2 Bargain Stocks to Thrive in 2022

 

Inflation and Omicron are just short-term noise ahead of a strong recovery; that noise means these bargain stocks are selling at a discount.

 

It’s been a stellar 2021 for the market. The S&P is up 26% so far with only days left in the year. That’s about triple the historical average annual market return. But the negative short-term news is hurting companies that are otherwise positioned for strong growth, making them bargain stocks for longer-term investors.

 

The lure of a strong economy with still-low interest rates is overcoming the gathering problems of persistent high inflation, a rapid Fed tightening cycle, and the explosion of Omicron.

 

But inflation is getting worse and promises to be a big issue in 2022. October inflation was the worst in about forty years. November’s numbers, which were just released, hitting the highest level in nearly four decades and marking the seventh straight month of inflation over 5%.

 

The persistent inflation has prompted the Fed to reverse their earlier “transitory” stance and make up for lost time. The Central Bank has already stated that it will taper bond purchases sooner and raise the Fed Funds rate faster than originally anticipated to combat inflation.

 

While inflation and rising rates may be negative for the overall market, those issues do benefit certain sectors. Commodity-oriented companies tend to thrive in inflation, and financial stocks benefit from rising rates. Yet these sectors have been taking it on the chin lately amidst the surge in the Omicron variant as investors fear renewed lockdowns and a slower economy.

 

The situation is setting up an interesting dynamic. The virus surge is likely to be temporary while the other problems, inflation and Fed tightening, will be much longer term. Sure, the virus will be in news and probably be a big deal in January. But it will fade. The other issues will be around for all of 2022.

 

 

The virus is knocking back cyclical stocks in the energy and financial sectors ahead of what is a very promising year. These sectors should thrive amidst inflation and rising interest rates, but the virus is making companies in these sectors bargain stocks.

 

Continue reading …

 

Raytheon Technologies: America's Next Top Aerospace Company?

 

The company's rebounding commercial aviation vertical may be key to driving long-term growth

 

 

Summary

 

The product of a 2020 merger between Raytheon and United Technologies, the combined company is a sprawling aerospace business spanning both defense and commercial segments.

While initially panned by many investors, the merger has lately shown signs of paying off.

Raytheon's commercial aviation business, inherited from United Technologies, contributed significantly to its earnings beat last quarter.

If Raytheon can sustain both its defense and commercial verticals, it could surpass Boeing and Lockheed Martin on a revenue basis.

 

Raytheon Technologies Corp. (RTX, Financial) has been a mainstay of the aerospace industry for decades, yet it has frequently found itself overshadowed by its larger peers, especially the sprawling Boeing Co. (BA, Financial) and the dynamic Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT, Financial). That may soon change, however, if current trends persist.

 

 

Synergies and disruptions

 

Raytheon was already a large and varied organization even before it merged with United Technologies Corp. last year. As I discussed in January, the merger resulted in a far larger and more complex organization; so much so, in fact, that a number of prominent analysts and investors expressed considerable skepticism about the deal. Raytheon’s leadership was unperturbed, however. Speaking at the 2019 Paris Air Show soon after the merger was announced, Raytheon’s then-Chief Financial Officer Anthony O'Brien highlighted the key benefits of adding United Technologies’ commercial aviation capabilities to Raytheon’s respected defense business:

 

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7 Boring Stocks to Buy to Protect Against the Speculative Fallout

 

It’s time to go on defense

 

 

Naturally, as the major indices absorbed the news regarding the Federal Reserve’s upcoming rate hikes for 2022 — and not in a great way — many folks turned to Cathie Wood. A technology investor and the matriarch of Wall Street, Wood commands serious influence. And her words were to not deviate from the course because the truth “will win out.” Still, a slight shift toward boring stocks to buy might help.

 

According to CNBC, Wood’s ARK Innovation ETF (NYSEARCA:ARKK) lost a fifth of its value on a year-to-date basis since the close of Dec. 17. Under the much often cited narrative of buy low, sell high (or buy the dips in the contemporary parlance) the fallout in tech and other sectors might inspire buying sentiment. While that could be true, it’s also possible more pain is on the way, which bolsters boring stocks to buy.

 

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, David Keller, chief market strategist at StockCharts.com, stated that, “Arguably the reasons why stocks have been so strong so consistently are now going away and those conditions are changing.” Some investors — though to be clear, not all — are concerned about the rapid spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus. The uncertainty hinders growth names but may benefit boring stocks.

 

But arguably the most important impediment to the once-soaring demand for risk-on assets is the scheduled increase in borrowing costs. As WSJ noted, “Fast-growing tech names have been pressured by the prospect of higher interest rates, which make it less appealing to hold riskier assets.” Therefore, investors should be thinking about reliability and stability, which boosts the profile of boring stocks.

 

 

As well, the conspicuous correction could come down to common-sense dynamics. While there’s no upside valuation ceiling in theory for any particular asset, practically speaking, a sector can only go so high before it stalls out. With growth names having enjoyed a blistering season, it’s time to reconsider these boring stocks to buy.

 

Continue reading …

 

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of December 20 2021

 

Upgrades:

 

Dover (NYSE:DOV) was upgraded by research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from an "underweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a report released on Monday, The Fly reports.

Several other equities analysts have also issued reports on the company. Royal Bank of Canada lifted their price target on Dover from $163.00 to $171.00 and gave the stock a "sector perform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 20th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on Dover from $173.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 20th. Citigroup lifted their price target on Dover from $185.00 to $196.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 20th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price target on Dover from $187.00 to $178.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, December 10th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on Dover from $178.00 to $180.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 20th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Dover currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $177.08. Read more …

 

Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE:FRT) was upgraded by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating in a report released on Monday, The Fly reports. The firm currently has a $142.00 price target on the real estate investment trust's stock, up from their prior price target of $135.00. JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s target price suggests a potential upside of 9.64% from the company's current price.

FRT has been the topic of a number of other reports. Citigroup lifted their target price on shares of Federal Realty Investment Trust from $120.00 to $130.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday, December 2nd. Truist Securities boosted their target price on shares of Federal Realty Investment Trust from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, December 10th. TheStreet upgraded shares of Federal Realty Investment Trust from a "c+" rating to a "b" rating in a research report on Thursday, November 4th. Truist boosted their price objective on shares of Federal Realty Investment Trust from $125.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, December 10th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets upgraded shares of Federal Realty Investment Trust from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $145.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, December 1st. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $126.15. Read more …

 

Public Storage (NYSE:PSA) was upgraded by equities research analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, The Fly reports. The brokerage presently has a $385.00 price objective on the real estate investment trust's stock, up from their previous price objective of $359.00. JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s target price would suggest a potential upside of 6.43% from the stock's current price.

Several other equities analysts have also commented on the stock. Morgan Stanley increased their price objective on shares of Public Storage from $322.00 to $333.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Monday, November 29th. Berenberg Bank began coverage on shares of Public Storage in a research report on Thursday, October 7th. They issued a "hold" rating and a $321.00 price objective for the company. Raymond James raised shares of Public Storage from an "outperform" rating to a "strong-buy" rating and increased their price objective for the company from $350.00 to $375.00 in a research report on Thursday, December 2nd. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of Public Storage from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $349.00 price target for the company. in a research report on Friday, November 12th. Finally, Truist raised their price target on shares of Public Storage from $325.00 to $353.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, December 2nd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, five have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Public Storage presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $337.54. Read more …

 

 

AT&T (NYSE:T) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Barclays from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a report issued on Monday, The Fly reports. The brokerage presently has a $30.00 price target on the technology company’s stock. Barclays‘s target price suggests a potential upside of 26.16% from the company’s previous close.

Several other brokerages have also commented on T. Truist Securities restated a “hold” rating and issued a $26.00 price objective on shares of AT&T in a report on Monday, December 6th. Morgan Stanley upgraded shares of AT&T from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $32.00 to $28.00 in a report on Thursday. Loop Capital initiated coverage on shares of AT&T in a research note on Monday, September 20th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $30.00 price target for the company. Truist reiterated a “hold” rating and issued a $26.00 price target on shares of AT&T in a research note on Monday, December 6th. Finally, Citigroup decreased their price target on shares of AT&T from $31.00 to $29.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, December 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $30.30. Read more …

The 12 Best REITs to Buy for 2022

 

Resilient real estate stocks are an apt choice amid uncertainty heading into 2022. These are 12 of the best REITs to consider in the new year.

 

 

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) should finish 2021 as one of the stock market's top performing sectors, barring a surprise late-year disaster. And investors positioned in the best REITs could be set up for a productive 2022.

 

The main reason REITs remain so popular with investors year after year is the reliable strength of their dividends. Remember: REITs are required to pay out at least 90% of their taxable profits as dividends (in return for some generous tax breaks). And even after a year of big stock price gains, real estate stocks continue to offer impressive yields. The average yield on REITs is presently 2.9%, or more than twice the 1.3% average yield on the S&P 500. Many of the market's best REITs deliver even more income.

 

But there are other catalysts pointing specifically to strong REIT performance in 2022.

 

A major growth driver is the strengthening U.S. economy, which is increasing occupancy rates and rents for real estate in the industrial, housing and shopping-center industries, among others.

 

"As commercial activity and day-to-day life normalize, demand for commercial and residential real estate space will continue to recover," says State Street Global Advisors. "Combined with higher rent inflation in 2022, this supports REIT dividend growth and potential valuation appreciation."

 

Indeed, unlike most other businesses, real estate investment trusts typically benefit from inflation. That's because of the structure of REIT leases, which allow frequent rent hikes, as well as rent increases linked to the consumer price index (CPI). Inflation also increases the worth of REIT assets, thus making their portfolios more valuable.

 

 

With that in mind, here are the 12 best REITs to buy for 2022. These 12 names stand out because of generous dividends, low valuations, growth prospects, or in most cases, a combination of these and other attributes.

 

Continue reading …

 

7 of the Best Retirement Stocks to Buy Now for 2022

 

Next year might require a rethink 

 

As any financial advisor will tell you, you should always plan for the future. Typically, slow and steady wins the race over making long-odds wagers. However, the novel coronavirus pandemic certainly threw a monkey wrench into this age-old narrative. In turn, seemingly all equities qualified for the label best retirement stocks.

 

Since the pandemic began, many people have turned to investing for a variety of reasons, and the popularity caught on quickly. Suddenly, everybody became a day trader — using the Wall Street Journal’s language.

 

Sure enough, the surge of interest in the investment markets contributed to a once-in-a-blue-moon opportunity to make up for the lost time. Even companies that appeared destined for the bankruptcy line — I’m not going to name any names — enjoyed unprecedented support. Truly, bad news was good news in the new normal. So it was only natural for many blue chips to become some of the best retirement stocks.

 

Of course, a major contributing source for this interest was the never-before-seen cooperation between private enterprises and big government. The latter wanted everybody to go home to combat the spread of Covid-19 while the former allowed their employees to telecommute — a concept that prior to the crisis found resistance from several managers. Just as importantly, stimulus checks put extra money into Americans’ pockets, boosting the best retirement stocks and other categories.

 

Now, though, the good times might be coming to an end — or at least the drinks might not be on the house anymore. According to the New York Times, consumer prices rose at the fastest pace since 1982, a dynamic that Washington cannot afford to ignore. Indeed, Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell signaled that it will more aggressively reduce monetary support of the economy. If so, you need to think about the best retirement stocks.

 

 

I’m not proclaiming that we’re going to enter a downturn, although to be blunt, that wouldn’t be the most surprising outcome. Historically, rampant speculation — especially stock trading on margin — never ended well. Therefore, people should consider adding these best retirement stocks to their portfolios.

 

Continue reading …

 

Dividend Increases Week 50, 2021

 

In this article, I will go through the weekly dividend increases and cuts in popular and well-known stocks. (Member of The Dividend Champions or Canadian All-Star list)

 

Recently, 17 companies announced dividend increases. Note that no dividend cuts or suspensions were announced during this period.

 

The table below summarises the dividend change announcements.  The table shows the current dividend, the new dividend and the percentage increase (%). Dividends are shown on an annual basis and in US dollars unless otherwise stated. Yield is the new dividend yield of the most recent price, and Years is the years of consecutive dividend increases.

 

 

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of December 13 2021

 

Upgrades:

 

Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) was upgraded by Bank of America from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports. The firm currently has a $107.00 target price on the utilities provider's stock, up from their prior target price of $100.00. Bank of America's price target would indicate a potential upside of 10.15% from the stock's previous close.

Several other research firms also recently commented on ATO. Zacks Investment Research raised shares of Atmos Energy from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $102.00 target price on the stock in a report on Monday, September 6th. Argus cut shares of Atmos Energy from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Thursday, October 7th. Mizuho boosted their price target on shares of Atmos Energy from $109.00 to $110.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, August 17th. TheStreet cut shares of Atmos Energy from a "b" rating to a "c+" rating in a research report on Tuesday, September 7th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on shares of Atmos Energy from $123.00 to $119.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, October 19th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $108.83. Read more …

 

Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) was upgraded by stock analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating in a research note issued on Monday, The Fly reports. The brokerage currently has a $63.00 price objective on the stock, up from their prior price objective of $59.00. JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s target price suggests a potential upside of 11.94% from the stock's current price. The analysts noted that the move was a valuation call.

KO has been the subject of a number of other reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their price objective on shares of Coca-Cola from $60.00 to $59.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a report on Friday, October 15th. Evercore ISI reaffirmed a "buy" rating on shares of Coca-Cola in a research report on Tuesday, November 9th. Credit Suisse Group set a $63.00 price objective on shares of Coca-Cola in a report on Thursday. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on shares of Coca-Cola from $62.00 to $64.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Thursday, October 28th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group set a $55.00 price objective on shares of Coca-Cola in a research report on Thursday. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $61.29. Read more …

 

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) was upgraded by UBS Group to a “buy” rating in a report released on Monday, Price Targets.com reports. The firm currently has a $60.00 price target on the biopharmaceutical company’s stock, up from their previous price target of $52.00. UBS Group’s target price indicates a potential upside of 13.68% from the company’s current price.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on the stock. SVB Leerink cut their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $50.00 to $48.00 and set a “market perform” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 3rd. Erste Group raised shares of Pfizer from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday. Benchmark increased their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $29.00 to $45.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, November 5th. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on shares of Pfizer in a report on Wednesday, December 8th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $60.00 target price for the company. Finally, Truist Securities raised their target price on shares of Pfizer from $43.00 to $58.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 24th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $52.24. Read more …

 

 

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) was upgraded by stock analysts at Bank of America from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports. The brokerage currently has a $210.00 target price on the iPhone maker’s stock, up from their previous target price of $160.00. Bank of America‘s price target indicates a potential upside of 19.49% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other research analysts also recently commented on AAPL. Evercore ISI upgraded Apple to a “buy” rating and set a $180.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Friday, September 10th. Fundamental Research boosted their target price on Apple from $163.99 to $164.79 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 23rd. KeyCorp began coverage on Apple in a research note on Monday, December 6th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $191.00 target price on the stock. DA Davidson boosted their target price on Apple from $167.00 to $175.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, October 19th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group began coverage on Apple in a research note on Friday, October 29th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $150.00 target price on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a hold rating, twenty-three have issued a buy rating and two have given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $170.24. Read more …

7 Big Dividend Paying Stocks to Hold Forever

 

Going overweight on low-beta, high-dividend stocks helps make your portfolio defensive 

 

Within equities as an asset class, there can be a broad classification of growth and income investors. Growth investors seek to find opportunities in high growth business ideas. In general, a portfolio of growth stocks would have a high-beta. Further, there are dividend investors who look for stable businesses with robust cash flows. Income investors prefer to hold dividend paying stocks. Typically, a portfolio of dividend paying stocks have a low-beta.

 

However, the best strategy is to remain diversified. Overexposure to high-beta stocks can negatively impact the portfolio in a sharp downside. Going overweight on low-beta and high-dividend stocks does make the portfolio defensive. However, in times of high inflation, there can be a potential risk of returns that fail to beat inflation.

 

My focus in this column is on high-quality dividend stocks that investors can buy and hold forever. Besides potential for sustained dividends and possible dividend growth, I have focused on stocks that also seem undervalued.

 

 

Investors can therefore expect regular cash flows and there is a possibility of decent capital gains. Let’s take a deeper look into seven dividend paying stocks that are worth buying at current levels.

 

Continue reading …

 

Store Capital Stock: High-Quality REIT

 

The new COVID variant Omicron and the fear of new lockdowns caused the market to drop a little over 4% in a few trading days. This significant drop has also brought down the stock prices of high-quality Real Estate Investment Trusts (REIT) because of the fear of lockdowns. In 2020, REITs suffered due to local government restrictions and declining rental collections. Today’s article will discuss a REIT that has been downtrading the past two weeks and brought down further because of the Omicron fears. This high-quality REIT is STORE Capital stock.

 

Overview Of STORE Capital Stock

The REIT that we will cover today is STORE Capital Corporation (STOR). STOR is an internally managed net-lease REIT leader in the acquisition, investment, and management of Single Tenant Operational Real Estate, or STORE Properties, its target market and the inspiration for its name. The REIT is one of the largest and fastest-growing net-lease REITs and owns an extensive, well-diversified portfolio that consists of investments in 2,788 property locations in 49 states, or $10.3 billion in gross investment dollars, as of September 30, 2021. The REIT had total revenue of $694.3M in 2020.

 

A company that operates as a net-lease REIT puts the tenants who are leasing the property responsible for most of the expenses of the properties they occupy. For example, the tenant will be responsible for paying the taxes, insurance fees, and maintenance costs of the property in addition to rent. This fact keeps operation costs very low for a REIT like STORE Capital. The company estimates that the market share of STORE properties to approximately $3.9 trillion in market size. Warren Buffett’s Company, Berkshire Hathaway, invested $377 million in STORE Capital stock, representing 9.8% of total shares outstanding.

 

 

Continue reading …

 

Dividend Increases Week 49, 2021

 

In this article, I will go through the weekly dividend increases and cuts in popular and well-known stocks. (Member of The Dividend Champions or Canadian All-Star list)

 

Recently, 19 companies announced dividend increases. Note that no dividend cuts or suspensions were announced during this period.

 

The table below summarises the dividend change announcements.  The table shows the current dividend, the new dividend and the percentage increase (%). Dividends are shown on an annual basis and in US dollars unless otherwise stated. Yield is the new dividend yield of the most recent price, and Years is the years of consecutive dividend increases.

 

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of December 6 2021

 

Upgrades:

 

Canadian Western Bank (TSE:CWB) was upgraded by Veritas Investment Research from a “reduce” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, BayStreet.CA reports.

CWB has been the subject of a number of other research reports. CIBC boosted their price target on Canadian Western Bank from C$44.00 to C$46.00 in a research note on Monday, November 22nd. National Bank Financial boosted their price target on Canadian Western Bank from C$40.00 to C$41.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Monday, August 30th. Scotiabank boosted their price target on Canadian Western Bank from C$42.00 to C$43.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Monday, August 30th. BMO Capital Markets raised Canadian Western Bank from a “market perform” rating to a “buy” rating and set a C$41.00 price target for the company in a research note on Friday. Finally, Credit Suisse Group boosted their price target on Canadian Western Bank to C$45.00 and gave the company a “sector peform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 1st. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Canadian Western Bank presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of C$41.92. Read more …

 

The Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE:GS) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Morgan Stanley from an "underweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

A number of other research firms also recently issued reports on GS. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on The Goldman Sachs Group from $430.00 to $450.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research report on Monday, October 25th. JMP Securities boosted their price objective on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $440.00 to $450.00 and gave the company a "market perform" rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 5th. Barclays upped their price target on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group from $437.00 to $483.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, October 18th. Credit Suisse Group increased their price objective on The Goldman Sachs Group from $450.00 to $470.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, October 18th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a "sector perform" rating and set a $435.00 price target (up previously from $370.00) on shares of The Goldman Sachs Group in a research report on Monday, October 18th. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $419.29.

Shares of The Goldman Sachs Group stock opened at $382.73 on Monday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $398.45 and a 200-day simple moving average of $389.47. The firm has a market cap of $128.14 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 6.31, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.57 and a beta of 1.51. The company has a quick ratio of 0.85, a current ratio of 0.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.52. The Goldman Sachs Group has a fifty-two week low of $235.45 and a fifty-two week high of $426.16. Read more …

Home Depot (NYSE:HD) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Oppenheimer from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating in a report issued on Monday, The Fly reports.

Several other research firms have also recently issued reports on HD. Truist Securities increased their price target on shares of Home Depot from $325.00 to $420.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, November 17th. UBS Group increased their price target on shares of Home Depot from $410.00 to $440.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, November 17th. DA Davidson reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Home Depot in a report on Wednesday, August 18th. Robert W. Baird increased their price target on shares of Home Depot from $360.00 to $425.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Tuesday, November 16th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company increased their price target on shares of Home Depot from $365.00 to $400.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Monday, November 8th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nineteen have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $406.17.

Shares of NYSE:HD opened at $407.81 on Monday. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $368.51 and a 200-day simple moving average of $338.88. Home Depot has a one year low of $246.59 and a one year high of $416.56. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 35.47, a quick ratio of 0.37 and a current ratio of 1.13. The stock has a market capitalization of $425.85 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 27.26, a PEG ratio of 2.17 and a beta of 0.98. Read more …

 

 

Southern (NYSE:SO) was upgraded by research analysts at Mizuho from an “underperform” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research note issued on Monday, The Fly reports.

Several other research firms have also issued reports on SO. Morgan Stanley reduced their price target on Southern from $64.00 to $63.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, September 17th. Guggenheim upgraded Southern from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $72.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, September 7th. Finally, KeyCorp raised their price target on Southern from $68.00 to $69.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 19th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $68.42. Read more …

 

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) was upgraded by equities researchers at Morgan Stanley from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently issued reports on WFC. Jefferies Financial Group upped their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $51.00 to $57.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, October 11th. Odeon Capital Group upgraded Wells Fargo & Company from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $48.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 29th. Raymond James upped their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $52.00 to $55.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 26th. TheStreet upgraded Wells Fargo & Company from a “c+” rating to a “b-” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 14th. Finally, Piper Sandler upped their price objective on Wells Fargo & Company from $45.00 to $48.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research report on Friday, October 15th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirteen have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Wells Fargo & Company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $48.71. Read more …

 

PPG Industries (NYSE:PPG) was upgraded by equities researchers at Evercore ISI from an "in-line" rating to an "outperform" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports. The brokerage currently has a $190.00 price objective on the specialty chemicals company's stock. Evercore ISI's price target would suggest a potential upside of 15.55% from the company's previous close.

Several other brokerages have also weighed in on PPG. Citigroup raised their price objective on shares of PPG Industries from $161.00 to $169.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Friday, October 22nd. Mizuho increased their price target on shares of PPG Industries from $180.00 to $184.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, October 22nd. BMO Capital Markets lowered their target price on PPG Industries from $188.00 to $185.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, October 22nd. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on PPG Industries from $180.00 to $183.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Friday, October 22nd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered PPG Industries from an "overweight" rating to a "neutral" rating and set a $165.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Friday, October 22nd. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seventeen have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $177.97. Read more …

 

 

Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) was upgraded by research analysts at MKM Partners from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports. The brokerage presently has a $130.00 price target on the coffee company's stock, up from their previous price target of $114.00. MKM Partners' target price would suggest a potential upside of 14.68% from the company's current price.

Several other brokerages have also recently commented on SBUX. Oppenheimer decreased their price target on shares of Starbucks from $140.00 to $130.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 29th. Atlantic Securities cut shares of Starbucks from an "overweight" rating to a "neutral" rating and set a $105.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Thursday, September 30th. UBS Group decreased their price target on shares of Starbucks from $125.00 to $115.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 29th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on shares of Starbucks from $135.00 to $122.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, October 29th. Finally, Stifel Nicolaus downgraded shares of Starbucks from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and reduced their target price for the stock from $130.00 to $112.00 in a report on Friday, October 29th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $123.57. Read more …

 

Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) was upgraded by investment analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating in a report released on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Several other research analysts have also recently weighed in on PSX. Citigroup upped their price objective on shares of Phillips 66 from $75.00 to $80.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 6th. Piper Sandler raised Phillips 66 from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and upped their target price for the stock from $85.00 to $87.00 in a research note on Wednesday, October 6th. Wells Fargo & Company upped their target price on Phillips 66 from $97.00 to $104.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, November 15th. Mizuho reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $100.00 target price on shares of Phillips 66 in a research note on Friday, November 19th. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised Phillips 66 from a “buy” rating to a “conviction-buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 3rd. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eleven have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $88.20. Read more …

 

Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) was upgraded by investment analysts at Barclays from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Shares of NYSE:WTRG opened at $50.16 on Wednesday. Essential Utilities has a 52-week low of $41.11 and a 52-week high of $51.42. The firm has a market capitalization of $12.68 billion, a P/E ratio of 30.77, a P/E/G ratio of 4.69 and a beta of 0.57. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $47.35 and a 200-day moving average price of $47.88. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.09, a quick ratio of 0.46 and a current ratio of 0.68.

Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Sunday, October 31st. The company reported $0.19 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the Zacks' consensus estimate of $0.21 by ($0.02). Essential Utilities had a net margin of 23.00% and a return on equity of 8.87%. The company had revenue of $361.86 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $367.00 million. During the same period last year, the business earned $0.23 EPS. On average, equities analysts forecast that Essential Utilities will post 1.66 EPS for the current fiscal year. Read more …

 

 

Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE:BEP) (TSE:BEP) was upgraded by equities research analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating in a research note issued on Thursday, The Fly reports.

A number of other equities research analysts have also weighed in on BEP. TheStreet lowered shares of Brookfield Renewable Partners from a "c-" rating to a "d+" rating in a report on Thursday, December 2nd. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Brookfield Renewable Partners from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 6th. CSFB set a $45.00 price objective on Brookfield Renewable Partners and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 22nd. Raymond James set a $44.00 target price on Brookfield Renewable Partners and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, November 8th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group reiterated an "outperform" rating and issued a $45.00 price target on shares of Brookfield Renewable Partners in a report on Wednesday, September 22nd. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Brookfield Renewable Partners has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $43.50.

Shares of BEP stock opened at $34.38 on Thursday. Brookfield Renewable Partners has a fifty-two week low of $33.56 and a fifty-two week high of $49.87. The firm has a market capitalization of $9.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -42.98 and a beta of 0.64. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.95, a quick ratio of 0.74 and a current ratio of 0.74. The stock's 50-day simple moving average is $37.56 and its 200-day simple moving average is $38.48. Read more …

 

Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) was upgraded by analysts at Erste Group from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Thursday, The Fly reports.

Other analysts also recently issued research reports about the company. Needham & Company LLC restated a “hold” rating on shares of Cisco Systems in a research note on Thursday, September 16th. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $64.00 price objective on Cisco Systems in a research report on Thursday, September 16th. Citigroup raised their price objective on Cisco Systems from $50.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 19th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. set a $70.00 price objective on Cisco Systems in a research report on Thursday, September 16th. Finally, Piper Sandler raised their price objective on Cisco Systems from $53.00 to $57.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday, September 16th. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $62.24. Read more …

 

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) was upgraded by equities researchers at Erste Group from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report issued on Thursday, The Fly reports.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on PFE. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on shares of Pfizer in a report on Wednesday. They set an "overweight" rating for the company. SVB Leerink dropped their price objective on shares of Pfizer from $50.00 to $48.00 and set a "market perform" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, November 3rd. BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on shares of Pfizer in a report on Thursday, November 18th. They issued an "outperform" rating and a $60.00 price objective for the company. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $60.00 price objective on shares of Pfizer in a report on Friday, November 5th. Finally, Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of Pfizer from $50.00 to $60.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Monday, November 29th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Pfizer currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $50.53.

PFE opened at $51.40 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.48, a current ratio of 1.39 and a quick ratio of 1.18. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $46.78 and a 200 day moving average price of $44.17. Pfizer has a 1 year low of $33.36 and a 1 year high of $55.70. The stock has a market cap of $288.50 billion, a P/E ratio of 15.30, a P/E/G ratio of 1.23 and a beta of 0.68. Read more …

 

 

Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM) was upgraded by analysts at Atlantic Securities from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating in a research note issued on Thursday, Analyst Price Targets reports. The firm presently has a $151.00 target price on the restaurant operator’s stock. Atlantic Securities’ price target points to a potential upside of 12.78% from the stock’s current price.

Several other equities analysts also recently weighed in on the company. Oppenheimer downgraded Yum! Brands from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 26th. Loop Capital assumed coverage on Yum! Brands in a research report on Tuesday, October 5th. They set a “hold” rating and a $120.00 price objective on the stock. Zacks Investment Research downgraded Yum! Brands from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $132.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Tuesday, September 28th. Robert W. Baird restated a “buy” rating on shares of Yum! Brands in a research report on Wednesday, September 15th. Finally, Citigroup downgraded Yum! Brands from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a research report on Thursday, August 26th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $132.42. Read more …

 

 

Downgrades:

 

Bank of New York Mellon (NYSE:BK) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Morgan Stanley from an "equal weight" rating to an "underweight" rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

A number of other research analysts have also recently commented on BK. Barclays increased their target price on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $57.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, October 20th. Wells Fargo & Company increased their target price on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $57.00 to $62.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Monday, October 25th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price objective on Bank of New York Mellon from $49.00 to $60.00 and gave the company a "sector perform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 20th. Citigroup upped their price objective on Bank of New York Mellon from $60.00 to $70.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, October 22nd. Finally, Credit Suisse Group increased their target price on shares of Bank of New York Mellon from $56.00 to $60.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 20th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $57.47.

Shares of Bank of New York Mellon stock opened at $54.88 on Monday. The firm has a 50-day moving average of $57.22 and a 200-day moving average of $53.59. The stock has a market cap of $45.32 billion, a PE ratio of 13.96, a PEG ratio of 2.25 and a beta of 1.16. Bank of New York Mellon has a 52-week low of $39.46 and a 52-week high of $60.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a quick ratio of 0.68 and a current ratio of 0.68. Read more …

 

Novartis (NYSE:NVS) was downgraded by stock analysts at Exane BNP Paribas from an "outperform" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, The Fly reports. They currently have a CHF 85 price objective on the stock.

A number of other research firms have also recently commented on NVS. Berenberg Bank reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Novartis in a research report on Tuesday, October 12th. UBS Group cut Novartis from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research report on Friday, November 5th. BNP Paribas cut Novartis from an "outperform" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research report on Monday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reiterated an "underweight" rating on shares of Novartis in a research report on Wednesday, October 27th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered Novartis from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a report on Monday, September 20th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $92.75.

NVS stock opened at $80.00 on Monday. Novartis has a 1-year low of $79.34 and a 1-year high of $98.52. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $82.47 and a 200-day moving average price of $87.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.41, a current ratio of 0.88 and a quick ratio of 0.65. The stock has a market capitalization of $178.94 billion, a P/E ratio of 18.48, a P/E/G ratio of 1.98 and a beta of 0.55. Read more …

 

 

AstraZeneca (NASDAQ:AZN) was downgraded by research analysts at Jefferies Financial Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report released on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently commented on the stock. UBS Group reissued a "buy" rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research report on Tuesday, October 19th. Bryan, Garnier & Co lowered AstraZeneca to a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, November 22nd. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft restated a "buy" rating on shares of AstraZeneca in a research note on Monday, October 11th. SVB Leerink upped their price objective on AstraZeneca from $71.00 to $73.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Monday, September 27th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. assumed coverage on AstraZeneca in a research report on Thursday, August 12th. They set an "overweight" rating on the stock. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $124.00.

AZN opened at $55.41 on Tuesday. The stock's 50-day moving average price is $59.62 and its 200 day moving average price is $58.63. AstraZeneca has a 12-month low of $46.48 and a 12-month high of $64.21. The firm has a market cap of $171.67 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 86.58, a PEG ratio of 1.19 and a beta of 0.50. The company has a current ratio of 1.13, a quick ratio of 0.68 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.71. Read more …

 

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) was downgraded by equities researchers at Guggenheim from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report issued on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

MRK has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Zacks Investment Research raised shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $82.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, August 24th. Truist increased their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $92.00 to $95.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 24th. Barclays increased their price objective on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. from $92.00 to $94.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Monday, November 1st. SVB Leerink reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Tuesday, November 30th. Finally, Berenberg Bank reissued a “hold” rating and issued a $92.00 price objective (up previously from $86.00) on shares of Merck & Co., Inc. in a research report on Sunday, October 10th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Merck & Co., Inc. currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $94.17. Read more …

 

Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST) was downgraded by equities researchers at Cowen from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports. They presently have a $109.00 target price on the apparel retailer's stock. Cowen's price target points to a potential downside of 3.27% from the company's previous close.

Several other equities analysts have also weighed in on ROST. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lifted their target price on shares of Ross Stores from $146.00 to $152.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, November 19th. Loop Capital cut shares of Ross Stores from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and dropped their price target for the company from $140.00 to $105.00 in a research note on Thursday, October 14th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their price target on shares of Ross Stores from $132.00 to $137.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Monday, August 16th. Credit Suisse Group lifted their price target on shares of Ross Stores from $142.00 to $145.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, August 20th. Finally, William Blair reissued an "outperform" rating on shares of Ross Stores in a research note on Wednesday, August 25th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $136.18.

ROST stock opened at $112.68 on Tuesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62, a current ratio of 1.75 and a quick ratio of 1.25. Ross Stores has a 12 month low of $104.79 and a 12 month high of $134.21. The firm's 50-day moving average is $112.28 and its 200 day moving average is $117.69. The company has a market capitalization of $40.04 billion, a PE ratio of 25.10, a P/E/G ratio of 2.31 and a beta of 1.02. Read more …

 

 

American States Water (NYSE:AWR) was downgraded by research analysts at Barclays from an "equal weight" rating to an "underweight" rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently commented on the company. Zacks Investment Research cut American States Water from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $93.00 price target on the stock. in a report on Tuesday, September 14th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their price objective on American States Water from $98.00 to $97.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, December 1st.

NYSE AWR opened at $98.69 on Wednesday. The company has a market capitalization of $3.64 billion, a PE ratio of 38.85 and a beta of 0.09. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.85, a quick ratio of 0.88 and a current ratio of 0.95. The business's fifty day moving average is $91.72 and its 200 day moving average is $87.80. American States Water has a fifty-two week low of $70.07 and a fifty-two week high of $98.98.

American States Water (NYSE:AWR) last released its earnings results on Monday, November 1st. The utilities provider reported $0.76 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters' consensus estimate of $0.75 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $136.76 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $140.00 million. American States Water had a return on equity of 14.31% and a net margin of 18.60%. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.72 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that American States Water will post 2.48 EPS for the current year. Read more …

 

Becton, Dickinson and (NYSE:BDX) was downgraded by Piper Sandler from an "overweight" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports. They presently have a $260.00 price target on the medical instruments supplier's stock, down from their previous price target of $285.00. Piper Sandler's target price indicates a potential upside of 3.85% from the company's current price.

A number of other research firms also recently weighed in on BDX. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Becton, Dickinson and from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $250.00 price target for the company in a research note on Tuesday, October 19th. SVB Leerink reiterated a "market perform" rating on shares of Becton, Dickinson and in a research note on Friday, October 22nd. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $268.78.

Shares of Becton, Dickinson and stock opened at $250.36 on Wednesday. The business's 50 day simple moving average is $243.96 and its 200 day simple moving average is $246.94. Becton, Dickinson and has a 52-week low of $234.61 and a 52-week high of $267.37. The firm has a market cap of $71.11 billion, a PE ratio of 36.55, a P/E/G ratio of 2.66 and a beta of 0.71. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72, a quick ratio of 0.90 and a current ratio of 1.33. Read more …

 

Honeywell International (NYSE:HON) was downgraded by investment analysts at Bank of America from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Several other research analysts also recently commented on the company. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price objective on Honeywell International from $229.00 to $224.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, October 25th. Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on Honeywell International in a report on Thursday, October 7th. They set an "equal weight" rating and a $229.00 price target for the company. Morgan Stanley cut their price target on Honeywell International from $246.00 to $229.00 and set an "equal weight" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, October 7th. Finally, Barclays cut their price target on Honeywell International from $253.00 to $250.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Monday, October 25th. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $235.73.

Honeywell International stock opened at $207.15 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.79, a current ratio of 1.29 and a quick ratio of 1.04. Honeywell International has a one year low of $194.55 and a one year high of $236.86. The stock has a market capitalization of $142.61 billion, a PE ratio of 26.63, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.36 and a beta of 1.15. The business's fifty day moving average is $216.84 and its 200 day moving average is $222.50. Read more …

 

 

Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD) was downgraded by equities researchers at Wolfe Research from an "outperform" rating to a "peer perform" rating in a report released on Thursday, The Fly reports. They presently have a $331.00 price objective on the basic materials company's stock, down from their prior price objective of $332.00. Wolfe Research's target price suggests a potential upside of 11.95% from the company's current price.

Several other brokerages also recently commented on APD. Mizuho initiated coverage on Air Products and Chemicals in a research note on Friday, November 5th. They set a "buy" rating and a $312.00 target price for the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $315.00 to $340.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Friday, November 5th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets raised their target price on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $312.00 to $338.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, October 15th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Air Products and Chemicals presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $319.67.

NYSE APD opened at $295.67 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $65.48 billion, a PE ratio of 31.32, a PEG ratio of 2.61 and a beta of 0.79. Air Products and Chemicals has a 12 month low of $245.75 and a 12 month high of $316.39. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $290.91 and a 200-day moving average of $285.89. The company has a current ratio of 2.99, a quick ratio of 2.83 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51. Read more …

 

Cincinnati Financial (NASDAQ:CINF) was downgraded by analysts at Royal Bank of Canada to a "sector perform" rating in a research report issued on Thursday, The Fly reports.

Other analysts have also recently issued research reports about the company. Wolfe Research assumed coverage on Cincinnati Financial in a research report on Monday, August 16th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $148.00 target price on the stock. Zacks Investment Research downgraded Cincinnati Financial from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $122.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Tuesday, September 28th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Cincinnati Financial has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $126.83.

Shares of Cincinnati Financial stock opened at $117.21 on Thursday. The firm has a market cap of $18.89 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.54 and a beta of 0.68. The company has a current ratio of 0.29, a quick ratio of 0.29 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08. Cincinnati Financial has a 12 month low of $78.56 and a 12 month high of $127.25. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $119.57 and its 200-day moving average price is $119.28. Read more …

 

Canadian Natural Resources (TSE:CNQ) (NYSE:CNQ) was downgraded by JPMorgan Chase & Co. to a “hold” rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, TipRanks reports. They presently have a C$66.00 price objective on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.‘s price target points to a potential upside of 25.19% from the company’s current price.

A number of other brokerages have also commented on CNQ. Scotiabank lifted their price target on shares of Canadian Natural Resources from C$52.00 to C$60.00 in a research note on Thursday, October 14th. UBS Group boosted their target price on shares of Canadian Natural Resources from C$61.00 to C$75.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 17th. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their price target on shares of Canadian Natural Resources from C$44.00 to C$51.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, October 19th. Evercore boosted their price objective on shares of Canadian Natural Resources from C$52.00 to C$57.00 in a research report on Thursday, October 21st. Finally, National Bankshares cut their price objective on shares of Canadian Natural Resources from C$70.00 to C$69.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, November 5th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Canadian Natural Resources currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of C$64.10. Read more …