The S&P 500 finished little changed–giving back all of today’s earlier gains in the process–but Michael Kors Holdings (KORS) held on to end the day as the S&P 500′s hottest stock.
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Shares of Michael Kors gained 3.7% to $49.62 today, and the funny part is that there was no new news on the apparel & accessories retailer today. Nothing at all. I checked Dow Jones Newswires. I checked Google News. I checked Briefing.com. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Bloomberg says Jefferies had a positive note, but the analyst tells me he didn’t write one. FactSet says Piper Jaffray wrote a note on Kors, which seems plausible since Piper’sErinn Murphy wrote a positive one onCoach (COH), another maker of handbags and other accessories, today, but I’ve yet to receive confirmation.
stock market returns: Universal Health Services, Inc.(UHS)
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Universal Health Services (UHS), yesterday’s biggest loser, soared to the top of the S&P 500 today as it rebounded from the massive selloff.
Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
Universal Health Servicesgained 6.9% to $108.57 today, while the S&P 500 rose 0.4% to 2,262.03.
Weakness in Universal Health Services began when Buzzfeed ran an article last week, contending the companys psychiatric hospitals put profits ahead of people. Yesterday, it tumbled when Raymond James cut its rating on the stock due to problems that could be caused by a potential Senate investigation.
Universal Health Services’ market capitalization rose to $10.5 today from $9.8 billion yesterday, nearly recouping its drop from $10.6 billion on Dec. 13.
It reported net income of $680 million on sales of $9 billion in 2015.
- [By Benzinga News Desk]
Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) has at least one billion reasons to hope President Trump’s paring back of Dodd-Frank will include the Volcker Rule: Link
ECONOMIC DATA
10:30 a.m. Dallas Fed Manufacturing Business Index
11:30 a.m. 6-Month Bill Auction
11:30 a.m. 3-Month Bill Auction
1 p.m. 2-Year Note Auction
1:15 p.m. Chicago Fed President Evans Speaks
6:30 p.m. FOMC Member Kaplan Speaks
ANALYST RATINGS
Piper Jaffray upgraded Best Buy Co (NYSE: BBY) from Neutral to Overweight
Wells Fargo upgraded Allscripts Healthcare (NASDAQ: MDRX) from Market Perform to Outperform
Mizuho upgraded Universal Health Service (NYSE: UHS) from Neutral to Buy
Piper Jaffray downgraded The Michaels Companies (NASDAQ: MIK) from Overweight to Neutral
JMP Securities downgraded KB Home (NYSE: KBH) from Market Outperform to Market Perform
Raymond James downgraded Sierra Wireless Inc. (NASDAQ: SWIR) from Outperform to Market Perform
This is a tool used by the Benzinga News Desk each trading day — it's a look at everything happening in the market, in five minutes. To get the full version of this note every morning, click here or email minutes@benzinga.com.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Universal Health Services (UHS) tumbled to the bottom of the S&P 500 today after BuzzFeed published an investigative story alleging that the company’s psychiatric hospitals put profits ahead of people.
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Shares of Universal Health Services dropped 12% to$111.30 today, while the S&P 500 rose 1.3% to 2,241.35, a record high.
Universal Health Services’ stock had been minding its business for most of the day–it was up 1.1% at $127.76 at 3:10 p.m. today–when the story by BuzzFeed’s Rosalind Adams went live. Here’s the gist:
Millwood Hospital is part of Americas largest psychiatric hospital chain, Universal Health Services, or UHS. Its more than 200 psychiatric facilities across the country admitted nearly 450,000 patients last year. The result was almost $7.5 billion in revenues from inpatient care last year and profit margins of around 30%. More than a third of the companys overall revenue from both medical hospitals and psychiatric facilities comes from taxpayers through Medicare and Medicaid.
A yearlong BuzzFeed News investigation based on interviews with 175 current and former UHS staff, including 18 executives who ran UHS hospitals; more than 120 additional interviews with patients, government investigators, and other experts; and a cache of internal documents raises grave questions about the extent to which those profits were achieved at the expense of patients.
Universal Health Services market capitalization dropped to $10.7 billion today from $12.3 billion yesterday. It reported net income of $680 million on sales of $9 billion in 2015.
- [By David Zeiler]
Fear that expense could return if Obamacare is repealed hammered hospital stocks on Nov. 9. HCA Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HCA) fell almost 11%. Universal Health Services Inc. (NYSE: UHS) slipped nearly 7%. And Tenet Healthcare Corp. (NYSE: THC) plummeted almost 25%.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Universal Health Services (UHS) slumped to the bottom of the S&P 500 today after getting downgraded by Raymond James.
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Universal Health Servicesdropped 6.8% to $101.55 today, while the S&P 500 fell 0.8% to 2,253.28.
Raymond James analyst John Ransom and team explain why they cut Universal Health Services to Market Perform from Outperform:
We are lowering our rating onUniversal Health Services to a Market Perform (from an Outperform) due to an escalation in events surrounding last weeks Buzzfeed article. Last Friday (12/9), Senator Grassley, Chair of the Judiciary Committee, sent a letter…to the office of inspector general regarding details of the current federal investigation into Universal Health Services. Specifically, the letter rehashes the Buzzfeed article and requests an update on the investigation by Dec. 23. Our view is that – even ifUniversal Health Services management is correct on the legalities – we think the entrance of the venerable Senator Grassley into the mix takes the political risk to a more dangerous level. Plus – even if “suicide ideation” doesn’t generate additional revenues per admission, we think it’s possible that the heightened political scrutiny could invite more caution and/or red tape into the admissions process – either externally or from self-policing. Add in the ongoing OIG investigation, and we think the risk-reward is no longer compelling.
Universal Health Services’ market capitalization fell to $9.8 billion today from $10.6 billion yesterday. It reported net income of $680 million on sales of $9 billion in 2015.
- [By Paul Ausick]
Universal Health Services Inc. (NYSE: UHS) lost 8.4% Wednesday to post a new 52-week low of $1/99.81 after closing Tuesday at $108.99. The 52-week high is $139.77. Volume of around 5.8 million was nearly 6 times the daily average of around 1 million shares traded. Raymond James downgraded the stock this morning on news of another request for information from the company related to a federal investigation.
stock market returns: Progress Software Corporation(PRGS)
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By Monica Gerson]
General Mills, Inc. (NYSE: GIS) is expected to report its quarterly earnings at $0.60 per share on revenue of $3.86 billion.
Pier 1 Imports Inc (NYSE: PIR) is projected to post a quarterly loss at $0.05 per share on revenue of $420.05 million.
Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) is estimated to report its quarterly earnings at $2.03 per share on revenue of $847.79 million.
Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) is projected to report its quarterly earnings at $2.40 per share on revenue of $4.49 billion.
Worthington Industries, Inc. (NYSE: WOR) is expected to report its quarterly earnings at $0.64 per share on revenue of $692.48 million.
Progress Software Corporation (NASDAQ: PRGS) is projected to post its quarterly earnings at $0.29 per share on revenue of $94.64 million.
UniFirst Corp (NYSE: UNF) is estimated to report its quarterly earnings at $1.34 per share on revenue of $366.28 million.
Exfo Inc (NASDAQ: EXFO) is expected to post its quarterly earnings at $0.06 per share on revenue of $60.87 million.
OMNOVA Solutions Inc. (NYSE: OMN) is projected to report its quarterly earnings at $0.14 per share on revenue of $205.40 million.
8Point3 Energy Partners LP (NASDAQ: CAFD) is estimated to post a quarterly loss at $0.01 per share on revenue of $11.60 million.
Park Electrochemical Corp. (NYSE: PKE) is expected to report its quarterly earnings at $0.22 per share on revenue of $35.30 million.
Xplore Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ: XPLR) is projected to post its quarterly earnings at $0.01 per share on revenue of $24.00 million.
Investors Real Estate Trust (NYSE: IRET) is expected to post its quarterly earnings at $0.14 per share on revenue of $56.87 million.
Tel-Instrument Electronics Corp. (NYSE: TIK) is estimated to post earnings for the latest quarter.
Aethlon Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ: AEMD) is expected to post a quarterly loss at $0.20 per share.
Ossen Innovation Co Ltd (ADR) (NASDAQ: OSN) is projected to post ea - [By Monica Gerson]
Progress Software Corporation (NASDAQ: PRGS) is projected to post its quarterly earnings at $0.29 per share on revenue of $93.15 million.
Sorl Auto Parts, Inc. (NASDAQ: SORL) is expected to post its quarterly earnings at $0.20 per share on revenue of $55.35 million.
- [By Monica Gerson]
Some of the stocks that may grab investor focus today are:
Wall Street expects ConAgra Foods Inc (NYSE: CAG) to report its quarterly earnings at $0.52 per share on revenue of $2.89 billion. ConAgra shares rose 0.17 percent to $47.68 in after-hours trading.
Analysts expect Darden Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: DRI) to report its quarterly earnings at $1.08 per share on revenue of $1.81 billion. Darden Restaurants shares gained 0.44 percent to $66.25 in after-hours trading.
Progress Software Corporation (NASDAQ: PRGS) reported better-than-expected results for its second quarter on Wednesday. Progress Software shares surged 6.19 percent to $26.75 in the after-hours trading session.
Find out what's going on in today's market and bring any questions you have to Benzinga's PreMarket Prep.
stock market returns: St. Jude Medical, Inc.(STJ)
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By Emily Stewart]
Paulson picked up 45,500 shares of St. Jude Medical (STJ) . The stake is worth $3.5 million as of the end of the second quarter.
St. Jude Medical develops, manufactures and distributes cardiovascular medical devices for cardiac rhythm management, cardiovascular, atrial fibrillation therapy areas and neurostimulation medical devices for the management of chronic pain. It has a $23.6 billion market cap and trades at a P/E of 36.03.
stock market returns: Natus Medical Incorporated(BABY)
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By Jim Robertson]
On Monday, our Elite Opportunity Pronewsletter suggested going long on small cap healthcare products and services stock Natus Medical (NASDAQ: BABY):
stock market returns: Abbott Laboratories(ABT)
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By WWW.THESTREET.COM]
In the Lightning Round, Cramer was bullish on Abbott Laboratories (ABT) , Dycom Industries (DY) and Howard Hughes (HHC) .
Cramer was bearish on Headwaters (HW) , EnergySolutions (ES) , Western Refining (WNR) and Horizon Pharmaceuticals (HZNP) .
- [By Matt Hogan]
AbbVie has distributed a significant amount of its earnings in the form of dividends (~60 percent) since the company spun off from Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) in 2013. The company appears to be trading at a 10 percent discount to fair value when applying similar assumptions in the 5-year dividend discount model as shown below.
- [By Sean Williams]
Finally, and as the icing on the cake, Wall Street uncovered via a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) sold 44 million shares of Mylan stock at $41.60, reducing its remaining position in the company to 25.75 million shares, or about 4.8% of its outstanding shares. Considering all the issues Mylan has had recently, the fact that Abbott substantially pared its large holding in the company is a bit worrisome.
