On Tuesday, Shares of Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK), gained 5.04% to $59.98.
Merck & Co., declared financial results for the first quarter of 2015.
Worldwide sales were $9.4 billion for the first quarter of 2015, a decrease of 8 percent contrast with the first quarter of 2014, counting a 5 percent negative impact from foreign exchange and a 9 percent net unfavorable impact resulting from the divestiture of the Consumer Care business and select products, partially offset by the acquisition of Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Cubist).
The company focused on important launches in the first quarter of 2015, counting KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab) for the treatment of advanced melanoma in patients whose disease has progressed after other therapies, BELSOMRA (suvorexant) for the treatment of insomnia and ZERBAXA (ceftolozane/tazobactam), a combination product for the treatment of certain serious bacterial infections in adults. ZERBAXA was attained through the acquisition of Cubist, which was accomplished in late January.
- Merck continued to accelerate its KEYTRUDA clinical development program.
- The company has presented a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for KEYTRUDA for the treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose disease has progressed on or after platinum-containing chemotherapy and an FDA-approved therapy for EGFR or ALK genomic tumor aberrations, if present. Under PDUFA, the FDA has 60 days from submission of the sBLA to determine if the application will be accepted for review. Data used to form the basis for the sBLA submission, presented last week at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine, demonstrated robust response rates and durable clinical benefit in naïve and formerly treated patients with NSCLC.
- Additionally, the company anticipates to file a sBLA in mid-2015 for KEYTRUDA for the first-line treatment of advanced melanoma based on data from the Phase 3 KEYNOTE-006 study, presented last week at AACR and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine. These data demonstrated KEYTRUDA was statistically superior to ipilimumab, the current standard of care, for overall survival, progression-free survival and overall response rate in patients with advanced melanoma. In March, the company declared the study would be stopped early based on the recommendation of the study’s independent Data Monitoring Committee.
- The company also recently presented data from the KEYNOTE-002 study in ipilimumab-refractory melanoma as part of a supplemental application to the FDA.
Merck & Co., Inc. provides health care solutions worldwide. The company offer therapeutic and preventive agents to treat cardiovascular, type 2 diabetes, asthma, nasal allergy symptoms, allergic rhinitis, chronic hepatitis C virus, HIV-1 infection, fungal infections, intra-abdominal infections, hypertension, arthritis and pain, inflammatory, osteoporosis, male pattern hair loss, and fertility diseases.
At the end of Tuesday’s trade, Shares of DHT Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:DHT), jumped 3.63% to $8.
DHT Holdings, declared first quarter 2015 results.
Highlights of the quarter:
- EBITDA for the quarter of $51.0 million. Net income for the quarter of $23.2 million ($0.25 per basic share).
- The Company’s VLCCs operating in the spot market achieved time charter equivalent earnings of $60,300 per day in the first quarter of 2015.
- The Company will pay a dividend of $0.15 per common share for the quarter payable on May 22, 2015 for shareholders of record as of May 13, 2015.
- In April the Company reached firm commitments, subject to final documentation, for the debt financing of the last two of its six newbuildings ordered at Hyundai Heavy Industries (“HHI”). The financing equals about 50% of the contract prices with an average margin above Libor of about 2.2%.
- A total of $290.4 million, in financing, equal to about 50% of the contract prices, has now been secured for the six newbuildings with an average margin above Libor of 2.4%. The six newbuildings are now fully funded with formerly raised equity and the committed debt financing.
- In April the Company reached firm commitment, subject to final documentation, for the refinancing of the Samco Scandinavia with a margin above Libor of 2.1875%.
- During the first quarter the Company reached the following time charters: The VLCC DHT Chris (built 2001) has been chartered to a major commodity house for a period of about 10 months from February 2015 at a rate of $45,000 per day. The two Aframax vessels, the DHT Sophie (built 2003) and the DHT Cathy (built 2004), have been chartered to an oil major for a period of 24 months from April/May 2015 at a rate of $22,500 per day. The Suezmax DHT Target (built 2001) has been chartered to an oil major for a period of 12 months from March 2015 at a rate of $30,000 per day.
- DHT has a fleet of 20 VLCCs (counting six VLCCs under construction at HHI), two Suezmaxes and two Aframaxes in addition to a 50% ownership in Goodwood Ship Administration. Of the 18 vessels presently in operation, nine are on fixed rate time charters and nine have spot market exposure.
DHT Holdings, Inc. operates crude oil tankers in Bermuda. As of March 10, 2015, its fleet comprised of 18 crude oil tankers, counting 14 very large crude carriers, 2 Suezmax tankers, and 2 Aframax tankers. The company was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.
Iridium Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:IRDM), ended its last trade with 3.54% gain, and closed at $11.11.
Iridium Communications, declared production is complete of the qualification dispenser for the Iridium NEXT constellation’s initial launch, which will be conducted by ISC Kosmotras from the Yasny launch site in Russia using a Dnepr rocket, and qualification testing is on-track for completion in June 2015. Dispensers are specially-developed assemblies that hold the satellites to the rocket during launch and then manage the critically timed separation of each satellite from the rocket once successfully in orbit.
Dispenser qualification comprises static load testing, shock testing, separation testing, vibration testing and interface testing. Overall, the tests ensure the dispenser will withstand the launch shock environment and test separation dynamics, fundamental frequency and structural integrity. The testing is being conducted for Iridium by Yuzhnoye State Design Office and Yuzhny Machine Building Plant (Yuzhmash) of Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine, which are subcontractors of ISC Kosmotras. Iridium and Thales Alenia Space of France and Italy also worked closely with Yuzhnoye and Yuzhmash on the design and development of the dispenser.
“Completion of the dispenser confirms rocket readiness—another critical step toward the launch of our first satellites,” said Scott Smith, chief operating officer, Iridium.
“Iridium NEXT represents the largest payload in terms of volume and mass that we’ve handled, so we are especially proud to be concluding this important mechanism,” said Alexander Serkin, chief executive officer, ISC Kosmotras. “This takes us one step closer to being launch ready.”
Iridium Communications Inc. provides mobile voice and data communications services through satellite to businesses, the U.S. and foreign governments, non-governmental organizations, and consumers worldwide.
Finally, 3D Systems Corporation (NYSE:DDD), closed at $26.16, with 3.48% gain, hitting its lowest level.
3D Systems, declared a comprehensive seminar series to give businesses, entrepreneurs, educators, designers and other professionals a look at how 3D printing is changing manufacturing and to provide insights on the power of 3D printing in their own design-to-manufacture workflows. The seminars—hundreds worldwide with new locations posted weekly—will comprise demonstrations of the company’s latest 3D printers, design solutions and advanced materials that are at the core of a present-day manufacturing revolution. On the heels of last year’s seminars, totaling 600+, the 2015 seminar series comprises of a number of regional events through December 2015 at reseller locations around the world. Each seminar will provide information pertaining to a wide range of industries, counting automotive, aerospace, healthcare, consumer products and more.
This seminar series will provide a close look at the diversity and power of 3DS’ 3D printers, as 3DS authorized resellers demonstrate many new products such as industrial-grade, professional full-color, and desktop 3D printers in addition to advanced materials. Attendees will see how 3D printing spans the entire design and manufacturing process, counting its use in:
- Quick, vibrant full-color concept models to convey design intent
- Functional prototypes to test ideas and improve product quality
- Pre-production tooling and parts to quickly get to market
- Production parts that are lighter weight, higher performing, simpler and more reliable
- Personalized healthcare solutions, counting surgical guides and medical models.
“Each seminar is a great opportunity to experience a technology that’s transforming how we make, how we manufacture, how we convey ideas, and even how we play and learn,” said Michele Marchesan, Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer, Professional Products, 3DS. “We want to assist our customers find the right balance of 3D printing capabilities to drive them into a successful future.”
3D Systems Corporation, through its auxiliaries, operates as a provider of 3D printing centric design-to-manufacturing solutions in the Americas, Germany, and the Asia-Pacific, in addition to other European, the Middle East, and African countries.
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