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Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is testing a personal shopping service targeting “busy NYC moms” and a store concept that does away with cashiers, according to a Recode report. Code Eight, a Walmart subsidiary, is testing the service, which has placed an online job listing detailing the target shopper as a “high net worth urban consumer.” Shoppers can currently choose items from the health and beauty, household essentials and apparel and accessories categories, text a photo of the item and have them delivered for free within two business days. Household items can be delivered within 24 hours. Walmart’s startup incubator Store No. 8 is working on the store concept, called Project Kepler, Recode writes. It has elements of Amazon.com Inc.’s Go store, which also eliminates cash registers, but has been delayed by glitches. Wal-Mart shares are up nearly 43% for the year so far, outpacing the S&P 500 index , which is up 19.7% for the period, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average , which is up 25.1% for 2017 so far.

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Shares of Paychex Inc. fell 1.7% in premarket trade, after a slight beat of fiscal second-quarter profit revenue expectations was offset by a downbeat profit outlook. Net income for the quarter to Nov. 30 increased to $217.0 million, or 60 cents a share, from $202.1 million, or 56 cents a share, in the same period a year ago. Excluding non-recurring items, adjusted earnings per share came to 59 cents, in line with the FactSet consensus. Total revenue increased 7% to $826.5 million, topping the FactSet consensus of $823.5 million, as better-than-expected human resource services revenue offset a slight miss in payroll service revenue. For fiscal 2018, the company expects adjusted EPS to increase 7% to 8%, while the FactSet consensus of $2.39 implies growth of 8.6%.

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Biogen Inc. shares dropped 4.1% in premarket trade Thursday after the company put out a negative update for its Alzheimer’s disease drug. An Independent Data Monitoring Committee’s 12-month analysis found that the therapy, BAN2401, “did not meet the criteria for success” based on the trial’s primary endpoint. The phase 2 trial will continue through 18 months as planned, with a final analysis at the end, which is expected in the second half of next year. Biogen and Eisai Co. have been partners on BAN2401 since 2014, an agreement that included another Alzheimer’s disease drug, E2609, which is still being developed. Last month, the companies expanded the agreement and, as part of it, eliminated milestone payments for BAN2401. BAN2401’s phase 2 trial enrolled 856 patients with early Alzheimer’s disease. The Independent Data Monitoring Committee’s analysis, called a “Bayesian analysis,” was used in the hope that “it would enable us to demonstrate clinical success faster than more traditional study designs,” said Lynn Kramer, chief clinical and medical officer of the Eisai Neurology Business Group. The companies emphasized that 16 interim analyses that looked at potential for futility did not find it, and that the Bayesian analysis at 12 months found “success was judged at an 80% of higher probability of achieving a Clinically Significant Difference.” Biogen shares have risen 6% over the last three months, compared with a 7% rise in the S&P 500 and a 10.6% rise in the Dow Jones Industrial Average .

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Shares of AEterna Zentaris Inc. rocketed 66% in premarket trade, putting them on track to open at an eight-month high, after the biopharmaceutical company said Macrilen, used in the diagnosis of patients with adult growth hormone deficiency, was granted marketing approval by the Food and Drug Administration. The company plans to make Macrilen available commercially in the U.S. during the first quarter of 2018. “Clinical studies have demonstrated that growth hormone stimulation testing for AGHD with oral Macrilen (macimorelin) is reliable, well-tolerated, reproducible, safe and a much simpler test to conduct than currently available option,” said Kevin Yuen, clinical investigator of the Barrow Neuroendocrinology Clinic. The stock had plunged 44% year to date through Wednesday, while the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF had rallied 21% and the S&P 500 had climbed 20%.

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Shares of CarMax Inc. slid 1.4% in premarket trade Thursday, after the used-car retailer’s same-store used vehicle unit sales fell short of expectations, offsetting a beat in overall revenue. Net income for the quarter to Nov. 30 rose to $148.8 million, or 81 cents a share, from $136.6 million, or 72 cents a share, in the same period a year ago. The FactSet consensus for earnings per share was 81 cents. Total revenue increased to $4.11 billion from $3.70 billion, exceeding the FactSet consensus of $3.98 billion, as used vehicle sales of $3.43 billion topped expectations of $3.39 billion. Same-store used vehicle unit sales rose 2.7%, as an increase in conversion was partially offset by lower store traffic, but that missed the FactSet consensus of 4.4% growth. Average selling prices increased 2.5% for used vehicles to $20,008. The stock has gained 6.3% year to date through Wednesday, while the S&P 500 [: spx] has climbed 19.7%.

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Shares of Conagra Brands Inc. surged 4.9% in premarket trade Thursday, after the branded food company reported fiscal second-quarter profit and sales that beat expectations, and provided an upbeat outlook. Net income for the quarter to Nov. 26 rose to $223.5 million, or 54 cents a share, from $122.1 million, or 28 cents a share, in the same period a year ago. Excluding non-recurring items, adjusted earnings per share came to 55 cents, above the FactSet consensus of 52 cents. Revenue increased 4.1% to $2.17 billion, beating the FactSet consensus of $2.07 billion, with sales from the company’s grocery and snack, refrigerated and frozen and foodservice businesses all topping expectations. The company, which brands include Healthy Choice, Slim Jim and Orville Redenbacher’s, said it now expects fiscal 2018 adjusted EPS “near the high end” of the previously provided guidance range of $1.84 to $1.89. The stock has lost 3.6% year to date through Wednesday, while the S&P 500 has climbed 19.7%.

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Shares of Finish Line Inc. soared 6.9% in premarket trade Thursday, after the footwear retailer reported better-than-expected fiscal third-quarter results, including a surprise increase in same-store sales. The net loss for the quarter to Nov. 25 narrowed to $12.9 million, or 32 cents a share, from $40.4 million, or $1.00 a share, in the same period a year ago. Excluding non-recurring items, the per-share loss was 26 cents, compared with the FactSet consensus for a loss of 36 cents. Revenue rose 1.8% to $378.5 million, beating the FactSet consensus of $361.0 million, as same-store sales growth of 0.8%, which was the first increase in five quarters, beat expectations of a 4.5% decline. For the fourth quarter, the company expects adjusted EPS of 50 cents to 58 cents, surrounding the FactSet consensus of 54 cents. Finish Line also expects current-quarter same-store sales to decline 3% to 5%, while the FactSet consensus is for a decline of 3.7%. The stock had tumbled 38% year to date through Wednesday, while the SPDR S&P Retail ETF had edged up 2.6% and the S&P 500 had climbed 20%.

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Forestar Group Inc. said Thursday Chief Executive Phillip Weber will step down, effective Dec. 28, after 27 months in the role. The company has named Daniel Bartok, most recently executive vice president of Wells Fargo & Co.’s Owned Real Estate business, as CEO effective Dec. 29. On Oct. 5, the residential and real estate development company agreed to have 75% of its outstanding shares acquired by home builder D.R. Horton Inc. . Forestar’s stock, which was still inactive in premarket trade, has soared 66% year to date, while the S&P 500 has gained 20%.

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Accenture PLC reported Thursday fiscal first-quarter net income that rose to $1.17 billion, or $1.79 a share, from $1.05 billion, or $1.58 a share, in the same period a year ago. The FactSet consensus for earnings per share was $1.67. The consulting firm said total revenue increased to $10.05 billion from $9.01 billion, beating the FactSet consensus of $9.63 billion, with the 12% growth in revenue before reimbursements to $9.52 billion topped expectations of $9.26 billion. Gross margin was flat at 32.1%, while new bookings reached $10 billion. The company raised its fiscal 2018 net EPS outlook to $6.48 to $6.66 from $6.36 to $6.60. The stock, which was still inactive in premarket trade, has run up 29.6% year to date, while the S&P 500 has gained 19.7%.

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Penske Media Corp. will take a controlling stake in Wenner Media, the parent company of venerable rock-and-roll magazine Rolling Stone, in a deal announced late Wednesday. The deal is reportedly valued at about $100 million. Singapore-based BandLab Technologies Inc. will maintain a 49% stake in Wenner Media that it bought last year. In a statement, PMC said Wenner Media would keep “majority control and editorial oversight” of Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner, who co-founded the magazine in 1967, will stay with the company and become its editorial director. Penske will reportedly keep Rolling Stone as a print publication, while bolstering its online presence. PMC is owned by Jay Penske, son of auto-racing entrepreneur Roger Penske, and includes Fairchild Publications, Variety and online media brands such as IndieWire and Deadline Hollywood. Wenner had reportedly been seeking a sale since September.

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