Equities Sector Coverage: Wall Street Sags on Concerns of Economic Growth

Non-manufacturing ISM came in weaker than expected at 57.3 with prices paid up to 68.4 and employment slipping to 55.7. Factory Orders fell 1.0% in January. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined to 12,883.91 in morning trading then consolidated weakness in the afternoon with an attempt to return to the flat line into the final half hour of trading. The NASDAQ declined to 2940.52 in morning trading then consolidated in afternoon trading but entered the final half hour of trading solidly in the red. Dow Transports and Russell 2000 continue to lag their 2011 all time highs at 5627.85 and 868.57 respectively.

Asian stocks were lower on Monday as China cuts their GDP target. The Nikkei 225 ended their session at 9,699 – down 0.80% on the day. The Hang Seng ended their session at 21,265 – down 1.38% on the day. European stocks were lower as a Greek default looks increasingly likely. The FTSE 100 ended their session at 5,875 – down 0.61% on the day, the DAX ended their session at 6,866 down 0.79% on the day, and the CAC 40 ended their session at 3,488 – down 0.39% on the day. The yield on the 10-Year US Treasury rose from 1.962 percent to 2.009 staying above its 50-day simple moving average at 1.948.

Gold traded down from $1718.0 the Troy ounce to $1694.4 with the 50-day and 200-day simple moving averages at $1687.1 and $1672.0. Crude oil traded down to $105.50 per barrel then rebounded to $107.42. The euro versus the dollar rebounded from 1.3163 to 1.3237.

Energy

BP (BP) has agreed to an uncapped settlement with thousands of plaintiffs in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill trial, estimating its costs will come to $7.8B. Atwood Oceanics (ATW) is moved to Outperform from Market Perform with Wells Fargo.

Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE) was trading at $74.26 at 4:00 PM on Monday, down 0.64% on the day – up 7.42% year-to-date. The February 2012 change was +5.93%. The 2011 change was -1.29%

Big Movers: (CSIQ) -8.75%, (PCX) -8.75%, (JRCC) -7.75%, (DNN) -7.5%.

Materials

Glencore (GLCNF) has said its $37B takeover of Xstrata (XSRAY) is “fair” for all shareholders at current levels, dashing hopes of a sweeter offer. Sonoco Products (SON) is upgraded to Overweight from Neutral at JP Morgan. BASF AG (BASFY) gets cut to Neutral from Buy by Citigroup. CF Industries (CF) is now to Neutral from Buy at Citigroup.

The Materials Select Sector SPDR (XLB) was trading at $36.69 at 4:00 PM on Monday, down 1.61% on the day – up 9.52% year-to-date. The February 2012 change was -0.56%. The 2011 change was -12.78%.

Heavily Traded: (FCX) -4.1%, (AA) -3.6%, (VALE) -4.1%, (CX) -1.2%.

Industrials

Lockheed Martin (LMT) gets lifted to Outperform from Underperform at RBC Capital. Sykes Enterprises (SYKE) is raised to Outperform from Neutral at Robert W. Baird, which establishes a price objective of $18.
The Industrial Select Sector SPDR (XLI) was trading at $36.88 at 4:00 PM on Monday, down 0.70% on the day – up 9.27% year-to-date. The February 2012 change was +2.79%. The 2011 change was -3.21%.

Big Movers: (AONE) -12%, (PPO) -11.25%.
Heavily Traded: (GE) -0.7%, (GLW) -0.9%, (LCC) -8%.

Consumer Discretionary

Harman International (HAR) is a new Underweight at Morgan Stanley. Big Lots (BIG) is now Buy from Neutral at Northcoast. Darden Restaurants (DRI) is added to Bank of America-Merrill Lynch’s US 1 List of favored equities. PF Chang’s (PFCB) is named a long Research Tactical Idea at Morgan Stanley. HomeAway (AWAY) is lifted to Buy from Neutral at Citigroup. Pandora Media (P) is raised to Buy from Hold at Stifel Nicolaus with a price objective of $18. Toyota Motor (TM) is taken to Outperform from Neutral at Credit Suisse. Build-A-Bear Workshop (BBW) is downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform by BMO Capital.

The Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR (XLY) was trading at $43.48 at 4:00 PM on Monday, down slightly on the day – up 11.43% year-to-date. The February 2012 change was +10.09%. The 2011 change was +4.30%.

Big Mover: (ARCL) +22%.

Consumer Staples

Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling (CCH) is raised to Neutral from Underweight at JP Morgan.
The Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR (XLP) was trading at $33.36 at 4:00 PM on Monday, up 0.45% on the day – up 2.68% year-to-date. The February 2012 change was +3.75%. The 2011 change was +10.85%.

Heavily Traded: (SVU) -4.6%, (SLE) -2%, (WMT) +1%, (WAG) +2%, (SWY) +1.5%.

Health Care

Perrigo (PRGO) gets increased to Buy from Hold at Canaccord Genuity. Ironwood Pharmaceuticals (IRWD) is downgraded to Underperform from Outperform with Wedbush.
The Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) was trading at $36.23 at 4:00 PM on Monday, down 0.22% on the day – up 4.44% year-to-date. The February 2012 change was +1.06%. The 2011 change was +10.32%.

Big Movers: (KERX) +33.25%, (AEZS) +21.25%.
Heavily Traded: (PFE) +0.6%, (MRK) +1.6%.

Financials

AIG (AIG) is selling around $6B of AIA shares to help repay its government bailout. AIG will hold about 19% of AIA after the stock sale. Credit Suisse (CS) plans to repurchase up to 4B Swiss francs ($4.4B) in outstanding public tier 1 and tier 2 securities. The buyback is part of the bank’s efforts to conform to the new Swiss and Basel III global capital adequacy rules. While other banks consolidate their bases and exit international positions, Wells Fargo (WFC) has drafted plans to expand its overseas operations and wants to move into 20 markets worldwide. Allstate (ALL) gets a Buy-from-Hold hoist at Argus, which sets it a $36 target price. MetLife (MET) is added to the US 1 List by Bank of America-Merrill Lynch. Weyerhaeuser (WY) is lifted to Market Perform from Underperform by BMO Capital. Summit Hotel (INN) is slashed to Sector Perform from Outperform at RBC Capital. Vornado Realty Trust (VNO) is reduced to Neutral from Buy at UBS.

The Financial Select Sector SPDR (XLF) was trading at $14.81 at 4:00 PM on Monday, down 0.37% on the day – up 13.92% year-to-date. The February 2012 change was +5.02%. The 2011 change was -18.50%; the weakest performing sector for the year.
Big Movers: (WAMUQ) -9.25%, (LEHMQ) +9%.

Information Technology

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) has amended its wafer-supply agreement with Globalfoundries and will take a one-time charge of $703M in Q1. AMD’s Q1 2012 non-GAAP gross margin guidance of around 45% and the 2012 non-GAAP gross margin guidance of 44%-48% remain unchanged. More than 25B apps have been downloaded from Apple’s (AAPL) store since it was first launched four years ago, the company said yesterday. Meanwhile, Senator Charles Schumer has asked the FTC to investigate claims that apps downloaded to Apple (AAPL) and Android (GOOG) devices steal private contacts and photos, and post them online without consent. Monster Worldwide (MWW) and Dice Holdings (DHX) are both initiated with Outperforms at BMO Capital. Guidewire Software (GWRE) is begun with a Buy at Deutsche Bank, a Neutral at Citigroup, and an Overweight at JP Morgan. Aixtron (AIXG) is raised by both WestLB (Neutral from Reduce) and Canaccord Genuity (Hold from Sell). Jabil Circuit (JBL) is now Buy from Strong Buy at Needham on valuation. Zynga (ZNGA) is now Neutral from Overweight at JPMorgan.

The Technology Select Sector SPDR (XLK) was trading at $28.83 at 4:00 PM on Monday, down 0.86% on the day – up 13.28% year-to-date. The February 2012 change was +7.08%. The 2011 change was +1.03%.

Big Movers: (PEGA) +34%, (CYDE) +32%, (MWW) +13%.

Telecommunication Services

Alaska Communications (ALSK) is upgraded to Sector Perform from Underperform at RBC Capital. MetroPCS (PCS) and Leap Wireless (LEAP) are each moved to Market Perform from Outperform by Sanford Bernstein.

The NASDAQ Telecommunications Index (IXTC) was trading at $210.46 at 4:00 PM on Monday, down 0.92% on the day – up 6.87% year-to-date. The February 2012 change was +1.63%. The 2011 change was -12.62%.

Heavily Traded: (T) +0.5%, (S) -2%, (VZ) +1.4%.

Utilities

CH Energy (CHG) is taken to Hold from Buy at Brean Murray due to valuation concerns. CenterPoint Energy (CNP) is reduced to Sector Perform from Outperform at RBC Capital.

The Utilities Select Sector SPDR (XLU) was trading at $35.04 at 4:00 PM on Monday, relatively up 0.23% on the day – down 2.61% year-to-date. The February 2012 change was +0.61%. The 2011 change was +14.81%; the strongest performing sector for the year.

Heavily Traded: (CNP) -1%, (DUK) +0.4%, (POM) flat.

STOCKS: BP, ATW, CSIQ, PCX, JRCC, DNN, GLCNF, XSRAY, SON, BASFY, CF, FCX, AA, VALE, CX, LMT, SYKE, AONE, PPO, GE, GLW, LCC, HAR, BIG, DRI, PFCB, AWAY, P, TM, BBW, ARCL, CCH, SVU, SLE, WMT, WAG, SWY, PRGO, IRWD, KERX, AEZS, PFE, MRK, AIG, CS, WFC, ALL, MET, WY, INN, VNO, WAMUQ, LEHMQ, AMD, AAPL, GOOG, MWW, DHX, GWRE, AIXG, JBL, ZNGA, PEGA, CYDE, ALSK, PCS, LEAP, T, S, VZ, CHG, CNP, DUK, POM