The PBR1000 Spotlight: The Wendy’s Company(NASDAQ: WEN)

The Wendy’s Company(NASDAQ: WEN)

Description: Wendy’s is the world’s third largest quick-service restaurant company in the hamburger sandwich segment. At December 31, 2017, there were 6,130 Wendy’s restaurants in operation in North America. Of these restaurants, 337 were operated by the Company and 5,793 by a total of 349 franchisees. In addition, at December 31, 2017, there were 504 franchised Wendy’s restaurants in operation in 29 countries and territories other than North America.

Headquarters: One Dave Thomas Blvd, Dublin, OH, 43017, 614-764-3100

Website Hotlink: Wendy’s Logo above or www.Wendys.com

The PBR1000 Rank by Revenue: 984 (As of 10/31/18)
SIC: 5810-RETAIL-EATING & DRINKING PLACES
Stock Symbol: NASDAQ: WEN
Year Started: 1969
Fiscal Year End Month: December

The Wendy’s Company Analytics

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Revenues($MM)
$1,999 $1,870 $1,435 $1,223
Profits($MM)
$121 $161 $130 $194
Profits/Revenues
6.05% 8.61% 9.06% 15.86%
Earnings Per Share(Basic)
$ 0.33 $ 0.50 $ 0.49 $ 0.79
Dividend Per Share
$ 0.2050 $ 0.2250 $ 0.2450 $ 0.2800
Dividend Yield
2.27% 2.09% 1.81% 1.71%
Total Yield
5.91% 21.76% 27.81% 23.52%
Assets($MM)
$4,138 $4,109 $3,939 $4,097
Profits to Assets
2.92% 3.92% 3.30% 4.74%
Equity($MM)
$1,718 $753 $528 $573
Equity to Assets
41.52% 18.33% 13.40% 13.99%
Profits to Equity
7.04% 21.38% 24.62% 33.86%
Employees(FT-PT-Seasonal)
31,200 21,200 12,100 12,100
Market Capitalization($B)
$3.30 $2.96 $3.48 $3.99
 
  1Q 2Q 3Q 4Q
Stock Price(2014)
$9.12 $8.53 $8.26 $9.03
Stock Price(2015)
$10.90 $11.28 $8.65 $10.77
Stock Price(2016)
$10.89 $10.77 $10.80 $13.52
Stock Price(2017)
$13.61 $15.51 $15.53 $16.42
Stock Price(2018)
$17.55 $17.18 $17.14

Current WEN Stock Price and Analyst Estimates are provided by: 

Current WEN Stock Price Analyst Estimates (Overweight on 11/30/18)

Top WEN Shareholders

CEO Biography Todd Penegor, President/CEO since May, 2016.

Executive Team

Board Members

SEC Filings

December 2017 10-K Report

September 2018 3Q18 10-Q Report

September 2018 3Q18 10-Q Investors Conference Call Presentation

Investor Relations

News Releases

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PBRMarketTools.com provides The PBR1000, a compilation of 1,000 of the largest publicly held companies with primary operations in the US. These companies generate $14 trillion in annual revenues, more than all other US companies combined. The PBR1000 Monthly Snapshots provides these 1,000 companies in Excel format, includes 15 worksheets with 26 rankings, over 200 data/information points, hotlinks to key data, and important news items per company.

Disclaimers: The PBR1000 is compiled from a variety of publicly available resources. As such, PBRMarketTools.com is not responsible for the data itself. Any liability for the representations or decisions based on the data is solely the responsibility of the authorized user, not PBRMarketTools.com, its employees or affiliates. PBRMarketTools.com is a provider of news, data, and analysis, and is not a financial advisor firm.

This The PBR1000 Spotlight is provided by: 

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The PBR1000 November 2018 Stocks & Commodities Snapshots

November 2018 The PBR1000: The Stock Market Bull Comes From Behind

It was a wild ride in a volatile November as The Stock Market Bull pulls out a come from behind victory.

By Larry C. Paxton

It was the second month of Stock Market volatility even though the US economy again indicated good growth. There were also more mixed corporate earnings reportsUS/China trade issues remain unresolved even though there seems to be some hope that they will be soon, the intensely negative US general elections have resulted in a divided Congress but there is relief that the ordeal is over, energy and tech stocks tumbled, but retail had record results from the Black Friday through Cyber Monday to kick off the holiday season, perhaps a result of rising wages and consumer optimism.

The Stock Market Bull prevailed with a big comeback in the last week of November to take the month. He heads into the last month of 2018 with the lead, but The Stock Market Bear is unlikely to give up and will battle to the end.

Month 11 YTD tally is:
The Stock Market Bull: 6 months
The Stock Market Bear: 3 months
Mixed Results: 2 months

Week 48 YTD tally is:
The Stock Market Bull: 20 weeks
The Stock Market Bear: 18 weeks
Mixed Results: 10 weeks

The November 2018 US Major Stock Market Exchanges Summary

Number of Trading Days: 21

Number of Gain(+)/Loss(-) Days: DJIA 11+/10-; NASDAQ 10+/11-; SPX 10+/11-.

Record Days: None

Longest Gain Streak(Consecutive Days): DJIA 4 days(11/05-08/18), NASDAQ 3 days(10/30/18-11/01/18, 11/16-20/18), SPX 3 days(10/30/18-11/01/18, 11/05-07/18, 11/26-29/18)

Longest Loss Streak(Consecutive Days): DJIA 4 days(11/09-14/18), NASDAQ 3 days(11/08-12/18, 11/16-20/18), SPX 5 days(11/08-14/18)

Big Swing Up Days(>1.00%): 5 days(11/01/18(D, +1.06%; N, +1.75%; S, +1.06%), 11/07/18(D, +2.13%; N, +2.64%; S, +2.12%), 11/15/18(N, +1.72%; S, +1.06%), 11/26/18(D, +1.46%; N, +2.06%; S, +1.55%), 11/28/18(D, +2.50%, N, +2.95%; S, +2.30%))

Big Swing Down Days(<-1.00%): 3 days(11/02/18(N, -1.04%), 11/09/18(N, -1.65%), 11/12/18(D, -2.23%; N, -2.78%; S, -1.97%))

The PBR1000 November 2018 Snapshots

The following are Top 5 partial tables excerpts from The PBR1000 November 2018 Snapshots. The price for stocks is for the close of trading on November 30, 2018Month % Chg is compared to October 31, 2018YTD % Chg is compared to December 29, 2017, and the 23 Months % Chg is compared to December 30, 2016. The PBR Rank is by annual revenues.

To get the complete The PBR1000 Snapshots  just click here to get your 2 month or significantly discounted 12 month subscription and automatically download the November 2018 edition with the complete 15 Snapshots and 27 rankings and the bonus The PBRMarketTools US Monthly Indices Snapshots.

Table 1(S11): The PBR1000 Top 5 Month Stock Price % Gainers

Table 1 Summary: The range was +70% to -64%647 out of 1,000 stocks were up 0% or more. The average was a gain of 2.81%, the median was a gain of 2.90%.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Price
11/30/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
23 Mos
% Chg
Sears
168 SHLD $ 0.34 +70 -91 -96
Eastman Kodak
945 KODK $ 3.94 +61 +27 -75
Community Health
153 CYH $ 4.75 +50 +12 -15
Newell Brands
196 NWL $ 23.40 +47 -24 -48
Hertz Global
323 HTZ $ 18.71 +36 -15 -13

Table 2(S12): The PBR1000 Top 5 Year-To-Date Stock Price % Gainers

Table 2 Summary: The range was +178% to -91%419 out of 1,000 stocks were up 0% or more. The average was a loss of 1.24%, the median was a loss of -4.47%.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Price
11/30/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
23 Mos
% Chg
BlueLinx 895 BXC $ 27.10 +15 +178 +263
Fossil 738 FOSL $ 19.33 -11 +149 -25
Crocs 1000 CROX $ 27.80 +35 +120 +305
SeaWorld 982 SEAS $ 28.48 +9 +110 +50
Genesis Healthcare 486 GEN $ 1.59 +3 +109 -63

Table 3(S13): The PBR1000 Top 5 23 Months Stock Price % Gainers

Table 3 Summary: The range was +412% to -96%622 out of 993 stocks were up 0% or more. The average was a gain of 18.08%. The median was a gain of 9.02%.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Price
11/30/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
23 Mos
% Chg
Square 845 SQ $ 69.84 -5 +101 +412
Weight Watchers 974 WTW $ 50.02 -24 +13 +337
Crocs 1000 CROX $ 27.80 +35 +120 +305
RH 803 RH $ 116.14 +0 +35 +278
BlueLinx 895 BXC $ 27.10 +15 +178 +263

Table 4(S15): The PBR1000 Top 5 Market Capitalization

Table 4 Summary: The range was $852 billion to $0.04 billion. The average is $26.383 billionmedian is $7.86 billion, out of 1,000 companies.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Market Cap($B)
11/30/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
23 Mos
% Chg
Microsoft
22 MSFT $ 852 B +7 +29 +76
Apple 2 AAPL $ 849 B -18 -3 +37
Amazon 8 AMZN $ 827 B +11 +49 +132
Alphabet 21 GOOG $ 761 B +5 +4 +43
Berkshire Hathaway 4 BRKB $ 539 B +7 +10 +34
The PBR1000
  $ 26,383 B +3 +2 +22

Table 5: The PBR1000 Index & Primary US Stock Exchanges/Commodities

Company Price
11/30/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
23 Mos
% Chg
The PBR1000 84,765.70 +2.8 -1.2 +18.1
DJIA 25,538.46 +1.7 +3.3 +29.2
NASDAQ 7,330.54 +0.3 +6.2 +36.2
S&P500 2,760.16 +1.8 +3.2 +23.3
GOLD 1,227.80 +0.7 -5.9 +6.6
SILVER 14.25 -0.4 -16.1 -10.9
OIL            50.72 -21.9 -15.6 -5.6

To order a 12 month subscription of The PBR1000 Snapshots go to the Subscribe page.

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Please use the Contact Us page if you are a The PBR1000 company and would like to increase your visibility to our worldwide base of shrewd investors.

PBRMarketTools.com provides The PBR1000, a compilation of 1,000 of the largest publicly held companies with primary operations in the US. These companies generate $14 trillion in annual revenues, more than all other US companies combined. The PBR1000 Monthly Snapshots provides these 1,000 companies in Excel format, includes 15 worksheets with 26 rankings, over 200 data/information points, hotlinks to key data, and important news items per company. This service is used by astute business professionals and shrewd investors worldwide.

Disclaimers: The PBR1000 is compiled from a variety of publicly available resources. As such, PBRMarketTools.com is not responsible for the data itself. Any liability for the representations or decisions based on the data is solely the responsibility of the authorized user, not PBRMarketTools.com, its employees or affiliates. PBRMarketTools.com is a provider of news, data, and analysis, and is not a financial advisor firm.

(Graphic courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net, hywards.)

Copyright © 2018 by Pax Business Resources, LLC, All Rights Reserved, 

www.PBRMarketTools.com

The PBR1000 October 2018 Stocks & Commodities Snapshots

October 2018 The PBR1000: A Bear of a Month

The Stock Market Bear chewed and clawed away viciously to dominate October 2018. Investors are encouraged to hold on, but many wonder if this is the end of The Stock Market Bull run.

By Larry C. Paxton

Even though the US economy continued to be robust, with low unemployment and increasing wages starting to take effect, it was balanced out by a combination of mixed corporate earnings reports(especially by the tech sector), US/China trade issues, intensely negative US general elections campaigning, and perhaps just a weariness from the US stock market doing so well for so long. As a result, volatility reigned during the month.

The Stock Market Bear took advantage of the most volatile month of 2018 so far to easily win bragging rights for October and now threatens what was shaping up as another a good year.

Month 10 YTD tally is:
The Stock Market Bull: 5 months
The Stock Market Bear: 3 months
Mixed Results: 2 months

Week 43 YTD tally is:
The Stock Market Bull: 17 weeks
The Stock Market Bear: 16 weeks
Mixed Results: 10 weeks

The October 2018 US Major Stock Market Exchanges Summary

Number of Trading Days: 23

Number of Gain(+)/Loss(-) Days: DJIA 10+/13-; NASDAQ 8+/15-; SPX 7+/16-.

Record Days: DJIA 2, NASDAQ 0, SPX 0

Longest Gain Streak(Consecutive Days): DJIA 5 days(09/27-10/03/18), NASDAQ 2 days(10/30-31/18), SPX 2 days(10/30-31/18)

Longest Loss Streak(Consecutive Days): DJIA 3 days(10/09-11/18), NASDAQ 3 days(10/04-08/18, 10/17-19/18), SPX 6 days(10/04-11/18, 10/17-24/18)

Big Swing Up Days(>1.00%): 5 days(10/12/18(D, +1.15%; N, +2.29%; S, +1.42%), 10/16/18(D, +2.17%; N, +2.29%; S, +2.15%), 10/25/18(D, +1.63%; N, +2.95%; S, +1.86%), 10/30/18(D, +1.77%; N, +1.58%; S, +1.57%), 10/31/18(N, +2.01%; S, +1.09%))

Big Swing Down Days(<-1.00%): 8 days(10/04/18(N, -1.81%), 10/05/18(N, -1.16%), 10/10/18(D, -3.15%; N, -4.08%; S, -3.29%), 10/11/18(D, -2.13%; N, -1.25%; S, -2.06%), 10/18/18(D, -1.27%; N, -2.06%; S, -1.44%), 10/24/18(D, -2.41%; N, -4.43%; S, -3.09), 10/26/18(D, -1.19%; N, -2.07%; S, -1.73%), 10/29/18(N, -1.63%))

The PBR1000 October 2018 Snapshots

The following are Top 5 partial tables excerpts from The PBR1000 October 2018 Snapshots. The price for stocks is for the close of trading on October 31, 2018Month % Chg is compared to September 28, 2018YTD % Chg is compared to December 29, 2017, and the 22 Months % Chg is compared to December 30, 2016. The PBR Rank is by annual revenues.

To get the complete The PBR1000 Snapshots  just click here to get your 2 month or significantly discounted 12 month subscription and automatically download the October 2018 edition with the complete 15 Snapshots and 26 rankings and the bonus The PBRMarketTools US Monthly Indices Snapshots.

Table 1(S11): The PBR1000 Top 5 Month Stock Price % Gainers

Table 1 Summary: The range was +34% to -62%158 out of 1,000 stocks were up 0% or more. The average was a loss of -8.00%%, the median was a loss of -8.33%.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Price
10/31/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
22 Mos
% Chg
Fred’s
899 FRED 2.74 +34 -32 -85
Esterline Tech
870 ESL 117.36 +29 +57 +32
Tesla Motors
249 TSLA 337.32 +27 +8 +58
Red Hat
713 RHT 171.64 +26 +43 +146
Twitter
802 TWTR 34.75 +22 +45 +113

Table 2(S12): The PBR1000 Top 5 Year-To-Date Stock Price % Gainers

Table 2 Summary: The range was +179% to -90%383 out of 1,000 stocks were up 0% or more. The average was a loss of 3.96%, the median was a loss of 5.38%.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Price
10/31/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
22 Mos
% Chg
Fossil 733 FOSL 21.71 -7 +179 -16
BlueLinx 892 BXC 23.55 -25 +141 +215
UNISYS 743 UIS 18.41 -10 +126 +23
Endo Intl 642 ENDP 16.94 +1 +119 +3
Square 843 SQ 73.45 -26 +112 +439

Table 3(S13): The PBR1000 Top 5 22 Months Stock Price % Gainers

Table 3 Summary: The range was +477% to -96%580 out of 993 stocks were up 0% or more. The average was a gain of 14.76%. The median was a gain of 6.72%.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Price
10/31/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
22 Mos
% Chg
Weight Watchers 974 WTW 66.10 -8 +49 +477
Square 843 SQ 73.45 -26 +112 +439
RH 803 RH 115.71 -12 +34 +277
Systemax 980 SYX 32.31 -2 -3 +268
BlueLinx 892 BXC 23.55 -25 +141 +215

Table 4(S15): The PBR1000 Top 5 Market Capitalization

Table 4 Summary: The range was $1,030 billion to $0.03 billion. The average is $25.610 billionmedian is $7.55 billion, out of 1,000 companies.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Market Cap($B)
10/31/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
22 Mos
% Chg
Apple
4 AAPL 1,030 -7 +18 +67
Microsoft 22 MSFT 796 -9 +21 +65
Amazon 8 AMZN 748 -24 +35 +110
Alphabet 21 GOOG 725 -13 -1 +36
Berkshire Hathaway 3 BRKB 502 -6 +2 +25
The PBR1000
  25,610 -8 -1 +18

Table 5: The PBR1000 Index & Primary US Stock Exchanges/Commodities

Company Price
10/31/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
22 Mos
% Chg
The PBR1000 82,552.72 -8.0 -4.0 +14.7
DJIA 25,115.76 -5.1 +1.6 +27.1
NASDAQ 7,305.90 -9.2 +5.8 +35.7
S&P500 2,711.74 -6.9 +1.4 +21.1
GOLD 1,219.00 +1.9 -6.6 +5.8
SILVER 14.31 -2.6 -15.8 -10.5
OIL            64.92 -11.8 +8.0 +20.9

To order a 12 month subscription of The PBR1000 Snapshots go to the Subscribe page.

If you are not already receiving the popular and highly acclaimed The PBR1000 Weekly Breaking News Recap sign up for your free subscription on the Contact Us page.

Please use the Contact Us page if you are a The PBR1000 company and would like to increase your visibility to our worldwide base of shrewd investors.

Disclaimers: The PBR1000 is compiled from a variety of publicly available resources. As such, PBRMarketTools.com is not responsible for the data itself. Any liability for the representations or decisions based on the data is solely the responsibility of the authorized user, not PBRMarketTools.com, its employees or affiliates.

PBRMarketTools.com is a provider of news, data, and analysis, and is not a financial advisor firm. 

PBRMarketTools.com provides The PBR1000, a compilation of 1,000 of the largest publicly held companies with primary operations in the US. These companies generate $14 trillion in annual revenues, more than all other US companies combined. The PBR1000 Monthly Snapshots provides these 1,000 companies in Excel format, includes 15 worksheets with 26 rankings, over 200 data/information points, hotlinks to key data, and important news items per company. This service is used by astute business professionals and shrewd investors worldwide.

(Graphic courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net, ddpavumba.)

Copyright © 2018 by Pax Business Resources, LLC, All Rights Reserved, 

www.PBRMarketTools.com, Sales@PBRMarketTools.com

The PBR1000 October 2018 Breaking News Recap

The PBR1000 October 2018 Breaking News Items

The US Capital Building will be the same, but what will be the mix of the people who work inside be like in the new year?

By Larry C. Paxton

October 2018 News Summary: Except for housing, the US economy continued to be robust and appears it will continue to be that way well into 2019. The US, Mexico, and Canada came together for a trade agreement to replace NAFTA, but a US/China deal made no progress, tariffs are being imposed and more threatened. Brexit, the Italian budget, new talks to be planned with N Korea, and some other international issues might have had an effect as well. The divisive and contentious US elections, compounded by the bizarre episode of confirming Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court weighed in. Hurricane Michael caused extensive damage throughout the Southeast US. Corporate earnings were mixed, and suddenly bond yields took an upward arc. October was a busy month for news, and sets the stage for the US elections to be held November 6th, remember to vote!

Here are The PBR1000 corporate, stock market, and economic related breaking news items of interest with hotlinks to the sources for October 2018, starting with the last active business day:

***Wednesday, October 31:

The PBRMarketTools US Stock Exchanges Recap for the Month of October Ending 10/31/18:

DJIA ends October at 25,115.76, +1.73% from last Friday, -5.07% MTD/QTD, +1.60% YTD, -6.38% from record 26,743.50 set 09/21/18.

NASDAQ ends October at 7,305.90, +1.94% from last Friday, -9.20% MTD/QTD, +5.83% YTD, -9.91% from record 8,109.69 set 08/29/18.

SPX ends October at 2,711.74, +2.00% from last Friday, -6.94 MTD/QTD, -+1.43% YTD, -7.47% from record 2,930.75 set 09/20/18.

October US Stock Exchanges Summary:‘Volatile’ is the word for October as stock exchanges had nearly half their days swing up or down by at least 1%, and mostly down. In the end The Stock Market Bear had a large margin 3-0 victoryfor the month.

The Month 10 YTD tally is:
The Stock Market Bull: 5 months
The Stock Market Bear: 3 months
Mixed Results: 2 months

General Motors(PBR12 $GM) has offered voluntary buyout packages to about 18,000 salaried workers in N America in an effort to cut costs amid mounting pressures on the global auto business. MarketWatch PR link.

Sprint(PBR87) FY 2Q18 report shows total end of period connections on 09/30/18 at 54,547,000, is +520,000 from 09/30/17. $S PR link.

Estee Lauder(PBR216) authorizes additional 40 million shares repurchase program, increases the total authorization to 256 million shares, of which approximately 212 million have been repurchased to date. $EL PR link.

MGM Resorts(PBR270) becomes multi-year official gaming partner of the New York Jets, includes fans access to a mobile play-along predictive game “I Called It presented by Play MGM.” $MGM PR link.

Pilgrim’s Pride(PBR271) authorizes $200 million share repurchase program, expires in 12 months. $PPC PR link.

Adobe Systems(PBR377) completes $4.75 billion acquisition of 5,000 customers cloud platform for B2B marketing engagement provider Marketo$ADBE PR link.

United Rentals(PBR408) completes $2.1 billion cash acquisition of 114 locations in 25 US states with 1,700 employees, $786 million revenue for 12 months ending 08/31/18 BlueLine Rentals$URI PR link.

Fiserv(PBR469) completes $690 million acquisition of the debit card processing, ATM Managed Services and MoneyPass®surcharge free network of Elan Financial Services, a unit of US Bancorp(PBR117), which does around $170 million/year in revenues. $FISV PR link.

Western Union(PBR475) to launch a new payment option in select countries that allows Amazon(PBR8) international shoppers to pay in person, in local currency where available, for their online purchases. $WU PR link.

Rush Enterprises(PBR526) authorizes new $150 million share repurchase program, replaces current program which had around $13 million remaining. $RUSHB PR link.

Quad/Graphics(PBR577) to acquire print and digital media solutions provider LSC Communications(PBR631) in all stock transaction valued at $1.4 billion, to close mid 2019. $QUAD PR link.

Valmont(PBR745) authorizes $250 million share repurchase program, to go into effect upon completion of current program which has $45 million left. $VMI PR link.

Barnes Group(PBR961) completes $430 million acquisition of privately held Italy based robotic grippers, advanced end-of-arm tooling systems, sensors and other automation components designer and developer Gimatic Srl$B PR link.

Southern Co(PBR119) PowerSecure Holdingsand its subsidiary, PowerSecure CEO Sidney Hinton retires, successor is SO Chairman/President/CEO Mark Lantrip, additional leadership named. $SO PR link.

Black Hills(PBR921) Chairman/CEO David Emery to retire as CEO on 12/31/18, be Executive Chairman until 05/01/20, President/COO Linden R. (“Linn”) Evans to be CEO successor on 01/01/19. $BKH PR link.

Marriott Intl(PBR120) President/Managing Director of Europe Amy McPherson to retire by 03/31/19. $MAR PR link.

XPO Logistics(PBR182) hires Matthew Fassler as Chief Strategy Officer, effective 11/26/18, succeeds departing Scott Malat. $XPO PR link.

Brunswick(PBR535) hires Jason Worthy as President/Fitness, succeeds departed Jaime Irick, Fitness division on track to be a spin-off. $BC PR link.

Cincinnati Bell(PBR979) Chairman Phillip R. Cox to step down prior to 2019 shareholders annual meeting, Lynn A. Wentworth elected to be successor. $CBB PR link.

The US Dept of Treasury says the US Debt Held By Public on 10/30/18 was at $15.847 trillion, Intragovernmental Holdings $5.853 trillion, Total National Debt $21.700 trillion, +0.9% from 09/28/18, +5.9% YTD, +6.2% from 10/31/17USTreasury PR link.

The US Dept of Treasury says US 10 Year Treasury Note Yield on 10/31/18 was 3.15%, 09/28/18 was 3.05%, 08/31/18 2.86%, 10/31/172.38%. USTreasury PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US 3Q18 Employment Cost Index for All Civilian Workers(12/2005=100) is at 134.3, 2Q18 was 133.3, 1Q18 132.5, 3Q17 130.6. USDOL PR link.

The US Energy Information Administrationsays the US Crude Oil Stocks on 10/26/18were at 426.0 million barrels of oil, +7.6% from 09/21/18, -6.8% from 10/20/17USEIA PR link.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago says the 7th District Midwest Preliminary August 2018 Economic Index is at +0.37, July 2018was also +0.37, the August 2018 Relative Economic Index is at -0.06, July 2018 was +0.35. ChiFed PR link.

ADP(PBR217) says US October 2018 Change in Non-Farm Private Sector Employment was +227,000, +29,000 from Small Businesses(1-49 employees), +96,000 from Mid-Sized Businesses(50-499 employees), +102,000 from Large Businesses(500 or more employees). “Testimonial to the robust employment picture is the broad-based gains in jobs across industries. The only blemish is the struggles small businesses are having filling open job positions.” $ADP PR link.

The American Automobile Assn says the US Average Price of Regular Gas Per Gallon on 10/31/18 was at $2.801, -2.6% from 09/28/18, +13.5% from 10/31/17AAA PR link.

The Exchange Rate on 10/31/18 for $1 US for 1 Euro is $1.1345, -2.2% from 09/28/18, -2.6% from 10/31/17.

***Tuesday, October 30:

Walmart(PBR1) to introduce “Check Out With Me” service starting 11/01/18, will position associates in the busiest areas of its stores so customers can bypass regular checkout lines and pay for everything right in the department they are shopping. $WMT PR link.

Apple(PBR4 $AAPL) introduces new iPad Pro(starts at $799), iPad Pro PR link., all-new MacBook Air(starts at $1,199), MacBook Air PR link., and new Mac mini(starts at $799), Mac mini PR link.

GE(PBR18) releases 3Q18 report, will reduce quarterly dividend from $0.12/share to $0.01/share to retain around $3.9 billion, to reorganize Power unit into two units, a Gas unit, and a unit that includes Steam, Grid Solutions, Nuclear, and Power Conversion$GE PR link.

Alphabet(PBR21)’s Waymo unit gets California Dept of Motor Vehicles‘ first permit in the state to begin fully driverless testing on public roads, includes day and night testing on city streets, rural roads and highways with posted speed limits of up to 65 mph, and in fog and light rain, initially in the Mountain View area. $GOOG PR link.

Facebook(PBR69) in 3Q18 report says 3Q advertising revenues grew by 33% year over year, 2.27 billion monthly active users, +10% from 3Q17. $FB PR link.

T-Mobile(PBR70) reports it had 77.2 million customers at end of 3Q18, had 75.6 million at end of 2Q18, 70.7 million at end of 3Q17. $TMUS PR link.

Merck(PBR73) gets US FDA approval for KEYTRUDA, Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, in combination with carboplatin and either paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel, for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). $MRK PR link.

Mondelez(PBR110) to launch in 11/18 an innovation hub called SnackFutures to capitalize on changing consumer trends and emerging growth opportunities in snacking around the world. $MDLZ PR link.

US Foods(PBR115) to build a 355,000 sf distribution center in McClellan, CA, to open by end of 2020, $71.6 million investment, will service independent restaurant operators across N California$USFD PR link.

Whirlpool(PBR138) to build new 798,000 sf Factory Distribution Center next to its manufacturing facilities in Tulsa, OK, which will employ an additional 150 people, $55 million investment, to open by 12/19. $WHR PR link.

WestRock(PBR192) gets US Dept of Justice approval for $35/share, $4.9 billion, includes $1.36 billion debt, acquisition of Kapstone(PBR666), a N Americanproducer/distributor of containerboard, corrugated products and specialty papers, including liner and medium containerboard, kraft papers and saturating kraft, last approval required, to close 11/02/18. $WRK PR link.

Chesapeake Energy(PBR302) to acquire WildHorse Resource Development Corporation (NYSE:WRD), an oil and gas company with operations in the Eagle Ford Shale and Austin Chalk formations in SE Texas, for around $3.977 billion cash and stock, to close 1H19. $CHK PR link.

Campbell Soup(PBR328) says hedge fund investor Third Point proposal is an attempt to seize control of the Board, their plan is a cut and paste of CPB’s plan, encourages vote for current Board at annual meeting. $CPB PR link.

YUM China(PBR385) increases share repurchase program by $850 million, balance is now $1.4 billion. $YUMC PR link.

Caesars Entertainment(PBR518) is the first gaming-entertainment company to sign deal with both an NBA and NHL team, the Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils, will open 5,000 sf premium dining facility in Prudential Center, through multi-year partnership with Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment$CZR PR link.

McDermott Intl(PBR702) says storage tank business and its US pipe fabrication business are not core to the company, seeking buyers, combined revenues of $1.5 billion in 2017, has 5,350 employees. $MDR PR link.

Twitter(PBR794) in 3Q18 report says it had a 326 million monthly active users, 67 million users were in the US, advertising revenues up 29% year over year. $TWTR PR link.

Modine Manufacturing(PBR856) authorizes up to $50 million share repurchase program over next two years. $MOD PR link.

NuStar(PBR893) to sell its European terminals and related assets to Inter Pipeline for $270 million, to close in 4Q18. $NS PR link.

Take-Two Interactive(PBR898)’s Red Dead Redemption 2 has single-biggest opening weekend(Friday-Sunday) in the history of entertainment with over $725 million in worldwide retail sell-through during its first three days, and is second-highest grossing entertainment launch of all time next to Rockstar Games’ previously released title, Grand Theft Auto V, which had over $1 billion in retail sell-through in three days(started on a Tuesday). $TTWO PR link.

Schneider Natl(PBR550) President/CEO Chris Lofgren to retire after annual meeting in 04/19, EVP/COO Mark Rourke named successor. $SNDR PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/Census says US 3Q18 Total Housing Units were at 138.6 million, Occupied were 121.4 million, Ownerswere in 78.1 million, Renters in 43.3 million, Vacant 17.2 million, Home Ownership Rate at 64.4%, 2Q18 was 64.3%, 3Q17 63.9%. USDOC PR link.

The Conference Board says US Preliminary October Consumer Confidence Index(1985=100) is at 137.9, “Consumers’ assessment of present-day conditions remains quite positive, primarily due to strong employment growth…,” September 2018 was at 135.3. TCB PR link.

S&P/CoreLogic/Case-Shiller says US August 2018 National Home Price Index(01/2000=100)is at 205.81, July 2018 was 205.35, June 2018204.42, August 2017 194.59, August 2016183.79. Case-Shiller PR link.

***Monday, October 29:

Walmart(PBR1 $WMT)’s Jet.com e-commerce site to offer Blue Apron(NYSE: APRN) meal kits in greater NYC area. Blue Apron PR link.

IBM(PBR34) to acquire global open source cloud software provider Red Hat(PBR717) for $190.00/share, $34 billion cash, to close 2H19. $IBM PR link.

Pfizer(PBR55) enters into a non-exclusive clinical development agreement with Novartis (NYSE: NVS) to investigate one or more combination therapies for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) liver diseases. $PFE PR link.

Northrop Grumman(PBR111) to do $1 billion accelerated share repurchase program with Goldman Sachs(PBR88), 80% by 10/31/18, balance at start of 2019. $NOC PR link.

Eli Lilly(PBR121) and Dicerna Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: DRNA) doing a global licensing and research collaboration focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of potential new medicines in the areas of cardio-metabolic disease, neurodegeneration and pain, will utilize Dicerna’s proprietary GalXC™ RNAi technology platform, Dicerna to receive $100 million cash up front plus $100 million investment plus up to $350 million for achieving certain milestones. $LLY PR link.

Booking(PBR223) invests $200 million and enters strategic partnership with leading online-to-offline mobile (O2O) mobile platform in 235 cities in 8 Southeast Asia countries with 8 million micro-entrepreneurs company Grab$BKNG PR link.

VF Corp(PBR249) completes sale of its Reef®footwear brand to The Rockport Group, terms not disclosed. $VFC PR link.

MGM Resorts(PBR270) is National Hockey League‘s first sports betting partner in multi-year strategic relationship. $MGM PR link.

Campbell Soup(PBR328) launches snack or pick-me-up Well Yes!® Sipping Soups, come in five flavors in convenient grab-and-go packaging, $1.99 suggested retail price. $CPB PR link.

LifePoint Health(PBR378) shareholders approve $65.00/share, $5.6 billion acquisition by Apollo Global Mgmt(PBR765) and affiliates unit RCCH HealthCare Partners by end of 2018. $LPNT PR link.

BGC Partners(PBR668) to acquire UK based $100 million in revenues/2018 independent Lloyd’s of London insurance broker Ed Broking Group Limited, terms not disclosed. $BGC PR link.

EnerSys(PBR776) to acquire for $750 million certain assets of select entities belonging to Bellingham, WA, based global commercial-grade energy solutions for broadband, telecom, renewable, industrial and traffic customers provider Alpha Technologies, did $591 million for year ending 06/30/18. $ENS PR link.

SunPower(PBR878) is supplying 349 megawatts of SunPower high efficiency solar panels for the Limondale solar power plant, Australia‘s largest solar project to date, to be fully operational mid 2020. $SPWR PR link.

Hain Celestial(PBR796) hires Mark L. Schiller as President/CEO, effective 11/05/18, succeeds Chairman/President/CEO/Founder Irwin D Simon who will become Non-Executive Chairman. $HAIN PR link.

JCPenney(PBR229) hires Michael Fung as Interim CFO, succeeds Jerry Murray who will resume his responsibilities as SVP/Finance. $JCP PR link.

Tesla(PBR250) founder Elon Musk tweets that he has given up all his titles, is now ‘Nothing of Tesla,’ later tweet indicates he has retained President title. $TSLA PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/BEA says US Preliminary September 2018 Total Personal Income Annual Rate is at $17.726 trillion, +0.2% from August 2018, +7.2% from September 2017Personal Savings at $975.5 billion for a 6.2% Savings RateEffective Tax Rate at 11.7%. USDOC PR link.

FreddieMac(PBR38) October 2018 Forecastsays it expects US Gross Domestic Product annual rate to be 3.0% in 2018, 2.4% in 2019, 1.8% in 2020 as the effects of expansionary fiscal policy fade, forecasts average 2018 30 year fixed mortgage rate to be 4.5%, 20195.1%, 2020 5.6%, home prices to average+5.4% in 2018, +4.6% in 2019, 2.9% in 2020$FMCC PR link.

On Sunday, 10/28/18, the dominate major league baseball team throughout the season Boston Red Sox wins 5-1 against the Los Angeles Dodgers to take the World Series in the 5th gameMassLive PR link.

***Friday, October 26:

The PBRMarketTools US Stock Exchanges Recap for the Week Ending 10/26/18:

DJIA ends week at 24,688.31, -2.97% from last Friday, -6.69% MTD/QTD, -0.13% YTD, -7.98% from record 26,743.50 set 09/21/18.

NASDAQ ends week at 7,167.21, -3.78% from last Friday, -10.93% MTD/QTD, +3.82% YTD, -11.62% from record 8,109.69 set 08/29/18.

SPX ends week at 2,658.69, -3.94% from last Friday, -8.76 MTD/QTD, -0.56% YTD, -9.28% from record 2,930.75 set 09/20/18.

Weekly US Stock Exchanges Summary: It was a big week for The Stock Market Bear as his big bear hugs squeezed out gains year-to-date for the DJIA and SPX. The Stock Market Bullmade a brief appearance on Thursday, but made a big retreat on Friday. It was The Stock Market Bear all the way with a 3-0 victory, the 3rd week this month.

The Week 43 YTD tally is:
The Stock Market Bull: 17 weeks
The Stock Market Bear: 16 weeks
Mixed Results: 10 weeks

Weekly News Summary: Good economic news(3Q18 GDP 3.5%, low unemployment)and corporate earnings generally exceeding predictions were offset by a technology sectorrout, uncertainties in global and US politics and trade policies. and perhaps the need for a much overdue correction after a prolonged bull market of many years.

Facebook(PBR69) removes 82 Pages, Groups and accounts for coordinated inauthentic behavior that originated in Iran and targeted people in the US and UK$FB PR link.

Conagra Brands(PBR346) completes $68/share, $10.9 billion cash/stock, includes net debt, acquisition of Pinnacle Foods(PBR694)$CAG PR link.

Greenbrier(PBR840) and Saudi Arabia’s Saudi Railway Company form $270 million joint venture for railway projects and to supply railcars for profitable growth of the Saudi freight rail market. $GBX PR link.

AGCO(PBR335) SVP/Global Crop Cycle and Fuse Connected Services Eric Hansotia becomes COO, a newly created position, on 01/01/19. $AGCO PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce says US 3Q18 1st Estimate Gross Domestic Product was at 3.5%, 2Q18 was 4.2%, 1Q18 2.2%, 3Q17 2.8%, 3Q18 Total Annual GDP 1st Estimate is $20.659 trillion, +1.2% from 2Q18, +5.5% from 3Q17USDOC PR link.

The U of Michigan US Final October 2018 Consumer Sentiment Index is at 98.6, “…has been higher thus far in 2018 (98.5) than in any prior year since 2000…,” September 2018 was 100.1, August 2018 96.2, October 2017 100.7. UMichigan PR link.

***Thursday, October 25:

Ford(PBR10) issuing a recall for approximately 1.5 million select 2012-18 Ford Focus vehicles equipped with 2.0-liter GDI and 2.0-liter GTDI engines for a malfunctioning canister purge valve, possible stall & restart issues, not aware of any accidents, injuries or fires as a result of this condition. $F PR link.

AIG(PBR58) Europe unit gets UK approval to split into two companies, one for the UK, another for Europe, in preparation for Brexit$AIG PR link.

Merck(PBR73) authorizes additional $10 billion share repurchase program, has entered into a $5 billion accelerated share repurchase program under its expanded authorization. $MRK PR link.

21st Century Fox(PBR92 $FOX) Fox News unit will debut its new on-demand subscription-based service Fox Nation on 11/27/18, with Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, Laura Ingraham and Brit Hume to contribute programming, $5.99/mo or $64.00 /yr. MarketWatch PR link.

Thermo-Fisher Scientific(PBR138) completes $477 million cash acquistion of Becton Dickenson(PBR241)’s Advanced Bioprocessing business, does $100 million annually. $TMO PR link.

Stanley Black & Decker(PBR222) announces The Home Depot(PBR23) will be exclusive home improvement retailer for its STANLEY hand tools and storage product portfolio, and across the STANLEY FATMAX tape measure brand, both in store and online, beginning in 2019. $SWK PR link.

LKQ(PBR295) authorizes up to $500 million share repurchase program through 10/25/21. $LKQ PR link.

Mohawk Industries(PBR305) authorizes up to $500 million share repurchase program. $MHK PR link.

Campbell Soup(PBR328) Chairman Les Vinney issues letter to shareholders about upcoming annual meeting, says recent investor hedge fund Third Point nominees for board are not qualified, reiterates strategic plan of 08/30/18, including being open to selling company. $CPB PR link.

Campbell Soup(PBR328 $CPB) gets sued in New Jersey Superior Court by hedge fund investor Third Point over ‘misinformation’ in proxy fight. MarketWatch PR link.

Green Plains(PBR634) enters into a stock purchase agreement with Kerry Group to sell the Fleischmann’s Vinegar Company for $350 million cash. $GPRE PR link.

Brunswick(PBR535) Chairman/CEO Mark Schwabero to retire by 12/31/18, will be succeeded by President/Brunswick Marine Consumer Solutions and Chief Technology Officer David Foulkes, Manny Fernandez, lead independent director, will become non-executive chairman, upon Schwabero’s retirement. $BC PR link.

PriceSmart(PBR709) President/CEO Jose Luis Laparte resigns, terms being finalized, Founder/Chairman Robert Price made Executive Chairman, board member Sherry S. Bahrambeygui to serve as Interim CEO, effective immediately. $PSMT PR link.

Spectrum Brands(PBR529) promotes Randal D. Lewis to the newly created position of SVP/COO. $SPB PR link.

BGC Partners(PBR668) CFO Steven R. McMurray to resign, effective 12/15/18, EVP/COO Sean A. Windeatt to add Interim CFO to his responsibilities until new CFO on board. $BGC PR link.

TripAdvisor(PBR942) hires Lindsay Nelson as President/Core Experience (CoreX) business unit, effective 10/30/18. $TRIP PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says the US 4 Week Moving Average Initial Unemployment Insurance Claims on 10/20/18 was at 211,750, +2.7% from 09/22/18, -11.7% from 10/21/17Insured Unemployment Rate on 10/13/18 was 1.1%, 09/15/18 was 1.2%, 10/14/17 1.4%. USDOL PR link.

FreddieMac(PBR38) says US Average 30 Year Fixed Mortgage Rate on 10/25/18 was at 4.86% with 0.5 points/fees, “…expect rates to continue to rise, which will put downward pressure on homebuying activity…,” 09/27/18 was 4.72%, 08/30/18 4.52%, 10/26/17 3.94%. $FMCC PR link.

***Wednesday, October 24:

ExxonMobil(PBR2 $XOM) lawsuit filed against it by the New York Attorney General alleging that the company misled investors regarding the risk that climate change regulations posed to its business, says former Chairman/CEO Rex Tillerson knew of misrepresentations for years.NY Attorney General PR link.

Kraft Heinz(PBR106) to sell $150 million in revenues/year Indian brands Complan, Glucon-D, Nycil and Sampriti to Zydus Cadila for approximately $625 million on a debt free and cash free basis, to close in 1Q19. $KHC PR link.

Tesla(PBR250) reports first profit, $312 million net income on $6.824 billion total revenues for 3Q18, Model 3 was the best-selling car in the US in terms of revenue and the 5th best-selling car in terms of volume, averaged 4,300 Model 3s/wk production. $TSLA PR link.

Ameren(PBR439) Missouri subsidiary gets certificate of convenience and necessity to acquire, after construction, a 400-megawatt facility to be located in Schuyler and Adair counties in northeast Missouri, will be largest wind facility in the state. $AEE PR link.

Wells Fargo(PBR27) says Chief Administrative Officer Hope Hardison and Chief Auditor David Julian have begun leaves of absence, will no longer be members of the company’s Operating Committee, leaves relate to previously disclosed ongoing reviews by regulatory agencies in connection with historical retail banking sales practices, makes several key leadership appointments. $WFC PR link.

The US Federal Reserve Beige Book for data from 09/01/18 through 10/15/18 says economic activity expanded across the US, with the majority of Federal Reserve Districts reporting modest to moderate growth. New York and St. Louis indicated slight growth, overall, while Dallas reported robust growth driven by strong manufacturing, retail, and nonfinancial services activity. USFed PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/HUD says US Preliminary September 2018 New Family Homes Sold Annual Rate was at 553,000, -5.5% from August 2018, -13.2% from September 2017; the September 2018 Median Price was $377,200, -1.9% from August 2018, -0.6% from September 2017; the September 2018 New Homes Available was at 327,000, +2.8% from August 2018, +16.8% from September 2017September 2018 Months Supply was at 7.1, August 2018 was 6.5, September 2017 5.3. USDOC PR link.

The ADP(PBR217) 3Q18 US Workforce Vitality Report says Wage Growth was at 3.5%, +0.7% from 3Q17, Wage Level at $27.81/hr, +$0.95 from 3Q17, Employment Growth at +1.7%, -0.3% from 3Q17, Turnover Rate at 65.9, +6.3% from 3Q17. $ADP PR link.

The US Federal Drug Administration approves Xofluza (baloxavir marboxil) for the treatment of acute uncomplicated influenza (flu) in patients 12 years of age and older who have been symptomatic for no more than 48 hours, first new antiviral flu treatment with a novel mechanism of action approved by the FDA in nearly 20 years, not a substitute for annual flu vaccinations, approval granted to Shionogi & Co., Ltd under Priority Review program. USFDA PR link.

***Tuesday, October 23:

Walmart(PBR1) to add millions more items to its Walmart.com shopping that will include free 2 day shipping on orders over $35 with no membership fees, returns online or at most stores, starts in 11/18. $WMT PR link.

Amazon(PBR8) Business launches new Business Prime benefits for businesses of all sizes in the US, Germany and Japan, in US includes 5% Back or 90-Day terms on eligible purchases with the new Amazon Business American Express Card$AMZN PR link.

Verizon(PBR16) ends 3Q18 with 116,871,000 retail prepaid and post paid connections, +1.4% from 3Q17. $VZ PR link.

Kroger(PBR17) to hire 10,000+ seasonal associates coast to coast. $KR PR link.

Johnson & Johnson(PBR36) to acquire Ci:z Holdings Co(TYO: 4924), a Japanesemarketing, development and distribution company of a broad range of dermocosmetic, cosmetic and skincare products for around $51.75/share, $2 billion, tender offer to be completed in 1H19. $JNJ PR link.

Target(PBR39) offering same-day delivery through ShiptDrive-Up service expanded to 1,000 stores, free 2-day delivery with no minimum or membership requirement on hundreds of thousands of items from 11/01/18 through 12/22/18. $TGT PR link.

Medtronic(PBR94) gets US FDA approval for Valiant Navion(TM) Thoracic Stent Graft System$MDT PR link.

Arconic(PBR215 $ARNC) attempt to auction itself hits snag over Grenfell Tower liability.MarketWatch PR link.

Becton Dickenson(PBR241) to invest $200 million for facilities in Nebraska, create 300 jobs statewide. $BDX PR link.

Tesla(PBR250)‘s Chairman/CEO Elon Musk tweet says “To simplify production, many Tesla Model S & X interior configs, will no longer be available after Nov 1.” $TSLA PR link.

Conagra Brands(PBR346) $68/share, $10.9 billion cash/stock, includes net debt, acquisition of Pinnacle Foods(PBR694) gets Pinnacle Foods shareholders approval, to close 10/26/18. $CAG PR link.

Tapestry(PBR459)’s Coach unit commits to fur-free policy by launch of collection for Fall 2019. $TPR PR link.

Harley-Davidson(PBR470) notifies dealers of a voluntary safety recall for a hydraulic clutch assembly on all model year 2017 and 2018 Touring, Trike and CVO Touring models and certain 2017 Softail models, includes approximately 238,300 motorcycles globally, estimates total cost to be approximately $35 million, will be charged to 4Q18. $HOG PR link.

Essendant(PBR507) $12.80/share, $996 million cash, includes net debt, acquisition by Staplestender offer extended to 11/05/18, 62.5% of shares have been tendered. $ESND PR link.

Sprouts(PBR529) opens 30 stores in 2018, to open 30 more in 2019, operates 300+ stores in 19 states, planning expansion into more states. $SFM PR link.

First Solar(PBR715) to develop and build the 58 megawatt (AC) Cove Mountain Solar Projectnear Enterprise, UT, will provide 100% of power for Facebook(PBR69)’s Prineville, OR, Data Center through a power purchase agreement with PacifiCorp$FSLR PR link.

Guess?(PBR812) to partner with I:CO®, short for I:Collect, to launch its RESOURCEDnationwide wardrobe recycling program starting 10/23/18, will expand US-wide and globally by 2020. $GES PR link.

Rollins(PBR925) to do 3 for 2 stock split, will be distributed on 12/10/18, to stockholders of record at the close of business on 11/09/18. $ROL PR link.

Activision Blizzard(PBR389) hires Johanna Faries as new Head of Product for the Call of Duty® World League eSports. $ATVI PR link.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond says US Fifth District October 2018 Manufacturing Index(Annualized) is at 15%, indicates manufacturing activity expanded moderately, September 2018 was 29%, August 2018 24%, October 2017 12%. RichmondFed PR link.. The US Fifth District October 2018 Service Sector Revenue Index(Annualized) is at -1%, indicates service sector activity softened, its first negative reading since November 2013, September 2018 was 18%, August 2018 31%, October 2017 24%. RichmondFed PR link.

***Monday, October 22:

Icahn Enterprises(PBR128) to sell its majority owned railcar manufacturer subsidiary American Railcar Industries(NASDAQ: ARII) for $70.00/share, $1.75 billion, to ITE Management LP subsidiary ITE Rail Fund, to close 4Q18. $IEP PR link.

United Natural Foods(PBR283) completes $2.9 billion cash, includes debt, acquisition of SuperValu(PBR205), plans to divest SUPERVALU retail assets over time. $UNFI PR link.

Jacobs Engineering(PBR290) to sell its Energy, Chemicals and Resources (ECR)segment to WorleyParsons Limited (ASX: WOR) for $3.3 billion, consisting of $2.6 billion in cash and $700 million in WorleyParsons ordinary shares, to close 1H19. $JEC PR link.

eBay(PBR299) launches Instant Selling for consumers to instantly sell their smartphones. $EBAY PR link.

NCR(PBR414) to acquire Allentown, PA-based $63.4 million in revenue in 2018 JetPay (NASDAQ: JTPY), a provider of end-to-end payment processing and Human Capital Management solutions , for $5.05 share, around $184 million, by end of 2018. $NCR PR link.

Arthur J Gallagher(PBR441) acquires Issaquah, WA-based independent international benefits broker Richter International Consulting, terms not disclosed. $AJG PR link.

KKR(PBR679)’s Japan unit Calsonic Kansei to acquire automotive component supplier Magneti Marelli from Fiat Chrysler for $7.1 billion, creates 7th largest auto parts company in the world. $KKR PR link.

SemGroup(PBR866) completes $350 million sale of a 49% interest in Maurepas Pipeline to Alinda Capital Partners$SEMG PR link.

Brown & Brown(PBR877) to acquire Minneapolis, MN, 700 risk management and employee benefits professionals in 32 locations across 21 states $200 million/year US insurance broker Hays Companies, terms not disclosed. $BRO PR link.

Kimberly-Clark(PBR155) Chairman/CEO Thomas Falk to become Executive Chairman on 01/01/19, President/COO Mike Hsu to become CEO. $KMB PR link.

Celgene(PBR219) hires Dr. Alise Reicin as President/Global Clinical Development, effective 11/01/18. $CELG PR link.

Medtronic(PBR94) co-founder Earl Bakken passes away at age 94. $MDT PR link.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago says the US Preliminary September 2018 National Activity Index is at +0.17, “… points to a moderation of economic growth…,”August 2018was +0.27, July 2018 +0.18, September 2017+0.18. ChiFed PR link.

***Friday, October 19:

The PBRMarketTools US Stock Exchanges Recap for the Week Ending 10/19/18:

DJIA ends week at 25,444.34, +0.41% from last Friday, -3.83% MTD/QTD, +2.93% YTD, -5.16% from record 26,743.50 set 09/21/18.

NASDAQ ends week at 7,449.03, -0.64% from last Friday, -7.42% MTD/QTD, +7.90% YTD, -8.15% from record 8,109.69 set 08/29/18.

SPX ends week at 2,767.78, +0.02% from last Friday, -5.02 MTD/QTD, +3.52% YTD, -5.56% from record 2,930.75 set 09/20/18.

Weekly US Stock Exchanges Summary:Looking at the final changes for the week you would not have guessed that The Stock Market Bull and The Stock Market Bear had some major tussles during the week. In the end The Stock Market Bull barely eked out a 2-1 edge, and the dramatic week ends mixed.

The Week 42 YTD tally is:
The Stock Market Bull: 17 weeks
The Stock Market Bear: 15 weeks
Mixed Results: 10 weeks

Weekly News Summary: Economic newscontinued to be mostly positive except for housing; the FOMC indicated strongly that it plans to continue raising federal funds rates; consumer and business sentiment indiceswere positive, but slipping a slight bit. Corporate earnings reports generally exceeded expectations. Foreign issues, like the suspected killing of a Saudi Arabia/American journalist in Turkey, Brexit problems, Italian budget challenges, ongoing US/China trade relations continue to have an impact; the clean up of significant devastation from Hurricane Michael across the Southeast US has started. The US general election campaigns are acrimonious at best. A lot is on the line, and what is RealNews and FakeNews is sometimes difficult to discern when watching debates. Be prepared for last minute revelations and surprises.

Intel(PBR45)’s 9th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-9900K processor sets 16 benchmark records, including a world record, as part of extreme overclocking demonstration. $INTC PR link.

Honeywell(PBR71) in 3Q18 10-Q report revises asbestos-related liability to $2.6 billion, up from previous $1.1 billion estimate, from its Bendix Friction Materials business which was sold in 2014. $HON PR link.

Energy Transfer Equity(PBR72) completes acquisition of Energy Transfer Partners(NYSE: ETP) in simplification transaction, changes name to Energy Transfer LP, trading symbol changed from ETE to NYSE: ET$ET PR link.

Abbott(PBR104) gets US FDA approval for the HeartMate 3™ Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) as a destination therapy for patients living with advanced heart failure not eligible for a transplant who will live with their device for the rest of their lives. $ABT PR link.

PNM Resources(PBR959) to purchase 100 megawatts of solar generation from NM Renewable Development in order to continue serving the Facebook(PBR69) data center in New Mexico with 100% renewable energy. $PNM PR link.

United Natural Foods(PBR309)‘s Steve Spinner to remain Chairman/CEO upon $32.50/share, $2.9 billion cash, includes debt, acquisition of SuperValu(PBR205 $SUV), management team members named. $UNFI PR link.

21st Century Fox(PBR92) new “Fox” that will be spun-off hires Charlie Collier as CEO of Entertainment, effective 11/01/18. $FOX PR link.

AbbVie(PBR102) EVP/CFO William Chase to retire mid 2019, is appointed EVP/Finance & Administration, VP/Controller Robert Michael promoted to SVP/CFO. $ABBV PR link.

AutoZone(PBR268) Founder/Director J. R. “Pitt” Hyde III to retire in 12/18, started company in 1979. $AZO PR link.

The Natl Assn of Realtors says US Preliminary September 2018 Existing Home Sales Annual Rate was at 5,150,000, “… the lowest existing home sales level since November 2015…,” -3.4% from August 2018, -4.1% from September 2017September 2018 Median Price was $258,100, -2.5% from August 2018, +4.2% from September 2017Median Time On Market was 32 days. NAR PR link.

***Thursday, October 18:

Walmart(PBR1) to break ground on its first high-tech distribution center, to be located in Shafter, CA, to open fall 2020. $WMT PR link.

Valero Energy(PBR29) to acquire Valero Energy Partners LP (NYSE: VLP) for $42.25/share, $950 million cash. $VLO PR link.

DowDuPont(PBR46) concludes that non-cash impairment charges are required for 3Q18 of about $4.6 billion for goodwill and other assets associated with its agriculture reporting unit. $DWDP PR link.

DowDuPont(PBR46) files initial Form 10registration statement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission for the separation of Corteva Agriscience(TM), Agriculture Division of DowDuPont, on track to separate on 06/01/19. $DWDP PR link.

American Express(PBR80) and PayPal(PBR219) expand strategic partnership, allows US AMEX members to use Membership Rewards points for purchases on PayPal, send money via Venmo or PayPal from the AMEX Mobile app, add AMEX Cards to the PayPal wallet via mobile app or website, and other features. $AXP PR link.

AbbVie(PBR102) gets global resolution of all intellectual property-related litigation with Fresenius Kabi over its proposed biosimilar Humira®(adalimumab) product, Fresenius to pay royalties, get non-exclusive US intellectual property license rights on 09/30/23. $ABBV PR link.

Starbucks(PBR124) to fully license Starbucks operations in France, the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg to its longstanding strategic partner Alsea, S.A.B. de C.V. (BMV: ALSEA), the largest independent chain restaurant operator in Latin America$SBUX PR link.

Starbucks(PBR124) to open its 3rd Princibakery standalone location in the US, is in New York City near the theater district. $SBUX PR link.

Micron Technology(PBR145) to exercise its call option to acquire Intel(PBR45)‘s interest in joint venture IM Flash Technologies, call available on 01/01/19, to pay $1.5 billion cash, includes $1 billion debt, to close 6-12 months after call declared. $MU PR link.

Nordstrom(PBR179) hosting company-wide hiring day on 10/19/18, to hire 24,000 seasonal workers. $JWN PR link.

Tesla(PBR250) Chairman/CEO Elon Musk tweets new lower price for mid-range Model 3car, says cost is $35,000 after US/CA tax rebates, true cost $31,000 after gas savings. $TSLA PR link.

Sempra Energy(PBR261) and its Oncor unit to acquire Texas electric transmission and distribution assets of InfraREIT(NYSE: HIFR) for $21/share, $1.275 billion, to close mid 2019. $SRE PR link.

Live Nation(PBR281)’s TicketMaster unit acquires UPGRADED, a blockchain technology company servicing the live events industry, converts traditional tickets into secure interactive digital assets protected by blockchain, providing event creators with more control and visibility over ticket distribution, and protecting fans against fraudulent tickets. $LYV PR link.

Activision Blizzard(PBR389) Call of Duty®: Black Ops 4 has sold more than $500 million in sell-through worldwide in its first three days of release. $ATVI PR link.

Invesco(PBR499) to acquire Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance‘s asset management affiliate OppenheimerFunds in stock and preferred equity transaction that will give MassMutual a 15.5% stake in Invesco, Invesco to become 13th-largest global investment manager and sixth-largest US retail investment manager with assets under management of $1.2 trillion, to close 2Q19. $IVZ PR link.

Coca-Cola(PBR82) President/EMEA Group Brian Smith to become President/COO on 01/01/19, EVP/CFO Kathy Waller to retire after 32 years with company on 03/16/19, President/Asia Pacific John Murphy to be successor on 01/01/19, VP & Chief Technology Officer of N America Nancy Quan promoted to SVP and will be company CTO on 01/01/19, to succeed Ed Hays, who is retiring on 03/31/19, SVP & CIO Barry Simpson to become to also be President/Enabling Services and have new title of Chief Information and Integrated Services Officer on 01/01/19. $KO PR link.

LifePoint Health(PBR378) announces leadership team when it becomes a private company after $65.00/share, $5.6 billion acquisition by RCCH HealthCare Partners by end of 2018. $LPNT PR link.

Vitamin Shoppe(PBR995) hires Stacey Renfro for newly constructed role of EVP/Chief Customer and Digital Experience Officer, effective 11/05/18. $VSI PR link.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphiasays that the US 3rd District October 2018 Manufacturing General Activity Indicator is at 22.2, indicates continued growth, expectations for the next six months remained optimistic, September 2018 was at 22.9, August 201811.9, October 2017 28.8. PhillyFed PR link.

The Conference Board says US Preliminary September 2018 Leading Economic Indicator(2016=100) is at 111.8, “…suggesting the US business cycle remains on a strong growth trajectory heading into 2019…,” August 2018 was 111.3, July 2018 110.9, September 2017 104.6. TCB PR link.

***Wednesday, October 17:

Amazon(PBR8) paying $15/hr or more for 100,000 seasonal jobs. $AMZN PR link.

Prudential Financial(PBR51) is pleased with the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) decision to rescind Prudential as a nonbank systemically important financial institution. $PRU PR link.

Tesla(PBR250 $TSLA) secures rights to 210 acres in Liangang, Shanghai, China for its first electric battery manufacturing plant outside the US, called Gigafactory 3, to be able to support production of 500,000 Teslas vehicles/year.Forbes PR link.

Hershey(PBR368) completes $420 million acquisition of B&G Foods(NYSE:BGS)’ Pirate Brands, including the Pirate’s Booty, Smart Puffs and Original Tings brands. $HSY PR link.

First Solar(PBR715) sells 100 Megawatt (MW)AC Willow Springs Solar Project in Kern County, CA, to annually provide enough electricity to power about 41,000 typical California homes and displace more than 77,000 metric tons of CO2 greenhouse gas emission, to DE Shaw Renewable Investments, terms not disclosed. $FSLR PR link.

Constellation Brands(PBR334) President/COO Bill Newlands will assume the role of President/CEO, current CEO Rob Sands to become Executive Chair, Executive Chair Richard Sands to become Executive Vice Chair, all on 03/01/19. $STZ PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/HUD says US Preliminary September 2018 Number of Private Housing Permits Issued Annual Rateis at 1,241,000, -0.7% from August 2018, -1.0% from September 2017USDOC PR link.

The Federal Open Market Committee releases minutes from its 09/25-26/18 meeting, “…members expected that further gradual increases in the target range for the federal funds rate would be consistent with sustained expansion of economic activity, strong labor market conditions, and inflation near the Committee’s symmetric 2 percent objective over the medium term. Members continued to judge that the risks to the economic outlook remained roughly balanced.” FOMC PR link.

***Tuesday, October 16:

Walmart(PBR1 $WMT) and Advance Auto Parts(PBR305) to begin rolling out on Walmart.com in 1H19 Advance’s extensive portfolio of aftermarket automotive parts, accessories and maintenance items. $AAP PR link.

Amazon(PBR8) introduces the all-new Kindle Paperwhite—thinner, lighter, 2x the storage, and waterproof for $129. $AMZN PR link.

Alphabet(PBR21)’s Google unit submit appeal to European Commission regarding its new Android apps rules, at the same time outlines its plans to comply with the ruling. $GOOG PR link.

Wells Fargo(PBR27) applies for investment firm license from the French Prudential Supervision and Resolution Authority, is part of WFC’s Brexit strategy. $WFC PR link.

Target(PBR39) adding nearly 250,000 sf in 500+ stores for 2,500+ new and exclusive toys, nearly double from last year, for holiday season, introducing a new toys hub on Target.com, as well as a digitally enabled kids’ gifting catalog. $TGT PR link.

Macy’s(PBR113) and Marxent partner to offer virtual reality experience in approximately 70 stores nationwide and plans to open 20 more by January 2019, reduces return rates to less than 2%, boosts customer confidence in furniture purchase and increases basket size. $M PR link.

Duke Energy(PBR114) to pilot four programs to expand electric vehicle charging options across S Carolina$DUK PR link.

Netflix(PBR251) ends 3Q18 with 58.5 million domestic streaming subscribers, 3Q17 was 52.8 million, ends 3Q18 with 78.6 million international streaming subscribers, 3Q17 was 56.5 million. $NFLX PR link.

Boston Scientific(PBR315) completes acquisition of privately-held Augmenix for $500 million cash upfront plus $100 million for reaching sales milestones, developer of SpaceOAR® System, a therapy used to reduce common and debilitating side effects that men may experience after receiving prostate cancer radiotherapy. $BSX PR link.

Arthur J Gallagher(PBR441) acquires El Centro, CA, based property/casualty insurance and risk management services firm Tyler Insurance Agency, terms not disclosed. $AJG PR link.

Taylor Morrison Homes(PBR599) to implement a holding company reorganization, effective 10/26/18, will simplify capital and tax structure and eliminate dual share class, name & ticker symbol remain the same. $TMHC PR link.

Public Storage(PBR758) affiliate, Shurgard Self Storage SA, completes its initial global offering on Euronext Brussels: SHUR, largest owner and operator of self-storage facilities in Europe with 229 self-storage centers and approximately 12 million net rentable square feet in seven countries, PSA retains 35.2% stake. $PSA PR link.

Marvell Technology(PBR804) adds $700 million to share repurchase program, balance available is now just over $1 billion. $MRVL PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US Preliminary August 2018 Total Private Job Openings were at 6,464,000, Government Job Openings673,000, Total Job Openings 7,137,000, +0.9% from July 2018, +18.1% from August 2017USDOL PR link.

The US Federal Reserve says US Preliminary September 2018 Total Manufacturing Industry Capacity Utilization was at 78.1%, August 2018 was 78.1%, July 2018 77.9%, September 2017 76.1%, Capacity Utilization Growth Over Previous Year at +1.8%. USFed PR link.

The Natl Assn of Home Builders/Wells Fargo US Preliminary October 2018 Housing Market Index Sales Conditions is at 74, Future Sales Expectations 75, Prospective Buyers Traffic53, Composite Index 68, “Builders are motivated by solid housing demand, fueled by a growing economy and a generational low for unemployment…,” September 2018 was 67, August 2018 67, October 2017 68. NAHB/WF PR link.

Boeing(PBR30) forecasts air cargo traffic will double in 20 years, a 4.2% annual growth, projects demand for 2,650 freighters over the next two decades. $BA PR link.

***Monday, October 15:

Amazon(PBR8) becomes an official retail partner for popular entrepreneur TV program “Shark Tank.” $AMZN PR link.

Alphabet(PBR21 $GOOG)’s Google unit CEO defends potential China-compliant search engine. MarketWatch PR link.

Sears(PBR169) files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, intends to reorganize around a smaller store platform of EBITDA-positive stores, to close an additional 142 unprofitable stores near end of 2018, has received commitments for $300 million in senior priming debtor-in-possession (“DIP”) financing from its senior secured asset-based revolving lenders and is negotiating a $300 million subordinated DIP financing with ESL Investments led by Sears Chairman/CEO Edward Lampert, Sears and KMart stores to remain open, Office of the CEO formed, Lampert remains Chairman. $SHLD PR link.

Ross Stores(PBR206) opens 30 Ross Dress for Less® (“Ross”) and ten dd’s DISCOUNTS®stores across 19 different states in 09/18 and 10/18, completes store growth plans for fiscal 2018 with the addition of 99 new stores. $ROST PR link.

US Steel(PBR240) reaches tentative agreement with the United Steelworkers (USW) on successor four-year collective bargaining agreements covering approximately 14,000 USW-represented employees in the US. $X PR link.

Harris Corp(PBR436 $HRS) and L3 Technologies(PBR299) to combine in an all stock merger of equals, to be L3 Harris Technologies, Inc, will become 6th largest US defense company with 48,000 employees, $16 billion in 2018 revenues, EBIT of $2.4 billion, to be headquartered in Melbourne, FL, to close mid 2019. $LLL PR link.

Wayfair(PBR524) launches MyWay membership program, $29.99 annual fee, includes free shipping, 25% discount for in-home services, and other perks. $W PR link.

The Andersons(PBR607) to acquire the 67.5% of mover of physical commodities including grains, feed ingredients, energy products, and freight within N America and internationally affiliate Lansing Trade Group equity that it does not already own for $305 million in cash and stock, to close before 01/31/19. $ANDE PR link.

Penn Natl Gaming(PBR691) completes $32.47/share, $2.8 billion cash/stock acquisition of owner/operator of 16 gaming and entertainment facilities Pinnacle Entertainment(NASDAQ:PNK)$PENN PR link.

Boyd Gaming(PBR800) completes $575 million acquisition of four Pinnacle Entertainmentproperties which has been acquired by Penn Natl Gaming(PBR691), now operates 29 casino properties in 10 states. $BYD PR link.

Macquarie Infrastructure(PBR886) completes $900 million cash sale of 644 MW power generation facility Bayonne, NJ, based Bayonne Energy Center to an investment fund managed by Morgan Stanley(PBR63)$MIC PR link.

Kimco Realty(PBR989) expects to benefit from Sears(PBR169) bankruptcy, anticipates creating value at its 14 Sears/KMart locations by re-tenanting and redeveloping these below-market anchor spaces and activating underutilized parking fields. $KIM PR link.

Cardinal Health(PBR14) hires Victor Crawford as CEO/Pharmaceutical Segment, effective 11/12/18. $CAH PR link.

Abbott Labs(PBR104) EVP/Medical Devices Robert Ford promoted to EVP/COO. $ABT PR link.

William Cos(PBR343) hires Debbie Cowan as SVP/Chief Human Resources Officer, effective 10/29/18. $WMB PR link.

The US Dept of Treasury says US September 2018 Total Federal Government Receipts were $343.6 billion, Outlays $224.4, Total Surplus$119.1 billion; FY2018 Total Federal Government Receipts were $3.329 trillion, Total Outlays $4.108 trillion, FY2018 Total Deficit was $779.0 billion. USTreasury PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/Census says US Preliminary August 2018 Total Manufacturer/Retailers/Wholesales Saleswere at $1.492 trillion, +0.5% from July 2018, +7.1% from August 2017August 2018 Total Manufacturers/Retailers/Wholesales Inventories were at $1.961 trillion, +0.5% from July 2018, +4.2% from August 2017August 2018 Inventories/Sales Ratio at 1.34, July 2018 was 1.34, August 2017 1.38. USDOC PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/Census says US Advanced September 2018 Total Retail Saleswere $448.4 billion, Total Food Services & Drinking Places $60.6 billion, Total Sales$509.0 billion, +0.1% from August 2018, +4.7% from September 2017USDOC PR link.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York says the Empire State October 2018 Manufacturing General Business Conditions Index is at 21.1, indicating business activity continued to grow strongly in New York State, September 2018was 19.0, August 2018 25.6, October 201728.1. NYFed PR link.

***Friday, October 12:

The PBRMarketTools US Stock Exchanges Recap for the Week Ending 10/12/18:

DJIA ends week at 25,339.99, -4.19% from last Friday, -4.23% MTD/QTD, +2.51% YTD, -5.55% from record 26,743.50 set 09/21/18.

NASDAQ ends week at 7,496.89, -3.74% from last Friday, -6.83% MTD/QTD, +8.60% YTD, -7.56% from record 8,109.69 set 08/29/18.

SPX ends week at 2,767.13, -4.10% from last Friday, -5.04 MTD/QTD, +3.50% YTD, -5.58% from record 2,930.75 set 09/20/18.

Weekly US Stock Exchanges Summary: The Stock Market Bear had big days on Wednesday and Thursday to easily take all 3 major US exchanges for the week and for the second week in a row.

The Week 41 YTD tally is:
The Stock Market Bull: 17 weeks
The Stock Market Bear: 15 weeks
Mixed Results: 9 weeks

Weekly News Summary: There was not a lot of economic news except for CPI which continued to show positive results, US bond yields rose up significantly again and anticipated Federal Reserve funds interest rates controversies greatly impacted equities and the stock markets; US/China trade relations continued to be sour; last weekend the Senate confirmed Brett Kavanaugh as a Supreme Court Justice in a 50-48 party line vote; Hurricane Michaelslammed into the Florida panhandle and into Georgia and the Carolinas creating a lot of damage.

Walmart(PBR1) acquires intimates online retailer Bare Necessities, offers more than 100,000 SKUs from more than 160 brands, will join the Walmart US eCommerce portfolio, will operate as a separate standalone and complementary brand. $WMT PR link.

Broadcom(PBR158) $44.50/share, $18.9 billion cash acquisition of CA Technologies(PBR567)gets European Union approval, last regulatory requirement, to close transaction on 11/05/18. $AVGO PR link.

Tesla(PBR250 $TSLA)’s sales in the US are gaining on BMW and other luxury car makers.MarketWatch PR link.

Textron(PBR205) promotes Scott Ernest to President/CEO Industrial Segment, succeeds departing Kevin Holleran. $TXT PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US Preliminary September 2018 All Import Prices were +0.5%, US All Export Prices +0.0%, All Import Prices Last 12 Months were +3.5%, All Export Prices Last 12 Months +2.7%. USDOL PR link.

The U of Michigan US Preliminary October 2018 Consumer Sentiment Index is at 99.0, “…remained at quite favorable levels and just above the average reading during 2018 (98.5)…,” September 2018 100.1, August 201896.2, October 2017 100.7. UMichigan PR link.

***Thursday, October 11:

Walmart(PBR1) and developer of interactive video technology Eko to develop original, interactive content that will include a range of offerings, from cooking shows to interactive toy catalogues, will go beyond the basic personalization available today, allowing viewers to participate in and shape stories as they are being told. $WMT PR link.

Apple(PBR4 $AAPL) to pay London, UK based Dialog Semiconductor plc (XETRA: DLG)$300 million cash for certain of its assets and over 300 employees to support chip research and development, to prepay $300 million for Dialog products to be delivered over the next three years. Dialog PR link.

Facebook(PBR69) removing 559 Pages and 251 accounts that have consistently broken its rules against spam and coordinated inauthentic behavior, many related to US midterm elections. $FB PR link.

Dollar Tree(PBR126) to hire 25,000 associates in its third annual Nationwide Hiring Eventhosted at its 15,000 Dollar Tree and Family Dollar stores across the country on Wednesday, 10/17/18. $DLTR PR link.

L Brands(PBR225) pursuing all alternatives for its La Senza business, has 126 company-owned and operated stores in N America and 188 non-company owned international stores, $250 million in 2018 revenues, $40 million loss. $LB PR link.

GameStop(PBR310) recruiting for 15,000+ retail sales positions within its more than 3,800 GameStop video game and more than 40 ThinkGeek pop culture US store locations. $GME PR link.

Royal Caribbean(PBR322) signs 12 year agreement with Southern Company(PBR119)’s Power subsidiary for 200-megawatt (MW) Reading Wind Facility, located in Osage and Lyon Counties, KS, will offset up to 12% of Royal Caribbean’s emissions beginning in 2020. $RCL PR link.

Wynn Resorts(PBR402) enters into strategic partnership with Europe-based digital sports betting operator BetBull Limited, to pursue sports betting opportunities in emerging USmarket, will make a minority equity investment of 22.5% in BetBull. $WYNN PR link.

Sonoco Products(PBR506) increases prices for all EPS, EPP, PUR and refrigeration packaging products in the US and Mexico, effective on or before 11/10/18. $SON PR link.

KKR(PBR679) completes $46/share cash $9.9 billion enterprise value acquisition of Envision Healthcare(PBR354)$KKR PR link.

RH(PBR797) authorizes up to $700 million share repurchase program. $RH PR link.

Estee Lauder(PBR216 $EL) wins suit to rid Canada based global skin care and cosmetics retailer Deciem, in which it holds a minor stake, of its founder/Co-CEO Brandon Truaxe. Forbes PR link.

YUM!(PBR458) promotes Managing Director of Pizza Hut Asia-Pacific Vipul Chawla to President/Pizza Hut International, effective 12/03/18, to succeed departing Milind Pant. $YUM PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US Preliminary September 2018 Employee Average Current Hourly Wage is at $27.24, Average Weekly Working Hours at 34.5, Average Weekly Earnings at $939.78, +0.3% from August 2018, +3.4% from September 2017USDOL PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US September 2018 Consumer Price Index is at -0.1%, August 2018 was +0.2%, July 2018 +0.2%, September 2017 +0.5%, September 2018 Last 12 Months(Unadjusted) +2.3%, August 2018was +2.7%, July 2018 +2.9%, September 2017+2.2%. USDOL PR link.

***Wednesday, October 10:

CVS Health(PBR7) $207/share, $69 billion, stock/cash acquisition of Aetna(PBR48) gets US Dept of Justice approval based on completion of Aetna’s Medicare Part D unit sale to WellCare Health Plans(PBR166), to close in 4Q18. $CVS PR link.

Kroger(PBR17) and Home Chef launch weekly rotating in-store meal kits at Kroger Family of Stores in select locations, each meal serves two and starts at $8.50 per serving. $KR PR link.

Walgreens Boots Alliance(PBR19) and LabCorp(PBR283 $LH) to open at least 600 LabCorp patient service centers at Walgreens stores across the US over the next four years. $WBA PR link.

Travelers Cos(PBR98) teams up with Amazon(PBR8) to sell smart home kits, includes security cameras, water sensors, motion detectors, a smart home hub, and an Amazon Echo Dot, will result in discounted home owner insurance. $TRV PR link.

Marriott Intl(PBR120) to expand its portfolio in the UAE by more than 80 properties by 2023. $MAR PR link.

T Rowe Price(PBR520) in SEC filing discloses it owns 17.4+ million shares, for a 10.2% stake, in Tesla(PBR250 $TSLA)$TROW PR link.

Campbell Soup(PBR350) around 7% stakeholder investor firm Third Point(NYSE: TPRE) sends letter to Board saying it should not elect a new full time CEO until after the 11/29/18 shareholders meeting. $CPB PR link.

American Eagle Outfitters(PBR605) and Aerieto hire 22,000 part-time seasonal associates for the holiday season, hiring event on 10/14/18. $AEO PR link.

Green Plains(PBR634) to sell three of its ethanol plants located in Lakota, IA, Bluffton, IN, and Riga, MI, to Valero Renewable Fuels Co for $328 million, involves 280 million gallons of nameplate capacity. $GPRE PR link.

TransDigm(PBR640) to acquire Bellevue, WA, based 28 business units organized across eight platforms for specialty aerospace, defense and industrial products, 12,500 employees in more than 50 operating global locations, $2.0 billion sales/FY18 Esterline Technologies(PBR867)for $122.50/share, a 38% premium from 10/09/18 closing price, around $4.0 billion in cash, includes debt, to close 2H19. $TDG PR link.

DSW(PBR731) and Authentic Brands in new partnership to acquire several intellectual property rights from the footwear and accessories product design and development company Camuto Group for around $375 million. $DSW PR link.

Murphy Oil(PBR833) forms 80/20 deep water Gulf of Mexico joint venture with Petrobas(NYSE: PBR) subsidiary for $900 million plus additional incentives, adds approximately 41,000 net barrels of oil equivalent per day from Gulf of Mexico operations. $MUR PR link.

CVS Health(PBR7) to expand Board to include three additional AetnaPBR48) directors upon acquisition, CVS EVP/CFO Shawn M. Guertin to step away for personal and family reasons, remain with CVS to help in integration, EVP/Controller and Chief Accounting Officer Eva C. Boratto to become EVP/CFO upon closing of acquisition. $CVS PR link.

Whirlpool(PBR138) Chief Human Resources Officer David Binkley to retire on 03/01/19 after nearly 35 years with company, VP/Global Human Resources Carey Martin named successor. $WHR PR link.

Tupperware(PBR835) EVP/CFO Michael S. Poteshman to retire 03/01/19 after 25 years with company, new CFO search starts. $TUP PR link.

Square(PBR840) CFO Sarah Friar to leave in 12/18 to become CEO of Nextdoor. $SQ PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US Preliminary September 2018 Total Final Month Demand Producer Price Index is at +0.2%, August 2018was -0.1%, July 2018 +0.0%, September 2017+0.3%; the September 2018 Total Last 12 Months Final Demand is at +2.9%, August 2018 +2.9%, July 2018 +2.8%, September 2017 +2.6%. USDOL PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/Census says US Preliminary August 2018 Total Wholesale Sales-Durables was at $247.0 billion, Non-Durables $264.2 billion, for Total Wholesale Sales of $642.7 billion, +1.0% from July 2018, +5.3% from August 2017USDOC PR link.

***Tuesday, October 9:

Alphabet(PBR21 $GOOG)’s Google unit appeals European Union’s $5 billion Androidantitrust fine. MarketWatch PR link.

Boeing(PBR30) completes $63/share, includes assumption of about $1.0 billion of net debt, total $4.25 billion all cash acquisition of independent provider of aviation parts and services in the aerospace industry KLX(NASDAQ: KLXI)$BA PR link.

Intel(PBR45) 8th Gen Intel® Core™ processors to be used in Alphabet(PBR21) Google unit’s new Pixel Slate, starts at $599, to be available later in 2018. $INTC PR link.

Starbucks(PBR124) major investor Pershing Square has 15.2 million shares, average cost of $51/share. $SBUX PR link.

Starbucks(PBR124) announces new benefit, US company-owned stores partners will receive 10 subsidized backup care days a year for kids and adults. $SBUX PR link.

International Paper(PBR129) authorizes $2.0 billion share repurchase program, is in addition to $430 million remaining from previous program. $IP PR link.

Cummins(PBR143) authorizes new up to $2 billion share repurchase program upon completion of its 2016 $1 billion share repurchase program. $CMI PR link.

Frontier Communications(PBR312) introduces new Gigabit service in its FiOS and Vantage Fiber markets, offering its fastest residential broadband service while also increasing its new consumer broadband offer to 200/200 megabits per second (Mbps), and adding higher speed tiers previously not offered in Indiana, Oregon and Washington (300/300 Mbps). $FTR PR link.

Conagra Brands(PBR346) offering 16,312,057 shares of its common stock at a public offering price of $35.25/share, to net $556 million, primarily to be used for $68/share, $10.9 billion cash/stock, includes net debt, acquisition of Pinnacle Foods(PBR694)$CAG PR link.

Scientific Games(PBR699) to acquire global supplier of real-time betting data and pricing for N American sporting events Don Best Sports Corporation and DBS Canada Corporation, to close 4Q18, terms not disclosed. $SGMS PR link.

MDC Holdings(PBR778) homebuilding subsidiaries, including Richmond American, have closed on their 200,000th home. $MDC PR link.

Maximus(PBR798) to acquire certain assets of General Dynamics(PBR90) Information Technology’s large-scale, citizen-engagement centers in the US Federal civilian market for $400 million cash, to close mid 11/18. $MMS PR link.

Duke Energy(PBR114) announces 6 executive rotations across the company. $DUK PR link.

Dominion Energy(PBR228) EVP/CFO Mark F. McGettrick to step down as CFO on 11/01/18, to retire on 01/01/19 after 38 years with company, SVP/Mergers & Acquisitions and Treasurer James R. “Jim” Chapman to be successor. $D PR link.

AES Corp(PBR276) hires Sanjeev Addala to the newly created position of Chief Information Digital Officer (CIDO). $AES PR link.

CoreLogic says US July 2018 Percent of Home Loans 30 or more Days Past Due was at 4.1%, June 2018 was 4.3%, May 2018 4.2%, July 2017 4.6%; July 2018 Total Percent of Homes in Foreclosure was at 0.5%, July 20170.7%. CoreLogic PR link.

***Monday, October 8:

Ford(PBR10) redesigning its marketing operations globally, names agencies, to hire 100 in-house global marketing positions, expects to yield $150 million in efficiencies annually. $F PR link.

Alphabet(PBR21)’s Google unit sunsetting Google+ app over next 10 months, modifying rules for app developers. $GOOG PR link.

Facebook(PBR69) announces $199 10-inch 1280 x 800 display Portal and $349 15-inch 1920 x 1080 pivoting display Portal+ video communication devices for the home, addresses security issues. $FB PR link.

PPG(PBR193) increasing global price an average of 10% for all automotive original equipment manufacturer products, including coatings, adhesives and sealants, effective 11/01/18. $PPG PR link.

Netflix(PBR251) to open new production hub in Albuquerque, NM, invest $1 billion over next 10 years, create up to 1000 production jobs a year. $NFLX PR link.

Sonoco Products(PBR506) raising prices 6-10% for all rigid plastic packaging in the US and Canada, effective 11/05/18, cites continued resin disruptions, strong regional demand, and increases in other materials and freight. $SON PR link.

Hyatt Hotels(PBR528) to acquire international lifestyle hotel management company Two Roads Hospitality for $480 million plus invest up to $120 million contingent on certain terms of the closing, acquisition includes management of 85 properties in 8 countries and 23 new markets. $H PR link.

Apollo Global Mgmt(PBR765) to acquire an around $1 billion portfolio of predominantly equity investments in energy assets from GE(PBR18) Capital’s Energy Financial Services unit. $APO PR link.

Rowan Cos(PBR978) to combine with UKbased Ensco plc (NYSE: ESV) in an all-stock transaction, estimated enterprise value of the combined company is $12.0 billion, to close 1H19. $RDC PR link.

Fannie Mae(PBR20) board member Hugh R. Frater appointed Interim CEO, effective 10/16/18, succeeds departing Timothy J. Mayopoulos. $FNMA PR link.

Perrigo(PBR512) President/CEO Uwe Roehrhoff steps down, Murray S. Kessler hired as President/CEO, effective immediately. $PRGO PR link.

Axalta(PBR552) CEO Terence Hahn resigns by mutual agreement with the Board following an investigation by outside counsel into conduct unrelated to financial matters that Axalta believes was inconsistent with Company policies, appoints EVP/CFO Robert Bryant appointed to additional role of Interim CEO. $AXTA PR link.

Systemax(PBR982) President/CEO Larry Reinhold to step down from management roles, remain on Board, effective 01/07/19, at which time Board member Barry Litwin will become CEO. $SYX PR link.

Walt Disney(PBR53) announces new organizational structure for its Media Networks business, to be effective upon closing of 21st Century Fox(PBR92) acquisition, Peter Rice to become Chairman, Walt Disney Television and Co-Chair, Disney Media Networks, Dana Walden to assume new role of Chairman, Disney Television Studios and ABC Entertainment, John Landgraf to serve as Chairman of FX Networks and FX Productions, Gary E. Knell to serve as Chairman of National Geographic Partners. $DIS PR link.

21st Century Fox(PBR92) soon to be spin-off FOX hires Danny O’Brien as EVP/Head of Government Relations and Hope Hicks as EVP/Chief Communications Officer. $FOX PR link.

Starbucks(PBR124) hires Patrick Grismer as EVP/CFO, effective 11/30/18, to succeed retiring Scott Maw. $SBUX PR link.

Juniper Networks(PBR509) hires Eva Andres as SVP/Chief Human Resources Officer. $JNPR PR link.

Hyatt Hotels(PBR528) CFO Patrick Grismer resigns, effective 11/02/18, to be succeeded by SVP/Finance for the Americas Joan Bottarini. $H PR link.

FannieMae(PBR20) says the US September 2018 Home Purchase Sentiment Index was at 87.7, “…perceptions of high home prices and expectations for rising mortgage rates continue to weigh on potential homebuyers,” August 2018 was 88.0, July 2018 86.5, September 2017 88.3. $FNMA PR link.

***Friday, October 5:

The PBRMarketTools US Stock Exchanges Recap for the Week Ending 10/05/18:

DJIA ends week at 26,447.05, -0.04% from last Friday/MTD/QTD, +6.99% YTD, -1.42% from record 26,743.50 set 09/21/18.

NASDAQ ends week at 7,788.45, -3.21% from last Friday/MTD/QTD, +12.82% YTD, -3.96% from record 8,109.69 set 08/29/18.

SPX ends week at 2,885.57, -0.97% from last Friday/MTD/QTD, +7.93% YTD, -1.54% from record 2,930.75 set 09/20/18.

Weekly US Stock Exchanges Summary: The Stock Market Bear took all 3 major US exchanges, with the DJIA barely creeping into Bear territory on the last day of the week.

Week 40 YTD tally is:
The Stock Market Bull: 17 weeks
The Stock Market Bear: 14 weeks
Mixed Results: 9 weeks

Weekly News Summary: Economic news was generally positive, with a few numbers lower than expected, especially for jobs; US bond yields rise significantly driving equities and the stock markets down; with a new US/Mexico/Canada tentative trade agreementthe focus is now on a US/China deal; the US international trade deficit showed a bigger gap from the previous month and YTD; after a brief FBI investigation into alleged sexual misconduct 36 years ago by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh it appears that he will be confirmed in a close Senate party line vote on 10/06/18.

CIT Group(PBR798) exits the European rail leasing business with completion of sale of its NACCO unit in two transactions for net proceeds of $1.1 billion. $CIT PR link.

Cooper-Standard(PBR622) hires Gabrielle Corrent as VP/Strategy and Mergers & Acquisitions. $CPS PR link.

Primoris Services(PBR807) EVP/CFO Peter J. Moerbeek to step down upon release of 3Q18 report, SVP/Corporate Controller Ken Dodgen to become EVP/CFO at that time. $PRIM PR link.

CSX(PBR256) Chairman Edward J. Kelly, III to retire in 01/19, John J. Zillmer elected successor. $CSX PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US September 2018 Total Employed was at 155,962,000, +420,000 from August 2018, +1,638,000 from September 2017Total Unemployed at 5,964,000, -794,000 from September 2017Unemployment Rate is at 3.7%, September 2017 was 4.2%. USDOL PR link.

The US Federal Reserve Board says US Preliminary August 2018 Total Consumer Revolving Debt was at $1.042 trillion, Total Consumer Non-Revolving Debt at $2.894 trillion, Total Consumer Debt $3.395 trillion, +0.5% from July 2018, +2.7% YTD(8 months), +4.6% from August 2017USFed PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce says US August 2018 Total Exports were $209.4 billion, Total Imports $262.6 billion, Total Deficit $53.2 billion, Total Deficit YTD(8 months) is $391.2 billion, August 2017 Total Deficit YTD was $359.8 billion. USDOC PR link.

***Thursday, October 4:

The September 2018 Snapshot 15 Summary: The PBR1000 Top 5 Stocks By Market Capitalization (Rank, Company, PBR Ranking by Revenues, Stock Symbol, 09/28/18 Market Capitalization in Billions):

1. Apple(PBR4 AAPL), $1,110
2. Amazon(PBR8 AMZN), $982
3. Microsoft(PBR22 MSFT), $877
4. Alphabet(PBR21 GOOG), $836
5. Berkshire Hathaway(PBR3 BRKB), $535

Range: $1,110 billion to $0.04 billion
Total: $27.892 trillion, +0.23% from July 2018, +7.78% YTD(9 months), +27.97% from 12/30/16(21 months)
Average: $27.892 billion
Median: $8.32 billion

Verizon(PBR16 $VZ) extends voluntary severance offer to 44,000 employees, more than a quarter of its workforce. telecompaper PR link.

Walgreens Boots Alliance(PBR19) acquired minority interest in online beauty retailer Birchbox, to build Birchbox retail experiences within 11 select Walgreens stores & online. $WBA PR link.

Alphabet(PBR21)’s Google unit gets mentioned by US VP Pence, says it should drop its Dragonfly search engine for China because of censorship and intellectual property issues.MarketWatch PR link.

Johnson & Johnson(PBR36)’s Janssen Pharmaceuticals unit gets agreement with Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals for an exclusive, worldwide license to develop and commercialize ARO-HBV, a Phase 1/2 subcutaneous, ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi) therapy candidate being investigated for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B viral infection. $JNJ PR link.

American Express(PBR80) rebrands Gold Card, doubles membership rewards to 4x on USdining and supermarkets purchases, adds/expands other benefits. $AXP PR link.

Intl Flavors & Fragrances(PBR652) completes $106.25/share, $7.1 billion cash/stock acquisition of global flavors and natural fine ingredients producer with 70,000 products and 30,000+ customers Frutarom (TASE:FRUT)$IFF PR link.

AvalonBay Communities(PBR847) to sell 80% interest in 5 Manhattan apartment communities, 1,301 apartment homes, 58,000 sf retail space, retains a 20% interest and act as the managing member and property manager for the assets, net proceeds to be around $460 million. $AVB PR link.

Weight Watchers(PBR974) launches WellnessWins™ rewards program, recognizes members for everyday behaviors that are proven to lead to healthier habits. $WTW PR link.

Weight Watchers(PBR974) enters year-long partnership with Barclays Center and the launch of the WW Freestyle(TM) Café: BKLYN, a first-of-its-kind WW space within the arena that offers a diverse menu of healthy and delectable Mediterranean dishes as well as Cense Wine, curated by celebrity chef Cat Cora, the newest WW ambassador and first female “Iron Chef.”$WTW PR link.

Ocwen Financial(PBR991) completes $11.00/share, $360 million cash acquisition of mortgages services provider PHH Corp(NYSE: PHH), Glen A. Messina becomes President/CEO of combined company. $OCN PR link.

Lowe’s(PBR40) adds interim CFO responsbilities to SVP/Corporate Finance and Treasurer Tiffany Mason until David Denton, current EVP/CFO of CVS Health(PBR7), comes on board after CVS acquisition of Aetna(PBR48) in 4Q18. $LOW PR link.

MGM Resorts(PBR270) Chief Customer Development Officer of MGM Resorts and CEO/President of CityCenter Robert Baldwin leaving both positions by end of 2018, over 3 decades in the industry. $MGM PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/Census says US Preliminary August 2018 Total Manufacturers New Orders for Durable Goods was at $259.6 billion, Non-Durable Goods $250.9 billion, Total New Orders $510.5 billion, +2.3% from July 2018, +10.0% from August 2017USDOC PR link.

***Wednesday, October 3:

The September 2018 Snapshot 13 Summary: The PBR1000 Top 5 Stock Performers Since 12/30/16 (21 Months)(Rank, Company, PBR Ranking by Revenues, Stock Symbol, 09/28/18 Stock Price, % Increase from 12/30/16):

1. Square(PBR840 SQ), $99.01, +626%
2. Weight Watchers(PBR974 WTW), $71.99, +529%
3. RH(PBR801 RH), $131.01, +327%
4. BlueLinx(PBR891 BXC, $31.49, +322%
5. Wayfair(PBR524 W), $147.67, +321%

Range: +626% to -94%
Number of Companies at 0% or Better:680/995
Average: +24.41%
Median: +14.89%
DJIA: +33.88%
NASDAQ: +49.47%
SPX: +30.16%

Tomorrow: The PBR1000 September 2018 Top 5 By Market Capitalization.

Amazon(PBR8) to start shipping $49.99 Fire TV Stick 4K and the all-new $29.99 standalone Alexa Voice Remote with Device Controlstarting 10/31/18, other options available. $AMZN PR link.

General Motors(PBR12) to get initial $750 million investment plus $2 billion over 12 years from Honda to build new Cruise autonomous vehicle$GM PR link.

Johnson & Johnson(PBR36) completes $2.1 billion sale of its blood glucose monitoring products $1.5 billion in sales/2017 LifeScanbusiness to Platinum Equity$JNJ PR link.

VISA(PBR154) announces agreement with Postmates, the nation’s largest on-demand delivery network, to enable real-time funds disbursement to their entire fleet of over 200,000. $V PR link.

XPO Logistics(PBR182) to deploy 5,000 intelligent robots throughout its logistics sites in N America and Europe, each robot can move a rack weighing approximately 1,000 to 3,500 lbs., bringing it to a station where a worker fulfills up to 48 orders simultaneously. $XPO PR link.

Ebay(PBR299 $EBAY) cease-and-desist letter accuses Amazon(PBR8 $AMZN) of illegally poaching its sellers. MarketWatch PR link.

Barnes & Noble(PBR616) to evaluate strategic alternatives, decision follows interest from multiple parties in making an offer to acquire the Company, including its Chairman Leonard Riggio. $BKS PR link.

Navient(PBR965 $NAVI) gets class action suit filed by the American Federation of Teacherswhich says Navient has been making numerous misrepresentations to steer borrowers away from Public Service Loan Forgiveness programs. $AFT PR link.

Becton Dickenson(PBR241) President Tom Polen gets additional COO responsibilities. $BDX PR link.

Activision Blizzard(PBR389) World of Warcraft® Executive Producer J. Allen Brack is the new president of Blizzard Entertainment succeeding Mike Morhaime who remains as a strategic adviser, appoints Chief Development Officer Ray Gresko and Blizzard Founder Allen Adham to Blizzard’s executive leadership team. $ATVI PR link.

GoDaddy(PBR866) founder Bob Parsons resigns from Board to devote his full time efforts to the array of businesses he created under the Yam WorldWide umbrella. $GDDY PR link.

ADP(PBR217) says the US Preliminary September 2018 Total Non-Farm Private Employment was +230,000, highest since February 2018, August 2018 was +168,000, July 2018 +211,000, September 2017 +84,000. $ADP PR link.

The Institute for Supply Management US Preliminary September 2018 Non-Manufacturing Index (>50%=Economy growing) is at 61.6%, August 2018 was 58.5%, July 2018 55.7%, September 2017 59.8%. ISM PR link.

The IHS Markit US September 2018 Composite Output Index is at 53.9, overall expansion was solid but eased to the weakest since January 2018, August 2018 was 54.7, July 2018 55.7, September 2017 54.8. IHS Markit PR link.

***Tuesday, October 2:

The September 2018 Snapshot 12 Summary: The PBR1000 Top 5 YTD Stock Performers(Rank, Company, PBR Ranking by Revenues, Stock Symbol, 09/28/18 Stock Price, % Increase from 12/29/17):

1. BlueLinx(PBR891 BXC), $31.49, +223%
2. AMD(PBR488 AMD), $30.89, +200%
3. Fossil(PBR739 FOSL), $23.28, +200%
4. Square(PBR840 SQ), $99.01, +186%
5. UNISYS(PBR747 UIS), $20.40, +150%

Range: +223% to -82%
Number of Companies at 0% or Better:545/1,000
Average: +4.33%
Median: +1.84%
DJIA: +7.04%
NASDAQ: +16.56%
SPX: +8.99%

Tomorrow: The PBR1000 Top 5 Stock Performers Since 12/31/16.

Walmart(PBR1) to acquire digitally native vertical brand focused exclusively on the $21B women’s plus-size market Eloquii, terms not disclosed, to close 4Q18. $WMT PR link.

Amazon(PBR8) raises minimum wage to $15 for all US employees, including full-time, part-time, temporary, and seasonal, effective 11/01/18. $AMZN PR link.

Kroger(PBR17) and Walgreens Boots Alliance(PBR19) to develop/test in selected 13 Walgreens stores in N Kentucky a one-stop shopping experience where customers can access products and services from both companies. $KR PR link.

Johnson Controls(PBR93) acquires assets of Laredo, TX, based residential and commercial lines ranging from timers to smart home thermostats, including Kono and Geo, LUX Products, terms not disclosed. $JCI PR link.

JCPenney(PBR229) launches Peyton and Parker(TM) in time for the holiday season, a new private brand designed for families and socially connected moms, to be available in nearly 400 stores and online on 10/19/18. $JCP PR link.

Tesla(PBR250) reports that in 3Q18 deliveries totaled 83,500 vehicles: 55,840 Model 3, 14,470 Model S, and 13,190 Model X, delivered 80+% more vehicles in 3Q18 than delivered in all of 2017. $TSLA PR link.

McCormick(PBR520) opens new global headquarters in Hunt Valley, MD, LEED Gold designed 350,000 sf building, for 1,000 employees, consolidated from 4 locations. $MKC PR link.

Taylor Morrison Homes(PBR599) completes $21.50/share, $963 million cash/stock, includes debt, acquisition of builder AV Homes(NASDAQ: AVHI), combined company has 54,000 owned and controlled lots across 19 markets. $TMHC PR link.

KKR(PBR679) completes acquisition of global 10,000+ customers and 6,000 employees digital and IT infrastructure with a broad portfolio of software solutions provider BMC Software from a private investor group led by Bain Capital Private Equity and Golden Gate Capital, terms not disclosed. $KKR PR link.

Penn Natl Gaming(PBR691) gets US Federal Trade Commission approval for $32.47/share, $2.8 billion cash/stock acquisition of owner/operator of 16 gaming and entertainment facilities Pinnacle Entertainment(NASDAQ:PNK), subject to the previously agreed divestitures of four Pinnacle properties to Boyd Gaming(PBR800), to close in early 4Q18. $PENN PR link.

Prologis(PBR767) completes sale of a high-quality portfolio of buildings and land in Europeand the US to a major Asian property company for $1.1 billion. $PLD PR link.

Guess?(PBR812) opens 50th store in Mexico, 3.400 sf in the new shopping center development, PaseoQueretaro in the state of Queretaro$GES PR link.

JCPenney(PBR229) hires Jill Soltau as CEO, effective 10/15/18. $JCP PR link.

ServiceMaster(PBR716) names Deni Naumann interim President/Terminix Commercial, following departure of Kelly Kambs. $SERV PR link.

Automotive News says US September 2018 Total Light Vehicle Unit Sales were at 1,421,890, -4.1% from August 2018, -5.6% from September 2017Average Transaction Pricewas $32,003, Average Incentive Outlay $3,785. Automotive News PR link.

The PurdueU/CME US September 2018 Agriculture Economy Barometer Composite Index is at 114, down because of concern for trade conflicts, especially with ChinaAugust 2018 was at 129, July 2018 117, September 2017 132. PurdueU PR link.

***Monday, October 1:

The September 2018 Snapshot 11 Summary: The PBR1000 Top 5 Month Stock Performers(Rank, Company, PBR Ranking by Revenues, Stock Symbol, 09/28/18 Stock Price, % Increase from 08/31/18):

1. Rowan Cos(PBR978 $RDC), $18.83, +34%
2. GNC(PBR796 $GNC), $4.14, +32%
3. TravelCenters(PBR452 $TA), $5.70, +31%
4. Pyxus(PBR890 $PYX), $23.00, +30%
5. Steelcase(PBR705 $SCS), $18.50, +27%

Range: +34 to -32%%
Number of Companies at 0% or Better:437/1,000
Average: -0.35%
Median: -0.83%
DJIA: +1.90%
NASDAQ: -0.78%
SPX: +0.43%

Tomorrow: The PBR1000 Top 5 Stock Performers YTD.

Click here to find out more about The PBR1000! PR link.

HP Inc(PBR56) announces the HP Spectre Folio, made of 100% chromed tan, full-grain leather, features traditional laptop position as well as tent and tablet configurations, pre-orders from 10/01/18, available starting 10/29/18, from $1,299.99. $HPQ PR link.

Honeywell(PBR71) to acquire Germany-based $120 million/year, growing at 30% annual rate, warehouse automation business Transnormfrom IK Investment Partners for around $500 million; completes spin-off of transportation systems business Garrett Motion, trading as NYSE: GTX$HON PR link.

First Data(PBR245) completes $450 million sale of its $120 million in revenues in 2017 card processing businesses in parts of Central and Southeastern Europe to European high tech payment infrastructure and services provider SIA$FDC PR link.

State Street(PBR262) completes $2.6 billion acquisition of privately held Burlington, MA, $300+ million in revenues/2017 300 clients investment management front office tools and solutions provider Charles Lab Development$STT PR link.

Chipotle(PBR538) pilots new loyalty program, Chipotle Rewards, in Phoenix, AZ, Kansas City, MO/KS, and Columbus, OH, expects national launch in early 2019, emphasis on digital orders. $CMG PR link.

ServiceMaster(PBR716) completes spin-off of FrontDoor, the parent of American Home Shield, trading as NASDAQ: FTDR, ServiceMaster shareholders will own >80%. $SERV PR link.

Groupon(PBR814) to pay IBM(PBR34) $57 million to settle all patent litigation, includes a long-term patent cross-license agreement between the companies. $GRPN PR link.

Weight Watchers(PBR974) to transfer stock trading from the NYSE to NASDAQ starting 10/15/18, will keep WTW ticker symbol. $WTW PR link.

GE(PBR18) names Lead Director H. Lawrence Culp, Jr. as Chairman/CEO, effective immediately, succeeds John Flannery, Tom Horton elected Lead Director, updates guidance saying GE Power expects to take $23 billion impairment charge. $GE PR link.

Pfizer(PBR55) COO Dr. Albert Bourla to become CEO on 01/01/19, Chairman/CEO Ian Read to become Executive Chairman. $PFE PR link.

Facebook(PBR69 $FB)’s Instagram unit co-founders CEO Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger introduce VP/Product Adam Mosseri as new head of Instagram. Instagram PR link.

Tesla(PBR250) and Chairman/CEO Elon Musk reach agreement with Securities and Exchange Commission(SEC), Musk to step down as Chairman within 45 days, an Independent Chairman to be appointed, Tesla to appoint two new independent directors to the Board, a new Board committee will oversee Musk’s communications, Tesla and Musk to each pay fine of $20 million, funds to be distributed to harmed investors. $TSLA PR link.

Diebold Nixdorf(PBR529) hires Jeffrey Rutherford as Interim CFO, succeeds departing Chris Chapman. $DBD PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/Census says US Preliminary August 2018 Total Construction Annual Rate is at $1.318 trillion, +0.1% from July 2018, +6.5% from August 2017USDOC PR link.

The Institute for Supply Management US September 2018 Manufacturing PMI Index(>50 economy expanding) was at 59.8%, 113th consecutive month for overall economic growth, August 2018 was 61.3%, July 201858.1%, September 2017 60.2%. ISM PR link.

The IHS Markit US September 2018 Manufacturing PMI is at 55.6, August 2018was at 54.7, July 2018 55.3, September 201753.1. IHS Markit PR link.

US reaches trade deal with Canada and MexicoPolitico PR link.

The US Trade Representative provides text of the US-Mexico-Canada AgreementUS Trade Rep PR link.

California approves nation’s toughest net-neutrality rulesMarketWatch PR link.

***Friday, September 28:

The PBRMarketTools US Stock Exchanges Recap for the Week and Month Ending 09/28/18:

DJIA ends week and month at 26,458.31, -1.57% from last Friday, +1.90% MTD, +9.01% QTD, +7.04% YTD, -1.07% from record 26,743.50 set 09/21/18.

NASDAQ ends week and month at 8,046.35, +0.74% from last Friday, -0.78% MTD, +7.14% QTD, +16.56% YTD, -0.78% from record 8,109.69 set 08/29/18.

SPX ends week and month at 2,913.98, -0.54% from last Friday, +0.43% MTD, +7.20% QTD, +8.99% YTD, -0.57% from record 2,930.75 set 09/20/18.

Weekly/Monthly US Stock Exchanges Summary: For the week the Stock Market Beartook the DJIA and SPX exchanges, but not the NASDAQ for a mixed result for the week. For the month the results were reversed with the Stock Market Bull winning the DJIA and SPXbut the Stock Market Bear taking the NASDAQfor a mixed month.

Month 9 YTD tally is:
The Stock Market Bull: 5 months
The Stock Market Bear: 2 months
Mixed Results: 2 months

Week 39 YTD tally is:
The Stock Market Bull: 17 weeks
The Stock Market Bear: 13 weeks
Mixed Results: 9 weeks

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Copyright © 2018, All Rights Reserved, Pax Business Resources, LLC, Tucson, AZ 85704

The PBR1000 September 2018 Stocks & Commodities Snapshots

September 2018 The PBR1000: A Mixed Month

Despite good economic news technology stocks took a hit during September giving The Stock Market Bear his only opportunity for a good growl.

 

By Larry C. Paxton

The US economy continued to produce solid results, with some concerns for the housing market and wages not growing at the expected rate. The Federal Open Market Committee raised the short term federal funds interest rate by +0.25% to +2.00-2.25%. Tech stocks struggled throughout the month and pulled the NASDAQ down into negative territory for the month.

 

For the month The Stock Market Bull won the DJIA and SPX but The Stock Market Bear took the NASDAQ for a mixed month.

Month 9 YTD tally is:
The Stock Market Bull: 5 months
The Stock Market Bear: 2 months
Mixed Results: 2 months

Week 39 YTD tally is:
The Stock Market Bull: 17 weeks
The Stock Market Bear: 13 weeks
Mixed Results: 9 weeks

The September 2018 US Major Stock Market Exchanges Summary

Number of Trading Days: 19

Number of Gain(+)/Loss(-) Days: DJIA 12+/7-; NASDAQ 9+/10-; SPX 9+/10-.

Record Days: DJIA 2, NASDAQ 0, SPX 1

Longest Gain Streak(Consecutive Days): DJIA 4 days(09/11-14/18), NASDAQ 2 days(09/10-11/18, 09/24-25/18, 09/27-28/18), SPX 5 days(09/10-14/18)

Longest Loss Streak(Consecutive Days): DJIA 3 days(09/24-26/18), NASDAQ 4 days(09/04-07/18), SPX 4 days(09/04-07/18)

Big Swing Up Days(>1.00%): None

Big Swing Down Days(<-1.00%): 2 days(09/05/18(N, -1.19%), 09/17/18(N, -1.43%))

The PBR1000 September 2018 Snapshots

The following are Top 5 partial tables excerpts from The PBR1000 September 2018 Snapshots. The price for stocks is for the close of trading on September 28, 2018Month % Chg is compared to August 31, 2018YTD % Chg is compared to December 29, 2017, and the 21 Months % Chg is compared to December 30, 2016. The PBR Rank is by annual revenues.

To get the complete The PBR1000 Snapshots  just click here to get your 2 month or significantly discounted 12 month subscription and automatically download the September 2018 edition with the complete 15 Snapshots and 26 rankings and the bonus The PBRMarketTools US Monthly Indices Snapshots.

Table 1(S11): The PBR1000 Top 5 Month Stock Price % Gainers

Table 1 Summary: The range was +34% to -32%437 out of 1,000 stocks were up 0% or more. The average was a loss of -0.35%%, the median was a loss of -0.83%.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Price
09/28/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
21 Mos
% Chg
Rowan Cos
978 RDC 18.83 +34 +20 -0
GNC
797 GNC 4.14 +34 +12 -63
TravelCenters
452 TA 5.70 +31 +39 -20
Pyxus
890 PYX 23.00 +30 +74 +20
Steelcase
705 SCS 18.50 +27 +22 +3

Table 2(S12): The PBR1000 Top 5 Year-To-Date Stock Price % Gainers

Table 2 Summary: The range was +223% to -82%545 out of 1,000 stocks were up 0% or more. The average was a gain of 4.33%, the median was a gain of 1.84%.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Price
09/28/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
21 Mos
% Chg
BlueLinx
891 BXC 31.49 -12 +223 +322
AMD 489 AMD 30.89 +23 +200 +172
Fossil 739 FOSL 23.28 +3 +200 -10
Square
841 SQ 99.01 +12 +186 +626
UNISYS 747 UIS 20.40 +10 +150 +36

Table 3(S13): The PBR1000 Top 5 21 Months Stock Price % Gainers

Table 3 Summary: The range was +626% to -94%680 out of 995 stocks were up 0% or more. The average was a gain of 24.41%. The median was a gain of 14.89%.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Price
09/28/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
21 Mos
% Chg
Square 841 SQ 99.01 +12 +186 +626
Weight Watchers 974 WTW 71.99 -4 +63 +529
RH 802 RH 131.01 -18 +52 +327
BlueLinx 891 BXC 31.49 -12 +223 +322
Wayfair 524 W 147.67 +9 +84 +321

Table 4(S15): The PBR1000 Top 5 Market Capitalization

Table 4 Summary: The range was $1,110 billion to $0.04 billion. The average is $27.9 billionmedian is $8.3 billion, out of 1,000 companies.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Market Cap($B)
09/28/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
21 Mos
% Chg
Apple
4 AAPL 1,110 -1 +27 +80
Amazon
8 AMZN 982 +1 +77 +176
Microsoft 22 MSFT 877 +2 +33 +82
Alphabet 21 GOOG 836 -4 +14 +57
Berkshire Hathaway 3 BRKB 535 +3 +9 +33
The PBR1000
  27,892 +0 +8 +28

Table 5: The PBR1000 Index & Primary US Stock Exchanges/Commodities

Company Price
09/28/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
21 Mos
% Chg
The PBR1000 89,704.53 -0.4 +4.3 +24.4
DJIA 26,548.31 +1.9 +7.0 +33.9
NASDAQ 8,046.53 -0.8 +16.6 +49.5
S&P500 2,913.98 +0.4 +9.0 +30.2
GOLD 1,196.20 -0.9 -8.3 +3.9
SILVER 14.69 +0.8 -13.5 -8.1
OIL            73.56 +5.3 +22.4 +36.9

Have questions on The PBR1000 or The PBR US Economic Indices Monthly Snapshots? Please contact us at Sales@PBRMarketTools.com.

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @ThePBR1000.

(The PBR1000 provides  shrewd investors and astute business professionals with the data, news, and analysis for taking higher probability of success actionsThe PBR1000 covers over 1,000 of the largest publicly held companies with principle or administrative headquarters in the US. These companies generate $13 trillion in annual worldwide revenues, more than all other companies in the US combined. These are the key drivers in the US and world economies. On a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis several analytical reports in customizable Microsoft Excel format are provided to Subscribers of The PBR1000Subscribers include C-level executives, entrepreneurs, sales/marketing/advertising professionals, investors/investment advisers, business professors/students, career counselors/job seekers, to name just a few. To order your monthly or significantly discounted annual subscription, just click here to go to the PBRMarketTools.com Order page.)

(Graphic courtesy of Pixabay.com.)

Copyright © 2018 by Pax Business Resources, LLC, All Rights Reserved, 

Tucson, AZ  85704, www.PBRMarketTools.com, Sales@PBRMarketTools.com

The PBR1000 August 2018 Stocks & Commodities Snapshots

August 2018 The PBR1000: Another Big Win for the Stock Market Bull

In August 2018 The Stock Market Bull captured his 5th monthly win of the year. As usual, experts are mixed on how long he can keep the trend going.

By Larry C. Paxton

It was another good month for all 3 major US stock market exchanges. Highlights include Apple(PBR4 $AAPL) being the first US company to hit the $1 trillion market capitalization level. Tech stocks had an especially good month as indicated by the NASDAQ having 18+ trading days to only 5- trading days. US economic growth continues to be robust, unemployment remains low, there are more job openings than qualified people to fill them, but there is also a lack of affordable housing inventory and mortgage rates are climbing. It was another victorious month for the Stock Market Bull, who after 8 months in 2018 now has 5 monthly wins to the Stock Market Bear’s 2 months, with June being the only mixed result.

The August 2018 US Major Stock Market Exchanges Summary

Number of Trading Days: 23

Number of Gain(+)/Loss(-) Days: DJIA 12+/11-; NASDAQ 18+/5-; SPX 14+/9-.

Record Days: DJIA 0, NASDAQ 4, SPX 4

Longest Gain Streak(Consecutive Days): DJIA 4 days(08/16-21/18, 08/24-29/18), NASDAQ 8 days(07/31-08/09/18), SPX 4 days(08/02-07/18, 08/16-21/18, 08/24-29/18)

Longest Loss Streak(Consecutive Days): DJIA 4 days(08/08-13/18), NASDAQ 2 days(08/10-13/18), SPX 4 days(08/08-13/18)

Big Swing Up Days(>1.00%): 3 days(08/02/18(N), 08/16/18(D), 08/27/18(D))

Big Swing Down Days(<-1.00%): 1 days(08/15/18(N))

The PBR1000 August 2018 Snapshots

The following are Top 5 partial tables excerpts from The PBR1000 August 2018 Snapshots. The price for stocks is for the close of trading on August 31, 2018, Month % Chg is compared to July 31, 2018 YTD % Chg is compared to December 29, 2017, and the 20 Months % Chg is compared to December 30, 2016. The PBR Rank is by annual revenues.

To get the complete The PBR1000 Snapshots  just click here to get your 2 month or significantly discounted 12 month subscription and automatically download the August 2018 edition with the complete 15 Snapshots and 27 rankings and the bonus The PBRMarketTools US Monthly Indices Snapshots.

Table 1(S11): The PBR1000 Top 5 Month Stock Price % Gainers

Table 1 Summary: The range was +53% to -58%603 out of 1,000 stocks were up 0% or more. The average was a gain of 2.08%, the median was a gain of 1.53%.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Price
08/31/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
20 Mos
% Chg
Vitamin Shoppe
995 VSI 12.80 +53 +191 -46
Core-Mark
177 CORE 35.77 +48 +13 -17
UNISYS
747 UIS 18.60 +45 +128 +24
Revlon
757 REV 21.75 +39 -0 -25
Endo Intl
645 ENDP 17.15 +38 +121 +4

Table 2(S12): The PBR1000 Top 5 Year-To-Date Stock Price % Gainers

Table 2 Summary: The range was +268% to -75%575 out of 1,000 stocks were up 0% or more. The average was a gain of 4.70%, the median was a gain of 3.40%.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Price
08/31/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
20 Mos
% Chg
BlueLinx
891 BXC 35.93 +5 +268 +381
Fossil
739 FOSL 22.67 -13 +192 -12
Vitamin Shoppe 995 VSI 12.80 +53 +191 -46
Square
840 SQ 88.64 +37 +156 +550
AMD 488 AMD 25.17 +37 +145 +122

Table 3(S13): The PBR1000 Top 5 20 Months Stock Price % Gainers

Table 3 Summary: The range was +554% to -92%690 out of 1,000 stocks were up 0% or more. The average was a gain of 24.85%. The median was a gain of 16.25%.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Price
08/31/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
20 Mos
% Chg
Weight Watchers 974 WTW 74.90 -16 +69 +554
Square 840 SQ 88.64 +37 +156 +550
RH 801 RH 159.00 +17 +84 +418
BlueLinx 891 BXC 35.93 +5 +268 +381
Systemax 980 SYX 36.50 -18 +10 +316

Table 4(S15): The PBR1000 Top 5 Market Capitalization

Table 4 Summary: The range was $1,090 billion to $0.04 billion. The average is $27.8 billionmedian is $8.3 billion, out of 1,000 companies.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Market Cap($B)
08/31/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
20 Mos
% Chg
Apple
4 AAPL 1,090 +17 +25 +76
Amazon
8 AMZN 977 +13 +76 +174
Alphabet
21 GOOG 867 +2 +19 +63
Microsoft 22 MSFT 858 +6 +30 +78
Berkshire Hathaway 3 BRKB 519 +5 +6 +29
The PBR1000
  27,798 +3 +7 +28

Table 5: The PBR1000 Index & Primary US Stock Exchanges/Commodities

Company Price
08/31/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
20 Mos
% Chg
The PBR1000 90,023.93 +2.1 +4.7 +24.9
DJIA 25,964.82 +2.2 +5.0 +31.4
NASDAQ 8,109.54 +5.7 +17.5 +50.7
S&P500 2,901.52 +3.0 +8.5 +29.6
GOLD 1,206.90 -2.1 -7.5 +4.8
SILVER 14.58 -6.2 -14.2 -8.9
OIL            69.88 +2.1 +16.3 +30.1

Have questions on The PBR1000 or The PBR US Economic Indices Monthly Snapshots? Please contact us at Sales@PBRMarketTools.com.

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @ThePBR1000.

(The PBR1000 provides astute investors and business professionals with the data, news, and analysis for taking higher probability of success actionsThe PBR1000 covers over 1,000 of the largest publicly held companies with principle or administrative headquarters in the US. These companies generate $13 trillion in annual worldwide revenues, more than all other companies in the US combined. These are the key drivers in the US and world economies. On a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis several analytical reports in customizable Microsoft Excel format are provided to Subscribers of The PBR1000Subscribers include C-level executives, entrepreneurs, sales/marketing/advertising professionals, investors/investment advisers, business professors/students, career counselors/job seekers, to name just a few. To order your monthly or significantly discounted annual subscription, just click here to go to the PBRMarketTools.com Order page.)

(Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net, hywards.)

Copyright © 2018 by Pax Business Resources, LLC, Tucson, AZ  85704, www.PBRMarketTools.com, Sales@PBRMarketTools.com

The PBR1000 August 2018 Breaking News Recap

The PBR1000 August 2018 Breaking News Items

The US and Mexico agreed in principle to a new trade agreement. Will Canada join them to make it the new NAFTA Trifecta?

By Larry C. Paxton

For the month of August it was mostly about trade issues again. Economic news was mostly good except for home sales. Corporate earnings were good, especially for NASDAQ companies. The Turkey lira crisis had a temporary effect. Elon Musk created a commotion when he said he might take Tesla private, then decided not to. President Trump confidants Paul Manafort and Michael Cohen plead guilty on various charges. Longtime Republican Arizona Senator John McCain dies. A new trade deal between the US and Mexico is agreed to, Canada might be part of it as well.

Here are The PBR1000 corporate and economic related breaking news items of interest with hotlinks to the sources for August 2018, starting with the last active business day

***Friday, August 31:

The PBRMarketTools US Stock Exchanges Recap for the Week and Month Ending 08/31/18:

DJIA ends week at 25,964.82, +.68% from last Friday, +2.16% MTD, +6.98% QTD, +5.04% YTD, -2.45% from record 26,616.71 set 01/26/18.

NASDAQ ends week at 8,109.54, +2.06% from last Friday, +5.71% MTD, +7.98% QTD, +17.47% YTD, +0.00% from record 8,109.69 set 08/29/18.

SPX ends week at 2,901.52, +0.93% from last Friday, +3.03% MTD, +6.74 QTD, +8.52% YTD, -0.43% from record 2,914.04 set 08/29/18.

Weekly Summary:For the week and the month it was all the Stock Market Bull. Summary:

Week 35: The Stock Market Bull wins,
YTD tally is:
The Stock Market Bull: 16 weeks
The Stock Market Bear: 12 weeks
Mixed Results: 7 weeks

Month 8: The Stock Market Bull wins,
YTD tally is:
The Stock Market Bull: 5 months
The Stock Market Bear: 2 months
Mixed Results: 1 month

For Week 35 the news was mostly trade issues, especially the NAFTA negotiations, economic data was positive, corporate earnings mixed.

HCA(PBR61) to acquire nonprofit western N Carolina based Mission Health system for $1.5 billion. $HCA PR link.

Coca-Cola(PBR82) to acquire 4,000+ retail locations across Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa coffee brand platform Costa Limited from Whitbread PLC for $5.1 billion, to close in 1H19. $KO PR link.

NRG Energy(PBR271) completes sale of its interest in NRG Yield and its Renewables platform to Global Infrastructure Partners, results in $1.348 billion in cash proceeds to NRG, removes $6.7 billion of debt from its balance sheet. $NRG PR link.

JM Smucker(PBR372) completes $375 million sale of its US baking business to Brynwood Partners, includes Pillsbury®, Martha White®, Hungry Jack®, White Lily®, and Jim Dandy® brands, which generated $370 million net sales in 12 months ending 04/30/18. $SJM PR link.

Markel(PBR449) to acquire $12 billion in managed assets global insurance-linked securities manager Nephila, will continue to operate as a separate business unit, to close 4Q18, terms not disclosed. $MKL PR link.

Hess(PBR481) completes $400 million cash sale of its 50% joint venture interests in the Uticashale play in eastern Ohio to Ascent Resources – Utica$HES PR link.

CNX Resources(PBR959) completes $400 million net cash sale of its Ohio Utica 50% joint venture assets to Ascent Resources-Utica$CNX PR link.

Hub Group(PBR583) sells its agent-based transportation solutions provider Mode Transportation subsidiary to York Capital Management affiliate for $238.5 million, does not include the Temstar business. $HUBG PR link.

Guess?(PBR807) and short-form video platform TikTok have partnered to launch TikTok’s first branded content in the USA and first fashion branded content globally starting 09/01/18. $GES PR link.

Marriott Vacations(PBR868) completes $4.6 billion cash/stock acquisition of ILG(NASDAQ: ILG), results in an upper-upscale and luxury vacation ownership and exchange company with 100+ vacation properties worldwide and around 650,000 owners, $2.9 billion in annual revenues. $VAC PR link.

Sanmina(PBR396) CEO Bob Eulau resigns, board member since 2013 Michael Clarke unanimously elected CEO, effective 10/01/18, Executive Chairman Jure Sola to lead company during interim. $SANM PR link.

The US Dept of Treasury says that on 08/30/18the US National Debt Held by the Public was $15.734 trillion, Intragovernmental Holdingswere $5.709 trillion, Total National Debt is $21.443 trillion, +0.6% from 07/31/18, +4.6% YTD, +8.1% from 08/31/17US Treasury PR link.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago says US 7th District Preliminary July 2018 Midwest Economy Index is at +0.46, June 2018 was +0.42, May 2018 +0.58, July 2017 +0.11. ChiFed PR link.

The MNI Chicago August 2018 Business Barometer(>50 is Gaining) is at 63.6, July 2018 was 65.5, June 2018 64.1, August 201758.9. MNI/ISM-Chicago PR link.

The U of Michigan US Final August 2018 Consumer Sentiment Index is at 96.2, July 2018 was 97.9, June 2018 98.2, August 201796.8. UMichigan PR link.

The American Automobile Assn says the US Average Price Per Gallon or Regular Gas was at $2.838, -0.9% from 07/31/18, +15.9% from 08/31/17AAA PR link.

The US Dept of Treasury 08/31/18 10 Year Note Yield closed at 2.86%, 07/31/18 was 2.96%, 06/29/18 2.85%, 08/31/17 2.12%. US Treasury PR link.

The European Union Euro/US$ Exchange Rate at the 08/31/18 close was $1.1604, -0.8% from 07/31/18, -2.7% from 08/31/17Euro PR link.

The Gold(GCZ8 12/18) 08/31/18 closing price was $1,206.90, -2.1% from 07/31/18, -7.5% from 12/31/17, -9.0% from 08/31/17Gold PR link.

***Thursday, August 30:

Happy Birthday to the “Oracle of Omaha,” Warren Buffett, Chairman/CEO of Berkshire Hathaway(PBR3)!

ExxonMobil(PBR2) adds 9th oil field discovery offshore Guyana, now estimates over 4 billion barrels of oil reserves available. $XOM PR link.

Microsoft(PBR31) over next 12 months to work with its US suppliers with more than 50 employees to provide those employees a minimum of 12 weeks paid parental leave for birth/adoption of a child, up to $1,000 per week. $MSFT PR link.

Intel(PBR45) to provide its next-generation Intel® Xeon® Scalable processors for the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC) Frontera supercomputer at The University of Texas at Austin, to be in production in summer 2019, will be 5th fastest supercomputer in the world, 3rd largest in US, largest at a any university. $INTC PR link.

Pfizer(PBR55) terminates two domagrozumab (PF-06252616) for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) studies, not meeting endpoints. $PFE PR link.

Merck(PBR73) gets US FDA approval for DELSTRIGO™ (doravirine / lamivudine / tenofovir disoproxil fumarate), a once-daily fixed-dose combination tablet as a complete regimen and PIFELTRO™ (doravirine), an NNRTI, both for the treatment of HIV-1 in appropriate patients. $MRK PR link.

Henry Schein(PBR232) anticipates settling the proposed class-action litigation, In Re Dental Supplies, expects to record a charge of $38.5 million, denies any wrongdoing. $HSIC PR link.

Stryker Corp(PBR233) to acquire nearly $300 million in annual sales complex spine and minimally invasive solutions for surgeons provider K2M Group Holdings(NASDAQ: KTWO) for $27.50/share, total equity value of about $1.4 billion. $SYK PR link.

MGM Resorts(PBR269) CityCentre venture with Infinity World Development completes sale of Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas and adjacent retail parcels for $214 million cash. $MGM PR link.

Salesforce(PBR275) to acquire wind energy 80 MW Bright Stalk Project in Illinois, enough to power 27,000 homes, puts company on track to achieve 100% renewable energy by 2022. $CRM PR link.

Campbell Soup(PBR350) to focus portfolio on Campbells Snacks and Campbells Meals and Beverages in N America, pursue divestitures in International (including Arnott’s and the Kelsen Group) and Campbell Fresh to reduce debt. $CPB PR link.

Electronic Arts(PBR500) moves launch date of Battlefield V out to 11/20/18 to continue to make some final adjustments to core gameplay. $EA PR link.

Eli Lilly(PBR121) promotes Anne White to SVP and President/Lilly Oncology, effective 09/01/18, succeeds retiring Sue Mahony, PhD. $LLY PR link.

Signet Jewelers(PBR434) CFO Michele Santana will leave in 2019 after successor appointed. $SIG PR link.

Global Payments(PBR660) President/COO David Mangum to leave the company, CEO Jeff Sloan and SrEVP/CFO Cameron Bready extend employment agreement through 08/21, will assume Mangum’s primary responsibilities. $GPN PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/BEA says US Preliminary July 2018 Total Personal Income Annual Rate is at $17.617 trillion, +0.3% from June 2018, +7.3% from July 2017July 2018 Personal Savings Rate is at 6.7%, Effective Tax Rate 11.6%. USDOC PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US Total 4 Week Moving Average Initial Jobless Claims Filed for Week Ending 08/25/18 was at 212,250, -2.6% from 07/21/18, -10.4% from 08/26/17US Total 4 Week Moving Average Insured Unemployment for Week Ending 08/17/18 was at 1,731,250, -0.8% from 07/14/18, -11.3% from 08/17US Total Uninsured Rate on 08/18/18was at 1.2%, 07/14/18 was 1.2%, 08/17 was 1.4%. USDOL PR link.

FreddieMac(PBR38) says US Average 30 Year Fixed Mortgage Rate on 08/30/18 was at 4.52% with 0.5 points/fees, was 4.54% on 07/26/18, 4.55% on 06/28/18, 3.82% on 08/31/17$FMCC PR link.

***Wednesday, August 29:

Apple(PBR4 $AAPL) has acquired Longmont, CO, based startup Akonia Holographics, focus is on making lenses for augmented reality glasses. Reuters PR link.

Facebook(PBR69) Watch video services launched in US 1 year ago now available globally. $FB PR link.

Micron Technology(PBR145) plans $3 billion in capital investment and 1,100 jobs by 2030 to increase memory production at its plant in Manassas, VA$MU PR link.

Avnet(PBR160) increases share repurchase program by $500 million, now has $722 million available for share repurchases. $AVT PR link.

Sears(PBR169) Kmart Pharmacy unit gets 3 year Award of Accreditation from the Healthcare Quality Association on Accreditation, has also been recognized by the American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI)as the national leader in drugstore customer satisfaction for the second year in a row. $SHLD PR link.

Cognizant(PBR192) opens new 50,000 sf facility in Irving, TX, to create 1,100 new jobs by 2023. $CTSH PR link.

News Corp(PBR340) Move subsidiary, operator of realtor.com®, to acquire Austin, TX, based real estate technology platform that matches qualified home buyers and sellers with real estate professionals in real time provider Opcityfor $210 million. $NWSA PR link.

ARRIS Intl(PBR409) expands share repurchase program from $350 million available on 08/01/18 to $750 million, intends to make 2/3rds of free cash flow available to shareholders through share repurchases in the future. $ARRS PR link.

Western Union(PBR475) expands digital money transfer services to Asia, Latin America and The Middle East, in over 200 countries/territories. $WU PR link.

Raytheon(PBR112) promotes Roy Azevedo to President/Space and Airborne Systems, effective 09/01/18, succeeds Richard R. Yuse who will serve in an advisory role until his retirement on 12/31/18. $RTN PR link.

Tesla(PBR250 $TSLA) Chief People Officer Gabrielle Toledano is on a leave of absence to spend time with family, HR team sharing her responsibilities. MarketWatch PR link.

Netflix(PBR251) hires Vernā Myers to newly created role of VP/Inclusion Strategy. $NFLX PR link.

NCR(PBR414) hires Andre Fernandez as CFO, succeeds retiring Bob Fishman. $NCR PR link.

Graphic Packaging(PBR547) hires Paul McCann as SVP/Supply Chain. $GPK PR link.

Nordstrom(PBR179) appoints current Board member and Chairman/CEO of Intuit(PBR497), who will become its Executive Chairman on 01/01/19, Brad Smith to Nordstrom Chairman, effective 11/01/18, to succeed Phil Satre, who will remain on the Board. $JWN PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce says US 2nd Estimate 2Q18 Real Gross Domestic Product Annual Rate is at +4.2%, $20.412 trillion, +1.9% from 1Q18, +5.4% from 2Q17USDOC PR link.

The US Energy Information Administrationsays US Crude Oil Stockpile on 08/24/18 was at 405.8 billion barrels of oil, +0.2% from 07/20/18, -11.4% from 08/25/17EIA PR link.

The US International Trade Commission rules that uncoated groundwood paper from Canadadoes not injure US industry, strikes down tariffs. USITC PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce to provide targeted relief from quotas imposed under Section 232 on steel from South Korea, Argentina, and Brazil, and aluminum from Argentina per proclamation signed by President Trump. USDOC PR link.

***Tuesday, August 28:

Amazon(PBR8) Prime Book Box now available to all US Prime Members, subscription delivers curated children’s books every 1, 2, or 3 months, $22.99/box, savings up to 35% from list price. $AMZN PR link.

Starbucks(PBR124) and Switzerland based Nestle close deal granting Nestlé the perpetual rights to market Starbucks Consumer Packaged Goods and Foodservice products globally, outside of the company’s coffee shops. $SBUX PR link.

Sears(PBR169) expands its program from 47 stores to nationwide, including Hawaii and Alaska, that provides full-service tire installation and balancing for customers who purchase any brand of tires—including DieHard—on Amazon(PBR8 $AMZN)$SHLD PR link.

PVH(PBR318) enters European market with launch of IZOD brand in Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and Scandinavia for Fall 2018. $PVH PR link.

DSW(PBR731) in 2Q18 report says for Canadamarket it will focus on its largest retail banners, Shoe Company, Shoe Warehouse and DSW Designer Shoe Warehouse, will exit its full price, mall-based Town Shoes banner, which operates 38 locations, mostly by the end of the fiscal year, expects $215 million in revenues/year from Canadian segment. $DSW PR link.

Vectren(PBR756) shareholders approve $72/share, $6 billion acquisition by CenterPoint Energy(PBR297), to close no later than 1Q19. $VVC PR link.

Apollo Global Mgmt(PBR765) to acquire Aspen Insurance Holdings Limited(NYSE: AHL) for $42.75/share, $2.6 billion cash, to close 1H19. $APO PR link.

Cleveland-Cliffs(PBR811) completes sale of its Asia Pacific Iron Ore assets to Mineral Resources, results in $230 million contribution to net income, completes multi-year transformation back to its roots as a supplier of high-grade iron units to the Great Lakes steel industry. $CLF PR link.

Marriott Vacations(PBR868) $4.7 billion cash/stock acquisition of ILG(NASDAQ: ILG)approved by shareholders at separate special meetings, to close 09/01/18. $VAC PR link.

Barnes & Noble(PBR616 $BKS) former CEO Demos Parneros sues, claims he was fired without justification. MarketWatch PR link.

Tailored Brands((PBR674) CEO Doug Ewert to retire on 09/30/18, Non-Executive Chairman Dinesh Lathi appointed Executive Chairman, effective immediately, President/COO Bruce Thorn resigns, effective 08/31/18, to pursue another opportunity. $TLRD PR link.

Gilead Sciences(PBR108) hires Laura Hamill as EVP/Worldwide Commercial Operations. $GILD PR link.

AutoZone(PBR267) SVP/Supply Chain Rod Halsell to retire on 11/10/18, been with company since 1985. $AZO PR link.

Motorola Solutions(PBR425) EVP/Products & Solutions Bruce Brda to retire, effective 03/31/19, John Molloy made EVP/Products & Solutions, effective immediately, appoints Kelly S. Mark as EVP/Services & Software, appoints Rajan S. Naik as SVP/Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer, expands role of Cynthia M. Yazdi to include Regional Marketing worldwide and SVP/Chief of Staff to the Chairman/CEO, Marketing and Communications. $MSI PR link.

Greenbrier(PBR840) EVP/CFO Lorie Tekorius appointed EVP/COO, Adrian Downes promoted to Acting CFO. $GBX PR link.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond says US Fifth District August 2018 Manufacturing Index(Annualized) is at 24%, indicating optimism and expecting continued growth in coming months, July 2018 was 20%, June 201821%, August 2017 14%. RichmondFed PR link.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond says US Fifth District August 2018 Service Sector Revenue Index(Annualized) is at 31%, indicating optimism and expecting growth to continue in the next six months, July 2018 was 23%, June 2018 19%, August 2017 22%. RichmondFed PR link.

The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller US June 2018 National Home Price Index(01/2000=100)is at 204.48, May 2018 was 202.91, April 2018201.00, June 2017 192.47. Case-Shiller PR link.

The Conference Board says the US Preliminary August 2018 Consumer Confidence Index(1985=100) is at 133.4, Revised July 2018 127.9, highest level since October 2000 (Index, 135.8), suggests solid economic growth for the remainder of 2018. TCB PR link.

Pitney Bowes(PBR632) Parcel Shipping Indexreports that parcel shipping generated USD $279 billion in revenue in 2017, an increase of 11% over 2016, parcel volume globally grew 17% in 2017 to 74.4 billion parcels, up from 63.6 billion in 2016, expects global shipping volume to surpass 100 billion parcels in 2020 in aggregate across the 13 countries reviewed. $PBI PR link.

***Monday, August 27:

Phillips 66(PBR22) in partnership with Ryze Renewables, which will construct plants in Renoand Las Vegas, NV, to manufacture high-cetane renewable diesel fuel from agricultural oils and animal fats using a patented hydrogenation technology that is more efficient than current conversion processes, to supply the plants with feedstock and move 100 percent of the 11,000 barrels/day renewable product from the plants to customers in West Coast markets. $PSX PR link.

Allstate(PBR75) to acquire employee identity protection to more than 1 million employees and their family members at over 1,400 firms, including more than 100 of the Fortune 500 companies provider InfoArmor for $525 million cash by end of 2018. $ALL PR link.

AbbVie(PBR102) gets US FDA approval forIMBRUVICA® (ibrutinib) plus rituximab (RITUXAN®) for the treatment of adult patients with Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia (WM), a rare and incurable type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL); ninth FDA approval for IMBRUVICA in less than five years since its initial approval. $ABBV PR link.

FirstEnergy(PBR208) has entered into a definitive settlement agreement in the Chapter 11 proceedings of FirstEnergy Solutions (FES), its subsidiaries and FirstEnergy Nuclear Operating Company (FENOC), that would address all potential claims among the settling parties and other creditors of FES and FENOC. $FE PR link.

Berry Global(PBR386) completes acquisition of $145 million sales/12 months through 07/31/18 380 employees across 5 US manufacturing facilities Laddawn, a manufacturer of blown polyethylene bags and films with a unique-to-industry e-Commerce sales platform. $BERY PR link.

AMD(PBR487) announces the Radeon™ Pro V340 graphics card, a high-performance dual-GPU Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) solution purpose-built to power and accelerate the most demanding datacenter visualization workloads, including CAD, design, Desktop as a Service (DaaS) and rendering, to be available in 4Q18. $AMD PR link.

ServiceMaster(PBR716) board approves spin-off of FrontDoor, the parent of American Home Shield, to start trading as NASDAQ: FTDR on 10/01/18, ServiceMaster shareholders will own >80%. $SERV PR link.

Weyerhaeuser(PBR382) President/CEO Doyle Simons to retire, SVP/Timberlands Devin Stockfish to become President/CEO on 01/01/19, SVP/Woodlands Adrian Blocker to become SVP/Timberlands, Keith O’Rear to become SVP/Woodlands. $WY PR link.

Performance Food(PBR168) EVP/PFG and President and CEO/Performance Foodservice Dave Flitman leaving, CEO assumes interim responsibilities as successor search starts. $PFGC PR link.

Netflix(PBR251) hires Rachel Whetstone as Chief Communications Officer. $NFLX PR link.

AMD(PBR487) promotes Saeid Moshkelani to SVP/General Manager, Client Compute Group, succeeds leaving Jim Anderson. $AMD PR link.

Kennametal(PBR857) hires Dr. Carlonda Reilly, PhD, as VP/Chief Technology Officer, effective 09/06/18, succeeds Dr. Robert Clemens who is retiring in 01/19. $KMT PR link.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago says US Preliminary July 2018 Natl Activity Indexis at +0.13, indicates moderate economic growth, June 2018 was +0.48, May 2018 -0.46, July 2017 -0.18. ChiFed PR link.

The US Dept of Agriculture provides details of $4.7 billion, $3.26 billion for soybeans, to be paid to US farmers impacted by unjustified trade retaliation. USDA PR link.

***Friday, August 24:

The PBRMarketTools US Stock Exchanges Recap for the Week Ending 08/24/18:

DJIA ends week at 25,790.35, +0.47% from last Friday, +1.48% MTD, +6.26% QTD, +4.33% YTD, -3.10% from record 26,616.71 set 01/26/18.

NASDAQ ends week at record 7,945.98, +1.66% from last Friday, +3.57% MTD, +5.80% QTD, +15.10% YTD, +0.00% from record 7,945.98 set 08/24/18.

SPX ends week at record 2,874.69, +0.86% from last Friday, +2.07% MTD, +5.75 QTD, +7.52% YTD, +0.00% from record 2,874.69 set 08/24/18.

Weekly Summary: After 2 weeks of mixed results the Stock Market Bull wins Week 34outright and now leads the Stock Market Bearwith 15 to 12 weekly wins, with 7 weeks being mixed results. Monday and Tuesday were all Stock Market Bull as corporate earnings reports were strong, there was optimism as the US & China negotiated on trade, and there were limited economic updates. Then late Tuesdaypresidential confidants Paul Manafort was found guilty on multiple charges and Michael Cohenadmitted guilt to financial mismanagement charges. On Wednesday the Stock Market Bear appeared amid the resulting political chaos, existing home sales were disappointing, and the FOMC minutes showed that while the economy is robust, trade issues could cause a problem. Thursday the Fed started its Jackson Hole meeting with some uncertainty, energy & financial stocks took a hit, the US/China trade negotiations ended with no results, Hurricane Lane was bearing down on Hawaii, so it was another Stock Market Bear day. The week could go either way, depending on what happened on Friday. Fed chairman Jerome Powell gave some convincing reassurances about the economy and planned actions. Both the NASDAQ and S&P500 responded by establishing new record highs, the DJIA had a very good day, and at the end of the dramatic week the Stock Market Bull stood tall, proud, and victorious.

Cigna(PBR66) $96.18/share equivalent, $67 billion cash/stock deal, includes $15 billion debt, acquisition of Express Scripts(PBR25) gets approval by shareholders at both companies. $CI PR link, $ESRX PR link.

United Continental(PBR77) transferring its stock exchange listing to The Nasdaq Global Select Market(NASDAQ) from The New York Stock Exchange(NYSE) starting 09/07/18, keeps ticker symbol UAL$UAL PR link.

Tesla(PBR250) independent directors say Elon Musk, after considering all factors, believes the better path is to no longer pursue a transaction for taking Tesla private, after Special Committeediscussions committee has been dissolved, and Board is fully supportive of Elon. TSLA$UAL PR link.

Univar(PBR337) and Ireland, based public global Kerry Ingredients & Flavors launch taste agreement to distribute its taste portfolio in the UK, Ireland, Spain and Portugal$UNVR PR link.

Scientific Games(PBR699) and Caesars Entertainment(PBR518 $CZR) launch sports betting in newly regulated Mississippi$SGMS PR link.

Enbridge Energy Partners(PBR798) major stockholder Enbridge, Inc(NYSE $ENB) to acquire Spectra Energy Partners(NYSE: SEP)for $3.3 billion all stock, to close 4Q18. $SEP PR link.

Roper Technologies(PBR530) COO Neil Hunn to become President/CEO, effective 09/01/18, succeeds Brian Jellison who remains Executive Chairman. $ROP PR link.

Sprint(PBR87) promotes Deeanne King to Chief Human Resources Officer, succeeds leaving Ismat Aziz. $S PR link.

The Federal Reserve transcript from Chairman Jerome Powell’s Jackson Hole meeting speech regarding “Monetary Policy in a Changing Economy.” TheFED PR link.

***Thursday, August 23:

Kroger(PBR17) to phase out single-use plastic bags and transition to reusable bags across its Family of Stores by 2025, Seattle based QFCretail division to be first, to do phase out by end of 2019. $KR PR link.

Cognizant(PBR192) to acquire privately held one of the largest independent Salesforce(PBR275) Platinum consulting partners in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region with operations across Australia and India, having implemented over 1,500 Salesforce projects, SaaSfocus, terms not disclosed. $CTSH PR link.

Conagra Brands(PBR346) $68/share, $10.9 billion cash/stock, includes net debt, acquisition of Pinnacle Foods(PBR694) says the expiration of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act has passed, still need Pinnacle Foods stockholders approval, to close by end of 2018. $CAG PR link.

Fortune Brands(PBR491) to acquire 475 employees $200 million in revenues/2017 Meridian, ID, based manufacturer of outdoor performance materials used primarily in decking, railing and fencing products Fiberon for about $470 million. $FBHS PR link.

Penn Natl Gaming(PBR691) gets Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission approval for $32.47/share, $2.8 billion cash/stock acquisition of owner/operator of 16 gaming and entertainment facilities Pinnacle Entertainment(NASDAQ:PNK), 12th approval, expects to close transaction in early 4Q18. $PENN PR link.

BOK Financial(PBR926) has all regulatory approvals for $23.02/share, $977 million stock/cash acquisition of Denver based with operations in Colorado and Arizona, $3.8 billion in assets CoBiz Financial(NASDAQ:COBZ), CoBiz stockholders to vote on acquisition on 09/27/18, to close in 4Q18. $BOKF PR link.

Intuit(PBR497) Chairman/President/CEO Brad Smith to step down as CEO at end of 2018, become Executive Chairman, EVP/General Manager-Small Business/Self-Employed Group Sasan Goodarzi to become CEO on 01/01/19; Chief Technology Officer Tayloe Stansbury to step down 01/01/19, to be succeeded by Marianna Tessel, SVP/Chief product Development Officer-Small Business and Self-Employed Group. $INTU PR link.

MEDNAX(PBR648) hires Stephen D. Farber as EVP, effective 08/27/18, will also become CFO in 11/18, to succeed retiring Vivian Lopez-Blanco. $MD PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/HUD says US Preliminary July 2018 Total New Family Homes Sold Annual Rate is at 627,000, -1.7% from June 2018, +12.8% from July 2017July 2018 Median Sales Price is at $328,700, +6.0% from June 2018, +1.8% from July 2017July 2018 Houses Available at 309,000, +2.0% from June 2018, +12.0% from July 2017July 2018 Months Supply Available at 5.9. HUD PR link.

***Wednesday, August 22:

Walmart(PBR1) and Rakuten Kobo launch Walmart eBooks, including an audiobook subscription for $9.99/mo. $WMT PR link.

AT&T(PBR9) completes acquisition of privately held San Mateo, CA, based cybersecurity threat intelligence provider AlienVault, terms not disclosed. $T PR link.

AT&T(PBR9) WarnerMedia’s Turner Sportsunit secures worldwide media distribution rights for pay-per-view $9 million winner- take-all golf match between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, “The Match” to be held over Thanksgiving weekend, hosted by MGM Resorts(PBR269) in Las Vegas, NV, at Shadow Creek$T PR link.

Fannie Mae(PBR20 $FNMA) and FreddieMac(PBR38 $FMCC) to conclude single-family rental pilot programs for investors per the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA)FHFA PR link.

Comcast(PBR33) extends its $19.30/share, $34 billion tender offer for UK based Sky plc to 09/12/18, 1PM London time, currently at 0.21% shares acceptance level. $CMCSA PR link.

Lowe’s(PBR40) to close all 99 Orchard Supply Hardware stores, which are located in California, Oregon and Florida, as well as the distribution facility that services those stores by the end of fiscal 2018. $LOW PR link.

Delta(PBR68) expanding its number and locations of trans-Atlantic flights for summer 2019. $DAL PR link.

Hartford Financial(PBR167) to acquire Stamford, CT, based 30 locations 820 employees globally The Navigators Group(NASDAQ:NAVG), a global specialty underwriter, for $70/share, $2.1 billion cash, to close 1H19. $HIG PR link.

Nordstrom(PBR179) authorizes new up to $1.5 billion share repurchase program, no expiration date, replaces existing program which has $327 million balance. $JWN PR link.

Darden Restaurants(PBR342)’s Olive Gardenunit offering 8 weeks and 52 weeks Never Ending Pasta Pass for $100 and $300, limited amounts available, signup is 08/23/18 2PM Eastern. $AAL PR link.

Scientific Games(PBR699) gets 5 year extension plus 5 1 year optional extensions of its Louisiana Lottery Instant Games contract. $SGMS PR link.

Prologis(PBR763) completes $8.4 billion stock-for-stock deal, includes debt, of logistics real estate company DCT Industrial Trust(NYSE: DCT)$PLD PR link.

Lowe’s(PBR40) hires as David M. Denton as EVP/CFO, to join in 2H18 after CVS Health(PBR7), where he is currently EVP/CFO, completes acquisition of Aetna(PBR48), will succeed retiring Marshall A. Croom. $LOW PR link.

Lockheed(PBR57) promotes Michele Evans to EVP/Aeronautics, effective 10/01/18, succeeds retiring Orlando Carvalho. $LMT PR link.

United Continental(PBR77) acting CFO Gerry Laderman now officially EVP/CFO. $UAL PR link.

PG&E(PBR163) announces interim organizational change while conducting a new COO search, personnel changes announced. $PCG PR link.

Tutor Perini(PBR521) hires Wendy Hallgren as EVP/General Counsel. $TPC PR link.

Worthington Industries(PBR633)President/COO Mark Russell is retiring, CFO Andy Rose to add President role, Geoff Gilmore named VP/COO. $WOR PR link.

The Federal Open Market Committee releases minutes from its 07/31-08/01/18 meeting, discussions show that members view economy as strong, concern for international trade tensions, indicate probable funds rate increase at 09/18 meeting, wait-and-see for future rate changes. FOMC PR link.

The Natl Assn of Realtors says US July 2018 Total Existing Home Sales Annual Rate is at 5,340,000, -0.7% from June 2018, -1.5% from July 2017; July 2018 Median Price is $269,600, -2.6% from June 2018, +4.5% from July 2017NAR PR link.

***Tuesday, August 21:

JPMorgan Chase(PBR26 $JPM) to launch a free stock trading service next week.MarketWatch PR link.

American Airlines(PBR64) expands Europeanfootprint and modifies Asia service. $AAL PR link.

Marriott Intl(PBR120) merging Starwood Preferred Guest rewards system into its Marriott Rewards, which includes Ritz-Carlton Rewards, will have one rewards system for all 29 brands and 6,700 hotels, expands benefits. $MAR PR link.

Kohl’s(PBR149) in strategic partnership with Authentic Brands Group for its Nine Westfootwear, handbags and outerwear, and will debut a new women’s apparel collection, oriented towards women and millenials, scheduled for 07/19. $KSS PR link.

Allergan(PBR174) gets US FDA Complete Response Letter for ulipristal acetate (UPA)for the treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding in women with uterine fibroids, requesting additional information, cited safety concerns regarding ESMYA post-marketing reports outside the US. $AGN PR link.

Gap Inc(PBR175)’s Old Navy unit to bring its online Plus sizes collection into 75 stores; customers can now order the Plus line from any store and receive free shipping. $GPS PR link.

WABCO(PBR675) opens new main 124,000 sf research and development center in Hanover, Germany, to employ 420+. $WBC PR link.

Annaly Capital(PBR784) gets regulatory approvals to acquire MTGE Investment Corp(Nasdaq:MTGE), plans to close transaction on 09/07/18. $NLY PR link.

Alliance One Intl(PBR915) shareholders approve name change to Pyxus International, to start using name 09/12/18, new stock symbol NYSE: PYX, President/CEO Pieter Sikkel adds Chairman role, succeeds Mark Kehaya, who remains on the board. $AOI PR link.

AIG(PBR58) hires John Repko as EVP/Chief Information Officer, effective 09/04/18, succeeds leaving Martha Gallo. $AIG PR link.

Coty(PBR364) EVP/Global CFO Patrice de Talhouët leaving to pursue another opportunity, will stay through mid 09/18 and assist with transition thereafter, new CFO search starts. $COTY PR link.

***Monday, August 20:

Walmart(PBR1) to phase out paint removal products with the chemicals methylene chloride and N-Methylpyrrolidone (NMP) from its stores in the US, Canada, Mexico, Central America and www.walmart.com by 02/19. $WMT PR link.

Walmart(PBR1) completes $16 billion for an initial stake of approximately 77% in India e-commerce provider Flipkart, includes $2 billion of new equity funding. $WMT PR link.

Anthem(PBR30) in arrangement with Walmart(1 $WMT) to launch in 01/19 for consumers who are enrolled in Anthem’s affiliated Medicare Advantage (MA) plans to use OTC plan allowances to purchase OTC medications and health-related items, such as first aid supplies, support braces, and pain relievers at Walmart’s 4,700 stores and on Walmart.com. $ANTM PR link.

PepsiCo(PBR44) to acquire #1 sparkling water brand in volume in the world and the leading manufacturer and distributor of sparkling water makers SodaStream Internationa(NASDAQ / TLV: SODA) for $144.00/share cash, a 30% premium on 30 day weighted average, $3.2 billion cash, to close by 01/19. $PEP PR link.

Merck(PBR73) gets US FDA approval for an expanded label for KEYTRUDA®, its anti-PD-1 therapy, in combination with pemetrexed (ALIMTA®) and platinum chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). $MRK PR link.

Tyson Foods(PBR76) to acquire West Chester, PA, based 11,000 employees, $2.5 billion in revenues/year global chicken, beef, fish and pork supplier Keystone Foods from Marfrig Global Foods for $2.16 billion cash, to close mid FY 2019. $TSN PR link.

ConocoPhillips(PBR86) gets settlement agreement with Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), the Venezuelan state-owned oil company, to recover approximately $2 billion, the full amount awarded to ConocoPhillips by an arbitral tribunal constituted under the rules of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), plus interest through the payment period, $500 million in 90 days, balance in quarterly payments over 4.5 years. $COP PR link.

Tenet Healthcare(PBR141) completes sale of Aspen Healthcare Ltd., which operates nine healthcare facilities in the UK, to NMC Healthcare UK, no longer has facilities in the UK. $THC PR link.

JCPenney(PBR229) expands partnership with NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal in an all-new, exclusive big & tall brand, Shaquille O’Neal XLG, available in 350 stores and online at JCPenney.com on 09/13/18. $JCP PR link.

Brookdale Senior Living(PBR522) to sell its Manhattan, NY, neighborhood Brookdale Battery Park independent living community for approximately $194 million to Ventas(PBR635 $VTR), to manage the community under a separate management agreement. $BKD PR link.

ServiceMaster(PBR716) completes $1 billion in financial transactions prior to Frontdoor spin-off. $SERV PR link.

Annaly Capital(PBR784) extends exchange offer of $19.65/share cash and stock, $900 million, to acquire MTGE Investment Corp(Nasdaq:MTGE), new date is 09/07/18, 7:00AM Eastern time, extended to allow the parties to satisfy the remaining conditions. $BMY PR link.

Greenbrier(PBR840) and Watco to discontinue their GBW Railcar Services (GBW) railcar repair joint venture formed in 2014, was intended to address booming demand for tank cars in oil by rail service, including tank car retrofits, a market that never fully materialized, 12 shops return to Greenbrier. $GBX PR link.

TEGNA(PBR876) to acquire the local stations WTOL, the CBS affiliate in Toledo, OH, and KWES, the NBC affiliate in Odessa-Midland, TX, for $105 million in cash from Gray Television$TGNA PR link.

Fitbit(PBR931) launches Charge 3, features an elevated, premium swimproof design with a touchscreen display, 15+ goal-based exercise modes, smart features to stay connected to what matters most, up to 7 days of battery life, and its most advanced sensor and algorithm technology in a tracker, available for presale at Fitbit.com for $149.95 USD, with global retail availability starting 10/18. $FIT PR link.

SL Green Realty(PBR950) sells its 48.9% interest in 753,000 sf 3 Columbus Circle in NYC to 51.1% owner The Moinian Group, to net $223 million for SLG, to close 4Q18. $SLG PR link.

Parker Hannifin(PBR245) Asia Pacific Group President Kurt A. Keller to retire after 38 years with company, to promote Michael Wee as successor on 09/01/18. $PH PR link.

Cincinnati Financial(PBR466) lead subsidiary Cincinnati Insurance Chief Insurance Officer and EVP Jacob F. Scherer, Jr, to retire in 08/19, 3 leadership changes announced to be effective 01/01/19. $CINF PR link.

Murphy Oil(PBR833) restructures management team, Eric M. Hambly elected EVP/Onshore, Tom Mireles elected SVP/Technical Services, Mike McFadyen to transition to EVP/Offshore, Gene Coleman to transition to EVP/Exploration & Business Development, Maria Martinez elected VP/Human Resources & Administration. $MUR PR link.

***Friday, August 17:

The PBRMarketTools US Stock Exchanges Recap for the Week Ending 08/17/18:

DJIA ends week at 25,669.32, +1.41% from last Friday, +1.00% MTD, +5.76% QTD, +3.84% YTD, -3.56% from record 26,616.71 set 01/26/18.

NASDAQ ends week at 7,816.33, -0.29% from last Friday, +1.88% MTD, +4.07% QTD, +13.22% YTD, -1.46% from record 7,932.24 set 07/25/18.

SPX ends week at 2,850.13, +0.59% from last Friday, +1.20% MTD, +4.85 QTD, +6.60% YTD, -0.79% from record 2,872.87 set 01/26/18.

Weekly Summary: The week started out like the previous week ended, with continued drama about the decline of the Turkish lira and concerns about possible international impacts, which triggered a downturn in the financial sector. This was compounded by continued US trade tensions. The Stock Market Bear was pretty pleased about himself on Wednesday afternoon. But as the week progressed some key companies had better than expected quarterly reportseconomic data was mostly positive, and at the end of the week China had sent a low level delegation to Washington DC to discuss reopening trade talks, so the Stock Market Bull prevailed on the last two days of the week. It was not enough, however, to overcome losses in the NASDAQ, so the week ends with a Stock Market Bull 2-1 mixed finish. Through Week 33 the Stock Market Bull continues to hold a slight edge with 14 weekly wins, the Stock Market Bear has 12, and 7 weeks have been mixed results.

Bristol-Myers Squibb(PBR139) gets US FDA approval for Opdivo® (nivolumab) as first new medication in nearly 20 years for certain patients with previously treated small cell lung cancer. $BMY PR link.

CBRE(PBR202) to reorganize into 3 global businesses effective 01/01/19: Advisory Services, to be headed by Mike Lafitte as Global CEO; Global Workplace Solutions, William Concannon to continue to serve as Global CEO; and Real Estate Investments, to be headed by Daniel Queenan as Global CEO, other executives named to report to Global CEOs. $CBRE PR link.

Regeneron(PBR459) gets US FDA approval for EYLEA® (aflibercept) Injection in patients with wet age-related macular degeneration. $REGN PR link.

Skyworks(PBR620) completes $405 million plus up to $20 million for milestone achievements over next 12 months acquisition of private fabless semiconductor smart interface supplier Avnera$SWKS PR link.

Briggs & Stratton(PBR900) to consolidate warehouses into two new US distribution centers in Germantown, WI(700,000 sf) and Auburn, AL(400,000 sf), both to be operational in spring 2019. $BGG PR link.

Tesla(PBR250 $TSLA) Chairman/CEO Elon Musk says past year has been ‘excruciating.’ NY Times PR link.

Southern Co(PBR119) promotes Jim Hudson to EVP/Chief External and Public Affairs Officer and Jeff Peoples to EVP/Chief Administrative Officer. $SO PR link.

Anadarko(PBR246) EVP/ Law and Chief Administrative Officer Robert K. Reeves to retire by 12/31/18. $APC PR link.

The Conference Board says the US Preliminary July 2018 Leading Economic Index(2016=100) is at 110.7, suggests the US economy will continue expanding at a solid pace for the remainder of this year, June 2018 was 110.0, May 2018 109.4. TCB PR link.

The U of Michigan US Preliminary August 2018 Consumer Sentiment Index is at 95.3(“dominating weakness reflected much less favorable assessments of buying conditions, mainly due to less favorable perceptions of market prices.”), July 2018 was 97.9, June 201898.2, August 2017 96.8. UMichigan PR link.

***Thursday, August 16:

Kroger(PBR17) and Nuro announce Scottsdale, AZ, as the city for the self-driving grocery delivery pilot, $5.95 delivery fee, no minimum, Nuro to use self-driving Toyota Priusfleet and will introduce its custom R1 driverless vehicle this fall. $KR PR link.

Boeing(PBR29) to acquire El Segundo, CA, based 260 employees, agile, flight-proven small-satellite solutions provider Millennium Space Systems, to close 3Q18, terms not disclosed. $BA PR link.

CBRE(PBR202) acquires San Antonio, TX, commercial real estate operations of Peloton, combined manage/lease 20+ million sf of commercial space in San Antonio. $CBRE PR link.

Celanese(PBR442) increases prices for engineered materials polymer products due to continued increases in raw material costs globally as well as the US Trade Representative’s implementation of a 25% tariff on PBT and PET products imported into the US from China$CE PR link.

AMC Entertainment(PBR504) now has 260,000+ AMC Stubs A-List members since start 7 weeks ago, 1,000,000+ theatre attendance. $AMC PR link.

CACI Intl(PBR558) completes $84 million acquisition of the Systems Engineering and Acquisition Support Services Business Unitsupporting the US Navy from General Dynamics(PBR90) managed affiliate CSRA$CACI PR link.

Cenveo(PBR927) gets US Bankruptcy Courtchapter 11 plan of reorganization approval, debt to be restructured from $1.1 billion to $325 million, will emerge as privately held company in a few weeks. $CVOVQ PR link.

Wendy’s(PBR985) sells its 12.3% ownership interest in Inspire Brands (owner of Arby’s®, Buffalo Wild Wings®, and R Taco®) for $450 million, a 38% premium on previous valuation, authorizes new up to $100 million share repurchase program, expires 12/27/19, is in addition to previous $175 million authorization which has a $93 million balance. $WEN PR link.

Hershey(PBR368) SVP/CFO Patricia Little to retire in spring 2019, CFO since 2015, search for new CFO starts. $HSY PR link.

Regions Financial(PBR446) promotes Kate Danella as EVP/Strategic Planning and Corporate Development. $RF PR link.

Symantec(PBR585) receives 5 nominees for board from investor Starboard Value, board nominating committee evaluating nominations, 2018 annual meeting date not yet established. $SYMC PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/HUD says US Preliminary July 2018 Private Housing Building Permits Annual Rate is at 1,311,000, +1.5% from June 2018, +4.2% from July 2017USDOC PR link.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphiasays the US 3rd District August 2018 Manufacturing Business Outlook Survey Indicator is at 11.9, all the broad indicators remained positive but fell from their readings in July and expectations for the next six months remained optimistic, July 2018 was at 25.7, June 2018 19.9, August 2017 22.1. PhillyFed PR link.

***Wednesday, August 15:

Walmart(PBR1) and TV personality Ellen DeGeneres partner on new fashion line, EV1, focus on denim, over 60 items, $30 or less, available at Walmart.com on 09/10/18, to be in 2,300+ stores. $WMT PR link.

Best Buy(PBR65) to acquire provider of connected health and personal emergency response services to the aging population, with more than 900,000 paying subscribers $300+ million in profitable annual revenues GreatCallfor $800 million cash. $BBY PR link.

Kimberly-Clark(PBR155) to increase net selling prices in the mid-to-high single digits on average across a majority of its North America consumer products businesses in 4Q18 & 1Q19 to help offset significant commodity cost inflation. $KMB PR link.

Gap Inc(PBR175) expands its This Way Aheadjob opportunities program for 16-24 year olds from low income communities, to go from from 15 cities to 53 cities globally, includes new national partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America$GPS PR link.

First Data(PBR243) and Wells Fargo(PBR27)extend their merchant services joint venture agreement to 12/31/24. $FDC PR link.

Constellation Brands(PBR334) to acquire $4 billion in stock resulting in around a 38% ownership stake in Canadian cannabis company Canopy Growth(TSX: WEED, NYSE: CGC)$STZ PR link.

Vail Resorts(PBR874) completes $64 million acquisition of Stevens Pass Resort in Washington from an affiliate of Oz Real Estate$MTN PR link.

Terex(PBR556) President/CEO John Garrison elected to also be Chairman, succeeds David Sachs who now becomes Lead Director. $TEX PR link.

Anadarko(PBR246) promotes Amanda M. McMillian to EVP/General Counsel. $APC PR link.

Graphic Packaging(PBR547) EVP/Mills Division Al Nichols to retire on 09/15/18 after 29 years with the company, Mike Farrell appointed successor. $GPK PR link.

Tailored Brands(PBR674) hires Richard Hansen as SVP/Strategy & Analytics. $TLRD PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US Preliminary 2Q18 Business Sector Labor Productivity Ouput/Hour was +3.6%, 1Q18 was +0.6%, 4Q17 -1.1%, 2Q17 +1.6%. USDOL PR link.

The US Federal Reserve says US Preliminary July 2018 Industrial Production % of Capacity in Use was at 78.1%, June 2018 was 78.1%, May 2018 77.5%, July 2017 76.1%. USFed PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/Census says US Preliminary June 2018 Total Manufacturers/Retail/Wholesale Sales were $1.452 trillion, +0.3% from May 2018, +8.2% from June 2017USDOC PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/Census says US Advance July 2018 Total Retail Sales were $507.5 billion, +0.5% from June 2018, +6.4% from July 2017USDOC PR link.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York says the Empire State August 2018 General Business Conditions Index is at 25.6, July 2018 was 22.6, June 2018 25.0, August 201724.2, firms stepped up their capital spending plans and were fairly optimistic about the six-month outlook. NYFed PR link.

The Natl Assn of Home Builders/Wells Fargo US Preliminary August 2018 Housing Market Composite Index is at 67, July 2018 was 68, June 2018 68, August 2017 67. NAHB/WF PR link.

***Tuesday, August 14:

Kroger(PBR17)‘s new online store introduces Our Brands to international customers, will initially test with select Simple Truth® items through Alibaba and its more than half a billion Chinese consumers$KR PR link.

Intel(PBR45) shares more details and mitigation information on security threats about a recently identified speculative execution side-channel method called L1 Terminal Fault$INTC PR link.

Coca-Cola(PBR82) to acquire a minority ownership stake, with path to ownership, in sports performance and hydration drinks provider BODYARMOR which will have access to Coca-Cola bottling system to meet growth of consumer demand, terms not disclosed. $KO PR link.

Capital One(PBR93) introduces newest Savor card, features unlimited 4% cash back on dining and entertainment, 2% at grocery stores, and 1% on all other purchases, $95 annual fee waived in first year. $COF PR link.

Sears(PBR169) CEO Edward Lampert proposes his ESL Investments fund acquire the Kenmore brand for $400 million. $SHLD PR link.

Devon Energy(PBR209) to sell approximately 2,500 oil-equivalent barrels per day 9,600 net acres of non-core Delaware Basin acreage in Ward and Reeves County, TX, to Carrizo Oil and Gas for $215 million, to close 4Q18. $DVN PR link.

Tesla(PBR250) board forms special committee to evaluate potential going private transaction, Chairman/CEO Elon Musk’s previous communications about possibly doing so. $TSLA PR link.

Advance Auto Parts(PBR305) authorizes new $600 million share repurchase program, replaces $500 million program authorized in 2012, had $415 million balance remaining. $AAP PR link.

Genworth Financial(PBR336) and China Oceanwide extend merger agreement a sixth time, deadline is now 12/01/18, awaiting regulatory approvals. $GNW PR link.

Allegheny Technologies(PBR640)President/CEO Richard Harshman to be succeeded by EVP Robert S. Wetherbee on 01/01/19, Harshman to be Executive Chairman until his retirement on 05/09/19, Lead Independent Director Diane C. Creel to become Chairman at that time. $ATI PR link.

Gilead Sciences(PBR108) promotes Gregg Alton to the newly created role of Chief Patient Officer, Diana Brainard, MD, promoted to SVP/HIV and Emerging Viral Infections, and Andrew Cheng, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer, is leaving. $GILD PR link.

Electronic Arts(PBR500) Chief Design Officer Patrick Söderlund is leaving, effective 10/30/18. $EA PR link.

Kennametal(PBR857) hires Damon Audia as VP/CFO, effective 09/24/18, to succeed retiring Jan Kees van Gaalen. $KMT PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US Preliminary July 2018 Total Imports Prices were +0.0%, June 2018 was -0.1%, May 2018 +0.9%, July 2017 -0.2%; US Preliminary July 2018 Total Export Prices were -0.5%, June 2018 was +0.2%, May 2018 +0.7%, July 2017 +0.5%; July 2018 Total All Imports Year-to-Year is +4.8%, Total All Exports Year-to-Year +4.3%. USDOL PR link.

CoreLogic says US May 2018 Housing Loans 30 Or More Days Delinquent were at 4.2%, lowest in 12 years, areas hit by natural disasters have seen increases, April 2018 was 4.2%, March 2018 4.3%, May 2017 4.5%; May 2018 Percent of Homes in Foreclosure was 0.5%, April 2018 was 0.6%, March 2018 0.6%, May 2017 0.7%. CoreLogic PR link.

The Natl Federation of Independent Businesssays US July 2018 Small Business Optimism Index is at 107.9, second highest in 45 year history, 108.0 record was in July 1983. NFIB President and CEO Juanita Duggan says, “Expansion continues to be a priority for small businesses who show no signs of slowing as they anticipate more sales and better business conditions.” NFIB PR link.

***Monday, August 13:

Icahn Enterprises(PBR128) Chairman Icahn issues statement saying that in light of the ISSand Glass Lewis recommendations in favor of the Cigna(PBR66 $CI)/Express Scripts(PBR25 $ESRX) transaction and the significant stockholder overlap between the two companies, IEP has informed the SEC that it no longer intends to solicit proxies to vote against the transaction. $IEP PR link.

Mylan(PBR247) gets US FDA approval and 180 days exclusive marketing for Tadalafil TabletsUSP, 20 mg, the first generic of Eli Lilly(PBR121)’s Adcirca®, for treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension to improve exercise ability, $510 million market. $MYL PR link.

VF Corp(PBR249) to separate into two independent, publicly traded companies: VF Corporation, a global apparel and footwear powerhouse, and a yet-to-be named company which will hold VF’s Jeans(Wrangler® and Lee® brands) and VF Outlet businesses in the denim category, to be completed in 1H19. $VFC PR link.

Tesla(PBR250)‘s Chairman/CEO Elon Musk provides a blog post to provide an update on taking Tesla private, his conversations with the Saudi Arabian sovereign wealth fund. $TSLA PR link.

Office Depot(PBR281) piloting an integrated coworking space within its Los Gatos, CA, retail location, to provide Tech Services Kiosks in 141 stores across Florida, Georgia and Texasby end of 08/18. $ODP PR link.

NVIDIA(PBR296) launches the NVIDIA Turing™ GPU architecture, features new RT Cores to accelerate ray tracing and new Tensor Cores for AI inferencing which, together for the first time, make real-time ray tracing possible. $NVDA PR link.

Essendant(PBR507) reconfirms it is still in favor of combining with General Parts(PBR191)’s S.P. Richards unit, has not received a proposal from Staples since 08/03/18 signing of confidentiality agreement. $ESND PR link.

Symantec(PBR585) gets compliance notice from NASDAQ for not filing quarterly 10-Q, has also received a notice for not filing annual 10-K, has submitted a plan, must file by 11/26/18 to be in compliance. $SYMC PR link.

Brink’s(PBR669) completes $520 million cash acquisition of Hunt Valley, MD, based 5,400 employees 78 locations Dunbar Armored, the fourth largest US cash management company. $BCO PR link.

KKR(PBR679) to acquire a 60% stake in Mumbai, India, based global management, collection, transport and processing of hazardous, municipal, biomedical and e-waste, as well as the recycling of paper, plastic and chemicals, as well as renewable energy generation provider Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited for $530 million. $KKR PR link.

Netflix(PBR251) CFO David Wells to step down upon appointment of successor. $NFLX PR link.

Advance Auto Parts(PBR305) Interim CFO Jeff Shepherd promoted to EVP/CFO, hires Reuben E. Slone to be EVP/Supply Chain, 10/03/18. $AAP PR link.

Tractor Supply(PBR379) promotes Steve Barbarick to President/COO and Rob Mills to EVP/Chief Technology, Digital Commerce and Strategy Officer. $TSCO PR link.

RH(PBR797) CFO Karen Boone stepping down for family reasons, Ryno Blignaut hired as President, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer. $RH PR link.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New Yorkreleases its US July 2018 Survey of Consumer Expectations, says US consumers expect higher growth in taxes but lower growth in medical care costs. Wage growth expectations retreated somewhat, and consumers were less optimistic about stock price growth. NYFed PR link.

***Friday, August 10:

The PBRMarketTools US Stock Exchanges Recap for the Week Ending 08/10/18:

DJIA ends week at 25,313.14, -0.59% from last Friday, -0.40% MTD, +4.29% QTD, +2.40% YTD, -4.90% from record 26,616.71 set 01/26/18.

NASDAQ ends week at 7,839.11, +0.35% from last Friday, +2.18% MTD, +4.38% QTD, +13.55% YTD, -1.17% from record 7,932.24 set 07/25/18.

SPX ends week at 2,833.28, -0.25% from last Friday, +0.60% MTD, +4.23 QTD, +5.97% YTD, -1.38% from record 2,872.87 set 01/26/18.

Weekly Summary:Through Wednesday the Stock Market Bull looked like he was going to have a pretty easy week. But then the Stock Market Bear made a quiet appearance on Thursday. On Friday, with the help of the global markets reacting severely to the collapse of the Turkish lira, the Stock Market Bear had a big day, but not enough to overcome the gains in the NASDAQ for the week, resulting in a mixed week overall. At the end of Week 32 the tally stands with the Stock Market Bull at 14 weekly wins, the Stock Market Bear 12, and 6 mixed results weeks.

Microsoft(PBR31) CEO Nadella Satya sells 328,000 of his shares at $109.4396/share, $35.9 million, has a balance of 778,596 shares remaining. $MSFT PR link.

Facebook(PBR69) has new requirements for people who manage Pages with a large US audience, requiring them to secure their account with two-factor authentication and confirm their primary country location, will make it harder for people to administer a Page using a fake or compromised account. $FB PR link.

Newell Brands(PBR194) to sell its $115 million in revenues/2017 manufacturer of hair styling tools and accessories Goody Products to private equity firm ACON Investments, to close within 30 days, terms not disclosed. $NWL PR link.

Williams Cos(PBR343) completes $10.5 billion all stock acquisition of Williams Partners(NYSE: WPZ)$WMB PR link.

YUM!(PBR458) authorizes up to $2 billion in share repurchases, is in addition to $329 million available from previous authorizations. $YUM PR link.

Caesars Entertainment(PBR519) increases share authorization program to $750 million, has used $232 million from previous authorization, has $518 million balance available. $CZR PR link.

Public Storage(PBR752) acquires six newer or remodeled storage locations in Downtown Minneapolis and in nearby popular cities, has added 50 locations in Minnesota in last decade. $PSA PR link.

Marathon Petroleum(PBR37) SVP/Supply, Distribution, and Planning C. Michael Palmer to retire, effective 01/01/19, has been named EVP, assisting in the integration of MPC and Andeavor(PBR82) upon closing of the pending merger. $MPC PR link.

Marathon Petroleum(PBR37) announces additional executives leading combined company after closing Andeavor(PBR82) transaction. $MPC PR link.

DISH(PBR198) SVP/CFO & Principal Financial Officer Steven Swain leaving effective 08/22/18, Paul Orban designated to be Principal Financial Officer on 08/22/18. $DISH PR link.

Brookdale Senior Living(PBR523) hires Steven Swain as EVP/CFO, effective 09/04/18, succeeds Interim CFO Teresa Sparks. $BKD PR link.

GATX(PBR969) announces 6 leadership changes, including EVP/CFO Robert Lyons being EVP & President/Rail North America, and EVP & President/Rail North America becoming EVP/CFO. $GATX PR link.

The US Dept of Treasury says US July 2018 Total Receipts were $225.3 billion, Total Outlays $302.1, Total Deficit $76.9 billion, July 2017 Total Deficit was $42.9 billion, Total Deficit Fiscal YTD 2018(10 Months) is $684.0 billion, Total Deficit Fiscal YTD 2017(10 Months) was $566.0 billion. U Treasury PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US July 2018 Consumer Price Index changed by +0.2%, June 2018 was +0.1%, May 2018 +0.2%, Last 12 Months(Unadjusted) +2.9%. USDOL PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US Preliminary July 2018 Current Average Earnings Per Houris at $27.05, Average Hours Worked Per Weekat 34.4, for Current Average Earnings Per Week at $933.23, -0.0% from June 2018, +3.0% from July 2017USDOL PR link.

***Thursday, August 9:

The PBR1000 July 2018 Snapshot 15 Summary: The Top 5 By Market Capitalization(Rank, Company, PBR Ranking by Revenues, Stock Symbol, Market Capitalization on 07/31/18):

1. Apple(PBR4 $AAPL), $933 billion
2. Amazon(PBR8 $AMZN), $868 billion
3. Alphabet(PBR21 $GOOG), $852 billion
4. Microsoft(PBR31 $MSFT), $809 billion
5. Berkshire Hathaway(PBR3 $BRKB), $495 billion

Range: $933 billion to $0.00 billion
Total The PBR1000 Market Capitalization:$27.059 trillion
Average: $27.059 billion
Median: $8.38 billion

Click here to get the full list of The PBR1000!

Humana(PBR54) completes exit of commercial long-term care insurance business in sale of its 29,300 members KMG wholly owned subsidiary to Continental General Insurance Company, to record a net loss of $400 million. $HUM PR link.

Tyson Foods(PBR75) selling its 400+ employees Green Bay, WI, based pizza crust business to a private equity firm Peak Rock Capital affiliate, part of plan to focus on protein business, terms not disclosed. $TSN PR link.

Qualcomm(PBR125) reaches a mutually agreed $93 million licensing settlement with the Taiwan Fair Trade Commission, will also drive certain commercial initiatives in Taiwan over the next five years for the benefit of the mobile and semiconductor ecosystem. $QCOM PR link.

JCPenney(PBR229) to open baby shops in 500 stores on 08/30/18, expanding baby categories and assortment. $JCP PR link.

Campbell Soup(PBR348 $CPB) activist investor Dan Loeb’s Third Point has $686.4 million 5.65% stake, says only justifiable outcome of strategic review of options is to sell the company.MarketWatch PR link.

Campbell Soup(PBR348) responds to Dan Loeb’s Third Point 13D filings, says it looks forward to sharing strategic plan at 08/30/18 annual shareholders meeting. $CPB PR link.

Arthur J Gallagher(PBR441) acquires Ottawa, Ontario, CAN, based employee benefits and retirement consulting services Leystone Insurance & Financial, terms not disclosed. $AJG PR link.

Perrigo(PBR513) to separate its Prescription Pharmaceuticals (Rx) generics business as a spin-off, sale or merger by 2H19, to focus on consumers businesses. $PRGO PR link.

Brunswick(PBR535) completes $910 million cash acquisition of privately held Menomonee Falls, WI, based Power Products – Global Marine & Mobile electrical products business, includes 11 brands, $233 million in annual revenues. $BC PR link.

Chipotle(PBR538) doing limited testing in select US markets of an Applewood Smoked Baconbowl, Build Your Own Nachos, $2 tacos and a drink after 8PM, adding regular sized chips and a fountain drink to an entree order for $3. $CMG PR link.

USG Corp(PBR680) sets 09/26/18 for special stockholders meeting to vote on $44/share, $7.7 billion cash acquisition by Germany based Gebr. Knauf KG, to close in early 2019 if approved. $USG PR link.

Sinclair Broadcast(PBR744) gets termination notice of its $43.50/share, $3.9 billion cash/stock, plus assumption of $2.7 billion of debt Merger Agreement from Tribune Media(NYSE: TRCO), says lawsuit filed by TRCO is without merit, has withdrawn with prejudice its FCC applications to acquire TRCO. $SBGI PR link.

Sinclair Broadcast(PBR744) authorizes an additional up to $1 billion share repurchase program, $89 million still available from previous program, no expiration date. $SBGI PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US Preliminary July 2018 Total Monthly Final Demand Producer Price Index is at +0.0%, June 2018was +0.3%, May 2018 +0.5%, July 2017 +0.1%, Total Last 12 Months(Unadjusted) +3.3%. USDOL PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/Census says US Preliminary June 2018 Total Wholesale Saleswere at $506.6 billion, -0.1% from May 2018, +10.2% from June 2017June 2018 Total Wholesale Inventories were at $632.4 billion, +0.1% from May 2018, +5.1% from June 2017June 2018 Total Inventory/Sales Ratio was 1.25, May 2018 was 1.25, June 2017 1.31. USDOC PR link.

***Wednesday, August 8:

The July 2018 Snapshot 13 Summary: The PBR1000 Top 5 Stock Performers since 12/30/16)(19 Months)(Rank, Company, PBR Ranking by Revenues, Stock Symbol, 07/31/18 Stock Price, % Increase from 12/30/16):

1. Weight Watchers(PBR976 $WTW), $89.53, +682%
2. Systemax(PBR982 $SYX), $44.72, +410%
3. Square(PBR835 $SQ), $64.65, +374%
4. BlueLinx(PBR885 $BXC), $34.07, +356%
5. RH(PBR795 $RH), $135.86, +343%

Range: +682% to -99%
Number of Companies at 0% or Better:680/995
Average: +22.36%
Median: +14.15%
US Stock Exchanges: DJIA +28.60%, NASDAQ +42.52%, SPX +25.79%

Tomorrow: The PBR1000 Top 5 By Market Capitalization.

CVS Health(PBR7) rolls out telehealth app as part of its Minute Clinic service using Teladoc (NYSE: TDOC) for 24/7 access for minor medical conditions. $CVS PR link.

Ford(PBR10) celebrates production of 10,000,000th Mustang, a high-tech, 460 horsepower 2019 Wimbledon White GT V8 six-speed convertible saluting VIN 001 – the first serialized 1964.5 Ford Mustang that featured a 164 horsepower, three-speed V8. $F PR link.

Ford(PBR10) China introduces new mid-size Territory SUV aimed at SUV buyers in emerging, fast-growing cities, to be available in early 2019. $F PR link.

Blackstone(PBR385) completes acquisition of Shiller Park, IL, based 9,000 employees across 1,500 venues and 49 branch offices global events provider PSAV, terms not disclosed. $BX PR link.

GE(PBR18) Capital to sell its GE Energy Financial Services’ Project Finance Debt Business, valued at around $2.6 billion, to Starwood Property Trust$GE PR link.

Rite Aid(PBR132) merger with privately held food store chain Albertson’s has been terminated by mutual agreement, 08/09/18 special meeting cancelled, no termination payments are to be made. $RAD PR link.

Mylan(PBR247)‘s Board feels US public markets continue to underappreciate and undervalue its global diversified business, has formed a strategic review committee and is actively evaluating a wide range of alternatives to unlock the true value of their one-of-a-kind platform, no timetable set. $MYL PR link.

Sempra Energy(PBR261) forms Sempra North American Infrastructure as a new operating group for its North American infrastructure businesses, names Carlos Ruiz Sacristán chairman and CEO of the group. $SRE PR link.

Cinemark(PBR705) Movie Club surpasses 350,000 subscription members representing over 1,000 members per theatre. $CNK PR link.

Greenbrier(PBR839) acquires 68% majority interest in Turkey based railcar manufacturer and provider of railcar repair and parts services Rayvag Vagon Sanayi ve Ticaret, terms not disclosed, Turkish government plans to expand rail lines, proposing to invest more than $23.5 billion toward rail infrastructure projects through 2023. $GBX PR link.

Dun & Bradstreet(PBR907) to be acquired by investor group led by CC Capital, Cannae Holdings and Thomas H. Lee Partners, for $145.00/share, $6.9 billion cash, includes $1.5 billion net debt and net pension obligations, to close within 6 months. $DNB PR link.

Avon Products(PBR467) hires Jose Vicente Marino as EVP and General Manager/Brazil, Avon’s largest business, effective 09/17/18. $AVP PR link.

Carpenter Technology(PBR897) to promote Tim Lain to VP/CFO, effective 09/14/18, succeeds departing Damon Audia. $CRS PR link.

***Tuesday, August 7:

The July 2018 Snapshot 12 Summary: The PBR1000 Top 5 Stock Performers YTD(7 Months)(Rank, Company, PBR Ranking by Revenues, Stock Symbol, 07/31/18 Stock Price, % Increase from 12/29/17):

1. BlueLinx(PBR885 $BXC), $34.07, +249%
2. Fossil(PBR732 $FOSL), $26.20, +237%
3. Tenet Health(PBR141 $THC), $37.63, +148%
4. Weight Watchers(PBR976 $WTW), $89.53, +102%
5. Genesis Health(PBR484 $GEN), $1.51, +99%

Range: +249% to -96%
Number of Companies at 0% or Better:547/1,000
Average: +2.62%
Median: +2.03%
US Stock Exchanges: DJIA +2.82%, NASDAQ +11.13%, SPX +5.34%

Tomorrow: The PBR1000 Top 5 Stock Performers since 12/30/16(19 Months).

AT&T(PBR9) acquires joint venture partner The Chernin Group’s controlling interest in Otter Media, has a global audience of more than 93 million unique monthly consumers, on pace to deliver over 75 billion video views in 2018. $T PR link.

Kroger(PBR17) exploring strategic alternatives, including a potential sale, of its 800 employees Turkey Hill manufacturing/distribution business producing popular iced teas, fruit drinks, milk, frozen dairy treats and a variety of ice creams. $KR PR link.

Cigna(PBR66) reiterates support for $96.18/share equivalent, $67 billion cash/stock deal, includes $15 billion debt, acquisition of Express Scripts(PBR25) in response to letter from minority shareholder Carl Icahn who opposes deal. $CI PR link.

21st Century Fox(PBR101) publishes official $18.30/share it does no already own bid for UKbased Sky plc$FOX PR link.

Stanley Black & Decker(PBR222) to acquire high quality, performance-driven heavy equipment attachment tools for off-highway applications manufacturer International Equipment Solutions Attachments Group for $690 million cash. $SWK PR link.

Tesla(PBR250)‘s Chairman/CEO Elon Musk sends email to employees explaining why he is strongly considering a transition into a private company like his SpaceX venture, to sell shares at $420, a 20% premium, would encourage shareholders and employees to be investors. $TSLA PR link.

CSX(PBR256) transitions from a headquarters-centric to a decentralized by function organization, announces 4 leadership appointments reporting to EVP/Operations. $CSX PR link.

Group 1 Automotive(PBR263) acquires Honda of Slidell in Slidell, LA, and Fernandez Honda in San Antonio, TX, together to generate around $125 million in annual revenues, terms not disclosed. $GPI PR link.

MGM Resorts(PBR269) and 50/50 partner sell Grand Victoria Casino in Elgin, IL, to Eldorado Resorts for $327.5 million cash, receives $162 million. $MGM PR link.

Intl Flavors & Fragrances(PBR652)$106.25/share, $7.1 billion cash/stock acquisition of global flavors and natural fine ingredients producer with 70,000 products and 30,000+ customers Frutarom (TASE:FRUT), gets Frutarom shareholders approval, to close in 4Q18. $IFF PR link.

Louisiana-Pacific Corp(PBR743) authorizes up to $150 million share repurchase program. $LPX PR link.

Sinclair Broadcast(PBR744) launching a new over-the-top advertising platform exclusively focused on OTT advertising through its CompulseOTT division, will offer advertisers commercials in :15 and :30 second lengths on leading OTT distribution platforms such as Roku, AppleTV, gaming consoles, SmartTV’s and streaming sticks. $SBGI PR link.

Salesforce(PBR275) COO Keith Block promoted to Co-CEO, Marc Benioff is Chairman/Co-CEO. $CRM PR link.

Lowe’s(PBR40) hires Donald E. Frieson as EVP/Supply Chain. $LOW PR link.

Merck(PBR73) hires Steven C. Mizell as Chief Human Relations Officer, effective in 10/18, to succeed Mirian M. Graddick-Weir who retires 11/30/18. $MRK PR link.

General Dynamics(PBR90) to promote Christopher Marzilli to be EVP/Information Technology and Mission Systems, effective 01/01/19, succeeds retiring S. Daniel Johnson. $GD PR link.

Travelers Cos(PBR98) EVP/CFO Jay S. Benet to step down, effective 09/01/18, will be Vice Chairman of the Board, successor is Daniel S. Frey. $TRV PR link.

WellTower(PBR405) promotes Shankh Mitra to EVP and Chief Investment Officer, other appointments announced, has new structure for corporate finance and asset management. $WELL PR link.

Crocs(PBR1000), in 2Q18 report, says EVP/CFO Carrie Teffner to resign, effective 04/01/19, becomes EVP/Finance & Strategic Projects on 08/24/18 when Anne Mehlman joins to be successor EVP/CFO. $CROX PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US Preliminary June 2018 Total Job Openings were at 6,663,000, +0.1% from May 2018, +8.8% from June 2017USDOL PR link.

The US Federal Reserve says US Preliminary June 2018 Total Consumer Revolving Credit Debt is at $1.039 trillion, Total Consumer Non-Revolving Credit Debt is at $2.869 trillion, Total Consumer Credit Debt is at $3.908 trillion, +0.3% from May 2018, +2.0% from December 2017(6 months), +4.7% from June 2017USFed PR link.

FannieMae(PBR20) says the US July 2018 Home Purchase Sentiment Index is at 86.5, June 2018 was 90.7, May 2018 92.3, July 201786.8, “Fewer Americans think it is a good time to buy/sell a home as home prices and inventory constraints limit trade-up options.” $FNMA PR link.

The PurdueU/CME Group says the US July 2018 Ag Economy Composite Index is at 117, June 2018 was 143, May 2018 141, July 2017139, index falls sharply on price weakness and trade war concerns. PurdueU/CME Group PR link.

KKR(PBR674) releases “China: A Visit to the Epicenter,” a review of China economics, trade issues, especially with the US$KKR PR link.

***Monday, August 6:

The July 2018 Snapshot 11 Summary: The PBR1000 Top 5 Month Stock Performers(Rank, Company, PBR Ranking by Revenues, Stock Symbol, 07/31/18 Stock Price, % Increase from 06/29/18):

1. iHeartRadio(PBR440 $IHRTQ), $0.46, +84%
2. SuperValu(PBR204 $SVU), $32.32, +58%
3. World Fuel(PBR84 $INT), $27.83, +36%
4. Travel Centers of America(PBR450 $TA), $4.65, +33%
5. LifePoint Health(PBR377 $LPNT), $64.80, +33%

Range: +84% to -43%
Number of Companies at 0% or Better:683/1,000
Average: +2.21%
Median: +2.55%

Tomorrow: The PBR1000 Top 5 Stock Performers YTD.

Click here to find out more about The PBR1000!

Cisco(PBR60) to receive $400 million from Arista Networks to resolve all outstanding litigation between the companies. $CSCO PR link.

Facebook(PBR69 $FB) denies seeking financial-transaction data from banks.MarketWatch PR link.

Praxair(PBR254 $PX) acquisition by Germanybased Linde AG may require more divestitures per indications from the US Federal Trade CommissionLinde AG PR link.

Avis Budget(PBR319) in multi-year deal with Lyft to provide cars for Lyft drivers, program to become available in next few months. $MAN PR link.

Regeneron(PBR459) to acquire $100 million in shares at $238.10/share in bluebird bio, Inc. (NASDAQ: BLUE) for a collaboration to apply their respective technology platforms to the discovery, development and commercialization of novel immune cell therapies for cancer. $REGN PR link.

Bemis(PBR583) to be acquired by Australiabased Amcor Limited (ASX: AMC) in $57.75/share, $6.8 billion all stock transaction, to close 1Q19. $BMS PR link.

Skyworks(PBR621) to acquire private fabless semiconductor smart interface supplier Avnerafor $405 million plus up to $20 million for milestone achievements over next 12 months, to close in 09/18. $SWKS PR link.

Varian Medical(PBR753) acquires privately-held humediQ Global GmbH, the manufacturer of IDENTIFY, an automated patient identification, positioning and motion management system for radiation therapy. $VAR PR link.

Columbia Sportswear(PBR788) adds up to an additional $200 million for share repurchase program, balance is now $259.7 million. $COLM PR link.

Vornado(PBR852) completes sale of its 49.5% interests in the 666 Fifth Avenue Office Condominium to an affiliate of its partner, the Kushner Companies, net proceeds to Vornado will be $120 million, will retain ownership of 666 Fifth Avenue Retail Condominium$VNO PR link.

SeaWorld(PBR984) 2Q18 report says 1H18 attendance up 0.8 million, 8.0% from 1H17, to 9.6 million guests, 1H18 revenues up $49 million, 8.7%, to $609.1 million. $SEAS PR link.

PepsiCo(PBR43) Chairman/CEO Indra Nooyi to step down as CEO effective 10/03/18, remain Chairman until early 2019, President Ramon Laguarta to be CEO successor. $PEP PR link.

Manpower(PBR137) President/COO Darryl Green to retire, effective 08/31/18, for family reasons, no successor planned, Chairman/CEO Jonas Prising to assume responsibilities. $MAN PR link.

Granite Construction(PBR706) hires M. Craig Hall as SVP/General Counsel, Corporate Compliance Officer and Secretary. $GVA PR link.

***Friday, August 3:

The PBRMarketTools US Stock Exchanges Recap for the Week Ending 08/03/18:

DJIA ends week at 25,462.58, +0.05% from last Friday, +0.19% MTD, +4.91% QTD, +3.01% YTD, -4.34% from record 26,616.71 set 01/26/18.

NASDAQ ends week at 7,812.02, +0.96% from last Friday, +1.83 MTD, +4.02 QTD, +13.16% YTD, -1.52% from record 7,932.24 set 07/25/18.

SPX ends week at 2,840.35, +0.76% from last Friday, +0.85% MTD, +4.49 QTD, +6.24% YTD, -1.13% from record 2,872.87 set 01/26/18.

Weekly Summary: The Stock Market Bear took a big lead at the start of the week, but the Stock Market Bull took over from there and ended up with the win for Week 31, the result of a report of a strong US economy by the Federal Open Market Committeegood earnings reports overall, but balanced by continuing trade tensions and a somewhat mixed jobs report. With the win the Stock Market Bull now has 14 weekly wins, the Stock Market Bear 12, and 5 weeks have had mixed results.

Marathon Petroleum(PBR37)‘s $35.6 billion acquisition of Andeavor(PBR82) to be voted on by shareholders of both organizations on 09/24/18, expects to close on 10/01/18. $MPC PR link.

Manpower(PBR137) authorizes up to 6 million share repurchase program, is in addition to current program which has 1.8 million shares balance remaining. $MAN PR link.

Biogen(PBR237) authorizes new $3.5 billion share repurchase program with no expiration date. $BIIB PR link.

Boyd Gaming(PBR800) opens sports books at its two Mississippi properties – IP Casino Resort Spa in Biloxi, and Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall in Tunica — following the receipt of final approval from the Mississippi Gaming Commission, Boyd Gaming’s first sports books outside of the state of Nevada$BYD PR link.

Adtalem Education(PBR888) moving Ross University School of Medicine medical sciences campus from Hurricane Mariadamaged Dominica to Bridgetown, Barbados, to start with 01/19 semester. $ATGE PR link.

Discover Financial(PBR253) Chairman/CEO David Nelms to step down as CEO on 10/01/18, become Executive Chairman until he retires in early 2019, President/COO Roger Hochschild to be President/CEO effective 10/01/18. $DFS PR link.

GNC(PBR790) board unanimously approves the appointment of CEO Ken Martindale to the additional role of Chairman, effective immediately, succeeds Bob Moran, who will assume the role of Lead Independent Director. $GNC PR link.

Ascena Retail(PBR408) promotes Andrew Clark to President/Loft brand and Julie Rosen to President/Ann Taylor and Lou & Grey brands. $ASNA PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US July 2018 Labor Force Employed was 155,965,000, +389,000 from June 2018, +2,454,000 from July 2017July 2018 Unemployed at 6,280,000, -284,000 from June 2018, -676,000 from July 2017July 2018 Unemployment Rate at 3.9%. USDOL PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce says US Preliminary June 2018 Total Exports were $213.8 billion, Total Imports $260.1 billion, Total Deficit $46.3 billion, Total Deficit YTD(6 months) $291.2 billion, Total Deficit YTD June 2017(6 months) was $271.5 billion. USDOC PR link.

The Institute for Supply Management says the US July 2018 Non-Manufacturing Index(>50%=Economy Growing) is at 55.7%, represents continued growth in the non-manufacturing sector at a slower rate, June 2018 was 59.1%, May 2018 58.6%, July 201753.9%. ISM PR link.

IHS Markit says the US July 2018 Composite PMI Output Index is at 55.7, a 3 month low but remains strong, June 2018 was 56.2, May 201856.6, July 2017 54.6. IHS Market PR link.

***Thursday, August 2:

Apple(PBR4 $AAPL) closes at $207.39/share, with 4.92 billion outstanding shares closes with a market capitalization of $1.020 trillion, first US company to accomplish that milestone.

Comcast(PBR33) and Amazon(PBR8) to launch Prime Video on Comcast’s Xfinity X1later in 2018. $CMCSA PR link.

Cisco(PBR60) to acquire privately held Ann Arbor, MI, based unified access security and multi-factor authentication delivered through the cloud provider Duo Security for $2.35 billion cash. $CSCO PR link.

Macy’s(PBR113) launches exclusive limited-edition fall capsule, Zoe by Rachel Zoe, , ready-to-wear collection for the multi-hyphenate woman. $M PR link.

Boston Scientific(PBR315) completes $220 million cash up front plus up to $50 million for milestone achievements acquisition of privately held Claret Medical, developer of the Sentinel® Cerebral Embolic Protection System used to protect the brain during certain interventional procedures, predominately in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). $BSX PR link.

YUM!(PBR458)’s Taco Bell unit has opened 3 Urban In-Line and 3 Cantina restaurants in NYC boroughs, plans to add 3 more Cantina restaurants by end of 2018, plans to have 9,000 restaurants globally by 2022, 1,000 of them outside the US. $YUM PR link.

Post Holdings(PBR494) retains 60.5% equity and receives $875 million cash in partnership with Thomas H. Lee Partners in 8th Avenue Food & Provisions which will manage Post’s private brands business, to close in 10/18. $POST PR link.

Sealed Air(PBR540) acquires privately held fabricator of foam, corrugated, molded pulp and wood packaging solutions $125 million in sales/2017 260 employees, Pflugerville, TX,based AFP$SEE PR link.

Global Payments(PBR656) to acquire cloud-based software as a service (SaaS) solutions to small-to-medium sized ambulatory physician practices in the US provider AdvancedMD from Marlin Equity Partners for $700 million cash. $GPN PR link.

Boyd Gaming(PBR800) and FanDuel Groupenter into strategic partnership to pursue sports betting and online gaming opportunities across the US$BYD PR link.

Nu Skin(PBR821) increases share repurchase program to $500 million, had $92 million balance. $NUS PR link.

Square(PBR835) opens up its hardware to developers for the first time, introduces Square Reader SDK toolkit. $SQ PR link.

Greenbrier(PBR839) announced new orders totaling 5,000 diversified railcar units valued at $425+ million received during the first two months of 4Q18 that began on 06/01/18. $GBX PR link.

Take-Two Interactive(PBR898) in 2Q18 report says its Grand Theft Auto V is approaching 100 million units sold. $TTWO PR link.

ITT Corp(PBR770) President/CEO Denise Ramos to retire on 03/01/19, be an advisor after 12/31/18, Luca Savi named President/COO, will become President/CEO on 01/01/19. $ITT PR link.

Endo Intl(PBR643) hires Laure Park as SVP/Investor Relations and Corporate Affairs. $ENDP PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/Census says US Preliminary June 2018 Total Manufacturers New Durable Goods Orders were $251.5 billion, New Non-Durable Goods Orders$$250.2 billion, Total New Goods Orders$501.7 billion, +0.7% from May 2018, +6.1% from June 2017USDOC PR link.

***Wednesday, August 1:

Wells Fargo(PBR27) to pay $2.09 billion to resolve a previously disclosed investigation by the US Dept of Justice regarding claims related to certain 2005–07 residential mortgage-backed securities activities. $WFC PR link.

Boeing(PBR29) to open the new Boeing Aerospace & Autonomy Center in Cambridge, MA, first major tenant of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) new mixed-use district in Kendall Square, leasing 100,000 sf, focus on designing, building and flying autonomous aircraft and developing enabling technologies. $BAC PR link.

HP Inc(PBR56) to acquire UK based office equipment dealer (OED) and Europe’s largest independent provider of print, outsourced services, and document and process technology Apogee Corporation for around $500 million, to close by 12/31/18. $HPQ PR link.

Facebook(PBR69 $FB) says WhatsApp will start making money next year. MarketWatch PR link.

Energy Transfer Equity(PBR72) to acquire Energy Transfer Partners(NYSE: ETP) in simplification transaction. $ETE PR link.

Sprint(PBR87) reports 57,000 total net wireless additions in 1Q18 ending 06/30/18, 54,567,000 total end of period connections, had 53,698,000 1Q17$S PR link.

Starbucks(PBR124) in partnership with Alibaba(NYSE: BABA) to provide Starbucks online ordering and delivery services in Beijing and Shanghai in 09/18, to expand to 30 Chinese cities and 2,000 stores by end of 2018. $SBUX PR link.

BlackRock(PBR231) completes acquisition of $9 billion in of committed client capital 80+ team members Los Angeles, CA, based Tennenbaum Capital Partners, terms not disclosed. $BLK PR link.

ADP(PBR234) acquires Chicago, IL, based global payroll management services provider Celergo, terms not disclosed. $ADP PR link.

Tesla(PBR250) releases 2Q18 shareholders letter, has achieved 5,000 Model 3production/week, forecasting 50-55,000 units in 3Q18, expects to achieve profitability by year end. $TSLA PR link.

Entergy(PBR264) to sell the subsidiaries that own the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth, MA, and the Palisades Power Plant in Covert, MI, after their shutdowns and reactor defuelings, to a Holtec International subsidiary for accelerated decommissioning. $ETR PR link.

Molson Coors(PBR265) Canada and Canadian cannabis producer, The Hydropothecary Corporation (“HEXO”) (TSX: HEXO), to form a joint venture to develop non-alcoholic, cannabis-infused beverages for the Canadian market following legalization. $TAP PR link.

HanesBrands(PBR416) and Target(PBR39) will not renew their contract for an exclusive line of C9 by Champion activewear apparel when the current contract expires at the end of 01/20, did $380 million in last 12 months, HBI says impact will be minimal because of growth in other areas. $HBI PR link.

Citizens Financial(PBR418) completes acquisition of Franklin American Mortgage, triples the size of Citizens’ off-balance sheet mortgage servicing portfolio from $21.6 billion to approximately $65.3 billion, with a total servicing portfolio of approximately $83.1 billion. $CFG PR link.

NVR(PBR426) authorizes $300 million share repurchase program. $NVR PR link.

Chipotle(PBR538) has record digital sales day with its promotion of free guacomole on National Avocado Day, used 700,000 avocados, 200,000 than the average day. $CMG PR link.

CNO Financial(PBR564) Bankers Life unit to cede all of its legacy (prior to 2003) comprehensive and nursing home long-term care policies (with statutory reserves of approximately $2.7 billion) through 100% indemnity coinsurance. to pay $825 million to Wilton Reassurance Company to take policies. $CNO PR link.

Valmont(PBR739) acquires operational assets of Derit Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd., a manufacturing facility in India’s Gujarat state, with production capabilities for steel lattice structures for power transmission, wireless communication, and renewable generation, and a provider of zinc galvanizing services, terms not disclosed. $VMI PR link.

The Cheesecake Factory(PBR827) begins exclusive national delivery agreement with DoorDash$CAKE PR link.

Popular(PBR844) completes $1.7 bill cash acquisition of Wells Fargo(PBR27)’s auto finance business in Puerto Rico$BPOP PR link.

Fitbit(BR931) says new Versa smartwatchoutsold Samsung, Garmin and Fossil(PBR732)smartwatches combined, sold 2.7 million devices in 2Q18 vs 3.4 million in 2Q17. $FIT PR link.

Griffon Corp(PBR948) authorizes an additional $50 million for share repurchases, balance available is $58.3 million. $GFF PR link.

Facebook(PBR69) Chief Security Officer Alex Stamos leaving on 08/17/18, taking teaching and research positions at Stanford. $FB PR link.

Becton Dickinson(PBR241) names Simon Campion as EVP and President/Interventional segment, effective 09/04/18. $BDX PR link.

Juniper Networks(PBR509) hires Pierre-Paul Allard as EVP/Chief Customer Officer. $JNPR PR link.

Aerojet Rocketdyne(PBR878) hires Jim Maser as SVP/Space Business Unit. $AJRD PR link.

Vitamin Shoppe(PBR995) hires David Mock as EVP/Chief Merchandising & Chief Marketing Officer. $VSI PR link.

The Federal Open Market Committee finishes its meeting, issues statement saying economic activity has been rising at a strong rate, keeps federal funds rate at 1.75-2.00% for now. FOMC PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/Census says US Preliminary June 2018 Total All Construction Annual Rate is at $1.317 trillion, -1.1% from May 2018, +7.4% from June 2017USDOC PR link.

ADP(PBR234) says US Preliminary July 2018 Change in National Employment was +219,000, +21.0% from June 2018, +7.9% from July 2017Small Businesses were +52,000, Mid-Sized +119,000, Large +48,000; Goods Producing Sector +42,000, Services Sector+177,000. $ADP PR link.

The Institute for Supply Management says US July 2018 Manufacturing PMI Index is at 58.1%, reflects continued expanding business strength, June 2018 was 60.2%, May 201858.7%, July 2017 56.5%. ISM PR link.

The IHS Markit US July 2018 Manufacturing PMI is at 55.3, says business confidence remained strongly positive, June 2018 was 55.4, May 2018 56.4, July 2017 53.3. IHS Markit PR link.

Automotive News says US Estimated July 2018 New Light Vehicles Units Sold was at 1,364,961, -3.7% from July 2017Average Transaction Price was $31,561(JD Power), Average Incentive Outlay $3,754(ALG), Total Light Vehicles Sold YTD at 9,982,617, +1.1% from July 2017Automotive News PR link.

***Tuesday, July 31:

The PBRMarketTools US Stock Exchanges Recap for the Month of July Ending 07/31/18:

DJIA ends July 2018 at 25,415.19, -0.14% from last Friday, +4.71% MTD/QTD, +2.82% YTD, -4.51% from record 26,616.71 set 01/26/18.

NASDAQ ends July 2018 at 7,671.79, -0.85% from last Friday, +2.15% MTD/QTD, +11.13% YTD, -3.28% from record 7,932.24 set 07/25/18.

SPX ends July 2018 at 2,816.29, -0.09% from last Friday, +3.60% MTD/QTD, +5.34% YTD, -1.97% from record 2,872.87 set 01/26/18.

July 2018 Summary: The month was marked by trade tensions and threatened tariffs, but eased down towards the end of the month. The US economy continues to show good strength as indicated by the 4.1% GDP growth rateannounced at the end of the month. However, the technology sector struggled with cybersecurity and identity issues. In the end the Stock Market Bull clearly had a strong month across the major US stock exchanges and now leads the Stock Market Bear 4 months to 2 months with 1 month mixed through July.

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Copyright © 2018, All Rights Reserved, Pax Business Resources, LLC, Tucson, AZ 85704

The PBR1000 July 2018 Stocks & Commodities Snapshots

July 2018: A Convincing Win for the Stock Market Bull and The PBR1000

July 2018 was a good ride as the Stock Market Bull easily prevailed in all 3 major US stock exchanges and forecasts indicating a strong economy for the rest of 2018.


By Larry C. Paxton

The second half of 2018 kicked off in a positive way as data and surveys continue to show strong US economic growth and forecasts indicating more of the same through 2018. There appears to be a trend of trade war concerns which are then followed by actions and negotiations that indicate these will be resolved. US stock exchanges had few ongoing up or down swings and no long positive or negative trends. All in all it was a good month, which the Stock Market Bull clearly won and was good for The PBR1000 as well. The overall monthly records are now the Stock Market Bull ahead 4 months to the Stock Market Bear’s 2 months, with June being the only mixed result.

The July 2018 US Major Stock Market Exchanges Summary

Number of Trading Days: 21

Number of Gain(+)/Loss(-) Days: DJIA 14+/7-; NASDAQ 11+/10-; SPX 13+/8-.

Record Days: DJIA 0, NASDAQ 4, SPX 0

Longest Gain Streak(Consecutive Days): DJIA 5 days(07/12-18/18), NASDAQ 4 days(07/05-10/18), SPX 4 days(07/05-10/18)

Longest Loss Streak(Consecutive Days): DJIA 3 days(07/19-23/18), NASDAQ 3 days(07/18-20/18 & 07/26-30/18), SPX 3 days(07/26-30/18)

Big Swing Up Days(>1.00%): 5 days(07/05/18(N), 07/06/18(N), 07/09/18(D), 07/12/18(N), 07/25/18(N))

Big Swing Down Days(<-1.00%): 3 days(07/26/18(N), 07/27/18(N), 07/30/18(N))

The PBR1000 July 2018 Snapshots

The following are Top 5 partial tables excerpts from The PBR1000 July 2018 Snapshots. The price for stocks is for the close of trading on July 31, Month % Chg is compared to June 29YTD % Chg is compared to December 29, 2017, and the 19 Months % Chg is compared to December 30, 2016. The PBR Rank is by annual revenues.

To get the complete The PBR1000 Snapshots  just click here to get your 2 month or significantly discounted 12 month subscription and automatically download the July 2018 edition with the complete 15 Snapshots and 25 rankings and the bonus The PBRMarketTools US Monthly Indices Snapshots.

Table 1(S11): The PBR1000 Top 5 Month Stock Price % Gainers

Table 1 Summary: The range was +84% to -43%683 out of 1,000 stocks were up 0% or more. The average was a gain of 2.21%, the median was a gain of 2.55%.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Price
07/31/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
19 Mos
% Chg
iHeartMedia
440 IHRT 0.46 +84 -8 -59
SuperValu
204 SVU 32.32 +58 +50 -1
World Fuel
84 INT 27.83 +36 -1 -39
Travel Centers
450 TA 4.65 +33 +13 -35
LifePoint Health
378 LPNT 64.80 +33 +30 +14

Table 2(S12): The PBR1000 Top 5 Year-To-Date Stock Price % Gainers

Table 2 Summary: The range was +249% to -96%547 out of 1,000 stocks were up 0% or more. The average was a gain of 2.62%, the median was a gain of 2.03%.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Price
07/31/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
19 Mos
% Chg
BlueLinx
886 BXC 34.07 -9 +249 +356
Fossil
734 FOSL 26.20 -2 +237 +1
Tenet Healthcare 141 THC 37.63 +12 +148 +154
Weight Watchers
976 WTW 89.53 -11 +102 +682
Genesis Healthcare 484 GEN 1.51 -34 +99 -64

Table 3(S13): The PBR1000 Top 5 19 Months Stock Price % Gainers

Table 3 Summary: The range was +682% to -99%680 out of 1,000 stocks were up 0% or more. The average was a gain of 22.36%. The median was a gain of 14.15%.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Price
07/31/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
19 Mos
% Chg
Weight Watchers 976 WTW 89.53 -11 +102 +682
Systemax 982 SYX 44.72 +30 +34 +410
Square 836 SQ 64.65 +5 +86 +374
BlueLinx 886 BXC 34.07 -9 +249 +356
RH 797 RH 135.86 -3 +58 +343

Table 4(S15): The PBR1000 Top 5 Market Capitalization

Table 4 Summary: The range was $933 billion to $0.01 billion. The average is $27.0 billionmedian is $8.4 billion, out of 1,000 companies.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Market Cap($B)
07/31/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
19 Mos
% Chg
Apple
4 AAPL 933 +3 +7 +51
Amazon
8 AMZN 868 +5 +56 +144
Alphabet
21 GOOG 852 +9 +17 +60
Microsoft 31 MSFT 809 +7 +23 +67
Berkshire Hathaway 3 BRKB 495 +7 +1 +23
The PBR1000
  26,981 +3 +4 +24

Table 5: The PBR1000 Index & Primary US Stock Exchanges/Commodities

Company Price
07/31/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
19 Mos
% Chg
The PBR1000 88,134.50 +2.2 +2.6 +22.3
DJIA 25,415.19 +4.7 +2.8 +28.6
NASDAQ 7,671.79 +2.2 +11.1 +42.5
S&P500 2,816.29 +3.6 +5.3 +25.8
GOLD 1,232.50 -1.8 -5.6 +7.0
SILVER 15.53 -4.1 -8.6 -2.9
OIL            68.42 -7.7 +13.8 +27.4

Have questions on The PBR1000 or The PBR US Economic Indices Monthly Snapshots? Please contact us at Sales@PBRMarketTools.com or call us in the US at 520-444-2519.

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @ThePBR1000.

(The PBR1000 provides astute investors and business professionals with the data, news, and analysis for taking higher probability of success actionsThe PBR1000 covers over 1,000 of the largest publicly held companies with principle or administrative headquarters in the US. These companies generate $13 trillion in annual worldwide revenues, more than all other companies in the US combined. These are the key drivers in the US and world economies. On a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis several analytical reports in customizable Microsoft Excel format are provided to Subscribers of The PBR1000Subscribers include C-level executives, entrepreneurs, sales/marketing/advertising professionals, investors/investment advisers, business professors/students, career counselors/job seekers, to name just a few. To order your monthly or significantly discounted annual subscription, just click here to go to the PBRMarketTools.com Order page.)

(Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net, hywards.)

Copyright © 2018 by Pax Business Resources, LLC, 6200 N Oracle Rd #276, Tucson, AZ  85704, 520-444-2519

The PBR1000 June 2018 Stocks & Commodities Snapshots

June 2018: Stocks End First Half With Mixed Results

An emotional month in many ways, ending with a close mixed result between the Stock Market Bull and Stock Market Bear. The stage is set for the start of the 2nd half of 2018.

 

By Larry C. Paxton

Throughout June there were a lot of emotional ups and downs as trade wars continue to threaten the world economic order. But that was countered by a US economy that continues to show resilience and robustness, especially in the areas of jobs and manufacturing.  At the end of the month the NASDAQ had 6 record days and was up nicely. The DJIA was down a little, the S&P500 countered by being up a little. Surprisingly, US stock exchanges volatility continued to be relatively low. Overall the Stock Market Bull barely edged out the Stock Market Bear with  2 major US stock exchanges up and 1 down for the first mixed monthly result of the year. The record year-to-date is the Stock Market Bull ahead 3 months to the Stock Market Bear’s 2 months, with June being a mixed result.

The June 2018 US Major Stock Market Exchanges Summary

Number of Trading Days: 21

Number of Gain(+)/Loss(-) Days: DJIA 10+/11-; NASDAQ 13+/8-; SPX 13+/8-.

Record Days: DJIA 0, NASDAQ 6, SPX 0

Longest Gain Streak(Consecutive Days): DJIA 4 days(06/06-11/18), NASDAQ 4 days(06/01-06/18), SPX 4 days(06/01-06/18)

Longest Loss Streak(Consecutive Days): DJIA 8 days(06/12-21/18), NASDAQ 3 days(06/21-25/18), SPX 3 days(06/15-19/18)

Big Swing Up Days(>1.00%): 2 days(06/01/18(NS), 06/06/18(D))

Big Swing Down Days(<-1.00%): 3 days(06/19/18(D), 06/25/18(DNS), 06/27/18(N))

The PBR1000 June 2018 Snapshots

The following are Top 5 partial tables excerpts from The PBR1000 June 2018 Snapshots. The price for stocks is for the close of trading on June 29, Month % Chg is compared to May 31YTD % Chg is compared to December 29, 2017, and the 18 Months % Chg is compared to December 30, 2016. The PBR Rank is by annual revenues.

To get the complete The PBR1000 Snapshots  just click here to get your 2 month or significantly discounted 12 month subscription and automatically download the June 2018 edition with the complete 15 Snapshots and 25 rankings and the bonus The PBRMarketTools US Monthly Indices Snapshots.

Table 1(S11): The PBR1000 Top 5 Month Stock Price % Gainers

Table 1 Summary: The range was +250% to -28%532 out of 1,000 stocks were up 0% or more. The average was a gain of 0.5%, the median was a gain of 0.4%.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Price
06/29/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
18 Mos
% Chg
Cenveo
927 CVOVQ 0.07 +250 -92 -99
Fred’s
893 FRED 2.28 +62 -44 -88
Rent-A-Center
749 RCII 14.72 +55 +33 +31
Endo Intl
643 ENDP 9.43 +50 +22 -43
RH
795 RH 139.70 +43 +62 +355

Table 2(S12): The PBR1000 Top 5 Year-To-Date Stock Price % Gainers

Table 2 Summary: The range was +285% to -92%473 out of 1,000 stocks were up 0% or more. The average was a gain of 0.5%, the median was a loss of 1.1%.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Price
06/29/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
18 Mos
% Chg
BlueLinx
885 BXC 37.53 -7 +285 +402
Fossil
732 FOSL 26.87 +23 +246 +4
Genesis Healthcare 484 GEN 2.29 +9 +201 -46
Weight Watchers
976 WTW 101.10 +34 +128 +783
Tenet Healthcare  141 THC 33.57 -5 +121 +126

Table 3(S13): The PBR1000 Top 5 18 Months Stock Price % Gainers

Table 3 Summary: The range was +783% to -89%647 out of 1,000 stocks were up 0% or more. The average was a gain of 19.7%. The median was a gain of 11.3%.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Price
06/29/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
18 Mos
% Chg
Weight Watchers 976 WTW 101.10 +34 +128 +783
BlueLinx
885 BXC 37.53 -7 +285 +402
RH 795 RH
139.70 +43 +62 +355
Square 835 SQ 61.64 +6 +78 +352
Systemax 982 SYX 34,33 +4 +3 +291

Table 4(S15): The PBR1000 Top 5 Market Capitalization

Table 4 Summary: The range was $910 billion to $0.01 billion. The average is $26.2 billionmedian is $8.2 billion, out of 1,000 companies.

Company PBR
Rank
Symbol Market Cap($B)
06/29/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
18 Mos
% Chg
Apple
4 AAPL 910 -1 +4 +47
Amazon
8 AMZN 824 +5 +48 +131
Alphabet
21 GOOG 780 +5 +7 +47
Microsoft 31 MSFT 758 -0 +15 +57
Facebook 69 FB 563 +4 +10 +70
The PBR1000
  26,208 +0 +1 +20

Table 5: The PBR1000 Index & Primary US Stock Exchanges/Commodities

Company Price
06/29/18
Mo
% Chg
YTD
% Chg
18 Mos
% Chg
The PBR1000 86,409.65 +0.5 +0.4 +19.7
DJIA 24,271.41 -0.6 -1.8 +22.8
NASDAQ 7,510.30 +0.9 +8.8 +39.5
S&P500 2,718.37 +0.5 +1.7 +21.4
GOLD 1,254.50 -3.9 -3.9 +8.9
SILVER 16.20 -1.6 -4.6 +1.3
OIL            74.15 +10.6 +23.4 +38.0

Have questions on The PBR1000 or The PBR US Economic Indices Monthly Snapshots? Please contact us at Sales@PBRMarketTools.com or call us in the US at 520-444-2519.

Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter at @ThePBR1000.

(The PBR1000 provides astute investors and business professionals with the data, news, and analysis for taking higher probability of success actionsThe PBR1000 covers over 1,000 of the largest publicly held companies with principle or administrative headquarters in the US. These companies generate $13 trillion in annual worldwide revenues, more than all other companies in the US combined. These are the key drivers in the US and world economies. On a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis several analytical reports in customizable Microsoft Excel format are provided to Subscribers of The PBR1000Subscribers include C-level executives, entrepreneurs, sales/marketing/advertising professionals, investors/investment advisers, business professors/students, career counselors/job seekers, to name just a few. To order your monthly or significantly discounted annual subscription, just click here to go to the PBRMarketTools.com Order page.)

(Image courtesy of Pixabay.com.)

Copyright © 2018 by Pax Business Resources, LLC, 6200 N Oracle Rd #276, Tucson, AZ  85704, 520-444-2519

The PBR1000 June 2018 Breaking News Recap

The PBR1000 June 2018 Breaking News Items

The international community asks, “What is US President Trump going to do next?”

Here are The PBR1000 corporate and economic related breaking news items of interest with hotlinks to the sources for June 2018, starting with the last active business day.

***Friday, June 29:

The PBRMarketTools US Stock Exchanges Recap for the Week Ending 06/29/18:

Week/Month/Quarter/Half Year Summary: International trade issues again dominated the news for the week, economic results were still good but mixed, so the Stock Market Bear gouged out the Stock Market Bull for a second week in a row win. Week 26 ends with the Stock Market Bear holding a slim 12 to 11 weeks lead with 3 weeks being mixed results. The month of June 2018 ends mixed with a slight edge to the Stock Market Bull winning 2-1, who retains a 3 months to 2 months lead, with 1 month now mixed. The 2nd Quarter belongs to the Stock Market Bull, following a 1st Quarter mixed result. The first half of the year and YTD is also a mixed result, with the Stock Market Bull having a 2-1 lead. The DJIA is clearly the exchange that has had the most struggles so far. With US elections coming up the 2nd Half should provide an interesting show and test for investors and stock exchanges worldwide.

DJIA ends the week and month at 24,271.41, -1.26% from last Friday, -0.59% MTD, +0.70 QTD, -1.81% YTD, -8.81% from record 26,616.71 set 01/26/18.

NASDAQ ends the week and month at 7,510.30, -2.37% from last Friday, +0.92% MTD, +6.33% QTD, +8.79% YTD, -3.49% from record 7,781.52 set 06/20/18.

SPX ends the week and month at 2,718.37, -1.33% from last Friday, +0.48% MTD, +2.93% QTD, +1.67% YTD, -5.38% from record 2,872.87 set 01/26/18.

Not a full subscriber to the monthly The PBR1000 Snapshots or The PBRMarketTools US Economic Indices Snapshots? Click here!

Citigroup(PBR32)’s Citibank NA unit settles with US Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, agrees to pay $335 million for failing to reevaluate and reduce the annual percentage rates (APRs) for approximately 1.75 million consumer credit card accounts consistent with regulatory requirements. $C PR link.

DowDuPont(PBR45) names new members of Agriculture, Materials Science, and Specialty Products Divisions’ Advisory Committees, part of preparation to form 3 separate public companies. $DWDP PR link.

Archer-Daniels-Midland(PBR47) to acquire UKbased probiotic supplements for human, pet, and production-animal use provider Probiotics International for $245 million cash, to close in 3Q18. $ADM PR link.

AbbVie(PBR103 $ABBV) gets US District Court ruling that it used sham litigation to illegally maintain its monopoly over the testosterone replacement drug Androgel, ordered to pay $448 million in monetary relief to consumers who were overcharged for Androgel as a result. USFTC PR link.

Qualcomm(PBR126) extends $127.50/share tender offer for acquisition of NXP Semiconductors(NASDAQ: NXPI) to 07/06/18 5PM Eastern, 5.3% of the outstanding NXP common shares have been validly tendered. $QCOM PR link.

Newell Brands(PBR195) completes $2.2 billion sale of its Covington, KY, based global consumer and commercial package manufacturing business The Waddington Group to Novolex Holdings; also completes $395 million sale of its Rawlings Sporting Goods Co, a leading manufacturer and marketer of sporting goods, including the Official Ball of Major League Baseball, with $330 million in revenues in 2017, to a fund managed by Seidler Equity Partners, with Major League Baseballco-investing. $NWL PR link.

DISH(PBR200) and latino market provider Univision Communications unable to come to agreement on new contract, preparing for Univision to block DISH customers. $DISH PR link.

Tesla(PBR252 $TSLA) hits 8 year mark as a public company, nearly 2,000% increase in share price but no profit yet, experts weigh in. CNBC PR link.

Steel Dynamics(PBR303) completes $400 million acquisition of Terre Haute, IN, based high margin flat roll steel pocessor Companhia Siderurgica Nacional(“Heartland”), will expand annual flat roll steel shipping capacity to 8.4 million tons and total shipping capability to 12.4 million tons. $STLD PR link.

Dr Pepper Snapple(PBR405) shareholders approve merger with Keurig Green Mountain, DPS shareholders to receive $103.75/share special cash dividend and retain 13% of the combined company, creates $11 billion/yr company, to be called Keurig Dr Pepper, to close 07/09/18, to trade as NYSE: KDP starting 07/10/18. $DPS PR link.

Hess(PBR481) to sell its 50% joint venture interests in the Utica shale play in eastern Ohioto Ascent Resources – Utica, for $400 million net cash. $HES PR link.

Brunswick(PBR535) to acquire privately held Menomonee Falls, WI, based Power Products – Global Marine & Mobile electrical products business, includes 11 brands, $233 million in annual revenues, for $910 million cash, to close 3Q18. $BC PR link.

Adtalem Education(PBR887) to transfer ownership of 19 locations Carrington College to family-owned San Joaquin Valley College, to close mid fiscal 2019, terms not disclosed. $ATGE PR link.

CNX Resources(PBR959) to sell its Ohio Utica50% joint venture assets to Ascent Resources-Utica, LLC for $400 million net cash, to close 3Q18. $CNX PR link.

Sprint(PBR87) hires Andrew Davies as CFO, effective 07/02/18. $S PR link.

Crown Holdings(PBR326) promotes Hock Huat Goh to President/Asia Pacific Division, effective 08/01/18, succeeds Robert H. Bourque, Jr., who has been promoted to President/Transit Packaging Division. $CCK PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/BEA says US Preliminary May 2018 Total Personal Income Annual Rate is at $17.005 trillion, +0.4% from April 2018, +4.0% from May 2017May 2018 Total Personal Taxes were $2.076 trillion, Personal Outlays $14.448 trillion, Personal Savings $0.482 trillion, Savings Rate 3.2%, Effective Tax Rate 12.2%. USDOC PR link.

The US Dept of Treasury says the US National Debt Held by the Public on 06/28/18 was at $15.445 trillion, by Intragovernmental Holdings$5.684 trillion, Total National Debt is at $21.129 trillion, -0.1% from 05/31/18, +3.1% YTD, +6.5% from 06/30/17USTreasury PR link.

The US Dept of Treasury says US 10 Year Treasury Note Yield on 06/29/18 was 2.85%, 05/31/18 was 2.83%, 04/30/18 2.95%, 06/30/172.31%. USTreasury PR link.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago says the Midwest Preliminary May 2018 Economy Index(>0=above average growth) is at +0.51, April 2018 was +0.55. ChiFed PR link.

The MNI June 2018 Chicago Business Barometer is at 64.1, May 2018 was 62.7, April 2018 57.6, June 2017 65.7. MNI/ISM-Chicago PR link.

The American Automobile Assn says the US Average Price Per Gallon of Regular Gas on 06/29/18 was at $2.853, -3.6% from 05/31/18, +27.4% from 06/30/18AAA PR link.

The U of Michigan US Final June 2018 Consumer Sentiment Index is at 98.2, indicates persistent strength due to continued favorable assessments of jobs and incomes, May 2018was 98.0, April 2018 98.8, June 2017 95.0. UMichigan PR link.

***Thursday, June 28:

The Federal Reserve Board releases results of review of capital plans of major US financial institutions. Many respond by increasing dividends and authorizing share repurchase programs. The following are some of those share repurchases up to amounts over the next 4 quarters:

Bank of America(PBR24 $BAC), $20.6 billion
JPMorgan Chase(PBR26 $JPM), $20.7 billion
Wells Fargo(PBR27 $WFC), $24.5 billion
Citigroup(PBR32 $C), $17.6 billion
American Express(PBR80 $AXP), $3.4 billion
Capital One(PBR116 $COF), $1.2 billion
US Bancorp(PBR117 $USB), $3.0 billion
Bank of NY Mellon(PBR179 $BK), $2.4 billion
PNC Financial(PBR189 $PNC), $2.0 billion
BB&T(PBR242 $BBT), $1.7 billion
Discover(PBR255 $DFS), $1.85 billion
State Street(PBR260 $STT), $1.2 billion
Ally(PBR292 $ALLY), $1.0 billion
SunTrust(PBR307 $STI), $2.0 billion
Fifth Third(PBR359 $FITB), $1.651 billion
KeyCorp(PBR399 $KEY), $1.225 billion
Citizens Financial(PBR419 $CFG), $1.02 billion
Regions Financial(PBR450 $RF), $2.031 billion
M&T Bank(PBR452 $MTB), $1.8 billion
Northern Trust(PBR467 $NTRS), $1.0 billion
Huntington(PBR643 $HBAN), $1.068 billion

The following financial institutions receive a conditional non-objection to capital plans, must maintain current capital distribution levels, amounts are share repurchases program up to amounts authorized over the next 4 quarters:

Morgan Stanley(PBR63 $MS), $4.7 billion
Goldman Sachs(PBR88 $GS), $5 billion

The Federal Reserve Board Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review (CCAR)associated document. USFed PR link.

ExxonMobil(PBR2) completes acquisition of Indonesia based motorcycle lubricants manufacturer & marketer PT Federal Karyatama, includes the Federal Oil brand and a 700,000 barrel per year blending plant in Cilegon, Indonesia, terms not disclosed. $XOM PR link.

Amazon(PBR8) to acquire online pharmacy PillPack, offers pre-sorted doses of medications and home delivery services, to close 2H18, terms not disclosed. $AMZN PR link.

Amazon(PBR8) introduces Fire HD 10 Kids Edition, includes parental controls, $199.99. $AMZN PR link.

Amazon(PBR8) launches its Back to Schooland Off to College stores for parents, students, and educators. $AMZN PR link.

Kroger(PBR17) and Nuro, maker of the world’s first fully unmanned road vehicle, to pilot autonomous delivery starting in the fall, markets not announced. $KR PR link.

Walgreens Boots Alliance(PBR19) authorizes up to $10 billion share repurchase program, no expiration date. $WBA PR link.

Facebook(PBR69) announces new level of transparency for ads and pages. $FB PR link.

21st Century Fox(PBR102) sets 07/27/18 for rescheduled special meeting for vote on merger agreement with Walt Disney(PBR53)$FOX PR link.

Thermo-Fisher Scientific(PBR139) to acquire manufacturer of instrumentation and software used to enhance and extend the operation and performance of electron microscopes Gatan, a wholly owned subsidiary of Roper Technologies(PBR531), for $925 million cash, to close by end of 2018. $TMO PR link.

SYNNEX(PBR166) to acquire Convergys(PBR725) for $26.50/share stock/cash, $2.43 billion, integrate it with Concentrix, a wholly-owned subsidiary and global provider of customer engagement CRM BPO services, to close by end of 2018. $SNX PR link.

Sempra Energy(PBR263), after strategic portfolio review, plans to sell off US solar, wind, and certain midstream assets. $SRE PR link.

Genworth Financial(PBR337) and China Oceanwide extend merger agreement deadline to 08/15/18, awaiting regulatory approvals and working on agreement modifications. $GNW PR link.

Navient(PBR443) gets lawsuit from State of California regarding student loan issues, CEO says allegations unfounded, another attempt to blame a single servicer for the failures of the higher education system and the federal student loan program. $NAVI PR link.

AMC Entertainment(PBR503) Stubs loyalty program grows over 600% over 2 years to over 15 million household members. $AMC PR link.

RPM Intl(PBR511) announces agreement with investor Elliott Management on new initiatives, adds 2 members to the Board. $RPM PR link.

Caesars Entertainment(PBR518) gets final regulatory approvals to acquire Centaur Holdings for $1.7 billion, includes Hoosier Park Racing and Casino in Anderson, IN, and the Indiana Grand Racing and Casino in Shelbyville, IN, deal to close mid 07/18. $CZR PR link.

Twitter(PBR790) CEO Jack Dorsey tweets about reorganizing into groups to work better together over the next decade. $TWTR PR link.

TEGNA(PBR873) launches brand DEALBOSS, a new commerce franchise available across its local stations’ digital and social platforms and on-air in select markets. $TGNA PR link.

HNI Corp(PBR835) President Jeffrey D. Lorenger now CEO as planned, succeeds Stan A. Askren who remains Chairman until he retires by end of 2018. $HNI PR link.

Anthem(PBR30) hires Prakash Patel, MD, as EVP and President/Diversified Business Group, effective 08/06/18. $ANTM PR link.

Starbucks(PBR125) EVP/CFO Scott Maw to retire on 11/30/18, serve as senior advisor afterwards until 03/31/19, external search for new CFO starts. $SBUX PR link.

VISA(PBR154) hires Jennifer Grant as EVP/Chief Human Resources Officer effective in 08/18. $V PR link.

Air Products(PBR340) EVP/Chief Human Resources Officer Jennifer L. Grant departing on 07/20/18 for another opportunity, Victoria Brifo promoted to SVP/Chief Human Resources Officer, effective immediately. $APD PR link.

Kennametal(PBR854) Executive Chairman Ronald De Feo to retire on 07/01/18, remains on Board into 10/18, Lawrence W. Stranghoener to become new Chairman. $KMT PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce says US 1Q18 3rd Estimate Gross Domestic Product Annual Growth Rate was at +2.0%, $19.960 trillion, +1.0% from 4Q17, +4.7% from 1Q17USDOC PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US Initial Unemployment Insurance Claims for the Week Ending 06/23/18 were at 227,000, the 4 Week Moving Average was at 222,000, -0.1% from 05/26/18, -8.4% from 06/29/17Total Insured Unemployment 4 Week Average for Week Ending 06/16/18 was at 1,719,500, Insured Unemployment Rate at 1.1%. USDOL PR link.

FreddieMac(PBR38) says US 30 Year Fixed Mortgage Rate Weekly Average for Week Ending on 06/28/18 was at 4.55% with 0.5 fees & points, 05/31/18 was at 4.56%, 04/26/184.58%, 06/29/17 3.88%. USDOL PR link.

***Wednesday, June 27:

Amazon(PBR8) launches its Back to Schooland Off to College online stores for parents, students, and educators. $AMZN PR link.

Ford(PBR10) and China based digital technologies provider Baidu sign Letter of Intent to jointly explore areas of cooperation in connectivity, artificial intelligence (AI) and digital marketing to Chinese consumers. $F PR link.

Kroger(PBR17) to locate new Digital Headquarters in downtown Cincinnati, will initially have 600 digital associates, expand to 1,000 by 2020. $KR PR link.

Walt Disney(PBR53) gets clearance from US Dept of Justice for $71.3 billion acquisition of 21st Century Fox(PBR102), requires the sale of the Fox Sports Regional Networks, transaction subject to additional regulatory agencies and approval by shareholders of both companies. $DIS PR link.

Molina Healthcare(PBR147) to sell its wholly owned subsidiary, Molina Medicaid Solutions (MMS), a Medicaid management information systems (MMIS) business, to DXC Technology(PBR115) for $220 million, to close 3Q18. $MOH PR link.

ONEOK(PBR241) to expand its natural gas pipeline infrastructure in the Permian Basin and Oklahoma by up to a total of 1.7 billion cubic feet per day(Bcf/d). $OKE PR link.

Conagra Brands(PBR352) to acquire $3+ billion/year frozen, refrigerated and shelf-stable food products provider Pinnacle Foods(PBR685) for $68/share, $10.9 billion cash/stock, includes net debt, to close by 2018 year end. $CAG PR link.

Avon Products(PBR468) accelerates digital transformation plans to become fast-beauty brand through its 6 million new Global Sales Team, mobile-enabled shoppable brochure live in 12 countries, attracts 500,000 users in first 48 hours. $AVP PR link.

Brookdale Senior Living(PBR523) and Welltower(PBR559) enter into mutually-beneficial REIT agreements. $BKD PR link.

Chipotle(PBR538) starting new initiatives across marketing, digital, consumer access, menu, analytics, and operations, restructuring to include consolidating offices, closing some underperforming locations, launching new loyalty program in 2019. $CMG PR link.

Sabre Corp(PBR625) integrates Booking(PBR225) listings into its industry-first Content Services for Lodging platform. $SABR PR link.

Qualcomm(PBR126) appoints Mark Fields, former President/CEO of Ford(PBR10), and Kornelis Smit, Vice Chairman of Comcast(PBR33), to the Board. $QCOM PR link.

The US Energy Information Administrationsays US Crude Oil Stockpiles on 06/22/18were at 416.6 millions of barrels, -4.1% from 05/25/18, -18.2% from 06/23/17EIA PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce says US Preliminary 1Q18 Net Investment Positionwas US Assets $27,6 trillion, US Liabilities$35.5 trillion, Balance Deficit $7.9 trillion, 4Q17 Deficit was $7.7 trillion, 1Q17 Deficit $8.0 trillion. USDOC PR link.

***Tuesday, June 26:

Amazon(PBR8) launches support for Arabiclanguage books on Kindle, initially has over 12,000 titles, available for authors to publish Arabic language titles. $AMZN PR link.

GE(PBR18) announces strategic review results, will focus on Aviation, Power and Renewable Energy units, spin-off Healthcare unit as a standalone company, fully separate the Baker Hughes unit, reduce debt by $25 billion. $GE PR link.

American Express(PBR80) to launch a new cobranded Amazon(PBR8) credit card for small businesses in the US, part of a larger multi-year partnership. $AXP PR link.

Starbucks(PBR125) to expand Teavana into $1.2 billion packaged tea category at US grocery stores. $SBUX PR link.

VISA(PBR154) deposits $600 million into the litigation escrow account, says it has same effect as a share repurchase program. $V PR link.

Owens Corning(PBR425) enters into a Strategic Cooperation and Supply Agreementwith Chongqing Polycomp International Corpfor joint investment in technology, and construction and operation by CPIC of a new facility manufacturing high-modulus glass fiber products in China, primarily for use in wind blades, capacity to produce 110,000 metric tons of product/year. $OC PR link.

SAIC(PBR541) promotes Christopher Donaghey to SVP/Corporate Development. $SAIC PR link.

Lockheed(PBR57) elects Vicki Hollub, President/CEO of Occidental Petroleum(PBR217), to the Board. $LMT PR link.

The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller US Preliminary April 2018 National Home Price Index(01/2000=100) is at 200.86, March 2018was 198.86, February 2018 197.24, April 2017188.76. Case-Shiller PR link.

The Conference Board says the US Preliminary June 2018 Consumer Confidence Index(1985=100) is at 126.4, May 2018 was 128.8, April 2018 125.6, June 2017 117.3. TCB PR link.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond says the US Fifth District June 2018 Manufacturing Index is at +20%, May 2018 was +16%, April 2018 -3%, June 2017 +11%. RichmondFed Mfg Index PR link.. The US Fifth District June 2018 Service Sector Revenue Index is at +21%, May 2018 was +11%, April 2018 +2%, June 2017+19%. RichmondFed Svc Sector Rev Index PR link.

ManpowerGroup(PBR138) 2018 US Talent Shortage Survey indicates high talent shortages, low unemployment and increasing demand for hard and soft skills. $MAN PR link.

***Monday, June 25:

Amazon(PBR8) Prime member savings will be available in all Whole Foods Market and Whole Foods Market 365 stores nationwide beginning 06/27/18. $AMZN PR link.

AT&T(9) to acquire AppNexus, a technology company that operates a leading global advertising marketplace and provides enterprise products for digital advertising, to close 3Q18, terms not disclosed. $T PR link.

Chevron(PBR13), BP, ConocoPhillips(PBR53), ExxonMobil(PBR2) and Royal Dutch Shellmotion to dismiss climate change lawsuit by cities of San Francisco and Oakland gets granted in N District of California Court$CVX PR link.

GE(PBR18) to sell Distributed Power business, a unit of GE Power, did $1.3+ billion in sales in 2017, to global private equity investor Advent International for $3.25 billion,to close 4Q18. $GE PR link.

Boeing(PBR29) gets $5.6 billion commitment for 20 787-9 Dreamliners from Vietnam based Bamboo Airways, to be delivered from 04/20 into 2021. $BA PR link.

MetLife(PBR46) sued by State of Massachusetts for pension non-payments. $MET PR link.

Lockheed(PBR57) gets $1.12 billion order for 16 F-16 Block 70 aircraft from US governmentfor Royal Bahraini Air Force, to be built in Greenville, SC, to create 150-200 jobs. $LMT PR link.

American Express(PBR80) gets US Supreme Court decision, says antisteering provisions in its merchant contracts—which prohibit merchants from avoiding fees by discouraging customers’ American Express card use at the point of sale—do not violate federal antitrust law. $AXP PR link.

Kinder Morgan(PBR215), EagleClaw Midstream and Apache to do joint $2 billion development of 430 mile, 42 inch pipeline for up to 2 billion cubic feet/day natural gas from Permian Basin, to be in service by late 2020. $KM PR link.

Xerox(PBR282) CEO responds to $1 billion lawsuit filed by FujiFilm regarding terminated merger agreement, says internal accounting issues at Fuji Xerox were a result of FujiFilm’s mismanagement, which made it impossible to close the transaction. $XRX PR link.

CMS Energy(PBR414) to add 2 wind energy parks to its portfolio, up to 150 MW 75 wind turbines Gratiot Farms Wind Project(MI) and up to 105 MW 10,000 acre Northwest Ohio Wind Project$CMS PR link.

Harley-Davidson(PBR470) says new tariffs from 6% to 31% from European Union is forcing it to shift production there, will take 9-18 months to gear up. $HOG PR link.

Brunswick(PBR535) ends sale process of Sea Ray business, to refocus Sea Ray on the sport boat and cruiser product portfolio, discontinue Sea Ray sport yacht and yacht models. $BC PR link.

Maximus(PBR789) expands share repurchase program to up to $200 million. $MMS PR link.

Hain Celestial(PBR717)Chairman/President/CEO/Founder Irwin D Simon to become Non-Executive Chairman upon appointment of new president/CEO, search firm retained. $HAIN PR link.

Marathon Oil(PBR551) promotes Zach Dailey to Advisor to the President/CEO Lee Tillman, effective 07/09/18. $MRO PR link.

Granite Construction(PBR701) VP/Corporate Finance and Treasurer Jigisha Desai promoted to SVP/CFO, effective 07/09/18, succeeds retiring Laurel J. Krzeminski. $GVA PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/HUD says US Preliminary May 2018 New Family Homes Sold Annual Rate was 689,000, +6.7% from April 2018, +14.1% from May 2017May 2018 Median Price was $313,000, -1.7% from April 2018, -3.3% from May 2017May 2018 Supplyis at 5.2 months. USDOC PR link.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago says the US Preliminary May 2018 Current National Activity Index is at -0.15, April 2018 was +0.42, March 2018 +0.26, May 2017 -0.19. ChiFed PR link.

***Friday, June 22:

The PBRMarketTools US Stock Exchanges Recap for the Week Ending 06/22/18:

The threat of escalated global trade wars and continued controversial US illegal immigration issues overwhelmed mixed economic news, the announcement of the US Space Force as a new military organization, OPEC increasing production of oil, and the NASDAQ setting a new record midweek. It was an easy win for the Stock Market Bear who viciously smacked down the Stock Market Bull for the week. With one week left in the first half of 2018, they are now tied YTD at 11 weekly wins each with 3 mixed results weeks.

DJIA ends the week at 24,580.89, -2.03% from last Friday, +0.68% MTD, +1.98 QTD, -0.56% YTD, -7.65% from record 26,616.71 set 01/26/18.

NASDAQ ends the week at 7,692.82, -0.69% from last Friday, +3.37% MTD, +8.91% QTD, +11.44% YTD, -1.14% from record 7,781.52 set 06/20/18.

SPX ends the week at 2,754.88, -0.89% from last Friday, +1.83% MTD, +4.32% QTD, +3.04% YTD, -4.11% from record 2,872.87 set 01/26/18.

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Amazon(PBR8) to open first fulfillment center in Alabama, in city of Bessemer, 855,000+ sf facility, will create 1,500+ fulltime jobs. $AMZN PR link.

Kroger(PBR17) completes acquisition of Chicago, IL, based 1,000 employees $250 million in profitable sales in 2017 largest US private meal kit company Home Chef for $200 million plus up to $500 million based on milestones achieved over next 5 years. $KR PR link.

UPS(PBR41) and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters do handshake on five-year agreement, covers 11,000 Teamsters-represented UPS employees in small package roles, to go into effect on 08/01/18 if ratified by members. $UPS PR link.

Eli Lilly(PBR122) completes $50.00/share, $1.6 billion cash acquisition of ARMO BioSciences(NASDAQ: ARMO), a late-stage immuno-oncology developer of a pipeline of proprietary product candidates that activate the immune system of cancer patients to recognize and eradicate tumors. $LLY PR link.

Qualcomm(PBR126) extends $127.50/share tender offer for acquisition of NXP Semiconductors(NASDAQ: NXPI) to 06/29/18 5PM Eastern, 4.8% of the outstanding NXP common shares have been validly tendered. $QCOM PR link.

Liberty Media(PBR367) withdraws proposal to acquire iHeartMedia(PBR441), results below expectations, open to future discussions. $FWONA PR link.

TravelCenters(PBR451) renewing its efforts to grow and expand the TA franchise network, launches new TA Express concept. $TA PR link.

Middleby(PBR806) completes $1.0 billion acquisition of global beverage solutions, soft serve and ice cream dispensing equipment, frozen drink machines, and automated double-sided grills developer $315 million in sales in 2017 the Taylor Company from UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies(PBR40)$MIDD PR link.

Adtalem Education(PBR887)’s Ross University School of Medicine celebrates its 40-year Anniversary on 06/23/18, has over 14,000 alumni. $ATGE PR link.

Netflix(PBR253 $NFLX) top communications executive Jonathan Friedland let go for “insensitive” remarks he made to his team. Hollywood Reporter PR link.

Owens & Minor(PBR308) hires Timothy P. Connolly as EVP/Operations & Supply Chain-Global Solutions. $OMI PR link.

Meritor(PBR659) promotes John Bennett to the newly created role of VP/Chief Technology Officer. $MTOR PR link.

***Thursday, June 21:

AT&T(9) to transfer data center colocation operations and assets to Brookfield Infrastructure in new strategic alliance, will become an active sales channel for the business, be the anchor tenant of the colocation operations, will receive $1.1 billion, to close in 6-8 months. $T PR link.

Medtronic(BR96) gets US FDA approval for use of the MiniMed(TM) 670G basal insulin delivery system in patients with type 1 diabetes seven years of age and older. $MDT PR link.

Dollar General(PBR119) expects to create 7,000 new jobs in FY 2018, recruiting management candidates. $DG PR link.

PayPal(PBR219) to acquire Simility for $120 million cash to expand global fraud prevention and risk management capabilities for merchants. $PYPL PR link.

Ball Corp(PBR268) to sell its 1,300 employees US steel food and aerosol packaging manufacturing assets to new joint venture called Ball Metalpack in partnership with private equity firm Platinum Equity for $675 million, will retain 49% ownership, to close in 07/18. $BLL PR link.

Darden Restaurants(PBR385) authorizes new $500 million share repurchase program, replaces existing program. $DRI PR link.

AmTrust Financial(PBR455) stockholders approve $14.75/share cash acquisition for 45% stake not owned by the Evergreen Parent made up of Stone Capital and the Karfunkel- Zyzskind Family, represents $2.95 billion total equity value, to close 2H18. $AFSI PR link.

AMC Entertainment(PBR503) completes sale and leaseback of a theatre for $53 million, part of plan to monetize non-essential assets. $AMC PR link.

Wayfair(PBR524) says today’s US Supreme Court decision allowing states to collect e-commerce retail sales taxes provides clarity, already collects taxes on 80% of transactions, sees little impact on its business. $W PR link.

KKR(PBR669) to own 49.99% stake in soon to be SFR TowerCo, with 10,198 telecommunications towers, the largest such firm in France, in exclusive agreement with Altice France, will have enterprise value of around $4.3 billion. $KKR PR link.

Twitter(PBR790) to acquire San Francisco, CA, based technology company Smyte, specializes in safety, spam, and security issues, terms not disclosed. $TWTR PR link.

Verisk Analytics(PBR842) acquires UK based global motor repair and mobility claims management solutions and developer of the leading subrogation portal in the UK Validus-IVC, terms not disclosed. $VRSK PR link.

Intel(PBR44) CEO Brian Krzanich resigns from position and board for violating non-fraternization policy, CFO Bob Swan appointed interim CEO. $INTC PR link.

Frontier Communications(PBR313) EVP/CFO R. Perley McBride to resign, effective 08/31/18, new CFO search starts. $FTR PR link.

Simon Property(PBR474) to promote Brian McDade to EVP/CFO, to succeed Andy Juster, effectove 10/01/18. $SPG PR link.

The US Supreme Court rules 5-4 in S Dakota vs Wayfair(PBR524) that states can charge a tax on e-commerce sales. SCOTUS PR link.

The US Federal Reserve System says results of recent Stress Test show that the 35 largest US bank holding companies are strongly capitalized and would be able to lend to households and businesses during a severe global recessionUSFed PR link.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphiasays the 3rd District June 2018 Manufacturing General Activity Indicator is at 19.9, “… suggests continued expansion of the region’s manufacturing sector,” May 2018 was 34.4, April 2018 23.2, June 2017 26.9. PhillyFed PR link.

The Conference Board says the US Preliminary May 2018 Leading Economic Index(2016=100) is at 109.5, “…still points to solid growth but the current trend, which is moderating, indicates that economic activity is not likely to accelerate.” April 2018 was 109.3, March 2018 108.9. PhillyFed PR link.

***Wednesday, June 20:

ExxonMobil(PBR2) made its eighth oil discovery offshore Guyana at the Longtail-1 well, encountered approximately 256 feet of high-quality, oil-bearing sandstone reservoir, close to Turbot discovery, 500+ million barrels of oil equivalent combined. $XOM PR link.

Amazon(PBR8), Berkshire Hathaway(PBR3) and JPMorgan Chase(PBR26) hire Dr. Atul Gawande as the CEO of their partnership on US employee healthcare, effective 07/09/18, will be headquartered in Boston, operate as an independent entity free from profit-making incentives and constraints. $AMZN PR link.

Microsoft(PBR31) to deliver intelligent cloud from Norway datacenters in strategic partnership with Equinor$MSFT PR link.

Microsoft(PBR31 $MSFT) to acquire San Francisco, CA, based machine learning startup Bonsai, fueling AI efforts. GeekWire PR link.

Walt Disney(PBR53) signs an amended acquisition agreement with 21st Century Fox(PBR102) for $38 per share in cash/stock(previous offer was $28/share), totals $71.3 billion. with Disney acquiring 21st Century Fox immediately following the spin-off of the businesses comprising “New Fox”$DIS PR link.

HP Inc(PBR56) increases share repurchase program by $4 billion, had $1.2 billion available at end of 04/18. $HPQ PR link.

CBRE(PBR204) to acquire a majority interest in Israel based 750 employees facilities management provider Ramot Group, to close 3Q18, terms not disclosed. $CBRE PR link.

Tesla(PBR252 $TSLA) files suit against former employee alleging they stole company data.MarketWatch PR link.

AMC Entertainment(PBR503) launches new AMC Stubs A-List, 3 movies/week, all formats, food/beverage discounts, for $19.95/month. $AMC PR link.

Cooper-Standard(PBR622) authorizes new $150 million share repurchase program, effective 11/06/18. $CPS PR link.

Scientific Games(PBR689) gets New Mexico Lottery Authority 8 year contract to provide instant products and services, and a two-year loyalty rewards program. $SGMS PR link.

International Paper(PBR130) SVP/Industrial Packaging the Americas Tim Nicholls now SVP/CFO. $IP PR link.

Regis Corp(PBR919) promotes Laura Alexander to SVP/Merchandise. $RGS PR link.

Hillenbrand(PBR937) hires J. Michael Whitted as SVP/Strategy and Corporate Development. $HI PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/BEA says US Preliminary 1Q18 Total Exports Receipts were $913.4 billion, Total Imports Payments were $1,037.5 billion, Total Deficit $124.1 billion, +6.9% from 4Q17, +15.2% from 1Q17USDOC PR link.

The Natl Assn of Realtors says US Preliminary May 2018 Existing Home Sales Annual Rate is at 5,430,000, -0.4% from April 2018, -3.0% from May 2017May 2018 Median Price is at $264,800, +2.7% from April 2018, +4.9% from May 2017NAR PR link.

***Tuesday, June 19:

CVS Health(PBR7) Pharmacy unit now offering next day mailbox delivery from all 9,800 retail locations, same day in some major US cities, first national retailer to offer pharmacy and front store delivery chain-wide. $CVS PR link.

Amazon(PBR8) has over 500,000 residents in apartments using its Hub 24/7 safe storage service for delivery of packages, not limited to just Amazon deliveries, expanding nationwide. $AMZN PR link.

Amazon(PBR8) to open 4th fulfillment center in Michigan, in Gaines Township, 850,000+ sf facility, to provide 1,000+ fulltime jobs. $AMZN PR link.

Amazon(PBR8) announces Alexa for Hospitality, uses Amazon Echo devices in guestrooms, can ask for information, contact guest services, listen to music and more. Marriott International(PBR211) to be first to install at select properties. $AMZN PR link.

Ford(PBR10) and Germany based Volkswagen AG sign Memorandum of Understanding and are exploring a strategic alliance designed to strengthen each company’s competitiveness and better serve customers globally. $F PR link.

Verizon(PBR16 $VZ), AT&T(PBR9 $T), Sprint(PBR87 $S) to stop sharing users’ locations with data brokers. MarketWatch PR link.

Walgreens Boots Alliance(PBR19 $WBA) to become part of DJIA starting 06/26/18, will replace GE(PBR18 $GE)S&P DJI PR link.

UPS(PBR41) to invest $130 million to build an additional five compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations and add more than 700 new CNG vehicles including 400 semi-tractors and 330 terminal trucks. $UPS PR link.

Cisco(PBR60) announces intent to acquire privately-held Burlingame, CA, based cloud-based mobile experience and location services platform provider July Systems, terms not disclosed. $CSCO PR link.

21st Century Fox(PBR102) welcomes announcement by UK Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport that he intends to accept the final undertakings proposed by 21CF and The Walt Disney(PBR53) with a view to clearing 21CF’s proposed acquisition of the remaining shares in Sky on media plurality grounds. The undertakings are now subject to a 15-day public consultation. $FOX PR link.

Raytheon(PBR113) receives US Patent No. 10,000,000, covers a system for obtaining real-time readings on speed and distance from the data stream created by laser radars. $RTN PR link.

Starbucks(PBR125) new strategic plan to focus on accelerating growth in underserved USareas and in China, increase closure of underperforming stores, will net slightly lower stores growth, has added 5 million new digitally registered customers since 04/18, added 2 million active Starbucks Rewards members year-over-year to 15 million, plans to increase shareholder dividends. $SBUX PR link.

PayPal(PBR216) to acquire global payout platform provider Hyperwallet for $400 million cash. $PYPL PR link.

Tesla(PBR252 $TSLA)‘s Chairman/CEO Elon Musk says Germany is leading choice for Europe GigafactoryMarketWatch PR link.

GameStop(PBR310) confirms it is in exploratory discussions with third parties regarding a potential transaction. $GME PR link.

Adobe Systems(PBR377) completes $1.68 billion acquisition of B2C and B2B cloud commerce developer Magento Commerce$ADBE PR link.

Blackstone(PBR386) to acquire Shiller Park, IL, based 9,000 employees across 1,500 venues and 49 branch offices global events provider PSAV, terms not disclosed. $BX PR link.

Ascena Retail(PBR407) launching e-commerce sites for its Ann Taylor Factory and LOFT Outlet apparel units. $ASNA PR link.

Penn Natl Gaming(PBR682) to acquire the operations of Margaritaville Resort Casino in Bossier City, LA, for approximately $115 million cash, to close 2H18. $PENN PR link.

Cincinnati Bell(PBR979) gets final regulatory approval from US Federal Communications Commission for $650 million cash/stock acquisition of Hawaiian Telecom(NASDAQ: HCOM), to close 07/02/18. $CBB PR link.

Mondelez(PBR110) promotes Luca Zaramella to EVP/CFO, effective 08/01/18, succeeds leaving Brian Gladden. $MDLZ PR link.

Celgene(PBR219) promotes Jonathan Biller as EVP/General Counsel, effective 07/03/18, succeeds leaving Gerald F. Masoudi. $CELG PR link.

GoPro(PBR994) appoints Ty Ahmad-Taylor, VP/Product Marketing at Facebook(PBR69), to the Board. $GPRO PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/HUD says US Preliminary May 2018 Private Housing Building Permits Issued Annual Rate was 1,301,000, -4.6% from April 2018, +8.0% from May 2017USDOC PR link.

***Monday, June 18:

Alphabet(PBR21)’s Google Asia unit investing $550 million in JD.com $GOOG PR link.

JPMorgan Chase(PBR26 $JPM) gets a $65 million fine from the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission for manipulating the US Dollar International Swaps and Derivatives Association Fix from 01/2007 through 01/2012.CFTC PR link.

Anthem(PBR30) completes acquisition of largest US non-hospice, community-based palliative care provider Aspire Health, terms not disclosed. $ANTM PR link.

Microsoft(PBR31) acquires video-based social learning in education settings provider Flipgrid, used by 20 million Pre-K to PhD educators, students and families across 180 countries, terms not disclosed. $MSFT PR link.

Johnson & Johnson(PBR36) Vision unit gets US FDA approval for LASIK system iDESIGN Refractive Studio, approved for myopia, hyperopia, and mixed astigmatism, only available LASIK platform indicated for monovision LASIK in presbyopic myopic patients. $JNJ PR link.

Colgate-Palmolive(PBR181) authorizes up to $5 billion share repurchase program, replaces previous $5 billion program authorized in 2015. $CL PR link.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals(PBR325)’s Ortho Dermatologics division gets US FDA Complete Response Letter for DUOBRII™1 (halobetasol propionate and tazarotene) (IDP-118) lotion in the treatment of plaque psoriasis, has questions regarding pharmacokinetic data, a meeting has been requested. $VRX PR link.

Cinemark(PBR700) and Cineworld(LSE: CINE)to acquire remaining units of National CineMedia, LLC currently owned by AMC Entertainment(PBR503 $AMC) for $156.8 million, fulfills AMC’s requirement to sell its interest in NCM in order to acquire Carmike Cinemas$CNK PR link.

Rent-A-Center(PBR745) to be acquired by Vintage Capital for $15.00/share, $1.365 billion cash, to close by 2018 end. $RCII PR link.

Square(PBR832 $SQ) gets NY state license to allow bitcoin trading on its Cash app, now available in 48 states. MarketWatch PR link.

SunPower(PBR878) introduces X-Series residential solar panel, says at 370-watts and 22.7% efficiency, it is the most efficient solar panel available for homes. $SPWR PR link.

The Finish Line(PBR883) $588 million acquisition by European retailer of sports, fashion and outdoor brands JD Sports Fashion Plc (LSE: JD) is completed. $FINL PR link.

BOK Financial(PBR926) to acquire Denverbased with operations in Colorado and Arizona, $3.8 billion in assets CoBiz Financial(NASDAQ:COBZ) for $23.02/share, $977 million stock/cash, to close 4Q18. $BOKF PR link.

Goodyear Tire(PBR184) EVP/CFO Laura K. Thompson to retire in 1Q19 after 35 years with the company, successor search starts. $GT PR link.

Adobe Systems(PBR377) promotes Dana Rao to EVP/General Counsel, succeeds retiring Mike Dillon. $ADBE PR link.

RR Donnelley(PBR394) hires Elif Sagsen-Ercel as Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer. $RRD PR link.

Pitney Bowes(PBR632) EVP/COO Michael Monahan retiring 07/09/18, position will not be filled; EVP/Chief Marketing Officer Abby F. Kohnstamm 07/01/18, Bill Borrelle to become SVP/Chief Marketing Officer. $PBI PR link.

Qorvo(PBR703) hires Paul J. Fego as Corporate VP/Global Operations, effective 07/30/18. $QRVO PR link.

Regis Corp(PBR919) hires Chad Kapadia as EVP/Chief Technology Officer, and Head of Product Engineering. $RGS PR link.

The Natl Assn of Home Builders/Wells Fargo US Preliminary June 2018 Housing Market Composite Index is at 68, May 2018 was 70, April 2018 68, June 2017 66. NAHB PR link.

Investing: Wells Fargo(PBR27) Investment Institute releases Midyear Outlook, says global economic growth is expected to continue into 2019, outlines 3 strategies for investors. $WFC PR link.

Economy: FannieMae(PBR20) June 2018 Economic and Housing Outlook forecasts 2018 annual GDP at 2.7%, 2019 at 2.3%, but concerns over trade tensions and Federal Reserve federal funds interest rate hikes. $FNMA PR link.

***Friday, June 15:

The PBRMarketTools US Stock Exchanges Recap for the Week Ending 06/15/18:

It was a week of drama as US President Trump left the G-7 meeting in a huff, signed an historic agreement in Singapore after meeting with N Korea’s Kim Jong Un, the Federal Reserve raised the federal funds interest rate by 0.25%, and Trump imposed 25% tariffs on $50 billion of Chinese goods. With all that the Stock Market Bull barely won the S&P500 to take 2 out of the 3 major US stock exchanges, which featured the NASDAQ achieving 2 new record days. The Stock Market Bearresponded by overwhelmingly taking the DJIAthe last 4 days in a row. The Stock Market Bullmaintains his narrow lead YTD with wins in 11 weeks, the Stock Market Bear 10 weeks, and 3 mixed results weeks.

DJIA ends the week at 25,090.48, -0.89% from last Friday, +2.76% MTD, +4.10 QTD, +1.50% YTD, -5.73% from record 26,616.71 set 01/26/18.

NASDAQ ends the week at 7,746.38, +1.32% from last Friday, +4.09% MTD, +9.67% QTD, +12.21% YTD, -0.19% from record 7,761.04 set 06/14/18.

SPX ends the week at 2,779.42, +0.01% from last Friday, +2.74% MTD, +5.25% QTD, +3.96% YTD, -3.25% from record 2,872.87 set 01/26/18.

To get all 15 of the full The PBR1000 Snapshots Click here!

Apple(PBR4) announces multi-year contract with producer, actress, talk show host, philanthropist and CEO of OWN Oprah Winfrey, together will create original programs for global distribution. $AAPL PR link.

AT&T(PBR9 $T)‘s newly acquired Time Warnerunit to be renamed WarnerMedia, execs departing according to internal memo. MarketWatch PR link.

Wells Fargo(PBR27) gets N California US District Court approval for $142 million settlement agreement for past improper retail sales practices. $WFC PR link.

Comcast(PBR33 $CMCSA) gets European Commission unconditional approval for $30 billion acquisition of UK’s Sky plcEuropean Commission PR link.

Medtronic(PBR96) gets US FDA approval for 200mm and 250mm lengths of the IN.PACT(TM) Admiral(TM) Drug-Coated Balloon (DCB) to treat long superficial femoral artery (SFA) lesions in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD). $MDT PR link.

Qualcomm(PBR126) extends $127.50/share tender offer for acquisition of NXP Semiconductors(NASDAQ: NXPI) to 06/22/18 5PM Eastern, 4.7% of the outstanding NXP common shares have been validly tendered. $QCOM PR link.

Kellogg(PBR222) voluntarily recalls certain code dates for Honey Smacks cereal due to possible presence of Salmonella. $K PR link.

BorgWarner(PBR293) to restate financials for past few years due to re-evaluation of its accounting for liabilities relating to estimated value of incurred but not reported asbestos-related claims and their associated defense costs. $BWA PR link.

NVIDIA(PBR298 $NVDA) to be added to the S&P100 list on 06/20/18, will replace Time Warner which has been acquired by AT&T(9)S&P Dow Jones PR link.

Tutor Perini(PBR522) and joint venture partners Frontier-Kemper receive Notice of Intent to award a $410 million contract from the Los Angeles Metro Transportation Authority for the Purple Line Extension Section 3 Tunnels Project for future Purple Line subway service spanning approximately 2.6 miles between Century City and the VA Hospital in Westwood, currently working on the Purple Line Extension Section 2 Project. $TPC PR link.

Annaly Capital(PBR779) extends exchange offer of $19.65/share cash and stock, $900 million, to acquire MTGE Investment Corp(Nasdaq:MTGE), new date is 07/18/18, 5:00PM Eastern time, allows for additional approvals by regulators. $NLY PR link.

Deckers Outdoor(PBR872) SVP/Corporate Strategy, Planning & Investor Relations Steve Fasching to become CFO effective 07/16/18, to succeed Tom George. $DECK PR link.

Titan Intl(PBR957) hires David A. Martin as SVP/CFO, interim CFO Amy Evans remains VP/Chief Accounting Officer. $TWI PR link.

The Federal Reserve System says US Preliminary May 2018 Industrial Production Index(2012=100) is at 107.3, April 2018 was 107.4, March 2018 106.4, May 2017 105.1. USFed PR link.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York says the Empire State June 2018 Manufacturing General Business Conditions Index is at 25.0, May 2018 was 20.1, April 2018 15.8, May 201718.1. NYFed PR link.

The U of Michigan US Preliminary June 2018 Consumer Sentiment Index is at 99.3, May 2018 was 98.0, April 2018 98.8, June 201795.1. UMichigan PR link.

***Thursday, June 14:

AT&T(PBR9) completes $85.4 billion cash/stock acquisition of Time Warner(PBR90), now is a part of the AT&T media business unit which will be renamed soon. $T PR link.

FreddieMac(PBR38) partners with re-employment solutions company NextJob to provide job search assistance to current and aspiring homeowners living in high-needs and other persistent poverty areas. $FMCC PR link.

Honeywell(PBR71) Transportation Systemsbusiness to be rebranded as Garrett-Advancing Motion upon spinoff as a separate publicly traded company, to close 3Q18. $HON PR link.

Qualcomm(PBR126 $QCOM) gets approval of Chinese antitrust regulators, the last authorization needed, for $127.50/share $44 billion acquisition of NXP Semiconductors(NASDAQ: NXPI)South China Morning Post PR link.

Broadcom(PBR152) 2Q18 report indicates 1,100 employees have been let go in restructuring so far, might be more(pg 28 note). $AVGO PR link.

Mylan(PBR249 $MYL) gets US FDA approvalthe first generic versions of Suboxone (buprenorphine and naloxone) sublingual film (applied under the tongue) for the treatment of opioid dependence. FDA PR link.

MGM Resorts(PBR271) Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa becomes first Atlantic City casino to accept a legal sports wager under New Jersey‘s new sports betting law. $MGM PR link.

AES Corp(PBR276) sells its 17% equity stake in Brazil utility Eletropaulo, will net $310 million. $AES PR link.

Royal Caribbean(PBR324) to take 66.7% equity stake for $1 billion in privately owned luxury and expedition cruising provider Silversea Cruises$RCL PR link.

Granite Construction(PBR701) completes $536 million stock-for-stock acquisition of water management, construction, and drilling company Layne Christensen(NASDAQ: LAYN)$GVA PR link.

A. Schulman(PBR786) stockholders approve $42/share, $2/25 billion cash acquisition by plastics, chemicals and refining manufacturer LyondellBasell (NYSE: LYB), to close in 3Q18. $SHLM PR link.

SL Green Realty(PBR950) adds $500 million to share repurchase program, balance is now $2.0 billion. $SLG PR link.

Facebook(PBR69) top policy and communications executive Elliot Schrage to step down after 10 years with the company. $FB PR link.

Jones Lang LaSalle(PBR346) hires Alan Tse as Global General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, succeeds retiring Mark Ohringer. $JLL PR link.

Activision Blizzard(PBR389) hires Kristin Binns, Head of Corporate Communications at Twitter(PBR790), as SVP/Chief Communications Officer, to be effective in 07/18. $ATVI PR link.

ARRIS Intl(PBR412) promotes Ian Whiting to President/Enterprise Networks(Ruckus Networks), effective 07/01/18, succeeds leaving Dan Rabinovitsj. $ARRS PR link.

Equifax(PBR654) hires Bryson Koehler as Chief Technology Officer. $EFX PR link.

Allergan(PBR175) appoints Thomas C. Freyman, former EVP/Finance and Administration at Abbott Labs(PBR104), to the Board, Patrick O’Sullivan to retire from Board in 07/18. $AGN PR link.

FIS(PBR315) appoints Alexander Navab, former head of the Americas Private Equity business of KKR(PBR669), and Brian T. Shea, former Vice Chairman/CEO of Investment Services of The Bank of NY Mellon(PBR183), to the Board. $FIS PR link.

Analog Devices(PBR502) appoints Karen Golz, retired partner from Ernst & Young, to the Board. $ADI PR link.

Express(PBR845) appoints Winnie Park, CEO of Paper Source, to the Board. $EXPR PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US Preliminary May 2018 Import Prices were +0.6% from April 2018May 2018 Export Prices were also +0.6% from April 2018Import Prices for May 2017 to 2018 were +4.3%, for May 2016 to 2017 +2.3%; Export Prices for May 2017 to 2018 were +4.9%, for May 2016 to 2017 +1.4%. USDOL PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/Census says US Preliminary April 2018 Total Manufacturer Sales were $492.8 billion, Total Retail Sales$439.7 billion, Total Wholesaler Sales $493.3 billion, Total April 2018 Sales $1.426 trillion, +0.4% from March 2018, +6.7% from April 2017USDOC PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/Census says US Advance May 2018 Total Retail Sales were $443.1 billion, Total Food Services/Drinking Places $58.9 billion, Total Retail Trade $502.0 billion, +0.8% from April 2018, +5.9% from May 2017USDOC PR link.

***Wednesday, June 13:

Cardinal Health(PBR14) gets Clayton, Dubilier & Rice to acquire 55% stake in largest manager of post-acute benefits for health plans 2+ million members naviHealth, CAH to retain 45% with call right option to reacquire, to close in 3Q18. $CAH PR link.

Microsoft(PBR31 $MSFT) and France based Thales announce a preferred partnership for the development of a common Defence Cloud solution for armed forces. Thales PR link.

Comcast(PBR33) makes $35/share cash offer for 21st Century Fox(PBR102 $FOX) after spin-off, a 19% premium offer over the current Walt Disney(PBR53 $DIS) bid. $CMCSA PR link.

Merck(PBR73) gets US FDA approval for KEYTRUDA® as a treatment of adult and pediatric patients with refractory primary mediastinal large B-cell lymphoma (PMBCL). $MRK PR link.

Stryker Corp(PBR235) issues statement saying it is not in discussions with Boston Scientific(PBR317) regarding a potential acquisition. $SYK PR link.

Sonoco Products(PBR506) joins Amazon(PBR8) Packaging Support and Supplier Network (APASS) service. $SON PR link.

Broadridge Financial(PBR572) will be added to the S&P 500® Index at the opening of trading on Monday, 06/18/18. $BR PR link.

AMC Networks(PBR721) increases stock repurchase program by $500 million, authorization is now $1.5 billion. $AMCX PR link.

TrueBlue(PBR775) to establish presence in UKwith acquisition of resourcing and recruitment marketing services provider TMP Holdings, terms not disclosed. $TBI PR link.

General Motors(PBR12) EVP/CFO Chuck Stevens to retire after 40+ years with the company, effective 03/01/19, Dhivya Suryadevara appointed as successor CFO, effective 09/01/18. $GM PR link.

HP Inc(PBR56) President/Personal Systems Ron Coughlin leaving to be CEO of a non-tech sector company, VP/General Manager Commercial PC Alex Cho named as successor. $HPQ PR link.

Macy’s(PBR114) hires Naveen Krishna as Chief Technology Officer. $M PR link.

Cognizant(PBR193) appoints Francisco D’Souza as Vice Chairman of the Board in addition to his current role as CEO. $CTSH PR link.

The US Federal Reserve Open Market Committee on unanimous vote raises federal funds interest rate 0.25% to 1.75-2.00%, sayslabor market has continued to strengthen and that economic activity has been rising at a solid rate, further changes to rates based on maintaining symmetric 2% inflation objective. FOMC PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US May 2018 Producer Price Index Total Final Demand was +0.5% from April 2018Total Last 12 Months is +3.1%, April 2018 was +2.6%, March 2018+3.0%, May 2017 +2.3% USDOL PR link.

***Tuesday, June 12:

AT&T(PBR9) gets US court approval for $85.4 billion cash/stock acquisition of Time Warner(PBR90), applauds decision, plans to close deal on or before 06/20/18. $T PR link.

Merck(PBR73) gets US FDA approval for KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) as a therapy for certain cervical cancer situations. $MRK PR link.

Eli Lilly(PBR122) and AstraZeneca are discontinuing the global Phase 3 clinical trialsof Alzheimer’s therapy lanabecestat, not likely to meet their primary endpoints. $LLY PR link.

Avnet(PBR161) online communities, element14.com and Hackster.io, now exceeds one million members, creating world’s largest collaborative networks of engineers, entrepreneurs and developers. $AVT PR link.

Sears(PBR170) Ship-to-Store tires capability partnership with Amazon(PBR8) initially available at 47 Sears Auto Centers in eight metropolitan areas is expanded to an additional 71 stores, bringing the total to 118. $SHLD PR link.

CBRE(PBR204) to acquire 550 employees procurement and facilities management solutions provider FacilitySource for $290 million cash. $CBRE PR link.

Tesla(PBR252) Chairman/CEO Elon Musk tweets that 9% of salaried workforce will be let go in reorganization, Model 3 production to not be affected. $TSLA PR link.

Discover Financial(PBR255) new Discover College Commitment Program covers tuition, required fees, books and supplies needed to complete select online bachelor degrees from 3 accredited universities. $DISCA PR link.

Salesforce(PBR277) to invest $2.5+ billion over 5 years in UK market to support growing customer base. $CRM PR link.

Rent-A-Center(PBR745) reviewing offer to be acquired by Vintage Capital for $14.00/share cash. $RCII PR link.

PPG(PBR194) hires Rebecca Liebert as SVP/Automotive Coatings, succeeds Gary Danowski who becomes VP/Global Automotive Finish. $PPG PR link.

Guess?(PBR802) co-founder Paul Marciano resigns as Executive Chairman, will remain on Board, to transfer Chief Creative Officer and all other duties and responsibilities to CEO Victor Herrero, employment agreement that expires 01/30/19 will not be renewed, result of completion of investigation into allegations of misconduct; Maurice Marciano elected Chairman of the Board. $GES PR link.

The US Dept of Treasury says US May 2018 Total Federal Government Receipts were $217.1 billion, Total Outlays $363.9, for a Deficit of $146.8, Total YTD Deficit(8 Months)is at $532.2 billion, Total YTD Deficit May 2017was $432.9 billion. USTreasury PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US Preliminary May 2018 Average Employee Current Earnings Per Hour is at $26.92, 34.5 Hours Work/Week, for a Total Average Weekly Wage of $928.74, +0.3% from April 2018, +3.0% from May 2017USDOL PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US Preliminary May 2018 Consumer Price Index-All Items, was +0.2%, April 2018 was +0.2%, March 2018-0.1%, May 2017 -0.1%, Last 12 Months +2.8%. USDOL PR link.

CoreLogic says US March 2018 Housing Loans 30 Days or More Delinquent was at 4.3%, February 2018 was 4.8%, January 20184.9%, March 2017 4.4%. CoreLogic PR link.

***Monday, June 11:

Amazon(PBR8) expands Prime benefit at Whole Foods Market to 10 additional states. $AMZN PR link.

Home Depot(PBR23 $HD) to spend $1.2 billion in the next five years to add 170 distribution centers. MarketWatch PR link.

Intel(PBR44) starts testing smallest ‘Spin Qubit’chip for quantum computing. $INTC PR link.

Lockheed(PBR57) and the F-35 Joint Program Office deliver 300th F-35 aircraft, to make 91 F-35s in 2018, will be at 160/year in 2023. $LMT PR link.

Starbucks(PBR125) and JPMorgan Chase(PBR26) launch second co-branded Starbucks Rewards™ Visa® Prepaid Card, has no monthly, annual or reload fees, customers can earn Starbucks Rewards everywhere Visa is accepted, first prepaid or debit product where you can earn Stars outside of Starbucks. $SBUX PR link.

Fluor(PBR148) joint venture completes financial arrangements to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the 2.25-mile Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Automated People Mover project for the Los Angeles World Airports, to be completed in 2023, and be managed for 25 years. $FLR PR link.

Newell Brands(PBR195) expands share repurchase program by $2.5 billion, balance is now $3.6 billion, expires 12/31/19. $NWL PR link.

Envision Healthcare(PBR354) to be acquired by global investment firm KKR(PBR669) for $46/share cash for $9.9 billion enterprise value, to close 4Q18. $EVHC PR link.

Coty(PBR364)‘s newly relaunched COVERGIRLbrand will open its first-ever beauty destination, a flagship 10,000 sf “I Am What I Make Up” experiential store in NY City – Times Square, to open in Fall 2018. $COTY PR link.

NVIDIA(PBR510) powers Summit, world’s fastest supercomputer, with its 27,648 Volta Tensor Core GPUs, can perform more than three exaops, or 3 billion billion calculations per second. $NVDA PR link.

Endo Intl(PBR638) to do master settlement agreement allowing for the resolution of all known testosterone replacement therapy product liability claims against the Company. $ENDP PR link.

USG Corp(PBR674) to be acquired by Germanybased Gebr. Knauf KG for $44/share, $7.7 billion cash, to close in early 2019. $USG PR link.

Rent-A-Center(PBR745) completes strategic review, Board unanimously agrees to pursue business plan in place, not sell company. $RCII PR link.

Modine Manufacturing(PBR847) to sell its South African business operation, AIAC Air Conditioning South Africa (Pty) Ltd, to the current management team, terms not disclosed. $MOD PR link.

Sears Hometown(PBR912) to open 10-15 additional Buddy’s Home Furnishings rent-to-own stores in fiscal 2018, has 330 now; closed 21 stores in Hometown segment in 1Q18, to close 90-100 underperforming stores in 2Q18. $SHOS PR link.

Fitbit(PBR931) announces availability of Fitbit Ace™ at major retailers worldwide for $99.95 (USD), designed for kids ages 8 and older. $FIT PR link.

Kellogg(PBR222) President/Europe Chris Hood promoted to President/N America, VP/European Cereal Business Dave Lawlor becomes President/Europe. $K PR link.

KB Home(PBR552) promotes Matt Mandino to EVP/COO. $KBH PR link.

Watts Water Technologies(PBR958) hires Shashank Patel as CFO, effective 07/02/18. $WTS PR link.

MRC Global(PBR619) elects Henry Cornell, founder and senior partner of private investment firm Cornell Capital, to the Board. $MRC PR link.

***Friday, June 8:

The PBRMarketTools US Stock Exchanges Recap for the Week Ending 06/08/18:

The first full week of June saw the Stock Market Bull dominate the exchanges, highlighted by the tech heavy NASDAQ notching 3 new record highs. The Stock Market Bearmade a few tentative attempts midweek to enter the rich green pasture, but to no avail. This despite a tense G-7 meeting where 6 countries are trying to pile on US President Trump for his imposed and threatened trade tariffs. The Stock Market Bull now has a narrow lead YTD with wins in 11 weeks, the Stock Market Bear 10 weeks, and 2 mixed results weeks.

DJIA ends the week at 25,316.53, +2.77% from last Friday, +3.69% MTD, +5.03 QTD, +2.42% YTD, -4.88% from record 26,616.71 set 01/26/18.

NASDAQ ends the week at 7,645.51, +1.21% from last Friday, +2.73% MTD, +8.24% QTD, +10.75% YTD, -0.57% from record 7,689.24 set 06/06/18.

SPX ends the week at 2,779.03, +1.62% from last Friday, +2.73% MTD, +5.23% QTD, +3.94% YTD, -3.27% from record 2,872.87 set 01/26/18.

Amazon(PBR8) to open second fulfillment center in Tulsa, OK, 600,000+ sf facility, will add 1,500+ full-time jobs. $AMZN PR link.

AbbVie(PBR103) gets US FDA approval for VENCLEXTA® (venetoclax tablets) for certain lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) situations. $ABBV PR link.

Royal Caribbean(PBR324) to eliminate plastic straws on all ships, will provide paper straws on request, reviewing other plastics to replace. $RCL PR link.

SeaWorld(PBR984) says all 12 of its theme parks have removed all single-use plastic drinking straws and single-use plastic shopping bags as part of its effort to protect the environment. $SEAS PR link.

Verizon(PBR16) names EVP, President/Global Networks and Chief Technology Officer Hans E. Vestberg to succeed Lowell C. McAdam as CEO, effective 08/01/18. McAdam will become Executive Chairman until his retirement at end of 2018 then becomes Non-Executive Chairman. $VZ PR link.

ExxonMobil(PBR2) VP of Human Relations Malcolm Farrant to retire on 08/01/18 after 35 years of service, President/SeaRiver Maritime unit Tracey Gunnlaugsson to be successor. $XOM PR link.

ExxonMobil(PBR2) SVP Michael J. Dolan to retire on 08/01/18 after 38 years of service. $XOM PR link.

Verizon(PBR16) EVP and President/Global Operations John Stratton to step down to be a strategic advisor reporting to CEO Lowell McAdam, will retire by end of 2018. $VZ PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says the US March 2018 Employee Average Wages/Salaries Per Hourwere at $24.77, Per Hour Benefits $11.55, Total Per Hour Compensation Cost $36.32, +1.25% from December 2017, +2.95% from March 2017USDOL PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/Census says US Preliminary April 2018 Wholesale Sales-Durables was at $238.9 billion, Non-Durables$254.4 billion, Total Wholesale Sales $493.3 billion, +0.8% from March 2018, +7.8% from April 2017USDOC PR link.

***Thursday, June 7:

Snapshot 15 Summary: The PBR1000 Top 5 May 2018 By Market Capitalization(Rank, Company, PBR Ranking by Revenues, Stock Symbol, 05/31/18 Market Capitalization in $ Billions):

1. Apple, PBR4, AAPL, $921B
2. Amazon, PBR8, AMZN, $788B
3. Microsoft, PBR31, MSFT, $760B
4. Alphabet, PBR21, GOOG, $745B
5. Facebook, PBR69, FB, $543B

Range: $921B to $0.01B
Total The PBR1000 Market Capitalization:$26.248 trillion, +0.94% YTD(5 months), +19.66% from 12/30/16(17 months)
Average: $26.248 billion
Median: $8.15 billion

Amazon(PBR8) introduces Alexa voice activated Amazon Fire TV Cube, $119.99, specials for Prime members and with other options, starts shipping 06/21/18. $AMZN PR link.

General Motors(PBR12) gets Japan’s Hondato partner on a new advanced chemistry battery to accelerate both company’s plans for all-electric vehicles. $GM PR link.

GE(PBR18) introduces wholly owned subsidiary AiRXOS to help accelerate the safe, efficient, scalable integration of air and ground space for manned and unmanned vehicles, has some initial government and private contracts. $GE PR link.

Target(PBR39) expanding its Shipt delivery services and Drive Up pick up services throughout the US Midwest and Southeast, services to be nationwide by the holiday season. $TGT PR link.

UPS(PBR41) announces major expansion to its ocean Less-Than-Container Load (LCL)service with the addition of direct sailings in 130 lanes across the globe. $UPS PR link.

Facebook(PBR69) is notifying 14 million people of an Audience Selector error that posted private messages publicly instead, error has been fixed. $FB PR link.

Mondelez(PBR110) completes $500 million acquisition of Tate’s Bake Shop, home of America’s top-rated chocolate chip cookie, from private equity firm The Riverside Company and other shareholders, including founder Kathleen King$MDLZ PR link.

McDonald’s(PBR124 $MCD) announces job cuts to ‘eliminate layers’ in corporate structure. MarketWatch PR link.

Monsanto(PBR196) $128/share, $66 billion acquisition by Germany based Bayer AG is completed. $MON PR link.

Las Vegas Sands(PBR223) increases share repurchase program from $1.56 billion to $2.5 billion. $LVS PR link.

JCPenney(PBR231) expands online partnership with Fanatics, opening Fanatics 650 sf sports apparel shops in 325 stores, to be in 650 stores by back-to-school season. $JCP PR link.

Biogen(PBR239) gets exclusive option agreement with TMS Co to acquire TMS-007and backup compounds for acute stroke treatment, includes upfront payment of $4 million, an additional $18 million payment if Biogen exercises its option, with up to $335 million in potential development and commercialization milestones as well as tiered royalties. $BIIB PR link.

Anadarko(PBR248) gets a notice from SECsaying its stocks are being de-listed from the NYSE effective 06/07/18. $APC PR link.

Tesla(PBR252 $TSLA): The US Natl Transportation Safety Board releases preliminary report on 2017 Tesla Model X fatal crash in Mountain View, CA, on 03/23/18. NTSB PR link.

Ryder(PBR375) reserves 500 new Chanje Energy medium-duty electric panel vans for its lease & rental fleet, vehicle can haul up to 6,000 pounds and up to 580 cubic feet of cargo, all with zero vehicle exhaust emissions and 100-mile range on a single charge. $R PR link.

Ralph Lauren(PBR437) presents strategic growth plan, authorizes additional $1 billion share buyback program, balance is now $1.1 billion, nominates Linda Findley Kozlowski, COO at Etsy, to be elected to the Board at 08/18 shareholders meeting. $RL PR link.

AmTrust Financial(PBR455) gets amended merger agreement with Evergreen Parent(an entity of the Karfunkel-Zyskind Family and Stone Point Capital) from $13.50/share to $14.75/share, $2.95 billion, Icahn Enterprises(PBR129) is in agreement, encourages stockholders to vote for the deal at its 06/21/18 meeting. $AFSI PR link.

Taylor Morrison Homes(PBR595) to acquire developer and builder AV Homes(NASDAQ: AVHI) for $21.50/share, $963 million cash/stock, includes debt. $TMHC PR link.

Cenveo(PBR927) receives Bankruptcy Courtapproval of its Disclosure Statement, reaches agreement with Brigade Capital ManagementIn support of its Plan of Reorganization, targets confirmation hearing date in late 07/18 and expects to exit from Chapter 11 promptly thereafter. $CVOVQ PR link.

BorgWarner(PBR293) EVP/COO Frederic Lissalde to become President/CEO, effective 08/01/18, to succeed James R. Verrier who will then serve in a non-executive advisory role to the Board and CEO until he retires on 02/28/19. $BWA PR link.

Sealed Air(PBR540) Acting CFO/Chief Accounting Officer/Controller William G. Stiehl is now SVP/CFO. $SEE PR link.

Leidos(PBR285) appoints Robert Kovarik Jr., former partner at Ernst & Young, to the Board. $LDOS PR link.

Ameren(PBR439) elects Ward H. Dickson, EVP/CFO of WestRock(PBR192), to the Board. $AEE PR link.

Granite Construction(PBR701) elects Claes G. Bjork as Board Chairman, succeeds now retired William Powell, Jeffrey J. Lyash, President/CEO of Ontario Power Generation, appointed to the Board. $GVA PR link.

The US Federal Reserve says US Preliminary April 2018 Total Consumer Revolving Credit Outstanding was at $1.031 trillion, Non-Revolving Credit Outstanding at $2.852 trillion, Total Consumer Credit Outstanding $3.883 trillion, +0.2% from March 2018, +1.3% YTD(4 months), +4.8% from April 2017USFed PR link.

The US Federal Reserve Z1 Report says US 1Q18 Total Networth of Households was $100.768 trillion, 1st time over $100 trillion, +1.0% from 4Q17, +7.0% from 1Q17US 1Q18 Total Domestic Debt is $49.831 trillion, +1.8% from 4Q17, +5.0% from 1Q17USFed PR link.

The FannieMae(PBR20) US May 2018 Home Purchase Sentiment Index is at a record high of 92.3, April 2018 was 91.7, March 2018 88.3, May 2017 86.2, $FNMA PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce announces $1.4 billion settlement on China’s Zhongxing Telecommunications Equipment Corporation(ZTE); ZTE board, management changes and strictest Bureau of Industry and Security(BIS) compliance requirements ever. USDOC PR link.

***Wednesday, June 6:

Snapshot 13 Summary: The PBR1000 Top 5 May 2018 Stock Performers Since 12/30/16(17 Months)(Rank, Company, PBR Ranking by Revenues, Stock Symbol, 05/31/18 Stock Price, % Increase from 12/30/16):

1. Weight Watchers, PBR976, WTW $75.32, +558%
2. BlueLinx, PBR884, BXC, $40.55, +443%
3. Square, PBR832, SQ, $58.25, +327%
4. Scientific Games, PBR690, SGMS, $59.30, +324%
5. Systemax, PBR982, SYX, $33.02, +277%

Range: +558% to -92%
Number of Companies at 0% or Better:646/1,000
Average: +19.09%
Median: +11.52%

Tomorrow: The PBR1000 Top 5 May 2018 Market Capitalization Leaders.

Want all 15 of The PBR1000 Snapshots each month? Click here!

UnitedHealth(PBR6) authorizes purchase over time of 100 million shares, or approximately 10% of shares outstanding, replaces the 06/14 authorization, had around 29 million shares remaining. $UNH PR link.

Amazon(PBR8) introduces Echo Look in the US, Alexa driven style assistant, gives personalized recommendations, helps keep closet organized, and provides fashion inspiration, $199.99. $AMZN PR link.

Express Scripts(PBR25) makes strategic investment in self-service, pharmacist-supported, kiosk pharmacies provider MedAvail, can dispense a prescription in under 90 seconds, pilot beginning in Phoenix & Tucson, AZ, with 6 initial installations, plans 15 by year end in grocery stores, pharmacies and medical clinics. $ESRX PR link.

Pfizer(PBR55) to invest $600 million in biotechnology and other emerging growth companies through Pfizer Ventures$PFE PR link.

Facebook(PBR69) funding tests of exclusive daily news content from major networks, including ABC, CNN, FOX, Univision, for its Facebook Watch news service. $FB PR link.

Northrop Grumman(PBR111) completes $34.50/share, $9.2 billion cash acquisition of Orbital ATK(PBR521), now a unit called Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems$NOC PR link.

Carnival Corp(PBR160) to acquire TWC Enterprises Limited’s White Pass & Yukon Route (WP&YR) division, which includes White Pass’ port, railroad and retail operations in Skagway, AK$CCL PR link.

Devon Energy(PBR211) to sell its interests in EnLink Midstream Partners(NYSE: ENLK) and EnLink Midstream(NYSE: ENLC) to an affiliate of Global Infrastructure Partners for $3.125 billion, to close in 07/18; in conjunction with sale increases share buyback program from $1 billion to $4 billion, expires 12/31/19. $DVN PR link.

Kellogg(PBR222) launches Kellogg’s Raisin Bran® with Bananas, suggested retail price $3.99. $K PR link.

Fortive(PBR407) to acquire Johnson & Johnson(PBR36)’s Ethicon subsidiary $775 million in revenues in 2017 Advanced Sterilization Products unit for $2.7 billion cash. $FTV PR link.

CMS Energy(PBR414) $1.4 billion in new credit facilities allows it to be the first syndicated sustainability-linked revolving credit facilities for a US borrower, clean energy goals include being coal free, reduce carbon emissions by 80%, and meet a renewable energy goal of 40+%, all by 2040. $CMS PR link.

AMC Entertainment(PBR503) to receive $45 million from sale of majority interest in movie theatre advertising service Screenvision Mediato Abry Partners$AMC PR link.

Essendant(PBR507) board still in favor of combining with General Parts(PBR191)’s S.P. Richards unit, received expected second request for additional information from the Federal Trade Commission, has not heard back from Staples/Sycamore Partners on confidentiality request to proceed with possible merger talks. $ESND PR link.

Caesars Entertainment(PBR511) commits to reduce carbon emissions by 95% by 2050, to release request for proposal in 06/18 for a major utility-scale purchase of solar energy in the Las Vegas desert for its Nevada properties. $CZR PR link.

General Cable(PBR601) $30/share, $3 billion cash acquisition by Italian based global energy and telecom cable systems provider Prysmian Group (BIT: PRY) transaction has closed. $BGC PR link.

Twitter(PBR790) to offer $1.0 billion aggregate principal amount of convertible senior notes due in 2024 in a private placement to qualified institutional buyers. $TWTR PR link.

CVS Health(PBR7) announces several key management changes that will happen with acquisition of Aetna(PBR48) in 2H18, including Aetna EVP/CFO Shawn M. Guertin becoming EVP/CFO of CVS Health, succeeding departing David Denton. $CVS PR link.

Signet Jewelers(PBR405) hires Mary Elizabeth Finn as Chief People Officer and Stephen E. Lovejoy as Chief Supply Chain Officer. $SIG PR link.

Symantec(PBR581) EVP/Consumer Digital Safety Fran Rosch departing company on 06/29/18 to become CEO at a private company. $SYMC PR link.

Fitbit(PBR931) CFO Bill Zerella departing effective 06/15/18, Chief Accounting Officer Ronald W. Kisling to be successor. $FIT PR link.

SeaWorld(PBR984) hires Walter Bogumil to the new position of Chief Strategy Officer. $SEAS PR link.

Devon Energy(PBR211) elects John Krenicki Jr, senior operating partner at the private-equity investment firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and a former GE(PBR18) executive, to the Board. $DVN PR link.

Live Nation(PBR281) elects Dana Walden, Chairman/CEO of Fox Television Group at 21st Century Fox(PBR102), and Ping Fu, a highly regarded artist/scientist entrepreneur, to its Board. $LYV PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US Revised 1Q18 Business Sector Labor Productivity Output/Hour-All Persons was +0.7%, 4Q17was -0.4%, 3Q17 +3.2%, 2Q17 +1.6%, 1Q17-0.7%. USDOL PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce says US Preliminary April 2018 Total Exports were valued at $211.2 billion, Total Imports $257.4 billion, Total Deficit $46.2 billion, YTD Total Deficit(4 Months) is $201.7 billion, YTD Total Deficit 2017(4 Months) was $180.9 billion. USDOC PR link.

***Tuesday, June 5:

Snapshot 12 Summary: The PBR1000 Top 5 May 2018 Stock Performers YTD(Rank, Company, PBR Ranking by Revenues, Stock Symbol, 05/31/18 Stock Price, % Increase from 12/30/17):

1. BlueLinx, PBR884, BXC $40.55, +315%
2. Fossil, PBR728, FOSL, $21.88, +182%
3. Tenet Healthcare, PBR142, THC, $35.43, +134%
4. Whiting Petroleum, PBR953, WLL, $52.42, +98%
5. Netflix, PBR253, NFLX, $351.60, +83%

Range: +315% to -65%
Number of Companies at 0% or Better:449/1,000
Average: +0.02%
Median: -1.60%

The PBR1000 is used by astute business leaders and shrewd investors worldwide. Want the full PBR1000 results? Click here!

Wells Fargo(PBR27) to sell 52 retail bank branches to Flagstar Bancorp(NYSE: FBC)subsidiary Flagstar Bank, includes all Wells Fargo branches in Indiana (33), Michigan (14) and Ohio (1), and a small number of Wisconsinbranches (4), 490 employees to receive employment offers from Flagstar. $WFC PR link.

Microsoft(PBR31)’s Project Natick launches a 40 ft long undersea datacenter with 864 servers, looking for datacenter solutions that are quick to deploy, could provide internet connectivity for years. $MSFT PR link.

UPS(PBR41) and UPS Freight Teamsters Union members authorize a strike if necessary, gives the negotiating committees bargaining leverage this week and during subsequent negotiations for the national contract and the supplements. $UPS PR link.

Facebook(PBR69 $FB) gave data access to at least 4 electronics Chinese companies, claims the NY Times, including Huawei which has been flagged by American intelligence officials as a national security threat. NYT PR link.

Facebook(PBR69 $FB) confirms it shared user data with Chinese tech companies, has ended data sharing agreements with half of the 60+ device makers, will end its agreement with Hauwei by end of week. MarketWatch PR link.

UK opens door to 21st Century Fox(PBR102 $FOX)-Comcast(PBR33 $CMCSA) bidding war for SkyMarketWatch PR link.

International Paper(PBR130) will not make an offer for Smurfit Kappa Group plc, given the lack of engagement by Smurfit Kappa’s Board of Directors and Management. $IP PR link.

PG&E(PBR164) gets California Public Utilities Commission approval to develop two new, five-year programs aimed at accelerating widespread electric vehicle (EV) adoption and combating climate change. $PCG PR link.

Newell Brands(PBR193) to sell for $395 million its Rawlings Sporting Goods Co, a leading manufacturer and marketer of sporting goods, including the Official Ball of Major League Baseball, with $330 million in revenues in 2017, to a fund managed by Seidler Equity Partners, with Major League Baseball co-investing, to close in 30-45 days. $NWL PR link.

US Steel(PBR240) to restart second Granite City, IL, blast furnace, will hire 300 new employees, to be shipping steel in 4Q18. $X PR link.

Under Armour(PBR510)’s limited edition The Rock’s Project Rock 1 $120/pair shoes sold out in 30 minutes online and in US Brand Houseson 05/28/18, global launch scheduled for 06/28/18. $UA PR link.

Ryerson(PBR653) to acquire bar, tube, plate, and sheet products producer $600 million in revenues/year Central Steel & Wire(OTC: CSTW) for $140 million cash. $RYI PR link.

Cenveo(PBR927) reaches agreement with major stakeholders to clear path for approval of Company’s first amended plan of reorganization, will enable Company to emerge from Chapter 11this summer, bankruptcy court hearing set for 06/07/18. $CVOVQ PR link.

Wendy’s(PBR985) to source vine-ripened tomatoes for its N American restaurantsprimarily from around a dozen greenhouse farms in the US/Canada by early 2019. $WEN PR link.

Lear Corp(PBR143) hires John Absmeier as Chief Technology Officer effective 06/18/18. $LEA PR link.

Bed Bath & Beyond(PBR237) promotes COO Eugene A. Castagna to President/COO, CFO Susan E. Lattmann to Chief Administrative Officer, and VP/Finance Robyn M. D’Elia to CFO & Treasurer. $BBBY PR link.

EMCOR(PBR361) elects its President/CEO Anthony J. Guzzi to also be Chairman, succeeds Steve Bershad who has retired due to Retirement Policy. $EME PR link.

Deckers Outdoor(PBR872) appoints Brian A. Spaly, executive chairman at western boot brand Tecovas, and Cindy L. Davis, former long time Nike(PBR98) executive, to its Board, announces Karyn O. Barsa has resigned from the Board. $DECK PR link.

Crocs(PBR1000) appoints Bill Gray, representative of and Senior Advisor to Blackstone(PBR386)’s Private Equity Group, to the Board. $CROX PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US Preliminary April 2018 Total Job Openings were at record 6,698,000, +1.0% from March 2018, +9.7% from April 2017USDOL PR link.

The Institute for Supply Management says US Preliminary May 2018 Non-Manufacturing Index(>50% economy growing) is at 58.6%, April 2018 was 56.8%, March 2018 58.8%, May 2017 56.9%. ISM PR link.

The IHS Markit US May 2018 Composite PMI is at 56.6, signals a pickup in growth momentum and the fastest expansion since April 2015April 2018 was 54.9, March 2018 54.2, May 2017 53.6. IHS Markit PR link.

The PurdueU/CME Group US May 2018 Composite Ag Barometer is at 141, April 2018was 125, March 2018 135, May 2017 130. Increase driven both by an improvement in producer’s perception of current conditions and, especially, by a more optimistic view of future economic conditions, PurdueU/CME Group PR link.

The US Dept of Treasury releases Fact Sheet: Social Security and Medicare Trustees Report, indicates income is sufficient to pay full scheduled benefits until 2026 for Medicare’s Hospital Insurance program, costs to be 3.7% of GDP in 2017 to grow to 6.2% by 2092. Social Security Trust Funds estimated to be depleted by 2034. Fact Sheet includes hotlinks to official reports. US Treasury PR link.

Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin’s statement.

The US Food & Drug Administration takes action against 53 websites marketing unapproved opioids as part of a comprehensive effort to target illegal online sales. FDA PR link.

***Monday, June 4:

Snapshot 11 Summary: The PBR1000 Top 5 Month of May 2018 Stock Performers(Rank, Company, PBR Ranking by Revenues, Stock Symbol, 05/31/18 Stock Price, % Increase from 04/30/18):

1. Essendant, PBR507, ESND $13.99, +88%
2. Chesapeake Energy, PBR304, CHK, $4.47, +51%
3. Wayfair, PBR524, W, $92.35, +48%
4. Tenet Healthcare, PBR142, THC, $35.43, +48%
5. ArcBest, PBR718, ARCB, $47.45, +48%

Range: +88% to -60%
Number of Companies at 0% or Better:606/1,000
Average: +1.53%
Median: +1.85%

Tomorrow: The PBR1000 Top 5 Stock Performers YTD.

Walmart(PBR1) Brazil 80% majority ownership to be acquired by private equity firm Advent International, Walmart to retain 20% stake. $WMT PR link.

MicroSoft(PBR31) to acquire open source software development platform provider GitHubwith its 28+ million developers network for $7.5 billion in stock. $MSFT PR link.

NY Times article says Facebook(PBR69 $FB)has agreements with over 60 device makers that give them access to data on FB Users and Friends. NYT PR link.

Facebook(PBR69) responds to NY Timesarticle on why they disagree with characterization that FB gaves 60+ device makers access to FB User & Friends data. $FB PR link.

Tyson(PBR75) acquires Nebraska based organic branded chicken producer Tecumseh Poultry, includes the air-chilled Smart Chicken® brand, terms not disclosed. $TSN PR link.

3M(PBR89) completes sale of substantially all of its 500 employees, $400 million revenues/year, Communication Markets Division to Corning(PBR281) for $870 million, sale of telecommunications system integration services portion of the business based in Hannover, Germany, remains pending, to close by the end of 2018 for approximately $30 million. $MMM PR link.

McDonald’s(PBR124 $MCD) planning to add self-service kiosks at 1,000 of its restaurants each quarter for the next two years. MarketWatch PR link.

Mylan(PBR249) and Biocon get US FDA approval for Fulphila™ (pegfilgrastim-jmdb), to be the first biosimilar pegfilgrastim available in the US to help patients with nonmyeloid cancers reduce the risk of infection following myelosuppressive chemotherapy. $MYL PR link.

AmTrust Financial(PBR455) intends to adjourn special meeting of stockholders to 06/21/18, preliminary results indicate vote to merger agreement to go private is satisfied, but do not have majority of minority stockholders approval, planning meeting with Carl Icahn to resolve. $AFSI PR link.

Roper Technologies(PBR531) completes $1.1 billion cash acquisition of Atlanta, GA, based global software and solutions for asset-centric companies provider PowerPlan from private equity firm Thoma Bravo$ROP PR link.

Scotts Miracle-Gro(PBR753) completes $425 million cash and $25 million SMG equity acquisition of largest hydroponic distributor in the US $460 million in sales in 2017 Sunlight Supply, becomes part of wholly owned subsidiary The Hawthorne Gardening Company$SMG PR link.

Woodward(PBR848) completes $859 million acquisition of Rolls Royce Power Systems unit fuel injection systems technology company 1,000 employees L’Orange GmbH, has facilities in Germany, US, and China, did sales of $300 million in 2017. $WWD PR link.

Fitbit(PBR931) has shipped over 1 million Fitbit Versa devices since 04/16/18, over 2 million Fitbit users have downloaded new female health tracking feature which became available in 05/18. $FIT PR link.

Wabash Natl(PBR903) President/COO Brent L. Yeagy now CEO, succeeds Richard J. Giromini who has stepped down per transition plan announced in 12/17. $WNC PR link.

Anthem(PBR30) hires Felicia Norwood as EVP and President/Government Business Division, effective 06/18/18. $ANTM PR link.

Lowe’s(PBR40) CFO Marshall A. Croom to retire upon appointment of successor, has been with Lowe’s for 21 years. $LOW PR link.

Gilead Sciences(PBR109) promotes Andrew Dickinson to EVP/Corporate Development and Strategy. $GILD PR link.

Viacom(PBR218)‘s Nickelodeon Group President Cyma Zarghami stepping down after 30+ years at the network, search starts for new president, COO/Viacom Media Networks Sarah Levy to lead brand on interim basis. $VIA PR link.

Owens & Minor(PBR308) Group VP/Finance-Global Solutions Robert Snead has assumed the additional role of interim company CFO, succeeds leaving Richard “Randy” A. Meier. $OMI PR link.

Post Holdings(PBR493) President/CEO Post Consumer Brands Chris Neugent now EVP/Strategy, Howard Friedman hired to be President/CEO Post Consumer Brands effective 07/23/18. $POST PR link.

Sprint(PBR87) elects Stephen Kappes, Partner/COO of private equity firm Torch Hill Investment Partners and former Deputy Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency, to the Board. $S PR link.

Starbucks(PBR125) Executive Chairman Howard Schultz stepping down 06/26/18 after 40 years with company, will be named Chairman Emeritus, Myron E. “Mike” Ullman to be new chair of the Board and Mellody Hobson to be vice chair. $SBUX PR link.

Williams Cos(PBR344) appoints Nancy K. Buese, EVP/CFO of Newmont Mining(PBR358), to the Board. $WMB PR link.

LPL Financial(PBR562) elects Allison H. Mnookin, most recently CEO of online application software provider QuickBase, to the Board. $LPLA PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/Census says US Preliminary April 2018 Manufacturers Total New Orders were at $494.4 billion, -0.8% from March 2018, +7.4% from April 2017USDOC PR link.

***Friday, June 1:

The PBRMarketTools US Stock Exchanges Recap for the Week Ending 06/01/18:

In the shortened 4 day trading week theStock Market Bear won Tuesday and Thursday, the Stock Market Bull charged back with wins on Wednesday and Friday. It was a volatile weekthat saw many swings up or down by 1% or more, thanks to potential trade war issuesbalanced by optimistic diplomatic efforts with N Korea, and a good jobs report to start the new month. Bottom line, it was a mixed result in Week 22 with the Stock Market Bull taking 2 out of the 3 US exchanges. YTD the result is 10 weekly wins each and 2 mixed weekly results.

DJIA ends the week at 24,635.21, -0.48% from last Friday, +0.90% MTD, +2.21 QTD, -0.34% YTD, -7.44% from record 26,616.71 set 01/26/18.

NASDAQ ends the week at 7,554.33, +1.62% from last Friday, +1.51% MTD, +6.95% QTD, +9.43% YTD, -0.45% from record 7,588.32 set 03/12/18.

SPX ends the week at 2,734.62, +0.49% from last Friday, +1.08% MTD, +3.55% QTD, +2.28% YTD, -4.81% from record 2,872.87 set 01/26/18.

Tyson(PBR75) to sell its Sara Lee® Frozen Bakery and Van’s® businesses, which employ 1,160, to private equity firm Kohlberg & Company, terms not disclosed. $TSN PR link.

Eli Lilly(PBR121) and Incyte(NASDAQ: INCY)get US FDA approval for OLUMIANT® (baricitinib) for certain rheumatoid arthritis conditions. $LLY PR link.

Voya Financial(PBR326) completes $1.1 billion sale of its closed block variable annuity and fixed and fixed indexed annuities businesses to consortium led by Apollo Global Mgmt(PBR906)$VOYA PR link.

Wyndham Worldwide(PBR503) completes spin-off of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, Wyndham Worldwide renamed to Wyndham Destinations trading under NYSE: WYND, is world’s largest vacation ownership and exchange company. $WYND PR link.

Scientific Games(PBR689) will implement the Delaware Lottery‘s expansion to full-scale sports betting following the US Supreme Court‘s overturn of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, first state in US to add full-scale sports betting since the court decision. $SGMS PR link.

Hyster-Yale Materials(PBR713) completes $90 million cash acquisition of 75% and controlling interest in private China based Zhejiang Maximal Forklift Co from KNSN Pipe and Pile Co$HY PR link.

Boyd Gaming(PBR727) completes $100 million cash acquisition of Lattner Entertainment Group Illinois, operator of nearly 1,000 gaming units in 220 locations across the state of Illinois. $BYD PR link.

Vornado(PBR738) to sell its 49.5% interests in the 666 Fifth Avenue Office Condominium to its partner, the Kushner Companies, net proceeds to Vornado will be $120 million, will retain ownership of 666 Fifth Avenue Retail Condominium$VNO PR link.

Kemper(PBR847) and specialty, nonstandard auto insurance segment 2,300 employees, 10,600 independent agents, $1.4 billion in 2017 direct written premiums provider Infinity Property and Casualty Corporation (NASDAQ: IPCC) shareholders approve merger into Kemper for $129/share, $1.4 billion cash/stock, to close in 3Q18. $KMPR PR link.

Allison Transmission(PBR823) President/CFO David S. Graziosi takes over as CEO as planned. $ALSN PR link.

ExxonMobil(PBR2) VP/Investor Relations and Secretary Jeff Woodbury to retire after 35 years of service, Neil Hansen promoted to be successor on 07/01/18. $XOM PR link.

Newell Brands(PBR193) EVP/CFO Ralph Nicoletti to retire by end of 2018, new CFO search starts. $NWL PR link.

The Andersons(PBR607) hires Brian A. Valentine as SVP/CFO, effective 08/01/18. $ANDE PR link.

Louisiana-Pacific Corp(PBR739) CFO Sallie Bailey to retire on 07/13/18, new CFO search starts. $LPX PR link.

Minerals Tech(PBR922) promotes Jonathan Hastings to Group President/Performance Materials, effective 06/01/18, succeeds Gary Castagna who retired 05/31/18. $MTX PR link.

Henry Schein(PBR233) elects former Staples CEO Shira Goodman and Harvard CIO Anne Margulies to the Board, succeed Donald J. Kabat and Lawrence S. Bacow. $HSIC PR link.

The US Dept of Labor says US May 2018 Total Employment is at 155,474,000, +293,000 from April 2018, +2,582,000 from May 2017May 2018 Unemployment at 6,065,000, -281,000 from April 2018, -772,000 from May 2017May 2018 Unemployment Rate is at 3.8%, April 2018 was 3.9%, May 2017 4.3%. USDOL PR link.

The US Dept of Commerce/Census says US Preliminary April 2018 Total Construction Spending Annual Rate was at $1.310 trillion, +1.8% from March 2018, +7.6% from April 2017USDOC PR link.

The Institute for Supply Management US May 2018 Manufacturing PMI Index(>50%=economy expanding) is at 58.7%, April 2018 was 57.3%, March 2018 59.3%, May 2017 55.5%, overall economy grew for the 109th consecutive month. ISM PR link.

The IHS Markit US May 2018 Manufacturing PMI is at 56.4, April 2018 was 56.5, March 201855.6, May 2017 52.7, strong performance reflected sharp expansions in output and new orders. IHS Markit PR link.

Automotive News says US May 2018 Total Light Vehicle Sales were at 1,257,706(excludes GM), +18.2% from April 2018, +3.1% from May 2017May 2018 Average Transaction Pricewas $35,635, +0.6% from April 2018, +3.5% from May 2017Automotive News PR link.

***Thursday, May 31:

The PBRMarketTools US Stock Exchanges Recap for the Month of May Ending 05/31/18:

May Summary: Geopolitical issues(N Korea, Iran, China, Italy) and US trade policies(tariffs) grabbed most of the headlines during May and caused volatility in the stock market, But the US economy continues to grow at a moderate rate and looks to continue that trend in the near future. Unemployment is very low, the tech sector had a major rally, and corporate earnings were better than expected. As a result, the Stock Market Bull wins May, the second win in a row, and is ahead of the Stock Market Bearwith 3 months of wins to 2 months.

DJIA ends May at 24,415.84, -1.36% from last Friday, +1.05% MTD, +1.30 QTD, -1.23% YTD, -8.27% from record 26,616.71 set 01/26/18.

NASDAQ ends May at 7,442.12, +0.11% from last Friday, +5.32% MTD, +5.36% QTD, +7.80% YTD, -1.93% from record 7,588.32 set 03/12/18.

SPX ends May at 2,705.27, -0.59% from last Friday, +2.16% MTD, +2.44% QTD, +1.18% YTD, -5.83% from record 2,872.87 set 01/26/18.

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