7 Dividend Stocks That Can Withstand Inflation

 

Protect yourself from sharply declining purchasing power

 

 

If you didn’t recognize the impact of inflation before the geopolitical flashpoint in eastern Europe, you’re certainly feeling it now. With gasoline prices soaring to $6 or $7 in some regions, the negative paradigm shift is palpable. Worse yet, inflation is essentially a tax on working Americans due to declining purchasing power. Still, you may be able to protect yourself with dividend stocks to buy.

 

Under this asset class, you have two potential mechanisms of success. First, dividend stocks are typically (though not always) tied to reliable and predictable businesses. Therefore, a chance exists that they could facilitate capital gains. Second, these assets provide passive income, which can significantly help buffet the shock of skyrocketing prices.

 

 

Indeed, as Laura Barclay, a senior portfolio manager at TD Wealth stated to BNN Bloomberg, the yield on investments like guaranteed investment certificates and government bonds can leave you “with a negative return on your money.” Instead, pivoting toward dividend stocks can help investors keep up with the rising cost of living.

 

Still, not every name will do. Below is an eclectic list of dividend stocks to serve various purposes and risk-reward profiles. 

Continue reading…

7 Safe Investments for Seniors to Consider in 2022

 

With the market sliding, seniors can rely on these seven safe investments

 

 

Many investors are looking for safe stocks to help mitigate the current volatility. The stock market is in the midst of its scariest correction since March 2020. Heading into 2022, there were already concerns around inflation and incoming rate hikes. Now, things have gone from bad to worse with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which has caused all sorts of ripple effects in terms of commodity prices and shortages.

 

For risk-seekers, there are plenty of opportunities to go bargain hunting in more adventurous stocks. For others, such as seniors and retirees, however, this is not the time to be taking wild risks.

 

In fact, the recent downturn may have shown some people that their portfolios had too many speculative holdings and not enough solid blue chips. With that in mind, it’s time to look at seven of the top safe investments for seniors in 2022.

 

 

One other key factor for many retirees is income. In a world where bank certificates of deposit and other fixed-income products don’t pay much interest, stocks have become an important alternative. As such, we’ll be setting a minimum of a 3.0% dividend yield for all the companies listed below. With that, here are seven safe higher-yielding investments to consider today:

 

Continue reading …

 

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of March 21 2022

 

Upgrades:

 

Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD) was upgraded by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports. The firm presently has a $275.00 price target on the basic materials company's stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s target price suggests a potential upside of 18.70% from the company's previous close.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently commented on APD. Wolfe Research downgraded shares of Air Products and Chemicals from an "outperform" rating to a "peer perform" rating and cut their target price for the stock from $332.00 to $331.00 in a research report on Thursday, December 9th. Vertical Research upgraded shares of Air Products and Chemicals from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $335.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, January 4th. Mizuho dropped their price target on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $313.00 to $312.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, February 7th. BMO Capital Markets cut shares of Air Products and Chemicals from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $383.00 to $280.00 in a research note on Tuesday, February 8th. Finally, Cowen dropped their price target on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $365.00 to $345.00 in a research note on Monday, February 7th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and eleven have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Air Products and Chemicals currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $313.82. Read more …

 

Ecolab (NYSE:ECL) was upgraded by research analysts at Bank of America from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, Briefing.com reports. The brokerage currently has a $196.00 price objective on the basic materials company’s stock, down from their prior price objective of $210.00. Bank of America‘s price target points to a potential upside of 14.81% from the stock’s previous close.

ECL has been the subject of several other research reports. Citigroup reduced their price target on shares of Ecolab from $220.00 to $205.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 16th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reduced their price target on shares of Ecolab from $230.00 to $210.00 in a report on Thursday, February 17th. Evercore ISI assumed coverage on shares of Ecolab in a report on Thursday, December 2nd. They issued a $235.00 price target for the company. Royal Bank of Canada lowered shares of Ecolab from an “outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from $245.00 to $225.00 in a research note on Friday, January 21st. Finally, Morgan Stanley reduced their price objective on shares of Ecolab from $240.00 to $200.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, February 17th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $210.14. Read more …

 

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) was upgraded by equities researchers at The Goldman Sachs Group from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note issued on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

MO has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Bank of America cut Altria Group from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $56.00 to $50.00 in a research note on Wednesday, January 5th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on Altria Group from $47.00 to $51.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 26th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $53.14.

MO stock opened at $52.25 on Tuesday. Altria Group has a 1 year low of $42.53 and a 1 year high of $53.83. The stock's fifty day moving average is $50.94 and its two-hundred day moving average is $48.22. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 8.67, a quick ratio of 0.57 and a current ratio of 0.71. The stock has a market capitalization of $94.95 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 39.29, a PEG ratio of 2.67 and a beta of 0.59. Read more …

 

 

Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) was upgraded by investment analysts at Truist Financial from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports. The brokerage presently has a $175.00 price objective on the stock, up from their previous price objective of $165.00. Truist Financial’s price target would indicate a potential upside of 16.11% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other research analysts have also issued reports on PG. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $179.00 to $173.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, March 16th. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $161.00 to $177.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Thursday, January 20th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Procter & Gamble from $150.00 to $160.00 and gave the company a “sector perform” rating in a report on Thursday, January 20th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Procter & Gamble from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 15th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $156.33. Read more …

 

Sherwin-Williams (NYSE:SHW) was upgraded by Bank of America from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

A number of other brokerages also recently weighed in on SHW. Jefferies Financial Group cut their price target on shares of Sherwin-Williams from $320.00 to $275.00 and set a "hold" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, March 9th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price objective on shares of Sherwin-Williams from $350.00 to $330.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, January 28th. TheStreet downgraded shares of Sherwin-Williams from a "b" rating to a "c+" rating in a report on Monday, February 28th. Barclays lowered their price objective on shares of Sherwin-Williams from $355.00 to $345.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 18th. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of Sherwin-Williams from $345.00 to $375.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Tuesday, January 11th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus price target of $330.85. Read more …

 

ABB (NYSE:ABB) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Oddo Bhf from an "underperform" rating to a "neutral" rating in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Several other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. Royal Bank of Canada upgraded ABB from a "sector perform" rating to an "outperform" rating in a report on Wednesday, January 19th. HSBC cut ABB from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 1st. StockNews.com upgraded ABB from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a report on Monday, February 28th. Kepler Capital Markets reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of ABB in a report on Tuesday, December 21st. Finally, Zacks Investment Research upgraded ABB from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $37.00 target price on the stock in a report on Tuesday, February 8th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating, four have assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $36.12.

Shares of NYSE:ABB opened at $35.31 on Wednesday. The business's fifty day moving average price is $34.56 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $35.16. The stock has a market cap of $72.50 billion, a PE ratio of 15.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.80 and a beta of 1.06. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a current ratio of 1.20. ABB has a one year low of $30.07 and a one year high of $39.11. Read more …

 

 

 

Downgrades:

 

Keurig Dr Pepper (NASDAQ:KDP) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Truist Financial from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report issued on Tuesday, The Fly reports. They currently have a $40.00 price objective on the stock. Truist Financial’s price target indicates a potential upside of 5.88% from the company’s current price.

Shares of NASDAQ:KDP opened at $37.78 on Tuesday. The company has a market cap of $53.58 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.19, a PEG ratio of 3.47 and a beta of 0.67. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 0.47 and a quick ratio of 0.33. Keurig Dr Pepper has a 1 year low of $32.44 and a 1 year high of $39.35. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $38.08 and its 200-day moving average price is $36.28.

Keurig Dr Pepper (NASDAQ:KDP) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 24th. The company reported $0.45 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.45. The company had revenue of $3.39 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.30 billion. Keurig Dr Pepper had a return on equity of 9.35% and a net margin of 16.92%. Keurig Dr Pepper’s revenue for the quarter was up 8.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.39 earnings per share. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that Keurig Dr Pepper will post 1.69 earnings per share for the current year. Read more …

 

Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM) was downgraded by analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Barclays dropped their price target on shares of Philip Morris International from $125.00 to $120.00 in a research report on Friday, February 25th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut shares of Philip Morris International from an "overweight" rating to a "neutral" rating and dropped their price target for the company from $130.00 to $110.00 in a research report on Monday, March 7th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of Philip Morris International from $105.00 to $115.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, January 26th. UBS Group lifted their price objective on shares of Philip Morris International from $95.00 to $110.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday, February 17th. Finally, StockNews.com cut shares of Philip Morris International from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Tuesday, March 15th. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $112.57. Read more …

 

Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE:BEP) (TSE:BEP) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Industrial Alliance Securities from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note issued to investors on Friday, The Fly reports.

A number of other analysts also recently weighed in on the company. Zacks Investment Research downgraded Brookfield Renewable Partners from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a report on Wednesday, February 9th. TD Securities upgraded Brookfield Renewable Partners from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $44.00 to $41.00 in a report on Thursday, December 16th. Raymond James reiterated an "outperform" rating and set a $42.00 price target on shares of Brookfield Renewable Partners in a report on Monday, February 7th. National Bankshares upgraded Brookfield Renewable Partners from a "sector perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and set a $38.00 price target for the company in a report on Wednesday, January 19th. Finally, Scotiabank upgraded Brookfield Renewable Partners from a "sector perform" rating to a "sector outperform" rating in a report on Friday, January 7th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have assigned a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $41.88. Read more …

 

 

Prudential Financial (NYSE:PRU) was downgraded by Credit Suisse Group from an "outperform" rating to a "neutral" rating in a report issued on Friday, Briefing.com reports. They presently have a $121.00 price objective on the financial services provider's stock, down from their prior price objective of $131.00. Credit Suisse Group's price target would indicate a potential upside of 1.54% from the company's previous close.

A number of other research analysts have also recently commented on the company. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on Prudential Financial in a research note on Tuesday, January 25th. They set an "underperform" rating and a $93.00 target price on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on Prudential Financial from $112.00 to $114.00 in a research note on Tuesday, January 4th. The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on Prudential Financial in a research note on Thursday, December 2nd. They set a "neutral" rating and a $115.00 target price on the stock. Wolfe Research began coverage on Prudential Financial in a research note on Friday, January 21st. They issued a "market perform" rating and a $131.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Barclays increased their price objective on Prudential Financial from $114.00 to $115.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 11th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have given a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $110.71. Read more …

 

5 Low-Vol Dividend Aristocrats to Survive a Stormy Market

 

The market has been volatile so far in 2022, but these safe dividend stocks could provide stability for investors.

 

Turmoil in the stock market has many investors looking for ways to manage risk. If your goal is safety and reliable income, a great starting point is the Dividend Aristocrats, a group of high-quality S&P 500 stocks known for delivering at least 25 straight years of dividend growth.

 

A dependable dividend can also have a significantly positive impact on stock performance since these payouts typically account for roughly one-third of total annual return, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices.

 

Equally as important, the increasing payouts from the Dividend Aristocrats have not come at the expense of an attractive yield. These stocks have consistently delivered, with yields averaging 2.5% over the past 24 years versus a 1.8% yield for the S&P 500.

 

The potent combination of consistency and rising dividends have helped the Dividend Aristocrats outperform the broader S&P 500 benchmarks over long periods with lower volatility.

 

One measure that captures the downside protection provided by these stocks is beta, which calculates an individual stock's volatility versus the overall market. Since 1990, the average beta for the Dividend Aristocrats has ranged around 0.8. Any beta below 1.0 indicates a stock that is less volatile than the S&P 500.

 

The calming effect of lower beta is most apparent during periods of stock market decline. Over the past 40 years, the Dividend Aristocrats have performed better than the S&P 500 69.3% of the time during market downturns and 43.4% of the time during market upticks.  

 

 

Here, we look at five Dividend Aristocrats with betas below 1.0. Each of the safe dividend stocks featured here offer investors solid downside protection and provide an exceptional dose of stability with reliably rising income. Continue reading …

 

6 Dow Stocks With Yields of 4%+

 

Some high-yield Dow dividend stocks deserve a closer look, analysts say, but others aren't worth the trouble.

 

 

Experienced dividend investors know that sometimes a high yield is a red flag. That's because a stock's dividend yield rises when its share price falls. A fat dividend yield won't do much good if the stock continues to tumble because the company behind it is in trouble.

 

Although the S&P 500 is essentially back at levels where it started the year, the Dow Jones Industrial Average still has some catching up to do. The elite bastion of 30 blue-chip stocks is off more than 6% for the year-to-date, and a number of Dow stocks have lost more than 20% so far in 2020. Indeed, four components have lost in excess of 30%.

 

As a result, some Dow dividend stocks are sporting the highest yields in their respective histories. And although a high yield indicates that the market isn't necessarily wild about these stocks' immediate prospects, investors can take comfort in knowing they still are quality names. The key is whether current shares prices offer a good entry point.

 

 

To get a sense of where these names might be headed, we screened the Dow for stocks with dividend yields of at least 4%. Then we dug into the data and looked to see what analysts had to say about them.

 

Continue reading ...

Dividend Increases Week 11

 

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, 12 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.

 

 

 

 

 

Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. (IIPR)

Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. is a self-advised Maryland corporation focused on the acquisition, ownership and management of specialized properties leased to experienced, state-licensed operators for their regulated medical-use cannabis facilities. Innovative Industrial Properties, Inc. has elected to be taxed as a real estate investment trust, commencing with the year ended December 31, 2017.

On March 14, IIPR declared a quarterly dividend of $1.75 per share.

This is a 16.7% increase from prior dividend of $1.50. 

Payable April 14 for shareholders of record March 31, ex-div March 30.

 

CareTrust REIT, Inc. (CTRE)

CareTrust REIT, Inc. is a self-administered, publicly-traded real estate investment trust engaged in the ownership, acquisition, development and leasing of skilled nursing, seniors housing and other healthcare-related properties. With a nationwide portfolio of long-term net-leased properties, and a growing portfolio of quality operators leasing them, CareTrust REIT is pursuing both external and organic growth opportunities across the United States.

On March 15, CTRE declared a quarterly dividend of $0.275 per share.

This is a 3.8% increase from prior dividend of $0.265. 

Payable April 15 for shareholders of record March 31, ex-div march 30.

 

MGM Growth Properties LLC (MGP)

MGM Growth Properties LLC (NYSE:MGP) is one of the leading publicly traded real estate investment trusts engaged in the acquisition, ownership and leasing of large-scale destination entertainment and leisure resorts, whose diverse amenities include casino gaming, hotel, convention, dining, entertainment and retail offerings.

On March 15, MGP declared a quarterly dividend of $0.53 per share.

This is a 1.0% increase from prior dividend of $0.525. 

Payable April 14 for shareholders of record March 31, ex-div March 30.

 

Fulton Financial Corporation (FULT)

Fulton Financial Corporation operates as a financial holding company that provides consumer and commercial banking products and services. It accepts various checking accounts and savings deposit products, certificates of deposit, and individual retirement accounts. Fulton Financial Corporation was incorporated in 1882 and is headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

On March 15, FULT declared a quarterly dividend of $0.15 per share.

This is a 7.1% increase from prior dividend of $0.14. 

Payable April 18 for shareholders of record April 1, ex-div March 31.

 

Realty Income Corporation (O)

Realty Income, The Monthly Dividend Company, is an S&P 500 company dedicated to providing stockholders with dependable monthly income. The company is structured as a REIT, and its monthly dividends are supported by the cash flow from over 6,500 real estate properties owned under long-term lease agreements with our commercial clients. To date, the company has declared 608 consecutive common stock monthly dividends throughout its 52-year operating history and increased the dividend 109 times since Realty Income's public listing in 1994 (NYSE: O). The company is a member of the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats index.

On March 15, O declared a quarterly dividend of $0.247 per share.

This is a 0.2% increase from prior dividend of $0.2465. 

Payable April 15 for shareholders of record April 1, ex-div March 31.

 

 

Shoe Carnival, Inc. (SCVL)

Shoe Carnival, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a family footwear retailer in the United States. It offers various dress, casual, and athletic footwear products for men, women, and children; and accessories, such as socks, belts, shoe care items, handbags, hats, sport bags, backpacks, water bottles, and wallets. As of January 30, 2021, the company operated 383 stores in 35 states and Puerto Rico. It also sells its products through online shopping at shoecarnival.com, as well as through mobile application. The company was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Evansville, Indiana.

On March 16, SCVL declared a quarterly dividend of $0.09 per share.

This is a 28.6% increase from prior dividend of $0.07. 

Payable April 18 for shareholders of record April 4, ex-div April 1.

 

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (WSM)

Williams-Sonoma, Inc. operates as an omni-channel specialty retailer of various products for home. It offers cooking, dining, and entertaining products, such as cookware, tools, electrics, cutlery, tabletop and bar, outdoor, furniture, and a library of cookbooks under the Williams Sonoma brand, as well as home furnishings and decorative accessories under the Williams Sonoma Home brand; and furniture, bedding, lighting, rugs, table essentials, and decorative accessories under the Pottery Barn brand.

On March 16, WSM declared a quarterly dividend of $0.78 per share.

This is a 9.9% increase from prior dividend of $0.71. 

Payable May 27 for shareholders of record April 22, ex-div April 21.

 

Investar Holding Corporation (ISTR)

Investar Holding Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Investar Bank that provides a range of commercial banking products to individuals and small to medium-sized businesses in South Louisiana. The company offers various deposit products and services, such as savings, checking, money market, and individual retirement accounts, as well as various certificates of deposit; debit cards; and mobile banking services. Investar Holding Corporation was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

On March 16, ISTR declared a quarterly dividend of $0.085 per share.

This is a 6.3% increase from prior dividend of $0.08. 

Payable April 29 for shareholders of record March 31, ex-div March 30.

 

Dollar General Corporation (DG)

Dollar General Corporation, a discount retailer, provides various merchandise products in the southern, southwestern, Midwestern, and eastern United States. The company was formerly known as J.L. Turner & Son, Inc. and changed its name to Dollar General Corporation in 1968. Dollar General Corporation was founded in 1939 and is based in Goodlettsville, Tennessee.

On March 17, DG declared a quarterly dividend of $0.55 per share.

This is a 31.0% increase from prior dividend of $0.42. 

Payable April 19 for shareholders of record April 5, ex-div April 4.

 

Independent Bank Corp. (INDB)

Independent Bank Corp. operates as the bank holding company for Rockland Trust Company that provides commercial banking products and services to individuals and small-to-medium sized businesses primarily in Massachusetts. The company accepts interest checking, money market, and savings accounts, as well as demand deposits and time certificates of deposit. The company was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Rockland, Massachusetts.

On March 17, INDB declared a quarterly dividend of $0.51 per share.

This is a 6.37% increase from prior dividend of $0.48. 

Payable April 8 for shareholders of record March 28, ex-div March 25.

 

 

UDR, Inc. (UDR)

UDR, Inc. (NYSE: UDR), an S&P 500 company, is a leading multifamily real estate investment trust with a demonstrated performance history of delivering superior and dependable returns by successfully managing, buying, selling, developing and redeveloping attractive real estate communities in targeted U.S. markets. As of September 30, 2020, UDR owned or had an ownership position in 51,649 apartment homes including 1,031 homes under development. For over 48 years, UDR has delivered long-term value to shareholders, the best standard of service to Residents and the highest quality experience for Associates.

On March 17, UDR declared a quarterly dividend of $0.38 per share.

This is a 4.8% increase from prior dividend of $0.3625. 

Payable May 2 for shareholders of record April 11, ex-div April 8.

 

Medifast, Inc. (MED)

Medifast, Inc., through its subsidiaries, manufactures and distributes weight loss, weight management, healthy living products, and other consumable health and nutritional products in the United States and the Asia-Pacific. The company offers bars, bites, pretzels, puffs, cereal crunch, drinks, hearty choices, oatmeal, pancakes, pudding, soft serves, shakes, smoothies, soft bakes, and soups under the OPTAVIA, Optimal Health by Take Shape for Life, and Flavors of Home brands. It markets its products through point-of-sale transactions over ecommerce platform. The company was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland.

On March 17, MED declared a quarterly dividend of $1.64 per share.

This is a 15.5% increase from prior dividend of $1.42. 

Payable May 9 for shareholders of record March 29, ex-div March 28.

 

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of March 14 2022

 

Upgrades:

 

TFI International (NYSE:TFII) was upgraded by stock analysts at Wolfe Research from a “peer perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report issued on Monday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. The brokerage presently has a $115.00 price target on the stock. Wolfe Research’s price target suggests a potential upside of 23.98% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on TFII. Susquehanna initiated coverage on TFI International in a report on Thursday, December 9th. They issued a “positive” rating and a $132.00 target price on the stock. Susquehanna Bancshares began coverage on shares of TFI International in a report on Thursday, December 9th. They issued a “positive” rating and a $132.00 target price for the company. Desjardins boosted their price target on shares of TFI International from C$161.00 to C$173.00 in a report on Thursday, February 10th. Morgan Stanley raised their price objective on shares of TFI International from $125.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 9th. Finally, TD Securities raised shares of TFI International from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their price target for the stock from $145.00 to $160.00 in a research report on Wednesday, February 9th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and fourteen have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $128.92. Read more …

 

Unilever (NYSE:UL) was upgraded by research analysts at Sanford C. Bernstein from an “underperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, MarketBeat reports.

A number of other equities analysts also recently weighed in on the stock. Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of Unilever from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 16th. Societe Generale raised shares of Unilever from a “sell” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 19th. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Unilever from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 3rd. The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on shares of Unilever in a research note on Friday, February 25th. They issued a “neutral” rating on the stock. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada raised shares of Unilever from an “underperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 15th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $61.51. Read more …

 

W.W. Grainger (NYSE:GWW) was upgraded by equities researchers at Atlantic Securities from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, Briefing.com reports. The brokerage currently has a $580.00 target price on the industrial products company's stock. Atlantic Securities' price target indicates a potential upside of 19.98% from the company's current price.

Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the stock. William Blair reaffirmed a "market perform" rating on shares of W.W. Grainger in a report on Thursday, February 3rd. Royal Bank of Canada raised their target price on W.W. Grainger from $392.00 to $432.00 in a research report on Friday, February 4th. Robert W. Baird increased their price objective on shares of W.W. Grainger from $525.00 to $560.00 in a report on Friday, February 4th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on shares of W.W. Grainger from $536.00 to $562.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Friday, February 4th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research upgraded W.W. Grainger from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $539.00 price objective for the company in a research report on Monday, December 13th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, W.W. Grainger has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $510.55. Read more …

 

 

Realty Income (NYSE:O) was upgraded by stock analysts at Wolfe Research from a "peer perform" rating to an "outperform" rating in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, Briefing.com reports.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. Scotiabank downgraded shares of Realty Income from a "sector outperform" rating to a "sector perform" rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 15th. Morgan Stanley reduced their target price on shares of Realty Income from $79.00 to $78.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, March 3rd. Mizuho reduced their target price on shares of Realty Income from $82.00 to $76.00 in a report on Thursday, January 20th. Finally, TheStreet cut shares of Realty Income from a "b" rating to a "c+" rating in a report on Thursday, March 3rd. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Realty Income has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $77.80.

NYSE:O opened at $64.88 on Tuesday. Realty Income has a 12 month low of $61.43 and a 12 month high of $74.60. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $68.06 and a 200-day simple moving average of $69.07. The company has a current ratio of 1.95, a quick ratio of 1.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.61. The company has a market capitalization of $38.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 69.02, a PEG ratio of 3.57 and a beta of 0.79. Read more …

How AT&T’s Warner Media Spinoff Could Spark a Dividend Recovery

 

T stock's dividend cut may have only been temporary

 

 

Many analysts have been bearish on AT&T (NYSE:T) stock lately because of the change in the company’s structure with a dividend cut included in the regime’s implementation of new strategies.

 

I’ve occupied a forward-looking approach with my analysis, in which I believe the Warner Media spinoff and current statistical dividend metrics could jointly translate into AT&T becoming a future dividend powerhouse once more.

 

I’d like for readers to consider this perspective as a piece of the puzzle instead of the only variable to base their investment decisions on. Nonetheless, I do believe it could be a catalyst in determining AT&T’s future shareholder value distribution.

 

AT&T will reportedly own 71% of Warner media after splitting off 29% to Discovery (NASDAQ:DISCA, DISCB, DISCK). Under U.S. GAAP accounting laws, a subsidiary is recognized as a business combination when the parent company owns more than 50% of the entity. Therefore, Warner’s assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses will be reported in full on AT&T’s financial statements, with the 29% that isn’t owned by AT&T still being reported but under a non-controlling interest account.

 

 

So, how does this play into AT&T stock? Well, Warner Media is showing robust growth, having produced fourth quarter revenue of $9.9 billion, translating to 15.4% annual growth. Looking forward, Warner Media’s expected contribution for 2022 is $37 to $39 billion in revenue, $3 billion in cash flows, and $6 to $7 billion in EBITDA.

 

Continue reading …

 

Dividend Increases Week 10

 

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, 10 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.

 

 

 

 

 

Horace Mann Educators Corporation (HMN)

Horace Mann Educators Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an insurance holding company in the United States. It operates in three segments: Property & Casualty, Life & Retirement, and Supplemental & Group Benefits. Horace Mann Educators Corporation was founded in 1945 and is headquartered in Springfield, Illinois.

On March 7, HMN declared a quarterly dividend of $0.32 per share.

This is a 3.2% increase from prior dividend of $0.31. 

Payable March 31 for shareholders of record March 17, ex-div March 16.

 

Equity LifeStyle Properties, Inc. (ELS)

We are a self-administered, self-managed real estate investment trust (“REIT”) with headquarters in Chicago. As of January 25, 2021, we own or have an interest in 423 quality properties in 33 states and British Columbia consisting of 161,229 sites.

On March 8, ELS declared a quarterly dividend of $0.41 per share.

This is a 13.1% increase from prior dividend of $0.3625. 

Payable April 8 for shareholders of record March 25, ex-div march 24.

 

Globe Life Inc. (GL)

Globe Life Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides various life and supplemental health insurance products, and annuities to lower middle to middle income households in the United States. The company operates through four segments: Life Insurance, Supplemental Health Insurance, Annuities, and Investments. Globe Life Inc. was incorporated in 1979 and is headquartered in McKinney, Texas.

On March 8, GL declared a quarterly dividend of $0.2075 per share.

This is a 5.1% increase from prior dividend of $0.1975. 

Payable April 29 for shareholders of record April 4, ex-div April 1.

 

QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM)

QUALCOMM Incorporated engages in the development and commercialization of foundational technologies for the wireless industry worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Qualcomm CDMA Technologies (QCT); Qualcomm Technology Licensing (QTL); and Qualcomm Strategic Initiatives (QSI). QUALCOMM Incorporated was incorpotared in 1985 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

On March 9, QCOM declared a quarterly dividend of $0.75 per share.

This is a 10.3% increase from prior dividend of $0.68. 

This raise is effective for quarterly dividends payable after March 24, 2022.

 

Stella-Jones Inc. (TSE:SJ)

Stella-Jones Inc. produces and markets pressure-treated wood products in Canada and the United States. It offers railway ties and timbers for railroad operators; and utility poles for electrical utilities and telecommunication companies. The company also provides residential lumber and accessories to retailers for outdoor applications; industrial products, including pilings, wharf and bridge timbers, crane mats, railway crossings, and laminated poles; construction timbers; and coal tar-based products. The company was incorporation in 1992 and is based in Saint-Laurent, Canada.

On March 9, TSE:SJ declared a quarterly dividend of C$0.2 per share.

This is an 11.1% increase from prior dividend of C$0.18. 

Payable April 22 for shareholders of record April 4, ex-div April 1.

 

 

 

Kadant Inc. (KAI)

Kadant Inc. supplies technologies and engineered systems worldwide. It operates through three segments: Flow Control, Industrial Processing, and Material Handling. Kadant Inc. was incorporated in 1991 and is headquartered in Westford, Massachusetts.

On March 9, KAI declared a quarterly dividend of $0.26 per share.

This is a 4.0% increase from prior dividend of $0.25. 

Payable May 11 for shareholders of record April 13, ex-div April 12.

 

Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL)

Colgate-Palmolive Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells consumer products worldwide. The company operates through two segments, Oral, Personal and Home Care; and Pet Nutrition. Colgate-Palmolive Company was founded in 1806 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

On March 10, CL declared a quarterly dividend of $0.47 per share.

This is a 4.4% increase from prior dividend of $0.45. 

Payable May 13 for shareholders of record April 21, ex-div April 20.

 

W. P. Carey Inc. (WPC)

W. P. Carey ranks among the largest net lease REITs with an enterprise value of approximately $18 billion and a diversified portfolio of operationally-critical commercial real estate that includes 1,215 net lease properties covering approximately 142 million square feet as of September 30, 2020. For nearly five decades, the company has invested in high-quality single-tenant industrial, warehouse, office, retail and self-storage properties subject to long-term net leases with built-in rent escalators. Its portfolio is located primarily in the U.S. and Northern and Western Europe and is well-diversified by tenant, property type, geographic location and tenant industry.

On March 10, WPC declared a quarterly dividend of $1.057 per share.

This is a 0.2% increase from prior dividend of $1.055. 

Payable April 14 for shareholders of record March 31, ex-div March 30.

 

Hurco Companies, Inc. (HURC)

Hurco Companies, Inc., an industrial technology company, designs, manufactures, and sells computerized machine tools to companies in the metal cutting industry worldwide. Hurco Companies, Inc. was incorporated in 1968 and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.

On March 11, HURC declared a quarterly dividend of $0.15 per share.

This is a 7.1% increase from prior dividend of $0.14. 

Payable April 11 for shareholders of record March 28, ex-div March 25.

 

American Tower Corporation (AMT)

American Tower Corporation, one of the largest global REITs, is a leading independent owner, operator and developer of multitenant communications real estate with a portfolio of approximately 219,000 communications sites.

On February 11, AMT declared a quarterly dividend of $1.40 per share.

This is a 0.7% increase from prior dividend of $1.39. 

Payable April 29 for shareholders of record April 13, ex-div April 12.

 

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of March 7 2022 (Part 2)

 

Upgrades:

 

Emerson Electric (NYSE:EMR) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Oppenheimer to an "outperform" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, Stock Target Advisor reports. The brokerage presently has a $110.00 price target on the industrial products company's stock. Oppenheimer's price target points to a potential upside of 17.40% from the company's previous close.

A number of other equities analysts have also weighed in on the stock. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of Emerson Electric from $102.00 to $108.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 3rd. Sanford C. Bernstein initiated coverage on shares of Emerson Electric in a research note on Monday, January 10th. They issued a "market perform" rating and a $100.00 price objective for the company. Royal Bank of Canada upgraded Emerson Electric from a "sector perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and increased their target price for the stock from $104.00 to $116.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 4th. Mizuho began coverage on Emerson Electric in a report on Thursday, December 16th. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $100.00 price target for the company. Finally, Citigroup increased their price objective on Emerson Electric from $120.00 to $123.00 in a report on Thursday, February 3rd. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Emerson Electric has an average rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $108.42. Read more …

 

J.B. Hunt Transport Services (NASDAQ:JBHT) was upgraded by investment analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services from an "underweight" rating to a "neutral" rating and upped their target price for the company from $175.00 to $203.00 in a report on Friday, February 18th. Citigroup raised their target price on shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services from $205.00 to $230.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 12th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services from $233.00 to $240.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, January 19th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their target price on shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services from $198.00 to $210.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday, January 20th. Finally, Raymond James increased their price target on shares of J.B. Hunt Transport Services from $200.00 to $215.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, January 7th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, J.B. Hunt Transport Services currently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $203.88. Read more …

 

Paychex (NASDAQ:PAYX) was upgraded by research analysts at Bank of America from an "underperform" rating to a "neutral" rating in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Several other research analysts have also commented on the company. Cowen upgraded Paychex from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $130.00 to $145.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 11th. Stifel Nicolaus lifted their target price on Paychex from $118.00 to $140.00 and gave the company a "hold" rating in a research report on Thursday, December 23rd. Barclays boosted their price objective on Paychex from $115.00 to $140.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Thursday, December 23rd. Finally, Morgan Stanley upped their price target on Paychex from $105.00 to $135.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Thursday, December 23rd. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $121.21.

Shares of PAYX stock opened at $118.43 on Wednesday. The stock's fifty day moving average is $122.10 and its two-hundred day moving average is $120.39. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a quick ratio of 1.27 and a current ratio of 1.27. The firm has a market capitalization of $42.72 billion, a P/E ratio of 33.55, a PEG ratio of 4.53 and a beta of 0.97. Paychex has a fifty-two week low of $92.74 and a fifty-two week high of $138.96. Read more …

 

 

Hormel Foods (NYSE:HRL) was upgraded by investment analysts at Argus from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report released on Thursday, The Fly reports. The firm presently has a $57.00 target price on the stock. Argus’ price target indicates a potential upside of 14.21% from the stock’s current price.

Several other research firms have also recently commented on HRL. BMO Capital Markets reiterated a “hold” rating on shares of Hormel Foods in a report on Friday, December 10th. TheStreet upgraded shares of Hormel Foods from a “c+” rating to a “b-” rating in a report on Friday, December 17th. Credit Suisse Group boosted their price target on shares of Hormel Foods from $44.00 to $46.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 2nd. Piper Sandler boosted their price target on shares of Hormel Foods from $48.00 to $49.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 2nd. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upped their target price on shares of Hormel Foods from $46.00 to $48.00 and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, March 2nd. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Hormel Foods presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $49.67. Read more …