Stock Market Futures Point to Small Gain at Opening. Stock futures show the market opening with a small gain after the release of the latest ADP employment numbers. ADP reported that private employment for March came in at 191,000 up from 178,000 in February, but below economist estimates of 215,000 jobs. Economists are also expected the government jobs report to come in at 250,000 new jobs of Friday. Factory orders for February are also expected to be released today at 10:00 a.m. Economist expect to see a 1.1% increase.

Upgrades:

Comerica (CMA): Wells Fargo raised their rating from Underperform to Market Perform.

Intuitive Surgical (ISRG): JMP Securities raised their rating from Market Underperform to Market Outperform and placed a target price of $700.00 on the company. Pre-market: 508.00 +14.40 (2.92%)

W.P. Carey (WPC): First Call raised their rating from Buy to Strong Buy.

Downgrades:

Edison International (EIX): Argus lowered their rating from Buy to Hold.

Potash Corp. (POT): Alta Corp lowered their rating from Sector Perform to Underperform and placed a target price of $28.00 on the company. Pre-market: 34.93 -0.39 (-1.10%)

U.S. Bancorp (USB): Sandler O’Neil lowered their rating from Buy to Hold. Pre-market: 42.83 -0.16 (-0.37%)

Coverage Initiated:

Ford Motor Co. (F): Nomura initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and target price of $15.00. Pre-market: 16.35 +0.03 (0.18%)

General Motors (GM): Nomura initiated coverage with a Reduce rating and target price of $32.00. Pre-market: 34.61 +0.27 (0.79%)

Honda Motor (HMC): Credit Suisse initiated coverage with a Outperform rating. Pre-market: 35.48 +0.28 (0.80%)

NRG Energy (NRG): Barclays resumed coverage with an Overweight rating and target price of $36.00.

Textron (TXT): JPMorgan resumed coverage with an Overweight rating and target price of $44.00.

Earning Reports:

Jos. A. Bank (JOSB): Reported EPS of $1.07 in-line with estimates.

Monsanto (MON): Reported EPS of $3.15 beating estimates by $0.08. Pre-market: 114.97 +0.98 (0.86%)

Markets: 
Futures at 8:46: Dow +0.08%. S&P +0.03%. Nasdaq +0.14%. Crude -0.77% to $98.97. Gold +1.00% to $1292.50. U.S. 10 Year -6/32 to 2.778%.

Europe: London +0.09%. Paris +0.09%. Frankfurt +0.26%. 

Asia: Japan +1.04% to 14946. Hong Kong +0.34% to 22524. China +0.56% to 2056. India +0.47% to 2253. 

#RLPaler #TopWealthManager #WallStreet #Stocks #ADPEmployment

Bank of America Being Investigated Again. Once again Bank of America seems to be in trouble with regulators.  This time reports say that the Department of Justice and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission are investigating Bank of America (BAC) for improper trading. The allegations are that the bank improperly carried out its own transactions before executing orders for clients. The probes appear to shed light on an The investigation could pertain to an FBI bulletin that said it suspected traders at two banks of conspiring to manipulate rates on major orders from Fannie Mae (FNMA) and Freddie Mac (FMCC), and of front running the GSE’s in the markets for interest-rate swaps.

Upgrades:

AGL Resources (GAS): ResearchTeam raised their rating from Reduce to Hold.

Potash (POT): Raymond James raised their rating from Market Perform to Outperform and raised their target price from $30.00 $37.00.

Downgrades:

Cisco Systems (CSCO): JPMorgan lowered their rating from Neutral to Underweight and lowered their target price from $21.00 to $17.00.

ConocoPhillips (COP): Guggenheim lowered their rating from Buy to Neutral and lowered their target price from $80.00 to $73.00.

Coverage Initiated:

AMC Entertainment (AMC): B. Riley initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and target price of $24.00.

AMC Entertainment (AMC): Stifel initiated coverage with a Buy rating and target price of $24.00.

AMC Entertainment (AMC): Credit Suisse initiated coverage with an Outperform rating and target price of $25.00.

Cabelvision (CVC): Buckingham initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and target price of $18.00.

DIRECTV (DTV): Buckingham initiated coverage with a Buy rating and target price of $85.00.

Dish Network (DISH): Buckingham initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and target price of $60.00.

Finish Line (FINL): initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and target price of $28.00.

Foot Locker (FL): JPMorgan initiated coverage with an Overweight rating and target price of $47.00.

Earning Reports:

Caterpillar (CAT): Reported EPS of $1.54 beating estimates by +$0.36.

Rayonier (RYN): Reported EPS of $0.64 beating estimates by +$0.13.

Regis (RGS): Reported EPS of -$0.04 missing estimates by -$0.06.

Royal Caribbean (RCL): Reported EPS of $0.23 beating estimates by +$0.05.

Markets: 
Futures at 6:20: Dow 0.0%. S&P +0.2%. Nasdaq +0.1%. Crude +0.2% to $96.79. Gold +0.4% to $1269.10. 

Europe:London -1.5%. Paris -0.3%. Frankfurt -0.5%. 

Asia: Japan -2.5% to 15006. Hong Kong -2.1% to 21976. China -1% to 2033. India -2% to 20707. 

#TopWealthManager # RLPaler #WallStreet # PreMarket #WealthManagement #AnalystsRatings 

Morning Coffee Pre-Market Wall Street News

U.S. Stock Futures Lower Before Fed Announcement. U.S. stock futures are lower as Wall Street waits for the Fed to announce the results of the latest FOMC meeting. Economists are not expecting the Fed to raise interest rates, but Wall Street traders will be looking closely at the language contained in the announcement for signs that the Fed could end their stimulus program earlier than expected. This morning the U.S. 10 Year yield is higher at 2.827%.

Upgrades:

Garmin Ltd. (GRMN): Goldman Sachs raised their rating from Sell to Neutral and placed a target price of $39.00 on the company.

Herbalife (HLF): Argus raised their rating from Hold to Buy and placed a target price of $80.00 on the company. Pre-market: 66.00 +1.28 (1.98%)

NASDAQ OMX Group (NDAQ): Raymond James raised their rating from Outperform to Strong Buy and raised their target price from $36.00 to $38.00.

Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCL): Morgan Stanley raised their rating from Equal Weight to Overweight and raised their target price from $37.00 to $49.00. Pre-market: 38.38 +0.33 (0.87%)

Downgrades:

Agrium (AGU): HSBC lowered their rating from Overweight to Neutral.

Chesapeake Energy (CHK): Susquehanna lowered their rating from Positive to Neutral. Pre-market: 24.95 -0.31 (-1.23%)

Mosaic (MOS): HSBC lowered their rating from Neutral to Underweight. Pre-market: 41.46 -0.52 (-1.24%)

Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan (POT): HSBC lowered their rating from Overweight to Underweight. Pre-market: 29.60 -0.40 (-1.33%)

Tupperware Brands (TUP): BMO Capital lowered their rating from Outperform to Market Perform and placed a target price of $91.00 on the company.

Coverage Initiated:

Navistar Intl (NAV): Susquehanna initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and target price of $31.00.

PACCAR Inc (PCAR): Susquehanna initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and target price of $56.00.

SodaStream Intl (SODA): Longbow initiated coverage with a Buy rating and target price of $79.00. Pre-market: 65.00 +1.04 (1.63%)

Earning Reports:

American Eagle (AEO): Reported EPS of $0.09 missing estimates by -$0.01.

Barnes & Noble (BKS): Reported EPS of -$0.86 missing estimates by -$0.07. Pre-market: 14.65 +0.04 (0.27%)

Best Buy (BBY): Reported EPS of $0.32 beating estimates by +$0.21. Pre-market: 34.54 -0.26 (-0.75%)

Dick's Sporting Goods (DKS): Reported EPS of $0.71 missing estimates by -$0.03.

Home Depot (HD): Reported EPS of $1.24 beating estimates by +$0.03. Pre-market: 74.60 +0.31 (0.42%)

JC Penney (JCP): Reported EPS of $1.17 missing estimates by -$0.03.

J.M. Smucker (SJM): Reported EPS of $1.20 beating estimates by +$0.04.

Lowe’s (LOW): Reported EPS of $0.88 beating estimates by +$0.09.

Medtronic (MDT): Reported EPS of $0.88 in-line with estimates.

PetSmart (PETM): Reported EPS of $0.89 beating estimates by +$0.03.

Staples (SPLS): Reported EPS of $0.16 missing estimates by -$0.02.

Target (TGT): Reported EPS of $0.95 in-line with estimates.

TJX (TJX): Reported EPS of $0.66 beating estimates by +$0.03.

Toll Brothers (TOLL): Reported EPS of $0.26 beating estimates by +$0.01.

Trina Solar (TSL): Reported EPS of -$0.47 beating estimates by +$0.11.

Markets: 
Futures at 7:47: Dow -0.17%. S&P -0.18%. Nasdaq -0.19%. Crude -0.55% to $104.53. Gold -0.48% to $1366.10. U.S. 10 Year -3/32 2.827%.

Europe: London -0.50%. Paris 0.00%. Frankfurt -0.13%. 

Asia: Japan +0.21% to 13424. Hong Kong -0.69% to 21818. China +0.02% at 2073. India -1.86% to 17906.