5 Top Dividend Aristocrats to Beef Up Your Portfolio

 

The 65-member Dividend Aristocrats are among the market's best sources of reliable, predictable income. But these five stand out as truly elite.

 

The past year-plus has been easy going for investors looking to generate profits from equity returns, with the S&P 500 up by almost double from the March 2020 lows. Income, however, is another story altogether. Already-low interest rates started retreating this spring; the yield on the 10-year Treasury note is back down to a paltry 1.3%.

 

Fortunately, investors have a better way to collect reliable, predictable income.

 

Dividend Aristocrats – companies with a track record of increasing shareholder payouts for at least 25 consecutive years – offer the best of many worlds. Most Aristocrats are large-cap blue chips with typically stable earnings, healthy balance sheets and long histories of profitability and growth. That allows them to:

 

1. Pay secure, typically well-covered dividends.
2. Raise their payouts regularly without interruption.
3. Offer the potential for much more significant price gains than bonds typically deliver.

 

Investors have plenty of Dividend Aristocrats to choose from – 65 at present, in fact. But it's unlikely that anyone is looking to buy up individual shares of each and every one. So if you had to buy just a few, which ones should they be?

 

 

To help answer that question, we looked at the full list of Dividend Aristocrats through the lens of the Stock News POWR Ratings System. We then narrowed our focus down to only those Aristocrats receiving a Strong Buy rating from the pros based on the company's current financial situation and future prospects.

 

Based on those criteria, here are the five best Dividend Aristocrats for investors looking to beef up their income portfolios.

 

Continue reading …

 

7 High-Yield Dividend Stocks That Will Please Any Income Lover

 

These 7 dividend stocks offer payouts of 5% or higher in a diverse set of industries

 

 

As the U.S. Federal Reserve remains careful to not rock the boat with regards to reversing its aggressive monetary policy, it remains a low-interest rate environment. In turn, dividend stocks in general continue to remain at high prices, after being bid up by investors on the hunt for yield.

 

For instance, the ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (BATS:NOBL), which holds a basket of high-quality dividend plays, sports a forward yield of 1.94%. Hardly much to get excited about. When it comes to individual names in the aristocrats category, like Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) and Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG), their yields (2.59% and 2.43%, respectively) aren’t that much higher.

 

Yes, a possible stock market correction could change this. After trading for historically high valuations, blue chip and speculative stocks alike could tumble down to more reasonable prices. But until then, choices remain limited, when it comes to finding stocks with yields that can at least keep up with the 5%+ inflation we are seeing today.

 

 

So, which of the small pool of high-yield dividend stocks are worth a look? These seven, all with forward yields well over 5%, and many of which will likely fare well in a market downturn, are definitely names to consider:

 

Continue reading …

 

Most Significant Insider Trades: Week of September 20, 2021

 

Disposals:

 

Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) Director Murry Gerber sold 44,590 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, September 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $19.33, for a total value of $861,924.70. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

Shares of NYSE HAL traded down $0.12 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $19.48. 6,125,435 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 9,502,723. The company has a market cap of $17.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 121.76 and a beta of 2.84. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $20.08 and its 200-day simple moving average is $21.54. The company has a quick ratio of 1.75, a current ratio of 2.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.68. Halliburton has a one year low of $10.60 and a one year high of $25.00. Read more …

 

UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) Director Richard T. Burke sold 2,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, September 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $419.00, for a total value of $1,047,500.00. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website.

UNH traded down $0.36 on Tuesday, hitting $412.34. The company had a trading volume of 2,382,123 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,984,847. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. The firm has a market cap of $388.80 billion, a P/E ratio of 27.24, a PEG ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 0.77. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $416.51 and its 200 day moving average price is $400.62. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated has a 1 year low of $289.64 and a 1 year high of $431.36. Read more …

 

Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY) CEO Giovanni Caforio sold 25,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, September 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.64, for a total value of $1,516,000.00. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

NYSE BMY traded down $0.18 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $60.15. The company had a trading volume of 9,658,651 shares, compared to its average volume of 10,596,237. The company has a market capitalization of $133.66 billion, a PE ratio of -26.57, a P/E/G ratio of 1.20 and a beta of 0.61. The company has a current ratio of 1.54, a quick ratio of 1.42 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.15. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $66.48 and a 200-day moving average price of $65.37. Bristol-Myers Squibb has a twelve month low of $56.75 and a twelve month high of $69.75. Read more …

 

 

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) insider Ryan Ross sold 2,700 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, September 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $185.57, for a total transaction of $501,039.00. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website.

Ryan Ross also recently made the following trade(s):

On Wednesday, July 7th, Ryan Ross sold 2,400 shares of Williams-Sonoma stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $165.00, for a total value of $396,000.00.

On Friday, June 25th, Ryan Ross sold 5,600 shares of Williams-Sonoma stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $160.42, for a total value of $898,352.00.

Shares of WSM traded down $1.40 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $188.51. 534,455 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,203,200. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a twelve month low of $85.30 and a twelve month high of $204.41. The company has a market cap of $14.02 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.07, a PEG ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.68. The stock’s 50 day simple moving average is $168.25 and its 200 day simple moving average is $167.40. Read more …

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of September 20, 2021

 

Upgrades:

 

Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL) was upgraded by equities researchers at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report issued on Monday, The Fly reports.

Other research analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Credit Suisse Group raised shares of Colgate-Palmolive from a "neutral" rating to an "outperform" rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $80.00 to $95.00 in a research report on Wednesday, June 9th. Evercore ISI reissued a "buy" rating and set a $95.00 price objective on shares of Colgate-Palmolive in a research report on Sunday, June 20th. Finally, UBS Group assumed coverage on shares of Colgate-Palmolive in a research report on Wednesday, June 23rd. They set a "buy" rating and a $95.00 price objective on the stock. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $85.54. Read more …

 

Canadian National Railway (NYSE:CNI) (TSE:CNR) was upgraded by equities research analysts at TD Securities from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report released on Monday, The Fly reports.

Several other analysts also recently weighed in on CNI. Credit Suisse Group dropped their target price on shares of Canadian National Railway from $121.00 to $112.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 21st. Desjardins dropped their target price on shares of Canadian National Railway from C$147.00 to C$145.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, May 26th. Barclays dropped their target price on shares of Canadian National Railway from $119.00 to $115.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 14th. National Bank Financial upped their price objective on shares of Canadian National Railway from C$139.00 to C$144.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Monday. Finally, Loop Capital downgraded shares of Canadian National Railway from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $157.00 price objective on the stock. in a report on Wednesday, September 1st. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $139.06. Read more …

 

National Bank of Canada (TSE:NA) was upgraded by stock analysts at Piper Sandler from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, Price Targets.com reports. The firm currently has a C$40.00 price objective on the financial services provider’s stock. Piper Sandler’s price objective indicates a potential downside of 58.24% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other analysts also recently issued reports on the company. Credit Suisse Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of National Bank of Canada in a research note on Thursday, September 2nd. CIBC increased their price target on National Bank of Canada from C$98.00 to C$102.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, August 26th. CSFB increased their price target on National Bank of Canada from C$106.00 to C$110.00 in a report on Wednesday, September 1st. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price target on National Bank of Canada from C$97.00 to C$99.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Thursday, August 26th. Finally, TD Securities lowered their price target on National Bank of Canada from C$100.00 to C$99.00 and set a “hold” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, August 26th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of C$98.85. Read more …

 

 

ABB (NYSE:ABB) was upgraded by analysts at Exane BNP Paribas to a "neutral" rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports. The brokerage currently has a CHF 37 price target on the industrial products company's stock.

Other analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Kepler Capital Markets upgraded ABB from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $36.00 price target for the company in a research note on Friday, July 2nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a "hold" rating on shares of ABB in a research note on Tuesday, July 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. set a $36.78 target price on ABB and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, July 23rd. HSBC upgraded ABB from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, May 27th. Finally, Barclays set a $36.78 target price on ABB and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Friday, July 23rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $35.88. Read more …

3M: Buy on the Dip for Over 10% Returns

 

The stock is down since the end of June, but trades below its long-term average valuation

 

 

3M's stock has suffered a 9% decline since my last look at the company.

Following the decline in share price, the valuation is below its long-term average and the yield is higher than it normally is.

Investors buying today could see total returns of more than 10%.

 

The last time I discussed 3M Co. (MMM, Financial), I felt the stock was a solid buying option as the fundamentals were improving. Following several years of declining organic growth combined with the pandemic, 3M appeared to be emerging from the wilderness as a stronger company.

 

The stock was also trading at a higher-than-usual dividend yield.

 

That business momentum continued into the most recent quarter, but the stock is down almost 11% from the time of my last look at the compay. The yield is even juicer today than it was then, and the valuation is even more appealing.

 

For investors looking for a entry point into the name, 3M looks like a good buy at current levels.

 

 

Earnings highlights

 

The industrial conglomerate reported second-quarter earnings results on July 27. Revenue surged nearly 25% to $8.95 billion, topping Wall Street analysts' estimates by $371 million. Net income of $1.5 billion, or $2.59 per share, compared favorably to net income of $1.3 billion, or $2.25 per share, in the prior year. GAAP earnings per share also came in 34 cents better than expected.

 

Continue reading …

 

Target (TGT) Is Still Undervalued

 

Target (TGT) is Still Undervalued. For the last five years or so, the demise of retail brick-and-mortar establishments has been predicted. Every year, it appears that a large number of brick-and-mortar stores have shuttered their doors. Thirty store chains have filed for bankruptcy in 2020, according to retail diving. Guitar Center, GNC, J.C. Penney, and Neiman Marcus are the ones you may have heard of. Retail customer experience is developing, according to retailcustomerexperience.com, and companies focused on authentic in-store experiences will succeed. Target (TGT) is one of them as you will see the company has developed key online value adds to their stores. Target is growing by driving traffic and volumes during the pandemic. The stock price is up ~65% in the past 1-year but Target is still undervalued.

 

Target’s Move Online

 

Most people think of Target as just a physical shop, but the retailer now has an online presence that is rapidly growing. When it comes to online experiences, it appears that Costco (COST), Walmart (WMT), Target (TGT), and CVS (CVS) have taken some of Amazon’s market and established a niche. Target has been one of the hottest retail companies in 2021 during this period, outperforming Amazon (AMZN) , Costco, Walmart, and Home Depot (HD) over the previous year.

 

During the pandemic, Target’s hybrid strategy of a bricks-and-mortar shop with a continuous online presence was a popular mix with customers. Target’s same-day fulfillment approach, which merged grocery and discretionary shopping, also had exceptional results. Target’s fulfillment centers/stores are now able to produce additional income and operational leverage as a result of this increased online retail capability. Amazon and Walmart are unique in that they both have their distribution hubs for the majority of their online orders. Rather than relying on distribution hubs, Target relies on its stores which is a less expensive and a much speedier option.

 

 

Continue reading …

 

Most Significant Insider Trades: Week of September 13, 2021

 

Disposals:

 

L3Harris Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LHX) SVP Scott T. Mikuen sold 10,753 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $230.77, for a total transaction of $2,481,469.81. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link.

Shares of NYSE LHX traded down $3.11 during mid-day trading on Monday, hitting $228.52. 1,102,007 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,110,280. The company has a market cap of $45.92 billion, a P/E ratio of 32.40, a PEG ratio of 2.06 and a beta of 0.89. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $228.82 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $215.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 1.50 and a current ratio of 1.70. L3Harris Technologies, Inc. has a twelve month low of $158.09 and a twelve month high of $235.10. Read more …

 

Microsoft Co. (NASDAQ:MSFT) EVP Kathleen T. Hogan sold 20,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $298.68, for a total value of $5,973,600.00. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Read more …

Microsoft Co. (NASDAQ:MSFT) CMO Christopher C. Capossela sold 10,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, September 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $298.82, for a total transaction of $2,988,200.00. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website.

MSFT stock traded up $1.28 during trading on Monday, reaching $296.99. 23,643,837 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 25,975,563. The company has a 50-day moving average of $290.27 and a two-hundred day moving average of $263.41. The company has a market capitalization of $2.23 trillion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 36.89, a P/E/G ratio of 3.10 and a beta of 0.78. Microsoft Co. has a twelve month low of $196.25 and a twelve month high of $305.84. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a current ratio of 2.08 and a quick ratio of 2.05. Read more …

 

 

American Express (NYSE:AXP) insider Marc D. Gordon sold 13,424 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, September 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $159.24, for a total value of $2,137,637.76. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink.

AXP stock traded down $2.31 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $159.14. 342,642 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,341,412. American Express has a twelve month low of $89.11 and a twelve month high of $179.67. The company has a market capitalization of $126.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.77, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.90 and a beta of 1.28. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $166.95 and a 200-day simple moving average of $158.12. The company has a current ratio of 1.58, a quick ratio of 1.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.46. Read more …

 

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of September 13, 2021

 

Upgrades:

 

Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) was upgraded by stock analysts at Odeon Capital Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report issued on Monday, The Fly reports. The brokerage presently has a $46.50 price target on the financial services provider's stock. Odeon Capital Group's price target indicates a potential upside of 15.47% from the stock's previous close.

Several other equities research analysts have also commented on the company. Evercore ISI restated a "buy" rating and issued a $43.00 price objective on shares of Bank of America in a research note on Friday, July 2nd. Truist Securities started coverage on Bank of America in a research note on Wednesday, June 2nd. They issued a "buy" rating for the company. Royal Bank of Canada set a $37.69 price objective on Bank of America and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 21st. Credit Suisse Group upped their price objective on Bank of America from $46.00 to $47.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, July 16th. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price objective on Bank of America from $38.00 to $42.00 and gave the stock an "underweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 29th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and fifteen have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $40.42. Read more …

 

Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) was upgraded by research analysts at Cowen from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research report issued on Monday, The Fly reports. The brokerage presently has a $98.00 price objective on the medical instruments supplier’s stock. Cowen’s price objective suggests a potential upside of 21.11% from the company’s previous close.

BAX has been the topic of a number of other research reports. SVB Leerink reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Baxter International in a report on Sunday, September 5th. Piper Sandler reduced their price target on shares of Baxter International from $85.00 to $82.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, July 29th. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their price objective on shares of Baxter International from $95.00 to $90.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, July 29th. Barclays upgraded Baxter International from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and lifted their target price for the stock from $93.00 to $100.00 in a research report on Friday, September 3rd. Finally, KeyCorp lowered their price objective on Baxter International from $94.00 to $92.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a report on Monday, August 2nd. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, Baxter International currently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $91.08. Read more …

 

Canadian Western Bank (TSE:CWB) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Raymond James from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating in a research note issued on Monday, Price Targets.com reports. The firm currently has a C$41.00 price objective on the stock, up from their previous price objective of C$39.25. Raymond James' price target indicates a potential upside of 13.04% from the company's previous close.

CWB has been the subject of a number of other research reports. National Bankshares upped their target price on shares of Canadian Western Bank from C$40.00 to C$41.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a research report on Monday, August 30th. Barclays upgraded shares of Canadian Western Bank from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating and set a C$37.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Friday, May 28th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on shares of Canadian Western Bank from C$37.00 to C$41.00 and gave the company a "market perform" rating in a research report on Monday, May 31st. Credit Suisse Group increased their target price on shares of Canadian Western Bank to C$45.00 and gave the company a "sector peform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 1st. Finally, CIBC increased their target price on shares of Canadian Western Bank from C$42.00 to C$44.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Monday, August 30th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Canadian Western Bank presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average target price of C$41.17. Read more …

 

 

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) was upgraded by analysts at Oppenheimer to an “outperform” rating in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports. The brokerage currently has a $165.00 price target on the iPhone maker’s stock. Oppenheimer’s target price would indicate a potential upside of 11.40% from the stock’s current price.

AAPL has been the subject of a number of other reports. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on shares of Apple in a research note on Monday. They issued a “buy” rating and a $175.00 price objective for the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their price objective on shares of Apple from $165.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 28th. Sanford C. Bernstein reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $132.00 price objective on shares of Apple in a report on Tuesday, August 10th. Barclays lifted their price objective on shares of Apple from $134.00 to $142.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 28th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their target price on shares of Apple from $166.00 to $168.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 28th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and twenty-six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $160.88. Read more …

7 Great Dividend Stocks To Buy In September For Insulation from Volatility

 

These dividend stocks could appeal to risk-averse investors in September

 

Equities have surged to lofty valuations in the past year and a half. The S&P 500 index jumped from a low of around 2,200 in March 2020 to more than 4,400 in about 350 trading days, the quickest doubling of the index in stock market history.

 

However, the big rally is likely to come to an end. As investors become increasingly concerned about an inevitable correction around the corner, September looks to be the right time to reallocate towards reliable dividend stocks.

 

Dividend shares add stability to long-term portfolios and allow income seekers to collect regular cash payments regardless of market volatility. In fact, metrics highlight that dividend stocks have vastly outpaced their non-dividend-paying peers over the long run.

 

Recent research suggests that, “From 1930–2020, dividend income’s contribution to the total return of the S&P 500 Index averaged 41%… Today, investors continue to place a high premium on the more tangible and immediate returns that dividends provide.”

 

JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) also cites, “… companies that initiated and grew their dividends posted average annualized total returns of about 9.5% from 1972 through the end of 2012 compared with 1.6% for non dividend-paying stocks.”

 

 

As we move forward in September, these seven dividend stocks offer the perfect combination of value, income, and growth potential:

 

Continue reading …

 

Home Depot Inc: Delivering Both Income & Growth to Investors

 

Why Home Depot Stock Could Be Special

 

In an era when e-commerce stocks are all the rage, who would have thought that a company known for its big box stores would see its share price shoot through the roof?

 

But it is happening: shares of Home Depot Inc (NYSE:HD) have surged by 138% over the past five years. And that figure doesn’t include the additional returns that shareholders have collected through the company’s rising dividend payments.

 

Home Depot is the largest home improvement retailer in the world. The company was founded in 1978 and opened its first two stores in June 1979. Today, it operates approximately 2,300 stores in all 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, all 10 Canadian provinces, and Mexico.

 

In its current configuration, a typical Home Depot store averages at about 105,000 square feet of indoor retail space, which dwarfs most of its competitors. But we know that brick-and-mortar retailers have suffered from the rise of the e-commerce industry. So, how has Home Depot’s business been lately?

 

Surprisingly well. In the company’s fiscal year 2020, which ended January 31, 2021, it generated $132.1 billion in total sales, representing a 19.9% increase year-over-year.

 

 

The company’s comparable sales, a critical measure of a retailer’s performance, increased by 19.7% in fiscal 2020. Notably, its comparable sales in the U.S. rose by 20.6%.

 

Continue reading …

 

Most Significant Insider Trades: Week of September 6, 2021

 

Disposals:

 

CVS Health Co. (NYSE:CVS) EVP Troyen A. Brennan sold 2,625 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $87.00, for a total value of $228,375.00. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 140,201 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $12,197,487. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website.

CVS Health stock traded down $0.89 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $86.58. The stock had a trading volume of 4,617,848 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,502,718. CVS Health Co. has a twelve month low of $55.36 and a twelve month high of $90.61. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.81, a current ratio of 0.95 and a quick ratio of 0.67. The firm has a market cap of $114.25 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.89, a PEG ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 0.83. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $83.38 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $80.50. Read more …

 

Albemarle Co. (NYSE:ALB) EVP Karen G. Narwold sold 1,337 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, September 8th. The shares were sold at an average price of $243.75, for a total transaction of $325,893.75. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link.

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

On Monday, August 9th, Karen G. Narwold sold 1,338 shares of Albemarle stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $224.71, for a total transaction of $300,661.98.

Albemarle stock traded up $0.50 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $239.28. The company had a trading volume of 1,183,337 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,395,791. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $207.73 and its 200 day simple moving average is $175.58. Albemarle Co. has a 1-year low of $79.06 and a 1-year high of $248.71. The firm has a market capitalization of $27.98 billion, a PE ratio of 38.78, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.53 and a beta of 1.57. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.32, a quick ratio of 1.44 and a current ratio of 2.18. Read more …

 

American Tower Co. (REIT) (NYSE:AMT) Director David E. Sharbutt sold 739 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, September 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $300.71, for a total transaction of $222,224.69. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link.

Shares of AMT stock traded up $4.40 during trading hours on Wednesday, hitting $303.62. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,508,496 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,870,768. The company has a 50 day moving average of $283.81 and a 200 day moving average of $257.91. The stock has a market cap of $138.19 billion, a PE ratio of 60.86, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.13 and a beta of 0.24. The company has a current ratio of 0.77, a quick ratio of 0.77 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.83. American Tower Co. has a 12-month low of $197.50 and a 12-month high of $303.72. Read more …

 

 

Chubb Limited (NYSE:CB) EVP Joseph F. Wayland sold 5,277 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $181.92, for a total transaction of $959,991.84. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this link.

Shares of NYSE CB traded up $0.55 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $182.32. 47,006 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,729,610. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $173.63 and a 200-day simple moving average of $168.64. The company has a quick ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 0.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25. The stock has a market capitalization of $79.99 billion, a PE ratio of 10.04, a P/E/G ratio of 1.47 and a beta of 0.73. Chubb Limited has a 52-week low of $111.93 and a 52-week high of $187.90. Read more …

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of September 6, 2021

 

Upgrades:

 

Bank of Montreal (NYSE:BMO) (TSE:BMO) was upgraded by analysts at Barclays from an "underweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, Briefing.com reports.

Other analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Credit Suisse Group raised their price objective on shares of Bank of Montreal from $138.00 to $144.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 25th. CIBC raised their price objective on shares of Bank of Montreal from $139.00 to $148.00 and gave the stock an "outperformer" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 25th. Canaccord Genuity raised their price objective on shares of Bank of Montreal from C$143.00 to C$149.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 25th. BMO Capital Markets raised their price objective on shares of Bank of Montreal from C$150.00 to C$152.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 25th. Finally, Desjardins raised their price objective on shares of Bank of Montreal from C$133.00 to C$138.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday, August 26th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $142.27. Read more …

 

The Southern (NYSE:SO) was upgraded by analysts at Guggenheim from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note issued on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

Other analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Wells Fargo & Company reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of The Southern in a report on Monday, August 2nd. Morgan Stanley boosted their target price on The Southern from $60.00 to $64.00 and gave the company an "underweight" rating in a report on Thursday, August 19th. Barclays boosted their target price on The Southern from $70.00 to $76.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Tuesday, May 25th. Credit Suisse Group reissued a "buy" rating on shares of The Southern in a report on Wednesday, May 19th. Finally, Mizuho boosted their target price on The Southern from $57.00 to $60.00 and gave the company an "underperform" rating in a report on Monday, August 30th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $68.42. Read more …

 

The Toronto-Dominion Bank (NYSE:TD) (TSE:TD) was upgraded by stock analysts at Barclays from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

TD has been the topic of several other reports. Zacks Investment Research cut The Toronto-Dominion Bank from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Tuesday. BMO Capital Markets reduced their price objective on The Toronto-Dominion Bank from C$96.00 to C$94.00 and set a “market perform” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, August 27th. Finally, Scotiabank reduced their price objective on The Toronto-Dominion Bank from C$95.00 to C$94.00 in a research note on Tuesday, August 17th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $80.60. Read more …

 

 

Ventas (NYSE:VTR) was upgraded by Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report issued on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

Several other equities analysts also recently commented on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on shares of Ventas from $62.00 to $65.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, June 30th. Wolfe Research began coverage on shares of Ventas in a research note on Monday, June 14th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $71.00 target price on the stock. BMO Capital Markets upgraded shares of Ventas from an "underperform" rating to a "market perform" rating and set a $60.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Thursday, August 26th. Robert W. Baird upgraded shares of Ventas from a "neutral" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $58.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Thursday, May 13th. Finally, Scotiabank upped their target price on shares of Ventas from $61.00 to $63.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 1st. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $58.41. Read more …

Exxon Mobil Stock Is Again a Safe and Steady Dividend Play

 

XOM stock is a great option for investors on the prowl for high yield

 

 

Sideways oil prices may limit its ability to gain in the near term. But if you’re thinking of buying Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) stock for its high yield, there’s little reason to worry.

 

With 2020’s troubles behind it, the integrated oil and gas giant is no longer at risk of cutting its dividend. Expected earnings for this year ($4.28 per share) will more than cover its payout.

 

Sure, investors still have reasons to price in a risk premium. This can be seen in its forward yield of 6.3%, which is above its average dividend yield of around 5.6% over the past four years.

 

First, there’s the uncertainty over whether oil prices will remain high. Lower oil prices could renew fears of a dividend cut. Second, there are issues related to a socially-conscious activist who recently won several seats on Exxon’s board. Yet, looking at the details, both these concerns appear overblown.

 

Its rate of payout is safe, and XOM stock is again a great dividend play.

 

 

It may take another rally in energy prices to send the stock soaring again. However, if you’re more interested in yield than in potential gains, you may want to snap it up at today’s prices (around $55 per share).

 

Continue reading …

 

6 Beautifully Boring Dividend Stocks

 

Instead of popular but volatile stocks, owning under-the-radar defensive gems will let you sleep at night.

 

 

Hype comes at a price. High-profile stocks tend to have pricey valuations and short or inconsistent track records. Wild price swings can make it hard to stay invested if you can't deal with nail-biting volatility. Instead, consider some lower-profile and less-volatile dividend stocks.

 

"Boring is beautiful," says Jim Tierney, chief investment officer of concentrated U.S. growth at fund company AllianceBernstein. "These under-the-radar stocks that have very predictable businesses – they work."

 

Sleep-tight stocks tend to be established firms with a competitive advantage in slow-growth industries. They generate predictable sales and profit growth, no matter whether the economy is booming or contracting. They tend to be financially stable, with strong balance sheets, which reduces the odds that they'll get into financial trouble and allows them to pay dividends.

 

"Steady Eddie" dividend stocks take the edge off investing, says Nick Kalivas, Head of Factor and Core ETF Strategies, for the ETFs & Indexed Strategies business at Invesco. "Slow and steady wins the race."

 

Most of the time, the less volatile the business, the less volatile the stock. One of the hallmarks of a "boring" stock is a low beta, which measures a stock's volatility relative to the overall market. The S&P 500 has a beta of 1. So, a stock with a beta of 0.90 moves 10% less in price than the broad market gauge. Just be aware that volatility works in two directions. Less-volatile stocks won't reap the gains in up markets that their jumpier cousins will, and it's worth noting that the market’s rebound from last year's bear market has left low-volatility indexes in the dust.

 

 

But you might be ready to swap a ride on the roller coaster for some steadier – if more incremental – gains. We found six low-profile dividend stocks with potentially high rewards.

 

Continue reading …

 

Most Significant Insider Trades: Week of August 30, 2021

 

Disposals:

 

Eastman Chemical (NYSE:EMN) EVP Brad A. Lich sold 26,496 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, August 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $113.19, for a total value of $2,999,082.24. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink.

Shares of EMN traded down $0.43 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $114.84. 450 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 783,394. The stock has a market capitalization of $15.59 billion, a P/E ratio of 49.47, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.65 and a beta of 1.50. Eastman Chemical has a fifty-two week low of $72.02 and a fifty-two week high of $130.47. The company has a current ratio of 2.06, a quick ratio of 1.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.87. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $113.26. Read more …

 

Mondelez International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLZ) Director Peter W. May sold 79,346 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $62.06, for a total value of $4,924,212.76.

Mondelez International, Inc. (NASDAQ:MDLZ) Director Peter W. May sold 399,654 shares of Mondelez International stock in a transaction on Monday, August 30th. The stock was sold at an average price of $61.99, for a total transaction of $24,774,551.46. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

Shares of NASDAQ:MDLZ traded up $0.27 during midday trading on Monday, reaching $62.16. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 4,146,032 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,113,603. The business has a 50 day moving average of $63.06. The stock has a market capitalization of $86.89 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.49, a P/E/G ratio of 2.48 and a beta of 0.67. The company has a quick ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 0.61 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. Mondelez International, Inc. has a 12-month low of $52.51 and a 12-month high of $65.60. Read more …

 

Sysco Co. (NYSE:SYY) EVP Greg D. Bertrand sold 7,230 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, August 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $80.00, for a total value of $578,400.00. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link.

SYY traded up $0.66 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $79.65. 2,439,261 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,322,158. The firm’s fifty day moving average is $75.59 and its two-hundred day moving average is $78.78. Sysco Co. has a 1-year low of $53.85 and a 1-year high of $86.73. The company has a current ratio of 1.47, a quick ratio of 0.96 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.82. The company has a market cap of $40.75 billion, a PE ratio of 78.86, a PEG ratio of 2.55 and a beta of 1.44. Read more …

 

 

Chubb Limited (NYSE:CB) CEO Evan G. Greenberg sold 7,177 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $185.14, for a total value of $1,328,749.78. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

CB traded down $1.44 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $182.48. 58,647 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,841,483. The firm has a market capitalization of $80.06 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.16, a P/E/G ratio of 1.47 and a beta of 0.72. Chubb Limited has a 1-year low of $111.93 and a 1-year high of $187.90. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $171.34 and its 200-day moving average price is $168.01. The company has a quick ratio of 0.32, a current ratio of 0.32 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.25. Read more …

 

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of August 30, 2021

 

Upgrades:

 

Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) was upgraded by research analysts at COKER & PALMER from a "sector perform" rating to a "sector outperform" rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday, Zacks.com reports.

A number of other brokerages have also issued reports on HAL. BNP Paribas upgraded shares of Halliburton from an "underperform" rating to a "neutral" rating and set a $23.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 21st. HSBC upgraded shares of Halliburton from a "reduce" rating to a "hold" rating and upped their target price for the stock from $15.80 to $18.20 in a research note on Thursday, August 5th. Exane BNP Paribas upgraded shares of Halliburton from an "underperform" rating to a "neutral" rating and set a $23.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 21st. Barclays upped their target price on shares of Halliburton from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 21st. Finally, Citigroup upped their target price on shares of Halliburton from $27.00 to $28.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, June 25th. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fourteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Halliburton currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $23.51. Read more …

 

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) was upgraded by research analysts at Wolfe Research from an “underperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research note issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

AAPL has been the subject of several other research reports. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of Apple from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $171.00 price target for the company. in a research report on Monday, July 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $140.00 price target on shares of Apple in a research report on Tuesday, August 10th. Canaccord Genuity upped their price target on shares of Apple from $175.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 28th. Needham & Company LLC started coverage on shares of Apple in a research report on Wednesday, July 28th. They set a “buy” rating and a $170.00 price target for the company. Finally, Loop Capital upped their price target on shares of Apple from $150.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 28th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and twenty-six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $156.74. Read more …

 

Canadian National Railway (NYSE:CNI) (TSE:CNR) was upgraded by analysts at Citigroup from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Several other brokerages also recently commented on CNI. Stifel Nicolaus started coverage on shares of Canadian National Railway in a research note on Monday, June 21st. They issued a “hold” rating on the stock. CIBC reduced their target price on shares of Canadian National Railway from C$146.00 to C$145.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, July 14th. Vertical Research upgraded shares of Canadian National Railway from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 18th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on shares of Canadian National Railway from $120.00 to $119.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 9th. Finally, Scotiabank upgraded shares of Canadian National Railway from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 27th. Ten research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Canadian National Railway currently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $133.87. Read more …

 

 

PPL (NYSE:PPL) 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. The firm currently has a $34.00 target price on the utilities provider’s stock, up from their previous target price of $22.00. Wells Fargo & Company‘s price target would indicate a potential upside of 15.84% from the company’s current price.

Other equities analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Zacks Investment Research upgraded PPL from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $30.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, July 7th. Credit Suisse Group downgraded PPL to a “neutral” rating and increased their target price for the stock from $42.00 to $46.00 in a research report on Wednesday, August 18th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on PPL from $32.00 to $34.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 19th. TheStreet downgraded PPL from a “b” rating to a “c+” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 6th. Finally, Tudor Pickering restated a “buy” rating on shares of PPL in a report on Wednesday, May 5th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $35.91. Read more …