OccuLogix Inc. (NasdaqGM:OCCX - News) shares gained after the Toronto-based developer of ophthalmic devices said it has obtained investigational device exemption clearance from the Food and Drug Administration to begin its Phase III study of the Rheo procedure to treat the dry form of age-related macular degeneration. If successful, the company expects the study to support its application to the FDA for approval to market the Rheo system in the U.S.
Par Pharmaceutical (NYSE:PRX - News) shares advanced after the Woodcliff Lake, N.J.-based company said it has received final approval from the Food and Drug Administration of its abbreviated new drug application for propranolol hydrochloride extended release capsules. Propranolol HCI, the generic equivalent of Wyeth's (NYSE:WYE - News) Inderal-LA, is used to treat hypertension, angina pectoris due to coronary atherosclerosis, migraine and hypertrophic subaortic stenosis. Annual U.S. sales of Inderal-LA are roughly $215 million, Par said.
Premier Community Bankshares' (NasdaqCM:PREM - News) shares soared after the Winchester, Va.-based bank said it has agreed to be acquired by United Bankshares Inc. (NasdaqGS:UBSI - News). Premier shareholders will be able to elect to receive either United Bakshares stock, cash, or a combination. The stock consideration will be at a fixed exchange ratio of 0.93 shares of United common stock for each share of Premier common stock, and the cash consideration will be $34 a share. Premier had $900.7 million in assets at Dec.31, 2006, and 26 offices through three banking subsidiaries.
Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX - News) was upgraded to overweight from neutral at J.P. Morgan. The firm said it expects the company to become more active in the acquisitions market. "Based on our conversations with Quest's management, we now believe the company will become more aggressive to act upon its long-stated goal of expanding overseas," the broker said. "In addition, we believe current guidance for the impact of the recent contract losses is too conservative, and that results over the next few quarters will prove to be better than current expectations," it added.
Silicom Ltd. (NasdaqCM:SILC - News) shares surged after the Israel-based supplier of networking products reported fourth-quarter net earnings of $1.07 million, or 20 cents a share, up from $473,000, or 11 cents a share, in the year-ago period. Revenue rose to $5.02 million from $3.13 million.
Sturm, Ruger & Co. (NYSE:RGR - News) shares gained after the Southport, Conn.-based maker of firearms and steel investment castings said it has authorized a repurchase program of up to $20 million of its common stock.
Synagro Technologies (NasdaqGM:SYGR - News) agreed to be acquired by The Carlyle Group for $462 million. The total enterprise value of the deal is $772 million, reflecting the assumption of $310 million in debt. The deal values Synagro shares at $5.76 each, a nearly 29% premium to Friday's closing price of $4.48. Synagro, a Houston-based provider of biosolid recycling services, and Carlyle expect the transaction to close in the second quarter. Synagro added that it plans to continue paying dividends on its common stock through the closing of the deal.
Tesoro Corp. (NYSE:TSO - News) said fourth-quarter earnings rose to $158 million, or $2.28 a share, from $69 million, or 97 cents a share, a year earlier. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial had been expecting earnings of $1.91 a share, on average. Revenue for the quarter ending December fell to $4.02 billion from last year's $4.36 billion. The company also agreed to acquire certain California assets of Shell Oil Products, including a Los Angeles refinery and 250 branded retail sites, for $1.63 billion.
Trex Co. (NYSE:TWP - News) said it will restate its results for 2003 through 2005 and the first nine months of 2006 to correct errors related to the recording of certain expenses. The maker of composite decking and railing expects the cumulative effect of the restatements to increase reported net income for 2003 through 2005 by roughly $200,000, and to increase reported net income for the first nine months of 2006 by roughly $200,000, or 2 cents a share.
Tyson Foods' (NYSE:TSN - News) first-quarter earnings rose 46%, boosted by higher profits in its chicken, pork and prepared foods units, and cost-cutting efforts that lowered expenses. The Springdale, Ark., meat processor reported first-quarter earnings of $57 million, or 16 cents a share, up from $39 million, or 11 cents a share, a year earlier. Tyson said sales for the quarter ended Dec. 30 rose 1.6% to $6.56 billion from $6.45 billion a year ago. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial expected, on average, earnings of 6 cents a share on revenue of $6.38 billion. In addition, Tyson affirmed its earlier earnings outlook for its 2007 fiscal year, saying it expects earnings of 50 cents to 80 cents a share. The company also said it expects its second quarter to be profitable.
U.S. Airways Group (NYSE:LCC - News) is prepared to add a $1 billion cash sweetener to its offer to acquire Delta Air Lines (Other OTC:DALRQ.PK - News), according to a Wall Street Journal report. The newspaper, citing people familiar with the matter, said Tempe, Ariz.-based U.S. Airways could lift its hostile takeover offer to $10.8 billion in cash and stock if Delta's official creditors committee demands that the bankrupt carrier allow due diligence by its suitor. The creditors would also have to request that the bankruptcy court overseeing Delta's Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings postpone a February hearing on the Atlanta-based airline's restructuring proposal, and they'd have to agree to support the start of a formal antitrust review of the proposed merger as well.
Van der Moolen (NYSE:VDM - News) appointed Michiel Wolfswinkel as chief financial officer, effective March 1. Wolfswinkel will succeed interim-CFO Jan Van de Walter. Van der Moolen recently announced it was cutting 30% of the staff at its NYSE specialist unit as the exchange completed the transition to its hybrid trading system.
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Labels: DGX, LCC, OCCX, PREM, PRX, RGR, SILC, SYGR, TSN, TSO, TWP, UBSI, VDM, WYE
