On Friday, Shares of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE:WMT), lost -0.33% to $72.74.
Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) demonstrated again why it dominates the online retail field. In May, it posted 182 million unique visitors, fourth among all sites in the United States. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT), the world’s largest retailer, had an online unique audience of 86 million. Simply, Amazon online Audience doubles that of Wal-Mart’s, according to 247wallst.
On June 3, Walmart U.S. CEO Greg Foran and COO Judith McKenna outlined associate-focused steps to drive greater simplicity, provide associates the tools they need to serve customers and continue to listen to and act upon associate ideas. The Walmart U.S. leaders spoke to nearly 3,000 associates from around the country as part of the week-long events surrounding Walmart’s annual shareholders meeting.
In February, Walmart declared a $1 billion investment in its U.S. workforce, counting raising its minimum wage to $9 an hour, implementing new training programs and giving associates more control over their plans. In addition, the company’s U.S. leadership has committed that stores will be cleaner, faster, and friendlier and have better in stock by the start of the holiday season. The U.S. business has recorded three successive quarters of positive comp sales and solid growth in store traffic, which has been positive the past two quarters. Shoppers are also starting to take notice, over the last quarter, customer experience scores improved across all Walmart formats.
McKenna, a 20-year associate who became COO of Walmart U.S. in December, has spent a lot of time in the stores listening and said she is hearing that associates, while excited about the changes they are seeing with pay, training and scheduling, also want leadership to reduce the complexity that has gradually been added to store jobs.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates retail stores in various formats worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Walmart U.S., Walmart International, and Sam’s Club. It operates discount stores, supermarkets, supercenters, hypermarkets, warehouse clubs, cash and carry stores, home improvement stores, specialty electronics stores, restaurants, apparel stores, drug stores, and convenience stores, in addition to retail Websites, such as walmart.com and samsclub.com.
Shares of Exelon Corporation (NYSE:EXC), declined -2.13% to $33.53, during its last trading session.
On June 10, Exelon was recognized for its environmental performance by ranking No. 61 among the 500 largest publicly traded companies in the U.S. and in the top five among utilities in the 2015 Newsweek Green Rankings. The company ranked No. 105 among the 500 largest publicly traded companies worldwide, up from No. 116 in 2014.
Newsweek’s Green Rankings evaluate the world’s largest companies by market value and rate them based on a variety of corporate sustainability and environmental factors, such as energy, carbon, water and waste productivity. The rankings also consider company reputation and board-level oversight. The rankings are the result of analysis conducted by Newsweek and independent research firms Corporate Knights Capital and HIP Investor Inc.
Exelon Corporation, a utility services holding company, engages in the energy generation and delivery businesses in the United States. It owns electric generating facilities, such as nuclear, fossil, and hydroelectric generation facilities, in addition to wind and solar photovoltaic facilities.
Finally, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ:BMRN), ended its last trade with -0.53% loss, and closed at $137.93.
BioMarin Pharmaceutical, declared positive results of a Phase 2 proof-of-concept and dose finding study of BMN 111 (vosoritide), an analog of C-type Natriuretic Peptide (CNP), in children with achondroplasia. Achondroplasia is the most common form of human dwarfism. Vosoritide has Orphan designation in both the United States and Europe.
Phase 2 Results and Safety Summary of First Six Months
Data from the 26 children participating in the Phase 2 study demonstrated a favorable safety profile and efficacy at the 15 micrograms/kilogram/daily dose. The 10 children in Cohort 3 treated with 15 micrograms per kilogram per day had a mean enhance of 50% (p-value = 0.01) in their annualized growth velocity contrast to their annualized preceding 6 month natural history baseline growth velocity. Changes from baseline in proportionality as measured by upper to lower body ratio were not observed. No Serious Adverse Events (SAEs) were observed for the duration of the study. The complete data from the study will be presented at a medical meeting later in the year.
“We are very encouraged to have observed evidence of activity with vosoritide in children participating in our Phase 2 study,” said Wolfgang Dummer, M.D., Ph.D., Vice President, Clinical Development of BioMarin. “In children receiving the highest dose of 15 micrograms per kilogram daily, we observed a 50% enhance in mean annualized growth velocity contrast to their own natural history control growth velocity. This enhance in growth velocity, if maintained, could allow children with achondroplasia to resume a normalized growth rate.” Dr. Dummer continued, “More importantly, vosoritide was well tolerated in all dose cohorts and we have observed no major safety concerns to date. Based on these results, we intend to move into pivotal registration study talk aboutions with health authorities with a dose of 15 micrograms per kilogram daily. In addition, to support further exploration of a dose that may enable “catch-up” growth in the event of delayed treatment, we intend to study 30 micrograms per kilogram daily in ancillary studies. The next step in our development plan is to review this Phase 2 data with health authorities and our outside advisors to develop our path forward with registration enabling studies.”
“We are looking forward to working with health authorities worldwide as we continue to develop vosoritide for patients with achondroplasia globally,” said Jean-Jacques Bienaime, Chairman and Chief Executive officer at BioMarin. “It is estimated that about 96,000 patients in our established territories are afflicted with achondroplasia, so about 25%, or 24,000, are under 18 years of age and in our addressable market.”
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. develops and commercializes pharmaceuticals for serious diseases and medical conditions in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and internationally. Its commercial products comprise Vimizim, an enzyme replacement therapy for the treatment of MPS IV A, a lysosomal storage disorder; Naglazyme, a recombinant form of N-acetylgalactosamine 4-sulfatase for patients with mucopolysaccharidosis VI.
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