UBS analyst Doug Mitchelson downgraded Discovery Communications (DISCA) to Sell saying the company will have less negotiating leverage in its upcoming renewal talks with Comcast (CMCSA) since it has no sports. Mitchelson expects Comcast will now refocus on the fundamentals of its business following its failed attempt to acquire Time Warner Cable (TWC). The analyst believes Discovery would have been in a "superior negotiating position" had the Comcast/TWC merger still been under review at June 30, when the renewal is up. To reflect increased Comcast renewal risk, Mitchelson took his price target for Discovery down to $30.50 from $33 and his rating on the stock to Sell. Shares of the media company closed yesterday down 47c to $32.24. Mitchelson coupled the downgrade of Discovery with an upgrade of Viacome (VIAB) to Buy.

Scotiabank lowered the firm's price target on Comcast to $47.25 from $50 and keeps a Sector Perform rating on the shares. The company's broadband subscriber base continues to have elevated pressures, the analyst tells investors. In the upcoming quarters, broadband loading is expected to remain negative and potentially accelerate as fixed wireless access operators expand coverage in areas, the firm says. Scotiabank believes multiples will not expand until pressure on broadband subs diminish, the firm adds.

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.

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