Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of October 25 2021

 

Upgrades:

 

Best Buy (NYSE:BBY) was upgraded by equities researchers at Piper Sandler to a "buy" rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

Several other research analysts have also issued reports on the company. Telsey Advisory Group increased their price target on Best Buy from $140.00 to $150.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 25th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on Best Buy from $136.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 25th. Wells Fargo & Company upgraded Best Buy to a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 25th. DA Davidson upgraded Best Buy to a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 25th. Finally, Bank of America upgraded Best Buy to a "buy" rating and raised their target price for the company from $145.00 to $157.00 in a report on Wednesday, August 25th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $127.53. Read more …

 

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) was upgraded by stock analysts at Atlantic Securities from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating in a research report issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports. The firm presently has a $144.00 target price on the healthcare product maker's stock. Atlantic Securities' price target points to a potential upside of 12.39% from the company's current price.

Several other analysts have also commented on ABT. Redburn Partners initiated coverage on Abbott Laboratories in a report on Thursday, October 14th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $132.28 price objective for the company. Cowen reaffirmed a "buy" rating and issued a $140.00 price objective on shares of Abbott Laboratories in a report on Friday, October 8th. Zacks Investment Research raised Abbott Laboratories from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $127.00 price objective for the company in a report on Tuesday, August 3rd. Raymond James lifted their price objective on Abbott Laboratories from $128.00 to $134.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Thursday, October 21st. Finally, Citigroup boosted their price target on Abbott Laboratories from $135.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, October 1st. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $134.94. Read more …

 

General Dynamics (NYSE:GD) was upgraded by research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, PriceTargets.com reports. The brokerage presently has a $230.00 price target on the aerospace company’s stock, up from their prior price target of $220.00. Wells Fargo & Company‘s price target points to a potential upside of 12.82% from the company’s current price.

GD has been the subject of a number of other reports. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of General Dynamics from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $208.00 price target for the company in a report on Thursday, August 5th. Credit Suisse Group boosted their target price on shares of General Dynamics from $182.00 to $198.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, July 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded shares of General Dynamics from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $176.00 target price for the company in a report on Thursday, September 23rd. Finally, Cowen restated a “buy” rating on shares of General Dynamics in a report on Monday, August 9th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, General Dynamics has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $213.91. Read more …

 

 

Norfolk Southern (NYSE:NSC) was upgraded by research analysts at Bank of America from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a report issued on Thursday, Analyst Price Targets reports. The brokerage presently has a $325.00 price objective on the railroad operator’s stock, up from their previous price objective of $263.00. Bank of America‘s price objective would suggest a potential upside of 11.45% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other brokerages also recently commented on NSC. Citigroup lowered their price objective on Norfolk Southern from $325.00 to $310.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, October 6th. Evercore ISI raised Norfolk Southern from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and increased their price target for the stock from $301.00 to $303.00 in a research note on Friday, July 9th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on Norfolk Southern from $318.00 to $312.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, October 7th. Finally, Atlantic Securities began coverage on Norfolk Southern in a research note on Monday, July 12th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $276.00 price target for the company. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating and fourteen have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $287.57. Read more …

Pfizer Stock: Growth Profile Looks Attractive as Ever

 

Pfizer (PFE) stock plunged about 18% from its August 2021 peak, giving up a considerable chunk of the gains enjoyed during the early summer.

 

With booster-shot season quickly approaching, the $239-billion biopharmaceutical company behind the COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty may be in for a bounce-back as prudent investors rotate back into value names with underestimated growth profiles.

 

With an attractive growth profile and a depressed valuation, I remain bullish on shares of Pfizer.

 

Pfizer Looks More Exciting Than Moderna

 

With a mere 18x trailing earnings multiple, you wouldn’t view Pfizer, a more than century-old company, as on the cutting edge of innovation.

 

The incredible mRNA vaccine that helped the world curb COVID-19 is an astonishing innovation for a company that still doesn’t seem to get the hype it deserves.

 

While Moderna (MRNA) and its more potent Spikevax coronavirus vaccine may be a pure-play on mRNA vaccines that aim to inoculate against more than just COVID-19, its stock is wildly expensive, with way too much optimism baked in.

 

 

Indeed, if a clinical trial doesn’t go well, Moderna stock likely has more room to the downside. Although Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine and boosters will not move the needle as high as it would for Moderna, one must not discount Pfizer’s innovations, or assume the firm is no longer capable of reinventing itself into a higher-growth company.

                                                                                                                         

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Is It Time to Follow Buffett Into Verizon?

 

Determining if this telecom giant is worth buying

 

 

In the third quarter of 2020, an interesting position appeared in Berkshire Hathaway's (BRK.A, Financial) investment portfolio: Verizon Communications Inc.

 

I say this was an interesting investment because, considering its size (around $9 billion), it seems as if Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio) may have initiated this position himself.

 

Buffett has attacked large telecommunication companies in the past. In a lecture several decades ago, he compared what was then AT&T Inc. to a newspaper business, calling the former "the agony" and the latter "ecstasy" of businesses.

 

At the time, Buffett attacked the telecommunications company for its poor returns on invested capital, high capital spending requirements and lack of growth.

 

However, since this lecture was published several decades ago, Berkshire has been building its portfolio of infrastructure assets. As the conglomerate has grown, it has had more and more cash it has needed to deploy. One of the most effective ways to deploy a large amount of capital and achieve a relatively reasonable return is to invest in infrastructure assets.

 

 

Today, some of Berkshire's most prominent businesses are BNSF, a railroad, and Berkshire Hathaway Energy (BHE), a utility.

 

Continue reading …

 

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of October 18 2021

 

 

Upgrades:

 

Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) was upgraded by investment analysts at SEB Equities from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report issued on Monday, The Fly reports.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the company. Berenberg Bank reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research report on Friday, September 3rd. DNB Markets raised Novo Nordisk A/S from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 5th. Bank of America upgraded Novo Nordisk A/S from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, August 5th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a report on Friday, August 6th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Novo Nordisk A/S in a research note on Monday, August 23rd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $91.00. Read more …

 

Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY) was upgraded by equities researchers at Truist Securities from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a $50.00 price target on the oil and gas producer's stock. Truist Securities' target price indicates a potential upside of 57.93% from the stock's previous close.

A number of other research firms have also recently commented on OXY. Mizuho boosted their target price on shares of Occidental Petroleum from $37.00 to $39.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 15th. Evercore ISI raised shares of Occidental Petroleum from an "in-line" rating to an "outperform" rating and boosted their target price for the stock from $35.00 to $40.00 in a research note on Wednesday, September 29th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on shares of Occidental Petroleum from $29.00 to $34.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Thursday. Piper Sandler upped their price objective on shares of Occidental Petroleum from $30.00 to $38.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Friday, July 23rd. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Finally, Truist raised shares of Occidental Petroleum from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and upped their price objective for the company from $35.00 to $50.00 in a research note on Monday. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $31.35. Read more …

 

Public Storage (NYSE:PSA) was upgraded by Wolfe Research from a “peer perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of Public Storage from $296.00 to $325.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 1st. Raymond James raised shares of Public Storage from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $350.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, August 10th. UBS Group started coverage on shares of Public Storage in a research report on Thursday, June 24th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $310.00 price target on the stock. Truist Securities boosted their price objective on shares of Public Storage from $315.00 to $322.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, August 16th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of Public Storage from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $329.00 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Friday, July 23rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $314.50. Read more …

 

 

Albemarle (NYSE:ALB) was upgraded by investment analysts at Royal Bank of Canada from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research report issued on Tuesday, Price Targets.com reports. The firm presently has a $280.00 price objective on the specialty chemicals company’s stock, up from their previous price objective of $246.00. Royal Bank of Canada’s price objective indicates a potential upside of 18.19% from the company’s current price.

ALB has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Bank of America boosted their price objective on Albemarle from $121.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an “underperform” rating in a research report on Friday, August 6th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on Albemarle from $265.00 to $290.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, September 13th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on Albemarle from $245.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, September 13th. KeyCorp lifted their target price on Albemarle from $127.00 to $131.00 and gave the company an “underweight” rating in a research note on Monday, October 11th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research raised Albemarle from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $197.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, July 13th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Albemarle presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $213.09. Read more …

 

7 Dividend Stocks To Buy for 2022 and Hold Forever

 

Buy these dividend stocks and forget them for 10 years — you will win big

 

The allure of dividend stocks should be increasing right now. The Fed has signaled that it will soon begin tapering the market stimulus it provided during the pandemic. Following the news in late September, there hasn’t been any immediate shock.

In general, broader markets including the S&P 500 index traded down after Labor Day. But with markets flagging and volatility likely to rise, it does make sense to look toward the less risky areas of the stock market.

That’s precisely why dividend stocks make sense now: They are designed to carry low price volatility with upside provided in reliable dividend income. As an example, AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV) carries a beta, which measures volatility, of 0.83. In other words, it is 17% less volatile than the market overall. Meanwhile, the SPDR Portfolio S&P 500 High Dividend ETF (NYSEARCA:SPYD) is up 5.4% in the last month, compared to the 3.8% gain in broader SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY).

 

 

So, there’s a short-term catalyst for dividend stocks in general. But these are also equities to buy and hold forever. I’m not sure how long an investor can define ‘forever’ as being. But I’d say at least a decade. And I believe the stocks below have the ability to remain attractive for at least that long. They’ll grow with the market and provide investable dividend income as well.

 

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Cisco (CSCO) – Driving Profitable Growth Strategy

 

 

I initiated a position in Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) in mid-November 2010 and aggressively added to my position on two occasions at the end of June 2012; I hold these shares in a ‘Core’ account within the FFJ Portfolio.

In mid-August 2019, I acquired additional shares and hold these in a ‘Side’ account within the FFJ Portfolio.

CSCO’s valuation at the time of these purchases was attractive. The same, however, can not be said for some of my co-workers who aggressively invested in many high-tech companies during the dot-com bubble.

I distinctly remember when the one-day appreciation in the value of their investments (CSCO was one such investment) often exceeded their daily employment income.

Many of these co-workers, however, failed to exit their positions before the precipitous drop in the share price of these companies! Some had even employed the aggressive use of leverage; a few years later they were still repaying the debt they had incurred for what ultimately became worthless investments (ie. several companies went bankrupt).

CSCO did not go ‘bust’ but if we look at its stock chart dating back to January 1, 1996, we see what happens when emotions influence investment decisions. An investor who acquired CSCO shares between late January – September 2000 and never exited their position would still be ‘underwater’….more than 2 decades later.

 

 

Fast forward to the present and I have this ‘it’s deja vu all over again’ feeling as Yogi Berra so eloquently stated. Many investors are once again treating the equities market as a casino. Now, however, we have a low-interest-rate environment which has led to historical levels of margin debt. At the time of the dot-com bubble, interest rates were much higher than current interest rates. Investors essentially had other investment alternatives. In the current low-interest-rate environment, however, money has flooded into equities because the rates of return elsewhere are dismal. This has led to many wonderful (and not so wonderful) companies being grossly overvalued!

 

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Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of October 11, 2021

 

Upgrades:

 

C.H. Robinson Worldwide (NASDAQ:CHRW) was upgraded by equities researchers at Vertical Research from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, PriceTargets.com reports.

A number of other research firms also recently issued reports on CHRW. Evercore ISI began coverage on shares of C.H. Robinson Worldwide in a research note on Monday, September 13th. They issued an "inline" rating and a $95.00 price target for the company. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on shares of C.H. Robinson Worldwide from $58.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock an "underweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 8th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of C.H. Robinson Worldwide from $95.00 to $90.00 and set an "underweight" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, July 13th. Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of C.H. Robinson Worldwide from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $94.00 price target for the company. in a research note on Monday, August 2nd. Finally, Citigroup decreased their price target on shares of C.H. Robinson Worldwide from $118.00 to $115.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 14th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $98.31. Read more …

 

Eli Lilly and (NYSE:LLY) was upgraded by stock analysts at Berenberg Bank from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently commented on LLY. Truist assumed coverage on Eli Lilly and in a research note on Tuesday, July 27th. They set a "buy" rating and a $262.00 target price on the stock. DZ Bank upgraded Eli Lilly and from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $288.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Thursday, August 5th. Mizuho boosted their price objective on Eli Lilly and from $250.00 to $279.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, August 4th. Truist Securities upped their price target on Eli Lilly and from $225.00 to $262.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, July 2nd. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group upped their price target on Eli Lilly and from $252.00 to $270.00 and gave the company a "conviction-buy" rating in a research report on Monday, June 14th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating, fifteen have assigned a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Eli Lilly and presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $257.53. Read more …

 

3M (NYSE:MMM) was upgraded by stock analysts at Langenberg & Company from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued on Monday, The Fly reports.

Several other equities analysts also recently weighed in on MMM. Wolfe Research downgraded 3M from a “peer perform” rating to an “underperform” rating and dropped their price objective for the company from $218.00 to $215.00 in a research note on Monday, July 12th. Credit Suisse Group downgraded 3M from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and raised their price objective for the company from $210.00 to $212.00 in a research note on Tuesday, July 6th. Zacks Investment Research raised 3M from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $208.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Friday, August 6th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded 3M from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $215.00 to $210.00 in a research report on Monday, October 4th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price target on 3M from $196.00 to $201.00 and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 28th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $196.54. Read more …

 

 

Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) was upgraded by stock analysts at Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued on Monday, The Fly reports.

A number of other research firms also recently issued reports on SBUX. Barclays raised their price target on shares of Starbucks from $140.00 to $145.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 28th. Wells Fargo & Company assumed coverage on shares of Starbucks in a research report on Sunday, June 20th. They issued a “buy” rating on the stock. Cowen lifted their price objective on shares of Starbucks from $126.00 to $135.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 28th. BMO Capital Markets lifted their price objective on shares of Starbucks from $125.00 to $140.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 28th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price objective on shares of Starbucks from $135.00 to $145.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 28th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $126.96. Read more …

 

Intel Corp (INTC) – A Dividend Stock To Own

 

I’m becoming a broken record. The market continues to set all-time highs with no significant pullback. In my opinion, the S&P 500 monthly chart is very much extended and should have a downturn. However, like all shopping centers across America, you can still find items on sale in the back of the store. Today’s post will talk about Intel Corp (INTC), which looks undervalued and presents a good buying opportunity in this overvalued market.

 

Intel Corp. (INTC) is an American multinational and technology company headquartered in Santa Clara, California, in Silicon Valley. It is the world’s largest semiconductor chip manufacturer by revenue and is the developer of the x86 series of microprocessors, the processors found in most personal computers (PCs) and servers. The Company produces other technology products such as microprocessors for a computer system manufactured by Lenovo, HP, and Dell. Intel also manufactures motherboard chipsets, network interface controllers and integrated circuits, flash memory, graphics chips, embedded processors, and other devices related to communications and computing. Total revenue was $77,867 million in 2020 and $77,615 million in the LTM.

 

Intel is up only 7.8% year to date. So, while most stocks have been only going up this year, Intel has lagged. However, I think it has room for upside potential. The Company is now dealing with a significant failure to its 10 nm process technology. The Company has been dealing with this issue, while Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) capitalizes on Intel’s poor management and planning. However, this failure is what creates an opportunity for investors.

 

We will now look at Intel’s dividend history, dividend growth, and dividend yield. We will then determine if it’s a good buy at the current price.

 

 

Intel has been growing its dividend for seven consecutive years making the stock a Dividend Challenger. However, in 2014, the Company froze its dividend. Before 2014, Intel raised its dividend for ten straight years. Thus, Intel has been a dividend-paying stock since 1992.

 

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10 Dow Dividend Stocks Analysts Love the Most

 

With uncertainty running high amid a return of volatility, the case for the best Dow dividend stocks is as strong as ever.

 

 

If the past month of market action underscores anything, it's that big, blue-chip dividend stocks never go out of style. And that's particularly true for the bluest of blue-chip equity-income vehicles – the top Dow dividend stocks.

 

The Dow Jones Industrial Average, that elite bastion of 30 industry leading companies, is a haven for reliable dividend payers. Only one of its components – Salesforce.com (CRM) – doesn't pay a dividend at all.

 

And although long-time dividend machines Boeing (BA) and Walt Disney (DIS) have temporarily suspended their payouts in response to the COVID-19 crisis, the Dow remains a fountain of reliable and growing dividends. Indeed, a number of Dow dividend stocks are members of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, a list of companies that have increased their payouts annually for at least 25 consecutive years.

 

The Dow's dividend-heavy character helped it hold up better than the benchmark S&P 500 since the latter peaked out at a record close on Sept. 2. With uncertainty running high amid a return of volatility, the case for Dow dividend stocks is as strong as ever.

 

"Dividend strategies have gained a foothold with market participants seeking potential outperformance and attractive yields, especially in the even lower-rate environment we've seen since early 2020 as the world deals with the economic fallout from COVID-19," notes Tianyin Cheng, senior director of Strategy Indices at S&P Dow Jones Indices. "Stocks with a history of dividend growth could present a compelling investment opportunity in an uncertain environment."

 

 

Given that reality, we screened the blue-chip average for analysts' highest-rated Dow dividend stocks.

 

Here's how the process works: S&P Global Market Intelligence surveys analysts' stock ratings and scores them on a five-point scale, where 1.0 equals Strong Buy and 5.0 means Strong Sell. Any score of 2.5 or lower means that analysts, on average, rate the stock a Buy. The closer the score gets to 1.0, the stronger the Buy call.

 

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3 Ways Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Can Boost Long-Term Stock Portfolios

 

BRK.B stock is up over 30% in the past year, and saw a record high in May.

Berkshire Hathaway stock shows the potential of long-term investing and magic of compound interest.

Despite potential short-term volatility in Q4, buy-and-hold investors could regard any further short-term decline in BRK.B shares as an opportune entry point

 

Investors in Berkshire Hathaway B (NYSE: BRKb ) shares have enjoyed a robust 2021. BRKb stock is up almost 19% in 2021 and 30.6% in the past 12 months. The shares hit an all-time high (ATH) of $295.08 in May.

 

But since then, they've lost about 6.5%.

 

The 52-week price range has been $197.81 - $295.08, while the company’s market capitalization (cap) stands at $416.3 billion.

 

Warren Buffett, one of the most successful investors of all time, who is sometimes referred to as the 'Oracle of Omaha,' due to his investing skill and prescience, is the Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. He purchased the Nebraska-based company in 1965 and over the past almost-six decades, Buffett and his long-time partner Charlie Munger have overseen the spectacular growth of Berkshire Hathaway, turning the former textile manufacturer into the world's largest diversified holding company.

 

Wall Street pays close attention to Buffett’s views on the economy and broader markets. Thus, his annual shareholder letters receive close attention. Through them, investors can also derive a clear understanding of how Berkshire Hathaway stock has fared over the years.

 

 

Between 1965 and 2020, Berkshire Hathaways’ compounded annual gain was 20.0%. For the the S&P 500 index, the return was 10.2% (with dividends included). Put another way, the proverbial $1,000 invested in Berkshire Hathaway in 1965 would now have grown to around $28 million.

 

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Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of October 4, 2021

 

Upgrades:

 

DuPont de Nemours (NYSE:DD) was upgraded by investment analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating in a report released on Monday, PriceTargets.com reports. The firm currently has a $85.00 price target on the basic materials company's stock, up from their previous price target of $84.00. JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s price objective suggests a potential upside of 22.96% from the stock's current price. The analysts noted that the move was a valuation call.

Several other research firms have also issued reports on DD. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of DuPont de Nemours from $96.00 to $102.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 4th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of DuPont de Nemours from $95.00 to $97.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Tuesday, July 13th. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of DuPont de Nemours from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $83.00 price target on the stock. in a research report on Thursday, July 15th. KeyCorp reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $93.00 price target on shares of DuPont de Nemours in a research report on Thursday, September 16th. Finally, TheStreet upgraded shares of DuPont de Nemours from a "d+" rating to a "c" rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 3rd. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $88.59. Read more …

 

Union Pacific (NYSE:UNP) was upgraded by investment analysts at Barclays from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research note issued on Monday, The Fly reports. The brokerage presently has a $260.00 price target on the railroad operator’s stock, up from their prior price target of $240.00. Barclays‘s price target indicates a potential upside of 28.88% from the company’s current price.

UNP has been the subject of a number of other reports. Evercore ISI restated a “buy” rating and issued a $228.00 target price on shares of Union Pacific in a research note on Friday, September 24th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price target on Union Pacific from $256.00 to $225.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, September 17th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their price target on Union Pacific from $226.00 to $231.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Friday, July 9th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on Union Pacific from $259.00 to $261.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, July 23rd. Finally, Atlantic Securities assumed coverage on Union Pacific in a research report on Monday, July 12th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $263.00 price target on the stock. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Union Pacific presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $243.82. Read more …

 

Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX) was upgraded by equities researchers at BNP Paribas from a "neutral" rating to an "outperform" rating in a report released on Wednesday, FinViz reports. The brokerage presently has a $39.50 price objective on the natural resource company's stock. BNP Paribas' price objective points to a potential upside of 22.67% from the stock's previous close.

Several other brokerages have also recently weighed in on FCX. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price objective on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $39.00 to $42.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a research note on Friday, July 23rd. Bank of America assumed coverage on Freeport-McMoRan in a report on Wednesday, September 29th. They set a "buy" rating on the stock. Credit Suisse Group downgraded Freeport-McMoRan from a "neutral" rating to an "underperform" rating and set a $29.00 target price on the stock. in a research report on Friday, September 10th. Zacks Investment Research downgraded Freeport-McMoRan from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating and set a $37.00 price target for the company. in a research note on Thursday, August 26th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their target price on shares of Freeport-McMoRan from $47.00 to $46.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, September 16th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating, ten have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $38.37. Read more …

 

 

Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) was upgraded by Piper Sandler from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, FinViz reports. The brokerage presently has a $87.00 price target on the oil and gas company’s stock, up from their previous price target of $85.00. Piper Sandler’s price objective indicates a potential upside of 12.48% from the stock’s current price.

PSX has been the topic of several other research reports. decreased their price target on Phillips 66 from $126.00 to $95.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, July 9th. Morgan Stanley started coverage on Phillips 66 in a research report on Tuesday, September 7th. They set an “equal weight” rating and a $80.00 target price on the stock. cut their price objective on Phillips 66 from $126.00 to $95.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, July 9th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price target on shares of Phillips 66 from $96.00 to $97.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, June 24th. Finally, Citigroup cut shares of Phillips 66 from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and lowered their price target for the stock from $95.00 to $75.00 in a report on Thursday, August 26th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $84.31. Read more …

 

Raytheon: Missiles and Defense Division in Focus

 

A $2 billion nuclear cruise missile contract is a welcome third-quarter windfall for the defense industry stalwart

 

 

Raytheon Missiles & Defense, a division of Raytheon Technologies, has stood out in recent months.

Raytheon won several missile development contracts in the third quarter, but orders for existing missiles have continued to dip.

While Raytheon may face some headwinds over the relative short run, its long-term trajectory still looks solid.

 

Raytheon Technologies Corp. (RTX, Financial) was a complex and sprawling organization even before its merger last year with United Technologies Corp. Even after consolidating or divesting stray business units post-merger, the combined entity still sports four distinct divisions:

 

1. Raytheon Intelligence & Space
2. Raytheon Missiles & Defense
3. Pratt & Whitney
4. Collins Aerospace

 

While the commercial aerospace segments that Raytheon inherited from United Technologies have garnered the lion’s share of analyst focus lately, I consider the defense side of the business to be more than deserving of attention. Raytheon Missiles & Defense, in particular, has proven especially interesting of late and definitely merits a look under the hood as the company's third quarter winds to an end.

 

 

Competing on the cutting edge of missile technology

 

Raytheon has been at the forefront of rocketry and missile systems development for nearly eight decades. The company was a pioneer in the field of guided missile technology, and is credited as the developer of the first-ever functional missile guidance system. The company has built continuously on those early successes, and in the process has developed an enviable reputation and robust track record that continues to stand it up today as a respected leader and cutting-edge innovator among the top players in the defense and aerospace sector.

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Most Significant Insider Trades: Week of September 27, 2021

 

Disposals:

 

Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) Director Eddy W. Hartenstein sold 4,517 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $504.92, for a total transaction of $2,280,723.64. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link.

Eddy W. Hartenstein also recently made the following trade(s):

On Friday, September 10th, Eddy W. Hartenstein sold 4,811 shares of Broadcom stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $499.12, for a total transaction of $2,401,266.32.

Read more …

 

Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) insider Mark David Brazeal sold 3,150 shares of Broadcom stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, September 27th. The stock was sold at an average price of $504.09, for a total value of $1,587,883.50. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link.

Mark David Brazeal also recently made the following trade(s):

On Friday, September 10th, Mark David Brazeal sold 9,453 shares of Broadcom stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $502.38, for a total transaction of $4,748,998.14.

Shares of AVGO traded down $1.54 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $489.48. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,578,263 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,843,219. The firm has a market capitalization of $201.48 billion, a PE ratio of 36.43, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.38 and a beta of 0.93. Broadcom Inc. has a one year low of $344.42 and a one year high of $510.70. The stock’s 50-day moving average is $489.69 and its two-hundred day moving average is $474.36. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.65, a quick ratio of 2.23 and a current ratio of 2.41. Read more …

 

Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) EVP Roxanne Lagano sold 1,315 shares of Zoetis stock in a transaction dated Thursday, September 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $202.17, for a total value of $265,853.55. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link.

Roxanne Lagano also recently made the following trade(s):

On Monday, August 23rd, Roxanne Lagano sold 9,603 shares of Zoetis stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $207.07, for a total value of $1,988,493.21.

On Thursday, July 22nd, Roxanne Lagano sold 22,450 shares of Zoetis stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $199.18, for a total transaction of $4,471,591.00.

Shares of ZTS stock traded down $6.96 during trading on Monday, reaching $197.77. The company had a trading volume of 86,716 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,790,371. Zoetis Inc. has a one year low of $141.41 and a one year high of $210.10. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $203.57 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $184.10. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.51, a current ratio of 3.37 and a quick ratio of 2.51. The company has a market capitalization of $93.73 billion, a PE ratio of 49.47, a PEG ratio of 3.31 and a beta of 0.64. Read more …

 

 

General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS) insider Shawn P. Ogrady sold 28,614 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $60.48, for a total transaction of $1,730,574.72. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website.

Shares of GIS traded down $0.31 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, hitting $59.34. 49,048 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,146,430. The firm has a market cap of $35.98 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 15.78, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.06 and a beta of 0.57. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $58.83 and its 200-day simple moving average is $60.45. General Mills, Inc. has a 52 week low of $53.96 and a 52 week high of $64.65. The company has a quick ratio of 0.48, a current ratio of 0.70 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.00. Read more …

 

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) insider Ryan Ross sold 2,540 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, September 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $191.18, for a total value of $485,597.20. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

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

On Tuesday, September 21st, Ryan Ross sold 2,700 shares of Williams-Sonoma stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $185.57, for a total value of $501,039.00.

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

NYSE:WSM traded down $2.70 during trading hours on Tuesday, reaching $191.76. 877,427 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,194,952. The stock has a market cap of $14.26 billion, a PE ratio of 15.25, a PEG ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.68. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $170.40 and a 200 day moving average of $168.91. Williams-Sonoma, Inc. has a twelve month low of $87.94 and a twelve month high of $204.41. Read more …

 

 

Acquisitions:

 

Agree Realty Co. (NYSE:ADC) Director John Rakolta, Jr. bought 20,273 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, September 27th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $67.73 per share, for a total transaction of $1,373,090.29. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this link. Read more …

 

Agree Realty Co. (NYSE:ADC) Chairman Richard Agree bought 6,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, September 28th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $67.06 per share, with a total value of $402,360.00. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

Shares of ADC traded down $1.19 during midday trading on Thursday, hitting $66.23. 379,534 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 619,571. The stock has a market cap of $4.56 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 41.36 and a beta of 0.31. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $73.02 and a 200-day moving average of $71.11. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.49, a quick ratio of 2.69 and a current ratio of 2.69. Agree Realty Co. has a 52 week low of $61.27 and a 52 week high of $75.95. Read more …

 

 

Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) Director Raul J. Fernandez purchased 152 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 29th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $489.54 per share, for a total transaction of $74,410.08. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link.

Broadcom stock traded up $2.42 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $487.35. 1,605,145 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,840,542. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.65, a quick ratio of 2.23 and a current ratio of 2.41. Broadcom Inc. has a 12-month low of $344.42 and a 12-month high of $510.70. The firm has a market cap of $200.60 billion, a P/E ratio of 35.85, a PEG ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 0.93. The business has a fifty day moving average of $490.07 and a 200 day moving average of $474.54. Read more …