BUZZ-TD Cowen lowers its target price for UnitedHealth Group ahead of third-quarter earnings release

In early trading of the S&P 500 index components, T-Mobile and Verizon led the declines as the European telecom sector fell to its lowest point since January. According to an updated report with stock price data and charts by Rashika Singh from Reuters on October 9, U.S. and European telecom stocks dropped sharply on Friday amid growing concerns about intensified competition in satellite mobile services after SpaceX’s acquisition of low-band spectrum. T-Mobile US, Verizon, and AT&T saw pre-market losses ranging from 5.5% to 7.4%, while the STOXX Europe 600 Telecommunications Index fell over 2% to its lowest level since January 30. Among the largest European telecom operators by market value, Deutsche Telekom dropped 6.5%, Vodafone decreased by 4.1%, Orange fell by 2.3%, and Telefónica dipped 3.9%. The stock declines followed reports (link) that SpaceX agreed to acquire a nationwide 800 MHz spectrum portfolio from private equity firm Grain Management for approximately $8 billion. This move bolsters SpaceX’s ambitions in satellite-to-cellular network connectivity. Analysts at Morgan Stanley commented, “We believe the Grain deal clearly indicates that SpaceX will pursue a more aggressive approach in spectrum acquisitions,” adding that any threat to existing operators would likely emerge gradually, starting with rural markets. Compared to higher-frequency radio waves, low-band spectrum travels longer distances and more effectively penetrates buildings and obstacles, which may facilitate SpaceX in advancing its Starlink Mobile service. Although financial terms were not disclosed by the parties, The Wall Street Journal cited sources valuing the deal at $8 billion. SpaceX shares rose 4% following the announcement, though the transaction is still subject to regulatory approval. [Chart link: https://www.reuters.com/graphics/BRV-BRV/lbvgxnzxepq/chart.png] Communications tower stocks bucked the sector-wide sell-off, as investors bet that SpaceX’s wireless ambitions would ultimately drive demand for more ground infrastructure. American Tower, Crown Castle, and SBA Communications saw gains between 6.7% and 8.3%. Morgan Stanley noted the deal is a “marginal positive” for communications tower operators, pointing out that even satellite-dominated networks may require the deployment of towers, rooftop and small cell sites, and that broader urban competition would necessitate substantial ground-based infrastructure and spectrum resources. (Reuters provides automated translations of its reports in several other languages for the benefit of non-English readers. Automated translations may be inaccurate or lack necessary context, and Reuters does not guarantee the accuracy of translated texts. Automated translations are provided for convenience only, and Reuters is not liable for any damage or loss caused by the use of automated translation services.)

October 9 - Crescent Energy (CRGY.N) shares fell 1% to $12.88 in premarket trading on Friday after the company priced and completed a $1 billion follow-on offering related to an acquisition. The Houston, Texas-based shale oil and gas producer announced late Thursday that it would issue 80 million shares at $12.50 each, representing a 3.9% discount to its most recent closing price. CRGY will use the net proceeds from the offering to help fund its $4.2 billion acquisition of Devon Energy's (DVN.N) Eagle Ford oil and gas assets. A KKR (KKR.N) affiliate, which owns about 7.9% of CRGY, will subscribe to 40 million new shares. JPMorgan, KKR Capital Markets, Raymond James, Evercore, and Wells Fargo Securities will act as joint book-running managers for the offering. CRGY has approximately 330.4 million shares outstanding, with a market capitalization of $4.3 billion. The stock closed down 3.4% on Thursday, narrowing its year-to-date gain to 55%. According to data from London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), 13 out of 16 analysts rate the stock as "strong buy" or "buy," 2 rate it "hold" and 1 recommends "sell," with a median price target of $18.50. DVN's shares were down 1.4% in premarket trading at $48.22. DVN rose 2.2% on Thursday, bringing its cumulative gain in 2026 to about 34%. (For the convenience of non-English speakers, Reuters has automated the translation of its reports into several other languages. Since automated translation may contain errors or lack necessary context, Reuters does not guarantee the accuracy of automated translation texts and provides them solely for reader convenience. Reuters accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by the use of automated translation.)

October 9 – According to Nikkei Asia (link), Apple has asked its suppliers to cut production of the new iPhone 18 Pro model due to weak demand, resulting in Apple (AAPL.O) shares falling 1.8% in premarket trading to $334.21. The report states that, against the backdrop of soaring memory chip costs and rising prices, the component orders for October have been reduced by at least 15% compared to initial requirements. Apple has not yet responded to a Reuters request for comment. The current stock price is about 1% lower than the all-time intraday high of $345.34 reached on September 22. According to data compiled by the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), the average rating from 43 analysts covering the stock is "Buy," with a median target price of $330. (For the convenience of non-English speakers, Reuters provides automated translations of its report into several other languages. As automated translations may contain errors or lack the required context, Reuters does not guarantee the accuracy of the automated translation and provides it solely for reader convenience. Reuters accepts no liability for any damage or loss resulting from use of the automated translation function.)

Citi published a research report maintaining a "Neutral" rating on the e-signature and agreement cloud platform DocuSign, with a target price of $72.