Effective January 1, 2015, each of the executive officers of Whiting Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:WLL) voluntarily agreed to terminate their Executive Excise Tax Gross-Up Agreement with the Company (the “Gross-Up Agreement”), which provided that if a change in control of the Company occurred, the Company would be obligated under certain circumstances to make a “gross-up” payment to the executive officer for excise and related taxes on certain payments to the executive officer. As a result of the termination of the Gross-Up Agreements, the Company does not have any agreements with its officers or employees that provide for a gross-up of taxes.On Wednesday shares of Whiting Petroleum Corp. (NYSE:WLL) closed at $28.05. Company’s sales growth for last 5 years was 15.20% and EPS growth for next 5 years is recorded as 4.66%.
Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the individuals responsible for the thefts of copper communications cables in Southern California. The thefts have put public safety at risk for hundreds of customers and have caused unnecessary telephone and Internet service outages. Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) in last trading activity moved down -0.35% to close at $48.01. Company weekly performance is 1.76% while its quarterly performance stands at 0.21%. Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) is -8.45% away from its 52 week high.
Qiwi PLC (NASDAQ:QIWI) has been given an average rating of “Hold” by the nine ratings firms that are currently covering the company, AnalystRatingsNetwork reports. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $40.45. On last trading day Qiwi plc (NASDAQ:QIWI) increased 0.37% to close at $21.67. Its volatility for the week is 4.76% while volatility for the month is 5.39%. Qiwi plc (NASDAQ:QIWI) monthly performance is 9.39%.
Umpqua Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: UMPQ), parent company of Umpqua Bank and Umpqua Investments, announced that it will host its fourth quarter 2014 earnings conference call on Thursday, January 29, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. PST (1:00 p.m. EST). Umpqua Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:UMPQ) has 0.30% insider ownership while its institutional ownership stands at 91.20%. In last trading activity company’s stock closed at $15.43.
Auspex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASPX), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing innovative medicines for people with movement disorders and other rare diseases, on 14 January announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug designation to Auspex’s investigational compound SD-809 for the treatment of Tourette syndrome in the pediatric population (defined as zero through 16 years of age).On last trading day Auspex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASPX) increased 3.27% to close at $62.83. Its volatility for the week is 8.36% while volatility for the month is 6.52%. Auspex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASPX) monthly performance is 22.91%.