August 31, 2019

Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: Week of August 26, 2019




Acquisitions:



Johnson Controls International PLC (NYSE:JCI) Director Gretchen R. Haggerty acquired 6,220 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 26th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $41.40 per share, with a total value of $257,508.00. Following the acquisition, the director now owns 12,860 shares in the company, valued at approximately $532,404. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

Shares of JCI opened at $41.99 on Wednesday. Johnson Controls International PLC has a 12 month low of $28.30 and a 12 month high of $43.22. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $41.74 and a 200-day moving average price of $38.69. The company has a current ratio of 1.41, a quick ratio of 1.19 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32. The firm has a market cap of $32.85 billion, a PE ratio of 14.84, a P/E/G ratio of 2.20 and a beta of 0.94.  Read more …

Kinder Morgan Inc (NYSE:KMI) insider Richard D. Kinder acquired 400,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 23rd. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $19.95 per share, with a total value of $7,980,000.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the insider now directly owns 241,579,496 shares in the company, valued at $4,819,510,945.20. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Read more …

Kinder Morgan Inc (NYSE:KMI) insider Richard D. Kinder bought 300,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 26th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $19.76 per share, with a total value of $5,928,000.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the insider now directly owns 241,879,496 shares in the company, valued at approximately $4,779,538,840.96. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link.

Kinder Morgan stock opened at $20.26 on Thursday. Kinder Morgan Inc has a 12-month low of $14.62 and a 12-month high of $21.50. The stock has a market capitalization of $44.30 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.76, a P/E/G ratio of 4.10 and a beta of 0.86. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $20.44 and its two-hundred day moving average is $20.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.96, a current ratio of 0.41 and a quick ratio of 0.33. Read more …

Occidental Petroleum Co. (NYSE:OXY) insider Oscar K. Brown purchased 5,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 23rd. The stock was bought at an average cost of $42.62 per share, with a total value of $213,100.00. Following the purchase, the insider now owns 114,519 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,880,799.78. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link.

Shares of NYSE OXY opened at $42.35 on Wednesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.20, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50. The company has a market cap of $31.71 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.45, a PEG ratio of 2.62 and a beta of 0.82. Occidental Petroleum Co. has a 12 month low of $41.83 and a 12 month high of $83.35. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $48.43 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $56.48. Read more …


Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) Director Scott Gottlieb acquired 3,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 23rd. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $34.72 per share, with a total value of $104,160.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 3,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $104,160. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

Shares of Pfizer stock opened at $34.84 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.60, a current ratio of 1.47 and a quick ratio of 1.21. Pfizer Inc. has a fifty-two week low of $33.97 and a fifty-two week high of $46.47. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $39.03 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $41.31. The company has a market cap of $194.03 billion, a PE ratio of 11.61, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.80 and a beta of 0.63. Read more …

August 30, 2019

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of August 26, 2019



Upgrades:


United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Daiwa Capital Markets from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report released on Monday, The Fly reports. A number of other equities analysts also recently commented on UPS. Argus restated a “buy” rating on shares of United Parcel Service in a research note on Tuesday, April 30th. Credit Suisse Group set a $119.00 price objective on shares of United Parcel Service and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 31st. UBS Group increased their price objective on shares of United Parcel Service to $128.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, July 25th. Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on shares of United Parcel Service in a research note on Wednesday, July 10th. They set a “buy” rating and a $123.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus cut shares of United Parcel Service from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $118.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Monday, July 29th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have given a hold rating, eight have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. The stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $118.82. Read more …

Oppenheimer upgraded shares of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a research report released on Tuesday, The Fly reports. The brokerage currently has $70.00 price objective on the cell phone carrier’s stock. VZ has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Citigroup lowered Verizon Communications from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $62.00 price objective on the stock. in a report on Monday, July 8th. Zacks Investment Research raised Verizon Communications from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $58.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Monday, August 5th. Finally, UBS Group lowered Verizon Communications from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $57.70 price objective on the stock. in a report on Thursday, May 30th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. The company presently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $60.22. Read more …

DZ Bank upgraded shares of Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report issued on Wednesday morning, The Fly reports. They currently have $36.00 price objective on the biopharmaceutical company’s stock. PFE has been the topic of a number of other research reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. set a $46.00 price target on shares of Pfizer and gave the stock a neutral rating in a report on Monday, July 29th. Bank of America cut shares of Pfizer from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a report on Tuesday, July 30th. Morgan Stanley lowered their price target on shares of Pfizer from $40.00 to $38.00 and set an equal weight rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday. UBS Group reaffirmed a neutral rating and issued a $43.00 price target on shares of Pfizer in a report on Monday, August 5th. Finally, Barclays reaffirmed a hold rating and issued a $41.00 price target on shares of Pfizer in a report on Thursday, May 9th. Fifteen investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company has an average rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $45.88. Read more …



Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) was upgraded by research analysts at Pareto Securities from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, August 5th, The Fly reports. A number of other analysts also recently issued reports on NVO. Deutsche Bank downgraded shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $52.42 price objective for the company. in a report on Thursday, June 20th. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $355.00 target price on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research report on Wednesday, June 19th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $50.00 target price for the company in a research report on Monday, July 15th. Barclays raised shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and set a $51.85 target price on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, June 11th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group upgraded shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, April 29th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $111.58. Read more …


August 27, 2019

5 Healthcare Stocks to Buy for Healthy Dividends


Healthcare stocks could be the best growth and income plays



These days, the healthcare stocks are looking pretty healthy compared to stocks in other spaces. Despite political pressures about lowering costs, “Medicare for All” and importing drugs, the sector has been riding high on a wave of optimism and growth. Demand for various healthcare solutions continues to rise as our aging population simply requires more. And that story is pretty much the same across the world.

Even better is that recent market volatility has sent many investors into healthcare stocks for their high cash flows and strong dividend potential. Many healthcare stocks have long been dividend champions — offering both high initial yields and overall strong dividend growth. For investors looking for income and the ability to keep that income rising over the long haul, healthcare stocks can’t be beaten.

The best part is that the sector’s overall growth rates don’t seem to be slowing anytime soon. That makes healthcare a prime destination for long-term investors.



So, which healthcare stocks have great growth trajectories and can pay you plenty of dividends for the long-term? Here’s a prescription for five that fit the bill.



August 26, 2019

5 Utility Stocks to Buy for an Extra Durable Portfolio


These five utility stocks to buy should be able to rally so long as inflation remains checked



Utility stocks were supposed to be yesterday’s favorite investment. The theory regarding utility stocks was simple: Robust economic growth coupled with a full labor market was supposed to spark rising inflation.

The Fed was supposed to fight rising inflation with rate hikes. Fixed income yields were supposed to rise. Utility stocks, which were long viewed as bond substitutes in an era of ultra-low interest rates, were supposed to fall.

But that theory hasn’t fully materialized into reality.

The result? Utility stocks haven’t lost their shine. With inflation relatively contained and investors ducking into safety, stocks in utilities are still attractive assets to own for dividend yield hunters. Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund(NYSE: XLU), a utilities ETF, has jumped  13.5% in 2019.

The markets’ recent volatility has contributed to the XLU’s gain, as investors flee toward any safe haven. Not to mention, a number of other catalysts are in play.





Inflation isn’t soaring higher because technology giants are suppressing inflationary pressures (just think about the downward pressure Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) is putting on all consumer goods prices). This trend won’t reverse any time soon, and thus, inflationary pressures should remain subdued for the foreseeable future. With those forces subdued, utility stocks have room to rally.

With that said, what are the best utility stocks to buy for your portfolio? Here’s a list of five stocks that I think are worth a look:



August 24, 2019

Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: Week of August 19, 2019



Acquisitions:



Occidental Petroleum Co. (NYSE:OXY) insider Kenneth Dillon bought 5,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 16th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $44.57 per share, with a total value of $222,850.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the insider now directly owns 108,536 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,837,449.52. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

OXY stock opened at $45.26 on Wednesday. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $49.28 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $57.32. Occidental Petroleum Co. has a 12-month low of $43.08 and a 12-month high of $83.35. The company has a current ratio of 1.20, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.50. The company has a market cap of $33.35 billion, a PE ratio of 9.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.56 and a beta of 0.82. Read more …

Travelers Companies Inc (NYSE:TRV) Director Philip T. Ruegger III acquired 700 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, August 19th. The stock was bought at an average price of $147.49 per share, with a total value of $103,243.00. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link.

Shares of NYSE:TRV opened at $146.51 on Wednesday. Travelers Companies Inc has a one year low of $111.08 and a one year high of $155.09. The company has a 50 day moving average of $149.77 and a 200-day moving average of $141.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a current ratio of 0.38 and a quick ratio of 0.38. The stock has a market cap of $38.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.39, a P/E/G ratio of 1.39 and a beta of 0.94. Read more …

AbbVie Inc (NYSE:ABBV) SVP Jeffrey Ryan Stewart acquired 15,552 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 16th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $64.44 per share, for a total transaction of $1,002,170.88. Following the acquisition, the senior vice president now owns 65,304 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,208,189.76. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link.

Shares of AbbVie stock opened at $67.54 on Thursday. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $67.82 and its 200-day simple moving average is $76.22. The stock has a market capitalization of $95.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.54, a PEG ratio of 1.53 and a beta of 0.96. AbbVie Inc has a 12 month low of $62.66 and a 12 month high of $98.70. Read more …



Keurig Dr Pepper Inc (NYSE:KDP) insider Mary Beth Denooyer purchased 6,000 shares of Keurig Dr Pepper stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, August 20th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $27.99 per share, with a total value of $167,940.00. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link.

KDP opened at $27.49 on Friday. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $28.40 and a 200 day moving average price of $28.17. Keurig Dr Pepper Inc has a twelve month low of $22.19 and a twelve month high of $31.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.58, a quick ratio of 0.23 and a current ratio of 0.33. The firm has a market cap of $39.23 billion, a P/E ratio of 26.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.49 and a beta of 0.46. Read more …

Williams Companies Inc (NYSE:WMB) Director Stephen W. Bergstrom acquired 10,000 shares of Williams Companies stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 23rd. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $22.99 per share, for a total transaction of $229,900.00. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 54,965 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,263,645.35. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website.

NYSE:WMB traded down $0.72 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $22.88. 8,140,714 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 7,542,002. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22, a current ratio of 0.60 and a quick ratio of 0.56. The firm has a market cap of $28.52 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.96, a PEG ratio of 3.77 and a beta of 1.56. Williams Companies Inc has a 52-week low of $20.36 and a 52-week high of $30.48. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $25.88 and a 200 day simple moving average of $27.24. Read more …



August 23, 2019

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of August 19, 2019




Upgrades:


AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) was upgraded by investment analysts at Piper Jaffray Companies from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research report issued on Tuesday, The Fly reports. ABBV has been the topic of a number of other reports. Svb Leerink upgraded shares of AbbVie from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $88.00 target price on the stock in a report on Wednesday, June 26th. Leerink Swann upgraded shares of AbbVie to a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 2nd. Credit Suisse Group set a $78.00 target price on shares of AbbVie and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a report on Friday, April 26th. Wolfe Research upgraded shares of AbbVie from an “underperform” rating to a “peer perform” rating in a report on Thursday, June 27th. Finally, ValuEngine downgraded shares of AbbVie from a “sell” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, June 26th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have issued a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the stock. The company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $92.05. Read more …

Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH) was upgraded by investment analysts at Guggenheim from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a report released on Tuesday, The Fly reports. Separately, ValuEngine upgraded shares of Cardinal Health from a “strong sell” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Thursday, May 9th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. The company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $54.86. NYSE:CAH opened at $43.48 on Tuesday. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20. The firm has a market capitalization of $12.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 8.23, a PEG ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 1.28. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $45.58 and its 200 day simple moving average is $47.54. Cardinal Health has a twelve month low of $41.03 and a twelve month high of $58.31. Read more …

Wells Fargo & Co upgraded shares of Target (NYSE:TGT) from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a report issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports. They currently have $115.00 price target on the retailer’s stock. A number of other research analysts have also issued reports on the company. Credit Suisse Group set a $90.00 price target on Target and gave the stock a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, May 23rd. Sanford C. Bernstein reiterated a mkt perform rating on shares of Target in a research report on Friday, May 3rd. Barclays reiterated a buy rating and set a $95.00 price target on shares of Target in a research report on Thursday, May 30th. Robert W. Baird set a $90.00 price objective on Target and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, August 12th. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on Target in a report on Thursday, July 11th. They issued a buy rating and a $102.00 price objective for the company. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Target presently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $90.68. Read more …


Altria Group (NYSE:MO) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Morgan Stanley from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday, Marketbeat.com reports. The firm currently has a $44.00 price target on the stock. Morgan Stanley’s price objective points to a potential downside of 6.16% from the company’s previous close. A number of other analysts have also commented on the company. Royal Bank of Canada set a $68.00 price objective on Altria Group and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 31st. ValuEngine lowered Altria Group from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 29th. TheStreet lowered Altria Group from a “b-” rating to a “c+” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 14th. Wells Fargo & Co reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Altria Group in a report on Friday, August 9th. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group lowered Altria Group from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $49.86 price objective for the company. in a report on Friday, July 12th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. The stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $60.74. Read more …


August 22, 2019

Altria Group Inc. Increases Quarterly Dividend $MO




  • Altria (NYSE:MO) declares $0.84/share quarterly dividend, 5% increase from prior dividend of $0.80.
  • Forward yield 7.26%
  • Payable October 10; for shareholders of record September 16; ex-div September 13.


August 21, 2019

Community Bank System, Inc. Increases Quarterly Dividend $CBU




  • Community Bank System (NYSE:CBU) declares $0.41/share quarterly dividend, 7.9% increase from prior dividend of $0.38.
  • Forward yield 2.67%
  • Payable October 10; for shareholders of record September 16; ex-div September 13.


August 20, 2019

10 Stocks That Every 30-Year-Old Should Buy and Hold Forever


While there's still some room for risk, investors in their 30s need to be smart about their retirement savings



By the age of 30, you should already have nearly a decade’s worth of retirement savings under your belt. If you don’t, you’re not alone. A recent GoBankingRates survey showed that nearly half of the millennials questioned had no retirement savings at all.

If you fall into that camp, keep in mind the old saying “better late than never,” because it absolutely applies if you’re only just starting to build a nest egg. If you just hit the big 3-0 and you’ve already been saving and investing for years, bravo; however, 30 is a great milestone to look over your investments and rebalance your portfolio with some of the best long-term stocks out there. 

Unlike in your 20s, risk is a much larger consideration a decade later. The market is bound to go up and down, and you have to assess whether or not you could handle a market-wide pullback. Moreover, you will want to keep some powder dry to buy on a dip. Income stocks that pay dividends become important stocks to buy at this stage, but choosing some riskier players shouldn’t be completely off the table.



Of course, investors in their 30s should be holding some of their money in an index fund that will provide conservative growth. But here’s a look at ten of the best long-term stocks to buy if you’re in your 30s:



August 19, 2019

This High-Yield Stock Has A Dividend Made Of Iron


Iron Mountain (IRM) is one of the highest-yielding stocks in the S&P 500 and offers investors compelling total return potential. It is structured as a real estate investment trust (or REIT) and is undergoing a transition from a physical data storage company into a digital data storage company.

Currently, the market is pricing it as a struggling company with a declining core business, but we believe that the market is missing the growth story in its investments in data storage, government contracts, and international expansion. While investors wait for market sentiment to turn, they get paid a fully-covered 7.8% dividend that is expected to grow at an average rate of 4% per year.

Recent Earnings Report


In its second quarter, Iron Mountain reported revenue growth of 0.6% despite foreign currency exchange headwinds (underlying organic growth rate was 0.7%). However, expenses outpaced revenue growth by increasing 1.7%, led by cost of sales growth of 3%. Operating income and adjusted earnings per share declined 4.1% and 23.4%, respectively, year over year. On the positive side, EBITDA margins expanded from Q1, improving to 32.9% from 30.8% in Q1 while organic storage rental revenue growth was 2.4% on total storage volume growth (excluding acquisitions) of 2%.



The company needs to continue significantly improving its EBITDA margin in order to meet guidance and get back on track to meet its ambitious growth and deleveraging goals. Something that will likely help them is that a brand-new data center just opened, and several others will be opening in the near future.



5 Value Stocks With Fast-Growing Dividends


The best value stocks to buy offer high-growth on the cheap



It’s hard to find a bargain stock with dividends growing quickly. Often they are overvalued and not worth buying. Another problem is these kind of stocks can’t sustain the dividend growth. The trick to uncovering the best stocks to buy now is to search for fast-growing dividend stocks with low earnings-payout ratios. Even better if they’re cheap.

For example, fast growing tech companies reinvest their earnings in their business. They can’t afford to pay dividends without sacrificing growth. Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) has never paid out a dividend but is growing very fast. The stock is not cheap as investors rely on steady growth, but its investors are willing to forgo dividends.

Among the best stocks to buy now for value and income are business development companies (BDC). BDCs often raise their dividends at high rates, borrowing money or continually selling equity to finance dividend growth. Their payout ratios are high and the companies tend to be highly leveraged as a result.

Below are five stocks selling below 10x earnings whose dividends have been rising 15% or more per year. The companies pay out less than 30% of their earnings in dividends. They reinvest the rest to maintain consistent growth.



None of these stocks are turnarounds. They have been growing consistently for the past several years. You can rely on them to continue to increase their dividends at these rates.



August 16, 2019

7 Big Dividend Stocks to Consider In a Low-Rate World


With rates set to remain lower for longer, these seven big dividend stocks are due for strong performances



One of the biggest themes of financial markets in 2019 has been plunging rates. The 10-Year Treasury yield (alongside pretty much every other fixed income rate) has plunged in 2019, dropping from 2.7% on Christmas Eve 2018, to just over 2% in late July 2019.

The catalyst? Slowing economic expansion across the globe, which central banks want to curb. As such, central banks around the world project to cut rates in an insurance move to prolong the current economic expansion. Rates have plunged in anticipation of these cuts.

Will rates stay lower for longer? Probably. The Federal Reserve will likely cut rates a few times in the back half of 2019 to prolong the current economic expansion and breathe life back into the sluggish industrial economy, which has been hurt by rising geopolitical tensions. As such, the plunging rates theme of 2019 projects to turn into a consistent low rates theme in the second half of 2019.

There are two big implications for equities in a low rate world. First, equity valuations will move higher, since lower fixed income yields justify lower earnings yields, and therefore, a higher equity multiple. Second, investors will flock to stable dividend stocks, since many of those stocks are now yielding more than fixed income instruments.





Consequently, investors should do two things here. One, stay long the stock market. The environment remains favorable for stocks to go higher. Two, consider playing defense by buying some dividend stocks. So long as rates remain low, these stocks should have huge investor demand.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at seven big dividend stocks investors should consider in today’s rate world.



August 14, 2019

The 9 Best Stocks to Buy for the Next Decade


You can put these stocks in a drawer and not look at them again for the next 10 years


A few years ago, InvestorPlace contributor Dan Burrows highlighted the ten best-performing S&P 500 stocks of the past decade. The most important lesson one finds by studying these high-flying stocks is that patience wins out over all other attributes of a successful investor.

A classic example of how true this is involves the Fidelity Magellan Fund (MUTF:FMAGX), the large mutual fund made famous by portfolio manager Peter Lynch. Lynch ran the fund for 13 years from 1977 until 1990, growing it from $20 million to $14 billion before stepping aside.

Fidelity studied the returns of Fidelity Magellan unit holders over those 13 years to see how they compared to the legendary portfolio manager. While Lynch managed to achieve a 29% annual return over this period, the average investor lost money.

Patience would have served those investors well, as the ups and downs of the stock market shook them out of their positions — and in doing so, deprived them of millions of dollars in profits. A $10,000 investment in 1977 held until 1990 was worth $273,947 by the end of that 13-year period.





I’m not Peter Lynch, but I can say with some confidence that the following names are the nine best stocks to buy for the next decade.



August 12, 2019

13 Best Stocks to Buy for the Next Stock Market Correction


The stock market has been shaken in recent days by an escalation of the trade battle with China, as well as a Federal Reserve move to lower benchmark interest rates for the first time since 2008 – but not by as much as some on Wall Street hoped. But even after heavy selling, Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index remains just a few percent off all-time highs.

Is this the start of a long-awaited stock market correction? Possibly. But rather than trying to gauge exactly when a correction is coming or what will spark it, a better plan is to simply prepare. That is, you can shift the composition of your portfolio so it can better weather a storm – but still profit as long as the bull keeps running.

A more defensive posture does have drawbacks; nothing is free. The biggest problem is being underweight the stocks that are still driving the market higher. But for investors who do think a correction is coming and don’t want to play the losing game of trying to time the market, we’ve asked a group of investment managers and other experts which stocks they expect to hold up should the market pull back.





Here are 13 of the best stocks to buy to ride out a stock market correction. Most of these revolve around the idea of investing in high-quality companies that have good cash flows and business health, boasting pricing power and stable customer demand. This includes consumer staples stocks that sell products and services that people cannot live without. A couple will help raise your exposure to gold, which is emerging from a multiyear slumber.


August 11, 2019

Goldman Sachs: 5 High-Growth Stocks To Buy Now


Goldman Sachs has just revealed a valuable investing strategy that’s worth keeping a close eye on in the coming months. The firm is now recommending stocks with the fastest expected return-on-equity growth (or ROE).

That’s because market upside is increasingly limited from current lofty levels, says Goldman Sachs. Indeed, the S&P 500 has already put on a 17% sprint year-to-date- which means it is now trading very close to its fair value relative to interest rates, profitability and price-to-book valuations. As a result, investors must be particularly savvy when scouting for stocks with the potential to generate outsized returns.

“We forecast flat S&P 500 margins through 2020, with risks tilted to the downside. ... Amid concerns about the growth and profitability outlook this year, investors have assigned a premium to companies able to expand ROE,” the firm’s chief US equity strategist David Kostin said.

He directed investors to the firm’s basket of 50 S&P 500 stocks with the highest consensus estimates of ROE growth. This basket is already proving its worth and is currently beating the index by 5 percentage points year-to-date. In essence, ROE reflects the return a company generates on capital that is owned by the shareholders.





“The basket typically outperforms in weakening growth environments as investors assign a scarcity premium to firms that are able to expand ROE despite index-level headwinds,” Kostin told investors. So with this outlook in mind, here are five stocks that feature on the firm’s ROE basket list:



August 9, 2019

Main Street Capital Corporation: Finally, A Safe High-Yield Stock


Main Street Capital Corporation Now Pays 7%



I usually avoid high-yield stocks, and for good reason.

Each day, I screen the market for new investment ideas. And with a few mouse clicks, you can pull up dozens of high-yield securities. Right now, for instance, 120 stocks now pay out more than 10%.

Those yields might sound great, until you look at the companies behind them; they’re mostly junk. The companies behind these high-yield stocks often fail to generate enough cash to cover their distributions. In most cases, it’s only a matter of time before the payout gets slashed.

That said, sometimes you do find exceptions. Over the years, I’ve found pockets of safe high-yield stocks buried in the trash. You just need to shift through a lot of rubbage. And recently, I found one of these “pockets” in the lending business: Main Street Capital Corporation (NYSE:MAIN).





Main Street’s business model is pretty straightforward to wrap your head around: the company lends money to other businesses and collects interest payments. The profit comes from the spread between the yield earned on these loans and its cost of capital.



August 8, 2019

8 Monthly Dividend Stocks to Buy for Consistent Income


Our bills are monthly, most dividend payouts aren't



With so much uncertainty weighing on key economic metrics — most notably the U.S.-China trade war — the idea of buying dividend stocks is an attractive one. Primarily, as passive-income generating securities, dividend-bearers are likely to weather volatility better than stocks that don’t offer payouts. Plus, any capital returns are bonuses on top of the yield.

However, dividend stocks typically have one glaring weakness, especially for those who depend on stocks for income: their payouts occur on a quarterly basis. That’s not particularly helpful when our society revolves around monthly cost expenditures, such as mortgages, car payments, and utility bills. And that’s one of the reasons why monthly dividend stocks are so attractive.

Under this arrangement, you’re receiving income 12 times a year as opposed to the usual four times. Because money has a time component to it, monthly dividend stocks allow investors much more flexibility. Also, if you like to reinvest dividends into more shares of the target asset, a monthly schedule allows you to advantage technical dynamics, such as a pricing dip.

That said, conservative investors should adopt the same precautions toward monthly dividend stocks as you would any income-generating investment. For instance, you should never jump aboard a company or fund merely because they pay out monthly. The key here is healthy cash flows and robust, stable sectors.





At the same time, monthly dividend stocks offer speculators a reason to join in on the fun. With payouts every 30 days, sometimes risky, high-yielding names offer compelling opportunities. Of course, that depends on your personal tolerance to volatility.

And with these cautionary notes out of the way, here are the eight best monthly dividend stocks to consider in 2019:

Continue reading …


August 5, 2019

Pfizer's Mylan Deal Keeps Income Investors Whole But Will Likely Affect The Firm's Current Dividend


Pfizer (PFE) has taken steps in recent years to focus its business on higher-margin, faster-growing prescription drugs. For example, in 2013 the company spun off its animal health business, late last year Pfizer reached a deal with GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) to combine their consumer health businesses, and in June 2019 the firm agreed to buy cancer treatment firm Array BioPharma for $10.6 billion.

Pfizer's evolution took its biggest step forward this past weekend when management announced plans to combine its off-patent established medicines with generic drugmaker Mylan (MYL), creating a new global pharmaceutical company with nearly $20 billion in revenue. This deal has important implications for dividend investors.

Pfizer's established drugs business, which management calls Upjohn, was expected to account for about 18% of the company's EBITDA in the year ahead. Therefore, once the transaction closes in mid-2020, subject to approval by Mylan shareholders, Pfizer's cash flow will fall significantly. We estimate the firm's payout ratio will rise to between 65% and 80%.

While Pfizer's $8 billion annual dividend commitment would still be covered by the $10 billion or so of free cash flow the firm will likely generate, management probably desires to retain more cash flow to invest in drug development and acquisitions.





After all, Pfizer has taken these separation actions to improve its standalone growth profile. By spotlighting its faster-growing drugs that enjoy patent protection, management hopes Pfizer will achieve a higher valuation. Companies focused more on growth typically do not maintain a high payout ratio.



August 3, 2019

Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: Week of July 29, 2019



Acquisitions:


AbbVie Inc (NYSE:ABBV) Director Roxanne S. Austin bought 10,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, July 30th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $66.35 per share, with a total value of $663,500.00. Following the acquisition, the director now directly owns 62,114 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $4,121,263.90. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Read more …

AbbVie Inc (NYSE:ABBV) EVP Henry O. Gosebruch acquired 30,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, July 29th. The stock was purchased at an average price of $67.28 per share, for a total transaction of $2,018,400.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 75,763 shares in the company, valued at $5,097,334.64. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website Read more…

AbbVie Inc (NYSE:ABBV) Director Roxanne S. Austin acquired 55,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 1st. The shares were bought at an average cost of $65.86 per share, with a total value of $3,622,300.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 92,114 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,066,628.04. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

ABBV opened at $65.35 on Friday. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $71.69. The firm has a market cap of $96.61 billion, a PE ratio of 8.26, a P/E/G ratio of 1.59 and a beta of 0.96. AbbVie Inc has a 12 month low of $65.03 and a 12 month high of $100.23. Read more …


Bristol-Myers Squibb Co (NYSE:BMY) Director Robert J. Bertolini acquired 11,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 31st. The shares were bought at an average cost of $44.72 per share, for a total transaction of $491,920.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 11,397 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $509,673.84. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link.

Shares of NYSE BMY opened at $45.99 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.51, a quick ratio of 3.75 and a current ratio of 3.88. The firm has a market capitalization of $72.64 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.30, a PEG ratio of 2.20 and a beta of 0.73. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $45.66. Bristol-Myers Squibb Co has a fifty-two week low of $42.48 and a fifty-two week high of $63.69. Read more …






Mastercard Inc (NYSE:MA) Director Lance Darrell Gordon Uggla acquired 1,500 shares of Mastercard stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 1st. The shares were bought at an average cost of $275.71 per share, for a total transaction of $413,565.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 3,691 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,017,645.61. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

Shares of Mastercard stock opened at $269.45 on Friday. The company has a market cap of $275.25 billion, a PE ratio of 41.52, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.18 and a beta of 1.07. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $271.45. Mastercard Inc has a 1 year low of $171.89 and a 1 year high of $283.33. The company has a current ratio of 1.49, a quick ratio of 1.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.55. Read more …



August 2, 2019

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of July 29, 2019



Upgrades:


Anheuser Busch Inbev (NYSE:BUD) was upgraded by analysts at Bank of America from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports. The analysts noted that the move was a valuation call.

Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of Glu Mobile from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 9th. Barclays set a €16.80 ($19.53) price objective on shares of Deutsche Telekom and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 2nd. ValuEngine lowered shares of Vereit from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, July 19th. Finally, Argus lowered shares of Lions Gate Entertainment from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, May 30th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. The stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $83.77. Read more …

Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) was upgraded by research analysts at Royal Bank of Canada from an “outperform” rating to a “top pick” rating in a report issued on Monday, The Fly reports.

A number of other equities analysts have also commented on GILD. Mizuho set a $88.00 price objective on Gilead Sciences and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, July 15th. Cowen set a $150.00 price target on Tesla and gave the company a “sell” rating in a research note on Friday, May 3rd. BMO Capital Markets set a $76.00 price target on Gilead Sciences and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, July 15th. BidaskClub upgraded Zai Lab from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 5th. Finally, ValuEngine lowered Intersect ENT from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, July 8th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, seventeen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. The company has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $81.09. Read more …

National-Oilwell Varco (NYSE:NOV) was upgraded by research analysts at Citigroup from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

NOV has been the topic of a number of other reports. Johnson Rice lowered National-Oilwell Varco from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $25.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Monday, July 15th. Bank of America reaffirmed an “underperform” rating and set a $1.25 target price (down from $4.50) on shares of Superior Energy Services in a report on Tuesday, June 25th. Susquehanna Bancshares set a $23.00 target price on National-Oilwell Varco and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, July 19th. Raymond James reaffirmed an “average” rating and set a $23.00 target price on shares of in a report on Monday, April 15th. Finally, TheStreet lowered Weibo from a “b-” rating to a “c+” rating in a report on Friday, May 31st. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, fifteen have issued a hold rating and eleven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. The company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $35.36. Read more …



Bank of America upgraded shares of Dominion Energy (NYSE:D) from an underperform rating to a neutral rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, June 13th, 24/7 WallStreet reports. Bank of America currently has $80.00 price target on the utilities provider’s stock, up from their previous price target of $79.00. The analysts noted that the move was a valuation call.

Several other equities analysts also recently weighed in on D. TheStreet downgraded Dominion Energy from a b rating to a c+ rating in a research report on Friday, May 3rd. Macquarie downgraded Dominion Energy from an outperform rating to a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, March 18th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Zacks Investment Research raised Dominion Energy from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $87.00 target price on the stock in a report on Monday, April 8th. ValuEngine cut Dominion Energy from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, June 12th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group initiated coverage on Dominion Energy in a report on Friday, April 12th. They issued a neutral rating and a $78.00 target price on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have assigned a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. The company currently has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of $85.54. Read more …