ECONOMIC REPORTS
Domestic economic reports scheduled for today include:
NFIB small business optimism index for February at 9:00--consensus 98.9
JOLTS job openings for January at 10:00--consensus 5.05M
Wholesale trade inventories for January at 10:00--consensus down 0.1%
ANALYST RESEARCH
Upgrades
ARRIS (ARRS) upgraded to Overweight from Equal Weight at Barclays
HP (HPQ) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at UBS
HSBC (HSBC) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Goldman
Ixia (XXIA) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Wunderlich
Manpower (MAN) upgraded to Outperform from Neutral at Macquarie
NVIDIA (NVDA) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at BofA/Merrill
Orbital ATK (OA) upgraded to Overweight from Equal Weight at Barclays
Springleaf (LEAF) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at BofA/Merrill
Supervalu (SVU) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Deutsche Bank
Urban Outfitters (URBN) upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Janney Capital
XO Group (XOXO) upgraded to Buy from Hold at Stifel
Downgrades
AcelRx (ACRX) downgraded to Hold from Buy at Jefferies
Bitauto (BITA) downgraded to Hold from Buy at Brean Capital
Electronic Arts (EA) downgraded to Hold from Buy at Needham
Intrexon (XON) downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Mizuho
Lincoln Electric (LECO) downgraded to Hold from Buy at BB&T
MGM China (MCHVF) downgraded to Sell from Hold at Deutsche Bank
Melco Crown (MPEL) downgraded to Sell from Buy at Deutsche Bank
Sands China (SCHYY) downgraded to Sell from Hold at Deutsche Bank
Wynn Macau (WYNMF) downgraded to Sell from Hold at Deutsche Bank
Ziopharm (ZIOP) downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Mizuho
Initiations
AECOM (ACM) initiated with an Outperform at Credit Suisse
Affymetrix (AFFX) initiated with a Neutral at UBS
Agilent (A) initiated with a Neutral at UBS
Arcam (AMAVF) initiated with a Neutral at Piper Jaffray
Avalanche Biotechnologies (AAVL) initiated with a Buy at SunTrust
Bazaarvoice (BV) initiated with an Outperform at Northland
Becton dikkinson (BDX) initiated with a Neutral at UBS
Bruker (BRKR) initiated with a Neutral at UBS
Foundation Medicine (FMI) initiated with a Neutral at UBS
Genomic Health (GHDX) initiated with a Neutral at UBS
Hologic (HOLX) initiated with a Buy at UBS
Illumina (ILMN) initiated with a Buy at UBS
MGIC Investment (MTG) initiated with a Buy at BTIG
Mettler-Toledo (MTD) initiated with a Buy at UBS
Myriad Genetics (MYGN) initiated with a Sell at UBS
Nevro (NVRO) initiated with a Buy at CRT Capital
Nexvet Biopharma (NVET) initiated with an Outperform at Cowen
Pall Corp. (PLL) initiated with a Neutral at UBS
PerkinElmer (PKI) initiated with a Buy at UBS
QEP Resources (QEP) initiated with a Neutral at SunTrust
QIAGEN (QGEN) initiated with a Buy at UBS
Radian Group (RDN) initiated with a Buy at BTIG
Stonegate Bank (SGBK) initiated with a Buy at Wunderlich
Synaptics (SYNA) initiated with an Outperform at Northland
Thermo Fisher (TMO) initiated with a Buy at UBS
VWR (VWR) initiated with a Neutral at UBS
Waters (WAT) initiated with a Neutral at UBS
COMPANY NEWS
Credit Suisse (CS) confirmed CEO Brady Dougan to step down from position, Prudential (PUK) CEO Tidjane Thiam has been appointed as the company's new CEO
Qualcomm (QCOM) increased quarterly dividend 14% to 48c per share and the board authorized the company to repurchase up to $15B of its common stock
Facebook's (FB) FriendFeed to shut down on April 9
Verisk Analytics (VRSK) to acquire Wood Mackenzie for $2.8B
Western Alliance (WAL) to acquire Bridge Capital (BBNK) for $425M
Skyworks (SWKS) to replace PetSmart (PETM) in S&P 500 as of March 11 close
EARNINGS
Companies that beat consensus earnings expectations last night and today include:
CytRx (CYTR), Atento (ATTO), Surgical Care Affiliates (SCAI), Landauer (LDR), Qihoo 360 (QIHU), Atlas Financial (AFH), Global Brass and Copper (BRSS), XO Group (XOXO), Alexza Pharmaceuticals (ALXA), Millennial Media (MM), Primo Water (PRMW), ImmunoCellular (IMUC), Casey's General Stores (CASY), Urban Outfitters (URBN)
Companies that missed consensus earnings expectations include:
U.S. Auto Parts (PRTS), Mindray Medical (MR), Titan reports preliminary Q4 ex-items EPS (23c), Limoneira (LMNR), Westport (WPRT), United Natural Foods (UNFI), AcelRx (ACRX), Regional Management (RM)
Companies that matched consensus earnings expectations include:
iKang Healthcare (KANG), Korn/Ferry (KFY)
AECOM (ACM) backs FY15 adjusted EPS $2.75-$3.35, consensus $2.88
Qihoo 360 (QIHU) sees Q1 revenue $375M-$380M, consensus $374.03M
Limoneira (LMNR) sees FY15 EPS 42c-46c, consensus 45c
United Natural Foods (UNFI) now sees FY15 adjusted EPS $2.90-$2.99, consensus $2.97
Korn/Ferry (KFY) sees Q4 EPS 44c-50c, consensus 47c
NEWSPAPERS/WEBSITES
Safety agency to announce course of action for Lumber Liquidators (LL), NY Post reports
Twitter (TWTR) acquires live-video firm Periscope, Re/Code reports
Guy Wollaert to leave Coca-Cola (KO) at end of month, WSJ reports
Alibaba (BABA) names Jeff Zhang as head of marketplace websites, Reuters reports
Airbus (EADSY) considering new engines for A380 jet, WSJ reports
SYNDICATE
American Assets Trust (AAT) enters $8.1M common stock purchase agreement
BioScrip (BIOS) files rights for up to 200,000 units at $100 per unit
Callon Petroleum (CPE) files to sell 9M shares of common stock
Calumet Specialty Products (CLMT) files to sell 6M common units
Carnival (CCL) files automatic mixed securities shelf
CommunityOne files to sell 12.39M shares of common stock for holders
ContraVir Pharmaceuticals (CTRV) files $200M mixed securities shelf
EZCORP (EZPW) files $250M mixed securities shelf
Enbridge Energy (EEP) files to sell 8M Class A common units for limited partners
Imperva (IMPV) files to sell 3M shares of common stock
Main Street (MAIN) announces plan to offer shares of common stock
PS Business Parks (PSB) files automatic mixed securities shelf
Pinnacle Foods (PF) files to sell 14.3M shares of common stock for holders
Portola Pharmaceuticals (PTLA) files to sell $100M of common stock
Rosetta Resources (ROSE) files to sell 12M shares of common stock
Tetraphase (TTPH) announces offering of 3.5M shares of common stock
UIL Holdings (UIL) files automatic mixed securities shelf
West Corp. (WSTC) files to sell 11M shares of common stock
Zayo Group (ZAYO) commences follow-on offering of 16M shares
Zendesk (ZEN) files to sell $200M of common stock
