Ahead of Fed Decision, Big Earnings Wins for Forgotten Names

Thursday, November 6, 2024

The other long-expected big news item for market participants this week comes this afternoon, with the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) determining a new Fed funds rate. This follows the “red wave” election on Tuesday that still shows stock market indexes going higher after a gangbusters market Wednesday. Both the Dow and the Nasdaq are +80 points at this hour, with the S&P 500 up +15 points.
 

New Jobless Claims Stay Tame; Longer-Term Claims Higher

This being Thursday morning, we nearly always look for Weekly Jobless Claims figures, which have been the least-alarming of all labor data we’ve seen. On the Initial Claims headline, this narrative holds: +221K new claims were made last week, slightly more than expected and above the upwardly revised +218K recorded for the previous week. Still, solidly in the low 200s is a good sign for the overall employment picture.

Continuing Claims is where we see a little tightening: 1.892 million is quite close to 1.9 million. We’ve touched that a few times recently, only to get revised back down again the following week. The previous week’s tally was revised down from 1.86 million to 1.853 million. We haven’t resided in the 1.9 million longer-term claims territory in about three years. Even still, we’re not concerned about these figures until they get over 2 million.

Earnings Season Roundup: Big Wins for Forgotten Names

UnderArmour (UAA Quick QuoteUAA - Free Report) pleased investors with a strong fiscal Q2 report ahead of today’s opening bell. Earnings of 30 cents per share, nicely ahead of the 19-cent estimate for a +57.9% positive surprise. Revenues of $1.4 billion were slightly ahead of the $1.38 billion expected. This makes it 10-straight earnings beats, and UAA shares are up +23% at this hour, reversing a -0.5% performance from the start of the year. For more on UAA’s earnings, click here.

Check out the updated Zacks Earnings Calendar here.

Covid-vax major Moderna (MRNA Quick QuoteMRNA - Free Report) swung to a positive earnings per share of +$0.03, from estimates of -$1.89 per share, which amounts to an earnings surprise of +101.6%. Revenues of $1.86 billion are a very healthy +47.7% above estimates. Shares had been up over +10% on the news, but are ebbing down to around +7% at this hour. MRNA shares had lost -48% year to date. For more on MRNA’s earnings, click here.

Planet Fitness (PLNT Quick QuotePLNT - Free Report) posted a strong Q3 report ahead of today’s open, with earnings of 64 cents per share above the 58 cents expected, for a +10.3% positive surprise. Revenues of $292.25 million in the quarter gained +3% above estimates. Shares are up +7.5% in early trading, adding to the stock’s year-to-date gains of +16%. For more on PLNT’s earnings, click here.

What to Expect Today: Fed Decision on Interest Rates

After today’s opening bell, we’ll see Wholesale Inventories for September. These are expected to swing to a negative -0.1% from +0.1% a month ago. But nobody’s going to be talking about this report, let’s face it.

All eyes will be trained, instead, on the announcement of Fed rate policy this afternoon at 2pm ET. Expectations are for a 25 bps cut this month and another one next month, but we’ll listen to see if the Fed is questioning its own dot-plot in Jerome Powell’s presser. Today’s move will take rates to 4.50-4.75%, the lowest interest rates have been since March of 2023.

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