AURORA, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Cross Country Pipeline Supply Co., Inc. (“Cross Country” or the “Company”), a leading equipment and supplies provider to the domestic oil and gas pipeline construction industry, announced today it has named Dave D’Angelo as its Chief Financial Officer and Anthony J. Gonnella as its Vice President of Sales, both reporting directly to CEO Gerry Plescia. Mr. D’Angelo most recently served as controller for Advantage Rent-A-Car and Mr. Gonnella was a Managing Partner Reported by Business Wire 5 hours ago.

As with many homebuilders around metro Denver, KB Home Colorado Inc. had a busy 2013 and seems primed to be even busier in 2014. The evidence comes by way of the company's recent single-family home land grab in metro Denver. Since the end of October, the homebuilder has scooped up 754 single family lots in 10 areas around metro Denver and another 46 paired lots, which are two homes that share an exterior wall but have separate yards and floor plans. The new home sites are sprinkled through Aurora,… Reported by bizjournals 3 hours ago.

Reported by SeekingAlpha 1 hour ago.

Cross Country Pipeline Supply Co. Inc. announced today it has appointed a new Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Sales. Dave D’Angelo will become the Chief Financial Officer of the Aurora-based company, and Anthony J. Gonnella will take on the role of Vice President of Sales. Cross Country supplies equipment to the domestic oil and gas pipeline construction industry. D’Angelo most recently served as controller for Advantage Rent-A-Car, and Gonnella was a managing partner with Peak… Reported by bizjournals 1 hour ago.

Canadian oil and gas company Baytex Energy has agreed to acquire Australia's Aurora Oil and Gas, extending its U.S. footprint by gaining access to the Eagle Ford shale oil play in south Texas. Reported by Wall Street Journal 1 day ago.

A 32-year-old Aurora man will likely die in prison after he was sentenced Thursday to more than 60 years for a home invasion that involved torture of the homeowner with a blowtorch. Reported by Denver Post 23 hours ago.

Baytex Energy acquires Aurora Oil & Gas for $2.6B, to raise dividend 9% Reported by ajc.com 20 hours ago.

Thermo-Bilt Windows & Doors (http://www.Thermo-Bilt-Windows.com), the Greater Toronto Area’s leading provider of custom window and door replacement, announces its top tips for making homes more environmentally friendly and cozy this winter.

Toronto, Canada (PRWEB) February 07, 2014

Thermo-Bilt Windows & Doors (http://www.Thermo-Bilt-Windows.com), the Greater Toronto Area’s leading provider of custom window and door replacement, announces its top tips for making homes more environmentally friendly and cozy this winter.

“It’s easy to be more environmentally conscious around the house in the summertime, like opening windows instead of running the air conditioner. But during the cold, dark days of winter, it can be more difficult,” says Adrian Biberberg, co-owner and founder of Thermo-Bilt Windows & Doors. “This winter has been more difficult than most; the temperatures have been below average for weeks on end and the cold weather isn’t expected to break until spring. On top of that, electricity prices went up three percent back in November and are expected to rise 33% over the next three years.”

According to Biberberg, an eco-friendly home in the Greater Toronto Area starts with the most energy-efficient windows and doors. Only windows and doors that qualify for the ”ENERGY STAR” mark have been independently tested and certified to be among the most energy-efficient on the market and are best-suited to stand up against the harsh Ontario winters. They are also the best way to reduce overall home energy costs.

“Sophisticated thermal performance windows reduce the energy transfer between the inside and outside of the home,” Biberberg explains. “They help keep rooms warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.”

In addition to making the front of a home more impressive, he notes, a new exterior door will often fit and insulate better than an older one. A home’s front door can be a major source of both air leakage and wasted energy through conduction, especially if it is old, uninsulated, and/or improperly installed.

“Whether it’s for an existing or newly built home, it’s important to install the most energy-efficient doors and windows possible,” Biberberg adds. “In addition to increasing comfort, energy-efficient windows and doors can reduce outside noise levels. On top of that, windows applied with a low-emissivity coating have been shown to reduce energy loss by as much as 30% to 50%.”

Thermo-Bilt Windows & Doors is the leading window and door replacement provider in Toronto and the surrounding GTA. The company carries a complete line of windows, including casement windows, bow windows, bay windows, single- and double-hung windows, single and double sliders, awning windows, and vinyl windows. Thermo-Bilt Windows & Doors’ wide range of window and door styles are designed to suit any home and budget. Thermo-Bilt Windows & Doors serves the GTA, including Toronto, Mississauga, Oakville, Vaughan, Scarborough, Markham, Richmond Hill, Woodbridge, and Aurora. To learn more about Thermo-Bilt Windows & Doors, visit the company’s web site at http://www.Thermo-Bilt-Windows.com or call 1-877-727-2458. Reported by PRWeb 11 hours ago.

RnRMarketResearch.com adds “High Throughput Screening (HTS) Market by Technology (Cell Based, Ultra High Throughput Screening (uHTS), Label Free, Bioinformatics), by Apllications (Target Identification, Primary Screening, Toxicology, Stem Cell) & by End Users (Pharmaceutical Industry, Biotechnology Industry, CRO) – Forecast to 2018” to its store.

Dallas, Texas (PRWEB) February 07, 2014

“Technological Advancements and Flourishing Outsourcing Industry Likely to Propel the Growth of the Global High Throughput Screening (HTS) Market”

In this report, the global high throughput screening (HTS) market has been segmented on the basis of technology, products, applications, end users, and geography. The label-free technology market is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 11.1% from 2013 to 2018. This technology offers the direct detection ability, which was not possible with cell-based assays. Moreover, this technology helps in the reduction of drug failure rate due to toxicity and is applicable for a majority of drug classes.

Complete report available @ http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/high-throughput-screening-hts-market-by-technology-cell-based-ultra-high-throughput-screening-uhts-label-free-bioinformatics-by-apllications-target-identification-primary-screening-toxico-market-report.html .

In the HTS applications market, the target identification segment accounted for the largest share in 2013. The large share of this segment can be attributed to factors such as the availability of large compound libraries, presence of well-equipped HTS laboratories, and technological advancements. Large pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are investing heavily in automation of HTS laboratories and are also entering into strategic partnerships and collaborations with research institutes, thereby leading to efficient utilization of HTS in varied application fields. However, the primary screening segment of the HTS market is estimated to register the highest growth rate. This can be attributed to the availability of a large number of potential lead compounds, emergence of several new detection technologies, and availability of novel primary and stem cell phenotypes. The HTS market by end users is broadly categorized into pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies, academic and government institutes, contract research organizations (CROs), and others. The pharmaceuticals segment dominated the market with a market share of around 48% in 2013.

The global HTS market is in its growth phase and is poised to cross the $19 billion mark by 2018. The factors responsible for the growth of this market include technological innovations, open innovation models adopted by pharmaceutical companies, increasing drug discovery initiatives by academic institutions, and huge capital investments in the HTS technology by organizations. Moreover, the presence of a large untapped market in emerging countries and growth in outsourcing of drug discovery services especially in China and India are the various growth opportunities for this market.

Over the next five years, Asia is expected to grow at the highest CAGR of 9.1%. Factors such as growth in investments as well as the growth in the outsourcing industry, and favorable economic conditions are responsible for the high growth of the HTS market in Asia.
This research report covers a detailed analysis of various aspects of the HTS market, including the views on emerging and high-growth segments of HTS, emerging technologies, and high-growth regions. The report also discusses the drivers, restraints, opportunities, and the competitive landscape including key players in the HTS market along with their product portfolios, developments, and the strategies adopted by these players to maintain and grow their market shares in the near future. The above mentioned market research data, current market size, and the forecast of future trends will help established players and new entrants to make the necessary strategic decisions regarding investments in product development and market development and/or diversification. This data would also help companies to plan their product offerings, geographic focus, strategic approach, and R&D investments for innovation in their products and technologies and levels of output, in order to gain a competitive edge.

Major points from table of content:

11 Company Profile
11.1 Agilent Technologies, Inc.
11.2 Aurora Biomed
11.3 Axxam Spa
11.4 Beckman Coulter, Inc. (A Subsidiary of Danaher)
11.5 Bio-Rad Laboratories
11.6 Biofocus Dpi Ltd.
11.7 Intellicyt Corporation
11.8 Luminex Corporation
11.9 Perkinelmer, Inc.
11.10 Sigma Aldrich Corporation
11.11 Tecan Group Ltd.
11.12 Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.

Buy a report copy @ http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/contacts/purchase?rname=147346 .

Browse more reports on Biotechnology Market @ http://www.rnrmarketresearch.com/reports/life-sciences/biotechnology .

About Us:
RnRMarketResearch.com is an online database of market research reports offer in-depth analysis of over 5000 market segments. The library has syndicated reports by leading market research publishers across the globe and also offer customized market research reports for multiple industries. Reported by PRWeb 11 hours ago.

· Here is why AAPL bounced off $550: Apple Repurchases $14 Billion of Own Shares in Two Weeks (WSJ)
· German Court Refers OMT Decision to Europe's Top Court (WSJ)
· Inflation Fuels Crises in Two Latin Nations (WSJ)
· U.S. job growth seen snapping back from winter chill (Reuters)
· Google to own $750 million Lenovo stake after Motorola deal closes: HK exchange (Reuters)
· Frigid Winter Spells Trouble for U.S. Economy (BBG)
· Winter Games to open, Putin keen to prove doubters wrong (Reuters)
· Regulators Ready to Proceed on Bank Leverage Limit (WSJ)
· Abe Eyes Window for Biggest Military-Rule Change Since WWII (BBG)
· Fidelity Joins D.E. Shaw Opposing Wider Ticks as Small-Cap Fix (BBG)
· Stellar 2013 Hard to Top for U.K. Builders After 60% Surge (BBG)
· Hidden Billionaire Daughters Emerge From Simmons Estate (BBG)

*Overnight Media Digest*

WSJ

* Apple Inc has bought back $14 billion of its shares in the two weeks since reporting financial results that disappointed Wall Street, Chief Executive Tim Cook said in an interview.

* Sony Corp moved to deal with its two most troubled electronics units, saying it will eliminate 5,000 jobs in the company's television and personal computer businesses while splitting off its TV division into a separate subsidiary.

* High-frequency traders have been paying to get direct access to market-moving news releases, a practice that can give firms the ability to trade fractions of a second ahead of less fleet-footed investors.

* Investors swapped out of U.S. equity funds and into bonds at the fastest clip on record last week, according to Lipper Inc, as they grasped for safety while the stock market swooned.

* The Pentagon has dropped a plan to retire one of its nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, USS George Washington, after the White House intervened to head off a brewing political fight.

* House Speaker John Boehner squashed growing expectations that Congress would rewrite immigration laws this year-dealing a setback to the White House, a group of U.S. businesses and a bloc of fellow Republicans seeking to improve their party's chances with Hispanic voters.

* Greenbrier Co Inc, the nation's second-largest maker of railcars, said the industry needs to move faster to make tank cars more crash-resistant, and will begin offering to retrofit older tanker cars that carry potentially explosive crude oil.

* Expedia Inc posted a bigger-than-expected jump in fourth-quarter revenue as the online travel agent reported growth in bookings, as well as early success in its partnership with Travelocity.

* Twitter Inc shares fell 24 percent Thursday, erasing about $8.7 billion in market value, on concerns about the messaging services' sluggish user growth.

* The hackers that carried out the massive data breach at Target Corp appear to have gained access via a refrigeration contractor in Pittsburgh that connected to the retailer's systems to do electronic billing.

* LinkedIn Corp reported solid growth in its core business selling to corporate recruiters, but disappointed investors by projecting revenue lower than analysts' expectations for the current quarter. The company's shares fell 8% in after-hours trading.

* General Motors Co reported a 13 percent decline in its fourth-quarter profit as strength in North America and China failed to offset declines elsewhere, with currency problems and costs related to plant closings eroding profitability.

* Spirit AeroSystems Holdings Inc on Thursday booked a raft of new charges against work on its commercial and business aircraft that analysts said raised concerns about the ability of jet maker Boeing Co to maintain momentum in reducing costs on its flagship 787 program.

* Aetna Inc said it expects to lose money on its business in the health-law marketplaces this year, with the demographics of enrollees skewing slightly more than expected toward people likely to rack up higher costs.

* International Business Machines Corp is exploring the sale of its semiconductor manufacturing operations, said a person familiar with the matter.

* The Swedish company behind the Truecaller phone-number identification app has attracted a large equity injection from Silicon Valley investor Sequoia Capital in a funding round that values the still-unprofitable company at $80 million.

* Alcatel-Lucent SA swung to a fourth-quarter profit and said it is in exclusive talks to sell a majority stake in its office-phone business to a Chinese state-owned investment company.

* Some foreign airlines are restricting ticket sales in Venezuela because of worries that the government's currency moves last month could reduce the value of the billions of dollars they hold in the country by as much as 45 percent.

* 21st Century Fox lowered profit guidance for its fiscal year ending in June as higher expenses related to TV channel launches, the weaker performance of singing-competition show "X Factor" and poor results at its film unit took a toll on earnings in the December quarter.

* Activision Blizzard Inc shares surged on Thursday on better-than-expected earnings and a turnaround in subscribers for one of its most important videogames, "Warcraft."

* News Corp's revenue fell 4 percent in its fiscal second quarter as a drop in advertising and subscription revenue at the news and information business offset growth at its other businesses.

* BHP Billiton Ltd and Mitsubishi Corp will cut around 230 jobs from a mine in Australia's Queensland state, highlighting the challenges facing coal producers here as prices stagnate near multiyear lows.

* Harsh weather chilled sales for many retailers in January, when stores were trying to clear excess inventory following the holidays. Gap Inc, L Brands Inc and Costco Wholesale Corp managed to buck the negative trend, buoying the overall result.

* AOL Inc's chief executive angered employees Thursday when he said that care for two staffers' "distressed babies" in 2012 cost the company about $1 million each, expenses that helped drive up AOL's overall benefits costs and forced management to make difficult decisions.

* A continuing spill of coal ash into the Dan river from a man-made pond adjacent to a power plant in North Carolina is renewing questions about the safety of the hundreds of U.S. sites storing the byproduct of energy generation.

 

FT

IBM, the world's biggest technology service provider, is considering the sale of its semiconductor unit, and has appointed Goldman Sachs to sound out possible buyers for the business, according to people familiar with the matter.

A federal jury in New York found Mathew Martoma, a former portfolio manager at billionaire Steven A. Cohen's SAC Capital hedge fund, guilty on all counts of being part of the largest insider trading case on record.

Barclays has made junior trader Daniel Ryan the interim head of its London spot foreign exchange desk, a post left open after the suspension of Chris Ashton last November amid a global probe into alleged market manipulation, two people close to the situation said.

Alcatel-Lucent has received an offer from China Huaxin that will see the telecoms equipment maker selling 85 percent of its enterprise business, taking Alcatel closer to meeting its targeted 1 billion euro ($1.36 billion) asset-disposal programme.

Silicon Valley-based professional social network LinkedIn disappointed investors after giving a subdued outlook for 2014 that fell short of Wall Street's expectations.

 

NYT

* A federal jury has convicted Mathew Martoma for insider trading in what may be the last criminal case to emerge from a decade-long investigation of Steven Cohen and his hedge fund, SAC Capital Advisors.

* American labor groups, airlines and pilots say Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA's expansion plans, which include bringing its pared-down model to the United States and Asia, take unfair advantage of a U.S.-Europe open-skies agreement even though Norway is not a member of the European Union.

* As of Friday, the Treasury will no longer have the authority to issue bonds as necessary to pay the government's bills. In a matter of weeks, the government could run out of cash and begin defaulting on some payments unless Congress acts to raise the official ceiling on the national debt. And once again, Congress is struggling to avoid a potential fiscal and economic train wreck.

* The Senate failed to move forward on a three-month extension of assistance for the long-term unemployed on Thursday, leaving it unlikely that Congress would approve the measure soon while undercutting a key aspect of President Obama's economic recovery plan.

* After failing to turn around two of its most troubled consumer electronics businesses, Sony Corp is pushing them aside. The company, which predicted on Thursday that it would lose 110 billion yen ($1.1 billion) in its current fiscal year, said it would sell its unprofitable personal computer unit, split its television division into a separate subsidiary and cut 5,000 jobs from the two businesses.

* General Motors Co on Thursday reported its 16th consecutive profitable quarter, but consistent losses in its troubled European division continued to hurt its results.

* European Central Bank on Thursday kept the benchmark interest rate unchanged for a third straight month, at a record low of 0.25 percent amid the threat of deflation in the euro zone and the region's unemployment remaining stubbornly high.

* The owner and two executives of the WJB Capital Group were arrested on Thursday and charged with defrauding at least 15 investors out of more than $11 million during the waning days of their now-defunct brokerage company.

* Illinois Tool Works Inc has agreed to sell its industrial packaging unit to the Carlyle Group LP for $3.2 billion, the companies announced on Thursday. The sale of the Illinois Packaging Group signals the end of a process that began last September, when Illinois Tools Works decided to shed the unit and focus on its core businesses.

* After Coca-Cola Co announced its investment in Green Mountain Coffee Roasters on Wednesday, many investors assumed SodaStream International Ltd would suffer, but instead its stock jumped as much as 12 percent on Thursday. Behind Coke's $1.25 billion investment in Green Mountain is a hedge against the continuing stagnation of the traditional soft-drink business and the rise of the make-your-own-soda sector, led by SodaStream.

* A New York State regulator has dealt a blow to Ocwen Financial Group by halting the transfer of about $39 billion in servicing rights to the company from Wells Fargo & Co .

* The Mercuria Energy Group, a fast-growing energy and commodities trading company, is in exclusive talks to acquire the physical commodities business of JPMorgan Chase & Co , according to a person familiar with the discussions.

 

Canada

THE GLOBE AND MAIL

* Canada is overhauling its citizenship laws, raising the bar for people to apply to become Canadian and increasing penalties for those who scam the system.

* A coalition of journalists is urging Canada's government to step up pressure on Egyptian officials to release three journalists, including a Canadian, who have been jailed in Egypt for more than a month.

Reports in the business section:

* Baytex Energy Corp has ended a long drought of big acquisitions by Canadian oil companies, launching a $1.8-billion bid for an Australian-based firm to give it a position in a Texas shale oil formation that is key to surging U.S. crude output.

NATIONAL POST

* A former member of the Canadian Forces has been arrested at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright in Denwood, Alberta, after allegedly posting a threat on a social media site. Military officials say the man in his 40s had a loaded 9mm Beretta in his possession when he was taken into custody on Wednesday.

* Canada's Industry Minister James Moore is expected to flesh out details of Canada's new space plan on Friday, which could eventually see Canadian hardware and possibly even a Canadian bound for the moon.

FINANCIAL POST

* Typo Products said BlackBerry is trying to hold a monopoly over smartphone keyboards, and that it shouldn't have to take its new iPhone case off the market. The company, co-founded by "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest, has filed documents in a California court defending itself against a patent infringement lawsuit.

* Civil liberties activists in British Columbia have filed complaints against Canada's spy agency and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police for allegedly snooping on opponents of the Northern Gateway pipeline. The BC Civil Liberties Association alleges the spying activities include illegal searches of private information, and says some of the details were shared with oil and energy companies and the National Energy Board.

 

Britain

The Telegraph

ALLIANCE BOOTS FUND MAKES FIRST ACQUISITION

A private equity group launched last year by retail giant Alliance Boots has made its first acquisition, buying a luxury aromatherapy company based in Middlesex.

ANGLO IRISH CHIEFS 'FIXED WEB OF LOANS TO PROP UP BANK'

Anglo Irish Bank executives hunted for investors across Europe, the Middle East and the U.S. in the months before its collapse in an effort to fund a doomed attempt to prop up its share price.

NEWS CORP RESULTS HIT BY FALLING AD REVENUE

News Corp said revenue at its news and information services unit fell 9 percent to $1.6 billion on soft advertising and subscription sales, especially in Australia.

The Guardian

BARCLAYS PREDICTED TO PAY MORE IN BONUSES THAN LAST YEAR

Barclays will begin to hand out bonuses on Friday to its 140,000 staff around the world from a bonus pool expected to be bigger than last year's.

BOMBARDIER UK WINS 1 BLN STG CROSSRAIL CONTRACT

Bombardier UK has fought off competition from foreign bidders to win the 1 billion pound ($1.63 billion) contract to build trains for London's Crossrail project.

The Times

PROPERTY BOOM TO PUSH SPENDING BY BRITONS 'PAST 1 TLN STG'

Consumers will be opening their wallets this year at the fastest pace in more than a decade and push household spending above 1 trillion pounds for the first time, a leading think-tank has forecast.

SUPERGROUP WINS SUPPORT FOR NEW LOOK

The resolution of SuperGroup's founder to avoid selling stock on eBay has been rewarded with an increase in sales and margins.

The Independent

ASTRAZENECA HIT BY PATENT EXPIRIES AS SALES SLUMP

Drugmaker AstraZeneca has showed it is still languishing in intensive care after patent expiries triggered an 8 percent fall in revenue to $25.71 billion.

RYANAIR BOSS MICHAEL O'LEARY: 'UK AIRPORTS NEED MORE RUNWAYS'

Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary expects three more runways to be built at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted and says locals should not be able to block plans because they "chose to be a resident under a flight path".

BSKYB CHIEF JEREMY DARROCH JOINS BURBERRY BOARD

Luxury brand Burberry has bolstered its boards' media credentials with the appointment of British Sky Broadcasting Chief Executive Jeremy Darroch.

 

*Fly On The Wall 7:00 AM Market Snapshot*

ECONOMIC REPORTSI

Domestic economic reports scheduled for today include:
Non-farm payrolls for January will be reported at 8:30--consensus 181,000
Unemployment rate for January will be reported at 8:30--consensus 6.7%
Consumer credit for December will be reported at 3:00 pm--consensus $12.0B

ANALYST RESEARCH

Upgrades

Alpha Natural (ANR) upgraded to Neutral from Sell at Citigroup
American Capital Mortgage (MTGE) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Wunderlich
C.H. Robinson (CHRW) upgraded to Hold from Sell at Stifel
Cummins (CMI) upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Wells Fargo
DineEquity (DIN) upgraded to Buy from Hold at KeyBanc
Education Management (EDMC) upgraded to Market Perform at BMO Capital
Kellogg (K) upgraded to Neutral from Underweight at JPMorgan
Lennox (LII) upgraded to Equal Weight from Underweight at Morgan Stanley
lululemon (LULU) upgraded to Outperform from Sector Perform at RBC Capital
MWI Veterinary Supply (MWIV) upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at Piper Jaffray
Magellan Midstream (MMP) upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Wells Fargo
Myriad Genetics (MYGN) upgraded to Neutral from Underperform at Credit Suisse
Netflix (NFLX) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Stifel
Noble Energy (NBL) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Mizuho
Sagent Pharmaceuticals (SGNT) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at BofA/Merrill
Sony (SNE) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Jefferies
Starbucks (SBUX) upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Wells Fargo
Towers Watson (TW) upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JPMorgan
WEX Inc. (WEX) upgraded to Neutral from Underweight at JPMorgan
XPO Logistics (XPO) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Stifel

Downgrades

AOL (AOL) downgraded to Neutral from Buy at BofA/Merrill
Echelon (ELON) downgraded to Hold from Buy at Needham
Fairway Group (FWM) downgraded to Hold from Buy at BB&T
Fairway Group (FWM) downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at BMO Capital
Fairway Group (FWM) downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Guggenheim
Fairway Group (FWM) downgraded to Perform from Outperform at Oppenheimer
Fairway Group (FWM) downgraded to Underperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse
Fluidigm (FLDM) downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at Cowen
Genomic Health (GHDX) downgraded to Neutral from Outperform at Credit Suisse
Genpact (G) downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform at Wells Fargo
Genpact (G) downgraded to Neutral from Overweight at JPMorgan
iRobot (IRBT) downgraded to Underweight from Neutral at JPMorgan
Lowe's (LOW) downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Goldman
Maximus (MMS) downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Citigroup
PMFG, Inc. (PMFG) downgraded to Hold from Buy at Stifel
Spirit AeroSystems (SPR) downgraded to Hold from Buy at KeyBanc
VeriSign (VRSN) downgraded to Sell from Neutral at Citigroup

Initiations

Rackspace (RAX) initiated with an Outperform at Credit Suisse
Red Hat (RHT) initiated with an Outperform at Credit Suisse
SunCoke Energy Partners (SXCP) initiated with a Buy at Brean Capital

HOT STOCKS

Illinois Tool Works (ITW) sold industrial packaging unit to Carlyle Group (CG) for $3.2B
Baytex Energy (BTE) to acquire Aurora Oil & Gas for C$2.6B
LinkedIn (LNKD) acquired Bright for $120M
Shire (SHPG) reported Vyvanse studies did not meet primary efficacy endpoint
Activision Blizzard (ATVI) CEO Kotick: We have strongest pipeline of games in our history; board authorized debt repayment of $375M
American Apparel (APP) reported January SSS down 5%

EARNINGS

Companies that beat consensus earnings expectations last night and today include:
Globe Specialty Metals (GSM), FMC Technologies (FTI), Brooks Automation (BRKS), OpenTable (OPEN), Bally Technologies (BYI), Kemper (KMPR), Outerwall (OUTR), NCR Corp. (NCR), athenahealth (ATHN), Tempur Sealy (TPX), VeriSign (VRSN), bebe stores (BEBE), News Corp. (NWSA), Netgear (NTGR), Activision Blizzard (ATVI), LinkedIn (LNKD), Expedia (EXPE), Lionsgate (LGF)

Companies that missed consensus earnings expectations include:
Cigna (CI), Snyder's-Lance (LNCE), Post Holdings (POST), Bristow Group (BRS), MaxLinear (MXL), Fairway Group (FWM), Imperva (IMPV),  Hittite Microwave (HITT), Echo Global (ECHO)

Companies that matched consensus earnings expectations include:
ACETO (ACET), Intermolecular (IMI), ServiceSource (SREV), Genpact (G), Fluidigm (FLDM)

NEWSPAPERS/WEBSITES

IBM (IBM) explores semiconductor manufacturing operations sale, WSJ reports
Apple (AAPL) repurchases $14B of stock after earnings, WSJ reports
Google (GOOG) to hold 5.94% Lenovo (LNVGY) stake after Motorola deal closes, Reuters reports
British Airways (BAIRY) considers replacing Boeing (BA) 747s with 777X, Bloomberg reports
Maryland bill would bar energy drink sales (MNST) to minors, CNBC reports
Oaktree Capital (OAK) to sell Osmose in a deal valued near $900M, Reuters reports
AOL (AOL) CEO upsets employees with 'distressed babies' comment, WSJ reports
News Corp. (NWSA) promises 'fundamental review' of Dow Jones, FT reports

SYNDICATE

Argos Therapeutics (ARGS) 5.63M share IPO priced at $8.00
Athlon Energy (ATHL) 14M share Secondary priced at $32.00
GeoPark (GPRK) 13.5M share IPO priced at $7.00
Tecogen (TGEN) files to sell 2.03M shares of common stock for holders Reported by Zero Hedge 11 hours ago.

A suburban Chicago teenager who sang in part of a Super Bowl commercial is fending off criticism about the Coca-Cola advertisement. Reported by Miami Herald 9 hours ago.

Reported by SeekingAlpha 8 hours ago.

Baytex Energy Corp. (TSE:BTE), a Canadian heavy-crude producer, dropped to the lowest in seven months after agreeing to buy Australia’s Aurora Oil and Gas Ltd. (TSE:AEF) for about C$1.8 billion.

Baytex slumped 6.2 percent to C$39.16 at 10:02 a.m. in Toronto. Earlier, it touched C$38.90, the lowest intraday price since July 4. Aurora's Toronto-listed shares jumped 55 percent to C$4.07.

Shareholders of Perth-based Aurora will receive A$4.10 (C$4.04) a share, Calgary-based Baytex said yesterday in a statement. The deal represents a 56 percent premium to Aurora’s closing price of A$2.62 yesterday, the lowest level since October 2011.

Baytex is working to expand its U.S. shale portfolio. The acquisition will allow the company to add output from the Eagle Ford shale formation in Texas. Baytex has earlier made purchases in North Dakota’s Bakken and Three Forks shale formations.

The takeover will lift Baytex’s output of higher priced light oil, instead of the heavy oil that currently represents 75 percent of production.

"The Acquisition is an excellent fit with our existing business model and positions Baytex in another world-class oil resource play," James Bowzer, chief executive officer of Baytex, said in the statement.

"The Eagle Ford play provides not only exposure to light oil, but also to Gulf Coast crude oil markets with established transportation system." 

The transaction is expected to close in mid to late May and requires approval from Aurora shareholders, as well as approval by the courts, Australian regulators and under U.S. antitrust legislation.

Scotia Waterous advised Baytex on the deal, while Credit Suisse Group AG and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. were financial advisers to Aurora.

 

  Reported by Proactive Investors 7 hours ago.

Johnna Adam's unsettling new play ponders issues of bullying and freedom in the schools. Reported by San Jose Mercury News 7 hours ago.

No matter how many parent-teacher conferences you've participated in, it's doubtful you've ever attended one as gripping, edgily funny and fraught with hot-button issues as Johnna Adams' "Gidion's Knot," the tense two-hander that opened Thursday at Aurora Theatre. Questions about bullying, parental responsibility, tween sexuality, blame, over-reactive protectiveness, art and freedom of expression lurk beneath the neat desks and cheerfully pedagogic decor of Nina Ball's bright, all's-right-with-the-world classroom set. If, as they emerge, they also explain the raging emotions Corryn is keeping under control and the careful caution with which Heather is treating her, they let loose a Pandora's box of related issues and attempts at psychological maneuvering as well. Ross and Jones elopquently fill those silent spaces with insights, indecision, bad judgments, questions and abortive attempts at bonding that enlarge the characters and their dilemma. Some of the material is transgressive - Adams is the author of such plays as "The Sacred Geometry of S&M Porn" - but that makes it all the more thought-provoking. Reported by SFGate 6 hours ago.

Canadian shares advanced for the fourth consecutive day as investors digested better-than-expected Canadian jobs data and assessed a U.S. labor report that indicated nonfarm payrolls missed forecasts in January.

The Standard & Poor’s/TSX Composite Index (TSE:OSPTX) rose 0.2 percent to 13,744.02 at 12:41 p.m. in Toronto. Two stocks rose for every share that declined as seven out of ten main industries advanced. 

Unemployment in Canada dropped to 7 percent in January from December’s 7.2 percent as the number of jobs picked up by 29,400, partly reversing the prior month’s drop of 44,000, Statistics Canada said today. Economists projected the jobless rate would decline to 7.1 percent with a 20,000 payrolls increase.

Payrolls in the U.S. increased less than expected in January as retailers cut back after the holidays and government hiring fell. The unemployment rate unexpectedly declined to 6.6 percent, the lowest level since October 2008.

The materials sub-index, which includes mining shares, picked up 1.4 percent as gold and copper futures advanced. Barrick Gold Corp. (TSE:ABX), the world’s largest producer of the metal, edged up 0.9 percent to C$20.65. Goldcorp Inc. (TSE:G), the world’s second-largest producer of the metal, climbed 2 percent to C$28.02.

Detour Gold Corp. (TSE:DGC), the operator of the Detour Lake mine in Canada, jumped 10.1 percent to C$7.72 after Canaccord Genuity Corp. lifted the stock to "hold" from "sell". 

Silver Standard Resources Inc. (TSE:SSO) jumped 8.8 percent to C$9.98 after CIBC World Markets Inc. upgraded the shares to "sector outperform," the equivalent of buy, from "sector perform," the equivalent of hold.

Gold futures April delivery rose 0.5 percent to $1,263.50 an ounce at 10:54 a.m. on the Comex in New York.  Copper futures for March delivery gained 0.5 percent to $3.245 a pound.

Domtar Corp. (TSE:UFS), a paper maker, retreated 3.8 percent to C$114.50. Revenue from Domtar's main pulp and paper business declined to $1.19 billion in the three months ended Dec. 31, from $1.22 billion in the year-earlier period. By contrast, revenue from personal-care products, such as adult diapers, rose to $172 million from $111 million.

The financials group, which accounts for 34 percent of the main measure, more than any other group, was little changed. Royal Bank of Canada (TSE:RY), which has the heaviest weighting in the index, inched up 0.1 percent to CC$70.06. 

The energy sector, the main index's second most heavily weighted group, retreated 0.6 percent. Suncor Energy Inc. (TSE:SU), the nation's largest energy company by market value, added 0.6 percent to C$36.01. Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. (TSE:CNQ), the second-largest energy company, tacked on 0.1 percent to C$37.94.

Baytex Energy Corp. (TSE:BTE), a heavy-crude producer, fell 5.8 percent to C$39.26 after agreeing to buy Australia’s Aurora Oil and Gas Ltd. (TSE:AEF) for about C$1.8 billion. Aurora's Toronto-listed shares jumped 55 percent to C$4.07.

West Texas Intermediate crude for March delivery declined 11 cents to $97.73 a barrel at 9:04 a.m. 

The junior S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (CVE:OSPVX) advanced 0.4 percent to 956.65 at 12:37 p.m. in Toronto. 

In the U.S., shares advanced as investors assessed data that indicated hiring increased less than forecast last month as much of the country faced nasty weather. The S&P 500 (INDEXSP:.INX) rose 0.7 percent at 11:42 a.m. in New York. The 30-member Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) gained 0.5 percent, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (INDEXNASDAQ:.IXIC) jumped 1.1 percent. Most followed shares included LinkedIn, Expedia, News Corp., Apple, Moody's, Gap, Cigna, OpenTable, Starbucks and Lowe's. 

 

 

  Reported by Proactive Investors 4 hours ago.

Toronto's main market advanced for a fourth consecutive day as investors digested better-than-expected Canadian jobs data and assessed a U.S. labor report that indicated nonfarm payrolls missed forecasts in January.

In corporate activity, Detour Gold Corp. (TSE:DGC), the operator of the Detour Lake mine in Canada, jumped 12.4% to C$7.88 after Canaccord Genuity Corp. lifted the stock to "hold" from "sell". 

Silver Standard Resources Inc. (TSE:SSO) jumped 8.8% to C$9.98 after CIBC World Markets Inc. upgraded the shares to "sector outperform," the equivalent of buy, from "sector perform," the equivalent of hold.

AuRico Gold (TSE:AUQ) shares climbed over 4% to C$5.22 after saying company-wide production is expected to be in the range of 210,000 to 240,000 gold ounces in 2014, an increase of up to 25%.

Argex Titanium Inc. (TSE:RGX) shares were soaring on Friday, at last check up more than 25% as the company moves ever closer to the targeted commissioning date for its industrial-sized titanium dioxide plant next year. 

Paladin Energy (TSE:PDN)(ASX:PDN) reversed earlier losses, up lately by over 3% after it announced Friday that it is suspending production at its Kayelekera uranium mine in Malawi, calling the operation a substantial drain on its cash resources over the last three years. The company told investors that the suspension will involve placing the operation on care and maintenance status until the price of uranium recovers. 

Domtar Corp. (TSE:UFS), a paper maker, retreated 3.1% to C$115.29. Revenue from Domtar's main pulp and paper business declined to $1.19 billion in the three months ended Dec. 31, from $1.22 billion in the year-earlier period. By contrast, revenue from personal-care products, such as adult diapers, rose to $172 million from $111 million.

Dorel Industries (TSE:DII.B) sunk by 7.8% to C$36.57 on Friday after saying last night that fourth quarter results will be weaker than the previous year due to softness in its recreational and leisure segment, citing lower year-over-year revenues and a poorer product mix. 

Baytex Energy Corp. (TSE:BTE), a heavy-crude producer, fell 5.3% to C$39.40 after agreeing to buy Australia’s Aurora Oil and Gas Ltd. (TSE:AEF) for about C$1.8 billion. Aurora's Toronto-listed shares jumped 55% to C$4.09.

Moving to junior markets in Canada, Canamex Resources Corp. (CVE:CSQ) says it is raising up to $2.16 million through a private placement financing at a premium to market prices, with the funds to be used to further explore its Bruner gold project in Nevada. 

And continuing its explosive expansion, RESAAS Services (CSE:RSS) has added Sutton Group - West Coast Realty, the largest real estate brokerage in Canada, to its social networking platform. Reported by Proactive Investors 4 hours ago.

An 11-year-old girl escaped an alleged kidnapping in Aurora on Tuesday, Aurora police said in a news release Friday. Reported by Denver Post 3 hours ago.

This has been a long time in the making, but after almost three months of testing in the highly experimental Firefox Nightly release channel, Firefox’s new Australis user interface has now found its way into the pre-beta Aurora channel. The new user interface, which the company has been working on for a long time, gives the browser a more Chrome-like look. As in Chrome, the settings and options are now behind the same kind of drawer menu next to the URL bar as in Google’s browser and rounded tabs at the top of the screen. These similarities with Chrome is likely the first thing users will notice. Indeed, if you quickly switch back and forth between the two, you’ll likely get confused about which one is which. The team also completely redesigned the menu too, and added a large number of customization options that aren’t available in most other browsers. While Firefox was always pretty customizable, this new version makes it far easier to discover these customization options and use them. Just click on ‘customize’ in the menu and drag and drop menu items around to improve your user experience. If you always want to have the developer tools accessible in the URL bar, for example, that’s now easy to do. As Mozilla’s VP of Firefox engineering Jonathan Nightingale told me last year, the idea behind the redesign was to give users a browser that is simpler to use, with a cleaner and more intuitive design. As you open more tabs, for example, those that aren’t in the foreground fade into the background “to make it faster for you to find and focus on the tab you want.” Now that Australis is part of Firefox’s regular release channels, it will slowly find its way into the beta and stable channels, too. It’s unclear when exactly this will happen. Mozilla often holds back features from graduating to the next channel until it feels they are ready for a wider release, and this new user interface will surely spark some interesting discussions among Firefox’s users. As part of today’s update, Mozilla is also launching Firefox Accounts, which will offer access to the latest update of Firefox Sync and other tools. While Mozilla has long offered users a way to sync their bookmarks, add-ons, passwords and open tabs across machines, it never offered users an easy way to just sign up and sign in to access all Reported by TechCrunch 1 day ago.

Aurora police are investigating a possible parental child abduction Friday night. Police are looking for 8-year-old Osric Brown and his father, 32-year-old James Alray Brown, Aurora police Reported by Denver Post 22 hours ago.