Check out the companies making headlines before the bell:
Morgan Stanley – The investment firm beat estimates by 16 cents a share, with quarterly earnings of $1.17 per share. Revenue came in above forecasts, as well. CEO James Gorman said Morgan Stanley performed well even in amid a seasonal summer slowdown.
Goldman Sachs – Goldman earned $6.28 per share for the third quarter, well above the consensus estimate of $5.38 a share. Revenue was also above analysts' forecasts, and Goldman said its year-to-date return-on-equity is its highest in nine years.
UnitedHealth – The health insurer reported adjusted quarterly profit of $3.41 per share, beating estimates by 12 cents a share. Revenue topped forecasts on growth in both insurance and medical services, and UnitedHealth raised its full-year outlook.
Johnson & Johnson – J&J reported adjusted quarterly profit of $2.05 per share, beating forecasts by 2 cents a share. Revenue was also above estimates, helped by strong growth in pharmaceuticals and the consumer business, among other factors.
BlackRock – The asset-management firm earned an adjusted $7.52 per share for the third quarter, well above the consensus estimate of $6.84 a share. The results beat despite revenue coming in slightly below forecasts. CEO Larry Fink said the firm showed resilience in the face of significant market headwinds.
Walmart – Walmart cut its full-year earnings outlook by 25 cents per share, a move designed to reflect the impact of its acquisition of India's Flipkart. Separately, Walmart and Advance Auto Parts announced plans to open a specialty store on Walmart .com
J.B. Hunt Transport – J.B. Hunt reported adjusted quarterly profit of $1.47 per share, 9 cents a hare above estimates. The shipping company's revenue missed forecasts. The bottom line was helped by rising shipment volumes and higher prices.
Adobe Systems – Adobe reaffirmed its full-year earnings and revenue targets. The software company also said it expects 2019 revenue growth of about 20 percent.
Twilio – Twilio is buying email technology firm SendGrid in an all-stock deal valued at about $2 billion. The cloud communications firm is paying about $36.92 per share for SendGrid, a premium of more than 19 percent over its Monday close.
JELD-WEN Holding – The company released preliminary third-quarter results that fall below Street forecasts, and lowered its full-year guidance. The door and window maker also announced that Chief Financial Officer Brooks Mallard is leaving on November 8, and will be replaced by senior vice president John Linker.
Palo Alto Networks – Palo Alto named former Google executive Amit Singh as president. At the same time, the cybersecurity software provider also reiterated its current-quarter earnings guidance.
Qualcomm – Qualcomm and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have asked a judge to delay a ruling in an ongoing antitrust case against the chipmaker, as the two sides try to work out a settlement. The FTC suit against Qualcomm alleges that the company engaged in anti-competitive practices in the mobile phone chip market.
AstraZeneca, Merck – The Food and Drug Administration granted orphan status to Lynparza, a cancer drug developed in a joint venture between the two companies. The latest designation is for the treatment of pancreatic cancer, with Lynparza having been previously granted orphan status for ovarian and other cancers.
Cracker Barrel Old Country – Cracker Barrel was upgraded to "outperform" from "market perform" at Telsey Advisory Group, which expects that the restaurant chain's comparable sales, customer traffic, and earnings will improve.