June 29, 2016

These 5 Dividend Stocks Want to Pay You More Money

These five big stocks could be about to increase their dividend payments in the coming months



The Brexit selloff is serving as an unpleasant reminder to investors in 2016: Dividends still matter a lot right now.

Year-to-date, dividend payouts have meant the difference between being breakeven in the S&P 500 or sitting in the red. For the Dow Jones Industrial Average , dividend payouts actually pull the big index into positive territory since the calendar flipped to January. But 2016's performance numbers are only a tiny part of the story. That's because the impact of dividends only really start to show themselves in the longer term.

In fact, just over the last 10 years, dividends have accounted for almost half of the S&P 500's performance, handing investors the difference between 57.5% gains and 95.9% gains when reinvested dividends are factored in. But to find the biggest benefit from dividends, it's not enough to simply buy names with big payouts today -- you've got to think about which names are going to be paying more tomorrow too.

So instead of chasing yield, we'll try to step in front of the next round of stock payout hikes.



Continue to read at TheStreet to find out those five stocks…

June 28, 2016

5 Super-Cheap MLPs to Buy Today

The selloff in MLPs has made for plenty of bargains



Once a market darling, master limited partnerships (MLPs) have simply fallen on hard times. Various market forces have conspired against the pass-through entities and have taken them down pretty hard over the last year or so.

On one hand, the collapse in crude oil and natural gas has hurt their bottom lines. More and more MLPs have moved beyond just transporting energy and have begun processing things like natural gas liquids (NGLs). That puts them right in the crosshairs of commodity prices.

At the same time, the wave of E&P bankruptcies has left many MLPs fighting for payment for their services.

And let’s not forget the Federal Reserve. As high-yielding assets, MLPS have been hit as the Fed has begun to ratchet-up interest rates.

All in all, that’s sent MLPs down a staggering 20% over the last year, as measured by the exchange-traded fund Alerian MLP ETF (AMLP).

But that dip has also made many top-notch, quality MLPs pretty big bargains when looking at price-to-distributable-cash-flows (P/DFC) metrics. For investors looking for high income potential, MLPs are simply the cheapest stocks out there.

Here are five super-cheap MLPs to buy today.



Continue to read at InvestorPlace

Walgreens Boots Alliance: 40 Consecutive Years Of Dividend Growth And Counting


Different investors and consumers have come to know pharmacy and wellness company Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) through a variety of ways.

That’s because the company has transformed itself over time.

If you are based in the U.K. you might think about the Boots side, which traces its roots all the way back to 1849. By 1933, Boots already had its 1,000th store.

If you are in the U.S., then the Walgreens name – tracing its roots back to 1901 – probably catches your attention. This company invented the malted milkshake, went public in 1927 and hit $1 billion in sales by 1975. Chances are pretty good that there is a Walgreens on a corner near you.

And the Alliance side comes from Italy, tracing its roots back to pharmaceutical wholesalers founded in 1977 and 1982 before combining in 1997 as Alliance UniChem.

Ultimately Alliance merged with Boots in 2006. And finally Walgreens merged with Alliance Boots in 2012 to become today’s company. It’s been a long journey.

That journey has created a strong business generating significant dividend growth. Walgreens Boots Alliance currently ranks as a Top 30 dividend growth stock using The 8 Rules of Dividend Investing.

This article takes a deeper look at the investment opportunity of Walgreens Boots Alliance.


Continue to read at TalkMarkets

Warren Buffett Sold His Position In AT&T. Should You?


Warren Buffett sold AT&T (T) out of Berkshire Hathaway’s portfolio of high-yield dividend stocks during the first quarter of 2016.

Warren Buffett acquired his stake in AT&T during the third quarter of 2015 as a result of AT&T’s acquisition of DirecTV.

Buffett had owned DirecTV prior to the acquisition (his first purchase was in 2011), so his shares converted into AT&T stock once the deal closed because the acquisition was a stock and cash transaction.

Despite AT&T’s high dividend yield near 5% and seemingly cheap price-to-earnings multiple (14.2), Warren Buffett apparently thought there were more attractive options to put his money to work.

Like Warren Buffett, we prefer Verizon (VZ), which is held in Berkshire Hathaway’s portfolio as well as our Conservative Retirees dividend portfolio.

Let’s take a closer look at the safety and growth potential of AT&T’s dividend as well as the company’s overall appeal as a potential investment opportunity for dividend investors.



Continue to read at TalkMarkets

3 High-Yield Dividend Stocks That Could Raise Their Dividends

If you're looking for growing high-yield dividends, these three stocks are a good place to start.



Stock searches often begin with high-yield dividend stocks. Dividends are often a sign of strength, and the extra income is great for retirees, or those looking to pad their portfolios. While some high-yield dividend stocks can be yield traps, attracting investors despite a shaky business model, others are worth your money. These dividend payers have modest valuations, solid business models, growth opportunities, and shareholder-friendly distribution policies.

With the price-to-earnings ratio of the S&P 500 now above 24, high-yield dividend stocks are harder to find than they once were, but there are still some good bets out there for high-yielding, growing dividends.

Let's take a look at a few of them…




Goldman Sachs Upgraded Diageo plc (DGE)


Diageo plc (LON:DGE) was upgraded by analysts at Goldman Sachs to a “neutral” rating in a report issued on Tuesday. The firm currently has a GBX 1,925 ($25.39) price objective on the stock. Goldman Sachs’ price target suggests a potential upside of 0.57% from the company’s previous close.

Other research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the company. Morgan Stanley set a GBX 2,200 ($29.02) price objective on Diageo plc and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 29th. Nomura reissued a “buy” rating and issued a GBX 2,200 ($29.02) price objective on shares of Diageo plc in a research note on Thursday, March 3rd. Shore Capital reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Diageo plc in a research note on Tuesday, April 12th. Berenberg Bank restated a “buy” rating and set a GBX 2,350 ($31.00) target price on shares of Diageo plc in a report on Wednesday, June 22nd. Finally, BNP Paribas set a GBX 2,150 ($28.36) target price on Diageo plc and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and sixteen have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of GBX 2,031 ($26.79).




JPMorgan Downgraded Dow Chemical Co (DOW)


Dow Chemical Co (NYSE:DOW) was downgraded by research analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of DOW. Stokes & Hubbell Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Dow Chemical by 0.3% in the first quarter. Stokes & Hubbell Capital Management LLC now owns 5,949 shares of the company’s stock valued at $303,000 after buying an additional 20 shares during the last quarter. Exchange Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in Dow Chemical by 1.1% in the first quarter. Exchange Capital Management Inc. now owns 4,983 shares of the company’s stock valued at $253,000 after buying an additional 54 shares during the last quarter. Investors Asset Management of Georgia Inc. GA ADV raised its stake in Dow Chemical by 0.3% in the fourth quarter. Investors Asset Management of Georgia Inc. GA ADV now owns 25,367 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,306,000 after buying an additional 75 shares during the last quarter. Phocas Financial Corp. raised its stake in Dow Chemical by 1.2% in the first quarter. Phocas Financial Corp. now owns 6,640 shares of the company’s stock valued at $338,000 after buying an additional 77 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. raised its stake in Dow Chemical by 1.9% in the first quarter. Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. now owns 5,179 shares of the company’s stock valued at $263,000 after buying an additional 97 shares during the last quarter.




Goldman Sachs Downgraded Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO)


Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) was downgraded by Goldman Sachs from a “conviction-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report issued on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) opened at 50.91 on Tuesday. Novo Nordisk A/S has a 52-week low of $46.17 and a 52-week high of $60.34. The company has a market capitalization of $129.53 billion and a PE ratio of 25.05. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $54.34 and its 200-day moving average is $54.56.

Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Friday, April 29th. The company reported $0.57 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.53 by $0.04. On average, equities research analysts forecast that Novo Nordisk A/S will post $2.29 EPS for the current year.




June 27, 2016

Goldman Sachs Upgraded Rio Tinto plc (RIO)


Rio Tinto plc (NYSE:RIO) was upgraded by equities researchers at Goldman Sachs from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report issued on Monday, The Fly reports.

Shares of Rio Tinto plc (NYSE:RIO) opened at 28.76 on Monday. Rio Tinto plc has a 1-year low of $21.89 and a 1-year high of $42.61. The company has a 50 day moving average price of $28.93 and a 200-day moving average price of $28.30. The stock’s market capitalization is $51.72 billion.
Other large investors recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. World Asset Management Inc raised its stake in Rio Tinto plc by 2.3% in the fourth quarter. World Asset Management Inc now owns 74,528 shares of the mining company’s stock valued at $2,170,000 after buying an additional 1,691 shares in the last quarter. Segantii Capital Management Ltd bought a new stake in Rio Tinto plc during the fourth quarter valued at $1,468,000. Sei Investments Co. raised its stake in Rio Tinto plc by 3.1% in the fourth quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 418,767 shares of the mining company’s stock valued at $12,195,000 after buying an additional 12,769 shares in the last quarter. Barrow Hanley Mewhinney & Strauss LLC raised its stake in Rio Tinto plc by 7.5% in the fourth quarter. Barrow Hanley Mewhinney & Strauss LLC now owns 1,267,701 shares of the mining company’s stock valued at $36,916,000 after buying an additional 88,627 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS raised its stake in Rio Tinto plc by 7.2% in the fourth quarter. Kornitzer Capital Management Inc. KS now owns 225,550 shares of the mining company’s stock valued at $6,568,000 after buying an additional 15,210 shares in the last quarter.




JPMorgan Downgrades Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC (RBS)


Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC (NYSE:RBS) was downgraded by stock analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a “neutral” rating to an “underweight” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

RBS has been the topic of a number of other reports. Deutsche Bank reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC in a research report on Monday, March 14th. Goldman Sachs upgraded Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC from a “neutral” rating to a “conviction-buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 15th. Sanford C. Bernstein cut Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $13.84 to $6.56 in a research report on Thursday, March 10th. Wunderlich cut Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $67.50 price target on the stock. in a research report on Thursday, April 21st. Finally, Zacks Investment Research cut Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 14th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. The company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $37.03.




Citigroup Downgraded Invesco Ltd. (IVZ)


Invesco Ltd. (NYSE:IVZ) was downgraded by equities researchers at Citigroup Inc. from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report issued on Monday, The Fly reports.

In other news, Director Colin Meadows sold 40,433 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $28.43, for a total value of $1,149,510.19. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 195,074 shares in the company, valued at $5,545,953.82. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link.
Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the company. Deutsche Bank restated a “buy” rating on shares of Invesco in a research note on Sunday, March 20th. Morgan Stanley restated a “buy” rating on shares of Invesco in a research note on Saturday, April 30th. Jefferies Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Invesco in a research note on Friday, June 10th. Wells Fargo reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Invesco in a report on Tuesday, April 12th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research raised Invesco from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, March 21st. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the stock. The stock currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $38.08.




June 26, 2016

3 Dividend Aristocrats to Buy at Bargain-Bin Prices

Each of these high quality dividend stocks is down more than 10% over the last year



The Dividend Aristocrats Index contains high quality dividend growth stocks in the S&P 500 that have managed to boost their dividend payouts for at least 25 consecutive years.

Rising dividends are often the sign of a profitable and healthy firm. Only about 10% of S&P 500 member companies are dividend aristocrats and possess the attractive qualities needed to lift dividends for such a long period.

Not surprisingly, the Dividend Aristocrats Index has outperformed the S&P 500 by approximately 3% per year over the last decade.

The following are three stocks in the Dividend Aristocrats Index that are down at least 10% over the last year and potentially offer some value today.

Continue to read to find out those three stocks…



Source: InvestorPlace

3 Elite Canadian Banks For Dividends: Toronto-Dominion


It is difficult to find safe investments with 3%+ dividend yields and solid growth prospects.

Many equities today are priced on the rich side of valuations resulting in lowered dividend yields.Low interest rates have made bonds a poor value for income seeking investors.

The benefits of investing in high quality stocks with above average yields and good growth prospects – trading at fair or better prices – are well-known to long-term investors.

What if you could quickly identify an entire group of these stocks? This article takes a look at one such group the market is overlooking:

The Canadian banking sector.

This article gives an overview of the favorable investment prospects of the Canadian banking system.It also analyzes 1 of the 3 highly ranked Canadian Banks in more detail:Toronto Dominion Bank (TD).


Source: TalkMarkets

There's Value in This High-Dividend ETF

This low-cost exchange-traded fund offers an attractive yield while diversifying risk.



Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM) is a compelling option for exposure to stocks with generous dividend payments. It offers both an attractive dividend yield without taking excessive risk and a sizable cost advantage relative to its peers (0.09% expense ratio). The strategy starts with all U.S. dividend payers (excluding REITs and smaller stocks), targets those representing the higher-yielding half, and weights them by market capitalization, which keeps implementation costs low. This creates a portfolio of more than 400 names that leans toward mature giants such as  Microsoft (MSFT),  Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), and  AT&T (T). Most of these firms are growing more slowly than the broad market, giving the fund a value orientation.



Continue to read more at Morningstar

3 High-Yield Dividend Stocks You Don't Need to Babysit

Seeking high-yield stocks that aren't panic-inducing investments can be difficult, but TransCanada, StoneMor Partners, and Magellan Midstream Partners are better than most.



Investing in dividend companies can be a lower-stress version of investing. No matter what the share price does, you know that you are going to get a certain percentage return. Ideally, the higher the yield, the better. As the yield gets higher, though, so too does the risk that the company's payout is at risk of getting cut, and that risk can make us lose sleep at night.

So we asked three of our contributors to highlight one stock that has a high yield -- and not one where you need to perpetually worry about a payout cut.

Continue reading to find out what they had to say …




Two Dividend Stocks For Good And Bad Times


With financial markets on the edge following Brexit, investors have found themselves between a rock and a hard place: a turbulent equity market in which stocks drop by double digits in a few hours, and bank accounts that pay next to nothing in returns.

But there are two dividend stocks worth considering for these turbulent times – Southern Company and Clorox.

The two companies are in totally different businesses.



Continue to read at Forbes

June 24, 2016

Argus Upgraded Nucor Co. (NUE)


Nucor Co. (NYSE:NUE) was upgraded by stock analysts at Argus from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report issued on Friday.
In other Nucor news, EVP D. Chad Utermark sold 2,050 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, April 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $50.65, for a total value of $103,832.50. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 56,621 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,867,853.65. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Robert J. Stratman sold 52,631 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, April 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $49.90, for a total value of $2,626,286.90. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 268,246 shares in the company, valued at $13,385,475.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here.




Buckingham Research Downgraded AT&T Inc. (T)


AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) was downgraded by Buckingham Research from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report released on Friday. They presently have a $39.56 price objective on the stock, up from their previous price objective of $30.97. Buckingham Research’s target price suggests a potential downside of 5.54% from the company’s previous close. The analysts noted that the move was a valuation call.

A number of other analysts also recently issued reports on the stock. Vetr downgraded shares of AT&T from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and set a $38.71 price target on the stock. in a report on Tuesday. Jefferies Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of AT&T in a report on Sunday, June 5th. Bank of America reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of AT&T in a report on Thursday, May 19th. DA Davidson lifted their price target on shares of AT&T from $42.00 to $44.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 17th. Finally, Drexel Hamilton restated a “buy” rating and issued a $44.00 target price on shares of AT&T in a report on Thursday, May 12th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and eighteen have issued a buy rating to the company. AT&T has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $39.86.



Credit Suisse Downgraded Accenture Plc (ACN)


Accenture Plc (NYSE:ACN) was downgraded by research analysts at Credit Suisse from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research note issued to investors on Friday, The Fly reports.

A number of hedge funds and institutional investors recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Ropes Wealth Advisors LLC raised its position in Accenture Plc by 53.3% in the first quarter. Ropes Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 1,420 shares of the company’s stock worth $164,000 after buying an additional 494 shares in the last quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P increased its stake in shares of Accenture Plc by 89.3% in the first quarter. Loomis Sayles & Co. L P now owns 1,662 shares of the company’s stock valued at $192,000 after buying an additional 784 shares during the last quarter. Raab & Moskowitz Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Accenture Plc during the first quarter valued at $211,000. Optimum Investment Advisors acquired a new stake in shares of Accenture Plc during the first quarter valued at $239,000. Finally, Iberiabank Corp increased its stake in shares of Accenture Plc by 10.8% in the first quarter. Iberiabank Corp now owns 2,433 shares of the company’s stock valued at $281,000 after buying an additional 237 shares during the last quarter.




June 23, 2016

Nomura Upgraded Home Depot Inc (HD)


Home Depot Inc (NYSE:HD) was upgraded by equities researchers at Nomura from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a note issued to investors on Thursday, The Fly reports.

A number of other equities analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Deutsche Bank reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $143.00 target price on shares of Home Depot in a research note on Friday, June 17th. Jefferies Group restated a “buy” rating and set a $156.00 price objective on shares of Home Depot in a research note on Wednesday, June 15th. Vetr upgraded shares of Home Depot from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and set a $148.82 price objective for the company in a research note on Wednesday, June 1st. BTIG Research initiated coverage on shares of Home Depot in a research note on Wednesday, June 1st. They set a “buy” rating and a $155.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Topeka Capital Markets initiated coverage on shares of Home Depot in a research note on Monday, May 23rd. They set a “buy” rating and a $158.00 price objective for the company. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating, eighteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Home Depot currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $144.45.




Citigroup Upgraded McCormick & Company, Incorporated (MKC)


McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE:MKC) was upgraded by analysts at Citigroup Inc. from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report released on Thursday, StockTargetPrices.com reports. The firm presently has a $102.00 target price on the stock, up from their previous target price of $85.00. Citigroup Inc.’s price objective would suggest a potential upside of 1.83% from the company’s current price.

A number of other research firms have also issued reports on MKC. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of McCormick & Company, from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $113.00 target price on the stock in a report on Monday, April 4th. Vetr lowered shares of McCormick & Company, from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating and set a $96.84 target price on the stock. in a report on Monday, April 4th. Deutsche Bank raised their price objective on shares of McCormick & Company, from $99.00 to $105.00 in a report on Wednesday, March 30th. Sanford C. Bernstein raised their price objective on shares of McCormick & Company, from $100.00 to $113.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 30th. Finally, Credit Suisse restated a “neutral” rating and issued a $95.00 price objective on shares of McCormick & Company, in a report on Tuesday, April 19th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. McCormick & Company, presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $97.99.




Baird Downgraded Illinois Tool Works (ITW)


Illinois Tool Works Downgraded at Baird to Neutral from Outperform (NYSE:ITW)

The stock decreased 0.25% or $0.27 during the last trading session, hitting $105.8. Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) has risen 16.16% since November 16, 2015 and is uptrending. It has outperformed by 14.59% the S&P500.




JP Morgan Downgraded Valeant Pharmaceuticals (VRX)


In a a report issued to clients and investors on Thursday morning, equity analysts at JP Morgan’s equities division cut Valeant Pharmaceuticals (NYSE:VRX)’s stock from a Overweight to Neutral. They have a TP of $35.00 on VRX or 61.74% more upside.

Out of 18 analysts covering Valeant Pharmaceuticals Intl (NYSE:VRX), 5 rate it a “Buy”, 5 “Sell”, while 10 “Hold”. This means 25% are positive. $175 is the highest target while $11 is the lowest. The $43.72 average target is 465.71% above today’s ($21.64) stock price. Valeant Pharmaceuticals Intl has been the topic of 67 analyst reports since July 21, 2015 according to StockzIntelligence Inc. Stifel Nicolaus maintained the stock on June 8 with “Buy” rating. Morgan Stanley maintained it with “Equal-Weight” rating and $39 target price in a March 16 report. Rodman & Renshaw maintained the shares of VRX in a report on April 11 with “Buy” rating. Canaccord Genuity maintained the firm’s rating on March 16. Canaccord Genuity has “Hold” rating and $40 price target. Lastly, Barclays Capital downgraded the stock to “Equal-Weight” rating in a March 21 report.



June 22, 2016

Morgan Stanley Downgrades HCP, Inc. (HCP)


HCP, Inc. (NYSE:HCP) was downgraded by research analysts at Morgan Stanley from an “equal weight” rating to an “underweight” rating in a research note issued on Wednesday, StockTargetPrices.com reports. They presently have a $32.00 target price on the real estate investment trust’s stock. Morgan Stanley’s price objective would indicate a potential downside of 8.60% from the company’s current price.

Other large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Sentry Investment Management raised its stake in shares of HCP by 20.7% in the fourth quarter. Sentry Investment Management now owns 26,435 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $1,011,000 after buying an additional 4,538 shares during the period. Russell Frank Co raised its stake in shares of HCP by 86.2% in the fourth quarter. Russell Frank Co now owns 1,638,096 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $63,327,000 after buying an additional 758,379 shares during the period. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System raised its stake in shares of HCP by 1.5% in the fourth quarter. State Board of Administration of Florida Retirement System now owns 615,360 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $23,531,000 after buying an additional 9,100 shares during the period. Strs Ohio raised its stake in shares of HCP by 1.7% in the fourth quarter. Strs Ohio now owns 769,313 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $29,418,000 after buying an additional 12,935 shares during the period. Finally, California State Teachers Retirement System raised its stake in shares of HCP by 1.6% in the fourth quarter. California State Teachers Retirement System now owns 882,741 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $33,756,000 after buying an additional 13,943 shares during the period.





Nomura Downgraded Papa John's Int'l, Inc. (PZZA)


Papa John's Int'l, Inc. (NASDAQ:PZZA) was downgraded by investment analysts at Nomura from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report released on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Other large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Magnetar Financial LLC purchased a new stake in Papa John's Int'l during the first quarter worth $214,000. Huntington Asset Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in Papa John's Int'l during the first quarter worth $257,000. Legal & General Group Plc increased its stake in Papa John's Int'l by 4.1% in the first quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 6,168 shares of the company’s stock worth $336,000 after buying an additional 243 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Japan Co. Ltd purchased a new stake in Papa John's Int'l during the first quarter worth $524,000. Finally, BlackRock Inc. increased its stake in Papa John's Int'l by 1,126.5% in the first quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 10,732 shares of the company’s stock worth $581,000 after buying an additional 9,857 shares during the last quarter.





Nomura Downgraded Wendys Co (WEN)


Wendys Co (NASDAQ:WEN) was downgraded by stock analysts at Nomura from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Shares of Wendys (NASDAQ:WEN) opened at 9.99 on Wednesday. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $10.35 and a 200-day moving average price of $10.31. The company has a market capitalization of $2.66 billion and a PE ratio of 19.06. Wendys has a 12 month low of $8.43 and a 12 month high of $11.47.

Wendys (NASDAQ:WEN) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 11th. The company reported $0.11 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.06 by $0.05. The company earned $378.80 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $352.21 million. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 16.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.06 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts predict that Wendys will post $0.39 EPS for the current year.




Nomura Downgrades Domino's Pizza, Inc. (DPZ)


Domino's Pizza, Inc. (NYSE:DPZ) was downgraded by equities researchers at Nomura from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research note issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

DPZ has been the topic of several other research reports. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of Domino's Pizza from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, June 17th. Maxim Group reiterated a “hold” rating and issued a $127.00 target price (down previously from $138.00) on shares of Domino's Pizza in a research report on Wednesday, May 4th. Goldman Sachs downgraded shares of Domino's Pizza from a “conviction-buy” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their price target for the stock from $118.00 to $138.00 in a research note on Tuesday, March 1st. Vetr upgraded shares of Domino's Pizza from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $140.80 price target on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 25th. Finally, Argus boosted their price target on shares of Domino's Pizza from $130.00 to $155.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 3rd. Thirteen research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. Domino's Pizza currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $129.54.




June 21, 2016

Deutsche Bank Downgraded Statoil ASA (STO)


Statoil ASA (NYSE:STO) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Deutsche Bank from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note issued on Tuesday, StockTargetPrices.com reports.

Shares of Statoil ASA (NYSE:STO) opened at 16.64 on Tuesday. Statoil ASA has a 12 month low of $10.89 and a 12 month high of $18.61. The firm has a market capitalization of $52.92 billion and a P/E ratio of 81.97. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $16.43 and a 200 day moving average price of $14.94.

Statoil ASA (NYSE:STO) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 27th. The company reported $0.19 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.03) by $0.22. On average, analysts expect that Statoil ASA will post $0.55 earnings per share for the current year.




June 20, 2016

3 Elite Canadian Banks For Dividends: Bank Of Nova Scotia



It is difficult to find safe investments with 3%+ dividend yields and solid growth prospects.

Many equities today are priced on the rich side of valuations resulting in lowered dividend yields.Low interest rates have made bonds a poor value for income seeking investors.

The benefits of investing in high quality stocks with above average yields and good growth prospects – trading at fair or better prices – are well-known to long-term investors.

What if you could quickly identify an entire group of these stocks?This article takes a look at one such group the market is overlooking:

The Canadian banking sector.


This article gives an overview of the favorable investment prospects of the Canadian banking system.It also analyzes 1 of the 3 highly ranked Canadian Banks in detail: Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS).


Source: TalkMarkets

The 3 Best Dividend Stocks for Beginning Investors

Our Foolish dividend experts think Gilead Sciences, Starbucks, and the Vanguard Dividend Appreciation ETF are solid picks for beginning dividend investors.



Are you just starting to build an all-important dividend portfolio and need some help separating the wheat from the chaff? Well, our team of Foolish dividend experts think the following three dividend plays would form a solid basis for any income-generating portfolio.

Continue to read to find out what Foolish experts think about those 3…




Scotiabank Downgraded Union Pacific Co. (UNP)


Union Pacific Co. (NYSE:UNP) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Scotiabank from an “outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

Several institutional investors have made changes to their positions in UNP. Nicholas Investment Partners LP acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the first quarter worth about $290,000. Raab & Moskowitz Asset Management LLC raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 8.0% in the first quarter. Raab & Moskowitz Asset Management LLC now owns 3,879 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $308,000 after buying an additional 288 shares during the last quarter. Douglas Lane & Associates LLC acquired a new position in shares of Union Pacific during the first quarter worth about $319,000. Peddock Capital Advisors LLC raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 17.2% in the first quarter. Peddock Capital Advisors LLC now owns 4,042 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $322,000 after buying an additional 594 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Duncker Streett & Co. Inc. raised its position in shares of Union Pacific by 60.9% in the first quarter. Duncker Streett & Co. Inc. now owns 4,622 shares of the railroad operator’s stock worth $368,000 after buying an additional 1,750 shares during the last quarter.




June 14, 2016

3 Elite Canadian Banks For Dividends: Royal Bank Of Canada


It is difficult to find safe investments with 3%+ dividend yields and solid growth prospects.

Many equities today are priced on the rich side of valuations resulting in lowered dividend yields. Low interest rates have made bonds a poor value for income seeking investors.

The benefits of investing in high quality stocks with above average yields and good growth prospects – trading at fair or better prices – are well-known to long-term investors.

What if you could quickly identify an entire group of these stocks? This article takes a look at one such group the market is overlooking:

The Canadian banking sector.

There are 3 large Canadian banks that rank as a ‘Buy’.

This article gives an overview of the favorable investment prospects of the Canadian banking system. It also analyzes 1 of the 3 highly ranked Canadian Banks in detail: Royal Bank of Canada (RY).

Continue to read at TalkMarkets


Five Telecom Services Stocks To Buy Now


U.S stocks started 2016 with a painful correction, with the S&P 500 having fallen by more than 11% during the first six weeks of the year. Telecom stocks were among the first to halt the fall and recover from the sell-off, so it is no wonder that hedge funds awarded them more attention during the first quarter. Overall, the Dow Jones U.S. Telecommunications Index is currently up by roughly 14% in 2016, outpacing the S&P 500 by ten percentage points. In this article we’ll take a look at five telecom stocks hedge funds like the most and see how they were being traded in the first quarter.


Continue to read at Insider Monkey to take a closer look of those five…


June 13, 2016

5 Blue Chip Stocks to Buy for Dividend Income

From AT&T to Wal-Mart, these blue chip stocks will boost your dividend income



One of the best ways to boost your dividend income is to invest in blue chip stocks. Blue chip stocks are large, well-established market leaders, and financially sound. They also tend to be stocks with dividends that lesser companies simply can't match. To start your search, here are five top dividend stocks, each a blue chip in its own right.


Continue reading at The Motley Fool to find out those five...


Dividend Stocks Retirees Can Buy

Retirees should be selective when picking dividend-paying stocks to own in their portfolios, and these five stocks may have what it takes to warrant stashing them away in income portfolios.



It's been shown that long-term investing outperforms short-term trading, and that dividend-paying stocks outperform their non-dividend-paying peers. Because of that, dividend-paying stocks can be perfect for retirees to own in their portfolios. However, not every dividend-paying stock is worth owning.

For example, some companies have a high-dividend yield because their businesses are faltering. To help retirees separate the good dividend-paying stocks from the bad, I scoured the dividend-paying universe of stocks, and came up with five investment ideas that may be worth including in retiree portfolios.


Continue reading at The Motley Fool to find out those five...

Morgan Stanley Downgraded Occidental Petroleum Co. (OXY)


Occidental Petroleum Co. (NYSE:OXY) was downgraded by investment analysts at Morgan Stanley from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

A number of large investors have added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Advantus Capital Management Inc increased its stake in Occidental Petroleum by 2.6% in the fourth quarter. Advantus Capital Management Inc now owns 73,507 shares of the company’s stock worth $4,970,000 after buying an additional 1,884 shares during the last quarter. Spirit of America Management acquired a new position in shares of Occidental Petroleum during the fourth quarter worth approximately $1,670,000. Factory Mutual Insurance Company acquired a new stake in Occidental Petroleum during the fourth quarter worth $18,255,000. Bank of Montreal Can increased its stake in Occidental Petroleum by 5.5% in the fourth quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 762,251 shares of the company’s stock worth $51,537,000 after buying an additional 40,003 shares during the period. Finally, Janus Capital Management increased its stake in Occidental Petroleum by 290.5% in the third quarter. Janus Capital Management now owns 123,114 shares of the company’s stock worth $8,144,000 after buying an additional 91,587 shares during the period.




Macquarie Downgrades Vodafone Group plc


Vodafone Group plc (LON:VOD) was downgraded by stock analysts at Macquarie to a “neutral” rating in a research report issued on Monday. They presently have a GBX 225 ($3.29) price objective on the cell phone carrier’s stock, down from their previous price objective of GBX 235 ($3.44). Macquarie’s price target would suggest a potential upside of 4.72% from the company’s previous close.

In other Vodafone Group plc news, insider Dopfner ,Mathias bought 11,500 shares of Vodafone Group plc stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 30th. The shares were bought at an average price of GBX 221 ($3.23) per share, with a total value of £25,415 ($37,199.94).
Shares of Vodafone Group plc (LON:VOD) opened at 213.0000 on Monday. Vodafone Group plc has a 52 week low of GBX 197.70 and a 52 week high of GBX 247.15. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of GBX 225.77 and a 200-day moving average price of GBX 219.76. The stock’s market cap is GBX 56.57 billion.



June 8, 2016

Becton Dickinson and Co (BDX) EVP Sells $857,250.00 in Stock


Becton Dickinson and Co (NYSE:BDX) EVP Nabil Shabshab sold 5,080 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $168.75, for a total value of $857,250.00. Following the sale, the executive vice president now owns 11,092 shares in the company, valued at $1,871,775. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank increased its position in shares of Becton Dickinson and by 21.9% in the fourth quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 70,347 shares of the company’s stock worth $10,840,000 after buying an additional 12,617 shares in the last quarter. Sei Investments Co. boosted its stake in Becton Dickinson and by 1.8% in the fourth quarter. Sei Investments Co. now owns 46,101 shares of the company’s stock worth $7,104,000 after buying an additional 797 shares in the last quarter. Meag Munich Ergo Kapitalanlagegesellschaft MBH purchased a new position in shares of Becton Dickinson and during the fourth quarter worth about $3,459,000. Hutchens Investment Management Inc increased its position in shares of Becton Dickinson and by 2.0% in the fourth quarter. Hutchens Investment Management Inc now owns 16,200 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,496,000 after buying an additional 325 shares during the last quarter. Finally, First United Bank Trust increased its position in shares of Becton Dickinson and by 2.7% in the fourth quarter. First United Bank Trust now owns 6,832 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,053,000 after buying an additional 177 shares during the last quarter.




Automatic Data Processing (ADP) VP Sells $748,256.40 in Stock


Automatic Data Processing (NYSE:ADP) VP Dermot J. O’brien sold 8,532 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $87.70, for a total transaction of $748,256.40. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 30,445 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,670,026.50. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website.

Automatic Data Processing (NYSE:ADP) traded up 0.1723% during trading on Wednesday, reaching $87.0197. 176,938 shares of the company were exchanged. Automatic Data Processing has a one year low of $64.29 and a one year high of $91.00. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $87.76 and its 200-day moving average price is $85.78. The stock has a market capitalization of $39.64 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.0460.




Jefferies Downgraded ONEOK, Inc. (OKE)


ONEOK, Inc. (NYSE:OKE) was downgraded by analysts at Jefferies Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

ONEOK (NYSE:OKE) opened at 45.76 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $9.61 billion and a PE ratio of 36.12. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $39.84 and a 200 day moving average of $29.00. ONEOK has a 52 week low of $18.84 and a 52 week high of $46.06.

ONEOK (NYSE:OKE) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, May 3rd. The company reported $0.40 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.41 by $0.01. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.29 EPS. Equities research analysts predict that ONEOK will post $1.76 EPS for the current fiscal year.



Morgan Stanley Downgrades AbbVie Inc (ABBV)


AbbVie Inc (NYSE:ABBV) was downgraded by analysts at Morgan Stanley to a “hold” rating in a note issued to investors on Wednesday. They presently have a $65.00 price objective on the stock. Morgan Stanley’s price objective suggests a potential upside of 3.01% from the stock’s previous close.

Other large investors have made changes to their positions in the company. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of AbbVie during the fourth quarter valued at $838,947,000. Orbis Allan Gray Ltd bought a new stake in AbbVie during the first quarter valued at approximately $281,766,000. Highfields Capital Management LP increased its stake in AbbVie by 77.7% in the fourth quarter. Highfields Capital Management LP now owns 5,908,500 shares of the company’s stock valued at $350,020,000 after buying an additional 2,583,500 shares in the last quarter. Woodford Investment Management LLP increased its stake in AbbVie by 25.8% in the first quarter. Woodford Investment Management LLP now owns 11,063,300 shares of the company’s stock valued at $631,936,000 after buying an additional 2,269,300 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Svenska Handelsbanken AB publ bought a new stake in AbbVie during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $89,405,000.




June 6, 2016

Jefferies Upgraded Wal-Mart Stores (WMT)


Wal-Mart Stores (WMT) was Upgraded by Jefferies to ” Buy” according to the research note released today. The brokerage firm has raised the Price Target to $ 82 from a previous price target of $60 . Earlier the firm had a rating of “Hold ” on the company shares. Jefferies advised their investors in a research report released on Jun 6, 2016.

Many Wall Street Analysts have commented on Wal-Mart Stores. Company shares were Upgraded by Jefferies on Jun 6, 2016 to ” Buy”, Firm has raised the Price Target to $ 82 from a previous price target of $60 .Company shares were Reiterated by Telsey Advisory Group on May 20, 2016 to “Market Perform”, Firm has raised the Price Target to $ 71 from a previous price target of $65 .Company shares were Reiterated by RBC Capital Mkts on May 20, 2016 to “Underperform”, Firm has raised the Price Target to $ 69 from a previous price target of $66 .



Source: Market Digest


Goldman Downgraded Harley-Davidson Inc (HOG)


Harley-Davidson Inc (HOG) was Downgraded by Goldman to ” Neutral” while Lowering the Price Target of the company shares to $ 50 from a previous price target of $55 . Earlier the firm had a rating of “Buy ” on the company shares. Goldman advised their investors in a research report released on Jun 6, 2016.

Many Wall Street Analysts have commented on Harley-Davidson Inc. Shares were Downgraded by Goldman on Jun 6, 2016 to ” Neutral” and Lowered the Price Target to $ 50 from a previous price target of $55 .Shares were Reiterated by Wedbush on May 16, 2016 to “Neutral” and Lowered the Price Target to $ 40 from a previous price target of $42 .Shares were Reiterated by Wedbush on Apr 13, 2016 to “Neutral” and Lowered the Price Target to $ 42 from a previous price target of $46 .


Source: Market Digest

June 3, 2016

Goldman Sachs Upgraded Deere & Company (DE)


Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Goldman Sachs from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued on Thursday, The Fly reports.

Several institutional investors recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. raised its position in Deere & Company by 34.2% in the fourth quarter. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. now owns 22,884,150 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,745,375,000 after buying an additional 5,832,040 shares during the period. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Deere & Company during the fourth quarter valued at about $282,171,000. Alecta Pensionsforsakring Omsesidigt acquired a new stake in shares of Deere & Company during the first quarter valued at about $160,139,000. Generation Investment Management LLP increased its stake in shares of Deere & Company by 31.4% in the fourth quarter. Generation Investment Management LLP now owns 6,101,813 shares of the company’s stock valued at $465,385,000 after buying an additional 1,457,917 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Capital World Investors increased its stake in shares of Deere & Company by 17.4% in the fourth quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 9,705,000 shares of the company’s stock valued at $740,200,000 after buying an additional 1,435,000 shares in the last quarter.



Morgan Stanley Upgraded Union Pacific Corporation (UNP)


Union Pacific Corporation (UNP) was Upgraded by Morgan Stanley to ” Overweight” and the brokerage firm has set the Price Target at $90. Earlier the firm had a rating of “Equal-Weight ” on the company shares. Morgan Stanley advised their investors in a research report released on Jun 3, 2016.

Many Wall Street Analysts have commented on Union Pacific Corporation. Union Pacific Corporation was Initiated by Credit Agricole to “Sell” on May 19, 2016. Company shares were Reiterated by RBC Capital Mkts on Apr 22, 2016 to “Outperform”, Firm has raised the Price Target to $ 95 from a previous price target of $90 .Shares were Downgraded by UBS on Apr 18, 2016 to ” Neutral” and Lowered the Price Target to $ 88 from a previous price target of $89 .


Source: Market Digest