>>> US Gapping up

Gapping up
In reaction to strong earnings/guidance
:
  • PLAY +13.3%, EMKR +13.2%, WDC +4.7%, (raises Q2 outlook; renews patent cross-license agreement with Samsung),HOFT +2.2%, KEQU +2%
  • VRA +1.6%, KFY +1.1%
M&A news: AVH +2.3% (responds to media reports regarding its search for a strategic investor; received conditional and confidential proposals from certain parties)

Select EU financial related names showing strength in sympathy with CS investor day (see below): HSBC +1.9%, RBS+1.7%, PUK +1.5%, BCS +0.8%, LYG +0.7%


Other news:
  • ANTH +13.6% (reports Blisibimod BRIGHT-SC IgA Nephropathy continues to demonstrate 'positive' trends in the week 48 analysis; promotes J. Craig Thompson to CEO replacing Paul Truex who has been appointed to new role as Exec Chairman)
  • ENPH +6.6% (continued strength)
  • VKTX +5.8% (confirms the FDA has granted orphan drug designation to VK0214 for the treatment of X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy)
  • WDC +4.6% (raises Q2 outlook; renews patent cross-license agreement with Samsung)
  • SQ +4.4% (Engadget discusses that Square (SQ) users will now be able to spend via Apple (AAPL) Pay)
  • SPWR +4.3% (announces restructuring program; plans to reduce 2017 annual operating expenses to less than $350 mln; provides guidance)
  • WEN +3.9% (Trian Fund Management increases active stake to 23.45% )
  • CS +2.5% (provides strategic update at its Investor Day; targeting lower costs for co's end-2018 objective)
  • AMD +2.1% (in sympathy with WDC)
  • TXMD +2% (among stocks with favorable commentary on Tuesday's Mad Money)
  • MA +1.2% (increases quarterly dividend to $0.22/share from $0.19 prior qtr and approves $4 bln share repurchase program)
  • STX +1.1% (WDC sympathy)
  • JUNO +1% (announces an update of data from studies of its investigational chimeric antigen receptor T cell product candidates was presented; encouraged by the safety and efficacy results )
Analyst comments:
  • RIO +3.7% (upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse)
  • VALE +3.1% (upgraded to Neutral from Underperform at Credit Suisse)
  • MU +2.3% (initiated with a Buy at Citigroup)
  • GPK +2.1% (upgraded to Buy from Neutral at BofA/Merrill)
  • MELI +1.7% (upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman)
  • AV +1.5% (upgraded to Outperform at RBC Capital Mkts)
  • TEVA +1.5% (resumed with an Outperform at Oppenheimer)
  • AZO +1.2% (upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JP Morgan)