Initial Jobless Claims were unchanged at 374,000 still above the 350,000 recessionary threshold. Personal Income rose 0.3% in July with Spending up 0.4%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded down to 12,978.91. The NASDAQ traded down to 3045.92.
Asian stocks were lower on Thursday. The Nikkei 225 ended the day at 8,984 – down 0.95%. The Hang Seng ended the day at 19,553 – down 1.19%. European exchanges traded lower on Thursday. The FTSE 100 ended the day at 5,719 – down 0.42%. The DAX ended the day at 6,895 – down 1.64%. The CAC 40 ended the day at 3,379 – down 1.02%. The yield on the 10-Year US Treasury note declined from 1.657% to 1.608% versus the five-week modified moving average at 1.649%.
Gold traded rebounded to $1666.7 the Troy ounce then declined to $1652.3 staying above the 200-day simple moving average at $1646.4. Crude oil traded rebounded to $95.60 per barrel then declined to $93.95 versus the 200-day simple moving average at $96.70. The euro versus the dollar traded down from 1.2563 to 1.2491 above its 50-day simple moving average at 1.2365.
Energy
Magnum Hunter Resources (MHR) is a new Neutral at Goldman Sachs. Natural Resource Partners (NRP) is a new Hold at Dahlman Rose. QR Energy (QRE) is initiated with an Overweight at JP Morgan. Frontline (FRO) is upgraded to Market Perform from Underperform with Wells Fargo. Nexen (NXY) is now Equal Weight from Overweight at Barclays. Oiltanking Partners (OILT) is moved to Neutral from Buy at Bank of America-Merrill.
Dow components – Chevron (CVX) down 0.36%, Exxon Mobil (XOM) down 0.16%.
Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) was trading at $71.02 at 3:30 PM on Thursday, down 0.78% on the day – up 2.73% year-to-date.
Materials
LyondellBasell (LYB) will replace Sears (SHLD) in the S&P 500 after the close of trading next Tuesday. Carlyle Group (CG) to Buy DuPont (DD) Performance Coatings Business for $4.9 Billion. Louisiana-Pacific (LPX) is moved to Buy from Neutral at Bank of America-Merrill Lynch. Louisiana-Pacific (LPX) is downgraded to Hold from Buy at Deutsche Bank.
Dow Components – Alcoa (AA) up 0.71%, DuPont (DD) up 0.72%.
The Materials Select Sector SPDR (XLB) was trading at $35.40 at 3:30 PM on Thursday, down 0.65% on the day – up 5.67% year-to-date.
Industrials
AMR (AAMRQ) is in negotiations to receive $1B-$2B in equity financing from a group of distressed debt funds that includes JPMorgan Securities (JPM) and which holds over $600M in the carrier’s bonds. The money would help AMR exit bankruptcy protection and put it in a stronger position as it negotiates a potential merger with US Airways (LCC). Casella Waste Systems (CWST) missed estimates by 7 cents with revenue in-line with estimates. Flow International (FLOW) reported Q2 EPS of $0.05 (in-line), while beating revenue by $1.5M. Equifax (EFX) is assigned with a Hold at Deutsche Bank. Volvo (VOLVY) is hoisted to Buy from Hold at Société Générale.
Dow components – Boeing Co (BA) up 0.29%, Caterpillar (CAT) up 0.10%, General Electric (GE) up 0.53%, 3M Company (MMM) up 0.31%, United Technologies (UTX) down 0.31%.
The Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI) was trading at $36.27 at 3:30 PM on Thursday, down 0.49% on the day – up 7.47% year-to-date.
Consumer Discretionary
South Korea’s Mando said it may offer to acquire the 70% of Halla Climate Control that’s owned by U.S. autoparts company Visteon (VC). LyondellBasell (LYB) will replace Sears (SHLD) in the S&P 500 after the close of trading next Tuesday. Pier 1 Imports (PIR) beat estimates by a penny and revenue by $2M. Pandora Media (P) beat estimates by 3 cents with revenue in-line with estimates. FQ3 guidance is for revenue of $115M-$118M and EPS of $0.00-$0.01 (largely above consensus of $114.4M and $0.00). FY13 guidance is for revenue of $425M-$432M and EPS of -$0.04 to -$0.08 (above consensus of $424.2M and -$0.12). Oxford Industries (OXM) beat estimates by 2 cents and revenue by $2M. However, the company came up short in its FY12 guidance; affirming its previously issued guidance range of $2.85 to $2.95 and net sales of $850M to $865M (versus the Street of $2.99 per share in earnings on sales of $866M). Coldwater Creek (CWTR) beat estimates by 4 cents, while missing revenue by $16M. Vera Bradley (VRA) missed estimates by 2 cents, while beating revenue by $1M. Kingfisher (KGFHY) is moved to Buy from Neutral at Citigroup. Pandora (P) is upgraded to Buy from Hold at Canaccord. World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is raised to Buy from Neutral at Roth Capital.
Big Movers – Pandora (P) up 10.56%, Vera Bradley (VRA) down 10.54%
Dow Components – Disney (DIS) up 0.97%, Home Depot (HD) up 0.72%, McDonalds (MCD) down 0.56%.
The Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) was trading at $45.47 at 3:30 PM on Thursday, down 0.31% on the day – up 16.53% year-to-date.
Consumer Staples
Costco (COST) reported August comparable-store sales +6% (consensus +4.5%). Dow components – Kraft (KFT) down 0.41%, Coca Cola (KO) down 1.08%, Procter & Gamble (PG) up 0.04%, Wal-Mart (WMT) up 0.54%.
The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP) was trading at $35.54 at 3:30 PM on Thursday, down 0.14% on the day – up 9.39% year-to-date.
Health Care
Bio-Reference Laboratories (BRLI) beat estimates by 3 cents with revenue in-line with estimates. Greenway (GWAY) beat estimates by a penny and revenue by $2M. Aetna (AET) is a new Neutral at Credit Suisse. Centene (CNC) is covered with a Neutral at Credit Suisse. Cepheid (CPHD) is a Hold at Cantor Fitzgerald. Geron Corp (GERN) is begun with a Buy at Stifel Nicolaus. Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) is begun with a Buy at ThinkEquity. Cigna (CI) is moved to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse. Cadence Pharmaceuticals (CADX) is moved to Market Perform from Outperform at Leerink. Coventry Health Care (CVH) is downgraded to Neutral from Outperform at Credit Suisse as they are no longer trading on fundamentals following this week’s acquisition offer from Aetna (AET). Humana (HUM) is now Neutral from Outperform at Credit Suisse. Triple-S Management (GTS) gets downgraded to Neutral from Outperform at Credit Suisse.
Big Movers – StemCells (STEM) up 17.39%, Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT) up 16.90%
Dow Components – Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) up 0.20%, Merck (MRK) up 0.74%, Pfizer (PFE) up 0.84%.
The Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) was trading at $38.79 at 3:30 PM on Thursday, down 0.15% on the day – up 11.82% year-to-date.
Financial
Barclays (BCS) has named Antony Jenkins as CEO to replace Bob Diamond, who resigned in the wake of the Libor scandal. Scotiabank (BNS) has agreed to acquire the Canadian online bank of ING (ING) for $3.16B in a deal that will provide the Dutch company with a $1.4B after-tax gain. Louis Freeh, the trustee for MF Global’s (MFGLQ) parent company, yesterday called on the firm’s other bankruptcy administrators in the U.S. and U.K. to come to a “global resolution” with him over getting money back for creditors and clients rather than going through costly and time-consuming litigation. Carlyle Group (CG) to Buy DuPont (DD) Performance Coatings Business for $4.9 Billion. Royal Bank of Canada (RY) posts adjusted FQ3 earnings of $1.31/share, beating estimates by $0.13. Toronto Dominion Bank (TD) beat estimates by C$0.09 and revenue by C$70M. IntercontinentalExchange (ICE) is downgraded to Outperform from Strong Buy at Raymond James.
Dow Components – American Express (AXP) down 0.03%, Bank of America (BAC) up 0.50%, JP Morgan Chase (JPM) up 0.59%, Travelers (TRV) down 0.02%.
The Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) was trading at $15.092 at 3:30 PM on Thursday, down 0.25% on the day – up 16.09% year-to-date.
Information Technology
Intel (INTC) has provided details about its wireless charging technology for notebooks and mobile devices, saying that unlike older technology that requires a “charging mat” (such as with electric toothbrushes), it can work simply by placing two devices near each other and running the required software. Ciena (CIEN) missed estimates by 2 cents with revenue in-line with estimates. Methode Electronics (MEI) beat estimates by 9 cents with revenue in-line with estimates. TiVo (TIVO) beat estimates by a penny with revenue in-line with estimates. Alliance Data Systems (ADS) is a new Neutral at Citigroup. Brightcove (BCOV) gets a Strong Buy-from-Outperform boost at Raymond James. Angie’s List (ANGI) is downgraded to Hold from Buy at Canaccord. Ericsson (ERIC) is moved to Underperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse. KLA-Tencor (KLAC) gets cut to Neutral from Positive at Susquehanna. Yingli Green Energy (YGE) is slashed to Sell from Hold at ThinkEquity.
Big Movers – Ciena (CIEN) down 18.36%, First Solar (FSLR) down 15.74%.
Dow Components – Cisco Systems (CSCO) up 0.21%, Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) up 0.53%, IBM (IBM) up 0.46%, Intel Corp (INTC) down 1.06%, Microsoft (MSFT) up 0.19%.
The Technology Select Sector SPDR (XLK) was trading at $30.36 at 3:30 PM on Thursday, down 0.75% on the day – up 19.29% year-to-date.
Telecommunication Services
Dow Components – AT&T (T) up 0.87%, Verizon (VZ) up 1.36%. The NASDAQ Telecommunications Index (IXTC) was trading at $195.27 at 3:30 PM on Thursday, down 1.18% on the day – down 0.84% year-to-date.
Utilities
Calpine (CPN) is upgraded to Overweight from Equal Weight by Barclays. Dominion Resources (D) down 1.54%, Edison International (EIX) up 0.87%, First Energy (FE) down 0.83%, PG&E Corp (PCG) down 0.30%, Southern Company (SO) down 0.31%.
The Utilities Select Sector SPDR (XLU) was trading at $36.47 at 3:30 PM on Thursday, down 0.27% on the day – up 1.36% year-to-date.
STOCKS: CVX, XOM, AA, DD, BA, CAT, GE, MMM, UTX, DIS, HD, MCD, KFT, KO, PG, WMT, JNJ, MRK, PFE, AXP, BAC, JPM, TRV, CSCO, HPQ, IBM, INTC, MSFT, T, VZ, D, EIX, FE, PCG, SO, MHR, NRP, QRE, FRO, NXY, OILT, LYB, SHLD, CG, DD, LPX, AAMRQ, JPM, LCC, CWST, FLOW, EFX, VOLVY, VC, PIR, P, OXM, CWTR, VRA, KGFHY, WWE, VRA, COST, BRLI, GWAY, AET, CNC, CPHD, GERN, VRTX, CI, CADX, CVH, AET, HUM, GTS, STEM, SRPT, BCS, BNS, ING, MFGLQ, RY, TD, ICE, INTC, CIEN, MEI, TIVO, ADS, BCOV, ANGI, ERIC, KLAC, YGE, CIEN, FSLR
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