Check out the companies making headlines before the market opens. Kenvue – Shares of the consumer healthcare company rose more than 8% after the Wall Street Journal reported that activist investor Starboard Value has taken a stake in the Johnson & Johnson spinoff. Boeing – Shares of Boeing rose 3.3% after the planemaker and its machinists’ union agreed on a new contract proposal that could end a month-long strike. An approval vote on the proposal, which includes a 35% wage increase, is expected on Wednesday. Warby Parker – Shares of the eyewear retailer rose nearly 5% after Goldman Sachs upgraded its rating to “buy” from “neutral.” Goldman Sachs said the company could perform better as fundamentals improve and margin growth is strong. Humana and Cigna – The two companies’ stock prices moved in opposite directions after Bloomberg reported that Cigna had resumed merger talks with Humana, citing people familiar with the matter. Negotiations are in the early stages, according to Bloomberg sources. Humana gained more than 4%, while Cigna fell by a similar amount. UPS – Shares fell nearly 2% after Barclays downgraded the stock to underweight from equal weight. The bank said it sees risks to the package delivery company’s profits, as well as competition from Amazon. JD.com — The Chinese e-commerce company’s U.S.-listed shares fell more than 1%, mirroring losses in Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index. JD.com remains weak, although Loop Capital Markets upgraded its rating on JD.com to buy from hold. Southwest Airlines – Shares fell more than 1% before the market opened. Elliott Investment Management is in early talks with Southwest Airlines to reach an agreement on representation on the airline’s board, CNBC reported, citing people familiar with the matter. ASML-Bernstein shares fell more than 1% after the Dutch semiconductor equipment stock lowered its price target. The bank said the outlook for 2025 was “challenging”.
