Before the Open (Mar 9)

Good morning. Happy Friday. Happy Employment Numbers Day.
The Asian/Pacific markets closed with a lean to the downside. China, Hong Kong and South Korea did the best. Europe, Africa and the Middle East currently lean to the upside. Poland, France, Turkey, Spain, Belgium, Portugal and Saudi Arabia are leading. Futures in the States point towards a relatively big gap up open for the cash market.
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VIDEO: Long Term Trades for the Market’s Net Leg Up
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The dollar is up. Oil and copper are up. Gold and silver are down. Bonds are down.
Here are the employment numbers:
unemployment rate: 4.1% (was 4.1% last month)
nonfarm payrolls: +313K
private payrolls:
average workweek: up 0.3 hours at 34.5 hours
hourly wages: up 4 cents to $26.75
labor participation rate:
December job gain raised from 160K to 175K.
January gain increased from 200K to 239K.
Stock headlines from barchart.com…
CyberArk Software (CYBR +0.54%) was upgraded to ‘Buy’ from ‘Neutral’ at Bank of America/Merrill Lynch with a price target of $60.
Kohl’s (KSS -4.59%) was upgraded to ‘Outpeform’ from ‘Market Perform’ at Cowen with a price target of $74.
Urban Outfitters (URBN -5.23%) was rated a new ‘Buy’ at Loop Capital Markets with a price target of $46.
Corcept Therapeutics (CORT +3.68%) gained 1% in after-hours trading after it was rated a ‘Buy’ at B Riley FBR with a price target of $30.
United Natural Foods (UNFI -0.16%) climbed nearly 9% in after-hours trading after it reported Q2 revenue of $2.53 billion, higher than consensus of $2.45 billion, and said it sees full-year revenue of $10.01 billion to $10.16 billion, well above consensus of $9.92 billion.
Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT -5.40%) lost 5% in after-hours trading after it announced a registered offering of 3.5 million shares of its common stock.
VeriFone Systems ({=PAY over 2% in after-hours trading after it said it sees Q2 adjusted EPS of 27 cents to 28 cents, weaker than consensus of 32 cents.
Upland Software (UPLD -0.48%) gained 6% in after-hours trading after it reported Q4 adjusted EPS of 37 cents, above consensus of 27 cents.
Flexion Therapeutics (FLXN -1.46%) lost 2% in after-hours trading after sales of its Zilretta were only $335,000, well below consensus of $695,000.
Mattel (MAT -0.06%) fell nearly 5% in after-hours trading after one of its top customers, Toys R Us, was said to prepare for a liquidation of its bankrupt U.S. operations. Hasbro (HAS -0.89%) fell almost 4% in after-hours trading on the news as well.
El Pollo Loco Holdings (LOCO -0.52%) rallied 7% in after-hours trading after it reported Q4 proforma EPS of 11 cents, above consensus of 10 cents, and said Q4 systemwide comparable sales were up +1.4%, better than consensus of +1.0%.
Insys Therapeutics (INSY -3.52%) dropped 8% in after-hours trading after it reported a Q4 adjusted loss of -61 cents per share, wider than consensus of -14 cents.
Funko (FNKO +0.89%) jumped nearly 10% in after-hours trading after it reported Q4 revenue of $169.5 million, better than consensus of $146.6 million.
InTEST (INTT +2.55%) rallied over 9% in after-hours trading after it reported Q4 revenue of $19.40 million, better than consensus of $17.65 million
Otonomy (OTIC +0.93%) fell nearly 6% in after-hours trading after it reported a Q4 loss of -62 cents per share, wider than consensus of -60 cents.
AutoWeb (AUTO -3.83%) plunged over 24% in after-hours trading after it reported Q1 adjusted EPS of 1 cents, well below consensus of 15 cents, and then CEO Jeffrey Coats said he will step down following appointment of a successor in the “coming months.”
Thursday’s Key Earnings
Insys Therapeutics (NASDAQ:INSY) -4.9% AH on Q4 earnings miss.
Marvell Technology (NASDAQ:MRVL) -3% AH despite Q4 earnings beat, upside guidance.
Finisar (NASDAQ:FNSR) -9.7% AH on Q3 earnings miss, light guidance.
AcelRx Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ACRX) +15.8% AH on Q4 earnings, resubmission of DSUVIA NDA.
PDL BioPharma (NASDAQ:PDLI) +18.9% AH on Q4 earnings beat.
VeriFone Systems (NYSE:PAY) -3% AH on Q1 in-line earnings, light guidance.
El Pollo Loco (NASDAQ:LOCO) +7.3% AH on Q4 earnings beat.
Today’s Economic Calendar
8:30 Non-farm payrolls
8:30 Fed’s Evans in a live interview with CNBC’s Steve Liesman during “Squawk Box”: U.S. Economy and Monetary Policy
10:00 Wholesale Trade
10:45 Fed’s Evans in a live interview with Kathleen Hays during “Bloomberg Markets”: U.S. Economy and Monetary Policy
12:45 PM Fed’s Evans at Shadow Open Market Committee: U.S. Economy and Monetary Policy
1:00 PM Baker-Hughes Rig Count
Other…
today’s upgrades/downgrades from briefing.com
this week’s Earnings from Morningstar
this week’s Economic Numbers/Reports powered by ECONODAY