Merck & Co Inc’s (NYSE:MRK) drug that harnesses the immune system to fight cancer showed promise in Hodgkin lymphoma patients whose disease had progressed following prior therapies, according to data from a small, early stage trial being presented at a medical meeting. Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) in last trading activity advanced 0.94% to close at $61.49. Company weekly performance is 1.80% while its quarterly performance stands at 1.45%. Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) is 0.18% away from its 52 week high.
Big Lots Inc. (NYSE:BIG) posted a third straight quarter of same-store sales growth, as a narrowing loss led the company to raise the top end of guidance for the current quarter. Big Lots now expects $1.70 to $1.80 a share in the fourth quarter, up from its previous guidance of $1.70 to $1.76, and sees same-store sales up in low single-digits. The company reaffirmed its full-year guidance. On last trading day Big Lots Inc. (NYSE:BIG) decreased -16.58% to close at $40.00. Its volatility for the week is 4.31% while volatility for the month is 3.06%. BIG’s sales growth for past 5 years was 2.70% and its EPS growth for past 5 years was 2.60%. Big Lots Inc. (NYSE:BIG) monthly performance is -10.09%.
First Niagara Financial Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:FNFG) announced that its President and Chief Executive Officer Gary M. Crosby and Chief Financial Officer Gregory W. Norwood will be attending the 2014 FBR Annual Fall Investor Conference in New York City on Tuesday, December 2. Mr. Crosby and Mr. Norwood will be available during the course of the day for one-on-one investor meetings. On last trading day First Niagara Financial Group Inc. (NASDAQ:FNFG) advanced 2.47% to close at $8.30. Its volatility for the week is 2.89% while volatility for the month is 2.23%. FNFG’s sales growth for past 5 years was 22.40% and its EPS growth for past 5 years was -1.50%. First Niagara Financial Group Inc. (NASDAQ:FNFG) monthly performance is 13.23%.
On Nov. 24, Chembio Diagnostics, Inc. (NASDAQ:CEMI), announced that it has entered into a follow-on, milestone-based development agreement with a private contracting organization acting on behalf of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), for a multiplex POC influenza immunity test utilizing Chembio’s patented Dual Path Platform (DPP®) technology. Chembio Diagnostics, Inc. (NASDAQ:CEMI) has 26.73% insider ownership while its institutional ownership stands at 18.20%. In last trading activity company’s stock closed at $4.39.
Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) disclosed in a regulatory filing that On December 1, 2014, the Compensation, Management Development and Succession or ‘CMDS’ Committee of the Board of Directors approved an approach for awards of discretionary incentive compensation for the 2014 performance year to be granted in 2015 that would reduce the average deferral of such awards from an approximate 80% to an approximate 50% level. Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) in last trading activity advanced 1.22% to close at $37.24. Company weekly performance is 5.86% while its quarterly performance stands at 7.13%. Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) is 0.89% away from its 52 week high.