August 31, 2021

Why Johnson & Johnson Is Still a Solid Retirement Stock

 

A Dividend Stock Worth Owning Forever?

 


 

One of the main reasons I like blue-chip dividend stocks is that they’re great for retirement investors. In an era when savings accounts pay next to nothing, a reliable stream of dividends can go a long way toward helping folks enjoy their golden years.

 

One company that has done a fantastic job on the dividend front is Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ). In fact, because of JNJ stock’s strong share-price performance, not only has it provided reliable passive income, but it has also allowed some investors to retire early. Over the past 20 years, the total return from Johnson & Johnson stock is over 450%.

 

Obviously, that massive return also means JNJ stock is more expensive than before. Indeed, from a valuation perspective, Johnson & Johnson stock isn’t cheap compared to its past or its peers.

 

But there are still very good reasons to consider JNJ stock for a retirement portfolio.

 

First, Johnson & Johnson stock yields 2.4%. That’s not only better than what you get from any savings account these days, but also higher than the average dividend yield of all S&P 500 companies, which is 1.3% at the moment. (Source: “S&P 500 Dividend Yield,” multpl.com, last accessed August 27, 2021.)

 

 

Second, JNJ stock pays increasing dividends, so investors who buy shares today can look forward to earning higher yield on cost in the years ahead.

 

Continue reading …

 

August 28, 2021

Most Significant Insider Trades: Week of August 23, 2021

 



Disposals:

 


Eaton Co. plc (NYSE:ETN) insider Nandakumar Cheruvatath sold 7,529 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $168.00, for a total transaction of $1,264,872.00. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link.

Nandakumar Cheruvatath also recently made the following trade(s):

On Wednesday, June 2nd, Nandakumar Cheruvatath sold 6,400 shares of Eaton stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $146.56, for a total transaction of $937,984.00.

ETN stock traded up $1.38 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $168.84. 1,398,200 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,971,036. Eaton Co. plc has a 52-week low of $96.24 and a 52-week high of $169.64. The company has a market cap of $67.30 billion, a PE ratio of 36.00, a P/E/G ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 1.14. The company has a current ratio of 1.10, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.56. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $154.87. Read more …

 


eBay Inc. (NASDAQ:EBAY) Director Robert Holmes Swan sold 40,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $73.15, for a total transaction of $2,926,000.00. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link.

EBAY stock traded down $0.16 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $73.20. The company had a trading volume of 5,036,311 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,620,209. The stock has a market cap of $47.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 3.91, a PEG ratio of 2.12 and a beta of 1.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, a quick ratio of 3.96 and a current ratio of 3.96. eBay Inc. has a 12 month low of $45.36 and a 12 month high of $76.55. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $69.12. Read more …

 


The Wendy’s Company (NASDAQ:WEN) Director Matthew H. Peltz sold 161,922 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 25th. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.49, for a total transaction of $3,803,547.78.  He also sold 382,403 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $23.38, for a total value of $8,940,582.14. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link.

Shares of The Wendy’s stock traded up $0.16 on Friday, reaching $23.34. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,998,691 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,691,044. The company has a market cap of $5.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 28.81, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.22 and a beta of 0.94. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $23.02. The Wendy’s Company has a 52 week low of $18.86 and a 52 week high of $29.46. The company has a quick ratio of 2.24, a current ratio of 2.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 5.08. Read more …

 

 


NVIDIA Co. (NASDAQ:NVDA) Director Persis Drell sold 10,000 shares of NVIDIA stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $203.41, for a total value of $2,034,100.00. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

Persis Drell also recently made the following trade(s):

On Monday, June 14th, Persis Drell sold 800 shares of NVIDIA stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $716.47, for a total value of $573,176.00.

NASDAQ:NVDA traded down $1.65 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $217.93. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 29,542,888 shares, compared to its average volume of 35,407,160. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $196.49. The stock has a market cap of $543.08 billion, a P/E ratio of 77.63, a P/E/G ratio of 3.55 and a beta of 1.35. The company has a quick ratio of 5.33, a current ratio of 5.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52. NVIDIA Co. has a 12 month low of $115.67 and a 12 month high of $219.97. Read more …

August 27, 2021

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of August 23, 2021

 



Upgrades:

 


Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Bank of America to a “buy” rating in a research report issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Several other analysts also recently weighed in on the company. upgraded Best Buy to a “buy” rating and upped their price objective for the stock from $86.00 to $109.00 in a research report on Friday, May 28th. Barclays upped their target price on Best Buy from $121.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, May 28th. Zacks Investment Research raised Best Buy from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $125.00 target price for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 28th. Piper Sandler upped their target price on Best Buy from $140.00 to $144.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, May 28th. Finally, Telsey Advisory Group upped their target price on Best Buy from $130.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Friday, May 28th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and thirteen have given a buy rating to the company. The company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $122.65. Read more …

 


DICK’S Sporting Goods (NYSE:DKS) was upgraded by Raymond James from an “underperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a report released on Thursday, Price Targets.com reports.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on DKS. Argus upped their target price on shares of DICK’S Sporting Goods from $92.00 to $110.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, June 7th. Barclays upped their target price on shares of DICK’S Sporting Goods from $86.00 to $142.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 27th. Cowen upped their target price on shares of DICK’S Sporting Goods to $150.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, August 20th. Robert W. Baird increased their price objective on shares of DICK’S Sporting Goods from $100.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Wednesday. Finally, Credit Suisse Group increased their price objective on shares of DICK’S Sporting Goods from $72.00 to $88.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 27th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and thirteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. The stock currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $112.10. Read more …

 


Ventas (NYSE:VTR) was upgraded by equities research analysts at BMO Capital Markets from an "underperform" rating to a "market perform" rating in a report issued on Thursday, The Fly reports. The brokerage presently has a $60.00 price target on the real estate investment trust's stock. BMO Capital Markets' target price indicates a potential upside of 8.83% from the stock's current price.

Other research analysts have also issued reports about the company. Raymond James raised their target price on Ventas from $61.00 to $65.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 15th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on shares of Ventas from $50.00 to $61.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research note on Thursday, June 3rd. Mizuho reissued a "neutral" rating and issued a $45.00 price target on shares of Ventas in a research note on Wednesday, July 14th. Wolfe Research began coverage on Ventas in a research report on Monday, June 14th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $71.00 target price for the company. Finally, Scotiabank upped their price target on Ventas from $61.00 to $63.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 1st. Ten investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. Ventas presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $57.56. Read more …

 

 


Welltower (NYSE:WELL) was upgraded by research analysts at BMO Capital Markets from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research note issued on Thursday, The Fly reports. The brokerage presently has a $100.00 target price on the real estate investment trust’s stock. BMO Capital Markets’ target price suggests a potential upside of 17.80% from the company’s current price.

A number of other research firms also recently weighed in on WELL. Wolfe Research started coverage on Welltower in a research note on Monday, June 14th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $94.00 price target on the stock. Evercore ISI raised shares of Welltower from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and upped their price target for the stock from $77.00 to $86.00 in a research note on Monday, June 14th. KeyCorp boosted their price objective on shares of Welltower from $88.00 to $96.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 11th. Raymond James increased their target price on shares of Welltower from $92.00 to $95.00 and gave the company a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Thursday, July 1st. Finally, Capital One Financial raised Welltower from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research note on Friday, May 21st. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. The stock has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $80.52. Read more …

August 26, 2021

7 Mega-Cap Stocks to Buy That Have Stable Dividends

 

These picks may not be as exciting as growth stocks, but they do offer reliability

 

 


This is no longer our grandparents’ or even parents’ stock market. High valuations have become the norm in an investing world dominated by retail traders. But when market volatility is high and economic uncertainty is on the rise, your best bet is to invest in mega-cap stocks.

 

Why? Well, although there are no guarantees in the stock market, you can rest easy when you have invested in a large enterprise. That’s because they offer strong price momentum, excellent dividends and a stable long-term outlook.

 

So, with that in mind, this list will provide seven mega-cap stocks that offer all these things and more. During times like these, it cannot hurt to fireproof your portfolio with these kinds of mature companies.

 

 

Yes, these investments might not result in triple-digit gains. But you will rarely have headaches or sleepless nights when investing in mega-cap stocks.

 

Continue reading …

 

August 24, 2021

14 Best Infrastructure Stocks for America's Big Building Spend

 

These 14 infrastructure stocks represent several themes that could enjoy a boost should the roughly $1 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act become law.

 


President Joe Biden's administration has spent months on one of its highest priorities: the much-anticipated "American Jobs Plan" – a potential booster shot to infrastructure stocks of all shapes and sizes.

 

But while the AJP is effectively dead in the water, a new deal is showing promise in Washington. Specifically, a roughly $1 trillion compromise plan called the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act has recently passed in the Senate.

 

A reminder: Biden's original $2.25 trillion infrastructure proposal would have been the biggest public works program in decades. In the president's own words, it would be "unlike anything we have seen or done since we built the interstate highway system and the space race." But large portions of the proposed bill faced significant hurdles in Congress. For example, there were sections that addressed improvements to the home healthcare system and called for the creation of jobs at "prevailing wages in safe and healthy workspaces" that critics said had little to do with what we might normally consider infrastructure.

 

That said, infrastructure spending is generally popular with voters. Hatred of potholes and gridlock seem to be one of the few areas of agreement between Republicans and Democrats.

 

 

"Maintaining America's place as the world's premier economy isn't something that just happens," says Chase Robertson of Houston-based RIA Robertson Wealth Management. "It requires investment. Most of that investment comes from the private sector, but certain things – particularly roads, bridges and shared infrastructure – tends to be funded by the government. And the new administration has made it very clear that this is a major priority."

 

The new infrastructure bill, which likely won't be considered by the House until fall, has a nearly $1 trillion price tag that includes $550 billion in new spending on physical infrastructure such as roads, bridges, rail, broadband internet and electric vehicles, among other projects. That should be a boon to traditional infrastructure stocks.

 

Continue reading …

 

August 21, 2021

Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: Week of August 16, 2021

 



Disposals:

 


C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHRW) insider Michael John Short sold 2,693 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $91.49, for a total value of $246,382.57. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link.

CHRW traded up $0.42 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $92.32. The stock had a trading volume of 726,757 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,077,072. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $93.49. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. has a 1 year low of $84.67 and a 1 year high of $106.75. The stock has a market capitalization of $12.16 billion, a PE ratio of 19.24, a PEG ratio of 1.91 and a beta of 0.71. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.57, a quick ratio of 1.44 and a current ratio of 1.44. Read more …

 


Nucor Co. (NYSE:NUE) insider Michael D. Keller sold 3,431 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $127.40, for a total transaction of $437,109.40. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link.

Shares of NYSE NUE traded down $1.81 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $124.36. 272,866 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,328,026. The stock has a market cap of $36.52 billion, a PE ratio of 12.17 and a beta of 1.38. The company has a quick ratio of 1.76, a current ratio of 3.11 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42. Nucor Co. has a 52 week low of $44.05 and a 52 week high of $128.81. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $100.56. Read more …

 


American States Water (NYSE:AWR) Director Janice F. Wilkins sold 2,225 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $89.87, for a total transaction of $199,960.75. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

Shares of AWR stock traded down $1.30 on Tuesday, hitting $89.21. The stock had a trading volume of 1,187 shares, compared to its average volume of 186,088. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.20 and a beta of 0.05. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $84.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.90, a current ratio of 1.22 and a quick ratio of 1.15. American States Water has a 52-week low of $69.25 and a 52-week high of $92.07. Read more …

 

 


NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE) EVP Ronald R. Reagan sold 4,166 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $84.00, for a total transaction of $349,944.00. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink.

Shares of NYSE NEE traded down $0.60 during trading on Tuesday, hitting $83.35. The stock had a trading volume of 187,982 shares, compared to its average volume of 8,099,896. NextEra Energy, Inc. has a 12 month low of $66.79 and a 12 month high of $87.69. The company has a quick ratio of 0.38, a current ratio of 0.48 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05. The firm has a market capitalization of $163.49 billion, a P/E ratio of 52.63, a PEG ratio of 4.14 and a beta of 0.19. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $76.39. Read more …

August 20, 2021

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of August 16, 2021

 



Upgrades:

 


Compass Minerals International (NYSE:CMP) was upgraded by investment analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from an "underweight" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research note issued on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

Several other research firms have also recently issued reports on CMP. CL King raised Compass Minerals International from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $75.00 target price for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 14th. Zacks Investment Research cut Compass Minerals International from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research note on Tuesday, July 13th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. Compass Minerals International has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $62.60.

CMP stock opened at $67.71 on Tuesday. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $64.68. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 9.60, a quick ratio of 1.50 and a current ratio of 2.06. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.30 billion, a PE ratio of -16.51 and a beta of 1.63. Compass Minerals International has a 52-week low of $54.24 and a 52-week high of $72.00. Read more …

 


ViacomCBS (NASDAQ:VIAC) was upgraded by stock analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports. The firm presently has a $50.00 price target on the stock, up from their prior price target of $45.00. Wells Fargo & Company‘s price target would indicate a potential upside of 28.11% from the company’s current price.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the company. decreased their target price on ViacomCBS from $56.00 to $54.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, May 21st. Royal Bank of Canada upgraded ViacomCBS from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and increased their price objective for the company from $26.00 to $52.00 in a report on Friday, May 7th. BMO Capital Markets dropped their price objective on ViacomCBS from $55.00 to $48.00 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, May 10th. Moffett Nathanson upgraded ViacomCBS from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report on Monday, April 26th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised ViacomCBS from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and upped their target price for the company from $32.00 to $45.00 in a research report on Friday, August 6th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $49.96. Read more …

 


The Wendy’s (NASDAQ:WEN) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Oppenheimer from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research report issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Several other equities research analysts also recently issued reports on WEN. TheStreet upgraded The Wendy’s from a “c+” rating to a “b” rating in a report on Friday, May 7th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on The Wendy’s from $24.00 to $26.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, August 12th. Wedbush boosted their price objective on The Wendy’s from $27.00 to $28.50 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 12th. MKM Partners boosted their price objective on The Wendy’s from $27.00 to $28.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, August 12th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research downgraded The Wendy’s from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $30.00 price objective on the stock. in a report on Wednesday, June 9th. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $26.73. Read more …

 

 


Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) was upgraded by equities researchers at JPMorgan Chase & Co. to an “overweight” rating in a research note issued on Thursday, The Fly reports. The brokerage currently has a $180.00 target price on the iPhone maker’s stock, up from their previous target price of $175.00. JPMorgan Chase & Co.‘s price objective suggests a potential upside of 23.86% from the company’s previous close.

AAPL has been the subject of several other research reports. UBS Group raised their price target on Apple from $166.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 28th. Wedbush raised their price target on Apple from $175.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, April 29th. Raymond James raised their price target on Apple from $160.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, April 29th. Oppenheimer raised their price target on Apple from $160.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 28th. Finally, Fundamental Research raised their price target on Apple from $144.27 to $163.99 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, August 3rd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and twenty-six have assigned a buy rating to the company. The company presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $156.74. Read more …

August 19, 2021

13 Best Consumer Discretionary Stocks for the Rest of 2021

 

Consumer discretionary stocks have plenty of catalysts to drive them higher into year's end. Here are 13 picks to watch.

 


 

Consumer discretionary stocks put in a solid performance through the first six months of 2021. But what's in store for the second half?

 

While rising concerns over the delta variant of COVID-19 could stall the sector's upside in the short term, the latter half of the year could be even more rewarding than the first.

 

In its 2021 Midyear Equity Sector Outlook, Wells Fargo suggests that the sub-sectors that were strongest prior to the pandemic will most likely show leadership after a full reopening.

 

"We continue to favor internet & direct marketing retail, which was a strong sub-industry going into the pandemic, grew in importance throughout the pandemic, and we expect to exit the pandemic a healthier/stronger industry than most, if not all, consumer sub-industries," Wells Fargo's strategists say. "We also favor discounters, mass-merchants and off-price retailers as we believe they will likely benefit disproportionately from the multiple government stimulus programs."

 

 

 

With this in mind, we have compiled a list of the 13 best consumer discretionary stocks for the second half of 2021. If you're looking for consumer-facing plays to position for more upside through year's end – a time frame that encompasses both the back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons – this list of companies might have something for you.

 

Continue reading …

 

August 16, 2021

Here’s Why Coca-Cola Co Remains a Top Dividend Stock for 2021 & Beyond

 

Ignore This Dividend Giant & You Might Kick Yourself Later

 


 

Despite being a household name to consumers worldwide, Coca-Cola Co (NYSE:KO) seems to be a forgotten ticker in the stock market. Sure, KO stock did enjoy a nice rally following the market crash in March 2020, but its performance hasn’t exactly been stellar.

 

To give you an idea, Coca-Cola stock reached over $60.00 per share in February 2020—right before the pandemic-induced sell-off. As of this writing, it trades at $56.84 apiece.

 

In other words, while the overall market has soared to new heights, the share price of this multinational beverage company is yet to climb back to its pre-pandemic peak.

 

In fact, the theme over the past year and a half seems to have been that market participants prefer growth stocks to dividend stocks. Coca-Cola Co is the quintessential dividend stock, so while the fast-growing tech names were shooting to the moon, KO stock was left on Earth.

 

It’s easy to be a trend-follower and rush toward the tech sector. But if you’re an income investor, Coca-Cola stock remains one of the most solid dividend plays in the market. And that means its underperformance could actually represent an opportunity.

 

 

You see, income investors want to collect sizable, reliable dividends. At the time of this writing, KO stock yields three percent, which may not seem like much, as there are plenty of higher yielders.

 

Continue reading …

 

August 14, 2021

Week's Most Significant Insider Trades: Week of August 9, 2021

 



Disposals:

 


Albemarle Co. (NYSE:ALB) EVP Karen G. Narwold sold 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $216.12, for a total transaction of $2,161,200.00. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link.

Karen G. Narwold also recently made the following trade(s):

On Tuesday, June 8th, Karen G. Narwold sold 1,338 shares of Albemarle stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $171.30, for a total value of $229,199.40.

 NYSE:ALB traded up $4.67 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $231.38. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,422,671 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,410,407. The company has a market capitalization of $27.06 billion, a PE ratio of 37.63, a P/E/G ratio of 3.14 and a beta of 1.56. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 2.18 and a quick ratio of 1.44. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $179.29. Albemarle Co. has a 52-week low of $79.06 and a 52-week high of $232.53. Read more …

 


Nucor Co. (NYSE:NUE) EVP Kenneth Rex Query sold 3,792 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, August 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $101.88, for a total transaction of $386,328.96. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website.

Nucor Co. (NYSE:NUE) EVP Allen C. Behr sold 6,103 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $123.28, for a total value of $752,377.84. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

NYSE NUE traded up $0.76 on Thursday, reaching $123.48. 177,754 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,306,208. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $99.85. The company has a market cap of $36.95 billion, a PE ratio of 12.04 and a beta of 1.38. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a current ratio of 3.11 and a quick ratio of 1.76. Nucor Co. has a fifty-two week low of $44.05 and a fifty-two week high of $123.98. Read more …

 


Target Co. (NYSE:TGT) insider Don H. Liu sold 3,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $261.93, for a total value of $785,790.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 62,017 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $16,244,112.81. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

TGT traded up $2.32 on Monday, reaching $262.41. 2,491,688 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 3,449,493. Target Co. has a one year low of $131.25 and a one year high of $263.46. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $244.94. The firm has a market capitalization of $129.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.40, a P/E/G ratio of 1.56 and a beta of 1.01. The company has a current ratio of 1.07, a quick ratio of 0.51 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.77. Read more …

 

 


The Charles Schwab Co. (NYSE:SCHW) Chairman Charles R. Schwab sold 81,400 shares of The Charles Schwab stock in a transaction dated Friday, August 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $71.21, for a total value of $5,796,494.00. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website.

SCHW stock traded up $1.51 during mid-day trading on Monday, reaching $73.44. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 453,659 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,802,283. The company has a market capitalization of $132.71 billion, a P/E ratio of 31.20 and a beta of 1.03. The business’s 50 day moving average price is $71.27. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.39, a quick ratio of 0.39 and a current ratio of 0.39. The Charles Schwab Co. has a 12 month low of $32.84 and a 12 month high of $76.37.  Read more …

August 13, 2021

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of August 9, 2021

 



Upgrades:

 


Brookfield Infrastructure (NASDAQ:BIPC) was upgraded by Wells Fargo & Company from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research note issued on Monday, The Fly reports.

Separately, Zacks Investment Research raised shares of Brookfield Infrastructure from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 27th.

Shares of BIPC opened at $63.28 on Monday. Brookfield Infrastructure has a fifty-two week low of $47.23 and a fifty-two week high of $80.60. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $71.50. The stock has a market cap of $2.84 billion and a P/E ratio of 43.94. Read more …

 


Public Storage (NYSE:PSA) was upgraded by research analysts at Raymond James from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, Price Targets.com reports. The brokerage presently has a $350.00 price target on the real estate investment trust’s stock. Raymond James’ price objective would suggest a potential upside of 12.98% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other research analysts have also issued reports on the company. Citigroup lifted their target price on Public Storage from $296.00 to $325.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, July 1st. Truist lifted their target price on Public Storage from $269.00 to $290.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, May 17th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Wolfe Research initiated coverage on Public Storage in a report on Monday, June 14th. They issued a “peer perform” rating and a $335.00 target price for the company. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on Public Storage from $200.00 to $228.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, June 2nd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on Public Storage from $280.00 to $310.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, June 30th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $306.55. Read more …

August 10, 2021

4 Safe, High-Yield Stocks to Buy to Combat Inflation

 

These high-yield stocks will help conservative investors combat inflation

 

 


Inflation has definitely penetrated the U.S., as the June U.S. producer price index jumped 7.3% year-over-year and 1% month-over-month. The YOY surge was the highest on record. Investors looking for a conservative way to combat the inflation, which will probably stay elevated for at least the next year, should consider safe, high-yield stocks.

 

Certainly, a portion of the YOY increase was caused by the fact that some of the economy was closed in June 2020. Yet that’s far from the only reason for the inflation that’s gripped the economy, as the 1% month-over-month surge demonstrates.

 

In compiling this list, I used two strategies to find safe high-yield stocks.

 

First, I chose large, highly reputable companies that operate in sectors that are at least somewhat resilient to economic turbulence, including elevated inflation.

 

Second, only firms whose 2021 earnings per share are expected-(based on analysts’ average EPS estimates ) to be at least 1.7 times the annual dividend per share that they will pay out this year were selected. Companies that meet these two criteria are unlikely to cut their dividends, and their stock prices are unlikely to fall dramatically.

 

Some say that high-yield stocks involve any equity with a yield that’s above that of the 10-year Treasury note. But given the depressed state of Treasury yields and the strength of inflation, I decided to use a different definition of “high-yield stocks.”

 

 

Specifically, I picked stocks with yields of at least 2%, about 50% above the average yield of the S&P equities. However, two of the four names on my list have yields that are well above 2%.

 

These are the high-yield stocks that I chose: Continue reading …

 

 

August 9, 2021

9 Best Utility Stocks for the Remainder of 2021

 

Utility stocks are appealing because they're typically steady and dependable, with most paying dividends. Here are some top-rated ones to watch through year's end.

 

 


The stock market has been red hot again in 2021, with the typical component in the S&P 500 up about 17% year-to-date. And some fast-growing names are up even more. So investors would be forgiven, then, if they largely overlooked sleepy utility stocks.

 

For starters, most utility stocks aren't particularly "growthy," as they are highly regulated and largely bound by their existing geographical footprint.

 

Furthermore, the sector has underperformed the rest of the S&P; major utilities as a group are only up 5% ‒ about a third of the gains seen by other large-cap stocks ‒ as measured by the popular Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLU).

 

But long-term investors know that past performance is no guarantee of future returns, and a lot of the appeal that utility stocks have to offer comes from stability and income potential via dividends.

 

 

Here are nine top-rated utility stocks that could be worth a look in the second half of 2021. While they're a less-flashy path to profits in your portfolio, they will allow you to sleep soundly regardless of Wall Street volatility through year's end.

 

Read more …

 

August 6, 2021

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of August 2, 2021

 



Upgrades:

 


AllianceBernstein (NYSE:AB) was upgraded by investment analysts at Citigroup from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued on Monday, The Fly reports. The brokerage presently has a $54.50 target price on the asset manager’s stock, up from their prior target price of $44.00. Citigroup’s price objective points to a potential upside of 12.91% from the company’s current price.

Several other equities research analysts also recently issued reports on the stock. Sanford C. Bernstein downgraded shares of AllianceBernstein from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, April 9th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods restated a “market perform” rating and set a $42.00 target price on shares of AllianceBernstein in a report on Tuesday, April 13th. Zacks Investment Research cut shares of AllianceBernstein from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 27th. Finally, Bank of America restated a “neutral” rating and set a $42.00 target price on shares of AllianceBernstein in a report on Thursday, April 15th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the stock. AllianceBernstein currently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $44.36. Read more …

 


Welltower (NYSE:WELL) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Berenberg Bank from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports. The brokerage currently has a $100.00 price objective on the real estate investment trust's stock. Berenberg Bank's target price indicates a potential upside of 15.92% from the stock's previous close.

Other equities analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Welltower from $78.00 to $89.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Friday, July 23rd. Mizuho began coverage on Welltower in a research report on Wednesday, July 14th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $68.00 price target on the stock. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on Welltower from $79.00 to $86.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, July 26th. Capital One Financial raised Welltower from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, May 21st. Finally, Wolfe Research began coverage on Welltower in a research report on Monday, June 14th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $94.00 price target on the stock. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. The stock currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $79.67. Read more …

 


Simon Property Group (NYSE:SPG) was upgraded by equities researchers at Bank of America from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Several other brokerages have also recently weighed in on SPG. Truist Securities boosted their price objective on Simon Property Group from $102.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, June 23rd. UBS Group assumed coverage on Simon Property Group in a report on Thursday, June 3rd. They set a "neutral" rating and a $135.00 price objective for the company. BMO Capital Markets reissued a "hold" rating on shares of Simon Property Group in a report on Thursday, May 20th. Truist upped their price target on Simon Property Group from $102.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 23rd. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus raised Simon Property Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and upped their price target for the company from $125.00 to $132.00 in a research note on Monday, July 19th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have assigned a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company. Simon Property Group has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $128.13. Read more …

 

 


Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) was upgraded by analysts at DNB Markets from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a note issued to investors on Thursday, The Fly reports.

NVO has been the topic of a number of other reports. Barclays reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Monday, July 19th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Tuesday. Finally, Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of Novo Nordisk A/S from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $91.00 price target on the stock in a report on Tuesday, July 13th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. Novo Nordisk A/S currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $91.00. Read more …

August 5, 2021

Dividend Investors Can’t Rely on AT&T Stock

 

T stock's shocking dividend cut was the culmination of years of mismanagement at AT&T

 

 


AT&T (NYSE:T) shocked the world this summer. AT&T has long been a centerpiece of many retirees and income investors’ portfolios. T stock generally yielded in the 6% range annually, and at times paid an even higher rate than that.

 

This was a massive number in a zero interest rate world. With banks paying virtually nothing on savings accounts, is it any wonder that AT&T’s fat yield seemed like an obvious winner?

 

Unfortunately, AT&T couldn’t support its yield any longer. The company took on tens of billions of dollars in debt in recent years. It was caught in a tough spot, as its core telephony business has limited growth prospects. Yet, shareholders wanted their annual dividend hike.

 

 

Management tried to get more and more creative with merger and acquisition activity to keep its dividend track record intact. But, in the end, it just didn’t work out.

 

Continue reading …

 

August 3, 2021

12 Best Consumer Staples Stocks for the Rest of 2021

 

Consumer staples stocks have been on the rise in recent months. Several catalysts on the horizon could keep the momentum going through year's end.

 


Consumer staples stocks had a slow start to the year, but have been gaining momentum in recent months, thanks in part to a third round of stimulus checks issued to Americans in March.

 

According to S&P Dow Jones Indices, the S&P 500 Consumer Staples Index is up 13.8% since its March lows. And while that's certainly slower growth than what the sector experienced last year during the height of the pandemic, there are tailwinds on the horizon – including back-to-school shopping and direct child tax credit payments – that could keep the momentum going for consumer staples stocks.

 

Not to mention, there's always a place in a well-constructed stock portfolio for a few defensive plays that are less cyclical in nature.

 

 

With that in mind, here are 12 consumer staples stocks to watch for the rest of 2021. The names on this list have either performed well in 2021 and appear poised to continue to do so over the back half of the year, or have underperformed year-to-date but look ready to take off.

 

Continue reading …

 

August 1, 2021

15 European Dividend Aristocrats to Diversify Your Portfolio

 

If dividend investors only look in the U.S. they could be missing out

 


 

In general, Dividend Aristocrats are the foundation for the portfolios of most serious dividend growth investors. European Dividend aristocrats are typically blue-chip stocks that have proven to reward shareholders with rising dividends over a long period. While historic dividend payment does not guarantee future distributions, it can help investors when accessing the likelihood of a company continuing to reward shareholders.

 

How Do European Dividend Aristocrats Make The List?

 

Dividend aristocrats are defined differently in Europe and the United States. Indeed, European companies qualify as dividend aristocrats under the following conditions:

 

-Needs to be an S&P Europe 350 Index member

 

-Ten consecutive years of increasing dividends

 

-Possess a float-adjusted market capitalization of at least US$ 3 billion

 

-Has a median daily trading volume of at least US$ 5 million

 

Ten years is much less than the 25 years required by companies in the S&P 500. However, this is because European companies do not value the dividend in the same manner as American companies. Typically, European companies tend to have a more conservative approach to rewarding shareholders with dividends.

 

Another significant difference is that European companies like to have an FCF payout ratio of between 40% and 60%. Actually, it is a rare event that you would see a European company with an FCF payout ratio above 70%. Also, from a dividend longevity point of view, this conservative approach might improve the sustainability of the dividend. Still, it also means that it will more than likely cut the dividend when a company hits a slight downturn.

 

 

As an investor, this also means that you see a European company with a long track record of paying dividends. And, you can be almost certain that revenue and FCF are also growing.

 

Continue reading …