>>> US Gapping up

Gapping up
In reaction to strong earnings/guidance: SURG +4.7%, MTG +2.3%, CSX +1.8%, HPQ +1.8%, NHTC +1.5%, BLK +1.4%, BAC +0.7%, PNC +0.5%, .

M&A news: CSRE +30.5% (Qualcomm (QCOM) to acquire CSR for ~$2.5 bln)

Select Ebola related names showing strength: APT +24.3%, LAKE +16.2%, IBIO +10%, HEB +6.3%, NLNK +6.1%, CERS +3.7%, CMRX +3.3%, SRPT +3.1%, TKMR +3%, INO +2.1%, NNVC +1.4%

Other news: ANN +8.2% (Golden Gate Capital files amended 13D with Confidentiality Agreement dated today Oct 14), NAVB +7.3% (FDA approves expanded use of Navidea's Lymphoseek for lymphatic mapping in solid tumors), GTAT +4.9% (Apple (AAPL) wants to secretly challenge GTAT bankruptcy, according to reports), MPO +4.3% (provides hedging update; 1212K barrels/day through 2Q15 at avg. ~$90/bbl), STRP +1.2% (after 18% move higher on earnings yesterday), SSRI +1.1% (analyst tour at Marigold highlights life of mine plan and exploration results), AMD +1.1% (in symp with INTC earnings), CCL +0.9% (Carnival and largest Chinese Shipyard sign Memo of Understanding aimed at growing the cruise industry in China), .

Analyst comments: PTEN +2% (initiated with a Buy at Citigroup), UNFI +1.9% (upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at Piper Jaffray), EXXI +1.5% (upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Global Hunter Securities), SWIR +1.1% (initiated with a Outperform at Northland Capital), CBS +1.1% (upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Citigroup), AMAT +0.8% (upgraded to Buy from Neutral at BofA/Merrill), RAX+0.6% (upgraded to Outperform from Sell at Credit Agricole), HST +0.5% (upgraded to Overweight from Equal Weight at Barclays)

>>> HPQ - to Resume Share Repurchase Program Reiterates FY14 and FY15 Target of

HPQ to Resume Share Repurchase Program Reiterates FY14 and FY15 Target of Returning at Least 50 Percent of Free Cash Flow to Shareholders Through Dividends and Share Repurchases 

HP (NYSE: HPQ) today announced that it will resume its share repurchase program under its current authorization after previously suspending activity due to the possession of material non-public information. The company is no longer in possession of such information.

HP remains committed to its fiscal 2014 and fiscal 2015 capital allocation strategy of returning at least 50 percent of free cash flow to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases and intends to make up for the fiscal 2014 shortfall over the remainder of fiscal 2014 and 2015.

"We are committed to a disciplined approach to capital allocation and we intend to return at least 50 percent of FY14 and FY15 free cash flow to shareholders in the form of dividends and repurchases," said Cathie Lesjak, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, HP. "We are confident in our strategy and our ability to execute, and continue to believe our share price does not reflect HP's intrinsic value."

>>> Outlook

For fiscal 2014, HP reaffirms its estimate of non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share (EPS) to be in the range of $3.70 to $3.74 and GAAP diluted net EPS to be in the range of $2.60 to $2.64. Fiscal 2014 non-GAAP diluted net EPS estimates exclude after-tax costs of approximately $1.10 per share, related primarily to restructuring charges and amortization of intangible assets.

For fiscal 2015, HP reaffirms its estimate of non-GAAP diluted net EPS to be in the range of $3.83 to $4.03 and GAAP diluted net EPS to be in the range of $3.23 to $3.43. Fiscal 2015 non-GAAP diluted net EPS estimates exclude after-tax costs of approximately $0.60 per share, related primarily to amortization of intangible assets and restructuring charges.

HP reaffirms its fiscal 2015 operating cash flow outlook of $10 billion to $10.5 billion, with free cash flow of $6.5 billion to $7 billion.

HP's outlook does not include one-time GAAP-only charges the company is expected to incur in connection with the separation transaction announced on October 6, 2014, including advisory and tax costs which will be quantified at a later date.

(BFW) AbbVie/Shire Deal Has 75% Chance of Going Through: Bernstein

AbbVie/Shire Deal Has 75% Chance of Going Through: Bernstein
2014-10-15 11:52:27.677 GMT

By Cristin Flanagan
Oct. 15 (Bloomberg) -- AbbVie/Shire deal still has “high
probability” of going through, writes Bernstein analyst Aaron
Gal, after yday’s post-mkt announcement that ABBV was
reconsidering recommendation on deal.
* Recent regulations may require more borrowing, regulations
on “decontrolling” ABBV units now more unwieldy, “Double
Irish” change may also have contributing effect
* ABBV doesn’t have a lot of other attractive strategic
options, may be hard to renegotiate deal under U.K. law
* AbbVie may recommend lower Shire offer, or add a CVR on
inversion, Bloomberg Intelligence’s Sam Fazeli writes;
today’s Shire drop may make it easier for ABBV to return
with lower offer
* NOTE: Earlier, Shire Down Most Since 2002; Astra, S&N Fall
on Inversion Doubt
* Shire Says AbbVie Should Proceed With Merger; Breakup
Fee $1.64b
* AbbVie May See $1/Shr Decline If Shire Deal Ended: BMO
* AbbVie Attractive as Standalone for M&A, Buybacks:
Jefferies
* AbbVie Attractive as Standalone for M&A, Buybacks:
Jefferies</li></ul>
* ABBV board to meet Oct. 20 to reconsider recommendation


For Related News and Information:
First Word scrolling panel: FIRST<GO>
First Word newswire: NH BFW<GO>

To contact the reporter on this story:
Cristin Flanagan in New York at +1-212-617-8919 or
cflanagan1@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story:
Arie Shapira at +1-212-617-1488 or
ashapira3@bloomberg.net
Cristin Flanagan

(NPW) Apple, Facebook paying female staff up to US$20,000 to freeze their eggs

Apple, Facebook paying female staff up to US$20,000 to freeze their eggs
2014-10-15 11:50:11.549 GMT


Apple, Facebook paying female staff up to US$20,000 to freeze
their eggs

By Aaron Taube, Business Insider
Oct. 15 (National Post) -- Apple and Facebook will pay
female employees up to US$20,000 to help cover the cost of
freezing their eggs.
The goal is to enable women who want to continue focusing
on their careers without sacrificing their chance to have
children later on.
NBC News reports that Facebook recently began its program
and that Apple will start paying employees who want to freeze
their eggs in January.
Known as oocyte cryopreservation, egg freezing is a
process by which a woman extracts and stores her eggs so that
they can be reinserted into her uterus at a later date,
allowing her to have children at a time when she might
otherwise be infertile.
Related
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Questions
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Forever
Why Reddit Might Actually Benefit From Killing Its Work-
From-Home Policy
Scientific advancements have made the process increasingly
successful in recent years, with a 2006 study00494-4/abstract )
finding that fertility rates using frozen eggs were comparable
to those achieved using fresh ones.
Most women go through menopause in their late 40s or early
50s, and according to Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention data, one-third of couples where the woman is 35 or
older have fertility problems.
The period during which women approach declining fertility
is seen as prime work years for women hoping to advance in
their careers, and many professional women consider the process
a means of hitting pause on their desire to have a family.
According to a Businessweek cover story on the topic, a
2013 NYU study found that out of 183 women who froze their
eggs, 19% said they might have had children earlier if their
employer was more flexible.
Given Silicon Valley's noted lack of women in power
positions, offering employees money for this costly procedure -
it's $10,000 for every round of frozen eggs and an additional
$500 annually for storage - could help lure top female talent.
NBC reports that Facebook and Apple are the first major
employers to offer egg freezing coverage for nonmedical reasons.
SEE ALSO: 'Lean In' Isn't Enough: Women's Progress In
Leadership Has Stalled

-0- Oct/15/2014 11:50 GMT

(ReCode.Net) Apple Asks Court’s Permission to Challenge GT Bankr

Apple is seeking court permission to lodge its objections to GT Advanced Technologies’ bankruptcy filing in secret, to protect details of its confidential agreements with its would-be supplier of sapphire crystal.

The Cupertino technology giant filed a motion Tuesday asking to make its arguments under court seal to safeguard sensitive data, such as research and development details and other information related to its business process.

GT Advanced Technologies, which a year ago announced a high-profile deal to supply Apple with sapphire screens, abruptly filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Oct. 6. Shortly thereafter, the company asked the bankruptcy court’s permission to wind down its sapphire plants.

Many of the details surrounding the bankruptcy have been shrouded in secrecy because of confidentiality agreements between GT and Apple. The New Hampshire firm said it would be subject to a $50 million penalty per incident for disclosures that violate those agreements.

The state of New Hampshire filed an objection to the secrecy, noting that GT’s request to close sapphire manufacturing plants in Mesa, Ariz., and Salem, Mass., would leave 890 people out of work.

New Hampshire’s attorney general’s office argued in a motion that while the court should protect a company’s trade secrets, safeguarding all information pertaining about the business dealings between Apple and GT “goes much too far.”‘

The state said it remains unclear how a company that was assuring its investors of progress in August could have collapsed so suddenly into bankruptcy.

“The public interest in learning what transpired where [GT] made such confident statements publicly very recently, while clearly a catastrophic storm was on the horizon is very high,” wrote Peter C.L. Roth, senior assistant attorney general.

>>> US Early premarket gappers

Gapping up: APT +24.9%, LAKE +21.3%, IBIO +10.7%, ANN +8.2%, SURG +4.7%, CCL +2.6%, CSX +2.4%, AMAT +2.3%, AMAT +2.3%, MTG +2.3%, MU +2.2%, MU +2.2%, BALT +1.5%, TKMR +1.5%, NHTC +1.5%, BAC +1.4%, STRP +1.2%, RCL +0.9%, PNC +0.8%, QCOM +0.7%, SNDK +0.6%, INTC +0.6%, KEY +0.5%, ADTN +0.4%

Gapping down: SHPG -25.1%, STO -4.3%, NSPH -4.2%, STAG -3.8%, SNN -3.6%, CUBE -3%, AZN -3%, SAN -2.9%, NOK -2.8%, GFI -2.7%, CDE -2.1%, ALU -2%, SDRL -2%, GOLD -1.9%, GWPH -1.9%, LLTC -1.8%, RIG -1.7%, ALV -1.6%, SLV -1.5%, CNET -1.4%, ESPR -1.4%, RAD -1.3%, GDX -1.3%, RIO -1.2%, TOT -1.1%, BCS -1.1%, KTCC -1.1%, UBS -0.9
%