U.S. Banks Must Raise Capital

U.S. Banks Must Raise Capital. The eight largest banks in the U.S. have to hold an additional $68B in capital to absorb future losses. U.S. regulators voted to raise the "leverage ratio" to 5-6% of their total assets which is above Basel III standard of 3%. The banks affected include Bank of America (BAC), Bank of New York Mellon (BK), Citigroup (C),  Goldman Sachs (GS), JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Morgan Stanley (MS), State Street (ST), Wells Fargo (WFC). The banks will have until January 1, 2018 to comply.

Upgrades:

Alcoa (AA): Deutsche Bank raised their rating from Sell to Hold and placed a target price of $10.00 on the company. Pre-market: 13.01 +0.48 (3.83%)

Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B): The ReasearchTeam raised their rating from Hold to Accumulate. Pre-market: 123.69 +0.56 (0.45%)

Nike (NKE): Stifel raised their rating from Hold to Buy and placed a target price of $87.00 on the company.

Downgrades:

Apache Corp. (APA): Deutsche Bank lowered their rating from Buy to Hold and placed a target price of $91.00 on the company. Pre-market: 84.70 -0.48 (-0.56%)

Arris Group (ARRS): The Street.com lowered their rating from Buy to Hold.

Credit Suisse (CS): JPMorgan lowered their rating from Neutral to Underweight. Pre-market: 32.27 -0.01 (-0.03%)

Cisco Systems (CSCO): Wunderlich lowered their rating from Buy to Hold and lowered their target price from $25.00 to $24.00.

The Hershey Comp. (HSY): Goldman Sachs lowered their rating from Neutral to Sell and placed a target price of $70.00 on the company. Pre-market: 99.37 -2.35 (-2.31%)

Royal Caribbean (RCL): Pareto lowered their rating from Buy to Hold.

Coverage Initiated:

Ball Corp. (BLL): Credit Suisse initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and target price of $59.00.

Cabela’s (CAB): Credit Suisse initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and target price of $71.00.

CBS Corp. (CBS): JPMorgan initiated coverage with an Overweight rating.

General Motors (GM): JPMorgan initiated coverage with an Underweight rating and target price of $33.00. Pre-market: 33.94 -0.59 (-1.71%)

International Paper (IP): Credit Suisse initiated coverage with an Outperform rating and target price of $67.00.

Intuitive Surgical (ISRG): Sterne Agee initiated coverage with an Underperform rating and target price of $440.00. Pre-market: 438.76 -51.08 (-10.43%)

Kellogg Comp. (K): Nomura initiated coverage with a Buy rating and target price of $70.00.

Earning Reports:

Alcoa (AA): Reported EPS of $0.09 beating estimates by +$0.04. Pre-market: 13.01 +0.48 (3.83%)

Constellation Brands (STZ): Reported EPS of $0.81 beating estimates by +$0.05. Pre-market: 84.75 +3.27 (4.01%)

Progressive (PGR): Reported EPS of $0.54 beating estimates by +$0.15. Pre-market: 24.86 +0.70 (2.90%)

WD-40 (WDFC): Reported EPS of $0.67 missing estimates by -$0.01.

Markets: 
Futures at 8:41: Dow +0.35%. S&P +0.27%. Nasdaq +0.43%. Crude +0.13% to $102.69. Gold -0.37% to $1304.00. U.S. 10 Year -6/32 to 2.705%.

Europe: London +0.8%. Paris +0.4%. Frankfurt +0.4%. 

Asia: Japan -2.1% to 14300. Hong Kong +1.1% to 22843. China +0.3% to 2105. India +1.6% to 22702. 

#RLPaler #TopWealthManager #WallStreet #Stocks #EarningReports #AnalystsUpgradesDowngrades    

Overseas Business Activity Slows

Overseas Business Activity Slows. Business activities in both China and the Eurozone are continuing to slow. For the fifth straight month in China, the flash manufacturing PMI fell to 48.1 in March from 48.5 in February and missing economist estimates of 48.7. In the Eurozone the flash composite PMI fell to 53.2 from 53.3 in February but topped economist consensus of 52.6. The latest PMI survey signals a 0.5% increase in Q1 GDP after growth of 0.3% in Q4.

Upgrades:

Boston Scientific (BSX): Bernstein raised their rating from Market Perform to Outperform and raised their target price from $12.00 to $15.00. Pre-market: 13.07 +0.25 (1.95%)

Ensco PLC (ESV): ResearchTeam raised their rating from Reduce to Hold.

Ross Stores (ROST): RBC Capital raised their rating from Sector Perform to Outperform and raised their target price from $79.00 to $81.00. Pre-market: 74.40 +1.43 (1.96%)

United Continental Holdings (UAL): Raymond James raised their rating from Market Perform to Outperform and placed a target price of $52.00 on the company. Pre-market: 45.02 +0.69 (1.56%)

US Bancorp (USB): Atlantic Equities raised their rating from Underweight to Neutral. Pre-market: 43.08 +0.06 (0.14%)

VMware (VMW): Sterne Agee raised their rating from Neutral to Buy. Pre-market: 110.33 +1.12 (1.03%)

Wells Fargo (WFC): Atlantic Equities raised their rating from Underweight to Neutral. Pre-market: 49.50 +0.38 (0.77%)

Yelp (YELP): JMP Securities raised their rating from Market Perform to Outperform and placed a target price of $113.00 on the company. Pre-market: 86.00 +2.57 (3.08%)

Downgrades:

Abbott (ABT): ResearchTeam lowered their rating from Hold to Reduce.

AFLAC (AFL): ResearchTeam lowered their rating from Hold to Reduce.

Bank of America (BAC): Alantic Equities lowered their rating from Overweight to Neutral and lowered their target price from $20.00 to $18.50. Pre-market: 45.02 +0.69 (1.56%)

National Oilwell (NOV): ResearchTeam lowered their rating from Hold to Reduce. Pre-market: 74.58 +0.11 (0.15%)

Nike (NKE): ResearchTeam lowered their rating from Hold to Reduce. Pre-market: 75.49 +0.28 (0.37%)

Tiffany & Co. (TIF): Goldman Sachs lowered their rating from Conviction Buy to Buy and lowered their target price from $101.00 to $100.00. Pre-market: 89.11 -1.62 (-1.79%)

Coverage Initiated:

T-Mobile (TMUS): Evercore initiated coverage with an Equal Weight rating and target price of $34.00.

Markets: 
Futures at 8:34: Dow +0.20%. S&P +0.26%. Nasdaq +0.31%. Crude +0.52% to $99.98. Gold -0.97% to $1323.10. U.S. 10 Year -6/32 to 2.768%.

Europe: London -0.13%. Paris -0.20%. Frankfurt -0.23%. 

Asia: Japan +1.77% to 14475.3. Hong Kong +1.91% to 21846. China +0.91% to 2066. India +1.38% to 22055. 

#TopWealthManager #RLPaler #WallStreet #Stocks #FinancialPlanner #AnalystsRatings #EarningReports

Morning Coffee Pre-Market Wall Street News

World Markets Rise On Debt Ceiling and Funding Hopes. World stock markets were mostly higher on hopes that Washington will come to an agreement to lift the debt ceiling. Although reports say any deal would be a short term deal. Additionally, there are reports that the debt ceiling deal could also include funding that would end the current government shutdown.

Upgrades:

Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG): Janney Capital raised their rating from Neutral to Buy and placed a target price of $525.00 on the company. Pre-market: 440.00 +4.13 (0.95%)

JB Hunt (JBHT): BofA Merrill Lynch raised their rating from Neutral to Buy and placed a target price of $81.00 on the company. Pre-market: 72.14 0.00 (0.00%)

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ): Goldman Sachs raised their rating from Sell to Neutral and raised their target price from $87.00 to $95.00.

KB Homes (KBH): Susquehanna raised their rating from Neutral to Positive and raised their target price from $20.00 to $22.00. Pre-market: 17.09 +0.46 (2.77%)

Lennar (LEN): Susquehanna raised their rating from Neutral to Positive and raised their target price from $34.00 to $41.00. Pre-market: 34.05 +0.25 (0.74%)

Safeway (SWY): JPMorgan lowered their rating from Overweight to Neutral.

Downgrades:

Corning (GLW): Piper Jaffray lowered their rating from Overweight to Neutral and lowered their target price from $19.00 to $14.00.

Deutsche Bank (DB): Macquarie lowered their rating from Neutral to Underperform. Pre-market: 48.10 +0.25 (0.52%)

Eli Lilly (LLY): Jefferies lowered their rating from Hold to Underperform and lowered their target price from $49.00 to $40.00.

Intel (INTC): Macquarie lowered their rating from Outperform to Neutral and placed a target price of $22.00 on the company.

Merck (MRK): Jefferies lowered their rating from Buy to Hold and lowered their target price from $53.00 to $50.00.

NVIDIA (NVDA): Macquarie lowered their rating from Neutral to Underperform. Pre-market: 15.15 -0.24 (-1.53%)

Synaptics (SYNA): JPMorgan lowered their rating from Overweight to Neutral.

Coverage Initiated:

Blackstone Group (BX): Evercore initiated coverage with an Equal Weight rating and target price of $28.00.

Carlyle Group (CG): Evercore initiated coverage with an Overweight rating and target price of $36.00.

Dr. Pepper Snapple (DPS): Wells Fargo lowered their rating from Outperform to Market Perform and lowered their target range from $51.00-$53.00 to $44.00-46.00.

KKR & Co. (KKR): Evercore initiated coverage with an Equal Weight rating and target price of $23.00.

Earning Reports:

Infosys (INFY): Reported EPS of $45.96 missing estimates by -$0.24. Pre-market: 53.20 +2.92 (5.81%)

JPMorgan Chase (JPM): Reported EPS of $1.42 beating estimates by +$0.23. Pre-market: 53.00 +0.48 (0.91%)

Micron Technology (MU): Reported EPS of $0.20 missing estimates by -$0.10. Pre-market: 18.05 -0.38 (-2.06%)

Safeway (SWY): Reported EPS of $0.10 missing estimates by -$0.6. Pre-market: 33.69 +2.12 (6.72%)

Wells Fargo (WFC): Reported EPS of $0.99 beating estimates by +$0.03. Pre-market: 40.78 -0.66 (-1.59%)

Markets: 
Futures at 6:20: Dow +0.07%. S&P -0.05%. Nasdaq +0.06%. Crude -1.2% to $101.95. Gold -2.19% to $1277.10. U.S. 10 Year +7/32 2.657%

Europe: London +0.65%. Paris -0.12%. Frankfurt +0.22%. 

Asia: Japan +1.48% to 14405. Hong Kong +1.16% to 23218. China +1.70% to 2228. India +1.26% to 20529. 

Morning Coffee Pre-Market Wall Street News

Moody’s Warns of Possible Bank Downgrades. The rating agency Moody's (MCO) said that it has put several major U.S. Banks on review for possible downgrades. Banks that could receive credit downgrades include Bank of America (BAC), Citigroup (C), Goldman Sachs (GS), JPMorgan (JPM), Morgan Stanley (MS) and Wells Fargo (WFC).

Upgrades:

First Solar (FSLR): Raymond James raised their rating from Underperform to Market Perform.

Toronto-Domino Bank (TD): Scotia Capital raised their rating from Sector Perform to Outperform.

Trina Solar (TSL): Raymond James raised their rating from Underperform to Market Perform.

VMware (VMW): Jefferies raised their rating from Hold to Buy and raised their target price from $86.00 to $105.00.

Downgrades:

Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF): RW Baird lowered their rating from Outperform to Neutral and lowered their target price from $59.00 to $42.00.

Aeropostale (AEO): Topeka lowered their rating from Buy to Hold.

Dick’s Sporting Goods (DKS): Oppenheimer lowered their rating from Outperform to Perform and lowered their target price from $56.00 to $44.00.

Guess? Inc (GES): Piper Jaffray lowered their rating from Overweight to Neutral and lowered their target price from $35.00 to $31.00.

Pandora Media (P): Stifel lowered their rating from Buy to Hold.

Pandora Media (P): Raymond James lowered their rating from Outperform to Market Perform.

Staples (SPLS): Credit Suisse lowered their rating from Outperform to Neutral and lowered their target price to $15.00 on the company.

Coverage Initiated:

Ball Corp (BLL): Northcoast initiated coverage with a Neutral rating.

Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG): Northcoast initiated coverage with a Sell rating and target price of $400.00.

Dean Foods (DF): Northcoast initiated coverage with a Neutral rating.

Dunkin Brands Group (DNKN): Northcoast initiated coverage with a Neutral rating.

Panera Bread Co (PNRA): Northcoast initiated coverage with a Buy rating and target price of $205.00.

Tim Hortons (THI): Northcoast initiated coverage with a Buy rating and target price of $72.00.

Earning Reports:

Aeropostale (AEO): Reported EPS of -$0.34 missing estimates by -$0.09.

Autodesk (ADSK): Reported EPS of $0.45 beating estimates by +$0.03.

Foot Locker (FL): Reported EPS of $0.46 missing estimates by -$0.01.

Gap (GPS): Reported EPS of $0.64 in-line with estimates.

Pandora Media (P): Reported EPS of $0.04 beating estimates by +$0.02.

Ross Stores (ROST): Reported EPS of $0.98 beating estimates by +$0.05.

Markets: 
Futures at 6:20: Dow -0.1%. S&P -0.1%. Nasdaq 0.0%. Crude +0.2% to $105.22. Gold +0.3% to $1374.90.

Europe: London +0.2%. Paris -0.5%. Frankfurt 0.0%. 

Asia: Japan +2.2% to 13661. Hong Kong -0.1% to 21864. China -0.5% to 2057. India +1.1% to 18519.