12 Best Monthly Dividend Stocks and Funds for the Rest of 2022

 

Your bills come monthly. Why not your dividend checks? These are some of 2022's best monthly dividend stocks and funds for easier income planning.

 

For all the changes we've experienced in recent years, some things remain regrettably the same. We all have bills to pay, and those bills generally come monthly. Whether it's your mortgage, your car payment or even your regular phone and utility bills, you're generally expected to pay every month.

 

While we're in our working years, that's not necessarily a problem, as paychecks generally come every two weeks. And even for those in retirement, Social Security and (if you're lucky enough to have one) pension payments also come on a regular monthly schedule. But unfortunately, it doesn't work that way in our investment portfolios.

 

That's where monthly dividend stocks come into play.

 

Dividend-paying stocks generally pay quarterly, and most bonds pay semiannually, or twice per year. This has a way of making portfolio income lumpy, as dividend and interest payments often come in clusters.

 

Well, monthly dividend stocks can help smooth out that income stream and better align your inflows with your outflows.

 

"We'd never recommend buying a stock purely because it has a monthly dividend," says Rachel Klinger, president of McCann Wealth Strategies, an investment adviser based in State College, Pennsylvania. "But monthly dividend stocks can be a nice addition to a portfolio and can add a little regularity to an investor's income stream."

 

 

Today, we're going to look at 12 of the best monthly dividend stocks and funds to buy for the remainder of 2022. You'll see some similarities across the selections. That's because monthly dividend stocks tend to be concentrated in a small handful of sectors such as real estate investment trusts (REITs), closed-end funds (CEFs) and business development companies (BDCs). These sectors tend to be more income-focused than growth-focused and sport yields that are vastly higher than the market average.

 

Continue reading …

 

Dividend Increases Week 21

 

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

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of May 23 2022

 

Upgrades:

 

Consolidated Edison (NYSE:ED) was upgraded by research analysts at Guggenheim from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. The brokerage currently has a $94.00 price target on the utilities provider’s stock. Guggenheim’s target price would suggest a potential downside of 6.37% from the stock’s previous close.

Several other equities research analysts also recently commented on ED. The Goldman Sachs Group boosted their target price on shares of Consolidated Edison from $65.00 to $83.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 31st. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price target on shares of Consolidated Edison from $88.00 to $89.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Monday, March 28th. Wells Fargo & Company downgraded shares of Consolidated Edison from an “equal weight” rating to a “sell” rating and upped their price target for the stock from $85.00 to $94.00 in a research report on Tuesday, May 3rd. KeyCorp upped their price target on shares of Consolidated Edison from $71.00 to $72.00 and gave the stock an “underweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 20th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group began coverage on shares of Consolidated Edison in a research report on Monday, April 25th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $100.00 price target on the stock. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $84.58. Read more …

 

DTE Energy (NYSE:DTE) was upgraded by analysts at Credit Suisse Group from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research note issued on Monday, MarketBeat.com reports. The brokerage currently has a $140.00 target price on the utilities provider’s stock, down from their previous target price of $142.00. Credit Suisse Group’s target price points to a potential upside of 4.37% from the stock’s current price.

Other research analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Argus lifted their price objective on shares of DTE Energy from $130.00 to $132.00 in a report on Thursday, March 10th. Bank of America upgraded shares of DTE Energy from an “underperform” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $127.00 price target on the stock in a report on Tuesday, February 15th. Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of DTE Energy from $134.00 to $146.00 in a report on Tuesday, May 3rd. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of DTE Energy in a research report on Thursday, March 31st. They issued a “hold” rating on the stock. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of DTE Energy from $133.00 to $143.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 20th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $130.91. Read more …

 

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) was upgraded by Societe Generale from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report issued on Tuesday, Briefing.com reports.

A number of other research analysts also recently weighed in on JPM. Argus lowered their price objective on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $177.00 to $155.00 in a research report on Thursday, April 14th. The Goldman Sachs Group set a $151.00 price objective on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 14th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $147.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 21st. Royal Bank of Canada set a $175.00 price objective on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 14th. Finally, Barclays set a $200.00 price target on shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. in a research report on Monday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $161.67. Read more …

 

 

Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD) was upgraded by investment analysts at Atlantic Securities from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating in a report issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports. The brokerage presently has a $290.00 price target on the basic materials company's stock, up from their previous price target of $280.00. Atlantic Securities' target price would indicate a potential upside of 22.46% from the stock's current price.

APD has been the subject of several other research reports. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft decreased their price target on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $300.00 to $272.00 in a research report on Tuesday, May 10th. BMO Capital Markets downgraded shares of Air Products and Chemicals from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating and decreased their price objective for the stock from $383.00 to $280.00 in a report on Tuesday, February 8th. Credit Suisse Group reduced their price target on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $302.00 to $290.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, May 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Air Products and Chemicals from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating and set a $275.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Monday, March 21st. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company lowered shares of Air Products and Chemicals from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating and dropped their price target for the stock from $275.00 to $255.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 11th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have given a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Air Products and Chemicals presently has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $303.00. Read more …

The 20 Best Canadian Dividend Stocks for U.S. Investors

 

These 20 Canadian Dividend Aristocrats trade on either the NYSE or Nasdaq, and have increased their dividends annually for at least seven years.

 

 

The U.S. is home to literally thousands of dividend payers, which would seem to eliminate the need to look elsewhere for income. But there's a convincing case to be made for at least a handful of Canadian dividend stocks.

 

American investors interested in generating a combination of income and capital appreciation often look to the Dividend Aristocrats – a select group of 65 S&P 500 stocks that have improved their annual payouts for at least 25 consecutive years.

 

However, a little international diversification can help provide ballast to most portfolios. And if you like the idea of purchasing payout-raising stocks, you can do that across a number of regions – including our neighbors up north.

 

The Canadian Dividend Aristocrats currently total 94 stocks at present. To qualify for inclusion, these Canadian dividend stocks must be listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange, be a member of the S&P Canada BMI (Broad Market Index), must increase their annual payout for five consecutive years (they can maintain the same dividend for two consecutive years) and have a float-adjusted market cap of at least C$300 million.

 

 

 

While 94 stocks qualify for the index, we've thinned the herd somewhat for U.S. investors. Here, then, are 20 of the top Canadian dividend stocks to buy that are listed on either the New York Stock Exchange or Nasdaq.

 

Continue reading …

 

Dividend Increases Week 20

 

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

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of May 16 2022

 

Upgrades:

 

Canadian Western Bank (TSE:CWB) was upgraded by research analysts at National Bank Financial from a “sector perform market weight” rating to an “outperform market weight” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Sunday.

A number of other brokerages have also weighed in on CWB. National Bankshares upgraded Canadian Western Bank from a “sector perform” rating to a “buy” rating and set a C$44.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Monday. TD Securities boosted their price objective on Canadian Western Bank from C$43.00 to C$47.00 in a research report on Tuesday, February 15th. Raymond James boosted their price objective on Canadian Western Bank from C$41.00 to C$43.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Monday, February 28th. CIBC lowered Canadian Western Bank from an “outperform” rating to a “hold” rating and reduced their price objective for the stock from C$45.00 to C$38.00 in a research report on Monday, April 11th. Finally, Barclays reduced their price objective on Canadian Western Bank from C$44.00 to C$38.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, May 11th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of C$42.86. Read more …

 

Essex Property Trust (NYSE:ESS) was upgraded by analysts at The Goldman Sachs Group from a "sell" rating to a "buy" rating in a report issued on Tuesday, The Fly reports. The firm presently has a $338.00 target price on the real estate investment trust's stock, down from their previous target price of $352.00. The Goldman Sachs Group's price objective would indicate a potential upside of 15.80% from the company's current price.

Several other research analysts have also recently issued reports on ESS. TheStreet cut shares of Essex Property Trust from a "b-" rating to a "c+" rating in a report on Friday. Truist Financial cut their target price on shares of Essex Property Trust from $378.00 to $370.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Monday, March 21st. Piper Sandler cut their target price on shares of Essex Property Trust from $420.00 to $400.00 in a research note on Wednesday, May 4th. Morgan Stanley increased their target price on shares of Essex Property Trust from $335.00 to $365.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a research note on Friday, April 8th. Finally, StockNews.com started coverage on shares of Essex Property Trust in a research note on Thursday, March 31st. They set a "hold" rating for the company. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $359.00. Read more …

 

Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH) was upgraded by analysts at Evercore ISI from an "in-line" rating to an "outperform" rating in a report issued on Wednesday, Briefing.com reports. The brokerage presently has a $68.00 price target on the stock, up from their prior price target of $55.00. Evercore ISI's target price would suggest a potential upside of 19.93% from the company's current price.

Several other analysts also recently commented on the stock. Credit Suisse Group dropped their target price on shares of Cardinal Health from $60.00 to $58.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, February 4th. StockNews.com cut shares of Cardinal Health from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, May 6th. TheStreet cut shares of Cardinal Health from a "c+" rating to a "d+" rating in a research note on Thursday, May 5th. Zacks Investment Research raised shares of Cardinal Health from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $55.00 price target for the company in a research note on Monday, March 14th. Finally, Morgan Stanley raised shares of Cardinal Health from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and set a $74.00 price target for the company in a research note on Tuesday, April 12th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Cardinal Health has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $59.90. Read more …

 

 

Canadian National Railway (NYSE:CNI) (TSE:CNR) was upgraded by research analysts at BMO Capital Markets from a "market perform" rating to an "outperform" rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

A number of other brokerages also recently commented on CNI. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Canadian National Railway in a research report on Thursday, March 31st. They issued a "hold" rating for the company. Argus raised Canadian National Railway from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and set a $145.00 price target for the company in a research report on Thursday, February 17th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Desjardins reduced their price objective on Canadian National Railway from C$173.00 to C$172.00 in a research note on Thursday, April 28th. Scotiabank cut their price target on Canadian National Railway from C$174.00 to C$172.00 in a research note on Wednesday, April 27th. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft boosted their price objective on Canadian National Railway from $137.00 to $142.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Thursday, January 27th. Seventeen equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Canadian National Railway currently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $147.76. Read more …

6 Undervalued Stocks With Growing Earnings and Dividends

 

These stocks are very attractive undervalued dividend stocks with low P/E's, good earnings and low payout ratios

 

 

Each entry in this list of undervalued stocks has good dividend growth prospects and appears to be undervalued. That’s an excellent combination for an investor. After all, typically a company will not keep raising its dividends unless the underlying earnings and cash flow are growing as well. That bodes well for these undervalued dividend stocks.

 

On the other hand, high-growth companies typically do not pay out dividends. So, in a way, this is the best of both worlds. These companies have good growth, but aren’t so focused on it that they can’t afford to return capital to their shareholders. And they are still growing their earnings — otherwise, they wouldn’t keep raising their dividends.

 

For example, many companies that are expanding their dividends generate enough free cash flow to also buy back stock and make acquisitions. Both of these can lead to higher earnings per share and also higher dividends per share.

 

 

Some of these stocks are fairly recession-resistant as well.

 

Let’s dive in and look at these undervalued dividend stocks:

 

Continue reading …

 

3 Business Development Companies With High Dividend Yields

 

Interest rates on treasuries have been rising in recent months, but they are still too low for many income investors. They also do not offer reliable inflation protection, and payouts from treasuries do not rise over time. Equities are thus still the best choice for many income investors, especially for those looking for somewhat higher yields.

 

One particular group of equities that can be highly interesting for income investors are the business development companies or BDCs. Business development companies are unregistered, closed-end investment companies that primarily invest in small and medium-sized businesses. By legislation, these BDCs have to invest at least 70% of their assets in US companies with a market value of below $250 million that are not publicly traded.

 

BDCs thus serve an important function, as they provide capital for small or mid-sized businesses that oftentimes cannot access capital easily. In turn, this allows BDCs to demand interest rates from the businesses it provides capital to that are higher than what the typical bank receives when it loans out money. The yields on investments are thus generally favorably for BDCs, although one can argue that their loans do, on average, come with higher risks than the typical loans made by banks.

 

BDCs are not taxed on the corporate level as long as they distribute at least 90% of their taxable income to investors. This is comparable to what taxation looks like for REITs, as those also can avoid taxes when making high-enough distributions to their owners.

 

 

The special taxation laws explain why BDCs do oftentimes offer quite high dividend yields. Them returning most of their profits to shareholders via dividends leads to attractive dividend yields for investors, while it allows BDCs to avoid corporate taxes at the same time. In this report, we will take a look at three high-yield BDCs that look attractive at current prices.

 

Continue reading …

Dividend Increases Week 19

 

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

Notable Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades for Week of May 9 2022

 

Upgrades:

 

Brookfield Renewable Partners (NYSE:BEP) (TSE:BEP) was upgraded by investment analysts at TD Securities from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a note issued to investors on Monday, The Fly reports.

A number of other brokerages have also recently issued reports on BEP. National Bankshares increased their target price on Brookfield Renewable Partners from $38.00 to $41.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 19th. National Bank Financial upgraded Brookfield Renewable Partners from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $38.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 18th. Zacks Investment Research lowered Brookfield Renewable Partners from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Monday, April 18th. CIBC upgraded Brookfield Renewable Partners from a “neutral” rating to a “sector outperform” rating and decreased their price objective for the company from $42.00 to $40.00 in a research report on Tuesday, January 11th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. decreased their price objective on Brookfield Renewable Partners from $46.00 to $39.00 in a research report on Thursday, January 20th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and fourteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Brookfield Renewable Partners has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $42.38. Read more …

 

Fortis (TSE:FTS) was upgraded by research analysts at Veritas Investment Research to a “buy” rating in a research note issued on Monday, Stock Target Advisor reports.

FTS has been the topic of a number of other reports. National Bankshares boosted their target price on shares of Fortis from C$59.00 to C$60.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a report on Thursday. Raymond James set a C$58.00 price objective on shares of Fortis and gave the stock a “market perform” rating in a research report on Thursday. BMO Capital Markets reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a C$60.00 price objective (up from C$57.00) on shares of Fortis in a research report on Tuesday, March 15th. Credit Suisse Group lifted their price objective on shares of Fortis to C$66.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 13th. Finally, CIBC boosted their target price on shares of Fortis from C$60.00 to C$63.00 in a research report on Thursday, April 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, ten have issued a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of C$61.81. Read more …

 

Genuine Parts (NYSE:GPC) was upgraded by equities researchers at Bank of America from an "underperform" rating to a "neutral" rating in a report released on Tuesday, The Fly reports. The firm currently has a $133.00 target price on the specialty retailer's stock. Bank of America's price target indicates a potential upside of 0.80% from the stock's current price. The analysts noted that the move was a valuation call.

GPC has been the subject of a number of other reports. Wedbush restated a "neutral" rating on shares of Genuine Parts in a research report on Friday, February 18th. Truist Financial started coverage on Genuine Parts in a research report on Thursday, January 13th. They set a "hold" rating and a $142.00 price objective for the company. Finally, StockNews.com started coverage on Genuine Parts in a research report on Thursday, March 31st. They set a "strong-buy" rating for the company. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Genuine Parts presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $139.25. Read more …

 

 

Wells Fargo & Company upgraded shares of Albemarle (NYSE:ALB) from an equal weight rating to an overweight rating in a report issued on Wednesday, The Fly reports. The brokerage currently has $285.00 target price on the specialty chemicals company’s stock, up from their previous target price of $215.00.

Several other brokerages also recently weighed in on ALB. Mizuho upped their target price on Albemarle from $243.00 to $293.00 in a research report on Friday, May 6th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft upped their price objective on Albemarle from $250.00 to $290.00 in a research note on Friday, May 6th. Bank of America cut their price objective on Albemarle from $230.00 to $216.00 in a research note on Friday, February 18th. TheStreet upgraded Albemarle from a c+ rating to a b rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 4th. Finally, StockNews.com upgraded Albemarle from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Friday, May 6th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and twelve have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of Buy and an average target price of $272.89. Read more …

 

Federal Realty Investment Trust (NYSE:FRT) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Raymond James from a "market perform" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note issued on Thursday, Briefing.com reports. The firm currently has a $140.00 target price on the real estate investment trust's stock. Raymond James' target price points to a potential upside of 28.65% from the company's previous close.

Several other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft dropped their target price on Federal Realty Investment Trust from $150.00 to $143.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, March 31st. Mizuho dropped their target price on Federal Realty Investment Trust from $142.00 to $129.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, February 15th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on Federal Realty Investment Trust from $130.00 to $125.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, April 7th. Capital One Financial raised Federal Realty Investment Trust from an "equal weight" rating to an "overweight" rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $130.00 to $145.00 in a research note on Wednesday, February 9th. Finally, StockNews.com initiated coverage on Federal Realty Investment Trust in a research note on Thursday, March 31st. They set a "hold" rating on the stock. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $134.42. Read more …

 

TC Energy (NYSE:TRP) (TSE:TRP) was upgraded by CIBC from a "neutral" rating to a "sector outperform" rating in a research report issued on Thursday, The Fly reports.

A number of other research firms also recently weighed in on TRP. National Bank Financial raised their price target on TC Energy from C$65.00 to C$66.00 in a research report on Thursday, February 17th. US Capital Advisors cut TC Energy from an "overweight" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday, March 11th. Zacks Investment Research cut TC Energy from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating and set a $58.00 price target on the stock. in a research report on Thursday, April 28th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price objective on shares of TC Energy from $63.00 to $68.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Tuesday, February 22nd. Finally, Scotiabank boosted their target price on shares of TC Energy from C$72.00 to C$78.00 in a research note on Wednesday, April 13th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $67.17. Read more …

 

 

WEC Energy Group (NYSE:WEC) was upgraded by analysts at Bank of America from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating in a report released on Friday, The Fly reports.

WEC has been the topic of a number of other research reports. StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of WEC Energy Group in a research note on Thursday, March 31st. They set a "hold" rating on the stock. Evercore ISI restated a "hold" rating and set a $97.00 price target on shares of WEC Energy Group in a research note on Friday, February 4th. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded shares of WEC Energy Group from a "sell" rating to a "neutral" rating and set a $99.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Thursday, January 13th. Credit Suisse Group initiated coverage on shares of WEC Energy Group in a research note on Monday, April 25th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $108.00 price target on the stock. Finally, BMO Capital Markets restated a "hold" rating and set a $98.00 price target on shares of WEC Energy Group in a research note on Friday, February 4th. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, WEC Energy Group has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $101.00. Read more …

 

Waste Management (NYSE:WM) was upgraded by Bank of America from an "underperform" rating to a "neutral" rating in a note issued to investors on Friday, The Fly reports.

Several other equities research analysts also recently weighed in on the company. BMO Capital Markets downgraded Waste Management from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating and set a $174.00 price target on the stock. in a report on Tuesday, April 12th. Raymond James increased their price objective on Waste Management from $167.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research note on Friday, April 22nd. cut Waste Management to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. began coverage on Waste Management in a research note on Tuesday, March 1st. They issued a "neutral" rating and a $153.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price objective on Waste Management from $157.00 to $167.00 in a research note on Thursday, April 28th. Six research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, two have given a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Waste Management presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $161.00. Read more …

 

 

Downgrades:

 

Domino's Pizza (NYSE:DPZ) was downgraded by analysts at Argus from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note issued on Monday, The Fly reports.

A number of other equities research analysts have also issued reports on DPZ. Guggenheim cut their price target on shares of Domino's Pizza from $445.00 to $370.00 in a report on Friday. BMO Capital Markets cut their price target on shares of Domino's Pizza from $450.00 to $400.00 in a report on Friday, April 29th. Oppenheimer cut their price target on shares of Domino's Pizza from $510.00 to $435.00 in a report on Friday, April 29th. Cowen cut their price target on shares of Domino's Pizza from $390.00 to $365.00 in a report on Friday, April 29th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group cut their target price on shares of Domino's Pizza from $475.00 to $400.00 in a research note on Friday, April 29th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, twenty-three have given a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $440.04. Read more …

 

 

Novartis (NYSE:NVS) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Wolfe Research from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating in a research report issued on Monday, MarketBeat reports.

Several other research firms have also recently weighed in on NVS. Barclays upped their target price on Novartis from CHF 80 to CHF 85 in a research note on Thursday, April 14th. StockNews.com assumed coverage on Novartis in a research report on Thursday, March 31st. They set a "strong-buy" rating for the company. UBS Group lifted their target price on Novartis from CHF 85 to CHF 88 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 27th. Societe Generale dropped their target price on shares of Novartis from CHF 107 to CHF 105 in a report on Thursday, February 3rd. Finally, Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of Novartis from CHF 90 to CHF 94 in a report on Friday. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $90.50. Read more …

 

Edison International (NYSE:EIX) was downgraded by investment analysts at Mizuho from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report issued on Tuesday, Briefing.com reports. They currently have a $72.00 price objective on the utilities provider’s stock, down from their previous price objective of $82.00. Mizuho’s price target suggests a potential upside of 2.77% from the company’s current price.

EIX has been the topic of several other research reports. Morgan Stanley dropped their price target on Edison International from $66.00 to $65.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 26th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on Edison International from $70.00 to $79.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 30th. Citigroup boosted their price target on Edison International from $67.00 to $79.00 in a research report on Wednesday, May 4th. StockNews.com initiated coverage on Edison International in a research report on Thursday, March 31st. They issued a “hold” rating on the stock. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada boosted their price target on Edison International from $73.00 to $82.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 14th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Edison International presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $71.75. Read more …

 

Essex Property Trust (NYSE:ESS) was downgraded by research analysts at Barclays from an "equal weight" rating to an "underweight" rating in a research report issued on Tuesday, Briefing.com reports. They presently have a $310.00 target price on the real estate investment trust's stock, down from their prior target price of $367.00. Barclays's price target would indicate a potential upside of 4.74% from the stock's previous close.

A number of other brokerages also recently weighed in on ESS. Truist Financial lowered their target price on Essex Property Trust from $378.00 to $370.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Monday, March 21st. Mizuho lowered their target price on Essex Property Trust from $382.00 to $342.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, February 16th. KeyCorp lifted their target price on Essex Property Trust from $363.00 to $371.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday, January 13th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on Essex Property Trust from $335.00 to $365.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Friday, April 8th. Finally, StockNews.com initiated coverage on Essex Property Trust in a report on Thursday, March 31st. They set a "hold" rating for the company. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Essex Property Trust presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $358.13. Read more …

 

 

Home Depot (NYSE:HD) was downgraded by analysts at OTR Global to a “positive” rating in a report issued on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

HD has been the topic of several other reports. UBS Group dropped their price objective on Home Depot from $470.00 to $430.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 23rd. Telsey Advisory Group dropped their price objective on Home Depot from $425.00 to $375.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 23rd. Citigroup dropped their price objective on Home Depot from $445.00 to $377.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 23rd. Robert W. Baird dropped their price objective on Home Depot from $425.00 to $380.00 in a research note on Tuesday, February 22nd. Finally, Guggenheim dropped their price objective on Home Depot from $425.00 to $400.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, February 23rd. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twenty have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Home Depot has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $387.43. Read more …

 

Lowe’s Companies (NYSE:LOW) was downgraded by stock analysts at OTR Global to a “positive” rating in a report released on Tuesday, The Fly reports.

Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the company. Telsey Advisory Group lifted their target price on Lowe’s Companies from $275.00 to $285.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 24th. Loop Capital cut their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $240.00 to $190.00 in a report on Tuesday, April 12th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on Lowe’s Companies from $265.00 to $280.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 18th. StockNews.com upgraded Lowe’s Companies from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, May 5th. Finally, Gordon Haskett downgraded Lowe’s Companies from a “buy” rating to an “accumulate” rating in a report on Friday. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and nineteen 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 $260.80. Read more …

 

Altria Group (NYSE:MO) was downgraded by Sanford C. Bernstein from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating in a report issued on Tuesday, Briefing.com reports. They currently have a $53.00 target price on the stock, down from their prior target price of $58.00. Sanford C. Bernstein's price objective points to a potential downside of 4.09% from the stock's previous close.

Other analysts also recently issued reports about the company. Morgan Stanley increased their price target on Altria Group from $47.00 to $51.00 and gave the company an "equal weight" rating in a report on Wednesday, January 26th. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded Altria Group from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and increased their price target for the company from $48.00 to $57.00 in a report on Tuesday, March 22nd. StockNews.com started coverage on Altria Group in a report on Thursday, March 31st. They issued a "buy" rating for the company. Cowen increased their price target on Altria Group from $51.00 to $53.00 in a report on Thursday, April 7th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada downgraded Altria Group from an "outperform" rating to a "sector perform" rating and set a $53.00 price target for the company. in a report on Monday, March 28th. Six investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $53.75. Read more …

 

 

TELUS (TSE:T) (NYSE:TU) was downgraded by Barclays to a “hold” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, TipRanks reports. They currently have a C$26.00 target price on the stock. Barclays‘s price objective indicates a potential downside of 16.72% from the company’s current price.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued research reports about the stock. TD Securities downgraded shares of TELUS from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a C$34.00 price objective for the company. in a research report on Monday, March 7th. Canaccord Genuity Group increased their price objective on shares of TELUS from C$33.00 to C$34.00 in a research report on Friday, February 11th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on shares of TELUS from C$32.00 to C$34.00 in a research report on Friday, February 11th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of TELUS from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their price objective for the stock from C$30.00 to C$36.00 in a research report on Monday, February 14th. Finally, CIBC downgraded shares of TELUS from an “outperform” rating to a “hold” rating and raised their target price for the company from C$33.50 to C$34.00 in a research report on Friday, April 22nd. Four analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, TELUS currently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of C$33.42. Read more …

 

Air Products and Chemicals (NYSE:APD) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Wells Fargo & Company from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently weighed in on the stock. StockNews.com began coverage on shares of Air Products and Chemicals in a research note on Thursday, March 31st. They set a "hold" rating on the stock. Barclays cut their price objective on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $300.00 to $275.00 in a research note on Monday. Bank of America cut shares of Air Products and Chemicals from a "buy" rating to a "neutral" rating and cut their price objective for the company from $337.00 to $285.00 in a research note on Monday, February 7th. Cowen cut their price objective on shares of Air Products and Chemicals from $365.00 to $345.00 in a research note on Monday, February 7th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded shares of Air Products and Chemicals from a "neutral" rating to an "overweight" rating and set a $275.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 21st. Seven 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, the stock presently has an average rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $308.20. Read more …

 

Corning (NYSE:GLW) was downgraded by equities research analysts at Barclays from an "overweight" rating to an "equal weight" rating in a report released on Wednesday, Briefing.com reports. They presently have a $38.00 price objective on the electronics maker's stock, down from their prior price objective of $53.00. Barclays's price target suggests a potential upside of 5.56% from the company's previous close.

Several other equities analysts have also commented on GLW. The Goldman Sachs Group restated a "buy" rating and issued a $50.00 price objective on shares of Corning in a report on Friday, March 11th. Susquehanna Bancshares upgraded shares of Corning from a "neutral" rating to a "positive" rating and increased their target price for the stock from $38.00 to $50.00 in a report on Friday, January 28th. Bank of America reduced their target price on shares of Corning from $48.00 to $45.00 in a report on Tuesday, January 25th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of Corning from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating and set a $45.00 target price on the stock in a report on Monday, January 31st. Finally, Susquehanna upgraded shares of Corning from a "neutral" rating to a "positive" rating and increased their target price for the stock from $38.00 to $50.00 in a report on Friday, January 28th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Corning has a consensus rating of "Buy" and an average target price of $46.00. Read more …

 

 

American Express (NYSE:AXP) was downgraded by stock analysts at Wolfe Research from an "outperform" rating to a "peer perform" rating in a research report issued on Thursday, The Fly reports. They currently have a $146.00 price objective on the payment services company's stock. Wolfe Research's target price points to a potential downside of 8.40% from the company's previous close.

AXP has been the topic of several other reports. Citigroup increased their price target on shares of American Express from $187.00 to $190.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 26th. BMO Capital Markets increased their price objective on American Express from $152.00 to $155.00 and gave the company a "market perform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 26th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on American Express from $200.00 to $215.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, January 26th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft raised their price target on American Express from $200.00 to $210.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, January 26th. Finally, StockNews.com assumed coverage on American Express in a report on Thursday, March 31st. They set a "hold" rating for the company. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have assigned a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $192.26. Read more …

 

Manulife Financial (NYSE:MFC) (TSE:MFC) was downgraded by investment analysts at Canaccord Genuity Group from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday, Briefing.com reports.

A number of other research firms have also recently commented on MFC. TD Securities lowered their price target on Manulife Financial from C$37.00 to C$34.00 in a report on Thursday. Scotiabank lowered their price target on Manulife Financial from C$30.00 to C$28.00 in a report on Monday, May 2nd. BMO Capital Markets cut Manulife Financial from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating in a report on Thursday. National Bank Financial reduced their price objective on Manulife Financial from C$28.00 to C$26.00 in a research note on Thursday. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group downgraded Manulife Financial from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Friday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have given a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, Manulife Financial currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $29.90. Read more …

 

United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) was downgraded by stock analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from an "overweight" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research report issued on Friday, The Fly reports. They currently have a $202.00 price objective on the transportation company's stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s target price indicates a potential upside of 13.07% from the stock's current price.

Several other equities research analysts have also weighed in on the company. Susquehanna dropped their price target on United Parcel Service from $218.00 to $195.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, April 27th. Wolfe Research restated a "peer perform" rating on shares of United Parcel Service in a research report on Tuesday, April 5th. BNP Paribas upgraded United Parcel Service from an "underperform" rating to a "neutral" rating and set a $191.00 price objective for the company in a research note on Thursday, January 20th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft lowered their price objective on United Parcel Service from $221.00 to $216.00 and set a "hold" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, February 2nd. Finally, Loop Capital upgraded United Parcel Service from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $232.00 to $189.00 in a research note on Thursday, April 14th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fifteen have assigned a hold rating, twelve have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, United Parcel Service has an average rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $225.04. Read more …

 

7 Dividend Stocks to Buy for May With Yields Over 6%

 

Passively grow your portfolio with these ideas

 

 

Hardly a popular topic due to its wide-ranging implications, rising fears of a recession are becoming much more pronounced. Primarily, the benchmark equity indices are struggling for momentum, which is not a great sign amid myriad political and economic pressure points. Further, governmental action to address the concerns of Main Street may exacerbate the crisis. About the only good news is that high-yield dividend stocks to buy may offer investors a reprieve.

 

For one thing, the growth narrative that has guided the arguably unloved bull market may have finally hit its peak. Even the post-coronavirus pandemic storyline, which basically posited that unprecedented fiscal and monetary support would drive up productivity, is becoming strained. As evidence of this dynamic, former heavy hitters like Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) have been forced to lay off workers. Under such a backdrop, dividend stocks increasingly make more sense.

 

Mainly, companies that offer passive income are focused (naturally) on profitability and sustainability, all other things being equal. While such a framework is a far departure from the sexy super-growth stories that analysts in less-complicated market cycles have delivered to their clients, right now, dividend stocks theoretically present the most rational investment. With the purchasing power of the dollar in rapid decline, investors are focused on pain mitigation.

 

 

That’s not to say that passive income is a guaranteed bet — far from it. However, with the turmoil in the global economy, investors ought to consider pivoting some portion of their portfolios to high-yield dividend stocks to buy.

 

Continue reading …