October 30, 2017

6 Cheap Dividend Growth Stocks for Long-Term Rewards


Though rising yields have dampened the appeal for dividend investing, a niche corner of this space is still in vogue. This is none other than the dividend growth strategy. Stocks with a strong history of dividend growth year over year form a healthy portfolio with greater scope of capital appreciation as opposed to simple dividend paying stocks or those that pay high yields.

Stocks that have a strong history of dividend growth belong to mature companies, which are less susceptible to large swings in the market, and thus act as a hedge against economic or political uncertainty. At the same time, these offer downside protection with their consistent increase in payouts.

These stocks have superior fundamentals as opposed to their traditional dividend counterparts such as a sustainable business model, a long track record of profitability, rising cash flows, good liquidity, strong balance sheet and some value characteristics. They have a history of outperformance over the long term but not necessarily high dividend yields. All these makes dividend growth a quality and promising investment metric for the long term.

Further, a history of strong dividend growth indicates that dividend increase in the future is likely. This makes the portfolio healthy and safe. Though these stocks have a long history of outperformance compared with the broader stock market or any other dividend paying stock, it does not necessarily mean that they have the highest yields.

As a result, picking dividend growth stocks appear as winning strategies when some other parameters are also included.




October 28, 2017

This Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: October 23-27, 2017




Disposals:


Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN) insider Richard Lumb sold 2,200 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $138.94, for a total value of $305,668.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 117,151 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,276,959.94. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Richard Lumb also recently made the following trade(s): Read more …

Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN) insider Ellyn Shook sold 4,375 shares of Accenture PLC stock in a transaction dated Monday, October 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $139.81, for a total transaction of $611,668.75. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 33,081 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $4,625,054.61. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Read more …


Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) VP Richard A. Galanti sold 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, October 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $160.58, for a total transaction of $802,900.00. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 41,396 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,647,369.68. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ COST) opened at 162.29 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $70.95 billion, a PE ratio of 26.69 and a beta of 0.94. The company has a 50-day moving average of $160.88 and a 200-day moving average of $164.03. Costco Wholesale Corporation has a 52 week low of $142.11 and a 52 week high of $183.18. Read more …

Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) VP Dennis R. Zook sold 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $161.92, for a total transaction of $809,600.00. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 626 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $101,361.92. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Read more …

Nucor Corporation (NYSE:NUE) Chairman John J. Ferriola sold 15,131 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, October 23rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.40, for a total value of $913,912.40. Following the sale, the chairman now owns 349,506 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $21,110,162.40. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Nucor Corporation (NYSE NUE) opened at 58.99 on Thursday. Nucor Corporation has a 12 month low of $46.61 and a 12 month high of $68.00. The firm has a market cap of $18.84 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.56 and a beta of 1.54. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $55.99 and a 200 day moving average price of $57.46. Read more …

The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW) Chairman Charles R. Schwab sold 225,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $44.89, for a total transaction of $10,100,250.00. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Shares of The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW) traded up 1.62% on Tuesday, hitting $45.19. 8,614,602 shares of the stock were exchanged. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $42.60 and its 200-day moving average is $41.23. The stock has a market cap of $60.51 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 28.78 and a beta of 1.68. The Charles Schwab Corporation has a 1-year low of $30.66 and a 1-year high of $46.21. Read more …

Philip Morris International Inc (NYSE:PM) Chairman Louis C. Camilleri sold 108,979 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, October 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $108.38, for a total transaction of $11,811,144.02. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Shares of Philip Morris International Inc (NYSE:PM) traded down 1.45% during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $107.00. The company had a trading volume of 4,050,398 shares. Philip Morris International Inc has a 1-year low of $86.78 and a 1-year high of $123.55. The company has a market capitalization of $166.19 billion, a PE ratio of 23.71 and a beta of 0.93. The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $113.55 and its 200 day moving average price is $115.68. Read more …

Schlumberger N.V. (NYSE:SLB) Director Tore I. Sandvold sold 3,500 shares of Schlumberger N.V. stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $62.63, for a total transaction of $219,205.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 1,500 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $93,945. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Schlumberger N.V. (NYSE:SLB) traded up 1.60% during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $63.44. 10,747,003 shares of the stock were exchanged. The company has a market cap of $87.83 billion, a P/E ratio of 499.53 and a beta of 1.05. Schlumberger N.V. has a one year low of $61.40 and a one year high of $87.84. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $67.13 and a 200-day moving average price of $68.28. Read more …

American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) insider Anre D. Williams sold 30,761 shares of American Express stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, October 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $93.41, for a total value of $2,873,385.01. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 28,720 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,682,735.20. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Shares of American Express Company (NYSE AXP) traded up 0.06% during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $95.75. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,718,364 shares. The company has a market cap of $84.64 billion, a PE ratio of 19.64 and a beta of 1.21. American Express Company has a 52-week low of $65.03 and a 52-week high of $95.95. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $89.73 and a 200 day moving average price of $83.92. Read more …


Acquisitions:


AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) Director Matthew K. Rose bought 29,600 shares of AT&T stock in a transaction on Wednesday, October 25th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $33.75 per share, for a total transaction of $999,000.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now directly owns 3,100 shares in the company, valued at $104,625. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) traded up 0.24% during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $33.76. 9,696,556 shares of the stock traded hands. The firm’s 50-day moving average is $37.25 and its 200 day moving average is $38.03. AT&T Inc. has a 52-week low of $33.33 and a 52-week high of $43.03. The firm has a market cap of $207.29 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.86 and a beta of 0.49. Read more …

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) VP Norman D. Jr. Finch acquired 4,986 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, October 25th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $156.34 per share, with a total value of $779,511.24. Following the acquisition, the vice president now owns 4,371 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $683,362.14. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this link. Shares of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE:ITW) traded down 0.03% during trading on Thursday, hitting $157.50. 950,383 shares of the stock traded hands. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $148.94 and its 200-day moving average price is $142.74. Illinois Tool Works Inc. has a 52 week low of $111.53 and a 52 week high of $159.36. The company has a market cap of $54.20 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 25.49 and a beta of 1.12. Read more …

Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) Director Daniel F. Akerson purchased 2,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, October 25th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $312.02 per share, for a total transaction of $780,050.00. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 7,432 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,318,932.64. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) traded up 0.04% during trading on Friday, reaching $308.00. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 998,712 shares. Lockheed Martin Corporation has a 52 week low of $236.21 and a 52 week high of $322.19. The firm has a market cap of $88.70 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.87 and a beta of 0.59. The stock’s 50 day moving average is $311.03 and its 200-day moving average is $291.08. Read more …


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October 27, 2017

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of October 23, 2017



Upgrades:



Wells Fargo & Company upgraded shares of Dr Pepper Snapple Group, Inc (NYSE:DPS) from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a report published on Monday, MarketBeat.com reports. Other equities research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. BMO Capital Markets restated a buy rating and issued a $105.00 price objective on shares of Dr Pepper Snapple Group in a report on Wednesday, July 12th. Jefferies Group LLC restated a buy rating and issued a $112.00 price objective on shares of Dr Pepper Snapple Group in a report on Thursday, July 6th. Macquarie assumed coverage on shares of Dr Pepper Snapple Group in a report on Friday, September 15th. Read more …

Bank of America Corporation upgraded shares of General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a report published on Monday morning, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Bank of America Corporation currently has $27.00 target price on the conglomerate’s stock. Several other research analysts have also recently weighed in on GE. Deutsche Bank AG set a $21.00 price objective on General Electric and gave the stock a sell rating in a research report on Monday. Cowen and Company reissued a hold rating and issued a $24.00 price objective on shares of General Electric in a research report on Friday, October 20th. Read more …

Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAS) stock had its “equal weight” rating restated by analysts at Barclays PLC in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday. Several other equities analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. BidaskClub downgraded shares of Hasbro from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, June 30th. Stifel Nicolaus restated a “hold” rating and issued a $107.00 price objective (up from $100.00) on shares of Hasbro in a research report on Thursday, July 13th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of Hasbro from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $125.00 target price for the company in a research report on Friday, July 14th. Read more …

Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The) upgraded shares of 3M Company (NYSE:MMM) from a sell rating to a neutral rating in a research report released on Wednesday morning. Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The) currently has $229.00 price objective on the conglomerate’s stock, up from their prior price objective of $194.00. MMM has been the subject of a number of other reports. Zacks Investment Research lowered 3M from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 3rd. Bank of America Corporation restated a buy rating and issued a $227.00 price target on shares of 3M in a research report on Thursday, September 14th. Credit Suisse Group restated an outperform rating and issued a $237.00 price target (up from $229.00) on shares of 3M in a research report on Wednesday, October 11th. Read more …

Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) was upgraded by equities researchers at Bank of America Corporation from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a note issued to investors on Friday. Other equities analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $43.00 price target on shares of Intel Corporation in a research report on Friday. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their price target on Intel Corporation from $41.00 to $46.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, October 20th. Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The) reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of Intel Corporation in a research report on Wednesday, October 18th. Read more …


Downgrades:


General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) was downgraded by research analysts at Morgan Stanley from an “equal weight” rating to an “underweight” rating in a report released on Monday, MarketBeat reports. They currently have a $22.00 price objective on the conglomerate’s stock. Morgan Stanley’s price objective indicates a potential downside of 7.68% from the stock’s previous close. Other research analysts have also issued research reports about the company. UBS AG lowered General Electric from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $31.00 to $24.00 in a research report on Monday. Deutsche Bank AG set a $21.00 price target on General Electric and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research report on Monday. Read more …

Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE:WHR) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Bank of America Corporation from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, MarketBeat.com reports. They currently have a $183.00 price target on the stock. Bank of America Corporation’s price target indicates a potential upside of 0.27% from the company’s current price. Read more …

Royal Bank Of Canada lowered shares of Whirlpool Corporation (NYSE:WHR) from a top pick rating to a sector perform rating in a research report report published on Tuesday morning. They currently have $184.00 price target on the stock, down from their previous price target of $209.00. Other research analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Bank of America Corporation downgraded Whirlpool Corporation from a buy rating to a neutral rating and set a $183.00 price objective for the company. in a report on Tuesday. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Whirlpool Corporation from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, October 5th. Read more …

Wells Fargo & Company lowered shares of Hanesbrands Inc. (NYSE:HBI) from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a report published on Wednesday. The brokerage currently has $23.00 price objective on the textile maker’s stock. Other analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. ValuEngine raised Hanesbrands from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Thursday, July 6th. BidaskClub upgraded shares of Hanesbrands from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, July 5th. Credit Suisse Group set a $28.00 price objective on shares of Hanesbrands and gave the stock a buy rating in a report on Thursday, July 27th. Buckingham Research restated a buy rating and issued a $30.00 price objective on shares of Hanesbrands in a report on Monday, July 17th. Read more …

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE:CM) (TSE:CM) was downgraded by investment analysts at Citigroup Inc. from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research note issued on Wednesday. Several other analysts also recently issued reports on CM. Macquarie began coverage on Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in a research report on Tuesday. They issued an “underperform” rating and a $89.00 price objective on the stock. BidaskClub upgraded Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 13th. Canaccord Genuity began coverage on Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in a research report on Tuesday, July 18th. They issued a “buy” rating on the stock. Read more …

Morgan Stanley lowered shares of General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) (TSE:GMM.U) from an overweight rating to an equal weight rating in a report issued on Wednesday morning. Morgan Stanley currently has $43.00 price objective on the auto manufacturer’s stock, down from their previous price objective of $46.48. Several other analysts have also recently commented on the stock. BidaskClub upgraded shares of General Motors from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 19th. ValuEngine upgraded shares of General Motors from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research note on Friday, July 28th. Piper Jaffray Companies reiterated a buy rating and issued a $44.00 price target on shares of General Motors in a research note on Tuesday, September 12th. Read more …

Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS) was downgraded by Barclays PLC from an “equal weight” rating to an “underweight” rating in a research report issued on Wednesday. Several other analysts have also recently issued reports on NVS. J P Morgan Chase & Co reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Novartis AG in a report on Tuesday, September 5th. Leerink Swann upped their price target on shares of Novartis AG from $89.00 to $91.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a report on Monday. BidaskClub raised shares of Novartis AG from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, August 5th. Cowen and Company reaffirmed a “hold” rating on shares of Novartis AG in a report on Tuesday, July 18th. Read more …

GlaxoSmithKline PLC (NYSE:GSK) was downgraded by equities researchers at Bank of America Corporation from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report issued on Thursday. GSK has been the subject of several other reports. Morgan Stanley lowered shares of GlaxoSmithKline PLC from an “equal weight” rating to an “underweight” rating in a research report on Friday, September 8th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of GlaxoSmithKline PLC from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $46.00 target price for the company in a research report on Wednesday, October 18th. BidaskClub upgraded shares of GlaxoSmithKline PLC from a “strong sell” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Friday, August 25th. Read more …



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October 26, 2017

3 Dependable High-Yield Dividend Stocks to Buy

Here are 3 companies every income-focused investor should consider




In the eternal search for return, investors look high and low for growth, value and income stocks which suit their individual preferences. Depending on one’s investment time horizon and propensity for risk, the percentages of growth, value and income stocks will differ across portfolios, although it is generally widely accepted that carrying some percentage of each equity category is advisable.

In the category of “income” stocks, a wide variety of options are available to the average investor, with various yields, risk profiles and compounding rates to consider.

In this article, I’m going to discuss three income stocks with solid yields which should be considered prime candidates for any portfolio.

So without further ado, those high-yield dividend stocks are:




October 25, 2017

Why Are These 6 Dow Stocks Fairly Valued?


Thus far, with the first 3 parts of this five-part series, we’ve examined 60% (18 of 30) of the 30 stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. What we found so far were that the majority of these constituents are currently overvalued or at least fully valued. Finally, with this Part 4, we will examine 6 additional Dow constituents that appear fairly valued with blended P/E ratios of 14-16.But as the title of this article asks, why are these 6 Dow stocks trading within the historical normal valuation range of the market when the others are being valued much higher? In other words, are they cheaper for good reason?

The following portfolio review lists 6 stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average that appear fairly valued based on their current blended P/E ratio. However, there are many ways to value a stock in addition to the P/E ratio. Consequently, I suggest the reader also notices the price to cash flow of each of these 6 Dow constituents. For those investors most interested in dividend income, price to cash flow might be more relevant for higher-yielding dividend paying stocks. Furthermore, when ascertaining valuation, other factors such as expected growth need to be considered as well. I will elaborate more fully in the video below.
The following portfolio review is presented in order of highest blended P/E ratio to lowest. As an additional valuation check, note that the earnings yield (EPS Yld) of each of these Dow constituents is above 6%, but only 3 of 6 are above my 6 ½ to 7% threshold. Consequently, this particular group of 6 Dow stocks is more attractively valued than what we’ve seen in previous parts of this five-part series. On the other hand, these 6 Dow stocks are not necessarily bargains at current levels either.



October 23, 2017

10 Blue-Chip Dividend Stocks to Buy for 2018

These dividend stocks cover everything from old-world auto to cutting-edge tech




As we enter the homestretch of 2017, it’s already time to start planning ahead for 2018. And if next year proves to be anything like this year, we should expect the unexpected. I’m a big believer in finding the best dividend stocks to buy — and particularly blue-chip dividend stocks — in virtually any market environment. But not all dividend stocks move in lockstep, and some are clearly better suited for certain environments than others.

Eight months into office, President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress have yet to agree on any major legislation or spending priorities. That has helped to keep inflation expectations and bond yields relatively low. But seeing as how we have a midterm election next November, you can bet that Trump and the congressional Republicans will be scrambling to get legislation passed to ensure they still have a job come 2019. This should favor lower-yielding but faster-growing stocks over high-yielding dividend stocks.

So, with no further ado, here are 10 blue-chip dividend stocks that I expect to outperform in 2018. They run the gamut, including everything from old-economy auto stocks to cutting-edge technology stocks, but all have a solid history of paying and raising their dividends. And I expect that to be a winning theme in 2018.




October 22, 2017

This Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: October 16-20, 2017


Disposals:


Medtronic PLC (NYSE:MDT) EVP Bryan C. Hanson sold 16,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, October 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $78.03, for a total transaction of $1,248,480.00. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Shares of Medtronic PLC (MDT) opened at 78.00 on Wednesday. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $79.61 and its 200-day moving average price is $83.24. The company has a market capitalization of $105.66 billion, a PE ratio of 26.25 and a beta of 1.01. Medtronic PLC has a 1-year low of $69.35 and a 1-year high of $89.72. Read more…

Procter & Gamble Company (The) (NYSE:PG) insider Marylynn Fergusonmchugh sold 2,856 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, October 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $92.98, for a total value of $265,550.88. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Shares of Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE PG) traded up 0.11% on Monday, reaching $93.14. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 4,082,320 shares. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $92.54 and a 200 day moving average price of $89.78. The firm has a market capitalization of $237.51 billion, a PE ratio of 16.65 and a beta of 0.67. Procter & Gamble Company has a one year low of $81.18 and a one year high of $94.67. Read more …

McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE:MKC) Director Freeman A. Hrabowski III sold 3,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, October 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $98.68, for a total value of $296,040.00. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE MKC) traded down 0.01% during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $99.12. The company had a trading volume of 247,998 shares. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $97.78 and its 200 day moving average price is $98.76. McCormick & Company, Incorporated has a 12 month low of $88.64 and a 12 month high of $106.50. The firm has a market capitalization of $12.35 billion, a PE ratio of 26.33 and a beta of 0.53. Read more …

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) insider Thomas E. Roos sold 975 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $205.47, for a total transaction of $200,333.25. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 24,630 shares in the company, valued at $5,060,726.10. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UNH) traded up 2.09% during midday trading on Friday, reaching $207.49. 5,138,814 shares of the company traded hands. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a one year low of $133.03 and a one year high of $208.21. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $197.17 and a 200-day moving average price of $185.63. The firm has a market capitalization of $205.21 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 23.56 and a beta of 0.63. Read more …

Acquisitions:


Nothing to mention.


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October 20, 2017

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of October 16, 2017


Upgrades:


Credit Suisse Group upgraded shares of Astrazeneca PLC (NYSE:AZN) from a neutral rating to an outperform rating in a report released on Monday morning, Marketbeat reports. Several other analysts have also recently weighed in on the stock. BidaskClub cut shares of Astrazeneca PLC from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Monday, July 24th. Liberum Capital cut shares of Astrazeneca PLC from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note on Thursday, September 14th. BNP Paribas raised shares of Astrazeneca PLC from a neutral rating to an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, September 25th. Pareto Securities raised shares of Astrazeneca PLC from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 1st. Read more …

Bank of America Corporation upgraded shares of Emerson Electric Company (NYSE:EMR) from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a report released on Tuesday. The brokerage currently has $79.00 price target on the industrial products company’s stock, up from their previous price target of $64.44. Other research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the company. Stifel Nicolaus reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of Emerson Electric in a research report on Thursday, October 12th. Morgan Stanley reissued an equal weight rating and issued a $67.00 price objective (up previously from $64.00) on shares of Emerson Electric in a research report on Monday, October 2nd. JMP Securities began coverage on Emerson Electric in a research report on Monday, June 19th. They issued an outperform rating and a $70.00 price objective on the stock. Read more …

Thomson Reuters Corp (NYSE:TRI) (TSE:TRI) was upgraded by analysts at Scotiabank from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report issued on Tuesday, The Fly reports. Other analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Deutsche Bank AG upped their price objective on Thomson Reuters Corp from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 2nd. BidaskClub upgraded Thomson Reuters Corp from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, June 24th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Thomson Reuters Corp from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $51.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, September 5th. Read more …

Citigroup Inc. upgraded shares of Merck & Company, Inc. (NYSE:MRK) from a neutral rating to a buy rating in a research report sent to investors on Wednesday morning. The brokerage currently has $72.00 price objective on the stock. A number of other research firms also recently commented on MRK. BMO Capital Markets reissued an outperform rating and set a $73.00 price objective (down previously from $74.00) on shares of Merck & in a report on Monday, July 24th. BidaskClub downgraded shares of Merck & from a sell rating to a strong sell rating in a report on Wednesday, July 19th. Credit Suisse Group reissued an outperform rating and set a $74.00 price objective (down previously from $75.00) on shares of Merck & in a report on Tuesday, September 5th. HSBC Holdings plc raised shares of Merck & from a reduce rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, August 9th. Read more …

Aqua America, Inc. (NYSE:WTR) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report released on Thursday. WTR has been the topic of a number of other reports. Zacks Investment Research cut Aqua America from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, October 12th. BidaskClub cut Aqua America from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, July 6th. Robert W. Baird reaffirmed a “hold” rating and issued a $32.00 price target on shares of Aqua America in a research note on Friday, August 25th. Boenning Scattergood reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Aqua America in a research note on Tuesday, September 5th. Read more …

Philip Morris International Inc (NYSE:PM) was upgraded by research analysts at Societe Generale from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued on Friday, Marketbeat reports. Several other equities research analysts have also commented on PM. Citigroup Inc. reduced their price target on shares of Philip Morris International from $125.00 to $117.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday. Piper Jaffray Companies set a $135.00 price target on shares of Philip Morris International and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Sunday, October 15th. SBG Securities upgraded shares of Philip Morris International from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and boosted their price target for the company from $118.00 to $119.00 in a report on Friday, August 11th. Read more …

Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE:HOG) was upgraded by equities researchers at Argus from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Friday. Other analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. BidaskClub upgraded shares of Harley-Davidson from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, June 23rd. UBS AG restated a “neutral” rating and set a $57.00 price target on shares of Harley-Davidson in a research report on Monday, June 26th. Jefferies Group LLC restated a “hold” rating and set a $49.00 price target on shares of Harley-Davidson in a research report on Tuesday, July 4th. Read more …


Downgrades:


Jefferies Group LLC downgraded shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday morning, MarketBeat Ratings reports. They currently have $72.00 target price on the biopharmaceutical company’s stock. Jefferies Group also issued estimates for Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Q3 2017 earnings at $0.78 EPS, FY2017 earnings at $2.98 EPS, FY2018 earnings at $3.19 EPS, FY2019 earnings at $3.86 EPS, FY2020 earnings at $4.34 EPS and FY2021 earnings at $4.97 EPS. BMY has been the subject of several other reports. UBS AG reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $72.00 price target (up from $62.00) on shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb in a research note on Friday, October 6th. Vetr raised shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $67.92 price target for the company in a research note on Monday, October 9th. Read more …

Magna International, Inc. (NYSE:MGA) (TSE:MG) was downgraded by stock analysts at Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The) from a “neutral” rating to a “sell” rating in a report issued on Monday. They currently have a $41.00 target price on the stock, down from their previous target price of $45.00. Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The)’s price objective indicates a potential downside of 23.29% from the stock’s current price. Other equities research analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price objective on shares of Magna International from $60.00 to $61.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, August 14th. Cormark upgraded shares of Magna International from a “buy” rating to a “top pick” rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 11th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of Magna International from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $52.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Wednesday, August 16th. Read more …

Wells Fargo & Company lowered shares of Norfolk Souther Corporation (NYSE:NSC) from an outperform rating to a market perform rating in a research report released on Monday morning, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Several other equities research analysts have also issued reports on NSC. Scotiabank lowered Norfolk Souther Corporation from a sector outperform rating to a sector perform rating in a research report on Thursday, July 6th. Cowen and Company reaffirmed a buy rating and set a $130.00 target price on shares of Norfolk Souther Corporation in a research report on Tuesday, July 11th. Credit Suisse Group reaffirmed an outperform rating and set a $139.00 target price (up from $133.00) on shares of Norfolk Souther Corporation in a research report on Thursday, July 13th. Read more …

Jefferies Group LLC downgraded shares of Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research note published on Monday morning, Marketbeat.com reports. Jefferies Group also issued estimates for Valero Energy Corporation’s Q3 2017 earnings at $1.82 EPS, Q4 2017 earnings at $1.10 EPS, FY2017 earnings at $4.83 EPS, Q2 2018 earnings at $1.92 EPS, Q3 2018 earnings at $1.91 EPS, Q4 2018 earnings at $2.01 EPS, FY2018 earnings at $7.41 EPS, FY2019 earnings at $6.94 EPS, FY2020 earnings at $6.79 EPS and FY2021 earnings at $6.40 EPS. A number of other research firms have also recently commented on VLO. Deutsche Bank AG reiterated a hold rating and set a $73.00 target price (up from $65.00) on shares of Valero Energy Corporation in a research note on Wednesday, September 20th. Read more …

Eaton Corporation, PLC (NYSE:ETN) was downgraded by investment analysts at Bank of America Corporation from a “buy” rating to an “underperform” rating in a report released on Tuesday. Several other research firms have also recently issued reports on ETN. Morgan Stanley reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $88.00 target price (up from $87.00) on shares of Eaton Corporation, PLC in a research note on Monday, October 2nd. JMP Securities initiated coverage on Eaton Corporation, PLC in a research note on Monday, June 19th. They set a “market perform” rating on the stock. Zacks Investment Research raised Eaton Corporation, PLC from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $87.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 5th. Stifel Nicolaus reissued a “hold” rating and set a $82.00 target price on shares of Eaton Corporation, PLC in a research note on Thursday, October 12th. Read more …

Roche Holding Ltd. (NASDAQ:RHHBY) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Citigroup Inc. from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday. Other analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Cowen and Company set a $38.00 target price on shares of Roche Holding and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, July 10th. Morgan Stanley reaffirmed an “equal weight” rating on shares of Roche Holding in a research note on Wednesday, July 26th. Societe Generale cut shares of Roche Holding from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, June 30th. Deutsche Bank AG cut shares of Roche Holding from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, July 7th. Read more …

Nike, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) was downgraded by analysts at Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The) from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research note issued on Thursday. They presently have a $54.00 price target on the footwear maker’s stock, up from their previous price target of $52.30. Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The)’s price target would indicate a potential upside of 3.25% from the stock’s current price. A number of other equities analysts also recently commented on NKE. Piper Jaffray Companies restated a “neutral” rating and set a $50.00 target price on shares of Nike in a report on Wednesday, June 21st. Morgan Stanley restated an “equal weight” rating and set a $56.00 target price on shares of Nike in a report on Wednesday, June 21st. Read more …

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE:CMG) was downgraded by investment analysts at Bank of America Corporation from a “neutral” rating to an “underperform” rating in a note issued to investors on Wednesday. They presently have a $285.00 price target on the restaurant operator’s stock, down from their prior price target of $390.00. Bank of America Corporation’s price target would suggest a potential downside of 12.38% from the company’s current price. CMG has been the subject of several other research reports. Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The) cut their price objective on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from $440.00 to $375.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, July 25th. Maxim Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $435.00 price objective (down previously from $470.00) on shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill in a research report on Wednesday, July 26th. Read more …

Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE:KMB) was downgraded by investment analysts at J P Morgan Chase & Co from a “neutral” rating to an “underweight” rating in a note issued to investors on Friday. They presently have a $100.00 price target on the stock. J P Morgan Chase & Co’s target price points to a potential downside of 13.46% from the stock’s current price. Several other equities research analysts also recently commented on KMB. BidaskClub raised Kimberly-Clark Corporation from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, June 22nd. Jefferies Group LLC reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $122.00 target price (down from $133.00) on shares of Kimberly-Clark Corporation in a report on Thursday, July 6th. Citigroup Inc. set a $134.00 target price on Kimberly-Clark Corporation and gave the company a “sell” rating in a report on Friday, July 7th. Read more …



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