December 30, 2017

This Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: December 25 - 29, 2017



Disposals:


Accenture Plc (NYSE:ACN) CEO Pierre Nanterme sold 34,232 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $152.94, for a total value of $5,235,442.08. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 262,490 shares in the company, valued at approximately $40,145,220.60. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Read more …
Accenture Plc (NYSE:ACN) insider Gianfranco Casati sold 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $152.92, for a total transaction of $764,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 46,202 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,065,209.84. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Read more … 

J M Smucker Co (NYSE:SJM) SVP Jeannette L. Knudsen sold 1,600 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $124.36, for a total value of $198,976.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president now owns 23,452 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,916,490.72. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Shares of J M Smucker Co (SJM) traded down $0.65 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $124.24. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 495,440 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,101,953. J M Smucker Co has a 12-month low of $99.57 and a 12-month high of $143.68. The company has a current ratio of 0.96, a quick ratio of 0.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61. The firm has a market cap of $14,175.84, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.10, a PEG ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 0.67. Read more …


Acquisitions:


Omega Healthcare Investors Inc (NYSE:OHI) Director Bernard J. Korman acquired 100,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, December 22nd. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $26.89 per share, for a total transaction of $2,689,000.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now directly owns 896,895 shares in the company, valued at $24,117,506.55. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Shares of Omega Healthcare Investors Inc (NYSE OHI) opened at $27.16 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $5,360.00, a price-to-earnings ratio of 35.74, a PEG ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 0.49. Omega Healthcare Investors Inc has a 52 week low of $26.43 and a 52 week high of $35.14. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.18, a quick ratio of 3.40 and a current ratio of 3.40. Read more …



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December 29, 2017

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of December 25, 2017



Upgrades:


AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN) was upgraded by equities researchers at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research report issued on Friday. Several other equities analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. Natixis raised shares of AstraZeneca from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, September 6th. Leerink Swann boosted their target price on shares of AstraZeneca from $31.00 to $34.00 and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a report on Monday, October 23rd. Credit Suisse Group raised shares of AstraZeneca from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, October 16th. Argus reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $35.00 target price on shares of AstraZeneca in a report on Friday, September 1st. Finally, BMO Capital Markets set a $38.00 target price on shares of AstraZeneca and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 31st. Four analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. AstraZeneca currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $34.20. Read more …

Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) was upgraded by research analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from an “underweight” rating to a “neutral” rating in a note issued to investors on Friday. NVO has been the subject of a number of other reports. Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, September 18th. Bank of America raised shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, December 6th. BNP Paribas downgraded shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, September 25th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, December 1st. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. The company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $55.00. Read more …


Downgrades:


Riocan Real Estate (OTCMKTS:RIOCF) was downgraded by analysts at Royal Bank of Canada from an “outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating in a report issued on Friday, The Fly reports. Shares of Riocan Real Estate (OTCMKTS RIOCF) opened at $19.62 on Friday. Read more …






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December 27, 2017

10 Can’t-Miss Dividend Growth Stocks for 2018

These stocks have grown payouts up to 733% in a decade




Dividend growth stocks have obvious appeal. After all, dividend investing is based on buying and holding a stock for the payouts. So if a company can consistently increase its distributions to investors over time, all the better.

Unlike traditional growth investing, where you depend on a stock increasing in value based on profits or sales trends, dividend investing focuses on the payouts above all else. The best dividend stocks to buy offer regular deposits into your bank account, but the best dividend stocks are committed to making those paychecks larger every year.

Think of it this way: If you pay $40 a share and get a $1 annual dividend, you have a 2.5% yield on your investment. But if that payout increases to $1.40 annually after a few years your yield is now 3.5% based on your cost to buy the stock … and if the income growth continues to $1.80 annually, you’re now making 4.5% yield. And all by keeping your money in the same place and depending on bigger payouts!

That’s the power of dividend growth investing in 2018. Not only are you getting a stable return on your initial investment, but your payouts continue to increase over time.

So what are some of the most impressive income-growing plays on Wall Street as we enter 2018? Here are 10 to consider:




December 26, 2017

All I Want For Christmas Are A Few Good REITs


Dividend paying stocks provide their shareholders with two return components: growth in capital and income. Many investors do not see it this way, as they tend to think of the dividend providing them their total return.

However, the stock market capitalizes earnings whether a company pays earnings based on their past and future prospects for growth, regardless of whether a dividend is paid or not.

The first component is the capital appreciation component (growth) or the increase (or decrease) in the stock’s value over time. The second component is the dividend, or lack thereof, that the company pays to shareholders in cash, typically once a quarter. The two added together equal the shareholders’ total return.

On the one side, we have the capital growth component and on the other side the income component.

However, one important thing to remember is that when comparing two companies with equivalent rates of earnings—one paying a dividend and the other not paying—the dividend paying company will pay its shareholder a higher total return. The stock that pays a dividend to its shareholders is providing them a return bonus or kicker.


Read more ...




December 23, 2017

This Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: December 18 - 22, 2017



Disposals:


Costco Wholesale Co. (NASDAQ:COST) VP Timothy L. Rose sold 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $193.20, for a total value of $966,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 52,529 shares in the company, valued at $10,148,602.80. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Read more …
Costco Wholesale Co. (NASDAQ:COST) Director Richard M. Libenson sold 20,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, December 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $193.03, for a total transaction of $3,860,600.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 3,919 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $756,484.57. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Read more …

Medtronic plc. (NYSE:MDT) EVP Bryan C. Hanson sold 16,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $82.82, for a total transaction of $1,325,120.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 88,818 shares in the company, valued at $7,355,906.76. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink.

Bryan C. Hanson also recently made the following trade(s):

On Thursday, November 16th, Bryan C. Hanson sold 16,000 shares of Medtronic stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $79.02, for a total transaction of $1,264,320.00. Read more …

Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) insider Alexander R. Mackenzie sold 6,750 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.00, for a total transaction of $249,750.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 103,458 shares in the company, valued at $3,827,946. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Read more …
Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) EVP Rady A. Johnson sold 8,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.07, for a total value of $296,560.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 46,963 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,740,918.41. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Shares of Pfizer Inc. (PFE) traded down $0.07 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $37.13. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 16,760,157 shares, compared to its average volume of 19,948,871. The company has a current ratio of 1.43, a quick ratio of 1.15 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56. The company has a market cap of $221,560.00, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.88, a PEG ratio of 2.62 and a beta of 1.01. Pfizer Inc. has a 1-year low of $30.90 and a 1-year high of $37.35. Read more …  

Southwest Airlines Company (NYSE:LUV) EVP Robert E. Jordan sold 32,931 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $64.38, for a total value of $2,120,097.78. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 76,993 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,956,809.34. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Southwest Airlines Company (NYSE LUV) traded up $1.00 on Monday, reaching $65.70. The company had a trading volume of 4,475,632 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,219,967. Southwest Airlines Company has a 1 year low of $48.71 and a 1 year high of $65.75. The company has a current ratio of 0.61, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46. The firm has a market cap of $38,386.27, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.64, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 1.34. Read more …

Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE:BEN) Chairman Gregory E. Johnson sold 49,988 shares of Franklin Resources stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $43.58, for a total value of $2,178,477.04. Following the sale, the chairman now owns 2,116,886 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $92,253,891.88. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Franklin Resources, Inc. (NYSE:BEN) traded up $0.15 on Thursday, reaching $43.84. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,730,147 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,247,346. Franklin Resources, Inc. has a 52 week low of $39.23 and a 52 week high of $47.65. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a current ratio of 8.75 and a quick ratio of 8.75. The stock has a market capitalization of $24,194.70, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.56, a PEG ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 1.75. Read more …

Kroger Co (NYSE:KR) insider Christopher T. Hjelm sold 16,530 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $27.00, for a total value of $446,310.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 243,784 shares in the company, valued at $6,582,168. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Kroger Co (NYSE KR) traded up $0.25 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $27.20. The stock had a trading volume of 3,547,958 shares, compared to its average volume of 12,239,129. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.11, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.31. The firm has a market cap of $23,796.77, a PE ratio of 13.92, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.59 and a beta of 0.92. Kroger Co has a 52-week low of $19.69 and a 52-week high of $35.98. Read more …

Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) SVP Rebecca Jacoby sold 75,021 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $38.42, for a total transaction of $2,882,306.82. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now directly owns 257,476 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,892,227.92. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Shares of Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ CSCO) traded down $0.21 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $38.53. 13,323,702 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 20,433,586. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 2.87 and a quick ratio of 2.81. The company has a market capitalization of $189,340.72, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.65, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.46 and a beta of 1.19. Cisco Systems, Inc. has a 12 month low of $29.80 and a 12 month high of $38.89. Read more …

Valero Energy Co. (NYSE:VLO) CFO Michael S. Ciskowski sold 45,657 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $88.91, for a total value of $4,059,363.87. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 57,589 shares in the company, valued at $5,120,237.99. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Shares of Valero Energy Co. (VLO) traded up $0.41 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $91.13. 1,814,720 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,007,080. Valero Energy Co. has a fifty-two week low of $60.69 and a fifty-two week high of $91.50. The company has a current ratio of 1.91, a quick ratio of 1.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39. The company has a market capitalization of $40,250.00, a PE ratio of 19.77, a P/E/G ratio of 1.94 and a beta of 1.20. Read more …

AFLAC Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) insider Audrey B. Tillman sold 2,360 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $87.64, for a total transaction of $206,830.40. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 39,331 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,446,968.84. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Read more …
AFLAC Incorporated (NYSE:AFL) VP James Todd Daniels sold 1,430 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $87.11, for a total value of $124,567.30. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 12,708 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,106,993.88. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Shares of AFLAC Incorporated (NYSE AFL) traded down $0.25 on Friday, hitting $87.11. The stock had a trading volume of 2,923,700 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,780,232. AFLAC Incorporated has a 12-month low of $66.50 and a 12-month high of $89.81. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.24, a quick ratio of 0.07 and a current ratio of 0.07. The stock has a market cap of $34,345.55, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.96, a PEG ratio of 2.59 and a beta of 1.02. Read more … 

CVS Health Corp (NYSE:CVS) EVP Lisa Bisaccia sold 29,445 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $75.00, for a total value of $2,208,375.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 15,556 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,166,700. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Shares of CVS Health Corp (NYSE CVS) traded down $1.23 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $73.41. The stock had a trading volume of 5,282,188 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,074,658. CVS Health Corp has a twelve month low of $66.45 and a twelve month high of $84.72. The stock has a market capitalization of $75,610.00, a PE ratio of 12.88, a P/E/G ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 0.89. The company has a current ratio of 1.05, a quick ratio of 0.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.67. Read more …


Acquisitions:


Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) Director Theodore R. Samuels II acquired 4,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 15th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $62.30 per share, with a total value of $249,200.00. Following the acquisition, the director now owns 22,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,370,600. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) traded down $0.01 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $62.40. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 5,272,379 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,352,133. The company has a quick ratio of 1.46, a current ratio of 1.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47. The stock has a market cap of $102,154.63, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.09, a PEG ratio of 2.37 and a beta of 1.18. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company has a 1-year low of $46.01 and a 1-year high of $66.10. Read more …




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December 22, 2017

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of December 18, 2017



Upgrades:


Wells Fargo & Company upgraded shares of General Mills (NYSE:GIS) from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a research note released on Monday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Wells Fargo & Company currently has $63.00 price target on the stock. A number of other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. Zacks Investment Research cut General Mills from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report on Tuesday, October 17th. Jefferies Group started coverage on General Mills in a report on Friday, October 20th. They issued a hold rating and a $56.00 target price on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada set a $58.00 target price on General Mills and gave the stock a hold rating in a report on Monday, October 23rd. Societe Generale upgraded General Mills from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, November 8th. Finally, Consumer Edge upgraded General Mills from a sell rating to a neutral rating in a report on Friday, September 8th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, sixteen have given a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company currently has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $57.38.  Read more …

Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) was upgraded by investment analysts at Goldman Sachs Group to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday. A number of other brokerages have also issued reports on PSX. US Capital Advisors lowered shares of Phillips 66 from an “overweight” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, December 4th. Jefferies Group lowered shares of Phillips 66 from a “hold” rating to an “underperform” rating and dropped their target price for the stock from $95.00 to $75.14 in a research report on Monday, October 16th. Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of Phillips 66 from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, October 12th. Argus reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $108.00 price target (up previously from $96.00) on shares of Phillips 66 in a research note on Thursday, October 12th. Finally, Piper Jaffray Companies set a $93.00 price target on shares of Phillips 66 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, November 13th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the stock. The stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $93.25. Read more …

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE:CM) (TSE:CM) was upgraded by research analysts at Barclays from an “underweight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, Marketbeat reports. A number of other equities research analysts have also recently weighed in on CM. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, December 4th. Canaccord Genuity restated a “buy” rating and issued a $121.00 price objective on shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in a report on Thursday, November 30th. Macquarie began coverage on shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in a report on Tuesday, October 24th. They issued an “underperform” rating and a $89.00 price objective on the stock. Credit Suisse Group upgraded shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $116.00 to $125.00 in a report on Friday, December 1st. Read more …

General Motors (NYSE:GM) (TSE:GMM.U) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Royal Bank of Canada from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research note issued on Tuesday, MarketBeat.com reports. The brokerage presently has a $52.00 target price on the auto manufacturer’s stock, up from their previous target price of $51.00. Royal Bank of Canada’s price objective would suggest a potential upside of 22.38% from the company’s current price. Other research analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Jefferies Group boosted their price target on shares of General Motors from $36.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, October 30th. Standpoint Research cut shares of General Motors from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, September 14th. Citigroup restated a “buy” rating and set a $53.00 price target on shares of General Motors in a report on Monday, October 2nd. Goldman Sachs Group cut shares of General Motors from a “neutral” rating to a “sell” rating and cut their price target for the stock from $43.16 to $32.00 in a report on Monday, October 30th. Read more …

Wal-Mart Stores (NYSE:WMT) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Citigroup from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday. The firm currently has a $117.00 price objective on the retailer’s stock. Citigroup’s price target suggests a potential upside of 19.51% from the company’s previous close. Several other analysts have also issued reports on the company. Morgan Stanley reiterated an “equal weight” rating and set a $100.00 price objective (up from $92.00) on shares of Wal-Mart Stores in a report on Tuesday, December 12th. Moffett Nathanson began coverage on shares of Wal-Mart Stores in a research report on Monday, December 4th. They set a “neutral” rating on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada raised shares of Wal-Mart Stores from an “underperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating and set a $96.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, November 29th. Vetr raised shares of Wal-Mart Stores from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $96.71 target price on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 27th. Read more …

Realty Income (NYSE:O) was upgraded by stock analysts at Citigroup to a “market perform” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports. The analysts noted that the move was a valuation call. A number of other brokerages have also weighed in on O. UBS upgraded Realty Income from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and raised their target price for the company from $52.00 to $57.00 in a research note on Friday, September 8th. Vetr upgraded Realty Income from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $58.60 target price for the company in a research note on Thursday, October 19th. B. Riley restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Realty Income in a research note on Wednesday, November 1st. Zacks Investment Research lowered Realty Income from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 25th. Finally, Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services restated a “hold” rating on shares of Realty Income in a research note on Thursday, October 26th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $64.09. Read more …

Digital Realty Trust (NYSE:DLR) was upgraded by investment analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday, The Fly reports. Several other analysts have also issued reports on the stock. ValuEngine raised shares of Digital Realty Trust from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, September 1st. Stifel Nicolaus reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $117.00 price target on shares of Digital Realty Trust in a research report on Thursday, September 14th. SunTrust Banks reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $140.00 price target on shares of Digital Realty Trust in a research report on Friday, November 17th. Zacks Investment Research raised shares of Digital Realty Trust from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $130.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Monday, October 30th. Finally, Deutsche Bank upped their price target on shares of Digital Realty Trust from $111.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 26th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. Digital Realty Trust currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $125.07. Read more …


Downgrades:



Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) was downgraded by investment analysts at Citigroup to a “neutral” rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports. Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed a “market perform” rating and set a $198.00 target price on shares of Amgen in a report on Thursday, October 26th. Cann reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Amgen in a report on Monday, August 28th. Oppenheimer reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $203.00 target price on shares of Amgen in a report on Thursday, September 7th. Mizuho reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $198.00 target price (up previously from $183.00) on shares of Amgen in a report on Thursday, September 28th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of Amgen from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, October 16th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have assigned a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. The company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $190.22. Read more …

American States Water (NYSE:AWR) was downgraded by investment analysts at Wells Fargo & Company to an “underperform” rating in a note issued to investors on Monday. Separately, Zacks Investment Research raised shares of American States Water from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and set a $64.00 target price for the company in a research report on Monday, October 23rd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating, one has given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. The company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $51.00. Shares of American States Water (NYSE:AWR) opened at $56.68 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $2,078.60, a PE ratio of 30.97, a PEG ratio of 8.24 and a beta of 0.48. American States Water has a 1 year low of $41.14 and a 1 year high of $58.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61, a current ratio of 0.97 and a quick ratio of 0.93. Read more …

Macquarie lowered shares of PPL (NYSE:PPL) from a neutral rating to an underperform rating in a research report sent to investors on Tuesday. The firm currently has $30.00 target price on the utilities provider’s stock. A number of other research firms also recently weighed in on PPL. Zacks Investment Research downgraded PPL from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Monday, September 11th. ValuEngine upgraded PPL from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Friday, September 1st. KeyCorp reiterated a hold rating on shares of PPL in a research report on Friday, October 20th. SunTrust Banks started coverage on PPL in a research report on Tuesday, October 10th. They set a buy rating and a $43.00 price objective for the company. Read more …

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) was downgraded by stock analysts at Credit Suisse Group from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report released on Wednesday. They presently have a $80.00 target price on the biopharmaceutical company’s stock, up from their prior target price of $74.35. Credit Suisse Group’s price objective would indicate a potential upside of 7.60% from the company’s previous close. Several other brokerages have also recently issued reports on GILD. ValuEngine raised shares of Gilead Sciences from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, September 7th. TheStreet raised shares of Gilead Sciences from a “c+” rating to a “b-” rating in a research note on Thursday, September 7th. Zacks Investment Research cut shares of Gilead Sciences from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, September 11th. Vetr cut shares of Gilead Sciences from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $86.44 price objective for the company. in a research note on Monday, September 4th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reissued an “equal weight” rating and set a $83.00 price objective (up from $77.00) on shares of Gilead Sciences in a research note on Friday, October 6th. Read more …



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December 21, 2017

3 Top Pharmaceutical Dividend Stocks to Buy Now

Looking for income from the pharmaceutical industry? Start with these three companies.





Income investors have favored the pharmaceutical sector for decades. That makes sense since drugs tend to enjoy high margins and are needed in good times and bad. These factors allow pharma companies to crank out predictable amounts of cash flow that can be used to line their shareholders' pockets.

However, not all pharmaceutical companies are created equal. That's why investors need to be choosy about which stocks they buy. Thankfully, there are plenty of income-producing pharma stocks to choose from.

Here's a list of the 10 largest pharmaceutical companies that currently pay out a dividend:


Company

Market Cap


Dividend Yield






Johnson & Johnson

$381 billion


2.4%
Novartis

$199 billion


3.2%
Pfizer

$221 billion


3.5%
AbbVie

$157 billion


2.6%
Merck

$153 billion


3.4%
Sanofi

$109 billion


3.8%
Novo Nordisk

$129 billion


2.2%
Bristol-Myers Squibb

$101 billion


2.5%
Gilead Sciences

$97 billion


2.8%
Eli Lilly

$95 billion


2.4%


Which of these stocks are worthy of a closer look? Here a look at my three favorites.





December 20, 2017

9 Best Dividend Stocks to Buy for Every Investor

With a turbulent year behind us, dividend stocks can offer another tool for investment success



As we close out 2017, it’s good to remind ourselves of what worked, and what didn’t. This past year, though, makes this introspective exercise rather tricky. Although Wall Street early on forecasted a rough 2017, the end result was quite the opposite. Benchmark indices hit all-time records, while most sectors witnessed tremendous optimism. Who needs dividend stocks at a time like this?

This also means that inferior investment strategies were masked by secular bullishness. The new year may not be as forgiving, which is why I’m recommending investors to get selective. Fortunately, with dividend stocks, you don’t have to feel pressured into always picking winners.

At its core, choosing the right dividend stocks to buy is about options. Although picking high-flying growth companies is the sexiest endeavor, it isn’t always the smartest. With passive-income yielding firms, you get the potential for making capital gains, and also residual payouts to bolster your position. During a down period, dividends can also help you ride out the storm.

But don’t mistake these yields as “boring” strategies. Like any investment class, you can dial up the risk for the chance of greater rewards. This is why picking the most appropriate dividends stocks to buy is so important: no one knows your investment style better than you!




December 19, 2017

4 Energy Stocks With High Dividend Yield To Buy Right Away


Oil prices have consistently been in the range of $45-$55 per barrel for the past one year. In November, the commodity’s price crossed $58. The crude price chart of oilprice.com shows that on Dec 8, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil traded at $58.35 per barrel, close to $59.05 — the highest since mid-2015. A number of factors have propelled this positivity. These include the OPEC-led production cut extension, lower inventory overhang, and rising demand.

In spite of these aspects, it’s difficult for oil prices to reach 2014 levels. To avoid the repercussion of price slump it is necessary to use tools that give a steady flow of income, growth, and value. Therefore, dividend stocks can respite from extreme downsides.

The popularity of dividend stocks among investors is not unjustified. These stocks not only provide higher income in the current low-rate environment but also offer cushion against equity market risks.

Historically, dividend stocks are less volatile than non-dividend stocks. They are also considered to be outperformers over the long term. These stocks provide opportunities to create wealth as dividends generally act as a hedge against economic uncertainty. These stocks provide downside protection by offering considerable yields on a regular basis.

Another factor to consider while picking dividend stocks is to decide whether to choose low-yield, consistent dividend-paying stocks or high-yield stocks that can rake in fast cash but are not reliable. It is up to the individual investor to determine a stock according to their needs, but it is always safe to select a steady performer with strong fundamentals. Investors must also diversify their portfolio to reduce risk.

Dividend yield is calculated as (dividends per share [annualized]/market price per share) x 100. This is very helpful in comparing stocks belonging to the same sector or industry. The stock with higher dividend yield is likely to produce better returns.




December 16, 2017

This Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: December 11 - 15, 2017


Disposals:


Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) insider Daniel J. Riccio sold 15,641 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $169.69, for a total transaction of $2,654,121.29. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 17,341 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,942,594.29. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) opened at $171.70 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $883,200.00, a PE ratio of 18.41, a P/E/G ratio of 1.36 and a beta of 1.24. Apple Inc. has a 1-year low of $113.75 and a 1-year high of $176.24. The company has a current ratio of 1.28, a quick ratio of 1.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73. Read more …

Amgen, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) EVP Sean E. Harper sold 1,525 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $176.83, for a total value of $269,665.75. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 56,106 shares in the company, valued at approximately $9,921,223.98. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Shares of Amgen, Inc. (NASDAQ AMGN) traded down $0.57 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $176.26. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 2,193,736 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,205,624. Amgen, Inc. has a 12 month low of $145.12 and a 12 month high of $191.10. The company has a market capitalization of $127,331.98, a P/E ratio of 13.94, a P/E/G ratio of 2.54 and a beta of 1.36. The company has a quick ratio of 5.72, a current ratio of 6.07 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05. Read more …

Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) VP Bradley W. Corson sold 19,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $83.01, for a total transaction of $1,618,695.00. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 229,774 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $19,073,539.74. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Read more …
Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) VP Neil A. Chapman sold 12,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $83.05, for a total transaction of $996,600.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 291,385 shares in the company, valued at approximately $24,199,524.25. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE XOM) traded down $0.22 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $82.90. 9,492,300 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 10,956,743. The company has a market capitalization of $351,810.00, a PE ratio of 23.35, a P/E/G ratio of 1.74 and a beta of 0.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a current ratio of 0.85 and a quick ratio of 0.54. Exxon Mobil Corporation has a 52-week low of $76.05 and a 52-week high of $91.67. Read more …

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) insider Harold B. Smith sold 30,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, December 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $166.43, for a total value of $4,992,900.00. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) traded down $1.46 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $165.03. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,844,500 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,208,158. The company has a quick ratio of 1.98, a current ratio of 2.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.48. Illinois Tool Works Inc. has a one year low of $120.06 and a one year high of $169.69. The stock has a market capitalization of $56,150.00, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.43, a PEG ratio of 2.49 and a beta of 1.18. Read more …

T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:TROW) VP Christopher D. Alderson sold 6,808 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, December 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $102.83, for a total transaction of $700,066.64. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now directly owns 119,846 shares in the company, valued at approximately $12,323,764.18. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Read more …
T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:TROW) Director Freeman A. Hrabowski III sold 4,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $101.59, for a total transaction of $406,360.00. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Read more …
T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:TROW) VP Edward A. Wiese sold 30,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $102.14, for a total value of $3,064,200.00. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Shares of T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (TROW) traded down $0.31 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $101.59. The stock had a trading volume of 1,276,700 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,665,302. T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. has a twelve month low of $65.33 and a twelve month high of $104.40. The stock has a market cap of $24,691.39, a P/E ratio of 19.90, a PEG ratio of 1.87 and a beta of 1.32. Read more …

Dollar General Corp. (NYSE:DG) EVP Robert D. Ravener sold 11,368 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $92.81, for a total transaction of $1,055,064.08. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 22,598 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,097,320.38. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this linkRead more …
Dollar General Corp. (NYSE:DG) SVP Michael J. Kindy sold 7,536 shares of Dollar General stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $90.64, for a total value of $683,063.04. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 7,578 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $686,869.92. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Dollar General Corp. (NYSE:DG) traded up $0.14 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $90.93. The stock had a trading volume of 4,253,300 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,864,923. The firm has a market capitalization of $24,886.09, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.92, a P/E/G ratio of 1.81 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a quick ratio of 0.19 and a current ratio of 1.41. Dollar General Corp. has a 1-year low of $65.97 and a 1-year high of $96.60. Read more …

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) SVP Jeffrey N. Simmons sold 12,500 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $86.46, for a total value of $1,080,750.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 124,522 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $10,766,172.12. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE LLY) traded up $0.04 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $86.71. The company had a trading volume of 4,252,500 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,674,671. The company has a current ratio of 1.38, a quick ratio of 1.03 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66. Eli Lilly and Company has a one year low of $67.54 and a one year high of $89.09. The company has a market cap of $96,780.00, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.19, a PEG ratio of 1.90 and a beta of 0.35. Read more …

Emerson Electric Company (NYSE:EMR) VP Bell Katherine Button sold 7,518 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $66.36, for a total transaction of $498,894.48. Following the sale, the vice president now directly owns 36,877 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,447,157.72. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link.
Bell Katherine Button also recently made the following trade(s):


Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) Director Roderick C. Mcgeary sold 15,230 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $38.00, for a total value of $578,740.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 113,154 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,299,852. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ CSCO) traded up $0.29 on Friday, hitting $38.19. The stock had a trading volume of 47,140,015 shares, compared to its average volume of 20,327,117. Cisco Systems, Inc. has a 52 week low of $29.80 and a 52 week high of $38.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a current ratio of 2.87 and a quick ratio of 2.81. The stock has a market cap of $188,800.00, a P/E ratio of 17.58, a PEG ratio of 3.45 and a beta of 1.19. Read more …

Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL) insider Jennifer Daniels sold 7,375 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $73.18, for a total transaction of $539,702.50. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 38,691 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,831,407.38. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL) traded down $0.11 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $73.24. 1,873,600 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,599,905. Colgate-Palmolive has a 1 year low of $63.43 and a 1 year high of $77.27. The company has a current ratio of 1.23, a quick ratio of 0.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 24.42. The stock has a market cap of $65,020.00, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.36 and a beta of 0.81. Read more …

Visa Inc (NYSE:V) Director Robert W. Matschullat sold 6,220 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $113.76, for a total value of $707,587.20. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 57,368 shares in the company, valued at $6,526,183.68. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Visa Inc (NYSE V) traded down $0.39 during trading hours on Friday, hitting $112.92. The company had a trading volume of 9,815,500 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,674,750. Visa Inc has a 12-month low of $77.19 and a 12-month high of $114.37. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61, a quick ratio of 1.90 and a current ratio of 1.90. The firm has a market capitalization of $234,737.66, a PE ratio of 32.56, a PEG ratio of 1.66 and a beta of 0.97. Read more …


Acquisitions:


Prospect Capital Corporation (NASDAQ:PSEC) CEO John F. Barry bought 123,379 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, December 8th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $6.74 per share, for a total transaction of $831,574.46. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer now owns 28,268,115 shares in the company, valued at $190,527,095.10. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Shares of Prospect Capital Corporation (NASDAQ:PSEC) traded up $0.07 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $6.83. 2,022,800 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,845,179. The company has a market capitalization of $2,436.27, a PE ratio of 8.35 and a beta of 0.56. Prospect Capital Corporation has a 12-month low of $5.51 and a 12-month high of $9.58. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 2.63 and a quick ratio of 2.63. Read more …
Prospect Capital Corporation (NASDAQ:PSEC) CEO John F. Barry acquired 264,937 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 12th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $6.82 per share, with a total value of $1,806,870.34. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer now owns 28,576,578 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $194,892,261.96. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Read more …



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