TheChek News Flow

Fed's Lockhart (moderate, FOMC voter): Economy substantially stronger compared to crisis period, ready to consider withdrawing accommodation and moving toward normalization 

RTRS - STUTTGART COURT SAYS DECISION TO DISMISS SUIT BROUGHT AGAINST PORSCHE SE PSHG_p.DE BY HEDGE FUNDS CANNOT BE APPEALED

ECB calls on banks to disclose exposures to Austria following the suspension of debt payments by Heta (bad bank) - press 

(Reuters) - A group of investors led by Japanese mobile telecom firm SoftBank Corp is in talks to buy a 20 percent stake in Indian handset maker Micromax Informatics for up to $1 billion, two people aware of the discussions said.

Gapping up
In reaction to strong earnings/guidance: MAGS +13.6%, FIVE +5.6%, RHT +5%, NVFY +5%, CMC +4.5%, DOVR +3.8%, CAG +3%, LTBR +2.8%, ACN +2.7%, FNV +2%, WGO +0.8%, INOV +0.7%, WOR +0.6%, RCI +0.6%, PVH +0.5%

M&A news: FSGI +1.3% (Atlantic Capital Bancshares announces merger agreement with First Security Group), GIS +0.9% (Bloomberg real M&A column discusses possibility of more M&A in the food space)

Select metals/mining stocks trading higher: AU +7%, HMY +4.8%, GFI +3.6%, AEM +3%, AG +3%, NEM +2.9%, GOLD +2.6%, GG +2.6%, SSRI +2.5%, GDX +2.3%, HL +2.2%, ABX +2%, FCX +1.5%

Select oil/gas related names showing strength: REXX +6%, SFY +5.3%, WTI +4.2%, PWE +4%, SDRL +3.4%, STO +3.2%, MRO +3.1%, SDRL +3%, GDP +2.9%, WLL +2.6%, RIG +2.4%, PBR +2.2%, CRR +2.2%, COP +2.1%, HAL +2%

Other news: CNAT +41.5% (announces top-line results from its Phase 2 double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of emricasan in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease; trial met its primary endpoint), CRDC +16.7% (management committed to a corporate restructuring and layoff in which Cardica will be reducing its headcount by 15 people from 63 to 48 across all departments except research and development), VNR +3.9% (terminated, effective immediately, the Equity Distribution Agreement dated as of November 26, 2013 by and between the Company and Managers), VICL +3.1% (expanded its infectious disease portfolio with the addition of a novel antifungal, ASP2397, in-licensed from Astellas Pharma),TKMR +2.5% (presents preclinical results demonstrating super-additive effects on plasma triglyceride lowering by silencing of ApoC3 and ANGPTL3 genes), ROVI +2.1% (confirms that yesterday, the Northern District Court in Oakland, California held a hearing in its ongoing Netflix (NFLX) case), MDT +1.4% (highlights new data in JAMA Surgery demonstrating cost savings and reduced patient hospital stays following minimally invasive surgery), SLB +1.4% (resolved a previously disclosed investigation by the FOJ into past violations of U.S. sanctions ), MKC +0.9% (authorized new $600 mln share repurchase program)

Analyst comments: SBGL +2.9% (upgraded to Sector Outperform from Sector Perform at CIBC), AWAY +2.7% (initiated with an Outperform at Oppenheimer), PTX +2.4% (initiated with an Outperform at Oppenheimer), GPRO +2% (upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Robert W. Baird), ALR +1.6% (upgraded to Neutral from Sell at Goldman
)

Gapping down
In reaction to disappointing earnings/guidance: SNDK -11.9%, PSUN -4.2%, CMGE -3.5%, VRNT -2.8%, ASND -0.7%, OTIV -0.7%, LULU -0.5%, KITE -0.4%


Select Airline related names showing weakness: DAL -4.4%, LUV -3.3%, UAL -3.1%, ALK -3.1%, JBLU -2.6%

Select SNDK peers and semi names trading lower after SNDK released guidance: MU -4.1%, QRVO -3.8%, STM -3.3%, ARMH -3.3%, NXPI -3.1%, SWKS -2.5%, AMD -1.9%, EMC -1.1%, LLTC -1%

Other news: SCMP -12.8% ( announces a proposed underwritten public offering of shares of its class A common stock by selling stockholders), VG -11.8% (cont weakness), FF -10.1% (disclosed it received a notice from Procter & Gamble (PG) terminating a purchase agreement), NVAX -8.4% (announces it has priced an underwritten public offering of 24,137,931 shares of common stock at a price to the public of $7.25 per share), NLST -7.4% (confirms that a jury verdict has been reached in its case against Diablo Technologies in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California ), NBG -4.4% (cont vol in Greece), DPLO -4.1% (prices 8,540,109 shares of common stock at $29.00 per share; shares sold by co and selling shareholders), GTN -3% (prices 12 million shares of common stock at $13.00 per share), GWR -2.3% (entered into a $2.8 bln credit facility; co also lowered Q1 revenue guidance), CFG -0.9% (Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) has agreed to sell 135 million shares of CFG's common stock at $23.75 per share)

Analyst comments: EXAS -5.5% (downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Goldman), ASML -3% (downgraded to Sell at Deutsche Bank), Q -2.5% (downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Sun Trust Rbsn Humphrey), COTY -2.5% (downgraded to Sell at B. Riley & Co), UBNT -2.3% (downgraded to Neutral from Outperform at Macquarie), NVO -1.2% (downgraded to Neutral at Bryan Garnier), NSC -1% (downgraded to Mkt Perform from Outperform at Raymond James), AEG -2.5% (downgraded to Hold from Buy at Deutsche Bank), UNP -1.6% (downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at Cowen), MYGN -0.8% (downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Goldman
)

MAKOR SECUIRITIES and JP MORGAN CAZENOVEWe have organised a joint
company roadshow with Conwert management

Reports Q4 $0.78 v $0.72e, R$602.5M v $596Me - Guides Q1 $0.31-0.33 v $0.39e, R$413-418 v $443Me

Germany's Evonik Industries is examining a takeover bid for its Swiss rival Clariant, in a deal that would create a speciality chemicals company with a market value of more than €20bn, according to people familiar with the matter.