Category Archives: Cf

A person familiar with the situation says that Washington Nationals center fielder Adam Eaton will miss the rest of the season with a torn ligament in his left knee.

The person confirmed Eatons status to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity, because the Nationals had not made public the severity of the injury.

Eaton, 28, tore the ACL in his knee when he stepped awkwardly on the bag when he beat out a throw to first in the ninth inning Friday.

He was Washingtons biggest offseason acquisition, arriving from the Chicago White Sox in a trade. Eaton was hitting .297 with two homers and 13 RBIs, reaching base safely in 20 of 23 games for the NL East leaders. (AP)

Surgery for Miller Shelby Millers season is over after the Diamondbacks righthander announced Saturday he will have Tommy John surgery on his pitching elbow.

Miller was diagnosed with right elbow inflammation following an April 23 start and placed on the 60-day disabled list. The former Cardinal sought second opinions before ultimately deciding on major surgery.

Its the best decision I think we could make, said Miller, who hopes to return to throwing in the spring. (AP)

Hamstring strain sidelines Freese The Pirates offense took another hit Saturday when David Freese went on the 10-day disabled list because of a strained right hamstring.

David is best suited to take the time he needs to take to come back good, Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle said. He was in a very good spot for us to this point. We want to make sure of the fact that he doesnt feel pressed to get back and well move on from here.

Freese, who turned 34 on Friday, has been the Pirates best hitter, batting .321 with three homers and 10 RBIs.

Freese joins Jung Ho Kang (visa issues), Starling Marte (suspension) and Adam Frazier (hamstring) in the group of Pirates inactive position players. (Pittsburgh Gazette)

Angels send two to disabled list Los Angeles has placed first baseman C.J. Cron and lefty starter Tyler Skaggs on the 10-day disabled list.

Both players were injured Friday night. Cron has a bruised left foot and Skaggs has a strained right oblique.

Cron, whos hitting .233 with no homers and three RBIs, fouled a ball off the top of his foot.

I think its just a bruise, said Cron, seated in the Angels clubhouse with his foot taped and elevated on a chair. Its unfortunate, but its nothing too serious.

Skaggs, who picked up the win Friday, is 1-1 with a 3.99 ERA in five starts. He left Friday after just five innings. (AP)

Injury-plagued Seattle loses another The Mariners have placed righthander Evan Scribner on the 10-day disabled list with a sore elbow and recalled outfielder Boog Powell from Triple-A Tacoma.

The Mariners have seven players on the DL, including two starting pitchers staff ace Felix Hernandez (right shoulder bursitis) and lefthander Drew Smyly (flexor strain). (AP)

Bostons Price throws simulated game Red Sox lefthander David Price got back on the Fenway Park mound Saturday for a two-inning simulated game.

Price threw with team president Dave Dombrowski, manager John Farrell and pitching coach Carl Willis looking on.

Price has been sidelined by a strained left elbow since early in spring training. There is no set timetable for the former AL Cy Young Award winner to return.

It was a quality workday for him, accomplished what the plan was and that was for two simulated innings after he warmed up, Farrell said. Good intensity. I know when he walked off he said he felt good. (AP)

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MLB notes: Nationals lose CF Eaton for rest of the season - STLtoday.com

CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) Sees Large Increase in Short Interest The Cerbat Gem CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF) saw a large increase in short interest in April. As of April 13th, there was short interest totalling 35290242 shares, ... CF Industries Holdings (CF) Receiving Negative Media Coverage, Analysis FindsChaffey Breeze CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) Debt Trading 2.2% LowerBBNS all 8 news articles »

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CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) Sees Large Increase in Short Interest - The Cerbat Gem

CF Industries to Announce Its 1Q17 Earnings: What to Expect PART 1 OF 8

CF Industries (CF), one of the largest producers of nitrogen fertilizers in North America, is set to report its 1Q17 earnings on May 3, 2017, after the market closes. Analysts estimate CFs earnings to come in at -$0.39 per share, which would be a steep decline from $0.40 in 1Q16.

Before we dig deeper into analysts earnings expectations for CF Industries, lets look at how the stock has performed compared to its benchmarks.

On a trailing 52-week basis, CFstock has fallen 15.2% and was trading at $27.20 on April 26, 2017. Among the benchmarks, the VanEck Vector Agribusiness ETF (MOO) has returned 16.8% and the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) has returned 15.2% over the same period.

Among CF Industries peers, PotashCorp (POT) has fallen 2.2%, while CVR Partners (UAN) has fallen 41.8% over the same period. On the other hand, Agrium (AGU) has returned 5% on a trailing 52-week basis.

In this series, well look at analysts earnings expectations for CF Industries (CF). Well also look at forecasts for some key financial metrics such as revenues, profit margins, and capital outlay over the next 12 months.

Well compare CF Industries valuation multiple with its peers. Well also look at the latest changes in analysts recommendations and price targets for the stock.

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CF Industries to Announce Its 1Q17 Earnings: What to Expect - Market Realist

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX - Free Report) reported first-quarter 2017 earnings per share of 13 cents (including the impact of stock-based compensation expense), which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 4 cents. Notably, the company had posted a loss of 13 cents in the year-ago quarter. Strong product revenues and cost control led to higher profits in the quarter.

Excluding stock-based compensation expense, first-quarter adjusted earnings were 41 cents per share compared with the year-ago figure of 9 cents.

Including upfront revenues of $230 million received from German phama company, Merck KGaA for the out-licensing of four oncology programs; restructuring costs and other adjustments, reported earnings were 99 cents per share.

Vertex reported revenues of $714.7 million in the first quarter, up 79.5% year over year gaining from the upfront payment from Merck KGaA. Excluding the upfront revenues, adjusted total revenue was $482.3 million, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $459.1 million by 5.3%.

This year so far, Vertexs shares have risen 61.5%, outperforming an increase of 4.8% for the Zacks classified Large-Cap Pharma industry.

CF Franchise Sales Rise

Vertexs first-quarter revenues consisted of sales from cystic fibrosis (CF) products Kalydeco and Orkambi, collaborative ($232.6 million) and royalty revenues ($1.5 million). CF product revenues were $481 million in the first quarter, up 22% year over year.

The company reported a 9% increase in Kalydeco sales to $186 million. Kalydeco sales gained from one-time adjustments mainly related to European reimbursement agreements.

Orkambi (lumacaftor/ivacaftor) delivered sales of $295.0 million, up 32% year over year. On a sequential basis, Orkambi sales rose around 7% in the first quarter supported by rapid uptake in the pediatric indication for which approval was received in Sep 2016.

Cost Discussion

Adjusted (including stock-based compensation expenses) research and development expenses increased 5.9% to $271.4 million in the first quarter due to higher costs related to progress on the CF pipeline. Adjusted (including stock-based compensation expenses) selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses increased 5.5% to $110.5 million due to increased investment to support the global launch of Orkambi.

Maintains 2017 Guidance

Vertex maintained its 2017 guidance for Orkambi revenues, which was provided in early Jan 2017, while raising the same for Kalydeco. Orkambi revenues are expected in the range of $1.1$1.3 billion while Kalydeco revenues are estimated in the range of $710 to $730 million, higher than $690$710 million guided previously. Management said the uptick in guidance was the result of a one-time gain received this quarter as well as strong demand trends for the product.

Management continues to believe that Orkambi sales growth will be dependent on reimbursement discussions in Europe in 2017. Vertex has faced many challenges with respect to commercialization of Orkambi in ex-U.S. markets due to re-imbursement hurdles, discontinuations by patients who had previously initiated treatment with Orkambi and a slower-than-anticipated launch in Germany.

Combined adjusted research and development (R&D) and selling, general and administrative (SG&A) expenses in 2017 are anticipated in the range of $1.25$1.30 billion. Costs are expected to be higher than 2016 levels due to increased costs related to CF pipeline development and increased commercial investment to support Orkambi and Kalydeco.

Our Take

Vertexs first-quarter results were strong with the company beating expectations for both earnings and revenues as sales of its CF drugs rose.

Meanwhile, Vertexs CF pipeline is quite strong with a broad portfolio of next-generation CF correctors. Investor focus will now be on the triple combination CF regimens, which are crucial for long-term growth at Vertex. Data from three triple combination regimes in CF patients are expected in the second half of this year. We remind investors that last month, Vertex announced positive data from two phase III studies evaluating Kalydeco in combination with VX-661 (tezacaftor) in patients suffering from CF aged 12 years and above with two copies of the F508del mutation. Both studies EVOLVE and EXPAND met their primary endpoints and demonstrated statistically significant improvements in lung function in patients with CF.Based on positive outcome from the studies, the company is planning to submit regulatory applications in the U.S. and EU in the third quarter of 2017.

Meanwhile, the company is also looking to buy CF candidates, which can be combined with its tezacaftor (VX-661) and Kalydeco to create triple combinations.

Just last month, Vertex announced a definitive deal to buy the worldwide development and commercialization rights of Concert Pharmaceuticals (CNCE - Free Report) CF pipeline candidate, CTP-656 for an upfront payment of $160 million in cash.

Vertex plans to develop CTP-656 for potential use in future once-daily regimens in combination with its other pipeline drugs to treat the underlying cause of CF.

Undoubtedly, the CF market has been attracting the interest of several companies like AbbVie, Pfizer, Inc. (PFE - Free Report) and Sanofi (SNY - Free Report) . These companies are pursuing the development of CFTR potentiators, CFTR correctors and candidates with other mechanisms of action that can address the underlying cause of CF.

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Vertex (VRTX) Q1 Earnings Top, CF Products Sales Strong - Zacks.com

CF Industries to Announce Its 1Q17 Earnings: What to Expect PART 2 OF 8

CF Industries (CF) revenues come from its AN (ammonia nitrate), Granular Urea, UAN (urea ammonia nitrate), Ammonia, and Other segments. Of these five reported segments, CF Industries earns most of its salesabout one-thirdfrom the UAN segment, followed by the Ammonia and Granular Urea segments. Now, lets look at analysts sales estimates for 1Q17.

For the upcoming 1Q17 release, analysts estimate CF Industries to report ~$1.01 billion, which would grow ~1% year-over-year compared to ~$1.00 billion in 1Q16.

For the next four quarters, the companys sales are estimated to come in at ~$4.2 billion, which would grow 15% compared to ~$3.7 billion in the recent four quarters.

In 2016, sales had declined ~14% year-over-year as a result of declining nitrogen prices. While the demand for nitrogen product remains strong, not much could be said about the direction in which the fertilizer prices move. This is true especially for nitrogen producers such as CF Industries, PotashCorp (POT), CVR Partners (UAN), and Terra Nitrogen (TNH) that have natural gas as the underlying input cost.

Natural gas, which accounts for about two-thirds of the cost of nitrogen production, can be volatile, impacting the profitability of the above players (XLB).

In the next two parts, well discuss profitability for CF Industries.

Link:

CF Industries' Sales Estimated to Rise in 2017 - Market Realist

NY Stock News

What CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) Is Telling Investors Via Its Technical Chart NY Stock News CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) has created a compelling message for traders in the most recent trading. That message has grown stronger as the technical chart setup has developed into a more composite picture for the stock. This is the breakdown as ... and more »

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What CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF) Is Telling Investors Via Its Technical Chart - NY Stock News

You knew this post was coming.

With Rajai Davis out with a hamstring injury, the As are slightly short staffed in the outfield. Even with Davis around, you could argue theyre short staffed, often relying on one of their platoon outfielders to play against their like handed counterparts. Davis should be back roughly when his ten day stint is up, but hammy strains like to loiter, and its possible the now 36 year old will need more time to heal.

That brings us to Leonys Martin, recently DFAd former Seattle Mariner. If you get DFAd by a club struggling as mightily as the Ms, things probably arent going well for you personally, and that was indeed the case for Martin. In 54 at bats this year, Martin has just six hits good for an unsightly .111/.172/.130 triple slash line.

Hes only 29 though, a year removed from a solid season as a reliable centerfielder in the midst of a quietly decent career. Should the As take a shot at recently DFAd Leonys Martin?

Since Martin was DFAd by the Mariners, hes been placed on waivers. All 30 teams now have the chance to claim him during his ten day waiver period, with the team with the weakest record in 2016 (starting in the AL then moving to the NL) getting first dibs at making a deal. If no deal is made during the ten day period, Martin would become a free agent available to all 30 teams.

While Martin is intriguing to a number of teams, his price tag in a trade is unlikely to be high. The Ms might fetch a lottery ticket reliever or a potential utility player, but Martin just wont yield a solid prospect in return.

That said, there will be competition for his services as there are some truly desperate teams out there. The Giants just lost Denard Span to injury and are trotting Drew Stubbs into their outfield, a move that would have drawn ire in 2012. While Martin would be a decent play for the As, theres just more in it for a team like the Giants. With a closing window and playoff odds that are fading with every loss, theyre more willing to overpay, something the As really shouldnt do.

Dont count the As out, though. If they wanted to make a trade for Martin, theyre high up on the waiver wire and have a deep farm system with plenty of meh guys suitable to net Martin in return. Should he clear waivers, the As could offer him an enticing home with the chance to play a role suitable for his skills.

A real life, actual, functioning defensive center fielder! Its been roughly forever since the As have had one of those, and the fleet footed Martin would help offset Matt Joyces ankle weights in right and Khris Daviss noodle arm in left. A great way to help flawed corner outfielders is to stick a bonafide defender in between.

Jaff Decker has been good, but hes probably not as good as hes played thus far. His more likely spot is as a fourth outfielder with his solid but not amazing defense at all three spots and his platoon bat. Leonys Martin is a lottery ticket, similar to Decker in terms of overall value, and two lottery tickets is always better than one. Acquiring Martin would push Decker towards his likely home of fourth outfielder while improving the As centerfield platoon as well.

Finding Martin a roster spot wouldnt be a difficult task. Matt Olson is basically Matt Joyce in right and while itd be nice to get Olson big league at bats in the near future, hes redundant. Theres no room for him at first and with Joyce in his way, a trip to Nashville is an inevitability. Hes up because of circumstance. Decker would shift into Olsons current role but with added flexiblity, and Olson would get the everyday at bats he deserves.

For the As to compete, they need to take risks. Martin represents a higher upside heavy half of the centerfield platoon, a risk that could keep the As afloat defensively. His awful start came in a tiny sample and hes just a year removed from a very solid season. The As should capitalize on the Mariners overreaction.

Finally, imagine this cannon gunning down Albert Pujols smug ass trying to stretch a groundball to centerfield into a single. Yum.

No, thats not Derek Norriss quiet younger brother. Thats Jaff Decker.

If the As were Decker-less, the decision would be obvious. Pursuing Martin would be a no-brainer, hed be a lottery ticket made for the As roster. Bringing Martin into the fold would put Decker out of his platoon job and into the fourth outfielder role.

Decker has been solid thus far, and too similar overall to Martin to warrant a pursuit. Like Martin, hes a platoon player, fit only to face righties with almost no utility against lefties. Both profile as average-ish defenders, though Martins defensive upside is markedly higher. On the flip side, Deckers offensive ceiling is a touch better than Martins, basically making the difference between the two a wash.

If Martin has any advantage at all, its superseded by Deckers standing on the roster and impressive play to start the year. When youre a team slated to be bad, you dont mess with a good thing. Decker has been a bright spot early and with his youth and limited experience, its possible his early season success could last. Hes a potential long term asset for the As with six years of team control left, and the As would be well suited to continue down Decker-road until its clear what kind of player he is.

Martin is more of a short term play, getting up in age and down in value, unlikely to land on big league rosters for more than a few more years. Hes also very much a lottery ticket - you can hope the upside is still there but the most likely out come is that hes a bust. His defense has slipped by almost every metric, putting more pressure on his always meager bat. Hoping to squeeze more value out of an aging speedster just isnt worth giving up Decker at bats for, and theres no guarantee Martin would make the As any better on either side of the ball.

While there is a potential fit, it just doesnt make perfect sense for the As wont and shouldnt happen. There are teams that are more desperate, therefore wiling to offer more to both the Mariners in terms of prospects and Martin in terms of playing time. The As cant guarantee anything more than sporadic playing time at this point, something a number of teams could top.

Martin is a bit like Decker in terms of his overall potential value. The former is a better bet with the glove, the latter representing more upside with the bat, and both topping out as part time players. The As have a good thing going with Decker now; going with Martin would represent a risk on multiple levels.

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Oakland A's CF target: Leonys Martin - Athletics Nation

A sub-15-pound race bike with lightweightwheels and all the exceptional handling and pedaling response you expect from a brands top of the line offering should run you, what, eight grand? Ten?

How about $3,600?

The Ultimate CF SLX is the second Canyon bicycle we have tested in the last year, and the other bike the Aeroad CF SLX walked away with the VeloNews 2016 Road Bike of the Year honors.As it turns out, the featherweight Ultimate CF SLX 8.0 is equally excellent, especially given its sub-$4,000 price tag, though this particular build kit can use some tweaks.

The Ultimates geometry and handling instantly felt familiar: Its aggressiveand ultra-responsive. Thethe 27.2mm seatpost flexes when it encounters rough chatter, the single concession to comfort on this thoroughbred. The seatposts movement was noticeable over rough stuff, but less so on slight chatter. That means the bike maintains a connected road feel until you really need the compliance.

Its no comfort bike, though. The seatpost flex was all I wanted on dirt roads, but the tradeoff is a fairly harsh front end. This is a purpose-drivenracer, with a steep 73.25-degree head tube angle and a 155-millimeter head tube (size M) that allows you to get low and aggressive. The front-end stiffness only seemed fitting. (Dropping my tire pressure was enough to keep extended dirt road stretches from shattering me.)

The 988-centimeter wheelbase makes for some lithe handling, so quick steering and maneuvering is a given. It was a joy diving into tight corners. If youve ridden Specializeds super-responsive S-Works Tarmac, youll know what to expect with the Ultimate CF SLX.

The only nitpicks we had about the bike concerned the build. First, wed swap out the 100-millimeter stem for something longer. (Sizes Large and above come with a 110-millimeter stem, which would be a good addition to our size Medium.) This is an aggressive bike, and the short stem felt out of place. A longer stem would allow for an even lower, longer riding position.

Second, the Mavic Ksyrium Pro Exalith SL WTS wheels buck the wider-is-better trend thats taken over in the U.S. road scene. While braking is exceptional on the Ksyriums, after one or two rides we found ourselves craving something wider than the Ksyriums 15-millimeter inner width that doesnt capitalize on the 25-millimeter tires theyre specd with. So we swapped them out with Enves SES 3.4 wheels that have a 21mm inner rim width. This improved the already exceptional handling, especially in tight corners and during quick, high-speed maneuvering.

Still, the Ultegra mechanical group is reliable, if unglamorous. The Fizik Antares R5 is another safe bet, and the bike is specd with Canyon-branded aluminum components in the cockpit. This might be a good place to upgrade if youre a carbon devotee, but the handlebar was plenty comfortable, so its not an urgent upgrade by any means. The Ultimate CF SLX 8.0 is also already exceptionally light in general not just for a bike at this price range tipping the scales at 14.81pounds. If you upgrade, it wont be because you need to shave grams. Sleek lines and understated graphics make this one a visual winner, too.

Frankly, this is a stunning bike. You can get a fancier build that will only improve this exceptional ride, but the Ultimate CF SLX 8.0 is ready to race out of the box at an attractive price tag.

And the answer to the big question: The Ultimate CF SLX will begin shipping to consumers in August. The wait is nearly over.

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Canyon Ultimate CF SLX 8.0 - VeloNews (blog)

StockNewsJournal

Why Investors remained confident on CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF), Whirlpool Corporation (WHR)? StockNewsJournal Investors who are keeping close eye on the stock of CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CF) established that the company was able to keep return on investment at -1.41 in the trailing twelve month while Reuters data showed that industry's average stands ... and more »

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Why Investors remained confident on CF Industries Holdings, Inc. (CF), Whirlpool Corporation (WHR)? - StockNewsJournal

2020 CF/2B Hallie Wacaser Commits To FSU

When they asked me to share my story I was super excited! This journey has been such a crazy ride and I am so blessed to say that I will be a Florida State Seminole in 4 years!

Florida State was always my dream school. I remember watching games with my dad on TV and dressing up as a Florida State cheerleader for Halloween.When I was 12, I begged my parents to let me go to a Florida State softball camp, which is the #1 rated camp in the country. It was the summer of my 7th grade year, and when I stepped onto campus I was amazed. It was so pretty and the weather was amazing. The camp was GREAT and the family atmosphere Coach Alameda, Coach Snider, Coach Wilson and the players create is truly one of a kind. They welcome everyone with a smile and work with you to make you the best player you can be. One thing about me that really stood out to the FSU coaches was my bat speed and how violent my swing is. They loved my arm in the outfield and how I had speed around the bases. After the camp, Coach Snider asked me to come down to their winter camp, and from there, my FSU dream began to skyrocket.

Even though FSU was my dream school, I did make a few additional stops along the recruiting journey. During this time, I was blessed with several opportunities with top programs and got to meet amazing coaches along the way. Each school and coach was special in their own way, but deep down I knew that FSU was my home. Not only was it my dream school but I have family in the area, and I cannot forget the fact that I am a warm weather girl.

I have been playing softball since I was 5, and started playing travel ball at 9. Arkansas has some awesome softball players, and I played for a great regional organization for many years. During that time, I met my best friend Alex McManus, who is an amazing pitcher. Both Alex and I aspired to play D1 softball and she later committed to play for Notre Dame. We love to compete and we wanted to play the best competition possible, so when we were asked to join the Beverly Bandits out of Chicago, we both jumped in. I must say, it has been one of the best decisions I have made. I love the accountability and drive, and my teammates inspire me to work hard every day so I can play to the best of my potential. Since Alex and I live in Arkansas we practice together at home. The competitive spirit is alive in each practice, and we push each other to be the best we can be. I admired Alex when she committed to Notre Dame last year, and it motivated me even more to fulfill my dream. In March, I committed to Florida State and now we will get to play against each other in the ACC.

There are many coaches who have believed in me along the way, and I can't thank them enough -- From Jason Wildeman and the NWA Knockouts organization, my pitching coach Kris Munson, as well as Ramsey Harkness with the Beverly Bandits. Additionally, I take a lot of pride in my hitting and would like to give a special shout out to Coy Akins, Randi Wilson and George McManus for molding me into the offensive player I am today. But one person I can never thank enough is my dad. Being my #1 fan and friend through all the ups and downs is beyond compare. Now that I have started my high school journey, I am super excited that I have an AWESOME high school coach, Anthony Cantrell. He brings energy, knowledge, and experience coaching at a high level, leading several D1 athletes!

Overall, this journey has been a blast and I can't thank the man upstairs enough for blessing me with this opportunity! Anyway, GOOOOOOOO NOLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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2020 CF/2B Hallie Wacaser Commits To FSU - FloSoftball