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. 

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Morning Coffee Pre-Market Wall Street News

Bank of America Pays for Racial Discrimination Against Black Employees. Bank of America (BAC) will pay $160 million after it was sued by black employees. The lawsuit was brought by hundreds of black financial advisers, who accused the bank of not giving them the same opportunities as white advisors in the areas of account distributions and investment teams. Pre-market: 14.09 -0.02 (-0.14%)

Upgrades:

USG Corp (USG): Longbow raised their rating from Neutral to Buy and placed a target price of $28.00 on the company. Pre-market: 23.33 +0.27 (1.17%)

Downgrades:

Taser International (TASR): JPMorgan lowered their rating from Overweight to Neutral and placed a target price of $12.00 on the company.

Tiffany & Co (TIF): CLSA lowered their rating from Outperform to Underperform. Pre-market: 79.50 -1.32 (-1.63%)

Coverage Initiated:

Applied Materials (AMAT): Northland Securities initiated coverage with an Outperform rating and target price of $19.00. Pre-market: 15.04 -0.03 (-0.19%)

Arch Coal (ACI): FBR Capital initiated coverage with an Outperform rating and target price of $6.00. Pre-market: 4.65 +0.03 (0.65%)

Laboratory Corp (LH): Craig-Hallum initiated coverage with a Buy rating and target price of $116.00.

Lam Research (LRCX): Northland Securities initiated coverage with an Outperform rating and target price of $59.00.

Earning Reports:

Chico’s FAS (CHS): Reported EPS of $0.27 missing estimates by -$0.05. Pre-market: 15.67 +0.34 (2.22%)

Express (EXPR): Reported EPS of $0.20 in-line with estimates. Pre-market: 21.75 +1.95 (9.85%)

Joy Global (JOY): Reported EPS of $1.70 beating estimates by +$0.34. Pre-market: 48.80 -2.51 (-4.89%)

Zale (ZLC): Reported EPS of- $0.25 beating estimates by +$0.58. Pre-market: 10.49 +1.53 (17.08%)

Markets: 
Futures at 8:45: Dow +0.09%. S&P +0.04%. Nasdaq +0.09%. Crude +1.28% to $110.38. Gold +0.44% to $1426.40. U.S. 10 Year -15/32 2.767%.

Europe: London -0.60%. Paris -0.49%. Frankfurt -1.54%. 

Asia: Japan -1.51% to 13338. Hong Kong -1.60% to 21525. China -0.11% to 2101. India +0.16% to 17996. 

Morning Coffee Pre-Market Wall Street News

Syria Causes World Markets to Fall. U.S. stock futures, Asia and European markets are all lower on worries that the U.S. will take military action against Syria. This comes after Sec. of State John Kerry said yesterday that Syria did use chemical weapons against its own civilian population. The U.S. military has moved both equipment and personnel into the area and now has four destroyer ships in the Mediterranean along with several nuclear-powered submarines, all within cruise-missile range. The thought of a U.S. military response has also sent the Turkish lira to a record low of 2.0299 to the dollar and oil up+2.36% to $108.38 a barrel.

Upgrades:

Gulfport Energy (GPOR): Capital One raised their rating from Add to Strong Buy and raised their target price from $79.00 to $85.00. Pre-market: 57.72 +0.12 (0.21%)

Monsanto (MON): UBS raised their rating from Neutral to Buy and maintained their target price of $110.00. Pre-market: 98.02 +0.37 (0.38%)

Downgrades:

Apache Corp (APA): Guggenheim lowered their rating from Buy to Neutral. Pre-market: 78.50 -1.23 (-1.54%)

Coverage Initiated:

Athlon Energy (ATHL): Goldman Sachs initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and placed a target price of $33.00 on the company. Pre-market: 30.00 0.00 (0.00%)

Athlon Energy (ATHL): Wells Fargo initiated coverage with an Outperform rating and placed a target range of $33.00-$36.00 on the company. Pre-market: 30.00 0.00 (0.00%)

Athlon Energy (ATHL): UBS initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and placed a target price of $31.00 on the company. Pre-market: 30.00 0.00 (0.00%)

Athlon Energy (ATHL): RBC Capital initiated coverage with an Outperform rating and placed a target price of $37.00 on the company. Pre-market: 30.00 0.00 (0.00%)

DirecTV (DTV): Raymond James initiated coverage with an Outperform rating and placed a target price of $69.00 on the company. Pre-market: 57.34 -0.15 (-0.26%)

DISH Network (DISH): Raymond James initiated coverage with an Underperform rating.

IntercontinentalExchange (ICE): Wells Fargo initiated coverage with an Outperform.

Earning Reports:

Bank of Montreal (BMO): Reported EPS of $1.68 beating estimates by +$0.14.

Brown Shoe (BWS): Reported EPS of $0.33 beating estimates by +$0.11. Pre-market: 24.75 +1.05 (4.43%)

Movado Group (MOV): Reported EPS of $0.44 beating estimates by +$0.12. Pre-market: 39.97 +1.97 (5.18%)

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

Tiffany & Co (TIF): Reported EPS of $0.83 beating estimates by +$0.11. Pre-market: 82.25 +0.58 (0.71%)

Markets: 
Futures at 8:01: Dow -0.56%. S&P -0.75%. Nasdaq -0.77%. Crude +2.36% to $108.38. Gold +1.76% to $1417.70. U.S. 10 Year +9/32 2.759%

Europe: London -0.75%. Paris -1.83%. Frankfurt -1.89%. 

Asia: Japan -0.69% to 13542. Hong Kong -0.59% to 21875. China +0.34% to 2104. India -3.18% to 17968. 

Morning Coffee Pre-Market Wall Street News

BlackBerry Could Go Private. The once dominate cell phone maker BlackBerry (BBRY) which is struggling to stay alive could be taken private. It’s been reported that a senior executive at a Canadian pension fund believes they and other funds in Canada would consider a deal to take BlackBerry private. Last Friday, the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board said it would be open participating in a BlackBerry buyout. (BBRY) After Hours: 10.44 -0.21 (-1.97%)

Upgrades:

Cemex S.A.B. de C.V. (CX): Citigroup raised their rating from Neutral to Buy and placed a target price of $14.50 on the company.

LinkedIn (LNKD): Needham raised their rating from Hold to Buy and placed a target price of $280.00 on the company. Pre-market: 235.80 +2.99 (1.28%)

Lowe’s (LOW): Canaccord raised their rating from Sell to Hold and raised their target price from $28.00 to $48.00.

Downgrades:

Broadcom (BRCM): Goldman Sachs lowered their rating from Buy to Neutral and lowered their target price from $36.00 to $30.00. Pre-market: 25.84 -0.22 (-0.84%)

Juniper Networks (JNPR): RBC Capital lowered their rating from Outperform to Sector Perform.

Tesla Motors (TSLA): Lazard Capital lowered their rating from Buy to Neutral. Pre-market: 148.50 -4.50 (-2.94%)

Coverage Initiated:

AbbVie (ABBV): Argus initiated coverage with a Buy rating and target price of $52.00.

Cemex S.A.B. de C.V. (CX): Exane BNP Paribas initiated coverage with an Outperform rating and target price of $14.00.

Ralph Lauren (RL): Goldman Sachs initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and target price of $205.00.

Tiffany & Co. (TIF): Goldman Sachs initiated coverage with a Neutral rating and target price of $84.00.

Earning Reports:

Sysco (SYY): Reported EPS of $0.50 missing estimates by -0.05. Pre-market: 34.15 -0.86 (-2.46%)

Markets: 
Futures at 7:18: Dow -0.36%. S&P -0.47%. Nasdaq -0.31%. Crude -0.53% to $105.40. Gold +1.12% to $1326.70. U.S 10 Year +3/32 2.570%.

Europe: London -0.31%. Paris -0.28%. Frankfurt -0.37%. 

Asia: Japan -0.70% to 13519. Hong Kong +2.13% to 22271. China +2.39% to 2101. India +0.84% to 18947.