RBC Capital analyst Kutgun Maral downgraded Charter (CHTR) and Comcast (CMCSA) to Sector Perform as part of his broader research note anticipating downside risk to broadband and video subscriber estimates through 2019. The analyst believes that these cable operators should see limited further stock outperformance after 25% and 16% respective run-up year-to-date that was driven by the "pickup in broadband sub growth, stable Pay TV sub losses, declining core capital intensity, and ramping free cash flow growth". Going forward, Maral contends that while consensus anticipates these "strong operating and financial trends" to continue, the sector will be pressured by cyclical and secular headwinds, accelerating video sub losses in a pivot from video towards connectivity, and buybacks being hindered by cable operators' "mobile ambitions".

Pivotal Research analyst Jeffrey Wlodarczak lowered the firm's price target on Comcast (CMCSA) to $48 from $55 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares. Comcast reported an-line Q1 results but the competitive environment appears to be intensifying, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm believes there is an "outside shot" that Comcast could make a play for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) "given it can probably get the asset relatively inexpensively and it would clearly boost their scale in content," says Pivotal.

Notable companies reporting before tomorrow's open, with earnings consensus, include Exxon Mobil (XOM), consensus $2.20... Chevron (CVX), consensus $2.87... AbbVie (ABBV), consensus $2.23... HCA Healthcare (HCA), consensus $5.01... Colgate-Palmolive (CL), consensus 81c... Charter (CHTR), consensus $7.92... AutoNation (AN), consensus $4.27.

Check out this morning's top movers from around Wall Street, compiled by The Fly.  UP AFTER EARNINGS... To see the rest of the story go to thefly.com. See Story Here

Notable companies reporting before tomorrow's open, with earnings consensus, include Merck (MRK), consensus $1.87... Caterpillar (CAT), consensus $5.14... Comcast (CMSCA), consensus 99c... Honeywell (HON), consensus $2.17... Bristol-Myers (BMY), consensus ($4.44)... Altria (MO), consensus $1.15... Keurig Dr. Pepper (KDP), consensus 35c... GE Vernova (GEV), consensus (37c)... Royal Caribbean (RCL), consensus $1.33... Tractor Supply (TSCO), consensus $1.72... Mobileye (MBLY), consensus (6c)... Textron (TXT), consensus $1.23... LabCorp (LH), consensus $3.48... Southwest Airlines (LUV), consensus (34c)... American Airlines (AAL), consensus (29c)... Harley-Davidson (HOG), consensus $1.51.

Comcast (CMCSA) is scheduled to announce quarterly results on April 25, while Paramount (PARA) and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) are... To see the rest of the story go to thefly.com. See Story Here