(For faster updates on individual market-movers, Eikon usersplease use search string "STXBZ US"; for the Day Aheadnewsletter, http://link.reuters.com/mex49s; for the Morning NewsCall newsletter, http://link.reuters.com/nex49s)U.S. stocks dipped at the open on Wednesday as aweaker-than-expected report on private sector employment raisedconcerns that Friday's impending jobs report could also point toworsening conditions in the labor market.
The Dow Jones industrial average was down 0.84percent at 17,626.58, the S&P 500 was down 0.73 percentat 2,052.8 and the Nasdaq Composite was down 0.93percent at 4,855.35.
** COHERUS BIOSCIENCES INC, $27.66, -9.55 pct
The biotech company priced its offering of 4.1 millionshares at $29 each, a 5 pct discount to stock's Tuesday close.The upsized $120 million offering represents 12 percent of thecompany's outstanding shares as of Feb. 28.
** AMERICAN AIRLINES GROUP INC, $50.74, -3.87 pct
** DELTA AIR LINES INC, $43.115, -4.10 pct
** UNITED CONTINENTAL HOLDINGS INC, $64.99, -3.36pct
Analysts at Deutsche Bank cut ratings on airlines' stocks to"hold" from "buy", saying they expect disappointing earningsgrowth from international markets. The combination of a strongUS dollar, greater-than-expected capacity increases by non-USairlines, and decelerating global GDP growth are likely tofurther pressure Deutsche Bank's forecast (from internationalmarkets) for 2015, analysts write in a note.
** MACERICH CO, $80, -5.13 pct
** SIMON PROPERTY GROUP INC, $196.11, +0.24 pct
Simon Property Group scrapped its attempt to buy Macerichafter the smaller shopping mall owner rejected its sweetenedoffer of $23.2 billion including debt. Macerich Chief ExecutiveArthur Coppola said the company's board concluded that the offerdid not reflect the full value of the company.
** GLAXOSMITHKLINE PLC, $46.35, +0.43 pct
** MERCK & CO INC, $56.42, -1.84 pct
Cowen & Co analysts said the drugmaker's vaccine totreat shingles may be more effective than Merck's. Glaxo'svaccine HZ/su should be well positioned to capture market sharefrom Merck's Zostavax if final data from a late-stage studyshows HZ/su has better efficacy while treating older patients,analysts said.
** NUVASIVE INC, $45.09, -1.96 pct
The medical device maker said its chief executive of 16years Alex Lukianov had resigned after an independentinvestigation showed he had not complied with the medical devicemaker's expense reimbursement and personnel policies. Theamounts involved appeared immaterial to financial results, thecompany said. NuVasive has appointed board member Greg Lucier asinterim CEO.
** EVERYWARE GLOBAL INC, $0.21, -82.50 pct
The marketer of tabletop and food preparation products saidit expects to file for prepackaged bankruptcy that will give itssecured lenders control of the company after it emerges from thebankruptcy. EveryWare said it expects to file for a prepackagedChapter 11 bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for theDistrict of Delaware and expects to emerge from bankruptcywithin 60-75 days.
** DYAX CORP, $25.19, +50.34 pct
The drug developer said its experimental drug, DX-2930, toprevent hereditary angioedema attacks, was found effective in anearly stage study. The drug was also assigned fast-track statusby the U.S. FDA. All seven analysts covering the stock raisedprice targets, saying the strong results show the drug couldeclipse the current standard-of-care preventive treatment forHAE.
** UTI WORLDWIDE INC, $10.355, -15.81 pct
The logistics company reported a wider-than-expectedfourth-quarter loss, hurt by lower air and ocean freightforwarding yields and lower volumes in freight forwarding. Thecompany also cuts its 2016 adjusted EBITDA forecast to $125million-$150 million from $190 million-$210 million and saidrevenue would be hurt by the strengthening of the dollar. MorganStanley cuts price target by $2.50 to $10, now the lowest onWall Street.
** SYNNEX CORP, $74.57, -3.47 pct
The hardware distributor forecast second-quarter revenue andadjusted profit below analysts' average estimates, sayingrevenue is expected to be lowered by about $130 million due tothe stronger dollar. The company on Tuesday also reportedlower-than-expected first-quarter profit and revenue.
** SEARS HOLDINGS CORP, $45.2613, +9.38 pct
The struggling retailer said it would raise more than $2.5billion by selling stores to a real estate investment trust itis setting up, in the latest move to shore up its finances. Thecompany would set up a REIT, Seritage Growth Properties, whichwill buy and lease back about 254 Sears and Kmart stores. Searswill also form a joint venture with mall operator General GrowthProperties under which it will sell 12 stores to the JVfor a 50 percent stake and $165 million in cash.
** VOLTARI CORP, $2.73, +170.30 pct
Billionaire investor Carl Icahn raises his stake in thedigital advertising company to 52.3 percent. Icahn bought about4 million Voltari shares at $1.36 each via a rights offering.
** MYLAN NV, $57.775, -2.65 pct
** ABBOTT LABORATORIES, $45.86, -1.01 pct
The generic drug maker priced an offering of 35 millionshares at $58.35 per share, a discount of about 2 percent to thestock's Tuesday close. All shares in the offering are to be soldby Abbott Laboratories for net proceeds of about $1.99 billion.
** CARPENTER TECHNOLOGY CORP, $37.179, -4.38 pct
The alloys maker said on Tuesday that it will cut about 10percent of its salaried workforce, or 200 jobs, to reduce costsamid weak oil and gas prices. The company will also cut about 60outsourced positions.
** SAREPTA THERAPEUTICS INC, $13.91, +4.74 pct
The drug developer appointed Chief Medical Officer EdwardKaye as interim CEO, replacing Christopher Garabedian, whoresigned. Sarepta is also expected to meet with the FDA over thecoming weeks to finalize an application to market its lead drug,eteplirsen, which is designed to attack the underlying cause ofDuchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a progressive muscle wastingdisorder.
** CYTOSORBENTS CORP, $8.95, -32.15 pct
The medical device maker said it expects first-quarter salesto be slightly lower than they were in the fourth-quarter asrestructuring of its direct sales force created a significantgap in sales coverage and resulted in lower direct sales.
** CHESAPEAKE ENERGY CORP, $14.53, +2.61 pct
The oil and gas producer's Chairman Dunham Archie bought 1million shares at $13.98 per share on March 27, according to aregulatory filing on Tuesday. The purchase price represents a1.3 percent discount to the stock's Tuesday close. After thepurchase, Archie holds 2.6 million shares of the company.
** GODADDY INC
The web hosting company has priced its initial publicoffering at $20 per share, above its previously indicated $17 to$19 per share range, valuing it at around $4.5 billion,including debt, according to underwriting sources. GoDaddy'sshares are expected to start trading on Wednesday and list onthe New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "GDDY." (Compiled by Ramkumar Iyer in Bengaluru; Editing by SimonJennings)
Glaxosmithkline (GSK)
