On Thursday, U.S. stock futures directed to small gains at Wall Street’s open, following shareholders moved past Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen’s indication to watch for consumer-price data that’s key to ponder about interest rates.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJH5) climbed 23 points to 18,216, while those for the S&P 500 index (SPH5) put in 3.3 points to 2,113.50. Futures for the Nasdaq-100 (NDH5) increased 8.5 points to 4,445.25.
On Wednesday, U.S. stocks detained near the unmoved mark.
Insights about some real movers of the market, amid Thursday’s exchange are depicted underneath:
CollabRx, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLRX)’s shares skyrocketed 87.39% and led the share to close at $2.23, as a recognized leader in cloud-based expert systems to inform healthcare decision-making, formerly declared the pricing of an underwritten public offering of 3,840,000 shares of its ordinary stock and warrants to purchase up to an aggregate of 3,840,000 shares of its ordinary stock at an offering price of $1.25 per ordinary share and $0.0001 per warrant. The warrants will have a per share exercise price of $1.56, are exercisable right away and will expire five years from the date of issuance. Gross proceeds to CollabRx from this offering are about $4,800,000 before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and other estimated offering expenses payable by CollabRx. CollabRx has granted the underwriter a 45-day option to purchase up to an additional 576,000 shares of ordinary stock and/or 576,000 additional warrants to cover over-allotments, if any. The offering is predictable to close on February 25, 2015, subject to customary closing conditions.
Aegis Capital Corp. acted as the sole book-running manager for the offering.
CollabRx, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLRX) is a recognized leader in cloud-based expert systems to inform healthcare decision-making. CollabRx uses information technology to aggregate and contextualize the world’s knowledge on genomics-based medicine with specific insights from the nation’s top cancer experts, starting with the area of greatest need: advanced cancers in patients who have effectively exhausted the standard of care.
Shares of Benefitfocus, Inc. (NASDAQ:BNFT), jumped nearly 47.24% and closed at $33.82, soon after a leading provider of cloud-based benefits software solutions, declared that Chief Financial Officer, Milt Alpern, will present at the Raymond James 36th Annual Institutional Investors Conference in Orlando. The Benefitfocus presentation is planned for Tuesday, March 3, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time.
Benefitfocus, Inc. (NASDAQ:BNFT), is a leading provider of cloud-based benefits software solutions for consumers, employers, insurance carriers and brokers. Benefitfocus has served more than 23 million consumers on its platform that comprises of an integrated portfolio of products and services enabling clients to more efficiently shop, enroll, manage and exchange benefits information.
Oneida Financial Corp. (NASDAQ:ONFC), surged 47.10% to close at $19.49, hitting new 52-week high of $19.54, soon after the news release that Community Bank System, Inc. (CBU) and Oneida Financial Corp. (ONFC), declared the signing of a definitive contract following which Community Bank System, Inc. will attain Oneida Financial Corp., parent company of Oneida Savings Bank in Oneida, NY, for about $142 million in Community Bank System, Inc. stock and cash, or $20 per share. Under the terms of the contract, shareholders of Oneida Financial Corp. can elect to receive either 0.5635 shares of Community Bank System, Inc. ordinary stock or $20.00 in cash for each share of Oneida Financial Corp. ordinary stock they hold, subject to an overall 60% stock and 40% cash split. The merger contract has been unanimously approved by the board of directors of both companies.
The merger will combine two institutions with a long history of community-focused service and will result in the creation of the fourth largest institution by market share in the Syracuse, New York metropolitan statistical area (MSA). In addition, Oneida Financial Corp.’s noteworthy insurance, benefits administration, and wealth administration businesses will meaningfully strengthen and complement Community Bank System, Inc.’s existing non-banking service capacity. Oneida Financial Corp. has total assets of nearly $800 million, deposits of $690 million, and 12 banking offices across Madison and Oneida Counties.
Michael R. Kallet, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Oneida Financial Corp. commented, “This is an ideal opportunity for Oneida Financial Corp. to partner with a true community bank that has been nationally recognized for its financial strength and exceptional customer service. Their focus on customers and communities is identical to ours, and our customers will benefit from an expanded network of branch locations and ATM’s, and broader product and service offerings.” Mr. Kallet continued, “We are happy with the attractive market premium our shareholders will be receiving, in addition to a greater dividend and substantial market liquidity. Community Bank System, Inc. has an impressive history of creating shareholder value through both earnings and dividend growth.”
RBC Capital Markets, LLC acted as exclusive financial advisor to Community Bank System, Inc. and Bond Schoeneck & King, PLLC acted as its legal advisor. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, A Stifel Company acted as exclusive financial advisor to Oneida Financial Corp. and rendered a fairness opinion and Luse Gorman, P.C. acted as its legal advisor.
Oneida Financial Corp. (NASDAQ:ONFC), stated total assets at December 31, 2014 of $798.2 million and stockholders’ equity of $95.8 million. Oneida Financial Corp.’s wholly owned auxiliaries comprise The Oneida Savings Bank, a New York State chartered FDIC insured stock savings bank; State Bank of Chittenango, a state chartered limited-purpose commercial bank; OneGroup NY, Inc. (formerly Bailey & Haskell Associates, Inc.), an insurance, risk administration and employee benefits company; and Oneida Wealth Administration, Inc., a financial and investment advisory firm.
Shares of the Biocept, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIOC), gained 40.12% & closed at $4.75, soon after a cancer diagnostics company, released that the Company will issue its financial results for the fourth quarter of 2014 on Monday, March 9, 2015, after the close of the market, and will hold a conference call on this day at 4:30 p.m. ET to talk about the financial results and provide a company update.
The conference call will be hosted by Michael Nall, President and Chief Executive Officer, and Bill Kachioff, Chief Financial Officer. The conference call can be accessed by dialing 1-877-407-4018 for domestic callers and 1-201-689-8471 for international callers. The conference ID number for both is 13602297. A live webcast of the conference call will also be accessible on the investor relations page of the Company’s corporate website at, ir.biocept.com.
Biocept, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIOC), headquartered in San Diego, California, is a commercial-stage oncology diagnostics company focused on providing information on patients’ tumors to physicians using its proprietary technology platform to assist improve individual patient treatment. Biocept has developed proprietary technology platforms for capture and analysis of circulating tumor DNA, both in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and in plasma (cell free tumor DNA or ctDNA).
