Good Morning, Traders!…👋

US stock futures were mostly flat on Tuesday as investors reacted to Home Depot’s earnings report. Futures for the Dow Jones, S&P 500, and Nasdaq 100 showed little change amid growing concerns about inflation and the possibility of an interest rate cut.

Retail earnings continue this week with Target reporting on Wednesday and Walmart on Thursday. These results will help reveal how companies and consumers are managing the effects of tariffs introduced during the Trump administration. Meanwhile, President Trump pushed for more talks between Russia and Ukraine.

Attention is now focused on Friday’s Jackson Hole symposium, where Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will speak. His remarks are closely watched for clues about future interest rate moves. Inflation remains persistent, and the job market is weakening, making the Fed’s next decisions particularly complex.

Earnings Watch

Earnings hit today from Home Depot $HD, Medtronic $MDT, XPeng $XPEV, and Kandi Technologies $KNDI before open, plus Keysight Technologies $KEYS, Toll Brothers $TOL, and La-Z-Boy $LZB after close.

Analysts expect HD at $4.70 EPS with consumer spending focus, MDT at $1.20 EPS on medical device strength, XPEV at -$0.30 EPS amid EV demand, KNDI with EV sales updates, KEYS at $1.58 EPS with tech testing growth, TOL at $3.95 EPS on housing recovery, and LZB at $0.68 EPS with furniture demand steady.

Happening Today

✓ 08:30 AM ET – Building Permits

✓ 08:30 AM ET – Housing Starts

✓ 11:30 AM ET – Atlanta Fed GDPNow

✓ 02:10 PM ET – FOMC Member Bowman Speaks

✓ 04:30 PM ET – API Weekly Crude Oil Stock

SECTOR SNAPSHOT

On the last trading day, market sectors were mixed, with Consumer Discretionary, Industrials, and Financials posting gains. Meanwhile, Real Estate, Communication Services, and Energy were among the key sectors that experienced declines, reflecting a cautious and selective approach from investors.

PreMarket Unusual Volume Stocks

Here's a quick rundown of today's pre-market high-volume stocks:

📈 Wellgistics Health, Inc. (WGRX) is up +6.29% at $0.7500 with significant volume, following recent news of the termination of an equity line of credit, which the company says aligns with its strategy for long-term shareholder value and a focus on more favorable funding.

📈 Laser Photonics Corporation (LASE) is soaring +63.41% to $2.46 with massive volume, driven by its exceptional Q2 2025 earnings report that showed a 317% year-over-year revenue increase and a 341% jump in gross profit.

📈 Wheeler Real Estate Investment Trust, Inc. (WHLR) is up +11.00% at $2.00 with high volume, despite a history of volatility and weak fundamentals, with a recent analysis suggesting it might be undervalued.

📈 Graphjet Technology (GTI) is gaining +21.09% at $0.0915 with very high volume, following shareholder approval of a 1-for-60 share consolidation to meet Nasdaq's minimum bid price requirement.

📈 Waldencast plc (WALD) is up +19.44% at $1.80 with notable volume, after announcing strong progress in its business priorities for H1 2025, including double-digit growth for its Obagi Medical brand and strong retail sales for Milk Makeup.

Premarket Picks

Graphjet Technology (GTI) saw a 19.56% jump in pre-market trading, rising to $0.11. The surge comes after the company announced a collaboration with UKM’s MERCU center under the 2025 KKP initiative. The partnership aims to develop advanced heat sinks using graphite and graphene through additive manufacturing.

Laser Photonics Corporation (LASE) soared 65.04% pre-market to $4.06, following an impressive 317% year-over-year revenue growth for Q2 2025. The strong financial results have significantly boosted investor confidence.

Waldencast plc (WALD) gained 18.89%, reaching a pre-market price of $2.14. The company reported strong progress on its H1 2025 business priorities, along with new initiatives aimed at driving transformation.

Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. (IOVA) also climbed 20.00% in pre-market trading, hitting $3.00. The move follows Health Canada's approval of Amtagvi, the company’s cell therapy treatment, signaling a major milestone in its international expansion.

Top Upgrades:

1. Crown Castle Inc. (CCI)

Analyst Firm: BMO Capital

Upgraded: Market Perform to Outperform

Price Target: $120

Yesterday's Close: $100.55

BMO Capital has raised its rating on Crown Castle from "Market Perform" to "Outperform" and increased its price target to $120, up from the previous $115. Crown Castle, a key player in the U.S. telecommunications infrastructure space, owns and operates cell towers and fiber networks across major markets. Analysts have set a stock price target range from $107.00 to $127.00, with an average target of $118.88.

2. Caterpillar Inc. (CAT)

Analyst Firm: Evercore ISI

Upgraded: In Line to Outperform

Price Target: $476

Yesterday's Close: $412.64

Evercore ISI has upgraded Caterpillar's rating from "In Line" to "Outperform" and set a price target of $476. Caterpillar Inc., known for manufacturing heavy equipment, engines, and locomotives globally, has received strong analyst attention. Price targets range between $350.00 and $520.00, with an average of $454.48.

3. Target Hospitality Corp. (TH)

Analyst Firm: Stifel

Upgraded: Hold to Buy

Price Target: $11

Yesterday's Close: $8.05

Stifel upgraded Target Hospitality from "Hold" to "Buy" last night, raising its price target from $7.50 to $11. Target Hospitality, which provides specialty rental and hospitality services across North America, has stock price targets ranging from $10.00 to $11.00. The average target stands at $10.50.

Maeve Grace
Editor In Chief
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Important: This newsletter does not provide investment advice. The stocks mentioned should not be taken as recommendations. Your investments are solely your decisions.

Disclosure: I hold no positions in any companies mentioned, either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.