Microsoft Paying Companies to Make Windows Phones

Microsoft Paying Companies to Make Windows Phones. Unconfirmed reports say that Microsoft (MSFT) will reportedly make $2.6B in "support" payments to Smartphone manufactures persuade them to make one Windows Phone each. Some may call it a bribe and others say it’s a sign that Microsoft has lost the mobile device wars. Samsung (SSNLF) will receive $1.2B, Sony (SNE) $500M, Huawei $600M and others will receive $300M. Pre-market: 36.69 -0.07 (-0.19%)

Upgrades:

AOL (AOL): CRT Capital raised their rating from Fair Value to Buy and placed a target price of $57.00 on the company. Pre-market: 48.25 +1.00 (2.11%)

Big Lots (BIG): Raymond James raised their rating from Underperform to Market Perform.

CSX Corp (CSX): Argus raised their rating from Hold to Buy and placed a target price of $35.00 on the company. Pre-market: 27.69 -1.54 (-5.27%)

Micron Tech (MU): JMP Securities raised their rating from Market Perform to Outperform and placed a target price of $31.00 on the company. Pre-market: 23.45 +0.12 (0.51%)

Downgrades:

CSX Corp (CSX): Stifel lowered their rating from Buy to Hold. Pre-market: 27.69 -1.54 (-5.27%)

Diageo PLC (DEO): JPMorgan lowered their rating from Overweight to Neutral. Pre-market: 129.23 -1.45 (-1.11%)

Dollar General (DG): ResearchTeam lowered their rating from Hold to Reduce.

EMC Corp (EMC): Monness Crespi lowered their rating from Buy to Neutral. Pre-market: 26.18 -0.11 (-0.42%)

Family Dollar (FDO): Raymond James lowered their rating from Market Perform to Underperform.

Kroger (KR): Credit Suisse lowered their rating from Outperform to Neutral and lowered their target price from $48.00 to $39.00.

Norfolk Southern (NSC): Stifel lowered their rating from Buy to Hold. Pre-market: 89.35 -1.81 (-1.99%)

Coverage Initiated:

Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD): CLSA initiated coverage with an Outperform rating.

Twitter (TWTR): Telsey Advisory initiated coverage with a Not Rated rating and a target price of $70.00. Pre-market: 61.20 -0.37 (-0.60%)

Earning Reports:

BB&T Corp (BBT): Reported EPS of $0.75 beating estimates by +$0.03.

BlackRock (BLK): Reported EPS of $4.92 beating estimates by +$0.59. Pre-market: 324.26 +11.51 (3.68%)

Citigroup (C): Reported EPS of $0.82 missing estimates by -$0.16. Pre-market: 53.25 -1.74 (-3.16%)

Goldman Sachs (GS): Reported EPS of $4.60 beating estimates by +$0.42. Pre-market: 179.00 +0.25 (0.14%)

Huntington Banc (HBAN): Reported EPS of $0.18 beating estimates by +$0.01. Pre-market: 9.74 -0.16 (-1.62%)

PNC (PNC): Reported EPS of $1.85 beating estimates by +$0.22. Pre-market: 80.69 +1.85 (2.35%)

PPG Industries (PPG): Reported EPS of $1.81 beating estimates by +$0.08. Pre-market: 192.00 +1.30 (0.68%)

UnitedHealth (UNH): Reported EPS of $1.41 beating estimates by +$0.01. Pre-market: 73.00 -1.84 (-2.46%)

Markets: 
Futures at 8:00: Dow -0.10%. S&P -0.18%. Nasdaq -0.03%. Crude +0.28% to $94.42. Gold -0.09% to $1234.40. U.S. 10 Year +7/32 to 2.871%.

Europe: London +0.06%. Paris -0.19%. Frankfurt -0.22%. 

Asia: Japan -0.39% to 15747.2. Hong Kong +0.37% to 22986. China +0.02% at 2024. India -0.11% to 21265. 

#RLPaler #WallStreet #PreMarket #WealthManagement #EarningReports #AnalystsRatings

U.S. Stocks Set to Open Lower

U.S. Stocks Set to Open Lower. U.S. stock futures are currently lower as traders increase their concern that the Federal Reserve may end their stimulus program earlier than expected.  If the market closes lower today it would be the third straight day the market has posted losses. Wall Street concerns amplified on Monday as stronger-than-expected data on manufacturing and construction spending were reported. Wall Street is now looking for an announcement in March that the Fed may lean towards scaling back its stimulus of $85 billion in monthly bond purchases.

Upgrades:

Apple (AAPL): UBS raised their rating from Neutral to Buy and raised their target price from $540.00 to $650.00.

Devon Energy (DVN): Argus raised their rating from Hold to Buy. Pre-market: 60.93 +0.39 (0.64%)

Flir Systems (FLIR): CRT Capital raised their rating from Fair Value to Buy and placed a target price of $37.00 on the company.

Forest Labs (FRX): SunTrust raised their rating from Neutral to Buy and raised their target price from $50.00 to $72.00.

Downgrades:

Spectra Energy (SE): Tudor Pickering lowered their rating from Accumulate to Hold.

Walt Disney (DIS): B. Riley lowered their rating from Buy to Neutral and maintained a target price of $73.00. Pre-market: 70.46 -0.45 (-0.63%)

Coverage Initiated:

Micron Tech (MU): Needham initiated coverage with a Buy rating and target price of $30.00. Pre-market: 21.38 +0.11 (0.52%)

Earning Reports:

Bank of Montreal (BMO): Reported EPS of $1.64 beating estimates by $0.06.

Krispy Kreme (KKD): Reported EPS of $0.16 beating estimates by $0.01. Pre-market: 20.86 -3.69 (-15.03%)

Thor Industries (THO): Reported EPS of $0.68 missing estimates by -$0.02.

Markets: 
Futures at 8:19: Dow -0.39%. S&P -0.28%. Nasdaq -0.11%. Crude +0.16% to $93.97. Gold -0.05% to $1221.40. U.S. 10 Year +7/32 2.772%.

Europe: London -0.71%. Paris -1.83%. Frankfurt -1.33%. 

Asia: Japan +0.60% to 15750. Hong Kong -0.53% to 23910. China +0.69% to 2223. India -0.21% to 20855. 

#RLPaler #WallStreet #PreMarket #WealthManagement#EarningReports #AnalystsRatings

Morning Coffee Pre-Market Wall Street News

Cisco Shares Get Hit. 

Shares of tech giant Cisco System (CSCO) are getting hit hard in the pre-market after the company provided FQ1 guidance that disappointed Wall Street analysts.  The company also said it was cutting 4,000 jobs to cope with a "challenging" global environment. Cisco expects FQ1 revenue growth of 3-5% and EPS of $0.50-0.51 vs consensus of 4.9% and $0.51 respectively. The company did report FQ4 earnings $0.52 and sales increasing +6% to $12.42B beating Wall Street estimates. Profits at the company increased to $2.27B from $1.92B last year. Pre-market: 24.40 -1.98 (-7.50%)

Upgrades:

Baker Hughes (BHI): RBC Capital raised their rating from Sector Perform to Outperform and raised their target price from $56.00 to $58.00.

Cisco (CSCO): ISI Group raised their rating from Cautious to Neutral. Pre-market: 24.40 -1.98 (-7.50%)

 ITC Holdings (ITC): ISI Group raised their rating from Neutral to Buy and placed a target price of $100.00 on the company.

National Oilwell (NOV): RBC Capital raised their rating from Sector Perform to Outperform and raised their target price from $78.00 to $86.00. Pre-market: 73.00 -0.40 (-0.54%)

Downgrades:

Deere & Co (DE): Argus lowered their rating from Buy to Hold. Pre-market: 81.37 -0.97 (-1.18%)

Intel (INTC): RW Baird lowered their rating from Outperform to Neutral and lowered their target price from $26.00 to $23.00. Pre-market: 22.28 -0.29 (-1.28%)

Micron Tech (MU): RW Baird lowered their rating from Outperform to Neutral and maintained the target price of $17.00. Pre-market: 14.46 -0.36 (-2.43%)

Smith & Wesson (SWHC): KeyBanc lowered their rating from Hold to Underweight and placed a target price of $10.00 on the company.

Coverage Initiated:

Agilent (A): Janney Capital initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and target price of $50.00. Pre-market: 48.10 +1.59 (3.42%)

Danaher Corp (DHR): Janney Capital initiated coverage with a Buy rating and target price of $83.00. Pre-market: 66.30 -0.37 (-0.55%)

NutriSystem (NTRI): Imperial Capital initiated coverage with an In-Line rating and target price of $14.00.

Pall Corp (PLL): Janney Capital initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and target price of $79.00.

Thermo Fisher (TMO): Janney Capital initiated coverage with a Buy rating and target price of $113.00.

Waters Corp (WAT): Janney Capital initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and target price of $118.00.

Earning Reports:

Agilent (A): Reported EPS of $0.68 beating estimates by +$0.06. Pre-market: 48.10 +1.59 (3.42%)

Briggs & Stratton (BGG): Reported EPS of $0.22 beating estimates by +$0.03. Pre-market: 20.51 +0.41 (2.04%)

Cisco Systems (CSCO): Reported EPS of $0.52 beating estimates by +$0.01. Pre-market: 24.40 -1.98 (-7.50%)

Estee Lauder (EL): Reported EPS of $0.24 beating estimates by +$0.03. Pre-market: 67.00 +1.87 (2.87%)

G&K (GK): Reported EPS of $0.66 beating estimates by +$0.01.

Kolh’s (KSS): Reported EPS of $1.04 in-line with estimates. Pre-market: 51.85 +1.01 (1.99%)

Wal-Mart (WMT): Reported EPS of $1.25 in-line with estimates. Pre-market: 74.55 -1.85 (-2.42%)

Markets: 
Futures at 6:20: Dow -0.31%. S&P -0.56%. Nasdaq -0.70%. Crude +0.38% to $107.26. Gold +0.10% to $1334.90. U.S. 10 Year -20/32 2.794%

Europe: London -1.33%. Paris -0.61%. Frankfurt -0.77%. 

Asia: Japan -2.12% to 13753. Hong Kong -0.01% at 22539. China -0.87% to 2082. India closed.