>>> US Gapping up

Gapping up
In reaction to strong earnings/guidance
:
  • ESIO +29%, LIVE +20.8%, GNC +19.3%, PTC +8.1%, WNS +2.4%, IIIN +2.1%, MS +1.5%, MTG+1%, KMI +0.9%, SBNY +0.6%
M&A news:
  • LQ +11.8% (Wyndham Worldwide to acquire La Quinta's (LQ) hotel franchise and hotel management businesses for $1.95 bln in cash)
Other news:
  • SPI +35.6% (SPI Energy unit establishes strategic partnership with Hoofoo, a 'hack-proof' cryptocurrency wallet for iOS and android phones)
  • NEOT +19.6% (NeoThetics completes merger with Evofem Biosciences - to trade under EVFM)
  • MICT +12.8% (receives purchase order of approximately $1,600,000 during the month of January from a Fortune 50 multi-national medical device company)
  • CTIC +7.6% (receives $10 mln milestone payment for TRISENOX)
  • CLSN +6.8% (provides a year-end 2017 corporate review and provides clinical progress for two of its development programs)
  • AES +6.5% (attributed to ValueAct stake)
  • BGNE +1.8% (prices 7,425,750 ADSs at $101.00 per ADS)
  • S +1.1% (Sprint and Cox Communications announce new multi-year business agreement), .
Analyst comments:
  • HTZ +5.1% (upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Macquarie)
  • PANW +1.8% (upgraded to Outperform at Evercore ISI)
  • FLR +1.5% (upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse)
  • WMT +1.5% (added to Conviction Buy List at Goldman)
  • UBS +1.4% (upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse)
  • CTSH +1% (upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Citigroup)
  • PHM +1% (upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Mizuho)