American Express, (AXP) a Dow-30 component and one of the world's largest issuers of credit cards, reported December-period financial results that were largely in line with our estimates. The shares advanced modestly following the news.

Property/Casualty insurer Travelers (TRV) reported solid results for the December period. However, its share price has slipped moderately in trading this morning, along with the broader market averages. Travelers’ shares have performed quite well in recent weeks, and thus it may have been due for a haircut. Looking at it with more granularity, earnings from operations, which exclude capital gains and losses from investments, clocked in at $3.32 a share in the December period, which was a dime higher than our expectation and a whopping 56% higher than the previous-year period.

International Business Machines, (IBM) a global provider of mainframe computers, as well as computer software and services, reported earnings for the December quarter and 2019 that matched expectations, on better-than-anticipated revenues. The company's declining revenues have been a concern in recent years, and the improvement cheered investors, who bid the stock up over 4% during recent trading.

UnitedHealth Group, (UNH) the nation's largest health insurer and a Dow-30 component, has released financials for the fourth quarter of 2019. Revenues came in a bit shy of expectations, but adjusted earnings were comfortably ahead of the consensus. The shares rose more than 2% in early morning trading after some profit taking in the premarket.

Shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance were on the decline after the release of disappointing fiscal 2020 first-quarter results. Guidance did little to help matters, either. The company also failed to provide a positive update on its privatization possibility.