As earnings season begins to wind down, some apparel retailers are scheduled to report quarterly results this week. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters anticipate that Walmart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT), the 800-pound gorilla in the space, will report that it earned $0.77 per share in the first quarter, about the same as in the first quarter of last year. But JCPenney Co. (NYSE: JCP), Kohl's Corp. (NYSE: KSS), Nordstrom Inc. (NYSE: JWN), and Urban Outfitters Inc. (NASDAQ: URBN) are expected to report lower profits for the first quarter as consumers continued to hold off on spending. Macy's Inc. (NYSE: M) and Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) are expected to have swung to a loss year over year.

Whole Foods Market Inc. (NASDAQ: WFMI) and Winn Dixie Stores Inc. (NASDAQ: WINN) are likewise expected to report declining earnings, while the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (NYSE: GAP), parent of the A&P supermarket chain, is expected to have narrowed its net loss 68.9% to $0.28 per share.

MOST NOTEWORTHY: Pioneer Southwest, Art Technology and Real Goods Solar were today's noteworthy initiations:

• Friedman Billings initiated Pioneer Southwest (NYSE: PSE) with an Outperform rating and $25 target. The firm believes the current valuation does not reflect potential upside from the upstream drop-downs, which would result in higher distributions.
  
• ThinkPanmure believes Art Technology (NASDAQ: ARTG) is well-positioned to benefit from a strong replatforming cycle. Shares were initiated with a Buy rating and $4.50 target.
  
• Broadpoint said Real Goods Solar (NASDAQ: RSOL) has a disciplined operational model leading to profitable growth, and started shares with a Buy rating and $10 target. ThinkPanmure also initiated Real Goods Solar with a Buy rating and $10 target and said the company is well-positioned given strong underlying trends that include higher retail electricity costs, legislative renewable energy standards and incentives, declining solar photovoltaic systems costs, and "green momentum."

OTHER INITIATIONS:

• Credit Suisse assumed Telmex International (NYSE: TII) with a Neutral rating and $18 target.
  
• Athenahealth (NASDAQ: ATHN) was initiated with a Hold rating at BB&T Capital.
  
• Western Gas Partners (NYSE: WES) was started at Citigroup with a Hold rating and $18.50 target.