LONDON, Jan 18 (Reuters) - Primark owner Associated British Foods maintained its full-year earnings guidance on Thursday, reporting quarterly revenue growth in all of its businesses apart from sugar.The firm said it still expected “progress” in adjusted operating profit and adjusted earnings in its full 2017-18 year.

AB Foods said group revenue for the 16 weeks to Jan.6 rose 4 percent at constant currency rates and by 3 percent at actual rates.Primark sales were up 7 percent at constant currency rates.Reporting by James Davey; editing by Kate Holton


Jan 23 (Reuters) - AmRest Holdings SE: * REPORTED ON MONDAY PRELIMINARY Q4 REVENUE OF 1.52 BILLION ZLOTYS, UP 25.1 PERCENT VERSUS YEAR AGO * EX

CLUDING ACQUISITIONS IN 2017, ITS Q4 REVENUE WAS UP 12.7 PERCENT YEAR ON YEAR Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: (Gdynia Newsroom)


Jan 29(Reuters) - POULAILLON SA: * POULAILLON SA ANNOUNCED ON FRIDAY CONSOLIDATED SALES Q1 2017, + 8% * Q1

REVENUE EUR 19.8 MLN, UP 8 PCT YOY Source text : bit.ly/2DLnba5 Further company coverage: (Gdynia Newsroom)


(Reuters) - U.S.lawmakers struggled on Sunday to reach a breakthrough during the second day of a government shutdown.If Republicans and Democrats are unable to resolve their differences, federal agencies could remain partially closed when the work week begins on Monday.During shutdowns, non-essential government employees are furloughed, or placed on temporary unpaid leave.Workers deemed essential, including those dealing with public safety and national security, keep working.The last shutdown, in October 2013, lasted more than two weeks and more than 800,000 federal employees were furloughed.There is no official tally of how many would be off work this time.Here are some details about the potential impacts of the shutdown on government agencies: MILITARY: The Defense Department says a shutdown would not affect the U.S.military’s war in Afghanistan or its operations against Islamist militants in Iraq and Syria.All 1.3 million military personnel on active duty would remain on normal duty status.Civilian personnel in non-essential operations would be furloughed.Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said a sustained funding impasse would cause ships to go without maintenance and aircraft to be grounded.JUSTICE: The Justice Department has many essential workers.Under its shutdown contingency plan, about 95,000 of its almost 115,000 staff would keep working.Special Counsel Robert Mueller and his team investigating whether Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign colluded with Russia will also continue to work.FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT: The stock market-policing Securities and Exchange Commission said it will remain open and fully staffed for a limited number of days, adding that its shutdown plan was focused “on the market integrity and investor protection components of our mission.” The Commodity Futures Trading Commission, meanwhile, said it would have to furlough 95 percent of employees immediately.An agency spokeswoman said the derivatives regulator could, however, call in additional staff in the event of a financial market emergency.WHITE HOUSE: More than 1,000 of the 1,715 White House staff would be furloughed, the Trump administration said.The president would be provided with enough support to carry out his constitutional duties, including staff needed for a planned trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, administration officials said.However, the decision to go to Davos is now being assessed “day to day” the White House budget director said on Saturday.NATIONAL PARKS: National parks remain accessible while still following all applicable laws and procedures, according to a spokesperson.

Open roads will remain accessible and back country toilets will also remain open.However, services requiring staffing, such as public information and full service restrooms, will not operate.Some lodging, restaurants, and other services may be available when provided by concessions or other entities.WASHINGTON TOURIST SIGHTS: The Trump administration does not plan to barricade open-air monuments this time, officials said.The Smithsonian has said its museums could remain open through Monday.TAXES: In a contingency plan released by the Treasury Department, the IRS expects to keep just over 35,000 employees, or about 43.5 percent of its workforce, on the job during the shutdown.That significant cut to staffing could have an impact as the tax season kicks into high gear, potentially delaying refunds to tax payers or making it more difficult for them to reach the IRS with questions about their returns.MAIL DELIVERY: Deliveries would continue as usual because the U.S.Postal Service receives no tax dollars for day-to-day operations.TRAVEL: Airline passengers are not expected to feel much impact.The Transportation Security Administration plans to have 53,865 of its 58,295 employees ready to work during the shutdown, said the Department of Homeland Security.Air traffic control will not be affected, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.COURTS: The Administrative Office of the U.S.Courts has said federal courts, including the Supreme Court, could continue to operate normally for about three weeks without additional funding.HEALTHCARE: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will continue to process applications for open enrollment, and the Medicare program for the elderly and disabled is expected to continue functioning largely without disruption, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to continue providing “minimal support” during the shutdown.The CDC has said it will continue to respond to influenza outbreaks, including analyzing the data being reported by states.SOCIAL SECURITY: Social Security and disability checks are expected to be issued during the shutdown and applications for benefits will still be reviewed.However, the department will cease some activities, such as issuing new or replacement Social Security cards.LOANS: The processing of loans in some cases could be impacted.


Jan 17 (Reuters) - Jiangsu Sanfangxiang Industry Co Ltd : * SAYS IT, COMPANY EXECUTIVES FINED AND WARNED BY SECURITIES REGULATOR OVER

INFORMATION DISCLOSURE VIOLATIONS Source text in Chinese: bit.ly/2reyCW5 Further company coverage: (Reporting by Hong Kong newsroom)


Jan 25 (Reuters) - Air Products And Chemicals Inc: * AIR PRODUCTS AWARDED LONG-TERM CONTRACTS TO SUPPLY SAMSUNG DISPLAY COMPLEX IN TANGJEONG, KOREA * AWARDED NEW LONG-

TERM CONTRACTS FROM SAMSUNG DISPLAY TO SUPPLY GASEOUS NITROGEN, OXYGEN, LIQUID ARGON TO ITS OLED MANUFACTURING COMPLEX Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:


(Reuters) - Sam Sunderland’s Dakar Rally title defense ended on Tuesday after the British motorcycle rider crashed in Peru’s Ica desert while leading the race and had to be flown out by helicopter.Organizers said Sunderland, who had won two of the first three stages on his KTM, had been ruled out of further participation after hurting his back in the fall.The Dubai-based 28-year-old was evacuated back to the bivouac, the rally’s traveling support and logistics center.KTM manager Alex Doringer told the Motorcycle News website that Sunderland was searching for a control point when he hit a big hole.“He felt a sharp pain in his back immediately, but carried on for another 5km before stopping again due to the pain and a lack of feeling in his legs,” added Doringer.Dakar Rally - 2018 Peru-Bolivia-Argentina Dakar rally - 40th Dakar Edition stage four, San Juan de Marcona to San Juan de Marcona - January 9, 2018.

Britain's Sam Sunderland receives medical care after suffering an accident while driving his KTM.REUTERS/Andres Stapff “He said that the feeling in his legs has returned, but he will now be transferred to Lima for more tests.” Sunderland had led by more than four-and-a-half minutes going into the 330km fourth stage in the dunes around the Pacific port of San Juan de Marcona.Slideshow (2 Images) His exit meant that Yamaha’s French rider Adrian van Beveren took over the lead, one minute and 55 seconds clear of Chilean Pablo Quintanilla, after winning the stage.Sunderland last year became the first Briton to win the Dakar, a grueling endurance rally that moved to South America from Africa in 2009 for security reasons, in any category.The rally ends in Argentina on Jan.20 after also traveling through Bolivia.Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Christian Radnedge and Toby Davis


HOUSTON, Jan.29, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation (NYSE: COG) will host its fourth quarter and year end 2017 earnings conference call on Friday, February 23, 2018 at 9:30 a.m.Eastern Time.The Company plans to issue its financial and operating results prior to the market opening on the same day.To access the live audio webcast, please visit the Investor Relations section of the Company's website at www.cabotog.com .

A replay of the call will also be available on the Company's website.Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation, headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a leading independent natural gas producer with its entire resource base located in the continental United States.For additional information, visit the Company's website at www.cabotog.com .View original content: SOURCE Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation


Jan 23 (Reuters) - Workhorse Group Inc: * WORKHORSE GROUP INC - ON JAN 23, CO HELD BUSINESS UPDATE CONFERENCE CALL - SEC FILING * WORKHORSE GROUP - DURING CALL, CO SAYS IT IS SEES TOTAL REVENUE FOR YEAR ENDED DEC 31, 2017 69% GREATER

THAN TOTAL REVENUE FOR YEAR ENDED DEC 31, 2016 * WORKHORSE GROUP - DURING CALL, CO SAYS ORDER BACKLOG FOR 2018 IS EXPECTED TO EXCEED $12 MILLION BY THE END OF JANUARY 31, 2018 Source text: ( bit.ly/2n1G5Cm ) Further company coverage:


Jessica Iorio is executive director with Bapis Group at HighTower in New York City.Voices is an occasional feature of edited excerpts in which wealth managers address issues of interest to the advisory community.As told to Alex Coppola.As a millennial adviser, my generational experience and perspective have been a benefit to both our management team and our younger clients.

Having a cultural connection to the millennial client base helps foster trust, not only between client and adviser but also the firm at large....


Hong Kong's homeless population surges amid soaring costs Friday, January 26, 2018 - 00:58 As living costs soar in Hong Kong, the city's homeless population is growing at an alarming rate amid a widening wealth gap.

Sareena Dayaram reports.As living costs soar in Hong Kong, the city's homeless population is growing at an alarming rate amid a widening wealth gap.Sareena Dayaram reports.//reut.rs/2neVTSk


45 PM / Updated 11 minutes ago BRIEF-Baxter Announces U.S.FDA Approval Of Ready-To-Use Bivalirudin Reuters Staff Jan 22 (Reuters) - Baxter International Inc: * BAXTER ANNOUNCES U.S.FDA APPROVAL OF READY-TO-USE CARDIOVASCULAR MEDICATION BIVALIRUDIN * BAXTER INTERNATIONAL SAYS U.S.

FDA APPROVED BIVALIRUDIN IN 0.9 PERCENT SODIUM CHLORIDE INJECTION * BAXTER INTERNATIONAL INC - BIVALIRUDIN IS EXPECTED TO LAUNCH IN UNITED STATES IN EARLY 2018 Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:


98 % (1)A non-GAAP financial measure computed by dividing adjusted noninterest expense by the sum of tax equivalent net interest income and adjusted noninterest income Balance Sheet and Capital CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED QUARTERLY BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) December 31, September 30, June 30, March 31, December 31, (Amounts in thousands, except per share data) [REDACTED] 2016 Assets Total cash and cash equivalents $ 157,951 $ 105,119 $ 106,799 $ 152,851 $ 76,307 Securities available for sale 165,580 174,424 157,854 158,685 165,579 Securities held to maturity 25,149 25,182 25,216 47,092 47,133 Loans held for investment, net of unearned income Non-covered 1,789,236 1,806,434 1,796,263 1,784,371 1,795,954 Covered 27,948 31,287 45,845 51,412 56,994 Less allowance for loan losses (19,276 ) (19,206 ) (18,886 ) (18,458 ) (17,948 ) Loans held for investment, net 1,797,908 1,818,515 1,823,222 1,817,325 1,835,000 FDIC indemnification asset 7,161 7,465 8,159 9,931 12,173 Premises and equipment, net 48,126 48,949 49,598 50,057 50,085 Other real estate owned, non-covered 2,409 3,543 3,914 4,477 5,109 Other real estate owned, covered 105 54 124 241 276 Interest receivable 5,778 5,156 5,072 5,059 5,553 Goodwill 95,779 95,779 95,779 95,779 95,779 Other intangible assets 6,151 6,417 6,683 6,947 7,20


In an effort to determine what happened to loans made by PrivatBank, Reuters reviewed court documents related to legal proceedings launched by Profit and other companies to recoup funds they say they were cheated out of, and court documents from the prosecutors.Reuters also reviewed state property registries and company documents, visited the addresses listed for some of the firms that received loans from PrivatBank and inspected some of the physical collateral later used to underpin the loans.Reuters found some of the firms that were granted loans or received payment for goods they did not deliver bear some of the hallmarks of shell companies.Correspondents visited the addresses where nine of the companies in London and Ukraine are listed but found none at these locations.Reuters has also seen a copy of a central bank assessment in 2016 of part of PrivatBank’s collateral that has not been made public.The assessment valued the collateral, which included physical assets, at $3.5 million compared to PrivatBank’s own assessment of $91 million.The central bank says this suggests the value of physical assets used as collateral for loans was artificially inflated by PrivatBank officials to give the impression the $1.7 billion of loans were insured against default.The collateral included a Soviet-era petroleum storage depot in Artsyz, 600 km (373 miles) south of the Ukrainian capital Kiev, which was valued at more than $12 million by PrivatBank but considered worthless by the central bank, according to the central bank’s assessment seen by Reuters.A Reuters reporter who visited the depot found sheep grazing there and was told by Artsyz Mayor Volodymyr Mikhov: “It has not operated for at least 10 to 15 years.” Deputy Central Bank Governor Kateryna Rozhkova says over 400 legal cases connected to the nationalisation have been launched by the former shareholders and parties related to them against the central bank, PrivatBank and the finance ministry.She said this pointed to unwillingness by the former shareholders to restructure and pay off the debt as promised, and was designed to “destabilise” the efforts of PrivatBank, the central bank and the finance ministry to recover the loans.The statement to Reuters on behalf of PrivatBank’s two main former shareholders said that by October 2016 the bank was performing well and implementing a plan agreed with the central bank, but the central bank “tore up the agreed plan and engineered an ‘insolvency’ event, which allowed the Government to nationalize the bank for political reasons.” Rozhkova denied nationalising PrivatBank was a conspiracy.

RETURN TO SENDER From May 28 to Sept.1, 2014, 42 companies registered in the Dnipropetrovsk region of eastern Ukraine transferred $1.7 billion to three firms registered in Britain and three in the British Virgin Islands, according to claims submitted by the 42 companies to the region’s commercial court.All 42 borrowed money from PrivatBank, whose headquarters is in the city of Dnipro, to pay in advance for goods ranging from manganese ore and fuel oil to cranes and mechanical diggers.None of the six firms delivered the goods and all deposited the money they received with the Cyprus branch of PrivatBank, according to the statements filed by the Ukrainian companies in court cases in which they are seeking back the money they paid.A Reuters correspondent who visited the addresses listed in London for the three British-registered companies -- Trade Point Agro, Teamtrend Limited and Collyer Limited -- found no sign of them there.Two of the London-listed companies, Trade Point Agro and Teamtrend, used to have a common director, while Teamtrend and Collyer have common company secretaries and directors.Letters to the firms requesting comment went unanswered.Reuters also sent two letters to each of the three firms registered in the British Virgin Islands -- Rossyn, Milbert Ventures and Ukrtransitservice.They also went unanswered.The deal between Trade Point Agro and Profit was typical of those outlined in the filings to the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Commercial Court.Trade Point Agro pulled out of the contract two months after signing it, saying it would no longer deliver the goods on the agreed terms, and agreed to pay the money back by Nov.4 but failed to do so, the Dnipropetrovsk court’s records show.Although the records also show the court ruled on Dec.8, 2014 in favour of Profit’s $48.5-million claim against Trade Point Agro, prosecutors say the money has never been paid back.A Reuters correspondent was unable to contact Profit using the information provided in the state register of business and could not find Profit at the address where it is registered -- with three other firms that received loans from PrivatBank -- in Vozyednania Street in Dnipro.


AND SUBSIDIARIES RECONCILIATION OF ADJUSTED EBITDA TO NET LOSS (Unaudited) For the Years Ended September 30, 2017 2016 Net loss $ (1,065,140) $ (3,699,019) Add back: Other income (282,068) (154,000) Interest income (10,000) (10,000) Bad debts expense 42,180 274,375 Depreciation and amortization 253,535 244,580 Stock based compensation 636,116 1,413,569 Loss on impairment of securities available-for-sale 50,000 - Gain on early extinguishment of debt - (12,133) Equity in losses of unconsolidated entity - 992,682 Adjusted EBITDA $ (375,377) $ (949,946) About Digipath, Inc.(OTCQB: DIGP) Digipath, Inc ., supports the cannabis industry's best practices for reliable testing, cannabis education and training, and brings unbiased cannabis news coverage to the cannabis industry.Digipath Labs provides pharmaceutical-grade analysis and testing to the cannabis industry to ensure producers, consumers and patients know exactly what is in the cannabis they ingest and to help maximize the quality of its client's products through analysis, research, development, and standardization.Information about Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" that include information relating to future events.Forward-looking statements should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which that performance or those results will be achieved.Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time they are made and/or management's good faith belief as of that time with respect to future events, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from those expressed in, or suggested by, the forward-looking statements.

Important factors that could cause these differences include, but are not limited to: the Company's need for additional funding, the demand for the Company's products, governmental regulation of the cannabis industry, the Company's ability to maintain customer and strategic business relationships, the impact of competitive products and pricing, growth in targeted markets, the adequacy of the Company's liquidity and financial strength to support its growth, and other risks that may be detailed from time-to-time in the Company's filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.For a more detailed description of the risk factors and uncertainties affecting Digipath, please refer to the Company's recent Securities and Exchange Commission filings, which are available at www.sec.gov .The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.Contact Harrison Phillips Viridian Capital Advisors, LLC (212) 209-3086 [REDACTED] View original content with multimedia: SOURCE Digipath, Inc.


David Faber: We're at an inflection point for GE 1 Hour Ago The "Squawk on the Street" c

rew discuss the latest on the potential breakup of General Electric's business segments.


65 % RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (Unaudited) (Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts) For the twelve months ended December 31, 2017 2016 Per share data (common stock) Earnings Basic $ 1.81 $ 1.49 Diluted $ 1.68 $ 1.39 Dividends declared $ 0.38 $ 0.20 Book value $ 16.67 $ 14.16 Tangible book value $ 14.70 $ 11.68 Weighted average shares outstanding Basic 14,078,281 12,800,990 Diluted 15,238,365 13,695,900 Shares outstanding at period end 15,908,893 12,827,803 Performance ratios Return on average assets, annualized 1.66 % 1.41 % Return on average shareholders' equity, annualized 11.67 % 11.08 % Return on average tangible common equity, annualized 13.52 % 13.14 % Noninterest income to average assets, annualized 0.86 % 0.66 % Noninterest expense to average assets, annualized 1.79 % 2.06 % Yield on average earning assets 5.13 % 5.35 % Cost of average deposits 1.09 % 1.06 % Cost of average interest-bearing deposits 0.99 % 0.92 % Cost of average interest-bearing liabilities 1.28 % 1.15 % Accretion on loans to average earning assets 0.23 % 0.64 % Net interest spread 3.85 % 4.20 % Net interest margin 4.16 % 4.43 % Efficiency ratio 37.65 % 42.64 % Common stock dividend payout r

atio 20.95 % 13.42 % RBB BANCORP AND SUBSIDIARIES SELECTED FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (Unaudited) (Dollars in thousands, except per share amounts) For the periods ending December 31, September 30, December 31, 2017 2017 2016 Loan to deposit ratio 93.40 % 90.76 % 96.33 % Core deposits / total deposits 74.09 % 73.37 % 67.83 % Net non-core funding dependence ratio 18.11 % 22.81 % 12.20 % Credit Quality Data: Loans 30-89 days past due $ 3,636 $ 2,432 $ 343 Loans 30-89 days past due to total loans 0.29 % 0.19 % 0.03 % Nonperforming loans $ 2,575 $ 3,950 $ 6,133 Nonperforming loans to total loans 0.21 % 0.33 % 0.55 % Nonperforming assets $ 2,868 $ 4,243 $ 6,966 Nonperforming assets to total assets 0.17 % 0.26 % 0.50 % Allowance for loan losses to total loans 1.10 % 0.95 % 1.28 % Allowance for loan losses to nonperforming loans 534.87 % 289.12 % 230.91 % Net charge-offs to average loans (for the quarter-to-date period) 0.01 % -0.07 % 0.05 % Regulatory and other capital ratios—Company Tangible common equity to tangible assets 14.09 % 14.20 % 10.99 % Tier 1 leverage ratio 14.77 % 14.91 % 10.99 % Tier 1 common capital to risk-weighted assets 17.71 % 18.23 % 13.30 % Tier 1 capital to risk-weighted assets 17.96 % 18.49 % 13.


(To view ASP trend, visit ) Shipment and Utilization Rate 3 for Foundry Segment Wafer Shipments 4Q17 3Q17 2Q17 1Q17 4Q16 Wafer Shipments (8” K equivalents) 1,670 1,748 1,741 1,678 1,656 Quarterly Capacity Utilization Rate 4Q17 3Q17 2Q17 1Q17 4Q16 Utilization Rate 90% 96% 96% 96% 94% Total Capacity (8” K equivalents) 1,886 1,861 1,816 1,742 1,794 During 4Q17, wafer shipments decreased 4.5% to 1,670K.Capacity increased by 1.3% QoQ to 1,886K, resulting in an overall utilization rate of 90% in 4Q17.Capacity 4 for Foundry Segment Total capacity in the fourth quarter was 1,886K 8-inch equivalent wafers.We expect that first quarter capacity will decline to 1,858K 8-inch equivalent wafers, mainly due to fewer working days and tool maintenance.Annual Capacity in thousands of wafers Quarterly Capacity in thousands of wafers FAB Geometry (um) [REDACTED] FAB 1Q18E 4Q17 3Q17 2Q17 WTK 6" 3.5 – 0.45 422 423 421 448 WTK 104 106 106 106 Fab 8A 8" 0.5 – 0.25 825 827 813 813 Fab 8A 204 207 207 207 Fab 8C 8" 0.35 – 0.11 357 348 347 347 Fab 8C 91 92 92 87 Fab 8D 8" 0.13 – 0.09 341 342 341 358 Fab 8D 85 86 86 86 Fab 8E 8" 0.5 – 0.18 418 419 418 418 Fab 8E 103 105 105 105 Fab 8F 8" 0.18 – 0.11 417 401 388 388 Fab 8F 107 108 107 102 Fab 8S 8" 0.18 – 0.11 347 336 335 335 Fab 8S 92 93 87 84 Fab 8N 8" 0.5 – 0.11 753 750 667 547 Fab 8N 190 194 188 188 Fab 12A 12" 0.13 – 0.014 970 885 793 700 Fab 12A 246 250 247 247 Fab 12i 12" 0.13 – 0.040 537 584 572 573 Fab 12i 131 134 134 134 Fab 12X 12" 0.040 – 0.028 97 9 - - Fab 12X 35 35 33 19 Total (1) 7,304 6,983 6,617 6,323 Total 1,858 1,886 1,861 1,816 YoY Growth Rate 5% 6% 5% 4% (1) One 6-inch wafer is converted into 0.


7 Hours Ago | 03:14 Some corporations have reacted to the passage of sweeping tax reform legislation by announcing stock buybacks, raising wages or planning to give bonuses.Sen.Rob Portman , R-Ohio, says the best news is yet to come."I've talked to a number of CEOs over the past several months about the tax reform as it relates to international business.They can now be competitive here in America," Portman told CNBC's " Squawk Box " on Thursday."I think you'll see some big news coming up as to companies that are literally moving factories from overseas back to the United States," he said.A bevy of changes to the tax code at the individual, corporate and international level came into effect at the start of 2018.Large companies are getting a big cut to the corporate tax rate — down to 21 percent from 35 percent — and a new expensing period that allows them to deduct the cost of some assets.And a number of companies have announced perks and financial gifts for employees.Some of them have directly cited the new tax law as the reason for giving out bonuses or buying back stock.

In Portman's state, for instance, Columbus-based Nationwide Insurance announced on Wednesday that it will give a $1,000 bonus to most of its 33,000 employees.Other companies, such as Wells Fargo and Fifth Third , promised to raise their minimum wages in the wake of the new tax law.Individual tax cuts and beefed-up deductions have also come into effect, though most of them will expire in 2025.Portman chalked up the unpopularity of the tax bill to the general distrust surrounding Washington, but reiterated the sense of corporate optimism he said he's witnessed since it became law."Companies that are invested in Ohio are now saying they're going to put more money into Ohio," Portman said."They're telling me that because the lower rates and the expensing makes it better to put an investment in America rather than in Japan or in China or in Germany." Kevin Breuninger Special to CNBC.com Related Securities


Arsenal sign Greek defender Mavropanos Reuters Staff 1 Arsenal have signed defender Konstantinos Mavropanos from Greek side PAS Giannina for an undisclosed fee, the Premier League club said on Thursday.Mavropanos, 20, made his senior debut in November 2016 and has featured in 16 games across all competitions for the Superleague Greece side this campaign.“We’d like to welcome Konstantinos to the club and wish him well for the future,” the north London outfit said on their website.

(www.arsenal.com) British media reports say Arsenal paid a fee of around 2.2 million pounds ($2.98 million) for the Greece under-21 international, who will be sent on loan to German team Werder Bremen until the end of the season.($1 = 0.7382 pounds)


COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE Houston’s Apartment Market Makes a Comeback The Houston rental apartment market is rebounding after years of pain caused by overbuilding and the weak energy sector.Apartment rents and occupancy are expected to grow strongly in the next five years thanks partly to stronger job growth.

Demand Surges for Science Lab Space The booming life-sciences industry is causing a scramble for laboratory space in real-estate markets across the U.S., lifting rents even as construction accelerates.At the same...To Read the Full Story Subscribe Sign In


Jan 16 (Reuters) - Nutanix Inc: * NUTANIX ANNOUNCES PROPOSED $400 MILLION CONVERTIBLE SENIOR NOTES OFFERING * NUTANIX INC - TO OFFER $400 MILLION AGGREGATE PRINCIPAL AMOUNT OF CONVERTIBLE SENIOR NOTES DUE 2023 IN PRI

VATE PLACEMENT * NUTANIX - TO USE PART OF PROCEEDS OF OFFERING TO PAY COST OF CONVERTIBLE NOTE HEDGE TRANSACTIONS CO PLANS TO ENTER IN CONNECTION WITH PRICING OF NOTES Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:


BERLIN (Reuters) - Shares in online food ordering firms Delivery Hero ( DHER.DE ) and Takeaway.com ( TKWY.AS ), battling for control of the German market, jumped on on Monday after the chief executive of the Dutch company raised the idea of a merger.Shares in Delivery Hero were up 4.5 percent at 0932 GMT, while Takeaway.com rose 3.6 percent.The online takeaway business has been booming in recent years, prompting listings of firms such as Britain’s ( JE.L ), U.S.market leader GrubHub ( GRUB.N ), as well as the more recent entry of Amazon ( AMZN.O ) and Uber [UBER.UL].However, online food delivery is seen as a “winner takes all” game as most users usually only download and use one app, meaning there is only enough space in most markets for one or two major players, prompting a wave of consolidation.Takeaway.com CEO Jitse Groen was Quote: d on Saturday as saying a merger with Delivery Hero could be an option.“In each country, there can only be one supplier,” Groen told German daily Tagesspiegel.On Monday, Delivery Hero CEO Niklas Ostberg said: “We believe there will be consolidation in our industry.For Germany, we think it’s unlikely in the short term.” Delivery Hero, which listed on the Frankfurt stock exchange last year, is the world’s biggest food delivery platform but is battling for control of its home market with Takeaway.com and the fierce competition is weighing on profitability.

Delivery Hero has a market capitalization of 6.1 billion euros ($7.47 billion), while Amsterdam-listed Takeaway.com has a market capitalization of 2 billion euros.Delivery Hero, in which South African e-commerce giant Naspers ( NPNJn.J ) is a big investor, last month made a placement of new shares as it sought to raise funds to expand through acquisitions.Shares in Takeaway.com dipped earlier this month after it reported disappointing order growth in the fourth quarter.Delivery Hero reports 2017 figures on Feb.7.Takeaway.com says meal orders at its German unit Lieferando have outstripped those of Delivery Hero’s top German brands Lieferheld and Pizza.de by 20 percent, however, Delivery Hero says it is still ahead.($1 = 0.8166 euros) Reporting by Nadine Schimroszik; Writing by Emma Thomasson; Editing by Louise Heavens


These and various other factors are discussed in Prosperity Bancshares' Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 and other reports and statements Prosperity Bancshares has filed with the SEC.Copies of the SEC filings for Prosperity Bancshares may be downloaded from the Internet at no charge from .Bryan/College Station Area - Keller Westheimer Taft Bryan Roanoke West University Yoakum Bryan-29 th Street Stockyards Woodcreek Yorktown Bryan-East Bryan-North Other Dallas/Fort Worth Area Katy - West Texas Area - Caldwell Locations - Cinco Ranch Abilene - College Station Arlington Katy-Spring Green Antilley Road Crescent Point Azle Barrow Street Hearne Ennis The Woodlands - Cypress Street Huntsville Gainesville The Woodlands-College Park Judge Ely Madisonville Glen Rose The Woodlands-I-45 Mockingbird Navasota Granbury The Woodlands-Research Forest New Waverly Mesquite Lubbock - Rock Prairie Muenster Other Houston Area 4 th Street Southwest Parkway Sanger Locations - 66 th Street Tower Point Waxahachie Angleton 82 nd Street Wellborn Road Weatherford Bay City 86 th Street Beaumont 98 th Street Central Texas Area - East Texas Area - Cleveland Avenue Q Austin - Athens East Bernard North University Allandale Blooming Grove El Campo Texas Tech Student Union Cedar Park Canton Dayton Congress Carthage Galveston Midland - Lakeway Corsicana Groves Wadley Liberty Hill Crockett Hempstead Wall Street Northland Eustace Hitchcock Oak Hill Gilmer Liberty Odessa - Research Blvd Grapeland Magnolia Grandview Westlake Gun Barrel City Magnolia Parkway Grant Jacksonville Mont Belvieu Kermit Highway Other Central Texas Area Kerens Nederland Parkway Locations - Longview Needville Bastrop Mount Vernon Rosenberg Other West Texas Area Canyon Lake Palestine Shadow Creek Locations - Dime Box Rusk Spring Big Spring Dripping Springs Seven Points Tomball Brownfield Elgin Teague Waller Brownwood Flatonia Tyler-Beckham West Columbia Cisco Georgetown Tyler-South Broadway Wharton Comanche Gruene Tyler-University Winnie Early Kingsland Winnsboro Wirt Floydada La Grange Gorman Lexington Houston Area - South Texas Area - Levelland New Braunfels Houston - Corpus Christi - Littlefield Pleasanton Aldine Calallen Merkel Round Rock Alief Carmel Plainview San Antonio Bellaire Northwest San Angelo Schulenburg Beltway Saratoga Slaton Seguin Clear Lake Timbergate Snyder Smithville Copperfield Water Street Thorndale Cypress Oklahoma Weimar Downtown Victoria - Central Oklahoma Area- Eastex Victoria Main Oklahoma City - Dallas/Fort Worth Area - Fairfield Victoria-Navarro 23 rd Street Dallas - First Colony Victoria-North Expressway Abrams Centre Fry Road I-240 Balch Springs Gessner Other South Texas Area Memorial Camp Wisdom Gladebrook Locations - Cedar Hill Grand Parkway Alice Other Central Oklahoma Area Frisco Heights Aransas Pass Locations - Frisco-West Highway 6 West Beeville Edmond Kiest Little York Colony Creek Norman McKinney Medical Center Cuero McKinney-Stonebridge Memorial Drive Edna Tulsa Area- Midway Northside Goliad Tulsa - Plano Pasadena Gonzales Garnett Preston Forest Pecan Grove Hallettsville Harvard Preston Road Pin Oak Kingsville Memorial Red Oak River Oaks Mathis Sheridan Sachse Sugar Land Padre Island S.

Harvard The Colony SW Medical Center Palacios Utica Tower Turtle Creek Tanglewood Port Lavaca Yale Westmoreland The Plaza Portland Uptown Rockport Other Tulsa Area Locations - Fort Worth - Waugh Drive Sinton Owasso Haltom City Prosperity Bancshares, Inc.


ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Thursday he should stop Syrian attacks on its opposition in northern Syria if he wants peace negotiations to succeed, Turkish presidential sources said.Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, January 10, 2018.Yasin Bulbul/Presidential Palace/Handout via REUTERS Erdogan spoke to Putin on the phone, they said.Turkey has been fiercely opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during his country’s six-year-old civil war but has recently been working with his allies Russia and Iran for a political resolution to the conflict.The three countries had agreed last year to establish a “de-escalation zone” in the opposition-held Idlib province and surrounding region, which borders Turkey.However, a government offensive helped by Iran-backed militia has gathered pace in Idlib in the last two weeks, according to rebels and a military media unit run by Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which is fighting on the Syrian government side.Rebels launched a counter attack on Thursday.Turkey on Tuesday called the Russian and Iranian ambassadors to its Ministry of Foreign Affairs to ask the envoys to urge the Syrian government in Damascus to end the border violations in the Idlib de-escalation zone.

Russia’s Defence Ministry had asked the Turkish military on Wednesday to tighten control over armed groups in Idlib after two groups of drones attacked Russian bases on Jan.6.Syrian state media, citing a foreign ministry source, said on Thursday that regime forces were fighting to “liberate from the terrorism of the Nusra Front and the other terrorist organisations that belong to it”.Turkey has accused the Syrian government of using the presence of the Nusra Front, which now fights under the banner of the Tahrir al-Sham alliance, as an excuse to attack civilians and moderate opposition groups.Humanitarian aid organisations, rescuers and activists allege the Syrian and Russian air forces have struck hospitals, schools and market places in congested residential areas in rebel-held towns.Both the Syrian army and Moscow deny hitting civilian areas and say intensive raids only strike at militants.Writing by Ali Kucukgocmen; Editing by Jeremy Gaunt


BEIRUT (Reuters) - Oil production from the West Karoun oilfields in southwest Iran nearly doubled in the past year, oil minister Bijan Zanganeh said in an interview broadcast live on state TV Saturday.Oil production for the West Karoun oilfields for the Iranian month of Dey, which runs from late December until late January, was 161,000 bpd last year.The West Karoun oilfields produced 305,000 bpd for the same time period this year, Zanganeh said.Also, OPEC members are likely to stick to production limits through the end of 2018, Zanganeh said.OPEC and non-OPEC producers led by Russia agreed last November to extend oil output cuts until the end of 2018.Separately, Zanganeh said in the state TV interview that Iran’s daily gas production at South Pars, the world’s largest gas field, has increased by 83 million cubic meters in the past year.

The daily gas production for the Iranian month of Dey was approximately 470 million cubic meters at South Pars last year.The daily gas production for the same time period this year was 553 million cubic meters, Zanganeh said in the interview.France’s Total signed a deal with Tehran last July to develop phase 11 of South Pars marking the first major Western energy investment in the Islamic Republic since the lifting of sanctions against it.Total will be the operator with a 50.1 percent stake, alongside Chinese state-owned oil and gas company CNPC with 30 percent, and National Iranian Oil Co subsidiary Petropars with 19.9 percent.Reporting by Babak Dehghanpisheh, editingby Louise Heavens


January 31, 2018 / 4:00 PM / Updated 13 minutes ago 'Our business is truth' - China editor tells BBC to open up on women's pay Estelle Shirbon 4 Min Read LONDON (Reuters) - The BBC is failing to live up to its own editorial mission to report the truth by denying it has a problem with gender discrimination on pay, its former China editor Carrie Gracie told the British parliament’s media committee on Wednesday. Gracie quit her post earlier this month in protest at the discrepancy between her pay and that of male counterparts, going public with her grievances to try to jolt the public broadcaster into addressing unequal pay. “Our business is truth,” an emotional Gracie told the committee of lawmakers, who are conducting an investigation into BBC pay. “If we’re not prepared to look at ourselves honestly, how can we be trusted to look at anything else in our reporting honestly?” Gracie’s revolt laid bare tensions that had been simmering within the BBC since it was forced last July to name its best paid on-air staff and disclose their pay bands, revealing that two-thirds of them were men of whom several were far better paid than female peers. Reaching 95 percent of British adults every week through its many outlets, the BBC is a pillar of national life but as such is held to high standards by the public and rival media. The pay controversy has been a major news story in Britain. BBC managers deny there is systemic gender discrimination on pay at the corporation, which is funded by a licence fee levied on TV viewers in Britain. Director-General Tony Hall and other senior executives are due to appear before the committee later on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the BBC published a review of on-air staff conducted by PwC which found no evidence of gender bias in decision-making on pay. BBC Women, a group of 170 staff, said it had no confidence in the PwC review. “AS WELL AS ANY MAN” Gracie, who has reported on China for three decades and speaks fluent Mandarin, said she explicitly demanded equal pay with male peers when she was appointed to the job of China editor in late 2013. She was given assurances that her demand had been met. “I knew I would do the job at least as well as any man,” she said. Given that background, it came as a shock to her last July when she discovered that she was paid significantly less than her two direct male counterparts. Gracie told the lawmakers she had been offered a hefty pay rise but had turned it down because her fight was not about money, it was about ensuring the BBC changed its practices and delivered equal pay for equal work for all men and women. She said that in the five months following the pay disclosures, she had sought redress internally but had run up against obfuscation from management. She said that having spent much of her career standing up to censorship, harassment and intimidation by the Chinese state, she could not live with herself if she did not stand up for the truth within the BBC. “The profoundest sense I have of who I am as a BBC journalist is to report the truth as I find it. If they don’t report the truth how can we?

” she said. “None of these things would stand as a piece of BBC journalism. We have standards, and it really pains me and hurts me that the corporate machine is not living up to our values.” Editing by Stephen Addison


Jan 11 (Reuters) - CORESTATE CAPITAL HOLDING SA: * DGAP-NEWS: CORESTATE CAPITAL HOLDING S.A.: CORESTATE ACQUIRES AND MANAGES NEWLY BUILT MICRO-APARTMENTS WORTH EUR 670M FOR BAYERISCHE VERSORGUNGSKAMMER * COMBINED A

SSET VALUE AFTER COMPLETION WILL BE EUR 670M * PROJECTS’ SELLER AND DEVELOPER IS CG GRUPPE AG Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage: (Gdynia Newsroom) Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.


Waters Corporation and Subsidiaries Preliminary Condensed Unclassified Consolidated Balance Sheets (In thousands and unaudited) December 31, 2017 December 31, 2016 Cash, cash equivalents and investments $ 3,393,701 $ 2,813,032 Accounts receivable 533,825 489,340 Inventories 270,294 262,682 Property, plant and equipment, net 349,278 337,118 Intangible assets, net 228,395 207,055 Goodwill 359,819 352,080 Other assets 204,170 200,752 Total assets $ 5,339,482 $ 4,662,059 Notes payable and debt $ 1,997,774 $ 1,827,263 Other liabilities 1,107,920 532,847 Total liabilities 3,105,694 2,360,110 Total equity 2,233,788 2,301,949 Total liabilities and equity $ 5,339,482 $ 4,662,059 Waters Corporation and Subsidiaries Preliminary Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Three and Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 (In thousands and unaudited) Three Months Ended Twelve Months Ended December 31, 2017 December 31, 2016 December 31, 2017 December 31, 2016 Cash flows from operating activities: Net (loss) income $ (353,172 ) $ 174,378 $ 20,311 $ 521,503 Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: Stock-based compensation 9,368 8,394 39,436 40,998 Depreciation and amortization 27,753 24,085 106,002 96,449 Excess tax benefit related to stock-based compensation plans (a) - 930 - 13,844 Change in tax reform assets and liabilities (b) 550,000 - 550,000 - Change in operating assets and liabilities, net (41,765 ) (33,884 ) (18,109 ) (29,874 ) Net cash provided by operating activities 192,184 173,903 697,640 642,920 Cash flows from investing activities: Additions to property, plant, equipment and software capitaliz

ation (30,216 ) (22,671 ) (85,473 ) (94,967 ) Business acquisitions, net of cash acquired - 45 - (5,609 ) Investment in unaffiliated company - - (7,000 ) - Payments for intellectual property licenses - - (5,000 ) - Net change in investments (101,548 ) (26,618 ) (438,279 ) (391,342 ) Other cash flow from investing activities, net - - - 4,000 Net cash used in investing activities (131,764 ) (49,244 ) (535,752 ) (487,918 ) Cash flows from financing activities: Net change in debt 39,850 45,121 169,976 159,975 Payments of debt issuance costs (2,984 ) - (2,984 ) (1,705 ) Proceeds from stock plans 24,968 3,617 97,789 62,189 Purchases of treasury shares (86,802 ) (83,835 ) (332,544 ) (325,759 ) Other cash flow from financing activities, net 593 (876 ) 3,894 (10,401 ) Net cash used in financing activities (24,375 ) (35,973 ) (63,869 ) (115,701 ) Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 2,467 (13,264 ) 38,669 (21,335 ) Increase in cash and cash equivalents 38,512 75,422 136,688 17,966 Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 603,807 430,209 505,631 487,665 Cash and cash equivalents at end of period $ 642,319 $ 505,631 $ 642,319 $ 505,631 Reconciliation of GAAP Cash Flows from Operating Activities to Free Cash Flow (c) Net cash provided by operating activities - GAAP $ 192,184 $ 173,903 $ 697,640 $ 642,920 Adjustments: Additions to property, plant, equipment and software capitalization (30,216 ) (22,671 ) (85,473 ) (94,967 ) Majority facility renovations - (200 ) - 7,299 Free Cash Flow - Adjusted Non GAAP $ 161,968 $ 151,032 $ 612,167 $ 555,252 (a) In the first quarter of 2017, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update No.


Stock markets might be continuing their run higher this year but Nobel Prize-winning economist Robert Shiller told CNBC Tuesday that a market correction could come at any time and without warning. "People ask 'well what will trigger it (a market correction)?' But it doesn't need a trigger, it's the dynamics of bubbles inherently makes them come to an end eventually," he said. On Monday, t he Dow , S&P 500 and Nasdaq composite rose to all-time highs after m embers of the U.S. Senate reached a short-term compromise on the budget to keep the government open through to February 8. The new all-time highs come after a robust year for U.S. equities in Donald Trump's first year as president. Perhaps the largest boost for equities during his tenure so far was the overhaul of the U.S. tax system that saw corporation tax slashed from 35 percent to 21 percent. Shiller, who won the Nobel Prize for Economics in 2013 for his work on asset prices and inefficient markets, said that markets could "absolutely suddenly turn" and that he believed the bull market was hard to attribute totally to the U.S. political scene. "The strong bull market in the U.S. is often attributed to the situation in the U.S. but it's not unique to the U.S. anyway, so it's hard to know what the world story is that's driving markets up at this time, I think it's more subtle than we recognize," he said. Speaking to CNBC on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, the Yale University professor said it was hard to define scientifically what could trigger markets to correct. "Something will be invented to explain it once it happens. If you go back to the most famous correction in 1929 there was no (one event) people look back and try to find something but it sounds contrived," he said This year's WEF is exploring the theme "Creating a shared future in a fractured world" and organizers hope that its 3,000 or so participants will discuss the world's most pressing problems and arrive at more collaborative solutions. Follow CNBC International on Twitter and Facebook .


(Reuters) - Encrypted messaging app Signal said it had partnered with Microsoft Corp to encrypt messages on the technology giant’s online communications service, Skype.Microsoft is the latest to join a growing list of companies including Alphabet Inc's Google and Facebook Inc to encrypt their messaging platforms.

( bit.ly/2AQdF35 ) Reporting by Muvija M in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel


Sources said Nidera teams have been shrunk or removed in Europe and North America.This followed a management reshuffle in Brazil after the accounting irregularities.The firm has also hired high profile figures from the industry, with Pierre Lorinet, former chief financial officer at trade house Trafigura, and Serge Schoen, an ex-Louis Dreyfus chief executive, both joining its board.CULTURAL QUESTIONS Whether the firm has achieved a turnaround yet is unclear.No profit and loss accounts are available for COFCO International, in which the Beijing parent holds 48 percent and the sovereign wealth fund China Investment Corp 12 percent.COFCO International announced in November an agreement to sell its crop seeds business to Swiss-based Syngenta AG - which has been bought by ChemChina [CNNCC.UL] - but did not disclose price terms.“The seeds sale has boosted the balance sheet,” a second source said.“2017 has been an effective year and COFCO International is back on track and can start thinking again about growing.” COFCO has said it will pursue partnerships to expand overseas after signing a supply deal with U.S.cooperative Promark last year.One former COFCO International manager who left in the past year said the firm had been struggling over how to cut costs and ensure future revenues after shedding people who had been making it money.Other problems lay in overcoming cultural differences across its global operations.

“It’s a big machine.It doesn’t think like a business.It thinks like a government,” the former manager told Reuters, declining to be named.The spokesman for COFCO International Ltd (CIL) said “differences in corporate culture are normal in the context of a merger of companies”.“CIL is currently deploying a new common corporate culture across all CIL locations which was developed by various CIL management in 2017,” he added.FEEDING CHINA Chi has played down suggestions that the firm is torn between competing objectives, unsure whether to pursue its own commercial aims or the strategic interests of its home country.In November, he told the Financial Times it did not want to be “just a procurement platform for COFCO Corporation or China”.But some remain sceptical.“What COFCO International should strive for is to be the most efficient procurement office for China – the feeding of China’s population is of the utmost strategic importance,” said Jean-Francois Lambert, founding partner of Lambert Commodities consultancy.“This is in fact their prime objective.” With such powerful Chinese shareholders, the firm has the financial clout to become an ABCD “if they want to”, said Jay O‘Neil, senior agricultural economist at Kansas State University.COFCO International had overpaid for the investments in N


PASADENA, Calif., Jan.8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.(NYSE: ARE) announced today the closing of its previously announced underwritten public offering of 6,900,000 shares of the Company's common stock at a public offering price of $123.50 per share, including the 900,000 shares sold pursuant to the exercise in full of the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares of the Company's common stock.In connection with the offering, the Company entered into forward sale agreements between the Company and each of Bank of America, N.A., JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., London Branch, and Citibank, N.A.(together, the "forward purchasers").BofA Merrill Lynch, J.P.Morgan and Citigroup acted as the joint book-running managers for the offering.Evercore ISI, Goldman Sachs & Co.LLC, Mizuho Securities, RBC Capital Markets, Scotiabank, Wells Fargo Securities, Barclays, BB&T Capital Markets, BNP PARIBAS, BTIG, Capital One Securities, Fifth Third Securities, JMP Securities, Loop Capital Markets, PNC Capital Markets LLC, Ramirez & Co., Inc., SMBC Nikko, SunTrust Robinson Humphrey and TD Securities acted as co-managers for the offering.The Company will not initially receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of its common stock by the forward purchasers (or their affiliates) in the offering.The Company expects to use the net proceeds, if any, it receives upon the future settlement of the forward sale agreements to fund pending acquisitions that the Company expects to complete in the near term and the construction of ongoing, highly leased development projects, with any remaining proceeds to be held for general working capital and other corporate purposes, including the reduction of the outstanding balance, if any, on the Company's unsecured senior line of credit.Selling common stock through the forward sale agreements enables the Company to set the price of such shares upon the pricing of the offering (subject to certain adjustments) while delaying the issuance of such shares and the receipt of the net proceeds by the Company until the expected funding requirements described above have occurred.This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the Company's securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state.

Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.(NYSE: ARE), an S&P 500 ® company, is an urban office REIT uniquely focused on collaborative life science and technology campuses in AAA innovation cluster locations.Founded in 1994, Alexandria pioneered this niche and has since established a significant market presence in key locations, including Greater Boston, San Francisco, New York City, San Diego, Seattle, Maryland and Research Triangle Park.Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes "forward-looking statements" 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.Such forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's intended use of the proceeds.These forward-looking statements are based on the Company's present intent, beliefs or expectations, but forward-looking statements are not guaranteed to occur and may not occur.Actual results may differ materially from those contained in or implied by the Company's forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including, without limitation, the risks and uncertainties detailed in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.All forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and the Company assumes no obligation to update this information.For more discussion relating to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the Company's forward-looking statements, and risks and uncertainties to the Company's business in general, please refer to the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequently filed quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.Contact: Joel S.Marcus Chairman, Chief Executive Officer & Founder Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.(626) 578-9693 View original content: -shares-of-common-stock-including-exercise-in-full-of-underwriters-option-to-purchase-additional-shares-300578650.html SOURCE Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.


MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Jan.25, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Hologic, Inc.(Nasdaq: HOLX) announced today that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted PMA approval for the Aptima ® HBV Quant Assay for quantitation of hepatitis B viral load on the fully automated Panther ® system.The Aptima HBV Quant assay represents the newest addition to the Panther system's viral load menu, joining the previously approved Aptima HIV-1 Quant Assay (for human immunodeficiency virus) and Aptima HCV Quant Dx Assay (for hepatitis C virus).All three new assays use Hologic's proprietary real-time transcription-mediated amplification (TMA), which provides highly sensitive and specific performance.The HBV Quant assay reliably quantitates HBV DNA across all major genotypes A-H."This approval represents a milestone for Hologic's growing virology assay menu," said Tom West, president, Diagnostic Solutions division at Hologic."We now have available on a single system the three major viral load assays that most laboratories are asked to run for patients." These Aptima assays run on the Panther system, which provides full, sample-to-result automation and substantially reduces hands-on time with random and continuous access.With the Panther system, laboratorians can now run viral load assays for HIV-1, HCV and HBV in parallel, or even from a single patient sample.The Aptima HBV Quant assay offers a unique, dual-target approach that delivers accurate quantitation over a broad linear range and tolerates potential mutations in the HBV genome.The Aptima HBV Quant assay's linear range is one of the broadest on the market (from 10 IU/mL to 1 billion IU/mL).This helps ensure precise quantitation even for samples with the high viremia often associated with chronic HBV infection.The HBV assay joins a growing menu of tests available on the Panther system in the U.S.market.In addition to the three viral load assays, the Panther menu includes tests for sexually transmitted infections including chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomonas, human papillomavirus (HPV), and herpes simplex virus (HSV)."We hear repeatedly from clinical laboratory customers that menu consolidation is a top priority," said West."Offering a robust virology and women's health menu on a single automated platform will enable them to reach their efficiency goals." Hologic has a long-term legacy in the virology space, beginning two decades ago and spanning development of nucleic acid tests to screen the blood supply for HIV, HCV and HBV.

This expertise was applied to the development of the viral load portfolio on the Panther system.To learn more about the Aptima Quant assays available in the United States, please visit .In Europe, the Aptima HBV Quant assay is CE-IVD marked for viral load monitoring.In addition, both the Aptima HIV-1 Quant Dx assay and Aptima HCV Quant Dx assays are approved in Europe for both diagnosis and viral load monitoring.About Hologic Hologic, Inc.is an innovative medical technology company primarily focused on improving women's health and well-being through early detection and treatment.For more information on Hologic, visit www.hologic.com .Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking information that involves risks and uncertainties, including statements about the use of Hologic's diagnostic products.There can be no assurance these products will achieve the benefits described herein or that such benefits will be replicated in any particular manner with respect to an individual patient.The actual effect of the use of the products can only be determined on a case-by-case basis depending on the particular circumstances and patient in question.In addition, there can be no assurance that these products will be commercially successful or achieve any expected level of sales.Hologic expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any such statements presented herein to reflect any change in expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statements are based.Hologic, Panther, Aptima and The Science of Sure are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Hologic, Inc.in the United States and/or other countries.Investor Contact: Michael Watts +1 858.410.8588 [REDACTED] Media Contact: Jane Mazur +1 508.263.8764 (direct) +1 585.355.5978 (mobile) [REDACTED] View original content with multimedia: SOURCE Hologic, Inc.


By David Meyer 12:01 PM EST How does Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks feel about Amazon , J.P. Morgan and Berkshire Hathaway getting into the health care business from a non-profit angle?“Good,” apparently. The trio’s Tuesday announcement whacked shares of health care-related companies, from drugstore operators and distributors to health insurers. The group’s initial focus will be on using technology to reduce costs for their own employees as—in Warren Buffett’s words—”the ballooning costs of health care act as a hungry tapeworm on the American economy.” According to Ricks, the new non-profit’s partners are “forward-thinking, innovative people” and Buffett, Jeff Bezos and Jamie Dimon are “thought leaders.” “We welcome choice and competition in health care markets, and I look forward to seeing what they come up with,” Ricks told CNBC . “Actually, I don’t think it’s a bad thing.” Ricks also addressed President Donald Trump’s decision to lambast pharmaceutical companies over the price of prescription drugs, in his State of the Union address Tuesday evening. Prescription medications are, Ricks said, “the best deal going in health care,” as they keep people out of more expensive treatment facilities. “Consumers increasingly bearing the cost of those prescriptions—that’s an insurance design issue,” he said. “Medications are the most efficient part of the system in our eyes.” Eli Lilly’s fourth quarter results came out Wednesday, with revenues beating analyst expectations at $6.2 billion versus the expected $5.9 billion and earnings per share coming in at $1.14 rather than $1.07. The firm also boosted its 2018 guidance thanks to the lower tax rate afforded by the new tax law. SPONSORED FINANCIAL CONTENT


January 29, 2018 / 6:31 AM / in 3 hours Roche wins FDA's breakthrough therapy designation for autism drug Reuters Staff 1 Min Read ZURICH, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Swiss drugmaker Roche said on Monday the U.S.Food and Drug Administration granted its breakthrough therapy designation for Balovaptan to treat autism spectrum disorder (ASD), potentially accelerating its development and approval.Balovaptan, which may improve social interaction and communication in people with ASD, is being developed by Roche’s Swiss-based research unit and has an expected filing date of after 2020, according to the company’s website.

“We look forward to working closely with the FDA in the hope that we can bring this medicine to these individuals as quickly as possible,” said Roche Chief Medical Officer Sandra Horning.(Reporting by John Miller; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)


Department of the Treasury, and tax planning actions that the Company may undertake.In the first quarter of 2017, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update No.2016-09 (ASU 2016-09) "Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting." Starting in the first quarter of 2017, the excess tax benefits or deficiencies related to stock-based compensation are reflected in the Consolidated Statements of Operations as a component of the provision for income taxes, whereas they were previously recognized in equity.ASU 2016-09 is required to be adopted on a prospective basis for the statement of operations and retroactive restatement is not permitted.For the three and twelve months ended December 31, 2017, the Company recognized an excess tax benefit, which decreased income tax expense by $6 million and $20 million, respectively, and added $0.07 and $0.24, respectively, to net (loss) income per diluted share.Additionally, the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows will present excess tax benefits as an operating activity, with the prior periods presented adjusted accordingly.Waters Corporation and Subsidiaries Reconciliation of GAAP to Adjusted Non-GAAP Net Sales by Operating Segment, Products & Services, Geography and Markets Three Months Ended December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016 (In thousands) Constant Three Months Ended Percent Currency Currency December 31, 2017 December 31, 2016 Change Impact Growth Rate (a) NET SALES - OPERATING SEGMENT Waters $ 602,453 $ 554,226 9 % $ 17,785 5 % TA 84,822 74,561 14 % 2,709 10 % Total $ 687,275 $ 628,787 9 % $ 20,494 6 % NET SALES - PRODUCTS & SERVICES Instruments $ 379,114 $ 352,717 7 % $ 11,215 4 % Service 207,610 185,969 12 % 5,888 8 % Chemistry 100,551 90,101 12 % 3,391 8 % Total Recurring 308,161 276,070 12 % 9,279 8 % Total $ 687,275 $ 628,787 9 % $ 20,494 6 % NET SALES - GEOGRAPHY Asia $ 242,469 $ 225,648 7 % $ 3,289 6 % Americas 235,740 222,422 6 % 732 6 % Europe 209,066 180,717 16 % 16,473 7 % Total $ 687,275 $ 628,787 9 % $ 20,494 6 % NET SALES - MARKETS Pharmaceutical $ 373,245 $ 335,075 11 % $ 11,044 8 % Industrial 216,905 210,899 3 % 6,304 (0 %) Government & Academic 97,125 82,813 17 % 3,146 13 % Total $ 687,275 $ 628,787 9 % $ 20,494 6 % (a) The Company believes that referring to comparable constant currency growth rates is a useful way to evaluate the underlying performance of Waters Corporation's net sales.

Constant currency growth rate, a non-GAAP financial measure, measures the change in net sales between current and prior year periods, ignoring the impact of foreign currency exchange rates during the current period.See description of non-GAAP financial measures contained in this release.


MOSCOW (Reuters) - Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Tuesday that a U.S.report on people close to the Kremlin might damage the image of Russian firms, businessmen and officials and that everyone in it had been de facto labelled an enemy of the United States.The U.S.Treasury Department named major Russian businessmen including the heads of the two biggest banks, metals magnates and the boss of the state gas monopoly on a list of oligarchs close to the Kremlin.

“Publication of such a wide list of everything and everyone could potentially damage the image and reputation of our firms, our businessmen, our politicians, and of members of the leadership,” said Peskov.He said Russia would analyse the U.S.report before drawing further conclusions and said the report was unprecedented.Reporting by Polina Nikolskaya; Editing by Andrew Osborn


LONDON, Global Ship Lease, Inc.(NYSE:GSL) (the "Company") announced today that following the successful refinancing of all of the Company’s indebtedness in October 2017 and with a strengthening market backdrop, its Board of Directors has engaged Evercore to act as financial advisor to assist in reviewing strategic alternatives focused on maximizing shareholder value.These alternatives include, among other things, a corporate acquisition, a business combination or a partnership, while continuing to develop vessel purchase opportunities.Ian Webber, Chief Executive Officer of Global Ship Lease, commented, "Following the completion of the $360 million bond issue due 2022, which significantly extended the maturity of our principal debt financing, as well as arranging the associated secured term loan, both of which were achieved on favorable terms, we believe now is the right time to explore strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value.With the refinancing complete, our financial flexibility secured for the longer term, and our quality portfolio of multi-year charters continuing to provide consistent cash flows, Global Ship Lease is well-positioned as one of few publicly listed containership leasing companies to acquire attractive portfolios of ships, attract growth capital or find a complementary merger partner.In addition, with increased confidence in the container shipping industry's cyclical recovery, we will continue to focus on near-term opportunities to grow our fleet while we explore a broad range of strategic alternatives to enhance shareholder value." There can be no assurance that this strategic process will result in any transaction.The Company has not set a timetable for completion of the process, and it does not intend to comment further unless a specific transaction is approved by the Board of Directors, the review process is concluded or it is otherwise determined that further disclosure is appropriate or required by law.About Global Ship Lease Global Ship Lease is a containership charter owner.Incorporated in the Marshall Islands, Global Ship Lease commenced operations in December 2007 with a business of owning and chartering out containerships under mainly long-term, fixed-rate charters to top tier container liner companies.

Global Ship Lease owns 18 vessels with a total capacity of 82,312 TEU and an average age, weighted by TEU capacity, at December 31, 2017 of 13.0 years.All 18 vessels are currently fixed on time charters, 16 of which are with CMA CGM.The average remaining term of the charters at December 31, 2017 is 2.8 years or 3.1 years on a weighted basis, taking into account the charter extension recently agreed for GSL Tianjin .Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements.Forward-looking statements provide the Company's current expectations or forecasts of future events.Forward-looking statements include statements about the Company's expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, intentions, assumptions and other statements that are not historical facts.Words or phrases such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "ongoing," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "will" or similar words or phrases, or the negatives of those words or phrases, may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not necessarily mean that a statement is not forward-looking.These forward-looking statements are based on assumptions that may be incorrect, and the Company cannot assure you that the events or expectations included in these forward-looking statements will come to pass.Actual results could differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including the factors described in "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F and the factors and risks the Company describes in subsequent reports filed from time to time with the U.S.Securities and Exchange Commission.Accordingly, you should not unduly rely on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise any forward-looking statement to reflect circumstances or events after the date of this press release or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.Investor and Media Contact: The IGB Group Bryan Degnan 646-673-9701 or Leon Berman 212-477-8438 Source:Global Ship Lease, Inc.


The lower corporate tax rate will have an ongoing benefit to earnings and the company expects to earn back the initial charge within two years.Ameriprise Financial, Inc.Fourth Quarter Summary (in millions, except per share amounts, unaudited) Quarter Ended December 31, Per Diluted Share Quarter Ended December 31, 2017 2016 % Better/ (Worse) 2017 2016 % Better/ (Worse) GAAP net income $ 181 $ 400 (55 )% $ 1.18 $ 2.46 (52 )% Operating earnings including Tax Act impacts((1)) (see reconciliation on p.15) $ 182 $ 443 (59 )% $ 1.18 $ 2.73 (57 )% Operating earnings excluding Tax Act impacts (see reconciliation on p.15) $ 502 $ 443 13 % $ 3.26 $ 2.73 19 % Weighted average common shares outstanding: Basic 151.0 160.4 Diluted 153.8 162.4 Ameriprise Financial, Inc.Full Year Summary (in millions, except per share amounts, unaudited) Year Ended December 31, Per Diluted Share Year Ended December 31, 2017 2016 % Better/ (Worse) 2017 2016 % Better/ (Worse) GAAP net income $ 1,480 $ 1,314 13 % $ 9.44 $ 7.81 21 % Operating earnings including Tax Act impacts ((1)) (see reconciliation on p.16) $ 1,603 $ 1,427 12 % $ 10.23 $ 8.48 21 % Operating earnings excluding Tax Act impacts (see reconciliation on p.16) $ 1,923 $ 1,427 35 % $ 12.27 $ 8.48 45 % Weighted average common shares outstanding: Basic 154.1 166.3 Diluted 156.7 168.2 (1) The company believes the presentation of operating earnings best represents the economics of the business.Operating earnings, after-tax, exclude the consolidation of certain investment entities; net realized investment gains or losses, net of deferred sales inducement costs (“DSIC”) and deferred acquisition costs (“DAC”) amortization, unearned revenue amortization and the reinsurance accrual; integration and restructuring charges; the market impact on variable annuity guaranteed benefits, net of hedges and related DSIC and DAC amortization; the market impact on indexed universal life benefits, net of hedges and related DAC amortization, unearned revenue amortization, and the reinsurance accrual; the market impact on fixed indexed annuity benefits, net of hedges and the related DAC amortization; the market impact of hedges to offset interest rate changes on unrealized gains or losses for certain investments; and income or loss from discontinued operations.

Fourth Quarter 2017 Highlights Ameriprise is transforming its business mix Total assets under management and administration increased 14 percent to a record $897 billion reflecting ongoing strength in Ameriprise advisor client net inflows and market appreciation.Advice & Wealth Management and Asset Management generated 73 percent of pretax operating earnings in the quarter, excluding the corporate and other segment.In the quarter, the company repurchased 1.9 million shares of common stock for $302 million and paid $123 million in quarterly dividends.For the full year, the company repurchased 9.9 million shares for $1.3 billion and paid $502 million in quarterly dividends, which represented 96 percent of 2017 operating earnings, excluding the tax impact.Additionally, the company completed its acquisitions of Investment Professionals Inc.(IPI) and Lionstone Investments (Lionstone).The company’s risk-based capital ratio declined to approximately 435 percent at year-end primarily due to the Tax Act and the ratio is expected to increase during 2018 from improved cash generation from the lower tax rate.Wealth manager generating strong results Advice & Wealth Management client assets increased to a record $560 billion reflecting continued strength in fee-based investment advisory (wrap) net inflows, with net inflows of $5.0 billion in the quarter.Total wrap assets were $248 billion, one of the largest in the industry.


Revenue was at the midpoint of Amdocs’ guidance, adjusting for the negative impact of foreign currency movements.Net Income and Earnings Per Share The Company's GAAP net income for the first quarter of fiscal 2018 was $116.9 million, or $0.80 per diluted share, compared to GAAP net income of $97.8 million, or $0.66 per diluted share, in the prior fiscal year’s first quarter.Net income on a non-GAAP basis was $154.5 million, or $1.06 per diluted share, compared to non-GAAP net income of $133.6 million, or $0.9 per diluted share, in the first quarter of fiscal 2017.Returning Cash to Shareholders Quarterly Cash Dividend Program: On January 30, 2018, the Board approved the Company’s next quarterly cash dividend payment at the new rate of $0.25 per share and set March 30, 2018 as the record date for determining the shareholders entitled to receive the dividend, which will be payable on April 20, 2018.Share Repurchase Activity: Repurchased $120 million of ordinary shares during the first quarter of fiscal 2018.Twelve-month Backlog Twelve-month backlog, which includes anticipated revenue related to contracts, estimated revenue from managed services contracts, letters of intent, maintenance and estimated on-going support activities, was $3.26 billion at the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2018, up $10 million from the end of the prior quarter.Second Quarter Fiscal 2018 Outlook Revenue of approximately $960-$1,000 million, including an immaterial sequential impact from foreign currency fluctuations as compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2018.Second quarter fiscal 2018 guidance does not incorporate any contribution from the acquisition of Vubiquity Diluted GAAP EPS of approximately $0.65-$0.73 Diluted non-GAAP EPS of approximately $0.91-$0.97, excluding amortization of purchased intangible assets and other acquisition-related costs and approximately $0.05-$0.07 per share of equity-based compensation expense, net of related tax effects.Expected non-GAAP effective tax rate to be above the high-end of the annual target range of 13%-17% in the second quarter fiscal 2018 Full Year Fiscal 2018 Outlook Reiterates revenue growth of 0.0%-4.0% year-over-year as reported and (1.0%)-3.0% year-over-year on a constant currency basis.

Full year fiscal 2018 revenue guidance does not incorporate any contribution from the acquisition of Vubiquity Reiterates GAAP diluted earnings per share growth of roughly 3.0%-9.0% year-over-year Reiterates Non-GAAP diluted earnings per share growth of roughly 4.0%-8.0% year-over-year, excluding amortization of purchased intangible assets and other acquisition-related costs and approximately $0.25-$0.29 per share of equity-based compensation expense, net of related tax effects.Expected non-GAAP effective tax rate to remain within the same target range of 13%-17% for the full year fiscal 2018 The impact of the acquisition of Vubiquity on Amdocs’ diluted non-GAAP earnings per share is expected to be neutral in fiscal year 2018, and accretive thereafter.The impact on diluted GAAP EPS will not be known until after Amdocs completes the purchase price allocation.Amdocs expects to incur acquisition-related expenses related to operating adjustments, restructuring charges and other acquisition-related costs Our second fiscal quarter 2018 and full year fiscal 2018 outlook takes into consideration the company’s expectations regarding macro and industry specific risks and various uncertainties and certain assumptions that we will discuss on our earnings conference call.However, Amdocs notes market dynamics continue to shift rapidly and that it cannot predict all possible outcomes, including those resulting from AT&T’s proposed merger with Time Warner, or from other current and potential customer consolidation activity in North America.Conference Call Details Amdocs will host a conference call on January 30, 2018 at 5:00 p.m.Eastern Time to discuss the Company's first quarter of fiscal 2018 results.To participate, please dial [REDACTED], or [REDACTED] outside the United States, approximately 15 minutes before the call and enter passcode 7787959.The call will also be carried live on the Internet via the Amdocs website, www.amdocs.com .


Google just announced that it has sold "tens of millions" of its home devices over the last year, including its smart speakers and Chromecast TV streaming devices — and more than one Home speaker every second since the Home Mini started shipping in October.Some quick math: That means that Google has sold at least 6.7 million devices since October 19.That's a refreshingly concrete number, if not uniquely huge.Amazon said that it sold "tens of millions" of Alexa-enabled devices and that its Echo Dot sold "millions" of units over the holidays.Amazon's Echo products are widely seen as dominating the smart speaker market: CIRP estimated last fall that Amazon's Echo products had a 76% market share in the US compared to 24% for Google's Home devices.

Both companies offered steep discounts on their products over the holidays, likely losing money on every sale.Google also said that Assistant, the artificial intelligence that users can engage with via voice or text, is now available on more than 400 million devices, including phones, headphones, TVs, and watches.It can also control over 1,500 smart homes devices like smart lightbulbs or plugs.Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the Google product that sold in the "tens of millions" last year.


(Reuters) - Macy’s Inc ( M.N ) shares dropped as much as 7 percent on Thursday after it reported only modest growth in holiday sales and said it would close stores and slash thousands of jobs this year.The 1 percent rise in comparable store sales came after industry watchers forecast a record season for U.S.retailers.Macy’s had said it would keep inventory tight for the holidays as it works to fend off competition from online sellers like Amazon.com Inc ( AMZN.O ).The department store operator said it would save about $300 million in costs by shuttering 11 stores, cutting and hiring staff, and streamlining areas including human resources.Macy’s spokeswoman Blair Rosenberg said those changes would mean a net loss of some 5000 jobs.Macy’s shares had surged 44 percent since early November, when it forecast a jump in online sales that fueled optimism for its prospects in the crucial holiday quarter.Other department store operators also tumbled, with J.C.Penney Co Inc ( JCP.N ) and Sears Holdings ( SHLD.O ) each down 7 percent and Kohl’s Corp ( KSS.N ) down 5 percent.Macy‘s, which also owns luxury chain Bloomingdale‘s, has been focused on streamlining operations amid intense competition from rival department stores and online retailers.The store closures and job cuts signal another year of change and disruption at Macy’s and outweigh the modest year-over-year sales growth during the holiday quarter, said Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData Retail.“One percent growth isn’t that good in the context of the market as this has been a robust Christmas and consumers have been out spending,” Saunders said, adding that Macy’s had underperformed against rivals and likely lost market share.

Macy’s in-store and online market share shrunk between Thanksgiving and the first week of December compared with the same period last year, according to data from Earnest Research, which tallies anonymous card transactions of millions of U.S.shoppers.Macy’s shares were last down 4.4 percent at $24.21.WIDER CHEER STILL EXPECTED Still, the wider retail industry is expected to have benefited this holiday season from surging consumer confidence and increased use of mobile phones to shop.Mastercard Inc’s ( MA.N ) analytics arm said last week that shoppers spent a record of more than $800 billion during the 2017 U.S.holiday period.The holidays can account for up to 40 percent of annual sales for some stores, and retailers have invested aggressively in promotions, technology and delivery options.Rival J.C.Penney Co Inc ( JCP.N ) reported a 3.4 percent rise in holiday same-store sales on Thursday, driven by strong demand for home goods, beauty products and jewelry.Its shares rose in premarket trading, but turned lower after the Macy’s announcement.Macy’s said its 1 percent rise in comparable sales was driven by demand for apparel and beauty products and would boost fourth-quarter comparable sales.Full-year comparable sales should decline by about 2.4 percent to 2.7 percent, Macy’s said, a slight improvement on the 2.2 percent to 3.3 percent decline it forecast in November.Reporting by Richa Naidu in Chicago; additional reporting by Siddharth Cavale Meredith Mazzilli


Jan 17 (Reuters) - AL RAJHI CAPITAL : * ANNOUNCES CONCLUSION OF INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING OF AL RAJHI

REIT FUND * SAYS AL RAJHI REIT FUND WAS OVERSUBSCRIBED AT 174 PERCENT AND RAISED 740 MILLION RIAYLS


Movies Star Wars: The Last Jedi Tops $1 Billion Worldwide in Under Three Weeks Competing screening across the street at the El Capitan theatre on the opening night celebration of "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" at the TCL Chinese Theater on December 14, 2017 in Hollywood, California.Albert L.Ortega Getty Images By Reuters 9:11 PM EST Disney-Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” has cleared the $1 billion milestone in worldwide grosses in less than three weeks.“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” pulled in $120.4 million globally on the New Year’s Eve weekend with $52.4 million at 4,232 domestic venues and $68 million internationally during the Friday-Sunday period.“The Last Jedi” is now the eighth highest-grossing domestic movie of all time with $517.1 million — only $15 million behind last year’s “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” in the seventh spot.On the worldwide chart, it’s now 24th with $1.04 billion, edging Universal-Illumination’s “Despicable Me 3.” The tentpole’s international total, currently at $523.2 million, will see a significant jolt when it opens on Jan.5 in China, its final market.“Star Wars: The Last Jedi” has also topped Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” which grossed $504 million in North America, for the top spot among 2017 releases domestically.It’s the fourth 2017 title to go past $1 billion worldwide, along with “Beauty and the Beast” at $1.26 billion, “The Fate of the Furious” at $1.24 billion and “Despicable Me 3” at $1.03 billion.“The Last Jedi” is also winning the domestic weekend box office crown for the third time with $52.4 million, edging Sony’s “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” which took in $50.6 million at 3,765 locations for the Friday-Sunday.However, Sony’s projection showed the “Jumanji” sequel grossing $16.5 million on New Year’s Day on Monday — well above Disney’s forecast of $13.2 million for “The Last Jedi.” Should those numbers hold, “Jumanji” would edge “Jedi” over the four-day period with $67 million, winning by $1.4 million.

“Jumanji” has been “The Last Jedi’s” biggest competitor by far since it opened on Dec.20.The action-comedy should wind up with an 11-day domestic total of $186.3 million by the end of Monday.The action-comedy, starring Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart, has a $90 million budget.It’s also performed impressively in international markets with $107 million thr0ugh Dec.28.“Jedi” and “Jumanji” helped lift the entire domestic box office for 2017 to $11.12 billion, down 2.3% from last year’s $11.38 billion and off slightly from 2015’s $11.14 billion, according to comScore.The gap for 2017 had been more than 6% at the end of the worst summer in a decade but performances by “It,”“Thor: Ragnarok,”“Justice League,”“Jedi” and “Jumanji” closed most of that margin.“With another $11 billion plus year on the books, the industry looks ahead to awards season and a 2018 packed with blockbuster titles and a hope for a year slightly less volatile than 2017,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst with comScore.Universal’s “Pitch Perfect 3” led the rest of weekend’s domestic pack with a projected $22.7 million at 3,468 locations for Friday-Monday, lifting its 11-day total to $69.2 million.The comedy threequel, starring Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson, took in $13.1 million this weekend from 34 international markets for a foreign total of $28.6 million.Hugh Jackman’s musical drama “The Greatest Showman” is finishing a close fourth with $20.3 million at 3,316 theaters forecasted for the four days.The Fox-Chernin Entertainment title showed the biggest gain in the top 10 movies from the Christmas Eve weekend with an impressive 73% surge.The domestic total should hit $53.8 million through Monday.


WHEN: Today, Friday, January 26, 2018 WHERE: CNBC's "Squawk Box" – Live from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland Following is the unofficial transcript of a CNBC interview with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on CNBC's "Squawk Box" (M-F 6AM-9AM) live from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland today, Friday, January 26th. Following are links to video from the interview on CNBC.com: , & . All references must be sourced to CNBC. JOE KERNEN: ALRIGHT, WELCOME BACK TO "SQUAWK BOX." WE JUST HEARD FROM PRESIDENT TRUMP WITH HIS MESSAGE TO THE WORLD FROM DAVOS. RIGHT NOW, LET'S BRING IN HIS TREASURY SECRETARY, STEVEN MNUCHIN. MR. SECRETARY, IT'S IS GREAT TO HAVE YOU ON. THIS IS LIKE A BOOKEND. THEN WE'RE GONNA WRAP THINGS UP WITH YOU. TREASURY SECRETARY MNUCHIN: THANK YOU. IT'S GREAT TO BE HERE. IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THE PRESIDENT HERE FOR HIS SPEECH AND THE END OF A GREAT WEEK. KERNEN: WE'VE GOT, YOU KNOW, A FEW THINGS TO TALK ABOUT IN GENERALITIES, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS INTERESTING WHEN I SPOKE TO THE PRESIDENT WAS INTERESTING HAD TO DO WITH TRADE AND TPP. AND WE'VE BEEN KICKING THIS BACK AND FORTH WITH SKEPTICS AND PEOPLE THAT THINK WE'RE ON TO SOMETHING HERE. DO YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHT WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS THINKING ON THIS?IS MULTI-LATERAL BACK?IS TPP REALLY SOMETHING HE WOULD PURSUE SERIOUSLY?MNUCHIN: I THINK THE PRESIDENT HAS REALLY BEEN VERY CLEAR ON HIS TRADE AGENDA. AND WHAT HE WANTS TO DO IS HAVE FREE AND FAIR AND OPEN AND RECIPROCAL TRADE. HE LIKES USING THE WORD RECIPROCAL BECAUSE IT'S VERY CLEAR. BASICALLY WE HAVE THE SAME TERMS. AND WE SPOKE TO THE PRESIDENT EARLIER THIS WEEK AND WE TALKED ABOUT THE TPP AND HE SAID, LOOK, IF I CAN GET A GOOD DEAL, THE RIGHT DEAL, I'LL GO INTO TPP, BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO BE THE RIGHT DEAL. BUT HE WOULD FUNDAMENTALLY RATHER NEGOTIATE BILATERAL. ANDREW ROSS SORKIN: I WAS GOING TO SAY, BECAUSE HE'S PREDISPOSED TO BILATERAL APPROACH, IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE – IF YOU WERE HANDYCAPPING THIS AS A BETTING MAN, WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

IF YOU WERE TRADING THIS?MNUCHIN: I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO HANDICAP THIS, BECAUSE I THINK THE MESSAGE IS VERY CLEAR IN THAT WE WANT TO HAVE TRADE. I THINK PEOPLE HAVE INTERPRETED THIS IN OUR TOUR, WE HAVE TRADE ACTIONS AND WE WILL HAVE TRADE ACTIONS BECAUSE WE HAVE TO DEFEND AGAINST UNFAIR TRADE, BUT I THINK IN BOTH THE SPEECH AND WHAT HE SAID IN THE INTERVIEW, HE'S BEEN VERY CLEAR. HIS OBJECTIVE IS HE WANTS TO HAVE GOOD DEALS FOR AMERICAN COMPANIES AND AMERICAN WORKERS, AND IF THAT MEANS GOING INTO A MULTI-LATERAL, HE'LL CONSIDER IT. KERNEN: I WOULD BE HESITANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE DOLLAR AGAIN BECAUSE YOU'RE PROBABLY SO SICK OF IT BUT— MNUCHIN: NO, GO AHEAD. I'D BE UPSET IF YOU DIDN'T ASK ME. KERNEN: NO, BUT I KNOW FOR A FACT YOU'VE ANSWERED IT SO MANY TIMES NOW IN THE LAST TWO DAYS THAT YOU MUST BE SO GOOD AT IT BY NOW, AT WHAT YOUR RESPONSE IS GOING TO BE, THAT IT'S JUST GOING TO -- YOU DON'T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT. BUT, DO YOU WANT TO WEIGH IN ONE LAST TIME?MNUCHIN: RIGHT, SO I MADE THE COMMENT TWO DAYS AGO ON A PRESS GAGGLE IN THE MORNING. WHAT I SAID WAS ACTUALLY VERY EVEN HANDED AND CONSISTENT WITH WHAT I'VE SAID BEFORE. IT WASN'T INTENDED TO MAKE NEWS. AND HAD THE NEWS PRINTED MY ENTIRE TRANSCRIPT THE FIRST TIME AS OPPOSED TO JUST TAKING OUT ONE LITTLE POINT AND TRYING TO IMPLY THAT I WAS TRYING TO TALK DOWN THE DOLLAR, WHICH I WASN'T DOING.


23 % Three Months Ended Years Ended December 31, 2017 September 30, 2017 June 30, 2017 March 31, 2017 December 31, 2016 December 31, 2017 December 31, 2016 (Dollars in thousands) Return on Average Tangible Common Equity (Annualized): Net Income (GAAP) $ 9,501 $ 15,191 $ 16,200 $ 13,726 $ 14,550 $ 54,618 $ 49,661 Non-GAAP adjustments: Intangible Assets amortization, tax effected at 35% 219 219 229 250 250 917 1,043 Net Income excluding intangible assets amortization, tax effected at 35% $ 9,720 $ 15,410 $ 16,429 $ 13,976 $ 14,800 $ 55,


January 23, 2018 / 8:26 AM / in 38 minutes BRIEF-Tesla To Announce CEO Elon Musk's New Compensation Plan - NYT Reuters Staff Jan 23 (Reuters) - * TESLA INC IS PLANNING TO ANNOUNCE ON TUESDAY CEO MUSK‘S NEW COMPENSATION

PLAN - NYT * TESLA'S MUSK WILL BE PAID ONLY IF HE REACHES A SERIES OF MILESTONES BASED ON CO’S MARKET VALUE & OPERATIONS; "OTHERWISE, HE WILL BE PAID NOTHING"- NYT Source text : nyti.ms/2rwXAQw Further company coverage:


Jan 24 (Reuters) - * PESQUERA EXALMAR S.A.A.ANNOUNCES AMENDMENT OF EXCHANGE OFFER AND CONSENT SOLICITATION FOR ANY AND ALL OF ITS 7.375% SENIOR NOTES DUE 2020 Source text for Eikon:


The future outcomes that relate to forward-looking statements may be influenced by many factors, including but not limited to: general economic and market conditions in the countries in which we operate; weak, volatile or illiquid capital and/or credit markets; interest rate and currency value fluctuations; changes in monetary, fiscal, or economic policy and tax legislation and interpretation; the level of competition in the geographic and business areas in which we operate; changes in laws or in supervisory expectations or requirements, including capital, interest rate and liquidity requirements and guidance, and the effect of such changes on funding costs; judicial or regulatory proceedings; the accuracy and completeness of the information we obtain with respect to our customers and counterparties; our ability to execute our strategic plans and to complete and integrate acquisitions, including obtaining regulatory approvals; critical accounting estimates and the effect of changes to accounting standards, rules and interpretations on these estimates; operational and infrastructure risks; changes to our credit ratings; political conditions, including changes relating to or affecting economic or trade matters; global capital markets activities; the possible effects on our business of war or terrorist activities; outbreaks of disease or illness that affect local, national or international economies; natural disasters and disruptions to public infrastructure, such as transportation, communications, power or water supply; technological changes; information and cyber security; and our ability to anticipate and effectively manage risks arising from all of the foregoing factors.

We caution that the foregoing list is not exhaustive of all possible factors.Other factors and risks could adversely affect our results.For more information, please see the discussion in the Risks That May Affect Future Results section on page 79, and the sections related to credit and counterparty, market, insurance, liquidity and funding, operational, model, legal and regulatory, business, strategic, environmental and social, and reputation risk, which begin on page 86, of BMO's 2017 Annual MD&A and outline certain key factors and risks that may affect Bank of Montreal's future results.Investors and others should carefully consider these factors and risks, as well as other uncertainties and potential events, and the inherent uncertainty of forward-looking statements.Bank of Montreal does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by the organization or on its behalf, except as required by law.The forward-looking information contained in this document is presented for the purpose of assisting our shareholders in understanding our financial position as at and for the periods ended on the dates presented, as well as our strategic priorities and objectives, and may not be appropriate for other purposes.Assumptions about the performance of the Canadian and U.S.economies, as well as overall market conditions, and their combined effect on our business, are material factors we cons


02 Other borrowings 117,578 1,382 4.60 122,751 1,375 4.39 Total interest-bearing liabilities 5,479,914 14,878 1.07 5,066,188 10,449 0.82 Non-interest-bearing deposits 740,007 691,871 Other liabilities 65,757 82,322 Total liabilities 6,285,678 5,840,381 Stockholders' equity 691,004 650,590 Total liabilities and stockholders' equity $ 6,976,682 $ 6,490,971 Net interest-earning assets $ 1,001,052 $ 988,159 Tax-equivalent net interest income 48,966 44,884 Tax-equivalent net interest rate spread (1) 2.82 % 2.79 % Tax-equivalent net interest margin (2) 2.98 % 2.93 % Average interest-earning assets to average interest-bearing liabilities 118.27 % 119.50 % Less tax-equivalent adjustment 2,117 1,712 Net interest income $ 46,849 $ 43,172 (1) Tax-equivalent net interest rate spread represents the difference between yield on average interest-earning assets and the cost of average interest-bearing liabilities.(2) Tax-equivalent net interest rate margin represents tax-equivalent net interest income divided by average interest-earning assets.United Financial Bancorp, Inc.and Subsidiaries Average Balance Sheets, Interest and Yields/Costs (Dollars In Thousands) (Unaudited) For the Three Months Ended December 31, 2017 September 30, 2017 Average Balance Interest and Dividends Yield/Cost Average Balance Interest and Dividends Yield/Cost Interest-earning assets: Residential real estate $ 1,310,352 $ 11,343 3.47 % $ 1,323,262 $ 11,017 3.33 % Commercial real estate 2,234,878 23,089 4.04 2,211,601 23,063 4.08 Construction 122,151 1,453 4.66 122,511 1,301 4.16 Commercial business 813,457 7,994 3.85 791,547 8,163 4.04 Home equity 569,021 6,293 4.39 536,509 5,917 4.38 Other consumer 278,465 3,309 4.71 252,532 3,063 4.81 Investment securities 1,074,840 9,713 3.60 1,090,559 9,621 3.52 Federal Home Loan Bank stock 47,964 564 4.71 51,722 572 4.43 Other earning assets 29,838 86 1.15 43,498 151 1.38 Total interest-earning assets 6,480,966 63,844 3.89 6,423,741 62,868 3.86 Allowance for loan losses (46,880) (46,479) Non-interest-earning assets 542,596 529,937 Total assets $ 6,976,682 $ 6,907,199 Interest-bearing liabilities: NOW and money market $ 2,125,177 $ 4,286 0.