Is Archer-Daniels Midland Stock A Buy?

 

Archer-Daniels Midland Co (NYSE:ADM) is a global agricultural logistics and raw materials processor. It also has a solid dividend payment history going back almost 90 years. The company braced for the coronavirus well in advance, although CEO Juan Luciano pointed out that trading grain on a global scale won’t be affected.

 

Food is a staple in everyone’s life, but is Archer-Daniels Midland stock a Buy?

 

The food industry certainly was impacted by COVID-19. It caused dairy farmers to dump milk, produce to go bad, and major problems in the global supply chain.

 

Restaurants and major events closing created complete chaos for a time. But Archer-Daniels Midland quickly rebounded because it’s so high up the literal food chain.

 

The company processes bulk oilseed, corn, and other food ingredients for humans, animals, and even biofuels. It also provides financial services for food industry and agricultural partners. These extensive revenue streams give it exposure to not only survive a rough economy, but also find growth opportunities.

 

It could be overpriced though, if it can’t find ways to scale what’s already a large global operation. Let’s run against the grain to see what this century-old Minneapolis, Minnesota-based company.

 

Archer-Daniels Midland is a global agricultural and food processor founded in 1902 that serves major food manufacturers around the world. Because it’s involved in the global supply chain, it has a comprehensive R&D network, online platform, and logistics technology.

 

 

The company works closely with farmers and others in the agricultural industry and is a member of over 200 trade and business associations. It deals with commodities markets, which can be turbulent, regardless of a global pandemic, and it did take some losses as the economy slowed

 

Continue reading …

 

4 Dividend Stocks to Help You Prepare for Retirement

 

Stocks with dividends can play a significant long-term role in the impact of a diversified portfolio

 

Seasoned investors concur equities are an important asset class in retirement portfolios. Therefore today’s article introduces four stocks with dividends that could help long-term investors prepare for retirement.

 

Michael Kitces of Buckingham Wealth Partners points out, “For prospective retirees … determining how best to invest a retirement portfolio to generate income is a substantial challenge.”

 

Academic studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that a large number of individuals are afraid of eroding their capital and outliving their assets in retirement. However, with a long-term approach to investing, most market participants should be able to save a significant amount of money for their golden years. And stocks with dividends could help in this process.

 

Research by Michael Clemens of BankInvest Group highlights, “Dividend investing has historically outperformed both the broader market and value investing, and at the same time shown lower risk. Dividend investing ‘overlap’ with both value investing and low-volatility investing, but is an independent investment style of its own.”

 

Diversified buy-and-hold portfolios are likely to finish the year with significant gains. Those who stayed in the markets in the spring were rewarded handsomely. As I write, many stocks currently look poised to carry positive momentum into 2021.

 

 

 

While growth, “new” economy and tech shares posted most of the headlines in the past several months, stocks with dividends contributed to portfolio returns. Although it is not possible to know what the new year may bring, I expect passive-income seekers to continue to favor robust dividend stocks.

 

Let’s now take a look at our four stocks with dividends that could help investors prepare for retirement: 

Continue reading …

 

Paychex, Inc. Set to Soar as Economy Reopens

 

COVID-19 Vaccine Could Be a Big Catalyst for Paychex, Inc.

 

One year into the COVID-19 pandemic and the end finally appears to be in sight.

 

In November, several biotech companies announced that they had produced effective vaccines. Yes, it will take months to ramp up production and immunize the general population. But the positive trial results put a definite timeline on the end of the economic lockdowns.

 

COVID-19 vaccines will provide a definite boost to the U.S. economy. Almost 15.0 million Americans lost their jobs as a result of the pandemic. But as governments loosen lockdown restrictions, many of those people will get back to work. (Source: “Unemployment Rose Higher in Three Months of COVID-19 Than It Did in Two Years of the Great Recession,” Pew Research Center, June 11, 2020.)

 

All of which means good news for Paychex, Inc. (NASDAQ:PAYX).

 

The company provides human resources, payroll, and benefits services to small and medium-sized businesses. In other words, it performs many of the boring back-office functions that companies need to keep their numbers straight. And this important service typically results in steady, recurring cash flows. That explains why Paychex stock has remained a member of the Automated Income model portfolio for years.

 

 

Admittedly, the pandemic presented two big problems for Paychex’s business. First, the company usually charges clients fees based on the number of their employees. So when businesses began laying off staff in the recession, that took a bite out of Paychex’s revenues. Second, Paychex earns interest income on funds held for clients. But with the Federal Reserve slashing yields to basically zero, the company has seen this passive income stream dry up.

 

Continue reading …

 

5 Dividend Stocks Likely to Up Their Yield Soon

 

These dividend stocks to buy are expected to raise their dividend in 2021, offering income and diversity

  

Dividend stocks are a special category of financial assets, providing a lot of benefits for investing that make them attractive for the majority of investors. Searching for dividend stocks to buy, investors will see they offer income and can provide stock price appreciation.

 

In general, dividend stocks are safer and less volatile compared to tech stocks or growth stocks.

 

The following five dividend stocks to buy are dividend aristocrats, have good fundamentals and are considered to be undervalued.

 

In addition, these dividend stocks offer sustainable income, diversification and are defensive stocks for a turbulent stock market in the future, which is a realistic scenario.

 

The dividend aristocrats definition makes these stocks interesting as a dividend aristocrat is a stock with a long history of raising its dividend, more than 10 years. The best part is the expectation of increasing the dividend in the future.

 

I particularly like dividend stocks for one key reason. They are suitable for passive investing, receiving the annual or quarterly dividend on time. But they can also be monitored for active trading. This means waiting for any stock price correction to buy low, and increase the total return, from a potential stock price appreciation and the

 

 

Here are five dividend stocks to buy that are attractive with high odds of increased dividends in the future.

 

Continue reading …

 

Royal Bank of Canada: Earn a Solid 4% Yield from a Foreign Bank?

 

Here’s a High-Yield Stock to Think About

  

One sector that suddenly received a lot more attention recently is banking. To give you an idea, the Dow Jones U.S. Bank Index has surged 22.8% since the beginning of November, substantially outperforming the already impressive performance of the broad market indices during this period.

 

Obviously, because banks have been a staple for many income investors, the recent rise in these companies’ share prices should be considered good news.

 

Looking a bit further back, though, things appeared less rosy. That’s because most U.S. bank stocks had a huge tumble during the pandemic-induced sell-off earlier this year. And even though the recent climb has been strong, many bank stocks are yet to make a full recovery. In fact, the Dow Jones U.S. Bank Index is still down by more than 20% year to date.

 

And that’s why Royal Bank of Canada (NYSE:RY) stands out.

 

 

I told readers of Income Investors to check out RY stock back in January. While there were solid U.S. bank stocks on the market, I thought this foreign bank was worth considering, due to the outsized yield and outstanding dividend safety. And because Royal Bank of Canada stock also trades on the New York Stock Exchange, it’s very convenient for American investors to buy and sell its shares.

 

Continue reading …

 

25 Dividend Stocks the Analysts Love Most for 2021

 

Income investors looking for more than just a little yield: These are the top dividend stocks for 2021, according to the pros.

 

One thing is clear when looking at the analysts' best dividend stocks right now: Wall Street expects big things from the beaten-down energy sector in 2021.

 

The pros are betting that the post-pandemic landscape will feature an increase in energy needs and perhaps a recovery in commodity prices, among other factors. And with the oil and gas industry expected to bounce back in the year ahead, the Street's most highly rated dividend stocks for 2021 include energy stocks of all stripes: oil and gas drillers, pipeline companies, oilfield services, and other sector names.

 

Although energy-sector names are over-represented on our list of analysts' favorite dividend payers, banks, pharmaceuticals and consumer staples also make appearances.

 

To find analysts' most beloved dividend stocks, we scoured the S&P 500 for dividend stocks with yields of at least 3%, excluding a number of extremely high yielders because of excessive risk. (Sometimes, a too-high yield can be a warning sign that a stock is in deep trouble.)

 

From that pool, we focused on stocks with an average broker recommendation of Buy or better. S&P Global Market Intelligence surveys analysts' stock ratings and scores them on a five-point scale, where 1.0 equals Strong Buy and 5.0 means Strong Sell. Any score of 2.5 or lower means that analysts, on average, rate the stock a Buy. The closer the score gets to 1.0, the stronger the Buy call.

 

 

Lastly, we dug into research, fundamental factors and analysts' estimates on the top-scoring names.

 

That led us to these top 25 dividend stocks for 2021, by virtue of their high analyst ratings and bullish outlooks. Read on as we analyze what makes each one stand out.

 

Continue reading …

 

8 Retirement Stocks You Can Rely On

 

These blue-chip retirement investments will keep your portfolio steady

 

It’s hard to imagine that we’ll have another year like 2020 in our lifetimes and for the most part, that would be a positive outcome. However, the impact of the novel coronavirus over the past several months has created viable market opportunities. With so many stocks moving to the upside, many have chased hot sectors like technology. However, this is also an ideal time to consider retirement investments.

 

Yes, I realize that the topic isn’t exactly the sexiest that I can discuss. However, retirement investments are a concept that we must all think about – and the earlier the better. For one thing, this market segment focuses on reliable, blue-chip giants that have a long, proven track record. While it’s tempting to go for the get-rich-quick stocks, some of these hot names aren’t going to last.

 

How can I be so sure? Historically, a new industry or innovation immediately attracts a wide base of competitors. But over time, the best rise to the top. That’s why you don’t hear about old school web browsers like Netscape Navigator. Today, the world (wide web) runs on Alphabet’s (NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google. To avoid the all-or-nothing proposition, it’s better to have some exposure to reliable retirement investments.

 

 

Second, big blue chips tend to be resilient – usually far more resilient – compared to flavor-of-the-week growth stocks. No, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with adding growth names to your portfolio. Ironically, it’s harder to get to retirement if you load up exclusively on retirement investments. But with uncertainty over the horizon, the smart approach is to lever yourself to companies that can withstand shocks to the system.

 

Continue reading …

 

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of December 14, 2020

 

Upgrades:

 

U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB) was upgraded by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from an "underweight" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, Briefing.com reports. The brokerage currently has a $51.50 price objective on the financial services provider's stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s price objective would suggest a potential upside of 12.35% from the company's previous close.

Several other analysts have also issued reports on the company. TheStreet raised U.S. Bancorp from a "c" rating to a "b-" rating in a research note on Thursday, October 15th. BidaskClub raised U.S. Bancorp from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Saturday. Morgan Stanley upgraded U.S. Bancorp from an "underweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating and set a $57.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Monday, November 30th. Stephens upgraded U.S. Bancorp from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $42.00 to $52.00 in a research report on Monday, November 30th. Finally, Bank of America upgraded U.S. Bancorp from an "underperform" rating to a "neutral" rating and boosted their price objective for the company from $39.00 to $41.00 in a research report on Wednesday, October 7th. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the company. The company has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $47.13. Read more …

 

The Clorox (NYSE:CLX) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Smith Barney Citigroup from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports. The firm presently has a $249.00 target price on the stock, up from their prior target price of $238.00. Smith Barney Citigroup’s price objective points to a potential upside of 22.62% from the company’s previous close.

Other equities analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded shares of The Clorox from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $235.00 target price for the company. in a report on Friday, October 16th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. ValuEngine downgraded shares of The Clorox from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 10th. DA Davidson raised their target price on shares of The Clorox from $263.00 to $268.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 3rd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their target price on shares of The Clorox from $223.00 to $227.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, November 3rd. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on shares of The Clorox in a report on Monday, December 7th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $250.00 target price for the company. Four analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $220.53. Read more …

 

Welltower (NYSE:WELL) was upgraded by KeyCorp from a “sector weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a report released on Monday, The Fly reports. The firm currently has a $70.00 price objective on the real estate investment trust’s stock. KeyCorp’s price objective indicates a potential upside of 8.95% from the company’s previous close.

Other analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Wells Fargo & Company cut shares of Welltower from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and upped their price objective for the company from $54.00 to $63.50 in a research report on Monday, November 16th. Barclays increased their price target on Welltower from $50.00 to $58.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Friday, September 4th. Mizuho cut Welltower from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and lifted their price objective for the company from $51.00 to $57.00 in a report on Friday, October 16th. Berenberg Bank lowered Welltower from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 2nd. Finally, Scotiabank downgraded shares of Welltower from a “sector perform” rating to a “sector underperform” rating and dropped their target price for the stock from $59.00 to $57.00 in a report on Thursday, December 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eighteen have issued a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $57.64. Read more …

 

 

American Water Works (NYSE:AWK) was upgraded by stock analysts at Bank of America from an "underperform" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research report issued on Monday, The Fly reports.

Other analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Zacks Investment Research upgraded American Water Works from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $169.00 price objective for the company in a report on Monday, November 9th. Janney Montgomery Scott downgraded American Water Works from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating in a report on Tuesday, October 13th. Barclays upped their price objective on American Water Works from $138.00 to $173.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Wednesday, November 18th. Finally, HSBC upgraded American Water Works from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $175.00 price target for the company in a report on Monday, November 9th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. The stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $145.92.

Shares of American Water Works stock opened at $148.28 on Monday. American Water Works has a fifty-two week low of $92.00 and a fifty-two week high of $172.56. The firm has a market cap of $26.88 billion, a PE ratio of 40.62, a P/E/G ratio of 4.71 and a beta of 0.18. The business's fifty day moving average is $155.39 and its two-hundred day moving average is $143.68. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 0.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.47. Read more …

 

Is Canadian National Railway a High-Quality Dividend Investment?

 

Investors often focus on businesses that are domiciled within the U.S. when selecting stocks for investment.

 

While this does make sense given that these companies are located in the same country that they live, it does preclude investors from taking advantage of attractive investment opportunities in other countries.

 

One such example could be Canadian National Railway (CNI), which is one of the largest equity positions in the Gates Foundation’s portfolio. Canadian National Railway is a highly profitable company with a long history of growing its dividend, meaning it appears to be a worthwhile consideration for income investors. This article will examine Canadian National Railway’s prospects as a dividend investment.

 

Background & Potential as a Dividend Investment

 

With a network of approximately 20,000 route miles, Canadian National Railway is the largest railway operator in Canada. The company handles more than 300 million tons of cargo each year that are worth more than $200 billion. Types of shipments include intermodal, grain, energy products, forest products, automobiles, metals and minerals. Canadian National Railway has a current market capitalization of almost USD$79 billion.

 

Continue reading  …

 

 

European Dividend Aristocrats: 41 Top-Flight International Dividend Stocks

 

The European Dividend Aristocrats don't have quite the payout-growth longevity of their American counterparts, but they still offer dividend hikes and blue-chip stability.

 

 

America’s stock market ran wild in 2019, putting up a far-above-average year despite trade skirmishes, global economic sluggishness and political tumult. That’s great for those already invested in stocks, but anyone with new money to spend is left looking at a lot of overvalued equities with severely depressed yields.

 

One solution? Peer over the Atlantic and seek out European Dividend Aristocrats.

 

You’re certainly familiar with the S&P Dividend Aristocrats – 57 dividend stocks that have raised their payouts for 25 or more years. Well, the European Dividend Aristocrats are of a similar vein. To qualify as European payout royalty, a company needs to show only 10 or more years of stable or increasing dividends. But these companies also provide investors with diversification and much more reasonable valuation than many of their American brethren.

 

 

Another perk: European Dividend Aristocrats yield more – substantially more. As of this writing, they collectively yield 3.2%, versus 1.9% for the S&P Dividend Aristocrats.

 

Continue reading …

 

11 Best Monthly Dividend Stocks and Funds for 2021

 

Your bills come monthly. Why not your dividend checks? These are some of 2021's best monthly dividend stocks and funds for easier income planning.

 

We're now in the final weeks of what has been the strangest year in living memory. But while so much has changed in 2020, one thing remains unquestionably the same: We still have bills to pay, and the vast majority of those bills come on a monthly schedule.

 

This is where monthly dividend stocks come into play.

 

Most dividend stocks pay quarterly, and most bonds pay semiannually. But monthly dividend stocks and funds have a payment schedule that actually aligns with your mortgage payment, utility bills and other monthly charges.

 

"We'd never recommend buying a stock purely because it has a monthly dividend," says Rachel Klinger, president of McCann Wealth Strategies, an investment adviser based in State College, Pennsylvania. "But monthly dividend stocks can be a nice addition to a portfolio and can add a little regularity to an investor's income stream."

 

2021 will hopefully look a lot different than 2020. With a COVID vaccine expected to be broadly available within a few months, we should see life returning to something a little closer to normal. All else equal, this should help dividend payers and value stocks in general, which have really struggled this year.

 

Today, we're going to take a look at 11 of the best monthly dividend stocks and funds to buy in 2021. You'll see a few similarities across the selection. Monthly payers tend to be concentrated in real estate investment trusts (REITs), business development companies (BDCs) and closed-end funds (CEFs). Many also tend to boast extremely high yields that are several times greater than the market average.

 

 

That means this list isn't particularly diversified, and it doesn't make a comprehensive portfolio. So you wouldn't want to completely overload your portfolio in stocks that pay monthly dividends. But they can certainly fill an important niche by delivering income stability.

 

Continue reading …

 

Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: Week of December 7, 2020

 

Disposals:

 

The Western Union Company (NYSE:WU) insider Richard L. Williams sold 15,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, December 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $21.92, for a total value of $328,800.00. Following the sale, the insider now owns 129,947 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,848,438.24. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

Shares of WU stock traded up $0.07 on Tuesday, hitting $21.80. 3,928,124 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 6,116,995. The firm has a market capitalization of $8.96 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.94, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.47 and a beta of 0.88. The business has a 50-day moving average of $21.40 and a 200 day moving average of $22.06. The Western Union Company has a fifty-two week low of $17.39 and a fifty-two week high of $28.44. Read more …

 

Dominion Energy, Inc. (NYSE:D) Chairman Thomas F. Farrell II sold 50,000 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $75.87, for a total value of $3,793,500.00. Following the transaction, the chairman now directly owns 901,144 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $68,369,795.28. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink.

Shares of NYSE D traded down $1.39 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $74.75. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 8,737,890 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,071,550. The company has a current ratio of 1.13, a quick ratio of 1.04 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.29. The business’s 50 day moving average is $81.14 and its two-hundred day moving average is $80.38. Dominion Energy, Inc. has a 12-month low of $57.79 and a 12-month high of $90.89. The firm has a market cap of $60.98 billion, a P/E ratio of -3,747.50, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 5.94 and a beta of 0.37. Read more …

 

International Paper (NYSE:IP) SVP John V. Sims sold 8,627 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.49, for a total value of $426,950.23. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

Shares of IP stock traded up $0.45 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $49.54. The company had a trading volume of 2,616,914 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,192,156. The company has a market cap of $19.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.63 and a beta of 1.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.20, a current ratio of 1.33 and a quick ratio of 1.09. International Paper has a 12 month low of $26.38 and a 12 month high of $51.99. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $47.80 and a 200-day simple moving average of $40.07.  Read more …

 

 

QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) EVP Alexander H. Rogers sold 35,102 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $157.17, for a total value of $5,516,981.34. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 64,365 shares in the company, valued at approximately $10,116,247.05. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

Alexander H. Rogers also recently made the following trade(s):

On Friday, October 2nd, Alexander H. Rogers sold 8,491 shares of QUALCOMM stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $116.78, for a total value of $991,578.98.

Shares of QCOM traded up $0.78 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $158.80. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 6,081,996 shares, compared to its average volume of 9,945,300. QUALCOMM Incorporated has a one year low of $58.00 and a one year high of $159.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.67, a quick ratio of 1.67 and a current ratio of 1.97. The firm has a market capitalization of $179.60 billion, a PE ratio of 67.05, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.89 and a beta of 1.34. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $139.53 and its two-hundred day moving average is $111.89. Read more …

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of December 7, 2020

 

Upgrades:

 

AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN) was upgraded by research analysts at Morgan Stanley from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating in a research note issued on Monday, Briefing.com reports.

Several other brokerages also recently commented on AZN. HSBC upgraded shares of AstraZeneca from a "reduce" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, November 11th. Oddo Bhf upgraded AstraZeneca from a "reduce" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 23rd. Berenberg Bank initiated coverage on AstraZeneca in a report on Tuesday, September 29th. They issued a "buy" rating on the stock. Finally, UBS Group upgraded AstraZeneca from a "sell" rating to a "neutral" rating in a report on Monday, November 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. The company has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $61.00.

AZN stock opened at $53.74 on Monday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $53.58 and a two-hundred day moving average of $54.49. The company has a market cap of $141.05 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 64.75, a PEG ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 0.50. AstraZeneca has a 12-month low of $36.15 and a 12-month high of $64.94. The company has a quick ratio of 0.63, a current ratio of 0.82 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.14. Read more …

 

Vodafone Group (NASDAQ:VOD) was upgraded by Redburn Partners from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued on Monday, The Fly reports.

VOD has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Vodafone Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $18.00 price target on the stock in a report on Friday, November 20th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a “buy” rating on shares of Vodafone Group in a report on Wednesday, October 7th. UBS Group reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of Vodafone Group in a research note on Wednesday, November 11th. Finally, BidaskClub lowered Vodafone Group from a “sell” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research note on Saturday, November 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the stock. The company presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $17.00. Read more …

 

The Unilever Group (NYSE:UN) was upgraded by investment analysts at Investec from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

UN has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of The Unilever Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, November 6th. Credit Suisse Group reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of The Unilever Group in a research note on Monday, August 17th. Citigroup Inc. 3% Minimum Coupon Principal Protected Based Upon Russell initiated coverage on The Unilever Group in a research report on Thursday, November 12th. They issued a “buy” rating for the company. Smith Barney Citigroup assumed coverage on The Unilever Group in a research report on Thursday, November 12th. They set a “buy” rating on the stock. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on The Unilever Group in a research report on Monday, October 19th. They set a “buy” rating for the company. Four analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the company. The company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $59.50. Read more …

 

 

Chubb (NYSE:CB) was upgraded by investment analysts at Smith Barney Citigroup from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports. The firm presently has a $176.00 price objective on the financial services provider's stock, up from their previous price objective of $138.00. Smith Barney Citigroup's price objective points to a potential upside of 15.04% from the stock's previous close.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. Raymond James upgraded Chubb from an "outperform" rating to a "strong-buy" rating and increased their price target for the stock from $150.00 to $180.00 in a report on Tuesday, November 24th. Bank of America upgraded Chubb from an "underperform" rating to a "neutral" rating and increased their price target for the stock from $123.00 to $132.00 in a report on Thursday, October 29th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Citigroup Inc. 3% Minimum Coupon Principal Protected Based Upon Russell raised Chubb from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and upped their target price for the stock from $138.00 to $176.00 in a research report on Tuesday. Morgan Stanley upped their target price on Chubb from $137.00 to $149.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 24th. Finally, MKM Partners upped their target price on Chubb from $150.00 to $180.00 in a research report on Friday, November 27th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Chubb presently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $153.95. Read more …

Main Street Capital Corporation: Monthly Dividend Stock Yields 7.7%

 

A High-Yield Stock to Think About

 

Main Street Capital Corporation (NYSE:MAIN) may not sound like a familiar name to most people, but there are two obvious reasons why it stands out compared to other stocks in today’s market.

 

The first reason is its yield.

 

Interest rates and market dividend yields are currently near the low end of their historical averages. The 10-year U.S. Treasury note yields just 0.95% at the time of this writing. Meanwhile, the average dividend yield of companies in the S&P 500 is a measly 1.6%. (Source: “S&P 500 Dividend Yield,” multipl.com, last accessed December 8, 2020.)

 

Main Street Capital Corporation, on the other hand, currently offers an annual dividend yield of 7.7%.

 

The second reason is the company’s payout frequency.

 

You see, among the stocks that have a regular dividend policy (plenty of companies don’t pay any dividend at all), the vast majority of them have a quarterly distribution schedule, meaning shareholders have to wait three months between dividend payments.

 

The wait time for MAIN stock investors, though, is much shorter; Main Street Capital is a monthly dividend stock.

 

 

So, what we have here is a high-yield stock that pays investors on a monthly basis, which, given the current economic environment, may prompt the question of whether the payout is too good to be true.

 

To answer that question, let’s take a look at what the company does.

 

Continue reading …

 

These Are the Highest-Yielding Consumer Staples Stocks

 

These Consumer Staples Stocks Pay Up to 7%

 

If you’re like me, you’ve probably noticed today’s rock-bottom yields.

 

In a bid to prop up the economy, the Federal Reserve has slashed interest rates to record lows. That has meant plunging payouts from corporate bonds, Treasury notes, and other fixed-income investments.

 

All of which is bad news for savers. Today, even a six-figure nest egg will only generate a meager amount of interest income. And thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, analysts don’t expect yields to rise anytime soon.

 

One possible solution: consumer staples stocks.

 

Investors have long prized these stocks for their reliable, recession-proof cash flows. Even in an economic downturn, people still need to buy food, brush their teeth, and clean their homes.

 

But the best part? Consumer staples stocks are often the highest-yield investments around.

 

Most of the companies in this sector operate in mature industries with limited growth prospects. That means management teams don’t need to invest much in the way of new properties, plants, and equipment. As a result, almost all of their profits can flow straight to their shareholders.

 

 

To help get you started, I’ve highlighted a handful high-yield consumer staples stocks below.

 

As I always like to make clear in these types of articles, the list below doesn’t constitute a series of “buy” recommendations. It does, however, serve as a great starting point for further research. Just be sure to do your own homework before picking any specific stock.

 

Continue reading …

 

Kroger: Double-Digit Returns Ahead

 

The company continues to see a tailwind from the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic

 

Results for the Kroger Co. (NYSE:KR) have been excellent year to date. The catalyst for this growth has been the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, which has forced consumers to eat more meals at home. The pandemic doesn't appear to be lightening up as the number of cases continues to grow nationwide. More states have been imposing restrictions on indoor dining, if they even allow for people to eat inside of restaurants.

 

That said, shares of Kroger have lost more than 15% over the last three months while the S&P 500 is 6% higher.

 

On the heels of first and second-quarter results where earnings per share grew a combined 68% and revenue improved 10%, Kroger's third-quarter was also quite strong. Is this, plus the decline in share price, enough to buy shares of the company?

 

Quarterly highlights and valuation analysis

 

Kroger reported third-quarter earnings results on Dec. 3. The grocery store chain's adjusted earnings per share of 71 cents was an increase of 24 cents, or 51%, from the prior year. This was also 5 cents ahead of what Wall Street analysts had expected. Revenue grew 6.3% to $29.7 billion, but was $242 million short of estimates.

 

 

Comparable sales excluding fuel were higher by 10.9% compared to consensus estimates of 9.3%. Outside of fuel, which saw a 13% decline in gallons, growth was broad-based. Kroger has seen real success with its own brands. For example, brand growth was 8.6% in the quarter, but Private Selection grew 17% while Simple Truth was 15% higher. Digital sales more than doubled, adding 4.6% to comparable sales.

 

Continue reading …

 

Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: Week of November 30, 2020

 

Disposals:

 

Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK) SVP Thomas Donato sold 1,500 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, November 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $255.00, for a total transaction of $382,500.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 969 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $247,095. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink.

Shares of NYSE ROK traded down $3.20 during trading on Monday, hitting $252.73. The company had a trading volume of 15,762 shares, compared to its average volume of 885,681. Rockwell Automation, Inc. has a 52 week low of $115.38 and a 52 week high of $267.48. The business's 50-day moving average is $244.58 and its 200 day moving average is $224.86. The company has a market cap of $29.73 billion, a P/E ratio of 38.84, a PEG ratio of 4.78 and a beta of 1.47. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.81, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a current ratio of 1.31.

Rockwell Automation (NYSE:ROK) last issued its earnings results on Sunday, November 15th. The industrial products company reported $1.87 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the Zacks' consensus estimate of $1.77 by $0.10. Rockwell Automation had a return on equity of 105.45% and a net margin of 11.85%. The business had revenue of $1.57 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $1.58 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $2.01 EPS. The company's quarterly revenue was down 9.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, research analysts expect that Rockwell Automation, Inc. will post 7.54 EPS for the current year. Read more …

 

The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW) Chairman Charles R. Schwab sold 98,870 shares of The Charles Schwab stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $49.81, for a total value of $4,924,714.70. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink.

Shares of NYSE:SCHW traded down $0.92 during trading on Monday, hitting $48.78. 21,639,359 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 11,916,492. The stock has a market cap of $93.26 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.69 and a beta of 1.13. The Charles Schwab Co. has a fifty-two week low of $28.00 and a fifty-two week high of $51.65. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $42.36 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $37.01. The company has a current ratio of 0.30, a quick ratio of 0.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33.

The Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, October 15th. The financial services provider reported $0.48 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the Thomson Reuters' consensus estimate of $0.47 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $2.45 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.43 billion. The Charles Schwab had a return on equity of 14.02% and a net margin of 29.80%. The business's quarterly revenue was down 9.7% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.70 EPS. As a group, research analysts predict that The Charles Schwab Co. will post 2.17 EPS for the current year. Read more …

 

The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) Director Nelson Peltz sold 306,567 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $137.31, for a total value of $42,094,714.77. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link.

Shares of NYSE:PG traded up $0.26 during trading on Monday, reaching $138.87. 10,877,334 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 8,135,707. The company has a current ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51. The firm has a market capitalization of $344.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 26.55, a P/E/G ratio of 3.53 and a beta of 0.43. The business's fifty day moving average is $141.17 and its 200-day moving average is $131.02. The Procter & Gamble Company has a 52-week low of $94.34 and a 52-week high of $146.92.

The Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, October 20th. The company reported $1.63 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $1.42 by $0.21. The company had revenue of $19.32 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $18.38 billion. The Procter & Gamble had a return on equity of 29.53% and a net margin of 18.36%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was up 8.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned $1.37 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts predict that The Procter & Gamble Company will post 5.45 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. Read more …

 

 

Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) CFO Kelly A. Kramer sold 45,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, November 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $42.81, for a total value of $1,926,450.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 297,078 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $12,717,909.18. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

Shares of CSCO stock traded up $0.52 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $43.54. 23,926,012 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 25,756,674. The company has a market cap of $183.98 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.70, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.23 and a beta of 0.87. The company’s 50 day moving average is $39.51 and its two-hundred day moving average is $42.85. Cisco Systems, Inc. has a 1 year low of $32.40 and a 1 year high of $50.28. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25, a current ratio of 1.59 and a quick ratio of 1.54. Read more …

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of November 30, 2020 (Part 2)

 

Upgrades:

  

The Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW) was upgraded by investment analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports. The firm currently has a $58.00 price objective on the financial services provider's stock, up from their prior price objective of $44.00. Wells Fargo & Company's price objective suggests a potential upside of 18.90% from the stock's current price.

A number of other analysts have also recently commented on SCHW. Bank of America boosted their price objective on The Charles Schwab from $40.00 to $42.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, October 16th. TheStreet raised shares of The Charles Schwab from a "c" rating to a "b-" rating in a research note on Thursday, October 8th. Raymond James reissued a "hold" rating on shares of The Charles Schwab in a research note on Thursday, August 6th. Citigroup Inc. 3% Minimum Coupon Principal Protected Based Upon Russell raised shares of The Charles Schwab from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and raised their price target for the stock from $44.00 to $54.00 in a research note on Tuesday, November 17th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group raised their price target on shares of The Charles Schwab from $41.00 to $43.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 3rd. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the stock. The company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $47.53. Read more …

 

The Southern (NYSE:SO) was upgraded by analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

Several other equities analysts have also recently commented on the stock. UBS Group dropped their target price on shares of The Southern from $57.00 to $55.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, September 1st. Barclays boosted their target price on shares of The Southern from $61.00 to $73.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 18th. KeyCorp boosted their target price on shares of The Southern from $65.00 to $66.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, October 19th. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on shares of The Southern from $60.00 to $62.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 17th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets began coverage on shares of The Southern in a research report on Tuesday, November 24th. They issued a “market perform” rating and a $67.00 target price for the company. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the stock. The stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $63.66. Read more …

 

FedEx (NYSE:FDX)‘s stock had its “buy” rating reaffirmed by analysts at Sanford C. Bernstein in a research report issued on Wednesday, AnalystRatings.net reports. They currently have a $308.00 price objective on the shipping service provider’s stock. Sanford C. Bernstein’s price target suggests a potential upside of 5.25% from the company’s current price.

Several other brokerages have also recently weighed in on FDX. TheStreet raised FedEx from a “c+” rating to a “b” rating in a report on Tuesday, September 15th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of FedEx from $221.00 to $286.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 16th. Berenberg Bank reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $320.00 price objective on shares of FedEx in a research note on Tuesday, October 27th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upgraded shares of FedEx from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and upped their target price for the company from $243.00 to $318.00 in a research report on Monday, September 28th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $298.00 price objective (up from $265.00) on shares of FedEx in a research note on Wednesday, September 16th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating, eighteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. The company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $287.48. Read more …

 

 

S&P Global (NYSE:SPGI) was upgraded by equities researchers at Wells Fargo & Company from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating in a research note issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

SPGI has been the topic of a number of other reports. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price objective on S&P Global from $351.00 to $353.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, October 2nd. UBS Group increased their price objective on S&P Global from $418.00 to $422.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, October 6th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft started coverage on S&P Global in a report on Monday. They issued a "buy" rating and a $415.00 price objective on the stock. BMO Capital Markets cut their price objective on S&P Global from $375.00 to $392.00 in a report on Wednesday, October 28th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their target price on S&P Global from $404.00 to $411.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 28th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. S&P Global has an average rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $366.64. Read more …