Stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Thursday after Wells Fargo gave first quarter guidance and a New York Times report the U.S. banking industry seems to be in better shape than many people thought.

* Wells Fargo said its expects to report net income of about $3 billion for the first-quarter, or about 55 cents per common share after preferred dividends.

* All 19 banks undergoing the stress tests will pass them, the paper reported, but many of the largest lenders probably need to be bailed out again by either private lenders or the federal government.

* S&P 500 futures rose 14.80 points and were above fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures gained 112 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures added 16.50 points.

(Reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; Editing by Theodore d'Afflisio)

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