Stocks In The News To Watch (BBY, PG, FFFD, SSYS, EXK, AUY)
Best Buy Co., Inc. (NYSE:BBY) said on Saturday that the locations of the 50 U.S. stores it said last month would be closed, most of them by May 12. The stores are in 21 states and Puerto Rico; California has the largest number of closures at seven. “This was not an easy decision to make,” Richfield, Minn.-based Best Buy said in a statement. Shares of BBY are down 0.41% in the pre-open session.
The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) said that the company’s board approved a 7% increase in the Dow Jones Industrial Average component’s quarterly dividend on common stock, to 56.2 cents a share from 52.5 cents previously, payable on or after May 15 to stockholders of record as of April 27. Shares of PG are up 0.77% to $66.32.
North Central Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:FFFD) revealed that the company received no alternative acquisition proposals before the expiration last week of the “go-shop” period as specified in the company’s merger agreement with Great Western Bancorporation Inc. Accordingly, North Central said it will proceed with the terms of the companies’ March merger agreement, which set a cash buyout price of $30.58 a share on North Central’s outstanding common stock.
Stratasys, Inc. (NASDAQ:SSYS) has reached an agreement to merge with privately-held Object in an all-stock transaction with a combined equity value of 1.4 billion. The combined 3D printer company plans to operate under the Stratasys name and have dual headquarters in Israel and Minnesota. After the deal, Stratasys would merge with a subsidiary of Objet, and Stratasys shareholders would receive one share of the new combined company for each common share of Stratasys they own.
Endeavour Silver Corp. (CAN)(NYSE:EXK) said that it has reached an agreement with AuRico Gold Inc(NYSE:AUQ) to acquire 100% interests in the El Cubo silver and gold mine and in the Guadalupe y Calvo exploration project, both in Mexico, for up to $250 million. Endeavour will pay Toronto-based AuRico $200 million, including up to $100 million in the form of Endeavour common stock and the rest in cash.