryl palmitate (CP) suspended in a propellant. The product is administered intranasally via a metered dose inhaler and is intended to be used to restore the normal physiologic activity of the Eustachian tube (ET). Together DPPC and CP effectively absorb to the air-liquid interface of the mucosa and reduce the interfacial surface tension of the ET, which reduces passive pressure required for the ET to open. In other words, OP-02 promotes ‘de-sticking’ of the ET so that ventilation and drainage of the middle ear may occur. About Novus Therapeutics Novus Therapeutics is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing products for disorders of the ear, nose, and throat (ENT). Novus has two technologies, each that has the potential to be developed for multiple ENT indications. The company’s lead product (OP-02) is a surfactant-based, combination drug product being developed as a potential first-in-class treatment option for patients at risk for or with otitis media (“OM”) (middle ear inflammation with or without infection). Globally, OM affects more than 700 million adults and children every year. OM is a common disorder seen in pediatric practice, and in the United States is the most frequent reason children are prescribed antibiotics and undergo surgery. Novus also has a foam-based drug delivery technology (OP-01), which may be developed in the future to deliver drugs into the ear, nasal, and sinus cavities. For more information please visit novustherapeutics.com . Forward-Looking Statements Any statements in this press release about the company’s future expectations, plans and prospects, including statements about its strategy, future operations, development of its product candidates, the review of strategic alternatives and the outcome of such review and other statements containing the words “believes,” “anticipates,” “plans,” “expects,” “may,” and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, expectations regarding the timing for the commencement and completion of our clinical trials, our ability to manufacture drug product and our ability to accelerate the development of our drug candidates. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: the sufficiency of the company’s cash resources; the ability to timely develop and manufacture clinical batches of our study drugs; the ability to obtain necessary approvals to commence additional clinical trials; whether data from early clinical trials will be indicative of the data that will be obtained from future clinical trials; whether the results of clinical trials will warrant submission for regulatory approval of any investigational product, any such submission will receive approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies and, if we are able to obtain such approval for an investigational product, it will be successfully distributed and marketed. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof and not of any future date, and the company expressly disclaims any intent to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. NOVUS THERAPEUTICS, INC. CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (In thousands, except share data) March 31, December 31, 2018 2017 ASSETS Current assets: Cash $ 22,523 $ 17,233 Restricted cash — 70 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 1,505 1,697 Total current assets 24,028 19,000 Property and equipment, net 22 25 Goodwill 1,867 1,867 Total assets $ 25,917 $ 20,892 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 449 $ 418 Accrued severance 428 668 Accrued expenses and other liabilities 742 354 Total liabilities 1,619 1,440 Commitments and contingencies Stockholders’ equity Common stock, $0.001 par value, 200,000,000 shares authorized at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017; and 9,407,024 and 7,110,414 shares issued and outstanding at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively 9 7 Additional paid-in capital 54,601 46,951 Accumulated deficit (30,312 ) (27,506 ) Total stockholders’ equity 24,298 19,452 Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 25,917 $ 20,892 NOVUS THERAPEUTICS, INC. CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND OTHER COMPREHENSIVE LOSS (In thousands, except share and per share data) Three Months Ended March 31, March 31, 2018 2017 Operating expenses Research and development $ 1,097 $ 479 General and administrative 1,698 906 Total operating expenses 2,795 1,385 Loss from operations (2,795 ) (1,385 ) Other income (expense), net (11 ) 11 Net loss and other comprehensive loss $ (2,806 ) $ (1,374 ) Net loss per share, basic and diluted $ (0.36 ) $ (0.59 ) Weighted-average common shares outstanding, basic and diluted 7,749,263 413,635 View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180511005086/en/ Investor Contacts LifeSci Advisors, LLC Timothy McCarthy, 917-679-9282 tim@lifesciadvisors.com Source: Novus Therapeutics, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/11/business-wire-novus-therapeutics-reports-first-quarter-2018-financial-results.html

German foreign minister says to meet with Pompeo over Iran deal

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said on Monday he will travel to Washington to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to discuss Washington’s stance on an international nuclear deal with Iran. Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas speaks during a news conference at the G20 Meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers in Buenos Aires, Argentina, May 21, 2018. REUTERS/Marcos Brindicci The United States earlier in the day demanded Iran make sweeping changes - from dropping its nuclear program to pulling out of the Syrian civil war - or face sanctions as the Trump administration hardened its approach to Tehran. “From here I will actually travel to Washington to have a meeting with Secretary Pompeo, and take advantage of that meeting to talk about this,” Maas said in response to a question from a journalist about the Iran deal. Maas spoke to reporters in Buenos Aires at the end of a G20 meeting in the Argentine capital. He did not give a date for the meeting with Pompeo. European powers want to keep the Iran deal alive without the United States, Maas said earlier this month. “We think that without this agreement we could run the risk that Iran could restart a nuclear program,” Maas said. Reporting by Maximiliano Rizzi; Writing by Hugh Bronstein; Editing by Bill Trott and Marguerita Choy

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-argentina-g20-iran/german-foreign-minister-says-to-meet-with-pompeo-over-iran-deal-idUSKCN1IM27E

Green Dot First Quarter Results

Sets New Record for Revenue, Adjusted EBITDA, non-GAAP EPS and GAAP EPS Raises Top and Bottom Line Guidance for Full Year 2018 First Quarter 2018 Total Operating Revenues, GAAP Net Income and GAAP Diluted EPS up 25%, 72% and 65%, respectively First Quarter 2018 Adjusted EBITDA and non-GAAP EPS up 16% and 40%, respectively PASADENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Green Dot Corporation (NYSE: GDOT), today reported financial results for the quarter ended March 31, 2018. For the first quarter of 2018, Green Dot reported total operating revenues of $315.0 million and GAAP net income and GAAP diluted earnings per common share of $70.0 million and $1.29, respectively. Green Dot also reported adjusted EBITDA 1 and non-GAAP diluted earnings per common share 1 of $104.1 million and $1.40, respectively. Said Green Dot Founder and CEO, Steve Streit, “Green Dot’s unique “Products and Platform” model and the disciplined execution of our “2018 Six Step Plan” continues to yield very impressive results, delivering yet another consecutive quarter where we’ve exceeded our top and bottom line financial expectations and set new records for nearly all key operating metrics in both reporting segments. The ongoing financial momentum we are seeing in both Green Dot’s own established product lines and those new products being powered by Green Dot’s “Banking-as-a-Service,” or BaaS, Platform provides us the ability to raise both top and bottom line full year financial guidance." GAAP financial results for the first quarter of 2018 compared to the first quarter of 2017: Total operating revenues on a generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) basis were $315.0 million for the first quarter of 2018, up from $253.0 million for the first quarter of 2017, representing a year-over-year increase of 25%. GAAP net income was $70.0 million for the first quarter of 2018, up from $40.8 million for the first quarter of 2017, representing a year-over-year increase of 72%. GAAP diluted earnings per common share was $1.29 for the first quarter of 2018, up from $0.78 for the first quarter of 2017, representing a year-over-year increase of 65%. Non-GAAP financial results for the first quarter of 2018 compared to the first quarter of 2017: 1 Adjusted EBITDA 1 was $104.1 million, or 33.1% of total operating revenues for the first quarter of 2018, up from $89.6 million, or 35.4% of total operating revenues for the first quarter of 2017, representing a year-over-year increase of 16%. Non-GAAP net income 1 was $75.9 million for the first quarter of 2018, up from $52.4 million for the first quarter of 2017, representing a year-over-year increase of 45%. Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share 1 was $1.40 for the first quarter of 2018, up from $1.00 for the first quarter of 2017, representing a year-over-year increase of 40%. The Company's key business metrics described in the latest Annual Report on Form 10-K have been revised to include additional product lines or services that have grown to become sufficiently material to warrant inclusion. Previously reported metrics have been restated for comparability. The Company believes the following measures are the primary indicators of quarterly and annual revenues and expenses: Gross Dollar Volume - represents the total dollar volume of funds loaded to the Company’s account products. The Company uses this metric to analyze the total amount of money moving onto its account programs, determine the overall engagement and usage patterns of its account holder base and serves as a leading indicator of revenue generated through its Account Services segment products, inclusive of interest income generated on deposits held at Green Dot Bank, fees charged to account holders and interchange revenues generated through the spending of account balances. Number of Active Accounts - represents any bank account within our Account Services segment that is subject to United States Patriot Act compliance and, therefore, requires customer identity verification prior to use and is intended to accept ongoing customer cash or ACH deposits. This includes general purpose reloadable prepaid card accounts, demand deposit or "checking" accounts, and credit card accounts in the Company’s portfolio that had a purchase, deposit or ATM withdrawal transaction during the applicable quarter. The Company uses this metric to analyze the overall size of its active customer base and to analyze multiple metrics expressed as an average across this active account base. Purchase Volume - represents the total dollar volume of purchase transactions made by the Company’s account holders. This metric excludes the dollar volume of ATM withdrawals. The Company uses this metric to analyze interchange revenue, which is a key component of its financial performance. Number of Cash Transfers - represents the total number of cash transfer transactions conducted by consumers, such as a point-of-sale swipe reload transaction, the purchase of a MoneyPak or an e-cash mobile remittance transaction marketed under various brand names, that the Company conducted through its retail distributors in a specified period. This metric excludes disbursements made through the Company’s Simply Paid wage disbursement platform. The Company reviews this metric as a measure of the size and scale of its retail cash processing network, as an indicator of customer engagement and usage of its products and services, and to analyze cash transfer revenue, which is a key component of the Company’s financial performance. Number of Tax Refunds Processed - represents the total number of tax refunds processed in a specified period. The Company reviews this metric as a measure of the size and scale of its tax refund processing platform and as an indicator of customer engagement and usage of its products and services. The following table shows the Company's quarterly key business metrics for each of the last five calendar quarters under these revised definitions. 2018 2017 Q1 Q4 Q3 Q2 Q1 (In millions) Gross dollar volume $ 11,719 $ 8,425 $ 7,683 $ 7,511 $ 7,485 Number of active accounts at quarter end 6.01 5.30 5.27 5.15 5.05 Purchase volume $ 7,470 $ 5,661 $ 5,235 $ 5,233 $ 5,505 Number of cash transfers 10.10 9.95 9.80 9.55 9.30 Number of tax refunds processed 8.75 0.06 0.10 2.41 8.60 For comparative purposes, the following table shows the Company's quarterly key business metrics for each of the last five calendar quarters under the prior year definitions described in the Company's latest Annual Report on Form 10-K. 2018 2017 Q1 Q4 Q3 Q2 Q1 (In millions) Gross dollar volume $ 11,654 $ 8,556 $ 7,856 $ 7,687 $ 7,707 Number of active cards at quarter end 5.96 5.26 5.23 5.15 5.05 Purchase volume $ 7,440 $ 5,645 $ 5,206 $ 5,226 $ 5,503 Number of cash transfers 10.10 9.95 9.80 9.55 9.30 Number of tax refunds processed 8.75 0.06 0.10 2.41 8.60 Said Mark Shifke, Green Dot’s Chief Financial Officer, “Our upwardly revised full year top and bottom line guidance is a reflection of the strong financial results we achieved in Q1, further supported by the continuing strong business momentum in our six revenue divisions and our bank. Additionally, the material ongoing margin expansion from our existing product lines is expected to drive consolidated adjusted EBITDA margin expansion of approximately 360 basis points in the second half of the 2018 as compared with the second half of 2017, which is expected to result in consolidated margin expansion of approximately 100 basis points at the midpoint of our revised 2018 full year guidance as compared to full year 2017.” Updated Outlook for 2018 Green Dot has provided its updated outlook for 2018. Green Dot’s outlook is based on a number of assumptions that management believes are reasonable at the time of this earnings release. Information regarding potential risks that could cause the actual results to differ from these is set forth below and in Green Dot's filings Commission. Total Operating Revenues Green Dot now expects its full year total operating revenues to be between $1,002 million and $1,012 million, versus its previous guidance range of $982 million and $997 million. For Q2, Green Dot expects total operating revenues to be approximately $249 million. Adjusted EBITDA 2 Green Dot now expects its full year adjusted EBITDA 2 to be between $240 million and $245 million, versus its previous guidance range of $236 million and $241 million. For Q2, Green Dot expects adjusted EBITDA 2 to be approximately $52 million. Non-GAAP EPS 2 Green Dot now expects its full year non-GAAP EPS 2 to be between $2.93 and $3.00, versus its previous guidance range of $2.81 and $2.88. For Q2, Green Dot expects non-GAAP EPS 2 to be approximately $0.62. The components of Green Dot's non-GAAP EPS 2 guidance range are as follows: Range Low High (In millions except per share data) Adjusted EBITDA $ 240.0 $ 245.0 Depreciation and amortization* (42.0 ) (42.0 ) Net interest income ** 15.5 15.5 Non-GAAP pre-tax income $ 213.5 $ 218.5 Tax impact*** (53.4 ) (54.6 ) Non-GAAP net income $ 160.1 $ 163.9 Diluted weighted-average shares issued and outstanding 54.6 54.6 Non-GAAP earnings per share $ 2.93 $ 3.00 * Excludes the impact of amortization of acquired intangible assets ** Excludes the impact of amortization of deferred financing costs *** Assumes a non-GAAP effective tax rate of 25% for full year. This rate reflects the expected impact of the new tax law (the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act) Supplemental Financial Presentation Information As mentioned during Green Dot's previous quarterly earnings call on February 21, 2018, Green Dot will adjust its presentation of revenue beginning in 2019 to better reflect its successful evolution into a diverse technology-focused bank holding company that generates its revenue through a unique “Products and Platform” operating model. Beginning in 2019, Green Dot will be presenting net interest income generated at Green Dot Bank from the investment of customer deposits as a component of GAAP total operating revenues, whereas today that item is reported below operating income and is consolidated along with net interest income generated outside the bank. Net interest income at Green Dot Bank is becoming an increasingly important revenue component as Green Dot Bank's ability to invest its growing customer balances and generate interest income is one of several unique advantages of Green Dot being not just a leading consumer technology company, but also a federally regulated bank. Net interest income generated outside of Green Dot Bank will continue to be reported below the line as it is currently. Also beginning in 2019, Green Dot will be presenting a new non-GAAP revenue figure that reduces GAAP total operating revenue by commissions and certain processing-related costs associated with certain “Banking as a Service,” or “BaaS," partner programs, where the partner and not Green Dot controls customer acquisition. Green Dot believes that a net revenue presentation will better reflect the relevant amount of revenue Green Dot generates in respect of these types of BaaS platform programs. The following table provides supplemental financial presentation information for first quarter 2018 and 2017 under the new format discussed above: 2018 2017 (In millions) Total operating revenues $ 315.0 $ 253.0 Account generated interest income 5.3 2.8 Total operating revenues (inclusive of interest income) $ 320.3 $ 255.8 Adjustments* (13.2 ) (2.8 ) Non-GAAP Revenues $ 307.1 $ 253.0 Adjusted EBITDA 2 $ 104.1 $ 89.6 Account generated interest income 5.3 2.8 Adjusted EBITDA 2 (inclusive of interest income) $ 109.4 $ 92.4 Adjusted EBITDA 2 /Non-GAAP revenues (adjusted EBITDA margin) 35.6 % 36.5 % * Represents commissions and certain processing-related costs associated with BaaS products and services where Green Dot does not control customer acquisition Conference Call The Company will host a conference call to discuss first quarter 2018 financial results today at 5:00 p.m. ET. Hosting the call will be Steve Streit, Chief Executive Officer, and Mark Shifke, Chief Financial Officer. The conference call can be accessed live over the phone by dialing (888) 348-8307, or for international callers (412) 902-4242. A replay will be available approximately two hours after the call concludes and can be accessed by dialing (844) 512-2921, or for international callers (412) 317-6671; and entering the conference ID 10119906. The replay of the webcast will be available until Wednesday, May 16, 2018. The call will be webcast live from the Company's investor relations website at http://ir.greendot.com/ . Forward-Looking Statements This earnings release contains , which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, among other things, statements regarding the Company's future performance contained under "Updated Outlook for 2018" and in the Quote: s of its executive officers and other future events that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may those contained in the contained in this earnings release, and reported results should not be considered as an indication of future performance. The potential risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ from those projected include, among other things, the timing and impact of revenue growth activities, the Company's dependence on revenues derived from Walmart, impact of competition, the Company's reliance on retail distributors for the promotion of its products and services, demand for the Company's new and existing products and services, continued and improving returns from the Company's investments in new growth initiatives, potential difficulties in integrating operations of acquired entities and acquired technologies, the Company's ability to operate in a highly regulated environment, changes to existing laws or regulations affecting the Company's operating methods or economics, the Company's reliance on third-party vendors, changes in credit card association or other network rules or standards, changes in card association and debit network fees or products or interchange rates, instances of fraud developments in the prepaid financial services industry that impact prepaid debit card usage generally, business interruption or systems failure, and the Company's involvement litigation or investigations. These and other risks are discussed in greater detail in the Company's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including its most recent annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly report on Form 10-Q, which are available on the Company's investor relations website at ir.greendot.com and on the SEC website at www.sec.gov . All information provided in this release and in the attachments is as of May 9, 2018, and the Company assumes no obligation to update this information as a result of future events or developments. About Non-GAAP Financial Measures To supplement the Company's consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP), the Company uses measures of operating results that are adjusted to exclude net interest income and expense; income tax benefit and expense; depreciation and amortization, including amortization of acquired intangibles; employee stock-based compensation and related employer payroll taxes; incremental expenses related to the delay in migration of the Company’s remaining customer accounts from its former processor to its new processor; change in the fair value of contingent consideration; transaction costs; impairment charges; extraordinary severance expenses; legal settlement expenses; other charges and income; and income tax effects. This earnings release includes adjusted EBITDA, non-GAAP net income, and non-GAAP earnings per share. It also includes full-year 2018 guidance for adjusted EBITDA, non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP EPS. These non-GAAP financial measures are not calculated or presented in accordance with, and are not alternatives or substitutes for, financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP, and should be read only in conjunction with the Company's financial measures prepared in accordance with GAAP. The Company's non-GAAP financial measures may be different from similarly-titled non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. The Company believes that the presentation of non-GAAP financial measures provides useful information to management and investors regarding underlying trends in its consolidated financial condition and results of operations. The Company's management regularly uses these supplemental non-GAAP financial measures internally to understand, manage and evaluate the Company's business and make operating decisions. For additional information regarding the Company's use of non-GAAP financial measures and the items excluded by the Company from one or more of its historic and projected non-GAAP financial measures, investors are encouraged to review the reconciliations of the Company's historic and projected non-GAAP financial measures to the comparable GAAP financial measures, which are attached to this earnings release, and which can be found by clicking on “Financial Information” in the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at http://ir.greendot.com/ . About Green Dot Green Dot Corporation is a pro-consumer bank holding company and financial technology innovator with a mission to reinvent personal banking for the masses. Green Dot employs a unique “products and platform” operating model whereby it uses its robust banking and technology assets to design, build and distribute its own branded financial services products directly to consumers through a large-scale omni-channel national distribution platform; while also allowing qualified third party partners to access those same banking and technology assets to design, build and distribute their own bespoke financial services directly to their consumers through their own distribution platforms. Through its six revenue divisions plus Green Dot Bank, Green Dot is a leading provider of prepaid cards, debit cards, checking accounts, secured credit cards, payroll debit cards, consumer cash processing services, wage disbursements and tax refund processing services. With approximately 100,000 major name U.S. retail stores selling its products, several leading direct-to-consumer websites, thousands of tax preparation offices, several apps available in the two leading app stores and distribution through several enterprise-scale “Banking as a Service,” or BaaS, partnerships, Green Dot is one of the most broadly distributed banking franchises in the United States. Green Dot Corporation is headquartered in Pasadena, California, with additional facilities throughout the United States and in Shanghai, China. 1 Reconciliations of net income to non-GAAP net income, diluted earnings per share to non-GAAP diluted earnings per share and net income to adjusted EBITDA, respectively, are provided in the tables immediately following the consolidated financial statements. Additional information about the Company's non-GAAP financial measures can be found under the caption “About Non-GAAP Financial Measures” below. 2 Reconciliations of forward-looking guidance for these non-GAAP financial measures to their respective, most directly comparable projected GAAP financial measures are provided in the tables immediately following the reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA. GREEN DOT CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS March 31, 2018 December 31, 2017 (unaudited) Assets (In thousands, except par value) Current assets: Unrestricted cash and cash equivalents $ 1,268,137 $ 919,243 Restricted cash 86,608 90,852 Investment securities available-for-sale, at fair value 15,875 11,889 Settlement assets 179,520 209,399 Accounts receivable, net 29,337 35,277 Prepaid expenses and other assets 53,219 47,086 Income tax receivable — 7,459 1,632,696 1,321,205 Investment securities available-for-sale, at fair value 132,673 141,620 Loans to bank customers, net of allowance for loan losses of $451 and $291 as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively 19,713 18,570 Prepaid expenses and other assets 8,157 8,179 Property and equipment, net 100,358 97,282 Deferred expenses 14,608 21,791 Net deferred tax assets 6,639 6,507 Goodwill and intangible assets 574,141 582,377 Total assets $ 2,488,985 $ 2,197,531 Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity Current liabilities: Accounts payable $ 32,398 $ 34,863 Deposits 1,293,272 1,022,180 Obligations to customers 69,874 95,354 Settlement obligations 11,672 6,956 Amounts due to card issuing banks for overdrawn accounts 1,239 1,371 Other accrued liabilities 105,640 123,397 Deferred revenue 22,999 30,875 Note payable 20,906 20,906 Income tax payable 2,818 74 Total current liabilities 1,560,818 1,335,976 Other accrued liabilities 31,612 30,520 Note payable 53,478 58,705 Net deferred tax liabilities 7,786 7,780 Total liabilities 1,653,694 1,432,981 Stockholders’ equity: Class A common stock, $0.001 par value; 100,000 shares authorized as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017; 51,841 and 51,136 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively 52 51 Additional paid-in capital 356,052 354,789 Retained earnings 480,471 410,440 Accumulated other comprehensive loss (1,284 ) (730 ) Total stockholders’ equity 835,291 764,550 Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 2,488,985 $ 2,197,531 GREEN DOT CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (UNAUDITED) 2018 2017 (In thousands, except per share data) Operating revenues: Card revenues and other fees $ 130,060 $ 100,969 Processing and settlement service revenues 100,240 90,675 Interchange revenues 84,698 61,357 Total operating revenues 314,998 253,001 Operating expenses: Sales and marketing expenses 91,968 71,685 Compensation and benefits expenses 54,507 41,218 Processing expenses 48,425 40,942 Other general and administrative expenses 43,718 37,780 Total operating expenses 238,618 191,625 Operating income 76,380 61,376 Interest income 5,600 2,854 Interest expense (1,516 ) (1,665 ) Income before income taxes 80,464 62,565 Income tax expense 10,433 21,811 Net income $ 70,031 $ 40,754 Basic earnings per common share: $ 1.36 $ 0.81 Diluted earnings per common share: $ 1.29 $ 0.78 Basic weighted-average common shares issued and outstanding: 51,439 50,458 Diluted weighted-average common shares issued and outstanding: 54,234 52,497 GREEN DOT CORPORATION CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED) 2018 2017 (In thousands) Operating activities Net income $ 70,031 $ 40,754 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment 8,922 8,749 Amortization of intangible assets 8,236 6,557 Provision for uncollectible overdrawn accounts 18,385 18,246 Employee stock-based compensation 9,360 6,534 Amortization of premium on available-for-sale investment securities 320 322 Amortization of deferred financing costs 398 394 Impairment of capitalized software — 156 Changes in operating assets and liabilities: Accounts receivable, net (12,626 ) 5,451 Prepaid expenses and other assets (6,111 ) 968 Deferred expenses 7,183 5,565 Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities (18,936 ) (13,267 ) Deferred revenue (6,480 ) (8,128 ) Income tax receivable/payable 10,136 21,629 Other, net 51 929 Net cash provided by operating activities 88,869 94,859 Investing activities Purchases of available-for-sale investment securities (13,774 ) (19,961 ) Proceeds from maturities of available-for-sale securities 17,676 28,989 Proceeds from sales of available-for-sale securities 124 15,318 Payments for acquisition of property and equipment (13,386 ) (11,844 ) Net increase in loans (1,143 ) (1,199 ) Acquisition, net of cash acquired — (139,256 ) Net cash used in investing activities (10,503 ) (127,953 ) Financing activities Borrowings from notes payable — 20,000 Repayments of borrowings from notes payable (5,625 ) (25,625 ) Borrowings on revolving line of credit — 205,000 Repayments on revolving line of credit — (155,000 ) Proceeds from exercise of options 7,802 5,155 Taxes paid related to net share settlement of equity awards (15,898 ) (2,162 ) Net increase in deposits 271,092 88,947 Net increase in obligations to customers 9,115 8,269 Contingent consideration payments (202 ) (192 ) Repurchase of Class A common stock — (50,000 ) Deferred financing costs — (164 ) Net cash provided by financing activities 266,284 94,228 Net increase in unrestricted cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash 344,650 61,134 Unrestricted cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, beginning of period 1,010,095 744,761 Unrestricted cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period $ 1,354,745 $ 805,895 Cash paid for interest $ 1,118 $ 1,271 Cash paid for income taxes $ 80 $ 122 Reconciliation of unrestricted cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period: Unrestricted cash and cash equivalents $ 1,268,137 $ 785,838 Restricted cash 86,608 20,057 Total unrestricted cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash, end of period $ 1,354,745 $ 805,895 GREEN DOT CORPORATION REPORTABLE SEGMENTS (UNAUDITED) 2018 Account Services Processing and Settlement Services Corporate and Other Total (In thousands) Operating revenues $ 222,434 $ 101,858 $ (9,294 ) $ 314,998 Operating expenses 169,488 50,673 18,457 238,618 Operating income $ 52,946 $ 51,185 $ (27,751 ) $ 76,380 2017 Account Services Processing and Settlement Services Corporate and Other Total (In thousands) Operating revenues $ 167,693 $ 93,710 $ (8,402 ) $ 253,001 Operating expenses 126,677 45,103 19,845 191,625 Operating income $ 41,016 $ 48,607 $ (28,247 ) $ 61,376 The Company's operations are comprised of two reportable segments: 1) Account Services and 2) Processing and Settlement Services. The Account Services segment consists of revenues and expenses derived from the Company's deposit account programs, such as prepaid cards, debit cards, consumer and small business checking accounts, secured credit cards, payroll debit cards and gift cards. These deposit account programs are marketed under several of the Company's leading consumer brand names and under the brand names of the Company's Banking as a Service, or "BaaS," partners. The Processing and Settlement Services segment consists of revenues and expenses derived from the Company's products and services that specialize in facilitating the movement of cash on behalf of consumers and businesses, such as consumer cash processing services, wage disbursements and tax refund processing services. The Corporate and Other segment primarily consists of eliminations of intersegment revenues and expenses, unallocated corporate expenses, depreciation and amortization, and other costs that are not considered when management evaluates segment performance. GREEN DOT CORPORATION Reconciliation of Net Income to Non-GAAP Net Income (1) (Unaudited) 2018 2017 (In thousands, except per share data) Net income $ 70,031 $ 40,754 Employee stock-based compensation and related employer payroll taxes (3) 10,486 6,534 Amortization of acquired intangibles (4) 8,236 6,557 Transaction costs (4) — 502 Amortization of deferred financing costs (5) 398 394 Impairment charges (5) — 156 Extraordinary severance expenses (6) 106 1,079 Incremental processor expenses, net (8) — 4,660 Income tax effect (7) (13,373 ) (8,274 ) Non-GAAP net income $ 75,884 $ 52,362 Diluted earnings per common share GAAP $ 1.29 $ 0.78 Non-GAAP $ 1.40 $ 1.00 Diluted weighted-average common shares issued and outstanding 54,234 52,497 Supplemental Detail on Diluted Weighted-Average Shares Issued and Outstanding (Unaudited) 2018 2017 (In thousands) Class A common stock outstanding as of March 31: 51,842 49,559 Weighting adjustment (403 ) 899 Dilutive potential shares: Stock options 535 603 Restricted stock units 1,337 1,186 Performance based restricted stock units 915 231 Employee stock purchase plan 8 19 Diluted weighted-average shares issued and outstanding 54,234 52,497 GREEN DOT CORPORATION Reconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA (1) (Unaudited) 2018 2017 (In thousands) Net income $ 70,031 $ 40,754 Net interest income (2) (4,084 ) (1,189 ) Income tax expense 10,433 21,811 Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment (2) 8,922 8,749 Employee stock-based compensation and related employer payroll taxes (2)(3) 10,486 6,534 Amortization of acquired intangibles (2)(4) 8,236 6,557 Transaction costs (2)(4) — 502 Impairment charges (2)(5) — 156 Extraordinary severance expenses (2)(6) 106 1,079 Incremental processor expenses, net (2)(8) — 4,660 Adjusted EBITDA $ 104,130 $ 89,613 Total operating revenues $ 314,998 $ 253,001 Adjusted EBITDA/Total operating revenues (adjusted EBITDA margin) 33.1 % 35.4 % Reconciliation of Forward Looking Guidance for Non-GAAP Financial Measures to Projected Adjusted EBITDA (1) (Unaudited) FY 2018 Range Low High (In millions) Net income $ 106.1 $ 109.9 Adjustments (9) 133.9 135.1 Adjusted EBITDA $ 240.0 $ 245.0 Total operating revenues $ 1,012.0 $ 1,002.0 Adjusted EBITDA /Total operating revenues (Adjusted EBITDA margin) 24 % 24 % Reconciliation of Forward Looking Guidance for Non-GAAP Financial Measures to Projected GAAP Net Income (1) (Unaudited) FY 2018 Range Low High (In millions, except per share data) Net income $ 106.1 $ 109.9 Adjustments (9) 54.0 54.0 Non-GAAP net income $ 160.1 $ 163.9 Diluted earnings per share GAAP $ 1.94 $ 2.01 Non-GAAP $ 2.93 $ 3.00 Diluted weighted-average shares issued and outstanding 54.6 54.6 (1) To supplement the Company’s consolidated financial statements presented in accordance with GAAP, the Company uses measures of operating results that are adjusted to exclude various, primarily non-cash, expenses and charges. These financial measures are not calculated or presented in accordance with GAAP and should not be considered as alternatives to or substitutes for operating revenues, operating income, net income or any other measure of financial performance calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP. These financial measures may not be comparable to similarly-titled measures of other organizations because other organizations may not calculate their measures in the same manner as the Company does. These financial measures are adjusted to eliminate the impact of items that the Company does not consider indicative of its core operating performance. You are encouraged to evaluate these adjustments and the reasons the Company considers them appropriate. The Company believes that the non-GAAP financial measures it presents are useful to investors in evaluating the Company’s operating performance for the following reasons: the Company records employee stock-based compensation from period to period, and recorded employee stock-based compensation expenses and related employer payroll taxes of approximately $10.5 million and $6.5 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. By comparing the Company’s adjusted EBITDA, non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share in different historical periods, investors can evaluate the Company’s operating results without the additional variations caused by employee stock-based compensation expense and related employer payroll taxes, which may not be comparable from period to period due to changes in the fair market value of the Company’s Class A common stock (which is influenced by external factors like the volatility of public markets and the financial performance of the Company’s peers) and is not a key measure of the Company’s operations; adjusted EBITDA is widely used by investors to measure a company’s operating performance without regard to items, such as net interest income and expense, income tax benefit and expense, depreciation and amortization, employee stock-based compensation and related employer payroll taxes, incremental expenses related to the delay in migration of the Company’s remaining customer accounts from its former processor to its new processor, changes in the fair value of contingent consideration, transaction costs, impairment charges, severance costs related to extraordinary personnel reductions, legal settlement expenses, and other charges and income that can vary substantially from company to company depending upon their respective financing structures and accounting policies, the book values of their assets, their capital structures and the methods by which their assets were acquired; and securities analysts use adjusted EBITDA as a supplemental measure to evaluate the overall operating performance of companies. The Company’s management uses the non-GAAP financial measures: as measures of operating performance, because they exclude the impact of items not directly resulting from the Company’s core operations; for planning purposes, including the preparation of the Company’s annual operating budget; to allocate resources to enhance the financial performance of the Company’s business; to evaluate the effectiveness of the Company’s business strategies; to establish metrics for variable compensation; and in communications with the Company’s board of directors concerning the Company’s financial performance. The Company understands that, although adjusted EBITDA and other non-GAAP financial measures are frequently used by investors and securities analysts in their evaluations of companies, these measures have limitations as an analytical tool, and you should not consider them in isolation or as substitutes for analysis of the Company’s results of operations as reported under GAAP. Some of these limitations are: that these measures do not reflect the Company’s capital expenditures or future requirements for capital expenditures or other contractual commitments; that these measures do not reflect changes in, or cash requirements for, the Company’s working capital needs; that these measures do not reflect interest expense or interest income; that these measures do not reflect cash requirements for income taxes; that, although depreciation and amortization are non-cash charges, the assets being depreciated or amortized will often have to be replaced in the future, and these measures do not reflect any cash requirements for these replacements; and that other companies in the Company’s industry may calculate these measures differently than the Company does, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures. (2) The Company does not include any income tax impact of the associated non-GAAP adjustment to adjusted EBITDA, as the case may be, because each of these non-GAAP financial measures is provided before income tax expense. (3) This expense consists primarily of expenses for restricted stock units (including performance-based restricted stock units) and related employer payroll taxes. Employee stock-based compensation expense is not comparable from period to period due to changes in the fair market value of the Company’s Class A common stock (which is influenced by external factors like the volatility of public markets and the financial performance of the Company’s peers) and is not a key measure of the Company’s operations. The Company excludes employee stock-based compensation expense from its non-GAAP financial measures primarily because it consists of non-cash expenses that the Company does not believe are reflective of ongoing operating results. The Company also believes that it is not useful to investors to understand the impact of employee stock-based compensation to its results of operations. Further, the related employer payroll taxes are dependent upon volatility in the Company's stock price, as well as the timing and size of option exercises and vesting of restricted stock units, over which the Company has limited to no control. This expense is included as a component of compensation and benefits expenses on the Company's consolidated statements of operations. (4) The Company excludes certain income and expenses that are the result of acquisitions. These acquisition related adjustments include the amortization of acquired intangible assets, changes in the fair value of contingent consideration, settlements of contingencies established at time of acquisition and other acquisition related charges, such as integration charges and professional and legal fees, which result in the Company recording expenses or fair value adjustments in its GAAP financial statements. The Company analyzes the performance of its operations without regard to these adjustments. In determining whether any acquisition related adjustment is appropriate, the Company takes into consideration, among other things, how such adjustments would or would not aid in the understanding of the performance of its operations. These items are included as a component of other general and administrative expenses on the Company's consolidated statements of operations. (5) The Company excludes certain income and expenses that are not reflective of ongoing operating results. It is difficult to estimate the amount or timing of these items in advance. Although these events are reflected in the Company's GAAP financial statements, the Company excludes them in its non-GAAP financial measures because the Company believes these items may limit the comparability of ongoing operations with prior and future periods. These adjustments include amortization attributable to deferred financing costs, impairment charges related to internal-use software, legal settlement expenses and other charges, as applicable for the periods presented. In determining whether any such adjustment is appropriate, the Company takes into consideration, among other things, how such adjustments would or would not aid in the understanding of the performance of its operations. These items, except for amortization of deferred financing costs, which is included as a component of interest expense, are included within other general and administrative expenses on the Company's consolidated statements of operations. (6) During the three months ended March 31, 2018, the Company recorded charges of $0.1 million for severance costs related to extraordinary personnel reductions. Although severance expenses are an ordinary part of its operations, the magnitude and scale of this reduction in workforce is not expected to be repeated. This expense is included as a component of compensation and benefits expenses on the Company's consolidated statements of operations. (7) Represents the tax effect for the related non-GAAP measure adjustments using the Company's year to date non-GAAP effective tax rate. It also excludes the impact of excess tax benefits related to stock-based compensation and one-time favorable adjustments to the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities, including the remeasurement of the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities associated with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”). As of March 31, 2018, the Company has not completed its accounting for the tax effects of the Tax Act. The Company’s tax benefit is provisional based on reasonable estimates for those tax effects. Changes to these estimates or new guidance issued by regulators may materially impact the Company’s provision for income taxes and effective tax rate in the period in which the adjustments are made. The Company expects to complete its accounting for the tax effects in the short term. (8) Represents the net incremental expenses associated with the Company's need to continue to support customer accounts on its legacy transaction processor that it had intended to migrate to its new processing platform in 2016. (9) These amounts represent estimated adjustments for net interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, employee stock-based compensation and related employer taxes, contingent consideration, transaction costs, impairment charges, severance costs related to extraordinary personnel reductions, legal settlement expenses, and other income and expenses. Employee stock-based compensation expense includes assumptions about the future fair value of the Company’s Class A common stock (which is influenced by external factors like the volatility of public markets and the financial performance of the Company’s peers). View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180509006434/en/ For Green Dot Corporation Investor Relations IR@greendot.com or Media Relations Brian Ruby, 203-682-8286 Brian.Ruby@icrinc.com Source: Green Dot Corporation

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/09/business-wire-green-dot-reports-first-quarter-2018-results.html

BoE's Broadbent says will not 'spoon feed' markets on rate hike guidance: Telegraph

(This story corrects headline and lead to show Broadbent was talking about rate guidance, not hikes in May 15 story.) Bank of England Deputy Governor Ben Broadbent speaks at the 'Future Forum 2017' event in St George's Hall, Liverpool, Britain November 16, 2017. REUTERS/Phil Noble (Reuters) - Bank of England Deputy Governor Ben Broadbent said in an interview on Tuesday with the Telegraph that the central bank will not “spoon feed” markets with meeting-by-meeting guidance on interest rate hikes. He said he has no time for complaints from the City of London, a top global financial center, about the level of forward guidance the bank gives. "Our communication is mainly addressed to the wider public," Broadbent told the British newspaper. "Their (the City's) job is to put themselves in our shoes. We all have the same data.” ( bit.ly/2wJ56dJ ) Related Coverage Bank of England's Broadbent apologizes for 'menopausal' remark Broadbent’s defense of how the central bank issues forward guidance follows the BoE holding interest rates steady on Thursday with Governor Mark Carney saying a rate hike was likely to happen before the end of the year if all went well. Broadbent also said Britain’s economy was in a slowdown in growth and wages comparable to a lull at the end of the 19th century, when the steam era had peaked but the age of electricity had not yet begun, the Telegraph reported on Tuesday. Today’s economy could be experiencing a similar trough as it passes the boom of the digital era and awaits the next big breakthrough, possibly with artificial intelligence, Broadbent said. There was a division in opinions over what has caused Britain’s current slowdown, which has lasted for nearly a decade and resulted in poor growth and stagnant wages, according to the central banker. Reporting by Ismail Shakil in Bengaluru; Editing by Lisa Shumaker

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-boe-broadbent/boe-deputy-gov-broadbent-says-will-not-spoon-feed-markets-on-rate-hikes-telegraph-idUSKCN1IG3CC

Exxon shareholders reject proposal to split CEO, chair roles

May 30, 2018 / 4:01 PM / Updated 20 minutes ago Exxon shareholders reject proposal to split CEO, chair roles Reuters Staff 1 Min Read DALLAS (Reuters) - Exxon Mobil Corp ( XOM.N ) shareholders rejected a proposal on Wednesday at their annual meeting that would have split the roles of chairman and chief executive. FILE PHOTO: A logo of Exxon Mobil is displayed on a monitor above the floor of the New York Stock Exchange shortly after the opening bell in New York, U.S., December 5, 2017. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson Shareholders also rejected a proposal that would have forced the world’s largest publicly traded oil producer to provide greater disclosure on its lobbying expenditures. Shareholders did approve the full slate of 10 nominees to the company’s board of directors at their Dallas meeting. Reporting by Ernest Scheyder

https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-exxon-mobil-agm/exxon-shareholders-reject-proposal-to-split-ceo-chair-roles-idUKKCN1IV26G

A Gaza photographer in a place of death

* Gaza protests pictures at: reut.rs/2GdnZop GAZA, May 14 (Reuters) - When Reuters photographer Ibraheem Abu Mustafa set off to cover the protests in Gaza on Monday morning he came across a wheelchair-bound acquaintance. “Today, this morning, I said ‘Hi’ to a man,” he recalls. “By the end of the day I was at his funeral.” Such is the collision of life and work for Abu Mustafa, who has spent nearly half his 35 years as a professional photographer covering a small place like the Gaza Strip. His home. And his subject. Monday was to be the single deadliest day in Gaza for years, after Israeli gunfire killed more than 50 Palestinians on the penultimate day of a six-week border protest by Gazans demanding the right to return to ancestral homes that now lie on the other side of the Gaza-Israel frontier fence. “I feel upset over what is happening. At the same time I continue to do my job,” said Abu Mustafa. “So I have to separate my job and my feelings. I cover an event, then I cover a similar event the next day, so I have developed a frame of mind that allows me to cope with the events that are happening, and the circumstances.” The sometimes repetitive nature of the news cycle in Gaza works to his favour. After years of careful observation he has a sense for what will happen, and where it will happen, and where to stand so that he can capture dangerous events, without being caught up in them. “The moment the tear gas hits, you know there will be a reaction from the protesters,” he said. “Instead of them turning their back to me, they start facing me, and the gas coming out has a certain shape, white, and combined with the smoke coming from the tyres it will be a mix of white and black, and that is what makes a picture strong. “I call this place a place of death, there is death here, it is not a place of comfort, any second someone could die.” For a Gaza protests picture package, click: reut.rs/2GdnZop Additional reporting by Nidal al-Mughrabi and Suheir Sheikh; Editing by Toby Chopra Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. 0 : 0 narrow-browser-and-phone medium-browser-and-portrait-tablet landscape-tablet medium-wide-browser wide-browser-and-larger medium-browser-and-landscape-tablet medium-wide-browser-and-larger above-phone portrait-tablet-and-above above-portrait-tablet landscape-tablet-and-above landscape-tablet-and-medium-wide-browser portrait-tablet-and-below landscape-tablet-and-below Apps Newsletters Reuters Plus Advertising Guidelines Cookies Terms of Use Privacy All Quote: s delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. See here for a complete list of exchanges and delays. © 2018 Reuters. All Rights Reserved.

https://www.reuters.com/article/israel-usa-protests-palestinians-photogr/a-gaza-photographer-in-a-place-of-death-idUSL5N1SL71G

BRIEF-International Game Technology PLC Reports First Quarter 2018 Results

International Game Technology PLC: * INTERNATIONAL GAME TECHNOLOGY PLC REPORTS FIRST QUARTER 2018 RESULTS * INTERNATIONAL GAME TECHNOLOGY PLC - QTRLY ADJUSTED NET INCOME PER DILUTED SHARE $0.15 * INTERNATIONAL GAME TECHNOLOGY PLC QTRLY REVENUE $1,207 MILLION VERSUS $1,153 MILLION * INTERNATIONAL GAME TECHNOLOGY PLC - QTRLY LOSS PER SHARE $0.51 * INTERNATIONAL GAME TECHNOLOGY PLC SEES FY CAPITAL EXPENDITURES OF $575-$625 MILLION * INTERNATIONAL GAME TECHNOLOGY PLC - ANNOUNCING A DERIVATIVES TRANSACTION BY DE AGOSTINI S.P.A. RELATING TO IGT ORDINARY SHARES * INTERNATIONAL GAME TECHNOLOGY PLC - DE AGOSTINI ENTERED INTO A VARIABLE FORWARD TRANSACTION RELATING TO 18 MILLION IGT ORDINARY SHARES * INTERNATIONAL GAME TECHNOLOGY PLC - DE AGOSTINI IS IGT’S MAJORITY SHAREHOLDER WITH 103 MILLION ORDINARY SHARES * INTERNATIONAL GAME TECHNOLOGY - DE AGOSTINI ADVISED CO THEY ARE NOT CONSIDERING ANY ADDITIONAL DEALS INVOLVING THEIR IGT ORDINARY SHARES * INTERNATIONAL GAME TECHNOLOGY - DE AGOSTINI ALSO ADVISED CO THEY INTEND TO REMAIN IGT’S CONTROLLING SHAREHOLDER * INTERNATIONAL GAME TECHNOLOGY - CONSOL LEADERSHIP OF N. AMERICA GAMING & INTERACTIVE & N. AMERICA LOTTERY SEGMENTS UNDER RENATO ASCOLI AS CEO OF N. AMERICA Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:

https://www.reuters.com/article/brief-international-game-technology-plc/brief-international-game-technology-plc-reports-first-quarter-2018-results-idUSASC0A34A

Sri Lankan rupee slips on importer dollar demand; heavy rains weigh

May 22, 2018 / 11:54 AM / Updated 6 minutes ago Sri Lankan rupee slips on importer dollar demand; heavy rains weigh Reuters Staff 2 Min Read COLOMBO, May 22 (Reuters) - The Sri Lankan rupee ended marginally weaker on Tuesday with dollar demand from importers surpassing mild selling of the U.S. currency by exporters, dealers said. The spot rupee ended at 158.00/10 per dollar, compared with Monday’s close of 157.85/95. “There was some demand and exporters were silent,” a currency dealer said. Dealers said the rupee could come under pressure with low supply of dollars as tea exporters would stay away due to rains. Heavy monsoon rains have killed eight people, prompting authorities to warn against landslides and floods in low-lying areas after spill gates had to be opened across the Indian Ocean island. The rupee hit a record low for a third straight session on May 16 and touched 158.50 per dollar after the central bank chief said on May 11 that the currency would depreciate gradually as dollar outflows surpass inflows. The currency has declined 0.13 percent so far this month after a 1.5 percent fall in April. It has fallen 2.9 percent this year. The pressure on the currency is unwarranted as the gross external reserves are at $9.1 billion and the real effective exchange rate indexes indicate that the currency is competitive, the central bank said on Wednesday. The central bank is “studying carefully” if there was extra pressure on the currency than what was expected, and also the behaviour of market participants, central bank chief Indrajit Coomarswamy had said on May 11. Dealers said they expect the rupee to gradually weaken and face higher volatility this year due to debt repayments by the government. Senior central bank Deputy Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe had said early this month that debt repayments by the government will not have an impact on the currency as they are managed with borrowed money externally. Foreign investors sold government securities worth a net 5.97 billion rupees ($37.86 million) in the week ended May 16, bringing the outflow so far this year to 15.8 billion rupees, central bank data showed. $1 = 157.7000 Sri Lankan rupees Reporting by Ranga Sirilal and Shihar Aneez; Editing by Vyas Mohan

https://www.reuters.com/article/sri-lanka-forex/sri-lankan-rupee-slips-on-importer-dollar-demand-heavy-rains-weigh-idUSL3N1ST3WY

Eating fast food hurts women's chances of getting pregnant, increases infertility, study says

Women who eat less fruit and more fast food are less likely to conceive within a year and more likely to experience infertility, according to new study. For the study, published Friday in the peer-reviewed medical journal Human Reproduction, researchers analyzed diets of 5,598 women in Australia, New Zealand, the U.K. and Ireland. The team, led by professor Claire Roberts from University Adelaide's Robinson Research Institute in Australia, found women who eat fast food four or more times a week took nearly a month longer to become pregnant. Fast food was defined as items bought from fast food restaurants, and did not include fast food items bought from supermarkets, such as pizza. So, overall fast food consumption might have been underreported, researchers said. Women who ate fruit three or more times a day increased chances of becoming pregnant quickly. Women who ate fruit less than one to three times a month took half a month longer to conceive, the study found. Read more from USA Today: Are you experiencing infertility? What should you do next? Myths about IVF, surrogacy and adoption More pregnant women are using pot to treat morning sickness, studies suggest Researchers determined women who ate the least amount of fruit increased their risk of infertility from 8 percent to 12 percent and women who ate fast food four or more times a week increased their risk from 8 percent to 16 percent. Infertility is defined as not being able to get pregnant after one year. "We recommend that women who want to become pregnant should align their dietary intakes towards national dietary recommendations for pregnancy," first author Jessica Grieger said in a statement. "Our data shows that frequent consumption of fast foods delays time to pregnancy." Eating green leafy vegetables and fish did not seem to affect time conceiving. Data on pre-pregnancy diet was collected retrospectively during the first prenatal visit and information on father's diet was not a part of the study — both factors could have impacted conclusions. The team plans to further study dietary patterns and their link to conception. "For any dietary intake assessment, one needs to use some caution regarding whether participant recall is an accurate reflection of dietary intake," Grieger said. "However, given that many women do not change their diet from pre-pregnancy to during pregnancy, we believe that the women's recall of their diet one month prior to pregnancy is likely to be reasonably accurate."

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/04/eating-fast-food-hurts-womens-chances-of-getting-pregnant-increases-infertility-study-says.html

Italy could be next Greece if it raises spending -Maltese finmin

BRUSSELS, May 24 (Reuters) - Italy could trigger another sovereign debt crisis like Greece did in 2010 if the policies of the new Italian government, now being formed, focus only on more spending, Maltese Finance Minister Edward Scicluna said on Thursday. “If ... it is just a question of spending and spending and borrowing and spending then unfortunately it will be a replay of Greece,” he told reporters on entering a meeting of euro zone finance ministers in Brussels. Euro zone governments and financial markets have been alarmed at the impending arrival of a new coalition in Rome under Giuseppe Conte comprising two eurosceptic, anti-establishment parties, who won votes in a March election by calling for an easing of euro zone budget discipline and public debt rules. Reporting By Jan Strupczewski and Megan Dollar Editing by Alastair Macdonald

https://www.reuters.com/article/eurozone-italy-malta-scicluna/italy-could-be-next-greece-if-it-raises-spending-maltese-finmin-idUSB5N1P001H

Two miners dead, three missing after quake at Polish coal mine

WARSAW (Reuters) - Rescue teams have confirmed the death of a second Polish coal miner and are searching for three more trapped nearly a kilometer underground after a quake, the chief executive of the mine owner said. Emergency vehicle parks outside the JSW mine where coal miners are missing underground after a strong quake hit a mine in Jastrzebie Zdroj, Poland May 5, 2018. Agencja Gazeta/Dominik Gajda via REUTERS The quake hit the Borynia-Zofiowka-Jastrzebie coal mine in southern Poland on Saturday morning, initially trapping seven miners at a depth of about 900 meters (2,950 feet). It was the mine’s strongest quake going back to 1989. Two miners were rescued on Saturday after the tremor caused part of the tunnel where they worked to collapse. People wait outside the JSW mine where coal miners are missing underground after a strong quake hit a mine in Jastrzebie Zdroj, Poland May 5, 2018. Agencja Gazeta/Dominik Gajda via REUTERS The energy released by the quake amounted to 40 percent of all energy released in the roughly 110,000 tremors recorded at the mine since 1989, Daniel Ozon, the chief executive of mine owner JSW, told reporters. People wait outside the JSW mine where coal miners are missing underground after a strong quake hit a mine in Jastrzebie Zdroj, Poland May 5, 2018. Agencja Gazeta/Dominik Gajda via REUTERS Ozon said that the quake had a magnitude of 3.5 to 4.0. Earlier estimates by state mining supervisor WUG put its magnitude at 3.4. The two rescued miners were taken to a hospital in the city of Jastrzebie-Zdroj. They were in “relatively good condition” and could walk unaided, Ozon told reporters on Saturday. About 250 people were working in the mine at the time of the quake, JSW said. The missing miners were from a team of 11 that was drilling a new tunnel. Four escaped by themselves. Rescue operations was hampered by high levels of methane, which reached a concentration of up to 58 percent. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who reached the mine on Saturday evening, said the rescue operation was difficult and that he hoped the remaining miners would be saved. President Andrzej Duda reached the mine on Sunday noon. The state mining supervisor said the quake was a type that can occur in coal mines deposits are removed. Reporting by Marcin Goettig and Pawel Sobczak; editing by Adrian Croft, Larry King

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-poland-miners-jsw/two-miners-dead-three-missing-after-quake-at-polish-coal-mine-idUSKBN1I70MF

Russia says it, Saudi Arabia have common view on oil deal

May 24, 2018 / 10:24 AM / in 4 minutes Russia's Novak says oil production curbs could be eased 'softly': Ifax Reuters Staff 3 Min Read ST PETERSBURG (Reuters) - Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Thursday restrictions on oil production could be eased “softly” if OPEC and non-OPEC countries see the oil market balancing in June, the Interfax news agency reported. FILE PHOTO: Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak waits before a meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia March 26, 2018. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin/File Photo Novak said OPEC and non-OPEC countries currently plan to keep in place their deal to cut global oil output, the news agency reported. Separately, Novak said he planned to meet Khalid al-Falih, the energy minister of OPEC’s de facto leader Saudi Arabia, later in the day. Oil prices fell about 1 percent on Thursday, with expectations building that OPEC could wind down the output deal in place since the start of 2017, due to supply concerns out of Venezuela and Iran. Novak, speaking in St Petersburg at an economic forum, said he also would meet with Russian oil companies to discuss the oil output deal between OPEC and non-OPEC countries. Novak said the meeting with Russian oil companies could take place either next week or the week after. Russia and Saudi Arabia have a common position on the future of the output-cutting deal, Novak said, while Russia’s Lukoil ( LKOH.MM ) said the deal should remain in place but needs to be altered. “We have a common position,” Novak said at the forum, which Falih is also expected to attend. The Saudi-led Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and other large oil producers, notably Russia, have agreed to reduce output by 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) until the end of the year. Some oil market participants have expressed concerns about potential oil shortages amid a production decline in Venezuela and after U.S. President Donald Trump announced plans to pull the United States out of a nuclear deal with Iran. Saudi Arabia has indicated that it could raise its oil output to offset any potential supply deficit. Vagit Alekperov, head of Russia’s No.2 oil company Lukoil, which produces over 1.7 million bpd, said it was time to raise oil production as prices had hit $80 per barrel, a level not seen since late 2014. OPEC and non-OPEC countries will meet in June in Vienna to discuss their cooperation and the future of the deal. “I hope that minister Novak will gather us before the meeting ... the oil price at $80 is already high,” Alekperov said. Reporting by Oksana Kobzeva and Olesya Astakhova; writing by Tom Balmforth and Vladimir Soldatkin; editing by Maria Kiselyova and Dale Hudson

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-economy-forum-opec/russia-says-it-saudi-arabia-have-common-view-on-oil-deal-idUSKCN1IP1IG

'Harry Potter,' 'Angels in America' earn Tony praise

'Harry Potter,''Angels in America' earn Tony praise Tuesday, May 01, 2018 - 01:34 Tue, 01 May, 2018 - (1:45) Featured Videos Thu, 23 Nov, 2017 - (2:18) Follow Reuters: Reuters Plus | Reuters News Agency | Brand Attribution Guidelines | Careers Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters , is the world’s largest international multimedia news provider reaching more than one billion people every day. Reuters provides trusted business, financial, national, and international news to professionals via Thomson Reuters desktops, the world's media organizations, and directly to consumers at Reuters.com and via Reuters TV. Learn more about Thomson Reuters products:

https://uk.reuters.com/video/2018/05/01/harry-potter-angels-in-america-earn-tony?videoId=423011325

Leadership Additions to Executive Team to Support Strategic Growth

OCEANSIDE, Calif., May 2, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- AOTI Inc. announced today that Kevin Burke has joined the company as its Chief Commercial Officer and Head of USA Sales. Previously, Kevin served as Vice President of Market Development with Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. (CSI), where he played an integral role in the exponential growth of company revenue to over $200M, creating substantial increases to shareholder value. Prior to CSI, Kevin spent 11 years with Medtronic's Spinal Division in a variety of leadership positions, overseeing multiple sales operations, as well as new product launches driving therapy adoption into emerging market segments."Kevin is a proven leader with a track record of attaining results in fast growing medical device companies, his skill-set is critical to AOTI as we look to scale up the organization to meet our significant growth objectives. We are absolutely delighted to have been able to attract such a high value performer to join our team," stated Dr. Mike Griffiths, CEO and President of AOTI. Additionally, AOTI Inc. announced that Anthony Moffatt has been promoted to the role of Chief Financial Officer and will oversee all finance functions for both the USA and Irish arms of the company. Previously, Anthony had been Director of Finance and Customer Service for the company. Also, Despi Hardy has been promoted to the role of Clinical Science Liaison, where she will oversee clinical evidence development and manage relationships with key opinion leader (KOL) clinicians and researchers. This is an enhancement to her previous role as Clinical Trials Manager, where she oversaw the company's pivotal Multi-National Double-Blinded Placebo Controlled Randomized Clinical Trial that recently completed enrollment. Dr. Griffiths added, "These new appointments and promotions will further strengthen our management team in key strategic areas that are critical to the growth of our business as we approach broader market reimbursement for our products, based on achieving the strongest scientific evidence demonstrating both the healing and health economic benefits of our Topical Wound Oxygen (TWO 2 ) homecare therapy." About AOTI AOTI Inc. is a leading international company providing innovative solutions to resolve severe and chronic wounds worldwide. Our products reduce healthcare costs and improve the quality of life for patients with these debilitating illnesses. Our patented non-invasive Topical Wound Oxygen (TWO 2 ) therapy is unsurpassed in fully closing Diabetic, Venous and Pressure ulcers alike. AOTI is a private company based in Oceanside, California USA and Galway, Ireland. For more information, see: www.aotinc.net Dr. Mike Griffiths CEO and President 194389@email4pr.com (760) 672 1920 View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/leadership-additions-to-executive-team-to-support-strategic-growth-300640748.html SOURCE AOTI Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/02/pr-newswire-leadership-additions-to-executive-team-to-support-strategic-growth.html

Construction Industry Round Table Announces Board Elections & New Chairman

MCLEAN, Va., May 3, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Construction Industry Round Table (CIRT), a national business trade association comprised exclusively of approximately 120 chief executives from the leading design and construction companies doing business in the United States and globally, has elected Charlie Bacon, President and CEO of Limbach Holdings, Inc., as Chairman of the organization for a term of one year. He succeeds Wayne Drinkward, Chairman of Hoffman Corporation. Bacon was elected during CIRT's Annual Spring Conference this week in Washington, DC which also welcomed new directors. Charlie Bacon Chairman "The design and construction industry builds America and CIRT has moved the industry forward on so many fronts," said Bacon. "Through CIRT's education programs with world class speakers and subject matter experts to the sharing of best practices, senior industry executives expand their knowledge base and build lasting friendships. I am very proud to see CIRT support great industry programs such as industry ethics, the ACE Mentor Program, and assisting in the industry's drive to dramatically improve safety. I look forward to this next year working with the Board and the CIRT staff to continue its mission." In welcoming Bacon as the new Chairman, CIRT President Mark A. Casso, Esq., NAC noted, "Charlie puts his full attention and heart into anything he commits to; he will bring a great deal of energy to promoting the interests of the design and construction industry's interests." BOARD ELECTIONS At CIRT's Membership Meeting, the following members were also elected as officers: Paul Franzen, President, Barnard Construction, Bozeman, MT as Vice Chairman; Wassim A. Selman, Ph.D., P.E., ARCADIS, U.S., Inc., Atlanta, GA as Treasurer; and Wayne Drinkward, Chairman, Hoffman Corporation, Portland, OR will continue to serve on the Executive Committee as Immediate Past Chairman. In addition to the executive committee elections, CIRT also welcomed the following four industry leaders as new directors who will serve on the board through 2021: Al Gerhardt, President & COO, Kraus-Anderson Construction Co. Gregory A. Kelly, P.E., President & CEO, U.S., WSP David Sweeney, P.E., CEO, RS&H, Inc. Douglas C. Welling, President & CEO, Jacobsen Construction Co., Inc. "CIRT is fortunate to have a dedicated board of such highly regarded industry professionals. We offer congratulations to our new officers and directors; and thank all of our current and outgoing directors for their service to CIRT and its members as well as the design / construction industry," said Casso. Limbach Holdings, Inc. is an integrated building systems provider, managing all components of mechanical, electrical, plumbing and control systems, from system design and construction through performance and maintenance. The Company engineers, constructs and services the mechanical, plumbing, air conditioning, heating, building automation, electrical and control systems in both new and existing buildings. Customers include building owners in the private, not-for-profit and public/government sectors. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA., Limbach operates from 10 strategically located business units throughout the United States, including Western Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh), Eastern Pennsylvania (Warrington, PA), New Jersey (South Brunswick), New England (Wilmington, MA), Ohio (Columbus and Athens, OH), Michigan (Pontiac and Lansing, MI), Southern California (Seal Beach, CA), and Mid-Atlantic (Laurel, MD). Our design engineering and innovation center, Limbach Engineering & Design Services, is based in Orlando, Florida. Harper Building Systems, a Limbach Holdings, Inc. company, operates throughout Florida with offices in Tampa and Lake Mary, north of Orlando. Our approximately 1,700 employees strive to be the customer's 1st Choice in terms of the services provided, vertical markets and geographies served. Our commitment to safety, advanced technology, human development and reliable execution has enabled Limbach to attract and retain the industry's top leadership talent, skilled craftspeople and professional management staff. For more information about Limbach, please call 412-359-2100; or visit our website at www.limbachinc.com . For more information about CIRT contact, Mark Casso, 202-466-6777; or visit our website at www.cirt.org . View original content with multimedia: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/construction-industry-round-table-announces-board-elections--new-chairman-300642031.html SOURCE Construction Industry Round Table

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/03/pr-newswire-construction-industry-round-table-announces-board-elections-new-chairman.html

Brazil truckers association ABCAM recommends end of strike

May 28, 2018 / 11:45 AM / Updated an hour ago Brazil truckers association ABCAM recommends end of strike Reuters Staff 1 Min Read SAO PAULO, May 28 (Reuters) - Brazilian trucker association ABCAM is recommending truckers go back to work as it considers the goals of the nationwide strike have been achieved with measures announced late on Sunday by President Michel Temer, a spokesperson for the association said. The association expects the number of trucks blocking highways will be “significantly smaller” by the end of the day on Monday. Brazilian finance minister Eduardo Guardia said the cost of measures announced on Sunday by President Michel Temer will amount to 9.5 billion reais ($2.6 billion), of which 3.8 billion will come from cutting government expenses. Guardia said the nationwide strike has a “significant impact” on Brazilian economic activity. ($1 = 3.6509 reais) (Reporting by Raquel Stenzel; Writing by Tatiana Bautzer Editing by James Dalgleish)

https://www.reuters.com/article/brazil-transport/brazil-truckers-association-abcam-recommends-end-of-strike-idUSE6N1SA03D

TRI Pointe Group Strengthens Executive Leadership Team With Three New Hires

IRVINE, Calif., May 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TRI Pointe Group, Inc. (NYSE:TPH) announced today the addition of three new senior-level executives to its corporate team to support its family of homebuilder brands: Heather Breidenthal as Chief Human Resources Officer, Jeff Lake as Vice President of Architecture and Design, and Sherri Drew as Vice President of Design Studios. The expansion of the team, which is based in the Irvine, Calif. headquarters, reinforces TRI Pointe Group’s commitment to hiring best-in-class industry professionals and delivering product differentiation in the marketplace as the company’s six regional brands continue to grow. As Chief Human Resources Officer, Breidenthal will implement her expertise in talent development, training, and mergers and acquisition with a key focus on best practices in Human Resources programs and benefits. Prior to joining TRI Pointe Group, Breidenthal spent over 17 years as Senior Vice President of Human Resources at CalAtlantic Group and Standard Pacific Homes. “As we look to grow our company over the next ten years, Heather will be instrumental in helping us continue to build our culture and company into one of the best places to work in the United States,” said TRI Pointe Group CEO Doug Bauer. “We are extremely fortunate to have found someone with Heather’s talents, credentials, and proven experience to fill this critical role.” As Vice President of Architecture and Design, Lake will serve as a strategic resource collaborating with TRI Pointe Group’s regional homebuilding brands throughout the design and architectural processes. Lake’s focus will be on further advancing TRI Pointe Group’s product innovation, building cost efficiency, and overall customer experience. Lake previously served as National Vice President of Architecture at CalAtlantic Group and Standard Pacific Homes. “Jeff’s comprehensive understanding of architecture and design and his experience in the market is tremendously valuable as we strive for future success at TRI Pointe Group,” said Tom Mitchell, Chief Operating Officer and President of TRI Pointe Group. “Jeff is extremely talented with a national reputation for helping homebuilders evolve creatively while improving the bottom line.” As Vice President of Design Studios, Drew will utilize her 16-plus years of experience and knowledge of new home personalization and customer experience management to oversee TRI Pointe Group’s design studio operations while implementing new technology solutions and metrics. She previously served as the Director of Design Studios for the West Region at Interior Specialists, Inc. “Sherri’s appointment represents TRI Pointe Group’s commitment to constantly improving the home buying experience,” said Mitchell. “Under her experienced and proven leadership, I believe we can boost our overall customer experience and generate incremental revenue from options and upgrades.” About TRI Pointe Group® Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., TRI Pointe Group, Inc. (NYSE:TPH) is a family of premium regional homebuilders that designs, builds, and sells homes in major U.S. markets. As one of the top ten largest public homebuilding companies by market capitalization in the United States, TRI Pointe Group combines the resources, operational sophistication, and leadership of a national organization with the regional insights, community ties, and agility of local homebuilders. The TRI Pointe Group family includes Maracay Homes® in Arizona, Pardee Homes® in California and Nevada, Quadrant Homes® in Washington, Trendmaker® Homes in Texas, TRI Pointe Homes® in California and Colorado, and Winchester® Homes in the Washington, D.C. area. TRI Pointe Group was recognized on Fortune magazine’s 2017 100 Fastest-Growing Companies list, named 2015 Builder of the Year by Builder magazine, and 2014 Developer of the Year by Builder and Developer magazine. The company was also named one of the Best Places to Work in Orange County by the Orange County Business Journal and Best Companies Group in 2016 and 2017. For more information, please visit www.TriPointeGroup.com . Contact Katy Biggerstaff NewGround PR & Marketing 562.761.6338 / kbiggerstaff@newgroundco.com Source:TRI Pointe Group Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/15/globe-newswire-tri-pointe-group-strengthens-executive-leadership-team-with-three-new-hires.html

WRAPUP 2-U.S. factory activity slows further, tariff concerns grow

(Adds details from ISM survey, analyst comments, updates markets) * ISM factory activity index drops to 57.3 in April * New orders index slips, employment measure falls * Construction spending drops 1.7 percent March WASHINGTON, May 1 (Reuters) - U.S. factory activity slowed for a second straight month in April, with manufacturers complaining about rising commodity prices in the wake of the Trump administration's tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) survey published on Tuesday also showed shortages of skilled workers, which together with the proposed import tariffs were causing bottlenecks in the supply chain. Rising raw material costs are the latest indication that inflation pressures are building and could attract the attention of Federal Reserve officials who began a two-day policy meeting on Tuesday. Data on Monday showed a jump in annual inflation rates in March. In addition, wages grew at their quickest pace in 11 years in the first quarter. "It supports our view that the Fed will raise interest rates three additional times this year," said Ryan Sweet, a senior economist at Moody's Analytics in West Chester, Pennsylvania. "The Fed is underestimating the amount of developing inflation pressures." The U.S. central bank is not expected to raise interest rates when it concludes its meeting on Wednesday. The Fed increased borrowings costs in March and has forecast at least two more rate hikes for this year. The ISM said its index of national factory activity dropped to a reading of 57.3 last month from 59.3 in March. A reading above 50 in the ISM index indicates growth in manufacturing, which accounts for about 12 percent of the U.S. economy. The survey's prices paid index increased 1.2 points to 79.3, the highest reading since April 2011. Last month, price increases occurred across 17 of 18 industry sectors. Machinery manufacturers said tariffs had increased prices for steel and other materials. They reported that "a lot of suppliers are asking for increases, and the team is battling those requests." President Donald Trump imposed a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum in March. However, on Tuesday he postponed imposition of the tariffs on Canada, Mexico and the EU until June 1 and reached agreements for permanent exemptions for Argentina, Australia and Brazil. Miscellaneous products manufacturers described the tariffs as "very concerning" and said "business planning is at a standstill until they are resolved." Manufacturers of fabricated metal products said the steel tariffs had made it difficult to source material, "and we have had to eliminate two products due to availability and cost of raw material." "Tariffs could add downside risks to factory production and increase input costs in the months ahead," said Scott Anderson, chief economist at Bank of the West in San Francisco. The ISM's measure of factory employment dropped in April. Transport equipment manufacturers said while business was robust, capacity constraints were a headache. They described labor as remaining "tight and getting tighter." Those sentiments were also shared by food, beverage and tobacco products manufacturers who said shortages of trucks and drivers had impacted delivery times. CONSTRUCTION SPENDING TUMBLES Despite the second straight monthly drop in the ISM index, manufacturing remains underpinned by a firming global economy as well as a weakening U.S. dollar, which is boosting the competitiveness of American-made goods on the global market. Stocks on Wall Street fell as investors worried about inflation. The dollar was trading higher against a basket of currencies while prices for U.S. Treasuries slipped. A separate report from the Commerce Department showed construction spending unexpectedly fell in March as a sharp decline in homebuilding and renovations led to the biggest drop in investment in private construction projects in more than seven years. Construction spending tumbled 1.7 percent. February data was revised to show construction spending increasing 1.0 percent instead of the previously reported 0.1 percent gain. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast construction spending accelerating 0.5 percent in March. Construction spending rose 3.6 percent on a year-on-year basis. In March, spending on private construction projects declined 2.1 percent. That was the largest fall since January 2011 and followed a 1.2 percent increase in February. Outlays on private residential projects plunged 3.5 percent, the biggest drop since April 2009, after advancing 1.2 percent in February. Spending on both single and multifamily housing projects fell in March. Spending on home renovation dropped 8.0 percent last month. Economists expected the construction data would subtract one-tenth of a percentage point from the government's 2.3 percent annualized growth rate estimate for first-quarter gross domestic product, which was published last Friday. "We expect residential construction spending to grow in 2018 on our thesis that while home building is being constrained by supply issues, the demographic demand for housing units exceeds supply," said John Ryding, chief economist at RDQ Economics in New York. (Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Andrea Ricci)

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/01/reuters-america-wrapup-2-u-s-factory-activity-slows-further-tariff-concerns-grow.html

U.S. weekly jobless claims rise; unemployment rolls smallest in 45 years

May 17, 2018 / 12:33 PM / Updated 5 hours ago U.S. labor market tightening; mid-Atlantic factory activity picks up Lucia Mutikani 5 Min Read WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New applications for U.S. jobless benefits increased more than expected last week, but the number of Americans on unemployment rolls fell to its lowest level since 1973, pointing to diminishing labor market slack. FILE PHOTO: A job seeker holds a "We're Hiring" card while talking to a representative from Target at a City of Boston Neighborhood Career Fair on May Day in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S., May 1, 2017. REUTERS/Brian Snyder Other data on Thursday showed an acceleration in mid-Atlantic factory activity this month, with manufacturers saying they were boosting employment and asking for higher prices for their products. The combination of a tightening labor market and firming inflation bolsters expectations the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates next month. “The U.S. labor market is headed toward becoming the tightest in recent memory,” said Kathryn Asher, an economist at Moody’s Analytics in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits rose 11,000 to a seasonally adjusted 222,000 for the week ended May 12, the Labor Department said. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast claims rising to 215,000 in the latest week. The labor market is viewed as being close to or at full employment, with the jobless rate near a 17-1/2-year low of 3.9 percent and within striking distance of the Fed’s forecast of 3.8 percent by the end of this year. The U.S. central bank raised rates in March and forecast at least two more hikes for this year. The number of people receiving benefits after an initial week of aid decreased 87,000 to 1.71 million in the week ended May 5, the lowest level since December 1973. Declining continuing claims underscore tightening labor market conditions and support economists’ expectations that wage growth will accelerate in the second half of the year. The labor market and regional factory data added to strong reports this week on consumer spending and industrial production in suggesting that economic growth was picking up early in the second quarter after slowing at the start of the year. Growth estimates for the second quarter are around a 3.0 percent annualized rate. The economy grew at a 2.3 percent rate in the January-March period. A report from the Conference Board on Thursday showed its leading economic index, a gauge of future U.S. economic activity, increased 0.4 percent in April after a similar gain in March. That indicates strong growth should continue into the second half of the year. The yield on the 30-year U.S. government bond rose to its highest level since July 2015, helping to lift the dollar against a basket of currencies. Stocks on Wall Street were slightly higher. SOLID JOB GROWTH The four-week moving average of initial claims, viewed as a better measure of labor market trends as it irons out week-to-week volatility, fell 2,750 to 213,250 last week, the lowest level since December 1969. The claims data covered the survey period for the nonfarm payrolls portion of May’s employment report. The four-week average of claims fell 18,250 between the April and May survey periods, suggesting solid job growth. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 164,000 jobs in April after rising by 135,000 in March. Job gains are slowing as employers struggle to find skilled workers. There were a record 6.6 million unfilled jobs in March, according to government data published last week. Expectations of strong job growth this month were also bolstered by a separate report on Thursday from the Philadelphia Fed which showed its manufacturing business outlook survey’s current general activity index rose about 11 points to a reading of 34.4 in May. Manufacturers in the mid-Atlantic region reported hiring more workers this month and increasing hours for their existing workforce. The survey’s employment index rose to a seven-month high. While a measure of prices paid for raw materials by factories in the region fell, it remained at high levels. The survey’s prices received index rose to its highest reading since February 1989. Nearly 64 percent of the firms expected input price increases over the next six months, and 36 percent anticipated higher prices for their goods. In response to a special question on prices and wages, manufacturers in the region said they expected changes in prices of their goods to exceed inflation over the next year. They also expected wages and benefits for factory workers to increase 3 percent over the same period. Though these findings are unchanged from when the same question was asked in February, they fit in with economists’ predictions that inflation will overshot the Fed’s 2 percent target. The U.S. central bank’s preferred inflation measure, the personal consumption expenditures price excluding food and energy, increased 1.9 percent year-on-year in March. “While the strong growth should continue through the rest of the year, the rising pricing power it is supporting is becoming worrisome,” said Joel Naroff, chief economist at Naroff Economic Advisors in Holland, Pennsylvania. Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Paul Simao

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-economy/u-s-weekly-jobless-claims-rise-unemployment-rolls-smallest-in-45-years-idUSKCN1II1RA

Why Blackstone Is Buying LaSalle Hotel Properties

Why Blackstone Is Buying LaSalle Hotel Properties Blackstone 11:55 AM EDT Blackstone is making big moves. Just three days after the private equity group sold the remains of its Hilton stake, it’s scooping another hotel giant. Blackstone agreed to buy U.S. hotel owner LaSalle Hotel Properties for $3.7 billion, outbidding a $3.5 billion offer by Pebblebrook Hotel Trust. Pebbelbrook later upped its bid, but LaSalle went with Blackstone, determining that “this transaction represents the most compelling opportunity.” The deal values LaSalle at $33.50 per share and represents a 5% premium to LaSalle’s closing price on Friday. LaSalle’s Chairman Stuart Scott was reportedly in contact with at least 20 potential bidders and signed confidentiality agreements with 10 of them before agreeing to accept Blackstone’s offer. LaSalle owns four hotels in Manhattan—Gild Hall, Park Central New York, the Roger, and WestHouse. “After careful consideration of multiple proposals received, the board determined that this transaction represents the most compelling opportunity for LaSalle’s shareholders, delivering a significant premium with immediate and certain cash value,” Scott said in a news release. If the deal falls apart, the breakup fees are pretty significant. If LaSalle terminates the transaction, the fee amounts to $112 million, whereas if Blackstone decides to back out, it’s $336 million. The deal makes sense for Blackstone. The private equity firm typically buys hotels and other real estate holdings at a discount and then sells them for a profit after restructuring operations. For instance, the Hilton investment proved fruitful for Blackstone. With the recent exit, Blackstone will realize some $14 billion of profit , meaning that it has more than tripled its initial investment. SPONSORED FINANCIAL CONTENT

http://fortune.com/2018/05/21/blackstone-lasalle/

UPDATE 1-UK employment jumps but strong wage growth still elusive

(Adds reaction, detail) By Andy Bruce and William Schomberg LONDON, May 15 (Reuters) - British employers hired many more workers than expected in early 2018 but wage growth has yet to accelerate sharply, according to figures that leave the Bank of England still waiting for signs the economy is ready for a rise in interest rates. Employment rose by 197,000 during the first three months of this year, the biggest jump since late 2015 and far exceeding the 130,000 consensus expectation of a Reuters poll of economists. Sterling and British government bonds were little moved by the figures, which showed a familiar picture of solid growth in jobs, unemployment at its lowest level in decades, but only a modest pick-up in pay for most British workers, who have been hit by higher inflation since the 2016 Brexit vote. Annual growth in earnings, excluding bonuses, edged up to 2.9 percent in the three months to March after a 2.8 percent rise in February, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said on Tuesday, as expected in the Reuters poll. While this was the biggest increase since the three months to August 2015, it represented only a 0.4 percent increase in pay in inflation-adjusted terms. Including bonuses, total pay growth cooled to 2.6 percent from 2.8 percent in the three months to February, as expected. Last week the BoE left interest rates on hold, despite saying in February that borrowing costs were likely to go up more quickly than it had previously thought. It said it wanted to be sure the economy was bouncing back after barely growing in the first quarter. Economists said the strength of hiring in Tuesday's figures suggested Britain's economy did not have such a bad start to 2018 as portrayed by the preliminary official data. "On balance, the combination of robust employment growth, falling unemployment and stronger underlying earnings growth -- as well as a clear relapse in productivity in the first quarter -- looks supportive to a Bank of England interest rate hike in August," said Howard Archer, chief economic adviser to the EY ITEM Club consultancy. "However, much is likely to depend on whether the UK economy sees clear signs of marked improvement over coming months." The ONS published new figures for employment of foreign nationals and for productivity, a long-term problem for Britain's economy. Output-per-hour fell by 0.5 percent quarter-on-quarter in the three months to March after a 0.7 percent rise in the fourth quarter of 2017, marking the biggest fall since late 2015 and denting hopes that British productivity was on the mend. Less than a year before Britain is due to exit the European Union, the ONS said the number of EU nationals employed in Britain fell by 1.2 percent from a year ago to 2.292 million -- the biggest drop in percentage terms for eight years. (Reporting by Andy Bruce Editing by Catherine Evans) Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

https://www.reuters.com/article/britain-economy/update-1-uk-employment-jumps-but-strong-wage-growth-still-elusive-idUSL5N1SM3A7

Stock markets reverse course and surge as Italy fears fade

NEW YORK (AP) — Banks and energy companies surged Wednesday and smaller companies made huge gains as stocks got back almost all the ground they lost the day before. Investors reversed course as they hoped Italy would be able to avoid a new round of elections after all. Financial companies rallied as bond yields turned higher and energy companies rose along with U.S. crude oil, which busted out of a five-day losing streak. The shift came after Carlo Cottarelli, nominated to be Italy's next prime minister, said there were "new possibilities" to form a government. Stocks had plunged the previous day as investors expected gridlock to be resolved with new elections that could have turned into a yes-or-no referendum deciding whether Italy would continue to use the euro. JJ Kinahan, chief market strategist for TD Ameritrade, said the market often reacts irregularly to political events like the uncertainty in Italy or tensions between the U.S. and North Korea: stocks often fall fast and then recover in quick fashion. That process can sometimes repeat itself weeks or months later. "If there's no follow-up news, they tend to come back near where they started," he said. "I wouldn't count on it being done for the summer." The S&P 500 index jumped 34.15 points, or 1.3 percent, to 2,724.01. The Dow Jones industrial average climbed 306.33 points, or 1.3 percent, to 24,667.78. The Nasdaq composite gained 65.86 points, or 0.9 percent, to 7,462.45. While the S&P 500 and Nasdaq recovered Tuesday's losses and then some, smaller and more U.S.-focused companies did ever better as investors continued to worry about trade. Small companies finished with minor losses Tuesday, and on Wednesday they made even bigger gains than larger multinationals did. The Russell 2000 index surged 24.34 points, or 1.5 percent, and closed at a record high of 1,647.99. The Chinese government criticized the U.S., which had renewed a threat to raise duties on some imports from China. At the same time, officials from the U.S. and European Union held talks on the tariffs the Trump administration has proposed on European steel and aluminum. European Union negotiations seemed pessimistic and said they expected the U.S. to announce a final decision Thursday. China and the EU have both said they will react to new tariffs imposed by the U.S. with duties of their own, which has raised the prospect of greater tensions and the possibility of trade wars. Kinahan, of TD Ameritrade, said investors feel smaller companies are less vulnerable. Multinational companies have had a rough ride lately as investors reacted to trade tensions by shifting money into smaller and more U.S.-focused companies. "Much of their business is done domestically, so the tariffs shouldn't affect them as badly," he said. "But even if the tariffs don't happen, many of those stocks are performing well." Italy's FTSE MIB stock index climbed 2.1 percent after a 2.7 percent drop a day earlier. Prices for Italian government bonds also rose, sending yields down following a huge surge the day before. The euro rose to $1.1648 from $1.1531, which was its lowest level in almost a year. The dollar rose to 108.85 yen from 108.24 yen. Germany's DAX climbed 0.9 percent while the FTSE 100 index in Britain rose 0.7 percent. The CAC 40 in France lost 0.2 percent. Bond prices fell. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note rose to 2.84 percent from 2.79 percent. Interest rates rose and bank stocks recovered about half of their losses from Tuesday. When rates rise, banks can make more money on mortgages and other types of loans. Energy companies rose as U.S. crude oil climbed 2.2 percent to $68.21 per barrel in New York. Brent crude, used to price international oils, added 2.8 percent to $77.50 a barrel in London. Exxon Mobil rose 3.9 percent to $81.50. That was its biggest one-day gain since September 2016. Oil prices fell 7.6 percent in five days following reports OPEC countries and Russia might start producing more oil soon. Those countries cut production at the start of 2017, which helped take U.S. crude from about $50 a barrel in late 2016 to more than $70 this month. They had agreed to keep production at its current levels until the end of this year, but upheaval in Venezuela and new sanctions on Iran could change their plans. Wholesale gasoline rose 1.9 percent to $2.18 a gallon. Heating oil gained 2.1 percent to $2.23 a gallon. Natural gas slid 0.6 percent to $2.89 per 1,000 cubic feet. Investors also reacted to more earnings from retailers. Dick's Sporting Goods soared 25.8 percent to $38.35 after it raised its annual profit forecast. Its first-quarter report was better than expected thanks in part to strong online sales. Its decision to stop selling assault rifles and cease selling guns to people under 21 didn't appear to affect its business. Clothing company Chico's FAS plunged 18.2 percent to $8.17 after its profit fell short of expectations and luxury retailer Michael Kors dropped 11.4 percent to $60.41 following a disappointing forecast for the year. Gold rose 0.2 percent to $1,301.50 an ounce. Silver added 1 percent to $16.54 an ounce. Copper gained 0.2 percent to $3.07 a pound. Japan's Nikkei 225 stock index dropped 1.5 percent and the Kospi of South Korea dropped 2. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong slipped 1.4 percent. AP Markets Writer Marley Jay can be reached at http://twitter.com/MarleyJayAP . His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/marley%20jay

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/30/the-associated-press-stock-markets-reverse-course-and-surge-as-italy-fears-fade.html

Zafgen to Host Conference Call to Discuss Financial Results

BOSTON, May 01, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Zafgen, Inc. (Nasdaq:ZFGN), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company leveraging its proprietary knowledge of MetAP2 systems biology to develop novel therapies for patients affected by a range of metabolic diseases, announced today that it will host a conference call on Tuesday, May 8, 2018 at 4:30 p.m. ET to discuss its first quarter ended March 31, 2018. Participants may access the call by dialing (844) 824-7428 in the U.S. or (973) 500-2177 outside the U.S. and referencing conference ID number 6639039. The call will also be webcast live on the Company's website at https://zafgen.gcs-web.com/events-and-presentations . A replay of this conference call will be available beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on May 8, 2018 through May 15, 2018 by dialing (855) 859-2056 in the U.S. or (404) 537-3406 outside the U.S. To access the replay please provide conference ID number 6639039. About Zafgen Zafgen (Nasdaq:ZFGN) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company leveraging its proprietary knowledge of MetAP2 systems biology to develop novel therapies for patients affected by a range of complex metabolic diseases. Zafgen has pioneered the study of MetAP2 inhibitors in both common and rare metabolic disorders, and its current disease areas of focus are type 2 diabetes, Prader-Willi syndrome and liver diseases. The company’s lead product candidate is ZGN-1061, a MetAP2 inhibitor in Phase 2 clinical development with unique properties that maximize impact on metabolic parameters relevant to the treatment of type 2 diabetes and other related metabolic disorders. In 2018, Zafgen plans to file an investigational new drug (IND) application with the U.S. FDA and initiate Phase 1 clinical trials for ZGN-1258, its new molecule for the treatment of Prader-Willi syndrome and potential other rare and serious forms of obesity. Learn more at www.zafgen.com . Media/Investor Relations Contacts : Zafgen, Inc. Patricia Allen Chief Financial Officer 617-648-9792 Media Krystle Gibbs Ten Bridge Communications krystle@tenbridgecommunications.com 508-479-6358 Investors John Woolford Westwicke Partners John.woolford@westwicke.com 443-213-0506 Source:Zafgen, Inc.

http://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/01/globe-newswire-zafgen-to-host-conference-call-to-discuss-first-quarter-2018-financial-results.html

Thriller 'The 17th Suspect' tops U.S. best sellers list

(Reuters) - James Patterson and Maxine Paetro’s thriller “The 17th Suspect” topped the U.S. best-sellers list on Thursday. Data released by independent, online and chain bookstores, book wholesalers and independent distributors across the United States was used to compile the list. Hardcover Fiction Last week 1. “The 17th Suspect” 22 Patterson/Paetro (Little, Brown) 2. “The Fallen” 1 David Baldacci (Grand Central) 3. “Twisted Prey” 2 John Sandford (Putnam) 4. “The Forgotten Road” - Richard Paul Evans (Simon & Schuster) 5. “Adjustment Day” - Chuck Palahniuk (Norton) 6. “Before We Were Yours” 5 Lisa Wingate (Ballantine) 7. “The Hellfire Club” 4 Jake Tapper (Little, Brown) 8. “Little Fires Everywhere” 3 Celeste Ng (Penguin Press) 9. “The Woman in the Window” 6 A.J. Finn (Morrow) 10. “The Great Alone” 8 Kristin Hannah (St. Martin’s) Hardcover Non-Fiction 1. “Magnolia Table” 1 Joanna Gaines (Morrow) 2. “A Higher Loyalty” 2 James B. Comey (Flatiron) 3. “I’ll Be Gone in the Dark” 3 Michelle McNamara (Harper) 4. “12 Rules for Life” 4 Jordan B. Peterson (Random House Canada) 5. “War on Peace” 5 Ronan Farrow (Norton) 6. “Girl, Wash Your Face” 10 Rachel Hollis (Nelson) 7. “Fascism” 6 Madeleine Albright (Harper) 8. “Educated” 13 Tara Westover (Random House) 9. “The Light Within Me” 7 Ainsley Earhardt (Harper) 10. “I’ve Been Thinking...” 12 Maria Shriver (Viking/Dorman) Compiled by Eric Kelsey; Editing by Leslie Adler

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-books-bestsellers/thriller-the-17th-suspect-tops-u-s-best-sellers-list-idUSKBN1IB31F

UN deploys more peacekeepers to South Sudan's Unity state

JUBA, May 17 (Reuters) - The U.N. mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) is sending 150 peacekeepers to Unity state to protect civilians who are being targeted in clashes between the government and rebel troops, the mission said on Thursday. Nearly 1.76 million people have been displaced internally since fighting broke out in 2013 between troops loyal to President Salva Kiir and the former vice president he sacked, Riek Machar, the U.N. said. A series of peace deals signed by the parties at the behest of regional groups like the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) have been violated, with the latest violence taking place in Unity state, which hosts abandoned oil fields. “What we are witnessing on the ground is the deliberate killing of civilians as well as the sexual violation and abduction of women and children,” David Shearer, the head of the U.N. mission, said in a statement. Dozens have been killed in the area in recent weeks, UNMISS said. “Our fresh deployment will enable peacekeeping troops to patrol deeper to reach remote villages where the worst atrocities are taking place to create a protective presence and deter further fighting.” At least 30 villages in the area had been attacked by the warring parties, Shearer said, adding that thousands of civilians were fleeing to Leer from Koch. Those who are displaced were seeking refuge near the UN base, with the majority being children, the head of the mission said, demanding that those who are violating laws by attacking civilians should be held to account. Reporting by Denis Dumo Writing by Duncan Miriri Editing by Catherine Evans

https://www.reuters.com/article/southsudan-unrest/un-deploys-more-peacekeepers-to-south-sudans-unity-state-idUSL5N1SO45W

Bitcoin Gold Suffers Rare '51% Attack'

By Jeff John Roberts 10:48 AM EDT Hackers compromised the cryptocurrency Bitcoin Gold—a lesser known offshoot of the original Bitcoin—this month, using superior computing power to falsify the currency’s ledger and swindle at least $18 million from online exchanges. The hacking incident, which was reported in a blog post earlier this month, is significant because it shows how a so-called 51% percent attack, which poses an existential threat to any Bitcoin-like currency, is not just a theoretical concern. The threat is known as a “51% attack” because it stems from a malicious actor obtaining more than half of the mining power on a cryptocurrency network. This dominant level of computer power makes it possible to manipulate the blockchain ledger on which transactions are recorded, and to spend the same digital coins more than once. As an analogy, it’s as if a fraudster got access to the clearing records of a stock exchange and falsified a series of share transfers. This is basically what happened to Bitcoin Gold. According to the website Bitcoinist , the records of a digital wallet show hackers made a series of fraudulent deposits in which the money never ended up with the recipient exchange: “The attacker sends a particular number of BTG tokens to an exchange, trades them for another coin and makes a withdrawal. The hacker then returns those same coins in his/her wallet, hence the double-spending problem. Thus, the attacker can spend and hold the same coins at the same time. Looking at the image above, if all 76 transactions were indeed part of the hack, then the hacker has stolen about $18 million based on the current BTG price.” The Bitcoin Gold network still appears vulnerable to further such attacks. The hacker has yet to strike again, however, possibly because further attacks could trigger a massive sell-off as Bitcoin Gold holders lose faith in the integrity of the network. The price of Bitcoin Gold fell slightly on news of the attack but so far there has been no sign of panic selling. On Tuesday morning, a Bitcoin Gold developer acknowledged the ongoing risk in a blog post , and added there are plans to introduce a software update known as a “hard fork” that will decentralize the mining power on the network. (The blog post doesn’t state if the hard fork will restore the coins swindled from the exchanges). As Quartz notes, the crisis at Bitcoin Gold represents the “ nightmare scenario ” for any cryptocurrency, and could theoretically happen to numerous other currency networks. While the threat has existed for years, the chances of it materializing appeared to diminish as more and more people joined cryptocurrency networks—which in theory makes it harder to obtain control of over half the network. But the rise of massive mining conglomerates that deploy specialized computer equipment has seen a growing centralization of mining in recent years. For now, there appears to be no imminent threat of a 51% attack on Bitcoin itself—in large part because of the size of the network—but other smaller networks could be more exposed.

http://fortune.com/2018/05/29/bitcoin-gold-hack/