U.S. Market Set to Open Flat After ADP Report and Ukraine Developments

U.S. Market Set to Open Flat After ADP Report and Ukraine Developments. ADP reported that private employers added 139,000 jobs in February, missing economists' expectations of 160,000 jobs. Additionally, January's number was revised downward by 48,000 to only 127,000 jobs. Ukraine and Russian remain at a standoff while Secretary Kerry visited the region yesterday, Russia’s President Putin said that he has no control over the Russian troops in the Ukraine Crimea region calling the troops local security forces. According to Ukrainian officials Russia has moved over 16,000 troops into the Crimea region.  Additionally, Russia test fired a ICBM missile capable of carrying multiple nuclear warheads yesterday breaking a treating with the U.S.

Upgrades:

Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A/BRK.B): S&P raised their rating from 3 Stars to 5 Stars. Pre-market: 118.67 +0.10 (0.08%)

Ericsson (ERIC): RBC Capital raised their rating from Sector Perform to Outperform and raised their rating from $13.00 to $16.00. Pre-market: 12.91 +0.20 (1.57%)

Pandora Media (P): MKM Partners raised their rating from Sell to Neutral and placed a target price of $39.00 on the company. Pre-market: 39.45 +0.28 (0.71%)

Smith & Wesson (SWHC): Cowen raised their rating from Sector Perform to Outperform. Pre-market: 13.00 +1.20 (10.17%)

Towers Watson (TW): Goldman Sachs raised their rating from Buy to Conviction Buy and placed a target price of $134.00 on the company.

Downgrades:

Staples (SPLS): B. Riley lowered their rating from Buy to Neutral and lowered their target price from $18.00 to $15.00. Pre-market: 13.35 -0.12 (-0.89%)

Walt Disney (DIS): S&P lowered their rating from 5 Stars to 4 Stars. Pre-market: 82.08 +0.37 (0.45%)

Coverage Initiated:

Santander Consumer USA (SC): Stephens initiated coverage with an Overweight rating and target price of $30.00.

Earning Reports:

Brown Forman (BF.B): Reported EPS of $0.82 beating estimates by +$0.07. Pre-market: 85.12 +0.82 (0.97%)

Navistar (NAV): Reported EPS of -3.07 missing estimates by -$1.27. Pre-market: 36.00 -1.79 (-4.74%)

PetSmart (PETM): Reported EPS of $1.28 beating estimates by +$0.07. Pre-market: 68.60 +0.94 (1.39%)

Smith & Wesson (SWHC): Reported EPS of $0.35 beating estimates by +$0.06. Pre-market: 13.00 +1.20 (10.17%)

Markets: 
Futures at 7:58: Dow +0.10%. S&P +0.15%. Nasdaq +0.17%. Crude -0.31% to $103.01. Gold -0.16% to $1336.00. U.S. 10 Year -3/32 to 2.709%.

Europe: London -0.49%. Paris -0.09%. Frankfurt -0.15%. 

Asia: Japan +1.20% to 14898. Hong Kong -0.34% to 22580. China -0.89% to 2053. India +0.32% to 21277. 

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Morning Coffee Pre-Market Wall Street News

BlackBerry to be Acquired. Troubled cell phone maker BlackBerry (BBRY) has agreed to be acquired for $4.7 billion. A consortium led by Fairfax Financial will pay $9.00 share in cash and roll over its existing 9.9% stake into its buyout offer.  Fairfax Financial will rely on other investors to finance the rest of the deal via equity and debt. BlackBerry can look at competing bids up until the due diligence is completed. Pre-market: 8.79 -0.03 (-0.34%)

Upgrades:

Apple (AAPL): Susquehanna raised their rating from Neutral to Positive and raised their target price from $440.00 to $625.00. Pre-market: 495.60 +4.96 (1.01%)

BlackBerry (BBRY): Cowen raised their rating from Underperform to Market Perform and raised their target price from $8.00 to $9.00. Pre-market: 8.79 -0.03 (-0.34%)

BlackBerry (BBRY): Canaccord raised their rating from Sell to Hold and placed a target price of $9.00 on the company. Pre-market: 8.79 -0.03 (-0.34%)

Microchip Tech (MCHP): Goldman Sachs raised their rating from Neutral to Buy and raised their target price from $42.00 to $46.00. Pre-market: 40.84 +0.51 (1.26%)

Downgrades:

Automatic Data Processing (ADP): RBC Capital lowered their rating from Outperform to Sector Perform.

DirecTV (DTV): Moffett Research lowered their rating from Buy to Neutral.

Equifax (EFX): RBC Capital lowered their rating from Outperform to Sector Perform.

Red Hat (RHT): Pacific Crest lowered their rating from Outperform to Sector Perform. Pre-market: 47.55 -5.38 (-10.16%)

Coverage Initiated:

Automatic Data Processing (ADP): UBS initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and target price of $110.00.

Sturm Ruger & Company (RGR): Dougherty initiated coverage with a Neutral rating.

Tata Motors (TTM): Bernstein initiated coverage with an Outperform rating.

Earning Reports:

CarMax (KMX): Reported EPS of $0.62 beating estimates by +$0.07. Pre-market: 52.22 +2.21 (4.42%)

KB Home (KBH): Reported EPS of $0.28 beating estimates by +$0.07. Pre-market: 16.86 -0.17 (-1.00%)

Lennar (LEN): Reported EPS of $0.54 beating estimates by +$0.08. Pre-market: 35.10 +0.56 (1.62%)

Red Hat (RHT): Reported EPS of $0.35 beating estimates by +$0.02. Pre-market: 47.55 -5.38 (-10.16%)

Markets: 
Futures at 8:14: Dow +0.02%. S&P -0.02%. Nasdaq +0.09%. Crude -0.60% to $102.96. Gold -0.93% to $1315.00. U.S. 10 Year +5/32 2.688%

Europe: London +0.27%. Paris +0.69%. Frankfurt +0.25%. 

Asia: Japan -0.07% to 14732. Hong Kong -0.82% to 23179. China -0.61% to 2207. India +0.10% to 19911.